“ Just do it because you’re going to love it”
So, you’ve received the offer of a place at university. What happens now?
Select the headings below to find out more.
You will be advised in the email that you receive how to proceed with enrolment and set up of your student network account.
Once you have logged onto the university network and accessed your email, you will find that you have already been sent many emails. The university will communicate with you through email, it is the official communication channel. You will have to include checking your student email as part of your daily routine. You will also get news of orientation activities at your university, and you should attend as many of them as possible.
Depending on your university, it could be a full day or a whole week of orientation activities. Orientation is designed to be a full, fun-packed program of information sessions, campus tours, markets, talks and presentations from faculty members and students, food trucks, entertainment, and a wide range of activities designed to help you meet other students in your year and find your way to key campus services. It is an opportunity to find out about timetabling, campus eating places, car parking, bike storage, clubs and societies, student support services, learning and teaching spaces, and so much more.
It can be fun and overwhelming but a good time to meet lecturers and students who will be in your class and get to know them before you start.
Much of the information that you need to know is online in the student portal of your university, but being on campus gives you an opportunity to explore the physical spaces and find your way to your faculty and its resources before your first day in class.
This might be a chance to visit student support services and discuss any special needs with the student veterans support program representative if your university has one. It can help if you communicate your military background, any special needs that you have or highlight the external or service commitments that you will have in the coming year. You could negotiate flexible arrangements for attendance, exams, and assessment deadlines at this time as well.
Don’t forget that some universities have dedicated support for veterans and their families.
Select here to view these.
Still not sure? Listen to this advice from these veterans and family members.
This might seem obvious, but it can easily be overlooked in what is to become your hectic new life. Your training has prepared you to work under pressure, but this is not sustainable across a whole semester. You must pay attention to yourself and take steps to ensure that you not only manage your work/life/study balance but that you enjoy it as well.
Only a few universities have veteran support services. These services and social groups can make your transition to university easier, and you will start to feel that you belong and will be better equipped for this new stage of your life. The Campus Services at your university can direct you to support, and this information is also on the Student Portal website.
Follow this link to a list of universities that have this support in place.
If your university does not offer specific veteran support, you will find that the central student services will direct you to the support available to all students.
Service2Campus developed collaboratively by the Australian Catholic University and RSL Queensland under the Veteran Wellbeing Grant 2022-2023
