Fleshed out
Being naked in class is a widely reported nightmare, but each year Massey University vet students can’t wait to get their kit off for their calendar fundraiser.
Being naked in class is a widely reported nightmare, but each year Massey University vet students can’t wait to get their kit off.
Each class celebrates the halfway point of their five-year degree in veterinary science with a celebration funded by earnings from a naked calendar. This year’s Barely There calendar is the 13th edition.
Aimee Alexander took part this year, and said the rite of passage is nervously but enthusiastically looked forward to by most.
‘‘I was actually kind of excited about it because we spend every day with the people in our class, and they’ve become my best friends. There’s some cool memories of doing it. It was fun and it’s something different.’’
Twelve photos are taken, with small groups planning their own shoots and one larger class shoot.
‘‘For sure, everyone was a bit nervous. In the first photo, the class photo, we had 56 people. The very first photos look stark and nervous, and within 10 minutes everyone saw the funny side and was having a laugh about it and we looked natural and happy to be there.’’
The models carefully positioned themselves with vet-related props and animals strategically covering private bits, but Alexander said the scramble after the photos were taken was the most exposed moment.
‘‘We took the photo and then we were realising ‘how are we going to get back into the clothes?’, because they were behind the photographer.’’
Then there was the unpredictability of working with animals.
‘‘There were some photos where you’re sitting perfectly covered and then, as the photo is taken, the dog decided to run away and you’re sitting there exposed.’’
Demi Barr also admitted she was nervous about the photos, but wanted to take part because of the tradition.
She organised one of the page shoots at her farm in Cardiff, Taranaki, so she could have her own animals in the project.
Everyone she had told about the calendar had been supportive and she has a stack of pre-orders from people back home.
‘‘Most people thought it was fully naked, but then I showed them last year’s and once they saw it they said ‘that’s quite cool’. I haven’t told nana yet though.’’
The calendars sell for $15 each. Last year’s one raised more than $20,000, and 10 per cent was donated to Farmstrong, a campaign to deal with mental illness and suicide in farming communities.
This year, the class is larger, so Alexander said they hope to sell more. Working Dogs New Zealand will receive 10 per cent of the profits to help rehome retired farm dogs, and the rest will allow students the chance to choose a day of skydiving, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping or fishing.
Barely There calendars can be bought from vetcalendar.co.nz