Yak Magazine - May Issue

Graffiti: Modern Art or Public nuisance?

The Top-Tier University Effect

A Fan Too Far?

Invisible Illnesses

Can we define art? Bridie O’Shea explores this idea through the perspectives of a graffiti lover and a graffiti snubber.

Sarah Webb takes a peek into the world of celebrity obsession.

Melissa Wilson investigates whether the supposedly more prestigious universities really give you the upper hand in the job market.

Renae Burgess diagnoses societies prejudice against mental illness.

Issue 31 | May 2015 Brought to you by Student Central

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EDITORIAL

Madeline Link - Magazine Managing Editor Owen Harvey - Deputy Managing Editor Isabella Batkovic - Editor Renae Burgess - Editor Lauren Gross - Editor Jackson Langford - Editor Bridie O’Shea - Editor Aisling Philippa - Editor Samuel Rayfield - Editor Sarah Webb - Editor Melissa Wilson - Editor Neha Lalchandani - Ourimbah Editor Breanna Yates - Lead Graphic Designer Mia Engel - Supporting Graphic Designer Kathleen Maier - Supporting Graphic Designer Chelsea Groth - Promotions Coordinator Erin Curry - Contributing Writer Erin McOnie - Contributing Writer Sarah Khan - Contributing Designer Sarah McDonald - Contributing Designer Renee McIntosh - Contributing Designer

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SUBMISSIONS The Yak editorial team is always on the look out for passionate student writers and graphic designers to contribute to the magazine. If you would like to take the opportunity to get your work published, please send a sample of your writing or graphic design work to yakmedia@ newcastle.edu.au.

ADVERTISING For advertising opportunities, contact Yak Media at yakmedia@newcastle.edu.au www.yakatuon.com facebook.com/YakMedia twitter.com/YakMedia instagram.com/YakatUoN yakmedia@newcastle.edu.au

Check out Yak Digital online!

Scan here.

CONTENTS // 03 Editor’s Letter | This Month’s Biting Question // 04 Yak Snap //05 Sports | Five Tips to Overcoming the Language Barrier //06 Go Back To Where I Came From //07 Clubs and Societies: UON Cheerleading Club | Health: Food Swap //08 PHD: Systemic Inflation in Obesity //09 A Day In the Life of an Alumni //10 Click Through for Counsel //12 A Fan too Far

//14 Graffiti: Modern Art or Public Nuisance? //16 Top-Tier University //19 Invisible Illnesses //20 Textbook Tales: Setting the Record Straight //21 Trigger Warnings //23 Mass Debate: Should Scripture be Taught in Schools //24 Mic Drop: Akova //25 The UON Bucketlist //26 What’s On: May

NEXT ISSUE // The Power Issue Get your free copy from press-points around campus on Monday, 3 August.

Yak Magazine is a free publication supported by Student Central at the University of Newcastle © 2015. www.newcastle.edu.au Printed by PrintCentre on Callaghan Campus.

Yak Magazine is produced by students at the University of Newcastle. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the University of Newcastle, unless explicitly stated. The University of Newcastle accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions of information contained in this issue of Yak Magazine.

In addition, Yak Magazine may at times accept forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of affiliate compensation to subsidise the costs associated with producing the magazine. We recommend you do your own research and draw your own conclusions about any product claim, technical specifications, statistic, quote or other representation about a product, service, manufacturer, or provider.

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

Madeline Link

There’s no doubt that mothers are exceptionally fickle creatures. This realisation is by no means a new one. They’re the women who raised us, who told us we were their greatest accomplishments and followed it up with, “I brought you into this world – and I can sure as hell take you out of it.”

(H. Link, 1994-2015. p.48). We watched them balance the professional world on their fingertips and cook our favourite meals simultaneously. There was nothing you could throw at them that they couldn’t handle. But if there’s one thing mothers don’t take particularly well, it’s the age old tattoo/ piercing prank. This time my mother remained unscathed, as I convinced my counterpart (ML2) to do the deed. To say her relationship with her mother has been irrevocably shattered is perhaps an overstatement, but it can be argued you’ve stepped over the line when you elicit the response, “I don’t give a fuck Madeleine. I’d rather you’d taken up ice than shoved that piece of metal through your nose,” from a once ocean-calm milf. As Mother’s Day is almost upon us I will say a “thank you” to mothers everywhere. I know we aren’t always easy, but thanks for putting up with us.

THIS MONTH’S BITING QUESTION:

If you could wake up in the body of someone else tomorrow, who would it be?

EDITOR

EDITOR

Hannibal Lecter. For a guy that liked to eat people, he had a wonderful air of effortless sass.

The Dapper Gentleman of UON. What a life he must lead.

ISABELLA BATKOVIC

JACKSON LANGFORD

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

SUPPORTING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

The CEO of Pringles. I would make their tube just a little bigger to allow us to retrieve our chips, rather than have to tip them out. How have they not heard our cries?

Gwen Stefani, I would just sit and admire my amazing abs!

JACKELYN BASSETT

EDITOR

RENAE BURGESS

Abraham Lincoln. I would rise from the grave and start my new civil war, one between the living and the undead.

SUPPORTING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

MIA ENGEL

Zak Mulligan, so I could touch Jessica Walsh.

EDITOR

LAUREN GROSS

Kim Kardashian. How WEIRD would that be?

There’s no lifestyle that is so different from mine than hers.

PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR

CHELSEA GROTH

Kanye West. I would just chill and try to stack my millions.

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

OWEN HARVEY

Literally inside? A tauntaun, to protect myself from the cold winds of Hoth.

OURIMBAH EDITOR

NEHA LALCHANDANI

Jacques Torres, the renowned pastry chef - I’d prepare delectable chocolate desserts and make everyday a heavenly day, for every single soul on this planet.

KATHLEEN MAIER

EDITOR

Bridie O’Shea

Chuck Norris. And perhaps I’ll take a holiday ... on the sun ... and eat an ice-cream ... because I’m Chuck Norris.

EDITOR

Samuel Rayfield

My father, and as soon as I wake up, I’ll head into my son Sam’s (me) room, place one hand on his shoulder and say, “You’ve done well, son.”

EDITOR

SARAH WEBB

President of the United States and I’d read all the secret’s scribbled in the ‘President’s Book’ (if the thing exists).

EDITOR

Melissa Wilson

Someone who has actually persisted at getting good at yoga. I’d do my uni readings in scorpion pose!

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Breanna Yates

Banksy because then I will know his identity and make awesome Street Art.

Designed by Kathleen Maier.

4 | Yak Magazine May 2015

#yaksnap

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Yak Magazine May 2015 | 5

Neha Lalchandani

encourages you to be on the ball with all the university sport updates.

Fear not if you’ve missed the trials for UON’s Eastern University Games (EUG) teams! There may still be some playing sports available for various teams that will play across 16 sports from AFL to indoor cricket; netball to ultimate frisbee.

The EUG is our region’s (NSW/ACT) inter-university championships. This year’s Games will be held in Wagga Wagga from July 5 to 9 and we go into the event as reigning Eastern University Champions! Campus Programs Manager for University Sport Andrew Yapp believes the 10 competitors in last year’s event in Newcastle was one of the most dominant EUG performances in recent years. “The pressure is now on to defend our titles on the road,” he said.

“If you’d like to be part of all the sport action, make sure you get in touch with a team manager before it’s too late!”

Netball, men’s football, men’s hockey and tenpin bowling will all need to perform strongly to qualify for a place at the

Australian University Games later this year, while a number of other teams have already secured a place at Nationals through strong performances at last year’s AUG in Sydney.

Teams will be battling it out in AFL 9s, basketball, football, futsal, golf, hockey, indoor cricket, lawn bowls, netball, Oztag, squash, tenpin bowling, tennis, touch, ultimate frisbee and volleyball.

