CANTA ISSUE 7, 2024

CANTALENDAR

NZ Sign Language Course (Term 3) Starts @ Puaka-James Hight Library

UC Clubs Day 11am-2pm @ Haere-roa

UCSA International Food Festival, 11am-3pm @ Haere-roa

Heritage Stargazing from the Observatory Tower, 7:30pm-9:30pm @ The Arts Centre

One Direction 14 Year Anniversary Party, 9pm @ A Rolling Stone

Winter Beer Fest 2024, @ Two Thumb on Manchester

North Canterbury Creative Market, 11am-3pm @ Kaiapoi Club

CUBA JIB, 6:30pm-Midnight @ Haere-roa

Ōtautahi Preloved Clothing Market, 10am-2pm @ Mairehau High School

High Tide Market, 2-6pm @ Evil Genius

Monthly Open Mic Night, 7pm-11pm @ A Rolling Stone

Editorial

Sushi too woke? Try sushi pie!

Start of term 3! Look how fast the break goes. We’re all happy to be back at university… right?

It’s rough going from lovely, calm, no more thinking about crappy tests, assignments and group projects back to university where everything is fast-paced, constantly stressful, and a little bit overwhelming. But never fear, Canta is here to get you through the tough times.

The Issues issue is all about the shit student’s care about, which is actually quite a lot. Students all around the world have a passion for change, something adults – especially those in government – should take note of.

On the cover you will see a whole lot of ‘articles’ about some issues faced by students as well as the general population. All these articles were generated using AI to show how easy it is to get AI to write about anything you ask it to – a super scary yet fun tool to use for random stuff (but not academic work of course).

One of the issues talked about is the cost of living crisis, something which is at most of our throats. It is quite tough living as a student with just enough money to buy food, pay for rent, and utilities. With the state of our student flats and the price of rent, it doesn’t make it very fun to live as a student.

Most of us don’t even think we are going to every own a house, with the housing market being absolute crap. Most of us work one or more jobs alongside full-time university work just to stay afloat. We are definitely one of the most hardworking generations, but with the climate, housing, cost of living and a whole lot of other crises on our minds, we are all a little scared to be in the real world.

The real world is full of scary things, but I encourage everyone to stand up for what they believe in and always stand up for themselves. If you don’t agree with things that are happening around you, push for change and always advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Seeing and covering the protests for Palestine at the university brought tears to my eyes as it was beautiful to see students standing up for what they believe in. Canta will always be there to report on issues the students are passionate about and hold the university and UCSA to account.

The writers are bringing you such an amazing issue this week. With articles on issues that are always on our minds: biodegradable plastics, academic pressures, activism, and representation in New Zealand. There is something in this issue for everyone, and if you aren’t interested in reading the deep stuff, we have the entertainment section of the magazine just for all of you to be able to zone out from the real world – which is completely valid.

As per usual, this is your student magazine above anything else, if you want to see something in the magazine – tell us! Flick me an email at editor@canta.co.nz!

Good luck for the start of semester and look after yourselves,

Your Managing Editor for 2024, Hariklia

Nicola

President's Piece

Issues. We all have them. You, me, that one person in your lecture that types just a little too loud and aggressively. But what makes your issues so special to me? Well, I want to hear about them! Okay, maybe not so much about your flatmate whose inability to shower has become way out of control, but more along the lines of how you’re aggrieved with various systems here at UC.

But first, ELECTIONS! The UCSA does some really awesome stuff here at UC, and running in the elections is truly one of the best choices you could ever make. You meet a lot of really great people, and if you get elected, you get to be a part of making some really awesome things happen here at UC. A few excellent examples of recent achievements the UCSA has accomplished to get you in the mood:

Passing the LECTURE RECORDING POLICY, meaning equitable access to learning for all and certainty on lecture recording content.

SUBSIDISED DENTISTRY was a big win in the looking after students space which has had overwhelming utilisation rates since we first launched it.

Bolstering strong support for clubs through our CLUB GRANTS. We have one of the strongest social scenes due to our undying support for club success. We’ve continued adapting to our dizzying growth!

Our FOOD BANK service has helped students who are struggling to afford food. Nobody should have to deal with financial hardship, but if you do, we have your back.

I really mean it when I say that the UCSA is such a special organisation to be a part of and that it is well worth the effort in putting your name forward as a candidate. Your voice carries power as a student representative here at UC. You have a say and influence every student focused decision. And I’m not talking about the president’s role. Our faculty reps are so crucially important and directly input and change things like courses through faculty feedback forums.

So now that I’ve convinced you to run, back to our issues. Life here is pretty good. We have a campus that actually has space between buildings, some of the cheapest rent in the country, and of course a really strong student organisation with an empowering relationship with the university. But just because life is good that doesn’t mean life isn’t, or can’t be, great.

How do you improve? What’s your secret to getting better at what you do? It’s always either a process of trial and error, or critical analysis. Either way, you need information. Information on what works and what doesn’t. The only way to improve is to grow on past mistakes or criticise the future.

Over my years at university, I have spent a lot of time picking out issues. Some self-reflective and some reflective on our experience here at UC. But what I and

many others have failed to do, is voice those concerns in ways that will have a meaningful impact. The opportunity to be on the UCSA means that you can be the voice for those around you in your respective cohorts.

So do it! Look out for coms about the elections and consider running with a mate or two. Not only will you have a really meaningful impact, but you’ll also set yourself up with a CV miles above everyone else and a nice pay check for your hard work! If you have any questions about elections or just want some more detail, flick me an email at president@ucsa.org.nz

As promised, a new photo every issue! So here’s the longest wedge I’ve ever had from the foundry, featuring Dom our Arts rep watching me down that thing.

As always, stay fresh!

Luc

Tumuaki Piece

Te mana o te wāhine kei roto i au. Ko te ihi o Hine-tītama, Hineahuone, hei pou arataki mō ngā wāhine rangatira mō āpōpō.

Tēna rā tātou katoa,

Ko Wairaamia Tikao Taratoa-Bannister tōku ingoa (left). Ko Kai Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Waitaha, Ngāti Raukawa, rātou ko Ngāi te Rangi ōku iwi.

Ko Te Rina Apakura tōku ingoa (right). Ko Ngāti Ranginui, Te Aupōuri, Waikato Tainui ngā iwi.

Kia ora, Wairaamia and Te Rina here, and we have the absolute pleasure and honour to be the new Tumuaki Haumi (Co-presidents) for Te Akatoki o Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, our Māori Students’ Association for the rest of 2024. Wairaamia grew up in Dunedin before moving to Ōtautahi and attending Cashmere High School, before coming to UC and now on the journey to complete a BA in Psychology and Māori and Indigenous Studies. Te Rina was born and raised in Ōtaki, and moved to Ōtautahi at the age of 10, Te Rina then went on to TKKM o Te Whānau Tahi and St Andrew’s College, and now in her second year studying towards a BA in Māori & Indigenous Studies and Public Health.

This Canta Issue is set to explore the raru that our tauira and whānau face living in Aotearoa, but for Māori the real question is with a three-headed taniwha masquerading as the coalition government where do we begin? With the taniwha ensuring systemic barriers and institutionalised injustices continue to deprive the progress of marginalised communities, our tauira Māori have remained steadfast in their pursuits of mātauranga, manatika, and mana motuhake.

For instance, the representation of Māori in political positions and their influence on policy-making is a continual area of focus, changes in political power can influence how much Māori voices are heard and how effectively their needs are addressed in government policies. Health and education disparities have long been ongoing issues. Efforts to address these disparities often fall short, resulting in continued disadvantages for Māori communities. Furthermore, a major impact of the coalition concerns Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The ACT Party has targeted Māori directly in their pursuit of introducing a Treaty Principles Bill. There are two major issues with this Bill. Firstly, ACT has incorrectly translated Te Tiriti o Waitangi, spreading misinformation due to their failure to ensure proper translation. ACT’s lack of consultation with appropriate te reo Māori translators already breaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Secondly, their Treaty Principles Bill lacks insight and awareness of the struggles Māori

face as a direct consequence of colonisation and marginalisation. These inequities mean that Māori are not treated as equal to others, proving that the very foundation of ACT’s argument is flawed. How can all New Zealanders be equal under the law, with the same rights and duties, if appropriate steps to close the inequality gap are not taken?

In facing these challenges, it’s crucial for students at UC to remain proactive. Your pursuit of mātauranga, manatika, and mana motuhake is not only commendable but essential for driving meaningful change. Together, we can work towards a future where all voices are heard, where systemic barriers are dismantled, and where every individual, regardless of background, can thrive.

Ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi. Toitū te tiriti.

Canta News.

Reduced to Clear opening set to aid student cost of living strain

Jordan Smith (he/him)

Supermarket chain Reduced to Clear has opened a store in Christchurch, the first of its kind in the South Island offering an alternative for groceries. Only selling products that are either close to their best-before dates or just after – all for a reduced price.

The store offers much welcomed relief for shoppers, as the cost of living crisis continues to affect how much those can spend on their groceries, especially students.

Store manager Georgia Coumbe told Canta that it is of utmost importance that her store supports the local community by providing an alternative shopping environment to those who need it.

“It is really important to us that we can make buying everyday food items affordable, and we are always looking to broaden our range to ensure there are balanced options and something for everybody,” she said.

“We really care about our customers and want them to keep returning to us, so we go out of our way to ensure our value proposition is always evolving in terms of value and choice.”

The arrival of Reduced to Clear in Ōtautahi could not have come any sooner, as students bear the brunt of cost of living, especially entering the colder months.

Ilam MP Hamish Campbell told Canta that Cost of Living is a nationwide problem and one of the most common issues students raise with him.

“Initiatives like the Reduced to Clear store can help make things more affordable for students, which is a positive step,” he said.

Campbell also mentioned Reduced to Clear’s positive environmental impact on what is a high-wastage industry, and the subsequent impact on how much students are paying.

“It also has environmental benefits, which not only eases the financial burden on students but also contributes to environmental preservation.

“WasteMINZ report that removing avoidable home food waste would be equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by 325,975 tonnes, which is the same as planting 130,390 trees or removing 118,107 cars from the road for a year,” Campbell said.

Coumbes additionally said that how Reduced to Clear is perfect for those on a “student’s budget,” as groceries such as yogurt, cheese and general merchandise is sold at discounted prices, in comparison to what shoppers would normally have to pay at a regular supermarket.

UC’s inconsistent AI accusations and repercussions

Elsie Williams (she/her)

*Names have been changed.

UC students are facing penalties and potential academic integrity reviews due to AI use in assignments. Some deny using AI altogether, while others employ it without repercussions to complete reports.

