Massive Magazine 2015 Volume 4 Issue 8

Issue 8 / 2015

Mental Illness —

Apathetic Students

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Oldies

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Drag Queens

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Drug Lords

To apply or for more information, please contact current editor Kim Parkinson before October 14 at editor@massivemagazine.org.nz

Features 13 Are Modern Students over Politics?

16 Giving it the Old College Try 20 Is Master’s the new Bachelor’s?

23 Subtracted Gender 26 Are Universities Hurting our Mental Health?

34 Sugaring, Scoring, Sex Work: The New Student Income

Regulars

The Back

Letters to the Editor

02

Music Round Up

38

Editorial

03

Film Review

40

04

Uni Mum

42

05

Food Blog

44

Rep Chic

45

Expressive arts

46

Puzzle Time

47

Local Notices

Events Feed In Short

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Letters to the Editor Dear editor, This letter is more of a surprise to me than it probably will be to you.

My name is Avalon and I don’t attend any Massey University or any University at all for that matter. I am a small town high school girl with a Wellington Campus fresher as my boyfriend; two years and going strong.

Anyway one weekend I was staying at his halls dwelling on an internal I had due the following day which was a feature article; written, designed, and planned. I was starting to get quite frustrated at the lack of inspiration TIME magazine and Cosmo had posed, only to look on my boyfriend’s tiny table and find a stack of Massive Magazines.

Issue 05/2015 was the first one I picked up and I was literally glued to it. Though I am a few months off being a poor uni student you have already taught me that it only costs $20 to lodge a complaint against hold-out land lords and that I can make Pizza with feta cheese and it will “still taste pretty decent” (thanks Uni Mum). Paul Berrington’s review of Mad Max was spot on, and after some great appreciation of the design and layout I turned to the “Letters to the Editor” section just to see if everyone else felt the same way about Massive as I did. So anyway I flipped the pages to find many great reviews, many greater anecdotes and some beef regarding ‘Ask Guru’. This encouraged me to bug my boyfriend to post the rest of the issues from the table and I must say I am looking forward to the return of “AG” despite the information being rather wrong and completely quaint, it has some good juice.

I would just like to say that the style of your magazine, design and language wise is what I dig and what most people in the awkward stages of adolescence find easy to relate to. I forced the issue upon many students who would rather display the covers as posters on their pin boards than to read the actual content; and they loved it. It is not every day I feel able to read a whole magazine, but I have read them all, even the little references to Harry Potter (I enjoyed those a lot btw). Keep doing what you’re doing. You make me glad I applied for Massey University. You can never go wrong with a fusion of helpful hints and humour. So thank you for being my amusement on my nine hour bus rides to Wellington. I look forward to the next issue and I look forward to joining the Overheard @ University pages next year.

Kind Regards, Avalon Dear editor I just wanted to commend you on your decision to create a Diversity Panel this year. I think it’s good to see that you’ve acknowledged how diverse the student population are, and you’ve catered to that. I thoroughly enjoyed issue seven. I didn’t note any harmful content, and I think this is due to you putting this measure in place – well done. I also particularly enjoyed the feature about Maori students – it’s great to hear their voice being represented. Keep it up!

Dear editor, As a citizen of New Zealand and a decent human being, I am deeply disturbed by your magazine’s unexplained absence of Katherine Mansfield-related material.

Katherine Mansfield was a great New Zealander and is, in my educated opinion, deeply underappreciated by her fellow New Zealanders – particularly our student population.

I think it is wholly appropriate that a feature length article is produced forthwith. This article should, in my educated opinion, be written by a male in his mid to late 20s, preferably one that is currently based in Palmerston North.

If an article is not produced forthwith, I will be forced into thinking that this magazine is continuing to live up to its reputation as a haven for misogynistic, cis-sexist, micro-aggressive and unicycle-fancying material.

Furthermore, if this article is not produced, I will be organizing a hunger strike outside the MAWSA Office. I will not be taking part in said hunger strike as I am currently breast feeding.

Sincerely, Concerned Citizen.

Everyone’s a winner!

MASSIVE would love to hear from you. You can drop your letters into any students’ association office, or email them to editor@massivemagazine.org.nz . Alternatively, you could play Harry Potter: pretend the nearest bird you find is an owl, and ask it nicely to deliver your letter to us, down our imaginary chimney. Whatever method you choose, if your letter reaches us, and is published, you will win a bag of People’s coffee. To claim your prize, flick us an email.

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Kimodo Dragon’s Editorial This time last year, I took a chance. With almost two thirds of a degree under my belt, I decided to apply to be the editor of MASSIVE; the magazine that I had read inside-out since my first year of university. When I applied, I had a lot of self-doubt; I honestly thought there was a very slim chance that I would even get an interview.

This time last year, I took a risk. In my cover letter, I decided to compare myself to a banana, and use it as a metaphor for my personal development. Using numerous banana puns, I described what an appealing choice I would be. To my surprise, I got a job interview.

After my job interview, I nervously waited, hoping that I’d somehow managed to turn my waffle into sentences that made sense. This time last year, the chances I took paid off, and I was offered the job.

This time last year, I didn’t realise how much this job would change, challenge, and teach me. I seriously don’t know where the time has gone. It seems like just yesterday that I was eating my celebratory sandwich, and filling my mind with fresh ideas that I wanted to bring to the magazine the following year.

This year I’ve been labelled sexist, misogynistic, and transphobic. Another time I stayed up all night as I hustled to finish a magazine before the deadline. Another time I was scratched by the office cat, and it drew blood.

Honestly though, these have been the only real negative experiences I’ve had in my job this year. I’ve learnt so much through this role. From the importance of negative space, to learning that microwaves and tinfoil don’t mix well, to learning how to respond to negative feedback, to enhancing my understanding of the dynamics within a university, to learning all about student media.

I have a much greater understanding of the issues that students face, and I’m really passionate about exposing these issues through the power of words, in order to provoke discussion and change. This editorial control has been one of the best parts of my job; coming in second to the people I’ve met this year.

I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with so many amazing people. From the people in my office, who throw around the daily banter, and keep me sane in my high-stress moments, to the talented writers and artists who work hard to ensure we produce a quality magazine for the student population - I appreciate you all so much.

I’d also like to thank you, the readers, for picking up MASSIVE each month. Thank you for engaging with the content, suggesting story ideas, and providing constructive feedback.

Without you all, this magazine would be nothing but high-quality paper to throw in the fireplace, or the recycling bin.

As you can tell, this job has given me so much more than just eight illustrations of me as different characters. My job is up for grabs in 2016, and the opportunity to apply is now open to anyone. I would highly recommend this role to anyone who has a passion for student media, and for the overall power of journalism.

I almost let my self-doubt get the better of me last year. I’m so thankful that I shoved away the negative thoughts and took the chance anyway – back yourself, guys! I look forward to meeting some of you in the job interviews soon.

I hope you all enjoy this final magazine. It covers a wide range of relevant topics; from discussing mental illness, to the difference between transgender and drag queens, to talking about apathetic students, to looking at risky ways in which students are funding their education.

Thanks for reading, folks!

Yours truly, Kimodo dragon

Wanna be me?

To apply to become the next editor of MASSIVE Magazine, or for more information, please contact me at editor@massivemagazine.org.nz.

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Manawatu Local News

By Carwyn Walsh

Mike King: David Seymour is a pussy Former comedian Mike King has slammed comments made by ACT Leader David Seymour concerning mental health. During a politicians’ debate at Victoria University’s Weir House, Seymour told the audience that those students suffering from anxiety and depression should “harden up”.

“I can’t wait to catch up with him (Seymour) and tell him to harden up”, said King. King labelled Seymour a “tosser” and a “pussy” for not standing by his initial comments. King was on the Manawatū campus to speak to students and members of the public during a Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Awareness event organised by Musa advocate Kerry Howe. King spoke to a packed audience and detailed his own mission to spread awareness of mental health through his Key to Life charitable trust.

One in five New Zealanders will suffer from episodes of depression during their lifetime, but King said that he believes more work needs to be done educating those 80 percent who do not suffer from mental health problems.

“If we can facilitate a society that can talk about mental health, we will go a long way towards solving the problem. Often people don’t want to talk to someone with depression or who is suicidal because they’re scared they will say something wrong.”

A particular focus of King’s work is in speaking and reaching out to younger people about mental health and suicide prevention.

King said that the students he spoke to at Taipa Area School in Kaitaia opened his eyes to the dynamic solutions younger people have to suicide prevention.

“Many old people are too stuck in their ways. My generation won’t change. Younger people and kids will always embrace change.” King has retired from full-time comedy and now concentrates solely on his Key to Life trust, work that is “unfunded” and “unpaid”. 569 people killed themselves across New Zealand last year, yet King is optimistic that this number can be drastically changed through education and awareness.

“We should target zero suicides.”

Futsal pops by Palmerston North The Massey University Recreation Centre played host to an exhibition match of futsal on Sunday, September 20. Futsal is a five-a-side football-styled sport typically played indoors on a basketball court-sized pitch. The match, played between the national Futsal Whites and Palmerston North’s Capital Futsal side, concluded a weekend-long series of events promoting the sport in Palmerston North. Josh Margetts, the Futsal Development Officer for Central Football, was excited about Palmerston North hosting such a high-calibre match.

“This is the highest form of futsal that will be played in Manawatu this year and sets a great example of what the sport has to offer.”

The match was a one-sided affair with the Futsal Whites outclassing their Manawatū opponents 15-2. The gulf in quality between the sides was immediately apparent with the Whites scoring within 25 seconds of the game starting. The national side was a silky lot, with many a toned bottom and some equally impressive ability on the ball. To be fair, the Manawatū boys certainly won out in the hair-style stakes, possessing a side blessed with at least a couple of man-buns, one dreadlocked player and a goalkeeper who pulled off the teen wolf look impeccably. The two sides were already familiar with each other having played the day before in a match won comfortably by the Futsal Whites at the Linton military base.

Futsal has a growing profile on the Manawatū campus, with a Musa affiliated club being founded earlier this year. The club already boasts around 50 members who meet weekly on Friday evenings in the Rec Centre. An aim of the club is to have a Massey futsal league up and running by Semester One in 2016.

Any Manawatū students interested in having a go at futsal should contact Massey Futsal President Stacy Meehan. Stacy can be contacted via stacymeehan@hotmail.com.

MUSA ‘Four’ced to hold by-election Only four out of the required five students came forward to be elected onto the 2016 MUSA executive, meaning a by-election will have to be held on December 20 to elect the final executive member. The recent election was held in order to appoint the new student president and four new MUSA executive members.

Of the four candidates, one stood for MUSA president and three stood for the Musa executive. Outgoing MUSA president Linsey Higgins was disheartened by the number of nominations for this year’s election.

“I’m disappointed about the turnout”, said Higgins.

Higgins took comfort in the “quality of the candidates” that had come forward, particularly because they are all MUSA volunteers, an area that Higgins had placed huge emphasis upon during her presidency. Replacing Higgins as president is Nikita Skipper, an 18-year-old first-year Business student from Waipukurau. Skipper, a Gemini, said in the nomination period, that she was standing for president because she wants Massey University to be more than a place to study.

“I want to be able to reflect on my university life and know I did more than just study”, said Skipper. A particular emphasis for Skipper next year will be looking out for first-year students.

“I would like to make the transition from high school to university a lot smoother for students.”

While being interviewed, Skipper was attacked by a local wasp, something she came through without too much trauma. The wasp, a father of two, was later destroyed.

Georgia Feekes, a 21-year-old psychology student from Palmerston North, is standing for the executive. Feekes is a Pisces and likes Katherine Mansfield. She also wants to do more for students at Massey University.

“I want the opportunity to have more of a role within the university, especially with students. I want to look out for all students.”

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Joining Feekes in standing for the executive is Ryan Warner.

Warner is a 19-year-old Maths and Physics student. Despite coming from Taumarunui, Warner speaks English remarkably well.

“I am standing for the MUSA executive because I would like to make sure that the University realise that it only exists because of students.” Warner would also like to make MUSA more relevant to students and would like to see students having more of a say in the running of their university.

The final candidate for the executive is Keegan Fisher, an 18-year-old Aviation student and MUSA volunteer. Fisher is from Nelson, does not own a unicycle, and spent half a year living abroad in Japan on a school exchange.

“Having spent half a year in Japan on high school exchange, I have a passion for other cultures and think that this is a trait that can help me in this position, in representing the university's diverse population.”

If you are keen to be part of the 2016 MUSA Executive, keep an eye out on the MUSA Facebook page to find out how you can get involved with the upcoming by-election.

A year in Palmerston North The news was not televised on the Manawatū campus this year.

Instead, equipped with only a pen and my seductive musk, I took it upon myself to bring the news to life in the section aptlyentitled “Manawatū Local News”. The year of news started in the worst possible fashion with the untimely death of Massey student Virginia Ford. This was not the kind of news anyone wanted to report on and left all Manawatū students deeply shocked.

Abi Symes inspired us all with her mayoralty bid earlier this year. Symes was a constant presence on campus, as was her Radio Control co-host Major Dave Stevens.

The Sustainability Club were more than active throughout the year with their multiple Farmer’s Markets. I have long dreamed of being able to interview a Hungarian soap-merchant and would like to take the time to thank the Sustainability Club for making this happen.

The Car Park fee rise was a hot issue earlier in the year, as was the lack of vegan options in the student café. Johnny the plumber fixed a toilet in the library this year and was good enough to let me cover that event as it unfolded.

The Manawatū campus is a multicultural place and it was awesome to be embraced by so many of these cultures. A special thanks goes out to Rashad Syed and my many new chums from the Massey Muslim Society. Although I am still recovering from their boil up meal, I’d like to thank everyone involved with Manawatahi for their generous hospitality and all-round decency.

Outgoing MUSA president Linsey Higgins was a pleasure to work with and was a gifted tea-maker and gossip. Gunhild Litwin spoiled me rotten with her sweets and appreciation of Angela Merkel’s foxy charms. Kerry Howe tickled me pink with her earthy Waipukurau humour and it was a pleasure to give up smoking alongside her. Pauline Karam swung in some interesting circles.

I always looked forward to the weekly rugby catch-ups I had with Craig Black. He is also the most gifted and generous lover that I have ever had. James Gardiner was a real help.

Thanks for always getting back to me.

That’s about it really. It was a delight to share my year with all the students and staff on the Manawatū campus. God Bless, and good luck with all of your future endeavours.

