Starting uni or TAFE

Starting at university or TAFE is a big change from school.  It can be fun, but might also be stressful adjusting to new surroundings, and people.  If you are feeling overwhelmed or lonely, you are not alone, many students feel the same way.

What to expect

You might have heard a lot about Uni and TAFE and the sorts of experiences you should have. Here are some common myths and facts:

Myth: Uni or TAFE is one big party.
Fact: Sure you have fun and go to parties, but there is the side of Uni or TAFE where you do have to concentrate on your studies to pass.

Myth: Lecturers and tutors are unapproachable.
Fact: Lecturers and tutors are happy to work through course content or assessment and offer helpful advice.  Often lecturers have time specially allocated for students to chat with them about the course. 

Myth: Uni or TAFE students are lazy and sleep all day.
Fact: Most Uni and TAFE students work hard and motivate themselves to do well.

Myth: Some people at Uni and TAFE know more than you.
Fact: Some people are more outspoken than others. Try not to feel intimidated about stating your opinion or asking a question, someone else is probably wanting to ask the same thing.

Studying at uni and TAFE requires you to motivate yourself to keep the workload under control, see the Time Management fact sheet for more tips. 

Feeling lonely

Large classes can be nerve-racking and might make you feel lonely. You aren't the only one! Here are some suggestions for helping you to feel confident about going to lectures:

• Join clubs/societies that interest you.  O-Week is a great time to investigate clubs, whether they are sporting, political, musical or general interest.  See the Getting through Orientation Week (O-week) fact sheet for more info.
• Form a study group. It is a great way to make friends and learn the course content at the same time!
• Tutorials are smaller than lectures (10-20 in a group) and are a great way to meet people.
• Some Unis and TAFEs offer peer mentoring - especially for rural and overseas students.  The best place to find out about mentoring is during your O-Week course information session. If you can't make them, check out the Uni or TAFE website to find out more information about peer mentoring.
• Some Unis offer PASS sessions, they are usually after or before the lecture.  PASS is a time when the course content is discussed, and older students offer you advice about assessment and your requirements as a student.  PASS is a relaxed way to get helpful hints and talk about your course.
• There are lots of services offered at Uni and TAFE including career and personal counsellors, women's space childcare facilities, indigenous spaces, accommodation, health welfare, chaplaincy or  transport. Chances are, if you have a question there will be someone to answer it and there will be somewhere to hang out and feel comfortable.

Assessment

The first piece of assessment might be daunting. You may feel unsure about your tutors and lecturers' expectations. It is not uncommon to feel anxious. Some tips to help you manage include:

• Approaching someone in your tute group and asking them about the work.  It's an excuse to talk to someone else, and you are probably not the only one who would like to start a tute group.
• Talk to your tutor, even if it is not face to face - emailing is a great way to ask them questions regarding assessment.
• Talk to someone in your family, school friends, or someone who has been at uni before.
• If you don't go as well as you'd hoped, it is a good idea to follow up with your lecturer or tutor about it - it'll help you to identify areas that you can focus on.
• Talk to someone at the study skills centre. The study skills centre should provide help with writing or study techniques and may be a great place to bounce your ideas off someone.

If you find yourself wanting to change subjects

If you are feeling overwhelmed by your course load or subject content, or you just think the subject/course sucks, you can do something about it!

Some things to remember when considering changing, or dropping subjects: 

• Look out for your HECS deadlines. Once the HECS deadline has past, you will have to pay for the course even if you do not complete it. 
• Look out for other uni or TAFE cut off times.  After a certain time you cannot drop a subject without getting a mark for it. 
• Talking to your course coordinator, lecturer, tutor, career adviser or friends may help you to find out more about your options and how to go about changing or dropping a subject.

What to do if you are failing subjects

If you are failing - there are some things you may need to consider

• Do you understand the course content?  If you are finding the course tough you may be able to get a tutor to help you understand the subject content. This might be your subject tutor, a friend who is doing well or someone from the study skills centre.
• Are you keeping up with the workload? Getting behind in the course can make it difficult to understand the content and to stay on top of your study. It may help to work out a study plan so you can balance your subject load and other commitments. The study skills centre can help you to do this.
• Is there another subject you'd rather be doing? If you are not enjoying the content of your subject, it might be hard to stay focussed. Sometimes your subject might be compulsory and you just have to stick it out, but it may be possible for you to change to something that you find more interesting.
• Is uni the place for you at the moment?  If you are going through a tough time, whether you are sick or coping with grief or loss, your uni will allow for you to apply for special consideration.  Usually this is a simple procedure and doesn't add to your stress.  Your tutor, lecturer or counsellor should be able to help you work out the best way you can manage your course work while things are difficult for you.

General tips

Uni and TAFE should be a great place to be, as time passes, you will face expected and unexpected challenges, but hopefully you will have lots of fun along the way. Here are some tips that might help you to have a fun uni and TAFE experience.

• Don't worry if you don't have a group of friends within the first couple of weeks, it might take time, and will be worth the wait.
• Ask people for help, most people are more than willing to help out wherever they can.
• Try not to allow yourself to become stressed out, see the Stress and Relaxation fact sheets  for more info about helping you to manage stress and relax.
• Talk to someone if you aren't coping - Lifeline (131 114) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) - both have counsellors who are available 24 hours.  Your tutor, friends or a counsellor may also be good to talk to.
• It is OK to feel overwhelmed in the first few weeks of uni. It is important that if this feeling continues that you talk to someone about how you are feeling. Don't let it be your entire uni or TAFE experience.