Empire Times 45.1

EMPIRE TIMES

INTRODUCTIONS

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Y L I M A F R U O ER N I H C O A J TE E M I M CO OMEA SW BEC

Benefit sofwor ki ngatBl ueDol phi n t hr oughouty ourUni v er s i t yDegr ee: •Fl exi bl e,r egul arwor ki nghour s •Opt i onal wor ki ns chool hol i day s •Wor ki nghour seas i l yfitar ounduni t i met abl e •Ongoi ngpr of es s i onal dev el opmentandt r ai ni ng •Fr i endl yands uppor t i v et eam •Hour scanbenegot i at eddur i ngpr act i cal pl acement s •Oppor t uni t yf orpr omot i on/t r ai ni ngi not herr ol es •Par t i cul ar l yr el ev antt oEducat i ons t udent s ,andt hos e s t udy i ngSpor t sSci encedegr ees .

•Sur r oundedbyl i kemi ndedpeopl e •Locat edonl y12mi nut esawayf r om campus •Funandexci t i ngs t af fwor ks hops ,mi dy earev ent s andXmaspar t i es

Ar ey ous omeone whoi s •Ext r aor di nar ywi t hki ds •Lovesbei ngi nandar oundwat er •Eagert ol ear nwi t hoppor t uni t i es t opr ogr ess •Vi br ant ,ent husi ast i candposi t i ve at t i t ude

Formor ei nf or mat i onandappl i cat i onf or m got o:www. bl uedol phi ns wi m. com. auoremai l car eer s @bl uedol phi ns wi m. com. au

The Team EDITORS Ainsley Ewart, Oli Glenie and Cameron Lowe SUB-EDITORS Georgina Banfield, Elise Christopher, Chelsea Griffith, Courtney Lawrence and Karen Smart COLUMNISTS Chelsea Griffith, Renee Kohler, Hamish Richardson, Karen Smart and Michelle Wakim

ADVERTISING/MEDIA Steph Walker stephanie.walker@flinders.edu.au Enquiries Level 1, Student Hub, Flinders University (FUSA) 1 Registry Road Bedford Park, 5042.

THANK YOU’S AND SHOUT OUTS To all our wonderful contributors to this issue, we say and endless number of thank you’s. We also need to thank the amazing team at FUSA who guided us through our first issue. Steph, Aaron and Jess have helped us so much (and Jess is responsible for our beautiful campus map! Long live Hugh Manatee!)

ILLUSTRATIONS Sheydin Dew Connor McPhail PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Galimitakis CONTRIBUTORS Clare Buswell, Teagan Cross, Marina Deller, Remy Fowler, Chloe Grayling, Madeline Hand, Stuart Jefferies, Courtney Lawrence, Katie Miller, Peter Moreman, Adrian Olsen and Claire Perry.

COVER ART Sheydin Dew instagram: @sheydedart

A quick shout out to wonderful former contributor Emma Hough-Hobbs on having her short animation chosen to play on screens as part of the new Festival Centre redevelopment! Emma was a columnist and illustrator for ET until she graduated last year.

Empire Times would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people who are the traditional custodians of the land Flinders University is situated on, and that this land was never ceded, but stolen. We would like to pay our respects to the elders of the Kaurna nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal peoples, past, present, and future.

Empire Times is a publication of Flinders University Student Association (FUSA).

Empire Times is printed by Newstyle Print.

‘The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, Flinders University, or Flinders University Student Association. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Empire Times articles and other information are up-to-date and as accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Empire Times Magazine for any errors or omissions contained herein.’

WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, ILLUSTRATORS & MAKERS OF PRETTY INTERESTING THINGS! Empire Times is a student publication that prints 8 times over the academic year. It is made by students, for students and provides a unique oppotunity for students to be published, to talk about what's important to them and to be read by those in their community.

Empire Times relies entirely on contributions from the readers to make up its content. Each selected piece goes through a collaborative editing process. We're very friendly, visit empiretimes.com.au/contribute to find out everything you need to know about being part of the team.

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Editorial

I’m not a fan of introducing myself. There’s probably not many people who are. As a result, I have a few introductions ready for different occasions.

Hi everybody! Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Cameron (or Cam) and I’ll be one of the editors of this fine magazine this year.

My standard ‘first class of the year’ intro usually goes something like this: ‘I’m Oli, I’m studying Creative Writing and my favourite book is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.’ (Tip for first-year English and Creative Writing students: ‘what’s your favourite book?’ is a pretty standard intro question, so have the answer ready, please don’t be the person who goes ‘UHHHH, I don’t know! There’s so many! Can we come back to me?’)

Now we’re acquainted, allow me to describe myself a little more. I’ve been a Flinders student since 2013 and graduated with a BCA Creative Writing degree in 2016. Now, I’m currently a third year in the Bachelor of Communication and Professional Writing degree.

At family get-togethers, I usually avoid anything to do with my actual personality (because I’m, like, SUPER queer) so it’s more like, ‘Oh, hi Great Aunt that I can’t remember, I’m studying at Flinders now and no, I don’t want to be an English teacher, no, I don’t still live with Mum and Dad, they live three hours away from uni, and yes, I am eating enough.’

My Instagram bio is an Adventure Time quote: ‘I’m not cute. I’ll mess you up.’

My comparatively grown-up twitter bio is more like, ‘Writer. Artist. Animal Lover. (rainbow emoji x 3)’ These are a handful of intros to me; I hope at least one of them leaves a good first impression.

Oli

If you haven’t guessed already: I’m a writer. I enjoy reading and writing speculative stories, mainly within horror and sci-fi. My works have appeared in this magazine, Speakeasy Zine, and Tulpa (two establishments I recommend writers check out). Apart from this, I too love to play video games, get absorbed in pop culture, and quote popular TV shows and movies (especially The Simpsons).

You’ll find me easy enough on campus: I’m typically in the ET Office, the Tav, or the library. Feel free to come up and say g’day.

And anyone who’s wants to chat about pop culture, a game of X-Wing Miniatures, or play some Puyo Puyo Tetris I’m in too.

I look forward to bringing you Empire Times in 2018. If you’re a first year: join a club! Joining one of our many fine clubs here will help you a lot in that early uni anxiety and allow you to get acquainted with others with similar interests.

See ya ‘round next issue, Cam

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Hi, I’m Ainsley. I’m 21, and a third year student in the BCA Creative Writing course. I live with my parents and I have three siblings, two of whom are halfsiblings and do not live with us. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan (and a Hufflepuff, for those of you wanting to know), I love quite a lot of musicals and I occasionally make my own clothes. I’m also one of three 2018 editors of Empire Times.

I have previously written for ET about Taylor Swift, Mean Girls, consent and Little Mix, just to name a few.

These are all things I will probably tell people during the back-to-uni ice-breakers, which are dreaded by everyone. Throughout this issue, there are introductions to clubs, the changes on campus, and Adelaide in general.

Hopefully you’ll find these introductions more pleasant than ice-breakers. I certainly do.

Ainsley p.s. If you feel you want to introduce yourself to us by contributing, send us a message through empire.times@flinders. edu.au. our Facebook page or at @ empiretimesmag on Twitter.

