Yak April 2012

BEND IT LIKE BEAVON Rowena Grant goes one on one with a football superstar.

ISSUE 7 / APRIL 2012 BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE U

UP THE VALLEY Bored of the city? A trip deeper into the Hunter Region might just be your thing.

UNI AFTER DARK Claire Young finds out what happens on campus when the sun goes down.

CONTENTS 08

11 UP THE VALLEY

JUSTICE FOR MS SUFFERERS

18

21

22

BEND IT LIKE BEAVON

Cover design by Jessica Rykers

EDITORIAL Matt Hatton - Managing Editor Rowena Grant - Managing Editor Nick Turner - Deputy Managing Editor Claire Young - Deputy Editor Esther Savage - Deputy Editor Jessica McAneney - Deputy Editor Lachlan Stevens - Deputy Editor Angela Geddes - Art Director Jessica Rykers - Junior Graphic Designer Jock Spence - Promotions Officer

CONTRIBUTORS Danielle Said - Graphic Design Emily Wood - Contributing Writer Sarah Bizzarri - Graphic Design Tara Ashford - Contributing Writer

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 to yakmagazine@newcastle.edu.au.

ADVERTISING For advertising opportunities, contact Nick at yakmagazine@newcastle.edu.au

UNI AFTER DARK

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

25

26

ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW

THE USUAL STUFF

16

MASS DEBATE: CARS VS BUSES

SPOTTED

04 Stalkerspace

06 Careers

04 Yak or Yuk

07 The Awkward Moment When...

04 Green U 05 Dear Bernie 05 Watt Space 06 Support U: Financial Help

07 How to: Take criticism at University 14 What’s On 27 Vox Pops

yakmagazine@newcastle.edu.au

facebook.com/yakmagazine

twitter.com/yakmagazine Yak magazine is a free publication of UoN Services Ltd © 2012. www.uonservices.org.au Printed by PrintCentre on Callaghan Campus.

Get your free copy from press-points around campus on Monday, May 07.

• We take a peak inside the new Newcastle Museum.

• Yak dishes out a bit of motherly love.

• And as always, all of your usual favourites.

Yak Magazine is published by UoN Services Limited at the University of Newcastle. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of UoN Services Limited or the University of Newcastle, unless explicitly stated. UoN Services Limited 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.

LETTER FROM

THE EDITORS

THIS MONTH’S BITING QUESTION: “If you could have a Guinness World Record of your own, what would it be?”

MANAGING EDITOR

ROWENA GRANT A WORD FROM OUR MANAGING EDITORS,

ROWIE & MATT Traditionally, April is the height of autumn.

Some of us watch with glee as our fine country moves further away from the sun than its usual summer position of roughly four feet off the surface. This year, of course, our summer has been anything but a clingy lover. It’s quite likely that this April will see the first snowfall our fine city has seen since the last ice age, as we transfer from that pathetic excuse of a summer to it-can-only-get-worse-than-this winter.

April also sees the mid-semester break inducing Easter celebration. For some, Easter is a time of religious significance. But, for all students, Easter is a time to catch up on all those readings, assignments and course work that have sat idle or ignored through the first half of the semester’s studies. It’s a chance to catch your breath before diving headlong into the last weeks before exams.

If you’re on top of things (and even if you’re not, let’s be honest) this month’s Yak should contain enough goodies to keep you entertained while you’re stuck on the lounge after overindulging on chocolate eggs.

With those shorter days and longer nights of winter looming, Claire Young has taken a look at all the services offered by the university to help you navigate your way across campus once the sun goes down.

Once the effects of the choccy have worn off, Lachlan Stevens offers up some great suggestions on things to do if day tripping in the Hunter Valley piques your fancy.

Also inside, we talk to Justice Campbell about the upcoming Newcastle MS Ball in support of those who are living with multiple sclerosis and Chris Beavon about what it’s like to be noticed for kicking a ball around in weird and wonderful ways.

Plus there’s our usual array of informative and entertaining columns along with your guide to the goings on around town in What’s On.

Record: “Most amount of room redecorating and/or room rearrangements in a year”. I can seriously never make my mind up. My room changes more than I change my undies!

MANAGING EDITOR

MATT HATTON

Record: In a perfect world it would be something like “most attractive man in the known universe”. Sadly, I think it’s likely to be more like “most people offended in a minute”.

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

NICK TURNER

Record: ”Using the greatest amount of hand sanitiser in a calendar year”. I’m a bit of a germaphobe.

DEPUTY EDITOR - ENTERTAINMENT & TECHNOLOGY

LACHLAN STEVENS

Record: “Most annoying co-worker in the world”. I’m not hearing any arguments from my fellow Yak team members.

DEPUTY EDITOR - REGULAR CONTENT

JESSICA MCANENEY

Record: “The most over-committed university student”.

DEPUTY EDITOR - REGULAR CONTENT

ESTHER SAVAGE

Record: “Lady with the greatest number of pet cats”.

DEPUTY EDITOR - FEATURES & PROFILES

CLAIRE YOUNG

Record: “The world’s chubbiest toes”. My nickname in high school was Stubs so I suppose it only seems fitting.

JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

JESSICA RYKERS

Record: As anyone who knows me would probably know, “the ability to stress over absolutely anything and everything” would have to be something I am the best at.

PROMOTIONS OFFICER

Happy holidays Yaksters!

JOCK SPENCE

Record: “Most obsessed with attention to detail”.

Yak Magazine - April 2012

03

NIC

Dropped my brother off for Newstep.

God those little bastards are so CUTE! “Where is CT202?”

“Should I have classes enrolled by now?”

“I can still find a carpark at 10am, right?”

Bless their cotton socks.

62 people like this

ELIANNE REDBEARD

Third year Civil people: What textbooks do you recommend for second year?

I hope most people at uni are civil people.

18 people like this

BRYAN

JOHNNY

ANGELA

Awkward moment when you have one subject left in your course, and you haven’t applied for a major yet. Winning at Life.

Obvs. *“downs vodka”* You need to put the vodka down.

You both need to put the tank tops down and step away from the mirror.

25 people like this

JAZZY

23 mozzie bites on my legs, and that’s with mozzie repellent on... What kind of mutant mozzies inhabit inhabit Callaghan?

1 person likes this

MATT 8 people like this

JACE

They carry off small children/pets if you leave them unattended, so be careful.

You must be new...

3 people like this

Animals or Babies on Facebook

11% 54% 46%

Hawaiian Shirts

20%

Heels on Campus Glasses without Lens’

Yak Magazine - April 2012

94% 42% 48%

Everybody loves delicious, fresh food. Unfortunately, as uni students, we might not get to eat it as often as we would like. It is far cheaper (and easier) to have the pasta, sauce and cheese or 2 minute noodles that you’ve had sitting in the cupboard or fridge for weeks, rather than travelling all the way down to the shops to buy the fresh ingredients for a healthy meal.

Luckily, there is a fun (and cheap) solution that will provide you with tasty herbs and veggies to freshen up your meals - and best of all, you won’t even need to leave your house! All you need to do is start your own little herb and vegetable garden. It’s pretty easy, and those of you that joined NUSEC in O Week will already have a head start with your parsley seeds.

If you live in a share house or rental property and aren’t permitted to plant anything big and fancy in your garden, try planting smaller herbs and veggies in pots.

You can pick up some great pots and seeds relatively cheap from hardware stores and nurseries. If you feel like getting creative, try picking up some second hand crockery from a local op shop. I’ve had great success before planting Thai chilli seeds in an old teapot.

