Student Contribution: Priyanka Sharma
In a turn of events that could only be fueled by academic desperation, Officeworks has reported a significant surge in revenue, thanks to an unexpected clientele: law students preparing for in-person open-book exams.
Law students at Deakin University needed a lot of printed materials as test season drew near in order to prepare for the demanding open-book exams. They ran to Officeworks to print out every case brief, legislation, and lecture note they could locate, realising that digital notes would not be adequate in the high-stress exam hall setting.
For anxious law students, Officeworks' normally peaceful aisles became a chaotic haven. Students lined up with computers and USB drives, eager to print out hundreds of pages of well marked and annotated notes. The sound of printers hummed in the air. Employees at Officeworks hurried to keep the printers supplied with paper and toner while they observed firsthand the extent kids would go to in order to succeed academically.
Each student appeared to have their own approach. While some printed single-sided to allow space for comments, others printed double-sided to conserve space. Students bought a rainbow of highlighters to annotate their newly printed notes, and colour coding was commonplace. Packed neatly for convenient exam reference, students were selling binders, plastic sleeves, and dividers off the shelves.
On exam day, the law students arrived with backpacks and suitcases full of neatly printed and organised notes. The scene in the exam hall was almost comical, with students surrounded by towering stacks of paper, each sheet representing hours of preparation and countless dollars spent at Officeworks.
