Otago Halls of Residence

[Bluerock]

Not 2nd however?

Don't know about all of the halls, but Cumby only allowed third years up to be RA's.

And [MENTION=17821]Honeycrisp[/MENTION] I took two full bags and carry-on in to my hall last year. Some people bring less, most people bring more - especially those who live in the South Island already.

 

[stevo140]

Not 2nd however?

Technically most Colleges can take second years. Cumby actually accepted one for the 2013 year (though he was 21). There isn't any policy about it but generally if you're a second year RA applicant, then you have to be pretty much perfect

Aquinas' rooms are slightly bigger (or perhaps just better spaced out) than St Margaret's, and much more modern. But both Colleges have adequate sized rooms. If you get put in Aquinas' Priory building then your rooms are the size of Hayward's (who are renown for the biggest rooms, and justifiably so!). If it's all about room size for you, then go Hayward. Cumby have small rooms, no other College seems to stand out in that category.

 

[Zion]

lol. There is no way it only takes 15 minutes to get to uni from Aquinas.

 

[stevo140]

lol. There is no way it only takes 15 minutes to get to uni from Aquinas.

It depends where you're walking to Zion. I had a mate there and it was only 15 min from St David's (where most Health Sci lectures are). Probably 25 min from Med School. But it doesn't matter cos they have hourly free shuttles directly to St David's. Good way to avoid the Dunedin elements! I actually visited stayed there for a couple of nights last year, straight after their major renovation, and it's quite mint up there, and really friendly! Sucks walking home after a night out though...very sobering :wacko:

 

[Zion]

It depends where you're walking to Zion. I had a mate there and it was only 15 min from St David's (where most Health Sci lectures are). Probably 25 min from Med School. But it doesn't matter cos they have hourly free shuttles directly to St David's. Good way to avoid the Dunedin elements! I actually visited stayed there for a couple of nights last year, straight after their major renovation, and it's quite mint up there, and really friendly! Sucks walking home after a night out though...very sobering :wacko:

Yeah it doesn't matter as they have shuttles anyway. But your last line is very true. To anyone who considers Aquinas, if you are a town person, you probably want to do some reconsideration. I live at Knox and it's horrible walking back from town already.

 

[Dorky]

I live at Knox and it's horrible walking back from town already.

You can go to town and do HSFY.......Mind=Blown

 

[Squirrel]

Hi all

I am currently considering applying for:
1) Knox
2) St. Margaret
3) Arana

Reading the previous threads, putting St. Margaret as my second option seems irrational. Any help regarding this?
Also, what is the probability of me not getting in the first, second or third option? (I got endorsed with merit in level 2 and play for NZ... Would this help me get into these halls more preferably?)

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[stevo140]

Hi all

I am currently considering applying for:
1) Knox
2) St. Margaret
3) Arana

Reading the previous threads, putting St. Margaret as my second option seems irrational. Any help regarding this?
Also, what is the probability of me not getting in the first, second or third option? (I got endorsed with merit in level 2 and play for NZ... Would this help me get into these halls more preferably?)

Hey Squirrel, based on the last couple of years, the Colleges that usually don't fill up after the first round are; Unicol, Cumberland (& Courts), Aquinas, Salmond, City College, Toroa. This is no bad reflection on these Colleges but they just don't currently have the reputation as the others. Your number 2 and 3 picks would be wise to be from this category (definitely #3). Probably guaranteed acceptance with NZ rep (in what I'm interested?) and merit in level 2 at any of those Colleges.

Knox is all good from what I've heard. Zion will be able to fill you in but its just been recently renovated (something crazy like $10 mill), its got stunning architecture and it's got some pretty awesome tradition. Not sure what the new Head of College is like, he might be changing things (for the better I'm not sure) but seems like a nice enough guy. How did you find Knox, Zion?

 

[rustyedges]

You can go to town and do HSFY.......Mind=Blown

How else would you relieve the stress? But seriously, it's just obsessive if you're studying on a Saturday night.

Hi all

I am currently considering applying for:
1) Knox
2) St. Margaret
3) Arana

Reading the previous threads, putting St. Margaret as my second option seems irrational. Any help regarding this?
Also, what is the probability of me not getting in the first, second or third option? (I got endorsed with merit in level 2 and play for NZ... Would this help me get into these halls more preferably?)

Any help would be much appreciated!

Since St. Margarets and Arana are quite popular choices, it isn't guaranteed that you would get a place in them, if they are not your first choice. However, it's up to you what you put. I'm in Knox this year, and I got in with merit at level 2, and modest sporting achievement, so I'm sure you will get in. Also, feel free to ask me any questions about it

 

[musica209]

You can go to town and do HSFY.......Mind=Blown

How else would you relieve the stress? But seriously, it's just obsessive if you're studying on a Saturday night.

