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

-By Sui On Tang

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.

Online classes friend or foe?

-By Amanda

Dear Students,

I'm an on-campus student, however over the Summer I undertook a few Trimester 3 subjects. All of them were online.

First of all, I must say if you are not one for checking DSO regularly, if you know you won't go through any of the i-lectures or attend eLive classes, and if you know that you're going to leave everything to the last minute - avoid online subjects like the plague. However, if you hate the travelling, and if you have the means (good, reliable Internet access), then I can't praise online classes enough.
 
In my first post, I wrote about my sometimes difficult journey to Uni. Probably the biggest positive about online classes are that they eliminate the need to travel - perfect for me! Plus everything is readily available online, you can easily communicate with your peers, and did I mention there was no need to travel (which saves both time and money)?

My only warning though is that it is easy to fall behind. Personally, I prefer i-lectures because I can pause them and write my notes at my own pace, but at the same time I do find myself a bit more motivated if I'm actually on campus. The beauty of Uni is that it's you're choice, so go with what works for you.

Just a few tips if you do decide to study online;

• Pretend you're actually at Uni; studying from home has the potential for a loooooooot of distractions, try and pretend those don't exist (switch off the TV, close the YouTube & Facebook tabs).
• Build a routine; maybe check DSO at the same time every week, and make sure you know when you need to download your lectures or attend eLive tutorials.
• Enjoy the perks; get a good amount of sleep, eat well (chances are you won't have to buy junk food because you're out), and stress less!

Hopefully you're enjoying this Trimester, take care!!