Andrew also highlights the other events students can still get involved in this year. This includes the Snow Uni Games in Thredbo (August), the Australian University Championships in rowing, distance running, triathlon and orienteering and, on the doorstep of our Port Macquarie Campus, the Australian University Surfing Championships that will be held in Port Macquarie from July 17 to 19.

If you’d like to be part of all the sport action, make sure you get in touch with a team manager before it’s too late! Let’s make 2015 one of our biggest years in university sport.

Get all the information at www.unisport.com.au/nusport.

Five Tips To Overcoming A Language Barrier: Sarah Webb shares her five tips to overcome foreign language barriers.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest factors that can keep someone from travelling abroad is their fear of the language barrier. Perhaps I should type that in caps - it’s that big an issue. No matter how much time we spend using our Rosetta Stones, we’re still going to face some difficulty in communicating clearly. But what better way to learn a language than by jumping in head first with the people who are native speakers?

1

Don’t be Shy.

When you’re trying to communicate, don’t worry too much about how you sound or if you’re using the right words, as most natives will appreciate your courage for trying. Sure, you might end up saying “Estoy tan embarazada” (I’m so pregnant!), instead of “Me da verguenza” (I’m so embarrassed!), but you’ll get a few laughs and have a funny story to tell later. Plus you will learn something in the process!

2

Speak Slowly.

In all honesty, you’re probably saying it wrong anyway.

Don’t make things harder for you or the person you’re in conversation with by rushing through sentences. Annunciate every syllable to the best of your ability to ensure you’re getting the point across.

3

Be Polite.

Before you learn any other words in a foreign language, get “please” and “thank you” under your belt. Politeness goes a long way when you’re in the midst of a linguistic struggle.

“No matter how much time we spend using our Rosetta Stones, we’re still going to face some difficulty in communicating clearly.”

4

Ask to be Corrected.

If you’re looking to learn rather than just skate by with a few key phrases, then it would benefit you to ask the person you’re speaking with to correct your errors. Repeat their corrections until they stick or they judge you to be slightly crazy.

5

Face Reality.

Unless you’re that guy who learned Icelandic in a week, learning a foreign language takes a long time. Instead of being discouraged by this, enjoy the journey and soak up everything you can.

Designed by Breanna Yates

6 | Yak Magazine May 2015

May 2015

Jackson Langford gets the royal treatment from Amy Erskine about the brilliance of Britain.

Great Britain. Cool Britannia. Home of scones, The Beatles and a certain boy wizard. At least, those are often the things that come to mind when we think of England. However, according to British exchange student Amy Erskine, these perceptions might not be too far off.

“When I moved here I realised that the British stereotype is pretty accurate,” she said. On exchange from Leeds, but a native of Sunderland, Amy studies Maths and Physics here at UON. Despite the stereotypical things she loves about where she comes from (“we’re pretty good at tea and cake”), she really loves how diverse her home is. “Our accents are so diverse and each part of the UK has a very different identity. I think that is something quite special,” she said.

Australia is quite large in regards to size and even more so when you compare it to the UK. As someone travelling to the UK, this is perfect because it means city-to-city travel is something that is achieved with ease. “Leeds is beautiful & green and the Yorkshire Dales just outside of Leeds are amazing too,” Amy said. “We’re just a short train ride away

from Manchester, York and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (a mustsee for obvious reasons) which are all worth visiting.”

But the most important part of Britain, and the thing that Amy says visitors will find most interesting, is the people. “British people don’t show their emotions except when it comes to football,” she said. “We take pride in our football teams even when they don’t play so well. While it’s tempting to go and see Manchester United, the real atmosphere is at the smaller games. Oh, and we’re always polite. If you stay, try couchsurfing or befriend some poms and get them to show you around instead.”

For those of you wishing to embark on the nearly 24-hour flight to the UK, Amy implores that you diverge off the beaten track. “The tourist destinations are great, but there’s so much more to the UK than just the sights,” she said. While Amy says that the stereotypes are not too far from the truth about Britain, it seems to be the little things that mean the most.

But Amy leaves us with her parting words of wisdom: “Try some real beer, and go up north: we’re the best.”

Designed by Mia Engel

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 7

Renae Burgess cheers on the UON Cheerleading Club in their first competitive year.

Are you full of cheer, school spirit, competitiveness and interested in learning how to throw your body daringly through the air? If flips, tumbles, pompoms and Bring It On are your secret loves, then the UON Cheerleading Club is the place for you!

Founded in 2014, the University of Newcastle’s Cheerleading squad is a competitive co-ed team about more than just frilly outfits and catchy rhymes.

“The club encourages teamwork, competitiveness, friendship and skill development” A rigorous and demanding sport, cheerleaders train to become a mixture of acrobats, dancers and entertainers. If you’re interested in trying out the sport, be prepared for some intense training! Our UON cheerleaders train twice a week, with conditioning on Mondays and skills training Thursdays. If the idea

of starting your week with a 1.2 kilometre run, 50 push ups, sit ups, squats and lunges tickles your fancy, you’ve come to the right place.

The club encourages teamwork, competitiveness, friendship and skill development, and its aim for the 2015 team is to compete on the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation (AASCF) competition circuit to represent Newcastle University.

If cheerleading is a sport you’re interested in and you’d like to contact the team for some more information, wander on down to the clubs bake sale in the Auchmuty courtyard on the 15th of May between 8:30am and 3pm.

Additionally, if you just want to come and support the team when they perform and showcase their hard practiced skills, don’t miss their first competition at Winterfest.

Save the date and watch in awe as the UON cheerleaders compete against other competitive squads from all over Australia at Sydney Olympic Park from the 12th to the 14th of June.

For further enquiries about the club, you can contact the UON Cheerleading Club via their Facebook page (facebook.com/ uoncheer), or email them at uoncheer@gmail.com.

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Clubs Societies

Designed by Kathleen Maier

Neha Lalchandani shares five swaps to change up easy your as lifestyle Isabella Batkovic explains whyfood getting a pap test is as pie With a multitude of food varieties these days, it can be challenging to make the right choices. Here are five healthy food swaps that will keep your body happy.

1.Swap multigrain bread for whole grain, sourdough, rye or spelt bread Most multigrain and seeded breads aren’t as healthy as they look or claim to be. When reading the ingredients list on a loaf of bread, look for things like ‘whole grain’ wheat flour, which will give you more fibre and B vitamins.

Spelt is easier to digest, sourdough has low GI and breads based on rye flour also get the tick of approval.

2.Use avocado instead of butter as spreads Avocados contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat that can actually lower LDL (bad) and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol. They are super-rich in vitamins and minerals and no, you can’t say that about butter!

When baking, you can also substitute half the amount of butter in your recipe for mashed avocado.

health

3.Swap plain flour for almond meal

5.Fruit popsicles over ice-cream

Using almond meal instead of plain flour can be a healthy alternative when making things like pancakes that are usually carb-heavy. Almond meal is nutrient-dense and full of protein, minerals and good fats.

Although ice cream is delicious, why not try making your own homemade fruit popsicles? They'll cool you down and still contain enough natural sugars to make that sweet tooth happy! Try blending bananas, strawberries and yoghurt for your next frozen treat.

4.Opt for normal yoghurt over ‘low-fat’ varieties Low-fat yoghurts may have less kilojoules than full fat varieties, but most of the time ‘low-fat’ or ‘fatfree’ products contain a lot of added sugar and starch to make up for the satisfying taste that fat provides.

Switch to normal, unsweetened varieties of yoghurt that contain no artificial sweeteners.

Designed

by Kathleen Designed

by KathleenMaier Maier

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PHD

Systemic Inflammation in Obesity

Lauren Gross takes a look at Evan William’s thesis on potential treatments to reduce inflammation in obesity.

