Debate | Issue 1 | Back to Uni

debate Issue 1 | Back to Uni | March 2022

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EDITORS Nam Woon Kim Alana McConnell FEATURE WRITER Petra Shotwell LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE WRITER Briar Pomana

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From the Editors

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Meet Your New AUTSA President

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Zainab Mustafa

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Who to Blame

ILLUSTRATOR Yi Jong

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Giveaways

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Debate leads in Student Press Awards Alongside Critic

ADVERTISING Jesse Jones jesse.jones@autsa.org.nz

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AUTSA Plans to Tackle Dwindling Student Engagement

PRINTER Nicholson Print Solutions

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AUTTo Be the Only Uni Without On-campus Vaccine Mandates

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Look at Her Whakapapa In All Its Glory

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A Summer Pandemic Diary

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Tāmaki locals, I’ve Got Some Questions ForYou

CHIEF NEWS REPORTER Justin Hu NEWS WRITER David Williams

CONTRIBUTORS Nam Đúc Trần, Mila van der Plas

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.

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

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Making Friends as an Adult Is Damn Hard.

Here’s How to Make It a Little Easier

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Out@AUT Celebrates 20 Years

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A Love Story to the 25L

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An AUTSA lodge getaway: cabin fever, or cottagecore?

Follow Debate! debatemag.com debate_mag autsadebate debate@autsa.org.nz

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Nam

Alana

Kia ora e te whānau

Well it is my final editorial! I’m putting down the editor hat and putting on my student hat, one that I’ve already worn and now I’ve committed to another 3 years.

To all of our returning, and new, tauira – welcome to 2022’s university year. This is Debate’s first issue back on stands since the end of winter, and for many of you this semester also means a return to campus (even if lectures remain online). It is an exciting time, and whether you’re studying at North, South, or City campus, I hope you’re able to stretch your legs a little and make the most of this chaotic start to semester. Even just heading into the office has been refreshing for me, especially when UniPrep was popping off down the corridor. Hence, issue one is about being back to uni. As I met with my team, who you’ll soon learn froth some curly fries, we discussed what we can offer. Beyond equipping you with that essential first-year knowledge, I want to take this chance to describe how you can get involved and use that elusive student voice.

It’s now been a year since I started working with Debate. I first joined as the Social Media Manager, curating memes and sharing content, and ended up contributing articles on the side. With the right pitch, few things were off the table. From pieces on mental health under capitalism, to the food in My Neighbour Totoro, I ended up writing a grab bag of pieces that made me fall in love with writing again. Prior to Debate, the piece of writing I was most proud of was probably an essay about electrical pylons in a media studies paper on indigeneity. I hope Debate can be a space for those niche interests you reckon everyone should know about.

If you want to stretch those writing muscles outside of the confines of university reports, this is your sign to get brainstorming and looped in. It could be your piece in the Contents page, plus you even get paid – a wild concept for your average student association board. The best version of Debate is one made with you, so hit us up at debate@autsa.org.nz to get upcoming issue updates, or hit us with a pitch.

Ngā manaakitanga, Nam

For the past two years since I’ve finished my BA, I’ve lived a very strange working life. I’ve been a Whiskey Promoter at the airport.

I’ve worked countless Hospitality jobs, some good, some extremely awful. I’ve been an Electoral Issuing Officer, a photographer, and a Puberty Educator. Though it’s been exciting, I’ve also had to tolerate feelings of uncertainty and inferiority. Having to explain what I did as a job made me feel like I had to justify my choices to my parents, those I dated, and random people at parties. I know it was most likely me projecting my own insecurities, and I know those insecurities have been formed by what I think a “successful job” is.

These two years were valuable because I got to experience a vast array of jobs, with eclectic, talented, and hardworking people, who didn’t always want to conform to that idealised 9-5. I’ve learned that success is an ever changing definition for many.

The reason why I’m going back to study is because I want to do meaningful work, and I need to get qualified to do that. People are important to me, and I know that the human experience is extremely hard, especially now. By getting a Masters in Psychotherapy, I want to spend my working life helping people who have noticed a problem in their life. With the future of our world completely up in the air, the fear of illness and losing loved ones, we need people who really want to help and have the ability to.

I’m still going to read Debate religiously, and I may even pitch an idea or two, if I haven’t overstayed my welcome already. We are lucky to have Debate, one that speaks for the students, but also is a platform for experience, expression and creativity. Though I’ve never been a student at AUT, I’ve felt like a part of it anyway.

Farewell, Alana

Meet Your New AUTSA President Debate has a tradition of offering a space for the AUTSA President to introduce themselves to the student community. Alana caught up with Sara Youssef to chat about what she hopes AUTSA will achieve over the upcoming year.

when it comes to changes at AUT, Sara sees plenty that could be done. “Students need to understand that they pay for AUTSA services, and should use them. I want to make these services more visible, and I want students to know exactly what AUTSA does for them.”

Sara also leads the Student Representative Council (SRC).

“It’s important we work as a team, and we hold each other accountable.” Students should be able to find the appropriate outlets to express concern or propose changes, and that comes in the form of the Student Body President, and the SRC.

Meet Sara Youssef, AUT’s new Student Body President.

20 years old and majoring in Business Management with a minor in Business Law, Sara has a passion for getting things done and connecting with others. Having moved from Egypt seven years ago, Sara arrived with limited English. This forced major adjustments as she experienced a major culture shock. It would lead to depression from a young age, but Sara sees those experiences as important.

Having initially applied for Vice President, Sara was encouraged to apply for the role of President by her friends who saw potential for Sara to bring meaningful change.

“The word president is so heavy, which is why I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to apply. I love people, and I thrive on that. This opportunity was a way to make connections with people. I am a student at the end of the day, and I see the problems and I don't trust anyone else to fix them.”

What’s important to Sara is seeing something through until the very end, rather than spouting ideas with no follow through. And

The job of representing 30,000 students is not an easy one, but that makes it all the more important. “I want to hear students' feedback on everything, so we can fix things. I’m going to go around campus and directly talk to students to hear what they have to say so it can be heard on the AUT Council Governance Board. I will never disregard someone’s lived experience or their feedback.” Sara also acknowledges that change within a large institution is difficult and sometimes slow moving, and knowing the steps from student feedback to tangible change is important to get right.

What does Sara love about AUT? “I love the culture and the people at AUT. When I was on the South Campus, I really experienced the whānau and felt like I was a part of something.

All of these different cultures coming together. That’s why I fell in love with AUT.” As a welcoming place for any student to come in either for a casual conversation or to voice anything that’s on their mind, Sara’s door is always open - located in the student lounge at City Campus.

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Who to Blame We’re Debate, 2022 edition! Upon closer inspection you’ll notice there’s a spot missing for our designer. We’re searching for someone new to fill this role, so if you’re interested in joining us, or know someone who is, reach out through debate@autsa.org.nz or our instagram @debate_mag to learn more.

Nam

Role: Editor Pronouns: he/him About me: Every dish needs something plain and reliable to anchor the rest of the ingredients - this is where I fit in. When I’m not dreading climate disaster, unlearning propaganda, re-reading Chainsaw Man, or editing your cool pieces, you can find me at your local yum cha table insisting I don’t have a sweet-tooth, until the egg tarts are carted by.

Potatoes are a dish best served as: Gamja-jeon - what Korean restaurants around here call pancakes. These are made with 100% potatoes and when fried to perfection, are simply the best.

In 2022 I will…: continue to yearn for the collapse of the American empire.

Go-to karaoke song: "Run Away With Me" by Carly Rae Jepsen, and I kill that shit every time.

Favourite word that starts with ‘D’ : Derelict, a spooky word.

Petra

Role: Feature Writer Pronouns: she/they About me: I'm a word-loving writer, an art-loving theatre-maker, and an absolutely, positively, human-loving bisexual. Catch me writing about gender politics, humans and society, health issues, and all sorts of queer nonsense.

I can usually be found wandering the homewares sections of thrift stores, exploring secret city nooks, trying to convince my partner that we should get a dog, or at home reading a book and snuggling my cat (this is the most likely option, I am a grandmother).

Potatoes are a dish best served as: I can't believe you're making me choose, but probably hash browns. Or rosti. Or gratin. IDK, they're all perfect.

