Reflection On My Time At Deakin

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Four years at University changes even the most passive of students. But for individuals such as myself, I believe it moulds us into who we truly are. I came to University with little true leadership experience. I thought leadership was self-benefitting. I was wrong. As a leader, I think I have grown immensely in my four years at university. Leadership to me now means giving power to others, inspiring others, lending time even when there is no time to lend. I have learnt that being a leader is about recognising and adapting to the environment around you and being flexible in your delivery of ideas to match the varying styles of your people. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in my case, it takes a University to raise a leader. If I had not had experienced the good, the bad, and the terrible, I would not have learnt and grown as I have. Deakin matured me, developed me, and provided me with the tools to develop and appear as a student leader, and it has been my honour to lead the student body and represent it.

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As I write this reflection, I am near the end of my degree, having only 3 units out of 40 remaining at the end of Trimester 2.  I felt that it would be appropriate to reflect on my involvement at Deakin University and discuss how it impacted me and shaped me into the person I am today.

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I had always been social and knew that I wanted to get involved at university. I was fortunate to have met a Commerce Society committee member when I was at O-Week with some friends, and this individual decided that it was his mission to ensure that I joined the society and got involved. I could never have imagined that this individual would still be one of my best friends almost 4 years later, or that simply putting my hand up to join the society would be the root of every single involvement that I have had at Deakin since. 

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Over the coming year, I decided to get more and more involved, met new individuals and felt that I had managed to find my place at University. Throughout my second year, I was joining more societies, going to more events and felt that I really fit in. However, as the year progressed, my grades were dropping and I was involving myself in activities that were only dragging me down. At the end of the year, I quit a lot of involvement that was affecting my mental health and decided to focus on my school, the Finance School. 

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I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the commerce society, but wish that I had maintained stronger relations with certain members of the society. I know that this may be difficult during COVID, but I felt that I should have done better. 

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The FMAA Project was the catalyst for my interest in Banking and Finance Internships, and I am so happy that I maintained and persevered in my mission of bringing FMAA to Deakin. Whilst it was unfortunate that it was not meant to be, the connections I forged were equally as important. Fast track to today, I am honoured to be on the Finance Advisory Board, in a position that gives me direct access to the decision-makers of the Finance School.

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I do not regret any of my involvement at university, but I learnt very quickly that dipping toes in too many ponds are not always the best idea. I have tried to explain this to younger students and friends and guide them into focusing on involvements that complement their degrees and their passions. Whilst I have discussed my extra-curricular leadership in depth in the Achievements tab, it seems fitting to reflect on what I believe to be indirect leadership within my personal life.

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The great Eleanor Roosevelt said, "To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart". This quote could not be more accurate. My heart is a reflection of myself, and my reflection is moulded by my experiences. Most of my friends, both my age and younger, as well as younger students whom I meet, can vouch that I am passionate about helping students find what's right with their studies. Through my experiences, I have been able to learn a lot about university life and legal and commerce opportunities. All very important for any student studying Commerce or Law. I constantly discuss the above with any student willing to listen, and want to help them reach new heights.

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