Sydney Life

Dear Asako:
Where is Bosch?
-Paul

Thanks for all the responses. They were fantastic. Here is my first Ask Asako column:

Dear Paul,
Bosch is at L9 on this map. The easiest way to get there from the main hub of campus is to walk all the way down physics road, turn left, and just keeeep going. If you have a lecture there, it’s best to try and get an early start getting there!

PS thanks for being a regular commenter!

Dear Asako,
yes, we are still out here so please keep writing!!! you guys are funny haha. um, any tips on how to use lectures?
-Lalala

Dear Lalala,

First off, you could have chosen a more creative name. However, this is a great question so I’ll overlook that.

Well, how to use lectures depends on what subject you are talking about. For example, in maths there isn’t much to do but sit there, listen, and copy down like CRAAAAAZY. Otherwise, I have a bit of information that might help you.

Most lecturers will post lecture notes on webCT, which are usually just the powerpoint presentation in tiny form. If you print them out before your lecture it’s great to take notes on the sides as you listen to the lecture.

If you have readings, it often helps to do them before the lecture they correspond to, because then the lectures will make more sense and they won’t go in one ear and right out the other. Also, if you don’t understand your readings, the lectures will probably help shed some light on them.

Dear Asako,
Due to the workings of a deranged university bureaucrat, I have found myself with enormous three hour breaks for lunch most days of the week. Other than synchronising my chewing with that of a sloth or practising calculus in the artificial Fisher light, what else is there to do?
-Morose Melanchology Malcontent

Dear Morose Melancholy Malcontent,

Now THERE’S a name. You’re a funny kid. And guess what, I too have some VERY annoying breaks in my timetable, maybe we can hang out? I believe I am slightly worse off than you though - most of my breaks are two hours long - this is just too long to feel okay with yourself for taking a “quick coffee break”, but not quite long enough to have a good study session. It’s a really awkward amount of time that I usually just veg out during, and bounce from person to person that I happen to see along the way.

Luckily for you, 3 hours are great. You mentioned it already, and let’s face it you probably won’t be doing this in the first couple of weeks, but you COULD go and study. During a three hour break, you get the perfect amount of time to do a couple of readings or exercises, and still have time for your coffee/lunch. You will leave one of these sessions feeling quite sated and fulfilled.

If you want to feel like doing work without really doing work, you can go and “check your emails” in an access lab. The reason I have this is quotation marks is that this activity hardly is only what it says it is, and more often than not spills on to checking the casual employment database, webCT discussion boards, facebook (this one can potentially take hours), and also whether there are any new readings or lecture notes to print.

Or, if you don’t want to do work in ANY sense (as I mentioned earlier, quite probably during the first couple of weeks when due dates and exams seem like a lifetime away) there are plenty of things going on around campus around the lunch hours. Some of my picks are: Hermann’s trivia at 1pm on Wednesdays, at Hermann’s bar (Wentworth building). Theatresports at 1pm on Thursdays, at Manning, bar level. On tuesdays there is often a band playing at manning for a free lunchtime session. Also, if you sniff your way around campus you will probably find one club or another having a BBQ that you can crash. AND don’t forget to put all of your friends’ breaks IN your timetable... or ... is that taking things too far? You be the judge. They will help later in semester when you are busy trying to organise study sessions (which are ALSO great in those 3 hour breaks you’ve got!)

Good luck M^3, good luck.

Dear Asako,
WHere are the best toilets? Cleanest, most spacious, full length mirrors a bonus...
-TENA

Dear Tena,

Even though I know this comment is just taking the piss (haha, see what I did there? P.S. TENA=Cath), it’s a good question and a good name so I’m prepared to respond. Especially since for the first couple of weeks I only knew two sets of toilets and I had to run to them whenever nature called, and I don’t want everyone else to have to go through that kind of torture.

Anyway, I have been thinking it over, and I have decided that my favourite toilets are the ones in the Quad near the Nicholson Museum (female - I am yet to experience the male ones which are on the Great Hall side). Reasons? i) there are about a gazillion toilets so there is never a queue, ii) there is a full length mirror, iii) in winter it’s great because the tap water is warm, though do beware of the overly powerful spray of water that sometimes even hits your face after richochetting off the porcelain basin, iv) the graffiti is interesting. One negative aspect which I will mention, however, are the hand towels - a momentous waste of paper in my opinion, and even worse than normal hand towels because they are as soft as quintuple kleenex tissues and you therefore need about two to dry each of your fingers. Go the air dryer (which, by the way, swirls 360º so you can convienient dry your hair / get hot air up your nose - bonus!)

Good luck in the future with all your lavatory-related pursuits. Adventure far and you’ll never be stuck in a pickle...

HAHAHAAHAH! talk about toilets! i'm actually very appalled at the carslaw's toilet. THEY SMELL! not to mention doors falling off hinges and broken locks!! so yes..where ARE the best toilets on campus? hehe...

-Celery

Dear Celey,
See above.

Dear Asako,
Do you reckon it's too risky for me to move out and live in a sharehouse for my first year of uni? I'm debating whether to live in a sharehouse or on campus in a college or the uni village thingy. Any advice?
-Sarah

Dear Sarah,

I wouldn’t say it’s risky, but I would urge you to wait until at least second year before moving out unless you absolutely have to. Uni is a big change and can be a bit of a shock - it’s a lot easier to get used to if you’re in the comfort of your own home, or at least somewhere where you don’t have to worry about rent, bills, food, etc. I imagine sharehousing is a lot of fun.

I wrote an entry on this issue some time ago which you can read here, though it’s more of a complain-fest than anything. cath has written numerous times on the topic also.

I would suggest at least in your first year to move into a college.. from what I hear that are a lot of fun, and you don't have to worry about paying rent/cooking and all that EXTRA jazz, while you go through the initial transition to university.. moving out all at once could be a bit overwhelming!

Wait a second, are you the girl from Adelaide?

Keep in touch and good luck!

Asako

Hey AS, I love your blog.

-Cadence

Hey Cadence,

After trial and erroring different routes the past couple of days just for you, I have found that this is the fastest way:

Exit the Old Teachers College any way you can (this is actually the hardest step - I get soo lost in there!), then make your way to the Square. Cross it towards the corner with the tennis courts, and go up the man-made steps on the hill (the first time I walked across the Square I didn’t see these steps so I attempted to climb those HUGE steps which I swear are half my height, in a skirt. Not a good look).

You will see in front of you the Physics building; turn left and walk up a small hill on Physics rd, heading towards the Transient building, where you will turn right onto the deceivingly named Fisher Rd. Then, take the first left, walk up the stairs and viola!!!!! Eastern Avenue in front of your eyes.

Good luck!

Keep the questions coming, an Ask Asako II may come soon...