MASSIVE Issue 15: The Drugs and Alcohol Issue

The Drug and Alcohol Issue

Cover by Annick Harvey

Editor’s letterThe drug and Alcohol

It's time to talk about drugs & alcohol guys, we know you're all psyched for this issue. We've curated a great selection of perspectives, experiences, opinions, and news to tune you in. Aiden looks at the history of drug education (or lack thereof); Liz looks at culture shock moving from a country where drugs and alcohol are haram to Aotearoa; Molly uncovers the weird world of drink orders and Cameron looks at creating whānau supportive space without intoxication. We're nothing if not imaginative when it comes to the content we create and we hope you can see some interesting different narratives and points of view, as well as some good resources on how to stay safe. We hope you enjoy it.

L x

What to look forward to

WEEKLY NEWS

Staff turn up to protest 245 proposed job cuts at Massey

Staff took a stand against the job cuts with signs saying “we are worth it” at Massey’s governing council meeting. Vice chancellor Jan Thomas called for the voluntary redundancy of 245 staff earlier this month.

Staff rallied against the job cuts on the 20th of July at the Manawatū Campus’ Refectory Building where Massey’s governing council were meeting.

The cuts target as many as 100 jobs in the College of Sciences, 70 jobs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 35 in the College of Creative Arts, and 15 in the Business School.

The cuts were a way of improving the university’s financial position. Massey recorded an $8.8 million deficit in 2022 and this month announced a year-todate operating deficit of $14.2m. Stuff reported four speakers addressed the council, one being politics professor Richard Shaw who said his department, the college of humanities and social sciences, could lose up to 40% of its 170 staff.

He said the job of humanities and social sciences was to help people make sense of themselves, society, and major issues such as the climate crisis, racism, and political extremism.

“On your watch as a council, Massey University will have made sure that Aotearoa is just a little less safe for those who are the target of racism, a little less safe for those who are the victim of misogyny, a little less socially cohesive, a little less capable of helping the taxpayer plan and prepare for an uncertain future.”

“That is not a contribution that any of us wish to be associated with. Don’t let it happen. Please don’t let it happen.” Shaw said staff had carried the university through the years of Covid, but they had not been given the chance to discuss the restructures in person with vice chancellor Jan Thomas, they had only received digital communications.

“In a Te Tiriti-led organisation, gathering in person to discuss the future of our place seems to be the respectful and appropriate thing to do.”

Pro chancellor Ben Vanderkolk responded to protesting staff saying he understood the anxiety and stress. He said the council was doing its best to operate under the act and funding model it had.

“We struggle, we work really hard as a council to try and maintain our social licence, and we try to build trust with Aotearoa as a university.”

“From the council’s point of view, we meet every month, we confront underfunding, bad funding models, fundamental structural weaknesses.” He said what consultation had been done was in the eye of the beholder, and he asked the protesters to contribute to the consultation process.

The Tertiary Education Union organiser at Massey, Ben Schmidt, said it was short sighted of Massey to continue down this path in spite of the government’s recent $128 million cash injection that was intended to stop cuts of this scale.

In the College of Humanities and Social Sciences alone, the cuts target areas such as the School of People, Environment and Planning, the School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communication, and the Speech Language Therapy Programme within the Institute of Education.

“With the loss of up to 245 jobs across the university, capacity and provision will be lost in these subjects that contribute enormously to the way our society functions,” said Schmidt.

“It’s outrageous that cuts of this scale are taking place, but what makes matters even worse is the way they are being pushed through via policy changes and voluntary redundancy with no real engagement with the staff who will be expected to pick up the pieces after the dust settles.”

The Tertiary Education Union called on the vice chancellor to stop the cuts and start talking with union members about better ways forward.

The public gallery was full at Massey’s governing council meetings. Photo / Warwick Smith, Stuff

James Shaw out, Tamatha Paul in: Greens begin Wellington Central seat race

Brett Kerr Laurie (he/him)

Green party co-leader James Shaw isn’t standing for Wellington Central’s MP seat for the first time in 12 years so 26-year-old Tamatha Paul can.

In her campaign launch speech on July 18th, Paul said she wants to be a “vehicle for our generation”.

“For the rowdy students, for the cleaners who aren’t even on a living wage, for the university staff that just got laid off, the whānau who can’t afford bread or milk, the strippers fighting for their basic workers’ rights”.

“Change can take decades but sometimes decades of change can happen overnight, and that’s what I’m preparing for.”

Paul was president of VUWSA in 2018 and has been a Wellington City Councillor since 2019.

Massive asked Paul why Wellington’s students should vote for her at the October 14th election.

She replied, “I wasn’t a student so long ago… so it’s a fresh experience in my mind and in many ways, I’m still living like a student.”

She said the biggest issue for students is flatting standards, which she can improve as Wellington Central MP.

“I think it’s disgusting that we’ve normalised the student experience… living in abject poverty as a rite of passage for tertiary students in Aotearoa, so that’s something I will go hard on.

“But then it’s just the basic things like making public transport more affordable, more reliable.

Making the city safer, advocating for a living wage, you know, students are the ones working the minimum wage jobs.

It’s a lot of those simple things that I will be able to advocate for and I think

that is what would improve being a student in Wellington the most.”

The Green Party’s “Pledge to Renters” includes controls which limit rent increases to 3% per year, and a rent warrant of fitness to ensure healthy and safe living standards.

The Green’s “Income Guarantee” would provide students, and those without work, with $385 per week, funded through a tax on New Zealand’s wealthiest.

At the campaign launch, James Shaw said he wasn’t running for the seat as Paul is “better placed to win”. “She’s all about this city. She’s all about the people in this city. She’s all about the environment in this city.”

He said Paul was the only candidate for the Wellington Central seat who wasn’t also running for a party list seat, “a sign of her commitment”. This means if Paul doesn’t win the seat

on October 14th, she won’t make it into parliament with the Greens – who have never before held the seat. The Labour-dominated seat has been held by Grant Robertson for the past 15 years, but replacing him in the running this time was MP Ibrahim Omar.

National hasn’t won the seat since 1978. Their candidate this year is Dr Scott Sheeran, an international lawyer and human rights expert.

The Opportunities Party (TOP), founded in 2016, is looking to snag the seat this year with Natalia Albert, a political science PhD student and former public servant.

Act held the seat once in 1914 and once in 1996 but was yet to announce a candidate as of writing.

Paul is the youngest candidate standing in the electorate.

Tamatha Paul says she will go hard on student living conditions if elected Wellington Central MP.

Photo / Wellington Greens

Massey opens its first rainbow room on the Manawatū campus

Sammy Carter (she/her)

A rainbow rep says “it’s about time” we get a dedicated space for queer students at Massey.

Massey opened its first ever dedicated space for rainbow students on Thursday at the Manawatū campus. The room is run by the student association, Te Tira Ahu Pae, and is in room 2.21 on the top floor of the student offices with a space and balcony to chill.

