Under Construction: Welcome to UoA

Cam and Dan welcome you back to university with a big ol’ bitch about the state of the current renovations.

Cam Says:

How the fuck am I meant to navigate this university?

Seriously, I’ve been at the University of Auckland for three years already but somehow this university is under construction again, and trying to navigate the student sector is a nightmare. Everything has moved and accessing anything is hard. But welcome to Uni life, everything is hard. 

On the bright side for all you engineering students, the university has decided that your department has value and as such you have been gifted a brand new building. Congratulations, it looks like a cheese grater. 

For now, everyone else please proceed with caution, wear your hard hats, and if you need some extra cash, ACC will cover you in case of an accident so maybe just don’t watch where you’re walking.

I’d also like to now list some other places the University should upgrade next: Social Sciences Building 

That is all. 

In all seriousness, this construction, whilst a bit chaotic, is actually very essential. The old recreation centre was built in 1978 when the student population at the University was 10,000. This number has now quadrupled. The new recreation centre is a remarkable investment by the University in the physical health and wellbeing of students. In other areas however, there is still work to be done. I would be much more excited however if I was still going to be at University when the project is completed.

Our editorials this week are all about construction – not only the university building construction but also personal construction. University is a journey, and that journey takes you on paths that sometimes you didn’t quite plan for or expect. I started at University as a Bsc Student in Pharmacology. After a year of scraping through tests and pretending everything was fine, I changed degrees to a BA. It has been one of the best decisions of my life. Be brave, let new adventures flourish. Lead your life like it’s under construction, with better things always to come. 

Have a great year, 

Cam 

P.S. There are road cones everywhere – do something funny with them and send us a pic at editor@craccum.co.nz. 

Dan Says:

Hey there freshers!

Welcome to the University of Auckland.

You may have noticed already, but things are very much under construction around here. Between the demolition of the Maidment theatre, the closure of the Student Union Building, and the renovation of Kate Edgar, there’s more scaffolding on campus than students. All those things the photos promised in the university brochures (mostly just picnics in the park with groups of photogenic, multicultural friends) are currently on hold.

But don’t get too down! Hidden amongst the dust, dirt, and semi-hardened concrete that covers this university is an important lesson: don’t be afraid to change this year.

For many of you, university represents a brand new chapter of your life. It’s a fresh beginning – an opportunity to reinvent yourself and discover (or forget) new and exciting aspects of your personality. 

There are no more high school sweethearts to impress. No more cliques to fit in with. There’s only you, and your interests. In essence, you’re free – free to knock down the past and start over.

In that sense, this university (forever changing, forever reinventing itself) is the perfect place to be. Look on these buildings not as a hindrance, but as a guideline, a blueprint on how to start over. And accept the challenge these buildings have laid down!

Renovate the east wing of your life. Demolish the Maidment theatre that is your inhibition. Unlock the new recreational facility that is your self-confidence, self-belief and self-something else. Rip up the fraying carpet in your hallway of hobbies and replace it with a flooring of white-and-gold double-edged Spanish tiles. And add a new patio somewhere. A patio of friendship.

Express yourself! Try new things! Give anal a go! Take the time to rediscover yourself this year – this may be the last great chance you’ll ever have to do so.

Cheers,
Dan

PS. Just like how the construction around university makes the campus hard to get around, the changes and developments we go through during this period of our lives can be difficult to navigate. That’s why it’s important that we always remember to lean on our emotional scaffolding in times of stress. And also wear steel-toed boots of tolerance and understanding. And bring pre-packed lunches of empathy and love.