GRAPESHOT, VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1: TRANSITON by Grapeshot Magazine

ISSUE 1: TRANSITION ISSUE 1: TRANSITION

APRIL MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Career’s week starts

THURSDAY

31 7

World Health Day

National Pet Day

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Tell a Story Day

April Fools

Ramadan Begins

Clean up Australia day

10 17

World Art Day

Easter Sunday

World Earth Day

ANZAC Day

SUNDAY

24 World Veterinary Day

Do you have an upcoming event? Let us know and we’ll do our best to include it in our calendar. Email: grapeshot@mq.edu.au

CONTENTS 7 NEWS

ISSUE 1: TRANSITION Newsflashes Jaws 3 NSW Nurse Strike NSW Train Industrial Action

8 8 9

Campus News

National News The Changing Reality of Mental Health The House Always Wins

18 20

International News Ukraine Invasion Sino-Australia Tensions Olympic Ice-Skating Controversies

22 25 26

28 REGULARS

Challenge: Cutting Down Screen Time Illustrated: Types of Students You’ll See in The First Week of Uni I Don’t Get It: NFTs & Crypto-Crashing YOU ARE HERE: Pymble Pop Culture Rewind: Keeping Up With The Kardashians Meet the Team

29 32 34 36 38 41

45 FEATURES

Notes for Sydney & I The Takeover Easier Green Seems Sus

46 48 50 52

A Letter To The Friends I’ve Lost Finally Being A Schoolgirl I Am Becoming What I want to Be The Act of (Re)Creation Homes Poem

55 56 58 60 63 64

Nic’s Flix: Don’t Look Up Review Grapey Book Club: “Consumed” by Aja Barber Review Horoscopes

68 71 73

54 CREATIVES

67 REPEAT OFFENDERS

Views expressed by the authors are not those of the publisher.

EDITORS’ LETTERS My dearest Grapeshot readers, I want to start off by saying thank you for being here and I am so excited to welcome you back with open arms to a safe, creative, and imaginative space called Grapeshot. In Bangladesh, when someone leaves home, they don’t say goodbye, they say ‘aashi’, which roughly translates to ‘I’m coming back’. Over the last 21 years, I have said ‘aashi’ numerous times to different countries, families, friends, and homes. And somehow, one way or another, I always did find my way back. However, in 2019, I said ‘aashi’ one last time, but it’s 3 years later and unfortunately, I cannot seem to find my way back this time. This issue of Grapeshot is not only about the major transitions we face in life such as moving out of home, graduating high school or university, or even changing identities. It is about every minor change we go through and how each of those elements help us transition into the person we are today. Within the colourful pages of this issue, you will find revealing and heartfelt stories curated by the incredible talent who use pens as their mighty weapon, and stunning design and illustrations from outstandingly creative minds. Sometimes, I think that perhaps I have not found my way back to where I was in 2019, because I am already where I need to be, amidst the wonderful people who have helped make this issue come to life. I hope that as you read through these pages, you understand and appreciate that all the transitions in life might not let you find your way back to where you were, but someone, something, or some place will always be waiting. However, always remember, that only you hold the power to control whether you want to return or not. With love, Saliha Rehanaz, Editor-in-Chief

The theme of the first issue this year, “transformation”, is about a sense of personal revolution; metamorphosis, supernatural or otherwise. When we hear about a person transforming their lives, there is often a stimulus behind that transformation. Perhaps the death of a close friend shocks you into realising the importance of living. Perhaps getting a pet or having a child – bringing life into the world – makes you want to get your affairs in order. Whatever the situation, it is almost inevitable that your transformation is inspired by an opposing experience. Revolution means to bring about a world that juxtaposes the previous one. So, what does “transformation” mean to you? Is it internal or external; are you undergoing a psychological insurrection or taking on a makeover? What are your motivations for transforming yourself? Our advice at Grapeshot: worry not about aligning yourself with others for the sake of others, but about staying true to the process of growth. In this issue, you will read stories of navigating one’s early twenties and the drama that inevitably comes with it. You will read about transitioning and adjusting to the unexpected. For new readers: hello! Welcome to Grapeshot. Many of you will be fresh out of high school, and so we want you to consider what transformation means in your context. When you reflect on your first semester of university in a year’s time, will you have advice for your younger self? Perhaps you already wish you had done something differently. As we began compiling this issue, the world seemed to subvert even itself; to turn itself on its head. If there’s anything we’ve learned after experiencing a pandemic perpetuated by misinformation, every day brings with it a need to adjust as we become more attentive to international injustices. We must transform, if only to save ourselves. Do not fear shedding off your old skin, or taking on a new one. Feel free to try on identities like coats, and report back to us about your experience. We want to hear everything. Nikita Byrnes, Deputy Editor in Chief

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Saliha Rehanaz DEPUTY EDITOR - NIkita Byrnes NEWS EDITOR - Olivia Chan REGULARS EDITOR - Eleanor Taylor CREATIVES/FEATURES EDITOR - Rayna Bland REPEAT OFFENDERS EDITOR - Harry Fraser

CREATIVE PRODUCTION Liz To, Stephanie Sutton, Lorenzo Meli

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Jaime Hendrie, Bruna Gomes, Bodie Murphy, Clara Kristanda, Ashleigh Ho, Lauren Knezevic, Jackson Robb, Isabella Trope, Anthea Wilson, Jasmine Joyan, Sruthi Sajeev, Nam Do, Nicholas Chang

MARKETING & ADVERTISING Unnati Tayal, Tess Marsden, Nicola Stewart, Angelo Andrew

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Polina Bilinsky Mycak, Georgina Binns, Racquel Soares, Tahlia White, Rohini Banerjee, William Lawrence, Gypsy Bryant, Rebecca Ryan-Brown

EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Allastassia Carter, Amanda O’Neill, Racquel Soares, Jarrod Currey, Anahera-Keita Chessum

PUBLISHER

COORDINATOR

Mariella Herberstein

Melroy Rodrigues

GRAPESHOT acknowledges the Wallumattagal clan, of the Darug nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and meet. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceeded, no treaty was signed, and would like to pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging. We would like to extend those respects to all First Nations people reading. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

Photo by Nam Do

GOT SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE? SEND PITCHES, IDEAS, QUESTIONS, WORDS, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND ART TO GRAPESHOT@MQ.EDU.AU

NEWSFLASHES Soon, the grisly content made international headlines, with more viewers searching for raw, unedited footage. This has sparked debate about the morality of viewing and sharing such content. Perhaps there should be more conversation surrounding the influx of sharks in Sydney waters. According to local fisherman Mr McGlashan, following the incident, Sydney has seen a “ridiculous” shark boom. Specifically, he names, increases in bronze whalers, hammerhead sharks, as well as bull sharks.

JAWS 3 “Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water.” For the first time in 59 years, Sydney witnessed a fatal shark attack. A 4.5 metre great white shark looming in the depths at Little Bay mauled 35-year-old Simon Nellist, a diving instructor, to death on the afternoon of the 16th of February. By about 4:30pm on the same afternoon, only the semblance of human remains could be recovered. “I heard a scream and the thing landed and the shark was just chomping on his body…” Eyewitnesses were left shocked after the confronting incident. Within minutes, videos of the man crying for help and struggling in the water ‘stained with his blood’ were shared across social media platforms.

Yet, despite the incident raising public concerns on shark attacks, Nellist had previously commented against shark nets and drumlines on Facebook due to their destructive impacts on marine life. Accordingly, every year, thousands of marine life including turtles, dugongs, dolphins, whales, rays and critically endangered grey nurse sharks end up entangled in shark nets and drumlines, with many dying if not rescued. In the long term, this would negatively shift marine ecosystems, which imply far more destructive effects compared to an average of 20 shark attacks a year in Australia. This leads us to ask, should better measures be implemented to protect swimmers and divers? By Olivia Chan

nsw nurse strike Thousands of nurses in NSW spent their morning walking out on Tuesday 15th of February outside the State Parliament. However, this was not for their health and fitness. Nurses protested for better pay and against stretched staffing levels, with the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (Union) demanding mandated nurse-to-patient ratios and a pay rise higher than 2.5%. It comes after constant reports of highly understaffed yet filled hospitals with nurses working overtime and junior nurses taking on senior roles, all in PPE. To top it off, the NSW Government implemented changes in nurse close contact rules earlier in the year to fill in the gaps at hospitals. Nurses were, in short, pushed to their limits. “We’re running into double times, overtime, we’re doing a morning into a late, a late into a night, doing stupid hours, because we want our patients to be OK, but that’s not OK anymore,” stated Grace Langlands, a member of the Union. This depicts the constant pressure nurses constantly faced, especially in the past two years under the pandemic. On Monday, an order was issued by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to call off the strike, which aligned with the NSW Government’s concerns on state health service disruptions. Yet, the Union proceeded to lead the

NEWSFLASHES

strike, with workers from over 150 public hospitals in NSW participating. This occurred in a staggered fashion to lessen the disruptions on patients. In this structure, ‘skeleton’ staff including life preserving staff and some staff on shifts remained at hospitals. “...nurses in the ICU and emergency department...can’t even stop to go to the toilet.”

Such comments depict a rather degraded state of NSW’s healthcare system. Accordingly, an emergency department nurse from a Wollongong hospital commented that the supposedly world-class healthcare system “feels pretty piss-poor”. With a similar sentiment amongst NSW nurses, the State Government has become pressured to focus on the healthcare system and improve nurses’ working conditions. By Olivia Chan

day as each gave different stories to the media about who was at fault in the train strike and left commuters and citizens wondering which story was the truth of the matter.

NSW Train Strike

Leaves Tens of Thousands Stranded On Monday, the 21st of February, NSW Trains were thrown into disarray due to a disagreement surrounding safe operating standards between NSW Trains and Trainlink and the NSW Government. This led to mass inconvenience for anyone in NSW relying on the train network to get to work, school, or just to travel, as there were no trains in any direction for the entire delay. Consequently, roads banked up, and in some parts of the city, up to 22km’s long lines of traffic were recorded, making it nearly impossible for anyone to get anywhere in and around Sydney for the day. This coincided with a return to University for many Universities in and around Sydney, along with a back to work order from the NSW Government due to an easing of Covid limitations. It was also the first day that international tourist arrivals were entering the country. Effectively, this set the entire city into disarray and the disagreement between the Rail Union and the NSW Government only continued throughout the

Both State and Federal Coalition Ministers told the media varying stories, suggesting that Unions were “hijacking the city” and “colluding to cause chaos”, whereas Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the media that Unions were at fault, and pinned the issues with Unions on the Federal Labor Party, rather than highlighting that faults occurred during negotiations between the Union and the State government. On the other hand, the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) told the media that they had negotiated with the government for some days on fair work and safety standards. They reported that the NSW Government backed down at the last minute, resulting in their decision to stop rail services for the day, despite rail workers showing up for their shifts. Luckily the RTBU and NSW Government were able to come to an agreement on Monday night, allowing rail services to resume on Tuesday 22nd of February as if nothing had happened. However, NSW citizens and commuters will not be forgetting this behaviour quickly, especially so close to an election. By Jaime Hendrie

CAMPUS NEWS

MYSOGYNY UNDER THE GUISE OF SATIRE The importance of a campus culture that promotes the wellbeing of its students, no matter how they identify, is no revolutionary idea. Every student and staff member has an innate right to feel safe on campus and should be afforded the support and agency to facilitate that. The misogynistic satire that was propagated by Macquarie’s Liberal Society during O-Week (Exhibit A: “Wheel of Punishment”) is simply one example of a broader, and far more serious issue. What I find most striking, and frequently incredibly unsettling and disheartening, is how well this type of content is received on campus, both by the students and the University staff members. These forms of satirical sexism are rampant within most social spaces but are particularly prevalent within university settings. The issue is that it enables dangerously misogynist individuals to excuse their behaviours under the guise of humour. Because these men aren’t misogynistic…they’re hilarious! And us hysterical women need to relax and take a joke… yeah right. Let’s not ignore the fact that satire is being used as a scapegoat to absolve these (often white and male identifying) people of any social responsibility, and therefore, allows them to promote these forms of misogyny with little to no consequence. Don’t get me wrong,

the usefulness of satirical content to expose flaws in policy (and politicians in general) can be an extraordinarily useful tool. The problem is embedded in the fact that these men use it to disguise their own hatred for women. A key focus of the Women’s Collective is to promote a transition away from the campus culture Macquarie University currently embodies and create safe spaces on campus for both women identifying and non-binary individuals. We seek to achieve this by; providing opportunities for the discussion of political and social issues within and outside of campus, enabling and supporting members and students in acts of activism, providing education and educational resources, and actively protecting and furthering the equal rights of all, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, age, or ability. If you or someone you know is in need of any assistance, please reach out to one of the support services provided, alternatively you can contact us directly via email: mq.woco@gmail. com. By Racquel Soares, Macquarie University Women’s Collective Co-President 2022

CAMPUS NEWS

Your Personal Guide

MACQUARIE’S STUDENT SOCIETIES MUSS

Hello! We’re a small student group called MUSS (Macquarie University Sustainability Society). Our team runs workshops and events focused on assisting people in making small day-to-day changes that reduce our environmental impact on the earth. In the past we’ve planted trees around campus, participated in CleanUp Australia Day, hosted clothing swaps and collaborated with other societies to produce information sessions on things like indigenous land management methods, food waste and fast fashion. If you’re interested in joining and hanging out with some like-minded, eco-friendly inclined people, follow us on our socials and come down to one of our events.

CAMPUS NEWS

MUSO Hi! We are the Macquarie University Symphony Orchestra (MUSO), or a group of fun people who happen to play instruments. To maintain classical culture on campus, we meet every week to rehearse pieces together which also provides a great bonding opportunity for our members. In addition to our weekly rehearsals, we host social events and study sessions to foster friendships between our musicians. In the broader scheme of things, we hold concerts each semester as our driving objective. If you play an orchestral instrument and are open to playing in a group of like-minded musicians, please don’t hesitate to sign up and follow our socials. Hope to see you there!

MQUKPOP It is a place where people scream along to lyrics they barely know, fan over small pieces of high-quality paper, and gush over cheesy, romantic shows. That would be the MQU Kpop Society. This club holds a special place at the university where one can unleash all their craze for Kpop, Kdramas and associated things. Most well known for their KBBQ gatherings and chaotic weekly hangouts, MQUKPOP’s members never miss out on occasion to cheer for their favourite idol’s comeback. Their latest event, the Fantasia Ball, was a grand success and a small glimpse at the fun to come in 2022. To put it simply, the MQU Kpop Society is a mix of fans and friends constantly bonding over Korean pop culture!

CAMPUS NEWS

MDA At MDA (Macquarie Dance Academy), we have a little bit of everything for everyone. We’re a street dance society which is an umbrella term for styles such as hip hop, breaking, popping, krump. We offer dance classes for complete beginners as well as opportunities to represent the society in choreography performances and freestyle dance battles. Our society is part of a wider Sydney street dance scene. We collaborate with other dance societies and organisations to run events and also enter their events. We also just hangout and chill on campus and outside of uni. Dance and community is our passion, and we love to share and pass those values on.

