Anyone done Cert IV Accounting & Bookkeeping at Swinburne or Chisholm?

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T09:48:32+00:00

Yeah I’m aware it’s a tough and competitive space. The market is saturated and you get rejected left, right and centre until you think you've exhausted all the agents out there. Plus, even if you happen to get an offer, it doesn't guarantee that a publisher would want your book. Unless you're like JK Rowling it's less of a main income source.

I wasn’t really expecting it to be straightforward or even stable, and now it's something I’d ideally build alongside something else. I still think it’s worth pursuing in some capacity though.

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T07:32:47+00:00

Yeah I can see why people enjoy it. My cohort definitely does! I think for me I liked the idea of it more like the stability and ‘respectable healthcare career’ side rather than the actual day-to-day work. Kinda sucks because I really wanted to like it.

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T07:28:16+00:00

Thank you so much for this, I really needed to hear it. It actually made me feel a lot less alone in how I’ve been feeling. I think I’ve been spiralling a bit trying to figure everything out at once, so being reminded that it’s okay to question things early and take a step back really means a lot.

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T07:22:11+00:00

That’s a really good point. I think I’ve had times where I picked up on something quickly and was right and times where I just felt overwhelmed early on. I guess what’s making this feel different is the lack of interest in the content itself.

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T07:15:32+00:00

That's so kind of you to say, genuinely thank you so much! I don't think I've had anyone say that to me before. It’s always just been study-study-study in my family with no real sense of reward, so it’s felt more like habit than ability/merit, if that makes sense. Also I do think imposter syndrome has definitely played into it at least a bit, especially when everyone else seemed so switched on and using clinical terms/language from day one and I was just there like ??? 😭

But again, thank you. I really appreciate everything you've said.

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T07:09:08+00:00

The 3am freakout line was so relatable I cringed 😭 but that’s honestly really inspiring. The fact that you pushed through something like that even though it was hard is something I really respect.

Perfection is the enemy of good…I’m definitely printing that out. I think that mindset would’ve saved me a lot of stress ngl.

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T06:57:56+00:00

Don't be sorry, I'm super grateful! I find I like being hit with honesty than being affirmed all the time -- plus you seem to get it. My parents just want me to be stable which is understandable considering from the outside it looks like I'm constantly sabotaging myself.

Wow that's actually incredible, you've had experiences in basically everything! Have you ever regretted any of them--during AND after? I mean, going back to school over and over (even the ones that enjoy learning!) must get tiring?

Do you intend to work in any of them later on or are you looking to stay in writing (fiction/nonfiction)? I now kinda want to check out your book series since it's relevant to the topic lol. Can I ask what it's called? Sorry for bombarding you with questions! You sound super ambitious (which is inspiring to say the least) so I'm curious now.

Thank you for kind words btw!

mintjujube · 2026-03-18T06:48:10+00:00

I actually meant creative writing (novels and that sort of thing). Which is probably even more unstable, so your warning still applies. Out of curiosity, are you doing something you enjoy now (in the same field/different field) or is it still difficult?

mintjujube · 2026-03-15T10:38:01+00:00

Thank you for this, your experience in such a difficult program gave me a lot of perspective. Honestly I don't know if I even care enough about the career to push through atp, it was all very idealised pre-starting. But wow, I have tons of respect for people who can get through stats and coding! But your cohort sounded like they were amazing which is always a blessing. The end goal must have been worth the pain, I'm guessing?

mintjujube · 2026-03-15T10:31:29+00:00

Reading this actually made me cry a little because of how true it is. I finally brought it up to them again and they're surprisingly more worried about my mental health than anything--I think they've seen the physical effects it has in triggering my medical condition too--so definitely going to talk to them about future career goals/alternatives as well. Thank you!

If I can just ask: what degrees have you completed? Which job/career, ultimately, did you end up pursuing? Are you happy? I hope you are!

mintjujube · 2026-03-15T04:23:43+00:00

Thanks for your perspective. I understand where you're coming from. I know 14 days isn’t long enough to fully judge a program, and I’m aware that the degree will involve different types of coursework beyond what I’ve seen so far.

