Ruqayyah successfully completed her Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care during 2019 – 2021. Ruqayyah was granted a scholarship to study at Roehampton University at the end of her studies. This is her story:
“My journey on the H&SC Extended Diploma, really helped me discover a hidden passion and drive to develop a truly useful set of transferrable skills and valuable approaches for university studies. I originally enrolled to study Art, but I really wanted to challenge myself and explore the desire to help individuals, particularly in a time when we are constantly surrounded by mental health issues. Transferring onto the course and receiving the level of education that I did over the two years was one of the best decisions I could have made.
I don’t think I would have got through the coursework if it wasn't for my tutors and the way they supported and encouraged me to keep up the work. Having a background as a writer I found the essays fairly manageable, the topics were always insightful and interesting to write about. At the same time, the variety of the assignments as well as guidance and feedback ensured we were able to develop unique styles of academic writing. Some modules were more difficult than others, and some more intriguing but there was always something new you learned that could help you in the long run.
In my last year I unexpectedly left the country to be with my family who were permanently moving abroad. Keeping up studies while abroad is less daunting than it sounds, as my teachers ensured I had all the resources, material and support I needed.
While my family were on holiday, relaxing in the beautiful weather, it was easy to get distracted when the lectures were online, but as a hardworking student I managed to somehow maintain my focus and get through the year. After finishing the day’s coursework, I was always able to appreciate the scenery around me. I did get a bit worried when the lectures returned to in person teaching but the course also allows you to become familiar with self-study which is a crucial skill to have at university. One of the downsides of studying abroad in the middle of an academic year is that I lost connection to a lot of the close friends I had made, however people come and go. I have already met people with the potential to become life-long friends here at university. I’m truly grateful to have had the opportunity to complete my course under such a rare circumstance.
Being abroad made it more difficult to think about my future plans and actively work towards university, on top of that I had a lot of preconceived assumptions about finance, student loans and generally doubted my ability to get into a good university. However, the UCAS application process was very simple and straightforward, whilst my tutors helped send off a successful application in the nick of time.
Currently, I am enjoying my university degree in Therapeutic Psychology which, once again, I transferred onto at the start of the year. Originally, I was to study Psychology and Counselling, however my creative side could not evade the appeal of Arts and Play therapies. Challenging myself greatly improved my indecisiveness which allowed me to discover what I really wanted to do with my potential. Ever since I started a course at South Thames College, I’ve been able to make the best choices for my academic journey.”