Student Job Search (SJS) is the leading service for casual, part time & summer work for New Zealand Tertiary Students. SJS is FREE for all Massey University students to use thanks to your Students’ Associations.

Register with SJS and start looking for jobs today or apply to the jobs below by heading to our website www.sjs.co.nz Palmerston North Nursing Students Needed!

This employer is after fifteen 2nd and 3rd year nursing students to work as Healthcare Assistants.

Your job will be to contribute to the quality of patient care, and provide ward support and customer service.

To be considered it is essential that you are a great communicator with excellent time management and organisational skills. Approximately eight hours of work are available each week, starting ASAP. Apply using the job number: 103735272 Accounting and Economics Tutors This tutoring company is looking for students in the Palmerston North region who can tutor High School students in NCEA Accounting and Economics.

To be successful in your application you will need to be energetic and dedicated to helping students reach their full potential. You must have knowledge of Accounting/ Economics and have a good familiarity of the NCEA curriculum. A minimum of 3 hours work available each week.

Apply using the job number: 103757974 Apply online link: http://bit.ly/ AccountingandEconomicsTutors

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Auckland Local News

By Julia Braybrook Buddhism club latest on campus The Massey University Albany SGINZ Buddhism Club is the newest on Massey's Auckland’s campus.

President Ken Smythe, said that he decided to start the club along with secretary, Rashmika De Alwis, as they “wanted to have some time in our week at uni to talk about our lives and how to apply the philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism to make our lives better and happier". According to Smythe, happiness for those who practice Nichiren Buddism is “not based on our external circumstances but rather on how we feel on the inside".

“It’s about attaining an indestructible life state so that we can be joyful no matter what happens.”

While the club took six weeks to get affiliated with the Albany Students’ Association, the club is now “ready to hold regular meetings on campus", which will involve weekly discussions.

Smythe said that “if we can encourage and inspire just one individual, we will be happy."He added that “our meetings will be informal and relaxed, with the purpose of helping each other and creating mutual value.” The club was also currently collecting signatures for the Nuclear Nero Lawsuits, “the monumental battle the Marshall Islands is undertaking...to get all nuclear nations to urgently fulfil their legal and moral obligations to begin negotiations for complete nuclear disarmament.”

Smythe encouraged students to get involved as “students can broaden their horizons by learning about Nichiren Buddhism” and that their meetings were uplifting, “so if you’re feeling down, come along".He added that “just as a diamond can only be polished by another diamond, it is only through our genuine heart-to-heart engagement with others that we can polish our character and help each other bring out the best in ourselves.”

The club is also affiliated with Soka Gakkai International New Zealand (SGINZ), “a grassroots Buddhist association, which promotes peace through individual transformation and contribution to society.” SGINZ has an international network of over 12 million members in more than 192 countries around the world. To get involved, with Massey's newest club, join their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/ MasseyUABuddhismClub.

Inaugural Fustal Championships held at Massey The University of New Caledonia won the Inaugural University Futsal Championship.

The event, which was organised by the Massey Albany Football Federation (MAFF), saw Massey’s team come in sixth place. On MAFF’s Facebook page, the club thanked the Massey team, saying “each one of you showed great fortitude of character, attitude, and team spirit to play with such positive intent, in spite of the number of injuries the team suffered throughout the tournament.”

Team manager, Shaun McMiken, said that the event “was a huge success".

“It was well organised and gave participating universities the opportunity to play Futsal as it would be played in an international competition.” Having an invitational team from a New Caledonia university also “added to the success of the event".

As the team was unable to get a full squad of players, McMiken said that “there were moments there where ‘if only we had more players...’ as most of our games we were in positions where we could of won but came unstuck with injuries and fatigue, which took its toll on the team the longer the tournament went.” However, he added that “the guys got a lot of experience and enjoyment out of this event and are looking forward to the next one.”

He also said the championship acted as a “catalyst” in bringing together Futsal players from within the university. Team coach, Bakr Al-Saudi, “fostered a positive team culture which resulted in some great friendships being made".

According to McMiken, another event was being planned for next year, with the date and venue “to be announced at the earliest possible opportunity". The championship “may also include potential entry into the World University Futsal Championships in Brazil in 2016.”

For the rest of the semester, MAFF had several events for both social and competitive Futsal players. Events included the Social Futsal League, which would run until October 14, the AUT Futsal League, which runs until October 23, and the Massey Futsal League, which would start in October. To get involved, email Shaun at football@clubs.asa.ac.nz.

ASA celebrates start of spring The Albany Students’ Association (ASA) celebrated the start of spring by giving out bouquets to deserving students and staff.

The ASA’s ‘Spring has Sprung’ event saw a bouquet of flowers given away each day from September 6 to September 16.

According to a post on the Facebook page, “spring is a time of renewal and growth and what better time for us to give you a boost than as you come into the final leg of the academic year.”

Abbie Hines was the first recipient of the week’s bouquets, after a nomination on behalf of her lecturer, who said that Hines had “demonstrated great commitment, even courage, in her class advocate role". They added that “she always acts with sincerity and sensitivity".

Tayla Eager won the second bouquet, with her nominator saying that they felt “that she deserves something special to make her smile”. Pauline Kellark was also a recipient of a bouquet, after being nominated by Sarah Kelly. Kelly wrote that Kellark was “an incredibly hard worker, she is working full time, completing her masters degree and running a family". Kellark commented on a post on the Facebook page, saying that winning a bouquet “was such a pleasant and unexpected surprise.”

Those that didn’t win bouquets were still given daffodils, with accommodation manager, Kelly Manning, being given some after Clarisse Harman nominated her for a bouquet. Harman said that Manning had “put her heart and soul and many late nights into setting up the accommodation village this year. She does an incredible job and deserves a treat".

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Student Job Search (SJS) is the leading service for casual, part time & summer work for New Zealand Tertiary Students. SJS is FREE for all Massey University students to use thanks to your Students’ Associations.

Register with SJS and start looking for jobs today or apply to the jobs below by heading to our website www.sjs.co.nz – Julia Braybrook Chickens and students and parking, oh my!

Chickens have definitely been a theme on the Albany campus this year; from the controversial Golden Promise, to ASA's April Fool’s joke, as well as AMESS' redesign of the statue. It's clear that the latest addition on campus has caused quite the stir in the barnyard.

I'm looking forward to what I'll see next year!

Returning from last year, probably the biggest change on campus has been the new accommodation, and the students it's brought onto campus. Albany, which has traditionally been known as the drive-thru campus, has definitely seen a boost in students getting involved, which has made for some very interesting reporting. Thanks to all those students who have let me pop up armed with my phone recorder, while trying to enjoy the many on-campus events. For those who haven't, I'm usually that person hovering around.

And parking, the bane of all students at Albany, has also made quite the impression. From the removal of several carparks, to opening it up to FIFA patrons during the U20 World Cup, this is one area that is perhaps even more contentious than the chicken wing statue. From someone who underestimated how long it would take to find a park before lectures, I feel ya.

But controversy aside, this year has given me the chance to meet so many cool and interesting people, from David Cunliffe to Urzila Carlson to our very own clubs on campus. I hope you've enjoyed reading about them as much as I've enjoyed talking to them.

Also, big thanks to the ASA and Byron Brooks for fielding my questions at events and for answering my questions no matter how late! Thanks for this year, Albany. It's been a blast!

Now go rest, relax and enjoy the sun.... After exams!

Auckland Fixed-term Team Members – Henderson and Botany Downs Looking for summer work?

Mitre 10 MEGA are seeking 10 team members to join them on a fixed-term basis over the summer months.

They need help in a variety of departments which include checkouts, timber-yard, garden centre, hardware and paint. Hours will range from 20-45 per week, depending on your availability.

Apply using the job number: 103733560 Wait / Floor Staff Needed – New Lynn This employer is expanding their business and will soon have a new branch opening in New Lynn Mall!

They need 25+ students to come on board as Wait/ Floor Staff to greet guests, take orders, and run food.

Ideally you will have experience in a similar role, however if you have a willingness to learn and are a confident communicator then training will be provided. Hours will be approximately 10-12 per week.

Apply using the job number: 103746104

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Wellington Local News

By Kim Parkinson

Deals for Days MAWSA's latest club, Massey Wellington Deals, have taken business off-line by starting up regular student garage sales on campus. Founder, Lance Young, believes his club, which started as a Facebook group, has the advantage against other 'buy, sell, swap' pages like Vic Deals, because of its real-life presence.

Massey Wellington Deals provides the opportunity for students to sell their unwanted goods to their fellow students at an affordable price. Both online, and at the garage sales, Lance says you can find a wide range of items, "ranging from textbooks, household items, electronics, clothing, places to rent, and much more".

Their Facebook page states that “you can buy, sell, and trade goods as long as they are NOT drugs, illegal, or stolen.”

There have been two garage sales so far, both of which had a sausage sizzle to lure in the students. The second event was bigger and better than the last, and as the word gets around, Lance says he hopes this expansion will continue. Lance was pleased with the second event, saying "everyone sold a lot of their stuff and made some hard earned cash."

Lance first decided to start the Facebook page, to provide an alternative to popular Facebook page, Vic Deals, which was created to cater to students at Victoria University.

"Many Massey students don't live near Kelburn, and don't have a car, so it's a hassle - I think this club will make it easier for Massey students to buy and sell their goods."

Lance decided to start the on-campus garage sales to "raise awareness, and to build community".

If you want to sell any of your items, buy some quality goods, or want to attend the next garage sale, contact Lance on the Massey Wellington Deals Facebook page.

Two changes made at AGM An excessive amount of pizza attracted more than 30 students to the 2015 MAWSA AGM. This meant that the quorum was met and the proposed changes were able to be announced and approved.

Two constitutional changes were made at the AGM, which was held on September 11, in the Flax and Fern Room. The first change is regarding electoral regulations for the MAWSA Executive Elections. The original clause stated that "a candidate shall be a member of the Association". This meant that anyone who studied on Massey's Wellington campus could've run a campaign to become the MAWSA student president.

Changes to the constitution mean that, from 2016 onwards, nominations for the president candidate will only be taken from the existing members of the student executive. The revised constitution states that "...nominations for the president candidate will be open in the first week of Semester 2 for 1 week...

In the event that no candidate(s) is/are nominated the president's

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Register with SJS and start looking for jobs today or apply to the jobs below by heading to our website www.sjs.co.nz Wellington Graduate Media Sales Consultants Needed – Wellington CBD and Lower Hutt This leading NZ multimedia company are currently seeking Sales Staff to join their talented team. Your role will involve looking after both existing customers and seeking out new opportunities to increase customer numbers. To be considered for this role it is absolutely essential that you have outstanding communication skills, are well organised and are confident in dealing with people and building relationships.

This is a full-time graduate role beginning ASAP. Apply using the job number: 103745160 Trading Assistant – Fixed-term This employer needs second or third year university students to work fixed-term as Racing and Sports Trading Assistants. You will be responsible for managing all aspects of a live sporting event which includes accepting bets and adjusting the odds that are on offer to customers.

To be considered you must have a strong mathematical background and an excellent general knowledge of sport.

Most of the work will fall on weekends and you will need to be available to work between 10 to 20 hours per week.

Apply using the job number: 103733328Apply using the job number: 103746104

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role will be open for nominations at the same time and with the same eligibility criteria as the rest of the executive positions later in semester 2. In either case, the voting on the position will occur during voting week and be open to all members of the Association."

MAWSA manager, James Collings, says the rationale behind the proposed change is to "improve the level of experience and knowledge that would be held by an incoming president.

Historically incoming presidents have struggled to get up to speed in the role in a timely fashion."

The other change made at the meeting was regarding the dismissal of executive members. The constitution originally stated that "If any Executive member is absent from three consecutive validly called Executive meetings, without first being granted leave by the Executive, the Executive member shall be deemed to have resigned."

The word "consecutive" has now been removed, meaning that if any member of the Executive fails to attend three meetings, without being granted leave, they will be removed from their position.

2015 MAWSA education vice-president Maia Visnovsky says this change was made to encourage Executive participation, so that they are all kept up to date with what is happening on campus.

“Prior to this change, there was a loophole in the system, meaning members of the Executive could essentially turn up to no meetings all year, provided that they sent apologies, and still retain their position. This change is in place to set stricter guidelines around their attendance at meetings.” Both changes will be effective from 2016 onwards.

MAWSCA’s Night a Winner The MAWSA clubs team and the Film Club joined forces to hold an entertaining film awards night, cleverly named the “MAWSCA’s”, on September 18. More than 50 people walked

Flash your student ID on your arrival to score a great deal.

down the red carpet, enjoyed a live band, drinks and nibbles as they made their way into the theatre. The event premiered the films that had been created by six MAWSA-affiliated clubs in order to promote their clubs to the student body. The Expressive Arts Club took out the top prize of $200 for the ‘Best Film’ MAWSCA. President, Olie Body, says she is “thrilled with the win”.

“A lot of time went into our wee film, and the other clubs had some legit entries. Our winnings will go toward an event we are planning for early next year – exciting!”

The night also showcased films that had been entered into the Lush film competition, which was open to all students. These films had to include a Lush product, a character called Brother Gilbert, and the line “why did you put it in that hole?” Josh Dey took out the top prize of $100 for the section, titled the ‘Crack Up Award’.

After weeks of organisation, MAWSA clubs coordinator, Sarah Wang, says she was very pleased with how the night turned out.

“The MAWSCA Awards night was an adventure; from jazz music, to naked shower scenes, to horror movies. Everyone who participated did really well and I hope more clubs will create films that they will be able to show at the next Clubs’ Day.” The idea of the club film competition came about when Sarah realised how many great clubs there were on campus, but recognised that there was very little promotion of them.

The point of these films, she says is “to show what clubs we have on campus, and to shout out to the rest of the student population.” The clubs’ films will be displayed on TV screens around campus, to give each club more exposure, and encourage new members to join. Sarah hopes to make the MAWSCA’s an annual event, and the popularity of this first event shows plenty of promise for the years to come.

Check out all of the MAWSA-affiliated clubs at mawsa.org.nz, or start your own club by popping in to the MAWSA office.

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In Short 80 Grand Awarded to Students The Massey University Foundation has recently awarded $82,000 worth of scholarships to Massey students. The opportunity to apply for a scholarship was open to all students, and was advertised online and on posters around campus. Students had the chance to apply for the ‘New New Zealand Bursary’, or the ‘Student Advancement Fund’.

