W'SUP Edition 3, May 2017 (Stress Less Edition) by W'SUP

Comedy, colouring in and quality content from Western Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite independent student publication

Acknowledgements

wsup.news wsup@westernsydney.edu.au

W’SUP acknowledges the country and people of the Darug, Wiradjuri, Gandangarra and Tharawal nations and acknowledges their ancestors who have been traditional owners of their country for thousands of years. W’SUP pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can access the Badanami Centre. Drop in to Badanami anytime to study or relax. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/badanami

STUDENT EDITORS Emma Del Dot Kelly Munro

wsupnews

Megha Kalra Michael Wright

wsupnews W’SUP

Nicole Gismondo Rachel Hardie

PUBLICATIONS OFFICER Mick Hender

DESIGNERS Alex Barley (logotype graphics) Emma Del Dot (layout, typography, centrefold and additional graphics) Grace Mitchell (logotype graphics)

COVER AND ADDITIONAL LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Wright & Emma Del Dot

SUB EDITORS Alicia Richardson Courtney Edwards Danielle Wolf Sam Marsh

W’SUP is coordinated by the Student Representation & Participation team at Western Sydney University on behalf of Western SRC. The contents of W’SUP do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Publications Officer, printer, Western Sydney University, or Western SRC.

Editorial ................................................................................................................................... 2 W’SUP Notice Board ......................................................................................................... 3 Student Services Directory .......................................................................................... 4 The Entertainment Quarter (TV Shows) ............................................................. 5 Five Ways to Stress Less ................................................................................................ 6 Vox Pops .................................................................................................................................... 8 The Entertainment Quarter (Movies) ................................................................... 9 Student Assistance: Limited ....................................................................................... 10 Queer Corner ........................................................................................................................ 11 Stress Less Activies ........................................................................................................... 12 Parramatta: A River runs to it Bankstown: Destress Wonderland Penrith: Observatory Campbelltown: Tai-Chi by the Lake Hawkesbury: The Secret Garden Managing Stress, Studies, and ADHD ................................................................. 15 Questionable Answers .................................................................................................... 19 If I Could… ................................................................................................................................ 20 Paddle by Paddle ................................................................................................................ 21 Exam Packing List .............................................................................................................. 22 Equity Columns ................................................................................................................... 24 Not Dead Yet: Mindfulness Amongst Madness Rainbow Buzz: Step One: Find Yourself We Can Do it: Stop Feeling Guilty.Relax. Colour Me Human “Go back to where you came from!” A Long Way From home: Stress: a Universal Language Trail Blazers: “So, how’s uni going?” Uni My Way: Activities to Stress Less Yarn Up: What is the Badanami Centre? Stars ............................................................................................................................................ 28 15 Greguerias ....................................................................................................................... 29 Student Campus Council Report(s) + disclaimer ......................................... 30 The Ultimate Exam Guide for Casual Domination ..................................... 31 Puzzles ...................................................................................................................................... 32

Need a way to destress? We’ve hidden over 30 activities throughout the paper. Gather your pens, glitter and scissors and help us wreck W’SUP. Send us your pictures using #wreckWSUP on instagram or via email to wsup@westernsydney.edu.au.

Contents

Give everyone on this page very fancy facial hair

Editorial Hello, and welcome to the Stress Less edition of W’SUP! University can be a difficult time, whether you’re in your first semester of your Undergrad degree, or final days of a Masters. Sometimes we can forget to take care of our mental and physical health, so it is our pleasure to bring you this special edition of W’SUP. In this edition of W’SUP, we are happy to bring you various tricks and tips to overcome stress, as well as add some fun into your day. We are excited to have the voices of many students in this issue, including the continuation of our equity columns. You will find mindfulness colouring in pages with a fun twist, places to go on various campuses to relax and unwind, and a bit of divine inspiration from the stars in the horoscope. As usual, we will endeavour to answer all the questions that you never really wanted to ask, and possibly didn’t actually want the answers to. Keep an eye on the W’SUP Notice Board on the next page, to track what we have coming up for you. Regular contributor Oliver brings you an interesting take on whether the university is really putting students first, in his piece “Student Assistance: Limited”. As always, we encourage your feedback, so long as it’s all incredibly positive and doesn’t damage our egos. Don’t forget, we are always looking for new and interesting ideas, so please contact us if you would like to become a contributor. You can send us any questions at wsup@westernsydney.edu. au or find out more about submitting at our website wsup.news . For those of you out there who enjoy a good cryptic puzzle, check the back page for a challenge. Keep a lookout while you read for our hidden “Wreck this W’SUP” instructions; because honestly, who doesn’t love the chance to say “F*** You, WSU” in the columns of our editions? I know we sure do. We hope you have as much fun reading this edition as we had creating it. And as always, keep an eye on our online website for any and all uni-related breaking news. Remember; study hard, keep it real, and your next binge watch will be waiting for you on the other side.

Emma Del Dot M Teaching (Secondary)

Kelly Munro B Communication B International Studies

Megha Kalra B Nursing

Michael Wright B Communication

Nicole Gismondo B Laws B International Studies

Rachel Hardie B Information Technology and Communications

Got an idea for a Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;SUP article? Write it down on this page a send it to wsup@westernsydney.edu.au

Turn this page into a musical instrument. The more annoying, the better.

Student Services Directory Campus Life

Chaplaincy

Uni’s about more than just the classroom. Find a group of friends with whom you can escape study, have mad banter, and just get up to antics with. Student clubs are listed on westernsydney.edu.au/orgsync and there’s something for everyone. Campus Life also provide free (SSAF funded) and heavily discounted stuff, including breakfast, fitness classes and off-campus trips. Check out a full list of what you can scab at westernsydney.edu.au/campuslife

Whether you pray religiously, or only seek divine intervention directly before exams, the multifaith Chaplaincy team are a team of lovely humans who seek to provide guidance for all students. They provide large mugs of tea (and general hospitality), advice, and a general understanding of how we pale significance to the vastness of the university (however it came to be). Visit westernsydney.edu.au/chaplaincy or email chaplaincy@westernsydney.edu.au

Campus Safety and Security

Counselling

Shit coffee on campus? Not their fault. Stone age WIFI speeds? They can’t fix that. Air-con set to permanent “arctic frost” mode? Try Capital Works and Facilities. Library funnelling noise direct into the quiet area? Still not their problem.

Stress is hard. Sometimes you want to scream four letter words at the world. Sometimes you want to cry into your pillow. Sometimes you want to cry in the middle of your lecture. Sometimes you want to sleep. And sometimes you need to talk. For those in the latter category (and some in the former ones), you can chat with the Uni’s Counselling team. It’s free, confidential, and you can do face to face, phone and online sessions. Call (02) 9852 5199, email counselling@westernsydney.edu.au or visit westernsydney.edu.au/counselling to find out more.

Stubbed your toe so hard it’s bleeding? Lost your phone/ wallet/dignity or all of the above? Creepy guy from your tute following you? They can probably help you out. If you need to contact Safety and Security you can do so by calling 1300 737 003. For more info visit westernsydney.edu.au/security

Complains Resolution Unit

Realised that those unit feedback sheets are the equivalent of screaming onto the void? Have an issue that you need resolved? Contact complaints at complaints@westernsydney.edu.au. They’ll ensure that you have to do the legwork by providing you with an oddly specific list of every person in the university who you should have spoken to before lodging an official complaint with them. And once you log a complaint, you’ll realise that it’s just another trap. At least Telstra’s call centre is polite enough to lie and say that “your call is important”. Be prepared for no response to indicate they received your complaint, let alone whether it’s valid or if they’re taking action. westernsydney.edu.au/complaints

Library Sometimes the easiest way to work through your stress is to get shit done. The library is full of resources which you can access 24-7, both online, and through Study Hall. Plus, you can access group study rooms, assistance with citations (footnotes for days), printers, quiet study spaces, and the general wizardry of librarians. Visit library.westernsydney.edu.au to find opening hours and resources.

