A survival guide to life on campus
Living on campus is a rite of passage for many university students.
While Australia may not have the frat houses or sororities of overseas institutions, university colleges or halls of residence offer similar alternatives.
From the social opportunities to the convenient location, life on campus offers a number of great benefits — but it also takes some getting used to.
Attend events
Social events and parties can make up a big part of life at uni.
They provide a great opportunity to get to know people at your uni or who also live in your student accomodation.
You’ll find that the first week of uni will often hold lots of O-week activities. There will probably be stalls, parties, freebies and everything in between.
Take advantage of services and facilities
Living on campus means you have access to all of the services and facilities available at your university.
Need a quiet space to study? Why not head to the library?
Need to talk to someone at the university? Well, they’re just a short stroll away.
It’s also likely that your accommodation will have services and facilities of its own, such as tutoring or recreational facilities.
Take advatage of having easy access to all these resources. They can also be a really easy way to make new friends on campus.
Keep on top of your studies
When you’re constantly surrounded by people and have your social calendar planned out for the whole semester, staying on top of your studies and assessments can be a bit of a challenge.
It’s important to make time each week for your university work and to keep your attendance up — after all, there’s no excuse for missing class when you live only a short walk away.
The people you meet in your classes could become your new closest friends. As you study together, or do group projects together you can plan to study in more of the same classes and align your timetables. That way when you come to a new class each semester you can look forward to taking it a little easier because you've already made some great friends.
Check out here if you want some more information on how you can turn those uni friends into actual friends.
Know when you need some time to yourself
While living in close proximity to your friends has many benefits, it can also be overwhelming at times. It’s only natural that you’ll want some time to yourself every now and then.
This could be as simple as keeping your door closed for the night or going for a walk. You could even get out and have some quiet time in the library.
If you have friends or family nearby, you could also consider staying with them for a couple of nights.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle when you first move out of home can be really tricky — no matter what accommodation you choose to live in.
Students living at college are likely to have all their food provided for them, which can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to keeping a balanced and nutritional diet. Or if you're buying your own groceries for the first time it can be alarming how expensive fresh fruit and vegetable, let alone meeat can be.
While there is a benefit from having quick, cheap and easy meals, it’s also tempting to eat a lot more or worse than usual — especially with ‘luxury foods’ that you’re not used to having at home or the convenience of having a snack bar around the corner. Encourage yourself to plan out your meals. You'll porbably be able to save money and time by doing this, and also feel good about what you're eating.
If you're also going out a lot it can be easy to fall into habits that you may not want to stick with for your whole degree.
Aim for a healthy balance by integrating exercise into your weekly routine, getting a decent amount of sleep, having an alcohol-free night every once in a while, and eating a well-balanced diet.
