Hundreds of new students will get their first taste of university life when Orientation Week kicks off at USC’s Caboolture campus on Monday 18 February.

Formal celebrations will begin at 9.30am with a Welcome to Country by the Gubbi Gubbi Dance Troupe, an official address by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Tim Wess, and a large group photo of new students.

Orientation will then feature information workshops and fun activities for students to meet classmates, learn some helpful study skills, and prepare for the start of Semester 1 on Monday 25 February.

Other key events will be a special orientation for new and continuing international students on Tuesday afternoon and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander welcome event on Thursday morning.

Professor Wess said he was looking forward to meeting the 350 first-year students, whose arrival will lift the student population at USC Caboolture to almost 800.

“Orientation is a great way for our new students to learn more about university life, meet their classmates and academics, and familiarise themselves with the campus,” he said.

“I’d encourage all students to attend the academic skills workshops to learn more about time and task management, note-taking, assignment analysis and research, and get their studies off to the right start.

“A focus also will be on familiarising students with the free wellbeing services they can access at USC, including counselling, study support and practical help with accommodation, finance and budgeting needs.”

USC Caboolture is easily accessible via public transport, and a free shuttle bus service operates between the campus and the Caboolture train station during semester.

Information about studying at USC Caboolture, including study programs in Nursing Science, Education, Business and Creative Industries, is available at www.usc.edu.au/caboolture

Meanwhile, construction of USC’s Moreton Bay campus at Petrie is progressing well, with the facility due to open in early 2020 with as many as 1,200 students.