My Clearing Experience at University of Essex

My journey to Essex was not the simplest, but it’s certainly one that I am proud of. It’s actually my second time at university; the first was at St George’s in London, where I was studying radiotherapy. It was the start of the pandemic, and unfortunately, I did not get the grades that I needed for my chosen course. This was heart-breaking at the time, but it led me to the path I am on today. St George’s offered me the radiotherapy course and I leapt into it, not really knowing what I was in for. Turns out, after a month or so, I knew the course was not for me, but I decided to stick it out until the end of first year.

As a stress reliever I started TikTok, posting advice and hair tutorials. After 3 months one of my videos went viral, gaining 1.5 million views and gaining me to 10K followers. This brought in collaborations from brands like Shea Moisture and L’Oréal, where I promoted their products. This developed my love for business and marketing, and I knew this was the route I wanted to take. For me, content creating is extremely fun as you can be creative with it. I also want to have a positive influence, especially on the younger generation, as I did not have anyone to teach me how to deal with my hair when growing up.

Knowing that I wanted to change courses was very daunting. I felt embarrassed giving up my commitment to such a good cause. However, I remembered that life is what you make it, and it’s only worth it if you’re happy. At the end of my first year, I decided to take a gap year to find an internship in Marketing. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful, but my TikTok continued to grow, and I received more brand deals. I decided to independently learn French, as it’s a language I have loved since I was young, and it wasn’t until I went to the south of France in September that I decided I wanted to go back to university. I chose to combine the two things I love, Business and French, and as it was September I needed to apply through Clearing. That’s when I found Essex.

I applied for BA Business Management with a Modern Language and the application process was pretty easy. I applied online with a personal statement and educational history. I received my offer two days later, and I had to quickly apply for student finance and accommodation. That part was quite a stressful process, but it was worth it, and I am happy to say I love it here at Essex!

Since being here, the university has helped me get an upcoming Summer Internship in Paris, and I’m currently enjoying being a Marketing Ambassador for the university. Essex has helped me to achieve some of my goals already, and it’s only the first year. The support systems here are very friendly and helpful, with Essex itself being an inclusive, multicultural university with many facilities and restaurants onsite.

I would just like to encourage anybody who is looking to apply to Essex through Clearing to just go for it! You never know how far this leap will take you, and the opportunities you will receive. It’s an amazing experience and you will love every step of the way, whilst also discovering more about yourself. It’s okay to change your mind and start a whole new journey.

Head this way to find out more about Clearing at Essex.