UTS LSS The Dialogue 2021

The Dialogue UTS Law Students’ Society

OCT 2021

Contents

Editorial

Short Stories

Advice

Wellbeing Director Address — p.4

Colour of a Ceiling

by Manning Charles — p.22

The Memes about Law Students Cramming

by Milan Sharma — p.36

Equity Director Address — p.5 Judging Panel — p.6

Personal Essays Can you say something in Sri Lankan for me?

by Abina Kirubaharan — p.10 Stumbling Forward

by Yasha Boele — p.12 A Broke Girls Path to Law

by Anonymous — p.14

The World in Colour

by Andelain Joy Newman — p.24 Applicant 32677

by Kristin Kendrick-Little — p.26

Poetry The Sea that Drowned Me, the Listener that Saved Me

by Chloe Deborah Requeio — p.30

What is the relationship between religion, spirituality and the law in everyday life?

by UTS Multi-Faith Chaplain, Joanna Thyer — p.38 Equity at UTS — p.40 Batyr — p.44

Untitled

by Ashley Sullivan — p.33

Balancing Act by Sai Muthukuma — p.16 The Light at the End of the Tunnel

by Dillan Goro — p.18 The Power of Adversity

by Olivia Tomiyama — p.19

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Wellbeing Director Address Andelain Joy Newman wellbeing@utslss.com

While many thought the Dialogue would be a UTS LSS publication ‘one-hit wonder’, we have picked it up and dusted it off for its comeback this year.

The Dialogue is an important publication that invites students to write submissions in a variety of forms. This year we received poetry, creative short stories and personal essays, exploring identity themes such as gender, sexuality, spirituality, culture, race, ethnicity, and religion. Students were invited to share their background, what brought them to studying law and who they are beyond their academic life.

The criterion for submission was designed to be as broad as possible to ensure it was accessible and that students could truly share their diverse experiences.

As the UTS LSS Wellbeing Director, it has been my responsibility this past year to look after the wellbeing of our law students. We have held free BBQs, hired therapy dogs and shared important messages surrounding mental health through our social platforms, but the Dialogue is geared towards a different aspect of wellbeing: sense of self. I believe that having confidence in who you are and pride in what makes you different is one of the most important ways you can look after yourself.

The submissions in this publication are nuanced and brave. Students have shared their personal stories and explored how identity can be a challenging and confronting phenomenon. My submission, ‘The World in Colour’, explores how my artistic and anxious sides interact with my academic self and the struggle I have with understanding my own identity - with who I want to be.

I hope you enjoy reading these submissions as much as I have. I hope that reading them allows you to appreciate how adversity you have faced in your life has strengthened your sense of self and brought you to where you are today.

If you have any questions about the wellbeing services provided by the LSS or you are looking for someone to talk to, feel free to reach out to me at wellbeing@utslss.com

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Equity Director Address Maya Mortimer equity@utslss.com

The legal profession is plagued by a legacy of privilege. Moving through law, some students will bear the burden of that legacy more than others. The UTS Law Students’ Society (UTS LSS) acknowledges this divide, and that academic support can only stretch so far. Inclusivity requires the society to be empathetic to the needs of its members by taking a holistic approach to what it means to be a modern-day law student. This necessitates a broad range of services designed to facilitate the experience of law school for a diverse student body.

The UTS LSS provides financial subsidies for its two most expensive and popular events, Law Camp and Law Ball. We do not want the personal circumstances of any students to bar them from the law student experience. With many more initiatives including a Textbook Equity Scheme, the Society strives to send the message that all students no matter race, gender, sexuality, or socio-economic background are invited to participate in our society.

I can testify that the UTS LSS has played a pivotal role in my personal and professional development. From long days prepping for moots to long nights partying across Sydney Harbour, the people I have met along the way and connections I have built will stay with me for a lifetime. This publication invites students to explore their identities and share with each other the complex overlapping experiences that define their relationship with the law. I hope that in these isolating times, the publication may be a testament to the power of human connection.

If you have any questions about the equitable services provided by the LSS or just want someone to talk to feel free to send me an email at equity@utslss.com!

I wish you all courage in facing the challenges ahead and a happy and fulfilling career in law.

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Judging Panel To ensure neutrality in the judging of the submissions, we had a panel of incredibly learned and compassionate individuals judge and select the top 3 submissions to be shortlisted. To see which pieces were selected, look out for the ‘shortlisted’ badge on the pages of the student submissions as you read.

Bernard Cohen

Nicholas Stewart

Bernard Cohen is an award-winning author of seven books: five novels, a children’s picture book and, most recently, the short story collection When I Saw the Animal (UQP). Bernard holds the first-ever MA (Writing) from UTS, a UTS Doctorate in Creative Arts, and (some time last century) received an inaugural UTS Alumnus Award of Distinction. In 2006, Bernard founded The Writing Workshop. Since then he has run creative writing workshops for over 100,000 young people.

Nicholas Stewart is a partner in criminal law at Australia’s only “out loud and proud LGBTI law firm”. Nicholas uses his privilege as a lawyer to support the marginalised. He is a strong advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights, reflected in his four years spent campaigning for an inquiry into gay-hate crimes, and his ongoing commitment as an executive at Australian Lawyers for Human Rights. Nicholas sits on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee at the Law Society of NSW and is an occasional columnist at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Nicholas is a Friend of Distinction at UTS, and won the Elizabeth Hastings Memorial Human Rights Award in 2009, as well as the UTS Community Alumni Award, in 2018.