Western Sydney University Gym Fed up with studying? Or just angry? Head down to the gyms (with roofs) at Penrith, Hawkesbury and Bankstown campuses to sweat the stress away. They may even have a punching bag that you can pin your essay to. Check out prices and opening hours at gym.westernsydney.edu.au

Rebecca Yeo and W’SUP editors

PASS Even if all your tutors are casual staff who are still working on their PostGrad (RIP), sometimes it takes a classmate to explain a concept. PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) take the obnoxious high achievers from the year above you (you know the ones that won’t stop answering questions in lectures), and lets you steal some of their secrets. All the facilitators have completed the unit, and achieved a D or HD. You’ll be talking more than your lecturer in no time. Check out westernsydney.edu.au/pass to find out when classes are, or get involved as a facilitator.

Binge watching TV shows seems to be the way to go these days. Whether you’re a DVD hoarder, online streamer or prefer to get your media through another totally “legit” and “legal” method, here are five of our favorite shows that we think you should watch once uni is sorted: Brooklyn Nine-Nine The show follows the adventures of Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and his team of fellow detectives as they attempt to keep the streets of Brooklyn safe. This show is pure comedy gold with classic one liners, recurring gags and belly laughs galore. If you need a pick me up or a reminder that you maybe aren’t the worst human give this show a chance, it’s cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, no doubt, no doubt, no doubt, no doubt, no doubt.

Sexual Health

Riverdale

Doing the nasty is a pretty enjoyable way to de-stress. But it’s also pretty easy to fuck up. If you’ve had unprotected (or even protected) sex, or are planning to, sort out your sexual and reproductive health by chatting to trained medical professionals. Family Planning NSW are based at Ashfield, Fairfield and Penrith, while there is specialised Sexual Health Clinics at Nepean and Blue Mountains Hospitals. Find more info including contact details and a full list of services at fpnsw.org.au and nbmlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/sexual-health respectively.

If you’re into the Archie comics, American high school drama or Cole Sprouse’s majestic face, this is the show for you. You’ll join Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica as they attempt to discover what exactly is going on in Riverdale and who is responsible for the death of Jason Blossom.

Careers Work, work, work, work, work, work You see me I be work, work, work, work, work, work You see me do me dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt There’s something ‘bout that work, work, work, work When you a gon’ learn, learn, learn, learn, learn, learn Me na care if me tired, tired, tired, tired, tired, tired You know the drill: westernsydney.edu.au/careers

Make a paper plane and have a competition with your friends

Five shows to binge post exams

Please Like Me Josh Thomas is so awkward, but also so adorable. A true character study, that understands the comedic tragedy in the mundane. Potentially one of the best pieces of Australian TV of the past few years. Full House Not many shows can pull off the fine mix of cheesy and adorable, but somehow Full House manages to do it. Watch the Tanner family grow together over seven seasons, and go through life together as a family. Their stories seem authentic and will remind you of what you went through while you were growing up. Once Upon a Time

Student can find out more about these services (without our snarky commentary) and many other services and facilities by visiting westernsydney.edu.au/services

There’s a good chance that you grew up with fairy tales, such as Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin and Red Riding Hood. Once Upon a Time turns these stories into a liveaction TV show. The show is a mix of the classic fairy tales we remember, real life drama, and magic!

Invade this page with aliens

Five Ways to Stress Less Stefani Fontana 1. Organisation is your friend There is nothing worse than attending class on a Thursday, only to discover that the weekend you had planned with Netflix and Doritos would now be interrupted with two assignments and a quiz all due by Monday. Don’t rely on your memory to get you through your assessment calendar. We all forget. As soon as a new episode of Pretty Little Liars is announced, I forget my own name and count down the days until it is aired. So, I mean it when I say it: organisation is everything. Create your own calendar with coloured highlighters over your most-hated units so that you feel less devastated about what lies ahead. And you don’t even need to tell anyone that you are secretly enjoying colour coding either. Comparing due dates for your assignments will make a huge difference. Another cheeky trick that will save you, is creating reminders on your phone so that you can alert yourself a week before any assignment is due. Do this and I promise you that you can say goodbye to all-nighters for good!

2. Get yourself a pal As much as we hate to admit it, we all make mistakes. Firstly, everyone knows that there is a tremendous difference between the effort you put into studying in the days leading up to your exam, and the effort you put in the night before your exam. I remember I had just completed studying on what I thought was two nights before my final exam. Minutes later my friend messaged me asking if I would like to attend the exam with her tomorrow. I had a little chuckle to myself, this girl is so silly. Either she is playing a trivial joke on a stress-head like me, or she is genuinely confused. Well you can imagine what I found out a few minutes later. I had mixed up the dates of my final exam. I would be sitting my exam at 8:30 am the next morning. Naturally I had three mental breakdowns, and stayed up until the early hours of the morning ensuring that I had actually revised enough. However, if I didn’t have a friend there to inform me of the correct date of the exam, I would have received a solid zero and a heart attack. Be kind to everyone you see at university, do not be afraid to put yourself out there and make some friends - They could save your uni life.

3. Be THAT guy

We all know that guy. The guy that has to disagree with everything your tutor says. The guy that must take total advantage when students are asked if they have any

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further questions. The guy that makes the tutorial go until 3:59pm instead of 3:50pm. Okay, I’m not actually saying to be THAT guy. But be the guy that gets involved. University is most beneficial when proper discussion is taking place. You are much more likely to obtain that GPA you have been hoping for if you ask questions and speak to your tutor whenever you are confused. And if you think you know the answer in a tutorial or lecture, spit it out! You may find that you are the genius you thought you were, or even that your theory has some flaws that could be improved.

4. Lectures + tutorials = results I was having serious trouble with one of my units and I was unsure why nothing was making sense to me. How was it that each person in my tutorial had all of this background knowledge on the 1947 partition in India when I had never even heard of it? Then one day I decided to attend the lecture. This lecture absolutely rocked my world. It all made sense to me now, everything that would be discussed in tutorials had already been explained in the lecture. I should’ve known that it wasn’t my lack of knowledge that was the problem, but it was my laziness. Lectures and tutorials go together like crackers and cheese. You just can’t have one without the other. You can certainly watch the lectures online in your bed with stacks of junk food and flannelette pyjamas – what an enjoyable way to get educated, right? This will only improve your overall grade in each unit.

5. Plan plan plan Maybe it’s just me because I’m currently studying high school teaching, but I do enjoy marking. Or maybe I enjoy telling people that they are wrong. For this reason, it is imperative that I write up a draft essay before printing it out and scribbling all over it, and writing it again. It feels like I am grading someone else’s essay and I get to tell them all of the silly mistakes that they have made. I don’t know about you, but I feel like with age comes wisdom. I often need to revise my work the next day so that I can fix up any rubbish I had written at 9pm the previous evening when I slowly started to fade after hours of essay writing. Make sure you give yourself a break and critique your own writing when you are in a better head space.

Design your own superhero logo here

Tom

Vox Pops

B Psychology

Stress is pretty normal, we all experience it at some point. Emma asked students at Star Wars Day about stress, how they handle it and what they’ve done while stressing.