WEB Women Entering Business (WEB) is a women-run student society with the mission to help improve the professional confidence of Macquarie University students. Our events provide students with the opportunity to network with recruiters from large international and Australian companies, develop professional skills like resume writing and learn what it’s like to work in their dream industry. Benefits of our membership include a bi-weekly newsletter, notifications of intern and graduate opportunities from our sponsors, priority access to our on-campus events and access to our Careers and Graduate Guide, all for $5.

CAMPUS NEWS

MAC MARAUDERS If you haven’t tried quidditch, you’re missing out! Quidditch is a sport that strives for equal opportunities, which means the game is Co-ed, LGBTQIA + friendly, and open to people of all levels of fitness. There is something for everyone in the sport, as it mixes components from many other sports, we throw dodgeballs, or bludgers, at other players, use a volleyball, or quaffle, to score points and seekers must snatch the snitch off of a member of the refereeing team. Quidditch can be a rough and tumble sport, depending on how you play, as the rules allow tackling and other forms of contact. The Quidditch community is one that spans the world, we have several teams in NSW and many more across Australia, as well as a national team who plays against other countries. We play against other teams in friendly and competitive tournaments once a month against teams from other universities and also community teams. Mac Marauders is the Macquarie Universities Quidditch team, if you’re looking for a new sport to try, come on down to the Macquarie uni sports fields on Mondays or Wednesdays at 5pm to check us out! We have training twice a week, and then gather afterward for dinner and games. The Quidditch community is a welcoming one and we are always happy to teach new players! If you’ve got questions before you come along to a training session to check us out, you can always message us on our Facebook page, Mac Marauders. Credit for group photo goes to: Taylort Angelo Quidditch shots. Credit for action shot goes to: Phot.oakraphy

CAMPUS NEWS

What do we want?

CLIMATE ACTION! When do we want it? Yesterday, actually.

But NOW is also good! Am I the only one who feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and no one else cares enough about climate change? I get it- Climate change is scary AF. If even half of what climate scientists predict will occur in the next 20 years, eventuates- the catastrophic nature of events that we won’t be able to stop or even mitigate, the extinctions and biodiversity losses- it’s too unbearable to think about, let alone know how to help. I’ve just spent the last decade doing science degrees and racking up HECS debts to get jobs that won’t even exist because, damn- fires will have killed all the best habitats, all the fish and coral will die from overheating and actual acid poisoning, like s o m e

demented James Bond movie. It’s a fucking bleak future and I wish I didn’t know any of it. But I know too much to do nothing. And if I don’t do something, I’ll go and cry in the corner in a foetal position forever and that won’t help a single damn stick insect, will it? It kind of feels like you’re trying to build a haystack, but you can only throw in one straw at a time. I turn my lights off when I leave the room, I recycle nearly everything (I’m a glass jar hoarder now, what the hell), I don’t eat meat. But what difference does it make? Like most students, I can’t afford an electric car, or get solar panels on the roof of my rental property. I’m sure as shit not running for government. How do we make a real difference?

CAMPUS NEWS

I saw our Distinguished Professor Lesley Hughes (of the Australian Climate Council fame) do a seminar last year, interpreting the latest IPCC report findings. It was a bit of a shock (the report is brutal; you might need a psych on hand if you want to read it), and the other attendants of the seminar (hardened and resigned biologists) were all kind of listening to Lesley in this stunned heartbroken silence before someone bravely asked “Lesley, what can WE do?”. With the empathetic face of someone who probably gets asked this question a lot, she replied “There are three things we can all do to assist in climate action,”

“Firstly, vote for governmental candidates that place fighting climate change at the forefront of their policies. Secondly, put your money into institutions that invest it in sustainable investments. And lastly, join your local climate action group. Get involved. Make your voice heard.”

MQCAS is determined to make change and act as conduit of information between the students and the administration levels of the University. MQU has already achieved 100% renewable energy usage via a contract with Red Energy, and this is a great start, but we can go further than this. We can become a sustainable, net-zero lighthouse to lead the way for other Universities to follow. We helped create Wi-Fi, my dudes, so we can do anything! We’re planning a student Town Hall in May. Please come and show your support for a net-zero future! MQCAS is pretty new, and we’re hoping to register as an official society with the Univeristy in Semester 2. If you also feel like us, get involved: We have a Discord channel, a Facebook page, and a website currently being built (www.mqclimateaction.wordpress.com). We aim to have information on how to vote for climate change, what banks and superannuation are the most sustainable to invest with, and a bunch of accessible tips and actions for all, including our international students, so we can all make the most informed choices. Join us. Collectively, our individual actions will make a bigger impact. Peace and Solidarity. By Georgina Binns, Biology PhD Candidate

So, because we didn’t already have a society on campus, I founded MQ Climate Action Society in late 2021. Turns out I’m not the only one who feels the weight of the world: We have students, academics, and staff on board, from many different schools and departments, because we all feel this sense of needing to DO something, to turn our frustrations into actions. We are (for the most part) the next cohort of caretakers for this planet, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our current leaders hear and meet our needs.

NATIONAL NEWS

The Changing Reality

MENTAL HEALTH Jackson Robb discusses the impacts of lockdown and the pandemic on mental health, and how we can move forward and adjust to the new normal.

Mental health is a topic that has been discussed and dissected in a variety of ways over the past three years. Its relation to the pandemic and its aftereffects has seen more people come to terms with the health of their mind in order to cope with new realities such as working-from-home (WFH) and mask mandates. However, for many, this process is a challenging task that requires reflection of what has caused these emotions to arise. As the world begins to understand how life can operate in a post pandemic society, it has never been more important to check in with yourself and the methods you use to combat uncertain scenarios. This article analyses common themes that contribute towards an unhealthy mind by going back to basics and assessing the cognitive inner workings of the brain, whilst also providing some strategies on how to move past difficult situations into a healthier, more focused future. Contextual influences often play a key role on the mental health of citizens, with the environments that people are exposed to impacting how they process information and maintain composure. The Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing (AIHW) provides evidence revealing that psychological distress in Australians was heightened throughout the pandemic. This becomes further supported by assessing the multitude of changes to daily life that many had to adopt; most significantly being the WFH method of study to avoid unnecessary exposure. This choice was needed to help minimize the spread, but it also limited social connections and discouraged many from adopting healthy habits such as exercise and extra curriculars. In times of stress and high-pressure situations, many are often quick to find the easiest resolve and return to a feeling of normality at any expense. In times of distress, finding the quickest escape, through binging a series or throwing yourself into your work, can actually be detrimental to your mental health and thought process. Data found from the Mental Health Commission of New South Wales found that 1 in 4 Australians aged 16-24 are living with a mental illness, with the top 3 areas of concern being study problems, coping with stress, and body image. With the addition of a pandemic, the bushfire crisis of 2019-2020 and the transition from one stage of life to another, it becomes clear why mental health needs to be addressed further and with diligence. Vices such as social media only add to these issues as many choose to advertise the thriving aspects of their life but not the hardships that helped them reach these points.

NATIONAL NEWS

This period became especially difficult for students, who were not only transitioning to new study habits and routines but facing the added difficulty of adjusting to university life. Navigating these changes without the support of their peers, who also face similar issues, can be a confronting and testing experience. A report from Andrew Mathews discusses this further, analyzing the cognitive functions involved with anxiety and how anxiety involves a characteristic pattern of cognitive processing, having the effect of maintaining high levels of vigilance for possible danger. For people experiencing uncertain changes in their environment, anxiety is a normal reaction to their situation. This can be linked to feelings of helplessness, making some more difficult to deal with and move past, resulting in detrimental effects on mental health in the long term if not addressed and worked through.

Every person that comes to terms with their mental health will have a different journey and it’s important to recognize that not every technique or piece of advice will resonate with your situation. The process of understanding and growing with your mental health is constantly changing, and often the discourse on this subject is overwhelming enough on its own. This creates a paradox, whereby you must be willing to receive information that can help you reach a better state of mind and illuminate what works and doesn’t work for your situation. This realization can take time and it’s important to recognize that it won’t happen overnight. A report from Meichun Mohler-Kuo provides clarification: “...young people are more vulnerable to their immediate environment and have fewer resources and past experiences to cope with stressful situations”. Aligning this view with results of the pandemic restricting social interaction and the making of new experiences, it becomes important to access material and try different things to identify what assists with your unique experience. Known strategies have been found in exercise, with Headspace suggesting the release of endorphins keeps your mind healthy and agile. The OneCentralHealth website recommends sleep as a critical tool that encourages time for your mind to process and store information from the day and allow you a chance to switch off. Asking your friends what has worked for them is also an option, keeping in mind their contextual influences as you do. The best course of action is to give yourself a time period. After a month, if exercise doesn’t work, try reading more books or visiting a friend. If you find yourself stuck along the way, there is no shame in asking for help. Macquarie has some dedicated councilors available for students on campus that can provide resources on how better to work through the uncertain times. The narrative on mental health is likely to change countless times in the future and this is ok. There will always be times when fear can prevent people from moving forward, so it becomes important to assess your environment and make an educated decision about what the next step needs to be. The pandemic has resulted in many students and young adults losing their direction and suffering the consequences of mental neglect, so by finding techniques that work for you and growing with these positive habits will help develop a positive headspace for you to exist in. Understanding these core principles will allow you to better cope with changing situations and allow you to move forward without fear of getting stuck in the in-between. For more information on how to access resources at Macquarie University, visit: www.students.mq.edu.au/support/personal/counselling By Jackson Robb

NATIONAL NEWS

THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS A LOOK INTO THE OBSESSION AND ADDICTION OF GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA

It’s another Saturday night out at your local RSL. You walk past the hordes of pensioners thumbing the bottom of their seemingly endless purses for another dollar to slide into the blaring carnival machine of spinning lights and racially insensitive stereotypes. Heading towards the bar, you dodge slightly to avoid the blue screen rays of the max volume KENO machine to grab your beer and face the blokes watching the regular array of rugby matches, UFC fights and greyhound races. Invariably, you ask your friends who they have money on, before they show you any combination of sports betting apps downloaded. After a long night on the town, you come home and recline in front of the television, watching a telescreen feeding betting ads with any variety of celebrity endorsement, your brain begins to fold inwards. Does Australia have a gambling problem? The statistics seemingly make the case themselves, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that Australians have lost $25 billion on legal forms of gambling just in the years 2018-2019, and that in NSW only one percent of problem gamblers actually reach out for support. The Institute of Family Studies discovered that 16% of Australian teenagers aged 16-17 years reported spending money on some form of gambling activity, with some illegally gambling due to being underage. A child under the age of 13 has never experienced an Australian sporting event without some form of gambling advertisement. Gambling industries appear to be expanding their reach further and further into every aspect of Australian life. When gambling starts to become a feature of going out to the footy, enjoying time out with your friends and time spent online, its presence only increases the odds of your eventual participation. Meanwhile, the Australian government seems to have established a keen friendship with the gambling industry, promoting events like The Melbourne Cup as an essential aspect of the Australian experience of “having a punt”.

NATIONAL NEWS

During his tenure as Social Services Minister, current Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an inquiry into offshore gambling websites. 60% of the online gaming industry’s $1.6 billion belongs to these offshore accounts with more than 2000 sites out of the reach of Australian regulators. To address this, a revised 2019 version of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 banned gambling operators from promoting online services to gamblers while allowing players to continue without restriction. Additionally, under the current Coalition government, in 2018, the government collected $6.2 billion in revenue from gambling industries. Opponents of gambling legislation often state the common viewpoint of “Freedom of Choice”, surely if one is willing to spend their own money on gambling, they assume the risks. To a certain degree, this policy makes sense, no one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to gamble. However, to understand how we can help afflicted peoples, we need to understand how gambling itself causes harm. Numerous scientific reports have demonstrated the debilitating effect gambling can have on the average person with symptoms akin to drug and alcohol addiction. Assistant Wesleyan University Professor of Psychology Mike Robinson details the exact chemical effects that gambling induces in the brain. Robinson notes “Dopamine, the neurotransmitter the brain releases during enjoyable activities such as eating, sex and drugs is also released during situations where the reward is uncertain… dopamine release parallels an individual’s levels of gambling ‘high’ and

also plays a role in reinforcing risk taking behaviour”. Repeated exposure to gambling functionally changes how you respond to losing. Losing money can carry the same trigger release of dopamine almost to the same extent that winning does. This leads to the phenomenon known as “chasing losses”. Additionally, the lights, sounds, and jingles of poker and slot machines have a subconscious effect on the brain that encourages people to play, as subtle lengthening of jingles increase excitement and lead gamblers to overestimate how often they are winning. Whilst this is occurring, policies in casinos like the distinct lack of clocks and windows create the perfect conditioning environment for an unsuspecting person to become wrapped up in hours of gambling. This inevitably leads to the penultimate question:

What can we do about it? Currently, the most effective policy ideas are framed around the idea of curbing gambling instead of outright banning it, through a practice of harm minimisation. University of Adelaide Associate Professor Michael O’Neil suggests minimising the amount of time spent playing poker machines, capping the maximum bet amount at $1 and reducing the number of hours gambling venues can remain open. Melbourne’s Darebin Council has experimented with removing the influence of gambling sponsorship from poker machine operators by removing sponsored club’s ability to access council grounds, facilities, and grants.

Former Mayor of Darebin Council Dr Susan Rennie stated, “We have a situation now where children quote the odds instead of focusing on the game… our community has lost just over $80 million a year on poker machines alone, and you can’t take $80 million out of the community and not have some people experience pretty severe poverty as a result.” The federal government has also taken steps towards rectifying this issue through the establishment of a National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering and the introduction of a National Self Exclusion Registry that would allow people to voluntarily exclude themselves from gaming venues. As advocates and opponents of Australia’s gambling culture war over thin patches of ground, as individuals, it is fascinating to consider the transition from ANZAC soldiers throwing two coins into the air to the digitised gambling sphere of the 21st Century. In times of strife, we often returned to games of chance as a comforting escape from our struggle. However, in the modern age of ease and comfort, we can only stand by and watch as colossal casinos force themselves alongside the ordered iconic skyline of the city. If anything in this article has affected you in any way, do not hesitate to call Gambling Help Online at 1800 422 599 or visit their website at www.gamblinghelponline.org. au By Bodie Greatbatch Murphy

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A FIGHT for Democracy, Independence, and Ukraine

On the 24th of February, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a full-fledged “special military operation”, in effect declaring war on Ukraine, invading Ukrainian territory and inflicting violence and brute force upon the Ukrainian population. Putin warned other countries which make any attempt to interfere with the Russian invasion would experience “consequences they have never seen ”, according to a Reuters translation of his speech. Russian troops were in combat-ready position the day before, having amassed along the Ukrainian border for several weeks. According to Sky News, Russia assembled “up to 190,000 forces personnel, including ground, sea and air, around Ukraine, armed with fast jets, artillery, warships and tanks.” As American President Joe Biden said, “The people of Ukraine…suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”

“Why should I care? I live far from there, it’s not my problem.”