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Indrani Bandyopadhyay

Edem Dokli

Indrani is a lawyer, writer, sociologist and academic. As a lawyer she predominantly practiced criminal law and specialised as a trial lawyer. She has worked for community organisations such as the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Intellectual Disability Rights Service. Indrani began her working life as a journalist for an Indian community newspaper and was the publisher of Australia's oldest gay man’s magizine, Campaign, in the late-1990s.

She has written for a diverse range of publications including Good Reading Magazine and Quadrant, and as part of joint submissions for the NSW Young Lawyers Human Rights Committee. She also worked as Business Development Manager for Dymocks Sydney where she used her role to champion new authors and independent Australian publishers.

Edem Dokli is a financial services recruiter and founder of We are the Movement, social impact an organisation that seeks to empower and create opportunities for BIPOC communities in Australia to strive and grow. Edem has a passion for words and a commitment to helping people reach their highest potential. As a person of colour, Edem has experienced the challenges that come with accessing opportunities, but she believes sometimes all we need is that bit of encouragement to get us there. Edem holds firmly to the truth that everyone deserves a seat at the table, she has committed her life's purpose to both creating these tables and offering these seats.

Indrani is undertaking her PhD studies in sociology exploring the future of intimate relationships in Australia. She is currently working on a non-fiction book on democracies, constitutions, political parties and social change as a response to the January 6th riots in America, as well as working on two novels and a book of poetry.

Edem has a background in legal recruitment and is a proud UTS alumni, having completed her Bachelor of Communications at UTS.

Indrani is a passionate advocate for public debate and civic engagement and publishes essays on culture, politics, law and sport on Medium.

Indrani is a UTS alumna, teaches at the Business and Arts faculties at UTS, and lectures in law and corporate governance at Kaplan Business School.

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Editorial

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Personal Essays

DIFFERENCE - ANXIETY - PARANOIA - BALANCE - SEARCHING - DESIRE - INTERSECTIONALITY - REPRESENTATION - POERTY - DIVERSITY INTERNALISATION The Dialogue

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“Can you say something in Sri Lankan for me?”

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by Abina Kirubaharan

“Can you say something in Sri Lankan for me?”

She was five. I was five too. And I couldn’t explain the pit in my stomach I felt when I heard her say that. She said it to me, again and again, every week when we played in the sandpit at school.

Each time I would grow more and more impatient until one day I spat at her that “Sri Lankan is NOT a language”. I picked up my bucket and my dolls and sat on the other side of the sandpit.

I can understand her insistence back then. We were kids. It was 2007. And I was one of only a handful of people of colour at my primary school.

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We talk about intersectionality and representation in law school now. Everyone has an opinion on what it means. But it’s unsettling to see everyone talking about the cultural differences between white people and immigrant families when my classes are white-dominated. There are hardly any people of colour in law to contribute to that conversation. Aside from myself, there were two other people of colour in my class that day. But even out of the small minority of Asians in the room, not one of us contributed to the conversation.

I still feel out of place sometimes, and it’s because no one talks about how it feels to be wrestling between two identities and learning how to find solace in the differences between them. Self-doubt is real and internalised when you didn’t see much Asian-Australian representation in the profession growing up. But law school is where these discussions should happen.

Hearing “why do you eat that?” and “why does it smell like that?” when I was five now becomes “can you show me the recipe?” when I am twenty.

Thinking “I am stuck between two cultures and ways of living and I can’t belong in either”, when I was sixteen is now “I am thankful I have my heritage, and I can choose to pass between my two identities to live my life my way” when I am twenty.

And finally, the hesitant whisper of “everyone around me knows so much and I don’t know why I’m here” when I was eighteen is now a quiet and firm selfdeclaration of “but only I can bring my history to this classroom” when I am twenty.

My identity is mine to decide, and I am both Australian and Tamil. I choose how far I want to go and how I want to represent my intersectionality in my profession. I want to take up space. As I should.

Changing the narrative is taking charge of who you are. It carries power.

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Stumbling Forward

by Yasha Boele

Why does one choose to study law? The majority of people would answer, ‘to become a lawyer’. Others may attribute the incentive to career potential and high earnings. Most people see the choice to study law as a carefully thought-out decision. This may be because the legal profession is highly competitive, so those that choose to peruse it must be the same. Despite this common consensus, some of us have no idea what we’re doing here.

Personal Essays

I am one of those people. Why am I here?

Why am I studying law? Well… I’m not sure.

I don’t envision myself as the next Kirby, nor do I have any desire to. I don’t know if I want to practice. In truth, I don’t really know how I ended up here. I remember checking my email as degree offers came out following high school. I thought to myself, ‘do I really want to do any of these?’ Then just before the offer period ended, I was accepted to study law at UTS. I said to myself, ‘it will be

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cool going to uni in the city’. So, I accepted it. That’s it. I barely looked at the course information or facilities. I just knew I would be doing a solid degree in an interesting environment. I’m not sure why I did not know what I wanted to do. In school I only really enjoyed economics and modern history. I just had a feeling that law would work out. For someone so unsure, that was good enough.

Despite my somewhat irresponsible process of entering tertiary education, I can safely safe that I made a good bet. I have entered unexplored territory, rich with dedicated individuals and steadfast community.

University life has opened up so many doors.

I have met some of the most talented and generous people. From joining societies to meeting new people in tutorials, it has been social paradise. My first experience was law camp, and oh my it was great. The people,

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the leaders, the activities, it was all so great.

It was the perfect introduction to university.

I left camp with numerous friends to take into my first semester. An oasis of positivity had appeared from the nihilistic desert that was my experience of high school culture.

