RAM Magazine - Issue 3 (April/Kai-te-haere) by RAM Magazine

ISSUE Toru April/Kai-te-haere

1 2 0 2

MAGAZINE Drugs

Indoor Plants

Reviews

Do you know what’s in yours?

Have your green fingers caught onto the latest high?

Sex Toys, Netflix, Events, Food and Dirnks

the ministry of health recommends that young people moving to halls, especially in their first year, are vaccinated against meningococcal disease... Students in halls of residents are particularly vulnerable to meningococcal C infection, as it can spread very easily. The only sure way to protect against meningococcal disease is to get immunised. Many university students will have received the meningococcal B vaccine when they were at school, but there are other strains of meningococcus for which there is a vaccine available.

talk to student health about getting vaccinated, it’s free *under 26 for all nz halls students years old. BOOK TODAY AT STUDENT HEALTH - 03 325 3835 2

ISSUE Toru

Contents 6

Words from your Exec

Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Know your Drugs

Review - Tracey’s Dog

Made in Slavery

Know your Renting Rights

The Plant Crazy Generation

Procrastinations

Meme Magic

Horoscopes

Words from the Editor

Campus has been very quiet while you’ve been gone, and I’ve been watching the orange leaves fall outside my window with great satisfaction. Don’t get me wrong, I love a cold cider on hot, sunny day but there’s something relaxing about Autumn. Easter was great. Daylight Savings was great. ANZAC Day was great. There have been a few public holidays (but I’m not complaining) and there are a lot of awareness days coming up in May. I encourage you all to have a bit of fun and get involved with Denim Day, Pink Shirt Day, Sign Language Week, NZ Music Month etc. which you will find out about in this hot little mag! Show your support for NZ mental health and be an all-round bloody good Kiwi!

Julia Wills

comms@lusa.org.nz

theram.org.nz

we need your content...

S U B M IT YO U R YA R N TO R A M AT TH E R A M.O RG.NZ 4

ISSUE Toru

theram.org.nz

WORDS

FROM

YOUR

STUDENT EXEUTIVE 6

ISSUE Toru

Gregory Fleming President

Kia ora koutou, And we are back for term 2! I hope you all had a nice time of rest and relaxation. Those of you who were on field tours, I hope you got to maintain that work-life balance. To our research students, I hope you were able to take some well-earned time off too. I have been reflecting on how privileged we are to live in Aotearoa in a time like this. When we are afforded the luxury of COVID-free travel with Australia, for many countries around the world, living with COVID is a daily reality. I want to recognise Lincoln University students whose friends and whanau are overseas, dealing with the fallout of this pandemic. I can’t imagine the daily toll it is having on you. For students who are lucky to have their loved ones in Aotearoa, check in with those who don’t have that privilege. I have been busy the last few weeks with hosting the Presidents and Co-Tumuakis of NZUSA and Te Mana Ākonga. These organisations are doing awesome mahi in representing the interests of students at a national level. We had some awesome kōrero around what they are doing, which you can check out at www.students.org.nz and www.temanaakonga.org.nz.

Affordable transport is a substantial issue for students. ECan, which operates Canterbury’s public transport, does not offer a student discount. In Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin students can access a fee discount of 25-35%. In addition to a lack of a student discount, students commuting from Ōtautahi also pay 45% more due to the zone 2 fee. Accessibility of public transport is also problematic, with only one route from Riccarton offered. In my submission, I called ECan to offer a student discount, wave the Zone 2 fee for students, and increase the offering of routes available to and from Lincoln. I am following this up with an oral submission on the 4th of May. Watch this space, and hopefully, we will see more affordable and accessible transport for Lincoln University students.

Ngā mihi.

You may have noticed a survey doing the rounds recently around your views on public transport in Canterbury. Thanks to everyone who filled it out. I have used your feedback to inform LUSA’s submission on Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) Long-Term Plan for 2021-31.

theram.org.nz

Johanna Cao

Becky Rickard

Secretary

Vice President I’m Becky and I’m the new Lusa VP. I haven’t been told what to include in the blurb so I have just written a bit of a blurb of what I would have a chuckle at if I read someone’s blurb

the winter and a full time chatterbox. I’m involved in both the Lincoln hunting club and young farmers club -often found cooking the snags on the barbie. **sort of anyway

Gidday Lincoln family, gosh hasn’t the weather been awesome over the last few weeks and good to see a bit of snow rolling through for us ski bunnies to get excited about hitting the slopes. Firstly, I would like to give a big thanks to everyone who voted me into the Vice President roll. I am stoked and looking forward to representing and working with everyone to make sure you get the University experience you guys look back on and think -those days were the best.

