Woroni Edition 13 2015

MENTAL HEALTH VOL. 67

Issue #13

PAGE 4.

ANUSA Elections: Misunderstandings and Miscommunications - Miguel Galsim

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Bruce Hall Students Power Ahead for Mental Health - Anna Kaufmann

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SelďŹ e Level: Mars

- Emily Haag

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Pride and Mental Health - Jade McKenna

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Co-Lab: Science Meets Street Art - Jessica Masters

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Mental Health Does Not Discriminate - Kalvin Rajmano

WORONI SEMESTER 2 - WEEK 9, 2015 - WORONI.COM.AU - FACEBOOK, TWITTER & THE APP STORES

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WORONI No.13 Vol.67

CONTENTS No. 13 3.

Scholarship Granted to Indigenous ANU Medical School Students - Elish Hensman ANUSA Elections: Misunderstandings & Miscommunication - Miguel Galsim

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“The Country that Eats Itself” Former Ambassador to Zimbabwe and the Congo Unrest - Miguel Galsim

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SRC 7 Report - Miguel Galsim Bruce Hall Students Power Ahead for Mental Health - Anna Kaufmann Mental Health Initiatives for Law Students - Sarah Edwards

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A Low Aussie Dollar Isn’t Always Bad News - Liam Osawa

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Suck it Up - Jordan Morrissey

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Mental Health Experiences - Lauren Dmyke & Eleni Ravanis

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Mental Health Experiences - Ana Stuart & Ben Gill

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Union Court and Happy Thoughts - Matthew Lord

Selfie Level: Mars - Emily Haag Distant Worlds - Max Jones

Hannah Gadbsy @ Gods - Anna Macdonald 5.

Representative Democracy in the 21st Century: Has it Changed?

- Rhys Dobson

Mental Health Liftout Cover - Brad East Excerpt for the Mental Health Liftout Cover - Brad East

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But What if it’s Nothing?

- Julia Brieger

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The “Real World” of Mental Health - Benedict McCarthy

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Pride and Mental Health - Jade McKenna Mental Health in Asia - Andaleeb Akhand

Who Am I to Tell You What to Do? Well Let Me Tell You - Kate Snailham

6 Tips on Seeking Revenge - Wayne Joseph Mental Health Liftout Back Cover - Henry Dwyer #LibSpill Education Policy - Ana Stuart

22.

Co-Lab: Science Meets Street Art - Jessica Masters

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Jamie xx - In Colour - Matt Bowes Duck Season - Jarod Esposito

Depths of Delineation - Kate Bender’s Colour Light Space - Adina West 25.

Much Ado About Nothing Review - Samuel Guthrie Keep on Top of Yourself - Rea Mathews and Erin Townsend

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Agree to Disagre: “But First Let Me Take a Selfie” - Maeve Bannister and Paroksh Prasad Dress to be Your Best: Target to Couture - Dhwanee Mehta Mental Illness Does Not Discriminate - Kalvin Rajmano NRL Finals Preview - Nick Benecke Wolly (Woroni Dolly) - Ivana Smojver & Joel Shnaider Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Skies are Blue - Ivana Smojver

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

BOARD OF EDITORS

S TA F F

SUB-EDITORIAL TEAM

Woroni is published on the land of the Ngunnawal people.

Editor-in-Chief - Jacob Ingram Deputy Editor-in-Chief Giordi Borzuola

Administrative Assistant Simone Proctor

Science - Maxwell Jones Comment - Vishesh Agarwal Features - Vincent Chiang Satire & World - Ivana Smojver Arts & Reviews - Louise Keast Arts & Reviews - Jessica Masters Life & Style - Paroksh Prasad Sports - Zach Mackey International - Virginia Harding Radio - Kate Lawrence Radio - Caitlin Magee Radio - Finn Pedersen Radio - Sam Skinner Design - Joanne Leong IT - Manab Chetia Photography - Nic Bills Videography - Julia Faragher News Correspondent - Anna Kaufmann News Correspondent - Miguel Galsim News Correspondent - Ria Pflaum

‘Woroni’ translates to ‘mouthpiece’ in the Ngunnawal language.

Advertising inquiries and submissions can made at: advertising@woroni.com. au Phone: (02) 6125 9574 Shop 15, Lena Karmel Building 26 Barry Drive, Acton 2601

Managing Editor - Mitchell Scott

Proofreader - Siobhonn Shannon Book keeper - Brendan Ofner

Creative Director - Rashna Farrukh News Editor - Waheed Jayhoon Contributions Editor Benedicte O’Leary Rutherford Multimedia Editor Maddalena Easterbrook Radio Editor - Isaac Dugdale

Woroni is printed by Capital Fine Print.

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Week 9, Semester 2, 2015.

//NEWS

SCHOLARSHIP GRANTED TO

INDIGENOUS

ANU

MEDICAL SCHOOL STUDENTS CAMPUS NEWS On the 7th of September 2015, ANU Medical School Students Amanda Steele and Jordan Savage both received the Peter Sharp Scholarship as a part of the ANU Medical School’s Indigenous Stream.

Recipients of the government funded scholarship, which is carried out through the ANU Medical School, receive $72 000 over four years.

The scholarship was created in 2012 in honour of Aboriginal health service Medical Director, Dr Peter Sharp.

Dr Sharp was known for being very involved in the health and wellbeing of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the local region, and the scholarship was established to help encourage and support talented Indigenous students in studying medicine.

ELLISH HENSMAN For Steele, a Wiradjuri woman, the scholarship represents a push of motivation and support in continuing her students. In an interview with the ANU, she commented, “It reminds me why I am doing medicine, which is to hopefully make a difference in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lives in regards to health and wellbeing”.

ACT Health Academic Unit of General Practice Director Professor Kirsty Douglas said that “Peter made a genuine commitment to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.”

“This was strengthened by his clinical experience and understanding of the complex health, social, emotional and cultural needs of his patients,” she said.

When asked why it was important to support indigenous students in the medical field, Indigenous Health Project Officer at ANU, Gaye Doolan, commented that it was ”because of the impact it has on indigenous peoples’ health”. She went on to comment that “it’s very powerful for them to see their own people coming to the forefront of the medical field”.

Savage, a first year Medical student who is a Kaandju descendant on his mother’s side appreciated that “the scholarship will allow [him] to study more and spend less time working”.

The scholarship will also provide him the opportunity to “attend conferences and such that [he] might not have otherwise been able to fund.”

According to a study in 2014, only 204 doctors are Aboriginal in the whole of Australia.[1] 928 is the number of indigenous doctors that Australia needs to close the gap in Indigenous health outcomes.[2] Dooran commented that “there is a large gap in aboriginal health and it’s important to have aboriginal doctors in Australia. The numbers of aboriginal doctors is very low in comparison to the mainstream. We intended for this scholarship to help increase that number.”

[1] Funds needed to train Indigenous doctors’, Koori Mail 472 p.9 [2] ‘Blind, but soon they’ll see... Australia’s first indigenous eye doctor goes to work’, SMH 4/10/2014.

ANUSA ELECTIONS: MISUNDERSTANDINGS & MISCOMMUNICATION CAMPUS NEWS In the ANUSA General Secretary’s SRC report on the 22nd of September, ACT Elections and their involvement with the recent ANUSA elections was brought to disrepute with numerous issues documented throughout the polling process.

A significant portion of Monique Langley-Freeman’s report was dedicated to highlighting the problems with ACT Elections, “which indicated either a misunderstanding of our regulations and constitution; an unclear internal hierarchical structure, or an unwillingness to dedicate time or concern to our elections.”

Ultimately, Langley-Freeman believed that given ANUSA’s estimated expenditure ($20,000$27,00), they did not receive “the best level of service for this amount of money.”

Elections for the ISD officer experienced the most bewildering

MIGUEL GALSIM complications, after one out of only two candidates for the position, Stephen Yuan, intended to withdraw but was past the deadline to do so. Due to miscommunication about the process with Phillip Green, the Returning Officer (RO) for the elections, Yuan was kept on the ballot and ultimately won the election, even though he did not want the role, and advocated for the other candidate, Mulyadi Chezar, on social media sites. He has now resigned from the ISD Presidency even before the start of his term.

Another issue presented itself in unclear eligibility requirements for the role of College of Asia Pacific (CAP) representative. An error in the data provided by the ANU to ACT Elections included PhB science students as being enrolled in the Joint Colleges of Science and the College of Asia and the Pacific.

The current ISD officer, Arabelle Zhang, who was present at the SRC meeting, confirmed LangleyFreeman’s report, highlighting ACT Elections’ vague replies (or no response at all) to their queries regarding withdrawals. By-elections for the ISD Presidency, along with the rest of the ISD Executive, are to be held in the coming weeks, with Langley-Freeman as RO.

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media policies to be released later this year.

ANUSA argued that they notified ACT Elections of the error immediately, although ACT Elections took an extended period of time to confirm with the university that there was an error.

Furthermore, while the Probity Officers were congratulated for their efforts, concerns were raised about the scope of their role. Initially, the Probity Officers were only meant to handle financial matters, but were forced to be on the ground during polling time and “[took] on a much larger role” than provided for them in the Regulations. According to the report, this was due to the RO’s unwillingness to be on the ground and ANUSA’s financial constraints.

Langley-Freeman’s report also expressed a willingness to clarify social media policy during elections for future years, as “the lack of clarity... is going to become more of a significant burden on our ability to hold free and fair elections.”

Langley-Freeman hopes to work with General Secretary-elect Sam Duncan to resolve this, with reference to the AEC’s own social

Langley-Freeman also highlighted the “[calling] out” of Probity Officers online for “bad decisionmaking”, even though Probity was only passing on decisions made by the RO. Limiting the role of the POs, as per the report, would “protect the interests of the students in those roles” and maximise independence in the electoral process for future years.

WORONI No.13 Vol.67

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//NEWS

“T H E CO U N T RY T HAT E ATS I TSELF” F O R M E R A M BA S S A D O R T O Z I M BA BW E A N D

THE CONGO UNREST CAMPUS NEWS

MIGUEL GALSIM

On the night of September 23, former Australian ambassador to Zimbabwe (2011-2015) Matthew Neuhaus spoke at the ANU about his reflections on the Second Congo War and the ongoing conflict throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) up to the present day.

troubled him, particularly the case of women he had spoken to in a DRC refugee camp who had been raped by police officers while conducting daily routine. They told him that “we were here because our very own neighbours chased us from our own home.”

He began recounting the history of the Congo from colonial times, the internal and ethnic strife over the decades amidst Western interference, and spoke on the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, which he characterised as “the greatest tragedy in modern Africa.”

He also related the story of a mayor in the DRC who sabotaged a potential peace deal to safeguard his commercial interests, highlighting it as the prime example of political life in “the country that eats itself.”

Moreover, he stated that “fuelling [the current violence] is the mining industry”, driving rival warlords to fight over easily exploitable resources like gold and diamonds.

The unrest was illustrated as a “struggle for resources in which political leaders use ethnicity.”

Neuhaus recounted experiences during his ambassadorship that

Neuhaus also mentioned Australian aid programs to the region, and when asked by Woroni afterwards about his thoughts on the criticisms of funnelling aid money to governments, with little grassroots effect, he said that he was “very critical about aid, and you have to be very careful about what aid you give.”

“I am certainly very opposed to what you call budgetary support [giving money straight into a country’s budget]. I think aid that goes to NGOs and small-scale development agencies... is well used and necessary.

I also think development assistance in capacity-building... is very useful aid, especially for students that you might meet here at ANU.”

However, Neuhaus remained optimistic when considering the future of the DRC. He argued that continued investment into private industry, especially in Australia’s mining ventures, would bring longterm stability. Yet, concluded that “just as the problems of the Congo have been internal problems... the future of the Congo is dependent on the way the Congolese learn to live together.”

“The best form of assistance in the end is really in the private sector, and through investments that have a corporate-social responsibility side.”

When asked about what he achieved during his ambassadorship, he

cited a discussion that he had with President Mugabe, trying to convince him to hold freer and more peaceful elections. He also mentioned his embassy’s refurbishing of Zimbabwe’s water infrastructure. However: “The take-away for me was that the 2013 elections were actually peaceful, [Mugabe] spoke very strongly for peaceful elections, his thugs were not used... I’ve always asserted that they weren’t free and fair elections... but at least they were peaceful. And that’s progress of a kind.”

Finally, he also encouraged students to engage with the African continent, given its growth rates and equated it to Asia’s position 40 years ago.

