Tate Kiddle, Alumna Fresher 2018, Reflects on her Sancta Journey
July 2021
Home: Cairns, QLD
Degree: Bachelor of Medical Science
Undergraduate resident at Sancta 2018-2020
Tate’s Road to Sancta
I always knew I wanted to move away from home to study and experience new things as my degree was not offered in Far North Queensland. I attended the University of Sydney Open Day in 2016 and fell in love with the campus and my degree. There are a lot of options if you’re a student moving to Sydney, but once I visited Sancta, I immediately knew it was the place for me. I would make the decision again in a heartbeat!
Best thing about Sydney
Sydney is so lively! There is always something happening no matter what your interests are (and always someone from Sancta willing to go with you). Whether it be going to the theatre, watching the Swans play at the SCG or just going on a walk around Blackwattle Bay, the hustle and bustle of living in such a great place rarely disappoints.
Best thing about Sancta
How do I choose? The people, the lifestyle, the opportunities. Sancta truly provided me with experiences that were unmatched. I thoroughly enjoyed taking on all the leadership roles I held across my three years at Sancta, developing new skills, creating lifelong friends and networking with others across such a wide range of interests, expertise and backgrounds.
Living in such a welcoming, fun, enriching and academic environment while you complete your degree just makes the whole university experience so much better, plus knowing there are people around to support you is an added bonus.
Standout memories of Sancta
My own Welcome Week in 2018! Take the amount of fun you think can be crammed into one week and multiply it by 10 and then you can begin to understand my enjoyment levels.
How did you get involved in the community?
One of the best things about Sancta is that you can tailor your level of involvement in the community to suit yourself! From taking on large leadership positions and responsibilities to participating in academic tutorials or simply trying out for the netball team, I did it all and would encourage anyone and everyone to immerse themselves fully in Sancta life. You will reap the rewards!
What was the hardest adjustment you had to make?
Getting my bearings in a new city as well as taking on the transition from high school to university was hard. I had moved to Sydney not knowing a single person. Fortunately, with the help of my new friends, Sancta staff, and the student leaders, I found myself settling in, finding my way around and getting a routine going rather quickly!
What is your advice for future students choosing to live at Sancta?
Get involved! Support your community, take advantage of all the brilliant people living around you and just give it a go. Further to that, I would say, if you need help, just ask for it. It’s a fantastic community and your home away from home. You will find the support you need. Coming to college is a fresh start and you get to choose how this chapter of your life will unfold, so make the most of it!
Also, don’t forget to call your mum.
Moving forward from Sancta
I graduated with my degree and left Sancta at the end of 2020 and went straight into full-time work! I am ecstatic to currently be working at The Children’s Cancer Institute in Sydney, over at UNSW (I know, I’m sorry).
I am working towards completing a master’s degree in the next couple of years, but for now, I am just enjoying life and my achievements!
Homesickness, culture shock and anxiety are common experiences for many students living on-campus. How did you manage this aspect of your experience at Sancta?
Remember why you moved away. Tertiary education and the opportunity to live on campus while doing so is amazing and leads to so many unique experiences. Sancta has the people and infrastructure to help you get settled, ask questions and manage any anxiety. Whether it be your neighbour, your friend, your RA or a Sancta staff member.
If you could sum up Sancta in a few words, what would you say?
If anything else, Sancta is a place where you get the environment and opportunities to discover and grow into the person you want to be.
Do you have a message for the Sancta community?
Thank you! My three years at Sancta were truly the best and most formative of my life thus far. My university experience would not have been half as enjoyable without Sancta. A huge thanks to the College staff and the cohort of girls I got to share the experience with!
It is truly a privilege to call myself a Sancta girl.