Photo by Anadolu Agency

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Protest for Ukraine in Sydney, Australia / Source: Free Thought / Вільна Думка

The political friction that has ignited this most recent invasion has been ongoing for eight years and the historic tension between Ukraine and Russia has spanned over three centuries. Many do not know that Russia already invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexing Crimea, and occupying the Donbas region in the largest land grab in Europe since WWII. Like today, the 2014 invasion of Ukraine involved Russian troops, Russian soldiers, and Russian weapons. Brave Ukrainian men and women have been fighting this war for eight years. Some 1,584,000 people from Crimea and Donbas are now internally displaced persons after being forced to leave their home (as per UNHCR Ukraine). Under Russian military occupation, Ukrainians in Crimea live in fear: they are forced to assume Russian passports or lose their property, jobs, and healthcare. Those who express opposition to Russian occupation have faced imprisonment and in some instances, torture. Since the 12th of January 2022, Ukrainian citizens have experienced a wave of terrifying false reports alleging that explosives had been planted in more than 600 places around the country. More than 70 Ukrainian government sites were cyber attacked, causing disruptions in Ukraine’s operations. Russia’s hybrid tools of aggression against Ukraine include cyber attacks, terror, and intimidation of Ukrainian citizens, trade, and economic

pressure, the spread of propaganda based on falsifications, negatively portraying Ukraine as a “failed state”, and continued military aggression with no official declaration of war or acknowledgment of the presence of Russian troops in Ukraine, despite irrefutable evidence. As of today, Russia continues to illegally occupy 7.2% of the territory of Ukraine, as stated by the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ukraine” in 2019. In 1994, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear weapons in exchange for a guarantee of sovereignty and territorial integrity from Russia, Britain, and the United States through the “Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances”. Resorting to military aggression against Ukraine, Russia has and continues to violate fundamental norms and principles of international law, enshrined not only in the Budapest Memorandum but also in the UN Charter (1945), Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention and Interference in the Internal Affairs of States (1981) and many others. Russia has also violated a number of bilateral and multilateral agreements, such as: Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation (1997) and Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the status and conditions of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine (1999).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Putin does not consider Ukraine to be an independent nation with its own unique culture, language, and identity. To try and justify his imperial ambitions, Putin uses disinformation, along with erasure of ethinic identity, cultural appropriation, and the falsification of history to systematically spread propaganda. We see an example of this in his recent televised speech in which Putin states that “...Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia or, to be more precise, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia.” This is entirely false. In fact, the ancient Ukrainian kingdom of Kievan-Rus from which modern Ukraine originates, predates Russia. History proves that this is not the first time Ukraine has been subjected to such propaganda. The Holodomor, a human-made famine orchestrated by the Stalinist regime killed 7-10 million innocent Ukrainians through starvation – the Putin regime still denies that the Holodomor was an

act of genocide against Ukrainians. In recent times, the Kremlin has been working hard to disrupt Ukraine’s efforts towards European integration, including joining the EU and NATO. Putin sees Ukraine’s democracy and its orientation towards Europe as a threat to his power and is willing to destroy and occupy Ukraine. Through the wars with Georgia and Ukraine, Putin’s strategy is starting to unfold – to recapture key areas that were once held by the Soviet Union and gain back the prestige and global influence that the Russian Empire once held. Over these last weeks, I have heard many individuals say “Why should I care? I live far from there, it’s not my problem.” One should understand that this war will not only affect Ukraine but the whole world.

SO WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT THIS WAR? 1.

Putin aims to maximise his power by destabilising the rest of the world. In addition to imperialistic annexation and occupation, Russia’s government engages in more innovative hybrid warfare, not only in Ukraine. In a study conducted by the University of Washington, Cunningham found that Russian-attributed cyber actions have occurred in 85 countries spanning a total of 6 continents.

2. Ukraine has a huge agricultural industry which can meet the food needs of millions. Should this war continue, imported foods will be delayed, petrol prices will rise and there will be a shortage of various grains which will increase the price of food commodities. Already share markets around the world have been negatively impacted. 3. History does not need to repeat itself. The USSR failed many years ago and the world has not forgotten the brutality of this regime, as millions are still affected by generational trauma. Our world does not need another Soviet Union. 4. Putin is a threat to democracy. He is trying to topple a democratically elected government in Ukraine. If he succeeds, this will set a dangerous international precedent. 5. Putin is a threat to world peace. Every person has the right to live safely in their own country and associated countries should not be subjected to an ultimatum like Putin’s threat of “consequences greater than any you have faced in history”.

Putin predicted a swift and strong takeover but Russian forces have been met with the greatest defensive resistance of our generation. Ukrainians soldiers and civilians continue to fight for democracy, independence, and Ukraine. The world will change from this event. It is historic and it is up to us to determine how it ends. By Polina Bilinsky Mycak

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Is There Hope For Reconciliation With China? Amongst the heat of the Ukraine invasion, Scott Morrison has denounced China’s approval of Russian wheat imports as “unacceptable”. This comes after Russia was heavily sanctioned worldwide, including international trade and commerce, and shows no indication of improvements in Sino-Australian political relations. Just earlier in February, a Chinese navy ship was accused of shining a laser beam at an Australian Boeing P-8A Poseidon, a marine patrol aircraft with weapons systems and sensors for detecting submarines. The Australian Department of Defence commented that the actions “could have endangered the safety and lives of the Australian Defence Force personnel.” China responded by stating that the Australian warplanes flew too close to their ships instead, thus provoking them to defensive measures. This stages a microcosm of the unravelling of Sino-Australian relations that has occurred for the past few years. In 2017, Australia banned foreign political donations due to warnings of reports of Chinese attempts to influence Canberra’s political process. This was followed by Australia becoming the first country to ban Chinese tech

giant, Huawei, from the 5G network in 2018. In the same year, Australia also blocked ten Chinese investment deals across infrastructure, agriculture, and animal husbandry. With the onset of COVID-19, 2020 became a huge year in the disintegrating relations, especially with Australia’s calls for an enquiry into the virus’ origins. As if to fan the flames, Beijing also responded negatively to Australian criticism on the escalating political situation in Hong Kong, China’s plans on taking Taiwan, the human rights violations upon the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, and China’s continual aggression over the South China Sea. Consequently, Australia and China held a trade war. The blows on Australia involved curbing Australian beef imports and levied tariffs totalling 80.5% on Australian barley in May, and in Novem-

ber, China imposed tariffs worth 200% on Australian wine. This was significant considering that China accounts for 35% of Australia’s total trade; Australia accounts for less than 4% of China’s commerce. The trade war reached the World Trade Organisation in 2021, as Australia lodged a complaint over the Chinese tariffs on Australian wine. Yet, only a few days later, China lodged their own complaint. Such tension continued to brew throughout 2021, as Australia joined the boycott of Beijing’s Winter Olympics, viewing it as an opportunity for China to clean up their global image instead. Furthermore, later in the year, as a power move viewed as an attempt to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, Australia also acquired a nuclear-powered submarine agreement with the UK and US, which was named

AUKUS. Appropriately, Australia’s icy defences against such Chinese influences was further manifested through the cancellation of Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement with Beijing. This was a global project formulated by Beijing to build a large network of trade routes to encourage Chinese infrastructure firms to bid for major projects in the state, viewed as an act of diplomacy. Along with the laser beam incident and Morrison’s condemnation was also news of Chinese spies bearing on NSW politics so far in 2022. This occurred as an unnamed businessman, with many Chinese connections, was caught to have paid large sums of money to election candidates for electorate influence by the ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation). What comes ahead in the year is unclear, although with China’s employment of a new ambassador, Xiao Qian, to Australia, his softer approach gives hope for reparations: “China is willing to work with Australia to meet each other halfway…” By Olivia Chan

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

RUSSIAN SKATER on THIN ICE After Testing Positive for Banned Drugs

During the middle of the already controversial 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, it was revealed that Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) athlete, 15 yearold Kamila Valieva, tested positive for the banned drug Trimetazidine during a mandatory drug test in December 2021. Trimetazidine is a banned heart medication, known to be taken by athletes during competition to improve their endurance. Russian athletes in previous years have been thrust into the spotlight, especially following the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games due to their widespread, state-sponsored use of banned drugs to improve their performance. This resulted in Russian athletes being unable to compete under Team Russia. Instead, they were given the team name ‘Russia Olympic Committee’ (ROC), stripping Russia of the glory of any medal wins effective from December 17th 2020,

until December 17th 2022, upon which, it will be decided whether athletes may compete again for Russia, or continue as ROC. Valieva’s positive test for the banned drug calls into question a plethora of issues, particularly those related to how responsible a 15 year-old can be for testing positive to a banned drug, and how much at fault the adults around her, such as her parents, coaches, and teammates, are in this difficult situation. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, minors are not subject to the same public reporting system as adults due to the need to protect minors who may test positive. This was so in Valieva’s case, where the results were not announced until two months after the initial test. This was because she was doing well in the Olympics, being standout in the women’s single program, and helping Team ROC to win the team challenges.

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Despite the positive test, Valieva was still allowed to compete, which called into question the International Olympic Committee’s neutral position regarding positive tests for banned drugs. This decision was controversial especially as Sha’Carri Richardson, who qualified to represent Team USA in the Tokyo 20202021 Summer Olympic Games, was banned after testing positive for cannabis and is notably of black heritage. Richardson herself called out the IOC upon the decision on Valieva despite testing positive, and called into question whether an inherent racial bias or the fact that Valieva is a minor contributed to the approach taken. The IOC refused to comment on the matter, and were more focused on dealing with the Valieva case at hand. In the competition ensuing the positive result, Valieva’s previously tight quad jumpers were no match for the immense stress she was placed under by her coaches, teammates, and more importantly, herself, in a bid to prove her abilities in the wake of such an allegation. After Valieva’s fated program, her coaches were seen on the sidelines scolding her for her performance and for giving up throughout it, to which Valieva responded tearfully. Further concerns were raised about the cold demeanour her coaches and teammates showed to her, leading to more stress on Valieva. Luckily for the International Olympic Committee, Valieva’s placing meant they would not have to strip medals from her or from the ROC team later on. From a current political standpoint, such an event may even have the potential to worsen political tensions between Russia and the world… If this situation proves anything, it is that Russia is placing themselves in a very precarious situation right now in the world, whether that be in light of one of their Olympics scandals, or their geo-political tensions. Russia is surely making themselves known to everyone for some very serious offences… By Jaime Hendrie

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edia m l ocia s r e h ts. l s u e s l e batt ng the r , r o Tayl discussi r o lean me and E , u I have gur n ti e h e t r l had genc a s he r e t h eralised anxiety n e esid ing down since I was seven r s ’ t t o years old. As a teenager, t h u c es y p b a I developed depression. As a r n G io t c result, my brain constantly pops off i d ad with new and nonexistent concerns. At the

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same time, I battle to find any motivation to deal with actual issues. Because of this, whenever I try to sleep, it feels as though my brain goes into overdrive. I can’t stop thinking about everything. It’s like I wander through my brain, searching every inch of it for things to keep me awake. So far, the biggest thing that’s helped me with sleeping has been exercising almost every day. If I’m not working out, I’m walking the dog or doing anything to keep myself active.

Although working out has been a game-changer for me, I was still struggling with sleep at night, often staying up for hours after I went to bed. Then, I spoke to my psychologist, who suggested that I reconsider my technology habits, especially in the evening. I immediately brushed this off because I am sick of hearing people treat social media like the critical driver behind anxiety, even if it comes from an expert’s perspective (in hindsight, I wonder if because I was addicted to my phone, I was more defensive about big tech and the entertainment value it provided). Despite my attempt to shrug her tech concerns off, I found myself becoming more aware of my habits. For starters, I spent nine hours a day on my phone. Five of those hours were on Tiktok. Next, I realised that the first and last thing I did every day when I woke up and went to bed was check my phone. As soon as I woke up, I rolled over and went through all my messages and socials. My default activity seemed to be looking at memes. This concerned me because I have always seen myself as someone who values efficiency and practicality.

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Next, I fell down an internet rabbit hole about technology, and I discovered through the Addiction Centre’s page on “Social Media Addiction” that social media addiction is, in fact, a real thing. The website described it as “obsessive” and “compulsive” use of social media, which I thought was interesting, seeing as I also have OCD and clearly had a strict routine (even though I hadn’t realised it) where I was checking my phone to start and end my day. The definition they provided for social media addiction is “being overly concerned about social media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas”. My phone was definitely impairing other parts of my life, and I always felt this urge to log on whenever my hands were free. I realised at this point I had developed a pretty severe issue and the sense that I should probably do something about it. I also thought the explanation of what happens in our brains when we use apps like Tiktok was fascinating and terrifying. Essentially, apps like Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok are dopamine-inducing environments that produce constant neural activity similar to gambling or drug use. This continuous content stream causes the brain to trigger a reaction similar to taking cocaine. They also compare it to injecting dopamine straight into your body. When we engage in addictive activities, our brain produces lots of dopamine, making us happy. We learn to associate the activity with that happiness. It’s difficult to see the long term impacts of heavy social media use

because it is a relatively recent phenomenon. But I am boldly assuming that being addicted to social media use is harmful in the long run. Now, I had to make a plan of attack. Using my phone’s digital well-being controls, I opted to set app timers for all my social media; one hour for each social app. After that point, my phone locked them. Despite the Samsung app timers, you can just go into settings and disable them if you want to keep browsing. I was both determined to stick with this and lazy, so I found that I could not be bothered to mess with settings. My screen time was now down to around five hours a day, still a lot but a significant improvement on my previous nine hours. This was really difficult to keep doing. I realised just how often I felt like I needed to be on social media and how I would habitually go to it whenever I needed some form of stimulation. But I stuck it out and, after a week, made another big cut. I set my timers to 45 minutes per app, giving me three hours of entertainment. It was at this point that I actually decided to stop checking Instagram. I quit cold turkey for about a month, and I also uninstalled TikTok. I could not look at them without going overtime, and I was almost ashamed at how little control I had over my phone. It’s weird to consider how despite inventing phones for our own convenience, I was now relying on mine like some sort of weird iPad addicted toddler. The following month sucked, and I kept reinstalling and uninstalling apps because the urge to look at my for-you pages was constant. Gradually, it got more manageable, and I just forgot about Instagram. My best friend also started sending me links to the TikToks she felt I absolutely needed to see (what are friends for?). The most significant instant benefit I saw from this was that I had so much more time than I knew what to do with. I was able to extend my gym sessions and focus on other hobbies like

