BOND’S FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE2015

WELCOME‘ Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.’

~ Steve Jobs ~

Welcome to Bond! Congratulations on making the big leap to university; it won’t be something you’ll regret. To help ease you into a new chapter of your life, your Freshman

Council has compiled a bare-all guide to making the most of your new surroundings.

This guide covers everything you need to know as a new

Bondie; places to visit on the Coast, the type of people you’ll meet in O-Week, how to be a money-smart student, a

guide to living on-campus, plus more!

Your Freshman Council were once in the same position as you all are now so take our word when we say everything will be fine! Chances are the person sitting on the table

next to you at the Bra is just as nervous. You will find your feet.

So take a look through the 2015 Freshman Guide and enjoy what is sure to be a fun-filled O-Week. Feel free to intro-

duce yourself and have a chat with us if you see one of our friendly faces.

Lots of love,Freshman Council 2014/15

MEET THE TEAM

Kristen CENTORAMEFUN FACT: Terrified by clowns and shopping mall Santas

3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Intelligent, quick-witted, humble

AMELIA ESAUFUN FACT: Took a gap year in London and is back there again this semester (don’t worry, you’ll hear all about it when she returns)3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Systematic, pragmatic, dramatic

JACK RYANFUN FACT: Has owned 21 dogs

3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Trustworthy, conscientious, OCD

LARA SVEINSSONFUN FACT: Made her bigtime stage debut as a jar of vegemite in

her school play3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Awkward, adventurous,

aerodynamic

LILY WOODHOUSEFUN FACT: Her second toes is bigger than her first toe

3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Enthusiastic, creative, open-minded

Lorcan HigginsFUN FACT: Has a major soft spot for rom-coms (take note ladies)3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Inquiative, determined, flirtatious

Michaela ZadowFUN FACT: Cannot pronounce the word ‘squirrel’

3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Positive quotes everywhere

Penelope MeevesFUN FACT: Has dropped almost all of her electronic devices in

water yet fixed them all with her trust hairdryer3 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: Blonde, eccentric, dreamer

THE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN 0-WEEK

For all its merits as a platform for socially acceptable drunken mis-conduct, O Week is exhausting. An entire week of awkward intro-ductions, insincerity and self-doubt revolving around a constant pa-rade of structured socialising and free food. By the end of the week you’ve lost your voice, a shoe and most of your dignity at Tight and Bright. You’ve probably consumed enough sausages that even the bra food is looking comparatively appealing and met so many new people that your roommate catches you mumbling “what’s-yer-name-wherya-from-whatcha-studying… ” in your sleep. Allow me to navigate you through this motley parade to help you on your way...

The ‘you-don’t-seem-like-a-closet-neo-Nazi-so-you’ll-do’ FriendThese are crucial to the O-Week Formula. In the first few days you’ll need someone to help you carry fridges up the stairs, ac-company you to the bra and to safety pin your bed sheet back on after you get a bit too rowdy at Toga Party. Your friendship rides on a precise mathematical equation factoring in the prox-imity of your rooms and number of obscure mutual friends.

The Alcohol-Induced BFFL

You might not know their name, but a cask of Fruity Lexia later and you don’t even know your own name, so why sweat the small stuff?

The Big Man on Campus These characters will proclaim themselves King of the Blocks from day one and is subsequently under the impression that a) every-one who’s been here a year or two is already their best friend, b) everyone else wants to be, c) they can drink as much as the veterans, and d) their haircut makes them look like a badass.

The One that is Pretty Bloody Confident they’re Better than YouIdentifiable by their permanent odour of disinterested con-descension, they travel in packs to constantly assert the fact that they don’t need you - they have better friends anyway.

The Pancake Speed-Dater you have Absolutely Nothing in Common with

It took about 15 seconds and two references to their penchant for Nickelback movie musicals to realise that you weren’t go-ing to be best friends, but now you have to make uncomfortable small talk until the dictator with the stopwatch says ‘move on.’