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Feature

VOL 45 NO.1

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Feature

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Feature

THE UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT

FRINGE AT FLINDERS

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Feature WHAT HAS #METOO AND TIME’S UP ACCOMPLISHED?

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FEATURE OUR PICKS FOR THE FRINGE

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A NEW START AND UNAVOIDABLE AWKWARDNESS

From fusa

PERsonal essay

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Opinion THE PERKS AND QUIRKS OF UNI LIFE FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

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Feature A UNI STUDENT’S GUIDE TO A FREE ADELAIDE

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CONSENT

Poetry SERENDIPITY

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Vox Pop

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Map of Flinders

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WELCOME TO ME

GAMES

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ADVICE OTAKU SPENDING SPREE

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GUIDE INTRO TO ZERO WASTE

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SPORT

Column

SUCH IS SPORT

WHAT DO I WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT TODAY?

LUNCHBOX IDEAS

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46

08

Column PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT

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Feature

review

TOP SIX

ORIGINAL OR REBOOT

AUSTRALIAN TV SHOWS

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48

WHAT’S CHANGED AT FLINDERS

Feature

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Feature

A (VERY BRIEF) GUIDE TO FLINDERS EATERIES

Recipe

PETS OF FLINDERS

O’FIESTA

Column NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS DONE RIGHT 3

featu re /a d vi ce

A new start and unavoidable awkwardness Words by Courtney Lawrence

This time one year ago, my life was reduced to a packed car that had to make a 393km trip. Moving from Mildura to Adelaide required many, many introductions. I now know the simplest and most efficient way to introduce myself, details about my hometown (top-left corner of Victoria, known for providing the country with citrus fruits, wine and a dangerous ice epidemic) and my double degree and three majors.

I have never met so many new people in so short a time since moving to a capital city. And while Facebook friends, as we all know, aren’t the best reflection of actual friendships, Facebook tells me I made over 150 new friends last year. 150 times I introduced myself then silently panicked through a few minutes of uncomfortable, but required small-talk. Enduring those awkward moments that come with moving away, I discovered a few things about Adelaide that are a must if you are not from here.

The most important place to start is coffee. Anyone new to Adelaide must prepare to enter the impressive café scene.

Studying is so much easier at a cute, hidden away coffee shop that uses cold-drip methods, has an actual variety of vegan, LF and GF options and fun things like coloured lattes. What I have learnt is that one can’t go wrong by following these keys:

1) Bring good headphones to drown out any chatter.

2) Get the Wi-Fi password.

3) Have a playlist ready that gets you in the zone.

4) Set a reasonable goal of what to get done while there.

An experienced café-crawler friend of mine runs an Instagram blog called Adelatte` that I still look to for advice on the best places for quality beans, strong wi-fi, or chill vibes.

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I remember discovering, with a loud beep from a disgruntled driver, that often turning left at traffic lights means ignoring a red light. The first time I ever tried to find a park in the city was another wonderful experience. I recommend, first of all, taking a bus into city. If that is not possible, take a friend who can both help navigate and look for the blue ‘P’ signs that indicate an underground carpark. Also, always, always have loose change on you for parking. When I first took a bus, my plan involved rocking up at a random stop (I can’t read timetables) and hoping a bus came that was going where I needed to be. I do not recommend this. If anyone else is like me and doesn’t understand maps, or instinctively know where East or West is, living in Adelaide will stretch your adulting abilities. The most basic things to do are getting a metro card, owning a timetable and ordering groceries online. If you get them delivered you can buy 2 weeks’ worth and therefore not drag all the bags on and off buses which does permanent damage to the food and your forearms.

University was the biggest introduction I had; new teachers, peers, buildings, lecture theatres and the reality of grades and study workloads. Awkward conversations were unavoidable every time I had to ask a stranger where the nearest bathroom, printer or vending machine was. I advise getting oneself very familiar with FLO, who kept track of what reading was actually necessary for Monday morning’s 8am lecture. I also recommend finding each classroom listed on your timetable during O’Week and not waiting until the day of the class to wander around like a misplaced idiot. It’s not fun.

But a year later, I’ve found that the misplaced feeling truly wears off and you find yourself being the person others are asking for advice. That is a self-validating feeling, except that I still can’t give anyone directions.

Op inion/U niv ersity Life

The Perks and Quirks of Uni Life for First Year Students Words by Madeline Hand

Do you remember who you wanted to be when you were younger? Did you dream of becoming an artist? Writer? Doctor? Scientist?

My favourite thing about being a uni student is the freedom we have to choose and pursue our own destinies. We have the freedom to study anything we like! Any subject from arts to languages, from science to humanities. I’m baffled to discover the number of students who aren’t happy with what they’re studying. These are the fields that we’ll be in for our working lives, so we might as well pick something we’re passionate about!

I’m starting second year now and for those of you starting your first who are unsure what to expect, here are some things I’ve learned…

1) The first lecture you attend will be the busiest for the whole year, but soon people will start dropping like flies. Attend lectures, tutorials, workshops - anything you can get your hands on. This includes clubs (there are plenty)! And make sure you get around all the free food and stationary stalls. After all, you’re paying for it - you might as well use it!

2) Group work is stressful and harder than you think. You’ll either get a good group or a bad one, but there’s no way to know. Sometimes communication between you all might be poor, or someone might not pull their weight/won’t attend meetings. It won’t always go to plan but it’s a good way to meet new people and make some friends.

3) The car parks are packed for the first couple of weeks, but at some point it will mellow out. Get to uni early, carpool or catch a bus.

TIP: There’s almost always parks along the science hillside slope. Don’t be too lazy to park and walk to your classes.

I reckon university provides a friendlier approach to studying than school, with its flexible hours and freedom to play around with your timetable, allowing us to balance work with our personal lives. So far, I’ve loved studying on campus and can’t wait to begin another uni year.

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Featu re/ L o ca l

A uni student’s guide to a free Adelaide More than 66% of university students are worried about their financial situation, according to a 2017 report by the ABC. So to help students enjoy life within a balanced budget, here are some of the best free things to see and do in Adelaide.

Words by Remy Fowler

The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a favourite for locals, containing more than 60,000 plants, ponds with some friendly ducks and plenty of lawn areas for you and a picnic rug. “It’s an awesome walk,” says Jarrah Fowler, who studies a Bachelor of Science at the University of Adelaide. “The atrium with the rainforest is so cool.”

The Adelaide Botanic Garden is on North Terrace, open Monday to Friday, 7.15am to sunset, and on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to sunset.

The Crown and Anchor (fondly known as the Cranker) is a pub at 196 Grenfell Street in the city. “I like it because it’s an intimate venue that prides itself on supporting upcoming local talent,” says Jarrah. The Cranker holds free events, including comedy nights on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, starting at 8.30pm. Most Wednesdays you can head down to see live music for free, but it’s best to check before you go.

The Adelaide market scene is growing. The famous Adelaide Central Market on Gouger Street is open on Tuesday from 7am to 5.30pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 5.30pm, Friday from 7am to 9pm, and Saturday from 7am to 3pm. Here you can lose yourself shopping for and tasting local produce, from fruit meat and cheese, to a nice cup of coffee.

South of the city, the Market Shed on Holland Street operates every Sunday from 9am to 3pm. Enjoy live music while you stroll through the stalls, which focus on certified organic, sustainable and local produce.

