Today I had my first day of class at the University of Melbourne. I had two lectures today in International Gender Politics and Global Movements: Protest and the Planet.
Well, campus is enormous and despite Ash and I finding my class the day before I was lost. I finally found the Architecture building and I was missing Huron at this point. A) I am not used to massive lecture halls and I've never had a TA before either B) I'm not used to having classes all over a massive campus of 44,000! Anyway I found my first class and it was really good. Something that's sweet here is that the profs put all of your readings into a massive and I mean MASSIVE coursepack which cost between 25-50 bucks but they don't make you buy textbooks! Well atleast none of my classes have yet! It's phenomenal! BUT heavy. Anyway my entire grade is compiled of two 2000 word essays worth 50% and 50%. So it's definitely fewer marks into your final grade but it means you have to rock them. My other class has a presentation, a test and final paper worth 50%. So seems like they love the papers here at UMel.
Also people dress so nicely here. The typical dress code for girls is tights, flats or leather boots, baggy sweaters and massive scarves. Or nice jeans, I have yet to see sweatpants on a boy or a girl. Plus the guys here love the skinny jeans. Everyone, like jocks, artsy guys everyone rocks the skinny's. I was so frustrated today, it's so weird to think of myself as the exchange student but I am and people look at me like I am retarded when I ask questions. The bookstore was so efficient but crazy today. They had guards at the door and you had to leave your purse in a cubby and just take your wallet and find your books/coursepacks and line up to pay. It was nuts. I was really flustered today and thoroughly missed Huron though when people were seeing each other on campus and reuniting and such and I was like there is no way I will know someone on campus today haha. I am a first year all over again.
There's a bakery like 5 minutes from my house and it had a sign that said it wanted applicants. I was so brave and gave my resume today - never done that before. They said they wanted food industry experience but I told them although I was lacking in that sphere that I had lots of customer service experience! haha, so doubt I'll get that, but since I have Mondays and Fridays off I thought it'd be cool to work somewhere once a week to make some extra cash since I'm spending mine so quickly!!! Ash is taking me out to this Thai place we found on our street tonight to celebrate my first day of class. Gotta run!
xo
Sar
