Sianne Robinson

We’re thrilled to welcome the awesome Sianne to the podcast this week! Sianne is our brilliant Physiotherapy student intern who’s currently taking a year out from her studies to work with us as part of the teaching team.

As a mature student with a previous degree under her belt, Sianne brings a unique and valuable perspective. In this episode, she shares her journey through both studying and teaching, offering honest reflections and insights into life on the current Physiotherapy course.

This is one you won’t want to miss!

Transcript

UNKNOWN: 0:00

so

SPEAKER_00: 0:10

to it's not just physio podcast with me James Coghlan it's great to have you listening with us and we've got a fantastic episode lined up today with one of our well a hybrid of brilliant student and brilliant staff member Sian and she will introduce herself shortly but with the podcast with more episodes that we're doing the great thing about this is that from what this pod of originally started at to to what it's now becoming is this is now really giving a really good insight into how certainly we work within school of physio as well as some of the other schools as well but today we've got a great opportunity with Sian who has got some amazing student experience and perspective that she can give as well as working experience that she can give so I'm incredibly excited to do this podcast with her it's been a long time and Well, let's bring them in, shall we? So, hello, Sian.

SPEAKER_02: 1:13

Hello. Thank you very much for such a lovely introduction. Well, I

SPEAKER_00: 1:18

think there's going to be more I could have said, but I want you to be able to talk about it, because I think you've got so many things to bring to the table here on this podcast. So, welcome. I know this is something you've wanted to do for a while, as I've heard. But first off, first question I'm going to ask you, Sian, have you been on a podcast before? I

SPEAKER_02: 1:40

have not. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 1:43

This is all

SPEAKER_02: 1:44

new to me.

SPEAKER_00: 1:45

Right. Well, this is a good start. So I'm sure you'll be grand, but you've listened to a few of the episodes before, haven't you? I have, yes. You've got an idea of how it is. But let's just start from the beginning, shall we? So why don't you introduce yourself to our wonderful listeners about who you are so they can get a good idea of who they're listening to.

SPEAKER_02: 2:10

Okay. So hi, everyone. I'm Sian. I've completed two years so far of my physiotherapy degree. I put my third year on hold as I'm currently completing a year internship. So it's the Dean's Health Sciences internship. And we'll discuss that a little bit more later. But an amazing opportunity, which I would highly recommend. Prior to coming to study physiotherapy, I had I'd actually been a student at Nottingham already. My first degree, which was in nutrition. So I was studying nutrition and dietetics at Southern Bonnington. And it was, I guess, whilst I was doing that, as much as I'm still passionate about health and fitness, and I guess I'll kind of touch on that a little bit more shortly, but it was whilst I was doing that, I sort of realised that I should have done physio so hindsight but yeah at the time I was a mature student so I was 27 when I started my nutrition degree and it was NHS funded at the time so I think you know being in work and I was working as a sports massage therapist so I've now been doing that for about 16 years self-employed I think I felt like I had sort of the hands-on experience you know sort of experience and skills and job that I wanted and and I guess with the nutrition because it was NHS funded as well it just sort of felt like it was a great opportunity to add a different string to my bow without getting into debt at the same time um and then I started the degree that absolutely obviously don't regret it but I sort of realized actually no I think you know physio was the direction I should have taken um prior to um doing the sports massage so i started that at 21 i worked as a health trainer in the community which covered four four key areas of health so smoking alcohol exercise and nutrition and then i specialized and i started working for lincolnshire nhs as a smoking cessation advisor um it was actually whilst i was doing that again as much as I love helping people um but I didn't envisage that being you know sort of my job role for you know the next 40 plus years um I've played sport to a high level um I've been lucky enough to play international hockey um and I mean I guess from sort of mid-20s I guess when I stopped my hockey really is when I got into like weight training um so I've had input over the years really from physiotherapy clinics and clinicians and yeah I really sort of felt like I wanted a more sort of hands-on type job and then that's kind of what led me really to do my sports massage course I did that at Nottingham Uni it was a year year course did that at weekends whilst working and then yeah qualified and become self-employed pretty much straight away and that's been my life really um during that time I I think I realized when I left school I thought I couldn't wait to leave school and then every single year pretty much since I've left school I've done some sort of learning so I think I've just accepted I do like to learn but just the stuff that I want to learn um so yeah during during the time um doing the sports massage I also qualified as a personal trainer again I just wanted to enhance my skills and my knowledge from sort of like an exercise prescription point of view so a lot of my massage clients I would you know give exercises to kind of go home so I felt like I was doing quite a lot of the sort of physio role already and it just seemed like a natural natural progression and then funnily enough and how things kind of I guess life pans out how it's you know supposed to but I had actually got a place at Lincoln to do the master's route And then I unexpectedly fell pregnant with my twin daughters. So life had a different direction for me. And it was absolutely meant to be, you know. And I so, you know, decided with living in Nottingham that I would, even though it was an extra year, do the BSc route. And, you know, I'm not just saying it because I'm on the podcast, but I say it all the time. It is such an amazing, you know, team like the physical you know and the wider health sciences team as well but you know the lecturers um you know i feel very lucky to be surrounded by you know such knowledgeable and kind um you know people and i've made like a strong you know friendship network as well so yeah um i can talk that's probably something you've realized as well so that that's an overview of me uh so yeah i kind of had a lot of sort of different experiences um sort of before coming into the physio program um but yeah it's been an exciting up and down journey no

