Take two: How Mariam found her way after high school
Many students leave high school feeling uncertain about university and what they want to become—or how they’re going to become it! This was the case for Mariam, until she spoke to an Open Universities Australia student advisor.
When Mariam first left high school, she gave university a go. But a conventional leap from Year 12 into a university course, along with a traditional university setting, presented challenges.
She not only realised the course she'd chosen was the wrong fit, but she found the on-campus experience to be anxiety inducing and the distance from home to campus too far—which in turn, took her away from her family responsibilities.
Feeling lost, unsupported and on the wrong path, Mariam dropped out of university. “I’d kind of given up on studies. I had no idea what I was going to do next.”
How Mariam discovered the path toward her dream job
Once Mariam figured out what career she wanted to go after, she was burdened with the dilemma of how she would qualify for the degree. Talking to an Open Universities Australia student advisor changed that.For Mariam, the student advisor was able to give her impartial advice and find her a unique pathway into the Creative Art Therapy degree she had her eye on through single subjects such as Creativity for Life—regardless of her ATAR or previous study experiences. The student advisor also walked her through enrolling and helped Mariam find her confidence again so she could reach her potential.
Mariam had never considered online study for university after not enjoying it during lockdown in high school. But she found the two learning experiences completely different. “It’s a lot more laid back than in high school,” she explains.
Mariam is now on her way to her dream job, studying at her own pace, in her own time, while being there for her family.
Do you need help reaching your potential?
Finding the right study and career pathway often isn’t linear. It can take a few goes to get started. But by booking a call with a student advisor you’ll get the chance to talk through your options and discover opportunities you didn’t know were there for you.
If you’re unsure what to study or how to get into the course you want, book a call with a student advisor and they’ll help you figure it out.
