Podcasts

Hamish (00:10):

Good day, everyone. My name is Hamish and this is Blake. And today we're here to discuss uni hacks, and how to transition from high school to university successfully.

Blake (00:19):

Today, we're joined and by Vince Trang and Jessica Joyce, they are ambassadors from UTS and they're here to chat with us today about all the tips and tricks that they picked up when they first started out at uni. How are you guys going today?

Jessica (00:30):

Yeah, really good.

Vincent (00:31):

Pretty good as well.

Hamish (00:32):

Awesome to hear, so as you guys can see, this is not your ordinary podcast structure. Today we are going to be playing some sink cup, I think the rules are quite self explanatory. Sink the ball into the cup, and then ask each other the questions, and away we go.

Blake (00:47):

That's basically the premise. So, before we get stuck in, I just want to learn a bit more about you guys. Vince, maybe you can start tell us a bit about where you're from and what you do at UTS.

Vincent (00:55):

I guess, starting off with where I went to high school, I used to go to a school back in the Southwest called to Stephen High School. Then after, around 2018, I moved to university at UTS where I'm currently studying a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology, and also Bachelors of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, or essentially IT and innovation. Jess?

Jessica (01:17):

So, I graduated a year after Vince, I graduated in 2019, I'm from the Sutherland Shire, so I went to Port Hacking High. And initially I went into a double degree of business and chemistry, but switched out after my first year, and I now studying advanced science, majoring in pre-medicine.

Blake (01:34):

Awesome.

Hamish (01:35):

Beautiful.

Blake (01:35):

Let's get stuck in

Hamish (01:37):

Jess, you're up first. Lets go.

Jessica (01:40):

Gosh, okay.

Vincent (01:41):

Close.

Hamish (01:44):

Almost.

Jessica (01:44):

Not a good start.

Hamish (01:49):

Tanked it.

Vincent (01:53):

So, this is to us, I believe. Have you kept in touch with your friends after leaving high school? And if so, how do you?

Blake (02:00):

I actually have only kept in touch with one friend from high school, and we see each other literally all the time, we're best mates. But, I think I found my tribe a bit more at a different high school, so I made friends with different high school people and they've stuck with me throughout... afterwards as well. So, I think it's all about finding a tribe, finding the people that you are suited to. Doesn't have to be the people that you found in high school, can definitely be people you see in uni or afterwards, for sure.

Vincent (02:29):

Yeah. Cool.

Hamish (02:30):

I definitely still hang out with majority of my mates from high school. Facebook messenger definitely helps with that, group chats. So I think using technology is the best way I've kept in touch with them at least. Cool, your throw.

Blake (02:42):

All right. Describe your perfect study session. Are you at home or at the library?

Vincent (02:53):

I guess, for me personally, I'm the type of person that likes going out to cafes around the area and just chilling there to study. I find that from home, it's a bit harder to separate, I guess, family and then study and be able to focus. So, just really making your own little space where whatever's comfortable for you is my kind of perfect study space.

Blake (03:15):

Awesome.

Jessica (03:16):

I've definitely tried both methods, just studying at my home in my bedroom or at the library. I think I work best when everything around me is still. So at the library, when people would get up and move around, I couldn't do it. I'd get distracted and then I'd go on my phone, and it just wouldn't work. So, I've always found that it's really good to study at home for me. I like quiet, but then I also like music blasting in my Airpods so I can't hear anything else. So, it's kind of a weird thing, I want it quiet, but I want it to be so loud that I can't hear anything. So, yeah.

Hamish (03:44):

Are you listening to music with lyrics or...

Jessica (03:46):

Yeah, I tried the whole, whale noises or piano to test the waters, but no, I need something, but not something that I'll just be sitting there belting out the whole time. I need something that I kind of know, but not really.

Hamish (03:58):

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, cool, let's go. Which ones have we already hit? Okay.

Hamish (04:11):

Jess, let's go with you this time, first. What were you most excited about leading up to uni?

Jessica (04:17):

Probably just doing subjects that I actually enjoy, to be honest. I didn't really... I always lean towards the STEM subjects at school. So, kind of straying away from the English and arty side that you're kind of forced to do in at least junior high school and then you have to do English in HSC. I was really excited to be able to pick my own subjects, and also just work a lot in labs. Being in science, you're in the labs more than you are in the lecture rooms at UTS. Anyway. So I was just really excited to experiment a lot and just be in my field that I want to be in future rather than in a classroom at school.

Hamish (04:49):

Awesome.

Vincent (04:49):

Yeah. And I think for me personally, high school was very much a bubble. So, moving out of that was the one thing I looked forward to the most. Because, a lot of my mates were going to other universities, and I was one of the few of my cohort that actually decided to go to UTS. And so for me, that was kind of like a fresh start, or turning a new leaf. And that whole aspect was, I guess, what I looked forward to the most.

Hamish (05:10):

Awesome.

Blake (05:11):

All right.

Hamish (05:11):

All right.

Hamish (05:11):

Nice

Blake (05:15):

I'm great at this game.

Hamish (05:18):

God, here I was thinking I was going to be the one, but everyone's hitting them but me.

Jessica (05:22):

All right. What are your tips on making friends after high school?

Blake (05:27):

Hate this question so much. It's hard making friends after high school. I think just trying to do lots of different things, like go to different events and places where you can meet like minded people as well I think is really important. Playing sport, also a really good one. I just joined a netball team recently and met a whole heap of girls doing that. So, that's been really cool. Yeah, I think like-minded activities is probably the best way to do it, because it is hard. It's hard making friends as an adult, but it can be done.

Hamish (05:54):

It can be done. Yeah. No, I think, sport... I played rugby, and I met a lot of my new mates and a lot of my closest mates through rugby I reckon. So, that, like minded things, going to events, doing hobbies. Try to get out of your comfort zone a little bit. Cool.

Hamish (06:12):

Are you guys kidding?

Vincent (06:17):

Bluffing.

Hamish (06:19):

Before those warmup shots, I was like, it's going to be easy day.

Blake (06:23):

Oh, okay. This one I'll go to Vince first, because we kind of already answered this. Do you listen to music when you study, or in complete silence and in the zone?

Vincent (06:30):

Yeah. So, I hate silence. I think the lockdown made me realise how much I hate being in my own thoughts. So, I do need music to kind of cut that silence in terms of what exactly I listen to. I listen to anything. I like to mix it up. Sometimes I'd listen to like film scores, or game scores, or like instrumental type stuff. But, other days I find that really sad, depressing music also makes for great study music. Because, it's a slow tempo that you can kind of just mindlessly not think about. So yeah.

Hamish (07:00):

Beautiful. Which on of you two? There you go.

Jessica (07:05):

Not even close.

