Jack Harden

What did you like about living here? Favourite memories?

I was personally drawn to the community spirit of Medley and how tight knit it felt. The overall facilities are modern and well kept. My favorite memories were the first year ICAC Fresher Dance which was completely out of my comfort zone but I went with the flow and had a lot of fun with my Medley family. The Medley Ball at the end of my first year was also a highlight as it marked the end of academic year and by this time, I had got to know everyone in college.

In my second year, I was elected Student Club President.  Welcoming the new student cohort in Welcome Week (Orientation) at the start of the semester was exciting because I got to meet all the new students on their first day and, with the Student Club members, organise all the student led events. It was such a buzz as it was only the year before I was in that same position starting out in my first year at univeristy.

I also really enjoyed living so close to the CBD throughout my time at Medley,  as I was able to explore the city and immerse myself in what the city has to offer.

What challenges did  you face as a student?

I adapted well and embraced college life fully. One challenge that does comes to mind was the small number of Commerce students in my cohort at the time. This meant that I went to another college to participate in my Commerce tutorial. At first, this felt a bit daunting and it took a while to getting used to, being the only Medley guy among other students from surrounding colleges. I kept at it and in the end, it turned out to be a positive for me, as I got to meet other commerce students which I may not have otherwise have met.

What activities were you involved with?

As well as my work on the student club, I  participated with team sports such as mixed netball teams in my first year and gave things a shot without caring about the results, whether we were placed first, second or last, it didn’t matter. My advice would be, ‘try different activities and get out of your comfort zone’.

3 words that best describe Medley Hall.

Memorable, homely and community.

What advice would you give to someone starting College?

Try and stay up to date with your workload  and not to fall behind. Give everything ‘a go’. You are starting a new chapter in your life both at uni and college,  so make the most of it to try and find out who you are. Medley opened up new friendships, new connections who became my  housemates when I moved out of college. These friendships will always be treasured.