2 About Us Salient is published by, but remains editorially independent from, the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA). Salient is funded in part by VUWSA through the Student Services Levy. Salient is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA). The views expressed in Salient do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, VUWSA, or the University. Twitter www.salient.org.nzInstagramFacebook@salientmagazinefb.com/salientmagazine@salientgram Complaints Complaints regarding the material published in Salient should first be brought to the Editor in writing (editor@salient.org.nz). If not satisfied with the response, complaints should be directed to the Media Council (info@mediacouncil.org.nz). 04—09 16—17 22—23 10—12 18—19 20—21 24—35 13—15 36—38 News To All the Therapists I’ve Loved (and Hated) Before (Feature) Love Island Review Students and Long (Feature)Covid Trust the (Feature)TransitionCulture TheDysphoricPremenstruallyDiaries(Feature)CentrefoldEntertainment Find Us CONTENTS
• Let your friends hold you accountable. My friends have always known I’m a painfully slow eater. It still took a long time for me to tell them that I wanted to change my eating habits. Asking them to help me eat makes me feel like an incompetent adult, but it keeps me healthy. My friends now remind me to focus when I absentmindedly cast aside my food. They also congratulate me when I manage to finish a meal in one sitting. It’s not embarrassing, it makes me feel loved.
• Keep food easily accessible. Remove barriers to accessing food so that you have minimal reasons not to eat. If you often forget to pack your lunch to bring with you to work, try storing food at your workplace.
My relationship with food is great. My relationship with eating sucks. I am liable to abandon my food in favour of anything that offers me more mental stimulation. A morsel of food will make its way from my plate and halfway to my mouth… only for me to get distracted and leave my fork hovering in mid-air. Completing a task for work, engaging in a conversation, or replying to a message are some of the many things my brain deems as more ‘important’ or ‘valuable’ than eating. At best, I delay eating food for extended periods of time. At worst, I skip meals entirely. Lunch is the meal I am most likely to skip, distracted by the busyness of work. My lunch gets cold, weary of my restlessness. If my lunch could grow legs, it would show itself out the door, tired of being Myneglected.issueswith eating aren’t classified as an eating disorder, so for a while I didn’t think of them as detrimental to my wellbeing. But skipping meals can have a variety of negative effects on your health including fatigue, indigestion, low brain function, and malnutrition. I used to make light of my irregular eating habits. But after realising how much it has impacted my wellbeing, I don’t find it funny anymore.
Mauri Ora’s Health Coach Rebekah Ward-Johnston says she has seen many students who struggle with irregular eating habits because they are too busy.
• Set alarms to remind yourself to eat. I find it entertaining when my phone lights up throughout the day with the words “Snack Time!” followed by a variety of food emojis. If I’m entertained, I’m mentally stimulated. If I’m stimulated, I’m more likely to eat.
Rebekah says it’s easier to motivate yourself to eat if you tie food to the things that excite you about your life. When busy people eat, they have more energy to do what they love, she explains. This frame of mind places value on food and helps you eat with Sheintention.recommends students start by focusing on the one meal that, if eaten, would make the greatest difference to their lives. In my case, that’s lunch. Ngā manaakitanga,
CW: Discussions of Irregular Eating Habits, Eating Disorders
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GOSAVIJANHAVI(SHE/HER)
Eat, Eat, Eat, EDITORIALRepeat
Rebekah says not enough students utilise her services at Mauri Ora, and recommends those struggling with eating habits should make an appointment with her by calling 04 463 5308. I’ll leave you with some tips I have found that help me eat more regularly!
Last month, Victoria University of Wellington Law Students’ Society (VUWLSS) began consultation with students on the potential for re-engaging with Russell McVeagh.
Victoria University of Wellington Feminist Law Society (VUWFLS) have concerns around Russell McVeagh giving “platitudes” rather than “genuine cultural VUWFLSchange”. agree that students remaining informed on the issue is really important and want a re-engagement approach which is “respectful to those victimised and allows everyone’s voices to be heard.”
VUWLSS Raise McVeaghRe-engagementPotentialwithRussell
Words by Beth Mountford (she/her)
VUWLSS president Manraj Singh Rahi said that while the issue is currently centred around Russell McVeagh, the conversation is around what re-engagement with any firm might look like. He said that it is important to undertake this process now, knowing that current student and Law Faculty leaders “understand and recognise the nuances of the discussion so they can be held safely, constructively, and for the benefit of the students.”
VUWFLS said they want to see the process futureproofed with “an easier touchstone for the student body to be able to access information”, including more information about student rights and how to access help through the Law Faculty and through VUWLSS.
Full engagement with a firm means a connection to the Law Faculty in the form of participating in careers fairs, hosting seminars, being on panels, and financial sponsorship for specific events. However, Singh Rahi says that re-engagement with Russell McVeagh will not be “a “Re-engagementjump”. means that the student population gives me a mandate to talk to [Russell McVeagh] to ask them some of those questions about what they have changed. It then means slowly they might start being invited to be on panels, it means that the conversations continue,” he said.
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CW: Sexual Harrassment
Russel McVeagh is a New Zealand law firm which VUWLSS cut ties with in early 2018. This was after accusations surfaced of the sexual harrassment of summer clarks in the summer of 2015-2016 by senior members of staff.
Following the consultation, VUWLSS have resolved to “communicate with Russell McVeagh to understand from them what changes have been implemented” in partnership with the Law Faculty.
VUWSA Advocacy Manager Erica Schouten described the compensation as “inadequate”. “While we are pleased the students have some credit back, we believe compensation should have been offered as soon as the university was aware of the disruption students were experiencing,” Schouten Petersaid. said the compensation from the University “feels like something just to stop us from complaining”. “It seems pretty unfair that we have to pay the same as, or more than, other halls when we are actively living in a construction site,” he added.
Weir House’s Downfall:
Residents told Salient they ate out of the dining tent for roughly a month and a half. The tent could not fit a large number of residents so each floor was on staggered meal times. The lack of a kitchen meant food couldn’t be prepared onsite and was transported to Weir House from another hall. These meals were “often cold, and the portions were tiny”.
The James Hutchison wing was shut down at the beginning of 2021 due to earthquake safety concerns, displacing 120 students two days before they were set to move in. And in 2022, ongoing construction has caused extreme disruptions to the lives of current Residentsresidents.
Clara said it was difficult to eat out of the tent at night, when “strong winds and rain” would “force” students to stay in their rooms “and have noodles”. She said the tent was especially a “hassle” when there were no seats left. Weir House residents sent a letter of complaint to Rainsforth Dix, Director of Student and Campus Living. Dix responded by offering every resident credit equal to one week’s rent and a free ticket to the annual Weir House Hall Ball.
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Peter said residents were forced to either study at campus or in the hallways of Weir House “because our rooms were far far too loud to be able to think”.
Peter said, “The noise from construction was so bad that I couldn’t hear my counsellor on Zoom [...] it’s been really hard to focus for classes [...] it really caused me to spiral and my mental health is already Studentsfragile.”
Salient understands an open letter was sent to VUWSA by resident Noah Hunt on 11 August, expressing frustrations. Weir House residents who would like advice on taking this matter further are welcome to contact advocate@ *Namesvuwsa.org.nz.have been changed. out of a Tent Amidst Construction Noise
Students Eating
Words by Janhavi Gosavi (she/her) Weir House was first opened in 1933 and is an iconic VUW hall of residence. In 2019, it boasted over 300 residents across its three buildings. That was the last year the hall was functional in its entirety. For the duration of 2020, Andrea Brander House ceased being a part of Weir House due to Covid-19.
told Salient they were “surprised to find that the exterior of the building was covered in scaffolding” and “shocked” to find their dining hall had been replaced by an external tent. Many residents told Salient that the construction has negatively impacted their mental health and wellbeing. Jackhammers, concrete cutters, and sanders are some of the loud power tools being used right outside resident’s rooms throughout the day. Clara*, a resident, remarked that she would be “[woken] up at 7am to the beautiful melody of banging, clanking, and Claradrilling”.told Salient that some windows were “sealed for weeks at a time in summer”, adding that residents left sticky notes on the glass for the builders, which read “please help, I need air”.
Peter*, another resident, told Salient that Weir House lacked privacy because construction workers were “outside your window at all times”. Residents could either give up their privacy or keep their curtains closed and “live in eternal darkness”.
Lack of transparency regarding construction could violate the Pastoral Care Code. Outcome 5 of the Pastoral Care Code states that student accommodation must “ensur[e] residents receive clear, sufficient, accurate, and transparent information and advice about the type and nature of student accommodation and services provided”. If Weir House was a flat, the landlords (i.e. the University) could be in breach of the tenants’ ‘quiet enjoyment’, defined by Tenancy Services as the right to “enjoy reasonable peace, comfort and privacy”.
were never informed about the construction. They were not given the opportunity to consider whether they could cope with living on a construction “Ifsite.there had been transparency about all the construction that was going to happen, I certainly would not have chosen to move to Weir,” said resident Angus*. “I’m paying close to $500 a week to live here and I think it’s really shady that we had no clue what we were getting into.”
Words by Beth Mountford (she/her)
Simon van der Zeyden, who lived on the Sealion at Queens Wharf, said that when he moved aboard the boat in 2020 it was in “a great condition to support the livelihoods of a close group living aboard and also the interactions and energies of a large group of people and lots of lots of music and gatherings.”
The Sealion was moored at Queens Wharf for around 20 years, but was towed to the more industrial Glasgow Wharf in April 2021. The move came after the Wellington City Council did not offer a renewal of the mooring contract due to the Sealion’s deteriorating condition. At that time the Sealion was inhabited by a group of young creatives, who disputed the Council’s decision along with the owner.
