In her position as a Study Gold Coast Mayor’s Student Ambassador, Vineesha Veer feels like she has come full circle.
She is one of 20 students selected to represent and welcome other students to the Gold Coast, helping them to discover their passions and explore their interests – just like a Bond academic did for her just over two years ago.
“I came to Bond for a tour and my tour guide was Associate Professor Lotti Tajouri, who is one of my teachers now,” Vineesha explains.
“He gave me a tour of the Health Sciences & Medicine building and then ended up telling me about Biomedical Science.
“At the time I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do research or medicine, and what to study. He told me all about research and got me so interested in that area, so I chose Biomed!”
Vineesha grew up in Tamworth, New South Wales. It’s a rural community where everyone knows each other and while the Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth largest city, one of the things that has surprised her is the most is its sense of community.
“Even though the Gold Coast has a much higher population, everyone knows each other somewhat,” she explains.
“It’s a lot busier and there’s a lot more diversity but there’s that inclusivity that I never thought would be in a city like this one.”
A welcoming community is one of the things that has defined her time at Bond, too.
While moving away from home is a big move for any 17-year-old, Vineesha doesn’t have any regrets.
“I have never looked back since I started at Bond,” she says.
“I really like that we have a lot of one-on-one interpersonal relationships and interactions, especially with my lecturers.
“My lecturers know me by name, I know most of the Health Sciences and Medicine students – it’s not like you see them once and you leave.
“You build a connection and I think that’s the main thing I really enjoy about Bond, you get a connection rather than just being a number or just being a stranger.”
Vineesha's top Gold Coast tips
Indulge in the Gold Coast's cultural scene
“I love going to the beach, but one thing I’ve really enjoyed lately is eating at new places and trying different cuisines. That’s something I never got to experience in Tamworth, so exploring multiculturalism in this way has been really cool.”
Get back to nature
“Lake Orr is right near Bond’s main campus and there’s a boardwalk that goes around the lake and has heaps of parkland space. I really enjoy spending time there, it’s close to home, it’s got a nice view and it’s safe.”
Make the most of your community
“Make the most of the social life at Bond! Bond is already such a small community and it’s so much easier to make friends in a smaller community, rather than a larger one. At Bond, you can easily interact with people outside of your Faculty and meet new people from all over the world.”
Vineesha's top Gold Coast tips
Beach or hinterland?
Beach
Lakeside or Papyrus?
Lakeside
Laptop, or pen and paper?
Pen and paper
Netflix or podcasts?
Netflix
Library or MLC?
Library
Pacific Fair or Robina?
Robina