Debate | Issue 1 | Back to School

DEBATE Issue one | February 2018

back to school 1

B EC K J U ST I C E F U T U R E G R AC E J O N ES P H O E N I X P E K I N G D U K T ASH SULTANA YOUNG THUG GEORGE EZRA THE AVALANCHES THE LIBERTINES OH WONDER THE STAVES THUNDERCAT THE HEAD AND THE HEART CAR SEAT HEADREST HEAD LIKE A HOLE THE D4 KATCHAFIRE DRAX PROJECT SIGRID AARADHNA SWIDT JESS B ALIEN WEAPONRY l

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THE GOLDEN DAWN@ACL : FABULOUS/ARABIA l DISASTERADIO SCOTT MANNION (TOKEY TONES) l MAGIC FACTORY l HEAVY lTHE BETHS JON LEMMON lTOURETTES AKA DOMINIC HOEY l ­DJ TINA TURNTABLES DJ LINDA T l MC PAUL AMOS + THE TALK SHOW AND TELL COMEDY GANG

ON SALE NOW

AUCKLANDCITYLIMITS.COM I TIX FROM TICKETMASTER.CO.NZ I INSTAGRAM @ACLFESTIVALNZ TWITTER @ACLFESTIVALNZ#ACLNZ

Contents

Easy A :: Page 10

Surviving Loving Auckland Page 12

AUT Mental Health Guide Page 24

Alcohology 101 Page 28

Scones recipe Page 30

C OV E R I L L U S T R AT I O N BY H O P E M C C O N N E L L

EDITOR Julie Cleaver debate@aut.ac.nz DESIGNER Ramina Rai rrai@aut.ac.nz ADVERTISING Samuel Hames samuel.hames@aut.ac.nz

WRITERS Jake Kampkes, Jean Bell, Kelly Enright, Majdi Khamis, Melissa Koh, Mya Cole, Sarah Pollok ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Aaron Birch, Angel Chen, Hope McConnell, Melissa Koh

PRINTER Nicholson Print Solutions DISCLAIMER

Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print Solutions or its subsidiaries.

Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AUTSA.

PUBLISHED BY

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If you’re a new student, or a returning student whose head is stuck in the sand, you’re probably wondering what the heck this magazine is. Put simply, Debate is AUT’s student magazine. It’s here to voice your concerns about student life and life in general, let you know what’s happening on campus and around Auckland, keep you giggling and gasping between classes, and be a pal during your sombre moments, offering nuggets of advice and happy vibes when needed. It comes out once every second week, and it’s free. Well, sort of – you pay for it in your fees (thanks guys).

As your student magazine, you’re also allowed to contribute. Think about it: your name in ink at the top of one of these stunning matte pages, laid out in an insanely gorgeous design. I sound like a desperate PR person, but seriously, we’re always on the hunt for talented journalists, writers, artists and just positive people in general, so please email me if you have even the slightest inkling of interest. Writers who started at Debate have ended up at all sorts of bigger and badder publications, like NZ Herald, Vice, Paperboy (rip) and others, so getting involved will be great for your soul and your CV. We’re also hungry to hear about any story tips, student-related news ideas, and AUT and Auckland event details.

Or, if all the above options don’t gel with you, you’re welcome to send us some love/hate mail. We want to hear your feedback and publish your opinions, even if you don’t even go here but just have a lot of feelings.

Editor’s Letter Hey! Welcome to the very first issue of Debate for 2018.

I’m Julie, Debate’s new/old editor. I held this position for a few months last year, but abandoned ship in Semester Two to go on an exchange in Denmark. Living in the happiest country on earth was, well, a very happy time. But after six months of biking around Scandinavia and going nuts about how progressive everything and everyone is, I’m back and ready to give this position my all.

Back to the present: in this issue of Debate, we’re all about AUT and welcoming you back to school. We’ll tell you about a crazy scholarship opportunity, what grads wish they had known when they were studying, and offer some insight and information about how to get the most out of your year. We’ve also got all the deets on where to be this O’ Week, plus a brand-spankin’ new blind date section, full of juicy personal reflections about the first encounter.

Enjoy the mag and the buzz of O’ Week and talk to you soon!

Julie

Like and/or follow us on social media to keep up to date with news, features and giveaways. www.debatemag.com

facebook.com/autsadebate

@debate_mag

@debatemag

What's on?

Cheap, free and koha events around town

Auckland Lantern Festival

Business & Economics Career Fair

Where: Auckland Domain (Park Rd, Grafton) When: Thursday 1 – Sunday 4 March What: A festival celebrating the Chinese New Year. There will be hundreds of handmade Chinese lanterns, a street full of Asian food stalls, performances showcasing contemporary and traditional Chinese culture and more.

How Much: Free entry

Where: WA224 – City Campus Conference Centre When: Tuesday 13 March, 11am – 1pm What: New Zealand's top graduate employers will be on campus seeking young talent for roles in accounting, finance, FMCG, management, marketing and more. Graduate opportunities will also be available. All students are welcome. Book your place at: careerhub.aut.ac.nz How Much: Free entry

Graduate Recruitment Presentations

ICT & Engineering Speaker Series

What: Want a job? These one-hour presentations discuss employment opportunities, internships, work placements and more. Book your place at: careerhub.aut.ac.nz When/Where: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade: 4pm, Thu 1 March, WG701-2 (Culture & Society, Law) | Lane Neave: 10am, Fri 2 March, WG701-2 (Law) | Russell McVeagh: 2pm, Tue 6 March, WG901-2 (Law) | PwC: 4pm, Thu 8 March, WE240 (All Welcome) | Auckland Council: 5pm, Fri 9 March, WA224 (All Welcome) | NZ Defence Force: 9am, Mon 12 March, WF710 (Business & Economics) | KPMG: 2pm, Tue 13 March, WG901-2 (All Welcome).

How Much: Free entry

Where: WG404 – City Campus When: EY: 12pm, Thu 1 March | Asia NZ Foundation: 1pm, Thu 1 March | Xero: 12pm, Thu 8 March | Intergen: 12pm, Thu 15 March | Auckland Council: 12pm, Thu 22 March What: One-hour presentations from a list of leading New Zealand employers in the ICT and engineering industries. Come along and hear about employment opportunities, internships, work placements and more. Book your place at: careerhub.aut.ac.nz How Much: Free entry

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news

news

Fees-free Not Changing Much The new fees-free policy has barely increased AUT’s enrolment numbers, and it may also be pointless.

Labour’s new fees-free scheme has not drastically increased the number of new students starting at AUT, according to Jenny Bygrave, Assistant VC Strategy, Students and Marketing at AUT. Bygrave says that so far there has only been a 2.4 percent increase in the number of new enrolments in 2018 compared with 2017. That means only 313 more new students have enrolled this year compared to last.

Also, overall AUT enrollment numbers are down two percent this year compared to this time last year. However, Bygrave says the numbers are not yet finalised.

“Honestly, it’s just too early to tell at this stage.

“These next few weeks are in a state of quite a lot of flux and upping and downing.

So you look at [the enrolment numbers] one day and it might be up, the next day we might be even or down and it’s just a processing time.”

The new policy, which will give everyone starting tertiary education for the first time one year of free full-time study, has sparked debate across the country.

Concerns have been raised about the types of courses on offer (such as golf and homoeopathy), the fact that the first year is free and not the last, and whether the money would be better spent elsewhere (like on child poverty or primary education).

