Oz: First Week of Classes

I have officially made it through the first week of classes here at Murdoch University. I knew I was psyching myself out before they began, but I definitely was not prepared to have so much work to do even after one day of classes. I will definitely be friends with the library this semester.

The education system at the university level in Australia is much different from that in America. It is a lot of self-teaching and online components. Therefore, there is much more work outside the classroom than in the classroom. How do students stay on top of our work? Well, called the syllabus in America, our unit (class) learning guide here is our Bible, as noted by many professors. It is an outline of every single thing expected of us for the whole semester, and if one doesn’t follow it, it’s hard to pass the class.

The first two days I was overly stressed out about the unit guide, falling behind, and the inconsistent online learning base the school uses. I say it is inconsistent because although each unit uses the same online program, the set-up for each course is very different and I find it very easy to miss things. It is going to be a difficult transition, but I know I can pull through.

My second two days of classes were less stressful, as my mind started working overtime to adjust to the knew school life. So far, all of my professors seem friendly and willing to help if we have questions. My one professor even said he would be there for us after our unit ended, which is super nice.

I am definitely jealous of those who studied abroad, but barely had to do work. However, I am hoping I do enjoy what I learn here at Murdoch and that it broadens my horizons a bit more. Alright Semester, I’m ready for you!