rural student voice

Moving to University was hard. There’s no point in sugar-coating it. On my first day, I was a bundle of nervous excitement coupled with an unhealthy amount of self-doubt. I listened to the advice to join clubs, but still didn’t really know if I’d found my place. Sitting in my first few classes, it felt as though everyone else had known each other for years and somehow, I’d missed the boat. I wondered if it was because I wasn’t from the city, or I hadn’t tried hard enough during O’Week, or maybe it was just my resting bitch face. In addition to the mounting social anxiety, I was learning how to live on my own, which came with its own struggles. I was learning how to budget, keep on top of bills, and run a household. I was totally in the deep end. Of all the people I met, not one was in a similar position – they were all still able to live with their parents – and this was completely alienating. The cherry on the top of all of this was that I was a complete fish out of water, and honestly felt lost every time I walked out of my front door. Orienting myself in an entire city, and not just a small town like back home, seemed like an impossible task.

I’m sure if you’ve made it this far, you’re probably thinking, “Wow – what a negative sack of shit.” Relax, things did get better. I’m so glad I made the move and here’s why. First, the relationship with my parents has completely changed. I’m now able to lean on them and seriously appreciate their advice. Calling them my friends would definitely still be a stretch; they love to come and visit and lecture me on the state of my room! Secondly, I’m so proud of myself. I’ve come a long way and the feeling of independence is really gratifying. Sure – there have been heaps of mis-

takes along the way (yes, I accidentally left my oven on for a whole day and could’ve burnt down my house, twice) but I’ve learnt from these mistakes. Third, because I’m now so far from my family, I value my friends so much more – they’ve become my replacement family and I am so grateful for their love and support. Finally, I’ve learnt so much about myself and learned that I really enjoy my own company. Seriously – we should all spend some time getting to know ourselves better.

By now you’ve already heard 101 tips on how to get the most out of Uni, so I’m not going to start shoving any of that down your throats, but hopefully in sharing my experience I’ve either helped a fellow rural student feel less alone, or introduced a city slicker to a different perspective. Regardless, if at the moment you feel like the negatives are outweighing the positives, reach out, to friends, to family, to university staff, or to me. I’m always up for a chat!

WORDS BY Baie Perryman, Student Representative Council Rural Officer