Go deeper

Unlearn it by connecting with other Swinburne students

Now you’re well on your way to unlearning a lot of society’s less-than-ideal norms, you can put it all into practice and help make Swinburne a more inclusive and equal place for everyone. Get to know the perspectives and stories of some fellow Swinburne students and then get connected IRL. There are heaps of groups to join where you can meet like-minded individuals and share your journey of unlearning.

Of course, if you’re struggling with a situation related to anything covered in Unlearn It, there is so much support available. You’ll find all the info below. 

Student stories

Hearing others tell their stories is a great way to check in with some of the assumptions and stereotypes we might have and help us combat them. Check out this collection of personal stories and artworks from some fellow Swinburne students.  

Adele's painting, inspired by dinner with her family, evokes a feeling of inclusiveness for her.

This painting was my interpretation of a still life of a dinner I had with my family.

To me, this place means a lot. Swinburne has made me feel included as a person who struggles with anxiety and made me feel free to express my art any way I want. I normally felt as though people won’t accept me and I have been excluded in the past due to people not understanding how I felt. I never really wanted to talk to my family much about it. This also caused me to not create much art as I was not as inspired.

Since coming to Swinburne, I feel really accepted as the teachers don’t think of anxiety as weird and people understand what’s it’s like to have it. This inclusiveness made me feel happy and it caused me to be very motivated, allowed me to open up more and talk to new people. I started sitting at the table with my family to talk about more things that were going on, too, which inspired this art piece.

First Impressions

Being in a foreign land,
Often times come hand in hand,
With the need to put on a face,
To give ourselves a place.

First impressions make or break,
The conversations we partake,
The judgments passed on us,
Often times unjust.

Prejudice is often passed,
As it gives a stark contrast,
Between the huge divide,
Of you and I inside.

First impressions are vital,
To every single title,
No matter how we try to,
It’s hard to make a breakthrough.

In other words be kind,
You might even find,
Your partner in crime,
That will last you a lifetime.

Jessi's beehive painting shows how inclusivity is a puzzle that has yet to be completed.

This painting depicts a puzzle of a beehive hanging from a tree. The tree is plentiful in flowers and leaves, and the hive is surrounded by bees. All the bees are different, some have all wings, some have three wings, some have more wings. They all have different stripes and are all unique. No disabilities or any other traits are being discriminated against, but they are all coming in together into the same hive. The puzzle shows that not all pieces are yet put together, showing that everywhere, there are always ways of improvement and completion. A bee looks outside of the puzzle, seeing the different types of bees and longing to join. 

Swinburne has been very welcoming of all people and all abilities, and others look in and wish to join due to the inclusive nature of the university. However, like everything, inclusivity is not yet completed, but rather an ongoing positive growth.