Getamungstit - The Work Edition (August 2016) by Student Guild

THE WORK EDITION

ISSUE 05, VOLUME 02 AUGUST 2016 EDITORIAL TEAM Jessica Brown - Editor in Chief Rebecca Marshallsay - Editor in Chief Erwan Guegan - General Content Editor Angel Nikijuluw - Visual Editor Hayley Payne - General Content Editor Ashleigh Watson - Features Editor PUBLISHER Cameron Harrison TALENTED CONTRIBUTORS Cover artwork Zoë Keidge - Meryl Keioskie Editorial Cameron Harrison - Zakary Johnson Rebecca Marshallsay - Angel Nikijuluw Christian Nimri - Elleanor O’Connell Hayley Payne - Ashleigh Watson Creative Rosemary Cox - Max Duff Caitlin Erasmus - Mic Smith Christi Terry Photographic Rachel Corbu-Miles - Mike Harris Holly Knight - Ella McMillan Christian Nimri DESIGN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Email us at getamungstit@griffith.edu.au

Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild acknowledges the people who are the traditional custodians of the land, pays respects to Elders, past and present, and extends that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

DISCLAIMER

SUBMISSIONS Are you a budding student journalist, photographer or have a random idea that could be a great story? Getamungstit accepts art, photo and story submissions for consideration however there is no guarantee your work will be published.

The opinions expressed in this publication may not reflect those of the Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild. The information contained within this edition of Getamungstit was correct at the time of printing but could be subject to change. If any article, document and/ or publication is inaccessible and you require copies and/ or more information, contact the Student Guild where staff will ensure your requests and needs are met.

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Contents

34 65

Editorial note

Message from the President

Contributor spotlight

Vox pop

Optimal desk set up for efficient and effective study

Beating the black dog

Inside the mind of a perfectionist

The top job

Eight tips for finding balance

Building a stand out CV

Work on film

Product review - Part time work

Snapped on campus

Fashion - GRWM: Interview edition

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on

Feature artist - Calan Mai

Online

Entertainment

Being creative

Get the hell outta here

EDITORIAL NOTE

Work, work, work, work work work. Dada da da da work work work work work work. I don’t know any of the other words but I have had Rihanna’s recent hit in my head for weeks while we’ve put together this edition of Geta for you, and now I’ll share that joyful earworm with you while you read it through. You’re welcome. Besides a brilliantly catchy dancehall beat that one genius reviewer described as “quite” urban, this edition we’re bringing you some smoking hot tips about getting work, keeping work, staying sane at work, not working too hard and working to balance your social life with your studying. Is the word ‘work’ starting to look weird yet? Did you know that working around 40 hours a week from the ages of twenty to sixty-five equates to over ninety thousand hours? That’s a lot life spent at work! You’ll probably hold around eight different jobs before you turn 30. And apparently eighty percent of jobs are found through the elusive, magical skill of ‘networking’.

To help you through this crazy, challenging, amazing (and completely necessary) thing we abstractly call ‘work’, our whole edition is dedicated to it. If you’re looking for a job or know you will be soon, don’t miss our tips for writing a stand out CV – it’s more than a piece of paper with your name and some dates on it. For all of us who need some balance in our lives between studying, socialising, still managing to pay rent and stopping the house from being taken over by rats, Hayley has compiled a list of eight tips for keeping all of your balls in the air at once. Semester will get pretty chaotic soon so make sure you take note of these tips! We also have an important piece for World Suicide Prevention Day. Elleanor brings us some brilliant information for how to deal with suicidal thoughts, and some guides on how to help someone who is struggling with their mental health. If you or anyone you know needs support, Griffith provides free and 100% confidential counseling for all students right here on campus. If you’d like to write for us, get in touch: join our Getamungstit Contributors group on Facebook, and email us at getamungstit@griffith.edu.au.

WE E LOVIL MA WHAT S TELL U HINK! YOU T

Editorial note

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Hi everyone, The start of Semester 2 never fails to disappoint, with Race Day (our biggest event) continuing to prove my favourite Guild event for the past six years (I know, it’s time to graduate). If you are picking up this mag hot off the press then we’ve got plenty of events lined up for you over the coming weeks – Movie Night, Market Days ($5 lunch people!), Sustainability Fair and of course, an Olympic themed Trivia Night! Jump on our website or Facebook for more info. Another second semester treat is the annual ‘Unigames’ in Perth this year over the mid semester break. Backing up a 2nd overall place at last year’s event, Griffith will be sending another competitive team of students across the other side of the country to take on all Australian universities. I cannot recommend attending this event enough, so make sure you express interest to your appropriate sporting club, or keep your eyes peeled for sporting teams that need extra players! It’s an amazing way to explore a different city, play sport and have too much fun with other like-minded students. Beware of #pugd though (post Unigames depression FYI). In a couple of weeks, nominations will be opening for students interested in joining the Student Guild Board. The Board is made up of a group of 10 students from varying degrees, who have the goal of creating a positive and memorable student experience at its core. This doesn’t just include choosing party themes (not that that’s not extremely important), we also continue to develop student support and advocacy services, freshen up the food tenancies on campus and much much more.

On that note, welcome to our newest food outlets Guzman y Gomez and Providore Raw! We hope you enjoy. With the University changing to trimesters in 2017, there is more opportunity for change and growth on our campus which YOU can actively take part in directing. With mid-semester exams all around us, hopefully this ‘Werk’ edition will give you the motivation and methods you need to kick in to gear, so when you’re calculating exactly how many marks you need on your end of semester exam to get a high-distinction overall, you will at least think you have a chance. Let me quote two different inspirational songs* aligned with the theme of this Getamungstit, to help you through the ‘hump’ of semester; “work, work, work, work, work, work, work” - ‘Work From Home’, by Fifth Harmony. “work, work, work, work, work, work” - ‘Work’, by Rihanna ft. Drake. *hardly different, hardly inspirational Cheers, Cameron Cameron Harrison Student Guild President Griffith University Gold Coast

This is your chance to tell us what you love, what you want to see more of or suggest new ideas. Maybe there is an issue you think we should be covering or you want to weigh in on the best coffee debate... whatever you need to get off your chest, we are here to listen. We are open to constructive criticism too (just remember our writers have feelings). Title your email ‘Letters to the Ed’ and drop us a line at getamungstit@griffith.edu.au. Make sure you include your name and student number (only first names will be published). *Getamungstit reserves the right not to publish based on content, quality or editorial direction.

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50 PERSON

Contributor spotlight This edition we decided to have a detailed chat with one of our General Editors, Hayley Payne. In addition to writing great articles for Getamungstit, Hayley helps other contributors edit and finalise their articles for submission.

HAYLEY PAYNE

Hayley is one of the busiest people we know and has already built up an impressive resume of internships and volunteer work. You may have read her article in the Sport Edition about working as a Commonwealth Games or GOLDOC intern earlier this year. Tell us about your studies... I am in my third year of a Bachelor of Public Relations and Communication, minoring in Politics and International Relations.

What do you enjoy about writing for Geta? I love the freedom of developing article concepts and then seeing my hard work published. With such a heavy focus on online content these days it is exciting to see something of yours in print.

What are the benefits of getting involved with Geta? You have the opportunity to do what you love, whether it be writing features, reviews, photography, creative writing and more. Plus, you can work with incredible people while improving your skills and your resume.

Can you tell us about some of the things you have done to build up your resume and networks while you are still studying?

I currently volunteer with the Griffith Mates, Griffith International’s ‘Explore!’ blog and of course Getamungstit. I have also completed a couple of internships – one with GOLDOC and one as a social media intern for Student Services, while also working as a Student Partner and writing for the student blog Hijacked.

And you went to Toronto recently? Yes, I was lucky enough to receive a sponsorship from Mentoring@Griffith to head over to Toronto to attend the World Public Relations Forum. It was a life-changing experience and really gave me an insight into what my future could hold.

What would your dream job look like? My dream job would be fast-paced, challenging and rewarding. I would love to work on a political campaign, special events or for a quirky company. A job where each morning I wake up excited and not knowing what to expect would be perfect.

VOX POP For this edition we found out where you’ve been, and where you’re headed.

Chayenne, Health Science I want to be a social worker and work with kids.

By Christian Nimri

Isabella, Arts A writer, eventually.

What’s your ideal job?

Eirik, Engineering To be in the car business – mechanical engineering.

Wade, Psychology Clinical Psychologist.

Vox pop

What do you love about your job in three words or less?

Catherine, Engineering Seeing them strive. (Mentoring)

Joshua, Masters of IT Innovative, disruptive, collaborative.

Naomi, Digital Media Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kinda okay.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

What are the skills you’ve gained from university that can be used for the real world?

Arie, Pharmaceutical Sciences I used to mow lawns…

Claudia, Primary Education Retail.

Rebecca, Primary Education Communication.

Nich, Psychology I was a kitchen hand at an Italian restaurant, the chef didn’t understand English.

Matilda, Primary Education Multitasking.

Vox pop

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Optimal desk set up for efficient and effective study Hayley Payne 1. Keep your monitor at eye-level and about an arm’s length away from your body.

2. Put your mobile phone either face down or in your pocket. Work related emails can be looked at on the computer. Checking your phone may start out as a simple glance for important messages, but can easily turn into an hour of mindlessly scrolling through Facebook.

3. Keep your desk simple and uncluttered. Maintain a section of empty space about the size of an A4 piece of paper to be able to review documents easier.

4. Create a filing system for printed documents and booklets. It will help keep your space tidy and you will be able to locate material easily.

5. Limit your pen supplies and only keep essentials on your desk.

6. Sanitise your desk space regularly, particularly your keyboard and mouse to keep a healthy work environment.

12:00 TAKE A BREAK

7. Invest in a comfortable and ergonomic chair that has an adjustable back.

8. Look into the option of a desk that converts between a sitting and standing desk. They are proven to be beneficial for both your posture and overall health.

Optimal desk set up for efficient and effective study

9. Utilise apps that remind you to stand or that it is time to take a break from staring at the screen. Otherwise you may not realise that five hours have passed since you started that essay.

10. If possible set your desk space up near a window for natural light and fresh air; both of which can improve your mood, alertness, concentration level and quality ofÂ life.

