Week 1: Task 2 - Issues in Transition

Coming from interstate the biggest hurdle for me personally is adjusting to the independence that comes from living away from home. Financial stresses have already overshadowed my ability to cope at university such as not being able to afford textbooks. I've always been a self-reliant person so asking for help from others never usually occurs unless I'm in an absolute crisis. Another struggle is the transition from school to university. 

I was a top student at my high school, all the teachers knew my name and I was known as an exceptional leader and high academic achiever.  Whereas Monash provided a completely foreign environment for me. Transitioning to such a large and daunting place will come with time, although I think being comfortable socially will catapult me in the right direction. Adjusting from the spoon-fed nature of high school will also rely on my own pro-activeness with study. High schools claim they prepare you for university but nothing really prepares you until your thrust in the midst of this busy community of foreign faces and tall buildings.

Finding people I can trust and work with well will definitely hep build my confidence levels in this new state. Also utilising the fantastic services on campus such as counselling gives me the piece of mind that I have a safety net to fall back on if I ever require help. Getting into a healthy study routine will also increase my confidence in the course. Establishing meal times, down-time during my study sessions will ultimately help me to adjust the increased workload of university. 

The biggest struggle overall is learning to cope without my family. I've been extremely close to my brother as of recently and adjusting to life without them everyday will be the biggest hurdle in transition. 

Week 1: Task 1 - Key Attributes, Skills and Focuses

I am a very punctual person. If I set a goal or task for myself with a deadline, I will do anything to make sure I achieve it by the set time. This is advantageous as procrastination is easily combated through my personal punctuality. I also pride myself on my strong leadership qualities. I know when to take charge and when to take a step back for others to give their opinion. I believe this will aid my ability to work in a group situation, especially for the first assessment as nobody knows anyone personally yet, so it is important to understand the social dynamic of the group in order to work harmoniously. 

My essay writing skills and ability to express myself on paper is lacking. English at school was always my worst subject, not because I didn't understand the content, I just had trouble translating my understanding onto paper. In having no exams, rather assessments scattered throughout the semester, I will be able to spend more time on editing my writing.  I find that every time I reread my writing, I discover something that can be improved. Therefore, consistent editing time will be a good way to achieve my goal of improving my expression.

Another goal of mine that I would like to achieve is to be more pro-active with my studies. I aim to read the chapters and lecture powerpoint presentations before my lectures so I understand all the content beforehand. Instead of learning the information first in the lecture, I'd like the lectures to cement the information into my brain.