Hi my name is Jaeger Richmond I am currently studying at Wollongong University started in 2008 and expecting to leave in 2011. Born in Cronulla, I have always wanted to have a career in business, in some sort of creative role such as advertising. I started my tertiary study at Sydney University and have tried two degrees before my current degree. My first degree was a Bachelor of Arts, which I found too broad and did not wish to complete. My second degree was a bachelor of Agricultural Economics; this degree had subjects that I enjoyed and a lot that I didn’t and I found the good was outweighed by the bad, hence my discontinuation of the degree. After trying the first two degrees I though I better think long and hard before commencing another degree.
After looking into many options I found myself at Wollongong University starting a double degree of Media Communications and Commerce. I was drawn to this degree as it offered a number of different paths including a marketing advertising major that could be complimented with a digital communication major. Looking around at the current market and seeing the evolution of advertising and the way in which it was being conducted within the digital realms I decided this was the degree and university for me.
The experience at Wollongong University has been great, quite different to the experience I had at Sydney University. I have found that the subjects are balanced in the theory and practical which enables a skill set to be developed for future employment opportunities. Whilst at Sydney I found the teaching methodology quite laborious in an overflow of theory and not much practical knowledge.
The best parts of Wollongong Uni life definitely revolve around the bar, Thursday beers at lunch are a great catch up time with friends, lifts home after beers are even better. With the good there must be some bad, such as missed trains or 7:30pm trains that get me home for 9:30 and full carparks. The ugly can only be one thing the loss of a loved one from the uni bar, the infamous local Five Islands Brewery hero, Long Board beer.
I hope to further develop my knowledge and a increase my range of skills. I also hope to broaden my network for further business opportunities. Although these desires are all a part of my main objective, to increase my probability of acquiring wealth through education.
August 19, 2008
August 10, 2008
CHAI - LIFE AT UOW
My name is Chanchai CHAISUKKOSOL, or just calls me Chai. I'm from Bangkok, Thailand. I graduated Bachelor and Master Degree in Computer Engineering, both with thesis about quadruped and biped robot’s artificial intelligent programming. Then, I shift my focus to some social things and intend to broaden Thai people and academic community to concern more on social dimension of science and technology, in which western academic world called “Science and Technology Studies (STS)”. After finishing master degree, I have been a research assistant in sociology for four years. Another one of my major research interests is Violence and Peace Studies as it’s the most crucial point, in my view, of social issues. And therefore, now I’m doing PhD in Political Science, also in Bangkok, with dissertation topic that link together both of my interested on “internet technology and nonviolent political struggle in Thailand”.
Jin & Me at the field research in Thailand.
As I try to link between technology studies and nonviolence studies, but most of the academic work that close to me are about technology and violence. I found only one academic work, written by Brian Martin entitled “Technology for Nonviolent Struggle” which is very relevant to my interest. My dissertation topic mentioned above is also imitated from his. That’s a first step that I know UOW. Then, luckily, I got scholarship for my PhD study that encourages the grantee to have academic experience in abroad for three to six months. Then I chose UOW to carry further on my PhD research with Brian Martin. That’s why I come here at UOW. But it’s just one and a half month after I got married with Jin, my wife. So, alone in the cold weather here, I miss her a lot.
My everyday walking path to UOW
I found that UOW campus is very nice place for me. I also stay in Kooloobong at Mt. Keira foothill, which make me more appreciated. When I look out of my window or come out of my accommodation walking to my office, there’s a lot of green tree, clean & fresh (but cool) air, clear & blue sky and cloud. I feel like living in the park all day!!
My new bike at Wollongong North Beach
My mandate here is to write an English article to publish in international journal as my scholarship request. Other is to learn Australian academic environment by having a look at library, talking to lecturers and students here, and attending to some classes. That’s why I got to DIGC101 class. Other additional thing is to know more about Australian people and Australia (esp. its natural environment: coast, rock, desert, snow etc. as I have done some mini-cycling to Wollongong North Beach three weeks after arriving here.
MICAEL - LIFE AT UOW
By way of introduction I am a self described “old fart mature age Uni student”, born and bred no more than a kilometre from where the university now stands. In fact, when I was just a little blighter my friends and myself would go “rabbiting” on “Chinnock’s farm” which is now UOW.
I first attended UOW in 1973, the year after completing my HSC at Wollongiong High. Too young is my excuse for failing miserably at that attempt. Upon reflection, I had just turned eighteen and really should have taken a year or two away from scholarship.
In my previous life I worked for wages for many years as a plant operator. I’ve dug holes all over Wollongong. I was thus employed when the Hope Theatre was built. I distinctly remember having lunch sitting in the partially built lecture theatre on the south western corner of the stage of the Hope Theatre and telling my boss; “You never know, I might be sitting in here one day attending lectures”.
Wonder of wonders, here I am attending lectures in the Hope Theatre.
Retrenched at Xmas in 2004 from my tiresome excavating employment I tried to work for other companies. No probs getting the work, it just wasn’t the same, the fire had gone out. Off to Centrelink to see the JET adviser who suggested a TAFE course. In July 05 I enrolled in the Diploma course at Wollongong TAFE and eighteen months later emerged with a Diploma in Comm. & Media and a bonus forty eight UOW credit points. I came to Uni on the say so of my mentors from TAFE. I only knew earthmoving up to this time and the prospect of Uni was daunting to say the least. I applied anyway and was accepted in BCM, on the second round. Being divorced and single with my son now 18 and old enough to take care of himself financially I decided to let fate take its course and enrolled at UOW in 2007.
