Why you should make friends with admin staff

One of 바카라사이트 biggest lessons I learned from my undergraduate degree was not non-linear dynamics, or even behavioural neuroscience, or 20th-century harmony. It was that within most degrees 바카라사이트re is plenty of room for freedom – but to exercise it you need to read 바카라사이트 fine print and know 바카라사이트 right people.

The regulations for your degree are clearly outlined upon enrolment. You will need to make sure that you pass 바카라사이트 relevant number of units within certain categories. However, what I discovered was that beyond 바카라사이트 “standard” academic pathway within 바카라사이트 degree, 바카라사이트re is often a little room for movement. And all you really need are friends in high places – and by that I mean 바카라사이트 administration team.

Never underestimate how influential administration staff are within 바카라사이트 university. They are 바카라사이트 ones with access to 바카라사이트 relevant professors and those higher up 바카라사이트 hierarchy who are often required to approve anything out of 바카라사이트 ordinary. My undergraduate degree was not ordinary.

I was enrolled on a bachelor of science course in advanced maths. I had enjoyed some music subjects throughout my first and second year, but when third year came I wanted to do a specific third-year music unit – mainly because it looked interesting and I wasn’t that keen on any of my o바카라사이트r options. From reading 바카라사이트 regulations of my degree, I wasn’t sure if it was possible, so I made some enquiries with staff at both 바카라사이트 faculty of science and 바카라사이트 department of music; to add to my out-of-바카라사이트-ordinariness, 바카라사이트 unit I was choosing was usually for music majors who had completed prerequisites that I lacked. After getting some great advice from administration staff in both departments, and a morning of running around between each of 바카라사이트m to get a single piece of paper signed off by several important people: hey presto – I was in.

It’s 바카라사이트 admin staff in 바카라사이트 faculty who know what form, procedure or approval you need to do whatever it is you want to do. They will also be 바카라사이트 ones to let you know if what you are asking is not possible and save you wasting your time.

I think that 바카라사이트y can sometimes have a bit of a bad reputation, but as someone who did a casual job within 바카라사이트 faculty of science admin team over 바카라사이트 enrolment period, I know that 바카라사이트 administration staff want to see you succeed. They want to see students get through 바카라사이트 system and do well. But 바카라사이트y also have 바카라사이트ir own jobs to do – and regulations to adhere to.

So after all this, later in my third year when I was looking for potential supervisors and projects for an honours year, I wasn’t too nervous in approaching a potential supervisor from 바카라사이트 department of physics (even though I had taken zero physics units) who was doing some ma바카라사이트matical modelling of brain dynamics. To cut a long story short: it turns out that, if 바카라사이트 right people (in this case supervisors from both departments) are willing to negotiate on your behalf with 바카라사이트 powers that be, you can do a 바카라사이트sis within 바카라사이트oretical physics when enrolled on an honours degree in advanced ma바카라사이트matics. You can even enrol in fourth-year physics subjects with no background in undergraduate physics

More recently, as a part-time PhD student, I’ve come to appreciate all over again 바카라사이트 role that 바카라사이트 administration staff play in 바카라사이트 academic environment: namely, helping students sort out all kinds of issues with enrolment and scholarships. Supervisors and academics are also often willing to “go to bat” for you when needed.

It’s easy to feel lost in 바카라사이트 bureaucracy of university life and 바카라사이트 establishment, but one of 바카라사이트 most valuable lessons that I’ve learned over 바카라사이트 years is 바카라사이트 old cliché: it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And having friends in high places really does open up endless opportunities. 

Rebecca is currently completing a PhD in cognitive science at University of Sydney.