Hamish (07:06):

God, finally, a miss.

Jessica (07:09):

Just boosting your ego a little bit.

Blake (07:12):

Actually. I want to try and get one with a question in it.

Hamish (07:24):

I reckon this back and forth might go for a while.

Blake (07:24):

Yeah.

Jessica (07:24):

Nice.

Blake (07:24):

Want to read that one out?

Hamish (07:26):

Yeah, I'll go this one. All right. How are you avoiding unnecessary spending at university?

Vincent (07:31):

I think especially for UTS it's pretty hard because you're in like the heart of Sydney, which is surrounded by like so many different food places, places to shop, places to just chill and all that, so it's especially really hard. Unless you're one of those people that likes to pack lunch I guess. Me personally, I'm not that type of person. So I find myself actually spending a lot a day, but I think tips just to save less... yeah, just packing lunch. Try limit, eating out to just social activities rather than just for sustenance I guess. One of our hacks actually, is just to like head into Willy's and just grab like one of the Chicken Chippy Boxes for like three bucks and that's just enough. Yeah, just discover all the cheap eats around the area. There's plenty around UTS at least, where you can save money.

Hamish (08:19):

Awesome.

Jessica (08:19):

Yeah. I'm definitely not on top of it at all. The best thing for me was honestly lockdown, where I didn't have to go into uni and spend my money, but then also Uber Eats came into the equation. So, I don't know if it really balanced out. But, yeah, I think public transport is probably, in terms of getting to uni, that's probably the cheapest way. You can drive, but paying for the parking probably isn't ideal in the heart of the city. So, public transport would probably be a good thing, we're right outside Central Station at UTS anyway, so it's perfect. Yeah, packing lunch would probably be the best thing that I could recommend, looking for the cheapest option around you. We've got a food court right underneath us, so it's so tempting to just finish class and go get sushi, go get a kebab. How could you not? But yeah, just finding whatever's the cheapest around you as much as you can.

Blake (09:04):

I went to UTS, and I spent a lot of time in Chinatown and I ate so many dumplings while I was at UTS. It was great. I loved it, and that were quite cheap too.

Hamish (09:14):

Yeah. I don't mind the... what are they called? Bubble tea?

Blake (09:17):

Yeah.

Hamish (09:17):

It's...that is shocking.

Vincent (09:23):

Oh,

Hamish (09:35):

Go, shot again. Take it.

Jessica (09:37):

Surely.

Blake (09:37):

Yes, well done.

Hamish (09:37):

Thanked it.

Blake (09:41):

Tell us how you notate in lectures. What apps do you use? OneNote pages, Microsoft, anything like that? Or do you use classic pen and paper?

Jessica (09:48):

For me, anyway, I started with pen and paper, and then after probably about three weeks, I moved straight to technology. It just was too tolling on your hand, and it was just better to have it all in my computer anyway. I also found investing in an iPad was a really good thing for uni for me. We have to do a lot of drawing in science, so having that kind of stylus, rather than having to type it up or draw it and then scan it into the document. It was a bit annoying. So, having that iPad, and the computer kind of working as kind of an interdependent way to take your notes was really good for me.

Jessica (10:23):

I found Microsoft OneNote was definitely the best place to have it all. Because you can arrange it into your semesters, into your subjects, into lectures and practicals, however you want to do it. Google docs is also great so you can't lose your information. I don't recommend doing Microsoft Word, unless you want to be backing it up every hour so that when you get to the end of a report and it all disappears, you just don't want to be in that situation.

Blake (10:46):

It's the worst feeling in the world.

Jessica (10:48):

Yeah. So anything that's on the cloud, is probably my recommendation, anything that you can use it online and access it anywhere.

Vincent (10:53):

Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree and I think it really depends on which subject you're actually doing. I know a lot of my mates who do nursing, they prefer pen and paper, only because there's a lot of like diagrams you need to draw. But, for me in IT, for example, just a laptop and a wear document is all you really ever need. And plus, think about the collaborative aspect of whichever note taking tool you're using. So, definitely like cloud based ones Google docs or like OneNote, you can share with your mates and if you want to collaborate on notes, then that's something you can do as well. So, definitely all of those things that Jess said.

Hamish (11:26):

Awesome. I think it's your throw isn't it?

Blake (11:27):

Oh, is it?

Hamish (11:29):

I don't know. I haven't hit many.

Blake (11:30):

Oh, you're just scared.

Hamish (11:31):

All right.

Jessica (11:34):

All righty. Were you keen on year 12 coming to an end? If so, why?

Blake (11:40):

Yes, absolutely.

Hamish (11:41):

Yeah, yeah.

Blake (11:42):

I studied... me and Hamish really differ in this regard, but I studied really hard during year 12. Absolutely.

Hamish (11:48):

What's that supposed to mean?

Blake (11:53):

I kind of worked myself to the bone trying to study for year 12. So, I was just keen to like stop. I took a gap year, which was awesome and I was really excited for that. So, I ended up just working for seven months and then travelling Europe for four months. So yeah, that was great. I was so keen, but there were parts of school I definitely missed. Having the routine was awesome, and then obviously you get to see the same people every day, which is cool. But yeah, I was definitely keen for the next adventure, I think.

Hamish (12:18):

Despite what Blake just said about me, I did study hard. Thank you very much.

Blake (12:22):

Sorry.

Hamish (12:23):

For a couple subjects. So, if it was like biology, I was like failing halfway through the year, and then by the end of it, I actually did really well. But, then the problem was that my other subjects got a neglected, which brought me down a little bit. But I was very keen and playing footy. I was in the first, so that was quite competitive training. I was got to the end of it and I was pretty burnt out, so I was very excited. Unlike Blake, I didn't take a gap year. I actually started working at year 13, and been at [inaudible 00:12:53] ever since. So, I was very keen, but I do kind of regret not taking a gap year if I'm really honest.

Blake (12:58):

Gap years are great.

Hamish (12:59):

Yeah. Your throw

Blake (13:02):

We've only got one left.

Vincent (13:03):

So close.

Hamish (13:05):

I have to catch up with this one. Oh yeah. Ill take one of them.

Vincent (13:10):

What are your tips on balancing work, life, and other aspects?

Blake (13:14):

I think the biggest tip is value that, make sure that you put that first, and make sure you're actually trying to give yourself work, life balance. I think so many people just slip into... just spend another hour or two working on this presentation or whatever and then they just kind of let the other stuff slide. But, I think if you actually prioritise, trying to give yourself work, life balance, then that's the most important thing. And then, I think stop work when you should. I try not to work past five, unless there's something that I really need to do in which case, I'm so happy to do that. But, otherwise try and finish work early, try and exercise, try and get out of the house. Definitely in COVID as well, try and get out of the house. Otherwise, you're just there forever.