Commenting on this, Bygrave says that although AUT is positive about the scheme, international research shows that making education free may not incentivise more students to study.

“Well there is certainly some international research that says that the fees are not the big issue,” says Bygrave.

One such study includes a paper written

by Professor Howard Glennerster at the London School of Economics. He found that in European nations, free tertiary fees can be problematic as: - Universities struggle to keep their quality high as enrolments rise (although this doesn’t apply to AUT just yet) - There is little incentive for students to make economically beneficial decisions (like, for example, to not drop out of university)

- And poor people will still struggle to study, as for three years they won’t be working, even if the fees are free.

However, the Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins, says the fees-free scheme does not just apply to universities, but also polytechnics and on-the-job training schemes.

“The fees-free policy is aimed at encouraging more people into post-school training and education, to reverse the decline of the past few years and to grow the number over time.

“The policy is the first of many significant initiatives planned across all parts of the education portfolio, reinforcing the high priority this government places on education.”

AUT created a team dedicated to helping students and staff figure out the fees-free scheme, which is pretty cool. Bygrave says the team has been working all through Christmas and New Years to sort out the system, so make sure you get in touch with them if you need help: e: feesfree@aut.ac.nz #: 09 921 9991.

Debate Won Some Stuff!

Last year Debate took home six awards and was named joint runner-up Best Publication at the Aotearoa Student Press Awards, which is a yearly competition between all the different uni magazines across New Zealand.

The awards we won were: Best Political Writer, Best Original Illustration, Best Humour, Best Design, Best Education Feature, Best Lifestyle Section, and joint runner-up Best Publication, shared with the University of Auckland’s magazine Craccum.

Go us!

This means that if you want to start writing for Debate, which we highly encourage you doing, you can say that you contribute to an award-winning publication. And you would have our full permission to name-drop that shizz anywhere and everywhere.

The ceremony was held last year in October and was hosted in Wellington by Massive Magazine (Massey University’s student magazine). The Awards featured special guest Mike McRoberts and free champagne, making it a successful occasion all round.

Fully Paid Scholarships Still Available

The English and New Media Studies programme is a unique blend of English, language and humanities studies along with emerging media technologies, such as virtual reality and game development.

This year the Master of English and New Media Studies programme is offering 25 fully paid scholarships to domestic students, and there are still grants available.

According to Senior Lecturer Dr Darryl Hocking, the programme is one of the first of its kind in the world.

The lecturers of the course say if anyone is interested in signing up for the free study in Semester One, they should get in touch ASAP (as in, within the first week of the semester), and the coordinators will try their best to make it work.

Alternatively, if anyone wants to start the programme in Semester Two, there are still scholarships available to begin then.

“New and social media has increasingly become a focus of the areas represented in our school, such as the study of language and culture, language education and creative writing, and I think we’re probably the first to concentrate on this new area of interest at masters level,” says Dr Hocking.

The Masters course, which started last year, consists of 180 points, with one semester of papers and two semesters of research development. As part of the programme, students can either write a thesis (between

20-40 thousand words) or create a practical project. However, programme lecturer Dr Tof Eklund says choosing a practice-based project is not the easy way out.

“It’s important to note that the practicebased path is not less work. For example, one student has written, by his own estimates, somewhere in the ballpark of 100,000 plus words for a virtual reality video game narrative.”

The scholarship opportunity is available to anyone with a relevant undergraduate degree, and given the scope of the programme, that could include a wide range of courses, from a Bachelor of Arts or Communications Degree to a Computer Science Degree and more.

To find out more, email: darryl.hocking@aut.ac.nz

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Your new (and cooler) student association – AUTSA

So here we go: AUTSA is an organisation that exists to be the voice of AUT students. Although it gets its funding from AUT, it’s not AUT: AUTSA is a separate entity that exists solely to serve students’ needs. It does this by running events and activities (like all the epic O’ Week parties), publishing this very magazine you are reading, offering a range of clubs and societies for you to join, representing your interests within the university through the Student Representative Council, offering legal advice when you’re in a sticky situation and much, much more.

By Julie Cleaver Before I started working for ‘AuSM’ (AUT’s Student Movement), I honestly had no idea what it was. I remember seeing its bright red logo around the place and hearing about a representative council, but that’s about it. However, now ‘AuSM’ no longer exists and a new student movement has taken over. It’s called AUTSA , which stands for AUT’s Student Association (in Te Reo, Tāmaki Herenga Tauira), and I want to make sure no student is unsure about what it does.

That’s because if students are confused, like I was, they may miss out on a heap of free services that could seriously benefit their lives.

AUTSA’s office in the City Campus (where I work alongside my amazing colleagues) is located in the Hukiwai Plaza, above the gym and next to the cafeteria. We also have offices on the North and South Campuses (South Campus office is located in ME109, next to the swimming pool, and the North Campus office is located in AS1 in the lower café area, beside the outdoor ATM). If you see a big sign with a megaphone – that’s where you will find us. And you’re welcome to come into any of our offices for a chat whenever.

Get in touch: autsa@aut.ac.nz

A Message From Your Acting Student President, Nadine Tupp Welcome to 2018, a new year, a new university semester and a new look for your student association at AUT: AUTSA, The Auckland University of Technology Student Association, aka Tāmaki Herenga Tauira.

implemented in hopefully Semester Two, we approved funding for community gardens across three campuses, we fought hard to make sure bus and parking prices for South Campus were not raised this year, and more.

The new logo you see for us this year is a megaphone. The symbolism behind this is that we are here to amplify your voice, and that is my job as the Acting President of AUTSA. I am a student, but I am also your voice on campus and chair a group of awesome other student representatives that represent the different cultural groups, campuses and faculties here at AUT, called the Student Representative Council (SRC).

You might have noticed that I said Acting President, and that’s because we’re in the process of running elections with nominations open now! We will be electing a new Student President for a term of two years, but we have various other SRC positions still vacant too. Checkout AUTSA’s Facebook page for more details on what these positions are and the election period.

It is a great opportunity to have our voice heard; even if you’re not running, let your voice be known by casting a vote for your preferred candidates!

We are your voice here on campus. We listen to your concerns, issues and ideas and work through how we can support you in seeing positive change. Or, we take issues to the relevant boards and committees that we sit on, right through to the highest level you can get at AUT. Last year we pushed hard to ensure students' concerns were dealt with by the university management. Some of our achievements from last year include: e-submissions of all assignments is being implemented this year, lecture recording will be trialled and

Hearing your voice is what we’re about, it’s my full-time job and passion. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you’re facing an issue or have an idea. I’ll be here to listen! Also keep an eye out for us at the upcoming Orientation Week events, we’ll be sure to introduce ourselves to as many of you as we can!

Email Nadine: apreside@aut.ac.nz, or visit her in her office, WC202B on the City Campus.

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Easy A Third year Communications student Sarah Pollok explains how (not) to get an easy A on your essay. Illustration by Hope McConnell.

The clock reads 2am, and you’re not sure how you ended up here… again. Surrounded by empty coffee cups, Cadbury wrappers and a word document that has had a word count of two for the past month. The two words may or may not be your name. With the deadline hours away, the time for sending procrastination-themed gifs to your best bro is over. So take a deep breath and prepare to smash out 1648 words of pure brilliance. Let’s begin.

