Archie Chew - Malécon, Havana, Cuba, 2014
Exploration Lift-Out, P.14
WORONI WEEK 2, 2015 - WORONI.COM.AU - FACEBOOK, TWITTER & THE APP STORES
NO.2 VOL.67
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WORONI No.2 Vol.67
CONTENTS No. 2 Cover - Cuban Photo Essay. - Archie Chew
10. Pantone 7542
3. ANUSA’S First SRC Of The Year. - Ross Caldwell 3. Is The Islamic State Vanquishable? - Waheed Jayhoon
11. In Defence of Fifty Shades of Grey. - Zhao Shandao
5. Critique Commences in 2015 - Linda Ma 5. A Secure Toga - Anna Kaufmann 7. Review: Broad City - Judy Kuo 7. Let The Light In - Louise Keast 8. A Short Guide To ANU’s Arts Societies - Anna McDonald 8. Purple Haze Photos. - Janis Lejins & Em Roberts 9. Review: Chet Faker - Mark Wilson 9. The Purple Haze - Maddi Easterbrook
- Lewis Pope
12. Toxic Valentines Day Advertising - Catherine Leedon
13. EXPLORATION LIFT-OUT Lift-Out Photo Essay - Archie Chew 14. Follow the Script - Lauren Dymke
19. Musings on Cambodia - Mingji Liu 20. A New Horizon - James Ansell 21. “I’d Probably Do it Again”. Fair Enough. - ANU Careers Centre 22-23. Careers and Jobs - ANU Careers Centre 24. Asian Cup Stepping Up - Ryan Graham 25. Designer Babies’ Law In The UK - A Study In Irresponsible Reporting. - Shaun Lehmann
15. New Zealand’s Tongariro Crossing - Maeve Clark
26. MORONI
16. Where is the Heart? - Azim Zain
27. The Sound of ANU.
17. Wanderlust - Elise Horspool
28. How You Can Help Stop A Massacre
A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Woroni is published on the land of the Ngunnawal people. We respect elders past and present and recognise that the sovereignty was never ceded. 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
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News Correspondent - Maddi Easterbrook News Correspondent - Waheed Jayhoon Science - James Barrett Comments - Jessy Wu Features - Vincent Chiang Satire & World - Hugo Branley Arts & Reviews -Benedicte O’Leary Rutherford Arts & Reviews - Ria Pflaum Life & Style - Paroksh Prasad Sports - Zach Mackay International - Virgina Harding Radio - Megan Shellie Radio - Jeremy Jones Radio - James Bernasconi Radio Music Coordinator - Isaac Dugdale
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
CAMPUS NEWS ANUSA’S FIRST STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL OF THE YEAR ROSS CALDWELL
CAMPUS NEWS As the O-Week haze settled, the ANUSA Student Representative Council sat on Tuesday 17th February for their first official meeting of the year. While most councilors took a chance to speak, President Ben Gill, General Secretary Megan Lane, the ANUSA Executive and Department Officers dominated the meeting. The main highlights of the evening included the 2018 Academic Calendar, ANUSA’s future philanthropic work, and the Disputes Committee. Gill revealed that the 2018 Academic Calendar is currently under review by the ANU, with changes to the length of semesters being a point of focus. According to Gill, the ANU is considering shortening the length of the academic semesters, with the decrease in length possibly being offset by course content being available online up to two months prior to semester. It was also reported to the SRC that some College Deans advocated moving ANU to a trimester system. While Gill told the SRC that he believes a trimester system is what the ANU is moving towards, it would take 5-6 years to become a reality. Gill clarified with Woroni that ANUSA has no preferred semester format and that he hoped ANUSA would hold a student forum to further consult with the student body. The next major discussion centered on whether ANUSA should support the Live Below The Line campaign, but ended in a larger discussion about how ANUSA could engage in philanthropic work. It was raised from a councilor that encouraging
students to live on $2 a day could be inappropriate considering that many students already struggle to make ends meet. The mood in the room was one of general agreement when the idea of supporting Canberra-based charities was flagged by several councilors. Ultimately, the SRC resolved that Ebony Hoiberg, Managing Director of Canberra-based charity Raising Hope, would investigate how ANUSA could engage in more philanthropic work and would report back at the next SRC meeting. Lane and Gill also presented councilors with their Code of Conduct contracts and emphasized that they must seek the express consent of Gill to speak to the media as a representative of ANUSA. While this is not a new rule in ANUSA (the ANUSA Constitution gives the President the role of addressing the media) this announcement still drew the ire of several councilors who felt that the rule infringed on their autonomy as elected representatives. Social Officer, Jack Gaudie, spoke briefly about plans to change how the Grants and Affiliations Committee (GAC) is convened. GAC is a five-member committee that administers the registration of clubs and societies and provision of ANUSA funding to them. Gaudie told the committee that he wished to change the quorum of a GAC meeting from three to two members except for when the committee met to discuss breaches of GAC regulations by clubs or societies. This would allow a minority of the Committee to make binding decisions about clubs and societies on campus.
One item that drew the attention of the Council was the status of ANUSA’s Disputes Committee. Under Section 28 of the ANUSA Constitution, a disputes committee is to be appointed to deal with disciplinary matters such as resolutions to dismiss office bearers and breaches of the Association’s Constitution, Regulations or Policy. At the moment, there is no Disputes Committee and records available to Woroni show that while the Committee was appointed in 2013, the ANUSA 2014 SRC failed to do so. Up to 5 people can be elected to the Committee but there is no set process for nominations or voting. Lane said that she was seeking legal advice to clarify the exact process for electing the Committee but that this would likely take some weeks. Despite over 5 people wishing to nominate, many of who were members of various student political groups, several councilors expressed concern that the appointment process was not properly advertised to the wider student body. Under the Constitution, the meeting must be advertised on the front door of the Association offices and this requirement was met prior to the meeting. Ultimately the SRC voted to delay electing a Disputes Committee until next SRC meeting. This delay leaves ANUSA without a formal committee responsible for handling disciplinary action within the Association until the next SRC. The next SRC meeting will be held on 10th March, 7pm in the ANUSA Boardroom. Ross Caldwell is a former Digital Editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Woroni.
IS THE ISLAMIC STATE VANQUISHABLE? CAMPUS NEWS Earlier this month, ANU academic and Head of the Arab and Islamic Studies, Professor Amin Saikal AM FASSA, joined ABC News anchor Virginia Haussegger for a discussion on the rise and influence of the “Islamic State” (IS). The event, hosted by the College of Arts and Social Sciences, provided a narrative of the Middle East that attempted to unpack the multi-faceted issues of the region, starting with the Iranian Revolution almost 35 years ago, to the present day. An examination of the underlying stories revealed new pressing concerns to an area of the world that has been volatile for some time. Professor Saikal
WAHEED JAYHOON, NEWS CORRESPONDENT contended that a changing dynamic in the status quo between actors such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, coupled with long existing sectarian and geopolitical alignments, was a principal reason for the surge in prosperity for the IS. In particular, he noted that the IS, a proponent of the larger “Sunni” Muslim sect, benefitted actors like Saudi Arabia when measured against the smaller Shia sects, the majority of whom are in Iran, Iraq, and Syria. He acknowledged, however that the political contouring of the region is too nuanced to summarize in just a few sentences.
the most polarizing incident in IS history: their media packet release showcasing the barbaric murder and burning of a captured Jordanian pilot. Speaking with Woroni on the foreign response, Professor Saikal noted how increased military support from the US, as well as similar promises from Britain and France, has facilitated the launching of a major ground operation in Mosul, a choke-point city in Iraq.
However, Professor Saikal expressed his uncertainty with respect to the regional implications of the operation. The vested interests of each State, as The event was aptly timed as it came well as the possibility for aggravation just days before what could be called of local conflicts rather than facilitation of a resolution to the violence,
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were cited as reasons to doubt the effectiveness of the program. “[The capture of the Jordanian pilot] has galvanized public opinion against [the IS]; not only in the Arab world, but across the Muslim domain. Whether this will result in more enhanced collective operations on the part of the Arab countries remains to be seen.” While solutions to the territorial conflict plaguing the Middle East cannot be assessed with any degree of clarity, Professor Saikal was certain that “the conflict is set to be prolonged and bloody for some time to come”.