You really just need to make sure your seeds get the appropriate amount of water and sunlight (often the seed packet will provide you with this information).

For those of us that need a little extra information on what to plant, Australian software designer and business owner, Chris Hutchinson, has established gardenate.com. Gardenate is a great website designed with the intention of making it easier to keep your kitchen garden growing and producing all year round.

The website lists climate zone specific suggestions, along with the best time and place to plant various things. They also provide the option to subscribe to free email reminders of what to plant in your garden each month of the year. According to Gardenate, April is a great time to be planting carrots, chives, beetroot, lettuce, leeks, oregano, rocket, snow peas, spinach and parsley (that’s your cue if you still haven’t got around to planting those O Week parsley seeds yet!).

So, will your garden suc-seed? Only thyme will tell.

80%

6%

Bucket Hats

04

89%

Emily Wood shares her innovative green thumb approach by exploring the modern benefits of the traditional vegie garden.

If you’d like to share photos of your gardening efforts with us, you can do so via the Yak Facebook page. If you’re keen to get involved in an exciting gardening project on campus, you can email emily.m.wood@uon.edu.au.

Dear Bernie, The new Blackboard software being used by the university is terrible. Where is everything?

Dear Bernie, Can someone teach me how to shuffle properly?

Shuffle? What? Do you mean playing cards or do you struggle with toggling the option on your MP3 player that then allows you to play a set of songs out of order? If it’s the latter, I can help you out.

While a lot of this depends on the specific make and model of your MP3 player (but let’s be honest, you have an iPod or other device made by that Californian fruit company), there is generally a pretty plainly labelled button for you to press that enables this function. In some cases it may actually have the word “shuffle” written on it, but mostly you’ll find that it’s two arrows crossing over. Simply click that and before you know it you can listen to the four minutes of silence at the end of A Day in the Life (that comes before the secret track) before enjoying the rest of the eclectic mix of songs on Sgt Pepper’s

I remember a time when Blackboard was Mr Squiggle’s curmudgeonly sidekick (HUUURRRRRYYYY UUUUPPPPPPP). He was a champ: constantly bringing Squiggle’s over-excitement down to a terribly depressing low.

It was surely a glorious time.

Today, the name of Blackboard has been tarnished by this abomination of a piece of software that touts itself as a “learning system”. I’m fairly certain the only thing I’ve learned using Blackboard is that taking to your laptop with a brick in frustration isn’t, perhaps, the wisest course of action.

Navigating the hell that is Blackboard’s front end requires a level of patience generally reserved for people with the disposition of Zeno of Citium. And to think, apparently this year’s interface is an improvement on previous years – be thankful, first years.

Oh…you meant the playing cards? Bother.

Basically, you need to forget everything you’ve ever been taught about logic and systemic approaches to problems.

If you just click wildly, curse like a sailor and throw your computer across the room, luck will eventually guide you to your destination.

Sorry. No idea. It’s the one skill (and the only skill) that I’ve yet to master myself. I suggest just throwing the pack of cards up in the air and then picking them up. That should do the trick.

I hope that one day they introduce GPS-style voices to help ease the pain of trying to find that one document that explains that one thing about your assignment that you don’t understand.

Lonely Hearts Club Band in a random order.

APRIL EXHIBITIONS APRIL 4 – APRIL 22

Untitled

The View of the Free People

> Process and Form- Curated by Emily Coutts and Laura Jefferson > Windows to Newcastle- Jean-Louis Kocher > Untitled- Liam Madsen > City of Jeans- Kylie Moore > The View of the Free People- Nick Pont

APRIL 25 – MAY 13 > Asiana - Will Maguire > Identity - Curated by Lynda Lewis > Compassion - Bec Castelijn

Process & Form

Windows to Newcastle

Thursday, April 5, 6.30pm

City of Jeans

Thursday, April 26, 6.30pm

Email: wattspace@newcastle.edu.au Website: www.newcastle.edu.au/group/watt-space Facebook: Search: Watt Space Student Gallery of the University of Newcastle.

Watt Space Gallery, University House, Auckland St Newcastle. Open 12 noon -6 pm, Wed - Sun. Ph: 4921 8733 Watt Space is funded by UoN Services Limited and supported by the University of Newcastle School of Drama, Fine Art and Music.

Yak Magazine - April 2012

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SUP PORT U I wish money grew on trees. It is one of those crazy dreams that I know will never come true, but I wish it nonetheless. While the University of Newcastle achieves many an astounding goal in its research, this is yet to be one of them.

The University of Newcastle does, however, understand that on occasion a student will demonstrate genuine need for financial assistance. I stress the genuine. This is not a quick solution for the student who ‘accidentally’ spent their weekly budget on their social life.

While there is no secret tree out the back of Engineering to assist in these genuine and extreme cases, there is Students Loans and Welfare who provide interest free emergency loans on a short term basis to students whose continued study might be placed in jeopardy if financial assistance was not available.

No Centrelink allowance, unemployed, increase in living expenses and rent due date looming? This could be the answer to your missing money tree.

Loans may be approved for rent, bond, living expenses and textbooks. Loans are NOT available for the payment of HECS or to purchase capital items such as computers or cars. For further information see the Student Loans Scheme policy on the University of Newcastle website.

Are you struggling with car parking?

Are your assessments building up?

Never fear, the Careers Service is here!

T

he Careers Service may not be able to solve your parking woes, but we can certainly help you make the most of your time at uni in terms of career planning. Whether you are a first year student, in your final year or completing postgraduate studies, the Careers Service can help you.

Check out CareerHub for details on our upcoming workshops that are being run throughout the semester.

There is a workshop title for everyone.

Remember to register your attendance as places are limited and we would hate for you to miss out.

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Yak Magazine - April 2012

Loan applications are treated confidentially and assessed on an individual basis. Once granted an interview, there are forms to complete and documentation to provide in order to prove your dire financial situation.

For more information please contact the nearest Student Loans and Welfare officer.

Contact us: > Callaghan Student Centre Telephone: (02) 4921 6466 or (02) 4921 8849 Fax: (02) 4921 6937 > Ourimbah Student Support Unit Telephone: (02) 4348 4060 Fax: (02) 4348 4065 > Port Macquarie Students based at the Port Macquarie campus can access financial assistance by either contacting the Counselling & Careers staff on (02) 6581 6200 or contacting staff at the Callaghan campus on (02) 4921 6466

While you may think that the O Week fun and games have been replaced by textbooks and hard work, you are mistaken. The Careers Service will be celebrating National Career Development Week on May 14-20.

Keep checking CareerHub and Blackboard to see how you can participate.

Finally, the Careers Service would like to thank all of the students who took time out of their hectic schedules to attend the Graduate Careers Expo held in March. Pat yourself on the back if this is you, as you have already made one step in the right direction in kick-starting your career.

Oh and good luck finding a car park!

Careers Service: > Callaghan - SC2.12 Student Services Building > Ourimbah - Student Support Unit www.careerhub.newcastle.edu.au

TAKE ACTION! Looking to expand your future horizons? Keen to start networking for future possibilities? If you have a question for Careers regarding your future, please contact us at yakmagazine@newcastle.edu.au or drop a line on our Facebook page.

It is never too early to start!

By Tara Ashford

By Rowena Grant

T

here are a few things that pretty much all of us do – breathing, smiling, eating, communicating, reading. Most of the times we are not embarrassed to do these things in public: they are viewed as normal things for a human being to actively participate in. It is the assumption that as we all do them, what’s the point of being embarrassed about doing them in public?

