THE FEAR EDITION
ISSUE 05, VOLUME 03 AUGUST 2017 EDITORIAL TEAM Rebecca Marshallsay - Editor in Chief Fruzsina Gál - Editor Monique Hotchin - Editor Zakary Johnson - Editor Angel Nikijuluw - Editor Hayley Payne - Editor PUBLISHER George Lindley-Jones TALENTED CONTRIBUTORS Cover artwork Ellie Pinnington Editorial Jake Anderson - Azaria Bell Jessica Brown - Fruzsina Gál Monique Hotchin - Zak Johnson George Lindley-Jones - Hope Nakagawa Angel Nikijuluw - Christian Nimri Elleanor O’Connell - Dan Pagotto Jemima Paull - Hayley Payne Creative Bry Fairhall - Hayley Peacock Mic Smith Photographic Daniel Janeczek - Holly Knight Angel Nikijuluw - Christian Nimri David Street DESIGN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
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Contents Editorial note
4
Message from the President
5
Geta giveaways
6
Contributor spotlight
9
Vox pop
10
Your doomsday bunker: A guide to surviving
14
How to find your courage in seven steps
16
CV of failures
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Freaky fears
21
Why can’t I leap?
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Do we celebrate or fear change?
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The evolution of women in horror films
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Letters to a serial killer
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So you’re about to graduate…Now what?
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Half empty media
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Fear on film
36
Snapped on campus
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Fear in fashion
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What’s on
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Feature artist - LIVVIA
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Online
54
Entertainment
56
Being creative
61
Get the hell outta here
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EDITORIAL NOTE
August in Australia generally spells the gradual transition from winter to spring, from death to renewed life. However, for us humble uni students, this month takes on a whole different meaning, one involving barrel loads of assignments, caffeineinduced panic attacks and abysmal methods of time management. Yep, the throes of the second trimester are well and truly upon us, which probably makes this edition’s topic, fear, all the more appropriate. Fear is often perceived as a biological response to potentially dangerous stimuli, as a defence mechanism of sorts. For instance, you’re probably just as scared of sticking your hand inside a rabid dog’s mouth as you are of waiting until the night before a piece of assessment is due before starting it. Or maybe not. Either way, fear is an unpleasant but inevitable (and in many ways necessary) part of the human condition. The Fear Edition covers the multitude of contexts that fear can emerge from (and in certain circumstances be utilised or controlled). Elleanor covers some of the
weird and wacky phobias that have been documented, as well as some of the spooky locales that can be visited right here on the Coast in this edition’s ‘Get the hell outta here’. Monique unravels our morbid fascination with serial killers as well as the evolution of the ‘final girl’ in slasher movies. Additionally, Fruzsi looks at the lessons that we can draw from our failures, as well as our inherent fear (and acceptance) of change. Hayley covers some of the scientific explanations behind fears, and therefore how they can be overcome. Zak takes a peek at some of the fear tactics used in mainstream media and politics and finally Angel delves into the headspaces of students who have either graduated or are about to do so, as well as a fashion expose on clothing that you’ve always been scared to wear. Whatever scares you this trimester, hopefully this edition will be able to ease at least some of your fears, if only for the time it takes you to read it. The Geta Editorial Team
This is your chance to tell us what you love, what you want to see more of or suggest new ideas. Maybe there is an issue you think we should be covering or you want to weigh in on the best coffee debate... whatever you need to get off your chest, we’d love to hear from you. Connect with us and stay up to date! facebook.com/Getamungstit facebook.com/groups/getamungstit.contributors/ getamungstit@griffith.ed.au gugcstudentguild.com.au/getamungstit
Editorial note
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Hi everyone,
Does fear play an important role in our lives today?
Welcome to the Fear Edition of Geta.
While we may not be cowering from the saber-tooth tiger anymore. There are certainly new things to fear in today’s age.
I like to think of fear as the Batman of emotions. It is always watching over us, steps in to save the day when necessary, but nearly always gets a bad rap in the media. You have to feel a bit sorry for fear. It grew up during the time of saber-tooth tigers and worked well for the first 50,000 human generations. The new realities of our civilisation have evolved with such rapidity that the slow march of evolution has been left in the dust. The neural circuitry that worked best in our saber-tooth days is now an outdated program. The equivalent of trying to scroll through Facebook on your Nokia brick.
Regardless of whether we like it or not fear continues to be a major motivator in our everyday lives. In fact, recognising what our biggest fears are can help to conversely recognise what our goals are. I went around campus and asked some everyday students what their biggest fears were (see below). Are they rational? George Lindley-Jones Student Guild President
Letting
Dying early
people down
Regretting how I treat
Losing a
my mum
sense of purpose
Fear of not
Fear of missed
realising my potential
opportunities
Failing myself
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Contributor spotlight DAN PAGATTO For this month’s Contributor Spotlight, we sat down with Dan Pagotto to talk about all things Getamungstit, university and life. Hey my name is Dan – I’m 22 years old, born and bred on the Gold Coast and have been around Griffith for a few years now trying on a couple of different degrees. My contribution to Getamungstit consists of the occasional album review for the entertainment section. Music was, and still is a big part of my life, and I would be happy to inspire even a couple of people to pick up an album I’ve reviewed and to give it a listen.
What are you studying? I am studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science majoring in Urban Ecology.
Why do you contribute to Geta? I contribute to Geta to satisfy my undisclosed ostentatiousness.
In the spirit of the Fear edition – what is your greatest fear? Heights. Definitely. Also the current Federal Government…
How long until you graduate and where do you see your life after graduation? There is still another two years until I graduate, but due to the nature of my study I would likely see myself (hopefully) finding a job in a major city although one can’t be too picky these days.
Favourite thing about university life? Definitely the relaxed vibe you can feel around the Griffith Gold Coast Campus. I mean, everyone is there to do their best and succeed, but I think it’s just as important to enjoy what you’re studying and make the most of your time at university.
What are three things we would be surprised to know about you? I’m an avid listener of jazz and come from a family of musicians (me being the only mediocre one, hence why I got into reviews). I play the guitar and, to a much (MUCH) lesser extent, the keys.
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VOX POP
What makes your skin crawl?
Fear can come in many forms. Most commonly it’s in the scary, squeamish, make your skin crawl stuff. But it also runs through the veins of everyday life - Will I get that job? If I do that will I look like a giant loser? Am I enough? We asked you about both sides of the fear coin in this edition of Vox pop.
Ali, Master of Civil Engineering Cockroaches.
Barbara, Bachelor of Psychological Science People chewing loudly.
Deanna, Bachelor of Counseling Snakes and spiders. Their creepy eyes and they’re hairy! Vox pop
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Kristi, Bachelor of Health Science I would go on Shark Tank and open a multi-million dollar business.
Cameron, Bachelor of Journalism/ Business Life.
Jordan, Bachelor of Commerce Save the world.
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Weirdest nightmare you’ve ever had?
What are you afraid of?
Tim, Bachelor of Business A Dementor from Harry Potter with eight arms holding me down and sucking my happiness.
Kiran, Bachelor of Nursing Assignments and exams.
Pooja, Bachelor of Nursing A ghost came to me in my sleep, pulled my hair and threw me in the air.
Rashmita, Bachelor of Psychological Science/Business A lot. But right now uncertainty about my career.
Wajini, Bachelor of Nursing I dreamt my grandma died. And then I got a call from my mum saying it was real.
Ruben, Bachelor of Popular Music I’m really afraid of cockroaches, but also emotional stuff, like tragedies. Sorry, that’s heavy.
Vox pop
YOUR DOOMSDAY BUNKER: A GUIDE TO SURVIVING Jemima Paull Whether or not you like to think of the impending doomsday that may fall upon mankind, it’s important to be prepared. Therefore, it is fitting that your essential guide to surviving the end of the world from a bunker appears in the Fear Edition, right? After all, it is better to be safe than sorry when the zombie apocalypse, nuclear Armageddon or extinction level asteroid arrives.
Humans can’t survive without water so you’re going to want to stock up on that. Maybe put a few hundred cartons in your bunker.
For those that suffer from less than satisfactory eyesight it may be wise to pack an extra pair of spectacles. Let’s be real glasses get lost so easily!
Non-perishable foods will also be beneficial in post-reckoning existence (think rice, freeze dried food, and grains). Duct tape and rope because they can be used for just about anything.
Basic cooking equipment. If you take any medication remember to stock up on that.
A first-aid kit. Some paracetamol because if you’re stuck in a bunker with the same people for a long time…you’ll probably get a headache.
Some on trend interior decorations (if you’re bunkering it may as well be in style).
Your Yourdoomsday doomsdaybunker: bunker:AAguide guideto tosurviving surviving
The first step is making sure you have a bunker to call home, most are made from hardened concrete, steel grids, and sit a few metres below ground.
A toothbrush and toothpaste.
A bed. Clothes for all weather... you could walk out to Arctic or sub-Saharan conditions.