Teachers may have told you that the key to a great essay starts with a concise, clear introduction. Well, you’ll show them just how wrong they are. Why write about one argument when a vague, loosely worded essay question allows you to write about them all? Boom. They’ll know you mean A+ business before they’ve even started reading.

Now, for most papers, lecturers will share a list of ‘suggested texts’ to support your assignment, a trap that far too many promising students fall into. This assignment isn’t about your tutor's understanding, but your irrefutable genius.

Everyone knows that pros don’t need training wheels and you, my friend, are a pro. Those same dry theorists will be cited by your 299 peers, therefore by purposely avoiding every single advised reading, your essay will be a tornado-like breath of fresh air. Originality is key. The more obscure, the better.

Now for the writing. The crucial principle?

Be vague. Actually no, be amorphous. Your introduction should be a maze of confusing fuck-wittery that, once lured into, leaves your tutor thinking ‘what the hell does that even mean?’. You have got to sound so unbelievably smart, so indubitably perspicacious, that it makes them question their very academic ability. This is done by complicating what could be succinct.

Don’t use ‘offer’ when you can use ‘adduce’, or ‘communicate’ when ‘promulgate’ is an option. If in doubt, thesaurus every second word and choose the most complex substitute. It may not be an exact synonym, but by this point, you will have perplexed your marker far beyond questioning you.

Here is the real question: why write your own words, when you can fill up that word count with the intelligent things that published scholars have already said? By including long, un-paraphrased segments, not only do you get the greats to write your essay for you, but it proves to the tutor you can do a reading AND select important information. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Once you’ve finished writing, it’s time to head to the library and read up on APA 6th referencing. A resource all AUT students have a bit of a love-hate relationship with… just, without the love part. Like, at all. This pointlessly painful referencing system causes many students to turn to websites such as ‘Citethisforme’ or ‘BibMe’ that automatically reference your resources.

But even this takes valuable time, so why not use an entirely different reference like Numbered Citations (1) instead? We all know professors secretly hate APA 6th too, so they’ll surely thank you in the end.

While some students use ‘Grammerly’ to catch grammatical errors that Spell Check misses, they unknowingly sabotage their chance to hit an A grade! It’s no surprise that as a teacher, there is nothing that makes your tutor fizz more than a chance to correct someone. So leave in those sneaky typos and add some of your own to give your tutor a red-pen induced ego boost.

Conventional advice suggests finishing an essay with more than ten minutes to spare, in order to have time to re-read, or possibly discuss it with the tutor to check for gaps or suggestions. What these people don’t understand is that, like a piece of coal, the pressure of an all-nighter combined with confusion on what the assignment is actually about turns your sub-par assignments into scholastic diamonds.

Okay so you got a C+, but did they really need to suggest in the comments that you get academic writing help? Where would I even go for— oh… AUT’s Academic and Study Support? But still, I’m not made of mone— wait, they’re free? Well, I guess one or two sessions couldn’t hurt…

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Surviving Loving Auckland Moving to the big smoke can feel a little daunting at first, but now that you’re here, the hardest part is over. Now you get to experience the multifaceted, progressive and vibrant city that is Auckland. In Kelly Enright's opinion, there are a few keys to not only surviving, but succeeding in and loving this city.

Photo by Aaron Birch.

1. We all know that to survive uni, you need a vice. I highly recommend caffeine. Although it can be an expensive addiction, it’s also a super cheap way to socialise and will be your saviour the night before an assignment (energy drinks are yuck). A couple of my regular stops for a delicious batch brew are Chuffed on High St, Bestie in St. Kevin’s arcade, and Holm on K’ Road.

2. Unless you are Auckland-born and bred and currently living at home, no student can afford a steady stream of new clothes. That’s why recycled shops are killer. K’ Road, which is a five minute walk from uni, is home to a plethora of great second-hand, ever-changing clothing.

Plus, the environment will love you for it! The Cross St Market also happens about once a month, and is half flea market to kit out your new flat and half artisanal goods you should indulge in. If you’re wanting something a bit closer to home, there will be a clothes and book swap on March 1, which is an easy way to swap with some of your fellow nifty students.

3. One annoying thing about Auckland is the constant traffic/expensive parking situation. It makes driving a less than ideal option. Last year, Auckland Council released this cool app/bike combo called OnzO as a sort of environmentally friendly Uber. You might spot some black and yellow bikes sitting happily around the city and along with the app, you can ride and drop them off wherever you desire for $1 an hour. Thanks Phil Goff!

4. For those of you that want to skip student night every once in a while, Academy Cinemas hosts $5 Wednesday movie nights every week. It’s a cute wee cinema in the basement below Auckland Library that shows a selection of mainstream and arthouse films to suit a bit of everyone’s taste. Try to book online that day, because let me tell ya, it ain’t fun to stand in line for 20 minutes and then miss out (and no, they won’t allow you to sit on the floor, I’ve asked).

5. If you’re anything like me, you love a view. There’s something so beautiful about being able to see your surroundings and get some perspective on your current situation. We are pretty lucky to be in this attractive country, with the freedom to study what we choose, and I don’t think we are ever amiss to remind ourselves of that. Try Mt Eden, Mt Wellington or One Tree Hill for a good walk/view/Insta story.

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Being a Student Under the New Labour Government

By Mya Cole | Illustration by Hope McConnell

The recent installation of the new Labour-led Government has been like Christmas coming early for many different groups of people across Aotearoa. The Labour Party’s 100-day plan has already made much needed changes for New Zealanders who suffered under the previous National Party policies that saw continued budget cuts in areas such as education, health and social services.

Labour’s recently announced policies are especially beneficial for tertiary students. Whether you are at university, in an apprenticeship, at a polytechnic, or even want to take up a night class, there are new systems currently being implemented and more planned over the next few years that will make your life a whole lot easier.

These policies aim to make higher education more accessible financially. This will hopefully encourage people, who may have previously felt they did not have the opportunity for education beyond secondary school due to expense, to now engage in tertiary education.

However, sometimes it is hard to find these new policies, figure out when they are being implemented and learn about their finer details (the joys of government websites). So I have done some research for you and attempted to lay down the main changes that have happened and the ones that are hopefully coming for tertiary students.

First year fees-free One of the most notable and publicised changes to take place under our new government is the ‘first year free’ policy (see page seven for more details). This policy, as you may have guessed, means your first year of study will be on the government.

However, you are only eligible for this if it is your first time studying at a tertiary level.

Also, this policy is not limited to university students only – polytechnic students and first year apprentices are also entitled to have their first year free. Students are already benefiting from this, 2018 being the first year that it is running.

Three years fees-free (eventually) The next steps with the fees-free plan will be to make the first three years of tertiary study free, primarily benefiting those undertaking undergraduate study. By 2021, Labour plans to make the first two years free, and by 2024, all three years will be government funded (if, of course, Labour is still in power and lives up to its promises).

And, to be eligible for the following years being funded, students will have had to pass more than half their courses in the previous year.

has risen to $228.81 per week. The student accommodation benefit has also increased, taking it to a maximum of $60 a week instead of $40.

to student allowances and loans after a certain number of years. However, when exactly this scheme will commence and if it will even happen remains unknown.

