Panagiota Houpis
Juris Doctor
When she’s not working on her Greek dance moves in her weekly OPAcize class, Panagiota Houpis is preparing to begin her law career, after graduating from Melbourne Law School with a Juris Doctor.
Panagiota says fitting in that dance class during her studies was an important part of finding balance in a busy schedule.
“It’s been tremendous in maintaining my mental health and physical wellbeing and has been a great bonding opportunity with my mum, friends from uni and colleagues.”
When Panagiota arrived at Melbourne for the start of her studies, she initially felt overwhelmed. But it didn’t take her long to find her footing.
“My biggest challenge was coming from a small high school and adapting to such a big campus,” Panagiota says. “The interactive tutorial and seminar method of teaching at Melbourne was a great way to meet lifelong friends. Melbourne Uni has definitely felt like a second home.”
The University of Melbourne was an easy choice for Panagiota, who first visited in 2010 as a Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholar.
“From that moment I fell in love with the campus, the University's dedication to its students and its prestigious reputation nationally and internationally,” Panagiota says.
I knew that a degree from Melbourne would allow me to stand out and have a meaningful career.
That career will see her start off at law firm Ashurst, joining its Graduate Program next March. To her peers that are currently on the job hunt, Panagiota suggests they get a head start by attending networking events to find out what future workplaces look for in a candidate. And to any students still at university, Panagiota emphasises the importance of taking time out to stop and smell the roses.
"Let go of the guilt while resting, smile and breathe".