By, Sebastian Bonnici, Discovery Learning Recruitment

To begin, my diet isn’t the healthiest out of the Discovery team. Nor is my fitness level the greatest. I mean, pretty much all of the staff eat a balanced diet and find it “fun” to regularly get up at 5am for an intense gym workout; just before work!

Hearing all their exercise stories about how many times they would go to the gym, or how many miles they would run in super speed time. I was thinking to myself that I really need to step up a gear. What would be more “fun” than to beat these health and fitness people at their own game?

I came up with the idea to run a 6 mile race against one of my fellow colleagues; a bit out there I must agree, but nevertheless it was something that needed to be done. I had the support of a nutrition specialist at Discovery Learning, who advised the best foods to prevent me from fainting. More importantly I had a real competitor, with 6 years background in long distance running, equipped with aerodynamic clothes and trainers that had special holes to make you go faster… not to mention the expensive price tag to go with it.

It was quite clear that I did not have a clue what I was in for. My background in long distance running was none existent. I had to focus my training to be in with a chance of competing against my foe. My outfit for the job was all wrong. I mean my trainers did have holes in them, but you could see my toes. The odds were truly against me and the bets were in!

We mapped out the 6 mile race around Wimbledon which included that killer hill. For the whole race my colleague was in front and she hardly broke a sweat. I, on the other hand, was melting and dying from the inside out, but kept on going. Near the end of the race, I managed to out sprint her and won the competition!

I came to realise that against all the odds there is always a chance to beat them, especially if you have the right mind set. The other realisation was that my colleague was distraught with her defeat and I now know this is just the beginning…

Comments(1)

By, Victoria Clout, Discovery Learning Tutor

As a tutor at Discovery Learning I have come across a wide range of learning abilities and competencies.

My learning style is individual to myself and you will also find this as you move through your learning experience at Discovery Learning. I talk to students every day and the most commonly asked question asked is ‘how do I study?’. If you have been out of education for a while, new to studying or this is a new subject area for you I have complied some top study tips.

My top tips for studying are –

• Read and make notes, this may seem repetitive but it will help you to remember words and how they are spelt
• Ask questions; if you don’t understand a topic please contact the Student Support team.
• Talk out loud; you are training to work in a practical environment where communication is essential. You may have understood the subject but putting it into words is harder than you think.

Stay Motivated! When I was 16 years old I was told I would never make it to university and that maybe I should research other job options. I was determined to get to uni and study Sport and Exercise Science. I didn’t do that well in my A Levels in school so I went back to college to re-sit them. The college environment suited my learning style better and I got the grades to go to uni! My family was proud that I didn’t give up on my dream. I graduated with a Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) and decided I loved uni so much I went back to study for a masters. I graduated with Merit in Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation MSc.

The moral of my story is never give up and that you can reach your goals with hard work and finding the way of learning that suits you.

Comments(0)