Turning Failure to Success

I was turning 17 and was unsure what college to apply to. My parents insisted on where they wanted me to attend, but I didn't feel the same way. Eventually, I did as they wished and enrolled at Havant College, but I thought I needed to feel more settled to enjoy my time there. The rigidity of the college added too much pressure to A Levels. Despite achieving Bs in my mock exams, I let the pressure get the best of me for the real thing and took home Ds on results day. Feeling at a loss, I quit Havant College. Without telling my parents, I interviewed at South Downs College and was accepted onto a BTEC course. I finally gained the courage to share my decision with my parents, and let's say the conversation didn't go so well. Truthfully, they were disappointed that my first year of college hadn't progressed as they thought. So, I had much to prove when I joined South Downs College. 

I walked in on my first day and sat alone at the back of a classroom. I was a year older than the other students and didn't know any of them. I was alone and I was scared. I still needed to learn my way around the college and needed someone to ask for help. But, I took every opportunity and thoroughly enjoyed my time at the college. I attended as many trips and events as possible; I travelled to Prague and Berlin with my class, volunteered my time at open evenings, and even helped interview new lecturers. I left South Downs with the best grade I could achieve and proved to everyone that I had made the right decision. I owe a lot of my success to my tutor Dom. He acted as an inspiration to our class and pushed us to become the best versions of ourselves. 

Fast forward to 2017, I enrolled at the University of Portsmouth. I had never considered attending university, but my time at South Downs led me to that path. Yet again, I faced another obstacle. My then-boyfriend didn't support me going to university and gave me the ultimatum of studying or staying with him; future prospects won over present ones. Once again, I walked in on the first day alone and in awe of the vast campus. I joined some freshers' group chats on Facebook and made friends with a girl on my course. Like me, she didn't live on campus or know anyone. Lara would go on to become one of my best friends. We enrolled in International Business and seized the chance to study business on a global scale and the opportunity to live abroad for a year. 

I received the Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship when I joined the University of Portsmouth. Awarded for my academic achievement at South Downs College, it reminded me that I can achieve anything I want to if I put my mind to it. Suddenly, the next four years seemed less daunting. I had the opportunity to learn a language during my first year and I chose to study German. I also had the chance to take a qualification with the Charted Institute of Marketing. 

I now [temporarily] live in Strasbourg, France, studying at the elite EM Strasbourg Business School. When I arrived a month ago, I stood in Paris Gare du Nord feeling like the 17-year-old sat at the back of the classroom a few years ago. Once again, I was alone, scared and clueless. I speak basic French and have never been away from home before or lived alone. Although this is a challenge, it is also the best thing I have ever done. Having the opportunity to live abroad and meet people from all over the world, to learn the basics of their languages and about their cultures, is fascinating. Within the first couple of weeks, I had started to build my network, skills and independence. 

Many would view my time at Havant College as a wasted year. However, I view it as an invaluable character-building experience; I wouldn't be where I am today without it. 

Failure is essential to life, providing you learn and improve from what went wrong. Our society has become so focused on success they forget that often failure is the path to achieve it. Don't be afraid if things don't go as planned; you might find something better awaits you.