A second-year student, David*, who prefers not to be named, expressed shock after receiving a 57.5% grade for an essay, with feedback alleging AI involvement despite his claim of never using AI.

“I have no idea how my tutor reached that conclusion, as there’s no evidence that I used AI. I completely refute this accusation,” he said.

David, who had suffered a head injury affecting his studies, opted to drop the paper following the incident after his doctors’ suggestions to take only three papers.

He clarified, “I’ve never used AI for my assignments at UC or elsewhere; it would be pointless, and I wouldn’t learn anything.”

After withdrawing from the paper, David strongly denied using AI and questioned his tutor and lecturer but found that they weren’t forthcoming about their conclusion of his AI use. He attributed his forgetfulness of citations and sections to his injury, supported by his doctor’s advice to take only three papers due to the issues he was having.

“I believe they eventually accepted my explanation because they knew it was true,” David said.

Ella*, was also accused of potential AI use in a feedback file for her assessment, when she claimed she had not used any.

Although the grade she received she said she had expected, if she didn’t open the feedback file she wouldn’t have known she’d been accused of AI use.

Ella didn’t counteract the claim, but said the tutor even added a comment saying that one of her sentences was awkwardly written, “which if I did use AI, that shouldn’t be the case.”

“It’s weird. [I] [d]on’t think they have a consistent process at this point.”

On the other side, Peter* is a fourth-year electrical engineering student who has used AI in many assessments and has never received any ramifications or indications from his lecturers that AI was detected.

“I find it odd that many other people get pinged for it even when they don’t use it and I just get nothing. Makes me wonder what’s really going on,” Peter said.

Peter uses AI to write sections and paragraphs in his reports and adjusts it as necessary. Due to use of AI in quite large sections and believes his lecturers don’t care if they use it.

“Many lecturers [in their faculty] just consider it as a tool to make things easier.”

UC marker, Simon*, explained the process in how they identify AI use without seeing a Turnitin score. As a marker, they cannot see the Turnitin results, but can navigate the use of AI through “suspicious signs”, Simon said.

“These can range from sudden changes in tone, completely different voice in a second essay submission from one submitted earlier in the semester, false (potentially hallucinated) references, or at the worse end fragments of writing referring to ‘the authors other publications’.”

But with that said, Simon says they don’t decide marks on these cases “on our own steam”.

The University of Canterbury’s (UC) position on AI supports the use of generative AI to enhance teaching, research, and institutional efficiency. Recognising AI’s transformative potential, UC aims to “enrich teaching and learning,” “support our world-class research,” and “streamline organisational efficiency.”

However, UC acknowledges the importance of developing highquality guidelines to mitigate risks related to academic integrity, research quality, institutional reputation, and equity, ensuring these technologies become “a force for positive change”.

New stadium set to revitalise Ōtautahi’s economy

Jordan Smith (he/him)

It’s no secret that Christchurch is navigating its way through an economic minefield in a post-COVID climate, but the Garden City is now playing the stadium sized ace it had up its sleeve.

With construction beginning in June 2022, Te Kaha Stadium has been designed to hold 30,000 people for sporting events and 36,000 for musical events.

With that, it has the expectation to reinvigorate the sport and culture scenes in Ōtautahi, but provide a boost to the local economy via tourists.

Chief Executive of Venues Ōtautahi Caroline Harvie-Teare said that Te Kaha is forecasted to host “over 200 events per year, including multiple sporting events, major entertainment events and concerts and around 180 business events per year.”

“We believe these events will attract approximately 100,000 visitors to our city whose total spend on things such as accommodation, hospitality, and activities while they are here will bring $28 million into the local economy each year,” she said.

Outside of tourism, the economic impacts such as employment, procurement of food and drink and engagement of local contractors and suppliers that Te Kaha’s presence would bring, would provide a welcome boost to those living in Christchurch, Harvie-Teare said.

“Te Kaha will be responsible for around $50 million of direct contribution to the region’s local economy annually.

“Te Kaha will also underpin additional investment and economic growth to the region, promote the region as an attractive place to work, study, live and visit and accelerate levels of investment in the Central City.”

Another key driving factor behind the development of Te Kaha, is to provide the people of Ōtautahi with a sense of pride and excitement, especially in a post-2011 earthquake environment.

Harvie-Teare said that “Te Kaha Stadium is the last of the 16 Anchor Projects created to regenerate the city centre of Christchurch following the catastrophic sequence of major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011”.

“Each of the Anchor Projects symbolises a step in the recovery of the city and Te Kaha is the last, and the most important of all - it is the last.”

Such emotional and personal connection means that Te Kaha is more than just a stadium. It is a symbol that marks all the struggle that Christchurch as a region has gone through and more importantly, how it has overcome it.”

Harvie-Teare said the development is a game changer.

It will be a patient wait for Ōtautahi however, as construction of Te Kaha is estimated to finish in 2026.

Canta reached out to both Little High and Smokey T’s for comment on what the economic impact of the new stadium would be, however received no response.

What actually happened on May 30th

Maia Aramakutu (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Porou, she/her) Opinion Piece

If you have been keeping up with current events or the news in general, you would have seen that Te Pāti Māori called for a nation-wide activation on Thursday the 30th of May.

The call was made on the 26th of May, just four days before the activation was set to take place. With Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiriti Waititi sharing in an Instagram post, “We are being attacked for being Māori’ so he asked people to strike “to prove the might of our economy by disconnecting entirely from it.”

This post was followed up by the official social media page for Māori activations @toitu_te_tiriti posting on Instagram “We are being attacked for being Māori. This is what the rangatira revolution is about.”

Protest goer Tyler Rowe said, “I went because I felt it as the best way to stand in solidarity with my people and express my Māoritanga in a way I haven’t before”.

“The protest was a new experience for, but I really enjoyed it. Despite the reason for the protest, it was a positive atmosphere filled with waiata and good vibes.”

Another protest goer Jacquelyn said that she went “as an indigenous person from Turtle Island [North America].”

“I understand the outside pressure and threat that exists to be who we are Indigenous and Māori for being Māori,” she continued

The call to action was for Tangata Whenua and Tangata Te Tiriti to strike for the day to attended one of the many activations that were happening across the motu.

But why was the call to action set for the 30th of May? Well, it was budget day.

Budget day is when the finance minister, currently Nicola Willis, shares how much money the government has, how the government plans to get more money, and how the government plans to spend the money.

The decision to have the protest on budget day shared by Te Pāti Māori was to “protest the government’s policies affecting Māori.” This has been the reason for the number of Māori protests that have occurred across the country since the coalition government started their term in parliament.

The call for action caused some controversy around whether it was illegal to strike during the week.

With Labour leader Chris Hipkins in an interview to RNZ on May 28, adding that “I think in terms of any strikes, they need to be in the confines of the law, so there’s pretty clear law around when people can and can’t strike, it’s in context of bargaining – so I think people need to follow that”

So, after watching the news and seeing that striking might be illegal on Thursday the 30th of May, I took a bus to the Bridge of Remembrance and joined the Ōtautahi hīkoi.

The protest itself was peaceful, and only lasted an hour. During that hour there was haka and waiata performed by students from local high schools, chanting and speeches were given around the kaupapa of the protest.

When I was there, I talked to others who had made the journey and asked why they decided to take the time to come to the protest.

“As a study abroad student I wanted to go as I know it is important to show up as an ally, as a body to illuminate ‘The Peoples’ voice. For me it is rooted in the peoples I come from, the Anishinabek and Odawa. Our people are connected to the land our way of life that creates a balanced way of being. This very same thing is what I have been fortunate enough to have witnessed with Māori relatives here.”

“I choose to go as I understand the lived experience of displacement of land, language and culture; all of which has been used against my Peoples. For me I recognise once you understand this you will find it in you to show up. I pull strength from my ancestors every time I use my voice, just as I did during the nationwide activation.”

And although the government said that it would be illegal to protest, the protests went down smoothly without a single arrest.

This protest like the others that have happened in Aotearoa show that Māori will stand together to, in the words of Rawiri Waititi, “stop allowing the government to assume that they have sovereignty or mana over us”.

Glossary

Hīkoi – Walk, March, Step or Stride

Kaupapa – Topic, Policy, Matter for discussion, Plan.

Rangatira – Chief

Motu – Island

Tangata Tiriti – People of the treaty

Tangata Whenua – People of the land

Te Pāti Māori – The Māori Party

Toitu te Tiriti – Honour the treaty

There are two John Mintos. There’s the John Minto who gently shakes your hand and leans in to catch your name. He’s easy-going and really funny, with the soft Kiwi accent of a favourite uncle.

Then there’s the other John Minto, who emerges when he furrows his brow and over five decades of activist experience suddenly appear on his face. This John Minto is the one best known to the public: voice firm, megaphone in hand, making headlines.

They’re in perfect balance. Minto, 71, has led countless protests, run for Mayor of Ōtautahi Christchurch twice, been assaulted and arrested, and lambasted on social media. But he’s as active as ever, now the National Chair for the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA).

He first got involved with activism while studying at Massey University in the early 1970s, where “there were big debates going on” about the upcoming 1973 Springbok Tour, and Minto was “absorbing it all”.

South Africa’s apartheid system of racial segregation had led to calls for Norman Kirk’s Labour Government to prevent the South African rugby union team – the Springboks –from embarking on a tour of Aotearoa. These calls were successful; the 1973 Tour was cancelled.

In Ahuriri Napier in 1975, Minto’s work became “active activism”, and his move to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland stepped it up further. In 1980, Minto took over from Trevor Richards as the new President of Halt All Racist Tours (HART).

Minto led HART in protesting the 1981 Springbok Tour. This was a much larger movement than the one in 1973, with demonstrations at rugby matches turning violent in clashes with riot squads and pro-Tour civilians. This felt important. It was an opportunity to change the whole world in these little islands. Minto believes the focus on sport was a major factor.

“It was because I thought New Zealand had this unique relationship with South Africa, through rugby,” said Minto. “So I felt that this was an issue where New Zealand could put pressure on that relationship.”

Then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon let this Tour go ahead – but both countries changed forever. The 1981 Tour is a landmark in Aotearoa New Zealand history. It asked us to decide who we wanted to be.

South Africa abolished apartheid in the 1990s. It recently filed a case at the United Nations, accusing Israel of genocide and apartheid – and used its own history as an example.

