Sunday we started "o" week, the traditional orientation week for freshmen or freshers (pronounced freshas). It's been nuts! So weird to go back to freshman year all over again, and this freshman orientation is crazier than anything I could have expected. We wake up to loud music and banging on our doors every morning at 7am, we do silly ice breakers all day and hold hands running around the city. We do squats whenever the leaders decide the silence needs to be broken, and scream the "Queen's College" anthem to get pumped about where we live. It's been a lot of fun, but I am pooped, to say the least.
Not to mention I did not have shampoo for the first couple of days, and there was literally not even 5 minutes to go find a grocery store, so let's just say not everyone was eager to be best friends with the smelly American... (don't worry, someone graciously let me borrow some essentials).
Here is a picture of our logo from O-week (their mascot is a goat! how funny!):
Queen's College is a place of tradition, class, energy, and Queen's patriotism. I've met a lot of people here from all around Australia, as well as many other countries, although I am still familiarizing myself with Australian geography. They say a lot of strange things here, like instead of "I'm down for that" you say you are "Keen for doing that." Words are shortened all the time like "mosquito" becomes "mozzie" and suspect is "sus." "Cheers" is used to say thanks, and I've also already had one person try to trick me into the drop-bear joke- thanks for the heads up on that Danielle.
During "O-Week" we went to the beach in Torquay, about an hour and a half away from Melbourne. Apparently the water is safe to swim in, although at one point everyone came running out when they saw Blue Bottle jellyfish, which apparently sting like crazy. Here are some pictures!
Oh yea, and Vegemite is disgusting. Steer clear.
Haha, thanks for the shout-out. I appreciate the pun about a "heads up" lol.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a pretty fun time. What's a Vegemite? That's totes not in my dictionary, sis. I don't think Australians are the only ones who shorten words. ;D
Vegemite is a classic Australian spread- you never heard of it on Rocket Power before? It's really gross though, uch. Haha, nice one, too true but here not only the teens do it.
DeleteThey also say "Good Work Mate" a lot in their heavy Austrailian accents lol.. Get any of that yet? Glad to hear you're getting settled in down there. Ps - what''s the drop the bear joke?
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_bear
DeleteThanks for clarifying the drop bear situation Danielle- now you can be fully informed if you ever come to Australia Jay.
DeleteI have gotten a lot of "good work mate" but Good'day is actually not too common. They also say "Cheers Mate" a lot like saying "Thanks dude." Like a whole other world down here, haha, just kidding.
Hope you're doing well Jay!