11. When sitting, try to keep your hands, wrists and forearms parallel to the floor.

12. Keep your back straight and your feet planted firmly on the floor when seated.

13. If you are unable to set up near a window or are stuck in a dull space, adopt some live plants. Not only will they help you feel fresh, they also help with creativity.

14. Find your optimal study noise level. Perhaps you enjoy listening to classical or inspirational music. Maybe you like complete silence when studying or enjoy the sounds of a busy cafĂŠ.

16. Invest in a healthy snack, such as nuts or dried fruit to keep at the desk. This will keep you satisfied and focused on the task at hand until break times.

BEATING THE BLACK DOG Elleanor O’Connell

The following content may be distressing to some readers. Depression and anxiety are very individual experiences and are often difficult to talk about. Elleanor has shared some of her personal experiences and her own thoughts as well as those of others about having conversations with someone who is experiencing depression or may be having suicidal thoughts. If you, or somebody you know is at risk of a suicide attempt, please call 000. As someone who missed out on year eleven because of regular trips to hospital and anti-depressant induced suicide attempts I have a pretty solid idea of depression, but still I struggle to completely grasp the concept of it. Depression is such a personal experience. No one experiences it the same way, and that’s what makes it so difficult. When I was depressed, carrying around an endless list of suicide plans, I didn’t speak to a soul about it. Not one person that I knew and ‘trusted’. However, when I was sat down in front of a psychiatrist I’d met two minutes earlier, I was an open book. Everything came pouring out

because this person didn’t know me, this person didn’t know the people I was talking about and they only knew my side of the story - the only side that was important. For this article I sent out some questionnaires to gain a better understanding of some other people’s experiences. After receiving back their answers, I discovered that most other people do speak to their friends, people they trust. For me, this really cemented the complexities of depression. I wanted this article to be really official, and amazing, and something that would inspire people with its insightfulness. Instead I’m going to share some thoughts on how to start a conversation with someone who is depressed or may be having suicidal thoughts. I’ve enlisted the help of people who have suffered from depression and suicidal feelings, as well as the head of counselling at Griffith University, Lexie Mooney. And if you’re reading this going ‘fuck it, I don’t even know why I got up this morning’, then I’ve got some tips for you as well. So hang in there my friend, even just for another couple of paragraphs. Our participants advised that in

Beating the black dog

their experience, the following statements and approaches were unhelpful: Elleanor: “Don’t patronise me and tell me how great I have it if I just stopped being sad. Don’t tell me to wake up and smell the fucking flowers.” Olivia: ”Why are you always so down, life isn’t that bad. You need to smile more.” Connor: “Don’t tell me white lies like ‘things will get better’, you don’t know that for certain and it only makes me feel worse.” Simon: “Life is hard and depressed people should just suck it up and deal with it.” Lexie: “Regardless of the issue, approaching something with your own agenda and not being aware of it like ‘I need you to feel better’ or ‘I know how to fix you.’”

Elleanor: “I love you, and I’m going to sit here with you and tell you it’s okay because...that’s what you need to hear right now.”

Connor: “Tell me about all the things I have to look forward to in life and that there’s so much more out there for me to see and do.”

Our participants advised that the following types of approaches and statements were helpful in their experience. Elleanor: “I love you, and I’m going to sit here with you and tell you it’s okay because I love you and that’s what you need to hear right now, even if it isn’t totally okay right now - it will be someday, and that’s what matters.” Connor: “Tell me about all the things I have to look forward to in life and that there’s so much more out there for me to see and do.” Lexie: “It’s about listening and asking really direct questions, it’s making a plan, like ‘right now tonight, let’s do something to keep you alive for the next few hours. What do you need, what does that take?’” If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts yourself our participants offered the following advice. If you, or somebody you know is at risk of a suicide attempt, please call 000

Elleanor: “Breathe. Just breathe and turn off that sad playlist you made. Turn it all off and just breathe. If when you’re done breathing and you still feel like it’s all too much, dial 000 and ask for an ambulance.” Olivia: “Breathe, and remember all the good things you’ll leave behind, even though it may feel impossible at the time. Simon: “Seek out a support network and find people you trust. Just be honest as possible with your closest friends and family and build that support network. Let them know that you might need their help every so often.” Lexie: “Presume there is someone that can help you, even if that feels unlikely, presume there is not only someone who can help you, but wants to help you who won’t find your experience annoying or stupid or time wasting.” I know I’m the kind of person that needs to talk to a stranger, someone who is completely detached from my life. Here are some incredible points of contact to help you, or someone you know, through this terrible time.

Griffith University Counselling Service Griffith University offer free counselling to all of its students and offer a specialised, one on one service to provide students with professional help and referrals for further support. Appointments can be booked at griffith.edu.au/counselling/ Beyond Blue Beyond Blue offers an over the phone counselling service as well as an online chat service when you don’t feel like talking. Both of these are offered 7 days a week. The phone service is available 24 hours a day and the online chat service is available from 3 pm-12 am. Information about accessing these services can be found at beyondblue.org.au/get-support/ get-immediate-support

Lifeline Lifeline also offers online chat services and phone counselling services for all Australian residents. The call service is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and the online chat service is available 7 days week from 7 pm-4 am. To access these services, go to lifeline.org.au and click on the red ‘I need help now’ button in the top right hand corner. Hopefully now you have a slightly better understanding of how you might approach a discussion with someone experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts.

and b) you can attend Mental Health First Aid training for free through Griffith University. Mental Health First Aid is a two-day accredited course available to all students and staff. The course allows people to reduce stigma around mental health but also to develop skills and confidence to be a first responder when someone is having a mental health issue or crisis or ongoing experience. It’s a fantastic opportunity to not only feel more confident in getting involved and to respond effectively, but also to learn to look after your own mental health better.

If you are concerned with improving your or someone else’s mental health; a) you’re awesome, Beating the black dog

The Gold Coast Student Guild and Griffith University Student Services will be hosting a number of activities for R U OK? Day on Thursday 8 September, as well as Mental Health Week 10-14 October. Keep an eye out on campus and on the Student Guild website for further details.

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INSIDE THE MIND OF A PERFECTIONIST: BEING YOUR OWN WORST CRITIC Hayley Payne

Nothing you do will ever be good enough. This is the message that I used to tell myself every single day. I didn’t hate myself or my life, but I was a perfectionist. People always joke about the term perfectionist. They act like it is no big deal, like it is a joke or an ideal state of mind to work towards. But for the thousands of people suffering from being a perfectionist every day, it isn’t really a joke at all. For me it came about gradually. I started with decent grades at university with minimal effort, but when I nabbed my first elusive HD at the end of my second semester everything changed. From that point on nothing short of 85 on an assessment was good enough. My family and friends would praise my efforts and I would smile along. Secretly I would be dying inside, thinking that I could have done better. When I would look at university news and see all of the amazing things other students were doing I was jealous and wondered why I couldn’t be like them. It was so crippling I wouldn’t even consider my own accomplishments as something to be proud of, because nothing I did could ever be that incredible. You see, I thought that I was doing myself a favour by repeating the mantra “nothing you ever do will be enough” over and over in my head. I thought that it would make me strive higher and higher and work harder and harder to reach that end goal. Perfectionists come in all different shapes, sizes, personalities and life goals. I wasn’t a perfectionist who put things off, fearing that I couldn’t complete them to my incredibly high standards. Instead I started assessments ridiculously early. I would scrutinise every word, wondering why I couldn’t make it as fantastic as I wanted it to be. I’d become so angry at myself when I didn’t get a HD on an assessment and then spend

hours in a dreadful mood. I was even that person who would completely overtake a group project to ensure that we received the mark I wanted. A lot of the time people were more than happy for me to do the majority of the work, but it really wasn’t fair on them or myself. Eventually, late last year it all got too much. I suffered a major burn out in the form of a panic attack. This was not something I had experienced before and it was certainly not something that I wanted to experience again. I started to rid myself of my perfectionist ways by telling those closest to me that something was wrong. I then started to work on changing my attitude about my life. Instead of thinking that nothing I did would ever be good enough, I started thinking that I could always improve on the work I had done. Simple changes to my thinking were key for me in changing my attitude and mindset. I am slowly moving away from thinking like a perfectionist. Now when I receive a good mark or accomplish something I have worked hard towards I imagine that it was a friend or family member who achieved that accomplishment. It really helps me to put in perspective how much my hard work has paid off and that I should be proud of what I have achieved.

Inside the mind of a perfectionist

COULD YOU BE A PERFECTIONIST? Classic symptoms of a perfectionist include: • Thinking that nothing you achieve will ever be enough, there is always a higher accomplishment or mark to gain. • Your self-worth is based purely off your success and achievements. • You think that other people value you based purely on your success and achievements.

If you related with any of these, you may very well be a perfectionist. This is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but can be quite crippling to your self-worth. Maybe you know someone who has these traits and have joked about them being a perfectionist before. Many people don’t realise how crippling and dark the world of perfectionism can be. Unfortunately, for those of who don’t seek help or attempt to change their attitude towards their achievements and accomplishments it can lead into anxiety and even depression. So the next time you accomplish something, give yourself a pat on the back and take a moment to acknowledge the hard work that got you there. If you know somebody who is a perfectionist, talk to them about how they feel and encourage them to seek help if needed.

• You are incredibly competitive and feel jealous at the success of others.

My family and friends would praise my efforts and I would smile along. Secretly I would be dying inside...

• You are secretly judgemental of people who don’t strive for their best. • You can never feel accomplished. For example, you never feel like that essay you wrote is finished or that it will ever be good enough.

