Mallory Evans

After arriving in Victoria from WA not knowing a single soul, UC provided me with a safe place to call home and a group of people who could become my family. It eased the transition from living at home to living almost on my own immensely and removed a lot of the stress around taking the plunge.

It would have to be the people. There are so many lovely people at UC, from the students, to admin, to the kitchen and maintenance staff. Knowing that I’m surrounded by people who truly care and who are looking out for me has been wonderful.

Living at college has alleviated some of the general life pressures that can impact your studies, such as commuting to university and preparing meals. It’s also provided me with many opportunities to engage with other people and to socialise, which can have a really positive impact on your well-being and motivation, but which can often be difficult to do when you’re living alone, starting a new degree or moving to a different city. Graduate students are given a lot of freedom to achieve on their own at UC, but there’s always someone available for guidance or advice if necessary.

First and foremost, UC has provided me with the opportunity to belong to a caring community while I complete my studies. Beyond this though, UC has offered me the opportunity to get involved in sports and creative endeavours such as music and acting, while also facilitating personal and professional development by enabling me to meet new people – including alumni and visiting industry leaders – as well as students both within and external to the college. The college year is jam-packed with sports events, intercollegiate events, High Tables, seminars, common room hangouts, parties, carnivals, study sessions, performances and competitions, so I’m able to get involved whenever and wherever I like across a range of areas. The opportunities are endless!

I think it can absolutely be easy if that’s something that you want to do! I made a real effort to try and get to know just about everyone in college and have loved building friendships with many of the undergraduates. The graduate cohort is small but lovely, so there’s always someone to talk to who understands your situation, but the undergraduate community adds a fun alternative dimension to the college experience. On the whole, everyone at college is respectful and keen to embrace others, so graduate students can easily mix with undergraduates (and vice versa) if they so wish.

Family