Nexus 2019 Issue 9 by Nexus Magazine

New Flat? No Worries! Rent everything you need!

We have a large range of appliances and furniture for rent and you can share the cost between flatmates! COMPUTING

ENTERTAINMENT

WHITEGOODS

FURNITURE

+ MORE!!

David Bennett MP for Hamilton East 07 834 3407 DavidBennettMPforHamiltonEast davidbennettmp@parliament.govt.nz

Call 0800 111 313 or visit mrrental.co.nz

Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by David Bennett MP, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

UP TO

40% OFF

FLIGHTS, TOURS, BEACH BREAKS & MORE STA TRAVEL WAIKATO Waikato Uni, Gate 1 waikato@statravel.com Terms and conditions apply. 09 856 1300

READ

WATCH

EXPERIENCE

REVIEWERS - ARTISTS - FEATURE WRITERS - ONLINE COLUNMISTS

Nexus is seeking volunteer contributors with stories to tell in 2019. If you think you're ready to write then email: Editor@Nexusmag.co.nz

CONTENTS

Editorial

FOMO

News Feature

Valid

Easy News

Quiz

whelmed.

This VS That

Feel Good News

Sports

Entertainment

Random Audit

Reo Tauira

Campus Fashion

UnderEmployed

Waikat Flats

Full Exposure: Soaked Oats

Horoscopes

Clean the Fuck Up

Procrastination Station

Reviews

Snapped

Do You Even Fashun?

Blind date

Grace Mitchell Nexus Editor editor@nexusmag.co.nz

Kim Sare Deputy Editor kim@nexusmag.co.nz

Ashlea Curran Designer design@nexusmag.co.nz

Feature:

Passion for (ethical) fashion

James Raffan Managing Editor james@nexusmag.co.nz Todd Harper News Editor todd@nexusmag.co.nz

Danielle Marks danielle@nexusmag.co.nz

Raaginee Rajah raaginee@nexusmag.co.nz

Steph Balsom steph@nexusmag.co.nz

Emily Gallagher emily.gallagher@waikato.ac.nz

Luka Love luka@nexusmag.co.nz

Nexus Classroom

Contributors

Jared Ipsen jared@nexusmag.co.nz

Nathan Rahui president@wsu.org.nz

Sophie Miller sophie@nexusmag.co.nz

Kyla Campbell-Kamariera vpmaori@wsu.org.nz

Nelson Cooper nelson@nexusmag.co.nz

Makayla Wallace - Tidd makayla@nexusmag.co.nz

Paora Manuel paora@nexusmag.co.nz

Marnie Hunter

Dylan Todd dylan@nexusmag.co.nz

marnie@nexusmag.co.nz

Sarah Graham - Campus Fashion Yuwei Wan Joshua Ziegler - Sports Swabeehaa Bi - Easy news Benjamin Harcourt Scott Smith

Advertising Kendrah Worsley + Tara Overwater comms@wsu.org.nz

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

EDITORIAL Grace Mitchell Nexus Editor editor@nexusmag.co.nz

I freakin’ love clothes, I really do. I don’t think any of us are really immune to the lure of advertising. I’ve watched so many clothing hauls, spent hours upon hours scrolling through online sites, and I literally have about 500 outfits saved on my Pinterest (it’s fucking basic, I know). As much as it’s fun, I can pretty confidently say that being woke is much, much better. And not just so you can preach about how much of an eco-friendly goddess you are. We’re led to believe we need a new outfit for every occasion, only to wear it maybe two or three times max. We’re not celebrities, dudes. It’s not good for our wallet, or for our mental health - being stuck in the ‘I need more’ mindset doesn’t make you satisfied. Once you’ve bought that thing you wanted so bad, five more will pop up in its place (just like the Hydra in Percy Jackson, or something). There comes a point where you know too much to continue being a wasteful arse any longer. It really comes down to a mindset change, more than anything else. It’s not just about you, boo. It’s about the ethical and environmental impact that most companies don’t advertise to us. Check out our feature to learn more about it - the stats are pretty horrendous, but the good news is that there’s a lot of stuff we can do to make things better. On one hand we’re discussing the NZD$4.50 daily wage for factory workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and then we’ve got a news feature on the potential $20 hourly minimum wage we’ll be getting in New Zealand. Are there any economists at all advising these policies? The NZ inflation rate in the first quarter of 2019 was 1.5%. Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems a little bizarre that we'd increase would we increase our minimum wage by 7.3% from $16.50 to $17.70, and by a whopping 21.2% from $16.50 to $20. Is it really more money in our pocket at the end of the day when managers might just panic, have to let staff go and hike their prices?

Omg that hot guy from the club is here

the sevens are going offf

FOMO!!!

girl you are missing out

wish u were here!!

just won $50 on the pokies

FOMO

6 MAY

Bunnings Sign Language Workshop Head down to Bunnings on Quentin Drive from 4-6pm for a workshop celebrating NZ Sign Language Week.

Semester A exam timetable available now From Monday you can view your exam times in the ‘Timetable’ tab of MyWaikato or on timetable. waikato.ac.nz/exams/

7 MAY

10am - 2pm UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO FIELDS

If raining, we will head inside to the UniRec gym and play futsal instead

Ericup with Vielle Illustrator & Sign your Faculty FREE Sports drinks Sports Ambassodor or on our Author Workshop + BBQ lunch for players website : waikato.ac.nz/sport

Come along to a workshop full PRIZES TO BE WON + 1st place gets of book readings, live drawing, $100 Hells Pizza Voucher Q&As, and book signings. Chartwell library, 3.30-4.30pm

9 MAY

Study and Research in Germany A DAAD Scholarship expert will visit the University of Waikato this week to talk about the many opportunities for funding of study and research in Germany. 1–2pm in S.1.03.

PRINZ, Tackling Social Media in 2019 Expand your knowledge on the art of social media in today’s everchanging society. Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, 4.30-6.15pm. Tickets from prinz.org.nz.

11 MAY

Hamilton Zinefest The Zinefest will be bursting with local artists creating ‘zines’ and other art related products for you to purchase. Support local art and design at The Meteor, 10am-3pm.

CAPES Market Insights Programme The Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) are looking for students to take part in the 2019 Market Insights Programme. Find out more and register your interest at cape.org.nz/mip

10am - 2pm UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO FIELDS If raining, we will head inside to the UniRec gym and play futsal instead

FREE

Sports drinks + BBQ lunch for players

PRIZES TO BE WON

+ 1st place gets $100 Hells Pizza Voucher

11 MAY

Waikato Nesian Festival 10am-3pm. Head down to Claudelands Park for some music, food, key speakers, and performances to celebrate Waikato’s Pacific heritage and diversity. Best of all, it’s free!

THE TRUE EFFECT$ OF THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREA$E Todd Harper News Editor todd@nexusmag.co.nz

The beginning of April this year saw an increase in New Zealand’s minimum wage to $17.70; the largest minimum wage increase New Zealand has ever seen. This was a $1.20 increase from the previous minimum wage of $16.50. For an average student working 20 hours part-time, this is around an extra $24 a week. If you add that up over the course of the year, it’s around $1248. The Government is proposing two more minimum wage increases before the middle of 2021 - the first is up to $18.40 by April 2020 and the second is $20 by 2021. This means that a student who was making $17,160 per year in February 2019 will be making $20,800 by 2021. Effects of this increase have yet to be truly felt, but the ongoing conversation is concerned with how this increase could affect everything, from the cost of living to increased spending boosting the economy. The changes will impact around 71,500 people who are currently on minimum wage. Nathan Rahui, WSU President says for many students that are trying to make extra money, the majority are all in working positions that only pay minimum wage. “To see an increase in the amount that they earn is a positive thing because it means helping to alleviate some of the financial stress that student life can bring, just that little bit more. “Many students don't qualify for student allowance so have to borrow the loan living costs from StudyLink, which soon amount to another large sum of money to pay back on top of University fees. The more money students are able to earn to pay their bills from employment, means less money that they have to borrow and pay back in the future.” 8

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

However, Rahui is also slightly concerned about the rapid increase of $20 an hour the government is proposing by 2021. “Considering that 2021 is very quickly approaching, a $2.30 jump by next year is very ambitious. Although the increase in the minimum wage has its benefits, on the other hand, it can also mean a rise in prices for consumers, a huge jump would see many prices soar rapidly. Minimum wage earners would be making more, but they would be spending more too which sort of defeats the purpose of an increase.” The Restaurant Brands Association, which advocates for a range of service and hospitality organisations such as Mission Estate Wines, Hobbiton Movie set and many others, says increases to the minimum wage will have long-reaching effects. “While impacts from smaller incremental minimum wage increases can be controlled by businesses, a ‘larger’ minimum wage increase in one jump is viewed as having an ‘extremely negative’ impact by 48 per cent of employers. A recurring comment from employers is their concern for pay parity for other employees and the upward pressure on all wages in the business. “In previous years, the increases were more manageable and impacts were felt only on the most junior staff. Now with the ‘promised’ increases being much larger, the impacts are expected to be much more broad, as the ‘halo effect”’ will affect ALL staff and what their pay expectations are.” Eric Crampton, chief economist at the NZ Initiative says New Zealand's 2019 minimum wage increase pushes us into rather uncharted territory. “The $1.20 an hour increase is the largest on record and is expected to affect about 209,000 workers. With the minimum wage rising to nearly 70 per cent of the median wage, we are also reaching levels well beyond those present in most other OECD countries. “With prior smaller hikes, we would expect minor changes for those workers earning above the minimum wage to maintain relativity. I would be hesitant to make guesses about how employers will accommodate the sequence of hikes bringing us ultimately to a $20 an hour minimum wage.”