The Chronic Over-SharerThey’ll tell you about their concerns for their genital health and their top 10 bridges in chronological order according to con-struction date. Whether you wanted to know is irrelevant.

The Guy you must have met at some Point but you can’t Remem-ber Where and Now he Knows your Name but you don’t know his

and it’s Awkward.Enough said.

The One who’s way too keenWhile the rest of us are still trying to figure out where Build-ing 6 is, they’re in the library doing the pre-readings for week 3 and reorganising their notes into alphabetical order.

The Corridor GhostThey are little more than a flash of gym gear in the doorframe or an off-key rendition of The Real Slim Shady under the shower door. No one is sure if they actually live on your floor or not, but you all share suspicions that they’re probably an Armenian spy.

Hopefully, after subjecting yourself to hour upon hour of this, you’ll chance upon someone with a mutual appreciation of cat videos/Mexican food/impersonating the Americans at inappropriate times and end up with an actual friend or two by the week’s end. These are the ones whose don’t mind lending you their meal card when you lose yours, who you can watch reruns of Suits with over Ben and Jerry’s when the O-Week FOMO kicks in, and who will prop you up on the stairs when you fall asleep in the doorway of A Block at 4am.

ESCAPE BONDWhere to go on the GC

Contrary to popular belief, the Gold Coast is more than just the glitter and glam of the Surfers Paradise sunset strip. You can de-stress after an exam with a day trip to Byron or you can duck down to the beach to get your natural tan-on be-fore toga party. Whatever you do, make sure you venture away from the library and go see what the Gold Coast has to offer!

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Burleigh Heads “Burls,” is definitely a place to be familiar with! Burleigh is a hav-en for boutique shopping, quirky coffee shops and funky restau-rants. It is an ideal location for a weekend hang, and prime spot for an Instagram pic that will guarantee you maximum likage.Organise an afternoon Sunday sesh on the headland with your newfound mates or romance your O-week crush with a picnic as you watch the sunset. Burleigh is easi-ly accessible by bus from Bond or a quick 15-minute drive.

Nobby’s Beach

Nobby’s consists of a smaller local row of shops and a quick walk to the beach. On a weekday, Nobby’s boasts a chilled vibe with coffee shops a-plenty. Come Sunday night when Nobby’s is bustling, with a number of bars and restaurants where you’ll be spoilt for choice. For a spectacular view of the coastline take a quick walk south from Nobby’s along the beach to the North Burleigh head-land. The beach track and North Burleigh Hill is a popular route for you athletic types so strap on the runners and get around it.

Snapper Rocks

Snapper Rocks boast a picturesque beach and headland, as one of Australia’s best surf locations. In March of each year, Goldy hosts the QuickSilver Pro, which sets up shop at Snapper Rocks. As the world’s best surfers descend on the wave-laden beaches of the Goldy, clubs and casinos overflow with an influx of surf stars while fans and media flock the beaches. The Quicky Pro is a definite highlight of the year. Snapper is a 30-minute drive (or a 4 hour walk if you’re into that), away from Bond. A little more coordinating is required for navigating there via public transport, but it is definitely achievable. A word of advice would be to befriend a local, or bribe a Bondie with food, to get you from A to B.

Currumbin Rock Pools

Get in touch with nature and find the secret swimming holes of the Currumbin Rock Pools. You won’t have much luck get-ting there via public transport but it is a scenic half hour drive! Walk through the rainforest and jump off the rock edges into the pools of clear water. This local treasure is one not to be missed.

Brisbane

Brisvegas hosts too many day and night activities to capture in a 100 word spiel. Catch the train from Robina station to Southbank in Bris-bane, book accommodation for the weekend, and immerse yourself in all the culture and activity Brisbane has to offer. Websites such a visitbrisbane.com will help you plan your weekend city getaway.