Surveillance equipment - if you want to keep an eye on what’s happening above you may want to invest in some nuclear resistant, smash resistant, bomb resistant cameras. Recently a specially designed security bunker in Colorado, USA featuring extensive internal and external surveillance equipment went on the market for 11.2 million USD.
A laptop full with heaps of new and old movies and TV series.
A bookcase to keep you occupied and possibly help you become the new Hemingway. A lot of “___ for dummies”, because Google won’t be there to teach you how to boil an egg anymore.
Consider a skill you’d like to master. You’ll be down there for a while, why not perfect a skill whilst you’re twiddling your thumbs?
A clock (or a phone with a charging cable).
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HOW TO FIND YOUR COURAGE IN SEVEN STEPS Hayley Payne Everybody is afraid of something. But there are some who have found a way to make their courage stand above their fear. Overcoming your fears doesn’t come easy and it can take a lot of uncomfortable and terrifying attempts to find your courage before you get it right. This isn’t a how-to about beating fear. Instead, it is a piece that will give you the tools to make your courage shine. It will help you come to understand that you can still be afraid, but you shouldn’t let that stop you from conquering the world.
START How to find your courage in seven steps
Identify the source The first step is to find out what it is that you’re afraid of. Then it is time to start figuring out why you fear it. You may have always thought that you are afraid of heights, but maybe the true fear lies in the fear of falling or losing control. Take some time to really think about it and dig as deep as you can to find the source of your fear. It could be a memory, something you saw, or just a fear of ‘what if’?
Ask for help Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether that help comes in the form of a friend going with you to try something new, talking to a therapist who is trained in helping people overcome fear, or simply just giving a family member a call to talk it out. Letting those that you trust know that you plan to try and face a fear can be incredibly helpful. Just getting it out in the open can be a great first step in achieving your goal. Plus, now you have a growing support team that will be there for you every step of the way.
Face it I know this is repeated time and time again. But one of the best ways to find courage and overcome your fears is to simply face them. Now, it is important to note that this doesn’t work for everyone. Sometimes you need to take baby steps, but sometimes you can go the whole way. As an example, once a friend forced me to go through a zombie house to face my fears and I did not find courage and I will not be doing it again. Yet, I have forced myself to speak in front of large audiences and it helped me to overcome my fear of public speaking. Basically, there is no harm in trying. As Hilary Duff once famously quoted Babe Ruth... “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game”.
Change your brain Start to rewire your brain and change the way you think. Are you scared of horror movies? Then find the scariest horror movie you can think of. Go online and watch interviews with the actors, behind the scenes footage and bloopers. Force your brain to understand that it is a movie and it is either entirely fictional or based on very, very loose stories and claims. For other fears, read self-help books, face a small fear each day and push yourself to change your attitude and to start viewing fear differently.
Seek inspiration One of the easiest ways to help you overcome fear is to find someone else who has done it too. Find a role model who has done the most amazing things. Whether it be someone who climbed Everest, a person who found the courage to leave a bad situation, or simply a friend who managed to speak up in class for the first time. Find out what inspired them to look inside themselves and find their courage. Listen to them and seek a source of inspiration that will work for you.
Never give up No one has ever overcome fear from giving up after one attempt. It is okay to be afraid of some things and to have no interest in facing them. But if you know that you will always regret not trying your hardest to overcome something, then you must simply keep trying. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is your ability to find your courage.
It may take 100 tries before you can get there, but one day you’ll look back and wonder why you were ever afraid in the first place. 17
CV OF FAILURES Fruzsi Gál Fail or succeed. These are the two options when it comes to anything in life: our relationships to others and to ourselves, our position in society, our careers, our families, our long-term goals. But it isn’t always that simple. To fail is to make mistakes, and mistakes in themselves create invaluable lessons that can guide us towards change for the best. The equation should therefore go like this: to fail and to keep failing is to increase your chances at succeeding eventually. So why don’t we think of it this way? Truth is, the mentality of the last decade or so has been increasingly focused on personal successes on larger scales. So much so, that there is almost no space allowed for anything else. You either marry someone and live happily ever after, or it ends in heartbreak. You either get your dream job, or whatever else you might get won’t matter. You either have a swift and successful breakthrough in your field of study, work, or personal goals,
or you’ll never make it. Whether this strict duality is the result of the planet’s ever increasing population and therefore ever increasing supply of competition, or whether it has to do with the prevailing generations’ mindset, there is no denying the fact that society no longer allows for mistakes. What we often fail to remember is that success isn’t a universal term. It is unique to all individuals, and as such success for one person might be very different to success for another. There are no cut-out rules, no cut-out formulas. What 21st century society as a whole values might differ from someone’s personal priorities; however, the opinion of the masses has a great impact on how we perceive our own highs and lows. Why are we so afraid of failure? Why don’t we value mistakes more, so we can learn from them? Why are we ever afraid to be who we are, least someone should take advantage and hurt us? Pain, failure, mistakes, and dead
CV of failures
ends. They are a part of life, a part of growth, a part of the human experience. When it comes to inspiration, we often look to those who have already succeeded, and these people or idols are usually quite quick to share their story of getting to the top – whether it’s luck or hard work, years of trial and error or a single connection, we seem to ignore the fact that they’re humans too. Just how many heartbreaks, how many sleepless nights, how many buckets of tears and sweat and blood went into one minute of shining glory, we never really care. But we should!
“Pain, failure, mistakes, and dead ends. They are a part of life, a part of growth, a part of the human experience.” If you’ve ever been reluctant to love someone in fear of getting hurt, then you know. If you’ve ever passed up an opportunity
you weren’t completely sure you’d succeed in, then you know. If you’ve ever, for whatever reason, held back because of potential consequences, then you know. And just as much as we know, we still try to ignore it. Failure builds character. Mistakes shape people. How we react to them, how we process them, and how we learn from them have a significant impact on our personalities.
Failure builds character. Mistakes shape people.
Princeton Professor Johannes Haushofer published his very own
CV of Failures – a document that includes sections such as ‘Degree programs I did not get into’ and ‘Paper rejections from academic journals’ – in hope of spreading awareness about the visibility of success and the invisibility of failure for this exact same reason. When asked about inspiration behind this document, he said that “most of what I try fails, but these failures are often invisible, while the successes are visible. I have noticed that this sometimes gives others the impression that most things work out for me. As a result, they are more likely to attribute their own failures to themselves, rather than the fact that the world is stochastic, applications are crapshoots, and selection committees and referees have bad days”. If his resume of rejections and near misses proves anything, it’s that failure is worth it. In a world centred around success, the question ‘what would you do if you knew anything was possible’ isn’t 19
followed by the encouragement ‘then do it’ often enough. Without being hampered by all the ‘what ifs’, life should be explored and enjoyed and devoured. Getting hurt is part of it all, and if there’s one thing we should hope for, it’s not a lack of mistakes – it’s an abundance of them. Samuel Beckett, an incredibly powerful poet (and thus a reliable authority on the subject), said it best:
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
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FREAKY FEARS Elleanor O’Connell Everyone has fears that haunt their dreams, or that follow them around wherever they go. Some fears are more common, like the fear of clowns; whilst others are not only rare- they’re incredibly unusual. For instance, my mother wakes up in the middle of the night screaming ‘spiders’ at the top of her lungs (I don’t know how my father hasn’t died of a heart attack yet). Arachnophobia is a very common fear, especially in Australia where our spiders are big enough to literally swallow your face. A less common fear would be the fear of ET. For years, I’d have a panic attack and start hyperventilating if I saw anything to do with ET (yes I know he’s a friendly alien, but that creepy, bug-eyed bastard can still fuck off). So, here’s a list of the strangest phobias we could get our hands on. *This article is in no way making light of debilitating phobias, it is only to inform and entertain.
If family dinners with your racist grandmother and narcissistic cousin make you want to bury your head in a very, very deep hole, you may suffer from Syngenesophobia – the fear of relatives. Either that, or you have a really crappy extended family.
A possible origin of the idea that people who fear entering a church are demons, Ecclesiophobia is the phobia of entering holy ground. I can’t help but wonder if Sam and Dean Winchester ever took this phobia into account during their demon hunts…
Continuing on the theme of things that go ‘bump’ in the night, the vampiric fear of looking at one’s reflection in a mirror is called Spectrophobia. It’s not to be confused with Eisoptrophobia, which is the fear of seeing your own reflection in any circumstance.
Kevin Bacon would be horrified by Chorophobia; the phobia that creates an irrational fear of dancing. And though you may love to get a little foot loose, the phobia is suffered by many across a multitude of cultures.
If you’re like yours truly and watching videos from Dr Pimple Poppers makes your gut clench in discomfort, you may have Trypophobia. The fear of clusters of holes is a surprisingly common fear because clusters of holes are frikkin disgusting.
Do you remember the sci-fi series called Kyle XY? To give you a recap, the guy didn’t have a belly button, and it’s probably because he suffered from Omphalophobia, the fear of belly buttons. It could be because he feared the neverending hole that seemingly reached into people’s stomachs, who knows?
