Overview

 From a challenging beginning, Gurshinder now works as an Analytical placement student for AstraZeneca as well as

producing new works of art. Read more of her insights and inspirational words here.

Current success

 “During my gap year, I had applied to pursue an MSci Chemistry degree at the University of Birmingham. During my first year

of university, I had a chat with my personal tutor about moving from the ‘MSci Chemistry’ course to the ‘MSci Chemistry

with Industrial Placement’ course. The latter comprises of the 3rd degree year spent working in a company, as opposed to

studying in university.

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I was advised that choosing the course with the year in industry is challenging and there isn’t a guarantee that you would get a placement for Y3. However, I was also advised that it is a golden opportunity to gain experience and to get an idea of what it means to work in the chemical industry. So, in the past couple of years, I have moved to the ‘MSci Chemistry with Industrial Placement’ course, achieved 1st class grades in both Y1 and Y2, and have recently started my Y3 working as an Analytical placement student at AstraZeneca!”

Fondest memory of Colton Hills

 “To date, my best academic years have been the three years I spent at Colton Hills whilst doing my A levels.

 It wasn’t just because of my good grades and progress in the subjects, but also because of the interactions and activities outside of the studies, that enriched my experience at this school.

 My fondest memory of Colton Hills does not reside in something I experienced in just one moment in time, it’s more like a collection of events. I don’t remember exactly who had said it first, but I recall someone referring to me as a scientist, a mathematician, and an artist. Many of the teachers from the Science and Maths department would show an interest in viewing the work I created in the Art department. This blew my mind because I had always assumed that I had to be one thing or another and that Science and Art couldn’t coexist. It taught me that I didn’t have to sacrifice anything at all, I could be both because both were part of me. I felt seen, I felt appreciated, I felt respected, and I felt valued. Although I am doing a Chemistry degree, I have continued to make Art pieces whenever I can, and I am always thinking about the next painting I want to create.”

How did Colton Hills help you on your journey?

 “I became a part of the Colton Hills community at a very vulnerable and tumultuous stage in my life. I had moved to the UK in 2015, from Italy, and enrolled in the school, with very little and basic knowledge of the English language, into the Year 10 class. I found the first 2 years to be very challenging and stressful because of the nature of my situation, and I would be lying if I said that I never thought of just giving up. But the support and the encouragement that the staff members gave me never failed to make me think: ‘But what if I just gave it my best shot?’.

  I remember staying after-school to catch up on missed work on so many days and that was possible solely because of my teacher's willingness to stay extra hours behind.
I always think of my achievements as a product of all the people that had my back, and many of those seats are filled by staff members that have helped me on my journey at Colton Hills.

  The person I am today and the teenager I was 6 years ago are two completely different people, and that growth could not have happened had I not attended Colton Hills. Whenever I face a tough situation now, I remind myself that I have overcome worse situations in the past.”
 

What advice would you give current Colton Hills students?

 “I would like to give advice as if I am talking to my younger self:

• Be kind to yourself; it’s okay if you are scared and uncertain. Don’t blame or reprimand yourself if you cannot do things that others can do effortlessly. You will grow at your own pace. You won’t be stuck in your situation forever; things will improve. I am one of many living proofs.

• Do not take failure or rejection to heart. It’s disheartening at first, and you are allowed to be disappointed, but try to remember that it’s also an opportunity to learn from the mistakes and/or to seek (better) doors that you never thought of before. I had to take an unexpected gap year and I took a lot out of that learning experience, both academically and personally. As long as you do your best, that’s all that matters! Also, your best is going to look different from someone else’s best, so don’t ever compare your worth against anyone else’s. We are all unique and we can all bring something to the table.

• Don’t overly worry if you don’t know what you want to do or be in the future. If you have a 5/10-year life plan, that’s awesome, keep it up! But if you do not have that, don’t fret, you will be handed opportunities and you’ll eventually find your path. For example, I had decided to pursue Chemistry at university just in my gap year; before that, I never even thought of it as something I would be interested in doing further.

• Be open-minded to learn for the sake of learning. Obviously, you’ll have to revise for exams and to achieve grades (and please do!), but remember that school doesn’t always have to be associated with words such as stress, deadlines, or boring. Explore things for the sake of curiosity.

• Never be afraid to ask for help or to raise questions in class (or even after, if you are not confident yet). During Y10 and Y11, I never did these things because I was overly shy and did not want to attract attention to myself.  During my A-levels, I slowly made a habit of it, and it definitely made a massive difference in how well and how quickly I grasped a concept. Funnily enough, I have to remind myself of this a lot during my placement now, so I’m still learning too.

• Give help, support, and affection unconditionally. You giving these things to others does not take anything away from you, but it can potentially change the life of another for the better (especially true for someone who just recently moved from another country). A little help goes a long way and the good you do to others will come back to you ten-fold.”