Nexus 2020 Issue 7 - The Quarantine Chronicles 3 by Nexus Magazine

QUARANTINE CHRONICLES

fvmzm

89.8 WEEKDAYS 6-10AM

FLETCH VAUGHAN MEGAN

LAY-BY

YOUR NEXT TRIP WITH A DEPOSIT AND PAY THE REST BEFORE YOU GO! BOOK NOW, PAY LATER

FLIGHTS

DEPOSIT FROM $99*

PACKAGES

DEPOSIT FROM $149*

TOURS

DEPOSIT FROM $200*

David Bennett MP for Hamilton East 07 834 3407 DavidBennettMPforHamiltonEast davidbennettmp@parliament.govt.nz

STA TRAVEL WAIKATO Waikato Uni, Gate 1 09 856 1300 waikato@statravel.com *Terms and conditions apply, speak to your Travel Expert or visit statravel.co.nz/layby.htm for more details.

Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by David Bennett MP, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

VIRTUAL WSU WSU CLUBS + SOCIETIES

WSU VIRTUAL GREEN

WSU ! ARE YOU OK?

free coke The Virtual Village Green is your chance to stay in touch with the WSU Board and other University students. Come hang out, take one of our polls, start random discussions, read a Nexus. The only thing we can’t do is cook a BBQ… but we are working on it.

with johnny hash purchase

AVAILABLE AT ANY BURGERFUEL IN NEW ZEALAND. NOT AVAILABLE WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. NOT AVAILABLE WITH ONLINE ORDERING. ONE VOUCHER PER PERSON PER VISIT. PURCHASE ANY LARGE GOURMET BURGER AND RECEIVE A FREE 330ML COKE RANGE PRODUCT. EXPIRES: 04/05/2020 OR WHILE STOCKS LAST.

Editors

Josh Umbers josh@nexusmag.co.nz Donnella Ngohe donnella@nexusmag.co.nz

L H A FOI

Luka Love luka@nexusmag.co.nz Harry Malcolm harry@nexusmag.co.nz

Design

Ashlea Curran design@nexusmag.co.nz

Cover

Matthew Morris design@nexusmag.co.nz

Digital Assets +Centrefold

Nat Calvert Nat@nexusmag.co.nz

L H A

E 5G -

FOI

OOLIN SP N E 5G -

OOLIN

DON’T FUCK THIS UP!

QUARANTAINMENT

Advertising + Production James Raffan + Kendrah Worsley comms@wsu.org.nz

BRIEFING

LIFE LIFE AFTER AFTER

Cartoon - Pg. 14 Jack Stack

Contributors

LEVEL LEVEL 4 4

Kyla Campbell-Kamariera

Caitlin Walters-Freke Nathan Rahui Kelly Lloyd

y ngr

Shannon Morbey

O VE

R + hu

Alex Nebesky

HUNG

CONTENTS

Grace Mitchell Jamie Strange David Bennett Nelson Cooper Aunty Slut AJ Anderson O’connor

Luka Love / luka@nexusmag.co.nz It has been a strange couple of months for everybody. So much so it is barely worth repeating the rhetoric. But any story has to start somewhere so might as well start by tackling the elephant. In many ways it was a dream come true. A chance to stop, to breathe, to just exist in a space without the calamities of what we have come to think of as daily life. Our approximation of life built by industrial empires and the new cult of productivity. This is the world we were born into and it is stubborn about efforts to change it. A novel coronavirus seemed like it might just have a chance and I was excited by the prospect. I am under no illusions it was a privileged position to take, from a historical perspective certainly, but also from the lived experiences of many people for whom a shutdown would not be a time of quiet contemplation. I could still afford food, I landed on a bush block in the country which was peaceful, calm and with loved ones to spend the cloistered period. That privilege was not universal. It should be. The world we have inherited is a place I don’t much care for. Certain apparently immutable qualities stand in defiance of my own ideas about what constitutes a life worth living. We had no choice about coming here but we must pay to live here regardless. Rent comes due, food comes from supermarkets, meat is not dead animals but juicy pink things wrapped in plastic. We have lost our connection to things that are fundamental to human existence. The city lights that block out the night sky have caused us to forget that we are cosmically insignificant and the things that worry us are less significant still. Shelter used to be a basic right that now we have to pay for, and we don’t question this basic assumption. We take societal myths to be natural truths, like growth in the economy being the most important feature of civilisation or that people are

different because of where we come from or what we look like. But ultimately we are not so different, and economic growth is not the only key to social stability and wellbeing. I relished in the idea that people would connect with their communities, form new ones, return to the basics. To a good extent I saw that happen. People connected virtually with friends and family, environmental pollution levels dropped, consumerism as a guiding principle was dealt a savage blow, and people were forced to reassess some of the basic assumptions of modern life. One of which turned out to be toilet paper. This time brought with it a freedom that is so rare, despite our common myths about freedom, and in all that time I couldn’t shake the idea that this was a closer approximation of what life could be like. Could be if not for the assumptions about our existence here that we have as a collective accepted. Those assumptions are now being challenged and I welcome that more than anything else that has come of this episode. We should question why we must pay for our basic human rights like shelter, food and our physical security. We should question why these things are not available to everybody. It is time to think differently. There are solutions out there that don’t fall into that tired old capitalism vs. communism debate. There are ideas out there that could change the world. Many of these are being advocated for right now and if there was a better time to do it, I have not seen it in my lifetime. We deserve better than we have been convinced we are worthy of.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

LIFE LIFE AFT AFT

LEVE LEV

EXAMS As part of a two-part series, Nexus Magazine has begun to look at Life after Level four. This week we had a chat with Associate Professor Tracy Bowell, Pro Vice-Chancellor Teaching and Learning, and WSU President and frequent Nexus collaborator Kyla Campbell-Kamariera and asked what changes we would see in tests and examinations as a result of Covid-19. Nexus: How has the University changed its assessment model with online learning? Tracy Bowell: The University is taking a flexible approach to teaching and learning, and we are providing additional support to students where they need it. We have canceled mid-year (A Trimester) exams and are using the study and exam weeks at the end of the Trimester for alternative assessments, such as online tests to ensure that students can stay on track with their studies by being able to complete all of their A Trimester learning and assessments by the end of June. Nexus: Are you confident students can still get access to lecturers and resources to meet academic expectations? Tracy Bowell: Our teaching staff are doing everything they can to be flexible and understanding towards students during this difficult time. More than 200 teams from around the University are calling students, so far-reaching nearly 7000 students, to find out how they are getting on and noting any issues which are then passed on to relevant teams to resolve where possible. This may include providing Chromebooks to students who did not have access to devices for online learning and providing a way of accessing the internet for those who did not have a connection at the place they are currently living. In some cases, 6

we are arranging for printed material to be sent to students and are organising for library materials to be scanned and made available to students. Nexus: To the best of your knowledge. Are the processes in place being adopted and complied with across the board by all lecturers? Tracy Bowell: Lecturers have been asked to show flexibility and understanding, and we believe that everyone is doing their best to achieve this under the challenging circumstances. Where students draw attention to any issues, they are being followed up. Nexus: How are exams going to move forward? Tracy Bowell: As above, we have canceled mid-year (A Trimester) exams and are using the study and exam weeks at the end of the Trimester for alternative assessments, such as online tests. This will allow students to complete all of their assessments by the end of June while keeping them on track with their studies. The trimester assessments for B Trimester will be dependent on what is possible within alert levels. Nexus: Can students still get access to processes, reviews, and student support services moving forward? Tracy Bowell: All of our processes and support services are available virtually. We have also developed some new resources, and all support services and resources are accessible from a learning support hub: https://www.waikato.ac.nz/learnersupport/. Divisions will still be handling all review of grades at the end of the year as they would for internally assessed work.

TER TER

VEL EL 4 4

Nexus: What do you think of the Governments Student packages for Covid-19? Kyla: Poor. We’re a demographic that are so at risk! Like part– time workers who have lost hours, student parents, single student parents, mature students, International students and the rest who have been given ping pong paddles to play tennis. Nexus: Do you support NZUSA’s call for a Student Universal Basic Income? Kyla: I personally do. I’m a postgrad student too so I don’t even qualify for a basic student allowance. A student universal basic income will help the economy in the long run because of our consumer behaviours. If we’re gonna get money we’re gonna spend money.

HARDSHIP

Nexus: What advice do you have for students facing the economic realities of a level 2 world where jobs might be difficult to come by?

Nexus: How are you holding up in Quarantine?

Kyla: Hit our hardship and student support services up! And don’t be afraid to get government assistance either. We’re in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and life is not the same anymore!