The criteria for the bursary, which could have a value of up to $5000, was that the applicant must show evidence of furthering their education and/or evidence of hardship. Sixteen Massey students from around New Zealand were awarded a bursary, for a wide variety of reasons. Sarah Miller was awarded a scholarship to support her to continue her unfunded post-graduate study in 2016. This financial assistance means that next year she will be able to reduce her paid working hours during her social work placement, which should reduce her stress-levels.

“This [scholarship] will allow me more headspace to manage my health and to really take in the learning from both my placement and academic papers”, she says. “It will also help with the costs of travel and accommodation of contact courses, and the fact that I am not able to work in a paid capacity during these contact course weeks.”

The Student Advancement Fund which could have a value of up to $20,000 exists to support projects that will benefit the wellbeing, and/or advance the education of students at Massey.

This year, three applications were successful, including Catherine Meachen’s. She will provide workshops that will be run by seniorundergraduate students, where they will share their experiences, tips, tricks and ideas with 100 and 200-level students to aid them in their transition into university life and study. Meachen says that these workshops will involve third and fourth year students initiating, coordinating and delivering collaborative experiences for their peers. Meachen organised a few similar workshops earlier this year, which have proved valuable for many students.

“We’ve had really good feedback from the workshops that we’ve run so far, so to have the support from the foundation is really encouraging .This funding will allow us to expand, meaning we can deliver more workshops, and get more people involved – not only attending the workshops, but also as mentors and tutors, meaning lots of students will benefit from this.”

Another group won from Massey Wellington won a scholarship to help fund their exhibition, which has the aim of educating and empowering women. The third successful application came from MUSA president, Linsey Higgins, who applied for funding to buy bicycle repair stands for the Manawatu campus, as “MUSA wishes to increase students’ accessibility to cycling in a city, which is flat and well-designed for cycling”.

In 2010, the Foundation set up an account dedicated to supporting Massey students by providing them with monetary assistance. The fund was established by the students of Massey University from funds provided by a levy, charged to all students by the University that were gifted to the Massey University Foundation for investment and distribution. Over the past five years, the money in the account has increased, and this year has been the first that the money has been paid out.

Massey University Foundation development executive, Michelle Berriman, says that the way the account is set up will allow the money to constantly grow.

The committee who decided on the scholarship winners was made up of key members of Massey’s Student Executive, and Massey University Foundation director Mitch Murdoc h.

“It’s by students, for students, that’s what’s so great about it”, Berriman says.

Applications for next year’s scholarships will be open in June/ July in 2016, so keep an eye out, and give it a shot.

By Kim Parkinson Opinion: Change the Flag I love New Zealand, but I just don’t understand why New Zealanders aren’t embracing the idea of change. I love New Zealand because it’s a country that does things first: we were the first country in the world to give women the vote, the oldest country in the world to continually vote, the first country to educate everybody, yet we want a flag that says we are a little colony of another country? It doesn’t make sense! NZ needs a new flag to represent who we are as a nation today. We need a flag that says that we are not part of Australia.

It seems that the majority of the public (going by the polls anyway) have just shrugged their shoulders and stated resoundingly

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that our flag is a non-issue. For them, it’s the TPPA, environmental issues, unemployment, feeding the kids etc. Yes, all of these issues are really important, but as a country New Zealanders should be intelligent enough to have discussions about constitutional issues as well.

Everyone who is really cynical says that this flag change is a right-wing conspiracy from the current government to distract us from the above “real issues”. In my opinion, it’s only a conspiracy theory from the right to make us apathetic to change. I seriously don’t think that the government wants us to have a discussion about any issues, let alone lofty constitutional issues like this.

I get sick of New Zealanders being confused with Australians.

Perhaps the reason the rest of the world is so confused is that our flags are so interchangeable. It looks like we are nothing but a state of Australia. We need a flag that represents who New Zealand is now; a flag that says we are proud of being independent of mother England.

Many people have said that the whole referendum process is a waste of money. Yes, it’s costing about 30million dollars, and I know that seems like a lot of money, but really it’s only a tiny percentage of the 30 billion dollars that New Zealand earns in a year. I feel this expression is appropriate:

“Those that see the cost in everything see the value in nothing!”

C’mon New Zealand, use your voice!

By Liam Hockings

Win stuff!

This month we are giving away a double pass to the Auckland Zoo, and 10 double passes to the Wellington Zoo. But for those of you who are anti-zoo yet procaffeine, we also have three bags of People’s coffee to give away.

Download the MASSIVE Magazine app to get in the draw to win. You can download the app by searching ‘Massive Magazine’on Google Playstore, or the App Store.

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Events Feed

Officer Katherine Margaret organised a number of activities which will help you calm down and face exams in a Zen-like state…

Contact clubs@musa.org.nz for details.

AUCKLAND CAMPUS

WELLINGTON CAMPUS Food Trucks Date and time: October 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 from 5:30pm- 8:30pm. Location: Outside, between Tussock and Block 12. Enjoy delicious and nutritious meals without leaving campus! For more info please contact Holly Dodson eventscoordinator@mawsa.org.nz Kokiri Ngatahi Kai and Korero Wednesdays, 12:00-13:00, Whanau Room Weekly Prayer Meeting Thursdays 8:30-9am, Chaplaincy Room – Level 2 SST building.

Massey Wellington Life Drawing Club Every Thursday of the semester, 18:00-20:00 Check out www.facebook.com/groups/ MasseyWellingtonLifeDrawing for the location.

Anime and Manga Club Meet Thursdays 17:00 in 5C12.

Watch anime, discuss and play games.

K-pop Club Meet Mondays 17:00 in 5C12 Massey Association of Pasifika Students (MAPS) Meet Tuesdays, 12-1pm in the PI Room.

ISOC Wednesdays 5pm – 8pm, 5C12. Come and hang out and meet the international students here at Massey, you don’t have to be an international student to join in with the fun.

Free food Wednesdays, all day, MAWSA office. Kaibosh is a food redistribution charity. All the food that we get is still usable and aimed at students in hardship. Come get it!

MACS Industry Networking Event @ Southern Cross 7th October, 7pm. Email macswellington@mawsa.org.nz for further details and to sign up!

MANAWATU CAMPUS Fundraiser BBQ 7 Oct, from 11:30 onwards on the Concourse.

Support Accommodation Services in fundraising for the ‘14 Hours Homeless’ challenge.

FUSSTA Quiznight 9 Oct, 7pmish in the MUSA Lounge.

It’s FUSSTA, what more do you need to know?

Contact: fussta@gmail.com Be Healthy Day 14 Oct, 11 – 2pm at the MUSA Lounge and Concourse. In the run-up to exams, how important is it to have a day where you can get info and enjoy activities that help you cope with stress and keep you well? Check it out and get your free health-fix on MUSA, Massey Nursing, Massey Counselling, Massey Rec Centre et al. Contact: advocacy@musa.org.nz Mid-Week Market 14 Oct, 11-2pm at the Concourse.

This is your monthly opportunity to pick up fresh fruit and veggies, artisan cheese, home-made cheesecake, fresh bread and then some. Interested in selling? Contact: musustainabilityclub@ gmail.com PHD Movie 1 16 Oct, 6 pm in the MUSA Lounge. At the end of a long week of post-grad-ing, enjoy some R&R while watching the first PHD movie with some exquisite catering provided. Tickets are $10 and are available from MUSA, at the door or by emailing clubs@musa.org.nz Stress Less Study Week Activities 19 - 23 October in the MUSA Lounge, Concourse. During this week, the MUSA Welfare

Post-grad Pizza Night Tuesday, October 6, at 5pm in the Atrium Round Room.

Diwali Cultural Festival Wednesday, October 7.

Class Advocates’ Ceremony: Friday, October 16, 7pm in the Student Lounge. If you have been a volunteer Class Advocate in 2015 this is our chance to say thank you. Come to Student Central for a bit of a party - dinner provided. You will also receive your certificate of recognition.

Massey University Albany SGINZ Buddhism Club Wednesdays, 3-4pm in the Library Theatre Room.

ComeUnity @ Massey Fridays 7-11pm. Contact comeunity@ clubs.asa.ac.nz for more info.

BSG Meeting Wednesdays, 12:00pm - 01:00pm, contact bsg@ massey.ac.nz Walking Group Thursdays, 12-30pm-1pm. at the Recreation Centre reception at 12:30pm Massey Magic the Gathering Club Thursdays, ASA Lounge, 17:00 Badminton Club Tuesdays, 17:30 – 19:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall Ultimate Frisbee Club Tuesdays, 17:00 – 19:00 Recreation Centre Sports Hall Toastmasters Breakfast Meeting Wednesdays, 07:15 – 08:30 Student Lounge Saudi Club Thursdays 19:30 – 21:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall Massey Albany Football Federation (MAFF) Saturdays 14:30 – 16:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall Massey University Chinese Basketball Association (MUCBA) Sundays 10:00 – 12:00 Recreation Centre Sports Hall Netball Club Wednesdays, 17:00-18:00, Recreation Centre Sports Hall TSCF Meeting Wednesdays, 12:00-13:00, AT5. Christians who hang out together on campus. Anyone who would like to find out about Jesus is welcome. Chat, pray, study the bible together, and do social things as well.

Chess Club Tuesdays, 16:00-17:00, Village Campus (opposite Engineering reception) A group of students who get together to play social chess. Beginners or experts are welcome. Contact Jordan.k.lewis@live.com for more information.

Rugby Club training Thursdays, 17:00, QBE Stadium, Domain 2. For more information check out www.facebook.com/groups/ MasseyUniRugby/ .

Tennis Club Wednesdays, 12:00-14:00, Tennis Northern, Oteha Valley Road Extension. Come play social tennis with the Tennis Club. $2 pay to play. Coaching available. Rain or shine, as there are indoor courts available. Contact Mua.tennis@gmail.com for more information.

Volleyball Club Sundays, 12:30 – 14:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall

Keep an eye on the Massey University app to keep up with other events as they pop up.

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Are modern students over politics?

Carwyn Walsh discusses how student politics have changed over the years, analysing whether today’s students are becoming increasingly apathetic or simply using different methods to protest.

In Ivan Turgenev’s 1862 novel Fathers and Sons, two idealistic students return to their provincial homes and, for much of the novel, spend their time clashing against the values and politics of their father’s generation.

Following a particularly heated exchange, an exasperated older character laments: “There you see the modern youth! Those are our heirs!”

Turgenev’s novel is a literary expression of the timeless battle shared between generations and their competing values and politics. Like in the novel, it has often been students who have best been able to express the values and political aspirations of the younger generation.

Intelligent and often idealistic, students, from the time of Plato, have been at the forefront of political activism and challenging the political establishment.

How are today’s students living up to this time-honoured tradition? Are we, the ‘modern youth’ and ‘heirs’, pissing off and challenging the older generation and taking an active role in political debate?

Are we even engaging in politics at all?

Or are we - as is often depicted - an apathetic generation of selfie and self-obsessed, liquor-loving layabouts?

Dr Rachael Bell, a History lecturer at Massey University, teaches a paper on the role of protest in New Zealand's history.

Dr Bell believes that today’s student activists could be seen as being less politically active and less able to get under the skin of older generations because of the modern mediums they use to express their political values.

“I do think it is fair to say that students held a bigger role in political protest perhaps in the late '60s, '70s and '80s, but possibly only because ‘protest’ at that stage was a very visible public affair.”

Before our age of the internet and social media, students protested through forms familiar with older generations and could, therefore, challenge them in a direct way that they could appreciate.

Dr Bell also believes that New Zealand students of the ‘60s.

‘70s and ‘80s generation had, perhaps, more local issues to focus upon that had wider global repercussions, such as the protest movements against nuclear ship visits and Springbok tours.

“The ‘traditional’ protest of that era was essentially local in its aims, even though its focus might have been international – i.e. banning US nuclear vessels visiting New Zealand, although the broader issue was a Nuclear Free Pacific and nuclear weapons in general.”

A traditional means that students in New Zealand had to protest was through their student unions.

Student unions, or associations, have long been the vehicle through which students could voice their protest, particularly when engaged in a stand-off with their own universities.

However, the 2011 passing of the Education Amendment (Freedom of Association) Bill severely dented the muscle of student associations across New Zealand. This legislation – known more commonly as the VSM Bill – meant that students had to opt to join their student associations, whereas previously, they joined automatically upon enrolling at a tertiary institute.

This left student associations severely constrained in a number of ways.

In 2012, for instance, the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) was forced to slash their operating budget in half due to the anticipated loss of union dues paid by students.

This loss of income has been felt by student associations, in varying degrees, across New Zealand campuses and has led to another unwanted side-effect: the reliance on universities to provide funds to prop-up student associations.

Rory McCourt, the president of the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, believes that this unholy alliance has undermined the ability of student associations to speak out against their universities with an independent voice.

“Students’ associations have to walk a very fine line in representing

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the interests of students and accepting the reality of who funds them, their universities. While some have held the line well and come out against their institution on many occasions, others have chosen to put contracts above independence.”

Linsey Higgins is the president of MUSA, the students' association representing Massey's Manawatū students. MUSA, unlike many other students' associations, is lucky to have independent sources of income, meaning that they are not entirely reliant on the university to fund them.

Despite this, VSM has meant that MUSA has had to change tact in how it deals with university authorities.

"We have had to approach situations differently, post-VSM", says Higgins.

There is, says Higgins, a far more collaborative approach between MUSA and the university.

If VSM was meant as a frontal assault on student protest, it certainly appears to have at least put students, and their associations, on the back foot in terms of being able to challenge their own universities.

Current student engagement with their associations seems also to have gone by the wayside.The 2015 MUSA Election recently occurred, and drew only four candidates to fill the five available slots. Considering MUSA represents the strongest platform for Manawatū students to voice their concerns, this statistic seems to paint a pretty bleak picture about current engagement.

MAWSA president Tom ‘T-Pizzle’ Pringle has, at times, experienced a similarly low level of student engagement during his tenure on the Wellington campus.

“Engaging students in politics at MAWSA can be somewhat difficult at times. A current trend is that you can’t get students to attend and engage in forums or meeting without free food.

Students don’t care or can’t be bothered, but it’s hard to be a student in 2015.”

This phenomenon observed by Pringle could go some way towards explaining how modern students are interacting with modern politics.

New Zealand students work, on average, 14 hours per week on top of their studies. With a full study programme, socialising, and part-time work consuming their time, students could be excused from engaging heavily in politics.