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WHY CAN’T I LEAP? Hayley Payne Standing on the ledge of the rock I tried to push myself over the edge. Time and time again I stepped back, ready to launch into the ocean. But each time something stopped me. I just couldn’t make the plunge. One thousand thoughts ran through my head. What if I don’t leap far enough and hit the rocks? What if there are sharks? What if hit my head? An hour later, once my friends were sick of waiting for me and had all jumped from the rock into the cool, calm water, I admitted defeat. Two weeks later I leapt from a plane travelling 14,000 feet above that same ocean and didn’t feel a single shred of fear. In the years since, I have climbed the Harbour Bridge, the Q1 Skypoint Climb, and I have scaled slippery rocks while trekking by the
sea. But if I went back to that rock, I know that I still couldn’t leap and I want to know why. Why is it that my friends could jump from that rock but I couldn’t? Why can I happily fall from a plane but not bungee jump? Why can’t I watch scary movies without checking under my bed at night but my friends can? And why do I love the idea of change when I know others who can’t even bear the thought? David Zald a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry explains the reasons behind why some people enjoy fear more than others in simple terms. He explains that one of the main hormones released during terrifying situations is dopamine. As it turns out, some people enjoy dopamine a lot more than others. Why can’t I leap?
Basically, some people’s brains simply don’t have the “brakes” that limit the realise and re-uptake of dopamine to the brain – this makes people enjoy doing scary, dangerous and thrilling activities and the feelings they get in return. For others like me, our brains hit the brakes so hard that we become stuck in our pace and no matter how hard we try we simply can’t jump off the damn rock.
“... this makes people enjoy doing scary, dangerous and thrilling activities...”
... it was also because I just didn’t want to.
While this effectively explains why some people have the flight response when others fight, it doesn’t tell me why I am scared of some things and not others. Michael Lewis, the director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development says that the reasons we fear different things to others and the reason that I can fall from a plane but not jump from a rock comes down to our personal experiences, our memory, our personalities and the lives that we have lived. Let’s look at my case for an example. The reason why I couldn’t jump from the rock is because I know that I am not great at pushing myself away from the rock
when I jump, leading me to worry that I will hit the rocks below. I am also somebody whose brain uses the flight response much more than the fight response. While my friends could jump because they are adrenaline junkies. Importantly, most of my friends are risk-takers in life, they have care-free personalities and often make decisions that I would never consider. I, on the other hand am more detail orientated, enjoy making plans and like to be in control. Because of who I am I can jump out of a plane – because I have calculated the risk and, as a bonus, I know that I have someone who is going to push me. I also am not afraid of change because it is something that I have had good experience with, whereas I have plenty of friends who fear change because it has brought them bad things. When I think back to that day when I sat on the ledge of ‘Jump Rock’ for over an hour, I feel a sense of regret for not pushing myself harder to jump. But then I remember that there is a whole heap of reasons why I couldn’t
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make the leap, it wasn’t simply because I am too scared, it was also because I just didn’t want to. What I have learned from this research is that you don’t have to be able to do everything. Not going on the scary rides or refusing to watch horror movies does not make you a lesser person than those who can. All that it means is that your brain works differently. That is simply it. Having courage is having the ability to push past the fear and do something that you want to do, not something that other people want you to do. I will leave you a little inspiration from one of my favourite childhood quotes (thanks to The Princess Diaries).
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Do we celebrate or fear change? Fruzsi Gál When it comes to old or new, traditional or modern, conservative or radical, each one of us has our preferences. Depending on age, socio-political background, upbringing, and so forth, people usually gravitate towards one or the other. Just as people do, various nations also display their values based on where they sit on the spectrum. And, just as in our personal lives, these beliefs shape our interactions. The decisions made by nations, and the beliefs that inform them, also have a major impact on their relationship with the rest of the world. So are we, as nations, afraid of innovative change or do we celebrate it? When describing Australia, perhaps the most often used adjective is ‘multicultural’. We use this term to convey unity, progression, modernism. ‘Look at us and our diverse population. We all love each other equally’. In reality, the case is not so simple. Discrimination and white nationalism are still valid and serious issues, not to mention that there’s still no same-sex marriage or that our health care and education are leagues behind various other countries. Change and progress are inevitable parts of life, and although Australia may have come a long way since colonisation, our way of dealing with change still leaves a lot to be desired. One of the pioneers of forward-thinking in global issues such as equality and feminism, Iceland is undoubtedly a great example of adapting to change. To put it simply, there’s no better place to be a woman than the Land of Ice (which is more green than icy by the way). Iceland ranks first in both the Global Gender
Gap Index and the Global Peace Index and has been doing so for a number of years. The women’s suffrage and women’s right to vote were successful before many other Western nations, and political activism is in abundance too. Whether it is the #FreeTheNipple movement or economic equality, the majority of the country stands behind a collective cause, which isn’t something many other nations can claim. Icelandic people not only welcome change to the ways of tradition, they immerse themselves and fully participate in the reinvention of their country in light of advancements in equality.
Change can be bad or good, or neither, or both, but what matters is how we respond to it.
Iceland isn’t the only one either. Similarly, the other Nordic and Scandinavian countries are among the forerunners of progressive thinking. If one wants to learn how things should be done, all they have to do is lift their eyes and ears to Northern Europe, where the attentiveness of social-democratic governments to positive change is only matched by an abundance
Do we celebrate or fear change?
of build-it-yourself furniture and an intense love for candles. And what isn’t progressive about any of that? Finland leads in Western education – with no mandated standardised tests, no rankings, less hours and a more open and encouraging environment. Sweden is a pioneer in gender equality and LGBT rights – with homosexuality and being transgender decriminalised in the 70s while being the seventh country to legalise same-sex marriage countrywide in 2009. And Denmark is ranked third on the Social Progress Index 2016 and fifth on the Global Peace Index. It is undeniable that Northern Europeans have (if not all, at least most of) it figured out. If only we thought of IKEA and reindeer meatballs first! If only our ancestors birthed ABBA! If only we were all blessed with Viking heritage and unfair good looks too! Or perhaps it is all about perspective? Perhaps we don’t need to point fingers, but rather concentrate on our own issues. It is not always helpful to simply compare one country to another, mostly because each nation’s socio-economic and political stance is infinitely unique and thus change and progress are always going to be expressed differently. Some adapt to change more easily than others, and by no means is Australia on the lower end of the scale. We could be doing a lot worse, but does that mean we shouldn’t strive to be a lot better too? The recent interest in the US government elections, the current threat of terrorism, and an abundance of bombings and other terrorist attacks all over Europe places us in a much better light. But should that be enough?
Discrimination and white nationalism are still valid and serious issues.
Sure, there are no walls in Australia, and hopefully never will be. We have great education, and relatively affordable health care too. In all regards, it is generally a peaceful place to be. But does that mean that there’s inclusion? Acceptance? That we fight for what’s right? For those whose voices cannot be heard? As humans, we are always going to strive for change... evolution and what have you. However, it is up to us as individuals and as part of the bigger community to consider how we react to change. Whether we embrace it as a whole, or whether we let fear divide us. Change can be bad or good, or neither, or both, but what matters is how we respond to it. Should we fear change, or should we celebrate it?
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THE EVOLUTION OF WOMEN IN HORROR FILMS Monique Hotchin
How many times have you watched a horror movie (probably at night and probably with a pillow clutched to your chest) where a pretty and perky girl screams bloody murder (and your popcorn goes flying)? Too many to count, right? A screaming female is a Hollywood horror staple and will no doubt continue long into the future. The trope of an attractive, and typically young, woman delivering a blood-curdling scream is so common that these girls have a name, one of nobility. The screaming ladies of horror films are called ‘scream queens’ (a wordplay on ‘screen queens’) and the ruling scream queen is Jamie Lee Curtis who was crowned as the ultimate scream queen due to her performance in Halloween (1978). Another fundamental horror leading lady is the ‘final girl’ who appears in most slasher films. The final girl is the brave, bloodied and bruised girl that survives (and usually defeats) the psychoon-a-killing-spree before the credits roll. If you haven’t guessed it by now, this article will be looking at the evolution of women in horror films.
