STUDENT CLUB
Anya Cook, Tully Scanlon and Maree Pearson
UC spirit adapts and prevails “Undoubtedly, the start to 2020 has been an unprecedented one. And, as I’m sure many others have experienced, this year has brought with it a newfound appreciation for the concept of “community” – in each of its diverse shapes and forms. Whether it be in the form of a united national front, a college, family, or friendship – the reassurance, unity, and connectedness that communities bring has never been more important. Likewise, as the world has migrated online in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed first-hand the sheer power that these communities have – in their ability to prevail during times of adversity, and in their capacity to connect people in times of crisis.” Jake Vernon-Elliot Student Club President On the 22nd of February, we saw the foundations of our 2020 UC community built with O-Week and Welcome Saturday. For new students, O-Week Leaders, and staff alike, a nervous, yet excited energy filled the air as we welcomed our largest ever intake of 220 first-year students. From races around the Melbourne CBD to Queen Victoria Market trips, picnics, and dodgeball competitions against Ormond (in which we secured a triumphant victory), O-Week saw our first year students
12 UC Frappe Fort COVID-19 Edition 2020
excitedly embrace the values of love, passion and die-hard spirit that we live and breathe here at UC. It was so incredibly rewarding to see the new cohort of UCers embrace the College community in its entirety, and looking back, it’s almost impossible to reflect upon the week without a smile. To this, I owe a huge thank you to our incredible 2020 Vice President Kathryn Hutchins, the Student Club Executive, administration staff, and equally, to the entire team of 50 O-Week Leaders who
dedicated themselves to making AstrOWeek the ‘astronomical’ success it was. Quite frankly, I could not be prouder of the community culture we were able to foster, and of the incredible week we were able to create. With firm foundations in place, after O-Week we saw our UC community grow and mature. Preparations for the Step-Up dance competition began, we had incredible participation and overwhelming support for men/ women’s cricket, and we demolished
