Way back Wednesday

This day week, 3 years ago (if you get me) marks the day which I received my Leaving Certificate Results. (Irish equivalent of the English A-Levels)

Only 17 at the time & about to login to receive results, which I thought would play a huge roll in the rest of my life.

I went to a super academic focused school, so grades were everything to everybody, as I’ve mentioned before I’m sure, I was definitely not the study focused person which my school wanted me to be. So along with the serious academics, I also had dyslexia, which is absolutely no big deal whatsoever & it effects everyone in different ways. After all it’s said that 1 in 5 people have some sort of a learning difficulty, but at the same time I was young & so were all the people around me.

I grew up with people around me not exactly understanding what dyslexia was, the words ‘stupid’ & ‘retarded’ were thrown around so much, which looking back is absolutely ridiculous.

But right now today, I couldn’t care less. I think it’s amazing it makes me different in my own way but in the real world just the same as everyone else.

But in school it was hard, as time went on, it was shattering my confidence, I hated getting asked to read in class, or answer questions I was even too frightened to ask a question.

Part of me blames our education system, loading on all these extra subjects which absolutely no-one needs in the future.

As in CSPE, like hello? What even was that (Apologies for my use of wording or how I’m phrasing things, I’m not the best journalist) Normally I get my blog posts proof read, but I’m just going to fire ahead with this one.

So in June 2014 when I sat my Leaving Certificate, in a huge hall with about 100 other students & there I was sitting up the very front, which was nearly as daunting as the actual exams, having to sit through every single exam with zero help or support.

All I needed for them exams was for me to get a reader & the department couldn’t even give me one so I was way more disadvantaged than everyone else. Incredibly unfair & it really would have made such a difference at the time.

It still angers me thinking back on the whole ordeal, but in a way I’m so much happier!!

So now as we’ve just hit the three year throwback, I was actually very happy with my results, seeing as I had absolutely no idea what I actually wanted to do in college/university.

So damn right happy I was I went out & absolutely celebrated that night, I’ll never forget some people were trying to get me drunk so I’d tell them what I got, quite frankly I was really happy so I didn’t really care, but it was the constant sniggering & whispering of “oh she’s had a drink, ask her what she got” Like is that really the type of world we’re living in? There must be more of a focus on learning difficulties in school & for everyone to understand what it’s like, for anyone to be called names regarding how they learn or see something completely different than someone else is absolutely crazy.

But hey, everything happens for a reason right?

I absolutely & 100% believe in this, I couldn’t be happier right now studying my dream, which is fashion in Nottingham Trent University.

Oh & have I mentioned it ranks 14th in Global Fashion Schools. YASSSSSS so all I can say now, is to the people who I entertained with my learning difficulty during school, the people who laughed or just found me altogether stupid, I wish you look but don’t come running back when I’m slaying the fashion world!Sorry for the really negative post this time guys, it’s just something that has always been on my mind. And it wasn’t always so horrible not at all but those moments just stand to you, the people who were amazing, well let’s just say I love you all. I think people in school are just quite immature & don’t tend to understand I’m out in the real world now with genuine people, so we’re all back on track! But I do think in all them pointless classes that we seem to have in schools, maybe something should be done.

Thanks for the love guys,

Much love & appreciation,

G x

#learningdifficulty #dyslexia #mustread #mystory