SPEAKER_00: 8:03

thank you so much for for sharing that and what a what a wonderful and rich um history of of experiences and I mean we could tap in and delve into so many many of those many of those things I think what I'm probably going to look at first is maybe this what was it that made you want to step into the world of physiotherapy I think you said you obviously had some experience of being a patient with all your sports and things like that and did you see physiotherapists at work for example when you're working at Lincoln but you go for it how did you fall into that?

SPEAKER_02: 8:46

Yeah I'd probably say most of my experience was more so actually as a patient it was more once I started doing the sports massage I really so I've worked at a physio clinic you know for all of that time so 16 years I've worked at osteopathic clinics um and that was probably and then I know people as well who you know had or at the same time were still working as a physio um I feel like my personality is I like to help people um but I'm also a hands-on practical kind of person so it just sort of felt like that fit um and I guess like the problem solving side of you know sort of physio as well in it I feel like it brings in so many different elements I like so I'm a people person so you know tick the hands-on aspect you know tick but then it is you know as I said you've you you're taking some information you know you're building a rapport with the patient and then you sort of like you know analyzing that information and trying to come up with you know a solution and then I guess with the exercise exercise you know side it's such a big part of my life I then like to you know feel like I'm helping someone um you know go away and I always say you know I've said for many many years even to you know my clients that just come for massage what you go away and do is more important than what I'm you know doing in the session so it's really helping to kind of educate and and I think um and again we'll delve into it more but why I've really liked the internship because I do see you know not necessarily like full-time straight away but part of my career being some form of teaching you know academic teaching because I want I enjoy you know helping others so yeah I think a mixture of things but yeah predominantly probably just the aspects of a job that I like probably drew me to it more.

SPEAKER_00: 10:57

That's great. And had you, with all that experience that you've got, you know, you were patient facing, obviously in your massage role, you've been in and around different environments, seeing how different sort of practitioners and clinicians work. So I'm quite curious to... know whether through those experiences had you seen like i mean i was going to sort of ask you in a way saying like had you seen a good example of what a physiotherapist was like or um i mean what do you think i mean you clearly feel you've got and you have certainly got those skills to be a brilliant physiotherapist but Was it just that sort of time and space of working with people that you thought, hang on, I might have some things here? Or had you seen some good practice of that? Or just curious to know a little bit more behind that?

SPEAKER_02: 11:48

If I'm being totally honest, a mixture. So I definitely, you know, I was very lucky, you know, at the clinic to be surrounded by very competent, experienced physios, but then also so having you know experienced you know it from a patient point of view actually also being disappointed um so yeah and I just sort of felt like and as we you know sort of know and constantly sort of discussing but the the role of the physio is evolving um and I guess just my passions with you know wider health promotions or the nutrition you know exercise prescription I just sort of felt like you know yeah like I felt like I could you know bring to you know other things other knowledge and skills you know to to the role and like in any profession you're going to get you know people who you meet and this is why I'd always say to someone just because you know you've had one bad experience with a physio or one bad experience with a GP or nurse or you know whatever healthcare professional it might be it doesn't mean that everyone or all the other experts um you know unfortunately in professions you are going to have people that you click with more or might just be more knowledgeable or yeah um so it definitely was a mixture of oh my god like i i'm so sort of impressed with this person and sort of um spiked my interest more if you will but then also on the other side kind of having you know not the best experience and often feeling like I was getting as much as I could out of it. So, yeah, I think more a mixture. Did