Hamish (13:54):

Yeah, definitely much the same, I think. Making it a priority, but also whatever employer that you're with actually values that as well, because I know a lot of employers will pay you X amount and expect probably 10 times that amount. So, being really, really stern with... yeah, it's five o'clock I don't, I'm going to turn off my laptop, don't bother trying to get onto me. And also on the weekends, enjoying your weekends, unless there is something that needs to be done and you've got a deadline to hit. And I think, if you put in that... if you actually value that time and have that balance, then when you do need to actually do the work, you're not sitting there being like, oh God, I hate this. You're like, great, let's get it done.

Blake (14:30):

Totally.

Hamish (14:31):

Yeah, definitely that. I think gaming as well. That's always a good one. That's a good one. Jess, your throw let's go.

Vincent (14:41):

That was close.

Blake (14:42):

Have you thrown in awhile Hamish?

Hamish (14:44):

I just got the last one in.

Blake (14:44):

Did you? Sorry.

Jessica (14:46):

Yeah, we both got one each.

Vincent (14:52):

Is this the last time?

Hamish (14:52):

Yeah, this is the last one, but the you guys will get a redemption.

Jessica (14:55):

All right. Did you enrol into the degree that you were dreaming of since high school? And if not then why?

Blake (15:02):

So, I did enrol in the degree that I had dreamed of in high school. I always wanted to be a journalist. I ended up enrolling at UTS in the journalism course. I loved UTS, thought it was an absolutely awesome uni, but I quickly realised that journalism was not the thing that I wanted to be doing, which is really hard. Because, you plan that your whole high school life, you think you want to do one thing and then you get there and you absolutely hate it. But, I think what was important for me to learn is you don't have to do the thing that you thought you wanted to do just because you feel like you need to finish it. Super easy to change degrees and just look around at what else is going on and find something else that you love. I think, just don't be afraid to change what you're doing, because you'll definitely find a better thing. That way, I think it's almost better to have the experience of what you don't enjoy, and then search for the thing that really gets you going.

Hamish (15:56):

Yeah. Just to kind of back that up, I think it's almost like important to change degrees if you're not enjoying it. You don't want to get through a three year degree and have hex for a degree that you didn't enjoy, and then you end up having to start studying again three years after you finish. So yeah, it's very important. For me, I always wanted to be a vet. I didn't get the marks to be a vet, and I didn't think 10 years of study was up my alley. So, I got into a finance degree, but that wasn't what I wanted to do. So, I just deferred it, and then I don't think I ever replied to them ever again.

Blake (16:34):

Ghosted them basically.

Hamish (16:35):

Yeah, I just ghosted a competitor university. Yeah. Cool. So, up to the last cup, Blake I believe.

Blake (16:40):

Yes, who's got the ball?

Vincent (16:41):

I do.

Hamish (16:43):

Oh, you got the ball. All right, let's hit it.

Vincent (16:47):

Close.

Hamish (16:49):

Oh, good catch.

Vincent (16:51):

Oh, there we go.

Hamish (16:53):

Well done. What is something students should keep the back of their minds throughout uni?

Vincent (16:59):

Before the age of 25, there's no such thing as a bad decision. So, especially when it comes to university, and going to societies, taking new opportunities and whatnot, just experience and have a go with everything that comes your way. Because you never know where it might actually end up to taking you. So, say for example, you want to check out the communication society and see what that's all about. Then, definitely give it a go, see where it can take you. You might end up becoming the president of the society, that might open some doors for you. And so, just having that mindset of just giving everything a fair go is something that's really important

Jessica (17:31):

Coming out of high school especially, because you're all kind of going for that finish line of the HSC, and the HR, and who's going to do the best. It's a very competitive kind of bubble that you're in at high school and as soon as you get into uni, that competitiveness kind of drops off. You're not trying to beat the person that you're sitting next to you, you're making friends. That's a network of people that you're going to be with for the next three years, so I think kind of leaving that competitiveness and self-comparison behind. Try not to compare yourself to the people around you. You're all in the same new world, this is very new for all of you and you're not trying to beat each other. I think, just trying to be the best version of yourself would be the best thing going into university.

Blake (18:06):

Cool. All right. Thanks heaps for joining us guys, this was fun.

Jessica (18:08):

It was, thank you. It's awesome.

Hamish (18:10):

Beautiful. Thanks guys.

Hamish Phipps (00:13):

G'day everyone. I'm your host, Hamish.

Blake Shipley (00:15):

And I'm your host, Blake. And today, we are tier ranking essential university experiences and must dos that all first-year university students go through. Today, we're joined by Luca Pearce and Ellie Thinochai. They are two UTS students, and they're here to help us out with this today. How are you guys going?

Luca Pearce (00:32):

I'm good.

Ellie Thinochai (00:32):

Amazing. Very excited to be here.

Blake Shipley (00:34):

Awesome.

Hamish Phipps (00:35):

Awesome. So for you guys at home, we do have the digital version courtesy of our video team, but for us in here, we do have the old school paper cutouts, and we will be ranking them from S to D. I didn't know that that was how you actually ranked them, but yeah, the video guys are going to be chucking them in.

Blake Shipley (00:53):

Yeah, thanks. And just before we get started there, I want to learn a bit more about you guys. So Ellie, maybe start with you. Tell us about where you're from and what you're studying at UTS?

Ellie Thinochai (01:02):

Okay. So I am doing a double degree, I'm doing a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Medical Science. I only started doing the double degree at the start of this year, so it's pretty new to me, but it's nice to put my eggs in a couple of different baskets.

Hamish Phipps (01:18):

Which one are you liking more at the moment?

Ellie Thinochai (01:19):

I'm not sure. That's a really hard question. I think probably the medical science. The new, yeah.

Blake Shipley (01:25):

And Luca?

Luca Pearce (01:27):

I'm doing a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Communications with a major in journalism, but I also added my journalism on at the start of this year, so that one's also new for me.

Hamish Phipps (01:39):

Awesome.

Blake Shipley (01:40):

All right, cool. So let's get started with the tier ranking. I think Berksy is going to chuck them in for us. Give us the first one. Oh good. Great throw. All right, let's rank. Doing your part in group assignments. Absolutely S tier.

Hamish Phipps (01:57):

Yeah, [crosstalk 00:01:59].

Blake Shipley (01:59):

Oh, it depends on who you are. I'm the one who wants everyone to do their bit, because I'm the one who always has to collate it. So yeah.

Hamish Phipps (02:06):

See, I was actually the one who never really did their part, so I'd say that's probably D tier for me. But what do you guys think?

Luca Pearce (02:15):

I haven't done many group assignments yet, but I mean, A or S. It's definitely important. You can't just not do anything. That's really dogging it. That's not nice.