Nexus spoke to an Auckland based student who works in a supermarket. He says in most supermarkets, the only way you can get a pay rise is when it is lifted by the Government. He is lucky enough to be paid more than the minimum wage in his current position. “I hope the $1.20 lift in the minimum wage on April 1 will help me to negotiate a rate of more than $20 an hour. Rent on my one-bedroom flat costs more than $300 a week. The guy who lives in front of me is paying $700 a week and all his wages go on rent. “I am lucky enough to earn $2 more than the starting hourly rate of $17 an hour. The grocery trade is a traditionally low-paid employer, but it is a struggle.” Regardless of how the minimum wage increase has affected you, any increases in wages will have a positive effect on the surface. If you think these changes are positive, or if you dislike the direction of these increases, you have a voice. Be sure to use it next year when election time comes around.

VOXED Joe, BA: “It’s pretty mean, my pay just went in a few weeks ago, so I get more money each week. It helps a lot.” Max, BMS: “I’m a little worried about how this rise in wages might affect the prices of stuff. The level of wages doesn’t affect me, as I get student living costs.” Hayley, BSc: “I currently work in retail above minimum wage, however, I never saw an increase in my wages when it went up, but some of the staff that have just started got a raise due to the increase. It’s not really fair for me if I’m the same as them.” Megan, BHSHP: “It’s lit. It helps me a lot. By the time I have done my shopping and got a cheeky Sal’s, I generally don't have much left.

UNIVERSITY RESPONDS TO NEXUS In Issue 6, Luka Love wrote a feature regarding the University of Waikato’s decision to go smoke-free, and the unintended consequences of this policy. Everyone deserves a right to reply, so here are the answers we received from the university: Does the University support students who wish to quit smoking? “The University of Waikato’s Student Health Service offers a comprehensive smoking cessation programme, and our staff are actively offering assistance to students. Helping students to give up a damaging addiction, and keeping the campus free from secondhand smoke is a priority. The programme includes: - Free Smoking cessation nurse consultations for 30 mins which include free supply of nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges) - Free follow up support and referral to Quitcard - $10 GP consultations for other smoking cessation alternative medication choices. No repeat script charge - Free Nurse screening and referrals to wider smoking cessation services (kaupapa Maori providers/Quit Support)” The Ministry of Health supports vaping as a means to stop smoking. Why has the University taken a position in contravention of the Ministry of Health? “The decision to ban vaping on campus is in line with “Fast fashion isn’t free. Someone, somewhere is paying.” - Lucy Siegle, journalist and author specialising in ethics and environmental issues.

"Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs.” - Queensland Reds player Taniela Tupou after last month’s controversial comments from Israel Folau.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

the Government’s plans to regulate e-cigarettes and prohibit vaping in areas where smoking was banned under the Smoke Free Environments Act 1990. Under the Act, the Universities of Waikato, Otago and Canterbury have chosen to ban e-cigarettes and vaping. The Ministry of Health’s advice also informed this decision, including the following points: - The inclusion of nicotine in some e-cigarettes and at increasing levels in later generation e-cigarettes, and the potential for this to contribute to rather than prevent long-term nicotine addiction (and the potential for this to lead to tobacco smoking). - No company had met the requirements under the Medicines Act to have an e-cigarette approved as a medicine to support smokers to quit. - A lack of evidence of the long-term impacts of e-cigarettes on non-users via second-hand vapour. Research around vaping is far from conclusive and quickly evolving. Increasingly visible vaping in public areas having the potential to erode gains made in the cessation of tobacco smoking with smoking-like behaviour seen as normal or desirable.” Is the University aware that by banning smoking on campus, smokers are forced to move to roadways around the University where they are now smoking in full view of school children? “We have no jurisdiction outside of campus but we would expect smokers and vapers to take some responsibility for finding a place to smoke or vape where they will have the minimum impact on others, particularly children.”

148 million predicted amount of in clothing waste by 2030.

years

42.195 km

190,000

$4.50

the length of time Marty Everett’s purse was missing before it was returned to her this year.

tonnes of microfibers head to the ocean each year.

"Rubz unfurled her wings and took flight today. The miracle of her staying didn't happen but so many did!!!” - Jo Hill after her daughter Ruby Hill passed away last week from gastroparesis, a debilitating digestive condition.

banana-eating artwork banned from a gallery in Poland for being too naughty.

18%

of workers in forced labour exploitation are children.

ran by Lukas Bates while dressed as the Big Ben in the London Marathon.

the daily wage for garment factory workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

1st place

the position of the Kiwi accent according to the Top 50 Sexiest Accents list. 11

Jared Ipsen jared@nexusmag.co.nz

They say to dress for the job you want - if that were true for me, my dream job is to be a farmer, or at least the kind of job where shorts all year round is a requirement. The clothes we wear say so much about us - how much money we have, what subculture we belong to, how much we like Metallica. I’ve always been insecure about the clothes I wear. I used to spend most of my paycheck every week on shirts, hoodies, and shorts, throwing my hard earned dollars away to fast fashion and clothes that would fall apart after a few months of regular wear. I wanted to fit in - I wanted to be cool, fashionable. But no matter how hard I tried, it never worked. Deep down, what I really wanted was to be free from the insecurity, free from the ‘fashion’ cycle, and to try and free up some room in my brain to worry about other, more important things. So, about a year ago, I donated all of my clothes to charity and bought four plain black t-shirts, two pairs of shorts, one pair of pants, one sweatshirt and one pair of shoes - and that’s what I’ve worn ever since. Sure, I’ve upgraded some of my clothes to better quality, more sustainable brands, but I’ve essentially been wearing the exact same thing, day in and day out, for a long time now. I’m basically a cartoon character at this point. It was strange at first. So much of our personalities are tied in to how we present ourselves, and for me, I feel like my flavour went from a Coke to a La Croix. I was worried I would be boring, forgettable, and that people

would think that I was just some gross as dude that wore the same thing every day and smelt like shit. But if wearing the same thing every day is good enough for Henry Rollins, Steve Jobs and Donald Glover, it’s good enough for me. And it totally worked. No one has ever noticed (or at least, they haven’t said anything about it) until I’ve pointed it out to them. That early morning anxiety of “oh fuck, what am I gonna wear today” was gone. I get up, I put on whatever is clean, and I go about my day. It hasn’t all been peaches and cream, though. Even though I don’t buy any clothes outside of my ‘uniform,’ that doesn’t stop me from spending hours online, searching for the perfect shirt or most sustainable pants. My clothes now are a lot more expensive initially than they used to be, because a good quality pair of pants made from sustainable materials and not made in a sweatshop somewhere are a bit more pricey than some awful Nike shit (with the added bonus of not being made by literal children being paid $0.61 an hour). Now, I’m not trying to say that expressing yourself through your personal style is a bad thing, or that the entire fashion industry is made up of evil corporations trying to capitalize on your insecurities or anything. We just need to be more intentional with what we wear - choosing brands that aren’t actively trying to destroy the planet, prioritising comfort and function over whatever is ‘cool’ at the moment, and embracing the effortless style of a plain black shirt.

whelmed. 12

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

FEEL GOOD NEWS Researchers have discovered a cure for the deadly sting of the Australian Box Jellyfish, the most venomous marine creature in the world.

New York City has passed the Climate Mobilisation Act, made up of six climate measures including

requiring all new residential and commercial buildings to cover their rooftops with plants or renewable energy sources such as solar panels.

The London Marathon has become the first marathon to ditch plastic bottles of water for runners, replacing them with edible Ooho water bottles, which are made out of seaweed extract.

Researchers have found the BioSolar Leaf system can purify the same amount of air as 100 trees while only requiring the same amount of space as a single tree. The

system grows tiny plants across large platforms to be installed like solar panels on top of buildings to suck greenhouse gases out of the air.

A Californian family has been reunited with their cat Diamond after 475 days, after the Montecito

Mudslides last January. She had been surviving on food scraps from a generous neighbour until the family could return back to their home last month.

