How Jasmeen found her way and is helping others find theirs

"After I started a YouTube channel and IG, I got so much love [and] it really makes me happy to help people with questions and doubts."

Published on the 06 October 2026

A screengrab from a video by UNSW student Jasmeen Kaur Chhabra

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Landing in Australia and facing hurdles as an international student

It goes without saying that moving overseas for uni is a massive step into the unknown. The culture shock, the inevitable homesickness and adjusting to a new level of freedom in a foreign country. All those elements have been a common thread in our conversations with international students who have come to Australia to pursue their dream degree.

For Jasmeen Kaur Chhabra, a Bachelor of Environmental Management student majoring in Earth Science who moved to Australia from India, her first few weeks Down Under were, to put it bluntly, tough. While it was her first time overseas, she was aware that any hurdles were mere minor inconveniences in the pursuit of what she's truly passionate about.

"I always wanted to study abroad and I picked a major that was so rich in Australia because we've got [these] amazing biodiversity ecosystems all together in one place," Jasmeen recalls.

"I could have picked commerce [as I did in] high school, but I wanted to take a different path and work in a place where it actually makes a difference."

Remembering her first few weeks in Australia, Jasmeen laughs, admitting that it wasn't the easiest way to be introduced to a whole new world. It also didn't help that her visa came in late, which resulted in her missing out on O-Week.

"After I went through all that, I decided [no] international student should go through [the same experience]. That's when I started a YouTube channel and Instagram.

"I didn't always know it, but I knew that something in me is so passionate about [the environment] and that's how I ended up studying what I'm studying.

"My visa came in late and I missed O-Week at UNSW. I came in Term 3, September 2023, and I honestly faced a lot in my first year."

"I got so much love and I was like, 'Okay, this really makes me happy, helping people [and] answering questions.' Just for [international students] to have someone who's already here and can clear all their doubts [which is] something I did not have personally."

Settling in and unexpectedly becoming a known content creator

The YouTube channel and Instagram account were initially a way for Jasmeen to process her experiences. A journal, if you will. Though she did harbour ambitions to be a content creator, the road towards actually filming and sharing her content took quite some time.

"It was [around] one and a half years [and] it took about six months to settle in. The first year was crazy, I don't know how it went by so quickly," says Jasmeen. "I didn't know what classes I was attending [or] what kind of exams I had. So, I just showed up. I knew that I didn't understand anything and I didn't have many friends [as] there's a huge cultural difference. Not a lot of people from India are doing the degree that I am.

"It was all Aussie people in my degree and it used to be a little overwhelming, but I just showed up every day to uni, tried to understand and get involved with the campus culture. Then I got to know about Arc and the societies. I've always been someone who doesn't hesitate to talk to people or ask questions. I just needed to get used to it."

Once Jasmeen settled into the Australian uni student life, she decided to finally make those helpful videos she had thought about for the past year and a half.

Like most people aiming to be content creators, it took some time to build a following. But there was one particular moment where Jasmeen realised that her content was resonating with international UNSW students.

"When I posted the first part of my UNSW campus tour, that's when I realised people are really loving this and really want to know about UNSW. They want to hear from an international student about how things [work around] here.

"After that, I realised my niche for the YouTube channel and I've been following that ever since. After that video, I hit 100 subscribers and I said, 'Okay, wow, this is working!' [laughs]."

That niche? Providing helpful information for all international students who come to Australia to study and have no idea what to do, whether it's finding accommodation, figuring out where lecture theatres are or simply discovering spots around Sydney to visit on a weekend.

"It's everything. Literally, a week in my life, a day in my life, it's all UNSW," she laughs. "Campus culture, the vibes, the inclusivity, the diversity. Everything."

While Jasmeen has plenty on her plate, like being the president of the Geoscience Society, being a full-time student and just living her best uni life, you can still expect a pretty consistent stream of content across her channels.

"I do [around six] Instagram reels a week [and] I try to post them daily. I do YouTube on a weekly basis. I'm also the president of [the Geoscience] society, so I have to manage that. I have an internship and a part-time job, I'm obviously a full-time student and I go to the gym regularly, so it's all about balancing stuff. But I just love being busy [laughs]."

Lessons learned and passing them forward

With years of firsthand experience as an international student living in Australia under her (metaphorical) belt, Jasmeen is one of the most qualified people at UNSW to share advice to future students thinking about heading Down Under for their studies.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of questions that international students have revolve around the UNSW culture and the actual logistics of living in Sydney.

"I get a lot of questions about the campus culture because it matters more than anybody thinks," says Jasmeen. "I [also] get a lot of questions about part-time job experiences, how am I able to [cover] my living expenses and campus accommodation.

"[There's] also a lot about how I made it to UNSW, what was on my resume, what my application [process was like] and how did I get my visa."

But does it get tiring answering all these questions? Not at all, actually. For Jasmeen, it's extra motivation to keep doing what she's doing.

"All the questions give me a push to keep making content and answering as many as I can because it might change someone's perspective."

A big part of capturing the international student experience is making sure it feels real, not staged. To Jasmeen, that is a crucial part of how she informs students looking for advice and information.

"[My videos] are very natural and authentic. I have never overexpressed or overstated that life abroad is [just] fun. I do show the fun side [and] the dark sides because that was my whole purpose of starting my [videos]."

"I've always wanted to do this. When I was coming to Australia, I decided that I would start immediately, but it was so hard for me to settle in this new whole place.

"Once I felt like life was fine, that was the moment I decided, 'let's go in.' I did kind of regret that I did not start it in my first year, but better late than never!"

Future steps and creating content post-UNSW

With thousands of followers across all her channels, Jasmeen has built herself a loyal following in a very short amount of time (relatively speaking). Reflecting on her journey, she feels nothing but pride about what she's created during her time at UNSW and hopes she's managed to help any international students who felt lost or confused.

"I feel very proud. I wouldn't have been able to do it if I did not have those bad days, homesickness or if I didn't have that bad job I was tired of. I think all these things pushed me to the version I am today. I just didn't want people to go through what 'normal' international students go through. I want them to feel like uni life is very inclusive and fun. I know [there's] homesickness, but you can just be out there and not be stuck in bad loops."

So what's been the best advice she's received when it comes to adjusting to a new environment and country that new international students could find useful?

"Something my parents have been telling me is it will be all worth it someday," reflects Jasmeen. "Like all the struggles, tears, happiness or the rejections. One day I know that I'm going to look back and be like, 'That's why all these things happened for me.' It's all going to be worth it in the end. It's building you; it's shaping you to be the person you want to be throughout this whole journey."

As graduation looms large, the big question now is whether the content train will keep going or is it going to be parked once she's graduated from UNSW. Jasmeen laughs, saying she'll keep making content for as long as possible.

"I'm going to make content forever! After uni, I'm shifting my content to post-grad life, the post-work visa thing, securing a job, navigating the Australian job market, and how starting from a Group of Eight university in Sydney got me where I potentially will be.

"Today it's uni life. Tomorrow it's going to be post-grad life, and then it's going to be adult life!"