Val: Be open, be fearless, be yourself

Hello again blog readers!

It’s been a really great year and final semester, and I hope you enjoyed reading the student blog! I know I have found reading the experiences of my fellow students so insightful and interesting.

Since it’s my official last day of university and the official last day at my internship, I thought I would share a couple of University ‘tips and tricks’ that I felt guided me through my university life (in case you can’t tell, I’m feeling very reflective!).

1) Be Open
University introduces you to this amazing world of knowledge, experiences and thinking. Being open to new ideas, new people and new ways of doing things is crucial in actually getting the most out of any opportunity that comes our way. The best people I’ve met are not the ones that share the same ideas as me, but people who are willing to challenge my thinking and who grow me in a respectful and supportive way.

2) Be Fearless
A lot of the time we stop ourselves from doing the things we want to do, simply because we are afraid of failure, rejection, hurt or disappointment. Fear can sometimes stop us from trying new or different things. For example, before going on exchange I was terrified! I was really afraid, but I’m so glad that I did, because it turned out to be one of the most amazing, memorable and special experiences of my life.

3) Be Yourself
Starting university, choosing preferences and making ‘life decisions’ can be daunting and difficult, but at the end of the day, be true to yourself (as cliché as it sounds) and do things for you. Any choice in life that we make, we decide to do it either for ourselves or other people. Deciding what degree you will be doing for the next few years will depend on YOU and will really affect your drive at University. So do yourself a favour – be kind to yourself and choose to follow your passions, to chase your dreams and to believe in your own awesome potential!

Don’t worry; I’ll be taking my own advice as well as I begin the search for full-time employment. I know that there is a job out there for me, I just have to remember to ’Be Open, Be Fearless and Be Myself (Yourself)’. It’s also great to know I have the MaRG group from Monash supporting me and encouraging me along the way and I am so grateful for their mentor ship. So 'Be Open, Be Fearless and Be Yourself' and I know you guys are going to be doing great things!