We asked UQ Health valedictorians to share what advice they would give their first-year self and what they will miss about UQ.
Carl Francia | Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)
What three pieces of advice would you give your first year self?
Listen, play, sleep more.
What will you miss about UQ?
My UQ physio family including academic staff.
How do you think a friend/lecturer/tutor who knows you well would describe you?
Dedicated and committed to study and always quick to share a laugh.
Elizabeth Kehoe | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
What three pieces of advice would you give your first year self?
Don't be so hard on yourself when things don't go the way you planned or you don't get the marks that you wanted. You honestly won't remember the mistakes that you made but you will remember how you chose to come back from them. So be willing to learn and grow from these moments and you will become a better therapist.
Make friends with the people doing your degree (and not just for the group assignments). The next four years are going to be tough but it is all possible because you will choose to surround yourself with people who inspire, support and challenge you to achieve your goals.
Don't forget to take care of yourself. Seize every opportunity that comes your way but make sure you take the time to slow it down a little bit, pat your dog and have a tea with mum and dad. It may not feel like there is any spare time to do this, but there is - there always is.
What will you miss about UQ?
What won't I miss about UQ! I got to see my friends everyday, learn from the very best in my field and drink too much coffee from Darwins. If I wasn't going into my dream career I would be refusing to leave. I think the thing I will miss the most about UQ is all of the opportunities that I was provided. I am so thankful that I became involved in Clubs and Societies through the Occupational Therapy Students Association as it really showed me how much UQ puts back into their students.
How do you think a friend/lecturer/tutor who knows you well would describe you?
I think that they would describe me as someone who can't sit still. I seem to always be doing something with my spare time and chasing new opportunities. I have a quote on my bedroom wall that reads, ‘she believed she could, and so she did.’ I like to think that those who know me best would describe me as someone who knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it.
Read more from other HaBS valedictorians on the Health Hub blog.
