March 2nd, 2018
Second Week in Perth, Australia:
My second week abroad was a bit more time-crunched than the first. This week marked the beginning of the semester and also my first week at a new university. I was a bit nervous to begin classes because I felt like everyone was stressing about understanding their unit outlines. How was it that I had literally nothing prepared, yet I felt ready for a new semester?
After my first week of classes, I am a little more informed as to why everyone was so nervous for the semester to start. Each course consisted of one-two 2-3 hour-long sessions in which students would spend drowsily in lectures or stressing themselves out in tutorials. Rather than the typical homework/participation/quizzes I was accustomed to, I would now only have 3-4 semester assignments for each unit. This took me by surprise because I’m not sure whether I would prefer that form of curriculum or the standard percentage distributions I’m used to at home. With this in mind, I think the best academic approach for me would be to progress with my assignments each week and maintain adequate academic understanding.
Aside from the small volume of assignments, a majority of the students I had been associating with were first year students (freshmen). They had no idea what to expect from “uni”, let alone how they were going to navigate through the massive, intimidating establishments. It’s no wonder why they were so nervous!
Tonight (March 3rd, 2018), Shayla Puryear and I saw Ed Sheeran perform live in concert. This was the night of many firsts, including the opening of Ed Sheeran’s new tour, the first live performance at the Optus Stadium, and my first time seeing him in concert. Unfortunately, Shayla and I could not sit next to each other because we booked our tickets at different times. Neither of us captured clear photos either because Shayla had a profile view meanwhile I was sitting too far. Nevertheless, Ed Sheeran’s performance was outstanding and surpassed both Shayla and I’s expectations.
After my first week of classes, I am a little more informed as to why everyone was so nervous for the semester to start. Each course consisted of one-two 2-3 hour-long sessions in which students would spend drowsily in lectures or stressing themselves out in tutorials. Rather than the typical homework/participation/quizzes I was accustomed to, I would now only have 3-4 semester assignments for each unit. This took me by surprise because I’m not sure whether I would prefer that form of curriculum or the standard percentage distributions I’m used to at home. With this in mind, I think the best academic approach for me would be to progress with my assignments each week and maintain adequate academic understanding.
Aside from the small volume of assignments, a majority of the students I had been associating with were first year students (freshmen). They had no idea what to expect from “uni”, let alone how they were going to navigate through the massive, intimidating establishments. It’s no wonder why they were so nervous!
Tonight (March 3rd, 2018), Shayla Puryear and I saw Ed Sheeran perform live in concert. This was the night of many firsts, including the opening of Ed Sheeran’s new tour, the first live performance at the Optus Stadium, and my first time seeing him in concert. Unfortunately, Shayla and I could not sit next to each other because we booked our tickets at different times. Neither of us captured clear photos either because Shayla had a profile view meanwhile I was sitting too far. Nevertheless, Ed Sheeran’s performance was outstanding and surpassed both Shayla and I’s expectations.
What's your commute like from home to class? What do you hear/see/smell on the way?
My commute from home to class is myself! My two feet have taken me all over the campus. Perth offers a city bus (“Transperth”), however, my first experience was not too promising. I refuse to purchase a car while I’m here because Australians drive on the opposite side of the road. Not to mention I’ll only be here for one semester, so I feel like purchasing a car would be unnecessary.
Since my transportation relies heavily on walking, I often tend to get lost in the surroundings. I find myself drifting off or taking the scenic route just to experience a new portion of the campus. Aside from the modernized buildings, I’m also surrounded by never-ending flora and fauna. The trees appear vibrant, the aroma smells delectable, and the sounds of the birds create a peaceful moral.
Since my transportation relies heavily on walking, I often tend to get lost in the surroundings. I find myself drifting off or taking the scenic route just to experience a new portion of the campus. Aside from the modernized buildings, I’m also surrounded by never-ending flora and fauna. The trees appear vibrant, the aroma smells delectable, and the sounds of the birds create a peaceful moral.
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