The Phone Call

There are phone calls  that I made many moons ago which changed my life. On this day, seventeen years ago after getting my A Level results, I made the phone call. I had not passed all my A levels and though that was it - my dream was over. I came home cried a bit and then sat in the hall way making that call. I was so nervous I couldn't even breath. I first rang my insurance choice, to be told that I didn't need to ring them but that I should ring my first choice. So, I sat down and made another call. I sat and waited for it to be picked up and then I explained my situation, that I hadn't passed all my A levels (if you want to know I got a C in Maths, E in Chemistry and unfortunately had failed Biology*). After talking and explaining I heard the person I was talking to pass the message on to a colleague, and then it sounded like the message got passed through the room as I heard it passed on to different people.
Then she came back on the phone and said Yes you have a place. I'd been holding my breath waiting for an answer and she had to say Yes again before I reacted. I was overjoyed - I had been accepted. Liverpool John Moores and my life as a student was starting.
I then put down the phone ran to tell my dad that all was fine and in floods of tears had to make that final call to my mother (who was in work) to say that all was good. I think that she had been panicking more than I had and was overjoyed at the result.

Now,here I am 17 years later, working in an university department. Today, we have the unenviable task of telling most students who haven't hit their offer that there is not a place for them. Today, I am thankful that I got my place, but for parents out there who are waiting for choices to be confirmed, don't panic. There is always Clearing and there is always a helpful voice on the end of the phone.


Good Luck to all

BNM

* this may have something to do with screaming when seeing a maggot in my practical exam !!

Image: akeeris / FreeDigitalPhotos.net