MAY is a pretty busy month, loads of assignments and events going on. Be sure to head to your club meetings to get all the goss.

I better introduce myself to those who haven’t got a clue who I am . I’m a third bachelor of agricultural science student who studies **hard and plays hard. I enjoy getting down with nature mountain biking and snowboarding in

Make sure you come along to Lincoln young farmers Speed Shear evening (at the grouse on Saturday 15th MAY ) - see some talented shearer’s shear sheep in the fastest and cleanest way and if have the hidden talent of being able to shear make sure you get involved there are awesome prizes up for grabs! Anyway enough from me have a good one team ! Becky over and out.

Welcome back to the second half of the semester! Hope everyone’s well deserved break went well, 3 weeks is a very long time But now we’ll be getting into the tough stuff with more assignments and then exams!! LUSA will have plenty of cool events to help get us through the rest of the semester, especially food so look forward to seeing these around! And don’t forget about Mother’s Day coming up, get those gifts prepared and thank you cards for raising you to who you are today.

ISSUE Toru

Rob Earl

Laura Muckle

Jay Mckendry

Hi All!

Tēnā koutou katoa!

Hey all,

Welcome back. I hope you all had a relaxing time over the break.

Welcome back for the second half of Semester 1! Hopefully, you took some time over the break to relax and refresh for another term of mahi.

I hope you all had a great break! Mine was subpar with me breaking my wrist the day before the break started. I’ve been slowly chipping away at all the reports due; not too much to report on from a LUSA front.

General Rep

A couple of cool things are happening this term, so keep an eye out for the comms on that. Remember, if you are a first year and haven’t been already, that you have to go to a Respectfully Lincoln workshop. There are less than 15 workshops to go, and members of the wellbeing team will start ringing you directly to organise a time for you to come. The workshops themselves are fantastic, so make sure you get along to one early and get it over and done with so you can start focusing on your assignments. As always, if you need any support, the wellbeing team are on the second floor of Hudson Hall or pop into LUSA on the ground floor of Forbes. And remember, there is always someone to talk to about any issues that may be happening at uni, so reach out. Your Wellbeing Rep, Rob

General Rep

The past few weeks have been a busy time for environmental awareness, and I wanted to reflect on this as we move forward into May. Recently, Earth Hour, School Strike 4 Climate NZ and Earth Day have provided us with opportunities to raise awareness for, and support our beautiful Papatūānuku, Mother Earth. These are important times to understand your personal responsibility as a human being living with/in nature. We all have mahi to do! Another great opportunity we have is to recognise people and industries who are putting in the hard yards to care for our planet. New Zealand farmers and agribusiness companies are putting in some great mahi, as we all know how important the environment is for feeding the world. As young people, a lot of whom are working towards careers within the agricultural industry, I encourage you to take part/ spread the good word as we all know agriculture and a healthy environment go hand in hand. Keep in mind World Environment theram.org.nz Day is coming up in June!

General Rep

I wish you all the best with the up-in-coming assessments and tests.

Maui Duley Tumuaki

Kia Ora Whanau! As you might know, we are half way through our first semester, and when you thought things would get easier, it actually gets a little more busier! So make sure to keep your assignment in check and most importantly, your own wellbeing! Socialise when you can, work when you can. Balance the heck out of your life! 9

Findal Probest

Samantha Smalling

Well, here we are, term two already! I hope you have had a bit of time off from Uni work to relax and explore!

Hi everyone, I am Samantha your new international representative for 2021 academic year. Thank you for entrusting me with this position and for showing your support its really gratifying. I am truly honoured to be the one who will echo

Postgrad Rep

I didn’t really get a break as research students have no courses to attend, but I still managed to get away for a bit of nature. The third cool outdoor place I am sharing with you is Hooker Lake, in Mt Cook National Park. It is at the end of a very popular walk from Mt Cook village and set in some of the most extreme scenery New Zealand has to offer. Well worth the trip!

Also don’t forget to head along to the yummy lunches we’ve planned throughout Term 2.

International Rep

your voices. As your international rep. I am here to support and promotes your interest while creating and promoting social events to suit our diversity and foster integration.

ISSUE Toru

Having depression is like walking through mud every day. So on Friday 28th May, we ask you to show your support by puting your gumboots on, give a gold coin, and take a walk in their shoes for just one day. #gumbootupnz

15 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY TO SOMEO N E WITH DEPR ESSIO N AN D 15 B ETTER WAYS TO SAY IT 9. “ I K N OW H OW YO U F E E L , I WAS D E PR E S S E D O N C E .”

