WIT 2022
FIRST YEAR GUIDE UNSW Everything you need to know to get the most out of first year!
UNSW WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY
CONTENTS Introduction ....................................................................... 3 Editors’ Note ......................................................................................................... 4 Co-Presidents’ Address ................................................................................ 5
The Essentials .................................................................. 6 Words of Wisdom ............................................................................................ Getting Started at UNSW ........................................................................... Traversing Trimesters .................................................................................... Charting Courses .............................................................................................. Support Services ...............................................................................................
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Finding Your Way .......................................................... 17 Campus Map ....................................................................................................... 18 Best Campus Eats ............................................................................................ 22 Transport and Navigation ........................................................................... 24
The Academics ............................................................... 26 Before Term Begins ........................................................................................ 28 Secrets to Success ........................................................................................... 30 Note-Taking for Newbies ............................................................................ 32 Ultimate Study Apps ...................................................................................... 35 Preparing for Exams ....................................................................................... 37
Society Life ...................................................................... 40 From the Co-Presidents ............................................................................... 41 Why should you join a society? ................................................................ 42 WIT Subcommittees ....................................................................................... 43
Hi, there!
Editor's Note Approaching a new chapter of your life is daunting, especially if things don’t go quite to plan. In the past, you may have imagined walking with pride through uni, then sliding into class right on time with your new best friend. But what should you do if your big first day turns into hovering nervously over the join button to a Zoom meeting? What can you do to manage the challenges of university, even online? How can you reach out and make connections with others? Where can you go if you lose motivation and need a helping hand? These are all questions that we answer through our guide. It contains everything you need to succeed - the ins and outs of university, the best study tips and exam advice, and how you can make friends. If you’re at home alone for most of the term, you should have the tools to reach out. And if you do have the chance to go on campus, peruse our handy map for the best campus eats and study nooks. Your journey through life is yours to experience, to shape, and to remember. We hope you make the most of the fleeting freedom that is first year university - and our best wishes ride with you! UNSW Women in Technology Society (WIT) was founded in 2016 with a vision of breaking the stereotypes of traditionally male dominated positions in the tech industry. We are passionate about building a closely-knitted community where females can learn from and support each other, whilst accessing opportunities to further develop their tech careers. WIT offers a wide range of events including networking opportunities, career-oriented events and social activities. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to get updated with our exciting events and opportunities!
Chelsea Chaffey & Yuhan Zhou Publications Co-Directors
Co-President's Address Welcome to UNSW! From those of you who are fresh out of university, deciding to come back to school or even just a second year who is still grasping for that solid grip on UNSW campus life welcome, and congratulations on taking this next step! The short (or maybe long) years you spend during your time pursuing tertiary education can often be one of the most turbulent times you’ve experienced thus far in your life; it is a time to evaluate your life choices, find your tribe, all whilst grappling with the age old question of - who do I want to be? To the fresh starter, a change like this often feels like a sink or swim moment. Fortunately, at a school like UNSW, rich with student culture, faculty support and industry connections, you will find yourselves unknowingly equipped with the tools required to find your feet, together with a cohort of students who seek to find the same answers. Undoubtedly, there will be moments where you flounder, and feel battered by the waves of internships, interviews and networking, but the true thrill of university comes from the leaps of faith taking risks, getting involved, wearing your heart on your sleeve, and the plethora of unexpected friendships that follow. Seasons of change never occur completely as we expect, and we often feel lost in the crowd, which is the purpose of this guide - to act as your informant; guiding you through the class registration, how to get involved in student life, or even just helping you navigate through the maze that is UNSW’s campus. Within the contents of these pages, you will find a touchstone for how to thrive in your first year of university, find the best places to study, and the most iconic places to grab a bite in between classes. When starting at a place like UNSW, with over 60,000 students, the anonymity can be jarring and overwhelming, but take this time to explore, learn and leave the questions open-ended. Good luck, and hopefully, we’ll see you around!
Jane Wang & Nishmi Kapoor WIT 2022 Co-Presidents
The s l a i t n e s s E
Words of Wisdom Five Hot Tips from WIT
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Know Your Purpose Whether it be getting strong grades, preparing for your career or balancing academics with a fun social life, setting short term and long term goals during your time in university will keep you motivated and excited for the years ahead..
The World is your Oyster
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We highly recommend that you experience UNSW’s Arc student life by joining societies and seeking professional development opportunities throughout your degree. There you can make new friends, expand your network and set up a strong foundation for your future career.
Connecting with Peers Finding your people is not always easy and can be daunting at times, but don’t panic. The best way to approach this is to keep an open mindset, reach out and always be true to yourself.
Getting Organised with your Studies
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Uni courses tend to move at a very fast pace and your final exams can flash by in the blink of an eye. Having an organised study routine will help you stay on top of your course materials and be less stressed when finals come around.
Finding Valuable Advice
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Meet older students or industry mentors through society programs. They can provide you with resources and invaluable insights into the industry that you are pursuing a career in. WIT’s annual Empowerment Mentoring Program, where participants are connected to mentors from a wide range of companies is a great way to get started with your professional journey. Through this program, students gain first hand insight into the industry as well as a valuable, lifelong connection beyond the gates of UNSW.
