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

My secret skill: Juggling!

The dictionary definition of juggling is:

• to perform the tricks of a juggler
• to engage in manipulation especially in order to achieve a desired end
• to handle or deal with usually several things (as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements

The latter two relate to me. I have mastered the skill to juggle the responsibilities of family life, my full-time university studies, a casual job and my ‘me’ time. This, at times, leads to feeling like the star attraction in my very own ‘family’ circus, and my 3 girls are the ringmasters  ;)

I am sure that I am not the only one out there who feels this way at times, you long for the mid semester break, to have the chance to catch a breath just in the nick of time, only to start back again and sit through long nights of study before end of semester exams. You take a break and it starts all over again, a constant juggling act.

This mid semester break I had the opportunity to travel interstate for a ‘real’ holiday, at my family reunion.  It was a challenge to prepare my assessment early to ensure the time away was really a holiday. But it definitely paid out in the end. I cannot stress how important it is to ensure a good study/family/work balance together with fun and recreation. I think I had forgotten what it felt like to just sit and do nothing, listen to the waves – we were at the beach – and just spend time with the family. I even got a chance to go quad biking on the largest sand dunes in Australia with some of my family. Best fun I have had in ages!

It can be so easy to get caught up in the stresses and deadlines of uni life. However, by keeping on top of things, or when necessary, knowing when to let things go, we can achieve all we need to without missing out on anything.  There are occasions when I don’t get time to do the housework because an assignment is due. If I work late, I’ll order pizza for dinner, and if I have a kids soccer match to attend, I stay up late and study. It all balances out in the end. A bit of give and take, and a lot of quality time with the family is all it takes for me. My eldest daughter Chloe says she’d much prefer that I spend ½ hr doing something with her, then spending half the day in the same room on the laptop working. Quality time, not quantity. I wish I could say the same for work, lol. But there is nothing I can do about the time spent at work. Having said that, there are times I have to turn down a shift to ensure I am there for my family.

Knowing your priorities and planning your time will help you stay in control. I ask myself, is what I am doing now going to matter in the long run? Is it going to make my life easier or more difficult? Does it really matter if the dishes are not done until morning? When necessary, there are things I need to take out of my ‘juggling’ act to make my time as a uni student more successful without hindering my family, work and recreational time. What are some things you could take out of yours, even if only for a short time, to help you through when needed?

The Beginning of the End

Here it is. The beginning of the end. After 3 and a half years, 28 courses, 56 assignments (roughly) as well as several exams and quizzes, I am now staring into the face of my final semester at USQ.

For many, this semester will be their first. It will be marked with new and exciting experiences; the starting point in working to achieve their goals and dreams. For me though, this semester will be characterised through a series of ‘lasts’. The last uni textbook I buy, the last courses I complete, the last assignment I submit, the last prac I participate in – my university life is drawing to a close.

While I am excited about the doors that will unlock and open in the completion of an Education degree, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. I have loved my uni life from the very first lecture. I have changed, I have grown and I have discovered who I am as well as what my passions are. I have met some wonderful and inspiring people, many of whom have become part of my ‘uni family’, and have had some amazing experiences.

I have done things that four years ago I would never have dreamt that I would do. This is very true of an experience that I have had recently. I remember back to my first ‘O Week’, when I attended all of the information sessions that I could (in a desperate bid to ease my nerves). One of these was a lecture on professional placements (pracs; going out to schools to teach). Sometime through this, two fourth year students made their way to the front of the lecture theatre and discussed their recent prac, in Thailand. I remember thinking two things. My first thought centred on the public speaking aspect, I wondered if I would ever truly be comfortable speaking in front of such a large group. Secondly, I thought about actually teaching kids in another country. What a seemingly impossible task!

Less than three years later, I was boarding a plane with two other USQ students (who I had met previously but really didn’t know). We were off to teach in Thailand! The three week experience was unbelievable. I taught maths to high school children in Chiang Mai, observed and participated in many cultural traditions, rode elephants, played with tigers (yes – real life tigers) and was able to share these amazing experiences with two other USQ students who I now regard as family.  Since then, I have given presentations about this prac to large groups of students – just as the two students I envied had done! Through these reflections of the past 3 and a half years, I can see how much I have grown as a person as well as a teacher.

My first lectures of my final semester have just started. So, it is with my last textbook, pen and notepad in hand that I leave nostalgia behind (for now) and refocus on my goal – finish the degree. However, like a good Hollywood movie, I will leave you now with a small reflective montage of my uni life over the past few years. Enjoy