NICHOLAS MCDONALD
With Schoolies 2013 only a month away, students are ramping up in anticipation this year will be a more joyful experience after the events of previous years.
Last years schoolies was marred after the tragic death of a girl who accidentally fell from her apartment which sparked debate over the safety of the event.
Students Angus Traves and Frederik Scheutz said there are more eyes on this years cohort but it will not dampen any celebration.
“I can understand some extra eyes on this years schoolies but honestly, who cares?” Mr Traves said.
“No matter what happens, there will always be something for the media to point at and say ‘see? schoolies must be bad because this happened’ which is dishonest and pretty pathetic.”
There’s no turning back now for the thousands of students across the state that have booked accommodation at the Gold Coast for one of the state’s largest annual gatherings.
For Angus and Frederik, Schoolies is a part of the school experience on par with QCS and attending school sport meets.
“The planning that went into this week is impressive by itself,” Mr Scheutz said.
“To miss Schoolies would be to miss out on a Queensland tradition.”
Both boys also noted how expensive Schoolies has become when contrasted against the relatively cheap trips to Bali and other locales offered by student travel agents.
“When you say to yourself ‘yes, I’m going to schoolies’, then you are destined to spend at the very least $500 up to $1k,” Angus said.
“It’s still better than Bali and I don’t know why you’d not want to go to the Gold Coast to hang out with everyone.”
Schoolies week begins on November 16.