Manawatū rainbow rep Katrina Anderson helped get the rainbow room off the drawing board.

“Similar initiatives have already occurred across several other tertiary institutions in Aotearoa, so it’s about time we have something like this

happening at Massey”. She said comments had been made that Massey simply does not do enough for the rainbow community, but this was a good step in the right direction.

She said a safe space for rainbow and takatāpui students shows they “absolutely belong at Massey”.

“A shift towards greater inclusivity is now occurring, although the university definitely still has further to go”. She said many students may not have a living situation which allows them to be openly queer, particularly for rangatahi, so having a constant physical space available on campus meant there was always somewhere for them to belong.

Queer students and allied friends are welcome to come use the space to socialize, study, or simply relax in a place which allows them to express and explore their identity without fear of judgement or exclusion.

It’s about damn time!

Connor McLeod, Massey diversity and inclusion advisor, said rainbow and takatāpui people experience greater feelings of mental distress due in large part to social isolation and disconnection.

“Having a physical space to increase the sense of belonging our people have to the campus is a really positive step forward.”

McLeod acknowledged past comments about diversity at Massey, “While some argue, correctly, that the entire university should be safe for and inclusive of rainbow and takatāpui students, we know that we have a lot more work to do until that becomes a reality.”

The space will also be used to hold queer events and club meetings.

“Having a dedicated space means that the wider Massey community must take seriously the concerns and aspirations of rainbow and takatāpui students.”

The rainbow social platform run by Mcleod, Kāhui Irarau, had delivered a small budget to spruce up the room and get some kai for the opening event.

Campus Co-Lab on the Albany campus is currently in the middle of a project investigation to open a similar room.

There are currently no plans for the Wellington campus, however the student association and Massey are interested to learn from other rainbow room projects.

If you’re interested in getting something off the ground for LGBTQIA+ people at Massey or providing feedback, you can reach out at rainbow@massey.ac.nz or rainbowrep.pn@tetiraahupae.ac.nz

The rainbow space is in room 2.21 on the top floor of the student offices with a space and balcony to chill.

Photo / Supplied

Alcohol delivery services cause an increase in alcohol-related accidents

By Megan Rostron (she/her)

Professor Emma Wilson, an expert in public health, urges young people to be aware of the dangers every time they click and order with alcohol delivery services.

Researchers at the University of Otago have investigated the association between alcohol delivery services and alcohol-related harm, such as drink-driving incidents.

Alcohol delivery services became largely popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns but now have become widely used in everyday life.

Alcohol delivery services like Uber Eats, Bevee, and Drinks Mate have revolutionised the way people access alcoholic beverages, providing convenience and accessibility like never before.

Commenting on the findings of the university, Wilson said, “Our

research suggests that the availability of alcohol delivery services may contribute to an increase in alcoholrelated accidents.”

“While the convenience is appealing, it is essential to remember the potential dangers associated with consuming alcohol irresponsibly,” she warned. Drink driving has been a major topic this month as New Zealand’s justice minister, Kiri Allan, resigned with immediate effect after failing an alcohol breath test following a car crash.

Dr Sarah Thompson, a leading researcher at the New Zealand Alcohol Research Centre, has been studying the relationship between alcohol delivery services and consumption patterns.

Thomspon said, “Alcohol delivery services have undoubtedly made purchasing alcohol more convenient, but we must also consider the potential consequences they may have on public health.”

She explained that when alcohol is just a few clicks away, individuals may be more likely to make impulsive purchases and consume greater quantities.

Dr Thompson suggested implementing measures such as age verification, limiting delivery quantities, and providing clear information on responsible alcohol consumption.

“It is crucial for both consumers and service providers to prioritise responsible behaviour to minimise potential harms,” she advised. Commenting on the relationship between alcohol consumption levels and delivery services, Massey University researcher Dr Taisia Huckle said the increase in alcohol-related harm and accidents was directly related to heavier levels of drinking.

Dr Huckle, who has research expertise in alcohol policy, alcohol consumption and harms trends, found that purchasing alcohol through online delivery had been associated with 75% higher odds of heavier drinking per week.

A Victoria University student commented on the ease of being able to purchase alcohol through these online delivery systems, “I remember being in my first year of uni, underage, and able to get alcohol anytime I wanted.”

“They never checked our IDs, we would drink all the time just because we could.”

This research underlined the need for balanced regulation and responsible practices within the alcohol delivery industry.

As the popularity of alcohol delivery services continues to grow, it is essential for policymakers, health organisations, and the public to remain vigilant.

Ongoing research and evidencebased strategies can help strike a balance between convenience and public health, ensuring the benefits of alcohol delivery services are maximised while potential risks are mitigated.

Alcohol delivery services like Uber Eats, brings alcohol right to your door. Photo / Fox Dsign

Alcohol is the number one drug causing me Hangxiety

By Sammy Carter (she/her)

I am truly blessed to never get hungover, but the hangxiety always creeps up on me to ruin a perfectly good night. Hangxiety is the anxiety you wake up with the morning after a drunken night out. It’s when all the things you did the night before come crashing down on you and your makeup slobbered pillow.

I wake up tense thinking, ‘why did I demand to take a 0.5 selfie with the bartender?’ Why did I text my high school boss to fuck off? Why did I start a conga line and no one joined in? Why did I feel the need to knock on my flatmates’ doors, who I barely know, and kiss them on the cheeks goodnight? Hangxiety ruins all my memories from nights out.

In June, a study from the University of Otago found that alcohol was the number one drug causing the most harm in New Zealand. When I saw the news, I rolled my eyes. DUH. Isn’t that so obvious? When does it not cause harm? I think my personal hangxiety stems from a place of feeling like I’ve lost control. I like the feeling of letting go when I’m drinking, but the next morning I hate the feeling of embarrassment that I did things I wouldn’t usually do.

The cost of alcohol harm in New Zealand was $7.85 billion in 2020. Not million, billion. That’s 7.85 billion dollars’ worth of hangxiety - of people doing stupid things that they probably regretted the next morning. I’ve spent my own good money on buying drinks that will cause me hangxiety the very next day. Am I paying for my own hangxiety?

As a first-year uni student, I never suffered from hangxiety. 18 years old is a nice age to be where nothing you do really matters in the long run. But as a third-year student, with everyone asking me what adult job I’ll get next year, how I present myself feels like it matters. But does it really?

The main thing I tell myself when I get hangxiety is that no one cares about what I did last night, they are probably overthinking what they did too. Unless I did something outrageously bad like take my pants off to ride the mechanical bull with better grip, it’s safe to say people probably aren’t thinking about me.

And if they are, at least I gave them something entertaining to talk about. Happy hangxiety people, I’m sure your friends don’t hate you.

The Hangover Cure: Or some strange mixers?