We all know that being overweight is not so good for you. But did you know that systemic inflammation (the presence of inflammatory cells and proteins in the blood) occurs persistently in people who are obese, and that this inflammation increases the risk of type two diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease?

“This inflammation causes damage to vital organs which can lead to some pretty nasty diseases.”

These cells normally reside in fat tissue, but due to the increased amount of fat tissue present in an obese person, the cells become activated and release pro-inflammatory cytokines which promote inflammation. This can cause damage to vital organs and can lead to some of the pretty nasty diseases listed above.

and is now doing a PhD focusing on potential treatments that may reduce systemic inflammation.

Evan’s study involved giving a fruit and vegetable supplement to obese participants in conjunction with a controlled diet over a two-month period. Participants had to keep their fruit and vegetable intake at a maximum of three serves per day to ensure it was the supplement having an effect and not an increased consumption of fruit and vegetables.

“Our study wanted to test the effect of a nutritional supplement tablet in reducing inflammation in obesity,” Evan said.

“I will be looking at changes in inflammatory markers and genes in the blood of the supplemented group, which will be compared to a placebo group,” he said.

University of Newcastle student Evan Williams has completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science with honours Designed by Mia Engel

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 9

A day in the Life of An Alumni

Renae Burgess discovers what it takes to make UON proud after graduation To those of you studying a Bachelor of Arts, I’m sure you’ve heard it before. People will sigh and roll their eyes, ask condescendingly, “What are you going to do with an arts degree?” They’ll assume you; 1. Don’t know what you want e to do yet, 2. Didn’t get a good ATAR, or 3. Are lazy. Despit ch approa r broade a and ts subjec of range wide a offering up not it’s it, face let’s lising, specia and enting experim at learning, hile. worthw or ous glamor that all as of t though a degree that’s If you’re looking for a fantastic success story to rub in everyone’s faces, look no further than the University of te Newcastle’s Rosemarie Milsom, an alumni, local and gradua a as well as , Drama and with a Bachelor of Arts in English Diploma in Secondary Education.

“I know that the skills I gained from my university studies, while not specific to journalism, have made me a well-rounded journalist.” in the Since graduating in 1993 she’ll have clocked up 20 years Herald Sun field of journalism this June. She’s worked for the stle in the past, and is currently a feature writer for the Newca l Festiva s Herald and event organiser of the Newcastle Writer’ that kicked off in 2014.

I “I was going to study Communication because I decided ted sugges r mothe my but 10, Year in list wanted to be a journa lack the about worried she e becaus ch taking a broader approa enable would degree arts An lists. journa of jobs available for me to pursue academia and teaching,” she said. s Rosemarie’s normal day consists of getting up at the heinou the often is that hour of 5:40am to head to the gym, though easy part. The rest of her morning consists of racing around and with her husband getting their two children fed, dressed y Monda work. dropped off at school before heading into through Thursday Rosemarie works at the Newcastle Herald g writing feature articles and a weekly column, all while chasin down other stories and leads.

You’d think that after spending your entire day working with words, the last thing that you’d do to relax at the end of it would be reading a good book, but Rosemarie has always was been an avid reader, even at university. Even though she

a bit overwhelmed during her first year by the sheer amount of required reading expected in her text-heavy subjects of English, History, Philosophy and Drama, she is thankful for the encouragement of her lecturers that urged her to think independently and draw on a wide range of subjects and sources. “I read every night and average a book a week…

I know that the skills I gained from my university studies, while not specific to journalism, have made me a well-rounded journalist,” she said.

Her love of reading and literature drew her to a love of book reviews, a passion that she has been fulfilling since her start as a cadet journalist in 1995. Writing a story upward of 80,000 words might seem impossible to you as you struggle through a 2000 word essay, or in Rosemarie’s case, a 3000 word feature.

Because of this, she holds a deep respect for all authors, and has had the privilege of interviewing writers such as Jeanette Winterson, Colleen McCullogh and Ben Elton, to Richard Ford, William Dalrymple and Favel Parrett.

Her love and the belief of the importance of literature eventually prompted Rosemarie to undergo the extraordinary feat of organising and bringing to life Newcastle’s very own Writer’s Festival last year. Inspired by the Sydney Writers’ Festival, Rosemarie was struck by the idea that Newcastle needed its own writers’ festival, with a focus on local talent, workshops and programs for school children. “The idea took shape and I finally struck up the courage to share my idea with some friends and to seek support from a couple of key organisations, including the University of Newcastle, whose support has been pivotal to the success of the festival,” she said.

Rosemarie and many others work in partnership with the Newcastle Regional Library to create a four-day program that caters for children from preschool to high school, running workshops, readings and a family day during the main weekend of the festival. Literacy is undoubtedly important for learning and development, and the Newcastle Writers Festival program offers kids the chance to seek out books that allow them to enjoy such a magical experience, and the festival program and environment encourages them to explore their own writing.

Rosemarie Milson is evidence that while you may be doing a Bachelor of Arts because you don’t quite know what you want to do yet, or you didn’t get the ATAR you needed for another course, it is not a degree that is by any means easy or useless, and you can achieve wonderful things if you apply yourself.

Designed by Mia Engel

10 | Yak Magazine May 2015

Click Through for Counsel Erin Currey gives us the download on the mental health blog run by UON counsellors.

It’s that time of semester when things start to get full on. You have three assignments due on the same day, exams are fast approaching and your boss is breathing down your neck to take on extra shifts.

Third-year Communication student Jorgia Brown has experienced firsthand the stress and anxiety of university life.

She believes it is a perfect way for students to connect to the counselling service.

Stressed doesn’t even begin to cover the way you are feeling.

The words ‘free time’ and ‘sleep’ are now so foreign that they may as well be written in French. You’re not your usual bubbly, easy-going self and things just don’t feel right.

“As we are always online doing assignments, it makes sense that we can access such services on this platform,” Jorgia said.

It isn’t surprising that many students feel this way. University of Newcastle counsellor Kelli Cathcart says that one in four young people will experience depression and one in three will experience anxiety at some point in their life.

But it isn’t only helpful for students who attend class on campus.

UON has a large number of students who study courses exclusively online and this means the services are accessible to all students. “It is perfect for online students who aren’t able to see a face-to-face counsellor on campus,” Jorgia said.

“It is essentially a service for students to

Kellie decided to create a blog to assist with any mental health access confidential counselling without having and stress related problems UON students may face. “The blog to leave the house.” is a way of reaching out to students who wouldn’t otherwise It is hoped that this blog will promote positive mental health present to the counselling service,” Kellie said. throughout the entire UON community. The blog has only Blog posts include everything from how to deal with anxiety recently started and as it continues to evolve, Kellie and and stress to procrastination and panic attacks, but perhaps everyone at the UON counselling service hope to expand the most helpful feature of the blog is the messaging section. and change the way mental health is portrayed within the This allows students to send a counsellor a message regarding community. “Talking about mental health as a community and any problems they may be facing and get a swift response. reaching out and supporting one another will help reduce the “Blog posts include everything from how to stigma associated with mental health and increase the helpseeking behaviours of those that need it,” Kellie said.

deal with stress and procrastination to how to deal with anxiety and panic attacks.”

Essentially a service offering access to confidential counselling without having to leave the house, it’s an excellent way for students to get the help they need without undertaking traditional face-to-face meetings, which for many students is daunting.

