CANTA ISSUE 11, 2019

(Mental health and wellbeing)

Editorial

Hello!

Wow, thank you all so so much for the amazing support you’ve given for the campaign to get CANTA editorially independent from the UCSA. It is so wonderful to see the student cohort join together on such an important issue, sharing your voices. Please keep sharing and signing the petition – contact your student exec and let them know your thoughts. Your voice and your perspective are so important.

One of the coolest things I’ve experienced during this campaign, and something I am so grateful for, is all the people who’ve sent me messages, or popped by the office just to ask if I’m okay, and to ask how I am doing. A tiny gesture, which honestly has meant the world to me. And this leads me to the issue of CANTA today: “Hauora, Your Mental Health and Wellbeing.” Boy oh boy, is life a roller coaster. It’s filled with the highest of highs – taking you up and up until you’re dancing among the stars. It’s filled with the lowest of lows – taking you deep down into a dark ocean of tears. As students, this is one of the most turbulent time of our lives. So many things change. We’re growing and learning; figuring out who we are, and what’s important to us. Let us check in on one another more often. Call up that friend you haven’t heard from in a while. Ask that friend who always seems to have it all together, how their heart is. Put down your phone and really listen. Make dinner with friends, or go out for a lunch, not just a coffee. We’re all a team, and although we cannot always do great things in life, we can do small things with great love.

Lastly, along this journey one of the most important things that we can learn – is that we must be our own cheerleaders, our own best friends. Every day reserve a little time for you; do something you love. Uncomplicate your heart and invest in yourself.

To any of you, I’m always here if you need me. Get in touch anytime.

Arohanui, Sam xxx p.s You are so important, thanks for being here.

Presidents piece

- CANTA Term 4, #11

Hi everyone,

Canta’s been front and centre in the social conversation lately - great to see tonnes of you deeply caring about this magazine and how you reckon it should be run. Canta has a long history that stretches all the way back to 1930 so it’s key it’s a publication we continue to all be proud of.

The topic of editorial independence is a debate of sorts that comes up from time to time. You may know that Canta is funded by the student services levy that we all pay each year so it’s important UCSA is all ears as to what you as current UC students what.

Canta always has and will continue to be administered by the UCSA so there’s a duty of care the team has on ensuring a professional, accurate, and well-presented publication. In saying that however, if a higher degree of editorial independence is what current UC-students want, we have to be open to hearing that. Feel free to drop me a line at president@ucsa.org.nz if you have further feedback.

Arohanui,

Sam Brosnahan President

Letters to the Editor

Dear CANTA ,

Was reading your latest issue while procrastinating over an assessment (there's three hours and 52 minutes left to go, she'll be right). Your pigeon article was the bomb! Good work Sean, looked super well researched & written. On the pigeon issue though - ew. The whole thing smells of something fishy. UC should seriously consider using a vaguely reputable company...

Cheers Master Procrastinator

Dear Master Procrastinator, Hope you got your assignment finished in time – love that attitude too – there's never any point in stressing about assignments – they'll always get done! And thanks a heap – Sean is an absolute treasure to this magazine and he worked so hard to produce that piece, I’m stoked you liked the read. Oh, for sure...we’ll definitely do some follow ups!

Thanks for writing in!

Sam

Dear CANTA,

RE pigeons; we should kill them all. They keep me awake by mating at night, have been shitting in my bathroom when I leave the windows open, and have been laying eggs in said bathroom and I’ve had enough.

Is it possible for someone to write an opposing piece about pigeons and why they should be killed? I don’t want people thinking pigeons are nice.

Thanks

Hey!

Please, you’re more than welcome to write an opposing piece. To be honest, I too am not the biggest fan of pigeons. They’re gross. And your experiences sound like the plot for a horror film.

I’ll keep an eye out for your pitch (;

Dear CANTA,

It used to be that you'd pick up an issue of CANTA and at least have something to read that was insightful or interesting, but these last few issues have been rubbish. CANTA doesn't seem like a magazine for the general student population anymore, but instead a magazine for the editor and their friends.

This latest issue is the first CANTA in 3 years I have spent less than 5 minutes with before tossing it aside and not even bothered to look at again later.

I don't know what the end goal of the editor is, but if that goal is to make the student populace apathetic towards something that they should have pride in and want to contribute to, then well done.

The university has thousands of brilliant minds that could produce some amazing articles about a wide range of topics, yet you print garbage week after week, and it's not a few pages of themed garbage, but a whole issue of garbage.

Please, create something better, so that students can actually take pride in CANTA.

Disgruntled and distainful.

Hello

Thank you for writing in and sharing your opinion. I'm actually quite proud to say since becoming editor, CANTA is getting more contributions from brilliant minds, on a range of topics, than ever! I’ve taken on a heap of positive feedback, especially on how diverse and inclusive CANTA has become. I've actually heard the best positive feedback from out latest issue too. If you’d like to see some changes, do get in touch with some constructive ideas, or hey, send me a pitch and join the CANTA team too.

Catch you

Dear CANTA,

I read an article a few days ago that a young woman has since submitted to you to consider for your next issue on having a hearing disorder and wellbeing. A colleague showed me a draft as the young lady had asked for some feedback from the disabled community before sending to you. I think it is really beautiful that you are sharing stories like hers. I haven't been a student at UC for a few decades now but being a deaf person studying back then was really rough. It saddens me that this young woman still faces a lot of the same stigma I did so many decades ago, but it also warms my heart that young people like her are making a noise and wanting real change! Keep fighting the good fight by encouraging stories like ours to see the light - visibility for the struggles we face can only help us demand better outcomes!

I hope that she is given the opportunity to write for you again. Best wishes,

A UC Lifer

Dear UC Lifer,

Thank you so much for writing in and for your kind words! I fully support the writer in everything she does! I want CANTA to be a magazine where everyone feels included, and inspired in the knowledge that they can share their issues, perspectives, opinions and ideas!

If you ever wanted to write for CANTA too, send me your ideas any time :)

all the best

Letters to the Editor Letter of the Week

Gidday

Thanks for your issue about drugs.

I also enjoy taking drugs and I also think they should be decriminalised, but I’m worried this edition was far too one sided. There was only one article (actually half an article) that was against using drugs and it was taking the piss, saying lions, fish, and wolves don’t take drugs so why should humans.

I know students are in general very open and accepting, but once we graduate we’re going to enter a society where we don’t even know if 50% of the population want to legalise cannabis. If I gave that magazine to my parents they’d probably want me to un-enrol from UC because everyone is a hippy who loves psychedelics and MDMA.

The drugs issue definitely needed a more balanced perspective. The magazine does say throughout that there are risks to taking drugs, but pill testing, legalising drugs, the right set and setting, and pill testing mean they’re actually all good. This edition probably has encouraged some students to take more drugs and try new drugs without accepting that they can be really dangerous and most of society still thinks they’re a terrible idea. You should ask Tash Sultana what she thinks about mushrooms.

It’s so important to inform yourself from different perspectives, especially today when your social media only shows you what you agree with. I hope future Cantas share a few different viewpoints instead of becoming another Vice.

Cheers for reading Hey,

Thanks a heap for writing in and for your thoughtful comments! You make a really good point - alas at the time no one had come forward with a pitch for another perspective. As a result, I tried to ensure the issue kept to a pattern of acknowledging that students are taking drugs, and from this encourage them to do their research and understand what they were taking – to keep everyone safe. In this Hauora issue however, there is an article on the relationship between drugs and mental health, and this definitely provides another perspective. Would love to hear your thoughts on it :) At the end of the day it is for the individual to make their own decision on whether to take drugs or not – whether society agrees with it or not – and I wanted to make sure that when people are making these decisions, they’re informed and understand their actions and protentional consequences.

thanks again and all the best

UCSA and the Navratri Garba Night

By Harry FR Robson

Serious questions need to be raised around the sincerity of the efforts of the UCSA to be culturally-inclusive. Navratri Garba Night is an annual Hindu religious festival which celebrates the divine feminine as embodied in the concept of Shakti; the triumph of love and light over darkness and hate. The festival represents dedication, selfsacrifice, and community spirit so it is a critical time of the year for the Hindu (and associated) community to come together to celebrate and commemorate what they value in life and how they can contribute to others (much like Christmas for Christians).

It involves a slow-dance which is basically walking around in a circle. It’s a festival for which there is great multi-cultural enthusiasm for in the Christchurch community. It would have been a classic showcase of Canty’s diversity and inclusivity. Except the Navratri Garba Night is occurring during the same weekend as the Supreme Club Awards. The organisers of this event hoped to have hosted it in Engcore, however, the U.C.S.A., and U.C. security, seemed to have adopted a bolshy approach of being entirely unwilling to accommodate the festival of any religious minority.

The U.C.S.A. suggested moving the date of the festival to three nights later, which is cool if you like to celebrate Christmas on December 28th, when this turned down by the organisers the U.C.S.A. simply replied with a disrespectful “[f]lat no” before promptly blowing smoke that the Engcore was too unsafe to conduct a slow-dance/walk-ina-circle. This after the organisers had laid out a detailed plan and health-and-safety analysis for the U.C.S.A., which included making

UCSA Response:

the event alcohol-free, having ten first-aid staff present, and erecting one metre barriers near the stairs and any naughty pointy surfaces. In reality, it seems that the U.C.S.A. and U.C. security simply did not want to allow the the Navratri Garba Night to go ahead because it would be too inconvenient for them to logistically administer it (i.e. spare a few security staff).

Considering that the Engcore is a place where our lovely engineers regularly scooter, skate, sleep, and do god knows what else — we should ask some questions regarding this problematic situation:

What is the Engcore safe for (if not an alcohol-free event with plenty of floor space and an excess of first-aid staff)?

Why was the U.C.S.A., and U.C. Security, so unwilling to accommodate a highly importantly (and popular) festival for a religious minority?

Why is the U.C.S.A. actively discouraging, even sabotaging, these sorts of events?

Why did the U.C.S.A. treat the organisers with such abrasive disrespect? Do they consider how they handled the issue to be culturally sensitive and appropriate?

Unfortunately, when approached about a booking for Navratri Garba Night, the spaces in Haere-roa that would work for the booking were already booked for the dates requested. The UCSA then supported the club in the process of requesting a booking in the Engineering Core, however unfortunately the UCSA is not the approver of these bookings – this is the University, and the booking request was declined.

Since opening in July Haere-roa has been proud to host and support a number of culturally diverse events including CMSA’s Malam Malaysia, Nusantara Students’ Association’s Indonesian Cultural Day, UC Global Society’s International Fashion Showcase, and the Looking and Sounding Different public discussion on racism along with many other events.

Tiny Ruins w// Jen Cloher

As part of the Olympic Girls Spring Tour, two kiwi indie darlings for the price of one!

September 12

7:30pm at the Blue Smoke

$34.90 via Undertheradar

Li’l Chuck Live in Hanmer Springs

The one-man skiffle machine cuts a rug and hails Mary or whatever!

September 21

8pm at the Hanmer Springs Anglican Church

$15 via backyardmusic

Sex Beard w/ the Wendys and Inexile

Guys c’mon, their name is ‘Sex Beard’ what more do I have to sell?

September 21 9pm at the Darkroom

FREE (Guys c’mon, their name is ‘Sex Beard’ what more do I have to sell?)

Mel Parsons Spring Tour

Sweetheart of the rodeo, and former ‘Fly My Pretties’ frontwoman wows the crowd!

September 26 8pm at the Blue Smoke

$43 via undertheradar

HAUORA VS WELLBEING

by Abby Robertson

I’m so passionate about this CANTA issue’s theme, yet I couldn’t help recoiling at the idea of overused buzzwords, clichés or giving unsolicited advice on how you should ‘self-care.’ Instead, I’ll offer some good ol’ linguistic analysis, and practice some bicultural competency as best a Pākehā can, so get nerdy with me (?)

Still reading? Cool, thanks, you’re a dream <3

Flexing the ‘Self-Care’ Muscle

I see taking care of yourself is both an art form and a skill: especially since when you need to take care of yourself most is typically when you feel least capable of doing so. Therein lies a conundrum: how do we keep self-caring when we’re at our worst? This is why it’s a skill – we must flex that muscle, like we would for our memory or fitness. It’s a discipline.

The Art of Caring for Ourselves

But Abby, why is it an artform? Because to me, looking after ourselves is actually beautiful. We generally consider loving other people as beautiful - so too is doing this for ourselves. It’s also challenging and takes regular practice and effort – again, in the same way that art does.

It should be mandatory to learn how to selfcare in school: we are never not in need of this practice. We should always try our best to take care of ourselves; that is how we cope, and how we get through the hard stuff.

Our wellbeing is so important, and it’s crucial to our functioning day to day as university students. Especially when we factor in all the stresses in our lives. Many of us are dealing with:

-academic stress;

-relationship stress; with friends, family, romantic partners

-work stress;

-financial stress;

-the list goes on (and on.)

(tag urself e haumi).

But I’m not here to depress us by reminding us of all our problems and pressures – I’m discussing how we can stay balanced and retain some sanity in the jigsaw puzzle that is our wellbeing.

