Exam results day (there is light at the end of the tunnel)

This was one of the best days of my life, it was the day I graduated from the Open University with BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care lower second class. I achieved it while working full time in combination with studying upwards of 2o hours a week. It was really hard work but worth every minute.

Six years on and I am working towards a graduate diploma again while working full time and through distant learning with Glasgow Caledonian University. I was hoping to complete it in two years however, my tutor has advised that I take it over three years instead for reasons of my health. My second year starts next month.

Today A-level results come out and next week it is the turn of GCSE students, while many will be celebrating there will also be those who do not achieve the grades they need and may well be left feeling their life is over, or that their dreams are now impossible dreams. Let me stop you there, they are not. If you really want something badly, hold on to your dream and keep going. It may take you longer, it may even take you down paths you never considered. You may even look back on this in 5 years time and feel life has turned out better because of your failure.

Success is failure turned inside out, its for you to work out how to turn it the right way round. Given the nature of this blog I feel that it is important to dedicate a post to this subject. I was written off at school but from 10 years old dreamed of going to university. I had little support and encouragement from my school and the same from my parents. My GCSE results were 2 Ds, 4 Es, F, G and a U.

It took a further 5 years to get the grades I needed to get in to university I re took 3 GCSEs achieving 2 Cs and a D and sat two more achieving, interestingly grade Bs for both on the first sitting along with a host of other qualifications eventually achieving the equivalent of 3 A levels. I I passed a Diploma in Higher Education in 1998. In 2001 I commenced topping up my Diploma in Higher Education to a degree, which as you can see I passed and now I am moving up to a graduate diploma. My achievement is made all the more greater because I what I had to do and go through in order to get there.

For those that achieved the grades they required congratulations, for those that didn't its not the end of the world. Stop, think and remember your goal is not an impossible one. Go for it and good luck.