Sydney Life

Sydney Uni in the Dust - September 2009

Apart from being one of the more photogenic universities in Australia, I thought that I would list a few reasons as to why I love Sydney Uni. This isn't a glossy puff-piece, and one of the good things about this blog is that I know that I can talk about when I'm having a tough time with Uni - this is just a list of why I love Sydney Uni; these are reasons that reaffirm why I've chosen to study here, and these are qualities of the university that I also believe are important to protect.

1. It's photogenic. Okay, I've already listed this one BUT I feel as though it really merits another say. I have yet to find another campus with as much architectural diversity (good and bad), which makes it a pleasure to take photos of. There's a reason people flock to the Quad and there's a reason why people are mystified by the JFR (which, to quote Cher from Clueless is such a Monet) - the Uni is just weird and wonderful and cool to look at.

2. It respects the integrity of student-run organisations. We have four organisations on campus, separate but supported by the University, that are in some way dedicated to the well-being of students:

- the University of Sydney Union, which provides most of the "cultural and commercial services" on campus - that is, supports over 200 clubs and societies, and provides a lot of the food that you will find on campus. It is governed by a Board of 13 Directors, 11 of whom are elected students and the other 2 being appointed by the University Senate. I am privileged and honoured to be one of them, and even more honoured to be serving this year as the Vice President. This is I suppose why I am always so keen to talk about the USU and the student experience outside of the classroom.

- the Student Representative Council, which advocates on behalf of undergraduate students to the University Administration, State and Federal Governments regarding the rights of students. It is an important organisation, again headed by students, and regardless of whether you feel a though you want to get involved or not - the services provided by the SRC are invaluable. Not only is there "big picture" advocacy (which involves a lot of marching... I don't know quite how I feel about that, but there's also a lot of in-office advocacy and lobbying too) - but there are a also smaller levels of advocacy. You can see a caseworker if you have problems with a mark you may have received, or if you're having issues with Centrelink.

- SUPRA, which is the same thing as the SRC but for postgraduate students.

- Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness, which provides all sports facilities on campus. Whether you're a A-grade Rugby player or a casual ultimate frisbee-er (or fencer), you can get involved and get fit at the same time.

3. Lecturers and tutors tend to be very responsive to feedback, give good and constructive feedback to students, and also are rather sympathetic to the needs of students. Most of the time. I have been really lucky to have had a positive experience with all units that I've studied thus far at uni.

4. The Co-Curricular Opportunities. I already touched on this with student organisations, but the breadth of what you can do at uni outside of the classroom is what keeps at uni. There are so many things to do, all of which I feel contribute to the learning process in an incredibly positive and productive way, that it's easy to see why students come to Sydney Uni.

4. Friends. This sounds incredibly sappy, but I have met my best friends at uni. I've met some in class, some at work, the most through my extra-curricular involvement. Beyond anything else, it's because I've made such great friends at uni that will make me remember this place so fondly.

I'm always really sad to hear when people have a bad experience at uni. It's unrealistic to assume that everyone will have the whole Felicity experience throughout their course, but I like to think that the university and the organisations that work with the university work hard to ensure that almost everyone has a good time at uni.

If you're in year 12, good luck in the HSC. If you are considering where to go for uni, I think one of the big things you should think about is also what you want to get out of uni. How do you want to remember your uni days? Most students I talk to want to remember their university days fondly, with that rose-tinted glow that says "best days of my life". It's weird but you can't wait for the best days to happen to you, you have to actually make them happen. It doesn't really matter how you go about it (club, sport, weekly trivia at Manning) - but you actually have to work at first to lay the foundations for a university experience that is amazing... from then on, it's like second nature.

Bon chance!