SPEAKER_00: 13:45

I put you in to share more than, of course, you feel comfortable with, but I'm always interested in these kind of aspects. Yeah. Would you be happy to share or maybe give an oversight of what you then believe from your experience makes a good... physio clinician and maybe what doesn't would you be happy to share that because I think for listeners this could obviously be transferable over to healthcare roles usually in general there might be some slight specifics but I imagine we're probably going to hear about some stuff which could probably be cross transferred over to other things so if you're happy would you be happy to share some of those experiences with us

SPEAKER_02: 14:26

and at the end of the day this is my opinion if If I'm honest, and I remember getting asked a question similar in my interview, actually, for Nottingham, and it was, you know, what sort of aspect or within the NHS, you know, I felt could improve. And it was communication. So I feel we, you know, we meet a wide range of patients as healthcare professionals. And it's so important to be able to adapt our communication, all that appropriate person in front of us. I think, and obviously within that communication, that's, you know, sort of building a rapport, but also then it's, you know, educating that patient. And also, you know, understanding what their goals are, so active listening skills. So, yeah, I feel, you know, maybe some of these skills actually would be sort of cluster soft skills, but actually, you know, so, so important. You know, I like to try and paraphrase information back to patients, you know, just to make sure, obviously, not only have I understood them, but that they know that I've listened to what they're saying. you know, we discuss patient-centred care and obviously that it's all well and good, us thinking this is the right approach, but actually to get the patient to commit to, you know, a rehabilitation programme, it's actually about, you know, what they want, you know, out of treatment. And so I think, yeah, a lot of those things come down to communication. I feel like educating patients, you know, on their condition um but again doing that in a way um that the patient's going to understand so empowering them with you know sort of knowledge um because and this is you know from experience but then speaking to people as well i feel sometimes patients come out you know maybe a little disheartened they don't they don't feel um they're sort of any more informed about what's going on they just know that they're in pain or they you know can't move this limb and maybe they don't sort of understand why so I feel like really building a good rapport with the patient understanding what their goals are communicating you know and educating that patient is just going to step you know set you up in good stead and at the end of the day getting that patient buy-in by building that rapport is hopefully what's going to lead to you know a more positive outcome at the end so Yeah, probably communication, to put it simply.

SPEAKER_00: 17:23

No, that's great. That's really great for you to share that. You've talked around that really well. really well really passionately um and yeah you've you've really you've really made that clear that you know understanding listening to patients understanding um what they're there for trying to adapt with that that conversation so that's you know you've made that very clear that communication you would argue is probably the most important thing from being for being in a physio or you could probably argue a healthcare practitioner role isn't it um which is great and i I think from your experience, obviously, you've had quite a lot of patient mileage before then in different roles. So how did you feel you developed those skills in those contexts? And now have they changed in any way now you're studying physiotherapy?

SPEAKER_02: 18:24

Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think, you know, doing the jobs that I've done, I've seen, you know, sort of clients, patients from a variety, you know, of backgrounds, but ages as well. um so slowly you just I guess feel more confident and start to learn how to communicate with those different people I think because I am a people person I'm not saying that like when I started those roles I probably wasn't nervous at points to begin with but I I feel like because I am a people person that sort of communication um it becomes a past, I may have discussed things a bit too technically. and then so actually coming to uni and understanding trying to put things more in layman's terms um and and again I just feel like I don't I often say to people I I'm not naive enough to think that okay I'm going to get my piece of paper and I'm qualified physio now and I know everything and like I know for the areas of physio or still skills um you know I actually feel I almost struggle to put things in layman's terms more I remember on one of my assignments and we had to put like a layman's summary and I was actually really struggling to do that um which probably sounds a bit more baffling but I feel like yeah if you sort of understand something so I'm you know passionate about anatomy like learning anatomy um but that came from you know a place when I did my sports massage course where I had no anatomy knowledge and I felt so overwhelmed um and so out of my depth but you know over time you know and spending more time you know learning that now I found myself you know doing the degree and obviously we'll get on to it but developing resources to try and help other people um but yeah I think yeah I just think that being open-minded um to always you know sort of learning as well is is important I've kind of gone on a tangent like I do but um yeah I some of the skills I naturally um I say naturally feel come more naturally to me um but I try hard to um you know sort of take opportunities and and understand where my weaknesses are as well I'm very open-minded open you know openly admit and you will know very well as well the pressure that I put you know on myself so actually rather than in the past I think I viewed you know weaknesses almost as like this negative thing whereas actually coming to uni and being surrounded by you know yourselves I really feel like that's something that's really improved and rather than viewing that as a negative thing I almost, you know, yes, it's good to identify strengths and whatnot, but actually identifying my weaknesses and not being afraid of that and actually thinking, right, you know, this is what I want to work on. That's what I want to improve on. And rather than it sort of being this overwhelming, like, you know, panic and actually, yeah, just that's how we improve. And I feel like this environment's definitely... And not just the environment, the lecturers themselves, you know, really... create an environment where that's okay. There's never a silly question. And I know from doing the internship, that's something I've really tried to take on myself and really say to students that there isn't a silly question. It doesn't matter if you don't know something. This is the time and the environment to learn. And actually, it's more important to be able to identify what we don't know or what we don't think we're good at. um to be able to you know improve

