As the time approaches for the university year to start up once again, a number of young adults around Forbes are preparing to head off for their first year of university, with the majority of them having to move away to further their study.
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While it is an exciting time, it can also be a daunting experience, moving to a new town or city, especially if you don’t know anyone.
Recent year 12 graduate, James Pavey is just one Forbes local preparing for the move to university.
James will soon be heading to Sydney to pursue a Bachelor of Media (Communications and Journalism) at the University of New South Wales where he will be living on campus at Coogee.
He says he is excited to move but a bit nervous because he doesn’t know what to expect, but is looking forward to meeting new people.
“There’s only one other person from my school going to Sydney, so I’m going to have to socialise a bit and make some new friends,” he said.
Luckily, the move isn’t so daunting for James because his older sister Celia also lives in Coogee, as does some of his extended family, so they will be on hand to help make the transition as easy as possible and for some much-needed escape from campus life.
“It’s not going to be bad because I’ve got family there,” he said.
“And mum and dad will come and visit a bit.”
The Country Education Foundation has recently released a university survival guide for country kids making the move to the city for university, with the help of Charles Sturt University Bathurst and Orange students.
The guide aims to help rural and regional students survive and thrive at uni, TAFE or college, or any other pursuit that might require them to leave home after school, whether it is finding accommodation or part-time work, knowing where to access a bulk-billing doctor or even setting up a low fee bank account.
Go to cef.org.au to find the guide and lots of handy tips and resources to make that scary transition as smooth as possible.
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Top tips for study:
* Buy a hard drive and back up all your work. You wouldn’t believe how many students lose huge amounts of work that hasn’t been backed up.
* Learn how to reference. Get on this early as it will never go away – it is required for every academic assignment.
* Be on top of your tutorial and class sign ups – that leftover 8am tutorial is still there for a reason.
* Keep ahead of your study, assignments and readings – don’t leave things until the last minute.
* Be sure to check the attendance requirements for each of your subjects as some lectures and tutorials are compulsory and if you do not attend you will fail.
Top tips for living:
* Learn to use a washing machine and know the difference between detergents for top loaders and front loaders.
* Buy a clothes horse and pegs and be wary of communal clothes lines. Sometimes things mysteriously go missing.
* If you don’t want others to use your ‘stuff’ keep it in your locked cupboard or room. That ice-cream you left in the common room freezer and that Blu-ray you left on the common room table may no longer be ‘yours’ if you leave it there.
* If you are a ‘catered’ student, take advantage of the food available to you on campus. Don’t waste your money on food you probably won’t eat.
* Be respectful to your roommates – don’t be the annoying one who plays music loudly until the early hours of the morning, leaves dirty dishes next to the sink for a week or hogs the common room TV.
