Gap Yah Girl

I've spent the last week or so deliberating what to write as my next blog; I didn't have anything productive to write about my new-found gap year and I wanted to write a blog about the Derren Brown tour - but then realised I should wait to mention his new TV show in it as well (Miracles for Sale, Easter Monday, Channel 4, 9pm)

You can also watch the trailer here - I'm not hiding the fact I completely and utterly adore this man.

I'm doing it again; avoiding the subject. Right, so what I really need to talk about it my gap year. Two words that, six months ago, I would've chuckled at the thought of. I look back with mild embarrassment at how confident I was at getting in to University, and why wouldn't I? I had good grades*, a shedload of work experience, a strong personal statement. I felt like, compared with other people I knew of, I wanted it so much more; I felt so passionate about my reasons for studying Medicine, my interest in becoming a doctor.

*On the subject of 'good grades' I came out of school ecstatically happy about my GCSE's. It came as a shock when I realised that my grades would just scrape in University requirements, some would've disregarded my application completely such as Birmingham. I had 5 A*s (in the core subjects) and 7 A grades.

Initially

I'm not going to lie, as much as I was expecting it, receiving the 'rejection' email from Bristol still made me cry. I felt awful; I'd let myself down. All I could think about was those hours and hours I'd spent in preparation; writing my UCAS statement, arranging and attening voluntary work and work experience, carefully reading and cutting out articles for my scrapbook, researching universities. Wasted. All that excitement.

Essentially there was little 'wrong' with my application; yes, I probably should've applied to other universities, given different answers to questions. It's just difficult to stand out when everybody else is equally brilliant.

The Plan

It's a simple one really; get a job. I'd have loved to go travelling - but it's finding somebody to go with, somewhere to go. And with Medicine you really need to be in the country to attend interviews, which could be any time from November until April.

I'm hoping to find something in a healthcare/educational setting. Maybe a Teaching Assistant for SEN children, or a nursing auxiliary, or a health care assistant, or a care assistant in a nursing home.

I've started looking and applying, but it's difficult to judge the time frame at the moment.

Opportunities

After the initial 'oh, so did you not get your grades then?' people seem quite understanding about my failure (I use that word sarcastically). Mostly, people seem very good at pointing out the positives. Jordan and my work colleagues cheered me straight up "but you'll have so much free time working a 9 - 5?!" said one. "Oh, I bet you'll be able to do loads of interesting things in your free time" offered another.

Which is true. Mostly I'm excited about joining a gym - I have no intention to lose weight; I want to get fit. I'd love to re-learn German or start afresh with Spanish. I'm keen to investigate my interests in cognition and mental disorders further. A few people suggesting I write a book, but I might interpret that as putting more effort into the blog.

Most of all I'll have a whole extra year to think about Medicine and really refine my reasons for wanting to study it. I'll be developing new clinical and non-clinical skills and awarenesses through work. I'll have time to read for pleasure. And the money to enjoy myself.

Overall, I'm beginning to quite look forward to a year out. Not exactly a year to 'discover myself', but a year to appreciate some of the things I've overlooked whilst I've been studying hard, my tendancy to be short-breathed after running a flight of stairs being one of them. I'm not going to pretend that the thought of re-applying, of attending more interviews and potentially ending up in the same position this time next year doesn't terrify me. But at least I have something to look forward to along the way.

Happy Easter =)

And as another aside- somebody this week asked what the 'point' of this blog is. I thought it was fairly obvious from the sub-title but please let me clarify; essentially I'm keen to support students into higher education (particularly science and healthcare subjects). This blog is somewhere public for my ramblings to be posted, where other applicants may glean something. Maybe an idea for a project, a book to read or just a new perspective on applying. And I also enjoy writing.