Last week (Monday, May 8) students from across the country - including Central Otago - headed to Dunedin to get a taste of university life. 

At Otago University’s annual open day students could learn more about subjects they were interested in, from professors and current students; go for tours around the halls of residence; and explore the university. 

Forty-three Dunstan High School students from Alexandra headed down for the day. 

Otago University is a big attraction for Dunstan students due to the university's close proximity to Alexandra, making it easy for students to visit home. Otago’s fees are also generally cheaper compared to other universities like Auckland or Victoria making it attractive to many students.

The Central App caught up with several Dunstan students who attended the open day and asked them about their experiences. 

Emily Attfield, a Year 13 student at Dunstan, said she was “taken away by the architecture” and found the day eye-opening. 

“I thought it was the only nice part of Dunedin,” she said.

Emily is still unsure about what she wants to study but said the day helped her come up with some new possibilities. 

Student Ashlea West said it was “really inspiring” and made her excited about university. She loved the vibes and thought the uni and the halls were welcoming.

Ashlea was planning on going to Otago, however, the open day confirmed her view that it is the place for her. 

She’s planning on studying first-year Health Sciences next year with the aim of getting into medical school, and the open day introduction made her excited about her future study. 

Student Claudia Hammond said: “There were lots of like-minded people and it opened me to courses that I didn’t think I would originally be interested in.”

Next year, Claudia is planning to study Fine Arts or Global Studies.

Although she’s undecided on which university, she found the open day beneficial. She started the day not knowing what Global Studies was and came away feeling it could be a course she would be interested in. 

In 2022, approximately 35 Dunstan students - 40 per cent of the Dunstan 2022 Year 13 students - went to Dunedin to study at Otago University or Polytechnic.