What stresses you out? Human interaction What’s the least helpful thing someone can say to you when you’re already stressed? “Calm down”, or something else patronising, it makes me want to rap them over the head with a W’SUP What’s your favourite way to destress?

Amelia

Listening to music soundtracks for games like Ori and the Blind Forest. I also like singing along to random stuff.

B Engineering

Rebecca “Masters of how not to throttle teenagers”

What stresses you out?

(M Teaching Secondary)

Engineering What’s the least helpful thing someone can say to you when you’re already stressed? “It’s not that bad”, “eh, you’ll be fine, just relax” or anything really along those lines What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done while stressed? Oh boy... that’s a hard question. Staying up all night to work on stuff then end up procrastinating the whole night and not getting anything done

What stresses you out? Uni! Argh, I’d rather be sleeping What’s the least helpful thing someone can say to you when you’re already stressed? “Don’t worry about it”, “it’s not a big deal” or “just stress less” What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done while stressed? Hahahh I super glued my hands to a cane and the cane to my leg! I broke it by accident and didn’t want to tell people so I tried to fix it

Mitchy M Research

Shelby B Social Work

What stresses you out?

Corn. Corn can grow in almost any environment. If it gets out of hand, corn could potentially outgrow all other plants, choking them, slowly killing all life on Earth with sweet, sweet corn.

What stresses you out?

What’s the least helpful thing someone can say to you when you’re already stressed?

“Have you tried yoga?”, “chamomile tea?”, “Yoga while drinking chamomile tea?”

“Have you tried not stressing about it” or “just stop thinking about it”.

What’s your favourite way to destress?

Procrastinate. It doesn’t help, BUT I’LL NEVER LEARN

Watch ALLLLLLLLL the TV shows and music helps as well

Uni deadlines, some family members, my own brain

B Communications

What stresses you out? When I have 3 assignments due in like the same week (or worse on the same day) What’s the least helpful thing someone can say to you when you’re already stressed? Whenever someone tells me *cough* my parents *cough* ’You should have scheduled your time better’. It doesn’t help at all since I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE MANAGED MY TIME BETTER!!! What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done while stressed? Not looking at the due dates during one of my quizzes back in first year. My mindset was towards finishing assignments that were due before the break so I could relax for that one week. What I didn’t account for was a quiz was due on the first Sunday of the break. Lesson learned, write down all the due dates in iCal and have alerts on so you’re on the constantly in the know.

Ali B Law

What stresses you out? Ever encroaching due dates and the fear that one day the panic monster won’t kick in and ill procrastinate right through to graduation. What’s the least helpful thing someone can say to you when you’re already stressed? ‘Calm down’ - I mean seriously when has saying this ever worked? It’s literally like lighting a match in a powder keg. What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done while stressed? I once tried to back out my driveway with my thesis, computer, phone, wallet, and a stapler all sitting on the boot of my car. Since then, I haven’t been allowed to drive myself to exams.

Five movies to watch post exams Rebecca Yeo and W’SUP editors It’s time to start preparing for that post exam party. You can sleep in over the holidays and watch as many movies as you want. Here are five movies that we think you should watch to de-stress after the semester is done and dusted: Beauty and the Beast (either one) Some say that the recent adaptation was nothing less than brilliant, I say you can’t beat a classic. While Emma Watson is the living embodiment of Belle and Josh Gad is so good, there’s something not quite right about the remake. It’s worth a watch but if you want those warm fuzzy Disney feels, stick to the original.

Turn this page into a musical instrument. The more annoying, the better

Erielle

Star Wars (Rogue One, the original trilogy and the Force Awakens… what prequels?) Obviously the first three released in the 70s/80s are the best, but Rogue One and the Force Awakens also hold up. Star Wars is a classic, if you haven’t watched these movies, you should. If you have, you should do it again. If you enjoy pain, the alleged prequel trilogy provides a backstory to some of the much loved and not so loved characters. Guardians of the Galaxy It’s a feel good superhero movie that despite not technically being a comedy, is absolutely hilarious. Everything in this movie is beautiful, from the story, to the special effects, to Chris Pratt. The only downside is that you never get hooked on a feeling out of our head. Ooga-chaka Ooga-Ooga. Ooga-chaka Ooga-Ooga. On the plus side you can go and see the sequel which is in cinemas now. Anchorman Will Ferrell and all his mates get together for this hilarious look back at the newsrooms of the 1970’s and the manly men who inhabit it - until gender equality comes crashing in with up-and-coming anchor Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) and all hell breaks loose. Sidesplittingly funny and infinitely quotable, Anchorman is a great way to laugh away some exam-time stress. The Princess Bride

Vox Pops are a “man on the street” style of interview. All you need are some questions and a way to record answers! If you’d like to do Vox Pops for future editions of W’SUP send us an email at wsup@westernsydney.edu.au and tell us about your ideas.

Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles… The Princess Bride is a classic fantasy film that holds up surprisingly well from its 1987 release but the story is timeless and it’s the perfect film to curl up under a blanket and watch when everything else is just too hard.

Poke holes in this page

Student Assistance: Limited Oliver Pocock

Are student services at risk at Western Sydney University? The answer to that question rather depends on whom you ask. If you were to ask Western Sydney University directly, the answer would be a strong negative. Consulting the University’s most recent Strategic Plan, published for the period of 2017 – 2020, the University claims that “[a] central tenet of the University’s student-centred approach is to integrate academic and personal support at all stages of the student lifecycle”. But while this statement may encourage a belief that studying and living on-campus will be a positive experience, the reality is that students are facing the removal of essential student services. The reason? The university, despite its best-laid plans, is having to enact budget cuts. According to the University’s Annual Report for 2015, Western Sydney University took a loss of almost twenty-five million dollars in net profit when compared to 2014, as a result, the academic and personal support structures for students have begun to suffer.

There have been several recent examples of these cuts, the first being the plan to remove ‘Study Hall’ hours from the on-campus libraries, an issue which was reported by W’SUP in February of this year. The wider student body were not consulted before the decision was enforced, and the student representatives of the various Student Campus Councils (SCCs) and the Student Representative Council (SRC) were merely notified of the changes, rather than consulted and allowed to provide input before the changes were made. The decision was met with widespread public outcry amongst the student body, with many signing an online petition to have the change

reversed before it began to affect students. Lucy Borg, a fourth-year Bachelor of Law Student, told W’SUP at the time of the decision “the [changes to Study Hall hours will] have a massive impact on my studies, as I mainly have time to study at night. This means without access to the library at these hours I can’t access books”. Following the outcry, the university listened to the students and reversed the changes, even going as far as to extend the hours of ‘Study Hall’ and released the following statement: The University has reconsidered its position and will reinstate Study Hall. We would like to work with students regarding some of the issues surrounding the use of Study hall to ensure that SSAF funds are invested appropriately. While this issue may seem like old news, it is only the first of a series of recent changes that have started taking their toll on students. When students returned for the start of the Autumn Session for 2017, another change was ready to greet them at the offices of Student Central – the QLess System. This system has been derided by students and has proven ineffective at the best of times, and ill-equipped to handle the peak times where student assistance is required, such as during the enrolment phases of the semester. “Despite being the only one in the Student Central office, I was asked to give my details and to wait for ten minutes as I was third in the queue”, said Phil Craig, a student from the Kingswood Campus. However, the most damaging change to student services has been the dramatic reductions in the number of oncampus staff, predominantly administrative staff and student counsellors. At the end of the Spring Session for 2016, eligible staff were offered an Early Voluntary Retirement Scheme, or EVRS for short. The EVRS was an ATO approved scheme that allowed staff to retire from their positions in exchange for a financial package. It’s

