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How Alice made ANU feel like home 1,000 kilometres away
Traffic was one of Alice Burns’ first surprises in Canberra. After growing up on a farm, the sound of cars through the night took some getting used to. The freedom to get ice cream without driving into town, however, was an adjustment she could happily make.
Alice grew up in a regional community where agriculture is embedded into everyday life. She loves where she comes from, but she also knew she wanted a tertiary education and a career helping marginalised Australians feel more comfortable understanding and engaging with science.
Now in her second year at The Australian National University (ANU) studying a Bachelor of Science with a major in science communication, Alice has found a field that gives that ambition direction. Taking up the opportunity meant moving around 1,000 kilometres from home and stepping into an unfamiliar world as a first-generation university student.
There was the cost of relocating, living away from family and another question waiting on the other side: would she find her place?
When your dream degree is across the country
Before Alice could even begin to picture classes, cafes and campus life, the numbers had to add up.
“As a regional student, I knew that scholarships were going to be integral to my university experience,” she says.
Alice used the ANU Early Offer application to put forward her degree preferences and apply for accommodation and scholarship consideration. She chose to be considered for every scholarship she was eligible for.
Then, early one morning before school, her plans suddenly became real.
“I opened my ANU offer at 7am and I read that I had been offered two scholarships,” Alice says. “I started crying, and then I told my mum and showed her the offer. We were both just crying in my room because we were so excited about the opportunities that were ahead for me.”
Alice received the Bright Horizons Scholarship and the George Alexander Foundation Scholarship. Bright Horizons supports high-achieving students who face adversity, while the George Alexander Foundation Scholarship supports young people moving from regional, rural and remote communities to study.
ANU offers a variety of scholarship opportunities such as these to students like Alice who are making the move from regional Australia. Depending on the scholarship, this support can help with expenses such as relocating, accommodation and everyday living costs.
For Alice, the two scholarships turned her dream degree into a tangible possibility that she could imagine for her life.
“Receiving those two scholarships let me move and start university without being stressed about the financial side of things,” she says.
Alice is active in the social and leadership extracurricular scene at ANU.
Your first friend at ANU could be one event away
On move-in day, Alice paused her unpacking to join a session about the First-Year Experience Program. This support service helps first-year students from underrepresented backgrounds, including those from regional, rural, and remote Australia, by providing resources and strategies to help them succeed. At the session, she met her first friend in Canberra and connected with other regional students from around Australia who felt just like she did.
The First-Year Experience Program helped Alice make more friends and feel confident meeting new people. It also helped her start to feel at home in Canberra and ANU.
From little things, big things grow
Alice made friends over time through her classes, student societies, her residence and programs that help new students adjust.
With Set4ANU Mentoring, Alice was paired with an older student who could answer her questions and help her feel more comfortable on campus. Her mentor showed the group around, pointing out the best cafes and study spots.
Soon, the ANU campus that once seemed unfamiliar started to feel full of familiar faces.
“A moment during my first year that I felt I really belonged to ANU was walking down University Avenue on my way to a tutorial,” she says. “I ran into and chatted with four different people that I had known from different society events and classes. I just felt like I was part of this big, wonderful, welcoming community.”
Sometimes, feeling at home was even simpler than that.
“I felt belonging when I was in my friend's room on the floor, eating pizza and watching La La Land with a bunch of girls that I'd only known for about three months, but it felt like we'd known each other for a lifetime.”
When it all comes full circle
As Alice settled in, online academic guides helped with her first essays, the library connected her with useful resources and student society study nights gave her a chance to learn alongside friends and older, more experienced students.
Now, Alice is a Set4ANU mentor herself. When her mentees need help, Alice is the first one to provide support, remembering how intimidating the same situations felt in her own first year at uni.
Alice has also welcomed students through her residence and helped organise O-Week. The student who once arrived from a regional area unsure of what to expect is now making that arrival easier for the next generation of students.
Alice has found a community at ANU.
You don’t have to face the move alone
Alice admits she may never get used to hearing the traffic in the middle of the night. But between Canberra’s convenience, the people she has met and the opportunities that brought her to ANU, life 1,000km away from home no longer feels so far away.
Her advice to other regional students considering the big move is simple.
“There are so many experiences waiting for you,” she says. “And you can always go back home.”
Scholarships can help make moving away financially possible, while first-year programs, mentoring and student communities mean you won’t be expected to work everything out on your own.
If you’re considering making the move, read about student life at ANU and search currently available scholarships that you may be eligible for.
