Do you want to get on the right foot in your studies? Why not get to know your tutors/lecturers?

-By Erzsebet

Can you remember your years at school? You may recall you had one teacher for each subject, am I right? I remember every year the dreaded fear I had before going back to school and not having a teacher that I have worked well with or that I liked. At uni, we have a different system. We have a tutor and lecturer for each class we undertake to help us better understand our work.

Before I started at uni, many people who never really knew what it was really all about tried to make me believe that it's a lot like school. You have a single teacher for each unit, they take the class and the rest is all independent study. Although it's partly true about the independence, Deakin has proven to me something of a completely different nature. Let me tell you about it!

I came to university from a two and a half year ordeal of correspondence study due to ill health. Let me assure you, it was by far one of the hardest experiences of my life! I came to accept that going back on campus wasn't going to be easy and I really needed to work around it.Not to forget that because of my ill health, if something unexpected occurred, there would be someone who knows about it. I took the courage to contact my unit chair. I first visited the handbooks and got their name and then searched the staff directory to get their contact details.

I think it was the best decision I could ever make. It gave me a chance to speak to the unit chair and get to know what would be expected of me. I also learnt that by getting to know your lecturer/tutor early on, you can learn a lot about them. You're also looked upon as an individual as opposed to just a student who is undertaking a course because they need it to get into their career. The lecturers/tutors at Deakin are well known leaders in their chosen field and I have learnt that they are always willing to guide you along. You're not left alone in the dark. You can gain so much insight just from getting to know your lecturers and tutors! It makes a big difference in your approach to your study and everything else!

So, take the opportunity while you can! Get on the right foot of things early :)

Orientation: Where is the Library?

-By Vanessa

Looking out from the fourth floor 24 hour computer lab window with ear phones in to help me focus (Beyoncé-Who rule the world - girls) I notice orientation is on again for first years.

Oh did you hear that?  A tone of, "yes been there done that!"

There are endless lines of students following trustingly.  I remember following and thinking; Oh Bleep how am I going to remember how to find the car again?  As I was lacking in Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs I tried remembering particular points to no avail.  I felt like I was in a game of follow the leader but the only problem was at some point the leader would say bye and abandon and hide, laughing from behind the bushes.

Embarrassingly I did get lost! Even with the campus map. I kept looking for the letters on doorways and then found they were on the sides of the buildings.  I did eventually find my bottle green Toyota corolla (Myrtle the turtle - Yes, I did name my first car, doesn't everyone!)

Later on I joined yet another line to have my photo taken for my student card.  As they handed it to me I noticed I had a number and it was official, I had my license to learn.
Reality kicked in...

Year 12 was over and now university had begun.

I heard the words lecture, tutorials, DSO, Unit guide, Faculty and something about a star. What did they say- we have to register to be a star? Apparently to my disappointment it was the online timetabling system to register for classes, not a Deakin’s' Got Talent Search.

I had information overload by the end of the week, I thought I listened and absorbed everything.

But apparently I had not.

I didn't know the difference between a lecture and a tutorial.  I turned up with all my books to the lecture and tried in vain to write every word down, only to be told at the end of the lecture that the slides would be posted on DSO that evening.  Then I turned up to the tutorial without any books expecting to sit and listen like in the lecture with 400 others.  No, a big mistake, the tutorial was a class of about 20 and I was the only one without my books avoiding the tutor's glance as they asked for a response.  

I was however impressed with myself that I managed the online timetable system (STAR) with ease.  I even managed to fit all my classes into two days!  Woo hoo three days free a week!

Soon my joy turned to disappointment as my timetable was not workable.  Did I mention there is no recess or lunch bell at all?  I needed to arrange my classes to allow time for breaks.  I also realised I booked in for a tutorial on opposite sides of campus.  Let’s just say for the physically challenged with the ten minutes between classes I learnt my lesson.  The next trimester I learnt to balance my days to allow for breaks, study and yes tracking across campus.

First year was a challenge.  I didn't know a single person on day one.  I can't remember how many times I said, “Hi!"  and "What are you studying?” as opposed to prison talk of "What are you in for?". Having friends on-campus helped. 

I understand now it took time to adjust, learn new skills, make friends and most of all settle in. 

................................................................................

I am so temped to say something to some first years trying to decipher a campus map.  I stop myself, instead I say excuse me as I pass through to the vending machine to swipe my Deakin card and collect my Lychee Tea.

"I found it; we are here, so the library is building V which is that way!”