Keep Calm and Graduate…

So I am finishing my degree at the end of the year… was supposed to be this semester, however I deferred a subject to balance out my life better. Flexible study is one of the reasons I love studying at USQ.

I can’t help but think about next year. Life without uni? What is that? Lol. Do I stay home? Do I stay at my part time job? Do I look for a full time job? So many options.

The past few months, and many more to come have been filled of time spent applying for graduate positions and full time jobs for after I graduate. A hard truth to swallow, going to working full time, after years of balancing family/uni/work.  I can’t decide if the transition from uni to work is going to give me more time, or take up my time?!  All the same, I am excited at the idea of beginning my career in my chosen field (which for me is accounting). It almost feels as though a job offer will be comparable to winning the lotto, being rewarded for all the hard work I have put in to get my degree.

As I think about the job prospects that may be around the corner, I am also looking forward to the perks that come with it. The opportunities to buy a house and live off a full time wage are definitely worth all the effort and all night assignment writing. So I guess thinking about “what’s next” has assisted in keeping me motivated and on track to finish uni on a high. So much to think about!

Even though there is a whole lot to consider over the next 12 months, USQ have been extremely supportive. Offering avenues to apply for grad jobs, explaining what a grad job is (which is a job in your first year as a graduate by the way – usually with added support and training) and assisting with networking by organising career expos and online forums. There is definitely no excuse to not know what to do, where to apply or what my options are.

If I am honest with myself, I still do not know if I will accept a full time job offer next year. Crazy? No, I still have my youngest to think about, she starts prep in 2014, so another year with her, may not be a bad idea. Nonetheless, she has another 6 months of growing up to do. So to be sure not to miss any opportunity, I have applied (for numerous) jobs, and we will see what happens. Who knows I may even decide to stay at USQ forever and do a masters… Whatever the future brings, I know I’ll be ready. Can’t wait to see what lies ahead!

Graduation Celebrations

The me of a week ago was a frantic mess; how can I think of my science degree graduation when I’m neck-deep in honours assignments and work commitments? What will I wear?! What if I fall over?! Will the weather be okay? Should I wear heels?! WHAT WILL I WEAR?!!

Today (one awards ceremony and one graduation later) I am a much happier, calmer lady – and a graduate! The weather was fantastic, I didn’t face-plant it on stage, and yes, I did wear heels Three year’s work (give or take a few for some graduants) was celebrated in a sea of multi-coloured academic gowns (try not to: strangle yourself, sit on the person’s beside you, or channel your inner Harry Potter and use it as a dementor cape!), mortarboards (is it on the right way? It’s cutting off the blood-flow to my brain!!) and smiling students (or ex-students as the case is now for many). For those who have never experienced a university graduation, I have to say that it was far more interesting than I’d expected – here are my highlights:

• The entrance of the academic procession – loved the outfits!
• Our guest speaker, an exceptionally intelligent, hilarious and wise astronomer from Yorkshire (Professor Frederick Watson – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Watson) who spoke of the possibility of microorganisms from Mars creating a pandemic here on  Earth (amongst other, slightly more relevant things)
• The ‘musical interlude’ which was a  stunning Adele song performed by creative arts students
• Hearing the crazy shouts from family and friends as their loved ones received their testamurs on stage
• Shaking hands with the chancellor (she was SO friendly, despite my name being at the very end of a very longgg list)

USQ students are so fortunate to have the Japanese Gardens (which are actually the largest traditional gardens in Australia) on our doorstop – and my group made good use of them by sneaking of for a photo shoot after the ceremony (and after our fair share of delicious snacks and drinks; all that clapping is thirsty work!).

I’d like to quickly mention the unsung heroes of graduation… No, not the staff members who help us fix our academic gowns just before we walk on stage – though they are pretty darn important – or the car park traffic directors (it’s a hard job; I remember working last year – standing in a snazzy poncho in the rain trying to prevent car crashes whilst sending graduants in the right direction). I mean the PARENTS and FAMILIES – thank you SO MUCH for your support; you have stood beside us on our respective journeys, and (unless you can’t take the proof-reading of our assignments and cooking of our meals any longer and move to an exotic overseas island to escape) you will remain by our sides for a long time to come. What is more, you do AMAZING things – like making the delicious ice-cream graduation cake below

To my mum, Sandra – you deserve a degree yourself for putting up with three years of stressed-out me!

So, what now? It’s back to the assignments and work commitments, back to normal clothes and normal cakes. With any luck, I’ll be back in the Clive Berghofer Centre graduating from my honours degree next year – bring it on!!

Want to see what some other USQ graduands have to say? Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnIO4JkpaF0&list=UUp0ShvPUKqiKvfj40bexawg&index=3!