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painting and reading. Reading was something I meant to do but never did because I felt like I couldn’t find time for it. Winding down for bed now, I was sitting with my kindle and tea and reading until I went to sleep. I also decided to put my phone on a charger upstairs; I have a smartwatch I use as an alarm clock and figured that I would go longer without it if I had to get out of bed to check my phone. I had cut my total screen time to two hours a day through these strategies. It was a massive improvement for me, as I was now waiting at least 40 minutes before I checked my phone in the morning, and I was not using it anymore after 9:00pm at the latest. During my second month, I noticed that mindfulness, a practice heralded by therapists everywhere as the cure to all forms of mental illness, much to the chagrin of their clients, was much easier to achieve. I felt this level of awareness comparable to when I run. My attention is just on my body, breathing, and the environment around me. I went outside and sat on my balcony for half an hour in the sun one day, and I did not do anything out there. I was just able to sit in peace and focus on the sensations. This was a more gradual and subtle shift that took a while for me to notice. But it was the most unexpected part of limiting social media for me. With my newfound ability to tap into mindfulness, I found myself becoming less anxious, and when I was stressed, I felt more control over my emotions; I became less snappy and irritable, and when I got upset, I was able to process it and move on way faster than before. This has been the most significant benefit of this challenge; I can now sit and just be with myself without any distractions and feel less tension throughout the day. Lastly, we need to address my original issue, being sleep deprived and cranky. I have taken sleep medications my entire life and still had problems. I can now say hands down that changing how I deal with technology has been

the most significant contributor to my improved sleep. I sleep like a log; I now get into bed and just pass out. It’s wonderful. You don’t have to quit social media and become a hermit to discover tranquillity. You just need to stop using your phone within two hours of going to sleep. Unfortunately, progress isn’t linear, and in life, we go through phases in all areas as our well being continually fluctuates. Although I have yet to return to nine hour screen time, I go through periods where I spend too much time on my social media apps and have to delete them again because I struggle to incorporate my phone into a healthy lifestyle. For the most part though, I mainly just use my phone for crosswords now. DISCLAIMER: I don’t think social media is evil (I hate big tech though) and I am not shaming anyone who finds it entertaining or genuinely positive. For me, social media doesn’t contribute to my life or make me happy enough to justify the negative impacts. I personally acknowledge that my propensity for mental illness is probably a huge part of why I struggle to maintain control over my tech habits. I don’t know the key to enlightenment or fulfilment, but I think not losing track of what’s going on around you is an integral part of it. If you struggle with sleep, overthinking, or just want to be present in your own life, I would highly recommend investigating your phone habits and reconsidering them. That’s all from me. I will now attempt to use my newfound spare time to learn how to paint like a renaissance master because this seems realistic. Want to learn more? Visit: https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/social-media-addiction/ By Eleanor Taylor

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ILLUSTRATED Five Types of People You’ll See in the First Week of Uni

When transitioning from high school into university, it’s easy to feel lonely, confused and a little homesick for the comforts of a five-day school week. As you trek through the throng of strangers on Wally’s Walk, it’s inevitable you’ll wonder “Where the hell am I?” It’s a given that seeing unfamiliar people from different walks of life makes one feel isolated and small. Especially as a brand-new first year student. No matter how strange these people may seem, there’s always those who fit ever so perfectly into the following uni student stereotypes. Seeing these familiar social reference points around campus is bound to bring a ting of comfort during your first week of uni. Lauren Knezevic takes you through the five types of people you’ll see in the first week of uni.

EAGER BEAVER They’ve memorised the campus map and their timetable, not to mention the quickest routes to their lectures which are probably at 9am. You’ll catch them networking with all their tutors and lecturers, as well as hitting the books every day in the library. Whether it’s prepped readings, sudden questions from tutors or a class discussion, they’re never caught off guard. They have signed up for all of the extracurriculars from United Nations to Writers@ MQ, to build up their already impressive resume. When channeling their inner Rory Gilmore, the determination and passion Eager Beavers have for school can almost be aggravating but will always be admired. • Most likely to be found in a quiet classroom or in the library •

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SLEEPING BEAUTY They’re often found half asleep in a pile of books in the library, or in the back row of lectures looking more confused than ever. These Sleeping Beauties make up a lot of the university population. Most of the time they’re late to their classes, but fear not, they will always have a drink in hand. Whether it’s a Boost Juice, Chatime or a coffee, it is a form of emotional support that must be respected. You’ll mostly see them rocking up to 11am lectures and afternoon tutorials in sweatpants and a hoodie. If you ever want to befriend a Sleeping Beauty, just buy them a coffee or give them a summary of the two-hour lecture you spent together.

That Person from your Primary/ High School What was their name again? Was it Brandy? Brandon? You’ll either be in the exact same units together or completely different degrees. You might make small talk during O-Week and promise yourself it will never happen again. You’re most likely to find them in the Central Courtyard with a whole new gang of friends. Try and join them, and you’ll probably be confronted by awkward glances, smiles, and death stares. Are we just going to ignore that we experienced life together before university? Works for me. • Most likely to be found in the Central Courtyard with new friends or by the lake studying •

• Most likely to be found in a corner of the library or in the Central Courtyard getting their drink •

It’s hard to miss this wild child with their sunnies on in lecture halls trying to hide their hangover. O-Week is a golden time for these party animals. You’ll catch them at the toga party, the boat party, the neon party… you name it, they celebrate it! They’ll rock up to the first week somehow already knowing everyone around them, most likely from using their popular kid charms. Their perpetually scattered state and abundance of wild stories will be a laugh...until you’re paired with them for a group project. Make sure to hit them up on a Saturday night for a party with the Kanye West Appreciation Society.

During the first day when you’re completely lost and want to cry, these angels will take care of you. Usually, they are second or third years who are always happy to lend a helping hand. Do you need a pen? Notes from their previous years? Advice on the best coffee on campus? The sib from another crib will take you under their wing and might develop a tiny superiority complex from it… But you’ll love them anyway.

• Most likely to be found a bit drunk buzzing around at Ubar or sometimes at the Leisure and Aquatic Centre •

By Lauren Knezevic

PARTY ANIMAL

Sib from Another Crib

• Most likely to be found sober at Ubar taking care of everyone on Friday nights or by the lake contemplating life •

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I DON’T GET IT

CRYPTOS AND NFTS Rayna Bland explains the recent hype around digital currency and the social climate which has led to its boom in popularity over the past few years.

Unless you live under a rock or have an aversion to being involved in pop culture, you have probably heard about cryptocurrency and NFTs. In June 2021, a doge meme NFT was sold for 4 million dollars, and a single Bitcoin was equivalent to thousands of dollars. That is when the world really started to notice and has since been asking, what are these curious things? NFTs’ would not exist without crypto as they operate on a decentralised blockchain. The making of these instruments has been happening since the 1990s. Both of these financial products are the results of the digital age, mistrust of traditional institutions, and as always, capitalism.

were a lot of houses that stood empty. People could not afford the homes on the market, and because the mega-rich were buying more houses than they needed, a false scarcity was created. This led to people defaulting on their mortgages and lots of bonds breaking. The banks were in big trouble, but they knew they would be okay because they had woven themselves so deeply into the functioning of the American economy they knew they would get a bailout. And they did. The Obama administration made a bailout of 16.8 trillion dollars. Not a cent of that went to any worker or person in need it went straight to the banks. The people were pissed.

This mistrust and aversion to traditional financing happened after the Global Financial Crisis in 2007-2008. In America, Banks were hesitant to issue mortgages to individuals because of the high risks. So banks created bonds. Bonds are bundles composed of thousands of individual mortgages. This was better for banks because there was more security. This meant that the bank wanted to create more mortgages for, of course, more money. For larger loans and more significant bonds, banks built larger houses that were expensive. They made lots of homes for a middle class that was virtually non-existent. Unemployment was up, the economy was in decline, and many people were struggling. There

This is a pivotal moment in history. The deeply capitalist move enraged many and triggered a significant distrust in financial institutions and the government, hence why many people have turned to the digital market. Cryptocurrency is described as a ‘digital asset’ and can be used in metaverses. It acts in a decentralised way removing the pesky middle man (the bank or government). It can not be traced. This makes it perfect for the dark web. You can buy drugs, weapons, porn and only God knows whatever else using cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies are also stored digitally in crypto wallets to view your investments.

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Created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin is the largest and most well-known cryptocurrency. When it was first made, it was worth about $0.30, now in 2022, it is worth $40k, according to DigitalCoinPrice. This is for two reasons: hype and scarcity. The hype is the virality of it all which has drawn the attention of the ultra-wealthy, crypto-bros and wealth wannabes. With more people buying it has become more expensive. The creation of new crypto coins is also decreasing, so the currency is becoming rare. These two factors explain the crazy inflation of the price of crypto. Unfortunately, this has made it a rich man’s trade and isn’t a fair game for everyone. It is also fertile ground for scammers to make their lucky day. In 2021 scammers stole $14 billion from buyers. This was double what they took in 2020. This was released in blockchain data firm Chainalysis’s “2022 Crypto Crime Report”. At the beginning of the crypto wave, some people genuinely found wealth and went from poor to rich. The bubble has now burst for most people as it has become too rare and expensive to afford. Blockchain is the foundation of cryptocurrency. Very simply, a blockchain is a list. It is a list of transactions that anyone can view and verify. NFTs run on the blockchain too. NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token. Having an NFT means you are a certified owner of that digital piece of art. It certifies the authenticity and ownership

of a token through the blockchain. “Non Fungible” means one of a kind, and the “Token” part of the name refers to the NFT being certified proof that the owner is the sole possessor of the digital property. An NFT can be anything digital - art, a GIF, or even a screenshot of a tweet. Keanu Reeves has criticised NFTs as Art is not about ownership, and NFTs can be easily be replicated by copying and pasting. NFTs have been in the spotlight since the digital artist, Beeple (real name Mike Winkelmann) sold his now-infamous NFT Everyday – The first 5,000 days for a massive $69m. But are they really valuable? There is a scheme in NFTs called ‘the Greater fool’. A creator of an NFT will buy their work and sell it back to themselves, increasing the price each time. They will then fool the next buyer, so they think the piece is more valuable. Lots of luxury brands and high profile celebrities are into NFTs, but just like crypto, you must ask yourselves, “is this a rich person’s game?” Not only are NFTs random enough as it is, but it also turns out the environmental impact is staggering. The verification process behind each NFT requires a massive amount of energy, as does storing all of this data. Cryptocurrency and NFT infrastructure rely on fossil fuels, which is quite the problem. ArtStation, an online marketplace for digital artists, even cancelled their plans for an NFT platform after severe community backlash from people who think dealing in crypto art is environmentally unethical. An artist on Twitter (@willowsquest) summarised crypto and NFTS as an “ecological nightmare pyramid scheme”. Do not be alarmed if you don’t 100 per cent understand, because I barely understand myself. But what is important to understand is that Crypto and NFTs are products of our age that reflect the effects of capitalism and the digital world. I think these products are around to stay; whether they collapse or replace traditional financial institutions remains to be seen. By Raina Bland

Artwork by Seneca

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YOU ARE HERE

PYMBLE In 1823, a colonial settler named Robert Pymble was granted land on Sydney’s leafy North Shore. He used this clay-ridden soil to grow fruit orchards and gather timber. And so, the suburb of Pymble was founded.

Pymble is located within the land of the Ku-ring-gai Indigenous clan, in which the broader council area was named. The Cammeraygal people would sometimes camp at the corner of Selwyn and Merrivale Road, an intersection I have often driven or walked by. What is there now is substantially more boring: trimmed lawns, streetlamps and infrequently used bus stops. Boring is the theme that comes to mind with the word Pymble. My most notable thesis was in my year nine geography project on the suburbs we lived in. For Pymble, the most notable thing about it was how astoundingly boring it was. So no, unless you’re attending Pymble Ladies College, you have no need to put Pymble on your list of must-visit Sydney suburbs. During my teenage years, I had come to resent this suburb for how boring it was. It seemed so small and inconsequential. None of my friends lived close by, the train station was a 30-minute walk away. I felt isolated from everything exciting and worthwhile. I dreamt of moving closer to the city, closer to anything at all. And then the Pandemic.

We learnt a whole new way of learning, living, and connecting during the Pandemic. The world seemed to come together online in solidarity over our shared experiences. We fought harder than ever for human connection, even when the Zoom calls began to wear on us, and we battled pandemic fatigue. None of it prevented the fact that our worlds were intractably physically smaller. Gone were the days of plentiful trains whizzing me to nights out in the city. No more Chatswood coffee meetups, or Botanic Gardens picnics. The Harbor Bridge was reduced to an image on the TV traffic report. All I was left with was Pymble. It was in the lockdowns that I became most keenly acquainted with Pymble and came to know it as more than a suburb without a proper place to shop. I learnt to slowly forgive Pymble for all the boringness it obliged me through. When left with little else to do and nowhere else to be, I reluctantly opened myself up to all the things Pymble does actually have. Slowly, daily mental health walks turned into miniature observational adventures. The suburb has a lot to offer when you listen and look.

REGULARS Pymble residents are keen pet lovers and keen believers in animal freedom. Lockdown walks gave me the opportunity to meet Billy the golden retriever, who was simply out for an evening stroll. The cats in Pymble are free to roam their territory like small, scary lions. Next door is the Ginger cat who always hisses at my dog. By the park is a grey longhair cat who luxuriates atop the same sandstone fence pedestal on sunny days. Even the cats, however, have no jurisdiction over Bannockburn Oval where the Kookaburras swoop. We have one Kookaburra with blue feathers in his wing who patrols the Oval, keeping a watchful eye over the children in the playground and rowdy dogs on morning walks. In the 2021 June-October lockdown, I became keenly acquainted with what spring looks like in the suburb. We may not have had a coffee shop within walking distance, but 5 minutes in any direction, in early September took you on a tour of blooming Agapanthus, variegated cherry blossoms and Japanese maple trees. One neighbour took to writing sidewalk chalk haikus about spring all through September.

when we crossed paths with other dog walkers. We met Lousie, a tiny Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who rolls on his back whenever he sees Jax. Jax and I became keenly acquainted with a Groodle named Dougie who lives next door. In our travels, we came across a few uncommon breeds, like Airedale Terriers, Cockapoos, and Irish Wolfhounds. Jax also introduced me to a family of brushtail possums who live in a tree near our house. I can’t say the friendship between Jax, and the possums were reciprocated. Now on the other side of those two years of on and off lockdowns, I no longer feel so restrained by Pymble. My partner and I are currently looking at apartments, but I’m in no hurry to move to the city. The city may have bars and clubs and restaurants, but Pymble has a few of its own charms too. By Isabella Trope

My dog, Jax, is also a keen observer and stands dead still when he sees anything of interest. In this way, he showed me where to look for rabbits, butterflies and the lizards that scuttle through bushes. What was most rewarding about walking Jax during lockdown was