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CAMPUS NEWS
CRITIQUE COMMENCES IN 2015 LINDA MA
The ANU Students’ Association 2015 Commencement Address set the tone for this year as ANUSA seeks to focus on diversity, equity and women in leadership. Dr Anne Gallagher AO, an alumna of the university, delivered the keynote address at Llewellyn Hall on Monday, the 16th of February, which centred on “the idea of thinking critically and well”. In front of a relatively small but highly engaged crowd, Dr Gallagher told students that human rights were “radical” and “dangerous”, and that hard-won ideas were about the redistribution of power from the strong to the weak”. In particular, freedoms of thought, speech and expression required the utmost diligence to protect. Dr Gallagher, who graduated from ANU with a Masters in International Law in 1991, is a leading global expert on the international law of human
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CAMPUS NEWS
Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
trafficking. She was the inaugural residential students and called for a chair of the United Nations Inter- reinvigoration of strategies to improve Agency Group on Human Trafficking mental health on campus. and Migrant Smuggling. Dr Gallagher began by calling on ANUSA Women’s Officer Loren students to carefully “interrogate Ovens introduced the night’s the basis” of their own beliefs. The proceedings, which began with an ability to critique one’s own ideas acknowledgement of country from and developing a tolerance for PARSA Equity Officer and Wiradjuri having one’s ideas questioned was woman Jessa Rogers. something she said she wished she had cultivated while at university. ANUSA President Ben Gill then spoke of ANUSA’s under recognised Even the well intentioned, Dr role as a provider of a safety net for Gallagher said, failed to think marginalised, vulnerable and in-need critically, with human rights lawyers students, not just as an organiser of thinking they had “a monopoly on large-scale social events. truth”. The moral certainty she began her career with was slowly chipped Gill also foreshadowed the night’s away at by the realisation that rights theme of personal responsibility, could be irreconcilable. saying, “Each of you is an important part of the ANU community, and On this, Dr Gallagher cited the right so play a part in upholding its to freedom of religion and the human wellbeing”. Gill spoke of the need rights of women. Not speaking out for better engagement of non- against violations of women’s rights
SECURE
The annual Burgmann Toga Party: the one night a year where Greek Gods and Goddesses descend upon Burgmann College for a night of crazy festivity before classes force them to return to the mortal world. Last Wednesday night was no exception. Toga Party 2015 was once again one of the biggest events of O-Week, the organisers of the event, Sammy Woodforde and Emma Jagot reporting that tickets were sold out by midday on Market day. Almost two thousand people packed into the grounds of Burgmann College, a myriad of sheetclad students moving as one under the stars to the sounds of DJ Ember, while the tasty snacks of the Red Frogs crew flowed freely. Coloured togas were also clearly in favour this year, with plain white togas drowning in a sea of deep reds, purples and blues. Lincraft once again had made the most of what must be their busiest time of year,
ANNA KAUFMANN
with how-to guides for making togas and reams of gold rope at the ready. In light of the issues of last year’s Toga Party, including underage drinking and counterfeit entry wristbands, and after months of negotiations with Pro Vice Chancellor Richard Baker, security was noticeably tightened this year. An increased number of security guards had the perimeter of the party strictly guarded. Students attending Toga also had to go through two check points to gain entry, proving that they were both ANU students and over 18 years of age, heightening the sense of the exclusivity of the O-Week party. The increased security was clearly a success, and Woodforde and Jagot were very happy with how the event ran. The night went off according to plan and without any major problems, a slight drizzle of rain
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was, she argued, “a failure of courage” which “shames us all”. Dr Gallagher reserved pointed criticism for the Australian government and their ratcheting up of the national security apparatus in response to a perceived threat from the Islamic State. The public in democratic nations too easily rolled over and allowed the violation of human rights because of fear. More controversial with this audience was Dr Gallagher’s support for changes to water down the provisions against offence or insult contained within the Racial Discrimination Act. These qualifications to free speech, while borne out of good intentions, were, she said, analogous to laws against blasphemy and sedition used by dictators to retain power. Linda Ma is the College of Arts and Social Sciences Representative for ANUSA.
TOGA that started half way through not even causing a pause in the party proceedings. The only impediment in the night was how unprepared McDonalds in Braddon were for the flood of students who had traipsed into the city post-toga. The success of the night, however, can really be attributed to the efforts of the Burgmann Toga committee, Woodforde stating that students really underestimate how much work goes into the night. A strong team fronted the preparations, which started in October 2014, and continued throughout the Summer break with the support of the whole of Burgmann College. The tradition is over thirty years old and yet is clearly still going strong. So start picking out your toga fabric kids, Toga 2016 is only three hundred and forty-something days away.
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EKTA’S 2015
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Asian Students’ Society. EKTA Divya Kaliyaperumal, FESTIVAL president, said that the Society is hoping to use the event as a springboard to broaden its activities, sharing South NEWS BY ANNA KAUFMANN Asian culture with students from all over the world. O-Week 2015 began with an explosion of colour as EKTA, the “We don’t want the Society to just South Asian Student’s Society, be for South Asian students,” said presented their staple event: Holi. the Society’s Vice President of Administration, Suraj Laha. The ANU’s annual recreation of the ancient Hindu religious festival has “We want all students of ANU to get become a mainstay in the O-Week involved with EKTA’s events and calendar and this year’s was more share the culture of South Asia with extravagant than ever before; everyone.” more than 500 people crowded the Chifley Meadows on Monday If this year’s springboard event is afternoon to create a sandstorm any indication, 2015 will be huge for of colour. Powders in every hue EKTA. Kaliyaperumal said that the collided with water balloons whilst event is successful not only because the white clothing of participants it is a huge event in India and across quickly became anything but. Asia, but because it has become so Shrieks of laughter could be heard popular locally, making it a great across campus from what is one of introduction to South Asian culture. the liveliest events in the O-Week program. At the end, participants The South Asian Students’ Society were left to spend the rest of the day followed on from their inaugural adorned with rainbow battle scars. O-Week event with a screening of the India v Pakistan Cricket World Holi 2015 launched what is planned Cup match on Sunday the 15th. to be a big year for the ANU’s South
HOLI
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY UNION INC. 2015 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS TO THE UNION BOARD OF DIRECTORS I call for nominations to fill the following positions on The Australian National University Union Inc. Board of Directors:
THREE ORDINARY MEMBERS (2 year term) (from annual, life and honorary life members of the Union)
ONE MEMBER (1 year term) (from annual and life members of the Union who are currently enrolled as postgraduate students or hold appointments as staff of the University) Nominations: (a) must be made on the prescribed form available from the Business Manager of the Union; (b) must be signed by at least 2 members of the Union, eligible to vote at the election; (c) shall contain a written statement of the nominee's willingness to act and also participate in induction activities, if elected; (d) two passport sized photographs of the nominee must be provided by 12.30 pm, Tuesday, 10 March 2015; and (e) a candidate statement of no more than 200 words must be provided by 12.30 pm, Tuesday, 10 March 2015. Nominations from individuals are invited from eligible members and must be lodged at the office of the Business Manager of the Union, or posted to the Union, Building 20, ANU, CANBERRA, ACT, 0200, so as to reach the Returning Officer by 12.30 pm on Tuesday, 10 March 2015. Nominations may only be withdrawn by giving notice at least 72 hours before the close of nominations at 12.30 pm on Saturday, 7 March 2015. Group Tickets: candidates forming a particular group, or seeking election as independents, must register this intention on a form prescribed by the Board and available from the Business Manager. This form must contain signatures of all relevant candidates and indicate the order in which the group wishes to place its candidates on the ballot paper. The form must reach the Business Manager by 12.30 pm on Friday, 13 March 2015. Eligibility: Every person who, at the close of polling, is an annual, life or honorary life member of the Union is eligible to vote at the election. Persons eligible to be nominated are: · Three Ordinary Members (2 year term): the annual, life and honorary life members of the Union · One Member (1 year term): the annual and life members of the Union who are currently enrolled as postgraduate students or hold appointments as staff of the University If the number of valid nominations received by the closing date exceeds the number of positions available in a category of the membership, a ballot will be held from Monday, 23 March 2015 to Wednesday, 25 March 2015 between 11.00 am to 5.00 pm; Thursday, 26 March 2015, from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm in the ANU Union Building. Enquiries concerning the election should be directed to the Union Office, (02) 6125 8101 or the ACT Electoral Commission, (02) 6205 0033. Phillip Green, Returning Officer, ACT Electoral Commission
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015. ARTS AND REVIEWS
BROAD C I T Y. JUDY KUO
LET THE LIGHT IN
ARTS & REVIEWS Usually we can expect the summer blockbuster at the National Gallery of Australia to consist of impressionist oil paintings and works by European masters of a bygone era. The current retrospective of works by American artist James Turrell, however, will make you feel very much alive. Manipulating light and perception as his medium, Turrell’s installations transcend this world and enter another realm of being where colour demands self inquiry. Curated by Lucina Ward, James Turrell: A Retrospective is a sumptuous sensory experience that instills meditation and introspection whilst also exhibiting how exhilarating art can be.
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down on a bed, and being rolled in and completely immersed in cerulean light. I had been given an emergency stop button and the option of experiencing either a ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ version of the work. The ‘hard’ version I chose was a kaleidoscopic immersion where Turrell’s installations encourage apparitions glowed and strobed, contemplation. Born into a family of generating a “mental orgasm”. Quakers, spirituality is an inherent manifestation in both Turrell’s The work of James Turrell how pleasurable private and artistic pursuits. Within illuminates perceptually altered sobriety can Without (2010) was installed in the NGA sculpture garden to facilitate be. This is an exhibition that will specifically the act of meditation. leave you with a new appreciation One of 75 Skyspaces Turrell has built for colour. You’ll have had a fun around the world, Within Without is trip, in every sense of the word, to an open ceiling stupa encompassed the National Gallery of Australia. by water, where colour and aura transform depending on atmospheric conditions at dawn and James Turrell: A Retrospective runs dusk. Elemental forces combine with until June 8. the emotional and psychological affinities one has with colour. The Student Tickets are $20. 39 + experience is an enjoyable way to sit booking fees and spend 45 minutes of your time – hot tip, it’s also a great date spot! Tickets that include the Perceptual cell are $45.88 + booking fees fluorescence of the shape melds with the shadows of the space and I find myself losing sight in the aperture of light. Lines become blurred and I want to crawl inside this floating reverie and live in an azure world of infinite imagination.
