Everything I wish someone told me before moving to Australia

Summary of key takeaways for moving to Australia as an international student

Emotional reality check: the “lump in the throat” moment

• When you land in Australia, excitement may briefly overpower the emotional shock of being far from family (for example, long gaps before visiting home).
• In the planning stage, you imagine “blue skies and green trees,” but the real experience feels different once you’re actually there.
• The initial sadness settles as adrenaline/excitement/dopamine kick in and you start exploring and building your new routine.

First days in Australia: handle basics, then build “core memories”

Start by getting settled and doing small actions that reinforce your independence, such as:

• Getting a SIM card so you can contact home
• Getting a public transport card
• Opening a bank account
• Buying groceries and cooking your first meal (alone or with friends)

The takeaway: these small actions help “push” you to adapt mentally and emotionally.

Growth mindset: independence comes from managing discomfort

• You may feel out of place at first, but it improves with time and adjustment.
• The bigger goal is becoming a more confident, capable person through challenges like:
  • Studying
  • Isolation
  • Responsibilities

Building friendships and networking (especially if you’re not naturally outgoing)

• Be proactive about talking to people and building connections.
• A suggested strategy is to “lean into extroversion”:
  • Talk to more people than you think you need to
  • Trust your instincts (“good vibes”)
  • Ask questions to uncover opportunities (jobs, openings, and needs in companies/cafes/kitchens)
• Why it matters: people don’t know what you need until you ask.

Housing tip: don’t choose roommates/conditions lightly

• If possible, book temporary accommodation (the speaker used about a ~15-day Airbnb) to inspect:
  • The actual place
  • The “vibe” of potential roommates
  • Whether your lifestyle matches theirs (e.g., partying vs. quiet/study time)
• Wrong living setups can create mental fatigue in the early months.

Studying & scheduling in Australia

• Class frequency is often lighter than back home:
  • Typically 3–4 days/week, sometimes 2–3 days/week
• Use flexibility to build your life beyond classes:
  • Create your own timetable (compress more class days into 2–3 days to free up other days)
  • Use extra time for:
    • Upskilling / side courses
    • Part-time job search and working
    • Exploring the city/country
    • Cooking proper meals, gym, and exercise
    • Improving interpersonal skills
• Example shared: walking about 5 km while listening to podcasts to combine exercise + productivity.

Job searching: “Catch-22” workaround

• Australia often requires local experience, but you need a job to gain that experience.
• Suggested approach:
  • Apply in large volume (“numbers game”) while maintaining quality
  • Build connections inside university (be active, speak to seniors, volunteer)
• Speaker example:
  • Volunteered as a student mentor → later helped land a paid role similar to a Student Central Ambassador

Speak to professors and build relationships intentionally

• Introduce yourself after class topics you enjoyed.
• Ask about internships and references, and let professors recognize you by name/face over time.

Money management (and avoiding exploitation)

Key warnings and considerations:

• Wage caution:
  • The speaker references minimum wage and advises you not to be exploited, especially in cash-payment situations.
• Uber caution:
  • Treat Uber as not a long-term plan—on-the-books roles help you build professional references and confidence.
• Car caution:
  • Don’t evaluate a car only by purchase price; include ongoing costs like petrol, registration, and taxes.
• Post-study work visa fee increase:
  • The speaker notes the fee rose significantly (for example, from ~$2,300 to ~$4,600, then ~$5,700), and advises budgeting accordingly.

Budgeting method using your bank statements

• Once a week or once a month:
  • Review transactions in your banking app
  • Export monthly statements or transaction summaries
• Categorize spending (one suggestion: feed it into ChatGPT to create a dashboard).
• Identify where money is leaking (e.g., groceries/eating out waste if you’re not cooking enough).
• Lesson learned: waiting too long can mean you spend more than you realize.

Racism discussion (framing and personal experience)

• The speaker says they haven’t faced direct racism in their workplaces, but acknowledges it exists in all countries.
• “Red Ferrari effect” framing:
  • If you focus on a topic (e.g., racism), you notice it everywhere.
• Advice: integrate/assimilate where possible, respect the host country, and understand both sides of immigration dynamics.

Citizenship and identity

• The speaker reflects on becoming an Australian citizen while giving up Indian citizenship.
• Core message:
  • Australia provided the platform for independence and personal growth,
  • while the speaker still respects and loves India.

Notable locations, products, and people mentioned

Locations

• Melbourne
• Sydney
• Delhi (Delhi University)
• Australia (general)
• Deakin University (spelled as “Deacon University” in the subtitles)

Travel/arrival reference

• November 2018 arrival in Melbourne

Products/brands

• Vodafone (mentioned among utilities)
• Commonwealth Bank
• SIM cards
• Uber
• Airbnb
• ChatGPT (for budgeting/dashboards)

Job roles/examples

• Student Central Ambassador
• Volunteer mentor
• Amazon warehouse
• Restaurant shifts (front/back of house, dishwashing, grocery runs)

Speaker identity/background

• Mentions having an Australian passport
• Studies in the IT / business analytics area
• “Botany Honours from Gargi College” appears in the subtitles