Going to college

What is college?

In Australia, 'college' is the name commonly used for a residential facility attached to a university.

Living in a university residential college is unlike any other experience. Moving out of home and into college coincides with newfound freedom, new responsibilities and often personal growth. It also represents an opportunity to meet a whole new range of people and can be the start of lifelong friendships.

How you might be feeling if you are moving into college

Moving into college might be both exciting and a bit intimidating. It is not uncommon to feel:

• worried or anxious
• excited
• apprehensive
• overwhelmed.

These are all totally normal ways to feel before moving out of home or just after moving into college. But like anything, with the right frame of mind and a little organisation, it can also be one of the most enjoyable and exciting experiences of your life.

If you are finding it hard to adjust after moving in, there are people who you can talk with. This might be someone from the college Pastoral care team, a counsellor, or a trusted friend or family member.

Choosing a college

Once you have decided you want to move into a college one of the toughest decisions you will have to make is deciding which college to move to. It's important to do your research about what college you move into - they can vary greatly. Through doing research you might find extra information which might alleviate any concerns you may have about moving into a college.

Usually you can find information about the rooms, college facilities, prices and the college's residents' committee (who organise college events) through the university's website. Most colleges have websites of their own, so it might be worth just typing the college name into a search engine and seeing what comes up.

If you have a trusted friend who goes to the same university as you do, it may be helpful to ask them about the different college reputations and if they've ever seen what they are like inside. An insider's point of view can provide balance to the glossy website advertisement that some colleges have.

Alternatively, if you live close by, it often is possible to arrange for a tour of the college to be conducted. Even if you live in a different state to the college you're moving into, it may be helpful to ring up and talk to someone from the college administration about whatever issues may be of concern to you.

These are generally very friendly people who will be happy to help out wherever they can. Keep in mind they are busy receiving many similar phone calls at the beginning of the year so if you don't get onto them the first try, try again.

Experiencing O-Week while living in college

If you're looking for information specifically on O-Week check out the Getting through orientation week (O-Week) fact sheet.

In addition to the usual activities of O-Week for all students, there are a few important things that make O-Week at college just a little bit more interesting. Read on for more info.

Opportunities if you're underage during O-Week and living in college

Because colleges often organise a lot of 18+ social events during O-Week, if you are underage it can often be an isolating or frustrating experience. It is unlikely, however, that you will be the only person not able to attend.

Avoid the temptation to stay in your room with your door closed. It might be a good idea to hang out in common areas and talk to the other people who may be in the same situation as you. You could even suggest going for coffee or bowling or seeing a movie with them. After all, making new friends is what O-Week is all about.

O-Week exhaustion

Many university colleges will organise a late night activity every night of the week for O-Week. Although it can be tempting to go along with every activity, don't feel obliged to if you're exhausted. Sometimes skipping an activity and getting sleep will allow you to enjoy the rest of the week even more.

Meeting all the people you live with

Being surrounded by hundreds of people who you don't know can be an intimidating experience at first. Remember that everyone at your college will have either been in the same position you are in now, or will be in their first year at college as well.

Try to take advantage of this. Be positive and proactive in meeting people and be keen to make friends wherever you can. O-Week is the perfect time to make friends, so make the most of it. For more info on meeting people for the first time check out the Meeting new people fact sheet.

'Fresher initiation' or hazing

Hazing is an activity expected of someone joining a college or any other group which can humiliate, degrade or risk emotional and/or personal harm. Although this is something that most colleges and universities have banned, that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist in varying degrees at different Universities.

You do not have to participate in hazing if you don't want to. Often simply indicating that you want to opt out of the hazing activity can be enough to prevent yourself from receiving that kind of treatment.

However, if you involuntarily become the victim of hazing remember that such hazing activities can be a form of harassment, or can be recognised under law in the same provisions as workplace bullying (see the Workplace bullying fact sheet for more info). If you are subject to an initiation which makes you feel bad you should report this to the Dean, Head, or Master of the college, or to the police.

Maximizing your opportunities: beyond O-Week

While O-Week is a rollercoaster for many students, for college students the fun doesn't stop there. Most residents committees organise events like those in O-Week throughout the year. Often they will organise sporting, cultural and charity events in collaboration with other colleges, which can all be a lot of fun.

In order to maximize your opportunities it is a good idea to:

Be sociable - Make the most out of your newfound extended family. Even if it's just to have a quick conversation to find out how their study is going, or what they've been up to recently.

Be organised - It's a huge temptation to continue your O-Week parties throughout the year. College is great fun, but make sure you remember you're at college to study too.

Be aware of how you and your friends are going - It's not unusual for people to go through a tough time at college every now and again. The majority of colleges have their own pastoral care and support services. These can be student leaders who have lived in college for a few years and have had basic counselling training, or there could be a designated member of staff such as a Dean of Students who has that responsibility.

You should be introduced to your pastoral care team in O-Week, but if you have difficulty finding out who they are, your college Administration will be able to point you in the right direction.

There are also support services outside the college and uni system. If you or a friend are finding it hard to cope with day-to-day stuff then it may help to talk to someone like a counsellor. Check out the Who can help you section for more information about what a counsellor does.

To find a doctor or mental health professional see the beyondblue Directory of Medical and Allied Health Practitioners in Mental Health or otherwise your GP or local community health centre may be able to recommend someone.

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (free call from a landline for people up to the age of 25) and Lifeline 13 11 14 (cost of a local call from a landline) also have counsellors that are available 24 hours a day and the call does not show up on your phone bill.

Be involved - Try out for college sports or other competitions. Even if your sporting abilities don't set the world on fire, it can be a great way to meet people who you might not normally hang out with and expand your friendship circle.