Guide to Surviving Uni

After officially surviving my second week at Uni, I have put together a list of essentials for surviving university. Going to uni is like having your plane crash and trekking back to civilisation. After the initial shock (ie the crash) a plan is needed to survive those long hours walking.

So for all those budding university students or people who wish to take the drop... here it is.. Deb's Ultimate Guide.

DEB'S GUIDE TO UNI SURVIVAL
1. Backpacks
The cardinal rule. You need good equipment for long distances trekking. At uni you move around constantly, up to classes, walk up the stairs, walk to the city.. all this time lugging around your books, stationery, files, papers... need I say more? I have always wondered how some people can go around with a sling on bag on one side. Isnt that annoying? Your balance is thrown off, the way you walk is affected and so is your spinal alignment. So unless you want to end up walking lopsided and with one shoulder permanently placed higher than the other, I recommend you get a good durable, backpack.

2. Water and Food
Ah, the survival kit. Having a waterbottle and a container of food with me has been my saving grace for these past 2 weeks. Once I forgot my water, and was inherently thirsty the entire day. Saves me money too - now I dont have to spend on food. Maybe pack some healthy snacks, or if your like me, a combination of both to last you throughout the entire time your are in Uni. Being Asian, I would advise you to overpack your food, because it almost always never lasts throughout the day, especially after munchies. Some fruit, a museli bar, cheese and crackers, sandwich.. you get the picture.

3. Get to know the place
Get to know your uni. Know where your lectures and tutorials are, but most importantly know where the staff tea room is.
This one technically you aren't supposed to do - but if you are a budget conscious cheapskate like me you will. This saves you at least $4 a day in coffee. A cup Coffee is so expensive yet it is a necessity. If you bring your own teabags, its free!! Lets face it - you need caffiene in your system. My first week after studying till 1am and doing the laundry at 2am, my eyes would not keep open despite every other cell of my body was busy internally screaming WAKE UP WAKKE UP, it did not help I was sitting in the front, and nodding off, had to buy a cup (rookie fail).Lesson learnt: Go Teabags!

4. Pens and Stationery
A man without his tools is nothing. You need good writing aparatuses. I have always been very particular about the pens and paper I use and it has paid off. I personally prefer black pilot ball pens - the click on and off type - no need to look for caps (i always lose them). Notebooks are good, but the paper gsm has to be thick (knowing that at 2am out of sheer frustration you can poke numerous holes into your paper, and then turn that into a game by pretending that sheet of paper is the incompetent lecturer/tutor's face as that is the reason why you still dont understand the material) - and after a poking frenzy, sitback and discover that you've pretty much ruined the entire material you have been working on for the past 2 hours and need to start again) - true story). So make sure you have a good thick quality paper to do your notes on.

5. Having a good bunch of friends
This is essential to surviving on so many levels. No man is an island. Extra tip: Make friends that know what they are doing and that are smarter than you. This way you are fool-proof against not knowing where the lecture rooms are, or when an assignment is due. Better yet, do group projects with them. That way they can carry you.. I mean you can work together collabratively toward achieving your one common goal.


6. Know your way around the library
The library is the place where I spend most of my time when I am not in lectures. Such a good place to do work, go online, facebook, blogging... Set a challenge for yourself. Know where it is and what it contains. A good way to get to know the library is to look for a book. Any random book. Just type it into the catalogue and away you go. For the first week I did not realise the library had 3 levels - I thought it existed in this tiny hole and corner. Not until I looked for a book. It has indeed opened my eyes to the many other computers, books, journals, study cubicles.. it seriously felt like I was living under rock when I discovered this. A whole new world. Seriously.


4. Making friends with the librarian
Once again a good way to do this is to look for a book. Or lose your student ID card in the library. Librarians are a wealth of information when it comes to library procedures and where things are located. I had to go back 3 times to ask where the same book was to the same librarian, and by the end of it I can safely say I have made friends with him. Whether he likes me or considers me his friend, I cannot safely say. I can however, say that he knows me now by sight. And by name as he recorded my information when I lost my card. I got it back by the way so Im taking it as a sign he likes me.