While artists of the past like the Impressionists sought to represent light on canvas, Turrell has been literally creating art with light since the 1960s. This exhibition traces the spaces he has created which absorb and drink in light, as well as several new site-specific creations Turrell has designed especially for Canberra. In contrast, Turrell’s Bindu Shards (2010), you might have heard Admission is cheaper on weekdays. One of the first installations I it called the Perceptual Cell, is a The NGA is open 7 days a week. enter, Shanta II (Blue), immediately work that only one individual can Access to Within Without is free. transports me to a dream-like experience at a time. I was greeted consciousness. Inside a dimly lit by gallery attendants dressed in lab room is a floating blue trapezoid of coats, equipped with clip boards electrifying intensity. I relax my eyes and asked to sign a waiver before and the sharp contrast between the ascending the stairs to the cell, lying
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Broad City has not missed a beat since its new season premiered on Comedy Channel in January this year. With the same quality of production and colourful visual style, we are reunited with the awkward and bizarre best friends Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana (Ilana Glazer), who struggle with adulthood, responsibility and general civilised behaviour. Every episode is packed with the same absurd, inappropriate, borderline offensive, but nevertheless deeply endearing and real characters. We see some unexpected sides of their personality in this new season as we are exposed to the capitalist hunger for power in Ilana’s work ethic, the sexual liberation and adventure of the previously vanilla Abbi, and Jaime’s (Arturo Castro) Kafkaesque existential crisis with frozen yoghurt, as the asphyxiating limitations of the human condition oppress his yoghurt choice. Unlike many other similar series (think HBO’s Girls or NBC’s Community), the characters of Broad City are not neglected and never retreat into one-sidedness. Ilana, the sex-positive social justice warrior, continues to charm with the way in which she often has absolutely no idea what she is talking about, reflecting the comic and tragic irony of social justice. Her motherly instincts and irresponsible consumption and prescription of drugs, however, only draws us closer to the bright personality she embodies. On the other hand, Abbi emerges from her cocoon, starring in a music video of Lady Gaga’s The Edge of Glory. Completely nude and dancing furiously in her living room, she is symbolic of the exultant bursting of life and affirmation of humanity when liberated from the suffocating presence of a repulsive roommate (John Gemberling). Among their adventures this season include accidental overdose on ibuprofen, nude modelling, a green dildo, counterfeit handbags, unpaid internships, and stolen air conditioners. In short – more drugs, more nudity.
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015. ARTS AND REVIEWS
CHET FAKER. MARK WILSON
To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to Chet Faker as much as I’d have liked. After the overwhelming energy of performances at the Melbourne leg of St Jerome’s Laneway festival over the weekend prior, I was expecting a deadpan, unresponsive Chet, reminiscent of all the press releases and live videos found while trying not to study – how could that be a suitable follow-up?
THE PURPLE HAZE CAMPUS NEWS The biggest event of the ANUSA O-Week brought together students from all across campus for a final night of merrymaking. Almost 3000 students flocked to the Purple Haze Party at its new location of Fellows Oval to watch the four headliners perform.
MADDI EASTERBROOK we waited in line to get drinks for about an hour or two and then we get there and they only have three drinks available.”
Similarly, ANU student, Aaron*, said, “British India was so so good… but the [drinks line] is really crap. Toga did it way better; they Friday Night Party Director, had three drinks line. I have been Michael Liu, said, “One of the main standing here for 30 minutes and I things this year was to try to change am missing All Day for this.” the perception that it’s a concert and more of a music festival… I really ANUSA have previously outsourced wanted to increase the production to Mooseheads or Mesh but it was value and the actual quality of the decided that the ANU Union Bar whole experience.” would manage alcohol sales for this year’s Purple Haze Party. However issues with ticketing and the wait time for alcoholic “The [Bar Manager] thought that beverages hindered the expensive three bars, 12 staff was enough. but mostly successful event. Obviously in hindsight, it probably wasn’t enough. He did run the The tablets supplied by QPay, the numbers by me but I wasn’t going to ticketing company hired by ANUSA pretend I had expertise in knowing for the event, were unable to how many people used how many connect to the ANU Wi-Fi network. bars,” said Liu. Nevertheless, a new system was quickly developed using the cached The Party Director also attributed database of ticketholders on the the long queues of people to cheap tablet. alcohol. “We weren’t doing festival prices, we were doing prices better Partygoers seemed to enjoy the than what they’re actually at the bar overall event but complained of now.” lengthy waits for alcohol. Despite these mishaps, the Purple ANU Student, Ian Lim, said, “The Haze Party was well received by musical acts were awesome but most students.
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“It’s been really chilled and stand around with a couple of friends and have a good dance and really enjoying it”, said Emma*, an ANU student. The budget for the Purple Haze Party was approximately $135,000. “Because we’re using student funds, the first and second release to ANU students was subsidised by ANUSA so that’s why we always run at a loss. But we did better than last year so can’t complain,” said Liu. The Pro-Vice Chancellor of Student Experience, Richard Baker, commended ANUSA and the Residential Committees for the running of O-Week events. “I attended both the Toga and Purple Haze events this year and was impressed by the efforts the student organisers in both cases went to provide a safe night out for patrons. I also applaud the amazing work Red Frogs did at both events to assist,” said Professor Baker. Jacky Nullis, State Coordinator of Red Frogs, also spoke well of ANUSA. “They’ve done such a good this week at catering for lots of different personality types, not just the people who want to come and drink.”
Holy unprecedentedly good performance Batman, boy was I wrong. Emerging, literally jumping onto stage with a smile on his face bigger than his schedule over the next 5 months, and blasting a massive version of Release Your Problems with his tremendous backing , this was not the same Chet Faker I had known or seen. Demonstrating his eclectic musical range from glossy guitar work highlighted by punchy pad pushing - I finally understood the tremendous hype that surrounded the man, the music and the luscious facial hair. His banter was as engaging and interesting as his musical hypnosis – after staying true to his roots and thanking all who caught him the last time round in Canberra some 3 years ago, he argued the point with the audience that watching the show through their phone screen probably wasn’t the best way to enjoy live music, urging them to put them away and imploring them to check out local bands to “find their new favourite song”. I couldn’t have timed my actions any worse because I was about to pull my phone out for “No Diggity”. I have to thank him though, as it made the night all the more worthwhile. “1998” and “Drop The Game” went off as expected, as did pretty much the entire back catalogue of songs played throughout. Closing with a soulful, heartfelt solo rendition of “Talk Is Cheap” accompanied by Clavier, all in the room could consider themselves blessed by catching the first stop of a blockbuster tour. Good as Gold.
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PANTONE 7 5 4 2 REVIEWS
50 Shades of Grey is a poor film. While its impacts on society are still up for debate, its quality lies somewhere between self-flagellation and shoving a barbed dildo up my arse. Both main actors’ portrayals of their roles are satisfactory insofar as they perform their written material to its potential. The problem is that the written material is full of clunky exposition, one-dimensional character complexity and dialogue that could only be interesting if it were delivered by a dog in a maid outfit. On the other hand, the settings are pretty good. They certainly got their colour scheme down pat (grey, shockingly) with a red “playroom” being the notable exception (coz red equals sex). I wanted to be nice for a few more lines, but I couldn’t think of anything else. The main issue with the film is that it lacks any kind of complexity. It seems like the creative intent started with “Let’s have an emotionally abusive relationship” - and then just stopped. All of the creative choices are bland and obvious: why is he into BDSM? He was mistreated as a child. How do we make her seem vulnerable? Make her indecisive… and a virgin.
LEWIS POPE Aside from what to my (albeit not at all that knowledgeable) eyes seems some fairly low-key BDSM, the film is so plain that I could have just eaten a bag of flour for 125 minutes instead. You can guess how it will go after 20 minutes in, even with only the most bare-bones prior knowledge: they have a relationship; Mr. Grey is distant for whatever reason; it gets weird for a while; and then it gets too weird and she leaves. The side plots could be generously described as unnecessary, and the only reason they don’t detract from the film is because there is so little main plot to degrade. As to claims that this glorifies abusive relationships or disempowers women, I would refute the former and dismiss the latter as true but unimportant. Mr Grey is so vanilla that he could only be interesting if he were made into a scented candle. His character is unlikeable, unrelatable and utterly uninteresting, and he is developed only as broadly as is required to fulfil his role in the story. Admittedly, while the film may disempower the woman in its storyline to an extent, there are some important qualifications to this. Mr Grey always actively seeks Anastasia’s consent, and she is able to keep him at bay without 10
having to repel him physically. She is manipulated because he sets her up to be vulnerable, but the audience is made to sympathise with her struggle. Ultimately, the problem is that any social message that this film seems to convey is less a product of concern (or lack thereof) for women, and more a byproduct of poor writing. 1/5 – At best, this should be called Two Shades of Grey.