Minto became a bit of a local legend. He appears in Merata Mita’s landmark 1983 documentary Patu!, which chronicles the 1981 protests. Minto, then in his late twenties, is shown deciding the best time to meet at the bus terminal and who’s going to be in charge of the leaflets. Later, as we hear protestors sing “Solidarity Forever”, we see a photo of Minto with a cloth clutched to his bleeding forehead.

This moment returned to the national memory this past February. Images circulated of Minto at a protest in Lyttelton, once again with a bleeding forehead, getting his peppersprayed eyes rinsed out.

John Minto Solidarity, John Minto

Minto has been the PSNA’s National Chair for a few years. They used to have a few small protests annually, on significant dates – like May 15, for Nakba Day, and November 29, for International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Minto says the PSNA successfully pressured the New Zealand Superannuation Fund to withdraw investments in Israeli banks, and was in a “long discussion” with the Labour government about potential policy changes.

Amid a massive wave of support for Palestine since October, the PSNA has been holding weekly public rallies. The organisation has grown significantly.

History never repeats, right?

History never repeats, right?

“The level of awareness has just rocketed up. We’ve more than doubled our database, in terms of the number of people who are receiving our newsletter… and that’s a good indication of where we are right at the moment,” said Minto.

Springbok Tour protestors and Police on August 15, 1981. Source: Mario Grinwis / Canterbury Stories / Christchurch City Libraries. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Mario Grinwis Collection (CCL-Grinwis-07).

John Minto Solidarity, Forever John Minto

Minto admires the students of today. He says that in recent years, Aotearoa’s university campuses haven’t been as focused on activism as in previous decades. But he doesn’t blame students at all. “I think a lot of it has to do with the economic changes that were brought in by Labour in 1984. Neoliberal economics, where students now have to pay […] huge amounts for their education.”

He believes it’s skewed the aim of education away from making us better people and “into a kind of a transactional process… a way to get some skills that will allow you to become a brick in the wall of the capitalist establishment.”

Minto knows young people; he worked for years as a high school teacher. Just like in 1981, young people are at the heart of this wave of activism. In recent months, there has been an increase in on-campus protests at universities like Massey, Auckland, and UC.

“Young people are fantastic. I take my hat off to them. So many young people doing such an incredibly good job in keeping the Palestinian issue in front of the public, because that’s the most important thing,” said Minto.

“If we can keep it in front of the public, then opinion moves in the direction of Palestine, always – it never moves in the direction of Israel. It was the same in the 1970s.”

Minto is outspoken about his disappointment with the mainstream media in Aotearoa New Zealand. “They use the words ‘butchery’ and ‘slaughter’ when it comes to Israeli civilians that are killed. They refuse to use those words when Palestinians are being killed in the most arbitrary and indiscriminate ways.”

“And the public picks up all of these things, you know, without even realising it. We pick up the narrative of Israel, and we never get the narrative of Palestine.”

He’s particularly distressed by a television interview between Jack Tame and Israeli Ambassador Ran Yaakoby in April, which he calls an “absolute outrage”.

“I’ve been… taking a close interest in politics for 60 years –I’ve never seen anything like the Jack Tame interview. And the context in which it occurred: you’ve got a genocide happening, and Television New Zealand takes the criminals who are committing the genocide, and gives them 45 minutes on national television, to explain and justify and present unchallenged arguments that all fall over under scrutiny.”

A focus for the PSNA is the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement, which Minto calls “the most important strategy that New Zealanders can use to support the people of Palestine”.

The PSNA’s six primary boycott targets are Obela, BP, Caltex, HP, SodaStream, and McDonald’s, all companies with ties to Israel. There’s also a much longer list, but Minto primarily advocates for boycott of these six to maximise the effectiveness of the movement.

He says he really wants to stress this next point. It’s the core of his work. “HART was, or the anti-apartheid movement was, able to keep the issue of apartheid in front of the public all the time. And whenever we were doing that, public opinion was inexorably moving in the direction of support for Nelson Mandela and the liberation struggle.”

I ask Minto how much of an impact the 1981 protests had on bringing an end to South African apartheid. He says he doesn’t want to overstate it, but he does believe the protests in Aotearoa – and worldwide – brought it to a quicker end than it would have otherwise.

There are two John Mintos, because one can’t exist without the other. The student and the teacher, the listener and the speaker, the bloodied leader and the leaflet organiser. As long as the fight continues, we’ll see Minto there.

I see him again while I’m covering the Undercroft protest. He wears a beanie and puffer jacket with shorts and jandals. He’s there to support the young protestors, as he’s always done. I shake his hand and say hello; he leans in to hear what I say, but he doesn’t seem to catch it, because we’re drowned out by the chants of the protestors. They sing “Solidarity Forever”.

Charlotte Thornton (she/her)

Minto speaking at a PSNA Ōtautahi rally. Source: Adrian Lambert Photography / @alambert_photo.

The term “biodegradable” is often slapped on packaging to boost business profits, but it creates more problems for recycling plants. To biodegrade means to break down over time, but there are no clear specifications on how long this process takes—it could be 500 years for all we know. Worse, these materials might degrade into microplastics—tiny, harmful bits of plastic that threaten aquatic life and could increase heart attack risk in humans. Labeling packaging as biodegradable is often a cover for deceptive claims. Your “biodegradable” coffee cup might take 372 years to break down, but for now, it’s mostly ending up in landfills or contaminating green bins. So, pay attention.

Environmental science student and eco-warrior, Jess Lamb told Canta that “although both biodegradable and compostable packaging types have been advertised to be more sustainable and eco-friendly, that’s all it is, advertising.”

The excessive global consumption of plastic has increased immensely over the years due the fact it is lightweight, resilient, long lasting and relatively cheap. 300 million tons of plastic are made annually, for only 7% of it to be recycled and 8% to be incinerated - the rest goes straight to landfill.

“A lot of people feel that we can recycle our way out of this crisis, but I don’t think we can, because of the volumes that are being made, and it’s just not practical,” said Environmental scientist and UC lecturer, Sally Gaw.

Though Gaw is interested in how everyday life leads to environmental contamination, as her career has gone on, she said she has become more interested in how we make sure that we’re not releasing things into the environment that cause more problems.

“We can keep documenting what we’re finding in the environment, but I’d like to start taking more of that knowledge and actually trying to work how we stop things

Two words that really

getting into the environment in the first place... otherwise, we’re just going to keep playing this catch-up game forever,” Gaw said.

Gaw’s interest in environmental chemistry began during her childhood in developing countries, where she observed the direct impact of environmental issues on people’s lives. She recalls seeing large yellow drums of DDT, labeled as made in the USA but not for sale there, highlighting discrepancies in environmental practices. The lack of regulatory around substances in some countries is a major issue, that indefinitely sparked a keen interest for chemistry and contaminants for Gaw. But what Gaw discussed in depth is the issue around plastic – the ugly, the bad, and the even uglier truth.

Gaw notes one of the many challenges with compostable plastics, as they often require specific conditions to break down, which are not achievable in-home composting. Which unfortunately, I fear lots of student don’t even do anyway. But the important thing to know – is many of your ‘biodegradable packing’, is not going to compost in your green bin.

“A lot of the compostable plastics need certain temperatures and conditions that you wouldn’t get in your home compost,” she explained. Instead of fully decomposing into harmless substances, these plastics can break down into microplastics, exacerbating environmental pollution.

This issue is further complicated by the presence of other plastics added to improve the strength of compostable plastics, making them less compostable. The Christchurch City Council website says biodegradable or compostable bags, liners and packaging and cardboard and paper with food on it go in the red bin, including newspaper, dirty pizza boxes and many more things. So stop putting last night’s 2am dominoes in the green bin, if it is clean it

shouldn’t go together

goes in recycling, if it is dirty – bin it. And don’t chuck your ‘biodegrable’ plastics into your recycling either.

Lamb takes it upon herself to enhance her education around everything eco-friendly, as well as spreading the word about what she knows. She is also co-organiser of the Compost club here at UC with her twin sister Kaitlyn.

She echoed the intensity of this issue around biodegradable packaging still ending up in landfills, where it releases methane gas (CH4) due to the mix of plastic and plant-plastic materials - further contributing to the climate crisis. Lamb states that even compostable packaging often ends up in landfills because Aotearoa lacks facilities to break down these materials, leading to contamination if placed in green organics bins.

Other countries such as China are saying “get lost, we don’t want your rubbish,” said Gaw. With only ten facilities capable of breaking down bioplastic at the necessary temperature of 55 degrees, with only one facility in Christchurch, the country’s waste management is further strained, leading to more significant environmental challenges. Lamb adds that “home compostable” packaging is an exception, but even then, it may contain chemicals unsuitable for soil, necessitating critical thinking about what goes into home composts.

Gaw emphasised the classification of plastics and biodegradable plastics as inherently good or bad is complex. Instead, the focus should just be reducing plastic usage. Ultimately, Gaw believes the crucial question is, “When do we use plastic and when do we not use plastic?”

Lamb echoes these sentiments, advocating for zero waste living and using reusable items instead of buying into unethical consumerism.

“Companies that use marketing schemes saying that they’re items are “biodegradable” or “eco-friendly” fire me up because they’re only saying that so they can put a premium on their products and therefore make more profit,” Lamb said.

During her internship with the Rotorua Lakes Council, her main role was focused on waste surveys of public litter bins. She discovered that a significant amount of the waste was “biodegradable” packaging, which still ended up in the bins.

“Although consumers think that buying their food or drinks in biodegradable packaging is fine, it’s actually not,” she said, highlighting that this waste still goes to the landfill and harms the environment.

Her advice? Take reusable items out with you wherever you go, where nothing is thrown “away.”

“Use what you already have. Going out for a chai latte? Don’t use a single use cup, bring a glass jar, put a piece of material around it, like a sock, [to prevent you from burning your hands] and use that for your drink.”

As for Gaw, she’s advocating for stricter regulation of plastics, emphasising the need for more control over plastics to protect human health and the environment.

“I think we don’t fully yet know what the human health implications are, but we know that a lot of the additives that are used in plastics or made of chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics that are already on hazardous substance list, so we already know that they’re a problem, yeah, but we’re not necessarily regulating them.”

So next time you see “biodegradable” on a package, remember: it’s not as green as it seems. Think reusable, not disposable, and let’s genuinely reduce our plastic footprint.

Elsie Williams (she/her)

Everything in Moderation

Tertiary students are facing many challenges. Rent, the cost of groceries, and most are worried about the economy, or the climate, or the job market - if not all three. But one of the biggest issues for University students stems directly from university itself. Where academic-pressure and grade contingencies are core anxieties for many students, especially those in conditional entry courses or academic scholarships, for which GPA is trump card.