Considering we’ve just celebrated it, I also wanted to give a nod to te wiki o te reo Māori, further the kaupapa of kia kaha te reo Māori, and to challenge myself by compare and contrasting Pākehā and Māori concepts.

While I am a complete pēpi to te Ao Māori, and to hauora, even the little I have learned so far has taught me a more holistic view. I would love to see more te reo Māori in CANTA, and international languages too –we’ve got so many passionate writers, this article is my contributionto this.

He aha te hauora?

First of all, let’s look at the word hauora. What are its components? If we break down the word hauora, in its most basic form, we have two smaller words. Hau, and ora.

Hau: meaning ‘vital essence’ or ‘vitality’ of a person.

It can also mean ‘breath,’ ‘wind’ or ‘air,’ depending on context.

Ora: meaning ‘to be alive, well, safe, recovered, healthy, fit’ (when functioning as a verb).

But also, as a noun, meaning ‘life, vitality.’

NB: the greeting ‘kia ora’ literally means ‘be well,’ yet is often translated as ‘hello.’

He aha te take o te hauora?

So hauora, which is often equated to ‘wellbeing,’ is more comprehensive. It’s not just ‘being well’ in a physical or mental way. It’s concerned with a person’s ‘vital essence,’ their ‘breath,’ wellness, safety and health. When we translate/whakapākehā this concept, we can actually unknowingly diminish or misinterpret it.

Contrastingly, ‘wellbeing’ is defined as “the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous.” Immediately this strikes me as being 1. More concise, and 2. Less holistic.

While there are some ideas in common between these two concepts, there are also fundamental differences.

Te Whare Tapa Whā

Indigenous knowledge in general needs far more exploration, particularly for those of us who are Pākehā within a paradigm that places western thought at its core. These four walls of our whare symbolise different aspects of wellbeing and have equal importance.

-Taha Hinengaro/Mental health

- Watching your self-talk: being respectful, gentle and positive

- Disconnecting from social media

- Sleeping enough

- Seeking help when you need it

Taha Whānau/Social health

- Hanging with friends & whānau

- Volunteering your time

- D&M chats

-Taha Tinana/Physical health

- Exercising

- Eating well

- Regular check-ups

-Taha Wairua/Spiritual health

- Self-expression (through music, art, poetry etc)

- Acknowledging ātua/spirituality (however it’s relevant to you),

- religious rituals and practices

Ko tēnei tētahi mea rerekē, engari ko te tuku o te Reo Māori tōku tūmanako. Mō te Wiki o te Reo Māori, i whakaaro ahau he pai ki te tuhi i te Reo Māori. He waka eke noa.

Mā te whāia ki te kōrero te reo Māori, e ako ana ahau o te ao Māori. Ki ahau, he tino rerekē ki te ao Pākehā tēnei whakaaro. Engari, he tino pai rawa ki ahau te whakaaro o te whare tapa whā.

Harold Hauora

by Sean Lydiard

Along with the Scholastic Book Fair, the arrival of the Life Education van and Harold the giraffe was one of the true delights of primary school. With a couple of friends, I returned to the Life Education van to find out Harold’s hot tips for university students, and to see which of the Life Education rules we’d broken since our time at primary school.

The session we attended was on ‘Kindness’ and taught the kids about behavior that was above or below the line. ‘Above the line behavior’ is things like sharing or saying ‘please,’ ‘below the line behavior’ is basically everything that happened in this year’s Law Revue. The new entrants in Room 15, their relief teacher Mrs. O, and the educator Siobhan, went through various behaviors that were either above or below the line, and we sat in the back giggling every time a kid thought telling lies was an above the line behavior or told the educator that they’d never made a mistake ever. Then Harold turned up. We fully expected to be a little disappointed: surely there’s no way he’d live up to our primary school memories and delight. But he wholeheartedly did. Harold is absolutely everything you remember, and I’d happily lay down my life to protect this karaoke-singing giraffe and his massive, luxurious, drag-queen eye lashes. Polly wept a little, Lewis displayed more emotion in that three minutes than he has the whole time I’ve known him, and I felt all my stress and anxiety melt away: nothing could really be that bad if Harold is still smiling.

It sounds a bit obvious to ask what Harold would think of us now,

whether we’ve lived up to his expectations, but maybe the best metric to measure our actions by is whether or not a health-conscious giraffe from our childhood would approve. In a world where the planet is literally on fire and we can’t do anything about it, maybe what we all need is Harold hanging out over our shoulder letting us know whether we’re doing the right thing or not. And while there’s a lot we can do to make Harold proud, looking after ourselves has got to be at the top.

We may not have heeded all of Harold’s advice (can’t be sure he’d approve of everything y’all get up to at Tea Party), here’s some hot tips for looking after yourself:

Get back to basics. Go for a walk, ride or a swim. Read some books. Think about life. Take time to enjoy the beautiful world around you.

Exercise works as a distraction and also to release emotions and tense muscles. Walk, swim, dance, do yoga or stretches. It will all help.

Or just chill. We all need a bit of peace and quiet sometime to think about who we are, where we’re heading, and how we want to get there.

But also know when to ask for help. There are places lots of places that can help with the stuff you're facing. Just do what you gotta to look after yourself and keep making Harold proud.

Living with Disability

by Eleanor Hurton

“Wait…you can talk?” “Have you ever thought of getting ear transplants?” “Wow, you don’t look disabled!” “Jesus can heal you if you just pray enough” and “How do you have sex?” are just a few of the rude, ridiculous or degrading things I have been asked or told as a person with a hearing disorder.

Maybe then, it is unsurprising that Statistics New Zealand discovered that only 10% of disabled people report having good or excellent health, and only 55% of disabled people reported having positive life satisfaction compared with 72% of those without disabilities.

These statistics come as no surprise to me. As someone who lives with a disability, I can tell you that at times life can feel frankly… pretty shitty. When you face constant stigma, inaccessibility and biased assumptions, it is no wonder my community reports such negative wellbeing outcomes.

To be honest, I think a lot of my struggles haven’t come from my disability itself but from the way I began to be shunned by my friends, colleagues, and university connections when my hearing disorder started to present itself mid-way through my undergraduate degree. I was suddenly “too hard” to deal with, and not worth the time or effort. Even basic requests, like

having people face me when they speak so I could lip-read, were met with scorn and laughter.

My experiences have led me to strive for better wellbeing outcomes for the disability community and I am proud to be leading ReDefine: Youth Development Programme. ReDefine aims to redefine what it means to be a young person with a disability. It works to empower these young people to take on a positive identity, seeing their value, not despite disability but with disability.

Through this programme, I was given the opportunity to attend and help facilitate the I-Lead Conference in the Beehive from 3-4th September this year. This was New Zealand’s first national conference for young leaders with disabilities. I had the privilege of meeting the Minster for Disability and the Disability Rights Commissioner, as well as other key players in the disability space. Along with other young leaders we discussed some of the key challenges disabled youth face in Aotearoa, and potential solutions, as well as presenting these solutions to important figures working for government and beyond.

A key issue that came up time and time again was the health and wellbeing of young disabled people. Mental health issues, lack of employment and educational support, discrimination, inaccessibility, and housing issues were among considerations impacting the wellbeing of my community.

A really powerful statement a young person said to me during the conference was, “society is more disabling to me than my disability has ever been.”

The reality is that disabled people are capable of success in education, employment, and in life but often the world just doesn’t give us the chance to prove ourselves. We are written off before we even get through the door.

I think as a university, it is so important that we ensure UC gives disabled students and staff the chance to succeed. Disabled people are not lacking because of our differences, in fact our differences are what allow us to thrive, and we bring valuable perspectives to important conversations and topics.

So, the next time someone tells me I “don’t look disabled,” maybe I should respond “well you don’t look stupid - but here we are.”

In order to make UC an inclusive and accepting place for everyone, maybe just think before you comment or make assumptions about someone’s disability to ensure their first barrier to success isn’t you.

Dry July

Report Card

Since making the snap decision to take on Dry-July while writing my anti-alcohol and pro-cannabis article last semester, I have completed the task with questionable success. I will admit, I was weak and I failed very early on. I accepted the hospitality of an Italian climbing guide who offered my father and I one shot of his home-made “Genepy,” a regional spirit which tastes like fresh mown grass mixed with flowers, alcohol and sugar. I could have refused his hospitality but I didn’t have it in me to explain to an accomplished Italian alpinist that in NZ we have the strange obsession of categorically limiting our behaviours on a monthly basis. I just wanted to have a cultural experience. Fuck me, right?

OVER THE MONTH I NOTICED A FEW THINGS:

1) I lost a single kg. I was honestly expecting more, but perhaps I compensated with more pies?

2) I did not miss alcohol, but I did miss the social aspect of drinking something that tastes like beer with other people. Hence, I decided my first drink at the new Foundry would be a Heineken 0.0%, much to the chagrin of Lucian, my quiz buddy and heckler.

3) Cannabis is not necessarily a perfect replacement for alcohol. It is not particularly pro-social, especially when smoked. Edibles however were a lovely way to chill out among people drinking, though sometimes you look at them and think “bloody hell, do I look like that when I drink?” That could have been anxiety from being so stoned, but I think there’s some truth to it.

4) Having now spent nearly two weeks in August wet, I have found that I don’t have the same appetite for alcohol as I had previously.

One thing I failed to note early enough into the month to save me was that 0.0% Heineken is in fact more accurately “less than 0.05% alcohol”. What this means is that every other day I was insulting my donors (who raised $257.17 for cancer patients) by drinking less than 0.05% alcohol. Fuck me, right?

I woke up on July 1st knowing I’d only be consuming alcohol and water for the next thirty-one days. Your eyes didn't deceive you: I indeed completed the opposite of Dry-July (which I dubbed “Dewy July”) where the only liquids I’d be having had alcohol in them. I quickly realized that I needed to also drink water in order to survive the challenge, but this semantic didn’t stop me. While this version of Dry-July may seem convoluted and even disrespectful, I learnt heaps about addiction, drinking culture, and myself. It’s worth noting that I’m somewhat notorious for my consumption of juice, coffee, and milk: this challenge was harder than I had first envisioned.

OVER THE MONTH I NOTICED A FEW THINGS:

Seven days in and I was really feeling the effects of my new liquid menu. I’d often catch myself *this close* to breaking my decided diet, but thankfully this occurred seldom as the month went on. I began strongly craving juices, flavoured milks, and coffees. My body soon adjusted to this diet too - to this day I hardly drink coffee because I’ve truly weaned myself off it. I’ve never had a NoDoz either; I’ll make sure to film how I react if I ever take such a caffeine pill.

A fortnight in, and I’m often getting comments saying “that ought to be harder than actual Dry July.” Yeah, in some ways I suppose it was. In no way did I want to delegitimize the importance of the actual planned and advertised month of teetotalism, however. In fact, I learnt heaps about addiction and alcohol despite being able to drink (and perhaps encouraged to drink solely because of a lack of options). I know that wanting to desperately drink a Homegrown Orange Juice is nowhere near the struggle of wanting to drink alcohol because of addiction; instead I became more aware of how intense dieting can be, and would now consider myself more aware of how harsh and impactful being addicted to something is. We need to give more kudos to those battling addiction, myself included even to this day.

Three weeks in. New Zealand has a heinous drinking culture that Dewy July opened my eyes to. There is more alcohol in a cruiser than most beers, yet you’re “more of a man” if you have the latter. Surely a “man” has the “stronger” drink (but don’t get me started on the connotations of gender and alcohol at all, because in the end everybody drinks for one of two reasons (either to enjoy the flavour or forget the flavour). And come on, half the time people don’t even finish their yardy, and only have a beer gut and lawn covered in yack to show for. Drinking culture here is needless. Getting really drunk isn’t a personality trait and in theory shouldn’t make you any more or less popular, and yet.

After a month of only water and alcohol, I not only felt flushed out and healthy because I’d drank so much water, but I also arrived in August with a better understanding of alcohol and its consequences. Massive ups to anyone battling addiction; if you have been meaning to quit alcohol or anything like it, this is a sign and message for you to do so. On the other hand, everything is great in moderation; I just respect my drink more (and drink less juice because I know it’s worth to me now).

Asher Etherington / Ben O’Connell

Local Body Elections

What the heck are they anyway?

Have you seen a bunch of billboards around the place recently? That’ll be the local body elections. They’re the upcoming elections where we can elect the mayor, Environment Canterbury, the City Council and the Canterbury District Health Board. I’m here to tell you why it’s so important that you vote.

1) The local body elections affect your everyday life!

In the upcoming elections, you’ll be voting for people who can change important things such as your water, transport options around the city, what projects in Christchurch we fund, and how we address topics like mental health and climate change in Canterbury. These elections affect way more of our day-to-day lives than our national elections do!

2) Voting is easy.

To vote in the upcoming elections, you need to fill in the form that will be delivered to the address you have enrolled to vote under, picking your favourite candidates. It can be kind of overwhelming to choose which ones, so download the Celect app. It’s an app where you can read a brief bio of each candidate and then favourite the ones that talk about things that are important to you! Also, check out the interactive map the Christchurch Youth Council are producing. We’ve asked local body candidates questions that are important to youth to help you decide.