Glitter this page

Dear Queer Corner, I have a cute friend who I’m working with on a group assignment. I don’t know if they’re queer. How do I ask him out without scaring him off? Dear Crusher queer,

very similar to a redundancy package, but rather than the positions that those staff occupy no longer being required, they are simply replaced by new employees who will bring fresh insights and experiences into the workplace, kickstarting the support structure for students. So, you may ask, what’s the problem? The problem is that the positions made vacant by the EVRS have not been adequately filled. In preparation for this article, I spoke with a university representative from the Office of Media and Public Relations. When asked about the University’s plans to backfill these vacant positions, the representative stated that “[t]he University intends to fill positions to make the best use of counselling services and ensure a continued and responsive service to students”. However, the representative then added that: “The positions vacated in the counselling area due to [the] EVRS have already been backfilled on a contractual basis”. And herein lies the crux of the issue. The positions have been filled by a series of casually employed counsellors, who require appointments to be booked in advance before they can even consider seeing students to address their problems. In conjunction with this, it is not always possible to make appointments with the same counsellor, which means that no solid progress can be achieved as students are forced to explain their problems repeatedly without any solutions being reached. The SRC is working to curtail the damage done by this plan. Grant Murray, Vice-President for 2017, stated “the SRC wants the vacated positions to be adequately refilled with experienced and similarly paid members of staff who can provide ongoing support to students, just has been done so previously”.

I’m so happy to hear your finding some possible crushes on campus! Nothing like a bit of knee-touching during group work to get the juices flowing. If finding out whether they’re queer for sure before you ask them out is important to you, drop the hint that you’re queer and see how they respond. Remember, a lot of us young people are exploring our identities and may not be fully ‘out’ or comfortable about who we are so be patient if the person seems unsure about their identity. Also, it’s no bad thing if you scare someone off, they might not be totally ready for a relationship or could be in a totally different headspace to you. Either way, I’m sure you’ll smash the assignment!

Dear Queer Corner, I’ve been doing a lot of Googling lately and I think I haven’t found a label that suits my sexuality just right. I’ve been spending so much time think about it; it’s starting to get really stressful. What should I do? Dear Queer friend, I completely understand what you’re going through! There’s so much pressure in our queer circles sometimes to define ourselves it can feel just as constricting as some of the labels society tries to put on us. Some queers find labels really useful and validating in navigating their sexuality or gender, however, others don’t find it that useful for the reasons you shared. No one is more of an expert on your sexuality than you. Don’t let feeling like you need to be understood by anyone else through one or two words, make you forget how wonderful and individual you are. There’s a community of queers out there, the WSU Queer Collective who would love to have this discussion with you. You’re not alone on this, and there’s no rush to find what fits right! Don’t forget, you don’t have to commit to anything and you can change, grow and be fluid about how you identify! Got a rainbow worry and looking for some advice? Send your questions to wsup@westernsydney.edu.au and Jules might answer them in the next edition.

Make a paper plane and have a competition with your friends

Parramatta: A River runs to it. Dave Butler Photography: Michael Wright

Did you know that you could walk from Parramatta station to the South Campus along the Parramatta River? I was tired of the long queues waiting for the shuttle bus and wanted to find out about the ‘Riverside Walk’, but any enquiry to my fellow students was met with the same reply; “It’s too far”, “it takes ages”, and yet when probed they all admitted to not having been within cooee of it. So I set off to find out what it is like for myself. You can join the walk at different intervals, but I decided on walking a few hundred metres down from the station along Macquarie Street heading east. I then turned left, and headed north on MacArthur Street, crossing the 132-year-old iron Gasworks Bridge, and joined the track there. The shrieks of the Rainbow Parrots hitting warp speed overhead heralded my arrival on the river walk proper. I have always liked the bush, it relaxes me. Which is exactly how I felt as I strolled along a wide, obviously new, and well constructed path. To my pleasant surprise there were birds everywhere: Red Browed Finches, variegated Wrens, Pelicans, Wattle Birds, the ever vigilant Plovers, and our old friend the White Ibis; once unfairly described by comedian Mikey Robins as “the bum of the avian community”, for their habit of rummaging through bins and disheveled appearance. I counted over a dozen bird species all up. The track hugs the river all the way to campus. One long raised section passes over the Baludarri Wetlands on sturdily built walkways, where if you’re lucky you will spot large native Skinks basking in the sun. Further along in Rangihou Reserve, you pass through a stand of magnificent Lemon Scented Gums, not endemic, but with a definite perfume that fills the air. So if you’re looking for an alternate way to get to Uni, or like me, like to get a little Zen before class, I can highly recommend the river track.

Track Facts: Distance: Approximately 2km from the station, depending on which route you take; Google maps will help you. Time taken: Half an hour with no stopping, or 40 minutes if you want to check out the birds and river. On a good day, you will beat the shuttle bus. Difficulty: Easy. Wheelchair, skateboard and bike friendly. Hazards: Stick to the left, bike riders will overtake you on the right. Be sensible, Sydney is a big city, not advisable to walk late at night.

Further information: search “Parramatta river walk” to find maps of the route and more about the history of the Parramatta River.

Write a to-do list of fun stuff to do when exams are over

Bankstown: Destress Wonderland

Penrith: Observatory

Bankstown has a plethora of Stress Less activities. For starters there’s the lemon scented gum trees. Get amongst them. It’s a beautiful campus for sitting in the shade of a tree and letting nature work its wonders on you. Match that setting with the giant chess set and you are giving the brain a good ol workout while taking in the fresh air and sunshine. Don’t nuke your lunch and wolf it down, cook it up on one of the outdoor BBQs and enjoy the serenity.

It is almost impossible to imagine quite how big space is, it’s so enormous! If you could walk to the Moon, it would take you 9 years to get there! And it would take 3,500 years to walk to the Sun. Or you could just walk over to Penrith Observatory at the Werrington North Campus to enlighten yourself!

Or ...whack the crap out of a tennis ball down at the tennis courts, or scale it down but speed it up with outdoor table tennis. And there’s the Gym for that all-important stress busting exercise. Looking for a release for all that post-exam stress? The Bankstown Gym is open Monday-Thursday 7am9pm, Friday 7am-8pm, Saturday 9am-1pm, and Sunday 3pm-6pm. The best part? The membership is only $10 for staff and students, and no fixed term period! They have lockers available, where you can hide your laptop and feelings, and trainers to help you through leg day. Call (02) 9772 6222 to find out more. Can’t get out to Bankstown? Fear not! Hawkesbury and Penrith campuses also have gyms!

Literally brighten your day by safely viewing the Sun through a specialised telescope (weather permitting). Or go along to one of their Astronomy nights and tour the dome area and get an opportunity to view the night sky through a variety of telescopes (weather permitting). Or you might catch school groups building and launching paper rockets using compressed air and watch a demonstration of a real rocket launch. Blast your stress into the stratosphere! Wanting to gaze at the stars? Penrith Observatory is located on the Werrington North campus, just off the Great Western Highway. Run by volunteer staff and students, the observatory holds a great range of activities throughout the semester. For more information, contact Raelene on 02 4736 0135 or visit: westernsydney.edu.au/observatorypenrith

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Campbelltown: Tai-Chi by the Lake

Hawkesbury: The Secret Garden

You may have noticed Tai Chi being gracefully conducted by the pond. If you are looking to Stress Less you should join in. Although originally developed (and still practiced) as a martial arts system, Tai Chi has been used to keep fit and prevent and cure diseases amongst the Chinese people since the 16th century.