On a personal note, studying in Wellington I found that many of the students who had the time to immerse themselves in politics never seemed to have to work while studying. These sorts - typically armed with their Daddy's wallet and half a semester of Gender Studies - seemed to spend the majority of their day in a self-righteous and desperate search for any and every possible micro-aggression. Any fresh outrage was then posted onto their Facebook page, followed by a pseudo-intellectual rant explaining why, probably for the first time in their lives, they felt 'oppressed' or 'unsafe'.

With hectic schedules, most students and young people could instead be choosing to hand-pick the issues that they see as being more relevant to their everyday needs.

Rory McCourt has seen this across the many campuses he has visited this year.

"When I visit campuses up and down the country students come up to me with hundreds of issues. You can’t tell me they don’t care when they want action on their ever-increasing rents, their shitty flat or their burgeoning debt. Students do care, but they care about the issues -not the politics."

There is more dramatic evidence of this in the recent election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader of the United Kingdom. In one survey going into the 2015 UK Election, only 12 per cent of voters under the age of 25 said they intended to vote. However, the campaign to elect Corbyn – a man who is anathema to the British establishment – saw young people - particularly students - turn out in huge numbers to make sure their man was elected.

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“Engaging students in politics at MAWSA can be somewhat difficult at times.

A current trend is that you can’t get students to attend and engage in forums or meeting without free food.”

Rory McCourt believes that young people cannot be accused of apathy simply because many refuse to engage in mainstream politics.

“In my view we shouldn’t blame young people for low voter turnout. The reality is that they know the game: they know that there’s very little difference between the blue candidate and the red candidate and even the green candidate. People vote when there’s something worth voting for.”

One student who believes strongly in engaging in mainstream politics is Lachlan McCullough, the chair of Manawatū Young Nats.

McCullough, a 20-year-old Security and Political Studies student, sees it as a citizen’s duty to vote and be a part of politics.

“Democracy was a hard fought win”, says McCullough.

McCullough believes political apathy is a growing reality in our generation, and describes himself as the only “political nut” in his peer group.

One way that the Young Nats attract young people is by making their functions as laid-back and fun as possible.

“Social occasions are a big part of being a Young Nat”, says McCullough.

McCullough engages with politics in a number of ways.

During the 2014 General Election, he worked as part of Jono Naylor’s campaign team in the Palmerston North electorate.

McCullough estimates that 50 per cent of his political engagement is through social media. McCullough is not alone.

Over 28,000 people are engaged with the Facebook pages of the youth wings of both National and Labour.

During the 2014 General Election, New Zealand’s major political parties spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on social media advertising. It’s a good punt that this money was not spent to reach out to your Gran who takes 15 minutes to log onto her Facebook account.

Whether or not students and young people, as a whole, are engaging in mainstream politics, mainstream politicians seem to be at pains to reach out and secure what there is of the youth vote.

Abi Symes is one person who did not wait to be reached out to by the political establishment.

Symes, a daily host on the Manawatū student radio station Radio Control (99.4FM), was perturbed by the lack of change that occurred at the 2014 General Election, so she decided to enter politics herself.

“Someone’s got to make change. I thought I may as well give it a hoon.”

In 2015, Symes entered the Palmerston North mayoralty race.

Although ultimately unsuccessful in her bid, Symes learnt many things about interacting with young voters.

“Once you make them aware of the issues, you can light a fire under them.”

Of the 15 members currently serving on the Palmerston North City Council, only one, Aleisha Rutherford, is under the age of 30.

This fact is something that really pisses Symes off.

“In a city that is promoted as a student city, I think it is horrific that we are run by a bunch of oldies.”

A big problem in securing the student vote in Palmerston North’s local body elections is the fact that many students are not from the area and are not enrolled to vote locally.

In a hypothetical world, if the combined student population of Palmerston North’s two largest tertiary institutions (Massey and UCOL) chose to enrol in local body elections, they would number approximately 16,000 voters.

At the 2013 Palmerston North City Council Elections, the 15 elected councillors received an average of around 1430 votes.

If students had chosen to enrol and selected fellow students as candidates, they would have been able to elect just over 11 of the councillors.

It gets even juicer. This year when Grant Smith was elected mayor, he received 11480 votes. You don’t have to be Isaac Newton to see that, again, students in Palmerston North, if they had combined, could have seized the mayoralty chains for themselves.

These numbers are an astonishing indication of the electoral power that students possess in Palmerston North.

"Young people in Palmerston North", says Symes, "should vote and realise their power".

As you can see, it is nigh on impossible to objectively say whether or not modern students are indeed over politics.

However, one thing in New Zealand looks pretty clear: we, the ‘modern youth’ of today, do not seem to be worried over too much by our older generation in the political establishment.

Democracy was, as pointed out by Lachlan McCullough, a hard fought win for all of us.

Students have a choice as to whether or not they wish to exercise this right in its multiple forms.

Not bothering gets us in no doors or under anybody’s skin.

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Giving it the Old College Try In the last ten years, the number of mature students opting to go to university has increased exponentially. Taryn Dryfhout looks into this recent academic phenomenon.

University of Otago defines mature students as those who have not come directly from school, as does Victoria University who even offers a ‘Mature Student Orientation’ for those over the ripe old age of 20. While most universities define mature as ‘over 20’, it’s not these ‘older’ people that are making up the sudden increase in older students that universities around New Zealand are currently experiencing.

With all due respect to these 20-year-old geriatrics, the increase being discussed here is not addressing them. The Ministry of Education regards ‘older students’ to be those over the age of 40, so for the purposes of navigating this world of mature students and how they are using New Zealand’s tertiary system, the age of 40 seems a fitting place to start.

The Age of Reason When I started my undergraduate degree at the age of 23, the first classmates that befriended me were both in their fifties. Our friendship was struck quickly because of one thing that we had in common – we were not there to muck around. A high-school dropout at 16, and having undergone some life-altering events before I went to university, I took studying very seriously, and still do. Drinking, couch-burning and sexually transmitted diseases were not my style and so I found myself in a strange sort of limbo.

That’s where the mature students came in.

Mature students possess a very diligent attitude toward studying that freshers often lack. They don’t wear their pyjamas to lectures, they put their hand up and ask questions, they tend to look distinctly more composed than the first years, and they don’t have a Tinder profile.

While the straight-out-of-high-school first years often go to university out of expectation, boredom, or lack of any other direction in life, mature students know what they want, and they work hard to ensure that they get it. They pay attention in lectures, they attend tutorials having done the pre-reading, they

take advantage of university services that are available and they help other students out when they can. We could all take a page out of their book. While younger students often sail through on autopilot with a ‘C’s get degrees’ attitude, mature students work the system as best they can, and work themselves to the bone. For those older students, university is not a place to fuck around. It is serious business.

We really should take a moment to acknowledge how brave it is to go back to university later in life. Mature students don’t normally have the option of living at home or having their student allowance topped up by their parents. They have bills to pay, children to look after, partners to work into their lives and often student loans which they will not have 45 years to pay off. Alongside these reality checks they have the usual fears common to anyone enrolling at university; being older doesn’t mean that people don’t worry about making friends, about grades, about managing workload or about the future. In fact, going to universities which are filled with people much younger, frankly, takes balls.

The Numbers The growth of the older student demographic in New Zealand has been gaining attention since the 1980s, but recently it has experienced another ‘boom’.

This increase is partly due to the fact that New Zealand is now occupied by more older people than ever. With the baby boomers now in their 40s and 50s, half of New Zealand’s population is now over 40, and with the increase in life expectancy, people in these age groups are now more active than they were 20 years ago.

New Zealand’s tertiary system is also quite open for people in this age group, and the introduction of flexible and distance learning options has opened the way for older people to study more easily.

Victoria University has recognised the dramatic rise in the number of older students attending university, undertaking a study

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Going to universities, which are filled with people much younger, frankly, takes balls.

which showed that almost 32 percent of New Zealand university students were older than 29.The Ministry of Education shows the number of New Zealand students over the age of 40 to be more than 30 percent – a number that has doubled in the last ten years, and tripled in the last twenty.

Within these high numbers, there are also some very specific trends which have emerged. Firstly, older students are more commonly found studying at a sub-degree level, completing certificates and diplomas, and make up three-quarters of the students studying at this level in New Zealand. In degree-level study, older students have increased by over 80 percent in the last 10 years and the number of older students in post-graduate study has increased 150 percent.

The introduction of relatively open systems, such as wānanga, has been a significant factor in attracting older students, both Māori and non-Māori, to tertiary level study. Almost 50 percent of those studying at a wānanga are aged over 40.

With the traditional roles of women continually evolving, it is also no surprise that among these numbers, there has been a significant increase in the number of older female students taking up university study. According to the Ministry of Education, this increase in the number of women either commencing, or returning to study later in life is often undertaken after having children, and before entering, or returning, to the workforce.

Support Alongside the increase in the number of older students attending university, most institutions have also increased the support available to this growing demographic.

Most universities now offer academic support to older or returning students, including foundation study pathways, mature orientations, as well as clubs for older students. Some universities are even offering access to family housing for students with partners and children, as well as day-care options for those studying with

small children at home. Some universities have even started offering evening and weekend classes or block courses to allow older students who are working to attend more easily.

It has also become increasingly popular for universities to offer flexible learning options to allow people in all different circumstances to engage in study. This often involves online learning, provided materials, distance library lending services, and self-directed study. My choice to study at Massey when I lived ten minutes from a university campus was a direct result of the distance options offered at Massey: I have small children, and being able to study at home sealed the deal. For older students who work or who care for children during the day, these flexible learning options allow study to take place around work and family commitments.

Almost half of the students currently enrolled at Massey are distance learners, so it seems like the proof is in the pudding.

Barriers Despite the increase in interest regarding universities, among the over 40s, there has also recently been an increase in barriers to their study, particularly in the form of financial ones. While it’s not easy to re-enter the hallowed halls of university when you are older, the financial strain of being a student can be completely overwhelming.

This brings us to the biggest barrier facing older New Zealanders in university level study: funding.

In recent years, the government cuts to entitlements for older students have been ruthless. While it is commonly known that students do not go home to champagne and caviar dinners, the government seems to be taking the biggest swings at those over the age of 40, giving older students a major disadvantage when it comes to pursuing their education.

In 2004, less than 16 percent of mature students borrowed under the student loan scheme, and only one percent were aged over 60. Furthermore, while it is known that students training to be doctors and serial academics rack up student debt of $100,000

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and upwards, the stats on the older demographic are on the contrary. Ministry of Education statistics show that the average amount drawn down in student loan debt for borrowers aged between 25 and 55 is a mere $5,000.

Despite these relatively low numbers, the government has made cut after cut to older student entitlements including reducing the limit for student allowance entitlement to students over the age of 40, withdrawing student allowance entitlement completely for those over the age of 65 as well as cutting entitlement to student loan living costs and course-related costs for students over the age of 55. A subject of much controversy has also been the decision to remove entitlement to the student allowance for students undertaking post-graduate study, and the removal of entitlements such as course-related costs for those studying part-time towards their qualification.

Another factor which has affected students over the age of 20 was the introduction of parental income testing which was rolled out in 2009. Having been married and living away from home for five years when this change was introduced, it was shocking to be told that I wouldn’t be able to access a student allowance because of my parent’s income, particularly since I was a parent myself, and lived hours away from my parents. Particularly surprising was Studylink’s insistence that my father’s income be taken into account. This might seem normal, until I reveal that he left us when my mother was pregnant, more than two decades earlier.

All of these factors add up to one important point: studying for older people, just got a lot harder.

There’s No Fool, Like an Old Fool Despite all the setbacks and juggling that older students take in their stride, there are some fantastic reasons to be a mature student, and it’s not hard to see why so many people have decide to take the leap in recent years.

Firstly, mature students know why they are at university. In a mini society full of people who ‘totes’ want to live a YOLO life and watch YouTube ‘celebrities’, the mature students are the ones seen at every lecture with cramp in their hand from old-fashioned notetaking and their hand raised asking those questions others were too embarrassed to. Mature students know why they are at university and are clear about their reasons for committing to the courses.

Secondly, older students bring a lot more to their university experience – they have life experience, work skills and have had to learn time management. They often have to juggle more responsibilities than young students and are more realistic about what they can achieve each semester.

Age is Just a Number, Baby!

With so much talk about financial cutbacks and schedule juggling, it might be easy to question why older students even bother going to the trouble of studying. However, we should keep in mind that life-long learning benefits society as a whole, filling New Zealand with well-rounded, educated people who will contribute to society in many more ways than simply financial. With the increase in Western lifespan, we must face the reality that people may not want to stop learning just because they are above the age that university attendance is normally expected. The formerly excepted model of ‘school-work-retirement’ is becoming redundant, as people are beginning to recognise the important of up-skilling throughout life and forging careers for themselves, long after high school.

My hat goes off to my mother in law - she got her first degree in 2013 at the age of 61 when I was still finishing my first degree, and I think that’s just fabulous. Whatever the age, and whatever the reason, we should support these older students who throw all their cards up in the air to pursue their dreams, and most of all, we must remember: educated citizens make good citizens!

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Is Master’s the New Bachelor’s?

Back in the day, those with a degree stood out from the rest.

Taryn Dryfhout discusses how bachelor’s degrees are now losing their value due to the increasing amount of graduates.

What does the art graduate say at work?

“Would you like fries with that?”

This old joke which was formerly directed at Bachelor of Arts students, is beginning to have relevance to every undergraduate, as bachelor’s degree are becoming increasingly worthless in a world full of graduates.

I have graduated twice now. The first time was with a diploma, which was always intended as a stepping stone on the way to a degree, but the second time did not feel any different. Having completed an arts degree I was used to answering the question: “So….what are you going to DO with that?” After a few semesters I got faster at delivering my expected reply: “I’m going on to do my masters”. Though my graduation day was a great occasion, it wasn’t the culmination of three years of hard work, but rather was a midway celebration point – a place to pause and reflect on the years of study behind me, and the ones to come.

So why did I apply to a master’s programme? Two reasons: Firstly, it was what I wanted. I believe that post-graduate was always on the cards for me, and now that I am completing my master’s it is my hope that this will not be the end, but that it will ultimately lead me to doctoral study.

Secondly, as my degree went on, it became increasingly clear that there was nothing I could do with my undergraduate degree.

There’s a reason why the Mcdonald’s joke continues to circulate, but lately it has come back with a fresh resonance as it has become gradually more apparent that a bachelor’s degree is just not good enough anymore. Online, this phenomenon is being called ‘credential inflation,’ and it refers to what I can only describe as the ‘watering down’ of the bachelor’s degree.

