I have a confession, I love uni. I’ve been going to UNSW Open Day since I was fourteen. It’s my favourite day of the year.

My parents took me along to various university open days as a family outing, and I got hooked. I discovered all the things a university could offer – so much more than a simple degree. I really like being prepared, so I went to as many as I could fit in, making it a family affair and having a great time.

In Year 12, I got serious. I needed to make decisions. Which university? What degree? Should I do a double or focus my efforts? What was the right combination? Should the degree trump the campus vibe? So many questions with so little time to decide. I was pretty sure what I wanted to do, but I needed to be certain.

My parents had studied at UNSW, but didn’t pressure me in any direction. The weird thing was, the moment I set foot on the campus I knew. It just felt right, you know? UNSW was ‘the one’.

I’d planned my day out beforehand, so I knew exactly where I needed to be to get the info I wanted. You have to be selfish. This is your day to find out what you want to know. It’s great travelling in with friends, but make sure you plan the day to get what you need.

Asking questions is the most important thing. You might want to find out about the degree and course options. Staff and current students in the Advisory Centre are a good starting point. While you’re there, also ask them about the course structure, what type of assessments are required and how many contact hours. The answers can vary dramatically between courses – it was a bit of a shock to me when I realised how many readings were involved in the courses I’d chosen. I also wanted to know about specific courses, so I went to a couple of the lectures. I knew I wanted to study marketing, but it wasn’t until I went to a lecture in the Business School that I realised how combining it with a commerce degree would open up more career opportunities.

But it’s not just the academic questions that make Open Day a must-go-to event. Ask personal questions too. It’s just as important to find out about student life, parties, how easy is it to make friends. You know, the stuff that isn’t on the website. The Student Ambassadors – walking around in yellow shirts – are a great source of information.  And if they don’t know, they’ll know someone who does. They are where you’ll be in a year or so, so make sure you ask them about their experiences. What courses are they enrolled in, what are they planning to do in the future, what are their career aspirations? They’re all eager to share their stories.

Remember, Open Day isn’t a typical uni day. So, it’s a good idea to visit the campus on a ‘normal’ day as well. Having said that, Open Day gives you the opportunity to ask all the questions, explore the campus and focus on you and your future.

So how did I make my decision? While UNSW had an exciting and fun vibe, it was my conversations with Student Ambassadors that swayed me. Everyone was friendly and helpful – which is what I wanted for my university experience.

Open Day is still my favourite day. Now I participate as a Student Ambassador, offering advice and a friendly face, just like all those people who helped me when I was trying to make my decisions.