Have You Got What It Takes?
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1 2016 - 2017 Have you got what it takes? Top 10 tips to bring success – and the10 things that hold you back! 6 Shelly confirms: “My boyfriend ‘marking criteria’ helped me achieve my life goals!” 14 Financial survival It’s never too soon guide for students! to start planning Now eligible NZ citizens can 18 your career! get HECS - HELP too! Where to start and how... EDITOR’S BLOG What’s inside this issue… 1 Have you got what it takes? 2 Learning to fly 4 First Nation students hitting the books 6 Shelly sets sail for success 8 What’s it like at uni? 10 Sleeping Beauty & other stories This Griffiti edition features stories from students who attended 12 Why ‘go back to where you came from’ hurts your high schools and who have strived to overcome events, circumstances and experiences that challenge them. 14 Show me the money We want their stories to inspire you to be the best you can be and 16 Beenleigh brothers kicking goals to have a rich and fulfilling life and career. 18 Career planning – where to start Griffiti also contains information and web links on choosing careers and managing your money wisely to help you over hurdles and get you started. 20 Six siblings stride to school What are you waiting for? Get reading and our Griffith Uni-Reach 22 Vox Box goes global mentors will catch up with you at school soon … 24 Where are they now? Jo Merley 26 Give and get respect and the Student Equity Services team 28 Dear Guidance Officer HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES? ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which ‘Every survival kit should you can use to change the world.’ include a sense of humour.’ Nelson Mandela Anonymous Ten ways to be successful in life Ten ways to be unsuccessful in life 1. Set goals and develop 1. Never plan anything EDITOR’S BLOG a five year plan 2. Be open to new ideas 2. Think you know everything 3. Love learning 3. Switch off in class 4. Read and write every 4. Make Facebook and day of your life Instagram your life 5. Discuss ideas 5. Gossip about people you know ! 6. Encourage your friends 6. Criticise everybody and peers 7. B e l i eve FAIL stands for 7. Give up if you fail at something ‘First attempt is learning’ 8 Accept responsibility 8. Blame someone else for for mistakes your mistakes 9. Be grateful for and seek 9. Believe the world owes you help from others 10. Forgive others because 10. Hold a grudge forever no-one is perfect 1 LEARNING T FLY Sometimes we need to be ‘rescued’“ when we fall but learning to fly helps us to save ourselves!” Do our survey to find out if you’re developing the self-help skills you need to navigate life successfully without falling in a heap at the first hurdle. 1 Your boyfriend/girlfriend breaks up 4 You don’t get the part you want in the with you, do you: school play, do you: a ) Think your life is over. a ) Resign from the drama club. b ) Ask your mum to make them get back with you. b ) Give up on your dream of being a movie star. c ) Change your status on Facebook and wait... c ) Resolve to be the best ‘tree’ in the play so you get a better part next time. d ) Make a list of enjoyable ways to spend your extra free time. d ) Get your big brother to convince the play director to give you a leading role. 2 You fail an assignment, do you: 5 You don’t make the school athletics team a ) Ask for feedback and try much harder in the this year, do you: next assignment. a ) Trip up one of the team in the hope you’ll get reinstated. b ) Get your mum to talk to your teacher. b ) Go and eat all the junk food you can find until you c ) Cry. make yourself sick. d ) Give up taking that subject. c ) Ask your dad to have a quiet word with the coach... d ) Still attend training and support the team at every game. 3 3. You don’t have money for school lunches, do you: a ) Stay hungry all day. 6 You miss the school bus, do you: b ) Get up earlier and make sandwiches. a ) Run all the way to school so you still make the bell. c ) Borrow money from friends. b ) Go to the shopping centre and hang out. d ) Wait for friends to give you their leftovers. c ) Phone home and get a lift to school. d ) Hide in the park all day. 2 Circle your answers then add up your scores by checking the table below: 1 point answers 2 point answers 3 point answers 4 point answers 1. a) 2. c) 3. a) 1. b) 2. b) 3. c) 1. c) 2. d) 3. d) 