Minimum wage increase

Entrepreneurs Plan (not yet, but maybe one day)

The government announced a 75-cent increase on the minimum wage, raising it to $16.50 per hour (commencing on 1 April 2018). This is great news not only for students, but for families across the country trying to survive while earning minimum wage. However, this sum is still well under the living wage, which was $20.20 per hour in 2017. (The living wage is set by The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit.) Labour is working on increasing the minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2021.

Student allowance for postgrads (maybe soon) On the government’s to-do list is to make postgraduate students eligible for student allowances. However, the Education Minister Chris Hipkins was unable to comment on when this plan would go ahead, stating that it was being considered for the 2018 Budget, alongside other initiatives.

$50 boost to student allowance

Allowance and loans for med students (again, maybe soon)

There has also been an increase in student allowance and living costs. From January 1 2018, the maximum student allowances were raised by $50 and also the maximum amount students can borrow for living costs rose by $50 a week. This means the allowance for single students aged under 24 and living away from home could, for example, rise to up to $227.03 per week and not have to be paid back. For those who are loaning, the maximum amount

The Government is also considering restoring the eligibility of students in long courses (such as medicine) to access student allowances or loans beyond seven years of study. Labour states that with our populations growing need for healthcare, it makes sense to restore access to student support for students in the medical, dental, veterinary, auditory and ophthalmological sciences. These are all courses that have previously at times been denied access

A policy that would benefit young entrepreneurs is also being considered for the 2018 Budget. If passed, this would allow New Zealanders aged between 18 and 23 to apply for a grant of up to $20,000 to start their own business. This total would also include the cost of their compulsory completion of an accelerator business training programme. This is their alternative to the three years free policy.

This money would only be available for capital and operating costs, not living costs.

An individual panel of experts would select 100 successful applicants each year.

Night classes (hopefully) For those who work full-time or are fulltime parents, funding for night classes may be reinstated. But, in case you haven’t already guessed it, the plan is not yet implemented and is only being considered for the Budget, alongside other initiatives…

Future and current students of New Zealand have a plethora of new policies to look forward to from the new Labour-led Government. People who thought studying was not an option may now feel inspired with the fresh support offered to them.

Current students may have less to worry about finance-wise with the allowance and loan rate rising. This is an exciting time for the education sector in New Zealand and I am so grateful that this is all happening while I am a student getting the privilege to experience it.

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Treat Yo'self

Treat Yo'self Student life can be tough, which is why we search the city for the snazziest stuff to give away. Like the look of something below? Check out the details then head over to our Facebook page (facebook.com/autsadebate) to enter. Winners will be drawn Monday 12th March or sooner, depending on the giveaway.

Lewis Road Overload Debate is giving away 40 bottles of Lewis Road Creamery Fresh Chocolate Milk. You heard me – 40! (In the form of 10 cartons each containing four 300ml bottles.) Made and manufactured in New Zealand, it’s easy to see why this combo of Whittaker’s Creamy Milk chocolate and locally-sourced milk flew off the shelves when it first came out. To win one of these 10 bundles of chocolatey goodness, like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘LEWIS PLEASE’.

‘Cluedo with Cookies’ Avoid boxing your flatties Splitting the cost of communal flatting items can be awkward, not to mention expensive for one person to cover. FlatBox solves this problem. It’s a subscription box which replenishes flats with clean living essentials, delivered to the door every month, and Debate’s giving away two three-month subscriptions.

To win, like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘FLATBOX PLEASE’.

Judge, Jury & Cookie Monster is an interactive biscuit-based comedy show that will be held at Q Theatre as part of Auckland Fringe.

The show is a ‘who did it?’/courtroom drama/gameshow mash up, where the audience is the jury and a special guest comedian is the victim. At the end of the show, you decide: who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? To win a double pass to the show (happening 27 Feb – 3 March, 8.30pm), like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘COOKIES PLEASE’. Entries close February 26.

'HUM' - A Slipping Glimpse

Lush Bomb

Digital Design AUT lecturer Mark Pulsford has created a new dance/interactive video performance. The show is on at 8pm from 7 – 10 March at the Basement Theatre, and if students enter ‘UNILIFE’ when purchasing tickets, they will receive 10 percent off.

To win a double pass to the show, like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘DANCE PLEASE’. Entries close March 5th.

Lush Cosmetics New Zealand bathed our wee Debate office in tonnes of fizzing bath bombs, and now when people walk in they unanimously say “aaaahhhhh” from the divine smell. This issue we’re giving away one of these perfectly scented packages in the form of an adorable Intergalactic gift set. It contains three bath bombs and is valued at $32.90. To win, like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘LUSH PLEASE’.

Supreme Goodness

Taking the High Ropes

Coffee Supreme has been roasting coffee since ’93. Back then it was served in a massive milky bowl and dusted with heaps of cinnamon. They’re still roasting coffee and it’s still delicious, but they’ve become more focused on the entire coffee-drinking experience. That’s why they created a bunch of merch to enhance how you feel when sipping your brew, including socks, pencils, a coffee pack, and a mug. To win the lot, like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘SUPREME PLEASE’.

Our pals at Rocket Ropes – Auckland’s only high ropes activity course – are offering two double passes to their ‘Croc High Ropes’ course. Valued at $66 each, this course is fully equipped with seven flying foxes, a barrel crawl, a spider’s web, and more, and is perfect for adults or children. To win, like our page on Facebook and message us with your campus and ‘HIGH ROPES PLEASE’

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autsa orientation week timetable city monday 26 feb

tuesday 27 feb

wednesday 28 feb

thursday 1 mar

friday 2 mar

chill zone

chill zone

chill zone

chill zone

chill zone

green quad, 10am-1pm

green quad, 10am-1pm

green quad, 10am-1pm

green quad, 10am-1pm

green quad, 10am-1pm

music & boardgames

music & boardgames

music & boardgames

music & boardgames

music & boardgames

gamers' zone

gamers' zone

gamers' zone

gamers' zone

gamers' zone

WG Lvl3, 10am-1pm

WG Lvl3, 10am-1pm

WG Lvl3, 10am-1pm

WG Lvl3, 10am-1pm

WG Lvl3, 10am-1pm

• arcade machines • occulus rift (VR)

• arcade machines • occulus rift (VR)

• arcade machines • occulus rift (VR)

• arcade machines • occulus rift (VR))

• arcade machines • occulus rift (VR)

create zone

create zone

create zone

create zone

WA Lvl3, 10am-1pm

WA Lvl3, 10am-1pm

WA Lvl3, 10am-1pm

create zone

WA Lvl3, 10am-1pm

• escape room • tote bag making workshop • education station

• escape room • tote bag making workshop • education station

• escape room • deodorant & toothpaste making workshop

• escape room • deodorant & toothpaste making workshop

sport zone

sport zone

sport zone

sport zone

• autsa campus kai 12pm

• autsa campus kai 12pm

• autsa campus kai 12pm

• autsa campus kai 12pm

hikuwai plaza 10am - 4:45pm

pub quiz Vesbar, 6pm

• free entry, R18 • heaps of prizes to

be won • get a team together, register on the night

hikuwai plaza 10am - 4:45pm

hikuwai plaza 10am - 4:45pm

WA Lvl3, 10am-1pm

• escape room • beeswax wraps workshop

hikuwai plaza 10am - 4:45pm

pop-up events

pop-up events

pop-up events

WG Lvl2, 12pm-1pm

WG Lvl2, 12pm-1pm

WG Lvl2, 12pm-1pm

• photobooth • giant games • prize wheel

• clothes & book swap

• clubs & societies

movie night hikuwai plaza, city campus, from 5pm

•hunt for the

wilderpeople (9pm) • free entry, all ages.

