Taylin Timu

About me

Tenā koutou! Ko Taylin tōku ingoa. He uri ahau nō Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, me Rongowhakaata. Repping the mighty East Coast but raised in Poneke and Porirua, I made the jump to move to the other side of the country with no plan. I didn't know a single soul, had no passion for a specific subject, and like most, had no clue what I was doing or what to expect. Fast forward to now: I went from having no real dream to pursuing one of the biggest ones, becoming a neurosurgeon or neurologist. You don't need to have your entire life figured out at 17 to do big things. As your tuakana, I'm here to strip away the intimidating vibe of university, share the tips and tricks, and help you unlock whatever your version of "neurosurgeon" is. Let's make next year less about stress and more about success!

My uni experience

Compared to high school, the workload down here is definitely a massive step up. Day to day it's much more demanding and you have to learn to manage your own time pretty quickly. But the biggest surprise for me was just how much support is sitting there waiting for you. You aren't left to figure it out on your own. There are so many people who genuinely want to help you succeed, you just have to reach out and find the right ones. Te Rangihiroa is top notch, but everyone applies there so it's hard to get into. Arana is the best second option. The grounds are huge but it still feels homey rather than just being a massive block of rooms. The food is no five-star dining, but Arana actually has a decent menu compared to most. Socially it hits a good middle ground: if you're an introvert you won't feel overwhelmed, but if you want to be social the vibe is definitely there. Honestly all halls are great. It's just how you make your year! I'm a social butterfly who loves joining uni clubs just as much as going to actual clubs in town. I want you to have the best time down in Dunedin while still knowing your limits. My biggest piece of advice that nobody tells you: network by joining uni clubs. Get to know as many people as you can. When you know people everywhere, you always have someone to look out for you in town, and that keeps you safe.

Hobbies

Sport, dance, and kapa haka. Moving to Dunedin showed me I didn't have to choose between hobbies and academics. I was able to bring everything with me and keep doing what I love while still pursuing a heavy academic career.