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POP CULTURE REWIND

Keeping Up With

THE KARDASHIANS The Kardashians are a true force to be reckoned with. They’re one of the most famous families in the world, the original material girls, business moguls, and subjects of worldwide ire. Their show Keeping Up with the Kardashians rewrote the script for reality television. Eleanor Taylor explores the meme mine that is Keeping Up with the Kardashians, its past oeuvre and its reiteration on Hulu. Premiering in October 2007, Keeping Up with the Kardashians was produced by Ryan Seacrest and Bunim/Murray Productions, and follows the antics of the Kardashian-Jenner (KarJenners for short) family. The show originally focused on the sisters Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney, but in the latter part of its 20-season run included younger sisters Kylie and Kendall. Viewers got to watch the two younger sisters mature from tweens to adults. In 2007, the family were famous for Kim’s sex tape, her connection to Paris Hilton, her Olympic Athlete stepfather (then Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn) and her deceased father Robert Kardashian (OJ Simpson’s lawyer). The show charts the family’s rise to fame, and how they went from ‘famous for being famous’ to icons of the 2010s. Referred to as the “Hollywood version of The Brady Bunch” by the Los Angeles Times, Keeping Up with the Kardashians was critically panned throughout its run. Its

longevity on television and in cultural memory was bolstered by its insanely high viewership. Audiences were entranced by the seemingly natural chaos of the Kardashian family. They watched the Kardashians navigate fame, sheer stupidity, and epic one liners like Khloe’s “The bigger the hoop, the bigger the hoe.” Between running off to Mexico for a pornographic photoshoot without telling their father, Khloe’s failed marriages and DUI arrests, the sisters’ schedules are drama packed. And then there’s the sex tape. I want to make a note on the sex tape because this discourse surrounding the Kardashians irks me. It is commonly stated that Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, which was filmed with ex Ray J, is the number one reason she’s famous. Whether or not leaking the tape was a deliberate move by Kris Jenner (Kardashian matriarch and “momager”) is unknown. However, Kim herself has stated it was leaked without her consent. It is bizarre to me that in this #MeToo age where believing women is

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owed their future success with brands like SKIMS and Kylie Cosmetics. Shoutout to Rob, the brother everyone forgets about who started a fun sock company which is still chugging to this day! It’s clear from the start of the show that in between sexy photoshoots and failed relationships, there is a maintained interest in entrepreneurship.

emphasised, many believe Kim leaked this video. Not only do they deny Kim’s claims, but many also consider this violation of her autonomy to be the event that defined her career. The Kardashians have done so many other things to maintain their relevance. To focus only on the sex tape is a sexist exclusion of their other accomplishments. Love or hate them, it’s no accident their fame has lasted decades. Despite the discord that seems to define Kardashian life, viewers also watch the show to see them work together. Mom Kris Jenner effectively ran the show and featured in every episode managing her daughters’ feuds and trying to boost their careers. She stated: “I’ve actually trademarked the term ‘Momager,’ which is what I am.” She’s also iconic for attending

Kim’s Playboy photoshoot and spawning the “Kim, you’re doing amazing sweetie” meme, which I still reference 15 years later. Side characters such as Scott Disick become more and more important to the show due to their popularity with the audience. Scott — Kourtney’s boyfriend and baby daddy — was an instant hit and often viewed as the only sane person in the fame obsessed clan. His witty ‘truth telling’ moments made him a loveable stand in for the audience. As the show progresses, we get to see the Kardashian sisters attempt to make something more out of their fame, with mixed results. The sisters started the clothing store D-AS-H in 2007 which was ultimately a failure but foreshad-

We also witness years of growth and emotional development. Kim goes from doing nude photoshoots and not much else to getting married, becoming a mother and founding KKW Beauty and SKIMs, two highly successful brands. We also see more long-term family drama such as Khloe revealing that she’s always treated as the ugly sister and Kim’s long running disputes with Kourtney over parenting. The audience for Keeping Up with the Kardashians is a mixed bag. Most people I speak to say the Kardashians are thoughtless, useless, or just famous for a sex tape. Yet lots of these people are still guilty of watching their show. It creates a weird, ironic cycle wherein people watch the show, laugh at the Kardashian’s stupidity while asking how they became famous, but in doing so boost the show’s ratings. They’re the ones making the Kardashians more famous.

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That the show has lasted this long shows that being ‘thoughtless’ has worked in the Kardashians’ favour. Other celebrities active in the same period tried and failed to break into reality television. Paris Hilton who also had a sex tape leaked had four failed shows. Hilton only saw success with her show The Simple Life. The success of Keeping Up with the Kardashians goes beyond sheer luck. In an interview Barbra Walters once said, “You are all often described as famous for being famous.” Khloe famously replied, “But we’re still entertaining people.” This gets to the core of the show: we watch it because it’s entertaining and feels organic. The Kardashian-Jenner family are naturally dramatic and comedy comes easily to them in their interviews and their interactions with each other. Lauren Lazin, a veteran reality television producer, said about the

show: “A lot of reality stars, they’re fantastic in their first season, then they get very self-conscious on their second season… It’s hard to maintain that kind of longevity, and not come across as phony or calculating or not interesting anymore. We didn’t understand at that time that was a talent.”1 Lazin also attributes the KarJenners’ success to understanding how to interact with social media and dominate new platforms. In April, a reiteration of the original show called The Kardashians will premiere on Hulu. It was announced just after Keeping Up with the Kardashians finally ended last year. The show is expected to follow an older, wiser, and much richer family as they grapple with their businesses, family life, and drama. Despite how long they’ve been in the limelight, there is always more chaos around the corner for the Kardashian clan. By Eleanor Taylor

MEET THE GRAPESHOT TEAM ! Editor-in-Chief: Saliha Rehanaz Bachelor of Medical Sciences What plant would you be and why...? I would like to say I am a cactus. I get a long with everyone, just like how anyone could take care of a cactus. I don’t need much usually, and can withstand most tough situations. But once I’m broken, it’s quite hard for me to ever be the same way and I become quite different, just like a cactus would become. Most used emoji: The heart emoji <3 Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Good morning starshine, the Earth says hello.”

Deputy editor: nikita byrnes Bachelor of Arts (English and Journalism) / Bachelor of Laws What plant would you be and why...? I am a goldfish plant (Columnea nematanthus) because I only flower once a year and even then only for 2 weeks max. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Oh, I know what you’ve got; the ‘L’ word.” “Yeah, leprosy.”

DESIGN assistant: stephanie sutton Bachelor of Arts (interactive design) What plant would you be and why...? I would be a tree fern. Fern leaves start off curled up tightly and slowly unfurl, the way I come out of my shy shell after getting to know someone. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “I Brake For Birds. I Rock A Lot Of Polka Dots. I Have Touched Glitter In The Last 24 Hours! And That Doesn’t Mean I’m Not Smart And Tough And Strong.”

DESIGN assistant: Lorenzo meli bachelor of commerce / bachelor of psychology What plant would you be and why...? bonsai because i am short :)) Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Mostly i hate the way I don’t hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”

DESIGN assistant: Liz to Master of Creative Industries What plant would you be and why...? I don’t know because I don’t like plants. But I’d love to be a tree, one with a big trunk and huge shades that looks like they’re a thousand years old and carries so much history and secrets. That is awesome! Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “What day is it?” Asked Pooh “It’s today.” Squeaked Piglet “My favorite day.” Said Pooh

News editor: olivia chan Bachelor of science / bachelor of law What plant would you be and why...? Aloe vera, it’s cool Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “DisgUrsting Shet”

REGULARS EDITOR: HArry fraser Bachelor of arts / bachelor of laws What plant would you be and why...? A centenarian fig tree. I like to provide shade for other pale people like me. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “I look like a pencil.”

FEATURES EDITOR: RAYNA bland Bachelor of Arts and media What plant would you be and why...? A Venus Fly Trap. Unique, daring, alluring and determined. Most used emoji: The laughing emoji that sits on a diagonal just because I’m whacky. Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Is your refrigerator running? Well you better go catch it!”

Repeat offenders editor: eleanor taylor Bachelor of Ancient History Specialising in Egypt and the Near East What plant would you be and why...? I am a fern because I drink lots and lots of water and can always find something to complain about. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “You don’t hear much about syphilis these days. Very much the MySpace of STDs.”

MARKETING DIRECTOR: Unnati Tayal Master of Management What plant would you be and why...? Money plant in autumn. Because like the plant I’m round, plump and broke Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “And I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.”

online editor: jaime hendrie Bachelor of arts / bachelor of primary education What plant would you be and why...? A cactus because they thrive on a lack of attention. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “So let’s say you and I go toe to toe on bird law and see who comes out the victor”

marketing assistant: tess marsden Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Arts in Social Justice What plant would you be and why...? One of those houseplants that wilts and droops, and looks like it’s about to die at any second, but 10 minutes after you water it, it’s completely and 100% fine. Living for the drama. Most used emoji: ️ Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “that is the stupidest fucking thing I have ever heard”

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advertising manager: angelo andrew Actuarial Studies / Applied Finance What plant would you be and why...? Catnip, so I can finally get my cat to love me :( Most used emoji: Eyes, it’s the best emoji to stay neutral in things Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you”

editorial assistant: nicholas chang Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Media and Communications What plant would you be and why...? Cactus. Reflects the wounds and traumas I’ve endured but also that I’m alive, I’m still here and that I’m growing, finding more about myself as I peel back the tough layers. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “There are nearly thirteen million people in the world. None of those people is an extra. They’re all the leads of their own stories.”

editorial assistant: nam do Master of Media and Communication What plant would you be and why...? A Banyan tree Most used emoji: :v Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Are they both mad? or am I mad? or is it the sun? ”

editorial assistant: Bodie Greatbatch Murphy Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Education (Secondary) What plant would you be and why...? Venus Fly Trap. I really hate flies Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “YEAH BITCH! MAGNETS”

editorial assistant: Lauren Knezevic bachelor of arts / bachelor of education (primary) What plant would you be and why...? A little succulent! I find they’re tougher than they look and are just so cute!! Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “May the best of our lives be the rest of our lives”

editorial assistant: Isabella Trope bachelor of ancient history / bachelor of archaeology What plant would you be and why...? Gasteria ‘Little Warty’. It is small, hates the cold, and has an odd nickname but is still cute as heck, just like me! Most used emoji: puppy dog eyes Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “that is the stupidest f**king thing I have ever heard”

editorial assistant: Anthea wilson Bachelor of arts in creative writing What plant would you be and why...? I am a sunflower. Maybe a dwarf sunflower because I am quite short. Not only are they my favourite flower but they face the sun to grow. I’d like to think of this as a metaphor for myself that I am growing towards a bright future. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “So be it”

editorial assistant: jasmine joyan Bachelor of arts / bachelor of law What plant would you be and why...? Albaida because it loves mediterranean weather and lounging around- much like me. Most used emoji: Favourite Movie/TV show quote: “Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself.”

Photo by Nam Do

FEATURES

NOTES FOR SYDNEY “AUSTRALIA IS DIFFERENT!” It was a warning for me before I flew to Sydney. I knew it and carefully prepared myself for many bizarre experiences in Australia. But even getting myself ready for the vast differences in culture, nature and people of Sydney, I have still quite got it yet and what I mean by “it” here is mostly about my feelings. Living in a new country is not only about the challenge in how you can perceive and adapt to a new reality and culture but also about your freshly developed emotions which will often conflict with your past intimate sensibility. Notes for Sydney will be my records of a peculiar Sydney through the eye of an Asian boy influenced by American culture. And it is for you, too. If you are also a stranger to Sydney, send me your notes for any unexceptional experience while living in this city. Note 1: Christmas Once I travelled to Strathfield. There is a little square near the train/bus stop in front of the plaza where they usually build a giant Christmas tree (of course, a fake plastic one). I was standing there, wearing a t-shirt, and watching the worker hang the star upon the top of the tree under the direct sunlight and 30 celsius degree heat of summer. Although I have never lived in any western country or never been a Christian, all my ideas about Christmas were influenced by Hollywood movies and American music. They shaped many ideas in me about the family spirit of Christmas, which shared a similarity to the soul of Tet (Lunar New Year) in my country. Like the series of movies, Home Alone, a lonely and left-behind kid only wishes and craves for the warmth of family in the cold and snowy days was my earliest memory about Christmas when I was a kid watching them on HBO. Or listening to the cosy and mellow voice of Dean Martin or Bill Cosby, you can easily sense the feelings of a white Christmas. But there was no “Jingle bell” playing around on that Strathfied’s square or any white snow falling on a summer Christmas. Instead, there were intense songs from the cicada, frenzied, calling for love. Note 2: Lunar New Year Lunar New Year or Tet is a major spring festival of many East Asia countries and people. It shares the same spirit of family gatherings with Christmas, and here in Sydney, they also share the same spirit. The festival usually happens in the mid-summer in Sydney with the heat and dry

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weather of sunny days and continues with a whole week of rains and thunderstorms. It is the opposite feeling from the cold and humid spring I went through for more than 25 years in my country. It creates more nostalgia for the spring festival when everyone dresses up in pretty winter clothes and traditional festive foods. Fortunately, Sydney has a large Vietnamese community. You can easily find some traditional Vietnamese cuisines and enjoy the vibrant festive atmosphere in Bankstown or Cabramatta. However, it is one missing thing, which is the frisky music of Lunar New Year that was annoyingly playing everywhere (unlike any cosy songs from western countries). Still, you can only listen to the symphony of cicadas in Sydney here. Note 3: Thursday blower Sydney welcomes me by the irritating noise of a leaf blower waking me up after days of jetlag on a Thursday morning in Autumn. It might be familiar to western countries, but it was my first encounter with these awful machines. As a weekly cleaning service from the building manager, I know I have to suffer them at least once a week. And then during the city lockdowns, nobody could escape from it as everyone was stuck inside working or studying at home (yes, they still could go out to clear the leaves while you could not leave your room). It was common to hear the blowing over someone at a zoom meeting. This is why I can understand that even the locals can not stand that irritating sound. Some people even question whether they intentionally make the blower so loud as an iconical sound while there are more advanced technologies to reduce the sound of vacuum cleaners. Can we use another friendly and gentle method to clean just these falling “leaves”? Until then, I have to run away every Thursday with these leaf blowers screaming over my ears and realise that even the cicada’s melody is much better. By Nam Do

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THE TAKEOVER:

HOW ART IS INVITING US TO WALL STREET “The economy” is a mechanism that eludes me. Stocks? Investments? I’ve always been comfortable with feeling excluded from the world of finance, partly because I simply don’t understand enough of it, and partly because I have an aversion to capitalism. When my friend started investing her money into shares a while ago, I was simultaneously impressed by and opposed to it. The former because she understood “the economy” enough to participate in it, and the latter because I saw no reason to collaborate with the large stakeholders and ugly corporate giants. In my head, “the economy” is a tall building filled with suited, white men, all of them corrupt, all of them greedy. I think of it as a place that prohibits equality, climate justice, democracy, and diversity. I blame capitalism for a lot of our problems while still actively participating in capitalism as a consumer and an employee with no alternative lifestyle at the ready for immediate use. In this sense, I suppose I feel let down by “the economy.” Until! About a month ago, I was watching T.V. and during a commercial break, an advertisement for an online brokerage platform, Stake, showed. I usually hate commercials, but this ad? I could not get enough of it. Every time it popped up, I gave it all of my attention; I would go as far as to say I love this ad. I would go even further to say that I regard this ad as a piece of literature. The campaign, called The Takeover, shows a cartoon character presenting a monologue as he breaks through the impenetrable financial landscape of New York. The black and white cartoon stylistically calls back to Fleischer animation (you know, like Popeye and stuff?) from the 1930s, alluding to the inaccessibility of the Wall Street world. The character’s poetic monologue is performed by Black Chakra, a prolific and powerful slam poet from Baltimore, and is dripping with witty, fierce lines. He describes the “makeover” of traditional finance as a place “where old things, wrinkly things, like president conventions and velvet ropes don’t matter anymore.” It is a makeover “without the suits…long overdue.” As a campaign that is trying to broaden its customer base, The Takeover suavely speaks to young people like me who have no interest in “the economy.” It combines art with commerce (since when was that possible?) to advocate for accessibility and opportunity for anyone who isn’t a wealthy, white man. Suddenly, after feeling excluded from the financial world for so long, “Wall Street and the ASX [are] now at our fingertips.” I think what struck me the most upon seeing this ad for the first time was its manifesto to transition “the economy” out of the filthy pockets of colonialism and patriarchy into a more contemporary and diverse demographic. Stake is claiming to be a “back door” to Wall Street, inviting those of us in who have been locked out for so long. We who feel

