From course content, to friendships, to experiences in Australia and everything in between.
“Everything is theoretically impossible until it’s done” –Robert A Heinleia
Being a university student is a daunting task; I can definitely vouch for that! From uni work, to friends, to events, to networking, to job searching, everything seems to be very overwhelming. From my perspective, being a university student is not only about studying – it’s also a quick glance at your future life. University provides you with a stepping stone to experience life as a professional without yet working in your profession. This experience is profound and will help you have a smooth transition from your studies to your professional career. This is the reason why I want to share with you my top 5 mantras that I have tried and tested (they surely work!), for the best experience of uni life:
- Engage Yourself: Engage yourself with the opportunities that are being provided to you. Take the first step! Don’t be afraid. A lot of people don’t engage just because they feel scared, anxious and overwhelmed with the feeling of trying something new. University provides you with a lot of opportunities in studies, extracurricular activities and many more. So make sure you participate in these! This will help you in meeting new people and helps a great deal with building your network.
- Never say Never: This is especially for all those who fear change. Having the right attitude towards events and opportunities provided by university is quintessential in building your personality and also adjusting to your new surroundings. At Griffith University there are events planned across the year to help you adjust well to uni. Take part in these opportunities, you will never regret it!
- Joy of Community: As an international student, experiencing the joy of community plays a major factor in helping you to settle in. For me, the opportunity of volunteering in an op-shop provided a sense of comradery and also overcoming my loneliness and anxiety that comes along with being an international student. It also helped to improve my communication skills!
- Observation is Key: This in other words for me is “take a break”. Often being a uni student leads to one being a sprinter! When the going gets tough, take breaks. This can be done by taking long walks, listening to music, connecting back with your family or simply meditating. Anything that will make you feel positive and help you be patient and calm. Remember, focus on the present cause that is in your hands. You can’t control your future or change the past. When you find that you are spiralling down and feeling overwhelmed, pause and take a deep breath and then focus back.
- Young at Heart: Often, while being a uni student, one tends to look at everything from an adults perspective. Serious and tough! But we sometimes forget that everybody has a little child inside of them who loves being adventures, curious and a bit mischievous. Unleash the inner child in you! Be proactive and energetic. Do things that make you happy no matter how trivial it is. Love to do karaoke singing even though you acknowledge yourself as a bathroom singer? Then do it! This will help you experience the joys of life.
As you can see, these 5 mantras end up with the word E.N.J.O.Y. Uni life doesn’t have to be boring and stressful. Yes, academics and work are part of uni life but you can definitely have your share of fun and excitement in your life during these years .
As Theodore Roosevelt has rightly said “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car, but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad”. Enjoy your process of university life and higher education, because it deserves to be enjoyed!
-Kavya