THE TOP JOB REFLECTIONS ON AUSTRALIA’S ONLY FEMALE PRIME MINISTER Ashleigh Watson Julia Gillard was Australia’s first female PM. When this happened I was no political expert (thanks to a high-school that instilled absolutely zero useful political knowledge). Honestly I didn’t understand politics at all. But Gillard was a woman. The first woman. And suddenly politics mattered. Despite her controversies, in October 2012 Julia Gillard delivered a seamless and passionate take down of the sexism displayed by Tony Abbott and his political counterparts. Her speech played and replayed across screens all around the world. An

instant meme. These are the fifteen minutes she will be remembered for most. Never before had the deep-rooted culture of misogyny in Australian politics been addressed so scathingly and so publicly. I’ve never done more than drive through Canberra, let alone set foot in parliament, but like everyone else I know I watched Gillard’s speech online. A raw and rare moment of political authenticity. On YouTube. Her message hit an international nerve. ‘Gillard’ trended worldwide on Twitter. Jezebel called her badass. She made headlines in the US, Britain, India, South Africa The top job

and Canada. Even Mike Tyson, world heavy weight champion and convicted rapist agreed, ‘History proves she’s right ... most males are that way.’ While Julia was PM Tony Abbott posed in front of signs saying ‘Bob Brown’s Bitch’ and ‘Ditch the Witch.’ Larry Pickering circulated cartoons of Gillard naked, overtly overweight and wearing a strap-on penis. Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan said of her that, ‘Anyone who chooses to deliberately remain barren... they’ve got no idea what life’s about’. David Farley, CEO of the Australian Agricultural Company, called Julia Gillard ‘an unproductive old cow’. A Liberal party fundraiser sported a menu

of ‘Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail—Small Breasts, Huge Thighs & a Big Red Box.’ Alan Jones commented on-air that Gillard’s father who recently passed had ‘died of shame’—a sentiment which Tony Abbott echoed in parliament stating, ‘Another day of shame for a government which should already have died of shame.’ Was this the final straw? On October 9, 2012, I clicked a YouTube link and watched Julia Gillard rise in parliament, confronting Tony Abbott. “I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. I will not. The Government will not be lectured about sexism

and misogyny by this man—not now, not ever. The Leader of the Opposition says that people who hold sexist views and who are misogynists are not appropriate for high office. Well, I hope the Leader of the Opposition has a piece of paper and he is writing out his resignation because, if he wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern Australia, he does not need a motion in the House of Representatives, he needs a mirror.” For fifteen minutes Julia Gillard detailed the extent of Abbott’s sexism. On the train home, on my 3.5-inch iPhone screen, I was reminded of Abbott’s belief that women don’t have the 21

temperament for power. That the underrepresentation of women is earned. That Australian wives struggle to understand anything more than the ironing. With each direct quote Gillard offered back to Abbott, video evidence shot straight to the top of my Twitter feed. Compilation videos replayed in a second YouTube window. Interview after interview of creepy smiles, blue ties, and the kind of sexism so deep rooted it slips into every sentence. I laughed and tweeted and felt sorry for his daughters. My on-screen Abbott shook his head in complete unintelligible silence for minutes, unable to answer a single question, failing to demonstrate any capacity for leadership.

Ten minutes later I’d packed and deleted all our pictures on Instagram.

The Government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man—not now, not ever.

Only once have I tried to stand up like Gillard. An old fling, now separated by three states and years of space questioned my ‘time wasting’ career choice as we split a bottle of cheap red in a hotel room. And he said, ‘What about kids? You’ll just have to give it up anyway.’ Adamant that things have changed and I wouldn’t be sentenced to a life as a housewife, he rebutted that eventually I would. That there’s really no choice. That nothing has changed. ‘Feminism isn’t even real,’ he argued, draining the last of his glass and reaching for more. ‘Women just won’t stop whining about things. Face it, you just aren’t made to have a career.’ He gestured towards my breasts as if the fact of their existence proved his point. ‘Literally. Men are supposed to be the leaders and so they have the power. That’s just the way it is.’ We’re too emotional, too irrational, too ‘female.’ ‘Anyway,’ he finished, ‘I’d never let my wife do that.’

Excepting Gillard, men have held the prime minister’s office in Australia since federation. The popular argument of people who believe the absence of women in the position is because there just hasn’t been anyone good enough to step up. It’s the same argument Tony Abbott tried to use to explain the void of women on his party’s front bench. In reality, male prime ministers, and even male politicians, are the norm. They’re what we expect. Traditional views about working men, ‘natural’ mothers and the picture-frame family still seriously impact our whole working lives. As Julia Gillard showed, outdated and sexist views about the role of women are not limited to biased or ignorant ineffectual nobodies—these views are held by people who shape our country. These views are held by our former Prime Minister. When faced with this outrage, Gillard rose in parliament. I cried in the shower. As Tanya Plibersek pointed out, it was not individual ‘scuffles for power or the nasty cartoons’ about Gillard that showed just how deep sexism runs in Australia, but ‘the weight of the whole lot of it together’. Thankfully the effects of Julia Gillard’s speech continue to reverberate around the world. The reaction to the enormity of those fifteen minutes was international, vast The top job

and consequential. Gillard’s words resonated both politically and emotionally with people from US President Barrack Obama to John David, a YouTube commenter still using the default blue icon who lamented the ‘woman lost in testosterone town’. Most of Gillard’s support came from new online spaces—the same technologies that allowed her speech to reach so many. Gillard summed up her legacy in her concession speech. ‘What I am absolutely confident of is that it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that. And I’m proud of that.’ And so she should be.

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1. Write things down

To help you out, Geta has compiled a list of the best ways to create a healthy life balance to ensure you don’t hit a wall before the end of semester.

It is amazing how much better you feel when you have written everything you need to do on paper. Seeing a list of tasks written down in front of you gives you an idea of how many things you actually have to do and can instantly alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed. Having a list also ensures that you aren’t going to forget anything that you were meant to do.

Eight tips for finding balance

2. Prioritise

As we head into the crux of semester life tends to become pretty chaotic. So many things demand your attention. You have emails to answer, group assignments to work on, you’re trying to work to pay rent, your friends want to hang out, you’ve got to clean the house, you need to start thinking about studying for exams and so, so much more.

3. Actually use your Student Guild wall planner and diary

Hayley Payne

Once you have a list of things that you need to do, it is time to prioritise them. Number the list from most to least important for the coming week. Then figure out how much time it will take to do each task and go from there. If you find that you won’t have time to fit everything in, remember that sometimes it is okay to say no or to put something off until next week.

If you haven’t already, spend some time plotting dates onto your wall planner and into a diary. This way you have a constant reminder of when things are due and you won’t forget vital deadlines, birthdays or any other important dates. Having dates set out also helps you out with prioritising your tasks.

4. Plan your day

EIGHT TIPS FOR FINDING BALANCE

It is important to have an idea of what you want to achieve each day during particularly busy periods. Having a clear set of goals for the day will make it far more likely that you will strive to complete them. This is also important for balance as it ensures that one thing you need to do doesn’t dominate something else. For example, if you know that you want to complete your essay by 5pm so that you can be at the gym at 5.30 pm, you are much more likely to find balance than if you think ‘I’ll go to the gym after this essay tonight’.

7. Stick to your schedule

Often after a long day of work or study it seems much easier to cancel happy hour with work colleagues or that coffee date with your friends to head home and watch Netflix. While this is perfectly okay to do occasionally, if you are constantly saying no to your friends it could eventually lead to bigger problems. Social interaction is key to good mental health. Plus, having that support network is essential during busy times of your life.

This one is probably one of the most difficult challenges when finding life balance. Making a schedule is one thing but managing to stick to it is another. If you put aside two hours in the morning to read two chapters of a textbook and spend the majority of that time on Facebook, you have already blown out your schedule. Then you are unlikely to continue with it or complete many of the things you wanted to complete that day.

8. Stop procrastinating (it’s easier than you think)

5. Be realistic with your workload 6. Don’t forget your friends

Sometimes it is impossible to find a successful balance between your work, study and social lives because you simply have too much going on. There may be an aspect of your life that you need to put on hold for a couple of weeks during the busy time of semester. If need be, try to find something that is low on your priority list. Or a simple way is to ask your housemates or family members to do your share of housework for a couple of weeks and then you can repay them once the busy time is over.

One of the best ways to stop procrastinating is to plan procrastination time into your day. Schedule a ten minute social media break every hour if needed, or put aside an hour to bake cupcakes one day. Knowing that you haven’t completely banned these things from your day will make you much more likely not to feel the urge to do them during your work or study time. Putting your phone in another room helps you resist the urge to check it. There are also loads of free apps available online that can prevent you from logging in to your social media accounts for certain periods of time.

Finding a healthy balance with all of the things you need to do seems incredibly difficult before you actually start trying. It certainly takes some time to master, but once you have worked for a while to balance your time you will find that your day to day life flows much smoother. It doesn’t have to feel like you have 100 tasks all demanding your attention at once. Follow these eight tips and you will become the master of leading a balanced lifestyle in no time.

BUILDING A STAND OUT CV Ashleigh Watson Throughout my time at uni, I have always worked as well as studying. Bartending, baby sitting, lifeguarding, tutoring, teaching kids to swim, making coffee, reception work, research assistant work, taking after school drama classes – if ‘casual jobs’ was a category on Family Feud, I’d be taking home the cash. If I include my time spent scooping ice cream while I was in high school, I have over ten years’ experience in writing and sending out resumes. I’ve applied for (and got!) boring as hell jobs that eat up your whole weekends but you need to pay the bills, as well as jobs in my dream field. Your CV – your curriculum vitae, a Latin term that loosely translates as ‘the course of my life’ both should and shouldn’t be thought of as an autobiography. It should because it needs to paint a succinct but well-developed overview of who you are as a person. It shouldn’t because a good CV doesn’t include every waking moment of your life, especially tidbits that have literally no relevance to the job you’re applying for. Here are some tips I’ve collected over the years that have helped me polish my own job-application-kit. Include your name and contact details right at the top. If you want to get a call back, the employer needs to be able to find your phone number. You don’t have to include a photograph of yourself or your age unless the ad specifically asks, but it is a good idea to include an email address and any other important contact details. List some select educational information. Education should be listed most recent to most distant, and should be a succinct section with its own subheading. Include information about any higher education you have – already completed degrees and in progress ones. List your university, your campus, and what your degree is in. If you’ve decided on your major, include this too. You don’t have to list your primary school and every class you took in Year 12. If you’ve recently graduated from high school

or have very little work experience, list your school and your OP (if this works in your favour!) as well as any other information that you think is relevant—like you got an A in business if you’re applying for a business position.