SPEAKER_00: 22:54

yeah really really well said and um i think it's also with that that level of perspective that you have but you know just for probably students listening as well that there would be no there's no there's absolutely no sort of expectation that you've got to have had this all figured out in just three years. Absolutely. I think that, you know, you learn some key skills in those three years, but then the job is the job to go out and then start putting those to practice. And like with a lot of things, it's often when you're in the real world that you– you'll really start to notice how those skills have have actually been laid in there but you can't always test those out yet and there is that element of time to allow that to happen organically and not rush it and not sort of, yeah, become sort of, it's hard, isn't it, in university, don't you feel? Because you've done previous study and you've been in these groups, but I often feel there can often be these sort of comparisons. People often compare themselves to each other and say, well, they know that, so should I know that? Or even maybe sometimes people compare themselves to the standard of where the lecturers were and it's like, well, lecturers are not there for a reason. They've done this for quite a long time. a long time it's not to say you should be at that standard to them but there might be some things you you see from them which you you like and or maybe things you don't like I don't know and and go well I might want to do I don't know what you you feel from that being in this position and being in that um arena

SPEAKER_02: 24:36

yeah absolutely and I think and that's why I sort of like you know tried to mention before that I'm not so naive to think you know oh I've done my three-year degree I've got you know my piece of paper and that you know I know it all and I think whether this is the best analogy or not but I often sort of say to people it's like almost like when you're learning to drive you know you pass your test but actually you really learn to drive once you've passed your test and you get more experience and you you're going on the motorways and you're doing you know stuff that you haven't done before and I feel like you know that can be similar to you know sort of job roles and also you know having spoken to people whether it's you know sort of placement or people that have come into uni but you know and this goes back to being open-minded as well where they were for example you know absolutely like no do not want to do respiratory no and almost came into uni thinking right I want to be an MSK physio you know that is my direction and then you know had a respiratory placement loved it and then now they you know specialize So I think, you know, again, have just having that open minded approach that there's absolutely nothing wrong, obviously, if you if you have like a goal or an ambition, there's nothing wrong with that. But just being open minded to actually the vast areas and opportunities that physio does offer. And, you know, the amazing opportunities that the placements, you know, provide for us to get that experience. I mean, my first placement, I worked with amputee patients, you know, probably something had I not had that placement may not have ever experienced. So, yeah, I definitely think, you know, not putting the pressure on yourself to think that when you finish, you know, a three year degree that you need to absolutely know everything. And actually you're going into the world of work, but to continue to learn. And yeah, that is probably the best bit of advice that I would give, you know, anyone listening, you know, future physios, current students, new graduates and myself. You know, I'll be going into my third year and I guess sort of like listen to my own words. But yeah, just don't have that unrealistic expectation. And I feel like and that goes with patients as well. you know managing expectations um you know and just holding um yeah holding yourself accountable if you will um to what you actually expect from you know yourself and are you actually setting those standards a little too high you know can you really compare yourself finishing a three-year degree to you know a lecturer who has 20 years plus you know experience in the profession um So, yeah, you can't learn it all in three years. But I feel giving, you know, putting that, you know, extra time, self-directed, you know, learning, embracing, you know, placements, taking all the opportunities available within placements as well, asking questions, you know, will just set you in really good stead. But just remember that you are not expected to know So absolutely everything when you finish. So, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 28:26