• food trucks, stalls

comedy night vesbar, 6:30pm Donna Brookbanks, Jamie Bowen, Jeremy Elwood free entry, R18

hikuwai sounds hikuwai plaza, from 6pm

• P-MONEY, SWIDT, L.A.B, & more!

• purchase tickets from eventfinda.co.nz

north monday 26 feb

tuesday 27 feb

wednesday 28 feb

thursday 1 mar

friday 2 mar

chill zone

4a carpark, 10am-1pm

gamers' zone WG Lvl3, 10am-1pm

sport zone AJ field 10am - 2pm

• bubble soccer • autsa campus kai 12pm

pop-up events AJ field, 12pm-1pm

• clubs & societies

sport zone

sport zone

sport zone

sport zone

• archery gallery • autsa campus kai 12pm

• hunger ball • jump jam • autsa campus kai 12pm

• music

• bubble soccer • music

pop-up events

pop-up events

AJ field 10am - 2pm

AJ field 10am - 2pm

AJ field, 12pm-1pm

AJ field, 12pm-1pm

• taiko drummers

• photobooth • giant games • prize wheel

tuesday 27 feb

wednesday 28 feb

AJ field 10am - 2pm

AJ field 10am - 2pm

movie night

AJ Field, North Campus, from 5pm

•guardians of the

galaxy 2 (9pm) • free entry, all ages.

• food trucks, stalls

south monday 26 feb

thursday 1 mar

friday 2 mar

chill zone

MH Oak Tree, 10am-1pm

sport zone

sport zone

sport zone

sport zone

• jump jam • music

• bubble soccer • campus kai (12pm)

• hunger ball

• music

MH grass 10am - 2pm

MH grass 10am - 2pm

MH grass 10am - 2pm

MH grass 10am - 2pm

pop-up events

pool party

12pm-pm

12pm-4pm

• photobooth • giant games

• BBQ, games, floaties, music hydration station

MH Level 1

MD pool

Check out our website (autsa.org.nz) or fb page (facebook.com/AUTStudentAssociation) for more info!

19

feature

What I Wish I Knew at Uni :: AUT Grads Tell Us Straight Jean Bell

Let’s face it – entering your first year of uni can be a daunting time.

Maybe you don’t know what to expect, or how to approach things like studying, working or flatting. Possibly you’re past your first year and just feeling a little ‘meh’ and disillusioned about uni. Or perhaps you might be freaked out about what’s to come once that precious piece of paper is in your hot little hand and you wave goodbye to formal education for good.

We’ve tracked down a range of AUT graduates who have sussed the transition into so-called ‘adulthood’. They’ve shared their thoughts with us in hopes of helping us make the most of what could be some of the best years of our lives.

So grab a coffee, sprawl out on the grass in Albert Park, and read up on what these grads wish they had known when they were in our shoes.

Expectations of University Like many others, Sharlene jumped straight into study after high school. “In my first year I just didn’t really know what I had gotten myself into or what I was doing.”

The change in assessments compared to high school really took her off guard. “The first assignment is such a big leap from high school. When I got my first grade back I thought ‘shit, is this the right place for me to be?’”

One thing that surprised most new students was the amount of time you have free – depending on your timetable, you might only be at uni for three days a week. While this might seem like a dream, it’s also got the potential to be a double-edged sword.

Tom says the amount of self-managed time you get means you have to have your finger on the pulse when it comes to time management to balance everything. “It’s easy to procrastinate because there’s an illusion of having heaps of free time to do things,” he says.

David strongly suggests getting a job.

“You’re not going to be productive with the amount of spare time you have in uni, so earn some money and make something of yourself.”

Lecturers Ethan found lecturers to be much more involved than expected. “Your relationship with your lecturer can get almost collaborative, as they are really guiding your learning.” Some students blame their bad grades on lecturers who don’t like them, but Ethan thinks this usually a myth.

“They’re actively trying to get you to pass.”

It’s helpful to look at lecturers more as experts in their field than teachers. “A good lecturer is always open to new ideas and to exploring the materials you’re studying in new ways, not just going off the slides,” says

Sharlene went to the UN in Bangkok for the University Scholars Leadership Symposium.

Anneke.

missed opportunities,” says David. “Past uni, you’re never going to have money thrown at you by just writing a 1,000 word essay.”

Important Lessons

Both say most scholarships are not as hard to get one as you’d think. “There’s lots of

University is almost an educational paradox – you spent hours sitting in a classroom learning from course content, but sometimes the most valuable things you learn aren’t anywhere near the course materials.

Extra-Curricular Activities

With a desire to work in film, Ethan found learning to work in a group environment one of the most important skills he gained. “I learned empathy and to listen to people more. Working in television is so collaborative, so learning to navigate relationships is important.” He also learned practical filming skills, but wouldn’t say one is more important than the other.

Ethan regrets not being involved in extracurriculars. “I felt like I was really busy, but I probably wasn’t. I would’ve liked to have to done more in student politics, like, I had ideas and actually getting involved would’ve been really cool.”

However, that doesn’t mean your course work is useless. Tom found his Masters degree gave him strong problem solving skills. “I think the point of a Masters degree isn’t all about the contribution you make to current academic literature, but also how you learn to research, understand a problem, then provide resolutions for it.

I think these are also beneficial in life in general.”

Scholarships Thanks to scholarships, both David and Sharlene headed overseas to Asia on different university-associated trips. David went on an exchange to Japan on The Prime Minister’s Scholarship to Asia, while

Getting involved in a club or activity is something none of our grads regretted. The only people who had regrets were those who didn’t do anything.

Study Tips At the end of the day, the main intention of going to uni is to get educated, and hitting the books is a big part of that. If you feel overwhelmed by an assignment, remember to take a deep breath. “All assignments seem unachievable at first,” says Tom. “If you feel dreadful about doing an assignment, you will feel much better by making a start.”

Anneke recommends finding out your own groove with study. “If what works for you is sitting in a park, do that instead of holing yourself up in the library.”

Lastly, get a hard drive to back up important documents and write all assignments in Google Docs, says David. “[Google Docs] saves in real time and you can access it anywhere.”

21

Physical and Mental Health Amidst the stringent budget, two-minute noodle diet, and blinding stress, it can be easy to make unhealthy choices. Your health is one of your main assets, so take good care of yourself.

Obviously, eating well and exercising is vital for good health. “The beauty of exercise is that it makes you listen to your body and shows whether your lifestyle is right,” says Anneke.

Also, try to keep your ‘emotional tank’ full.

Anneke recommends managing your time well and fitting in some activities that you genuinely love. “Many people say they’re unhappy and stressed, but if they reevaluate and change how they spend their time after uni it can help.”

take your part-time job seriously. “Show your employer you have potential,” says Tom. “The company that I worked for part-time during uni offered me a promotion after I graduated.”

Flatting It’s best to go into living in a flat with an open mind, a willingness to forgive others for being imperfect, and a recognition that you too can be an irritating human to live with. David recommends you being realistic about flatting with friends. “You probably won’t get a flat with your friends straight away because the market is screwed January to April. If you want to live with your friends, move into an existing flat, widen your social circle in the process, then look for a flat together later in the year.”

