Life beyond Radford
Rebecca Bauerfeind ( Cox )
What does life look for you now?
Living in New Zealand with my kiwi husband, as we care for our newborn first child.
Loving the kiwi lifestyle, whilst renovating our second house.
In between sports at the moment as I focus on part time work, study and being a Mum.
Tell us what you are passionate about?
Passionate about lots of things, but love taking risks if things aren't working out (not afraid of change) and am loving being in control of my own destiny as they say - not a victim of life, but loving living it.
When you were young, what were you hoping to be when you grew up?
Had aspirations of being a trial laywer, can thank Law and Order for that, dun dun.
What is your favourite Radford moment?
Loved most of Radford, knew how good it was when I was there so embraced it.
People were cool, teachers were mostly cool, opportunities were endless. Radford was definitely what you made it (with a little help from what your parents could afford).
Do you have a particular role model or inspirational figure from Radford or now?
I still think of Leysho. Total legend.
Feared him in Year 7 and loved him by year 12 - it was awesome. Fair, upfront and was really a big softy who cared for students beyond anyone else (and that's saying a lot, as so many teachers truly cared).
How easy was it to decide what to do in life?
I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.
I certainly think that if I knew back then what I know now I could have done things differently, but then I wouldn't know what I know now. Inception.
All I know is to do what you love, plan for the future and live for today (Hallmark I know, but I don't want to have too many regrets nor do I want to plan for a future that may not come or enjoy today at the expense of tomorrow... even more Hallmark).
Did your further study or career go exactly as you'd planned?
No chance. You start something and realise it isn't what you thought. Some things are better and others are worse. Life throws unexpected things at you and you are forced to make choices - financial, personal, life choices, unexpected opportunities. sometimes I wish I'd stuck at some things longer and harder at the time, but you make the best decisions you can with the information you have.
What do you know now, that you wish you'd known when you were at Radford?
To surround yourself with good people in every situation. High school can sometimes be, well high school. If you're going to make bad decisions make them for the right reasons or at least your own reasons. Sometimes the ol' peer pressure and adolescence means that you can make the effort for the wrong people and overlook the good ones, and do things that you can come to regret.
What advice do you have for current students?
Enjoy school and make the most of every opportunity.
Everything is a learning experience, even if it is simply 'I won't do that again'.