Getting Started at UNSW UNSW offers a range of learning and support platforms to help you ease into the first year of study. Whether it be looking for administrative support or accessing your student profile, below are some key platforms where you can access this information.
myUNSW You should have used this page to enrol and register for classes in Term 1. This website takes you to your student profile, where you can access your course enrolments, class timetable, exam timetable, academic transcript and financial information.
Handbook Every degree and course have an associated handbook page. Use it to find more information about the course you are taking. E.g course outlines, prerequisites and the terms that it is being offered in. You can also find the link to the course outline which gives more insight into assessments details and important deadlines.
The Nucleus: Student Hub Located on the right hand side of the entrance to the main library, the Nucleus is the place to go if you have student administration issues. This includes issues with course enrolments, results and ID card services. Contact them here: 1. Phone call: (02) 8936 7005 2. Virtual face to face call through Microsoft Teams 3. In person appointment
Key Learning Platforms: Moodle, Webcms Most courses use Moodle for students to access resources, lecture and tutorial links, recordings, assessment information and discussion forums. Some CSE subjects use WebCMS3 or other platforms. Your course administrator will be providing more information regarding other platforms that may be used outside of Moodle.
Uni-verse Uni-verse is UNSW’s official app and makes your student life easier by enabling access to your timetable, Moodle content, library services, campus map, contact information and virtual queues for the Nucleus all on a single app.
IT for Students The UNSW IT page provides information on the types of services that it has made available for students. This includes: the UNSW Wi-Fi, free software, eLearning platforms, printing guides, how to prepare for remote study and student discounts! etc. For more information, please visit: https://www.myit.unsw.edu.au/services/students Hint: You can get Microsoft Office and Onedrive for free through UNSW IT!
UNSW Wi-Fi Network: Uniwide This is UNSW’s primary Wi-Fi network and your go-to network on campus. Username: zID Password: zID Password Network: Eduroam If you are visiting UNSW’s participating campuses in Australia or overseas, this is the network for you. Staff and student visitors from other educational institutions can also use Eduroam when visiting UNSW. Username: z1234567@unsw.edu.au Password: zID Password Guest Wi-Fi This network is only for visitors and will not enable access to UNSW’s internal systems.
Software for Students UNSW provides free licenses for a range of software tools. These include: Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Autodesk, ChemOffice, EndNote, LabVIEW, Wolfram Mathematica, Matlab, NVIVO, Prism, AnyConnect VPN, Symantec Endpoint Protection.
Traversing Trimesters UNSW operates on a trimester system with 10 weeks in a term and a one week break in Week 6. This break is also known as ‘Flexi Week’ and it is the perfect time to relax since there are no lectures or tutorials. Although the break is short, the trimester system allows you to finish your degree faster and have more flexibility in the number of courses to take per term.
There are also two key academic dates that you should take note of:
1. Census date: This is the last day to apply for Commonwealth Assistance and, more importantly, to withdraw from a course without financial liability. If you choose to withdraw from a course after midnight on the census date, you will be financially liable for the course.
2. Sunday of Week 6 (For a standard term): Choosing to withdraw from a course at this time will make you financially liable for the course. However there will not be an academic penalty until after this deadline. The academic penalty will be reflected in your academic transcript, but not your WAM.
UNSW Academic Calendar
Charting Courses Your Guide to Enrolment Now that you are at UNSW, you should have already enrolled into your first Term 1 courses. If you haven’t, make sure you follow the following steps. For those that have already enrolled, check out our mini guide for any information that you may have missed.
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Log in to myUNSW. Click ‘Enrolment Appointments’ on myUNSW to see when you can first enrol and register the classes for your courses. This information will become available towards the end of the term. Most courses tend to run out of capacity very quickly, so we recommend you select classes immediately after the time shown on your enrolment appointment.
Click ‘Update Your Enrolment’ to search for the courses offered in a particular term. You are free to drop and enrol in courses anytime without academic penalty, as long as it is before the academic census date.
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Congratulations! You have successfully enrolled into your course!
FAQs 1. What do I do if the class I want to register for is already at capacity? You can put yourself on the waiting list. If any student removes themself from the class, the system will automatically fill the position with the first person on the waiting list. In the meantime however, we recommend that you also join another open class to guarantee your position in the course.
2. What to do if my class/lecture clashes with another class/lecture? UNSW does not usually allow students to take two classes simultaneously. However under the specific circumstances, you can submit a timetable clash request form. To access this form and the conditions for eligibility, select ‘Student Request Forms’ under ‘Online Services’ in the myUNSW website. After this, proceed to select the ‘Timetable Clash Enrolment’ option.
3. What are Core Courses and Elective Courses? Core courses are compulsory and must be satisfactorily completed to fulfill the requirements of the program. It often needs to be completed alongside Elective Courses, which offer a greater level of flexibility.
There are three types of elective courses: General Education Elective Courses (GenEds), Free Electives and Prescribed Electives. GenEds are taken for the purpose of increasing the breadth of knowledge and require students to select courses outside the faculty of their degree program. In comparison, Free Electives aim to develop knowledge and skills in a particular discipline by choosing from a large, but sometimes restricted, list of courses offered by a specified faculty. Prescribed electives are typically taken to complement the required depth of knowledge and are selected from a specified list of courses.