In 2022 I will…: Maybe learn to master some of that sweet self care and a 'love yourself' attitude - we'll see.

Go-to karaoke song: "Untouched" by The Veronicas...not that I can hit those high notes. It's just a banger.

Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: Dumbledore...

Viv

Role: Associate Editor Pronouns: she/her About me: Kia ora! I'm Viv and I'm a fourth year music/science student. I whakapapa back to China, Indonesia, Samoa, and Scotland - it's this real salad bowl of ways of navigating the world, which makes me super excited to be associate editor and showcase the kaleidoscope of stories you can find in student journalism. I love listening to every type of music under the sun and am a hopeless romantic at heart (so much so that my Spotify wrapped vibe called me out for it). I'm also a passionate intersectional feminist and environmentalist. And massively addicted to baking - especially when the world is stressing me out.

Potatoes are a dish best served as: curly fries In 2022 I will…: continue to make focaccia at 2am when I'm stressed Go-to karaoke song: Go to karaoke with me and I'll make you sing "Breaking Free" from High School Musical.

Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: dumpling bc yum!

Briar

Role: Culture and Lifestyle Writer Pronouns: she/her About me: I am a fairy descended from Rakaipaaka and the luscious lands of Nūhaka and Māhia. I write stuff occasionally and love my mum fiercely.

Potatoes are a dish best served as: Potatoes grown once our land is back In 2022 I will…: enter my baddie 20 something era Go to Karaoke song: "Hangi Tonight" - Dennis Marsh Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: Doro

Yi

Role: Illustrator Pronouns: she/they About me: I am a freelance artist and I love fantasy art!

Potatoes are a dish best served as: Couch potato (joking, french fries XD) In 2022 I will…: Work less and play more video games.

Go to Karaoke song: Disney songs Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: Dream

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Justin

Role: Chief News Reporter Pronouns: he/him About me: Kia ora! I’ll be Debate’s chief reporter, which means I’ll be helping cover student politics, tertiary issues, and campus news. In my spare time, you’ll find me seeking refuge in the lyrical melancholy of Tiny Ruins, nerding out over Auckland urbanism, or dreading the outcome of this year’s local elections. Having been a news writer for the mag last year, I know the ins and outs of a lot of what’s happening on campus, but please do let me know if you know more about a story or have a news tip!

Potatoes are a dish best served as: Curly fries In 2022 I will…: Read more books and listen to more music!

Go-to karaoke song: Mii Channel theme Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: Dinky

David

Role: News Writer Pronouns: he/him About me: Kia ora! My name is David. I have always liked reading, watching, and tweeting about the news, but this year I get to write about it.

Potatoes are a dish best served as: Curly fries In 2022 I will…: learn Te Reo Go-to karaoke song: Either "Piano Man" by Billy Joel or "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: Dog

Zainab

Role: Social media manager Pronouns: she/her About me: I’m a Muslim, Hijabi Hybrid. Half Samoan and half Pakistani. A second year Hospitality student, majoring in Event Management with a crazy passion for social media and digital content creation.

Potatoes are a dish best served as: Baked kūmara (will fight anyone who’s says kūmara isn’t a potato) In 2022 I will...: be one semester away from graduating!

Go-to karaoke song: Adele’s "When we were young" Favourite word that starts with ‘D’: Debatable

Giveaways Another year of Debate means another year of giveaways we hope not to awkwardly gather in our office corner. Help us help you, by entering the draw!

The start of the year can be deceptively expensive as hidden costs arise from setting up your flat and starting uni.

Take the pressure off and DM us the last three emoji’s you used. @debate_mag on Instagram, and follow us too!

Smart VU Android TV Dongle

Academy Cinemas Membership

The flat that channel-surfs together, stays together. Our friends at Freeview have 1x SmartVU dongle to give away which can pretty much turn any telly into a Smart TV, and comes preloaded with the Freeview app so you can sit back, relax, and stream the best channels together, totally free.

Regular Debate readers know we love Academy Cinemas, so we’ve grabbed a snazzy membership for you to equip yourself with the next time you swing past. Valid until the 31st of December 2022, being a member means $12 movies, discounted food and drink, members only screenings, and even free passes!

Fix & Fogg bundle

Biore Sunscreen

Everyone loves Fix & Fogg, known for creating fancy and extremely tasty nut butters. We are giving away three equally delectable spreads, including the Choc Berry Everything, Almond Cashew and Maple, and the classic Super Crunchy Peanut.

Perfect on Vogels, in baking, or straight from the jar (it’s just that good).

An absurdly costly product, sunscreen is important all year round, for everyone! Protect yourself against the harsh rays with this epic sunscreen. Forget white pasty gloop that is impossible to rub in, this feels amazingly light, absorbs quickly, is waterproof, and can even be used as a makeup primer.

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Debate leads in Student Press Awards Alongside Critic Debate won six first-place awards and placed in eight other categories in a record night at the 2021 Aotearoa Student Press Association Awards. By David Wiliams (he/him) News Writer Justin Hu placed second in the Best News Reporter category for his coverage of cheating in online exams, Māori academics' criticism of AUT’s use of indigenous values, and the closing of Auckland’s favourite Korean pancake restaurant. Stuff’s National Correspondent Charlie Mitchell said Justin’s writing is “a joy to read.”

AUT's student magazine led amongst eight student magazines, coming second for first place wins behind Otago University's Critic Te Arohi. Over 50 judges helped award 18 prizes, including journalists, authors, artists, and designers based here in Aotearoa and abroad.

Student News Reporter Justin Wong claimed the win for Best Student Politics Coverage. Business Desk Reporter and Debate alum Daniel Brunskill called his piece "Hikuwai Sounds Deep in the Red" a “really great yarn about uni finances (everyone’s favourite topic).”

Current Debate Editor Nam Woon Kim came first in the Best Reviewer category for his works “The Sexiest Albums of 2020”, “Where I Read Way too Deeply Into the Food From My Favourite Movies and Co.” and “Ping Pong the Animation: the ultimate comfort show.” Nam also placed third in the Best Photographer award.

The Spinoff’s Culture Editor Sam Brooks praised Nam as “an incredibly strong, conversational voice, and a really great talent for capturing something with vivid language.”

Alana McConnell placed second on Best Headline with “Bullshit Operations Specialist: Your corporate dreams are bullshit”. Stuff’s Business Editor Susan Edmunds proclaimed that the title is “appropriately dream-crushing.” Her story on O-week drug testing also came joint third for Best Feature.

Designer Kwok Yi Lee came first in the Best Design category. House & Garden magazine’s Art Director Sacha Wackrow, said Debate is “the standout winner by a mile.”

Illustrator Yi Jong won the awards for best cover and best illustrator, with The Spinoff’s Creative Director Toby Morris calling Yi’s work “very impressive.”

Editorial Assistant Andrew Broadley won second place in the Best Humour/ Satire category. Writer and comedian Robbie Nichol dubbed Andrew’s writing “thoughtful and honest but manages to avoid being self-important” adding “he can craft a think-piece, a silly quiz, and a listicle with charming and funny observations.”

Briar Pomana picked up the win for Best Creative Writing, Fiction, or Poetry for her two creative writing pieces. Writer Mandy Hager described her stories as “rich in nostalgia and vivid detail, with a real feeling of intimacy and very atmospheric.”

Debate also won third best website.

Writer Tze Ming Mok said of the website “very clean and soothing.”

Other publications also scored their share of wins at the awards. Critic Te Arohi won Best Publication for the fifth year, while also winning Best Story and Best News Reporter. Following Critic and Debate, Massey University’s Massive won four first-place awards. Meanwhile, the University of Auckland's Craccum won Best Column with nine runner-up positions.

Debate

Debate

ISSUE 6 | SHIPS | 2021

Debate

ISSUE 4 | CLIQUES & CULTS | 2021

ISSUE 8 | GROWING PAINS | 2021

“Yeah I’m So Whitewashed”

via The Strip Club

By Nam Woon Kim (he/him), illustrated by Yi Jong (she/her)

Nam reflects on the use of the term ‘whitewash’ and how it reinforces ideals of white supremacy and undermines attempts to reorganise and redefine cultural identities.

