Nine reasons to look forward to Semester 2

Wednesdays are definitely the best day to be at uni. There’s bound to be a club having a bake sale somewhere, or something fun and unexpected will be happening on Eastern Avenue. Plus, there’s the University of Sydney Union’s fortnightly markets where you can shop without breaking your student budget (PHOTO: @usuaccess, Instagram)

Don’t deny it, there’s something a bit charming about the ibises that strut their stuff up and down Camperdown. There's nothing quite so thrilling than to battle with an ibis over a patch of Law Lawns. And yes, Sydney University Ibis Watch is a thing. (PHOTO: Chris Rodley, Facebook)

My tastebuds are certainly looking forward to coming back and rekindling my love of the most decadent lunchtime fare. Doesn’t take long to miss the Courtyard’s pizza creations, and who can resist the siren’s call of the fabled Unibro’s meatbox after a long session in the library? Plus there’s always the boulevard of lunch-special dreams that is King Street just around the corner. (PHOTO: @ctotem, Instagram)

You could close your eyes, spin around in a circle and point your phone vaguely at the Quad and still take a jaw-dropping shot. Plus, when classes are out and the campus is empty, it’s a field of dreams for any aspiring photographer. Sydney Uni’s feed is full of amazing photos. (PHOTO: @crescent_prince, Instagram)

Did you know that the Uni is home to several famous pooches. We’ve got Brooklyn the bulldog, who’s studying a dogree in adorableness, then there’s the USU’s four-legged ambassador Zali. You might also spot some working dogs helping the grounds staff around campus. And don’t forget Sally the blue heeler who’s stealing hearts and minds near the CPC and cricket ovals.

Our iconic jacaranda is so beloved that the Uni cloned it so it can be immortal… or at least outlive its normal lifespan. Sydney Uni wouldn’t be complete without it, and when it blooms it makes the Quad even more magical (if essentially being Hogwarts wasn’t enough). (PHOTO: @dtsmith_sydney, Instagram)

Is it a spaceship? A CAT scan machine? The library has stepped up the napping game with these futuristic ‘EnergyPods’ in Fisher. Perfect for mid-study power naps.

Grotesque by name, but not by nature. There’s something comforting in the knowledge that our sandstone sentinels have kept watch over the Quad for 160 years and counting. Bonus points if you can find the world’s first kangaroo gargoyle among a menagerie of creatures that includes a crocodile, a dog and a monkey.

There are only two carillons in Australia, one here and the other in Canberra. Sydney Uni’s beloved musical bells ring out magical tunes across campus on the hour – sometimes it’s Harry Potter, sometimes it’s Game of Thrones … once it was Darude’s classic hit Sandstorm.

Written by media and communications student Angela Wilcox. This article was originally published in the University's student blog, Sydney Life.