2025 Commencement - Alumni Speaker - Nic Mayrhofer (2021)

I was asked to do the Alumni Speech - I’m guessing Henry Palmerlee was too expensive. 

It seemed right to start this speech by saying that it ‘feels like only yesterday’ I attended my first Commencement. But I had to think about it, and I’ve realised that this just really isn’t true. It was 4 years ago that I had my ringing in, and even though that’s not actually a very long time, I still feel like that time really hasn’t flown. And it’s not because I wasn’t having fun. It’s been so, so much fun. More than that, it’s actually been the most incredible, wonderfully rewarding 4 years that I could imagine.   

The thing is, that when someone tells you something is going to be rewarding, the quiet part usually is that it’s actually not going to be easy. You weren’t all rewarded with a Tuckwell scholarship for only doing easy things. And first years, I can tell you now that the next 3, 4, 5 years are going to be a journey of growth, of development, of deep learning about who you are, what you value, what place you want to occupy in the world. And figuring that stuff out, is actually really, really hard. So good luck.   

I probably learned millions of life lessons in the last 4 years. I’d like to share a few quick highlights. 

Firstly, you have to get used to introducing yourself. I did some very back of the envelope math's, and I reckon that through living on campus, joining some clubs, travelling overseas, working a bunch of different jobs – I think I’ve introduced myself to someone maybe more than 10,000 times since starting uni. And it’s something that you can very easily gloss over, but when you think about what it takes to accurately summarise to someone else who you are, where you’re from, and what you’re about, you might start to hone in on that thing we call ‘knowing who you are’. And weirdly enough, discovering who you are is probably half of what your ANU journey is about.  

Second. As you get to know yourself, you’ll also get to know so many other people.  Some of them will become the most important people in your life. You hear this so many times, but it’s so important and so true: the networks that you make at ANU, in the world if you travel, in the workforce once you start building a career – these people, if you treat them right, will want the best for you. And when you need it, they’ll set you up with the support and guidance that you need to overcome whatever gets thrown at you.   

There’s a tricky side to this. You’re going to make some big mistakes. And the mistakes that hurt the most aren’t the ones you make on your exams, or at work.  They’re the ones where you upset or hurt the people that you care about. Accidentally, I hope. But trust me, it’ll happen. So, you need to learn to apologise. And it sounds silly because we all learned to apologise in kindergarten but trust me when I say that a lot of us young adults are weirdly out of practice. I won’t go into what makes a good apology or a bad one. But trust me, a bad apology is sometimes just as bad as none at all. Don’t make that mistake.   

Final reflection. As I’ve said, I’ve met so, so many brilliant and inspiring people since moving to Canberra. And I’ve begun to realise that all of the people I’m most strongly dragged towards, the people I find myself wanting to talk with and wanting to learn from: they’re quite simply the people who made the most fascinating choices, who took up the most interesting opportunities. So I suppose if you want to be a memorable person, which probably helps with your networking; choose the interesting opportunity when it arises. Go on that exchange. Do that solo trip even after your friends drop out. Take up the interesting job. Or the interesting hobby.  You’ll have so many great stories to tell. And great stories are a currency that will get you really far.   

Scholars who’ve recently graduated alongside myself, welcome to the Tuckwell Alumni community. I know you all chose the interesting opportunities, and I know that accepting a Tuckwell scholarship was just one of the first. Weirdly, as I’ve recently discovered, being a Tuckwell Scholar is temporary. But being a Tuckwell Alum is permanent. I hope you feel permanently connected to this extraordinary program, and that you stay connected to this community.  

Graham, Louise. Thank you for making it all possible. Many of us wouldn’t have wouldn’t have learned these lessons without your support. 

Enjoy the rest of your evening.