In Dunedin, where I grew up, graduates walk down the main street in all their academic glory, before they descend on the Town Hall to receive their degrees. Thirty years ago, this street procession was like watching a parade of overachievers walking on holy ground. Having a degree put you on an intellectual and

professional pedestal, and made you an attractive candidate for any job. Now, bachelor’s degrees are losing their value, and those who want to stand out in the job market need a minimum of a master’s degree under their belt.

The Rise of the Master’s Degree Master’s degrees are now the fastest growing degrees on the planet, with the numbers of candidates around the world graduating with a Master’s degree, doubling in the last 20 years. The result of this is that the job market is now flooded with over-qualified candidates, and employer’s no longer need to consider those who spent a mere three years at university, when they have a stack of applications from people who invested at least five. Employers want more education than they did 20 years ago…and they’re getting it.

While the master’s degree used to be a thing of awe it has now become the very least that is expected in order for you to be competitive in the job marketplace, as employers who once required only a bachelor’s degree are now preferring those with master’s degrees. Some companies are even using ‘post-graduate filters’, instantly trashing all applications that do not possess a minimum of a master’s degree. Why? Because they can.

One of the reasons that this credential inflation has happened is due to globalisation. My old alma mater recently advertised for a new CEO. When the applications came in, they were from all over the world. The global job market is now flooded with qualified and experienced people and every one of us is in competition with the whole world when we apply for a position. The only group that wins from this degree inflation is the big guys. Companies can now set their standards as high as they want…because they know they will get it.

Halfway through my degree, I realised that my arts degree was not going to land me a high paying job, and three quarters of the way through, it became apparent that it wasn’t going to land me a job…at all.

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Some companies are even using ‘postgraduate filters’, instantly trashing all applications that do not possess a minimum of a master’s degree. Why? Because they can.

I decided the best thing to do would be to go and get a teaching qualification to make use of my seemingly worthless degree, but to my surprise, I was warned by my university’s academic advisor that this wouldn’t help – I would still need my master’s in order to have a competitive edge in the New Zealand teaching world.

Not only do teachers start higher on the pay scale, but they are far more likely to land a job. My son’s first teacher’s aide was a qualified teacher with a degree and a graduate diploma in teaching.

After searching for work for almost a year after her graduation, her choices were to take the aide position, or remain unemployed.

Similarly, when I was doing my undergrad, a friend of mine had already graduated with a B.A., a DipGrad in Primary Teaching, a DipGrad in Secondary Teaching and was currently working towards her master’s…all in order to ensure she would be able to secure a job. These examples just stand to show that the universities and even the students are beginning to acknowledge this shift to higher degrees.

According to the Ministry of Education, credential inflation is not just a myth. Students completing a qualification higher than a bachelor’s degree has tripled in the last twenty years, a fact which is contributing to graduate student debt and the national student loan crisis. If anyone is to blame for this shift, it is possibly the students. By choosing to undertake these higher qualifications in the hope of securing work, we are actually reinforcing this movement of credential inflation.

Why Bother With a Bachelor?

While a bachelor’s degree may not put you at the top of the job pile, it is still worth doing. Whether or not you go onto complete your master’s degree is between you, your God, and your student loan balance. However, if you don’t want to pursue higher education after you’ve done your three years hard time, don’t despair! A bachelor’s degree is still a fantastic thing to do for several reasons:

Any Degree is Better than no Degree!

Although getting your bachelor’s degree probably isn’t going to help you hit the employment jackpot, it can’t hurt, and it opens postgrad doors that may be needed later on. Before you have earned your first degree, you are quite limited academically – you can only take papers which work towards your undergraduate degree. Once you have a bachelor’s, you have the option of adding on a graduate degree, completing another undergrad degree in just two years, or progressing into the exclusive post-graduate world.

You’ll Get Paid More While it can be difficult to land a job without a master’s degree or higher, studies have proven that globally, those who hold a bachelor’s degree tend to earn higher than those who don’t (even if they are just working the drive-through).

More than a Piece of Paper Job or no job, there is something magical about holding that goldsealed diploma in your hand. A degree is not just about money – it teaches valuable skills including how to think, how to write, how to manage on three hours of sleep and how to drink so much coffee that your body starts rejecting it. If you value education for what it truly is, you will realise that a bachelor’s degree is absolutely priceless.

It’s an Experience Aside from getting you one step closer to wearing a funny hat with a tassel, a lot of young people claim university is where they ‘found themselves’ and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you want to have the quintessential couch-burning experience that you can only get as a fresher, then go and do your degree.

Bottom line? Get your degree, but make sure you do it for more than just money and a job. While being able to pay our bills, buy food and drive a decent car is usually at the top of everyone’s list, going to university has to be about more than getting a job.

The only thing to ponder now is…will PhD become the new master’s?

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Artist Feature

Subtracted Gender

By James O’Neill Subtracted Gender is one of my earlier series for my honours project, which explores the rise of gender-neutral clothing within the fashion industry. Gender-neutral clothing has just only started appearing in the New Zealand scene, and my aim is to use photography to promote that. For this series, I wanted my work to be as dramatic as possible, with lots of layering and texture in order to grasp the attention of the viewer, showing the various things you can actually do with clothes. I’ve been super lucky to have my favourite fashion team working on this project with me, so they know exactly what I’ve been wanting to create. My project is taking the form of an exhibition from October 20-26 at Willis York. This project has greatly increased my interest in fashion, and is giving me the drive to be a commercial photographer after I graduate.

Feel free to check out more of my work at: www.facebook.com/jamesophotog www.instagram.com/jamesophotog

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Is University Hurting Our Mental Health?

Julia Braybrook discusses the concerning amount of university students who are facing mental health issues, and looks at how New Zealand’s tertiary institutions are responding.

When undergraduate student, Lydia, blogged about her mental ‘meltdown’ in 2012, she said that it wasn’t just the workload that made university hard.

“There’s this feeling that no matter how hard you work, you can always be better, and as long as you can be better, you’re not good enough. You’re a slacker, you’re stupid...There’s stress and there’s shame and there’s insecurity. Sometimes there’s hope. Sometimes there’s happiness. Sometimes there’s overwhelming loneliness.”

Lydia is not the only student to feel that way. An oft-cited study from 2000 found that the average college student had the same anxiety levels as a psychiatric patient in the 1950s. For today’s university students, it’s worse. Intensive workloads, part-time jobs, internships, and extra-curricular activities have all combined to create a student life that’s less about steins and more about stress.

The pressure to achieve a university-life balance, along with the demands of work, are clearly taking a toll on the mental health and well-being of students. And unsurprisingly, the rates of students with mental illness are increasing, both in New Zealand and worldwide.

In fact, today’s students are dealing with “greater levels of stress and psychopathology than any time in...history,” according to a 2014 article from Psychology Today. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reported that the “prevalence and severity of mental health issues experienced by students” had increased. These issues were so severe that “64 per cent of young adults with mental health issues dropped out due to mental-health related reasons.” According to the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, 95 per cent of those surveyed said that “the number of students with significant psychological problems is a growing concern in their center or on campus.”

Another NAMI study found that on university campuses, 80 per cent of students felt overwhelmed by their responsibilities and 50 per cent had been so anxious that they struggled with university.

Depression and anxiety remained the most common cause of mental illness among students, with anxiety rates increasing in recent years. Jennifer Ruark, from the Chronicle of Higher Education said that while historically, depression had been the foremost issue students brought to university counselling centres, four years ago, anxiety overtook it. According to Ruark, “that divide between anxiety and depression, it grows each year.”

Dr Steve Scholzman, associate director of the MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, said in a September 8 article in Common Health, that “the pressure we put on high school kids to get into college and the pressure then that college follows up with is highly correlated with increased rates of emotional distress that can become full-blown depression.” He added that “the age of onset of depression is exactly the age of onset of college – there’s a perfect storm of stressors.”

And while that’s worrying, perhaps the most worrying aspect of this increase in students facing mental health issues, is the low numbers of students seeking support. Half of those students in NAMI’s study did not access mental health services or support.

Stigma was often cited as the number one reason students did not access these services. A recent study found only 30 per cent of 1,122 medical students from the UK reported experiencing or receiving treatment for a mental health condition while at medical school. Matthew Billingsley, the author of the study said that both the demands of university work and the “stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness passed down from senior doctors make it difficult for students to step forward when they need support.”

Professor Peter Lake, an expert on higher education law and policy, told Newsweek in 2014 that “colleges are very accustomed to accommodating learning and physical disabilities, but they don’t understand simple ways of accommodating mental health disabilities.”

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Intensive workloads, part-time jobs, internships, and extra-curricular activities have all combined to create a student life that’s less about steins and more about stress.

However, issues surrounding the stigma of mental illness were hardly helped by recent comments made by ACT Party Leader, David Seymour, at a politician’s debate at Victoria University.

Seymour, said that people suffering from anxiety and depression should “harden up". Seymour also claimed that “people are overmedicated and that by labelling themselves as being mentally ill, they are making excuses as to why they are choosing not to be happy,” according to a September 15 article in Stuff.co.nz. While Seymour said that his comments were taken out of context, a University of Auckland student, who wished to remain anonymous, was unimpressed.

“I wonder if David Seymour could ‘choose to be happy if he was separated from his family in an indifferent, if not actively hostile, city? If he spent all day struggling to understand political terms in lectures surrounded by A+ students who weren’t interested in anything about him except what mark he got in the latest test?

If he could just ‘choose to be happy’ in the morning after a sleep deprived night working in some bar serving abusive patrons drinks he could never afford? If he could, I think it would be a marvellous thing for him to share his wisdom with those of us who don’t understand how to ‘choose to be happy.’”

She added that “a lot of universities come across as caring more for their ranking than for their students.”

“This is possibly due to the pressure of prestige, but also the impression that higher achieving universities will warrant more attention from the government.”

However, she also said that she was sure that there were “lots of wonderful programmes within the university designed to support students with mental illnesses,” but that she wasn’t aware of them, nor “where they could be accessed from, and the level of severity of the illness necessary to use them.”

“I think if these questions were addressed more openly, in greater depth and with increased frequency around the university, mental illness in students would be more efficiently treated.

Students would know exactly what help was available where, and so long as they could find time in their frantic timetables, I’m sure more would be asking for help if they understood what help was being offered.”

Along with stigma, the access to these services was also cited as a reason. The 2013 Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors found that 32 per cent of centres on college campuses reported having a waiting list at some point during the school year.

“Even as the demand for more services increases, the same survey finds that many center budgets remain unchanged or have increased only slightly from years past.” It’s a problem that New Zealand universities are also facing.

Across New Zealand, the demand for students using counselling services has increased, according to a September 15 article in Voxy. Across our eight universities, there has been a 24 per cent increase in the number of counselling sessions at universities from 2009 to 2014. At the University of Auckland, the number of counselling sessions have risen almost four-fold from 1,215 in 2009, to 6,039 sessions last year, despite the university’s student numbers rising only 10 per cent in the same period. Victoria University also reported a 44.7 per cent jump in the number of individual students seeking counselling over the five year period.

Despite this, counselling services can often be limited. Massey University’s Health and Counselling services offer no after-hours service or ongoing emergency service. However, the Manawatu and Wellington campuses offer one emergency appointment per day, which is allocated on the day, for students who feel that they are at risk of hurting themselves or who are feeling too overwhelmed to function. And while the Albany campus offers 10 free counselling services for each student per year, the bill could easily add up for students seeking ongoing or frequent treatment.

And for cash-strapped, time-poor students, access to counselling services was becoming increasingly important.

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New Zealand Union of Student Associations’ president, Rory McCourt, said in the Voxy article that the reason for the “near-universal rise" in students seeking counselling sessions was “in-part down to increased levels of stress and anxiety".

According to the union’s recent Income and Expenditure Survey, longer paid working hours and mounting debt were taking a toll on students’ mental well-being.

“I think we’re risking creating a generation of highlystrung graduates. With rises in counselling sessions on almost all campuses, this is a real issue...The data suggests this is a growing problem. How bad does it have to get for politicians to take the deteriorating mental health of our students seriously?”

The University of Auckland student said that even with financial assistance, the high cost of tertiary education meant that it was “no wonder many students are forced to pick up work to tide them through a time when they can be far from family and… trusted support.”

“Unfortunately, most of the jobs an unqualified student can get have low pay and are exhausting. Especially after an entire day at university and a few late nights/early mornings finishing off assignments or lab reports. A person employed in full time work would not see it as normal to have to pick up some part time work for the evenings and the weekends. Essentially this is the work load a full-time student with a part-time job faces.”

She said that the hours spent doing coursework and exam revision, along with extra-curricular activities which were often touted as being essential for students’ resumes, “it would be ludicrous to suggest the mental health of students is not effected significantly by the pressures associated with attending university.”

Overseas, students felt the same. A student attending Florence Christian School commented on a Best Colleges article that “colleges place entirely too much pressure on students.”

“This is a main contributor to the mental derailment that we experience as young people during college life; and the worst part about it is, few people actually give a damn.”

Sebastian Robertson, founder of youth mental health organisation Batyr, said that “the lecturers are just there to lecture; the tutors are just there to tutor. They’re not there to emotionally support you through life. It’s not a bad thing or a good thing; it’s just the way it is.” He recommended that students looking to go to university “should really investigate what universities are doing to support students on well-being – it’s a viable question they should ask the university.” It’s a question that universities are, hopefully, looking to answer.

Feeling down?

If you want to talk to a friendly professional, please use any of the below services.

Book an appointment at Massey University Health and Counselling Services: Albany: (09) 443 9783 Manawatu: (06) 350-5533 Wellington: (04) 979 3030 · · · · · ·

The Depression Helpline (0800 111 757) Healthline (0800 611 116) Lifeline (0800 543 354) Mental health crisis line (0800 800 717) Samaritans (0800 726 666) Youthline (0800 376 633)800

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From Weakness to Wellness: My Experience of Depression

By Saskia Wanklyn

Depression takes your thoughts like a piece of string and runs with it. You have no idea where it is going, but it tangles, tugs, and rips at your mind. This confusion and chaos of the mind gives an awful haze to reality, making it impossible to think and see clearly.

I became depressed around the age of 18, and the illness lasted around 18 months. Being in a state of wellness prior to illness has allowed me to reflect on my experience and gain a greater understanding of the illness. The overcoming of depression has not only given me an immense appreciation of wellness, but it has also given me a sense of pride over my past, and a yearning to improve the future for those still in the midst of depression.