Grant Nalder said that the Sealion had several leaks and had been taking on water for a while. The intake was managed by several pumps, one of which may have faltered late Monday afternoon, resulting in unmanageable amounts of water pouring into the boat.
Source:
Source: Wellington Live
Source: Linda CutcheMadelaine McGregor
6 News
Lamenting the Sunken Sealion
The Sealion hosted frequent movie nights, potluck meals, gigs, open mics, poetry readings, and more.
On the evening of Monday 8 August, Wellington lost a cultural icon to the depths of the harbour. The Sealion was a visually prominent vessel, painted with penguins by graffiti artist Dside. The boat was previously a minesweeper and a squid fishing boat. More recently, the Sealion was a creative community space which hosted around 70 public events between August 2020 and April Wellington2021.Harbourmaster
Findley was also fond of this arrangement, saying that “things were going pretty well generally, they were having music and arts things…it was wonderful”. Findley said that the boat was more vulnerable when it was towed to Glasgow Wharf, owing to the “propeller concussions from the Bluebridge ferry” as well as being more exposed to weather. How and when the Sealion will be salvaged is undecided, but it is expected to be a lengthy and complex process. Nalder says the boat will have to be hauled out of the water and broken up, but there are no slipways or boat lifts in Wellington which are big enough to support it. “Part of the reason it got into that state is that it couldn’t get lifted out of the water for maintenance,” he said, adding that the operation would be “a bit of a challenge, but not impossible.”
Nadler said, “essentially the back end filled up with water, lifted the bow up and slid gently beneath the waves.”
Salient has received several uncertain accounts of what actually caused the Sealion to sink, with the owner of the Sealion Selwyn Findley confirming that “it’s a bit of a mystery at the moment”. One person, known as Horse, was aboard when the boat began sinking, but they were able to get off Horsesafely. is believed to have been in communication with Findley about purchasing the Sealion, though no official agreement had been reached. Findley maintains that Horse was unauthorised to be aboard the boat the night it sank. “This person took it upon themselves to stay on board, I think he was on there [for] two nights with no permission from me,” said Findley. Salient was unable to reach Horse for comment.
VUW Student Activist Wins the Impact Award for Climate
Words by Maia Ingoe (she/her)
Aspin told Salient the goals of the plan were ambitious and positive: “It’s really good to be ambitious and aim for the top. But we will not achieve those goals if we don’t get the foundation right.”
In a press release, Verrall stated that free HIV prevention measures such as PrEP and condoms have helped reduce transmission. Dr Clive Aspin says “the world will not eliminate HIV any time soon if governments and decision makers fail to recognise the adverse impact of HIV on disadvantaged populations such as Indigenous peoples, and especially Indigenous women.”
Started by social enterprise Inspiring Stories three years ago, the Impact Awards recognise rangatahi making a difference in six different categories: climate, enterprise, inclusion, wellbeing, global, and local. Rilke was given the award individually because of category restrictions, but she emphasised that it was the work of Climate Clinic that had brought her to the stage. “I’m just very good at admin!” she said. The winner of the Impact Award for climate receives $5000 to contribute to their work and “amplify their impact”. Once the money has paid off legal fees for Climate Clinic’s most recent case, Rilke said it would go towards taking more people to court on climate change grounds. “It was a bit of a full circle moment,” Rilke said. Onstage, she was passed the award by climate activist and councillor Sophie Handford, who she’s known since the age of 15 when they met at science camp. Receiving messages of congratulations from other groups and people involved in climate action was a highlight for Rilke. It showed the Impact Awards is more than a recognition of a single person, it is a gathering of a community of passionate activists.
Words by Azaria Howell (she/her) When Rilke Comer nominated herself and the work of the incorporated society Climate Clinic for the Climate Impact Award, she never expected to win. But last Saturday night, exactly that happened. Rilke Comer walked the stage at TSB Arena to receive the Impact Award for Climate, an award recognising work by rangatahi on climate action.
Draft HIV Action Plan Ignores Indigenous Women, Says Lecturer
Rilke is one of the founding members of Climate Clinic, a VUW club focused on advocating for climate action within the law. In the same week as the Impact Award ceremony, she was part of the group of students from Climate Clinic that took the Energy Minister to the High Court, arguing the granting of two oil and gas permits violated Aotearoa’s climate “It’sobligations.sosurreal,”
Rilke said of winning the award. “We were like, there’s no way. What we’ve done is interesting, but there’s so many other candidates.”
Aspin does remain hopeful about the future, saying “we’ve seen some amazing developments in the science that has been discovered; what we’ve learned about science and the discovery of viruses is
Aspinphenomenal.”emphasised the need for “community engagement, unity, and responsibility.” Despite the ambitious plans and exciting scientific developments over the years, he reminded us “HIV is far from over.”
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The Government recently announced the HIV Action Plan, which is currently in consultation, with ambitious targets towards becoming the first country with zero HIV transmission by 2032. Despite a $18 million spending budget, Dr Clive Aspin, Māori Associate Dean for VUW’s Faculty of Health, says the draft plan misses the mark. Aspin, who has a background in Māori public health and HIV research, says the draft plan fails to reflect the fact that Māori, particularly Māori women, are disproportionately affected by HIV. Furthermore, data from the National Library of Medicine shows that indigenous women are more likely to receive a late diagnosis for HIV. Late HIV diagnosis significantly increases the risk of death in patients and reduces the efficacy of treatments. The Government is celebrating declining numbers of HIV transmission, with Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall saying “[w]e have made excellent progress in reducing the transmission of HIV in New Zealand with the number diagnosed in 2021 the lowest since the 1990s.”
Foster asked to meet at the famous Backbencher pub, saying it’s not his regular spot but “it was convenient” after attending an event at Parliament beforehand.
Despite having previously worked as a staffer for the National Party, running for Parliament for NZ First, considering joining the Labour Party, and being currently “most impressed” by David Seymour, Andy is running for Mayor as an independent candidate. Foster’s political ambiguity is not something he’s ashamed of. He describes his ideology as “a mixed bag”. “I think the labels of left, right, up, down, sideways are not always particularly helpful,” he said. Foster believes Aotearoa needs a centrist party in Parliament. When questioned, he said he would not rule out being involved in the creation of a new party.
As local elections approach and the Wellington City Council mayoralty race heats up, Salient sits down with the main players at a location of their choosing to share a drink and discuss their ambitions for Pōneke. This week we met with the current mayor, His Worship Andy Foster.
Why is he running? “We’ve got an amazing city and my job is to make it even better.” He believes he is the right person to make Wellington “a much more dynamic, attractive place”. Foster added that he “likes getting things done” and is “completely committed to the city”. He is proud of his track record, saying, “I’ve been 100% committed to this city for a very very long time - I want to make this city a better place.”
8 News
The news team enjoyed the WOAP cocktail, while he opted for a glass of the Graham Norton shiraz. “People are entitled to like what they like,” he said. His Worship did not pay for our drinks.
Environment Foster gets incredibly stimulated when discussing the environment, as it’s something he is “100% passionate about”. He proudly shared that he has caught just over 400 rats as part of his trapping scheme. He is also a founding trustee of Zealandia and enlightened our News team about an “awesome” kākā sighting on the Terrace last week.
As for climate policy, Foster does not yet have any concrete plans to campaign on, but points to his track record of “doing stuff and getting things done”. His website outlines policies from 2019 including “engaging in leading science on climate change” and “monitor[ing] and report[ing] on our collective progress on becoming carbon neutral”.
Inclusion Despite his ideological hodgepodge, Foster is big on “inclusion”, saying he “wants a city where everybody feels that they have a stake [...] it doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is, what your gender is, what your orientation is, what your belief system is.” He showed his support for transgender rights in July 2021 by holding the trans flag up in protest at a conference hosted by anti-trans group Speak Up For Women.
He has not yet started campaigning and his website is void of any new policies since his 2019 campaign.
Foster has been on the council for 30 years, almost as long as the average Wellingtonian has been alive (according to the 2018 census), even though he claims to not “particularly like politics”.
Throughout our interview, it was largely unclear what most of his concrete policy objectives were.
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On Eagle’s campaign, Foster said, “he didn’t do anything particularly in Council, and he hasn’t done anything in Parliament”. He added that if Eagle had performed well in Parliament, “He would’ve been a minister by now or at least an associate minister. He’s not. He’s not even a whip. He’s not a junior undersecretary or anything. So clearly, he’s not cut the mustard there. And now he wants to come back and be the mayor.”
Housing In an interview with Salient in 2019, Foster said housing was his key area of focus. He recognises that there still is “an affordability issue” but remains hopeful that prices are “beginning to come down”. He said the Council has “a role in making housing” and wants intensification up to six storeys across the mass transit corridor. He doesn’t yet have any policy regarding housing.
Transport When asked why students should vote for him, Foster said he is going to “actively fix transport”. He supports making public transport free “if the government’s willing to pay”, but acknowledged the Council does not have control of the issue, saying “it’s outside our Heorbit”.isalso interested in setting up public transport shuttles to service neighbourhoods with lower demand, saying “public transport is very expensive to run” in “far-flung areas”.
Sludge Another pressing issue that Foster discussed at length is the critical need for a sludge treatment plant.
Council conflicts Foster doesn’t speak highly of his Council colleagues, calling them an “extremely challenging group of people”. Running as an independent candidate, Foster “doesn’t like party politics around the Council table” and says candidates with party endorsements have previously caused problems in local elections.
