What do you study and what year are you in?
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), second year
Who or what made you choose to study this?
Coming out of highschool, I wasn’t quite passionate about anything in particular but the thought of studying engineering sounded fun and challenging to me so I went for it. I decided I would major in software particularly as I had always wanted to learn coding and it seemed as it had good future prospects for me. Moreso, coding seemed like something that I could always be interested in as it is always developing and changing through time thus, I would never lose interest in it which was something I was quite worried about when choosing courses.
Why did you choose to study at UQ?
There were many deciding factors that lead to me choosing to study at UQ. I had heard about UQ all through out highschool and how great of a university it is, my cousins had graduated from UQ and hearing about their lives throughout university definitely put UQ high on my list. I also liked the course content for the degree I wanted to study in UQ more, I felt UQ had a range of courses that I was interested in in comparision to other universities. Furthermore, I really wanted an authentic and fun university experience, somewhere with a big community of people who share the same interests, somewhere where there are many community and networking events and upon researching and talking to a few people I decided UQ had the type of lifestyle I wanted. And of course UQ being the highest ranked university in QLD was also a part of the decision.
What do you love most about your degree?
What I like most about engineering isn't so much the profession, but the problem solving mindset inculcated by engineering education and practice. It’s something I actually have to push my self to learn and something that is completely new to me, making the degree even more exciting. Through pushing myself and understanding the content it helps develo a mindset that gives me confidence in being able to solve all kinds of problems inside and outside of my profession, including my personal life.It's a versatile and practical mindset to have, which is what makes it valuable to me, the people I help, and by extension, society. It can also only be improved with practice, and that's what keeps me going.
What’s been your favourite course so far and why?
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If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering studying at UQ, what would that be?
My advice would be to learn about balance, UQ is not a univeristy where you can easily do great in, there is an immense amount of competition and study that needs to be done to succeed in your degree, which is why a work/study – life balance is extremely important. It was something I struggled with all of first year, I did not think university would be that big of a jump however once you find the balance it gets much easier. Finding balance comes with having a proper routine that works for your life.
Have you participated in any internships or work? If so tell us a bit about it, what did you enjoy most about the experience?
Over the past two years, I have worked for subway, a local bakery and as a student tutor. Through these experiences, I have learned a great deal about managing my workload, communicating effectively, working in a team, and knowing when to ask for help. Furthermore, I have participated in a few volunteering programs/positions (Student-to-Student Buddy Program Volunteer, Letters to Strangers Volunteer & Fashion Bazaar assistant), I have learnt how to be a good team member by listening and contributing in equal parts. It has made me an adaptable learner, and a big advocate for trying new and unfamiliar things. What I enjoyed the most was being able to gain a set of new and diverse skills in every workplace as not only do these skills help in my day-to-day life but will also one day help in my professional life.
What do you hope to do when you graduate?
I hope to have a position in Brisbane as a software engineer in a well-known company.
Are you a member of any student societies or participate in extracurricular activities? Tell us a bit about it.
I am a member of EUS and EBESS and UQ skirts. I have participated in UQ get involved opportunities as well. Over the course of last year, I have volunteered with UQ get involved which has allowed me to venture out of my comfort zone and meet a diverse range of people from different degrees. I have also attended events of all the societies I am a part of to learn more about the degree, meet new people and
find out about work experience opportunities.