it's great to hear you're talking um of all these things some some really wise words and um i'm sure listeners will will be able to take so much from this from someone like yourself who's been through so much you've been through these processes not just once you've studied before so again you're coming back in with experience and and also what that's like as well which is great um you actually um it's funny enough what you were just talking about it just reminded me i was uh I was doing a physio treatment on a mate last night and we were both having a, funny enough, a bit of a similar sort of conversation. We both have these memories which have stuck with us, but just to showcase exactly what you're saying about that, you can't, don't judge yourself too early. is that he's a good mate of mine. He's about to hopefully get his squadron leader rank, which is really high up in the RAF. But he was telling me that he was told after four weeks when he first joined the RAF that he wouldn't last. They said, you're not going to last more than a month. And he's about to become a squadron leader, which is what he's done. So it shows that You can't judge too early, which is amazing. And then I told him the story about when I was at that school, I think it was even a primary school, and it just took my mum to one side and said, I think you better prepare. I think James is going to go very far in academia or education. Maybe they saw something which, yeah, very early on. But it's sort of, it's kind of funny how time works out and you just sort of go, okay. Yeah. So I like how you say this, that we can often put these pressures on ourselves or whatever, but I like what you're reinforcing and hopefully these examples will as well. Don't judge this too early. And as you say, people... people develop at different rates, and rightly so. And some people, and I think it's an episode that we did with Roger at the beginning, he talks about, you know, you've got to prepare for the long game. This is the long game. Don't make these judgments too early. Don't judge this too quickly. You're not, you know, it would actually be a bit worrying if the whole of the physio profession was, you know, you knew everything in three years, because as you've said throughout this, you want to keep, you know, you have to keep learning through things keep changing, you've got to keep learning, you've got to keep developing. So that's really good. And I think that leads on quite nicely into one of the reasons that you went for this internship. But I mean, some of our listeners, they might not fully know what this internship is. So do you mind just talking a little bit about what it is and then why you went for it and then some of the great things you've been doing within that role?

SPEAKER_02: 31:18

Yeah, absolutely. So just got an email sent to a student inbox and it's eligible for across the health sciences programs undergraduate programs so physio sports rehabbers nurses and midwives can apply it's years into paid ding ding just for some students out there so it is a paid position for a year I guess the three main areas how I would summarise the position would be teaching so you know helping supporting with teaching research and then project work and yeah I guess that's sort of how I would summarise it in three key areas however it's not just you know necessarily within your specific course so I've had the opportunity to so I did a lecture for the midwifery students utilising my nutrition degree so I did a nutrition and healthy weight gain in pregnancy lecture so it was actually nice to you know do something for other you know sort of undergraduate course you get to sit in on team meetings I sit in on you know senior management board meetings teaching and learning committee um you know lots of opportunities um you know have been provided and it really gives you um a strong sort of overview if that's the right word uh you know sort of eye-opening experience of actually what goes on behind the scenes um i mean i guess the reason for me choosing um a number really so i've as i've mentioned i've got young children um They start school this September. And I guess I sort of felt as if maybe I could do the job. You know, I was saying sort of earlier this morning to you, like sort of do the internship, the job role. But then that sort of finishes and I go home and I'm present for my children. And then when I start my final year, they'll be at school. So I'll have, you know, sort of more time to focus, focus on my studies. So that definitely was, you know, wonderful. one aspect that I considered. And if I'm honest, I obviously want to get experience, but like to the idea of, you know, academic teaching, you know, in the future. So I guess I wanted to test the water to see would I like it? Would it be any good? I get to work towards my associate fellow sort of teaching. So I get like a qualification at the end, which is funded from the region. research side and all this information was sort of provided to me as well. So I kind of, you know, felt like I had a lot of information prior to making the decision of the opportunities that were available. Research isn't particularly a strong area of mine. I was very open about that in my interview, but said this is an area that I would like to improve in and actually, you know, consider whether that is also an opportunity sort of down the line so it's been you know it's given me an opportunity to work on you know research projects um so i just felt like overall it was it had so many different elements that would not only enhance you know my application as a future physio to separate me from you know other applicants um but absolutely give me experience and opportunity in the future um so that that was enough you know, for me to apply. And yeah, thankfully I was successful in getting the role.