Many people brush off the fact that they may be depressed, believing that their low mood is not abnormal. Identifying depressive moods as an abnormality, points out to many individuals that they should not settle for this state of well-being; they should seek help to regain their optimum level of happiness. Going through the experience of depression has allowed me to realise that I should constantly be striving for happiness, and to not settle for any less.

I was on my gap year and had been living in Australia with my boyfriend for about a month when my depression set in. The first indication I got was that I would cry for no apparent reason.

For about an hour I would refuse to speak to my boyfriend, lie down, and stare at the same spot on the wall with tears streaming down my face. It started as about one hour every week of depression; feeling like I had absolutely nothing to look forward to.

The depression escalated throughout the year. I went to Europe to travel, but ended up coming home three months earlier than I was meant to, due to my emotional state. There is no single event I can pin the depression on. It came on as a result of partial genetic inheritance and a handful of small stressors. Firstly, I was away from home and not making friends overseas. It felt strange to be 18 and living with my boyfriend while my friends were at university, being young and having fun. My boss in Australia was also a contributor to my unhappiness. She would constantly pick on me, which slowly tugged at my happiness. Having lived a pretty happy life prior to my illness, and being on an amazing holiday, I struggled to see why I was still floundering; I just felt as though everything was going wrong for me.

Many of my lowest days consisted of me getting up and automatically having breakfast, but after that I would realise that I couldn’t be bothered dealing with the day, so I’d return to bed. I would go through phases of being completely emotionless, lying still, and allowing horrible thoughts to swirl in my mind.

This could transition quickly into extreme anger, where I would yell at my boyfriend over nothing, silently scream into my pillow, and clench my fists. The cycle would always eventuate into deep sadness and fits of hysterical crying. The fatigue from my anger and uncontrollable crying would then cycle back to the loss of emotion, where I had no energy left to be emotional.

The depression carried on throughout my first year of university, which made living in student accommodation extremely tough.

Depression sucks almost all of the power and strength out of the individual, leaving them feeling weak and helpless. After having a panic attack in my first year of university, I visited a doctor, who diagnosed me with depression. Diagnosis, for me, brought an enormous amount of relief. It gave me something I could blame my ill-feelings on. My failures were not my fault, it was my body’s fault - I was sick and needed treatment.

It was then that I made the decision to take anti-depressants.

Although I do agree that anti-depressants should be coupled with behavioural therapy, I find it frustrating that the use of antidepressants is sometimes looked down on as the easy route out.

Many seem to believe that depression is something that should be overcome without the help of drugs. Personally, I see depression as a deficiency, relatable to an iron deficiency. To explain, when you have low iron stores, you take iron supplements to regain wellness.

Therefore, when you have a low mood, you take anti-depressants.

I don’t see how taking anti-depressants is so different to taking iron supplements. It might not be for everyone, but medication drastically improved my well-being, in my darkest times, when nothing else could.

Some strong stigmas around depression remain. In my experience, however, I’ve realised that it was not others who stigmatised me for having depression; the stigmas were predominantly coming from my own mind. Though I had never held negative views about others with mental illness, I seemed to

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stigmatise myself, where I thought I was just being pathetic and weak. Because of this my self-esteem plummeted. I was worried that when I returned home, I would be a completely different person and my friends would think I had changed and reject me.

I developed a stigma of myself where I felt that I was acting very weak and too feminine. With two older brothers, I had enjoyed growing up as a bit of a tomboy. I was absolutely determined to stay this way. I was reasonably strong and didn’t burst into tears over small things. When this all changed and I became incredibly emotional, I was angry at myself.

I felt like I was ‘acting like a little girl’, and crying over small things.

I desperately wanted to act masculine and hold all my emotions in, but depression had made me incredibly sensitive. I developed an unhealthy balance between my masculine and feminine emotions where I would be very sensitive and emotional, but refuse to talk about my feelings.

When I returned home, I severely struggled with meeting new people or people who did not know I was ill. I felt like everyone was looking at me strangely, as if they all knew I was mentally unstable. Looking back I highly doubt that anyone truly thought any less of me, but nonetheless, at the time I felt awkward, selfconscious, and always wanted to escape from conversations. I desperately wanted people to know I wasn’t rude or crazy. This self-consciousness dictated many of my social interactions; people outside of my close circle of family and friends quite honestly scared me.

When people said that my gap year sounded great, and asked how amazing it was, I cringed. Many times I craved to tell people the raw truth, to say that in all honesty, it was the worst year of my life, but instead I would just say ‘it was good thanks’ and change the topic.

I think it is wrong that mental illness is treated as a secret that is abnormal to talk about openly. In my view, this stigma is sustained through many factors. Firstly, people find it uncomfortable to talk about depression because it is a deeply personal and potentially painful topic. For me, it was a long time before I could speak confidently and painlessly about my experience. Also, mental illness holds a degree of a fear of the unknown around it where many people don’t fully understand the

topic. For those with a mental illness, naturally they are likely to assume that most people will not understand their situation. This means more often than not, they would rather not try and justify their sanity and disclose their illness, as (apart from the pain and embarrassment) it takes a lot of effort and explanation. Lastly, and of the most relevance to my experience, in the contemporary world, everyone is expected to be successful, and reach their full potential.

Depression is seen by many of the depressed and non-depressed population as a weakness, which goes against the expectations of success. This creates shame and feelings of failure around having depression. I believe that the idea of keeping depression as a secret maintains many negative stigmas around depression as it gives the view that depression is abnormal, wrong and is something to be ashamed of.

Two years ago I would have given anything to have never have gone through depression. Now, in wellness I am able to appreciate how my experience has defined my personality, increased my compassion for others and given me a deep insight into the illness. I strongly believe that there is still more change needed in societal views to reduce the harm of mental illness, and this change is most definitely feasible. Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders are currently experiencing some form of mental illness. It’s so important to openly discuss mental illness, to enhance our understanding so we can provide compassion and support to those around us.

To break down the notion of depression being a weakness, society needs to be surprised and confronted by more individuals speaking openly about the sense of pride and accomplishment in having and overcoming mental illness.

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Drag or Trans?

Killing the Confusion The art of dressing in drag means one is immersing oneself into a character. Living life as a transgender person means one is being who they are. Confusion between the two is common. Nick Forrester delves into this issue and others facing the two subgroups of the LGBT+ community.

He uncovers the progress that has been made, and looks at what problems they still face today.

Drew Blood is K Road’s villainess. She is ghoulish and creepy.

Her yellow-grey mismatched eyes are somewhat unsettling as they pierce their surroundings. Her lipliner curves downwards into a sad clown-like grimace, filled in with black lipstick. Her look is a perfect hybrid of sad and malevolent, with ambient beauty. She is a combination of Eeyore, Dracula and Courtney Love; a look that can only be conjured by drag.

Dan Veint is Drew Blood. He is a 28-year-old from Auckland who spends his time acting, painting portraits, and hating the two part-time jobs he has in order to fund a particularly expensive hobby. His nights off are spent applying concealer, bronzer, eyeliner, mascara, fake lashes, wigs, and sky-high heels. When he has finally finished this transformation, he becomes she. And she is a drag queen. While Dan dresses in women’s clothing, he doesn’t have any intention to be a woman full-time. This is the difference between Dan and a person who is transgender - someone whose gender identity is not consistent with the sex they were assigned at birth. He says he does the same thing with drag as he does with roles he’s played as an actor: he immerses himself into a character other than himself.

“I’m very happy being a boy,” says Veint.

Men dressing up as women is not a recent concept; Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night being a 400 year-old example is testament to this. But men crossdressing in plays to carry out actions that were ‘difficult for women’ is utterly different to the modern drag queen. The general confusion between performing in drag and being trans is a problem that Dan faces reasonably regularly, saying that people asking whether he plans on transitioning into a woman is one of the most common questions he gets asked when he performs as Drew Blood.

“They’re not trying to be rude but people ask me [that question] and I’m like ‘how could I?’” He says that his drag persona, like most forms of drag queens, is a characterised and exaggerated depiction of a woman rather than

an attempt to transition into the sex opposite to the one he was assigned at birth.

“I’m not doing a female impersonation – I’ve created a character which is very cartoonish and something which I definitely couldn’t ‘transition’ into.”

So, what does performing in drag mean to the transcommunity? The concept of gender is getting more fluid by the day – last year Facebook introduced 71 new gender options for users – but some argue that a man comfortable in his gender dressing as a woman for entertainment is making a mockery of the hardships and discrimination faced by trans-women every day.

Katelyn Thomas, a 21 year-old transgender woman from Tauranga, however, doesn’t think so. “I wouldn’t say I was offended by it”, Katelyn says. “People in drag are portraying this image and it always gets associated with being trans. I feel like if you aren’t educated, then looking into the LGBT+ world can be a little confusing.”

The main difference, she says, is that drag is a performance and is about acting as a different character, while being transgender is for life. She says that being transgender is as much about performing as a gay bar is about watching sport.

“Drag is about being someone else on stage who may have a stronger personality than you, that’s why drag should be celebrated!

But at the end of it, it’s just dress up,” says Katelyn.

“Being trans is a 24/7 thing.”

Perhaps education about the wider LBGT+ community and gender issues is the key to alleviating confusion between being trans and drag. A crucial catalyst for awareness of such issues is representation. Coming out as transgender this year, widely recognised reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner brought trans issues to global attention. But can the same be said for drag queens, especially in New Zealand?

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Murdoch Keane, a 17 year-old Auckland high-school student and aspiring drag queen, says that representation of drag queens and culture in New Zealand is severely lacking.

“Being represented would make me happy because it would mean I wouldn’t have to explain to people what drag is,” says Murdoch. “I don’t feel represented.”

He says most New Zealanders wouldn’t be able to name a national, iconic queen because there aren’t any.

“I don’t think [drag] is quite there yet, not enough people know it exists,” says Murdoch. “It doesn’t reach enough people in New Zealand.” Evidently it reached both Dan and Murdoch though. Coincidentally, in the same way: by watching the American reality competition TV series, RuPaul’s Drag Race, which sees drag queens compete to win a cash prize and snatch the title of ‘Americas Next Drag Superstar’.

“At first I thought it was a good thing to watch, but I didn’t think that it was right for me, I didn’t think I could do that,” says Murdoch. But then last year he asked himself a question – ‘Would I enjoy it if I were to do it?’

“And I thought ‘yeah I would, I would have a really good time, it would be funny, it would feel good to put on an amazing wig and cool shoes and look completely different and sing and dance,’” Murdoch says.

And that’s really what this is all about. Performing in drag is about having fun, creating a character full of exaggeration; it’s about the duality of the person and the persona. Living as a transgender person is not something that be switched on and off, it cannot be reversed by untucking and wiping off makeup. Being trans is simply being.

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Sugaring, Scoring, Sex Work: The New Student Income The high cost of living as a tertiary student means that students are increasingly exploring alternative and risky ways of receiving their income. Julia Braybrook argues that until something is done about the low levels of financial support, it’s a trend that looks set to continue.

It’s a dating profile like any other. You see a selfie of a 20-year-old student from Dunedin, with blonde hair, wearing dark lipstick, and a brown turtleneck. Her About Me section reads: “Intelligent, young student who loves learning about new things, exploring the world, and opening her mind.”

But unlike most dating profiles, Tiffany has certain expectations in mind. With an expected monthly allowance of up to $5,000, she is “looking for someone to pamper her through her stressful university studies and expose her to the nicer things in life.”

Tiffany is a sugar baby, one of over 2,600 from New Zealand on SeekingArrangement.com. Of those, 1,897 of them are aged between 18-26 years old. Many of them are students, or graduates looking to pave the way to their future. And like their degrees, which included Mandarin, medicine, and graphic design, their financial circumstances differ wildly. One girl’s profile states that she is “fun-loving, always looking for the next adventure, and I believe that this site can provide a win-win type scenario where I get the taste of excitement I so desperately crave (I have always had a thing for older men) while also receiving financial assistance, as uni life has left me utterly impoverished and without any of the luxuries a young girl so desperately craves.” Another says that she is “currently working three jobs in order to help support my mum, brother and I, and I’m struggling quite a bit especially with the uni workload.”

Others seek flexibility with their arrangements, with one 25-year-old student saying that she was “most flexible for night dates because I usually have classes in the day.” And for graduates, the site can offer arrangements that either fund future plans, or offer mentoring opportunities. As one 23-year-old sugar baby stated in her profile that she would “appreciate any financial help in getting me through my studies and perhaps starting some investments to try and secure a good future for myself.”

Another asked for a sugar daddy “who can extend me in my

endeavours and make the journey to my dreams a little easier to manage financially.”

Seeking Arrangement isn’t shy about the transactional nature of these arrangements. The site’s public relations manager, Brook Urick, told Stuff.co.nz on August 8, that “plenty of people are looking for the relationships our site offers, but don’t generally voice their desire...the site is a place where each person can be honest and open about their intentions and expectations.”

And the site, which has seen a “94 per cent growth in users since January last year”, according to the same article, is just one of the ways students are paying off loans or associated costs. It’s a demographic that the site is heavily targeting. According to a post on Seeking Arrangement, which was founded in California, “the average sugar baby is a beautiful, ambitious college student, aspiring actress or model, or single mom.”

“She works hard to get where she wants to be in life, but doesn’t have a lot of extra spending money. That’s why our basic services are 100% free for all sugar babies. We even offer free premium upgrades for all women with an official .edu school email address.”

Along with free upgrades, the site has also been known to target students who are in need of financial assistance, placing ads on Google for search results such as “college support” and “tuition help,” according to a 2009 article in the New York Times. With over 4.5 million members, with an average of eight sugar babies per sugar daddies, it’s a tactic that is clearly working.

And when it works, it can be “mutually-beneficial” for both parties. One 23-year-old business student got into the “sugar bowl” after seeing how much money other sugar babies made on controversial dating site, Ashley Madison. At three months in, she now earns a monthly allowance of $2,000 plus shopping trips with her current sugar daddy. Other perks include hotel stays, dinners, dates, and overseas trips. Gifts were also included, with her sugar daddy giving her a Swarovski watch, “the only one in this colour in

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New Zealand,” according to her Tumblr page.

Seeking Arrangement founder, Brandon Wade, told UK-based student new site, The Tab, that “love is a concept made up by poor people.”

