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Every year, thousands of rural and regional students from around Australia make the daunting yet rewarding move away from home to start their studies, often getting a taste of life as an adult for the first time.

After moving 400+ kilometres from Wagga Wagga in 2022, ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ (UOW) student Lachlan Stephens now feels right at home in the Illawarra.

Choosing UOW ¾«¶«´«Ã½

The son of a farmer, Lachlan was born in Wagga and describes himself as a through-and-through country kid. With an older sister already moved out to go to uni, Lachlan always knew he’d end up moving away to study.

“I’ve always loved science,” he says. “Uni was sort of the logical progression after school, if I wanted to keep learning more about science and maths.”

Finishing high school in the middle of the pandemic, Lachlan couldn’t attend open days or see uni campuses before deciding where he was going to study.

“I had a couple of friends in the year above me who had already moved to ¾«¶«´«Ã½ and I had a rough idea of what it looked like based on photos they’d sent me,” he recalls. “They all said they loved it, and I took their word and trusted them.”

Despite scholarship offers from other universities, Lachlan chose UOW because it was closer to Sydney and home, while seeming to have more character and personality than other institutions in the city.

“My biggest concern was just wanting to know if I was making the right decision,” he says. “I rocked up, and it was beautiful. Particularly moving from a country town, it was nice to have so many trees and be surrounded by nature.”

Juggler's Lawn at UOW ¾«¶«´«Ã½. Credit: Michael Gray.

A lesson in independence for the whole family

At the start of 2022, Lachlan’s parents helped him make the move into student accommodation at Kooloobong Village, where he shared with his best friend from Wagga and two fellow regional students, all in their first year at UOW.

Lachlan says the hardest parts about the transition were getting out of bed without a dog jumping on him every morning, and learning how to live independently, especially as someone with a chronic illness.

“I’m diabetic,” he explains. “I had to make sure I had all the supplies I need to manage that, and I had to learn to do all the things that my parents used to do for me.”

For Lachlan’s parents, particularly his mum, there were similar concerns, but modern technology helped them get through it.

“My mum could keep an eye on my medical levels through her phone, and I think that was a big comfort to her to see that I was okay, along with my nearly daily calls at the start, asking about laundry and cooking. I’ve always been close to my parents and we still video call once or twice a week.”

Lachlan describes living on campus as the best decision he ever made, from the built-in supports of his roommates and neighbours, to the convenience of getting to class.

“Being a five-minute walk from lectures made everything so much easier while I was learning how to cook, wash, and manage my medical needs.”

Dinner in Kooloobong Village. Supplied by Lachlan Stephens.

Finding community by the coast

¾«¶«´«Ã½, affectionately dubbed “Wagga-Gong” by regional students, offered Lachlan a unique blend of country charm and coastal lifestyle. Along with the familiar faces that have also made the move from Wagga, he credits this for not feeling overly homesick.

“Everyone can find a vibe or a group of people within ¾«¶«´«Ã½ that you can click with,” he explains. “There’s enough people around that you can find people that share your interests.”

From country-themed bar nights to beachside walks, Lachlan found comfort in shared experiences.

“I still miss home and my dogs, it never really goes away, but it’s easy enough to go home a couple of times a semester, and now I get to live 300 metres from the beach.”

Exploring the Illawarra. Supplied by Lachlan Stephens.

Opportunities taken

Lachlan says he felt much more homesick when he went on student exchange in Canada, but the move to ¾«¶«´«Ã½ helped prepare him for the unexpected opportunity he otherwise might not have taken.

“It gave me the confidence to do it. I thought, I’ve moved away once, why can’t I do it again?”

The exchange gave him a new appreciation for Australia’s landmarks and a deeper understanding of his own resilience.

“In Australia, we have all these incredibly beautiful places that we kind of put off seeing because we think we don’t have the time and they’ll always be there,” he says. “In Canada, I had six months to see everything I wanted to see, in one of the coldest countries in winter. I had to go out and meet new people and try new things.

“It was an incredible experience. Not many people from Wagga can say they’ve lived through -40°C.”

Left: Lachlan on student exchange in Canada. Right: Bushrangers Bay, Shell Cove. Supplied by Lachlan Stephens.

Scholarships and support

Receiving the Rural Regional Agricultural Scholarship during his second semester helped Lachlan focus more on his studies and less on financial stress, with a payment each semester for four years.

“It helps with big expenses like getting my car serviced, without having to work extra shifts when I should be studying or having other uni experiences,” he says.

He has also been helped along his academic journey by his friends in the same degree, creating a collaborative and supportive learning environment.

Now is the time

To other regional students trying to decide where to go for uni, Lachlan praises UOW’s natural beauty, supportive community, and the shared passion students have for their campus. “I never hear friends from other universities speak as passionately about their uni as I think anyone from UOW does. It is so stunning. It’s never a chore to go to campus to study.”

Lachlan says it’s natural to have concerns about moving away, but now is the time to do it.

“It takes more effort than most people are willing to admit, moving away from something that’s known, but at some point, you’ve got to do it. You may as well do it when you’re 20 with others who are in the same boat, so you can learn together. There are so many supportive people at UOW and it’s easy to make friends.”

To parents, he offers reassurance: “¾«¶«´«Ã½ is beautiful and friendly. People understand that you’re still learning how to be an adult, and they’re generally willing to help.”

Getting ready to make your move? UOW provides a range of support services and scholarships to make the transition easier. Find your community in student accommodation and by joining one of the 100+ student-run .