Kyla: I never expected to be a virtual President but here we are… I’ve got a good work – study balance going on so I’m probably holding up better in isolation than being on campus. Nexus: What has the WSU’s reaction been to COVID-19 in General? Kyla: I think the whole organisation has reacted really well. We could’ve just said ka kite ’til Level 2 but we’ve remained committed to students before and throughout this ordeal which I’m really proud of. Nexus: How has your approach differed from other Universities? Kyla: Well for starters, the University have suspended payments for all students who moved out of the halls… Nexus: How can students access hardship grants and student support services? Kyla: Just reach out to us! We’ve been blasting our online communities with our student support contact.

Nexus: What else are you doing to advocate for students with the University during lockdown? Kyla: We’re making sure with the transition to online study that students are supported and flattening existing teaching staff expectations pre-lockdown. The world has changed and approaches to study needs to as well. 12,000 or so students didn’t all sign up to study online for a whole trimester so we deserve to be cut a little bit of slack. With academic integrity maintained of course. Nexus: Any final words you want to add? Kyla: Go easy on yourself. It’s easy to fall into a state of comparison at the moment while watching Instagram stories of people working out, being productive, making judgements and whatever else. Need I repeat myself but we’re in the middle of a worldwide crisis!

Nexus: How much are you (and the rest of the WSU) working with the University on Student Hardship funds?

ANY UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO STUDENT CAN ACCESS THE WSU SUPPORT SERVICE BY EMAILING SUPPORT@WSU.ORG. NZ OR VISITING THE FACEBOOK GROUP “ARE YOU OK?” THAT IS PART OF THE WSU VIRTUAL CAMPUS

Kyla: Alumni have been donating funds and I’ve been in regular contact with the organisers. They’re doing an amazing job and I am super grateful! Especially to each donation.

NEXT WEEK NEXUS WILL DISCUSS STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH, STUDENT SAFETY, AND ACCOMODATION AS PART OF LIFE AFTER LEVEL 4 NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

REO TAUIRA Iso With The WhÄ nau Kyla Campbell-Kamariera

This week we catch up with some humans of Te Whare WÄ nanga o Waikato and see how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going with iso! Describe where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re isolating:

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first place youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hitting once lockdown is over? Almost every response: â&#x20AC;&#x153;KFC.â&#x20AC;?

Kiana: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bryant Hall to see all my mates!â&#x20AC;?

Rongomaraeroa: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a small assss house in the middle of nowhere.â&#x20AC;?

Rongomaraeroa: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The tÄ moko artist house đ&#x;¤Łâ&#x20AC;?

Khaysh: â&#x20AC;&#x153;RÄ hui PĹ?keka 828â&#x20AC;?

Khaysh: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bottle store.â&#x20AC;?

Whaea Tyler: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Too close to Uni for my liking.â&#x20AC;?

Miss Moe: â&#x20AC;&#x153;TANGAROAâ&#x20AC;?

Torza: â&#x20AC;&#x153;At me mams house (Brit accent)â&#x20AC;?

The million-dollar question â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have you been keeping up with your studies?!

Fave shows/movies to binge?

Khaysh: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have I what?â&#x20AC;?

Jake: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Glow Up, Hairspray, Mama Mia, Ru Pauls Drag Raceâ&#x20AC;Ś Anything queer and filled with DRAMA â&#x20AC;?

Whaea Tyler: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The weatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been all good of late, eh?â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

Kiana: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vampire Diaries (again)â&#x20AC;?

Ware in the Whare: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nah bao, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell my lecturers hahaâ&#x20AC;?

Whaea Tyler: â&#x20AC;&#x153;So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve delved a bit into K-drama (Korean drama lol)â&#x20AC;?

Mikayla: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Actually, submitting days early!â&#x20AC;?

đ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x201A;

Mikayla: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Peaky Foooooockin Bliiiinnndddeerrrs

đ&#x;?¸â&#x20AC;?

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been your guilty pleasure? Nelson: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trolling Zoom lecturesâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? BADB*TCH: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iso hui attire â&#x20AC;&#x201C; business up top & party down bottomâ&#x20AC;? Whaea Tyler: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Napping, when I should be doing mahi. Eating, when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already eatenâ&#x20AC;? Oi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our zinu catch-ups we have, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like having a party with no mess and you can leave when you wantâ&#x20AC;? 8

Quote your iso experience so far: Nelson: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Same s***, different day.â&#x20AC;? Rongomaraeroa: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wake me up when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over.â&#x20AC;? Manaia: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Uni feels very optional right now when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really not lol.â&#x20AC;? Rangingawari: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gratitude is the best attitude.â&#x20AC;? BADB*TCH: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Born in a cell, raised in a kennel but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get out of this Alert Level.â&#x20AC;? Oi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Only boring people get bored.â&#x20AC;?

DEBATABLE OUR COVID-19 RESPONSE

As we slowly begin to return to normalcy after the last six weeks, we are bringing back political debate, or at least we thought we were. Our first debatable back finds much consensus between our National and Labour MPs. And that might be the most unsettling part of this brand new world.

David Bennett

Jamie Strange

As we emerge from Lockdown, New Zealand’s spirit has shone through over the last few weeks. We’ve seen people look after each other through neighbourhood support and community action. I want to acknowledge all the essential workers who worked tirelessly over the four-week lockdown and continue to do so. Thank you to our health professionals, frontline workers, food producers, and supermarket workers for all your hard work under the lockdown. Thank you also to everyone who adhered to the level 4 restrictions and stayed within their bubble during the four week lockdown period. Your patience and cooperation allowed New Zealand to bend the curve and reduce transmission. Thank you to the University of Waikato for considering the students during this pandemic, in particular the halls of residence. (If you are having any issues with private tenancies, please do not hesitate to contact my office or WSU).

I want to acknowledge the challenges students have been facing during Covid-19. I appreciate your willingness to work with your lecturers and fellow students around online learning. Thank you for your unity, sacrifice, and commitment to eliminating Covid-19. As a country, we should be enormously proud of what we are achieving together, saving countless lives. I’m proud of our Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, who is a strong, decisive, and caring leader. We only have to look to the incredible challenges overseas to see what happens when countries have not acted swiftly. My bubble consists of my wife Angela (who is a Waikato Regional Councillor), our four children, and three cats. Angela and I have been working from our Chartwell home while doing our best to support our children in their learning. As well as school work, we have been focusing on imparting life skills such as cooking, building, gardening, and physical activity.

It is crucial now that we move forward with building strategies that ensure that graduates have substantial opportunities in the next few years. We can only assume that there will be restricted activities and no large gathering for the near future. The effects on the hospitality and tourism industries are significant. The Government will be borrowing heavily to try and resurrect the economy so people like students can find employment while studying and after graduation. The future of work will change. Work patterns will vary, and people will likely have multiple career changes over their lifetime. Industries will evolve and grow. Sectors such as Primary Industries, Advanced Manufacturing, and IT will provide growth opportunities for New Zealand, which will have flow-on effects for the rest of the country. As we positively look forward to the future, the Government must promote long term initiatives that provide long term growth and employment. An opportunity to move New Zealand forward for decades to come.

Here are the golden rules for life at Alert Level 3: 1. Stay home. If you are not at work, school, exercising, or getting essentials, then you must be at home, the same as at Alert Level 4. 2. Work from home if you can. We still want the vast majority of people working from home and limiting contact with others. 3. Make your business COVID-19 safe. Employers must only reopen their workplace if they can do so safely. Important industries like construction, manufacturing, and forestry will be able to open, as will retail so long as it is not customer-facing. 4. Stay local. Exercise at local parks or beaches within your region. Closer to home is better. Activities must be safe – keep two meters away from anybody, not in your bubble. 5. Keep your bubble as small as possible. If you need to, you can expand your bubble a small amount to bring in close family, isolated people, or caregivers. 6. Wash your hands with soap often. Then dry them. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. 7. Stay home if you are sick, and get tested is you have any respiratory illness.

Once again, thank you to those who adhered to the Level 4 restrictions. And a special thank you to the essential service workers at the forefront.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

FEEL GOOD NEWS The Colonial Steakhouse in Arkansas received a $1,200 tip from a customer. The

$1,200 was meant to be used to remove some financial pressure caused by the pandemic but was given to this restaurant instead.

New research from the Queen Mary University of London and the University of Roehampton has found that drugs that target the immune system instead of the central nervous system could be used to treat mental conditions like OCD.

Sustainable clothing line Archivist has been using old retired hotel linens to make comfortable work shirts and loungewear. By doing this, the company saved 200 kilograms of fine Egyptian cotton hotel bedsheets from ending up in a landfill. 10

Thanks to decades of restoration and conservation work, the air quality of the Canadian city of Sudbury is ranked as some of the best in all of Ontario. Sudbury was initially deemed one of the most polluted places on Earth.