I’d like to first acknowledge all the conversations I’ve had with my Asian and BIPOC friends about whiteness. At some point I realised there’s something uncomfortable about how we use this phrase and I can articulate some of this now thanks to the dialogue I’ve had with the people around me. This dialogue doesn’t end here, however, and I look forward to exploring this topic further in the future.

Today, I want to unpack and challenge the way ‘whitewashed’ is colloquially used to describe ourselves and our peers and what this demonstrates about one of the most insidious and powerful cliques of all: whiteness. This is informed by my perspective as a 1.5-ish generation Korean immigrant but I hope there’s something here that can resonate with anyone in the struggle against white supremacy.

Let’s get a few things out of the way first. I’m speaking specifically to how it’s used in everyday conversation to describe the social relations we have within our communities.

I get that in these contexts it’s often used casually and innocuously in passing but I think it’s still worth examining.

It’s also worth establishing that language is constructed and changes and like all languages, the term is stretched to suit many contexts. When used to describe a Mahjong set made by white, #girlboss entrepreneurs, the shoe fits. When describing the dominant narratives of U.S. Cold War history which erase an extensive legacy of coups and nurturing fascism in the Global South, the shoe also fits. But does the shoe fit when used as a label for yourself or a friend? Someone who’s ‘not that Korean, Chinese, etc?’

through binoculars. This border was a

By Dani Weaver (She/Her) | Illustration by Yi Jong

and thrilling, strewn with first-times, f

What helped me recognise and understand my discontent with this phrase was that it relies on the false binary between those who are whitewashed and those who are not. To not be Korean or X enough must mean there are those who are. The latter is generally perceived as the realm of ‘FOBs’ or those who stick to circles that only speak their native language. It seems that we’re positioned in either of these two cliques. I have no animosity towards anyone grouped into the latter, it’s the act of grouping itself that’s the problem. On my end, if you spent five minutes with me it’s obvious the circles I’m in mostly use English and aren’t Korean either.

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My relationship with sex has been a topsy turvy one. As a teenager I struggled with sexual shame, both internally and externally. My earliest encounters with sex were publicly shared through gossip and social media, making the last years of high school a living nightmare. I remember attending parties where students from other schools would approach me and ask “Are you Dani?” They seemed to spit my name, a now rumour-filled novelty and almost overnight it held a new meaning.

One that was dirty. One I learned to be ashamed of. Teens these days seem to carry with them a level of ‘wokeness’ and self-awareness that honestly blows me away, but ten years ago, my peers' attitudes resembled that of Regina George.

It wasn’t fetch.

an ensemble of glorious moments of time

Hikuwai Sounds Deep in the Red

However, Auckland University Student Association (AUSA) General Manager Will Watterson, who was AUTSA’s General Manager from 2017 to 2020, confirmed to Debate that 1,443 people went to Party at the Spark.

He also said Hikuwai Sounds and Party at the Spark run on different models.

“From my time at AUTSA, I remember the concerts were usually run on a break-even basis.”

The documents also show AUTSA was aware that Hikuwai Sounds would not be profitable from ticket revenue and sponsorship alone.

Artist performance fees, including flights and accommodations, take up most of the 2021 expenditure, totalling $121,670, ranging from $300 to $32,000.

Summers at Nanny’s House “AUSA almost always run our concerts at a loss in an effort to keep ticket prices low for our students.”

“Part of this loss is covered by the University, who make a small contribution to the event that rarely covers the

By Briar Pomana (she/her) difference between income and expenses.”

When Mum and I arrive in Gisborne, the

town's pothole-ridden roads are the first to greet us. We've come from Auckland and can immediately sense how time has slowed as we pass two heavily muddied

By Justin Wong (he/him) AUTSA’s orientation concert, Hikuwai Sounds, is expected to lose more than $120,000, with the association overestimating the number of paying attendees and diverting from a breakeven approach.

The concert was originally scheduled during Week 1 on March 5, but it was postponed to April 16 after Auckland was placed under Alert Level 3 restrictions.

Debate understands only 102 out of the approximately 1,200 concert attendees paid for a ticket. The rest got free entry as AUTSA gave away tickets on campus days before the event.

Budget documents of the past three orientation concerts, released by AUTSA to Debate, reveal the student association spent $179,290 on this year’s Hikuwai

tractors half on the road, half in the water drains. The paddocks and pastures we

Sounds despite uncertainty around COVID-19 Alert Levels in Auckland, but they do not include revenue figures.

pass are littered with oranges and sweet summer fruits, their scents reminding us of home. Signs with chalk prices in

The finalised expenditure is yet to be released.

AUTSA’s Acting General Manager Simon

childlike fonts sit quaintly by homemade letterboxes. We tell each other that at the next sign, we'll stop, and we do so

Bell told Debate the exact numbers are not yet available, but ticket revenue is

outside of a tidy cottage fenced off by roses and guarded by a pet goat.

around $6,000 while the event made “roughly” $50,000 from sponsorship deals, while breaking-even and profitmaking is not the association’s intention for the concert.

My Nanny’s house is across the bridge and on the same street as the weekly Sunday market. Gisborne is a fruit bowl of produce so the bustle of the market has packed out the street with parked cars. Manoeuvering past kids

“The intent is to provide an activity for the students and has no hope of

on pushbikes and Māori women in homemade harakeke hats, we finally pull into my Nanny's long gravel driveway.

making money.”

He told AUTSA’s Student Representative Council (SRC) in April that Hikuwai Sounds was “not a moneymaking

Arriving, we wait a few minutes to stretch

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The budget also allocated $21,850 for production costs on audio, lighting, and LED screens, and another $16,000 for staging. The rest was divided on items including security, staff, and photographers.

The association initially planned on charging to $45car for park everyoperates early birddually our legs.up Nanny's ticket, and $60 per It also as a clothesline soAUT therestudent. are makeshift planned setstrung up a new rows of to wire fromticket side category to side. named Tertiary” that targeted Nanny “Other invented this herself for when students fromisother the weather sour tertiary and notinstitutions, forgiving charging up washed to $60 per person.

Publicour of a freshly sheet.

Opening tickets and my doorhead salesgets would car doors, lostbe in between a pair of $70 to $80 each. dangly jeans.

Next to it, there is a plastic

bag with what looks like more clothes. In However, modelling projected that under the distance we hear Nanny yoohooing proposed prices, losses could stretch out the sliding door, bustling to greet us. from $80,000 to $115,000 in the “worst

She tells us not to mind the clothes in the case scenario” of only 1,000 to 1,500 ticket line, they belong to a cousin that was due sales. In a “best case scenario” where the to pick them up in the next hour or so. concert sold 2,000, the deficit would still lay between $45,000 to $63,000.

Finally, my Nanny emerges like a tūī bird

in the sun. As always, she is wearing her home clothes: a cotton T-shirt she's had for donkey's years and ankle-grazing lime green pants she picked up from the hospice last week. Both are in pristine

hers.

As Mum our bags I move any chances of gathers cutting losses to less towards our matriarch. The grass she than $45,000. moves across is greener than a traffic light This AUTSAmy to increase prices for andled I imagine cousins will be sprawled all ticket categories, with early bird upon it shortly. As if on a trampoline, we tickets at on $60the perspongy personsummer and each AUT bounce earth student $75. The Tertiary” towardsticket eachatother.

The “Other afternoon rays of category scrapped, meaning non-skin this Eastwas Coast sun strike what bare AUT students would have to pay $90 it can find and finally, we are home. for a public ticket. Door sale prices also rose to $110.

I have always known summers like this,

I left school insecure and deeply troubled.

I found myself in the most promiscuous phase of my life, partying every weekend and fucking different guys on the reg, completely oblivious to the underlying emotions I was supressing. So, where to from here? How does a young woman find sexual self-acceptance after experiencing such shame and ridicule? How can one embrace their sexuality, gender expression and the juicy, juicy goodness of their body? Spoiler alert, I found it all. And in the most unlikely of places: The strip club.

