In life, as in these works of fiction, there are signposts of the potential harms. The outcomes of the excessive habits of the protagonists in these pieces, without spoiling, are grim.
O-Week includes university-hosted events, monitored and secure concerts, fun and gentle introductions to student life, and perhaps a slightly more challenging and nuanced underbelly of street parties that can promise marvellous fun and adventure, at higher risk.
I can place some of my most exciting university memories within this two-week timeframe. For many first-years, this is their introduction to student life.
Alcohol seems central to the social fabric of Aotearoa (regrettably). From sports stadiums to student flats, drinking is embedded.
Major sports teams are backed by alcohol sponsorships, meaning many students are familiar with these brands long before considering university.
Subsequently, there are ongoing public debates about whether it is appropriate for widely consumed sport to be so deeply tied to drinking culture.
On this note, the O-Week "super pass" and "zooper pass" include entry to the infamous Zoo, the student section at rugby games — another space where beer and revelry go hand in hand.
Not being a rugby fan myself I have only attended one game in the Zoo, but it was fun being part of the rabble.
However, O-Week isn’t just about the alcohol; it is about socialising, meeting new people, dressing up and enjoying oneself.
The university provides many opportunities on campus during O-Week. The OUSA’s Tent City ran on Monday and Tuesday during the day, on the Museum Reserve, as I am sure many readers spotted.
U-Bar hosted a music night on Monday. Local bands such as Ivy and the Beatniks performed, hopefully inspiring the next wave of student musicians with their talent. Tonight on the Union Lawn, Dimension, an electronic musician from the UK, will perform alongside Australian band Peking Duk.
Tomorrow night promises the famous Toga Party.
Furthermore, campus has been buzzing with students visiting stalls, learning about the courses offered and wrapping their heads around the many seminar rooms, computer labs and lecture theatres they are soon to spend their time in.
For the revellers, Castle St remains at the heart of O-Week, with named flats hosting parties and music echoing into the surrounding suburbs.
Hall policies often require first-years, choosing to drink, to leave the grounds around 10-11pm. This creates a nightly migration through the streets of north Dunedin.
In lieu of a student bar most groups head to town, or to other flats. This is where some potential dangers lie: moving in groups is important, as is becoming familiar with the streets and prominent locations and above all looking out for one another, especially young women.
Amid the chaos, there is a quietly constant presence: Campus Watch.
Established in 2007, they have worked to keep students safe, a legacy established by the late David Richardson, a beloved friend of mine, and then-proctor Simon Thompson.
In 2005, David and his wife Carolyn visited Cardiff and Colchester, and he was inspired to research extensively and submit a proposal for this model at our university.
Campus Watch is especially active during O-Week, patrolling key areas, offering safe rides home for lost students and responding to any and all calls.
One evening in the middle of the year, on a walk home from the library one of my friends was offered a ride from Campus Watch to avoid her walking alone in the dark.
Their presence is a reminder even in the most absorbing, electric moments, there is someone looking out for you, waiting on your call if you need help.
Personally, I have had some notable interactions with Campus Watch: once when my flatmate found a male student in our lounge room stealing a bottle of wine from the fridge, we rang them and they were able to retrace the CCTV footage and provide it to the university.
CCTV cameras are strategically placed in key areas, a crucial factor in resolving the mystery of how one of my flatmates woke to find her car’s windscreen shattered.
The soothing sight of Campus Watch folk walking around in pairs chatting to us and each other has become a fixture of the Otago student experience.
Students in 2025 have been through a school system that has educated them about safe drinking, consent, wellbeing and drugs.
Nonetheless, alcohol is dangerous when overconsumed. Arguably, it is the most dangerous, most available and most socially accepted drug.
I can only hope all students are holding their personal safety in highest regard and again, looking out for one another.
— Dunedin resident Grace Togneri is a fourth-year law student.
