Sydney Life

Could you please tell me more about college life, do you know anything about St Andrews College, would you recommend going to St Andrews and when do you need to apply?

Thanks - by the way I really enjoy reading your blogs.

Hi there, since you asked:

I'm really confused about what to do about leaving home after school. I know my parents aren't keen on the idea, but I am really eager to get out there and be independent. I think that I'll appreciate Uni life a lot more if I'm out there and right in to it. I just don't know how to put it to the parents! Being an eldest child it's really difficult for me to assert my independence like that; it seems stupid in their eyes for me to even suggest something like moving out straight after school. Do you think that moving out right after school is a bit too much pressure on an 18 year old?

Please help!

hey! im jenny and im still in yr 10 but i went to the yr10 info night some time ago and got told about this site... checked it out a bit and it seems awesome! =)haha. i was feeling extra nice today(first day of hols!) and so dropped by to say how great all u bloggers were. cheers!

Hey those in sydney uni, i was just wondering if theres anyone out there doing a bachelor of commerce(whose currently an undergraduate student) who can give me advise:on what they do day-to-day and if they find it intresting,flexible and would reccomend it - all my other cousins are in medicine, all i'm given by them is very brief info. thanks for your time .Rich.

Hi Paul,

I can completely empathise with your situation. It's a really hard thing to tell your parents that you want to be independent - I know sometimes they can see this as a personal attack, as if you just want to get away from them.

I'm sure this isn't the case for you: and if you really want to move out, you need to make it clear that you're doing it for the right reasons.

That being said, moving out is a really big deal. You have to decide whether you want to live at a residential college, in a share house, or by yourself. This will probably depend on what you can afford. You need to consider also that moving out is expensive - you need to pay for rent, bills, food and extra expenses that can pop up anytime (like calling a locksmith, or needing new furniture.)

It's a huge decision to move out, and you need to weigh up all your options. Talking to your parents may turn out to be the least of your worries, Paul!

Best wishes,

Lauren

Hey Paul,

Even though I live a stone's throw away from Sydney Uni, I was really keen on the idea of moving out. I love my family but I understand the need to just get out...

However, I actually found that now that I'm at uni and I'm 18, I feel far more independent even just living at home, because I've been really soaking up the Uni life, going out more, etc.

I don't think I've done a very good job explaining exactly how I feel, but if you're living in Sydney, I would definitely encourage you to live at home while you go to uni, at least for your first year while you settle in.

By the way, I'm an only child, so at least you can skirt a bit of attention by shifting your parents off onto your siblings sometimes :)

Hi Rich,

I am currently studying arts/commerce and am in fourth year. The commerce degree has changed a little since I started studying but the structure is essentially the same. In your first year you will mainly study core subjects which you must complete in order to get your degree. These subjects include economics, accounting, business information systems, statistics and I believe from this year they have added subjects like marketing principals and human resource management.

Because of these subjects the commerce degree is quite structured in the first year. However, once you finish them you will have a much wider range of subjects to study. To be honest I am more inclined to humanities based subjects so I found the core subjects difficult. However, once I had them out of the way I was free to focus on my prefered major, Government and International relations, which I really enjoy. For more information on economics and business courses and subjects you can take check out http://www.econ.usyd.edu.au/content.php?pageid=67

In a commerce degree you will spend most of your time around the Merewether building on campus. This building is really close to the union's Wentworth building and the sports and aquatic centre. Depending on what subject you major in in your final years you will probably have around 10-15 hours of class a week.

I hope that helps Rich! Best of luck making your decision!

Hi Paul!

I completely understand your situation. I recently moved out (I’m 21) and I went home for dinner a couple of weekends ago. During dinner, my mother revealed how hard she had found it to tell the rest of our extended family that I had moved out. In fact, she’s been hiding it from my grandmother!

You see I come from an Arabic family. In Arabic culture, people expect you to get married (urgh!) and THEN move out. I’m very different from my parents: I’ve grown up in Australian culture where moving out is like a rite of passage here. In Australian culture, moving out for many people is a natural step in becoming an independent adult.

I think it all depends on how far you live away from uni. If you are going to be doing hours and hours of travel every day to get to classes, you could possible use that fact to help your parents understand why it would make it so much easier to live close to uni.

However, on the other hand, I lived an hour and a half away from uni (each way) and I still managed to get fully involved in campus life for the first three years that I lived at home. To be honest, now that I’m living OUT of home, I’m spending so much time on cooking, shopping, cleaning and paying the bills that I probably spend less time enjoying uni life!

If your parents aren’t going to support you moving out, then you might find that moving out is a going to be a very hard thing to do at 18. Not because you’re 18, but because in your first year of uni, your life is likely to go through many changes. You don’t know how your course will go, how you’ll feel about uni, how well you settle in etc. So moving out on top of that puts a lot of pressure on you!

If you can stay at home at the moment, at least until you settle into uni life, you can always start thinking about moving out later and deciding whether you can survive emotionally and financially! Also, you might make some friends at uni whom you decide will be perfect to move in with. Once you’re at uni, you can also use the Accommodation Service to find sharehouses to move into as well.

