My name is Esther Thornton and I’m in my second year here at Keele, and I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far – but it wasn’t easy getting here.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with my mental health. It impacts a lot of my day-to-day life, and academia is no exception. I was taken very ill during my GCSEs, which impacted the grades I was able to achieve, and slowed down my progression to college. I made my appeal and worked incredibly hard despite the challenges I faced during the early stages of my recovery, knowing that my goal was to complete my A-levels and get into university. I really wanted to have the chance to help those that have struggled like myself, and to give back to those that helped me achieve a robust early remission with their excellent care.

That’s one of the reasons why I chose to study Neuroscience and Psychology at Keele. I’d really benefited from the help of neuropsychologists and neuropsychiatrists in my treatment, and I wanted to pursue a degree that would set me up for a career in this field. The course covers a lot of fascinating content that, as well as setting me up for my dream career, has helped me better understand myself. I think that’s a massive part of studying, and of the university experience in general. To learn, of course, and to gain the knowledge you need to achieve high marks, but to really gain a deeper understanding of how you fit into the world. I feel like the environment and community at Keele has really helped me do that, with both the incredible pastoral care and support I’ve been provided with by my school, and the friends and support network I’ve found.

In my time at Keele, I’ve been able to find and join academic, social, and sporting societies that have helped me integrate myself into the social aspect of university and really make the most of my university experience. I even found the confidence to run for a committee role in my second year, which is something I couldn’t have even thought of doing before university.

I won’t lie and say that it’s always easy, because mental illness is one of those things that can continue to impact your life even when you don’t realise, but I’ve really found the support at Keele to be one of the reasons why I’ve been able to pursue higher education. My academic mentor, the disability support and inclusion team, as well as my friends and course mates, are all part of the reason I love my degree and have found university to be one of the best things for my recovery. The independence, which was scary at first, has given me a sense of confidence I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find.

I hope that my story resonates with some of you, and shows you that if you do struggle with your mental health, and want to pursue higher education, you can. You can overcome the hurdles that your illnesses present you and live the life that you want to live.