Dear students, a warm welcome back after your mid-session recess. I hope you feel you had a chance to properly relax and rejuvenate.
As you may already know, fully vaccinated people across the state are likely to receive even more freedoms come Monday 11 October. The finish line is now very much in sight! If you haven’t yet, please make a booking to be vaccinated.
After more than three months in lockdown, this further easing of restrictions is very exciting and something so many people have been looking forward to. However, this doesn’t necessarily carry the same amount of excitement for everyone. We need to remember to be respectful and remain vigilant. To do this, you can get vaccinated, get tested if you have symptoms, isolate if you need to and be respectful toward our front-line workers, as well as businesses and employees who will be opening their doors again soon. Be kind, stand in and offer support when you notice someone is not coping. The fight against COVID is not over and continuing to work together as a community is our only way forward.
As the exam and assignment period draws even closer for our undergraduate students, I wanted to send through this article from The Stand about procrastination (which certainly feels more difficult to avoid in lockdown)! This seemingly simple trick of structuring your procrastination around study might even allow you to use procrastination to your advantage!
A reminder that our live-streamed Graduation Event is happening Thursday 14 October from 6pm (ADST). Students eligible to participate from the 2020 and 2021 graduating cohorts have been sent additional info, including timings and order of proceedings. I know this is not the ideal way to celebrate this momentous occasion, and as you know we wish it could have been different. However, we believe the event will include all of the elements of graduation that students appreciate most (including a special live performance by Wollongong favourite’s Hockey Dad) and with a lot of effort going in behind the scenes, we’re gearing up for a very successful live online celebration. I’m also pleased to say that at this stage (all things going to plan) we aim to host the 2022 graduations in person and previous graduates from 2020 and 2021 are able to attend.
On the topic of graduation, a Universities Australia survey has found that the graduate job outlook continues to improve, despite the impacts of COVID. I think it is very understandable for students to feel that the pandemic might have influenced their career prospects negatively, but this survey is showing us that is not the case. If you’re worried, unsure about your future career, or just want to know how to make your resume sound as good as it can, have a look at what is available to you from Careers Central. They offer many very helpful workshops, work experience opportunities, career chats and much more. Gaining more clarity on your career path now can be extremely helpful when choosing relevant subjects and work experience that align with your goals.
Also, if you missed it, our Wollongong campus was deservingly featured on ABC’s Gardening Australia last week. The episode (filmed pre-lockdown) looks at the care taken to preserve our beautiful learning environment and the habitat it has become for many native wildlife. Students, staff and visitors from near, far and everywhere have always commented on the beauty and serenity of our learning environment. This short segment is well worth watching if you’d like to gain more of an understanding about the people and practices that make the landscape what it is.
Please stay vigilant and safe in the coming week.
Trish