You look around Hawkesbury campus, there’s plenty of space, plenty of green space. You could go skipping through green fields, bouncing over brooks like a little lamb. That’ll cure what ails ya. But you get to the fence and you realise its not very welcoming. You are looking to de-stress and what you need is a secret garden not an obvious paddock! Well, luckily for you, The Secret Garden and Nursery has been operating down a little lane on the Hawkesbury campus for well over 18 years, although it’s got its own website so it’s not much of a secret.

‘Today, it’s principally a tranquil, gentle and pleasurable means of attaining and maintaining health and harmony in mind and body, mobility, suppleness and mental alertness,’ Tai Chi Australia’s founder and Chief Instructor, Mr Han Jin Song, said. One of the main reasons for Tai Chi’s growing popularity is its therapeutic benefits. Tai Chi is run by Campus Life Campbelltown. Get amongst it every Thursday from 11-12pm on the grass next to the pond (across from the ceremonial lawn). Don’t worry about bringing anything with you, except your pentup rage, as Tai Chi is entirely SSAF funded. For more info, please contact Campus Life Officer Sheridan on 040649191

Everyone is welcome to use the facility, volunteer your time in the garden, hold an event such as a wedding or children’s birthday party or just simply visit, enjoy the beauty and purchase some great plants for your own home. There is no better way to tune out of the stress of uni life than to go over and set up your own herb or vegie patch on site! Getting your hands dirty in the garden can increase your serotonin levels – contact with soil and a specific soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers the release of serotonin in our brain according to research! The best part of the Secret Garden? It’s open all the time! 5 acres of land for you to enjoy at anytime, whether that be gardening, donating, or just laying in the grass, located off College Drive via Bourke St, Richmond. Looking to purchase some plants for your own secret garden? The Nursery is open Tuesday-Saturday 9am5pm, and are happy to answer any questions you have on 0414 784 460

Kowther Qashou

University can be stressful for so many students, especially with the never-ending assignments. University can also be a curveball for First Years who are most likely fresh out of high school. While some students can manage their university, work, and social lives well, there are many students who struggle with that. Time management becomes an issue for students with ADHD due to everyday distractions and lack of focus. If you are a student with ADHD or also have trouble managing your studies, then you will know exactly how much studying can be a struggle. What is ADHD, exactly? Put quite simply, ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder) is categorised as a ‘behavioural disorder’ that affects behaviour or developmental learning. There are three main attributes to ADHD which are inattention, impulsivity, and overactivity. ADHD is quite common affecting around one in 20 adults. Students with ADHD are at greater risk of depression and anxiety as stress can trigger the symptoms. To cope with stress and manage your studies, here are a few pointers that may help! Of course, each student might perform differently depending on their own time commitments and work load. Start early. The ancient proverb. You’ve heard it from your family, friends, and even your lecturers. I’ll admit I’m guilty of leaving everything to the last minute, but chances are small distractions might set you back. 10 minutes on social media turns into an hour. We all know how it goes. Make use of the extra time by getting a head start.

Fill this page with things that make you happy

Managing Stress, Studies, and ADHD Find the right study environment. Studying at home can be comfortable but distracting. Spaces with minimal noise levels such as libraries often work best. Study with friends. Friends can be distracting but in addition to finding the right study environment, find the right study group or study buddy. I find that studying with people motivates me more. Think of it as a team effort. You’re all in this together. Program your due dates. If, like me, you tend to mix up your dates and forget when things are due, writing them down or programming them into a calendar helps you keep track of when assignments are due. Set a to-do list. The university’s website offers daily, weekly, and autumn session planners which you are able to download. To-do lists are great for organising what you need to and setting tasks based on priority. Take breaks. For most students with ADHD, it is difficult to focus or work on tasks for a long time. Take small breaks every now and then, even for 10-15 minutes. Reward yourself. Last but not least, reward yourself! Assignments and exams require hard work so reward your efforts. Rewards are also great motivators. Good luck with your studies!

Rest well, exercise, and eat well. As cliché as it sounds, it’s true. A healthy body will also equal a healthy brain. This improves brain function and will make you more alert and improves concentration.

Disability Services operate across each campus of Western Sydney University. Their team is made up of professional Disability Advisors and trained educational support staff that provide a stimulating environments and an Academic Integration Plans (AIP) for future and current students with disabilities, temporary injuries and chronic health conditions so that they can achieve their full academic potential. Some of the Disability services and facilities available include transcripts, videos and podcasts, alternative formats of course material, and access rooms to provide the students access to specialist assistive technology and adaptive equipment.

Organise your space. Whether it’s a digital or a physical space. A decluttered space equals a decluttered mind. Tidy your desk before you sit down to study.

You can find out more about Disability Services by visiting westernsydney.edu.au/disability or book an appointment by calling 9852 5199.

Pull out this page and stick it on your wall

Colour the swears on this page

Colour me crazy

Dear Distracted. Carpe Diem, my friend! If this girl is cute enough that you’re asking me for help then you can’t let the opportunity slip away. As for how to say hi... well, you could try different styles. My favourites are: 1. Sexy Hi. Let out a long slow breath as you say ‘hi’. Draw out each part of the word, and keep your lips slightly apart. Maintain eye contact. Lean towards her. Wink. Repeatedly. Whisper “Ooooh, yeah”. That’s how you do it. 2. Non-threatening Hi. This one will probably be easiest for you. Stare at your feet and mumble. This will signal that you are not a threat and you are less likely to be pepper sprayed. 3. Confident Hi. Stare directly at your target, shout hi and wave vigorously. If she doesn’t respond then repeat as many times as necessary. That being said, perhaps wait till the exam is over. Invigilators aren’t normally flexible, even if you’ve just found the one.

I’m doing team project and it feels like no one else is pulling their weight. How do I stop myself from beating the rest of the team to death? Dear Heavy Lifter, Valencia oranges. Load a few of these sweet, citrus fruits into a (preferably unwashed) footy sock then go to town. The oranges will (hopefully) bruise and split before your teammates do. When you have finally expended your frustrations and your victims, er, team members have promised to do their share if only you will “stop, stop for the love of god stop” you have a healthy and nutritious drink to replenish your energy. Now get back to doing your share of the work.

I’m super-stressed about my entire life right now and cannot even handle it. What should I do? Dear Shitty Super Power, Apparently I am not “actually very helpful and unqualified to give advice” so I did some research on the internet and here is my advice to you, via Gwyneth Paltrow. Walk around barefoot so magic earth juice seeps into your body. Of course, for full benefits you should also buy a $200 mattress protector, a magical yoga mat and some wires to literally plug yourself into your house. If you have a vagina, put a rock in it. Not any old rock will do though, it needs to be a magical yoni egg. Commonly known as a round, pretty, porous rock that will definitely make you less stressed and not give you a horrible yeast infection. Drink a magic (and proprietary) potion made from herbs of unknown efficacy or potency. It’s natural, so it must be good!

Draft a question for next edition’s Questionable Answers on this page. Send it to wsup@westernsydney.edu.au

I saw this cute girl in my exam. How do I say hi?

I hope this helps and that everyone realises that I am at least as good at advice as Gwyneth.

My assignment is due tomorrow, and I haven’t even started. Pls help! Dear Doomed, I don’t know if you’ve realised how ye old timey print publication works, but your assignment was probably due more than a month ago. You’re screwed. For next time, we’ve got advice galore in the rest of this edition, but we’d suggest you have a look now rather than within 24 hours of deadline. Want some questionable, at best, advice? Send your questions to wsup@westernsydney.edu.au Disclaimer: This is obviously satire. If you are silly enough to take this advice, you were probably going to do this stuff without us telling you to, anyway.