The evolution of women in horror films
While the tropes of the scream queen and the final girl are separate, the two go hand-inhand within the horror film genre and both have played significant roles in the evolution of women in horror movies, whether that’s been in slasher films or b-rated scary movies. Women have been present in horror films since the silent film era with films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and Nosferatu (1922). From the very beginning, it was all about the female screaming, even if it was silent. Early scream queens were typically attractive, young damselsin-distress with a good set of lungs. One of the first scream queens, Fay Wray, spent most of her time in King Kong (1933) shrieking. While many of the early scream queens were blonde starlets, the raven beauty Barbara Steele, broke away from the stereotype with her memorable work in numerous Italian gothic horrors in the 1960s. While early scream queens, and therefore final girls, were often typecast and placed in a checkbox for horror films, the tropes were gradually adapted to appeal to new audiences, especially in the 80s and 90s. These tropes were expanding, gaining substance and depth of character. They could
Early scream queens were typically attractive, young damsels-indistress with a good set of lungs.
do more than just scream and be drenched in red corn syrup. These horror honeys needed to be scared, sad and romantic. It was observed by scream queen herself, Debbie Rochon that “a true scream queen isn’t the perfect woman”. While early scream queens might have been pretty, one dimensional and screamed while waiting for the male hero to save them from
a murderer on the loose, the later scream queens evolved. Rochon stated that the evolution allowed horror movies to “showcase women worrying about something other than a guy… unless said guy is the one trying to kill them” and started to get some well-deserved revenge which paved the way for the final girl trope. So, a new era of scream queens and finals girls killed it on screen and started fighting back, even to the extent that the females that did die bloody and screaming actually put up a decent fight against the villain before their deaths. The best example of this is the female characters in the Scream franchise which featured the ultimate final girl, Sidney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell) who survived all four movies. While scream queens and final girls were still young and attractive, they now had
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some backbone, some common sense and overall were a little less damsel-in-distressy. The future of women in the horror genre is a promising one with more female characters being heavily involved in the storylines and are doing way more than just screaming and running with a chest splattered in fake blood. Consider the 2015 slasher flick The Finals Girls, where the girls outnumbered the guys dramatically. Modern scream queens and finals girls are becoming essential and centric even on the small screen with TV shows like Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens and MTV’s Scream series, all focused on women that are capable even while they’re screaming for their lives. There’s no doubt that there is more horror leading ladies to come that have brains, beauty and badassery.
Letters to a serial killer Monique Hotchin The world is often fascinated or obsessed with the stuff nightmares are made of and we all have a friend that’s overly into serial killers (and if you don’t, then you’re probably that friend). It’s totally okay if you’re fascinated with serial killers or mass murderers or any type of macabre and gory human killer and that you spend your free time watching Dexter or all of the true crime docos on Netflix (you’re not alone my friend). But I bet your obsession or fascination has never pushed you to actually write to a serial killer. My sister’s pen pal has done exactly that. Angela, a young curious and brave university student in Russia did the unthinkable - sent handwritten letters to an American serial killer in prison. And you thought your addiction to crime docos was overkill. “Barry is the perpetrator of the Frontier Middle School shooting. I mean he’s not a monster, and he told me a lot about his regret. I really feel for him” Angela explains.
Angela conversed with Barry Loukaitis, who is currently living out his 189-year sentence (reduced from 205 years) in prison because she was interested in his motives. In 1996 when Loukaitis was fourteen he killed his algebra teacher and two students at his middle school in Moses Lake, Washington. On the day of the shooting the teenager dressed as a gunslinger inspired by the Wild West and reportedly quoted Stephan King’s novel Rage when he fatally shot his algebra teacher, that quote being: “This sure beats the hell out of algebra, doesn’t it?” Angela’s fascination with Barry Loukaitis is a fascination all on its own and she has a wealth of sympathy for the man that would upset or worry most. “I do not think what he did was okay, but I understand why it happened. I know he did something horrible, but that doesn’t make him a horrible person.” However, there is some truth to her words that is some food for thought. “He was a victim, too. We don’t know about the pain he carried in his heart.”
Letters to a serial killer
He was a victim, too. We don’t know about the pain he carried in his heart. While Angela’s interest in a serial killer might be more extreme than the regular person’s, it still raises the question as to why are so many people fascinated or obsessed with real-life villains? The media plays a large part and makes serial killers “celebrity monsters”, a term coined by American criminologist Dr Scott Bonn. The media’s power to make serial killers larger-than-life characters has been happening since the birth of the printing press and this only enables the world’s fascination with serial killers.
In Psychology Today, Dr Bonn suggests that in many ways serial killers are for adults what movie monsters are for children – just scary fun! Dr Bonn eplores this further in his novel Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal to the World’s Most Savage Murderers, suggesting that people’s fascination with serial killers can be a guilty pleasure of sorts because most people are taught the accepted morals and behaviours of society and serial killers go against this through extreme methods and behaviours of violence that are so seemingly unnatural and wrong to what is normal. This stark difference is perhaps why people have a strange and intense curiosity towards serial killers.
and their ability to appear like your average-Joe. Bond also talked about an interesting investigation conducted by the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit in 2005 that concluded serial killers “are not monsters and may not appear strange. Serial murderers often have families and homes, are gainfully employed, and appear to be normal members of the community.” This idea plays
Another possible reason as to why people are so engrossed with serial killers is because they usually seem normal. This idea was explored in an article by Michael Bond online at BBC Future and suggests that people are fascinated with serial killers because of their humanness
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into the terrifying possibility that any person you know or deem ordinary could in fact be a serial killer, but maybe that’s the scary fun of it all, right? Whatever the reasons behind why the world (myself included) is fascinated with serial killers, I think I’ll stick with re-watching my fictional serial killers in Dexter and Hannibal.
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SO YOU’RE ABOUT TO GRADUATE… NOW WHAT? Angel Nikijuluw
It’s your last trimester ever, and you’re relieved that you’ve almost made it to the end - but now you’re wondering… What the heck am I going to do after university? We spoke to a couple of students from different degrees who will be in the graduating class of 2017 to see where they’re headed, as well as some students who have recently graduated to impart some of their wisdom and experience of what life is like out in the ‘real world’.
Hayley Payne, Bachelor of Public Relations and Communication Graduating in 2017 What have you achieved so far in university?
What is the scariest thing about graduating?
University has been amazing so far. I have had so many opportunities such as internships, volunteering, going overseas a few times for conferences and just being among some amazing people every single day. I have achieved so many things I would have never thought possible just four years ago!
For me it is the notion of being an adult with a 9-5 job and losing some of the freedom that comes with university life. While it will be nice to come home and switch off at the end of the day, I have loved having multiple projects happening at the same time and the ability to plan to do things when I want to do them.
What’s your plan of attack after you graduate?
Any tips for students completing their degree?
I have landed a graduate program next year as a Graduate Policy Officer with the Department of Premier and Cabinet. So, when I graduate later this year I get about three months off to relax which is great. If something terrible happens and I for some reason lose my position, I will just get up and keep trying until I find something else.
By final year you really need to know where you want to be at the end of the year. This is your chance to get all the experience you can before you graduate. Say yes to everything humanly possible to get your resume looking amazing. But most importantly, have the time of your life.
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Jordan Pineda, Bachelor of Popular Music Graduated in 2016 What have you achieved so far post graduation? I was lucky enough to be offered a job as an audio visual at my old school (Rivermount College). It’s casual, but it’s good because it’s enough to pay the bills, and it leaves me enough time to do all my other musical projects. I also still gig on the side, and I still do the band (Twelve Past Midnight). I haven’t really achieved anything so to speak, because I think accomplishments take time. My accomplishments so far would be that I completed my degree, and I did a whole lot that helped gain a lot of experience within that time. I think it takes a lot of time, and right now, the accomplishments aren’t particularly noteworthy; but for me, it’s important to just take little steps. What’s the most invaluable piece of advice you were given in university? For the business that I’m in, I guess it’s just being resilient, and understanding that everything that you want isn’t going to happen in a day; in a year; or even in ten years. Some people spend their whole lives dedicating themselves to a craft. What’s a skill you’ve learned in university that you find yourself using regularly or every day? Being organised. When uni got busy, especially in the last month of classes, in just one day I had to have all of these things done, and I had to make use of every single minute, every single second, an hour. Now that I’ve graduated, it’s not as busy anymore, but there are days where I have no choice but to get a lot done, and having all that experience, I know how to pack a day in. I think balance is also key. Right now, I’m just trying to learn to live a balanced life, so it’s not all just about music, or home. Any tips for those who are graduating soon?
Jordan Dequina, Bachelor of Commerce Graduating in 2017 What have you achieved so far in university? I believe just being this far into my degree and hopefully graduating soon is an achievement in itself. It’s challenging to make it all the way to the end. Other great achievements include being and intern for a semester at the Queensland Council of Social Service, graduating from the Griffith Business School Student Leadership Program, working as a student mentor for the Student Equity Services, and getting involved with Uni-reach and Uni-key programs. I also volunteered for two week programs in Papua New Guinea in July 2016 and Philippines in December 2016. What’s your plan of attack after you graduate? Do you have any back-up plans if all else fails? If I don’t have a job by the time I graduate, seeking work becomes my full-time job. Hopefully the graduation programs I have applied for bring success. If not it’s not game over, I just got to keep seeking and asking people I know for opportunities that may help with my career path. What is the scariest thing about graduating? The scariest thing about graduating is the change in my schedule. I really enjoyed the weekly schedule and the number of holidays given to me as a university student. I enjoyed using that time to meet new people, refine different skills and learn new things. It’s going to be challenging for me to go from university schedule to full-time work schedule. Any tips for students completing their degree? Keep asking questions of your lecturers and tutors until you know for sure that you are going to do well in that course. When you have free time, use that time to meet new people and seek opportunities. It’s these people and opportunities that will help you move forward on your career path.
