Liverpool 2022 Graduations: Ehmee Mariano
Posted on: 4 August 2022 by Ehmee Mariano in August 2022 posts
Ehmee Mariano graduated in July 2022 from the School of Health Sciences. She was asked to speak on behalf of her cohort at the graduation ceremony, which was held in the Philharmonic Hall. We spoke to Ehmee about her time at Liverpool and her future plans.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I came to the UK from the Philippines about 17 years ago. I did not have any prior intention to immigrate to the UK, however, my husband who is also Filipino was already working here as a nurse, and so I had to move here too for us to be together. Immigrating here with a degree in Psychology made me hopeful about finding a job easily. However, having foreign qualifications, I was required to standardise it with the UK’s in order to practice. This is fair policy, but as a new immigrant with no recourse to public funds, any expenses to self-develop were out of the question at that time. So, I had to work in jobs I didn’t imagine I would be working in and just did my best, working my way up to becoming a Care Supervisor. Working in the health and social care industry for a long time definitely helped me become a better health practitioner today. However, despite already having a quite comfortable job, I thought I still have some more to give and so I decided to go back to university after having my 2nd child to carve a new path for myself professionally.
Why did you pick the course that you studied?
The fact that Occupational Therapy is able to help people of all ages, addressing the physical, mental and psycho-social aspects of their health is just incredible and certainly piqued my interest.
What were the main highlights of your time at Liverpool?
The whole process of getting into the University of Liverpool was actually a highlight for me. Known for its high selection standards, getting into UoL was notoriously challenging. And adding to it being a mature student, with foreign qualifications, my requirements also included finishing a Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Maths, a one year Access Course for Higher Education with distinction, an IELTS exam score of at least 8 and then a nerve-racking application interview. Getting into UOL was a journey in itself and so, getting accepted was a thrilling moment for me.
I enjoyed every moment of my student life at UoL, whether it was online or face to face. I felt really at home. UoL is such a supportive learning environment in every way. I also particularly enjoyed all my placements. I have learned so much and I got to meet so many amazing people.
Definitely, another highlight was graduating with a first-class degree despite personal challenges and also being asked to be the graduate speaker for the Schools of Health Sciences and Veterinary Science graduation ceremony which I think is a massive honour for any graduating student.
"My time in university has allowed me to meet some amazing people and made lifelong friends. Our breakaway groups allowed us to get to know more about each other. I remember us just having personal catch ups when we ran out of things to discuss. But it was wonderful, not just to learn together but also to share experiences, knowing that we were not alone in our plights and that help, and support was never far away. So, I want to say thank you to everyone in my cohort for your support and friendship."
What are you doing now/what are your plans for the future?
I have accepted a job offer at an Orthopaedic and MSK Centre of Excellence NHS Trust. I hope to learn as much as I can while enjoying the experience. In the future, I would also like to work in mental health settings, particularly in the community, working my way up as I become more and more confident in my knowledge and skills.
What would you tell your teenage self if you could?
My advice to my teenage self would be to “Take every opportunity to seize your dreams, time is always ticking, and needless hesitations will cost you precious time. Also, don’t get too hung up with small things, as most of them won’t matter in time, instead enjoy the ride as much as you can. Don’t take yourself too seriously; life is too short, so be silly, have fun and celebrate little victories. Surround yourself with people who are genuinely happy to see you succeed and don’t let anyone dim your light ever. Life does not always happen as you plan it, so always bloom your best wherever you are planted. Ground yourself by always being grateful, you’ll be surprised how plenty there is in your life to be thankful for. Lastly, if the journey gets tough, remember that this will only make the end result more meaningful and bittersweet, so plough on, practice patience and put in the hard work, it will be worth it, I promise you”.