Important Issues for New StudentsStudents often have difficulties in their first year of University on a wide range of issues. Many of these problems are shared by other students and have been discussed here to help you avoid common problems and pitfalls: Textbook Guide Textbooks can be expensive, so you will want to ensure that in your first year at university you purchase the books that you will actually use, and avoid the ones you will never open. If you need financial help to buy your textbooks an EdStart grant might help. Click here for further information. Which textbooks to buy Your subject outlines are a good place to go to find information about which textbooks to buy. You will usually be given one of these for each subject in the first lecture, but if you are missing one or need one earlier then you should contact the subject coordinator. If a subject outline doesn’t contain textbook information, then you can probably find this information from the student timetable page by clicking the title of the subject and looking for the “Textbook Information” heading. Once you know which books you need, you should write them down on a piece of paper and carry it with you at uni. An important thing to note is that some books are listed as “Reference” books, rather than essential or required reading. Reference books may only be referred to occasionally. Read a few paragraphs of the reference books in the bookshop and if you don’t feel they are written in a way that you feel you could learn from or if you are on a tight budget, then it probably isn’t a good idea to buy them. You should be able to access reference books through the UOW Library. How and When to buy your textbooks If you are planning to buy a textbook and you see it in the UniShop, then you should buy it when you see it, if you have the money. Many textbooks become sold out by the end of Week one, so you may not get another chance. Even if they are re-ordered, it can take some weeks for them to arrive. If a textbook you are waiting on is not available by Wk 1, but staff tell you it should be in soon, you may be advised to use the reservation system the Unishop offers, particularly if the book is for a subject with large enrolment. Minimizing your textbook bill without hurting your grades After a walk around the Unishop and some quick calculations you may find that you will have to spend hundreds of dollars to buy all the texts for all your subjects. Some ways to minimize your textbook bill include:
- Talking to the subject coordinator. Most subject coordinators have a good idea if older editions of their prescribed books are suitable, or if there are any suitable cheaper replacements.
- Sharing your textbooks with a friend who is doing the same subjects. You need to be sure that there won’t be any times where you both need exclusive use of the books, such as open book exams, for this to work.
- Purchasing your books second hand. The WUSA (Wollongong Undergraduate Students Association) operates a second-hand book bank where students can obtain textbooks at reduced prices. The Alumni Association also operates a similar service across the road from the UniShop. You could also try looking for textbooks at online sites like eBay.
- Using the Library. Most subject textbooks and reference materials are kept in the closed reserve section, so you can only borrow them for a short period of time and use them only within the Library. There are often books similar to your textbooks or older editions of your textbooks available that you can borrow and take home with you.
- Using the Internet. There is a wealth of information available on the Internet. Some entire textbooks are available for viewing, and many textbooks have a website with worked examples or other materials available. The Library is a good place to start, and you may also want to try a search engine.
What computer to buy With so many different models and specifications available on the market, it can be difficult to identify exactly what is needed in a computer. To help you make your choice, ITS have compiled a Recommended Computer Standards page to assist you. Click here to visit the website. Timetable Guide The sooner you plan your timetable the better your chances are of fixing any clashes that may arise between your subjects, work commitments and your personal life. A well-planned timetable could mean shorter days at uni, more days off, and more time to study (or relax). The FY@UOW six step timetable guide
(you may have already performed some of these steps on your enrollment day)
- Find out which subjects you must do this semester. Consult your degree program. Note the codes of the subjects that you MUST complete this semester. You also need to note the codes of subjects that are prerequisites for subjects you MUST complete in a later semester. If you are unsure about which subjects you need to take this semester you should consult your degree coordinator or faculty subdean.
- Write down the times you will be busy. Examine the university’s timetable. Note down the times of the lectures for the subjects from step one. Now is also a good time to write down other times you definitely won’t be available because of other commitments like work or sport.
- Choose your electives. Your degree program will have information about this. Some degrees programs say things like “12 credit points from the general schedule” and place no restrictions on what you can choose. In these cases you are free to choose any subject from the timetable that is part of the general schedule. These subjects have “General Subject: Yes” as part of their description.
Other degree programs offer a list of potential elective subjects from which students must choose. When selecting your electives you should choose subjects that interest you, but also consider your timetable and satisfying prerequisites for other subjects you want to take later in your degree. You should choose electives that are 100 level (subjects where the first digit in the subject code is a 1) unless your degree program explicitly tells you not to.
