Young Old Boys are sharing their lessons in university life with one of their former teachers and the next generation of Christ’s College leavers as those students navigate uncharted study pathways.

Wanting to strengthen those Old Boy-student bonds and delve into the best ways to form better relationships with universities – both in New Zealand and overseas – Physics teacher Victor Sue-Tang has stepped out of the science block to connect with past students and talk to a range of educators.

He believes that “student success and happiness are the sum of the boys’ own efforts at university”, strongly underpinned by support from the wider community, family, and a growing network of Old Boys.

“By enabling recent Old Boys to share their experiences with present students, we can eliminate some of the hurdles for moving countries to study,” he explains. “Current students can better prepare themselves – and their families – if they have first-hand knowledge of any country-specific issues they are likely to encounter.

“Equally, my recent interactions with former students highlight the need for collegial support from destination-based Old Boy mentors who can help school leavers and greatly reduce the stress of adjustment in the early weeks of assimilation.”

Victor points out that “the introduction of an Old Boys-led social network would allow recent College graduates in need to reach out and request help”.

“The network would provide a touchstone for our community and ease some of the worries of concerned whānau left behind in New Zealand or elsewhere,” he says.

While the young Old Boys agree that Christ’s College has prepared them for academic success at university, “they find the cultural adjustment overseas their greatest challenge”.

“My interviews reveal that a poor study-life balance is common, with the first months proving the most daunting for the recent graduates,” he says.

Two Old Boys, Steven Zhang and Peter Wu, recently returned to College to share their routes to international study in Singapore and Melbourne, respectively.

Steven left College in 2023 to pursue mechanical engineering at the University of Melbourne, before transferring to the National University of Singapore. He now regrets his move. Following his transfer, he realised that his decision should not be solely based on the name or academic reputation of a university, but rather external factors also should be considered, such as the climate and “overall fit”.

Peter graduated from Christ’s College in 2024 before pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne. His insights on how a New Zealand student’s ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) was calculated for Australian universities would prove valuable to many students, along with the need to fully understand the prerequisite requirements of each degree.

Meanwhile, Hugo Wynn Thomas – a Computer Science student at the University of Melbourne – believes that moving overseas to study “is a big commitment”, adding that “it can take time to settle in”.

“There will be no teachers holding your hand, ensuring that everything goes smoothly,” he says. “You need to be self-driven to ensure that you get everything done. It also is not enough to go to lectures and expect that you will be able to do well in your subject. You should be regularly reviewing content, and doing practice questions to ensure you understand everything.”

Closer to home, 2023 Old Boy Andrew Welsh – a medical student at the University of Otago – describes tertiary education as “a clean slate”.

“Who you were in secondary school is of no concern here,” he says. “You may be a high achiever, or someone who just aims to get by. None of that matters. The only thing that matters is what you are willing to do now. If you fall behind, it is up to you to catch up, because no one else will care enough to do the work for you

“If you want something at university – or even in life – it is entirely up to you to chase that and make it your reality. Better grades, deeper friendships, new skills – all are achievable if you put in the work. Just be yourself and never underestimate or doubt your ability.”

If you want to join that network to support the next generation of Old Boys, please contact Careers Advisor Chris Sellars email hidden; JavaScript is required or Alumni Manage Lizzie Dyer email hidden; JavaScript is required