When asked what he is most proud of from his time as mayor, Foster pulled out his smart folding laptop to share a 2900 word list of his achievements from this triennium, titled ‘Getting things done for Wellington’. The list included things such as “Getting LGWM actually moving” and “Notifying the first district plan in 22 years”. Foster refused to pick one favourite achievement over his tenure, saying that doing so would be like picking a favourite child. WWC Stuff
Credit:
Opponents When asked his thoughts on the “three horse race” between mayoral candidates Paul Eagle, Tory Whanau, and himself, Foster said “with respect to Tory, I think it’s only two [horses].” “If you want to be involved in Council, get involved in Council [...]. To waltz in and go I think I’m gonna be able to sort it out—it’s not that simple.”
Accomplishments
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While we sipped our WOAP cocktails, he outlined the process of treatment to “the nasty stuff” describing the way our waste gets mixed into landfill in a 4:1 ratio. “Our landfill is going to run out of space in 2026 [...] if we want to reduce the waste, we have to do something with the sludge, because otherwise we’re just gonna get a really nasty mess,” he said. Foster is confident that the current plan of waste minimisation and “sludge treatment technology” agreed upon in this term can be implemented in the next three years to alleviate the sludge debacle.
Long Covid is inconsistent. Symptoms and severity vary from person to person, and can include a lingering cough, memory loss, concentration issues, chronic fatigue, chest pains, and palpitations. The Ministry of Health webpage has a list of Long Covid symptoms, but it’s filled with uncertainty; we don’t know how long to expect Long Covid to last and we have yet to find a reliable treatment.
STUDENTS AND LONG COVID:
Words by Maia Ingoe (she/her) and Azaria Howell (she/her)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) update on long-term effects of Covid-19 lists varying results of studies asking how Long Covid develops. In one, 30% of patients had persistent symptoms 9 months after the initial infection. A Netherlands-based study by the Lifelines Corona Research Initiative states one in eight people (12.7%) struggle with ongoing long-term symptoms post-Covid.
Official information on Long Covid reiterates that while more research is needed, being fully vaccinated reduces the chance of severe Covid-19 infection and reduces the chance of developing Long Covid.
10 Features
WHEN THE INFECTION OVERSTAYS ITS WELCOME
Kate Plummer’s experience with the illness made her drop out of university entirely. She was first infected with Covid-19 in February, with symptoms still impacting her life half a year later. Kate was studying Political Communication and International Relations at VUW, but the impacts of Long Covid cut her academic career short. She now experiences daily migraines, fatigue, memory loss, and has problems with reading and information retention. Kate says that she “decided on pulling out of study completely as I was struggling to do everyday things. My doctor advised me that my brain needed a break. A lot of things are different, I find myself not being able to function properly compared to before [getting] Covid.”
have improved since her first month with Long Covid, and this trimester she returned to studying at VUW towards a degree majoring in TESOL. Her Long Covid hasn’t resolved; she is now hyper-aware of her health and still deals with ongoing fatigue. “It’s hard because sometimes, even now, I can have days where I feel really, really good. If I have a bit of a late night, or if anything happens to upset my immunities balance, or whatever, I can really go under quite quickly.”
When Monica Brooks got Covid-19, the infection didn’t go away after seven days. Her eyes puffed up pink, her neck swelled, and she was exhausted. A month after the initial infection, she went to the after-hours doctors and was diagnosed with Long Covid— the highly variable post-viral condition that lingers after a Covid-19 infection. When the symptoms were at their worst, Monica couldn’t recognise herself. “Not looking like myself, not recognising my own face because it was so swollen, was really disconcerting,” she said. For most of us, a positive test means a weeklong stay at home and plans cancelled. But we rely on knowing that after a week we’ll be back on our feet like normal. For some, normality doesn’t return after a week, a fortnight, or even a month. For those people afflicted with chronic symptoms of Covid-19, deadlines must constantly be renegotiated as they navigate the post-viral condition that evades the understanding of medical Monica’sresearchers.symptoms
“The fatigue and body aches impacted my ability/motivation to walk, or even leave the house,” said Kayla. “I started Zooming in to all my classes because I didn’t have the energy to even take the elevator.”
Students who have Long Covid have to make new study habits and routines to fit around an illness that fluctuates from day to day. Online learning is a major feature of university life to have emerged from the pandemic, and it allows flexibility for students with ongoing medical conditions.
As someone with ongoing medical conditions, Kayla was used to juggling study around health problems. She has yet to ask for extensions but has taken up Zooming into lectures and tutorials when she needs to. “[Online learning] has been very helpful for the days where I’ve just got nothing left to push,” she said.
Kate Plummer’s experience with Long Covid made her drop out of university entirely. She was first infected with Covid-19 in February, with symptoms still impacting her life half a year later.
A WHO report showed that since the beginning of 2022, social media mentions of “Long Covid” have increased 140%. Long Covid has also brought new attention to the lived realities of people with chronic and invisible disabilities. Charlie is a Victoria University student with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Alongside the disruptions to her daily routine, Kate has experienced “some struggles” seeking medical help for the condition. Multiple doctors had told Kate that they “didn’t know anything about Long Covid” and could therefore do nothing to assist.
Kate says the University have been supportive of her diagnosis. She accessed support from Disability Services who helped her get extensions for assignments and assisted her in completing late course withdrawals. They even helped her with university fees reconsideration, contacting StudyLink on her behalf. The support made a huge difference as she “wasn’t having to push my brain to work” and did not have to do as much admin, which can be seriously difficult amidst severe bouts of fatigue and brain fog. Like many healthcare providers throughout the pandemic, Mauri Ora—Student Health have struggled with long wait times for appointments and understaffing. Commerce student Kayla* developed Long Covid six weeks after her initial infection, with symptoms manifesting as an inflammatory disorder. She has accessed healthcare support through Student Health, and while they have tried their best, she hasn’t been able to receive comprehensive care. “I don’t seem to be getting very far with them, especially when you can’t see a doctor regularly because they’re always very booked. They just keep repeating my blood tests and keep coming back with abnormal markers,” she Othersaid.students with Long Covid look elsewhere for healthcare and day-to-day support. Monica prefers to rely on her own support system of friends and family, and has a private GP. While paying for healthcare outside the university is expensive, Monica would rather avoid inconsistent wait times. “If something is really serious, because you never know—a while ago, I was having this musculoskeletal chest pain, which is really common with Long Covid. But it was quite scary. It would be the worst thing to have that misdiagnosed or to fly under the radar.”
“If I do have a flare-up, or if I feel unwell and have zero energy, like some days, the fatigue can be quite bad. It’s way easier to just be able to do something sitting down from a laptop [and] not having to leave the house,” she said.
“As a chronically ill person, it’s difficult to see people only now caring about a set of
Kate is only 21, proving that Long Covid can strike anyone. She has no idea when she’ll be able to resume her pre-Covid life. She doesn’t know when she will be able to return to university and work, or how much she will be capable of doing. To her, life is overshadowed by intense fatigue and brain fog.
For Monica, afternoon classes and online learning have helped her keep up with study.
12 Features symptoms that have controlled my entire life,” she said. A New Zealand Herald analysis published last week stated Covid-19 is now the cause of one of seven deaths in Aotearoa, yet epidemiologists fear New Zealanders are becoming indifferent to the pandemic. Students are not exempt from this indifference.
*Some names have been changed.
After two years of significant disruptions to university life, students could be forgiven for wanting to move on from the pandemic. But re-infections continue and Long Covid persists while society tries to move on. Charlie is a student with chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis. “As a chronically ill person, it’s difficult to see people only now caring about a set of symptoms that have controlled my entire life,” she said. Monica reiterated that Long Covid can be really serious, and it’s important to continue with basic preventative measures like maskwearing, hand washing, and rapid antigen testing when symptomatic. “Covid is still out there. Keeping yourself safe is keeping others safe,” she said. “There is still a lot of information out there saying that if you do certain things you won’t get Long Covid, which is unfortunately not always true,” Kate said. “I did nothing after my initial infection, barely tried to return to uni and did not return to exercise, and I still ended up with Long Covid.” “I’ve been spending all my time studying to keep up, so my social life has taken a hit,” said Frances Smith, a Mathematics student who has been managing ongoing brain fog since March. Long Covid is invisible; students managing ongoing symptoms may have to sacrifice their social life to keep up with study and work. “Most people just think it’s physical symptoms or just attention-seeking,” Frances said. “I wish students would know the variations in Long Covid and how it is often unseen.”
Words by Francesca Pietkiewicz (she/they)
Hormones, progesterone, and oestrogen affect each person differently. Symptoms and treatment alike are not a one-size-fits-all scenario. The most common, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is one of several discomforts and disorders that can inhabit AFAB bodies.
Today I woke up feeling shit. My alarm went off at 8:30am, but staying in bed until 11:30am was the only option. Caught in an adrenaline-anxiety whirlwind, unable to move out of my blanket-fort foetal position. Yesterday was actually quite good, but for the next three or so days I want to vanish from this plane of existence. Today my brain urges me to focus on the negative and then criticises me for making the mentally-forced choice to be a passive observer in my life. This is all too much. SOMETHING NEEDS TO END. It’s me, I need to end. Hold on, maybe not. With a drop of blood, it all starts to sunrise back into normality.
CW: Depression, Suicidal Ideation
Think of PMDD like PMS’s estranged sibling. It is a hormonal-based mood disorder that predominantly affects cis women, trans men, and non-binary individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB). Where a majority of AFAB people dread their period, I pray to mine like a god. Its arrival is the only caller my sanity will answer to. PMDD is not just your average pre or mid-period blues. If you have PMDD “you’re spending two weeks of the month feeling like crap, or you’ve got debilitating period pain, bleeding through a pad every hour and so you can’t go to work,” says Beatrice Thorne, General Manager of hormonal health brand Eve Wellness.
