Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Port Macquarie have returned to campus following a disrupted couple of years of learning due to COVID-19.
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More than 850 on-campus students, as well as online students, have been welcomed to the university grounds for orientation this week.
Residential leader and orientation coordinator Lachy Gepp said having students back on campus has been a welcome sight.
"It's so awesome having everyone back on campus. Obviously the social aspects of living and going to uni are a huge part of mental health and it's great to have everyone back," he said.
Lachy is entering his fifth year of his Bachelor of Education at CSU.
"I believe everyone learns better face-to-face, so it's going to be better for our studies as well."
Charles Sturt Head of the School of Psychology in Port Macquarie Associate Professor Rhonda Shaw echoed Lachy's statements.
"It's amazing to have students back on campus. This is what we do and to have a campus where there are no students it's just not right," she said.
"It adds to the whole sense of community that university is."
Students were welcomed back this week for the start of orientation week which will run until Friday, February 25.
Orientation week is comprised of on-campus and online events and information sessions to ensure students are prepared for classes when they commence the following week.
"Today is about welcoming all the new students to the uni and showing what Port Macquarie has to offer," Lachy said.
A welcome event was held in Port Macquarie in the grassed courtyard on Tuesday, February 22, followed by a market day, campus tours and information sessions to integrate continuing and commencing students into university life.
"There have been 850 accepted offers to study on campus for session one in 2022, with the most popular courses in Port Macquarie being the Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (with specialisations) and Bachelor of Education (K-12)," Professor Shaw said.
"The 886 commencing online and on-campus students will join 776 continuing students in Port Macquarie.
"Among this group will be 61 international students who will be commencing their studies at the campus, who will join 34 continuing international students at the Port Macquarie campus."
In 2022, online students will attend 31 residential schools in Port Macquarie for various courses, including Wildlife Ecology, Nursing, Paramedicine and Pharmacy.
There were more than 23,870 applications to study on campus and online at Charles Sturt in 2022.
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