1. d) 2. a) 3. b) 4. b) 5. b) 6. d) 4. d) 5. c) 6. b) 4. a) 5. a) 6. c) 4. c) 5. d) 6. a) 6 - 8 = Negative Nelly/Nabil: 9 -14 = Dependent Dan /Danika: Hmmm you need to get some perspective in your life. Next It’s great you have family and friends you can depend on but time you have to face a bad situation ask yourself if it’s life don’t treat them as a life raft. One day they may need to depend threatening. If it’s not, take control of your catastrophising on you and you need to prepare for that challenge. Being able to impulses and come up with a plan. A plan is a pathway to a new negotiate situations yourself is part of the growing independence beginning that starts with challenging negative beliefs. If you that adulthood brings. Try saying ‘I’ll figure it out’ (and follow can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel it may be time to get through) next time someone comes to rescue you. If you make a some professional help. See the self-help and counselling options mistake treat it as a learning curve and persevere until you solve on this page. the problem. 15 -19 = Survivor Samara/Sam: 20 -24 = Resilient Ruby/Raoul: Your survival strategy is to avoid situations that take you out of Your positive attitude and strong character will increase your your comfort zone. You would improve your opportunities in life opportunities for success in life. Use your good fortune wisely by tackling obstacles instead of stepping aside to avoid having and be a role model. Develop your problem solving skills further to negotiate a positive outcome. Have faith in your ability to find by offering support to others. solutions to problems and act on them. Take three deep breaths and focus on a realistic plan. “BECOME MORE RESILIENT BY TAKING TIME TO REFLECT ON AN ISSUE BEFORE REACTING” story of strength Dunya Ravikumaran met a boy at university and fell in love. convenor at university to create an academic plan to get her Sadly after a short relationship he broke up with her. Dunya back stopped studying, stayed on Facebook all night and watched on track. Bollywood movies in lectures. She failed three of her courses. Dunya also made an appointment with a counsellor at the Dunya then tapped into the resilience skills she had developed university to work on her emotional well-being. Dunya is at high school (to overcome bullying and through studying in a now 21 and in her third year at university studying Bachelor second language). She made an appointment with her course of Multimedia. If you are experiencing tough times talk to an adult you can trust. See a school guidance officer, or contact an organisation listed below. • Kidshelp.com.au 1800 55 18 00 • Youth Helpline 1300 13 17 19 • Beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 46 36 Ask for help to support your wellbeing in: • Learning • Relationships • Mental health issues (including depression, eating disorders, and self-harm) • Personal identity • Goal setting and motivation • Being independent 3 FIRST NATION STUDENTS HITTING THE BOOKS GUMURRII is the Griffith University unit supporting Indigenous (First Nation) students Northern Territory Tracker Girl – Keely Lobenwein 19, B. Psychology Cyclone Tracy chased Dad away from Darwin when it hit on Christmas Day 1974. He ended up a 1000 km south in Nhulunbuy, the tiny town where I was born. Dad met Mum when she moved from Broome to work as a nurse in the local hospital. I’m the second eldest of five children and there was pressure on me to achieve after my oldest sister left school and struggled to get permanent employment. Mum didn’t want us ending up as drop kicks hanging around town so she became our school truant officer. She’d send me a text if I was even two minutes late for school because she could watch the school attendance roll on her computer. Tame teenager Mum was strict so I was pretty tame as a teenager. I was never allowed to do much or go anywhere so I channelled my energy working in an after-school child care centre. Initially I thought I’d be a teacher. Next I started work experience in a cafe, got a certificate in hospitality and decided I’d be a chef. I changed my mind though when my employer wanted me to drop out of school in Year 10 and start my apprenticeship right away. When I picked up a psychology subject in senior school I didn’t even know what psychology was! I really enjoyed it though and started thinking about doing it at university.