Advice for Future Students (1 Viewer)

[dagwoman]

There's a bit of stuff on the USyd website but it's relatively brief and I doubt it's written by actual students. I'm going to Sydney next year, and I was wondering if you guys have any advice to give us (soon-to-be) newbies. Stuff about lectures, getting around campus, general tips etc. I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[ujuphleg]

Have you tried:

http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/sydneylife/
http://www.aussiecitylife.com/ (more about Australian Idol than anything else, but amusing nonetheless)
http://digest.idmedia.org.au/ (very informative re: Student Politics)


As a bit of a starting point. The other thing to do is use the search function on this website for questions, BEFORE you ask them.

 

[ElGronko]

Unless you're rich and beautiful, STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM MANNING.


kthnx.

 

[ElGronko]

buutiful peeple wiv D&G glasses nd daddies credit card only at manning thnx.

toilets on every floor for the after latte vomit!

I <3 manning.

Except when dirty socialist scum try and talk to you while you are showing off your new phone. There should be a dress code.

 

[ElGronko]

props.

I am gonna earn minus money...holidays are always more expensive.

 

[tlodg]

You should check brogan77 out and hook up with him sometime.
He wears blue (light or dark, depending on your luck) shirt and goes to the computer labs at 9:30am.

 

[Libbster]

Well as ur at college, expect to get sick, ALOT! I have had the flu heaps this year just because of the enclosed living quarters.

Also, try to go to as many college parties as possible, they are fucking awesome. I went to Drew's victory dinner on Thursday and we sculled wine, port, passion pop (lol God that shit is gross), juice and vodka and lots of beer. Everyone was smashed but a good time was had by all.

If u do anything memorable, expect to get recognised the next day. Eg At Drew's, everyone was like, ur the chick from athletics who won high and long jump, and I was like, indeed, and then someone else recognised me from another party and was like hey ur chick in the stripey dress lol. Then our formal was on Friday and lots of random Drew's guys were like ITS YOOOUUUU! I was like wtf lol.

Also don't be surprised by the number of random hookups u will observe, it's pretty crazy.

 

[yulia]

If you are doing the BA, when you go to enrol there will be people standing around trying to get you involved in the Arts Mentoring network. Do it. Your mentor, or somebody else's mentor if your mentor sucks, will be able to answer every single one of your questions that you have.

I was mentored in first year, and was a mentor last year, my students loved me because I'd been through everything from faculties losing my assignments, special consideration to joining 15+ societies (and making the joyous migration from Wentworth, to Manning, to Holme, and now people just can't find me ). They still call me every now and then when something comes up that they're not quite sure of and I help them as much as I can or get them in contact with someone who can help.

They also provide lots of free food at Arts Mentoring events - and free food at uni must be taken at all costs. An event with free food can feed you for a day, and if possible, several days. I'm not even sure if I'll be at USyd main campus next year, but I signed up to be a mentor again because we get a cruise with free food! Yeah!

 

[dagwoman]

Thanks yulia and Libbster, those were the kind of tips I was looking for-specific stuff that I wouldn't have heard about otherwise. Will definitely keep the mentoring thing in mind.

And Libbster- I won't hear a single bad thing said about Passion Pop! If you think that stuff's bad, you should try "Verdi", the FAKE Passion Pop. The smell alone is enough to make you retch.

 

[yulia]

I also forgot to the mention that when you get put into your mentor group, they try as best as they can to put you into a group with students that are doing the same major as you, so that you can make friends or at least know people that will be in your classes before you even start class.

 

[dagwoman]

Anyone else?

I'll rephrase it: if there was one thing you wish you knew when you first started at Sydney, what is it?

 

[Libbster]

go to as many college parties as possible. i wish i had gone to some in first term but oh well.

 

[lala2]

That uni (depending on the course you take) is not a total cruise (all assessments due in together scenario, plus constant quizzes and assessments)--in fact, make that, that first semester will be the shittest semester you will ever have, both in terms of the totally irrelevant subjects you have (if it's a specific course, for "foundation" reasons) and settling in and all that crap. After first semester--zoom up dramatically.