So you hear the word ‘strip club.’ What comes to mind? Probably a dark seedy bar blasting AC/DC, naked women slinking over men in suits and the faint smell of Britney Spears ‘Curious’ wafting off some big ol’ fake tiddies. Now, I’m not saying this perception is incorrect. In my personal experience, it’s quite accurate! But dive a little deeper, past the sweaty tippingdollars and you’ll find some very important hidden gems, and some very liberated women.

of swimming. It's jam-packed sandwiches

Sounds because it made a “statement the week's leftovers 1 litre ofofintent of hope” for theand year, and bottles the association forced toaprioritise of juice. It'swas being put in trance by the attendance over revenue because of out way the curtains are sucked in and disruptions posed by on lockdowns. as you lay for a nap your Nanny's bed.

Summers in Gisborne sit somewhere “We’re well aware that there are in between a good cup of tea and the returning and new students who are first BBQ of the year. Hanging togs on a apprehensive of having the student neighbour’s washing line, from the side experience they would expect.” view mirrors of a car, or in the bathroom are all common practices. is “AUTSA made the decisionLiving to go slow ahead howan weevent best drink in what little time we with and make sure it was can all be together. back to Gisborne high-profile enough Going so students can for summer at my house always really take pride in Nanny's it.”

felt lured across, both by my eagerness

of inevitability. And yet the space was m

a trepidation – rationale, monotony, life, buzzards.

Almost always it cannot be done alone.

get across equipped with the kit require

opposite side, something is needed to a

The spaces occupied by an individual ch

childhood and adulthood. The progres

group into another is often accompanie

act – an act that punctuates time, obse chronologies, and structures the stories

The Enkipaata, Eunoto and Olng’esher

the Maasai people in which young me

power to safeguard lineage and transm

The tattooing of Pe’a and malu in Sam

privileges of adulthood. The bar and b

children venturing into the wilderness

Island with their fathers to test their hu

The world over, it can be seen our cult

comprehend the importance of markin from child to adult.

Please don’t read this and think the only way you can connect to your body is by stripping. That is totally untrue. Intimacy is so important and can be found in a variety of different ways, but stripping was my gateway. Like any job, working in a strip club obviously has its downfalls, and because of the nature of the role, those downfalls can be quite intense.

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Pigeons of Auckland City A comprehensive guide

The Ponso

Pigeons? In Ponsonby? Pleas

By Andrew Broadley | Illustration by Yi Jong

A city is only as great as its pigeons, and if Auckland’s pigeons are anything to go by, Auckland isn’t so great. I now live in the central city and one of the first things I noticed was how manky the birds seem to be. They are hardened from a life lived in such close proximity to humans and cars and shops that sell the battered carcass of their cousins, the chicken, and it shows. It did get me thinking about all the different feathery friends I have seen on my journeys, so here’s a little list of all the pigeons you can expect to see.

where the air is salty and the pavement But the modelling forecasted that even wet with used beach towels. Summers with 250 early bird tickets, 700 public where the hours are found lounging tickets, and more than 1,000 AUT around on lazy boy chairs watching student-only tickets sold, the event reruns of Coronation Street or The Chase would still lose $7,000. on TV. This slow season at Nanny’s is my favourite of the that year.AUTSA It's longwas drives and Bell told Debate willing in$180,000 the backseat after a day tofalling spendasleep almost on Hikuwai

of adulthood, life was to unfurl – grand,

There’s something about being naked in front of a complete stranger that is incredibly empowering. It was in lapdances and stage shows that I found pride in my body as well as the bodies of other women. Every inch of skin was beautiful, every curve was something to be marvelled at, every movement powerfully feminine. Pussy Power is a real thing, by the way. The polarity is, in a taboo environment that is enriched in social judgment, I was able to release my shame, which propelled me into a life of flourishing sexual expression, and eventually into a career designed to empower women through dance.

Yi Jong won awards for Best Cover and Best Illustrator.

intersecting.

I somehow surprised The model also suggestedremain the concert at how faces of our family I see in must sellmany at least 2,350 tickets to have

From my perch, this space was tinted w

The passage across this border can be a

When I saw that Debate were asking for writers to talk about all things sex, I salivated. Maybe it was the eggplant covered in blue jizz, or the deliciousness of the word ‘fetish.’ Or maybe it was the opportunity to over-share my sex-worker story with an audience of strangers. Or perhaps, a culmination of all of the above.

What helped me recognise and understand my discontent with this phrase was that it relies on the false binary between those who are whitewashed and those who are not.

Proposed spending for Hikuwai Sounds in 2021 nearly doubled from previous years, with the event’s 2019 edition costing around $93,000, while expenses for the Block Party in 2020 was around $68,000.

teen angst.

Kia Ora lovelies! I’m Dani, a first year comms student (who isn’t?) and dance teacher/choreographer at my recently established business-baby, Honeypot. Basically, I love to dance, and I draw inspiration from my hip-hop dance-crew years, as well as my more... exotic experiences. In other words, my classes pack a mean punch, and they’re hella sexy. I’m a big advocate for open sexual expression, embracing and celebrating the body, particularly the female form, and creating safe spaces for self-exploration to take place.

If you’re interested in taking a class or just checking out the vibe, @honeypot.akl on Instagram is ya bestfriend.

Or if you wanna see my own w(ho)lesome content, @lavendertheone.

23

exercise”, and claimed more people attended than Auckland University’s orientation concert, Party at the Spark.

By Lucy W

Standing at the edge of childhood I w

the border that marked the entrance t

On one hand, it does. We know what this tends to mean so it’s not an invalid phrase. It encompasses everything from integration, to white friends, to not speaking your mother tongue, and so on.

On the other hand, does it always fit? It certainly taps into what it’s like growing up or living in a white society but it falls short in several areas when discussing our collective experience of this often strange, colonial place called New Zealand.

22

Licen

Finding Sexual Liberation

The Pilot

The

Most commonly seen outside Verona leftover darts and fluttering through v their little lun

This one has been hogging all the foo shoulders and a wide set waist ma bird that shows no fears from challen Rumoured to be des

An expert in flight. Gets as close as possible to you before veering off. Precision and power. Often considered the most impressive of the pigeons.

The Drunk Pilot Unlike its sober counterpart, this pigeon is like the GP to your heart surgeon. He had high hopes but ultimately settled for mediocrity. No fancy manoeuvre here, this feathery fella is often found landing firmly on the hoods of cars and knocking into street signs.

leaves us feening for a game of cards

He said feedback fornthe event and a parcel of fish chips fromhas London been “overwhelmingly positive” from Street. These days round themselves off his experiences on the door that night.

with the final of afternoon swims in an However, AUTSA has not conducted a ocean that feels like bathwater and an survey to back those assumptions. unbroken mandarin peel. As it comes to an end, Mum and I wallow in the shallows Bell also claimed this is not “the most together, chatting of theinsignificance of expensive student event the country”

our summer lifestyle inin Gisborne.

To live condition. Her hair is brushed back so as as student associations Otago and in this slowness is toexpensive live for the everyday to not cover her eyes; the wavy strands are Wellington get “very artists” . moments that often get left behind.

Mum wispy and white like a floated feather. My Debate is unable to verify these claims.

Nanny loves a good pair of scuffs, so she’s and I cast our eyes out to where the The association has not ruled out to wearing her ROXY pair she bought from ocean meets the sky and I wonder another concert for re-orientation week Rebel Sport last summer. Her style, even in myself why we ever decided to leave this July, in with event would this instance, is impeccable. My Nanny is inplace theBell firstsaying place.the  be smaller scale than Hikuwai Sounds if it goes ahead. 

The Cannibal We all love a fried chicken shop to close out our night, and pigeons are no different. Often seen coated in the fried skin and grease of its feathered cousins, adorning it like a cape across their back. These pigeons have a certain twitch and itch that only comes from feasting on the scraps of, well, bird.

The City Slicker Why are the city birds so oily? But not in a good way.

6 18

Justin Hu placed second for Best News Reporter | Briar Pomana won first place for Best Creative Writing Andrew Broadley won second place for best Humour/Satire.

11

AUTSA Plans to Tackle Dwindling Student Engagement

By David Williams (he/him) A majority of AUTSA’s new student rep council was elected without opposition, with some seats filled without any candidates running for them.

The student association’s newly-elected president, Sara Youssef, told Debate that she was disappointed but not surprised by the low number of candidates for the election. “It goes back to the visibility of AUTSA. The engagement has been going down for the last five years.”

