My tertiary study started in 2009 when I left school to attend Canterbury University and Auckland University of Technology.  I was young and not able to prioritise studies over a social life, and after a rough patch in rugby I decided to move overseas to play rugby and work.

I travelled between Australia and Ireland for four years, picking up experiences that I wouldn’t exchange for anything.  These experiences made me realise the importance of my future security.  Studying and finishing my degree were paramount to achieving that.

When the opportunity arose to study with a Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union-EIT scholarship, I knew I had to grasp this and make the most of it.

Parental encouragement made me want to keep achieving.  Having experienced a good education system at Kings College added to the level of expectation.  There was that feared question asked by former classmates at school reunions – “so what are you doing with your life now?”

Fear!  One of the biggest motivational factors, and the reason we do or don’t do things.

While willing to face the challenge, I was hesitant about signing up for four courses to study full-time after a five-year break from the books.  My main problem in this first semester was prioritising study over rugby and full-time training, especially around exam time when the individual workload increases.

To overcome this, I frequently looked to the goals I’d set myself for this year.  These included passing all courses and also making the Hawke’s Bay Magpies squad.  That’s kept me feeling driven and wanting to succeed.