The people around me want to better themselves and others. It is truly inspiring.

I still don’t really know what I want to do or where I’ll go in the future. But I know that the bustling city invigorates my will to learn.

It has ignited passion. So, if I can blindly stumble into something as good as this, I’m happy to stumble my way forward for a few more years.

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A Broke girl’s path to law, as told through 2000s Romantic Comedies

by Anonymous

I was the first student of my high school to achieve an ATAR above 85 and study law.

This is how I provide employers with the context for my low ATAR, that is, low for the standard typically met by a law student.

But in the context of the Western Sydney high school I attended, this was quite a big feat. Becoming the next Sonny Bill Williams was the priority for most. But, improving your ability to act as a human barricade in rugby often meant essay writing fell by the wayside. Succeeding in sports was the tried and tested way to break the cycle of poverty we were tied to. Professional rugby players could be paid millions in a single year, more than our parents would ever make in their lifetime.

If I had any muscular definition and athletic instinct, I probably would have forged the same path. Instead, I decided that the

Personal Essays

glamorous corporate world was a better way to escape my public housing and singleparent home. The hours I spent inhaling library-borrowed copies of Dolly and Vogue growing up obviously meant I was destined to be Editor in Chief, right? I would eventually swap my $2.50 Supre outlet midriffs and counterfeit Paddy’s Market Vans for Chanel, just as Andy Sachs did in The Devil Wears Prada. My humble suburban beginnings would propel me forward as they did for Carrie Bradshaw in the City. It was written in the *fashion* stars.

That was until I encountered a market researcher investigating high school students’ opinions on tertiary education.

Once a hopeful journalist turned a less enthusiastic survey-giver, she warned me of the barren, jobless wasteland the magazine industry had become. The stars no longer aligned. I saw my future of luxury designer

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goods slip away. I took my joy for writing to the law, where it was actually in demand.

Initially thinking I wasn’t ‘intellectual’ enough to pursue law school, the words of Elle Woods were a source of comfort (“What, like, it’s hard?”). I got an administrative job in a large commercial firm a few months out of high school. I incorrectly spelt a word on my not-pink and unscented resume, but I guess HR was willing to let that slide. I was IN and ready to trade my blue-collar for pristine white. Each morning, I would commute from a train station nestled amongst the industrial warehouses where my mother worked to

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the dazzling CBD. You could basically say I was J-Lo on the F train travelling from Queens to be a Maid in Manhattan. I would entertain conversations of renovation plans for holiday homes while knowing that my family could never afford a home of our own.

I attended decadent lunches where the total bill amounted to my household’s weekly earnings.

But even though Andy eventually became as high-fashion as Miranda Priestly, she would always be the ‘lumpy’ Cerulean sweater-wearing misfit hiding under a Louis Vuitton Coat.

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Balancing Act

by Sai Muthukumar

I had emigrated to a melting pot of unknown languages, cultures and values in my youth. My adolescence had ushered a richness of insecurities and indecisions. I kept silent in the beginning, ensnared by muted thoughts.

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High school breathed some fresh air into my life. I was lucky to be on the junior debating team. I cultivated a fondness to persuade, and to work collaboratively. Creative writing and art competitions persisted as my high school career blossomed. Surrounded by compassionate friends and tireless teachers, I continued to grapple the fine intricacies of contextual frameworks and textual concepts in English Advanced.

“Speak up a little. We can’t hear you.”

“Umm … Mr. and Mrs. Dur...sley of numbe…r four,” I murmured as the classroom fell ghostly quiet.

“Let’s move on to the next person.”

I dreaded speaking, let alone reading aloud J.K. Rowling fantasy fiction. Stumbling profusely had been commonplace, yet a drive to progress began to surface. The journey commenced in art class, where it felt of home and comfort. Sketching is a passion dear to my heart, and my peers were in awe of my work. I made friends drawing characters from our favourite cartoons (Gotta Catch ‘Em All). Nervousness receded, and the stumbling crept in no longer. I left primary school in high spirits, yet a proficient command of the English language still eluded me.

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However, a hollowness kept eclipsing my triumphs. Poverty and homelessness are entrenched issues in my home country, and I have yearned to aid the less fortunate for many years. The opportunity came as a leadership program where I needed to complete a community aid project. I ran campaigns and stalls to gather clothes for the less privileged in my community. The fulfilment in executing positive change is an endearing satisfaction I cherish.

I became engrossed by the rigour of the legal profession in the twilight of high school.

Interpreting the purpose embedded into legislation and exploring legal theories were intriguing prospects. Nevertheless, a keen enthusiasm for persuading and activism for social issues endured as cornerstones of my motivation for pursuing a career in law. Anchoring a voice to the voiceless is a challenge I aim to tackle in the coming chapter of my story. Albeit hardships and tribulations will riddle the task ahead, it does not faze me. I am in the company of likeminded and ambitious peers and mentors, creating a more inclusive and just society for future generations.

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The Light at the End of the Tunnel

by Dillan Goro

Growing up, we are conditioned to believe that no matter the situation or hardship, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel- a glimmer of hope that could drag anyone out of their episodic feelings of melancholy. The idea of a light at the end of the tunnel underpinned our HSC year through the frantic cramming and latenight practice exams. Yet, that phase of our lives passed, with mental frustration left as the residue of anxiety and paranoia. Even through this, we were told there was a light at the end of the tunnel. So we persisted.