In first-year, conditional entry courses are battles to be won, and being accepted into my journalism major felt like winning a war. Course entry demanded a CV, a portfolio, interview, writing test; and my own personal fixation, a strong GPA. And now that exams are behind us all and I get to ask the questions, not hurry to answer them with a foggy brain, and a clock on the wall rapidly losing time, I’ve been wondering: was it worth it?

The late nights, the tears, hours fettered cramming, the rite of passage that is breaking down on Level 4 of the library. Spiraling in pursuit of a GPA which is either entirely arbitrary, or all-important, depending on who you ask.

Was it all worth it? I desperately want to say yes. But maybe the answer is: only in moderation.

Eva Gibson, now a second-year student majoring in speech and language pathology, was once a first-year who went through a rigorous application and grading process, submitting a CV, a formal interview, and crucially, maintaining a B grade average to progress.

“It’s a professional degree, so it’s definitely a lot of pressure” said Eva, and successful acceptance after first-year doesn’t always guarantee that a student will be able to complete the degree. Maintaining a B grade average is required every year of study, in order to progress to the next, but in such a content specific degree, transferring to something new is almost impossible.

An overemphasis on grades can be highly reductive, abridging student success to a measurable academic benchmark. According to Luc Mackay, UCSA President, “I think the value in grades is that they provide an objective test of someone’s knowledge. They act as a baseline”, but as grade anxiety spikes over exams, many students are questioning how much pressure is motivating, and how much is completely overwhelming.

An unnamed, University of Canterbury spokesperson, said that although “grades are important for motivation and fair comparison among students, at UC we also believe it’s important to consider other factors”.

Daniel Ramsey is a civil engineering student, who says that despite grade-pressure, “I hope other things can be more important. Especially in civil, personal skills mean a lot”.

Skills outside of those graded are often neglected by the academic emphasis on GPA and number grades, and according to Eva, “The hardest part is you can be a wonderful speech pathologist, but not be meeting that grade-boundary. If you’re passing, and you have a great bedside manner, the grade conditions are arbitrary.”

As cohort numbers drop after first-year, Eva added that in emphasising grade margins, the degree is “losing really valuable students in the process”, as many switch disciplines due to academic-pressure.

UCSA President Luc Mackay added, “there are always valuable students who get lost, but we lose less and less due to support programs”. Luc says he is very proud of the student rep system, which helps to monitor existing courses, and when new courses are developed.

“UCSA is heavily involved in that process, to make sure the course load is actually achievable”. Luc stresses that grade conditions are “not there as a barrier”. However, academic challenges can regress quickly into academic deterrents.

Eva adds that maintaining a work/life balance has become increasingly difficult, and the course load has her lamenting, ‘no more family holidays!’. I understand that time commitment is important, but how much sacrifice is too much sacrifice?”.

Personally, I’d say that much. Giving up time with family, friends, partners; giving up holidays or semester breaks - that’s a lot of sacrifice for a work/life balance that is less balanced, more seesaw, with one arm up in the sky, and the other dug deep into the sand.

According to Caleb Cooper, second-year software engineering student, the course load is “a lot of work, not much life”. Grade contingent courses can take a huge toll on aspiring students, and engineering qualifications are notorious for their strict grade policies and competitive entry - and for their grading curves.

UC spokesperson also acknowledges that “overemphasis on grades alone may not fully capture a student’s potential or abilities beyond academics”, and reference the 2023 Te Kakau a Māui scholarships, as the first scholarship of scale in New Zealand “that didn’t filter students by their grade”. Instead, the scholarship evaluated “their willingness to give back to their communities”, and considered personal achievements, or extracurricular involvement.

Everything

GPA, Grade Anxiety, and the Academic Toll

Moderation

And yet, retaining the “community-based” scholarship is entirely grade contingent, and the scholarship may be withdrawn, and paid funds recovered, if the recipient cannot maintain ‘satisfactory academic progress’; the maintenance of a 5-point GPA, or a B grade average. The academic expectations are incredibly rigid, and for many students, conditional courses and conditional scholarships, which should feel like academic opportunities, often feel like an academic burden instead.

Sneha Barpardeshi, who volunteers as a homebase leader and mentor for the scholarship, says that grade anxiety impacts student life significantly.

“That’s really obvious. Academic pressures are very course dependent, but it can be so overwhelming”.

Sneha points to the value of grade emphasis as a measure of consistent performance but says that a lot of first-year students don’t know where to reach out when that import becomes overwhelming.

Sneha, now working as a UC employment advisor, says that a huge amount of academic-pressure comes from fears about industry success. “Students are competing with so many people for industry roles, and they stress to get competitive grades”, which might set them apart for employers, and Caleb Cooper, software engineering student, says that he is prioritizing career outcome over university experience, and he’s focused on pursuing job opportunities, rather than choosing courses for passion or enjoyment.

But work requirements are “another major stress”, for students who are trying to maintain competitive GPA’s. Engineering students require 800 work-hours to graduate, but Caleb revealed that “most companies I’ve gone to have turned me away because they’re not interested in secondyear students. They’re asking for more experience, and it’s hard to get a foot in the door”.

Amy Riach (She/her)

But Law is also a highly competitive degree, and there is a lot of pressure to achieve highly, and demonstrate a rather unflinching work ethic. Anna says that recognising grades may be more about recognising commitment.

“Maybe there’s not value in emphasising grades so strongly. But it takes a lot of dedication to get those grades, and that might be the logic and reasoning behind the grade performance requirements.”

“I think it might be more to do with work ethic to be completely honest. Which is not necessarily accurate, because you can put in a lot of work and still not be getting those A+’s,” continued Clinch.

Ultimately, grading systems measure the output, not the input. Grades don’t always reflect the work that goes into an assessment, or the hours poured into a tricky course, and they don’t always capture passion, dedication, or work ethic.

And if you are struggling to reach the grades you were hoping for, if you love your degree, but just hate exams, Luc offers some advice, “It’s not because you’re not any good. It’s because academia is hard!”.

Sneha notes that pastoral care at UC has improved significantly in the last few years, “but because the university is so big, there will always be scope for improvement”.

Academic pressures can be highly motivating, or they can be incredibly destructive. Strive for the grades you want, apply for conditional courses and scholarships and grad programs, be proud of your GPA! But remember there will be far more to your career than your degree, and there is far more to your degree than your grades.

A lot of the grade-pressure comes from “competing with other students for placement in the same discipline”, according to Daniel, and an anonymous 3rd year student who is majoring in biochemistry, agrees that course grades “feel ‘make or break’, especially when there’s so much internal competition, and limited entry to grad programs”.

For students who feel similarly overwhelmed, there are pastoral care services directed by UC.

Anna Clinch is a Law student who said, “I feel like I’ve experienced quite a good amount, and witnessed quite a good amount, of pastoral care around uni”, especially as a PALS student, who really valued the collaborative program.

Sport brings communities together from across the world and Aotearoa New Zealand is no different.

With emphasis on the likes of rugby, netball, rowing, and cricket it can be simple to assume that Aotearoa is rightly promoting our national teams and keeping sports fans on their toes. Because while we may be small, we are fiercely competitive with strong-armed marketing machines and supportive fanbases.

But in terms of representing culture, it may be questioned if we are doing all we can to ensure that the sports sector is working with, and for, minority demographics such as professional Asian-Kiwi athletes.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Advisor at Sport Manawatū, Dantaye Simpson said New Zealand sports can overlook groups such as Asian-kiwi athletes.

“I feel that [the sports sector] are not always specific enough when working in communities, as you can get overlooked as an Asian in Aotearoa in the sports world. We have a huge focus on competition, and while in my work we really push for recreational opportunities, this is not always seen national wide,” Simpson said.

Simpson described the aspects of co-design opportunities that her organisation focuses on. However, she said AsianKiwis may not be accommodated through this, and that it should be a priority for the future.

“We do a lot of mahi with former refugees and RIMA communities. However some Asians will not fit in this category, so being more curious and active in seeking their guidance can strengthen this,” Simpson said.

“Something as simple as promoting Asian achievement on social media, making it more normalised can help change the environment and increase visibility.”

When it comes to success stories of professional AsianKiwi athletes, there are a few individuals that may be at the forefront, such as Ajaz Patel.

Patel is an Indian-born cricketer who has represented Aotearoa as a Black Cap bowler, having emigrated from Mumbai in 1996.

In a 2021 game against India, Patel took all ten wickets in an inning of a test, making him the third bowler to do so, after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble.

However, Patel may only be recognisable to some from advertisements and marketing media, as opposed to his actual career as a professional cricketer.

“There was a banking add which he [Patel] was in, which made me inclined to have a Google into him. Proof that representation matters and is not very good for Asians in sport,” Simpson said, who linked this initial oblivion to a lack of representation.

Another standout deserving of recognition is Shaun Johnson, considered to be one of the greats in rugby league, who has Laotian heritage from his mother. In 2014, Johnson was the recipient of the Golden Boot Award for world’s best player.

The pan-ethnic group “Asian-New Zealander” make up a significant percentage of the population; 17.3% as of a 2023 census, with it being predicted that this number will increase over the next two decades, and “overtake Māori as the country’s second largest major ethnic group”, sourced from GlobalWomen.

Asian-Kiwi Athletes in Sport

But even with these numbers, there are barriers in place that make it difficult for marginalised communities, even large ones with strong ties to physical exertion and creative pursuits, to have their stand and evidently make an impact.

“The barriers to participate are mostly related to access, inclusion, and the competitive nature of New Zealand sports,” said Carl Peterson, a Sports Science Lecturer and S&C Coach at the University of Canterbury.

Peterson mentioned how compared to all tamariki, those of Asian ethnicity tend to spend less time playing with friends or whānau and participating in play and informal activity.

From experience in his field, Peterson reflected on the relatively high level of Asian representation in sports that he is involved with, cricket and swimming, and how there have been meaningful ways that people are striving for better inclusion.

“There are a number of diversity issues that are being researched in sport to ensure fair and equal opportunities,” Peterson said.

On top of Simpson and Peterson’s considerations, the 2023 Active NZ survey and report goes into specific detail,

Asian-Kiwi Athletes Sport

outlining the ways in which participation of Aotearoa’s Asian population is impacted, primarily around sporting activities, before leading into developed strategies that should be implemented in the future.

The main takeaway from this report is that for marginalised communities, there is a lack of cultural knowledge around sports and fewer opportunities, which may make the ordeal intimidating. Feeling overlooked and being excluded, and a lack of funding, have shown to be major issues. The report reveals that three themes act as inhibitors: access barriers, inclusion barriers, and the competitive nature of sport.