Ellie Thinochai (02:27):

It's definitely up there for me. I do a lot of group assignments in business. They're pretty frustrating, so it's good to just get on top of it straight away.

Hamish Phipps (02:36):

So you're going to say S or A?

Ellie Thinochai (02:38):

I'm going to say S.

Luca Pearce (02:40):

I will agree, yeah.

Ellie Thinochai (02:42):

It's hard not knowing what we're ranking it with, but we'll get there.

Blake Shipley (02:44):

All right. Chuck us the next one.

Hamish Phipps (02:47):

That's all right. Next one in. That was a good toss.

Blake Shipley (02:50):

Want to read this one?

Hamish Phipps (02:51):

Yeah, I'll read this one. Why not? Got to unfold it. This one's torn as well. Breaking during study sessions?

Luca Pearce (03:01):

Oh.

Blake Shipley (03:03):

You've got some feelings.

Ellie Thinochai (03:04):

Yeah. I reckon it's so important, because if you don't break... Like you can go to the library for five hours, that's fine, but you won't get anything done if you don't break.

Luca Pearce (03:14):

Sometimes I just get on a roll for like an hour or two. If I take a break, I won't do it. I'll just stay on my phone for ages. But also, I do think it's very important.

Ellie Thinochai (03:23):

Yeah, yeah.

Blake Shipley (03:24):

Do you guys find that you set a goal, like I'm going to finish this part of the textbook, or I'm going to get up to this point and then I can take a break? Is that how you do it?

Ellie Thinochai (03:34):

[crosstalk 00:03:34] Yeah, time, but it's working on a particular task.

Hamish Phipps (03:39):

And I don't know whether it's just because I don't like studying, but I used to do 25 minutes on, five minutes off.

Luca Pearce (03:46):

Pomodoro?

Hamish Phipps (03:49):

I was sitting here thinking in my head, I'm like, "God, I don't know the name for it," so thank you. Yeah. Where are we ranking this?

Blake Shipley (03:55):

I'm big on breaks too. I reckon it's up there.

Hamish Phipps (04:04):

Is it going to be S, A?

Luca Pearce (04:04):

I would say A.

Hamish Phipps (04:04):

A? Ooh.

Luca Pearce (04:04):

Yeah. Sorry, unpopular opinion.

Blake Shipley (04:04):

Let's do it.

Ellie Thinochai (04:04):

Can we shift them around if we need to change our minds.

Hamish Phipps (04:06):

Yeah, of course. Why not? A?

Ellie Thinochai (04:06):

A.

Blake Shipley (04:06):

A.

Hamish Phipps (04:06):

It's still pretty important. It's just not S. Chuck them in.

Blake Shipley (04:16):

Here we go. Classroom icebreakers.

Ellie Thinochai (04:26):

Oh my god.

Luca Pearce (04:26):

I started during Zoom times. So I started the middle of 2020, so the icebreakers were on Zoom and it was not fun. But in the classroom, it's much, much better.

Blake Shipley (04:37):

Mm-hmm (affirmative). Okay.

Hamish Phipps (04:38):

I always find with the Zoom, if someone tries to make a joke, everyone's on mute so it just gets no response, and you're like-

Blake Shipley (04:43):

And you're like, "Did you enjoy that? Was it a good joke?"

Luca Pearce (04:47):

The teacher tries to ask, but no one answers.

Ellie Thinochai (04:48):

Yeah. It's so awkward.

Blake Shipley (04:51):

Where are we rating this one? They're not great, are they? They're never good.

Ellie Thinochai (04:55):

Yeah. It doesn't matter what year you're in, they're just always awkward and weird.

Blake Shipley (05:00):

C?

Hamish Phipps (05:01):

I would've said D.

Ellie Thinochai (05:04):

I would go D [crosstalk 00:05:04]-

Hamish Phipps (05:04):

I find them-

Blake Shipley (05:04):

I mean, sometimes they're helpful.

Luca Pearce (05:05):

I went C, because sometimes people are funny, like rarely, but sometimes it [crosstalk 00:05:11].

Hamish Phipps (05:09):

Yeah.

Blake Shipley (05:12):

Yeah. And it does help you kind of try to remember some people's names, maybe.

Luca Pearce (05:15):

Yeah, for sure.

Blake Shipley (05:16):

I'm going to executive decision, C on this one.

Hamish Phipps (05:17):

All right, chuck it down. Berksy, throw it in.

Blake Shipley (05:22):

There you go, Mishy.

Hamish Phipps (05:24):

Thank you. I'm shaking, and I promise you it's not because I'm nervous. Reading the unit handbook?

Luca Pearce (05:33):

The subject outline?

Blake Shipley (05:34):

Yeah. I'd say that sort of [crosstalk 00:05:36].

Ellie Thinochai (05:36):

You know how there's like the handbook that says... Yeah, I guess so. Yeah, the subject outline.

Luca Pearce (05:43):

It can be useful.

Blake Shipley (05:46):

It can useful?

Luca Pearce (05:47):

It can be useful. Okay, no. [crosstalk 00:05:50] I don't have anything to say. I don't have anything.

Ellie Thinochai (05:53):

No, I definitely think it is important, because you know what textbooks you need to buy, you can plan out when assignments are, blah, blah, blah, so you don't miss them. I don't know where that fits in comparison to [crosstalk 00:06:04]-

Luca Pearce (06:03):

Oh, actually. Yeah, in my first year this was really helpful, because I had no idea what I was doing and it lays out, for UTS, the student outline lays out what you're studying for each week and the topics and the readings that you have to do.

Ellie Thinochai (06:15):

Yeah, yeah.

Luca Pearce (06:16):

And they have all the assignments. So it actually is pretty useful.

Blake Shipley (06:19):

Yeah, nice.

Hamish Phipps (06:21):

I wish I had known about that.

Blake Shipley (06:23):

No, like I didn't know about that when I was at uni. That sounds awesome. Where are we going to put it?

Hamish Phipps (06:31):

You want to say S, don't you?

Luca Pearce (06:33):

No, I want to say A, I want to say A. [crosstalk 00:06:35] No, but it is very important. Can we put it like in the middle?

Hamish Phipps (06:37):

Yeah, sure. Is that okay with you video guys editing, chucking it in the middle there? There you go.

Blake Shipley (06:43):

On the line.

Hamish Phipps (06:44):

In the middle.

Blake Shipley (06:45):

Beauty. Oh, a little under arm.

Hamish Phipps (06:50):

That one looks a bit longer.

Blake Shipley (06:50):

This one does look a bit longer. Ooh, this sounds good. All right. Signing up to student subscriptions, like Spotify, Apple Music, gyms, that kind of thing?

