Xander Lake

"I’d like to shout out to my teachers who instilled discipline and study habits that helped me through uni"

Xander Lake remembers feeling ‘excited and daunted’ on his first day at Yarra Valley Grammar. Xander joined the school in Year 7 and quickly made friends with people who remain his close friends today.

“My year level was very close to each other and my core group of friends today are from Yarra. I think that speaks of the community spirit at the School,” says Xander.

That year he remembers recess and lunchtimes hanging out near the Year 7 building but later years were spent kicking a footy or organising down ball games that attracted a significant crowd.

Xander enjoyed Saturday sport and was especially happy to get up at weekends and play cricket. In the classroom, English and Humanities were favourite subjects and in later years Xander discovered Psychology which he continued to study at university.

After six years of study, he recently received his general registration and now works as a psychologist at a private medical clinic.

“COVID has created some tough times for many people – people can’t find a job, they can’t run their business or they are separated from family,” says Xander.

“I’ve seen some people with some heavy stuff happening but months later they are better and it’s such a feeling to know you’ve had an impact on someone’s life.”

Self-care is an important part of Xander’s lifestyle to ensure he stays well to be able to help people who seek his advice.
As well as exercise and keeping fit, he says his faith is an integral part of his life.

“At the start of every day I ask God to give me strength and I thank him for that strength at the end of the day,” says Xander.

“I also practice techniques I use with my clients like mindfulness. In situations like COVID I think it’s important to focus on the things you can control in your life, rather than focusing on what we can’t control.”

Xander also enjoys writing, something he also enjoyed during his years at Yarra. A keen fan of science-fiction, he hopes to write his own bestseller one day.

“I still wake up with ideas for stories and jot them down but I haven’t had much time to write because of university. Now I’m hoping to be able to write more,” he says.

Xander can recall the school motto and says it remains a source of motivation.

“Just because you can’t see the sun in your life some days, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. But if you look to the hills, you will see the sun and a new day dawning,” he says.