Only 20 candidates were nominated at last year’s SRC elections to stand for 15 roles, with some contesting for multiple positions. There are 22 roles to fill in total.

Meanwhile, elections in 2020 saw 103 candidates running for all but one position, while the 2019 elections had 51 candidates and only failed to fill three roles.

The SRC election window opens for just over two months between late July to early October. While the president serves two-year terms, each year students vote for two vice presidents, three campus reps, eleven officer portfolios and five faculty reps.

Last year’s results saw seven candidates win uncontested races while another eight roles had zero candidate applications, resulting in the positions remaining vacant.

To resolve the impasse, AUSTA called a Special General Meeting in early December in the hope of filling the Te Ara Poutama Faculty Representative, Diversity Affairs Officer, Postgraduate Affairs Officer, North Campus Rep, South Campus Rep, Business, Economics and Law Faculty Rep, Health and Environmental Sciences Rep, and Māori Affairs Officer roles. The AUTSA constitution allows the SRC to fill any vacant position by voting on the people who put their names forward for the roles after the initial election.

The meeting succeeded in filling five of the eight vacant roles, leaving Diversity Affairs, North Campus, and Te Ara Poutama devoid of representation on the SRC. In addition, Disability

Affairs Officer Margaret Fowlie left the position due to her no longer being an AUT student. At the time of writing this article, these four positions are yet to be filled.

Sara tells Debate that at the first SRC meeting on the 16th of February this year, they plan to talk about how the roles will be filled. “We think it is important to have this representation on the SRC, so we will be discussing how to go about it.”

Much like the five roles appointed by AUTSA at the end of 2021, these four vacant roles will again be appointed.

This will leave AUTSA in the position of having 16 out of the 22 positions

on the SRC either elected by default or appointed rather than elected.

“People don’t know what the student association does for them, which is very concerning. As a student, you’re actually paying for the services that AUTSA does.”

But Sara isn’t concerned by the appointment process. “We don’t want to be doing elections all over again

because it will be a bit confusing for students. But students have chosen us and will trust us to choose the right person.” Adding “if they put their names forward, they actually want to do it, and we can’t just leave the roles vacant.”

However, she has big plans to increase the visibility of AUTSA. “I’m planning on going around campus and talking to students and telling them what AUTSA actually does for them.” She guesses that around 80% of students don’t know what the president does.

“People don’t know what the student association does for them, which is very concerning. As a student, you’re actually paying for the services that AUTSA does.”

13

AUT To Be the Only Uni Without On-campus Vaccine Mandates

By Justin Hu (he/him) AUT will be the only university in the country that will not mandate the use of Covid-19 vaccine passes for on-campus study this year.

Seven out of eight universities in New Zealand have mandated the use of vaccine passes to participate in campus activities at all levels of the government’s traffic light system.

However, AUT students are not required to have vaccine passes at the Orange and Green levels, though the university is heavily emphasising the need for all students with passes to register online through the AUT app while at Red. At the Red level, the government mandates the use of vaccine passes for all on-campus study.

University spokesperson Alison Sykora told Debate that AUT intended to adhere to the legal requirements and public health guidance around vaccination passes on campus.

“We are focused on following the government-mandated requirements and guidance regarding the Covid-19 Protection Framework. Our priority remains keeping our staff and students safe while supporting work and learning as fully as possible.”

She said the university was advised by health officials that it was safe for vaccinated and unvaccinated students to study in person at lower levels.

“We are following specific advice from government, informed by health experts,

risks and the lesser of a number of evils.

We want to make sure our campuses are

among other reasons.

that states it is appropriate to be on campus at the Orange and Green traffic light levels,” Sykora said in a statement.

as safe as possible for everyone,” he said on Newstalk ZB.

“AUT has consulted with AUTSA who have expressed support. It is worth noting that secondary schools continue to operate without vaccination pass checks or requirements at all levels of the Covid-19 Protection Framework.”

AUT consulted on its vaccination policy in a poll sent out to all students and staff last October. The results of the student survey have not been released by the university.

Emerging science suggests Omicron evades vaccine immunity better than past variants which, alongside overall waning immunity, means people can still catch the new variant while double jabbed. But, researchers now believe a booster shot will restore reasonably high levels of immunity from catching the virus, shortly after immunisation.

Vaccine passes are only available to people who are double vaccinated or who have been granted a medical exemption by the Ministry of Health.

AUT consulted on its vaccination policy in a poll sent out to all students and staff last October. The results of the student survey have not been released by the university.

Meanwhile, staff were told in an email that 1,500 responses had been received on its staff survey — there are over 4,000 staff hired at the university.

According to the survey results, 81 per cent said they would be more comfortable on campus if students were fully vaccinated, with 82 per cent also saying they would be more comfortable if their colleagues were.

Last year, Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said most universities had to balance numerous trade-offs on mandates.

“We’re having to balance a whole set of

Other universities that brought in vaccination mandates released survey results from their student consultation.

At Victoria University in Wellington, 79 per cent of surveyed students said they supported the university’s decision to mandate vaccinations in classroom settings. 28 per cent said they lived with a household member in a vulnerable population.

Consultation results from the University of Canterbury suggested some students felt vaccination mandates would reduce the risks of them catching the virus and then spreading it onward to immunocompromised family or friends.

73 per cent of Canterbury students supported the policy. Meanwhile, those who opposed said it would discriminate against the unvaccinated and disproportionately restrict minority populations from access to education —

Research also shows that two doses of the Pfizer vaccine remains effective for reducing chances of hospitalisation and death, with a booster shot reducing a person’s chances significantly more.

At AUT, the only courses that require vaccination passes at all levels are clinical and teaching courses that involve placements.

“Unvaccinated students taking courses leading to clinical or teacher registration, will not be able to complete the mandatory clinical and practicum elements of their courses,” the university said online.

“This is a requirement of the placement locations and beyond AUT’s control.”

AUT’s website says support for those who are unvaccinated or those concerned about the possibility of encountering unvaccinated people on campus is being made available via the student hub.

At the Red level, room capacity is also limited based on one-metre physical distancing.

15

Look at Her Whakapapa In All Its Glory

AUT graduate and Debate’s new Culture and Lifestyle Writer Briar Pomana shares the intracices of whakapapa and what it means to be urbanised tauira Māori at university.

I grew up in a reasonably small, rural town.

Saturday mornings watching rugby down at the clubrooms and Sunday roast dinners at the local pub were never my cup of tea. Like many, university in a big city like Auckland was my one way ticket out. It was my Broadway play, my storyline, my narrative, that I would leave the countryside, make something better for myself, and never return.

And although this is the dream sold to many of us, through the lens of whānau Māori, this shift in environment can be extremely isolating and damaging further down the road. It is an unfortunate reality that to be Māori and be brought up on your ancestral lands, within a reo Māori community, is a privilege that many are not afforded.

One of my best friends, who is a staunch descendant of the north eastern iwi Ngāi Tūhoe was nurtured in our language. We went to boarding school together and she would spend hours spinning yarns about these great historical tales of brave women and beautiful men, tall maunga (mountains) and dense ngāhere (bush). Her belief in our people was beyond mine. Sure, I always knew I was Māori, and was raised by a fiercely independent and proud Māori woman, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I spent some nights wishing I was something else.

I think this is the case for many of us.

I truthfully can’t remember a time I didn’t know I was Māori and I can’t help but wonder if this is the same for Pākehā children. To preface this, I should acknowledge that on my father’s side I also have Pākehā whakapapa and my relationship with this facet of my being is extremely complex. Nothing we haven’t all read about before, you know, the ‘girl caught between two worlds’ is rather played out and tired. But for the context of this piece, I will use the examples of my grandparents to set the scene.

My father’s father is Pākehā. He was born into generational wealth. Thanks to his father’s contribution in World War II, he was given land to settle and build upon. He would later sell this land and establish a butchery that many of our family’s business ventures would grow from. My grandfather is a wealthy man who lives on a flash hill, in a flash house, and drives a flash car (there’s only three models in the entire world to be precise). He lives a life of well-crafted wines, Italian leather shoes, and spontaneous holidays. He is comfortable in who he is and keeps to himself as much as he can.