The friendships formed at uni is definitely one aspect grads value the most. Sharlene knows she will miss the people when she leaves for good. “Honestly, I can’t remember half the stuff I learned in class, but I remember the times I spent with friends.”

On the other hand, most grads didn’t miss the cost of being a student. David would love to study more but unfortunately, student debt does exist. “I don’t love studying enough to get into more debt.”

What Our Grads Wish They Knew

Do Grads Miss Being at Uni?

David wishes he knew you had more flexibility regarding your degree and subsequent career prospects. “I wish I knew the degree didn’t matter so much as I would’ve done something more passionorientated. At work everyone is from all kinds of backgrounds.”

Anneke says to forget about what is out of your control. “If you’re working hard and have done everything you can, then the rest

University can be some of the most nostalgic years for some people. I asked

Meanwhile, Sharlene wishes she knew how different the assignment expectations

is up to the universe and you can let go of that stress.”

grads if they missed being at uni and largely the verdict was yes.

Work and Money

Never again will you have as much freedom in your adult life as you do at uni, so make the most of it. “Being in an office for eight hours a day is really different,” says Anneke.

“At uni you can get coffee and go sit in the park between lectures and you’re still doing what you’re meant to be doing.”

would be. “Whatever your first assignment result is, don’t be too overwhelmed.” She says if you found it challenging, the chances are everyone else did too.

Working and managing finances is another chunk of uni life it pays to keep on top of.

“Budgeting really helps,” says Anneke. “You feel better about spending money when you know how your finances are." David recommends getting books from the library instead of buying them and Ahkil says you should ensure studying, not making money, remains your priority. “Your part-time job is for your immediate expenses, not your future.”

However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t

Ethan mainly misses the atmosphere of a learning environment. “I miss the buzz of the environment where people are excited about learning. Even when it’s really stressful, there is something fun about being in that environment.”

Anneke discovered learning is a continuing journey. “The learning process doesn’t stop at university. You never stop learning so really embrace it and get to know how you like learning, because you’re going to be learning for the rest of your life.”

At the end of the day, don’t rush through what could be some of the best years of your life. “Don’t look forward to it all coming to an end – enjoy the learning process and enjoy the relationships you form,” says Ethan. “Try to breathe it all in.”

Anneke Smith, 22

Ethan Alderson-Hughes, 22

David Brownless, 21

- From Hawkes Bay - Graduated 2017 - Bachelor of Communications majoring in Journalism - Now a Court Reporter for the newspaper Hawkes Bay Today - Best quote: “For people who lack confidence, you’re capable. And if you’re at university, you are good enough.”

- From Howick, Auckland - Graduated 2017 - Bachelor of Communications majoring in Television and Screen Production - Now working at Unity Books and editing TedX videos on a freelance basis - Best quote: “Savour the process, take each day as it comes and enjoy the relationships you form.”

- From Tauranga - Graduated 2017 - Bachelor of Business majoring in Advertising and International Business - Now doing digital marketing for advertising agency FCB - Best quote: “There are no true challenges in life unless I put myself outside my comfort zone.”

Sharlene Shergill, 21

Akhilesh Pillai, 28

Tom Felix Zheng, 32

- From Auckland - Halfway through a conjoint degree of Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Communications - Currently in Chicago for a content marketing internship - Best quote: “What you put in is what you will get out.”

- From Mumbai, India - Graduated 2016 - Master in Construction Management - Now a construction site manager - Best quote: “I think all students should get involved in an interest or club as it helps develop their character and connect with people.”

- From China - Graduated 2017 - Masters in Communication Studies - Now does marketing communications - Best quote: “It’s easy to procrastinate because there’s an illusion of having unlimited time to do things.”

23

Your Guide to Staying Mentally Healthy at AUT Majdi Khamis spoke to nearly everyone involved with keeping AUT students mentally healthy to compile this epic guide, all with the hopes of helping you find the help you need. Illustration by Angel Chen.

It goes without saying that being mentally healthy is your key to success when it comes to studying. Therefore looking after your mental health will not only improve your grades, but also your quality of life. So here is a guide that will hopefully help boost your success and enhance your mental wellbeing while you are studying at AUT.

Being what you’re eating Several studies and researches found out that there is a strong relation between what we eat and the state of our mental wellbeing. The New Zealand Mental Health Foundation explained in its report called ‘Feeding Minds’ that there is a strong relationship between diet and the development of some mental health problems such as depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, and Alzheimer’s disease. Let’s find out what the science says: • The body extracts nutrients from food. Some harmful nutrients release oxidants or toxins, which could damage the brain cells. On the other side, healthy nutrients act as injection

shots of goodness, improving our mood and overall wellbeing.

• Healthy eating will give you all the required nutrients so that your brain can function properly.

Now I bet you are wondering how to protect your brain and get the most of your diet and, in my opinion, it’s all in this simple diet equation: complex carbs + protein + essentials fatty acids + vitamins and minerals = a superb mental wellbeing. In other words, try maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, and don’t forget to stay hydrated.

Exercising happiness No one can deny the amazing health benefits of exercise to our mental health. Let’s dig into the science: • Physical activities stimulate the brain to release what is known as happy hormones (endorphins and serotonin).

• Exercise acts as a natural healer for mild to moderate

25

AUT students can get free counselling sessions and mental health support, delivered by experienced professionals. depression. Several studies suggest that exercise has similar effects on the brain as antidepressant medication, thanks to the endorphins.

• Feeling stressed after a long day of lectures? Then it’s time to hit the gym. Working out regularly will reduce mental stress, alleviate anxiety, improve memory and help with relaxation.

• Do you suffer from poor concentration during study? Then working out is your medicine. Several studies conclude that aerobic exercise on a regular basis increases the size of your hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning abilities. Based on this fact, regular aerobic exercise will sharpen your memory, boost your concentration and strengthen your ability to learn new things.

• Most of us want to get smarter and achieve the best outcome from any given task. If that is something you are after, then doing a regular cardiovascular exercise would be one of your greatest tools. That's because cardiovascular exercises help increase the number of new brain cells you create. This would definitely help in improving your brain functions.

Alongside all these benefits, physical activities can improve sleeping patterns, raise self-esteem, boost confidence, improve positive self-image, and make you stronger mentally and emotionally when you face a challenge in life. And most importantly, it acts as a defensive shield to protect you against many mental health problems. In fact, exercise is an irreplaceable tool that aids study success and helps you achieve a good outcome in just about anything.

Taking a deep breath As university students, we all experience stressful situations, scaling in intensity from mild to high depending on the circumstances. It’s obvious when we’re overwhelmed – we can’t think clearly and our productivity decreases. It’s essential to learn how to cope with stress, and practicing some relaxation techniques can help. Some benefits of relaxation techniques include having a high quality of life, increasing your productivity and mood, calming the mind, muscle relaxation caused by anxiety and improved sleep. Some of these relaxation methods are: • Meditation: is a powerful relaxation tool. It involves clearing your mind from everything, putting your attention in the present, and focusing on your breathing. Meditation is usually practiced in a comfortable seated position. Many studies show that meditation is useful for dealing with stress and anxiety. It also helps increase attention span.

• Yoga: is a combination of breathing techniques and flowing movements. Its goal to is to enable you to mentally focus on every movement while breathing thoughtfully. Practicing yoga improves mental functions incredibly and helps you deal with stress.