“The report highlights the need for sports organisations and clubs to create more culturally inclusive and supportive environments,” Peterson said.

Both participants and sport facilitators’ provided suggestions for further action in the report, which revolve around improving accessibility to information, broadening the focus, and encouraging Asian sport leaders to be advocates.

There may be a tie-in between these findings, and why it is not always comprehensible to see proper representation of Asian-Kiwis in professional sporting, as opposed to other

cultures. It is also important to ensure that differences are addressed, and individuals are being supported from an early age.

“Only a tiny fraction of any population will succeed at the highest level. Therefore, it is essential to address the differences in population participation rates at younger ages, to allow the few of a particular group to rise to the top,” Peterson said.

Another area of representation for Asian-Kiwi athletes that needs examining is that of female players in their respective sports.

“I think when it comes to female athlete representation it should be 50/50. It should be the norm to open a newspaper and see women’s sport, it’s not a surprise that it’s there,” Simpson said, who is very passionate about gender equality.

“Asian athletes deserve better representation, how it looks as a non-Asian, I am not sure. But I do know for sure that they are not represented enough through our media, and if it was increased, we would likely see a rise in Asian participation.”

Female success stories for Asian-Kiwi athletes include professional table-tennis player Chunli Li, professional rugby league player Tyla Nathan-Wong and Lydia Ko, the youngest player of either gender to be ranked number one in professional golf.

“I am South Korean born but most of my golf development has been in New Zealand, it’s where I went to school, and my best friends are from New Zealand. It definitely feels like home,” commented Lydia Ko on the New Zealand Olympic Team website.

“I love it, and I’m so proud to have the flag or the silver fern on my back. To get New Zealand supporting me is a really great thing.”

Jamie Lane is the Community Sport Project Advisor and Insights Lead at Sport Waitākere, where he has had over 25 years of experience in the community sports sector with a core competency in disability inclusion.

Lane believes in Aotearoa becoming a good ally to its marginalised communities in sport, and that advocacy is key in doing so.

“As with many marginalised communities, the Asian population has challenges. These are many, however, the ones we often see are: lack of cultural understanding, which in turn leads to fear to engage or even just have a conversation,” Lane said.

“What we [Sport Waitākere] are very often promoting is having a cup of tikanga with people to really understand who they are and how they work. This allows us to become a good ally to a community and therefor advocate for them in spaces they might not feel comfortable in.”

This country has always had the capacity to bring everyone together and celebrate success among its people. With Asian-Kiwi athletes, who wish to see their craft and careers honoured in the same manner as other cultures, there are ways to do so.

While Aotearoa is a bicultural society, many think it best that the country be referred to as multicultural, to officially recognise cultures of multiple different peoples.

This, along with advocacy, education, and influence, could aid in increasing suitable representation of Asian-Kiwi athletes.

Olivia Welsh (she/her)

According to Climate Scientist George Denton

Inspired by Shackleton and the great explorers, climate scientist George Denton has researched ice ages and glaciers all over the world including in the Antarctic and the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Denton made his first visit to Antarctica in 1958, while studying at Tufts University in Massachusetts, and fell in love with the vast polar environment. He gained his Masters and PhD from Yale, and in 1990 was awarded the prestigious Vega Medal by the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography.

Since ’58, Denton has returned to Antarctica 30 times and both the Denton Glacier and the Denton Hills were named in his honour. These Antarctic landmarks are a way of recognising his decades of work at the bottom of the world.

Now a Professor at the University of Maine, in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences and in the Climate Change Institute, Denton’s research continues to inspire generations of students.

Denton splits his time now, between America and Aotearoa, and even on the 7th continent, the American and Kiwi bases are side by side. Denton’s acclaimed research in glacial geology is crucial in charting the future of the earth’s climate with his research focused on identifying the rise and eventual demise of ice ages.

“One of the biggest unknowns is what causes ice ages, and scientists been working on that for more than two centuries,” Denton said. Ice ages reach a peak approximately every 100,000 years and the last glacial peak was 20,000 years ago when the sea surface temperature dropped by 5 or 6 degrees, which Denton said is huge. He also said a profound warming 18,000 years ago ended the ice age, “the real big global warming,” he said.

The ages of the Earth are cyclical, ice ages grow and vanish in rhythmic turn. But the current climate has been influenced irrevocably by modern human behaviour, and global warming has flourished on an unprecedented scale.

“It was interesting, and then it became important. Climate change is affecting human beings now”, Denton said, his work in Antarctica and Aotearoa escalating from fascinating to important research.

Denton now spends half the year in Maine, and half the year in New Zealand, bringing American geology students down with him, to study the role of ice ages in Southern Alps glaciers in Aotearoa. Denton believes in the Southern Hemisphere “somehow holding the key” to both modern and historic climate change, and his colleagues are able to analyse air bubbles in Antarctic ice sheets, and examine the isotopes of oxygen in ancient ice. “The bubble is ancient atmosphere”, Denton said, and by sampling the atmosphere from hundreds of thousands of years ago, climate scientists can determine that CO2 fell and then rose in the atmosphere

“at the peak and at the demise,” of recent ice ages.

Crucially, the Southern Hemisphere is home to the strongest wind system in the world; the austral westerlies. And Denton believes that this unique wind system may be a key to global climate change. The austral westerlies migrate with the seasons, and they are far stronger than their counterparts in the Northern Hemisphere, because friction imposed on the westerlies by the northern continents is less important in the very watery south. Denton explained significant shifts in the strength, position, and duration of austral westerly winds leads to the upwelling of warm marine water deep in the Southern Hemisphere, affecting vulnerable, peripheral areas of Antarctica. As warm currents melt the ice beneath the ice sheet, increased accumulation of ice on the surface creates what the Antarctic Heritage Trust calls “a ‘battle’ in the Southern Ocean,” which could have significant implications for future sea level rise, and will determine the future of the ice sheet.

Denton, who is immensely proud of his students and his colleagues alike, cites friend and Nobel prize physicist Syukuro (Suki) Manabe. He told Canta: “using the Suki model, when we change the latitude of the westerly winds, we change the behaviour of the western Pacific whirlpool, which controls the global climate”, this key to global climate change can be found in the Southern Alps of New Zealand and deep in the Pacific Ocean.

The mystery of ice ages, and their rapid and profound ends, remains unsolved. But there are many theories. Denton suggests there may be a large scale capacitor deep in the Southern Pacific Ocean, which stores heat and CO2 during the long course of an ice age, and then releases it almost overnight, resulting in the quick end to ice ages and their slow formations.

Modern humans spread around the world in the last ice age, and that ancient polar climate created an entirely different world. “Humans had nothing to do with it, except we were here when it happened”, Denton said. The frozen climate was home to spectacular animals which roamed the Northern Hemisphere, “and we know they existed, because humans painted them onto cave walls”.

Necessity is truly the mother of all invention, and ice age humans “produced some of the greatest art humans have ever made”. Now, necessity calls for a new kind of climate action. We have thrived in ice ages before, but never have humans experienced the kind of global climate warming we are causing now.

Denton’s work in climate research is more important now than ever, and he is mentoring a new generation of students who will continue his legacy. “I participate with the Antarctic Heritage Trust because they support young people”, and Denton is passionate about his young students, and the continuation of climate science through organisations like the AHT.

Amy Riach (She/her)

Cantabury Tales

Dear Canta,

I need some advice about how to break the news to my parents I want to change my degree. My parents are so proud of me for doing law, but I’ve been really struggling and want to change to something that makes me a bit happier. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Love, Sick of this shit.

Dear Sick of this shit,

Welcome to a new column where we respond to a tale submitted by one of you and attempt to give advice. Want us to respond to your tale? Email us at editor@canta.co.nz. MON-FRI 8:30am - 5:30pm

I am sorry to hear you aren’t loving your degree. Don’t worry, everyone goes through stages when they want to change or drop out of courses, even whole degrees. You should always do what you are passionate about and never do anything because you are pressured into it. If something else makes you happier, do it! Life is way too short to be in a degree you don’t enjoy.

Talk to the course advisors at UC, or even sit in on a bunch of random lectures and see what you like the vibe of. You don’t know if you don’t try – but I am proud of you for identifying that you want to do something different, and I am sure your parents will be too.

Love, Canta x

What Luxury Item in a Cost of Living Crisis are you?

What Luxury Item in a Cost of Living Crisis are you?

You just got your semester 1 results back, are you...

A – So happy you could cry.

B – So sad you could cry.

C – You think I’m still a student, peasant?

D – I still haven’t looked, too scared.

If you were going on holiday, where would you go?

A – Somewhere tropical to soak up all the sun and get my tan on.

B – Anywhere with markets! Buying organic and wholesale produce is my passion.

C – I don’t care as long as it isn’t Christchurch.

D – SNOW, SNOW, SNOW, I MUST HAVE SNOW.

How do you get your caffeine fix?

A – I don’t need caffeine to kick-start my day. I am perfect and will never need an extra boost.

B – A cheeky coffee in the morning, and I usually end the day with either a hot tea or a bottle of wine.

C – I have two energy drinks by 9am. Don’t worry, two small V’s equals one big V so it isn’t that bad…

D – If I don’t have a morning coffee to pick me up I will not turn up to anything and I could kill someone.

You’re doing an assignment, do you…

A – Start it weeks, if not months in advance.

B – Do it 2 hours before it needs to be handed in, you know you can do it.

C – Assignment… what assignment?

D – Already submitted.

I know the winter months are especially hard on students, and your flat is only allowed to have showers between 9pm –12pm due to free power. But you my friend are as powerful as the clutch electricity has on all of us. Whether you are the equivalent of cooking something in the oven, or having a nice hot shower, you are what everyone wants to be –nice and warm.

Wow, look at you go, you expensive thing! Fresh produce?? Aren’t you lucky! And no, I am not calling you the $2 small broccoli bunches at Pak n’ Save which are lowkey rotting, you are the sweet, juicy, exotic passionfruit’s costing a lovely $40 a kilo. Fresh and fruity, just like you my darling.

Every student is borderline iron deficient because no one can afford anything but chicken or frozen vegetables for stir-fry’s. You bring the fanciness to every party just like a 3-course meal. And your outfits are looking as fine as a medium-rare steak at a 5-star restaurant. Go you, and please share with the rest of us.

If you have a car, you know the struggle of having to pay for petrol. $50 doesn’t even fill up most peoples’ tanks. Much like petrol, you can be annoying as you only respond to large amounts of cash, but in the end you are reliable enough to keep everyone coming back to you.

