<div class="fr-view"><p>Three and a half years ago I was looking at some serious porridge. A decade or upwards. At that point, I could not conceive that I would have accomplished completing my first year at Uni. And now I am starting my second year, working towards my BA Honours degree in Financial Accounting.</p>
<p>I’m so grateful, to my college, to my teachers in prison, and most of all to The Open University. They put faith in me and backed me to start a degree and I’m smashing it. It has opened my mind and I am a sponge for knowledge now.</p>
<p>In here, you don’t have all your comforts like you do on the out, but it’s like Christmas for me when my yearly study materials arrive. I’m doing everything I can to better myself. This course has helped me in developing ambition.</p>
<p>When I get out at the end of 2026, I’m going to continue my degree and be the first person in my family to gain an honours degree. I hope that this hard work that I’m putting in right now leads me to make something of my life. I’m not overconfident. I’m a reserved kid and I’ve come from nothing. I’ve come a long way from being in a gang and getting into trouble. I’m going to climb up the career ladder and I’m going to take my two beautiful daughters along for the ride. I want them to see me accomplish my goals, so they strive to do the same.</p>
<p>To anyone reading this, it’s not just tests and results, it’s about finding your passion, enjoying research, and making money eventually (fingers crossed) I hope will come. But right now, while I’m finishing my sentence, I’m going to be the best I possibly can in my chosen field. And it’s all thanks to The Open University. Sincerely, thank you.</p>
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A student in a secure environment expresses their gratitude to the OU
An emotional reflection from an OU SiSE student, originally published in Issue 6 of the Hoot SiSE Newsletter.
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Such a powerful reflection and one that motivates Library Study Volunteers to continue with research requests for SiSE students