Starting uni mid-year? This is a quick welcome post from those of us at BetterU and admittedly a few additional links/resources to check out (if you weren’t already feeling a bit overloaded).
It’s Orientation Time!
On behalf of the team at BetterU, Welcome to Flinders – we’re so glad you’re here 🙂
If you’re a new student reading this: hi! 👋 It’s great to have you join the Flinders community. I know there’s a lot to take in and your brain might already be bursting at the seams. That is totally OK. University life is so full of new places, new people, and new routines it can lead to choice paralysis.
But just remember, the first week is less about knowing everything and more about getting a taste of university life:
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Start with your Orientation Events Hub and pop some things in your calendar
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Start up a random conversation with someone you’ve never met before (there is no better week to do it)
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Check out the student association (FUSA runs great events!)
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Get a feel for how the online learning systems works with the Finding Your Way at Flinders topic
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Keep your eye out for free food and stuff – free is amazing
If you’ve got a healthy dose of the perfectionism genes and are eager to get started on the nuts and bolts of study as soon as possible, we know from research that there are some common habits among students who thrive in first year.
You don’t have to do all of them at once, but the earlier you start, the better they stick.
Here are a few to consider:
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Go to your classes – showing up matters more than you might think
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Check your student email – I know, I know… but important stuff happens there
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Use active study methods – self-quizzing, summarising in your own words, teaching it to someone else – these work better than just reading (but do read as well)
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Manage your time – even just having a rough weekly plan can reduce a lot of stress
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Ask for help early – don’t wait until things are falling apart. There are heaps of people here to help
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Make a friend in each class – this one is underrated but brilliant
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Prioritise rest – your brain literally needs sleep to learn stuff. Wild, but true.
As far as ‘ask for help early’ goes….
There’s a full list of support services here:
👉 students.flinders.edu.au/support
If you’ve got a health condition that might impact your studies, chat with Disability Services:
👉 students.flinders.edu.au/support/hcd/disability
Want to see what the wellbeing side of uni has to offer?
Check out BetterU (our student wellbeing hub):
👉 flinders.edu.au/betteru
And if you’re looking for more of my ramblings check out:
👉 Getting Off to a Good Start Guide
There’s a lot to discover at Flinders, but you don’t need to figure it all out this week. I’d suggest just getting what you need to get started — and the rest will come.
And hey, if you’ve got any questions about the wellbeing or health side of uni life, feel free to reach out. I’m Gareth — psychologist and mental health promotion person here at Flinders (gareth.furber@flinders.edu.au). You’ll find me floating around blogs, programs, and events throughout the year.
Otherwise, just enjoy the week.
Take it all in.
And if you’re feeling brave, introduce yourself in the comments below — we’d love to hear from you.
If you’re a returning student: you already know the drill. But take a moment this week to look out for people who might be finding their way. A simple “hey, do you need a hand?” can make a world of difference. (Also, full disclosure: I still wander around looking lost sometimes, so feel free to help me too.)