Charlotte Hyde: Returning to university

It has been over a year since I graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree. Graduate life is tough at the best of times, but full-time work has especially scarce during the COVID-19 pandemic. My confidence has taken a huge knock and frankly, I’ve been feeling a little lost. 

In July, I made the huge decision to apply for a master’s degree at a local university. At the beginning of August, I found out that my application was successful. I’m going back to university for a year!

I spent the first week absolutely elated. In my personal statement, I talked about my experiences as a deaf student on campus, learning BSL and my deaf identity. I also recounted my achievements as Disabled Students’ Officer in my previous students’ union.

It was the first time I’ve really shown an institution that I’m proud of being deaf, and it felt great to have been accepted as my true self. In contrast, the personal statement I wrote at Sixth Form treated my deafness as a footnote. I presented it as a small barrier, rather than an important part of my identity. 

Choosing a different university was the only way I could make ends meet financially, so applying was very nerve-wracking.

After spending such a long time building up good rapport with my previous university about accessibility, starting from scratch with another institution felt daunting.

I received the obligatory email from Disability Services in my inbox, asking me to fill out a form and send off proof of my deafness. I hadn’t had to ‘prove’ my deafness to an institution since my initial university application four years ago, so it felt strange to be to scrabbling about to find my audiogram again. 

I then had to apply for a master’s loan. During your application to student finance, you can choose to apply for the DSA (Disabled Students’ Allowance) – a pot of money that can be used to help disabled students access university at no personal cost.

I’d gone through the process of providing proof, assessment and then later re-assessment before and during my first year. With that experience in mind, I decided not to apply again.

In my last article on the Pros and Cons of Self-Advocacy, I mentioned that it took me two years to get a Roger Pen on the DSA while I was an undergraduate. It was a crucially important piece of kit that made it easier for me to access my seminars, and yet I didn’t receive it until the day before I left home for third year. 

I don’t think I can go through the stress again. I don’t want to be sending emails on my holiday, or constantly refreshing my inbox in the hope that I’ve received a reply from someone related to my DSA request.

If I hadn’t had such a bad experience as an undergraduate student, I may have even considered working with BSL interpreters this year. Learning BSL at university was life changing for me in so many ways, and I’ve only ever had benefits from working with interpreters since. 

I absolutely recognise that this decision is a privilege that not every deaf student can afford. I’m lucky to have my Roger Pen, along with the many techniques I acquired through trial and error as an undergraduate. I will still experience concentration fatigue, but this is inevitable – even with assistance from interpreters. 

I also now know how to effectively advocate for myself at university. I have a script ready for my new tutors and the confidence to back myself up.

While filling in the form for Disability Services, I was delighted to find that it was much easier to do so this time around, as I knew exactly what I needed to be put in place. I remember the first meeting I had with my Disability Advisor at my old university, and it essentially consisted of me asking the advisor what they would suggest.  

I feel like I’m starting the next chapter in my life. I’m excited to start studying again after a year out and I’m ready to have some structure back in my life.

I can only hope things go smoothly access-wise, but I know hiccups are inevitable. I will get tired of self-advocacy at some point, but now I know the warning signs. I can intervene by reaching out for help before it gets too late. I’m thankful that I’m far more prepared this time around, and I’m ready for my new adventure.