A Real Life Worry
Mar. 22nd, 2013 01:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beanstalk_simsIt's been a strange time recently. I've managed to land myself a seasonal job - living in a seaside town has its perks - which is part time, so I'm very pleased with that, but I'm more worried about going back into education this year.
I mentioned awhile ago that I want to train up and become a therapist, which means going away to university and getting a degree in psychology. But I haven't studied psychology before, so instead of jumping in at the deep end, I decided to go back into education a little bit at a time - and I'm starting a course in September.
In the UK, we have these Access to Higher Education diplomas, which usually don't have entry requirements, and they help students get what they need in order to progress to university. The college (I think Americans call it community college) where I live seems to cater the course towards mature students, as you have to be 19 and older to get on the course - it's aimed at people returning to education.
Which is fine. I wasn't worried by that at all - it'll be great, studying again, meeting new people, working around it (hopefully).
But then I chose the university I want to go to, and started to panic.
There's a university in a city around 26 miles from my hometown that just seems perfect. It's 45 minute train journey away, it's a beautiful city, I've been over there lots of times as I was growing up, Rob went to the Art College in the same city, so he'd be able to help me get my bearings as well, and above all, it's pretty close to home. Last time I went to uni, it was a 10 hour train journey on 5 different trains over 300 miles.
So the university seems perfect. Problem is, their entry requirements are pretty high.
My course is made up of 60 credits, divided into two levels - level two and level three. 15 of the credits are made up by level 2, and 45 made up by level 3. These are graded either Fail, Pass, Merit or Distinction.
The university wants me to get Distinction in 45 credits at Level three. Which means I have to be perfect in every single unit of level 3, there's no room for mistakes, I have to pass everything. And quite frankly, I am TERRIFIED.
Part of me thinks I can do it, all I need to do is work hard and not procrastinate - easier said than done, but still - while another part of me thinks it's ridiculously high and I'll never achieve it. The thing is, I know I have to at least give it my best shot, but I know I'll be disappointed if my best isn't good enough.
I just really needed to get it off my chest.
I mentioned awhile ago that I want to train up and become a therapist, which means going away to university and getting a degree in psychology. But I haven't studied psychology before, so instead of jumping in at the deep end, I decided to go back into education a little bit at a time - and I'm starting a course in September.
In the UK, we have these Access to Higher Education diplomas, which usually don't have entry requirements, and they help students get what they need in order to progress to university. The college (I think Americans call it community college) where I live seems to cater the course towards mature students, as you have to be 19 and older to get on the course - it's aimed at people returning to education.
Which is fine. I wasn't worried by that at all - it'll be great, studying again, meeting new people, working around it (hopefully).
But then I chose the university I want to go to, and started to panic.
There's a university in a city around 26 miles from my hometown that just seems perfect. It's 45 minute train journey away, it's a beautiful city, I've been over there lots of times as I was growing up, Rob went to the Art College in the same city, so he'd be able to help me get my bearings as well, and above all, it's pretty close to home. Last time I went to uni, it was a 10 hour train journey on 5 different trains over 300 miles.
So the university seems perfect. Problem is, their entry requirements are pretty high.
My course is made up of 60 credits, divided into two levels - level two and level three. 15 of the credits are made up by level 2, and 45 made up by level 3. These are graded either Fail, Pass, Merit or Distinction.
The university wants me to get Distinction in 45 credits at Level three. Which means I have to be perfect in every single unit of level 3, there's no room for mistakes, I have to pass everything. And quite frankly, I am TERRIFIED.
Part of me thinks I can do it, all I need to do is work hard and not procrastinate - easier said than done, but still - while another part of me thinks it's ridiculously high and I'll never achieve it. The thing is, I know I have to at least give it my best shot, but I know I'll be disappointed if my best isn't good enough.
I just really needed to get it off my chest.
