I can still remember the day I decided to overcome my fears and step out of my comfort zone.
It was the day I applied for the position as Student Mentor with CQUniversity. I always wanted to give back and share my ideas and experience with fellow students because I had seen the trouble and dilemmas students face in their university life and it was not different to mine. So, I promised myself I would bring change and try to help students as much as I could. Since being a student mentor, many opportunities have opened up. One thing led to another and not long after I had the idea of creating a club where students would be able to share their skills and talents through a creative outlet. It was just an idea and I did not know if it would work or not. I remained determined and decided to hold onto my idea regardless of anyone laughing at me or thinking my idea was absurd. With the help of a very dear friend I met our campus support officer and explained my idea. The outcome were a big smile and a promise to provide support. That’s what I needed!! Hurrah!!
Everything went smoothly and easy until I started to receive tremendous enquiries from students for being a part of the club named Uniqtive– Unique+Creative, and guess what? I wasn’t prepared for that. Something we planned to build within four walls of a meeting room, turned into a big event with seven performances and a full house. On the day of our first event, as MC my fear was visible. My hands were shaking and my babbling voice was suppressing my confidence. I even forgot some lines of my own poem while reciting. Against all odds, astonishingly I was extremely happy with the outcome by the end of the day. It was a success! Everyone enjoyed it and the prise was the confidence reflecting on the students faces who had courage to overcome their fears and perform their talents-dancing, singing, comedian, a blogger photographer and poetry. Today we are proud to say that our club is officially affiliated with CQUniversity. Our AVC welcomed me with open arms into the Campus Life Committee and I was able to hear the views and opinions of fellow students working way before me on improvement of campus and student life. I learned a lot from them and their dedication overwhelmed my heart and boosted my passion to bring more inclusion among students around campus.
Then I saw the scariest Facebook post!!! Yikes!! It was the post of the vacancy as International Student Ambassador. To be honest I had been hesitating to apply for the position for 3 days and it took me two full days to fill in the position requirements form. Even after I got an interview I thought I was not going to get it. Weeks later when I received an email saying I have been selected for the position, the first thing that came to my mind was “What have I got myself into”. I was fearful that I wouldn’t be able to give my best as I had no experience in that field. Since day one, I learned so much from my supervisors and peer team members, and today I can answer my question with so much pride that “I had got myself into the best thing ever”. The Peer adviser role gave me the opportunity to meet more students and staff and help with library amenities and the best part is spending time around books!!
The journey from just an ordinary, shy student to holding two positions with CQUniversity has been a whirlwind ride. There were lots of messes and mistakes along the way. Still, in just 7-8 months I was able to overcome my fears and explore the capabilities I never realised I had because I had never pushed myself beyond the safe zone before. I regret wasting more than half of my university life hiding behind my fears. Nonetheless someone said, “it’s better to be late than never”.
With tremendous support from friends and staff, I am glad to do things I aimed to finish before I complete my studies. With all the achievements I do recognise the fact that I might have hurt people without meaning to. So I apologise and hug if I ever upset anyone and I want to say big thank you to everyone for standing by me all the time. In the end I hope I was able to bring at least a tiny smile in someone’s life. “Life is about giving and being”.
And that’s a wrap!!
