Australian’s have an ongoing in-joke…

And the whole point is to freak eager travellers out a little bit. We love to do it, and it’s an unspoken agreement between all Australian’s to just keep the joke going as long as possible. Everything from spiders that can jump ten metres to sharks that have poison venom, you’ll hear some stories created in jest for the sole purpose of freaking you out. But don’t worry, we’re here to set the record straight! Here are the top freaky stories you’ll hear that you can safely laugh at and ignore:

Wear knee-high boots to avoid getting bitten by snakes

You might have heard that Australia is home to the world’s most venomous snakes, this is true. And while you should always take your safety seriously, there is no need to wear protective gear everywhere you go! Snakes like the Brown snake or Red Belly Black don’t like built up areas and prefer to stay in the bush with tall grass. They are much happier there! You’re not about to find one slithering down the busy sidewalk of the city, so don’t stress.&nbsp;

Sure, Australia has some spiders with a venomous bite, but the most common house spiders are completely harmless. The most common household spiders are the Huntsman and the Daddy Long Legs – and they won’t harm you at all. Having said that, there are spiders you should be aware of, depending on where you live. The Funnel Web, the Redback and the White tail spider are just some to be aware of, but there are simple ways to avoid contact with them. If your shoes are left outside all night just shake them out before you put them on, and if you’re living near tall grass just make sure you don’t go running through it without shoes on! Simple stuff.

If you swim you will get attacked by a shark

Sharks live off the shores of beaches all over the world, but Australia has developed state-of-the-art shark attack prevention methods and many of our beaches are safe to swim in. If the presence of a shark is detected, lifeguarded beaches initiate effective methods to protect you, and they are very good at what they do! If you’re being smart and read the signs on beaches before you jump into the water you’ll have nothing to worry about&nbsp;

Wrong. Sure, there are dangerous animals you need to be aware of, but kids grow up in Australia learning about these creatures and most go through life never having an encounter with them. Don’t step into rock pools barefoot if you can’t see what’s under the rocks, exit the water if you see jellyfish and never swim outside the flags if you’re not confident in your ability to navigate rips.

Australia has the largest record of Melanoma cases in the world, so we take sun safety very seriously! That said, the sun most definitely won’t fry you to a crisp. Being sun smart is easy and if you do it right you’ve got nothing to worry about! Here are some tips from an Aussie-born beach lover:

You may have been warned about Drop Bears by the locals. These bears live high up in trees and commonly 'drop' out of the trees and can injure you if you are underneath them. The great news is this story is absolutely a myth! If you are new to Australia, it is a common joke to tell visitors or people new to Australia about drop bears to trick them, but they are actually completely made up! If someone tells you about drop bears, turn the joke back on them by pretending you believe it, and ask them tonnes of questions to see how many facts they can make up at short notice!

Australia is a beautiful country with a lot of unique animals and friendly locals who love to bond with new people by sharing a joke or crazy story! While there are certain safety precautions to take, the likelihood of you having a run-in with any of these dangerous critters is slim. Just listen to the locals, read the signs, be smart and enjoy your Aussie experience!

Australia is well known for having some scary bugs and animals, and Aussies love to exaggerate stories of just how scary they are. But don’t worry, we’re here to set the record straight! Here are the top freaky stories you’ll hear that you can safely laug

Things They Won't Tell You About Australia

“What does ‘deso’ mean?” I hear you say.

‘Deso’, or designated driver, is the happy individual that gets to consume non-alcoholic beverages of an eve where all of their companions get to drink alcohol. To most, this seems like a bad deal. You don’t get to party with your friends and you are tasked with the job of looking after them all night. But don’t be fooled – there is beauty to the deso responsibility, and you should consider this next time you and your mates are trying to pick a deso driver for the night.

The second thought you’ll have the morning after is “oh my god, what did I do last night?” Put your hand up for deso driving and you won’t run the risk of saying embarrassing things to people or falling over in a ditch and waking up with bruises all over you. Reminiscing about the night before won’t be so painful when you have peace of mind that nothing you did was even slightly humiliating. Well done.

