Remember Jacinda? See how she transitioned to studying online
At the start of Trimester 1, we interviewed new Deakin student Jacinda Dixon-Rielly. From watching her move into DeakinRes to seeing her get familiar with the campus at OWeek, for many it has been helpful to be part of her journey. Coming as no surprise, that she too had to transition to studying online, we asked her to share honestly about moving back home to continue online study.
How did you initially feel about moving back home?
Moving back home after briefly living on Res was hard. I felt like I was just starting to settle in and really get the hang of being totally independent. So suddenly going back home to all of my family (as much as I love them) was tough.

New Deakin student Jacinda back home after moving to Res.
What have been the positives of studying from home?
I’m saving so much money which is a massive bonus. It’s also been good being back home with all of my pets and thankfully in a double bed again.
Be honest, have you come up against any challenges?
In regards to study, I’ve been struggling with the transition to online classes. I really like face-to-face learning and miss the routine of my timetable, but it’s not terrible. I’m just thankful I didn’t have to defer my course.
Can you share your daily routine with us?
So far my daily routine has been pretty slack as I’ve been lacking the motivation to do much as there isn’t a whole lot to do. I’ve recently gotten better, starting my day with some exercise and making sure I try to stick to my school timetable as often as possible.
How has Deakin supported you?

Jacinda’s study space.
Deakin has been pretty good during this unprecedented time as everyone is adjusting to quarantine, including the staff. DeakinRes has been excellent in particular, refunding the parking and April’s rent, their constant updates have also made a confusing time slightly less difficult.
What are you looking forward to post COVID-19?
All in all, as difficult as moving back home has been, I am very excited to move back to Res whenever that door opens again, especially now that I already know people and know that I can easily slip back into routine there. I figure the less I see people now the sooner I can see them all hopefully in the near future.
Jacinda’s journey is not too dissimilar to other students who have been faced with the challenge of transitioning to studying online. If you are thinking about receiving some extra study support during this time, check out Deakin’s Study Support services.
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