Stories of the First-Year Experience

Student: Faculty of Engineering

Hi, my name is Robert and I completed my first year of engineering at Monash uni. (Clayton) last year.
Well, now that it's your turn to enter your first year at Monash uni, I'd like to give you a "summary" of my first impressions at uni and hopefully, some "survival tips".

My first days at uni were a complete change. Having come from a small school, I know found my self amongst thousands of students. The size and beautiful surroundings were both overwhelming and exciting. There was a noticeable difference at uni from high school in the way we were taught. Instead of a small classroom of 25 students or so, you will be in huge lecture theaters. This is where I made my first and best friends. You tend to sit in the same spot and sooner or later you make friends with the people beside you. This is really important because unless you already have some friends doing the same course as you, it can be pretty lonely going to lectures. In fact, the first few days at uni I must admit were a bit lonely and a bit sad but I was enjoying the lectures and tutorials so much I quickly made friends, really good friends in fact. I also made friends with my lecturers and especially my tutors. Speaking to them, asking their advice was always easy because they were friendly, helpful and most importantly, approachable at all times.

On the academic side of uni, I found that you will no longer be pushed to do your homework and assignments. It is up to you to keep up with school work and if you do get a bit behind, try to catch up as soon as you can.

There are many other differences between uni and high school apart from the academic aspects such as the obvious increase in campus size at uni. This might at first be overwhelming and quite disorientating but after a week or so, you'll know the you uni off the back of your hand. In my attempt to combat this disorientation, I went to the lecture theatres a few days before classes started and found major structures such as the library and the union building.

To my surprise, when I enrolled at uni, I realized that going to uni isn't all about studying. It is also a chance to meet new people, making friends and joining clubs.

Here, my key advice to all you new students out there is to make friends and to not be confined by any preconceptions you may have of your fellow students. You will be surprised that many aren't the stereotypical, thick glassed science students you see in those old 60's shows and just about everyone has interests outside of their academic lives.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year at Monash, with everything being positive. However, to be "brutally honest" there was one "not-so-positive" aspect and that was in one semester where my Thursday classes started at 8 am (involving me to get up at 6) and having to finish at 6pm. This took a bit of getting used to but was OK after a while. My poor mum however, had to practically drag me out of bed to catch the bus on time (it tool about one and a quarter hours to get to uni and the same to get back). Because I didn't get a license until later on in the year, I couldn't get a parking permit. So my advice is to buy your parking permits early in the year.

Specifically relating to Engineering, first year was much more diverse than I had expected. I did 12 Engineering subjects over the two semesters and each one was different, interesting and challenging in its own way. The course is very structured and because of the large number of hours, about 24, you have to discipline yourself. I actually appreciated the discipline required because it kept me focused and like anything else if you appreciate the fact that you need to work to be rewarded at what you are doing, you will enjoy Engineering.

I wish you all a great first year at uni and hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!