The first thought: “oh my god, am I dead?” You’ve probably experience one or two hangovers in your day, and if you haven’t, well done – tell me your secrets. There’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you’re capable of getting up and walking around the next day while your friends spend the entire day inside because they feel sick. You’ll feel productive and get stuff done.

Volunteering to be deso is a great sacrifice. You’re choosing not to party hard in order to get your friends home safe. You’re the real MVP, and your friends will appreciate it. It also means you can hold it over their heads next time you all want to go out&nbsp;

And I mean heaps of money. The more you drink, the more reckless you get with your spending. Pretty soon you’re buying your friends drinks and throwing down all kinds of money on alcohol. If you’re the deso you get to give your bank account a rest – non-alcoholic drinks are usually cheaper, and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/02/28/3441707.htm" target="_blank">you won’t drink as much if you’re sober</a>.

The ultimate purpose for the deso driver. At the end of the night your mates are going to load in to the car and demand to be taken home. You are the chariot of safety and responsibility, and there’s a little satisfaction in knowing they aren’t going to hitchhike or pass out in a gutter somewhere.

Being the deso driver is great for a lot of reasons, but none other that you’re making sure your mates stay safe. Everyone should be the deso driver once in a while, and it helps to take a break from drinking at every social gathering. It might be a bit tiring to deal with your mates all night if they’re drinking, but they will appreciate it and they will return the favour when you need it!

‘Deso’, or designated driver, is the happy individual that gets to consume non-alcoholic beverages of an eve where all of their companions get to drink alcohol. Think that's drawing the short straw? Think again!

The Perks Of Being The Deso Driver

Listening to music can be a great way to stay motivated and concentrated. Music has such a powerful impact on our daily lives, and can even be a strong source to help us get through lengthy assignments and exam prep.&nbsp;

Many scientific studies have shown that music can improve motivation as it causes the brain to release dopamine: a chemical that regulates goal-oriented behaviour. Some studies even show that if you listen to soothing, relaxing tunes it can&nbsp;<a href="https://fedora.kug.ac.at/fedora/get/o:30677/bdef:Content/get">alter brainwave speeds to induce a meditative-like state.</a>

However, soothing music is different for everyone. Some might prefer soft, classical piano while others might prefer faster beats to accompany their study session.&nbsp;

In this blog, we gathered some great music playlists for students from YouTube and Spotify.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkgylOJSdhE">Rainy Day Coffee Shop Ambiance</a> | YouTube

This video is three hours of soft and soothing piano music set to background ambiance of raindrops falling fast around you. It offers a warm and cosy vibe, giving off the feeling of being somewhere comforting and safe. This is a great playlist for tasks like drawing or calculating. Formulaic and methodological tasks that lets your mind feel at peace.&nbsp;

<a href="https://open.spotify.com/">Melancholy Instrumentals</a> | Spotify &nbsp;

This playlist is a collection of beautiful and melancholy instrumental pieces that are easy on the ears. Listening to this playlist gives you the feeling of being in a large, ancient library. With soft amber light, comfy couches, elegant and long timber tables as well as layers and layers of large shelves filled with books from all over the world. There’s a quiet atmosphere that no one dares to break. This is a great playlist for when you need to sink yourself into research and get through reading journal articles or research papers.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgI6PjEq0O8">Midnight Aura</a> | YouTube&nbsp;

This video is a combination of jazzy lo-fi songs that have soothing and serene beats. It feels like sitting in the quiet night time air, where there’s not many people and only occasional sounds from outside. This is a great playlist for those late nights when you’re playing catch up on homework or assignments.&nbsp;

<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWV7EzJMK2FUI">Jazz in the Background</a> | Spotify