- Fix clashes. After choosing your subjects you may find that there are clashes or overlaps between some of them. You have two options in this situation: select different elective subjects or try to get the timetable changed. It is probably easier to change your selected subjects, and sometimes you may find that there are repeat classes for some of your subjects. You usually only have to attend either the normal lectures or the repeat lectures, but if you are in doubt you should email the subject’s coordinator. After trying to choose different elective subjects, if you still have clashes in your timetable you should contact your faculty subdean or degree coordinator.
- Enroll in your chosen subjects. To enroll in subjects you should visit SOLS, login and click the “Enrollment and Variations” link. This page will allow you to enroll in your selected subjects. It will also let you withdraw from subjects, which is useful if you have made a mistake.
- Enroll in Tutorial/Practical classes. For information on how and when to enroll in tutorial/practical classes you should consult the Tutorial and Practical Preferences page. It is advisable to enroll as soon as possible in tutorial/practical classes as they have limited numbers and the best places get taken fast.
Useful links: Surf Safety For many of our new students who have come from overseas or rural areas Wollongong’s beaches are a wonderful attraction… but they can also be very dangerous. Here are some basic precautions provided by the Wollongong City Council.
- Always swim between the red and yellow flags (the flags indicate a safe swimming area – NO FLAGS…. NO SWIM!).
- Swim only at beaches patrolled by lifeguards and lifesavers, who you can identify by their uniforms.
- Look for and read the water safety signs and obey lifeguard or lifesaver instructions.
- Always supervise your child in or around any body of water.
- Always check the water depth before entering (conditions change so don’t dive into unknown waters).
- Always swim with someone (never swim alone).
- If unsure of water conditions ask advice from the lifeguard or lifesaver.
- If ever in need of assistance, stay calm, float, conserve your energy, raise your arm and signal for help.
- Float with a current or undertow – don’t try to swim against it. Stay calm, and signal for assistance.
- Never swim following consumption of alcohol or other drugs.
- Use 30+ sunscreen and wear a shirt, hat and sunglasses.
- Don’t swim straight after a meal
- Never run and dive into the water
For more information visit:
http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/
Information Technology Policies for Students (or How to avoid big penalties and fines!!) As students of the University of Wollongong you are bound by the University’s Information Technology (IT) Policies each time you use the University’s IT facilities. To ensure all students are aware of their responsibilities when using the University’s IT facilities, students are expected to read and be familiar with the University’s IT Policies, which can be found at: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/it.html High-risk activities, which could see you end up in a court of law, are:
- Using the University’s IT facilities to copy, download or store music or video files
- Installing unauthorised software on University IT facilities without the approval of an appropriately authorised IT staff member
Abiding by the University’s IT Policies is to be taken seriously as the University has the capacity to identify students in breach of these policies and will take action. Breaching University IT Policies can lead to disciplinary action being taken against you. See the IT Policy Page for more information. For additional information please refer to: It must be emphasised that the University treats misuse of its IT facilities VERY seriously. Orientation All new undergraduate and international coursework students are required to participate in the orientation activities provided by the University and organised by the faculties to familiarise themselves with the various aspects of the University. Most orientation activities are held prior to the commencement of Autumn and Spring sessions, however, activities will continue throughout the early weeks of session to assist all students in their transition to university. Orientation week for students commencing in Autumn Session 2008 is Monday 18th February - Friday 22nd February. For more information check the Orientation website. Security around campus Security of yourself and your belongings may be one of the less exciting aspects of your first year at Uni, but if you don’t keep it on your mind then you may wind up regretting it. Simple things like not taking unnecessary valuables with you to Uni and staying away from unlit areas after dark can save you a lot of hassle. For more information you should check the Security website. Drink Spiking Awareness Drink spiking is when something is added to your drink without you knowing. People spike drinks for a number of reasons, sometimes as a prank, and sometimes to incapacitate or sedate the drinker, making them an easy target for robbery or sexual assault. Alcohol is the most common substance used to spike drinks, but many other drugs, poisons and chemicals are also used. Here are some tips you can use to protect yourself and your friends from drink spiking:
- Buy your own drinks. If someone wants to buy you a drink, go to the bar with them
- Watch your drink. If you forget to, dispose of it
- If your drink tastes or looks different, dispose of it
- Try to go out with a group of friends and be sure to watch each other
- If you begin to feel strange, tell a friend or the bar staff
For more information about drink spiking, check the Drug Aware website. Higher Education Reforms and Fees You may have heard in the media about recent reforms to higher education. Many of these changes began in 2005, and it is important that you are aware of them. The University has two websites that contain information about fees and the new reforms:  previous
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