Fresh start for new Optic Society President
A GCU student is hoping to find her confidence again after taking on the role of Optic Society President.
Optometry student Taylor McMahon, who’ll be starting her fourth year in September, is looking to reignite the Society while also getting back to her old self after a covid-hit couple of years.
Having been a general member since the end of first year, Taylor was approached to take on the position of Interim President after showing interest in a place on the Society’s committee.
She said: “I was actually thinking about taking on a role last year, but I wasn’t really sure how much work would be involved. The opportunity came around again, and I just decided to offer my help.
“I wasn’t expecting to be handed everything but it’s an opportunity I’m excited for. It’s nice that I’m able to shape things the way I want.”
It’s been a long journey for Taylor, who made the move from Inverness to Glasgow in 2019. First year brought about challenges and joining the GCU Students’ Association Optic Society seemed like a welcomed escape from the world of lectures, essays and resits; however, a certain global pandemic had other ideas.
Taylor said: “I didn’t realise how challenging optometry would be. It’s hard enough moving away from home, but I feel like I lost a lot of confidence when I first came to uni.
“A lot of things you have to do yourself: if you don’t do it, you don’t get it. You’ve got to go out your way to talk to people and make a whole new friendship group when you start this new chapter. It’s very daunting.
“I’m hoping this role will help me get back to being my old self. At school, I was Deputy Head Girl and involve in youth politics – that really added to my learning experience. I felt like I was getting back to that when I got involved with the Society but covid struck and everything has basically stopped since.”
With restrictions on gatherings hopefully now a distant memory, Taylor is keen to bring students together to help benefit them both personally and professionally.
She explained: “I want to make sure everyone gets what they want out of the Society. The main things will be social events and getting different employers in to show the range of career options students have. A lot of degrees lead to different paths, but optometry can seem quite specific. It’s important to realise what’s out there waiting for us.”
After her experience during first year, Taylor is also keen to provide individual support to students: particularly to those that are struggling with coursework or the general transition into higher education.
She said: “I want to hold a weekly study group in the Sir Alex Ferguson Library or Students’ Association Building. When I was doing resits, I was put into classes where I didn’t know anyone and found it really challenging.
“I think students sometimes think that they’re the only person that’s ever failed. I’ll be making a real effort to make sure no-one feels embarrassed in the same way I did when I was in that position.”
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By Ross Clark
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