Andrew Qiu

"I opted for the University of Auckland because of its proximity to home, friends, and family – on top of having a conjoint option that suited me best. I also chose Arts, given my prior interests in the social sciences and design/communication fields and the prospect of being able to participate in a new (communication) degree! 

"I'm passionate about technology and computing and have a noticeable artistic and humanities side! So, I decided to combine my interests in two relatively distinct fields. A degree in Computer Science had been set for me for a few years, but what drew me to the new Bachelor of Communication degree was the range of possibilities in its courses, plus the widely-applicable nature of communications skills. 

"My conjoint degrees are quite complementary. There's definitely a wide range of topics – I can walk from a lecture on set theory in Computer Science to a tutorial discussing Māori protest movements in Communications – but there's also plenty of complementary knowledge too! 

"Taking a conjoint can be difficult – especially when we're doing five papers rather than the usual four. Still, I find that keeping a planned and organized to-do list and making the most of class resources (going to lectures and tutorials, asking questions, dropping into office hours) is helpful to stay on top of things.

"My favourite part is the diversity of what we learn and do. Arts has a lot of freedom in the courses we can choose, and every course has its own unique style and information. I can read about data sovereignty, listen to a podcast about indigenous storytelling, and then move into a tutorial about utilitarian ethics in just a few hours – it's a great way to ensure nothing gets boring. 

"You'll meet new people, talk to passionate lecturers, and learn amazing new things. It really feels like the people teaching the courses care about you and your success, which is awesome. Plus, you're bound to meet people from all interests, backgrounds, and walks of life in and out of class. It's super fun! 

"I want to work in a field that combines the best parts of technology and communication: web or app development, graphic design, or even content creation. 

"If you have the opportunity, stay in a first-year student hall! It's an excellent (arguably the best) way to make new friends and participate in activities, group study, and movies with like-minded peers in a similar situation to yourself. Halls are lots of fun and will give you lasting memories.

"University can be challenging. You'll experience lots of things and learn lots of lessons, and not all of them will be easy. One day, you'll become a better person on the other side of whatever you face and wonder why you were ever worried."