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
IN DEFENCE OF FIFTY SHADES OF GREY COMMENT
A few years ago, my mother came home with something furtively huddled in her arms. I knew immediately what was happening; she was desecrating the household with a brand new copy of E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey. I refuse to forgive James for her disgraceful use of present tense prose, however I am distressed to see some people taking this book far too seriously. Many accusations have been levied against the text. They range from the simply ludicrous—“The film thus subtly promotes paedophilia”—to the very serious. These I will be discussing in this article. I risk being unoriginal in saying this, but rape is a severe and ungodly offence, so any accusations of rape must be treated with an appropriate degree of gravity. Accordingly, we should take the claims that Fifty Shades of Grey promotes or romanticises rape with great seriousness. However, the supposed depictions of rape that have been denounced in hundreds of publications do not maintain their integrity when scrutinised. One of the most frequently cited “rape scenes” is when Christian, the wealthy and handsome BDSM enthusiast who seduces the protagonist Anastasia, ignores her protestations:
ZHAO SHANDAO
““No,” I protest, trying to kick him off. He stops. “If you struggle, I’ll tie your feet too. If you make a noise, Anastasia, I will gag you. Keep quiet. Katherine is probably outside listening right now.”” Any reasonable person would describe the scene as depicting rape. However, the four sentences preceding the above extract are often not presented, or forgotten: “He bends and starts undoing one of my sneakers. Oh no… no… my feet. No. I’ve just been running.” Read within the context, the rape claims become much less substantial. It appears that the accused was merely removing the shoes of the victim, who was fearful of the potential odour her bare feet might emit. I’ve never taken a girl’s shoes off for her, but I don’t think it would count as rape if I did, even if she didn’t want me to. So much for gross moral turpitude. Another accusation levied against James’ novel is that it romantically portrays Christian stalking Anastasia. The evidence: not long after their first meeting, Christian ‘coincidentally’ meets her at the hardware store where she works. Predictably, Mr. Grey is there to procure masking tape, cable ties, and 11
rope. A travesty of the literary variety, and not the sort accusers claim to have discovered. Though it is somewhat unscrupulous behaviour to go out of your way to meet someone and pass it off as a coincidence, it’s far from unusual. I occasionally found my high school self taking a particularly long time to walk a certain stretch of hallway, knowing that a particular girl usually walked through the same hallway at that time. Was I a juvenile stalker? Few people have ever claimed attraction to be a rational experience, and it would be a great misdemeanour to criminalise one of the common follies of love. In fact, Christian’s supposed stalking is quite uninteresting when you consider that Anastasia is very much infatuated with him: “My heart is pounding a frantic tattoo, and for some reason I’m blushing furiously under his steady scrutiny. I am utterly thrown by the sight of him standing before me. My memories of him did not do him justice. He’s not merely good-looking – he’s the epitome of male beauty, breathtaking, and he’s here.”
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TOXIC VA L E N T I N E S D A Y ADVERTISING COMMENT
Ah, Valentines’ Day. So much love in the air, yet so much to hate. Most people associate the day with flowers, teddy bears, and heart-shaped boxes of confectionary. While I am no enemy of these expressions of affection, I cannot ignore the overt sexism that is present in Valentines’ Day advertising. It is 2015, but looking at these advertising campaigns, you would be forgiven for thinking it is the 1950s. Specifically, Michael Hill Jewellers is circulating an image of a woman’s face, overlaid with the words ‘Tell her you love her before someone else does’. I am unsure what the geniuses who dreamt up the advertisement had in mind, but for me it represents a sexist and misogynistic view of women and relationships. According to this advertisement, women are gold diggers. If there isn’t something new and sparkly to adorn our fingers, wrists, or necks, we will start searching for a man who can provide us with the “love” we covet. Moreover, women are such fickle creatures that they will give themselves to any man who comes along and confesses his love (read, gives her an expensive trinket). This ad leaves no room for a woman to choose whom she loves based on a mental, emotional, and physical connection built upon trust and respect.
CATHERINE LEEDON
She is a cold-hearted narcissist, and nothing more. Equally awful are the negative messages these ads send to men. This Michael Hill advertisement tells a man he is foolish for feeling secure in his relationship with his partner. Trust and respect is not enough; in order to keep her he must make enough money to buy her expensive trinkets. It’s not about a choice to be together, it’s about control and manipulation. Both men and women receive a cruel message. Men are taught it’s easy to win a woman from another man, so long as his bank account can take the hit. On the flipside of the coin, he is taught that a woman’s commitment to him is flimsy, and that she can be won away by a sparkly ornament. Touted as a day to celebrate love, Valentines Day ad campaigns are wont to conflate love with what money can buy. As young people destined to be in a variety of relationships, is this the lesson we want to take away? That your relationship is only as valuable as the baubles you give and receive? That he doesn’t love you if he doesn’t attempt to buy your affections; that she is only with you for your money? 12
I urge those who find this unacceptable to boycott the companies who saturate the airwaves with their sexist messages. Refuse to purchase from them and tell your friends to do likewise; consumers can direct the marketplace, and it’s not like there’s a shortage of other options.
W A N T T O W R I T E A RESPONSE? E M A I L CONTACT@ W O R O N I . C O M . A U
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
Archie Chew - Havana, Cuba, 2014
Photo Essay.
For more of Archie’s Work: regardezmoi.squarespace.com
EXPLORATION. 13
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FOLLOWING THE SCRIPT EXPLORATION
Last year, I made the decision to take a gap year, save my dollars, and hope for the best. As luck would have it, I got a full time job at a book store. Leaving high school to meet the big wide world by myself was disorientating to say the least, but one thing that made it easier was the books. There are books you read once and forget. There are the books that you have to read. Then there are the books that stick with you over time, the ones that wrap around you and frame your own experiences with a new perspective. There was this one really great perk to my job: the long, high, shelf out in the back room, full of unreleased review copies that were free for taking. One day I picked out a memoir from that shelf called My Salinger Year. It was an autobiography about a young intern, Joanna Rakoff, who found herself working for J.D Salinger’s literary agency in Brooklyn, New York. The story was a homage to the old world of publishing, as it never will be again. It was also a story about being young and unsure; about cutting free from your old life and wading through the fantastic and unfamiliar. The review copy came with a letter from the editor at Bloomsbury press: ‘’You always remember your first job - your first step into the world of publishing and bookselling. Reading this wonderful memoir...I was transported back to 1978. “I was 24, climbing five flights of stairs of a building in Wardour Street, sandwiched between a sex shop and a pinball arcade...The company was Virago Press. My job was Office Slave.
LAUREN DYMKE “...we know that you are fully fledged in the world of books now, and that’s why we wanted to share this with you! ” I nearly wrote back to the editor. I wanted to explain to them how I wasn’t quite there yet, how I was really more of a fledgling than fully fledged, and how youth, inexperience and my first proper job were not memories to me yet. As I read, the protagonist wandered through a New York blanketed in December snow, immersed in sights and sounds. I wanted to tell the editor about my own walks to work through frost and fog; ordering coffee while it was still quiet; watching shopkeepers rush by and slip behind shutters. A suburban shopping centre in Melbourne is decidedly less romantic than Brooklyn, but in the memoir I sensed a certain rhythm which I could relate to working in a public place. That beat is the same one I felt every day when right on nine o’clock I heard the opening clatter of doors. Cue the music, heat, light, and noise. Customers came in and asked the same questions; I returned the same answers, following the script. At lunch I ordered sushi and the man at the counter asked “Soy sauce?” Soy sauce. Soy sauce. He had been repeating those words for all the time he had been working there, and they were not even words to him, but a movement and a sound that his mouth made. They could have just as soon be part of his pulse, and in an odd way, I felt a part of it. I read as the protagonist experienced hurt, betrayal, loneliness. Life was difficult, baffling, frustrating, and mundane. The world was wonderful, strange, beautiful and fascinating. She grew up, 14
she got lost, and found her way back again. So did I. There are some special books where I can’t help but to connect with the writer and the characters in a way that seems personal. But the truth is that there’s nothing particularly special about newfound adulthood, disillusionment, and acceptance. Ever since Salinger wrote the classic the Catcher in the Rye, “coming of age” has overgrown itself into a glorified literary sub-genre. While it’s a ubiquitous experience, I would argue that we make too much of it. And yet still, I understand how we have this instinct to define our experiences with narrative, and this is why we connect so much to stories. We find consolation in the rhythm of beginning, arc, and resolve. There’s a certain solidarity in realising that we’re not alone; that we’re all just part of a cycle as we wander lost and unsure, until we find the ending for ourselves. I’ve finally got myself to Canberra. Everything is different, but everything is the same. The world is still a little strange. I’m in the beginning of some things, and at the end of others, and books still help me along the way. I’m ready for whatever comes next, whenever it comes. After all, I’ll just be following the script.
