Saturday, July 15, 2006
Some rant in the paper today. "Ban all University orientation". No not from the government...but a disgruntled first year.
Seems young man has experienced loss of sleep due to orientation and such activities as 'getting abused for being made to get senior's autographs and getting yelled at'.
Said young man stated that orientation is useless and a waste of time for people like him who went to university to study.
Ok...granted I did not wholly receive orientation myself ecsthetically (sp?)
But I realised its usage. It allows first years to relax and mingle, get to know others. Allows seniors to know first years and vice versa. Get them to have some fun together before buckling down.
I think there's two more very important uses for orientation. One is that the process is made formal and is supervised. Tutors have knowledge that orientation activities such as waking people up at 6 in the morning to go run is on the agenda. It's far different than perhaps in America where many colleges have unsupervised orientation and would physically abuse newcomers. Heard to rising death rates on campuses? I believe one kid was found with objects inside of him too....
Last, it removes all boundaries. Without orientation cliques would form instantaneously with the geek kids, the popular kids, the wild kids, the silent and ghostly kids. Orientation breaks it down and for one week all first years are just first years. New and curious and scared about university. They share the same experience of no sleep and of humiliation and of getting gunk into their hair. No one is singled out for special treatment. No need for anyone to feel shy or angry or get psychological trauma first semester of uni.
So it's somewhat useful. What's important is not that there is orientation or not but the behaviour and attitude of those involved. Seniors should not take advantage of the situation to inflict harm. First years should learn to laugh at themselves and look at it as learning to be social. University isn't just for studying a certain course, it's also for learning about yourself and others.
On a totally unrelated sidenote:- people are pesky...like flies.
Pirates of the Carribean was fun. Johnny Depp gave another astounding performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. I think he's suited to eccentricities. Alot of new watery characters. One dimensional sure....but colorful nonetheless. I wish they gave a more prominent role to that Dalmar witch lady.
On another unrelated sidenote:- then I wonder what I'll do without people...probably die somewhere holding a book....alas....even people invented books...and wrote them....and published them, sold them......blah.
No one ever cares about poverty, the number one killer on the planet.
I feel sick that people only care when a drastic event much publicised happens. Like the 'current' war that Israel is involved in.
I feel sick that even I only feel that wrathful injustice when I hear of children dying, people suffering, men and women dragged off to war......
pah, We are all Hypocrites.
Mused by Sukunami Taka around 1:31 AM
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