UNIVERSITY SURVIVAL GUIDE STUDENT BLOG
O Week can be an onslaught of overwhelming feelings – from fun to frustration at not knowing what you’re doing. To help you get through, second year student and CEF scholarship recipient Sophie Nelson offers 7 pieces of O Week advice.
- Help is there if you need it and don’t be afraid to ask for it. The first few weeks of uni are super overwhelming but you aren’t alone.
- Don’t feel pressured to drink every night if you don’t want to. There will be other people who feel the same and you are more likely to make long lasting connections with people who enjoy to do the same things are you.
- Sign up to a bunch of clubs/societies. They are a great way to meet people.
- Uni is a whole different experience to the HSC. Listen to advice given to you and figure out how you learn best.
- Start conversations with people. Chat to the person next to you at your lectures and orientation, even if it is about something as trivial as the weather. The first couple of weeks is when everyone is forming friendships so throw yourself into the mix.
- If you live in uni accommodation/college get involved in the activities organised during O-week. It is another great way to make friends and connections for the year.
- It is okay if you don’t meet your new best friends in the first few days of O-week. You will makes friends in time so don’t panic or try to force it.
Sophie Nelson is studying a Bachelor of Pre-Medicine, Science and Health at the University of Wollongong. She grew up in Broken Hill, in far west NSW, a whole 1113km away from Wollongong. Sophie is about to start her second year at university, and is a recipient of CEF’s McLean Foundation Scholarship.
Read more about Sophie’s experiences here.
More tips, tricks and advice on how to survive your first year at university in our University Survival Guide