You kind of think that after you graduate, you’re a foot up the stairs, but you’re just back at square one. You just have to learn how to build something from nothing, and if anything, my degree has just helped me consolidate the skills and knowledge I have learned in university. The real work starts when you finish, and I think if you’re prepared, then the transition phase won’t be as overwhelming and emotional – you can just get stuck into the work when it needs to be done. So you’re about to graduate... Now what?
Alexander Cujko, Bachelor of Multimedia Graduating in 2017
Lachlan Horrigan, Bachelor of Business Graduated in 2016
What have you achieved so far in university?
What have you achieved so far post graduation?
I’d love to say a 7.0 GPA, but that’s not the case. I have however been very lucky to meet some amazing friends and have worked on a bunch of cool projects.
Currently, I’ve started a new job working with the government. The roles I have are related to data entry and research. I enjoyed learning about those concepts in my business degree.
But the pinnacle of my university career has been volunteering for the Student Guild (Guild Crew), and all the experiences and friendships made through that program. I was even lucky enough to be offered a job which is amazing in and of itself. What’s your plan of attack after you graduate? Do you have any back-up plans if all else fails? Ideally, I’d like to move to either Asia or the USA and work for a creative agency over there. I specialise in marketing and design (graphic and web). I love the idea of working on big campaigns and creating something amazing. What’s the scariest thing about graduating? To me, the scariest thing about graduating is securing a full time job; I think that not only applies to me but most people at university. It’s pretty daunting having that level of uncertainty looming over you, but that’s why I try to get involved in as many extra-curricular activities to help boost my resume. Any tips for students completing their degree? Embrace opportunities and try new things. Make the most of your time here; meet new people, attend events, go to parties. I really regret not doing that in my first two years of uni - I came to uni, took my classes and left; that was my routine.
After graduating from a Bachelor of Business with a major in Marketing, I have become involved in freelance marketing and advertising. Representing small companies has been a great way to interact and help the Gold Coast community. What’s the most invaluable piece of advice you were given in university? Find a job or get yourself into a graduate program before you complete your degree. You don’t want to be searching for a job for months or years later; or worse, working in a job outside of your degree and wasting all the time you spent studying. Not to mention wasting all the money you spent for a degree. What’s a skill you’ve learned in university that you find yourself using regularly or every day? Economics for decision making, although it was not my favourite class, it was the most useful as it introduces students to how the financial world works. Essentially, if you want to make money, or predict what will happen to your money, your job or your livelihood, you need to understand basic economics. Any tips for those who are graduating soon? For those who are graduating soon, I highly recommend seeking employment or internships so you can apply the knowledge you have learned on a practical level. You’ll find a lot of things that may not have made sense to you when you learned them, may make all the more sense when you enact them. You better prepare and plan out what you’re going to do, and make sure your future career plans and goals are sensible, or life is going to hit you hard.
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HALF EMPTY MEDIA ZAK JOHNSON
During the commercial breaks you’ll watch in between such fine examples of television programming as The Bachelor and My Kitchen Rules, you’ll probably be exposed to at least a handful of adverts that depict some forlorn, overly melodramatic actor lamenting why they didn’t sign up for that particular form of car insurance. Or why they didn’t buy that particular brand of laundry detergent.
Regardless of the product being promoted, the consequences of them not purchasing that item are often dire, with wrecked households and decimated dinner plates being guaranteed. Inevitably, it’s likely that these are the commercials that’ll stick with you in the long-term, rather than the ones that insinuate that your life is already peachy. And this tends to be the tactic used in many media formats, not just advertising. The underlying philosophy of ‘if
The underlying philosophy of ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ is certainly one apparent during primetime news.
it bleeds, it leads’ is certainly one apparent during primetime news. Half empty media
Frankly, it’s far more engaging to watch a story about a multiple homicide than it is to find out the outcome of a charity fun run. Shows like A Current Affair and Today Tonight are centred on turning even the most mundane objects such as credit cards and lightbulbs into instruments of mass terror and destruction. Psychologists such as Dr Deborah Serani have noted the drastic mental effects that these media choices can have on an individual,
including the instilment of disproportionate levels of fear and anxiety, potentially leading to depression. In one noteworthy scene in Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore’s documentary on American gun culture, shock rocker Marilyn Manson addresses how his band was blamed constantly in the media as an influence on the perpetrators of the titular massacre. In a thought-provoking monologue, he concludes that it’s this culture of fearmongering that leads viewers to consume whatever associated product is being promoted. Political campaigns are obviously no exception either. The exploitation of real or perceived dangers, be they acts of nature, foreigners or agenda-pushing fringe groups, is a mainstay of campaigning, with the threat being painted clearly, and the solution being offered in the form of whatever party or politician that is gunning for the position. In the
last federal election, the majority of the government-sponsored commercials that I saw (or at least recall seeing) were those that roasted the opposing party and its members, rather than necessarily promoted a particular group’s values and goals. Obviously the solution to this issue, on behalf of viewers anyway, isn’t completely shutting all of these forms of media out of your life. The vast interconnected networks that promote these outputs are quite simply inescapable. And that isn’t to say that these threats don’t exist. However, looking at these advertisements and programmes in a much more critical light, one that takes into account these manipulative techniques, is definitely a desired approach, one that could potentially have a better mental impact over blindly accepting what you’re watching. After all, we have nothing to fear but fear itself. And faulty dishwashers.
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... looking at these advertisements and programmes in a much more critical light, one that takes into account these manipulative techniques, is definitely a desired approach.
FEAR ON FILM Fear of failure, fear of the dark, fear of being without mobile phone coverage (that’s a legitimate phobia, by the way); cinema has constantly explored the different anxieties and doubts that agitate the human psyche. Here’s a few examples of films, both terrifying and light-hearted, that dwell on the concept of fear.
Zak Johnson
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) On top of the usual problems faced by teens, Nancy and her friends have one slightly more significant one, namely the fact that they’re being stalked by deranged serial killer Freddy Krueger in their dreams, with any injuries they sustain translating into the real world. If they want any chance of survival, they’ll have to take advantage of Krueger’s manipulation of their subconscious fears and use them against him. It’s gone through an endless onslaught of mediocre sequels, remakes and crossovers, but you still can’t beat the original A Nightmare on Elm Street’s unmoveable position in horror movie history.
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Vertigo (1958)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Have you ever seen that iconic image of a knight playing chess with the personification of Death? Yep, this is where it came from. After escaping the Grim Reaper, if only temporarily, knight Antonius Block travels across a plague-ravaged Sweden while struggling to reconcile his loss of faith in God and humanity with what’s unfolding around him. As with many of Director Ingmar Bergman’s movies, The Seventh Seal deals with a lot of heavy philosophical and agnostic themes, including finding meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.
Arguably Hitchcock’s best film, Vertigo has had a huge influence on countless psychological thrillers and is commonly ranked as one of cinema’s greatest. After being forced to retire due to his intense fear of heights, police detective Scottie Ferguson is commissioned by an old friend to track his wife Madeline, a woman with psychological problems of her own. Toying constantly with viewer expectations through an inventive use of camera and editing techniques (including the first documented use of the dolly zoom), Vertigo uses its ground-breaking style to get inside the warped minds of its lead characters.
This Oscar winner (both written by and featuring at-the-time unknowns Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) focuses on the titular janitor with a genius-level intellect, who nevertheless prefers to keep a low profile and maintain his working class occupation. As we find out, Will’s low ambitions despite his many talents stem from a traumatic childhood and a fear of emotional pain. It’s only through his sessions with therapist Sean Maguire (played masterfully by Robin Williams) that Will is able to gradually overcome these self-imposed boundaries.
Fear on film
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
The Witch (2015)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
After receiving a manuscript for a novel from her former husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), art gallery owner, Susan (Amy Adams), reads it obsessively, gradually realising that its tale of loss and revenge is an allegory for their failed relationship and Edward’s insecurities as an author. Featuring multiple intertwining storylines and some emotionally evocative soundtrack and cinematographic choices, Nocturnal Animals is a fairly troubling and lingering look at how our anxieties can lead us to make troubling decisions that can compromise our identities and values.
While also being a damn fine horror film, The Witch is an effective and wellacted period piece that highlights how superstitions and ingrained fears can lead to the breakdown of social relations. When their youngest child goes missing from their secluded farm, a small Puritan family begin to suspect each other of the crime, with most of the blame being shifted to Thomasin, the eldest daughter. As the title hints, however, there are far more sinister forces at play.
Regarded as the film that launched Jeremy Renner’s career, as well as the first to be awarded a Best Director Oscar for a female filmmaker, The Hurt Locker also effectively deals with the traumatic effects that combat can have on the psychological state of soldiers. After the death of their staff sergeant during a failed bomb disarming, Sergeant William James is sent in to lead an explosive disposal unit. The squad’s foundations are tested when James continually puts himself (and others) at risk, through reckless actions that assist him in gaining an adrenaline-fuelled thrill.
