--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Britain, the idea one could go from…" description: "\"In Britain, the idea one could go from blue-collar beginnings to the university was so far out, it was quite unthinkable. I took a variety of jobs to p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/norman-foster-16290_beginnings_in-britain-the-idea-one-could-go-from-bl_2755622.jpg" --- # In Britain, the idea one could go from blue-collar… ![“In Britain, the idea one could go from blue-collar beginnings to the university was so far out, it was quite unthinkable. I took a variety of jobs to pay for tuition - from ice-cream salesman to night-club bouncer. Whatever earned the most money in the least time.” quote by Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/norman-foster-16290_beginnings_in-britain-the-idea-one-could-go-from-bl_2755622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/norman-foster-16290_beginnings_in-britain-the-idea-one-could-go-from-bl_2755622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/norman-foster-16290_beginnings_in-britain-the-idea-one-could-go-from-bl_2755622.jpg) > “In Britain, the idea one could go from blue-collar beginnings to the university was so far out, it was quite unthinkable. I took a variety of jobs to pay for tuition - from ice-cream salesman to night-club bouncer. Whatever earned the most money in the least time.” [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes personal struggle to fund education through varied jobs, emphasizing determination and socioeconomic mobility. **In simple terms:** Hard work and diverse jobs funded his university education. Key Takeaway Seek flexible work opportunities to support education goals. Themes education social mobility hard work Mood reflective motivational Type personal educational When to use this quote - student loans - part-time work - scholarship applications Key Concepts economic barriers career development personal resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can societies reduce financial obstacles to education? - What role does perseverance play versus structural support? A Different Perspective May not reflect systemic barriers for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginnings/) [Blue collar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue-collar/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Ice cream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-cream/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tuition/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) ## Related quotes > [If you on the pole, play your position. I got enough dough to pay your tuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2-chainz/if-you-on-the-pole-play-your-position-i-got-enough-dough-to-pay-your/) [2 Chainz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/2-chainz/) > [I'll pay your tuition, and pray with you if you ain't into wishin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/i-ll-pay-your-tuition-and-pray-with-you-if-you-ain-t-into-wishin/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [Some people will pay their tuition, and then defy you to give them an education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-cook/some-people-will-pay-their-tuition-and-then-defy-you-to-give-them-an/) [Robert A. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-cook/) > [“the beauty of an art school: as long as you can pay the tuition, they will never, even in the gentlest way, suggest that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/the-beauty-of-an-art-school-as-long-as-you-can-pay-the-tuition-they/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Since most American students cannot simply pay their full tuition out of pocket, financing a college education often takes the form of loans, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/since-most-american-students-cannot-simply-pay-their-full-tuition-out/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [It makes no difference how low tuition is if the student has no source of funds to pay that tuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-rogers/it-makes-no-difference-how-low-tuition-is-if-the-student-has-no/) [James E. Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-rogers/) > [The only honourable work my parents knew was blue-collar. But while my father Robert ran a pawnbroker's shop, and my mother was a waitress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/the-only-honourable-work-my-parents-knew-was-blue-collar-but-while-my/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [I haven't earned much money through films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diljit-dosanjh/i-haven-t-earned-much-money-through-films/) [Diljit Dosanjh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diljit-dosanjh/) > [You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-smeltzer/you-have-not-lived-a-perfect-day-even-though-you-have-earned-your/) Ruth Smeltzer > [Until 1954, I'd only ever thought of being a painter, but I earned my money when and where I could. You could say I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/until-1954-i-d-only-ever-thought-of-being-a-painter-but-i-earned-my/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [I've always earned my own money and enjoy being independent. It's how I was brought up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-air/i-ve-always-earned-my-own-money-and-enjoy-being-independent-it-s-how/) [Donna Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-air/) > [I have always held the conviction that American citizens should keep as much of their hard-earned money as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walberg/i-have-always-held-the-conviction-that-american-citizens-should-keep/) [Tim Walberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walberg/) > [I have earned the money and changed the nappies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/i-have-earned-the-money-and-changed-the-nappies/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/if-it-is-wrong-for-you-to-take-money-from-someone-else-who-earned-it/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [American taxpayers expect and deserve to know where their hard-earned money is going and how it is being used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/american-taxpayers-expect-and-deserve-to-know-where-their-hard-earned/) [Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/) ## More by Norman Foster > [Didn't think her vision was consistent with the ORC, especially the way the Council wishes to work with the ORC. For example, with regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/didn-t-think-her-vision-was-consistent-with-the-orc-especially-the/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/as-an-architect-you-design-for-the-present-with-an-awareness-of-the/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [If you weren’t an optimist, it would be impossible to be an architect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/if-you-weren-t-an-optimist-it-would-be-impossible-to-be-an-architect/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [Everything we design is a response to the specific climate and culture of a particular place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/everything-we-design-is-a-response-to-the-specific-climate-and/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [Manhattan, one of the most moneyed spots on the planet, also has one of the greatest concentrations of people in its skyscrapers. It's