By Molly Richards (she/her)

Okay, many of us have been there. I get it, we’re students; we may be poor but are you seriously going to drink that? I once saw a man drink what I can only assume was a concoction from the depths of the hell out of an old boot. I’m not going to judge you and I can’t encourage excess drinking but if you are going to do it, I like to avoid that dash to the toilet. Not to say that some of my uni nights haven’t led to the drinking of some often-questionable mixers. In my later years I have, however, decided to save my stomach and the toilet the consequences. Let’s discuss some of the strange (in my opinion) alcoholic beverages, some unfortunate instances from my time in hospo, and I’ll also throw in alleged hangover cures just for some added spice.

My experiences working at a bar are probably not unfamiliar to many of us students. So, a lot of what I’m saying may hopefully resonate. Some drinks of choice I tapped into the POS many not actually be that weird but bear in mind I was young and have since left that realm.

This may not be all that weird, but I can’t fathom the idea of drinking tomato juice. Bloody Mary? Bloody hell. Tell me, is it good? In all honestly, I’m afraid to try it (yes, I know I shouldn’t comment). Now I can almost understand consuming tomato juice in a cocktail, but is the celery stick necessary? I googled the recipe and vodka, tomato juice, okay makes sense (still weird), but you lose me at Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco hot sauce, salt and pepper. Sounds like the inside of my fridge when I forget to buy groceries. Yet you could only imagine my confusion when a customer once asked me for neat tomato juice. If anything, I can only applaud them on their blatant confidence.

In first year, I heard that red wine and cola was a good combo. Honestly, that was the worst mistake of my young life. I think it is a popular drink in Spain, and I’m sure it’s good when done right, but back then I certainly did it very wrong. At first it was okay, it was sweet. However, it was also room temperature and a scary shade of red. The thing about a $10 bottle of red wine is that it doesn’t go down easy, but I wanted to be classy. This is quickly negated when mixing it with cola. I tried to play it off like I was cultured, that I knew it was from Spain, but in truth I only checked that after I did it. The other thing about a $10 bottle of red wine, in reverse it comes up just as pissed. Mixed with cola; you’re a creature from every horror flick spewing up black goop. Traumatising.

Never again.

Once at the bar, I was asked for a ‘Fluffy Duck’. Imagine the look on my face. It was three hours into my eight-hour shift, and I was slightly sleep-deprived-delusional from the week of uni. I just stared blank-faced into the customer’s soul trying to unscramble what the actual hell this guy was asking. To be honest, I’m not sure they knew what they were asking, so being a confused little server, I asked the bar staff. I remember being so afraid that I’d look like the biggest idiot for not knowing this potentially obvious beverage so the relief that washed over me when the bartender had to google the recipe was glorious. Turns out a fluffy duck is a concoction of gin, advocaat, triple sec, orange juice and lemonade. Sounds quite good really.

I like to think I have good Spidey senses, quick reflexes, balance, and all that. You need it to carry trays of cocktails, to weave around customers and not spill a drop. That didn’t stop me from smashing a couple glasses every other Friday/Saturday night. Once, when carrying an overly full tray of cocktails, my F1 reflexes left my body in probably the most spectacular way. I had successfully transferred all but one cocktail. Of course, I flopped at the final hurdle and that Manhattan spilt over this poor woman and the seat. Embarrassing. A part of me died that day and I still haven’t recovered.

Another time I successfully made it to a table with their drinks but clearly it looked like I’d been through a war to get there. I don’t miss working twenty firsts, actual hellscape, wouldn’t recommend. Clearly my ordeal didn’t go unnoticed by my table. When they asked if I was “okay”, all that service ‘pretend this dumpster fire level train wreck doesn’t bother you and smile’ went out the window. I just looked at them and let out a pathetic and shaky ‘no.’ Turns out they appreciated my honesty and thought I was incredibly funny. I wasn’t joking.

Hangovers have to be the worst thing about alcohol, and I very much enjoy waking up on a Sunday ‘so fresh and so clean’, but I also like a night out with my friends. Of course, a hangover is avoidable. Yet sometimes you go too hard at the rave or whatever and it just happens. You and your flat end up looking like the grandparents from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and you recap the night before whilst

you wallow in self-pity. I have decided to throw in some alleged hangover cures.

I heard that pickle juice is a good one, not sure how well it works though. I do know how it tastes. If you want to feel like you’ve licked a battery this one is for you. Coffee I’m certain works to wake you up. Pickle juice likes to remind you that you are an idiot for drinking it. Fizzy lemonade is another cure that I think actually works, if not that it doesn’t hate you back. Give me a crispy lemonade any day.

Illustration by Annick Harvey

Illustration by Eden Laing

Scooby-Doobie

By Fred Cones

Scooby-Doo films to watch while you’re cooked. Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

I know this is a lot of people’s favourite Scooby-Doo instalment, which I attribute partially to the time of its release (peak time for millennial nostalgia), but also to its quality. It’s a good film. Get your housemates, eat your brownie, pack a bowl (of cereal), and settle in. I would describe Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island as a core ScoobyDoo film, with all the classic elements like multiple suspects, ridiculous chase sequences, twist villains, unmasking scenes, genuinely suspenseful action pieces, and all the ‘Zoinks’, ‘Jinkies’, and ‘Ruh-Roh’s you could want. It has all the usual logical inconsistencies of a cartoon, but it also has a new one that I’ve not needed to grapple with before; Shaggy and Scooby’s work histories. At the start of the film, the two of them work together in airport security, which feels beyond possibility as there is absolutely no way that Shaggy would pass a drug test.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

There aren’t a lot of fictional characters that I actually despise. Most of the time, I am a normal human person when consuming media and don’t have extended adverse reactions to fictional characters. Occasionally, however, there are characters that light a fire of rage in the deep seat of my soul; characters that make me, a devout pacifist, physically aggressive. Sometimes characters cross my screen and I have a visceral, almost primal urge to bite and scratch. So far, the list is short: Shiver the polar bear (Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, 2005), the book of love (It Takes Two, 2021), the Pak’n’Save Stickman (from the ads), and fuckin’ Scrappy-Doo (Scooby-Doo, 2002). Don’t get me wrong: I love this film. It’s funny, it’s campy, it keeps to the spirit of the original Hanna-Barbera cartoon and renews it with the mix of live-action and CGI. The cast is fantastic, writing is great, and costumes are on point. There’s honestly not a better Scooby-Doo film to watch while you’re blazed out of your mind, but just be warned. When you least expect it, Scrappy-Doo and his vicious aura will appear, and I will not be responsible for any of your subsequent actions.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

When you get to the follow-up live action Scooby-Doo film, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, you’ll hopefully

have gotten over the appearance of Scrappy-Doo from the first film and your brownies will have well kicked in. This is when you’ll get to really appreciate all the things that make these live-action versions such good interpretations of the original source material, without the distraction of knowing that Scrappy-Doo will never see God. There’s the same fantastic cast, cartoony spirit, and off-the-wall monsters. I don’t think it’s as good as the first, but it does have its own iconic moments. Of course, there’s Velma’s iconic orange latex suit in the “who’s your mommy?” scene, which seems to have been very influential on a lot of people at an impressionable age. It even ends with two mask-off reveals, one after another, so you’ll definitely still have fun. Pack another bowl of cereal when they get to the ‘monster hive’ and you’ll be sorted until the end of the film.

Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988)

This film is from the era of Red Shirt Shaggy, which is actually even more cursed than you imagine. Instead of Velma, Fred, and Daphne making up the gang, Shaggy and Scooby are instead accompanied by Shaggy’s girlfriend Googie (what?) and my arch-nemesis, Scrappy-Doo. And instead of his classic green shirt, he inexplicably wears a red one. Many have speculated on why Shaggy wore a red shirt in this era of TV movies in the ‘80s, with theories ranging from the mundane ‘they just wanted to give the character a new look’ to the wilder like ‘he’s stuck in a time loop’ and ‘green paint was too expensive’. The film follows Shaggy, a local rally car driver (no drug tests) who gets tricked by Dracula (yes, that Dracula) to become the new Wolfman, as the current Wolfman retired to Florida and can no longer participate in Dracula’s annual monster rally. The whole film is that silly. Shaggy and Scooby are accompanied by Googie and Scrappy as their pit crew, and I have to say that Scrappy-Doo isn’t so bad in this film. Perhaps two brownies can change a person, but I didn’t start restlessly clawing at the couch when he appeared on screen. Even ambivalence is progress. I can’t say this is a good film by any stretch. In fact, it stinks. It has 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. The animation is inconsistent and cheaply done. The pacing is poor, the writing sucks, and it’s a bit racist. However, I still recommend giving it a go when you and your flatties are packing major pinecones. It will be terrible, amazing, only 91 minutes, and you’ll get through it together.

Don’t Ask Alice

Aiden DAREs to ask for some actual drug education.

By Aiden Charles (he/they)

When I was thirteen, I was hustled onto the New Zealand famous Life Education bus. I’m sure you all remember the excitement of seeing this bus in your school’s parking lot, knowing that some day soon you would be heading onboard. In primary school, it was all about recycling and the human body. What other wonders did Harold have to show us now that we had matured into preteens??

As I stepped onboard, I remember a pit forming in my stomach. Adorning the walls were photos of syringes, empty bottles, men and women in various states of euphoria and despair alike. Spoons filled with newly cooked heroin, a lone joint in an ashtray, a main passed out in a gutter. But amongst all of them, a picture of a man in a raggedy jacket, face in a brown paper bag, visibly red as he presumably inhales something he probably shouldn’t.

I am not exaggerating when I say that image in particular scarred me and was the cause of many a nightmare or intrusive thought while I was alone.

And that imagery was just the start. Over the span of a few weeks, the idea of dying with a needle in my arm if I dared look in the general direction of a joint was shot into me. A spooky prerecorded English woman read us a poem opening with this stanza –

So now, little man, you've grown tired of grass LSD, goofballs, cocaine, and hash, and someone, pretending to be a true friend, said, "I'll introduce you to Miss Heroin."

It’s hard to get across how scary this whole scenario was at the time, how bone chillingly grim the experience on the bus was. A few years later, year 10 to be specific, I was herded onto yet another bus to talk to a man from the army. He asked if any of us had friends who smoked weed. Most of us did, which prompted him to tell us that weed in New Zealand was sold to dealers by pirates who got it for cheap from ISIS. That’s right, according to him, my so-called-mates were directly funding terrorist groups overseas. How shocking and diabolical.

Jokes aside, those are the only things I remember from substance education in school. The fear, and the outlandish claims. Scare tactics used to dissuade from drug use instead of providing education. Despite these scare tactics, people will still do what they want, and that includes trying weed or E or anything else they might come across. Why try to bully and scare children into not using, instead of educating on the effects of substance use, physical and mental? This article is in no way pro-drugs or antidrugs, but it is pro-education on the matter. Because some of the “education” about this stuff back in the day was downright terrible, and today… well, read on and you’ll see.

Then Go Ask Alice

Why don’t we begin with this article’s namesake, and my favourite piece of anti-drug weirdness.

Go Ask Alice

girl that had been discovered and published for all the world to see. The journal documents an unnamed teenage girl’s steady decent into the world of drug addiction, seeing her become a heroin addict and prostitute by the age of 16.

Essentially the unnamed protagonist’s drug journey begins when they drink cola spiked with LSD at a party, leading them to start taking drugs with party attendees, steal their parent’s sleeping pills, and engage in sex. Eventually, protagonist meets a friend called Chris, they get boyfriends who provide drugs, one night the girls come home to find the guys stoned and having sex with each other. This all sounds like a really reductive plot summary, which admittedly it is, but also I think it goes to show the ridiculousness of the book. It’s blatant scare tactics. Do drugs one time and you WILL end up an addict, also cheap shot at homosexuality because the year this chapter is set is 1968.

“But Aiden, it can’t be scare tactics! It’s literally a published diary!” It’s not really a diary. The title Go Ask Alice is an on-the-nose nod to Jefferson Airplane’s song White Rabbit. A woman called Beatrice Sparks wrote it, even though she claims to have merely “discovered” it. She has written multiple of these types of fictional journals which all deal with different topics teens in the early ‘70s would’ve faced, such as indoctrination into a satanic cult. She also has another book called Almost Lost where a teenager dabbles in “rap, the occult, and drugs”, but becomes a happier healthier person after attending therapy… with Sparks herself.

Also, according to Wikipedia, she claimed to have held a PhD that no one could find any records of. Not relevant, just thought it was funny.

Basically, Beatrice Sparks was a huckster and Go Ask Alice is not real in the slightest. The likelihood of going to a party where every drink is laced with LSD is astronomically low and ultimately is a premise designed to scare the reader into thinking drugs are around every corner.

Go Ask Alice is an earlier example of scaring people into avoiding substances, but it wasn’t the most widespread.

Those damn PSAs

If you were a child in the’ 80s in America, there’s a chance that a man dressed as Mario appeared on TV to warn you against smoking crack. While I do not think you should smoke crack, I do think people should’ve been told this in a far classier manner than

Mario telling them that crack is bad. The irony is that Mario eats more shrooms than a 40-year-old at a Tool concert who’s trying to recapture their youth, so whoever thought of making him an antidrugs mascot obviously didn’t think that through. While memorable, Mario talking drugs is just the surface level. PSAs ranged from the silly to downright horrifying. This is Your Brain on Drugs is yet another famous example with a few variations, the most wellknown being a woman breaking an egg in her pan while saying the famous line, before smashing up her kitchen, each different object destroyed representing another part of your life that is obliterated by ‘drugs’. Nothing specific, just… drugs. The majority of these videos didn’t acknowledge the differences between substances, and that weed and heroin are not the same thing, despite what these PSAs want you to think.

