Tips for starting university or TAFE

Starting university or TAFE for the first time can be a daunting experience. Suddenly everything’s completely different to high school - the campus, new ways of studying, new friends and study buddies. Here’s a quick guide to help make the transition as smooth as possible ahead of your first day at university. 

It pays to take some time before the uni year starts to think about how you’ll get there and back. It might sound obvious, and you might live nearby, but preparation is key to reducing stress during those first few weeks. Familiarise yourself with public transport routes and traffic flows. If you’re going to drive, check out the student parking and consider the costs involved. Also, think about how long the trip will take at different times of the day, allowing for peak-hour traffic. It’s a good idea to set aside a day or two to do a practice run before the first term kicks off but not during the sleepy Christmas break, as that won’t give you a realistic picture. 

The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less stressed you’ll be on the first couple of days. If you invest some prep time, you’ll be better able to concentrate on what you need to do rather than fretting about details you could’ve taken care of earlier. For example, consider walking the campus to understand the location of your lecture rooms (and bathrooms) and have all your subjects scouted before day one. Plus, look at the uni’s website to familiarise yourself with how it’s structured and get an idea of how the system works. All these small things add up and will help you settle in faster. Also spend some time well in advance to plan what to bring to uni. You could also make a checklist for the key things you need to prepare and tick them off as you complete them. It’ll give you a sense of achievement and more control of the situation.

Save the important contacts you might need in your phone, like the front office’s phone number, the student support contact details, your tutor’s email address, or a lecturer’s online portal are just some examples that might just come in handy.

If you start feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, look into the support resources at your campus.

O-Week or Orientation Week is a fantastic opportunity to kick start your university life. There are lots of activities specially designed for new students. It's a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with your new campus. You can take some tours, check out the student club, sporting and recreational facilities or attend information sessions and events. It’s also a great time to sort out all the necessary bits and pieces that you’ll need, like your online access and student card. 

Just as there’s no shame in being a new student, there’s no shame in asking for help. Every uni student was a newbie at some point. It’s far better to ask (and re-ask) about something you’re not sure of early to give you confidence and take advantage of the dedicated help provided in the early stages of the year. You might need to ask a question about enrolment or timetables. After you start, you might need a crash course on academic referencing, a tour of the library, assistance with changing a subject or a quick explanation of a new assignment. Reach out to your classmates, lecturers, tutors and other support. And remember to get familiar with the institution’s website as they usually have lots of great resources that can help you at each point of your student journey. 

Student life is about your academic and professional development, but it’s also important socially. There are so many opportunities to get to know your fellow students. Now that you're a uni student or TAFE student, it’s all there to be explored – enjoy.

Find out how to prepare for university from school or as an international student about to start tertiary studies in Australia  and get tips for O Week.

Want to get more productive? Check out our articles on productivity apps and best tech for uni students.

Discover ways to save money as a student or managing life in a sharehouse.

Check out our student hub for super student savings on selected SIM plans and 4G Home internet, available to tertiary students with a valid student ID. The phones and tablets on our month-to-month plans (excluding Prepaid) are also available for you to pay off over time, helping to ease the cost of new technology.

If you’re coming to Australia for work or study, Optus has you covered with our great range of mobile and internet services.

Get into student life with some campus themed movies like Legally Blonde on Prime Video via Optus SubHub.

Optus Pause helps you manage your time online. Simply pause your mobile or home connectivity across the devices on your account, all from My Optus app.