Life as we know it

-By Aretha Zhen

Life as we know it

“I think Josh Duhamel from the movie ‘Life as we know it’ is truly one handsome guy!”

“No, he is definitely not handsome at all"


"Well your perception of who is handsome and who is not is utterly devastating!”

“No, it is you who has no taste at all!"

"No, it is definitely you!”

Cuttttt….. I’ll stop writing more about any stupid arguments…..

Hmmm well my beloved readers, hello! Please don’t be surprised with the stupid arguments I put up there. Those dialogues happened between me and my friends approximately a year ago, a time when we used to have arguments regularly. However, it only made me realize that although my friend and I may come from the same country but we indeed have different tastes. Well, that's why this post is called - life as we know it. Life could be kind and life could be bad too.

Coming to Australia as an international student, I'm sure a lot of you would have found out that Melbourne might be very different from your home country. It could be a lot bigger or a lot smaller. But all of this just makes me realize that studying in a different place is a new challenge. And the biggest challenge that possibly confronts us all is the difference in opinion and culture.

Getting back to the stupid dialogue I put up there, made me realize that everyone is different. No matter where we end up in the future- whether here in Australia or back in home countries or even some other planet (hehe..just joking. Sure thing not another planet, unless we are the crew of Star Trek, which I think will be quite cool:D), we will have a clash of opinion with others. All we need to remember is that everyone is different. So just be yourself, embrace what life offers you and get back every time life wants to beat you down. Just remember, life itself is one great big adventure! That’s why this life is the life as we know it!

As for my life at Deakin, the first time I came here I just went - oh My God! The term was very hectic as I had put a lot on my plate and I was going crazy trying to cope up with everything. I was stressed out and I knew that I needed help so I come to Student Life - the absolutely magical place where we can find out any information we need. From them, I found out that Deakin has a special service for international students called ISS - International Student Service Support. Just fix up an appointment with the ISS office and tell them your difficulties.Trust me, speaking to them really helps!

Up till today, Australia has been treating me well and I believe it will do so in the future. I try my best to enjoy every single moment of my student life here and am trying to make the most out of it. We international students, being away from family, can keep quite busy with either work or studies. But try to find time to spend with friends, and obviously, time to visit and explore this beautiful continent. Never forget, wherever you are now or in the future, keep trusting yourself, make new friends, and enjoy your life!


Cheerio

Melbourne: the city we all love

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!