Dreams and memories, down the lane I wander (Sophie)

Well finally: the week that was, is now over.
By last night I was so exhausted that at 5pm I felt I could have fallen asleep then and there!

I just had what can only be described as one of the most amazing weeks of my life. From here to there I was rushing in attempts to finish off my Management and Microeconomics assignments. Handing them in on Thursday and Friday was what could only be described as the meaning of the word ‘relief’! Struggles with Accounting tutorial homework were greeted with success when I found out in my Accounting tute that I HAD DONE IT RIGHT! Nothing like a feeling of success over a challenge.

Of course apart from my favourite QM1 tute this week, the subject I dislike the most -Managing people and Organisations ended up being a great experience this week. I hold a deep respect for my tutor, Trevor White, who is a very experienced businessman. I feel our class has so much we can learn from him. This week he began our tutorial by bringing up a corporate event he had attended the night before concerning a certain Australia woman – Gemma Rice and her dream of a school in Tanzania. I was immediately interested as I remembered the Australian Story I had seen on her about a year ago. He brought it up because there was an ethical dilemma facing the issue of corporate sponsorship which she was trying to cultivate and the way in which she ran her school. This ethical dilemma related directly to the topic of managerial ethics we had been discussing the week before and was a fantastic practical real-life example. Later on in the class Mr White and I had a great in-depth discussion about Gemma and her school, both of us holding an admiration for her vitality, and optimistic naivety which were characteristics needed for such an endeavour as the school, to be attempted and succeeded in!

During the class a scenario with the solution that occurred was explained and Mr White asked the class who would do the same thing as suggested in such a scenario. Clearly we were ‘meant’ to say we would do something different, but I raised my hand in lonesome defiance amongst a class of maybe 16 other people who all stared at me and my hand wavering in the air. Mr White acknowledged my choice then asked what other people would do. A ‘perfect’ answer was given by another student and accepted to be as a great choice by Mr White. I then however went on to explain and justify why I considered my decision to perhaps be superior.

I was nervous and full of unsureness to be alone with an opinion in the class, but it paid off! Mr White was very pleased with my response and said I was exactly right in my thinking. Later after class he re-iterated this again to me, which made me feel very pleased that I had taken the risk to say what I thought.

I think in life, you are on the winning side if you know how to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

Outside class hours was spent catching up with some of my friends who I owed time with, frantically trying to find an 18th birthday present on Thursday afternoon for one of my best friend’s birthday party on Friday night….and getting everything organised for Saturday where I met up with a dear friend whom has become a great influence on my life. We had a charming meal at Cafe Di Stasio on Fitzroy St in St Kilda and a lovely night visiting many different places for drinks, and of course icecream at Trampoline! A note to all: Tony Starr’s Kitten Club has a great vibe on Saturday nights!

So after almost no sleep for two days, last night I was finally blessed with sleep last night after the holding of a going away dinner for my cousin and his girlfriend who are off to Europe for a few months!

With all that said, life is going amazingly well. I have this plan I’m doing my best to keep focussed and not get side-tracked. Of course things here and there interrupt it but overall I feel very lucky with all the opportunities falling my way right now, particularly with the great people I am continually meeting and enjoying the company of.

I must run. A lunch reservation calls.

But before I go I am just going to copy and paste my tips for making friends which I wrote earlier as a comment to a fellow blogger’s journal.

Hopefully someone might find some help in it…just remember it is NEVER too late to make new friends.

TIPS FOR MAKING NEW FRIENDS AT UNIVERSITY
NB:all have been tried and tested and WORK (at least for me!).

a) Talk to EVERYONE. Whoever you sit next to in a lecture or a tute. Pretend to be confident. Act friendly. Introduce yourself, ask for their name. Start a conversation. Either ask some kind of basic question relating to the subject (even if you know the answer!!!!) or comment on something they’re wearing (people love compliments and it’s fun to give them if you for example adore the necklace they’re wearing.)

b) ALWAYS GET A NUMBER. After you’ve spoken to them for a few minutes and even if you hardly know them, just ask really casually saying something like “Do you mind if I get your number because it’s always great to know someone else doing this subject?” or “Can I get your number because we should catch up some time/meet up to study” ect ect. Every single time I have asked someone for their number, they have given it to me! And 99% of the time they have asked for my number in return!

c) MAKE the effort. Human beings are known to be lazy, so with that said, make the effort to call someone and organise to meet up, even if its just for a 20 minute coffee. Don’t be afraid to call them because people are social creatures and most people appreciate someone taking an interest to get to know them. Go out of your way to say hi whenever you see them. Do a favour if the opportunity arises -eg. if someone needs help with their homework, sit down and help them understand – good people worth knowing will appreciate your effort and repay you with friendship.

d) Attend events OUTSIDE you course. Join clubs, go to public lectures…basically any kind of social event outside your course where you can meet different people. Even if you’re not really ‘into’ something, force yourself to go along. I am not, and never will be, a member of the Liberal Club but a guy I hardly knew (who is now a friend) saw me walking by, called out to me to join the BBQ and it was here that I ended up meeting a really great guy! I have found the Tennis Club to also be a great meeting place. Doing Social Sundays, I’ve met some really nice people so far and it’s only been running for 2 weeks. The people that attend are of all different ages up to about 28…so the scope of personalities is wide. Plus the Tennis Club has a lot of social events you can attend to meet other people.

e) Last but not least; be as open-minded as possible. Step out of your comfort zone. Be aware of the vibes you are giving off to others, be aware of how you carry yourself eg body language -sometimes I have a tendency to talk with arms crossed – this gives off a negative vibe and unintentionally will make someone feel uncomfortable. Don’t necessarily judge people straight up by the way they dress or a way they are acting. Sometimes first impressions are right, but other times they can be wrong too. Be positive in your thinking. If you think you will only meet awful people, you probably will. But if you expect/hope for great things…sometimes they happen.

Ultimately I think it’s the people that make university a great place to be above all else.

Best of luck to everyone in the coming week.

Sophie