• Mindfulness: is the practice of living in the present by being aware of your body, emotions and mind. It creates a feeling of calmness and relaxation of the body and mind. Several researchers indicate that practicing mindfulness regularly has many benefits, including reducing stress, anxiety and alleviating depression.

AUT’s helping hand When it comes to mental health, AUT has lots to offer students.

There are plenty of workshops, sessions and friendly support staff available to help. Here are some services that will greatly support your mental wellbeing: • Free Counselling Sessions: AUT students can get free counselling sessions and mental health support, delivered by experienced professionals. They are well trained to support you if you are struggling with stress, anxiety, depression or any other personal or mental health-related issue. Book an appointment through the Student Medical Centre.

• AUT Resiliency App: is designed to help students build mental strength and increase their ability to withstand stressful situations. It is free to download.

• GRAD Resiliency Workshops: is a series of four workshops designed to cover grief and loss, relationship issues, anxiety and depression. They provide an opportunity for students to learn skills to manage their mental health. These workshops will be piloted in the City Campus during Semester One, then made available across all AUT campuses.

• Postgraduate Support Group: is designed to provide support for postgraduate students, which enables them to learn skills

that will help them manage their wellbeing successfully while studying.

• Rainbow Support Group: started in Semester Two last year and was created to provide support for Rainbow students who are questioning their identity or coming out, and to give them opportunities to learn skills to manage their wellness. To get in touch, visit the Rainbow Student Room (WB212, City Campus) or email Audrey: audrey.hutcheson@aut.ac.nz.

• Meditation Classes: are free to AUT students. Visit a Multifaith Room at any of AUT’s campuses for more information.

• AUT Campus Gym: isn’t free, but if you sign up it allows you to take a break from your study and enjoy a yoga class or two.

It also offers mindfulness classes to members, as well as other group activities and facilities.

• Te Puna Oranga: ‘The Spring of Wellbeing’ is a new initiative at AUT that will be approaching wellbeing collaboratively and holistically. They are focusing on ‘keeping each other well’. Watch this space.

It is vital to stay mentally healthy while studying, both for your grades and for your general wellbeing. Physical activities, diet and relaxation methods could seriously help, as well as seeking support. I wish you all a happy and healthy year at AUT.

If you or anyone you know is at risk, here is where you can find help.

City Campus: (09) 921 9992, South Campus: (09) 921 999, North Campus: (09) 921 9998, Urgent enquires: (09) 921 9999 ext 8888 Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7), Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (available 24/7), Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)

27

Alcohology 101: An Introduction to Drinking Jake Kampkes is a consummate drinker with a love of fine gins and beers, a strong hatred of red wine and a love-hate relationship with tequila. He can honestly claim to have ‘been there’ and ‘done that’ but cannot honestly claim to always remember doing so. He walks us through the dos and don’ts of drinking, from personal experience.

Do: Play beer pong. It’s the finest of drinking games and needs to be in the Olympics.

Don’t: Die. Seriously! You’re clumsy as fuck when drunk. Do you think the police marketing department came up with all those catchy slogans for nothing?

Do: Drink water. About one cup for every couple standard drinks. No one will judge you for sticking your face under the faucet. Straight up, if you forget, the next day you will feel like a porcupine crawled into your skull, shat itself, and died.

Don’t: Leave the room keys with the guy who gets drunk and goes home early. He will fall asleep on the couch, not answer the door, and you’ll have to call the landlord. Not that I would ever do that.

Do: Drink with mates. When your leg stops working and their leg stops working, you can lean on each other on the way home.

Don’t: Be a dick. This is a good rule for life but in this case,

it means that if you’re a creepy or aggro’ drunk, you should probably drink little or not at all. Breaking this rule is a great way to lose mates.

Don’t: Drink when you're sad and expect it to end well.

Alcohol enhances your mood and removes inhibitions.

Drunk-texting your ex and drowning in tears is very dehydrating.

Do: Try new drinks! You might not like the taste of beer or wine or Jack and coke. Margaritas are fucking delicious and anyone whose masculinity is threatened by that can come fight me.

Don’t: Play Catchup. It will only end in tears, vomit, bitter regrets and your flatmates blackmailing you.

Do: Go new places! Find new friends! Experiment! For science!

Don’t: Drink black Sambuca. It is the milk of the devil’s arse and you will regret it.

blind

date

Every issue, we bribe singletons with free food and bevvies to go on a blind date, organised by us. The only catch – they have to write about it after.

Ms Peters

Winston

Not many people can say they spent their Friday night awkwardly standing outside Burger Burger in the rain staring at random guys' feet. I can. I signed up to go on a date with a total stranger because it seemed like the appropriate thing to do at the time, while I was simultaneously watching Married at First Sight, eating ice cream and swiping through two dating apps.

A slight female figure with streaky blonde hair stared at her phone outside the restaurant. After confirming she was there to meet me, we shared a few words and found a place to sit and talk while we thought about what to eat. I turned on the charm and found it easy to chat with her – a smart comms student with a similar taste in music as me.

All I knew about my date was his first name and that he would be wearing boots. Hence the feet staring. These ‘boots’ turned out to be Doc Martens but said date caught on to my awkward staring in his direction. The guy wearing Nikes two minutes prior to his arrival did not quite return the favour.

Soon I felt the anxiety waning as we shared various anecdotes and opinions about a festival we had both recently attended, and then it returned when I realised I had wolfed down all my food in the time it had taken her to have three bites.

Thankfully, my worst fears regarding the date were not realised. We immediately got talking and discovered we both went to Laneway Festival a few weeks ago, which meant I was free to rant about live music and my favourite artists to another victim. The most challenging thing I found about the experience is that it’s hard trying to get to know someone from scratch in a short space of time. At least with the app method there are initial conversations to get know bits and pieces about someone. My impressions of my date were that he was a genuine, sweet guy and that he had pretty good taste in music. Nice one Debate.

Being the perfect gentleman that my date was, he offered to drive me home, as well as letting me play my music in his car. I was thinking it was all too good to be true, just as our discussion about last year’s election grinded to a screeching halt. He admitted, to my horror, that he voted for NZ First. Well, I suppose perfection doesn’t really exist.

After chatting for a while longer, I asked her about the worst date she had ever been on, which turned into a large confidence booster after I found out a Tinder date had tried to make a move on her in the middle of the University of Auckland campus, and another Tinder gentleman had searched for every single person on Facebook with her first name to send her a monologue about how in love with her he was. At least I hadn’t done anything in that vein.

We wrapped up dinner and I asked if she wanted to walk with me in Newmarket; she said sure, but the rain and lack of anything to do ended it promptly.

Conversation began to feel forced but I offered her a ride home, which she accepted. After dropping her home and grabbing her digits for a potential second meeting, I made a quick escape to my own bed and reflected. Perhaps I shouldn’t have brought up the fact that I love Winston Peters, that will surely feature in whatever she writes about me… I give the date a six out of ten.

To get involved, email us with your name, age and sexual preference: debate@aut.ac.nz 29

recipe

Scones for Studying Recipe and photography by Melissa Koh This is a simple scone recipe that uses three main ingredients: flour, cream, and lemonade. Best enjoyed with a side of butter, this recipe also teaches you how to turn liquid cream into butter by drawing on the simple science of altering its molecular structure by incorporating tiny air bubbles in the liquid.