The anti-drug PSA was a staple of the ‘war on drugs era’ in the USA, not just on the TVs but in the arcades too. A lot of the war on drugs specifically targeted youth, with PSAs appearing on arcade machines before games, and even an anti-drug game called Narc being produced.

The “winners don’t use drugs” slogan found itself plastered in arcades between 1989 and 2000. Not using scare tactics to put off people from drug usage, but guilt. While a lot of PSAs surrounding hard drugs focused on horror, with imagery that could leave Junji Ito with a tummy ache, winners don’t use drugs was more subdued. This message would be displayed on an arcade cabinet during ‘attract mode’, the period where a cabinet is idling and screening a pre-recorded demo. Essentially cabinets not in use would display the slogan before starting another viewing of the demo. Once more, tactics designed to push people away from drugs as opposed to actually teaching the facts.

But that was then, have things progressed?

Now Life Education

We’ve touched on my experience already, so I won’t repeat myself. The programme I was referring to earlier was called From the Shadows at the school I attended. I do believe that the school named the programme this, as I reached out to Life Education and found out From the Shadows is actually the title of the programme’s video element, not the programme itself. Introduced in 2001, From the Shadows is a video story which is based around the impacts of addiction, following several characters and their stories. Instead of villainising drugs overall, to me it sounds like showing how awful addiction is, how it can totally destroy lives. Outside of that video, AOD (alcohol and other drug) education is still very much apart of Life Ed’s Healthy Harold programme, along with a further alcohol education component called Smashed being provided to Year Nine and Ten students. Overall, Life Education’s drug education has evolved from the space it was in when I attended school, taking a look at the wider societal impacts and influences of substances today. Unfortunately, I am not entirely sure what this means or looks like, so for now we can only hope that it’s teaching more about the substances themselves than it did back then.

AOD – Levels 4-8 in The New Zealand Curriculum

I stumbled upon a very large document outlining the drug education curriculum in New Zealand, aimed at students between Year 7 and Year 13.

This curriculum is up-to-date as of 2021, and I doubt it’s been reformed since then so it’s the best look into recent drug education we have at this second.

Part 1 of this curriculum starts with defining and classifying drugs, as well as language surrounding drugs and alcohol. While a guideline can only show so much as it doesn’t lay out the education itself, it’s looking promising. This portion of the programme provides links to the NZ Drug Foundation’s site, specifically the area which actually talks about different types of substances. Instead of everything being classed under drugs, the education is now discussing the differences between weed and the harder stuff. NZ Drug foundation outlines some more specific info about each type too, linking to resources that discuss effects, how to be safer while using, and how to cut down on usage. The resources provided, from TheLevel, also have cautionary advice, such as recommending fentanyl testing if you’re using heroin.

Overall, the state of drug education in the school curriculum, in Aotearoa at least, seems to be leaning more in the direction of education with the acknowledgement that people will still use drugs. Building up knowledge instead of scaring people off is the best way to handle this type of education, and it should have been this way from the start.

Aiden’s take

So, here’s where I give my proper two cents, as if I have not been dropping that in every chance I can get:

Spooking people, especially kids and teens, out of taking drugs is just silly. It doesn’t work and doesn’t equip them properly for scenarios later in life that could potentially involve drugs. I was told that I shouldn’t play Halo when I was a kid because I’d get in deep trouble and it would rot my brain, so of course I played Halo every chance I could. Scare tactics put concepts on pedestals, villainising them, making them larger than life. And what happens when someone discovers the so-called devil’s lettuce doesn’t make you into a hardened criminal after one puff? They realise a lot of what they’ve heard is phooey and become disillusioned with everything they’re told. That’s when overdoses or other harmful occurrences can happen, not just because the young people are taking drugs but because they’re taking them without any real education on the substances.

Drug education NEEDS to educate. Substances are everywhere in our society; we’re becoming more desensitised to it and a little more open to the idea of recreational use. Drug testing at festivals is a good start, but we need to go further. People who want to use WILL use, so they should be given the proper knowledge early on regarding drug safety, potential long-term effects, as well as the complete set of facts and a dispelling of the fiction.

Despite everything their mums tell them, kids who want to play Halo will play Halo, so let’s make sure they’re given the knowledge to play Halo safely.

Illustration by Eden Laing

Sexcapades

Emotional support fan fic

I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole and honestly, I’m not sure if it’s a good one or a bad one. Am I going to hell? Most certainly. Will I enjoy the journey there? Of course. Now, you know my dilemma, let’s hone in on the details.

It was a quiet Friday night, I was in between flings and by that I mean, I was month three of my longest dry spell yet (unless you count my virginity - irrelevant, moving on).

I was trolling TikTok, spending more than my fair share of time on the app, wondering how on Earth it’s free, when suddenly, my intrigue was caught.

“Oh honey uh uh. *insert judgey look* I’m high class, I get my elixirs from the exquisite, elegant places, not the Bates Motel.”

For absolutely no reason other than I’m a Leo who loves to be dramatic, I felt a li’l attacked. I was flabbergasted, shook as the youths say, and I had no choice but to continue watching this TikTok simply to find out what elixirs she gets from the exquisite, elegant places, and why I should get them from there too.

“If you ask me for fanfic recommendations from Wattpad, Imma give you this look right here *disgust*.”

I gasped. I’ve never been a fanfic girl. I’ve never crossed the lines into a world where the writer says, “I know a place” and takes you to a hotel where the last room available

only has one bed, but my dry spell had changed me, not even my vibrator was hitting the spot, and the TikTok felt like a sign so, I dove deep.

Having been directed to AO3, I fell down said rabbit hole. Reading the smutty, sinful, immaculately crafted works, left me feeling naughtier than when I vaped for the first time - and it was just as addictive.

It’s now been a couple weeks of intense horniness. Whenever I feel lonely, I escape to the A03 world, and ladies, I won’t lie, the delulu side of me truly believes I am having the hottest spicy time in the world. I am the protagonist.

Will my emotional support crutch of fanfics ever come to an end? Not until me and my vibrator finish this 310,000 word story about “me” and Harry Styles, that’s for sure.

Use code SMUTTY15 for 15% off at girlsgetoff.co.nz

Solicited Advice

From Pocket

Solicited advice is a weekly column where Massive’s own four-legged Agony Aunty, Pocket, shares her wisdom and experience with you all. She speaks only truths.

It can be a tough life as a street cat. There are many good felines who turn to catnip, and I can’t blame them. I don’t partake myself, as I can’t tell you how many times my mother, Tote Bag, would tell me to ‘stay off the stuff’ while she was licking my perfect little face clean. I may be a tough-as-claws street cat, but I also always listen to my mother.