FEATURES alert to society’s injustices are finally being directly addressed by “the economy,” encouraging us to interrogate their outdated systems. This interrogation of accessibility is facilitated by art and poetry. I feel seen, so to speak. The big bad machine called Capitalism finally sees me, not as a capitalist but as an advocate for change, an artist. So if I love the ad so much, did I start using Stake? No. Do I want to transition into the mechanism of the economy if it is transitioning into a welcoming place for me? Theoretically, yes. The conviction of Black Chakra’s spoken word poem truly connected with me; I could chant lines like “This is a takeover, mobile, not hostile,” for weeks. But I would chant them simply because, as a writer, poetry is one of my first access points to politics. I don’t think I want to chant them because I want to literally invest my money in Wall Street. Similarly, I feel empowered by the final words, “now we’re jumping the fences and walled gardens, ready to take our seat at the table,” and the visuals of the character walking down a long boardroom table in a colonnaded room, pissing off and scaring the ugly, greedy billionaires seated around him. This final scene activates a sense of pride and fight within me – us poets are barging through! But do I actually want to sit at the billionaires’ table? Do I truly want to rub shoulders with the suited men there? Even if I’m allowed into the colonnaded room wearing a crop-top and flip-flops, I don’t want to enter it just to sit with the men in suits. As we are hauntingly told by Elizabeth Warren, a U.S. senator, “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.” I guess I don’t really want access to the “back door” of Wall Street; I don’t want to bring my folding chair there. Instead, I would prefer if “the economy” just relocated to a nice park, where I can build my own table. So if I don’t want to actually transition into the world of finance and investment but I still feel prompted by the literature of Stake’s campaign to participate in the decolonisation of “the economy,” what should I do? Seeing my friend invest in shares certainly inspires a real-life example of the deconstruction of traditional financial conventions (she’s a nineteen-yearold nursing student) and I value that she is contributing fantastically to the “makeover” of commerce. But as I am still uncomfortable with participating in shareholding etc. for the pure sake of gaining profit, I think I have to refocus my financial action so that it benefits the things I value. Money is power, this I am sure of. Poetry is power, this I believe in. In all honesty, I don’t know enough about the economic climate or bureaucracy to come to any certain conclusion or offer myself any concrete advice. But that, I think, is what makes The Takeover so impactful: despite my financial inexperience and ignorance, the ad challenged me to deeply consider “the economy” as an institution. The Takeover, like any successful piece of art, prompted me to ask questions about our society. The campaign confirms that art and literature truly have a large role in politics and economics, not just culture and philosophy. If we want to transition to the table in “the economy,” or even takeover it, then I leave us with this question, posed by Black Canadian writer Robyn Maynard: “It’s really important that we ask, ‘what is that table oriented toward?’” By Bruna Gomes

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EASIER We sit in our usual grassy spot next to the demountable classrooms. Pulling my skirt over my knees, I grab my lunch out of my backpack as the chatter turns from the boring maths class to something deeper. “Do you guys ever wish you were white?” The tension hits like a boulder. Looking down at our very “fascinating” lunches, we observe each other, avoiding eye contact. It happens to be one of the few times when the Caucasian kids aren’t sitting with us – we have full freedom to talk about a heavy subject like race, but still, we proceed with caution. I speak up. “Well, from my perspective, it would be easier for me to get cast.” I’m a theatre kid – my eyes are set on the stars and nothing else. “If I wasn’t Asian, I’d get to be in more main roles.” Jane agrees. “I think that white kids get more opportunities in general.” Rose, who had moved from China to Australia during primary school, interjects: “I really do like being Chinese – it’s okay, but…” “But it would be easier,” Lucy, who brought up the question, murmurs under her breath. After spending most of the conversation picking at our lunches, we look at one other, nodding slightly. From my teens to my early twenties, I did a lot to make my life “easier”. I laughed along to casual racism, quietly moved carriages instead of confronting people, and spoke in a “whiter” tone during situations where I felt unsafe or uncomfortable. But I also put myself in a lot of positions where I ended up being the “token Asian person.” The people closest to me said that was a good thing – I was the sole representative of my community. Instead of feeling pride, I tucked my race away alongside my other insecurities, because it was easier to smile and laugh than recoil into a defence stance whenever something even mildly racist

popped up. The arts led to both the downfall and uprising of my love for my cultural identity. The industry manages to be simultaneously inclusive and exclusive at the same time. As I finished my first degree in backstage production, diversity in the arts peaked. A lot of effort was, and still is, taken to make sure that casts are diverse and that everyone has a chance to tell their story. But behind the red curtain, my noodle lunches were the joke of the day. It was then when I decided that despite my love for all things theatre, it wasn’t worth it. I didn’t venture too far off. Distancing myself from the work itself, I went to performances as an audience member and showed support by volunteering. I was in a seat in the front row of a tiny box-like theatre in early 2019. An East Asian lady beelined towards me. Plonking herself down, she moved her handbag from her shoulder to her lap and dug for her phone. We sat for a few minutes in silence; solo theatre-goers sitting together in solidarity. “What brings you here?” She peaks up at me from behind her steel-framed spectacles. “Oh, just supporting.” “My brother works backstage. I’m Em.” “Ashleigh.” As I attended more shows, the beelining kept happening. But I was the bee: and it was a game. Stepping into the dimly lit room, my eyes would skim the rows of seats for someone to talk to. Throughout this journey, I chatted with all kinds of people. Our small talk was always the same: we started with our reasonings for existing in the space that’d then turn to a chat about how our culture fits into the arts and theatre, and then we’d have some kind of deep discussion about “representation” or “authenticity.” After months of these conversations, an opportunity arose.

FEATURES I was offered a spot in a mentorship program where I’d work closely with professionals in the media industry who identified as culturally diverse. The first session: as I introduced myself, I stuttered and shook. Maria Tran, a Vietnamese filmmaker, martial artist, and the coolest person I’ve ever met, led the workshops. This program was the first time that I was in the majority. And that was weird. It was also weird that everyone else was so vocal about their ethnic identity, even confident about it. My own parents didn’t teach me any other language except English so I’d fit in – to them, there was always something to be ashamed of as a Chinese Malay descendent. These workshops were a saving grace: we learned how to make films about the good and bad in our communities. We talked about all kinds of racism in Australia. We didn’t just tolerate but embraced each other’s culture. Maria’s big speech at that first mentoring session is something I always go back to, even today. It stung.

“I think that, culturally, we don’t speak out enough. If someone says something we’re not comfortable with, we just tend to go, ‘yes, yes, sure!’ Why do we do that?” Why do we do that? Why do I do that? Because it’s easier? I’ve grown up hiding from confrontation. I’ve stuck to talking about the tricky topic of racism and race within my own community. I only celebrated culture when it was safe to do so. Yes, because it was easier. It’s easy to run away from things that scare us. As I ran further from the fear, I was lucky to be reeled back in by others. I have learned that I’m allowed to confront people who make me feel unsafe. I’m allowed to celebrate my culture without the rolling eyes and cruel laughter. I’m allowed to do whatever I want. I have spent many years getting to know Maria as well as expanding my circles. I’ve even tiptoed my way back into a job in the arts. To be honest, I have become a bit of a pride monster when it comes to cultural identity. I never talk it down anymore, hide it or lie about my ancestry, I love to talk about the food I eat, the outfits I wear – even if I can’t pronounce the names. Whilst my journey is one that many people shouldn’t need to go through, it’s brought me to a place where I accept my culture, I embrace it, I celebrate it – it’s something that’ll always be part of who I am. By Ashleigh Ho

FEATURES

GREEN SEEMS SUS SUSTAINABILITY: WHAT IS IT, WHY WE SHOULD DO IT AND HOW TO GET STARTED. AN INTRODUCTION BY THE MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY SOCIETY (“MUSS”) You may have seen the sudden rise in labels like “eco-friendly”, or Insta influencers promoting a “sustainable lifestyle” and you’re a bit suspicious of this being just another marketing technique. So, what does it mean to be “sustainable”? Sustainable: practices that cause little to no damage to the environment and are therefore able to continue for a long period of time. Now you’re probably asking, what’s wrong with what I do now? What changes can I make to be more sustainable?

Fast Fashion Being sustainable is largely about reducing your waste. An area usually not considered is the clothes we wear. In Australia, every 10 minutes, 15 tonnes of clothing and material waste is dumped. That is equivalent to 31 kilograms of clothing per person per year. The fast fashion industry is responsible for 10 per cent of CO2 emissions making it one of the highest polluting industries and Australians are the second largest consumers of textiles. It seems that we have the habit of buying cheap new clothes, wearing them for a season or two and then throwing them away rather than repurposing the material. Ways we can change these habits: Thrift shop It’s a great way to stop funding cheap manufacturing and you can find some great vintage fashion, not to mention that it’s much kinder on a student budget. Hand-me-downs and borrowing Whilst donating to Vinnies may relieve the guilt of passing on perfectly fine clothes, only 15% of donated clothes actually see shop shelves again. Instead, pass on your clothes to siblings, cousins and friends and vice versa borrow and adopt clothes from those you know. Mending and Rags If the garment has a tear, try to mend it, if it’s too far gone, add it to the rag basket. Rather than contributing to landfill, you can extend the life of your clothes

FEATURES and then use them as rags around the house instead. This way we properly use up the full capability of the material.

Food consumption Stay calm, don’t freak out! I’m not about to tell you to go vegan. We’re all about baby steps here. Food consumption has two elements to it – the food we choose to consume and the food we don’t consume which turns into unnecessary waste. The food we consume Knowing what we put into our bodies isn’t always a front of mind consideration when we’re craving something to sate our hunger. However, I would encourage you to consider where your food is coming from and how that industry impacts upon our beautiful planet. Most people get their fruit and veg from their local supermarket because it’s convenient. However, the fresh produce on their shelves is only that which is pretty enough to meet display standards and results in the rest going to landfill. Instead, try to shop at local fruit and veg markets where the beauty standard is less strict, and you can buy in-season produce. Food waste One of the UN’s sustainable development goals is to halve food wastage globally. Food waste is responsible for 8-10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and, globally, one third of food produce is wasted. Australia comes in as the 10th most wasteful country – throwing out on average 7.5 tonnes of waste a year, worth about $2000-$3800 a year. That’s a lot of money thrown in the bin. Instead of following your cravings and shopping for more food, use up what you have at home first. To help with this, make a weekly dinner/meal plan, that way you are only buying what you know you will cook. This helps with budgeting too, so it’s a win-win. Compost your leftovers. Starting and making your own compost may not be for everyone but that doesn’t mean your scraps have to go to waste. Apps like ‘Share Waste’ help you find local composters in your area so you can help each other out. There are also apps like ‘Olio’ and ‘YWaste’ which you can use to find cafes trying to get rid of their end of day leftovers at lower prices. These are just some of the small changes we can make in our day-to-day life. If you would like to learn about more issues in the sustainability space and seek more handy tips, check out Macquarie University Sustainability Society (MUSS). We’re on Instagram (@muss. mq) and Facebook (/muss.mq).

CREATIVES

Dear..

The Friends I’ve Lost

I know times have changed with this newfound normalcy of losing contact, but don’t you remember when we held each other tightly at our highschool graduation? I could almost feel my skin breaking under the firm grip of your nails as you embrace me in tears. Were the promises of always being friends empty? Or are we still friends, with just new traditions? I remember how we used to laugh behind the backs of those we promised to keep in contact with. It was us two against the world. The nights we spent consumed in conversations that never end. It was probably the laughter with tear filled eyes about how fucked we were for the HSC. Funny, how it all didn’t even matter in the end. All the times I listened to you running through a list of bizarre historians that neither of us could keep a damn about. Or when you listened to my feminist and passionate rants about how amazing Sylvia Plath is. What about when we quizzed each other on random artefacts from Ancient Egypt - despite the fact we both knew full well we had it down pat? How could you forget our sleepovers where we danced in our pjs to Mamma Mia even if we looked nuts. We always used to joke about getting a one way ticket to Greece and spending a whole summer there in the middle of recess. If I went in a few years time would you still come with me? Or is that too awkward? I remember our pinkies intertwining as the whispers of excitement about how we would end up at university together. It didn’t end up that way. In fact all it did in the end all it did was break us apart to two conflicting sides of Sydney. It leaves me wondering if it was that easy to break us apart? The comfort of the dark music practice rooms in the corner of our highschool where we used to lay out all of our secrets. Funny how the teacher could hear us all along… she must have thought we were crazy. I loved that about us. To be lost in your friendship was to al-

most give oneself up. Entirely consumed into this one breathing being of life. My other half. Whether it was toxic or not at times, we ALWAYS had each other’s backs. Now my feet trek alone under the comfort of trees in Wally’s Walk, leaving me lost in thought. Sometimes I sit from friend group to friend group wondering if I’ll ever fit in. But then my mind wanders to what it’s like for you now? Do you think about me the way I sometimes think about you? Times change, friendships come and go, they often surprise us. You surprised me… but we grew apart and that’s okay. I’m glad we’re both happy, but we did have some good times didn’t we? Sometimes a stranger says something similar like an inside joke we used to laugh at, and I reminisce just for a second. All of our chats filled with laughter… we could have been close, we could have just talked for a bit. If only we held on to our awkward insta chats for just a little longer, regardless if it was a ribbon with tight knots unravelling. Isn’t it crazy how much we grow up? I can just look across the skyline of Sydney to where you are and wonder what happened? Or I can just move on. It’s a shame I overthink all the possibilities. We couldn’t have just grown apart right? Maybe we had a fight I forgot about? Maybe this chapter of school was dragging on for too long… and the reader of our story was begging to move on. There are many strangers that are just friends I haven’t met yet. But sometimes I don’t want to fall into this new void of unfamiliarity, maybe I just want the comforts of a four walled room with you in it. I’m ready to let go. I hope you’re doing well. I wish you nothing but the best.

