Parent’s corner: Why Res is a great choice

At Deakin Res, we know that the parents and guardians of our current and prospective residents are invested not only in their initial decision to study and live away from home, but also their ongoing experiences once they arrive on-campus. We recently spoke to two of our current residents’ parents, Shelley and Cathryn, about why they and their children chose Deakin and their impressions of life on campus: 

Shelley is the mother of one of our residents, Chelsea, at our Geelong Waurn Ponds campus. She notes that with no prior experience of a university and having never visited one, the task of supporting Chelsea in her decision as to where to study was quite daunting. She notes however, that accommodation was a major part of the decision-making process.   

“It was important that living so far from home for the first time that you know your child feels safe and comfortable in their surroundings. We were in Melbourne for a theatre show and scheduled to return home via train when we found out it was Deakin’s Open Day.  We also returned to visit the campus later in the year and it was great to see with my own eyes what the campus and accommodation was going to be like and to help me feel comfortable with the decision.” 

Shelley notes that conversations Chelsea had with her Careers Advisor, content on the website and word of mouth were also helpful in making the decision. Whilst Chelsea’s first year only featured a six week stay due to the impact of COVID19, she returned this year, taking on the role a Residential Leader and “…loving every minute of meeting new friends and enjoying the many leadership and social experiences that University life has to offer.” 

Cathryn is the mother of two of our residents, Jasmine and Lachlan, both of whom live at our Burwood campus and who recently featured in a one of our blogs.  

Jasmine was a Residential Leader in 2020, which a

lso provided many opportunities to learn new skills and develop her leadership. Lachlan has enjoyed being able to join the local Emmaus St Leos Football Club (aka the Animals) which has excellent club facilities and a football oval situated right on campus, only a short walk from his room.”  

Cathryn also highlights that there are also practical advantages of on-campus accommodation, “…living so close to the University, with good transport options nearby, has meant there really isn’t a pressing need to buy a car, which saves a lot of money.”  

Cathryn is herself a graduate of Deakin University having completed a Master of Health Promotion in 2018. She notes that “…Deakin was well ahead of other Universities with its online study platform” and this helped make her decision about a preferred provider. “My graduation took place at Costa Hall at Deakin’s Waterfront Campus in Geelong.  It was wonderful to have all my family present to celebrate, including Jasmine and Lachlan. At this time I never anticipated that both would go on to study at Deakin as well. My husband is also a Deakin Alumni, with a background in Environmental Science, so we are definitely keeping Deakin in the family.” 

Both Shelley and Cathryn highlight that Deakin Res has proven to be a great choice.  

I’m amazed every week with what Chelsea is able to experience and how she is loving life living on campus. It has been great that she can continue to use her leadership skills and gain more experience by being a Res Leader and assisting others. I don’t think she has ever felt lonely or isolated and she has made some close friendships in such a short time.” 

Cathryn agrees. “We would definitely recommend Deakin Res to other parents considering this option. It was very easy and stress-free to arrange residential accommodation via Deakin Res. During Covid19 restrictions and lockdown in 2020, we were very fortunate that Deakin Res was flexible, and we didn’t pay any additional accommodation costs when our children returned home; unlike other University students or those with private rentals. 

You can find out more about Deakin Res as part of our upcoming webinar series.