Pre School: UniStart

For the last week I have been attending UniStart. A free 4 day course designed to (re)introduce people into the ways and wonders of University Academics. Each day started at 9am and the lectures taught us or refreshed our memories about Academic Integrity, Formal Writing, Essays, Referencing, Critical Thinking, How to navigate the UTas Web pages and Oral Presentations. The day usually finishes around 3 so I go for a walk, or sleep, or watch a movie or even do my groceries so the pictures I post will be from the last few days from around the place.

Cataract Gorge, First Basin

At the beginning of the year there is an average of 150 people that attend these lectures, this semester 50 people signed up but only 25 showed so it was a very small group which gave us all the need to speak up, voice our opinions and talk to one another.

About 5 of the 25 were my age, while the rest of the group were older, some were coming back to Uni after 20 years.

First Day of Preschool

On Thursday there was an Orientation for all new students for Semester 2 start, an hour in a large lecture theatre then everyone broke off into their individual faculty orientations. I live on the Newnham Campus which is the main University campus. The school in which I study at is the University of Tasmania: School of Architecture and Design, within the faculty of Science Engineering and Technology on the Inveresk Campus, a quick 10 min drive away.

Leprena Dorms

I jumped in my car and had half an hour to get there for the orientation, I was very excited and hoping to meet people I would be studying with. Unfortunately by the time the Head of School started talking there were only 8 people attending and about 15 staff members. According to the enrolment for the orientation we were a little short on our 25 expected participants so we waited a little then he started anyway. 15 min in, the bus arrived with about 20 students so he continued his talk then the first group of 8 were shown around by some second year students.

Tamar River from the Campus Overpass

The building is marvelous! There are 3 different levels built into a restored Tram Shed! Apparently on some days a tram is actually driven from one end of the track that crosses the campus to the other where the show ground is for market displays. The tram shed is very large with one side of the building being open to the roof while the other has a maze of levels. There are lecture theatres and Tutorial rooms, unofficial libraries and personal study areas and I don't just mean a bunch of desks. At the start of the years its first in best dressed to claim a "cubicle"which people then decorate and make their own, once the name is on the desk it is owned, there were couches and day beds, bean bags and an air mattress!

The workshops are huge and so full of light. The building is designed, lit and heated to be sustainable so the lights have sensors, the heating is in the floor and you can physically feel the difference in temperature between the areas. The philosophy is: If your cold, put another jacket on.

Behind is the Tamar River, in front is the Campus Grounds

Unfortunately the separate building for Furniture Design was locked so I couldn't get in to have a look around... Damnit!

Launceston at Night

I can't wait until tomorrow when classes start, my first Unit is Furniture Technology 2. Unfortunately due to starting mid year I have to start with "2" then First semester 2013 I do "1", Second semester 2013 I do "4"then First Semester 2014 I do "3". I'm really not sure how this is going to work because "3"is a prerequisite for two of my "4" units. I'll be asking on Monday.