To the graduates

Hello there,

I just wanted to take the time to write a quick note to anyone reading this who has received their HSC results and is feeling a little dissapointed by them.

Let me tell you, it's not the end of the world.

I didn't fail my HSC or anything like that, so I cannot relate in that sense, but I would not have gotten high enough marks to go to the uni I do now if I had applied during year 12.

When I was in year 12, all I wanted to do was own a Kombi and live in a shack near Wategoes.

Now I own a Subaru, live in Brisbane and thankfully, I have given up on the surfer girl dream.

In my family there was never question as to whether you would go to university or not, you just did - please don't get me wrong, this was great, I am so blessed to have had the opportunities I have.

In 2007, I was offered early acceptance to Southern Cross University to study education and because I was too disorganized (nothing has changed) to put in any preferences for universities outside of NSW I missed the cut off date and opportunity to go to another uni.

Disheartened by the fact I had no prospect of leaving Lismore to go to a big sandstone institution, I blindly applied for Arts/Law at Southern Cross as my third preference.

When my HSC marks came out, I was surprised to find SCU had offered me Arts/Law as well.

However, not pinning all my HSC hopes on a uni far away gave me time to realize I didn't want to be a teacher at all and as I watched my friends move to big cities to do degrees they had worked their entire schooling life for, I was left in my hometown knowing all my big city peers were feeling sorry for me.

But you know what?

Arts\Law at SCU turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.

I was given a scholarship by the uni and had an incredibly stress free, low key first year of uni where I got to sit around with some really cool people on a lovely green campus instead of freezing to death in an air-conditioned lecture theater.

I was able to get into the swing of uni with classes more than 20 times smaller than the ones I attend at QUT.

I realized what it was like to be away from school and how different the real world was and how different I was from the girl filling out the QTAC form online in my school uniform.

Not getting my shit together during the HSC allowed me to make some of the best friends at SCU.

I haven't even come close to finding anyone like that in almost 3 years at QUT.

Even though I don't go to SCU now and I feel so lucky to attend QUT - a university that has given me such a positive outlook on the world, it hasn't mattered for a second that I didn't get where I am because of my UAI.

If I had been organized enough to apply for QUT right out of school, I would probably be due for a mid-life crisis and have a teaching degree in hand rather than be on my way to becoming a journalist or a lawyer - which although is taking longer, will be worth it in the end!

So, I want to tell anyone who just got their results; it doesn't matter what they are, if you really want to do something you will find a way of doing it, trust me.

Don't listen to anyone, the HSC (or equivalent) doesn't matter.

Not once since I left school have I been asked what my UAI, QTAR, or whatever it is now was.

Not by my lecturers, not by my peers and I doubt any future employers will care either.

So chin up if you have to stay in your hometown for a year until you get the marks to go to another uni - it sure was great not having any bills for that year I stayed behind.

Love and best wishes to all you graduates,

Al

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