I am currently studying English at Royal Holloway University, which has honestly been a dream come true. I do not think I would have ever made it without the support I received from the staff at USP College. During my last year at USP College, I was appointed the position of Student Governor, and the previous year I became Student Champion for Charity and Social. The Charity and Social role helped me keep my creative side alive, by hosting charity events and raising money for charities. I honestly loved every minute of this role, especially as I constantly got to work with Suzanne Perry in Student Services. My Student Governor position really took me out of my comfort zone, as I was faced with the role of being the voice of students. I was given the unforgettable opportunity of working with Senior Members of Staff, in discussing future plans for the College. Now about my novel, I could talk about it for hours. The novel initially started as a hobby but then I heard about the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) that USP College offered, so I decided to actually write my novel, and make a project out of it, whilst also getting a qualification for it. My novel is called “The Life We Live With Our Eyes Closed,” and the concept of the novel began when I started writing down my dreams on my phone. One day, I decided to write a story out of one of them and I was really happy with how it turned out. I then wrote another one and applied with them for my EPQ. I have written 8 chapters, all with different storylines, characters, and themes, and the complete novel includes a few poems I have written, Spotify playlists for each chapter and the original dreams which inspired each chapter. Unfortunately, the novel is not published anywhere yet. Although I am trying to get it published on Amazon, then try to approach bigger publishing houses. In the future, I hope to go into publishing, and this project has truly helped me learn about how much detail goes on behind the scenes after it’s finished.

The best part was the College always pushed me to reach my goals and did what they could to help me achieve them in the process. From the outset my course tutors and progress coaches helped me to research and pass my units so that I could pursue a career in education. Even the College Principal & CEO, Dan Pearson, offered me a full day to shadow him so that I could gain a real sense of the educational workplace especially within leadership. Sadly, during my first year at the College, I suffered some health issues. Even then the College were on hand to ensure that I received the best care and put a comprehensive plan in place for when I returned. Last summer I left USP College having gained an Extended National Diploma in Performing Arts and also having secured my pass in GCSE Maths. These qualifications combined have allowed me to pursue my career within education and as such I am now working at a local secondary school within Safeguarding and Wellbeing, something that the College always pushed me to achieve. Overall, I simply wouldn’t be in this privileged position today without the help, dedication and kindness from my teachers, senior leaders, and everyone associated with the College. Thanks to USP, I now have a bright future ahead of me and I will always be eternally grateful for that.