We eagerly await the light at the end of the tunnel. As time runs its course, we

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eagerly await the light at the end of the tunnel that will illuminate after our law school journey. But the excitement of university can be deceiving, through the insistent smell of coffee on a late-night study session to the copious events and parties. A strange feeling can materialise, a feeling so profound it puts lightning in your bones and makes it hard to hold onto anything else - even life itself.

That is the deception of Law School, the deception of the profession.

Although light at the end of the tunnel does exist, for many, a little late is too late. Break the stigma and speak up.

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The Power of Adversity

By Olivia Tomiyama

Imagine spending more than 25 years in prison, ostracised from society, painfully separated from family and confined in an isolating cell while undertaking strenuous labour. Now imagine coming out of prison and becoming the president of a country.

This is the story of Nelson Mandela, and a lesson in how our reaction to adversity is just as important as our victories in defining who we are. A lawyer himself, Mandela represents society’s continual fight for equity and justice to transcend the dividing lines of race, class and politics. On a personal level, Mandela demonstrates how leading with courage, compassion and forgiveness can allow you to turn painful moments into a summit of self-growth – and in this process, uplift others so they too can recognise their positive traits.

Facing the adversities of life is something all students experience. As a law student, it can be so easy to become disheartened by a whole range of things – an essay mark, the overwhelming readings, questioning whether law is the right path, and so much more. This can cause a perpetual cycle of self-doubt to occur, where once you become accustomed to the academics of law, the stress of finding practical experience crashes in.

Having moments of despair and anxiety is a universal experience, whether or not it is related law school. But remember not to define yourself by your lowest moments, because it in these moments where you can discover a strengthened level of resilience.

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Mandela’s story provides a source of inspiration. Outside of his life-long dedication to ending the apartheid movement in South Africa, he was committed to fighting stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, established the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, amongst a whole range of other meaningful achievements. Despite enduring very grim circumstances in his middle-age, Mandela’s ability to move forward with optimism has beneficially impacted the lives of millions.

By extension, his name has inspired a legacy based on world peace. While you may not have the same world impact yet, you do still have power within yourself!

When dealing with a discouraging outcome, try to detach from it and observe things from a third-person perspective – remember the journey you have already embarked on so far and know that this is not the final outcome to any of your ambitions.

If someone can spend more than 25 years in prison and still have the courage to lead a country, this just demonstrates that life offers endless opportunities if you are open to seeing it.

When experiencing adversity, it is important to realise that our inherent value to the world is not determined by external, material forces. In fact, experiencing moments of hardship and learning to bounce back (no matter how long it takes) is just as important as learning the law itself. This ability, as demonstrated by Mandela, will be a beneficial tool for life.

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Personal Essays

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Short Stories

COLOUR-LOSS - SEPERATION - BELONGING - PURPOSE - CONFORMITY - SEARCHING - FAMILY - INTENTION - IDENTITY - SPIRALLING - COMPARISON - IDEALS

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Colour of a Ceiling

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by Manning Charles

It was the night of the day we took the books from their shelves.

Shelves I had never seen exposed. We put them into boxes that sat below the sitting room windows all night, waiting. I remember it a little like re-watching something that was first viewed out of order; at last, the small comments, the glances are given meaning. That uncertain familiarity.

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I glimpsed a little of it then. You pick up on the long phone calls, the stapled packets of documents accidentally left out on the table. You feel the expensive parchment, marvelling at the strangeness of how your father signs above his name (like the finishing flourish has gradually taken over the whole signature). You don’t really understand the words you hear or the ones you read, but you hear the crying to your aunty in the locked room. You hear the crying when you should be asleep. You feel the gaps in what they say: a hole circled around, darkening, deepening with each conversation sidestepped.

A Charybdis in your living room.

His empty chair at breakfast.

I knew enough to understand it was not temporary change. I sensed the fragility of each day. But still, I didn’t understand some things. It was our house; why was it listed on those parchment pages? What business did Mr Barber have with our address, wasn’t it a family matter?

Once the books were packed, we moved to the clothes. They took less time and dinner followed. My mother heated up canned tomato soup on the stove. It was warm, salty and that night better than anything else I could have dreamed. She said it was like we were camping and jumped up with an idea. Running upstairs, I heard her moving around and then a thump. A white rectangle emerged at the banister and bounced heavily down the first step, the second and then sped up to slide down the rest. The mattress shook the floorboards as it landed. My mother was buoyant, dragging it before the empty fireplace and saying it would be our bed for the night. The plan was to camp out in our favourite room.

She thought about finding a book from the boxes, but I was too tired for a story. Instead, we burrowed in, melded to the blankets. One with the pattern of a spuming sea cloaked her shoulders and, in the dark, gave to her a strange depth. Almost as though her head floated above the softness, just driftwood in the night. We talked a little but grew silent. I twisted into her embrace. And I cried though my mind was fixated on nothing exact. She curled further around me, silent but physical. I cried and my head emptied. I cried and at some point they were her tears, not mine. Those she had kept in all day for me, the pouring out of her resoluteness.

At some point, perhaps at no point exactly, I slipped into sleep. She was there still, pressing into me, surely awake much further into the night, awake well beyond when it ticked to another day, into the day before the night we slept in our old beds in a new house under different coloured ceilings.

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The World in Colour

by Andelain Joy Newman

I often relate the world I see, to the world my mother paints.

I think of her watercolour paintings. Of the orange ink, dropping from the brush onto the surface of her painting, soaking against the blue of the paper. The second colour hits the surface, yellow blends over the page, seeping over the blue of the water’s edge.