1 . “ H A R D E N U P A N D STO P F E E LI N G SO R RY FO R YO U R S E L F.” There’s a big difference between feeling sorry for yourself, and strug gling with depression, and telling someone to harden up only makes them feel worse. What you could say instead: “I can see that you are strug gling , and I’m concerned about you. Can I do anything to help?”

2 . “ CO M E O U T WIT H M E A N D T H E BOYS . W E ’ L L H AV E SO M E F U N , H AV E A D R I N K , A N D FO RG E T A BO U T I T.” A night out on the town watching other people have fun is no cure for depression. Depression isn’t just a bad day – it’s a hundred bad days, all at once, with seemingly no way out. What you could say instead:

It might go without saying , but no one person’s feelings are exactly the same. This could make them feel as if you’re downplaying their feelings and strug gle. Not everyone deals with things the same way, and that holds true for depression. And let us all remember: depression is much more than a bad mood or bad day. What you could say instead: “I can only imagine what you must be going through, but I will try to understand the best I can.”

1 0 . “ YO U ’ L L F E E L B E T T E R TO M O R ROW.” This isn’t fair, and it puts a lot of pressure on a person who is already strug gling every single day to find the light again. Depression isn’t something that goes away overnight. What you could say instead:

“Maybe we can grab a coffee and catch up? I’m here if you need someone to listen”

“Take it one day at a time, and I’ll be here with you through them all.”

3 . “ W H AT H AV E YO U G OT TO B E D E PR E S S E D A BO U T ? ” Depression isn’t always caused by a traumatic or sad event. Sometimes, it just happens. That doesn’t make it any less serious. What you could say instead: “I didn’t realise you were strug gling. I’m here now if you need to talk.”

1 1 . “ L I F E G O E S O N .” Yeah, life does go on, but for someone dealing with depression, it can feel as if they are stuck with no way out. They probably have trouble imagining getting through a day, let alone the entire week. What you could say instead:

4 . “ YO U N E E D TO G O TO T H E GYM A N D G E T SO M E E XE RC I S E .” Although exercise can help combat bad days, when someone is strug gling with depression it may be too difficult to even get out of bed some days.

“You have so much to live for, and I will be with you to help you rediscover those things.”

1 2 . “ YO U ’ R E B E I N G S E L F I S H .” Chances are, a person strug gling with depression is probably already being incredibly hard on themselves. They don’t need you to cut them down, as well. And remember, depression is not a choice. They are not choosing to do this.

What you could say instead: “I need a walking buddy! Will you walk with me?”

What you could say instead:

5 . “ OT H E R PE O PL E H AV E I T M U C H WO R S E T H A N YO U D O.”

“I really miss you. What can I do to help?”

Someone else having problems does not make your problems disappear.

1 3 . “ YO U J U ST N E E D TO G E T O U T O F T H E H O U S E ! ”

What you could say instead:

Again, for someone strug gling with depression, leaving the house could seem next to impossible. And even if they do, leaving the house isn’t a fix for depression.

“I’m sorry that you’re hurting. How can I help you?”

6 . “ YO U J U ST H AV E TO D E A L WI T H I T.”

What you could say instead:

Someone who strug gles with depression IS dealing with it… every single day… as best they can. Saying this undermines them and could make them feel as if they aren’t good enough.

“I don’t like the thought of you dealing with this alone. Maybe I can come over or we can go somewhere together.”

What you could say instead:

1 4 . “ E V E RYO N E E L S E I S D E A L I N G W I T H L I F E , SO W H Y CA N ’ T YO U? ”

“You don’t have to deal with this alone. I am here for you.”

Depression is not a choice. It happens. And when it happens, it will affect anyone and everyone differently.

7. “ L I F E I S N ’ T FAI R .” This is, once again, downplaying this person’s feelings. No, life may not be fair, but that won’t make them feel any better about their situation.

What you could say instead: “You seem to be having a difficult time and I just want you to know that I’m here for you.”

What you could say instead:

1 5 . “ YO U ’ R E ST RO N G , YO U ’ L L B E F I N E .”

“I’m sorry this is happening to you, but we can and WILL get you through this.

Depression will make anyone feel weak and helpless.

8 . “ B RO, YO U ’ R E B R I N G I N G E V E RYO N E D OW N .”

