Written by Erin Pearce
“What?! Are you serious?!”
That was my first thought when I was informed that I had won a ticket to “In Conversation with Michelle Obama”.
Weeks before entering this competition, I knew Michelle Obama was touring Australia and thought it would be a cool experience to listen to what Michelle had to say because, from what I know, she is an inspiring, admirable, and absolute powerhouse of a woman.
Weeks later, I saw a competition held by Charles Sturt on their Facebook account to win tickets to see her. I thought, “You gotta be in it to win it,” right? I took my chances and shared why I would love to attend. From finding out I had won until the day of the event, I was so excited, and everybody I had told was just as shocked and excited as I was.
After an eventful trip from Orange to Sydney, including the train having to stop longer than normal, getting an Uber, and speed-walking the last 450 metres to the accommodation, I managed to make it to the event on time. I was even offered a seat closer to the stage.
The event started with Brendan Kerin, a Marawara/Barkindji Elder, playing the didgeridoo, followed by Yvonne Weldon, a Wiradjuri woman and councillor of the City of Sydney who did a Welcome to Country. Yvonne introduced and invited the moderator, Leigh Sales, an Australian journalist and author, to the stage.
Prior to Leigh welcoming Michelle on stage, a brief and moving video of Michelle Obama’s life was shown, which touched on her childhood, career, meeting Barack Obama and her time as a First Lady.
During the conversation between Leigh and Michelle, I typed some notes on my phone whenever something stood out to me.
Michelle shared honest and practical advice about dealing with overwhelming situations, building resilience, and staying grounded through life’s challenges. Michelle shared that whenever she was in an overwhelming situation, she would think, “focus on what I can control.”
And when she was talking about building resilience, she shared how her father still maintained a good attitude after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He went from a fit and healthy man to walking with crutches, then a walker, and eventually an electric scooter. Although he was declining, she noticed he always had an amazing attitude towards life. She also noted that people who were depressed, yet physically able, would still go to him for advice, even though his own health was declining. Michelle reminded me that building resilience is about what you do during the hard times and how you carry yourself.
Finally, another comment that stood out was, “get out of your comfort zone.” She mentioned, “it could just be one moment of your life; show up and do your best.” This was a great reminder for upcoming exams. Study hard, show up and do your best.
Overall, it was an inspiring experience that opened my eyes to the possibilities ahead of me. It taught me the importance of believing in myself and always doing my best, even during difficult times.
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