“Africa is the continent of the future for Australian engagement.”

“There’s a lot of opportunity in Africa, and we should see it as part of our wider world.”

HANNAH GADSBY @ GODS CAMPUS NEWS On the 22nd of September the ANU Queer* Department hosted a talk at Gods Café given

by Hannah Gadsby as part of ANU Pride Week. Gadsby is an Australian comedian and writer, who graduated from ANU with a degree in Art History and Curatorship in 2003.

Gadsby, perhaps most known for her role of ‘Hannah’ in Josh Thomas’ Please Like Me, spoke on a number of LGBTI+ issues, such as the process of coming out and homophobic attitudes in society. Gadsby, whilst keeping the event light-hearted, discussed

ANNA MACDONALD serious issues, including being physically assaulted during a night out in Tasmania because of her sexuality.

On the issue of coming out to family, Gadsby spoke of a general fear of a lack of acceptance and her reluctance to tell her mother in particular. Her mother’s initial reaction was not positive, telling Gadsby “I don’t want to know… what if I told you I was a murderer?”.

Gadsby, however, emphasized the importance of allowing people time to process someone’s

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sexual orientation.

change it.”

“Give people some time so they stop being a dickhead”. She has now reached resolution with her mother, the latter having said to her that “I am really sorry that I brought you up as straight”.

Kat Reed, the ANUSA Queer* Officer, said of the event: “[Gadsby’s] an ANU alumni so she was able to relate her coming to terms with her identity to being specifically at ANU”

Speaking also on the issue of same-sex marriage, she voiced concerns that the opponents of same-sex marriage can seriously damage vulnerable teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality, who do not have the resources that adults do. She stated that it was time to “just

“She spoke quite a bit about how coming to ANU she was able to discover herself and explore being a lesbian - which was quite a familiar story for many of the audience”.

Gadsby was accompanied by her dog, Doug.

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Week 9, Semester 2, 2015.

//NEWS

SRC 7 REPORT CAMPUS NEWS

MIGUEL GALSIM

On the 22nd of September ANUSA held the seventh Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting of the year, addressing recent election controversies and student concerns.

The agenda and executive reports were to be taken largely as read, with no report or presence from the ANUSA Social Officer.

President Ben Gill presented his report, highlighting student dissatisfaction with the vision and organisation of the School of Music (SoM). He noted that while the Music Students Association (MSA) generally fills ANUSA’s role with regards to student advocacy efforts at the SoM, the two bodies will cooperate to expedite a comprehensive review of the Bachelors of Music degree. The desire to create representatives for the SoM within ANUSA was also expressed.

Education Officer Jock Webb also

mentioned the recent rise of Malcolm Turnbull to the Prime Ministership, stating that it “could be a win” in regards to the government’s possible withdrawal from university deregulation.

Therefore, in protesting fee deregulation he was “not looking to have another rally” but a “more low-key event” to raise awareness.

It was also announced that a new Indigenous Officer, Simon O’Toole, has been found.

Women’s Department Officer Loren Ovens opened her report by addressing controversies about the election process for next year’s officer position. She maintained that in dismissing one of the nominees according to their constitution “[they] followed all policies in place.”

Following allegations of internal pre-selection of candidates for the role within the Department, Ovens stated that the process was “very

informal, very casual” and consisted mainly of asking Department members if they were running.

particularly noted that online voting would be crucial for people with mobility difficulties.

She also expressed concern that the meeting minutes were leaked to Woroni, and that it was “extremely disappointing that [the article] was published”, especially given that it was “without [the Women’s Department’s] consent.”

International Officer Arabelle Zhang was also present to announce that a by-election would be held for the positions of ISD executives from the 5th-7th October, after a misunderstanding with ACT Elections and the ANUSA Returning Officer left the ISD without a president. This echoed sentiments from ANUSA General Secretary Monique Langley-Freeman’s report, which indicated a large amount of governance issues with ACT Elections more generally.

Afterwards, she notified the SRC of planned projects exploring alternative menstrual products to pads and tampons, aiming to “smash the stigma around periods.”

The Women of Colour collective was also recapped after its August 7 launch.

Disabilities Officer Ana Stuart also presented her report, and highlighted issues facing her department members during the ANUSA elections, and expressed desire to make next year’s elections more comfortable and accessible to students with disabilities. She

21st Annual Lions Oratory Competition WED. 14 OCT 2015 6PM

Auditorium Australian Centre on China in the World Fellows Lane, ANU Contestants Jenna O’Connell

ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

Dylan Hubbard

ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

Shelley Zhao

ANU College of Business and Economics

James Feltrin

ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science

Katherine Reardon ANU College of Law

Fahim Uddin

ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment

James Morgan

ANU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Each speaker has just 8 minutes to convince the judges that they deserve to win the ANU Lions Oratory Trophy and prizes totalling more than $4,000 in cash.

Support your College representative as they compete in the 2015 Lions Oratory Competition. Have your say on who should win the $400 People’s Choice Award and be in the running for a Lucky Door Prize on the night.

for more information or to secure a seat: E: events@anu.edu.au T: 02 6125 4144

The SRC meeting concluded with the passing of motions that resulted in the establishment of an Ethno-Cultural Committee and the awarding of $500 in total honoraria to the probity officers of the recent ANUSA elections.

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WORONI No.13 Vol.67

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B RU C E H A L L S T U D E N T S

POW ER AHE AD FOR MENTAL H E ALT H CAMPUS NEWS A group of 24 students from Bruce Hall rode over 500 kilometres last week to raise awareness of mental health issues as part of the “Protect Your Head” campaign.

Tour de Bruce started in Dubbo on the 17th of September, and took the students through Orange and Boorowa before they rode back into Canberra on the 19th. The riders hope to raise $10,000 for the National Institute of Mental Health Research, and are almost at their target having already raised over $8,000.

Jamon Shay, President of the Bruce Hall Residents’ Committee, said that he was proud of the riding group for achieving what they did. .

“Everyone was pushed beyond their limits on both physical and

ANNA KAUFMANN mental level. The first day proved the hardest, as the riders were forced to deal with the pressure of riding along one of rural Australia’s busiest highways as well as the fatigue of a full day of riding.”

raise awareness about mental health.

“A lot of people at Bruce Hall have either personally struggled or known someone who has struggled with depression,” Shay said.

Students also participated in an earlier Bruce Hall-led event, Tour de Burley Griffin, on September 5th, which saw 50 people take part in a ride-athon around Lake Burley Griffin and complete a combined 1,501 laps of the Lake.

‘More common forms of mental health issues, such as stress and anxiety, affect us all throughout the year and so the aim of the campaign wasn’t just to raise money, but to spread knowledge about mental health issues and how to recognise and manage your own personal mental health.’

At least one third of young people will experience a mental illness before they turn 25, making mental health one of the most serious issues for adolescents. Shay stated that the pervasiveness of this issue in the lives of students at university was their reason for wanting to

The Protect Your Head campaign is designed to raise awareness about mental health at ANU and the wider Canberra Community, and coincides with the ANU

Day of Giving on October 7, in the middle of Mental Health Awareness Week.

The ANU Day of Giving will launch the ANU’s campaign in support of the National Institute of Mental Health Research and the reduction of stigma around mental illness. The Day of Giving will ask students not only to donate money as the ANU attempts to raise $50,000 in 24 hours, but also to donate their voices on social media to create a thunderclap across both Facebook and Twitter.

Those wanting to know more about the Protect Your Head campaign, or wanting to donate can do so at https://give. everydayhero.com/au/protectyour-head.

M E NTA L HEALTH INIT I AT I V ES

F O R L AW S T U D E N T S CAMPUS NEWS This year, a range of new initiatives have arisen at the ANU targeted at better protecting the mental health of those studying at the College of Law. These include the LSS Wellbeing Committee (run by the studentrun Law Students Society) and the Law Wellbeing Initiative (run by the College of Law).

The recent movement towards a more supportive environment for law students’ mental health comes after the ANU hosted the National Wellness for Law Forum earlier this year. Tom Kesina, who is involved in both the above groups, says that “questions were raised [at the forum] about whether the College was doing enough,” leading to the birth of the COL Law Wellbeing Initiative.

The LSS Wellbeing Committee

SARAH EDWARDS was formed shortly afterwards.

informal setting.”

The LSS Wellbeing Committee aims to promote wellbeing amongst law students, and to ensure widespread awareness of the resources available to them to help them manage distress, as well as “smashing the stigma around mental ill health.”

Kesina said that as a student-run organisation, the LSS is “wellplaced” to engage with students about wellbeing, “especially when it comes to things like social afternoons.”

The goal of the Law Wellbeing Initiative, as a project of the College, is to introduce structural change in order to address the causes of mental health problems amongst law students, said Kesina. He said that other groups which focus upon student wellbeing and mental health “do not address the issues that cause distress in the first place – which is the curriculum and the way the law is taught. The Initiative will be primarily focussing on these structural issues.”

The Committee will organise events such as wellness seminars, and a careers fair focussing on alternative career paths for law graduates, as well as the social afternoons for law students to “connect with each other in an

According to the New South Wales Law Society, law students report experiencing high levels of distress at over double the rate of the general population, and 13.3% of law students report

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“very high” levels of distress (compared to 3.1% of the general population).

Law students are also at a significant risk of experiencing depression, at an incidence of 46.9%.

Kesina says that although there are “a lot of groups promoting mental health on campus,” the role of the LSS Wellbeing Committee and the Law Wellbeing Initiative is in “focussing on the specific barriers facing law students in accessing these services.”

Kesina said that in the push to address mental wellbeing amongst law students at the ANU, it’s important to “look at [the issue] holistically, and inform what we do as an Initiative and a Committee with research.”

Week 5, Semester 2, 2015.

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//COMMENT

A LOW AUSSIE DOLL AR

I S N ’ T A LWA Y S B A D N E W S COMMENT When people hear about the falling AUD/ USD exchange rate, they typically go on a rant about how the Australian economy is finally done for, they regurgitate something about how the Sydney property bubble is about to burst and, given the current state of affairs, something about how the migrants will take our jobs.

I feel bad for anyone embarking on exchange in the U.S. anytime soon; things will start becoming a lot more expensive for you. Apart from that, the depreciating dollar will most probably lead to good things for the economy as a whole.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or completely absorbed in Semester 2 studies, the current state of the World Economy is not so hot. Russia and Brazil are on sliding down the slippery slope to recession. The dropping price of oil has

LIAM OSAWA competitive, and we didn’t invest enough into education or technology to aid our economy after the mining boom ends.

hit Canada hard, letting them ski straight down into recession too. China is seeing a big drop in exports and imports, leading to a decrease in demand for commodities.

So what does this have to do with our dollar? Well, if anything, a low dollar is good news right now. When the dollar is low, our tourism, education and general exports get boosted up. It means that we will hopefully be seeing more tour buses around Canberra, and more exchange and international students around. Whether the lower dollar will make up for the drying up of the mining sector is arguable, and frankly its anyone’s guess right now.

This brings us to Australia: Obviously our commodities haven’t been doing so hot recently. Riding on the back of the mining boom we’ve had a good twelve to thirteen years: we’ve doubled our GDP, been relatively unaffected by the GFC, and it seemed like everything was going awesome. But recently, mining has suffered a massive loss of employment, and many Australian mining companies are feeling the heat as the demand dries up.

The biggest argument against the economic benefits of a weak Aussie dollar is mainly one surrounding inputs to production. Many inputs to production are sourced from overseas suppliers - a weak dollar means that the prices of importing

So what’s to come? Well, we’re like the kid that doesn’t get braces in high-school but has to get them when we’re 22. Our dollar has been high, we haven’t been very

those inputs to Australia increases, which will most likely mean higher prices for the final products and thereby less demand for it. Whether or not this will outweigh the increase in demand in other sectors is arguable, but we’ll be able to see the results in a few months after the dollar drop really sinks in.

In conclusion, it isn’t the end of the world. A falling dollar sucks for most uni students; most of us would like to go on exchange or at least overseas, and we also desperately need our hand-made American hair ties for our top knots. But for the rest of Australia, hopefully its good news, we need to be as competitive as possible as the mining boom dries up, and this might be our temporary savior.

R E P R E S E N TA T I V E D E M O C R AC Y S T I N T H E 21 C E N T U RY:

HAS IT CHANGED? COMMENT If you’re thinking the world of politics is louder than it was a generation ago, chances are you are probably right in more ways than one. We come from a time of greater instantaneous connectivity and criticism than ever before. However, what does that mean for politics? Our system of democratic representation predates Facebook, Twitter and most other means of modern communication utilized today.

