Getting your teen university ready

Starting university is an exciting adventure for your teen. But as the parent or guardian helping them stay on track, it’s natural to feel a little anxious. To reduce some of the burden and make preparations simpler and less stressful, we’ve put together a handy guide to help.

Health and wellbeing

Parents often have a range of concerns about their teen’s health when they head off to university. With all that freedom, some students can be tempted to skip sleep, exercise and proper nutrition.

If you have the time—and they’re open to it—try teaching your teen a few simple, filling and healthy meals they can make at home that won’t break the bank. Dishes like curries, stews, pasta and stir fries are all great candidates, as they’re straightforward and easily customisable to suit whatever ingredients your teen has on hand.

When it comes to staying active, Griffith offers all sorts of opportunities to keep fit and have fun. Depending on which campus your teen attends, they may have access to aquatic and tennis centres, gyms, athletics tracks and squash courts, so there’s something to suit every ability level and interest.

Finance

If your teen hasn’t already, it’s essential they learn some basic budgeting strategies, especially if they’re moving out of the family home. These include matching income against expenses, setting spending limits and making savings goals. There are always resources available to help, including through Moneysmart, an Australian Government initiative.

Depending on their circumstances, your teen may also be eligible for a scholarship to study at Griffith. We offer more than 600 scholarships to make tertiary education more accessible. Applying for them is free, and your teen can apply for multiple scholarships through just one form. Scholarships provide your teen with financial support, allowing them to focus more on their studies, as well as access to networking and mentoring opportunities.

Griffith also has a range of financial services, including emergency support, careers assistance and even a second-hand textbook exchange.

Technology

Technology now plays a larger part in education than ever before. For students who want to, it’s even possible to study entirely online, with on-demand lectures for maximum flexibility. This means your teen is likely to need a range of devices, including a laptop or desktop computer, headphones, webcam and microphone.

Fortunately, Griffith students can benefit from a range of special deals on software and hardware to make things more affordable. This includes discounts on devices and accessories from Dell, Apple and HP, as well as antivirus software from Norton.

Students can also enjoy free access to Office 365, as well as a range of other useful programs including EndNote and SAS.

Study skills

When it comes to the learning and assessment at university, there are a few major changes your teen will need to wrap their head around. Unlike at high school, their education will be much more self-directed, and they’ll need to take greater responsibility for meeting assessment deadlines and keeping up with course content.

They’ll also be expected to be much more rigorous with their research and referencing when writing assignments. This means they’ll need to become familiar with key academic skills, like searching library and journal databases for sources.

Our library website is packed with tips to help your teen get to grips with university study, including everything from time management and effective notetaking to researching, writing and referencing their assignments.

Transport

Unless your teen lives on campus or has chosen to study online, they’ll need to work out how they’re getting to and from university every day. There will likely be a range of options at their disposal, including car, bicycle, bus or tram, but it’s worth planning ahead so there’s no stress on their first day.

Information about how to get to all of Griffith’s campuses is available online, with detailed instructions for all modes of transport. If your teen is going to be driving their own car to Griffith, they’ll need to either pay for parking casually or purchase a permit.

Accommodation

For teens who’ll be staying at home during their university studies, there’s not a whole lot of change involved when it comes to accommodation. That said, there are still a few things to consider. The university workload can be hefty at times, even compared to end-of-school exams, so your teen may still require a dedicated study area, especially during exam period.

If your teen is moving out to study, there’s even more to consider. Alongside everything else they’ll need for university, including textbooks and technology, they may also have to get all sorts of in-home essentials, from cutlery and crockery to furniture and appliances. Some of this can be avoided by your teen moving into fully or partially furnished accommodation, but there will always be unforeseen costs to deal with.

To help make the transition out of home as smooth as possible, Griffith offers a range of accommodation services, including on- and off-campus options.