Trainwreck (2015)
Batman Begins (2005)
About Schmidt (2002)
Probably one of the better romantic comedies of recent years, Trainwreck combines great improvised dialogue with grounded and believable character dynamics. After spending years following her father’s mantra that monogamy is unrealistic, journalist Amy (played by Amy Schumer) is forced to revaluate her stance when she falls for Aaron, a sports doctor. Amy’s ingrained fear of commitment forms much of the basis for Trainwreck’s comedy, as well as its more dramatically intense moments.
The first chapter in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Dark Knight Trilogy places the concept of fear at its centre, with it being the primary motive behind Bruce Wayne’s (Christian Bale) evolution into the titular Caped Crusader, after his fear of winged rodents inadvertently leads to the untimely death of his parents. It often gets overshadowed by its successor The Dark Knight (which is frankly unbeatable), but you can’t deny how successful Begins is in terms of crafting a thematically complex and engaging origin story.
Fittingly the last film on this list, About Schmidt deals with the impending mortality of its protagonist, played spectacularly by Jack Nicholson. After his retirement and the death of his wife, Warren Schmidt feels completely directionless and disenchanted with the lack of significance he realises his life has had. In a last ditch attempt to gain some meaning he embarks on a road-trip to convince his estranged daughter to call off her wedding with a pony-tailed waterbed salesman of whom he strongly disapproves. Both funny and depressing, Schmidt’s quest highlights our inherent fear of being forgotten.
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Northern
- Unigames -
2-6 July @ n Rockhampton & Yeppoo
Snapped on campus
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BAC
K TO SCHOOL
- Party-
7 July @ Uni Bar
Snapped on campus
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RACE - Day -
15 July @ Gold Coast Turf Club
Snapped on campus
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TE OF S T-AOrigin 12 July @ Uni Bar
Snapped on campus
FEAR IN FASHION Angel Nikijuluw
You’d be lying to me if you said that you’ve never felt scared to wear an item of clothing you thought was really cool. I know I’m afraid to wear high-waisted jeans, and you’re afraid to wear those sneaker heels, or something like that. In this edition of Getamungstit we asked you to face your fashion fears and profiled some brave students who boldly pushed their insecurities aside for a day and wore ‘that dress’, stepped away from the comfort of an all black ensemble, or broke the ultimate fat-girl no-no and rocked a crop.
Chantal Bachelor of Business & International Business What are your fashion fears, and what did you decide to wear? What pinches my insecurity the most are tight-fitted dresses and heels. So, I decided to wear a little black dress that I bought from Dissh for $49.99, my go-to denim jacket, and my beige heels from Famous Footwear which I bought out of peer pressure. You heard me, peer pressure. Some of my uni friends have dubbed me as their “grandma” since I am the most conservative one. I never show too much skin, while my friends have the “you can never show too much skin” mantra. Usually it doesn’t bother me since I like the way I dress; although sometimes, I’d like to see myself wearing what other people wear, because hey, why not break rules right?
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How did you feel after wearing these things? To be honest, since I don’t own any dresses like this tight and short, finding the right one was a struggle. It took me days to find this dress because I wanted to find something that’s also my style. But today, when I wore it for the shoot, I felt more confident and I received a lot of compliments from my colleagues at work! I was surprised by how supportive everyone was. It has only been a day and I already received compliments from other people. It’s tempting me to wear something like this occasionally from now on. For my heels, I haven’t worn these heels for so long since I prefer comfort before style. My other heels at home are more comfortable to wear so I use those more. I’m actually surprised at how comfortable I was when I wore this pair today. A little more practice will help, I guess? Overall, I’m glad that I faced my biggest fashion fears today. If it wasn’t for this, it probably would have taken me a lot longer to try on these pair of heels again. I learnt two things today too – one: we can choose style over comfort sometimes, and two: break as many rules as we can because it’s good to get out of your comfort zone occasionally.
What are your fashion fears, and what did you decide to wear? Being a fat girl, I have a lot of fashion fears, but a lot of them would narrow down into showing too much skin. It’s almost like have a big (pun intended) target, drawing attention to me in a less than pleasant way. So, for this shoot, I decided to wear a crop top. It’s a piece of clothing that I’ve thought about for a while, but never had the courage to wear. I picked up the crop top from City Chic for $10, and I just bought some leggings from Target for $8.
How did you feel after wearing these things? Wearing the crop top during the shoot felt a little ridiculous; it was unusual to have skin showing (and feel the air on it!). Afterwards however, I still felt very conscious about it. I ended up wearing my hoodie to cover myself up. But, just maybe, I might wear it again when I go clubbing or something similar.
Mel Bachelor of Arts
Fear in fashion
Logan Bachelor of Arts & Business
How did you feel after wearing these things? I sort-of reincorporated the dark look. You’d think splashing an imposing do-up with colour is a bit of a fashion faux pas, but as it turns out military-style clothes negotiate well with flare. Felt a bit like Kanye West in the end. Felt ultra-light.
What are your fashion fears, and what did you decide to wear? By no means am I a social butterfly - nor have I ever truly given a damn about standing out from a crowd. Function over form. Uninspired black t-shirts and sneakers only go so far though, before your eyes tire of the meandering bleakness of an outfit and you’re left wondering if you’re ever truly noticeable at all. How do you break away from 18 years of fashion mundanity? It’s daunting, presenting yourself from left-field. You can imagine the wonders it did for my anxieties. I sifted through the catalogues of Totally Workwear to find a pair of black BDU trousers for $60 (they will also give you a student discount if you’re nice), a gruff pair of Totally Workwear stompers for $150, and found a pink Adidas t-shirt for $60 to round-off the tactical look.
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gugcstudentguild
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Oktoberfest at Uni Bar
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Superheroes vs Villains Party
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Snow Unigames Bryon Bay Surf Trip Kids Holiday Club Stress Less Week Australian Unigames Study Week
gugcstudentguild.com.au
Feature artist – LIVVIA Fruzsi Gál When it comes to success in the 21st century, we love to use big words like talent, luck, or opportunity. Only a select few will admit the truth: that the road leading to success is paved with hard work. Singer and songwriter LIVVIA is not only one of the latter, but she believes that most people are often afraid of putting time and effort into something they’re truly passionate about. She isn’t. An upcoming musician with her own songs and many a gig behind her, we talked about fear, being in the music industry in Australia and beyond, and her combination of the senses in her own songs.
“I’ve been singing all through school – it was just a hobby to start with. But because I focused on it and enjoyed it so much, when it got to the end of school my family pushed me to pursue it further,” says twenty-one year old Liv. This isn’t always the case, especially not with most arts degrees. “They said they’d be angrier if I didn’t go for it. Music often comes across as such a rebellious thing, as something people do because they don’t want a 9-5 job, but for me it has been the complete opposite”. Now in the final semester of her Bachelor of Popular Music degree, it seems that her family’s support wasn’t for nothing. Last year, LIVVIA received a scholarship and travelled all the way to Nashville, USA to record with well-known producer, Trey Bruce. “America was so different, it’s a 100% more of a platform for emerging musicians. It’s all about music. There are more opportunities, but definitely more competition too. In comparison, Australians are more picky, more selective with what they like, and there’s less to choose from.