Degree Planning Every UNSW degree has a progression plan that you can refer to. If you find the information there to be limiting, please access the handbook relevant to your degree/s to find all the compulsory and/or elective courses that you need to complete. Following this, you can see the terms that each course is offered in and map this information across the duration of your degree on google spreadsheets, excel etc. Remember, a full time student must complete 48 UOC (units of credit) across one year, with at least one course enrolment per term. Domestic students will need to complete a minimum of 12 UOC per term, or 36 UOC across 3 terms with a minimum of one enrolment per term.
One of the most useful tools to save class enrolment stress is CrossAngles! This web app helps you plan out your timetable before you enrol in your classes. Input the courses you are planning to take for the term and it will generate the most optimal timetable, which you can easily rearrange by dragging and dropping as desired. The site also displays the current enrolment numbers for each class - but check Timetable for the most up-to-date information. Use it here: https://crossangles.app/
LinkUp is an event tracker that collects upcoming society events into one place on their website. It displays events happening now so you won’t miss out, and can help you find new societies. Find LinkUp at https://linkupevents.com.au/
Support Support
Services Services
Counselling Services Here at WIT and across UNSW, we know that everyone has different circumstances and we are always here to help you. UNSW offers confidential telehealth and face-toface consultations. For more information regarding the types of services UNSW offers, visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/counselling.
Psychology and Wellness At UNSW, we will always put your well-being above all else. Psychology and Wellness offers confidential consultations, helping you manage your personal situation or providing useful information on where to seek further assistance. Remember! WIT and UNSW will always be here for you, so please don’t ever hesitate to reach out. For more information about UNSW Psychology and Wellness, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/counselling/appointment.
Mental Health Connect Finding the right place to seek mental health support can be difficult. UNSW understands and yearns to reduce this friction through the UNSW Mental Health Connect service. UNSW Mental Health Connect can provide guidance on where and how to seek support, may it be face-to-face or online. For more information, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/mhc. To directly contact Mental Health Connect, please dial: Student Line (02) 9348 0084 Available Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm International Students who are currently not in Australia +61 28905 0307 Available every day and night 24/7 After hours support, please call UNSW Mental Health Support 1300 787 026 5pm-9am
Equitable Learning Services Everyone has ups and downs. If you are experiencing a health/mental health condition or disability that is impacting your studies, you can apply for the Equitable Learning Services. This service is free and confidential and provides practical support for anyone whose studies could be adversely affected. For more information, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/els.
International Student Advisors If you are an International Student, we highly recommend you seeking International Student Advisors for any general inquiries. This may be about understanding your student visa conditions, accommodation, financial difficulties or even how to adjust to your new University life. To book an appointment with our International Student Advisors, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/consult.
Student Support Advisors If you need personalised advice about your university life, student visas, wellbeing, academic performance and general support, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/advisors.
Live Chat Support Our Live Chats allow you to connect with a senior student mentor to enquire about any general student life, course enrolments, how to connect with the UNSW community etc. To access this service, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/peer/chat.
Arc Legal and Advocacy Services Online Arc’s legal and advocacy team offers legal advice regarding tenancy issues, academic/student misconduct, centrelink, employment, visa & immigration service, UNSW complaints and much more. To make an appointment, please visit https://arclegal.setmore.com/.
Financial Assistance Government support All eligible domestic students can access Commonwealth Assistance from the government to assist with their fee payment. There are also Centrelink payments such as Abstudy, Austudy, Youth Allowance, Pensioner Education Supplement or Student Start-up Loan for eligible individuals.
UNSW Support UNSW also offers financial management and support assistance, scholarships, Fee Payment Plan, interest-free loans for eligible domestic and international students. For more information, please visit https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/loans.
FINDING
YOUR
WAY
Campus Food Courts and Areas 1. The Quad Food Court (middle campus) 2. The Matthews Food Court (upper campus) 3. University Terraces (GYG, Yallah Eats, IGA, Stellini Pasta Bar, etc) (lower campus) Check out the complete list of UNSW food and retail here: https://www.estate.unsw.edu.au/food-retail/explore
Important Locations 1. University Bookshop - your goto place for all new course textbooks 2. University Grad Shop - rock your zoom call style in official UNSW merch 3. UNSW Security Office - contact for anything from parking questions to emergencies 4. The Nucleus - for all student queries and official course advice
Uni Landmarks Globe Lawn - great place to meet with friends and societies Basser Steps - rainbow landmark that highlights UNSW’s inclusion and diversity
Map Top 5 Campus Study Hotspots
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Main Library Situated in the Upper Campus, the Main Library is open from 7am to 10pm. It is a fantastic place to do some late night studying by yourself or with friends. If you want to study in a particular room or pod, please visit the following website: https://unswlibrary-bookings.libcal.com/
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Law Library
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Science & Engineering Building (SEB)
Situated in the Lower Campus, the Law Library is also generally open from 7am to 10pm. It is a popular place to go for some serious, quiet studying. To make a booking for Desk, PC, study booth or study room, please visit the following website: https://unswlibrary-bookings.libcal.com/
Situated in the Lower Campus, the Science & Engineering building is a very popular study space amongst our WIT team. It is quiet, has great facilities (e.g power points) and is close to many restaurants/shops e.g IGA, GYG.
