Why I chose to go to university

Some of you will know from my previous post that I was never one of those people who knew what I wanted to do with my life.

At the age of 16 I was lucky enough to have the opportunity of working with a wedding and events company who provided venue decor and also any floral pieces for a wedding such as bouquets. I had never considered doing anything like this before, however I thought why not!

During my time there I got to be apart of creating some amazing pieces and helped make couples' dreams come true. I got to see some amazing venue transformations and fell in love with the whole idea of weddings. I loved the beauty in them, the happiness they can bring to a family and the fact that each one is different! I learnt so much more when attending wedding fayres about the wedding and events industry and just how big it was.

By the time I had finished my first year at college, I decided this is what I want to do with my life. 

Yes, I could have stayed on with the company I was with, but I wanted to learn more about events and the different elements of it. By doing this, I felt I could open up more opportunities to both explore other events but also learn the right skills for if I wanted to go solo and be my own manager. So, I began to look into university.

I was quite late to the whole university exploring game as many people I knew began attending open days at the end of first year, but I started looking at the start of second year around October time.

Quick note: If you are thinking about going to university I would strongly recommend attending open days to get a feel for the university.

I looked into both events management and teaching as I had thought about teaching for a little while as something I may want to do, but was unsure on specifics. However, as my work within the wedding industry continued, I fell more and more in love.

After viewing more universities, looking into the courses and speaking to students I felt this was defiantly the right move for me. 

But remember, the fact that it was the right move for me doesn't mean it is the right move for everybody. You have to do what is right for you.

University does cost a lot of money! So, I wouldn't suggest going for the sake of it, as I'm not going to lie, you will come out with a huge debt at a very young age. Yes, the experience is great and I do know people who went to university purely for the social experience. But, personally I think you should go to gain the knowledge and skills you need to get to where you want to be in the future.  It is not for everyone, and if you don't want to go that is okay! There are plenty of other opportunities out there you can do. But for me, university was the right move. 

After attending around 5 open days, I found the one for me!

I chose to go to a university quite far from home (around 2-3 hours) as I had the attitude that if I'm going to go to university, I may as well go away and learn life skills as well as events management skills. After 2 years there, I am so glad I made this decision. I can now cook, clean and wash clothes for myself and just feel I have grown as a person. I have become more confident and independent in myself.

Yes, it can be hard at times when I feel homesick, stressed or am having a bad day. But in life, especially as I become older, I am going to have to deal with these things by myself like an adult. My family are all very supportive and are only a phone call, facetime or drive away. 

I am so glad I made this decision as I have learnt so much and can't wait to put it all into practice someday. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post and that it has helped some of you who may be considering going to university make the right decision for you.