It was 10pm on a Monday.
Taking a break from the party for a few brief moments, my flatmates and I sat huddled in our lounge, quietly discussing future plans.
Five minutes later we arose and took our stations. Another five minutes went by, and an unsuspecting group passed right into our line of fire.
Water balloons rained unrelentingly down on the poor first-year students we had targeted.
Thankfully for them, our aim was atrocious, and the group fled on, unhampered by our brief intrusion on their evening.
This is a classic tale told during O Week.
A tale likely to be told for generations to come.
Sure, our group hadn’t tormented anyone with the painful and expensive 20-pack of eggs so often used, but the effect of the act was still felt similarly.
The act was one tinged with a mix of adrenaline and shame but most importantly, the act marked a return to tradition.
For the past three years O Week has been farcical due to Covid regulations, which kept many celebrations at bay.
Throwing water balloons at first-year students, however juvenile and somewhat pathetic it may be, was an act which allowed us to indulge in the O Week we had always dreamed of.
Talking with people on the street tells me that the feeling is mutual.
From ardent Christians happily giving away free coffee mugs, to first-years searching up Castle St on Google Maps, everyone is revelling in the freedom afforded by the relaxation of Covid restrictions.
It is genuinely wonderful to see the vast range of people wandering aimlessly around Tent City.
While it is dismaying to witness the freedom going to some people’s heads, most of the buzz thus far has been channelled into smiling faces and conversations ranging from the everyday to the absurd.
While throwing water balloons at first-years was not my proudest moment as a student, I can certainly say that it was a moment where I truly felt like a student.
In a time when youth can feel like a luxury in short supply, this year’s O Week is here to serve up a healthy dose. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
- University of Otago politics and religious studies student Hugh Askerud (19) is sharing an insider’s view of O Week as thousands of students mark the beginning of the academic year.
