Education—the reason why we are all here. It has been said that higher education is everyone’s right. In a country like New Zealand, this right has never been questioned. It has taken recent changes to show students like you and me that scraping through high school and arriving at university clueless of future direction may not apply for the young’uns that follow.
With recent changes to the student loan scheme, University isn’t just a place to stay warm. These changes mark a significant shift in the way tertiary education is viewed by society. But how much change is too much? Tertiary education, a frequent point of parental banter, is seen as a largely foreign concept. Job security “in their day” largely didn’t require a degree, and if one was to go to university, it was free! But, as we have created a world in which a degree is needed, education and the ability to gain it is vital.
A degree to the modern student of today is not just what it states at face value. It has become a rite-of-passage along with what it encompasses. Although many nights at the infamous ‘Big K’ or not being able to afford toilet paper are laughed of as student colloquialisms, they are the experiences which help shape us.
So as we all venture into the depths of the last part of the year, take every opportunity to make the most of what University offers. Never hesitate to ask what the University can do for you, knowing the VUWSA sits as your trusty companion and advocate for when it doesn’t. This month also brings with it the global action of ‘Moving Planet’—a worldwide rally to demand solution to the climate crisis. So note down 24 September to grab a bike, bus or get on foot and help the world move beyond fossil fuels!
Haley Mortimer
environment.officer@vuwsa.org.nz