Today marks March 16th. I casually glanced at my smartphone, only to find the countdown I had set prior to my departure now relegated to the annals of history, adorned with the inscription "25 days since." Yes, it has been precisely 25 days since my arrival in Melbourne. Before embarking on this journey, whether engaged in light banter with my parents or amidst the joviality of a say-goodbye gathering with friends, I often jestingly remarked, "I'm traversing from the northern reaches of the northern hemisphere to the southern expanses of the southern hemisphere."
Occasionally, in the late hours of the night, lying in bed, scrolling through social media, I see updates from family and friends living on the other side of the globe. I see them still bundled up in thick down jackets, their exhalations materializing as ephemeral plumes of warmth in the frosty air. The landscape remains steeped in the desolation inherent to the depths of winter, suffused with a pallid, seemingly interminable grayness. In such moments, I am seized by an ineffable sense of unreality—a fleeting respite wherein I am able to apprehend the essence of my being and the seismic shifts that have beset my life. But at least it proves that I'm adapting well, doesn't it?
For the first 22 years of my life, I lived on the Chinese mainland, in Beijing. Except for occasional trips with family and friends each year, allowing me to visit different corners of the world, I never seemed to leave the place I call "home." Well, this is my first attempt at studying and living alone in a foreign land. It's a complete solo endeavor, handling everything I need in life.
I don't know how many others at our uni are in the same stage as me, but I believe our feelings are roughly similar: it's a complex mix of emotions that's hard to accurately describe with just a few words. Excitement, trepidation, anticipation, self-doubt—none alone suffice to encapsulate the gamut of our experiences; they must be lived to be comprehended.
At the very least, I stand poised to triumphantly check off item 11 on my list of "100 things I want to do before I die"(Inspired by Chip Huyen, I have created my own list of things to do before die), which is described as: "11. Live in another country." Yes, I did it!
About me
Yes, I'm an international student from China, aged 23 this year. If you've gleaned anything useful from my ramblings above, here are some additions: my name is Cole, and I'm currently enrolled in the Master of Information Technology program at the University of Melbourne, in my first semester of my first year.
And I'm an INFJ, as stereotypical as they come—I swear, every time I retake the test, those four letters just stare back at me, with the intensity only growing stronger! If anyone wants to discuss the "INFJ's Guide to Self-Redemption," I'm all ears!
I'm a bit of a daydreamer, often lost in thoughts of times gone by or distant futures. One of the writers I hold dear is David Foster Wallace. “To be just a little less arrogant. To have just a little critical awareness about myself and my certainties. Because a huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded.” That's my life mantra.
I'm quite the introvert, and in those moments of solitude, my nerdy side often emerges. I consider myself a bit of a geek, but I'm not keen on defining my future into the stereotypical programmer box. I prefer to explore whatever piques my interest in any realm I fancy. Specifically, I'm passionate about Data Science, Deep Learning, UI Design, and any fun tools that can streamline my workflow and boost my efficiency.
When not buried in my text editor, I'm a huge fan of hip-hop and R&B music. (Now, I've also jumped on the K-pop kingdom.) J. Cole and 6lack are two of my favorite artists. So, it's no surprise that I've listened to "Pretty little fears" more times than I can count.
Other tags about me: A die-hard fan of Arsenal FC, A Moba expert and also a Fps rookie, A Tabletop game lover, An Amateur in Debate competition, A Lyrics translator.
All Is Serendipity
So far, I have to say I'm already falling in love with Melbourne. This wonderful place is brimming with so many surprises. Every day, as the sun sets, I stretch lazily, and in my mind, I think, "Wow, today brought yet another new findings." Indeed, each day unfurls before me like a new chapter in an enigmatic tome, leaving me to marvel at the endless possibilities that lie ahead.
Amidst the bustling streets, everyone I've met here has been incredibly friendly and kind. The sense of community that permeates the very air I breathe is palpable. I cherish any connection I make here: One day, as I was strolling down the street, I bumped into my former English teacher from China. He's a funny Australian bloke, and I have no idea how I recognized him from behind. While waiting for the tram, a guy who was in my tute just moments ago, deeply engrossed in his notes, walked past me. We were both surprised to realize we lived on the same street. And now, including you, possibly reading these very words, we've all instantly formed some kind of connection at this moment.
I don't quite know how to accurately describe this feeling: just like a feeling of destiny—a whisper of the divine that reminds us of the inherent magic of existence.