If you are struggling with stress, anxiety or depression, you can find help by visiting the blog at uonblogs.newcastle.edu.au/ onlinecounselling

Designed by Breanna Yates

MONDAY 4 Mobile Phone Drop-off

TUESDAY 5 Bike Bus

Wednesday 6 Bike Bus

All day

8am start

8am start

Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, Shortland Building and Accommodation precinct

From Ferry Terminal, Newcastle to Uni

From Ferry Terminal, Newcastle to Uni

DIY Cosmetic & Cleaning Product Workshop From 12pm Derkenne Courtyard

Wollotuka Film Night ‘Freedom Ride’

Mobile Phone Drop-off Mobile Phone Drop-off All day

All day

Drop-off points located Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, at Hunter Building, Shortland Building and Shortland Building and Accommodation precinct Accommodation precinct

Community Garden Gala Day

From 6pm

Including free food, junk percussion workshop, bush food talk and planting

Derkenne Courtyard

10am - 2pm Oval 4

Tanner Tuesday: Law Society Social Justice Forum From 6pm Godfrey Tanner Bar

Swap & Sell Fair

Thursday 7 Friday 8 Mobile Phone Drop-off Mobile Phone Drop-off All day

Drop-off points located Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, at Hunter Building, Shortland Building and Shortland Building and Accommodation precinct Accommodation precinct

Sustainability Walks & Free Lunch 11.30am - 1.30pm

Landcare Tree Planting Day 10am - 11.30am

Wetland Pavilion

Meet at Warabrook Train Station

NUBUG Social Ride

Champions4Change Launch

Including clothing, toys & information stalls

4pm for a 4.15pm ride

11am - 2pm

Bike Hub East

The Park

All day

3pm - 5pm Derkenne Courtyard

12 | Yak Magazine May 2015

A Fan Too Far?

Sarah Webb takes a peek into the world of celebrity obsession.

T

here’s no denying it. We live in a world that’s fascinated by the ‘celebrity’. But what if that fascination turns into an addiction, where every spare moment is dedicated to meeting an A-lister?

Fan stalking or ‘celebrity worship syndrome’ is an addiction that causes a person to become overly involved with the details of a celebrity’s personal life. Psychologists have indicated that though many people obsess over glamorous film, television, sport and pop stars, the only common factor between them is that they’re all figures in the public eye. The term ‘celebrity worship syndrome’ is in fact a misnomer.

“Before you go bowing before an A-lister, remember, it’s never healthy to go chasing the life of a celebrity when there are more important things in life to chase.”

Often fans will go out of their way to research celebrities while they’re in town, following them from the airport to their hotel venue and spending hours waiting for a photo or an autograph.

They call it ‘The Chase’.

Celebrity worshipper Andrew Capri did an interview with The Project on Channel Ten in February this year. Capri has met over 200 celebrities in the past two years. His mate, David Fornaro, said that when he meets his idols, they sign his arm and afterwards he goes to a tattoo artist to make their signature a personal fixture.

These two young Aussies share a bizarre passion: they’re addicted to celebrities. However, it seems that Andrew and David are just some of many who will go to any lengths to meet an A-lister.

The chase was on for UON student Clara Lawrence*, who says she’s forgone the need for sleep in trying to meet celebrities before.

“We went for four days without sleep for Justin Bieber, but it was only four days of trying, you know? When not actually knowing where you’ll be during the night, and then finding out celebrities aren’t going to stop for you, it’s disappointing. I know if I was a celebrity, I’d stop for my fans,” Clara said.

Despite not meeting some desired A-listers, Clara still has an impressive portfolio of celebrity meetings, reaching into the hundreds. “I’ve met Ed Sheeran now, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry,” and the list goes on. “It kind of is an addiction. Well… it is an addiction,” Clara said.

Clara believes there’s almost no celebrity that she won’t chase.

“I’ll try to get to whoever’s in town, in as many places that I can get to,” she said.

An American study into celebrity worship syndrome found almost one in three people suffer from the condition. The advent of social media has exacerbated the situation as it now enables the pursuer to know every personal detail about the celebrity, ultimately turning into a ‘one-sided relationship’.

Evidence suggests that poor mental health is linked to celebrity worship. Psychology PhD student from The University of Newcastle and youth advocate for social psychology Jessica Dennis said this type of compulsive behaviour is a selfmedication of another problem. Often this stops people from engaging with the true underlying issue of the obsession.

“Compulsive behaviour within fandom isn’t the result of fandom participation; it’s the result of pre-existing stress, and people often use fandom participation as a stress coping mechanism,” Jessica said.

Jessica recommends fans reach out to fandom communities that use their networking abilities to help with stressmanagement, addiction and depression.

“I’ve recently joined a research group from the Education Faculty called DICE (Digital Identity, Curation and Education), and from the studies, it’s consistent that people’s personalities and social tendencies that pre-exist in their face-to-face life determine the pattern of behaviour they exhibit,” Jessica said.

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 13

Another thing to consider when it comes to celebrity-worship syndrome is implicit bias. Jessica describes it as when people assume others fit into a stereotype without realising that they’re doing it, or that their judgements have been compromised.

“An example of this bias is that young women are systematically perceived negatively; to be obsessive, and/

“Often fans will go out of their way to research celebrities while they’re in town, following them from the airport to their hotel venue and spending hours waiting for a photo or an autograph.

They call it ‘The Chase’.” or unaware, and that negative perception can transfer over to apply to anything they participate in thereafter, in large numbers,” Jessica said.

In his 2014 study called ‘Beatlemania Revisited’, Victoria University Professor Dr Tony Taylor, found that younger adolescent females were the pupils most affected. “They were more excited than those of their counterparts in the group of resisters,” he said.

The findings suggest that there is an interaction between celebrity worship and body image between the ages of 14 and 16 for female adolescents. The evidence of the study suggests that this relationship disappears at the onset of adulthood, between 17 and 20 years.

A 2014 University of Leicester study found that there are three different aspects to celebrity worship. A follow-up study found no gender difference in any of the three.

Entertainment-social This level of admiration is linked to a celebrity’s ability to capture the attention of their fans. Entertainment-social worship is used to describe a relatively low level of obsession.

An example of a typical entertainment-social attitude would be “My friends and I like to discuss what my favourite celebrity has done.”

Intense-personal This is an intermediate level of obsession that is associated with neuroticism as well as behaviours linked to psychoticism.

An example of an intense-personal attitude toward a celebrity would include claims along the lines of “I consider my favourite celebrity to be my soul mate.” We all like to fantasize sometimes I guess.

Borderline-pathological This classification is the highest level of celebrity worship and is often expressed by bizarre statements like, “If someone gave me one thousand dollars, I’d consider spending it on a napkin used by my idol when they wiped food off their face.”

These findings suggest that the more an individual perceives a relationship with an idol, the more prone they are to developing stalker tendencies.

However, cases such as Clara show that while the experience of being obsessed with chasing celebrities can put a personal strain on one’s life, it’s possibly one of the less harmful addictions facing adolescents. It may all seem like fun and games at first, but addiction is often subtle.

Let’s not forget, celebrities are people like you and I. So before you go bowing before an A-lister, remember, it’s never healthy to go chasing the life of a celebrity when there are more important things in life to chase. *Name changed for anonymity.

Designed by Mia Engel

14 | Yak Magazine May 2015

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 15

GraffIti: Modern art or public nuisance?

Can we define art? Bridie O’Shea explores this idea through the perspectives of a graffiti lover and a graffiti snubber.

It is a question that has divided society for years - is graffiti an art form in the modern age or is it still considered a nuisance? Can beautiful, intricate murals be held under the same category as tagging the side of a train carriage?

According to Crime Prevention New South Wales, Lake Macquarie ranked in as the city with the highest number of graffiti incidences in 2013 with 468 reported. This was closely followed

by Sydney with 461, and Newcastle with 242.

“The funny thing is, would they still make graffiti illegally if it was all legal and sanctioned?”

Despite these numbers, founder of Street Art Walking (SAW) Simone Sheridan believes that all graffiti, murals or tagging, should be considered art. “Graffiti is a powerful tool for expressing political statements,” she said.

