Sydney Life

Yes, O week is a lot of fun, but a lot of effort goes into those 3 days.

From t-shirts to banners, handbooks and flyers the life of a society’s executive is slightly fraught in the lead up to the union’s week of weeks. Generally a club or society’s O week stall is organised completely by the executive, a group of volunteers who are voted in by the membership to run the general business of the club in the previous year. Being on a club’s executive is a great way to learn management skills, learn about the structure of the union, meet some great people and have a fantastic time.

This week has been intense. Between working full time and trying to get the dramatic society’s stall up and running I am looking forward to a holiday once University goes back. I feel like I haven’t left this campus all summer. It’s lucky that I like the place.

Whilst it is all fun and smiles on the day, there is a lot of behind the scenes action that makes it all possible. Handbooks have to be written, t-shirts designed and printed, banners painted, membership cards cut. Even now on O week eve I’m racking my brain trying to think of anything that may have been forgotten.

Here are some things that the other exec members and I have learnt the hard way this week:

1) 14 is not divisible by four. Most important when planning how many pages a handbook needs and planning content effectively.
2) Don’t try to paint in nice clothes. It will only end in tears.
3) There are some really effective stain removal products out there.
4) Paint fumes are dangerous in non-ventilated places.
5) Office works does not allow you to use their guillotine anymore. Strange but true I know.

So spare a thought for those souls behind the booth tomorrow at C&S live. Behind that smiling veneer there may just be a very tired person who did it all out of love for their society. Simply pat them on the shoulder and pretend not to notice the paint stains on their t-shirt.