As for humans, and the rainbow selection of narcotics available to titillate your weird, fleshy bodies, I understand that good drug education is harm reduction. Remain strong in a group of trustworthy friends, and don’t accept any substances from people you have no relationship with. Many major festivals and events will have Know Your Stuff, or another similar outfit, that can ensure you know exactly what you’re taking. Stay safe out there, my squishy friends, and drink lots of water!

Do you have a question you’re dying to have answered? Massive Magazine on Instagram or editor@massivemagazine.org.nz and look out for next week’s issue - no question is too difficult for Pocket.

Pocket, how do I make sure I stay safe with drugs this next festival season?

Aquarius Pisces Aries

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Always innovative, Aquarius could do with a fresh, sophisticated drop like a classic mai tai. White rum, dark rum, orange curacao, lime juice, and orgeat almond syrup.

Feb 19 - Mar 20

Your intuitive, sensitive side could become actual psychic abilities after a few Cosmopolitans. Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice make this drink as sweet as you, Pisces.

Mar 21 - Apr 19

As the first sign of the zodiac, the old fashioned suits Aries well with its fiery mix of bourbon, bitters, and sugar. Switch bourbon for fireball and you have a true fire sign cocktail.

Taurus Gemini Cancer

Apr 20 - May 20

With earthy, floral gin, dry vermouth, and orange bitters, a classic martini’s quiet luxury is for you, Taurus. Add some olive brine if you like it a little freaky.

May 21 - June 21

You’re a busy one, Gemini, so let’s keep the drink simple. A margarita is tequila, lime juice, and triple sec, and you’ll need 2 of them (twin sign, duh).

June 22 - July 22

Nothing suits an emotional breakdown on a beautiful beach like a pina colada Pineapple juice, coconut cream, and white rum makes everything better, Cancer.

Leo Virgo Libra

July 23 - Aug 22

Alright, drama queen, here’s one you know. Long island iced tea: vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, sour mix, cola, and buckle up for a big night, Leo.

Aug 23 - Sep 22

Nothing like an Earth sign to make a good mojito. Mint, white sugar, white rum, lime, and club soda. Seems simple, but perfectionist Virgo can make anything into a long process.

Scorpio Sagittarius

Oct 24 - Nov 21

Rocket fuel; not the tropical cocktail, Scorpio, but the teenage practice of pouring a little bit of each liquor in your parents’ cabinet into one glass and drinking it.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

You thirst for knowledge, Sagittarius, and I bet you’ve not had crème de violette. Mix it up with lemon juice, gin, and maraschino cherries and that’s your new favourite, an aviation.

Sep 23 - Oct 23

Sweet, simple, and all about balance; Libras and bellinis. A bellini is just peach nectar and prosecco, and a few of these can really bring out the air sign in you.

Capricorn

Dec 22 - Jan 19

A sea-goat is a mixed-up animal, so have a mixed-up cocktail. A bloody Mary is tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco seasons and served with celery and olives. Sorry.

It's Time to Make Therapy Groovy

By Rhyleigh Smith

Australia has now approved the use of psychedelic medicine in therapy, now it’s time for New Zealand to make therapy groovy.

The origin of psychedelic-assisted therapy:

Psychedelics have been used throughout history. In many cultures, they still use them for spiritual purposes. It wasn’t until the mid-1960s that psychedelics were introduced and immersed in Western culture. This was known as the psychedelic era, commonly associated with hippies, Woodstock, and the anti-war movement. From it, we have amazing music, films, and art. The psychedelic era also allowed psychedelic-assisted therapy to evolve.

Psychedelic therapy was established prior to the psychedelic era, after Albert Hofmann discovered the effects of LSD. Hofmann describes his experiences as perceiving, “an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors.” This sparked his lifelong interest in hallucinogens and psychedelics and would spend years dedicated to researching it.

Hofmann’s discovery inspired more chemists and pharmacists to begin researching psychedelics. Shortly after extensive research was done on the psychoactive effects of psychedelics, psychologists began doing their own research. Many psychologists began to see potential in using these psychedelic drugs to help mental illnesses like alcohol and nicotine dependence, depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

How it works:

Generally, the basic procedure for psychedelic-assisted therapy follows like this:

They prepare you beforehand, talking you through the process and the effects that might occur. On the day, they’ll make sure you’re in a comfortable and controlled environment. You’ll be given music to help you on your psychedelic journey and they’ll have people nearby if unwanted effects occur.

They’ll most likely give you a micro-dose of psychedelics and have a couple of sessions. Mirco-dosing allows the user to enter a mind state that is more open, creative,

and less anxious. This mind state can allow the user to access part of their consciousness that normally cannot be accessed whilst sober. It paves the way for long-term behavioral changes to help those who struggle with mental illness.

Sometimes, the typical drugs don’t work. They make you feel groggy, drowsy and like you’re a robot. That’s why psychologists and pharmacists are trying to create an alternative to this. They want to create a medicine that is a life-changing experience for people. For some, psychedelic-assisted therapy could be the answer.

Where it is today:

Today, psychedelics have made a comeback heralding an era of ‘psychedelic renaissance.’ Although, it’s not the same classical psychedelic movement seen in the 1960s and 1970s. This time, we’ve seen more use of ketamine and MDMA, as well as the commonly known LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.

We’ve seen across the world that psychedelics are becoming more normalised and more information is coming out. Information that supports the theory that psychedelics can help people. It has become increasingly accepted that psychedelic-assisted therapy can help with PTSD, depression, and other mental illnesses.

Today, psychedelic-assisted therapy is being more researched and supported than ever. The FDA in the US has approved the use of psychedelics as prescribed medication. Additionally, Australia has made the decision to allow psychiatrists to prescribe psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Where Public Opinion Lies:

It’s no secret that psychedelics are a controversial topic among the public. However, when I asked people what they thought of psychedelic-assisted therapy, opinions were mixed.

My friends heavily supported the idea. “We’ve recreationally experimented with psychedelics and noticed positive changes within our life. Under a controlled therapeutic environment, we believe that it could make massive changes.”

When I asked acquaintances what they thought, some of

them were unbothered. Some of them support the idea, only if it is guaranteed to help them. Others were firmly against it, believing it could do more harm than good.

Anti-depressants and emotional stabilisers like Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft should not be the only choice for those struggling with mental illness. The legalisation of psychedelic-assisted therapy is a huge step for the pharmaceutical and psychological industries challenging the socially accepted norms and encouraging them to find alternative medicines.

It’s time to stop treating psychedelics as a dirty drug. It’s been shown repeatedly that there are mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits to consuming psychedelics. Clinical trials have shown that when in a controlled environment, they can be like any other drug. There are risks and there are benefits. It all depends on the person’s brain. More clinical trials are being done to give psychedelic medicine the same status as anti-depressants and emotional stabilisers.