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According to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), “PMDD is a cyclical, hormone-based mood disorder, affect[ing] an estimated 5.5% of [menstruators].” “One in
One in twenty menstruators worldwide struggles with the (hyperinvisible) Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).
THE DYSPHORICPREMENSTRUALLYDIARIES
Dysphoricstrugglesmenstruatorstwentyworldwidewiththe(hyper-invisible)PremenstrualDisorder(PMDD)”.
The menstrual cycle is actually split into four phases: follicular, ovulation, luteal, and menstruation. It’s not just the period followed by that sweet sweet time when there’s no blood to stain someone’s sheets. Wild right? We all react to each quarter differently depending on our hormonal makeup. For the most part, menstruators feel the best and most confident during ovulation. The luteal phase is sometimes coined the ‘calm phase’ of the cycle. But for people with PMDD, it’s the opposite. While many menstruators dread the depths of their periods, PMDD survivors arrive in that hell in the luteal phase.
A lot of the PMDD survivors I interviewed agreed that PMDD is commonly misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder. Usually it is because doctors can’t understand the rapid mood fluctuation that is caused by our hormones. PMDD survivors may be mis-prescribed medicines that could harm their hormones or bodies further. With my daily dose of fluoxetine, my PMDD phase is only three days, rather than the two or three weeks I became used to. This is a band-aid fix. We need a holistic health system that understands hormonal health.
Another premenstrual disorder that can affect the body is PME or premenstrual exacerbation which “refers to the premenstrual exacerbation/worsening of the symptoms of another mental disorder, such as major depressive disorder or generalised anxiety disorder” according to IAPMD.
“It’s not right that we live in a world where we don’t learn to understand our bodies until there is a problem with them.”
Most of us in the PMDD community self-diagnose before a doctor diagnoses us. The experience of misdiagnosis is unfortunately a common experience for many PMDD survivors. “It’s very common to get a misdiagnosis, or for AFAB individuals to believe that is ‘just how PMS is’. I had to Google my symptoms and try to find answers. My doctor misdiagnosed me as having generalised anxiety disorder,” says Asha*, a PMDD survivor.
PMDD is an intense negative reaction to hormones released during the menstrual cycle. It’s a severe form of PMS. Where the average person may experience moodiness and irritability during their cycle, a person with PMDD may experience more intense mood changes, anxiety, depression, and in most cases suicidal ideation.
The body isn’t always kind enough to grant us this perfect structure. We expect irregularity, especially as our bodies age and change into puberty, or out of our cycle into menopause. The best thing we can do is track our habits and symptoms alongside each other.
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IAPMD.org is a lifesaver for many PMDD survivors, myself included. Sandi McDonald, PMDD survivor as well as the co-founder and executive director of IAPMD tells me she started IAPMD in 2013 out of a support group. “I started doing a lot of investigating myself and doing a lot of my own research. I was suffering and didn’t have any idea of what it was. I encountered a couple of individuals in a PMS Facebook group that sounded like they had a lot of the same things as me… and IAPMD grew from there.”
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The reproductive system that spurs this forever mocked cycle is the same one responsible for life on this planet. The energy we have to set aside to live our lives despite it deserves more credit. “I think there’s still a pervasive stigma in the medical system that roots from the idea of hysteria. I had to spend time working on the understanding I wasn’t being hysterical and it wasn’t shameful,” says Billie.
PMDD survivor Ivy* expressed deep sadness when she recalled a conversation with her mum that sparked a realisation about menstrual symptoms and the women throughout their family line. “She just all of a sudden had the realisation [PMDD] could have been what she was dealing with. And then, also what her mother was dealing with in the past, back where you’d get sent off for electric shock therapy. My grandmother had electric shock therapy for depression, which could have just been the same Mything.”hope for the future is that menstruators across the world start to connect with their bodies. The only way to combat the intense lack of knowledge and stigma around our hormones is to share our stories. It is not right that we live in a world where we don’t learn to understand our bodies until there is a problem with them. Living with PMDD, or any invisible illness, is deeply debilitating and isolating at times. But I won’t let the PMDD story be a story of pain and suffering. It is a story of strength. It’s pushing through and being your own advocate. It’s getting up out of bed at 3pm but still doing yoga and taking out the trash. I can prepare for the bad days and congratulate myself for every task I accomplish. I have learned to be loving toward myself even when I can’t love myself, and I think that is the best we can do.
premenstrual syndrome or “PMS” was first coined in the 1950s.
The internal reproductive system is deeply confusing to menstruators, and PMDD survivors alike. We know little to nothing about our hormones or our cycle. We take our bodies on a rollercoaster full of irregular bleeding, cramps, birth control, and medications, trying to figure it all out alongside our doctors. “We’re all like human experiments,” Sandi Assays.recently as the 20th century, women could be put into intensive psychiatric facilities for having ‘hysteria’. “You know, PMDD was only put in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) that same year back in 2013, right around the time that I found out what it was,” says Sandi. Premenstrual symptoms were first declared separate from ‘hysteric insanity’ in the 1930s, and
I was first diagnosed with PMDD in 2020, but this wasn’t the first time I noticed issues within my menstrual cycle. It all started with yearly periods from age 10-12. Then once every three months at 13, until a somewhat normal but deeply painful cycle at 14 ended with a three-month-long excessive bleed. I was put onto a low-dose hormonal contraceptive and almost instantaneously went into a depression. At 16, I started the combination pill for contraception and had my first string of severe panic attacks. At 17, a six-month stint with a mini pill began a two-year Indepression.2020,at 19, I heard there was a severe form of PMS that makes you suicidal. It was during the first lockdown when it clicked that could be what I had too! Finally having the space to work on my mental health, I thrived in lockdown. I noticed that my severe mental symptoms had become cyclical. I wondered if it was bipolar as it runs in my family. Then I researched multiple forms of bipolar until I typed in severe PMS and found IAPMD. I finally felt like my experience was validated.
Words by Zoe Mills (she/they)
01. Debbie the CounsellorSchool
My first experiences began like many others in New Zealand—the school counsellor. You already know how it goes. I was in Year 8, sitting in an itchy school uniform and fiddling with a well-thumbed rubix cube while the counsellor handed me a pamphlet on mindfulness. While school counselor Debbie was empathetic, she very clearly was not prepared to confront the large amount of issues that the young students presented to her. I explained to her my problems, staring at my shoes, and looked up to meet a face of deep puzzlement.
Depression and I go way back. We’re tight. Buddies, so to speak. Like many other students balancing uni, mental illness, and the soul-crushing pain of student debt, last year I began therapy again.
“That’s… a lot,” she told me, flipping through her thick stack of pamphlets again.
School mental health professionals love pamphlets and lavender essential oil. Debbie was well-meaning, but this first introduction to therapy taught me that schools need to be equipping their counsellors to deal with much more complex issues than school stress.
I’VE LOVED (AND HATED) BEFORE
16 Features TO ALL THERAPISTSTHE
I’m a firm believer that everyone should have access to therapy at some point in their life—it’s a basic human necessity. While I’ve been fortunate enough to have access to it, the current system is expensive and hard to break into. Finding the right fit of a therapist is even more of an ordeal. But, once you find the right one, it makes all the shit worth it. Here are the epic highs and lows of the four most significant therapists I have seen (not including the many one-session-and-run therapists), and the lessons I learnt along the way.
Therapy and I are also well-acquainted. I began seeing mental health experts when I started intermediate. That’s when my ill-fated, topsy turvy journey of depression, anxiety, and the NZ mental health system began.
BaileyBestie
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FrankieFacetime 04.
Unlike the other professionals I’ve seen, she actually gets my bad jokes. Everyone needs a Bailey. While it took me ten years to find the right fit, it doesn’t have to take you that long.
There’s a Bailey waiting for you.
It felt like ripping off a band-aid to a wound that had only just begun to heal.
02. Janet did not get my jokes. Janet did not understand my humour at all, which I used as a way to cover up my feelings. Janet did, however, like to roll her eyes and talk to my mum like I wasn’t there.
I first met Janet when my mum found her online, not long after Debbie. A registered psychologist with a long career of practice, what could possibly go wrong? I walked into her office and was immediately put off. Janet’s office was painted bleak grey. Gone were the motivational posters of my school counsellor’s colorful room. Gone were the plushies and sweaty plastic fidget toys. I was in a grown-up’s office. Janet’s room was stiff, the air smelling like a hospital, with chairs that were slightly too hard. Janet’s personality matched her interior Asdesign.Ispoke, I was met with a steely, blank stare and an occasional grunt. Her prognosis felt more like a medical prescription from my GP rather than therapy. Was it her years in the industry that led her to feeling so unempathetic and jaded? Who knows. I went to three sessions before I called it quits.
JanetJaded 03.
Frankie! Oh, Frankie, wherefore art thou?! Frankie and I met in the summer between first year and second year at uni, after I left halls feeling the lowest I’d ever felt. Frankie was a therapist at Piki, a free counseling service available to 18-25 year-olds in Wellington. I hadn’t been to regular therapy in a couple of years, and my expectations were low. Frankie knocked it out of the park from day one. Someone understood me at last! Despite the signal occasionally flitting in and out from our Zoom calls, Frankie was everything I needed in a therapist— empathetic, funny, yet structured and no bullshit. Our sessions were the highlight of my week. But, our time together was cut short. Just as I began opening up around the sixth appointment mark, Frankie informed me that my free sessions were over, and I wasn’t able to see her anymore. I was HEARTBROKEN. Soul-shattered. She told me she understood my frustration. The way in which the mental health system works in a box-ticking, ‘quick-fix’ way means that long-term help is hard to access. I closed my laptop and went to call my mate out of frustration, only to be told that she too had had a similar experience in an Auckland system.
