University offers so many opportunities to learn, network and grow and this is what I’m the most grateful for
About me
My name's Tami and I’m from London. In my spare time, I enjoy playing instruments like the piano and guitar as well as reading, going to the gym and being an active participant in charity. Growing up, I was always eager to learn and took my education very seriously.
Choosing my options
So, when it was time for me to pick my options, I had no problem choosing what subjects to do because I knew what my interests were. This led to me being placed on the English Baccalaureate route which allowed me to choose History and French as optional subjects with English Literature & Language, Maths and Science being compulsory.
In 2015, I finished secondary school and started at a grammar school sixth form where I completed 4 A-levels in Economics, Maths, English Literature and History.
I really enjoyed studying these subjects. It was a difficult period for me however, because every day was a step closer to having to choose what my career would be in and I was still very much undecided between becoming a lawyer or an accountant.
It was a difficult period for me however, because every day was a step closer to having to choose what my career would be in and I was still very much undecided between becoming a lawyer or an accountant.
Getting careers advice
To help me make a better informed decision, I arranged a meeting with the career adviser at my sixth form. In that hour, we spoke about identifying strengths and weaknesses and how this can be applied to deciding what career is best suited for me.
I went home and did my own research and chose Economics as my degree. The next step was choosing what university to go to.
Choosing a university
My sixth form was very helpful when it came to making the UCAS application, reading through personal statements and helping with student finance applications. I chose my university based on location and ranking according to my degree of choice.
The University of Portsmouth fit the criteria for me, studying Economics, Finance and Banking. After receiving my A-level grades in summer 2017, I embarked on the next and biggest chapter of my life – university.
Adjusting to life at university
Despite being adamant on becoming a financial analyst, the naturally shy and introverted me found the thought of sitting in lecture rooms with up to 70 students at a time quite daunting, compared to a class of 30.
My family were a great support system to me, both emotionally and financially. I made friends on my course and outside my course. I joined the Christian society and gospel choir, which helped me exercise my religion and love for singing.
Almost 3 years later and I’m close to ending this life-changing chapter of my life. The workload was heavy, I faced some challenging times as a young adult but I made life-long friends, took a step closer towards my career and enjoyed the rocky Portsmouth beach during summer!
What I learnt from my experiences
The greatest lessons I took from university was how to be emotionally resilient and independent. Circumstances change everyday but being able to adapt to different situations is what makes you stronger.
University offers so many opportunities to learn, network and grow and this is what I’m the most grateful for.