Meet our students: Rhea Basha - Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), 4th year

What drew you to studying psychology? 

When I had first graduated from high school, I had initially been interested in studying veterinary sciences, actually! I had been pretty set on it, until I explored the Psychology Department during the UQ Open Day.  I think, overall, what drew me into studying psychology boils down to the value of it - understanding people, as well as how and why we do what we do, seems like such an essential value to have regardless of where I end up in the future.

Why did you choose UQ to study psychology? 

There were a few reasons why I chose to study at UQ! The department in general felt very warm and inviting. All the professors showed a lot of respect for one another, and there was an incredibly broad field introduced to me from the moment I stepped into the psychology building. There were pamphlets on clinical, neuroscience, organisational, cognitive, and even music therapy – so I felt like studying at UQ would give me an opportunity to taste a variety of different topics. 

What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learnt while studying psychology at UQ? 

There are so many new things I learnt. One of the smaller things I remember was just learning about a brain parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) that could structurally change pathways in a rat brain to make it lose fear of cats. More pivotal than that, I learnt that there is so much more to communication than everyone expects. There are so many micro-behaviours that we aren’t usually aware of and learning and practising these skills have been good for all my interactions outside of the academic setting.   

What have you enjoyed most about your program? 

I have enjoyed the volunteering and placement opportunities that were provided for us! For a semester I volunteered for the Good Neighbour Program, which involved visiting a residential aged care facility, where we could talk and meet some amazing, inspiring people. There was also such a huge variety of placement opportunities we could select from in our final year and through this I made some great connections and had some valuable experiences.  

What does a day in the life of a psychology student look like? 

It really changes from day to day, especially with COVID-19 completely changing the way we learnt. In general, it involves going to a lecture and tutorial, with the opportunity to organise your own timetables to fit how you want your days to look. You could choose between online and in-person classes, which made it easier for students who had a long way to commute. 

After the lecture and tutorial, there was a lot of independence when working on your assessment, but there are always easy pathways to support networks. Tutors and professors were always really open to consultations, and the cohort is supportive and encouraging.  

What have you learnt about yourself since you began to study psychology at UQ? 

I’ve learnt a lot about my values – about how much I really care about people, about how much empathy I have as a person, and being surrounded by people who share interests with me has helped me see what I’m really passionate about. For example, I didn’t realise how much I enjoyed working with kids until my placement involved working with children, and the classes I was genuinely looking forward to included family and parenting skills.  

Tell us about one of your industry placement experiences? 

I went to Character Care, which was amazing. On one hand, I had the opportunity to practise counselling techniques through Reflective Team Therapy – this involved being part of a reflective team that observed a counselling session and provided offerings to the client. The supervisors were very supportive and allowed us to experiment being in the position of the counsellor. Once they found out that I also enjoyed painting, they allowed me to paint a mural on the wall of their new clinic. 

Additionally, we had the opportunity to go to schools and provide leadership training to them. This was so interesting – we were sent to a diverse range of schools, which meant that we experienced different cultures and different values. It taught us a lot of patience, but also just allowed us to be ourselves in a fun environment.  

What has been the most challenging aspect of studying psychology? 

As young students, we have an expectation to launch straight into the practical aspect of psychology. We instantly want to work with people because that’s what we are passionate about. So, something that may be challenging is having some patience as we go through the theory before we receive placement opportunities. It can sometimes feel a bit frustrating waiting for two years or so, but it’s important to know the theory underpinning our practice before we can allow ourselves to practise. 

What are the most valuable skills you’ve learnt while studying psychology? 

I’ve learnt how to be resilient and patient. In some placement situations we can be exposed to rather confronting stories, or some people who may have conflicting values to our own. I’ve learnt how to handle these situations in a professional and understanding way, to help me overcome and grow from these moments.   

How have your teachers had a positive impact on your studies? 

The teachers have been amazing! Some of my tutors were really supportive as we reached the end of our degrees. Even tutors who I hadn’t seen since my first year of university were happy to receive emails to ask about future endeavours and advice, and always gave warm and encouraging responses.  

My supervisor was truly wonderful. They always offered us opportunities to get very involved in their research, and like most tutors and professors, they always made time for students if we had any concerns or enquiries. Just about every tutor I had would respond to questions in a helpful way, and all of them were very comfortable sharing their stories to inspire us as we were grappling with our own future.  

Where do you want to go or what do you want to do in your psychology career? 

I’m very interested in the clinical setting! Those topics always interested me the most, so the opportunity to research or treat in a clinical setting would be the dream. I’m also very interested in working with children and supporting their growth, learning and development. Another interest I have (because I can’t seem to make up my mind!) is the effect of music on emotion and psychological health.  

What advice would you give to someone who wants to study psychology? 

If you are interested, give it a go! You will learn so many skills and techniques that are valuable for both the field of psychology, but for life in general. It’s such a big and growing field, you will most definitely find something that you love about it. 

I would also suggest being as involved as possible whenever there is an opportunity presented to you! If you see volunteering or work experiences available, don’t hesitate to try them out, because they are fantastic for connections and developing more skills.  

Tell us about your involvement in the Sharper Minds project?

The Sharper Minds project is designed to help students find ways to support their mental health. It’s easy, simple, and research based. I was fortunate to be involved by helping create videos to promote it but also work with the researcher to look at the surveys and data collected from it. We also got the opportunity to do some field work by going around and recruiting participants to take part in the research and promote the project.

Do you have any plans for next year? 

I’m kind of playing it by ear. I am hoping to get involved in some volunteer work or work experience in either research or clinical settings whilst waiting to see how applications for post-graduate studies play out. I also may have the opportunity to volunteer for a project that involves aged cares, listening to their stories, and helping them turn it into literature, but that project is yet to be launched.