Viktoria Wieczorek
Autumn 2024 Study Abroad student from Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin, Germany
In January 2024, I escaped the cold German winter
and basked under Sydney's sun. After hours of searching
on Flatmates, I finally got a FaceTime call, and two
weeks later, I was able to move into a private flat share
just five minutes from Bondi Beach! My room was tiny
and cobbled together from thin walls, but that didn't
bother me. It soon became apparent that I would be
using it mainly for sleeping. With a beach on your
doorstep and a university with the best conditions for
studying and meeting friends, you don't need much
more than a bed.
And so began my daily life in Bondi. Every morning, I could choose to go for a run along the Coastal Walk to Bronte, jump in the pool or the
sea, do yoga on the beach or on the large green space, or go surfing. I could always borrow a board from my host if I wanted to. Luckily, my previous tenant had given me her wetsuit, which you don't need in summer but which protects you from the board. So ideal conditions! As well as the beach, there was of course the university. The walk there wasn't the shortest, but I quickly learned where I could save time. I found out that the 379 bus route to Bondi Junction is quicker than the well-known 333 route and the bus stop is even closer to my house. I also noticed that the T4 train I take to Central sometimes comes every 10 minutes and sometimes every 5 minutes. So it's worth checking the times. Once you arrive at Central, you save time by walking through the tunnel all the way to the back, thus avoiding the annoying queuing at traffic lights. This was ideal for me, as the tunnel ends at Building 6, the architecture and design building of my faculty.
In the beginning, I went to university less often,
but as the pressure increased towards the end
of the semester, I spent almost all my time in
the Reading Room. In my opinion, it's the best
place to concentrate without feeling closed in,
as you're surrounded by glass facades and an
open-concept library. Some of the other floors
offer space to chat, play games or relax on
beanbags. There are even lockers available to
rent for 24 hours, so I didn't have to carry all my
meal prep around with me all the time. As I
didn't live just around the corner from campus, I
always had a lot with me, so the lockers made
my day at university more enjoyable.
I also enjoyed sitting down in the cafés for a change. A little tip: Coffee Happy Hour at
Cornerstone Café, where you can get any coffee for $2 from 2-3pm.
Other offers that I gratefully accepted from the university were the Bluebird Pantry every
Wednesday from 12-2pm. There you could pick five food items for free with advance notice,
which always kept my stock of beans and veg well replenished! There are also Night Owl Meals every Tuesday and Thursday from 5pm, consisting of rice noodles with pho soup and lots of toppings. Just remember to bring your own crockery and cutlery. The portions are large and of restaurant standard - very tasty! So you could easily spend the day at university.
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