Rather than be left by the wayside of advancing times, it has been forced to innovate. And fast.

At the Parliament House launch of Christopher Pyne’s new book, A Letter to My Children, Woroni took the opportunity to gauge his opinion on what’s changed since he was first elected to Federal Parliament in 1993. In Pyne’s own words, the book is for his children to read in aid of understanding why their father is away so much and why he acknowledges the ongoing sacrifices they make for his life in politics. A seasoned political warrior of 22 years, Pyne has survived countless elections, protests and gaffs that have failed to derail his own political ambitions.

Today, the Education Minister and Leader of the House is pursuing one of the most touchy subjects in public discourse; the Deregulation of University fees.

Everybody seems to have an opinion on

RHYS DOBSON just wish they weren’t quite so unpleasant when they don’t agree with the other people.”

the topic, and it has only been exacerbated further since the intervention of social media. In his own words, the Minister weighed in on the effects it has had on public life.

Acknowledging the lampooning he has received on Twitter in recent times, Pyne reiterated how he continually relishes the challenge of public opinion and expression of displeasure from his fellow Australians.

“I think public life has changed. People who couldn’t otherwise get to politicians to tell them how much they hate them, can now get to them instantaneously, and they do! And I think that for people with eggshell like personalities and thin skin, that might be something hard to deal with.

Fortunately, I’m not one of those people.”

“It took me a long time to get on the ‘twitterverse’, and the only reason I am on it is because my staff assured me I wouldn’t have to read all the comments.

Because, sometimes I feel as though if I helped an old lady across the road I’d be attacked on the ‘twitterverse’, and I think that it is a bad thing to constantly denigrate the people that you don’t agree with…But I don’t mind it at all, because it’s a very good valve, a very healthy valve and a very Australian thing. Yes I think they [the public] misunderstand us, but I think that we are a healthy polity.”

No surprises there. Pyne, who was crowned ‘The Most Painful Politician in Any Parliament’ by Crikey’s Arsehat Awards in 2010, is no stranger to controversy.

His frequent weekly engagements on the Today program with Anthony Albanese, a friend and political adversary at the same time, have often been the source of as much controversy as his performance in Federal Parliamentary Question Time. The public usually instantaneously engages in response to both.

Scrutiny is still the name of the game.

While Pyne argues for continual public engagement in the conversation, he is perhaps incorrect in asserting the public “misunderstands representatives” such as himself. There is an ongoing belief representatives are inherently out of

“With change has come the engagement of the public, but also the unshackling of the public in not necessarily good ways.

I think it’s terrific that the public is so engaged in public life with social media. I

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touch with the public, and current events of helicopter rides, family trips and questionable expenses and entitlement claims from both sides of the political fence demonstrate this further.

“We are a skeptical country and a cynical country in many respects. That’s also one of our strengths as a country. The very skepticism of Australians I think, keeps our polity honest. There isn’t this sense that our politicians are on a pedestal, and I think that’s a good thing.”

Yes, times have changed exponentially in recent decades. Australian people however and their skepticisms about their representatives remain constant in the equation that defines the political landscape. If such criticism is viewed by representatives as little else than a valve, Australians should use it the best of their advantage. It is not often a country has the opportunity and privilege to express its views so candidly as through 140 characters or less. That needn’t mean however, that it be abused by way of excessive violent vitriolic hatred. It should demonstrate engagement, expression and free speech. That being said, it is always worth remembering whose job it is to answer to whom.

SELFIE LEVEL: MARS SCIENCE On August 5th, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover pointed the camera on its robotic arm towards itself, taking 92 photos that were pieced together to form a single selfie.

The pictures were taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), mounted on Curiosity’s robotic arm during the rover’s 1,065th Martian day on the planet.

Curiosity’s selfie was taken in the Marias Pass region, a site where it had just drilled into a rock named “Buckskin”, to analyse a sample using its internal laboratory.

Curiosity has taken selfies before,

EMILY HAAG but for this photoshoot, scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory oriented the camera much lower to face the rover’s body, additionally capturing the rock samples taken from Buckskin in the photo.

seen to the left and right of the rover along the horizon.

The rover first reached Mount Sharp in September 2014.

Marias Pass was chosen as a route to the higher levels of Mount Sharp because the area is rich in silica and hydrogen, indicating that water may have been bound to minerals in the region in the past.

The selfie does not depict the majority of Curiosity’s robotic arm, as it was positioned out of frame in order to capture the picture; however, the arm’s shadow and the shadow of the tools used to drill the rock sample can be seen on the ground.

Principal Investigator Igor Mitrofanov at the Space Research Institute in Moscow said, “The ground about one metre beneath the rover in this area holds three or four times as much water

Oriented northeast, Mount Sharp can be spotted behind Curiosity, while the northern edge of Gale Crater can be

as the ground anywhere else Curiosity has driven during its three years on Mars.”

Studying these geological conditions can unlock information about historic changes in the Martian environment.

On 12 August 2015, the rover concluded its time in Marias Pass and has since started its journey southwest.

Since its landing in August 2012, Curiosity has travelled 11.1 kilometres.

Curiosity’s mission now focuses on the search for evidence that can answer questions about how the Mars environment dried out.

DISTANT WORLDS SCIENCE Almost three million years ago, our early ancestors Homo erectus, gazed into night sky for the first time.

What they saw still resonates with us all today, as few sights can topple the sense of awe that is felt from witnessing the light of a billion stars.

In the last hundred years our curiosity has driven us to distant worlds, although we have yet to truly scratch the surface of our journey into the cosmos.

The most recent product of our exploration has been the pictures taken of Pluto by New Horizons. In an image recently released to the public, we were given a glimpse of what a sunset looks like on the icy rock.

Alan Stern, the principle investigator of New Horizons, commented on

MAX JONES the photo, saying “this image really makes you feel you are there, at Pluto, surveying the landscape for yourself”.

problem is that manned missions so far from Earth require an incredible amount of financial investment into the development of new technologies.

There is hope however, as NASA has set its sights on a manned mission to Mars. The goal is to land humans on an asteroid by 2025 and eventually on the Martian surface, sometime in the 2030s.

The image also gave a lot of information about glacier formation, revealing that the process in Pluto was remarkably similar to that observed in Greenland and Antarctica. Although missions like New Horizons are a triumph for science and the human race, there will always be something missing until the first human sets foot on these distant worlds.

Though the idea of colonizing our galaxy might seem a little farfetched, such an endeavour would be possibly be given a blank cheque. However, the dream of interstellar travel does not fall into this category. The closest exoplanet to us is Alpha Centauri Bb, at 4.37 light years away. To put the scale of this distance into perspective, it would take roughly 4.7 million years

When Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon, he proved that we have the capability to travel beyond the bounds of Earth. Almost fifty years later, the human race has yet to push further into the cosmos. The

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travelling at 100km/h to reach it. In order to make such a trip feasible, we would need to develop a technology that allows transportation to our destination faster than light, which for the moment, is beyond us.

The fascination with the cosmos is deeply founded in all of us and one day we will realise our dreams of interstellar travel. In the meantime, however, we must continue to innovate and push the boundaries of exploration within our solar system.

As Steven Hawking once said, “look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.”

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THE MENTAL HEALTH FEATURE SECTION COVER Brad East

I have personally internalised a number of mental-health related concepts since before I can remember, some relating to myself but the majority towards general society. Mental health is as broad and generalised as any other branch of science, and to say I have any official knowledge would be wrong.

What I can say however is more often than not there is water running deep below the surface of most people, whether this water is an issue or not is regardless, it’s most likely there. However due to the seemingly secretive nature of the psyche, I - and I would presume many others alike - struggle to grasp what happens moment to moment within someone’s head, and henceforth it is often all-to-difficult to connect with someone and understand what they are going through (good or bad).

To combat this, my personal belief has always been the more you know about someone, the more you understand, and this is important as understanding leads to connection and stronger relationships in general. Talking allows for perspective, and all of this brings respect and validation, meaning if time comes for a helping hand, an individual who has gained a number of different perspectives will be much better suited to do what is needed and everyone will benefit emotionally.

I was watching a documentary on mental health disorders, at one point an old woman had a psychotic episode. This woman continued to make manic rants for the next 15 minutes, growing more distraught and uncomfortable as time went on. I strongly felt the presence of ideas forming in her brain, however somewhere between conception and elaboration the ideas were confused, leaving her words to be lost amidst the senseless mumbles, the only relevant information left was her emotion. This emotion however was very strong, to the point where I was compelled (for the first time ever) to draw the experience immediately. This piece stands for me as the moment in which the woman became incomprehensible, communication was still available. Cues could still be picked up however the ability to simply understand the woman’s message was not gone, but instead hidden behind a manifesto of fear, confusion and information with no - or highly misleading - context. My ink work stems from a tattooing influence, with most of my fine pieces coming from my apprenticeship portfolio.

Brad’s work can be seen on Instagram at @artbybeast

BUT WHAT IF IT’S NOTHING? Julia Brieger

When I was 11, I fell down some steps at school and injured myself. I cried and screamed so loudly and for so long that everyone was sure that I’d broken my ankle quite badly. Even I was sure. But when I went to the hospital, they told me that I’d only torn a ligament - a common injury that would heal in a few days. They gave me crutches to walk with until it healed. Ashamed and embarrassed by how much I’d carried on about it, I told everyone it was a really bad fracture, and that the doctor had told me I was very brave. Everyone believed me, being as naive as eleven year olds are. Of course, I felt bad about lying, but worse about how much I had carried on about practically nothing.

Recently, a friend of mine opened up to me about some things that were going on with her mentally. Despite my insistence, she refused to talk to someone who could help. When I asked what was the worst that could happen, she replied, “What if it’s nothing? What if it’s just me being dramatic?”.

I had nothing to say to that. The more I thought about it, the more I realised how silencing that question could be. Not just for me, trying to help a friend, but for so many people who would be thinking “Should I go see someone?” only to decide “I’m just being dramatic”.

What do you do when the idea of not having a diagnosis is even scarier than having one?

Here’s where the misconceptions come into play - counselling is not a diagnosing machine. Counselling is not input bad thoughts, output diagnosis. It’s is not the doctor, it is the crutches. Counselling is help. Whether that comes with a diagnosis has nothing to do with it.

When you go to the counselling centre, they don’t ask why you’re there. You don’t have to tick a “mental illness” box to justify talking to someone. Get counselling if you need it, and get counselling if you don’t, because you have nothing to lose.

The taboo around mental health has existed for years, and is really only just starting to break down. Slowly, we’re seeing people coming forward with their mental health issues. We’re seeing discussions of how to improve youth mental health - especially at university, where rates of mental health are five times higher than the general population. We’re seeing mental health committees in academic colleges and ANUSA, Mental Health Week, and everything in between.

The flipside of that is that it can be easy to feel as though without an attached diagnosis, you can’t ask for, or need, help.

The Counselling Centre can seem dominated by those with mental illnesses, and it can be easy to see the counselling centre as a service that not everyone is allowed. The difference, of course, is that the Counselling Centre is not a medical centre - or an exclusive service offered only to the diagnosed. It is a service that is provided to anybody and everybody who needs help. Never again in your life will you have such free and easy access to this service - and did I mention it was free?

So if you’re sitting there wondering, “but what if it’s nothing?” my question is, so what?

THE ‘REAL WORLD’ OF MENTAL HEALTH Benedict McCarthy

High school did a pretty pathetic job of preparing me for the “real world”.

Take sex ed for example. Apparently, it was supposed to give me the tools to navigate through the most fraught of human relations. In my class though, all that amounted to was a quick slideshow that skipped over masturbation and contraception because it violated the school’s “Catholic ethos”.

Just as concerning, or perhaps more so, was the complete silence surrounding youth mental health issues like anxiety or depression. The school employed a counsellor, but to this day, I remain unsure of how I was supposed to get in touch with them.

Then again, perhaps my school was a one-off, an outlier. Surely in a nation that boasts a world-class standard of education and development such as Australia, our high schools are adequately equipped to, at the very least, raise some awareness about mental health and its issues.

All indications however, seem to point to a resounding no.

Instead, our exposure to mental health education is limited to rare occasions, maybe once every five years or so, when Beyond Blue can afford to put out an ad. Perhaps you’ve heard the statistics they share. If you haven’t, a quick Google Search will inform you of some very scary facts - that one in six people experience depression at some point in their lives or that, and as of 2013, one in four young Australians live every day of their lives with a form of mental illness.

