Written by Remi Bampton
University students are generally classified as either school leavers or mature-aged students. In this blog post, I compare the journey and lessons learned between a school leaver studying occupational therapy (me) and a mature-aged student studying pharmacy (Alex).
School leaver journey
My journey to university began at 16 in high school, by trying to achieve the ATAR required to get into occupational therapy. I was accepted into my course through the school’s recommendation scheme (SRS), meaning I received my offer in year twelve before sitting the HSC exams.
Mature-aged student journey
Alex’s journey to university began when he was 29. After living interstate and having many different jobs, Alex moved back home to Port Macquarie and got a job as a pharmacy delivery driver. Over the six years Alex has been working in the pharmacy, he has gone from delivery driver to dispensary coordinator and set his sights on becoming a pharmacist.
Alex applied to university through a mature-aged student scheme. Due to Alex not sitting his HSC exams or achieving an ATAR, he was offered a conditional offer in the Diploma of Science. The conditions were to complete four subjects and maintain a certain GPA.
Alex achieved these requirements and transferred into a Bachelor of Pharmacy after a year of part-time study.
Lessons learnt
As a school leaver, I found the transition to university quite hard, which, looking back, I believe it was because I was still so young and not 100% sure what life looked like outside of school. I did not yet have the confidence to ask questions or speak about my opinions, something I later grew confident in. However, as I was in school only a year ago, I had a good study routine to lean on in university life.
When speaking with Alex, he found the opposite. He was able to transition well, as he knew he was doing exactly what he wanted and found it easy to ask and answer questions due to his drive to achieve his dreams and learn all that he could. Although Alex had not been studying or involved in academics for the past 10 years, working out how to study and what works for him was quite a struggle.
Final thoughts
Although both journeys are different, the destination is the same. Each person’s journey brings a unique insight to study, from life experience to study tips; there is something to learn from everyone in our cohort. I believe the uniqueness of every student aids us in understanding concepts through different lenses, ultimately helping us become well-rounded professionals.
Hence, there is no ‘right time’ to begin university, as life is so different from person to person. It is the commitment and willingness to show up that aid our navigation of the university journey. It doesn’t matter when you start; it matters that you try your best and achieve your own personal goals.
Charlie blog is a SSAF funded initiative.
