I was never really sure what I wanted to do at school. There were lots of things I liked, but nothing that I really loved until around S4 when I started getting really into Drama. After getting 3 C's at Higher in S5, I decided to join West College Scotland to do Acting & Performance at NC (National Certificate) level, which is the equivalent to National 4 in school. I had already gained a C in Higher Drama but I wanted to start at the base level of my college education, to get as much experience as possible. I completed my NC in the first year, my HNC (Higher National Certificate) in my second year, and my HND (Higher National Diploma) was earned at the end of my 3rd year. A lot of people think University is far harder than college, but this isn't true. HND is actually the equivalent study level of the 2nd year of University. Completing this course meant that I was able to articulate - this is a really cool way of progressing through your education. Some people, like myself, work better initially in a college environment, and for me it was a good stepping stone. My college ran an Undergraduate Degree programme (this is the qualification you go to uni for) in partnership with Sunderland Uni, and due to getting my HND I was able to go straight to 3rd year of University - this is what we call articulating. Doing this allowed me to get a BA Hons degree in Drama.
University seemed a bit daunting to me when I was in school so being able to go through college first really helped me build confidence and realise that I did belong there. Then I took two years out working full time as I wanted to save up some money. After that period out, I went back to education for the final time. I completed a year at Royal Conservative of Scotland and walked away with a Masters Degree in Acting. My path from the foundation level of college to getting a Masters Degree, with time out in between, shows that there is no set path for education. There are many ways to approach getting the qualifications you need, and finding out the best way for you is key.
Once you get to college/uni, you soon realise it is not as scary as you sometimes expect it might be. I was initially nervous to leave my school friends and was worried I wouldn't get on with anyone, but by the end of the first week I'd made friends with people I still hang out with now twelve years later. College and uni really gave me the opportunity to grow into the sort of person I wanted to be. A lot of the time there are pressures to look, dress, act or think a certain way at school. Once you reach Higher Education all of that just falls away and that was a big relief for me. I found I also had a lot more free time than I expected - I even set up a 5-a-side football team with my college lecturer. Imagine playing fives with your Maths or English teacher at school, it would never happen! Higher Education is just a completely different environment, and I would absolutely recommend jumping in with both feet if the opportunity is there. My best memories now are from my days as a student, and you guys have all that to look forward to.