Class of 2019 – Flynn O’Brien

Flynn O’Brien is taking a gap year next year and will work as an au pair in France and Spain while travelling in between.

“In that time, I will be studying French at a language school in the heart of Paris. In 2021, I hope to study a double degree in International Relations and Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the Australian National University in Canberra,” explains Flynn.

Flynn hopes to one day work in the field of global politics, and in particular, at the United Nations.

“I hope that I will be able to complete an internship that will project me on to bigger and better things!”

Commencing her School journey at St Catherine’s as a boarder in Year 9, Flynn has embraced every opportunity to contribute to life at St Catherine’s. An enthusiastic participant of the School’s Debating and Public Speaking program, Flynn mentored junior students in preparation for the Debaters Association of Victoria Interschools Competition, with the team remaining undefeated in 2018. In Year 12, Flynn received several notable awards including the Sophie Borland Memorial Award for Public Speaking; Light Blue Award for Performance in Drama, Debating and Public Speaking; the Langley Memorial Award for a Boarder; and a Gold Service Award to the School.

“There is so much to do at St Catherine’s. I was able to travel to Nepal with the World Challenge and then France on exchange which really opened my eyes to different cultures and ultimately shaped what I want to do with my life. Aside from that, the Fiji trip helped me make loads of new friends in Year 9 when I first came to St Catherine’s. It really changed my perspective on a lot of things, even to this day and I will always be grateful for that.”

Flynn said St Catherine’s has taught her to “Give it all a go! You honestly get in what you put out so you can never be disappointed with the outcome if you gave it everything you have got! I have also learnt a lot of life lessons by being in the Boarding House and I have gained a lot of independence and social skills by living with lots of different cultures and personalities.”

Flynn is grateful for all the support she received from her teachers during her VCE year.

“The teachers at St Catherine’s are incredible and the fact that they have complete faith in your abilities (sometimes more than you do) really helps you in the long run. A lot of the time I saw how much effort my teachers were putting in, especially in VCE, which made me want to work even harder.”

Flynn has this advice to offer the Class of 2020: “Organisation is key! Finalise each area of study’s notes after you finish the SAC. Effort never goes unnoticed and whether it is your teachers or your marks that notice, you will not regret it.”

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