Volunteering is the perfect thing for money-poor but (between semesters) time-rich uni students.

applying for—just don’t leave long unexplained gaps in your work history. If you interview for the position you can give more information about other ‘side’ roles then. It’s also a great idea to include a short paragraph under each role about the skills you developed while working there, like customer service, teamwork, management and leadership positions, cash handling – rack your brain and take note of the skills that you now have!

Time to shine! List any awards you’ve won. This is pretty straightforward – if you’ve won any awards, from academic excellence awards to MVP, put them here. Maybe leave off your primary school assembly award.

Include volunteer experience. It’s okay if you haven’t done any volunteering – go out and do some now! Volunteer experience shows that you are an active, hardworking, independent individual who is conscientious and capable of taking initiative (see how employers read between the lines!). Volunteer work doesn’t just serve to significantly boost your CV but can give you really important skills that make navigating the world of paid employment a heck of a lot easier. You should also do it because, you know, it’s seriously important to give back to your community. Volunteering is the perfect thing for money-poor but (between semesters) time-rich uni students.

Detail any relevant work experience. If you don’t have much experience, like only one or two previous jobs, list all of these. If you have quite a lot of work experience, it’s OK to only include positions that you think are relevant to the role you’re

Write about your hobbies! Especially if you actually do something. It’s easy to write down ‘I enjoy cooking, traveling, and going to the cinema’ but that doesn’t really say anything about you that will make you stand out from the other hundred-odd applicants. It

Building a stand out CV

also kind of makes you sound like the exact frozen-pizza-warming Bali-drinking Netflix-binging stereotype many employers seem to moan about in the media for having no work ethic and basically doing everything in life wrong. Join a sports team! Find a book club! Start a cinema group! Keep a blog! Write for us! Find something that you actually like, go and do it, and then talk about it in this section of your CV. Show your potential employer who you really are. List two or three references. Referees are a really important part of a CV. They are people you ask (real adults with real adult jobs) to say nice things about you and basically vouch for why you deserve a particular job.

Your referees should not be your parents. They should definitely not just be your friends. They can be a teacher, an old boss, one of your family friends who’s known you for a long time—someone who will answer their phone and agree that you are everything your CV says you are. Make sure you ask the right people. And yes, you have to ask them to their faces or at least through an actual phone call. You need to assume your potential employer will definitely call them. So list their names, their job titles, at least one contact phone number and probably an email address. It’s polite to let your referees know every time you apply for a job because they’re more likely to be ready to vouch for you if they know a phone call is coming.

These are the key ingredients for a stand out CV. Well, they are the minimum ingredients. Don’t forget any of these parts or don’t expect to get a call back. They key is to tailor your CV to every job you apply for. I never send out exactly the same CV twice—every job is different and so every job requires you to prove different things about yourself. Your CV needs to be clear and concise, so just including every bit of information about yourself, relevant and completely irrelevant, is a surefire way to be placed in the ‘no’ pile. A good CV, like anything in life, takes work. Go out and volunteer. Join a club. Work to make yourself a good employee and your CV will reflect that hard work.

WORK ON FILM In the immortal words of Daft Punk: “Work it, make it, do it, makes us, harder, better, faster, stronger.” History has been written by those who push through personal thresholds and challenge social norms and expectations, changing themselves and the world for the better. For the rest of us, there’s the monotonicity of our day jobs and mundane lifestyles. This list tries to represent both camps.

Zak Johnson

The Social Network (2013) David Fincher’s delivers a pessimistic take on the origins of Facebook. Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg is extremely intelligent, yet a social outcast (and deservedly so). After creating a ‘Hot-or-Not’ website that crashes his university’s servers, Mark is commissioned to create a new site that gradually blossoms into the social media giant we use today. This path, however, is beset by treachery and backstabbing on Zuckerberg’s behalf, as he screws over even his closest friends to get to the top. One of the most intelligently-crafted and paced films of this generation, but what else would you expect from the creative minds behind The West Wing and Fight Club?

Wiplash (2014)

Erin Brockovich (2000)

Office Space (1999)

Often films about underdogs overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles and challenges are uplifting and inspirational. Not this one. Unconfident yet passionate aspiring drummer Andrew (Miles Teller) is accepted into the prestigious jazz ensemble of his music conservatory, under the wing of unforgiving perfectionist Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons, who won an Oscar for the role). Fletcher subjects Andrew repeatedly to harsh criticism and emotional abuse, which the latter endures in order to reach his dream of becoming one of the “greats”, sacrificing relationships with friends, family and his girlfriend in the process. A harrowingly intense experience and a must-see.

An Oscar-winning performance from Julia Roberts plus the usual directing finesse of Steven Soderbergh help make this true-life underdog tale a standout. Despite having limited legal training, the titular single mother acquires work at a law office. Brockovich takes on a megalomaniacal energy company, who are desperately trying to cover up its actions which include contaminating of a local water supply resulting in numerous cases of cancer amongst those who consume it.

Fewer films have captured the dreariness of white-collar work than Mike Judge’s cult classic. Fed up with brainless office culture and the mundanity of his job, software employee Pete (Ron Livingston) and his two work pals decide to rip off their boss with a computer virus. Loaded with a cynical, satirical sense of humour and a hilariously contrasting 90’s hip-hop soundtrack, Office Space is probably one of the most lauded and oft-quoted comedies of the last twenty years.

Work on film

My Brilliant Career (1979) Based on the classic Australian novel and set at the turn of the nineteenth century, My Brilliant Career focuses on Sybylla’s (Judy Davis) attempts to escape the drudgery of her destined farm life. Her aim of becoming a writer is complicated by her romance with Harry (Sam Neill), whose potential marriage with her would likely result in a return to a domestic position. Exquisitely shot and bolstered by some excellent performances courtesy of its leads, My Brilliant Career serves as one of the best examples of Australian cinema released during its ‘New Wave’ period of the 70s.

Election (1999)

The Paper Chase (1973)

Critics applauded Reece Witherspoon for her portrayal of highly driven yet ruthless student president candidate Tracy Flick in this engaging satire on high school life, as well as politics in general. Having had enough of her entitled attitude, popular teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) decides to sabotage her chances of winning the upcoming student election, with less than pleasant results. Certainly applicable to current presidential frontrunners and political figures, Election shows that hard work doesn’t always equate to being a decent person.

Instead of a work environment, The Paper Chase deals with the exhaustion and mental strain of university life, something which I’m sure at least a few readers can relate to. Optimistic law student James Hart is nearly brought to his wit’s end under the tutelage of humourless contracts professor Charles Kingsfield, and struggles to reconcile his idealised perception of what a lawyer should be with the extremely high and probably unfair expectations of Kingsfield. I watched this one several years ago in the first year of my degree, and it’s stuck with me since.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Clerks (1994) It’s often cited as one of the best “bad boss” films, but Meryl Streep’s performance really makes it worthy of such a claim. Her Miranda Priestly, a notorious magazine editor, is cold, harsh and borderline sociopathic, and provides more than a match for Anne Hathaway’s recent college graduate who is hired as her personal assistant. The Devil Wears Prada provides a comical yet critical look into the often superficial culture of the fashion industry, as well as the dehumanising effects that climbing the career ladder can have on people.

Waiting... (2005)

Fittingly shot in black and white, Kevin Smith’s first film centres on a day in the life of unmotivated convenience store worker Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and his degenerate friend Randal (Jeff Anderson). Dealing with a constant influx of idiotic customers, past romantic partners and pot-dealing shoplifters, as well as Randal’s destructive actions, Dante struggles to keep his life (and his sanity) in check. What it lacks in production values and star quality, Clerks makes up for with a clever, pop-culture savvy screenplay and a down-toearth, relatable premise.

Similarly to Clerks, Waiting… deals with some of the realities of working dead-end jobs. Central to the narrative is Dean’s (Justin Long) frustrations with the lack of direction in his life, having worked as a server at local restaurant Shenaniganz ever since graduating high school. However, the film also deals with a larger ensemble comprised of the eatery’s staff, including customer-hating chefs and gangsta-rappin’ busboys. Probably one of the more underrated comedies of recent years, Waiting… juggles its dark, transgressive sense of humour with a great cast (including Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris).

Product review - Part time work Rebecca Marshallsay Before we start working 9-5, most of us test out the waters of employment with part time work. Part time jobs can be good, bad and definitely ugly. This edition, Geta has reviewed some part time jobs to help see you through uni.

BARTENDING

LIFEGUARDING

Bartending is one of those jobs that is considered part of the quintessential elements of uni life. It’s hard work, long hours, and you finish your shift sticky and smelling of hops but it’s mostly pretty fun while it’s happening. Once you stop you’ll wonder how you ever juggled late nights with uni, sport, friends and a second job.

As you will need to be qualified with a bronze medallion and first aid, one of the biggest perks of lifeguarding is that it often pays a lot more than other casual jobs. Although good people skills is a must, the need for face to face interaction is not as constant as many other jobs which is a big plus for those of us who are not fans of the small talk.

It is a great job for people people (so to speak) but it does have its drawbacks for your social life. Late (or early) finishes mean that if you do get off work in time to meet up with friends you are in different places on the party spectrum. They are six hours and two beer towers into the evening while you are coming off of six hours on your feet as you begin to sip your first pot.

As the job is weather and seasonal dependent, the job swings between count-the-tiles-on-the bottom-of-the-pool boring and insanely stressful and demanding when all the elements combine to create a perfect storm of sunny weather, school break and weekend to bring every person on the Gold Coast to your beach or pool.

On the job peeve: Being told by the person you’re serving that ‘He/she’s next.’ Unless they are going to come back and help pull pints, the unsolicited advice on how to do your job is likely to get your teeth a grinding.

On the job peeve: Parents who believe that the presence of a lifeguard absolves them of all parental responsibility to supervise their children. Why watch your infant in water wings when you could duck off for a coffee?

Product review - Part time work

INTERNSHIPS & PRO BONO A little out of the box thinking can land you a job that offers you specific work experience or direct transferable skills to help build your career and resume. More so at least than claiming that pouring vodka at Melbas equates to firsthand experience of Russian culture that will aid you as a future diplomat. These opportunities for networking and skill development are everywhere so long as you are prepared to think creatively, be persistent and be proactive. You can’t intern forever though and it is really important to have a good sense of where the line between experience and exploitation lays. You can only give it away for free for so long and exposure will not pay the rent. On the job peeve: Realising that you are doing just as good, if not better, a job than crazy Kathy who is getting paid to be there.