Ellie Thinochai (07:01):

I love those. That is the best part about uni. Yeah, there are so many things that you can get student subscriptions on.

Blake Shipley (07:07):

Where do you find out about this stuff? Like I feel like [crosstalk 00:07:10] knew about it.

Ellie Thinochai (07:10):

They kind of advertise it, just on open day and stuff, and just hearing around.

Luca Pearce (07:15):

They also, UTS offers free Grammarly.

Ellie Thinochai (07:20):

Yeah.

Blake Shipley (07:20):

I love Grammarly. [crosstalk 00:07:23].

Luca Pearce (07:22):

Yeah, that was so good to find out.

Blake Shipley (07:24):

And Rate Your Resume, and there's this one called Student VIP which has all these secondhand textbooks.

Luca Pearce (07:31):

Oh, that's the best place to get it.

Hamish Phipps (07:31):

Yeah. It always annoys me when I go on sites now, and it says like, oh, enter your student, what is it, USI and then I'm like, oh, I can't do that.

Blake Shipley (07:39):

Yeah. And you're not a student anymore, and you're like, damn it. So definitely up there, I'm hearing?

Luca Pearce (07:44):

Yeah.

Hamish Phipps (07:45):

I reckon that's an S tier, for sure. Personally, I don't know.

Blake Shipley (07:49):

Good, good. All right.

Hamish Phipps (07:51):

Yeah, I'll read this one. I always get the small ones, and I'm all shaky and... Giving yourself me time?

Ellie Thinochai (07:59):

Yeah. That's up there.

Luca Pearce (08:00):

I don't know what to say.

Hamish Phipps (08:08):

You know, taking a break, going and hanging out with your friends.

Luca Pearce (08:11):

This one is very similar to the break one, I think. But also, with me time, is that in terms of like societies and events and things? Because I think that's very important. If you just study 24/7, that is a terrible idea. Very bad. So you definitely need to step away.

Hamish Phipps (08:28):

Watching Netflix, playing PlayStation. I doubt you guys play Playstation.

Luca Pearce (08:32):

Yeah, yeah. It's self-care.

Hamish Phipps (08:32):

Yeah, self-care.

Blake Shipley (08:32):

Absolutely self care.

Luca Pearce (08:34):

I'd say S.

Blake Shipley (08:36):

We're getting a lot of S tiers.

Hamish Phipps (08:37):

Yeah, we might have to rearrange, but S? Do we want S?

Blake Shipley (08:42):

Yep.

Hamish Phipps (08:42):

I actually think that's probably the most important, personally, but that does not indicate that it's the most important on this tier ranking system.

Blake Shipley (08:52):

I feel like we need some bad ones. Let's see what this is. Getting enough sleep?

Ellie Thinochai (08:58):

You can definitely survive on five hours.

Luca Pearce (09:04):

Not recommend it, though.

Blake Shipley (09:06):

Have you guys had to pull any all-nighters thus far?

Ellie Thinochai (09:09):

Yes. Group assignments. Yeah, definitely.

Blake Shipley (09:12):

Oh, it's always the group assignments.

Ellie Thinochai (09:15):

It is important, though.

Luca Pearce (09:16):

I mean, for us, our assignments are usually due at either 5:00 PM or midnight, so you usually do it up until then, and then after that you can go to bed. I would say that's very important, getting enough sleep.

Blake Shipley (09:28):

Yeah, definitely.

Luca Pearce (09:29):

But there are a lot of coffee shops around if you don't, but...

Hamish Phipps (09:34):

You guys are the sort that leave your assignments up to the last minute, or do you plan and chip away at them?

Ellie Thinochai (09:40):

No, I was never that kind of person, but then this year, being all online, I was like, you know what? I'm going to give it a go.

Hamish Phipps (09:45):

Yeah, I got caught out with this one with a research assignment at work recently. I should have planned and should have got started a lot earlier, because there was a couple late nights over the weekend. So are we putting this in S again?

Blake Shipley (09:58):

Oh, okay, hear me out.

Ellie Thinochai (09:59):

They can't all be.

Blake Shipley (10:00):

Yeah, it could be an A, because important, definitely, but you can do an all-nighter [crosstalk 00:10:05] if you need to.

Luca Pearce (10:05):

Would not recommend it, though.

Blake Shipley (10:08):

Would not recommend it, we're not condoning this, but it's possible.

Ellie Thinochai (10:10):

It is possible. And it's also like a challenge to yourself, [crosstalk 00:10:15].

Blake Shipley (10:12):

All right.

Hamish Phipps (10:12):

Chuck it in.

Blake Shipley (10:12):

This is yours.

Hamish Phipps (10:19):

Is it mine, is it? All right. This one's a bit longer by the looks of it. Leaving... Oh, kind of answered this one, leaving assessments until the night before?

Ellie Thinochai (10:35):

Oh, there we go. Yeah.

Luca Pearce (10:35):

Not a good idea.

Hamish Phipps (10:35):

Not a good idea?

Luca Pearce (10:35):

Not a good idea.

Ellie Thinochai (10:36):

Not ideal, but it can be done.

Luca Pearce (10:37):

I've submitted my assignment a minute before, and it was like the most stressful time of my entire life. [crosstalk 00:10:44] And also, because you need to check Turnitin, to check about the plagiarism thing, and also, if you have wifi trouble... So that's like a D. Yeah, definitely don't do that.

Ellie Thinochai (10:57):

Yeah, that is below D. That's the worst feeling.

Blake Shipley (11:00):

All right.

Hamish Phipps (11:01):

Lucky last.

Blake Shipley (11:02):

This is you.

Hamish Phipps (11:07):

All right. Here we go. Taking care of your mental health?

Luca Pearce (11:09):

S.

Hamish Phipps (11:12):

Yeah, yeah.

Ellie Thinochai (11:13):

I think that kind of goes hand in hand with giving yourself some me time.

Hamish Phipps (11:16):

And getting enough sleep.

Ellie Thinochai (11:17):

Yeah.

Luca Pearce (11:19):

[crosstalk 00:11:19] That one's A.

Hamish Phipps (11:21):

Yeah, I think that's definitely the most important, and even outside of uni, just making sure that you are taking care of your mental health.

Blake Shipley (11:28):

Yeah, of course. Is there anything you guys do to make sure you're doing that while you're at uni?

Luca Pearce (11:35):

I'm thinking. I don't know. I read a lot. I don't know if that's to do with mental health.

Blake Shipley (11:41):

Yeah, totally.

Ellie Thinochai (11:43):

Yeah, I think just making sure that you do have that time to wind down and you're not always studying. So I'm in a society and we meet up every couple of weeks, which is so good, just to hang out with people and wind down and talk about what you're doing so that it's not bottled up.

Hamish Phipps (12:01):

And do you guys have any other tips for first-year students, especially at UTS?