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I now see the world in colours, in hues and tones, in techniques and mediums. I am always painting in my thoughts. As I journey through town, I think about the people I see, the wonder of bodies. I wonder, who created the streets? Who named each corner? My mind sketches the landscapes before me. I think of my mother’s charcoal drawings. By the time I reach the University tower, I have charcoaled Central through my mind and my sooty fingers have crosshatched every detail.

“Be unafraid” my mother encourages, “use colour”. I timidly raise my hand in class, blending soft pastel spirals. We have been asked to share with the class why we decided to study law.

I am called upon, but I lower my hand and instead continue the image spiralling in my mind.

Why am I here? What is my purpose? A construction of bodies staring back at me, but I can’t see the colours anymore and I can’t seem to breathe. I am an abstraction of pictures not coming together.

When I walk home the air bites at my skin reminding me, I am not paper. Back in my room, I begin etching my mind. I am Movie stubs pinned to corkboard walls. Dinner receipts and boarding passes jammed into vintage cookie tins and postcards from around the world stacked atop almost-finished books, bookmarked by pressed flowers. Shells and rocks in plastic bags secured by giant marlin fishing lures and a painting of a proud naked woman leaning against the wall.

Reminded of mornings collecting seashells, endless flights to new homes. Afternoons in the garden, wondering how such beautiful little things grew all by themselves. Reminded of evenings passed flipping pages, eery late-night dives, floating reefs. I am an arrangement of these snapshots, glued down pieces to create a collage of my life. A chaotic, but skilfully painted landscape.

I study, not only to learn to live within the confines of the law, but to learn how and why they are constructed, so that I might help repaint them in new ways. Like Picasso, I know I have to learn how to draw precisely when necessary so that when I feel the need to throw bold colour, they might accept my abstractions as masterful. I studied law so that when the yellow sun sinks, sizzling slowly into the oceans edge, and the blue sky meanders its way to a mellow molten orange evening, I will be wise enough to draw the world in sharpened pencil for precision, and fearless enough to paint it for those like me who’d like to see it in full colour too.

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Applicant 32677

by Kristin Kendrick-Little

Greta sat down in front of the same blank screen, her office chair now an extended limb. A muted panic enveloped her as she sifted through the companies she had applied for interviews with: ConnX, EastPac, AMZ, Mooncorp, YE.

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From Greta’s window, the sliver she could see of the once bustling Manly Beach was now suffocated with visual silence. People no longer peppered the boulevard. Instead, the limited interactions with others were infused with delicacy and an unfamiliar apprehension. Joggers acted as if there were invisible force fields between them, masks smothered faces and wafts of pungent hand sanitiser waltzed through the air.

‘Welcome to ConnX applicant 32677.’ Greta jolted, the white text slicing the black screen.

‘TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF’, read a jarring, penetrative voice.

As Greta began to type, the stale air of the study hung heavily, and her mind went around in circles as she tried to recall which job it was she was even going for. All the jobs of a numerical nature morphed into one nebulous abyss.

Auntie Jane did it, Mum did it and Max did it. Although the path was perhaps a second-hand one, it was the logical one. Surely it was the logical one, right?

Greta’s fingers, well-rehearsed and performed, remembered each key to press and constructed the recycled response. “Ever since I was young, I have aspired to work as an accountant…”

‘WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?’, spat out the black screen.

Well, it was obvious why she wanted to get the job, she had to get the job. It was all a part of training her taste for the mundane to flourish and, better still, it would develop her eventual worship of the chore.

‘WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK AT THIS COMPANY?’ Rubbing the back of her neck, Greta couldn’t control the bounce in her leg. Greta’s fingers began to slow as her pre-programmed response came to a halt.

Well, did she want the job? Greta couldn’t help but think this interview was trying to catch her out. The stale, pungent stench of the study, normally bearable became ever pervasive.

Was there someone watching her crisp responses come through along with the hundreds of identical applications? Waiting for a selection big enough to pick from the lucky draw? She hoped just as much because the alternative, confiding in a computer and nobody else for even just a moment, was like existing on a blank back page.

The clock rung in metallic, poignant hammers, its yellow plastic film protesting its placement as it stretched away from the glass. Greta nursed the cold cup of tea in her lap, something she had come accustomed to with COVID19.

This job, these jobs, were in fact the last thing she wanted. As it happens, who wants a lifelong subscription to logic and numbers when the world is always one step ahead?

‘ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO QUIT APPLICANT 32677?’, threatened the now almost soft voice.

Greta shut her laptop.

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Poetry

FLOW - MOTIVATION - RYTHYM - WATER - DESPERATION - SPIRTUALITY - SOCIETY - FUTURES - LIMITS SUPPORT - LISTENING - LIGHTNESS - SECURITY VALIDATION - ASPIRATION The Dialogue

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The Sea that Drowned Me, the Listener that Saved Me

by Chloe Deborah Requejo

Drowning in Shallow Waters Head above water, I gasp for air, a never-ending cycle.

With no breath inside me, still, I shout.

“Help me! Help me! I’m drowning!”

One. Two. Three.

They gather.

Shadowy figures, with smiles plastered on their face.

Their muffled claps and cheers do nothing to soothe me.

“You can do it!” They shout.

“Just stand up!” They urge.

“The water is shallow!” They insist.

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Head above water, I gasp for air.

Feet scrambling.

Arms waving.

Still, I shout.

“Help me! Help me! I’m drowning!”

Four. Five. Six. Shadowy figures with frowns plastered on their face.

“You’re overreacting!” They growl.

“Just stand up!” They roar.

“The water is shallow!” They insist.

