The journey so far has been amazing. I’ve been able to experience some of the most amazing parts of Australia, and what more chatting with young pople about the stuff that’s important to them.

One thing I’m really captured by is the amount of young people that are doing things NOW. I can’t even thing how many times I’ve heard “we need to look after our young people because they are our future.” To me it doesn’t make much sense really. Does that mean when I turn 18 (or 25) I become a real (live) person?

I’ve seen so many young people doing such incredible things -usually for the benefit of other young people. they are doing things now, and not waiting until they have finished school, or finsihed studying, or get that good job. They are doing things now. I find that incredibly inspiring.

All the way through this journey, I’m trying to file stuff in my mind to take to New York with me about “what it means to be an Australian young person”. By the day before I leave to go to New York, I have been expecting myself to have 35 dot points on what it means to be a young Australian.

I’m fast coming to the realisation that this is an impossible (and probably silly) expectation. Young people are as eclectic as all people. Some are short, some are tall, some think this is important, others think that is important, some like this, others hate that. Is it possible to define young Australians? Is it even necessary? Maybe I’ve set myself up for failure…

What I am starting to think is that there are three things always exist in young people (and probably all people) whether in Derby or Sydney. We want to be heard. We want to belong. We want to have a purpose. When I think about myself, that’s definitely the three things that I want. Maybe throw a 90cm TV into there as well.

I’m heading off today to travel to Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga and then the NT. I also put the Baby Animals self-titled album on my iPod! I’m not too sure which of the two I’m more excited about.