5. Turning up to all lectures, tutorials and workshops
A study showed that students that turn up for their lectures had higher grades than those that did not. So turn up. Even if you think you know the material. Or if you think they are a waste of time. They are not. At the very least you can sit there with your friends (#5) and eat your food (#2). The lecturer will be very happy to see you there as well, and who knows may even give you a good mark. If all else fails just saying that 'you've been to the lecture' gives you credibility with your parents, so thats a good thing right?

6. Be Prepared
I cannot stress this enough!!!! Prepare the night before for all your lectures and for your Day At Uni (all except the food component that is, that one you do in the morning before you leave). Read notes before the lectures, and attempt the questions before the workshop, tutorial and practicals. Buy your bus tickets before going on the bus. Even the tiny details like printing your timetable out matter. Set your alarm. If you have kids, pack their bags the night before so in the mornings just one diaper and clothing change, breakfast and you can go!! If not you are liable to turn into a screaming banshee in the mornings when everyone wakes up late.

So thats my list so far, please let me know if you would like to add anything else to it.. I would love to hear your ideas!

I have a confession to make. I confess that I started this year off thinking and expecting how perfect this year would be.

I would finally get to go to Uni and do my dream course (Physiotherapy). Of course, I would have to also be a High Distinction Achieving student. Jayden would be a little older and would finally start sleeping through the night. I would finally be a superb cook and housekeeper who somehow have superpowers that allowed me to do all housework in a day and done well to meet my perfectionist standards as well as whip up delicious, healthy nutricious meals in the kitchen, and still have time for the gym. Ah, the Gym. I would exercise everyday and of course FINALLY end up with Jessica Alba's body. I would be a seemingly perfect smokin' hot (okay as hot as can be once all pregnancy considered) woman, wife and mother whom all would envy, one that would wrestle with the dog and sleep with the cat at her feet. We would take family trips and outings on the weekend and spend quality time with Jayden, and teach him to grow up as the angelic child who never throws tantrums. God forbid if he cries in anger.

In all my life would be perfect. I would be the perfect wife, mother, cook, housekeeper, student.... list goes on.

Anyway, today marks the second week of Uni. Only one of these things has happened - Jayden has finally started sleeping more or less, through the night!!

As for the others, I must confess I am a looongg way off from being perfect. And finding time for everything. After having consecutive nightmares of failing the entire first semester, as well as having recurring dreams about Human Anatomy Terminology and the Pelvis (I kid you not, this has been happening all last week), I have fallen very, VERY much behind on readings.

A full load of four university courses, as I have discovered, is not to be taken lightly. Even with trying my best, I still find that I am constantly behind. This in turn has made me behind in every other aspect of life - ie, the housework, Jayden time, the bookkeeping and Enjo Business..

I have found this past week that there is too little time in a day. This has resulted in me sleeping at 1-2am on most nights, doing the cleaning/folding clothes at 2am in the morning is an experience you should all try.. and I do not see this lightening up. At all. In fact it is bound to get more stressful as the semester wears on.

I confess, I STILL want to have the all aforementioned things in my life - who doesnt?!! Any ideas on how you all do it?? Please let me know but for now, its back to the Pelvis, knee, bones... skeletal structure...

Housework

I was never one for housework. When I was growing up we had maids to clean up after us, so I never really learnt how to mop the floor, or wash the dishes.

Enter Australia. Enter Josh, my Australian-Born-Chinese husband who was brought up doing chores, learning how to cook. He is very capable. When we first got married it was him doing everything. Tidying the yard, picking up Charlie's poos, Vacuuming, cooking, cleaning.. mainly because my tolerance for dirt was much lower than his, he always got around to doing it first because he "couldnt stand or take it anymore, Deb" (ha) But when I stopped work to have Jayden, it was agreed that I would take over the domestic duties. I have been doing that for the past year or so.

Recently it seems living with Josh has rubbed off on me - my tolerance for dirt, grime, cobwebs, dust, dog poo, kitty litter and everything unclean in general has taken a cliff dive. I actually made a list of chores and wrote it down in my day planner to schedule time to do them.

What can I say after a day of mopping, scrubbing, vacuuming?? My house is clean.
And I am happy.

Enrolment Day..

