Talissa Bolitho

Graduate, Bachelor of Criminology

Geelong Waterfront Campus

'I was extremely shy and nervious being in such a new place, but I pulled up all my nerves and started talking to people.'

I am originally from Echuca, Victoria which is a long 3.5-hour drive from Deakin, and found the move a big change. I was extremely homesick and would often call home upset. I was lucky to be living with my partner, and he was my support. It was also expensive, and I am glad I now have scholarships to assist with paying for living expenses.

My first day of university was extremely different to that of high school. I came straight to uni after Year 12, and found the independence required very hard. There was this whole new campus, with rooms that I couldn’t find, books I had to buy, classes to attend and not to mention no friends to help me. Over time, I learnt my lecturers were always willing to provide me with guidance on anything I was confused on, yet they would never ‘spoonfeed’ me the information, which I experienced a lot in high school.

My main challenge when I moved was to make friends. I was extremely shy and nervous being in such a new place, but I pulled up all my nerves and started talking to people. Soon I had people I could talk to in every class and even outside of uni. I became a student ambassador, an orientation host for 2011, I was a Host Coordinator at the Geelong Waterfront Campus. These positions have allowed me to meet so many new people and I’ve made heaps of
new friends.

The best part about studying at Deakin is the wide range of study options you have. As a domestic student, you can be a full-time, on-campus student in one trimester and part-time, offcampus student in the next. Deakin provides such great flexibility; it has allowed me to fast-track my degree using the trimester system.

My best bit of advice to all new students is to balance your life; between work, university and your social life, it can be very easy to let your studies slide. At the start of the year, organise your whole trimester. Know when assignments are due, try to get specific hours at your part-time job, and know when all the big events will be held. Doing this will help keep you on track for the trimester – I know it helped me!