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
Archie Chew - Havana, Cuba, 2014
NEW ZEALAND’S TONGARIRO CROSSING EXPLORATION
The lake spread below me was the brilliant blue of a painter’s palette so seldom seen in reality. The land around it was starved, blasted and desiccated, rocks and ridges jutting as if the bones of the earth were showing through. At the edges of the horizon, clouds floated over hills and farmland, as distant and unfocused as the edges of a dream. Here nothing grew. Nothing moved. The Tongariro Crossing is not your average day walk, and the climb to the summit of Ngauruhoe is not your average side trip. For one thing, it’s 20km long and its high point is 700 vertical metres above the starting point. Taking the side trip adds another 3km and 487m of climbing on what is, essentially, an enormous, unstable mound of gravel. For another, you’re walking through a volcanic wasteland. Everything is bare
MAEVE CLARK
and dry. At times the air becomes thick with the smell of rotten egg. Wisps of steam puff from beneath rocks at the side of the track. The hundreds of other walkers cannot detract from the weird, alien otherworldliness of the place – in fact, they only enhance how out of place humanity is here. For me, climbing Ngauruhoe put the area I was walking through into perspective – and gave meaning to the word “challenge”. Each step was an effort, as the mountain’s loose surface slid away beneath my feet. I felt exposed on the sheer slopes, without any path or marker to guide me, without any trees to make the empty space around less imposing. But then there was the view behind and to the sides… a testament to the power of nature.
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The earth’s power has long been close to the surface in and around the Tongariro National Park. The Taupo Volcano, which at present is a caldera filled by Lake Taupo, was responsible for the most violent eruption of the last 5000 years. This eruption devastated 20 000 km2 of land around the volcano and its effects were observed by the ancient Romans and Chinese. Lake Taupo is visible from the track, water distant, peaceful and gently ruffled, but closer by is evidence that the area hasn’t finished with eruptions quite yet. White clouds of steam billow from across the valley where the hillside is split open, revealing rock in powdery white, sulphurous yellow and rusty reddish brown. Every now and then the smell of sulphur drifts across in the wind.
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Archie Chew - Havana, Cuba, 2014
WHERE IS THE HEART?
EXPLORATION
AZIM ZAIN
I’m an international student but I’m told a lot that it doesn’t really show. Whatever that really means.
own (I have learned to love Vegemite and the AFL). Maybe even one day make that new land their home.
I’ve been in Australia since February 2009. I’ve been living and studying in Australia for about 6 years now, give or take summer and winter holidays.
The issue that I have, however, is that after so much time has been spent growing as a person, I am still tethered to that homeland. By family. By familiarity. By the abstract notion of culture. Yet at the same time, there is a disconnect with certain aspects of where I come from, largely in terms of culture and ideals.
The most recent summer break I went home and I felt something that seems to have been bubbling for a while now. That home is starting to feel less like home and more like the holiday. As great as it is seeing the ol’ fambam, as great as Malaysian food is, I increasingly feel like I no longer belong there. I’m sure this is something quite a few international students in my position might feel. For a long time, we feel like foreigners in a strange land as an attempt to deal with that unspoken pressure to conform and adapt to a new environment. Some may find groups of people with similar experiences and cultures and join them instead, as it is always easy to connect with similar people. However, some may attempt to bow to the aforementioned pressure. Learn to speak and act as the locals do. Embrace their interests and concerns as your
I still feel that connection to my people, my culture and its traditions as much as it is a connection based almost purely in sentimentality. I once exploded at my own (Caucasian Australian) girlfriend for making remarks insensitive to the experiences of international students and immigrants in the heat of argument (Something she thankfully has rectified since). But that confusion is still there. I have embraced Australia as my home and my inclinations toward what my people deem to be naïve Western liberal ideas. That I will be seen as an individual more than the sum of my skin colour and the blood in my veins. That I will be seen by people around me as more than, as my mother would say, “another strange, foreign brown boy”. 16
I still want to hold onto that culture that I was born with or the aspects of it I agree with at least. And if I am forced to go back one day, I want to keep the new parts of myself I gained in Australia without being seeing as a foreigner in my own homeland. I am constantly being told that there are many parts of “Australian” and Western culture that I will never be able to reconcile with my Malay one. That one day I will have to pick a side in the “clash of civilisations” and it will damage any hopes I have of being settled and happy. My parents and grandparents always ask me when I’m going to come home. I reply “I don’t know”. Unlike my last article, this isn’t a howto of navigating a certain issue. This is me putting my own concerns out in the open because as I have learned through my 23 years on this Earth, there is always someone out there who may feel the same. So, I write this reaching out to whoever feels the same, being an international student or immigrant background or anything in between. If you need to talk this sort of stuff over, get in touch.
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
WANDERLUST EXPLORATION
Now that it is convenient and relatively cheap to travel abroad, it has become a pilgrimage for many young people to travel more than ever. Young people in particular promote travel as an aspect of their lifestyle through beautifully rendered or filtered photographs on Instagram or Facebook. I am indeed overly guilty of this. However, what is truly behind all of these seemingly effortless travel snapshots and mementos? Are they just windows in time for us to remember where we’ve been or seen, or perhaps what we’ve done? I have “wanderlust” like many other people in the world. This desire to travel is a bug that’s difficult to get rid of no matter how many times you travel. Why is it so hard to get rid of? Why is it so difficult to be content with the lives we have in Australia? I ask myself this every time I have a desire to travel. I don’t think anyone can fully answer this, but over time I’ve picked out aspects of it. Personally I have a desire to experience perspectives, culture and lifestyles different to my own. In essence I not only want to explore the world, but myself. How can the world shape the person I am or want to be? It’s not until we experience things outside of our comfort zone that we truly explore ourselves. This is coupled with the moments of profound joy, exhilaration and serendipity. The highest highs and lowest lows are what define our travel experience, and ultimately how we react shapes who we become. Serendipity is something that I have only experienced on rare occasions. I travel alone for the most part, and as a solo female traveller it can be a little daunting in areas. Last weekend I travelled down to Gyeongju from Seoul and the most peculiar thing happened. I was walking around the downtown area (mind you looking like a bit of a tourist), when I noticed there were three South Korean Marines following me. I turned
ELISE HORSPOOL
around and spoke to them only to find they wished to escort me around town because I was by myself. They shouted me lunch (Dakgalbi) and showed me to all the historical sites before bidding me farewell. It was bittersweet to see them go, for the duration of the day we shared laughs through broken English and it was wonderful to not be alone for a change. The kindness and generosity of strangers constantly surprises me. I am profoundly grateful to this day.
severely tests aspects of a person, their perspective on lifestyle, wealth, tolerance and sense of respect. The way in which we react to things ultimately becomes the outcome. I’ve learnt over the past few years of travelling that you make your own life and control your experiences. You control what happens from the way you react to things. Whether they are negative or positive, strange or interesting, you make your own experiences.
Days and weeks of experiencing memories with no one to share them with can be awfully lonely and terribly isolating. The gut wrenching despair of being left alone in situations that are frightening is something I don’t even know how to describe. Standing at the arrivals terminal at 2am in a foreign country when your hotel pick up hasn’t turned up can be terrifying. Coupled with the intense loneliness of always dining alone or walking around by yourself not knowing the language can make you detached from everyone else. You become used to your own company.
Travelling alone is bittersweet, daunting, challenging and isolating, but also exhilarating, liberating and brave. You meet people, learn about cultures and make memories. Explore the world and you explore yourself. Savour the kindness and generosity of strangers but also value the challenges and depths of you have to go through.
However being alone in some instances can be some of the most serene and thought provoking moments in your life, because there’s literally no-one in the world but you. I climbed the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall the other day: being Winter, there was barely a soul there at the time. The sky was bright blue and winds had blown the pollution away. As I climbed hundreds of steps surrounded by thousands of years of history, I’d never felt more content. This experience was insanely surreal. Here I was, walking along a wall I’d only ever seen on TV or in history books. It’s something I’ll never forget even though I had no one to share the moment with bar a few Instagram followers and Facebook friends. Exploring other countries is like looking at something through an outside window. You only see certain aspects of both the people and yourself. Travelling 17
So when you look at someone’s seemingly polished, beautifully filtered travel photograph of a moment in time, perhaps you should think about why they took it, not why you like it.