So why is it that when we do something that pretty much all of us do – for example, the different acts we commit whilst in a public restroom or in a toilet cubicle – many of us seem to be embarrassed?

After asking a few students about their toilet etiquette tips in public restrooms, it came to my attention that many females are embarrassed to ‘go’ in public. If there is someone else in the next cubicle – heck, if there is someone else in the restroom at all – then many of them either wait for the person to leave or undertake a series of uncomfortable manoeuvres to muffle the noise they are making or even cover it up (think coughing or sighing). A family friend even told me she whistles to cover up the sound of her number ones.

But why go to all this effort? If it is something that is completely natural, why are we so embarrassed to be doing it in public? I will admit that I felt uncomfortable buying a massive packet of toilet paper when I finally moved out of my residential college.

And I have bought waaaay more embarrassing things in the past. When I asked one of my good friends whether it was weird that I felt more comfortable buying condoms than I did toilet paper, she said yes. Her exact words: “I feel like everybody buys toilet paper. Wait. I know everybody buys toilet paper.”

So why was I so uncomfortable? Had it stemmed from this weird fear that everybody seems to have about other people overhearing them in the toilets? And I will admit, I have gone to some extraordinary lengths to cover up the noise. I’ve even given myself hip cramps trying. But the simple fact of the matter is that everybody does it. And yes, we make some noise occasionally. So why not accept it?

People can laugh at fart jokes and farts themselves. Why not bring this to the toilet arena? Next time you make a naughty noise in the cubicle, have a chuckle. It might make our toilet experience better in the long run.

Whether you’ve been at university for ten days or ten billion years, there is one horribly clichéd thing that unites us: we’re here to learn. And, as noble as that sounds, it ultimately means that there are things we don’t know, or even worse, are wrong about. It can be a humbling experience. Every few days you’re discovering viewpoints and ideas that you’d never previously contemplated. You’re finding out that something that previously seemed ridiculous may actually contain a grain of truth. People from innumerable groups, backgrounds and with varying life experiences rub shoulders on a daily basis. It might sound magical at first but in the cultural melting pot that is university, there are always going to be toes stepped on and boundaries unknowingly crossed.

Just like every other person around you, I’ve done my fair share of this. Plus, as a habitual survey-taker, letter-writer and fuss-maker, I’ve also informed people they’ve slipped up. Here are a few pointers that might be able to help you the next time you’re faced with a little criticism: 1 – Take a deep breath: Use a second or two when you’re first presented with a piece of criticism to make sure you’re listening to what’s actually being said. It’s very easy, and normal, to hear ‘this needs work’ as ‘you’re terrible and should stop trying’, or ‘I don’t like that word’ as ‘your work is appalling!’

2 – Ask for clarification: If you don’t understand where someone’s coming from, what specifically they’re commenting on, or why something is a problem, ask them. You can’t fix something if you don’t know what’s actually wrong with it.

3 – Be open to changing your mind: The most intelligent and pleasant people I know make it a point to avoid sticking to something purely out of stubbornness. Believe it or not, we all can be wrong on the odd occasion.

4 – Keep thinking: Some of the biggest revelations come hours or days after a discussion.

Sometimes our minds just need a less intense environment in which to explore ideas in. One of the classiest things I ever heard was a person concluding a discussion with, ‘I think I need some time to think about this, but I appreciate your frankness.’

5 – Say thank you: Someone just gave you an opportunity to be a better writer/mathematician/ engineer/artist/person. The least you can do is be polite.

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Rowena Grant delves deep into the past of a classmate and finds out just what it’s like to kick back and do what you love.

By Rowena Grant • Designed By Jessica Rykers

he first time I met Chris Beavon I thought he was just your average uni student… and he was. He skipped some classes, hung out in the GT Bar with his mates and bitched about different assignments he had to do. But there is something that makes Chris different. And trust me, it’s not what you expect.

T

So who is Chris? Well, I never really knew the whole story about Chris until I was back at my parents’ for one of the many uni breaks. I was watching the amazing pay TV my parents still spoil themselves with (I, as a struggling uni student, cannot afford such a luxury).

Whilst indulging in some Family Guy, I decided to catch up on the ads. There was an ad for Animation Domination, with the familiar characters filling up the screen with their hilarious quotes and cartoony goodness; here, Australia’s Next Top Model was putting in their next cattle call; and next there was an ad for Football Superstar, with some random dude juggling a ball on his feet and performing mad tricks… Hey, he looks kind of familiar. Holy crap, it’s Chris!

Chris Beavon, a.k.a. Bevs, a.k.a. the freestyle football champion of Australia. He’s performed at the Opera House in front of K.Rudd in his Kevin07 glory days; he’s met (and worked with) Brian McFadden; he’s been to championships in Kuala Lumpur and South Africa; he’s travelled Australia doing the thing that he loves.

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Yak Magazine - April 2012

“I’ve performed in the main concert hall of the Sydney Opera House for the FIFA Congress in 2008,” Chris says when I ask what experiences stand out.

“Kevin Rudd was there. He was right there in the front row, and that was when he’d just been elected, so it was both awesome and scary.”

So what is freestyle football? Think back to any time you have seen a player “juggle” the ball on their feet. Now times that by a thousand, and you’ve got yourself freestyle football. Freestylers perform amazing feats of skill and control with a soccer ball. Tricks include juggling, balancing the ball on different parts of the body, and most importantly, keeping the ball in the air and off the ground for as long as they can.

When Chris started out in his backyard doing tricks for fun, he never imagined what could have come of kicking a soccer ball around. Now, he’s living the high life of freestyle football, having kicked his way right into some brilliant opportunities.

“It’s really weird because when I started in my backyard, I never thought I would do anything,” he says.

Chris’ best friend, a refugee from Albania, introduced him to freestyling when he was still living in Mildura.

“I always hated it, but because I was his best friend I had to do it as well,” Chris explains.

“But it kind of caught on.”

Chris has been in nationally aired commercials, he’s performed at several high-scale events (including charity events), and he’s been crowned the Australian Champion by FF3, the International Federation of Freestyle Football.

Do you remember the commercial for Australia’s bid for the Soccer World Cup? Well pretty much every character in that commercial that did any tricks with the ball was Chris.

“I went on this tour all around Australia for this commercial,” he says.

“There’s only one scene where you can see my face. They dressed me up as different characters – I was a construction worker in Perth.”

Not only has Chris done all this, he’s also attempted (and may or may not have unofficially broken) a Guinness World Record.

“The timer was supposed to be timing for a minute but stopped after thirty seconds,” Chris explains.

“So I had to do it again. But my first run is always going to be the best because after that my legs are stuffed, especially with what I was doing.”

Chris agreed to be a part of a charity event that was raising money for Westmead Children’s Hospital. He attempted to break the record for the highest number of “double aroundthe-worlds” in sixty seconds.

“I never ended up getting back to them and seeing if they sent [the video] off to Guinness World Records,” Chris says.

“It was a charity event and I was just helping them out. I did my bit.”

Having travelled to amazing places both in Australia and around the world for competitions and exhibitions, Chris says that he is in his last year of competitive freestyle.

“We have a really big community in freestyle and we’re all quite friendly,” he explains.

“So when you start introducing competitions it kind of ruins the atmosphere.

“It’s not what [freestyle] is about to me. It’s not about competing with each other.”

With this modesty and humility, it might be obvious that however good he is at it, Chris isn’t all about freestyle football.