“At a time when graduates are guaranteed debt rather than a well-paying job, or even employment for that matter, Sugar Daddies are sought out for opportunity and not just financial stability. Four in ten graduates struggle to find work, while threequarters won’t be able to pay off debt. Sugaring not only aids in the cost of pursuing an education, but a large majority of these men and women will have a more solid financial situation upon graduation – maybe even a job.”

But entering the sugar bowl is just one way students are receiving financial aid. A 2014 study published in the British Journal of Sociology of Education found that “nearly a third of women working in strip clubs are students, often from middleclass families.”

The study went on to add that in order to pay for “the high cost of education” some had started stripping before their courses began.

“The core reasons for entry into stripping by students were the high cost of higher education, the lack of availability of loans and support for vocational courses, and the ability to combine stripping work with the demands of educational courses, due to the flexibility it offered.”

A 2011 study carried out by Leeds University also found that of students working at strip clubs, 14% were funding undergraduate study, 6% were completing postgraduate courses, and 4% were in higher education.

Sex work was also increasingly popular among students, with a Swansea University study finding that “one in 20 students had worked in the sex industry while studying for a degree,” according to a May 27 article in The Guardian. The study used the term sex work as an umbrella, covering everything from being an operator at

a phone sex line, webcam shows, to dominatrix work. According to the study, “nearly two-thirds of those involved said their motivation was to fund a particular lifestyle and 56% said it was to pay basic living costs, while two-fifths wanted to reduce their debts at the end of their course.” A further quarter of the 6,750 students surveyed said they had considered entering the industry.

A May 27 article from The Telegraph said that “no-one is pretending that it’s an ideal situation that young people are using sex work to combat the astronomic costs of getting a degree.”

“There are, of course, less than pleasurable elements of sex work. But aren’t there in every job? Millennials are a practical generation, used to working against adversity. Getting a degree is an expensive business, and slaving away doing long shifts in a smelly pub, where the landlord grabs your bum every time you change a barrel, is pretty grim. Student sex workers aren’t victims; they’re making a choice.”

A Wellington student, who wishes to remain anonymous, started working part-time as a bartender in a strip club to help fund her studies. As time went on, she tried out other roles within the club, and soon discovered opportunities to earn much more cash. Upon finishing her degree, she made the decision to work at the strip club full-time, despite having an arts degree under her belt.

She says “going from being broke and in debt to then earning hundreds of dollars in one shift, I found it hard to pull myself away from the work, and return to only earning minimum wage”.

However, while sugaring and stripping had relatively low consequences if students were caught, some students were turning to riskier methods of making money.

Massey University student, Benjamen Patrick Belmont was jailed for almost five years in 2014 after “he went from importing small amounts of drugs for himself, to running a dealing operation, which saw thousands of ecstasy pills imported into New Zealand using encrypted websites and Bitcoins,”

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While sugaring and stripping had relatively low consequences if students were caught, some students were turning to riskier methods of making money.

according to a May 13 article on Stuff.co.nz.

In the article, Acting Detective Sergeant Hamish Barrons said that “with the technology available to both Customs and police staff for detecting this offending, it is a wonder why students are putting themselves in a position where they could potentially jeopardise their futures and their careers.” Chief Customs Officer Kirk McPherson, added that “essentially, these students are looking for some quick cash but they are actually playing a game of Russian roulette with their lives.”

It’s a risk students are willing to take, with Australian journalist Eileen Ormsby telling Vice on August 24 that “Silk Road and its successors enabled a new breed of drug lord.”

“Those buying in bulk for resale no longer have to buy it from whatever organised crime gang is in charge of that drug for their city. That means a different type of person can be in charge of supply and distribution in smallish enclosed communities, and a university or college really is an ideal environment for such a business to thrive.”

And it’s this student market which is proving lucrative to other dealers, according to another Vice article from 2014. Not only have dealers been known to enrol at university, both to take advantage of the market and to take out student loans, but student dealers are becoming more common. According to the article, “if you live in halls and don’t know who this guy or girl is yet, take it as a sign that you should get some more friends.”

Dr Leah Moyle, a research fellow at Plymouth University’s Drug and Alcohol Research Unit, told Vice that “we spoke to students who had been involved in selling relatively large quantities of class-A substance, but who had no previous experience of commercial drug supply.”

“The prospect of making a relatively good income in short space of time often outweighed the risk of undertaking ‘one off’ periods of drug dealing activity. In the university context, these students felt relatively protected from law enforcement, and

often had access to a ready-made customer base of friends and acquaintances, through which drugs could easily and discreetly be distributed to.”

A current third-year design student at Massey’s Wellington campus started importing and on-selling MDMA about a year ago, to assist him financially. He buys each pill from the deep web for $15 and sells each one for around $50, which he says is “easy money”.

“I don’t get near enough support from StudyLink as my parents earn over the threshold, yet I don’t get any financial support from my family. The time that I’d need to spend working at a regular job would jeopardize my studies; therefore, I see dealing as my best option to get me through.

“People often ask me ‘do you feel bad for ruining people’s lives with drugs?’ but I’d rather my friends buy quality ‘pingaz’ off me than let them go to a gang house and ingest a shitty mix of meth and Pink Batts.”

Another student told Vice in a September 9 article that he used dealing to pay for almost all of his expenses, including food, social events and textbooks. While his parents paid for his tuition costs, he was looking to leave the industry.

“I kind of feel shitty having to do this as my primary source of income, even when it does make me so much money. I want to be able to show to my parents that I can actually go on to do something respectable.” However, he added that he didn’t regret dealing. “I’ve met so many great and interesting people doing this...I don’t think I’d have as many friends and acquaintances as I do now if it weren’t for dealing. It’s definitely been the highlight of university for me.”

Regardless of whether it was sugaring or scoring, the high cost of university today means that alternative ways of income are on the rise. And until something is done about the increasingly low levels of financial support, it’s a trend that looks set to continue.

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Monthly Music Round Up Reviewed by Paul Berrington

Kurt Vile – b’lieve I’m going down Matador Records American singer/songwriter Kurt Vile has closely followed that indie tradition of starting out with DIY recording, his early releases often made at home, and they are brilliant. With his sixth album, the former War on Drugs band member has attempted something a little different, recording tracks throughout the USA, and he’s described the record as a personal collection of everything he’s done so far. Thankfully b’lieve I’m going down… doesn’t sound like a cobbled together collection of B-sides like that statement could be misconstrued, and further confirms Vile’s graceful and eclectic songwriting talents.

Basically Vile has recorded an album that

compares with the likes of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen’s best, yet which is also imbued with the sort of cynical poetry you’d expect from Nick Cave. ‘Pretty Pimpin’ has already set independent radio alight, the classy piano riff giving way to oddball lyrics about a stranger’s teeth. Elsewhere you get beautifully played ballads like ‘Life Like This’ and ‘I Lost My Head There’ which is sincere Americana albeit with a slightly skewed vision – this song is a cry to anyone who has gone a little crazy sometimes. Dripping in personality and filled to the brim with fantastic songs, this is an album that sounds timeless, and is Vile’s best yet.

Julia Holter – Have You in My Wilderness Domino Records With her third solo album, California-based Julia Holter has achieved the first total masterpiece of her career, an incredibly enjoyable epic of experimental pop that sounds completely timeless. With lyrics spoken more as pure prose than rhymes, Holter’s poetry thankfully works, her storytelling ability profound, and rewarding repeat listening. "Figures pass so quickly that I realise my eyes know very well - It's impossible to see who I'm waiting for in my raincoat", she sings on ‘Feel You’, a stunning slice of symphonic elegance that recalls Kate Bush at her finest.

The shimmering orchestration throughout the second half of ‘Silhouette’ show she’s just as adept

at songwriting and arranging. Throughout Have You in My Wilderness, the music is often so beautiful that only her contemporary Joanna Newsom might compare. With a nod to pop history, and an ear for truly remarkable composition, Holter has confirmed herself as one of the leading musicians of her generation in any genre.

Silicon – Personal Computer Weird World Records Kody Nielson comes from a talented family, his brother Ruban has already released one of the finest records of the year in Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Multi-Love, and some of us remember when the two played together in the underrated Mint Chicks. Now with his solo debut under the pseudonym Silicon, Kody confirms that it’s in the genes, delivering a wonderfully creative album that sounds like a cross between 80s boogie and electro, updated with a washed out indie edge.

Released via Weird World, home to fellow pop explorers Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Hookworms, and Peaking Lights, Personal Computer reflects its title, many of the songs sounding like they come

from a private mixtape collection, only one you’d give an arm to have for yourself. Lead single ‘God Emoji’ floats along on a slow disco beat, major stabs rising throughout to create tension and drama. Elsewhere ‘Blow’ provides psychedelic grace, while ‘I Can See Paradise’ sounds like the theme song to a campy cop show set in space. A little more beat focused than his brother’s work with UMO, there is always a hint of tongue in cheek to Silicon’s music, but it’s also extremely accomplished and lovingly produced, which makes Personal Computer a pleasure from start to finish.

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Sex Toy Review: Beginner’s Bondage Kit

Him Being someone who loves to push the boundaries in life, love, and sex, I was nervous but excited to try out a bondage kit, as it was something I had never tried before.

The kit arrived, and we had fun pulling everything out, inspecting it, and discussing all the crazy things we could do with the items. I set it up without her knowing one morning, tying the ends to the bed legs and placing the rest under the bed so I could surprise her with it that evening after a romantic dinner.

As soon as we got in I took her by the hand, and led her downstairs. When we got to our room, we were greeted with what looked like the aftermath of a pillow fight scene from movie. Our dog had managed to get hold of the feather tickler – I guess you could say the kit was really fun for the whole family.

After picking up the incriminating evidence and getting ourselves back in the mood to mingle limbs, I threw her on the bed and as we were making out, I reached under the bed and pulled out the cuffs. Before she knew it she was restrained, lying naked, with no escape. From there I was able to tease her and really get her begging for more. As things progressed, the cuffs had to come off so she could move around more easily, but for foreplay, I found it gave me a great level of control and was definitely a unique experience. I haven’t tried the candles yet as I have been afraid of accidentally searing my dick, but we may give it a go if I am able to protect the meat properly. I would rate this kit a 4/5 and will definitely be trying it out again soon.

Her I have never had any experience in bondage whatsoever, so when I was asked to try out a beginners kit I didn’t know what to expect.

I enjoyed opening it up and sifting through the items in the box.

Ideas and visions came to my mind immediately and I was looking forward to trying it.

I tried on the blindfold but it was a little tight around my head, so we decided to skip that item. The feather tickler felt nice and soft on my skin, and I was intrigued by the idea of using candles in the bedroom. I was very apprehensive about the main item, the restraints, as I generally enjoy exploring with my hands.

The weekend rolled around, and my man surprised me when we got home from dinner. I was soon strapped to the bed, unable to move. The cuffs just reached with my outstretched arms but the velvet felt soft and comfortable around my wrists – luckily no

flatmates tried to disturb us at this point. We were unable to use the recently destroyed feather tickler but we found ways to forget about it.

It was a strange feeling trying to move my hands around his body but not being able to. The cuffs started to get uncomfortable when we started moving around a bit more as my arms were getting overstretched – thanks, short people problems. We didn’t get to try the wax but I do want to soon.

This set is good for foreplay but I do suggest using smaller beds or longer limbs for a bit more freedom. I’d recommend this kit for couples who want to explore this realm of possibilities, and I would rate it a 3.5/5.

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Film Review

The Wolfpack 2015 Paul Berrington

Crystal Moselle’s documentary The Wolfpack details the lives of the Angulo family, from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, whose strange tale offers not only a vivid insight into the mechanisms of the nuclear family, but also an ode to the power of narrative film.

There are seven children in the Angulo family: six brothers named Mukunda, Narayana, Govinda, Bhagavan, Krisna (Glenn), and Jagadesh (Eddie), and their sister Visnu. They live under the strict methods of their father, the Peruvian born Oscar, whose faithfulness to the tenets of Krishnaism and his fear of the influence of capitalism has led to them not seeing the outside world apart from a few sanctioned visits for nearly 15 years. Home-schooled by their mother Suzanne in their four-bedroom apartment, the children’s view of the world is informed by movies. This starts out as fandom, before they begin to reinterpret their favourite films in home movies with the siblings becoming members of the cast.

Some of those films include Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, and other classic films such as Halloween, Grand Budapest Hotel, and Goodfellas - all helping to provide the Angulos with a small glimpse of the outside world, however skewed that might be. So what happens when Oscar finally loosens his grip, and the children, led by 15-year-old Mukunda, decide to explore their neighbourhood and the world beyond Manhattan? Well it might just surprise you.

It’s 2010 and Crystal Moselle spots a bunch of odd looking kids dressed like they’re gangsters from Reservoir Dogs. They strike a conversation about movies before the Angulo siblings share the fact they’ve been confined to the same apartment for 14 years.

Becoming friends, Moselle is allowed near unlimited access to the Angulo’s family home, and their collection of home videos.

This rapport may divide your appreciation of what we see.

Does the friendliness between the Angulo’s and the documentarian negate how much of the darker subject matter we see?

Or does it simply allow a fly-on-the-wall perspective that would be otherwise unobtainable? Arguably there is a little bit of both going on here, but much like classic observational docos such as Grey Gardens, there is still plenty of raw and ugly insights here.

Occasionally there is the sneaking suspicion that Moselle is more interested in the film culture surrounding the story than the social aspects. But if anything, many of the Angulo’s own home videos cover some of those themes, showing parents whose sincere wish to protect their kids can only expose them to further harm.

Often bizarre yet vividly observed and often very heartwarming, The Wolfpack contains many themes relevant to an age of information overload, and some small warning to the perils of obsessive parenting.

The Wolfpack 2015 Director Crystal Moselle Rating

Generosity Insp ires “My flatmate fills me hot-water bottles when I’m sick. I bought her PJ pants out of the blue.” _Jess Read & Molly Gilpin

“My friend missed her bus so she could get lunch with me.” _Jacob Lapworth

“My sister gave me advice and a shoulder to lean on when I was stressed.”

“When people do small favours that make my day easier, like giving me a lift or shouting me food.” _Elliot Gonzales

_Maia Visnovsky

Become part of the generosity movement Generosity inspires generosity. One act of kindness can completely change somebodies day, and cause a a massive ripple effect, spreading good vibes through everybody involved.

‘Why should you give a shit about being generous?’ I hear you ask. As it turns out, practicing daily generosity has many real and positive benefits for the body and the mind.