Draw something with your eyes closed

If I could… Mandii Carr

Back in April, I graduated. Thinking back to my first days at university, everything seemed so overwhelming. I wondered what I would say to myself if I had the chance to relive the beginning of my university experience. If you could go back and meet yourself as you started your degree, what would you say? Here is what I would say… Use your time wisely, you’re an academic now (kind of). Enjoy every moment, because even though it doesn’t feel like it, it will all go by so fast. Enjoy who you are right now because you will not leave university the same person you arrived as. You can go and play...after you’ve done your homework. It’s okay to make friends with people you typically wouldn’t befriend. Western Sydney University is full of some genuinely amazing people that you may not have the chance to meet elsewhere. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Get involved with everything the university has to offer. There is so much more explore and learn while you are at university than just your degree. Play nice!

defeat you. Your tutors, lecturers, doctors and professors are all just people too and you shouldn’t be afraid to approach them when you are struggling. No one said this was going to be easy. If you don’t understand a concept in class… RAISE YOUR F*CKING HAND AND ASK. This will save you from having a meltdown at 2:00am when you’re trying to do your assignment. You have a brain, use it. When you screw up, take ownership of your mistakes and work harder. Nothing can hold you back from your goals, except you. And remember that your GPA is not a direct reflection of who you are as a person. I am not asking you, I am telling you. Take a class that scares you and challenges you. Take a class that makes you grow as a learner and as a human. One day, you’ll thank me for this. The most valuable skill to learn is time management. Get a diary and write everything down… trust me. Sometimes though, you need to just say ‘f*ck it’ and wing it.

It’s okay not to be the best in the class but to try the best you can. Your tutors are not trying to be hard on you, they just want to help you reach your potential.

Money doesn’t grow on trees.

Respect your elders.

I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times!

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes but don’t let it

While procrastination comes in many forms, YouTubing

When your friends have five days until payday and no food, you’ll be glad you learnt to budget.

Use every coloured pen you have on this page

Paddle by Paddle A sudden strike of wave, Washed away a handful of dreams, Hopeful seedlings that one day bud out, Trade or compete for a legacy. how to speak cat will not help you graduate. However, it’s okay to have some time to yourself. You don’t need to let university consume you, otherwise, it will destroy you. When something scares you, it means it’s important. It’s okay to sit down with your fears. Sit with them until they don’t scare you anymore. Do as I say, not as I do. Even though lecturers and tutors says they ‘expect’ you to attend 80% of your classes, you can pass by attending 50% of them. You should definitely try to go to all of them though. And while it’s okay to go to a couple of classes hungover, maybe don’t make a habit out of it.

Yet, trapped in an hourglass, Like sand dripping slowly, While the clock danced away from boredom. Paddle by paddle, In the middle of tyrant waters, Dusk was there, waiting. Bubbles went off one by one. It was a countdown, And solitude was near. With it, there was a flicker of fear.

Don’t cry over spilled… group assessments, okay totally cry.

It was too late for them to see another dawn.

Group projects may very well be the worst thing on the planet. You will probably end up doing most of the work. But you also make lifelong frenemies, or at least have someone to complain about if you get poor marks. There is definitely value in studying for your exams, it actually helps. This goes beyond 3am on the morning of the exam.

Angelico D. Aputen

And finally… Your education only begins at university. Eventually, everything will work out You will make it. If I could, I would tell myself “I am proud of you for taking this step”. And you know what? I did make it. Today, I’m a graduate.

Pull me out and check things off as you pack them

Exam Packing List Alley Pullen with W’SUP editors Blue and black pens: Because apparently sparkly pink ink isn’t good enough for academics. 2B pencil and eraser: You never know when they are going to sneak in a shifty shade the circle multiple choice section. A clear water bottle: No coloured plastic or writing on the bottle. RIP all of you who thought you could hide a list of spelling words or your formulas on the label. A packet of tissues: Because the only thing worse than having to listen to a sniffler, is being a sniffler. Highlighter for key points: Some times they hand you way too much info, skim read and highlight your way to that HD Student ID card: Make sure you bring it with you or they’ll charge you $15.75 for a paper print out ID card that the bottle-o won’t accept as photo ID. Red pen for underlining: Because in-margin commentary is far more “dank” if it’s in red. Apparently tutors don’t appreciate being told “be less shit” if it’s in black or blue. Comfy jacket: Brace yourself, the aircon is blasting. Exam rooms are notoriously cold so bring something that will keep you warm but also allow you to make full use of your arms. A pair of spares: There’s nothing worse than pen that dies or a super dull pencil, that is until you spare pen explodes or your back up pencil falls apart. Bring a spare and bring a spare spare. Put your phone on the desk, don’t keep it in your bag: Seriously, if you think the fine for your phone going off whilst on the desk is bad, you should see the one for it going off in your bag. Plus you’re the dickhead who’s phone went off, and spent five minutes trying to find it, to turn it off. PUT. YOUR. PHONE. ON. YOUR. DESK. Bags go at the front of the room or outside: If you bring a bag, you’re going to have to keep it at the front of the room or outside. Randos are going to rummage through the pile of bags and you might not be able to keep an eye on it at all times. Exam day is probably a good day to keep your finest jewelry and family heirlooms at home.

Post exam treat: Once you’ve done the thing it’s time to have a binge. Pack yourself a treat, whether it be chips, lollies or chocolate. Vodka, if you’re not driving. You deserve it.

Write the same word over and over again

Doodle in the margins

Mindfulness Amongst Madness

Step One: Find Yourself

Sam Marsh

Michael Wright

The latest craze flying around at the moment for mental wellness is ‘mindfulness’. So, what is this mindfulness, and how do you achieve it?

It’s undeniable that uni is stressful. Exams and assessments play a massive part, but so does everything else – balancing work, family, friends, and more work. On top of this, you’re busy trying to find (and maintain) relationship.

Mindfulness is immersing yourself in the present moment, resting on one thought at a time, allowing yourself to sense the thought, rather than analysing it. A main cause of stress is thought-avoidance, and Mindfulness is the art of ‘being present’, one thought at a time. Now this sounds all well and good, but when you have a house full of noise (kids can literally drive you mad with their excitement), this may seem impossible. Remember when we were kids and outside was good? Kick your kids outside, and spend five minutes delving into mindfulness. Quiet your mind and the space in which you are resting; which may seem impossible if you have erratic thoughts flying aimlessly around your brain, but with practice you will learn to stop and settle on one thought. Now that you’re centered, it’s time for Mindfulness: Chocolate mindfulness… (pardon, did you say something?) is a great place to start. Put the chocolate in your mouth and allow it to absorb your senses, envelope yourself in the smell and taste: be present. This is a great way to practice Mindfulness, however it can be drastic on the hips, so, use the same technique for your thoughts. Allow yourself to ponder one thought at a time. Don’t suppress your thoughts, but allow yourself to sense and process them. See, simple?!

Uni is also a time in our lives where we discover ourselves. The freedom from high school, where you were forced into cliques and cookie-cutter moulds. Challenging your viewpoints, and exploring your identity is welcomed and encouraged in a university context. For some of us, it’s where we first experience parties and alcohol. Where we dance, and perhaps meet cute people that we want to know more intimately. Sexual exploration is accepted, and sometimes even expected. University may be your first time, it may be their first time, or it may just be something different to what you’ve experienced. It may be the first time you meet out and proud queer people. While queerness is immutable, being exposed to people who know who they are may allow you to finally understand your own identity, or at least to know the words to express who you are and how you feel. Finally understanding that you’re queer leaves you with more questions, which leads to more stress. Is this the right label for me? Does this change who I am? Am I sure about this label? Will my family hate me? Will my friends hate me? Is that cute person queer, or will they get angry if I hit on them? Am I really sure about the label?