SAW is a project that has roots in creative place-making and has overseen the creation of 20 public street art sites across Newcastle.

Sheridan has a background in street art, graduating from Fine Art at the University of Newcastle with a major in printmaking. She helped set up SAW to be an organisation that employs local

artists do commissioned work around Newcastle, making practical use of her passion for street art.

building. He now keeps paint supplies in the building for when the graffiti artists hit.

“I think I wanted to deny my creative interests because I was led to believe you cannot make a living as an artist. I would like to think I have helped show that the life of a creative person doesn’t have to be the typical artist stereotype,” Sheridan said.

“The graffiti has been a continual issue and has been going on as long as I recall,” Connell said. He also notes an increase in graffiti around school and tertiary education holidays.

Connell reports the incidences through the Police Assistance Line that allows the police to build a profile of the But despite SAW following the legal worst affected areas. “We have seen route to create street art by paying for the work on the walls, Sheridan believes increased patrol later at night and we are aware that when returning to the that those doing illegal graffiti should not be considered criminals either. She police station, which is nearby, the police vehicles drive down our road points out, “The funny thing is, would (a back street) and not the Pacific they still make graffiti illegally if it was Highway,” Connell said. all legal and sanctioned?”

She believes that the skills graffiti artists have are on par with those graduating from a Fine Art degree and therefore the criminalisation of those who are caught is wrong.

There are many factors that contribute to a person wanting to make graffiti. “I feel the reasons for a person tagging a wall in Newcastle, compared to someone tagging an abandoned home in Detroit, are very different,” Sheridan said.

And rather than prosecuting these people, she believes that more resources should be invested into support and education.

However, Lake Macquarie businessman Ben Connell has spent up to $2000 a year cleaning graffiti off his commercial

“The graffiti has been a continual issue and has been going on as long as I recall” However, Connell doesn’t believe that it is the thrill that attracts people to create graffiti. “It is more just a release,” he said. Connell suggests that if there were more legal places where graffiti artists could create their works it would reduce the costly impact on other commercial buildings and benefit society overall.

This also includes organised events such as Belmont Block by Block or Newcastle’s Hit the Bricks.

Designed by Breanna Yates

16 | Yak Magazine May 2015

Top-tier

university Melissa Wilson explores whether the supposedly more prestigious universities really give you the upper hand in the job market.

When it comes to choosing where to live and work, and whether to take on higher education, we’re posed with a few different options. When considering university it’s important to find out which university offers the best degree for you, if you’ll make the cut and if it’s worth packing up your life in search of study. Now, if you’re sitting there thinking ‘Well I’m studying, I’ve already made that choice,’ sit tight, that’s exactly why you should keep on reading.

While Australia doesn’t quite have the Ivy Leaguecompetitiveness of the US and UK, the ‘sandstone’ universities of Australia’s major capital cities still maintain the idea that their prestige equates to more opportunities and greater success. Not only does this apply to more opportunities during a degree, but further opportunities post-graduation. We’ve all heard it and we’ve probably all had at least one snob in class at school saying they only wanted to attend a ‘posh’ university. It’s also a common complaint that when studying in Newcastle as a region, we have access to fewer internships and contacts, fewer career-building opportunities, and that the only solution is to travel down to Sydney. Now, without a skerrick of an agenda to spruik UON, that is simply untrue. UON and other universities may not quite be in the big leagues, but the underdogs almost always come out on top. And you’re about to find out why.

Catherine Olivier graduated from UON this April with a Bachelor of Commerce and a major in accounting. In her first year she secured a traineeship at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a global accounting firm with an office in the Newcastle CBD. She spent the following two years working full-time alongside part-time studies at UON, and then in 2014, Catherine undertook a six-month exchange at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. This was made possible through the OS-Help loan initiated by the Australian government and offered at UON. As of 2015, this loan allows students to borrow $6362 for a six-month study travel period (or $7635 if the travel destination is Asia). Upon her return Catherine received a scholarship to intern for a month in China, another to intern in Singapore, and then another to intern in Japan - all within the space of 12 months. Feeling like an underachiever yet?

Don’t you dare!

Each of these opportunities Catherine got through the university, usually brought to her attention through those emails that frequently land in your inbox calling for applications for international exchanges and internships. The best thing about these scholarships is that flights and accommodation are almost always paid for. Some of the overseas opportunities are also open across multiple faculties, which Catherine

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 17

says is great “because it means you’ve got different brains going”.

The problem students in regional areas often complain about is the lack of opportunities close to home. Naturally, the number of opportunities is going to change between faculties and courses, but staying in the loop about what scholarships are offered is something few students are diligent about, and taking these opportunities can really put you ahead when it comes to the job hunt post-study. “In today’s day and age from what I’ve learnt from speaking to people on my travels in general, [employers] won’t even look at your CV unless you’ve done a semester exchange, and that just shows you how competitive and advantageous it is,” Catherine said. These opportunities don’t discriminate, and the age-old student woe of not being able to afford travel just doesn’t hold up - that’s the beauty of a scholarship. In fact, Catherine only briefly considered studying in Sydney, with high living costs deterring her soon after. Instead, she prefers to look at things on a global scale, and says during her time in the Netherlands she didn’t hesitate to hold herself to the competitive European standards – a mentality that has stuck with her even after graduation.

Switching gears back to humble Newcastle, the annual Graduate Careers Expo was held in March. If this expo isn’t a testament to employer excitement about the knowledge and skills of

UON students and graduates, nothing is. The bottom level of The Great Hall was bustling with employers chatting to students and graduates from all different faculties. From Aurecon, Aldi HR, the Australian Defence Force and many more, there was something to interest even the most career-confused student. Alex Mihaila is an IT and Business student at UON and was manning one of the many stalls at the expo. He says that while you’re unlikely to get hired on the spot at the careers expo, “you’ll get a better idea of where you want to work and what career you want to go after.” He pointed out that a lot of the vendors at the expo are representing companies based in Sydney, but they’re throwing their arms open to Newcastle graduates and many of them even offer support to individuals in their move. “A lot of people are employing locally too and don’t require you to move, and they’ll try and find a place for you and look after you. That’s what everybody’s doing right now,” Alex said. It seems the main thing to focus on when you’re feeling overwhelmed by job prospects, and the thought of what to do poststudy, is not to be discouraged. Persistence is often key to scoring that coveted position. As Alex says, “just keep applying, keep phoning them up, go into the office and meet the managers, just go above and beyond.”

Designed by Kathleen Maier

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 19

Renae Burgess diagnoses societies prejudice against mental illness.

Living with an illness is incredibly difficult, but living with an illness that is invisible to those around you can be even harder. Doubt, ignorance and stigma pose everyday challenges for people who suffer from these types of physical and mental illnesses, and this is one of the biggest contributing factors that stop people from seeking help or diagnosis.

“

A growing awareness of mental health issues is occurring within younger generations, but the word needs to be spread louder.

”

Changing attitudes about the reality of mental illness can go a long way in removing the discrimination and shame that can come with a diagnosis. While many people still doubt it, disorders such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder are real and serious diseases.

Often rejected as character flaws, over-sensitivity, or “phases”, society’s dismissive nature has a detrimental effect on the level of understanding and tolerance needed in order to properly help those suffering.

When Nicole Klaer was 17-years-old, she spent a year and a half missing school and attending bi-weekly doctor appointments trying to understand why she felt so sick she could barely get out of bed. She spent a year and a half experiencing the way society dismisses that which it can’t see clearly until she was finally diagnosed with Coeliac Disease.

“It was incredibly isolating,” Nicole said. “I don’t think it was exactly that my friends and family didn’t believe me, it’s just that they didn’t understand. I used to wish that I could transfer the pain I felt into the people around me for just a second so they could understand how bad it felt, that it was real.”