Science is constantly proving that the daily practice of generosity helps us lead longer, happier, less stressed and more meaningful lives. An act of kindness might just be the boost to

How can you be more generous regularly? your mental and physical health that you need to make it through hand in week.

Giving can also be a great way to meet new people, (weren’t you thinking you need to make more friends recently?).

Doing something nice for someone, even if it’s just holding the door open for them, helps build social connection and helps us feel better about ourselves, a natural confidence booster!

Apart from daily small acts of kindness, donating to charity is also a great way to boost your weekly or monthly dose of generosity, even for poor students. It doesn’t matter how you give, it’s the fact you are giving that counts. One Percent Collective is a Wellington based organisation that wants to help you become more generous. They make donating to local charities easy, so they can get on doing the good stuff, and not worry about funding. If the good karma isn’t enough, you can come along to exclusive events to mingle with other creative, generous people.

Check out their website to be inspired about the generosity movement: onepercentcollective.org.

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Uni Mum

I am your new surrogate Uni Mum (“I’m not a regular mum, I’m a cool mum”) here to offer sound advice (and virtual hugs) about anything to do with university life. From the flatmate who steals your clothes, to the test you will cheat on, to your cunning plans to bang that babe down the hallway, and everything in between. If you have an issue you would like me to cover, just flick me an email (editor@massivemagazine.org. nz) and I will be sure to write about it next month.

They say the years go by faster as you get older, and this year, that couldn't be truer. Where did it go? Why am I saving for New Year’s Eve already? And why the hell am I not studying for exams?!

This semester, I look forward to finishing my bachelor’s degree (fingers crossed I pass), and I will walk out of my final exam on October 31, beeline to the airport and fly straight into a month of gambling (Las Vegas), concerts (New York) and tequila (Mexico)!

But then what? StudyLink will stop, and I will say farewell to the seemingly free money they religiously deposit into my bank account every Tuesday night. I would’ve spent all my money on tacos and cheap Nikes, and I will be looking into the barrel of a gun made of Christmas decorations and summer music festival tickets. And then, I will have to admit defeat, and get to work finding myself a job… or maybe even a career!

Summer break means different things for different people at different points in their life. For some, it means leaving your flat and independence behind and moving home, for others, it is gearing up for an NZ road trip, it might be a summer internship, double shifts at your job, or preparing for your future.

Whatever it is, it’s different than what you've known for most of the year, and it’s going to be hard to adjust. Without the structure of university, it can be difficult to juggle your everyday responsibilities and still enjoy a few beers in the sunshine. Take it from me, one summer, I volunteered at the homeless shelter, but before their annual Christmas dinner (that I was making 100

cupcakes for) I decided to stay up all night drinking. I’ll never forget icing those bloody cupcakes with a bad case of the spins.

A lack of responsibility on my behalf, but it seems as if summer tends to do that to the most sensible of people. New Year’s, music festivals, and never-ending days are perfect for celebrating next to nothing, but sometimes scantily clad bodies, alcohol, and drugs don't mix how you were expecting them to.

From the minor issues like sunburn or dehydration, through to lifechanging injuries, assaults, and everything in between, summer break is a time to be wary of yourselves and others. You need to treat people with respect. Speak up if you’re uncomfortable, or see something you don't think is right - your interference could save someone’s life.

Whatever point you’re at, and whatever you’re doing, slip, slop, slap, wrap, and be prepared. Be that with sunblock for those long road trips, a packed lunch if you're saving your pennies, or a few too many wines with the boy you like because we all know people with babies born in September, were made at New Year’s, if you know what I mean. Enjoy yourself, and take it easy. For those of you doing summer school, I feel you, but the four papers I did last summer are seeing me dust my hands off and jet abroad earlier than expected, so it is worth it.

See you all next year!

xox

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Food Blog

TGIF SALAD Sasha Borissenko Culinary mentor, bestie and "shining star" Deanna Dowling has been showering me with meals since she moved into my flat.

Mate. Whether it's cos wedges (how can they be good, I know?!), homemade pasta, or ginger loaf, that girl can cook. So, to show my appreciation I thought I would feature one of her salads, made especially for me on a day I was going to great lengths to avoid my partner in life, the croissant.

On a side note, isn't it amazing and profound how you can attempt to be "put together" during the week with great salad/ quinoa/kale aspirations yet come Friday your world view is directed towards booze, BYOs, brunches and anything of the grease variety.

I'm forever harping on about the constant conundrum of "wanting to look good naked and wanting to treat yo'self".

A conflict, definitely.

Ingredients: Freekah - like quinoa but better Vegetable stock Brussels sprouts Onions Butter

I haven’t mentioned quantities because really, this recipe calls for how much or how little you’re wanting to stuff your face with. It’s salad mate. For the freekah, cook it in either a pot on the stove or the microwave as you would with quinoa or rice. 1:1 water-freekah ratio works best, in my opinion. Otherwise, you could cook it like a risotto - which is nice if you use the vegetable stock. While your freekah is cooking, place the butter and sliced onions in a pot on the stove and caramelise for 10 minutes. This is the point where I start tasting. Meanwhile, boil some cubed beetroot in a pot for about 20 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts that have been cut in half into the onion mixture - you’re wanting the Brussels sprouts to be slightly crunchy but cooked enough so that you don’t feel like a cow eating grass. Mix the cooked freekah and onion/Brussels/ beetroot combo for the base of your salad. Add LOTS of salt if necessary. Slice the remaining ingredients so that you’re creating glorified coleslaw, so-to-speak. Serve on top of the cooked veges. Voila.

For the Shredded Bonanza: Radish Carrots Beetroot Fennel Carrots Dill for seasoning

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Representative Chic How to be a "pretty little thing" Ladies, who needs feminism - it’s best to stay in the kitchen and lament over what’s the best way to iron the hubby’s shirts. Jacinda Ardern, the dear ol’ thing, is no exception.

Rugby league legend Graham Lowe recently described Ardern as "a pretty little thing" when asked if she would make a good Prime Minister in the future.

Lowe said: "I'll tell you what, she's a pretty little thing at the moment. And what she says, she speaks pretty smart I think. She just comes across as the right image. It wouldn't surprise me in the future."

He said John Key also had a good "television image".

"If she was Prime Minister at some stage, she'd look good.

You'd see her and you'd think 'Wow, she's our Prime Minister'."

The fun police of course took issue with the delightful compliments suggesting Ardern is more-or-less “hot-as-fuq” and that she “speaks smart”, with National Council of Women New Zealand chief executive Sue McCabe saying the comments were instead dismissive and condescending.

"Within the context, a woman's appearance is irrelevant; rather the focus should be on her abilities as a politician and potential Prime Minister.

"By focusing on her appearance and describing a grown woman as 'little', the panelist showed a lack of respect for Jacinda.

"This comment is sexist. Often when people highlight sexism, the concern is dismissed. More often than not, it's seen as a one-off comment and the person apologises.

"However, these comments are symbolic of the sexism that is entrenched in our culture.

"We call on New Zealanders to think about the language they use and make sure it reflects the equality of genders."

In reply to the criticism, Mr Lowe, aged 69, said: " I was trying to compliment her. I come from an era where calling someone pretty was one of the highest compliment and so I did."

It was “just a bit of banter”, Sue, come on.

In response to the bit of banter, Ardern told Pearl Going "I have found myself wanting to ask, what if John Key was a 'pretty little thing' as only we women are usually labelled, how would we view him as a leader?"

But, who’s to trust The National Business Review’s going because, gawd, she might be one of those “feminists” too: “If the prime minister as a woman flip-flopped on promises and answered the hard questions with generalist 'she’ll be right' waffle that has become a Key trade mark would this woman ever be thought competent enough to have made it into the Prime Minister's office? Would this woman even survive a term, let alone three terms?

"Let’s be clear here, that woman would be attacked. John Key would not survive as a woman, he would be held with contempt – as an example of female incompetence.

'She' would be labelled all manner of things and those things

would go up in levels of demeaning depending on how attractive he was.

“You see, it appears in New Zealand, while we have smashed through many glass ceilings, being pretty or attractive to any degree is not the same as it is for a man who is thought of as handsome or attractive. If John Key were indeed a woman, would the media report his 'sexiest politician' ranking with the same gravitas?

“When you turn the tables, you begin to see the irony of the criticisms and comparisons levelled at Jacinda Ardern by men who are really in no position to lay claim to a true understanding of the degree of talent she has had to possess to get thus far.

“They are men in a man's world standing on the sidelines watching a woman line up in a male-dominated race where the deck is already stacked against her. Flaunting the blatant nerve to claim she does not deserve her place on the starting block. Then patting each other on the back and backing each other up.”

So for all of you little ladies out there who have grand dreams to get into politics, here are our five top tips:

1. Talk smart to men but not too smart, you don’t want them thinking you’re more intelligent than them.

2. Accept the pay-disparity with delight. You must suffer the consequences of not complying with your natural obligations - that is, to cook those f*&^ing eggs, and to iron the hubby’s shirts.

3. If you’re stressed - cry, gossip and be hysterical. It’s only natural that PMS affects your ability to be a functioning professional.

4. Either embrace male qualities and avoid vocal fry, or, do the opposite - shorten those skirts, get those puppies out. It’s your appearance that will get you to the top, after all. Burqas and potato sacks are for people who take themselves too seriously.

5. Glass ceilings make for a good make-shift mirror all the better to “dolly up”. Lord knows, you have to meet the “pretty little thing” requirements.

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Glitter - Hannah Bridges

St. Patrick’s Day. All glitter-green and Cuba Street, Irish car bomb glasses smashing come to the pub, a live band is playing let’s pay too much for liquor cream and dance.

Listen to the buskers Listen to the stars, the craters of the moon are a four-leaf clover and the reason why I’ve pulled you here into the grime and away from the glitter is because I saw him kiss you and I saw you turn away and that’s the man who stared at me for minutes then followed me to the toilet.

And the depths of my lungs filled with air like a gun and I shot F-bomb bullets and who the fuck do you think you are.

He stumbled to the dance floor full of bullet holes bought a drink and walked your way I want to ask are you okay If his breath is too hot we can move to the night, link arms like old friends, have I told you you look like my sister.

Have I told you you are my sister.

We’re all the same to mother moon but she’s a bit hung up at the moment she can’t roll and crush that man I don’t trust, the one with the bullet holes— that’s why he staggers.

So I pulled you here like a tide because I know three words that can save a psyche and remind you of the moonbeams inside you, that someone cares about where your bare feet take you.

The pub floor is dirty so is the world.

And rape doesn’t give a fuck about four-clovered luck.

I am not the right person acting at the right time I’m just your sister, your brother, your bartender flatmate friend I am mother moon just checking in.

So take my three-worded clover linguistic trinity and tell me are you okay.

47

Puzzle Time - Leo Time

4. Fair trade coffee company. 5. 3 Million. 6. True. 7. Wilhelm.

1. German. 2. Patrick Bateman, American Psycho. 3. Giant Tortoise.

Leo has been nominated for nine Golden Globes, having won two, and nominated for four Academy Awards, and has won none. With your help he can finally find the Oscar!

Can you unscramble these letters to see what two words they spell?

8. Shark. 9. $61,000. 10. 1993

1. What language does Leo speak fluently?

(Other than English) 2. Which terrifying role was Leo offered but turned down because his fan base was entirely teen girls?

3. What interesting animal does Leo own as a pet?

4. What kind of business does Leo own in his spare time?

5. In 2013, how much did he donate to saving Tigers in Nepal?

6. Leo and Toby Maguire made a movie so bad that Leo had to take legal action to ensure it never got released. True or False?

7. What is Leo’s middle name?

8. He has survived an attack from which dangerous animal?

9. In 2013 how much did he donate in support of Gay Rights?

10. When was he nominated for his first Academy Award?

48

Contact us

Editor Kim Parkinson (04) 801 5799 ext. 63765 editor@massivemagazine.org.nz Design and Layout Nina Weil ninamweil.wix.com/ninaweildesign nina.m.weil@gmail.com Advertising, Marketing, and MAWSA Association Manager James Collings (04) 801 5799 ext. 63763 manager@mawsa.org.nz CAMPUS REPORTERS Auckland Julia Braybrook juliabraybrook@gmail.com Manawatu Carwyn Walsh carwynwalsh@gmail.com Wellington Kim Parkinson editor@massivemagazine.org.nz Contributors Julia Braybrook, Carwyn Walsh, Sasha Borissenko, Paul Berrington, Taryn Dryfhout, Nick Forrester, Saskia Wanklyn, Hannah Bridges, James O’Neill, Liam Hockings, Uni Mum, Rep Chic.

THE KIDS BEHIND THE COVER I’m Nina, the designer of Issue 8 Massive. The idea for this cover was the concept of things coming to an end, such as this year, which I twisted to mean a celebration. I wanted the cover to be bright, festive and happiness-inducing during a time in the year when motivation might be seriously lacking. James brought the idea to life with his incredible photographic skills and trained eye, capturing our model Rachel just as I’d imagined.

Disclaimer The views, beliefs and opinions reflected in the pages of MASSIVE Magazine do not necessarily represent those of Massey University, its staff, Albany Students’ Association (ASA), Massey University Students’ Association (MUSA), Massey at Wellington Students ‘Association (MAWSA), Extramural Students’ Society, or the MASSIVE editor.

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IMAGE CREDITS Front and back cover Nina Weil nina.m.weil@gmail.com and James O’Neill www.facebook.com/ jamesophotog or www.instagram.com/jamesophotog. Model: Rachel Needham Instagram @rachelrara Editorial Thomas Aitken Student politics feature Nina Weil nina.m.weil@gmail.com Master’s feature Elliot Gonzales gonzalesbabies.tumblr.com/tagged/doodles or avkmmxv.tumblr.com Mature students feature Kallum Best kallum.p.best@gmail.com Risky Money feature Charlotte Upton upton.charlotte@gmail.com Mental health feature Catherine Meachen www.behance.net/catherine-meachen Photo feature James O’Neill www.facebook.com/jamesophotog or www.instagram.com/ jamesophotog Uni Mum Te Hana Goodyer, www.hanateh.com Read online issuu.com/massivemagazine Publisher massivemagazine.org.nz ISSN 2253-5918 (Print) ISSN 2253-5926 (Online) This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible papers. The document is printed throughout on SUMO Laser, which is FSC® certified and from responsible forests, manufactured under ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems. MASSIVE magazine is committed to reducing its environmental footprint.

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