Without indulging in excessive preamble: I find introductions tedious. Nothing I tell you about my favourite band, hobbies, or various other cute tidbits are going to inform you on whether you'll like me as a person, or enjoy my company. But an introductory post is by definition introductory, and I am perfectly capable of compromise. I am also very capable of erratically jumping from one topic to another, which will either speedrun the getting-to-know-me process, or act as a warning to the scatterbrained "organised mess" situation I have upstairs. Consider yourself warned.
I'm an ISFP, but people mistake me for an extrovert - which is a mistake - I just like making friends! but maybe not for the right reasons. There is a level of absurdity you can display to absolute strangers, that you can't spontaneously present to your friends who already presume they know who you are. But labels are just boxes we restrict ourselves to, and defying the mould is what got us all into Melbourne Uni in the first place.
I ramble and I say things I don't mean; I say things that I mean in the instant which I then recant. I leave blog posts and emails in the drafts folder to marinate, because it never feels right to jump the gun. Who knows what won't align with my values in a week or more? (My introduction already sounds too aggressive.)
Uni life has been intriguing. It's week 3, which seems like early days but is instead 1/4 of the way through Semester (mind-blowing), so I'll share the tips I've got, as an inexperienced Jaffy learning the ropes:
Find the nearest microwave to your classes (yes - packing lunch is the way to go); please, lift the fog from your eyes and stop trekking halfway across campus for the student pavilion microwaves (I plead guilty).
Staying one step ahead is falling behind: nothing that my friends said could have prepared me for how you need to have mastered the last lecture's content for the next day's workshops/tutorials to make any sense. Going through test prep questions when you don't know what the formula abbreviations stand for is funny for the first 10 minutes, but… . .. ....Well.
Just talk to people! Everything's easier when you realise people care too much about their own lives to pick apart whatever imperfections are causing today's insecurity. Chatting to strangers as you go about your day might earn you a new friend - and it might not! There's nothing to be gained from an avenue explored compared to an opportunity lost except sociability and a slightly happier day.
I digress. I've got my first two assessments coming up, and I've already started the uphill battle of retaining my sanity. It's only Week 3.
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The First Year Diaries blog is currently in its 19th year of giving first years the space to share their experiences of starting and surviving uni with others. Future students and fellow first years from Melbourne and around the world read the blog to find out what uni is really like, day to day.
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I’m putting off revising Linear Algebra in favour of pacing my room like a weather-beaten 53-year-old detective. I’ve been reflecting on the year every single waking moment, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s been a fascinating year; a lot of things, ranging from elating to excruciating, were not on my bingo card. So, hey, what better way to sum up my reflection than a very public private-feeling place (credit to Amity’s post for the phrase) — the first-year blog! Something something to be understood you must be known, and to be known terrifies me but the reward of being understood is greater than my fear.
Reiterating my very first post, I didn’t expect my university life to be this novel (yes, in both the sense of being book-like AND new). I had a conversation with a friend about how surreal it was to think back on ourselves this time last year. This time last year, I was in New Zealand, on a gap year working in retail and writing countless essay drafts with only Halloween to look forward to. This year, I’m working in retail and writing countless notes with not even Halloween to look forward to because all four of my exams are in the first week.
I jest, partially. Though I grumble and make exasperated hand gestures, I still find much to hold dear in life. At the risk of sounding like My Little Pony’s “FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC!” (which it is): my friends and family are a large reason why my heart crackles more in the way campfires do than wheezing lungs do. Under rare sunny skies, I sit on the swings listening to upbeat indie music while keeping an eye on kids directly in my line of oscillation.
Right-o, I should also give some advice as a person who’s about to be a second-year (le gasp!):
Do your math exercises consistently throughout the year so you don’t have to cram every single theorem into your flimsy little 21 x 29.7 cm cheat sheet. Don’t schedule six hours of lectures and tutorials on a Monday (miraculously, I have attended nearly all of them). Go to consultations. I’m 99% sure that lecturers and tutors don’t get much foot traffic during the year other than in exam season, so be their guest!
A bit of an unpopular opinion, but lurk on Reddit, UMLL, ATAR Notes, StudentVIP, and maybe even Discord, to get a sense of how people view places/activities/subjects. Of course, the demographics that actively use these forums may have common traits that don’t match yours, so be aware of biases while trying to get a feel for things. But, anyway, these (subjective) opinions might help with making choices that suit your wants.
