The first 50 days

The first 50 days, 2020

Entering a new community halfway through the year can be daunting, but new students Hunter Wright (Brisbane), Imogen Nelson (Sydney) and Augustin Kadende (Melbourne) were fortunate enough to arrive together. Their shared experience fostered friendships, making the transition into college life smooth and easy.

Hunter Wright

Having lived in a boarding school for 6 years, Hunter had learnt that smaller communities often offer the most supportive environments. Though the state-wide lockdown brought its own challenges, Hunter found the smaller student groups beneficial in allowing him to integrate into well. With a huge smile and confident personality, Hunter was seen eagerly having conversations and never fails to brighten up a room. As a big sports player, Hunter enjoys volleyball and AFL games, and commenting that the food surpasses that of boarding school by a mile. Imogen decided it was time for a change and what better way to do it than by joining a college community and making new friends. Selecting Melbourne after attending a school talk learning about college life, the engaging lifestyle, and endless challenging opportunities, Imogen was sold. Though she did not anticipate it, the balanced academic environment continues to motivate her to extend herself in her studies. To complement University work, Imogen loves how her new grounded network of friends who make the effort to encourage one another in everything they do. For the spring birthday season, Imogen was been busy organising gifts and surprises for each special day - an experience she never fully experienced while in high school. Augustin (AK) from Melbourne made the practical decision to attend college due to the convenient proximity to University. Being an avid athlete, mainly in the realm of running and sprinting, AK knew that the on-campus lifestyle would support his training regime and give him countless opportunities within a community. As his first communal living experience, he arrived with an open mind expecting a slow integration into friendship groups. Yet, in alignment with our size and inclusive culture, AK found himself immediately comfortable and no longer feeling like one of the new kids. AK enjoys mealtimes as one of his favourite times of the day, as the community comes together to share stories and unwind. Despite only living at Hilda’s for 50 days, it is hard to imagine a time when Hunter, Imogen and AK were not part of our community. Their energy continues to stimulate conversations, and we are so thankful that they chose us.

Imogen Nelson Augustin Kadende