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UNSW Business School
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Quadrangle (Quad)
Situated in the Lower Campus, the Business School has many study spaces and charging stations. It is the perfect place to study with friends or work on collaborative tasks. It is also very close to the Quad Food Court if you need a quick snack.
Situated in the Middle of the Campus, there are small tables and seats all around the Quad. It is the perfect place to gather with friends or just to study with a breath of fresh air.
Best Cam Penny Lane Bar & Cafe Located at the Morven Brown Building (C20), Upper Campus, this is a fantastic place to catch up and dine with friends. The cafe serves food with a Mediterranean twist, including pizzas, salads, burgers, coffee, desserts and more!
Yallah Eat Pita, Kebab & Shawarma Bar Yallah Eat is located at the University Terraces building, Lower Campus. It is a popular, budget friendly place serving Middle Eastern pitas and bowls.
Roundhouse Located in the lower campus, the Roundhouse is only a short walking distance from UNSW Anzac Parade. It serves burgers, wings, snacks and pub classics - the perfect, budget friendly place to meet up with friends after your tutorial!
mpus Eats Guzman Y Gomez Located at the University Terraces, Lower Campus, GYG is another fantastic, budget friendly place to hang out with friends. GYG offers real Mexican food including our alltime favourite quesadillas, nachos etc.
Cafe Brioso (“the Coffee Cart”) Located in front of the Main Library Lawn (C20), the Coffee Cart is the place to go to grab a coffee in the morning. Aside from coffees, the Coffee Cart also serves hot beverages and snacks. During a pre-pandemic weekday morning, this place is always bustling with customers waiting for coffee.
Transportation and Navigation Transportation to UNSW’s main Kensington Campus Light Rail Take the L2 Randwick Line to reach UNSW High Street and the Upper Campus. This line has 14 stops, running through the CBD, Central, Surry Hills, Moore Park and the Randwick Hospital Campus on High Street, Randwick. Through the gates of UNSW High Street you will reach the upper campus where buildings such as the Main Library, Matthews Food Court, UNSW School of Medicine are situated. Take the L3 Kingsford Line to reach Anzac Parade and the Lower Campus. This line has 14 stops running through the CBD, Central, Surry Hills, Moore Park, Kensington, UNSW Anzac Parade, Kingsford and Juniors Kingsford. If you are looking to reach the Roundhouse or the Law, Engineering or Business buildings, this is the line to take.
Buses Before the light rails were introduced, buses were one of the favourite modes of transportation. There are regular services operating from Central, including routes 393 and 395 or 392, 394, L94, 396, 397 and 399 from Circular Quay, Martin Place and St James. For further information, please visit https://transportnsw.info/trip
Transportation to UNSW’s Paddington Campus UNSW Art & Design Located on Oxford Street, Paddington, the UNSW Art & Design Paddington Campus Paddington is within walking distance from Central and Museum. You can take bus routes on nearby Oxford Street and Flinders Street. There are also shuttle buses that travel to and from the Kensington and Paddington campuses. For more information about how to get to UNSW, please visit https://www.futurestudents.unsw.edu.au /getting-unsw
Lost on Campus Being lost on campus is a very relatable situation and can sometimes be very stressful if you are running late for a lecture, tutorial or any other important commitments. If this happens to you, don’t panic and take the following steps. #1. Use the Lost on Campus app. Lost on Campus app is Australia’s largest campus mapping app. Simply download it from the App Store, sign up, select your main university campus and select the location that you want to find. The app will show you a map, your current location and a photo of your destination. If this doesn’t work… #2. Ask for directions. Look around you and don’t be afraid to ask for directions. Everyone has been in this situation before and we are more than willing to help out!
THE
ACADEMICS
Every day, we face new challenges that test our persistence, determination, and resilience. Our most recent challenge is online learning. How do you meet people? How do you succeed in class? Here, we unpack success to online learning so that you can thrive in an online learning environment. Every student has different techniques to succeed academically. As you read through, you will see techniques that resonate with you, whilst others may not be as effective for your learning style. Here is what we at WIT, from both personal experience and thorough research, have found can help you become a successful student! Remember, the term is a marathon, not a race, and your mental and physical health should come first. Take breaks and keep an active lifestyle. If you feel stressed or burnt out, there are support services you can access to help you back on track.
BEFORE TERM BEGINS Research your Resources CHEAT SHEET Before your first class for each course, write a cheat sheet containing key course links and details. This might include direct links to lectures, forums, and resources, your class schedule, the course assessment outline, and the contact details of your tutors and course staff. Having this information handy will ensure that during stressful times, you can quickly access your course resources and academic support system throughout the term.
TEXTBOOKS UNSW courses provide many of their resources on Moodle or another learning platform, so be sure to check for emails from your course admin, lecturer or tutor. Course textbooks can be bought new from the UNSW Bookshop. Otherwise, the UNSW Textbook Exchange Facebook groups are the go-to place for buying and selling textbooks. StudentVIP and Zookal both have textbook exchange markets where you can buy and sell textbooks. Zookal also has textbooks available for loan.