My mother’s father, on the other hand, was a much older Māori man. He worked our ancestral lands on the East Coast as a gifted shepherd. From dusk to dawn, he was riding horses, building fences, and ordering dogs around. He was the type of man who when he spoke, we all listened. His knack for storytelling was next to none. My Papa was born in 1929 and passed in 2017 so you can imagine the things he’d seen throughout the years he spent earthside. My Papa died a poor man, with no education

and a multitude of health conditions that saw him decline year after year with little to no assistance from our healthcare system.

His passing affected me in numerous ways, and I have written a short story and an entire short film in my grief. I understand that through whakapapa he can never be completely gone as I myself am his reincarnation, as are my hordes of aunties, uncles and cousins.

Often defined as ‘genealogy’, whakapapa encompasses many ideas and theories beyond the binary.

The word 'whakapapa' is a vast void that, in my view, is the crux of how Māori see and experience the world around us.

Often defined as ‘genealogy’, whakapapa encompasses many ideas and theories beyond the binary. Hana Burgess, a PhD candidate whose work focuses on the interconnections of whakapapa and genomics, expressed it this way.

“We can understand time through onamata and anamata. So mata meaning eyes, onamata the eyes of those who have come before us, and anamata, the eyes of those that come after us. So essentially as Māori we can see distant time through our mokopuna, the eyes that will come after us and through our tīpuna the eyes that came before us.”

17

TKT and the conversations around our marae dining tables opened my eyes to how many of us struggle with who we are and where we come from. Everything was taken from us and yet here we continue to be.

I find this deeply insightful as to how Māori and other indigenous communities carry each other wherever we go. Hana emphasises that we exist simultaneously in a state of both who we are as ancestors, and descendants.

With these connotations of what whakapapa means in mind, it’s hard not to feel like THAT girl. What a confidence booster to know I am everything both my ancestors and descendants have and will ever dream of.

to shy away from participating in seemingly Māori events and spaces like those hosted by Tītahi ki Tua (TKT – AUT’s Māori association) and Te Tari Takawaenga Māori (Māori liaison services). I can easily recall phrases such as “I’m not Māori enough”, “I can’t speak Te Reo Māori”, or “I’m only one quarter Māori”. These were regular topics in the conversations we’d have. And to that I say, being Māori cannot be rounded to the nearest fraction. Blood quantum is a colonial measurement not used by our people and your whakapapa could never be diluted or eliminated.

I know that sometimes when you haven’t been introduced to the parts of you that may appear in your whakapapa it can be painful as young adults to decide for ourselves that these intricacies hold significance. It is a burden laden with history, tragedy, and pain passed down generationally, so it’s important to understand that none of this was of our own doing.

The communities that I found myself in throughout university shaped me immensely, and it’s not lost upon me how important it is to find these collectives at AUT. TKT and the conversations around our marae dining tables opened my eyes to how many of us struggle with who we are and where we come from. Everything was taken from us and yet here we continue to be. It is through our whakapapa that we exist and are able to enter these spaces freely and if we so choose.

These institutions were not built for those of us outside of whiteness and yet here we are, sitting, learning, and contributing together towards a future that was once a radical far away thought of those who came before us. We are their manifestations of past and present, so let us remember these glories.

Throughout my degree at AUT it was not uncommon for tauira Māori (Māori students)

To learn more, check out: autmaori

Mix & Mingle

Campus Kai

4pm - 7pm

12pm - 3pm

Welcome Back Celebration

Wellbeing For You

Pub Quiz

Jam Sessions

Tue 1 March - Vesbar R18 - 5pm

Thu 3 - Fri 4 Mar - ME109 9am - 3pm

Pick Up & Play Sports

Events may change due to covid restrictions.

Keep an eye on www.autsa.org.nz for more info

Mon 28 Feb - AUTSA Student Lounge

Mon 28 Feb - Vesbar R18 - 5pm

Thu 3 Mar, Hikuwai Plaza

Thu 10 Mar - Hikuwai Plaza 11am - 2pm

Mon 28 Feb - Thu 3 Mar, 1-3pm Te Āhuru Recreation Centre

Board Games Evening Tue 1 Mar - AUTSA Student Lounge 5 - 6:30pm

19

A Summer Pandemic Diary

By Mila van der Plas (she/her) @mila.vdp Film is a great way to capture these turbulent times. Regardless of Jacinda announcing a lockdown on the week of my birthday TWICE, I know that in 20 years this era of life will be an experience that is unique to us all. The creative

ways we are still able to make the most of our summer despite our collective circumstance is what makes it exclusively ours; like all the socially distanced picnics or trips to Mission Bay when it felt like all of Auckland had the same idea. We know better than to let a red light bring us down - keep making memories and taking pics to show for it.

21

Tāmaki locals,

I’ve Got Some Questions ForYou

By Petra Shotwell (she/they) Unlike your typical ‘welcome back’ issue, I don’t set out to provide you with all the answers for your first year at uni.

In lieu, I’m going to give you a list of questions – and I guarantee many of you newbies have been asking the very same.

Like many of you fresh-faced and fizzing first years, I, too, am new to town and nervously embarking on my AUT journey (though, considerably less fresh-faced).

Me, from being so safe in Pōneke’s loving arms, and you, from wherever you ran from, chose to move to Covid central.

Whether heading for post-grad study like yours truly, leaving home for the first time, or none of the above, decisions

were made, and they landed us here.

Some were sceptical, but wished us well; others whole-heartedly congratulated us; but the Wellingtonians…the Wellingtonians shook their heads and asked us ‘why?’

It is a well-known fact, a requirement, if you will: Wellingtonians hate Auckland.

‘Hate’ is a strong word, but so is the Wellington wind, so those hipsters know what they’re talking about. I, having only visited Tāmaki Makaurau once prior to moving, was riddled with nerves but somewhat prepared to address the feelings of hatred that I was warned would follow me. Those feelings never came. Instead, the past month has been quite comfortable – enjoyable, even. Do I like it here? Am I a bad Wellingtonian?

Can I even call myself a Wellingtonian anymore, or have I been claimed by this secretly not-so-bad city?

Accepting my fate as an almighty JAFA, I’ve chosen to take the high road. It is now my quest to prove Wellington wrong, with sufficient evidence to answer for Auckland’s downfalls. But you see, I just can’t get my head around the downfalls – that’s where you come in.

Those with answers to the following are invited to write a letter to the editor, or, if your curiosity should stray, track me down on Instagram and provide me with the answers I so desperately crave.

Editor’s note: debate@autsa.org.nz welcomes any beach recs and ant killer suggestions.

3. It’s so BIG (oh yeah, so big) – I barely know where I am half the time.

Thankfully, I have my own car, so travel isn’t bad – but what’s with a five-minute drive equating to a half-hour walk? Is there a constant, subtle slope? Is it a strange road layout? Am I merely a painfully slow walker? Why does it take an eternity to get anywhere by foot?

5. Where are the FARMER’S MARKETS? – ya gal just wants a cheap, tasty vegetable or two. It seems that the haul from a veggie market here costs approximately double your average Wellington haul. Is there a market I’m unaware of that would satisfy my cravings, or are veggies here inherently more expensive? Tell me more.

1. The HEAT – from the land of the wind and chills, I am entirely unaccustomed to this sweltering warmth. I’ve resorted to changing my shirt at least twice a day because the under-boob sweat will not cease. How is one to sleep? To exercise? To merely exist without melting on the spot?

And on that note-

6. ANTS – the goddamn ants. Is this an Auckland thing? Is it the heat? I’m not even leaving food out – are they after my blood?

Nothing will cure the infestation. They’re inside closed jars, they’re in my cat’s food bowl, they’re in unopened, sealed packets of gluten free wraps. Ants are a gift from the devil, please help me exterminate them.

$50 Male Suitcase (Not suitable for females) 4. FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE

2. Where is one to SWIM? – I’ve been warned by various long-time Tāmaki residents that swimming anywhere too central is something I will soon regret, due to the misfortune of floating human excrement. In which case, where can one swim without straying too far? I need an afternoon dip to combat the heat, not an all-day coastal excursion.