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Archie Chew - Havana, Cuba, 2014 For more of Archie’s Work: regardezmoi.squarespace.com
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
MUSINGS ON CAMBODIA WORLD
Of the hundreds of temples scattered across the Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia, none are more iconic than Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world and the crowning jewel of the Khmer Empire. Built in the 12th century in dedication to the Hindu god Vishnu, Angkor Wat is a stunning marriage of theology and architectural design. Its moat represented the Ocean of Milk from which the universe was born, its bas-reliefs depict great battles from Hindu epics and its central tower represented Mount Meru, the nexus of all creation. However, it can be difficult to appreciate the majesty of Angkor Wat and all its surrounding temples when you are constantly bumping into fellow travellers in narrow temple corridors, clumsily dodging out of their photos and waving away countless souvenir hawkers and trinket touters. Mass tourism, as David Foster Wallace put it, “spoil[s], by way of sheer ontology, the very unspoiledness you are there to experience… As a tourist, you become economically significant but existentially loathsome, an insect on a dead thing.” Indeed, thousands of these insects descend upon Angkor everyday. They come in great hordes via tour bus, tuktuk, and bicycles, drawn by the crumbling sandstone ruins of Pre Rup and moss-covered statues of Preah Khan. They come for that ‘perfect photo’ of sunrise over Angkor Wat, for an (eth-
MINGJI LIU ically dubious) elephant ride around the Bayon, or to take a silly selfie upon the Terrace of the Leper King. Even the orange-robed monks seem to shake the authenticity of the experience, as they also reveal themselves to be merely tourists, as they whip out smartphones and wave around selfie-sticks. Yet the sensation that these ancient stones are merely the bait in one giant tourist trap is made only worse by the realization that I too, as a member of the tourist hordes, am contributing to this most inauthentic of all experiences. But perhaps it is contemporary Cambodia, not just these ancient Khmer ruins, that is also a dead or dying thing? We all know of its wretched recent history, of the totalitarian dictator Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge and ‘Year Zero’, of how around three million Cambodians died under a deranged agrarian socialist experiment from disease and starvation, or were tortured and then murdered in the Killing Fields. To this day, the country remains one of the most impoverished places in South-East Asia. Neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam have developed into middle-income economies with robust manufacturing sectors, whereas most Cambodians remain trapped in subsistence farming activities, with around a third of the population living on less than a dollar a day. Its current leader, Prime Minister Hun Sen, is merely a tin-pot dictator who has solidified his 19
power-base through corruption, cronyism and political violence. It is no wonder then that Cambodians cling tightly to the ancient glories of the Khmer Empire, when the recent past offers so little. You can see its broken education system in the children who run up to you, begging you to buy their postcards. You can see the problems it still has with landmines and unexploded ordinances in the disabled musicians who play at the entrance of temples. But that begs the question – does all this tourism, including my tourism, only exacerbate the problem? By visiting only its distant, half-forgotten past, are all of us tourists encouraging Cambodia to form a national identity that is inherently backward-looking? This question bothers me and honestly, I don’t think I have an answer. This is still a beautiful country, inhabited by kind people, that is still dealing with scars, both new and old. It very clearly has the potential for a future, it is just a question of whether it can realise it, just as how the Khmer kings of old realized the magnificence of Angkor Wat. Perhaps in a place like Cambodia at least, David Foster Wallace gets it backwards in terms of tourism. Perhaps the dead thing needs the insects on it to remind it that it, that deep down inside, it is still alive.
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A NEW H O R I Z O N SCIENCE
Space: the final frontier. Humans looked up at the night sky for millennia thinking it was an unreachable other world, but the first few weeks of this February alone have brought three exciting pieces of news in space exploration. Firstly the New Horizons spacecraft has started sending back pictures of Pluto. New Horizons was launched in early 2006 for the specific purpose of visiting Pluto, Pluto’s moons and objects that are even further out in the solar system. The spacecraft is even carrying the ashes of the discoverer of that region of our solar system, Clyde Tombaugh. Since 2006 New Horizons has hibernated to preserve power while travelling nearly five billion kilometres. It’s currently speeding towards Pluto at almost 50,000 km/h! The spacecraft is expected to pass closest to Pluto on July 14 at a distance of 10,000 kilometres, just over twice the width of Australia!
JAMES ANSELL
be blurry blobs of light, but I’d like to see your iPhone do better. We can look forward to better images over the coming months. The second exciting event was the announcement of NASA’s 2016 Budget, which had lots of cool things in it (unlike the last Australian federal budget). It included a US$30 million proposal requested by President Obama himself to further develop a mission to Europa, a moon of Jupiter. Europa is one of the most likely places in our solar system to harbour life. It is about 90% the size of the Moon, has tectonic plates like Earth and is believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy surface. That ocean could contain essential chemical compounds for life.
NASA, however, doesn’t want to wake the spacecraft up on July 13 just to find that something isn’t working. So they’ve turned on bits and pieces of the spacecraft early to test all the equipment.
The mission ‘Europa Clipper’ was first developed in the early-2000s and the current proposal would have it launch in the mid-2020s. A probe would image the surface of Europa to determine its geology, measure the atmospheric composition to assess its potential to harbour life and identify landing sites for a future mission.
One piece of equipment is LORRI (LongRange Reconnaissance Imager), which is designed to take images at great distances. Scientists tested it out by taking some happy snaps of Pluto and Charon (its main moon) at a distance of 200 million kilometres.! The pictures may just
Yet, the further US$30 million to plan this mission is not confirmed. The committee in charge of funding NASA is now chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, who typically votes to reduce NASA’s funding and was one of the main causes of the US government’s 2013 shutdown
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over government spending. Lastly, a test of SpaceX’s recyclable rocket was successful! Imagine if every time you finished driving your car exploded. It would be very expensive to drive places. Until now, all rockets were one-use-only, so this was precisely the problem people faced when trying to send objects into space. Enter: the Falcon 9! There were some mixed successes in January when the Falcon 9 was successfully launched but narrowly missed its ocean-based landing pad due to steering system gremlins. A second attempt was scheduled for February 8. After a series of delays SpaceX successfully launched the rocket on February 10. They dropped off a satellite in orbit and, despite stormy seas forcing them into a Plan B, they landed the reusable part of the rocket within 10 metres of their intended target while keeping it completely vertical. Pretty good effort when you’re trying to land a 45 metre tall, 4 metre wide tube that weighs hundreds of tonnes! This is a good sign for future attempts – so watch this space (groan) because return tickets from Earth are about to become a lot cheaper!
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
“I’D PROBABLY DO IT AGAIN.” FAIR ENOUGH. SPORT Lance Armstrong recently said in an interview that if he had his time again, he would probably take drugs all over again. People have been shocked and outraged by these comments. How dare he say he’d cheat all over again? Has the man no remorse? Maybe not but at least he’s a realist. He famously admitted to doping during his seven Tour de France wins in an interview with Oprah Winfrey confirming what the whole cycling world already knew. It was a landmark event, historic, but in reality not surprising or a even particular shock to most people who took a keen interest in his exploits. Every sign was there and if people looked past the romanticism it was pretty obvious. Having said that though, as someone who was sure of what was in his drink bottles, I still remember exactly where I was when the interview was screened. And I was still as shocked as the greater public. So of course his latest comments have re-galvanized the hate directed towards this once revered sporting icon. Now he’s said he’d probably do it again, and really, of course he would. He was racing in a time when he had no choice. It’s easy to rebut that point and say that doesn’t make it right, and of course it doesn’t, but it certainly makes sense. He had been a world champion and a winner of a stage of the Tour de France before his famous testicular cancer, and that was a good effort, but suddenly he was struck down with a life threatening illness. He beat it, and a drive inside him compelled him to prove that he’d really beaten it by getting back to the level he was at before the cancer. Miraculously, he did, but not with the same results. He came back
CALLUM FRYER as a pro and did well, but he wasn’t as good as he once was. At this point, he started taking drugs. He suddenly realised he had a different body type and could win the Tour de France. For someone who has this absolute need to beat everything, he just did what he could to beat everything and everyone again. He was not alone though. Cycling has progressively getting cleaner, each
“Lance Armstrong recently said in an interview that if he had his time again, he would probably take drugs all over again.” year gets a little better. So it holds to reason that the ‘cleanest’ year of Armstrong’s career was his last. Nine out of the top ten from that year have since been caught doping; the only one who has not been is Australian Cadel Evans, who finished eighth. Even scarier than that statistic is the fact that in all of Armstrong’s seven Tour de France wins, Cadel is the only person in a top 10 to not have been caught in a drug scandal. It was simply not possible to
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win the Tour de France without drugs. So for someone who wanted more than anything to win the Tour de France, it was a necessity. So when everyone gets enraged at Armstrong, it’s misdirected. Within the rules of cycling at the time, he didn’t do anything wrong. The rules are changing but they’re not anywhere near what the public believe they are. The problem extends through every chapter of cycling. Four years ago I was racing on the amateur circuit of Belgium and watching my team leader shoot up for drugs. My team doctor was offering rather unconventional treatments for ailments. People were coming prepared to cheat the drugs testers at races, and this wasn’t the top level, young kids were either on their way up or old guys were on their way down. Despite the relatively small level of importance, drugs were still rife. This is only four years ago. With a sport like this, how can anyone blame Armstrong for saying he’d still cheat racing 15 years ago?