Enrich your Environment HOME LEARNING Everyone’s home environment is different, so this will vary depending on what works best for you, and how you can adapt your study space.
01. KEEP IT TIDY Online learning can cause clutter across your desk, whether it’s paper, books, stationery or a week’s collection of coffee mugs. Make the time after each session to spend five minutes cleaning your desk. Not only does it create a better learning environment but also gives you a few minutes to breathe away from your screen.
02. ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
Set an exact time you intend to work for, and try to stay focussed for the entire duration of your lecture, tutorial, or study session. Don’t flick to computer games, instead leave your phone off or even in a different room, and be determined to get as much out of the session as possible.
03. SHAKE UP YOUR STUDY ENVIRONMENT If you can, take a study session at a local cafe, the library, or even just outside! Being in the same place all term can make your study space a boring place pretty quickly, so shaking up where you study can help you stay motivated and enthusiastic.
IN-PERSON LEARNING If you’re studying in person, use O-week to explore campus before you’re deep in university grind.
01. FIND YOUR CLASSROOMS Don’t leave finding your classroom until 8:59am before your 9am tutorial (trust us, it doesn’t end well). Explore your course buildings well in advance, so you avoid the last minute panic. UNSW’s campus is massive and full of stairs, so ensure that you account for travel time across the university to get to your class. Use the extra time to make new friendships!
02. CHOOSE YOUR HANGOUTS Find your favourite study spaces and recharge hangouts on campus so you have some go-to places to refresh and rewind. (Hint: checkout the recommendations on our handy campus map on page 18!)
03. PREPARE YOUR BAG Two years of mostly online learning has probably left us all used to having shelves of books, stationery and creature comforts at hand. Make sure you decide how you want to organise your notes (handwritten or digital?) and pack your bag accordingly. Have everything ready before for your big first day, and don’t forget the snacks!
SECRETS TO SUCCESS Finding Study Buddies It’s always easier to surmount your weekly study load with allies at your side. However, the hardest part of online and hybrid learning is not being able to have the same trivial interactions with people in your course before your lecture or tutorial begins. These are some ways you can still meet people in your courses: 1
Almost everyone goes to the first lecture Take the opportunity to flick through the participants list and if you see anyone you know, reach out to them!
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Join the group chat for your course Almost every course has a group chat via Messenger, you can ask your fellow peers if there is one during lecture breaks or on the UNSW Discussion Group on Facebook. If there is no course chat, offer to make one - many students will be grateful!
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Take the leap in your break-out rooms or groups Break the ice and introduce yourself! Something as simple as “Hey everyone, I’m ___, how are you guys finding uni?” is a great way to start a conversation.
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Great minds think alike If someone has asked a question similar to one you had online, or a question you found interesting, find them on Facebook, and reach out to them to discuss the course! Trust us, this happens more often than you think!
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Make the most of your in-person interactions If you have classes on campus, make the most of the opportunity to meet new people, whether it’s introducing yourself to the person on the lab bench next to you, someone you meet outside your tute room, or even someone sitting next to you in an in-person help session.
Building Persistence Remember - your courses are a marathon, not a race! You may find university work challenging, so learning to work slowly but steadily, and asking for help when you’re stuck is an invaluable skill. Avoid the last minute exam cram or lecture binge at all cost not only will you save yourself a ton of stress, you’ll also be able to access tutor advice much earlier in classes or help sessions, which are often spread throughout the term.
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Set goals Set yourself goals for each course, and even for uni-life. Research shows that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down, so do not just think about them, write them up, stick them on your wall, and make it your motivation to persist through the term!
Hit up the forum Your course admin will set up a coursewide, staff monitored forum on Moodle, Edstem or a similar platform. Use it to ask questions if you’re stuck on a problem, or have general queries about the course and exams. Don’t hesitate to ask - chances are, another student is probably wondering the same thing!
Mastering Time Management One of the greatest benefits (or risks) of learning online is more freedom over how you spend your time. If you use your time effectively, you can stay on top of content and have the benefit of flexibility. On the other hand, it’s easier to fall into the dangerous cycle of procrastination. To keep yourself on track:
1. Create a weekly plan - and follow it Your planner should contain your class schedule, assessment deadlines and any extracurricular events. Set study times or even bedtimes - but be realistic. Setting an overly ambitious plan could leave you demoralized if you don’t complete it, or overexerted if you do, so aim just above your current comfort level. If you don’t enjoy planning your study routine to the hour, instead opt for a daily to-do list. You can handwrite your schedule on UNSW’s official planner or sync it across some of our favourite apps on page 35.
2. Note down your course assessments Most courses release exam details two weeks before the exam, however the course outline will still provide what week your assessment will be in and what content will be tested, so you can start tailoring your notes from the get go! For more exam tips see page 37.
3. Make time for yourself If you end up spending all day at your desk or in bed, online study will become draining very quickly. If you want to achieve your goals while staying motivated, plan time away from the screen to relax and refocus. This could be as simple as cooking some food, going for a walk, or spending some time with a pet.