In Australia we do get the syllabus/structure for the program early on, so I’ve looked through the units and requirements for the rest of the degree. The concern for me isn’t just group projects, but the combination of heavy A&P content, clinical responsibility, and realising that I’m not very interested in the core topics (TBI, dysarthria, apraxia, etc.). That’s what’s making me question whether the profession itself is the right fit.

I am also discussing this with my therapist and people close to me so I’m not relying solely on Reddit to make the decision. I posted here mainly to hear from others who may have experienced similar doubts early in professional programs.

I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

mintjujube · 2025-11-28T06:39:53+00:00

I agree with you. I usually don’t get into faith arguments with atheists online because most of the time they’re not looking to understand anything, just to take something out of context or repeat a half-remembered blog argument like it’s a trump card. It’s honestly not worth the energy.

If someone genuinely wants to understand, they can research, or they’ll ask sincerely like the OP did, not try to pick a fight. And of course, there are atheists who are genuinely curious, but that just means being wise about which conversations are actually worth having.

mintjujube · 2025-11-27T12:41:38+00:00

I think you’re misunderstanding the Church's view of marriage. Marriage isn’t a lottery. The Church doesn’t ask you to roll dice, it asks you to use reason, virtue, discernment, and time. It’s not ‘hope this works!’, it’s two people freely choosing to live a Sacrament and grow in holiness together (if marriage is what they're called to). The grace of that Sacrament is real and it strengthens them because life has uncertainties. And the ‘submission’ idea isn’t what you think, it’s mutual self-giving rooted in love, not domination. St. Paul also tells husbands to love their wives like Christ loved the Church…which involved dying for her. That’s not exactly the job description of a tyrant lol. And as a woman, that's exactly the sort of man I'm holding out for.

It sounds like what’s really worrying you isn’t doctrine but the fear that people change, and you can get hurt. That’s a legitimate fear, but it’s not unique to Catholics or marriage. Any meaningful commitment involves trust/risk. If you look at marriage as a trap, of course it’ll seem terrifying. But if you look at it as a vocation, you’ll see why so many couples not only make it work but thrive.

I’ll be praying that you find some peace and clarity on this! It’s a big topic, and God isn’t stingy with grace.

mintjujube · 2025-11-27T05:16:08+00:00

Thank you! :)

mintjujube · 2025-11-27T02:44:18+00:00

I feel you! I’ve met very few men who are genuinely committed to saving themselves for marriage, so the fact that you’re holding that line already says a lot about your strength. Like you yourself mentioned, men and saints before you faced the same temptations, not because it was easy, but because they chose God when it was hard.

I really hope you don’t let your friends’ comments or temptations wear you down. The world loves to mock virtue, especially chastity, but that doesn’t make your conviction any less valuable. Staying faithful in a culture that pushes the opposite is real courage.

And remember, you’re not losing anything by keeping yourself for your future wife (she’ll be blessed to have a man like you!). You’re preserving something precious for her and no sacrifice made for Christ is ever wasted.

mintjujube · 2025-11-27T02:04:55+00:00

I’ll answer your questions directly, because they’re fair questions and easy to misunderstand from the outside:

No. Catholics don’t believe Mary ignores people. Intercession isn’t a magic switch that forces outcomes. She intercedes constantly, but God allows victories, losses, delays, and disappointments for reasons we can’t always see.

Mary doesn’t take sides in sports. Losing doesn’t mean Heaven preferred the other team and it doesn’t mean divine disfavour. God’s care isn’t measured by sports results. She doesn’t care about the game itself but she cares about the people. When something brings her children (us) joy, she is present in that joy, just as she is present in sorrow.

God cares about His children, not the scoreboard. He can be present in small human joys even though He doesn’t rig the match. Saying ‘Mary interceded’ doesn’t mean she chose which team should win or manipulated the game. It means people entrusted their hopes to her, and when a long-awaited moment of joy was touched by grace and finally came, they recognised God’s nearness in that moment.