Touch grass at least once a week. Breathe in some sunshine. Skip down the streets while saying hello to passersby with a huge grin on your face, and don’t follow every single Internet advice you see (in case that wasn’t obvious, please don’t say hello to strangers as they might make you say hello to the pavement).
Ta-daa (credit to Alistair of Foundations of Algorithms for the legendary phrase which haunts me in my dreams)! Advice column ends here.
More friend appreciation stuff because I’ve just seen a friend’s Instagram edit of the semester and am overcome with affection. I get through my Mondays thanks to that one-hour break in between my friends’ lectures and tutorials when we trudge to Teaser for some scrumptious rice. I get through the week thanks to friends’ check-in messages and study sessions. I get through the semester powered by lunch catch-ups and life-update calls with busy friends — we may not see each other often but we know we are there. Sometimes I stare at the ceiling with apprehension of what the future might bring, about my capability or the lack of it, about a million scattered thoughts and potential regrets, but I don’t regret pushing out of my comfort zone and joining a zillion events and Discord servers to meet the people I’m with today.
To think a year has had this much impact on me. People’s mannerisms, their vocab, their ways of thinking touch me; I carry the fragments of everyone I’ve met. I hope I can do for them what they have done so much for me.
Well, I should get back to finishing my Linear Algebra cheat sheet. I wonder what the following years have in store for me and what I’ll knead out of them.
The end of week 12. Holy crap. When I started my first tutorial all the way back in February I couldn't even imagine getting to the end of my first year of university- 1/3 of the way through undergraduate. Then on to bigger and better things! Hopefully!
Anyone else got a huge crunch for exams? If I'm being honest, I picked my discipline classes partially because I knew they wouldn't have exams, just essays. But karma always wins because my essays are due in a two week period while I also have an exam in the middle of it! What a winner, right? On top of trying to pack up & fly home, and hang out with my friends until we're woefully separated for three months. How did it end up being that sem 2 is so much harder than sem 1? I was told by a few people that semester 2 is harder but of course I thought I was the exception and of course- I'm not. (So if anyone else is struggling with their grades this semester, you aren't alone!!) On the bright side, all of my classes have been super interesting this semester (aside from one class I dropped that just didn't vibe with me), so at least I'm busy doing work I love. I could be doing math again! I do not miss high school!
I think some of my big advice for this year/semester is to take advantage of what the uni offers in terms of academic help, start your assignments As Early As You Possibly Can, go to your lectures even if you really want to stay in bed and always, always, always make sure you eat enough when you go out drinking. The amount of classes I've missed because I've been in bed or hunched over the toilet bowl puking my guts out is starting to get a bit unfunny. Maybe that's why this year has gone by so quickly- at least a week and a half has been spent lying in bed pitifully trying to keep down some actual food and telling myself I'll never drink again (always a lie). Seriously, if you're going to go out and have a good time, taking care of yourself is important. Speaking as someone who can't drink wine because of a few unfortunate decisions, it's not worth it.
Onto lighter news, I'm writing this blog post so I don't have to study for my linguistics exam. Coming from the US, where we get very specific instructions on what our exam will cover, having to study an entire semester of content Just In Case is a mountain of work. I'm about two pages into my fat stack of study sheets that I printed at the library and I've already circled about 15 terms I do not remember learning. Pray for me guys, maybe if I start crying in the exam hall my professor will take pity on me and give me a few pity points. Hopefully next year I can come back for the second year diaries. If there's one thing I love writing about- it's myself. I'm also incredibly bruised from lightly bumping into things (low iron gang rise up! Then sit back down so we don't pass out), it seems like every day I find a new spot where I smacked into a wall and my body took it as a personal attack. I'm starting to apply for jobs over the summer with exactly zero responses, despite the fact that I'm so incredibly hire-able. I mean, what about 'I'm free all the time 24/7 please give me a job' is turning the employers away? I'm practically on my knees here. Also, one of my friends found this blog, which is super messed up considering this is my very public private diary that nobody should actually be reading, ever. In fact, if you're reading this right now I have to ask you to stop invading my intentional lack of privacy. Stalkerrrrr.
There's something so upsetting about having to wash your sheets at night. It's my fault for eating bread in bed but if I wasn't supposed to do it, it wouldn't sound so catchy. Right now the only thing I want to do is spend hours on my phone before finally passing out in the middle of a You-tube video but I have to wait for the dryer to load. And I'm NOT doing my work. It's 10:55 pm! I should be snuggled under the covers right now! If I go and study for my exam I'm considering it an affront to God. So instead I'm going to go lie on my sheet-less bed and try not to fall asleep without any pillowcases.