What you could say instead:

Depression is not a choice. A person strug gling with depression may feel helpless. They are strug gling to help themselves; the last thing they need is the extra worry and pain of trying to

“I believe in you, and I know you can get through this. I will be here every step of the way.”

help you. What you could say instead: “I hate seeing you so down. What can I do to help?”

theram.org.nz The Key To Life Charitable Trust

Be a change maker with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch! You can make real social change simply by being yourself and having fun.

time and attention builds their confidence and has a multitude of flow on effects.

Being a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters involves spending one hour, once a week with a child and developing a friendship that makes a big long term impact.

Our research shows mentored tamariki are twice as likely to believe that school is fun and doing well academically is important, by being a mentor you could be influencing the next generation of RAM readers! They are also three times less likely to experience social anxiety. With 70% of mental health conditions having their onset during childhood and adolescence, it’s so important for young people to have strong, positive role models in their lives.

We get to know our volunteer mentors and spend a lot of time and effort making the perfect match with them and the children referred to our programme. Our ‘Bigs’ and their ‘Littles’ meet up once a week at a time that works for them, and just spend time doing things they both enjoy. What you do is up to you and the young person you’re matched with - this might be going for bike rides, playing games, hanging out at the beach or a park, baking, doing crafts, playing sport, watching movies or going out for a hot chocolate and a chat. Simply showing a young person that they are worth someone’s 12

‘Littles’ start the programme when they are between 6 – 12 years old, and matches can be supported by the Big Brothers Big Sisters team until they turn 18. We ask for a twelve month commitment from our mentors, but find our matches last for an average of over three years. We give practical training and ongoing support to our mentors to ensure the friendship is

sustainable and enjoyable for everyone involved! It’s really important to us that BBBS volunteers find their mentoring personally rewarding and something they look forward to each week. Our mentors need to live or work in the Christchurch region. Mentors come from all walks of life and everyone has something to offer. We’d love to have a chat to you about how it all works.

Please take a look at our website bigbrothersbigsisters.org nz/-mentor_chch Send us an email christchurch@bbbs.nz Give us a call on 03 358 4019

ISSUE Toru

theram.org.nz

KNOW YOUR DRUGS DID YOU TEST YOURS?

ISSUE Toru

Ecstasy, e, molly, pingers, beans, candy, disco biscuits, e bombs, happy pills, love drug, scooby snacks...MDMA is a powerful psychoactive drug that produces feelings of heightened energy euphoria, and sensitivity to touch. This made it super popular over the festie season, but did you also know that dangerous drugs masquerading as MDMA were bloody everywhere this summer?!

“There’s so much eutylone around right now and so little MDMA that we say that if it’s not tested, don’t take it.” Eutylone has been found around the country and in different forms, including white and brown powder, light-coloured or brown lumps, light blue pills with a Playboy logo and yellow ‘Red Bull’ pills.

Of the samples ‘Know Your Stuff’ tested before Uni O’Week’s and Electric Avenue and other summer festivals this year, more than half had dangerous cathinones, aka bath salts in them.

The Government passed legislation under urgency at the start of December 2020, to allow for pill testing of illegal substances at concerts and festivals.

‘Know Your Stuff’ is dubbing 2020 the “summer of cathinones.” It said the most common type of cathinone they saw was eutylone.

NZ Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm said: “Some 75% said they wouldn’t take the substance, and a further 15% said they weren’t sure, as a result of attending drug checking and finding out the substance they had was the more harmful substance eutylone.” Meaning they’d paid the money and were probably going to take it anyway!

Eutylone gives the same euphoric drop as MDMA but fades after an hour or so, so people scoff more, thinking it’s just weak-ass MDMA. Know Your Stuff said it had heard “far too many tales of miserable experiences with eutylone.” ‘Last night I took some, after an hour or so I thought it was wearing off so I took some more, was awake all night, and now it’s midday and I can’t sleep and I feel like shit’.” But they warned not being able to sleep was the best outcome; eutylone can also cause anxiety, headaches, paranoia, vomiting, convulsions and possibly death. They knew of at least two people who had needed medical help, one of whom was having seizures. This year, actual MDMA is “pretty scarce”, the

The best part of the drug checking services is the advice given to reduce harm. This guidance for example can result in people deciding not to take a substance, or in them choosing not to mix substances. For UCSA and LUSA’s O-Week (22-23rd Feb) they tested a total of 162 samples; 88% (142 samples) were presumed to be in the MD family. A significant proportion (38%) of samples tested contained cathinones. This proportion is greater than that found in previous clinics held in Christchurch and represents the overall increase in cathinones found throughout NZ this season.

theram.org.nz

RE VIE W

T R AC E Y ’ S D O G - O D D N A M E T H O U G H...

