It was the summer before my first year of university in 2019, I received an email on a job position about becoming a student ambassador. It was intriguing and it was exciting to get an opportunity to work, so I decided to apply.

Now, three years on I create blog and vlog content, answer questions on Unibuddy, attend and help with open days, and work in a team to plan and coordinate the content for the @buinternational instagram page.

In the environment I grew up in, I had little opportunities to apply for a job and work in a professional setting. Therefore this role is a great stepping stone for me before I jump into the ‘real’ world.

Blogging and vlogging is the first role I entered into and it is very enjoyable to do. As I learn to develop into an independent adult, I am happy to be able to document and share my experiences to other students and also offer my advices and tips on university life.

The Unibuddy and open day events are great outlets for me to interact with prospective students and help them with making a decision for their future. It is a great space for me as student to give my support as I have gone through what they are going through. It also allows me to learn more about the university and the services we provide.

However, one of my favourite positions is the instagram role. I received this position after sharing my image portfolio after a request for a photographer was brought up in a meeting. I love photography and quickly took on this opportunity.

We are a small team of 3-4 students that handles the planning, coordinating, image taking, and posting for a wide audience. My team and I have grown the account by 1,000+ followers over last year. This job allows me to speak to different people at uni, be creative about the type of content important to the month, and also be aware of the world around me to cover any important awareness days or shedding light on important topics.

The collective job of being a student ambassador may sound like a lot, but it is a great asset to teach me the work life balance and have sharpened my communication, teamwork, and self-management skills. This has also provided me with a new confidence in my writing and in reaching out to people when necessary which greatly benefits me in my course of Multimedia Journalism.