Caught between beginning and end

Otago Daily Times

14-05-2025

As a student in Dunedin, I find May to be one of those strange months — caught between beginnings and endings, uncertainty and celebration.
This past weekend, many students were away from their mothers on Mother's Day, some for the first time.
The day passed quietly on campus. I am sure flowers and gifts were sent around the country, and phone calls were made while walking through the gardens. Mother's Day is one of those days that quietly reminds you that you're growing up.
The weekend before, I showed my cousin around Otago's Open Day, and I had the joy of seeing this place that is now so familiar to me through a newcomer's eyes.
It was a beautiful Dunedin day: sunny, crisp and buzzing with energy. The campus was alive with waves of prospective students clutching their University of Otago tote bags, touring the halls, listening to introductory lectures and poking around the stalls of the Market Day set up on the lawn.
Looking around the halls was a highlight; each had their unique charms and points to be added to a pros and cons list.
At the bachelor of arts information session, the speaker, Prof Ben Schonthal, head of the Religion Programme, encouraged students to "learn to love learning".
This stuck out to me. I remember hearing similar words when I was in their position — and realising they had, in a way, come true. It made me proud of my choice to study here.
Open Day isn't just about brochures and merchandise. It is about big decisions — uncertain ones.
Other universities would have put on impressive shows too, and for some, Otago might not be the right fit.
It is strange to think that while some students are just imagining their time here, others are preparing to say goodbye, from year 13s in Dunedin to proud Otago graduates.
This weekend, one of my best friends is coming down to walk in her graduation parade.
The last time I saw her, we were packing up our flat in November. This year, I also had the privilege of attending the Māori graduation ceremony, as part of Te Rōpu Whāi Putake.
The room was filled with whānau, laughter, tears and waiata tautoko to celebrate the graduates. Graduates got a chance to speak about their journeys — not just their academic journeys, their whakapapa, their resilience and what studying has meant to them.
As Patricia Grace writes in Potiki , "The past is never really gone, you know. It's always with you. It's part of the air you breathe, part of the ground you walk on."
It was moving, joyful and political all at once. It reminded me that learning isn't just intellectual — it's ancestral, emotional and deeply personal.
I feel excited for my graduation, being able to stand up supported by my friends and whānau and look back on my university education.
May hasn't just been about celebration, though — it has also been a time of speaking out.
Students, staff and locals gathered in the Octagon earlier this month to protest for transgender rights and, more recently, protested against the Pay Equity Amendment Bill.
Loud, energised and unapologetic protests are a key feature in both our student culture and our culture as a city. There is power in showing solidarity not just for ourselves, but for all people in our communities.
Being a student isn't just about preparing for the world — it's about shaping it.
Students are not just protesting for the present — they are walking on the well-trodden path of previous generations.
On a lighter note, May also marks the return of the world's longest continuously running student revue: The Capping Show.
The show had its opening night on Saturday and I will be heading along next week.
My first time watching was last year with my flatmates and it taught me never to underestimate how seriously Otago students take satire.
I expected a few low-blow jokes and a bit of organised chaos. Instead I was met with fully choreographed musical numbers, sharply edited comedy sketches, political takedowns and overwhelming creative energy.
And all the while, as students celebrate, protest and perform, the library is quietly filling up.
Exams begin on June 4 and the pressure builds day by day.
So far, May has served as a convergence of past, present and future. People arriving, people departing, yet everyone here is a part of this place for now, and that is something worth celebrating.
Kind regards,
Grace.
• Dunedin resident Grace Togneri is a fourth-year law student.