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CAREERS & JOBS PRESENTED BY ANU CAREERS
Job Search and Resumes: Get a Casual Job While at Uni. You’ve been at university for a little while now, or maybe you’re even looking at the terrifying chasm which is the end of your degree, either way you’re definitely thinking about that step into the world of employment. Have you been to a Careers Fair yet, and I don’t just mean to get as many free stress-balls and drink-bottles as humanly possible! ANU Careers organises a bunch of Careers Fairs and employer events throughout the year, these are excellent opportunities to find out more about job opportunities, graduate procedures, and careers prospects. You’re able to meet informally with employers and get invaluable information and advice, but often we hear how confused students are by the whole process, luckily we’ve got a fair bit of experience.
that, you’d be that weird person pacing around a lecture theatre no one wants to be that person. In this case it really is your research which is going to be most important, but don’t be afraid to hang around afterwards to ask a quick question. So you’ve left the careers fair, hopefully your feet are a bit tired from the walking and you’ve definitely stocked up on stationary, tim-tams, and flyers, but are you completely finished? No. If you asked good questions you might have some leads or advice to follow up, maybe you need to make some changes to your resume, or you might want to come to a drop-in at the Careers Centre, to find out how to action what you’ve learnt. And if you’ve found that certain special job, don’t wait around, get on, and see where you can slip in that you attended that event and spoke with their representatives. Most importantly, don’t stop at one, there are lots of opportunities to get to meet employers, whether it be on campus, here in Canberra, or further afield still.
If you’re going to take a careers fair or employer visit seriously you have to start before you turn up. If all you can do is nod vacantly and wonder where the free grub is, then you’re getting very little out of your time. When you decide to go you should know your goals, are you there to find out about graduate or vacation work, maybe to make initial contacts with employers or simply seek information about specific organisations or pick the brains of those in the industry. Then do some research beforehand, even a little is enough, tailor it to specific employers or simply just the industries you’re most interested in. A savvy attendee is one who can ask a smart question, like that kid in tutorial, except more people will like you and you might even get a job out of your trouble! But coincidently you need to be able to answer questions too, employers are just as interested in you as you are in them.
Check out CareerHub for some of our upcoming workshops and employer events, but we wanted to chuck in some information about our upcoming careers fairs. On March 6 at 12pm we’re running our annual Casual Jobs Fair. It’s on at Melville Hall and runs for three hours, we’ll have a broad representation of casual work opportunities in Canberra. A day before, March 5, it’ll be the turn of the Law Careers Fair, same time same place it’s a fantastic opportunity to find out about clerkships, vacation programs, graduate opportunities, volunteering and GDLP with ANU legal workshop. This leaves us with the biggest of them all, Tertiary to Work! 11am-3pm March 13, it’s located at the National Convention Centre and features employers over a substantial range of industries looking for recent and soon-to-be graduates. It should not be missed, and is a great opportunity even for those in the early stages of their degree, it’s never too soon to think about what your degree can do for you.
Alright, now it’s the day. You’ve got a plan and you’re a strong independent gender-neutral superhero, ready to spearhead the best job out there… so please, for the love of any deity, don’t wear your rattiest tee and thongs. This isn’t a job interview, you don’t need to dress for the office, but you should dress “smart casual” at least. You don’t want to be remembered for the wrong reasons! If it’s a fair you’re attending take a quick wander around first, know your surroundings and prioritise yourself; you’ll want to talk to the employers you’re most interested in, but you should consider keeping some spare time to think about chatting with those employers you hadn’t entirely considered just yet, or (and let’s face it, it happens) those you’d never even heard of before! But wait, maybe you’re at an employer event instead, you’re probably not going to be walking around the room too much. If you are, stop
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
CASUAL JOBS. Casual work isn’t merely a way to support yourself through university – although that’s important – it is an opportunity to gain work experience, build employability skills, get a better understanding of the work environment and think about you future career. Not everyone comes to university with a lengthy work history, everyone needs to start somewhere, right? Think about putting your resume together in a manner which tailors it for a position, showcasing your experience outside of work, making you competitive for that job. Attend a resume writing session at the Careers Centre, check out our online resources or attend a drop-in session to get feedback on your resume.
Pernod Rickard Winemakers 2015 Graduate Program.
Wine
Ambassador
This international initiative will see graduates train and work in up to four different locations across two continents around the world - a wine industry first and a truly once in a lifetime, global opportunity for ANU students. Meet them on campus on 12 March! Check CareerHub for details.
Stand By Me Cafe, barista We are looking for an experienced barista to join our team. If you are friendly; passionate about making fantastic coffee; and have a mature, hard working attitude, then we would love to hear from you.
A1 Tutoring, casual tutors We are currently looking for additional staff for the remainder of the 2014 school year and onwards. We offer between 1 and 15hrs of employment each week at times and locations convenient to both the tutor and client. The tutor’s role in our company generally involves providing one-on-one home tuition services to primary and high school students. We also provide tuition services to tertiary students. Tuition is generally conducted directly alongside of the student’s current studies and as a result the tutor is usually not required to prepare material. There are 10-20 positions available. Applications close: 27 March.
NEC Australia, casual IT support Referrals are sought for someone to join us on a casual basis to join the Project team over the coming months. This role will be supporting the Project team in the delivery of various projects through the provision of casual support. The ideal candidate will most importantly have common sense and the ability to work unsupervised, they will ideally have some IT industry experience and good computer skills. The role would probably suit a current University student or recent graduate.
Polit Bar, food & beverage service Are you good at preparing for parties? Do you like cooking & people? Are you interested in boutique spirits, wines or beer? Do you NEED 1-2 short shifts of work a week? If so, we’d be happy to hear from you.
Canberra Grammar School, sports coaches CGS is looking for men and women who would like to be involved in the coaching of Football & Basketball for the 2015 winter season. These positions usually involve two after-school or early morning training sessions during the week and a week-end competition game.
Community Shapers, change agents Established in 2015, Community Shapers is a new type of outreach centre - which selects clients based on their progressive credentials and provides meaningful and engaging over-the-phone outreach to our clients’ supporters. To be a change agent it is essential that you have an interest in Australian politics, share our progressive values, you’re a good conversationalist, have an optimistic and positive view, and you desire to contribute in a working capacity. There are 10 positions available. Applications close: 27 Feb.
Pavilion on Northbourne, food & beverage attendants We are seeking individuals who are available for either morning and / or evening shifts to work in the cafe, restaurant, bar and functions. Key Requirements: Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) ACT Certificate is essential, food & beverage related qualifications and/or significant experience in restaurant service is beneficial, knowledge of Australian wines and other beverages, knowledge of bar operations, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, outstanding customer service skills, fantastic attention to detail, passion for hospitality and customer service, high presentation standards, good time management, reliable and honest, and self motivated. There are 5 positions available. your current CV. Applications close: 31 March.
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VOLUNTEER POSITIONS Volunteering ACT, emergency volunteers. Volunteering ACT is seeking individuals to register on our Community Response to Extreme Weather (CREW) database so we can contact you to volunteer in the preparation, response and recovery phases of an emergency. In an emergency it can be difficult for organisations to manage volunteers who turn up to help. With the Emergency Volunteering CREW (Community Response to Extreme Weather) Program, Volunteering ACT acts as a central agency to coordinate spontaneous volunteers. Throughout the year we register individuals and organisations as volunteers, and contact them with opportunities in disaster preparation, response and recovery activities. We will refer registered volunteers, through appropriate matching of skills, location, and availability before, during and after disasters to ACT Government and community organisations that have requested assistance from volunteers. Applications Ongoing.
To learn more about each position in this list, especially details such as pay rates and how prepare yourself for the position, sign up and check us out at: http://careerhub. anu.edu.au
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WORONI No.2 Vol.67
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STEPPING
WORLD It’s been a big month for football fans around the world. Both the Asian Cup and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) have concluded this month, but the two tournaments have left two very different tastes in the mouths of football fans around the world. The two tournaments take place in what could easily (and ignorantly) be regarded as football’s periphery considering the dominance of Europe and the Americas on the world stage, but the reality is that these are some of the most passionately watched and supported events in world sport. After their 2015 editions, it may be that the tables have finally turned in Asia’s favour from the once preferred AFCON. There’s a few of reasons for this. Asian football is not particularly well represented at the big clubs of the world, particularly when compared to the talent representing African football nations. It’s been easy to predict in the past who could win the
N P UP
RYAN GRAHAM Asian cup based on their sheer star-power over the last few tournaments: Japan’s dominance over the last twenty years is testament to that (excepting of course Iraq’s miraculous victory in 2007). In 2015, however, it was a different story. Local Asian based talent was one of the key drivers of success in Australia. The U.A.E for instance stunned Japan in the quarter finals with a squad comprised entirely of domestic players. A host of A-League players, notably Spiranovic and Juric were crucial to Australia’s overall victory; so too were Iraq’s largely home based squad in their fourth placed finish, an extra feat considering the country’s current domestic situation. The benefit of this is that Asian players come to the tournament with nothing to lose and all to gain – to play for one’s country is a crowning feat in Asia, contrasted with the often ‘reluctance’ with
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which African players return to play in the AFCON. With all to play for, to use a cliché, nothing gets left on the park. This is perhaps why the tournaments group stage finished without a draw, as teams were compelled to attack at all costs rather than sit back and defend in order to preserve reputation or a draw. Comparatively, during the African Cup of nations this year - which suffers from being held too often, with many teams housing too much expectation not to lose – there were a total of 13 draws out of 24 group games, many of them 1-1 or 0-0; a dour result for a tournament full of star-studded teams. For the fans, there’s also the element of mystery surrounding most of the teams who came to play in the Asian Cup. It’s exciting for the fans who really don’t know what to expect prior to a game, and reminiscent of the old pre-70’s world cup days
before the game was globalised, and before scouts and media pundits alike knew everything about the opposition. These were the sorts of tournaments where unknowns like Pele could shine – though drawing comparisons between tournament top scorer Ali Mabkhout in 2015 with Pele’s effect in the Sweden 1958 World Cup may be a stretch. But the beauty of not quite knowing what to expect represents football at its core, and is a joy that the Asian cup supplied in buckets this year. Outside of the final, the African Cup of Nations meanwhile was a bland affair where the negative talking points were larger than the positive. The once preferred tournament is ceding ground quickly to the once derided Asian tournament, which looks to be further cementing the position of Asian Football in the global context.