Currently in his last year of a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Media Production, Chris and some friends have already set up a production company, Studio Bacher Hoch (or SBH), which has produced some work for Planet Fitness, and is now working on a project with Xstrata.

Xstrata are building a new mine and they are leasing the land from the original custodians. The custodians want to track the land, and they want a media company to come through and document it. SBH were chosen for the job.

While Chris admits that the media production company has been “a fair bit of work”, he sees it as a great learning experience for his future career in the field.

“I don’t really know exactly what I want to do,” he says.

“I’d just like to be working in the industry. I like directing, but I also don’t [like it at the same time]. I like being Director of Photography.”

And trust me, the kid can make any footage look amazing. Not only is he a talented freestyler, a better-than-passable actor, and a possible Guinness World Record holder, Chris is a very talented video editor. If you don’t believe me, then check out his YouTube channel, BevS809. Here he has uploaded videos of him showing off his freestyle moves in urban landscapes that will amaze you.

The videos present his talent in both fields – freestyle and media production. This brings us back to the Chris I first knew: the guy I became friends with in lectures and tutes, even though I had no idea about his past or his hobbies.

The fact that I had no idea what Chris did in his non-university time makes me wonder about everyone else that I pass on the footbridge at uni, or see in the Brennan Room. What do the guys playing pool at Bar on the Hill do? Does that quiet girl in the back of the lecture hall own a business that sells amazing crocheted goods?

And don’t just think about the people you don’t know, think about the people that you do spend time with at uni. How much do you really know about them?

The University of Newcastle is filled with lots of different personalities, and I’m going to assume that pretty much everybody on campus has something they do in their spare time that would amaze you. Maybe you should ask them?

Yak Magazine - April 2012

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2012

WATT

SPACE

OPEN SHOW

Curated by Emily Coutts, Elric Ringstad and Sigourney Nicholson

Watt Space Gallery, 16 May - 3 June Entry forms and exhibition fees due 27 April, 2012 Would you like the opportunity to exhibit a work at Watt Space, The University of Newcastle students’ art gallery?

Students from all disiplines are eligible to exhibit in the open show, which this year, has the theme:

GARAGE SALE

The curators pose the following question: As we become more aware of our impact on the environment, art makers are using different types of materials to make their works: They are reusing found objects, mixing materials and disciplines, using old stuff/ new stuff/ recycling.

Check www.newcastle.edu.au/groups/watt-space for details on the exhibition, or email the curators: emily.coutts@uon.edu.au elric.ringstad@uon.edu.au sigourney.nicholson@uon.edu.au

Watt Space University House Cnr King and Auckland Streets, Newcastle Open Wednesday - Sunday, 12 noon - 6pm Ph: (Office) 02 4921 5188 (Gallery) 02 4921 8733 www.newcastle.edu.au/group/watt-space Watt Space is funded by UoN Services Limited and supported by the University of Newcastle School of Drama, Fine Art and Music.

Pristine beaches, a sublime set of sporting teams, a lovely laid-back way of life and our university – the reason we’re all (still?) here.

The city is the base of power in an area known as the Hunter Valley. Okay, maybe the term “base of power” is a little dramatic, but you get the point. The phrase “Capital of the Hunter” is plastered over any signs you might see entering the city, and we’re the most populous city anywhere near the region (and, aside from Sydney, the largest in the whole state).

Geographically, the Hunter Region is generally described in terms relative to Sydney (what an egocentric bunch), with the region’s boundaries being between 120 and

310km away from the state’s capital. It takes in regional centres such as Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock, Port Stephens and Muswellbrook, just to name a few.

With such a diverse region surrounding Newcastle, there’s plenty to keep you occupied if you’re a little bored of the beach. A simple day trip might be what you need to refresh your outlook on being here, or a weekend getaway might be what keeps you alive following the stressful exam periods.

With such a huge variety of attractions, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are my favourite things to see and do around the Hunter Valley.

The fruits of the Hunter Region’s labour are sold in bottle shops all over Australia and the world. University students have a love affair with goon. Coincidence? I think not.

Describing the sort of drop produced by the vintners around the Valley as “good” is on par with describing UoN as a pre-school. The point stands that we, as students and Australians, don’t mind a glass or two of wine, whether it actually be in a glass or consumed out of a classy cask.

While the number of wineries in Pokolbin alone would confine me to only writing about them in this article, the number in the entire Hunter Valley is even more ridiculous. One source names as many as 111, and with so many good quality wines coming from them, it’s no surprise that it’s a popular tourist destination.

Tyrrell’s, Hope Estate, Wyndham Estate and Tempus Two are just a few of the names you’ll recognise from your local wine cellar, and there is cellar door tasting available at a huge range of wineries across the valley.

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Smack bang in the middle of the vineyards is the Hunter Valley Gardens.

In an otherwise arid environment, the Gardens are an oasis of greenery boasting over 8000 roses, 6000 trees and a figure of one million ground covers, though we’re not exactly sure of how one might count ground covers.

My personal favourite is the Storybook Garden.

It takes some of the most popular childhood fairy tales and converts them in to garden form.

You’ll see Alice sitting at the table, Jack and Jill tumbling down the hill along with plenty of other fun and enjoyable dioramas.

Taking a walk around the place can certainly be a bit of a refresher if you’re stressed out from all those uni assignments.

If you’ve never been to Morpeth and are wondering why I’ve included an entire town as a single entry in this article, I’ll tell you this – Morpeth is an attraction in itself.

The town is a throwback to earlier days in Australia’s existence. While cars and mobile phones, like everywhere else, are apparent, the architecture, people, and general feel of the town lends itself more to the early 1900s than it does the year 2012.

Didn’t know Newcastle even had a zoo? Well, it most certainly does!

Formerly known as the Rusa Park Zoo, the Hunter Valley Zoo is situated in Cessnock, right next to the region’s finest vineyards.

What sets apart the Hunter Valley Zoo from its larger and better funded cousins is the fact that, due to confines of space and money, the zoo can’t keep exotic animals such as tigers, giraffes and the like.

But don’t let this turn you away. It’s full of things to do, and the variety of animals, including

“The guy took out his eyeball. It was so cool,” commented our Features Editor Claire Young about her visit to Maitland Gaol.

A pretty interesting way for your colleague to tell you about an attraction. But it does, in truth, describe the wild and wacky atmosphere that the former gaol provides for visitors. The site opened in 1844, and in its day saw some of Australia’s most hardened criminals passing through its gates. 16 men were executed in the gaol’s history, and it’s

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Yak Magazine - April 2012

A walk down the main street will enforce this idea. The sandstone buildings, historic bridges and possibly the most amazing lolly shop in the southern hemisphere, Miss Lilly’s Lollies, will leave you with fond memories (and perhaps a sore stomach) long after you’ve gone home.

If you’re making a day of it, or just passing through, Morpeth is something that will enthral the historically-minded of us.

a range of adorable monkeys, will keep you entertained for hours. Friendly peacocks (and peahens) roam freely around the zoo, and there’s even the opportunity to get up close and personal with kangaroos and koalas.

If you’re a parent (or, let’s face it, anyone), you’ll be drawn to the petting zoo, featuring a whole load of adorable baby goats, deer, sheep and cows. The animals are more than happy to be petted, and you’ll find from the moment you enter their pen you’ll have a small fan club of adorable little animals following you around.

thought that their ghosts still walk its walls, trapped in their eternal prison.

The gaol closed on January 30, 1998 due to unsuitable security and rising maintenance costs. Some of the gaol tours are even conducted by ex-inmates, who are able to give an extra level of detail about the gaol, its history and operation.