3) It’s important that youth vote, because we CAN make a BIG change.

We’re the biggest group of people that don’t vote. This usually means that local politicians don’t make policies that help us. What might help young people doesn’t usually help the older population, which makes up most of local council. If we vote in this election, people standing for election can see that we care, and will write more policies that cater to us. Famously this year, a Dunedin Mayoral candidate told people that ‘young people don’t know enough,’ and that we should focus on more ‘educated’ voters. I’m sure he wouldn’t be saying this if lots of us voted. Furthermore, we are the leaders of the future...a future that these electoral candidates will be creating, so it’s important we have our say.

Want to find out more? Head to the Christchurch Youth Council facebook page at facebook.com/ chchyouthcouncil/. We’ve got a bunch of videos explaining the different things you’ll be voting for in the local elections, and soon we will have an interactive map where you can see what candidates in your electorate stand for. Coming up soon is also the Youth Mayoral Debate on the 26th of September, where we’ll be grilling the Mayoral candidates on issues that matter to youth. Catch you there!

By Kim Fowler

Local Elections: Who Are You Voting For?

By Francesca Zhang

The local elections are happening now, and you should already have received voting papers in the mail! If you haven’t yet decided who to vote for, don’t despair. The Christchurch Youth Council (CYC) sent emails to all Christchurch local candidates with an email address, asking them questions that would be of interest to youth. Here are the responses of the mayoral candidates who responded in time to get their answers published here.

You can find our full resource, including responses from CDHB, Community Board, Councilor, and ECan candidates on our website: http://www.chchyouthcouncil.org.nz/. To see the full list of candidates you have to choose from, download the Celect app.

Robin McCarthy

What would you bring to the role that makes you unique?

A structure to prioritise what is in the "public good" and what is not, to be decided democratically at the Annual Plan. A public good is something like a road, park, infrastructure where there is no return on capital. The airport and Lyttelton Port are no longer public goods.

What are your top three priorities for change if elected?

Priority 1: Preparation of table of what is in the "public good" and what is not to bring about discipline in allocation of funding.

Peter Wakeman

What would you bring to the role that makes you unique?

Climate change action funded from Central Government to help fund fixing our water supply and reducing nitrates entering our water supply by legislation.

What are your top three priorities for change if elected?

Priority 1: Focus on the necessities of water and food quality.

Priority 2: Prioritise City Council's spending to reflect the priorities of necessities.

Priority 3: Get Central Government financial and legal help to address Christchurch's financial and ecological issues.

What are your top three priorities within the Christchurch Youth Action Plan?

Priority 1: Lobby Government Education systems so people leave

Priority 2: Reduction of councils current $2bn debt which on interest paid in July 2019 cost about $106m.

Priority 3: Infrastructure in the public good, such as reticulated water and a sewage system at Purau Bay, lighting at Birdlings Flat, a new wharf at Akaroa, and widening of Dyers Pass Road to improve safety for cyclists.

What are your top three priorities within the Christchurch Youth Action Plan?

Priority 1: Infrastructure is important to any functioning society. I want to have more toilets in the city and cleaner ones at that, as many have not been replaced when they are taken away.

Priority 2: Bus shelters where there is a "subsidised bus service."

Priority 3: Consideration of other infrastructure needs which are bought to the attention of the council by Christchurch Youth. Note: you can read the Christchurch Youth Action plan at https://www.chchyouthactionplan.co.nz/.

school with qualifications rather than having to get student loan to study at the Universities.

Priority 2: Concerned about the closeness of Government and private companies' surveillance/buying and selling our data without separation of power.

Priority 3: Consider funding youth activities that they put forward to Council.

What action are you willing to take on climate change if elected?

Community's involvement in drawing and implementing survival plans. Water and food security needs support from the NZ Government through the use of debt free money to make it financially viable to put meaningful action plans in place to meet Community requirements.

What would you like to see the central city like in ten years?

Fixed city, not under water and people having enough money to utilize the businesses that operate in the area and enjoy green spaces. Improved accessibility in and out of the Central City.

Leanne Dalziel

What would you bring to the role that makes you unique?

My experience is important for Otautahi Christchurch as we step up the momentum. I have an inclusive leadership style, bringing together different points of view around the table and the wider community, so we can solve problems together. I’ve formed strong trusted relationships with mana whenua, and our city’s diverse communities.

What are your top three priorities for change if elected?

Priority 1: Water - we can deliver safe drinking water without chlorine and we must ensure government and ECan protects our water source from nitrates.

Priority 2: Momentum & Rates - rates increases need to come down, balanced with the need to keep up momentum in central City and east.

Priority 3: Sustainability - reducing our city’s carbon footprint & helping communities prepare for impacts of climate change.

What are your top three priorities within the Christchurch

JT Anderson

What would you bring to the role that makes you unique?

I am a 37-year-old Entrepreneur, a visionary, fighting for the people, with a direct connection to our youth - I bring change and revolution in Canterburywww.votejt.co.nz

What are your top three priorities for change if elected?

Priority 1: Fix our water in 7 days - No excuses, clean water is our most valuable resource.

Priority 2: Remove and home all of our homeless street family in 90 Days - Some say impossible, I say watch me...

Priority 3: Pay the $2,000,000,000 owing by the CCC, so we can create a large cashflow to 1. Turn our city around and 2. Be able to fight climate change.

What are your top three priorities within the Christchurch Youth Action Plan?

Youth Action Plan?

Priority 1: Representation & Belonging - ensuring Council is fully engaged with young people in our planning processes.

Priority 2: From diversity to inclusion - ensuring Council facilities are inclusive of all our communities.

Priority 3: Climate change - I will keep advocating for fully integrated public & active transport.

What action are you willing to take on climate change if elected?

Meet the target for our council to be net carbon zero by 2030, and advocate for the city-wide target from a leadership position. Work closely with all our coastal communities to ensure they have the tools to take the lead on adaptive management so they can both understand and prepare for the impacts of sea level rise.

What would you like to see the central city like in ten years?

I would love to see the most dynamic, vibrant central city in the country, with creativity and innovation at the forefront. The tertiary alliance has brought students to the heart of the CBD and the innovation & health precincts have become world-renowned. The student accommodation and rentals at the Arena are full all the time.

Priority 1: Mental Health Reform - Our youth are hurting across NZ, the stats a bad, it is time we asked, “hey are you happy,” rather than “hey, have you done your homework.”

Priority 2: To provide the youth 3x, non-tax payer funded Skid pads, with 100% off set carbon emissions.

Priority 3: The most important thing for me is youth being in control, we cannot make the change we need through constantly seeking the approval of 60-year olds.

What action are you willing to take on climate change if elected?

I will declare a Climate Emergency and then go about stock piling money to fight it. We will plant 1,000,000,000 plants a year in a cycle, to bio remediate our lakes/water ways and off-set carbon emissions.

What would you like to see the central city like in ten years?

I would like to see the people in it happy, in love, passionate. I want to see a young person walk an old person across the road and exchange a smile.

Drugs and Mental Health

In 2018, the UN World Drug Report estimated two million kiwis used cannabis, 580 thousand used opioids, and 420 thousand used cocaine. Every one of our lives has been touched by the impact of illicit drugs, and it is for this reason, it is time to have a frank and fair discussion about them. This article aims to reductively explore the topic of drugs, why we use them, and what we can do to help.

Why do we do drugs?

First of all, there are two basic forms of drug users.

A positive reinforcement user, uses drugs to enhance a positive state, such as drinking alcohol to be confident. Whereas a negative reinforcement user uses drugs to cope with a negative state, such as drinking to relax after a stressful day (this can also be described as a form of self-sabotage).The reason why you consume illicit drugs goes a long way in determining how your health will be impacted by its use.

In surveys of teenage drinking in the United Kingdom, pollsters provided four options and asked respondents how often they drink for at least one of the following reasons. The results were: 75% for social reasons, 68% for enhancement, 65% to conform, and 43% as a coping mechanism. Pollsters in America adopted the same method for teenage marijuana users in America. 50% said they smoked marijuana “to have fun,” and 37% “to forget about troubles.”

Those who suffer from mental illness are also more at-risk than the general population. In

America, “37 percent of alcohol abusers and 53 percent of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness,” and “[o]f all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent abuse either alcohol or drugs” (HelpGuide / American Medical Association June 2019).

CANTA recently asked students to complete a survey on their drug use, hoping to better understand the student culture surrounding drugs. 53.6% of the 338 respondents said their mental health hadn’t been impacted by drugs and a further 55% said they didn’t consider the drugs they consumed to do more harm than good. 56.5% of respondents reported consuming an illegal drug before they were 18, with 87% of respondents (who said they had consumed an illegal drug) reporting their first illegal drug consumption was marijuana.

When asked why students consumed illegal drugs, the overall theme was that they began consuming illegal drugs to fit in and/or because they wanted to experiment, then continued to consume the drugs. This is because drugs

powerful impact on their mental health. Some said that marijuana and hallucinogens helped enhance their experience of life; one student wrote drugs, “allow[ed] me to appreciate things again like I used to before depression stole it from me.” However, an equal amount also reported that illegal drugs worsened their mental health in the longrun, another student commenting, drugs “make you feel good, then they also make you feel shit, it’s just a stupid cycle”. Our reasons for consuming drugs are fluid and deeply connected to our personal experience and mental health. Te reasons we take drugs are as complex as the human beings themselves that take them.

It is important that we should all be mindful of why we truly do drugs. If we can be mindful of this, then we can monitor our behaviour, and self-regulate before it's too late. Using illicit drugs to alleviate pain, especially emotional pain, is a slippery slope to addiction and dependence because it takes away your capacity for self-reliance and independence in terms of your own health.

We need to minimise the opportunities where illicit drugs can negatively impact our lives, and the best way to do this is by minimising our consumption of them. We can do this through not placing ourselves in an environment of temptation or pressure; preventing ourselves from accessing opportunities where we can be pulled back down.

The question to then ask ourselves is, how harmful are illicit substances in any capacity?

- as submitted by one of the respondents. Why they consumed illegal drugs also “depend[ed] on the drug” itself. M.D. use was usually to enhance a night-out, whereas marijuana use tended to be for mental or physical health reasons. Many students reported that drugs had a

Marijuana is the most debated substance of the narcotics, for that reason, and because of word limits, we shall focus on the effects of weed.

The age when you first consume marijuana goes a long way to determining what kind of effect it will have in the long-run.

“can be a fun way to socialise in the right environment, or like a kind of real-life cheat to easy and powerful euphoria (probably why they're easy to abuse for some people)”

Harry FR Robson

In America, a 2011 study from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that 90% of those who have a substance abuse disorder began using substances before they were eighteen. The National Institute for Drug Abuse on Teens states that one in ten marijuana users will become addicted to marijuana, and of these, those “who begin using marijuana before the age of 18, are 4–7 times more likely than adults to develop a marijuana use disorder.”

receiving. It does this by attaching itself to neurons which are cells in your brain that transmit information.

Neuron A may transmit a ‘signal’ to Neuron B (e.g. ‘bro the mouth is eating a donut’), Neuron B will then respond by releasing a chemical like dopamine (a chemical which causes a pleasurable feeling) back to Neuron A. Anandamide then attaches itself to Neuron B, essentially preventing it from spamming Neuron A with whatever chemical it just released. This process is what keeps the brain in its own organic and sustainable rhythm, developed over millennia through evolution. Anandamide is like a bouncer which prevents too many of the wrong people being in the wrong place.

THC overrides the effects of anandamide, causing the brain to become out-of-whack. This may manifest itself in the short-term via feelings of euphoria, intense hunger, or ‘spacing out.’ In the long-term it can lead to addiction, emotional instability, and poor high-order thinking skills. It has also been linked to serious mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, psychosis, or schizophrenia. Too many wrong people in the wrong club tends to cause a shit-show.

rehab) which can be made mandatory, for users, by the courts. Community service also needs to be an option which public authorities can administer. Engaging in selfless acts, or even simply being in nature (such as doing some gardening), have been shown to be effective in alleviating mental illness. In addition, all convictions for victimless drug crimes need to be expunged. Punishing someone for trying to stop themselves from feeling pain is simply inhumane.

To achieve this, engage in activism. Awareness days, rallies, fundraisers, walking around harassing people on campus with pamphlets—these are all methods for change.

At the interpersonal level, we need to educate each other on the true pros and cons of taking illicit substances, and what we can do if we have taken them. It is so important to make sure that, even if you are consuming illegal drugs, you are testing them and making sure they are safe.

In Canada, researchers found “clear differences on brain scans between teens who said they had tried cannabis a couple of times and those who completely eschewed the drug” (CBC January 2019). These effects can be attributed to two factors.

Firstly, marijuana use weakens the ability for the teenage brain to ‘prune’ itself by removing unnecessary, toxic, or dead brain matter. This excess brain matter essentially then ‘poisons’ the brain, causing many of the harmful effects associated with marijuana such as declining memory, and verbal and perceptual reasoning skills.

