During the summer holidays I was lucky enough to spend a week at the University of Otago with 380 other keen year 12 and 13 students from all around New Zealand.

There were 36 projects and I chose genetics, in which we cloned DNA plasmids that were resistant to ampicillin and made them resistant to Kanamycin as well, before solving a murder. 

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we attended mini projects called ‘snacks’, in which we got a taste for other opportunities within tertiary study that we might not have chosen for ourselves – I was put into Classics, Botany, and Chemistry, and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. 

Another great part of Hands-On was being able to experience life in the University’s residential colleges. I stayed at Arana on the third floor, and it was within our floor groups that we prepared a lipsync for the dance on Thursday night, themed “it’s a kind of magic”. 

On the last morning, all of the project groups presented their findings – most groups went for slideshows, but for genetics we chose to do an interpretive dance accompanied by a rap. Hands-On was an amazing experience and I made friends with so many wonderful people.