As disheartening as these statistics are, there have been efforts to address them. The Federal Government’s “headspace” initiative is one example. With centres across Australia, headspace offers young people support on a variety of issues, both cost and judgement free. And yet, despite initiatives like this, the results of a recent study from Resilient Youth Australia (RYA) suggest that more is needed to combat this epidemic.

In 2014, RYA surveyed over 36,000 young Australians between grades 3 and 12. The responses of these students provide an important snapshot into their mental resilience and wellbeing. They also exemplify how some are resorting to alcohol, drugs and unwanted sex to deal with these issues.

54% of girls have a fair to low resilience when it comes to dealing with serious problems like anxiety and depression. The results were even worse for boys. Clearly, it is still common for Australian boys and girls to feel disconnected, unsupported and alienated both at home and in the schoolyard. Some might assume that these issues will just sort themselves out with time. However, as too many uni students are aware, this is not always the case.

To quote the age-old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If we really are committed to preventing mental health issues in university students, then maybe we should commit to more resources in schools to shoo away anxiety and depression early before it is too late. If not more money, then at least we should be implementing better-targeted programs.

That’s not to say all mental health presentations at schools are like this. Smaller groups like Batyr are doing an awesome job, sending young speakers to engage in real conversation with young audiences. But despite events like Civic2Surf, these organisations are always in need of more funding to continue their projects.

It’s also a lot easier to host these programs in a school environment than a university one. Homerooms, assemblies and retreats all present opportunities to make sure kids hear these messages, so that none fall through the cracks. As much as I’d love to see an ANU assembly (that’d make for next level StuPol…), there just aren’t those opportunities available at university to chat to everybody about the signs, symptoms and the prevalence of mental health issues.

I don’t know what the best way to engage with school-aged young people about these problems is. And I certainly don’t mean to decry my school. If anything, my high school experience impressed upon me just how little pay and respect we give to teachers for the mammoth tasks that rest on their shoulders. If we want to see an improvement in mental health strategies, changing our perceptions of teachers probably wouldn’t hurt. This would form just one part of better-targeted support for young people in the early stages of mental illness.

PRIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH Jade McKenna (2016 Queer Officer-elect)

When people think of the queer* rights movement in Australia, they think of the debate around same-sex marriage. The campaign for it has blown up massively, taking over most of the media discourse on the matter. However, the main issue for most queer* people is not same-sex marriage - although it is one, important, issue. The reality is that a lot of young queer* people do or will experience self-hatred for who they love, the gender they identify as or simply who they are in the world. They are not proud of who they are or who they love.

Pride Week makes me grateful for how proud I am now, and also makes me remember the years I was not.

When I was 14 years old, I realised that my admiration of the same sex was not simply because I was a baby feminist. I realised that I was attracted to the same sex and did my best to be out and proud. I told my mum as well as some of my friends, and began dating the only other out queer* girl at my school.

I had always been an ally, standing up for other queer* people when it was called for. However, after realising I was one of them, I found myself terrified whenever I thought about other people knowing that I was attracted to girls. A month later, the feeling became too much and I freaked out, dumped my girlfriend and went back into the closet. Admitting that I belonged to a minority, not just supported it, entirely changed my self-worth.

The day after I admitted to myself that I was attracted to the same gender, I lost my appetite. I started on a mission to ‘get fit’, so I took up running and calorie counting. I started off with 1600 calories a day but soon realised how much more in control I felt on 600. I cut out all liquids except iced water and green tea, and took an ice cold bath every night to speed up my metabolism.

I thrived off rules and the intense control that I had over every calorie I ate and exerted - every time the scale dropped, I experienced a rush of intense pride in how I had managed to make myself that much smaller, that much skinnier. This was the pride I could not have being a young gay woman, and this was the little control I had over my life when I could not control my sexuality.

Six months later I had developed a fear of pears, ice cream and pork, crying whenever I had to eat them. I did not have the energy to run, I had dropped from a size 12 to a size 2, and my little brother did not speak to me because he was afraid of the creature sitting across from him at the dinner table, who ate slowly and painfully, taking large mouthfuls of water between each bite.

When you are starving, you don’t have the capacity to think about anything except the fact that you are starving. Your body doesn’t have the energy to desire the same sex when it is desperately trying to stay alive. A psychiatrist asked me about my sexuality in connection to having anorexia, and I couldn’t understand how it was relevant.

Losing my appetite the day after I came out didn’t seem like a connection to me, because in the course of my eating disorder, I had managed to replace every aspect of myself, my sexuality included, with anorexia. I had escaped from the stigma, discrimination and slurs I knew came along with not being straight, by edging myself closer and closer to death.

Young people are the most affected by the stigma of being queer*. Coming out when you’re a teenager is terrifying, shown by the fact that LGBTI+ youth are more likely to develop eating disorders than their heterosexual peers, and are more likely to self-harm and commit suicide.

Same-sex marriage will reduce the discrimination faced by some queer* people through visibility and legal recognition of same-sex relationships, but it will do little for young people who are questioning their gender or sexuality; when you’re coming to terms with who you are, you don’t think about whether you’ll be able to get married in ten years. You worry about whether you’ll become homeless because your parents won’t accept you, or if you’ll be physically or verbally abused at school, home or in public.

The queer* community deserves to be proud, for all the adversity we have overcome and all the steps we are making to being seen as equal, but same-sex marriage will be more important when all queer* people can survive to be the age they can actually get married.

I still remember that there are 72 calories in a medium-sized apple, and can convert kilojoules to calories in my head. I am familiar with looks of disgust from strangers when I’m holding hands with my girlfriend, and I will never be able to tell my grandparents who I love. But I am no longer afraid of ice cream, and I am proud to be gay. The pride I have of my sexuality is something I hope that every 14 year old girl coming to terms with hers gets to feel.

MENTAL HEALTH IN ASIA Andaleeb Akhand

If we look to 2030, the World Health Organisation (WHO) forecasts that depression will be the single largest contributor to the burden of disease worldwide. However, in most of Asia, the concept of mental health has long had to suffer from stigmatisation and a pronounced lack of attention, professional care, and resources. While things are moving in the right direction, much still needs to be done.

In Laos for example, mental health issues are often believed to be caused by the possession of evil spirits. At the end of 2013, only two psychiatrists served a country of six million people, and there is still no mental health legislation to speak of (The Huffington Post, 2013).

With inadequate access to treatment, mentally ill people face discrimination in all aspects of their lives, including exclusion from the labour market, and even social exclusion within their own families and communities.

Cambodia’s distressing history, with decades of unrest and the consequences of the tyrannical Khmer Rouge regime which saw up to two million die from 1975-1979, has meant it is very susceptible to the effects of PTSD. This trauma continues to reverberate through subsequent generations, and also afflicts many other countries throughout the region that have suffered years of war and civil unrest, including Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

In Vietnam, the reported percentage of the population estimated to have mental disorders is 15-20 percent, but psychiatrists working on the ground say the figure is much higher. Despite knowing that their children are mentally ill, many families refuse to seek help for fear of social discrimination. They fear that their children will not be able to get married or find a job. When someone suffers a chronic mental disorder, the effects are usually not confined to just them. Their families are often also subject to stress, worries and depression, not to mention the financial burden associated with paying for medical and other related expenses.

In South Asia, those who suffer from mental illness suffer from discrimination, and often, violence. There is a severe lack of policy programs and limited budgets, and where mental health services are available, they tend to be focused within urban outlets and based in hospitals.

This leaves a large majority of the rural-based population unavailable to benefit from such services.

In China, attitudes to mental health are moulded by Confucian ideology. With Confucian thought emphasising personal duties and social goals as opposed to individual rights, failing to fulfill one’s duties to family and society can lead to common symptoms of psychological distress. Statistics released by China’s National Center for Mental Health showed that as of 2009, 100 million Chinese suffered from mental health problems.

The portrayal of mentally ill people in Chinese media tends to be negative, even if they do not overtly discriminate. They tend to be portrayed as victims or perpetrators of crime, and face avoidance, indifference or ridicule in portrayals of society.

A lack of professional psychiatrists exacerbates the problem in China. Worldwide, there are four psychiatrists and thirteen nurses for every 100,000 people; in China however, that ratio drops to just 1.5 psychiatrists and 2.2 nurses per 100,000 (The Atlantic, 2013).

According to the Ministry of Health in Indonesia, some 19 million Indonesians have a form of mental health disorder. Many uneducated people living in rural areas believe that mental illnesses are a result of being the victim of a curse or black magic. Thousands continue to be chained or shackled because of mental illness. A big problem is that trained psychiatrists often lose out to witch doctors and spiritual patients when it comes to treating mental health patients.

According to Dr Asmarahadi, one of 14 psychiatrists at the government-run Suharto Heerdjan Hospital, changing this stigma is critical to effectively addressing the problem. “We need to get the message out to people that mentally ill patients can be treated with medication, and can live normal lives. People think that with medication they will turn into shells of themselves, and not be able to have sexual relations with their partners. That’s not true.” (BBC, 2013).

Every person with mental health issues has their own unique story. Each country has their own unique challenges when it comes to what they need to do to effectively address mental health issues. But there are common links between different parts Asia from which lessons can be learnt, and undoubtedly countries can share resources and best practices with each other.

WHO AM I TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO? WELL LET ME TELL YOU...

Kate Snailham

At ANU Open Day 2015, as Co-Chair of the ANUSA Mental Health Committee (MHC), I was running our stall when I was grilled for not studying psychology. The attacker in question, a science professor, accused me of “not knowing what [I’m] selling”.

I wasn’t “selling” anything, but that’s beside the point. His reasoning was valid, though. Although I am one of the Chairs, I study a Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Studies, have never held a pastoral care role at college, and my formal knowledge only goes as far as my Mental Health First Aid training. So what gives me the right to hold this role and contribute to the student wellbeing discourse? Totally unqualified and highly vulnerable to mental illnesses, why do we university students think we can help?

I first encountered “mental health” as a topic in high school, an academically selective institution where about 1 in 5 girls in my grade suffered from eating disorders in our final year. I moved to college, and pastoral care was everywhere, all the time. Literally.

As president of my college’s residents’ committee, I sat in on Senior Resident meetings throughout the year. Wow, this opened my eyes. I thought we were all being caught by the safety net of the comprehensive support system. In reality, students were falling through the cracks, left, right and centre.

Since then, my awareness of mental health and the scope of mental illness has grown continuously. Furthermore, my concern for the gaping flaws in student support mechanisms has intensified. And most importantly, my passion for mental health maintenance has thrived.

This is what I believe legitimises my place on the ANUSA MHC. I believe it is this awareness, concern, and passion that legitimises any student trying to improve the wellbeing of others.

The key exempting clause is that we cannot assume we can eradicate the problem, at any level. All we can do is try our best. But if we start claiming any authority to know what “fixes” the vulnerability of students or what “cures” mental illness, we’re in trouble and way out of our depth. That’s where you can start doing more damage than good. That stuff is for the professionals.

So what can we do?

The MHC covers the three main areas of student involvement in mental health support. Firstly, use your awareness. The MHC provides information to students and staff on mental health, mental illnesses, support services and ways to help. A fairly straightforward function which anyone can do with a bit of critical analysis.

There’s a fantastically overwhelming amount of information on the internet which can be useful so long as you remember that everyone’s mentality is different, just like everyone’s physicality is different. Where one person may want a personal trainer, other people prefer team sports to keep fit. Similarly, in terms of mental health, some people prefer socialising whilst others want time by themselves.

What we can do, as unqualified students, is find the relevant information, sort through it, use it to better understand our own mental health and pass it on in a non-judgemental way.

Secondly, use your concern. As the primary users of the university’s services, students are best placed to give feedback on how to strengthen the weaknesses in the systems. The MHC gathers and conveys this feedback to university staff.

You don’t need a qualification to realise that a month is too long to have to wait for a counselling appointment, or that your course convenor should understand if you have a panic attack during a take-home exam and be able to do something about it.

Thirdly, use your passion. The MHC organises, runs, and supports initiatives that encourage positive mental health. Again, so long as you realise that not everything works for everyone, this is fairly straightforward.

ANU students have excelled in organising initiatives that promote positive mental health and the key is accessibility, with a bit of background knowledge. When an event/activity is open to all, optional, inclusive, judgement-free and easy to get to, then there’s unlikely to be any harm done, especially if the organiser combines their awareness with their passion.