Head below water, I am desperate for air.

The deep is dark and beckons me to give in.

Still, I muffle.

“Help me… Help me… I’m drowning.”

Seven.

A blinding figure loomed over me.

Chest heaving.

Breathless.

Hand stretched out.

“Take my hand!” They contend.

“I’ll help you!” They offer.

“I’ll be there beside you!” They vow.

The dark beckons me.

The light saves me.

Body above water, their warmth slows my breathing.

Their arm supports me.

Our feet walk in sync.

Step by step.

Splashing the water.

Feet on the sand, away from the water.

My listener beside me.

Our feet walk in sync.

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Goodbye to the Water That Drowned Me Here I am, back again.

To the waters that once consumed me.

The powdery dust that coated my toes, the icy water that crashed onto my ankles, the salty fragrance that I inhaled, Remind me of the trauma that remained.

Time was no friend to me.

Six days, six weeks, six months, six years.

The dark still beckoned me.

However.

A gentle tap was all it took.

To remind me that I am not on my own.

My listener.

How could I forget?

The hands that pulled my body, The warmth that calmed me, The voice that reassured me.

The light that saved me.

How could I forget?

The capsules that the world gave me, were a failed experiment.

The truth that my saviour gave me, was all my soul needed.

I threw the capsules into the sea.

The splash was music to my ears.

Side by side, our feet walk in sync.

Seven days, seven weeks, seven months, seven years.

Time will be my friend, as our feet walk in sync, now and forever.

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Untitled

by Ashley Sullivan

Placed upon a birthday cake A candlelight wish To do more To be more To succeed A heavy hope Resting on a single girl To exceed expectations To prove a point To create a change A symbol of generational success See, their eyes fervently signal Our family is just as educated as yours We too have something to show for ourselves Our efforts weren’t in vain They respond with a slight raise of their eyebrows A surprised smile spreading across their face Eyes gleaming with renewed interest Law, you say Now that’s exciting It must keep you busy I turn away, downplaying their stamp of approval But the flush of pride is unmistakable A by-product of their validation An extension of my family’s honour

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Unravelling a family history The first to attend law school Thrusted forward to set a precedent Am I acting on ambition or approval?

The impulse to achieve An acceptance of their anticipation for accomplishment A reflection of my hunger for something more than this Optimism opens opportunities Affords an endless multitude of realities Law is a new life A radical departure from my current one I peek through the window Into a career that grants the power to transform society Into a world where hard-earned skills drive financial security Bestowed on us in recognition of our resilience Motivation demands more and more and more A gateway to a daydream Yet expectations exceed energy Slowly slides away Until I’m running on empty Realisation repositions me Reminding me of where it all began Replacing pressure with reassurance I’m doing this for myself I’m doing this for them An acknowledgment of their aspirations An expression of my gratitude A limitless future

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Advice

MINDFULNESS - GUIDANCE - SCHEDULES - KIDNESS BREATH - FRIENDSHIP - LAUGHING - IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT The Dialogue

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The Memes about Law Students Cramming

by Milan Sharma

Eat, Sleep, Law School, Repeat.

The memes about law students cramming, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and studying up until the early hours of the morning is an experience all too familiar. This behaviour seems relatively normal as we are all attaining to be the ‘perfect’ law student that we see grace our LinkedIn pages. But what we don’t realise is this type of behaviour reduces our concentration as it may lead to excessive procrastination, preventing us from performing to the best of our ability!

Below I have outline 8 mindfulness tips that you can practice!

1. At the beginning of every week organise any extra-curricular events you may

want to attend. This may can a Moot Grand Final or a University fundraiser.

Writing these events down in your diary next to classes allows you to be mindful not to over-commitment.

2. Law students love competitions, sign up for one! It’s a great way to make new friends.

Competitions such as Negotiation allow you to refine your problem-solving skills and offers insight into creative ways to find a win-win for all.

3. Law school is supposed to be an enjoyable experience where you’ll make friends for life! Having friends that you can chat to about job opportunities, uncertainties, your pursuits, and passions is an incredibly guiding force. I’ve personally found this to be helpful and have friends provide guidance for which I am grateful for.

4. When studying try and create a positive aesthetic environment where you feel

welcomed. This can provide you stability and ground you particularly during exams.

If you study in the library, make sure it’s a distraction free area and take 5-minutes to calm yourself by practicing breathing exercises. This will give you the confidence to tackle anything!

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5. TAKE A BREAK! It’s physically impossible to sit in the same position for 8 hours.

Believe me, I’ve tried, and it didn’t end so well. Break your study time up into 2-hour blocks and have 1 hour rest times. Use your rest time to get some fresh air, walk around, grab a smoothie or coffee. Give your yourself some time to rest from reading copious amounts of legislation. A change in scenery often helps reset the mind.

6. It’s mid-semester break and you’re thinking that life is moving too quickly. Quizzes and assignments are piling up. Understand that if you can’t hang out with friends this week it will be okay as your education is important and your friends will understand. It’s okay to say no to social activities sometimes.

7. Read a light-hearted book, watch a funny movie, or grab some mindful colouring in

books. We all need time to unwind from reading High Court judgments and dissents.

Laughing has been proven to stimulate organs, activate and relieve stress and longterm it can improve your mood!

8. Most importantly, and it may be a little cheesy, but be kind to yourself. We are all only human and remember that doing your best is okay and if you persist with hard work and diligence, it will pay off. Trust the process!