4 year old Cooper Baltzell has found a friend in his hospital janitor Gregory Watson, giving him a familiar face when he has to receive medical treatment for his rare genetic condition in hospital.

Ivy the 8 year old rescue Pitbull celebrated her birthday with 500 tennis balls, continuing the

tradition started by her owner Justin Hall. She even got own pool as well!

Year 11 Wellington student Cassia Percival is leading her family’s lifestyle change, after using her 14th birthday to ask her mum and dad if they could become a waste-free family.

Canadian researchers have developed a new treatment for mobility impairment caused by Parkinson’s disease. The patients of the study were originally confined to wheelchairs, but are now capable of walking completely unassisted.

Jazz Thornton, co-founder of Voices of Hope, and Constable Meika Campbell met again last week for the first time since 2015, with Thornton thanking Constable Campbell for saving her life when she was 19.

Morgan Freeman is doing his part to save the bees, turning his 124-acre ranch into a honeybee sanctuary. Despite never wearing a bee suit or hat, he’s never been stung. 13

TOP 10 Hottest Marvel Characters Potentially the most highly-debated list yet.

MULLET OF THE WEEK: Moihi Atutahi

Captain America - there’s nothing sexier than old-school values...and have you seen that ass? Thor - never has the dad bod looked so good. Black Widow - up the rangas.

Bucky Barnes - the hottest butt chin out.

This interview was conducted in the sheep pens of the NZ Shearing Championships in the mighty Te Kuiti. Sweat glistened on the backs of these young men as they wrestled sheep to and from the stage. It was by lucky chance I managed to distinguish this woollen mullet from the flock of mischievous merinos. Nexus: What was involved in your decision to get a mullet? Moihi: Just a New Zealand trend I guess.

Erik Killmonger - we love a bad boy.

Nexus: Do you think the stereotype that men with mullets don’t shower is a myth? Moihi: Yeah, it’s a myth actually. Because I know I definitely shower all the time

Scarlet Witch - her and Vision were totally #couplegoals. Until he died.

Nexus: What have some of the reactions to your mullet been? Moihi: It’s awesome, I get all the chicks, and everything, I get all the girls, yeah I’m loving it.

Pepper Potts - Paltrow is a MILF.

Nexus: Has anyone ever confused you in the flock of sheep? Moihi: Ah, nah, not really.

Gamora - not going to lie, the whole green-skin thing is a turn-on.

Nexus: And can you just tell us what kinda car you drive? Moihi: I’ve got no car, I drive these gumboots.

CRUSH OF THE WEEK A nice big ol’ scarf The Hulk - after all, he probably has a hulk-sized penis.

Star-Lord - you get points for having a funny personality too, okay?

What’s better than wearing a nice warm coat? Wearing a nice warm scarf to keep your neck toasty while braving the wintry Waikato weather, obviously. Another accessory to flaunt? Bonus! Genius way to hide headphone cords during class? Bonus! A relatively cheap ‘treat yourself’ that can easily be justified to mum? Bonus! Honestly, nothing completes a winter look like a scarf. All you kids walking around with a beanie and a bare chest, gimme a call when you get the flu and watch me say “wear a damn scarf” xx

WHAT'S HOT

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

DIMINUTIVE POST

Cold weather and uni courses make for students getting snug while sporting only the hottest of brands. With winter officially arriving next month, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth are splashing the cash around town, as only branded hoodies are accepted in lecture theatres. Huffer and RPM sales have been steadily on the rise over the last several weeks, with more recent competition from Patagonia.

WHAT'S NOT

Brand Sales Increase as Students Get Warm for Winter

. Sticking them with the pointy end . Having healthy levels of B12 đ&#x;&#x2DC;¤ . Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ass . Our accent apparently . Getting a pay rise from StudyLink . Dad bods đ&#x;&#x2DC;? . Banana bread

. Tribal tattoos in 2019 (not like the

actual meaningful ones but the ~tribal~ ones that trashy white guys get)

. Group work . Having your name misspelled in an email reply

. Going to the Ngawha and coming out with measles

Rhythm and Vines Photos Continue to Appear on Social Media Despite the summer festival season coming to an end five months ago, pictures from within the infamous vines are still being published on both Instagram and Facebook. Captions like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;from where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather be,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;take me back!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; alongside questionable emoji choices have been spotted, with some individuals even so bold as to begin the countdown. It seems that, for some, December 29th â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come soon enough.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

PASS THE

AUX

đ&#x;&#x2DC;ˇ

. Those weird neck beards, wtf . Criticism that is labelled as constructive but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually really hurtful

đ&#x;&#x2DC;

. Having to wear jandals to uni because of your post-town blisters

WHEN YOUR 'FIT IS ON FIRE

Spotify: nexusmag 1.

Hot Damn Blimes

Compliment My Shirt Saint Lane

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m on Fire Bruce Springsteen

My Style is Fly Jazz Liberatorz

Feelinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Myself Nipsey Hussle

Be Jealous Tech N9ne

REO TAUIRA Mana Wahine MÄ ori Businesses for MÄ mÄ â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day

MÄ mÄ â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day is coming up on Saturday 12th of May and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got you covered with cool gift ideas for your student budget. And if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a tightarse but still wanna show MÄ mÄ some love, most of these places have our trusty mate Laybuy! Nothing beats quality time though. So if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to, go and spend some time with those special ladies in your life.

Nichola Te Kiri Contemporary MÄ ori Designs nichola.co.nz

Nichola Te Kiri incorporates MÄ ori symbols and stories into the designs of her jewellery and clothing. Her jewellery range includes unique contemporary resin, wood, perspex and mixed media pieces bound to dolly up MÄ mÄ every time she puts them on. Find NZ stockists or purchase on their website.

Aho Creative

Hana Tapiata quote cards

ahocreative.com

hanatapiata.com/store

Aho develops fashion and lifestyle products that weave whakapapa, MÄ ori culture and identity. The Aho Pepi Muslin wraps are TO. DIE. FOR and are sure to burst your ovaries. The Aho KÄ inga printed linen range is perfect for all the creative Seamstress MÄ mÄ out there. Check out their online shop.

đ&#x;&#x2DC;?

Taputapu Design taputapu.co.nz

Owned and operated by UoW student Nikki Kennedy, Taputapuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to normalise, preserve and teach Te Reo MÄ ori through design. The addition of Taputapuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homeware instantly transforms any home! AND if you wanna make sure MÄ mÄ â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got that hot bread and pihikete on your next trip home, the ParÄ oa tin set is the perfect hint! Have a titiro at Nikkiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other products online. 16

A selection of Hanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite quotes from her book Self-Awareness Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Begin With Self made into quote cards for decorative, inspirational purposes. You can purchase single quote cards or a 5 pack of cards. The cards are a5 sized and can be framed or whatever - up to you. You can find all quote cards and Hanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book on their website.

Adrienne Whitewood adriennewhitewood.com

Fusing fashion design and Indigenous MÄ ori print, we are blessed with Adrienne Whitewood kÄ kÄ hu and her store Ahu Boutique. Tees, jumpers, dresses, hats, rompers and jumpsuits, all in MÄ ori designs; these pieces are honestly priceless! A bit more on the expenny side but hei aha - if you want to be the fave child you gotta do what you gotta do! Find the whole range online and just try to resist buying anything!

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

Files

Edit

View

Help

Jobs on the shortage list Animator / Digital Artist - Pay is dependent on the complexity of the work, skill, and experience. New animators can earn between $18-$20 per hour, while experienced animators can earn up to $75 per hour. Project Manager - You can earn anywhere from $55K to $135K. Job opportunities are good, as constant changes in businesses require new projects and therefore new management. Chef - Job opportunities in the cuisine sector are pretty decent due to a shortage of chefs. They usually earn between $34K-$65K per year, while Head Chefs earn $65K to $100K per year. Food technologist - There’s a growing demand for people in this role. They can earn $50K to $95K per year. Veterinarian - With rural areas having a particular shortage, they’re brimming with job opportunities. New veterinarians can earn $58K to $76K per year, while experienced veterinarians usually earn $76K to $130K. Civil Engineer - Graduate civil engineers earn between $45K and $75K a year, while senior civil engineers earn $100K to $120K a year. Anaesthetic Technician - Trainees can earn $36K to $45K a year and experienced anaesthetic technicians can earn $47K to $87K a year.

UNDER EMPLOYED Files

Edit

View

Help

SJS Weird Jobs of the Week Photographing a Small, 2-Bedroom Apartment for Marketing - One Off - Hamilton Oddly specific and creates a slight feeling of unease but could be keen I guess. Childcare Wizz - Fixed Term Part Time - Hamilton “What do you do?” “Oh, I’m a childcare wizz” - you on your next Tinder date, probably. Junior Loss Prevention Associate - Permanent PartTime - Mount Maunganui Is this just a fancy way of saying security guard? Wine Promoters - Multiple Locations - Casual Ongoing Honestly, just give us some wine to “promote” and we’ll do our best.