Secondly, marijuana consumption interferes with the brain’s self-regulatory mechanisms. Marijuana contains T.H.C., a cannabinoid which “takes over the regulation that is usually handled by anandamide” in the brain (CBC Dec 2018). Anandamide helps ensure that areas of the brain are releasing chemicals appropriate to the stimuli they are

If your brain is in a vulnerable state, marijuana may complicate it up even further. If you, or your family, have a history of mental illness then it is recommended you should not consume marijuana. The same applies for living in, or having lived in, an environment conducive to poor mental health.

It appears the cons manifestly outweigh the pros for recreationally consuming marijuana before your brain has fully developed or if you are at-risk with a mental illness. Sure, there’s no guarantee that weed will affect you negatively (effects that an user themselves could struggle to identify on their own) — but is the risk worth it?

What can I, the humble forgotten man/ woman/potato, do?

At the legislative level, I believe we need to decriminalise all illegal drugs. In doing this we can create rehabilitative and health measures (such as psychological therapy or

By decriminalising all illegal drugs, we could bring about a culture which recognises that ‘numbing out’ isn’t a viable solution to one’s problems, but also doesn’t shame those who simply do what humans do: make mistakes.

Don’t do drugs kiddos, but be safe if you do.

Our brains tend to not be fully developed until age 25. Furthermore, teenage brains are significantly different to adult brains because of the developmental processes they undergodevelopmental processes which marijuana use disrupts.

We need to act as drops of water which overtime erodes the rock of stigma. Every little act of empathy and nonjudgement, consistently applied every day and taken together, is a powerful force that can overcome any barrier to a culture of trust and love.

No expense should be spared on Mental Health Point Counter Point

AFFIRMATIVE

Since the beginning of socialised medicine in New Zealand, mental health has been an underfunded area of the healthcare system. More money, spent by us through our tax dollars, on mental health services will meet the needs of today, and ensure that the mental health of kiwis gets better for future generations. Our mental and emotional states can dictate the choices we make, and filter how we interpret our experiences. The person we grow to be is informed by our choices and experiences. Ensuring that we have a healthy mentality, ensures that the future version of you is the best it can be. No expense should be spared when it comes to funding mental health services. As you can read all throughout this edition of Canta, mental health can be viewed through the philosophy of Hauora. In this philosophy, mental and emotional health, Taha hinengaro, works with our social spiritual and physical health to provide wellbeing. This means that our mental and emotional states have an impact on every aspect of our lives and will ripple out to our family and community.

Mentally-well people make better decisions for their health and future. They’re more likely to be involved

parents, gainfully employed, taking care of their physical health, to volunteer their time and be in loving relationships. Every time someone takes care of their own mental health, they’re becoming someone who has a positive impact on everyone else’s. Spending more money on mental health services is therefore the best bang for buck when addressing social problems, and this is where the government has a role to play. Mental health does not discriminate based on economic resources, and neither does the social damage caused by poor mental health. Most people engaging mental health professionals are doing so through the public system, and both public and private services are undersupplied compared with demand. The private system can’t grow fast enough to meet the demand. Which is why more public funding is the answer. More funding means more services, which means more people can gain the help and support they need. Those people will go on to have a positive impact on others, and we’re all better off. It’s as simple as that.

– Robert Brownlee

NEG - NO EXPENSE SHOULD BE SPARED ON MENTAL HEALTH

As someone who has fought the black dog and won (thrashed em). I’ll never balk at more money being spent on mental healthcare. However, unless we as individuals choose to actively maintain our mental health, there will come a point of diminishing returns, after which money is no longer the solution. We need to think differently about mental illness if we want to eradicate its’ problems in our society.

A close friend was assaulted on a date this year. Not a violent movie-style assault from a stranger, a quiet and insidious one from a lover. She’s the definition of a strong badass lady, and she didn’t think to seek mental health services because she felt that felt other women had had it so much worse.

This is toxic thinking which impacted my friend, but it impacts us all when it comes to depression and anxiety. Mental health is not a binary thing. Small things add up, and even minor bouts of anxiety or depression deserve our attention, but too often we think of seeking help only after things get beyond what we can handle alone.

My friend never sought counselling and no amount of funding could have changed that.

We have done an excellent job at destigmatising the big bad wolves of Depression, Anxiety and PTSD, but our talk around them is often in the context of a crisis. We’ve destigmatised the extreme result of untreated mental health, but we haven’t done a good job of acknowledging that these big bad wolves start off as puppies of ordinary emotion.

This means that the biggest delays in the mental health system, are the delays between needing help, wanting help and asking for help. Usually at the cost of a minor problem becoming a much bigger one. If we want to solve mental health, we need to embrace the philosophy of Hauora, and treat it a little more like we do physical health. You don’t have to wait till you’re obese before taking up jogging, and you don’t have to wait until you’re in a crisis before having a chat to a councillor.

– Leo Alexander

Taking the Leap

Sometimes, feeling anxious is a good thing. The fight or flight feeling we experience at a time of stress is not always a bad thing – it is an evolutionary process designed to keep us safe. This feeling offers heightened senses and awareness, preparing us for a dangerous situation. However, we must firstly differentiate between the emotion ‘anxious’ and an anxiety disorder. The feeling of anxious is temporary and typically experienced in a real time of stress or nervousness such as going for a job interview or moving into a new flat.

Generalised anxiety disorders (GAD) are completely different from the emotion ‘anxious.’ Anxiety disorders are highly distressing and have many psychological and physiological side effects. One of which is when the fight or flight response deploys too frequently, normally in situations where a fight or flight response to stress is just not necessary. This can be highly detrimental to the individual because each time this occurs, a large number of adrenaline hormones are released preparing us to run away or take on a stressful situation. One’s heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate increase and whilst the feeling of the initial panic may be over fairly quickly, it can take up to an hour for the body to return to normal. If this is a regular occurrence, it can be detrimental to health and leave individuals at a greater risk of long-term health problems.

If you feel as though you are experiencing these feelings on a regular basis or any other symptoms of a GAD, then it is probably time to seek professional help. There are plenty of services out there – whatever you’re experiencing, the likelihood is they’ve seen it before and will be able to help you.

Feeling anxious or suffering from anxiety is NOT a weakness. There are many reasons why some individuals are more prone to being of a nervous disposition than others. Whilst it may seem like an awful thing, through learning to manage these emotions, they can be utilised in a more positive way. You can use what used to be a major downfall and turn it into something that makes you a better person. Firstly, by understanding these emotion and feelings, it means that you’re likely to be more empathetic towards others in a similar situation. This will not only mean you’ll make a great listener and top advice giver for others going through a similar situation, it is likely to mean you’ll be crowned mum of your friend group. Obviously, this won’t be the case for everyone as different experiences mean different reactions but empathy is an important skill which is likely to grow through your experiences of being anxious.

Another common problem experienced by individuals who regularly feel anxious is overthinking. Whilst this typically leads to negative feelings, particularly about yourself, if you are able to train your mind away from the downward spirals and catastrophising, you can utilise this mentality of overthinking to your advantage. The way that in these situations you are likely to experience many fleeting thoughts

about all sorts of scenarios – you are able to see a wide array of angles about a given situation, consequently making you a more balanced person. This is a hugely beneficial skill for any area of life that involves problem solving as you are more likely to be able to think outside the box. Although it is far easier said than done, attempting to turn these negative and debilitating thoughts and practices into something more positive, and channelling them into an activity that requires a level of problem solving can be useful for not only uni life, but for self-help too!

Sometimes, we just need to take this butterfly feeling and embrace it. These feelings can give us the little bit of energy needed to complete an action, and what’s better is that once you are able to take the leap and do something you previously thought you weren’t able to, it is a feeling like no other. Initially, this will be hard, and it may take a few attempts BUT, it’ll be so worth it. Baby steps are better than nothing, and when you start, it makes it easier to continue breaking down these barriers. Don’t be scared if at first it takes up all of your energy and leaves you feeling really tired because it does take a lot to take these first steps. Yet, you’d be surprised how once you start, you just can’t stop!

It is easy to give in to these feelings and you really shouldn’t beat yourself up about doing it once in a while. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay to say, ‘not today.’ However, when you begin to start feeling yourself withdrawing from your day to day life that it becomes a problem. It will not only affect your work/uni life, but your relationships and your mental health too. The more you say no, the easier it becomes to say no, and the harder it becomes to integrate yourself back into everyday life. I am in no way trying to belittle how difficult it is to face your biggest fears, and confront your anxieties but, it is necessary to hear this. There is no better time than now to take the leap; it may just open up a load more possibilities for you. Although there are a number of ways to put a positive spin on feeling anxious because it can be associated with some helpful characteristics - realistically, if you are the one suffering, it is a really horrible thing. Obviously, if you begin to experience symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack in a time of great stress, it is expected, and you can utilise it to make the best out of the situation. But then again, if it is on a more regular basis when you shouldn’t necessarily be feeling that way, it’s either time to embrace these feelings and take the leap or seek professional help.

Below are some links to some useful websites surrounding the topics spoken about in the article: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-healthproblems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/self-care-for-anxiety/ https://www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk/anxiety.asp https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/category/blog/anxiety

Robyn Walford @robswalford - twitter

Dear Canta,

I would like to remain anonymous primarily for my safety. I am not publishing this to exploit the situation but feel this is my way to do my part. The recent statistics about sexual harassment left me unsurprised. The acts taken upon girls are disgusting and should be accounted for. I think a major issue left unaddressed is what do people consider healthy and consensual.

I went to a private Anglican all-girl school during sex education. Sex education for me was to have sex with your husband. The end. I had no clue what a healthy relationship was like. No one really goes into the grit of manipulative behaviour or non-consensual sex with a partner.

The relationship between my ex and myself is the prime example of harassment that goes unnoticed. I understand people would think to take him to court is the best option but sadly his parents are loaded and have the ability to let him off. This happened to a girl before me that had made a rape allegation. She was threatened to be sued for defamation. Her family were poor and didn't have the money to follow through with a hearing. My experience was odd. He charmed the pants off of me. Sooner during the relationship, I found a darker side. He had an infatuation with rape. He had said that he had fantasies of raping me like a stranger on the street. This should call red flags for anyone. As a first proper relationship with no idea of right or wrongs I let it slide.

Controlling behaviour was another issue. He would call my body ‘his’ and decide what I could and could not do to it. I was not allowed to wear earrings, touch myself without his permission, go to bars alone (although he did this almost every night) and he didn't like how confident I was with makeup on. He called me "bitch ___" when I wore it. I was meant to act like the dream girl to his family and friends. The sister is a story in itself. I had never seen a more hated person than her. Her actions sure made up for her title.

You'd think why would you stay? CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER. No one showed me what a healthy relationship was and he wasn't always an evil monster.

I know what consent is now yet I am still struggling with what situations occurred in that relationship. He would get drunk and would forcefully engage in sex whilst I had repeatedly said the safe word. Whilst I was unconscious from intoxication, he performed anal. This was my first time and, in the morning, I had no clue that it had happened. My last encounter has left me angry and wanting to do my part in helping girls get help.

He had dumped me and three weeks later asked to meet at a bar to talk and to drop his items off. I decided that I would present myself in a way to know what he lost. There was no intention of sleeping with him that night. He ended up coming over for one last fuck. During this, I was crying and had said the safe word twice. I ended up with bruises all over my legs and arms, my throat from being choked too hard and he cut my anus with enough force to make it bleed for over three days. All these images have been saved and timestamped. I have also sought help from a medical team.

The reason I have gone into detail is that now I can acknowledge that the behaviour was disgusting. I know there is probably a girl in similar position making excuses about what is happening to her as I did. Hopefully, my experiences can make another woman aware.

I wish there was more common knowledge of healthy relationships. I know I am not the only girl in this situation. According to NZ Stats, 1 in 3 women experience physical and/or sexual violence from a partner in their lifetime. I believe so much improvement can be made to this statistic if women had the knowledge to leave an abusive situation.

Multiple studies have shown that social factors influence the likelihood of a woman remaining in a relationship with an abusive man. University is the majority of student's introduction to adulthood. Lack of encouragement and idealised beliefs and values reduce victim’s awareness. The lack of common knowledge in early adulthood makes the university a prime breeding ground for toxic behaviour. I believe better education towards healthy relationships could reduce the number of violence towards partners within the campus.

“It’s not OK” is New Zealand campaign housed by the Ministry of Social Development is driven to reduce violence between partners. I wish I had known what was healthy and not-healthy before I had ventured into dating. I like many other women were naive and believed the actions taken upon me were acts of affection.

The warning signs for an unhealthy relationship they believe to watch out for include,

· increasing isolation from support networks like friends, and family.

· constant and unwanted checking up on e.g. checking their phone, texting, checking their Facebook page

· telling a partner what they should wear or how they should look

· put-downs and insults

· threatening to hurt them physically or actually doing so

· threating to hurt their reputation at work, or among their social circle or actually doing so

· a change in character - increasingly unhappy or even wearing a "mask" of happiness that friends suspect isn't real

· harassing or stalking an ex-partner

· threats against property or pets

· financial control

· making all the decisions

Understanding what is not okay is a big step for a lot of women. Leaving can sometimes feel impossible. I tried to leave in February after a friend had witnessed his behaviour. I thought if I made it public and made enough of a mess I wouldn’t go back. 5 days later I went back and the damage I caused including making a tinder account and changing my relationship status I paid for in “punishments”.