Scholarship Gold at the End of the Rainbow

It’s no myth or legend that there are numerous costs associated with going to university. Whilst course fees, textbooks and other expenses are encountered by students along their academic adventure, you don’t need a lucky horse-shoe or four-leaf clover to make these costs disappear. Besides working a part-time job whilst studying, this year I was able to cover the cost of textbooks and course fees thanks to receiving a scholarship – my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

The fable

For many students, both those yet to commence university study and those continuing their academic journey, scholarships are often thought of something mystical, elusive and often out of reach. Unfortunately, this perception could not be further from the truth because scholarships are not as out-of-reach as some may think.

All the colours of the rainbow

Just as there are many colours of the rainbow, there are many different kinds of scholarships available to both students commencing and those continuing university study. Some of these scholarships include:

• Academic – arguably the most traditional form of scholarship, academic scholarships are awarded to a student who has met a certain level of academic achievement based on specific requirements and criteria.
• Community involvement – Whilst most scholarships are awarded on some form of academic achievement, scholarships can also be awarded to reward outstanding community involvement (and can range from a leadership position in high school to being involved in local sporting clubs or even participating in community events).
• Equity – Equity scholarships are awarded to assist students in accessing the necessaries one needs to successfully undertake university study (USQ offers textbook bursaries, relocation assistance and rural scholarships). Commonwealth scholarships might also be available to students who receive welfare support.
• Special – This category embraces the remaining scholarships on offer including sporting scholarships, scholarships for students of genders in non-traditional areas of study, and much more.

Reaching the pot of gold

So now that you know about the kinds of scholarships on offer, the next question is how do we get one? USQ accepts scholarship applications throughout the year until the application closing date usually around mid-October. Applications are not difficult to put together and are a worthwhile investment in your time (considering the fantastic financial reward you may receive).

This year I was awarded the City of Ipswich Scholarship which is donated by the Ipswich City Council to reward a continuing student with a consistent level of academic achievement in addition to community involvement within the city of Ipswich. Not only did this provide financial support for myself, I was able to attend the council meeting and was introduced to the local councillors and the Mayor of Ipswich. Another benefit of receiving this scholarship was being able to attend an awards ceremony where I was able to meet some of the other talented scholarship recipients.

Overall, I strongly encourage all students currently in university or considering university study to apply for scholarships. Hopefully this post has shown the financial benefits of scholarships, quashed the myths surrounding scholarships and demonstrated the array of scholarships available to students for a variety of achievements – scholarships aren’t just for the A+ students anymore.

What scholarships are you eligible for? To find out what scholarships USQ have available, check out www.usq.edu.au/scholarships.

The Ups and Downs of being a Uni Student

Being a university student can be amazing and also at times overwhelming. I am in my second year of nursing and one word that explains my first five weeks of this semester is ‘hectic’. It feels like I am drowning in lectures, readings and assignments.

This semester I am undertaking four subjects: pharmacology, episodes of nursing, mental health and a prac subject. Each subject has a lot of information each week to read and understand, which has been very time consuming.

This semester I have had to do quite a few online quizzes for my subjects and these quizzes count towards my end of semester grade. The quizzes can be quite nerve-racking because I want to get the best grade possible. So far this semester I have been receiving really good marks… so let’s hope I can continue to do so for the rest of the semester. I had one huge assignment that was due a few days before Easter. I left most of the work til the last minute (study tip 101: save yourself the pressure and don’t leave assignments til the last minute).  Don’t worry though, I got the assignment in on time and hopefully receive a good grade for it. If only I started the assignment earlier I would not have had such a stressful week of late nights finishing it. Maybe, just maybe before I graduate I will learn to start assessment pieces earlier.

I have been enjoying my classes this semester though, and I love all of my tutors and lecturers. I am enjoying my practical subject it’s great to be able to put theory in to practice. Each week of this semester has been a bit of a blur because I have been so busy preparing for classes, studying and working part time at Woollies.

The best part of being a university student hands-down is having lots of holidays throughout the year. My Easter holidays are going to consist of: catching up on university work (boring), catching up on sleep, working at Woollies for some spending money, catching up with friends, eating lots of chocolate, baking yummy food, visiting the Australia Zoo with our Japanese exchange student, lots of walks and bike rides on the beach, going to a musical in Brisbane, possibly shopping at the Sunshine Coast and all in all relaxing.

I hope your first few weeks of university haven’t been too hectic like mine. I also hope you have a fun filled, relaxing holiday.

I look forward to blogging again in a few weeks time about my university adventures.