Note-Taking for Newbies Do's and Don'ts of Note Taking
DO: Identify the speaker’s purpose Write down the main points, essence, and notable facts that would be hard to recall on your own later Save time using abbreviations Organise your notes and prioritize important points. Use bullet points and highlight, underline and capitalize appropriately Use arrows to show how concepts are connected Create easily identifiable symbols like stars to identify action items At the end of the lecture or meeting, summarise the main messages into one to two sentences to reinforce your understanding of the material
DO NOT: Write down everything the lecturer or speaker says Multitask. Stay focused on the speaker Experiment with the presentation or organisation of your notes while taking notes
Popular Note Taking Methods OUTLINE METHOD This method organises information in a structured and logical manner, becoming an excellent study guide. Use simple bullet points and an indented hierarchy. Top level bullet points should be used for the main concepts, and lower level bullet points for details.
CORNELL METHOD Divide the paper into three sections like an upside down T, so you have a cue column on the top left, a notetaking column on the top right, and a wide summary section at the bottom. During the lecture, add bullet point notes to the note-taking column. After class, add keywords or questions to the cue column, then write a summary of the lecture below.
MIND MAP METHOD This method allows you to make new connections between ideas by highlighting important facts, showing the structure of a subject and its important individual parts. This is an ideal method for when you need to think creatively, or simply for a more holistic understanding of the subject. Write the topic at the center of a piece of paper, then add tree limbs with topics and subtopics.
FLOW METHOD The goal of this method is to learn the material once while sitting in class. Create your own mental image of the subject on paper. Organise it spatially, including arrows to connect concepts and ideas. Make any text as concise as possible; instead use boxes, lines, shapes and directions - whichever tools help you express your understanding most directly.
CHARTING METHOD This method is ideal for when you’re learning about chronological events. Identify the topics that will be covered in the lecture. Then, draw columns and write the headings based on the categories. During the lecture or tutorial, write down words, phrases, and main ideas into the appropriate category.
ULTIMATE STUDY APPS
Here are some hot apps and tools to make your university grind easier.
Keeping Calendars Don’t miss lectures or social events by keeping all the details in one place. Google Calendar (free) or Outlook Calendar (free through UNSW) are two great options for keeping track of what’s happening. Both can be automatically synced with your UNSW class timetable, and integrated with Zoom meetings.
Timeweave is another popular app that lets you compare your schedule with your friends, so you can find group study times easily.
Tracking Tasks Keeping a diary, journal or to-do list is the easiest way to keep yourself on track. Trello is a Kanban-style organisational tool by one of Australia’s fastest growing software companies, Atlassian, and is one of the best ways to organise your work, especially when managing a group project. You can assign tasks, upload files, keep track of due dates, and more! Use it here.
Notion is another great note-taking tool, where you can write documents collaboratively, plan tasks and group projects, and make spreadsheets, all in one place. With the added bonuses of quick formatting and easy cross-app integration, you’d definitely want to give it a spin. Check it out here.
Tired of using post it notes? Google Keep is a great place for everything from your work items to your shopping lists. It offers filter search, text transcription from images and seamless integration with Google Docs and Gmail. You can also set reminders and share notes with others through Google Suite.
Tools for Note Taking Online note-taking and organisation tools such as OneNote and Evernote for organising notes and managing tasks across multiple devices. You can type, handwrite, and annotate your course content, and archive notes that are no longer needed.
If you own an iPad, a popular app to consider is GoodNotes. These programs allow users to gather notes and information in a variety of ways - from traditional writing, audio, and video recordings, to storing complete webpages.
Study Aids Try Quizlet, a flashcard app that lets you make and revise your own custom sets, or choose one from millions of publicly available sets probably even some by students who have taken your course before! The perfect strategy for learning terms or memorizing definitions.
Losing focus easily? Forest is a motivation tool where you can grow a tree for each task you complete. Use it to help you stay off your phone and on your assignment. You can even grow trees for breaks and healthy habits to keep you in good health!
While we can delegate our organisation to handy study tools and calendars, your success in studying ultimately comes down to persistence. Set yourself goals, and give yourself rewards. Even if you don’t achieve everything on your checklist, you’ve made progress. As they say, it takes 21 days to build a habit, and 90 days to create a lifestyle.
PREPARING FOR
EXAMS
Exams are the absolute bane to every university student, especially in first year when you are still trying to get settled in. But don’t worry! Here, we provide you with tips on how to ace the exams, materials to bring, and what to expect.
Once you get into the weekly swing of university, there are two major exams and assessment blocks in the term: 1) Mid-Term Exams: typically occurring in Week 5 - 7 depending on your course. If your exam is a little later, you may have Flexibility Week (Week 6) to revise. If not, use Week 6 to take a well deserved break! 2) Final Exams: The final exam period begins soon after Week 10 and can be found in the UNSW academic calendar. Not every course has a final exam, but in those that do, they usually have the highest weighting. A few courses have a ‘double pass’ system, where to pass the course, you must achieve over 50% in both the final exam and the overall course mark. Your course staff will let you know if this is required.
WAM EXPLAINED Standing for Weighted Average Mark, your WAM is a running average of all your university marks in courses taken at UNSW. Yes, you can improve your WAM over time. And no, marks from student exchange programs or other transfers are not included in the calculation. Although some companies take your WAM into account, please note your WAM does not dictate your personal worth. Life skills, communication, teamwork and enthusiasm are just as important to employers. One of the best ways you can show this is by being actively involved in society life.