SPEAKER_00: 35:33

no and um no and you've done brilliantly to to get that and just add a little bit more behind behind the these internships uh for the listeners they've not always been available but um we're really excited that um in this particular year that that it did become available and um it can be often quite sought after but when the lucky candidate and get you know like Sian she puts her forwards and she was very keen and understood the role she's been given this opportunity to sort of really help and shape further development within the course so Sian's been a fantastic kind of like I don't know if you're to say you're an official or unofficial sort of student rep but you've been given so many great insights into how students might find things or use things things or utilise things. So it's a big part of what we do in our schools. We need to, you know, we try our best to continue to make changes and improvements. So Sian's done an amazing job behind the scenes and has helped drive a lot of important changes and where things are going in the future. And a big project you've been working on at the moment, Sian, is around about the sort of how sort of students learn and sort of that anatomy element as well. So do you want to tell the listeners us a little bit more about that great piece of work you've been

SPEAKER_02: 37:03

putting together. So it started off sort of as an add-on to the podcast really so we have it's not just physio Instagram page and I wanted to utilise that platform to provide bite-sized anatomy you know learning resources you know a lot of students uh not generalizing but no students um you know social media will be a big you know part of their life so I wanted to sort of harness and use that opportunity to then you know sort of provide a learning opportunity um I am more a visual person so again I just sort of liked maybe developing something that was um more visual um so it kind of just started off like that really um and then I had a meeting with Alison, Mostyn and Sonia Stone and they loved what I was doing and basically asked if I would consider my school-wide project to be essentially what I was doing. So I am developing sort of bite-sized anatomy learning resources for undergraduate and postgraduate courses and most of those are sort of video, video based with sort of voiceovers added on using Complete Anatomy. So not all courses, but most have access to Complete Anatomy. So sort of Corentin, you know, prospective students, it is a great, you know, app to support your learning of anatomy. So hopefully, you know, what I produce will, you for your learning or to support your learning in anatomy.

SPEAKER_00: 39:03

Yeah, absolutely. And the work you've done on the Instagram page for the pod has been amazing. And this piece you're putting together is really, really great. So I guess, well, whilst we're here, we could probably talk about, you know, your contribution that you're making to a specific Moodle page that we've created called It's Not Just Revisio, or with an N in brackets, a bit like It's Not Just Visio. But this is going to be um you're helping us create a one-stop shop really for for students now aren't we so we're pulling together this page of um you know cases they can practice on uh look at videos for manual third but you're you're uh significantly helping in the anatomical elements on that aren't you

SPEAKER_02: 39:51

yep yeah um so i think you know it's a a great thing that's been you know put together utilizing um resources that have been um designed by previous you know sort of students as well and just having one one place where you know students can access um you know all those sort of like revision um resources so yeah really excited to be obviously helping uh helping with that um i mean on like a i guess a little side note but i would you know sort of encourage students um to provide you know feedback um even sort of now before they go if they listen um if there is something sort of more specific um they would like to see from sort of bite-sized um and then obviously i can try and you sort of do that before the the role finishes um and just to encourage you know sort of internship or not you know as a student to um you know provide feedback um construct feedback but just to know that please don't ever feel like your feedback isn't listened to or heard because I can say first hand from doing this internship and being sat in meetings that is absolutely the centre of what is discussed and your views are absolutely important and the centre and a lot of changes have been made on the course um thankfully with the feedback that you have you know sort of provided so you know thank you as a current intern but also you know student because it's also you know sort of benefited you know myself um but yeah please don't ever think that your views aren't being listened to because they absolutely are

SPEAKER_00: 41:59

That's great, thank you Sian and I guess this takes us on probably to the final segment of the pod really so this internship will be sadly coming to an end but really we're so glad that you've been been part of that so you're going to go back into year three back as a student which I imagine might be a might be it might be an interesting experience but obviously you're coming in you've come into this course as a as a mature student yeah um and that that will have some slightly different mechanics to to a typical um average age student yeah I remember when I studied uh studied studied with mature students and I I found they were brilliant I loved it I loved that experience they brought into our into our group so you know again me being probably very immature some might still say I am but you know in terms of that it was always they were great people just to sort of like they were actually really good fun but they could also bring that level of just that life professionalism perspective all those things which I'm sure you'll you've already brought to your to the years that you've been in so how are you feeling going back into that as a student and also do you feel like you want to talk a little bit about what it's like being a mature student and studying and how you find that and I'm also thinking just whether maybe people listening to this it might be nice to hear just how you might want to be sort of treated in that way or just to provide maybe a bit of perspective on maybe just what it's like for you in these kind of environments because not everyone will know will they so