This would have been just another ordinary seemingly uneventful day except that I had to go to UniSA and enrol to get my uni timetable. It seemed (and is still) pretty surreal. I mean, after two and half years of hard work (working full time, studying part time, sitting for 2 exams when I was 6 months pregnant).. all for getting into this extremely competitive course.

The 8-9pm long day and nights.. the mugging, weekend mugging and more mugging.. not to mention the opportunity costs and monetary sacrifices - all worth it in my humble opinion.

I am officially now enrolled in the Bachelor of Physiotherapy at UniSA. Its something I've wanted to do for a very long time.

Did I mention today was the first time I had taken a bus since 2007?? Lets just say I will never again take my trusty car forgranted.

So worth it.
Here marks the start of a long, difficult journey.. I will update (as long as I dont die on the way to the exam hall)..

Enjo Enjo Enjo.. a cleaning we will go

With not much money to spend, I have started spending majority of my days at home with Jayden. When Jayden started childcare once a week, I now occupy myself with the obsession of a clean, healthy living environment. Yes, cleaning! Domestication!

I firstly wrote up a list of chores and classified them according to the frequency I would schedule them, ie, daily, fortnightly, monthly etc. Then I wrote out in my diary the days I would do the particular chore. Once a fortnight I give my house a big clean - the works - Bathroom, toilet, laundry, bedrooms, lounge. Dusting, sweeping, mopping you name it, by the end of that day my house is sparkling clean. That day is today. I have just spent about 4 hours straight cleaning my house.

I am so glad we decided to invest in ENJO cleaning products. Last year when considering our options, we decided that I would start a business of some sort.. but when it came down to it I wanted to endorse something that I believed in.. went to a friend's ENJO demonstration and was instantly hooked..

Now not only do I sell ENJO, I am a very satisfied user. It seriously takes me half the time to clean. Surfaces truly stay cleaner for longer, without the use of any chemicals! I also feel better that my carbon footprint has reduced - The ENJO mop is a godsend. Enjo is an investment for us that has truly paid off. The products last for ages - between 3 and 7 years, so this set will last me till after uni, meaning I dont have to buy more cleaning products for the next 4 years as well..

Now, to pick up the poos in the yard, cook dinner, grocery shop, drop off the recyclables and pick Jayden up from childcare.. this list just goes on.. and uni is starting next week argh..

Photo-taking

Since I fell pregnant I have had a desire or wish to take beautiful photos. Photos to remember our life together; for recording snapshots of Jayden and (our future kids). In fact, it has been a goal. More than just "oh here's a camera lets take a photo just for the sake of it", but rather a well placed, well thought shot.

But it is an expensive goal. My dad is a superb photographer - taking photos has been his hobby for as long as I can remember. Now I wish I had listened more often when he tried to explain and teach me how to take good photos. I wish I actually tried harder when I was growing up.. now im going to have to start from scratch.

I was (and am) never one for photos. But I do wish to try now.
Guess two things are needed: A good camera, and a photography class... now to try and fit these in with taking care of Jayden, Study, going to uni classes, doing housework, and part-time work..

Jayden's 1st Birthday Party!!

Jayden turned 1 on December 22nd, while we were still in Singapore. So we had a party to celebrate last saturday at the park reserve next to our place. Weather was perfect, and so were the company and barbeque. Yes we even made the cake!!



Happy Birthday Jayden! I hope you have had a good year with Mummy and Daddy, and here's to many more!! I know I can speak for both Josh and myself when we say that this past year has been one of our greatest so far, and its because you are in our lives. Though we have had our share of moments, there has definately been more ups than downs, and we are throughly enjoying the parenting experience. Not saying we have all the answers, but we love you.

Special thanks goes to Aaron for the lovely sem pictures. They look amazing.

The happy boy







With Uncle Joash and Aunty Eunice





Will you look at the camera !!


Here we go!


Upon reflection it is so hard to believe how much pain I was in this time last year, not to mention how big I was (and felt) with the post pregnancy weight!! In the space of 1 year we have gained significant lasting friendships through our Mother's Group, and they were nice enough to come!



Oh yes our thoughts are with our families in Singapore too - wish you were here guys!!