Having read everyone’s reviews, I had high expectations, but with the price being under 50 bux, I wasn’t exactly going to be shocked if it was mediocre. A few friends of mine bought one recently, and told me of its power.

I was warned to take the day off, hydrate, and above all do some stretches. I thought they were being super dramatic. It was delivered within 2 days of ordering it, so it was already off to a good start. Opening the very discreet box, instructions say 2.5 hour charge time. Not too bad, I plug this lil bad boy in. ‘While waiting for it to charge, killing time reading some erotica my friend recommended because I don’t have time to screw around waiting to “get in the mood”. I have shit to do and 16

I need to be ready to go when this thing is done charging. Tik tok bitch, tik tok welcome to busy single life! “Patiently waiting” me is checking to see if the light has stopped blinking every 10 minutes like a crackhead waiting for his dealer. After only and hour and a half, solid pink light. “Game on!” I played with the settings on my hand to test this fine machinery out. The vibration for the g-spot part is quite strong, I was impressed with that even before use. Next was suction. So many levels it was interesting to see the different patterns and strength. There are 10 levels for clitoral and 10 patterns for g-spot. I’ve never used a clit suction type stimulator before, so I have nothing to compare it to, but looked forward to it none the less. Time to solo party. I found placement for the clit a bit low for my body shape, it took me a few min to get everything where it needed

to be. That was a bit time consuming and slightly frustrating. But as with any new toy, its trial and error. I started the clit one on low, which I barely even felt. Unbeknownst to me it wasn’t lined up 100%, so, me being me, I decide to go from zero to 60 in 3.5. I hit the suction button setting to level 5 or 6 and hit the g-spot button as well. And made a minor adjustment on suction placement. At least I think that’s what happened, because I’m pretty sure I blacked out. My legs went straight out like those goats who faint when scared. I never came so fast and so hard in my life. I squirted, I have NEVER DONE THAT. (Luckily I put a towel down cause I hate wet spots. I frantically tried to turn it off, but ended up hitting the buttons like a maniac, sending to even stronger suction

ISSUE Toru

RE VIE W and now variant pulses from the g-spot vibrator. And came, again. I’m pretty sure I levitated. It was an unending orgasm. This time, my soul left me, and god himself said “child, it is not your time, go back to the lil pink light.” (Mind you, im agnostic.)

TO P 3 NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT N OW! 1. Master of None (2015) Comedy following the personal and professional challenges that face a 30-year-old New York actor, whose trials range from the immigrant experience to what pasta he should eat for dinner. Starring: Aziz Ansari, Cady Huffman, Claire Danes, Ravi Patel

I’m brought back into my earthly body after managing to pull it off me throwing it across my bed, it falls to the floor, still buzzing happily away. I shook for a good 5 minutes, I couldn’t get up off the bed if even wanted to. I stared at my ceiling dazed trying to remember who I am and what year is this. I get up to clean up and realize in my seizure like orgasms, I hurt my hip and back. Im still hobbling 4 hours later I did not stretch enough.

2. Feel Good (2020) A comedian living in London navigates sobriety and a new relationship with her girlfriend. Starring: Mae Martin, Charlotte Ritchie, Adrian Lukis

So in conclusion, this met and exceeded expectations. Hydrate, make sure you don’t have to do anything that involves decisions or brainpower for the rest of the day. And for the love of god, stretch like you are about to run the 500 meter dash.

3. The Serpent (2021) In the 1970s, merciless killer Charles Sobhraj preys on travelers exploring the “hippie trail” of South Asia. Based on shocking true events. Starring: Tahar Rahim, Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle, Ellie Bamber, Amesh Edireweera, Tim McInnerny

This review has been shared on Twitter and currently has over 10 thousand retweets. Many of which come from women who’ve invested in their own model and cannot wait for it to arrive. The anonymous Amazon customer isn’t the only reviewer who had their socks knocked off by the toy, with 83% of reviewers giving it five stars. That said, like all sex toys, it’s not one size fits all. Some reviewers complained about the size being wrong, the shape being a little out of sync with their body, and there are some issues with the toy’s buttons no longer working after a month.