A medical charity in England called Medical Detection Dogs, is partnering with the Tropical Medicine and Hygiene School in London along with Durham University to train dogs to detect the smell of COVID-19.

Research from psychologist Kate Sweeny shows that playing Tetris has a remarkable effect on a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental health and performance by reducing

stress and anxiety and causing an influx of positive emotions

New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New Yorkers now can get marriage licenses remotely as well as perform ceremonies over video conferences. COVID-19 has caused

marriage bureaus to shut so couples have taken to Zoom to get officially married.

Diminutive post TOP 10

Brews To Get Your Hands On After Lockdown

The first sesh is getting ever closer, and we thought we’d help you decide on which drink should be the first to grace your taste buds after a long hiatus of partying. blood orange – cheap poser drinks that make you 10. Effen look like you’re a rich white boy from the North Shore

Boomer Takes On Social Media

The social media giants that seem to dominate today’s society have been left bewildered, broken, and wondering what the hell just happened. Recently, scores of older, wiser, and quite frankly, better people have been rejecting the likes of Facebook and Twitter to use any of their personal information. We found an example in Clive, a father of 3, grandfather of 1, managed to deliver a sensational blow to these corrupt companies via Facebook last night. It reads, “I do not give Facebook permission to use my personal information or print anything from my computer.” (This, of course, happened shortly after his bimonthly racist rant on immigration and his seventh upload of his profile picture). This has left the platform New Zealand’s Facebook, rattled, “We were just ramping things up and getting ready to sell his information to Al Qaeda, but he hit us with that sucker punch! Fuck you, Clive!” reads a statement received by Nexus. Stay strong Clive; Not all heroes wear capes.

Entitled Millennials Celebrate Earth Day

Earth day 2020 came with the usual 12 hours of pretending like the fact that our memories, culture and grandchildren are going to burn isn’t our fault. However this year seems to be rather different with many of the richer, and therefore wiser, young adults sharing pics of their exotic, tropical holidays with mundane captions. Nexus interviewed some of the country’s top climate scientists. “Honestly it was eureka moment” says Adam Stern, one of Hamilton’s resident climate scientists. “I honestly was ready to give up until Hannah posted that picture of the beach with the earth day filter on it, I was dead set going to throw in the towel”. This clearly shows that the conversation around climate change, and the impacts it will have on this generation, are really starting to heat up, however not as fast as our planet.

Sol - the original Mexican beer, absolutely shits on Corona in taste and price

Grey Goose Vodka – if you’re looking to wipe the memory disk clean with no budget, here’s your pick

Diesel 7% – the catalyst of high octane fueled piss sinking, look no further than a slab if you’re looking to do some damage

Speights – we’ve got to include Speights, wonderful drop

Pals - before lock down, I was nicking these at parties because they’re absolutely delicious

Waikato Draught – the drop of our region, it would only be right

Long White ‘reshblo’ – they’re now known as reshblos for good reason, vorteke leshgo aha

William Maverick – first sesh will be weird, and Billy Mavs are your one way ticket to

Corona- they’re shit and overpriced but we may as well celebrate appropriately

WHATS HOT

WHATS NOT

Ashley Bloomfield

Jerry Krause

Ashley Bloomfield’s sexy lid

Michael Jordan’s gambling addiction

Social acceptable solo drinking Michael Jordan

Winter finally coming No action in 7 weeks

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

FROM THE EDGE OF THE APOCALYPSE #3

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FUCK THIS UP! 12

SHOULD WE HAVE GONE STRAIGHT TO LEVEL TWO?

SPONSORED BY

STAY HOME SAVE LIVES “Unprecedented times” are two words I’m sure we’ve all heard heaps over the last few weeks. Now have a think, when was the last time you’ve ever heard something being described as “unprecedented”? Can’t think of anything? That’s cause it never fucking happens! Even describing something like that is… well unprecedented. As part of these strange times, the government has had to step in and put some serious rules in place about where to stay, who to see and what to eat. People aren’t happy but take a closer look at the majority of the reasons why? Your overweight cousin is annoyed because he can’t get KFC instead of cooking a nice kai; your alcy mate is gutted because they can’t go and sleeze it up in the Hood on a Saturday night; and the old lady next door is outraged because the muesli she usually buys is $1 more expensive. And if that’s the biggest issue in life at the moment, then you’re a self-entitled prick aren’t you. These restrictions have not been easy for anyone and no we don’t want to be stuck inside–that’s not how Kiwis are supposed to live! But why waste all the hard work we have put in over level 4 to potentially have to stay locked with the same bubble for even longer. We need to ensure that what we have done is actually going to have an impact by going through level 3 and slowly weaning ourselves back into some sort of normality. You may not be able to go party in someone’s paru flat yet, but at least you can wait in line for a Big Mac (you probably didn’t have much else to do anyway). I’m a firm believer in ‘rules enforce the fun’ (thank you Monica from Friends). I don’t know if you’re just a rebellious kid that wants to do whatever you like to stick it to the man, or if you’re a boomer that thinks this is just aunty Cindy’s way of keeping us controlled to install the 5G. Either way, we ain’t shit and we need to look at the bigger picture: stay the fuck home for a little bit longer and save lives.

WE ARE ALREADY IN LEVEL 2 LET’S MAKE IT OFFICIAL We should have moved into alert level 2 earlier, controversial opinion I know but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. According to the Government COVID website, we still have strict rules regarding gatherings and social distancing. So what is my reasoning? The economy has been put on hold for 7 weeks now, with a lot of people still being unable to return to work. Some people haven’t been able to work from home, such as people in the hospitality industry, and they can only operate on a takeaway basis, which means some have to operate in a capacity as if they’re getting choked and can only have half as much output as they usually can. The Wage subsidy is only meant to cover wages, not overheads such as loan repayments, insurance, power, rent or other unexpected costs such as lawyers, administration costs etc etc. We can operate safely as a society when we know where the disease is, who has it and enforce the quarantine of people who may have been exposed to it. At this stage we know exactly where the virus is, so we could be able to operate nearly at full capacity as a society as long as we enforce people to stay socially distance and stay within their regions unless absolutely necessary. We have seen a similar practice applied in Australia, where people were still allowed to work in non essential industries as long as they distanced properly, and they’ve ended up with less deaths per capita than us, as well as lower projected unemployment with a stronger economy.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

My Life As An OnlyFans Creator OnlyFans is quickly becoming a household name, arguably less for those of us quarantined in our childhood bedroom; however, following the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, social media has seen the online world of sex work flourish. Leading porn sites began providing free premium content to encourage staying indoors, celebrities such as Freddie Gibbs started hosting strip clubs live on Instagram to provide adultperformers with a platform to compensate for their loss of income, and most importantly, OnlyFans saw thousands of amateur content creators pouring onto their site looking to sell X-rated entertainment as a way to make ends meet. We sat down with Mikhaela, a piercer and trainee tattooist by trade, who’s currently sitting amongst the top 8% of OnlyFans creators. Thrown out of routine, Mikhaela found time to be meaningless, she polished off an Orchard Thieves while indulging in her first meal of the day – the setting sun a brief respite to the nocturnal gloom of quarantine. While housemates roamed dishevelled, desperately clinging to crumbs of daily structure, Mikhaela remained somewhat unphased by the prospect of pandemic life. Sure, the loss of income, social interaction, and romantic interests have taken their toll, yet her posture remained unkinked, her ambition of self-sufficiency steadfast. Crossing her legs upon a chair at the kitchen table—wearing her favourite oversized tee and comfiest jersey shorts—she took a moment to reposition, preparing herself to speak. N: Let’s hit it from the basics, when did you get started and what was the reasoning? “I literally started about a week ago, I made the account a lot earlier than this though, I guess maybe I was nervous? I wanted a better idea on the ins and outs before I really started.” “I’d wanted to do it for a while, there was always a strong interest there for me. I follow a lot of creators and influencers online who’ve been doing it for ages now. It was always just on the back of my mind – one of those “wouldn’t it be funny” thoughts.” N: Was there a point that you just thought “fuck it, let’s see what happens”? “A while back I did a poll on my Insta story to gauge whether or not I should do it, I was always worried about what people would think about it more than anything. Friends showed their worries about the embarrassment of it all or just the general backlash from creating this profile.” N: It’s pretty obvious that the stigma of being involved with this industry seems to be a huge factor for a lot of amateur content creators, despite knowing this was something you wanted to get into, was it just a poll on Instagram that gave you the final push?