SEASONAL WORK If you don’t like being tied down to a routine or you want the freedom to keep your schedule free during semester, or at least at peak times, then seasonal or short term work might be the way to go. It doesn’t offer you the same regular financial security as having a dedicated 15 hours per week but with a mix of luck and perseverance you can generate a similar income by working your little bottom off full-time plus in holidays and other times that suit you. Christmas retail, summer holiday theme parks, fruit picking or winery vintage, and vacation care programs are a few seasonal options to get you thinking. Staffing agencies can also help you find short term contracts doing data entry or similar. It is also worth investigating your options when ad hoc events come up because they often need a large influx of people for a short period. For example, you could be working a polling booth or helping collect census data. On the job peeve: This will vary from job to job but the biggest frustration with this work plan is that you will see saw between being flush with cash like money ain’t no thing, to scraping together silver coins to purchase the bare minimum for petrol.

rtHer- n No- Unigames 3-7 July @ Sunshine Coast

Snapped on campus

School o t k c a B - Party 29 July @ Un i Bar

Snapped on campus

RACE - Day -

6 August @ Gold Coast Turf Club

Snapped on campus

Help shape

STUDENT LIFE V OTE F OR YOU R

GRWM: Interview Edition Angel Nikijuluw Presentation is key when it comes to job interviews. Not only do you need to have an immaculate résumé, but you have to look the part (but not too loud), wear appropriate clothing (with a slight edge), and know all the right things to say. Here are some top tips from the Getamungstit team on how to catch the employer’s eye.

Wear a watch or keep your phone handy to check the time. Literally no employer ever will be okay with whatever excuse you come up with for arriving late to your interview. The Horse Brushed Gold/Black Leather Watch $139 thehorse.com.au

Wear shoes that aren’t going to hurt your feet. Even if it’s a 10-minute interview, you don’t want to be stumbling out of the room by the end of it. Spurr Brooke Heels in Black Smooth $39.95 theiconic.com.au Windsor Smith Ramba $139.95 windsorsmith.com.au

A monochrome palette is always a safe, fool-proof choice in clothing. Muted and pastel colours (such as blushes, dusty roses, and light blues) are also a good go-to. Cropped Wrap Blouse in Black $44 missguidedau.com ASOS Premium Satin Maxi Skirt in Dusky Pink $109 asos.com

Remember that Oscar Wilde said “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” Natural makeup is always the best option for interviews (unless you have an interview at Sephora or Mecca Maxima – in that case, lucky you…). Wash and brush your hair. Dry shampoo doesn’t cut it and a neat and tidy hairstyle is key. It is good to include a small something that expresses your individuality - a coloured shirt, a piece of jewellery that complements the outfit, or some great shoes... just make sure that it is still interview appropriate and not too distracting.

GRWM: Interview edition

Guys, clean shaven is the way to go. If your facial hair is permanent make sure it is freshly groomed and trimmed. There is a fine line between designer stubble and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother to shave.

Your outfit must be well fitting. A baggy jacket borrowed from mum or dad will make you look dishevelled and unprofessional. ASOS Skinny Blazer In Cotton Sateen In Camel $130 asos.com

Make sure you smile, make eye contact and shake hands confidently when you enter the room.

Consider your industry. Are you interviewing for a business where the employees wear business formal on a day to day basis or is it essential to sell your own personality? If in doubt go for the classic suit and tie or a skirt and jacket. New Look Skinny Fit Smart Pants In Navy Blue $39 asos.com

Novelty ties are a no-no. If your interview is in a less formal setting such as a cafe you may need to replace the business formal with an outfit that is a little more relaxed but still professional. Selected Homme Shirt with Grandad Collar and Fine Stripe $98 asos.com

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MID SEMESTER VACATION

Feature artist – Calan Mai Angel Nikijuluw

Gold Coast born and bred-nowManchester-local Calan Mai – AKA Jordan Lawrence – has finally found his musical calling. From supporting US band Band of Horses, to releasing his second EP This Isn’t How You Get Home, Jordan Lawrence continues to refine, record, and release new music to continue building his discography of sweeping, atmospheric tunes, influenced by the likes of Justin Vernon, Bob Dylan, and Conor Oberst.

We had a quick chat to Calan Mai about his relocation to the other side of the world and his achievements so far. How did you get started with your career? It’s difficult to say how I got started with my ‘career’. I started playing music when I was 13 years old but I don’t think I saw music as a legitimate vocation until I was signed to a label at 22.

Moving from the GC to Manchester, how do you think relocating to the other side of the world has influenced your music and your musical processes? Moving to the other side of the world forced me out of university and into full-time work, which has changed my perspective on making music

dramatically. I never feel as though I am stuck in the drudgery of a dead-end job because I am living in the UK with a purpose and a deadline. Time is of the essence. In this sense, every spare night is another chance to play a show in a nearby city, record a song or watch other incredible local acts do their thing. I am more focused than ever because the alternative is to live a life I don’t want to live.

What are some other big risks that you’ve taken since starting your career? Are there any regrets to some of your decisions as a musician? I think it’s safe to say I never really ‘risked’ anything until I moved to Manchester with Canvas Sounds, the label I’m signed to. I always played it safe,

Feature artist - Calan Mai

never fully committing to music. Now that I’ve made sacrifices and found myself on the other side of the world, I’d say my biggest regret is that I didn’t commit sooner.

Don’t sign any old contract that’s put before you. The repercussions can be long-lasting and very expensive. Beware of false prophets.

What are some great achievements since starting your musical journey? Find more of Calan Mai at facebook.com/calanmaimusic and triplejunearthed.com/artist/3335861

Supporting one of my favourite bands, Band of Horses, at the Albert Hall in Manchester. I played to 2000 people. There was a sense of confirmation that I made the right choice in leaving Australia.

Any last words for aspiring musicians? Play as much as possible, as often as possible and surround yourself with likeminded people who share your aspirations and aren’t afraid to sacrifice their comfort.

Opposite page photo by Tim Voeten Current page photo (left) by Counterfit Magazine (right) by Tim Voeten

Online

MAPS.ME

HITRECORD

App

Website

MAPS.ME offers maps and walking directions that are fully accessible and functional offline. Available on most devices, MAPS.ME means that you can plan your route without incurring roaming charges. It includes points of interest, a bookmarks function and location sharing via SMS or email. The only significant drawback is that the background GPS function is very draining on your battery life so it is important to shut this down when it is not needed.

HitRecord is an online community for creative collaboration. Run by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HitRecord is a production company that brings together designers, musicians, writers, visual artists and other creatives from all around the world to make unique collaborative projects. Anyone can participate in HitRecord by submitting work for any of the current productions, by sharing their own work or ideas or by participating in a creative challenge. If the project is commercially released there is even a chance to earn money for your contribution. HitRecord encourages you to make sure that all the hours you spend on the internet add up to something. If you have even the tiniest creative bone in your body you must check out HitRecord. hitrecord.org

maps.me

SERIAL Podcast Before there was Making a Murderer, there was the Serial podcast. The first season of Serial investigates the case of Adnan Syed, who has been in prison since 1999 for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Syed and his family maintain he is innocent and Serial, hosted by Sarah Koenig investigates to determine whether there was enough evidence to convict Syed and whether he is guilty or innocent. The second season is just as compelling and investigates the story of Bowe Bergdahl a U.S. soldier who walked off of his post in Afghanistan. After spending almost five years as a Taliban prisoner Bergdahl returned to the U.S. to a hostile reception. serialpodcast.org Online

WIKICAMPS App WikiCamps is a handy app for those of you who like to plan your adventures on the go. WikiCamps generates a list of nearby campsites based on your current location. It uses a quick reference visual icon system to show you all the details and facilities such as whether a site is free or has a cost, what type of camping is permitted, if the site allows pets, or whether there are amenities such as showers or laundry facilities. Once you have selected a site, WikiCamps can feed directions to your existing navigation apps. WikiCamps also allows you to download site information so you can access key information when you are offline. wikicamps.com.au

FREAKONOMICS Blog The Freakonomics blog is an online radio blog from the authors of the bestselling books Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Just as they did in their books, the pair apply economic reasoning and principles to interrogate the reality by numbers of topical issues and commonly held beliefs. Recent episodes include ‘How Much Does the President Really Matter’ where the Freakonomics team uses data to consider the real impact of leadership and whether who the ‘leader of the free world’ is really matters. From big social and political issues to smaller topics like the relevance of handwriting and why we get bored, Freakonomics covers it all. freakonomics.com

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Entertainment

Warcraft (2016) 123 mins Fantasy, action-adventure Director: Duncan Jones Zak Johnson Duncan Jones’ first two films, Moon and Source Code, were widely celebrated for their ability to incorporate massive philosophical ideas and concepts within relatively miniscule budgets. Unfortunately, for the most part, the opposite seems to be the case with Warcraft, his latest effort.

overwhelming. Within its meagre two hours, attempts are made to familiarise you with the various locales, dynastic orders, religious sects and military systems of Azeroth, as well as flesh out and introduce the numerous characters that make up both the human and orc ensembles.

Based on the massively popular (but perhaps not as much as it used to be) online role-playing game World of Warcraft, the film deals with the initial encounters between the orcs, who are fleeing from their doomed home-world of Draenor via a magic portal, and the human forces of Azeroth, led predominantly by Anduin Lothar (Travis Fimmel, of Vikings fame), who are trying to repel this new invasion.

As a result, you don’t really care about most of the characters. Given the limited amount of screen time they’re all granted, they lack a basic amount of depth and complexity, and get reduced largely to archetypes. Fimmel’s Lothar is your basic cut-and-paste grizzled warrior. Ben Foster’s Medivh is the eccentric wizard. Paul Patton’s half-human, halforc (I don’t even wanna know how that happened) is apparently torn between her loyalties, but shifts back and forth willy-nilly. Apparently a good 40 minutes of film was removed from the theatrical cut, which surely could have been used to give these individuals a bit more substance.