Byron Bay Get your hippy on and visit Australia’s one-stop-shop for all things beach and relaxation. The famous coastal town is a part hipster/part hippy enclave to many activities that will tick-le your fancies. With snorkeling, sky diving, shopping, hiking and swimming, Byron has all you need for an escape from cam-pus. Before you visit, make sure you check out if any of your fa-vourite bands will be playing, as world-class acts are known to fre-quent venues such as The Beach Hotel and The Great Northern.

TANTALISE YOUR TASTE BUDS

The Gold Coast is packed full of yummy mummy’s and boho teens and hence the food offerings directly correlate to this clientele.

Those of you fresh off the plane from your trendy Sydney or Mel-bourne suburbs will fit in nicely with the plethora of acai bowls and fair trade coffee on offer. The food and drinks are fabulous

and the people watching even better, so here are our top picks of Gold Coast cuisine!

BLACKBOARD COFFEEA Bondie institute and home of smashed avocado and the salted caramel cronut (croissant/doughnut for those of you from the

country or Tasmania). Blackboard has the best local coffee and the takeaway table makes it easy to grab granola or tartine on the go.

Bring your mum when she comes to visit you.

GROCER AND GRINDHome of the notorious French toast banana bread (see above). The food is super healthy yet delicious and always packed with locals. The veggie stack and protein shake are also worth a serious men-tion. Don’t go on a Saturday or Sunday morning unless you are

prepared to queue for a table.

PROVIDOREPerfect breakfast or lunch spot when shopping at Marina Mirage. Providore also has a well-stocked deli with fresh fruit and veg,

breads and take away meals. It’s pricey but worth it. Make sure you visit when the Marina Mirage farmers markets are on to maximize

your shopping experience with clothes and food.

BSKTIs it pronounced biscuit or basket? It doesn’t matter because BSKT

is the healthiest and grooviest breakfast haunt to be spotted at. Whether you have just finished your ‘beginning of semester get fit at the beach’ run and pop in for a CocoWhip bowl and a soy skim chai latte with star anise topping or you bring a bunch of friends along for a birthday brunch, this is the place to go. Plus, BSKT is close to uni and the beach! It can be hard to get a table but try go-ing for dinner or if you are flexible, go for early morning yoga up-

stairs.

COMMUNE$10 will buy you the most amazing chicken salad you will ever put in your mouth. Furthermore, you can get it takeaway and bring it back to the library and make everyone jealous. Commune is a bit hippy, a bit groovy and has a lot of fantastic food and drinks. It’s cheap, cheerful and always packed. Sit outside and have breakfast after running up Burleigh Hill or grab a takeaway green smoothie.

HUGO’S BURGER LOUNGEBest burgers and shakes on the coast.

TABOONThis place is super close to uni and a bit of a hidden gem. Doesn’t look like much from the outside but inside the servings are huge and you get a lot of bang for your buck. The Bedouin salad is a

must try and if it’s all too much food for you its easy to get boxed up and take home for lunch the next day.

GUIDE TO ON-CAMPUS LIVIN’

Arriving on campus today means only one thing my fellow col-leagues; you are now a ‘Bondie’. With this tag comes the claim that you now belong to one of, if not, the most beautiful campuses in Australia. The majority of you receiving this guide today will be about to spend your first night here in the deep dark jungle that is either the ‘Blocks’, ‘Towers’ or the ‘AC’. Although you may be nervous, you need not fear, we are here. This article will pro-vide you with all the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’, ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts and every-thing in between which you need to know to survive on campus.

residences

THE BLOCKSAh, the Blocks. The Blocks are situated far from campus for a reason, my friends. It is social, and loud. For those of you who have moved interstate, this is the ideal place to make friends. I have lived in the Blocks for 3 semesters and love it. You will learn in O-week that this is where a lot of drinking will take place for countless uni parties. Your best friends will be the people you share a corridor with.

THE TOWERSNorth and South. The Towers are known for their privacy and lo-cation. In the towers you have a private ensuite and the rooms are more spacious. If your looking for peace and solitude for late study sessions, this is the place for you. South Tower is situat-ed next to Building 6 and the Bra. North Tower is directly next to Dons and is thus perfect for those Thursday Uni nights.