Finally, I met Bailey. I found Bailey after a string of bad first dates with other therapists, and to put it bluntly, I was losing hope. I’d been emailing practitioners only to receive message after message that they were too full to take on new clients. As I continued to scour PsychologyToday for hours on end, Bailey’s profile popped up and I decided to take a chance on a practitioner with a different specialisation than I’d usually go for. And shit, the shoe actually fit. During our first session, I mechanically explained to her my problems. She stopped me and said, “Damn. That sounds really shitty. But we can work through this.” It was the first time that a mental health professional actually validated my experience and didn’t try to talk down to me. Bailey makes me feel seen and heard. She pushes me to deal with the tough shit but is also compassionate.
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TRANSITION:THE ORA’S APPROACH TO GENDER AFFIRMING CARE
The first time I talked to someone at Mauri Ora–Student Health about getting contraception, I was lucky to have an appointment with a health professional who gave me all the information I needed. During that appointment, I was able to make an informed decision to receive the Depo Provera injection in order to stop my periods and relieve some gender dysphoria. I found the appointment easy enough and relatively accessible. However, it wasn’t a completely pleasant experience. The health professional continuously referred to contraceptives in relation to women: speaking about the effects on women’s bodies, women’s reproductive systems, and so on. As a nonbinary person, it was difficult. Being feminine-presenting can be wearying, as people repeatedly misgender me in my day-to-day life. The way I present may have contributed to my experience, although I was sure my pronouns and gender identity were in my Mauri Ora records. Health professionals helping trans folks, who are assigned/assumed female at birth (AFAB), access contraception can avoid causing us discomfort by using a gender-inclusive approach to delivering contraceptive health services. The narrative that birth control only affects women’s bodies, and is only for preventing pregnancy, is outdated. Birth control has many uses beyond contraception, such as relieving symptoms of endometriosis. Like I said, I wanted birth control in the first place for gender-affirming reasons. Coming out of the appointment, I was thrilled I had taken a step forward in my transition, but saddened that my identity was somewhat invalidated in that Lastprocess.year, I learned about the Trans-Affirmative Healthcare Pilot Clinic (TAHPC) at Mauri Ora, where a group of hard-working staff are doing their best to ensure trans students at VUW get the support they Ineed.started considering getting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in 2021. I researched VUW’s trans healthcare services and discovered my GP was particularly knowledgeable in this area, and was a part of the clinic! I got insanely lucky, and I was able to talk to her at a later date about my transition.
HEALTH
Words by Kat Rowan (they/them)
TRUST
CW: Gender Dysphoria Getting access to birth control is one thing. Accessibility to gender-affirming birth control for queer and gender-nonconforming people is another.
MAURI
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This led to my first appointment with a specialist at the clinic, where we talked through my options and goals for my transition. We discussed both social and medical transition options. An important note: you do not need a mandatory psych evaluation to get access to HRT through Student Health. It is still a somewhat lengthy process, but it’s a miracle compared to navigating the standard process through the public health system. As the TAHPC report states on the VUW website, right now there is no “consistent or transparent national pathway for accessing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT)”. A mental readinessfor-treatment assessment is required as well as an appointment with a health professional to assess physical readiness. The psychological assessment is usually an evaluation done by a mental health professional. This is often where patients find that they need to ‘prove’ their dysphoria. The public health approach ignores the diversity of trans experiences and can be invalidating and exhausting. The lack of qualified mental health experts combined with financial obstacles of getting access to these assessment services means the process of getting GAHT can be extended to up to three years. But at Mauri Ora, the average amount of time for a patient to receive GAHT is four months from the first appointment. Their report states that: “readiness-fortreatment assessments should focus on ensuring that patients are properly informed, capable of making their own health choices, and supported in those choices”. This model allows space for patients to be honest without fear of jeopardising their ability to get access to the treatment they need.
The clinic has a small team of about five members, with qualified counsellors and practitioners knowledgeable in trans healthcare. The newer members of the team I spoke to were completely open with me about how they were learning through the job. One clinical advisor on the team said of their approach: “there’s a sense of ‘I’m respected’—a sense of trust that is quite unique”. While it shouldn’t be our responsibility as trans people to educate the healthcare professionals we are going to for treatment, I didn’t feel burdened by the cisgender staff on the team being open about their evolving understanding of how to provide gender-affirming healthcare. The journey of learning for them was one which also connected with me.
Thestudents.Trans-Affirmative Healthcare Pilot Clinic was successful, and is now called the Gender-Affirming Healthcare Pathway, which is a service permanently available to students. VUW is the first university in the world to specifically offer gender affirming healthcare within their student health and counselling services. I believe they are leading the way for universities and health providers everywhere to give trans patients the care we need. I’ve seen it first hand. Trans affirmative healthcare can save lives.
More info/report on TAHPC’s
healthcareappointments/accessing-gender-affirming-www.wgtn.ac.nz/student-health-counselling/Detailsaffirmative-healthcare-pilot-clinicwww.wgtn.ac.nz/health/research/trans-approach:ofstaffmembersintheTAHPC:
I was able to talk openly about the ups and downs I was experiencing as I began to transition. There was no evaluative quiz determining my eligibility for hormone therapy or anyone questioning me for considering birth control because “you might want to be a mum someday!” (Sidenote: nonbinary Youtuber Sage Agee suggests the term “par”, pronounced “pear”, as a gender-neutral term for a parent. I am very much considering this if I become a parent in the future!). I felt comfortable expressing my uncertainty and anxieties without fear that the possibility of getting HRT would be taken away from me because of any uncertainties I had. Even when I decided HRT was not the route I wanted to follow at that time, I was supported in my decision, and not made to feel like I was ‘faking’ because I changed my mind about pursuing medical transition. It is comforting to know that, despite my experience getting the Depo jab for the first time, there are staff at Mauri Ora who are working hard to provide gender-inclusive support to all VUW
Can I Live Here, Kate Segar, 2022.
LOVE 2022:ISLAND
This year’s Love Island, filmed in a brand new Majorcan villa (with the same tacky neon decorations as always), seemed to have a slightly different feel to it than other seasons. It’s clear that the producers have been carefully listening to the voice of the British public, adjusting protocols and standards over the years. 2022’s season was lacking some of the iconic challenges and traditions audiences have come to know and love. But that doesn’t mean the show lost its essence that gives it incredibly high amounts of views or draws Aotearoa’s viewers like me back to a Neon subscription for only two months out of the year.
Words by Hannah Mace (she/her)
Love Island 2022 has been an iconic season, with bombshells Ekin-Su and Davide winning the prized £50,000. Notable contestants included Tasha, an original cast member who was the show’s first deaf contestant, football star Michael Owen’s daughter, and Ronan Keating’s son.
THE BEST OR WORST SEASON YET? 22 Culture
CW: Suicide Every winter, I look forward to curling up in my cold Wellington bedroom, shutting my brain off, and watching the latest episode of Love Island. It’s peak entertainment, the ultimate study break. You can always count on Love Island to provide some drama, some spice, and some banter … or can you?
Viewers have to come to expect screaming, shouting, pointing fingers, and throwing drinks from previous blowups, none of which were delivered this season. This makes for a slightly different TV experience. Yeah sure, I’m watching for the drama, the fights, the beef, all that. But this year, I have to admit it was kind of nice to just watch people grow and fall in love (no matter how much I don’t want to forgive Dami for his behaviour in Casa Amor). But there are a few things that have remained the same. Ian Stirling’s over the top, Scottish narration absolutely makes the show what it is. The named water bottles, suitcases, and beds have been there for us year in and year out. And we couldn’t get through an episode without one of the Islanders shouting “I GOT A TEXT!” or “Do you think your head could turn?” or “It’s time to get the grafting boots on.” The show has changed to accomodate the better health and wellbeing of its contestants, while still delivering us months worth of sexy summer sun television. We couldn’t ask for anything more.
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The mental health of contestants has been an area of concern since the show’s first series aired in 2015. Because the show is so popular and viewer votes are so central to the show, many Love Island stars have left the villa only to be met with vast amounts of online harassment. In the early seasons, the contestants had little to no mental health support when they got back to the United Kingdom. The lack of this support had harsh consequences, and three people associated with Love Island have died by suicide: past contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis, and ex-host Caroline Flack. You might expect any other TV show to be cancelled after the deaths of three people involved, but Love Island’s incredibly high ratings mean that ITV were probably making too much money off the show for it to be outright cancelled. Not to mention the backlash that they may have faced from the angry public expecting their fix of watching British hotties tan all day in the Spanish sun.
Producers and executives have put systems in place since then to protect and inform the Islanders so that they can handle their sudden fame. Typically we see one or two Islanders a year leave the villa without being eliminated, simply because of mental health or wellbeing issues. This year we saw Liam leave the villa on day five and Jacques leave on day 37. They both had similar reasons for leaving, claiming that they didn’t feel like themselves and needed to escape the intensity of the villa. Islanders are free to return home whenever they want, but that doesn’t mean the experience won’t have lasting negative effects for many of them. A couple of times a week, the Islanders get to leave the villa and we see them take part in some sexy, usually messy, challenges. A popular one from recent years has been the ‘Twitter challenge’, in which the Islanders are presented with a tweet from the outside world, giving an opinion about specific contestants with the names blanked out. Their challenge is to guess who the tweet is referring to. But sometimes public opinions can be harsh, and bringing these into the villa can really mess with the contestants’ heads. The challenge did not feature in this year’s season, which could have been to protect the Islanders from public scrutiny while this was still possible. Seeing how Tasha reacted to being in the bottom three most weeks, which is dictated by public vote, the producers may have rightly decided to eliminate any emotional fallout the challenge might have caused. This season was missing the level of drama that we have come to expect from previous ones. There were no downright bitches this year, I have to say. Ekin-Su probably brought the most drama, but the majority of it was surface level and was resolved very quickly.
