Melisha Fernando

Final year, Bachelor of Nursing

Melbourne Burwood Campus

'...immerse yourself in whatever Deakin has to offer, get involved today and when you look back you will be proud of the decisions you made.'

Balancing life between part-time work and social life will be a challenge to many international students during the first trimester. It’s natural for any international student to feel lonely and lost in the first few weeks of uni. The trick is to attend Orientation Week, as senior students are there to help you out.

At first I felt leaving home and living without loved ones to travel in a foreign country to study was very hard. However, Deakin is not all about studying; instead, it’s a new experience every day with new opportunities. Getting involved makes you feel loved and cared for. Meeting new friends and studying together can improve on your studies.

In my first year, I started volunteering in different areas of Deakin, such as International Student Support (ISS), the Host Program and a multicultural festival with peer mentoring for the Faculty of Health. There are many benefits of getting involved in university activities – establishing lifetime friendships is just one of them! I have made many friends as a result of volunteering at Deakin. Being involved at Deakin also enhanced my communication skills as well as giving me valuable experiences and lifelong memories.

I also took part in the extracurricular activities Deakin offers, such as swimming, and learnt things that I did not know. My advice is: immerse yourself in whatever Deakin has to offer, get involved today and when you look back you will be proud of the decisions you made.

Deakin is the difference in my life. Any difficulties you might find in your studies, the tutors and lecturers are readily available to help. The study skills unit within DSL-Division of Student Life, as referred to in the A-Z, will be a great help to you and your studies too.