Chelsea Nichols
Oud Metha 2007–2013 | College 2013–2021
The shy girl in the ankle-length red and white striped dress who walked through the Oud Metha gates into FS2 in 2007 was nowhere to be found in the confident young woman who left as Head Girl and Rugby Captain in 2021.
Somewhere between swimming squad sessions, a Year 6 Lion King production, and discovering rugby, Chelsea Nichols found her voice.
The Water Was Where She Could Hide
Born in Brisbane, Chelsea moved to Dubai with her parents when she was three. At Oud Metha, she was quiet. Reserved. The kind of child who preferred staying in her comfort zone.
"Because I was so shy at DESS, I took every opportunity I could to swim because the water helped me to escape and hide," she says.
Those early morning and after-school swim squad sessions? At the time, she grumbled about them, but looking back, she sees them differently and is pleased that her parents encouraged her to go.
"With the benefit of hindsight, I now realise that those squad days were some of the most enjoyable experiences in my life. Mr. Rowe, our coach, remains one of my most influential role models to this day. His guidance and support were invaluable assets to the school and had a major effect on me."
The pool became her sanctuary. The place where a shy child could disappear into the rhythm of laps and strokes and not have to perform for anyone.
The Elephant in the Room (Literally)
Chelsea wasn't naturally drawn to the spotlight. But Oud Metha had a way of pulling everyone into school productions, whether they wanted to be there or not.
Year 4: The A Team. Chelsea's best friend Sophie played BA Baracus and "absolutely nailed it."
Year 6: The Lion King. Their final primary school production. Chelsea was an elephant.
"I was never really into it, but one of the real DESS strengths is the way they encourage everyone to get involved with projects to develop a strong community spirit. As it turned out, I was an elephant and had the time of my life."
It's the kind of memory that sticks. Not because it was glamorous, but because it was fun and pushed her just outside the edges of who she thought she was.
The Ski Trip That Felt Like Growing Up
Then there was the Year 6 ski trip to Switzerland. Looking back, Chelsea calls it ‘a major highlight of my school years.’
"Being away from home, conquering the slopes, and feeling like a total grown-up. It's one of those memories that sticks with you forever."
These are the moments Chelsea returns to when she takes one of her frequent strolls down memory lane. Not the academic milestones, but the small, specific experiences that shaped her quietly. The kind that sit in what she calls her core memory; where she hopes they’ll stay forever.
The Leadership Journey She Didn't See Coming
Chelsea never saw herself as a leader. She preferred to stay out of the limelight, well within her comfort zone.
But somewhere along the way, something shifted.
"I realised one day that to strive and develop as both a student and a person, I should put myself out there and give new things a go. With this goal in mind, and with the constant encouragement and supportive environment provided by both Oud Metha and College, as it was then. I discovered my passion for rugby. And seemingly out of nowhere, my real leadership journey began."
Rugby changed everything. It gave her a team, a purpose, and a role that demanded she step up, speak out, and lead from the front.
By the time she left College in 2021, Chelsea was Rugby Captain, leading the women's team at the Dubai Rugby Sevens. She was also Head Girl; a position she describes as both humbling and unexpected.
"I was incredibly proud to be asked to be Head Girl, especially as I never saw myself as a leader as I went through Oud Metha and then into College."
What Happened Next
After College, Chelsea was invited onto the University of Queensland's Liveris Academy Merit Scholarship Scheme to start a Bachelor of Mathematics/Bachelor of Commerce degree.
She's back in Australia now, having returned as someone entirely different from the three-year-old who left for Dubai.
The shy girl who hid in the pool is still in there somewhere. But so is the rugby captain. The Head Girl. The young woman who learned that stepping outside your comfort zone doesn't erase who you are, it just expands what you're capable of.