So yes, we do have the legitimacy to try improve student wellbeing at university. This stems from our awareness that mental health is an important aspect of university life, our concern that there are gaps in the current student support system, and our passion to make it better.

So long as we don’t assume we have all the answers or that one method works for all, then every little bit helps. Whether we’re working to improve systems and structures, to increase knowledge and understanding, or to promote positive mental health, at least we’re doing something.

SUCK IT UP Jordan Morrissey

I’m a fairly insensitive person. My attitude to mental health is, that unless absolutely necessary, you should suck it up. I have always believed that adults have a responsibility not to display emotion outwardly, it might make someone else uncomfortable.

“Trigger warnings” are something that I have always thought were a case study in “Poe’s Law” in application to left wing identity politics. How could an article or some coarse Content upset anyone? Suck it up.

Mid-term weeks are stressful; there are copious amounts of assignments and exams around the corner. I have always tried to keep any stress I might be feeling totally to myself, aside from the occasional whinge about assessments.

Last week I found out sometimes it’s not possible.

I happened to be waiting for a friend, let’s call her E. E and I study together frequently. So I showed up at the agreed upon time, I waited for 10 minutes. She hadn’t come, I waited 20 minutes. I sent a text asking where she was after 30 minutes. After 40 minutes the Barnsley’s, an old academic couple, had occupied my table leaving no room for E even if she wanted to show up now. I’d still not received any word of cancelled plans after 50 minutes.

At this point I remember an experience from my childhood, I was about eleven at the time. My mother would not infrequently forget to pick me up from school. Not being independent enough to find my way home alone, this would invariably result in a huge amount of distress for a child. I remembered this vividly, but it’s never apparently affected me as adult.

I could feel myself struggling to deal with how upset I was about having been bailed on without explanation.

I went to the bathroom, and when I knew I was alone I heaved and my eyes leaked. After a few minutes, I went back out hoping that Mister Barnsley wouldn’t comment on the gleam of my eyes or my red face.

After I was finished I ran into E, who explained that her phone hadn’t been working. I was upset, but I felt that this wasn’t justified. It certainly wasn’t her fault. Uncomfortable where I was, I decided to get lunch.

While I ate my lunch, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about what had happened to me eleven years ago. As I ate, my vision became clouded by concealed tears and my face became red.

I tried to focus on my food, and not look up. I wanted to believe that no-one else in the room could see what was going on. “Are you ok?” I was asked. I tried to communicate in the affirmative. I was fine, of course I was fine, everything is always fine, I’m an adult. And then my face burst, and I was crying in a public place.

I physically couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to just suck it up.

It was humiliating. I had failed everyone around me by exposing them to my emotions. I had failed to fulfil my expectations of myself, and I had done it in a full room of people just trying to eat their own lunch. It was as bad as making out in a café, or having a break up on a train.

I went outside and cleaned myself up. It took me some minutes to calm down. I was triggered by something small. Apparently I couldn’t just suck it up.

An experience sometimes invites us to reconsider our views, and it’s clear to me that mine needed reevaluation.

Lauren Dmyke I’ve been advocating for mental health for a few years now, but it was only recently that I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I’m going to be honest, life has been a struggle lately. It’s scary to watch your own health deteriorate, even when you’re doing everything in your power to stay well.

I can’t remember the last time I had an unbroken night of sleep. I’ve been sick with infections twice this semester. Getting up in the morning is a struggle. I have the attention span of a goldfish and I’m hopelessly behind on assignments.

It’s easy to fall into double standards. You’re emphatic that people with mental illness deserve your support. But there can’t be anything wrong with you. You’re just weak, or lazy, or overemotional. You’re overreacting; you have no self-control, and you should be able to manage by yourself. In your mind you’re the Black Knight from the Holy Grail. Your struggle ‘’’tis but a flesh wound’. You’re convinced you can keep fighting alone, even when you don’t actually have any limbs to stand on.

What motivates me to share my story is this: I’m certain I’m not the only person with this experience. Mental health issues are so incredibly common, especially in our demographic. I want people to realise that sometimes mental ill health is simply part of the texture of life, and it’s ok to not be on top of things all of the time. Resilience helps, but remember that you don’t have to deal with your issues alone. Accepting help can be difficult, but it’s also humbling.

I’m doing what I can to stay positive. I’m living in the good moments.

I’m exercising, seeing friends, and giving back to the communities that support me. There are still days when all the coping strategies in the world don’t help. I’ve got a long way to go. But I know I will become well eventually, and in the end I’ll be stronger for it.

Eleni Ravanis If you met me, you wouldn’t know I’ve ever had mental health issues.

I first had depression when I was 14, and from the age of 15-18 had CBT for OCD and Generalised Anxiety disorder. Recently I have been struggling with depression again.

What’s the difference between a healthy and unhealthy mind? A healthy mind is like looking through a crystal clear blue ocean and making out every feature on the seabed. When I’m healthy, I’m excited for life and for the future. But when I’m unhealthy, I’m looking through frosted glass. I might still do a lot of the things that healthy Eleni does. But there is a pendulum swinging in my chest. And it’s like there’s something in my brain that I can’t see through, and this distortion seeps through into my life. My time horizons shrink, and I struggle to see past the next day.

The whole world seems to fade in colour. I feel lost. I sometimes think, “I can’t do this”.

The thing about when you’re depressed is that to me it doesn’t feel like my perception of life is skewed, and therefore it can be really hard to recognise that it’s depression making me think this way. It feels like I am facing a deep and buried truth that I spend the rest of my life trying to forget, and it is very overwhelming.

But depression is the lie, not life. Depression is the lens distorting the light of the world. And it is very hard to cope with feeling like you are constantly at war with your own mind, whether it be depression, OCD or any other mental health problem. And the work you have to do to stay healthy is tiring. It is draining knowing I’ve done worksheet after worksheet, read chapter after chapter on mindfulness and “fighting back OCD” and I am still doing that: fighting. It can be an exhausting fight. But having mental illnesses doesn’t mean that you’re crazy. It doesn’t mean that you’re broken, and have nothing to give the world.

It just means you have to work harder to stay healthy so that you can do all the things you are absolutely capable of doing. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. And when we do stay alive, and we reach a day where we can say “right now I’m healthy”, we shouldn’t be ashamed. We should be proud.

Ana Stuart One day when I was 15, I woke up and just couldn’t stop crying. I had no idea why I felt so sad, or if there was any cause of it. Within 2 weeks, I was in hospital being diagnosed with major depression.

The next two years are a complete blur. I have very few memories from that time, because all I ever felt was emptiness. I was unable to get out of bed for weeks at a time. I stopped talking to my friends, my family, and shut off completely from the world.

Luckily, one day I had a friend explain something to me that saved my life. ‘People would rather help you, than see you in pain and be unable to know how to help.’ When they said that, I made the decision to start treating my depression as a medical condition, rather than a problem with me personally.

It’s not easy to always remember this, because when I get sick, I feel as though I am a burden on everyone, and they would be better off without me. But with time, and a lot of persistence, it has gotten easier.

Now, I’m in a place in my life that, 6 years ago, I could never had imagined. Although there are still hard times, and my depression likes to come and visit every now and then, I’m ok with it. It makes me who I am.

Ben Gill Throughout my life I have experienced episodes of depression, anxiety and for most of my late teens and early 20’s an eating disorder. While it is commonly assumed that those experiencing issues are aware in the moment, the reality is that isn’t’ always the case. In my case it took me getting to what I would consider crisis points before I decided I needed help and then to actively seek it. For me this highlights the importance of mental health literacy on an individual and community level. Every person has the power to reduce stigma around mental health and has a role in helping prevent and intervening early with respect to mental health issues. Now I totally get this sounds daunting. There will be those of you who ask how? Some who ask why? And even those who will say ‘hold on what the frick is mental health literacy?”. So let me try and give some brief answers. What? Put simply good mental health literacy means having a sound understanding of mental health issues including some of the signs, support available and importantly a comfortableness speaking about them (though this last part comes with time). Why? This is easy. Current statistics estimate one in four Australian youth (16-24) will experience a mental health issue within a given 12-month period.

For context, that would be around 2,500 ANU undergraduate students, 500 UniLodge students, 150 of your peers in your first year classes etc. etc. When you contextualise it within our (ANU) community you can begin to see the potential for individuals to make a positive impact.

How? Well there are endless ways to further your knowledge. You may want to do Mental Health First Aid (FYI ANUSA offers subsidised training), talk to those who have lived experience, check out the internet (try beyondblue, headspace and butterfly foundation) and or make your smartphone a resource by downloading a range of apps which offer assistance (I’d recommend the Check-In App by Beyondblue). This simple act of educating yourself and being open to talk about mental health issues has an enormous impact on the recognition, management and prevention of people experiencing mental health issues. So there you go, the way to a more mentally healthy and help seeking society can start with you and grow from there. You are not alone and you have the potential to make a difference.

If anything contained within this article makes you feel distressed, please phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit the ANU Counselling Centre (www.counselling. anu.edu.au) For resources to support yourself or friends with Eating Disorders visit the Butterfly Foundation Australia (www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au)

UNION COURT AND HAPPY THOUGHTS Matthew Lord

For many years in Australia and other countries, mental health has been a social issue that has often been swept under the rug. Talk to your parents about whether they received any guidance on the topic in their schooling years, and it’s likely that the answer will be a strong negative. Even amongst the current generation of university students, our high school introduction to mental health most likely came from a few externally sourced volunteer organisations, giving us a general run-down of what words like depression and anxiety meant.

However, slow progress is being made. From the early 2000s, organisations such as Beyond Blue have been working to raise awareness with campaigns such as Suicide Prevention Day. Social media has often provided the vehicle for these initiatives, like the #stopsadshaming campaign that was popular in 2014.

All in all, while the current statistics about the mental health situation in Australia may paint a gloomy picture, awareness about mental health is definitely on the rise. And one area in which research is uncovering important findings is the interconnectedness of mental health and our environment.

This is not an entirely new area - links have long been seen in Britain and other northern hemisphere countries, where many people are affected by “seasonal affective disorder” – an illness that someone creatively abbreviated to SAD. Sufferers of the disorder are prone to heightened levels of depression in line with seasonal fluctuations, hence its other name - the “Winter Blues”. Little wonder why the Brits constantly complain about the weather.

But while controlling the weather is beyond our control, society does have the means to improve mental health through careful consideration of our built environment. The main medium through which this can occur is the development and maintenance of “green spaces” in urban settings. Green spaces – essentially areas of natural vegetation – have received a great deal of attention in recent years, with researchers and NGOs attributing reduced obesity levels, improved air quality, and everything in between to these pockets of vegetation scattered around the city. Importantly however, were the findings that green spaces have positive effects on perceived stress levels and quality of life.

It is obvious why this is important in an age of rapid urbanisation. But how does all this affect us here at the ANU? The first blueprints for the redevelopment of Union Court have been recently released, and the plans do mention some typically attractive environmental sounding words, like “green spine” and the “garden campus”. Nevertheless, the question remains of whether these slogans actually represent a substantial intention to properly integrate the new Union Court design within the campus’ natural environment. Current plans, which include taller buildings, an ANU tower, and a predominantly urban feel to Union Court, don’t look promising for those who enjoy a bit of greenery between classes.

So what do we want: an ANU skyline, or to be able to see the sky?

With the already significant inclusion of natural vegetation in our campus (far more than our neighbours Sydney or Melbourne could hope for), and Sully’s running right through the middle, there is ample opportunity for integrating green spaces in the new Union Court design.

So to the planners - for the sake of our health, don’t pass it up.

6 TIPS ON SEEKING REVENGE Wayne Joseph

Your fists are firm and you’re ready to throw the first punch: it’s fight time!

The secret wars waged at the ANU are rooted in feelings of unfair treatment, hardship, and the pressure of high expectation.

Seeking revenge should never be a lonely process; that’s for amateurs.

A team effort can yield better outcomes and deliver greater satisfaction.

Step 1: Stop That’s right, slow down. You’re not Olivia Pope and no, you can’t handle this like a Gladiator.

The truth is that your seething rage isn’t creating a clever strategy.

Contemplate whether your current plan will work in your favour or simply expose your weaknesses.

Moreover, stopping for a moment takes the focus off of you and buys time to plot and conspire.

Fact: this is your first chance to save face! No fumbling, no stuffing-it-up.

Step 2: Don’t burn the bridges (not yet) Where were you planning to stage your battle?