Once Nicole had a diagnosis that clearly labelled her illness as a “Proper Disease”, her friends and family changed their attitude and were wholly supportive of her treatment and recovery. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for those who suffer from a mental illness.

“

Your support, if not your understanding, could be invaluable.

”

Katrina Forster was recently diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety “It’s terrible, but I know that when I was younger, I would be one of those people who automatically thought that people who suffered from anxiety and depression were just ‘attention seeking’, or ‘going through a phase’,” Katrina said. “Now I understand though. I’m consistently called a ‘worrier’. When I tell people I have anxiety, nearly everyone responds with ‘Oh yeah, I think I’ve got that’.”

A new and informed level of understanding needs to be undertaken within society when it comes to the severity and effects of mental illnesses. For sufferers, the level of support necessary is sometimes undermined by stigma and prejudice.

“Even my mum is dismissive of it,” Katrina said. “When I mention my anxiety or my therapy she rolls her eyes. My friends and family just tell me that I need to calm down.

They don’t understand that I can’t.”

“

The only people who seem to understand that it’s a disease are the people that have it.

”

In 2007, the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing found that one in five Australian adults had a mental disorder in the previous 12 months. They predicted that almost half the Australian population would experience a mental disorder at some time in their lives.

“That time period of uncertainty really made me realise how much one person’s support can have such a positive impact in a terrible part of your life,” Nicole said.

There are a range of symptoms that can indicate a mental illnesses is not as invisible as it may seem. These can include persistent sad, anxious or “empty” feelings, fatigue, overeating, obsessive thinking and many more.

If you know anyone suffering from a mental illness, don’t dismiss the disease.

If you are suffering, or know someone who is suffering from a mental illness and are seeking advice, understanding or support, take advantage of the on campus counselling services at the university provided by professionally trained psychologists.

To book an appointment: Phone: 4921 5801 Email: counselling@newcastle.edu.au Designed by Sarah Khan

20 | Yak Magazine May 2015

Isabella Batkovic investigates the common miscon cep

tions surrounding university read

“Write a university textbook, change the cover every two years, call it a new edition and then you are financially set for life,” is becoming more than a comical Facebook status update. It’s a growing student philosophy toward required readings, but is it grounded in fact? For university students, buying textbooks is a real bank-drainer. Students may spend anywhere from $100-$900 per year, causing many to question whether or not the use of these readers is still relevant in the electronic age. There also seems to be a lot of uninformed chatter involving two main topics: 1. The prescription of textbooks lecturers themselves have written; and 2. The release of new editions that render the act of selling old textbooks impossible.

These points have come up time and time again in courtyard conversation as students ponder potential conflicts of interest and financial gain that might drive one to prescribe their own text. With the large number of misconceptions surrounding reading material, it is time to set the record straight and separate the fact from fiction.

“...the author of a legal textbook in Australia has many good reasons for writing a book, but making a large amount of money is not one of them.”

Associate Professor in the School of Law at the University of Newcastle Neil Foster debunked many of the rumours about textbook prescription. As an educator who recommends a book that he himself has co-authored, Torts: Cases and Commentary (2012), the professor sheds some light on the “conflict of interest” debate.

“It seems to me that it would only be so if the textbook I was prescribing was clearly not suitable for the course concerned, or clearly a sub-standard work. I would take the view that this is not the case. Indeed, if you were to explore the history of the ‘Torts’ course at the University of Newcastle you would find that earlier editions of Luntz & Hambly (the current text) were prescribed for the course by another academic well before I was involved in the book as an author,” Foster said.

Of the 18 chapters of the seventh edition text, Foster was responsible for two of them. With this being said, it would be fair to assume that he does not receive a large share of royalties.

“Perhaps the best way to summarise the situation is to say that the author of a legal textbook in Australia has many good reasons for writing a book, but making a large amount of money is not one of them,” Foster said.

ing material.

“I guess it just becomes frustrating when you could buy a second hand book for $60 from the previous year but you end up spending $180 on the new one.”

Bachelor of Communication/Bachelor of Laws student, Caitlin Brennan, aired her frustrations about the circulation of new editions, providing insight into the thoughts of members of the student community.

“I know that most students believe releasing new editions is done for revenue, especially since some of the books we have are up to their eighth edition. I guess it just becomes frustrating when you could buy a second hand book for $60 from the previous year, but you end up spending $180 on the new one,” Brennan said.

As a law student, Brennan is well aware of the reason books are updated, which many might not know. Law is a rapidly developing and there is continual change in legislation and academic commentary.

“Textbooks are updated into new editions when the relevant changes, as a whole, have made the earlier edition misleading as a statement of the law. In most cases this happens about every three to five years,” Foster said.

A good way for students to save money would be to check older editions and compare them to new ones. According to Today.com writer Laura T. Coffey, “The changes may be so minor that you really won’t need to pay top dollar for the newer version.”

Academic Neil Foster believes that writing textbooks is an important way to ensure knowledge is disseminated in the academic world. “The myth that university staff are sitting back enjoying huge profits from prescribing useless textbooks that are randomly re-issued in more ways to increase their profit-taking is simply that, a myth,” he said.

But Caitlin Brennan remains unconvinced. She argues that forcing students to buy more than two prescribed textbooks for one course is ridiculous. “Some courses need to reevaluate this, especially if the said text is not being used every week. When you have to fork out $400-$900 in one go for textbooks, it’s a lot of money for any student,” she said.

Designed by Renee McIntosh

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 21

TRIGGER WARNINGS

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SENSITIVE MATERIAL

Madeline Link pulls the trigger on content warnings in the classroom.

Pull the trigger baby. Or don’t. It’s the issue facing university professors and students across the globe – trigger warnings in the classroom.

Originating primarily on feminist blogs, trigger warnings are intended to warn readers about content that could aggravate a traumatic response.

However, they are a relatively new concept for Australian universities and the argument is that what we thought was an act of common consideration may in fact be a form of censorship that’s inhibiting student learning. Are trigger warnings sweeping the unfortunate realities of our social world under the rug?

therefore be traumatic,” Suk said.

“These organisations also ask criminallaw teachers to warn their classes that the rape-law unit might ‘trigger’ traumatic memories. Individual students often ask teachers not to include the law of rape on exams for fear that the material would cause them to perform less well.”

“Are trigger warnings sweeping the unfortunate realities of our social world under the rug?”

Suk believes an environment where students are shielded from the kinds Sexual assault, drug abuse, suicide and of rape cases that they are likely to domestic violence are just some of the face in the professional world – those sensitive topics covered in university that question consent or credibility – degrees from law to social work. are making teaching so difficult that Inevitably there are moments in higher education where students will be made to professors are foregoing the subject altogether. The argument in defence feel intellectually uncomfortable. of trigger warnings is that discussions Harvard university law professor Jeannie of sexual assault can lead to public Suk argues that trigger warnings infringe traumatisation. on our academic freedoms in her essay But, in a field where sexual assault cases titled The Trouble with Teaching Rape are common, can we afford to ignore Law. Suk believes that for law students, a subject that could be the difference an inability to emotionally process confronting material in the classroom will between putting a rapist behind bars?

Can future lawyers practise adequately in affect their capacity to represent victims an area that has been largely ignored in of rape in the future. their learning environment? Jeannie Suk “Student organisations representing argues that they cannot. women’s interests now routinely advise “More than ever, it is critical that students that they should not feel law students develop the ability to pressured to attend or participate in engage productively and analytically in class sessions that focus on the law conversations about sexual assault. of sexual violence, and which might

If the topic of sexual assault were to leave the law-school classroom, it would be a tremendous loss – above all to victims of sexual assault,” she said.

As it stands the University of Newcastle does not have a trigger warning policy on campus. A clinical psychologist at Counselling – Student Care and Equity at the University of Newcastle argues that most academics want to create a supportive environment where sensitive issues can be addressed, but that these are often part of a curriculum that relates to an area where students may one day find employment.