Words by Lauren Walker (she/her) SOLD-OUT SHOWS, AN UPCOMING US TOUR, AND A KILLER NEW ALBUM CALEB HARPER ON HERE COMES EVERYBODY.
SPACEY JANE IS ON TO SOMETHING:
Last month I sat down with Spacey Jane’s frontman Caleb Harper to talk about the band’s new album Here Comes Everybody; a title that reflects the band’s outward turn to their audience. The new record is a shift from their 2020 debut album Sunlight which sky-rocketed the Perth-born band up the charts. Their song ‘Booster Seat’ hit #2 on Triple J’s Hottest 100. Now taking a less introspective focus, Harper says this album is not just about himself and speaks to a broader experience. “Something that Sunlight showed me was that I think a lot of people’s, and my, experiences were not nearly as unique as I thought they Afterwere.”theunreal successes of their debut album, released during the middle of 2020’s first Covid-19 hit, Harper began writing lyrics from a place of collective angst among Gen-Z’s. There’s a Phoebe Bridgers-esque romanticism to Harper’s lyrics. In the band’s newly released single, ‘Pulling Through’, melancholy sifts through a poetic tune. “Swimming in my head, aiding and abetting / Things I shouldn’t
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So who is Spacey Jane? In their early days, the band took a lot of inspiration from Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. Harper explains they’re now, “entering this field of like that sort of sad indie with the clean pop notes.” Similar to bands like Ocean Alley and San Cisco, but with their take on your typical Aussie indie band Returningsound.toNew
The band landed on a cool melody for this track, which ends the album nicely. Other tracks like ‘Bothers Me’ and ‘Not What You Paid For’ give the album an Arctic Monkeys AM vibe with a mature mix of upbeat and slower tracks. On the songwriting process, Harper mentions the band’s bassist Peppa Lane. “Peppa’s got an amazing voice… her and I workshop so many different variations of harmonies and backing vocals. We landed on that for these songs and were like, damn, that’s really cool. It’s not something we’ve really done before.”
The Wellington show couldn’t have started the band’s tour on a better note. Standing amongst an energetic crowd, Harper’s voice could barely be heard singing the lyrics to their hit songs ‘Booster Seat’ and ‘Feeding the Family’. The venue was crowded by an eclectic mix of surfer-looking dudes and op-shop-dressed Welly adolescents. OG fans could be heard chanting the words to newer songs, jumping and swaying with iPhone cameras held high above the crowd. Slower songs such as ‘Yet’ saw phone lights come on amid the colourful stage lights. Spacey Jane perfected the synergy of melancholy and euphoria as an unlikely combination for their own new genre of indie-rock. “It’s music to make you feel okay about being sad,” says SpaceyHarper.Jane may be on to something. The album takes a deep dive into mental health and general coming-of-age bullshit. In a world where nothing seems to make sense anymore, it’s ok not to be ok. With smooth 4x4 drum beats and quick guitar riffs, drummer Kieran Lama and guitarist Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu make it look easy. You barely notice the weight of some lyrics. On mental health, Harper says “it’s important to not feel like there’s something wrong with you or feel like you need to change and fix yourself because really sometimes that’s not that easy. To accept yourself for who you are is really important.”
When asked to name his favourite song off the new record, Harper didn’t hesitate to say ‘It’s Been a Long Day’, which was released as a single before the album dropped. “It took a long time to get that right. So I think the reward of it feeling complete and beautiful is extra special for us.”
Zealand was a surreal moment for Spacey Jane; their first international gig outside of Australia was played here in Wellington, and their last show before lockdown was played in Christchurch at the start of 2020. It was a “weird time”, as Harper describes it. “When we started writing the second record it was just as lockdown sort of hit. It came from a place of anxiety, I would say, feeling so anxious about what the future of our career was and how and when we would be able to sort of continue being a band.”
“It was driven by this sense of, ok, we’ve gotta do Harpersomething.”was hyped for their tour of New Zealand following a haul of shows in the UK and some time spent chilling in the US. The singer-guitarist expressed he’s most excited about places like New York for their upcoming US tour. “ I’ve been there a little bit over the last six months and it’s such a cool city.” “But I’m excited for New Zealand as well,” the singer added. “I’m really excited for my trip to Christchurch. It’s gonna be cool. ” Harper headed down to Christchurch for a few days before the tour with the plan to hire a van and do some exploring down South. “I’ll do some extreme sports, but nothing that I can break my wrists doing.”
“The really resounding message of this record is to stop fighting the feeling of feeling like shit. And not being down on yourself because you don’t have it all together, and I really want people to take that away from it, and I hope that they do.” www.salient.org.nz
sweat, things that I care about / I don’t know if I can take another day / Of waking up and thinking ‘Is there a better way?’”
enrol.nz Think registeredyou’reto vote? Time to check. ENRO L TOVOT E L OCAL EL E CTIONS22 ENROL
Words by Ella Harkness (she/her) and Sofia Barriga (she/her)
Note To Self is a podcast that tackles heavy topics in a way that is fun and entertaining, yet meaningful and digestible. We started the podcast because we wanted to discuss ideas about health and wellbeing, including topics such as mental health, sexual health, food, exercise, and relationships. Our key takeaway from this journey so far is that being happy is being Thehealthy.age of social media has transformed ‘health’ into a buzzword. The epitome of health is shaped by aesthetically pleasing, glamorised online content. This avalanche of information (and often misinformation) leads us to believe that to be ‘healthy’ we must follow the latest fad diets and fitness trends. We see photoshopped images of people with ‘perfect’ bodies waking up at 5am, each of them promoting a formula to achieve their level of ‘health’. Our brains become wired to believe that health is about what you see, not about how you feel. We have both participated in some of these fad diet and fitness trends. And we’ve learnt that health is nothing like what you see on social media. Health isn’t participating in hustle culture and forcing yourself to go to the gym when you feel tired or rundown. Health is not avoiding a sweet treat, being hungry all the time, or stressing about having a few drinks with mates. Your ‘health’ is not quantified by how far you run, how heavy you lift, or how early you wake up. Being healthy is about how you feel. Health is listening to your body and understanding when it is time to slow down or rest. Health is about moving your body, not because of how you want to look, but because it is fun and it feels good. Heath is having food freedom and appreciating your body for everything it allows you to do. Being healthy is about moving at your own pace and finding your balance in life. For us, being healthy can be going out on a Saturday night and having a few too many cocktails without feeling guilty. It could also be doing a big run and going out for brunch. It could be eating a salad for dinner and a whole block of chocolate for dessert. We see exercise being about celebrating what our bodies are capable of. Health is about how we feel.
Note To Self – Being Happy is Being Healthy.
SALIENT PODCASTS
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LIVE, LAUGH, LAV Words by Lav (she/her)
Before we delve into this, I want to clarify that we are discussing the trend of temporary, non-religious celibacy.
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Firstly, do you WANT to do it? Do you actually think it would be beneficial? You need to make a personal decision based on what you think you should do. I would love to give you a run down on my thoughts on this and you can make up your own mind.
Please note I have little experience with religious celibacy and abstinence before marriage.
Sexual empowerment = the freedom to have casual or premarital sex with whoever, whenever.
Regarding your point about women going celibate, it can also be noted that sexual empowerment has historically been linked with the (cis) women’s liberation movement. A sexually empowered person is therefore a person who is sexually active and has numerous partners. But is that really true? To be honest, there’s a lot of very sexually active people out there who feel like they should feel empowered by their sex lives but don’t. Sexual empowerment can come in many shapes and forms. By definition it is about an individual making choices that are absolutely correct for themselves and their sex lives. Agency is the key here.
Hey WhatLav,are your thoughts on women going intentionally celibate? My friend is doing this and I know it’s also been a trend on TikTok. Is it something I should think about doing? Curious on your thoughts! El. IHi!love this question!
In terms of this form of celibacy that you are talking about, there are many scenarios where renouncing sex can be beneficial. Depending on how much of your life it consumes, you could use a celibacy period to focus inward on your goals, studies, relationships to others, and relationship to yourself. You can set up your own parameters alongside celibacy too. You get to decide what, how, and when. Is masturbation okay? Is kissing okay? Are you still dating? Are you going to go celibate in your relationship with a partner? Is it just intercourse you want to abstain from? If so, at what point will you stop? Depending on what you want to get out of a period of decentralising sex from your life, you can set up parameters that will work with that goal. I think at the moment celibacy is a hot topic for many reasons. I think women, especially women in cis-hetero relationships, are finding that there is little empowerment in their sexual interactions. Anecdotes and scientific evidence tell us that cis-hetero women are the least satisfied out of all genders and sexual orientations with their sex lives, boasting the lowest frequency of satisfaction and orgasms in their intercourse. I think hook-up culture is a huge driving factor in the celibacy conversation. We can have more casual and safe sex than ever before. And we know that sex is fucking great.
be extremely empowering to have the guts to go through a period of discomfort. To vocalise “I am actually not having sex right now” to a potential love interest. Especially if you’re hoping to learn how to make better choices for yourself. The things you learn about yourself and, funnily enough, others during this period can be invaluable.
The key theme in those scenarios is that I knew what I wanted and felt I had full agency over myself and my body. I knew what was right for me. I didn’t compromise on my needs in order to satisfy someone else. During my periods of centering sex in my life, I learned so much more about my desires and how I wanted to show up in my relationships. When I decentered sex, I learned so much more about genuine and deep connections with potential partners. Both periods were empowering because both required me to get uncomfortable and risk Sorejection.afew questions I would get you to think about for your own decisions are as follows. Why? What’s your relationship with sex right now? What do you want your relationship with sex to be? Why are you having sex? Try to answer that genuinely. Is it centered around your personal pleasure? Does it leave you feeling better than before having it? And who are you choosing to have sex with?
