29 Jan 2015

Life after high school can be daunting at the best of times. Not only are the realities of “the real world” settling in but all of a sudden that pocket money you’ve been getting really doesn’t amount to much at all. So what plans are you going to action in order to ensure you can get out from under your parents roof and build a name for yourself?

Well if Studying is the answer, you might want to start looking at open days. Fair enough some of you know what you are going to be and how you’re going to get there but for the majority of us the journey into post-schooling life is plagued with confusion, uncertainty and a real lack of understanding.

The reality is most of us have no idea about the studying lifestyle and so choosing where to go is based upon what we hear from our mates, teachers and mentors. What you may not realise is these opinions tend to be biased, outdated and not inline with what really matters–you. Speaking with a law student on the benefits of studying sport probably isn’t going to be as beneficial as speaking with a professor of science and so take it from me when I suggest getting out to an open day will really change your perspective on where to study.

Even if you think you know exactly where you want to go, I would seriously recommend checking the place out first. This way you will gauge what it’s like to travel there, what the facilities are like and talk to the lecturers that actually run the course you are pursuing. I think this is the best part, you are officially an out of the school nest and so you will be able to talk openly with the staff. This is something that is quite strange at first, coming straight out of school, but the sooner you realise this the better you will do.

Note: This will also be true for when you are doing your first assignments–go straight to the source!

Some questions you should perhaps be asking yourself while getting out to these open days include:

  • What are their strengths?
  • What kind of learning environment is best for me?
  • Would I be more comfortable in a small campus or would I feel too confined?
  • Would I rather be in a city environment or is that too claustrophobic?
  • Do I like being in a school where most people are like me or do I want to work around a diverse group of people?

If you’re heading down the studying route then put some time and effort into selecting the right option for you.

Your education is about to become your biggest investment!

We’ve all been disappointed with an online purchase in our time. Sometimes the description, size or colour turns out to be completely different to what we really saw online. Rather than leaving it in the “oh yep I'll send that back” pile. This is your opportunity to try on your potential uni.