The Gilles Street Market is a short walk and open on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 10am to 4pm. Here you can nab yourself a pre-loved vintage bargain or something hand made.

There are plenty of art galleries and museums in the CBD to visit.

For the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal artefacts, head to the South Australian Museum on North Terrace, open daily from 10am to 5pm. It also has an array of exhibitions about regions from Egypt to the Pacific. The Opal Fossil exhibit is a must see, with its centrepiece being a literal jewel – the opalised skeleton of a 6m long dinosaur.

The Jam Factory, at 19 Morphett Street, doesn’t have preserved fruit, but you will find a contemporary collection of locally-made arts and crafts. You can choose to pay $5 to watch the artists at work, or just check the gallery out on your own. It’s open from Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

Flinders University student Marni Shanks, a new resident to Adelaide, rates the Art Gallery of South Australia on North Terrace as her favourite gallery. It is open every day from 10am to 5pm. “It has a pretty impressive range of art, and the gallery showcases all the different media in their own sections,” says Marni. “I like the way each space is arranged and coloured. They frequently have new exhibitions, which is really good because I can continually come back.”

“Adelaide’s free attractions have really motivated me to explore the city and get a feel for it.”

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Column/ Sport

Such is sport Meet me and greet me Words by Michelle Wakim Well hello there! Michelle Wakim, at your service. If I could shake your hands, I would.

I will be coming to you regularly on behalf of the Flinders University Football Club (FUFC), one of the uni’s many hidden treasures. You are probably thinking to yourselves, ‘by golly, we have a football club?’ Well yes, indeed we do, and it is a cracker of a place to be.

Not only is this corner of the university home to our boys’ team, the Crabs (the name was inspired by a football trip gone wrong), but also to the mighty Stingrays who are our successful women’s team, making the grand final in 2017 – ‘yay the stingrays’.

“We build resilience, learn to cooperate, form invaluable friendships, and exercise our deepest ideals through our actions on the sporting field.”

Alright friends, now that we have met, let me tell you how this column will change your life (an exaggeration if there ever was one, but I can’t help myself). In this space, I hope to share with you the greatest things about sport, particularly in regards to football, as sport replicates life in a remarkable fashion. We build resilience, learn to cooperate, form invaluable friendships, and exercise our deepest ideals through our actions on the sporting field. I also wish to bring Flinders’ severely overlooked sporting scene to the surface. In doing this, old cobwebs will be flushed out and horizons will be broadened for you, our readers. We want to befriend those of you who love sports, and those of you who don’t, but are still in this for a good read.

Within the football community, we find ourselves in an interesting position as the rise of the all-powerful AFLW is upon us – and what a marvellous time it is! This movement has the capacity to transform everything we thought was true about one of our most cherished Aussie pastimes. The expansion of females in the football world also has the potential to renovate the relationship between males and females, in all facets of life. This is something I wish to explore, and by using the FUFC as an example, I hope to shed light on what can be achieved when women and men work together (ahhhh, what a refreshing thought).

Lastly, I would like to give you some parting words of advice. I think it is my duty as a fellow university student to tell you that there will be times where you will struggle: university can be daunting, bloody hard work, and intensely lonely.

Would you like to know how to avoid this bleak picture I have painted for you?

Make friends. Find your people.

How do you do this?

Join a club, folks. Join a club at O’Week, or follow one on Facebook.

I swear on my teapot (my most valuable possession), that feeling as if you belong somewhere will make university a hell of a lot easier.

If any of you ladies and gents think that you could ‘find your people’ at our footy club then rustle up those runners, slide on those sports bras (if required), and scurry on out to join us. We will welcome you with open arms!

Even if sport doesn’t tickle your fancy, and you feel like you will never read this column again, I STRONGLY and ENTHUSIASTICALLY encourage you to get out there and find your nook.

You can find us sea creatures: the Crabs and the Stingrays, on the main oval across from Sturt Campus. Come kick and catch with us at our pre-season training, starting on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm!

For more info, follow our Facebook group (@FlindersUniFC), or contact yours truly at michelle.wakim@hotmail.com.

We shall talk again soon, pals!

Michelle Wakim – Women’s Representative at the Flinders University Football Club Game Days: Mens Saturday 12pm and 2pm Womens Sunday 1pm 7

colu mn/pr es i d en t ’s stat e m e n t

President’s statement

Hi there, I’m Ashley! I’ve been fortunate enough to be elected the 2018 Flinders University Student President, and I’m really excited about the year ahead of us.

Firstly, I thought I’d say thanks to all of you who voted in Student Council elections last year. Those of you who put the time aside to participate only made FUSA stronger and more representative of students at this university.

So, what is FUSA? It’s YOUR student association - funded by you, for you. We run events on campus, offer free financial and academic assistance through our Student Assist department, run welfare initiatives (deliverin’ the good stuff), and pump out a whole lot of free breakfasts, diaries and goodies throughout the academic year. We also put on O’Week and O’Fiesta, manage and provide both financial and media assistance to clubs, and offer emergency financial assistance to all students.

There’s another super important aspect of what we do thoughand that’s representing you and your interests within the University’s existing power structures. Of the 19 students elected to FUSA Student Council, many inhabit autonomous positions that function as the elected voices for often-marginalized groups in our society. Flinders University is home to a diverse community and FUSA will always fight to ensure that everyone feels safe, respected and included in campus life.

We’re really proud of our history as an activist organisation and we’ll continue to oppose the Federal Government’s unfair cuts to Higher Education, like those recently revealed in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), which seek to cap places at Universities and unfairly disadvantage those who live in rural Australia, or who come from a lower socio-economic background.

Personally, I believe that everyone has the right to an education.

I also think that everyone who seeks that education should have the right to basic human necessities like food, clean water, and a place to sleep at night. Some people reading this may shake their

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heads and laugh, assuming that this is a first world country and that we all have access to these things. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that isn’t the case. It’s pretty damn clear that current rates of Austudy and Youth Allowance do not adequately assist students forced to live out of home.

The recent survey commissioned by the National Union of Students and Anglicare Australia showed that 85% of students do not believe that Centrelink provides them with enough welfare to live and study, and that 89% of students have struggled to pay for essential items like textbooks, despite 76% of them being in paid work. We know that 1 in 3 students skip a meal a day in order to pay their rent and we know that the financial stresses placed upon them greatly impact their mental health and wellbeing.

There are many battles to be fought in 2018. We’re dealing with mammoth staff cuts that have unfairly impacted our education.

We’re facing the repercussions of the restructure, dealing with a new parking payment system that could potentially rip us off, and finally getting a response from Universities Australia after decades of systematic sexual assault and harassment of students on campuses across the country.

There’s the good and the bad, but myself and FUSA will be there with you every step of the way – whether or not that’s dancing up a storm at O’Fiesta, cooking a mean BBQ, or protesting out the front of Parliament House.

Office: Level 1, Student Hub, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park, SA 5042 Contact: student.president@flinders.edu.au or (08) 8201 2371

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Featu re/I n fo r mat i o n

what’s changed At flinders?

Words by Katie Miller

I know some of you are thinking that this issue primarily exists for newcomers to Flinders, but if there’s anything I’ve learned in the two years I’ve been here, it’s that there is constant change happening on campus. So here I’ll run you through some new stuff on campus.