SPEAKER_02: 43:40

yeah I mean I guess to start off with so with regards to how I feel sort of going you know sort of back into um sort of all going into third year and becoming a student again um mixed emotions excited I guess you know there's sort of that little element of not really knowing the second year so it will almost feel like I'm kind of going in and maybe sitting on the edge of the you know lecture room or who do I sit with where are my friends type of thing but yeah joking aside you know sort of overall I'm just really looking forward to yeah kind of getting back into I'm excited to see what placements I have ahead of me. I think... with the girls as I mentioned starting school um in September I feel that's um rightly or wrongly I might say something else come you know sort of September October but um it's given me a bit more um I'm not maybe a sort of anxious because I feel like time wise and that's probably the biggest thing from you know a mature student point of view and I feel like I can say this as well because I'm not ashamed um or you know sort of embarrassed is to admit but in my first degree even though I was a mature student I didn't have you know the same responsibilities that I have now and I probably didn't do as much as I should have earlier on and that was you know it was a mixture of reasons um but you know sort of got to my third year and was like oh I need to pull my finger out um and I wouldn't want other people so again this is probably more for prospective students and you know students maybe finishing year one but wouldn't want people to make the same mistake um And I came in with a very different mindset this time around. And I had to because I've got responsibilities. You know, I was working, obviously taking care of, you know, twin daughters. I couldn't afford to, I guess, waste time, if that's the right way of putting it. So, and again, not saying that around, you know, exams or when assignments were due, you sort of like reflect back and think oh god I could have done you know a little bit more but absolutely sort of time management is really important and I think regardless of whether you're a mature student or not it's really good if you can try and do that from the outset because actually once you start the world of work that is going to be like how life is anyway so yeah I definitely think just so you don't get as stressed around a um an exam period um if you've you know had good time management before that and kept on top of things um that is sort of like really going to help um so it absolutely is you know doable so any prospective students out there as you know mature students you know with or without a family it is absolutely doable um you know and there is support out there financially as well but, you know, the support that I've got from the uni as well. Yeah. Yeah, but I think it is really about your time management. I feel like I've regressed to do that a lot. Have I answered your question?

SPEAKER_00: 47:33

No, it's great. It's great. And I think just to add to some things that you're saying, I think it's just great for students to, you know, for mature students listening to this, I have no doubt they'll be able to relate very much to a number of those things. And it's perfectly understandable. You're not mature. student you you wouldn't know a lot of this stuff and that's absolutely all right but i feel like i owe it to uh to to students like yourself even just to put that level of perspective in it's just i think it's just being appreciative that typically for a mature student like in your case you know having having kids um you know as you know it's great but it can be it can be challenging it's like another full-time job outside of the course so again also thinking in your time of life you know you've got family that you know mortgage these things which typically a yoga student wouldn't have and so it does change a level of the perspective doesn't it a little bit of what you want to get from the what I mean you'll want to get the degree from the course but I think that can often mean that it's just understanding that sometimes those levels of of those can change a little bit so coming in as a mature student it's you're trying to get as much as you can in in terms of your time in terms of what you can give it's being i mean there might be some similarities for some of the youngest years you might be knackered because you've not slept all night because of the kids they might have not slept all night because they've been out so there's certainly some a lot of things you can relate to um but i think as well it's sometimes that element of and i've seen it it's just sometimes bridging the gap it's i remember work say working with mature students so i used to understand like wow they're really like really keen on time keeping and if you're doing a group work together they would be really on that sort of like roles and delegated responsibility they're always so organised but you realise as you get a bit older they're coming into it just from these different experiences and actual facts sometimes it's just that as we said before that journey that sometimes you come into these things just with some different life experiences but I would always say as a typically younger student tap into that it's absolutely great but also because I've studied at different ages and stuff, it's actually quite nice also to I think we should also want to connect with the younger students as well. There shouldn't be any sort of real disconnect. Does that all make a bit of sense?

