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The Month Before
Pick your subjects and tutorials
Go to My SOLS > Enrolment > Enrolment and Variations.
Type in your subject code (i.e. INTS121) and click 'Add Subject', then 'ADD'
Go to My SOLS > Tutorial Enrolment. Subjects you have enrolled in typically appear here several weeks before the semester starts, with a specific time and date for your enrolment. Be quick though, tutorials fill up quickly!
Check out your subject outline
Go to My SOLS > eLearning > [Subject Name] > Subject Information > Subject Outline.
Subject outlines will have all your subject information, including subject description, assessments, weekly class outline and prescribed readings, attendance requirements, academic rules and contact information for your tutors and subject coordinators.
Plan your assessments & classes
Using your subject outline, mark in your calendar when each assessment is due - there is nothing worse than realising you have an assessment due tomorrow morning. Use the outline to also organise your readings, downloading texts, and lectures.
Get your textbooks
Information on your textbooks will be available in your subject outline, at the UniShop and its website, and in My SOLS > Current Session > Textbook Information. Some textbooks may be available online as PDFs, so make sure to search your subject readings and the UOW Library database. Textbooks are also available second-hand online, through sites such as the UOW Students Buy & Sell group on Facebook and student websites.
The Week Before
Readings
Make sure to do your readings before your tutorials! Prescribed readings are usually journal articles, news articles, or textbook chapters, and help to stay on top of class discussions! This information will be the foundation to your knowledge of the topic. Try making your own summaries and notes from these readings, and write down any questions you have for your tutor. Life can make it tough to complete all your readings and tutorial work, so team up with a classmate, or even just skim read the text. Every little bit helps.
Lectures
Lectures are accessible through your subject's Moodle site, usually pre-recorded or in powerpoint slides. In PAIS subjects, lectures are typically 1-2 hours long and presented by your subject coordinator. They are the easiest way to access the content of the subject. While watching your lecture, either on campus or online, take note of key concepts and principles that are discussed - these are likely to be discussed in the tutorial, readings and maybe even the final exam!
Tutorial/Seminars
Tutorials (sometimes called seminars) are your classes, where the concepts are discussed with your tutor and other students. You may have weekly tutorial work to complete before you attend, which could entail short essays, quizzes, readings, research or an assessment task. Tutorials are also a great chance to ask your tutor questions about readings, discussions, content and assessment guidelines. Some classes may also have a participation requirement, which encourages you to engage in the class discussions.
On Your First Day
Know how you're getting to campus
If you're new to the area, driving to campus or trying out public transport, make sure you know where you're going! A lot of people will be driving to campus or arriving early during semester, so make yourself familiar with campus maps, the bus routes, and parking lots. Check the UOW Parking or MyUOW app for real-time parking vacancies at the Wollongong campus, and be aware of campus signage, as the campus is monitored by parking inspectors who give out fines.
There are many buses that stop at UOW, that travel across the Illawarra. Within the local area, 55A and 55C are free, frequent bus routes that are great for new students to learn the Wollongong area, that travel between the Main Campus, Fairy Meadow, Innovative Campus, North Beach, the CBD, Wollongong train station, Wollongong Hospital and Gwynneville, and North Wollongong train station on weekends.
Weekdays: every 10 minutes (7am-6pm); every 20 minutes (6pm-10pm).
Weekends & Public Holidays: every 20 minutes (8am-6pm).
The South Coast train line runs right through the Wollongong area, with many stations nearby. The North Wollongong train station, situated near Rashay's, is 1.3km from the Main campus, which is also where the North Gong Shuttle bus makes express trips to and from the Main campus. The service operates from 7:50am-7:30pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays. The Wollongong train station is located just 500m from Crown Street Mall, just 1 minute to the next stop (North Gong), and a 3-minute walk to the 55A bus stop (4 minutes to the 55C stop). Other connecting train stations used by our students are in: Albion Park, Bomaderry, Bulli, Central, Coniston, Corrimal, Kiama, Sutherland, Thirroul, Towradgi and Unanderra. From either Wollongong station:
Bomaderry, the last station going south on the SC Line, is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes from Wollongong, with a train transfer at Kiama.
Central, the Sydney CBD station, is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes from Wollongong.
Bondi Junction, the last station going north on the SC Line, is approximately 2 hours from Wollongong.
As a tertiary student, you may be eligible for a Concession Opal Card. This card allows cardholders to access discounts, up to 50% off on public transport, including bus and train services. To receive this card, check your eligibility with the Transport NSW website below, and provide consent for UOW to confirm your status. To do this: go to My SOLS > Personal Details and Consent > Transport Concession Consent. Then return to the NSW Opal website to order your Concession card.
Find your classes
Class locations can be found on your timetable in My SOLS. Use this to find your classes ahead of time, with the help of campus maps and the mobile app 'Lost on Campus'. This can make it easy to look up classrooms and lecture halls, with photos of the entrances and a GPS map. Beware of Building 19 though - the main Arts building can be very difficult to navigate in your first few weeks. If you're feeling lost, don't be afraid to ask for help! The campus can be confusing and most people will be happy to direct you to your class!
If participating in online classes, find classes through your Moodle site, there should be a dedicated section for Zoom/Webex class links.
Entering class
Make sure you arrive on time to your classes! Classes within the semester start every 'half-past' (i.e. 8:30am, 9:30am, 10:30am, etc.), with a grace period of 5 minutes for students arriving from other classes. Arriving late to your first class could give your tutor a negative first impression. If you can't avoid being late, enter discreetly and make sure you have been marked 'present' for attendance.
Set all your devices to silent - laptops, phones, tablets and watches can be distracting for not only you, but the whole class!
Be respectful of your peers and tutor (e.g. you don't need to ask permission to leave the room, but don't disrupt the tutor or other students). Don't online shop or sit on social media, or talk while your tutor is addressing the group.
Once covered in class, content is not usually visited again in depth, and tutors are usually running off to other classes and appointments after yours. If you have questions after class ends, email your tutor or request a consultation.
If you miss a class, contact your tutor and let them know, preferably before class happens. You can apply for Academic Consideration (AC) on My SOLS if circumstances were beyond your control (e.g. sickness, injury, jury duty, mental health, etc.)
If you're attending class online, find somewhere quiet to concentrate and to be able to speak clearly.
Introduce yourself to your classmates! It can be tough making friends in new environments, but if you gain a few friends in different classes, you can:
Do productive group work that runs smoothly
Share notes and study together
Socialise with like-minded peers
Discuss subject concepts and problem solve
Make some great friends!
Good luck on your first semester, you'll get the hang of it before you know it!
Good luck on your first semester, you'll get the hang of it before you know it!
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