My name is Rushi and I am a master's student at UNSW Business School. I came to Australia about six months ago; there's so much to explore and the people are so welcoming. 

1. Timetable & Schedule: "I think the three-term calendar is the fast-paced change I was looking for since it makes you finish your degree quicker than usual."

Before coming to Australia, like every other student, I did my own research and used various sources such as Facebook and Reddit to find out what UNSW’s timetable & schedule looked like. I was shocked as there were people complaining about the 3-Term Calendar because, at the time, it was what made UNSW stand out and unique.  

Whether you were a domestic or international student, it was something no one would have experienced. I wouldn't say it is good or bad but rather really intriguing, and I was excited to explore it. I had read a few comments that it was challenging and others who said it was good because you finish your degree faster. I fall under the latter. A lot of people I know had complained “Why does their degree last forever when it could be completed in a year?” “Why am I doing two years of the degree?” So for me, I think the three-term calendar is the fast-paced change I was looking for since it makes you finish your degree quicker than usual.

2. Exams & Assessments: "(The assessments) help you understand the content; you know where you stand and you know what you're doing."

From my previous studies, we usually had one assessment that was a case study. It was an end of the year report where you write down everything you had learnt and how you applied it – you only had one. This was completely different from UNSW, where you can get five different assessments within the Term - these continuous assessments were eye-opening for me. 

At UNSW, you complete an assessment almost once every two weeks. They help you understand the the content; you know where you stand and you know what you're doing. I found these regular assessments useful and never had the thought; “What am I studying?” or “Why am I doing this?”. 

3. Technology: "In the United States, we use a lot of Google classrooms, so I was really surprised that almost no one uses that here in Australia."

I graduated from my undergraduate degree in 2020, not long after COVID hit, so technology was just being introduced. By then, I was already accustomed to a lot of software. In the United States, we use a lot of Google classrooms, so I was really surprised that almost no one uses that here in Australia. 

When I came into UNSW, I noticed that we used the entire Microsoft Office Suite, including Microsoft Teams. Honestly, it was new to me. Adapting was easy, but at the same time it was completely different. At first, I asked myself; “Why am I using Teams? Why am I using PowerPoint?”, but then I realised it was part of the ecosystem Australia used, which UNSW had adapted to. So now, when I’m going for an interview, I am already comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.  

My Top 3 UNSW Apps: 

1. Moodle – “Please pay attention when you’re being introduced to Moodle!” 

2. Credly  - “You get these badges you could use. It’s super cool.” 

3. Microsoft Teams – “It’s so convenient… it makes everything easier.” 

4. Study, Work, Life Balance: "I took advantage of the range of underrated but useful UNSW services like Mental Health and Wellness and Career Accelerator."

I've been using Trello to keep on top of all the moving parts in my life. It has helped me organise my studies and work (for my clients as a Marketer & Dog Trainer), and now I even use it for my personal life. For study, I subconsciously use it and incorporate it into my personal calendar and everything now is scheduled. I even schedule self-break hours because sometimes your studies can be fast-paced, especially in the 3-term system.  

When I came to Australia, I had two weeks to settle down and I realised it was not enough for me. I’m an introvert so I was hit with anxiety multiple times a day, every day. To make sure I was on the right track, I took advantage of the range of underrated but useful UNSW services like Mental Health and Wellness and Career Accelerator. It helped me come overcome that huge transition. 

5. Postgraduate Coursework: "Only UNSW gave me the combination I wanted. It was the most flexible, so studying at UNSW was a no-brainer."

In my family, we have this running joke where we called a postgraduate degree a second chance degree. This is because all of us have this toxic habit of completing an undergraduate degree and realising that we actually didn’t like what we studied. But in my case, I wanted to study something that I had a passion in; animal behaviour and business. These two interests are close to my heart so I didn't wanted to give up on either of them.