Sydney Life

I had an awesome day at O-Week yesterday. Here is a photo diary tracing my footsteps...

1. I arrived at Uni to be greeted by friendly University of Sydney Union (USU) volunteers handing out copies of The Bull - the weekly union publication - with a full program of O-Week activities. The front lawns were decorated with flying pig balloons! Katy, the president of USU explained at the Official Welcome in the Great Hall, that the flying pigs represent what is at stake for student life under Voluntary Student Unionism. Next year, O-Week may be as likely to happen as pigs flying.

2. After the Offical Welcome, I decided to cruise around the stalls. I then headed to the ACCESS tent to buy my ACCESS card - the key to student life.

3. After getting my ACCESS Card, I decided to visit my friends at the Sydney University Law Society (SULS) stall. SULS represents all law students on campus and provides a range of activities for students, including public interest forums, first-year camp, competitions, mooting (mock trial), social justice journals, parties, law ball, career advice and mentoring opportunities. Any law student can get involved in SULS by attending events or applying to be part of a committee. Students can also stand for election for the SULS executive board, which I did last year and was elected as Vice President of SULS in the Social Justice Portfolio.

4. After visiting SULS, I popped over to the Arab Students stall to get all the goss from my friend Rawan whose recently returned from a trip to the West Bank. I joined up there then decided to pop over to my friends at the Queer stall. Friendly and well-themed, the gals and guys were dressed up in sailor costumes and had themed all their publications and pamphlets in line with the sailor theme! Very creative! The queer students on campus are again marching in this Saturday's Mardi Gras, and were holding tours of the Queer Space and a Q-Tea (Queer Afternoon Tea). See? There's a place for everyone at uni!

5. I was getting hungry so I went and purchased a chicken burger (15% discount with my recently purchased ACCESS Card!) and sat down to watch the Sydney University Wind Orchestra belt out a tune.

6. What's uni without student politics? The most exciting part of the day was watching the Anti-War Collective on campus protest with a "Fund Education, Not War" banner outside the Sydney University Regiment army recruitment stall. The Anti-War Collective went face-to-face with the Young Liberals on campus who, confusingly, were carrying US flags, and big John Howard posters. The Anti-War Collective started a speak out calling for the withdrawl of troops from Iraq as the Young Liberals chanted "boring", "get a job" and "support our troops." It was a bit alarming to think that these Young Bogans... um, I mean Liberals, may be next in line to run the country. It was nonetheles a peaceful protest and provided much entertainment to the first years who got a taste of all the stripes (and star-spangled banners) of student politics.

All in all, it was was a fantastic day. I wish I had more time to be a student, but unfortunately one of the realities of student life is the need to do long hours at work to support yourself. Still, student life is the soul of the university experience!