The Joy of Sex (1972) by Alex Comfort, and She Comes First and He Comes Next by Ian Kerner are all available at Wellington City Libraries. You also have endless articles and (gasp) instruction videos available on the internet. If any readers out there have suggestions on books on sex specifically for those outside of the gender binary, I would LOVE to hear. While you’re at it you should read Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski too. DoLav you have any comments, feedback or questions? Need advice? Email loveandsexsalient@gmail.com www.salient.org.nz
So why is it that some people feel empty after sexual interactions? Why is it that it actually doesn’t leave us feeling very good? Why is it that sex is fun, but we feel vulnerable and confused and a little lonely after a hook Ifup?you’re
the kind of person that has found themselves in a pattern of sexual relationships where you don’t feel good, aren’t getting your needs met, and you feel sad and empty at the end of the day, celibacy can offer a great opportunity to break that pattern. It gives you an opportunity to reflect on your choices, wants, and Itvalues.canalso
I personally felt very sexually empowered when, for the first time, I looked a new lover in the eyes and specified with no shame, no holding back, and with full confidence, exactly what I wanted. It took me many years to get here. I felt equally empowered when I told someone I was seeing that while I was interested in dating him, I was not interested in a physical relationship at all. Not with him, not with anyone.
A dear friend of mine uses another term for when she goes through periods of “celibacy”. She calls it a “sexual winter”. I love this term because it reminds me that humans are cyclical and it can’t be summer forever. During winter, it’s nice to turn inward, get cozy, and be reclusive. This makes it so much nicer when spring rolls around. Good luck! (P.s. I would love to hear perspectives from LGBTQIA+ folk on their experiences with sexual agency!) CanLav you give us a tutorial on how to give good head? Hi you, I love an always-learning attitude.
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3. Being tired or in pain all the time is not how it’s supposed to be. The hardest thing is that medications can only do so much. Actively caring for your body and mind is just as important as taking your prescriptions properly. I have alarms on my phone to remember when to take each thing until it becomes part of my routine. I knew someone who would put their medications on their shoes so they remembered to take them before they left the house. If it works for you it’s not dumb, it’s selfcare.
Teddi: 30 Columns
People tend to express guilt when they talk about their own health issues to me. Honestly, I don’t understand why that is. Maybe it’s my autism, but we all have health to consider. Just because my normal is not the normal for everyone else, doesn’t mean I can’t accept someone else also having an issue. Sometimes you just need to complain to feel better. Complaining about health is therapeutic. I get it.
2. Diet, exercise and sunlight have a much bigger impact on you than you would think. Figuring out food triggers can have a big impact. Once you figure out what works best for your body, there is a big difference in quality of life.
Being disabled is really weird sometimes. If people don’t know of your bad days, they assume nothing is wrong. I don’t look sick. So maybe I’m just dramatically talking about temporary blindness from migraines, or how I had to relearn to walk to try limit my joint hypermobility. You can’t tell from looking at me that I’ve had these experiences. There is no reason why I have these health issues other than my genetics hit the unlucky jackpot. My sister has never had these things happen. Being disabled is the only club that every single person has the potential to join regardless of what happens in life. It’s outside of your control more often than not. It took me a long time to accept that I am disabled. I talk about being disabled a lot because it is a very isolating experience most of the time. I don’t want others to feel like they are alone in living outside the mainstream. A lot of the time our perspective and comfort is not considered, and that needs to change. Since I’m a disabled person, I have some wisdom to impart about health:
4. Being physically unhealthy builds up a toll on mental health for most people. As someone in therapy (specifically cognitive behavioural therapy), there is a point of being mentally ill where you have to choose to get better. It’s not an easy choice to make, and from experience it takes a long time to commit to getting better. It requires lots of little steps, but each one takes you closer to where you deserve to be. I’m never going to be mentally healthy without managing symptoms and constantly monitoring how I am. That’s because of how chronic pain affects me. I’m a dramatic example of this, but it is important to be able to recognise if you are healthy.
Being Healthy and Disabled Words by Teddi (they/he/she) and Kelly Mui (she/her)
1. You are not supposed to be in pain every day. If you are in pain constantly, that is not how it has to be. Small issues now can become bigger over time, so it is important to get things checked. When I slipped a disk in my back, I regretted not getting the proper physiotherapy for it. My body will always recognise there was a severe injury to that area. If I push myself, even though it is fully healed, the muscle memory still recognises that the injury happened and I can feel it.
SPLENDID 85 Ghuznee St, Te Aro, Wellington
Kelly: If anyone were to ask what my regular day looked like, they would not blink an eye. But I would easily lose myself to my own thoughts about how radically different my life has been since my condition has Manydeveloped.people in my life think that I am a person who highly values wellness, which is absolutely true. I fully believe that looking after yourself is one of the best things you can do. I am also fully aware that students, who are perpetually stressed and tight on finances, are not always capable of practicing wellness. For many, the reality is a lifestyle of twominute noodles, toast, caffeine, caffeine, caffeine, alcohol, all-nighters, long work days, parties, and a sleep schedule that allows for less than eight (maybe even six!) hours of sleep. What is considered a normal lifestyle for the everyday student would easily put me in a coma for a week, riddled with pain and discomfort. Living with chronic illness is not easy. As the name suggests, our issues just happen. And the best thing that we can do about our symptoms is to monitor what is causing our symptoms to be worse. For me, this means watching what I put into my body, watching how hard I push myself physically, and watching my sleep schedule to make sure I’m not sleeping too much or too little. Failure to be mindful of these factors results in very poor health days where I cannot function. I cannot even get out of bed. It’s mind-boggling to think this is what my life is like now. At the age of 10, my chronic condition began to develop. It was like a thorn in my side, but caused no real functional disorder. Age 13 introduced disassociation and food triggers. I was still completely able to hide my condition with tiny lifestyle changes and shake away any concern with “just teen girl problems”. At 16-19, my condition developed further, slowly altering my entire life. It is shocking to look back at what my life used to look like. It’s saddening to know I cannot enjoy the little things in life anymore, mostly chocolate, coffee, and hot seasonal drinks. But outwardly, I’m incredibly healthy. I limit sugar, caffeine, and junk food. I drink exclusively water, herbal teas, and real juice. I eat an incredibly healthy diet. All these things are considered to be a student’s luxury, but to me they’re a necessity. My lifestyle is a reflection of my poor health NOT good Beinghealth.healthy does not look like vegetables and exercise (though it can help). While I look the same as I did before my health declined, my functions are different. To me, being healthy would look like my current lifestyle with coffee and chocolate, and without painful consequence. It would look like me being able to travel anywhere in the world without anxiety. This may not be the picture of health you have in mind for yourself. Health is different to everybody and it is important to focus on yourself rather than anything else. The bitter-sweetness of the disabled community is that anyone at any point in life may become a part of it. We’ve all more or less been in that position. Being disabled does not mean you won’t have a healthy life, it just might change a bit. And talking about it always makes you feel less alone.
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Negative RAT? Stay home anyway—tips on self-care With the challenges of Covid-19 and other viruses like the flu, we are all working really hard at Mauri Ora to ensure we can provide care for those who need medical care. Covid-19 has put a real strain on everyone’s resources. Thanks for the important role you continue to play in taking care of yourselves and others this winter. Get ready by reading this and ensuring you have the things you need at home to get you through. You know this already, but it’s important. Stay well this winter by making sure you’re fully immunised for Covid-19 and flu. Keep as warm as you can, stay active, eat healthily, and avoid drugs, alcohol, or smoking. If your friends are sick, encourage them to stay home. Wear a mask in public places, cover coughs and sneezes, and sanitise hands frequently. You can also prepare ahead of time and make up a pack with your regular medications, paracetamol, tissues, alcohol hand gel, masks, rehydration sachets, nose sprays, etc (from your local pharmacy or ‘She’llsupermarket).beright’,usually. Colds, the flu, and Covid-19 can all have similar symptoms including fever, aches, tiredness, sore throat, cough, runny nose, and upset tummy. Most people with colds, flu, and Covid-19 fully recover with self-care— antibiotics are not required. When you are sick, to look after yourself and others, rest and STAY AT HOME until you are fully recovered. It’s not ok to come on campus when you’re sick unless it’s for important medical care. Hydrate yourself and consult a pharmacist for ‘over the counter’ pain relief, throat lozenges, and nose spray. Do a RAT test (unless you’ve already had covid in the last four weeks), and remember a negative RAT test doesn’t mean you are good to go, it means there’s no evidence of Covid-19 yet. Still stay home whilst you are unwell. You may need to repeat this test if you remain unwell, and RATs can turn positive after several days of symptoms.
and pregnant If it
• Experience sudden worsening of symptoms • Experience difficulty breathing or persistent pain on breathing • Have persistent chest pain • Are coughing blood • Have severe shaking due to fevers • Experience confusion or significant dizziness • Have a
• Have
If you test positive for Covid-19, please register your result on your My Covid Record and follow the advice given. If you think you’re eligible for the antiviral paxlovid, contact your medical provider promptly to discuss. So when did they say to call for help? sore throat and are Māori or Pasifika stiff neck a rash that looks passing covid positive seems like an emergency or life threatening, hesitate call
MAURI ORA Managing Winter Illness
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like bruising spots • Are no longer
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Words by Dr Gill Mark (she/her)
111. Helpful Links Prepare Self-advice 32 Columns
to
MANAWA ORA Staying Healthy Through the Six Week Dip
Words by Cileme Venkateswar (she/her)
33www.salient.org.nz
When faced with mountains of assignments, test prep, lectures, and tuts, your instincts push you to put the tiny amounts of energy you have left into uni alone. I’m here to tell you the opposite. If your tank is empty and you’re powering full steam ahead on the thing that’s burning you out, you’re going to break down before you reach the finish line. If you do make it to the finish line, your frazzled, flustered state will come through in the work you’ve produced. Your body will pay the price too. Working yourself to the bone can make you more susceptible to illness once you slow down. With five million bugs going round this winter, that’s definitely not how you want to spend your break.
how much you try to stay on top of things, weeks five and six humble your assumption that you’ve got it all together. Week six will always be a sucker punch, like an unmoving fixed point in time. While uni stress might be inevitable, staying mentally and physically healthy through it all is possible by fortifying your life outside of uni to support you through The Dip™.
