1. 10 years ago today I was taken on a school trip by @LiverpoolBCS to @UniofOxford and encouraged to apply. I had a great time visiting Oxford with my friends but had no intentions whatsoever of applying ...

2. After a lot of persuasion, I eventually decided to apply on the basis that I had no chance and wouldn’t get in anyway ... after my application form and 2 interviews I found out I had got a place at St. John’s College, Oxford to study Biological Sciences @StJohnsOx

3. PANIC STRUCK!!! Although a huge part of me wanted to go to Oxford I didn’t think I could, for many reasons ... I wasn’t posh or rich, I had a strong Scouse accent, I’d have no friends, nobody in my family had been to uni before, it would be boring, basically I wouldn’t fit in!

4. I went down to Oxford the night before freshers week and stayed in a hostel with my mum and nan. I cried all night. The following morning we walked around @StJohnsOx and couldn’t believe I’d be living there! I put on a brave face but I was terrified and wanted to come home.

5. My mum eventually persuaded me to stay by promising to come back the following week and take me home if I didn’t like it. She even contemplated getting a job as a cleaner at the college so she could stay with me and I’d get my degree.

6. True to her word, my mum came back the following week and was relieved when I said I wanted to stay. I had thrown myself into freshers week, made lots of friends and realised that nobody cared where I was from! We were all in the same boat and wanted to make friends!

7. 3 years later I’d had the time of my life, made some lifelong friends and graduated with a 2:1 in Biological Sciences. Thanks to my mum and nan for persuading me to stay that first week!

8. I want to encourage more young people from working-class backgrounds to follow in my footsteps and not be put off by these silly stereotypes! The moral of the story is if I can do it, so can you! #oxforduni #womeninscience