what helped to build my confidence

Hi all, hope you’ve all received the results you wanted and congratulations to everyone that has graduated this year.

As we’ve come to the end of the year I thought I’d write about some things that have really helped with my lack of confidence.

In 2015 I started on the 2+2 social studies degree with the Centre for Lifelong Learning, when I started the course I really lacked in confidence, found it hard to talk to people I didn’t know, got really anxious about getting involved in seminar discussion, and just generally lacked self-confidence. During the first two years of my course, my confidence did grow slightly, and I felt less anxious around my classmates yet still struggled with people I didn’t know. In October 2017 I made the transition to Warwick (which you can read about in my other blog) not long after moving to Warwick I applied to be a Digital Skills Mentor, which I have been doing ever since, I enjoy working on computers and found that through the first 2 years of my course other students would ask me how to do various tasks, so I thought by being a Digital Skills Mentor I could help more people whilst also pushing myself out of my comfort zone and having to talk to people I didn’t know. I have since helped people with numerous tasks, held workshops, and met loads of new people.

Following this I enquired about becoming a CLL student Ambassador, which again I am now doing, I go out to various events with other ambassadors. So far, I have been to Coventry pride, Leamington peace festival, Coventry community information fair, and the Warwick University open day. At the events, we talk to numerous individuals offering advice and guidance about what CLL has to offer, again this position was completely out of my comfort zone.

I have also been involved in other projects including a photo shoot for marketing materials, made a support video for future students, audio recordings all of which will be viewed by numerous people. Before I started the degree, there is no way I would have done any of this. Over the last 3 years but particularly the last 12 months my confidence has increased no end, I have met some really nice people both staff and other students, I have even applied for a job at the University as Academic Student Support with the library, so fingers crossed.

All of these roles have and still are very enjoyable, and I would recommend anyone thinking about getting more involved whilst at University to go for it, not only do you build your own confidence, you meet some lovely people, and you develop new skills which will look great on your CV.