I am 27-years-olds. I have an undergraduate degree in multimedia journalism and a pending masters in marketing. I have been running my own digital marketing and pr business since 2014 when I launched it straight out of university. I have clients in various industries. I earn a great income. I also work as a freelance journalist… 

 

It’s no secret that I am proud of what I have achieved so far in my career, but what I don’t often talk about is how I got to where I am now. 

 

I wasn’t always the confident person I am now. I didn’t always love writing and learning; for a long time, I really struggled with my education. I found learning a challenge and I didn’t like spending hours each day in a classroom. Bearing that in mind, you’re probably wondering how on earth I got to where I am today – it’s all because of my parents and how much support they offered me. 

 

I was enrolled in extracurricular activities 

 

Realising how shy I was, my parents chose to enroll me in various extracurricular activities. From dance classes to sports, I took part in numerous out of school activities; and it was these activities that helped me to grow my confidence and learn to accept myself as a person. 

 

My parents never said no to any out of school activity. When I was seven, I wanted to join the Brownies, so my mum signed me up. At nine I wanted to join the school netball club, so my dad signed me up. At 14 I wanted to learn to play the drums, so my mum looked into getting me lessons. 

 

It was all of these extracurricular activities that helped me to become the person I am today. 

 

I have extra tuition 

 

I might of finished school with 11 GCSEs – 5 As, 5 Bs and 1 C – and three A2 Levels – 1 B and 2 Cs, but I struggled a lot when I was younger. In primary school, I lacked the confidence to ask questions when I didn’t understand something, which meant that I easily fell behind. 

 

Realising that I was struggling in some of my core subjects – maths, English and science – my parents got me a private tutor. Having one-to-one time with a private tutor allowed me to better grasp my core subjects; my tutor gave me confidence and helped to ensure that I stayed on track with my learning. 

 

I was taught to be bolder and braver 

 

The one negative thing my teachers always said to my parents at parents evenings was that I was too quiet and too shy. I had always been an introvert, but I found many social situations at school particularly daunting. I had a solid group of friends, but I wasn’t great at handling larger social situations, such as classrooms. 

 

My parents taught me that it was okay to be bolder and braver. It was ok to have all of the attention on me. Being in the spotlight didn’t have to be scary. 

 

I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t had the support of my parents and my private tutor.