Hey! Thank you for taking the time to read my journal.
I'm a first year student at the University of Sydney, and will be starting my second semester next week. I'm studying a combined degree in engineering and science, which normally takes 5 years. However, due to my taking the space engineering major, that adds another semester to my degree. So 5.5 years and I'm done!
I don't live near campus and have to commute 1.5-2 hours to get to uni each day, 5 days a week. I don't really mind though because I like long train rides, that's when I usually go over my emails, do my pre-tut work, or simply read a book.
Last semester I took the following units (I'll put up unit reviews for them as well):
- MATH1002 Linear Algebra (3cp)
- MATH1021 Calculus of One Variable (3cp)
- PHYS1901 Physics 1A (Adv) (6cp)
- ENGG1801 Engineering Computing (6cp)
- MTRX1701 Introduction to Mechatronic Engineering (6cp)
There's also this other unit, Professional Engagement 1 (0cp), that is compulsory for all students in the Engo and IT faculty to take. It basically ensures that by the completion of your degree you'd have undertaken 600 hours of 'professional development' under 3 categories: Engineeering Activities, non-Eng Activities (you can claim your daytime employment as non-eng professional activities), and Engineering Work (between 3rd and 4th years). I get why a program like this is useful, but it's just so annoying
. I'm so far behind on the hours that I should have completed by now, and what makes it worse is that you need to submit a multi-paragraph reflection (just shy of an essay) on how the activity you completed is relevant and assists in your professional development.
Overall, university to me is 110 times better than high school.