Almost too quickly summer has past, and the school year starts
with the traditional orientation for incoming students to the University of The
West Indies at COB LL.B programme. While this event is a very exciting prospect to
our small programme, all I could ask myself as I woke up on
the last Friday morning of summer, was...why so early?
Orientation was scheduled to begin at 10:00 am in the Harry C.
Moore Library Auditorium, but in true local Bahamian style, 30 minutes later we
were under way. The President of the Law Society, Theominique Nottage, planned a
simple but compact orientation schedule that featured a welcome by the newly appointed LL.B
Department Head, Rubie Nottage and addresses from faculty members like Sashane
Mcdonald, an Oxford University educated real property and criminal law lecturer.
Unfortunately, the Head of Department, Rubie Nottage, was unable to
attend because of other pressing matters. However, Ms. McDonald supplemented her
welcome nicely with some guidelines the faculty of the programme expected the new
students to follow, and some candid advice on beginning the strenuous three years
ahead.
Time honoured
responsibilities like being on time, and being proactive about work was shared
and seemed to be welcomed by the incoming students who sat and listened
attentively to the welcome address.
The rest of the programme followed in a blur with introductions of
the law society and a discussion of the society's importance and advocacy on
behalf of the students.
Recent LL.B graduates and current Eugene Dupuch Law School students, Year II and Year I respectively, Viraj Perpall, and Elizabeth
Mitchell-Daxon also spoke to the new students giving great advice on how to survive the LL.B programme and tips on what to expect. Material like
student to student conduct and respect for peers was stressed as well as
helpful hints from using the library to study habits.
Current students, Glenn Curry and yours truly also spoke to the
excited new students on our experiences to date in the programme in the hope that the students could gain an even
better perspective as they enter the hallowed halls of the BTTC - our home away from home.
Not just filled with educational tips, the orientation helped the
students loosen up a bit with icebreakers designed to introduce the students to
each other and the law society. Snickers and Hersheys kisses were passed
around, and as each student helped themselves they had to share tidbits of
information about themselves. Greedy ones like me, with four snickers in hand,
shared more than some, while the moderate chocolate eaters were happy to share
just two personal facts about themselves.
One of the highlights of the orientation schedule was the full
library access review and hand-out to the new students,
showing them how to navigate the law library and behavioural practices expected
of them.
The orientation closed out a little after noon with students
leaving feeling a bit more equipped for the LLB programme and excited to begin to walk their path as the next generation of lawyers or as we like to call ourselves - social engineers.
By Renee Farquaharson
Secretary, 2012 - 2013
The University of the West Indies at The College of The Bahamas Law Society