But Australia is picking up too and I feel like there’s so much the Gold Coast has to offer yet. If you make it here, you have more of a chance of standing out. Personally, I want to stay in Australia for a few more years, maybe head down to Melbourne, and eventually I would like to go somewhere else”. With a constantly increasing supply of young Australian musicians – whether it’s bands or individuals – it’s reassuring to think that music here has a distinctively unique Australian sound. Depending on personal taste, of course, LIVVIA’s fiercely emotional, effortlessly melodic songs show a likeliness to this individuality. “I always get told, (and I’ve just gone with it), that my music has a very sultry kind of sound. I never used to want to write about personal things, lest people should know what’s going on with me, but often the things I write about resurface at a later point in my life”. When talking about inspiration, it turns out that she combines certain senses in her song-writing. “Sometimes I write my songs to certain smells. I’ll
Feature artist - LIVVIA
be like, I want this song to smell like coffee, so I’ll think about what coffee means to me, why I love it so much, what it smells like, and try and work from that. Certain songs remind me of a moment, and in that moment often all I can remember is the smell. To own a sense of smell defines the finer details of our lives. You have to have an appreciation for it. My song ‘Cities’ is supposed to smell like rain. There’s a part that we were recording and all I could smell and feel was rain”. But it’s not always coffee and rain and endless rainbows. With certain highs come certain lows, and these lows often show up as fears.“I’m afraid of failing,” she admits. “However, I do think that failure teaches you something, and it definitely gives you more potential to succeed. Once I finish university, it’s the real world. That scares me. I also get afraid of rides at fares, and horror movies in general – but am I missing out? Am I holding myself back? I am afraid of failing, but I want to do music so much more. I get stage fright too – I’m not even necessarily afraid of making a bad note, I’m more nervous about
whether people will engage with it or not. But at the end of the day, I always tell myself that it’s a job too. I have to forget about whether people like it or not, and just do it because I enjoy it. It’s hard, but I know that one day it’ll be worth it. I don’t even dream about it, I just know that it’s going to happen”. “Some people say if it’s meant to be then it will be, but there’s a way to get everything in life, you just have to work for it. People are often afraid of hard work”.Liv most definitely isn’t. She writes her own songs, records them, does several gigs at quite a few local spots such as the Uni Bar or NightQuarter, and her EP is in the making. When asked if she has any plans for the future, she admits that she’s working on new music at the moment. “It’s a similar sound, but more electronic. It’ll come out this year hopefully. It’s all a process, but this is just the beginning. I want it to happen, so I’ll make it happen”. Website: livviaofficial.com Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/livviaofficial Instagram: @livviaofficial
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REPRESENT GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY
A U S T R A L I A N
24 - 29 SEPTEMBER | GOLD COAST, QLD
LAST UNI GAMES EVER! ATHLETICS - AFL - BADMINTON - BASEBALL - BASKETBALL - BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHEER & DANCE - CYCLING - FENCING - FOOTBALL - FUTSAL - GOLF - HANDBALL HOCKEY - JUDO - KENDO - LAWN BOWLS - NETBALL - ROWING - RUGBY UNION 7S SAILING - SOFTBALL - SQUASH - SURFING - SWIMMING - T20 CRICKET TABLE TENNIS - TAEKWONDO - TENNIS - TENPIN BOWLING - TOUCH ULTIMATE - VOLLEYBALL - WATER POLO
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Feature artist
27-31 AUGUST | THREDBO, NSW MENS & WOMENS ALPINE | SNOWBOARD | FREESTYLE | CROSS COUNTRY FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER VISIT
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Online Zak Johnson
GNOOSIC
AUDIBLE
Website
App
Sure, Spotify might have your music recommendations sorted out, but there’s something exhilarating about placing your trust in more simplified databases. With Gnoosic, you simply type in the names of three different artists/bands you’re into, and voila, you’re given a singular suggestion. The website itself constantly readapts and adjusts its suggestions based on the information users such as yourselves give it when they type in their own favourites.
It’s becoming increasingly likely that you won’t have a heck of a lot of time to sit down for hours on end to read a thick paperback. Luckily, Audible provides a wide collection of audiobooks which can be listened to while you’re on the go, or while you’re reading your prescribed textbooks (gotta love multitasking). With titles including the latest works of fiction as well as more informative and educative sources, Audible is basically the Spotify of audiobook providers. audible.com.au
gnoosic.com ADULT COLOURING App Remember that craze a few months back that you laughed at because it involved grown adults using colouring books to relax themselves? Well, considering now that you’re about halfway through the trimester and facing a gargantuan pile of assessment, the concept of stress-relieving activities probably ain’t that funny anymore. Luckily you can download the smartphone equivalent to avoid any potential embarrassment that might arise from carting said books around, with a ridiculous amount of colours and pattern books to choose from.
Online
CRASHCOURSE YouTube channel We all waste time on YouTube, but why not do that and actually learn something? Founded by famed American author John Green in 2012, CrashCourse features regular uploads covering such diverse topics as socialisation, technology, philosophy and physics. They are delivered in an engaging and simplified fashion, all of which are helpful in order to make you at least sound like you’re well-educated and insightful, particularly if you decide to paraphrase a few episodes for your mates. youtube.com/user/crashcourse
KEEP ME OUT Website This last site exists as a counterpoint to all of the above examples. Sometimes, you just can’t trust yourself. As a last resort, Keep Me Out can be used in relation to websites that distract you from your highly important university work (or is it vice versa?). While not completely blocking you from Facebook or Instagram, settings can be applied in order to send you warnings whenever you visit one of these sites too often within a determined period of time, which if anything will certainly inject you with a sufficient amount of guilt to hopefully put you off returning too quickly. keepmeout.com/en/
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Entertainment
All Eyez on Me (2017) 140 mins Drama, biopic Director: Benny Boom Jake Anderson All Eyez on Me is a rushed, less than impartial and fictionalised recount of a recount as Tupac Amaru Shakur, a meteor of raw performance artist talent, details the events surrounding his infamous incarceration in 1994. The film begins with Tupac (2pac) glossing over the origins of his troubled youth in the turbulent 1970s as he’s interviewed serving his sentence. Shortly thereafter the film resumes in a biopic format and the latter half catches up and finalises the last two years of the then 23-year-old rapper’s life. Director Benny Boom, known more for his high-profile music videos, has his work cut out for him as a host of key events and motives behind major players shapes the movie and has to be narrowed down (or brushed over) just to reach the above-average running time of 2h 20m. This is a major dampener, as the gravity and implications of many crossroads
for Shakur are afforded mere minutes of screen time, lessening their severity. A saving grace for said scenes is that they are rarely ever provided in an uninteresting setting or environment that would tax the interest of viewers. From New York City to the streets of Baltimore and finally LA, the sets and scenes provide enough steak to sink one’s teeth into. The film does positively communicate the yearning and bottle-necking of an ambitious and talented young man who constantly battles the preconceptions of a white society and the responsibility to a people thrust upon him. In saying that, at times the first half of the film seems to adopt a strong apologist stance and hams up the legend of Tupac as a soft-hearted angel. The massive task of portraying Shakur is handed to newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr whose uncanny likeness to the young visionary resulted in many double takes. The second half continues after his release from prison and gives the story more credibility as Shakur ascends to the highest point of his career, coinciding with his suffering morality and ultimately his death. For those attending who
Entertainment
are going in fresh faced, it would be ideal to watch 2009’s Notorious and 2015’s Straight Outta Compton for some much-needed context that is not readily provided. Sure, it is entertaining, but it is not a factual and uncompromised retelling for those who aren’t invested in the life of 2pac to begin with. All Eyez on Me would be much better suited as a Netflix series that could let the story develop organically and provide viewers with more air to breathe during scenes. Additionally, this could avoid the onslaught of three minute scenes and delve into the inner machinations of Shakur and even the more prominent characters to establish rapport in an episodic format. All Eyez on Me is a tale of two films, one focusing on gratuitous origins and the other on tragic endings, with neither providing the kind of artistic vision Tupac himself was known for.
FROM THE VAULTS
Evil Dead II (1987) 84 mins Horror, comedy Director: Sam Raimi Zak Johnson Being the Fear Edition, it only seems appropriate that a bit of time is spent covering arguably the best horror film of the ‘80s: Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II. Its 1981 predecessor, while pioneering the whole cabinin-the-woods scenario that has appeared in countless rip-offs and derivatives, suffers from some atrocious acting and amateurish writing. Evil Dead II makes up for these shortcomings by unreservedly embracing the ludicrousness of the events it depicts, crafting a feature that seamlessly fuses moments of shock and terror with side-splitting physical comedy. Commencing with a brief recap of the events of the original, II continues Ash William’s ordeal in the woods following his and his now-deceased friends’ ill-advised decision to read from the demonsummoning Book of the Dead. Finding himself trapped and (initially) alone, Ash has to contend with the numerous nasty soul-devouring
entities that are out there, as well as his slowly slipping sanity. At its base level, II covers a lot of the same narrative ground as its forbearer, which while sounding plodding and unimaginative ends up allowing Rami and co. to exercise a lot more creative and stylistic freedom. If The Evil Dead was an attempt at realistic and “gruelling terror”, as its tagline states, II is its thoroughly unhinged and cartoonish cousin. The film’s limited setting, consisting majorly of a secluded hut and to a lesser extent its surrounding forest, paradoxically allows ample opportunities for Raimi to traumatise or at least trip out his audience. Sentient reflections, taxidermied deer heads and possessed hands are all potential instruments of terror, used often to hilarious effect. This brings us to Bruce Campbell’s iconic portrayal of Ash himself, a character who has gone down as one of horror cinema’s greatest protagonists, comparable perhaps only to the Alien franchise’s Ellen Ripley. Whereas the original paints him as a largely forgettable college student archetype, II’s Ash is a much more demented and entertaining figure. In addition to
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his constant goofy and quotable wisecracks, Campbell’s masterful command of slapstick comedy helps add to the ridiculousness of many of the film’s sequences. Other freshly-introduced characters, despite having their own quirks, basically exist as more grounded individuals for Ash to bounce off. Or, more accurately, as demon fodder, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you consider the myriad of inventive ways used to depict their relentlessly gory demises. What helps Evil Dead II stand out against its numerous counterparts is its unashamedly bonkers and unreserved approach to visual storytelling. Combining impressive puppetry and stop-motion sequences with idiosyncratic camera techniques as well as an omnipresent pitch-black sense of humour, Evil Dead II is a unique motion picture that can be best described as the R-rated lovechild of a Tim Burton and a Monty Python film. If you enjoy laughing while simultaneously being terrified, you probably couldn’t make a better choice. Verdict: Horror and comedy reaches its middle ground.
