Being successful is an ultimate goal for most individuals. Right from the beginning, we are taught we need to have the best grades to get into the best schools/universities. The significance of being successful usually has a few connotations: being famous, rich and happy. And being a failure or not achieving great academic success is looked down on. But what does being successful mean to each individual?
I want to discuss my failures and successes, and what this has taught me as a female entering the legal profession. When I started secondary school I knew one day I wanted to be a lawyer, but at that point, the hurdles I had to overcome were not yet visible. Achieving great success in GCSE’s after pressure from school and family made me understand that school was not as fun as I wanted it to be. Going into sixth form, I knew I needed top grades to get into Warwick University. But I also wanted to get experience, work and have fun aside from education. As many of you will know, this sort of behaviour may be frowned upon. How can an ambitious young lady have fun aside from education and reading books? Well, I decided otherwise and stopped being so consumed by the educational pressure I was surrounded by, wanting to go into law.
I started working and enjoying myself. This made me realise that academic failure was not the end of the world. As a female I was expected to do exceptionally well in my academics, considering I passed my GCSE’s with flying colours. However, the pressure that was on me caused me to slip up during sixth form. I did not do as well in my mocks as I wish I did and I started to give up. This label of an academic failure began to consume my thoughts as I did not want to let anyone down around me. First female from my close family to want to go into such a difficult career: law. What would have happened if I did not make it? I believed people around me would no longer see me as an example of a successful female but a failure.
The pressure led to me going back to the educational norms of studying excessively. I still did not achieve what I was aiming for and I was ready to give up. Then COVID-19 came and my exams were cancelled; what a wonderful time that was. I was not worried about the uncertainty as I was relieved I had no exams to sit. But unfortunately, I did have things to worry about. On results day I opened my results before I checked UCAS. Worst decision ever!
I did not get the grades I needed for my dream University: Warwick. I had no clue what I was going to do. That was my first step to overcome the difficulty of becoming a female lawyer, or what I thought would be a difficulty. I cried and cried until my family suggested I check UCAS anyway. I got in! What the hell, how did I do it? Then I realised academics are really not the problem here. It is your mindset and how you put yourself across.
I was living with the thought that becoming a female lawyer is impossible in this day and age, as I could only see the stereotypes surrounding the law. However, this is not the case. I got into my dream university to complete my first step to achieving what I wanted. There have been difficulties during my first year, which I have just completed. I was told I was not going to make it or I was asked how I even made it to Warwick with my grades. But at this point, the idea of academic failure was no longer a problem for me. So far I have learned how a legal career is difficult for everyone, not just a young female.
Going into law has and will always be competitive, but now I know that your mindset is the most important thing in achieving your dreams, especially as a female going into a male-dominated profession. As a result, I am now a Project Leader for Warwick Women in Law to show everyone that your gender has nothing to do with how successful you are, be that in life or academics. It’s your mindset and how committed you are.
So if you will all take something away from this post, then I would say remember to have a positive mindset. Motivate yourself and remember your hard work will pay off. Gender has nothing to do with your success: your mind and passion do. Enjoy yourself along the way and get involved in as much as you would like to as those memories will not be taken away from you. Remember, not achieving the best grades is not the end of the world, as academic success comes in many different ways. I have never regretted the hurdles I came across, as I always found a way to jump over them or learn from the ones that fell over. This does not mean you should not try hard, but don’t worry if things go wrong along the way.
Stay committed and motivated; you will achieve what you aspire regardless of what gender you are!
---- Klaudia Wasilewska, Guest Blogger
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