While some may view university study as a means to an end, others see it as an opportunity to immerse themselves in all that student life has to offer.
There are many situations in life where there are benefits to putting yourself out there – and university is no different. From personal development to creating meaningful connections, there’s so much more to student life than lectures and study. But where do you start? If you're not quite sure how to get the most out of university, read on.
Expand your social circle
You might be a bit nervous about approaching new people, but there are lots of opportunities to make new friends at uni, regardless of where and how you study. Here are some of the ways you can spark a new friendship.
- Join a club or society. Come together with students that share a similar interest. At UniSQ, there are over 30 (mostly student run) clubs and societies to choose from, each with a purpose and specific focus. Becoming involved creates a great setting to meet some new friends that share a similar passion. And if you find there isn’t a club or society suited to you, start a new one! Creating something new not only gives you a way to engage with people, it can also provide you with the perfect opportunity to enhance your leadership and management skills.
- Get involved in uni sports. Make friends while keeping fit and doing something you enjoy. From social sport and leagues to sporting clubs and sport events, there are many available options that will allow you to pursue the uni sports that you love while connecting with others.
- Student life events. Attend one (or many) of our UniSQ student events. With both online and on-campus events on offer, there are many opportunities to enrich your social life and allow you to deep dive into student life.
- Participate in PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions). PASS are group study sessions facilitated by former high achieving students of a particular course. These sessions provide an active and engaging learning environment for students to connect and collaborate with classmates outside of class to better understand the content and learning objectives for a course.
Say yes to opportunities for personal growth
As the old adage goes - you only get out what you put in. While you’re in the midst of student life, it’s an ideal time to lay some important foundations for your future. The workforce is a competitive arena. Quite often, you’ll have people with similar qualifications vying for the same work opportunity. So give yourself an edge and take every opportunity you can to engage in self-development. The extra effort you put in during your studies might be the difference between you getting a future role over someone else.
- Practical experience. Practical experience is an important (and sometimes compulsory) aspect of many university courses. But far from being just another thing to check off on your study journey, practical experience can offer significant reward. The beauty of practical experience is that you can essentially try before you buy. What better way to see if you like a role than to experience it for yourself. Being involved in the day-to-day duties and tasks of a role will give you great insight into the demands of the job, and a thorough knowledge of what is expected from an employer. Better still, it will give you a good understanding of your strengths (and weaknesses). You’ll get a good grasp of your work style and the experience will highlight areas for improvement. All in all – it’s a ideal opportunity to see what you are capable of, and you’ll be glad you invested your time.
- Network and build professional relationships. There is a lot of truth to the saying ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’. Getting involved in student networking events is an opportunity to engage with key figures in your chosen industry and gain valuable contacts in the profession. And who knows? Making these connections may gain you an impressive referee for your resume, open the door to a future job opportunity, or even help you secure a graduate position prior to completing your degree.
- Enhance your soft skills. Regardless of the role or industry you end up in, there are a number of core work skills that will always apply. Good communication skills, an ability to work in a team, meeting deadlines, working efficiently and effectively – these are all valuable transferrable skills to have. Take every opportunity you can to enhance and build these skills during your day-to-day student life. You will be better worker for it.
- Build your leadership skills. From leadership workshops and webinars, to leadership opportunities including paid or volunteer roles within the university or wider community, there are so many ways to pursue leadership development at UniSQ. Become a Student Ambassador to engage with the community and future students, and attend amazing events on-campus like Open Days and Career Expos. Be a Peer Mentor and provide support to students as they transition to university study. Or join the Student Representative Committee and contribute to creating a great student experience for your peers. The options for leadership growth are endless.
Get organised and set goals
University study is one of the most significant investments you'll make in your lifetime, both financially and in terms of time. So make sure you give study your all. Creating good study habits and establishing career goals early on in your journey is important. Aim to carve out regular uninterrupted chunks of study time, try not to leave an assignment until the night before it’s due, and create a designated study space without distraction! Your future self will be thanking you for putting in the hard yards from the onset. And best of all, your organisation will give you time to explore other rewarding aspects of student life!
So there you have it! How to get the most out of university! All that’s left to do now is to dive straight in a enjoy all that student life has to offer.
