Transitioning to Adulthood

Orla Toolan

The other day, I was approached by a friend who had decided to drop out of university. She asked me about my experiences as a tutor and told me she was considering trying it out. Of course, I recommended Yipiyap to her and gave her advice based on my experiences, but oddly enough it stuck with me that she'd bothered to ask me in the first place. A few days went by, and I thought a lot about how lucky I was to have come across an opportunity like working with Yipiyap, and all from just a college email that I almost brushed off and deleted.

“I’ve been able to carry myself in a friendly yet firm manner and being able to stay in control of a situation whilst still having fun. ”

It dawned on me how much I had struggled with transitioning to adulthood. Born in late June, I had always been one of the youngest in my year. I'm also the youngest sibling and I'd only had one cash-in-hand job at a local chip shop, and on top of this, I was unsuccessful in applying to drama school when I'd finished my A-Levels. I'd managed to get three A*'s, but I still saw myself as a teenage girl who was too obsessed with Twilight and Cillian Murphy to be taken seriously yet. Maturity seemed a long way off for me.

So, when a friend asked me about my job and I passed down my knowledge and experiences, I began to feel like I was in a position of real authority. When I talked to her about it, she told me how much she envied the progress I'd been making in building up my CV and being involved in the working world. I was shocked. That isn't how I saw things at all. I felt as if I'd been sort of left behind whilst everybody else went off to university to have fun. Especially my friend, who had gotten into a great drama school and seemed to be having a blast. Yet, here was somebody that I thought had everything sorted out, telling me she wanted what I have.

“My love for English has grown so much!”

This stuff often doesn't sink in until you reflect upon it, so I slowly started to think of all the experiences and skills from being a Yipiyap that I will have with me throughout my life. How I've been able to carry myself in a friendly yet firm manner and being able to stay in control of a situation whilst still having fun. Or how inspiring it was to see a student grow because of you. When one of my students sent me a story that he has written and he used a semicolon for the first time after I'd taught him about it, it put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Even my love for English has grown so much! As a little girl, my family always wanted me to be a writer and without sounding too nerdy, I have always loved writing stories and articles just for my own pleasure, so it is incredible that I can now help others by passing on my experience.

However, one thing that stands out to me is how proud of myself I am. From the patience I've had to maintain when a student needs things repeatedly going over, or sometimes the anxiety of having to improvise and adjust work to a new student's level, or the hours of creating and marking resources; I have a new found respect for every teacher that I've ever had, and I now feel like I am a part of a really hard working group of people.

“One thing that stands out to me is how proud of myself I am. ”

In terms of maturing, it isn't just about the act of tutoring, it's about how I've been inspired to manage my own life, choosing what to do with my free time and working hard on these things. I've made my own music with the help of the band She Wants Revenge (they have a song with Timberland and have music featured in American Horror Story) and have started making and selling my own clothes. I worked hard on preparing for my driving test and passed first time with no faults. All because I've started to see myself as fully capable and realised that this world can in fact take me seriously. Maybe I can be mature and independent but still be obsessed with Cillian Murphy after all!

“My attitude toward myself has changed this past year, and I’ve realised my potential. ”

Next year I will be living in London for university. Even though I know London incredibly well and am confident that I can live on my own, my mum always says to me, "it's going to be so tough getting a job", but I genuinely feel as if I have an advantage thanks to Yipiyap. It's not even just the fact that I can say I've had a 'proper' job, but for me, I think back to every small thing that has helped me grow as a person. Whether it be handling a professional pay check for the first time, learning to make sensible decisions in the moment and considering how they reflect on the company and those who manage me or even something as small as providing feedback and seeing it being put into action.

I can now recognise how much my confidence has grown; I feel much more like an adult. My attitude toward myself has changed this past year, and I've realised my potential. Above all, I am optimistic about my future. I recognise that with every job I have or every hurdle I encounter, I will keep growing and Yipiyap has been a fantastic place to start.