Newcastle blogs: What’s out there?

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

If you like our student blog then you must be a keen blogger so check out these great Newcastle blogs I recommend.

The UoN official blog is an awesome way to keep up-to-date on everything about the University showcasing research and teaching achievements, community stories, and staff and student success.

Be a guest blogger on topical issues facing our community at the Engage Newcastle blog.

For what’s on in Newcastle and about the art, culture, fashion, lifestyle and music in the region check out the insider’s guide to Newcastle – Urban Insider.

If you LOVE pics then check out the iconic images of day-to-day life in Newy at Novocastrian Files.

Have you got more suggestions? Let us know your favorite Newcastle blog.

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Working at the University of Newcastle in the Student Hubs

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

Often working at the University of Newcastle in the student hubs you are the first point of contact for essential student services. Student Hubs are located at the Callaghan campus (Shortland Hub and Hunter Hub), Ourimbah campus, Port Macquarie campus and the Newcastle City Precinct.

Each Hub offers a place to access information about the University’s facilities, services and procedures. Students can also submit and collect assignments, meet friends, use computer and printing facilities, or grab a coffee and a bite to eat. The Hubs are also your pick up point for essential items like your student card, parking permit, and travel concession.

The hubs can get pretty busy especially at start of semester but the staff are super friendly which makes working at the University of Newcastle in the student hubs really fun. You certainly get to meet a lot of students and learn heaps of information about the University.

As a paid member of staff I also participated in training programs to help me in my role and there are lots of social activities organised by the team.

Find out more information about working at the University of Newcastle in the student hubs.

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Working at the University of Newcastle as a Student Ambassador

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

Working at the University of Newcastle as a Student Ambassador has certainly been an awesome experience for me at UoN.

My work as a Student Ambassador has helped me to develop my leadership, communication and teamwork skills as I encouraged others to consider studying at the University of Newcastle.

As a paid member of staff I also participated in training programs such as presentation skills to help me in my role as an Ambassador.
Not only does the Student Ambassador Program look good on my resume, working at the University of Newcastle has helped me become really involved with the University and I’ve met students and staff who are also in the program from other degrees.

What’s involved in the program?
As a Student Ambassador you will work with the Student Recruitment team and share your university experiences with prospective students through a range of face-to-face and online community activities.

These activities include:
• Representing the University at Student Recruitment activities/events with the purpose of creating a positive image of the University and the degrees offered. Some travel outside Newcastle, Central Coast and Port Macquarie may be required (at no expense to the student).
• Talking to prospective students about your university experience, your degree, support services, facilities and university life at careers markets, expos, on campus recruitment events such as Open Day.
• Delivering presentations about the University of Newcastle, its degrees, services and facilities, including sharing your first-hand experience to prospective students, under the guidance of staff from the Student Recruitment team and Faculties.
• Providing a personal profile and being willing to appear in University promotional tools such as the website and publications.
• Leading tours of the University’s campuses.

Find out more information about working at the University of Newcastle as a Student Ambassador

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Working at the University of Newcastle as a Library Rover

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

Working at the University of Newcastle as a Library Rover has some great benefits.

Library Rovers are a team of students employed at the Callaghan, Ourimbah, Port Macquarie and Sydney campuses who assist in the libraries.

I live and study at the Newcastle campus and have always enjoyed working at the University of Newcastle at both the Callaghan and City Campus libraries.

The libraries are open 24/7 so pulling an all-nighter in the library is not only something we do when assignments are due. The minimum amount of work includes two shifts a week and every second weekend.

A common misconception is that Library Rovers must be highly capable of IT work but this is not essential. We do a variety of different tasks in the library but most importantly we are there to support other students and staff. Next time you are in the library look out for the Library Rovers working at the University of Newcastle to see what kind of work they do.

Students commencing their second or subsequent years of studies are able to apply to be Rovers due to their understanding of the University and its various systems. Positions are advertised through the casual job pool on CareerHub in late Nov/early Dec and late Jan/early Feb. So pull together that CV and answer the one-page criteria to potentially gain employment with your campus library.

You can also approach the Careers Service for more advice about casual work at the University of Newcastle.

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Tools of the communications trade

Posted on November 3, 2011 by

Every aspiring journalist, TV presenter, film director, PR practitioner and media critic knows the importance of having the right tools to get the job done. Fortunately, here at the University of Newcastle, we Communications students are lucky as the university has kindly provided us with the ICT Building, known by all non-Communications students as ‘Where? Oh, that white building that sits on top of the multistorey car park’.