“In the end, one of the main reasons I went for it was based on a lack of confidence, body dysmorphia, what I look like, things I don’t like about myself etc. I’ve battled with eating disorders in the past, especially throughout high school, but once I moved away and into the city I jumped to the complete opposite. Recently—after starting my OnlyFans account—I’ve found myself making healthier decisions and slowly seeing improvement from exercise, it’s all about loving myself.” “One of the girls I follow did it because she had bad mental health and the photos helped her realise how to feel good about herself. It’s empowerment. It’s not about the guys following me, it’s about how it makes me feel.” N: So money isn’t really the biggest motive? “A lot would do it for the finances, students or people in debt, it’s a quick and easy way to make money. It all comes down to what you post, what your engagement is with your following, etc.” N: Is this wholesome vibe something you see throughout the community of creators? Is there much interaction between creators in this space? “Definitely! Nobody is just in it for themselves. The support network is actually amazing. I got introduced into people in the industry, they helped me get started, showed me the ropes and helped with promotions etc. It’s a very close-knit community – if someone is getting abused all the girls are there for each other, people help. Everyone has everyone’s back.” N: Could you elaborate more about your friends being concerned? How’ve you tackled this and what are your thoughts on it now that you’re actively involved? “People think it’s degrading, it’s like you’re lowering yourself. But that judgement is based on their own perception, their own opinion. It’s still quite taboo which is kind of unhealthy, this platform is full of people confident in themselves, in their body, you shouldn’t base yourself on the thoughts of others.” “I had friends that were really worried about it, a lot of people thought I’d regret it. I just remember thinking ‘it only matters if I let it matter’, people only have the control over you that you give them, I’d say now that a lot of my friends are really supportive of it.” N: That change of heart must’ve made it a whole lot easier for you, I’m guessing you’re glad you stuck to your guns with it? “If you’re sending nudes to someone they’re getting that for free, you might as well make some money off it.” N: The absolute dream. I guess another big concern for people looking to get involved in this would be safety, are there a lot of dodgy cunts up to dodgy antics? NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

“People try to be sneaky and get content for free, deleting accounts etc. Doesn’t work though.” “A lot of people worry about content being leaked, I’ve had mates who’ve had their content leaked but we have huge support networks. In reality, unless you know about it there’s really nothing you can do. But, if you know about it you’re pretty much guaranteed money, you can sue the shit out of people for distribution – guys don’t think we have as much control as we do of our content.” N: Sounds like the community is really the backbone of this platform, would you say it’s still viable for people to get involved? There must’ve been a huge influx of new creators getting involved once lockdown measures kicked in? “It depends on the content you’re posting, looks play a huge part in it too. It’s different for everyone, some girls would show everything, even on a post, whereas others would rely on DM’s for selling extra bits and pieces – there’s a lot more privacy than a lot of people think. It can be quite a niche thing so it depends on the guy subscribing as well.”

“ I F YO U’R E SENDING NU DE S TO SOMEONE T H E Y’ RE GETTING TH AT F O R FREE, YOU MIGHT A S W E L L MAKE SOME M O N E Y OF F IT.”

“I got myself a Nintendo Switch on the weekend so I’m pretty happy with how it’s going – a bunch of the other girls on OnlyFans have Animal Crossing now so we all visit each other’s islands and hang out – it’s wholesome as fuck” N: The addiction is definitely something you wouldn’t really consider, is this something you’ve encountered? “A ton of girls who wouldn’t have had many subs at the start, so they would ramp up their content to entice more in. Also, if the content isn’t as explicit as a sub wants, they probably won’t hang around for too long. The more explicit, the more people subscribe.” “At first, I wasn’t going to post topless photos, I was just going to do underwear pics, but now I want their money so I’ve cracked onto it.” “It’s a lot of pressure and can have a negative impact on body image, a few of the girls I know have started thinking about boob jobs because they think it’ll boost their income and increase their perception of themselves.” N: Do you have any safeguards within your community to help tackle this? “We give free trial links to all of the girls in our network so it helps us see what others are doing and base our content decisions off that which is super useful.” “At the end of the day, I think the addiction to this is very dependent on the person.” N: What would your advice be to others looking to get amongst Only Fans? “If you wanna do it, do it. It all depends on how comfortable you are with it, never do anything you aren’t comfortable with. There are a lot of guys out there that’ll try to scam you, just stay safe.”

N: Would you be playing into a niche to bump up your numbers?

“If you ever have any doubts definitely reach out to someone, this is easily the nicest community I’ve ever been involved in.”

“I don’t really play into a niche, I would fall under the category most guys would go for, big ass, big tits, small waist.”

It was at this point Mikhaela swiftly scuttled away, embarking on a rather speedy ascent up the stairs in the hope of reaching her charger before losing touch with the outside world. It’s an odd time we live in, but despite the challenges of uprooted routines and unforeseen financial difficulties, these online platforms have proved to be an essential service for young bucks looking to make ends meet.

N: Sounds pretty viable, what would you be looking at finance-wise? Are you bringing in enough to pay rent and cover general expenses? “In terms of finance, I’ve had this for a week and made close to $1000 USD, I wouldn’t want to depend on it but if I make this much extra a month I’m sweet. Some find it becomes addictive, by posting more explicit content you get more money, I guess it depends on the person though, at the end of the day you’re in control.” 16

It’s not perfect – the stigma of ‘sex work’ is still present and producing this type of content can highlight a range of body image issues, but the girls of OnlyFans seem to be doing a top tier job of tackling this; all while keeping their community as safe, financed, and as wholesome as possible.

AQUARIUS JAN 20 - FEB 18

LEO JUL 23 - AUG 22

Now is the perfect time to practice your comebacks in the mirror. It’s not called a comeback because you go away and then come back. Make a note to yourself: must try harder.

It is difficult not being the most widespread topic of conversation around campus at the moment but then again maybe being widespread isn’t the best move for you right now.

PISCES FEB 19 - MAR 20

VIRGO AUG 23 - SEP 22

Gallows humour is the form of humour perfected by executioners and paramedics. If you get really good at it people won’t want to hang out with you. This will make life much easier.

Think it through before you set fire to your laundry hamper to cleanse it from the virus. The only clothing supermarkets sell is underwear. On second thoughts, you can’t be too careful...

ARIES MAR 21 - APR 19

LIBRA SEP 23 - OCT 22

Your desire to play is strong right now and that’s totally understandable. So close the doors and windows and shut out your mother’s nagging voice, right now it’s ok to play with yourself.

While trying to decide how strictly to adhere to the rules of the lockdown you should carefully weigh up the pros and cons. This should take you about 4 weeks.

TAURUS APR 20 - MAY 20

SCORPIO OCT 23 - NOV 21

Just because you know you’re right doesn’t mean they are necessarily wrong, but even though they are definitely, indisputably wrong it doesn’t mean you have to rub it in.

You don’t have to take everything so seriously. It’s ok to have fun and joke around, especially if your jokes are about global pandemics. A little humour never killed anybody.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUN 20

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21

You have some wonderful qualities that will absolutely shine in a time like this. After thousands of years of astrological exploration we are sure we will find them soon.

Your place in the new world order is assured, it will not function without your razor sharp intellect. To ensure the highest rank in the brave new world you should silence other Sagis.

CANCER JUN 21 - JUL 22

CAPRICORN DEC 22 - JAN 19

This is the best possible scenario for you at this stage of your life. Enjoy it while it lasts because soon the world will force you back out into it.

No work is a substitute for hard work and you should really work your ass off right now. Stranger Things isn’t going to watch itself.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