Entertainment This Old Dog Mac DeMarco Azaria Bell Mac Demarco’s latest release, This Old Dog, is the perfect record to listen to whilst camping in the winter, sipping on a hot drink or watching the sun set. A more mature, stripped down version of Mac’s iconic style, each song is primarily acoustic with simplistic, Jim Reid-reminiscent vocals and occasional experimental, Tame Impala-style electronic sounds. Reflecting on his complex relationship with his distant father, Mac explores the inner conflict that comes with watching a relative you never really knew deteriorating in health, and struggling with the suppressed emotions of your
Truth is a Beautiful Thing London Grammar Dan Pagotto The powerful British trip-hop trio are back with their latest album Truth Is a Beautiful Thing and boy howdy, get ready to go on a feels trip. The powerfully evocative lyrical tone of the album (in keeping with most of their previous work) is often juxtaposed with icy cool grooves and the chillest of vibes. The album’s opening track, ‘Rooting For You’, is an astounding display of vocal power. Hannah Reid has a range that will give you chill-induced goose bumps – the kind of voice that drops your jaw and leaves you speechless. ‘Oh Woman Oh Man’ is a shining
Entertainment
childhood for the first time. ‘Sister’ is a short but sweet track that has similarities to Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’ and is a stark contrast to ‘Moonlight on the River’, which starts out slow, and ends in a frenzy of reverb-heavy electric guitar. Closing with ‘Watching Him Fade Away’, a deeply personal and heart-wrenching ode to his father, you can’t help but feel as though you know Demarco on a more personal level after listening to this album. This is the most exposed Mac Demarco has ever been, making for an excellent, poetic album that many can connect with on a personal level.
example of just how groovy the band can be, with tasty guitar riffs, the sharpest of hooks on the chorus and a loose, relaxed percussive undertone. With the album being 14 tracks in total (18 on the deluxe version), it gives the listener a lot to digest whilst still offering variation in both style and tone. Reid’s voice is often used as an instrument of its own, joining in on both brass and string sections on various tracks. This is a huge step forward for London Grammar, with them creating an album of intelligent and inventive composition – and it will surely reward them with some new fans while satisfying existing ones.
Harry Styles Harry Styles Jemima Paull Having just left arguably the world’s biggest boyband, Harry Styles was destined to be met with the ridicule and critique that comes with being a breakout act. Unsurprisingly, Styles’ eclectic taste in clothing and lifestyle has transferred to his self-titled album, a collection of 10 songs reminiscent of rock band Fleetwood Mac, and predominantly acoustic in nature. ‘Sign of the Times’, the first single from the album, was met with great success. This was Styles’ initial venture into the world of ballads and allowed him the chance to show off his extensive vocal range. ‘Carolina’ tells of a lost love in a very whimsical and lighthearted way, a mixture of country and rock
Men Without Women Haruki Murakami Hope Nakagawa Murakami’s Men Without Women was published earlier this year as part of the blitz of work he’s released in the last five years, seemingly as a push for the Nobel. But really, how many more times will these themes excite when they are so repetitive from book to book? Once again cats, Kafka and the Beatles are used to explore the thematic stories that centre on men who face loneliness. Named after an anthology Ernest Hemingway published in 1927, this collection of short stories is the first Murakami has published in over a decade and has the
maturity his previous ones lacked. The narrators and characters of each story are rich in description and laden with intertextuality. The stories ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘Yesterday’ are clear nods to the Beatles, and in the former, the character featured is named Kafuko that links to ‘Samsa In Love’, a transformation of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. What is truly astounding is Murakami’s ability to explore the title without the aggression and contempt Hemingway had for his fictional women. While Murakami’s men are clearly the feature, it is the absence of women that is carefully constructed so that they are not used as plot points, nor as villains or victims, but as characters that are created with as much intention as the men.
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that somehow, for Styles, works perfectly when put together. ‘Kiwi’ is perhaps the most intense and rock-and-roll song on the album. Referring to a woman, the lyrics are very graphic in comparison to what Styles has written in the past. A catchy guitar riff, yells and an upbeat tempo all culminate to create arguably the most outstanding song on the album. Having been renowned for his bachelor antics it’s surprising to see that the 23-year-old superstar has penned so many songs that address long-term relationships. Styles could have chosen to walk the path of his 1D counterparts and followed the pop precedent they set. Instead, he has created an album that - while maybe lacking as much radio playability - will undoubtedly be remembered as a marker for his destined astronomical success.
Despite some exhausting Beatlemania references, this collection of stories was beautifully written.
25-27 SEPTEMBER | DURANBAH - CABARITA, NSW MENS & WOMENS STAND UP | LONGBOARD | BODY BOARD
HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH AUSTRALIAN UNIGAMES! FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER VISIT GUGCSTUDENTGUILD.COM.AU/SPORT
Being creative
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Being creative
Photography by Bry Fairhall Bachelor of Laws/Arts Instagram: @bfairhall_photography Being creative
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Being creative COMIC By Mic Smith
Do you want to see your work in print? Getamungstit is seeking high quality submissions of short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, art, photography, illustrations and other genres for our creative section. Email us at getamungstit@griffith.edu.au for more information.
Being creative
CREATIVE CONCEPTS | GRAPHIC DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY | ILLUSTRATION IMAGE RETOUCHING | PRINT & WEB SOCIAL MEDIA | BRANDING Liveworm Gold Coast is staffed with a collection of skilled multidisciplinary design students, guided by a highly experienced team of industry professionals. The studio is also a creative incubator for student industry concepts, supporting the local business and cultural community. The studio opened its doors in 2008 after being converted from a grungy fine art and sculpture workshop into a creative studio and incubator space — under the wing of the 130 year old Queensland College of Art.
CONTACT US GOLDCOAST@LIVEWORM.COM.AU p
07–5552–7262
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LIVEWORMGOLDCOAST.COM FACEBOOK/LIVEWORMGC @LIVEWORMGC
Liveworm Gold Coast designers are the future experts of their field. They know what’s current, enjoy predicting future trends and utilising classic design strategies. In the midst of a new studio image and direction— Liveworm Gold Coast is working towards a stronger position within the evolving creative Gold Coast culture. The team of students and staff embrace the changes that are occurring locally and globally and enjoy creating design outcomes that reflect this unique approach.
Get the hell outta here The spooky special Elleanor O’Connell
With the weather cooling off, it’s time to get your heart rate going. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie and would climb a twenty foot building for a fun afternoon, or get your kicks from binge watching Supernatural (whether it’s for the spooks or Dean Winchester, we won’t tell), everyone loves a spook. We’ve scoured the Gold Coast for the most thrilling adventures to get your heart pumping.
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GOLD COAST GHOST TOURS SOUTHPORT CEMETERY PARANORMAL ACTIVITY TOUR Where: Southport Cemetery Cost: $44 Have you ever been walking completely alone and felt eyes lingering on you as you go? Have you ever felt that eerie presence in a completely empty room? Dust up on your Latin and your demon trap drawing skill, and book yourself a haunted cemetery tour. Our local Southport cemetery is home to the resting place of over 5,000 people, and whether you believe in ghosts or not, it’s a pretty spooky place once the sun goes down. With numerous ghost sightings and guests experiencing unexplained smells and sounds, the ghost tour is a favourite amongst the supernaturally inclined individuals. The twohour tour includes the help of divining rods, KII metres, and divination tools as your guide attempts to make contact with the spirits left lingering in the cemetery. You may want to stop off at Maccas and fill your pockets with salt packets, just in case.
Get the hell outta here
CIRCUS ARTS FLYING TRAPEZE CLASS Where: Circus Arts Gold Coast Cost: $66 If the thought of flinging yourself through the air whilst hanging from your knees forces a few unsavoury expletives into your mind, we recommend giving a flying trapeze class a go. Learn to swing from a trapeze like you’re the king of the jungle (beat your chest a little if you’re in the mood- we won’t judge), and spend 90 minutes with your heart in your mouth. The thrilling experience is the perfect opportunity to try something new and step out of your comfort zone. You’ll begin the session on a mini trapeze just to find your circus feet, and you’ll graduate to a full sized, professional trapeze. Whilst attempting the Cirque De Soleil style tricks, you’ll be strapped up to a safety rig, so there’s little risk of falling... the only risk you’ll be taking is whether you drop out of uni and join the circus.
WET’N’WILD BUGGY Where: Wet’n’Wild Cost: From $29 + park entry If you live for the sound of roaring engines and adrenaline pumping rides, then you need to plonk yourself in the seat of the newest attraction at Wet’n’Wild. The Wet’n’Wild Buggy is an army spec vehicle that was purpose built to handle the toughest obstacles, including just about anything that falls in its path. At Wet’n’Wild, you get the opportunity to drive one of these behemoths through 1.2km of bush land and know what it feels like to have your heart in your mouth as you burn the rubber. Though the cost doesn’t include entry into the water park, now is the perfect time to beat the summer crowds, and make the most of all the thrill rides.
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TRIVIA NIGHT
FRIDAY 25 AUGUST | FUNCTION CENTRE (G07) | 6.30PM
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G E TA M UNG ST IT
ISSUE 6, VOLUME 3
‘THE TRAVEL EDITION’
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