Humans of MQ
"I ran for council because young people deserve a seat at the table."
Macquarie University law student Ethan Hrnjak is one of the youngest people ever to be elected to a NSW local government council. He is determined to focus on issues such as mental health, climate change and a lack of affordable housing.
"I made more than just friends, I made a community."
Co-workers Talhia Nadine and Naira Bagchi, both 21, crossed paths when the shop they work in was robbed. In the aftermath, they discovered they were both Macquarie students and quickly became Yo-Chi buddies.
"Honestly, it's just about taking the first step. You don't realise that everyone else is thinking the same thoughts as you."
Medical students Sehar Majila Pant and Daenah Bitanga struck up a conversation outside class one Saturday morning and bonded over their shared love of body piercings and fashion.
"At first I was lonely at times, but now my uni friends are like family."
Fen Li, 31, and Juan Pablo Salmon, 24, both came to Macquarie without knowing a single soul. They found each other in the kitchen of the student accommodation and have been making each other laugh ever since.
"I found a community that shares the same values as me."
In the first of a special Humans of Macquarie friendship series, third-year Business School students Gaby Velasquez Ramirez, 21, and Charlene Molina, 20, reveal how they met and share tips on clever ways to find your people at uni.
"I get to comfort people and connect with them on such a personal level."
Student ambassador Melissa Applin is a proud Sāmoan woman who delights in using her First Nations experience to open doors to higher education for other Pacific Islander people.
"A lot of sailors are looking to escape everyday life."
For Bachelor of Commerce student and 2022 Macquarie University Athlete of the Year Zac West, competitive sailing provides both solitude and socialising in equal measure.
"The language barrier can make it hard for Chinese students to make friends with domestic students, even though they really want to. "
As President of Macquarie’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), Enzo Shen cherishes the chance to be a bridge between two different cultures – and smash a few stereotypes along the way.
“Cycling Without Age came at the right time in my life.”
Once a month, cycling enthusiast John Kelman can be found pedalling around campus with some very special passengers. Thanks to John and his team of volunteer trishaw pilots, elderly residents from nearby aged care homes can experience the joy of Cycling Without Age.
"We should have ejected, but I didn’t want to be the woman pilot who crashed a foreign plane."
Before she became a health system researcher, Professor Robyn Clay-Williams from the Australian Institute of Health Innovation earned her stripes – literally – as one of the first two female test pilots in Australia.
"I make getting around campus funnier with the Where’s Wally hunt so students and I can laugh together."
Channelling popular children’s book character Where’s Wally, Human Resources Lecturer Dr Hector Viveros Tapia has created a photographic scavenger hunt for new students to help them discover study and leisure locations on our park-like campus.
"A little bit of inspiration can motivate people to give art a go."
Unofficial Macquarie Library artist-in-residence, Rory Fallis draws inspiring illustrations to display in the foyer and believes his work helps forge connections between students and staff.