Kind Regards, Lauren <3

CREATIVES

Finally Being

A SCHOOL GIRL I have already done a bachelor’s degree but with career change ideas I am back, doing a different bachelor’s degree. But compared to my last time at university, this time is going to be very different in the best ways possible. I am a Transgender woman. I was too scared to be myself my first time at university. I used a name that didn’t feel right and limited my social interactions so I could just get uni over with and not be seen. But this time, I’ll be a schoolgirl. I didn’t get to go to high school while publically being a girl; I didn’t get to go to primary school while publically being a girl. School was pretty stressful and kind of saddening because I never really got to be myself which limited my opportunities greatly. It almost feels like I didn’t even get to be a student really. It felt stressful going through stages of schooling becoming further away from who you are. When I was really little, my body wasn’t too different from the people around me. But in high school especially there was a growing barrier to socialising with other girls. They didn’t see me as one so even if I got along well with someone there would still be a feeling of a wall I couldn’t get past. Having to wear a uniform that was different from the other girls around me hurt a lot, and being in an all-boys class in years nine and ten led to the most saddening period of my life. I just felt trapped in this set path for me that I didn’t agree with. The parts that helped were moments when I wore girls’ clothes at home in my room or at friends’ houses. These moments helped me through high school and primary school. This year, I finally get to go to university with my new legal name: Tahlia. I get to wear women’s clothing, I get to wear make-up, and those cute scrunchies that the other girls would wear – I finally get to do all of that. I get to hopefully make more meaningful friendships, socialise more in clubs, and just actually live my life the way I always wanted to. To simply be a girl.

CREATIVES

I knew I wanted to be a girl since I was 9 years old, but my parents at first didn’t accept me. I wore a blanket as a dress when I was 4 but my parents don’t seem to remember that. I had a little spy notebook toy marketed to boys. I wrote the words ‘I wish I was a girl” in it. Even with those feelings and often wishing to magically turn into a girl, my parents didn’t take me very seriously. They’ve gotten better at accepting me; it took a very long time, however. When parents have such a direct control over your life it’s really hard to get what you want sometimes. I wanted puberty blockers so I’d look more feminine in the future, but they didn’t let me. So I experienced a puberty that didn’t feel right for me. I was terrified by my height changes and distressed

at my voice dropping. But with lockdown in 2020, I finally took the steps to transition into a girl. It required some tough conversations, but I get to be a girl publically now. I had to go against what my parents initially wanted for my own happiness, and thankfully my parents have noticed my increased happiness since transitioning. Through lots of practice, my voice is getting closer to what I want to sound like. I’ve expanded my wardrobe so I can wear the clothes I always wanted to wear. I grew my hair out more. I started HRT (hormone replacement therapy) which is basically medication that lets me experience a different puberty that I wanted. I am slowly getting closer to being fully myself and it’s really exciting to be able to go to uni-

versity as myself fully with additional confidence. Life is so different, but in all the best ways possible, now. I feel I can appreciate each day much more easily, I feel positive emotions I didn’t know I could feel, and I feel this year at university will be so different than what I was used to. I’m excited to simply be a schoolgirl for the first time. Those social walls that distressed me won’t be there and I’ll feel happier to be seen in a public space. I have a feeling it’ll help me with uni work too since I know I am much more extroverted now and I’m excited beyond belief to socialise as myself. In the last 2 years, I finally got to act on my feelings and transition into who I am today and I am going to keep grow-

ing more into the young woman that I as a nine-year-old wanted to be. The nine-year-old who wrote in a little notebook “I wish I was a girl” who is now finally a girl at 22. I have what I always wanted now: to be a girl. With university, it’s a chance to reclaim that lost childhood in a sense. And I’m excited to make the most of it and make up for some lost time. I’m a 22-year-old transgender woman and I finally get to live how I want. It was such a long wait. But I’m so happy I get to be myself. I always was a girl from the very start of life. The difference is that now, more people get to see that fact, and that means so much to me. By Tahlia White

CREATIVES

I AM B

ECOMI

WHAT I WANT TO BE

By the very fact of being in your early twenties, living is naturally inseparable from the unimpeded forces of transition. It’s almost like a grown-up version of being a toddler, except we are re-experiencing the world, now with autonomy, more money, and legal access to alcohol to help us numb the near constant existential panic. We exist on a slowly crumbling fence, conflicted between our own childishness, and an idealised, adult version of ourselves that we are told to become. We create new versions of our own reality, cosplaying as different people with different interests until we find something or someone that feels more like home.

In all honesty, I’m finding this whole process quite difficult, and I know most of us feel the same way.

Navigating these pivotal years is challenging enough without a vicious pandemic or an increasingly destructive environmental crisis. And now Ukraine is being invaded. Yemen, Palestine, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, Ethiopia and dozens of other countries are still in active conflict. The rights of my fellow LGBTQIA+ peoples are yet again up for public debate. Victims of assault are being consistently retraumatised and blatantly harassed on a national scale. Immunocompromised and disabled peoples are being left out in the cold by our national health policies. Not to mention the continued systemtic discrimination and violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All coming up to a national election. Aren’t we so lucky?

Day after day these issues compound and grate away at our very being, granting us the lovely gift of burnout. But hey, we still have to hand in assignments on time and perform well at work and maintain friendships and find love wherever we can and appease our families and see the world while it’s still beautiful.

CREATIVES

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CREATIVES

THE ACT OF (RE)CREATION

rancis sat in the waiting room, leg bouncing anxiously as he chewed on the sleeve of his oversized jumper. His jeans, too long and rolled at the cuffs, scraped gently against his calves. “Francis Brookes?” a voice called. It took him a moment to process that the call was for him, his head whipping to the side as soon as it sunk in. His eyes were wide, heart pounding, knee frozen halfway through its jittering. A tall woman, long hair falling in brown curls around her kind face, smiled at him - the owner of that voice. “Would you like to come through?”

Swallowing his nerves, he followed, rising from the hard plastic of the waiting room chairs and soon sinking down into the cushions of a white armchair in Dr. Reed’s office. Dr. Reed herself – who had personally collected him from the waiting room; something about that comforted him – sat down in a matching armchair across from him. She settled in her chair, notebook in her lap, and smiled at him. “It’s good to meet you, Francis,” she said, voice warm and genuine. “How can I help you?” He breathed in deeply, shakily, and cut to the chase. “I’m trans,” he said, not meeting her eyes. He ran a hand over the fuzzy regrowth of his recently shaved head. “If you hadn’t guessed already. I mean, it’s what you specialise in.” He glanced at her, at the warm smile she still held, and caught the encouraging nod she gave him. He dropped his hand. “I don’t know what to do. I want to transition, but I don’t know how. I don’t know how to talk about it.” “Well,” she began, smile growing a bit. “I’d say you’re doing brilliantly so far.” Francis huffed out a laugh, sitting back more comfortably in his chair.

rancis had a habit of willing away hours, inadvisably, watching videos of hard candy being made. There was something mesmerising in the repetition of it all; fold and pull, fold and pull, fold and pull - until, eventually, it began to look like something entirely new. He began to feel like those candy makers, working and working at the same thing, over and over, throwing all his strength into it until the finished product began to form in front of him. Except it was himself he was throwing against a wall, over and over - it sure as hell felt vulnerable enough. He felt stretched thin, revealing the core of himself for all to see, for the air to permeate, over and over again. He had thought, at the start, that it would be a one-and-done experience; he would muster the courage to say those words – I’m trans – and his world would come crashing down around him in seconds, crumbling and reforming into something nearly unrecognisable from what it was; that he would look back at himself from months, weeks ago and see someone entirely different. The idea had terrified him, really; the uncertainty of who he would become, of the world he would step into. It was bittersweet, then, to realise it was like pulling candy. Slow and hard and seemingly never-ending. But the result was always worth it – carefully crafted, deliberate, something so different from how it began, yet still made from the same stuff. It was a process, recrafting oneself, but the reward was sweet.

CREATIVES

veryone should learn to sew, his grandmother had said, holding a seven-year-old Francis in her lap, helping him guide the fabric through, the steady thrum of the needle as it rose and fell keeping time. It’ll save you a world of trouble, someday.

Looking back, as he sat before his own sewing machine, the memory always cracked a smile. His grandmother, as she’d taught him to make his own skirts and frocks, was unlikely to have ever predicted this being the reason the sewing machine became his salvation, but she had been right. The machine’s light shone as he guided another pant leg through it – clothes hemmed at the ankle, out at the waist, in at the shoulders, turning dresses he once loved into shirts and shorts, making his own clothes wholesale to get by in a world where men’s clothes didn’t fit men like him. He hadn’t cared much about clothes for a long time. He’d never seen the appeal his friends seemed to, never felt the draw that was expected of him as a teenager. He understood it, now, sending silent apologies to all the people he’d written off as shallow. There was an inexplicable joy in an outfit that was him. He reversed the needle, sending the seam over itself to seal it, cut the thread, and slipped into jeans that fit now. Something, at last, that was made for him; not oversized, not the odd mix of too-loose and too-tight at once, no compromises. “A world of trouble, for sure,” he said, and chuckled to himself.

ow long will it take? Francis had asked, in that first appointment in Dr. Reed’s office, in what felt like eons ago. He had barely been able to put voice to his thoughts. He had only told friends via text because his throat had caved in on itself whenever he tried to talk about it, and yet he’d been desperate to get it over with. It had felt like a box he needed to tick. Step one: tell everyone you love that you’re trans. Step two: transition, so you never have to talk about it again.

Dr. Reed’s smile had softened, in that matching armchair of hers, sympathy etched clearly on her face. How long is a piece of string? she’d asked, and Francis remembered almost resenting her for it. There’s no timeline, Francis, she’d explained. And no end goal, either. Everyone wants different things out of their transitions, and everyone will find their own points where they’re happy with where they are. It might take two years, or ten, or no time at all. Her voice had softened, and he’d dreaded whatever would come out of her mouth next. But you’re going to be trans for the rest of your life, Francis. And that’s ok. He hadn’t understood it at all, at the time. I know that. That’s obvious. He thought about it again as he laced up his boots and considered, with a few years of experience under his belt, that he got what she meant now. It wasn’t a race and there wasn’t a finish line. There would always be time. He wasn’t the frightened teenager he had been when he first began to notice the unease that settled in his stomach when he heard his birth name. He wasn’t the hesitant boy he’d been in Dr. Reed’s office. He probably wouldn’t always be this Francis either, out and loud and in-your-face in a way he never expected he would be. He would always be changing, shifting, finding what fit him and his expression on that day, in that minute. He would never be a woman, and he would never be a cisgender man. He would always be Francis. He shrugged on his jacket and set off to carve his place in the world.

CREATIVES

ou set the pace, Francis, Dr. Reed had said. You do this at your own speed. He had failed to consider, when she said this, that not everyone would match it. His grandmother had done her best, sitting down with him and a pile of childhood photos to see whether he wanted to keep them or not. Looking at pictures of him as a baby, sleeping and laughing and getting into all kinds of mess, unfamiliar with the complexities of the world and unknown by it in turn, he’d laughed and felt warm and given her permission to keep all of them. There was an age – he couldn’t pinpoint it exactly – when the photos started setting off that unease, where he couldn’t quite recognise the child in them as himself anymore, but they were his history nonetheless. Young Francis in dresses and skirts and sparkly shoes had led him to where he was now. He didn’t want to forget that. His parents had a harder time adjusting. He both understood it and didn’t; he couldn’t imagine how it had come as much of a shock, after he’d shaved his head and started shopping exclusively in the men’s section, but he could understand it was a change, and a difficult one at times. So he gave them his patience – as much as he felt he could, and then some. He sat through their stumbles and corrected them when he had the energy. He bore their awkwardness when he brought friends around who used his name and pronouns freely and openly, watched them adjust their language around others only to slip right back into she and her and his birth name as soon as company left. Transition was a process, for him and everyone involved, so he gave them time. As hard as it was. On his twenty-second birthday, almost three years after he’d come out to them, he watched apprehensively as his mother fidgeted with the blue envelope in her hands. He took it with a smile and a thanks, mum, noticing the lack of address curiously. Francis slipped a finger under the top corner of the seal, and tore. His mother stood beside him, hands wringing, gaze intent. His eyes flickered up to her, brow pinched as he wondered what was making her so nervous. The card slid out, and he understood. Letters swirled across the front, white on baby blue: Our darling son, on your birthday. His stomach swooped as he flipped it open – the tacky, cheesy newsagent card meaning far more to him than the two dollars it probably cost – for once more interested in the note than the money within it. Dear Francis, it read. Happy birthday. We’re so proud of you. Love, Mum & Dad. His eyes welled as he looked up at his mum, at her nervous smile and matching damp eyes. She laughed as, a moment later, the full weight of an adult boy propelled itself into her arms. Francis’ beard scratched against the soft weave of her cardigan, his arms wrapped tight around her as she hugged him back. “I’m sorry it took us so long,” she whispered into his shoulder. “Thanks for being so patient.” He nodded against her, squeezing tighter. “Thanks for getting there. Thanks for catching up.” Transition was a path, a process, a journey. It was inconsistent, and messy, and personal. Sometimes it was scary. Sometimes it hurt. Sometimes, though, it was joyful. Sometimes it was really fucking beautiful. By William Lawrence

CREATIVES

HOMES Grime clings to my sneakers the same way it did back home, rainsplotched, socks drenched with excessive friction. (Later, I will learn, they are called runners. My blue-white sneakers, a little too big for my feet, a little too snug against my soles, shoelaces eternally escaping the embrace of their knots. Here, they are runners. Here, language morphs objects into pithy conveniences of syntax. The words feel alien in my mouth, but they are warm, inviting. Like a mango lozenge you toss around your tongue again, and again, and again, until it dissolves into something that you can actually swallow.) Home. Home has always been a liminal space. Home has been a summer-slicked unventilated room, a ceiling fan that barely spins on its axis, a window that looks out into the untended foliage of the courtyard, a creaky mattress that you douse with bucket after bucket of water to get through a single June night. Home has been seven am walks beside a winding lake, watching early morning rowers disappear into the horizon, kettles whistling at the lemon tea stall right outside the gate. Home has been the bedroom I didn’t know how to exist in, a con-

fluence of childhood angst and adulthood despair – the very same bedroom overlooking the once-majestic coconut tree that I wrote a poem about the day it was brutally felled.

Home has been a city, the only city that has felt mine. Home has been a one bedroom apartment where I fell apart then sewed myself whole. Home has been the distinct scent of fish cutlets and mutton rolls in the evenings, the vegetable vendor who once wrapped a bundle of tulsi leaves in yellowing newspaper and handed it to me, free-of-charge, telling me to infuse them into my morning tea, telling me they “build immunity”. Home has been January nights spent buried under quilts heavier than my own body, cooking chicken curry for my best friends every second Saturday when we would ruminate late into the night on the current state of national politics, on science fiction, on East Asian murder mysteries, on every niche piece of pop culture that we drowned our existential dread in.

