FedUni Student Insider - May 2026

Chaos: Inside the student mind.

Campus places: where life finds you.

By Catherine Yeates

Regular readers of this paper may notice the change in by-line and title for this segment. I have been given the privilege of taking over the student column in this paper. My name is Catherine Yeates. Or rather this is the name I choose to go by. I have been studying at Federation University for the past two years and have picked up a myriad of information during my time on campus. From where the best vending machines are on campus, to which doors will work with your student card afterhours (not all of them are accessible).

Following this vague introduction let me tell you about the university campus, the places to be and those to avoid on your visit. Beginning with the beating heart of this regional campus - the library. This is where you can find me most days huddled over a laptop with a pile of books stacked to my right and a takeaway coffee cup to my left. The university library is three floors total with the ground and first floor dedicated to regular library collections and front-line services. What the students love about this library can be found on the second floor, which is dedicated to a 24-hour study space that is also accessible afterhours for all those who think sleep is a social construct. The library also functions as the info point for the university. All questions can be posed to the team of librarians who staff the front desk. Most like myself know this campus better than their own home, or can at least point you in the direction of who knows the answer to your questions.

Second only in popularity to the library is the cafeteria. Which has seen its fair share of sleep deprived medical students feeding their addiction to caffeinated beverages as well as formal staff lunches in the bistro beside it. On your average Monday you will find a crowd of high school students with whom we share the space and a scattering of uniformed allied health students all trying to get a few bites down before their next class. This space is known for its chip buckets, chicken strips and very popular chicken Caesar salad that due to its scarcity has become a thing of legend. The cafeteria also now features budget meals on Wednesdays during which students and staff can get economical and nutritious meals for only three dollars. Meaning you can experience meal prices from your parent’s generation.

Attached via the main hallway is our final stop on the most popular campus locations. This is a real hub for student activity, from the microwaves that always faintly smell of the last dish they heated, to the ping pong tables that have seen their fair share of slightly unhealthy competition. The true heart of this space however are the pool tables, these tables have been the sight of many a wounded pride, I personally have never experienced the joys of victory on these tables but I have witnessed it before.

Moving on from the most popular spot-on campus I am going to share some of my personal favourites that deserve a little more love. For all you late night studiers there are two sets of vending machines on campus, the ones next to the student lounge are the most popular by far due to their proximity. However, my favourites are the ones located near Monash rural health. These machines have a healthy supply of cup noodles and a larger selection of energy drinks then the others. I do not know about you but having a variety of different flavours of caffeinated carbonation is often what keeps me going during those long study days.

Another must see on campus that is not often discussed is the amphitheatre on the grounds. For those of you who did not have an ancient Greek phase, an amphitheatre is a concave structure that was originally used for theatre performances in ancient Greece, as its construction allowed for the speaker at the centre of the pit to be heard by even those at the very top. If I was an engineering major here is where I would discuss the mechanics behind this very cool feature but alas, I am not. This structure is the perfect place to sit with classmates and enjoy lunch in the sun. However if you are like my first-year self you and your friends might enjoy participating in dramatic readings of Shakespeare to fulfill your high school theatre dreams.

The final location on my list of personal favourites is unfortunately not going to be around for much longer. As many of you know Federation University’s Gippsland campus originally had a fine arts department situated in the forest portion of the campus. This section of the campus is largely closed following the removal of fine arts as a degree on this campus. However, this previously vibrant part of the university is now a prime example of nature wrapping its viny limbs over that of manmade structures. Many an afternoon I have sat inside the rotunda that once heard the clever quips of eccentric artists and seen the modelling of clay sculptures. It gives the sense of a bygone era in which creativity was largely more valued, and such a serene location to explore the impacts of that ability to create were treasured. While this section of campus is currently not accessible, there is a walking track that passes through the same area, perhaps you too can soak up the lingering remains of inspiration left behind by artists past.