The Ballad of Wayne and Henrietta

Introduction | The Ballad of Wayne and Henrietta | Links | Credits & Evaluation

The Ballad of Wayne and Henrietta

Meet Wayne and Henrietta. They are full-time first year students who are about half way through first semester. They were friends at school and while Wayne is doing a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare, Henrietta is doing a Bachelor of Science. See if you can help them overcome the following obstacles by selecting the best strategy from those listed.

2. Wayne is studying at home and a neighbour starts mowing her lawn. Wayne finds the noise distracting. He should

3. Wayne started off the semester enthusiastic and keen but after week 6 he found it was all getting too much and he started delaying things like reading and starting assignments. He should

4. Henrietta has just worked steadily on an essay for two hours. She should

5. Henrietta got all High Distinctions in semester 1 but because she devoted so much time to her study, her relationship with Wayne suffered and they broke up. She should

6. During Semester 2, devastated by his break up with Henrietta, Wayne began to question whether he would rather be doing education rather than social welfare. He should

7. For a period of weeks now Wayne has been unable to sleep, feels lethargic and has completely lost interest in sex. He should:

8. Henrietta feels like she's not getting anywhere no matter how hard she tries. She feels strange, odd and numb - like she's in a dream or a movie, and she feels emotionally exhausted most of the time. She should:

9. Henrietta and Wayne both experience stress during semester 2. It is not so much the short-term stress of giving a tutorial presentation or getting an essay completed, they feel that it's more a combination of a whole range of pressures. Wayne's herpes has never been so bad and Henrietta is drinking heavily. They still haven't resolved their relationship problems. They should:

10. The conclusion to the Ballad of Wayne and Henrietta should be that:

Study Skills Online: Adjusting to Uni: The Ballad of Wayne and Henrietta

Introduction | The Ballad of Wayne and Henrietta | Links | Credits & Evaluation

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A. Jam 39 tiny marshmallows up her nose and try and sneeze them out.
B. Pop some popcorn without putting the lid on.
C. Ask herself if this is really the case or is this a potential for distraction.
D. Find out what a frog in a blender really looks like.

A. Braid the hairs in each of his nostrils.
B. Try and incorporate the noise into part of his environment so that it no longer becomes a distraction.
C. Stare at the neighbour through the prongs of a fork and pretend that she is in jail.
D. Play his oldest and loudest music and aim the speakers at the neighbour.

A. Tattoo "Out to Lunch" on his forehead.
B. Drive to University in reverse.
C. Look for the real reasons for his procrastination.
D. Refresh himself by putting his tongue on a metal guard rail.

A. Consider rewarding herself by taking the short coffee break she promised herself at the start of her study session.
B. Keep working as she's on a roll.
C. Consider rewarding herself by inviting Wayne to lunch at the pub.
D. Not stop until the thing is finished.

A. Question and re-examine the expectations she had of herself.
B. Thank her lucky stars because Wayne really was a waste of time and space.
C. Be happy because the world belongs to high achievers.
D. Drop out and put all her efforts into getting back together with Wayne.

A. Get over it!
B. Talk this through with Academic Advisers, the Careers Adviser, the Personal Counsellor because it's OK to question your course of study.
C. Dismiss these thoughts and complete his course.
D. Make the change as soon as possible.

A. Dance naked in front of his pet.
B. Read the dictionary upside down and look for hidden messages.
C. Sit naked on a shelled hard-boiled egg.
D. Talk to a GP or Personal Counsellor about these symptoms.

A. Tape a picture of Wayne to a watermelon and drop it from a high place.
B. Recognise these as possible symptoms of "burnout" and seek help from friends, GP or Personal Counsellor.
C. Go shopping. Buy Everything. Sweat in it. Return it the next day.
D. Fill out her tax form using Roman Numerals.

A. Try and identify their sources of stress and the issues which make them vulnerable to stress and seek help from supportive people including friends, family, GP or Personal Counsellor.
B. When making decisions examine both the pros and con's and try and avoid procrastinating.
C. Prioritise all events in their lives including study and personal events.
D. Employ relaxation techniques including laughter, use of relaxation tapes, essential oils, meditation and breathing exercises.

A. They get back together again and happily spend the rest of their lives together.
B. They both successfully complete their degrees and become respected academics, Wayne at Griffith and Henrietta at QUT.
C. Wayne does change courses and becomes a School Principal. Henrietta marries her Accountant.
D. Henrietta drops out and becomes a successful Labor Minister. Wayne completes his social work degree and his eldest son becomes president of the North Queensland Young Liberals.