Jacqueline Paul speaks with Gloria Tu’itupou – a first-year university student, about what it was like beginning university and the impact of the pandemic on her and fellow peers at this time. She explains how fast things happened and changed, the difficulties with being a student living in residence halls and some of the sacrifices her peers made during this time.
Gloria Tu’itupou is an 18-year-old student from the village of Kolomotu’a, Tonga. After migrating to Aotearoa in 2008, she has since lived in East Auckland having attended the schools of Pt England Primary/Intermediate and Tamaki College. Gloria is in her first year at the University of Auckland. She studies Biomedical Science with hopes of working within the Health sector in the future. She is particularly interested in Pasifika wellbeing and how positive health outcomes can be achieved for her community/people. Gloria is a newly inducted member of the Tāmaki Youth Council and is interested in learning more about (local and national) politics. She also wants to gain more knowledge about advocacy, and learn more about societal inequities and how change can be affected. She believes that engagement, inclusion, and representation of youth — especially that of minority groups — are important for the growth of communities and therefore societies. Gloria’s other interests include volleyball, film, fashion, anime, arts, science, and learning more about Pasifika culture.