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
DESIGNER BABIES’ LAW IN THE UK A STUDY IN IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTING
SCIENCE Media reports on advances in medical genetics have a sad tendency to carry a dystopian tone. It is often the case that scarcely a paragraph is written before talk of “designer babies” and Huxleyan disadvantage come to dominate the narrative. While this makes for punchy storytelling, it does little to represent the science accurately. The recent landslide decision by the British House of Commons to allow the creation of IVF babies with genetic input from three people has served as a distressing example of the power of the media to dangerously distort scientific findings and conjure misleading narratives from potentially important and useful science. The scientific advancement in question here focuses on a particularly important component of our cells: the mitochondria. As an integral part of how our cells turn food into energy, malfunctions of the mitochondria can result in a number of conditions, ranging from mild to fatal. These conditions tend to affect the most energy-demanding organs of the body, such as the brain, heart and liver. The mitochondria are maternally inherited, so if your mother carried malfunctioning mitochondria it was previously inevitable that you would too. The new IVF technique developed by Prof. Doug Turnbull and his team at Newcastle University aims to mitigate the problem of inherited mitochondrial defects. The technique involves replacing the malfunctioning mitochondria from the natural mother with functional ones from an ovum donated by another woman. Where some confusion seems to have arisen in media representations of this process is in the fact that the mitochondria contain their own small complement of DNA that governs how they function. So some genetic material is being contributed by the woman who donates her mitochondria – thus the much recycled
SHAUN LEHMANN
PHD CANDIDATE, SCHOOL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH.
“three-parent baby” headline. Further, this contribution of some DNA from a third person has been widely portrayed as a kind of Gattacaesque genetic modification; a slippery slope to designer and superior children. The fact that seems to have either gotten lost or wilfully misrepresented in much media reporting is that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contains a mere 13 protein-coding genes; a tiny fraction of a percent of the number of proteincoding genes in the whole human genome. Also, the genes present in the mitochondrial genome are all implicated in the basic process of energy production. In other words, this technique in no way modifies the DNA responsible for virtually all human traits – that is the nuclear DNA of the
“Having explained a little of the science, it should be clear that the term ‘three-parent baby’ is wildly inappropriate for describing any child to arise from this procedure.” mother and father. Claiming that replacing the mitochondria of a mother, and hence mitochondrial DNA, with that of a donor during IVF constitutes the production of a ‘designer baby’ with all of its associated connotations is not so different from claiming that replacing the battery in one’s car constitutes the production of a highly modified performance vehicle.
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Having explained a little of the science, it should be clear that the term ‘three-parent baby’ is wildly inappropriate for describing any child to arise from this procedure. The term implies a misleading equality in the input and responsibility of the three providers of biological material. When the input of the mitochondrial donor is a tiny fraction of a percent it is a stretch to call them a parent in a biological sense, and absurd in any social sense. In fact, if one were to follow the ‘three-parent baby’ logic, any recipient of a bone marrow transplant could claim to have three parents – clearly nonsense. While it is particular configurations of DNA that make us healthy, functioning members of the Homo sapiens species, what makes someone human, a child, a mother, or a father in any experientially meaningful sense is quite something else. Does being the recipient of a very small biological donation render one so different as to not warrant the basic respects and dignities that should be offered to any person? Myself, I think not. Rather than getting entangled in page-turning dystopian fantasy, I feel that reporters of science ought to focus more on responsible representations of the facts. This way reasonable and well-informed public discourse can frame our scientific discussions and policy decisions. Further, and perhaps more importantly, unnecessary suffering can be averted for those who may benefit from impressive scientific advances like this.
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WORONI No.2 Vol.67
ORONI
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COMPLAINTS? CALL DIRECTLY AND REGISTER YOUR COMPLAINT HERE: (02) 6125 2444
Capricorn
See if you can match each star sign to its correct horoscope. Careful, some are tricky!
This week, avoid all sea travel.
Aries
Due to your free-spirited, enthusiastic and care-free personality, your driving is atrocious. You are a danger to yourself and others. Stay out of the car.
Aquarius
Take this week to re-connect with old acquaintances. See how they’re doing these days. Don’t forget to bring needles, they’re scarce in prison.
Taurus
Your second cousin once removed will soon come down with an attack of the smallpox. Avoid him.
Gemini
You will experience hardships and hurdles in your work environment this week. Namely, everyone there hates you.
Cancer Leo Scorpio
A warning: beware earthquakes and termites. They may prove a deadly combination. This week, take a trip to the park. De-stress. Let down your hair. However, beware of the dogs there, they’re all rabid. Statistically speaking, you have more chance of dying by falling off a ladder than being eaten by a shark. Also statistically speaking, this statistic ignores the fact that you look uncannily like a seal. Beware the terrors of the deep.
Libra
Let the children out to play out of doors this week; the basement is prone to flooding when Mercury is ascending.
Virgo
The stars say that this week is a good week to be spontaneous. They also say that this week is a good week for spontaneous combustion. Keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Sagittarius
This week you will experience some financial hardship. To avoid this possibility, mortgage everything you have, take that money down to Canberra Casino and put it all on black.
Pisces
That small freckle near your big toe you’ve been worrying about? It’s cancer.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE; PLEASE STOP SOBBING SATIRE
My psychiatrist never stops crying. Whenever I see him he wails that everything is hopeless, that there is no future, that we are out of time and that I owe $120 for the session. While we never talk about any of my problems, I can’t stop attending our sessions – I’m worried that might push him over the edge. I need to convince him that he’s not alone, even if that’s not strictly true. I first started seeing a psychiatrist in late 2013 in an attempt to sort out my feelings of aimlessness after finishing school. Ever since I was young all I ever wanted to do in life was not go to school; after I’d accomplished that I was left wondering what to do next. My father was very keen I start a business manufacturing doorknobs, as he said they could open a lot of doors for me; my grandma promised me a pile of money to fix broken marionettes – no strings attached. What I really wanted to do was become an
SUSAN JENKINS
anarchist, but I wasn’t allowed. In the end, I decided to go to ANU and study 11th Century Icelandic Literature in the hope of increasing my employability. This, of course, meant living in Canberra. Yes, Canberra: the city that always sleeps. The city where broken dreams form string quartets and play Barber’s Adagio for Strings in a never-ending loop. Canberra is the place where people with knives jump out at you, hand you the knife and beg you to finish them off. Now that I’m starting my second year, I realise that going to the ANU to try find a purpose is like jettisoning yourself into outer space to get a breath of fresh air. I spent most of my first year wondering what the hell I was going to do, and I intend to spend this year in exactly the same way. I’d like to say two things to any first years reading this. Firstly,
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how much everyone she talked to was suffering, and you’ll absolutely believe it. Later on you’ll get stuck talking to a ‘mysterious’ third year, who’s an enigma trapped inside an arsehole wrapped around a very boring man. He’ll give you some life advice that’s about as useful as O-Week is a prime example. a 2-inch dildo and vanish into the The several events organised by crowd like a dishevelled fart. ANUSA seem like they could be fun until you realise that nobody It’s important at this stage not to in ANUSA can tell the difference take what my psychiatrist calls the between their arse and their elbow, ‘sensible option’ and cry. You’ll so most of their promises are just eventually settle into a groove them talking out their elbow. At and, in spite of everything, may any party you do decide to attend, end up having a good time. Who you’ll invariably end up stuck in knows – there may even be some a corner talking to a first year law decent people out there you can student who knows the meaning get to know. You’ll be able to of hardship because she looked bond over your shared feelings it up in her diamond-encrusted of aimlessness, hopelessness and dictionary. You’ll listen to her go existential angst. These feelings on about her gap year travelling will be your closest companions across Southeast Asia, Southwest throughout university, so embrace Asia, South America, Africa and them. After all, you’re never alone the rest of Asia, during which she if you’ve got the divine Adagio for selflessly spent 3 days talking to Strings. burns victims. She’ll tell you about stop reading Woroni – it’s shit. Secondly, you’ll soon realise that the most overwhelming thing about university life is how underwhelming it is. There’s a feeling that anything could happen, but statistically it won’t.
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Week 2, Semester 1, 2015.
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