Determined to pursue Higher Education after finishing school, Taylor Jones began his journey at university, living at home with his parents and commuting in every day. The experience, however, had an extremely damaging impact on his mental health, leaving Taylor with overwhelming feelings of depression and loneliness, and no choice but to leave behind the course.
Then, he enrolled on UCFB’s BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing programme, feeling like the Etihad Campus was a far better fit for him, transformed his mental health, despite there being several unexpected hurdles along the way. Here, Taylor summarises the experience himself, and how it felt to finally graduate this year...
I left college with the goal of achieving a university degree, but I wasn’t ready. I hopped on the train for my first day of university to be greeted with an overwhelming sense of fear. A 20 minute journey made to feel like lifetime. A journey with my head in my hands, nausea, and uncontrollable shaking. This really set the precedent for my first run at university.
The university was huge, daunting if you like. I started going to lectures and seminars, attempted to make notes and stay on track while I repeatedly questioned myself. Am I supposed to be feeling like this? As the days and weeks carried on, the ill-feeling followed. I would wake up not wanting to go, shaking, often crying at the thought of leaving the house. Time at university spent sat in my car plucking up the courage to walk through the door, the toilets became my second home as I would sit and wait for the ill-feeling to pass. I was lonely, tired, depressed, this wasn’t for me. I organised a meeting with the pastoral team to let them know how I was feeling. We discussed for 20 minutes for them to make the conclusion ‘all students feel this way, you will be fine’. My mental health was at the lowest it had ever been; I was paying tuition fees when I wasn’t learning. This is when I knew it was only right to leave, for the benefit of my own health.
The summer of 2019 passed, and I felt I was ready to give university another chance. I had seen an advertisement for UCFB online and found a course that piqued my interest, Football Business and Marketing at the Etihad Campus. I immediately felt as ease from my experience at the Open Day, a more relaxed university setting, smaller cohort and staff that were willing to help and answer any questions I had. I liked it so much, I enrolled.
Upon enrolling, I contacted the student support team at UCFB to explain my previous experience at university and express my concerns. They had organised for me to go and meet them in person to discuss this and how they could help. I was overwhelmed with how receptive they were and how enthusiastic they were about making my time at UCFB comfortable and ultimately successful. We discussed the support that was available such as frequent meetings with support staff, lectures and notes being made accessible to me if I couldn’t attend, a buddy to support me when I needed it. I left the meeting knowing that if I needed it, I was going to be given an arm around the back and some encouragement, rather than a cold shoulder.
I loved the start to UCFB, the classes were engaging, the flexible timetable worked for me, and I felt like I was meant to be there. As I made it past the Christmas period, my family got hit with some news that we could never have expected. My Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer. I was broken. I thought I could go one of two ways; leave or grit my teeth and carry on. The week later I was back at UCFB engaging in lectures, trying my best to make my dad proud. I had contacted UCFB support to let them know what had happened to which they were completely supportive of any time I needed away and extensions of deadlines, should I have needed them.
During my final year of UCFB I tried to make the most of the opportunities I had missed out on during the COVID struck second year. Networking opportunities at St Georges Park, nights out in Manchester with my friends, I felt so happy with where I was at mentally and professionally.
That being said, I had the extra pressure of a dissertation to write while my Dad continued his own battle. Luckily, I had a dissertation supervisor who was patient, understood my situation and offered her support whenever I needed it. I had a great group of friends that stood by me and a support network that was second to none. The support from all at UCFB allowed me to thrive under circumstances I never dreamed possible. UCFB has helped my grow as a person, I came in hunched over not wanting to be seen, I leave with my shoulders back and my head held high.
I am so proud of what I have been able to accomplish throughout my time at UCFB, so proud of who I have become and so excited about what the future holds.
