Zainbow's University Adventures

[Zainbow]

Hey! Thank you for taking the time to read my journal.

I'm a first year student at the University of Sydney, and will be starting my second semester next week. I'm studying a combined degree in engineering and science, which normally takes 5 years. However, due to my taking the space engineering major, that adds another semester to my degree. So 5.5 years and I'm done!

I don't live near campus and have to commute 1.5-2 hours to get to uni each day, 5 days a week. I don't really mind though because I like long train rides, that's when I usually go over my emails, do my pre-tut work, or simply read a book.

Last semester I took the following units (I'll put up unit reviews for them as well):

- MATH1002 Linear Algebra (3cp)
- MATH1021 Calculus of One Variable (3cp)
- PHYS1901 Physics 1A (Adv) (6cp)
- ENGG1801 Engineering Computing (6cp)
- MTRX1701 Introduction to Mechatronic Engineering (6cp)

There's also this other unit, Professional Engagement 1 (0cp), that is compulsory for all students in the Engo and IT faculty to take. It basically ensures that by the completion of your degree you'd have undertaken 600 hours of 'professional development' under 3 categories: Engineeering Activities, non-Eng Activities (you can claim your daytime employment as non-eng professional activities), and Engineering Work (between 3rd and 4th years). I get why a program like this is useful, but it's just so annoying  . I'm so far behind on the hours that I should have completed by now, and what makes it worse is that you need to submit a multi-paragraph reflection (just shy of an essay) on how the activity you completed is relevant and assists in your professional development.

Overall, university to me is 110 times better than high school.

[Joseph41]

Love this already.

600 hours to me sounds like heeeeaaaaaps. Really hectic!

Glad you prefer uni to school, though. What are the biggest differences you've found?

[Zainbow]

Love this already.

600 hours to me sounds like heeeeaaaaaps. Really hectic!

Glad you prefer uni to school, though. What are the biggest differences you've found?

For me, the biggest difference has got to be travel time (an hour's commute vs walking distance to school). I've heard this a lot before, but I never fully understood how spoon-fed we were at school! At uni, you are literally (and financially) responsible for your education, no one's going to chase you up and check if you've understood the content, and no one will get affected by your marks except yourself. The BEST difference though is that you meet so many people from all different walks of life.

[Joseph41]

For me, the biggest difference has got to be travel time (an hour's commute vs walking distance to school). I've heard this a lot before, but I never fully understood how spoon-fed we were at school! At uni, you are literally (and financially) responsible for your education, no one's going to chase you up and check if you've understood the content, and no one will get affected by your marks except yourself. The BEST difference though is that you meet so many people from all different walks of life.

Yeah, huge difference. I struggled adjusting to the change a bit tbh. It's good, though - definitely changes your mindset when it comes to study.

How do you usually use your commute time?