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What is the relationship between religion, spirituality and the law in everyday life?

by UTS Multi-Faith Chaplain, Joanna Thyer

Amidst the complexity of our world, most of us are surrounded by a cornucopia of different influences, stresses, and personal and public dilemmas in our daily life. In academic life, we are often exposed to different ideas that stimulate our thought processes and make us consider what direction we might like our lives to take: what our areas of interest – intellectually and otherwise – might be; what we might like to gravitate towards; and what we might like to avoid. We might have clear ideas about where we want to put our energies, and what is a drain on us. This requires discernment on many different levels.

Ethical discernment is required in religion and spirituality as much as it is in any other area of life. In a world of virulent social media and internet activity, succumbing to religious fundamentalism, or taking every passage of a religious text literally, can be very problematic and sometimes may even lead to violence.

Ethics can sometimes be complicated and full of grey areas; likewise, the law. In terms of religious or spiritual belief, anyone who has read any religious or sacred text thoroughly knows that there will always be some passages that offer contradictory messages. Yet the message from the religious text, when absorbed as a whole, is often fairly consistent. I once heard a Catholic priest give a homily where he talked about how the Christian Bible is like a library - It contains many different types of truth. A library has novels, fantasy books, history books, science books and so on as part of its repertoire - in other words, many different types of written texts that all contain their own kind of ‘truth’. Not all of these ‘truths’ will be factually true – although some will be. Yet they can all speak to us in different ways.

A mythical story can highlight a moral truth, a true story might encapsulate human struggle, a parable might not be literally true, but can highlight a spiritual truth, and so on.

The differentiation and occasional crossover between religious freedom and the law can demonstrate this need for discernment. A classic text often quoted from the Bible, for example, is Jesus’ words about loyalty to the law. The social context in Mark 12 13:17

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where he utters this phrase is interesting. Jesus is asked by those trying to catch him out — ‘Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ On being given a denarius coin he says ‘Whose portrait is this? Whose title?’ When they respond ‘Caesar’s.’ he says, ‘Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and God what belongs to God.’ In other words, obey the law, but praise God as well. This dictum can also be applied to contemporary issues such as the gay marriage question, abortion, euthanasia, and so on. If the issue is primarily a civil and legal matter, in effect it has little to do with any religion, or belief, although people can hold whatever views about that issue they wish, according to how they interpret their religious or ethical beliefs.

Ultimately, many rulings of law are civil matters although they may have ethics at their core. Such issues necessitate a deeper understanding when appraising sacred texts, and some degree of religious literacy. They also necessitate an understanding of what occurs as part of the Law, and distinguishing what one’s own personal views are, and where the two strands overlap or part. Sometimes there may be challenges there, but this is why both the Law and religious or spiritual beliefs can be held in equanimity, even if on some points they may diverge.

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Equity at UTS

UTS and the UTS Law Students’ Society (UTS LSS) each provide a diverse range of services designed to cater for an array of student needs. I have collated the contact details of services provided by UTS and the UTS LSS for any enquiries you may have.

You are not alone and we have an extensive network of support to assist you.

SERVICES PROVIDED FOR BY THE UTS LSS Law Camp Subsidy Each year the UTS LSS runs a First Year Law Camp designed to set the stage for lifelong bonds. As the camp runs for a few days, fees can be quite expensive. If you are a First Year Law Student who is experiencing financial hardship you may apply for a subsidy by completing our equity subsidy application upon the release of tickets.

Please contact equity@utslss.com for any enquiries relating to this subsidy.

Law Ball Subsidy Law Ball is one of the most anticipated events on the UTS LSS social calendar.

As the costs of this event are extensive and cover the venue, food and formal wear, we appreciate that it may be difficult for some students to access this event. Students

Advice

experiencing financial difficulty may apply for the equity subsidy by filling out the equity subsidy form upon tickets being released. Please contact equity@utslss.com for any enquiries relating to this subsidy.

Textbook Equity Scheme Ordinarily the Textbook Equity Scheme operates for both Autumn and Spring semesters and provides students experiencing financial hardship the opportunity to borrow books from the society for the semester. The forms for the scheme are released prior to the commencement of each semester and operate on a first come first served basis. For any enquiries relating to the Textbook Equity Scheme, please contact equity@utslss.com.

UTS STUDENT SERVICES Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion The Centre for Social Justice inclusion aims to promote a diverse, inclusive and accessible university environment. Equity practitioners oversee grievance counselling, including advising and assisting on matters of discrimination and harassment.

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What is an Equity related complaint?

−

Discrimination, harassment, victimisation and vilification based on any of the below constitutes an equity-related complaints:

Indigenous Education and Employment Policy

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Indigenous Education Strategy

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Indigenous Graduate Attributes Framework

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Age

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Disability

−

Sex

−

Gender identity (e.g. transgender or non-binary)

−

Sexual orientation

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Pregnancy/potential pregnancy

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Race, ethnic background and/or nationality

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Family and/or carer responsibilities

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Religion

Please see more information on the website: www.uts.edu.au/node/340406/equityrelated-complaints-and-grievances If you are still unsure whether your complaint is equity-related, please contact the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion via their email equity@uts.edu.au or call 9514 1084.

Initiatives offered by the Centre for Social Justice and inclusion include: −

Access and Inclusion Plan

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Athena Swan

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Equity-related complaints

The Dialogue

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Flexible working at UTS

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Guide for UTS students who are carers or parents

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Respect.Now.Always.

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Support for parents at UTS

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Trans and Gender Diverse Services Guide

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UTS Equity, Inclusion and Respect Policy

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Widening Participation Strategy

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Wingara Indigenous Employment Strategy

LGBTQIA+ Support Students can visit the Queer Space for peer support on campus, located in Building 5.

