How Open Day helped Anastasia find the right university 

Federation University was not originally at the top of Anastasia’s list. 

Like many Year 12 students, she was more familiar with Melbourne’s larger universities. She knew she wanted to study psychology, but deciding where to study it was another question. 

“I was in Year 12, just having a look around,” Anastasia says. “I really wanted to do psychology. It was more like, ‘Okay, where should I do it?’” 

Around two months before Open Day, her school careers counsellor suggested she take a closer look at Federation University. 

“My careers counsellor strongly suggested Federation because I would get the same qualification whether I went here or to another university, which was very important to me. The beauty of Federation Uni was that it was really close to school and only 10 to 15 minutes from my house.” 

Anastasia had grown up in the area and attended school near Berwick. Studying close to home sounded good, especially if it meant avoiding a long commute. But location was only part of the decision. 

She wanted to know what the course would be like, who would teach her and whether she would have opportunities to gain experience before graduating. 

There was only one way to find out. 

“I really wanted to go to Open Day, get a tour of the campus and see if it was the right fit for me.” 

Three years later, Anastasia is in the final semester of her Bachelor of Psychological Science. The campus she once visited as a curious Year 12 student has become the place where she has studied, completed a placement and found a community of familiar faces. 

Asking the questions that mattered to her 

Anastasia did not attend Open Day just to pick up course guides. She arrived with a plan. 

Her careers counsellor had encouraged her to ask about placement opportunities at every university she was considering. Anastasia wanted a chance to build practical skills and learn more about working in the field while completing her undergraduate degree. 

It turned out to be a question worth asking. Anastasia has since completed an unpaid placement as part of her studies, giving her the experience she hoped would be part of her degree. 

Your own Open Day questions might be completely different. You might want to know how many days you will be on campus, what classes feel like, whether you can balance study with a part-time job or what support is available when an assignment has you staring at a blank screen. 

Whatever you need to know to help you make the right decision for you. 

Discovering that a smaller uni could be a big positive 

When Anastasia arrived at Federation’s Berwick Campus with her family, one of the first things she noticed was its size. 

Berwick is a smaller campus, and Anastasia quickly realised that suited the way she preferred to learn. 

“From the moment I walked in, that smaller environment was actually very positive because that’s how I personally learn best, rather than in rooms and lectures with hundreds of people.” 

Anastasia and her family made their way to the psychology booth, where she spoke with academics about the Bachelor of Psychological Science. They talked her through the course structure, subjects and placement opportunities. 

Next came the psychology information session, where she learnt more about the degree and pathways to further study. 

“So I felt really informed, and I knew what I was going into,” she says. 

Online research had given Anastasia a useful starting point. Open Day gave her the chance to go further. 

“Even though everything is online and pretty easily accessible, actually talking to someone face to face is how I benefit most. I got the general information online, but going in, asking specific questions and getting those tailored answers was really beneficial for me.” 

One of the academics she met that day would later become her placement supervisor. They still have a photo together from Open Day, a snapshot from before either of them knew their paths would cross again. 

The answer that earned a round of applause 

A moment in the psychology information session also gave Anastasia an early taste of what it might feel like to participate in class. 

“Justin, who is now the course coordinator, asked if anyone knew the definition of psychology. I was able to give a perfect answer, and he got everyone to clap for me. That’s something I definitely haven’t forgotten.” 

It was a small, light-hearted interaction, but it helped turn a room full of new people into somewhere Anastasia felt comfortable speaking up. 

After the session, she walked around the campus and began to picture the everyday moments that might come next: arriving for class, finding her way around and learning from the people she had just met. 

“I could definitely see myself studying here, just from the vibe I got from the campus. I could tell they were very big on including everyone, regardless of their background. I’d been to other university Open Days, and Federation was the only one where I really felt like I belonged.” 

That feeling could not have been found in a course guide. It came from being there and noticing how the campus made her feel. 

From “maybe” to knowing where she wanted to study 

Before Open Day, Federation had only recently joined Anastasia’s list of options. By the time she left, the uncertainty had shifted. 

“Going to the campus and meeting the people who were actually going to be teaching me was something you just can’t get from looking online. Meeting everyone and having a look around for yourself is the best way to figure out, ‘Is this the right university for me?’ That’s what happened with me.” 

Choosing Berwick also meant she could study close to home instead of adding a long trip to every university day. But it was the combination of location, people, course information and campus atmosphere that made the decision feel right. 

“After Open Day, it was definitely that set-in-stone decision for me. I really wanted to go there, and I wanted to work hard in Year 12 so I could get into my dream course.” 

Open Day did not remove every unknown about starting university. It gave Anastasia something more useful: a clear next step and a reason to feel excited about it. 

Starting university without going in blind 

The move from Year 12 to university was still a change, but Anastasia did not arrive on her first day wondering what the campus looked like or who might be teaching her. 

Now in her third year, Anastasia says the impression she formed at Open Day has matched her experience as a student. 

“Being able to see the academics in person, I got an amazing vibe of, ‘Okay, I know I’m going to be able to learn from these people.’ I knew I would be able to learn really well from them, and because of that, I’ve been able to do really well in my studies.” 

Finding support and familiar faces 

One thing Anastasia did not fully understand before starting was just how much student support was available. 

“I knew Federation was very big on support, especially being a smaller university, but there are just so many support systems in place for everyone.” 

Learning Skills Advisers can help students improve their study skills, understand assignments, develop their writing or work out where to begin when they feel stuck. Students can also access free and confidential counselling, accessibility support and independent Student Advocacy. 

“If I had known about those support systems beforehand, it would have strengthened my desire to go there even more because I would have known I’d be supported.” 

The welcoming environment Anastasia noticed at Open Day has also become part of her everyday campus experience. Through lectures and her work as a student ambassador and peer learning mentor, she has met people from courses across Federation. 

“With the smaller campus, I see people every time I go there. Whenever I walk around, there’s always a friendly face, which is really nice.” 

Go for the information, stay for the experience 

Anastasia’s advice for Open Day is to make the most of everything while you are there. 

“Take advantage of everything on offer. If your course has an information session, attend it. Visit the booth for the course you want to do, enjoy the food, the games and entertainment.” 

Most importantly, give yourself the chance to discover how the university feels in person. 

“You can do all your research online, but actually being there in person is how you’re best going to know if it’s the right fit for you. It can be your dream course, but you want to make sure it’s the right university for you.” 

For Anastasia, Open Day turned a university she had almost overlooked into the place where she could see her future beginning. 

Her three words for the experience say it best: “Insightful, unforgettable and a must.”