Ingredients • • • • •

4 cups self-raising flour (and extra for dusting) 300ml fresh cream 300ml lemonade (or sprite) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon butter (soften)

8) Use a round cookie cutter (around 5cm in diameter) to cut the dough. It will be sticky so use your fingers to pull away the extra dough. Place it on the lined and buttered tray.

9) Bake for 10-12 minutes.

10) Optional step: after baking for 10-12 minutes, brush scones lightly with butter on the surface of the scones and bake for another minute for a golden crust.

Method

Scone variation:

1) Pre-heat oven to 220°C. 2) Line a baking tray with baking paper and brush it with a thin layer of butter.

3) Sieve flour in a big mixing bowl with salt.

4) Make a well in the middle and pour in cream and lemonade.

5) Mix with a wooden spoon or with your hand to form a smooth and soft dough.

6) Sprinkle flour on your bench.

7) It's easier to work with half the quantity of dough at a time. So place half the dough on the bench, sprinkle some flour on it, and shape it into a rounder form before slightly flattening the surface.

Add 1 cup of dried cranberry to the dough mixture.

Effortless butter: 1) Fill a jar halfway with fresh cream.

2) Add 1 teaspoon of icing sugar (optional).

3) Shake jar vigorously until the liquid turns into the perfect scone topping.

4) Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

Melissa Koh is a third year BA student double majoring in Culinary Arts and English & New Media. Follow her dining and cooking adventures on Instagram: @melicacy

31

clubs

AUTSA's Got a Club for Just About Everything

Moses Martinez

Joegen Daniels

“I’m a self-taught dancer. I learned to dance on YouTube and in my room by myself. So joining this club and dancing with other people has been awesome. I’ve been able to make new friends and also learn a lot from others, so it’s helped me grow both as a dancer and as a person.

“I was playing piano on campus one day last year when someone came and started jamming with me – she was a musician as well. She later invited me to a Soul Café meeting and said it was something about diverse people meeting once a week to discuss thoughtprovoking topics. It peaked my curiosity because I just couldn’t quite get my head around what that would look like.

First year Nursing student Club: Horizon ADP

I really like to dance and I’m a quick learner – that’s probably how I was able to become the president of Horizon after only, like, six months of joining? Yeah, six months. I think the old president saw my passion for the club, ‘cos I invest a lot of time into the dance classes, performance practices and also into getting to know the members. So I spend a lot of my time working on the club – I’m either at class or with the club.

We mostly dance hip hop because everyone loves hip hop! But we’re branching out into different styles at the moment, like popping, locking, K-POP and stuff like that. We also have a really ethnically and culturally diverse group of members and we’re trying to include their cultural dances into our stuff.

You don’t have to know how to dance to come to the classes – everyone is welcome to just come and learn. The dance classes run twice a week in the WB building on the City Campus and are taught by different teachers. The classes and their difficulty levels are all on our Facebook page. And we have try-outs for our performance squad a couple times throughout the year. Our squad perform at a few different concerts and in competitions and there are about 10 of us and we’re always looking for new people, so come and try out!”

Find Horizon on Facebook at 'Horizon.ADP' or email them at horizon.adp@gmail.com

Second year Communications student Club: Soul Café

So I went along, and the topic of discussion was something like ‘science and religion’. Immediately I worried it would be a ‘science versus religion’ sort of thing, but I was surprised to see the opposite.

There was a whole bunch of different students there, from agnostics to people with religious backgrounds, all discussing stuff with an open mind and asking those questions that you wouldn’t normally ask out of fear of being awkward. Soul Café was a really open-minded place, so no one was arguing and it made the experience way more memorable.

I became a member and since joining we’ve covered all sorts of topics like mental health, millennials, culture, race relations, media and education. I feel like my empathy and understanding for other people has increased because of it.

I would recommend Soul Café to anyone – both shy and outgoing people – because you won’t be pressured to talk or say your opinion if you don’t want to, you can just sit there and listen. Or you can say your piece. And there are snacks!”

Soul Café meet every Tuesday from 5.30-7pm at the Student Lounge (WC202). Find them on Facebook at 'SoulCafe Auckland', or email soulcafeauckland@gmail.com

For more info, email clubs@aut.ac.nz with your name, AUT ID number, phone number, email address, and the club(s) you would like to join.

They’ll forward your details to the appropriate club leaders.

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GRAPHIC DESIGN • COURSE MATERIALS PRINTING • PHOTOCOPYING • SCANNING BINDING • STAPLING • LAMINATING

AUT CITY CAMPUS Level 3, WA Building 55 Wellesley Street East AUT NORTH CAMPUS AM105, AM Building 90 Akoranga Drive AUT SOUTH CAMPUS MC215, MC Building 640 Great South Road

Phone: 09 921 9244 Email: aut@fxprinthub.co.nz pinklime.co.nz/aut

ART & DESIGN STUDENTS • The Art & Design Supplies you need • BEST PRICES • Friendly & expert advice • Right here on Symonds St!

39 SYMONDS ST, CORNER OF MOUNT STREET

COME ON IN & SEE US!

www.gordonharris.co.nz

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WORDFIND

Puzzles

back to school

Stationery

Caffeine

Vesbar

Solongsummer

Notes

Clubs

Lectures OWeek

WGBuilding

Hourlongcommute

Newyearnewme

HikuwaiSounds

MacBook

Events

Goals

Cheapkebabs

Study

Newfriends

Piko

Newsfeed

Circle all the words in the wordfind, tear this page out and pop it into the box on the side of the red Debate stands. Do it and you could win a motherflippin’ sweet prize!

Name:

Email:

GRAB YOUR STUDENT DEAL NOW*

Student deals are on now at Les Mills! That means NO joining fee, and a super-sweet price on a 12-month Tertiary single club membership.

You can even put your membership on hold twice a year.

•

Rip into our world-famous Group Fitness classes.

•

Take a ‘brain break’ between classes with our high-intensity 30-minute workouts.

•

Or work out YOUR way with our top-of-the-range cardio and weights equipment.

It’s good to be a student. Join now!

Call 0800 LES MILLS, visit www.lesmills.co.nz/student or get into your nearest club today.

Offer varies per club.

LES MILLS AUCKLAND CITY – 186 Victoria Street West, Auckland City.

LES MILLS BRITOMART – 2 Britomart Place, Auckland City.

LES MILLS NEWMARKET – 269 Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket.

LES MILLS HOWICK – 100 Whitford Road, Somerville, Howick.

LES MILLS TAKAPUNA – Rooftop Level, Shore City, Cnr Lake Rd & Como St, Takapuna.

LES MILLS NEW LYNN – Cnr Rankin Avenue & Clark Street, New Lynn.

* Special tertiary offers vary per club, and are available on 12-month Tertiary single club memberships only. Offer ends Sunday 1 April 2018.

Les Mills reserves the right to refuse entry on the grounds of minimum age (15), health and safety. Further conditions apply see www.lesmills.co.nz/student

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If your car or laptop got stolen, how would you pay for it?

Become a free range chicken farmer

Start a crowdfunding campaign

Dig for treasure

Beg your parents

Or, save heaps with Young Drivers and Renters Insurance.

Sell protein powder

Win the lottery Find a pot of gold

Visit ami.co.nz/student to find out about our Student Multisaver offer.

Terms and Conditions apply.

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