Kate Gategood offers heartfelt warning after death of daughter Elana Gaiyich at Australian Catholic University

That was all it took for drugs to "destroy" the promising life that awaited Elana Gaiyich.

An aspiring nurse or paramedic, the 20-year-old only moved to Canberra in February to study at the Australian Catholic University and chase her dreams.

She quickly made friends, joined a hockey club and got herself a job while achieving well academically.

But under the surface were struggles with anxiety and depression, which Ms Gaiyich's mother, Kate Gategood, believes were the catalyst for her to start "dabbling in some things she thought were going to make her feel better".

Tragically, that decision proved fatal as Ms Gaiyich suffered a drug overdose at her university accommodation in April.

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Now, after the man who supplied Ms Gaiyich with heroin and diazepam pleaded guilty, Ms Gategood has some heartfelt advice for people her daughter's age.

"It doesn't matter what is wrong," an emotional Ms Gategood told The Canberra Times on Wednesday.

"Drugs are not the answer. They'll never make you better. They'll only make things worse.

"Elana was a really, really beautiful person who had her whole life ahead of her, and one weekend just destroyed that."

Ms Gategood wants people to know her daughter was not "some sort of heroin junkie".

"She liked adrenaline, adventure, being with people and helping people," Ms Gategood said, describing nursing as a natural career choice.

Ms Gategood is firm in her belief Ms Gaiyich only tried heroin for the first time on the Easter long weekend, days after meeting Brooklyn Armstrong Beattie.

Documents tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday, when Beattie, 22, pleaded guilty to charges of supplying Ms Gaiyich with a prohibited substance and a declared substance, show the pair matched on dating app Tinder in early April.

On Good Friday, they used heroin together at the start of what police described as a "long weekend of drug-taking" at Beattie's home in Greenway.

Three days later, with Beattie in the process of moving back to his family home in Conder, the pair went to stay at Ms Gaiyich's university dormitory in Watson.

They again used heroin, with Beattie later telling police he had only given Ms Gaiyich, who also took a number of Valium tablets, a "tiny" amount because he was "selfish" and wanted more for himself.

Tragically, Ms Gaiyich overdosed on the night of Easter Monday and could not be saved despite attempts by Beattie, and paramedics, to revive her.

"It only takes one occasion," Ms Gategood said of the potential for drugs to take a life.

In addition to pleading with young people not to use illicit drugs, Ms Gategood, a nurse, has a poignant warning for other parents.

She said while young adults like Ms Gaiyich were at an age where they were finding greater independence, "you don't just stop being their parent".

"It's really important to just keep engaging with them," she said.

Looking back, Ms Gategood said she knew something was not right in the lead-up to her daughter's death.

"I really wish I had been a bit more proactive and gone to see her, instead of just relying on her text messages," she said.

"Everyone needs to hug their children more and tell them they love them."

She is thankful, however, for the fact she did that the last time they were together.

While Ms Gaiyich leaves behind a grieving family, including younger siblings she "adored", Ms Gategood and her loved ones are dealing with the tragedy graciously.

"We're not angry at Brooklyn at all," she said of Beattie, expressing hope the 22-year-old would receive a sentence that would help him to address his own "demons and addiction problems".

Beattie is not charged with causing Ms Gaiyich's death.

He is due to be sentenced for drug supply on June 21.

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