Of all the people starting out at university this autumn, few will have had a learning journey to compare with Hannah Ostermeyer's. The author met Hannah at the Adult College in Lancaster, a place that not only gave her a new direction at a critical time but which, she is convinced, saved her life. It was here that she began to rebuild the confidence lost over years of struggle to overcome mental health problems. The college's inclusive approach--and its willingness to listen to and involve learners--has, she believes, equipped her to make a real success of higher study. This won't be Hannah's first time at university--but this time, she is sure, it will be different. In this article, the author describes Hannah's story.