Life returns to uni campus

THIS week has been a busy one for university students in the region with the start of the first semester of the year.

Orientation week kicked off on Monday with students from Ballarat, across Victoria and further afield commencing at Australian Catholic University and Federation University.

After three years of COVID-19 impacted events, this year will see a return to normality with most classes face-to-face.

Chloe Tonkin from Mildura and Mikah Mahal from Melbourne are first year nursing and paramedicine students.

They said they chose ACU Ballarat due to its degree selection.

“I know ACU is a really good university, it’s got the number one graduate employment,” Ms Tonkin said.

“I’ve always wanted to be a paramedic since I was really young and I think going to study something that you love is very different to high school.”

ACU Ballarat is the only university in the state to offer double nursing and paramedicine degree.

Both students are living in accommodation at student residences known as Camillus, only three kilometres from campus. They said they like the feel of the university’s smaller environment.

“Everyone is so nice, it feels like a family already and it’s only been three days,” Mr Mahal said. “It makes uni that much better.”

A bit closer to town, Izzie Sterk is beginning a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Federation University’s SMB campus.

She moved to Ballarat in 2021 to escape Malaysia’s ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns and complete her final year of high school.

“I had my orientation yesterday and I’ve met the most wonderful, vibrant, exciting, outgoing people,” she said.

“I feel that I’m really going to be able to build a group of friends and a community.”

Ms Sterk said she is excited to become involved with the local arts scene and experiment with different mediums.

“I feel that I’ve really been able to find the people that I connect with,” she said.