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Monday 28 May 2012

A big decision: How I applied for course transfer at the end of my second year


After finishing my second year at Deakin, and almost finishing a major in accounting for my undergraduate Commerce degree, I wasn't sure about what other majors I could take/ or was interested in for the remaining one year of the course. Also, I didn't have much hope for a course transfer since my first attempt at doing so at the end of Year one had failed. As the requirement for course transfers is average Distinction (70%), I knew my application would be rejected since my average was about 69%.

However, I could not resist applying for a second time. I really wanted to transfer to something that was of more interest to me – Bachelor of Arts (International Studies)/Bachelor of Commerce, where I could major in History and Accounting. As I had studied VCE History in high school and enjoyed it, I knew that studying History will not only give me a broader perspective on things, but I could choose a career of my liking at the end of the course. As a result, I put in my best effort to fill out the personal statement to persuade Deakin to allow me to change my course.

After a long waiting period of two months for the result of my application for course transfer, I was delighted to know that my application was approved. Indeed it was a brave and big decision for me, when I thought about the options of my future career in Hong Kong- my home country. In Hong Kong, Arts, especially History is not a popular subject. Parents don't really look upon it favourably and there is lack of opportunity for Arts students to get into high paying jobs. Luckily, my parents support me in my choice of pursuing History and so I haven't encountered as many difficulties as others.

Now I enjoy my current course and have also discovered some new hobbies, such as creative writing and literature. I believe that it is better to study a subject that I am interested in and build opportunities in that field rather than securing a high paying career that I may not enjoy. Now I hope to be into publishing, museums or maybe even becoming a historian. I know what I want my future to look like. My tip for you: if you are still not sure and just pondering about whether your course is right for you, I suggest you go and meet a course adviser in your faculty or career counsellors in Jobshop. They are really helpful and knowledgeable staff who can help you in planning a great career.

Monday 21 May 2012

How not to be eaten by a lion (or how to pass sneaky exams)

-By Chelsea

There are three types of exam which students most commonly underestimate for difficulty:

  • The Multiple-choice Question Exam
  • The Take Home Exam
  • The Open Book Exam                                                                    

You need to think of all exams as lions who are well trained in telling the difference between the weak and the strong.  As students, you can either be the unsuspecting Gazelle (or buffalo) that gets picked off or you can be the prepared Gazelle who survives another day.  While all exam formats can be equally hard in their own way, they do require different strategies to succeed.  This post will give you a few tips on how to prepare for the most commonly underestimated exams. 

Multiple-choice Question Exams (MCQ)  - Know your details 

MCQ Exams actually give you the answer on the exam paper – how stupid are these lecturers?  That has to be the easiest exam to take right?  Unfortunately this is one big lie usually manufactured by students trying to justify one more beer in the bar before going home to study (or letting you go home to study).  Just like a well-fed lion, a good MCQ exam is designed to separate the weak students (who rely on multi-guess) from the strong.  So when studying for this type of exam, do pay attention to the details; it won’t be enough to understand the general gist of a topic.  Also you need to make sure you read the question carefully as often MCQs have a few of the following tricks:

  • Double negatives – Watch out for these as two negatives make a positive which will completely change the context of the question.
  • ‘Not true’ questions – Make sure you don’t select the first answer you see that is ‘correct’ when the questions wants you to choose the answer that is ‘not correct’
  • ‘Best answer’ questions – these questions are mean because usually a few of the answers are ‘almost’ right but the correct answer is ‘the most’ right – know your details!
  •  50/50 – often the question is designed so most students can eliminate some of the responses immediately and are left with two responses that appear right.  The problem here is that there are no options for ½ marks on MCQs (or phoning a friend) - so you again - know your details! 

 

Take Home Exams – Know your content

Another exam which sounds promising – is the lecturer serious?  Doesn’t he/she know you have the text book and google at home?  Definitely time for another beer in the pub when you have a take home exam… Put down that glass now!  This form of exam usually makes me shudder, I would rather take on a lion than do another take home exam.  You need to imagine doing a complex assignment in 3 days instead of 6 weeks. However rather than giving up on uni and becoming a lion tamer, here are a few hints:
  • Take home exams don’t usually require additional research, so concentrate on keeping up to date with class readings and lectures.  You won’t have time to read articles, text chapters or listen to lectures when you get the exam and a take home exam is usually about applying the knowledge that you have acquired.  So the best way to prepare is to acquire all the knowledge in the lead up to the take home exam and then focus on applying it correctly when you get the exam.
  • Schedule your life to allow the maximum time possible to work on the exam.  This is not an exam that will take 2 hours to complete or maybe 3 if you watch TV at the same time.  This is an assignment troops and you will need discipline and focus to succeed!