“It’s about self-awareness and personal responsibility,” the spokesperson said.

Those that have been through a traumatic experience are often aware of their triggers; these can include certain images, words, sounds, smells, colours or movement.

The team at Counselling – Student Care and Equity recommend that students seek help if sensitive material continues to significantly distress them after exposure.

“One of the most helpful and immediate strategies is to remind themselves that they are safe and that the tumble of emotions, memories and thoughts is related to past events. Whilst distracting ourselves is not an effective long-term solution, distractions can offer us valuable breathing space and help us gain some perspective on our current problems,” the spokesperson said.

Designed by Sarah McDonald

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 23

Should the death penalty be reinstated in Australia?

JANET ROACH*

“YES”

VS

BEN MURSA

“NO”

The debate around capital punishment in Australia is one that is impassioned and hotly contested- and why wouldn’t it be? The decision to impose state-sanctioned executions should be fiercely debated, with both sides of the argument given due consideration.

Call me deluded, but I am under the impression that humans are inherently a good bunch. Sure, we tear Mother Earth to pieces with pollution and are generally jerks to one another, but I would speculate that murdering another human being is the behaviour of a minority.

“Australians that support capital punishment are not cruel or bloodthirsty people.”

Our judicial system exists in order to keep us more or less in line because sometimes we do dumb things.

Prison should be a place for rehabilitation and a public recognition of crimes so that both the criminal and the public can understand that this behaviour is not okay. How much ‘justice’, then, is there in killing someone before they can repent and move on with their lives?

Since its abolition, the discussion of its use in Australia hasn’t disappeared for one simple reason; the death penalty is supported by a majority of Australians. A Gallup poll taken in 2014 revealed that 63% of Australians are in favour of the death penalty for murder crimes- and rightly so. Australians that support capital punishment are not cruel or bloodthirsty people. Rather, we place such a high value on a person’s right to live that when somebody violates this basic human right, we want justice.

For those against the death penalty, I ask the simple question: why should we grant people the right to live when they have robbed somebody of theirs? In doing so, aren’t we affording murderers more rights than their victims? The reality of our judicial system means that somebody who is convicted of murder could be released within 20 years. Hypothetically speaking, a 25 year-old who commits murder could be released into the community at 45. Notwithstanding questions over whether the offender is a danger to society, is it fair to a victim that their murderer gets to carry on with their life?

Opponents of the death penalty often argue that people who commit murder can be rehabilitated. This may very well be the case, although it is a pretty big risk to take.

I think the more pertinent question however, is do they deserve to be rehabilitated?

I don’t look at the death penalty as an “eye for an eye” but rather as the punishment fitting the crime.

While the death penalty is often touted as a deterrent, statistics have shown this is not the case at all. Crime rates remained steady or even dropped when the death penalty was abolished in the majority of the USA.

“The death penalty is so much more readily applied to African Americans than it is to white people, regardless of guilt.”

The death penalty also makes a number of assumptions, the most sobering being the supposition of a defendant’s guilt. Some may say, “But Ben, we are all entitled to a fair trial and the legal system is the least-biased entity in the world!” But it seems that the legal system and the death penalty can tend to be a little racist. The excellent documentary Fourteen Days in May is one chilling and graphic example of how the death penalty is so much more readily applied to African Americans than it is to white people, regardless of guilt.

The death penalty is a permanent solution for an impermanent issue. It’s an outdated and antiquated concept, past-tense and alien. It’s a mistake (much like parachute pants) that we will look back on in many years to appreciate how far we have progressed as a species.

*Names have been changed.

Designed by Breanna Yates

24 | Yak Magazine May 2015

A k o va Gold Coast-based

artist,

Akova

discusses the nature of things with

“I’ve basically threw [sic] out my whole life. Right now, I don’t have a wallet, I don’t have 5 cents in my bag, but I have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Everything, in Akova’s case, being his instruments – “my toys” – packed into a camper van parked downstairs, just after playing lunchtime in the Derkenne Courtyard. He’s a solo multi-instrumentalist from Broadbeach on the Gold Coast, and in March was touring his latest single ‘Time to Stand’ south along the coast. A lyrical excerpt: Australia’s our home, our place and our country – soon it might be just a foreign-owned quarry.

And the chorus, a refrain, backed by the soft voice of a young girl: Clean water, clean air, is what we need to be living in.

As important as the acoustic instruments Akova employs are his lyrics, alternating between clever provocations and simple statements of belief, which humbly aspire only to be agreeable.

“I’m not trying to change your mind, his mind, or anybody else’s mind. I’m just trying to get the message out there to the ones that are already thinking like me, that it’s okay to think that way,” Akova said.

“To sit and play an acoustic guitar, is just nature.”

A vessel for the message is the music. A steel-string acoustic guitar accompanied by the bom of a cajón (percussion box) he operates with his right foot and ankle bells by his left. Live, he’ll pause his guitar for a volar round on the cajón or djembe, percussive intervals that feed the pound of the guitar to come. His voice is mostly human, but occasionally resembles a rare bird’s distant bush call.

There’s a forgotten bridge between humanity and nature that Akova crosses on his first album, Earth Recruit, released in December 2012. It harkens to a time, perhaps a tribal one, where there was “peace, love and music every single day” – the mantra of the album’s opener. His music is exemplary of the kind that could be made in a modern tribal society, albeit performed only by one man.

Samuel Rayfield.

“It’s something pleasurable to the ear, I reckon. You don’t hear anyone complain about the sound of an acoustic guitar … [It’s] a beautiful instrument. To sit and play an acoustic guitar, is just nature,” he said.

“Everything’s wooden, everything’s acoustic – the bells, the drums, guitars – I get a kick out of playing it. It’s not harsh and can be as soft or loud as you like. You can do it in a café or an intimate place like this – or put it in a festival, and it becomes a party.”

“His voice is mostly human, but occasionally resembles a rare bird’s distant bush call.”

It helps that his music is of an inspired brand, particularly due to the changes he’s witnessed in the place he’s called home for the last 25 years. The Gold Coast “was an amazing place – it was beautiful. Now, there’s no paradise there anymore. It’s a concrete jungle, there’s nothing.”

“And it’s not only that, but in the hinterland – it used to be a beautiful drive, all the way out to Mount Tambourine, now it’s just suburbs. The beautiful drive up through the rainforest, up along the road with all the crossovers of creeks and rivers – they’re all gone,” he said.

“It’s a sadness. You can’t put that back. It can’t be that way again.”

But there’s a certain optimism about Akova that comes with this disappointment. Having a few people around for a meal, believing in nature’s reclamation of manmade blunder – it’s all good – and the once conscious and present few are becoming many. His music and words catalyse such phenomena, but a face-to-face chat with him expands on it. Some of his own wisdom: “As long as you’re passionate and people see it coming from your heart, it’s you, and that’s one thing you can never stuff up – being you,” he said.

Look up Akova on Facebook or ReverbNation to hear his music or find out where he’ll be playing next.

