Growing Into Me

Three years ago I walked into Aston University not knowing a single person. This page is a honest snapshot of who I was, who I became, and who I am now.

First year me

Finding My Feet

When I first arrived at Aston, I didn't know a single person. In class I was quiet, kept to myself, and held back more than I probably should have. But outside of the classroom? Freshers was honestly the time of my life. I threw myself into it, made so many friends, and started to realise that I was more capable of connecting with people than I'd given myself credit for. That version of Rianne was just warming up.

My first experience of team working on the programme was a new kind of challenge. Being put in a room with people I didn't know and asked to build something together pushed me out of my comfort zone in a different way. I was still finding my voice, still figuring out where I fit. White (2021) argues that soft skills — including communication, confidence and the ability to connect with others are not fixed traits but developed over time through experience and exposure. Looking back, this is exactly what was happening to me in year one. I was building those skills without even realising it. Those early team experiences planted the seed and showed me what collaboration could look like, even when it felt uncomfortable. Year one was about showing up, even when I wasn't sure of myself yet.

Second year me

Finding My Voice

Year two is where things started to shift. Something that had always been close to my heart hair became something bigger. What started as a hobby, something I did for friends, slowly grew into a real business idea. Relay It wasn't just a concept on a brief, it was personal. It came from me, my interests, my skills, and my community. Turning that into something I could own and be proud of gave me a confidence I hadn't felt before.

My team experience this year also played a huge role. We each brought something different to the table, and that balance made us a genuine support system for each other. Katzenbach and Smith (2015) suggest that the most effective teams are those where members bring complementary strengths, creating a collective capability that is greater than the sum of its parts. This is exactly what our team felt like in year two. Lencioni (2016) also identifies being team-orientated as one of the three essential virtues of an ideal team player and this year I began to truly understand what that meant in practice. It wasn't just about the work it was about showing up for each other. Year two was where I stopped waiting to be heard and started having something worth saying.

Third year me

Finding My Power

Third year Rianne is a different person to the girl who walked into Aston not knowing anyone. I'm confident, I know what I want, and I back myself in a way I never used to. I don't need to be the loudest in the room that's just not how I grow. When I'm improving, when I'm working on something that matters, I do it in silence. It's not about proving anything to anyone. It's just who I naturally am.

Widdowson and Barbour (2021) emphasise the importance of self-leadership the ability to take ownership of your own growth, direct your own development, and show up with intention. This resonates deeply with where I am in year three. I've stopped waiting for permission to be confident and started leading myself first. This year I'm part of Team Phoenix an all girls team, and honestly, we're all flourishing in our own ways. There's something powerful about being surrounded by women who are each finding their own stride. Lencioni (2016) notes that ideal team players are simultaneously humble, hungry and people smart and I see all three of those qualities reflected across Team Phoenix. We're not just a team, we're proof that when people are given the space to grow individually, the collective becomes stronger for it. Year three has been about owning my journey, trusting my instincts, and letting the work speak for itself.