Psychiatrist - As a trainee, you can earn $72K to $178K a year, while experienced psychiatrists can expect about $152K to $217K a year.

FULL EXPOSURE: SOAKED OATS

Four-piece band Soaked Oats from Dunners has created quite the rep for itself, with band members describing their sound as “sludge pop” and sharing their knack for singing about stone fruit with the world. Nexus had a chat with drummer Conor Feehly to get the scoop on their sound, their advice, and where they’re going in their poststone fruit era. NEXUS: First things first; how did you guys get into the music scene? Was it something you’d be working towards for a while? Conor: Well Oscar wrote some songs while he was selling cherries on the side of the road one summer. We thought they were good enough to record so he came down to Dunedin and we workshopped the songs until we went out to Chicks hotel to record them. Our first show was with some of our friends who were touring at the time, Gromz and The Shambles, and luckily we had some other connections to bands in the NZ music scene such as Ha The Unclear. We played a lot of gigs in our first year and I guess earned our stripes that way.

NEXUS: You guys have a pretty unique repertoire of songs! Who or what do you count among your biggest sound inspirations? C: We all listen to heaps of different artists and genres, but I guess we do have that indie-guitar sound. We really look up to The Phoenix Foundation, especially since they are NZers too. I think we bleed a lot of what we might be listening to at that particular time into whatever music we are making at that time. NEXUS: Your debut album Stone Fruit Melodies earned you a bit of a rep for performing songs about stone fruit – where did that stem from? Any plans to continue on with that trend? C: As I mentioned earlier, Oscar was selling cherries and learning guitar a few summers back. I think sitting bored on the side of the road gave him some inspiration and a series of stone-fruit themed occurrences happened during that time too, so decided to run with the idea of basing some songs around stone fruit metaphors. I think we are done with the stone fruit stuff.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

NEXUS: Your new single Driftworld and its video came out a few weeks ago, and it’s such a good tune! What was the process that went into making that? C: Thank you very much! We really enjoy playing that song. It started just as a jam that we went back to a few times and workshopped. The mood of the song really fits with how our recent tour of America felt, and so we dedicated the song to the vehicle which we travelled around in. It was called the ‘Driftworld’. NEXUS: You’ve snagged yourselves a few overseas tours and headline shows, and now you’ve got a New Zealand tour under your belt as well – what’s the plan from here? C: We are off to the UK in a couple of weeks to play at The Great Escape Festival along with some other great NZ bands, and we also have some new music coming out over the next couple of months which we are super excited about. The plan? World domination.

NEXUS: Do you have any wild fan stories to share? C: I’m not sure about wild fan stories…we meet a lovely person called Sam in America who was at the show we got flown over to play; she ended up joining us for 95% of our two month tour across America and now she is a great friend! NEXUS: Do you guys have any advice for any young kiwis looking to follow in your footsteps and break into the music business? C: Play lots of shows and be nice to people! NEXUS: One last question – what’s the best stone fruit? C: Plums for sure. Check out Soaked Oats on Spotify (watch out for their new EP, Sludge Pop, this June) and head along to a show in June/ July during their tour of the UK, Aussie, and NZ. They’ll be performing in Auckland on July 6th.

NEXUS: The name Soaked Oats definitely sparks some interest! What’s the story behind the name? C: Unfortunately we don’t have a glamorous story about our namesake. We were contemplating names early on and we were thinking about calling ourselves The Oats. We told this to our very talented friend Jack Hawke who does a lot of our artwork, he came back with some designs that said Soaked Oats so we just ran with it!

CLEAN TH E

FUCK UP

When there are Raspberry Cruisers around, someone always falls victim to spillage. So what do you do? Firstly, start stripping. No seriously, take whatever it is off and leave to soak in a hot bucket of water; you’re not gonna want to look at it for days. If you can, grab yourself some Vanish Preen Gold Powergel and douse the crap out of that stain; it’ll perform miracles. This stuff is even good on grass stains. IDK about the socks you’ve worn for 11 days straight though, so don’t hold us to that. If you can’t afford top shelf, make a paste out of washing powder and water and then, with light pressure, gently scrub the spot before leaving it the fuck alone so it can undo the damage your ass created. If you’re gonna buy nice shoes, buy nice protectant; it’s generally a 5th of the price of buying a new pair, so don’t be a stinge. Crepe (hate the name but helped me keep a pair of vans decent until they just weren’t) is good as on any shoe, so a thumbs up for that. For the aftermath, a toothbrush and soap around the base will 20

do, as well as a baby wipe for most shoe materials. If it’s leather, a good polish will help; just remember there are like 904 kinds of tan. Whatever you do, do not put suede in the washing machine. That shit will curl up faster than the socks we discussed earlier. Apparently an eraser does the trick, but I’ve been informed it definitely does not, so the verdict is still out on that one. Hairspray on damaged denim is news to me though, and I’m sorry to say I’m not prepared to test this one out for you guys. But if you have tried, slide into my DMs. For future reference, don’t wear that crisp white tee to Chilli House, we all know it won’t survive.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

CrasH Talk

Album - ScHoolboy Q ScHoolboy Q released his third studio album CrasH Talk, and much like his previous efforts, it’s a different, fresh and interesting take on the sounds and styles popular within the hip hop landscape right now. Some tracks disappoint, like the opener that doesn’t live up to its meme af name Gang Shit. Meanwhile, songs like lead single Numb Numb Juice and Floating provide bouncy, exciting bops with energetic deliveries that keep you wanting to throw hands. Tales and Dangerous provide a vibey, entertaining track to just kick back and listen to, while the title track CrasH reminds me of the Kendrick Lamar opus Cartoons And Cereal; that alone makes the album worth listening to for hip hop fans.

Lunatics Netflix Original Dope as fuck, big yes to scrunchies.

Avengers End Game

The Highwaymen Netflix Original Film

A film about some old-timey coppers on the hunt for Bonnie and Clyde in the 1930s, with the outfits and attitude to match. Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner make a delightful partnership to watch on screen, and portray the stresses of their task quite nicely. The combination of this with clever cinematography and a fitting sound score make for a pleasant watch. However, there are times when the plot becomes just a little too boring, and a bit too focused on the partnership of Frank Hamer and Maney Gault; nevertheless, this might be one to add to the watchlist for a rainy day, even if it is just for Harrelson and Costner.

Movie Loved this movie 3000

Swimming in the Moonlight Single - Bad Suns Feel good tune, definitely summer vibes.

Hurts 2B Human - P!nk, Khalid Single

P!nk’s latest tune gives off chill vibes with a mellow beat, capable of providing some neutral background noise for any occasion. There’s no denying that the voices of P!nk and Khalid create some magic together, but unfortunately the lyrics don’t quite meet the same standard. It just seems to be more of the same pop stuff found by all mainstream artists in today’s scene; the general gist is that life can be hard, but it’s a-okay if you’ve got your other half by your side. Overall, not a bad song but definitely hasn’t made it to number one in my books.

ME! Single - Taylor Swift Bit of old Taylor, bit corny too. 21

DO YOU EVEN FASHUN? We’re not meant to stereotype and all, but sometimes you just can’t quite help it with some of the interesting folk you see roaming the lecture halls. We’ve profiled 8 of the most common fuckers on campus - do you fit?

A SUIT

STRIPED SHIRT

Obviously a management kid who already has the inflated ego of a big business CEO, and will treat you like it. Will use phrases like “per my last email,” and will probably interrupt you mid-sentence to add their opinion to a convo. Beware, they’ll probably trap you in with some talk about supply and demand or telling you how they’ve already got a job lined up after graduation.

Just your standard student who goes with the flow, and there’s a high chance that they chose their ‘fit of the day by sifting through their floordrobe. Probably a part of FASS, probably listens to Tyler the Creator or Anderson .Paak, and will 100% ignore you if they’ve got their headphones in.

JEANS + TRUSTY OLD SKOOLS

NO SLEEP CLUB TEE

A NICE WEE DRESS

A sign of too many late nights and too much coffee consumption; honestly, a look. They’ve probably given up on uni just like the rest of us, but they’re a bit more *outspoken* about it. Treat them kindly, it might come in handy when you’re having a breakdown at 3am and you want someone to talk to.

Now this is someone who cares about the image they put forward. Likes to take charge in class discussions, drinks White Rhinos, and watches makeup tutorials in their spare time. Take caution when inviting them into the friend group, or your private life might be heard through the grapevine.