The Psychology behind Aotearoa’s golden ticket

Olivia Welsh (she/her)

Regardless of whether you’ve partaken in the country’s most recognised and socially acceptable gamble, you’ll be aware of the National Lottery in Aotearoa. An opportunity to walk away with more cash than you can imagine, or just enough for another ticket.

The lottery is in no way new. In 2021, the National Lottery celebrated its 60th year, with the first draw in December of 1961.

The top prize was £12,000 and the public scrambled to purchase a ticket for the chance to have their winning numbers published.

But when we peel back the layers of this polarizing somewhat controversial expectation for Kiwi adults, what do we see? What can the lottery, and how we perceive winning money, tell us about the state of our world, and ourselves?

Torin (he/they) who was employed in the past to sell lottery tickets, reflects on his time witnessing a range of individuals come and go. For the most part, it was the elderly they saw, who were quite consistent with their purchases.

“With the people who were elderly, they were almost always either a lower income person or someone who was more upper-class,” said Torin.

“The elderly people who came in would usually get like $40$60 worth of tickets, while the younger people would almost always just get the $20 “pack” of tickets.”

“I did work in East Christchurch though, which is generally a poorer area of the city, so that’s probably something to take into mind,” he says.

C (she/her), an Ōtautahi supermarket worker, picked up on an interesting way that the lottery systems are set-up.

“There’s probably some psychology behind how Lotto counters are always right when you walk in the door,” said C.

This reflects how simple it can be purchasing a ticket when one is probed time and time again, and that the convenient set-up is just a continuous reminder.

After distributing an anonymous form online, the responses I received reflected discussions with my peers and reading published articles on the matter, particularly by Max Abbott.

The public either believe Lotto to be a money-making scam or can understand the appeal but are hesitant in supporting it financially.

“It needs to not provide false hope to already disadvantaged communities,” says one respondent.

“It’s disadvantaging and targeting the already vulnerable in society with its marketing. One should not be able to use marketing tactics for forms of addiction.”

Many consider it to be a form of gambling, or even more severe.

“I think it’s worse than gambling. In most gambling situations you have better odds,” comments one respondent.

“It preys on the poor.”

“It would be like investing in anything you’re told has beyond a 99.9% chance of failing and continuing to invest in it for the rest of your life.”

However, like with many trends there is a side that is understanding of the hope and humane expectations of the public.

“I understand the hype of getting a Lotto ticket because you have a chance of winning millions of dollars,” said one respondent.

One response featured a well-explained, rather warm reasoning for why this individual considers the Lotto to be quite beneficial to society.

“I think there are issues with people spending too much money on tickets. However, I sometimes think if that gives them hope then what’s the harm?” they said.

According to Lotto New Zealand’s retail spend, Kiwi’s now fork over $1.5 billion a year on gambling devices. The prevailing trends revolve around winning odds, and the advancements being made to the existing systems.

Of the form respondents, over 85% revealed that they knew of someone, whether a friend or member of their whānau, that partakes in the lottery.

The Official Lotto system in Aotearoa is so complex, thus making it difficult to have simplistic conversations about it. Because the system involves two things that are at the centre of everything. Money, and a whole lot of hope.

The Lotto tagline “How great would it feel?” further instills that hope in communities, the one where people are wanting better for themselves.

The chance to win and change their lives.

Club Corner Club Corner

UC Women in Business

Tell us a bit about your club!

UC Women in Business (WIB) is a student-run not-for-profit club based at the University of Canterbury that exists to create a community of confident, capable, and connected women.

The club was established in 2019 and has since developed a significant following and reputation for our award-winning events and workshops.

Our activities focus on equipping our members for their future through networking, education, and collaboration.

At the 2023 UCSA Supreme Club Awards, WIB was awarded BEST BUSINESS PROGRAM, BEST MARKETING, AND BEST COLLABORATION EVENT. These awards are a testament to the calibre of events and activities WIB provides to the community.

Promote your club to a newbie, how would you sell it?

A fun and open environment for people to meet other people and to learn more about business and career progression.

WIB is all about having fun and focusing on how we are going to achieve our goals, it’s also a great space to meet women who are in their careers and to get advice.

What are some events and activities you have planned for the year?

We have an event about corporate dressing this term as well as our annual Commerce Ball with the Business School. We are also having a workout event or two every term. We have lots and lots coming up so keep up to date with us on our Instagram! @ucwomeninbusiness

How can people get involved?

People can become a member through our link on Instagram and we love to see anyone new come to our events! We have a newsletter sent out to members to keep everyone in the loop!

Everyone is welcome and we love to see people meet others and expand their learning.

C block lawn - July 25th - 10am to 3pm * terms & conditions apply

Flat Famous Flat Famous

Nickname: Frenchie

Worst Habit: Being an insomniac

Favourite Flat Meal: Melatonin

Nickname: Olivani

Worst Habit: Always at her boyfriends

Favourite Flat Meal: Tuna

Nickname: Troll

Worst Habit: Thinking everyone is keen on her

Favourite Flat Meal: Lip filler

Nickname: Pussbear

Worst Habit: Getting into a random male stripper’s car on a night out

Favourite Flat Meal: Mint solos

Nickname: Rimjob Worst Habit: Having athletes foot

Favourite Flat Meal: Her boyfriend

Nickname: Stanky Worst Habit: Hooking up with homeless people

Favourite Flat Meal: D*ck

Alex Charlotte Emma

Olive

Ruby Zara

GCs of the Week

Introducing the newest column in Canta, GC of the Week – written by The GC in collaboration with Canta. Here, the GC celebrates everything, featuring individuals who’ve not only managed to be hilariously funny in their day-to-day lives but have also spread a positive impact throughout university.

Nominations

By day he cruises the Ilam roads like you and me, but by night, he searches the streets serving cases of cold hard Justice. Armed with 4 gym sessions at city fitness and a 12 kg backpack of engineering notes (just get a f*cken iPad already), the streets remain clean with this man lurking in the shadows. Despite the safety he provides, Xav is no hero nor villain, Once rumored to call up the police station on the piss, purely to inform them of their inadequacy. He’s not the hero we deserve, but the man we all need; keeping us safe whether we’re walking home at night or attempting to break a mate out of a paddy wagon this man cannot be stopped.

Our next GC making a Splash is Manu Lewis. Whether it’s a spontaneous adventure or a quick recovery sit-down on a night out, his reliability on the hiss out is unmatched. This beautiful specimen remains a backbone for his mates. Always first in line for a dusty maccas run, a rowdy night, or just there to check up on his mates, his support being a testament to his loyalty. Keep it up, Manu!

Eagerly awaiting debut for the West Melton Mowers our next GC quickly found out he was the only thing getting mowed that day. After a killer first half of grass cutting tackles, game changing penalties, and elusive stepping; the opposition were left battered, broken, and utterly bamboozled. It was clear that this late in the game only one thing could stop this man…himself. One wrong step and a dodgy MCl was all it took, escorting him from the pitch on a stretcher. Despite his misfortunes he troopered with the help of a fresh set of crutches (and a lime scooter) he managed to complete the Christchurch half marathon with a commitment he made to charity.

GC of

the Week

Ben Birket

Caught lurking on a Friday night you may have distinguished this man by his unique brand of mischief. From accomplishing the infamous Foundry streak to chasing freshers down the road with a belt, it’s even rumored that RnR’s milk supply isn’t safe with this man on the prowl. Ben’s antics have a sense of fearlessness and unpredictability which help spice up the lives of the mates around him, always getting both a laugh and a story to tell come Sunday morning. Despite some late-week shenanigans, exams on the calendar and a potential court case looming bring out a whole different side of Ben Birket.

After such a large Friday night, most of us would be diagnosed with a bed-written case of hang-xiety. But determined to produce one of the greatest academic comebacks of the season, Ben was caught hitting the books on a Saturday night! After a post-study interview, he explained how the drastic lifestyle change wasn’t so difficult from sifting on girls to sifting through the pages of his textbook being a seamless transition. Cheers Ben, and good luck with your exams.

Xavier Charlie Manu

CANTA

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is a name most people in New Zealand know.

At the age of 32 years, she has scored 205 tries and 1025 points in just 169 Black Ferns games – and that is just her Black Fern point tally. Woodman-Wickliffe has won prestigious awards such as the 2015 World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year, and in 2017 she was named World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year. To wrap everything up nicely, she was named as the top women’s sevens player of the decade.

All good things must eventually come to an end, with WoodmanWickliffe announcing that she is retiring from international rugby. Luckily for her fans, she will be retiring after the Paris Olympics, hoping to finish her career with a gold medal playing alongside her sisters in black.

Woodman-Wickliffe has given her everything for this sport, she was apart of the first Black Ferns Sevens team to play on the World Series in 2012. She got her start in the sport through the Go4Gold programme, making the switch from netball to rugby.

She has made a lasting impact on the rugby community, but also the fans who look up to her and see her as an inspiration for women in sport.

A world of firsts at the Tour de France

The Tour de France is in full swing with the tournament seeing a lot of firsts this year. It is the first time that the tournament is not starting and finishing in France due to the Olympics being held in Paris. A monumental moment was seeing Biniam Girmay winning the 3rd stage of the tour in a fantastic sprint off.

Girmay who cycles for Eritrea has become the first Black man to win a stage at the Tour De France. As well as this, Richard Carapaz who rides for EF Education Easy Post became the first Ecuadorian cyclist to wear the yellow jersey, stealing it from current Giro d’Italia champion Tadej Pogacar.

Stage 3 was one for the sprinters such as Girmay, with the course being a flat one suited to the cyclists that were sprinters. The stage was 230.8 km, with Girmay putting himself in a fantastic position in the final sprint, managing to beat Jasper

Philipson who won three stages in 2023 and was the favourite to win the stage.

The Tour de France happens across 21 days with 8 flat, 4 hilly, and 7 mountain stages for the riders to complete, all with one final goal – to win the yellow jersey and earn a spot on the GC.

Wellington Phoenix lose top goal scorer

After signing a two-year deal with Melbourne City, Mariana Speckmaier will not be following the Phoenix into 2025.

The unfortunate loss of Speckmaier means the Phoenix have lost their golden boot for the third time in three seasons. Although the Phoenix tried their best to convince Speckmaier to stay, ultimately the opportunities the Melbourne club could offer her were greater.

Speckmaier managed to score 10 goals in just 21 matches for the Wellington side. Earning herself the title of the team’s all-time leading goal scorer, thus earning her the golden boot.

The Australian A-League teams have a history of taking the Phoenix top players with Canberra United signing Grace Jale and the Western Sydney Wanderers signing Milly Clegg.