You need to establish common grounds upon which to reveal your master plan, especially when making requests. Encouraging continued dialogue allows you to better understand your enemy, possibly exposing the likelihood of them backing down. You’re also showing that you’re the bigger person by allowing the other’s voice to be heard.

Crucially, you need to decide whether this is a battle – battles usually have high costs – and what’s the risk of destroying your own reputation.

Think and act diplomatically.

Step 3: Plot & Conspire This is where your team comes in, hence why I said that no revenge should ever be undertaken alone. Remember, the attention is already on you, but others may be under the radar. Your team should be providing a plan of action and be a sounding board for special considerations.

They should also be qualified and have some experience in handling issues efficiently. What are their credentials?

Your team should stay focused on the problem, not on you. Obviously you’re trying to achieve a goal, but the team has to be able to focus on the objectives and satisfy needs rather than desires.

Step 4: Hustle & Flow Once you start opening your mouth I expect to hear something that makes sense.

Tell me: can you clearly state what the problem is? Or will you whinge and moan without making sense?

A tone of voice that encourages open dialogue can help you “save face”, while also imparting a sense of confidence in your viewpoints.

Depending on the problem, let’s look at which rules and expectations are involved. Some of concepts involved might come in handy, so learn them, use them and own them.

Step 5: Action time You’ve submitted your plan to team scrutiny. Now you can activate the secret mission by putting the plan to the ultimate test; reality. After making the first move, I recommend relaxing and getting your mind off of it. You’ve already done your part. Now you wait for the other party’s move.

Your team members will remain activated and ready for feedback from the other side, and will alert you to anything that requires urgent attention.

Step 6: Keep your head in the game Inevitably, some parts of the plan may not work. That’s ok!

You will become better at processing the information and working out a new strategy.

You may even redefine what you consider as a win. Perhaps the revenge you’ve been seeking wasn’t the goal. Instead, resolution will become your primary target.

The best part of not seeking revenge is walking away satisfied with minimal damage, enduring minimal costs.

WORONI No.14 Vol.69

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Week 9, Semester 2, 2015.

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# L I B S P I L L EDUCATION COMMENT On the 14th of September at 4pm, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the press announcing that he had informed the Prime Minister Tony Abbott that he would be challenging for leadership of the Liberal Party. By 10pm, the Liberal MPs had conducted the ballot, with Turnbull beating Abbott 54 votes to 44.

There were cries of celebration upon the announcement of Turnbull taking the leadership. After all, it is the first time Australia has a Prime Minister who supports gay marriage, a strong stance on climate change and the movement to a republic. These celebrations have been quickly quietened, after it was revealed that in order to claim the leadership, Turnbull made promises with the right wing of the party. This has meant that he will not allow a conscience vote on gay marriage, won’t push the Republic issue, and will leave the current climate change policy as it stands.

These have been big issues for him in the past, but in order to gain power he has left his morals at the door.

Discontent had been growing with Abbott all year, with an initial attempt to cause a spill in February, despite the party not actually having another MP ready to put their name forward. The Abbott government has been largely unpopular with students, with critical issues being their policies on education, gay marriage, climate change and refugees.

POLICY

ANA STUART approach to future cabinet discussions on the matter.

The most pressing issue for students currently is what will happen to the policy introduced to deregulate university fees.

Up until now, this policy has created huge angst for students, but has so far gone nowhere.

Turnbull has said that although he supports deregulation, the “political realities” of the Senate will force an updated policy.

“The government’s position is that reform of the higher education system to enable, really to promote excellence and greater diversity and choice in higher ed is very, very important.

Christopher ‘the Fixer’ Pyne, former Education Minister, first attempted to deregulate higher education in the radical 2014 budget. The legislation has been blocked by crossbenchers in the Senate twice. The policy remained unchanged in the 2015 budget. Although university deregulation has remained on the backburner since March, it’s likely that higher education reform will be a focus for the Turnbull government.

Alongside this, university administrations are loudly calling for deregulation and an entire overhaul of how funding is distributed to individual universities.

The Group of Eight (universities which include the ANU) has pushed deregulation from the start. This week they went even further, calling for an entire revamp of the funding model for the sector. They want universities that are research focused to gain more government funding, at the expense of lower ranked institutions.

The new Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, has commented that he “will be an Education Minister who seeks to build a consensus and work with education stakeholders from early learning and schools through to universities and the vocational training sector and make sure that through that we are developing policies as much as possible in a collaborative sense.

Vicki Thomson, CEO of the Group of Eight, said the change of Prime Minister did not change the need for a sustainable economic model for university funding.

The Group of Eight has just released its submission to the Review of Research Policy and Funding Arrangements for Higher Education. This submission claims that under the current model of funding, they are unable to support high-quality research. The elite universities call for a complete upheaval of the way research is

“The government has policies that remain policies until the cabinet determines otherwise, but it is my expectation that I’ll be listening very closely to the views of education stakeholders on the content of those policies, on the reforms that are most needed for the higher education sector and that will, of course, inform my

funded, with Thomson saying, ‘The Go8 is committed to pathways to higher quality but the taxpayer funding pipeline needs to be severed where that is not occurring.

Taxpayer funding should be diverted to deliver the best bang for the buck in the national interest. The Go8 is not saying halt the research; it is saying halt the taxpayer funding of that research that cannot deliver demonstrable high quality.’

This hard line is going to going to divide the university sector with bigger, more successful institutions trying to survive at the expense of small ones.

It is likely that these funding recommendations from the Group of 8 will greatly influence the new policy on higher education.

In the middle, current and future students are caught out. There are very few student voices at the policy making level, and without strong campaigning, what students want will be ignored.

As yet the potential $100,000 universities fees haven’t eventuated, but that is only because the legislation has not yet passed through the Senate. These issues are still unresolved.

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CO-LAB: SCIENCE ARTS & REVIEWS Science and art don’t seem to have much in common at first glance. I once knew a girl who double majored in physics and philosophy and she was pretty much equivalent to Stephen Hawking in my book. With the spread of popular science (such as I Fucking Love Science on Facebook), science has become more accessible in our own lives but locally in Canberra, there have been few opportunities to take it out of its intellectual bubble. Co-Lab: Science Meets Street Art on 19 September, organised by ANU student Lee Constable, has been one such attempt, melding the work of street artists and ANU science PhD students at Westside, New Acton.

Arriving at Westside on Saturday afternoon, house music is pumping and there is a steady stream of people walking past to see the newly painted fence, now covered with five large science-themed artworks. One of them was completed by Kurt Laurenson, also known as Stylized Impact, who teamed

JESSICA MASTERS is partly the reason why Lee, who is finishing a Masters of Science Communication Outreach, conceived of the event. “A lot of the emerging youth culture in Canberra is to do with art and [specifically] public art... By focusing on young emerging scientists, who honestly don’t get very many opportunities to celebrate their work, and focusing on street art, as an emerging medium for communicating with people, this has [helped] engage people who may not normally engage with science.” Lee, whose undergraduate study at ANU involved both Science and Arts, saw an opportunity to use street art to communicate ideas with other young people because it “brings it into a public space that they’re familiar with and it gives them a sense that they are connected to science”.

with science student Larissa Huston as she wrote her PhD on condensed matter physics, focusing on how light and electrons interact with the crystal structure of materials. Larissa admits that she did not see her science work as an artwork and Kurt responds to this by crediting Lee, who he says “paired us up really well... my style is abstract so to do all this colour and light has been perfect.” The resulting image is an abstract piece displaying broad rainbow streaks on a flat black background.

Brighter shades are used to highlight brush movement and to add elements of light to the colourful mural. Larissa says it has been an “interesting adventure to communicate my work out to the public in a very accessible medium such as art, so people can actually look at it and appreciate it... I think subjects such as condensed matter physics are very difficult to communicate in visual form.”

Brad East, who goes by Beast or @ artbybeast on Instagram, worked on Saturday without his PhD student, Lyle Roberts, present but speaks easily

Communicating science to the public

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about the project, called ‘Using Lasers to Move Space Junk’. “Lyle Roberts’ work uses certain amounts of lasers and laser intensity to change the orbit and altitude of different space debris.” The accompanying information provided at the event describes it as “a similar concept to the death star, except far less sinister”.

Having experimented with graffiti since the age of 12, Brad mentions that his mother hates what he does unless it’s legal “in which case, she’ll love it”.

For Brad, if you remove the illegality aspect of street art, there only remains someone’s artistic expression, which he says is exactly the same as science; “someone being able to express their understanding and their knowing and put[ting] that into a more practical aspect.” I ask if creating this artwork has helped him see more similarities between science and street art, and he agrees that they are very similar “in the way that it is so hard to understand and

Week 9, Semester 2, 2015.

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MEETS STREET ART a lot of people don’t quite get what is going on... this [event] allows both of those things to be brought in to show the benefits of both [science and art]”.

Brad says that for him personally, his involvement in Co-Lab comes down to “the validity of the fact that what I’m doing is relevant and important and needs to be in this changing landscape that we are in. Obviously science is not easy to grasp for everyone else and that’s exactly the same with graffiti... for me to be able to explain my side by having the graffiti aspect as well as having some kind of internal context with science allows us to explain both our ends and bring it into something socially acceptable. For a lot of people science is acceptable but it’s not accessible [because] it’s just too far to grasp and I guess that’s the same with graffiti.”

Brad’s work, which he says began “with throwing paint at the wall for

really paying attention to it then you can put in as much detail as you want... when you’re doing street art, someone is literally walking past it compared to people who go to a gallery with the mindset that they are going to have to think about something.” I ask if the principle of street art is to integrate art with everyday life and Brad is enthusiastic, saying that street art or “public art” as he prefers to call it, is there so that everyone can understand it whereas an exhibit in a gallery is “very much not for everyone”.

four hours yesterday”, involves a lot of fine detail and illustrates Earth in space surrounded by satellites and debris.

His art focuses on process-driven work because it allows for a more organic flow to his pieces and therefore can be manipulated to benefit and compliment how the materials behave. The artwork is filled with drips of running paint, which he says he uses to bring out the texture of his materials and process so the viewers can “see the brush contacting the wall from start to finish”.

Brad says he had several people come up to him and ask if the running paint was a comment on climate change. “[That] goes down to the fact that again art is so highly subjective and draws different assertions depending on the viewer and context.”

Considering that a lot of street art happens in secret and is often regarded as either unlawful or as part of an underground youth culture, public events such as Co-Lab are helping to advertise the changing conception of street art in Canberra and promote the integration of our artistic community into our business and work worlds.

At Westside, New Acton, whilst previously there was a blank fence

“The thing with graffiti and street art,” Brad says, “is that you have to capture someone’s attention in two seconds, and if you can do that, if you can get someone looking at your stuff and

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protecting portable toilets, there is now a growing community art space that has significant meaning for both the artistic and scientific communities. The event has brought hundreds of people to view the space at Westside, a space that also hosts youth events, and has contributed to the growing legitimisation of quality street art in Canberra. Everyone I speak to has raved about the creativity and success of the event, with Brad supplementing his statements by saying “the less unknown ground between all parties involved in art - from artist to mentor to audience - the more chance the piece is likely to be acknowledged and hopefully understood”.

Co-Lab artworks were created by Beast, Houl, byrd, Stylized Impact and Smalls, based on the Science PhD theses of Lyle Roberts, Catherine Ross, Thomas Brereton, Larissa Huston and Jason Whitfield.

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Phoenix Bootleg Sessions Monday 14th September On the same night that Turnbull took over, the Canberra music scene was celebrating a night of local artists at the Phoenix Bootleg Sessions. The Phoenix is a quirky bar located across from Civic Maccas and often puts on gigs throughout the week. Their first musician was Maggie Jeffs who played chilled tunes, which were a perfect accompaniment for a casual drink on a Monday. As a solo artist, she performed well and sang meaningful original songs.

Following Jeffs was Elk Locker, an emo genre band who showed a lot of free talent. There was a lot of screaming which made the lyrics a bit ambiguous, but all in all, the band had great potential with funky tunes that made the audience dance their night away.

There was a strange moment, in the heat of the last British elections, when Labour leader Ed Miliband, frantically seeking to shed his awkward dad image, sought the support of comedian Russell Brand.

It was a classic example of ‘the powers that be’ trying to court the underground, stooping to the youthful band of the educated and disenfranchised, whose level of interest in politics often languishes behind their will to mock it.

Universal though this motif certainly is however, this particular strain of British counterculture has something shared by very few others around the world: a dance floor all to itself.

