I was very impressed by the great organization at Griffith: Regardless of whether it was a matter of informing the students competently and in good time or giving grades and feedback within a short period of time, everything worked great. The professional competence of the teachers was also great. The lecturers were always at your side, whether in person or by email. There were enough learning rooms on campus, in addition to the library with individual and group workstations, there were also so-called learning centers and a 24/7 study lounge.
Unlike what we know from Germany, there is no cafeteria on campus. But there is a large selection of snacks, restaurants and cafes. In terms of price, these do not differ from restaurants in the city. There are microwaves on campus that you can use to warm up food you have brought with you.
As mentioned at the beginning, you can find out about the course content and the composition of the examinations in advance. I had three courses, all of which were very time consuming. There were important levies every few weeks. Depending on the subject, these consisted of classic homework, some of which should also be completed in group work, or practical work (in the case of media subjects, these were, for example, graphics or prototypes). I can only advise you to organize your time sensibly and not to take care of deliveries at the last minute, because shortly before the deadlines it can get very stressful.
See computerminus for more information about Australia and Oceania.
Leisure
In addition to studying, there is a lot to do on the beautiful Gold Coast: The kilometer-long coast offers beautiful beaches (starting on Main Beach, via Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Miami, Burleigh Heads, Currumbin, to Coollangatta), but also numerous national parks, such as Springbrook and Tamborine are nearby. So just get together in small groups and explore the surrounding area by rental car! The cultural offer is also not to be despised with numerous film and music festivals, there are also many opportunities for shopping and a number of leisure and amusement parks. Brisbane can be reached quickly if you fancy some big city air. There are also beautiful corners further north, towards the Sunshine Coast and Noosa.
Travel
If you have the opportunity to travel during the semester or afterwards, you should definitely do so! Visiting Australia is incredibly impressive and varied. It can be an advantage to look for travel companions, as this is the best way to share the costs of accommodation, rental cars, campervan, etc. and of course the newly gained impressions. But solo travelers are also common in Australia.
By plane, rental car or campervan? Domestic flights are not expensive, for less than 100 euros you can fly across the country (flight prices to Alice Springs, however, exceed this considerably). There is also an airport on the Gold Coast that can be easily reached by public transport.
In order to explore the areas away from the big cities, it is advisable to rent a car. Incidentally, fuel is much cheaper than in Germany. There are also guided bus tours to some hotspots, but these are usually expensive, you are inflexible and you can’t get everywhere.
Adventure camping – the journey is the goal: If you have no problem with camping, then it is a good idea to explore parts of Australia by campervan! I traveled the east coast between Brisbane and Cairns in this way with a friend. You are flexible, save yourself the constant moving from accommodation to accommodation and also save money. That we did this in July, in the middle of the Australian winter, was not a problem in this part of Australia. In the south of Australia it is quite cold at this time.
Weather & clothing: As huge as Australia is, the temperature differences from place to place are just as huge. Depending on the season and planned destinations, a warm jacket may not be missing! (Assuming you get the idea to travel the beautiful south in winter, where the temperatures can be just above 0 in the early morning)
My personal highlights: Great Ocean Road (including Melbourne), Darwin and Litchfield National Park, the Whitsunday Islands, Fraser Island and Sydney.
Last but not least…
In retrospect, one usually only remembers the positive moments that definitely predominated during the entire stay abroad. Nevertheless, there are a few hurdles to overcome from time to time, the important thing is: There is always someone there who can help you. Be it the university on site, fellow students or MicroEDU. No matter how stressful it can be, enjoy this time to the full and don’t worry too much! You will notice how the lightheartedness and good mood of the Australians will rub off on you, according to the typical Australian motto – “No worries!”