The side moved quickly to re-sign their golden boot runnerup, Emma Main, to secure a positive win the day Speckmaier announced her plans to leave the club.

State of Origin: Choose your character

In a place which is constantly screaming “Up the Wahs”, another phenomenon sweeps the league fans off of their feet and into their seats: State of Origin.

The first match saw the Maroons wanting to retain their winning streak over the NSW Blues having won the last two years of the State of Origin. In just the first eight minutes, Reece Walsh was illegally tackled by NSW debutant Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i. This saw Walsh KO’d and sent off for an HIA, and Sua’ali’i becoming the fastest player in the history of Origin to be sent off. The Maroons managed to clean up the night winning 38 – 10 in Sydney – the Blues stomping grounds.

Second match saw the Blues take revenge, winning 38 – 18 in Maroons territory. Blues scored seven tries to three, with both teams losing members to the bin. At half-time, the Blues left the Maroons completely scoreless, sending a message of home to NSW and Blues fans.

The decider will take place on Wednesday 17th of July at 9.00pm in Brisbane – Maroons territory. The side will have the upper hand with a home side advantage, but that did not work for them in the second match. Because of that anything is possible.

Rugby legend to retire after Paris Olympics

Hariklia Nicola (she/her)

Taylor! Taylor! Taylor! The Re-Releases Need to Stop.

Elsie Williams (she/her)

Taylor Swift is a woman who prides herself on female empowerment, often giving speeches about how women in her industry get picked apart for components which make them unique. She is also a hustler, and when she gets to the top of the charts, she will do what she can to stay there. This hustle leads to dozens of releases of alternate versions of her music, causing a lot of disruption in the newly released world of BRAT which is quickly developing its own lore.

But this relevant topic also sparked when Billie Eilish released Hit Me Hard And Soft. Here, the internet is doing what it does best – pinning women against other women – let us have a little look into what might be the reality behind it all.

Charli XCX released her sixth studio album on the 7th of June, and just as she was climbing the charts and predicted to be number 1 in the UK, Taylor Nation announced a new The Tortured Poets Department digital album with bonus tracks and first draft phone memos for UK fans.

After the news broke that Charli was just in front of Swift for number one, Swift dropped the variants and jumped right back on top. The facts prevail that Swift didn’t actually need the variants to go number one, she could’ve done it without them. As much as I’d like to break down the nitty gritty of how she did it, I can put it simply by saying her jumping to the top was due to the number of streams, which was comparatively larger than BRAT’s streams. The sale of variants through digital downloads was only about 500 more than BRAT, but the gap of streaming was thousands.

Don’t get me wrong, BRAT is everything that is good about artistry and music. Especially with the release of “The girl, so confusing version with lorde”, because what is more to love than two pop icons working it out on a remix. The album is fantastic and deserves every acclamation it gets. But so does The Tortured Poets Department. Now don’t get me wrong, I have no idea what Swifts team was thinking behind the constant variant releases, but all signs look toward trying to stay above other artists like Billie Eilish and Charli XCX. But if we can see that the re-releases barely make an impact, and she’d be on top anyway, what’s the real problem here?

One of the problems is indefinitely the ingrained nature to presume women are always fighting against each other within the music business. Sam Murphy, a pop culture music commentator, noted that the relationship between pop stars and their fans is unusual and imbalanced.

“When you stan somebody you’re more likely to really support them and feel like you have to give them everything to do that,” he said. Fans expect value in return, and while a threehour concert or a vinyl album can offer that, Murphy argued that releasing digital variants of the same album is unfair.

“If you’re going to do it, give fans all of the tracks in the one version. Because they are essentially buying an album again that they already have, that is not valuable to them.”

In the heated moments of chart battles, artists should provide genuine value to their fans rather than exploiting their loyalty with unnecessary re-releases. “In the music industry in general fans deserve better than this, and that’s the hill I’m gonna die on,” Murphy emphasised. Another take I adore is from Shaad D’Souza who writes for The Guardian. He touches on Lana Del Ray’s admiration for Swift and her popularity.

In an interview with the BBC, Del ray commented on Swift’s determination in the industry. “[S]he wants it. She’s told me so many times that she wants it more than anyone. And how amazing – she’s getting exactly what she wants. She’s driven, and I think it’s really paid off.” D’Souza believes Del Ray’s words allude to the fact that Swifts commercial drive is “outpacting the meticulous songcraft and image control that made records like 2012’s Red and 2010’s Speak Now eradefining classics.” And he’s dead right.

It’s starting to appear with Swift’s re-releases of her albums that creative success is not as satisfying as spending multiple weeks at number 1 on the charts. Charli XCX caused online disputes with her comment that music is not important but, “artistry is what is important. And some artists don’t have artistry”. And to top this all off, she shaded Swift by saying, “I just feel like…artistry shines through you”. But at the end of the day, every artist is doing it in some capacity, and it’s just not good enough.

Re-releases might keep artists relevant on the charts, but they come at a cost. This culture pits women against each other and exploits fan loyalty. Fans deserve genuine value, not constant re-packaging. It’s time to prioritise true artistry over commercial tactics and support artists without burning a hole in our pockets. Let’s celebrate music for its creativity, not just its chart success.

Canta Commentary Disaster Films

The Day After Tomorrow War of the Worlds

I used to have a vendetta against ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ because it was played constantly in my house due to it, oddly, being my mother’s comfort film among many other disaster media including ‘Dante’s Peak and ‘2012’. But looking at it now, Roland Emmerich’s Sci-Fi is nothing short of a riveting showcase on the catastrophic effects of weather disruption. The cast is stacked, as are the disasters that befall upon the film’s main setting of New York City. The primary ones being the North American superstorm that floods Manhattan, and a massive storm surge. I did think the combined disasters allowed this film to be more on the exciting and fast-paced side, even if the pace is a little clunky with a lot happening during its run-time. The film follows multiple character’s journeys, including a father and son (portrayed by Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal) trying to survive in separate locations. ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ is well-shot with impressive special effects. It’s easy to process but is still effective in introducing relevant themes around climate change.

San

Andreas

For reasons aplenty, ‘San Andreas’ is a favourite rewatch for me, with action and drama at the forefront. After a suitable amount of exposition, and an introduction to the cast and relationship dilemmas, the film dives straight into the premise where a massive earthquake, caused by the San Andreas Fault, devastates the West Coast of the United States.

‘San Andreas’ doesn’t exactly deliver anything new to the disaster sub-genre in terms of reasoning for its existence but is intensely shot with great special effects. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s role as a rescue helicopter pilot who sets out to find his daughter can be regarded as a subdued, but still exciting, performance in which there is no over-acting on Johnson’s part. Stars Alexandra Daddario, Carla Gugino, Hugo Johnson-Burt and Art Parkinson are particularly strong in their respective roles as well, with amazing chemistry between them. While it has been dubbed by some critics as ‘preposterous’ and ‘scientifically dubious’, I agree with those who find that the film’s overzealous nature, and gripping spectacle, hard to resist. It is not perfect in any way, and perhaps could have been toned-down. But I think it succeeded as an entertaining 2015 flick, and should not be taken too seriously, as with most American disaster films.

Based on H. G. Well’s novel, ‘War of the Worlds’ classifies as a “disaster” film to me in the way that it displays its heavy Sci-Fi themes as an end to humans. With Tom Cruise donning the role of protective father, and Dakota Fanning as his young daughter, ‘War of The Worlds’ explores the arrival of intelligent extraterrestrials with a vengeance against humanity. While still being action-packed, it takes its time unravelling the story and introducing audiences to the antagonistic beings that kill and maim in creatively gruesome ways. While these are all positive aspects of the story, ‘War of the Worlds’ stands out in how it addresses humanity’s panic upon the realisation that they are not safe, and how in times of strife, we are the ones that turn into the most dangerous creatures of all. It’s a premise so sure of itself, and much like ‘Signs’, showcases how a conclusion can be abrupt.

Twister

‘Twister’ might be one of the most unserious disaster films ever, due to the sheer stupidity of its characters and how avoidable their situations are… and yet I have a grand time whenever I watch it. Starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, ‘Twister’ has subtle comedic undertones and a knack for clever dialogue that almost turns it into a road trip-flick, if not for the massive tornados causing chaos. ‘Twister’ has its moments of true terror due to the relevance of this disaster in many states, and the impressive visual effects and sound that make it captivating to watch and listen to. It’s the type of blockbuster that never slows its roll and focuses more on perfecting the technical aspects than creating a fresh plot. From this alone, it makes sense that this earned ‘Twister’ two Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound. It tethers the line between adventure and thriller, but nonetheless is loud, busy, and foolish enough to be memorable, giving us more solid performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cary Elwes. The 1996 ‘Twister’ is one of the first few films to be released on DVD in the United States and has spawned a standalone sequel set to be released in July. The question is, will it be up to par?

Olivia Welsh (she/her)

Dipper One

LUCKY

Each issue we set up two birds who are looking for love on a blind-date and then tell them to write about it.

Here are the unedited results of Canta’s chosen love birds for this issue.

If you want some free Rollickin’ and the potential to meet the love of your life, apply at canta.co.nz/lucky-dip

My stomach? Growling. The mood? Nervous. The ultimate fear? My date being an Aucklander.

I pulled up to Rollickin and reluctantly parted with my last few dollars for parking (unfortunately the risk of another parking ticket is not in my budget). We arrived at the same time – perfect for that awkward “Hey, fancy seeing you here” moment and then headed upstairs. Despite the initial awkwardness, the date was surprisingly pleasant.

We exchanged the classic first-date questions. He asked where I was from, and I prayed he wouldn’t cut the date short. Let’s just say my hometown has one too many stories of sheep shagging and incest. I returned the favour and learnt he wasn’t from Auckland… but from Christchurch. Albeit a small relief, but hey, who am I to judge?

We headed back downstairs and collected our gelato (because let’s be honest, that’s the real reason we’re here). I ordered the trusty sorbet combo of strawberry patch kid and pomegranate berries while my date ordered a controversial mint and chocolate mix. A bold choice, very risky for a first date, but hey, I admired his commitment to what he loved.

We discovered we had more in common than I imagined. We both love a good hike, although I think

he’s a bit more passionate about nature than me. This made sense of course when he told me his degree was environmental science. Of course, we had mutual acquaintances – he knew my flatmate through uni. Small world. Then came the topic of drinking habits. He mentioned that he’s a lightweight, but justified it as being more “ergonomic”. Can’t argue with that. We laughed, we chatted, and he didn’t once check his phone. Gold star for him! And fortunately for me, not once did I consider excusing myself to the bathroom and then never coming back.