L H I O F A N

E 5G H T

OOL I N

OOLIN P S

E 5

G -

L H A

U 20

FOI

Last week I received a tongue-in-cheek invite to a seventhousand member strong Facebook group railing against 5G development in New Zealand. I decided to join. “Why do you want to stop 5G?” asked the admins in their pre-admission interview. “I don’t know,” I thought - because I don’t. All I know is that groups pushing mass conspiracy theories that include Agenda 21 UN world takeover themes and have a keen interest in the creative interpretation of international law are a real riot. I typed, “I don’t know, I want to learn more.” That seemed diplomatic enough. “Are you a member of a telco?” they asked as a follow-up. Very clever, because clearly, they know that like police officers, if you ask a telco employee if they indeed are a telco employee, they have to answer truthfully. “No,” I wrote

because I’m not. And so began my journey into the very heart of darkness that is the Anti-5G New Zealand movement. What I quickly discovered was that 5G conspiracies are not a single thread. To accurately articulate every position held by these disparate groups would take a lifetime; indeed, many members have spent a lifetime researching what they believe to be a terrifying web of tyrannical abuses of power. Conspiracy theories are the ultimate unassailable position one can take on a given topic. Any gap in official or agreed-upon information is the breeding ground of conspiracy, and any point of fact can be refuted as propaganda from the global media

elite in concert with the powers that seek to make us a docile sheeple. Conspiracy theories are also, by their very nature as anti-evidence, contradictory. 5G sits as a perfect example of this. 5G spreads coronavirus, but there is no coronavirus pandemic. Coronavirus is harmless, and the lockdown gives the government and telcos more time without us in the way to put up cell towers that transmit the deadly disease. The prime minister is a puppet of the UN, who are hell-bent on reducing population through the spread of fatal illnesses, and the UN and WHO numbers also prove that coronavirus is harmless. A major issue in all this is that nobody seems capable of thoroughly articulating a given point with any clarity. Every comment redirects to another youtube amateur documentary or Facebook page run by an unknown doctor going against the grain. To get to the heart of it all, one does have to “do their research,” which is a core tenet of conspiracy movements everywhere. I decided to follow their advice and do my own research. Because there are so many threads of contradictory information to tease out, I’ll try to make sense of it all in some sort of digestible manner. The first thing to get clued up on is the New World Order, a conspiracy largely pushed by anti-government right-wingers and fundamentalist Christians before the internet brought it into more common knowledge. In the mid-1990s, examples of US government overreach and severity became the focal points for an angered section of the populace who saw things like Ruby Ridge or Waco as the New World Order playing their hand. Both events, armed standoffs between Americans and the ATF, were seen as the US government enacting the will of a global cabal of tyrants, the NWO, and suppressing the freedoms of Americans- which naturally meant impinging the privileges of the rest of the world. With the clear and present examples of the terrifying government power to oppress, the long-running conspiracy theories native initially to the rightwing spread to a broader audience. In the year 2020, some thirty-odd years after the militia movement, and with internet access offering every man and his dog the opportunity to “do their own research”, the New World Order has jumped into a relatively more mainstream audience. Conspiracy theories like these find their most ardent supporters in the US, with its culture of individualism and an inherent scepticism of government. From there, they permeate around the world as people consume US news, media, and ideas. That jump to a more mainstream preceded an interesting development, analogous to similar changes seen in the white nationalist groups in the US. That is, they move from being ardently anti-government to anti-establishment with support for US President Donald Trump’s oft-repeated intention to “drain the swamp”. This understanding of Trump as a non-political entity entering the political fray to represent the everyman has seen the NWO conspiracists’ original right-wing leanings bolstered as they interpret every political move or executive order from the president to be some sort of strike against the cabal of global elites. The inverse of this is that any political opposition to the president, whether direct in the US, or as

a matter of a different ideological or policy course in New Zealand, is viewed as a move by or for the New World Order Trump allegedly opposes. A healthy amount of misogynistic hatred for the prime minister also permeates the community, with members referring to her as “evil”, “bitch”, a “whore”, as well as more conventional or garden-variety criticisms, such as her having signed the nation onto an UN-backed agenda to reduce population and surrender our civil liberties. The Prime Minister is also in league with Helen Clark, a supporter of the World Health Organisation, in their efforts to oppress us. Of course, a mistrust of anyone opposed ideologically or directly with President Trump and a belief that the New World Order controls that opposition means that any efforts on the part of our own government to combat the spread of COVID-19 are equated to a furthering of the cabal’s own evil designs. A four-week lockdown is the establishment of a police state, the restrictions against solo boating or huntings are the infringement of civil liberties to further the power of the ruling class. Financial aid in the form of wage subsidies is an effort to get New Zealanders hooked on the welfare state and steal their autonomy.

“ They are victims of hucksters and tricksters, frauds, and con men who take advantage of their fear and misunderstanding to gain or grow their platform. “ All of this is increasingly complex, and it becomes puzzling to find an appropriate angle from which to tackle it. As I’ve mentioned already, coronavirus is not real or dangerous, and it’s an excuse to subdue the people in a police state. It is also a deadly illness made part of the UN’s agenda 21 plan to cut the global population to 500,000. This circles back on itself when we come to the meat and potatoes of the investigation. 5G. 5G either spreads coronavirus, causes coronavirus, or makes individuals more susceptible to coronavirus depending on whom you ask. The governments enforced lockdown under the pretense of a coronavirus pandemic gives them all the time they need to erect more 5G towers to spread more coronavirus. This seems blatantly absurd, but to give the devil his due, there is a vaguely more coherent theory being posited by conspiracists here, in the US, and all over the world. It is all made clear in a youtube video published on 26 April 2020 titled “A WARNING TO THE WORLD. VIRAL Information”. “What do the 1918 Spanish Flu and the 2020 Coronavirus have in common?” Asks the narrator, his voice rich with the croak only a 30-year pack-a-day habit can achieve. “Both have a next-generation wireless communications NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

technology rollout, both have a worldwide plandemic and a lockdown of people and businesses, and both have a Jon Hopkins University and Gates family controlling the narrative across all media.” Bill Gates is a classic target of the 5G conspiracist (and the broader conspiracy community), as an ardent supporter of the World Health Organisation and an advocate for vaccination against deadly and preventable disease, Gates is seen as a critical player in the Global Ruling Cabal’s efforts to control the population. Allegedly, during the 1918 flu pandemic, as the early rollout of radio towers was taking place while people were under wartime conditions, and while those radio towers were causing radiation poisoning in the guise of Spanish Flu, Bill Gates’ grandfather was profiting. Gates will use the COVID-19 global pandemic to barcode or microchip everybody in the world through enforced vaccinations, thus making the sheeple even easier to track and control. In the present, it is an oft-touted factoid that the first city in the world to be fully 5G serviced was Wuhan, China. This is a smoking gun, but it doesn’t explain much. There’s no 5G in Iran, for instance, where there are some 95,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 6,000 deaths. Minor facts like this do little to dissuade the New Zealand 5G conspiracy theorists from their positions, with posts going up daily showing the construction of new 5G towers across the country. One image posted multiple times states: “5G is a military-grade microwave torture tech. 5G radiation measures 50,000 times the legal safety limit. 5G is a UN agenda that Jacinda signed us up to.” Another poster claims that medicine tentatively used to alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19 is the same as that used to treat the symptoms of radiation poisoning. Coincidence? If it’s even true, then yes, often, the same medications can be used to treat multiple illnesses in one capacity or another. However, if the scales have lifted from your eyes and you see that 5G radiation causes COVID-19, then you see clearly the link. There is no such thing as a coincidence. The beauty of all this thinking is that any piece of information can be plugged into your worldview if you accept that a global cabal seeks to rule us. Whether there is no COVID-19, or if there is but it’s man-made, or if it’s a trick to put up more 5G towers to control us, or if it’s the result of mass 5G radiation poisoning, it all fits into a belief that any one of these options is the work of the evil UN, Vatican, WHO, or lizard people in command of our destinies. But why are people drawn to these ideas? The ideas themselves are patently absurd, they pique curiosity, but they are hardly a viable position. What drew me in is the people behind the concepts. What sort of person? Or, What kind of experiences create the type of people who absorbs and adheres to such beliefs? In a radio interview with Brigham Young University, Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and 22

Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Acting Chief of Mental Health Community Care Systems at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Joe Pierre M.D characterised conspiracy theorists as individuals low in agreeableness, but high in openness to new ideas. It means they aren’t uncomfortable or afraid of going against the grain and that they are open to unique or novel concepts should they be exposed to them. This explanation, while devised through only one of many psychological frameworks through which to view people, offers a useful idea of the average conspiracy theorist. The point is that conspiracy believers are naturally suspicious of any authority figure, especially in scientific communities. From this position, any global organisation that claims authority or responsibility in a given field are met with the same scepticism. A striking comment Dr. Pierre made was also the description of conspiracy theorists as conspiracy theists: “That is, people who believe in conspiracy theories aren’t usually so much theorizing and coming up with explanations on their own as they are hearing them from other people or finding them online.” I found this to be an accurate description as I descended the NZ conspiracy theory rabbit hole, every question asked being met with a “do your own research”, “come to your conclusions”, or “watch this, it makes sense.” Answers to questions come from parallel sources of information, just as authoritative as the standard official sources of information. In these cases, however, being target by journalists, being de-platformed for spreading false information, being disbarred by one or many medical boards, being fired for malpractice, or merely stating that you “did your own research and something seemed off” is enough to gain you credence when any official channel of information is viewed to be in lockstep with whatever evil powers are being called into question. Dr. Rashid Buttar, retired US Army Surgeon, and current New Zealand resident, who never finished his medical residency, is only certified by organisations that barely qualify as legitimate, who has been disciplined for unprofessional conduct multiple times, who has had multiple patients die from his ineffectual cancer treatments, who has received a letter of warning from the FDA for marketing violations with regards to claims he can