It is important to leave but is definitely not easy. Being in a toxic relationship can cause a lot of self-doubts and make leaving sound impossible. My experience was that I was not happy but I was weirdly comfortable. For over a year it was all I ever knew. It was my first relationship. I wish I had the confidence and knowledge to leave.

My advice for anyone currently struggling in an unhealthy relationship is to seek professional help. Sometimes friends, especially mutual, won’t have your best interests. I was betrayed by many people when opening up. If this happens, don’t lose confidence. You might not currently feel worthy of love but I promise you once you are out of that environment you will see there is a world full of great people. Be patient. Leaving is the best step you can make but it does take time to heal.

I have had to learn what a healthy relationship is like. First time having sex out of the relationship made me cry. I didn't need to be in pain for him to be attracted to me. I had the choice of saying no. I was able to laugh and smile.

I am currently in a healthy relationship. I look at _____ and I am so proud. We both have mutual respect and trust for each other. He has been patient with my trauma and supported me in getting help. This is what I want for everyone.

Where to get help: Phone Support

0800 733 843

Women’s Refuge crisis line — free from any phone, 24 hours a day, every day. 0508 744 633

Shine Helpline — free from any phone, 9am to 11pm every day. If you're deaf, you can call using the NZ relay service

0800 456 450

It's Not OK info line — free from any phone, 9am to 11pm every day

Online Support

You can ask for help online through the Women's Refuge Shielded Site service — available on popular New Zealand websites.

The service is private and won't show up in your browser history, so you can get help without anyone finding out. Go to a New Zealand business website that offers the service, such as The Warehouse, Countdown and Trade Me. Click on the Shielded Site logo, usually at the bottom of the website:

You can ask the Women's Refuge for help, make a plan to leave and learn how to stay safe online.

Counselling services

It's Not OK can help you access support if you are experiencing or witnessing family violence. It's Not OK - http://areyouok.org.nz/i-need-help/

The Family Services Directory has contacts in your area that can help if you're dealing with family violence: Family Services Directory - https://womensrefuge.org.nz/

Spring is here now, and we are starting to enjoy some good weather. Unfortunately, the triggers that cause sneezing, itchy throats, runny or blocked noses and itchy, watery eyes are in full swing. It’s called hayfever, although the correct term is seasonal (or perennial) allergic rhinitis. The seasonal variety is an allergic reaction to substances such as pollens, which get into the upper respiratory passages–the nose, sinuses, throat and the eyes.

The perennial variety is a similar allergy, but it occurs all year round and is caused by allergy to things such as house dust mites, moulds and animal dander.

There is no cure for hayfever, but it can be controlled with the correct combination of medicines to suit your symptoms and lifestyle. The range of treatments continues to grow –antihistamine tablets, nasal sprays, eye drops – but don’t be daunted by the choice. David and Lisa at Uni Pharmacy can guide you through the remedies available to ensure you get a tailor-made solution to your hayfever symptoms.

Antihistamine tablets reduce the histamine your body produces to the allergen, from causing the allergic symptoms. Some of these products can cause drowsiness, but newer generation antihistamine medicines have been developed that cause less, or no drowsiness.

Nasal sprays help clear a stuffy, runny, or itchy nose and stop sneezing. But there are many choices. Antihistamine nasal products work quickly to relieve sneezing, itching and runny nose, but have no effect on other symptoms such as itchy eyes. Nasal corticosteroids reduce inflammation in the

nose and will relieve most nasal symptoms as well as eye symptoms.

Nasal corticosteroids should be started a week before the pollen season, but it’s not too late to start now.

Eyedrops – antihistamine eye drops give quick relief from itchy, red, watery eyes and are best if eye symptoms are your biggest problem. Cromoglicate eye drops need to be used regularly to prevent the allergic reaction occurring.

Other tips

Start treatment early (using treatments up to two weeks before peak pollen times can help).

Wear a hat and wraparound sunglasses to minimise pollen exposure to the eyes.

Monitor pollen forecasts daily and stay indoors wherever possible when the count is high (generally on warmer, dry days). Rain washes pollen from the air so counts should be lower on cooler, wet days.

On high pollen days, shower and wash your hair after arriving home and change your clothing.

Avoid drying washing on a clothesline outside when pollen counts are high.

]Keep windows and doors closed to avoid the amount of pollen that enters your home or workplace.

With so many options and everyone’s symptoms affecting them differently, have a chat to us about the best approach to managing your hayfever.

Uni Pharmacy.

Life After First Year

University is an amazing time to find your people and your passion. Everything about the first year is designed to help students find their space and their friend group, from O-week to halls to clubs. But as you progress to your second and third year, this completely drops off. The working assumption is that by that point you have settled into a comfortable lifestyle, surrounded by people who get you. The only issue is: what happens when you change?

The assumption that you have settled in works until it doesn’t. There are no manuals on how to allow yourself to transition and grow up past the point of 18. It is frowned upon to drift apart from friends, end unsuitable relationships, or to otherwise make a deliberate effort to change your personality or behaviour in line with your evolving values. There is a pressure to always stay the same, to be a fixed point rather than a continuum. There is a pressure to keep your life more or less the same from the age of 18 onwards. The friends you make at uni will be your friends forever, the degree you study will be what you are passionate about forever, and the hobbies you enjoy will be just as important to you forever, and you will marry your uni sweetheart and be with them forever. There is nothing wrong with doing any of the former things but trying to accomplish them all is an unhealthy pursuit. While you may not become a whole different person between 18 and 25, you will change a lot.

At 18 you may have the skeleton of who you are, but your early 20s are there for you to flesh that skeleton out. It is a time to experience new things and discover yourself, not to be limited by other people’s ideas of who you should be. But changing your lifestyle when it no longer suits your values is really difficult to do. It sucks to know that you will have to take a road that diverges from the one you have walked down up to this point. Walking away from what you are used to is hard.

For me, this process has been aided enormously by my discovery of a simple fact: you don’t owe anyone shit.

The pressure you feel to remain the same goes away when you realise that you don’t owe a anyone your time or energy. If someone or something isn’t right for you, you are fully entitled to walking away without a second glance. It is important to unlearn the “I feel bad” mentality which keeps people in situations they don’t like for much longer than they otherwise would be. It isn’t selfish or rude to prioritise your wellbeing and happiness above preserving the illusion of remaining the same.

Sure, change is scary and can be isolating, but it is better than waking up in thirty years and realising that you have lived your life according to what other people want, not what you want. As part of growing up, you have to learn to let go of the things that no longer make you happy, regardless of what others think. This is easier said than done, but being unapologetic about my growth has made a huge positive difference in my life.

Compared to that of other countries, New Zealand has a rather high performing health system. Our health care system provides universal coverage and publicly funded access to a large set of core health services. The New Zealand system is a mixed public-private system with a private healthcare option existing. Emergency health services are largely provided by St John New Zealand with a mix of private and public funds, and the Accident Compensation Corporation covers the costs of treatment for causes deemed accidents for all people legally in New Zealand. New Zealand spends around 9% of its GDP on healthcare which has resulted in a life expectancy of 81.45, as well as 12,821 hospital beds and over 62,800 doctors and nurses. Yet, one important sector of health is constantly underfunded and ignored.

New Zealand is facing a mental health crisis. New figures released in August showed that our national suicide rate is at the highest level it’s ever been since records began 12 years ago. Last year alone, 30,685 Kiwis took their own lives. That’s more than the number of students who attend our university. The biggest rise in suicide in New Zealand was among young people, and Māori and Pacific Islanders. This is not okay. New Zealand has one of the worst youth suicide rates in the OECD. When Labour announced its 2019 Wellbeing Budget, many were ecstatic with the extra $1.9 billion it would put into mental

Political Predictions

As articles for CANTA need to be submitted at least a week prior to print, commentary on current events as they happen is near impossible. Nonetheless, in an attempt to seem timely, I am happy to share my political predictions for the next few weeks.

My Political Predictions are:

Don Brash will say something racist

The Christchurch City Council will build another cycleway

Trump will tweet something stupid

UK General Election on the 15th of October

Where to Get Help

Lifeline (24/7) – 0800 543 354

Depression Helpline (24/7) – 0800 111 757

Samaritans (24/7) – 0800 726 666

Healthline (24/7) – 0800 611 116

Suicide Crisis Helpline (24/7) – 0508 828 865

Youthline (24/7) – 0800 376 633, or you can text 234 free of charge between 8am and midnight

New Zealand’s Mental Health Crisis and the Government’s Plan

health care. $445 million of the $1.9 billion will be spent on a new universal frontline mental health service that will help the “missing middle” – New Zealanders who suffer from mild to moderate anxiety and depressive disorders that do not require hospitalisation, but which still affect their quality of life. This service is expected to be up and running in 2023/24. On addiction, the government will spend $14 million to help an estimated 20,000 people through early alcohol and drug addiction. A further $44 million will be invested into existing drug and alcohol addiction services to help them improve and modernise.

In response to the recommendation of the He Ara Oranga (Pathways to Wellness) Inquiry, the Ministry of Health is currently working on a suicide prevention strategy. Jacinda Ardern recently refused to commit to a suicide target. The Prime Minister said that “Noone could produce any evidence to me that a target would do that. And I was concerned, and so was Cabinet, that a target implied we have a tolerance for suicide. And we do not.” The Government has also committed $40 million into suicide prevention services. This service will aim to give intensive support to people at risk and include better recognition and support for those who have self-harmed or experienced suicidal distress.

Current Political Ratings

Local Politics: Don’t Forget to Vote in Local Elections xo New Zealand Politics: 2/3

International Politics: Dangerous

Upcoming UCPOLS Speaker Series Guests

September 23, 4pm Bentley’s: Amy Adams, Selwyn National MP

September 30, 4pm Bentley’s: Brad Wilson and Peter Field, Professors at Princeton and UC

October 7, 4pm Bentley’s: Chloë Swarbrick, Green Party List MP

If there is anything in particular you’d like to hear about in a future report, or you simply want send your thoughts and comments about this article, use the email editor@ucplos.co.nz to get in touch.

Creative Highlight

I'm Sorry My Love

By: Josh Watson

I’m sorry my love, my only love, the one with me forever, one day we’ll lay in the dirt together as worms eat out our eyes.

I have been so rude to you honey called you terrible, called you useless, unbent you only to curl you back to you nothing I please you with nothing, I empty my tank into the abyss, I call out several names meet with no response,

We took a walk tonight my dearest sat by the river of flowing grey, Conversed with the glowing, “I am so alone” I said to you “Just a man with nothing, empty and nothing” I'm sorry if these words hurt you I can be so careless sometimes. Forgive me my love, I forgot how to listen to the wind, to the trees, to the I am.

I would like to be honest with you my sweet pea, at times i hate the wind, I hate the great I am , there is only a sea of fish in my heart, each one dying from changing tide patterns, It is a painful, a sore, a gash I scream at the stars, for blessing me with an inside that wished to be filled, cursed with hunger, I have always known hunger.

I am very sorry my everything tomorrow we will smell the roses, we will believe in the wind we will have forgiveness for the man, we will adorn ourselves with gold and rubies, we will fetch the great sword of the wall we will sort out this mess tomorrow.

Would you like your poetry or creative writing to be featured here? Send your work into editor@canta.co.nz

Columns

Stink Thinking - Spring Cleaning Your Mind -

A few months back my car began to emit a terrible smell. Now, I’ll admit, I’ve experienced some pretty bad mysterious odours in my Toyota over the years - rotting milkshakes, decomposing nappies, blue cheese wrappers - but this smell had taken things to an entirely new low. I spent the afternoon turning that car upside down trying to track down the culprit. Until I reached under the passenger seat, all the way up to my shoulders. My fingertips felt a plastic bag, which I slowly began to extract. As I dragged it into the sunlight, the demon was finally unmasked: a sweaty, sticky bag containing a half consumed, month old, meal of DubaDuba™ Moroccan chicken.

Here’s the thing: Most students I meet have the equivalent of my rotten Moroccan hiding somewhere in their minds. I like to call it “Stink Thinking,” and basically, it’s the subconscious negative self-talk that most people play to themselves throughout the day. It’s like a broken tape recorder playing a crappy song stuck on repeat.

Sometimes our brains get stuck in this infinite mind trap, and we start to think the worst of ourselves, our abilities, and what others think of us. We get into the bad habit of talking to ourselves negatively, and rather than our self-talk being based on how things actually are, we only focus on the negatives. If you go into your exam swat with self-talk like: “I’m dumb. I’m thick. I’m probably going to fail. I can’t do this,” it’s almost definitely going to have a pretty negative knock on consequence.

Philippians 4:8 put it likes this: “You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

This spring – I want to encourage you to do a spring clean of your mind. Try to replace that stink thinking with some realistic selfaffirmation. You’ll be happier for it. You’ll do better in your studies because of it and you’ll actually like being with yourself. So, get to it, and spring clean that sucker!

Rev Spanky Moore

Spanky.moore@canterbury.ac.nz

This will not be an easy read. It may be distressing, make you uncomfortable, and make you want to stop reading. Good. It should.