I can only describe my experience ay UOW as one of expansion. The work load was huge compared to TAFE and the learning curve was ditto. The enjoyment I get from my epistemological advancement is priceless.
Normally being the oldest student in the room does not faze me. It is great to be in a discussion about issues/subjects that are “ancient history” to the majority of students and being able to draw on the knowledge that I actually lived through it, especially since the rise of neo-liberalism and globalisation.
I try to share some of my experience in tutes, possibly with mixed reactions from fellow students. I understand the natural interaction of the culturally re-inforced tensions existing between “young dudes/ old fart” which I deal with easily by not shoving my opinion down their young throats, instead speaking only from my previous experience explaining that I am not qualified to sit in judgement of them, nor to offer advice.This outlook has enabled me to have some very lively discussions with the younger students here. I’ve got great respect for them and when I show it to them, I get it back.
From digging holes to “Digg”ing on line. My hopes and dreams? My future lies I know not where. Opportunities are presented in one’s life, all you need to do is keep a weather eye out and recognise them. When I see an opportunity presented, I take it. For myself, the only thing that makes me fail is fear. I try to kick the fear out and when I am successful in kicking that fear out I achieve so much more. If I fail I have solace in that I did my best without being “scared”. I do not predict my future. I stay in today and try to enjoy the journey, not the destination.
Having got that of my chest, I would like to bee a part of developing relationships between local students and those from overseas. It sticks out like dog’s the segregation between locals and “others” and I intensely dislike the obvious invisible boundaries on campus.
As from earlier, speaking only from my own experience, each session I have tried to make friends with overseas students, to actually live the “cultural myth" of Australians being open, warm and friendly people. How do I achieve this? By turning the ‘us/them’ dichotomy upside down and seeking similarities instead of differences.
By the time I finish I hope to be able to have rid myself of the continually re-inforced false western philosophy of "others", replacing it with “us” and seeing a campus where students actively engage in critical analytical thought through epistemological endeavour as well as sharing in the great knowledge available in FtF communication with overseas students. I see only the first half of that occurring at my University at this point in time.
I first attended UOW in 1973, the year after completing my HSC at Wollongiong High. Too young is my excuse for failing miserably at that attempt. Upon reflection, I had just turned eighteen and really should have taken a year or two away from scholarship.
In my previous life I worked for wages for many years as a plant operator. I’ve dug holes all over Wollongong. I was thus employed when the Hope Theatre was built. I distinctly remember having lunch sitting in the partially built lecture theatre on the south western corner of the stage of the Hope Theatre and telling my boss; “You never know, I might be sitting in here one day attending lectures”.
Wonder of wonders, here I am attending lectures in the Hope Theatre.
Retrenched at Xmas in 2004 from my tiresome excavating employment I tried to work for other companies. No probs getting the work, it just wasn’t the same, the fire had gone out. Off to Centrelink to see the JET adviser who suggested a TAFE course. In July 05 I enrolled in the Diploma course at Wollongong TAFE and eighteen months later emerged with a Diploma in Comm. & Media and a bonus forty eight UOW credit points. I came to Uni on the say so of my mentors from TAFE. I only knew earthmoving up to this time and the prospect of Uni was daunting to say the least. I applied anyway and was accepted in BCM, on the second round. Being divorced and single with my son now 18 and old enough to take care of himself financially I decided to let fate take its course and enrolled at UOW in 2007.
I can only describe my experience ay UOW as one of expansion. The work load was huge compared to TAFE and the learning curve was ditto. The enjoyment I get from my epistemological advancement is priceless.
Normally being the oldest student in the room does not faze me. It is great to be in a discussion about issues/subjects that are “ancient history” to the majority of students and being able to draw on the knowledge that I actually lived through it, especially since the rise of neo-liberalism and globalisation.
I try to share some of my experience in tutes, possibly with mixed reactions from fellow students. I understand the natural interaction of the culturally re-inforced tensions existing between “young dudes/ old fart” which I deal with easily by not shoving my opinion down their young throats, instead speaking only from my previous experience explaining that I am not qualified to sit in judgement of them, nor to offer advice.This outlook has enabled me to have some very lively discussions with the younger students here. I’ve got great respect for them and when I show it to them, I get it back.
From digging holes to “Digg”ing on line. My hopes and dreams? My future lies I know not where. Opportunities are presented in one’s life, all you need to do is keep a weather eye out and recognise them. When I see an opportunity presented, I take it. For myself, the only thing that makes me fail is fear. I try to kick the fear out and when I am successful in kicking that fear out I achieve so much more. If I fail I have solace in that I did my best without being “scared”. I do not predict my future. I stay in today and try to enjoy the journey, not the destination.
Having got that of my chest, I would like to bee a part of developing relationships between local students and those from overseas. It sticks out like dog’s the segregation between locals and “others” and I intensely dislike the obvious invisible boundaries on campus.
As from earlier, speaking only from my own experience, each session I have tried to make friends with overseas students, to actually live the “cultural myth" of Australians being open, warm and friendly people. How do I achieve this? By turning the ‘us/them’ dichotomy upside down and seeking similarities instead of differences.
By the time I finish I hope to be able to have rid myself of the continually re-inforced false western philosophy of "others", replacing it with “us” and seeing a campus where students actively engage in critical analytical thought through epistemological endeavour as well as sharing in the great knowledge available in FtF communication with overseas students. I see only the first half of that occurring at my University at this point in time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)