 

[darkroomgirl]

Anyone else?

I'll rephrase it: if there was one thing you wish you knew when you first started at Sydney, what is it?

...that no matter how fun your subjects might sound in the beginning, you'll always come to hate the workload that comes with in the middle of the semester.

...on the up-side, you will develop friends no matter what That is, unless you're hellbent on being anti-social.

 

[yulia]

That no matter how unimportant you think that one lecture is and how it's not a big issue if you skip it, or your friends are trying to tell you to skip it and mock you for wanting to go to every lecture, ignore them. The lectures ARE that important. Because you probably won't catch up on it later. You shouldn't waste your time catching up on it later. If you go to the lecture when it's on, that's less work for later. And if you skip that one lecture and don't catch up on it before your next one, you'll be lost, and you'll fall behind. And that's the worse thing you can do. And then it becomes a horrible chain reaction of skipping lots of lectures making you do more work later. It might seem like you're being a geek and missing out on fun, but remember uni is there to get you an education and to get out. Not just to provide you with a social life. Stay ahead and you're saving yourself a lot of stress later on. A lot. And then you have less to worry about when you're partying away the hols

 

[bustinjustin]

That no matter how unimportant you think that one lecture is and how it's not a big issue if you skip it, or your friends are trying to tell you to skip it and mock you for wanting to go to every lecture, ignore them. The lectures ARE that important. Because you probably won't catch up on it later. You shouldn't waste your time catching up on it later. If you go to the lecture when it's on, that's less work for later. And if you skip that one lecture and don't catch up on it before your next one, you'll be lost, and you'll fall behind. And that's the worse thing you can do. And then it becomes a horrible chain reaction of skipping lots of lectures making you do more work later. It might seem like you're being a geek and missing out on fun, but remember uni is there to get you an education and to get out. Not just to provide you with a social life. Stay ahead and you're saving yourself a lot of stress later on. A lot. And then you have less to worry about when you're partying away the hols

On that note, if you're a friendly, social butterfly type, and practically everyone you know will go to Sydney Uni, learn to become an introverted snob. That way, it will mean that it doesn't take you 2 hours to walk down Eastern Avenue and you don't end up spending half an hour chatting to each person you run into. But do try to bond with new people, such as those you meet in tutes. Also make it a habit to spend more time at Fisher than at Manning, Wentworth, Broadway or Newtown.

 

[ElGronko]

What the fuck?


Don't listen to any of these idiots.

Lectures are really not that important. You can afford to skip every second one.

The most important thing about first year uni is having fun as it really isn't too important, as long as you pass.


I mean, fuck, the assessments rarely have anything to do with specifics from the lectures, you can always work shit out without the lectures.


Take me for example, I am a Distinction average student and I make sure to prioritise fun before study. Always.

I mean, I make sure I get all assessments done on time, but if you have something due on Monday, go out Friday and get smashed.

If there is a mad party during the week, either skip morning lectures, or use them for sleeping time.


Having said all that, I am an arts student

 

[lala2]

Take me for example, I am a Distinction average student and I make sure to prioritise fun before study. Always.

I wish I was one of those kids Unfortunately, I hardly absorb anything in lectures and I'm not smart enough to be really confident about skipping lectures. Even if you're only an Arts student.

 

[yulia]

That's the problem. People try to convince you that it's alright to miss one, then they start telling you it's alright to continuously miss lectures. I dunno, but I fell asleep in a lecture about GABA and it's receptors, and it screwed me up for the entire semester.

And I find generally, people who attend their lectures more often, are less stressed out, less behind, and do better.

And I agree with bustinjustin. I did so much better and wasted so much less time when I stopped stopping to say hello to everyone that recognised me.

 

[dagwoman]

As I've said to yulia, I totally understand where she's coming from. I'm a pretty diligent (read: stresshead) student so I'll be going to my lectures! But I do appreciate all the advice given. And luckily, I'm really impatient and if I'm on my way somewhere I'm not too willing to stop and chat