ALL-round achiever Adele Grodzki is ready for a big change.
The Ballarat Clarendon College graduate is preparing to move across the border to work on a dairy farm, looking after calves in a maternity clinic.
This is the gap year experience that Adele hoped would give her a chance to take stock on her life before delving back into studies.
Adele said the role, based near Murray River town Corowa, NSW, should be good preparation for pursuing veterinary science studies at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga - but she still had a year ahead to apply and consider her options.
"I can't wait - I need something new and different," Adele said.
"I've been at Clarendon since kindergarten and it's going to be good for me to get some change in my life."
Year 12 for Adele was about trying a range of subjects she liked and giving them her all to see where the experience might lead her.
Chemistry, mathematical methods, further mathematics, English literature, music (a vocational education and training subject) and physical education subjects Adele completed for her year 12.
Adele said she knew chemistry and methods would be "a bit of a hard slog" so she mixed in her passions.
But this was only part of how Adele made the most of a pandemic-effected final year at school and ensured it was her best year at school.
Adele was school captain, played in the college's contemporary music band FEET and co-captained the girls' football team. She also lined-up for North Ballarat Football Club.
"With all the COVID there has been so much stop and starting, so it was easier to get involved when you're part of different groups. You really make friendships...even after exams you still have those social connections," Adele said.
"As school vice-captain I tried to keep up morale as much as I could, when we could."
READ MORE: Dairy entrants find golden opportunities
Moving to a dairy farm is not a completely foreign concept for Adele, who grew up in rural town Mount Egerton, on the outskirts of Ballarat.
The big lesson year 12 taught her was to give it a good go and see what opportunities might arise.
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