+ PJ PANTS

+ CUTE ANKLE BOOTS

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

TOWN CLOTHES

DENIM, DENIM

Definitely some potential that they didn’t manage to get changed after last night, but also shows they’ve got the confidence to pull it off. They’re the life of the party and they want everyone to know it, so particular focus is placed on Instagram aesthetics and performance to produce maximum FOMO. It might not work, but let them dream, okay?

Every time you see them they’ve got a different pair of jeans on, and their wardrobe is home to at least three denim jackets. Oh, and denim shirts? Yeah, apparently they’re back too. Might be a bit strange, but a good one to have in the contacts list for when 90s parties roll around and you’re down to channel Britney and Justin Timberlake in a Canadian tuxedo.

ACTIVEWEAR

BIG, CHUNKY DAD SNEAKERS+ NOT IRONICALLY

(INCLUDING HEELS)

Goes to the gym and wants everyone to know it. If they’re in your circle, you’ll either never see them because they’re sneaking in a quick workout, or never get a chance to speak because they’re telling you about their quick workout. Probably looks up to Kayla Itsines and The Rock, talks about their favourite protein powder too much, is contemplating doing Keto again to make some more gains, and most likely has a 5am alarm set six days a week.

+ MORE DENIM

These are the kids that just want to come to uni, listen in class, and then fuck off home again to get some study in before their strict 9pm bedtime. Probably studying a more ~serious~ degree, and will shush your back row discussions in the lecture theatre. Definitely go for the Facebook add, you never know when you’ll need some detailed class notes.

PASSION FOR (ETHICAL) FASHION Fashion is infamously known to be the second most polluting industry in the world, just a step behind oil. Long, complicated supply chains that tend to stem from impoverished regions provide ample opportunity for exploitation and unsustainable practices, whether that be in sourcing raw materials, manufacturing textiles, making the clothes, shipping and transport, retail, or disposal of the end product. It’s important to understand the true impact of the industry so that we have a “why” to help us change the taste for “new” that we’re become so accustomed to. Environmental issues in the fashion industry are big, varied, and daunting. There’s the huge quantities of natural resources and land used for farming and processing, the runoff of pesticides used to farm crops that pollute soils and rivers, and the enormous amounts of water required to irrigate crops such as cotton. As Stephen Leahy from the Guardian said: “85% of the daily needs in water of the entire population of India would be covered by the water used to grow cotton in the country. 100 million people in India do not have access to drinking water.” Then there are the toxic dyes used in manufacturing that pollute waterways (the vibrant colours we’re fond of are responsible for birth defects in some textile-based cities), the tremendous carbon footprint 26

from shipping clothing around the world (these ships consume fuel in tonnes per hour), and the vast amount of waste created when garments are discarded. Add to that a growing trend for quick, cheap, mass-produced clothes that can be delivered to your door, and we’ve got a big mess on our hands. The recent phenomenon that is 'fast fashion' ramps up the whole process faster than ever before, whilst cutting corners to keep prices low. Globalisation means we can get whatever we want, pretty much whenever we want it; therefore, the cycle of waste picks up speed. Modern marketing is, in some ways, too efficient. We’ve become conditioned to an intensive consumerist market so strong we feel we ‘need’ to buy, buy, buy. Yet, the evidence is growing to show the link between materialism and unhappiness. At the end of the day, the fast fashion shift only really benefits Big Business. Environmental sustainability is still just one part of the picture: extremely low wages, hazardous working conditions, and outright exploitation form the human rights concerns we don’t see in the day to day picture from a cheerful-looking online store. No one seems to realise that today, at this very minute, there are more slaves than ever before in history; an estimated 27 million people. These supply chains are responsible for it; your shirt may even be made from the cotton picked by Uzbekistani children forced to swap their education for working in a field. That’s why it’s critical that we

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

- the consumers, the Westerners and ultimately the people with the power in these circumstances - refuse to endorse clothes produced by slavery and environmental degradation. The Tearfund Ethical Fashion Guide is the best reference we have at present for assessing the ethics of fashion companies. The guide denotes fashion companies an A-F grade based on their policies, transparency, supply chain traceability, worker empowerment (for example, receiving fair wages), and environmental management (a new standard to this year’s report) with the aim of discouraging exploitation and informing both consumers and businesses alike. While it may not provide all the answers, it’s a great starting point to hold companies accountable. This project began after the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh in 2013, where 1,134 garment factory workers died in the collapse of the building they worked in, despite begging their managers not to enter on the very same morning due to visible cracks in the walls. To get some more information, we spoke to Tearfund Education and Advocacy Manager Claire Hart. She informed us that people working in factories with low ethical standards will be exposed to toxic chemicals, fire hazards and unsafe buildings; conditions which would violate the most basic health and safety regulations. Workers often have to endure 12-14 hour days, sometimes even longer, for drastically low pay. “...in Dhaka which is the main textile producing city in the country [Bangladesh], the minimum wage per day is about NZD$4.50. A living wage, so what they actually need to be able to survive, is $7.80. So far in 2019, there’s been heaps and heaps of protests by garment factory workers, protesting the low wages. That $4.50 has actually only just hit that level, not that many months ago it was even lower than that.” Tearfund’s assessment covers many of the international brands that have a strong presence in the Australian/ New Zealand market, as well as brands specifically requested by people like us. In a 4 month consultative process, companies will fill out a survey which requires them to trace their supply chain, with evidence required for each answer. Companies may not know as much about where their materials are coming from as it seems they should.

“...a company that’s only just starting out tracing its supply chain, it’s going to be a number of years before they can actually say with assurance that they know that there’s no part of the supply chain that has exploitation in it, because fashion supply chains are very large and they’re very complicated”. So, what about our beloved go-to cheapie buys; stores like Cotton On, Kmart, etc? Can cheap clothes be ethical? Well, yes and no. “A company like a Cotton On or Kmart has the scale that they can actually put really good systems in place to protect workers, and they can still keep that low price point up to a point, but...none of those companies are paying workers a living wage...it depends on what your standard of ethical is. “...[the clothing] is often a low quality so we’re buying higher volumes of it, discarding it quicker. It’s often made with cheaper production processes which are worse for the environment...You can still buy from a company that you know doesn’t have slave labour, but if you’re buying really cheap clothing, you’re still buying clothing from a system that’s unsustainable.” If you’ve ever watched The True Cost on Netflix, you’ll know that in the Punjab region of India (which is the main cotton-growing region in the country), the toxic effects of broadly sprayed pesticides is visible not only in ecological consequences, but also in the children. The number of mentally retarded children born in every village has drastically increased, meaning parents have

it is them, not us, paying the price for our cheap clothing - except they aren’t paying with their wallet, they’re paying with their health, or in some cases, their life." to essentially wait for their children to die as they can’t afford to care for them. Pair that with an increase in physical handicaps, cancer, and mental illness (all shown in studies, by the way) and the fact that an Indian farmer commits suicide every 30 minutes, and we can see that it is them, not us, paying the price for our cheap clothing - except they aren’t paying with their wallet, they’re paying with their health, or in some cases, their life. 27

It’s crucial that we grasp the magnitude of the problem. We’re buying 400% more than we did two decades ago. The mountains of waste in landfill are growing, species and forests are being degraded, and garment factory workers are being beaten if they protest their hazardous, inhumane working conditions. All of this is justified because ‘it provides jobs.’ Do you think that explanation cuts it? If you’re not sure about the ethos of a brand you like, ask them. If you’ve seen their Tearfund grade and think they’ve done pretty poorly, there may be another alternative to completely boycotting them. It’s a great idea to email them directly and ask them, for example, where are their clothes made? What do they do to ensure safe conditions and fair pay for their workers? How are dyes disposed of? What steps is the company taking to be more sustainable? If you do decide to stop shopping there, email them to let them know why. As Claire Hart said, “that gives companies motivation to actually change and that’s when we’re going to see some of those companies that are stubbornly sitting in the D and the F categories actually feeling enough pressure from customers to make a change, because ultimately some of these companies are only going to change when it starts to hit them financially.” Nexus is going to email a few popular companies and get back to you on how they respond. If you have specific brands you would like us to question, let us know. Things that we as consumers can do to help:

. Work on changing your mindset. You don’t need

something new to wear every weekend. The best thing we can do is consume less.

. When you do purchase clothes, buy fewer items of

higher quality. These may require a little more saving up, but they’ll last longer.

. Shop second hand and send clothes you don’t want any more to second-hand stores to extend their lifetime. See Issue 5 for inspiration on Hamilton’s op-shops.