Zambrero’s is coming!

The former site of the Campus Store is becoming a Zambrero’s! We’re currently unaware of the opening date for the Mexican eatery but it should be open by the time this issue is in your hot little hands!

New restaurants After the closure of many beloved on campus cafés and perennial favourite Wholefoods, new eateries are opening up in their places. Only time will tell if they become as popular or are as affordable as our past establishments.

New menu at the Tavern The Tav has a new menu. Run by Burger Theory, every year we see new additions to the amazing menu. This year, Burger Theory has announced that their beef and chicken burgers will now be replaced with kangaroo meat at all of their locations for sustainability reasons.

One Byte is now a kitchen Everyone’s favourite all-night on-campus café is no more. One Byte was removed late last year and has been replaced by a kitchen. There is a coffee machine in said kitchen, but it just isn’t the same.

College system We’ve seen a restructure of the university from mid-last year onwards. You probably heard about the new colleges but didn’t really pay attention. Instead of being part of a school (e.g. the School of Humanities) we are now part of colleges (e.g. the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences). This has led to staff cuts and a fair bit of controversy within the Flinders’ community. If you want to find out more about these changes, go to: flinders.edu.au/about/structure/colleges

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F eat u r e/ Information

a (very brief) guide to flinders eateries Tavern by Burger Theory

Subway

They serve: Beer, burgers, wedges etc.

They serve: Rolls, wraps and salads

Location: Level 1 of the Hub

Location: Ground floor of the Hub

Toly Vietnamese

Café Bon Voyage

They serve: Vietnamese rolls and salads

They serve: Coffee and to-go food

Location: Ground floor of the Hub

Location: The Laneway, next to Humanities and Drama Centre

Urban Paddock

Nutrition Republic

They serve: Coffee, to-go foods

They serve: Local, organic, minimally processed foods

Location: Ground floor of the Hub

Location: The Plaza

Kutchi Deli Parwana

Zambrero

They serve: Afghan street food

They serve: Healthy Mexican meals

Location: Ground floor of the Hub

Location: The Plaza

Grind and Press

Local Brew

They serve: Coffee, to-go foods

They serve: Specialty coffee, pastries and sweets

Location: Mall on the ground floor of the Professional Services Building

Location: Law and Commerce Courtyard

Café Alere They serve: All day breakfast and lunch among other things.

Flinders Pantry and Café They serve: Coffee and to-go food Location: Sturt, ground floor of the West Wing

Location: Level 2 of the Hub

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Featu re /cavi n g

The underground movement In this piece, ET writer Teagan Cross recounts her first experience caving with the Flinders University Speleologial Society

Image: Crystals by T. Varga

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F eature/ cav ing This trip was a first for me. I have been caving before, but never at this level or excitement! On the 2nd of September at 7am, I was on the road with seven others from the underground, Flinders Uni Speleological Society Inc, (FUSSI), heading for caves on the Yorke Peninsula. Halfway there, we stopped at Pt Wakefield to enjoy breakfast and coffee. The road trip was great and we made a stop at Ardrossan to check out the view and the quarry, both of which were spectacular sights.

Three of us stayed behind in a little area to explore a gap that fascinated Ian, one of the trip’s leaders. After squeezing ourselves through the small gap, we soon came into an area that was discovered and lost, then discovered again. We were the first people to have been in it for many years. Unfortunately, we did not find the exit that Ian was looking for, but it was thrilling all the same and even had a large growth of crystals along its walls and a fun slide for us to ride down!

Set on a hill and surrounded by beautiful Aussie wildlife, the entrance to the cave made you feel like you were about to disappear into another world. We had very good maps to ensure we would not get lost, and took in turns leading the way back to the entrance. We made three loops throughout varying levels of twisting and turning, around and over crevasses and past crystals that glittered against our lights. After our first loop we had to stop and re-fuel our stomachs. The amount of crawling we did demanded plenty of energy, but was still fun nevertheless!

All in all, this trip was well worth the early start (and the bruises on my elbows and knees!) and allows cavers to see how magnificent the Earth really is. The formations were incredible and the geology certainly had many stories to tell. This cave isn’t like others, such as the Naracoorte Caves. It is full of passages and levels that lead you all over the place, and allows you to challenge yourself and your caving abilities. Its stalactites were small and intricate and there were places where you could watch water droplets land onto the ground in areas that would form stalagmites. Lying down staring at the ceiling of the cavern, watching the crystals sparkle away and the mosaic of different rocks, you really do feel like you are in another world when you visit the underground with Flinders Uni Speleological Society Inc.

The second loop involved some tricky tactics, namely placing your feet against one wall and your rear end on another, or using your body and a rope to help climb down a 5 metre drop that took you into a lower cavern that connects to many other tunnels. The third loop was the most challenging (but that’s what makes it fun!) and involved worming your way through small tunnels and over small crystals that have recently started to form on the cave floors.

A treat on this trip was seeing the entrance to what is known as ‘Land’s End,’ a part of the cave that was only recently discovered.

Land’s End is a very large section of the cave but has only one known access point.

You can find the Flinders University Speleological Society (FUSSI, also known as the Caving Club) at fussi.org.au

Image: After the Trip by Unknown

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featu re /f em i n i s m

what has #metoo and time’s up accomplished?

Words by Ainsley Ewart

As a staunch feminist, I have been watching these last few months of discourse about the entertainment industry through #MeToo with much interest. It seems that, finally, people who abuse their powers are being removed from their elevated positions through the unity of their victims. And it isn’t only in the entertainment industry. Time’s Up is a movement created by women in the entertainment industry to create change in all industries, in hope of eliminating workplace sexual harassment.

Ronan Farrow’s exposure of Harvey Weinstein was one of the most noteworthy news stories of 2017. The fact that someone so powerful could fall so far due to the words of women was a huge revelation. Soon, more men were exposed as predators, including director James Toback who has been accused by over 300 women of sexual assault. Past X-Men director Bryan Singer’s past controversies involving young men finally caught up with him and he left the production of Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

Louis C.K., despite having frequently written material about men being the worst thing to happen to women, admitted to being one of those men by masturbating in front of women.

Netflix’s approach to dealing with those accused has been varied.

They were quick to fire Kevin Spacey from House of Cards, and he was replaced by Christopher Plummer in feature film All the Money in the World less than a month before its release, and tried to deflect the story by coming out as a gay man.

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At first Netflix ignored complaints against The Ranch’s Danny Masterson, including one executive stating that he didn’t believe the claims to an accuser, but he has since been written out of the show. Jeffrey Tambor left Amazon’s Transparent following accusations from a trans woman and an assistant working on the show, but has not yet left Netflix’s Arrested Development.

These stories do not solely belong to women. Actor Terry Crews revealed on Twitter that he was sexually assaulted at a Hollywood party by a major agent, now revealed to be Adam Venit of William Morris Endeavor, and felt silenced due to being a large black man, whom the story would be spun against.

Australian journalist Tracey Spicer has been working with a team of journalists to uncover serial predators within Australia. In December, Don Burke of Burke’s Backyard was the first name to fall from grace. He made excuses, accused the women of lying, and then declared he had self-diagnosed Asperger’s. This sparked mass outrage from members of the Aspergers community and beyond.

