Editorial: Tertiary students vital to region

BY WARWICK RASMUSSEN - DEPUTY EDITOR

OPINION: What a breath of fresh air the new and returning tertiary students make to the city and the region.

During the past couple of weeks thousands of UCOL and Massey students have returned to the city and region, bringing some extra vitality and vibrancy to proceedings.

Orientation parties and concerts have been held as students of all ages and backgrounds meet and mingle for the first time. It is an exciting time for them all, and for the city especially.

Their arrival, in ways like a migration, gives an injection of energy to the city.

There is also a sense of expectation in the air too, for what the coming year has to offer.

But in a lot of ways students get a raw deal when it comes to "outsider" perceptions.

Sadly, many get lumped in with a small percentage of troublemakers, not just in Manawatu but around the country.

If there's a couch fire, rowdy parties that get out of hand or any other disorderly behaviour by students it means the whole sector gets tarred with that brush.

While not condoning that behaviour in a lot of ways it is understandable.

For many students, some still in their teens, university is a liberating experience and a break from living at home and going to school.

The boundaries are pushed and now and then those boundaries are broken. A lot of the misdemeanours are the result of peer pressure and attention seeking and it would be hypocritical of most of us to point the finger too much.

Aside from those matters the bulk of students are here to learn, to better themselves in one way or another.

Being a student isn't all parties and hanging out with your mates (although they are vital elements).

Students today put a lot of money, much of the time through loans, towards their educations and careers.

It is usually a huge commitment, life-wise and financially, to study at a tertiary level.

We welcome all the students to the region, whether they are from the region originally or from outside it.

The city thrives when the student population returns in force and their appearance and participation are a crucial part of what makes Palmerston North and the wider community tick.

ONE MORE THING

How blessed have we been with hearing top Kiwi music lately? A look back over the past couple of weeks shows that the city and the region can attract and host the cream of New Zealand talent.

Just running through the list is impressive. We've seen Midnight Youth, Gin Wigmore, Minuit, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Tim Finn and today and tonight we're seeing Tiki Taane, Evermore and Supergroove among many others.

What an impressive array of talent.

- © Fairfax NZ News