Most people would probably be sceptical of more regional art galleries as lacking the quality of works that their bigger city cousins might have on exhibit at any given time. Fortunately, Maitland Regional Art Gallery runs counter to this assumption. I first visited the gallery back in 2009 and was impressed by the range of works inside, as well as the overall quality of the building, which had just been updated.

Despite being a regional gallery, the quality of the work on display is high. James Gleeson’s wonderful surrealist work has been at the

Wine Country Ballooning offers eager tourists the chance to soar above the valley in a hot air balloon. Having done a hot air balloon ride, I can say with all confidence that it’s one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had.

gallery since March 23. Gleeson was described as one of the foremost artists in Australian art history and, in his later years, served on the board of the National Gallery of Australia.

The gallery also includes a whole load of great local art in its collections, and is currently exhibiting the River Stories collection. This exhibition consists of art from a number of Maitland and Hunter artists and documents and expresses the way of life and culture shared by inhabitants of Maitland and other Hunter River settlements.

working hard). Perhaps if you’re afraid of heights and uncoordinated, it may be a good idea to give this one a miss. You might just fall out of the balloon in your panic.

It’s definitely something to consider if you come into a large sum of money unexpectedly (or do so regularly due to organised crime

Someone was once telling me about people who enjoy “weird stuff, like trains”. I neglected to mention that I enjoy weird stuff, like trains.

Steamfest isn’t just for weird people who like trains, however. It’s an important link back to the Hunter’s past as an industrial centre. A past in which rail transport played an important role in getting people and resources around the region.

For Maitland, it’s one of the most important events on their calendar, drawing people from all over the state and country.

The Festival itself is not just about the railways, with steam engines of every shape

Because, let’s face it, we all want to be fighter jet pilots. And with this company operating out of Cessnock Airport (who would have thought they had an airport…), eager punters can get a taste of what it’s like to fly a combat mission… for a price.

and type on display. The Steamfest Markets showcase over 100 stalls every year, including a range of arts, crafts and delicious foods to keep you going throughout the day.

Of particular interest is the opportunity for sightseers to hop on a train headed by either 3265, 3526 or 3642, each historic railway steam engines, and go on a shuttle run to Newcastle, Paterson or Branxton. For the environmentally conscious out there, a green ticket can be purchased for an extra $2, all of which goes towards offsetting the carbon footprint of the machines involved in the day.

most uni students won’t be able to shell out the $3600 each to have a go.

Who knows? There’s always organised crime working hard.

Jet Fighter’s promise of a 35 minute dog fight mission between you and a friend is simply too great not to include here. I’d probably say

Yak Magazine - April 2012

13

WEEK 6

02 MONDAY

Semester 1 Recess Good Friday Public Holiday

Wii Wars 3pm - GT Bar Poker 4.30pm - Bar on the Hill UoN Services Ltd Semester 2 Industry Scholarships applications open

03 TUESDAY Trivia 1pm - Bar on the Hill Bar Bingo 4pm - GT Bar

04 WEDNESDAY Campus Markets 1pm - GT Bar Trivia 1pm - GT Bar

Quidditch 6pm - Oval 4

U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - GT Bar Watt Space Exhibition Opening Night 6.30pm - Watt Space Gallery Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

Doors open 7.30pm Bar on the Hill

Easter Saturday Sat - Public Holiday Easter Sunday Sun - Public Holiday Olive Tree Markets Sat- 9am - 3pm -The Junction Public School Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

12 THURSDAY Semester 1 Recess Graduation Ceremony Great Hall International Stroke Genetics Consortium Sebel Hotel Newcastle Beach Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground John Butler Trio Civic Theatre

13 FRIDAY Semester 1 Recess

NRL: Knights vs Eels Sun - 3pm - Hunter Stadium

Graduation Ceremony Great Hall

WEEK 7

International Stroke Genetics Consortium Sebel Hotel Newcastle Beach

Easter Monday Public Holiday Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

05 THURSDAY

APRIL

07/08 SAT/SUN

Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

Semester 1 Recess

Wind-Up Wednesday 3pm - 7pm - Bar on the Hill

U Event Toga Party

Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

09 MONDAY

Pool Comp 3pm - GT Bar

18

06 FRIDAY

30

APRIL

10 TUESDAY Semester 1 Recess Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

11WEDNESDAY

Semester 1 Recess

14/15 SAT/SUN Graduation Ceremony Sat - Great Hall

Royal Easter Show Sat/Sun - Sydney Showground

WEEK 8

16 MONDAY

Semester 1 Resumes Wii Wars 3pm - GT Bar

10

U Event SHAG Week Sex, Health, Advice & Guidance.

30 April - 4 May Bar on the Hill

MAY

APRIL Poker 4.30pm - Bar on the Hill

BusCom Corporate Affair King St Hotel 7.30pm - Late Free entry before 9pm

Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

John Williamson 8pm - Wests Leagues Club

17TUESDAY

21 /22SAT/SUN

Trivia 1pm - Bar on the Hill

Offshore Superboat Championships - Round 1 Sun - Newcastle

Bar Bingo 4pm - GT Bar Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

Adam Harvey Sat - 7.30pm - Newcastle

18 WEDNESDAY

Newcastle Birdman Lee Wharf

Trivia 1pm - GT Bar

Poker 4.30pm - Bar on the Hill

Quidditch 6pm - Oval 4

24 TUESDAY

U Event Toga Party Featuring Nina Las Vegas 3pm - 7pm - Bar on the Hill

Anzac Day March 9.15am - Hunter Street Mall

U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - Bar on the Hill

16

Bar on the Hill Gig Kerser Doors open 7.30pm Bar on the Hill

U Event SHAG Week

Anzac Day Dawn Service 5am - Nobbys Beach

MAY

Sex, Health, Advice & Guidance: stalls, displays & free activities.

Bar on the Hill NRL: Knights vs Panthers 7pm - Hunter Stadium

31

Bar on the Hill Gig Daniel Merriweather Doors open 7.30pm Bar on the Hill

01TUESDAY/MAY U Event SHAG Week Sex, Health, Advice & Guidance: stalls, displays & free activities.

Bar on the Hill Trivia 1pm - Bar on the Hill Bar Bingo 4pm - GT Bar

02 WEDNESDAY/MAY Trivia 1pm - GT Bar Pool Comp 3pm - GT Bar Wind-Up Wednesday 3pm - 7pm - Bar on the Hill U Event SHAG Week Sex, Health, Advice & Guidance: stalls, displays & free activities.

Bar on the Hill Quidditch 6pm - Oval 4

03 THURSDAY/MAY

Poker 4.30pm - Bar on the Hill

Anzac Day Public Holiday

Graduation Ceremony Great Hall

Hunter Valley Steamfest Sat/Sun - Maitland Railway Station

Wii Wars 3pm - GT Bar

25 WEDNESDAY

20 FRIDAY

27FRIDAY

30 MONDAY

Bar Bingo 4pm - GT Bar

U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - GT Bar

UoN Services Ltd Semester 2 Industry Scholarships applications close

WEEK 10

Trivia 1pm - Bar on the Hill

19 THURSDAY

Watt Space Exhibition Opening Night 6.30pm - Watt Space Gallery

28/29 SAT/SUN

Wii Wars 3pm - GT Bar

Royal Easter Show Sydney Showground

U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - GT Bar

Watt Space 2012 Open Show entry forms due

23 MONDAY

Wind-Up Wednesday 3pm - 7pm - Bar on the Hill

26 THURSDAY

U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - Bar on the Hill

WEEK 9

Pool Comp 3pm - GT Bar

Anzac Day United Commemoration Service 10am - Civic Park

MAY

U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - GT Bar

04 FRIDAY/MAY U Member Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm - Bar on the Hill

05/06 SAT/SUN Bar on the Hill Gig Boy & Bear Doors open 7.30pm Bar on the Hill

By Matthew Hatton Designed By Sarah Bizzarri

There are two simple words an individual at our university can say that will bring shock and horror to most students whenever they hear them.

