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Alice describes her first-year self as a "wide-eyed (and short-sighted) small fish in a big, inviting ocean!" Now in her final year of a Bachelor of Music/Science degree, Alice shares how she made friends, settled into studying and made the most of her time at UNSW.
Why did you choose to study at UNSW?
I was an incredibly indecisive high school leaver, one that kept changing UAC preferences up until the deadline because I just had too many different interests! The biggest reason for choosing UNSW was that it was the only place that gave me the opportunity to combine study in the two fields I loved most: mathematics and music. UNSW had a double degree that I could really make my own. It allowed me to choose specific majors that delve further into each subject whilst also allowing space for interdisciplinary learning.
For me, mixing a science and an art was the perfect balance between the logical and creative, and studying both simultaneously equipped me with quite a distinctive skillset. There are plenty of ways to combine your passions at UNSW. I’d encourage you to reach out to our advisors to help personalise your unique university experience!
What’s life like at UNSW compared to high school? What’s surprised you the most?
There’s a lot more that happens outside of the classroom at uni. Plus, you have extra flexibility with your time. You can tailor your student life at UNSW much more than you can at high school and I was surprised at the sheer plentitude of extra-curriculars on offer. You can volunteer, work, study, sing in a choir, play sports, be a research assistant and attend a live music gig all within the borders of the UNSW Kensington campus. The list goes on! It’s all very accessible too. Most university programs and activities are very welcoming to all kinds of students and backgrounds. I never thought I’d pick up Latin dance or compete in a hackathon, but I did. There’s just so much space and opportunity for you to discover your passions, it’s hard not to get involved!
How did you make friends at uni?
There are so many ways to make friends at uni! Initially, I made friends in class. I remember feeling super awkward about meeting new people, so I brought easter eggs to a first-year music lecture and offered them to my classmates to “break the ice” ?. I cringe a bit thinking about it now, but ultimately, UNSW is full of friendly people and all it takes is for someone to start the conversation!
You tend to study first and second-year core classes with the same group of people, so those connections have time to grow and it’s lovely to have familiar faces to support you throughout your degree. I also made some lifelong friends through Arc (UNSW’s student organisation) programs: clubs and societies, volunteering and being a student coordinator. If you seek out things you’re interested in, you’ll be sure to meet like-minded people to build meaningful friendships with!
What does your schedule look like? Will I be studying all the time?
My schedule varied a lot throughout my time at uni. You definitely won’t be studying all the time, especially because there’s so much to gain by immersing yourself in other parts of the student experience. I remember having more contact hours (time in class) in first year, so I really only had the time to dabble in a couple of different student clubs.
Having adjusted to university academic life by second year meant I could dedicate time to work and take on some leadership roles, for example, being a peer mentor or club executive. Since then, I have always been quite busy as I am a big “YES” person when it comes to exciting new opportunities. You’ll have space outside of class to tailor your schedule. For me, it was about balancing my passions, values and priorities in a sustainable and rewarding way.
What are some of your most memorable moments at uni so far?
So many! In no particular order, the three that stand out are:
- Being part of the UNSW Society of Orchestra and Pipers! From rehearsing weekly with musicians from all over campus to becoming president and organising events for this amazing community, I have made some of my best friends at uni through this student society.
Left: UNSW Society of Orchestra and Pipers executive 2018. Right: UNSW Wind Symphony Percussion Section 2017 - Going on exchange (twice!) I loved my first international exchange at the University of Michigan so much that I did another at the National University of Singapore. It’s the ultimate student experience, where you’re learning and discovering something new every day.
Left: Exchange friends on Utown Lawn, National University of Singapore. Right: Football game at Michigan Stadium - Coordinating Phil’ (short for Philanthropy), a volunteering program under Arc@UNSW I worked with some inspiring people as part of Australia’s largest student-led philanthropic initiative, which ran a 24-hr on-campus Fundraising Marathon (Fun-a-Thon). We raised over $120K in funds for the Sydney Children’s Hospital – such a rewarding experience that showed me how much power we have as students to make a difference!
Left: Phil' Volunteers at City2Surf. Right: Pie to the face for Phil' Dares for Donations.