For many, September feels like a fresh start. It brings with it an opportunity to create goals for the end of the year, reflect on achievements, and recognise just how much we’ve learnt over the past year.

With everyone returning to the office after the summer holidays and workloads beginning to pick up, it can be easy to get caught up in the challenges and demands of working life and trying to balance a routine.Amidst the constant deadlines and email traffic, we rarely get the chance totake a step back and appreciate how far we’ve come.

As one of the youngest members of the team, September always encourages me to look back on how much I’ve grown, both professionally and personally. For me, September reminds me of the opportunities I have received and the importance of embracing change and the new opportunities that come with it.

For me, this quarter is particularly significant as I reflect on how far I’ve come in my time at Feldon Dunsmore. I joined the firm back in September 2024 and began my Paralegal Apprenticeship. Now, fast forward two years, and on the 21^st September I will be embarking on my Solicitor Apprenticeship – a huge milestone in my career and one which seemed years away to my 18-year-old self. Looking back, some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learnt have come from asking questions, my relationships with my colleagues and most importantly making mistakes – it sounds counterintuitive I know.

As I approach my 21^st birthday later this year,and remind my colleagues for the hundredth time just how young I am, here are five lessons that I feel have had the biggest impact on me and shaped who I am since I first started my legal career in 2024:

1.  It’s okay to not know everything! The whole point is to ask questions, get things wrong and learn from your experiences. Remember, growth comes from challenges.

2. Progress isn’t always linear. Sometimes you will feel like everything is going wrong and you’re making no progress and then suddenly you know more than you ever have. Progress takes time!!

3. You know more than you think you do. We have all had one of those moments where we go into something believing we know nothing and we are bound to fail or mess up, only do exceptionally well and pretend we never doubted ourselves. Be confident and give yourself more credit for all of the things you do without realising!

4. Age ≠ professionalism. Some of the most professional and well-rounded individuals I have interacted with have been young professionals at the start of their career. Just because you are younger does not mean you do not deserve the same level of respect and professionalism given to other more senior members of staff.

5. And finally, remember why you started. On those harder days when you’re consumed by stress with a full inbox and endless deadlines,this can be the motivator you need to keep going.