First week of school!!!!! It. Felt. So. Weird. I literally knew no one on campus… I didn’t see a single familiar face the whole day. It was so different from OU where I run into someone before and after nearly every class. Thankfully, I did get to know people in each of my classes and have people to sit and study with. I love the campus! It’s like a jungle, so green and lush with several beautiful ponds. There are quite a few large lawns where people sprawl out to each lunch or just relax to have class. Every other Wednesday there’s a big market on campus with vendors selling tons of homemade products like soaps, oils, purses, and flower arrangements. There’s also plenty of people selling vintage clothing and food. It’s super fun! In addition, there’s always someone playing live music on the lawn for people to chill and listen to in between class or during lunch. They can grab food with friends and sprawl out on the lawn to listen to the band or enjoy the music while shopping for clothing deals, fancy backpacks, or vibrant artwork.
One thing I am really impressed by is the amount of clubs offered at UOW. They have anything from yoga club to political activist clubs. The options are endless and so creative. I joined the health and wellness club that offers fun free activities throughout the year such as yoga and yogurt on Tuesday mornings, a ceramic class, art, and many healthy eating sessions that show you how to make different healthy recipes and allow you to eat what you make. It sounds really fun and a good way to destress if I am feeling overwhelmed with school. Also, it could be a good way to get to know other UOW students and connect with people outside of class. Depending on how my time goes in the clubs I join, I may think about bringing some of these club ideas back to OU and seeing if I could start something similar.
Also, I love the different free apps UOW offers their students. The Lost on Campus app gives you a layout of the entire campus and allows you to search for buildings, coffee shops, closest bathrooms and water stations, study spots, food, etc. Then, it will tell you how far you are from where you need to go and maps your location to your destination. This was so helpful this week considering I had no idea where my classes were or how to get ti the library and bus stop. They also have a UOW bus app that allows you to see when the next bus is coming and when you will reach your destination depending on which bus you got on. This is so helpful because it makes sure that I’m not having to wait for 10-20 minutes for the bus. Lastly, the MyUOW app is so helpful for new and current students. On it, you can access your UOW email, check grades, exam timetables, and other academic information. In addition, it sends you notifications and updates about events going on at campus and current issues or news they deem relevant and important. One thing I found really fun is that the app always lets you know when a band is playing at the Unibar or if there are cool workshops to attend or free food/discounts on campus. It seems like such a good way to encourage students to be involved at UOW and get to know other peers, save money, and attend fun events.
So far, I am really enjoying my time here and have made several new pals since orientation. My roommates, besides one that doesn’t talk or leave his room, are so cool! Three of them are from Australia, Liam, Cassie and Cameron and one of them is from Canada, Grace. They are so welcoming and are always inviting me to hangout or go do things with them. I have a feeling us four (Cameron doesn’t really say much to us sadly :/) are going to get super close! I know some people who don’t have the most ideal roommate situation so I am super grateful!