Club culture in Britain was, from its inception, always grounded in a deep sense of equality and anonymity. Once you entered that hallowed space, all ego was eliminated, replaced by only a deep, pounding throb. It didn’t attract the anti-establishment so much as the non-establishment. The experience was, above all, what mattered. It’s a sentiment that has been lost in the so called “flat white revolution” of London, only to be perfectly recaptured by Jamie xx in his transcendent debut album, In Colour.

This isn’t to say that Jamie Smith isn’t still the heartthrob of this very same group of British hipsters; this is the man after all that gave us the xx, a group whose minimalism ultimately trumped any sense of honest emotion. Whereas that group’s lyricism bordered on the mythical, Smith’s driving bass lines and compressed sampling grounds

Duck Duck Ghost were the highlight of the night. Their original tunes were funky and illustrated great

MATT BOWES

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potential for the indie rock band.

The singer and musicians displayed high energy through all their songs as the audience danced and sang along. Notable tunes such as Hey and My Side, which you can find on Triple J Unearthed, were popular amongst the crowd. You can catch Duck Duck Ghost at up coming gigs such as the ANU Music Students Association Music Festival En Plein Air on October 9 along with other Canberra local bands such as Slow Turismo, The Steptones and Kaleid.

The final band for the evening was the punk band Malk? Don’t worry; the question mark in their title confused me, too. The trio provided a lot of great banter and entertainment, and showed a lot of talent in their original songs, which had killer riffs by the bass guitarist.

Look out for the next Phoenix Bootlegged Session to support your upcoming local and interstate artists.

D E L I N E A T I O N -

KATE BENDER’S

everything in gritty reality, letting his panoramic synths do the heavy lifting.

Smith’s two xx bandmates, Romy and Oliver Sim, both feature on the album, however they do so in distinctly unfamiliar settings. On ‘Loud Places’ Romy’s anaemic whispers are transformed by a sea of backing voices and guitar riffs, blossoming into an uplifting ode to the power of dance “I go to loud places…to be quiet.” The more familiar soft-core rave vibe of ‘Stranger in a Room’ feels propulsive in a way that the track’s contributor, Sim, has rarely managed before. There’s even room here for ‘I Know There’s Gonna Be’ featuring an oddball collaboration of rapper Young Thug and vocalist Popcaan.

C O L O U R L I G H T S PAC E ARTS & REVIEWS In preparation for her first solo show at X Gallery in Bungendore, Kate Bender was kind enough to unveil to me the artist behind Colour Light Space. The recent ANU School of Art Painting graduate talks of the joys this art form brings her.

The significance of this refined and highly contemporary work at X Gallery became ever so apparent as the course of Bender’s career was shown to me in paintings.

The progression of her technique has undoubtedly evolved into a multidimensional relationship between that very colour, light and space that Bender interprets.

What is particularly striking of the method in which she practices is her ability to create or manipulate certain phenomena, using such agents as a light box to represent a distinguished detail of said phenomena.

Nevertheless, it is the emotive power of Smith’s production on it’s own that is the real stand out here. His ability to skillfully meld the almost ethereal pop landscapes that appear on tracks like ‘Obvs’ with the dissonant vocal snippets that propel the albums more danceable moments, makes this an album that with far reaching appeal.

That’s not to say it’s going to appear on the dance floor anytime soon; Smith’s tracks pulse rather than build, the breakdowns feeling natural rather than overly premeditated. But wherever they appear, these tracks will draw you into a different, introverted world, one where the incessant chatter of politics and culture are entirely forgotten.

4.5/5

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ADINA WEST Not only does Bender make work that facilitates a multi-sensory reception, she speaks of how the work creates an almost reverse synaesthesia for herself. When Bender’s work has reached a state of near completion, her mind provides for her a musical response, something with which she affirms the success of a piece. These works displayed in Colour Light Space are raw examples of such fervour from the artist.

The anticipation for what role Bender will take on from here is not to be lost. No doubt will there be an unfolding of creative visions in the months and years to come for such a current and evolving artist. Bender plans to continue her research in colour, light and space and is currently taking novel and insightful avenues to do so.

Week 9, Semester 2, 2015.

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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ARTS & REVIEWS Much Ado About Nothing is a Shakespearean play I have not studied, read, or seen in full, so it was a welcome surprise to watch its intricacies unfold on stage for the first time. The seasoned theatre-goer - you know, the one with a specific tweed jacket, just for the occasion - would have a weight of experience to draw on, but not me. So, be warned, the following is a review of Canberra Repertory Society’s production of Much Ado About Nothing by a casual-at-best theatre-goer intended for the similarly inexperienced.

Now, I know as well as you do that at least “some” of classy pieces of literature you boast of having read you honestly haven’t, so let’s not assume we all know the basis of the plot. Long story short, Much Ado is a variation on the Channel 10 “hit”, The Bachelor. Benedick, Claudio, and Don Pedro and his sour bastard of a brother, Don John, are returning from the war. They decide to stay at Leonato’s digs in Messina, where he lives with his daughter Hero, niece Beatrice, and “the help” Ursula and

SAMUEL GUTHRIE Benedick and Beatrice fits snuggly, and the Claudio-Hero tryst can be forgiven for its haste and antiquated nature.

Indeed, for mine the real meat of the play is within the Benedick and Beatrice relationship, because it still feels real today. Quarrelsome but interested in one another? We’ve all seen our one, and Canberra Rep made it relatable but not cliche.

Margaret. Claudio spills all his roses in the first act, falling incomprehensibly in love with Hero. Don Pedro decides to help while Don John - don’t forget he’s the dick brother - decides to hinder.

Meanwhile, everyone else decides that the existing ‘merry war of words’ between Benedick and Beatrice should become romance by hook or by crook.

Not to mention the escapades of an ‘ass’ policeman, Dogberry, and the ethically questionable plotting of Friar Francis.

Which brings me to the casting and acting, which as far as the little bits of amateur theatre I have seen was great, moreover it was riotously funny. Riley Bell’s Dogberry was hilarious and surely injured from his own physicality and Bojana Kos (Margaret) apparently paralysed the back row with a comly play on words; both capture the spirit of those bit characters slipped in by Shakespeare to entertain the pit. But certainly it was Jim Adamik (Benedick), Lainie Hart (Beatrice), and Vivek Sharma (Claudio) who all drove the comedy forward with their balanced performances, equal parts eccentricity and earnestness. Around these key roles

Directed by Cate Clelland (assisted by Marti Ibrahim), Canberra Rep have brought Much Ado alive in the Australian 1920s. The Twenties are in style at the moment, and this production clearly channels the finery and attitude of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. But it’s quite a tasteful choice, the pomp and panache of these boom years provided challenges for the prevailing order but were paradoxically related to the ills of returned servicemen.Thus the contrast of frivolity and seriousness feels right, it feels engaging and not jarring. Within this setting the relationship between

brilliantly quirky and funny roles were performed with aplomb (seriously, Don John (David Kavanagh) was such a dick), the entire play was genuinely hilarious.

By the end of the play and by the reaction of fellow audience members I thought I’d attended a panto’, but I realised: What greater result can there be for a well performed Shakespearean comedy than for it to be genuinely funny?

Much Ado About Nothing is on at Theatre 3 (ANU Arts School) until October 3.

Tickets for under 30s are only $20 and there are some comfortably student priced drinks.

Looking for something to do now term is back? Grab that jacket you wore to an op-shop formal and remind everyone how cultured you are by hitting up Canberra Rep’s Much Ado, you’ll love it.

K E E P O N T O P O F YO U R S E L F LIFE & STYLE Mental health issues dots the landscape, in the media, among social circles, in families, and so on. Some of you may have experienced a mental illness.

Someone you know may have been faced by trying times.

Whatever the case may be, if you’re feeling lost of confused, know that this does not have to be the end of positive experiences.

REA MATHEWS & ERIN TOWNSEND

How many of us have actually stopped for a moment to consider what it means to be in good mental health? What can we do to foster our own wellbeing?

relationships. The key to this is our own willingness to work at it. Positive, loving and supportive relationships enhance positive self-image and selfesteem, which leave us feeling happier and healthier. No one, no matter who they are, has the right to make you feel bad or disempowered about who you are. Such relationships drain your spirit. Cutting off such relationships and removing toxic company might save you a lot of stress and help you become much more productive and content with yourself and your life.

As human beings, we are inherently social and as such, we need positive and respectful

Setting realistic and achievable goals are a great way to promote self-efficiency. Every idea and

goal can be accomplished with a little thing known as persistence.

Once you’ve set a goal, make a simple plan and take action.

Make lots of little goals and kick them, one at a time. It’s like putting one foot in front of the other.

Being physically healthy is closely related to mental health.

This means having a healthy diet and lifestyle. Yes, it helps to indulge in the odd piece (or block) of chocolate here and there, but for the most part, it is important that a lack of selfcontrol leads to lower feelings of self-esteem. Equally, don’t go straight for a diet or anything drastic. Arguably, every time you

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drink a weight-loss shake, you’re going to feel that you’re not meeting your goals. So, take up and maintain a nutritious diet, regular exercise and good dose of that weirdly alien concept at this time of semester – sleep.

If you’ve been struggling with any form of mental illness or just been lacking your upbeat vibes, try to make a small change here or there. Start somewhere, because anywhere is better than nowhere.

Feel empowered to do so. You are the expert and manager of your journey and experience. Take control and you’ll be able to soar.

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LIFE & STYLE

MAEVE BANNISTER & PAROKSH PRASAD

In 2013, the word ‘selfie’ was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

And then the world ended. Well, not quite. But the world has changed quite a lot since people realised that a simple extension of the arm is like having your very own tripod.

There’s countless blog posts and videos explaining how to take the perfect selfie. Kimmy K even released her own book filled entirely with her own selfies. That’s right.

The most self-centred “book” in history gets to sit within the vicinity Ulysses, Great Expectations, and Wuthering Heights.

AG R E E ? ­­Dear Paroksh, Last year, I was standing outside the Colosseum in Rome when I saw a group of American tween-age girls approaching. ‘Let’s get a picture’, one of them said and, with their heads grouped together and the most iconic symbol of Imperial Rome in the background, started snapping away. ‘Look, isn’t that nice,’ I thought, ‘the kids of today really appreciating the culture and history of this great city and wanting to capt-’. ‘Wait, wait, wait, the lighting’s terrible,’ one of them shouted. And then they proceeded to shuffle around so that the greatest structure of the Roman Empire was in front of them, not within the frame of their picture. I could not make this stuff up.

I am categorically against selfies. The above situation is not the only time I’ve witnessed people doing something completely crazy in a quest for the perfect pic. Once, I saw a couple almost get hit by a car because they were too busy fiddling with their selfie stick to realise that they had wandered into the road and were now facing the oncoming traffic. Also, if selfies are not the most self-indulgent thing in the world I don’t know what is.

And did you know that cases of head lice have dramatically increased due to people putting their heads together while taking a selfie? That is just about

the most horrifying thing about this craze.

DHWANEE MEHTA

LIFE & STYLE

Paroksh, don’t even try and tell me I’m wrong.

I think we can all agree that we feel the way we dress. Take it from a diva, dressing in nicer clothes most definitely lifts spirits. It may take that extra ounce of effort but the rewards are more than worthwhile. Not only do you intrinsically feel better, but the compliments from your family, friends, and followers are greatly valuable.

Here are a couple of ways in which you can change your wardrobe to lift your mood:

Regards, Maeve

D I SAG R E E ?

Dear Maeve, In today’s world, so many of us struggle with issues of self-esteem, selfconfidence, and all the rest of it. To sort ourselves out, we binge eat, we drink copious amounts of alcohol, we vent emotionally to our friends, and we take selfies. Someone once told me that a person’s favourite sound was the sound of their own name. By the same logic, a person’s favourite sight is the sight of their own self. So, what’s the harm in taking a shot of one’s own self when doing so can make them feel better about themself and the world? If you’ve gone the extra mile to nail your eye make-up, go ahead and take a picture.

Affirm yourself. Don’t let it count for nothing. (PS: If you hadn’t yet realised, the selfie camera is a perfect substitute for a mirror)

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D RE S S T O I M P RE SS YOU RS E L F

Trying to impress other people can only get you so far in life.

Eventually, you need to be happy and comfortable in what you’re wearing. It doesn’t really matter what it is, but as long as you are confident, that’s the first step to building your inner smile.

The question is different, however, when it comes to publicising selfies.

I bring to your attention the case of the photographer in a social setting.

Everyone has been in a situation where they’ve been asked to take a photo of their friends. How lonely did you feel?