That’s okay, we’re happy to keep it our secret. But in case you do want to come along and see what all the fuss is about, yes, it is located on top of the multistorey car park near the main entrance of the university.

What you might find:

Television Studio

The television studio is equipped with a full lighting setup, a green screen, several other backdrops (don’t ask me what they do – I study PR) and all the other fancy equipment we need to give our videos that professional touch. Occasionally, we let pesky students (jokes) from other areas of the uni come in and use our studio for still photography, which it is also fully equipped for. The other day I had the privilege to see a video production class working together to film a music clip for a local band. I couldn’t believe how much work goes into producing only a few minutes of footage and how many different roles there are to be filled within the a studio’s production team.

Radio Studio

A highlight for the Communications students studying radio is programming your own radio show and broadcasting live to air on the uni’s digital station; 2NUR-FM. Like the television facilities, the radio studio is fully functioning to a professional standard. Other parts of the audio setup within the ICT building include a soundproof recording studio where students are able to record tracks from local bands as part of their assessment, and a digital mixing studio; where a lot of the audio production takes place.

Editing Booths

We all know that Martin Scorsese and his editing director didn’t achieve cinematic brilliance in a room filled with 20 other people editing their own projects at the same time. This is why there a multiple private editing booths available for student use in the ICT building. My tip: Be sure to book them out in advance when you know assessment tasks are due.

Mac Labs

The ICT Building is equipped with several Mac computer labs. These are used in tutorials to teach students practical skills such as editing and web page construction. Students are also welcome to use the labs when classes are not scheduled.

Zen Courtyards

Dream up the perfect idea for your next assessment task in the white-pebbled courtyards, then go inside and make it happen! Enough said.

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My favourite places to study on campus

Posted on October 7, 2011 by

Where could you possibly be more motivated to study than at uni? To me, its comforting, being surrounded by fellow studious peers and knowing that we are all puzzling over essay questions, meticulously making sure our referencing is correct, analysing data to formulate accurate reports, or playing one quick game of Solitaire (okay, a few, who am I kidding?) while convincing ourselves it’s healthy to take ‘regular’ breaks while studying.

Just kidding! It is healthy to take regular breaks, and I’ll get into that later, but let me share a few of my favourite study spaces with you first:

The Flowers Reading Room

Located on the top level of the Auchmuty Library, the Flowers Room is a great place for group study. There are 6 dedicated group-meeting spaces that students can book, each with a flat screen and presentation technology. Every seat in the area has access a power point, convenient if you have a laptop with an unreliable battery like I do. But my favourite feature of the Flowers Room? Its big picture windows. They give the space a light, airy and inviting atmosphere. You can almost forget you are in the library studying.

The Shortland Lawns

On a sunny day, there’s no better place to get some fresh air than the Shortland Lawns. There you’ll find dozens of students spread out on the ground; sleeping, reading, chatting and eating while soaking up the precious rays. So find yourself a quiet patch of grass, get out your textbook and catch up on your readings before heading to class. I guarantee you will feel refreshed, revitalised and ready to learn.

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My favourite places to socialise on campus

Posted on September 29, 2011 by

So, In my last blog I mentioned the importance of study breaks by highlighting the best places to study on campus. University is not just getting a degree, it is also a lifestyle unlike any other you have, or will experience in your lifetime. Make the most of it. Spend some time on campus enjoying the unique ‘university lifestyle’ that people fondly reminisce about later on in life. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

GT Bar

The GT Bar is located at the Shortland Hub. Each week it plays host to all sorts of fun activities like Beer Bingo, trivia and pool competitions. During special events throughout the year, the GT Bar is a venue for movie screenings, themed parties and more.

Bar on the Hill

The campus’ main bar, Bar on The Hill features a large outdoor deck area and live entertainment on the outdoor stage on Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes. After dark, it becomes the centre of action on campus, with something different happening most nights. Activities include poker nights, student band and DJ comps, Wednesday Student Nights, and special events such as the Toga Party, Snow Party and the infamous Autonomy Day.

The Forum

Playing sport or exercising provides students with all sorts of benefits including stress relief and physical and emotional wellness, It’s also a great place to socialise and hang out. The Forum is the fantastic on-campus fitness centre; comprising of a well-equipped gym, group activities rooms, physiotherapist, multipurpose sport courts, Olympic size swimming pool and rock climbing wall. Best of all? Membership is discounted for students. I find that sometimes it’s good to take a break from study and recharge my brain with a gym sesh with some friends.

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