So in summary, my advice:
1. Chill out for the moment. Get settled into uni first.
2. Get a job that you enjoy.
3. Start researching the different costs involved in moving out and planning how you are going to meet those expenses (e.g. casual work, Youth Allowance, scholarship etc.).
4. However, this all changes if there is something which is making it really hard for you to live at home. If something is really bothering you which is pushing you into moving out, then I would suggest you talk to someone about it. Whether it’s a school counsellor, a trusted teacher, or calling Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

Hello, fellow USyd webloggers and readers.

When I was at Uni we used to send teams of undergrads out to the state schools in our 'home' areas to talk to the pre-uni entrance yeargroup about applying to Uni and what life was like there. We especially focussed on state (='public') schools because this was Oxford and we wanted as many 'normal' kids as possible to apply (being one myself I was keen to get involved!). But anyways, do you have a similar programme at USyd? It might be worth thinking about.

Hello Sarah, I want to know more about student and common life in Sydney. Im from mexico and im thinking about and exchange program with univ of sydney. is it though to earn your own money to live and study in australia?
nice blog!

Hi Michelle,

Sorry for the delayed reply, (and to everyone else to)but my parents computer has decided to kark it and blew up. So I’m kind of borrowing one so please bear with me ;)
Ok. St Andrews College or 'Drews' as it's more commonly known amongst us college kids is actually a really good college and I myself in fact had it as my 2nd preference next to womens. To be completely honest I wasn't really that fussed about which college I went to, as long as it was close to the vet building ( I'm kind of lazy..)So 'Womens' was recommended to me. I stayed at Drews when I was still at school in Yr 11 for an Agricultural camp. It was awesome and the people were cool and down to earth and I still actually talk to the friends I made even though they live in another state. The food is good, but it's more 'meatier' and pasta based ( gotta keep the guys happy) whereas our's is more female orientated with option of skim milk, salad, sushi ( you get the picture..).That said I've been dying to get over to Drews for dinner..Drews is kinda like the American stereotypical 'cafeteria style' where you line up and they serve you the food, whereas ours is like a buffet and you can go and serve yourself. It really depends on what you want. You will also have formal dinner one night a week in which you have to wear an academic gown. I definitely recommend Drews but also be mindful it is really easy to get caught up in college life and the social stuff so just remember try and not let that interfere tooo much with your studies ;) College life is great, convenient and you make friends for life. Its a big support network and they do look after you, and security is great. So it is a good idea if you haven't lived away from home yet ( or couldn't be bothered to cook..)
If you haven't seen the college, its located on a big hill separated in front of my college by their oval. Applications close before the 1st December and must be accompanied by a $55 application fee. They will then ask for an interview soon after. You can get more info from their website and download an application form from www.standrewscollege.edu.au
Hope this helps and if you need anything else just ask!

Hey Paul,

It's good to know that I wasn't the only one stressing about what it will be like if I move out of home for uni. If you read my profile, you'll notice that I never ever even used a washing machine in my entire life. And this was only 6 months ago. So don't even mention the fact that I might have to actually cook! eek..I was the typical 17 year old doing my HSC and coming home while mum took care of everything else whilst I studied such as cooking, cleaning, washing etc. not to mention the fact that you don't have to pay RENT was something that was taken for granted. It is a big decision, and depends on many factors, and ultimately yourself. You have to ask yourself will it benefit me and my studies? for example:
1. how far away do live from Uni? If you live at home, will the hours spent travelling impede on your workload? I live an hour and a half from uni so my option was to stay at college on campus instead of travelling for 3hours per day. I was told by a speaker from my school that her lecturer told them on the first day, that if they spent more than an hour and a half travelling per day, that they would fail. 'WHAT'!? was what I was thinking. Yet I also have the luxury of coming home on weekends so you get the best of both worlds.
2. Financial situation, what can you afford? Are your parents able to help you out or do have to go solo such as myself? Keep in mind that you still have to buy textbooks (which cost me near $1500 for only my first semester). A good tip is to check out all the scholarships available from the uni and apply for the eligible ones( there's heaps). They certainly help and I have recieved about 5 so far, one of them being an accomodation scholarship which the college gave me. (tip: they are quite competitive, so get in early and always dress appropriately at interviews- it is very well respected).
3. Ask yourself, and be honest, am I mature enough to move out? Can I budget my finances and stick to it? It can be quite hard, esp when your friends are hammering you to come out, but you know you have to pay rent/ buy a textbook..You have to know what your priorities are and stick to them. Alot of people at college have trouble with this concept and are on the phone to mum and dad...

If you haven't lived away from home before such as myself, my parents would only consider letting me stay at college on campus. They were completely against the idea of a sharehouse. I now completely understand. My friend lives in one of the sharehouses and their flat mate had to move out because there was too many problems, personality clashes, house work etc. College, on the other hand, is I believe alot better and convienient. You don't have to cook your meals, washing up etc. They even do your linen once a week. You do have to wash your own clothes and clean up after yourself if you use the common kitchen, but thats about it. To be honest, I really didn't think that the transition between high school and uni was such a big deal, and this is probably because of living at college. The security is great, we have new card keys to get into the college, guests have to be signed in, security is on campus, and even if your at the train station and worried about getting home by yourself (esp. the girls) then you call securitys emergency service and they will pick you up and drop you straight off at the front of your college free of charge.