How should I prepare? Organization is key. At the beginning of the term, check out your course outlines for assessment dates. These contain a great overview of the different forms of assessments that you will need to complete to ace your course. Make note of these dates in your calendar or diary to avoid future confusion and to ensure early exam preparation. Throughout the term, stay on top of your notes! Although courses are online, make sure you stay on top of your lecture content and revision during the term. Bingewatching lectures the night before your exam is not an effective way to study (even though it happens to the best of us).
Get in the zone. Set a time for how long you want to spend on each course, and what you want to achieve in each study session. This is a great way to track your study, and helps you feel fulfilled after studying during a hectic exam season! Find a local library, visit the study spots on pages 18 to 19 or, if you’re studying at home, a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed. Put any distractions away so you can focus and get your studying done as quickly and efficiently as possible.
You are not alone! Talk to your mentors, tutors or lecturers, try group study sessions, or use the resources provided by UNSW. Your course will offer a variety of free academic support services, so find out what services your faculty offers and use them! WIT also offers end of course revision workshops that anyone can attend (such as COMP1511 and INFS1609) so make sure you follow us on Facebook to stay updated! Our website and spotify also features blogs and podcasts on acing study and exams to support your success.
What can I expect in exams? Carefully read over the details of the exam provided by your course convenor or in the course outline - the types of questions, the content covered, and the length of the exam - you don’t want to be surprised on the day! In particular, make sure you know the exact time and location of the exam which you can find on myUNSW. Your UNSW ID card is mandatory for every in-person exam, so make sure you bring it! Bring stationery in a clear pencil case and any water in a clear labeless bottle. Check other materials you will need to bring to the exam such as pencils, rulers, pens etc. If you need a calculator for your exam, make sure you have a UNSW approved calculator by getting an approval sticker from the Nucleus or your School’s Student Centre well before the exam. See student.unsw.edu.au/exam-approved-calculators-and-computers for more info.
What will happen in an online exam? Many exams will be held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. Your course convenor will make an announcement via Moodle (or another platform that your course is using) to give you the details of your exam such as precise time, length of the exam, and how the exam will be run. Most courses will have you do the exam online via a Moodle quiz, or set a time-frame for you to submit answers to a platform. Use this checklist to prepare for online exams: Let people you live with know when you have an exam so you will not be disturbed. 1 hour before the exam begins, set up for your exam in a clean, quiet place so you can focus. Have water, tissues, pens, paper, and your calculator (if applicable) ready. If you have an open book exam, order your notes and other resources by topic. If you can, print them off so that you can easily utilise them. Sit down 5-10 minutes before your exam begins, relax, and take the chance to be calm before you start your exam.
How do I get to an in-person exam? Plan your route beforehand, especially if the location of the exam is unfamiliar. Public transport is particularly busy during exams so make sure you leave at least 30 minutes earlier than usual. In-person exams occur on campus or at the Royal Randwick Racecourse. The location of the exam can be viewed on your myUNSW profile in the exams timetable section, make a note of these and plan your route before the exam date. If your exam is in Randwick Racecourse, there will be plenty of signage around and there are staff members there to help you navigate the area so no need to panic if you aren’t sure where to go! Once you’ve completed your exam, you will have to wait for your result. You can find out when you’ll receive your total course mark via https://student.unsw.edu.au/results, which will usually come by email before your myUNSW is updated.
Above all else, rest up well for exams and do the best you can! You got it!!
- Willow
Society LIFE
From the
Co-Presidents
Joining a society you are passionate about is really an amazing way to not only get experience in the industry or topics you are keen to learn more about, but also a great way to meet like-minded people both at university and in industry! Women in Technology is a fantastic society to be a part of if you’re looking for an eager and wholesome environment to learn, grow and step out of your comfort zone. Everyone in WIT is amazingly supportive and ambitious about stepping it up to make the tech-industry a better place for women and other gender minority groups! We would love to share this enthusiasm with you by having you join our subcommittee team! By joining our team you are also making lifelong friendships and gaining new industry-relevant skills and knowledge by either organising career related events and competitions or even producing written and multimedia publications for UNSW students by partnering with a range of companies!
Jane Wang & Nishmi Kapoor WIT 2022 Co-Presidents
TOP REASONS
TO JOIN
A SOCIETY
What kinds of societies does UNSW offer? With over 300 student societies at UNSW, you are sure to find a community of people with similar interests and passions, to bond with as you enter university life. From our very own Women In Technology, to Quidditch and Cat Appreciation, the variety is endless - and if a society doesn’t exist yet, you’re even free to liaise with ARC and create your own! Even better than joining a society is joining a subcommittee! Being part of the internal team and delivering content and events for members is one of the most rewarding ways to form new friendships and contribute to student life. Anyone can apply, especially first years who are looking to make some new connections! Applications open each year in the first few weeks of term, so keep an eye out on your society facebook pages. Apply for a role in WIT’s internal team here.
