Jess' story

Jess is a Communications and Media student.

Patient. Determined. Empathetic. 

"Coming from a working-class background and attending a grammar school, I often felt out of place, especially while navigating the challenges of what I now know to be undiagnosed ADHD. Because of this and other personal difficulties, getting to university hasn’t been a straightforward path, but it has definitely taught me resilience, determination and the value of taking things at my own pace. 

After finishing Year 12, I decided to explore my creativity through a Level 2 qualification in hair and makeup, which I put into practice by being a retail makeup artist and cultivating a creative social media presence. However, I soon realised that I wanted to return to academia and ultimately chose to do an Access to Higher Education course in Humanities and Social Sciences.

It can be daunting coming into university a bit later than your average student, but I’m honestly really glad that I took the time to enrich my mindset and skillset, instead of rushing into a degree at a time that didn’t feel right for me. Now, as a second-year student, despite some difficulties that I’ve faced along the way, I’ve worked hard to embrace the opportunities that the University has to offer. Alongside my studies, I work as a disability coach, where I am able to draw upon my experiences as a neurodivergent student to empower others to succeed.

Through the University, I’ve also been on a trip abroad to Vienna and taken part in other extracurricular activities such as workshops with our sister university in China, giving me memories I’ll never forget.

For me, university isn’t just about earning a degree—it’s also about self-discovery, gaining connections, and crafting a future I can be proud of. I’m really grateful to the University of Liverpool for providing me with the opportunities to do this."