As a self-proclaimed psychedelic advocate, I’m glad that Australia has made this decision and I believe that people can benefit from this. As our country suffers greatly from mental illnesses and terminal illnesses such as cancer, New Zealand can benefit from legalising psychedelic-assisted therapies. It’s time for New Zealand to follow in Australia’s footsteps.

Illustration by Annick Harvey

Dr Feelgood: the biohacking movement

By Leila Lois

Over the past few years, a trend called ‘biohacking’ has become increasingly mainstream. Perhaps this upsurge in interest was catalysed by the COVID 19 Pandemic; now everyone suddenly has an opinion on health and wellbeing. Biohacking is a kind of ‘do-it-yourself’ biology movement, where people without a medical degree research and trial changes to their lifestyles. This includes their diet, the kinds of medicines and foods they consume, and their exercise routines to achieve a personalised sense of wellbeing. I have some close friends who have followed the trend over the past few years. As you can see from the photo, since they have been exploring biohacking, their bathroom cabinets and even their garages are beginning to burgeon with nutritional supplements, home saunas, hyperbaric oxygen chambers and so on. But what works, what doesn’t, and is it worth all the time and expense they invest in their research, trial, and error? I spoke to a few bio-hacking enthusiast friends to find out.

“It was about 5 years ago that I first got into biohacking,” one of my friends says. “What spurred me on was getting into fitness and gym quite seriously, wanting to maximise my strength and potential... it’s all about that, for me, being able to achieve more, some people do biohacking for life longevity.”

So, are biohackers looking for a Philosopher’s Stone to achieve immortality? To achieve Terminator strength? To wind back the clock and prevent aging? Not quite, another friend tells me.

“There are lots of things you might look to biohacking to help you with. I used to have trouble sleeping and often felt exhausted during the day. Magnesium and zinc were good for sleep and muscle recovery, they have really helped me achieve my goals at the gym and work by sleeping better.”

I asked the same friend what was the strangest biohack they had tried. They told me they tried icing their testicles to increase testosterone for muscle gain once. Did it work, you ask? Reportedly they recorded higher in their next testosterone test at the doctor’s clinic. Did they persist with this intrepid practice? No.

So, where do biohackers swap ideas and research the best remedies for their issues? One of my friends regularly looks to Reddit and forums for such information. “There are huge online communities that discuss what has worked for them.” He tells me. “Basically, it’s trial and error. People might discuss what micronutrients they add to their food for wellbeing, exercises or things they do like sauna and cold plunge to feel better, the benefits are mental as well as physical.”

But how is this different from going to the doctor’s clinic or pharmacy for advice and medication? Biohackers often share a fair amount of skepticism when it comes to pharmaceuticals.

“Big pharma has a vested interest in their laboratory-created drugs, they push these products for financial gain and to dominate the market, rather than because they are the best cure... in fact, these pharmaceutical companies would rather we stay sick so we can keep taking pills in hope of a cure.”

The main criticism of biohacking is that these natural remedies and solutions are not always subject to the same stringent clinical trials as pharmaceutical solutions and are not prescribed by someone with medical training. Another is that it may be expensive to keep investing in these alternative solutions, without a guarantee of success. Pictured is just half of my friend’s collection of supplements, mostly bought from online alternative health sites such as I-Herb.

Some biohacks, however, cost nothing. I have a group of friends who meet at 6.30am weekly on the beach for a cold-water plunge into the sea. They all follow research that suggests that sudden exposure to icy water can have positive effects on the immune system and mental health. This biohacking theory was started by Wim Hof, a Dutch motivational speaker who believes freezing water

exposure has changed his life and health for the better. I have another friend who follows the teachings of Dan Brulé, ‘breathwork master’ and tapes his mouth closed while he sleeps to ‘maximise his oxygen intake’ through his nose. I have another friend who has seen notable improvements in her child’s chronic condition from energy medicine using electro-currents.

As more of my friends become interested in alternative healing through biohacking, my interest has grown too. None of us can explain everything through science yet, and some of these therapies have come from ancient Indigenous practices that must have some remedial effects for them to have continued into the present day. Quite a few of my family members are doctors practicing traditional medicine and have been known to ‘dabble’ too. Whatever works for you is worth a go maybe, and as they say: don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.

When Alcohol and Drugs are Haram

By Elizabeth Chan

I love my home country. My loved ones are there, and it has a variety of cuisines since it’s a multicultural nation, making food the number one thing Malaysians miss if they ever go overseas. But there are a lot of things that are considered ‘haram’, such as alcohol and drugs. What is ‘haram’, you may ask? Well, things that are ‘haram’ are basically stuff that you are banned from purchasing. Even though it’s a multicultural nation, Muslims make up 63.5% of the entire population, according to Statista. Although the nation consists of other ethnicities and those from other religions, like me, you can already guess that the access and distribution of alcohol are already quite controlled while drugs are banned due to the laws of the Quran, which is basically the Islamic bible. Coming from a religious country, even though I’m a nonMuslim, alcohol and drugs have automatically become a taboo topic. In fact, it became even more of a taboo topic when I came to Aotearoa during my secondary school years because I attended a Christian college. It was only on one fateful day in 2021 when I set foot in one of the female washrooms that I had my very first culture shock.

Should I have reported it? Yes.

Did I report it? No, because I didn’t know who to report it to.

That wasn’t the only time I witnessed the consumption of drugs, the second incident I encountered was when my family and I couldn’t sleep until 4 in the morning because a car outside our formerly rented apartment unit was blasting music until 4 A.M. The music had a dull rhythm and it mostly consisted of pulsating beats, but because it was blasted at a deafening volume, we could feel the pesky vibrations of the beats as the music literally shook our furniture.

Again, no one reported this incident because we were all expecting that someone else who actually knew who to report it to would do the deed. Even though nothing was explicitly said the next day from other tenants or the news, I think everyone knew that whoever was in that car was doing drugs because there was no way anyone sober could blast music at that volume continuously until 4 A.M. Do I think that Aotearoa is a drug-filled nation? No, but I’m just surprised I was the only person who always accidentally witnessed people doing illegal stuff when no one else around me did.

Weed in the Toilets

I know New Zealand has strict drug laws and stumbling across marijuana in the toilets is not the norm, however, the possibility of encountering weed in the washroom is never zero. It happened on one afternoon when I was minding my own business, going to the washroom just like any other day. To be honest, I don’t know what weed smells like (for obvious reasons) but I knew that what I smelled was not normal for a bathroom. If I had to describe the smell, it smelled horribly, sharply pungent. It smelled like an artificial army green, if a colour had a smell, and it made me cough and sneeze at the same time.

Basically, the smell was terrible. I remember not being able to breathe for a bit. To be honest, the smell was extremely, terribly strong. My memory is hazy and I can’t remember whether I smelled marijuana in one of the university’s (formerly) female washrooms or one of the ladies’ washrooms in the mall, but I know that I smelled it in one of the toilets because I immediately burst out of my aisle and ran for it because I couldn’t breathe.

