Keighley

What made you decide to pursue psychology at UC?

I was going to major in Geography and Spanish, and just took Psychology as an interesting paper. I realised that I actually really liked it! I decided to stay at UC for postgrad because I love the campus and love being at UC. It feels like home.

Was it easy to change your major?

With the Bachelor of Arts it’s so easy to switch around your majors, so I didn’t need to go back and take extra papers. I was able to major in Psychology and continue majoring in Spanish.

How are you finding your lecturers?

I’m constantly emailing my lecturers with questions, and they always have the most lovely and helpful responses. They make an effort to connect with students. They’re the most genuine, caring people and they emphasise putting your mental health first.

In what ways have your courses helped guide your future?

In my Psychology classes we have people coming in from the community, like the Eating Disorder Clinic, the DHB Anxiety area, Corrections. It’s so interesting to hear about their research and real-world experiences. They talk about jobs that I didn’t even know existed and it’s helped me pave how I want my future to look.

Tell us about the UC Bike club.

We run lots of mountain biking events, like trips to Mt Hutt and Queenstown or a bike-packing trip on the Paparoa Track. We also do weekly road and mountain rides, and a weekly girls’ ride, because riding with a bunch of guys, especially as a newbie, can be intimidating. We also do social events like the Tour de Rinse – a take on Tour de France where every flat has got a jump set up. It’s really cool; there's something for everyone.