Two words that can bring about emotions like uncertainty, fear and pure terror.

Two words that make most people worry about the sanity of the individual who mentioned them.

Those two words? Sixty. Units.

I

do not think there would be too many of us who would consider studying six subjects in one semester. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sometimes feels extremely overwhelmed with just four courses on my timetable.

Imagine not only choosing to study six subjects at once, but also having a disease that will, most likely, leave you in a wheelchair.

Having the willpower to complete 60 units in one semester is pretty remarkable, but doing it while you’re fighting a disease is truly inspirational.

And it is just that which University of Newcastle teaching student, Justice Campbell is doing right this very second.

Justice was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (perhaps better known in its abbreviated form, MS) a little over 12 months ago after a holiday in Bali and right before she was due to start the third year of her degree.

Justice is somewhat lucky because the loss of her eyesight isn’t permanent – it just comes and goes in waves.

Before this semester started, she had to spend a week in hospital because her sight had gone as a result of MS. Don’t start thinking the diagnosis slowed Justice down, as she powered on through like a trooper and returned to full time study after only missing two weeks of the semester.

Despite having a positive attitude towards the diagnosis, things were obviously a lot harder for Justice than they were before.

“I couldn’t start medication until half-way through semester one,” she explains.

“There were a lot of issues with my medication not really working, along with getting used to being medicated.”

“I had a condition called optic neuritis, which is where your sight can be blurred or can disappear,” she says.

Help was at hand, however, with Justice getting in touch with the fantastic team at Disability Support Services right here on campus.

“I lost my sight in my left eye over in Bali, then came home and went straight into hospital where I was diagnosed three days later.”

They are able to help Justice manage her workload at university when problems arise as a result of her condition.

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Yak Magazine - April 2012

This could include situations where she needs an extension on an assessment task, which may have been interrupted by hospital visits.

In a dream world, a cure would be found for MS and Justice would be able to continue on with her life without being affected by this crippling disease.

Unfortunately, as it stands, the current treatments available for people who have MS are not all that effective.

Justice explains that they don’t currently treat the disease, or even the symptoms of MS, and only really attempt to prolong the time between “episodes”.

“What happens with MS is that you’ll have an episode – say you’ll lose your sight, which is what I had a few weeks ago, [that] is what’s classed as an episode – you go in [to the hospital], they treat you with steroids and that’s supposed to prolong the time between relapses,” she says.

“With some, it will be successful: people have gone for years without a relapse and that’s great. But for others, like me, who are on tablets that aren’t working [episodes] are a lot more frequent.”

The problem MS sufferers face is that not only is there no known cure, there is also very little known about what causes the disease.

As a result, Justice believes MS does have a stigma attached to it. For people who don’t have an understanding of MS, their perceptions of those with the disease can often be rather skewed.

“Most people don’t really know much about [MS] and when they think about it, they think of people in wheelchairs, when the majority now are people like me,” she says.

The Disease

The Ball

In a nutshell, multiple sclerosis attacks the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain which stops them from functioning in their usual manner. The nature of this disease means that people who have MS suffer from symptoms that can affect every single part of their body. They range from fatigue to muscle weakness to loss of vision. Research into the disease tells us that the majority of people with MS will eventually lose the ability to walk.

Towards the end of last year Justice and her friends decided to hold the inaugural Newcastle MS Ball to help MS Australia continue their important work.

Sadly, like all diseases of this type, MS shortens the expected life span of a sufferer by as much as 10 years, compared to a person without it.

As bad as all that sounds, there is help at hand for sufferers of MS.

The Help Founded in Sydney during 1956, MS Australia is the peak body that provides support and information about MS for people diagnosed with it, as well as their families.

MS Australia provides support, which allows people with MS to still live a full and active lifestyle while they balance the symptoms of the disease. They also help fund services provided to MS sufferers such as support groups and specialist nurses, as well as research into the continuing quest to not only understand the causes of MS better, but to also, one day, find a cure for it.

The ball will be held at Wests Leagues Club in Lambton on May 19. Justice and her friends are aiming to raise around $40,000, with all money raised going to MS Australia. They’re offering a night of fun, frivolity and the chance to glam up, all while knowing you’re contributing to making a difference to an organisation that does a lot of good work.

Tickets for the event are $120 and are available from Wests. This includes a three-course dinner along with beer, wine and spirits. There will also be assorted raffles and auctions throughout the night and musical entertainment will be provided by local band Sundays Record.

It promises to be a great night in support of a great cause.

So when you think you’re struggling with your measly forty units this semester, stop and put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Think about Justice and all the other students at our University who might be doing it tough. That essay doesn’t seem like such a big mountain to climb now, does it?

As you can imagine, all of this costs a great deal of money, so Justice and some of her friends have decided that they want to help out.

Maybe you can’t make it to the ball. Maybe $120 is a bit too much money for you to spend on one night out. Maybe you feel that you could better help support MS Australia in other ways. That’s OK because there are plenty of ways you can support the work that MS Australia is doing to help people with the disease. > Call 1800 CURE MS (1800 287 367) to make a donation directly to MS Australia. > Volunteer your time to help. > Get involved with any of the fundraising activities that MS Australia runs.

Yak Magazine - April 2012

17

Who keeps you safe when the sun goes down on Callaghan campus?

Claire Young finds out…

By Claire Young • Designed By Jessica Rykers

It’s 9pm on a Wednesday night.

Your essay is due in exactly 12 hours.

So, naturally, you’re on Facebook.

For some reason checking the word count of your assignment every two minutes doesn’t seem to make it magically increase.

In case you’re not stressed out enough, your internet decides to cark it just as your printer makes a noise somewhat similar to the number one hit on the dubstep charts.

You know you’re going to have to head into the Auchmuty Information Common (or, as the cool kids call it, the AIC) but it’s really late and you’ve heard a few bad stories about things that have happened on campus at night-time.

According to Rob Robertson, the Manager of Emergency and Security Services here at UoN, Callaghan is “unquestionably the safest suburb in Newcastle”.

He pointed out that if you look at the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics, Callaghan (where the uni’s main campus is located) is its own suburb and comes in with the lowest figures in all crime categories.

It’s good to know our campus is located in a safe place, but bad things can still happen so it’s always a smart idea to plan ahead if you’re going to be making a late night visit.

The security shuttle bus will pick you up from wherever you are on campus and take you to wherever you need to go.

This free service is driven by campus security and operates on Callaghan campus from 8am till midnight Monday to Friday during the semester.

After 6.30pm, the shuttle bus drops passengers in nearby suburbs including Jesmond, Shortland, Birmingham Gardens, Waratah West and Mayfield West.

“We encourage people to use the shuttle rather than walk, and certainly to use it rather than walking alone,” Rob says.

Trevor Gerdsen, the University’s Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Services), thinks how you act on campus to stay safe after dark should be the same as how you would act anywhere late at night.

“There’s nothing wrong with walking if you’re walking with company but the shuttle service will come to wherever you are, pick you up and take you to where you need to go.”

All you need to do to use this service is give security a call and let them know where you are and where you’re headed.

