I didn’t get into university from completing school as I never completed my HSC.
I didn’t complete year ten either, so I don’t have an SC.

I attempted to obtain an equivalent through TAFE via home schooling the year after I dropped out, but I didn’t complete that.

The year after was when I began to work in call centres and offices.

Not having obtained my SC was very much something that weighed heavily on me. I can’t remember if I regretted not completing it (I don’t think I did) but I do know that when I thought about it I felt like an idiot.

A lot of people would tell me that I am smart but I’ve never considered myself to be so.  I’ve never seen myself as having anything beyond average intelligence (which I’m fine with) but not completing school made me feel far less intelligent.

Since I was twelve, I’ve wanted to be a marine scientist. There’s so much about the ocean and various waterways as well as the inhabitants of them that we don’t know. I find it fascinating.
I’ve had a long time to think about what I’ve wanted to do with my life and whilst music, photography, writing and the various other activities I do are things I want to keep doing throughout my life, I know where my heart lies with my future.

I’m aware that I won’t necessarily end up in field science and I’m fine with that.
I’m also aware that it’s a choice that will put me in a field that can have more supply than there is demand and I still have a good number of years to go before I complete my studies to be one but I’m fine with that too.

Anyway, I was able to get into university through a preparation course.
I first attempted to do so via correspondence with Charles Darwin University in 2012. However, that fell through once I found out that I couldn’t use it to get into Sydney universities.

My second attempt was through a preparation course with UNSW in 2013, where my subjects were a preparation subject (I can’t remember the name right now but it was skills needed for university) and maths.

I passed.
I did okay with Maths but fared much better with the preparation component.

I did the course as I was ready to start moving forward with my life and didn’t want to remain in call centres for the rest of my life.

I also wanted to prove to myself that I was able to obtain an education.

The reason as to why I’m writing this tonight is that I feel it’s important to let anyone in a similar situation know that they aren’t an idiot and they can still achieve things.

For me, it really drove home that having a lot of support is a great thing, but I still needed to take the first step.

It was the hardest part, but it was a good decision.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 29:23:14
Much longer than yesterday but I’m not too fussed right now.