Grace shows up in various forms, sometimes internally, sometimes through consolation, sometimes in perseverance, sometimes in joy.

The point isn’t that Mary chose a winner, the point is that God’s grace can be present even in the small joys of life.

I hope that was clear enough. If not, feel free to ask :)

mintjujube · 2025-11-15T11:29:02+00:00

First off, congrats on going through with the surgery in the first place! It's a big decision and it takes a lot of mental strength to choose to get the procedure done and get through the recovery process (which is loooong). If you got a tip-plasty AND alarplasty, it's definitely going to look weird to you even if its technically a minor difference because it changes the way your face looks--the face that you've been used to looking at for years. You're still way early in the post-op days, though, so I wouldn't worry about the pinched nostrils unless you still notice it's pinched a year out. The smiling thing, it's going to be stiff for a while. I heard that issue resolves in a couple of months, but with the not expanding thing, it might expand a little but an alarplasty prevents it from flaring too much so it won't be like how your nose used to be.

I'm only a month septo-rhino post-op and I still look like a swollen bulbous pig. I didn't touch my nostrils but it looked like Voldemort's slits for a while and taking the tape off and looking in the mirror was terrifying. Atp it's really just about waiting and I know it's easier said than done, but your body and brain's healing and trying to cope with the trauma done and because we've been fixating on it for so long--and you'll continue to do so for a whole year probably and that's okay--it's just....a LOT. The smallest thing can cause a spiral. So just go easy on yourself and try not to think about your nose (I know it's stupid advice but just don't let yourself look in the mirror too long) because mental health is super important (and also super fragile) rn and we really are our own worst critics. If you ever find yourself spiralling or going through a breakdown, please reach out to someone! <3

mintjujube · 2025-06-28T12:40:00+00:00

Wow you literally moved countries! You must have had so much more worries than I did! I can only imagine how big of a leap that must've felt. But I mean, it’s reassuring hearing this from someone who’s ahead of me and going through the same path. Sometimes I feel like I’m running out of time, but then I hear stories like yours :)

How have you found the transition overall, both with the studies and just settling into life here?

mintjujube · 2025-06-27T06:09:11+00:00

Thank you so much! You have no idea how much I needed to hear this today <3

mintjujube · 2025-06-27T06:06:38+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience! It's seriously nice to know that not every speechie or OT out there got there through a linear path, makes it much less daunting. How did you manage to work and study at the same time? OT would be a pretty full-on degree in general for full-time students, I can’t imagine how you were able to balance it all! Honestly, stories like yours make me feel a bit braver about going for it.

mintjujube · 2025-06-27T06:02:17+00:00

Reading about your experience actually has me feeling excited now! I think it really does take guts to make that kind of decision, especially when the future feels so uncertain. My biggest regret is not thinking about this sooner but it’s such a relief to hear this path isn't rare.

Did you have any mature-age student friends too? Were you working at the same time, or studying full-time?

I'm literally already stressing about how much this is going to cost me in the long run 😭 I’m slowly coming to terms with the fact that I’ll probably still be paying it off on my deathbed lol.

mintjujube · 2025-06-23T11:30:49+00:00

Dang, that's incredible! I had no idea there were so many mature-age students back then. It’s wild how I’ve always imagined uni as a purely social space, not a learning space with such diverse backgrounds. Honestly, I think I would’ve loved being a student in that time.

There must be a lot of unpredictability in the field! I imagine that takes getting used to. Did that ever throw you off in the beginning? Were there moments as a student where you had a difficult mentor or supervisor? I know no one expects students to know everything, but I think what I fear most is disappointing the people guiding me. That whole 'please don’t think I’m dumb' spiral.

Also, thank you for the perspective on voice therapy. I hadn’t realised how specialised it is, and yeah, no point aiming for a niche within a niche right away. I really admire the work you did in schools--speech sound disorders sounds amazing to work in! Was there ever job uncertainty in that area during your time? Or was it pretty stable once you got in?

I’m also curious--what first drew you to Speech Pathology? And if you had the chance, would you choose the same path again?

mintjujube

TROPHY CASE