20 Things I Learned as a First Year at UQ
University can be a daunting place, but it is still one of the most exciting and memorable moments of your life. It’s not going to be easy, but then again, nothing worth doing ever is. To make the transition from high school to one of Australia’s top universities,The University of Queensland a little easier (I still don’t understand the criteria they use to rank universities). Keep reading for my 20 tips for first year students starting at UQ.
1. Pack your own lunch.
This may bring back horrifying memories of primary school, however, it is by far one of the best money saving tips to get you started at university. Campus food is expensive, and unless you want to take out a small personal loan to eat at GYG every day, you should probably start packing your own lunch. Sandwiches, pastas and wraps are always cheaper when made at home than when bought on campus. The pumpkin bread sandwiches from the main refectory may tempt your inner hipster, but are definitely not worth going broke for (okay, I caved and tried it once. ONCE).
2. Socialise.
Joining a club or society is a fantastic way to make new friends and get involved in extracurricular activities; which are not only lots of fun but also look great on your résumé. Whether you’re obsessed with all things Harry Potter or hope to be the next Ash Ketchum, at UQ, there are over 190 clubs and societies to choose from. There are also various faculty specific clubs which host networking events and seminars to help you get a head start on your professional career. And if you can’t find anything that piques your interest, you could always brave it out and start your own club.
3. Network, Network, Network!
After you’ve joined a club at UQ that’s specific to your faculty, try to attend at least a couple of networking events per year. These events not only improve your communication skills, but also introduce you to leaders and professionals in the industry. You might not land a job straight after meeting the manager of a reputable company, but at least they’ll know who you are.
4. Know thy lecturers.
Your lecturers are probably the most valuable resource available to you at university. They’re not just smart, they’re really smart. They have gained a lot of knowledge and experience over the years in their respective fields, and most of them are more than happy to share that knowledge with you. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to your lecturers and ask for academic assistance when needed. Some of them might seem a little intimidating, but at the end of the day, they’re just people too.
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5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
If you’re afraid to ask questions in class because you think you’ll sound dumb, imagine how much dumber you’ll look when you fail the course because you were too scared to ask any questions.
Aside from “Is butter a carb?” there’s really no such thing as a stupid question. If you’re still too scared to ask a question in front of the entire class, approach the lecturer or tutor at the end of the class. Whatever you do, do not leave your question/s unanswered. When the lecture content becomes more and more complex, you’ll regret not clarifying the simple concepts when you had the chance.
6. Keep a planner/diary.
It might seem a bit old school, but a planner is a great way to keep organized and jot down things you need to complete before your next class. And do you really want to pass up the opportunity to buy cute stationary from Kikki.K or Typo? Didn’t think so.
7. Go library hopping.
I had a friend in second year once tell me that they had never borrowed a book from a university library before. I cut off all contact with that friend because I just don’t need that kind of negativity in my life.
Jokes aside, the library should really be your second home (or your only home, if you’re an engineering student). The Biological Sciences Library (BSL) is God’s gift to science students and the Dorothy Hill Engineering and Sciences Library is a gold mine (and occasional sleeping quarters) for the engineers. Textbooks, journal articles, theses, conference proceedings, reports, equipment manuals – the amount of information you have access to will give Professor X a headache.
8. Enjoy the freebies.
You’re paying thousands of dollars to attend university, so you might as well lap up some of the free things on offer. Market Day is the best time to pick up free stationary, t-shirts and vouchers that can be used on or off campus. Free events and BBQs are held throughout the year at UQ, so make sure to pen them into your planner (see TIP #6).
9. Explore!
The St. Lucia campus at UQ is huge, so take the time to explore and find your favourite lunch spot, cafe or chill out area. According to avid coffee drinkers and credible sources (my friends), Bar Merlo (or Merlo’s) located in the Duhig Building make the best coffee on campus.
10. Avoid all ibis.
Do not make eye contact with the ibis. Ever.
11. Avoid the building that must not be named.
By some miracle, to this day, I have never had a class inside Hartley Teakle. I don’t know much about building 83, as the stories alone have put me off from applying TIP #9. The building has numerous maintenance issues –leaks being one of them. If it starts to rain heavily, get the hell out of there before you end up in this situation:
12. Get cheap textbooks.
Textbooks can be expensive, but are essential for many courses. The Book Depository and Fishpond are great websites to find textbooks at lower prices than those available at campus book shops. Join StudentVIP to buy secondhand textbooks and notes from students at your campus. Libraries also stock textbooks that have consistently been used over the years for the same course, and the library website has some textbooks available as free e-books. Last but not least, join textbook exchange groups on Facebook (make sure they’re part of the UQ community) to buy or sell textbooks specifically recommended for UQ courses.
13. Download essential apps.
UQnav is an essential app for every first year student, especially if you’re starting at the St. Lucia campus. Don’t be that person who goes around asking strangers for directions, because we have more important things to do, like hunt for Pokémon.
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14. Know your place.
There is an ongoing passive aggressive feud between “College Kids” and “Day Rats.” Pledge allegiance to one side, and prepare for The Final Battle.*
*May not exist
15. Prioritise.
University expects you to do a lot of independent learning when you’re not in class. This means that you’ll have to prioritize your tasks and develop good study habits. If you like to socialize on weekends, make sure you get all your study done before then, and that any assessment due early on during the week is done in advance. It’s okay to sacrifice one night out in order to do well on assessment, but sacrificing assessment ends up hurting your GPA in the long run, which is difficult to bounce back from.
16. If somehow you don’t have one, get Facebook.
If you do not have a Facebook account, please stop reading this article immediately. I will not have a psychopath reading my articles.
17. Study with friends.
Studying with friends is a fantastic way to improve your understanding of a topic and your problem solving skills. If you’re already on top of things, help your friends with their learning. If you can explain a concept effectively to others, then you have developed a good understanding of it and will most likely perform well in an exam setting.
18. Go on exchange.
Going on exchange is a great way to experience another culture, learn another language and make friends overseas. You also open yourself up to overseas job prospects upon graduation. Almost every student who has done an exchange program has not regretted it, and most of them have recounted it as one of the greatest university experiences.
19. Don’t lose hope, you’re not alone.
For some of you, your first year at university may be mentally exhausting. Some first year courses can be difficult and require a lot of hours of extra study. If you don’t end up with the grades you had anticipated – don’t lose hope. Failing one course doesn’t mean that you’re stupid. It simply means that you did not understand the concepts well enough, and did not learn effectively. You can either redo the course and try extra hard the second time around (yes that means attending every single class) or speak to an academic advisor about changing your course structure, or even your program.
First years tend to start university thinking that they’ll stay in their program until graduation. If that ends up being the case, then great! But if not, don’t panic. A lot of the time, first year is about finding out what you’re really good at and passionate about. Your skills and interests may change as you take different courses and as you get older. Eventually, everything will fall into place, and you’ll major in something that you really love and enjoy.
20. Don’t forget to live!
Don’t forget that you do have a life of outside university. Try to make time for friends, family, relationships and hobbies. The next three or more years of your life will require a lot of study and hard work. However, you should still partake in your favourite activities so that you don’t end up overwhelmed by your study load. Since it’s currently 2am and I’ve run out of originality, my parting clichés will be: believe in yourself, study hard and enjoy the ride.
