For the majority of my life, I have been in education

I didn’t particularly love school, in fact I couldn’t wait to leave for university, where I spent 5 years of my life doing my undergraduate degree and then starting one masters degree only to realise it wasn’t for me and then completing another masters degree the following year.

A lot of the time you can’t wait to get out of education but once I did, I got this huge I miss it feeling. I missed the ease of being in education, I missed the pushing myself to get grades better than my ‘expected grades’ but I also realised how much it taught me about life. Going to university is where I found my ‘passion’ for mental health but it’s also where I learned to ‘grow up’ and look after myself, it’s where I really ‘found’ my confidence.

I was shown the fun in learning and researching, I still don’t like writing essays but I do love thinking of what would make a great study! I became more independent and I love being independent.

Education really teaches you so much more than just reading from a book, it gives you life skills that will stick with you forever. For a while I wanted to go back and do a PhD but then I found a great job that I love and that pushes me to learn more everyday and I don’t think I’d have been able to do that without the education I already had.

Sofia,

Suicide Bereavement Support Officer