With just one unit left to complete her Masters in Psychology, and pregnant with her second child, Cheryl Williams was in a fix earlier this year. She needed a partner, pronto, to complete the simulated consultations required of her clinical placement.
“And Erin came to my rescue,” Cheryl says of her fellow online student.
Within moments of meeting over Zoom, the pair established that they both lived in Adelaide, had toddlers the same age, and were preparing to welcome their second child within months of one another. Over many subsequent hours of role-playing clinician-patient scenarios, their friendship blossomed. They now regard it as one of the best byproducts of their studies.
“It has been wonderful to have Cheryl’s friendship,” said Erin Linn. “I have lived regionally in South Australia throughout my UNE studies (first a Bachelor degree and then Honours in Psychology before the Masters) and it’s been great to have someone to share my academic and personal experiences with this year.”
It’s been great to have someone to share my academic and personal experiences with this year.
Being young Mums together, their schedules and expectations aligned.
“The challenge with the clinical placement is that your fellow students keep different hours, with different work commitments, family responsibilities and even different time zones,” Cheryl said. “Erin and I were keeping similar hours and had a shared understanding of the flexibility needed to work around sick or sleepless children. It cemented our relationship, and enabled us to support one another through the pressures of finishing our degrees and growing little babies, too.”
The challenge with the clinical placement is that your fellow students keep different hours, with different work commitments, family responsibilities and even different time zones.
When Cheryl began experiencing medical complications during her latest pregnancy, necessitating weekly or twice-weekly scans and appointments, she found she could lean on Erin. The pair started to catch up regularly over a cuppa and to give their toddlers play dates.
“It’s been lovely,” said Cheryl, who welcomed baby Lara four weeks ago. “You can feel isolated studying online and I’ve valued being able to debrief with someone who knows what I’m going through.”
You can feel isolated studying online and I’ve valued being able to debrief with someone who knows what I’m going through.
And the similarities don’t end there. Both women are now interested in working professionally with children and adolescents. And there’s even talk – if circumstances permit – of practising together.
“That would be amazing, down the track,” Cheryl said. “We didn’t realise we had such common interests and goals, and I think our similar temperaments and passions mean we could work well together.”
They credit UNE’s online delivery for making it all possible.
“I don’t think I would have tackled my Masters otherwise,” said Cheryl. “It has enabled us both to have the lives we want, combining study and part-time work and growing our families.”
“UNE’s support has been exceptional,” said Erin, who lived in two regional locations while completing her undergraduate studies. On Kangaroo Island she played an important student support role in the aftermath of the 2020 bushfires, helping to distribute funds raised by the South Australian chapter of the UNE alumni association. “The lecturers were very understanding of all the things that go along with living in a regional community and being a Mum.”
UNE’s support has been exceptional.
Both women have now completed their Masters degrees and Erin is looking forward to the birth of her new baby in mid-December.