“Gates will use the COVID-19 global pandemic to barcode or microchip everybody in the world through enforced vaccinations, thus making the sheeple even easier to track and control.”

cure cancer, who is an avowed anti-vaxxer, who claims to be able to cure autism with topical treatments, who claims Dr. Anthony Fauci’s research on coronavirus created COVID-19, and who has perpetuated the belief that 5G towers and chemtrails cause COVID-19 springs to mind as an example of one such individual. The man’s Wikipedia page is seven short paragraphs, six of which are devoted to criticisms of his quackery, and yet after having a series of evangelical COVID-19 conspiracy videos of his removed from YouTube for violating community guidelines he shot to fame in the conspiracy world. The very fact that he is illegitimate and treated as such is what makes him legitimate. In a 2017 paper for the Association for Psychological Science Karen M. Douglas, Robbie M. Sutton, and Aleksandra Cichocka at the University of Kent discuss the myriad reasons why people believe the conspiracy theories they do. One of the explanations they land on is “finding meaning when events seem random”. A global pandemic, starting in a part of China, few of us, could find on a map, forcing people indoors for weeks on end and killing hundreds of thousands all over the world, certainly appears to fit the criteria of a random and frightening event with no meaning. It can be hard to accept the reality of seemingly random events that exist outside of our usual understanding. 9/11 serves as a perfect example. To the average person, an attack of such a kind was so far beyond the realm of possibility that immediately after the conspiracy of the attack abounded. An attack by a terrorist group on the other side of the world in the heart of New York City, killing over 3,000 Americans on American soil was harder for many to believe than any number of narrative frameworks that explain 9/11 as a part of a global or national conspiracy for any number of ill intentions. 5G cell towers are proliferating COVID-19, or indeed not existing at all, serves as a narrative framework through which people who are naturally afraid of such global upheaval and inherently suspicious of traditional sources of information can understand what they have no reference point for or impact on. It allows them to grasp onto something they can anchor themselves to then rally against. Rallying against malign machinations generally manifests as outraged commenting on the variety of videos and articles shared on the page: “Guess what I’ve been told sounds crazy but, it adds up the moss shootings in Christchurch was hoks, just like covert 19, it made me feel scared what are they up to Vaccinating us ps the worst will be in the vaccination that people will line up for, how said is that what’s in the vaccination what I have read is so disturbing that you won’t believe me so check it out for yourself Bill Gates is insane I’m sure he won’t be shooting that shit into his children, making then sick and infertile.” “Am I the only one who sees that the “Spiked Corona Virus” looks very much like the Jesuit sun symbol? All roads lead to Rome – The “Beast” or “Political” system that controls the New World Order – Lucifer’s leading agents.”

were hunted down & hanged on the spot. Hopefully, at the end of this, we can hunt down the narks & murder them in their little bubbles.” In this way, I see the members of this group not as bad, or evil, or nutjobs or stupid- though I’m sure some members fit into any number of those categories- but as victims. They are victims of hucksters and tricksters, frauds, and con men who take advantage of their fear and misunderstanding to gain or grow their platform. It’s why there is such a preponderance of “do your research” battle cries smattered across the comment section. If you find yourself neckdeep in a two-hour iMovie “documentary” on YouTube employing an Oliver Stone-style web of connections listed a mile a minute and several hundred scientific-sounding words spouted by a man who claims to be a surgeon at New York General, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. I know, I did it several times. While watching a video on David Icke’s website, in which he discussed with his son the “realities” of coronavirus, I found myself wanting to agree with them as they claimed over and over that all of us good little sheeple staying indoors were turning a blind eye to the real danger. The NWO was tricking me, but I’m too smart to be fooled, aren’t I? But if I am being tricked and there is a plot to irradiate us with 5G, then what else could be true? What other tantalising forbidden knowledge is out there for me to learn? That’s the trick. And that trick translates into paying six installments of over 500 USD to Londonreal.tv for a “business course”, handily hosted by the same man who presents “Over 600 Long Format Interviews with the MOST IMPORTANT VOICES in the World.” and provides “Access to the TRUTH, Celebrating Different Views, Perspectives, and Insights.” “Access to the truth” indeed.

“They’ll use citizens to enforce it as they do now. Like the Nazis during the French occupation, most of their arrests came from French narking on each other. At the end of the war, those narks NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

Many Cafes and restaurants will be offering delivery/pickup services: Visit their websites or Facebook pages for more details.

Winner Winner Order online: winnerwinner.co.nz Pickup and delivery options are available.

The Sugar Bowl Cafe Phone orders: 07 8478427 - Maeroa 07 9498828 - Grandview Order through their app. Grandview is pickup only.

Continue to follow these diaries and more on nexusmag.co.nz

QUARANTAINMENT 24

Cafes + restaurants

Jam at Queenwood Phone orders: 07 8555649 or order through the Regulr app. Pickup and delivery options are available.

Nourish Pod Online orders: nourishpod.com Pickup and delivery options are available.

Cucina Phone orders: 07 839 4343 Order through their app. Pickup only.

Iguana Street Bar & Restaurant Order online: iguana.co.nz Phone orders: 07 839 4343 Order through their app. Pickup only and delivery options. COVID-19 specials

Cafe on London Order online: cafeonlondon.co.nz Phone orders: 07 8395963 Pickup only.

Cafe Fresca Phone orders: 0275129242 or order through their app.

Cinnamon Phone orders: 07 8490632 Hours: 7am-2pm. Pickup only

NAMI Japanese Restaurant Online orders: namijapaneserestaurant.co.nz Phone orders: 07 838 9397 Pickup only.

Ethos Food Hub Order online: ethoshamilton.booknorder.co.nz Pickup only.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

Keen for some free BurgerFuel? Simply snap us the shitfest of your student lifestyle for the chance to win. Vouchers will be stored for the winners until we are allowed back outside.

WINNER

NEXUS CREATIVE SPACE

Hunting For Glowworms The fronds swim backstroke on the pavement wink silver at the stars like fin rays picked clean by the dark

We step lightly on the grass stick to the main path clutch our keys and listen for another set of warm lungs

The ghosts of girls like us are misting statistics

Maggots winking in the undergrowth

40% will die slick with white mould their kidneys green-blue and shining.

- AJ Anderson Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;connor

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

I can almost taste it. The humble art of binge drinking nears its resurrection as COVID-19 slowly dissipates from the land of the long white (cloud). In all seriousness, as we creep closer towards being potentially virusfree, the first sesh back might look like a tempting treat, something you could prematurely start under the grounds of “she’ll be right, it’s just one party”. Please don’t call it early. We’re all gagging for pub trip, a sift, a dusty root but we’ve got to ensure that this is sanctioned by the government and not some under-the-radar party. Now that that’s out of the way I’ll give you some ammunition for the absolute weapon that will be the returning big blowout. Buckle up, she’ll be large.

DRINK OF THE WEEK Anything you can get your sanitised hands on

Let’s be real here, there hasn’t been many standard student drinks catching my eye as of late. I’ve not seen anyone get wankered off of some new RTD I haven’t seen before. I’ve not seen some new, cheap spirit teach a fresher a lesson in limits. In short, nothing has caught my eye and made me think “yep, that drink is award worthy”. I can’t dish out an award for any particular drink that I sip quietly at home with mum and dad either. This weeks was a real headache. As we may soon be returning from our parent’s house and trickling back into the student dives we call home, we’re going to need whatever we can get to achieve peak performance. Get whatever you need from your local watering hole (while maintaining social distances) and get back here. No judging, get your stock standard, usual, go-to, signature dish and have at it, no judging. God’s speed. 28

BRIEFING RED CARD IDEA snake n’ vape

Things you will need. A set of iron lungs, a good, keen spirit, a fiddy mg vape, and a group of mates with the same distinct characteristics. Now gather round in a circle and nominate a starting person. Take the largest drag possible and pass it to the person on your left. The person who sacks it to having a drag first has to delete a vessel. carry on playing until there is a lone victor or someone passes the fuck out. Once the team has made it to town (if they’ve mad it to town) the loser has to chuck an insult at the largest bouncer they can lay eyes on. Should make for some interesting sport.

