After moving to Chingford in February 1993, Paul celebrated his 21st birthday in March with his friends. Paul attended Waltham Forest College from September 1993 to July 1995 where he studied for and obtained his BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. Paul attended several auditions after leaving college but unfortunately he was not successsful. He did however help with the production and choreography of theatre productions on a voluntary basis, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Disappointed that his dreams were not to be realised, Paul took temporary jobs over the next few years and somehow lost his way in life. For much of this time he felt unfulfilled and at times very unhappy. In July 2001 Paul decided that his life had to change and he enrolled at West London College for a British Airways Fares and Ticketing course. He passed all the competency exams with a Grade 'B' and hoped that this would help him find work in the travel industry. However, in October 2001 Paul developed a serious lung infection which required major surgery, after which a secondary infection caused multiple brain abcesses in January 2002. Paul spent six weeks in the Royal Free Hospital at Hampstead and was discharged in March 2002, shortly before his 30th birthday.