. Buy local and support small businesses where you can. . Choose natural fibers which don’t use plastic, organic

fibers that don’t required heavy chemical use, or fibers that use less water to produce (see the section on fabrics on the next page)

. Repair or alter your clothes instead of chucking them out. 28

Microfibres Each time we wash synthetic fibres (i.e. anything that isn’t produced in nature, such as acrylic, nylon, or polyester), hundreds and thousands of miniscule plastic pieces wash down the drain. They can’t all be caught in conventional water treatment due to their small size, so they end up polluting waterways, where they absorb other pollutants such as industrial chemicals and pesticides. Fish eat them, then - you guessed it - we eat all those tiny plastics. It’s estimated there are 1.4 million trillion microfibres in the oceans. We can make individual efforts such as washing our clothes less, wearing only natural fibres (more than 60% of clothing is made of synthetic fabrics, and growing) and supporting innovations like the German non-profit engineered mesh bag, the Guppy Friend, which captures microfibres in your washing (just remember to chuck the fibres that collect in the rubbish, don’t wash it out or it does nothing!). However, consumers alone can’t solve the problem. We need innovation from companies to engineer solutions such as non-polluting fabrics, washing machine filters, and better wastewater treatment barriers to prevent microfibre pollution. Postgraduate research, anybody?

GROW GROW THE FUCK GROW OW THE FUCK UP FABRICS GROW FUCK UP GROW THE FUCK FUCK UP ROW T THE OW THE GROW GROW THE FUCK UCK U UP CK UP FUCK UPGRO GROW THE FUC GROW THE FUCK UP FUCK UP THE G GROW THE GROW T GROW THE UP FUCK UP FUCK UCK UP FUCK UP F GROW THE ROWGROW RO THE THE FUCK UP CK C FUCK UP UP GROW W THE GROW FUCK THE UP GROW TH THEFUCK UP GROW THE FUCK UP FUCK UP NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

Here’s a handy guide showing some of the best fabric options to look for when buying new threads to some of the worst culprits. Hemp - an incredibly versatile plant which can be used in a variety of different products (and no, we’re not talking about *that* use). It’s totally biodegradable, produces 2-3x the fibre per acre than cotton while using less water, and it actually provides nutrients to the soil while it grows rather than stripping them away.

Linen - it's a biodegradable fabric sourced from flax that doesn’t need fertilisers, pesticides, or excessive water use. Not only that, the fabric is super durable, and it even cools or warms according to your body temperature. Avoid white linen which requires bleaching; shades of ivory, grey, or tan are the best options.

Lyocell/Tencell® - this is the Beyoncé of eco-friendly fabrics, made from sustainably sourced wood which can grow super quickly, such as bamboo or eucalyptus. Wood sources can be grown on marginal land that won’t compete with space for food crops. The whole process uses less energy, less water and fewer chemicals than conventional fabrics, and petrochemicals used in production are recycled over and over to minimise waste accumulation in a closed-loop system. Wool - the biggest problem with wool is methane emissions that come from farming sheep (a.k.a. sheep burps). There are also concerns about animal welfare and chemicals used in wool treatment. Apart from that, the benefits are that wool can be produced from farming sheep on non-arable land, grazing is great for encouraging grass growth, and wool is both renewable and biodegradable.

Organic cotton - a better alternative to conventional cotton as it doesn’t use the polluting chemicals. However, remember that cotton is cotton; it still requires vast amounts of water to grow, plus it can be expensive.

Rayon, viscose, modal - these are wood-based fibres, so while they will biodegrade, they require hazardous chemicals to be transformed into fabric. Unfortunately they also contribute to rainforest deforestation.

Leather - animal rights ethics are just one side of the coin; the leather tanning process is also incredibly toxic. However, new initiatives using recycled leather, sustainably sourced leather and natural vegetable dyes (such as Piñatex, made from pineapple leaf waste, or even mushroom leather) could make this fabric a better choice in the future. Cotton - while it is a glorified as a natural source, this crop requires 10% of the world’s pesticides and 25% of the world’s insecticides, directly linking the spraying to miscarriages, cancer and various other health concerns, while also contributing to the decline of insect species and soil degradation. While cotton is biodegradable, bear in mind it requires around 2600L of water to produce just one cotton T-shirt. Nylon - not biodegradable, and made from petrochemicals. Nylon produces a potent greenhouse gas called nitrous oxide, which has a climate change impact 300x that of carbon dioxide.

Polyester - made from oil, polyester is a dominant player in the clothing industry, and definitely not biodegradable. 70 million barrels of oil are used to produce raw polyester every year, and considering we may have more microfibres in the ocean than sea life by 2050, this is probably one to avoid. Recycled polyester (rPET) made from plastic bottles could be a promising option, except some companies are actually buying unused bottles from manufacturers to do the job.

VALID Valid.

Patagonia

VEJA

Etsy

Nope Sisters Clothing

Palmah

Ethical Shopping Options Marnie Hunter

marnie@nexusmag.co.nz

With the fashion industry now being one of the most wasteful industries in the world, we need to find ways to be better. Fast fashion has become a general expectation from customers; we want new styles at affordable prices, which means we’re fuelling the industry giants who have achieved their success through a complete disregard for ethical and sustainable practices. Hence, I’m here to give you a few ethical shopping options that can help us all be less shit.

Patagonia With a mission to “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis,” this brand is clearly making a constant effort to debunk the normality of fast fashion. They create high-quality and long-lasting apparel, and also have a repair and reuse program – meaning you can really get your value for money! Make this brand a go-to for all your outdoor gears and be sure to check out their men’s streetwear for a stylish AND sustainable get up. 30

VEJA The footwear segment of the fashion business is a massive contributor as to why the industry has such a bad name. VEJA is challenging this trend by creating shoes using raw, locally-sourced, and upcycled materials. These materials include organic cotton, fish leather derived from the discards of freshwater fish farms, vegetable dyes, and fabrics made from plastic bottles – taking 3 plastic bottles to make one pair of shoes! While they are slightly on the pricey side, they’re awesome in quality and look pretty damn cool – plus you won’t feel shit about yourself when you buy them.

Etsy Etsy is an online platform that connects millions of customers with small designers all over the world. Not only are they epically cool through having women's leadership programs in the office, volunteering company time to charity, and composting office waste, but Etsy encourages creators to act ethically and sustainably across the platform. When you combine this with their vast range of products, Etsy quite possibly has everything you could ask for and more. Plus, you can even specifically search for goods that have sustainable and ethical values, leaving you with next to no excuses.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

While these larger brands are all making great efforts towards a sustainable future, the best thing you can do to ensure you’re shopping ethically is to buy locally. Seek out brands from your community and support your artist friends! When you buy fashion locally, you’re keeping the profits within the economy, creating local jobs and even reducing your carbon footprint through the smaller supply chain. Here are a few NZ brands that will give you that feelgood buzz.

Nope Sisters Clothing Started by two sisters, Nope Sisters Clothing claims to make ‘dope stuff for good causes,’ and I couldn’t agree more. This epic brand sells rad tees, hoodies, dresses and more which all communicate an important message regarding awareness about breast cancer, sexual abuse, youth suicide, period poverty, eating disorders, and more. Their products not only provoke important conversations about these issues but every item sold gives a donation to a local charity regarding these topics. Plus, they use ethically A-rated cotton and have an upcycled range coming out soon – how f*cking cool?

Palmah This kiwi brand is a personal favourite, providing guys and gals with the grooviest gears for their everyday getup. Started by two self-described ‘bums’ from Dunedin, Palmah is for people who live life less seriously through their locally made fun designs. They’re also super involved in the community, and did an awesome collab with the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, releasing a collection that donates 20% of every sale to the facility. They also held a big backyard boogie for all the Dunners breathers that supported the cause. We love Palmah.

Recycle Boutique Obviously, buying second hand is one of the best ways to ethically get your fashion fix – reduce, reuse, and recycle people! And while there are oodles of awesome op-shops around the place (e.g. the Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.), sometimes you don’t want to spend hours looking through racks. Recycle Boutique sells quality and designer second-hand clothing, meaning you’ve got a wicked selection of pre-loved clothes when you walk in store. They also have partnerships with some pretty cool local charities, meaning you’re supporting your community as you shop. 31

wHiCh ArTiClE oF cLoThInG aRe YoU? START

ARE YOU A TOTAL PERFECTIONIST?

INTROVERTED?

ARE YOU A WEE BIT ARTSY?

Y ARE SOCKS IN BED OK?

A BIT OF A PROMISCUOUS TYPE?

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

CONSIDER YOURSELF FITSPO?

DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE A MESSY ROOM?

SWEATPANTS Totally loveable, but an absolute slob. Might want to try sort your life out before exams roll around.

