Wrap up and thank you from the author

As the Spring semester comes to a close at UOW I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me and assisted me with the production of Student Life.

I hope this blog has been entertaining, covered different issues and has provided an insight into the life of a student at the University of Wollongong.

Thank you to everyone who participated in interviews for articles or comments on each topic and especially the subject of the student profile who shared his journey with rehabilitation and his personal struggle with depression and drug abuse.

This individual project has been enjoyable for me personally. I was surprised so many people were willing to discuss and help me with my research on each topic and I thank them for being so understanding and friendly.

To future students I wish you all luck with your endeavours and hope you enjoy life as a university student as much a I do. For further information on UOW please visit the University website here.

A second chance (Profile of a UOW student)

Blurred figures speed past the car window as fast as John Cooper* had ever experienced on November 24^th 2006 right before a late night accident altered his life forever.

Cooper had just finished his last exam in the HSC and was picked up by two good friends to celebrate at a local hang-out by the river with a group of year 12 graduates.

Cooper had been the responsible one in school who would always look out for his mates and given advice to those in need. He didn't drink much alcohol as he had always been more dedicated to sports.

John had been playing soccer since his father signed him up when he was old enough to join a team. He had already shown promise in sports growing up when playing with family. “Me and my older brothers would always play after school”.

John continued playing as fun turned to passion for the game as he grew. John captained his team in primary school 3 years in a row and continued his leadership role throughout high school. Being an athletic student he was always involved in sporting teams but soccer was always his priority.

Cooper had just turned 18 and despite his positive record, the joy of completing his school life was indulged with an alcohol fuelled state. “My friend driving wasn't blind drunk but I had had quite a bit to drink and I wasn't even watching the road at the time” said Cooper.

Their car slammed into a tree on the passengers side after the driver swerved to avoid a parked car. The driver and second passenger escaped with minor injuries and whiplash though John was not as lucky.

The force of the crash caused damage to his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). Cooper had to undertake a knee reconstruction and continued rehabilitation throughout the following year.

Unable to participate in sports and continue his aspirations of professional soccer, Cooper fell into depression. After refusing counselling he became mixed with an unfavourable crowd and distanced himself from his family.

Early January of 2008 Coopers family reached out to Mark, a former friend of Cooper, after they had not seen or heard from him for over a week. Cooper was located and luckily had not fallen into addiction over the New Year celebrations.

Thanks to the efforts of his original school friends Cooper grew closer to his family throughout the following months. “I had been avoiding my family and kind of rebelling against them but I had never really fought with them that much because I was never home. They just wanted me to be home so they could help me with the mess I had gotten myself into.”

Due to his knee reconstruction Cooper was unable to reignite his passion for sport however after talking with friends about their experiences with University he was convinced to apply.

In 2009 Cooper was accepted at the University of Wollongong and began a course in exercise science. His interest in sports lead him to study and pursue a career in rehabilitation. Cooper is due to graduate after the Fall session of 2012.

*Due to drug abuse the subject of profile has chosen to remain anonymous 

Mac Attack; The laptop trend at UOW

The renown apple logo glows slowly on the front of the devices that have become somewhat of a necessity as a student at University. That's what a stranger would think as they enter a lecture theatre at UOW to discover every second student owns a laptop and many with the popular Macbook Pro (pictured above).

The recent death of Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, has given an insight into the western worlds obsession with the company and their devices. Jobs died October 5 2011 after an eight year battle with pancreatic cancer.

While writing this article I am surrounded by 7 macbook pros in a room of 19 people. Mind you, I am writing from the UOW library where their are 3 other people on their iPhones and 6 people are sleeping. The remaining 3 people have pens in their hands and are writing on paper which seems to be bound... I hear they are called 'books'.

'I prefer Mac. I had a HP laptop but just bought the Macbook Pro. It's much lighter' said a UOW marketing student. 'It fits in my bag and it's good for typing up notes in lectures so I'm happy with it' said another.

The Macbook Pro has many positive factors for university students but how much is practicality and how much is the endless struggle to fit in or be similar. 'I've always wanted a Mac but after I saw all the people in lectures at Uni with them I asked for the Macbook Pro for my birthday' said a first year student.

Apart from aesthetics some say that the reason for the increase in Macintosh users is due to ease of use. Like the iPhone, the Macbook designs are very easy to use however Apple has been criticised for this and Macbooks are often labeled 'toys' by Microsoft fans and those in the business world.

In my opinion, laptops only surpass pen and paper during breaks at university. However the use of a laptop as entertainment can lead to a habit of procrastination when it comes time to study. 

Photo Diary: Recommended spots at UOW

Study is important'. As students we are told this all our lives by parents and teachers but sometimes it's nice to distance yourself from the classroom. The University of Wollongong campus provides alternative spaces for students to spend their time whether it be studying, eating or relaxing in between classes. 

These students chose to sit and catch up by the river running through the UOW campus. "It's nice on a sunny day next to the water" said Alyssa (above).


Those who sit close to the river should beware the ducks who live their as it is not rare to witness a student loosing their lunch after a duck invades their space.

For those who prefer a quite space inside, the new Building 24 has bright chairs and lounges for studying or even a quick nap.

Wooden decks located next to the Unibar provide a peaceful, flat space outside to work on assignments or read.

The Unicentre provide chairs, bean bags, TVs and video games to 'enhance the student experience'.

The lounges on the bottom floor of the library are always popular with students. A comfortable place to study, read and often sleep.

Below: This map locates the photos and places mentioned in this post.

Finding food for value at UOW

Today students scored free milk after locating a Moove truck that had parked behind the unibar distributing bottles to passers by and those that had cottoned on to the free samples after seeing others with the milk. 'We were going to ask someone but we just followed the flow of people with milk coming from this direction,' said one student while enjoying his free chocolate milk.

It's not everyday that students get free treats for lunch but some stores on campus offer satisfying meals for the budget-savvy student. Often 8:30am starts are reality for university students so the place to begin your day is at one of the coffee stops within campus. Rush is favoured by many students for their variety, cheap tea and 'latte art'. “ I can get tea with any cup size for $3” said a daily customer of Rush.

Fuel Silo provides students with 'make-your-own' sandwich stations and charges on weight of each purchase which is a bonus for those who just need a quick bite after a short class. For those who prefer food made for them the Unibar make a mean bowl of chips and gravy you can share with a friend and not break the bank.

Although if in a hurry, you can't go past the good old (or brand new rather) vending machines for cold drinks and quick snacks located under the McKinnon Building in the food court with no line up. With the weather heating up this week cold drinks on campus are a must!

All these venues at UOW can provide you with cheap solutions to meals however don't be afraid to pack your own lunch just like you did in school to save your dollars. There are plenty of peaceful areas on campus to relax and eat your lunch by the river. We're all students here, we won't judge!

I will be talking about nice spots at UOW to study or eat lunch in a post to come.  


Photo Credit: Emma Lucey