I started at Sixth Form with the view of going to University to study Sport as it was my passion growing up. I loved playing football, and still do – and wanted to see where it could take me. I initially studied PE, Psychology and Maths.
I had a difficult first year, taking Maths as an option after securing an A at GCSE, but found it a lot more challenging than I thought. I persevered with the subject, and sought help to improve my grades, with a great deal of support from teachers and my Form Tutor/Head of Sixth Form. Sadly, when it came to my AS Level exams, I hadn’t achieved the grades in Maths to continue.
I had to make to the difficult decision to restart Sixth Form, and I changed subjects from Maths to Geography. I struggled enormously to start with, having to restart with students in the year below me that I didn’t know, and just feeling like giving up – but I was quickly welcomed into the year group and made some great friends to help support me through the next two years, as well as my teachers – and I ended up really enjoying my time at Friesland. All of my teachers were so supportive, and nothing was ever too much trouble, because they want you to succeed just as much as you want to.
Over the 3 years I spent at Sixth Form, I decided that University really wasn’t for me, and that I wanted to start working and find a career that way. By September I had secured a job as a Customer Service Advisor at Boots, and 6 months later, applied for and got a job in the Head Office as a Merchandising Assistant. I have since been promoted and I am now an Assistant Merchandising Manager, looking after Cosmetics – which is a massive achievement for me, looking back at where I was in 2019, having just finished Sixth Form and having no idea what I wanted to do.
I love my job, and I believe that if I hadn’t had had these hurdles to get over whilst studying at Friesland, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I really had to push myself to get through difficult periods in my time at Friesland, but the teachers and staff really helped me, and made me the person I am today.