I’m not overly familiar with the back story of WoW, as I’m sure a lot of viewers would be as well, so as an introduction to the universe, Warcraft can be a tad

Given the immense scope of the film, in addition to its limited timeframe, the dialogue feels largely expository. Humans talk about battle plans. Orcs talk about Entertainment

raiding villages. Mages talk about spells. The majority of the film feels like you’re watching a video game cut-scene, just waiting to skip ahead to the good bits. The visual effects, particularly the mo-capped animations used to depict the orcs are pretty damn good. Some of the film’s battle scenes are, once again, quite engaging to look at. But when you don’t care about the stakes or the outcomes for the participants, it’s really just lights and loud bangs. I wouldn’t say downright avoid it. If Finding Dory’s full or you’ve got nothing better to do, or you’re a fantasy fan, Warcraft’s worth a watch. It’s still probably one of the better video game adaptations. Just switch your brain off at the door and don’t expect too much.

Conscious Broods Angel Nikijuluw After making their mark in 2014 with their debut record Evergreen, The New Zealand brother-sister duo

The 4-Hour Work Week Timothy Ferriss Rebecca Marshallsay The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich is essentially a self-help book that gives you tips, direction and motivation to design a life that

Broods follow up with an ambitious sophomore effort, Conscious. Opening the album with their lead single, ‘Free’, Broods boasts a newfound aggressiveness and determination, hitting harder with both the lyrics and the production. Compared to their moody, downtempo debut, Conscious exudes what seems to be more of an electropop focus.

echo throughout Georgia Nott’s lyricism. And with lyrics such as, “I will try to be what you need you’re low / I can only promise the girl that I am / I’ll do everything that I can” (Recovery), and “Don’t need an apology to make it right / I want you in all of your glory” (All of Your Glory) manages to grasp your vulnerability about love and condenses it into fifty minutes.

With help from producer Joel Little (Lorde, Ellie Goulding), Conscious retains the delicacy that Broods established with their first record, but embellishes it with uptempo, stadium-worthy anthems such as ‘Free’, ‘Couldn’t Believe’, and ‘Freak of Nature’, which features upcoming powerhouse Tove Lo. Reoccurring themes of breaking free, heartbreak, and retrospection

Conscious, in all of its glory, showers the listener in intricate, finessed synth beats with sentimental motifs – something Broods has become quite good at.

makes you happy. Author Tim Ferris, is an entrepreneur whose biggest success has been selling people the idea of freedom and success. And he is very good at it. He has a successful podcast and a series of bestsellers including The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Chef.

Where the book excels and is really helpful is in the general advice (particularly in the initial chapters) that challenges you to change your thinking about what is possible and to consider what you really want. What would your ideal life look like and how can you take steps to create it?

His approach is full on and you will be tempted to call bulls*#t on a lot of his suggestions. There are many ideas that are just not realistic for most people. For example, Ferriss suggests creating a passive income by reselling products mass produced offshore or by sourcing a virtual assistant in India and China to reduce your workload. I don’t want to create my wealth on ethically questionable work practices so this is not for me. But he does get you thinking. Could I monetise a blog? Are there opportunities for me to streamline my processes? Whether Ferriss’ strategies are for you or not, they are a worthwhile read to get you thinking outside of the box. 53

The driving principle for creating change is about doing more with less. Ferriss tells you how you can apply this principle to many aspects of your life from choosing to vacation in places where the exchange rate allows you to live like a king or queen, to cutting out ‘busy work’ and bad habits that are preventing you from achieving more in less time. The 4-Hour Workweek is not a foolproof blueprint for health, wealth and happiness but it is a very helpful exercise in creating a positive paradigm shift to help you achieve the success you want.

Entertainment Get your work(out) on! Angel Nikijuluw

This edition of Getamungstit, we’ve talked about all aspects of work – university work, career work, and even work on film...but what about working out? Regular exercise is crucial to keep your mind and body at the peak of its game while you’re busy acing university and your career. So here’s an hour of sweat-inducing bangers to keep you going through your entire workout.

Alive – Empire of the Sun

Pray to God – Calvin Harris (feat. Haim)

Never Be Like You – Flume (feat. Kai)

10.

I Wanna Get Better – Bleachers

Love Myself – Hailey Steinfeld

11.

Shadows – Hudson Mohawke

Radioactive – Marina and The Diamonds

12.

Lost at Sea – Zedd (feat. Ryan Tedder)

Lionhearted – Porter Robinson

13.

Are We Ready? (Wreck) – Two Door Cinema Club

Pusher – Sleepy Tom (feat. Anna Lunoe)

14.

Zoetrope – Sun City

Sadness Disease – Urban Cone

15.

Say My Name – ODESZA (feat. Zyra)

Flashlight – Ellie Goulding & DJ Fresh

Are you a film nerd, music geek, book worm or online aficionado? Would you like to tell us what you think? Getamungstit is always looking for talented contributors and reviewers.

If this sounds like you, please drop us a line at getamungstit@griffith.edu.au and your work could be featured in our next edition.

Entertainment

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Being Creative

BLOOD ON THE E STRING Rosemary Cox

A final sweep of rosin over my bow, I stand. My night is finally here. I bounce on the balls of my feet and wonder if my parents are excited for me. Mum runs her fingers over my sister’s fine scarf and dad shifts, blocking her from the view of a few boys. ‘I like these colours.’ Mum nods to Haley’s dress and she turns, showing off the spring outfit she made herself. ‘I’m going to go join the orchestra.’ I check the black sash about my waist and tug my dress sleeves straight. ‘Oh, good luck, Maddie.’ Dad squeezes me with one arm and mum smiles. Is that all they have to say tonight? I hesitate but they turn away, closing the group. I keep my smile nailed in place as I leave them on the lawn. There are hundreds of others here tonight, not just the family and friends of those performing. The pavilion is set with nearly a hundred and fifty chairs and stands. Behind it on one side my class is setting up and on the other the State Orchestra checks sheet music, tightens bows and tunes. They appear as tall shadows against the sunset. Raising my chin, confidence pushes out envy. Tonight will not be the last time I stand among these giants. ‘You ready?’ Grace asks. Normally we’re stand partners but tonight we’re paired with professional violinists. Her smile is tight and doesn’t reach her eyes. ‘You’ve practiced hard for tonight.’ ‘Of course. We need someone who can match talents with Eliza.’ She snorts and turns away. The stage lights burst on, drowning out the first stars. We file onstage, interspersed with the State Orchestra. I’m elbow to elbow with Eliza, their first chair. On stage there is nothing but music. The edge of the light marks the edge of the world. Inside, I feel every movement. I’m part of something great. The conductor lifts his arms and everyone sets bows to strings, in one fluid

motion. The first piece waltzes through tempos. The timpani finishes in a rolling crescendo and the last beat cracks through the light. Applause streams through. At last the baton passes to the State Orchestra’s conductor. He nods for me and Eliza to stand at the head of the stage. The lights make spring feel like summer. Music rests even in the taste of the air. Nerves harden into pride. Eliza and I exchange a smile and tuck our violins beneath our chins. Under these lights all eyes are on me. The first two phrases match the orchestra. A three bar rest and we begin. The duet is beautiful. Accompanied by the deeper instruments, we weave a melody that holds every breath it touches. Irritation hits a note too hard. People are crying out, speaking, yelling. Dad’s voice shatters the spell. A jerk of the conductor’s hand causes the orchestra to clatter to a halt. I hold ready position, praying it’s momentary. Mr. Bringham places my violin case beside me. My arms drop. ‘Go on. An ambulance is coming. Grace can do the duet.’ Squinting past the light, I make out dad standing, one arm setting a barrier against a worried and curious crowd. Haley is in convulsions, her head cushioned by my mum ‘It’s just a seizure. There’s nothing I can do.’ There’s no one around to argue with. The conductors are keeping the orchestra seated. Eliza tugs my bow away. She loosens it, sets it beside my violin and closes my case. Dad squeezes Mum’s shoulder and she takes a deep breath. I pick at my nail polish and watch the policeman from the edge of my vision. He doesn’t seem comfortable. His legs are too long for our low couch. He leans forward, jotting information into notepad.

Being creative

‘We shouldn’t have called an ambulance. It wasn’t a serious seizure, we just panicked because she’d never had one in public before.’ Dad rubbed his eyes patted Mum’s leg. ‘We were released fairly quickly, came home and went to bed. We couldn’t find her this morning but assumed she’d show up until now.’ ‘Has she taken anything with her? Shoes, phone, keys? The policeman keeps his hard gaze on my father, all business. ‘No, nothing. Her shoes are in the entry, wallet and phone, on her desk.’ He nods and notes it down. ‘Do you think anyone could have taken her?’ The question is as direct as his look. Dad starts, squeezing mum’s hand. ‘No one would-’ ‘Jesse,’ she tells the policeman. ‘Jesse Mandren. She broke up with him months ago but he still bothers her.’ ‘We’ll keep an eye out for her. Make sure none of her friends know where she is. If you think of anything call me.’ He passes dad a slip of paper with his number and stands, unfolding his long legs. He pauses, just then noticing me leaning against the wall. ‘Do you know anything about your sister?’ ‘Saw her get to bed.’ I shrug. ‘She was arguing on the phone. Jesse, I think.’ ‘When did you go to sleep?’ ‘Late, I suppose. I changed my E string, got to listening to music.’ The small reference toward the violin threatens to push an inappropriate smile onto my face. I school myself to look properly worried. ‘E string?’ He’s disconcerted, not an ounce of music in him. ‘I play the violin.’ The policeman nods, repeats his assurances to my parents and hastens to leave. My parents turn to each other and after a moment I shut myself in my room. I check my E string to be sure I threaded it right. Setting a tuner on my music stand, I bow until the notes are

perfect. Only a fortnight until the auditions for my dream school. A grades eleven and twelve arts school. I set the music before me and settle in for practice. The next morning mum sits on the couch, her millionth cup of coffee in her hands, staring out the living room window. A night of sleeplessness makes her look old and sick but she doesn’t stop trying to bring her daughter back with will alone. Dad takes the day off work and cleans everything even though nothing needs it. I spend the morning running over my audition piece. Over and over again, I play measures, phrases, pages until every note, every slur, crescendo and accent is perfect. I start again, making slight changes so the piece speaks how I want it to. ‘Hey, you mind putting it away? I want your mother to get some sleep.’ Dad stands in the doorway, passing a dishcloth from hand to hand. He looks out the window behind me, shifts to the music books on my bed, the poster of scales on my wall. Why won’t he look at me? ‘Can I play it through once so you can tell me what you think?’ I half raise my bow but he shakes his head. ‘Put it away, Maddie. How can you focus on that when your sister is missing?’ He slumps away. Am I meant to stop playing because they haven’t seen Haley in two days? Am I supposed to ruin an audition I’ve been preparing months for? I set my violin gently onto my bed before I throw it. Rolling a stiff neck and stretching aching fingers, I pace my room. My parents’ voices are muffled through the wall. What happened to mum getting some sleep? Perched on the edge of my bed, I unlock my phone. Facebook’s usual mindlessness is replaced by condolences and words of support. I hurl it across the room.