Luca Pearce (12:09):

Go to the orientation and talk to as many societies as you can. It's the best way. Yeah, I think societies are the best way to actually get your foot in at uni and meet people.

Ellie Thinochai (12:23):

Yeah. I think it comes back to that old saying, that you get out what you put in. So if you're going to class and you just go straight home, you're not going to have a good experience.

Blake Shipley (12:35):

What societies are you in?

Luca Pearce (12:37):

I'm in the UTS Society of Communications, and that's the third biggest society at UTS. And they had a first-year camp at the start of this year, which was really fun, and there were like 150 people there. They have that also for business and [crosstalk 00:12:52]-

Ellie Thinochai (12:51):

Yeah, I did the business one, which got a bit wild. I definitely recommend going.

Luca Pearce (13:00):

Yeah. But yeah, that's the best way, I would say.

Ellie Thinochai (13:02):

Yeah.

Blake Shipley (13:03):

I feel like that's what I maybe did wrong about uni, is I didn't join any of the clubs or societies and I never met anyone. I was like, how do people make friends at uni? This is how you make friends at uni.

Luca Pearce (13:11):

It's the societies.

Ellie Thinochai (13:13):

Yeah.

Hamish Phipps (13:14):

Any other tips, any other-

Hamish Phipps (13:17):

Make sure that you plan your lectures and tutes on close days, so you don't have to go in every day?

Luca Pearce (13:24):

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Ellie Thinochai (13:25):

Yeah. I think there is a lot of flexibility, especially at UTS, with classes. So you can pick a 7:00 PM class, you can pick an 8:00 AM, so make sure it's within the same day so you don't have to go in all the time.

Luca Pearce (13:38):

Oh, I made this mistake. Don't have a class that goes from like 9:00 till 11:00, and then 11:00 till 12:30, because you have to sprint across. I sprinted from building 11 to like building... Which is on the opposite side, the communications building, and every single time I was late, and you have to come in and everyone's just like looking at you. It's not fun. So give yourself a little bit of time.

Ellie Thinochai (14:01):

Oh god, that takes me back to first year.

Luca Pearce (14:03):

[crosstalk 00:14:03] Yeah, no, it was bad. I was just sprinting with my backpack like... Yeah, not recommended.

Blake Shipley (14:07):

I was late to my first lecture of my first day at uni and I was... I got off the bus at Wynyard and was like sprinting down George Street trying get to class and I was the last one in class, and I had to sit in the front row and walk past everybody to get to the front row, and I was sweaty and red and disgusting, and everyone looked at me and it was a terrible first-day experience.

Cool. Thanks heaps, guys, for joining us. That was awesome. Really fun to sit down and have a chat with you guys and get some insights. So yeah, thanks heaps.

Speaker 1 (00:06):

(Singing).

Blake Shipley (00:12):

Hey, guys. I'm your host, Blake.

Hamish Phipps (00:14):

And I'm your host, Hamish. Today, we're sitting around a round table, having a round table discussion about diversity and inclusiveness at UTS.

Blake Shipley (00:23):

Yeah. So if you haven't been sold previously on joining any clubs or societies at university or branching out from your group of friends, we have got [Kenny Pack 00:00:31] and Samantha Kotsakis here to tell us all about the clubs and societies they've got going on at UTS. How's it going guys?

Samantha Kotsakis (00:38):

Great. Yeah. Thanks for having us. Happy to be here.

Blake Shipley (00:39):

Cool.

Hamish Phipps (00:42):

Awesome. Today, we are going to be pulling some questions out of a hat. We don't know what the questions are. We don't know if there's a rabbit in there, but I guess we're going to find out anyway.

Blake Shipley (00:53):

Before we get started, we just want to learn a bit more about you guys. So Samantha, maybe we'll start with you. What are you studying at UTS? What are you up to at the moment?

Samantha Kotsakis (01:00):

I just finished my third year of a business and law degree, going into four out of five now.

Hamish Phipps (01:05):

Awesome.

Kenny Pack (01:07):

I'm currently finishing off my second year of medical science, but I just got an offer to do a double degree of law and medical science. So moving into that now. So I'll finish my medical science component next year, and then I'll just do purely law after that.

Blake Shipley (01:20):

Amazing.

Hamish Phipps (01:21):

Everyone we've spoken to is doing a double degree. I feel-

Blake Shipley (01:24):

Yeah, I know. Double degrees all around.

Hamish Phipps (01:26):

... I don't feel that's smart. Awesome. So we may as well get stuck in. Blake, would you like to pull the first?

Blake Shipley (01:32):

Sure. Alrighty. Sweet. So for both or either of you, what's some advice you'd give to students that might struggle to feel included or connect others?

Kenny Pack (01:44):

Start off with societies, find what your passions are. There's bound to be a society out there for you. We've got anime clubs, we've got dance clubs, MedSoc, there's faculty specific clubs as well. There's so many clubs and the great thing about going to university is the fact that if you can't find a club that you fit into, you can always gather a group of people and make your own club. So one of my friends actually started a Dog Society because hey, he really liked dogs, but he didn't have a dog himself. And he knew other people who liked dogs as well. So he started the Dog Society. Now he's the president of it.

Hamish Phipps (02:14):

Do we have to go to UTS to get in the Dog Society or? I like the sound of this. I like the sound of this. And are you in any societies at the moment?

Kenny Pack (02:22):

I was in the MedSoc, but with other commitments, I had to eventually let it go. But 100%, I made so many good friends there and I'm still close with them and last night we had Science Ball and that was amazing as well.

Hamish Phipps (02:32):

Awesome. Awesome.

Blake Shipley (02:32):

Do you have anything to add?

Samantha Kotsakis (02:37):

Yeah, just really echo that. I think everyone has their people and in UTS you'll be able to find your people. There's, as Kenny said, there's heaps of different clubs and societies, but there's also ones that focus on religion and race and they bring you together with maybe if you're not really looking to branch outside just yet, you can find people that are just like you. And I think that's really one of the biggest selling points of why I came to UTS. That's what I was told as soon as I was deciding where to go. When I got to UTS as well, I straight away joined Law Society and that has made the biggest impact on my life. I've honestly met my best friends from there and I'm such a different person from how I was when I started uni.

Samantha Kotsakis (03:18):

I also joined Touch Football Society or the club. And so I've been able to have so many experiences through that. I went to Uni Games, you've heard of Uni Games?

Hamish Phipps (03:26):

Yeah.

Samantha Kotsakis (03:28):

In the Gold Coast, had one of the best weeks of my life and also have made so many best friends from there as well.

Blake Shipley (03:33):

I've heard Uni Games is a good time. I've been sad I never got to do that.

