Home away from Home
Hey everyone! So I am starting to make a home away from home. It took about a week to not feel like an idiot when 1.) paying for something b.) crossing the road 3.) using the public transport system whether its the bus, train, or ferry and 4.) gorcery shopping....(it took me and Laura 10 min to figure out that cold cuts are ordered in grams...haha it was quite entertainting, mother would be proud.) Things are starting to feel natural and I sometimes catch myself wondering if we drive on the left side of the road in the states too? Haha, that's def going to screw me when up when I get back. Since classes started and I've learned my way around the city and towns, I no longer feel that I'm on vaca.
The academic system is much different here. College is a 3 year program, as opposed to being a 4 year progrom. Whatever your major is, you start to study it in high school so you enter college with an understanding of the subject matter. The max load is 4 classes and you are expected to put in 10 hours of work outside the classroom for each class. The final exam for one of my classes is worth 60% of the final grade....crazy! Most of the final exams here tend to be 3 hour long essay exams. Homework and quizzes don't exist. It's all study study study for 1 or 2 exams a semester. If you screw those up, you're done. All the "suggested reading" back home is required here. Each class has a tutorial where, from what I've gathered, major projects are done as well as group work depending on the class. Tutorials don't start until next week. I found it interesting that the university has an 80% attendance policy...if you attend less than 80% of your classes, you automatically fail. My HR course is the only course that doesnt' have an exam, that was just changed this year. Instead, we are to put together a professionaly portfoilio throughout the semester, using all the lectures and tutorials. We have to then use that to apply to a job in Sydney. As long as I stay up with the work, I think i'll be ok. I was warned. Nonetheless, Australia is still amazing.
Good luck w/ exams everyone and I'll be waiting for spring break stories and pics!! :o)
The academic system is much different here. College is a 3 year program, as opposed to being a 4 year progrom. Whatever your major is, you start to study it in high school so you enter college with an understanding of the subject matter. The max load is 4 classes and you are expected to put in 10 hours of work outside the classroom for each class. The final exam for one of my classes is worth 60% of the final grade....crazy! Most of the final exams here tend to be 3 hour long essay exams. Homework and quizzes don't exist. It's all study study study for 1 or 2 exams a semester. If you screw those up, you're done. All the "suggested reading" back home is required here. Each class has a tutorial where, from what I've gathered, major projects are done as well as group work depending on the class. Tutorials don't start until next week. I found it interesting that the university has an 80% attendance policy...if you attend less than 80% of your classes, you automatically fail. My HR course is the only course that doesnt' have an exam, that was just changed this year. Instead, we are to put together a professionaly portfoilio throughout the semester, using all the lectures and tutorials. We have to then use that to apply to a job in Sydney. As long as I stay up with the work, I think i'll be ok. I was warned. Nonetheless, Australia is still amazing.
Good luck w/ exams everyone and I'll be waiting for spring break stories and pics!! :o)
posted by Naddy at 6:58 PM
2 Comments:
i miss you. its been 5 months right? you're coming home soon right? you're on your way back right? you brought me back an australian right? I'm your favorite, right? you miss me...i don't even have to ask 'right?' It's just a given. I miss you, you miss me. It's how we do.
Well well well....I'm not sure how I feel about this 'favorite' thing. What's with that? HO.
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