Life beyond Radford
Rachael Blemings
- Certificate III, National Institute of Circus Arts, Circus Arts
- Swinburne University of Technology, Cert IV in Accounting and Bookkeping
- University of Canberra, Bachelor of Secondary Education/Science
- Director, JuggleHub, 2018-Present
What does life look for you now?
After finishing my Cert III in Circus Arts at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne I moved back to Canberra for University. I really missed being able to go to a Juggling club so my partner and I started JuggleHub! JuggleHub is Canberra's local juggling club where anyone is welcome to come and learn to juggle or skillshare each week.
I'm now studying a Bachelor of Secondary Education and Science at the University of Canberra. I've also done cross-institutional studies at Charles Sturt and Monash University. Unfortunately, when covid hit we managed to get stuck in the middle of the Victorian lockdowns, so I decided to take a break from uni and do some more TAFE studies instead. This has worked out really well so I've almost completed my Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. TAFE is a great way of keeping your options open and learning practical skills, particularly when uni gets too much.
Tell us what you are passionate about?
Mathematics, Juggling (particularly passing and theoretical), Genomics, Mental Health Accessibility, LGBTQIA+ and Social Justice
When you were young, what were you hoping to be when you grew up?
Throughout high school I was interested in teaching and science but circus was always my goal. I'm really glad that I have been able to pursue all of these areas in some way - I would have worked in the Circus industry longer if it wasn't for injuries but through juggling I'm still able to be connected to the community.
What is your favourite Radford moment?
I adored musical! I did tech crew work for two or three and then orchestra in my final year. It was awesome each time to be apart of the production, yes it is hard work but it's super rewarding. In particular it's cool to get to know people in other year levels and break down some potential social barriers.
How easy was it to decide what to do in life?
It wasn't at all! There are so many options! I'm definitely just giving things a go, I put myself out there when I left home and sure it was tough but I don't regret it even for a second. I remember there was a saying to make the most of every opportunity when I was at Radford, this is a mentality that I've taken to heart in life, it's a bit scary sometimes but it can be super rewarding!
Did your further study or career go exactly as you'd planned?
Not quite... At the end of my first year training at NICA I landed on my neck, this resulted in some nerve damage and I never returned to the same level of training. Thankfully like all careers, there are alternate pathways but this was hard to accept. I also realised how lucky I was to have a solid academic foundation to fall back upon. In my recovery stage all I could do was study and thankfully I could still pass based upon academics.
Even mid way through my degree in teaching I'm still not sure whether I'll be a classroom teacher - I love genomic analysis and I think research might be the way to go for a while. Life throws curveballs all the time, sometimes you just have to roll with it.
What do you know now, that you wish you'd known when you were at Radford?
Chill out. Put your health first, that means both mentally and physically. The expectations at Radford are really high, this was particularly obvious when I moved interstate. A lot of the content covered in Victoria in year 11/12 we'd done throughout year 10. Not as much of it is going to be crucial as you think. There is no shame in asking for help and there will be so many pathways and options going forward.
What advice do you have for current students?
There is no shame in having to go down other pathways! In fact doing a diploma before jumping into a full degree can be a great way to see if you're actually interested in studying that degree!
The study habits you learn at Radford will set you up well... if you apply them. Put your health first. If you're struggling to attend, follow along or anything at all have a conversation - teachers aren't mind readers. They are there to help and they aren't going to judge you,
there is often a bit more flexibility than is let on...
Never skip Chapel. If you don't want to be actively involved that's okay... Take it as an opportunity to just sit, be calm and have some time to think before having to return to the rest of the world. Life can be so hectic at times so just appreciate that time as small break where there are predictable expectations.