So, I've just realised that I've missed more than one or two blog posts. Whoops! Time really does fly in 1st year. Speaking of flying, I flew onto my back after getting shoved in Brunswick (about 3km north of campus). Yeah, I won't be the first or last person to tell you that 1st year isn't all sunshine and rainbows.
Around evening time, after grinding some study away at Uni, I went to buy some groceries before I returned back to my apartment. Just waiting for the tram. Out of nowhere, some guy walked through with his bike, and figured there wasn't enough pavement space for the two of us. He "accidentally" elbowed me pretty hard in the stomach, then walked straight past, like nothing happened.
I'll be honest, it was pretty funny at first. I tried not to laugh, because who has the time and energy to shove a guy waiting for the tram with his groceries? Bruh. No one was around, so it wasn't worth the risk to get help or start a big scene. He left as quickly as he came, didn't bat an eye, turn around or make any snarky comments either. Just left. I'm okay though, no injuries or anything. Just shocked by this weird, crazy, but unforgettable experience.
What's my point? Well, this was definitely a rare incident, and there are many things you could probably take away. Maybe don't get groceries by yourself too late at night, and watch out for yourself. Oh yeah, and stuff like this is bound to happen to at least a few unlucky people, 1st year or not.
The number of positive experiences I've had over the last half a year have definitely outweighed things like this though. Speaking of positive experiences...I want to share my hot take: exams are underrated! If you hate sitting and preparing for exams and think I'm crazy, let me explain myself and maybe change your mind a bit.
I sat last semester's exams in the Royal Exhibition Building. It was cool. Period. I remember asking one of my friends "Hey, did you look up and see all the cool paintings (forgive me if they're not paintings, I ain't no artist) on the roof?" They said I was crazy if I had enough time to admire a roof during an exam. Point being, at least some exam venues in Uni have a nice environment.
And the routine and motivation I get from studying and exam prep? It keeps me grounded during the semester. I wake up, I know what I've got to do, and that's such a great feeling. Yeah, it gets tedious at times, but I came here to study and learn a bunch...you know, the whole "Wominjeka" idea is inspiring here! We aren't just presented with a boring old "welcome," but we're asked and reminded as students to "come with purpose." If exams are a part of the process, then I'll greet those damn exams with a warm welcome myself!
Holidays are over now though. I could just wake up and do whatever I wanted a month ago. It was nice while it lasted. Catching up on all the clarinet practice hours I missed last semester, and balanced with some absolute gaming timewasters.
But I'm glad to get started with the new semester. I kind of missed the routine of school a bit, not going to lie (call me a weirdo if you want, ha). Anyways, thanks for checking in!
Hi again everyone :) I hope you're all having a lovely time on break. I'm over in sunny New York where we currently have an air quality warning for the wildfires haha, still better than Melbourne winter.
I've been thinking recently about changing my degree a little since I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do when I first got here. Not that I'm sure now. Like many young adults I feel a bit aimless since I wasn't born with a destined career path. Choosing which degree will lead me in the right direction has been a bit stressful and I'm still working out the kinks. So far I've decided to drop one of my majors and add a minor- which should be interesting & should help me get into a small range of post-grad courses. Or at least set me up to understand what's going on... Choosing a degree isn't easy, especially at Melbourne. Since you can apply under a faculty and then choose from inside that, there's a ton of different courses and configurations that come with it. Not to mention you can change it at pretty much anytime if you have enough points to get your chosen area done correctly. I chose my first major purely on a whim because it sounded useful and somewhat interesting, and then my second major was the 'fun, but not as reliable' one. Funnily enough I'm enjoying my 'responsible' major way more than what I thought I really wanted to do. Maybe my true calling was just something I hadn't discovered yet!
I'm not going to pretend I know anything about choosing a path. Almost all of my friends are umming and ahhing over whether or not they've made the right choice and half of them are adding or removing majors or minors just like I am. In between first and second sem of the first year seems like the right time to take a good hard look at what you've done so far and how you feel about it. It's like dipping your toes into the swimming pool of a course and deciding if it's right for you. I guess the worst thing that could happen is you graduate a little later than everyone else. Not the end of the world.
