Ieula Cowley

About me

I was born and raised in Tokoroa before heading to Auckland for boarding school at St Cuthbert's College, and then making the move to Dunedin to study at the University of Otago. Throughout high school I played premier netball and representative basketball, though these days I keep it social only! In my free time I love grabbing a coffee and catching up with friends, or heading to the beach. I grew up near the water so it's still one of my favourite places to unwind. I want to be part of Next Chats because I'd love to be someone Year 13 students can talk to honestly about their options, ask the questions they might not feel comfortable asking elsewhere, and hear a real perspective from someone who's recently been through it. My time at Otago has given me the skills and knowledge to prepare for the workforce, but also lifelong friendships and some amazing memories, and I'd love to help future students feel excited about what's ahead.

My uni experience

First and second year law is quite demanding, especially towards the end of the year when all your papers are full-year and you have both tutorials and lectures to keep on top of. Third year and above is a lot more relaxed with more free time and independent study, as tutorials drop off. I was in Arana in my first year. I found there was a really good balance of academic, cultural, social, and sporting aspects within the college. I thought the food was great, though I'll admit my standards were pretty low coming from boarding school! There's a lot of academic support available outside of tutorials through things like PASS and the student law associations. Looking back, I wish I'd got involved earlier in first year rather than holding back out of uncertainty about making it through. It would have made things a lot easier.

Hobbies

Music is a big one for me. My taste is pretty diverse and there are very few genres I don't enjoy.