Panatda Wannawong (Class of 2019)
BSc in Biomedical Science at the University of Adelaide
Hi Panatda! Can you share with us your experience of life at university so far?
Entering a university in a new country with a new atmosphere, and by yourself is very challenging. I have been at the University of Adelaide for a month now and have had lots of new experiences and learnings during this short space of time.
During orientation week, I made lots of new friends from different countries, all taking different courses and degrees. I participated in many activities provided during student orientation week, such as treasure hunts and trips to different places within Adelaide. This allowed me to meet more people and new friends and adapt to my new home town of Adelaide.
The first week of my course was mostly lectures, and it was my first time having lectures in a huge theatre with over 350 students. It’s now my third week and things are changing. I believe that it’s changing in most countries around the world due to COVID-19. I have started online learning for lectures and workshops, and now the university is looking at implementing practicals online.
During the first semester, the university planned to arrange many cultural events. I’m taking the opportunity to get involved in one of these events (namely, Thailand night), as a Cultural Ambassador. Unfortunately, this event has been postponed until further notice, however, I look forward to working with the Language and Cultural Engagement team after the COVID-19 situation is over.
What’s the University of Adelaide like?
As a full-time first-year student, it’s recommended you complete up to 48 hours a week of study, which includes 24 hours course work plus 6-10 hours a week per subject of outside study. There is a lot of pre-learning and questions required before every workshop and practical. Most of the resources are now online, with the professors posting new resources every day. Thus, my schedule is busy and I am trying to finish all scheduled work a few days before the deadline to keep up with the workload.
How did GIS prepare you for university life?
I gained plenty of valuable skills and opportunities from GIS. GIS helped me to develop communication and leadership skills as part of the Student Leadership programme in Year 10 – 11. This programme allowed me to work with different people in different year groups on various events and projects to help develop my leadership skills. This experience means I am more comfortable when exposed to new situations and I’m happy to volunteer to help organise and support activities in the university.
During my IGCSE and A-levels, the teachers were very kind and supportive during my tough times and they were always ready to answer my questions and explain them clearly. The classes were very interactive and the teachers always had a number of different teaching resources and approaches to help me and other students to understand each topic clearly, especially in sciences. I still have those resources with me at university, as a good foundation of sciences (especially Biology and Chemistry) in school will help me immensely during my first-year courses at university.
Memories about your time at GIS?
My journey in GIS from Year 8 to Year 13 will never be forgotten. I stepped into GIS with limited English and communication skills. I found it difficult to communicate fluently with teachers and friends, so there was a lot of misunderstanding initially. But friends and teachers were very supportive and never lost patience with me. I met many friends from different countries and my two Thai buddies still keep in touch even after we left GIS.
I really miss my time during Bronze and Silver International Awards (IA) trips, with a lot of sweat during the trekking and tons of fun during the cooking time. Being part of the Dragons Badminton team and playing in SEASAC for 4 years was a highlight for me. The team members and coaches were incredible, they were not only coaches but also friends and like family.
I have fond memories of GIS, and the experiences and lessons learned at GIS have better prepared me for my time at university and beyond.