At the time of writing, Australia’s own Craig McLachlan has been exposed under similar allegations that occurred on the 2014 national tour of The Rocky Horror Show. Three women, Erika Heynatz, Christie Whelan Browne and Angela Scundi united after hearing of Weinstein’s downfall, and of McLachlan’s reprisal of Dr. Frank N. Furter.

f eat ure/ feminism

Photographs: Top right: The 2017 Women’s March in Washington.

Bottom right: #metoo was originally created by activist Tarana Burke.

Bottom left: Australian journalist Tracey Spicer.

After the revelations came forward, McLachlan left the production in the middle of its Adelaide season.

Every time these stories come forward, however, some people on social media defend the predators and seek to discredit victims.

They are accused of lying, seeking monetary gain, or fame. As Whelan Brown said on Twitter: “A) There are no paid interviews.

B) I have paid my own legal fees. C) I risked never being hired again. I just don’t understand where you think I’m getting any money?” We have even seen the Golden Globes criticised by a group of 100 French women as a “witch hunt”, another term that repeatedly appears on Twitter from those defending the accused.

While Hollywood is congratulating itself on its current standpoint, it still has a lot to acknowledge. I note that Casey Affleck did not appear at the Golden Globes, despite winning Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama the year prior, and has since announced he will not be attending the Oscars.

Perhaps he’s figured out that this year these rooms might not be quite so receptive to his talents this year. Woody Allen is still making movies, and many of the people involved in his films are supporters of these movements yet turn a blind eye to Allen’s own history. Kate Winslet recently discussed how wonderful working with both Woody Allen and Roman Polanski was for her, while Justin Timberlake wore a “Time’s Up” pin to the Golden Globes despite having worked with Woody Allen on Wonder Wheel.

Time’s “Person of the Year” was “The Silence Breakers”, a group of people from all over the world who have been working to expose sexual assault and harassment in their workplaces. These people included hotel staff, agricultural workers and a variety of people from many backgrounds. In 2017 we saw Kesha reclaim her career from sexual abuse, while still being under contract to her assailant.

Taylor Swift won $1 in a court case where she countersued a man who sued her for getting him fired after he groped her at a meet and greet. Power structures are changing, but in the cases of men like Woody Allen they don’t seem to make a difference.

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In 2017, The Australian Human Rights Commission conducted a random survey of uni students (including us), releasing the exual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian Univ . .The report offered a lot of suggestions for Universities to adopt, and while we think those recommendations are fantastic, we want to do something more – something our way.

We’ve created a campaign called an initiative created by a group of Flinders students what we think everyone needs to know – empathy, consent and respect. We don’t want this campaign to just be about what we shouldn’t do, we want it to be And when we say ‘we’, we really do mean everyone.

Not just men, not just women, not just students - all of us. Everyone who is a part of our campus needs to press pause and consider themselves and their behaviour.

In the coming weeks we’re going to talk about sex, what happens when consent is not given, and what to do – as someone who never gave it, that persons friend or even a bystander. We’re also going to look at the culture and attitudes that shape the way we think about sex, consent, and well… each other, because it affects everyone and it’s something we ought to explore.

Empire Times would like you to be part of this consent. What does consent mean to you? If you’d like to take part, email your thoughts to upcoming issue. Please note we may not be able to include everyone’s opinion, but it is valued.

Deadline is March 5. Your opinion will be treated

for everyone.

Let’s examine our behaviour in a way that most of us have not had to do before; talk to people you know, ask them how they’re going and talk about how you are. Let’s allow ourselves to picture a new reality, a new campus, a new community. What would that be like?

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You’ll start seeing us soon, until then you can go to fusa.edu.au/babh for more information.

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Serendipity Often I get lost in my own thou g h t s But you are always waiting, patiently, like the back porch light at summer’s lazy, faithful dusk, For me to come back to you.

Words by Chloe Grayling Instagram: @lovechloejane 20

Photography by Chris Galimitakis Instagram: @c.galimitakis 21

VOX POP

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (ON CAMPUS)

STUART

ZOE

JACK

CREATIVE ARTS (CREATIVE WRITING)

WORKS FOR IDS

SCREEN PRODUCTION

Q1. Moonlight winning that Best Picture Oscar Q2. Mashed Q3. I have no idea but I’m gonna say Catherine Q4. Don Dunstan in those shorts Q5. Buying that Eskimo Joe CD feels like a total mistake Q6. Women being listened to and believed

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Q1. --

Q1. --

Q2. Deep fried chips

Q2. Thin BBQ Chips

Q3. Wolfgang

Q3. My parents were just always going to name me Jack

Q4. Wi-fi Q5. Savage Garden was my first concert Q6. Cooler weather

Q4. Farmer’s Union Iced Coffee Q5. Good Charlotte Q6. A possible New Anderson Paak album?

Q1. What do you think was underrated in 2017?

Q2. What is your favourite form of the potato?

Q3. What did your parents almost name you?

Q4. What is your favourite thing to come out of South Australia?

Q5. Which band do you regret from your teenage years?

Q6. What are you looking forward to in 2018?

NATHAN

CONNOR ‘THE ROCK’

LUCY

LAW AND LEGAL PRACTICES (ACCOUNTING)

AMBITIOUSLY ALTERNATIVE

CRIMINOLOGY

Q1. 2016

Q1. 2016TM

Q2. When it’s not stealing the spotlight

Q2. Baked

Q3. Natasha

Q3. Cornbread

Q4. Danger Five

Q4. Danger Five

Q5. Anything angst filled

Q5. All the screamo stuff my brother listened to

Q6. 2019

Q6. Heavy drinking

Q1. The fact that polio is almost eradicated Q2. Potato gems Q3. Nick Q4. Haigh’s Chocolates Q5. My Chemical Romance Q6. The Incredibles 2

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Colu mn/O pi n i o n

What Do I Want to Fight About Today?

Words by Chelsea Griffith

Stock photo of beautiful woman staring lovingly at male partner sleeping with the caption, ‘What do I want to fight about today?’

Caption: ‘When you’re on the first date and he says “it’s nice to finally meet a girl who’s not crazy”’, above a photo of Kim Kardashian sipping a glass of red wine with a stare that says ‘oh, shit’. Countless Facebook pages devoted to ‘crazy girlfriend’ memes. And us girls in straight, cisgender relationships (I can’t speak for those in LGBTIQA+ relationships, as I have not been in one), wonder why half the time whenever we feel a negative feeling, guys tell us we’re crazy.

dating someone who is a psychopath, maybe you shouldn’t be. I’m not speaking on behalf of psychopaths, I’m speaking on behalf of your (presumably non-psychopathic) sister, your girlfriend, your mum, your female friend, or of course, you, if you are a female reader who resonates with any of this.

“I’ll tell you this straight, when a girl becomes fed up with an insensitive guy, a lot of the time she will tell her friends who will tell their friends.”

I’m not saying all guys do this, but if you are one of the many who do, you may be thinking ‘Calm down! It’s a joke! We don’t mean it!’, you may honestly feel that you are innocent and that I, and anyone whose feelings I may represent is being overdramatic, oversensitive, and yep, crazy. But please stick around and hear me out, because failing to do so could be failing to educate yourself on the female experience. I’ll tell you this straight, when a girl becomes fed up with an insensitive guy, a lot of the time she will tell her friends who will tell their friends. You may have a boycott sign on your head, a blacklisted name in the club you go to every Saturday night without ever realising. So, now that I’ve emotionally manipulated you into listening to my complaints about you (a classic crazy girlfriend move), I shall begin.