4. Ginny & Georgia (2021) Free-spirited Georgia and her two kids, Ginny and Austin, move north in search of a fresh start but find that the road to new beginnings can be bumpy. Starring: Brianne Howey, Antonia Gentry, Diesel La Torraca

If you’d like to see what all the fuss is about you can order it at www.tracysdog.com theram.org.nz

ISSUE Toru

INSTAGRAM: @tiblincoln2021 #lincolndenimday

DENIM DAY 2021 Give your jeans a purpose and wear them or any denim on campus on Wednesday 28th of April to be part of a worldwide movement in bringing awareness of victim-blaming and dangerous myths around sexual assault. We encourage you to take your own photos of you and your friends and family wearing denim and share them to Instagram with the hashtag #lincolndenimday Thursdays In Black are sharing awareness for this movement and there will be mass photo held on Forbes lawn outside Grounded at 12pm! We look forward to seeing lots of denim around the campus on Wednesday. Prizes for photos posted #lincolndenimday

theram.org.nz

MADE IN SLAVERY An Uncontroversial Issue

There’s not a lot that everyone agrees on. We’ve all had more than our fair share of arguments with our friends over the infamous pineapple on pizza, elections, and every issue in between. But I’m sure whether you’re studying engineering, music, or law, you’ll agree: we shouldn’t have to worry about whether our clothes and food have been made by people trapped in slavery.

References: stopchildtraffic.org/the-issue/by-the-numbers Free the Slaves www.theguardian.com/news/2019/feb/25/modern- slavery-trafficking-persons-one-in-200 www.endslaverynow.org/blog/articles/flor-molina www.globalslaveryindex.org/2018/findings/highlights

Stay up to date and join the campaign by following Insta: @modernslaveryactnz_

Yes, I said slavery. Yes, I am in 2021. Yes, it is a real thing. An estimated 40 million people are enslaved as you’re reading this now. There are more people living in slavery today than when slavery was abolished more than any other time in history! Slavery is thriving - an appalling reality.

ISSUE Toru

Slavery has captured almost all of the industries we encounter day-to-day. Electronics, garments, fish, cocoa, and sugarcane were the top five products at risk of modern slavery in 2018. These are all very familiar to us as students. We happily use these products, food, technology, and fashion, almost every day, hardly sparing a thought for the 50% of those 40 million slavery victims who are living in labour slavery. When our clothes and snacks say ‘Made in ____’ we have to wonder if that means ‘Made in Slavery’. This is not the way the world should be! As the youth of Aotearoa, we want to drive the government to see that this isn’t right, and that it must be changed. 40 million people. The number of people in slavery right now is over eight times the population of New Zealand. One of these people was Flor Molina, from Mexico. She had just lost a baby because she hadn’t been able to afford hospital care, and was desperate to support her three other children. Flor was offered an opportunity through her sewing class to go to the U.S. to sew, so she took it. She was told she would be able to send money home to Mexico where her children stayed, and would have a place to stay, and food to eat. It was the kind of job opportunity she didn’t have where she lived. In reality, she was forced to work 18 hours a day. She had to sleep in a storage room at the factory where she was enslaved. She only had one meal a day, and was punished if she took longer than 10 minutes to eat. Flor was forced to be there, and she was making dresses that were sold in regular stores, just like the places you and I shop. We can’t be blind to what’s going on behind the scenes of the stores we walk past every day. This was only in 2001. For many of us students, that’s within our lifetime. And it’s still happening right now. This is not the only story. She is not the only person. There are millions of stories, and millions of people.

It’s hard to bear the thought that there is a very real possibility that the tea I just drank, some of the clothes in your cupboard, and the laptops we type on, were all created in part by modern slavery. We are surrounded by the products of modern slavery every single day, but today we have to see and face this issue. We can’t be ignorant of the fact that we benefit from slavery, we have to take action. You can take action right now by signing the Modern Slavery Act petition. The Modern Slavery Act petition is a joint initiative of World Vision and Trade Aid. Together, we’re calling on the NZ government to put in place legislation that requires NZ businesses operating overseas to ensure there is no slavery or child labor in their supply chains. You have the motive, and here’s the weapon - your signature. We can stand by and know we’re consuming and using goods that have been made in slavery, or we can sign the petition and motivate for a just world. There’re many brilliant actions we can and should take but, cheaper than going thrifting and quicker than looking for that fairtrade label, signing the Modern Slavery Act petition is arguably the most important of those actions you can take right now to advocate for ethical consumption. The most powerful and crucial thing you can do is to sign the petition through scanning the qr code on the next page, and share it with as many of your mates as possible. 30 seconds. Every 30 seconds yet another person is forced into slavery. But 30 seconds is also how long it would take you to sign the petition, how long it would take you to share the petition. 30 seconds is how long it takes us to say; this status quo of slavery, it’s not okay on our watch.

theram.org.nz

Take Action against Modern Slavery.