THE ACThe Accommodation Centre (a.k.a. ‘The American Centre’). Wheth-er you’re in a shared room or a single room in the AC, you are go-ing to have fun – especially with the volume of exchange students who take up residency here (thank you Americans).

dining

Living on campus involves a mandatory Dining Plan, which is $1,850 per semester to get you through your late night binges and over-ly ambitious albeit transient dietary goals. Just order your food, and hand over the Student ID card. That’s it – no awkward fid-dling for spare change required. Although this may seem like a ridiculously large amount of money, you will be lucky if it lasts you until the final day. So be cautious of overspending otherwise you may need to bump up your account near the end of semester.

Your first point of call is ‘the Brasserie’, which is a struggle to say while hungover, so you can shorten it to ‘the Bra’. Classier than a cafeteria, but not quite a restaurant, the Bra will provide you with your every need with expediency. The Bra is located under Building 6, next to South Tower, with a nice aspect of the Lake. Here you can get everything from smoothies, to salmon, to steaks, to Ben & Jerry’s, to burgers, to coffee, to pasta, etc. The Bra is your first point of call.

If all else fails head to ‘Bond Express’ or ‘BX’ located next to the Bra. It may look like heaven, but Bond Express may be the death of your bra card. BX is open until 10pm every night and is perfect if you’re craving 2-minute noodles at midnight. Essentially, the BX is a mini-su-permarket with everything that you’ll need whilst living on campus.

Last, but most definitely not least, is the famous ‘Uni Club’. Uni Club is Bond’s fine dining restaurant, where you will find 5-Star food and service. Located in Building 6, the Uni Club is a white ta-blecloth restaurant that overlooks Lake Orr. Make sure you visit the Uni club a couple of times each semester, whether it be for a cute date, you’re feeling classy or just getting a bit sick of the Bra menu.

study

Uni isn’t all fun and games. Unfortunately, a little bit of study is re-quired to get you through your degree. There are five places to study on campus, each of which is uniquely different to suit your needs.

The first is the MLC, a 24-hour technology library. The MLC contains Macs, Windows, TV’s, PlayStations, XBOX’s, and booths with little, dangly devices that absorb sound. The high-light is undoubtedly the pulsating benches, which match the colour of the fountain. ‘Why?’ you ask? Well, ‘why not?’

Within the MLC is the Global Links Room, a large private study room. With two huge TV’s and a massive conference table, the Glob-al Links is perfect for group assignments or group collaboration.

Second is the library, which doubles as a social hub during the day. If you hope to be productive, head upstairs to the silent section. This part of the library contains plenty of little private booths and is completely devoid of noise (kind of like an inanes asylum, minus the padded walls).

Next is the Law Library, where you will be so intimidated by fel-low scholars that you might actually get some work done.

Alternatively, head to the ‘Bat Labs’, knows as such because this is suited to the nocturnal type. The Bat Labs are tunnel systems that run underneath Bond, with countless empty classrooms and available computers to work all night long without distractions.

Finally you have your room. As you would all know you have a desk in your room. Studying in your room has its pros and cons. On one hand, you have easy access to your printer and textbooks. On the other hand, your bed will be within diving distance of your chair. The more boring study gets, the more attractive the bed looks, even if it is for a 5 minute lie down (which turns into a 3 hour deep sleep).

dons

Any true Bondie will periodically attend Dons every Thirsty Thurs-day. Dons is located in the Student Business Centre near the gym and will satisfy your all your alcoholic whims. Often a club, society or association will host a themed event, including drinks specials. (NOTE: Keep an eye out for your Freshman Council event in Week 1).

Every semester, the BSUA Social Director and her minions or-ganise a sponsor club, which includes VIP benefits includ-ing free entry. The best part is that the club organises for bus-es to take Bondies from Dons to Surfers at midnight. The worst part is trying to recall the evening the morning after.

