Orientation Week 2019 is being declared one of the best on record – with great weather, well run events, good behaviour and even an opportunity for students to get involved in the University’s 150th celebrations.
Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) President James Heath says this year’s Orientation programme was expanded, with a goal of providing as many opportunities as possible for students to engage in events, meet other students and be welcomed to campus in a safe environment, rather than partying in flats or on the streets.
“All of our events ran smoothly and were really well attended.”
The week began on Monday 18 February with a University-organised powhiri for Māori students at Ōtākou Marae, which saw around 250 first-year Māori students, a number of whom were the first in their family to attend university, come together for a formal welcome.
The powhiri was followed in the evening by the University’s 2019 Convocation ceremony. More than 4,000 first-year students attended the event at Forsyth Barr stadium, to be officially welcomed to Otago and Dunedin by University and city leaders.
A highlight of the evening was Otago University Students’ Association President James Mr Heath’s speech in which he openly discussed the impact university attendance can have on mental health, and stressed to each and every student that there was support if and when they needed it. Read about Convocation in more detail here.
Convocation in turn was followed by OUSA’s outdoor screening of Monsters Inc at the Museum Reserve which Mr Heath says went particularly well.
“We had anticipated it would be popular, but to see 500 or so students gathering in such a positive environment was great.”
OUSA’s Tent City held from Monday through to Wednesday at the Museum Reserve was a “very tidy set up”, while the sun shone on Tuesday’s sports day.
As well as giving students from the University’s Residential Colleges and Locals Programme the chance to come together on the field, the event also provided the bodies for a very visual display for the University’s 150th year: A drone filmed thousands of students standing together to form the number 150 on Opoho Park.
It wouldn’t be Orientation without a toga – and Wednesday night’s toga party at Forsyth Barr stadium was a joyous occasion with many variations on the traditional toga.
Students returned to Forsyth Barr Stadium on Thursday night, when drum and bass acts Netsky and Rudimental, British DJ Riton and Nigerian singer-songwriter Kah-Lo headlined.
And then again on Saturday for OUSA’s Mardi Gras, where performers included Australian hip-hop duo Hermitude, Australian DJ the Hot Dub Time Machine and New Zealand musician Kings.
The week ended with OUSA’s International Food Festival on the Museum Lawn on Sunday, where a large crowd tried the tasty offerings from any of the 18 available stalls – with options ranging from deep fried wontons to steak and mushroom rolls.
Topping off the week was the Highlanders’ five point win on Friday night – which saw thousands of students watch their “new home team” beat the Queensland Reds 36 to 31 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Mr Heath says the rugby win was “not a deal breaker” for Orientation Week, but did “keep the buzz up”.
He adds that the support from OUSA’s city partners such as the police, Dunedin City Council, the University and security/bar teams all had a huge impact in making 2019 such a successful year.
All of the wonderful photos of Orientation Week 2019 courtesy of Sharron Bennett.