AFTER 13 years of school and several anxious weeks of waiting after exams concluded, recent year 12 graduates can finally breathe a final sigh of relief.
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University offers were released to students across NSW and Victoria on Wednesday, opening the door to an untold range of careers for recent school leavers.
Many on the Border will move out of town to accept their offers of study, while many more will remain local, opting to study at one of the two local tertiary institutions.
Catholic College Wodonga trio Madi Howells, Sajan Thapa and Nat Hood got together to celebrate the beginning of the next chapter in their lives.
Miss Howells, who was offered a place studying a double degree in criminology and law at Deakin University.
“It was a big relief when I woke up and saw the offer, it felt like everything I’ve been working toward for the last 13 years had come to an end,” she said.
“It was really exciting.”
Aspiring engineer Sajan Thapa, who will study his chosen field at RMIT, said it had been a nervous wait on Wednesday morning.
Mr Thapa, whose family moved to the region after he was born in a refugee settlement, was inspired to study engineering after seeing all the buildings in the cities upon his arrival in Australia.
“All my friends got their offers at about 8.30am, but mine didn't come through until 11, so I was nervous, but pretty stoked when it came through,” he said.
CCW career education officer Sandie McKoy said it was a memorable day for the recent school graduates.
“It's exciting, for some of these students we've started this journey in year nine,” she said.
“We've been setting goals around study, going to open days, doing all their research, and now finally all their hard work has paid off.
“It's exciting to see students with smiles on their faces and that sense of relief, that they've finally made it.
"I would advise students starting universities, that a lot of universities actually have a mentorship scheme for first year students.
“If they can find those and sign up, it will definitely help.”