Lucy Clough. Photo suppliedFirst-year Otago University student Lucy Clough misses Alex the cat and avocado toast, but is making a busy, new life in Dunedin.
Lucy, 18, is studying first year health sciences and also keeping her passion for music alive through the New Zealand Youth Choir. A competitive swimmer since the age of nine, she has quit the pool to make way for new things.
She was sad to give it up, but credits the early morning starts and training routine as the foundation for her work hard approach to school and now university life.
From an early age, Lucy has wanted to be a pharmacist. That is still her plan if she survives the tough first year. “I won’t lie, it’s hard. But I’m taking every day as it comes.”
Lucy was the first recipient of the Ashburton College Alumni Scholarship in 2016, a $1000 boost to the cost of her tertiary education funded by NBS Ashburton. The award recognises the commitment of a Year 13 student to college life.
A typical day for her now at Otago University starts with lectures from 8am, in papers that include human body systems, physics, chemistry and cell biology.  She starts at 8am and has 16 lectures a week from Monday to Friday, plus a three-hour practical lab session for each subject fortnightly, finishing at 9pm.
And in between every single class she studies, in her room at Carrington College or at the library.
Former Ashcoll students Ruby Wills and Albertene Hefford, first-year health science students at Otago in 2016, are among those Lucy can call on for help if she needs it. “Ruby and Albertene have set up a Facebook page and they mentor us, share their notes and words of wisdom.”
The support was crucial for Lucy when she succumbed to two sinus infections in the first semester. Still, she is working hard to hit her academic targets and preparing for tough exams ahead. If she continues with pharmacy, she will have three more years at the university and another as an intern at a hospital or retail pharmacy.
Her new family at Carrington College is also important. “The biggest thing about it is it feels like home. I don’t picture myself at any other college except here. It has such a good community and lots of support networks.”
Carrington College has 240 students, living in a collection of villas and houses on grounds close to the university.
Lucy says there are lots of opportunities to socialise and get to know students from all over the world.
She has also found a way to continue her passion for music which at Ashburton College involved belonging to the Phoenix Chorus, and playing the piano, cello and double bass.
Her musical talents have earned her a reserve place in the New Zealand Youth Choir, the Southern Youth Choir and Carrington College’s new musical scholarship. She is in charge of music at Carrington, running music events and taking the choir, as well as organising inter-college music performances. The Southern Youth Choir performed at the university’s Anzac Day service.
“I have not sacrificed my music by doing health sciences,” she says. “I have lessons with one of the university lecturers and I bus out to her house for classical singing.”
Lucy has also “accidentally” ended up in the University of Otago cello club.
“While I love science, music is my everything. It is such a good mental break and I have met so many lovely people through music.”
Her commitments to the New Zealand Youth Choir involve travelling to workshops around the country on a regular basis and she is hoping to cement a place in the group for its European tour in 2019.
While Dunedin is start of her life as an adult, she does miss her family – mum Carolyn, dad Kerry and brother Matt – and Alex the ginger cat. And as someone who is lactose intolerant, she misses home-cooked meals like steak, eggs and avocado on toast. Her dairy-free options at university are sometimes sadly limited.
She says students in their last year at Ashburton College should take a good look at every opportunity that presents itself.
“Ashburton College gave me some serious life skills about taking the initiative and time management, and learning how to be a good person. Once you get into the real world there is not so much support.”
She says she is grateful to her parents for helping her get to this exciting point in her life. “Now I need to be me, but I know they are always going to be there to support me.”

© The Ashburton Guardian - 29 July 2017