Shan Xuan Rebekah Wang

The quality of teaching staff is good to great, one of the lecturers for Human Anatomy was really good and that course in particular is very well designed as there is a lot of student support as well as visual aid in the form of anatomy labs where we get to see and touch cadavers. The first-hand experience of the visual grotesqueness and also fascination of body parts was very helpful to memorising and remembering the organs and tissues.

 

I think they are good if not great. There are ample support services and there is a new renovation to the Cafe which has upgraded the environment of the student learning/leisure area. The learning advisers are helpful, and so is the medical clinic and library. the facilities and support services as a whole are top notch, although there may be a cast discrepancy between certain campuses but that is something that is being upgraded, which is wonderful.

 

Orientation is a time of familiarisation with the university. There was one session in particular that I really liked, this was the workshop showing the difference between university life and high school, the points and the opportunity to engage really made a different to how I started my university experience. I made a new friend there.

 

Adelaide was the place I attended high school so I felt fairly familiar with the place, familiar enough that I was willing to study and integrate back into a the lifestyle and culture. My first impression of Adelaide was how broad the buildings were, and how wide the roads were and how far apart everything was. In Adelaide, the learning culture is a lot more self-initiated. I like the friendly people in Adelaide as well as the more laid-back and relaxed vibe. The more relaxed pace of life and the different opportunities to explore museums, the zoo, and now the Mod museum, are perks of the experience. One of the best things about Adelaide is how accessible most things are - and the amount of diversity in cultures, food and people. My favourite foods are Vietnamese food but there is a huge variety of very distinct attractions. The first people I met were welcoming and friendly and so I have that memory of Adelaide as a friendly city.

 

This is the advice I would give myself - if I could write a letter to myself ahead of time and send it back: Check your visa twice and get to know a few people before coming here. If you haven't got a 'family base' or a community, I would suggest finding one and making friends as soon as you settle down in the new city. It'll be important because they'll be there to help you when the going gets tough. Adelaide is a nice place. Do try to integrate with the locals, especially if you're considering long-term stay, (that's just a given). As I said before, Adelaide is a self-initiated learning environment. So be prepared to work. If you come from a country that has a high work ethic, you might find university a little less hard work than say Junior College or polytechnic, I heard this from my friends from Singapore. If you don't do well, it's to your detriment, if you don't work, you lose at the game of life and in your wellbeing. There are no teachers to push you like they do in Asian countries. In a way, this makes you responsible for yourself. No one is going to push you, so if you don't work hard, it's your fault, and that's the way life is. Excuse my long rant: Don't spend too much time partying, sort out your priorities, if you're an introvert like me, don't feel pressured to participate in things that are too stimulating for you. If it drains you, don't do it. Because at the end of the day - there isn't much time and try to make use of the best time you have. Now. You have to push yourself, once again. Studying at UniSA may feel like a business at times.. get used to it. It may feel lonely, or like no one is there for you. This is just the way life is sometimes. If you feel this way, put yourself in someone else's shoes, and join a community. Get involved. Mimic others if you really want to and if you're lonely. It can be lonely as an international student at times, but there are communities set up for international students and clubs at UniSA. Your Culture my Culture has a Business School Facebook page where they update events for students of any program at UniSA to go for. If you like tours and viewing Australia, that's a great way to do it. Get to know the culture, join a sporting team, and be a little bit bold. Be fearless. Do things you wouldn't normally do and step out of your comfort zone. I'm speaking as a usually timid person. If you're already a risk taker, then this advice may not be for you. Another piece of advice is: Know thyself, if you know thyself - and this takes time, you'll find life a lot easier, I guarantee it. If you're adventurous and a 'seasoned bean' - you've been through a bit of life already - maybe this advice isn't for you. (disclaimer: I'm only specifically speaking to someone who maybe came out of high school as that was where I was when I came to university.) It doesn't really matter what you study, just work hard. (Unless of course it's really something you decide having considered all the other options and want to change degrees, that's fine too, but just work hard - it pays off). Working hard isn't hard work, it's an easy thing but the temptation to be distracted and idolise other things will prevent that. Take advice, and don't be foolish. Listen to people, and humble yourself by working hard, not to gain rewards or be seen in the sight of men as great or reputable. However you want to navigate it (a new country, place and lifestyle and university), is fine, just don't forget that there's a community there to support you, and also get out a little bit and try not to stress out. (We've all been there.)

 

Good luck.