Orientation line-up looks sweet

Dunedin has experienced its first major influx of students for the year. ODT Online reporter and second-year student Emily Menkes looks at the Otago University Orientation line-up.

For the next two weeks, Otago students will find themselves bombarded with invitations to various events, groups and competitions, with endless freebies and activities. It is Orientation 2010.

This year's line-up looks promising, with many international acts complementing the local and regular ones. The programme will run until Friday, March 5.

As always, there is the Fresher Competition, with twenty competitions striving for the title "Competitor of the Year" .

Each contestant has five days' competition, with various events testing their athletic abilities, strategy and nerve. Their individual performances are taken into account when the winner is voted at the end of the week.

This year, the participants will have to contend with daily Les Mills challenges, the Mountain Dew Xtreme Challenge, karaoke and most forebodingly the Exotic Food Competition.

Other notable events include New Zealand musical acts The Datsuns, Smashproof and Midnight Youth.

The Datsuns, a rock band from Cambridge, are noted around New Zealand and abroad. With four albums, and an armful awards under their belt, they are set to receive a positive reception from Orientation 2010.

They are playing this Friday at Union Hall, with support from Dunedin acts Made in China and Honeybone.

Hip-hop group Smashproof are set to play with Australian duo Killaqueenz tomorrow night in Union Hall supported by local acts such as Kidz in Space and MC Beau.

Midnight Youth, winner of three Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards, are playing on Saturday supported by local talents Knives at Noon and Dane Rumble.

Dynamic live act the Mint Chicks will play the following Wednesday in the Main Common Room.

Drum'n'bass favourite State of Mind will be playing alongside Red Rain next Friday, the final night of Orientation at Refuel. The band, who have won "Breakthrough Artist of the Year" at the 2006 B-Net awards, have completed their second album with artist Tiki Taane.

Most of the music events have an afterparty at Refuel, free entry with a ticket from the earlier gig.

Comedians Ben Hurley and Steve Wrigley will perform in the Comedy Night on Monday in the Teacher's College Auditorium.

Another Orientation favourite is the Hypnotist, who will be performing on Tuesday Night in the Teacher's College Auditorium.

Elsewhere on the bill, the OUSA has organised other events including the traditional Clubs Day, Market Day, and outdoor movie on Union Lawn and the College Sports Day.