– need I say more? Buyers call me ‘ma’am’, which I very much am not; sellers insist on cash, which I can’t find anywhere; I’m offered miniscule fractions of the asking price with complete sincerity. I even once had someone ask whether the suitcase I was selling was for boys, or only girls – to which I responded “unless I’m VERY mistaken, I don’t believe suitcases are gendered. This one can be used by all humans.” Is there something in the water (other than the pollution)? Marketplace, why are you like this?

7. Finally, because seven is my favourite number and apparently a gay one, where are the QUEERS? – I know they’re out there, they must be, but why can’t I find them? I understand that with the dreaded level Red destroying the arts, our dear drag shows are struggling. In which case, where else can I find my fellow queers? Can you point me in the direction of a pottery class? A queer book club? A secret society to promote the gay agenda? When drag shows are in a lull, where might a friendly pansexual go to make new, queer friends?

23

Making Friends as an Adult Is Damn Hard. Here’s How to Make It a Little Easier

By Alana McConnell (she/her) Illustration Yi Jong (she/they) Making friends only gets harder the older you get, a slightly sad but undeniable reality. We’ve said goodbye to the days where you could plonk yourself next to a random kid in your kindergarten class, bonding over Hot Wheels cars and crayons. In highschool, though it was a little harder with all that added angst, there was still ample opportunity to make friends and expand social circles. With the semester finally here, many of us (myself included) might be wondering about whether we will be able to make new friends, especially with the added hurdles that are online classes. Wherever you are in life, whether you are fresh out of highschool, or a returning student about to embark on a post-graduate journey, this is for you.

As we go through life and mature, our inhibitions increase, as does our selfawareness. We risk getting stuck in unhelpful habits and comfort zones.

I was promised multiple times before I started university that after I left highschool I would “find your tribe”. When I entered the university halls in Wellington, the pressure was immense to find my forever friends, but all I got were some drinking buddies who didn’t really ever know me.

When I transferred to Auckland in my final year of undergraduate study, I barely knew anybody on campus and entered large lecture theatres overwhelmed by the number of faces who already seemed set in their friendship circles. I saw people around me who I could imagine as a new friend, but I didn’t really know how to solidify anything. Once, I gathered up the courage to go up to a girl in my tutorial I thought seemed cool and we hit it off, becoming good friends. A success story! But sometimes things fall flat, and that’s the truth about friendship making - there is no foolproof way to find people in your life who you will truly connect with. You can’t Wikihow a step by step guide to securing four to seven best friends for life (something I admittedly did when I was a lonely 13 year old). Some people appear to have it all figured out, but we all have different methods, priorities, and values when it comes to building our social circles.

25

Friendship is often overshadowed by the intensity of romantic relationships, but finding a true and lifelong friend can be just as magical and meaningful as finding a romantic connection.

There are many factors that can be attributed to this “loneliness epidemic” of recent years. It’s become so bad that countries are now appointing Loneliness Ministers to tackle this complex issue. From the decline of organised religion, people pushing off marriage and children, social media, bad urban planning, and of course our ongoing pandemic, it’s not a huge surprise that a large number of people report high levels of loneliness. Conventional means of meeting our social needs have been pulled out from under us as we’re pushed into a world that is hostile to community and genuine connections.

We know that loneliness doesn’t require

physical solitude, but an absence of connection, intimacy, or kinship. As the cliché goes, you can be surrounded by people but feel more lonely than if you were walking alone in a park, or reading a book on the beach. Someone may appear to have a large friendship group, but if they don't feel truly seen or heard by others, then loneliness can arise swiftly and silently. Loneliness can’t be solved by just any form of company, rather from very specific relationships. It’s important then to ask yourself what you are actually looking for in a friendship, so you can seek out and foster a type of relationship that is fulfilling for you personally. A friendship is defined as “a bond of mutual affection”, and we know that friendships have different layers and levels. You may have acquaintances that you see at work or at uni, friends you catch up with occasionally and talk about shared interests, close friends who would drive you to the hospital and who you can confide in, and best friends who you can trust wholeheartedly and be your full authentic self around. All of these types of friendships play important roles and

1: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323783184_How_many_hours_does_it_take_to_make_a_friend

bring different forms of value to one’s life.

On some level, we seek out social relationships for survival. The pain of loneliness acts like a stimulus to tell us that we are at risk or lacking something.

Social rejection activates the same part of your brain as physical pain. If you are feeling anxious starting university or going to new classes with new people, that’s actually your brain attempting to help you. Of course it may not feel very helpful and can feel like a saboteur, but this desire to be accepted and to seek out belonging is a core trait of human survival.

With all that in mind, it’s vital to have realistic expectations. If you meet someone new and project expectations of becoming best friends instantly, you risk setting yourself up for disappointment. Friendships are not formulaic. They can be mysterious and nuanced. Just because someone may seem like the perfect friend from the get go, it doesn’t mean that it will develop into a connection.

The same can be said for dating. A study from the University of Kansas found that two people need to spend 90 hours together to become friends, or 200 hours to qualify as close friends.1 And though friendship is too complex to just be quantified through the amount of time spent together, it goes to show that deep bonds do take time to nurture and develop.

If you attempt to reach out and make new friends and it doesn’t go to plan, it’s extremely tempting to sink into self-blame, the inner critic kicking in.

One of the best things you can do is to be fully present in the moment. By being present, you improve your ability to find common ground, to laugh, and to bond over shared experiences, and to truly connect. Be open, and by doing so, you

give the other person space to be open and receptive to experiencing friendship with you. Every new relationship has to start from square one. When you are both feeling each other out and not really knowing what is going to happen, you need to be willing to put in time, effort, and vulnerability. Friendship is often overshadowed by the intensity of romantic relationships, but finding a true and lifelong friend can be just as magical and meaningful as finding a romantic connection.

When you are experiencing loneliness, by definition you feel alienated, and can often feel like something is wrong with you. If you attempt to reach out and make new friends and it doesn’t go to plan, it’s extremely tempting to sink into selfblame, the inner critic kicking in. Let’s say you notice that you haven’t been invited to a party or a gathering. You analyse your past behaviour, picking apart what you said or did, trying to find a reason for this rejection or this loneliness. This is where self-compassion must kick in, a practice that is at the core of what it means to be human. Be kind to yourself in this process

of making friends, and also be aware that though it’s usually an unsaid act, many of us are in the same boat when it comes to making friends as an adult. It just takes a little bit of vulnerability to admit.

Genuine self-confidence means you can back yourself up, and when you appreciate the value you bring to others and to yourself, making friends will gradually become more natural. Though no one needs to be “perfect” before entering a relationship, actively working on personal development and nourishing your self-esteem goes hand in hand with creating meaningful connections. People are attracted to those who are selfassured and at peace with themselves.

People are at the core of our existence, and our relationships are vital for our health and wellbeing. Though we can’t deny that as we grow older we will face more obstacles when it comes to making friendships, if we view it from a compassionate and realistic perspective while opening ourselves up to new opportunities, it’s not such an impossible task.

27

Out@AUT Celebrates 20 Years

Nam Đúc Trần (he/him) Hi gays (and those poor unfortunate souls who are not), It’s Pride month (at the time of writing) so you know what that means: it’s time to stand up, get a bowl of popcorn, and sit your ass down to rewatch Pose for the millionth time because unfortunately, big pride events such as Big Gay Out and Pride March have been canceled due to Covid. Fortunately, Out@AUT has come to pick up the slack, because this is our club’s 20th anniversary, honey, and we are ready to party, bitches!

The great news is that Out@AUT has many events lined up, and here are the top three. The first one is that the Rainbow Room has been moved and its makeover will have people lining up to take it to prom (which is happening, definitely).

The second one is that to make up for the cancelled pride events, we’re planning to have a full-on Pride week, happening in June (the less cool Pride month, as it is commonly known). And last but definitely not least, the grand finale is the Queer Ball happening at the end of the year, where we’re gonna give you an eleganza extravaganza.

Now, some of you reading this might go: “Have the gays really existed that long?” Well, how about I give you a bit of a history lesson. Twenty years ago was 2002, the year the first Spider-Man movie came out and two years after AUT was founded (I hope you feel old, I know I do). Second of all, our club members made quite a discovery last year when we were giving our good ol’ Rainbow Room a makeover.

