I’m Jodie, and I’m a USQ student.

I was doing a Bachelor of Commerce through here, externally, at USQ and ended up with a graduate position at Main Roads. Then, worked there and ended up getting into the engineering side of things at Main Roads and decided to study engineering so I could further a career in that within Main Roads.

Well I can’t afford to study full time, so yeah I was studying part time while working so I could afford it, and continue on with studies, and I’ve just been busy at work and haven’t been able to do it as quickly as possible, or as quickly as I wanted to.

So I decided to take some time off and just get through a few subjects this semester, and get back on track. There were residential schools, and we just did them in blocks, week blocks, so there was four I’ve done with the associate degree, and I think there’s about four more up until the full bachelor, so yeah, just because I was working full time I just do the weekly blocks.

When I’ve sought assistance they’ve been there for me. I didn’t realise how much assistance is out there if you need it. I’ve used the learning centre, and some other services, as well as the lecturers are really good as well if you go to them. They’re there for you. You can contact the lecturers any time you want. I just didn’t want to be seen as a bother I suppose, but now that I’m on campus and actually going to some lectures they tell you that they’re there for you, and they are if you need them. They wanna get you through the course.

Yeah, well I play my basket ball, and I go to the gym. And...I like to veg out, so yeah I’ll watch a couple of favourite shows, or do a bit of reading, yeah. I meet up with a couple of girls and we keep each other up to date, sort of thing. And yeah, at home during the breaks, well because I’m also a mum so yeah it’s hard to do any study at home at night time or anything like that. Looking after kids and stuff like that, so yeah.

They think it’s quite funny, because I’ve always said, “I’m going to school”, and it’s like school.

They can’t understand why their mum’s still going to school, so... And now they compare it because we are counting down the years until I finish so, it’s like ‘will I beat...will I finish it before my daughter goes to high school?’ and stuff like that. So we’re like yeah. Having a race as to who’s going to finish first sort of thing. So yeah...