Editor - Noa Staunton

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Noah Browning, QUT Creative Arts Student and King’s Associate Dean of Student Support (ADSS) , shares his multi-dimensional life. After a year-and-a-half of engineering and computer science, Browning made the radical decision to swap degrees because “it wasn’t where [his] passion lied”. He explains he “wouldn’t look back” when comparing the long hours in the learning centre, about to “bite [his] hand off”, to his Bachelor of Creative Arts majoring in Acting which he claims “I wouldn’t even really call it a uni course I would just call it life.”

When changing degrees, the audition process included creating a self-tape and explaining the creative process, then sending it off, hoping for a call-back. Browning feared he might “be in this realm of getting denied and not getting to do what [he] wanted.” However, after applying for multiple courses across Australia, he was accepted into Queensland University of Technology (QUT), allowing him to stay at King’s. The highly competitive QUT course has only about 20 students, who Browning claims he is “very lucky” and “very grateful” to be among. 

When asked if he has advice for students who feel they may be in the wrong degree, Browning explains “it’s about doing something until you work out what you want to do”. Claiming it’s about finding what you love, because “you’re only going to have one opportunity to do it”. 

King’s College recently performed an act from Sam Shepard’s “Fool for Love” in the OneAct-Play, which Browning led. Browning explains Shepard’s work “really resonates” with him and is the reason he “fell in love with the craft”. His passion certainly shone through because King’s College won the competition for the first time. 

Browning’s favourite part was “working with everyone”. He explains the process of putting together the performance is “so unique”, as though they are “bringing something to life”. Despite being disorganised in the beginning, the team ended up doing 3-4 sessions a week for eight weeks, a rigorous process to bring Browning’s “vision” to life. 

Browning has also been training for a 100km ultra-marathon. Although as a child he was not “much of a runner”, running became “a way to connect with people” at the end of his firstyear at King’s. He explains it’s “such a good outlet”, no matter “how hectic” life gets, “you can just go for a run and feel so much better”. He ran the Noosa marathon with his friends in his second year, and decided it was time to try something “nearly impossible”. Browning admits “I’ve definitely bitten off almost something I can’t chew”, however his commitment has shown through his tenacious training regime. 

Browning has been running 100km weeks and built up to 140km weeks. However, it hasn’t been without its consequences. He has gotten sick from juggling the social life of college with ultra-marathon training. After going for a long run on a Thursday, then out that night, he “ended up being cooked for the next week”, explaining that was his “lesson learnt the hard way”. He aspires to possibly run 100 miles next, but cannot even consider the thought until his ultra-marathon is complete. 

Browning is currently an ADSS at King’s College. Although he explains his responsibility is “kind of a grey area”, he says it’s “a handy-man role”. His key responsibility is to assist the Residential Leaders (RL’s) to flourish. He has his own group of RL’s to look after, while also assisting the Executive Team and admin. 

When asked what advice he has for King’s Future Leaders, he explains “there’s a lot of opportunity for what’s to come and anyone who’s a leader next year is going to be able to really change the path of King’s.”

When asked how King’s facilitated his hobbies and talents, Browning says “the greatest thing about King’s is it allows people to be themselves” and not feel they need to “try to be cool”. He continues, “King’s is such a wonderful space for allowing people to flourish and do their thing”.

At King’s, you “just have to take a look down the hallway, no one’s the same here.”