A Day on Campus at the University of Melbourne

By Arthur, University of Melbourne, Australia.

My day-to-day life on campus at the University of Melbourne usually began with a brisk walk from my accommodation to the coffee stand, where I enjoyed a famously cheap coffee before my lectures. With my caffeine fix under my belt, I’d wander through the campus’s green spaces- wide lawns, tree-lined paths and shaded benches that characterised the main campus belonging to the sprawling university. When it was sunny, the lawns would be full of students lounging between lectures, and the area quickly became a great spot to meet up with mates during term time.

The academic side of the university experience felt familiar but certainly had a few interesting differences. Lectures and seminars were structured similarly to the University of Manchester, and I didn’t notice any significant changes in teaching styles. However, I was surprised to discover that university fees varied from student to student depending on what course they pursued- humanities and other essay-based subjects were more expensive, whilst STEM subjects, which they considered more valuable, tended to cost significantly less. This meant that seminars for my course, Liberal Arts, felt far more engaging, with more students seeming genuinely interested in what they were learning which enabled discussions to be far more nuanced and dynamic. I really enjoyed the wide range of subjects that were offered, with an increased focus on eastern and indigenous studies due to the geographical context of the university, which definitely helped to broaden my academic perspective. It was really fascinating exploring topics that aren’t as widely covered back home, and engaging in discussions with students from different cultural and academic backgrounds made the experience even more fulfilling.  

A major difference between university life in Australia and the UK is that the majority of students don’t live on campus, or even nearby. Most commute from home, with students rarely travelling across different states to attend universities not native to their hometown. This created a different dynamic throughout the campus, as students would often treat their days spent in university as a ‘9-5’ job, staying throughout the day rather than returning to their local accommodation after they had finished their work for the day. Whilst a small number of more affluent students live in nearby colleges, it is certainly not the norm, and therefore the campus had a slightly more independent feel than I am used to.

When it came to serious study, I spent the majority of my time in the main library- a beautiful, spacious building that offered views over the distant mountains. With plenty of seating, natural light and dedicated study spaces, it was my go-to throughout my time spent at the university.

I thoroughly enjoyed going into university, and whilst it definitely gave me a new found appreciation for certain aspects of campus life back in Manchester, it was a really interesting and beautiful space that made learning enjoyable and accessible.