This Spotify playlist compiles a range of sultry jazzy tunes to keep you company. Listening to this selection gives off the feeling of sitting in a cosy café as you watch people walk along cobbled streets. It’s a great playlist for those days when you want to get some writing done. Brew some coffee in your favourite mug, get comfortable at your desk, pop on this playlist and let those words flow.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjhfczNR0sE">Butterfly Hug</a> | YouTube&nbsp;

This YouTube playlist has a gorgeous collection of mellow beats that are sure to put you in a relaxed yet focused mood. It’s a great one for when that mid-afternoon slump hits and you’re finding it hard to get on with your tasks. Take a few deep breaths, make yourself some sweet tea and let the tunes from this playlist slowly guide you back to productivity.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP9NLzsN_uE">Daydreaming with You</a> | YouTube

This YouTube playlist has a lovely collection of sweet and uplifting tunes that are sure to brighten your day! This is a great playlist for when you want to get some light cleaning or reorganising done. It fills the air with optimism and a fresh perspective, making it feel like you’re giving yourself a new start.&nbsp;

Build Your Uni Playlist with Campus Living Villages&nbsp;

At Campus Living Village we offer premium student accommodation across the world. It’s the perfect place to build your life and experience the wonders of studying with a whole community alongside you. Each person you meet will be a new track to add to your life’s playlist! Explore your options at <a href="https://campuslivingvillages.com/">Campus Living Villages today!</a>

Looking for playlists to get you focused and motivated to tackle all the tasks you have as a uni student? Here is a collection of playlists that do just that!

Soundtrack to your Uni Life! Playlists for the Student Mind

If you happen to be in any of our major cities right now and you’re new to Australia, you’re about to witness your first Aussie heatwave (except for Perth… you guys are so chilled out it’s just annoying). Now, if you happen to be from a country where hot weather is normal, then you’ll probably be fine in terms of the temperature – but there’s something a little more sinister about an Australian summer, and it even creeps up on the locals. Here are a few ways to beat the heat over the next few days, and to get you through what is clearly going to be a scorcher of a summer.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/ozone/ozone-science/ozone-layer" target="_blank">ozone layer over Australia</a>&nbsp;is thinned, which means more UV radiation reaching us. We already have an outdoors-y lifestyle, so the thin barrier between us and the sun doesn’t do a whole lot to protect us from it. You might be from a colder climate, or maybe you’re from a tropical climate – whatever you’re used to, you can’t feel the sunburn when it’s happening, but it happens quickly, so be careful.

Yes. I know. Juices taste good and they look great on your insty under the Clarendon filter, but you can’t forget to hydrate. Australian heat waves will do one of two things: send you to the beach, or confine you to an air-conditioned building. Both of which will dehydrate you. Air-con causes low water content in the atmosphere, leading to increased water loss from the lungs and through the skin. An easy way to tell if you’re dehydrated is if you feel yourself starting to get thirsty – by this stage the effects of dehydration have already set in, hence the need to drink water throughout the day, even if you don’t feel very thirsty.

There are a lot of beach essentials to purchase this summer, but make the first purchase a decent bottle of sunscreen. I kid you not, a low-quality bottle of sunscreen will do just about nothing to protect you, and it will come straight off in the water.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.choice.com.au/spf" target="_blank">Choice tested 6 SPF 50+ sunscreens</a>&nbsp;to see which ones were the real deal. The two that came out on top were&nbsp;Cancer Council Classic 50+&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nivea Sun Kids SPF50+. These bottles retail at around $14.95, so there’s no excuse not to slap some on when you’re at the beach.

It’s very easy to become dehydrated and not notice. In fact, 80% of Australians suffer from the symptoms of dehydration without recognising them. It’s super important to know the signs as they happen so you can avoid heat stroke. If you’re spending a lot of time at the beach, or just working out in the sun this summer, be on the look out for:

There are a lot of things that people will tell you about the amount of water you should drink, or different ways to avoid sun burn or heat stroke, but if you’re following these simple steps you’ll be fine. Just pay attention to yourself when you’re out and about this summer. If there is a heatwave, like the one happening right now, just be smart and stay sun safe – that’s all there is to it.

