Many students transition from familiar educational institutions such as high school and TAFE to an unfamiliar university setting. This transition is by no means simple. Issues of the “hidden curriculum”, being bombarded with information, and new organisational structures can often leave students, and particularly Equity students (low-SES, Indigenous, first-in-family, remote and rural etc.), feeling isolated and unsupported at university.

Students of the University of Sydney discuss their involvement in Get Prepared, an open access website, aimed at improving the often daunting, mysterious, and exciting transition to university experience.

Tune in to our podcast to hear three student co-designers, current Senior Equity Student Leaders and members of the Get Prepared team, talk about the Get Prepared site, as well as their experiences working as student co-designers.

Names of guests:

Christine Hindeleh

Michelle Cheung

Mahmoud Al Rifai

Get Prepared site: sydney.edu.au/canvas/get-prepared

Get Prepared email: [email protected]

In this episode of PeerPod our host Sayan is joined by USyd students, Vivian and Jordan, to tell you all about where you can have the best low-budget adventures in Sydney. We hope this episode of PeerPod helps you in having a well-deserved semester break on a student-friendly budget!

In this episode our Peer Learning Advisors, Sayan and Keerat, are joined by Alex, the Learning Hub Lead, to discuss their tips, tricks and advice for doing effective and efficient study! Tune in to learn how to identify and overcome unhealthy study habits to give yourself the best chance as you prepare for exams!

Resources mentioned in the episode:

The Learning Hub: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/learning-hub-academic-language.html

Flora: https://flora.appfinca.com/en/

PLA workshops & events: https://usyd.libcal.com/calendar/library/?cid=3560&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=3560&ct=32967&inc=0

PeerConnect: https://library.sydney.edu.au/help/pla.html

Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS): https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/counselling-and-mental-health-support.html

Other support services: https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/why-choose-sydney/student-support.html

In this episode, our Peer Learning Advisor, Devanshi, is joined by international students and Peer Support Advisors, Benny & Alisa, to talk about their experience with homesickness, how to stay connected with family and loved ones, how to deal with the difficult times and what you can do to bring a bit of home with you when you're studying so far away from what is familiar.

Resources mentioned during the episode:

University of Sydney resources for international student support: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/support-for-international-students.html

University of Sydney Union: University of Sydney Union - Home (usu.edu.au)

Psst! want to know one of the best kept secrets to transforming your university experience?! Student leadership! (okay, well it’s actually not that secret - but still let this be your reminder to get involved) Join your host Life Coach Leyla and student guests: Benny, Priya, Vrishali, and Zoe as they reveal one of the most impactful experiences to their student world. Tune in and discover the art of volunteering and student leadership, where to get involved and how it will transform your career, and everything you know! But..how you say? press play to find out.

Recorded live at the USU pop-up on Eastern Ave, our Peer Learning Advisors Tom and Juan are joined by current students Rifah, Lukas, Katie, Joe, and Lucy to find out what students think about online vs face-to-face teaching: what's been gained, what's been lost and how students in both camps are planning to make the most of the new hybrid model of learning.

In this episode, our Peer Learning Advisor Devanshi is joined by Taylor (University of Sydney Quidditch Club), Jack (University of Sydney Food Adventure Society) and Matt (Sydney University Astronomy Society) to talk about what a student society is, and how joining one can enhance your student life.

Links from the episode

University of Sydney Quidditch Club

Website: https://www.usydquidditch.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/USydQuidditch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usydquidditch/?hl=en

University of Sydney Food Adventure Society

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoodAdventureSociety/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodadventuresociety/

Sydney University Astronomy Society

Website: https://www.usydastro.org.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/usydastronomy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usydastro/

PeerPod is back for 2021 and we're kicking off with a trip down memory lane as we discuss 'What I wish I knew as a first year'

For this ep, our Peer Learning Advisors, Tom and Devanshi, are joined by two current students, Jasmin from History and Advanced Studies, and Emily from Engineering and Architecture, to reflect on first year studies and pass along the advice they wish they'd had as new University students.

Services mentioned in this episode include:

Unit of Study outlines: https://www.sydney.edu.au/units

Faculty Peer Mentoring services: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/peer-mentoring-programs.html

University Student Union: https://www.usu.edu.au/

Student societies and clubs: https://www.usu.edu.au/clubs-societies/list.aspx

Lost on Campus: https://studentvip.com.au/lost-on-campus

Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS): https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/counselling-and-mental-health-support.html

The Learning Centre: https://www.sydney.edu.au/lc

Mathematics Learning Centre: https://www.sydney.edu.au/mlc

Other helpful resources

Sydney Uni app: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/student-it/apps.html#suapp

PeerPod is back for 2021!

We are the University of Sydney Library's Peer Learning Advisors! Postgraduate students who are here to help our peers get the most from their student life!

This year we're looking for real students to join us on PeerPod! Do you have a unique student experience you'd like to share? Maybe an idea for an episode you'd like to pitch? Write to us at [email protected]

Don't forget to subscribe!

End of semester, end of year, and we want to focus on what’s coming next! This week, we take time out and check in with some of the PLAs and PSAs, to see what they have planned for the break and what you could do with a summer in Sydney, NSW and hopefully Australia in general!

Links to places & events mentioned by PLAs:

Manly NorthHead - hiking + conservation projects for bandicoots.

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/north-head

https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-north/manly/attractions/north-head-sanctuary

Blue mountains

https://www.bluemts.com.au/

Minnehaha falls - https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g261618-d9859475-Reviews-Minnehaha_Falls-Katoomba_Blue_Mountains_New_South_Wales.html

Royal National Park – figure 8 pools

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/royal-national-park

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/figure-eight-pools

Regional NSW towns along the coast or inland

Dubbo – museums, observatories, western plane zoo

https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/dubbo-area/dubbo

Coastal walks - Bondi, Coogee, Maroubra

https://www.bonditocoogeewalk.com/

https://triptins.com/coogee-to-maroubra/

http://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/facilities-and-recreation/explore-randwick-city/coastal-walkway

NYE fireworks

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/covid-safe/major-events/new-years-eve

https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-city/sydney-harbour/new-years-eve-fireworks

Glebe Markets

https://www.glebemarkets.com.au/

Surfing at Bondi

https://letsgosurfing.com.au/

https://www.sydney.com/things-to-do/beach-lifestyle/surf-beaches

Lillipad café Glebe – brunch

https://www.lillipadcafesydney.com/

Jervis Bay

https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast/jervis-bay-and-shoalhaven/jervis-bay

https://www.jervisbaytourism.com.au/

Photo by Nicholas Doherty: https://unsplash.com/@nrdoherty