Magdalene
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Bachelor of Laws
Hometown: New Plymouth
Magdalene
11 August 2025
HOW TO APPLY
Why did you decide to study Law?
When I think of practicing law, I think of serving people. I did a lot of volunteering and had leadership positions throughout high school. Coming from a Pacific background, service is a really big part of our culture, and it's been renowned as a pathway to leadership.
I also like the critical thinking aspect. Law isn鈥檛 always black and white; it often requires you to explore complex problems and determine the best outcome based off of the unique circumstances.
Where do you want to make an impact in the future?
One of the things I love about law is that it can lead you down many different pathways, like policy, commerce, management, and more.
I can see myself doing a lot of different things, but ultimately I want my work to make a positive impact in my community.
What do you like most about studying Law at UC?
I like the collaborative nature of the tutorials, the opportunities and networking that are available, the size of the cohort, and the variety of the content. Law is always evolving and changing, so you need to stay current with new developments. I also find that what I learn in my lectures often translates to my everyday life.
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What is UC鈥檚 Law community like?
My cohort is friendly and social. Law is often seen as competitive, but I like viewing it as a team game. I鈥檝e found great study groups and made lots of friends, and we all work together and encourage each other. The professors are very approachable and really know their stuff. They're excited to teach and keen to see us succeed, which makes the tutorials super engaging.
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Have you participated in any networking opportunities at UC?
The laws career fair brings in law firms of all sizes from throughout New 麻豆传媒团队to give presentations. It's helped me look forward to applying for听internships because now I鈥檓 aware of the range of opportunities that are available.
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Did you receive any scholarships?
UC has a huge range of scholarships, and I ended up receiving a few. They helped me not only financially, but also mentally and emotionally by providing additional support. The one that impacted my journey the most was the Takere scholarship for M膩ori and Pacific students. It helped us adjust to university life and made the transition easier, and now I have a great group of friends from the programme.
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Tell us about your work as a student mentor.
As a second year, I was given the opportunity to be a PALs (Peer Assisted Learning) mentor for the incoming Takere scholarship cohort. My role involves helping students navigate university life, teaching them how to use resources, and offering study tips. It feels really good to use everything I've learned from my own experience to help them have a smoother transition.
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What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love mountain biking. It鈥檚 a great way to clear my head. There are so many great places to ride in Christchurch. We鈥檝e got the Port Hills and the Christchurch Adventure Park right on our doorstep, and it's not far to get to other renowned bike parks in Canterbury, like Craigieburn. I love the adrenaline that comes from being out in the hills, surrounded by nature, hitting the jumps and feeling the wind on my face.
I'm also going to learn to snowboard this year. I鈥檝e never done it before, so I鈥檓 really excited to get out to Mount Hutt with friends and pick up a new hobby.
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Are you involved in any clubs at UC?
I鈥檓 all about the outdoors clubs. UC Bike holds weekly rides for the girls, and they also do big trips to mountain bike parks and Queenstown. I鈥檓 also involved with UC Girls Outdoors. They've built a great community of young women who want to experience a variety of outdoor sports, from skiing and hiking to biking, surfing, and more. It鈥檚 a great way to make friends with people who have similar interests.
There are also lots of law clubs, like LAWSOC and the Pasifika Law Students鈥 Society. They host helpful tutorials and exam prep sessions as well as social events like pizza lunches and networking days. They鈥檙e great听opportunities to get a bit more support and meet other students in your degree.
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How have you seen yourself grow since you started at UC?
All the opportunities here have encouraged me to try many different things, and I鈥檝e discovered a lot of new interests. I've grown to want to learn, to be more social, and to be a better networker. I've also become a more confident, competent, inquisitive, and creative student.
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Any advice for other students considering UC?
My biggest advice would be to try new things. Apply for all the听scholarships you may be eligible for. And find your group. Build your听community. You will discover a lot about yourself throughout university, so听it's important to find out what fulfils you, what drives you.
