05 Jul 2021

My house was known as 'The Shoebox' growing up. My room fit a single bed and a tiny wardrobe, the windows were so old that they only opened 30% of the time and the walls were so paper thin, you could hear everyone else breathing. We didn't travel go on holidays growing up. Instead, my brother and I would whip out an old tent, camp in the backyard and toast marshmallows in a tiny fire.

My clothes were all hand-me-downs. My mum always cut my hair. The boujiest dinner we ever had was at the local RSL club.

But I'm just painting a picture here! Don't mistake me for inviting you to my pity party because I am genuinely the happiest, luckiest person alive. I know I have it so much better than so so so many others. 

But this is just the truth. I was surrounded by rich mates growing up. 

I never really noticed it until my friends and I were reminiscing about the tooth fairy when I was about 13. They all said how they'd get $50 notes. I then said that I never got money, but a magical letter each time from the tooth fairy saying that my tooth had become a new star. I mean, at 7 years old, I was STOKED. What kid needs $50 anyways?

But it got me thinking. How come everyone got money but me? Then, as soon as I could legally have a casual job at 14, I handed out resumes and started the grind. 

I loved making my own dollarydoos. I could afford my own clothes, books, and nice dinners out with my friends. It felt good tapping my own card to pay for a movie ticket whilst my friends used the cash their 'rents gave them.

I saved up every penny to go on a volunteering trip to Thailand at 14 for a month (my first time on a plane!), then to go to France on a school trip at 16. I saved up my dosh for a gap year travel trip and then afterward, to move out.

It felt good taking charge of my own life. Buuut there were of course downsides too.

None of my other friends had jobs in high school. I missed out on parties, hangouts, and events so that I could afford the future I wanted. A future they would have had handed to them on a silver platter.

I worked through the HSC whilst my friends sorely focused on studying. I worked through summer whilst all of them tanned or went on family cruises and trips to Europe. 

When I stayed at their massive houses with insane views of the beach, I couldn't help but feel jealous, even a little bitter. Everything was just so easy for them. 

When I moved out of home for uni, I felt this jealousy more than ever. I didn't know that the film school I'd gotten into was so prestigiously known as a "rich" school. Here I was, working two jobs to afford rent, bills, groceries, and a social life, and here they were, dropping $10,000 of their parents' money to make a 5-minute short film... No joke.

Every other student had all the newest cameras, lenses, sound equipment, tripods, lights and software. I had my mums old film camera from the 90s and a laptop that sounded like a helicopter was taking off when it had more than 2 tabs open.

Again, I really don't want this to sound like a self-pity show. I laugh about this now. But it was a little rough at the time. I mean, they all excelled in assignments because they could put tonnes of money and time into every project. They all got their foot in the door in the film industry because they were able to volunteer on film sets, whilst I was at the grind. They all knew rich people in high places.

But here is what I really learned from being surrounded by rich friends my whole life, and especially at uni.

When you don't have everything so easy, you are that much more appreciative of the little things. I wasn't lying when I said I was the happiest person in the world. When life isn't so easy for you, you tend to be more empathetic, self-aware, and humble. Not only that, but you figure out how to work around challenges and embrace them. You become savvy, clever and creative.

I didn't have a big budget for the short films I made at film school, so I had to think outside the box. How I could tell a story with these blockages? I was forced to be more innovative and unique, and I think that's a better skill than being able to throw thousands of dollars into something to make it look good.

Being surrounded by rich friends is a neg, trust me, I know. But looking back, I am so thankful that things didn't come easy for me. I know the value of money and the things that it can do for me, but I also know, above all, that it isn't everything. I'd still take the star over the money any day.