Let me first say that us ‘crazy’ girls are not 100% of the time, completely innocent. Obviously pobody’s nerfect. And, if you are

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I’m talking about the regular gal who confronts a guy about something that worries them. The bloke then brushes off their concern with some kind of ‘don’t worry about it’, or they explain their side. The gal is still stressed, but doesn’t know if their stress is valid, because why shouldn’t they trust the bloke? But there’s something in the pit of her stomach that feels off, so she remains stressed. She then becomes more stressed than she already was, because she now feels bad about how she’s made him feel. He looks visibly frustrated with her, so now she feels EVEN MORE stressed. She feels like she ruins everything and makes his life a living hell and is the sole cause of death, destruction and everything bad in the universe. Meanwhile, he is making comments like ‘stop being so crazy’, which sends her over the absolute edge.

c olumn/ opinion No matter what your intended meaning was behind the words ‘stop being so crazy’, it always comes across as you dismissing her feelings. She feels absolutely awful and now feels like you have no empathy for her in the time she needs someone to feel empathy for her the most. She is now probably more stressed than Osher Gunsberg was when he found out he had to tell Australia’s greatest musical talent that he’d been defeated by Guy Sebastian.

Labelling her as ‘crazy’ rather than accepting that her feelings are valid makes her feel like you don’t understand, don’t try to understand, don’t care to understand.

Now, she might seem crazy to you. That might be why you’re calling her crazy. But guess what? I bet at some point in your life you’ve become angry or upset in response to something and someone else hasn’t understood why you’re feeling that way, and perhaps teased you about your reaction. That someone thought you were crazy. And the awful feelings you already had, had then multiplied. She is probably upset as a result of how much she cares about you, so take that as a compliment and try to comfort her and talk through what she’s feeling as best you can, and you’ll be all gravy.

Some of you are thinking ‘wow, thank you for this incredible insight into the female mind’, some of you are thinking ‘shuuuuut up!!!! Why do some girls have to be so dramatic?’, and some of you are low key feeling both. I presume most would be thinking both.

‘What’s so damaging about the word ‘crazy’’’, you’re thinking. First, let me remind you of the origin of the word ‘hysteria’. ‘Hysteria’ came from the Greek word ‘hysterika’, which means uterus. So already, there is an ancient history linking females and craziness.

There is also a history of females as second-class citizens, and the majority of us believe that was a shituation that can and should change. I reckon the same could be said for the ‘crazy’ link; especially as brushing off feelings within the female experience as ‘crazy’ undermines and suppresses women.

“The calling a girl ‘crazy’ trend, although it’s not a trend seeing as it has existed at least since the conception of the word ‘hysteria’, also perpetuates the myth of the ‘cool girl’.”

I mean, up until the 20th century, women were still being sent to institutions for the ‘insane’ when showing signs of anxiety, depression, or ’hysteria’. We can probably assume not all of these women were mentally ill, but also that some were, and the cause of some of both cases was probably a reaction to the patriarchal madness surrounding them. How do you think you would start to feel if you lived with someone who genuinely believed they were superior to you, and who society equipped with privilege and power over you, because society also believed this person was superior to you. But, you knew they definitely weren’t. Then, every time you brought up a concern with this so-thought supreme being about an injustice of some kind, or even if you just brought up any kind of worry or fear that somehow involved them, (which in their minds, threatened their power over you), they told you that your thoughts were invalid and that there must be something wrong with your mind for thinking them? What if your colleague at work earned 30% more than you, but when you confronted your boss about it they told you that you didn’t have the right to feel upset about it.

If you were in that situation repeatedly throughout your life, you could very easily develop feelings of anxiousness or depression too, I’m sure. Another major facet of the problem is the belittling and antagonising of mental illness that the term ‘crazy’, and the memes that surround it, perpetuates. Not every girl you’d call ‘crazy’ has mental illness, but some do, and calling them ‘crazy’ for it is about the same as calling someone with a disability a derogatory name.

This whole exploration of the effects of calling a girl ‘crazy’ may still sound overdramatic to you. If you want proof of the deep rooted effects of its use, think about this: while writing this article, I have, without thinking about it, continued to placate, appeal, and even semi-apologise to you by saying things like ‘I know you still think this is dramatic, but…’. Now, how often do you hear a male justify or apologise for his feelings in that same way? In my experience, very rarely. Perhaps because he hasn’t been made to feel that his feelings are an inconvenience. A burden. A hassle. If he gets angry and throws something or slams a door, his mum might say to others, “ah… boys”, with an eye roll. If his sister gets upset and cries, her dad might say to her “don’t be ridiculous”, and apologise to others for her reaction.

The calling a girl ‘crazy’ trend, although it’s not a trend seeing as it has existed at least since the conception of the word ‘hysteria’, also perpetuates the myth of the ‘cool girl’. The ‘cool girl’ is a MYTHICAL creature who: 1. Doesn’t get mad at boys for anything they do ever 2. Always takes every injustice to her ‘as a joke’ and laughs it off 3. Usually is good at sport/is ‘adventurous’ 4. Doesn’t wear make-up, but is stunning/constantly described as ‘laid-back’.

Everyone always thinks the cool girl is a real person, until they meet one, get to know them and realise they are normal people who are just better at hiding certain things. For examples of the ‘cool girl’, see The Bachelor. Watch for those girls who constantly refer to themselves in a faux-deprecating way as ‘outdoors-y’ and ‘one of the boys’ to insinuate that they are better suitors than the girls who aren’t as sporty, and who berate their fellow housemates for wearing makeup (while proclaiming that they don’t wear makeup, despite the fact that they are definitely wearing makeup).

So maybe next time you see the “What do I want to fight about today?” meme, instead of immediately tagging and denouncing your girlfriend as ‘crazy’, perhaps stop and take a moment to think about the fact that you might actually be doing something that is bloody annoying and worthy of a fight.

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review / g a m i n g

Original or Reboot?

Ratchet and Clank is arguably Insomniac Games most popular video game series; this reboot emphasises the fact that they continue to make great games.

Words by Peter Moreman

The Ratchet and Clank series is a third-person shooter rated G and PG on various PlayStation consoles. The reboot, which is the 16th entry in the series, introduces new gameplay features that will satisfy fans of the game franchise.

The developer, Insomniac Games was founded in 1994 and has had no shortage of standout games. They are most known for Spyro the Dragon, Resistance and has come back into the limelight following the news of Marvel’s Spider-Man to be released in 2018.

In both the original and remake, Ratchet is a simple mechanic living on the Planet Veldin, with aspirations of becoming a famous hero. Clank, Ratchet’s best pal, is an intelligent little robot that has escaped from an evil villain. The unlikely duo works together to save the Solana Galaxy from the evil Chairmen Drek, the main antagonist.

Little of the story has been changed for the new game, which would put fans of the series at ease and feeling nostalgic, as the 2016 reboot includes many characters from earlier games in the series. The addition of the different background characters makes the world more vibrant, compared to the original which showed the same few species numerous times; likely because of technical limitations.