Hidden behind the cobwebs, the glitter, and the mysterious suitcase that no one dared to open was an old visitor log for queer students to sign in. And, it was this year that the first entry was dated. Therefore, we have decided that 2002 is our club’s 20th anniversary, and we are making it gayer than ever!

In all seriousness, for a lot of us, it has been a difficult, challenging, and worst of all, uncertain time. All these changes, all the delays, they all seem like huge waves crashing down on our tiny bodies, leaving us underwater, struggling to come up for air. Even though we will try our best to make the plans happen, I cannot guarantee that they won’t be cancelled last minute just because another Covid variant decided to crash the party. Regardless, we shall persevere. To a lot of people (myself included), being queer is synonymous with being a rebel, a daredevil. Then, for 2022, I shall be queer by daring to have fun (responsibly!), to find joy in a world that’s seemingly trying to pull you down at every second, and I invite you all to do the same. Don’t forget to get your vaccines and boosters too, so we can finally cancel Miss Rona for good!

As we all know, the past two years have been… not that great. To put it simply: 2020? Gutted! 2021? Rotted.

Yours truly, Out@AUT

Positive wellbeing supports your educational achievement Your university, and the Code of Pastoral Care, works to ensure you have a support system.

This means that you should be: • safe, physically, and mentally • respected for who you are • supported in your learning and wellbeing • connected with your social and cultural networks and • able to have your say in decisions about services.

If you have concerns about your wellbeing that aren’t being met, or you want to make a complaint, talk to your university or student association first. If it’s unresolved, NZQA is here to help.

For more information visit: www.nzqa.govt.nz/know-the-code

#knowthecode

29

A Love Story to the 25L Words Briar Pomana (she/her) Illustration Yi Jong (she/they)

At first I was terrified of you. You with staggering height and thunderous breath, dominating the dominion and traffic light systems. It seems all too silly now that I would spend close to an hour practicing how I would wave you down in my bedroom and even watching YouTube videos on how I could best embark you. When I finally built up the courage to catch you, the soles of my shoes were smooth. My feet were done with hour-long walks and early morning hikes. I knew that using you would further me.

Before I knew it you were beside me as we both sighed in relief.

I plucked up the courage one afternoon engulfed in a January sunset. I called my mum four times beforehand to make sure I was ready. She sat annoyed on the other end in Hawke's Bay, but just her breathing gently armed me well. I saw you thunder along Symonds Street across the bridge. Standing by an old record shop and a beauty parlour, I signalled you from at least twenty metres away and held my arm stiff and outward at a perpendicular angle as confidently as I could. As you approached, I noted three people atop and a driver with big hair and even bigger sunglasses. Before I knew it you were beside me as we both sighed in relief. Just like the videos I had watched of Jerome Kaino on Auckland Transport’s website, I readily allowed your reader to take me in. Your insides were

cool and empty so I was spoilt for choice. Picking a raised seat near the back, I studied your patterns. Blues, yellows, darkened lines and splashes of colours here and there triggered childhood memories of daycares and waiting rooms.

You weren’t entirely chic, but comfortable and clean - a sort of comforting edge about you. I made sure I knew where we were to part so as to not make a mistake. These numbers here, at this street there, across the road from Countdown.

Now, I flag you down with my back to the road in fun. Now, I am able to trace our journeys with my eyes closed, recalling every bump and bend to know when to wake and leave. I get off where I please and catch others in conjunction. I see you in humidity and storms, in dark mornings and nights. Your regulars, I know well - a strange sort of family when we are together. Moving from one point in space to another we are like rocketeers and you, our steed. I have a favourite spot on you too, still in the first place I ever sat, upraised. Now I listen to Joni Mitchell and don’t cry whilst with you. It’s as though I’ve already seen enough sunsets on my way home from uni to care too much. The murals we pass seem to change but you never do. It’s comforting to find myself in you. You sometimes annoy me with not showing up when I need you but I’m learning not to sweat the small stuff. I adore you, and want to thank you for keeping me safe and letting me lean on you when I need it the most. Perhaps this year could be the year we see space between us grow, me driving and you helping some other kid new to the city.

Never mind, you’re not allowed to leave me. It’s cheaper to keep you around.

31

An AUTSA lodge getaway: cabin fever, or cottagecore?

By Nam Woon Kim (he/him)

Author’s note: I just happened to visit the lodge at the end of last year. AUTSA did not, in fact, send me to write this review. If they had, I would’ve taken some photos of the actual lodge. Sorry AUTSA! With travel out of Auckland becoming possible early summer last year, plans to make the most of this well-earned reprieve began to sprout. We were desperate to stretch our legs after a trying lockdown, but with most places booked up it wasn’t looking good. At the eleventh hour, Debate alum and former editor Rebecca came to the rescue with a novel suggestion: why not use the AUTSA lodge?

It was the first time I’d heard of it, and for many of you this may be the first time too. After locking in some numbers and dates, I secured a one-way ticket to this mysterious place. Does it even exist? Was Rebecca pulling my leg? Is it actually worth going? With Rebecca being one of the most discerning critics I know, I reassured myself that this wasn’t an elaborate ruse and it would be a good time.

I sent off the last few days of 2021 here, and if you’re already organising that welldeserved break you’ve earned one week into uni, this could be the spot for you.

First impressions My first impression was fog-tinted with heavy rain pouring down as we pulled into what I thought was the right place. The booking is done through Howard’s Lodge, one of several accommodation options at National Park, so that’s where I went first.

Turns out, we were just across the road on our own patch of the village.

There was plenty of parking available and I took my pick of the grass up front, with others taking the driveway.

Once inside, the instinct to investigate every little thing kicked in. First on the agenda was the comically large, square dining table - an impressive statement piece had it not been in the most dimly lit part of the room. It served our party of 12 well, but it could really use a lazy susan.

Next were the couches - comfy/10. After unpacking and sorting out who’s sleeping where, I noticed that each of the three

extended edition box set you just happened to pack. Win the respect of your friends by using your deep knowledge and point at the screen when Viggo Mortensen kicks the Uruk-hai helmet and actually breaks his toe (that one’s a Debate freebie). It’s not the end of the world if you arrive empty handed too.

If I recall correctly there was Cluedo, old magazines, and a pile of DVDs ranging from that Dreamworks movie even annoying film students have forgotten about, to Prison Break season 1.

The backyard also has plenty of space for a game of cricket or football, so pack your favourite activities should you decide to just relax at the lodge for most of your trip, which is a fine choice too. Kubb anyone?

Tongariro Crossing tips Although it may seem intimidating, the alpine crossing is one of the more accessible outdoor adventures we can enjoy here on the North Island. The usual suspects that appear in every recycled ‘Top things to do while in NZ’ list are usually underwhelming, but this one really is worth doing at least once. bedrooms - fitted with rustic bunk beds have their own toilet and shower. All tidy too, and since you’ll be cleaning them at the end of your stay make sure to keep it that way. We moseyed over to the kitchen last - there’s a generous amount of room but don’t be tempted, too many cooks and you’ll be losing friends even before cracking open Monopoly.

What to do My trip was planned around the Tongariro Crossing (the one-day alpine course. The more outdoorsy among us are welcome

to give the multi-day tramp a go) but the world is yours should you choose to stay.

Visit during the snow season and make the most of Mount Ruapehu. Or, stay inside and finally try that 200-piece board game that needs half a day just to learn the rules and another half-day to complete a turn. Even if the weather pulls a fast one on you, cosy up inside and get the fireplace going.

Strategically pick a weekend with bad weather, even, and force everyone to do a Lord of the Rings marathon with the

Equipped with the lockdown cardio gained through your state mandated walks over the past two years, get a group together and soak in that alpine air. To give you an idea of its difficulty, you’ll see everyone from kids fresh into primary school to hungover uni students braving the walk. Regardless of what season you plan to go, aim for the earliest shuttles in the day if you want to take your time with extra rest stops and snapping up photos.

Here’s a sneak preview of the crossing from yours truly, taken on a humble Olympus XA.

33

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www.autsa.org.nz/the-lodge

35

FORGOT to call

Mum?

OH WELL.

FORGOT YOUR PILL?

OH no!

Bayer New Zealand Ltd., 72 Taharoto Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622.

PP-PF-WHC-NZ-0007-1. NA 13428. December 2020.