Find your tribe at Western Sydney University with top tips
Welcome to Western! With newly commencing and returning students arriving on campus this week ready to kick off the new year, Western Sydney University offers a range of initiatives to connect with new friends and meet like-minded people to support you through your new university journey.
Bachelor of Nursing student and Western Sydney University Student Services Hub Officer, Aditi Mahajan says as an international student, meeting others in a similar situation was so important when first arriving in Australia to commence her studies.
“For me, programs like ‘MATES’ served as a platform for connecting with other international students, offering opportunities to learn about their different cultures and allowing us to explore Australia together. Western has a multicultural vibe which helped me to find my tribe,” said Aditi.
Aditi shares her top five tips and advice on finding your tribe at Western.
- WesternLIFE student clubs and events
Joining Western’s student clubs is like finding your niche in a large university community. From celebrating diversity fests, joining different events on and off campus, to exploring the many different special interest, sports and hobby clubs like Pole Dancing groups, the Environment Collective and so many more. WESTERNLife is the go-to for everything.
I've always been drawn to poetry, so I used WesternLIFE to discover clubs like ModernInk. Not only did it provide guidance for writing, but it also offered a competitive aspect with rewards. Through this club, I found like-minded individuals who shared a passion for expressing themselves through writing and exploring the realms of imagination.
Give WesternLIFE a try, there is a club and event for everyone!
- Free student breakfasts and community dinners
Engaging in Western’s community dinners initiative offers a delightful way to connect with fellow students. By volunteering to learn to cook and share meal recipes, you not only enjoy a sense of belonging but also create bonds with new friends over a delicious and nutritious meal.
During semester, community dinners are held once a week across six of the University’s campuses with over 300 students coming together across the University’s community each week to enjoy hearty soups, pizzas, and home cooking. For more information on dinner locations and times, visit the community dinners page and join the Inclusive Communities group.
All students can also enjoy a free breakfast at your campus at participating food outlets every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 8:30am to 10:30am during session. Check out the following participating outlets at your campus:
Parramatta South: Chartwells Bakehouse, Parramatta Boilerhouse, Oliver Brown, Piccolo Me
Parramatta City (1PSQ): Chambers Coffee, Piccolo Me
Kingswood: Piccolo Me, Three Cows
Hawkesbury: Chartwells L2 Cafe, Piccolo Me
Campbelltown: Jamaica Blue
Bankstown City: Chartwells Coffee Shop, Oliver Brown
Liverpool City: Academia Cafe
Nirimba: Chartwells C21 Cafe
Learn more about free student breakfasts by logging into WESTERNLife Events with your student details.
- Peer Mentoring Programs
Be a part of Western’s peer mentoring programs like MATES, Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) or the English Conversation Groups (ECG). Whether you're a fresh high school graduate or coming abroad to study, these programs provide an opportunity to explore and acquire the skills you need to adapt into university life, fostering social connections with peers in the same year and meet mentors with immense university experience.
MATES is a peer mentoring program for commencing and first year students to connect with other new students and share experiences. You can also join a mentoring group, with sessions taking place face to face on campus or online via Zoom. You can join the MATES community and connect with others via their Facebook page or their WesternLIFE groups to get to know new people in similar situations to yourself.
Now is the perfect time to join a peer mentoring program as the Autum Semester kicks off. Registrations for the MATES and ECG programs are now open.
- Sport at Western – Home of the Western Sydney University Ducks
Western Sydney University Sport delivers high quality sporting opportunities and experiences that promote general health and well-being whilst creating a sense of belonging and community. Being involved in sport whilst studying at Western is an amazing way to develop lifelong friendships and grow as a person.
Western offers representative and inter-varsity sporting teams and is a participating member of UniSport Australia who provide student athletes with opportunities to represent their university throughout the year. UniSport Nationals is the flagship event where students can represent Western in over 20 sports, against other educational institutions from all over Australia. It’s like the Olympics for Australian universities.
There is also a range of social sport teams you can join - social community sport is more about having fun than winning, there is always a friendly competitive vibe!
Embrace a healthy lifestyle by joining Western’s sports clubs like kendo, boxing, tennis and many more. These student sports clubs not only keep you healthy but also introduces a network of individuals who share your interest in staying active. If you don't see your sport represented, you can always make your own club and add to the growing list of clubs.
You can also join the Western Sydney University Health and Fitness Centres, managed by the Y. The gyms are located at the Kingswood and Hawkesbury campuses.
- Out and About program – student trips and excursions
University life is more than just lectures and textbooks – it's about forging connections, building networks, and creating memories that last a lifetime.
The Student Events Team organise unforgettable experiences and trips for students including climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, abseiling through the Blue Mountains, conquering escape rooms and smash rooms, hiking and horse riding, axe throwing, and many more affordable and discounted adventures for all.
Western’s Out and About programs provide opportunities to connect, explore and make lasting memories through shared moments and forging bonds with friends that resonate long after graduation day.
Western also offers fun safety initiatives like Beach Safety Days to help international students stay safe in the water. The next Beach Safety Day is happening Friday 1 March at Bondi Beach.
ENDS
26 February 2024
Image Credit: Sally Tsoutas
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