Six years ago I was probably sitting in a school hall probably taking an exam on something I had no idea about, I was dyslexic, yet the school refused to diagnose me because I "didn't seem to struggle". This was partly because I'd never speak up when I didn't understand anything. I never wanted to make a fus, partly this and partly because the teachers were completely useless and would ignore my raised hand anyway. So I painfully sat these exams with the echoing in my ear that without any decent grades I wouldn't get a job, I couldn't go to uni (which I had ruled out anyway because I knew I was a failure) to be quite honest the future was looking pretty bleak and everyone thought I was going to amount to nothing due to my lack of academic intelligence and lack of confidence. In the end I left school with 3, yes, 3 GCSEs. One in Drama, ICT and to be honest I can't even remember what the other one was.. It made me feel terrible seeing everyone else getting A's and B's and here I was with a B and 2 C's. Obviously I was left feeling dumb. But I managed to wangle my way onto a level 2 BTEC course at the sixth form to retake my GCSE English & Maths, I excelled in the BTEC yet again didn't pass my English and Maths. 

Luckily because I had to many GCSE Equivalents I snuck my way on to the Level 3 Performing Arts course at the college (I got a B in Drama GCSE because I was good at it and enjoyed it, right?) even though I was supposed to be on the Level 2. 

Anyway, during my time here I became a completely different person. The class I was in really bought out the best in me, I grew up with major social anxiety and went out of my way to avoid new people and new situations. At first I definitely felt like a fish out of water. But I kid you not, by the end of October, a month after we started I had so much more confidence and I started to become a bit more outspoken and I was able to voice my opinions. But the main thing was that I was the happiest in education I had ever been. The college tested me with dyslexia (finally) and I passed English with a B. But none of that really had anything to do with my change of character. I honestly feel like I owe my college class my life, regardless of how much they told me it was all me they were the ones who brought out the best in me and helped me find all the confidence and basically created me. Like I hope as collectively we all stay in touch forever because I owe them so much. Because of them I was able to be optimistic and apply to a uni and graduate with a 2.2. Which at first I was really disheartened about because I was literally a grade off of a 2.1 but I should be so proud that I even made it past the application. I didn't apply to uni because of the grades I received, if I had received A's & B's during my GCSE's I wouldn't have lasted at uni because of my lack of character.