We had a chat recently with Year 12 student, Bridget D, asking her what it was like attending a summer intensive at ACU Sydney over the Christmas break.
You attended the ACU Western Civilization program over the summer holidays. Tell us about what attracted you to the program.
I was attracted to the program because I had never heard of Western Civilisation, and it sounded like an interesting subject to check out.
Who led the program and where were some of the students from ?
Professors from ACU ran the seminars and some students who were currently studying the western civilisation course at ACU came along. Some of the students that participated in the program were from Sydney itself, but others came from Queensland and Victoria.
What content covered was memorable for you? What sorts of subjects were explored by the academics?
Some memorable content was about Shakespeare and his writing of a Midsummer Night’s Dream. The seminars about Plato and his book Phaedrus which talks about love and friendship. Some subjects that were explored by academics were things like love and how it physically affects people, different types of madness, and the struggle between being a lover or a friend.
Were there any good study tips that you gained by attending this program?
Yes, some good study tips that I gained were: take notes because it will save you time and brainpower when having conversations, so you don’t have to remember what was said before. Another tip was to read the books, not just once though. The first read should be to comprehend the book, and the second read should be where you start to analyse the content and pick it apart.
Would you recommend this program to other students? Why?
Yes, I would recommend this program to any students interested in philosophy, English, or history. It’s a great opportunity not just to see Sydney, but to also meet other kids who are interested in what you are as well and to gain an experience of what university classes are like.