“Insomniac Games has made a classic into a visually spectacular experience.”

Not everything is of a repetitive nature. It isn’t just point and explode your enemies in a glorious fashion, as there are now areas where you control Clank and you take off on your own to unlock a door or find a new gadget. Clank’s areas require you to complete 28

puzzles, which, whilst aren’t hard but do require you to have a good think. Both the 2002 and 2016 versions are relatively similar in how Clank completes his missions. In the newest game they have fleshed out Clank’s gameplay, giving the player more complex puzzles and different Gadgebots, such as bridge bot, jump bot and generator bot; Gadgebots are small robots that assist Clank. The original game used Gadgebots to annihilate your enemies, which was fun and helpful, as Clank had much more enemies to deal with and as he only uses his hands to attack, the Gadgebots were essential.

The PlayStation 2 version only ran at a max of 480p standard definition, but what it lacked in resolution, it certainly made up for in beautiful explosions. It was a lot grittier and darker, especially in Rilgar, which is predominately a water planet. As the PlayStation 4 runs in 1080p, the 2016 counterpart looks much more visually appealing. The style is vibrant and full of life, with movement at every angle.

Insomniac Games has made a classic into a visually spectacular experience. To choose which one is better wouldn’t be fair to either version, as they both have specific qualities which make them both great. But if you want a fun adventure, Ratchet and Clank (2016) delivers.

f eature/ m usic

A brief introduction to the acts performing at O’Fiesta Words by Adrian Olsen The Dune Rats (bottom right image) are a Brisbane based stoner punk band. Formed in 2011 by Danny Beusaraus and BC Michaels, the duo became a trio when Brett Jansch from the Bleeding Knees Club joined later on. They have released two albums. Their most recent, The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit, debuting on the ARIA charts at number one in 2017. Two of their 2016 singles ‘Scott Green’ and ‘Bullshit’ (also on the latter album) appeared on Triple J’s Hottest 100 2016 list at numbers 33 and 34 respectively.

Fremantle band San Cisco (bottom left image) described themselves in a 2012 interview as ‘squelchy, crispy, streamlined, hairy, indie’. Like any good Australian indie band, several of their singles have been featured on Triple J, including ‘Awkward’, ‘Fred Astaire’, ‘Wild Things’, and from their 2017 album The Water, ‘Slo-Mo’ and ‘Hey, Did I Do You Wrong?’, which hit #10 and #3 respectively on the Australian indie radio chart. With a distinctly unique sound and a definite Aussie twang, San Cisco will delight both Australian and international listeners.

Jessica Cerro, better known by her stage name, Montaigne (centre image), burst into the Aussie music scene in 2014 with her single ‘I’m A Fantastic Wreck’, which captured the attention of – well, if not the nation, then the hosts of indie radio station Triple J, with her stunning vocals. Montaigne also featured on Hilltop Hoods’ track ‘1955’ in 2015, which reached #2 in the Australian charts. Montaigne released her debut album Glorious Heights in 2016, featuring the single ‘Because I Love You’, which came in at #25 in 2016’s Hottest 100.

Heaps Good Friends (top left image) is an Adelaide band made up of Nick, Emma and Dan. They describe their music as ‘Peanut Brittle Pop with Text-Message Lyrics’ according to Facebook and receive regular airplay on Triple J. Their meeting place was a little unorthodox, the old Gladstone Gaol where Nick was recording a demo for Emma. They then added a drummer, Dan, and have gone on to write ‘I Could Eat a Packet Full of Yo Yo’s’ (the video for which was shot at the Capri Theatre) and ‘Let’s Hug Longer’.

Last year local boys RNWY WKND (Runaway Weekend) (top right image) were nominated for Most Popular POP Artist in the SA Music Awards and had over 15k hours of play on Spotify. This February, they will be at O’Fiesta playing songs like ‘Déjà Vu’ and ‘Heartless’.

O’Fiesta closes O’Week 2018, 7pm Friday Feb 23rd .Visit flindersoweek.com.au for more information.

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colu mn /po p cu lt u r e

New Year’s Resolutions Done Right In which I unintentionally plan to spend even more time inside than last year!

Words by Renee Kohler

It’s a new year!

Time to start working on all those last minute promises you made while drunk. Or, do as I do, and don’t make resolutions you can’t keep. Presenting: the list of To watch, read and play in 2018! Because who needs unrealistic pressure when you know you’re just going to be binge watching Black Mirror again by March? Though not all in the following list are confirmed 2018 releases, you cannot blame me for being hopeful. Enjoy and remember, you don’t need to wear pants if you don’t leave the house!

Black Panther My first anticipated release of 2018 is Marvel’s latest endeavour. In November of 2017 I had the honour of meeting Stan Lee who absolutely raved about Black Panther. If that doesn’t get you excited, what will? The third phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be well underway when Black Panther is released in February of this year. Chadwick Boseman’s debut as T’Challa is arguably the best part of Captain America: Civil War. Well, that and Spiderman but we all know by now that Homecoming was enjoyable. The addition of Wakanda and its citizens will undoubtedly make Black Panther an even more exciting ride, with each trailer being more beautiful than the last! Featuring an already killer cast (Boseman, Michael B Jordan and Danai Gurira are the tip of an incredibly talented iceberg) it is bolstered by the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker. With Infinity War being released later in the year, one can hope that Black Panther will feature some progression towards that story arc. Oh, and if you weren’t already convinced, Kendrick Lamar is curating and contributing to the soundtrack. That’s sure to be a treat!

Expected release: 15 February 2018 Tomb Raider Two games strong with a third on the way, the success of the rebooted video game franchise has sparked a similarly themed film reboot to be released in March. While rumours initially swirled that Daisy Ridley or Camilla Luddington were being eyed for the iconic handguns, it was later announced that Swedish actress Alicia Vikander had been cast. Said to be following the plot of 2013’s Tomb Raider, the sneak peeks offered have indicated a grittier take on Lara Croft. If it follows the same vein as the recent game series, it should be great. However, only its release can quell the fears that it will fall victim to the videogame-film curse. Sorry, Assassin’s Creed, Mario and Need for Speed. And Pixels, you can go stand in the corner and think about what you did.

Expected release: 15 March 2018

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c ol u mn/ pop culture Westworld - Season 2 If, like me, you love the idea of theme parks gone wrong (shout out to fellow Crichton work Jurassic Park) then you’ll love Westworld. Set in the not-so-distant future, it follows a theme park set in the Wild West. Populated by human looking robots, called Hosts, it’s not hard to see where things might go wrong. After decades of the visitors inflicting abuse on the seemingly unaware Hosts, it seems the turn tables have finally, ah, ‘turn tabled’. The first season was cinematic, suspenseful and appropriately western. While I cannot go into great detail without giving too much away, I can ascertain that the second season is already looking to be even more of an exhilarating blood bath! Evan Rachel Wood brings her all as Host Dolores Abernathy, Jeffrey Wright is suitably calm as a park employee and James Marsden is an all-American hero.

In the words of Sheriff Woody, ‘reach for the sky’!