Freshman Councillors Jack and Lorcan enjoying themselves at Deep House Safari 143

HEY MACKLEMORE, CAN WE GO

THRIFT SHOPPING

GUIDE TO BEING A MONEY-SMART

STUDENT

You don’t just learn about academia at university, you learn how to survive. On the path to independence, you must become as frugal as a your grandmother during the Great Depression and as conscien-tious with your pennies as a veteran with an oversensitive hip-pock-et. But first, we must away with some false assumptions about the nature of frugality. This is not an unattractive quality; nor is it an unclassy one – it is a smart life choice. There’s absolutely no need for you to fall into the cash-strapped, impoverished student stereotype.

Here are some of my personal tips to liv-ing prudently without a baked bean in sight...

1. Be a bowerbird. In case you haven’t noticed, most of the overpriced items in spiffing home décor magazines have been poached from the side of the road during your daily Council chuck-out. Plus, recycling is good for the planet. So next time you see an old set of wooden drawers on the curbside, grab it, sand it down and paint it ‘elephant tusk’ cream. It’ll look very French provincial next to your windowsill with some potted pansies.

2. Thrift shopping is your new saviour. Even Macklemore can at-test to that fact that thrifting is trendy. No-one else will be able to dress quite the same as you and a lot of those eclectic looking blouses were once priced very highly at metropolitan boutique stores. Trust me – I paid two dollars for a vintage Christian Dior handbag just the other week. All the magic happens at Vinnies.

3. Don’t be perturbed by the cost of uni textbooks. Hop straight on Facebook and peruse the ‘Bond Textbook Exchange’. Alterna-tively, head to the ‘The Book Depository’, a UK-based retailer which offers free shipping and far cheaper prices than the on-campus bookstore. Take heed of a word of caution: when selling, bear in mind that second-hand textbooks depreciate in value by about half. So don’t try to sell your textbook for the original price.

4. Water is free. That is all. Get it ice-cold at the Bra.

5. Hang around for Wednesday by the Water (free bbq lunch).

6. That is not monopoly money on your student card. That is real money. Which means that you need to pace your spending up at on-campus dining facilities. This means that you proba-bly shouldn’t be dining at Uni Club every second day, or shouting your entire extended family dinner when they come to visit you.

7. Beware of becoming a caffeine junkie. The cost of coffee really adds up. a. How to recognise if you are becoming a patron to the on-campus coffee cult: i. You are armed with a tireless pretension ii. Withdrawal symptoms appear 90 minutes since your last caffeine hit, including but not limited to: the shakes, an inexplicably short fuse, pancetta cravings. iii. Coffee tastes like water iv. You dream about Vittoria beans b. The solution: try to limit your daily intake to one. If this seems impossible, invest in an Aldi coffee pod machine. It’s pretty revolting but it does the job.

8. ALDI is the answer. Don’t be scared by all the twenty-lettered Swedish brands. This franchise is insanely underrated. I would per-sonally recommend the Cyprus holoumi, avocadoes, and chocolate.

9. Watch the $2 surcharge at the on-campus ANZ ATM.

10. Do not, and I repeat, do not, misplace your room key. It costs an arm and a leg to replace.

11. With your bank account balance well and truly in the black, it’s time to draw up a weekly budget. Don’t fall into the trap of spontaneous spending. When you have a costume party, don’t fork out $100 to look like Little-Bo-Peep. Need a new hobby? Take the free on-campus zumba class rather than purchasing a ukulele.

12. Alcohol is an expensive vice, especially when purchased at an up-market bar/any seedy albeit overpriced nightclub in Surfers. Plan your bar-crawls in advance. If you are anticipating a big night out, pre-drinking is probably a smart idea. Sorry, but I cannot rec-ommend casket wine on principle.

13. Beware of internet shopping. It’s just far too easy, with those tempting ‘Alannah Hill’ end of season sales. Take a step back from your computer screen, and ask yourself, “Do I need that ‘Fleur De Saison Bracelet’, is that ‘Revenge On the Boy Necklace’ really neces-sary? Unfortunately, I think you’ll find that the answer is usually a ‘no’. If you’re a fanatic, you may want to consider implementing a self-imposed 24-hour cooling-off period for any online impulse buys.

