Having been in my present role for 3 years, I started to feel I needed something else, no job I have held has pushed me or kept my interest for longer than a couple of years. One day in spring last year, I was having an annual office clean out, when I came across some boxes that hadn't been touched since I had been there. I found some projects in them about 'thinking styles'. I started to read and became fascinated, so fascinated that the same day I went onto amazon and bought a book (another annual occurrence!) 'Thinking Styles' by Robert Sternberg.

Once I started to read I couldn't put the book down (.. a 'never happened before' occurrence!). I began to understand that perhaps I could learn, my schooling and upbringing had been very strict and routine and I had hated it, perhaps I just needed a different way of learning, to suit my way of thinking, perhaps I learnt 'parrot fashion' because I had been taught 'parrot fashion'!

Once I had read the book I didn't know what to do, I spent a lot of my time on the university website looking for something I could study. I kept telling myself I couldn't do a degree - I was too old - I worked full-time - I probably wasn't up to degree standard - I didn't know what to study - I probably wouldn't get on a course anyway .... but still I kept looking.

Being surrounded by academic staff on a daily basis - I wondered how difficult this could be, somebody would be able to advise me - wouldn't they? I remembered about the staff mentoring scheme in the University, though not fully sure what a mentor does, thought it might help! I knew who I wanted to be my mentor, but didn't think it would be possible or practical, but to my amazement I was accepted as her 'troubled' mentee, - fantastic, I now had a 'sat nav' for my journey - and a critical friend of course!

With my mentor (and managers) support and encouragement, I kept searching ... as part of my role at work I administratively support/organise events and conferences - the one part of my job I really enjoy (... and think I do fairly well), so after many weeks and possibly months researching courses, I found ... BA (hons) Event and Venue Management ... perfect! ... and with my wonderful mentor to translate all the uni jargon, I survived the application process and became a student - really SCARY, but exciting!