BULK BUY BETTY

Full sure

Honestly, if you’re not dripping in brands from head to toe, then what’s the fucking point? How will anyone at uni know that you’re better than them and financially able to blow all your cash on one new clothing item a week? No one will know about your superior status if you don’t exclusively dress in Huffer, RPM, Thrasher, Stolen Girlfriends, Lululemon, and all those other high-caliber brands; how else are you supposed to reign supreme over your peers? Parting with the amount of hard-earned moola need to acquire a plain white t-shirt with some small text on it may take an emotional toll, but it’s all worth it to get that sweet validation when walking around campus. Ladies, just throw on some Lorna Jane tights, a Huffer hoodie, and some Birks and you’ll be queen of the Management School in no time. To all my blokes out there, if you want to pull out the big guns, try some Adidas sweatpants, your Timbs, and a Patagonia jumper and everyone will be fighting for the title of your best mate. And for those of you who don’t want to conform to society’s bullshit gender stereotyping, a mix and match of all of the above is sure to get you to the top of the uni hierarchy anyway, am I right? Branded clothing obviously equals passing everything at university with flying colours, being friends with everyone who’s anyone, and just general life success. Best get spending!

expo-

BRAND WHORE

Fashion is killing the planet. Cotton requires vast amounts of water and toxic pesticides to grow, synthetic fabrics are dumping microplastics into the ocean, and the obsessive Insta-era desire to stay up with the latest trends is systematically transferring wealth from the lower classes to the upper crust. But fear not savvy consumer, you do not have to play a part in this cycle of misery and destruction. The solution (as covered in a previous issue of this very magazine) lies in the bulk buying opportunities found in any of the large number of quality op-shops around this fair region (you should probably buy your bulk undies new though, nobody likes second hand skiddies). Some will let you fill a whole bag for a few bucks, others will allow you to adorn yourself in the pinnacles of fashion for pennies on the pound. Pre-loved clothing is already worn in, releases less dye and fibres into the environment when you wash it, and directly reduces the amount of new crap mass manufactured to feed our mass manufactured social anxieties. So forget the latest shit you’ve been manipulated to believe you need. Style is immortal, fashion is fleeting. Buy that shit in bulk.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

Paora Manuel paora@nexusmag.co.nz

Feed the Sports Trolls? The old tale goes that you shouldn’t feed the trolls... they’ll know what to wind you up with. Someone should’ve told that to Australian media organisation Channel 7 and their social media team after taking down the image of the AFL Women’s player Tayla Harris back in March. The photo, an iconic image in its own right, shows Tayla Harris kicking the football from 65 metres out, legs going up with a powerful follow through. When the photo was uploaded, it was targeted by trolls who made “inappropriate and offensive” comments. It proved too much for the social media team who took down the post and replaced it with the following message: "Recently we published an image of AFLW player Tayla Harris. The original purpose in publishing the image was to celebrate the power, athleticism and skills on show in Calrton's thrilling win over the Western Bulldogs. The image attracted a number of comments, some of which were inappropriate and offensive. As a consequence we have removed the image and the comments." Later on, the photo was posted back up with the following: “We're sorry. Removing the photo sent the wrong message. Many of the comments made on the post were reprehensible & we'll work harder to ban trolls from our pages. Our intention was to highlight Tayla Harris’ incredible athleticism & we'll continue to celebrate women's footy.” Sporting organisations such as the AFL and NRL have embraced women as part of their respective games. It’s up to us to make sure that we embrace these talented players and don’t resort to being sad trolls who get a kick from being keyboard cowards and calling people out online.

FAKE IT Don't know how to sport? Football:

. First of all, it’s “football.” Call it soccer and your cover is instantly blown.

. Pick an EPL team. You can never change it. Defend them ruthlessly, no matter how shit they are this season. Make sure you yell “wanker” at least three times during the game.

. If someone falls to the ground, instantly assume they’re diving. Unless they’re on the team you’re rooting for, in which case it’s definitely a pen (penalty).

. Learn cockney slang. It’s essential for pestering the ref. . You must consume at least two jugs of beer whilst watching. NEXUS SPORTS FACT In 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard played golf on the moon after sneaking a golf ball and a club onto the Apollo 14 mission. 35

Random Audit -

IRSST103 - Introduction to International Relations Okay, so the course has a bit of an enticing name; intro to international relations? Hell yeah, I can’t wait to learn about diplomacy and Donald Trump ruining the name of modern politics. Alas, my hopes were quickly dashed when I overheard three girls talking about how much they hated the class as soon as I walked in the door. Sorry ladies, I’m just gonna say that your lecturer probably heard you, rip. The powerpoint slides revealed today’s topic to be the international political economy, and I settled in for a lecture where I would understand absolutely fuck all. Seems I wasn’t alone though; there was a point where I genuinely thought the girl next to me was asleep against the wall, and the guy in front of me was reading what looked to be a novel on his laptop. Can you read novels on a laptop? The lecturer began by asking how many people study economics, and one confident lad piped up from the back. When asked how it was going, he replied “it’s going” and fuck, I felt that in my bones, man. Head up first years, it doesn’t get any easier, so good luck! Judging by the amount of phones hidden behind laptops versus the amount of people actually taking notes though, I gather that some of these young bucks have already caught on to that. I lost count of the amount of times I heard the words ‘tariff,’ ‘liberal,’ and ‘exports’ and plenty of other big fancy words. Huge shout-out to Waikato University and its lecturers; I’ve been studying in this area for the last three years and I still had no fucking clue what was going on. There were Waikato Management School bottles and lanyards floating around, one dude was wearing a 2018 leavers hoodie but lowkey looked like he could be mid-30s, and I even saw a tablet and a stylus. Let’s just say, you can definitely make an assumption about what kind of people I was surrounded by. If we’re being honest, the only thing I learnt was that the headquarters of the IMF and the World Bank are in Washington, and that the IMF is more of a bank while the World Bank is more of a fund; this even managed to get a few laughs from the class #justinternationalrelationsthings. Let’s just say I’m glad I passed this class two years ago, yikes.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

Danielle Marks danielle@nexusmag.co.nz

What the fuck is fashion? What does it even mean to be fashionable? Isn’t this all some subjective test to conform to the way society wants us as people to be? To be honest, fuck that. It’s pretty easy to feel like you aren’t fashionable enough and it’s something I learnt when doing the photography for campus fashion. Fashion is such an odd concept. We feel restricted to particular items of clothing because it makes us look skinnier, bolder, taller, stronger. It’s even weirder to think of it as the first thing we judge someone on. This is where I would usually go into the inequalities of judging people by how they dress and other means, but I’m sure you as the reader don’t do that. Well, at least I hope so. How we dress can also be placed in who we are wanting to express. You best believe when I’m in court I dress like the classiest student that’s ever passed through the Faculty of Law (whoops I mean division?). However, when I’m out and about, you best believe I‘ll wear a fluorescent orange turtle neck with a button up looking like I came straight out of your tumblr boyfriend dreams. We leave the house feeling confident enough to be seen by another human, but once someone attempts to take a photo we shy away. In my opinion, it’s so weird that we wear these pieces of material that are draped over our skin to be deemed appropriate by other people. Maybe we should stop doing that thing where we do

things for other people and focus more on what we want out of our life. With that in mind, this is not a free pass to walk around in your birthday suit, cause although it’s probably gorgeous, there’s a whole lesson on consent that I will need to teach you. We participate in fashion but don’t follow through with the confidence to be able to express ourselves. There’s nothing wrong with the classic black jeans and hoodie combo. I wear that shit when I want to be comfortable, but do you ever walk down the street and see someone with a sick statement jacket and think “damn I wish I could wear something like that”? What is it that’s stopping you? Cause I can assure you that you’d look damn sexy in it. I’m going to be real with you. It’s never been about the clothes that you wear, but the confidence you exude when you wear your favourite beanie or shoes. It’s that moment when you’re looking in the mirror and you feel good about what you’ve chucked on. That moment that you feel safe and comfortable in what you wear. So I guess what this word vomit of an article is trying to say is that fashion isn’t fucking real. It’s a word we apply to a weird perception that only we see. It doesn’t reflect the emotions behind your favourite worn out sweater or your lucky underwear you wear when you’re sitting a test. Never think you’re not fashionable cause it’s all a subjective test. You are beautiful in whatever you put on ya body; whether that’s you being fully dressed head to toe or if you paint your clothes on.

WAIKAT FLATS GIRLS OUTVOTED

After interrupting their quaint flat dinner, we were quickly introduced to the cutest student home this side of the Waikato River. With bedrooms that could be straight out of a “How to Design Your University Flat” article, a nimble flat cat, and a refreshingly clean kitchen, it seems that the only downfall was the 19th Century art decorating every wall. Want to land yourself a spot in the mag and some free Sal’s pizza to boot? Get in touch with us at editor@nexusmag.co.nz

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

A PUNCH IN THE FACE WITH A FISTFUL OF FLAVOUR

UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO STAFF AND STUDENTS PAY

JUST $1.70 ONE WAY ON BUSES IN HAMILTON WITH A BUSIT CARD.

JUST SHOW THE BUS DRIVER YOUR UNI ID TO RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT.

TAURUS APR 20 - MAY 20 We all know you mean well, Taurus, but your unnaturally big mouth will land you in a bit of trouble this week. Make an effort to be nicer, and hopefully you won’t get kicked out of your project group.