Top 5 Reasons to Join Societies 1. Make new friends! At university your classes change every term, making it hard to form connections. In a society, you have the opportunity to form lasting friendships by participating in fun events and challenges with others with similar interests. 2. Expand your network. Engage in your societies and you’ll have access to a network of people of a similar age in your field to ask for advice, from courses to internships and job applications. 3. Upskill yourself. You can develop key social and communication skills - and as a volunteer or subcommittee member, show evidence of it to your employer. It looks great on your resume! 4. Learn about industry. Connect to industry representatives through society-hosted networking nights and career events. Even if you’re not certain with your direction after uni, it’s a great place to find out what working in industry is like! 5. Have fun! Societies are the centre of student life, and are bursting with puzzle sessions, social nights and discord parties. Take a break from studying and enjoy what uni life has to offer! 🥳
WIT
SUBCOMMITTEES OUR PORTFOLIOS
Careers The careers portfolio is an integral part of WIT, and is in charge of organising educational workshops, panel sessions, networking nights, and mentoring programs. As part of the team you will have endless opportunities to develop your personal and professional skills, meet a wide range of people from many disciplines, and take the first step to developing your career. But being part of the careers portfolio is not just all work! You'll create amazing bonds with the whole team, and the best part of it all, is that we're your directors :D. We're looking for committed and reliable individuals, who have a desire to learn and are strong communicators. It would be great to have good organisational and time management skills, but if not, you will definitely have them by the end of the year. We know everything we wrote seems a bit scary but really, we're just looking for passionate and enthusiastic people to have a great time with!
Competitions You will find yourself in a highly supportive team that pulls together in one direction to create impactful competitions including our annual Hackathon, Case Competition and High School Outreach Program to name a few. Your voice will be heard no matter your role and you will have a huge amount of scope to make your mark and turn your ideas into reality. Being part of the competitions portfolio offers the opportunity to work directly with different prestigious companies such as Jane Street, Google and Atlassian to name a few, pushing you out of your comfort zone but equipping you with invaluable skills and experiences for the future. We are looking for subcomm members who are organised, effective communicators and most importantly having the passion and willingness to learn!!
External Relations External Relations is a fantastic portfolio where you can greatly develop your professional and personal skills. During my time in it as a subcom and now director, I have significantly developed my communication and organisational skills. With sponsorships, there are a million different requests coming in from all the portfolios and different sponsor representatives and our job in this portfolio is to maintain a great relationship with our sponsors and liaise with them in running events and multimedia publications. What's super exciting about being part of External Relations is that you get to work with all the sponsors, sit in meetings with representatives and get first hand insights into their companies. A great candidate for the External Relations portfolio is someone who is proactive, very organised and has a great reply game but most importantly is eager to learn and get involved in our initiatives.
Human Resources (HR) HR focuses on upholding the inclusive WIT team culture, ensuring that all of our members are feeling happy, healthy and relaxed, and managing grievances. We help to foster friendships and good vibes in the team and put together fun bonding events, from dinners and karaoke to ice skating and escape rooms. Furthermore, HR tracks the professional and personal development of the whole team, ensuring that everyone has ample opportunities to meet their goals and go beyond their comfort zones. We also coordinate an annual WIT team road trip to bring everyone together! The skills we look for in the HR portfolio include teamwork, empathy, problem solving and motivation to try new things and grow!
IT The IT portfolio is responsible for designing, updating and improving the WIT website as well as supporting the creation of technical workshops and competitions. As part of the team, you will be able to grow both personally and professionally through developing new features and deploying applications, all while making friends and being involved in an amazing community. I’m looking for passionate and personable individuals who are willing to learn and take initiative. It would be great to have technical proficiency in WIT’s tech stack (React, MaterialUI, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, PostgreSQL, Express and Node) and UX/UI design experience, but if not, you will definitely have them down pat by the end of the year 😎.
Marketing The marketing portfolio is ✨AMAZING✨ because it provides a creative👩🎨 🎨 outlet away from the stress of uni work and we create the visual content which becomes the face of WIT! We get to design all sorts of awesome posts, like memes and event covers, and have a sense of ownership of what we create! Plus, we'll have loads of epic team bonding sessions!🤩 Attributes we look for in subcommittee members are their passion for WIT’s vision and mission, willingness to learn, experience with Adobe Suite (preferred, but not mandatory!), creativity, innovation,overall vibe (fun, full of humour and super chill!) and love for food!🤪
Media The Media portfolio is an opportunity to unleash your creative potential and collaborate with like minded people. Not only will you be able to create bonds within the WIT community but also interact with sponsors and learn more about them as you create content! Content that the Media portfolio creates includes podcasts and videos that can be viewed on our WIT website, Youtube, Spotify and many other platforms. Subcom members should be willing to learn, be organised and meet deadlines but most importantly be motivated to create content that will have a lasting impact!
Publications The Publications portfolio is your chance to shape WIT’s written world!! On our subcommittee, you will get to see your writing published in online weekly #WITCrushWednesdays and fortnightly blog posts on tech topics you’re passionate about. You also get to help produce our major publications, which include the WIT Magazine, the award winning Careers Guide, and perhaps even the First Year Guide you’re reading right now. We’re looking for motivated individuals with engaging writing and communication skills, a passion for technology and great time management. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a tech guru, all you need is plenty of curiosity and a willingness to learn!
