#30YearsRolling – Day 7/30 – Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of my Injury
Despite the seriousness of the lowest ebb, there was one key component: nobody knew about it. I coped the way a lot of people in such a situation do: I put it behind me and acted to myself like it didn’t happen. This, of course, meant having to deal with another question: well, what next?
Heading into the end of high school I was forced to consider more seriously what my future career might be considering being a vet was no longer an option.
I knew I was going to do something science-related and I settled on Forensic Science.
Year 11 and 12 saw me tackling Chemistry, Physics and Biology, mostly because I loved science and needed them for university entrance, and partly because the assessment tasks were prac reports written in class rather than long form essays for some other subjects.
It’s funny, given my work now as an author and speaker, that I hated writing and if there was an easy way to do something I would find it – like lightning taking the path of least resistance!
In addition to the potential transition out of school, there was the transition to adulthood to consider. Or, rather, as many young people do: to enjoy legally doing things that had been, at least theoretically, off-limits before. I turned 18 before the HSC exams and spent a chunk of StuVac at the club having a few drinks and bets.
My version of studying (other than for maths) was to open the book, say “Yeah I know that!”, close the book and do something else.
(If you have heard one of my keynotes recently, you would have heard my warnings about “Yeah I know that!”)
Aside from the exams, I was loving the steady stream of 18th birthdays around the same time and was less angry and more social by then but still loved a drink!
During Year 12 I went to university open days to get a better feel for my options the following years.
I’d had my sights set on doing Forensic Science but after going to the UTS Broadway open day I discovered I hated the place and felt there was no way I could spend 4 years there.
So I continued checking out other unis, considered Industrial Chemistry at Macquarie but still was not convinced.
The last open day I went to was UWS Campbelltown, the one closest to home and the one where I had nothing in particular catching my eye.
Until I sat in on the session for the Sports Studies degree.
I was completely engaged and went straight up to the lecturer afterwards to ask questions about how much practical work there would be and he joked about throwing me on a treadmill.
Loved the energy and decided that would now be my first pick for uni.
Going off the previous years’ entrance requirements I needed a TER of 68 or higher.
Totally doable.
The exams came and passed in a blur. The night of my last HSC exam I headed to the Sydney Entertainment Centre to see AC/DC for the first time.
Given how important live music was- and remains- to me, it was the perfect way to celebrate the end of school and all the pain I experienced in those years.
Then there was nothing to do, as they say, but hurry up and wait. A couple of weeks later was our Year 12 Formal in the city. It was a roasting hot day and the trains were messed up as a result.
Finally got on a train to the city only to get to Redfern and hear an announcement that the train was terminating there. This was back when Redfern was totally dodgy so I felt very uncomfortable about that!
There were no lifts at the station and had to get carried up all of the stairs in my formal gear in the heat to then sit by the side of the road outside the station and wait for an eternity for a taxi to the city.
The formal was a great way to celebrate with friends, teachers and a few beers getting to the end of high school in way better shape than I went in.
I felt happy and confident all done up in my black dress.
A feeling I hadn’t had in so many years. Back in Black, if you will- perhaps AC/DC got through.
Later that night though, back at a friend’s place where a group of us were staying, I started to feel incredibly sick and got a friend to drive me home at 3am.
The feeling of intense nausea came and went for weeks and I had no idea why.
The feeling continued on and off into January.
Until one afternoon it just went away.
That was the afternoon I received my HSC results in the mail, back then when we had to wait until January and the postie! And my postie didn’t come until mid afternoon after many calls from friends with very mixed feelings about their results.
When mine arrived I held the package for a moment.
Took a deep breath then tore it open.
The first thing I noticed is that I failed Physics.
The only thing academically I’d ever failed in my life – Good for the high achiever to get a taste of failure!
And then I checked my T.E.R.
75.50
More than enough for Sport Studies.
I knew that I could have done better, but I didn’t care.
I was happy and relieved.
Mission accomplished. The future awaited.
The song that represents this time for me is “Back In Black” by AC/DC.
#rebirthday #ToMyYoungerSelf
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Stacey Copas, Author of “How To Be Resilient”, helps shift the way people perceive and respond to uncertainty, change and adversity, helping them to see opportunities where they once saw only obstacles.
The world is rapidly changing, people are having to do more with less, are more stressed and have less balance in their lives.
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