A letter to my future self

Shannon is studying for an education Masters at ARU, and graduating this summer. She reflects on her course and all the things she's achieved.

Dear Future Self,

When you read this in three months’ time you will be finishing university and holding a Masters degree qualification. Never in a million years would I have thought I would complete a degree, let alone a Masters, and be where I am today. I hope that future Shannon believes in herself because I know if I can get through a Masters degree I can achieve anything I put my mind to.

Future-Shannon, also don’t forget how quickly time flies. When people say your university years fly by, they couldn’t be more right, but I didn’t believe them and now my time as a student is nearly over. Make sure you make the most of the little things.

How did your dissertation go? Right now writing a 14,000-word dissertation feels like I’ve got a long way to go. It only feels like yesterday when I wrote my undergraduate one. As I write this, I am reminded that I really should start writing my dissertation, because before I know it these three months will fly by and my submission date will be round the corner!

Then what next? The world of work. I wonder what jobs you’ve applied for?

I’ve decided that after submitting my dissertation, a well-deserved break is needed before I get a job. I have got to recover and rest my brain after four years of intensive studying.

Once I submit my dissertation this is when I will find the motivation and start looking for a job. Right now, I couldn’t think of anything worse than stressing to complete my degree and applying for jobs at the same time.

Right now, all I know is I want to look into careers involving early years children and I hope to find a job as a private nanny. What is important to me most is that I have fun in my job. I really hope I find that in my next steps.

Depending on what life throws at me and the opportunities, I could potentially complete my teacher training in the future and become a primary school teacher, but for now I just want to start off as a private nanny.

Best wishes,

Shannon (June 2020)

Good luck to Shannon and all of our postgraduate students who are quickly approaching the final stages of their Masters. Do you think a Masters could help you get the edge you need to succeed? Look into our postgraduate courses and see where a Masters could take you.