Anyway- I couldn't even update my course yet because the study plan site wasn't working. Praying Stop 1 gets back to me soon enough but I'm sure they're all busy as it is. I'm cutting up a shirt to make a birthday gift for my friend so I've got something to keep me occupied until they do.
Hey everyone, here's my spiel for the day. To all the international students and Australians who have to take a plane back home, DO NOT BOOK THEM UNTIL YOU KNOW YOUR EXAM SCHEDULE!!!!! I speak from experience. Not knowing that my exams would be the first three days of the exam period 🤯, I naively booked my plane tickets for the 24th of June, BUT I finished on the 7th. Now, don't get me wrong, there are soooooo many fun activities and places to go in Melbourne, but two whole weeks is a really long time to be finding stuff to do (and also having the funds to do so). Anyways, you learn from your mistakes, so I'm not too fussed. And funnily enough, I somehow ended up playing squash at the Unimelb sports centre, so you never really know what new and exciting endeavours await you 😂
I spent two and a half hours doing a Computing practice exam. I went away to wash the dishes and came back to a blank paper. I forgot to save — a cardinal sin for a programmer.
It’s not too bad because the thought process was what mainly took up all the time, but of course, rewriting doesn’t feel too good. I might have been a bit grouchy with my brother, who only wanted to show me his saved TikTok videos. (I would likely have found some of them funny because I practically raised his sense of humour.) I did apologise to him, but you never know when some moment clicks for a kid and locks in their perception of the world for a life-altering amount of time. I always think about the “not now, son” meme. I felt guilty, so I couldn’t focus on rewriting my exam either.
Hopefully, this came off as more relatably loopy than purely loopy.
To make this post deserving of being posted on a UniMelb-affiliated site, I should end with advice: Don’t forget to save your files. Maybe print them, actually.
Is it just me or has this week been SO. LONG. I swear it's been Thursday for three days already and I'm going insane. I've been working my butt off to try and balance having a social life and getting grades that won't make my parents fly over here and drag my back to the US kicking and screaming but god. They really weren't kidding when they said uni was harder than high-school, I can't believe I miss doing math.
Pro tip: say yes to everything. Over Easter break I ended up in the middle of nowhere weeding invasive wild grass for a conservation project. I think I almost convinced my friends I was about to die in Broadmeadows because I took the wrong train (not unheard of) but instead I spent a lot of time talking about gallbladder surgery with the conservationist (who was lovely). It was definitely an interesting experience and if I hadn't filled out a random google form without reading anything I probably wouldn't have even heard about this tiny national park in the middle of nowhere. It was organised by the club I go to on Tuesdays and I'm honestly thinking of going next year. Maybe somewhere closer this time, but I doubt I'll be more inclined to read things fully then either.
I also went and got my nose pierced so now I'm trotting around the campus like I'm some kind of cool guy. I'm invincible now that I've managed to spend my money, exercise my bodily autonomy and piss off my parents in one fell swoop. If anyone reading this is thinking of doing something a little out of their comfort zone, I absolutely think you should. There's no telling what'll happen, or how you'll feel after but there's really only one way to find out. Making friends is hard at uni. I went to get my nose pierced with someone I didn't know last month and now we have that in common forever. Even if you don't feel like going out and doing something away from campus, there are so many events all the time. The other day I got free bubble tea and pizza before my tutorial started which was awesome sauce. The night market was just on and I never say no to free food. A huge part of knowing and being known is the embarrassment of putting yourself out there. It sucks butts but it has to happen!!
It's getting colder now so I'm breaking out my favourite rainbow scarf and lamenting the fact that winter even exists. Melbourne is so damn windy it messes up my hair every time. And my skirt. I was wearing a wrap skirt that straight up untied in the middle of a crosswalk- I probably flashed about 15 people.
You know what's funny? I started writing this last week but I'm already starting a new challenge: get through week 9. Uni itself has been good but its hard balancing a social life with studying and trying to take care of yourself. Even if you don't feel like going out, I think you should try to just be outside. With winter coming on & temperatures dropping its so tempting to just curl up and sleep the days away. But then you end up behind on your schoolwork and all your friends worry about you. So just go sit in the library. Even if that feels insurmountable and terrifying, just go sit there with a warm drink and at least pretend to get work done. It's 100% better than creating some kind of nest in your bedroom.
And if you live out of home- call your parents. And if you see them every day, let them know you love them. Winter takes the energy out of a lot of people, and it's the relationships we have with other people that makes life so rich and interesting. - Amity