To gain access to the space and to join the Queer Collective, please contact queer@utsstudentsassociation.org UTS Counselling UTS offers counselling services to cater to a wide range of personal, psychological, study, and administration issues.

Services include individual and couples counselling, group work and workshops.

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They also offer a comprehensive self-help section. Which a details a wide array of specialised services for specific problems.

You can access more information via this website:

Contact:

www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/ health-and-wellbeing/counselling-serviceand-self-help/self-help-resources

The UTS Social Justice Report is an annual equity report compiled each year for the UTS Council and reflects the University’s commitment to social justice, diversity and human rights. It explores UTS’s highlights and achievements, the UTS strategic Social Justice Plan and Indigenous engagement.

Please access more information via www.uts.edu.au/about/equity-and-diversity

Counsellors can help in situations where you: −

think you may have chosen the wrong course

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have stressful circumstances or psychological or emotional issues which interfere with your studies

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need help managing administrative problems, appeals or complaints

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want to develop better generic learning skills

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need help as you are on Academic Caution

Counselling services are available to: −

current UTS students

−

international students

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couples, if both are students

UTS Counselling continues to operate via zoom during the pandemic. If you are a student and are concerned for the safety of another student or would like to discuss any related issues, please call the Counselling Unit on 9514 1177 to ask to speak with a Counsellor or email at student.services@uts. edu.au.

For inquiries relating to your own needs services may be accessed on weekdays between the following times: −

8.30am to 8.30pm, Monday to Wednesday

−

8.30am to 8pm, Thursday

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9am to 5pm, Friday

Advice

Email: student.services@uts.edu.au Phone: +61 2 9514 1177

UTS Social Justice Report

Financial Assistance programs There are a number of financial support systems in place for domestic and international students they may be accessed through the following link: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/ financial-help/financial-assistanceprograms Some of the schemes provided are as follows: 1. Medibank financial support grant for international students ($500 grant per semester if eligibility requirements are met).

2. No interest student loan (maximum of $3000).

3. UTS housing rental subsidy.

Accessibility Service The Accessibility Service (formerly Special Needs Service) is the University’s central contact point for all students living with one or more disabilities, medical or mental health conditions. The Accessibility Service provides assistance and support to access services, and to make requests for assessment arrangements and reasonable adjustments.

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Please contact this service via the email accessibility@uts.edu.au or +61 2 9514 1177.

UTS Ally Program The UTS Ally program attends to the following: −

creates awareness of issues related to sexual and gender identity

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supports the rights of all students and staff regardless of sexual orientation and gender, and

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supports and celebrates an inclusive, diverse and safe university community, based on respect and dignity

The service is run by a solicitor who is assisted by two trainee lawyers. All legal advice is provided by the solicitor and all matters are dealt with in strict confidence.

Website: www.utsstudentsassociation.org. au/services/student-legal-service Email: studentlegalservice@uts.edu.au Phone: 02 9514 2484

An Ally is a trained volunteer who provides safe contact for students and staff identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual and intersex, and those questioning their sexual or gender identity.

What do Allies do?

Allies have a special Ally sticker or poster on their office door or on display in their workspace when they are present. Allies have a folder of resources that they can use to assist people who enquire. They are also a safe person from whom to seek help if you need assistance or believe you may be in danger. Please contact equity@uts.edu.au for more information.

UTS Students’ Association Legal Service Legal advice is provided on a range of matters including tenancy, employment, traffic and criminal offences, civil matters, consumer claims, debts, family issues, business, and many other areas. The UTSSA Student Legal Service can also certify documents as true copies, and witness statutory declarations and other formal documents.

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Batyr

batyr is a for-purpose preventative mental health organisation, created and driven by young people, for young people. We aim to smash the stigma surrounding mental ill-health and empower young people to reach out for support when they need it.

We deliver programs for young people and communities across the country, starting positive conversations about mental health and sharing lived experience stories of hope, resilience and recovery. batyr works in the university space and has a team of volunteer university students who make up an executive team at different unis around Australia.

− This service is located at One Hundred Broadway Clinic on the Corner Broadway and Abercrombie Streets, Ultimo NSW 2007.

The batyr@UTS team is made up of a team of volunteer executives who work to promote mental health support services students can access at UTS and beyond. We hold events throughout the year to help smash the stigma around mental health and aim to support students in seeking help.

− International students residing in Australia can also access this service through their Overseas Student Health Cover.

At UTS there is a range of support and wellbeing services available. Please note that due to current COVID-19 restrictions face-to-face appointments may not be available. Online services are available.

UTS Health Services − Mental Health support or advice and treatment for any health problem is available by visiting your local General Practitioner Doctor (GP). − This can be at The University Health Service or another medical centre. − Your GP may complete a Mental Health Care Plan and refer you for free or discounted sessions with a psychologist.

− Appointments are available face-to-face or over the phone − To access this service, call (02) 9514 1177.

If you are a returning patient, you can also fill out this online form. − The health service is located on level 6, room 01.06.001 of Building 1.

UTS Psychology Clinic − UTS students can access the psychology clinic and speak to someone for only $12.50 per appointment. − Non-UTS students can access this service for $25 per appointment. − Zoom and face-to-face appointments are currently available. − To access this service, call 9514 7339 or email clinicalpsychology.clinic@uts.edu.au.

Advice

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The Dialogue

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The Dialogue UTS Law Students’ Society October 2021 Personal Essays

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