Alum Aid from Robyn, Tufts' own Russell Crowe (kinda sorta)

Robyn is an energetic go-getter who graduated from Tufts last year with a major in Clinical Psychology. While studying abroad in Australia her junior year, Robyn fell in love with the people and culture. She returned right after graduation and is excited to get international experience in either psychology or education. Although having a plan is important, Robyn also emphasizes the value of embracing a live-in-the-moment mindset, especially at this stage of her life.

ROBYN
When did you realize what you wanted to do after graduation, whether it was get a job, teach abroad, travel, etc?

I decided I wanted to move to Melbourne while studying abroad there in 2008.

What kind of career field were you interested in? Where did you look for jobs and where do you work now? What about yourself do you think made you a good fit for the position?

After much procrastination, I started looking into visas and job opportunities maybe in December or January of my senior year. Career Services (and you, Kathy!!) was really helpful in getting me to stop being afraid of the "overwhelmingness" of my plan. Once I began to see that I could do this research - looking into various visa options, contacting people in Melbourne about jobs, etc. - it became a more manageable task. I was interested in psychology research or teaching in Melbourne. I've had trouble since arriving here with having my degree and work experience to translate into the Aussie degree system. I've discovered that in Australia, you have to get your psych masters before you are allowed to do research, whereas in the US, you can't get into a masters program without having research experience. So I've put psych on hold for now. Currently I work for an early childhood agency called Select Education that sends me out to different daycares, pre-Ks, and kindergartens in the Melbourne area. I fill in for teachers who are absent, or I rotate classrooms throughout the day filling in while staff have their lunch break. Most days I enjoy the job. For now, I'm happy because I care more about being in Melbourne than my specific job, and the pay is good. I also like that I'm getting a feel for different age groups so if I do decide to go into teaching, I'll have a better idea of what age I want to work with.

Susannah says:

Looking for employment abroad comes with its own set of challenges. Career Services can help you navigate the process; for example, we offer an online resource called Going Global that features country guides for popular work abroad locations with visa and work permit information, job search sites, tips for adapting to a new culture, and more.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next year? The next five years? How do you intend on reaching these goals? How did Tufts prepare you?

In the next year I want to continue enjoying Melbourne, and look into post-grad degrees to extend my visa and become eligible for higher positions in teaching or psychology here (if I decide I want to stay longer - still not sure because I think my family might kill me!) In the next five years, I hope to be doing a job that makes me feel happy and productive, and living wherever I think is the best for me. I don't know how I'll come to a decision about either of these goals, but I hope it happens naturally after a little more life experience. Tufts has helped me to become an independent and self-confident person. Living away from home, away from the comforts of my family and friends I had known forever and the structured HS environment, was a huge help in the growing up process. Looking back on my first-year unhappiness at Tufts and how things improved so much during the next three years there makes me realize that I'm strong enough to get through the bad times, to actively seek out the things that make me happy, and to create a fulfilling life for myself wherever I am.