Alarf x HOTYF
You may’ve recently seen on our socials that we’ve been sharing posts from a handle “hotyf.otago”.
HOTYF (pronounced “hot wife”) stands for Hold On To Your Friends and is an initiative put together by Otago University students Niamh Orr-Walker, Hannah van Kampen, Louisa Mason, Bede Brown & Ben Prentice. It began in 2022 after tragedy unfolded at a house party in 2019, killing fellow student and dear friend Sophia Crestani. This tragedy shook the University and the nation alike.
It also shed light on something that has been going on for too long at Universities - inadequate student hospitality.
During COVID, the uni bars closed down as people weren’t allowed to socialise. However, years gone by, these bars remain closed with no sign of reopening. This leads students flocking to overcrowded house parties in unregulated situations that, as we’ve seen, can have the most extreme consequences most of us can’t bare to think about. What seems to be frustrating however, is that the Universities aren’t really doing anything about it, leaving it to the open market to cater for the students. HOTYF was then formed with the mission of creating a safer student culture that works with students, as opposed to against them.
Some context:
Powers to be have tried and failed to enforce their own ideas of university culture onto students; telling them how they need to act or what they need to do. But in reality, that’s never going to work (we all know change only comes to those who want it). For as long as I’m sure all of us can remember, the culture around drinking in this country has always been rife, and despite best efforts, that doesn’t seem to be changing. In fact, it seems to be getting worse as it becomes increasingly more difficult to party or socialise in town. Be it the lack of student focused bars, lack of music venues, or merely the sheer cost of a beer at a bar. Think about all the benefits of having groups of people drinking in a regulated, public space, compared to a crammed, dodgy student flat.
Anyway, I may’ve digressed a little from what HOTYF is actually all about. Again, I’m just providing some context.
At the forefront of HOTYF’s mission is to, despite all adversities that may surround a situation, always Hold On To Your Friends. Don’t let them do something they’re going to regret, always look out for your people and the people around you. The tie between the two is that in order to have safer people, we need to have safer spaces in which people can celebrate. And the people will celebrate, rest assured.
Let’s remember that these are some of our countries brightest young people, and we shouldn’t dismiss their views on such matters. We should be listening to the people on the ground.
Now, a big part of why Alarf is collaborating with HOTYF is that these same issues were happening when my friends were going through university. That’s 10 years ago! All that’s happened in that time is more venues have closed down and prices have continued to go up. “Still no change” I thought, when Niamh was sharing her initiative with me. Not only do HOTYF spread the good word of looking out for people, they also work with local student music groups and promoters to put on gigs for students, as well as street clean ups and other community based events to promote awareness around holding on to your friends and looking out for one another. I just find it somewhat frustrating that’s it’s been left to students to organise such things.
Give them a follow if you want to see all the positive stuff they’re doing. I’m excited to see what change may take place at the hands of these bright people, and am proud to be able to support such an initiative, even if only in a small way.
