Welcome to Western! Five tips to find your tribe and make meaningful connections on campus

Western Sydney University’s annual Welcome Week starts today with new and returning students arriving back on campus, ready to kick off the new year at university.

Western offers a range of initiatives to connect with new friends, meet like-minded people and find support systems to help you through your university journey.

From vibrant student clubs and sports teams to social trips, excursions, and community dinners – there are many opportunities at Western to make meaningful connections on campus.

• WesternLIFE student clubs and events
  Joining Western’s student clubs is like finding your niche in a large university community. Celebrate diversity fests, join various student events on and off campus, and explore over 100 special interest, sports, hobby, and cultural clubs. WESTERNLife has it all.
  
  From the Hawkesbury Social Sport club, the Livestock team, WestSydU Cheer team, and the Engineers Society, to the Table-Top Guild, the Creative Society, Alliance of Social Gamers, and Music club – there is something for everyone.
  
  You can also start your own club or society if your special interest is not currently listed. Get started by visiting the WesternLIFE website.

• Free student breakfasts, and community dinners
  Western Sydney University is helping students start the semester strong with its food security initiatives, ensuring students are well nourished and able to tackle their studies.
  
  Western’s Student Community and Food Security team work hard to provide initiatives including free student breakfasts, community dinners, and the re-opening of the Western Pantry at the Kingswood campus every Wednesday.
  
  COMMUNITY DINNERS
  Western’s community dinners initiative is a delightful way to meet new people on campus. Students come together to volunteer, learn to cook, and share meal recipes in a relaxing environment while making new connections over a delicious and nutritious meal. 
  
  Serving over 14,000 meals over the year, community dinners are held during semester across nine Western Sydney University campuses with hundreds of students coming together to enjoy hearty soups, pizzas, and home cooking.
  
  For more information on Western’s community dinners, locations and times, visit the Food Security Programs website, and register to attend by logging into WESTERNLife Events with your student details.
  
  FREE STUDENT BREAKFASTS
  All students can enjoy a free breakfast across multiple campuses during semester, delivered in collaboration with community partners and student clubs.
  
  The following campuses offer free student breakfasts:
  Bankstown City
  Campbelltown
  Hawkesbury
  Kingswood
  Liverpool
  Parramatta City (1PSQ)
  Parramatta South
  
  For more information, visit the Food Security Programs website. To register for free student breakfasts, log into WESTERNLife Events with your student details.

• Peer Mentoring Programs
  Be a part of Western’s peer mentoring programs like  Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), MATES, and English Conversation Groups (ECG).
  
  Western’s peer mentoring programs provide an opportunity to explore and develop the skills you need to transition into university life by fostering social connections with peers in the same year group and meeting mentors with years of university experience. 
  
  MATES is a peer mentoring program for commencing and first year students to connect with other new students and share their experiences. Students can join a mentoring group, with sessions taking place face to face on campus, or online via Zoom.
  
  Now is the perfect time to join a peer mentoring program as the Autum Semester begins. Registrations for the MATES and ECG programs are now open, and you can join these groups on the WesternLIFE clubs and programs page.

• 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 a great way to develop lifelong friendships while keeping active and having fun. 
  
  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 universities from all over Australia.
  
  There is also a range of social sport teams on offer with a friendly competitive vibe. The focus is more on having fun than winning and is perfect for beginners or those wanting to try something new.  
  
  Embrace a healthy lifestyle by joining Western’s sports clubs like kendo, boxing, tennis and many more to meet like people who share your interest as you keep active together. 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. These 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 trips, beach trips, 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 creating friendships that resonate long after graduation day.

ENDS

24 February 2025

Danielle Aiken, Media Officer

Photo: Sally Tsoutas