Feeling pretty defeated - Investment Banking

Struggling to get finance internships. I'm a first year at a Go8 uni. I transferred into a commerce double degree from a non-target after getting a mediocre ATAR.

I can already tell someone in the comments will try to shut me down, saying I only want IB because I searched "highest paying jobs" on TikTok, or because I think it'll make me 6ft with a six-pack or something stupid like that, or tell me to explore more careers and that ATAR isn't the end of the world. But I've genuinely enjoyed Excel, financial modelling and valuing companies since high school. I know most people hate this stuff and only do it for the money, but it's what I like to do in my free time. It doesn't matter though, because a lot of firms screen for 90-95+ ATAR, so I never even get the chance to show that passion.

I'm now forced to take uni very seriously because I can't afford any more mistakes. I'm sitting on a 90 WAM, which is great, but everyone's WAMs are clumped pretty high right now. It feels like no matter how hard I work, it won't be enough to make up for an 83 ATAR.

What makes it worse is how much ATAR still matters. I get it in first year, since uni grades don't mean much yet. But from what I've heard, it doesn't really get better. Firms keep asking for your ATAR all the way through uni, so it feels like one bad year of high school follows you forever. And no, "just apply to smaller boutiques" doesn't fix it. When you're cold emailing in first year with barely any uni results, ATAR is the main thing they have to judge you on.

I'm trying my best to network, but it's hard when I don't have any connections in the most nepotistic industry in the most nepotistic country. I'm picking up as many extracurriculars as I can while keeping up with uni, but none of it feels like enough.

People will probably also tell me to take it easy at my age and have fun. But honestly, I'm not really one to have fun. I'd rather become a so-called "corporate slave". Laugh all you want, but this is what I really want to do.

Any investment bankers here who didn't get the ATAR they wanted, how did you break in (without your dad owning the company or having to try for 10 extra years)? Or am I kidding myself thinking someone like me still can?