Open Book Exams – Know your notes

Hopefully by now you can see a theme here:  exams that lull you into a false sense of security only to kick (or bite) the bottom of any unprepared student.  Open book exams are no different.  Usually these types of exams are used in subjects like Law where it is less important to “know” the answer and more important to “know how to find and apply” the answer.  This usually means that there is a massive amount of information that you will need to sort through … without the help of Google… then you have to apply the information correctly.  SO! Don’t expect that you can just turn up to your exam with the text book and check the index – you will spend most of the exam finding the answer and run out of time to actually write anything.  My final helpful hints are:
  • Make your own notes of the important content from the course – this will mean that you have less to sort through in the exam and it will help you get familiar with the content as you go, so you will have more chance of remembering where to find it. 
  • Once you have your notes you need to practise finding the answers. The best way to do this is to use practise questions – old exams if available, tutorial questions, study guide questions or at worst – make up your own questions. Have a crack at finding the right answer and applying it in the time limit you would be allowed in your exam. You may find the first couple of times you try that you run out of time, but you will get faster – and better to learn that you grossly overestimated your ability when studying than in the exam itself. Nerdy? Sure! But here is a little African Proverb to get you motivated ...

Friday 11 May 2012

Me and my buddy - procrastination

-By Jo

Procrastination creeps up on me and watches over my shoulder.

I feel its breath on my neck and my concentration is swayed.

The pages of my textbook flutter and the words blur ever so slightly.

I shake my head and try to throw it off, but the damage is done.

I may be five minutes into a study session or an hour or...maybe I never got that far...

The kettle is boiling, another cup of coffee is what I need, but the caffeine takes time to work on me so I should feed some dragons in Dragonvale or see if the Angry Birds are up for a game...and...
I haven’t read today’s news, must catch up with that...A text? Might be important, best check it to be sure. 

Ah, Mother’s roses are in bloom...meh...that essay won’t write itself you know?

The voice of reason kicks in, but procrastination tells me there’s always tomorrow, the sun is shining and well, not to be rude, but all that sitting on your butt is leaving you kind of out of shape...Oh! When did I last go to the gym? Or for a walk even? Hey...I could walk around the shops, then, it wouldn’t seem like exercise...

See what procrastination did there? Yeah, now I’m procrastinating about the vehicle I was going to use to procrastinate my way out of study, it’s clever stuff, no doubt about it, but it doesn’t help me pass my degree. It just adds stress.

But the essay is due and the exams are getting closer and I’m way behind in my readings, my notes, how many lectures did I miss? 
Deep breath, deep breath, knots in the stomach, headache that’s dull and persistent, racing heart from panic or too much caffeine, bad moods, can’t sleep, can’t function, deadline looming, indigestion. 
HELP!

It’s time to implement the emergency plan (which should be my initial plan all the time).

Switching off social media devices (if I can’t be trusted and that means deactivating Facebook and Twitter, just for now).

Setting a time to check my emails.

Turning off my mobile phone – the world survived just fine without them for eons, I can survive a study block.

Getting out of the house, away from distractions – go to the library, a computer lab, a public park or a cafe.


Learn to say ‘NO’ and mean it. Others have to respect my choice to get this degree, and not interrupting is all the help I need them to give me.

Remembering that my body can’t survive on coffee, chocolate and toast for a whole trimester.

Most importantly I must always sleep – I find it very tempting to feel guilty over the number of study hours lost during a night’s sleep. Unfortunately they are necessary and come to terms with that for my sanity.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Living in Student Residences abroad

-By Troy

I’m about ten weeks into my Study Abroad student exchange program at the University of Exeter in the UK.

As the semester comes to a close so does a crazy couple of months that has been living on campus.

I have lived in share houses many times before, from Brunswick to Hawthorn to Clifton Hill. Equally, I am lucky to have travelled a little bit across the USA, Canada and now the UK and I'm quite comfortable staying in hostels and backpackers. But NOTHING could have prepared me for putting 48 international students together in the one apartment block!

