Managing Full-time Work and Study: Diary of an AIF Student

As Communications and Partnerships Coordinator at the Australian Institute of Fitness and absolute fitness fanatic (I am unashamedly the kind of person who makes chips out of kale, doesn’t sleep until I have taken 10,000 steps and participates in every fitness craze under the sun), I thought why not get a true feel for what being a student at AIF is like and actually become one myself?

I wanted to be able to give the best possible advice and assistance to our audience across our many social media channels and taking a walk in their shoes seemed like the most effective way.

Initially, I tossed up my course options between Nutrition, Fitness, and Massage but ended up biting the bullet and enrolling in AIF’s signature course; the Master Trainer Program™.

Like many of our students, I work full time and by the end of the day, I am absolutely knackered and want nothing more than to lay on the couch with an episode of The Bold Type and a glass of wine (did I mention kale chips and red wine are a delightful combo?).

With this in mind, I wanted to choose the right study modality that would allow me to work full time, study my course on weekends at times that suited me, whilst still making room for my occasional evening couch moments and social life. Thank god for the self-paced online option!

My course kicked off with a welcome webinar via Zoom on Monday night (which by the way is recorded, so you can listen when it suits you) and it got me so. Damn. Pumped. Up. Seeing all my tribe mates (AIF lingo for peers) and their smiling, excited faces whilst an AIF Online Coach talked us through the course outline was so great. The Zoom chatbox was absolutely lighting up with everyone getting to know each other and getting to know our coaches too.

At the start of this webinar, I was sure my reason for studying was for the love of fitness, learning and for the sake of my role as Comms Coordinator…. But by the end of the webinar, I felt so swept up in the excitement of it all that I was already picturing myself on the gym floor, as a successful personal trainer (in my vision I also had killer abs so that helped too).

Things have only just gotten started and I am already feeling so excited to be an AIF student. The amount of support we have already been shown by the dedicated Online Coaching Team, leaves no room for concern when assessment time rolls around. I have access to them via email, eCampus, weekly Friday ‘Funtorials’ and even the opportunity to book in one-on-one sessions if I feel necessary.

This weekend, I am taking myself out for a coffee date with my laptop to get started on Learning Block One, which covers topics like making fitness safe, making fitness fun, and understanding how to work with clients who have different needs; all super interesting topics that I can’t wait to learn more about.

I have 12 months to complete the course with this online self-paced modality as well as the option to fast-track my course if I feel like powering ahead and swapping my wine and The Bold Type sessions for a study session or two through the week (still to be decided).

And on that note – my Stan subscription is calling my name.

If you have any questions about the course, want to have a chat about how I’m finding it so far or want to discuss why Sutton is the superior ‘The Bold Type’ character, you can DM me on Instagram via @ausinstfitness or send an email to communications@fitness.edu.au.

As I progress through the course, facing inevitable challenges and successes, I will be sure to check back in and provide an update! Reach out if you have any particular questions you’d like addressed in the next part of this AIF Student Diary series.

Until next time…

• Bio

Molly Fabri

Communications and Partnerships Coordinator