Written by Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting and Big Data candidate Nico Agliata.
Hi everyone! My name is Nico, and I am currently doing a Doctor of Philosophy (CRICOS 063150J) in Accounting and Big Data. If you’ve come across any of my previous blog posts, you may have noticed that they were focused on finance and start-ups. However, this time around, I’m here to tell you a slightly different story – let’s talk about Bond’s clubs and societies.
From my personal experience, clubs are a fantastic way of meeting new people. If you’re new to Bond, my biggest piece of advice would be to get involved and sign up for as many clubs as you can! Disclaimer #1, remember that you are here to study, so don’t take this advice too literally – there are about 90 clubs at Bond, so it’s not advised that you actually join them all! Jokes aside, though, follow your interests and try to strike a balance between studying and extracurricular activities.
Clubs add so much value to daily life at uni. Some of the connections you’ll make through clubs and societies will last you a lifetime, whether they’re friendships or professional relationships. Clubs can also benefit you academically. If you join a club’s committee, like I have, this will give you Beyond Bond points. But it doesn’t stop here – if you take on a managerial role in a club or society, this is great fodder for your resume. Employers love people who can showcase their managerial skills, so this is a total win-win scenario, if you ask me!
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Now that you’re sold on joining a club or society at Bond, let me tell you a little about the best club in the history of the University. Disclaimer #2, I’ve been the president of this club for the past three years, so I might be a tiny bit biased. I’m talking about the Golf Club! I’ve had such a great time running this club so far – from the committee members to the club’s participants, the journey has been nothing short of outstanding.
Here’s proof that clubs can be really beneficial, both personally and professionally. One of the first committee members knew very little about golf when he started with the Bond University Golf Club. Now, he’s landed a full-time position with the French Golf Federation and has emerged a pretty good golfer! He also was able to list his experience as part of the club’s committee on his resume. Plus, ever since he joined the club, we’ve been close mates – these are those lifelong connections I’m talking about!
It would be remiss not to mention the Golf Club’s Vice President as she undoubtedly is the rockstar of the club. Thanks to her, we’ve been voted best sporting club by the student body, and best club overall. One thing that’s emerged as really important from my involvement with the Bond University Golf Club is teamwork – this will not only be an extremely valuable soft skill that you’ll learn from participating in a club, but it will also become a way to bond with your fellow students.
When it comes to actually playing the game of golf, fun is our priority! We’ve never required our club members to have any prior skills – they just need to be willing to have fun with a bunch of like-minded people. We’ve run events at TopGolf and other sporting facilities around the Gold Coast, and these have always been a success! And when it comes to athleticism, well – we won the University Nationals Division 1 in 2018, and came second in 2019. Not a bad track record, eh?!
Anecdotes aside, I really loved my time as the president of the Golf Club. Unfortunately, this will be my last semester in charge of the club, and as the end of this journey draws near, I’m grateful to be able to reflect on the invaluable experiences and memories that I will take with me throughout my life.