I wanted to explore other aspects of university life aside from studying so I decided to join the UQ Advantage Award!
As part of fulfilling the Award requirements, I become a UQ Student Leader, where I assisted with activities under the Introduction to Academic program. My main role was helping international students, who were enrolled in a postgraduate program, familiarise themselves with their new study environment. During the program, we organised information sessions, picnics and campus tours. I also volunteered to organise some extra tours of the Queensland State Library and Brisbane Library. This program was very meaningful for me as I was able to gain insight into the challenges faced by higher degree students, especially those with children when they move overseas for studying.
Another highlight was being a Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) Leader. Since 2013, I have been PASS Leader in different courses offered by the University of Queensland. This activity allowed me to consolidate course content I had learnt in previous semesters of study and keep track of any course changes. It is also a great pleasure to help new students overcome some frustrations I already knew in the course. By explaining those problems every semester, I discovered out more interesting aspects of the course that I did not realise before.
One of the greatest experiences from joining the Award was attending the Australasian Conference of Undergraduate Research and Posters in Parliament exhibition. At the conference, undergraduate students from across Australasia presented research posters and papers. I also had the chance to speak with several experts from the Australian National University as well as other peers with a different background. At the Poster in Parliament exhibition, I had the opportunity to deliver my research and respond to audience questions.
This program is the best way of enriching your university experience. From the program, you can meet friends, share your ideas, collaborate with others, obtain experiences from volunteering and internships and exposed yourself to different environments.