“It's wise to ensure a course of study is right for you before you lock it in, says Declan Su'a.
After trying Health Sciences, he changed his mind about medicine as a career. “It just wasn't me, so I had a rethink. I'd done Accounting and Economics at school and they were always an option so I switched to a BCom and I'm still loving it.”
Declan grew up in Dunedin so Otago was an obvious choice, sweetened by a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship and a Performance Entrance Scholarship for his sporting achievements and support for Pacific students while at school.
The transition to university was made easy by moving to Arana College. “I didn't want to stay at home and Arana has been great. There's plenty of freedom and you have access to all of North Dunedin. There are loads of people just the same as you and doing the same things, so you fit right in.
“The social life is just as good as you think it would be. It's certainly not overrated.”
Arana plays an important part in Declan's academic life, backing up university lectures with tutorials for first-year students.
Otago's Pacific Islands Centre has also been very supportive, says Declan, who identifies as European Samoan. ”They've given me massive help with tutorials, and when you combine those with Arana and the University, you know they're all aiming at getting you the best academic results possible.”
So far the work is paying off, with Declan getting good results and making plans for the future. He hopes to qualify as a Chartered Accountant and head overseas, chasing the big money.
The competitive streak that has served him so well as a successful sportsman is still alive and well. “It may be a rat race out there but I can't wait to join in.”
