If you scroll through Instagram on any given day, you might stumble across one of Disha’s posts, a heartfelt reminder to dream boldly, a gentle nudge toward body acceptance, or a piece of career advice offered with the sincerity of someone who genuinely wants you to thrive. Her comment section is often filled with gratitude from young women across Australia and beyond. And every so often, Disha sits there reading their messages with tears in her eyes.
- A Vision Born from Courage, Creativity and Community
- Glow Getaways: Reducing Loneliness One Adventure at a Time
- Why We Think Canberra Should Know About Disha
- A Purpose Shaped by Empathy and Real Conversations
- Champions for First-Generation Women
- The Gift of Being Herself
- The Balance Behind the Work
- A Canberra Story Worth Sharing
- Do You Know Another Person With Purpose?
For many, social media is a highlight reel. For Disha, it’s a lifeline, a place where she speaks directly to first-generation women and international students carving out a life on their own terms. It’s also where she began to realise the quiet crisis unfolding beneath the surface of this growing community.
Because while international students often appear bright, social, and endlessly adventurous, research tells a different story. Young adults, particularly those studying away from home, consistently report the highest levels of loneliness, isolation and disconnection. It’s something Disha has seen in university confession pages, late-night messages from strangers, and the unspoken strain shared by those trying to build a future in a country far from family.
And it’s what led her to create Glow Getaways, a Canberra-born initiative designed to bring people together through group travel, shared experiences, and friendships that last long after the trip ends.
A Vision Born from Courage, Creativity and Community
Disha is many things:
A psychology student.
A mental health educator.
A show host.
A founder.
A creative.
A first-generation woman building a life from scratch.
And above all, a person who believes deeply in human connection.
When she speaks about international students, there is a clear and unmistakable sense of care. She knows the quiet battles many face, from forming friendships to navigating cultural expectations, from managing finances to carrying the invisible weight of “making it” for the families back home.
She also knows how quickly loneliness can spiral. Social isolation doesn’t always look like staying home. It can be sitting in a lecture theatre surrounded by hundreds of people and feeling like no one truly sees you. It can be scrolling through photos of group trips, birthdays, and brunches you weren’t invited to. It can be being too embarrassed to admit you haven’t made any friends yet.
Glow Getaways was her way of saying to every young person in that place: You don’t have to do this alone.
Glow Getaways: Reducing Loneliness One Adventure at a Time
Glow Getaways isn’t just a travel initiative. It’s a social prescription for loneliness, one backed by a growing body of Australian research showing that structured, meaningful social connection dramatically improves wellbeing.
Disha designs each getaway with intention. Activities aren’t just entertaining, they’re conversation starters. Travel groups aren’t just random, they’re hand-picked to encourage openness, trust, and natural connection. Shared adventures become the scaffolding for friendships that extend far beyond the trip.
As she puts it,
“International students or uni students in general look very sociable on the surface, but research suggests young adults are the most lonely group. Through Glow Getaways, we mitigate loneliness and create positive social connections through group travelling. The activities are designed for people to initiate conversations and form friendships for life.”
It’s that word, mitigate, that reflects the quiet wisdom behind her work. Disha isn’t providing a quick fix. She’s creating the conditions for connection, belonging and psychological safety.
Glow Getaways is purpose in action. It’s lived experience turned into community impact.
It’s an example of what happens when someone chooses bravery over comfort.
Why We Think Canberra Should Know About Disha
Purpose Media CBR was founded to celebrate the people shaping our city, the ones who give more than they take, who see gaps and step up, who make Canberra a kinder, more connected place.
Disha is all of that. She represents the heartbeat of a generation building their stories in real time. A generation of international students navigating transition, culture, ambition and identity. A generation of first-generation women forging independence with courage, humour and grit.
In many ways, Disha stands at the intersection of purpose and lived experience.
She doesn’t glamorise struggle. She doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. She simply shows up, with honesty, creativity, and a willingness to turn her own lessons into something that helps others.
And Canberra needs more of that.
A Purpose Shaped by Empathy and Real Conversations
When she talks about the messages she receives online, Disha’s voice softens. These are not passive interactions. They are young women saying:
“I finally applied for that job because of you.”
“I’m learning to like my body again.”
“I didn’t feel alone today.”
“You said something I needed to hear.”
It’s the kind of feedback that can only come from someone who is deeply authentic. Someone who shows up vulnerably, without pretense. Someone who allows their life to be a tool for others to grow.
Disha describes herself as someone who “welcomes new experiences with arms wide open,” someone “always down for chats and brunches,” and someone who loves “turning visions into realities.” That openness is why so many people trust her voice. She is spontaneous, adventurous and unafraid to say yes, whether it’s skydiving, stand-up comedy, or impulsively trying public karaoke. But beneath that boldness is a thoughtful psychology student who understands mental health, identity formation, and the complex emotions tied to starting over in a new country.
Glow Getaways is the perfect blend of these parts: the brave explorer and the empathetic listener.
Champions for First-Generation Women
Across her platforms, Disha returns to a core theme again and again: supporting first-generation women who are building careers and lives on their own terms. These are women navigating:
- the pressure to succeed
- the weight of cultural expectation
- the reality of starting from scratch
- the dream of standing tall alongside men
- the fear and excitement of choosing differently
For many first-generation women, loneliness is not just social, it can be cultural, financial, emotional, existential. Disha understands that. She honours it. And she speaks directly to it.
Through her content and her work, she sends a powerful message:
“You have all the power in the world to change your story. You are the main character of your life. Never be afraid to take that chance on yourself.”
It’s a line that feels like a rallying cry to uplift the community.
The Gift of Being Herself
When asked what she is most proud of, Disha doesn’t list achievements, awards or accolades.
Instead, she says:
“There have been so many times when I received an insane amount of love from people for just being myself. That makes me so proud of who I am.”
It is rare to hear such grounded confidence spoken with such softness. It speaks to someone who has done the internal work to understand her voice and the impact it can have.
Her purpose is not tied to performance. It is tied to authenticity. And that authenticity is shaping a ripple effect across Canberra’s international student community.
The Balance Behind the Work
People often assume that someone as energetic and purpose-driven as Disha never slows down. But her self-care is grounded in something beautifully simple: a solo trip, a day off, a favourite meal, or a catch-up with friends.
It is a reminder that community work, especially emotionally charged work, requires balance. Glow Getaways may be high energy and full of connection, but it is built by someone who also understands the need for quiet moments.
This balance makes her work sustainable. It ensures that she gives from abundance, not depletion.
A Canberra Story Worth Sharing
At Purpose Media CBR, we search for stories that matter. Stories that uplift, educate and connect. Stories that remind us that connection is not a luxury; it is a protective factor. Stories that show how one person’s courage can shift the wellbeing of many.
Disha’s story is exactly that.
She saw loneliness in a place where many expected vibrancy.
She heard the whispers behind the curated feeds.
She paid attention to what wasn’t being said.
And she did something about it.
Glow Getaways is more than travel.
It’s a belonging project.
It’s a harm-reduction initiative wrapped in adventure.
It’s a community connector disguised as a getaway.
And it was created right here in Canberra.
Want to Follow Disha’s Work?
You can find her through:
Glow Getaways – group travel experiences designed to foster friendship
Disha on Instagram – @dishataneja3184_
Do You Know Another Person With Purpose?
Purpose Media CBR is dedicated to uplifting the people and places that strengthen our community. If there’s someone whose story deserves to be told, we would love to hear from you.
Nominate a Person with Purpose via our website or DM us on Instagram.
Together, we can make Canberra feel more connected, more supported and more seen.
