The Aspire Guide - Flipbook - Page 28
I learned to be bold and not afraid
of asking questions even if I was the
youngest in the room.
Despite my limited idea of what interns did, I
was not asked to make tea or coffee once! I was
treated just like a university graduate on a summer
internship: same work responsibilities, same
expectations of professionalism and the same
working hours. The internship allowed me to gain
life experiences such as working away from home
and networking within a large firm at the age of
18 and 19. I learned to be bold and not afraid of
asking questions even if I was the youngest in
the room. Being in Newcastle, away from home
and out of my comfort zone, really allowed me to
develop as an individual, and having a supportive
team allowed me to understand my best qualities
and how to use them.
After speaking with other young people who were
also on a gap year internship, we all agreed that
working as part of our gap year allowed us to not
only financially support ourselves but our families
too – a bonus for students from low-income families
who can save money before starting at university.
After working and volunteering for nine months in
the UK, I then embarked on a trip to Silicon Valley.
I was an international work experience student with
a US Government Agency in the San Francisco Bay
Area, but I also used this opportunity to be a typical
tourist, visiting Berkeley, Napa Valley, Monterey
and my favourite city in the Bay Area, Oakland.
Without my gap year, I wouldn’t have
had the time to think and redirect my
ambitions and my goals.
I believe all of these experiences and the diverse
range of people I met, gave me a competitive edge
when I began applying for opportunities during
my first year at university. For me, my gap year
was not a ‘year out’, but rather a ‘year in’. It was a
chance for me to truly understand the importance
of a diverse support network in both personal
and professional development. Without my gap
year, I wouldn’t have had the time to think and
redirect my ambitions and my goals. I gained an
understanding of how to make the most out of
university and avoid some common mistakes by
gaining advice from university graduates whilst
working alongside them.
At the upReach 2019 Student Social Mobility Awards, hosted at the House of Lords, Victoria
won the Outstanding Achievement Award for her commitment to inspiring others alongside her
impressive academic successes.
Name: Annalisa
Winner of the Law Award at the 2018
Student Social Mobility Awards
Subject: LLB Law
University: University of York
I used my gap year to give me a step up and a competitive advantage over my peers. I worked and interned
at various institutions, saved up for university, built a network outside of school and prepared well for life
away from home. I did not use my gap year to travel because I did not have the financial means to travel
around the world for a year and I was focused on making the best decision as to whether or not to go to
university. My gap year was the best decision I have ever made. I would recommend it.
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