Photo: ODT files We adhere to trends, sometimes for rational reasons and often irrationally. This extends well beyond, say, clothes or events to decisions on just about everything. Judgements on where to live and where to undertake university study are heavily influenced by what is in vogue.
Wellington has lost its "absolutely positive" cache after years when it was the in-place to live. This week’s census figures also tell the turnaround tale. The public service cuts are another blow, although they should help dampen what had been runaway house prices.
Meanwhile, UC (you see) the University of Canterbury’s numbers climbing. Young people moaned about how dead the city was after the earthquakes. In 2015 the domestic roll was only 12,695.
By 2020 it was 15,575 and 17,415 the following year. By last year it had increased a further 1130, a 6.5% increase between 2021 and 2023 and a 19.
1% rise from 2020. Canterbury has reported a whopping 5%-plus increase for this year. It’s on a roll.
The families of the managerial and professional classes, the source of most university students, have decided UC is the place to be. It is in fashion. Christchurch itself has become the flavour of more than just the month, even if the Crusaders rugby team has crashed.
An estimated 10,000 Aucklanders shifted to Christchurch last year. Much cheaper house prices are a palpable lure. Next door, Lincoln University was down and just about out in 2019 with 1710 domestic students.
The 2023 tally was 33.