The police’s news room is smaller than I thought it would be. Dad nods along to what the policewoman tells him and mum stands, hugging herself, watching four cameras being adjusted. Lights pointed at the podium makes the room uncomfortably warm. ‘Most of the facts, what she was wearing, where she was last seen, will be delivered in the news report. Your job here is to make people aware that Haley is not the kind of person to disappear and make the public concerned for her.’ We’re guided behind the podium and my fingers curl as if I hold a violin. The policewomen leads off with a few words and hands it over to dad. ‘Haley is the kind of girl that stays in touch with her family. She’s very responsible in all areas of life. She’s set to graduate from fashion design this year and has no reason to leave.’ Dad runs through the words as if he hardly knows what he’s saying.

Everyone will be talking about what a wonderful girl she is and what a loss she is. Even after she’s gone everything is about Haley. How disappointing I am compared to her. ‘Her shoes, wallet, everything she’d normally take with her is still at home. If someone’s taken her please let her come home. If you’re out there Haley, please, please call us so we know you’re safe. Haley is a bright girl and deserves to be here with-’ ‘I did it’ There is a second of silence. Mum looks at me through glassy eyes. Dad frowns, looks at the camera and jerks bit by bit to stare at me. At last. Under these lights all eyes are on me.

I shift my feet, unsure where to look. Three dark figures are reflected in the lenses of the cameras. Soon everyone will be looking for Haley.

Being creative

Being Creative

THE BANSHEES Christi Terry I remember the day the Twin Towers came down. The chaos of explosions and smoke and fire, bits of sky and steel and humanity floating away like migrating butterflies. Dazed people wearing singed business suits stumbling blind. They staggered and dropped and rose again and fell and suddenly the phone was ringing. It was my brother. ‘Yes, hello?’ ‘Laura, it’s me Craig.’ ‘Craig! Oh God what’s happening?’ ‘I’m not sure. But I believe in the Banshees now.’

Mornings at the cabin were safe in the way of all comfortable routines. Sunlight stained the curtain over the east window and Laura could hear the last late deer splashing across the stream to the swamp. The dog danced down the stairs and Dad let her straight out into the snow. He cleaned his catch on the old stump by the porch and stoked the potbelly stove. The chimney would smoke and the stovepipe in the loft bedroom would glow deadly orange. Don’t you kids ever touch that pipe. Keep on the cots or those bedrolls will burn. Dad thought everyone was asleep but Laura wasn’t. She was awake and relishing the routine: Dad pouring pump water from the bucket into the basin, logs cracking and spitting in the stove, and a rising aroma of brook trout frying. Mom slept in. Laura imagined Mom didn’t know much about catching, cleaning and cooking trout. She did like eating it, and made buttered toast on the griddle to go with the fish. She brewed coffee on top of the stove, and fixed hot chocolate for the kids from little packets mixed with boiled water. She wore bed hair like a crown. Dad did the dishes in the snow and put out fish scraps on the stump for the raccoon. Outside the air was close and heavy and shrouded silent in November cloud,

and when you stepped out into the woods it smelled frosted and full of promise like Christmas morning. That’s how it was, until one day in November 1970, someone unexpected changed the familiar forever.

For four years, Tom had been bringing Helen and the kids to the cabin in November for two weeks over Thanksgiving. He always had a break that time of year, between fall and winter teaching semesters at the University. It wouldn’t have been a problem this year, anyway; the college was closed for six weeks due to protests. It had been six months since the Kent State massacre and NU students’ riots in response. They pulled down the wrought iron gates and fences along Sheridan Road and built a blockade across the intersection of Main and Sheridan, between the University Chapel and the south quadrangle. Chicago police diverted a single lane of traffic onto the Northwestern University campus footpath and the student protestors gave flowers to female drivers and passengers on Mother’s Day. Laura pressed her nose to the window, fascinated, when they gave one to her mother. They looked harmless enough, just teenagers, waving signs as cars rolled past. A young boy with a long ponytail and a tie-dyed t-shirt with a peace sign waved and winked at her. His sign read, ‘Make Love, Not War’. He tried to give Laura a flower but Mom had locked the windows. It’s not safe, dear. Kids burned copies of the constitution and broke windows out of the ROTC building. They smoked pot on the steps of the library, singing folk songs and embracing and rocking in small huddles. That was May; and even now, six months on, nervous tension was still palpable. And the war news was not getting any better; sending 150,000 boys into Cambodia hadn’t been the quick fix Nixon hoped for.

‘Craig, are you awake?’ Laura whispered.

‘Is it a pet?’ Henry asked.

‘Shhhh. No I’m not.’

‘Not really. Just an opportunist,’ Tom replied.

‘Yes you are! Listen- can you hear that?’

‘She came around making a mess digging through garbage so I built a shed for the can. Then she stole a fish right out of my kreel and so now we kinda compromise: she gets the heads.’

The dog gave one staccato bark. ‘I hear Jangles.’

‘It’s a she?’ Henry asked.

‘No- voices! Listen- Dad’s talking to someone outside!’

‘Sometimes Leftie brings her babies!’ Laura said.

She pulled on boots and ran for the stairs.

‘Leftie…? Story behind that I’d say.’ Henry winked and Laura blushed. Craig started to explain and Laura fussed.

‘Wait…’ His sister was gone and Craig buried his head under a pillow, eyes closed, half listening. ‘…and two kids – oh, here’s one of them now,’ Tom indicated to the eight-year-old girl on the porch. ‘This is my daughter, Laura.’ Laura stared, the frosted plume of a gasp escaping her open mouth. This was absolutely unheard of: Dad went fishing and caught a young man. Unbelievable, but there he stood, next to Dad, Dad’s arm around his shoulder. He looked painfully young next to her father. A hunter’s cap sat on thick black hair and he wore round wire-rimmed spectacles over brown eyes set in a moon-shaped face. His ears were small and pink from the cold. He wore a heavy black oilskin coat and gloves, green khaki pants and wader boots. His fishing rod rested in the crook of his left arm. Across his chest a gun was strapped in a shoulder holster. Laura stared at him hungrily. She pictured herself perched on those young shoulders, hiking through the forest…going sledding on Easter Hill…picnics in the deer blind…No one in the second grade would ever believe her. Her brother would never believe her…Craig! ‘…Laura? Say hello honey. This is Henry Foster.’ But she was gone, and running inside past her mother and up the stairs, pouncing on Craig, unable to contain the exciting news. ‘Wake up, wake up! Dad found a man!’ This would change everything.

‘I was telling it! Mom! Tell Craig I was telling it!... Awww, I was telling it…’ ‘One time Dad left fish out but she didn’t come. We were here all summer and she never did.’ Craig wiped his mouth. ‘I thought a hunter must’ve got her,’ Tom said. ‘So when we came back I didn’t leave her anything. Then one night…’ ‘I’ll tell this part! I had to pee really late and I went out with the flashlight and she was sitting right there on the stump looking at me!’ ‘Yup. Then we saw she’s missing a paw. Must’ve been trapped, and gnawed it off to get away.’ ‘People do anything to survive.’ Henry’s eyes burned intently at Tom. An uncomfortable silence hung between the men. Tom cleared his throat and laughed nervously. ‘Well, Henry, I guess... but… we are talking about a raccoon.’ ‘Yeah, right…just makin’ a point. You get the point, right, Tom? Life and death choices. I mean, even an animal knows it’s better off alive with one foot than dead with two, right?’ Henry’s voice sounded tight and tinny, like Laura’s when she was whiny. Craig was suddenly interested in the adult conversation. ‘Don’tcha mean dead with four?’ he asked. Laura fidgeted. Helen excused herself to the kitchen. ‘Do you want to see my butterfly collection, Henry?’

Tom and Henry cleaned their fish on the stump and left the heads for the raccoon.

‘No sweetie, me and your Dad are talkin’. So Tom, if your hand was stuck in a bear-claw trap, would you chew it off or wait for the hunter to put a bullet in your head?’

Being creative

Tom didn’t like the direction this was going, not in front of his kids. ‘Well that’s a helluva question Henry. I might just have to consider it, but right now, let’s build the fire pit for tonight, I could use some help digging out the snow… Promised the kids we’d toast marshmallows...’ ‘I’ll be with you later, Tom. I have a date to play with dead butterflies. Shall we, sweetie?’ Laura skipped over and lifted her arms. ‘Carry me on your shoulders!’ she commanded. Henry obligingly swung her onto his back. ‘I’ll be Sir Lancelot, and you be Lady Guinevere.’ Laura didn’t understand but it sounded very grown-up. ‘And you don’t play with the butterflies, they’re all dried up but I can let you touch one if you want to…’

‘You sure have a big appetite!’ Craig observed. ‘And you sure have a big mouth, kiddo,’ Henry shot back. ‘You wanna watch that.’ ‘Was just sayin…’ Craig looked wounded. Laura kicked him under the table. Tom cleared his throat. ‘So, Henry, what’s a young fella doing out here in the north woods, besides fishing with me?’ ‘I’m lookin’ for a friend. He’s out here huntin’ someplace. Some old cabin on the river.’ ‘That’d be Timber Lodge. It’s about four miles upriver from here, not far from the deer blinds. The boy and I’ll take you up there tomorrow but I’d like to leave early if you don’t mind. It’s a fair hike. And no you can’t come Laura.’ ‘Ooohhhh that’s so unfair! You never let me do anything!’ ‘Stay here with me, honey. We can do some painting and make some…’

Helen warmed tins of beef stew on the stove for supper, served with reconstituted mash potatoes. Henry helped himself to seconds, then thirds. He used his fingers to wipe up gravy.

