Anybody Going to Deakin University this year? :D

[Fatemah]

Salam,

Its going to be my first year of Uni this year inshallah, so I thought if anybody is going to Deakin inshallah maybe you could give me a few tips on how to 'survive' it etc. etc.

Even if you're not studying there ...if you can shoot me with tips and advice on just about anything to do with uni ..that would be great.

Jazakallah khair in advance

[aussiemu]

assalamu alaikum

I've been out of uni for a while but classic first year mistake is not focussing enough on your studies as social life takes over and hence failing or getting lower grades. There are no teachers breathign down your neck like there is in school to get stuff done or to push you so it is very easy to slack off.

Find the Islamic society and make friends through there - a lot of crap in uni that you need to avoid and teh best way is with good friends who lead you towards good not towards evil


may Allah SWT make it a source of good for you Enjoy - I loved uni

[Abdraheim]

avoid them mistake of many of making close associations with kaafirs as in the end you will find yourself changing and not for the better

[thRilNs]

wa alaikum assalam, map get to know your campus building locations, essay box etc... and every uni library where u should be spending lots of time has information seminars.. also know your uni's website and the process for online submission of work and checking results etc, emails too...also make an appointment with academic skills unit they have positive input on how to improve essays writing even thesis etc..

[knowledge_a_lost_treasure]

If your a FB user consider joining Islamic Society of Deakin University http://www.facebook.com/groups/isdu2011/

[At-Ta'if]

avoid them mistake of many of making close associations with kaafirs as in the end you will find yourself changing and not for the better

It's not wrong to associate yourself with non-Muslims as long as you are self-conscious. You don't need to adopt their "ways", perhaps they will learn a thing or two off you?

You need to be careful though, even with some Muslims.

[Najah]

It will be hard to not make friends with non Muslims, as they will prob make up majority of the course, plus there is group work/assignments etc

[Muslim..Priincess]

Wa alaykum sallam

If you're in the main campus of deakin then make the most of it! [especially at orientation day- that's when your introduced to the uni and everything in it] It usually has most of the clubs and societies that are active..Being Muslim somehow has an advantage, because you get to join the Islamic society and meet other muslims..which I recommend you to start..


Make some Muslim friends..It's really important that you have that influence because you will have non muslims around you and some will eventually be your friends..so it's good to have a bit of balance.

With study and all that it works different with everyone-but once you make friends in your course, do some group study, go to the library silent section etc etc.

You might be wondering about text books-when you first start you just want to buy what the lecturers recommend and what not. That was my mistake. I spent over $200 and now I wish I didn't, just use your library books, or if you really want to buy then buy second hand or from textbookexchange.com to get some good deals.

that's all I can think of now just ask if you have anymore question.

[falah]

It's not wrong to associate yourself with non-Muslims as long as you are self-conscious. You don't need to adopt their "ways", perhaps they will learn a thing or two off you?

You need to be careful though, even with some Muslims.

When doing group work, associate with foreign students they tend to work harder and talk less about things like driniking etc. Indians and Chinese Australians tend to work hard and make the best partners for group work imo.

Deakin has handbooks from faculty which are useful for telling you how referencing for assignments needs to be done.

Familiarise yourself with the Deakin website, a lot of stuff is done online. They have a policy where one unit must be completed wholly online. Go online as soon as possible and download your unit guides. You can find out which books you need by checking your unit guide, and typing in your unit number to the DUSA bookshop website: http://www.dusabookshop.com.au/order. Best to get the books as early as possible, because there are long queues in the first week of uni. Or you can have them delivered if you are willing to pay the postal fee. In my experience they deliver quickly.

The prayer room is on the other side of the capmus, in the international area on Elgar Road - you can walk through the park and cross creek to get there. Jumuah is held opposite in the building next to the gym - or it was last year.

I think some of the food outlets serve halal food, but I never at there.

If you drive, best to get hourly parking if you are only there for a short time - available on the ground floor of the main multi-storey carpark. Otherwise daily parking is available near Burwood Hwy entrance or on the upper levels of the multi-storey carpark - daily parking can be hard to find so best to allow time to find a car park.

At Deakin library, you can order books from most of the big university libraries around Australia.