Hamish Phipps (03:36):

I have a couple mates from the Rugby Club I play at, here at UTS and they said, they got up to a little bit of mischief. [crosstalk 00:03:44] Yeah. Awesome. I will grab this one. Let's have a look. Another one for both or either, when are club memberships valid until? And when's the best time to join one?

Samantha Kotsakis (04:01):

Most club memberships are valid for a year and you just join that through Activate. I would say the best way to start enjoying these clubs is to come to our O'Day on O'Day. It might be set up a little bit differently next year, it may be over three days, but it'll be one or three. You come and all the clubs and societies are set up. You get to go around and talk to their execs, talk to members of the society, understand what you like, and you can join there. I know for example, LSS is free the Law Society and most of the sport clubs are free as well. But if you do have to pay maybe a $10 fee or something, it'll usually come with a benefit, like a ticket to a [inaudible 00:04:37] event or something like that.

Kenny Pack (04:40):

Even non UTS students can always join any of the societies as well. And again, probably the best time is O'Day because everyone's new there and everyone just wants to make a friend. So it's the best time, best opportunity for you to just go out there and meet as many people as you can.

Hamish Phipps (04:54):

And when is O'Day?

Samantha Kotsakis (05:00):

O'Day should be two weeks before the semester starts. So I think semesters looking to start on February-

Kenny Pack (05:04):

28th.

Samantha Kotsakis (05:05):

28th. I was going to say, [crosstalk 00:05:07] I have no idea. So probably the week before that, so early Feb, early [inaudible 00:05:14] our O'Day will be.

Blake Shipley (05:15):

Yeah. Cool.

Hamish Phipps (05:16):

Awesome.

Blake Shipley (05:17):

I'll reach in. All right, Samantha, what role does ActivateUTS play? How do they help students?

Samantha Kotsakis (05:25):

ActivateUTS is the biggest body at UTS. They are responsible for all of our social events and mingling. Also, they run the university facilities, like the restaurants and some of our UTS sports. So they also provide all of the clubs and societies with grants and help them facilitate events and things like that for their students and their members. We have a ActivateUTS board, which is run by students and for students. And so you can go through your Activate members, they're very present on campus. You really know who they are and they're always happy for a chat and you can let them know any concerns that you have. And they then take them back to the big board. And they've got everything, they've got a CEO, so it's high level stuff, and they can really take your criticisms or your concerns on board or any ideas that you have. And they try to implement that in student life.

Blake Shipley (06:17):

Yeah. Cool.

Hamish Phipps (06:17):

Awesome. Wicked. All right. Let's hope I get one for you, Kenny.

Samantha Kotsakis (06:22):

I hope so too.

Hamish Phipps (06:24):

Oh, it's a guessing game. Host included. Okay. How many clubs are currently active on the ActivateUTS page?

Blake Shipley (06:33):

Oh, my God.

Samantha Kotsakis (06:34):

No multiple choice?

Blake Shipley (06:37):

We've got to guess.

Hamish Phipps (06:37):

Wild stuff in the dark. Do you guys know the answers to this? Okay. Okay, good. I want to say 35.

Kenny Pack (06:45):

160.

Hamish Phipps (06:49):

Well, I'm off. I'm well off.

Blake Shipley (06:51):

Okay. Judging off that, I'm Going to go 185.

Samantha Kotsakis (06:55):

I'm going to say 130.

Hamish Phipps (07:00):

Well, now I'm definitely [crosstalk 00:07:01].

Blake Shipley (07:02):

Fill us in.

Hamish Phipps (07:02):

Woody?

Speaker 6 (07:03):

Did you look at my screen on computer?

Blake Shipley (07:04):

No.

Speaker 6 (07:09):

It's 186. [crosstalk 00:07:09].

Hamish Phipps (07:09):

186. Well, I was well and truly off.

Kenny Pack (07:12):

30 new clubs coming up from 2021.

Hamish Phipps (07:16):

That's what I was thinking. Yeah. That's what [crosstalk 00:07:18].

Blake Shipley (07:18):

You forgot to factor those in.

Hamish Phipps (07:19):

Yeah. Yeah. They're the ones I stuffed up. So, yeah.

Blake Shipley (07:24):

Alrighty. This is for both of you, why should students consider joining a club or society at UTS?

Kenny Pack (07:33):

I think we covered this before as well, but 100%, it's all about making friends at uni and I think having that balance between social and university life is very, very important for anyone's mental health. You can't just be studying all the time. You should be focusing on your passions and not only that, joining a society gives you an opportunity for professional career development as well. So if you do end up becoming an executive, you're essentially running your own support business. So you're managing funds, you're managing events. There's so many different positions as well. You're learning how to properly govern a society and you're looking at constitutions as well, looking at policies. So it's really, really useful skills, as well as making lots of friends as well.

Hamish Phipps (08:15):

Awesome. Are there anymore? Oh, they're are. Geez. Yeah, here we go. Both or either of you, what is an Equity Programme? And do you know anyone that's come through one?

Kenny Pack (08:28):

Common law students?

Samantha Kotsakis (08:33):

I think that might refer to the UTS wide Equity Programme, but I know that we have equity ambassadors. So Kenny and I are both student ambassadors at UTS, but we also have equity ambassadors. And I think one thing that UTS has really built up in the last, in the most recent years is inclusivity and providing access to students who might not otherwise be able to get into uni the more conventional route. And I think the Equity Programme assists those students. I know a lot of different societies have their own equity division. I know in the law society, we have an equity director who offers subsidised tickets for events like Global, even textbook equity schemes. But I think as well, the university puts on a lot of events for those equity students to come together and meet people that may not have had the most orthodox way into university or had the most easy journey to get there.

Samantha Kotsakis (09:32):

I think they're really big on connecting those people and letting them know they're not really alone, because I think that it can be quite isolating sometimes. And I do know two equity ambassadors who have had a great experience and they were the ones who put me on to being a normal university ambassador.

Blake Shipley (09:48):

Cool. Anything to add?

Kenny Pack (09:52):

[inaudible 00:09:52].

Blake Shipley (09:53):

Amazing.

Hamish Phipps (09:53):

Awesome.

Blake Shipley (09:55):

So maybe tell us about what's one of the best times that you've had in a club or society at UTS.

Kenny Pack (10:01):

It's hard to say, but I think because we've spent, at least I spent half my time during lockdowns, I spent it at home, but I think having being part of a society and just being able to run the events as well, organising and running events, you really put yourself out there to meet new people and I love meeting people. So that's always been a great pleasure of being part of society.

