Uni is seen as the natural progression for most people. And it can lead to an amazing career. But is that all there is to higher education? We ask a boy whether uni changes people for better or worse, and whether it's worth considering a course for more than just learning.
From a relatively young age, I knew I wanted to go to university. Not because it was the done thing, or because my parents rail-roaded me into it, but because I knew at the other end I would have a set of skills that would help me get to where I am now.
Don’t get me wrong – this isn't to say if you don't go to university you'll end up being a social moron. Far from it. I know plenty of people who struggle in social situations, even with the experience of university behind them. It is also not an implication that if you choose college at 16 then you’re doomed forever. There are success stories from both angles.
Let me explain. Prior to university, I was a shy, retiring chap who wouldn’t say boo to a goose. To be fair, I wouldn’t do so now. They terrify me. I was a creative writer, but wanted a career in journalism. Would a shy, retiring guy succeed in the bull-pen? Absolutely not.
So. I packed my things and shifted my life to Preston for three years. Besides the qualifications I left with, I also had a set of life skills and experiences behind me that I will never forget (which is ironic given most of those start with ‘when I was really drunk’).
One of the biggest reasons I would recommend university is your personal development. You learn a lot about yourself, how you can survive without the immediacy of mum and dad and what kind of person you really are. The difference in maturity between Child A that went off to university to fend for themselves and Child B that stayed at home to have the safety blanket of mum and dad can be stark.
I actually believe personal development is just as important as further education. For example, I have always held the opinion that you cannot train a journalist – they either get it or they don’t. No exams or dissertations or studying can bring that core talent out if it's not there to begin with.
But university forces you to become a different person. If you're already loud and confident, it's about finding a place and maturing without being overbearing. If, like me, you're timid and need a bit of coaxing to make conversation, it gives you the opportunity.
For those of you ready to embark on Fresher’s Week, I salute you. Don’t hold back. Do things you regret – it’s much better to regret something you did than something you did not, with no chance to rectify it. Mistakes will be made, but they make you a stronger person. University really is the best time of your life.
Laura, of Heroine in Heels fame, says she felt exactly the same:
Laura was born and raised in Warrington. At 22, she says only half her class ended up at uni, due in no small part to its vocational college which offered hands-on training for skilled workers.
"University was driven into me from day one by my parents though," she says. "Neither went to college and so they wanted me to better myself and get a good career. It was never not on the cards."
Like our A Boy, Laura's parents advised her to go on a summer pre-university camp. "Basically it was four weeks living on campus and attending a few lecture style classes with around 100 people. They made me go as I was shy and nervous, so they thought it would ease me in."
This changed everything. She explains: "I used to feel quite bad about myself and I couldn't talk to a lot of people as I thought they'd laugh at me. I was the quiet and reserved one in my group back then. University threw me in at the deep end but surprisingly I took to it very well."
Instead of worrying about what people thought, she let herself come out of her shell. Gradually others started noticing her talking up more, and could see the change in her confidence. And then of course, there were the boys. A Boy puts his confidence with women - which he discovered during his first year at university - down to similar reasons.
Laura carries on: "I was late to the game as again I didn't think I was pretty or that boys would want me. Well I discovered that some boys do! Ha!" Laura actually met her boyfriend at university during her first year, which she says "worked out quite nicely."
Now, she works for JP Morgan as a technology analyst. "I got my job by working so incredibly hard. I did internships at various city companies, and I was applying for if not close to 50 jobs. Graduates say there aren't any jobs, but that's not strictly true. You just have to apply again and again and again."
Laura knows without her degree she wouldn't have her job. "But also university as an experience changed me as a person. I know have so much confidence, energy and the ability to go for things if I want them. The degree is essential for my role, but the best part is the way I've changed."
Her advice? Live with a big group of people and join a few societies. "It's a great way to meet people in an environment that you feel comfortable in."
What do you think? Did uni change you? Stay tuned for our next feature, on getting your dream career without a degree.
For those of you ready to embark on Fresher’s Week, I salute you. Don’t hold back. Do things you regret – it’s much better to regret something you did than something you did not, with no chance to rectify it. Mistakes will be made, but they make you a stronger person. University really is the best time of your life.
Laura, of Heroine in Heels fame, says she felt exactly the same:
@sixoutoftenmag before university I was so shy. I had low self esteem, under confident. now out going and way too confident sometimes ha!
— Heroine In Heels (@LauraJHyatt) September 10, 2014
Laura was born and raised in Warrington. At 22, she says only half her class ended up at uni, due in no small part to its vocational college which offered hands-on training for skilled workers.
"University was driven into me from day one by my parents though," she says. "Neither went to college and so they wanted me to better myself and get a good career. It was never not on the cards."
Like our A Boy, Laura's parents advised her to go on a summer pre-university camp. "Basically it was four weeks living on campus and attending a few lecture style classes with around 100 people. They made me go as I was shy and nervous, so they thought it would ease me in."
This changed everything. She explains: "I used to feel quite bad about myself and I couldn't talk to a lot of people as I thought they'd laugh at me. I was the quiet and reserved one in my group back then. University threw me in at the deep end but surprisingly I took to it very well."
Instead of worrying about what people thought, she let herself come out of her shell. Gradually others started noticing her talking up more, and could see the change in her confidence. And then of course, there were the boys. A Boy puts his confidence with women - which he discovered during his first year at university - down to similar reasons.
Laura carries on: "I was late to the game as again I didn't think I was pretty or that boys would want me. Well I discovered that some boys do! Ha!" Laura actually met her boyfriend at university during her first year, which she says "worked out quite nicely."
Now, she works for JP Morgan as a technology analyst. "I got my job by working so incredibly hard. I did internships at various city companies, and I was applying for if not close to 50 jobs. Graduates say there aren't any jobs, but that's not strictly true. You just have to apply again and again and again."
Laura knows without her degree she wouldn't have her job. "But also university as an experience changed me as a person. I know have so much confidence, energy and the ability to go for things if I want them. The degree is essential for my role, but the best part is the way I've changed."
Her advice? Live with a big group of people and join a few societies. "It's a great way to meet people in an environment that you feel comfortable in."
What do you think? Did uni change you? Stay tuned for our next feature, on getting your dream career without a degree.
Images: michael/flickr Julia Manzerova/flickr
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