SESH WARS EPISODE 7: Berocca surprise

So after one night of getting extremely weird we gather back around at my place for what was bound to be a cracking kickons, one that should serve as a template for all to follow. However, things were about to get weirder. Despite our extensive efforts, not one of us had managed to pull. As the host of kickons, a room full of sexless young adults, I was now a General with troops that needed entertainment. For us, entertainment when we weren’t on top of, or underneath some fresher, came in the form of beating up unfortunate pieces of furniture whilst playing Rage Against the Machine as loud as possible. Knowing our love of this activity and our lack of furniture, due to previous weekends, one of my mates had bought around his broken flat screen earlier that afternoon. This was a tempting prize in the eyes of a self-confessed furniture/ appliance breaking degenerate such as myself. Unfortunately my friend, lets call him Baz, had a keen eye for degeneracy and fragile appliances. Baz was also notoriously sexless and needed the sweet release of that TV flying over the edge of my second story balcony. Needless to say Baz sent it fucking flying and walked away repeating the same sentence “now we work, now we work” with “Killing In The Name” playing in the background. The night then proceeded in a nosedive, much like the fucking flat-screen. Most people were now itching for bed with several others trying way too hard to keep the dream alive. One such dreamer was so keen to keep the night going that he shoved a raw berocca tablet up his bum. Self respect was out of the question and I was ready for bed. Our neighbors love us!

Mullet of the Week - Beks Nelson Cooper

Nexus: Could you just quickly introduce yourself? Beks: Im Beks, I’m 23 years old. I’m half german and half kiwi. And I live in Wellington. Nexus: Cool, do you study here at this university? Beks: Yup, I study linguistics at Massey University. Nexus: Oh awesome. Can you just walk us through your mullet journey? Beks: Yeah sure. Basically I’m trying to grow my hair out and I didn’t want just a boring, sort of medium length hair cut and I also wanted a fridge so I just took some kitchen scissors and went for it. Nexus: Nice and how long have you had this mullet? Beks: Maybe a month, she’s pretty fresh. Nexus: What have been some of the reactions to your mullet? Beks: Good, basically. Yeah, my family were like ‘omg its so 70s’ and someone said it’s like a real feminine mullet.

Beks: Yeah yourself, yeah. There’s quite a few people in Wellington. I feel like it’s quite a trendy haircut at the moment. Nexus: Do you have any advice for someone considering getting a mullet? Beks: Just go for it. Hair always grows back. Don’t go to some hipster hairdresser. You can honestly do it yourself. I think I went on Google or WikiHow and you just chop, chop, chop. Nexus: Nice, how would you describe your mullet? Beks: She’s pretty wild. When I wake up in the morning she’s all over the place. She’s quite short in certain parts. Definitely subtle. It’s not some crazy mullet. Nexus: Does she have a name or a nickname? Beks: Nah not yet. We’ll get there. Nexus: Lastly, is there anyone you’d like to thank? Beks: Myself and my kitchen scissors. Nexus: That’s beautiful.

Nexus: Cool! Have you bumped into any other people with mullets, besides me?

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

Likewise, someone who lays it on ten layers thick right off the bat might flatter your ego, but they’re probably not going to hang around that long, à la old adage: ‘the light which burns twice as bright burns half as long.’ On the other hand, you shouldn’t feel like you’re dying for the tiniest crumb of attention or shred of evidence that your crush is keen. If they’re not making any space for you and you feel like a detective clinging at straws of affection (a horny detective), that isn’t it either. A green flag equals a healthy level of attention.

Green Flags Listing red flags is worthy of a novel, so I’m taking the shorter route. Looking for people based on attraction alone is secure. Looking for red flags is also relatively easy (it’s paying attention that seems to be the problem). So maybe it’s time we learned to give credit where credit is due and actively look for GREEN flags. In other words, here’s what you should pursue; the signs that someone is a healthy, non-psychopathic, well-rounded individual. The “Goldilocks”. The “Goldilocks” (I made the name up, go with it) falls somewhere between intense and negligent, not too hot, not too cold. This person’s making an effort to get to know you, but there’s a feeling of freedom and space about the whole thing. Someone who texts, snapchats, and hits up your DMs excessively is scary as fuck (in my experience, anyone who DMs you their acoustic guitar videos or snippets of poetry they wrote before you’ve even met them are soft-cock psychopaths).

AUNTY SLUT Dear Aunty Slut, The lock down has left me with some time on my hands, and I’m wondering, when is it okay for me to send a girl a picture of my cock? I think I have a nice looking one, but I’m not getting too many favourable reviews, and it’s denting my confidence. Thanks, Snap Happy

Independence. A massive green flag equals someone that has their shit together. They’re employed (or living la Vida de student), and they have their hobbies, interests, and social life intact. They spend time with their friends/family and expect you to do the same. No significant sacrifices should be made right off the bat. Let me also say this: sharing similarities with a potential beau in terms of values and ethics is crucial. Sharing interests is a bonus. But what’s especially attractive is a person that’s not afraid to have a different opinion to you. You don’t need to be in constant debate, but you don’t want someone who agrees and morphs into your every enthusiasm better than a redneck camouflages into a Trump rally. It Feels Light, Easy. This is meant to be fun, do we realise this? It really shouldn’t feel stressful and burdensome (butterflies are, however, very healthy. Cutie x). Of course, some amazing people happen to be going through some rough shit that you may learn about later on; this isn’t about that by any means. My concern is the type of person who tells a virtual stranger about all of their problems right off the bat like they think it’s solid romantic bait, harping on about the whores/man-whores that treated them wrong, or using trauma almost as a pick-up line to hook you in with the victim card (take it to therapy, not Tinder). A green flag is

Dear Snap Happy, I’m a big fan of penis, but I don’t like being surprised by one. I like to know when a penis is on the cards before it gets all up in my face. I want to desire the presence of a penis in my personal space well before it arrives. I don’t like being flashed when I’m walking home, and I don’t like unsolicited dick pics. Shoving your cock at someone who hasn’t consented to see it is rude, vaguely threatening and deeply unsexy. A dick pic is not flirting. If that’s what you’re using them for- stop doing it. Sending someone a dick pic when your only previous conversation is “hey what are you up to? I’m having dinner with my parents tonight, roast chicken, my favourite” is kind of like tea-bagging your mate who has passed out on the couchcomic, but not sexy or impressive in any way. If you want girls to laugh at your dick then send them an unsolicited dick pic. And just because Snapchat pics disappear after a while does

easygoing; a healthy person does not act super erratic, jealous, emotional, or aggressive when you’ve only just started hanging out. You don’t feel the weight of their expectations or jealousy from day dot, because they’ve got their head screwed on right. It’s light. You’re having fun. You’re happy. It’s a start on the right foot. Confidence. I’m talking about a cool, secure kind of confidence (being introverted or shy doesn’t exclude anybody here). A green flag has done their healing; they aren’t going to strike you as desperate, lonely, broken, and deeply pessimistic. They are happy in their own company. Confidence doesn’t equal loudness; it means a person doesn’t feel the need excessively boast or trash talk others to fuel their ego. A confident person isn’t too intimidated or threatened by you to do anything about their feelings. They’ll give and take, so you don’t feel left to make the first move all the time. And they won’t ignore you just because their mates are around, even if they cop a bit of shit for it. Because we’re adults here and not embarrassed tweenagers, right? Boundaries. You know they respect your boundaries and standards, and by association, they’re honest and clear about their own. Communication is vital - we know this, however, the flag’s Fluro fucking green when a person is capable of being open, transparent, succinct, and straight-up about what upsets them (directly to you, not just to other people). They’re the ‘what’s the problem so we can fix it’ type, and they respect themselves enough to have limits on what they’ll tolerate. It links back to confidence. A person who’s brave enough to say what they think and what they want without making a huge fuss about it is a person worth keeping around. The ability to listen, apologise without getting defensive, and resolve conflict appropriately have got to be the most unsexy-sounding yet sexy set of traits a

not mean you should be snapping your junk to every girl on your contacts list. It’s called a screenshot. You wear pants when meeting someone new for a reason. Wear pants when first chatting to girls too! I’m not interested in your dick pic if it’s you’re just exercising your ego. Pro tip: if you’re holding it up against an inanimate object to prove how massive you are, all you’re proving is that you’re a massive douche. If you have a big cock we can tell without you putting a bic lighter up against it, we have eyes! Besides, you all know how I feel about guys who think their big cocks size automatically make them good lovers. Give me a smaller cock and a man who knows what to do with it and cares if I’m getting off over a douchey choad-head any day.

