Freshers Week: The Good The Bad & The Ugly
The year is well under way; accompanied by numerous rants with regards to timetable changes, cancelled lectures and summer nostalgia. Admist such reactions, are praise and critisism surrounding this year’s freshers week. Overshadowed by a students’ aspersion of the transport minister, freshers’ week was given little to no attention by the general media; yet a week on, people’s opinions have started to surface.
As happens year after year, a handful of corporations took the center stage populating the largest stands offered by KSU – bringing along vibrant colours, loud music and the free samples which make the week so popular with students. Despite the energetic surrounding, the atmosphere left a bitter taste for some; One student commented : “…the entire scene gave me the impression that we had all just arrived at a party [music playing louder than at Paceville]. Whilst I do not have any particular qualms about corporatism, I do wish to comment on the ill-thought out planning – where bigger names whom essentially have nothing to do with university were placed in the center of quad, whilst smaller organization were given a tiny box in an obscure part of the infrastructure.”
The critisism did not stop there another student noted that not much was being done to help the student: “I would have expected the KSU stand to be more of helpful one re: information about where certain lecture halls were and which meetings were in which halls … At the end of the day that is what a fresher needs and not a diary without a timetable and bunch of pens.”
Moviment Graffiti, Alternattiva Demokratika Zghazagh and Ir-Realta Collective shared the same opinion in a press release earlier this week; reiterating that Freshers’ week should be “of the students, by the students and for the students.”
In relation to a campaign Moviment Graffiti held during freshers week, it stated that “It is telling that of the banners Graffitti put up around campus, the one that said ‘L-Universita’ Taghna Mhux Tal-Kumpaniji’ was taken down and stolen within 10 minutes, prior to the opening ceremony. No one was bothered by a banner speaking on drugs, but heaven forbid anyone criticises the almighty companies. Who stood to lose from this message getting across to the students?”
The collective of left leaning organisations carried on to question KSU’s policies and interests when serving students “Is this the correct policy for KSU to follow? Is it not in KSU’s interests to have students emerge from their university years more educated, more mature people? Or is their vision so twisted that they see students best served by getting GO and Vodafone offers?”
The dull weather did not cease rivalries, as SACES and ELSA went head to head for another consequent year. Also challenging the weather were the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and other members of parliament who made their visit to the campus for the event. The weather neither kept KSU from concluding the week with it’s yearly Campus Fest on Friday night, albeit having to cut the line-up short due to permit restrictions; the event did not leave much to be desired, providing an excellent social atmosphere coupled with a wide selection of performances to suit everyone’s musical apetite. Campus fest’s great vibe carried on till late Saturday night when 30 student organisations rocked Amazonia club with the traditional Freshers Party – Freshed Up.
Related Posts
Google’s tyrannical approach to the new ‘Glass’ →
SDM and Pulse Manifestos – The Differences →
HTC facing an economic crisis →
I can see people’s frustration at coming away with lots of free pens, notebooks, stickers etc but next to nothing in the way of practical information to help with one’s studies.
But for a lot of people, freshers week is about integration and the fair is a big part of this.
Victoria I think you’re being very negative and providing no constructive feedback..
Just for the record, there was a big banner at the starting point of the dot system in front of quad, with all the colours and what they led to.
Oh! THAT useless rubbish: cones, concrete blocks, red tape, buckets, etc. occupying blue boxes around ring road.
Look, I’m bored of this and people not reading comments properly. I was referring to someone’s earlier inquiry about whether I think that student organisations are ‘useless rubbish’.
Don’t really care about the dot system – was drawing a parallel between valuable and not-so-valuable initiatives.
By the way, there was a brilliant and very helpful map of campus on The Insiter
1. The Above the Ground dot campaign, while a good idea, was executed horribly. During all my time on campus, I haven’t yet seen 1 ‘map’ of sorts which actually told me which colour belonged to which faculty. Horrible.
2. No sponsors, no Fresher’s Week. These corporate-hating hippies are getting on my nerves. Always the same story, no answers. Give KSU ideas on how to collect money for Fresher’s Week if they shouldn’t let companies sponsor it, or stick to smoking your weed and shut up.
3. Anyone who did not know where his lecture was and expected help from KSU: SERIOUSLY??? Ask anyone on Campus and they will help you. I was asked by a fresher every 5 minutes for a location and I gladly helped. Then again, KSU tried to guide students through the use of the Above the Ground dot campaign which leads me back to point 1.
4. Last year, student organisations had to make do with a cramped area just outside the library. This year they had a whole massive tent to themselves, which was constantly full of people. They got all the attention they wanted and needed.
5. Fresher’s Week 2011 was a success.
Dear Victoria,
The dot system, clearly not appealing to you, was intended for freshers that found it hard to locate their faculty and other places they need to go. This, in my opinion, was a creative, fun and innovative way of guiding people to where they need to go, instead of following the old a5 sized campus map. And what ‘useless rubbish’ are you referring to?
Victoria how on earth can you compare the dot system with parking ?????
Hi, Nit picker!
Why on earth would you think that I criticised every student effort I saw? I did not. My criticism was specifically directed towards the Casual Observers’ farcical behaviour.
Not only was I part of one, and worked very hard against many odds (yes, I’ll say it, some of them KSU’s doing), but I also did my fair share of promoting other student organisations. However, I did not feel the need (and still do not) to flaunt it and congratulate myself for the benefit of hundreds of readers. This is how grown-ups behave.
Did I mention the car park? No, I did not. Read carefully.
Of course Student Organisations are not rubbish, silly
Victoria, how did you contribute towards Fresher’s Week, other than criticising every student effort you saw? FYI the car park was occupied by Student Organisations I believe, are they too rubbish?
Dear Casual Observers (yeah right -lol),
Yay for free stuff! You lot are an absolute marvel.
Seriously? Do the Executive Board Members of our Students’ Council have nothing better to do than pretend to be random students and point out how awesome they think they are on insiteronline.com. Pathetic. Just when I start to think a little more highly of the whole operation.
Also, that Above the Ground Dot System (oh my!) was pure genius. Really. Almost as useful as ensuring that various blue parking spaces across campus are not occupied by useless rubbish so as to alleviate the current parking problem ever so slightly. Well done. We owe you.
Oooh no Alex. I am merely a Casual Observer who has been following KSU’s actions closely. I am sure all other students have also seen such initiatives themselves.
To both the casual observers, it’s really poor form to praise yourself in the third person. I’m glad you found KSU’s initiatives helpful, but then, since you were responsible for them, I’d have been very surprised if you didn’t.
And, whoever says, “L-Universita Taghna, Mux Tal-Kumpaniji”, feel free to sponsor Freshers’ Week and Campus Fest…
Without the money collected from the corporations that took over the quadrangle, there would be no money to fund the organisation stands, that are provided for free to the organisations and also Campus Fest. I’m sure all the people who complained about whatever, came to enjoy a FREE show featuring tribali without any problems.
And as a side note, apart from the regular corporate stands, KSU has an excellent Aspire to Excel stand to inspire new students to perform. These were all new initiatives by the new KSU executive which I found encouraging and definitely a step in the right direction!
Perhaps the lost student could have made use of the Above the Ground dot system KSU created. And the confused student might have paid a visit to the dedicated KSU Education Commission stand just left to the main KSU Stand.