Share your life problems, concerns and worries with our Agony Aunt and professional, qualified Counsellor Esha Johnson.

Question: Currently I am at University and during the summer holidays, I reflected on my first year as a fresher. My time was consumed with studying and running my own small business. I felt as if I didn’t get the same experience as other fresher’s had done. I am making achievements and have memories that I will cherish but sometimes wonder if I missed out on anything, so with my second year about to begin, what is your advice? - Olivia, 19 from Birmingham

Dear Olivia,

Firstly, let me commend you on taking the time to reflect on your year. Nowadays people do not always take the time to sit and analyse their life. It sounds like you have had a great year with outstanding marks, deriving from hard work.

Olivia, you are a unique individual with choices to make for your own life’s journey. The choices you make today will determine your successes or failures tomorrow. What do you feel you have missed out on? Being the fresher who partied so much, her assignments were well below her intellectual ability and as a result barely passed the year?

Olivia, going to university has a cost, so it seems pointless to spend between three to four years there and end up with a grade that you are not pleased with. You sound like you are already a balanced individual; the fact you have positive memories to cherish means you didn’t miss out on anything. My advice for your second year is to continue as you started. One of the biggest mistakes some students make is they start well but fail to finish because they get side tracked in the middle. Remember this, university is only temporary; the hard work you put in now is short-term pain but it will bring you long term gain.