Samantha Kotsakis (10:25):

I touched on it a little bit before, but I think probably one of my best experiences was as part of the touch football club, spending a whole week away with some really great people at the Gold Coast and playing some touch footie and having a good time. But also on the law front, I have had some really amazing experiences. I've been able to participate in competitions at the big law firms and I've done really well in those with my partner. So we've been able to get that professional development that Kenny was talking about earlier, but also get, how would you say, you just get exposed to what the career that you are going into is. I know, for example, I was really nervous about coming into my business and law degree. I was like, "I don't even know if this is exactly what I want to do." And I think that that's so common around uni.

Samantha Kotsakis (11:15):

Being able to experience those opportunities really made me see that I was on the right path and that I did know what I was going to do with my life. I think I wouldn't have been able to have that if I didn't get involved with the club a 100%. I always say to my friends who are starting uni, you have to get involved because half of my degree is the actual subject and the other half is my social life and the Law Society. And it's made just the biggest impact for me.

Blake Shipley (11:39):

Yeah. Awesome.

Hamish Phipps (11:40):

Wicked.

Blake Shipley (11:40):

Great answer. Cool. Sorry. I didn't realise there was more of these. What do you think sets UTS apart from other options with regards to diversity and inclusion?

Samantha Kotsakis (11:51):

I think one of the biggest selling points of UTS is it's very forward-thinking, it's ahead of its time. I think we're number one ranked young uni and that's for a reason. It doesn't mean that we have the most young students. It just means that we're the number one ranked in the last, I think 50 years, most recently developed. And it's just are so future-focused, all of our degrees have that future aspect to them. I know for law, for example, we have a legal technologies and futures major, which is so unique and something that is only offered at a few universities, and I think it's really important right now. Everyone knows how rapidly the world is changing, especially with technology and I think UTS really recognises that. We have a degree that's separately set aside for, that recognises that. It's called the bachelor of creative intelligence and innovation.

Samantha Kotsakis (12:46):

So that as well is really unique and it understands that the industry is changing and you really need to multi-skill and it allows students to have that transdisciplinary innovation to their degree. I think that's a massive selling point of UTS and something that I definitely didn't know about before coming. And I think it has really made me want to stay, and when I compare myself to maybe other students who aren't at UTS and who are having a more difficult time, I realise how lucky I am to be where I am and how practical everything I'm learning is and I think that would definitely set it apart.

Kenny Pack (13:21):

Yeah. I think, definitely the flexibility of becoming, or being one of the youngest universities, they really tried to push the boundaries of what education is like or what education should be. And so with UTS, they always focus on collaboration. And I think that comes and ties into the whole inclusivity aspect as well. So a lot of our assignments will be group-based. And this is generally more reflective on what your typical work environment would be like. So you need to be able to work with different people from all different backgrounds.

Hamish Phipps (13:54):

Awesome [crosstalk 00:13:55]

Blake Shipley (13:56):

Yeah. Very good answers.

Hamish Phipps (13:57):

Hypnotised. All right. Now, Kenny.

Kenny Pack (14:01):

Yes.

Hamish Phipps (14:01):

Last but not least. Why is it important to have clubs and societies and are societies in an already social setting likely?

Kenny Pack (14:11):

Well, university is a very social setting, but it can be very difficult to make friends just in your labs or your lecture halls. You are trying to focus on your studies, but it's all about what comes after or before that as well. So having these clubs and society gives you a chance to break away from your typical everyday university, go to uni, go to lectures, go to labs, and going to these societies really help you develop as a person as well. So for example, if you really are passionate about a certain sport, hobby, you can go in meet new people, but maybe eventually, you might change your mind about something. So there's always, there's a platform for you to really explore who you are as a person.

Hamish Phipps (14:55):

Awesome. Wicked. Now, I guess any first day-er or first year-er rather, what are some tips, tricks that you can give them?

Samantha Kotsakis (15:06):

My number one tip would definitely be to go to O'Day, you have to go. You have to go and everyone that's working on the stalls knows that you're a first year or that you've never been there before and that you want to get involved. Everyone is so happy to talk. You don't look weird coming up. Everyone wants you to come up. I know I've personally been standing out the front of touch football and, "Who wants to play touch? Come over." And you'll be able to sign up for all the clubs and societies there. Then I think, oh, something that's really important to remember is uni is what you make it. It's not going to come to you, in the sense that you need to go out and find it. I know too many people who have just sat back and stuck to themselves in the corner and not let other people in.

Samantha Kotsakis (15:48):

And I think that is what really will change your uni experience. Go to your class, this is what I always said to my friends, go to your class, find people that look like they'll want to talk to you, sit with them. Be the first person, you have to be the one that wants to talk. And those people will stay with you throughout your entire grade. So important to make those friends, because uni, you can't do it on your own. You really can't. Uni is like, it's hard. Everyone knows that it's going to be difficult and having that support network there is so important. So meeting those friends that will travel with you for the next three or five years, if you're doing a double degree, everyone's doing a double degree. So I think it's really important to make those connections and just be willing to do that.

Kenny Pack (16:29):

I think everybody, once you're in second year, you know what the persons feel, the fear, the uncertainty of coming into university, it's a whole different environment. So don't be afraid to go out and meet new people because we've all been there and we're more than happy to help you introduce yourself to the whole university life.

Blake Shipley (16:54):

That's great advice. Cool.

Hamish Phipps (16:57):

Do you have any other questions?

Blake Shipley (16:58):

No, I reckon we can [crosstalk 00:17:01].

Hamish Phipps (17:00):

I got one more.

Blake Shipley (17:02):

Tommy's like, "Wrap it up guys."

Hamish Phipps (17:05):

Can you be a part of too many societies?

Samantha Kotsakis (17:11):

No, I don't think so. I think societies don't really come with a commitment unless you are, like Kenny has been and like I have been, on the executive or a counsellor on the society. That comes with responsibility, but that's something that you sign up to do, usually done through an election process, but being a member of the society comes with no commitment. So you could honestly join as many societies as you wanted. In my first year I was joining all these random societies. I'm still getting emails from all of them and I have never gone to an event of theirs in my life, but I think the more that you join, the more likely you are to meet like-minded people and have that ability to make friends at any different kind of level.

Kenny Pack (17:51):

Yeah, definitely. I think in my first year I joined seven societies in the first day. And then eventually, I just cut it back down to two or three that I really liked. And these are the people that I stick with most.

Samantha Kotsakis (18:00):

Yeah, and no one's going to get offended if you don't come to their society. Law Society, for example, on an average year, has I think over 600 members. They're not going to be upset if you [crosstalk 00:18:13]

Hamish Phipps (18:16):

Awesome. So I guess all in all, any first year student should definitely consider, actually not even definitely consider, should go and join a society. You two have put it beautifully how important it is. So Kenny, Samantha really, really appreciate you guys taking the time today. I think you've helped out whoever's watching this at home.

Blake Shipley (18:40):

That was a good wrap-up.