FYE End of Year Celebration
Breathe! It鈥檚 okay for not everything to go your way. Take everything as it comes
On Friday 8th November, gathered in the Physics Conference Centre with beautiful views of Lake Burley Griffin, students in the First Year Experience (FYE) program celebrated the end of a successful first year at the Australian National University.
The theme for the afternoon was 鈥楪low and Grow鈥, intended to represent the growth and pride members of the FYE group felt towards their completion of their first year. The celebration included many fun activities including trivia, signing memorabilia for each other and a showcase of fashion. Students won a collection of prizes and made use of a photobooth to remember each other and the FYE program.
A couple of students also bravely shared their experiences and reflections with everyone in attendance, encouraging their peers to persevere, as well as to look after their emotional and mental health. One student offered an impactful comment:
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you fail 100 times, if after the 101st time you succeed...鈥
Participants were invited to offer advice to next year鈥檚 FYE cohort, which included these helpful notes:
鈥淒on鈥檛 change yourself for others鈥.
鈥淏reathe! It鈥檚 okay for not everything to go your way. Take everything as it comes鈥.
Organised by Student Life, the afternoon provided students with the opportunity to celebrate their success and hard work. FYE students come from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in university, having to navigate unique challenges to access higher education at an elite institution. Many of these students have travelled to Canberra from regional, rural or remote areas, grapple with financial hardship or brave the unknown 鈥 being the first in their families to attend university. Others have had to navigate the cultural loads placed upon First Nations peoples, in addition to their studies.
One student reflected on the lessons learned during their studies so far, noting:
鈥淚t鈥檚 okay to ask for help.鈥
This event and the FYE program overall aims to ensure that these students know they are valued and seen by the 黑料天堂community, as they build a support network to draw upon throughout the rest of their journeys at the university. Throughout the program this year, members of the group have developed strong relationships that will support them throughout their academic journeys.
Are you an incoming student who is First Nations, from a regional, rural or remote area, experiencing financial hardship or the first in your family to attend university? The First Year Experience program has been developed by the 黑料天堂to support you in your first year of study, helping you to develop academic skills, strong support networks and settle into the 黑料天堂community.
Registrations are open for FYE 2025 and we鈥檇 love to have you! For more information, please visit the following link: /students/student-life/student-communities/first-year-experience-program.
