OPEN DAYS TIPS FOR PARENTS

5 top tips to help parents prepare for Open Days 2022

Flinders Open Days are coming up fast - Friday the 12^th and Saturday the 13th of August. For the first time in a couple of years we’re expecting a campus filled with events, displays, fun, food, and heaps of prospective students just like yours. This is their chance to get a taste of what life at Flinders is really like, and your chance to get a better understanding of where your teenager may be studying.

What to expect at Open Days?

Whether you come on the Friday or Saturday, Flinders Bedford Park campus will be buzzing with activity. You can expect to move around a lot – checking out displays, attending information sessions and activities, asking questions, or just exploring the campus. Open Days are busy, and as a parent (just like a student), you might find yourself overwhelmed. So, here are our top tips to help you make the most of your experience.

5 top tips for Open Days 2022

1. Don’t ignore the importance of planning

By now, your child should have registered for our Open Days and looked through all the activities available. Make sure you‘re aware of the different presentation times, and give yourself plenty of time to move from session to session. There’s a lot to take in, and you don’t want to rush through it all.

Apart from information on all our study areas, you’ll also find info on:

careers and study areas
course options
study pathways
how to apply
student life
student support.

If you can, sit down with your teenager before you come to Open Days and run through the programme so you’re both comfortable with what you’ve planned to do.

Planning how to get to Flinders is also important. Fortunately, the campus has multiple carparks spaced across the area, and parking is free on both Friday and Saturday. Flinders is also accessible via bus, and the new Flinders Station is a short, 22-minute train ride from the CBD. Just enough time to run through your plans for the day.

2. Look for the Open Days guides.

Bedford Park is a beautiful campus. It’s also big. Really big. Fortunately, we have stacks of staff and student ambassadors on hand to help point you in the right directions. You can spot them by their branded t-shirts, and probably by the slightly flustered looks on their faces (don’t worry, they’re actually having a great time). We also have campus maps on display, and a handy online map to guide you.

3. Hangry happens. Zambrero anyone?

There is so much to see at Flinders Open Days that you’ll be surprised at how fast the time flies. You’ll also be surprised how quickly your stomach will start rumbling. Fortunately, if you’ve brought your lunch, there are heaps of gorgeous spots to stop and relax for a moment while you recharge.

If you didn’t, we’ve got you covered. Bedford Park has plenty of food outlets on campus including Zambrero, Subway, Burger Theory at the Tavern, Toly Vietnamese, Mr Wuhu sushi, Bakmi Lim Noodle Project and Chico Tea Boba Project and more, so there are plenty of options to keep your teenager fuelled up focused on the important stuff. Because we all know… hangry happens.

4. Wear comfortable shoes

Seriously. Flinders Bedford Park is an awesome campus. We have hectares of landscaped grounds, our own lake and plenty of stunning paths to walk. Take the time to familiarise yourself with the campus and explore all the key areas. Take photos with the ducks. See if you can spot a koala. It means you’ll be giving the Fitbit a workout, so please dress for the weather and slip on your walking shoes.

5. Risk teenage frowns. Ask questions.

We know you may get a teenage eye roll when you ask questions, but this is a great opportunity to get answers. Flinders’ Open Days exist for a reason - to give you and your teen a taste of everything that Flinders has to offer. So, we strongly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity.

When it comes to Open Days, questions are a vital part of the equation. Before you arrive on campus, make sure they think carefully about what questions you both want to ask. And remember, talk to your teen as soon as you can after your Open Days visit. You’ll gain a good overview of their Open Days experience, and talking through the key takeaways will help your teen commit them to long-term memory.

If you miss something, or have further questions, Flinders Connect and Ask Flinders are always on hand to help out.

We are looking forward to an exciting 2 days on campus, and we hope you enjoy your Flinders Open Days experience. Our staff and student ambassadors are on hand to help you out, so please don’t hesitate to utilise them. Take your time, have fun and enjoy everything Flinders has to offer.

Find Your Fearless at Flinders Open Days

These are just some of the more than 200 sessions, activities and tours available at Flinders Open Days. Register now and use the online planner to plan your ideal open day experience!