Otago University Students’ Association president Quintin Jane said he was excited to see the return of the annual Toga Party yesterday, after O Week festivities were cancelled last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was the first time the event had been held outside on the Union Lawn, Mr Jane said.
Despite the rain, spirits were good among the primarily first-year crowd and Mr Jane was confident the heavy rain would not put a damper on festivities.
There was inside area — complete with an Ionic-style arch above the stage — available to partygoers who did not want to get wet.
The event also had lots of security on hand along with student volunteer helpers.
Are You OK? (OUSA Student Support) volunteers were on hand to help people whose night was not going the way they had hoped and to get people home safely, Mr Jane said.
While there was some pre-loading going on, people were intoxication-checked as they went in and those caught drinking while underaged, or otherwise misbehaving, could find themselves referred to the proctor, Mr Jane said.
Hundreds of students dressed in Greco-Roman fashion and festooned with plastic ivy leaves could be seen walking in droves from their halls of residence to the Union Lawn about 8pm yesterday.
The chaotic scenes turned the heads of many motorists as they drove along Castle St (State Highway 1).
In Albany St, members of an upstairs flat could be seen opening a window to yell "F... freshers" and making an offensive gesture against the glass.
One group of students from Knox College said they had spent a long time figuring out how to put their togas together, but had worked it out with the help of tutorials from TikTok.
