Connect with your peers and teachers

HomeHow to thrive at the University of Sydney Navigate your university campus Navigate your enrolment, studies, and degree Find your way online Power up your learning Connect with your peers and teachers Find support when you need it Review of Module 2.

Get connected

Find your people

Aside from the friends you'll meet in your units of study, you'll have the chance to meet new people on campus or at university events:

How to contact your teacher

At university, the way you communicate with your tutor or lecturer may be quite different from how you have communicated with teachers in the past. Here is our guide to creating a strong and transparent relationship with your teacher.

Know who to ask (and who not to ask!)

Your unit of study coordinator is responsible for leading the teaching team, handling any questions from students, and the overall administration of the unit. They are supported by a range of tutors and other staff who teach in individual units of study.

• Contact your tutors if you have a question regarding absences from class, course content, or if you want to clarify information relating to assessments.
• Contact your unit of study coordinators when you have questions regarding your grades, applications for simple extensions or special consideration, course completion requirements, and other issues relating to the teaching of the course.
• Contact your Head of Department, Undergraduate Coordinators, or other academic staff if you have questions relating to events within the Department or School.

The first email

• When contacting your teacher for the first time, opt for a formal and respectful tone (e.g. don't start off by saying 'hey') and address them using their title (eg. Dear Dr Smith). Include your full name, student ID, and tutorial day and time somewhere in the email to help your teacher identify who you are. To help get you started, you can follow our email template or look up this how-to guide! Links to an external site.
• Unless they address themselves differently in the sign-off of their reply or specify in-person that they're more comfortable with a more casual address, use the exact name and title of the person you are emailing with their chosen title (e.g. Dr).
• Make sure you use your university email. A tutor or lecturer may not reply to a personal email address.

Be a proactive communicator

• Visit your tutor or lecturer in office hours or zoom drop-ins to discuss any problems you have with the unit of study (UoS).
• If you're struggling, make sure to reach out - your teacher may be able to help resolve problems before University support services can.
• If your unit of study uses Canvas discussion boards, and your question is relevant to other students, posting on a discussion board will increase your chance of getting a quick response.
• If you are feeling confident in your major, attend a postgraduate network or conference to reach out to academics in your field.

Try it out for yourself

In the activity below, you'll encounter two social scenarios where you will be given three options for how to respond. One of the options is correct, so choose carefully!

Scenario 1. Collaborating with others in group work  

In the first class of the semester, your teacher divides the class into groups of four for a group assessment. What strategies do you use to forge connections with the other group members and succeed in the task?

1. Create and update a personalised timeline for each group member's contribution until the task is completed.

While it is important to establish certain ground rules for group work, try to avoid over-instructing your fellow group members.

2. Request that the group meet at a common space like a pub in order to get to know one another.

While it is important to connect with your fellow group members, remember that completing the task is your priority. Try to meet somewhere on campus (or online) to make it accessible for all.

3. Assign sections of the task to complete on a shared Google doc. Once these are done, take the time to read through each other's section to look for ways to improve the project.

Great idea! Reading over your other group members work will really help your group to succeed. It is also useful to take the time to meet in-person and online in order to connect with your fellow group members.

Scenario 2. Contacting your teacher: the first email

You've missed the first tutorial of the semester due to unforeseen circumstances and were unable to sign up for an in-class presentation slot later that term. You need to email your tutor to inquire which weeks are still available for you to present. What email should you send for a first-contact with your teacher, Dr Elizabeth Green?

1. Dear Liz,
I missed out on the sign up for the in-class exercise. Do I let you know which week I'd like to present or is it for you to assign?
Kind Regards,
Timothy Smith
SID: 123456789
Tuesday 2-3pm tutorial

While it's great you've included your tutorial time, remember to adopt a respectful tone and include the full title of the person you are writing to (e.g. Dr).

2. Dear Dr. Elizabeth Green,
I'm sorry, I missed the first tutorial and was therefore unable to sign up for the in-class exercise. Is it up to me to choose the week I'd like to present or are there limited weeks remaining?
Kind Regards,
Timothy Smith

It's great that you've adopted a respectful tone, but remember to include your full details (SID + tutorial time and date) to give your teacher a sense of who they're talking to.

3. Dear Dr. Elizabeth Green,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Timothy and I'm in your Tuesday 2-3pm tutorial for INTR1000. Unfortunately, I missed the first tutorial and could not choose a week to complete the in-class exercise. What weekly options are remaining for me to present on?
Kind Regards,
Timothy Smith
SID: 123456789

Great work, you've identified yourself, the class you take, and the time of your tutorial, as well as addressed your teacher in a respectful tone and included their full title. Well done!

Want to get more involved? 

• Review your Faculty/School website for events to attend like symposiums or open mic nights.
• Watch the 'Keep and grow your friends list' Links to an external site. episode of the Reinventing the Gap Year series to hear university students' experiences finding friends at university. 
• If you are in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, read through the FASS Student Affairs and Engagement Canvas site! 
• If you have Unikey access, sign up for a peer program like  Peer Facilitated Programs with the Learning Hub, Peer Support Advisors with Student Life, Peer Mentoring Programs in your Faculty, or Peer Learning Advisors in the Library.
• With UniKey access, complete the Student Life at University module on the Getting Started Canvas site.
• Take up opportunities to meet other University students online.

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