We don’t talk about the realities of mental illness and suicide, so I shall lay it all on the line. This is a personal account, which is in no way a professional opinion, nor am I saying that this is how each experience unfolds. But... it is my story, my lived experience, and my words.

I have included some contact information for help if this raises any concerns for you, and I am always here and willing to be an ear for your thoughts, and support for your worries. What does it feel like?

One-word springs to mind… numb. You are so out of tune and touch with yourself and what your head should rationally be thinking. It feels like you are beyond the point of help, as if there is nothing anyone can do that can alleviate some of your pain – regardless of this all being false.

The main reason behind suicide is often not the need to end your life, but rather the feeling of not wanting to exist anymore. The actual act of suicide goes against every human instinct. Your body fights and tries to act against the actions that you take. Your head goes into a whirl-wind of rational and irrational thinking; flight-fight-flee-freeze becomes the response, and you truly don’t know which one of those four you will go with.

It is a nightmare. It is hard. It is dark. But, on the surface; it can look like nothing is wrong – which makes suicide that much harder to catch and that much more important to inform yourself about.

An attempt should never be seen as a sign of personal weakness, nor as attention-seeking. It should rather be seen as an unfortunate circumstance for that person, and also something that highlights people in our population that needing extra support and guidance through a particularly tough and treacherous time in their life.

The impact of suicide, beyond the death:

It is not only the person who dies that is impacted by suicide.

There is the person who happens to find them – stranger or acquaintance, in whatever state that may be.

It is the immediate family of that person who have lost their sibling, child, partner, or parent. It is the wider family that have lost their aunt or uncle, cousin, niece or nephew. It is the friends that have lost someone they loved like they were family.

It is the school, university, workplace, and neighbourhood that have lost a valued

member of their community.

It is the healthcare workers, that tried to save their lives, or are left to deal with the aftermath.

It is those who have lost someone they knew and loved to suicide, and feel their personal pain as well as the pain of the other family and friends.

Everyone is impacted.

The signs to look for:

Signs of struggle vary so much among individuals, but there are a few areas, but there are a few areas of life that can give some tell-tail signs of struggle;

Participation in life – increased isolation, retracting from commitments – university, work, socialising.

Appearance – decrease in self-care practices – showering, eating, clothing worn, shaving/ make-up.

Change in sleeping & eating habits that are otherwise unexplained.

Communication – negative self-talk, less proactive in socialising, short answers, poor eye-contact, monotone dictation, neutral expression.

No longer talking about the future.

In addition to this, pay particular attention if you, or your friend, have just experienced, or been affected by a traumatic event or situation. These circumstances could be the deciding factor that tips someone off the edge of being able to cope, and manage their mood and emotions. Such events could be a change in relationship status, new home environment, financial stress, poor university grades, a natural disaster, or ordeals such as what occurred in March.

How to support a friend or colleague – the five steps:

Listen

Be there, and be present

Do not be-little them

Do not pity them

Encourage support from professionals

Professional Support:

1737 – call or text this number to talk and have support from a trained counsellor

Lifeline – phone 0800 543 354 or text HELP

(4357)

Suicide prevention helpline – 0508 828 865

UC Health Centre – Counsellors and GP services are there for you

- Rawing Meg

Insta: @rawingmeg

Email: rawingmeg@gmail.com

Blog: rawingmeg.wixsite.com/hearmeraw

Sex and Candy

- Sex After Trauma-

Have I made it clear how much I love sex? On my walks of shame, I try to channel the confidence of a straight, white man and the goddess Lizzo, strutin’ my stuff to the Bee Gees ‘Stayin’ Alive,’ and feeling like an all-round QUEEN. Sex is my life blood. However, this year, I’ve been much more apprehensive to get busy with whatever hottie I meet. Why? Trauma! Let’s chat.

In March this year I ended up in hospital due to some nasty (as per my medical records) “self-inflicted injuries.” While I’m no stranger to these types of injuries, this time was definitely the worst experience I’ve had. 2019 has therefore been about getting back on my feet and religiously practicing self-love. It’s going okay, but I’d be lying if I said the scars didn’t make me terrified of meeting new sexual partners. I mean, who’s gonna want to fuck me when I’m like this? The dark places my mind sometimes goes to are now very clearly painted on my body, and sadly, I look at them through a lens of embarrassment.

How am I supposed to strip down and be sexy without feeling insecure about my trauma? Must I let cobwebs grow over my vagina until I figure it out? Yes… so it’s a good thing I finally did it. I got laid! And holy shit, was it great. Was I transported into a world of pleasure where I no longer thought about my scars? Yes! Was that a result of the months I have spent alone, learning to love myself despite what’s happened? Or the fact that I chose to have sex with someone I trusted and didn’t feel judged by? All of the above! My biggest advice for sex after a traumatic experience is: Take. Your. Time. You need to recover from what’s happened and learn to be comfortable with yourself again. You need to acknowledge that you are beautiful and as deserving of love and sex as anyone else. Find people you trust, know that everyone deals with trauma, and learn compassion for your body and your experiences. Own that shit, cause you’re 100% that bitch (even when you’re crying crazy YEAH).

Advocacy & Welfare

-Drinking Alcohol-

What is Alcohol?

Beer, wine and spirits are all the end result of a process called fermentation, which produces two substances: ethanol/ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. So when you are boozing, be it at a party or a gig, you are essentially drinking ethanol/ethyl alcohol. It is commonly believed that alcoholic beverages are “empty calories” but that’s not really accurate. Beer, wine, spirits, and all our favourite booze have about 7 calories per one gram of pure ethanol, and that’s not including the additional calories from flavourings, proteins, residual or added sugar (to make your booze taste yummy). For example, one can of beer has around 154 calories and one glass of wine has around 83 calories. You will suddenly realise that all those things you may have been doing to cut down the amount of carbohydrates/sugar you eat are probably all for naught if you are still drinking alcoholic beverages.

Effects of Alcohol:

The effects of alcohol on your body depends on who you are, what you drink, how much, and how often, you drink. The alcohol gets absorbed into your bloodstream immediately after you drink it, partly from your stomach and more actively from your small intestine. Adding water or other drinks without alcohol and eating food will dilute the alcohol content in your stomach and slow absorption. However, even though you can slow the rate of absorption of alcohol, there is nothing you can do to stop the alcohol from entering your system.

Once the alcohol gets into your bloodstream, it affects every organ in your body, including the brain where it produces intoxication. Moderate drinking produces a feeling of relaxation, increased sociability and reduced inhibitions, and also a slowing of reaction time. Excessive drinking, on the other hand, will result in being less aware of surroundings, slurred speech, blurred vision, unstable balance, slowed reaction time and impaired ability to make good judgments. The intoxicated person may vomit as the body tries to rid itself of the dangerous amounts of alcohol. Intoxicated people are more likely to get hurt in accidents or hurt someone else.

Why should you Care?

Basically, how you drink matters. Having a drink with dinner every day of a week is different from downing 8 drinks in a single evening (health experts call this binge drinking).

Therefore, the goal of having “6 before 6” that so many uni students are keen to pursue before Tea Party is just not such a brilliant idea. You want to have a good time, not spend the rest of the day worshipping the porcelain god or in a comatose state. After all, I’m sure you don’t want to waste the money you’ve already spent on your Tea Party ticket and the costume you have organised for it!

And if you are going to throw a party with alcoholic drinks on the menu, then make sure you provide lots of water and food, and register with ‘Good One Party Register’ to ensure that you and your guests will all have a great, and safe, time.

UC For Climate

UC For Climate is a core of people working to make the climate crisis an open conversation at UC. Ben O’Connell posed them some hardhitting questions including if climate change is real at all.

Should New Zealand primarily combat climate change, or focus on adapting to its effects?

They do not have to be mutually exclusive while we change our economy and lives to adjust to climate change we can also adapt to what damage has already been done both in New Zealand and around the world, especially in the Pacific. No matter how much the world and New Zealand adapts to climate change if there are not significant changes to the root causes then it will keep on getting worse and worse, harder and harder to manage effectively if at all.

Is climate change real (and does Antarctica exist?)

Climate change is already having significant effects both in New Zealand and around the world. While it is commonly depicted as something that will affect us in the years to come, for millions around the world it is already a problem. Even without the significant effects of Climate change, Humans are still having a significant impact on the world around them including ocean acidification, air pollution, the ongoing mass-extinction, and soil quality degradation. Even beyond the importance of climate change there are still so many things that can be improved in how we engage and protect our environment.

Antarctica exists and what really goes on down there is being hidden from us by the Man. Fight the power.

What is UC for Climate aiming to achieve on UC campus?

We are hoping to engage the students of University about the climate action happening through the school strike movement. For there to be a discussion around campus that brings people together who can learn off of each other’s strengths. We also want to make people aware of the importance of taking part in the political movements of their time and the importance of immediate climate action.

UC for Climate is a new club on campus; how did it take so long for this club to exist?

There has been a lot of passion around environmental issues around campus so we are building upon the work that has come before us and hoping to work collaboratively between people in the University. I think the School Strike movement has given us an opportunity to bring people together and engage university students to bring change on the material that many of them are already learning and teaching others about on a daily basis.

Why should I care about climate change?

Because it affects the future of everybody. While there are huge other issues facing New Zealand and the world at the moment, transitioning to a more sustainable world will be able to help lots of other issues that our facing our world. We can create a better world and also move to a more equitable system while also addressing the major damage being done to the environment by human activity.

The world is burning, what should we do, both as a nation and as a university?

Show conviction behind what we say. Show the world that we can be leaders from the small to the big ideas. From how we design our new buildings and how we generate power on campus to how our community and country is organised. Sort out or backyard and then help the communities around us to improve as well. There is not going to be a single change or adjustment that can be made at a University or national level in the face of climate change but we can start with what we know needs to be done sooner rather than later. On a national level this includes; a strong zero-carbon goal that is enforceable, building a renewable and regenerative economy that supports everyone and the environment, moving beyond fossil fuels and harmful environmental management practises

I am merely one university student, what difference does one person make?

Every person can be a leader in their own way. There is nothing special that sets certain people apart from others, it's all about talking to other people and working with them to generate meaningful change. Nothing has ever been achieved entirely through one person’s actions, it’s always the community behind them that creates momentum and builds people up. People are always stronger when we work together and especially around challenges such as the climate it is vital that everyone makes even a small effort to talk to their whanau and friends to make a better community.

Should I have kids? Is it ethical for me to have kids?

We are not overpopulated we are just over consuming. If we work to make it so that people are allowed to live better more sustainable lives. Don’t let the negativity and doom put you into a place where you do not want to live your life to the fullest. Work to make a better world for yourself, your children, and everybody in the world. Every child is born into a world with a basis of uncertainty. It is impossible for anyway to say with certainty what the world will be for that lifespan. Life is not permanent and children provide an opportunity to hope that it will be better in the future. This is not the first time and it will not be the last time that people face immense suffering and significant change to the world around them and if our ancestors overcame violence, famine, disease then we are able to overcome the challenge facing our world today. Hold onto what makes you happy and don’t lose hope.

How can I get involved in UC for Climate?

Come along to the strike! We are going to be hosting events leading up to the strike so visit our Facebook page to keep up to date. You will also find a sign-up sheet to help out in any way that you can.

And are you affiliated with any other external groups?

We are working with the Christchurch School Strike 4 Climate organisers to make sure that we are fitting in with their awesome mahi.

UCProChoice

This is an exciting time for the University of Canterbury as it is the first time we have ever seen a Pro Choice club on campus. UC Pro Choice was started by a couple of friends who were upset by the underrepresentation of the Pro Choice argument on our campus and wanted to facilitate a space where people with uteruses could feel safe and empowered to take charge over their own bodies.

It's been a quiet year for UC Pro Choice as we found our feet at UC but we are super excited to be opening applications for the 2020 Executive. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram for more updates, and as always, feel free to flick us a message! @ucprochoice

Thursdays in Black

2019 has been a big year for TIB at UC as we have been fighting rape culture and promoting consent to make our campus the safest. You may have noticed this year that TIB has taken a more holistic approach to our cause and Term 4 will be no different. Keep your eyes peeled for some great events to finish the with. Including Self Defense Classes and Speed Dating!

Even more excitingly, this term is your chance to be a part of our group and make a difference on our campus. Applications are opening to be on the 2020 Thursdays in Black Executive, so make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop

UC Pols

UC Pols is your non-partisan political club on campus. 2019 has been super exciting and we are even more excited to be ramping up to election year in 2020. This year we ran a variety of events for our members - they included social, informative, educational and networking events. See the club in action Monday afternoons in Bentley's for speaker series or consider getting involved in running the next club year!

Check us out on Facebook to say in the loop!

SteetwearUC

Streerwear is a culture with aesthetic in mind. An inclusive community. Coming 2020 with events, competitions and special gatherings. Collaborations to come with sick and quality merchandise. If this does not convince you, the trailer will. Quality posts on our Instagram - @ucstreetwearsoc and regular updates on our Facebook page. No matter how affiliated you are in the fashion world, chance are you will find something in street wear society. So, join the movement and let's change New Zealand fashion together.

