“This is your crowning moment” – 2025 Scholars receive advice from an Old Boy

Just six years ago, Mr Ritvik Dinesh (Class of ‘19) was sitting at his own Scholars’ Assembly, celebrating his achievements as well as those of his friends. 

School Prefect, Vice Captain of Kerrigan House, representing Trinity the first XI Cricket, first IV Tennis, a member of the 2019 Track and Field CAS team, and earning himself a 42 out of 45 in the IB Diploma Program, Mr Dinesh had a lot to celebrate.

It was that day that inspired his guest address at last week’s 2025 Scholars’ Assembly. 

“What I remember most from that day is what one of my friends told me while we were getting our photos after the Assembly,” he recalled. “He said ‘In these next ten years, our lives are probably going to change more than they will ever change again for the rest of our lives’.” 

He was quick to note that these words meant nothing to him at the time but now, just six years into that decade of change, he sees how perceptive his friend really was. 

There has been plenty of change for him since leaving Trinity. The end of 2025 saw Mr Dinesh completing his double degree in Mechatronic Engineering and Physics at the University of Sydney. In the waiting period between finishing his degree and starting full-time work, he developed his own app to track investments. Now, he’s about to embark on a new chapter at Commonwealth Bank as an AI Engineer. 

His advice for the graduating class is simple: time goes so fast, so make your moves with intention. 

“You are at a time in your life where your life paths are basically endless. You can take a gap year, go on exchange, start a company, try to become a professional athlete,” he said. “Just remember that time goes fast and every year that passes by, the door on some of these paths start closing.” 

He shares some of his own experiences – not slowed down by starting university just before the pandemic – a Paris exchange, studying at Stanford University, playing tennis in Spain, building a self-driving car in class at university … he recognises that each of these opportunities has shaped him. 

“These things didn’t happen by accident. I had to be very intentional with my time because the time does go fast.” 

“Make the most of these next few years by being as intentional as you can with whatever you choose to do. Your options might be endless now, but your time isn’t.” 

While at school, students have the benefit of structure and support, but Mr Dinesh noted that once they step out of that environment, it’s a different game, with many people following a trajectory for the sake of going through the motions. He found himself in the same situation and in 2024, began questioning the path he was following. 

“That angst forced me to ask myself who I wanted to become,” he said. “It forced me to be realistic about the gap between who I was and who I wanted to be. It was the first time I had to defend to myself whether the direction my life was heading was the right one for me.” 

“The cost of making the wrong decision with your life choices is at an all time low,” he continued, encouraging the graduates to recognise the opportunity they have in front of them. 

“If you decide you hate your degree, don’t hesitate to change degrees. If you decide uni isn’t for you, and you want to go down a non-traditional path? Even if you fail, as Theodore Roosevelt once said, at least you fail while daring greatly.” 

Reflecting on where his own cohort is now, he considers achievements and milestones – marriages, high-profile jobs, children, even Olympians are in his midst. His friend was right, all those years ago: life looks very different now to what it did then. 

“I can measure the changes by the titles on my resume or the places I’ve been, but the most significant change for me has been beginning the journey of self-discovery and figuring out who I want to become.” 

“It’s very easy to follow a crowd, especially when that crowd is highly successful. But, it’s only beneficial if you want to go where that crowd is going.” 

“Your version of 2030 is going to come sooner than you think. Who will you be when that time comes?” 

For the graduating cohort, Mr Dinesh’s address is particularly poignant. In 2019, when he graduated Trinity, these Scholars were just beginning Year 7. Now, as they step into the challenge of university and life in the transitory years immediately after school, Mr Dinesh is farewelling that era. More than just providing advice, the Scholars can look at Mr Dinesh as an example of someone who took all the opportunities that came his way.