Will the bin possums attack you as you walk across the courtyard?

“If you’re leaving home and walking to the shops at 10pm at night, then you’re going to follow certain [precautions] about staying on well-lit pathways and going where there are other people so you’re not taking isolated or back street routes,” Trevor says.

Let’s get something straight... If you do need to trek around campus after dark, don’t think you won’t be safe.

Our university also has some additional benefits, which you won’t get outside the gates.

Will anyone know, or come to help you, if you trip and fall?

Are there creatures hiding in the bushes?

“But I’m on campus at 3am and the shuttle isn’t running,” I hear you say. Never fear, security to the rescue once again.

Did you know that there’s a security escort service 24 hours a day?

You just have to call security at any time of the day or night and one of the officers will come to where you are and walk you to your car.

If you think you’re too cool to utilise the above services (which, let’s be honest,

18

Yak Magazine - April 2012

you’re not) there are ways to minimise risk when you’re walking around campus by yourself.

On the security website, there’s a map of priority walking pathways on campus which highlight where they recommend you should walk based on ‘safer by design’ principles.

“We’ve got a lovely bushland campus, but after dark the bush and our tree cover can add to a perception of being a little bit closed in, so we have priority walking routes that have additional lighting,” Rob says.

Trevor points out that if you go and look at the priority walking paths during the day, there are no high level bushes close against the path.

“It’s opened further out so that when someone’s moving along that path they’ve got a clearer view of not only the path itself but they can see more broadly so there are no places for someone to hide,” he says.

“It’s not the same as having a security officer walking up or down the path but good design principles and landscape management have been recognised internationally as contributing to personal safety and creating a safer environment.”

If you do decide to walk around campus after dark by yourself, make sure you have security’s number in your phone, or better yet, on a whistle attached to your keychain.

If you’re a student at UoN, chances are you’ll have one of the famous (and brightly coloured) security whistles.

Rob says that the primary reason for introducing the whistles was just to market security’s phone number.

“Some organisations give out pens, hats or little squeezy toys but we wanted something that would last more than five minutes,” he says.

“The fact that it’s a whistle doesn’t hurt.”

And boy is it a whistle. It’s the second loudest non-powered whistle in the world and it’s the same whistle that the US Coast Guard attach to their life jackets.

Rob jokes that the reason we all don’t have the loudest nonpowered whistle in the world is because it’s a funny shape and security’s number couldn’t be printed on it.

Hopefully by now you’ve realised that the security team are doing a pretty great job at keeping us free from harm, but just in case you need a few more safety tips, Rob and Trevor gave us their top three: 1. Have a plan. Don’t just turn up to study without knowing what time you’re going to finish and how you’re going to get home.

2. If you see something, say something. If you notice something on campus that’s not quite right, give security a call to let them know.

3. Look out for each other. Don’t leave your friends isolated or alone on campus and encourage them to call security if they need an escort to their car.

Security’s new motto this year is “Good friends care for each other”, and here at Yak we couldn’t agree more.

Look out for your mates, don’t let them walk back to their car or home by themselves when it’s late at night and make sure you keep an eye out for each other.

SECURITY CONTACT INFORMATION: Callaghan campus > Emergency Calls/General Security Enquiries/Reports - (02) 4921 5888 > Shuttle Bus - 0407 951 470 Ourimbah campus

> Emergency Calls/General Security Enquiries/Reports - (02) 4348 4222 > Shuttle Bus - 0414 411 799 Newcastle city precinct > Security Escort Service - 0400 243 022

Imagine the possibilities

With the wealth of services available from the PrintCentre on campus, you’re only limited by your imagination!

Find us at facebook.com/printcentreuon PrintCentre University of Newcastle Level 2, Shortland building tel 02 4985 4474 email printcentre.uon@aus.fujixerox.com www.fujixerox.com.au/printcentreuon

Jessica McAneney explores the supposed rarity of the male nurse with UoN Alumni, Jacob Howell, and discovers that this stereotype has long been broken.

W

hen speaking to Jacob Howell, it is difficult to believe that the stereotype of the male nurse is yet to be broken.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Nursing in 2010, Jacob credits the University of Newcastle for the open approach they take to gender statistics in health degrees, especially nursing.

“I feel that there is quite a strong focus on breaking the stigma of the male nurse from higher institutions such as the NSW Nurses Association and there was a willingness to be open from the University of Newcastle that has helped in the equalisation of the role of nursing between males and females,” he says.

Jacob appreciates the follow-up that the University of Newcastle Alumni Association provides, and expresses his gratitude at being given the opportunity to speak with students.

Being a Registered Nurse in the Transitional Emergency Department Program at the Belmont District Hospital, Jacob credits the University of Newcastle for refusing to believe that such a stereotype existed.

“My degree was interactive, relevant and full of opportunities. Not once was there a question of gender in the nursing degree.”

Now, Jacob appreciates the constant challenge that his work in critical care provides.

In most nursing positions, a patient’s medical history and condition has been established.

In the case of the Transitional Emergency Department, however, Jacob has the extra responsibility of establishing the patient’s records from the moment they enter through the Emergency doors.

“I am the initial point of contact for any patient that comes through those Emergency doors – it is up to me to ensure that the doctor knows what they are working with.”

“My degree was interactive, relevant and full of opportunities. Not once was there a question of gender in the nursing degree.”

The challenge that Jacob faces in his day-to-day work is what he finds most inspiring. He enjoys his work to the point that he has decided to further his studies by undertaking his Graduate Certificate in Critical Care.

Jacob’s goals for the future are to then continue in studying for his Masters in Nursing, and to continue to embrace the unknown.

“All Nursing students should make the most of their clinical placements and demonstrate a willingness to learn new things. This is instrumental in finding work once you have graduated,” he explains.

“Most of all, don’t be afraid of the unknown. There is so much unknown in the Emergency Department, and that is what makes it worthwhile.”

It is this challenge of being the first point of care, the embracement of the unknown and an appreciation of his role in the Nursing community that demonstrates Jacob’s promise to continue in what is a promising career choice.

Male or female, Emergency Department or otherwise, Nursing is a health degree that requires stamina, intuition and an open mind, not a stereotype.

Do you know anyone who has graduated from UoN and has had a remarkable experience? Let us know at yakmagazine@newcastle.edu.au or on our Facebook page.

It is this encouragement of the unknown that forms the foundation of his advice for future Nursing graduates – both male and female.

Yak Magazine - April 2012

21

Designed By Danielle Said

s! r a C s u io r lo G , s r a C

Grant

By Rowena

I

come from a small town where public transport is limited.

The only time I caught the bus was to school and back - and the only time I caught the train was for a school excursion down to Sydney. So let’s say that I was brought up with little knowledge of – and little tolerance for – public transport.

Now here I am, in the second largest city of New South Wales, where the public transport system is extensive (by comparison) and you can get to pretty much anywhere. But still, I prefer to drive. I feel like I can rationally justify the use of my car in this day and age.

Firstly, we live in a busy, busy world. Everybody has things to do and are often running on their own time schedules. I am one such person. I run on ‘Rowie time’. My boss at work has noticed that I cannot, for the life of me, be on time to everything in the one day. If I am, it’s a miracle. So I can’t rely on public transport to be running on Rowie time. There is only one person who runs on Rowie time, and that is me. And I control my car, so I prefer to drive when I need to rather than organise my life around the bus system.

