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Elections are over! By the time you read this, you'll know who is the new top dog of the Government. I'll keep my election talk to a minimum here, it would be painful to both you and I to spend any more time on that topic. But in the middle of the political shit storm that has occurred over the last couple of months, one major issue stuck out to me: last week over 100,000 18 to 24-year-olds STILL hadn’t enrolled to vote.

Some people say they don’t vote because they believe it won’t count (gasp!) or that they don’t trust the government.

Fine, but this doesn’t explain why only 25 per cent of Otago students voted in last year’s OUSA Executive Elections. The OUSA Executive is far closer to students than any government ever can or will be and they can directly implement students’ ideas and financially support them. For God’s sake, they ARE students! Despite this, people still don’t vote. Last year had one of the highest voter turnouts in a long time, but with 5,193 votes cast, that still leaves nearly 15,000 who just don’t give a shit.

And here’s my point. People complain. All. The. Time.

Some healthy debate is great. People having a whinge about what is wrong with society / government / university / that bitch at work is how we become aware that others have the same problem and maybe something can be done. People can talk, but they struggle to do. That makes sense. It’s easy to talk; doing takes effort.

The opportunity to vote for someone to make a change – for someone else to do the hard work for you – is presented right in front of you and is, I promise, really easy and requires next to no effort. Still, I predict that well over half of the student body will not vote for the 2015 Executive.

In our generation, how are we still not aware of the difference we, as one person, can make? If all you can do is vote, then do it. Pick an OUSA President and Executive that represents something you agree with or one that just seems like they might get shit done.

If you can do a little more than just vote, which I am quite sure most students can, then contribute to this place. There are an insane amount of opportunities offered at the University and by OUSA. But due to a lack of involvement, some of these opportunities are going to die.

The Business School Case Club has just lost funding for its international competitions, despite the latest competitors winning both national and international events. Aside from the fact I personally know the incredible value of Case Club, in terms of the connections you build, the confidence grasped with public speaking and the general business skills developed, I also know that the chance to attend international competitions is what drew me to the club in the first place. When there's already been a drop in international student numbers (Dunedin is having to launch the “Study Dunedin” brand to entice students to come back), the University should hang on to everything that makes it shine! They’ll only do this if we make some noise about what does make it shine though!

OCOM used to be the heart of Commerce students’ time at the University, with the Commerce ball and various events, but it has been dead this year. The Dean of the Business School himself said he felt the heart is missing from the faculty. Yes, it’s his responsibility to bring back that heart but we, as students, also have the responsibility to fight for it – to form a student body!

SOULS, the committee for Law students, is thriving, but only because of the joint effort of a lot of eager students and staff. If students make some effort to show what they want, the higher powers will listen. It’s just that recently there are never more than a handful of a people showing they care. Apparently Law students have argued their case!

We all came here for a reason. Yes, there are parties to be had but we can have those once we’re out of here too. Make your whopping loan something to be proud of. Push the University and your teachers to let you shine, whether that’s through your work or extra curricula activities. Get involved with clubs and societies. Ask for feedback. Maybe even attend lectures.

OUSA Teaching Awards are opening today and PLEASE vote! The teachers that tend to do exceptionally well in these awards get little attention from the University because they may not be producing the research output that is financially desired.

OUSA Executive voting also opens today! VOTE VOTE VOTE!! Your Executive WILL listen to you and they can make a difference! And if they don’t listen, complain to Critic. I promise we will stir things up!

And if you’re sick of being told to vote, sick of the democracy, try North Korea. I’m keen to hear what it’s like.

Josie Cochrane
Critic News Editor