40 MILLION PEOPLE GLOBALLY ARE IN MODERN SLAVERY. CLOTHING. SUGAR. ELECTRONICS. IT’S TIME TO MAKE SLAVERY IN OUR PRODUCTS HISTORY. Sign the petition to urge our government to pass a Modern Slavery Act.

#ModernSlaveryActNZ signforfreedom.nz

ISSUE Toru

WHAT’S ON... AROUND TOWN?

MAY

a night of drum & bass festival

MAY

HORORATA GLOW FESTIVAL

MAY

pet & animal expo

MAY

on repeat: taylor swift night

MAY

CAREERS EXPO

MAY

WILKINSON

08 09 15 13 21

GLOUCESTER GREEN, 221 GLOUCESTER ST

HORORATA DOMAIN & ORNAMENTAL LAKE 102 HORORATA RD

PIONEER RECREATION & SPORT CENTRE, 75 LYTTELTON ST

ENGINEERS BAR

CHRISTCHURCH ARENA, 55 JACK HINTON DRIVE, ADDINGTON

THE GLOUCESTER GREEN

S U B M IT YO U R G I G/theram.org.nz E V E NT TO R A M AT TH E R A M.O RG.NZ

6-10 PM

3-8 PM

10AM 4PM

7PM 3AM

9AM 3PM

8PM 1AM

know your renting rights GOING FLATTING FOR THE FIRST TIME?

It is important for you renters and flatties out there to understand your rights and responsibilities to avoid problems during your tenancy agreement period.

Tenant or Flatmate? There are many types of tenancies, with different rights and responsibilities for tenants, flatmates, and those living in a service tenancy or boarding house. Landlords and tenants are covered by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act), which means their rights and responsibilities are outlined in the Act. Flatmates are not covered by the Act and do not sign a tenancy agreement. In some situations, you can be both a tenant and a flatmate at the same time.

New Tenant? There are many things to consider when you are looking for a flat. It’s important to take photos of the property and chattels, as this will serve as a record of the state of these before you moved in. Landlords are now legally required to provide tenants with a tenancy agreement in writing. However, even if there is no formal agreement in writing, landlords and tenants must still comply with their obligations under the Act. Landlords must include things such as insurance and healthy homes compliance statements, which should be attached to the tenancy agreement. If a bond is charged, the landlord must provide a receipt to the tenant. 24

ISSUE Toru

tenant’s responsibilities When renting a property, tenants need to: • • • • • • •

Pay the rent on time Keep the property reasonably clean and tidy Let the landlord know about any damage or repairs straight away Pay for their own outgoings eg, electricity, gas and internet Leave the property clean, tidy, and clear of rubbish and possessions Leave all keys with the landlord when they move out Leave all items that were supplied with the tenancy

Tenants must not: Stop paying rent if the landlord hasn’t done repairs Damage the premises Disturb the neighbours or the landlord’s other tenants Make any alterations to the property without the landlord’s written consent Use the property for any unlawful purpose Have more than the maximum number of occupants listed in the tenancy agreement

Facebook - @tenancynz

• • • • • •

theram.org.nz

BAR/ALCOHOL/PLACE Castro’s Tapas and Bar Located above The Riverside Market, Castro’s offers great food, good alcohol and cocktails, and an atmosphere which is great for a nice night out. It’s a recent find for me and will definitely not be my last! I am a big fan of their ‘house’ tequila shots!

FOOD/GROCERY Christchurch Farmers’ Market (Riccarton Bush Market) A great market with amazing food, great ingredients, and an awesome way to start to your Saturday. Occurring every Saturday from 9am till 1pm and is advised to get there earlyish. The market holds many great regular stalls including: •

Bacon Brothers

•

Posh Porridge

•

Grizzly Baked Goods (best Bakery in Christchurch. Get their morning buns!)

•

Poms’ Thai (a personal favourite with great dishes and meal prep items, including frozen curries and accompanying ingredients).

• 26

The Cheese Mongers...and many more great places.

ISSUE Toru

STAYIN G IN THE KN OW

EVENT/ACTIVITY Code Breakers A little out of the box but Code Breaker offers great escape rooms. With 5 different escape room of varying difficulty and a price range from $25-$30 per person, it is a great event to do with friends or flat mates. Highly recommend ‘Into the Dark’, an escape room in the dark and blind folded.