"Alone we can change so little; together, we can change so much"

A Few Notes

By Lewis Hoban

Brockhampton - Ginger

Do you know how hard it is to not simply copy paste the lyrics of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town?” I don’t really know anything other than the chorus, and I bet you don’t either. But, it’s one of the few tunes that I think can perfectly summarize the feeling I got when the new BROCKHAMPTON album dropped with little to no warning whatsoever, which is why didn’t make an appearance in the last issue. Enough of this hoobastank, let’s get into the brass tacks - this is the first album post-fallout-from-Ameer-Vann-being-outed-as-a-repeated-abuser blues. The group has taken a few moments and become a more comprehensive music outfit, stronger than before. They have emerged from the other side of the emotional turbulence rid of all their interband catharsis, or at least as much as they seem to disclose lyrically.

The group are well known for their self-styled brand of semi-indulgent sadboy hour-type music that people like me, who are naturally themselves sad, due to what could maybe announce to incel-adjacent energy if my day took bad enough of a turn, gravitate to. So, what happens when the catharsis is over and al the anger has been violently vented out, mainly through the bombastic opening tracks on each of the three solid gold entries in the Saturation trilogy. But, if your keen little ears listen to the opening track of this particular E.P, the rather sombre “No Halo”, that doesn’t really count, nor does the next one. I mean, the third song, “Boy Bye” is pretty energetic by comparison, but it’s not threatening to break your neck so you can watch your back, is it?

When it comes down to it, I’d wager the boys aren’t as angry at the world as they once were. It’s almost like where that kid who’s always chipper suffers a terrible mishap in his personal life - like the loss of a family member - which if you use your imagination, is pretty much what happened here. Ameer was, annoyingly a very intrinsic cog in the machine, pioneer of what many like to call “the Ameer flow”, something his grace Anthony Fantano is a big fan of. ‘Iridescence’ proved that the lads could absolutely survive, if not thrive, without one of their founding members, but that was very much an album of sad vibes and annoyed feelings. Have you ever screamed into a pillow and felt better afterwards? Trick question, that never works. You’re still angry and your pillow is covered in spittle. But let’s imagine what it’d be like if you did. That’s this album. ‘Ginger’ is a chamomile tea to the whisky shot that fans might have been expecting. A different vibe, sure, but it still goes down well enough.

Miss June

- Bad Luck Party

In the last few years the New Zealand indie scene has seen a noticeable uptick in bands that really butter my biscuit. Out of nowhere we got folks like Nervous Jerk, Aldous Harding, Jed Parsons, Mousey, Mako Road and the Beth’s. I like to think they’re born from cocoons, incubating for a bit and then slithering out covered in warm mucus residue and wavey garms. But enough about the bad dreams I have when I eat too much dairy, Miss June is one of those who should be at the forefront of every hipster’s musical itinerary. We need more girls like her in the music scene - the kind of sound that makes you want to find some dickhead in a public bar who hits on women, and knee him so hard in the nuts he coughs them up.

Royal Trux - Pink Stuff

Now this is quite a special nugget in what could be considered the usual large pile of unmentionables. Royal Trux are yet another two-piece formed in the cultural happenin’ hotspot that is Washington (not the political one). They put out some good stuff. What makes this stuff even gooder, if you’ll ignore the bad grammar, I just used for comedic effect, is this is an EP of remixes by none other than Ariel Rosenber. You might know him from Ariel Pink's ‘Haunted Graffiti’. Sounds good? Yes, it does. Give you another stamp on your ‘name an obscure band to get in the pants of a human female’ card? Also, yes.

Honourable mentions:

By Ella Somers

TV REVIEW: This Way Up

If you’ve still got a broken heart from Fleabag ending (and if you haven’t watched Fleabag yet, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING), you need This Way Up in your life. It doesn’t completely heal the pain that Fleabag left behind but it does a damn good job of sticking a comforting plaster over it. This Way Up follows Aine (played by Aisling Bea also wrote and co-executive produced the series), an Irish woman living in London who’s an English as a second language teacher. She also recently had a nervous breakdown and the series starts as Aine is released from rehab and tries to get her life back on track.

Sharon Hogan plays Aine’s overprotective sister Shona (Sharon Hogan also co-executive produced the series) and wow, #girlboss goals.

YouTube: UnJaded Jade

We’re getting closer to the end of Semester 2 and the youthful energy and enthusiasm that I had at the beginning of the semester has disappeared to another universe, never to return. I’m just a grumpy and tired student who wants to not think about essays or exams, and live out the rest of the year wrapped up like a duvet sausage roll. Unfortunately, duvet sausage rolls are not the motivational solution at this time of year, so if you’re reluctantly looking for a source of motivation or inspiration to help get you over the academic finish line and back to your beloved duvet where you belong, you need Jade Bowler AKA UnJaded Jade in your life.

I find StudyTube an overwhelming place at the best of times but UnJaded Jade is one

The back and forth banter and fierce love that the Aine and Shona had for each other made me look forward to my younger sister and I being exactly like them if not more so when we’re older. The writing in this series is SO GOOD, it’s sharp, sad, sweet and bloody hilarious. The tentative romance has also got to be one of the best and most awkward things I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve never felt so much second-hand embarrassment; at one point I was looking through my fingers it was so bad, but I loved every second of it. All of the six short episodes of the series were filled with drama, comedy and discussion around mental health and I adored them all. This Way Up is one of my favourite TV finds of 2019 and I’ve got all my fingers and toes crossed that it comes back for a second season.

10/10 terrible reindition of In Your Head by Mohombi (you’ll get the reference if you watch the series)

of the nicest places on the Internet. Besides bursting with all the academic advice and tips you could ever dream of, her channel also has the most positive travel vlogs and the motivational encouragement you need in your life. Throughout it all, Jade manages to juggle being incredibly positive about life and keeping it real at the same time.

Jade also has an excellent Instagram which I really recommend following - she posts really long captions on everything from motivation and trying your best, to the environment and not knowing what you’re doing with your life. Definitely someone to check out when you’ve gone onto Youtube for a “5 minute break” and got sucked into a Buzzfeed black hole and you’re looking for some motivational encouragement to throw yourself back into your studies. Jade is the ‘academic big sister of sunshine and encouragement’ that the internet needs but doesn’t deserve and I dare anyone to say otherwise.

BOOK: Reasons To Stay Alive

by Matt Haig

I was a bit worried before starting Reasons To Stay Alive that it might be an out of touch self-help book that would make me want to put my head through a wall but thank ye gods it’s not. Reasons To Stay Alive covers Matt Haig’s personal experience with depression and for a book on such a serious subject,

it’s filled with so much hope and encouragement. Haig manages to write about his experience in such an eloquent and friendly way that it sounds like he’s talking to you, not at you which I love to find in memoirs. Reasons To Stay Alive is a small book with short chapters which makes it really easy to pick up and put down. This is great if you feel like you haven't got the time or the head space to read a big book, or, if you're like me and have the attention span of a gnat at times. Short, sad, sweet and powerful, highly recommend picking up.

Ben Appetit

A Week of Foundry Feeds

Monday macaroni and cheese. Stodgy yet palatable. Not seasoned. My friends said it has the flavour and texture of an admittedly high-quality glue. The mac and cheese is what it is, making this write-up really hard because the meal really gave me zero content to work with. Could use bacon, cayenne pepper, vegetables of any kind. Looking back, this Monday lunch meal was the best of my week...

If I was presented with this image, my first thought would not be cottage pie. Nevertheless, I present this delectable chunky soup. It was a Tuesday when I ate this, and after two meals I have only eaten one vegetable: potato. Nigella puts carrot in her cottage pie. Gordon Ramsay suggests carrot AND peas. Jamie Oliver has a cottage pie recipe that’s made ENTIRELY OF VEGETABLES. Just something. In other news, I loved the tomato sauce.

I see people get the actual $12(?) nachos from the Foundry often, and often thoroughly enjoy them. The point of Foundry Feeds is to fill you up for cheap (thanks to the wondrous V-Plate) and the nachos do this. The $12 ones that is. These $5 nachos only filled me up so much, and I was pining for more. Y’know what would’ve filled me up? Vegetables.

Chips and gravy, the Thursday meal. Again, it didn’t feel substantial, which I hate to admit. There is something to be said about how cool it is that there are on-campus spots that are intentionally working to make good deals. I understand that in making good deals, things must be cut. Alas, there are ways to do it – I’m going to go as far to say that I’d prefer if every meal was vegetarian (or at least the option was always available). That’s an inclusive and affordable option I think. Like the mac and cheese, there is little to talk about. Notably, if you don’t have anything nice to say...

This paragraph is dedicated to the Friday meal, but I wanted to cover that the Foundry Feeds have vege curry and rice, fried rice, spag bol, hash browns and spag(?) in their rotation. The variety is good. It’s safe to say that the Foundry itself is rad, complete with karaoke and some awesome staff and a lovely new look and quiz nights and a larger menu. It’s a shame that most of the Foundry Feed meals lack

texture, substance, and flavour. To improve the Foundry Feeds, I’d buy a frozen vegetable bag and bring it precooked to mix into nearly any meal. I’d also bust out the spice rack. This is my penultimate Ben Appetit, and so I shall not hold back in giving the Foundry Feeds 3/10 Bens.

Nestled in the up and coming Sydenham, just south of the city centre and an 8-minute drive from campus, is the South Island’s first and only cat café! Catnap Cafe provides a safe, fun and relaxing environment for people, and twenty or so rescue cats, to enjoy each other’s company, with the ultimate goal of finding these adorable kitties their forever homes. As well as this, they also offer all of your normal cafe fare, including great coffee and delicious cabinet food. Oh and of course free WiFi!

Students come from all over New Zealand, and the world, to attend UC and many will have left family pets behind. Whether living in student accommodation or flatting with friends there are often restrictions around having pets. This means many students go without animal interaction during their time studying, not a single boop or blep! Animal companionship can have a hugely positive

effect on hauora and Catnap Cafe provides a much-needed chance for students to interact, connect and relax with a bunch of adorable cats.

As we all know, university can be a stressful time with heavy workloads and the intense pressures of exams and assignments. Studies have shown that cats can improve your mood, alleviate loneliness and reduce stressthanks science! What better way to relax and recharge than to hang out with cats? It beats another day in the library, and even if you do have your own cats at home, there’s no such thing as too many cat cuddles!

Catnap is well aware of the benefits its’ fourlegged residents can provide for students and offers a permanent student discount$10 for an hour with the cats. The necessity of coffee for sleep-deprived students is also acknowledged, every Tuesday and Wednesday the $10 entry fee includes unlimited hot drinks during your session

with evidence of a student ID card! If you’re feeling the need for some long-term cat time, subsequent hours are only $6 pending availability.

Students can also get involved in the extracurricular activities on offer. The cafe holds weekly cat yoga sessions on Thursday evenings at 6pm with 45 minutes of yoga followed by 45 minutes to wind down with a hot drink and some cat cuddles. The perfect way to de- stress! They also run other activities such as cat bingo and origami with cats, for those wanting to try something a little bit different. See their website for further information and to book your experience at Catnap Café. Online bookings are highly recommended to secure a spotcatnapcafe.co.nz.

By Shannon Park

It’s amazing how often saving money and saving the planet go hand in hand. One simple way is by mending your clothing. Invest in good quality clothing and mend instead of throwing out and buying new. You’ll save yourself money, and save clothing from landfill. I have been creating things for as long as I can remember. Sewing, crochet, knitting, weaving, spinning—if you can think of a fibre craft, chances are I’ve tried it. When was a University of Canterbury student I supplemented my income by crocheting beanies between lectures. After Uni I had a rather eclectic string of careers: high school teacher, flight attendant, full time mum, but I’ve come full circle back to crafts. Now I mend, sew, and teach crafts.

A few tips and ideas: Try and fix holes as soon as you notice them (I know this is almost impossible). The bigger a hole gets, the more you are going to notice it no matter how good the mending is. I am always a fan of embracing the mend and making it a feature. Sashiko, embroidery, darning, and contrasting patches are all ways to mend and embellish at the same time. Buy second hand. Quite often the clothes you find in thrift shops are of good quality.

If something has lasted long enough to be worn and washed by one person and still looks in good shape, chances are it will last you a while too. Often cheap or poorly sewn clothing doesn’t make it to a second life. Sadly much of it is ending up in landfill. Create Frankenstein clothes. Have you got a much loved print on a t-shirt full of holes, and a sweatshirt with a stain down the front? Put them together and give birth to something awesome.

Dig deep into your own wardrobe. You’ll be amazed at what you can find lurking in the back of your cupboards. Look at your old clothes with fresh eyes and find new ways to wear them. If you find things you don’t like you can always organise a clothes swap with some friends. Pop in and say hi! I’m in the RDU office in the USCA Haere Roa, Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon-2pm.

An Easy Escape

The season of Spring is the perfect time to get yourself to the Botanic Gardens. Next time you have a sunny afternoon off, rather than hitting the books, bike or drive over to the gardens. There is free parking and it’s so close to the university – taking no time at all to get there; a 15-minute bike ride or a 10-minute car ride.

