When I was 16 I had to decide what I wanted to do at college. I picked beauty therapy. When evaluating my options I was discouraged against doing the course by teachers and family friends. I was clever and "too good" to go into beauty, basically they were saying "you're not thick, why do you want to do this?". I knew that by picking that course, I was closing off my options and would never go to university.
None of this really mattered until two years later, course almost complete, the friends who did A-levels started applying to fuck off to various parts of the country. Even though they hadn't gone yet, I already felt like I was being left behind.
The first year was rubbish. I was working in a cafe almost full time and felt like I was never going to get where I wanted to be. Meanwhile, it felt like everyone I knew was meeting new friends, living independently and generally having a great time. Even my Mum said to me "I feel like you're ready to move out, why don't you just go to uni?" (Like I could just go "yeah, alright" and head off)
Within that year I quit the cafe and spent three weeks unemployed before getting a job as a beauty therapist, hated where I worked but stuck it out and eventually moved in with my boyfriend. (Note: if I hadn't moved out my feelings about all of this could be considerably different.) I had the same independence and freedom as my friends who had gone to uni and felt as if i had levelled the scores in some way, even when really we were playing completely different games.
I still felt as though I was somehow missing out, I don't know what I would have done at uni but would my life be better had I gone?
It wasn't until a few months ago having moved to a job I love, booked a big holiday, and moved into another flat (we have a garden now!) that I knew I had made the right decision and felt like my life was on the right track.
This story had a point, but I can't remember what it was.
-Robyn
p.s This is an example of how I spend my exam free life:
None of this really mattered until two years later, course almost complete, the friends who did A-levels started applying to fuck off to various parts of the country. Even though they hadn't gone yet, I already felt like I was being left behind.
The first year was rubbish. I was working in a cafe almost full time and felt like I was never going to get where I wanted to be. Meanwhile, it felt like everyone I knew was meeting new friends, living independently and generally having a great time. Even my Mum said to me "I feel like you're ready to move out, why don't you just go to uni?" (Like I could just go "yeah, alright" and head off)
Within that year I quit the cafe and spent three weeks unemployed before getting a job as a beauty therapist, hated where I worked but stuck it out and eventually moved in with my boyfriend. (Note: if I hadn't moved out my feelings about all of this could be considerably different.) I had the same independence and freedom as my friends who had gone to uni and felt as if i had levelled the scores in some way, even when really we were playing completely different games.
I still felt as though I was somehow missing out, I don't know what I would have done at uni but would my life be better had I gone?
It wasn't until a few months ago having moved to a job I love, booked a big holiday, and moved into another flat (we have a garden now!) that I knew I had made the right decision and felt like my life was on the right track.
This story had a point, but I can't remember what it was.
-Robyn
p.s This is an example of how I spend my exam free life:
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