I wouldn't say you're "obsessive" - I study on a Saturday night. I take a day off in the weekends, but I think that paid off in the end. But you can afford to take a day off in the weekends, at least [MENTION=18117]Dorky[/MENTION]. You could also relieve stress by doing other things that you enjoy, like going to the gym, or joining extracurricular (which, in my case, was music), so it doesn't all have to be about drowning yourself in ethanol.

 

[frootloop]

You can go to town and do HSFY.......Mind=Blown

Not like, 2-3 nights a week like some people do (*cough*commerce*cough*), but in semester two of HSFY I'd go out once every other weekend or so? You just have to not get so wasted that you can't function for a few days.

Hi all

I am currently considering applying for:
1) Knox
2) St. Margaret
3) Arana

Reading the previous threads, putting St. Margaret as my second option seems irrational. Any help regarding this?
Also, what is the probability of me not getting in the first, second or third option? (I got endorsed with merit in level 2 and play for NZ... Would this help me get into these halls more preferably?)

Any help would be much appreciated!

I wouldn't put St Marg's second, or Arana third. They're both first-choicer colleges by-and-large, so there's not much point preferencing either of them unless you put them first. Stevo140 has already mentioned some of the colleges you'd be better to put as 2nd and 3rd choices (UniCol, Cumberland, Aquinas, City Col, etc). Playing for NZ probably looks pretty good on a hall CV (what do you play, out of interest?), as does a merit endorsement in level two.
Good luck!

 

[Dorky]

Stevo140 has already mentioned some of the colleges you'd be better to put as 2nd and 3rd choices (UniCol, Cumberland, Aquinas, City Col, etc).

1st-Hayward, 2nd-Aquanius, 3rd- Unicol. Sound good froot?

 

[frootloop]

1st-Hayward, 2nd-Aquanius, 3rd- Unicol. Sound good froot?

My personal preference would be something a lot closer to uni than Aquinas in 2nd place, but each to their own. In terms of strategic preferencing, that looks pretty good to me!

 

[stevo140]

Yeah that looks good to me too, Dorky. You'll definitely get picked up somewhere along the way with those 3. All good Halls. Though, all have 1 downside that gets mentioned when talking to mates: Hayward = street noise on hal;f of their rooms, Aquinas = distance to Uni/town in weekends, Unicol = too big for some people

 

[Squirrel]

Thanks for the quick and honest replies!

I play ice hockey for NZ U18 and U20 but will sadly have to put it aside while I'm at Uni. :cry:

What are some pro's and con's of Knox? Is the location a bit of a set back? Sorry for these questions, I probably sound ridiculous but just walking 30mins everyday can accumulate over the year and that time could be better spent sleeping or studying, but then again walking is good for you... Non-sense of a dilemma I know, but if anyone has an opinion on that?

Also, Arana (according to the prospectus) has 398 rooms, do they really fill up after first round picks?

 

[frootloop]

Ice hockey, neat! (I'm lucky to be able to get from one side of a rink to the other upright, let alone at full-charge with a stick, lol).
As for Knox, one of the Knoxies will be able to give you more info about it. But from what I've seen, it's a pretty sweet place (looks like Hogwarts, has a lot more old-fashioned traditions and formal dinners/balls and whatnot than most of the other halls), but I'd have to agree with you about the walk. 15-20 minutes each way is just inconvenient, although that said, there's a supermarket/small shopping complex like 2 mins walk from Knox, so the only times you've got to walk is to class/if you want to go to town.

As for Arana having 398 rooms, when you consider that HSFY alone has ~1300 people, and from memory HSFY accounts for only like 25-30% of first-year students... 398 rooms isn't much, lol.

 

[rustyedges]

What are some pro's and con's of Knox? Is the location a bit of a set back? Sorry for these questions, I probably sound ridiculous but just walking 30mins everyday can accumulate over the year and that time could be better spent sleeping or studying, but then again walking is good for you... Non-sense of a dilemma I know, but if anyone has an opinion on that?

Knox has the highest proportion of second year students, which means that there is a lot of tradition passed down, as well as help and the like. The worst thing would be its distance, although it isn't unreasonably far. You're not going to feel like you're wasting time walking 30 minutes a day haha, and it can count as your daily exercise . Also, most dinners are formal (jacket and tie), so if you're not into that sort of thing you may be put off.

 

[Zion]

To Y13 students, this is how the rest of the uni sees us:

 

[musica209]

To Y13 students, this is how the rest of the uni sees us:

No, pretty sure this is how the rest of the uni sees you...:

 

[Squirrel]

What is the drinking culture like in Dunedin and at Knox? I've heard a range of anecdotes about Dunedin (e.g. Hyde Street Keg party) and just wondering what your opinions and views are? I don't consider myself a drinker and want to spare the brain cells that are left, they could come handy during HSFY haha.