The Flinders International Study Centre (FISC) provides a range of courses that help international students develop their academic ‭understanding, study skills and English language level, so that they have a good knowledge of their ‭chosen subject when they start their degree.

Yesterday I got to speak to one of the current cohorts of FISC students, around 60+ in total. I walked down to Sturt Campus, set myself in the N335 Lecture theatre (which is actually a really nice place to present) and tried to tame my nerves. Whilst I really enjoy public speaking, I still get the same nerves and fears beforehand.

The nerves didn’t last though because I was very warmly welcomed by the FISC staff and the students were very attentive and polite. I can’t imagine how hard it is to go and study in another country, especially when you might still be grappling with the language and cultural differences. My utmost respect to the students who take on this challenging task and my thanks to them for making me feel very welcome.

I presented my Mental Fitness stuff, introducing the concept, how to build mental fitness and what mental fitness actually looks like in everyday life.

I’ve attached the full presentation to this blog post as I think it is one of my better attempts to explain the concept. Even if you weren’t at the presentation, you could probably get something from this presentation.

A key and unique aspect of this particular Mental Fitness presentation was that we revealed for the first time a ‘Mental Fitness Workout‘ – essentially a specific set of activities we think students should engage in to get their brains operating at their best. I worked with Khristin, one of the counsellors, to develop this workout. Whilst it is in a constant state of refinement, the early version is now ready for public viewing.

The Workout is a five step process that covers setting goals, feeding your mind, developing your academic skills, managing your emotions and further explorations. You can complete it sequentially or simply delve into whichever steps feel most appropriate for you.

Click here to access the Mental Fitness Workout

If you have any questions about the workout feel free to contact me on gareth.furber@flinders.edu.au