you get to choose the subjects you enjoy
Claire Demeo is a first year Bachelor of Science student at The University of Melbourne.
"First year university is a very fun and exciting time, with lots of new experiences to be had, and lots of fun memories to make. As many people would have already told you, university is very different from school, and not just in terms of the content, but in the amount of freedom you have, and the structure of the subjects.
I am a first year Bachelor of Science student at the University of Melbourne, living on campus at one of the colleges at the university. I am thoroughly enjoying the course, as you get to choose the subjects you enjoy and are passionate about, which makes studying and doing the work a whole lot easier. Doing science, there are so so so many subjects to pick from, which makes for some very tough decisions at the start of the year. Don’t feel that you are locked into the subjects you pick first semester though, as you can always change and try out other areas of science.
Claire Demeo, at The University of Melbourne
At Melbourne Uni, you also get to pick a breadth subject, which is a subject outside of the science field. You go into a lot more detail in the science subjects than you do in year 12, as to be expected, but all the other students are at the same level as you, so you’re all in it together. The lecturers are very engaging, with some lecturers even encouraging audience participation, which is both entertaining and useful in helping students to understand the content.
Most science subjects also have tutorials, where you are in smaller groups and get to really understand the course material with your tutor and other students. For science, there are around 20 - 24 contact hours a week, depending on your subject choices, as some science subjects have practical classes/labs, while others don’t. Compared to school, 20 - 24 hours a week sounds very minimal, but once again, uni is very different from school, and there is more to be done outside of your classes then there was in year 12.
Being at uni is a lot of fun though - not just all study - and you get to meet so many like-minded, fun people from all over the world. Make sure you join lots of clubs and societies and get involved in university life to get the most out of the opportunities you are given. Work hard to get into your dream course, and I’m sure you will thank yourself later for the effort you put in during year 12.
Good luck, and hopefully I’ll see you at Melbourne Uni next year!"