Deakin has wifi in a lot of the buildings - you can ask the IT people for help connecting if you have any difficulties. There are heaps of computer labs asound the campus.

[At-Ta'if]

In addition to what Muslim..Priincess said, they generally introduce new editions of textbooks each year with minor changes. You can buy the previous edition(s) as it will be cheaper (available 2nd hand) and have the same content, albeit on different pages.

If your lecturer/tutor sets readings for you according to the page number, ask for the topic and find it in your edition.

Some people prefer to sell their textbooks but I like to keep mine for future reference.

Make the most of your university facilities and don't be shy, it's there for you.

Some people say uni is easier than high school, it's not. There are many aspects that are more pleasing but it's certainly not easier.

If your first year of university is a little rough, don't worry, it should motivate you to do better the following year.

If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask, we're here to help.

[Fatemah]

Thank you all for your awesome tips and advice. I appreciate each and every one of them!

... I hope all goes well this year inshallah.

[At-Ta'if]

Assalamu Alaykum sister,

The holidays are almost over for most of us, how is your uni preparation going? What have you done so far?

So far I have:

1. bought my books (and began reading them);

2. arranged my timetable;

3. printed the available unit guides/outlines;

4. organised my stationary; and

5. in the process of organising my laptop (files etc.)

I also bought a myki card, I don't want to be the last person holding a metcard when it's scrapped.

Let us know if you need help with anything, insha'Allah.

[Muslim..Priincess]

so far I have not..

1) got any of my text books, I don't even know them to begin with

2)Don't know my timetable (they give it to us-we don't arrange it)

3)got no stationary

4) Don't really use my laptop, so it will be the same

5 no myki of my own. I use my fathers.

Better yet I don't know whether I begin on the 27th or the 28th...

If you're in the same situation as me, don't worry, you'll be fine =D....I hope.

[Ummi_Abdulmalik]

:O womaaan! You better hurry up because the Uni's start the 27th of feb
I'm not even enrolled for this semester but I've got all my books/pens etc: and studying my lecture notes for when I return next semester.
The massive thing about Uni is you need to be on top of things before the school starts (more so if you have kids)
Go to your uni book shop or co op books in Bundoora and show them your list, they'll get you everything you need (if you become a member your books are discounted heaps from the original price )

Really I'd advise you get on top of things, last year I enrolled a week late to when school starts (they kind of stuffed me around for enrollment) and it was very hard for me to get back on track, especially with English since we had to have read 3 books in the holidays/before school started.

(and don't get married or have kids while you're in the middle of a semester....Maryam put me out really badly for being 2 wks prem and I got so far behind because I was in hospital a lot...this is the reason why I post pone my studies. I got too far behind)

[Fatemah]

Mashallah you are really organised!!

well I've pretty much done the same preparation as you except for the part of buying all my textbooks and the myki card.

I'm overseas and plan to return buy thursday-ish inshallah. I've bought a couple of the textbooks frome here, but they don't seem to have all the ones I need.

I've also got accomodation to worry about. I have to move in by the weekend and sort every thing out before orientation which is Monday (yikkess :S). All in all I'm not quite ready yet. But getting there alhamdulilah.

Thanks for your tips though, great stuff

[Fatemah]

that post was for At-Tai'f by the way

[At-Ta'if]

Assalamu alaykum sister,

How was your first semester? The good, the bad?

I hope it went smoothly for you.

[Fatemah]

Walaykum Asalam brother,

I must say the first couple of weeks were nothing short of a bumpy ride. However things settled down a bit as the end of the semester approached, which was great alhamdulilah.

I joined the Islamic society at O-week and have been a really active member since, which helped ease the study stressors. I guess all I have to do now is wait patiently for the exam results. Bi'thnillah we all do well.

Jazakallah Khair for asking

[At-Ta'if]

Walaykum Asalam brother,

I must say the first couple of weeks were nothing short of a bumpy ride. However things settled down a bit as the end of the semester approached, which was great alhamdulilah.

I joined the Islamic society at O-week and have been a really active member since, which helped ease the study stressors. I guess all I have to do now is wait patiently for the exam results. Bi'thnillah we all do well.

Jazakallah Khair for asking

Alhamdulillah, that's great to hear; insha'Allah it continues that way.

Wa iyyakum, and ameen to your du'aa.