BY DI SNEDDON
Sophie Ryan is certainly a young achiever and she has a message to those preparing for the Higher School Certificate.
“Don’t stress, don’t make yourself sick, if you don’t get the mark you want, there are a million other pathways to get you into what you want to do,” Sophie told The Hunter River Times this week.
This is timely advice with the examinations approaching fast
Sophie describes herself as a ‘last minute’ kind of person but if you look at her schedule, there is nothing last minute about this sassy 19-year-old.
In addition to working part time at Hunter Gourmet Pizza and Bunnings, Sophie is studying a business administration course through Forsythe Training and is based at Ungooroo Health Services.
She reads in her spare time but given her hectic schedule, there isn’t much of that.
Sophie says she is now realising that the aspect she likes the most about working are the people she gets to talk to every day.
“I love the people, I think I am more a people person, I enjoy talking to everyone,” Sophie said.
She has never really been an underachiever. She was captain at Singleton High School in 2019 and loved every minute of it. There were the official functions, the ceremonies, meeting people in the community and politicians that motivated her to make the most of the opportunities that continue to come along.
After finishing Year 12, Sophie said she was unsure what she wanted to do and wasn’t particularly excited about spending another four years studying at university.
She is interested in studying nursing but at the time, the thought of going straight to uni from school left her with conflicted thoughts.
Instead she applied for a part time job at the Wattaka Café and by the end of that interview, she was offered a business administration role at Ungooroo Health Services.
The traineeship finishes early next year and she is thinking she may study enrolled nursing through TAFE just to see if she likes it.
But for now, she is just busy, enjoying life and looking forward to what the future may bring.
Hats off to Sophie. The Upper Hunter is very fortunate to have so many wonderful young achievers.
For those facing their HSC, The Hunter River Times suggests you take Sophie’s advice not to stress and make the most of the opportunities that come along.
