O-Week

O-Week arrived in a hurry, just a couple of days after arriving in Melbourne. (I’m still not exactly sure if it’s a ‘O’ like orientation week or a 0 like zero week—it’s been referred to as both). Most of the AustraLearn group met in the lobby to make our way onto the University of Melbourne campus for what would be the first time (for some of us). The campus is particularly hard to describe, because although it has some amazingly sculpted old-English-feel buildings (Old Arts), it also has some that aren’t so appealing to the eye (Redmond Barry). The much newer buildings are different again, are taking on a very modern look (Medical and Alan Gilbert). Without any kind of map to weave our way between the insane number of oddly-shaped and large buildings it was surprisingly lucky that we made it to our first orientation site. Though, even with the map we managed to walk the complete opposite direction to the second orientation site. Buildings are often named after what their faculty is, the zoology building is zoology, chemistry is chemistry, and old physics is physics. The universities buildings are nestled in between each other, leaving small alleys between them, which are often filled with bikes, people and the occasional car trying to squeeze through. For what space there is between buildings there are attempts at sitting areas and lawns. The south lawn in front of the Old Arts Building is the biggest, but there are also areas next to the student union and in front of the Asia Centre (coffee shops appear everywhere, but that’s typical for Melbourne). Construction runs rampart through the university, with one building readying for construction on campus, one almost finished slightly off campus and numerous places on campus where there is minor work being done (including the entirety of the chemistry building). I managed to register for Australia Indigenous Studies, Chemistry 1, Culture Media Life, and War State and Society. All of which would commence the following Monday.