Moving to Macquarie University and into student accommodation is exciting, and a little nerve-wracking. Whether you’re flying in from another country or moving out of home for the first time, the worries look surprisingly similar. What will it be like? Will I find my people? Did I pack the right things? We asked three RMC residents what surprised them, what they wish someone had told them, and what they packed but never needed. Here’s what they said.
Starting uni away from home: “It’s going to be okay”
Ask any of them what they’d tell their pre-arrival selves, and the answer is the same: relax.
Mykaela from the Philippines spent weeks researching everything she could about Macquarie and RMC. Now she’d tell herself something simpler.
“I would tell the person: it’s going to be okay. I would look forward to the fun and excitement of being in a new environment, and not stress.”
Vrattesh, who moved from India, had travelled to Europe and the US before and found the culture a long way from home, so he arrived nervous. His mum wondered whether he’d cope.
“I wish someone had just told me: relax, it’s nothing to be worried about.”
Two months in, he says Sydney feels “just like home.” He calls his mum regularly to tell her he made the right choice.
For Caleb, a local student, the worry was about starting somewhere new and wondering if he’d cope. “I wish I knew that within the first week or so, I was immediately pretty comfortable and pretty happy.”
Making friends at a college is easier than you think
All three were surprised by how quickly friendships formed.
Caleb’s advice for anyone arriving: “There’s 300 people here. At least one of them is going to want to be your friend.” He says to go to as many Welcome Week events as you can, show up to lunch and dinner, and get to know the older students too. They’re quick to come over and make freshers feel at home.
Vrattesh arrived planning to stick with other Indian students. Instead, he’s made friends from all over the world, from France and Norway to China. “These people brought me out of my comfort zone.” He says it’s made him far more open-minded.
College food: rice, curry and very good dessert
Before Mykaela left the Philippines, her relatives warned her that rice would be hard to find, so her last meals at home were rice-heavy. It turns out that RMC’s menu includes fried rice, adobo chicken and rice with stir-fries, alongside the usual Western options.
Vrattesh has found his favourite: curry and rice. “When I see curry on the menu, I’m like, okay, I’m in.”
Caleb loves the balance. There’s variety, but “not so varied that you’re stunned every single week.” He says dessert is always special, and that meals around the big round tables in the Dining Hall are “an incredible social occasion.”
What to pack for uni (and what to leave at home)
Almost everyone over-packed, and each of them had a different thing they could have left at home.
Mykaela brought three suitcases of clothes, worried everything in Australia would be expensive. Then she found Kmart, just across the road at Macquarie Centre.
“I was pleasantly surprised to find Kmart had really affordable, reasonably priced clothes that were trendy and perfect for my uni wardrobe.”
Vrattesh’s mum filled an entire suitcase with Indian food. Then they visited Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and the stores in Parramatta, and the suitcase went straight back home. His suits and coats went with it. “I learned the real meaning of semi-formal.”
Caleb brought a clothing rack and shelving but found he didn’t need them. “You’ll have enough space, definitely plenty of storage.”
Is there privacy in a residential college? More than you’d think
Caleb worried there wouldn’t be much privacy in a college. It was one of his best surprises. “My room very much feels like my space.” He loves his room but found he’d rather be out in the courtyard with friends anyway. “It’s really up to you how your day’s going. You can be social if you want to or go to your room if you need some quiet time.”
Vrattesh found the same balance. He says RMC is quiet when it counts, and when he needs support, he turns to the RAs (Residential Advisors), who are always ready to lend a hand or a listening ear.
Every student we spoke to arrived with a bit of worry, and every one of them found it faded quickly. Whether you’re coming from the Philippines, India or just across Sydney, most of what you’re stressing about sorts itself out.
So pack a little lighter, say yes to the Welcome Week events, and join a table at the Dining Hall. You’ll find your people.
Thinking about living at RMC? Take a look at our student accommodation on campus at Macquarie University and Apply Now!