Here are a few ways to beat the heat over the next few days, and to get you through what is clearly going to be a scorcher of a summer.

Sun's Out: How To Survive The Aussie Summer

What kind of first year do you think you'll be when you start uni? Take our quiz to find out!

What do you think is the most important quality in a university?

A. Reputation &amp; quality of education. 

Your typical Thursday night consists of…

B. Rushing to finish your assignment due at midnight. 

C. Drinking with friends (it’s practically Friday…). 

D. A gym session followed by a steak (#gains)

You’re hungry… which food do you choose?

A. A well-balanced salad with seeds, superfoods and the right amount of each food group. 

C. Left-over pizza from last night, you’re too hungover to cook. 

Which bathroom product are you going steal?

B. You wouldn’t normally steal but you forgot to buy conditioner and your housemate won’t notice if you take a small amount just this once…. 

C. Toilet paper from your lecture building. 

D. Deodorant… you’re doing everyone a favour!

Your preferred way to crack the ice at a party?

A. You don’t do parties, they distract you from your studies. 

B. Start conversations by asking people where they’re from, what they’re studying and what they want to do after uni. 

D. Arrive with your friends from footie, netball or volleyball training so you don’t have to awkwardly make new friends

You're here to nail those top of the class grades. You are goal focussed and looking forward to your career ahead when you graduate. But did you know that employers love to hire people with more than just top grades on their CV's? While you're at University, make the most of opportunities to gain all kinds of life experiences, from volunteering, to living independently, to joining sports and social clubs. This will <i>also</i> look great on your CV.

You want to do well at uni but you know how important it is to look after yourself, and this means time to relax, unwind and enjoy the uni lifestyle too. You get your work done on time (just about…) but you also want to make friends. For you, it’s all about finding a work-life balance to make sure your social life doesn't get in the way of study, but compliments it.

You're here to have a great time, and you'll get around to studying... eventually! While you'll have a lot of great stories and life experiences to shape your future, it might be time to get real with yourself and ask some big questions. When it comes to exam time, are you going to end up being a bundle of stress trying to cram a semester worth of study into a week? If that rings some honesty bells, think about how you can cram in a little more study now, to save you a whole lot of stress later. Put in 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon, and you'll feel a whole lot better when you're out with your mates on Saturday night - you earned it!&nbsp;

You're kicking goals (literally) and you’re super healthy. Good for you! Just remember to balance your commitment to exercise with studying and some healthy socialising. Life is there to be enjoyed!

Congratulations! You’ve somehow managed to be a hard-working, extra-curricular smashing and extremely sociable student whilst also staying healthy in mind and body to keep up with it all. You are the holy grail of humans, and you probably lied in some of your answers…

Whether you’re more focussed on study, getting social, being active or padding out your CV with opportunities, we've got&nbsp;<a href="http://groupclv.com/">accommodation</a>&nbsp;options to suit you! Check out our different villages and browse the many and varied room types - from single studios and dedicated study spaces for the Distinction Dawg, gyms and basketball courts for The Athlete, rooms in a shared apartment with lots of like mind people for the party animal or a balance of all of them for the all rounder, we've got you covered. We also have great opportunities to get involved and grow your work experience in a fun environment by becoming a Residential Assistant at any of our villages.

Not sure which village or room is right for you? Jump on our live chat and one of our team will help you choose!

Take our quiz to find out what kind of first year you are!

Personality Quiz - What Kind Of First Year Are You?

Everything you need to know about studying, campus life, CLV News, student culture and more.

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Things They Won't Tell You About Australia

The Perks Of Being The Deso Driver

Soundtrack to your Uni Life! Playlists for the Student Mind

Sun's Out: How To Survive The Aussie Summer

Personality Quiz - What Kind Of First Year Are You?

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