As our gelato disappeared, so did the time. Our parking tickets were ticking away, threatening to turn the evening into a financial fiasco. So, we wrapped it up. No awkward goodbyes, no cheesy pick-up lines –just a mutual race against the parking meter. Overall it was a great experience. My date was nice, polite, and definitely someone I could see myself being friends with, but unfortunately not quite the prince of my gelato fairytale.

Cheers to Rollickin and Canta for making blind dates a bit sweeter!

LUCKY DIP

Dipper Two

When CANTA Magazine invited me to participate in their Lucky Dip Date, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. The concept was intriguing: two strangers set up on a blind date with no prior knowledge of each other. I hoped for the best and looked forward to the experience.

The day arrived, and I found myself outside Rollikin Gelato New Regent Street. The vibrant atmosphere of New Regent Street added a touch of magic to the afternoon, making it the perfect spot for a blind date. I walked into the shop and was directed to the reserved upstairs area with my date. Seated at the table was a lovely woman with a warm smile. She introduced herself, and we quickly discovered we had much in common from our shared love of travel, sport, and tramping to our mutual appreciation for good gelato. She enjoyed the “Permanganate and Berries” flavour, while I had “Chocolate Mint” and “Cookies and Delight”, with a thick chocolate layer.

As the date progressed, we delved into deeper topics. We talked about our younger lives, aspirations, stories, and hobbies. We then discussed music preferences and found much in common, both enjoying a wide range of songs. It was also discovered Christchurch is a small place and we have a mutual friend. We then wrapped up as our overpriced parking ran out and we had to save our wallets from a parking ticket.

The date began with excitement and nervous anticipation and concluded with warmth and contentment. She was not only lovely but also engaging and easy to talk to. We exchanged Snapchat and are talking on this platform, eager to continue the wonderful connection we had established.

Participating in the Lucky Dip Date was a fantastic experience. It reminded me of the magic of serendipity and the joy of meeting someone new with an open heart. CANTA’s “Lucky Dip Date” brought us two together and created a memorable afternoon filled with laughter, conversation, and the promise of a budding friendship—or perhaps something more.

You never know who you might meet or what delightful surprises await you. For me, it was an afternoon well spent, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter of this unexpected yet delightful journey.

My Issues With the Signs From an Aquarius Woman

Madilin Macpherson (she/her)

Satirical Piece

Capricorn

Take from this what you will, I am a professional of no means - yes I am. These accurate readings are not intended to be personally directed, unless you fit the description which in that case it is certainly about you x

Capricorn women, you can’t change him. He cheated on you three times - let that man go. The self-worth is on the floor, surely you’re better off just being single rather than being fucked around by all the partners you go for. Maybe your problem is that you keep going for Capricorn men? Capricorn men can’t be changed. These men are impossible to tie down simply because they have commitment issues, but if you’re lucky enough to get one, they will stay loyal because they’re too lazy to do anything else.

Aquarius

Aquarius women are highly intelligent (yes I am bragging), but our issue stems from this quality. We are insufferable know-it-alls. When this comes crashing down and god forbid we get something wrong, it isn’t normal to spiral. Like Queen, we should just take it in our stride and learn from our mistakes. But then again, disregard all of that because Aquarius women are perfect. Aquarius men are permanently soul searching. It is important to have human connections with people other than the voices in your head. Promise you there are people out there that will understand your intellectual depth that makes you ‘not like other guys’, despite the voices telling you otherwise.

Pisces

Everyone loves a bit of RnR. Pisces men take this to the extreme, so relaxed to the point where leaving the flat or going to university becomes too strenuous of a task for these poor babies. The dad bod might be a good laugh with the boys, but is another DoorDash sesh on the couch really necessary? Pisces women are also incredibly lax, but to the point where you become doormats because you don’t have the energy to stand up for yourself. I promise you if you’re needing to put on a different personality for people to like you, you aren’t around the right people. Self-love includes cutting off nasty people from your life queen x.

Aries

Your issue is simple. You needed to be weaned off the tit prior to your 15th birthday. Nothing wrong with loving your mother, but the ‘mummy’s boy’ epidemic of Aries men needs to be thoroughly researched. I pray for your sake you will reach a point in your life where you can work through your fear of fruits and vegetables, nobody should be afraid of fibre supported regular bowel movements king x. Aries women stay true to their fire sign tendencies, incredibly loyal and direct. Surely learn some compassion for everyone else’s sake though, not everything needs to be resolved via the block button.

Taurus

You guys need to put your god complex aside and stop being so stubborn, you will never be able to convince everyone that your opinion is correct. There is absolutely no need to have a tantrum any time someone doesn’t want to do what you wanted to do. That wasn’t even acceptable when we were 7. Also, take a hint - maybe the reason people don’t want to choose your plan is because it benefits you and you only.

Gemini

Male Manipulator: Final Boss. Just because you’re ‘in touch with your emotions’ for listening to Girl in Red and Suki Waterhouse, doesn’t mean you can get away with being emotionless in every other aspect of your life. You get a slight pass simply because I know your poor brain hasn’t recovered from the continuous rugby concussions. Now that I think about it, maybe there is a correlation between the contact sport related brain damage and the baby talk you swear is ‘just a pisstake’ to the boys…

Cancer

You know how there are sex offender lists to warn of predators in your area? Vote for me for UCSA President and I will create a list to warn everyone of cancer men. For the safety of yourself and the people around you - do not step within a 10 kilometre radius of a cancer man. But if you’re willing to risk it, please at least wait until his frontal lobe has developed. Zero emotional intelligence or selfawareness was assigned to you at birth - only the 666 on your skull. Cancer women on the other hand are debilitating people pleasers. Stand up for yourself every once in a while queen, your bare ass is showing with the amount you bend over for everyone else.

Leo

Leo men think that they are gods’ gift to comedy, please laugh at their jokes for the safety of your hallway wall they will punch a hole in if you didn’t. Their confidence - or should I say cockiness - is charming in the beginning, but the more you get to know them you quickly realise it is all a facade for their crippling insecurities. It is okay to admit you love a cuddle at the end of the day king, the tough boy persona never gets you far. Leo women, please chill the fuck out. You cannot possibly get everything done in 24 hours, maybe like ask for help every once in a while. I know how much you guys love to take things to heart when you aren’t the best at everything, but it is more than okay to admit defeat.

Virgo

Virgo men and women are very thoughtful and make for great intellectual conversation. These conversations are few and far between, as they are the unemployed friend that somehow become uncontactable for weeks at a time. They get very caught up in their own heads with all their bright ideas, enabling their issue of forgetting other people exist in the world. Maybe take the jump and, idk, be vulnerable? Can guarantee there are people around you that share the same thoughts and feelings as you, go figure pookie!

Libra

Both Libra men and women are the loveliest, sweetest people to have as friends. Unfortunately I have come to discover the reasoning behind their kindness is that they aren’t all there in the head. Despite the lack of brain cells, they are always able to be the most inviting person in the room. Do not be too concerned if a Libra doesn’t seem present in a conversation from time to time, their brain power is just maxing out in an attempt to clock what you meant four sentences ago.

Scorpio

Scorpio women, don’t you get sick of crying over the fact that your homemade chicken carbonara didn’t taste as good as you thought it would? I am all for having a good cry when something goes wrong, but every other night isn’t healthy pookie - pls seek help. Or even better, find a niche to monetise the litre of tears you shed weekly. Here’s an idea! Find yourself a Scorpio man to wipe those tears away, you know they’ll stay loyal to the point of obsession. Maybe don’t take that advice actually, a Scorpio man is the kind of man to turn up to your flat demanding answers if you leave him on delivered for longer than 30 minutes. Scorpio men take ‘nice guys finish last’ to a whole ‘nother degree.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius men, you will forever have my heart. Unless you are a November born Sagittarius, in that case - I hope you rot. December born Sag men are down-to-earth kings, with an incredible spontaneity and wanderlust for life which has always been my draw to you. However, your issue plays hand-in-hand with my favourite quality of yours. Your chronic desire to be the lone cowboy, thinking that no one could match your freak. It is okay to accept love into your life, pinkie promise you won’t combust, king. Sag women on the other hand, I think you need to be bought back down to earth more often, but I still love my little space cadets x.

Puzzles Puzzles

Coastal areas have this marine climate

Zone that experiences warm weather year-round

A greenhouse gas 12. Create warm periods in North America

Warming due to the increase in greenhouse gases 16. Zone experiencing hot summers and cold winters

17. Dry climates receive little ____ 18. Plate movement changes climate 19. Subtropical climate in the southeastern U.S.

1. Change climate by emitting particles into the atmosphere

2. Moderates temperatures and increases precipitation

4. Sometimes referred to as Mediterranean climate

5. Climates are wetter and colder than lowland areas

7. Effect the natural warming of Earth’s lower atmosphere

8. Zone experiencing year-round cold temperatures

9. Side of a mountain that receives more rain

10. Climate classification using mean temperature and precipitation values

12. South of the pole and north of the humid continental climate

13. Short term climate change

15. As this increases, climates get cooler

Meet The Team!

Managing Editor editor@canta.co.nz

Nikki Clarke Digital Editor digital@canta.co.nz

Print Editor print@canta.co.nz

Jordan Smith News Editor news@canta.co.nz

Designer design@canta.co.nz

Hariklia Nicola

Heidi Slade Madilin Macpherson

Amy Riach Feature Writer

Elsie Williams Feature Writer

Olivia Welsh Feature Writer

Maia Aramakutu Feature Writer

Tessa Birch Video Editor

Ella Paterson Audio Editor

Sophie Kensington Video & Digital Assistant

This Cantabrian, 20, says “I feel I must write in to exclaim my appreciation for reading the latest issue of The Cantabury Times on a dusty Sunday morning. Curled up in the fetal position on the living room floor in the only patch of sunlight I can find in my flat, alongside your remarkable iterations of current events is the only way I consume the news now! It is the perfect piece of media to read to take my mind off of the countless embarrassing things I did the night prior. I find solice in reading my horoscope to prepare me for the week ahead. And stuffing my face in the latest issue of The Cantabury Times while I wait for my lecture to commence on a Monday morning is the perfect way to avoid eye contact with the three different people I failed to sift on the previous Saturday night! I can not thank you enough for giving me a quick fix for my four day long bout of hangxiety each week.”

Feeling lost and full of regret on a Sunday morning? Look no further than the fortnightly issues of The Cantabury Times! Don’t let the hangxiety riddle your mind a week longer - pick up the latest issue in a campus building near you today!