Student Bloggers

It’s crazy to think that we are nearly halfway through the semester when it felt like I just arrived in Aotearoa just last week. The two-week break is heading into the final week, and I thought writing about classes and homework would be a good idea as I had not touched on that subject in depth in other entries. Amongst the many cultural shocks I have experienced while studying abroad, a few fall into the category of courses and terminology that I thought were important to know about when conversing with other students and understanding some of the lingo around campus.  

For starters, courses are called papers and papers are referred to as essays only. In other words, the terms essay and paper as a written assignment are not synonymous. As an English-based major, it is incredibly easy to say that you need to write papers for your class, but in this case, it would be essays for your papers, which sounds quite odd. I have learned to start calling anything for class an assignment to simplify matters. Additionally, the way people describe their focus of study is quite distinct. Unlike the American system that begins in high school and repeats in college/university, New Zealanders do not label those grades freshman to senior. They use the number system, as a junior would be a third year. Students introduce themselves with their year (1-3) and their specific degree study. In contrast, Americans would say they are a freshman to a senior majoring in (subject). 

Moving onto the courses/papers themselves, before I arrived, I assumed by studying at a massive university such as this one, with around 36,000 students, the lectures would be significantly larger as they don’t boast small course sizes like liberal arts schools. The actual class is split into two sections: the lecture and the tutorial. I suppose that for anyone majoring in a STEM-related field they would have lectures and a lab. There are around sixty students in my largest combined lecture for Modern Writing and Critical Thinking. On the other hand, tutorials are where it gets a lot smaller, with the smallest having only five people. Lectures are broader and are recorded presentations, while tutorials give students the opportunity to ask questions, delve deeper into topics that interest them, and get to know your professor better. It is just like the small group setup of liberal arts colleges that boast having a small professor-to-student ratio.

Another thing I noticed while picking out supplies for classes is that the use of paper is a bit more popular than back home. Some lecturers request that you bring in a printed version of an essay or assignment. Other times, you must purchase physical texts. Textbooks themselves can be quite expensive, no matter where you study. Thus, many lecturers have provided materials online through Canvas for students to access. The only course that I have had to buy texts for was Early Texts and Modern Inventions. Given the exchange rate, three texts were required, which are not incredibly expensive. They are also quite thin, less than an inch each, which makes them a lot lighter and easier to carry around during the day.

In terms of workload, it is quite a bit lighter for non-STEM majors in general, especially here. Across the board, the assignment amount is less, and each counts more towards the course grade overall. Most of my classes have around four major assignments and a participation category. The largest category accounts for around 45%, whereas I have heard from others that they have one exam at the end of the semester that can count anywhere from 50% to their entire grade. Daily assignments as an English major include reading and oftentimes discussion questions. In that regard, it is by far not the hardest major to study for, but it definitely takes some time to understand some of the texts. The larger assignments are often quizzes, close readings, and sometimes creative writing pieces. I have had to write a screenplay for a silent film based on one of the stories we read in class. 

In terms of studying, it is a good idea to figure out if you like to study in a busy area like the library or cafe or in your own room. Oftentimes, I find it hard to focus and lock in on assignments when there is a lot of external noises. It is great to spend time studying with friends, but I often find myself getting distracted and we end up getting food instead of completing any of our tasks. To that end, figuring out times to focus on those assignments is key. I have also found it useful to split up the readings to be successful in class and not get too stressed about them. In all the syllabuses on Canvas, there will be a section on the schedule for lectures and tutorials, including the required reading for that week. 

Setting up your homework calendar and checking how many pages per assignment will permit a steadier way of going through the material. The texts for my course Early Texts and Modern Inventions review older Middle English works, which require more finesse when analyzing them for meaning as they are rich with layers and references. In summary, I recommend reviewing the material after the lecture, asking questions if you have them, and spreading the readings/assignments out. Hence, you have time to clarify any issues and reduce stress, as the number of things you need to do can shift from week to week.