Taking intentional time away from uni actually helps you cope with it better. Now, I’m not telling you to replace the four hours you had blocked out for study with taking a nap or scrolling through TikTok. Intentional time away means something that refills your cup, that eases some semblance of balance back into your life, and keeps you recharged to tackle studying. For me, this looks like doing things with friends that don’t require a lot of energy— movie nights, meals out or at somebody’s flat, or spontaneous drives to get out of the house and get some fresh air. Even in winter, catching the bus to the beach with a book and drinking a coffee made me feel calmer, giving me the time and space to sift through all the uni-related thoughts and anxieties in my head. Taking intentional time to recharge ensures that when you return to whatever essay or test study you’d left behind, it’s with fresh eyes, a calmer head, and more focused energy to give. Once you’ve made it through The Dip™, make similar, conscious plans for break. Between welldeserved sleep-ins, Netflix binges, and TikTok scrolls, schedule ways to recharge for the second half of Tri. It could be a flat deep clean, a family hike, or spending time cooking (that is not meal prepping or cooking for your whole flat). Recharging may also include reluctantly sitting down and figuring out your game plan for the next half Tri, planning out assignments and readings, or signing up for a Manawa Ora Wellbeing Workshop to help you stay healthy ( ).
Rough parts of uni are unavoidable. But your time as a student doesn’t have to revolve around stress. All the other parts of life are just as important and fulfilling. Putting time and energy into those is a rewarding way to stay healthy and balanced amidst the chaos of week six.
For this week’s line-up, we all saw it coming, making its dreaded reappearance twice a year, now welcoming to the stage: The Six Week Dip (The NoDip™).matter
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Don’t let the cultural hang-ups negate your selfworth. Often it comes down to problem-solving. Something isn’t working in your life and you realise that you need to restore balance. You look for “healthy” ways of life to implement. The ultimate goal, I believe, comes back to the definitions above. Being able to operate in a rational thinking frame of mind comes from looking after yourself. This is often best achieved by listening to your body, your thoughts, your beliefs. Before you guilt trip yourself into changing your behaviours to something else, ensure your drive and your intentions are pure. Move your body, eat good food, and take some time for yourself. However, do it in ways that make you feel good consistently. Habits define your lifestyle. To live a healthy life, you need your own healthy habits. What works for one person won’t work for another. We are all individuals with individual needs. Fulfill your life with habits that feel good to be the ultimate healthy you.
2. Soundness, especially of the body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality.
Words by Josephine Mailisi (she/her)
PASIFIKA STUDENTS’ COUNCIL Are You Healthy?
35www.salient.org.nz
issues have taught us to believe that being “healthy” is eating your veggies, having a certain body shape, and getting certain grades. Being healthy has become another layer of expectations that we tick off of a checklist as opposed to the individualised state of a human Ibeing.challenge
These statements are so often used to describe people’s behaviours. But what does it actually mean to be GenerationsHolistically?Spiritually?Emotionally?Mentally?Physically?healthy?ofhealth
you to define what health means to you. To take a deep dive through the generational, societal, and even personal beliefs you have within Theyou.definition of healthy can be: 1. Possessing good health. 2. Conducive to good health; healthful. 3. Indicative of a sound, rational thinking frame of mind. The definition of healthy can be: 1. The overall condition of an organism at a given time.
3. A condition of optimal well-being.
“You’re so healthy!” “I’m going to be healthy.” “I thought you were being healthy?”
22. It’s often given to a control group; ‘Every You Every Me’ band (7) 23. Free from arrest; empty water from a sinking boat 24.(4,3)Detailed instruction manual (4-2-4,5) Across 1. Capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina which hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics (8) 2. Spider or scorpion, say (8) 3. Informs; undies (6) 4. They mean there won’t be any buses coming 5.(13)Farewelling (6,7)
Crossword: Themeless (Same Initials) Week 17 Answers Down
6. Exaggerate; be too dramatic (6) 7. Dog name that comes from the Latin for ‘faithful’ (4) 8. Concludes (4) 12. Green vegetable that’s very hard to spell correctly (8) 13. With 21-Down, outdated audio format (8,4) 17. Excellent (6) 18. Taking part in half of a biathlon (6) 20. Gibbons and gorillas, for example (4) 21. See 13-Down
36 Entertainment
1. Chain whose logo is a double-tailed mermaid (9,6) 9. Put back into formation (7) 10. Gave way; resulted in, like a crop (7) 11. President who died on the same day as C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley (4,1,7) 14. Empty space (4) 15. Exhausts; banners (5) 16. Stark played by Maisie Williams (4) 19. “Because it’s fun!” (4,3,5)
Te Reo Māori: Hauora hinengaro Word of the Week: Mental health New Zealand Sign Language: Down 1. Selfless acts, not done for reward (7,2,4) 7. The haters (10) 8. Very funny (2,2) 10. One German (4) 11. Innocent drink, La 12.(5) Forty percent of a hectare (4) 15. Online graphic design platform (5) 17. Your mother’s sister’s daughter (5) 20. This clue is nothing (4) 21. Estimated. up 23.(5)Eyelid pimple (4) 25. Lego bricks, for example (4) 26. Home for plants (10) 27. On a global scale (13) Across 1. Record of accounts (6) 2. In a manner pertaining to plants (11) 3.*You’re all’ a mountain range (4) 4. Horny woodland spirit (5) 5. Otherworldly (7) 6. As certain as life and death (5) 9. Possible archaeology site (7,4) 13. Niche Christian fundamentalist party (3) 14. Henry XIIl’s pattern, beheadwed. (3) 16. Where do you see yourself everyday? (1.6) 18. Irritating pests (5) 19. Unappetising cold breakfast slop (6) 22. Blink-182 album of the state (5) 24. Spiced black tea (4) Crossword: NZ Politics 37www.salient.org.nz
Capricorn Aquarius
Gee, what a colourful love life you have. I hope for your sake that whoever’s making your life so pink isn’t going back home over break. Not when things were just starting to get good between you... Last week, Scorpio fell in love with their bestie. This week, it’s you! I think you’ve been harbouring this crush for a while and whether you like it or not, the secret is coming out. This week has the same energy as laughing with your best friend in class so the teacher separates you but all that happens is every time you see each other across the room you start laughing again. If you feel the need to cry to your mum this week, let it all out sweetie. There’s nothing in the world your mum can’t fix, no matter how old you get. This week you’re a muse inspiring the campus’ artists. There’s a bewitching quality to you that forces hands to pick up paint brushes. Maybe this generation’s version of a marble statue is an artistic Instagram post? Gemini, on behalf of everyone, we’re tired of your unrealistic expectations. I’m not asking you to lower your standards, I am asking you to come back down to earth. Pisces Gemini Leo Virgo LibraScorpioSagittarius
38 Entertainment Aries Cancer Taurus
Aww, somebody special is going to become a bigger part of your life! Maybe you’re moving in with your partner, or picking up a new hobby with a sibling. I love this for you! I’m worried you didn’t listen to my advice last week. Whatever pickle you’ve found yourself in, a simple “sorry” often does wonders. If you can work through that Capricorn pride of yours, that is. Pisces is on their work grind! With the first half of Tri wrapping up, you’re picking up extra shifts and doubling down on work. Fucking get your bag. You’ll be thanking yourself later. Look at you allowing yourself to take up space! As your horoscope writer, I don’t know who you are, but I’m having a proud mama moment. We love someone who doesn’t need to ask for permission <3 Cancer, Cancer, Cancer. You need to start learning how to tell yourself “no.” You have 30 pairs of novelty socks at home, do you really need another pair? Sigh My God, Virgo. Stop being such a stereotype. I know you’re particular (believe me, everyone does), but you’re driving your loved ones up the wall. Let people have their fun.
News Editor Beth Mountford News Editor Azaria Howell Chief Reporter Ethan Manera Sub-Editor Tessa Keenan FeaturesEditor Ronia Ibrahim Staff Writer Bridget Scott SocialManagerMedia Seren Ashmore ManagerPodcast PietkiewiczFrancesca ManagerWebsite Annalise Scott Staff Writer Maia Ingoe Staff Writer Zoe Mills Editor Janhavi Gosavi Designer Alice BrownSalientTheTeamContributorsYou can thank these people for your weekly fix. Contact Us news@salient.org.nzchiefreporter@salient.org.nzdesigner@salient.org.nzeditor@salient.org.nzpoetry@salient.org.nzfeatures@salient.org.nz Kat CilemeLaurenRowanWalkerVenkateswarHannahMaceEllaHarkness Sofia JosephineNiamhBarrigaVaughnPuckJuliaCorstonMailisi Gill KellyTeddiLavMarkMui Centrefold Artist This week’s lovely centrefold is brought to you by: Kate @_katherineanneartistSegar 39www.salient.org.nz
