We were invited to contribute to the October 2025 edition of PiXL Insights on Stretching and challenging more able learners. Two of our student ambassadors who have taken part in our programmes provided articles about their experiences of higher education. Here, Biomedical Science Student, Sarah Zulkernain speaks about how she found belonging in science and university through opportunities at school.
If you’d told 16-year-old me that I’d one day be living in Nevada doing neuroscience research, I would’ve laughed. Not because I lacked ambition, but because science genuinely felt out of reach. At a Year 9 parents’ evening, a teacher told my dad that science wasn’t for me – I was doing poorly, and they didn’t see that changing. What they didn’t see, though, was the full picture. My grades weren’t a reflection of my potential; they were the result of not having the space at home to revise, or the support to go over difficult concepts after class.
For a long time, I believed science was something other people were good at – not me. That started to shift when I moved schools and was placed in a lower set for science. Not because I wasn’t capable, but because I needed the space to catch up. For the first time, I had teachers who didn’t just see my grades; they saw potential. They taught us the basics, explained things patiently, and made the subject feel less intimidating. Slowly, science stopped being something I dreaded and started becoming something I could enjoy – and maybe even be good at.
Now here I am, thousands of miles from home, on a placement year in the U.S., investigating molecular pathways in brain function. It’s surreal, and yet in many ways, it feels like every step I took at school was preparing me for exactly this. University life has been full of surprises. Some uplifting, others quietly difficult. As a first-generation student, I didn’t know what to expect. But reflecting now, it’s clear the foundations were laid long before I stepped onto campus.
Some of the most impactful moments at school didn’t happen in the classroom. They were the experiences that stretched me beyond the curriculum, where I grew in confidence, curiosity, and independence.
Being Head Girl in Year 11 taught me how to represent others and lead with empathy. As a Senior Prefect, I hosted community events and learned how to connect with people from different backgrounds, a skill that’s been invaluable at university.
Volunteering with the Biology Lunch Club, supporting Year 7 to 11 students in practicals, built my confidence and helped me explain complex ideas in simple, engaging ways.
My Extended Project Qualification – researching how chemicals in toiletries affect the endocrine system – was my first real taste of independent research. I didn’t know it then, but it mirrored what I do now in the lab.
Each of these opportunities gave me far more than a personal statement talking point. They helped me become someone who feels they belong in the scientific field. Not because I always know the answers, but because I’m comfortable asking questions.
Behind every achievement was a network of support I didn’t fully appreciate until much later.
It wasn’t just academic support – it was real mentorship.
I wish someone had told me that the hardest part of university wouldn’t be the essays or lab reports. It would be the feeling that maybe I didn’t belong. As a first-gen student, I didn’t want to admit when I was struggling. I thought asking for help would make me seem like I didn’t belong. Over time, I learned that asking for help is a strength. And that nearly everyone feels lost at some point in their first year. Explaining university life to family who haven’t experienced it can be isolating. It’s hard to put something so unfamiliar into words they’d recognise.
Making friends took longer than I thought. University isn’t like school where you’re placed in a ready-made group. It takes time to find your people. I wish someone had told me that. But here’s the truth: most people are figuring out the transition to university life as they go, just like you. One of the best things I did was say yes to the awkward stuff – subject socials where I didn’t know anyone. I turned up even when I felt nervous and alone.
Then there’s budgeting. When your friends make plans you can’t afford, it’s hard not to feel left out. Saying no can come with guilt, even when you’ve done nothing wrong. But with time, things changed. I found friends I truly connected with. I stopped apologising for setting boundaries. I realised I didn’t need to be everything to everyone – just myself.
One of the biggest turning points was joining The Brilliant Club’s Join the Dots programme in my first year. It supports students from underrepresented backgrounds as they transition to higher education – and for me, it couldn’t have come at a better time. The programme gave me practical tools to navigate university life, from study strategies to building academic confidence. Most importantly, it reminded me I wasn’t alone – there were others like me, trying to find their footing, and we were figuring it out together.
By the end of second year, I wasn’t just surviving – I was thriving. I went from a 2:1 in first year to a First Class average in second year. Not because everything suddenly clicked, but because I learned how to manage my time, ask for help, and back myself enough to keep going.
It’s easy to get caught up in what’s next – assignments, deadlines, job applications. From leading practicals at lunch to working in a research lab overseas, it’s been a journey. I still don’t have all the answers. But I know that the resilience, curiosity, and support I built during school continue to guide me now. I used to think curiosity belonged to the “smart” students – the ones who raised their hands and already seemed to get it. Mine started as frustration: “Why don’t I understand this?”. Over time, that frustration turned into a desire to learn for the sake of learning.
Written by Sarah Zulkernain, Biomedical Science Student and Ambassador for The Brilliant Club
To find out more about PiXL Insights and to read their other publications – focused on topics such as improving inclusion for learners with SEND, raising boys’ achievement, and partnering with parents for impact – click here.
A journey of discovery: How I uncovered my path to university