Parents want the best for their children. When it comes to choosing a career, that can mean shepherding them into ‘safe’ study options.

Joanne and James O’Reilly, parents of seven kids, don’t believe that’s the answer and encouraged their children to follow their passions and talents.

They even took their own advice and came to Griffith University to study subjects aligned with their own interests — James a Bachelor of Photography, and Joanne a Bachelor of Secondary Education.

“Sometimes you want to lead your kids into something that is going to be financially secure, and you’re worried if they’re going to choose something other than that,” says Joanne.

“But most of our children have loved the arts, and they’ve studied that at university and have been quite successful.”

If you and your children aren’t sure what to study — or even if they are sure — Griffith University’s Open Day on Sunday 11 August is the ideal opportunity for them to explore their options.

There are more than 200 information sessions, tours and activities across our Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank campuses. Aspiring students can talk to other students as well as lecturers and tutors about the degrees Griffith has on offer.

With so much to see at Open Day, it’s important to consider your priorities. James O’Reilly says, “My advice to parents is to sit down and talk to their kids about their talents and passions and then have a look at all the options that are available.”

Use the planner

Everything on offer at Griffith Open Day can be found on the online planner. To access the planner, you will need to register for Open Day. The planner includes all the activities and sessions across the three campuses. It will help you and your children make the most of your experience.

Use the planner to narrow down the study area or degree, and it will show you when the tours and talks are on. It allows you to select what you want to see and then receive all the important information about the timing and location of sessions and tours in a customised email.

There are even tours of the accommodation facilities if living on-campus is a preferred option. Also, by registering with us on the day, there is the chance to win a Microsoft Surface Pro table, Bose headphones and a Bose Bluetooth speaker.

On Griffith Open Day

Griffith Open Day runs from 9am to 2pm on Sunday 11 August with plenty of tours of our state-of-the-art labs, studios and facilities at Griffith’s Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank campuses.

Some of the many great displays and hands-on activities include:

– Take a drive on racing car simulator (Gold Coast)
– So you want to be a teacher? Visit the Bachelor of Education information sessions (Gold Coast, Nathan)
– Test your flying skills in our Flight Procedures lab (Nathan)
– See our new N79 engineering building using virtual reality (Nathan)
– Robotics and quadcopter demonstrations (Nathan and Gold Coast)
– Explore our Big Data Visualisation Lab (Gold Coast)
– Get up and personal with some Australian wildlife (Nathan and Gold Coast)
– Curious about law? Attend the What does it feel like to be a first year law student (Nathan, Gold Coast)
– Find out about fascinating sea creatures in the salt water touch tank (Gold Coast)
– Take a tour of our journalism labs and discover how to produce a television or radio news bulletin (Nathan and Gold Coast)
– Get a feel for what it would be like to tread the boards of the stage by touring the Drama Studio (Gold Coast)
– Tour the art studios and galleries at our South Bank campus
– Get involved in motion capture and stop-motion demonstrations
– Watch a Griffith Film School showcase
– There’s plenty more: Check out all of the tours and activities at Griffith Open Day using the online planner.

Rest and recharge

If your mind becomes a blur of options on the day, then you can always grab a coffee and some food to recharge before you head off for your next sortie. There are plenty of food and coffee outlets on each campus. At Nathan, the Year 12 Hub offers high-school students the opportunity to recharge with a free coffee.

Also, it’s open to the whole family, so you can bring younger children. There are displays and activities that will also be of interest to young people of all ages.

What to do after Open Day

More than 90% of prospective students who attend Griffith Open Day say it has an impact on their final decision on what to study at University.

Following your visit to Open Day, have a debrief with your child or children to unpack what you learned on the day and whether it helped them solidify their vision for their next step in life.

Choosing what to study at university is a big decision that will have a consequential impact on the rest of your child’s life. If they head into this challenge with purpose and commitment, they will achieve their goals.

There is a lot of pressure put on young people to make this decision, but don’t forget — once at university, it is possible to change degrees and courses, and Griffith University offers a range of support services to help students fulfil their potential.