BSSC Year 12 student, Ozer Tsering, found himself very curious about senior when he attended the college’s Open Day while in Year 10.
“I thought coming here would be a bigger jump that it was,” he remembers. “But the first few weeks were very good and very welcoming.
“I made new connections—including with students who had actually been at my old college, but I didn’t get to know them there.”
While at BSSC Ozer has noticed school has changed from being a chore to a choice.
He enjoys all his subjects: Vis Comm & Design, Art – Creative Practice, Maths, and English. But Art and Vis Comm are favourites.
He greatly appreciates being taught by highly motivated, creative teachers who never criticise his art or insist it’s crafted according to their thoughts or beliefs—and who give him the freedom to interpret art projects as he wishes.
Ozer says he has a sense he is discussing his work with a fellow artist when he speaks with his teachers.
Unsurprisingly, he describes BSSC as a creative place—especially the Art floor—and can see how he’s growing, not only academically, but also in willingness to show his art to his peers without fear of ridicule.
“I noticed others were not ashamed to share their work, and in this way my peers have been very encouraging. I love their energy.”
The diversity across the college is another aspect Ozer admires.
“Even the freedom to wear whatever we want—it’s so interesting to observe what others wear and being able to express ourselves this way.
“BSSC is preparing students to be adults in the real world. I definitely recommend this college.
“Last year when I went back to Tibet, I was telling people about BSSC and it was completely alien for them to imagine being allowed to go to school just when you had classes.”
This respect for students being capable of taking responsibility for how they study is a feature of BSSC Ozer is really enjoying—no-one nagging or pushing him.
The culture of the college has allowed him to develop his own study routine and discover more about what works for him.
“Some people work best in the morning, others in the evening.”
Ozer sometimes finds it hard to ‘get into the zone’ for study because he’s easily distracted by his phone.
Despite this, he aims to study for 30 – 50 minutes and then have a five-minute complete break to refresh his mind. Too long on one thing is not ideal and deadlines don’t work for him.
“I only get stressed when I hear the words: ‘SAC’ or ‘exam’!”
De-stressing through a calming bike ride and getting out into nature usually works well. As does a classic movie.
Ozer’s family are Tibetan and he was born in Dharamsala, a city in the north-west of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. This state is part of India that reaches into the foothills of the Himalaya.
“We weren’t considered citizens in India, so I’m very glad we came to Australia.”
Ozer was six and a half years of age when the family emigrated—their destination decided by a lottery system. The family has appreciated many things about Australia, such as opportunities unavailable elsewhere, and being encouraged to be an individual.
But Ozer is not sold on the western idea of ‘go to work, go home, and repeat’, questioning whether this is a healthy approach to life for humans.
Bendigo is considered by many to be an important centre for Buddhism due to the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion located north of the city.
“Many Tibetans are Buddhist,” Ozer says, “but not all.”
While Ozer says he has a Buddhist mindset and takes seriously the idea that all living things deserve compassion—“even an ant’s life is a life that’s worth saving”—he sees Buddhism as a private practice.
“People sometimes use the term ‘enlightenment’ when talking about Buddhism. To the Buddhist way of thinking, you can’t be given enlightenment,” Ozer says, “you can only be taught to pursue it on your own.”
Beside his admiration for his parents, Ozer also holds great respect and admiration for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
“I have met him twice. The first was a life-changing experience—like a catalyst, or the planting of a seed,” Ozer says. “I’m so grateful I have met His Holiness personally.
“When I do something unhelpful or negative, I sometimes ask myself: would I do this in front of him? It’s like locking in moral guidance.”
Ozer is concerned that the world is not in a very good state and getting worse. He sees it in people’s attitudes on social media and in the wars that make the news and those more ‘silent’ wars occurring in the background.
With regard to his future, Ozer has not yet settled on a career, but his love of visual communication has opened the door for him to consider a creative pathway.
He had originally planned to work with textiles, but he’s now also exploring Deakin and RMIT’s architecture degrees.
Asked what he would say if he could give some sage advice to his younger self, Ozer laughs and says, “Invest in crypto!”
“More seriously, I’d tell myself, that everything will be okay. The aspects of life that seem strange or confusing will come together. Keep learning.”
Finally, he loves this quote: ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.’