YAY

NAY

Flaunting Your Flaws For quite some time, certain body “imperfections” were simply ignored. Today more advertisements choose to break away from the restrictive notions of what beauty is and does away with the super skinny models with flawless skin and welcomes stretch marks and the yummy mummy tummy. Canned Water Canned water brands package water in aluminum cans, which is more eco-friendly than plastic. People are becoming more and more conscious of the things they put into their bodies as well as into their environment. One of these canned water brands is ‘Mananalu’ by Jason Momoa...we’d drink him any day! Tiny Homes Lately there has been a shift from the extravagant to minimalistic. Tiny homes offer their occupants low living costs, debt free and flexible lifestyles, and eco-friendly designs. Additionally, tiny homes appeal to a wide variety of consumers, from adventure seekers to the environmentally conscious.

Tiny Purses & Sunglasses The resurgence of nostalgic looks like tie-dye, tiny sunglasses and purses saw fashion trends of a bygone era. It brought with it its share of impractical styles which I hope will disappear very soon as I can’t even fit my fucking credit card in it. Screenshots of Zoom Calls I do not want to see another blurred out old man’s penis who was grabbing his trackpants off the bed after showering from his run, not knowing his camera was on and he was connected to a Zoom call. Nor do I want to see people’s pets replacing them as an employee for the day. Toxic TikTok Trends Admittedly it gave us a lot of content to binge watch during lockdown, but it also produced a lot of toxic and harmful challenges. I hope we’ve all stopped entertaining insensitive and dangerous content.

theram.org.nz

THE PLANT CRAZY GENERATION WHY MILLENNIALS ARE LEADING THE HOUSEPLANT TREND

PROUD PLANT PARENTS Succulents, cactus, the elusive multi coloured monstera: Ask any proud plant parent about their collection, and they’ll gush with such excitement that you actually care! Though the plant craze might seem like a passing social media phase (and quite extreme), the millennial budding plant enthusiasts are uniquely suited to maintain a long-lasting love affair with plants! They dedicate hours a day and hundreds of dollars to cultivating plant collections in their homes. But houseplants are nothing new, so why are millennials suddenly flocking to this hobby? Delaying major life milestones such as buying homes, getting married and having children, largely for financial reasons play a huge part in this obesession. People are designed for connection and nurturing, but with more millennials waiting until later in life to have babies and settle down, young people are turning to plants. Plants require less attention than other living things, such as pets, but still provide the opportunity to nurture something.

ISSUE Toru

Plants really encourage you to slow down. Instead of immediately picking up your phone, checking emails, social media (often even before getting out of bed), now you can do something else that’s not work or staring at a screen and appreciate the little details. You could say it’s a ‘cheap form of therapy’! Keeping plants around the home or office also allows people to bring nature to their immediate surroundings when it can be hard to find time to get away from the day-to-day hustle and escape to the outdoors. That’s not to say there can’t be a dark side to plant collecting. That’s right! Some plant parents get wrapped up in hunting down superrare species, adding too many to their collections and spending more money than they can realistically afford. There always seems to be an ‘it’ plant,” lately, for example, it’s been the variegated monstera, a coveted variety of the monstera deliciosa that has stunning marbled leaves. Like any collection, it can become an obsession if you aren’t careful. Throw in the visual nature of social media, especially Instagram and it’s easy to get wrapped up in what other people have. Ultimately, the millennial obsession with houseplants is a healthy one. Not only does it encourage nurturing, patience and self-care, but it has also developed a community in a world where people can feel otherwise isolated right now.

BEST LOW MAINTENANCE

BEST SMALL

White Bird of Paradise / Strelitzia Nicolai

Peperomia

The low-maintenance bird of paradise plant only needs to be watered when the soil becomes dry and thrives in well-lit areas.

This petite plant has sturdy spoon-shaped leaves, and only needs water every one to two weeks.

$70-$100

$15-$45

BEST MEDIUM

BEST LARGE

ZZ Plant / Zamioculcas Zamifolia

Fiddle Leaf Fig Column / Ficus Lyrata

This waxy, green-leafed gem is the perfect mediumsized houseplant and helps purify the air in your home.

Tall, sculptural, and dramatic. This plant will flourish in the right conditions with a little extra care.

$30-$80

$60-$150

BEST TREE

BEST SUCCULENT

Just Add Ice Money Tree / Crassula Ovata

Hedgehog Aloe / Aloe Humilis

All this easy-going, affordable tree needs is indirect sunlight and a couple of ice cubes once a week.

This small, spikey succulent has bluish-green leaves, requires very little water, and thrives in sunny indoor areas.

$50

$10

theram.org.nz