Did it then take a full hour to take photos of the group with each person taking turns at being the photographer? Well, guess what? The selfie is the single stone that kills both these birds.

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A S P E C I AL P I E C E OF J E WE L L E RY

Wearing something with a slightly hefty price tag, for some reason, relates to feeling good (c.f. our terribly consumerist culture). But beyond that, something priceless goes a long way. Wearing a piece of jewellery gifted to you by someone who holds you dear is a heart-warming feeling.

Also, where would we be without Snapchat?

My dearest Maeve, I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

Regards, Paroksh

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S TIC K T O YO U R C O MFO R T ZO NE

It is absolutely okay to wear clothes that you’re comfortable. Yes, you should take a risk here and there but nothing that makes you feel as though you’re losing your very essence. Pair that loose shirt with those favourite leggings. The last thing you want to do when you’re not feeling 100% is to bother with questioning whether or not you’re pulling off an outfit.

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ADD A DASH O F C O LO U R

Wearing something with a slightly hefty price tag, for some reason, relates to feeling good (c.f. our terribly consumerist culture). But beyond that, something priceless goes a long way. Wearing a piece of jewellery gifted to you by someone who holds you dear is a heart-warming feeling.

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FL AU NT YO U R ASSE T S

You know you’ve got it. I know you’ve got it. So why waste it? This is a win-win situation! Wearing something that flaunts your best features not only increases your self-esteem but you’re more than likely to draw compliments, looks, or even perhaps a mention on ANU crushes, any of which will help boost you even more.

Week 9, Semester 2, 2015.

W

//ARTS & REVIEWS

MENTAL ILLNESS D O E S N O T D I S C R I M I N AT E SPORT When it was announced revered Sydney Swans forward, Buddy Franklin, would not play any part in the Swans final campaign, as he attempts to recover from an ongoing mental health condition, it completely blindsided his close friends, family and the AFL community.

We have witnessed Buddy’s ability to undertake prodigious feats on the field, all with a gleam of indestructibility. How could he suffer from a mental illness?

However, Buddy’s story of struggling with mental illness is not unique. Earlier this year Geelong’s Mitch Clark withdrew himself from football to focus on recovering from depression. Last year Jonathon Trott returned to England halfway through the Ashes series. Tennis superstar’s

KALVIN RAJMANO some form of mental illness.

Mental illness currently is the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia and costs over $49bn in lost productivity annually. The Department of Health and Ageing’s national mental health report illustrated that in Australia 2-3% of the population have severe mental disorders, 4-6% have moderate disorders and 9-12% have a mild disorder.

Mardy Fish’s anxiety disorder led him to withdraw from the US Open. These are just a few of the many high profile sporting examples demonstrating that mental illness does not discriminate.

As a result of the courage of these high profile stars utilizing their unique platforms and admitting their inner-battles, it has shone a spotlight on the pervasiveness of mental illness and the unwarranted stigma associated with it. They have helped unravel decades of silence, in a hyper masculine culture that equates mental illness with weakness.

The unwelcome and seemingly ubiquitous presence that mental illness has in Australia makes seemingly tokenistic events like ‘R U OK?’ Day and the work of mental health awareness organisations like Batyr and beyondblue so worthwhile.

As a result of these events and organisations, there has been an increased awareness

The enormity of their actions should not for a second be underestimated.

Every year, approximately one in five Australians will experience

of mental health, which has helped deconstruct entrenched antiquated notions with society.

They have helped generate institutional changes on a governmental level, resulting in much needed investment in mental health infrastructure and initiatives.

From schools to homes to workplaces to the halls of parliament, we should be continuing to have the conversation about mental health. At a time when university students are five times more likely to be affected by mental illness than the general population, we should look out for those around us, and also ourselves.

NRL FINALS PREVIEW SPORT Since early March sixteen NRL teams have been battling it out in the race for the 2015 premiership.

Close to two hundred bruising games of rugby league come down to the final few matches. As the majority of teams rue their missed opportunities and look forward to next season, the remaining contenders focus in on the grand prize, the chance to be crowned 2015 NRL premiers.

Although the finals are now well underway four teams still remained in contention at the time of writing. A look at the Melbourne Storm, Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters and North Queensland Cowboys will provide insight into which team might just hoist the Provan-Summons trophy above their heads on Sunday October 4.

The Melbourne Storm successfully upset red-hot minor premiers the

NICK BENECKE Sydney Roosters in the first week of finals football. A constant threat, the Storm, with experienced coach Craig Bellamy, veteran leaders Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk and a great supporting cast haven’t missed a beat without superstar fullback Billy Slater. Riding on the back of four straight wins look for the classy Storm outfit to make the Grand Final only to come up just short on the big day. Prediction: Runners Up

deprived of a place in the Grand Final. Prediction: Semi Final.

The Sydney Roosters winning streak of 12 matches came to a sudden end at the hands of a superior Melbourne Storm team in week one of the finals.

Regardless, don’t expect the minor premiers to bow down any time soon. Although the loss of Mitchell Pearce and Jared WareaHargreaves is significant, this starstudded outfit prevailed over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and certainly have what it takes to go the whole way. Prediction: Winners.

The Brisbane Broncos close win over the North Queensland Cowboys in the first round of the finals propelled them to within one victory of the Grand Final.

Although set for a tough home semi-final, legendary coach Wayne Bennett will certainly have his well-rounded squad rested and ready for a challenge. Expect an intense match that ultimately results in the Broncos just being

The North Queensland Cowboys bounced back extremely well in the second round of the finals to comfortably beat the Cronulla Sharks. With superstar Jonathan Thurston leading the way, this exciting squad will certainly be hoping to go all the way following

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the disappointments of the last couple of seasons. Although an incredibly strong team, a trip down to Melbourne to play the rejuvenated Storm outfit may just prove to be a little too much to ask.

Prediction: Semi Final.

Although this is the way the games may pan out anything could truly happen, after all it is rugby league.

The Roosters may come up short, the Storm could fail in their home semi-final and the Cowboys could prevail overall. It wouldn’t surprise me. That’s simply the nature of the NRL. Regardless enjoy the remaining few games and may the best team win.

ORONI

W

COMPLAINTS? CALL DIRECTLY AND REGISTER YOUR COMPLAINT HERE: (02) 6125 2444

{WOLLY} W

HUMOUR & SATIRE Lost it inside you? Broken up with over snapchat? In this spontaneous segment, Woroni makes fun of your worst romantic disasters from that time you discovered the identities of the amateur porn stars on your floor to the time room inspections had you on the edge. And kept you there for the next painfully long 10 minutes. Email satire@ woroni.com.au with your stickiest adventures and we might actually publish it, depending on how badly it will make you cringe when you see it in the paper.

Yours truly, Wolly

#WOLLY QUERY1

By Ivana Smojver

Dear Wolly, I have this best friend, you see. Let’s call him Doug. Doug is a great guy. We run together, share law notes and sometimes he surprises me with coffee on our way to uni. In fact, I think we may be transcending quickly from the bounds of friend territory to something of a much more hot and heavy variety. Did I mention that he is tall, dark and haughty like your average Mr Darcy?

Here’s the thing.

So please, when you go to bed tonight, remember to address FB in your prayers.

But I sometimes (quite often) have an

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Doug has really bad syntax. In fact, it’s hard to ignore the misplaced commas in every second sentence and his tendency to use the subjective case when the objective is correct. Doug subscribes to odious trends such as ‘nekminut’ and ‘lolza’.

It’s not uncommon for him to abbreviate ‘probably’ to ‘prolly’ and ‘from’ to ‘4rom’. Zomg. Lolwut?

Is there any chance that Doug will accept my strange affinity for the English language? And should I read the next chapter of 50 shades?

His diction is short and abrupt at its worst and conversational at its best. Sometimes I cringe when he says ‘salacious’ and ‘moist’ because those words just don’t bode well with me. And last week when he finished perusing my bookshelf, he left one of my three copies of Hamlet on the kitchen bench!

Recipe for disaster!

#WOLLYQUERY2

Sincerely, Emilia Dickinson

By Joel Shnaider Dear wise readers, I desperately need some advice. I wouldn’t normally go outside google for these sorts of problems but this time it appears the forums have failed me. The Thursday before last, I met a beautiful brunette. We saw each other across the dancefloor, locked eyes and it was kiss at first sight.

After receiving her number and then getting over my hangover, two days later I successfully made contact. We maintained a week of good dialogue and made plans to get coffee. Unfortunately, as it was a busy week for me, we delayed till the next week.

How on Mars am I meant to get over his pour grass of the Inglish language?

My greatest concern is that Doug won’t understand if I confront him about this “issue”.

Unlike most of my previous boyfriends, Doug understands that I’m a bit of a Lit Buff. He just doesn’t know the full extent of my compulsion to routinely edit his sentences. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced our relationship is doomed. There’s just no reason for him to continue with this child-like capriciousness! The last couple of nights, I’ve stayed up way past my bedtime reading up on mainstream fiction. Or trash.

Whatever you want to call it. My head aches, I’ve lost my appetite and my resolve is wearing thin.

Alas, I fear the end is nigh.

S K I E S I like Facey. I really do. I’m not going to pretend to be one of those people that’s like “Facebook destroyed my life. Ew Facebook. I can’t wait to leave uni so I can delete my Facebook account”. Never has it been easier to collude with friends over law assignments. Or even not collude if you want to act like you’re better than that. Poetic descriptions of your hostility towards Mondays and bus drivers are saluted by countless others in the form of a virtual thumbs up that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. And don’t get me started on the myriad opportunities to stalk your ex/ex’s new bae/hot people in general.

R

IVANA SMOJVER & JOEL SHNAIDER

SOMEWHERE HUMOUR & SATIRE

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It has been three days since we last made contact, and I have been away skiing with the family. Like many young adults on family weekends, I found myself scrolling the Facebook newsfeed and favorite subreddits. Since I did not know much about this beauty, and considering my previous experiences

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I decided to have a gander at her Facebook. Upon further inspection I became suspicious that I may be being played and my fears were well founded, there were some clear signs that she may be tuning another guy as well as me.

Whilst on the chairlift, on one of those long journeys to the top where uncountable snowboarders and skiers decide they should exhibit the many ways in which one can fail at mounting a lift, I pulled out my phone to ask her about this other guy. It is at this point, dear readers, where it all went tits up. A few minutes after sending the message I got a notification indicating a reply, however the pull down notifications bar on my phone was not working. Obviously, being the reasonably not unintelligent user of tech I am, I gave it a reboot, however upon booting my phone came up with an error “Blank SD card cannot read...” I have had this phone/SD card setup for 2 years and never had a problem, does anyone know how to fix this?

Thank you for your help, Joel (Samsung Galaxy s2) Edit: Pull down notifications started working after reboot.

R A I N B OW,

B L U E

IVANA SMOJVER existential crisis over Facebook shit. I know it’s totally dumb, like, but I have been known to quietly sob over my keyboard because I only hit 35 likes for a status that was clearly worth 45.

My friends and I have long-winded conversations about whether it is appropriate to update our relationship status once we have consummated our sexual affiliations in a corporeal capacity.

Undisputedly, Facebook has opened a can of worms, desperate and needy for instant gratification that has left us blundering for answers to life’s most fundamental questions, like how much flesh can I bare without coming across as a slut?

less than 300 of mine, we are obviously socially incompatible. I analyse his profile picture, making quick notes on the background, lighting and other presences (a llama?!). Obviously, if it’s a selfie closeup of his abs he’s overcompensating for something, like a lack of personality or just generally interesting things to say.

But what does the girl standing next to him with her hands cutely tucked into his pocket mean?

Note to all non-repliers, myself included.

Once you have seen the message. I know you have seen the message. So reply.

Because if you don’t it’s just the same as walking away mid-way through a face-to-face. And that’s bad manners.

But how do I subtly indicate that I am not interested in the person that rudely interrupts my thoughts at 2am with wild

When I stalk a prospective crush, my first point of call is to check how many FB friends he has, because if it is more or

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proclamations of his feelings of towards gelato v ice-cream? With emoticons, of course. Grumpy, sleep-deprived looking ones.

Hi. My name is Ivy. My Facebook addiction started in 2009 (yeah, I was a late bloomer).

To date, I’ve been Facebook free for exactly 1 hour and 4 minutes. Last night, I discovered a new great activity which has allowed me to let go of the intercepting flashbacks to the blue horizon. I just created an Instagram account and I already have 56 followers! Add me @ ivyscivvy #freepublicity #Woroni #lilbae