Cheap Liquor

I was amazed by the immensely open access to liquor when I first touched down in the Auckland Airport. Making our way to the baggage claim, my Mum and I passed a crowd gathering around aisles and aisles of alcohol with huge banners above them shouting, “20% off!” In fact, there were so many aisles of alcohol, they stole the spotlight of discounted perfumes.

And that was just the beginning of my discovery of how cheap alcohol is here.

Countdown’s cheap alcohol took the cake. Everything was marked down during discount seasons and there was actually cheap wine. Even though I don’t drink alcohol, I’ve got to admit, buying it cheaply is honestly unimaginable.

Back in Malaysia, alcohol is sold in a whole separate section with a huge sign above it saying, ‘Non-halal’, which basically means that it’s an area illegal for those who are Muslim to shop in because alcohol is prohibited in the Quran. It’s

usually sold next to pork, which is also non-halal and probably haram.

Other than the alienation from all the other grocery products, I remember seeing alcohol being marked up to exorbitant prices. Heck, beer is probably a luxury beverage, which would explain why my grandfather rejoices whenever he receives beer for his birthday (he likes to drink Royal Stout while watching old Cantonese TV shows).

Encouragement of Alcohol and Drugs Consumption?

After recounting both my culture shocks and surprise at how cheaply liquor is sold here in Aotearoa, I’m not encouraging our dear readers to rush to grab the discounts of cheap alcohol or to consume drugs. I’m just expressing how it feels like to come from a place that throws the very idea of alcohol and drugs out of the window to a place that embraces both more openly. It honestly feels like my eyes have been opened to a whole new world.

Whanaungatanga: No Bevvies Needed

By Cameron McCausland-Taylor

This piece was inspired by the Massey University thesis

It’s all about Whanaungatanga: Alcohol use and older Māori in Aotearoa by Sarah Herbert, Christine Stephens and Margaret Forster. In this thesis, the wāhine explore the social connotations behind alcohol use amongst our Māori koroua and kuia, with alcohol being pinpointed as the primary driver for older Māori engagement in alcohol use environments. However, the thesis found that participants didn’t believe alcohol to be necessary to experience whanaungatanga, and there was a strongly highlighted need for events and activities that support whanaungatanga rather than the use of alcohol.

While this thesis was focused on alcohol use among our elders, it got me thinking about alcohol use amongst university students, mostly those in the 18-25 bracket. I know everyone’s experience as a uni student is different, but I can only speak from my own experience as a 23-yearold. In my first year of university, fresh out of high school, I was drinking three nights a week, every single week. I wouldn’t go back and change it at all, because those experiences and memories shaped me, and tbh it was a pretty fucking awesome year. Engari, while I do enjoy a cheeky bevvie, I didn’t actually like to drink that often. It was just the only social situations I found myself in, and I felt that if I didn’t drink, I would miss out. FOMO is an evil bitch. This isn’t to tell you to drink or not drink. Kei a koe, the choice is totally yours. But, I don’t think my experience is uncommon at all. There’s a huge amount of peer pressure to drink, and it’s easy to get caught up in friend groups where the only things you do with each other involve alcohol. In the last year, however, the majority of social events I attended were completely drug and alcoholfree. I felt less anxiety going in and more fulfilled going out, free of the hangxiety that used to plague me every weekend. Therefore, I decided to brainstorm my own ways of supporting whanaungatanga rather than alcohol use, for you to use if you would like to.

Whakapapa Powerpoint Night

I’m obsessed with not only discovering more about my own whakapapa, but finding out the whakapapa of everyone I know and love. Run me through your entire whānau tree, queen, I wanna see all the branches!! Whakapapa can be

a tricky subject for some and can bring up some mamae (tears were shed during our whakapapa assignment in my first year of te reo classes), which I acknowledge. However, I absolutely love hearing about my loved ones’ whānau and their tīpuna in extreme detail whenever possible. Crack out the Powerpoint and get creative with it. Share the beautiful pūrakau of your ancestors. Maybe find a cousin amongst your mates (this has genuinely happened to me multiple times). Afterwards, have a nourishing kai and cuppa tea together! But remember to leave the kōrero of whakapapa for after the kai; whakapapa and kai don’t mix.

Marae-Styles Movie Night

I don’t know why, but I always have the BEST sleeps in the marae. Something about it just feels cosy, and when there’s heaps of people, it’s really like a big, fun sleepover. So, I love to convince my boyfriend that dragging our spare room mattress into the lounge is the most genius idea ever, and if I had it my way, the mattress would stay there permanently. Anyways, marae-styles movie nights are so so fun. Park up in the lounge with your buds and all your mattresses, make a whole bunch of kai, and pop some movies on. Then, if you’re like me, discuss the movies in immense detail afterwards, and look up the entire cast and crew on Wikipedia.

A Day of Kai

You may be recognising a theme within my kōrero, nē? Well, kai plays a huge part in Māori culture as a way of showing manaakitanga and aroha, so it simply makes sense. Hei aha, throughout my journey of reclaiming my Māoritanga, one way I’ve worked towards that is by learning to make Māori kai at home. You don’t need to be on the marae or have a special occasion to whip out some treats! Gather your mates and make all the goods together - oven hangi, fry bread, boil up, steam pudding. Make enough so that there’s leftovers, ‘cause I can guarantee you’re going to want more the next day.

Goal-setting Gathering

As you’ll know, we just recently celebrated Matariki in Aotearoa. Matariki allows us to reflect on our lives at present and prepare for the future, looking to the star of

Hiwa-i-te-rangi to set our dreams and desires for the year ahead. However, goal-setting can be done at any time during the year, not just Pākeha New Year or Matariki. I absolutely love hanging out with my mates, discussing our goals and dreams, and putting pen to paper to manifest our desires. You’ve heard it before, but it’s true - you are the sum of who you surround yourself with. Self-care is community care, and surrounding myself with a community of uplifting people who dream big and make shit happen is EVERYTHING to me. And at the end of the goal-setting session, you all get beautiful dreamscapes and vision boards to hang on your walls! <3

Take this as a reminder that you don’t need alcohol to have fun! I used to roll my eyes whenever anyone said that, but the older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve realised how true that statement is. I still look back fondly on my drunken nights out, and yes, they do carry their own sense of whanaungatanga. But, there are also so many rich experiences to be had in this world SOBER with the people

He hono tāngata e kore e motu; kā pā he taura waka e motu; unlike a canoe rope, a human bond cannot be severed.

Whanaungatanga - close connection between people

Koroua - an elderly Māori man

Kuia - an elderly Māori woman

Manaakitanga - the process of showing respect, generosity

Aroha - compassion, love, empathy, etc