Alumni

Chris Dalmau 

2012 Alumni

Following is a copy of the inspiring speech Chris Dalmau gave to our departing 2018 Alumni at our recent Valedictory evening.  

"Firstly, congratulations to all of the year 12's graduating tonight, it’s a special time and I hope you all have a great night.

I can’t believe it’s been 6 years since I was sitting down with my family and friends, absolutely ecstatic that I didn’t have to go to school anymore. I actually loved school, but as will be the case with most of you, I was ready to start my journey.

From afar, my pathway from high school to now looks like a smooth and simple ride. I gained entry into my first preference at University, completed my majors with high distinctions, gained entry into my chosen master’s course and completed that whilst simultaneously opening up my current business.

But things always look rosey from afar. What is not seen are the 100’s of moments of failure & self-doubt. The sleepless nights, the stress and at times the crippling anxiety of the unknown. In early adulthood stress can weigh you down like a tonne of bricks, it influences your thought process and alters your decision making. I couldn’t tell you how many times I thought about quitting school and university, there’s even been times where I’ve thought why on earth do I want to own my own business. BUT if my studies and experiences have taught me anything, it is that stress can be your best friend… it is your brutally honest best friend. It forces you to stand up and take action, to adapt and to grow. Right now you might feel as though exams are consuming you, pushing you to the edge. But what I want you to recognise is that exams are a chance for you to grow. When you start to appreciate that feeling of pressure as a reflection of your growth, your whole mindset changes. You thrive off the pressure, you can ride the energy of deadlines and you no longer feel the need to hide from the workload. Stress and hard work are what we must go through to experience the feeling of success."