SPEAKER_02: 50:10

Yeah, I mean, and I remember saying, sort of like going back home in the first week and sort of saying, you know, I'm not sure it's going to be like my first degree. I'm not sure if I'll, you know, sort of still make lifelong friends, if you like. And oh God, how wrong, you know, I was. And, you know, one of my best friends you know and she's 10 years younger than me I'm going to be her bridesmaid in

SPEAKER_00: 50:40

June can you can you give a shout out to them is that

SPEAKER_02: 50:43

yeah Jasmine

SPEAKER_00: 50:47

fantastic oh I didn't realize you're going to be a bride oh she's getting married oh fantastic that's great news brilliant oh terrific

SPEAKER_02: 50:54

you know it was it it was just so funny to think that and then literally I think it was like the next week you know I sort of met um some some of the other mature students but yeah you know sort of Jasmine's more than yeah it's 10 I think maybe even 12 years sort of between us but just hit it off and yeah so I don't I don't think you know sort of also you need to worry about you know sort of age gaps and things like that I I think you know everyone on you know on the course interacts well regardless of you know sort of ages or you know for the most part that I've seen nice

SPEAKER_00: 51:40

I love I love I love those stories of who people have met, who you've connected with. And that's lovely that you've had that. And I really think that that's one of the great things about university, myself included. And there's so many people who've been fortunate enough to go to university. And actually, one of the biggest things to take from it is a friend for life. And you've got, say, Jasmine there. And that's amazing. And I certainly have got my mates as well and you look at that and I actually hold I hold those higher than as much as I'm delighted with the degree of course I actually hold them as really sort of I've come out with friendships of 20 years people I'd still turn to in a moment you know and they know who they are listening but it's kind of that and isn't that lovely as part of this tapestry so I think I kind of feeling what you said before sort of that reflection of Yeah, you're here to do a course, absolutely, but there's also not over-pressuring yourself on the course itself and ensuring you try and enjoy these other things that the university environment can only give.

SPEAKER_02: 52:58

Absolutely. I mean, in my first degree, I did rugby, something that I always wanted to try, had the opportunity, absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, again, just to having children, this time around I couldn't commit to a sport um but would absolutely encourage everyone to make the most you know of their time you know get involved whether it's you know sport or just other clubs um that you know are available at uni and um yeah there's just so so many opportunities

SPEAKER_00: 53:37

No, it's really nicely said. And just remind me this. I know that Muddy in second year, you know, Sam Waters and his mate Will, they raised a lot of money, did an amazing job for Movember. And they are, as a result of that amazing chance, I believe in the process of they're going to do a walk, I think, from Highfields to Twickenham to further do that this year. So those kind of things you just talked about, it might be that you can't continue doing something, but what else could you do? Absolutely. And it nudges you into a different direction and a different opportunity, which is fantastic. But Sian, it's been amazing talking to you. I'm afraid we've just run out of time, but the last thing I tend to ask guests is for any Sian Robinson advice, life advice, I think you've given loads of advice and some really rich stuff on this episode. So thank you for that. But just wondering if there was anything else you'd like to share anything else you would give advice to anyone listening it could be as i say life advice study advice general i don't know anything that you would give that you think people might need to hear

SPEAKER_02: 54:54

yeah um i guess because i feel like i've touched on some other things from like you know sort of clinical point of view and sort of like you know around like revision and stuff but you know life throws you ups and downs you know you're gonna have hard times um but there's always like light at the end of the tunnel um yeah so I'd probably just say that surround yourself you know our people uh have a good supportive network um but yeah you know life's tough sometimes um but you know you will you will get through it so that will probably be life advice

SPEAKER_00: 55:36

no that's great and a really good message and I think that's one that we all need to hear and remember especially when we might not be in the best of places at the moment but thank you for sharing that so I think I'll just lastly conclude by saying thank you so much for joining Sian and thank you

SPEAKER_02: 55:58

so much for having me

SPEAKER_00: 55:59

it's been an absolute pleasure and as you've said in the episode if I guess if any students want to reach out to you regarding the internship or anything maybe some just general advice on on things like that would you be all right with that so okay

SPEAKER_02: 56:14

absolutely you know when I was doing the SGDs you know I did say to students like even you know if you've got any questions you know if you see me or just want to drop me an email like more than happy you know to help and if I don't know the answer I will signpost you to the right person

SPEAKER_00: 56:32

that's great and I encourage people to take Sian on that offer because she's absolutely brilliant so thank you very much Sian I'll chat to you soon

SPEAKER_02: 56:41

yeah thank you take

SPEAKER_01: 56:49

care