SCORPIO OCT 23 - NOV 21 With an impulsive moon in your fifth house, the urge to splurge is strong. Reevaluate your current situation and determine the cause of this recklessness; perhaps too much time spent on tinder has left you feeling a bit frisky.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUN 20 Within you, one can find an endearingly strong fight-or-flight reflex. However, this might not come in handy when trying to make your new relationship official. Refrain from eating their last Tim Tam, or chaos will ensue.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21 Neptune is in your sensitive fourth house this week. Paired with the Aquarius moon, this could blur your social boundaries. Remember to compliment others occasionally while you rant on about yourself yet again in order to avoid losing all of your friends.

CANCER JUN 21 - JUL 22 This week sees your life heat up a bit as you try to rekindle an old flame. Even though they’ve ignored you the last 18 times you’ve tried to make conversation, what’s to say the 19th won’t work? Persistence is key!

CAPRICORN DEC 22 - JAN 19 Even in the darkest of times, there is light to be found. Be sure to switch the light on when hunting for midnight snacks, or suffer yet another embarrassing injury.

LEO JUL 23 - AUG 22 It’s written in the stars, and clear as day in our crystal ball - this week sees public humiliation in your realm. Brace yourself for the possibility of being fired, dumped, called out in a lecture, or all of the above.

AQUARIUS JAN 20 - FEB 18 Your Saturn is foggy this week, and you’ll struggle to fulfill your responsibilities. Forget your assignments and take some time to relax and visualize the path you want to take in life with the help of Netflix marathons. You may as well not bother doing any dishes all week either what’s new?

VIRGO AUG 23 - SEP 22 Keep your social schedule light this week to avoid any unnecessary stress. Academic perfection is an important value to you, but it’s an unachievable one when you’re on it with the boys every night.

PISCES FEB 19 - MAR 20 Good things come to those who wait, right Pisces? Unfortunately, nothing worth mentioning can be found in your aura this week, but just sit tight - despite you doing fuck-all, destiny is bound to provide soon enough.

LIBRA SEP 23 - OCT 22 You’re known to make rash decisions, but perhaps this time take a few days to think things through. We know you hate that one guy in that one class, but perhaps don’t drop out just yet.

ARIES MAR 21 - APR 19 It’s never too late to change your life for the better, except in your case - turns out that you’re a terrible person and first impressions do, in fact, stick. All you can do now is hope for a second chance through reincarnation.

lABYRINTH ! ! ! !

"##$%&& '()*+(,-*.

/0Ã¿ 2 Ã¿3Ã¿45657Ã¿89':

! ! ! ! !

"##$%&& '()*+(,-*.

/0Ã¿ 2 Ã¿3Ã¿45657Ã¿89':

01234Ã¿6

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

"##$%&& '()*+(,-*. /0Ã¿ !! 2Ã¿ 45657Ã¿89' : "##$%&& '()*+(,-*. 20 by 3Ã¿20 sigma maze

"##$%&& '()*+(,-*.

01234Ã¿6789 7

HARD

MEDIUM

EASY

PROCRASTINATION STATION

/0Ã¿ Ã¿2Ã¿34546Ã¿74)8 (. 3Ã¿45657Ã¿89'"# *.#$%&& '()*+(,-*. /0Ã¿ Ã¿ :#$%&&'()*+(,-"#

/057 Ã¿ !9 Ã¿ /0Ã¿ ! 2Ã¿3Ã¿456 Ã¿89:)2Ã¿34546Ã¿74)8(.

! ! RIDDLES ! ! the only 1. Where is place ! ! that yesterday always comes ! ! after today? ! ! !

"##$%&& '()*+(,-*. "##$%&& '()*+(,-*.

/0Ã¿ ! Ã¿2Ã¿34546Ã¿74)8 (. 3Ã¿45657Ã¿89'"# /0Ã¿ Ã¿ :#$%&&'()*+(,-"# *.#$%&& '()*+(,-*.

Ã¿ /0Ã¿ Ã¿3Ã¿4/0 56Ã¿ 57Ã¿89: )2Ã¿34546Ã¿74)8(.

. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s !2 hard and in long !and has cum it? ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! the letters 3. Re-arrange O O U S W T D N !E J R to spell just one word.

"##$%&& '()*+(,-*. "##$%&& '()*+(,-*.

/0Ã¿ Ã¿2Ã¿34546Ã¿74)8 /0(. Ã¿ ! Ã¿3Ã¿45657Ã¿89'"# :#$%&&'()*+(,-"# *.#$%&& '()*+(,-*.

/0Ã¿ 2Ã¿3Ã¿4/0 56Ã¿ 9 Ã¿ 57Ã¿89:)2Ã¿34546Ã¿74)8(.

Name:

Created with TheTeachersCorner.net Word Search Ma NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

M W

G W

W G

O W

W G

W O

Pakihi Māori - Māori business MĀMĀ KUIA WHAEAKĒKĒ TUAHINE MANAWAHINE Taputapu - Appliance,RĀMĀMĀ instrument KOHA TAONGA Aho - Cord, strig, line PEREHANA Māmā - Mum PAKIHIMĀORI AHO Kuia - Grandmother/elderly woman TAPUTAPU Ahu - Fashion AHU KĀKAHU AROHA Whaea kēkē - Aunt Kākahu - Clothing WHAKAMAIOHATANGA WHAKAUTE MATEOHA Tuahine - Sister or female cousin of a male Aroha - Love TAUAWHI KIHI

WORD LOCATOR

Mana wahine - Prestige held by women

Whakamaiohatanga - Appreciation

Rā māmā - Mother’s day

Whakaute - Respect

Koha - Gift

Mateoha - Be fond of

Taonga - Treasure

Tauawhi - To hug, embrace

Perehana - Present

Kihi - Kiss 43

SNAPPED WINNER

Keen for some free BurgerFuel? Simply snap us the shitfest of your student lifestyle for the chance to win. Prizes can be claimed from the SUB

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 9

BLIND DATE He’s tall, dark, and handsome; a lanky second-year lad who’s into hitting hockey balls around the turf and keeping up with superheroes in his spare time. She’s a cute, spunky town rat looking for a man to keep her warm at night. Will these two opposites attract? SHE SAID: So, did the usual got ready and had a few drinks with my friends to have a bit more confidence before I left. Turned up a little late because my friend drove past accidentally so that was a good start...but probably should have kept driving. Got shown to my table a little tipsy and he was wearing a hoodie - let’s just say he knows how to dress to impress. Chat started off well but soon found out that he was a guy that loved to game, that’s when I realised that the condoms in my bag weren’t gonna make it out. I felt I was asking all the questions, so much so that to avoid awkward silence it came me to asking him, “how would you describe yourself in three words.” He then said the first word to come to his mind is boring… wow what a turn on, but couldn’t agree more. After breaking the seal and coming back to the table to find out that he was from Taupo, a place where I have a few mates, my ex got brought up (who I said was just a friend) where he complimented him and asked what he was doing now... wow mate next conversation please. After he finished his Smirnoff and I finished my drink I soon texted my friend to come help a girl out. However, he was a super nice guy and wasn’t the worst night of my life so shot Nexus for an algood time.

HE SAID: I got called in for this date last minute, so I wasn’t exactly prepared. Although when have I ever been prepared for anything. I got dropped off at House right on 7 after having a few confidence boosters (KGBs if you were worrying, which is probably a sign of how desperately low on confidence I was to be honest). I was seated by one of the waitresses while the fire alarm was blasting over the music, possibly foreshadowing how the night would go. She arrived a couple minutes later. I didn’t have any real expectations for who or what she might be, but I was definitely relieved when I saw her let’s say. She was really pretty and as it turned out also a really cool person despite the fact she was had been a deputy head girl at her private school and went to college hall. The conversation seemed to flow fine with only a couple of those awkward silences that we all dread. I asked if she had seen Endgame yet, which she answered ‘no’. This really dusted the rest of my conversation starters and any hope of her getting a second date. Unless she asks me, really nicely… please. Thanks to Nexus and House for the opportunity, it was a really cool experience and would recommend for anyone to give it a go. Worst case scenario, you get a $100 bar tab.

Brought to you by House on Hood. If you're keen for a Blind Date, email editor@nexusmag.co.nz

MEMBERSHIPS FROM $9.20 P/W

fvmzm

89.8 WEEKDAYS 6-10AM

FLETCH VAUGHAN MEGAN

READ

WATCH

EXPERIENCE

REVIEWERS - ARTISTS - FEATURE WRITERS - ONLINE COLUNMISTS

Nexus is seeking volunteer contributors with stories to tell in 2019. If you think you're ready to write then email: Editor@Nexusmag.co.nz READ - WATCH - EXPERIENCE