careernav.

So you’ve made it to University – congratulations and well done.

Hopefully you have selected the right course for yourself; 30% of your peers change courses, change universities or simply drop out altogether. This is a disturbing stat; don’t let it include you!
 Here are some tips for choosing the right course first time;

• You must be really interested in the subject.
• If you are not sure, ask people with experience and knowledge, dig deeper, ask questions and actively collate decision-making information.
• You should be confident you will get a job when you graduate; 30% of graduates don’t and remain unemployed for a period of time.
• You must be able to afford any course fees as well as costs of living.
• Pick a university environment which feels right for you – large versus small campus, city versus country living. We are all different and so are the campus environments.

The first thing you will notice about university life is your new-found freedom. At school everyone wanted to know where you were every minute of every day; if you skipped a class, where was your note?

Your life was governed by bells telling you where to be and what to do. The bell rang for recess, then lunch and you were part of a structured programme. At university you will be on a geographically fragmented campus and have to find your own way to classes. Nobody knows or cares whether you turn up for class or not, whether you skip a tutorial or not. In large first-year classes the lecturer will probably never know your name. Your tutor in each subject will eventually learn your name if you show up, but will not pursue you if you don’t. Nor will your tutor automatically know if you’re not ‘getting it’ and are heading for a fail.

Many tutors express frustration that only “good” students seek them out and ask questions. Perhaps the truth is that bothering the hell out of your tutor makes you a good student! Anyway, you’re now in an unstructured environment - what a great feeling. You’re in control of your own destiny and sometimes the choices are pretty difficult to make. Do I go the boring Econometrics lecture where I don’t have a clue what the lecturer is talking about anyway?  Or do I go to the beach or better still to the bar with my friends and enjoy a cold beer, in the sun with my shirt off?

So don’t have too many expectations about university life being easy. The content will be tough and there is lots of it. Fall behind and you will struggle. Work at an even pace and you will be fine. There is no-one to hold your hand, even if you want them to. The only folk who will care about you are you and your family. Others don’t, so accept that up front. You must be proactive, track down, search and get whatever you need, from faculty enrolment, to library card usage, missed lecture handouts and so on. Subscribe to the theory of ‘push management’ not ‘pull management’ as nobody, repeat nobody is going to pull you up at university.

If you’re half smart, utilise technology for information rather than relying on personal input from others. It’s quicker and more reliable. When assignments are given out, get the reference material quickly to avoid all library copies being ‘out’ if you leave it till the last minute. If that’s likely to be you, then steel yourself for your first ‘all nighter’ and hand in that assignment in right on the 12 noon deadline.  If you’re a day student, try to avoid early morning and late evening lectures or tutorials. Despite your best intentions your attendance rate is likely to be lower at these times as there are so many other more attractive things to do, like sleep, catch the early morning surf, avoid the peak hour traffic and enjoy play time with friends. If you are feeling industrious early in the morning or in the evening, these can be great times to catch up in the library or the computer lab.

For many students there is a huge let down after a tough Year 12. The long strokes you put in have taken their toll. It’s now March; the three months’ summer holiday is a distant memory; and the thought of more intense study is demotivating and unthinkable. If this is you, then relax, you’re normal. Many students feel burnt out before they start first year university, or they may be experiencing the sobering reality of having picked the wrong course; or worse still not getting the pass or the course offer they had hoped for. In fact, I repeat, 30% of 1st year students either change courses, change universities or simply drop out altogether. Some may choose to take a Gap Year overseas or working; or for some it is possible to defer for six months and commence university in Semester 2.

You see, university is about learning at a higher level and about life. It’s about application and socialising. Sure you need to learn and acquire knowledge about the course that will underpin your future career aspirations. Being diligent with attendance to lectures and tutorials will get you part of the way there; handing in assignments with proper research, clarity of thought and effort will get you further; but the bottom line is there is no substitute for application – taking good lecture notes, doing the required reading, resolving issues you don’t understand; and when exams roll around swat the hours. Some argue it’s an exercise more in application than intelligence.

But you also have to be realistic – what grade of pass do I want? Some students strive to achieve the University Medal for their course, whilst others take a more balanced approach. They argue a HIGH DISTINCTION is way too much study, a life completely out of balance, in fact get a life, whilst a PASS grade is a fine delicate balance between work and play and you both move to the next subject. At university the way you learn is simply different from school and takes time to adjust to the new system. Be patient and keep an open mind. It’s OK to not have immediate goals and it’s also OK just to jog along for a while. You don’t have to have the same intensity and finely honed study habits you had at high school.

Your grades will be influenced by the groups you hang out with. The campus if full of people who have differing priorities. Some are even professional students. They enjoy a good time and so should you, within reason and with a sense of balance. Socialising, making new friends, managing the freedom responsibly, making new choices and decisions, are all important parts of your adult development. University has such great scale and social scope, with factors such as gender, cultural differences, kids from the city and the country all providing new challenges related to interactive learning between students, tutors and lecturers.

If your one of the lucky ones and still live at home, be thankful for the family support and the fact your dirty clothes still magically reappear back washed and ironed in your wardrobe, Mum and Dad still give you some cash when you’re short and you have a team behind you. But if you’re not at home but share a flat, working part time, having domestic responsibilities, maximising that heavy social independence, then chances are your reality check has just arrived, you’re pushing the envelope and loving it. The mark of PASS looks good.

Some can choose the middle ground and live on or near campus. Most of the universities offer accommodation of some sort, usually halls or residential colleges. The rooms are small and spartan – desk, bed, cupboard about 3m x 5m in dimension. The upside of on-campus life is the convenience allowing a focus on study, socialising, meals provided and little to no housework; but halls and colleges are very expensive and you receive virtually no privacy. Off campus, university-owned apartments allow more independence, you get more privacy’ but you have to cook and clean.

Fantastically some of life’s great skills are developed during this time – the cooking skills to rival Jamie Oliver, the domestic skills to challenge any Nanny and the financial management skills that the Treasurer would be proud of. Then there is your first car. It may be a brand new number from Mum and Dad, or a $2,000 masterpiece with multiple former lovers. It doesn’t matter which; you have your wheels and you can go anywhere. So go everywhere, never drink and drive, and demonstrate maturity whenever you’re behind the wheel.

A ‘FAIL’ mark in a subject not only will require you to repeat it, but will cost you double. That’s right; the HECS applies again. Make sure this is not you. ‘FAIL’ marks don’t enhance your Academic Transcript and employers seeking high quality graduate and cadets will more likely shy away from you. If you feel you will fail a subject despite your best efforts, it is possible to discontinue without a fail being recorded. Deadline dates for this appear in student diaries issued by most universities.

Take time to assess and reassess your career advice and direction. Don’t be surprised if you change your career choice well into your undergraduate course. That’s normal. Make a pact with yourself to better understand who you are, what your personality really is, how you impact on people around, what are your strengths and weaknesses and which career choices you are likely to be better suited to. Making an informed choice can only lead to your attaining high performance in both career and life.

It is one of life’s great moments when you stand there with a cap and gown to receive your first degree. So enjoy university life, graduate and make yourself proud. Some say it’s the last frontier of unbridled enjoyment and freedom you can experience before you face the real music...