also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/manhattan-one-of-the-most-moneyed-spots-on-the-planet-also-has-one-of/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [There's a snobbery at work in architecture. The subject is too often treated as a fine art, delicately wrapped in mumbo-jumbo. In reality, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/there-s-a-snobbery-at-work-in-architecture-the-subject-is-too-often/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [Every time I've flown an aircraft, or visited a steelworks, or watched a panel-beater at work, I've learned something new that can be applied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/every-time-i-ve-flown-an-aircraft-or-visited-a-steelworks-or-watched/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [You cannot separate the buildings out from the infrastructure of cites and the mobility of transit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/you-cannot-separate-the-buildings-out-from-the-infrastructure-of/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [The most amazing lesson in aerodynamics I ever had was the day I climbed a thermal in a glider at the same time as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/the-most-amazing-lesson-in-aerodynamics-i-ever-had-was-the-day-i/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [When the Great Fire of London destroyed most of the medieval city in 1666, Christopher Wren was invited to design a new one. Within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/when-the-great-fire-of-london-destroyed-most-of-the-medieval-city-in/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [I hope that any expansion of London will learn from the planning examples of some of its most desirable areas such as Chelsea, Notting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/i-hope-that-any-expansion-of-london-will-learn-from-the-planning/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [Google has already tested robot cars in San Francisco. If they can navigate San Francisco, they can probably manage just about anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/google-has-already-tested-robot-cars-in-san-francisco-if-they-can/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [Our object in life should be to accumulate a great number of grand questions to be asked and resolved in eternity ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/our-object-in-life-should-be-to-accumulate-a-great-number-of-grand/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [The Italians have long known what makes a livable town or city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/the-italians-have-long-known-what-makes-a-livable-town-or-city/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [A life-threatening illness or two certainly gives you an awareness of your own mortality. It heightens your sense of gratitude for things that previously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/a-life-threatening-illness-or-two-certainly-gives-you-an-awareness-of/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) [Explore all 40 Norman Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) ## More Beginnings quotes > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [It was often this way, life consisted of a series of false beginnings, bluff declarations of arrival to destinations not even glimpsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/it-was-often-this-way-life-consisted-of-a-series-of-false-beginnings/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“God is going to send you someone that will rescue you. Then one day you will rescue them in return and together your story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-is-going-to-send-you-someone-that-will-rescue-you-then-one-day/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I had brutal beginnings. I will not let the darkness in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jennings/i-had-brutal-beginnings-i-will-not-let-the-darkness-in/) [Melissa Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jennings/) > [My little notebooks were beginnings - they were the ground into which I dropped the seed... I would work in this way when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/my-little-notebooks-were-beginnings-they-were-the-ground-into-which-i/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [There are no beginnings, not even to stories. There are only places where you make an entrance into someone else's life and either stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-findley/there-are-no-beginnings-not-even-to-stories-there-are-only-places/) [Timothy Findley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-findley/) > [“Our beginnings never know our ends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/our-beginnings-never-know-our-ends/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) > [My beginnings in the Southwest are clear and palpable. My beginnings here made me pay attention to where the sun is, where the winds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-predock/my-beginnings-in-the-southwest-are-clear-and-palpable-my-beginnings/) [Antoine Predock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-predock/) > [“... the scarlet thread,the red clay from which we were made, runs in tiny streams through all our veins, reminding us of where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/the-scarlet-thread-the-red-clay-from-which-we-were-made-runs-in-tiny/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [“January 20th,2021 Blow the trumpets loud, Salute the National Guard in the crowd, New beginnings, A new day has dawned, No need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-forde/january-20th-2021-blow-the-trumpets-loud-salute-the-national-guard-in/) [Charmaine J Forde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-j-forde/) > [There are not many beginnings but there is a single Beginning, prior to multitude. But if you were to say that the beginnings are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/there-are-not-many-beginnings-but-there-is-a-single-beginning-prior/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [“The beginnings of marriage can be a tough phase because it's the time when two individuals are learning to synchronize their hearts, minds, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyoti-patel/the-beginnings-of-marriage-can-be-a-tough-phase-because-it-s-the-time/) [Jyoti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyoti-patel/) > [Bad beginnings, bad endings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/bad-beginnings-bad-endings/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Unity, I thought, implies the possibility of disunity. Beginnings imply and require endings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-leckie/unity-i-thought-implies-the-possibility-of-disunity-beginnings-imply/) [Ann Leckie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-leckie/) > [“You see the bird and you see its flight. You can not see through its eyes. Therefore, you don't know its plight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/you-see-the-bird-and-you-see-its-flight-you-can-not-see-through-its/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) [Browse all 401 Beginnings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginnings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Britain, the idea one could go from blue-collar beginnings to the university was so far out, it was quite unthinkable. I took a variety of jobs to pay for tuition - from ice-cream salesman to night-club bouncer. 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