It's an interesting, reversed, situation: Students are sitting at home, listening to an older generation curse and stumble down the streets of North Dunedin, to and from rugby games which are, by and large, further out of our budget than Daniel Carter can kick.
Even though most students won't attend any games, it's great fun, this Rugby World Cup.
Honestly, we've been looking forward to it for ages. Those inconveniences are a small price to pay amidst all this excitement.
You see, students (despite sometimes being quite intolerable themselves) are relatively tolerant people. The majority of scarfies subscribe to the stereotypical disposition of indifference; even the heftiest of hassles is unlikely to draw objection.
It's no problem that the library shuts early due to the games; road closure isn't a big deal; and I'm not fazed by tourists shouting at me in Spanish as I walk to the supermarket. Screenings of games are given priority over 21st functions (by the way, I still haven't heard from Larnach Castle), but that's OK - we can always celebrate our birthdays next year. No-one minds paying a little (a lot) more than usual for a glass of wine in town, and there was no protest when the price of sushi (of all things) went up by a dollar the day Argentina played England.
Such bother is marginal, because what a super opportunity this is for Dunedin.
To a certain extent.
That extent, however, ends exactly at the big, black phallus in the middle of the Octagon.
Please, can somebody admit that this interactive sculpture was a ridiculous idea, and then remove it as soon as possible?
While in town on Saturday after the first game, I spoke with a group of Poms who questioned the aforementioned "artwork", and I'll have you know that (out of blind loyalty) I defended it as well as I could.
It's a shame that these visitors, standing in our beautiful city centre, were captivated not by the gorgeous Robbie Burns, the imposing cathedral, or the impressive town hall ... but by that incongruous post.
Maybe I'm being rude, or, prude. Maybe I'm just not as open-minded as those several important individuals who saw good reason to turn our Octy into the Cocktagon.
Anyway, that's enough about that. In reality, if a phallic sculpture is the worst of the World Cup worries in Dunedin, our hosting skills mustn't be too bad. The same can't be said for Auckland - gosh, what dramas they've had! Despite the phallus, those chatty foreigners did seem to love our wee city. In fact, they were enjoying themselves so much that they weren't even concerned about their lack of accommodation. Apparently, they had saved exactly enough money to pay for their tickets and their travel, but not enough to pay for any beds.
Trust the English to do things by halves.
But they weren't complaining, and neither are we. Because it's great fun, this Rugby World Cup. With or without the rugby.
• Katie Kenny studies English at the University of Otago
