Dear Holly - aged 16, summer before the beginning of Sixth Form,

I remember you at this point, you are walking in the sun with your best friend Ellie in the long summer holiday between GCSE’s and Sixth Form, it feels endless and free. You are speculating about the future, Ellie wants to go to Oxford University, she has always got great grades. However, you cannot imagine what your future may hold, in fact, you are already thinking university might not be for you.

This uncertainty for the future continues into Sixth Form, A levels are tough for you. You start to think that you have chosen the wrong subjects, and as grades start slipping, maybe an apprenticeship might be more suited to you. Besides, your family would be more supportive of that option. Your time at Sixth Form gets harder, your parents split up and you take on huge responsibilities at home. Your peers are applying for university and you feel overwhelmed by this process and decide not to apply. You feel lost and hopeless. You finish your education with grades you were not proud of and immediately step into work to help with your family’s struggling finances.

At this point, younger Holly, I want to reassure you that things get better. The uncertainty about your future continues for a couple of years, but during this time you become confident in yourself. You settle into the routine of work and strike a good life/work balance, you have fun and revisit hobbies you put aside during A levels. You start drawing again and take pride in making an art Instagram. You are trying to make a career out of catering and complete a chef course but all the while you wish there were more time to make art. Listen to your self, as this feeling is telling you to follow something you love.

Just on a whim, to keep your options open, you decide to apply to do Art at university. You have no idea how to apply, what a portfolio is, or even which university to apply to. Ellie, who has always been there for big decisions, will sit with you looking at the university Leader Boards, reading the course prospectuses and helping you draw up pros and cons lists. You settle on five universities, create a portfolio, and write a personal statement. You feel insecure about your application but get invited to interview at four out of the five universities, which is a huge confidence boost.

You embark on the adventure of going to your interviews. You love visiting the universities, it is so fun to see new cities. You start to see yourself going to university and begin to think of a career in a subject you genuinely enjoy. Although excited for the future, you are also fearful; going to university would mean you would no longer be able to support your family financially. With a lot of consideration, you decide to do what is best for you and accept a place on a Fine Art degree.

You worry you will be much older than the other students on your course and you are in a shared house instead of halls of residence, so you fear you’ll miss out on socialising. You are happy to find that there is a diverse mix of ages and many opportunities to make friends outside of accommodation. To make friends, you go to societies and go in often to the studios. You realise that you have so many skills from being in work; you are independent, confident, and good at managing a work/social life balance. Having experienced the working world means you are so grateful for your opportunities in education and you make the most of them. You feel the privilege of being at university and with some of your spare time you volunteer.

University will massively open your world. You will learn so many new skills, expand your knowledge, and challenge yourself academically. It will give you the freedom and space to live in a new city, have independence and meet exciting and like-minded people.

Holly at sixteen, the choices you make now don’t have to define what you do later - it is possible that everything can work out. Be kind to yourself as you work out what it is that you want to do, and what’s best for you. Follow what you enjoy, and opportunities will open up.

All the best,

Holly