New students prepare for uni life

O Week is the official start to university studies and is held the week before classes start. The week is packed with workshops, tours, social events, course welcomes and opportunities to meet staff and other students.

O Week activities and celebrations take place on both the Townsville and Cairns campuses.

There is also a fun side to the week, with plenty of social activities planned for the Townsville campus.

JCU O Week organizer, Elizabeth Gilson said the activities were designed to provide new students with as much information before they knuckle down to work.

“O Week at JCU is all about learning what study will involve, including enrolling, their course options, and all the other necessary advice, such as library tours, financial advice, accommodation, and much more,” Ms Gilson said.

There will be student ID card sessions, course introduction sessions, class registration and timetabling, and IT essentials, including wireless drop-in sessions for connecting to the JCU wireless network. There will also be a postgraduate students’ Q&A, assignment tips, budgeting, career advice and tips on how to balance life and uni.

“The Student Centre will be fully staffed to help with general enquiries including enrolment, fees, student loans, scholarships, course and subject information, timetable issues,” she said.

Accommodation sessions for both on-campus and off-campus students and library tours are available as well.

There will also be an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ meet and greet.

Other specific events include:

Get Ready 4 Uni

Make a smooth transition into university life by working through JCU’s GetReady4Uni website. This website will help both on-campus and off-campus students understand what to expect as a new student.

Short courses to get started

There are number of short courses in Cairns and Townsville to help students make a smooth transition into university life, including Unistart, Academic writing, Studying in Australia and Refresher maths courses.

Off-campus students

Off-campus students are encouraged to visit their campus during O Week and join in the activities. Students can visit the off-campus students' webpage for key information and download the off-campus student guide.

On Thursday, February 18, the official O Week Party will be held, from 5pm til late at the Sir George Kneipp Auditorium and lawns outside Building 26. It's a chance to relax, meet other new students and join in the fun at the “tropical paradise” themed Official O Week event. It will start with an insightful and entertaining UNISMART presentation followed by fantastic entertainment, food, drinks and prizes.