Doodle in the margins

Stop Feeling Guilty. Relax.

“Go back to where you came from!”

Rachel Hardie

Lisa Lewis

Cheat days, indulging, splurging, treating yourself; this is how we describe doing things for ourselves, and we need to stop. We, as women, need to shed the idea that doing things such as, taking time to relax, spending our own money, or taking a long bath is in some way a special event—something we must earn.

When an individual is confronted with racism they experience an indescribable surge of emotions rushing through their body. Waves of fear, anger, embarrassment, self-doubt and anxiety wash over you; and you question whether what is happening is real.

Self-care is anything that helps you to de-stress, unwind, cheer up, or just feel better—more importantly, it’s good for you. Chronic stress can cause heart problems, hypertension, headaches, rashes, depression and anxiety— all of which are really fucking bad. No one would suggest that taking medication for any of these illnesses is a selfish act. No one is “indulging themselves” by taking a Panadol, or “splurging” on some corticosteroid ointment for a rash, so why are taking pre-emptive acts that can prevent you from needing those medications in the first place considered selfish? My message to all the women reading this is: •

Care for yourself unapologetically.

•

Don’t feel guilty for wanting time to yourself.

•

Look after yourself so you can look after others.

•

Remember that managing your stress levels is not a special treat.

•

You are allowed to be self-centred because there are times when you need to find your centre.

Prioritise yourself because looking after your physical, mental and emotional health is not a frivolous past-time, it is a necessity.

Last week on my way to university, I observed passengers on the train hurling racial abuse towards the overhead speaker. The four intoxicated individuals were agitated because of the delay on our line and they publicly vented their frustration through a collection of offensive phrases. Although a majority of the abuse was based on the announcer’s accent, which didn’t directly affect me, I felt my heart sink. After 10 minutes of being trapped in their carriage, I started losing my mind and begin rationalising their behaviour. I cannot believe that in that moment, I was trying to convince myself that their performance was justifiable. Ironically, whilst I was trying to switch my perspective to understand their point of view I heard one of them exclaim: “Go back to where you came from!” What a joke. I felt a rush of adrenaline immediately pass through my system, I was uncontrollably shaking my head in disbelief and I accidentally let out a loud exasperated sigh. My whole day was ruined; I was unsettled and annoyed for hours afterwards. I hate that strangers had this effect on me. However, I wish I had taken a step back, and realised this was not the norm in Australian society, and that discrimination by the racist minority does not reflect OUR multicultural ideology.

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Stress: a Universal Language

“So, how’s uni going?”

Megha Kalra

Oliver Pocock

Can international students really stress less?

You’ve probably been asked this question a hundred different times, probably by a hundred different people. If you are like me, you are never quite sure how to answer.

People welcome us with broad smiles in this magnificent country. Sure, there is no upfront racism, but what follows when you start adjusting in a new country? It is more than just missing the luxuries of home or being surrounded by new faces, tradition and culture. Finding a job is hard and even if we do find one, we earn the minimum wage. It seems like most of the employers prefer to hire Australian citizens over international students. With a work restriction of 20 hours per week and a wage of $15-$20 per hour, how can we manage our rent, tuition fees, groceries, and an endless pile of bills? Our tuition fees are double that of Australian citizens, and with no HECS help, we work here and there to pay our fees, compromising on socialising with friends, shopping, or treating ourselves. International students find it hard to afford a car amongst all these expenses, and above that, unlike local students, we are not given the privilege to own travel concession cards. Moreover, we are also not able to access Medicare, which means all our visits to a doctor and a wide range of medical tests cannot be fully claimed by the health insurance that only some of us possess. Lack of these little privileges make us juggle more with assessments and work, and we struggle to have a day off, without having numerous responsibilities hanging on the top of our heads. So, can we really stress less?

The reason, for me, is simple. You see, I am a member of a very exclusive club. I am one of many who are the first members of their family to embark on this journey we call tertiary education. But this unique situation can cause some headaches at home… Being the first of your family to go to university means that no-one within your home has had the experiences you are going through, and therefore they often try to imagine our experiences at university as something similar to a more common experience we have all shared – high school. High school and university couldn’t be further apart in terms of the experiences, but for many, it is the only point of reference they have. This lack of understanding of the challenges and experiences we are facing can make our three (or more) years at university seem very lonely. Something that has helped me at university - particularly during the first year of my course - was finding a core group of fellow students to confide in and build a relationship with. As you walk around the hallways and sit in lecture theatres, take a moment to look around at the other students in the room with you. They’re probably having the same thoughts you are – “Oh god! What have I done? Why am I here? What do I do?” No-one will fault you for going up and introducing yourself, and finding students to talk to can help immensely to relieve the stress of going to university, because you don’t have to hold it all in. There are people here who you can talk to, to help you get through your time here.

What is the Badanami Centre?

Elie El-Khoury Antonios

W’SUP Editors

Many students deal with stress by participating in activities, such as going clubbing, watching a movie, or going on a spontaneous holiday. These activities can be difficult for some students with a disabilities. So how do you stress less, if you have a disability?

Badanami aims to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to explore, discover, learn and take risks to succeed.

One way is to focus on staying in shape and keeping active. Attending the gym is a great way to release some stress and increase endorphin production. There is always equipment you can access at the gym to cater for your disability, whether it be using dumbbells to work on that upper body strength, or accessing a cardio machine for endurance. A personal trainer can also work with you on specific exercises to suit your needs. The gym isn’t for everyone. If it’s not your scene, try meandering down to the corner shops to soak up some afternoon sun. Otherwise, try joining social groups. Find some friends who you have something in common with, whether it be your disability, your shared love of Anime or your hatred of a tutor. Chat with likeminded people, compare experiences, and release some stress. Most groups should have some activities that you can access easily, and many are open to discussion about how more people can join the fun. If an entire club of students sounds overwhelming (gross, people) set up a time with a good friend to go for lunch at a venue of your choice; one that you know is accessible to you. You could also enjoy a favourite TV series or movie every Friday night, from the comfort of your own home, to aid in recharging you for the coming week. It is really important to make sure you learn strategies which help you stress less and perform at your best while at university, doubly so for students with a disability. And don’t forget, as daunting as uni can be, you are doing this for you; relax, and enjoy!

The Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education is located on every campus of Western Sydney University where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are provided with a supportive, simulating, inspiring and culturally appropriate learning environment. The Badanami Centre caters to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by providing programs, services and facilities that can engage the students in all aspects of education at University. Badanami ensures that Indigenous students feel a sense of familiarity and belonging while transitioning to University life and academic culture. They act as a first point of contact for Indigenous students seeking advice on cultural or personal issues. Badanami’s Indigenous Student Support Officers offer assistance with assessments and learning skills, access to computers, a study space, and an orientation program at the beginning of the year. Badanami advises students on the free Tutoring for Success Program and links them to a range of services available, from study skills courses, career advice, chaplaincy services, medical assistance and counselling, through to life skills workshops, studying abroad opportunities, scholarships and online learning resources.

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Activities to Stress Less

Get in contact at westernsydney.edu.au/badanami Writer wanted! Are you member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community? Would you like to write a regular 300 word column for W’SUP? Email wsup@westernsydney.edu.au and tell us your ideas.

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Stars Kelly Munro

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Stress can be a frustrating feeling for you, as you like to feel powerful and in control. As Jupiter enters your path, you may find yourself in a bizarre room in a popular primary colour. Go with it; just make sure you have a safe word. Your grey day this month is May 29th.