Kara

The A to Z of Inspirational Study

So Semester 1, has turned out quite busier than I expected.  For those of you that have not had a chance to read my previous blogs, I have now added working part time into my lifestyle equation. Which now means I have to figure out a way to balance my university studies, raising 3 children, being a good wife, running a house and working part time. In an effort to stay motivated to stick to my priorities, I have decided follow the trend of filling my home with motivational signs, reminders and sayings.  You know, those ones you can find with cute little sayings on them, or a list of words that work together to remind you of what’s important. I figure, that if something can help to keep you on track and focused, can’t be a bad thing. I enjoy the way a message can be summed up neatly (and memorably) in a sentence or two. Often, these signs are shared with my friends as they walk around my house, leading to a powerful insight of my ideals or create thought provoking conversations.

I want to share some quotes with you. ‘Study/Work/Life Balance’ is an overused term, and can be challenging for so many of us. Of course, the ideal balance between these important elements in our lives is different for everybody – it depends on what is important to us, and this shifts over time.  But the starting point must be deciding what we want it to be, for us, now. Then we can begin taking positive steps towards making it happen. For some of us, that is to study at university, for others, it may be getting that graduate position you want next year, or it could be as simple as wanting to spend more time with the kids.

Some of these quotes are profound, others just make me smile – I hope you enjoy these too. And do let me know your own favourite ‘Study/Work/life Balance’ quotes – to the comments below, so they’re visible for all to enjoy.  If one of these quotes really helps you, then post it in a place where you can see it every day as a reminder.

• “You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.” – Oprah Winfrey
• “Action expresses priorities.” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “The most important thing in life is knowing the most important things in life.” – David F. Jakielo              
• “Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it.  Establish your priorities and go   to work.” –  H . L. Hunt
• “Having children really changes your priorities.”  – Cindy Crawford
• “Good things happen when you get your priorities straight.”   -  Scott Caan
• “Nobody can go back  & start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson

And my favourite!

• “For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” – Lily Tomlin

Remember to check out USQ on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest) as motivational pictures and quotes are posted on a regular basis. They always help to keep me focused, and give me a laugh.

Can’t wait to hear your inspirational quotes!

USQ Career Fair Employer Tip

The University of Southern Queensland’s Career Fair is about building bridges to future career paths and helping students enter their chosen career after graduation.

In this video blog, employers share their tips for gaining employment after graduation with our students during USQ Career Fair.

What are your tips for meeting employers for the first time and securing graduate employment?

USQ Springfield Phoenix Carnival – Campus meets community

After conquering the first week of lectures in this new semester (and the mountain of reading of readings pictured above), what better way to relax than share in the celebrations at the Phoenix Carnival.

USQ ran a Phoenix Carnival at each of its campuses to share and celebrate its success with the local community. I was lucky enough to attend the Springfield Phoenix Carnival on March 2nd and it was a great experience for myself, and many other students, to share our #USQPride with the Greater Springfield region.

The day was a hive of activity – the Springfield Markets from Robelle Domain set up their unique stalls, USQ staff ran various activities and various student groups put their hard work on display (including an Aiki Jutsu demonstration and some amazing short films made by the applied media students). Despite the amount of cloud-cover and rainfall, all those who attended the Phoenix Carnival had a fantastic time.

With 2013 marking USQ Springfield Campus’ seventh year since establishment, Phoenix Carnival was the perfect showcase of the vital role the university has played in bringing together local community.

During the day I was able to meet several of the wonderful people at Phoenix Carnival including USQ staff, students and members from the Robelle markets. Inspired by many of the prominent YouTube V-logers (Video-Bloggers) currently trending on the internet, I have put together a V-log of my time at USQ Springfield’s Phoenix Carnival – help me get this one viral!

O-Week: A week to remember.

So it’s here, the return of Semester – and what a way to kick it off! O-Week, as always, saw the university come alive with energy and excitement. Thousands of students came on campus to experience university life (many for the first time). With information sessions, live music, movie nights, party nights and Phoenix Carnival, this was a jam-packed week for our students.

The week kicked off at Alison Dickson Lecture Theatre with the VC, Mrs Jan Thomas, giving an inspiring welcome speech. Students then broke into faculty sessions and had the opportunity to attend workshops such as time management, university services, library tours and many more. And of course, where would O-Week be without some live music, Red Froggers and Free Stuff?

Throughout the week students could take part in Bush Dances, a movie night, an under 18’s Café Crawl and of course – a themed Party Night at The Spotted Cow. The week ended with the first annual Phoenix Carnival – which included live music, market, food stalls and lots of games and activities.
However, I wasn’t sure if words could really re-create the vibe of this week, so I have created a video which showcases the O-Week Journey for our students and staff. Enjoy!