14. If you are living off-campus, it is worth reverting to your for-mer 12 year old self and bringing packed lunches to uni. Your wal-let will thank you at the end of the week. Also consider cooking all your meals from scratch. You may be no Nigella Lawson, but at least you’ll be one step closer to being a domestic god(dess). Don’t forget to buy in bulk and look for staple, non-perishable foods.

15. You’ve probably noticed by now that public transport on the GC is pretty useless. If you don’t have a car, it’s worth drawing up a carpooling plan with some friends, with rotational autonomy over the radio tuner.

By now your should be prepared to face monetary obstacles at ev-ery corner of campus. Go forth and live a frugal yet colourful life.

WHAT KIND OF FRESHER ARE

YOU?Tally how many (a), (b), or (c) answers describe you to find out

what kind of fresher you are.

It’s enrolment day and you don’t know anyone in the line. You: a) Plan your evening drinks with the guy you met on the walk here, have a cheeky flirt with Jean at the accommodation office and offer to help carry everyone’s suitcases up to the thir floor.

b) Wonder if social convention requires you to talk to people. You hope the girl in front of you attributes the nervous sweat on your forehead to the fact that you’re not accustomed to the Gold Coast heat. c) Strike up a conversation with the least intimidating person you can. You run out of things to say after about 30 seconds, but it’s a good little confidence boost.

Your ID card photo is: a) Dazzling, obviously, and a good conversation starter. b) A formality that’ll make sure you can get in early on all the extra readings. c) Just a bit awkward, really. Did my hair really look like that? Oh man.

At the pancake speed dating: a) People come to you; you never need to search out your 30-second date. You manage to pick up 3 phone numbers, some free Nutella and an invite to the Reserve for pres. You think this may be some form of national park.

b) You meet a kindred spirit or two among the plenty of awkward silences, but you worry that all this socialising might be distracting you from your study timetable. You didn’t account for this in your semesterly plan.

c) You’re not sure if turning up to pancake speed dating alone is socially acceptable. You go anyway (which turns out fine) and spend most of the time worrying that there’s jam on your chin. There really is jam on your chin. You make some friends bonding over a mutual love for Jack Johnson though, so today is a success.

Tight and bright knocked everyone’s wind out a little. You recover by: a) Heading to the beach to work on your tan with the new group of American friends you met last night. Nothing’s going to keep you away from a chance to be a part of things this week.

b) Curling up in your bed until 3pm, trying to figure out how it’s mathematically possible for you to have vomited in so many different places the night before.

c) Crawling your way into the room next door to debrief on your Thursday night decisions, and eventually realise you’re all in the same awkward boat before spending the morning eating biscuits and watching TV in bed.

Mostly A’s – Everyone’s Best MateYou’re the life of all the parties and know half the campus by name by 10am on Monday. Or, at least, you call everyone ‘MATE’ really loudly so they think you remember them. Sure, some might find your projected confidence alarming, but they probably don’t realise you’re as eager to find your little niche in the Bond bubble as they are.

Mostly B’s – The Study BuddyThere’s just so little time to prepare for exams! You’ve done the cam-pus tour, the library tour, the law library tour even though you’re doing IT, and the ‘how to write an academic essay’ session just for fun. You got conned into going to Tight and Bright and went way too early, but that’s okay, you weren’t to know.

Mostly C’s – The Nervous NewbieFor the first day or two you stay in your room putting motivation-al quotes on your walls until the FOMO kicks in enough for you to brave the bra by yourself. You’ve made a few tentative friends in the hallowed halls of the blocks now, especially after toga saw you get a little too friendly with a few classmates-to-be. You’re taking your time like we all do, but you’re getting there.

STAY UP TO DATE WITH YOUR FRESHMAN COUNCIL

AND ITS ACTIVITIES