‘No! I’m going too!’ Laura grabbed her coat and stormed outside to the fire pit and sulked. ‘That gal deserves a good whippin’, Tom.’

‘Then another Banshee comes.’ ‘I’d hide where they couldn’t find me,’ Laura said. After toasting and eating too many marshmallows, they all fell silent. Tom and Helen suggested bedtime, but the children begged to linger around the fire a little longer and Henry was reclining on a camp cot, eyes halfclosed. Helen brought quilts for the kids and a bedroll for Henry. ‘Well, Tom, let’s go on in. You kids can have half an hour.’ She exchanged a look with Tom and they went inside. ‘Hey let’s tell stories,’ Craig was poking red coals with a stick. ‘Ok,’ said Henry. He sat up and leaned forward, pushing up his sleeves and spreading his palms to the fire. The orange glow illuminated a scar, long and fresh and pink; it snaked from the center of his right hand around to the base of the thumb, then straight down and disappeared into his cuff, just below the elbow. ‘I’ll start, but you kids better not scare easy,’ he said quietly. Laura’s stomach flinched with excitement. ‘Great! a ghost story!’ Craig said. ‘Is it about what happened to your arm?’

‘They’d still find ya sweetie. They’d roast you up like a marshmallow. Once, there was this sleepy little village. The people were farmers and lived peaceful lives, never botherin’ anybody. They grew crops and raised cows, and went fishin’ like your Dad. Then one day, a Banshee leader sent his creatures to the village. His orders were to take it over and kill anyone who fought back. There was Banshee fire everywhere and villagers runnin’ crazy. One Banshee ran after a girl smaller’n you, went to pick her up and her mama ran out and cut his arm with a knife so he dropped the girl.’ ‘She got away!’ Laura was relieved. ‘No… another Banshee blew his fire and killed her.’ In the morning the fire pit was cold and dead and fresh snow had sugar-dusted the empty coals. Boot prints in the snow walked away from the river, headed into the forest. Laura knew she would never see Henry Foster again. She stood at the window and watched the raccoon waiting patiently on the stump for fish heads, licking her scars.

‘It’s about the Banshees, kiddo. Ever hear of Banshees?’ ‘No,’ said Craig. He stirred the coals and red embers floated away with the smoke to be eaten by darkness. ‘Are they like witches?’ Laura asked. ‘No. They aren’t like witches. Banshees are death deliverers.’ ‘What do they look like?’ ‘Well, like anything at first; someone you know, a harmless stranger, or even someone who’s supposed to help you. They can be something familiar, like a car, train, airplane, bus, whatever. But they all have one eye, and it shoots out fire and kills you.’ ‘Where do they come from?’ ‘Everywhere. Sometimes they hide in forests and jungles – sometimes they even look like the bushes and trees they hide in. Sometimes they drop from the air like hawks. Point is, kids, you can’t get away from Banshees.’

My brother and I sat holding hands all afternoon and into the evening, watching the updates, trying to make sense out of the senseless like everyone else. We didn’t talk about Henry or his story, but we both knew we were thinking about it. War. Terrorism. Death delivered by the familiar. Commercial airliners full of innocent people becoming weapons for mass destruction. And I wondered what had become of Henry Foster, wondered if he was still exorcising his Banshee, licking his Vietnam scars.

‘Why do they come after you?’ Laura asked. ‘They don’t even know. The Banshee leader tells them. They follow his orders s’all.’ ‘If one came for me, I’d kill it!’ Craig brandished his fire-poking stick bravely.

Being creative

Being Creative CHANGING LANES Caitlin Erasmus Tom awakes to his 6am alarm blasting The Script at the loudest volume possible, and with one eye open, hits snooze and sinks back under the warmth of his duvet. He wakes up a short while later, yawns and grabs his phone off the bedside table. It’s 7am. “Oh shit.” He has exactly 15 minutes to get ready and leave for work. He leaps out of bed, and rushes around the house, frantically trying to get his act together. He decides against taking a shower, he can’t afford to be late again. He hauls his work bag over one shoulder, grabs his keys and runs outside to his car for the 45 minute commute to work. Every day is the exact same routine, and Tom runs through the motions like clockwork. The routine is monotonous, but comforting and familiar, and Tom can’t imagine life being any different. He’s lived in the same apartment since he moved out of home 15 years ago, had the same crappy old car since his 17th birthday, and been working in the same marketing job since graduating university over a decade prior. He climbs into the driver’s seat, praying that the car will start as he puts the key in the ignition. It makes a sputtering noise, and the engine cuts. Tom swears under his breath, trying another three times before the engine eventually coughs to life, and he reverses out of the driveway with the radio blasting. He arrives in the city, pulling into an empty bay outside the office block, cringing as the brakes squealed in protest. He jumps out, making a detour at the fast food joint for a bacon and egg sandwich and a double shot coffee on his way to the office. He arrives with a minute to spare, falling back into his office chair with a sigh. Just looking at the pile of work to be completed makes him exhausted. The hours drag by slowly, and Tom keeps himself busy with his tasks, but his mind keeps wandering. All he can think of is leaving this suffocating office and going out to the beach, to the pub, anywhere but here. He feels like a prisoner confined to this stale and dusty paper littered office, and he can’t wait to get out. The minute the last task is submitted, and the employees are dismissed, Tom was already out of his chair and halfway down the hallway, freed from his shackles.

It’s a Friday night and he has the whole weekend to do whatever the hell he wants. Although he’s not even sure what to do with himself now that he’s free. He drives along the coastline to the beach, making a quick stop at the pizza place. He buys himself a pepperoni pizza, and heads over to eat on the beach. He drinks in the atmosphere, the soft trickle of sand between his toes, the calming rush of the waves crashing on the shore, the distant cries of the seagulls. He is running his fingers through the sand absentmindedly, when he feels a crumpled piece of paper. Curiously, he pulls it up out of the sand and smoothes it out. It’s a brochure for a University near his apartment block, one he drives past every day on his way to work. He examines it, but is unable to read it, straining his eyes in the twilight, so he folds it up and slides it in the back pocket of his jeans. Brushing sand off his jeans, he jumps in the car and drives back to his apartment block. Then he walks over to the nearby pub to meet up with his friends. The night passes in a blur of drinks, laughter and gambling, a typical Friday night. He awakes the next morning to the harsh afternoon rays and a hot and stuffy room. He sits up slowly, his head pounding and his throat as dry as the Nevada desert. He realises something is poking him in the butt, and he reaches into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out of the brochure he’d found on the beach last night. Through the fog of his hangover he reads through it and the programs available. One in particular caught his eye, architecture, it sounded promising. Then he searches “University of Southern California”, checking out the prices and requirements to enrol. He slowly clambered out of bed and into the kitchen, sighing as he found the fridge empty save for a carton of milk, which, upon inspection, was sour. He chucked it out and checked the cupboards and found a box of cereal. It turned out to be stale but it was better than nothing. He plonked himself down on the couch, tired, hungry and copping one hell of a headache. Despite this, he found himself grinning at the thought of going back to university to pursue something new. He could afford it, having never really being much of a spender, and it felt right. Anything to get out of that office job. It was time to get his act together and move out of this place. 63

Illustrator: Taylor Blair Degree: Bachelor of Digital Media (Graphic Design) Instagram: @taylorablair Being creative

Illustrator: Kayleigh Templeton Degree: Bachelor of Digital Media (Graphic Design) Instagram: @kayleigh_templeton_ 65

Being Creative COMIC By Mic Smith

Do you want to see your work in print? Getamungstit is seeking high quality submissions of short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and other genres for our creative section. Check out the Contributor Guidelines at gugcstudentguild.com.au/getamungstit for further information.

Being creative

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Get the hell outta here Aerial Arts

Elleanor O’Connell Life is like the 'lifecycle of a frog' chart you drew in year four. The tadpole turns into the baby frog, baby frog into big frog, big frog does the dirty and makes tadpoles for itself; sleep, eat, work, repeat. With the seemingly constant monotony that life can deliver, any opportunity to mix it up a little should be taken. Life is an adventure; join a medieval re-enactment group, spend a week’s wages on Lego, or hang from the ceiling by silk curtains. Industry Aerial Arts located in Southport is one of those things you regret not knowing about sooner. Incorporating fitness and bodyweight strength training, the aerial fitness classes offered by owner, Tammy Zarb, give people the perfect opportunity to break out of the life-cycle mould. Alongside the upper body and core benefits, aerial work allows decompression of the spine, aiding in alignment and lengthening of the vertebrae. In one session, your triceps and lats will feel like you’ve just gone one on one with the Rock. And lost. Badly. There are some kinds of people who wake up in the morning after leg day, and when they fall arse over tit down the stairs, they go ‘aw yes, I love leg day dude’. There are also people who walk past these leg day people at the bottom of the stairs and put them on the same level of

daft as people who believe dinosaurs are a myth. Fortunately, because aerial fitness works your body to ‘ow, oh my god pain’ levels of exercise, whilst also providing ridiculous amounts of fun and bringing out your inner red-cordial-induced-high eight-year-old, both kinds of people are suited to this form of exercise. As adults, we no longer get the opportunity to climb trees or play on playgrounds (unless copious amounts of alcohol has been consumed - then go for it you lunatic), but Industry Aerial Arts gives adults the opportunity to laugh, play and fully enjoy themselves with the added health benefits of regular exercise. By allowing students to work at their own pace through the class, IAA encourages students not to feel pressure to have to catch up with the person beside them. With its laid back, welcoming and close

Photos courtesy of Industry Aerial Arts Photograph by Bradford Whelan Get the hell outta here

knit environment, aerial silk classes at IAA are a fantastic way to get in shape and have a helluva good time whilst doing it. Introductory classes are offered at $15 to give people the opportunity to try out aerial exercise, with regular classes priced at $25 each. The $40 joining fee has been stripped for all Griffith University students when they show their Griffith ID at their first class.

... a fantastic way to get in shape and have a helluva good time whilst doing it.

Photos courtesy of Industry Aerial Arts

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