"The nerves subsided pretty quickly when I realised how amazing the camp actually is and the amazing opportunities provided. I would be talking forever if I could discuss every great moment."
Diya, an NYSF participant from Melville Senior High School, joined us in Canberra for the NYSF Year 12 Program earlier this year, and her experience is one to share! We're excited to republish an interview between Diya and her school and appreciate the time she took to share the experience with her year groups, peers, and their families.
Melville SHS: Talk a little bit about your experience at the National Youth Science Forum. What stood out for you?
Diya: Going into the National Youth Science Forum, I didn’t know what to expect and was honestly anxious as it was a week of meeting brand new people in a new place. However, the nerves subsided pretty quickly when I realised how amazing the camp actually is and the amazing opportunities provided. I would be talking forever if I could discuss every great moment; however, I’ll try to keep it brief.
Being interested in biology I got to do some exciting STEM activities. One day we were bushwalking to see some spectacular animals, the next day we were digging up fossils in the middle of nowhere! Let’s just say that no one day was ever the same, but it was exciting and interesting nonetheless. I think the most memorable activity was doing DNA fingerprinting and the reason why I enjoyed this so much is it was something I learnt about in Year 11 just before that so it was so cool to me to see how these topics we are meant to learn about have been applied in the industry. Don’t be alarmed if you think it was all STEM related ’cause it definitely wasn’t, as my favourite part was all the social activities and friends I got to make.
As previously said, I was so scared going in with no friends but came out of the camp with so many friends whom I still keep in touch with now! It’s so amazing the amount of similarities you have with all these amazing people and how you click straight away. As much as there were science stuff, there were also discos, icebreakers, games, and talent nights that were great opportunities to make friends. Let’s just say every night I never went to sleep before 1am with the amount of movie nights and games we had with amazing people. I think the friends were the biggest takeaway from NYSF and even though we all live across Australia we continue to keep in touch!
Is there anything that you discovered that you wish you had known before going? If so, what is it and why?
As mentioned before, I was so anxious before going as a) I was scared I wasn’t going to meet any friends, and b) I was scared as I thought I wasn’t smart enough for it. However, looking back, I realised how ludicrous that was as a) I’ve met some great lifelong friends and b) I was inspired in fields that I was passionate about and never once felt that I was ‘too dumb’ for it.
I also wished that I networked more. There were some incredible professionals that were from fields that inspired me all around. All these people were willing to help everyone and often you don’t get these opportunities. However, being unprepared, I didn’t get many of their contact details which would have really been helpful right about now. On this note, it’s important to create a LinkedIn page before you go that can make it easy to network with people.
On a different note, I didn’t prepare for the weather. It is no joke that Canberra/Brisbane weather is really different from Perth, and I wish I packed some winter clothes as well — I prepared for a full summer when many days it was pouring.
How did this experience contribute to your perception of careers in STEM and STEM in general?
Before going, I had a narrow-minded view on the careers within STEM with my main perception of careers signing STEM being just doctors, engineers and scientists. However, after going I realised the broad range of careers that suit every unique skill set. I was mind blown when I found out what a medical physicist does and the many defence force careers that exist. It just goes to show how there’s something for everyone and the career scope for STEM is an ever-growing field. Before going to the camp, I knew I liked biology but never particularly liked the idea of engineering. However, after listening to the many incredible people, I came back interested in what a software engineer does. NYSF pushed me outside my comfort zone and made me realise that I may like so much more in the field.
What advice would you give to Year 11s interested in applying for the NYSF Year 12 Program?
My advice for any Year 11 is just apply! Even if you are not the biggest science fan or feel like you are not doing well in it, as long as you have somewhat of a liking to literally any science topic you will be assured that NYSF will be great for you. Before I went into NYSF, I was scared that I wouldn’t enjoy it as I wasn’t the smartest or the biggest science fan; however, I was completely wrong as there is literally something for everyone in the camp. I haven’t heard one person who’s said they haven’t enjoyed it even though we all were anxious before going. Just apply because you’ll never know where this camp will take you but either way you will enjoy it to its fullest.
Finally, what is/are your key takeaway(s) from attending a forum such as the NYSF?
My key takeaway is that NYSF is an experience you will never forget. From the mind-blowing STEM activities to the amazing professionals you will meet, you will be mind-blown by the amount of knowledge you will receive. If you are worried that there will only be lectures, be assured that there will be double the amount of fun experiences to go with it. As I said before, my favourite part was making these amazing friends as I never knew in 8 days, I would get so close to so many people and miss them all so much!
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We want to thank Diya for coming along to Canberra with us, for her wonderful recount and willingness to share, and for Melville SHS who allowed us to republish their story. Experiences like Diya's are invaluable, and we're always looking to share NYSF participant and alumni stories. You can get in touch with us on our socials, or by emailing communications@nysf.edu.au.
You can read the original article published by Melville Senior High School here.