22

Yak Magazine - April 2012

Secondly, I firmly believe in the idea that if you want something done right, you need to do it yourself. (Or until you find someone who can do it just as well as you, and then you can relax.) I can’t always rely on the bus to be on time. I can’t always rely on it to be fair enough weather for me to be able to get to the bus on time. I can only rely on me. And my car.

Thirdly, I am paranoid about my safety. It might be the small town thing, but it also might be the constant advertisements telling me that females are vulnerable and more likely to be targeted by criminals. And while I do like to invite people to my own personal gun show (mostly when I’ve had a few drinks, but then again, I also do it when I am sober) I’m not quite sure how my guns would go against a knife. And thus comes the safety of my car, Lulu. With her central locking and hard exterior, I feel safe in the knowledge that no crazies are going to get into my car!

If you’re worried about what effects your car will have on pollution – then car pool with your mates. There’s nothing like a road trip!

On The Buses...

By Nick Turn

er

After turning 17 and acquiring a provisional driver’s licence on my sixth attempt, I solemnly vowed that I was never going to catch a bus again. I mean, why would I need to? I had my own car and I could drive absolutely anywhere I wanted to.

Secondly, catching the bus will save you money. You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that the one-way concession fare of $1.70 is a hell of a lot cheaper than what the cost of driving your car to university would be.

Whether I was naive, stupid or maybe a combination of both, I had no real concept of just how expensive it was to keep a car on the road. Petrol, registration, upkeep – it’s all money!

Finally, a ride on public transport will often result in some form of entertainment taking place. A scuffle between old ladies wheeling their groceries onboard, school kids with haircuts that obviously took place without the aid of a mirror or, in a recent experience, a middle aged man belting out John Farnham’s classic hit “You’re The Voice” at the top of his lungs (bagpipe solo and all) whilst listening to his iPod. Now, unless you all ride in a different car to me, I’ve never had that kind of entertainment driving to university.

So due to my measly part-time income and the inability to afford petrol that goes with it, I’ve reluctantly crawled my way back onto the bus. And I’m now officially a public transport fan.

I see three perfectly logical reasons why catching a bus to university trumps the expensive option of driving in your car.

The first, and most obvious reason is parking. If you have a class scheduled around lunchtime, then getting a park in any of the university’s car parks is nigh on impossible. Catching a bus allows you to be dropped off right at the university’s front door, a position from where you can gaze across and observe your car driving classmates battling for that elusive car space.

So if you aren’t yet convinced about the joys and all round positives of bussing it to your next uni lecture, I implore you to give it a go! It will open your eyes to a whole new world.

Not only will you save money and meet some ‘interesting’ new people, you will also help to reduce that big fat carbon footprint our generation is stomping on the environment.

Yak Magazine - April 2012

23

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By Lachlan Stevens

Jack and Jill

Smallville S10

Moneyball

April 4

April 4

April 11

Adam Sandler used to be funny. But it seems he’s played the same characters with the same issues and same mannerisms for most of his career. In this movie you get double of him, as he plays marketing executive Jack, as well as his twin sister Jill. It seems as though hilarity might ensue.

Finally, Australian fans get to see the conclusion to Clark Kent’s adventures as a (no longer) teenager.

Moneyball tells the true story of Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. When faced with financial struggles and the departure of senior players, he devised a completely new way of rating players, and through this managed to acquire cheap, promising players. This paved the way for a record 20-game winning streak in the competition.

But there’s not much in this movie that I would go so far as to describe as genuinely funny. It has its moments, but half of the time you’ll probably be left thinking “No, Adam. Just no.”

You would be forgiven for thinking that after ten seasons a show might to start get a bit tired. But Smallville, the longest running sci-fi show in the USA, entertained audiences well into its final season. The action sure does heat up with a heap of fan favourite characters, including Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex Luthor, returning to tie up all the loose ends.

If you’ve ever watched or enjoyed the show, coming back for the final season is a must.

Pitt does an excellent role of playing the confident but anxious Billy Beane, and Jonah Hill provides a few laughs in the role of Beanes’ assistant Peter Brand.

Happy Feet Two

Iron Lady

The Adventures of Tintin

April 24

April 25

April 26

Some movies find it hard to replicate the success of their series’ first entry, and Happy Feet Two is one of these movies. The original Happy Feet was a fun movie, but had an underlying commentary on the plight of the environment. Happy Feet Two just doesn’t seem to link its story together. Sure, stuff happens, but everything that happens seems to be completely independent of everything else.

Some might think that this movie has come a little too soon. The telling of Margaret Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister through a series of flashbacks experienced by her dementia-affected older self was sure to get people’s backs up.

This is the most recent adaptation of the comics by Belgian artist Hergé. On paper, it shaped up to be not only a great film in its own right, but also the best adaptation of a Tintin story since the 1992 cartoon TV series.

It’s a good movie for the kids, but it’s probably a bit too disjointed for the adults.

But in the end it’s a superb movie. It’s been compared favourably to last year’s The King’s Speech, and Meryl Streep fully deserved to be awarded her Oscar for Best Actress. Iron Lady will have you glued to the screen.

Sadly, however, it is utterly terrible. The first annoyance is changing the nationality of everyone from Belgian to English. Then there’s the terrible script, the narrative of the original stories being brutally butchered to fit the running time and the acting is bad, to say the least.

This month, we asked the kids on campus

“What is your favourite tourist spot in Newcastle?” > Nick Turner > Rowena Grant

MATTHEW

QUESTIONS:

Age: 20.

Degree: B. Nursing.

> If I was a tourist visiting Newcastle for the first time, what spots or attractions would you recommend to check out?

Tourist: The Obelisk is a good place.

That’s where I asked out my current girlfriend.

> If you could only listen to one album for the remainder of your life, what would it be?

Toilet Tip: Not really. There’s so many of those etiquette related rules, but they don’t really matter. I guess wipe thoroughly is a good tip.

Album: Sound Awake by Karnivool.

> Your best toilet tip or toilet related etiquette?

Uni Transport: I walk. I live in Wallsend, so it’s only about a 20 minute trip.

> How do you get to university, and why?

LARINA

TAMEKA

Age: 23.

Degree: B. Nutrition and Dietetics.

Degree: ?: ?

B. Nutrition and Dietetics.

Tourist: The Dockyard at Honeysuckle. I love that place.

Tourist: Bocados in King Street.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that as it’s a bit of a hidden gem.

Album: Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits.

Album: I’d say something by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Stadium Arcadium.

Toilet Tip: Take hand sanitiser as a lot of the time the paper is gone.

Toilet Tip: If the lid’s down, don’t use that particular toilet. I hate having to touch the lid.

Uni Transport: I catch the train as I commute from Sydney. It’s so much easier than driving and I don’t have to fight for a car park.

ELLEN

Age: 24.

Uni Transport: I drive as I would have to catch either two trains or three buses to get here.

NAT

Age: 26.

Degree: B. Business.

Tourist: Head down to Honeysuckle, enjoy the sunshine and a beer on the water.

Album: Global A Go-Go by Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros.

Toilet Tip: Always put a bit of paper down when using a public toilet.

Uni Transport: By car. If I caught a bus it would take me forever!

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Age: Too old.

Degree: CEO of UoN Services. ?: ?

Tourist: I like the beaches at the southern end of Newcastle. They’re much quieter.

Album: I’m a bit of a closet Guns N Roses fan, so I’d have to say Appetite For Destruction.

Toilet Tip: Wash your hands. Simple, yet often forgotten.

Uni Transport: I drive. There are no buses that travel to the university from where I live so there’s no other way for me to get here.

yakmagazine@newcastle.edu.au