Are you a first year student, come to the UNE straight from school? If so, this page may be of interest to you.
As a 'fresher' you will find yourself in a strange environment, without pressures being imposed on you from above. You are told what your courses of study require, but you have to decide when to get up, when to work, when to play, when to socialise, without anyone telling you you are right or wrong, wise or foolish. You reap what you sow. In short, you have to assume responsibility for yourself. This could make you feel somewhat lost and alone.
When you gained entry to the UNE, you must have felt on top of the world. But now, as a 1st year student, you soon encounter a bewildering variety of opinions, coming from your seniors and peers, and even from your lecturers and tutors.. You may also feel, as a first year student, that you are 'small fry'. Of course, you will try not to make this known.
So, don't be surprised if you feel somewhat confused and out of your depth for some time. People appear to be giving you advice on this, that and the other matter, some pulling you in this direction and others in the opposite. This stretches the mind and makes you wonder what it is all about. Did orientation week sometimes make you feel oriented or disoriented?
You are urged to be an individual in your own right, and that is fine. But, at the same time, you could be made to feel an outsider if you do not subscribe to the dominant ethic and practice dictated by the 'group' you move amongst, particularly if you reside in a residential college.
Beliefs, codes of conduct and practices you once were told were sacred could be dismissed or ridiculed, especially your religious and moral values and practices. Many reject or scoff at religion. But remember that many of the people who disdain or discard these do not really know what they are doing or talking about, despite their seeming sophistication.
In many ways, you could find yourself udergoing a 'baptism of fire', and if you are not strong enough you could easily succumb.
So, you have to learn very quickly how to stand on your own two feet, to take command of your life and your work, and quietly stand your ground refusing to throw your values aside in order to gain popularity. This is not easy, and takes courage. The going may be tough initially, but if you persevere and retain your dignity, your companions and associates will duly get the message. Some might even admire you and learn from you. In your second and later years you may be regarded as an icon by others, even though that may not be of your seeking.
Another challenge comes from your professors and lecturers. They are generally fine people, open-minded, hard-working and learned. You will probably be awestruck by their academic prowess. Learn from them, but be careful not to regard them as infallible. They too are human. They too have their own personal preferences, prejudices and foibles, and unwittingly or otherwise may pass these on to you, including their view of life and of the world.
So, from the outset of your university years, you need to ask yourself why you are here. To acquire knowledge? Get a degree, which will lead to a profitable career? Learn how to think and to think wisely? Start growing into a well-balanced, self-disciplined, humane, human being? Will you opt to be a leader or a follower? Are you here to learn how to quarry life, and to extract as much from it as possible for yourself? Will you go for the more social aspects of university life, and have a whale of a time? Will you throw discretion and self-restraint to the winds and sow your wild oats while you are still young?
Or will you try to discover and strengthen your own ideals, and try make the world around you better for your presence on this planet? The choice is yours to make, and yours alone.