Designed by Breanna Yates

Yak Magazine May 2015 | 25

Looking for creative methods of procrastination? Look no further than Jackson Langford’s ultimate UON Bucket List.  Actually find out which vendor does the best coffee on campus  Wear crocs to class, embrace judgement  Go a month without driving to UON (good for the environment/your wallet)  Buy all of the *insert favourite food* from the Bakehouse in one go  Overthrow the mosquito overlords that have secret rule over our university  Out-dapper the Dapper Gentleman  Spend an entire Autonomy Day studying  Play ‘Sandstorm’ during a lecture, act like nothing happened  See how long you can go without paying for food at uni (plenty of free food outlets at uni, this shouldn’t be difficult)  Test the hygiene of the water in the fountain near Auchmuty library by risking a swim  Protest that the GT Bar bring back mushroom burgers  Scout out YAK’s editor-in-chief, throw magazines at her  See how many times you can get away with referencing APA style when the tutor specifically asked for Harvard  Get through week 12 without crying  Receive enough parking tickets for you to cover your entire windscreen as to prevent parking officer from giving you more tickets (*not guaranteed to work; parking officers always find a way)  Work on your tan at the Auchmuty Library rooftop (extra points if you bring towel, swimmers, sunscreen)  Walk into the Great Hall and rage at the nearest person because you were led to believe it was going to be something far more magical  Endure a 8 – 7 day at UON and remain emotionally stable  Actually do the readings  Actually buy a textbook  Actually do any work at all  Win GT/BotH trivia  Become good mates with a student on exchange! (You can thank me later when you get free accommodation)  Take a date to the U’s Monday Movies by Moonlight, no funny business  Form One Direction tribute act, enter Battle of the Bands and achieve eternal glory  Grab your lunch from Banger’s (next to Delish on Shortland side) and when the cashier asks if that was all reply with “can you answer one simple question…IS IT A BANGER?”  Attend uni parties so often that the security guards know you by name  MAKE A TRIP TO CAREERS SERVICES – THIS IS NOT A JOKE. IT WILL HELP YOU  (Shameless plug) Use #Yaksnap on Instagram and be featured in the mag  Graduate with tons of new mates (awwwwwww)

Designed by Kathleen Maier

26 | Yak Magazine May 2015

WHAT’S ON: MAY Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

1

Trivia Godfrey Tanner Bar 1pm - 2pm

Sat

Sun

2

3

9

10

The Olive Tree Market Civic Park 9am - 3pm

The Goonion’s Goondependence Day Bar on the Hill 7pm til late

4

5

6

7

8

Mobile Phone Drop-off Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, Shortland Building & Accommodation precinct

Bike Bus 8am start From Ferry Terminal, Newcastle to Uni

Bike Bus 8am start From Ferry Terminal, Newcastle to Uni

Mobile Phone Drop-off Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, Shortland Building & Accommodation precinct

Mobile Phone Drop-off Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, Shortland Building & Accommodation precinct

Mobile Phone Drop-off Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, Shortland Building & Accommodation precinct

Mobile Phone Drop-off Drop-off points located at Hunter Building, Shortland Building & Accommodation precinct

Sustainability Walks & Free Lunch Wetland Pavilion 11.30am - 1.30pm

Landcare Tree Planting Day Across Campus 10am - 11.30am

Community Garden Gala Day Including free food, junk percussion workshop, bush food talk & planting Oval 4 10am - 2pm

Swap & Sell Fair Including clothing, toys & information stalls The Park 11am - 2pm

NUBUG Social Ride Bike Hub East 4pm for 4.14pm start

Champions4Change Launch Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 5pm

Green Week

DIY Cosmetic & Cleaning Product Workshop Derkenne Courtyard From 12pm Wollotuka Film Night Screening ‘Freedom Rides’ Derkenne Courtyard From 6pm

Green Week

University Health Fair Brennan Room 10am - 2pm Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm Tanner Tuesday: Law Society Social Justice Forum Godfrey Tanner Bar From 6pm

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Cancer Council and Students Alliance: Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea Auchmuty Courtyard & Hunter Building

Green Week

Green Week

Groovin the Moo Maitland Showground From 10.30am

Last Day - The Making of Midnight Oil Exhibition Newcastle Museum

Trivia Godfrey Tanner Bar 1pm - 2pm

Pool Comp Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 6pm Mulubinba Exhibition and Book Launch UON Gallery From 6pm Student Sessions: DJ Comp Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm Cancer Council and Students Alliance: Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea Auchmuty Courtyard & Hunter Building

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Cheerleading Bake Sale Auchmuty Courtyard All day

Pool Comp Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 6pm

Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm

Green Week

Morning Rave Bar on the Hill 7.30am - 9am

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Trivia Godfre y Tanner Bar 1pm - 2pm

Hunt&Gather Markets Pacific Park 9am - 2pm

Student Sessions: DJ Comp Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm NUAC (Anime Club): Video Games Night Godfrey Tanner Bar 6.30pm til late

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Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm

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Pool Comp Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 6pm

Akmal: Lost (Akmal Saleh) Civic Theatre 8pm

Trivia Godfrey Tanner Bar 1pm - 2pm

Student Sessions: DJ Comp Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm

Nickelback Newcastle Entertainment Centre 8pm

Green Week Ourimbah

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Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm

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Free Legal Advice Pop-up Clinic Auchmuty Courtyard 9am - 12pm Pool Comp Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 6pm

Free Legal Advice Pop-up Clinic Under the Sails, Central Coast Campus 9am - 12pm

Trivia Godfrey Tanner Bar 1pm - 2pm

Student Sessions: DJ Comp Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm

Find out more at: www.newcastle.edu.au/current-students

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REGULAR activities TUESDAYS

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

FRIDAYS

Trivia

Trivia

Bar on the Hill: 1pm - 2pm, Tuesdays

Godfrey Tanner Bar: 1pm - 2pm, Fridays

Test out your trivia skills each week at Bar on the Hill or Godfrey Tanner Bar.

WEDNESDAYS Pool Comp

Pool sharks of Callaghan unite! Free to enter and there are prizes for the winner.

3pm - 5.30pm, Wednesdays Godfrey Tanner Bar

Student Sessions @ Bar on the Hill

Your student night starts here with $4 drinks, DJs, free pool and buses into town.

From 7pm, Wednesdays Bar on the Hill

Test out your trivia skills each week at Bar on the Hill or Godfrey Tanner Bar.

Beat Lounge

Chill out and enjoy $9 jugs, $7.50 Schnitzel + chips and free lawn games!

From 3pm, Fridays Bar on the Hill

ALL WEEK Godfrey Tanner Bar Happy Hour

4pm - 5pm, each weekday of semester

Bar on the Hill Happy Hour

5pm - 6pm, each weekday of semester

Mondays • Ultimate Frisbee: 7pm - 9pm, Oval 2 or 3 near Forum Tuesdays • Toastmasters: 4pm, Language Centre LC205 • Water Polo Social Comp: 7.30pm, Forum Pool Wednesdays • Fencing: 7.30pm - 9.45pm, Forum Studio 2.

First night’s free, $5 afterwards • Bible Study with NUBS: 11am - 1pm, the Clubhouse Thursdays • Bible Study with NUBS: 9-11am, the Clubhouse • Cultural Connections (for international postgrad students): 12noon - 2pm, the Clubhouse • Philosophy at the Pub with the Philosophy Society: 5pm - 7pm, the Clubhouse (7th, 21st) • Chess Tournaments with the Chess Club: 5pm - 7pm, the Clubhouse (14th, 28th) Fridays • Happy Feet (women only): 4pm - 6pm, the Clubhouse

THURSDAYS Games with Godfrey

Weekends • Subsidised First Aid Courses for BREAATHE members • Bible Study: 11am - 1pm, the Clubhouse

Settle down in the bar and roll the dice for a social board game or two.

From 3pm, Thursdays Godfrey Tanner Bar

Saturdays • Novice Rowing: 8am, meet outside Edwards Hall Sundays • Baseball signups: 4pm, Stevenson Park, Mayfield

TOP PICK

NICKELBACK The Newcastle Entertainment Centre 8pm For those that share a love of what has been coined, “The Worst Band of All Time” there’s nothing quite like kicking back, relaxing and having your ears abused by the sweet sounds of Nickelback. Those looking to pick up in the sweaty crowds, look no further.

Nickelback is renowned for their fan base consisting entirely of 20 year old males with an affinity for Vin Diesel movies. It’ll be one to tell the grandkids about.