Thoughts of a Foundation Student

This month has been full of me thinking about my next steps in 2027, and having a holiday. The holiday was much needed; I spent a week along the coast and then went to see my extended family.

My final assignment for Foundation Creative Writing caused a lot of stress. I just find writing stories too difficult and submitted an incomplete piece in frustration (thinking that I cannot possibly write anything better). The next day I felt guilty so retracted my submission. I still have six months to work on it so there’s no pressure to finish soon, but I wanted to get it out of the way so I can move on to a new course.

I applied for a PGCert in Creative Teaching and Learning Design. I am proud to admit I received an instant unconditional offer, and I’ve been excited since. I decided not to return to my librarianship qualification, and it was a tough decision. I’d always seen myself working in an art library but I have been unable to secure a library post in two years and I’d found a lot of happiness in my current role in the TEL department.

My colleague suggested I look into Advance HE Associate Fellowship in the future, which is something I have wanted to do for a decade, but I have not been able to do so before now as my work was not seen as supporting learning until this year.

I had a holiday just outside Whitby and it was fantastic. I wrote poetry for a week, sketched and slept. I’d been struggling to adjust to new medication and have had a month of restlessness. But during my holiday I felt like I could actually relax. Woo.

After my holiday I was supposed to go to Birmingham to catch up with a friend from school. We haven’t seen each other in seven years! I am definitely not going to leave it too long to meet again. We spoke online, it was so good to talk about midlife and music with someone who was such a huge part of my youth. We both turned 45 within a month of each other and it has made me reflect on roads not travelled. Especially my not going to art school as a teenager (though, being an art student in my forties has been fantastic).

This month I have been doing daily blogging, and getting out more than I used to. Agoraphobia can get lost! I want to make the most of the crisp weather and pumpkin spice everything.

I also may have landed my first writing gig! A publication I used to freelance for (which I cannot write about here because it’s explicit!) got in contact to discuss an upcoming opportunity. It’s freelance again, but more in line with my writing aims. I’m reluctant to write more about it as it may come to nothing, but I was pleased I was remembered.

For the rest of the week I am spending time with my extended family in Kent. So I am having a holiday to recover from a holiday. It feels very decadent. And I’m looking forward to beginning my new course in November.