Electric Light social event a team effort

By Sonia Gentile

Published 10 July 2008

If you were at the Electric Light Hotel on Saturday, July 5 around 7pm and ventured to the beer garden, next to Tass's 40th birthday party, you would have found something unusual.

The Uni SA and Adelaide Uni Golden Key chapters celebrating the end of exams, together.

The competing universities managed to forget their differences for a night and the students were able to get to know each other over food and table tennis.

Erika Tan, Adelaide Uni's Golden Key social officer and organiser of the event said, 'I think it is a wonderful idea (to have joint events) and perhaps in the future we can integrate the three chapters.'

The night allowed Golden Key members to unwind and soak up the fresh air, after being locked away studying.

Social events are not only an essential part of the Golden Key calendar but are also an integral part of university life.

'It is important to have a balance of social and leisure activities, as well as studying,' Ms Tan said.

Getting together in a more relaxed environment is also a great way to get know other members.

Ms Tan said that many members were apprehensive when they first joined Golden Key because they didn't know anyone.

'I think this can be solved by creating more social events for people to get to know each other… the events also help increase Golden Key members' confidence, open up gates for them to meet new people and improve their socialising skills, which is essential for their future whether in the workplace or on the social scene,' she said.

A lot of preparation went into organising the event so that everything ran smoothly.

'First, we had a small meeting with the GK social committee and we invited the UniSA social representatives as well. After the meeting, everyone prepared their own assigned work, such as sponsorship, flyers and facebook groups,' Ms Tan said.

As for the relationship between the Uni SA and Adelaide Uni Golden Key chapters, if Saturday night was anything to go by, the future looks good.

'I think it is certain that there will be more upcoming social events and of course it will be a huge, happening thing if the three chapters could collaborate and create more wonderful social events together in the future,' Ms Tan said.