person can have. Ask anyone who’s married. Kindness. People have good things to say about them. You like the people they’re friends with (it’s a reflection of their character, after all). They’re supportive of your interests and complimentary of you – but that doesn’t equal sleaziness, nor does it equal worshipping the ground you walk on like a total pushover. A healthy mix of kindness and teasing the fuck out of you is ideal. Last but not least A green flag makes you feel like “you”. You don’t have to pretend to be somebody you’re not just to impress them. Underneath the sex and frustration and lust, you have a remarkable friendship. Because if this one lasts – like, really lasts – you won’t be relying on the sexual appeal of their white, saggy, arthritis-ridden limbs when you’re old and grey. It’ll be the other gooey stuff that keeps the romance alive: good conversation, mutual respect, unconditional support, and the fact that you genuinely still like each other enough after sixty-odd years. My number one green flag? Humour. It’s not complete if you can’t have hysterical, snorting laughing fits. Healthy love is someone who makes you smile, every day, in any circumstance, and through any situation (after all, we have a lifetime worth of bullshit still to get through. I told you I’d get cheesy). So, above all, look for someone who makes you laugh. In summary, be attracted to what’s right for you, not what sends your cortisol levels sky-high. Maybe use this to spark conversation about what constitutes green flags for you. Talk about it with your friends, mentally brainstorm it to yourself, whatever. In a world that’s wired to focus on flaws, notice the good that’s out there.

that simple. A penis is not a valentine, or two xx at the end of a text. A disembodied cock is not sexy- it’s a log with a weird looking knob on the end. No one likes a creepy porno boner when they’re not expecting it. If you must send me a dick pic, I want to see your sexy belly, and your sexy thighs and your sexy, sexy hand clenched around the base. Or even better, I want to see a suggestive bulge beneath your boxers. And if you’re sending me a dick pic, it better be a dick I know and love, or I’m going to laugh at you no matter how amazing you think your cock is. Send your sexy sex questions to auntyslut@nexusmag.co.nz

If you’re trying to woo someone, don’t send them a picture of your cock. I know you guys think we want naked pictures of you, because you want naked pictures of us, but it’s just not quite NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

R + hu

O VE

y ngr

HUNG Nothing tastes like home more than fresh pie out of the oven, a warm aroma that usually fills the house and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up because you know you’re in for something good. Nexus offers a range of pie recipes in this edition which will be sure to make you feel warm inside.

Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients: ⅓ cup butter ⅓ cup all-purpose flour ⅓ cup chopped onion ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 ¾ cups chicken broth ⅔ cup milk 2 ½ to 3 cups cut-up cooked chicken 1 box (10 oz) frozen peas and carrots 1 package (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Method: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and peas and carrots; remove from heat. Heat oven to 200°C. Roll 1 pie crust into 13-inch square. Ease into ungreased 9-inch baking dish. Pour chicken mixture into crust-lined dish. Roll remaining pie crust into 11-inch square. Place square over chicken mixture. Turn edges of pie crust under; flute edge. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Cottage Pie

Fish Pie

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 large potatoes, peeled

1 egg, beaten

1 ½ Tbsp butter

500g lamb or beef mince or cold leftover roast meat, minced

1 ½ Tbsp flour

1 onion, diced

1 cup milk

3 Tbsp Tomato Sauce

½ tsp paprika

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 cups Frozen Peas & Corn

1 tsp prepared mustard

300g smoked fish, flaked (canned)

½ tsp yeast extract, marmite or vegemite 1-2 cup Frozen Mixed Vegetables ½ cup cheese (optional)

Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water, drain, season with salt and pepper and mash. When cooled slightly, quickly whip through the beaten egg. Heat a dash of oil in a frying plan and brown the mince, then add the onion and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Dissolve yeast extract, Marmite or vegemite in ½ cup boiling water. Add it to the mince with the Frozen Mixed Vegetables and cook for a further 2 minutes before placing in an ovenproof dish. Top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with cheese (if using). Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the pie has heated through and the cheese has melted.

Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut the potatoes into cubes and cook in a saucepan of boiling water until tender. Drain and mash with a little milk. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Slowly add the milk while stirring to prevent lumps. When all the milk has been added and the sauce begins to thicken, add the paprika, frozen vegetables, and fish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the filling into a 6-8 cup capacity ovenproof dish and top with mashed potatoes. Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until heated through and the top is golden. If using cheese, sprinkle over the potatoes and place under the grill on high heat for 2-3 minutes or until it browns.

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

Name:

Created with TheTeachersCorner.net Word Search Maker

APPLEBONG MARIJUANA NEEDLE APPLE BONG RACKUP JOINT METH CRYSTAL GURN PINGAS DANCINGTEETH

CRYSTALMETH COCAINE HIGH TABS NANGS COMEDOWN NEEDLE LINE HIGH MOLLY

PINGAS TABS COOKED NANGS PIPE PIPE ACID LIGHTER

GURN

JOINT

LIGHTER

COOKED

COME DOWN

DANCING TEETH

COCAINE

RACK UP

ACID

MOLLY

WORD LOCATOR - DRUGS AND PARAPHERNALIA

MARIJUANA

LINE

SUDOKUS

n° 111971 - Level Easy

8 6 1 4

4 7 2 5 4 9

6 3

3 8 1 7 1 8

LABYRINTH

http://1sudoku.com

2 9

1 5 7 8 9 9 1 5 4

http://1sudoku.com http://1sudoku.com

5 8 2 8 8 7 34 9 3 23 2 4 3 54 6 2 8 7 2 1 3 5 1 7 91 7 9 63

8 5 1 3

http://1sudoku.com http://1sudoku.com

n° 120738 - Level Easy

7 1 8 1 4 9 3 2 7 6

2 8

5 6 2 6 7 9 2 3 9 1 4 3 3 4 5 5 9 6 5 7 8 2 5 2 8 6 6 4

64 1 2 3 8 59 6 7 7 3 9 4 6 1 7 4 2

7 8 2 6 1 1 3 2 4 1 6 6 1 8 2 1 9 9 6 1 6 8 1 7 8 7 6 3 5 8 2 9 9 6

7 9 3

5 8

6 9 2

3 4 2

n° 29900 n° 326364 - Level Hard - Level Medium

7 9 7 2 3 8 6 8 7 4 5 4 2

n° 221116 - Level Medium http://1sudoku.com n° 124030 - Level Easy http://1sudoku.com

4 8 1 6 8 2

7 2 8 5 7

4 3 7 6 7 1 3

n° 227967 n° 37164 - Level Hard - Level Medium

6 75 4 1 5 2 2 8 9 2 24 1 1 9 2 65 8 46 7 2 7 7 7 8 2 5 1 9 6 89 2 7 3 5 7 Only one color, but not one size, 8 2 7 9 5 4 5 3 4 7 46 Stuck at 2 the bottom, yet easily flies. 9 4 1 9 5 5in 8sun,7but not in 8 Present rain,3 7 8 5 no 7 9 1 1 4 2 7 Doing no pain. 4 harm, and 5 feeling 1 What is it? 3 6 7 8 6 1 9 5 8 93 74 1 6 7 92 6 4 5 3 29 1 1 6 7 6 3 9 3 6 9 5 8 7 4 62 3 9 Issue 6 answer: A deck of cards

6 3 25 by 302sigma maze 3 6 5 8 8 5 6 9 3 7 8 9 7 6 2 4 1 7 6 5 1 3 7 4 4 3 9 7 7 5 3 http://1sudoku.com

9 1

3 3

n° 13205 - Level Easy http://1sudoku.com n° 21099 - Level Medium http://1sudoku.com

MEDIUM

EASY

http://1sudoku.com

75 9 6 9 4 4 8 1 4 8 2 5 3 2 5 9 1 82 7 4 1 6 7 6 5 9 3 31 7 4 4 6 3 4 8 3 5 7 8 36 4 8 97

HARD

6 9 8 3 2 3 7 2 1 6 8 7 2 9 4 2 3 7 3 9 5 4 1 3 7 3 9 2 6 5 1 9

RIDDLE

http://1sudoku.com http://1sudoku.com

n° 12528 - Level Easy

n° 211444 - Level Medium http://1sudoku.com n° 114529 - Level Easy http://1sudoku.com

9 7 5

n° 228814 n° 32039 - Level Hard - Level Medium

DRAW YOUR FAVOURITE FAST FOOD ORDER

Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the codes below : Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the codes below : n° 111971

n° 13205

n° 120738

n° 21099

n° 124030

n° 29900

n° 12528

n° 221116

n° 114529 n° 326364

n° 227967

n° 39844

n° 211444

n° 37164

n° 228814

Page 1/1 - Check solutions, print more free sudoku Page 1/1 - Check solutions, print more free sudoku and play online : http://1sudoku.com Page 1/1 - Check solutions, print more free sudoku and play online : http://1sudoku.com

NEXUS MAGAZINE / ISSUE 7

Adapt & succeed with postgraduate study Invest in knowledge, develop expertise in your field and turn your ideas into world-changing research. We offer an exciting range of relevant subjects, to shape a qualification that will keep your skills in demand. Visit waikato.ac.nz/go/postgrad for more information.

NEED A NEW STUDY BUDDY?