You should stop looking in the mirror and asking how can you change your ways, and instead focus your energies on building closer relationships. If there is someone in your life called Annie, the stars suggest you should make sure they are okay. Remember when working on your final assessments, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, as long as you have a good reference list. May 29th will be a thriller of a day for you this month.

You share your sign with Jamie Dornan Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Your friends may think they have a big workload, but they don’t know what a big workload is. Your workload is huge, it’s enormous. If you start to feel stressed, avoid all responsibilities and head out to the TRUMP™ golf course for a few relaxing rounds. Your lucky day this month is May 29th, but really, every day it’s lucky to be you. You share your sign with Donald Trump Cancer (June 21 - July 22) If you ever feel like you have no idea what you’re doing when you start an assignment, don’t stress; you’re not alone on this one. Sometimes it may even seem like it’s a mission impossible, but deep down you know you have ALL the answers. If it all becomes too much, this may be the perfect time for physical activity, possibly in the form of manic and unexpected jumping in inappropriate places. The stars suggest money will come your way on May 29th, so make sure to ask everyone to show you the money.

You share your sign with Michael Jackson Libra (September 23 – October 22) With exam period approaching, you may begin to feel stressed or deflated. To combat this, you should take off your shoes, walk outside, and bury your feet in the dirt. Make sure you follow this routine every day, to reconnect your body to the energy of Mother Earth. Your Zen day this month is May 29th. You share your sign with Gwyneth Paltrow Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) University can be a stressful time, and sometimes we can forget to take care of our bodies. If all this studying is making you feel drained, head out into the sunshine, lay down butt-naked in your backyard, and spread eagle in the grass to get some vitamin D. The stars show a sunny day for you on May 29th, so take advantage of it!

You share your sign with Tom Cruise

You share your sign with Shailene Woodley

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Chances are you have recently gone through a difficult break up, and as Venus moves into orbit, you are probably enjoying life far more than your ex. Try not to forget about your responsibilities this busy month. You are likely to have a clash of opinions soon with a strong-willed Gemini, but don’t let this affect your good mood. Your lucky day this month is May 29th.

Don’t let yourself get too overwhelmed this month; this isn’t 2007, you can handle it. When in doubt, put on your favourite NSYNC tune, lip-sync to your hearts content, and make sure no-one videos your actual singing. May 29th may be a bit of a circus for you, so make sure you don’t become a slave to anyone.

You share your sign with Barack Obama

You share your sign with Britney Spears

Write the lyrics of your favourite song

15 Greguerias After Ramon Gomez de la Serna Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) You may think you’re the King of studying, but when it comes to group work you need a little less conversation and a little more action. Your Aries friends may be struggling this month, so make sure to say thank you, thank you very much. Your lucky day this month is May 29th, uh huh. You share your sign with Elvis Presley Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Don’t let your ego get in the way of your studies, otherwise you may find your assignments turning into monstrosities. Make sure to always put your best foot forward, and allow yourself to be a part of a team. Your winning day this month is May 29th, but do you ever really lose? You share your sign with Cristiano Ronaldo Pisces (February 19 – March 20) Two things are infinite: the universe, and human stupidity. If it seems like all your theories aren’t adding to shit, take a step back and remember, Keep It Simple Stupid. Allow yourself to be curious this month, but as Venus passes by, maybe don’t be too curious with an overly eager Aries. Your most knowledgeable day this month is May 29th. You share your sign with Albert Einstein Aries (March 21 – April 19) Your passionate nature may cause you to act like a beast this week, so make sure to be careful around any Scorpios. You have always strived to be at the top of your class, but don’t let this ambition distract you from the magic around your world. Your unlucky day this month is May 29th.

A balloon is only as good as the gas inside it There’s nothing worse than an unfinished Hats are the head of your clothes It’s like chasing a kitten for no other reason than it’s cute The longest word in the dictionary is smiles – a mile between the two s’s You are only as wise as you are not My gentleness masks nothing but dulls your senses and so you feel nothing of the infected shank within you It’s like holding a balloon, only to let it go Catching the wind is like touching the stars Having fear is like a snake slithering along a rocky path to try and shed its skin but it refuses, clinging on Fuck greguerias

‘Imaginative Life’ Students Daniel Kamalaneson, Jack Garrod, Baillie Roberts, Kristi McLellan, Teah O’Dowd, Clara Zaitounian, Tawana Cruz-Taing, Tasha Draper, Abigail Sampson and Connie Warburton from Luke Carman’s 5pm class.

You share your sign with Emma Watson Kelly Munro is an accomplished astronaut, who totally knows the difference between astronomy and astrology and didn’t just make this up as she went along.

Draw something scary

Bankstown Student Campus Council Report Grant Murray, Chair BSCC I would like to publicly congratulate the following representatives for being elected to the BSCC in March: •

Amanda Windsor - General Rep

•

Ian Escandor - General Rep

•

Shagufta Mahabub - International Rep

•

Maggie (Ran) Li - Residential Rep

Each coming from diverse backgrounds and disciplines and interest areas I am sure they will serve you well Bankstown. Stress Less Week at Bankstown campus was held as a mental health and wellbeing initiative from the BSCC with fantastic help from MATES, Campus Life, Chaplaincy and volunteers. Thank you all that made the week amazing! Conferences are coming up such as NOWSA (Network of Women’s Students Australia) and Queer Collaborations toward the end of Winter break. Get in touch with your SCC or collective if you would like to participate with a subsidised fee. Non-voting office bearer positions have run on most campuses and we have been pleased to further gain members at SCCs & SRC. If you would like further information on non-voting officer bearer membership or any other information on the Student Campus Councils or Western SRC go to www.westernsrc.org

Please keep an eye out for invitations to the Student Academic Representative Forum and if it applies the Postgraduate Representative Forum in June. The SRC will be providing lunch for all attendees and it will be a fantastic networking opportunity for all involved.

Write a secret on this page

The Ultimate Exam Guide for Casual Domination Sam Glazebrook There are three things that are certain in a university students’ life: death, taxes and exams. As the exam period rolls around again, figuring out what you’ll actually need may seem like a terrifying adventure that makes Lord of the Rings look like a Sunday stroll. So…what to take?

Pre-exams: A schedule: The thought of four exams can be incredibly overwhelming, so be efficient by allocating your time. The most important thing here is to be realistic: if you know you can’t put in four hours straight, then don’t write it down. Sleep: Sleep is the sweet gift from the gods that seems to disappear come exam time. But it’s really important that you still get a good nights’ rest. Good sleep significantly improves mood and brain function, and we all know how important that can be. Know how the exam is going to run: There’s the standard how long it is, how much its worth, etc., but how many sections are there? Are they multiple choice or short answer? Are you allowed to take anything into the exam? Once you have these answers, try to replicate the exam when you’re studying, this will make it feel less foreign when you get in there.

Post-exams:

Editor’s note: The W’SUP editorial team print reports from the Student Campus Councils and Student Representative Council without sub-editing or formatting. Subsection 182 of the W’SUP procedures state that the SRC President and SCC Chairs shall have an opportunity to provide a report for each edition of the Student Publication.

A short memory: Not about the content, that’s what going to get you a job, but how you went in the exam. It will only take away from your preparation for the next one. If you did really well, you could become over confident. If you did badly, it could shatter your confidence. Either way it’s not helpful; forget about it, and start prepping for the next round. A serious ability to party: You just put in some seriously good work, now go cool off. Not much direction needed about this one , although a few Jell-O shots wouldn’t go awry.

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