Name: Millie Williams
Degree: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Aviation
Year: 3rd Year, Brisbane South (Nathan), on the land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples
Roles: Deputy Chief Student Pilot | Griffith University Soaring Society (GUSS) Vice President
Favourite food/drink on campus and the best place to enjoy it?
I’m a chai latte kind of girl. I’m partial to a steaming cup from Cafe Rossa at Brisbane South (Nathan). They do it best – I’ve tried the new place, but it’s not quite the same! Even though I bring my coffee from home, I’m always tempted by a chai. Best of all, you can have it hot or cold, so it’s always perfect. When the weather’s good, you’ll find me stretched out on the lawn outside Goanna Lounge. It’s sunny, quiet and perfect for catching up with friends or just soaking up the Queensland winter. I’m also enjoying the new buskers showcase held outside Cafe Rossa. There’s some amazing musical talent on campus.
Best thing you’ve done on campus recently?
Okay, technically this is off campus – but my recent trip to the Darling Downs Soaring Club (DDSC) at McCaffrey Airfield is top of my list.
As part of Griffith’s gliding club – Griffith University Soaring Society (GUSS) – I help organise student flying camps. I love spending my weekends launching aircraft from remote airfields. During our last trip, we flew Friday to Sunday and managed to launch 33 flights in all. That many is unusual, but we had perfect conditions. It’s peaceful, exhilarating and a total reset from the intensity of student life. I’m a fully licensed glider pilot, a qualification I completed in just under a year. There’s nothing quite like the silence and stillness of gliding. It’s just you, the plane and the sky. At the moment, the sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking and there’s no better place to be.
What are you most looking forward to next trimester?
I’ve got an engineering design subject coming up and I’m beyond excited. I haven’t had a creative class since first year – it’s been all maths and mechanics. But I grew up dancing, and I still play the cello, so having space to tap into that creative side again is going to be so refreshing. I try to bring this creative energy into my leadership roles, which include Vice President of GUSS and being part of the gliding club committee. Being involved in student life gives you purpose outside of lectures – it connects you to a bigger picture.
Secret sanctuary on campus?
There’s a little sun-drenched courtyard hidden between two staircases. No one goes there because it’s kind of awkward to reach. It’s surrounded by trees and it’s always quiet. When I need a break, I sit there and read – Agatha Christie is my go-to when my brain needs a break. Her writing is so clean. It’s the perfect antidote to dense engineering texts!
Top tip?
Explore – literally and metaphorically. It’s so easy to get stuck in the same routines. In my first trimester, I followed the exact same route every day – car park, class, library, back again. One day, I realised how much of the campus I hadn’t actually seen. I decided to try different paths. Once a week, I’d detour somewhere new – down a trail I’d never walked, through the bushland, past buildings I’d never entered. I started finding quiet ovals, hidden benches, little sun traps. It helped me break out of that tunnel vision mindset. It’s good to try something unexpected in life. Join a club, go to a random event, talk to someone outside your cohort. Sometimes, your best memories come from wandering off the map.
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