Testimonial #35

I am a mature student at University and it took me a lot of courage to come back to education as I has not had the best experience in the past. I gave up a full time job and a mediocre career to come to Sussex and better myself as a person, improve my job prospects and fulfil my potential. However things have not quite gone as I had imagined they would in the first year, and I have found myself struggling with depression and have recently discovered that I may be dyslexic which has been having a detrimental effect on my studies for years. Without the support of the dedicated and friendly student advisor's in my department I would not be seeking the help I need. They have encouraged me to not only seek help, but also helped me find the correct places in which to apply for it. I am still struggling now as I have only just started to get things in order, the thought of having to continue without the support as it is now concerns me greatly. I am a shy person as it is, having to go to a centralised support area to not only have to explain my situation over and over again, but also my course and it's requirements would put me off even asking for help in the first place and I would struggle on, and either not achieve what I am capable of or leave the University. They may save money at the end of the day, but if there are less students paying to attend the Uni then what good is that saving? I understand the need to find ways to save money, I have lived on minimum wage for ten years, but doing so at the detriment to others is not the way to go about it.