The first two weeks of semester,  there were parties just about every night. Every Sunday morning somewhere on campus, a kitchen looked like some kind of disaster zone from cramming a million people in there for drinking, socialising and debauchery!

As semester rolls along, you eventually find that assessments are due and you can’t be out every night. But you hear the music or the laughter drifting from your window or down the hallway and you are tempted to go and join in!

Living on campus has many perks. Everything is provided for: Internet, bills, rent- everything is included. You are walking distance to classes; you can quite easily roll out of bed 15 minutes before a lecture if you really want. For me, the campus gym is only a 10-minute walk away and the supermarket is an easy 15-minute stroll.

There is always someone to talk to and hang out with. I made toast at 2am last week and ended up chatting to my French comrades for an hour! During the first week we held an international dinner night where everyone cooked something from home. You are exposed to new cultures, new ways of doing things.

Of course there are also challenges! Sometimes you just need your own space, and it’s hard to have this with twelve others on the same floor as you. Noise can be problematic at night. Social politics and alliances emerge within the flat. Romantic relationships begin and evolve; jealousy and gossip can be sure to follow.

Coming back to the kitchen; with no common area, this has been the natural gathering point for each floor and never has it been such contentious ground to navigate. Food gets eaten, fridge space becomes a battleground, and people have no clue how to wash up or put away dishes.

After all the water restrictions we've had back home, I was horrified when several of my flat mates washed their dishes under a running tap! In light of all this, I thought it might be useful to offer some strategies that have worked for us over here:

  • Establish a weekly garbage and recycling roster early on.
  • Set up a Facebook Group for your floor as a forum to deal with issues as they come up. Drama is tough but don't avoid it!
  • Split costs of expendables such as dishwashing liquid and toilet paper. Set aside a shelf or something to keep these things and make sure to contribute.
  • Wash up your dishes after meals and put them away.
  • Make your bedroom your own space where you can go if you need some timeout.
  • Buy earplugs for the nights you need to study or sleep and can’t party. 
  • Maximise services offered on campus such as the gym and the medical centre. These things are there to help you. 
  • Get involved and get interested! So many cultures and new perspectives on life to learn about! 
Make the most of the parties and meeting new people. All the students living on campus are going through the same things as you. There are lifelong friendships to be formed even when you are on the other side of the world. I now have friends all over America, Canada and Europe who I can visit in the coming years!

Good luck and have fun!




   

Wednesday 2 May 2012

My very own backstage pass

-By Aretha Zhen

FREE BACKSTAGE PASS!!! Free backstage pass!!! Who wants a free backstage pass? Come over here please!

Now, have I got your attention yet? Ok, now you have to do volunteering first before you get the free backstage pass.

Hmmm, what did you just say? Volunteering and getting a free backstage pass? This must be quite confusing. However, as a matter of fact volunteer work is a great chance to gain experience in a broad range of fields. You can volunteer and gain experience in education, journalism, social work, animal care, health care, marketing, politics, web design- the opportunities are endless. Volunteering is a great way to put in a little of your time and gain some valuable skills, whether professional or practical.

Once upon a time, the volunteer's stereotype was the middle-aged housewife or retiree with time on their hands. Now volunteers come from all walks of life: they may be teenagers learning to manage responsibility by caring for wounded wildlife or university students enjoying a new friendship as a volunteer reader at the community library. One of the more obvious reasons why people volunteer is because they find something they are passionate about and want to do something good for others. Volunteering is an opportunity for making this world a better place, for ourselves and others. It is a chance to give something back to society and appreciate whatever we have - big or small by sharing it with others. 

Moreover, volunteer work can often lead to a paying job. How is that? Because similar to interns, volunteers can try out a field to see if it suits them and also display their dedication, talent and enthusiasm for the job while working. Now that's what I would call my very own backstage pass. By volunteering, we as students can gain a truly unique experience, we can make friends but the most important thing is the pride that comes from completing something. Imagine the sense of accomplishment when you put the last roof tile on a house you've been building or watch the dog you’ve saved and cared for in RSPCA being successfully adopted. You will certainly feel very proud of yourself. Even if this isn't the main motivation for volunteering it is certainly a major bonus
Cheerio