And now, home is this, too. This, walking home in the rain with sneakers covered in grime (runners, I have to remind myself again, they are runners), with ankles swollen with the weight of the distances it has traversed, with pithy conveniences of syntax slowly invading my vocabulary. “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life,” Nick Carraway had said. I once had the quote pinned to my bedroom wall (back in one of my many has-been homes), but I was too naïve then, my rose-coloured glasses still firmly intact. More enchanted than repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life. But now? Home is now blue skies; Home is now summer rain that drenches my socks and seeps into my bluewhite shoes with the infuriatingly stubborn shoelaces. Home is now sunshine that sticks to my neck like molten toffee. Home is now bus rides that feel like expeditions, endless yet oddly exhilarating. Home is now learning to be within, rather than being without. Yet, home is still a liminal space. By Rohini Banerjee

CREATIVES

POEM Crisis (n.) 1. a time of intense difficulty or danger. 2. a time when a difficult or important decision must be made. identity crisis;

a new idENTITY

Crysis Crycis danger dAnGEr of dANGER adolescence,

a time of LESs sENSE

decisions, decisions, incisions

divisions divisions DIEvision.

preSINting dresSINg

tranSINtiong jesus je suis i am who i am who am i?

CREATIVES

woman human person alONE AL 1 ALL 1 ALL vs 1 rapid heartbeat beat beat beatings. misconTRUE consTRUE conSTRAIN strain, strain, strain

TRUE.

HATErosexual

allie

stRaIGHT unconditional* love terms and conditioning in the fine print

*conditions include conversation.

INSide NISide

CREATIVES

SINide OUTside

Coming OUT

f a m i l y oo v u. e (d) GOD

forGIVE

for my

put down the Rope

STRENGTH i n

opeN the door to

Hope BEacon of trUth BEcome yoUrself BEcause yoU can be you.

By Rebecca Ryan-Brown

CREATIVES

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‘Don’t Look Up’ and Its Flawed Importance

Nic’s Flix

‘WE REALLY DID HAVE EVERYTHING DIDN’T WE?’ This is one of the last lines of dialogue spoken in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. Amidst the film’s messy nature, it’s unexpectedly blunt and shattering because it rings true. We not only had everything, but so did Earth in providing all life and nature for us. No matter where our generation goes, one thing for sure is that we’re all going to die, and everything will disappear. It’s inevitable. It may be later, but McKay’s Don’t Look Up presents a tragic case that it may be sooner. PhD graduate student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) discovers something on the space-station monitors. She takes a closer look, and then the shock hits her. It’s a gigantic comet. She calls her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), about the discovery and it’s cause for celebration… only for Mindy to take a closer look at the readings. It’s not going to pass by Earth. It’s going to hit the planet in six months. Kate and Mindy keep going through the readings again and send them to NASA, but the results are always the same. There needs to be action taken, so the first thing Kate and Mindy do is visit the White House and present their findings to President Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep), a clear parody of Donald Trump

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and Hillary Clinton. She’s listening, along with her son and Chief of Staff, Jason (Jonah Hill), but their faces say it all: it’s boring, irrelevant and not a huge worry. They’re not going to do anything. Instead, Kate and Mindy decide to leak the news to the media and secure an interview with prominent television personalities, Brie Evantee (Cate Blanchett) and Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry). They too take the news lightly, as it “helps the medicine go down easier.” Not only does the interview become a meme and the discovery of the comet is barely reported on, but it also appears, no matter what Kate and Mindy try to do, humanity isn’t listening, nor does anyone care. And the comet looms closer to planet Earth. This may not be the case for most audiences, but once McKay establishes the stakes of Don’t Look Up, unfolding in Saturday Night Live style, it’s clear how it will end. I won’t spoil it, but the film’s inevitability is where Don’t Look Up functions at its strongest. I admit to disliking Don’t Look Up on initial viewing, especially with how it handles its satire, editing and direction. However, those stylistic choices have slowly grown on me, and a second viewing has helped matters further. McKay’s script is often darkly humorous, apolitical, and unafraid to skewer through every political group and character presented. It mocks politicians for either not listening to scientific facts or using them to create further societal division. It tears apart media organisations and journalists for trivialising the issues at hand, while condemning corporations and their capitalistic structures for exploiting the Earth. Finally, Don’t Look Up critiques society for being too indifferent or making light of current events around them. No one is safe in McKay’s path, and the film’s didacticism slams its messages into the viewer’s psyche.

The world we live in is a political, economic, social, and cultural mess. In recent times, we have been dealing with climate change, coronavirus, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, NSW and Queensland floodings, etc. It feels like the world will end, but we’re not caring enough about it and Don’t Look Up reflects that. Its heavy-handedness appears obnoxious, but it makes the case that subtlety may no longer be a useful tool, especially when it comes to addressing the rapid and often irreparable deterioration of society. Even with an apparent distrust towards its audience, Don’t Look Up believes, by prophesying how its plot could happen soon, that a thinly veiled allegory of climate change might just help to get the point across. The points Don’t Look Up makes are essential and shouldn’t be ignored, but sometimes they are made messily. What it has to say isn’t always in-depth or nuanced, and by satirising the world, Don’t Look Up’s commentary feels broad, even if it’s almost exclusively mocking American culture. Somehow, despite being overlong and poorly paced, there still needed to be more out of its commentary. Reading some of the negative critiques, there’s not a lot of information Don’t Look Up provides to convince or sway anti-climate change proponents from their stances, and it often feels like the film is preaching to its choir rather than convincing all its audiences, although it has the benefit of being well-made. McKay usually delivers on the comedy, but it can be hit-or-miss, as set-ups focus on making the characters into obvious caricatures and the delivery subsequently falls flat while providing character subplots that don’t go anywhere, despite that element being slightly recontextualised by the ending. However, when viewing Don’t Look Up as a terrifying, apocalyptic downer than a comedy, it works more in the film’s favour. That way, the attempts at humour feed into its anxieties rather than appease

REPEAT OFFENDERS them, with McKay – and hopefully, most of us - knowing that people treat such vital issues lightly. Despite Don’t Look Up occasionally feeling like an SNL skit, there is still an alarming sense of reality, making the plot feel not so much like satire when comparing the cartoonish, exaggerated nature of its characters to real-life societal behaviours. It conveys raw and furiously bleak energy that is understandably seen as condescending, but this fear that the world may end in a matter of months still feels palpable because it could happen. If Don’t Look Up’s apocalyptic elements aren’t made clear enough, then they certainly will be in most of the performances. Packed with A-list celebrities, Don’t Look Up uses its star-studded appeal to attract its audience and places Leonardo DiCaprio in the centre, who, for years, has been advocating about the impacts of climate change. He’s solid, yet when his character finally breaks down on live television, it doesn’t feel like DiCaprio is acting anymore. He’s projecting all his fears and anger as he directly addresses the audience, effectively breaking the fourth wall. His chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence makes their character dynamics watchable, and as for the rest of the cast, most performances are satisfying while others leave more to be desired. Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett ham their performances up, while Jonah Hill has fun leaning into his role’s obnoxiousness. Rob Morgan plays things appropriately straightforward. Timothée Chalamet and Ron Perlman offer a few good laughs, while the likes of Tyler Perry, Himesh Patel and Kid Cudi are too under-used. Mark Rylance commits to an off-putting parody of exploitative billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Alongside the performances’ divisive reception, Don’t Look Up’s technical filmmaking, and, in particular, Hank Corwin’s editing has faced criticism. A frequent collaborator with Adam McKay and Terrence Malick, the choices made to compose this story together are too jarring. I understand what Corwin is trying to do, utilising fast-cuts and abrupt editing techniques to build the characters’ inner chaos, montages to

breeze through absurd societal reactions and perspectives to the events of the film before letting its pace slow down unusually, and freeze-frames to make images feel like memories that’ll be lost forever. It’s an experimental play on temporality, but these choices disrupt the narrative flow, tap into the film’s corniness too often, sometimes make you wonder if your stream is buffering and lacks a tightness that irritates the viewing experience. The film is too unhinged for its own good, and it’s even more bizarre that it secured an Oscar nomination for Best Film Editing. Linus Sandgren’s cinematography, particularly on 35mm film, looks solid, even if the shot composition and framing don’t have much to remark on. However, Nicholas Britell’s musical score is a genuine stand-out. His melodies are initially innocuous, playing with camp and absurdity to compliment the film’s flawed comedic angle. The score seamlessly switches to downbeat, meditative tempos whenever it detects Don’t Look Up’s dark tonal shifts. It allows the themes to find the devastating, fractured beauty of our world and how it’s easy to have everything and before losing it forever. That’s what makes Don’t Look Up work on further reflection. This is a mess of a film with some solid highs and disappointing lows, both conflicting with each other. It’s thematically important and yet approaches its messages in an uneven manner. It’s occasionally funny but doesn’t deliver as many laughs, and works more when it leans into its apocalyptic elements. It may be preachy, but this is something that can happen. It’s stylistically unrefined, even though there is purpose behind the filmmaking and editing. Underneath its flaws, there are ultimately good intentions and heart that, despite how reactionary it gets, makes its way under your skin. Adam McKay has become a real love-himor-hate-him director, frequently missing but making enough effective hits, and even though Don’t Look Up always seemed destined to polarise, it’s a terrifying, unsubtle wake-up call that feels necessary. By Nicholas Chang

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GRAPEY BOOK CLUB:

Aja Barber’s Consumed (2021) The main thing I want you to take away from this is the following: you need to read this book. Even if you think you don’t, you do. Author Aja Barber is a writer, stylist, and fashion consultant, and a self-confessed (previously) fast fashion addict. She grew up in Virginia, America, and currently lives with her husband in London. I had some issues with Aja Barber’s new book, Consumed, which was published in the second half of 2021. It’s important to be up-front about that. The subtitle of this non-fiction book is apt: “The need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism”. The main issue I have is that this book is not marketed as a generalised discussion of where these ideas intersect; it is marketed as a book critiquing fast fashion. That is what I thought the book was about. I loved Dana Thomas’s 2019 book, Fashionopolis. I wanted something like that when I started reading this book; something that would aggressively yell at me to MAKE SOME CHANGES TO YOUR HABITS AND YELL UNTIL OTHER PEOPLE MAKE CHANGES, TOO. Rather, it is more accurate to say that Barber uses fast fashion (and discussions of the fashion industry overall) as the glue that binds these issues together. Her central thesis relates to our over-consumption of everything, from fashion to food to every-day material objects. Our materialist consumption of everything, Barber seems to be saying, is the problem. The statistics around the issues that fast fashion is causing for our planet and our society are simply examples that Barber uses to illustrate the cost of materialism and consumerism. But what is “consumption”? Barber does not define this term for her reader, nor does she define the other, more complicated lexicon that she employs. I understood this language because this is a topic I have done extensive

reading on in the past. However, I fear that others who are reading this book as an introduction to the issues surrounding materialism and climate change might find it more challenging. Be prepared to use a dictionary as you read. Moreover, I must confess, the author’s writing style did not jive with me at times. She writes in a comedic and colloquial style that shows she is aware of herself (and doesn’t want to take herself too seriously) and that she is aware of her reader. Barber’s goal with this book is not to stress people out to the point of tears, but to hold your hand and say, yes, you’ve made mistakes, but I’ll show you where to go from here. She wants us to have hope that we can achieve climate and social justice – though I’m not sure that I do. A review by writer Jeremy Williams from his The Earthbound Report blog says that Consumed “investigates the intersections of consumerism, racism and climate change, and that feels like it’s breaking new ground.” This statement is emphatically incorrect; this book is only “breaking new ground” for those who don’t understand (or care enough to understand) the inherent intersectionality of climate justice and socio-economic and political justice. This is a Venn Diagram that most climate activists have been operating within for years now. Barber writes: “Because of intersecting oppression anyone who is marginalised will have that status exasperated under a climate emergency.” Climate justice is social justice. Barber writes of the cycle between the Global North (whom she terms the colonisers) and the Global South (the colonised), quoting Liz Ricketts from the OR Foundation: “raw resources are extracted from the colony, sent to the coloniser for value to be added by patented technological processing, then exported

REPEAT OFFENDERS back to colonies to consumer and, in doing so, to pay money back to the coloniser.” The example she gives to solidify the theory of this cycle is the production, advertising, and then trading of fast fashion. Barber asks readers to reconsider language they’ve used countless times before, especially students. She asks us to think about that time you (whether for comedic purposes or not) described yourself to your friends as “poor”, or used your “poorness” (indicating a lack of money) to justify your bad spending habits at fast fashion stores because you can’t escape the indoctrination of corporate entities insisting that you need to buy the thing. I’ll admit, I’ve said it too. Barber writes: “being broke is a state; poverty is systematic.” She goes on: “People lean into their lack of money as a way to explain their participation in these unethical systems, ‘because that’s all they can afford’. But here’s the thing: if you are buying clothing online multiple times a month, generally you aren’t poor.” However, in repeating the cycles encouraged by fast fashion monoliths, you are the reason you are consistently “broke” – you are the criminal and you are the victim. That is different to being poor, because poorness is a state perpetuated by the socially and economically unjust situations of those in the Global South, that Barber describes as “an endless well that’s impossible to climb out of […] It keeps you living in poverty, and it keeps generations and countries poor.” Neither myself or Barber are saying that poverty does not exist in the Global North – of course it does, and it statistically and practically affects communities of people of colour more often than white people. What Barber is saying, however, is that by comparison, even inhabitants of Western countries that live in lower socio-economic conditions do not qualify as living below the poverty threshold. In the West, Barber concedes, “[i]nheritance is becoming an increasingly important determinant of life choices.” This is something I think about a lot – and this is something Barber discusses in relation to the fashion industry – because if you have been brought up in a state of wealth and inheritance (whether that be emotional or financial) you are, more often than not, able to take that unpaid internship and establish a network of connections. When you have to work to study – or otherwise work

to have a roof over your head – your life choices are more limited. This is the case outside of the fashion industry, too. And that is why we say the system is broken. But, wait. Is the system really broken? Barber disagrees: “When people say the system is broken, it’s a tad bit misleading. The system of extraction [of materials] and exploitation [of workers] was built by centuries of exploitation and colonialism. The ‘system’ is actually working just as it’s supposed to, with little legality and liability […] This is exactly how it was built to work – exploitation and destruction of the world’s most marginalised people for the benefit of others.” Barber wants us to see how our society was built on the back of exploitation and destruction. People are so scared of anything other than capitalist societies, but I would argue that you should be most scared of the economic system we live in: the one that is purely motivated by financial profit, no matter the cost. The very human and planetary cost. Towards the end of her book, Barber says: “Your worth isn’t the value of fashionable garments you wear or own, but the care with which you treat yourself (and others, and the planet) and the things you already have. […] What you wear doesn’t define you. What you do does.” Barber hit the nail on the head. The underlying case that she makes to readers is this: these issues are not just affecting our planet, but they are affecting our society, on micro and macro levels. Think about your part in colonial structures. Think about how you actively respond to climate change. And, most importantly, think about how much you consume. Please read this book. I promise it will be worth it. By Nikita Byrnes

GRAPESHOT, VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1: TRANSITON

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