I come from a family of seven children, I am the fifth and the first to move out of home at my age. I understand where Ghassan is coming from, but I have only just turned 18 and am in my first year of Uni and in college without any help from my parents and I really don't think that there is that much pressure if your are mature enough. I'm doing quite fine, doing a full on degree and paying my own way. And I love it. You have responsibility and along with that you earn respect. You also become a role model for your younger siblings to look up to as they see how you have matured and 'grown up'. To give your parents a peace of mind, suggest college and everything it offers and the benefits to your studies ( it has certainly made my life a whole lot easier). Check out their websites. As it is such a big descision, the best descision is an INFORMED one. So suss everything out. As a result of moving out?... your feeling independent and mature, which is ultimately what you want, isn't it?

Hello Black Knight,

We do have a similar program at the University of Sydney, where 'student ambassadors' are recruited to speak to prospective uni students. The University encourages diversity and a wide range of applicants, and as such we don't 'target' schools as such. Any school is welcome to ask us for a visit from our student ambassadors. In addition, students are encouraged to join our mailing list, so they can be updated on uni information as they progress through their final years at high school. For more information on this program, please visit: http://db.auth.usyd.edu.au/study/web_appform.stm

Cheers!

Until recently Uni had never been something i thought i was in reach of. I'm in year 11 now currently doing my TEE (in WA), in whcih i'm doing pretty good considering it is the hardest thing i've ever done in my life. But i'm constantly worried that my results in year 11 and year 12 won't be good enough to be accepted into Uni, I'm doing my best but always feel scared to think about not being accepted into any uni. Is uni really that hard to get into?

Hi Paco,

Student life at Sydney University, personally I believe is excellent. There's so much to say, I don't know where to start. Checking out this site is definately a good idea to get a really good insight to what it is like.The faculty's are great and understanding if something interfers with your studies, which is really important. Sydney Uni is like a suburb in it's self! You have everything you need close to you and on campus. The Post office, Health services, Gym, Park, Swimming pools, Shops etc. are all only a short walk away.You are also only minutes away by bus from the city centre, so there's great shopping! Plus there's a variety of social clubs and sports to get involved in. The architectual design,beauty and the gardens of the campus is what attracts most students. Its an ideal place to spend your time studying instead of being surrounded by concrete. I picked Sydney as my first preferance as it is one of Australia's most highly regarded institutions. The principal from my college informed everyone who just moved in that we are actually 'Head hunted' or scouted by employers before we have even completed our degree. If you can afford to do the exchange program, then definately do it. If you find your short of money, then there's plenty of jobs available. Some people work for the colleges, or some for the University such as myself. You might be as lucky as me and land 2 jobs working for the uni. There's also plenty of cafe's and shops close by if you need to work. You should look at the scholarships available, they help alot. There is also Financial services available on campus if you find yourself in sticky situations, and they can give out loans. Alot of people in my degree are international students, and the majority of them live at the International House College. For more info about this college, check out www.usyd.edu.au/int-house/. Hope this helps you and I would like to see you around :)

hello everyone im currently in grade 12 in brisbane and im thinking about applying to sydney uni for medicine in 2007. I was just wondering if you could give me advice about colleges and what the different ones are like because I have no idea. Thank you

hi u guys!nice job on all the blogs!!I've got an offer to study at Sydney uni - Master of International Business by coursework in March'07,I was wondering if you guys could post some general info about Masters degree students.If there's someonone out there doin a course in Intnl. busines,it''l b great 2 hear from them abt de course n wat a typical postgrad student's life n work is like.
hopin 2 hear from u ,cheers,SaranyaGanesh,India.

hi lauren,

i live on the gold coast and i'm hoping to get into vet science at sydney uni next year. i'll basically be forced to work while i'm studying in order pay board. do you have a casual/part time job? how often do you work? are you able to manage working and doing study at home i.e. is there enough time to fit a job in while studying vet science? what proportion of vet students havea casual job while studying? argh sorry for all the questions!! looking forward to your reply. best wishes for uni

laura

Hi Laura,
I've found it virtually impossible to work enough to support myself during semester because we basically have 9-5, 5 days a week and then catch up and prepare all weekend. I am working weekends but I don't know how long I can keep that up. I just have to work my arse off during the holidays (but keep in mind you have to fit in weeks of prac work in the hols too.) Basically make sure you have savings to live off. Many students who do not take on a full load (ie. study part time and it will take longer than 5yrs to complete BVSc)are able to work part-time. Or if you can survive with no sleep you might be able to work nights. Good luck!

Hello,
I recieved a late round offer to Sydney Uni. I want to live on campus but they are all full except for International house. Do you know much about that college? Because i want one which has alot of social activities etc.
thanks

Hi successful college attendees

Going for interviews at a couple of colleges.
Any advice on how it's run? Questions? What they're looking for?
Thanks