Student Story: Ashley Muirhead - Sport & Fitness

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you came to D&A?

I am currently in my 2^nd year of college. I am profoundly deaf and use BSL (British Sign Language). I participated in lots of sports growing up, and one of my favourite sports is football. When I was in 4th year of high school, I enjoyed PE the most, I wasn’t keen on other subjects. I was unsure about what I wanted to do when I left school, so my Principal Teacher for the Deaf encouraged me to go to college. I decided to give it a go and applied for an introduction course.

What support have you received at D&A to help with your studies?

I have a BSL interpreter to help translate from the classes. This helps me to understand what the lecturer is saying so I don’t miss out on the learning.

What have you got going on outside of College?

Outside of college, my weekends and free time are usually spent hanging out with friends - either after college or on weekends. Sometimes, we even make trips to Glasgow to meet up with friends who live there. Besides socialising, I also play football. I'm part of the Dryburgh women's development team, which is a lot of fun and keeps me active.

How do you balance coming to College with your personal interests and home life?

Managing both college and home life is manageable for me. With the ability to handle assignments at home during my days off, I find it quite easy to manage. Having only three days of college each week also offers plenty of time for other activities, such as socialising with friends or spending quality time with family.

What are the highlights of your College journey so far?

I've learned many things on this course and getting to know people in my class and making new friends. Gaining experience at college has been a great journey. I wouldn't know where I would be if I hadn't chosen to go to college.

What’s next for you, what are your goals?

I am currently in my 2^nd year of college, I have applied for Advanced Certificate in Coaching Sport and Fitness - which I have a conditional offer for, so I am waiting to see if I get in. My goals are to achieve more qualifications and I'm hoping to continue for a few more years into HNC/HND.

If Ashley has inspired you, browse our Sport & Fitness courses.

Look out for more student stories coming soon!