Page 14 - Luce 2012

Junior Co mmon Roo m Council News

Lizzy (centre) takes stage A new look for the “ladies’”: Tim
Thwaites and Doreen Rosenthal
What is it like to be at JCH nowadays? inspect the new bathroom
A much needed
Female Sports Representative Lizzy Barnes-Keoghan, starting her
second year in Biomedicine, was asked to pen some thoughts for a new facelift for a very
intercollegiate prospectus. This is what she said:
important room
College is quietest at five o’clock in the morning. The late night studiers have gone to
bed and the early morning fitness fanatics aren’t stirring yet. This magical time of the
day is the time I treasure most. College life is busy; dances, tutorials, sport of every kind, As Council commits to the renovation
balls, plays, supper (known at clubbers here at JCH), homework, parties, costumes, of bathrooms throughout the College,
trainings, announcements and special dinners are just the tip of the iceberg when it the ground floor ladies’ bathroom has
comes to living at College. received a fantastic facelift. Chair of
Council Doreen Rosenthal and Deputy
The quiet of 5:00am lets me set myself for the day. There’s volleyball training to go to Chair Tim Thwaites recently ‘cut the
before breakfast, lectures to attend until lunch, people to talk to over afternoon tea, ribbon’ to the renovated room – which
intercollegiate sports to organise before dinner, announcements to make at formal hall,
the College play to practice after dinner and a party to plan for next week. houses a shower for female students as
well as toilets for guests and residents.
Sitting on my bed, in my room - my home, I think about what the day will bring. We While no longer using the bathroom,
don’t take sport too seriously at JCH, training will make me smile and laugh but it won’t Tim remembers it well from his days as
exhaust me for the day to come. My lectures are only a five-minute walk away and one of the College’s first male students
I always go with friends. Whether we are going to same place or not the stroll down – it’s young Tim sharing the facilities
Royal Parade is beautiful – it always reminds me just how lucky I am to go to university here in the 1973 Tiger Lily Rag.
in such an amazing city.
A bloke in our bathroom: Tim
I love lining up and waiting for meals. As more people fill the dining hall conversation Thwaites and Gretel Lamont-Tucker
fills the space until the doors are opened and people begin to load their plates with fuel (Lamont, 1971) in the College’s first
for the afternoon ahead. On the table behind me they are going through the newspaper year of coeducation, from the 1973
quizzes, across from me sits our principal Dr. Powell and next to me is one of our Tiger Lily Rag
resident tutors. I sit among first years, returning students, arts students, music students,
science students, doctors, scholars and friends. Anyone can talk to anyone. It’s my kind
of place.

As the sun begins to stream through my west-facing window I sit down to go through
my lectures. I love my course and I know that should I struggle with concepts or want
to clear anything up I can talk to my College tutor after dinner. My College tutorials
are a great time to chat about the subjects and work over any problems. They don’t
make my head hurt with new information but instead consolidate ideas and inspire me
to always continue learning.
Afternoon tea arrives and the Junior Common Room (JCR) is thriving with people.
The leather couches can always fit more people on them, the pool table is bustling
and ping-pong balls are flying from the table tennis table. Slowly the room empties as
people head to the gym or classes or their rooms.
All of a sudden it’s time for dinner. Formal hall is a time to sit down, as a College and
learn what we did that day. Announcements can be made by anyone and they range
from lost property to events around Melbourne to when the next sport training session
is. Going back to basics is what formal hall is about, super easy conversation, great food
and great company.

The College play is a chance for everyone to dust of their acting hat and exercise their
vocal chords. People are busy tonight – sets are being painted, makeup is being tested,
costumes being altered and the actions are being refined. We open in less than a week
so rehearsal is intense. It will be worth it though, it always is.

Finally I return to my room for the night. I’m giving myself the night off study and
prioritising sleep. It took me a while to get the balance right but I’m there now. I involve
myself in as much as I can because I know that College is like Nutri-Grain – what I put
in is what I get out.
14 LUCE Number 11 2012