Building Confidence and Independence

As a boarder, Kaitlin’s Sixth Form experience was quite different from living at home. “Boarding taught me a lot of independence,” she says. “Living away from home helped me learn how to manage my time, live with other people and become more confident socially.”

Those experiences came in handy when she arrived at university. “Because of that, moving to university felt like a really natural transition.”

There were plenty of opportunities during her time at Roedean to meet people outside her usual friendship groups, too. Kaitlin particularly remembers social events with other schools, which gave her the chance to meet new people and become more comfortable in unfamiliar situations. At university, she says, those experiences have made it easier to settle into a new environment surrounded by people from different backgrounds.

Support for the Next Step

Her memories of Roedean also include the teachers who supported her through the university application process. “The support from teachers was something I really appreciated,” she says. “They put so much time into helping with university applications, whether it was personal statements, interviews or just being there when we needed advice.”

By the time she was preparing to leave school, Kaitlin had also started to think seriously about veterinary medicine. The Roedean alumnae network gave her the chance to speak to people who were already studying the subject or working as vets, as well as helping her find work experience.

“I was able to speak to people already studying veterinary medicine or working as vets, which gave me a better idea of what the career was like. It also helped me find work experience, and it’s still a useful network to have now.”

The Memories That Stay

But when Kaitlin thinks about her time at Roedean, it isn’t only the things that helped prepare her for university or her future career that come to mind. There are also the moments that simply made her time at school memorable.

“There were so many good memories,” she says when asked to choose a favourite. Leavers’ Day is the one that eventually comes to mind. Having watched Leavers’ Chapel as a younger student, she remembers thinking, “I can’t wait until that’s us.”

When her own Leavers’ Day finally arrived, it was a chance to pause and look back at the years she had spent at Roedean. “It was such a nice way to look back on everything we’d experienced together and celebrate the end of our time at Roedean.”

Now, with university underway, Kaitlin has some advice for the students who are still at Roedean. Her message is not to become so focused on academics that you miss everything else happening around you.

“Work hard, but also make the most of everything else. Spend time with your friends, try new things and say yes to opportunities like leadership roles, performances or competitions.”

And perhaps that is what stands out most from Kaitlin’s reflections. There are the big milestones, from university applications to starting a veterinary degree, but there are also the friendships, experiences, opportunities and everyday moments that make up the years in between.

“Those are often the things you’ll remember most.”

Looking Ahead

As Kaitlin continues her studies in Veterinary Medicine, she is now well into the next chapter of her journey. Looking back, her time at Roedean is filled with memories of the people she met, the experiences she shared and the opportunities that helped shape her interests and ambitions.

While her time at Roedean may be behind her, the friendships, memories and experiences she made there remain an important part of her story she will take with her long into the future.