- Amanda

You Can Pass gO Week

It’s that time of year again. The holiday hangover is about to kick in and the stress of exams and assignments will begin. So, why not taken a whole week to settle into uni life, either for the first time or possibly the last? O Week, or as us Concannonites are calling it this year, gO Week, is all about easing back into study and settling into uni life in style. So this year, we have organised the week around a monopoly theme.

At Concannon we devised a set of challenges and points system for the freshers (first years) to complete by the end of the week. The challenge of picking a flower for one of the returnees is proving a little more difficult for some. The challenges and riddles given to the freshers is just an easier and more fun way of getting to know everyone and easing them into the college atmosphere. There is also a special incentive. With an overall prize including an exercise ball, gift voucher and a few extra goodies, the competition is getting heated. 

gO Week is jam-packed with uni events, including Market Day (better known as Freebie Day) and the upcoming Phoenix Carnival, as well as college events such as inter-college Toga Trivia and an Olympiad, just to name a few. In saying that, the planning of college O-Week events is not an easy task, I can tell you first hand.

As part of Concannon’s Residential Student Club (RSC) this year, I get to see the hard work and patience it takes to organise all the inter-college events or even just a movie night on college. So please, think of the hours put in to make all this possible for YOU and enjoy the week!

This week will be a week of ‘firsts’ for many. Not only will it be the first week of uni life and possibly college life, but this week friendships will be made and careers kick-started. For some it may even be the first (and maybe last) time that they will ever do the Chicken Dance while riding a mechanical bull. Yes, that happened. 

The Year to end all Years…

In two days’ time I will commence what I have been told is the most grueling year of a student’s life. A year that will test my academic ability, jeopardize my social life, reduce my sleep bank balance, and compromise my sanity. In two days’ time I will begin a journey that may ‘make or break’ me – Honours Year*. I don’t think the reality of the situation will actually sink in until I’m sitting in that classroom, beginning an 8-day intensive workshop on multivariate analysis, research and thesis proposals, ethical dilemmas, and counselling techniques. For the moment my brain is still enjoying being on holidays, pleased to have completed my undergraduate science degree and to only have casual employment, volunteer work, coffee dates, and road trips to be concerned about. It is hard to comprehend that I should be preparing it for an onslaught of reading, researching, and revising. A week or so ago I was enjoying my 21^st birthday with family and friends – not a care in the world – and now I am bracing myself for the return to study; my textbooks and laptop to be my most important companions.

Thankfully, I am not to brave the storm alone. My family and friends – some of whom have already completed similar study – have been amazingly supportive so far, and I know they will be there again, despite how stressed out, cranky, or deliriously tired I may get.

I am exceptionally lucky in that my boyfriend is also a psychology student and about to begin honours himself, as are several of my friends. I have been teamed up with an amazing thesis supervisor, and have been allocated the topic that most interested me for my research project (Autism Spectrum Disorders). I am confident in the USQ staff and facilities. Ultimately, I think I’ve been given the best chance to succeed that I’m ever going to get. I wouldn’t say ‘bring it on!’ but I’m also not running in the opposite direction just yet.

This year will be a balancing act – I hope to continue working and volunteering (I help at Lifeline one day a week) and maybe even to see daylight and my friends every now and then. Stupidly or not, I even have a cruise booked for July (everyone needs a break!). I’ll check in with you again in a few months to let you know how I’m travelling, and just how skilled I am at time-management…

I thought I’d end with the top three events from my holidays (holidays which are about to fade into nothingness all too soon): 1. As mentioned above, I turned 21! 2. My Rotaract Club organised a movie night that raised almost $1200 for Guide Dogs Queensland – thank you to anyone reading this who supported it! 3. Last but not least, I volunteered at the Woodford Folk Festival – and would recommend it to anyone; especially if you are a poor student and fancy a free ticket and accommodation.

Oh, and I also got be on a bus, wearing my new, free USQ t-shirt! Make sure to come along to the Phoenix Carnival on the 24^th Feb (I am especially looking forward to the fairy floss, movie at sunset, and dunking machine hehe…) Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3CaOfSy5cU

Well, that’s all from me for the mo’ – off to gather stationery for the big day! :S

- Gena

*For those asking ‘what is this insane-sounding honours year?’ Differences from an undergraduate program include:

• Week-long workshop blocks (with class from 9am-5pm each day), which occur four times a year, rather than several 2/3-hour classes each week. Workshops are often held in the weeks usually considered holidays.
• A research project/thesis due at the end of the year, as well as other ‘normal’ subjects each semester.
• Though it is an on campus program (and cannot be completed unless you attend the workshops), more external-style study is required and students must take the initiative in catching-up with their supervisors and staying on task.
• The program only takes one year of full-time study to complete.

For more information, The University of Southern Queensland website is more accurate than I (check out http://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/current/sci/BSCH.html).