Otago University Students’ Association postgraduate representative for 2024, Hanna Friedlander, is working to install a sense of community among Otago's postgraduate students.
When attendees at a recent postgraduate event were asked how many of them had felt lonely in the past week, every person put up their hand.
Otago University Students’ Association postgraduate representative for 2024, Hanna Friedlander, wants to change that. She is trying to install a sense of community among Otago’s postgraduate students by hosting weekly ‘Imposter Hour’ sessions where all postgraduate students are welcome to talk about how they have been.
“Each time, I’m tweaking [Imposter Hour], really trying to foster this safe, comfortable environment for people.”
“It’s this intermediary initiative that is seeking to help people and prevent them from going from having bad thoughts to needing clinical help.”
She says Chattam House rules apply - outside of Imposter Hour people can discuss issues and solutions raised, but in a way that doesn’t identify the original speaker, if there is value in the situation. She asks that attendees be respectful and understanding that people come from different backgrounds with different perspectives.
“Everyone has such an individualised [postgraduate] experience, if someone is coming there to rant, or they want affirmation from the group … that’s okay, that’s a common experience.”
The two Imposter Hour events she has run so far have had a small turn out, but Hanna will not be deterred.
“I’m not going to let small numbers of people showing up hold me back, you have to start somewhere, that’s how you make progress.”
She would like to see Imposter Hour and the postgrad club, the Society for Postgraduate Students, become “built into the postgraduate experience, not something you join but something that you’re a part of”.
The event recognises that postgraduate students don’t fit into the “youth experience” many other Otago students are having, Hanna says.
“It is for postgrad students no matter how old. We’re all in this together.”
Hanna has a few other ideas for events she would like to run. The first is a postgraduate open day – like a tertiary open day but for second and third year students.
It would give them an opportunity to learn more about the postgraduate programmes within the department of their interest, she says.
Hanna is in the process of sending out a proposal document to all departments so they can sign up.
“It’s a really big project to host. If it’s successful I hope that the University sees the benefit from having this kind of event and take it on from there.”
The second event she would like to get off of the ground is a University-wide conference.
“I just think it would be a really great way to bring the University together and showcase what all our postgrad students are e up to.
“You never know, you could get some really fascinating insights into your own research from a different point of view.”
She believes a lot could be gained in hearing from people outside of your everyday bubble.