There’s a carpark off Riccarton Ave by some tennis courts (which you can also use), or there’s another entrance off Park Terrace. As the end of the university year comes, along too comes the piling up of assignments and the need to study for exams. It is thus more important than ever to take time for you. A simple walk in the gardens can do so much for your wellbeing. Look at it as an investment, not a cost to your time.

Once you find yourself in the gardens, there are so many little paths to explore. Let your feet wander and your mind rest. The pink cherry blossoms are blooming, the sunshine daffodils are waving their heads in the soft breeze. The magnificent magnolias provide an avenue of petals to walk among. There are many soft grassy green spots for a picnic lunch. Find yourself seated on a park bench to take in the view, to breathe and just relax. As you are walking, just remember there is no rush.

Let go of the stressful backpack you’ve been carrying. Trust that everything will be as it should. And remember, everything works out in the end. You have the choice to either worry about it all, or instead you can choose to find joy in all of the little moments, whatever they may be. Find your peace.

Adventure Series

My Annaconda Don't

If you’re in need of a radventure this term or upcoming summer, then look no further than the picturesque Port Hills right on our backdoor step. Before you start, there are three essential ingredients to this undertaking; a car, a bike and a squid lid (aka helmet). The drive out to Taylors Mistake can take up to 40 minutes if you get stuck in traffic but this slice of paradise is always worth the wait. Not only is it a surf haven but you can also find trails to satisfy your need for exploring.

Park the car at Taylors, grab yourself plenty of water and a few snacks (airplanes, muesli bars and if really need the extra boost, some gator aid). Head up the hill out of Taylors, around the corner to the start of the Captain Thomas Track (either download Trail Forks or have a knowledgeable local show you as it can be hard to find) and start climbing. The climb is gradual, with plenty of switch backs, technical parts and a few rocks (which there is no shame in walking).

If you’re not quite up to the challenge, the easy option is to ride up Evans pass on the road. In my opinion this is only half the fun, but if you’re new to the sport it’s a good introduction. Once you get to the top of Evans pass there is yet more climbing to your right along Summit Road. If you fancy breaking up the grind there is a café (My

Coffee at Hornbrook) to grab a beverage or tasty snack. Turning left at broadleaf lane will lead you to the Greenwood Park track. Good news! – no more climbing!

Allow yourself time to check out the views and relax before heading down some sweet sweet downhill. Nice and flowy, this is a singletrack ride for all abilities (if you made it to the top, you should have no problems riding down). If you picked the right day you’ll have clear blue skies meeting the vibrant water that is simply begging you for a dip in the mid-summer heat. With a slight breeze to cool off your sweat and smooth dirt under your wheels, it’s hard to find a better place to ride in Christchurch during summer.

You’ll spit out at the intersection of Evans pass and summit road. This time you can whizz along the road or continue along the Godley head track to arrive at Anaconda. A luxurious flow track with berms for days takes you to the carpark where you can reward your self with a swim and ice-cream.

By Hannah Zydenbos and Anna Bristow Photo Cred. Ben Karalus

Flat Famous

Welcome to the Ugly

Seb

This bad man or muttley as he is otherwise known has a proud streak of not making it on time to a single class this semester. This had gotten so bad the boys were thinking about sending him back to high school, so what did he do but end up with a year 13 in the bed. The man hates a bender so much that he can be seen skulking around uni with a milk bottle of water. This is a desperate measure where he is trying to rehydrate his body to the point where it will accept alcohol again.

Oli

A true man for the culture. Lad gets topsy turvy every day but “it’s not addictive” so it’s fine. This young buck once wore a beanie for four days straight, didn’t take it off to sleep, or shower. He has been known to epitomise the due tomorrow, do tomorrow attitude with a recent 6am start to an assignment with a 9am hand-in following a three day bender and adequate rest & relaxation.

Hamish

When the boys get frisky the decor comes in handy with the nude female form featured on both bathrooms wallpaper. I’m sure this would appall our pension-hoarding neighbour who managed to be so outraged at us having fun that he called noise control at 3 PM, twice. It would be remiss to get further without mentioning our most famous piece of flat furniture Thomas Murray. It wouldn’t be a day at the ugly cousin without an afternoon house call from the man. This has gone to the extent that he broke in and parked up on the couch for a couple hours in the middle of the night.

Hamish is a man who is currently theoretically attending uni however his real ‘talents’ lie as DJ Dollar Bread. He will famously go to sort out his life down in the wet end of the flat and five minutes later a cheeky set will begin thumping out. This has got us into minor trouble with our landlord who apparently was so disgusted by the quality of the drops that she issued us a 14 day notice.

James

James on business days, Jimmy on the glaze. This individual was once so sauced that he decided that going for a quick late night jog around the meadow out back was a good idea. He then proceeded to label this the 400 which has lived on in drinking games ever since. When not focusing on his fitness he has been known to have a large and in charge sugar addiction. Old mate has been known to chow down a 2L tub of the icy cream before you can say “No one man should have all that power.”

Cousin a pillar of the local community. We love to help out local business, with the Super Liquor enjoying significant patronage from the boys. When the hydration gets a bit much the fellas have been known to make a quick scenic to the pisshole in the back yard, which is exactly what it sounds like.

This issue’s FLAT FAMOUS has scored drinks, food, at the Fox & Ferret!

Photo Credit - Java Katzur

Presents Lucky Dip

Lucky dip is printed as submitted, without proofing

Want a BARETTA dinner, drinks and a chance to shoot your shot in LUCKY DIP? Email editor@canta.co.nz

Want a BARETTA dinner, drinks and a chance to shoot your shot in LUCKY DIP? Email editor@canta. co.nz

One Side

I won’t shovel you it short, you could have cut the sexual tension in the room with a kitchen knife. I spotted her sitting cross-legged at a quaint Italian setting for 2, and glided forward for the handshake. Unfortunately, so did my erection, but I don’t think she noticed. I sat down and we went straight for the drink menus sitting on the table. She was going to need something strong to get herself through a whole date with this idiot. Sure enough, her eyes scanned down the drinks menu and settled on – I shit you not – the most expensive fucking whiskey on the menu. Shot girl, there goes my entrée (and my manhood).

I muttered, “So what are you stud-?”

“There’s this Pornhub video with a plot about stealing lemons that you should definitely check out,” she interjected. Interesting opener, I thought, but I think I’m more a stepsister incest hentai kinda dude. Shout out to CANTA though for paying attention to my hobbies and pastimes on my application.

We discussed the usuals: interests, local body elections, etc. I showed her my vape, which clearly made her visibly hornier. Then occurred a good half hour rant about how shit uni is – except you UCSA, we love you! (I hear that’s what you have to say now if you want your article

The Other Side

I never really knew how I felt about blind dates, but when the opportunity arose from Canta for a free date and dinner, I thought why not. The restaurant we met up at was pretty fancy, very much a cut above your usual student hangout (cheers CANTA). I was a wee bit nervous beforehand, so had a couple beersies at home to chill out. I was the first to arrive, but didn’t have to wait long for him turn up.

He was a good looking bloke with blonde hair and blue eyes. I could tell he was as nervous as I was and kept stumbling over his words a bit. But after we ordered a couple drinks, conversation flowed and we had alot in common. Both engineers, both keen on travel and enjoy the kind of caps that don’t go on your head.

He seemed like the kind of guy you could introduce to your parents, but still froths a big night out. As the night progressed conversation moved on to lemon stealling whores, why winnes got closed down, tea party antics and our grand plans for new years. Upon the end of

published). After a sensational couple of hours, I offered to give her a ride home.

As she stood to depart, her dress dangled out behind her, an ocean of gorgeous maroon fabric. I'll give her that, she was stunning, with an amazing sense of style. I was so preoccupied that I had forgotten to finish my sketch! Oh well, I’m sure I could do the rest from memory.

Now if there’s one shortcut to my heart, it’s complimenting my car. We wandered to the carpark, and she exclaimed, “Woh, nice rig!”

“Ditto,” I replied, as we got in. She spouted off her address to me and that was when an interesting piece of information was revealed.

We were neighbours.

No shit. Directly across the street. I can see her from my bedroom window.

Now as I sit in bed a few days later writing this, with her next to me, I’d like to call it a successful start. Shout out to CANTA for putting on the goods and setting up a couple that actually hit it off.

the night he offered me a ride home. Turns out this guy dives an old Nissan Patrol, a kiwi classic!! Needless to say, I was very impressed with it.

The most bizzare part of the night was finding out how close we live. I told him that I lived in the Riccarton area like most students do, but after telling him my street he paused in disbelief before telling me he lived on that street too. More so, it turns out his flat is directly opposite mine. Good thing the date didn’t go badly, with us ending the night with a hug.

Overall, this guy was the perfect combonation between a classic kiwi bloke and a gentleman. It’s inevitable that I’ll see him again when he lives across the road, but other that, I’m sure I’ll see him frothing at a flat party sometime soon.

CANTA’S BROKEN NEWS

The Burg Wins ‘Top Restaurant’ Award

The Undercroft food outlet, The Burg, has been awarded a prestigious restaurant award for its top food.

The Burg was presented with the award at an exclusive, star-studded ceremony at the Town Hall last night, attendees included celebrities such as Gordon Ramsey and Masterchef NZ season 1 third-place contestant, Tracey.

The Burg won the award for their “exceptional food, that could parallel with any of the world’s top restaurants” according to a press release from the award’s presenters.

CANTA Office Now Independent Nation State

Following an online petition, the CANTA office is now officially recognised as its own country.

After an online petition went viral, The CANTA office seceded From Haere-roa and all New Zealand territories.

The petition called for independence of CANTA sovereign land, which

was previously considered a territory of Haere-roa, and thus, is in New Zealand.

The 4m x 4m nation, with a population of two, is the largest exporter of opinion columns per capita, and also a huge tax haven due to having no system of governance.

ALUMNI WATCH

This week in Alumni Watch, we catch up with Phil Phillipson.

Phil was a Southlander through and through, born and raised in Bluff and eating oysters. He started at UC in 1984, entering R&R Hall and studying a Bachelor of Music, it was here he quickly found the convenience of a city. Phil remembers his time at UC very fondly, not-so-much the social events - he doesn’t remember heaps of

those - but the time spent studying and playing music with friends are some of his fondest memories. Phil’s passion for music lead him to many jobs in the music sector, including being a leading member of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Unfortunately, Phil has spent most of his professional career being addicted cocaine. Long-term intranasal cocaine use has burnt the internal structure of his entire face and he can now longer play the flute.

Despite the prestigious award, The Burg announced that it will not be increasing their prices, as they match luxury restaurant prices already.

Screenshot

AQUARIUS

(Jan 20 - Feb 18)

You’re a bitch.

PISCES

(Feb 19 - Mar 20)

Take a step back, focus on healthy relationships and escape from your hectic life. You are more willing than usual to explore life's secrets, so explore your spiritual side. Go deep.

TAURUS

(Apr 20 - May 20)

Saturn in retrograde makes this is a great time to improve your daily routines. Sort the worthwhile from the worthless, and rid what doesn't work in your life. `

LEO

(July 23 - Aug 22)

Get ready to be busy with the mundane. Phone calls, errands, paperwork. No big adventures for the next little while. Instead, investigate new things and find new ways to use your abilities.

SCORPIO

(Oct 23 - Nov 21)

This season is about personal retreat and regeneration. Put cycles that are drawing to a close behind you, and prepare for moving forward once the sun enters your 1st house next season.

GEMINI

(May 21 - Jun 20)

Time to come out of your shell! Focus on having fun and finding joy with your inner child. You'll feel good and spread joy. Branch out and make new friends.

VIRGO

(Aug 23 - Sep 22)

It's time to focus on material affairs. You'll find yourself accumulating possessions to order to feel comfort, but look out for too much spending. Make yourself a budget and find inexpensive ways to treat yourself.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov 22 - Dec 21)

It's a time for friends and dreams coming true. The sun is highlighting a social sector of your chart, so be outgoing and spend lots of time with others. Chase your dreams this month.

ARIES

(Mar 21 - Apr 19)

This month is about hard work at uni, and your job. Your eye for detail will provide you a boots here. This week, focus on enhancing a close partnership, but be aware of your tendency to be too direct.

CANCER

(Jun 21 - Jul 22)

Sun spotlights your house of family this season! Put down roots and seek belonging. Regardless of upcoming challenges, this will keep you safe. Fill your cup. Collect yourself.

LIBRA

(Sep 23 - Oct 22)

It's Libra season! Focus on your personal identity and outward behaviour. Do something new, and do it alone because teamwork will not be your strong suit right now. New solar cycle, new you!

CAPRICORN

(Dec 22 - Jan 19)

HAPPY ENDING HOROSCOPES

Get ready to get your career on track. You're ready to shine, and put some work in to see tangible effects. Recognition will come your way, but beware of the responsibility that comes with this.

Cartoons by @rickytowsendnz

We want to hear the best limericks that each Uni town has to share. Submit entries individually or as a flat, and the winner of each Uni town will win $500 credit and go through to the final round to compete for a year of free power! Enter via the Electric Kiwi Facebook page. Entries close 1/10/19.

apply.