Back to School

Written by Rach89 on August 26, 2011

Back in March, I was having a conversation with one of my sisters. We were talking about when she decides to have kids, and then, half joking, she said she would hire me to be her nanny. It got me thinking about how I've always wanted to work with children but put off going to college mostly due to financial reasons. But I decided to apply to college anyway just to see what would happen. The course I applied for is called Early Education & Childcare.

About a couple of months later I got asked to go for an interview. Everyone told me that they tell you straight away if you got it. But in my interview they said "We will write to you within a week". Then when I left the room I heard another girl tell her friend "I got in! I start in August"...so I was pretty sure I had been rejected. However, I got the letter a week letter and was shocked to find out I'd been accepted! I was so over the moon.

Then my next thoughts were money. Would I be able to afford it? I phoned up SAAS (Student Awards Agency Scotland) and they told me because of my previous university drop-out, they would not fund my tuition fees and I would not be eligible for any bursaries or grants. The only thing I could get was a student loan, and that wouldn't be enough to cover everything.

I have my own flat so I have to pay all my own rent and bills and everything else. I was thinking of ways to get together enough money for the tuition fees. I already had about 1/3 saved up. I was thinking about taking a loan out from the bank, or borrowing money from family members, even though I really didn't want to.

Anyway, the time came to apply for student funding so I applied for a student loan, then just randomly decided to apply for tuition and an Independent Student Bursary too, just to see what would happen...

And then the letter came and I had been awarded everything! I was bowled over, almost in tears because all of a sudden all this financial burden had been lifted off my shoulders!

So everything was going plain sailing, the only thing I had to do was cut down to part time hours at work and then I'd be good to go. Except the company I work for is on a nation-wide recruitment freeze just now and couldn't accommodate me when I asked for a smaller contract...It sounds odd, but they weren't exactly being helpful at my work and there's been at least 5 other people who have had to leave for the same reason. So I handed in my notice and finished up last weekend. I am just hoping and praying I get another job real quick because I need the money to be able to afford my bills etc (even with my student loan)

I had my college induction a few days ago and it was good, but kinda odd. It's been a while since I've been in a classroom. And no-one on the course knows anyone else so it's a bit awkward at the moment. I've got my first official class on Monday so I'm looking forward to starting! I'll be in college 2 days a week, and on placement in a nursery 2 days a week which I am sooo excited about!

I do have some small reservations. Occasionally I find myself thinking "What the hell am I doing?? Leaving the safety of my full time job to go into the unknown and have to make new friends"...but I know it will be worth it, hopefully!

The course is only 1 year long and at the end I'll be qualified to teach in a nursery (0-5 year olds) and then I have the opportunity for further learning, for example Social Work, Childhood Studies, Primary Teaching etc...so the world is my oyster at the moment and I am so excited to go out and reach my goals!