Expected release: Between March and June 2018

Good Omens After the release of American Gods in 2017, a show that exceeded all expectations and preconceived ideas about what television “can” show, Neil Gaiman fans can be excited for another adaptation this year. Good Omens, a collaborative novel between Gaiman and the dearly departed Terry Pratchett, is receiving its own television adaptation! Starring David Tennant, Michael Sheen and Jon Hamm, it follows the birth of Satan’s son. It’s sure to be a wild ride, with both Gaiman and Pratchett each respectively known for their eccentric worlds and characters. Neil frequently tweets updates, behind-the-scenes photos and biting take downs of the British press on his Twitter.

Expected release: 2018 The Last of Us 2 Admittedly, the release date for the 2013’s The Last of Us sequel hasn’t been confirmed and a 2018 window may be optimistic. With mystery shrouding almost every single detail, it is unsurprising that Naughty Dog have kept the expected date under wraps also. Two completely different trailers have been released, one nearly an entire year after the last. The initial announcement trailer confirmed that the sequel will follow Ellie and Joel with a new cast of supporting characters, five years after its predecessor. Naughty Dog elected to ramp up the mystery further by including a character in the second trailer whose identity is yet to be revealed, her name purposefully redacted from all social media posts. A Playstation Panel in early December revealed a bit more information; the game will primarily take place in Seattle, a surprising but exciting departure from the backdrops of Austin, Pittsburgh and Boston of the original. Director Neil Druckmann also confirmed in December that we will be seeing gameplay footage at this year’s E3, increasing optimism that we may see the game released before years end.

Expected release: ???

Vengeful Author VE Schwab (Victoria Schwab when writing Young Adult fiction) has gained a well-earned following for her fantastical worlds, morally grey characters and brutally honest tweets about writing. The New Year is already shaping up to be another success with the much-anticipated release of Vengeful, the sequel to the villain origin story Vicious (pictured). The origin story followed two college roommates who discover that the key to gaining superpowers is surviving death. In a very Flatliners-esque turn, things quickly go awry, leaving Victor and Eli on opposing sides. It’s the supervillain origin story for those who may have tired of the Batmen and Spidermen of film and comic book past. Vengeful is already shaping up to be just as suspenseful and outright dark as its predecessor, and this gal for one cannot wait! While Schwab has recently scrapped the draft she previously had in the works, her newest attempt will likely prove to be a masterpiece like her other novels.

Expected release: September 2018

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featu re/a d el a i d e f r i n g e

Fringe at flinders Words by Katie Miller

Here at Flinders, we’re both a Fringe venue and a starting point of many Fringe artists

Jimeoin will be performing his latest show here at Flinders! On Saturday, March 3, Flinders University Plaza will be getting Ridiculous with Jimeoin. Concession tickets are $35, while regular tickets are $42.

Platypus Man Platypus Man is a children’s show that has several Flinders graduates within its creative team. Platypus Man is a hero, and with his sidekick Human Person, will go on a journey of self-discovery. Presented by RedHerring, the show is on at Tandanya Arts on all weekends of the Fringe.

Secret Hyde Away This show is a variety performance with very little information available. It promises to be interesting, features Flinders graduates and is rated 18+ for nudity. This show is on at the Raj Lounge, RAJOPOLIS at Raj House on Hyde Street for every Monday of the Fringe.

A Murder Most Foul: Death at the Speakeasy Get your best 1920’s period costume on and get ready to solve a murder. This show is an interactive murder mystery that gives out many prizes, and even includes a three course dinner!

This is happening at Alere on February 20, 21, 22 and 24.

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f eat u r e/ad e la ide fringe

our fringe picks Our Empire Times editors have put together their recommendations for this year’s Fringe Festival Oli recommends...

Ukulele Death Squad I’ve seen a lot of different ukulele acts (that may sound weirdly specific. That’s because it is). Everything from the classic happy Hawaiian stuff, to ‘You Are My Sunshine’ played in minor key, to recreating classics on the tiny four-stringed instrument; it’s always exciting to see what people do with creative freedom and too much time. So of course, my pick for Adelaide Fringe 2018 is ‘Ukulele Death Squad’, a group of guys playing different types of ukes and making a hell of a noise while they do it. A quick look at their YouTube channel (which is simply called Ukulele Death Squad) attests to this – it’s fun, a bit silly, and worth the $22 (or $18 concession) to see them.

Cameron recommends...

Doctor Trek in Space I’ve not seen many Fringe shows in the past, but I do like the sound of Doctor Trek in Space. Presented by DamnitLeanne, this is a comedy show which has three improv actors acting out scenes from classic 60s sci-fi shows, Doctor Who, Star Trek and Lost in Space. I’m a fan on two of these shows (Doctor Who and Star Trek) while I’m well aware of Lost in Space, which is why I’m excited about seeing this show.

If you’re a fan or know any of these three shows like me, come along and check Doctor Trek in Space. This show will be at The Bally at Gluttony from March 1st-3rd starting at 10:30pm. Tickets will be $20 full price and $18 for concession.

Ainsley recommends...

Paul McDermott and Steven Gates LIVE! When I was ten, The Sideshow started on the ABC. While it only ran for a year, it has had a profound impact on my life. It introduced me to Tim Minchin, Eddie Perfect, The Umbilical Brothers and Tripod. And also made me realise I wanted to be Paul McDermott when I grew up. He’s funny, he sings whenever he wants and he gets to introduce such great performances and acts. This year, Paul McDermott and Steven Gates (Gatesy of Tripod) are uniting for an evening of musical entertainment featuring “songs of beauty, songs of heartbreak, old squabbles and spontaneous nonsense”.

This is the closest we’ll ever get to The Sideshow coming back, and it promises to be great, even if Paul McDermott has grown a weird beard.

7pm, Saturday 24th of February at the Spiegeltent in the Garden of Unearthly Delights. Tickets are $45.

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person a l es say /I n t r o d u ct i o n s

Welcome to Me Words by Stuart Jefferies Introductions are hard: you try to submit the right amount of personal elements that you think will be interesting to another person. Writing bios for dating apps has been a continual challenge, for example, on this front. What about me is intriguing enough to snatch a person’s attention beyond what my face looks like? There’s also the idea of the ‘I’ aspect of the introduction. After nearly six years of university study, and countless iterations of the ‘two truths, one lie’ game everyone is begrudgingly forced to play, I eventually just told people ‘I like gay stuff, cats, and I once met Tom Daley’. Something along those lines anyway. I was a freshfaced eighteen-year-old in a world entirely different from the high school I’d just graduated from, eager to start on the path to adulthood (read: get myself a man) and hopefully become a lawyer.

Somewhere along that journey, to the twenty-four-year-old man I am now, I experienced love and loss (four boyfriends in as many years), depression and suicidal ideation, financial struggles, drug and alcohol (ab)use, and am now very nearly almost officially able to graduate, which should hopefully be the case by the time this goes to print.

All of that, however, is rarely, if ever, in any of my introductions.

Fortunately, I don’t meet many new people. I have a close knit group of friends I’ve known for several years or more, a regular GP and psychologist, and a partner I’ve been with for a collective eighteen months or less. But when I do meet a new person, something that goes in a hundred-forty character bio is none of the above. I’ll try a combination of ‘student, creative writer, gin fiend, animal lover’, hoping to ensnare someone who wants to engage, converse, interact – anything and everything.

There’s also the risk of becoming stuck in the ‘I’ of the introduction; the best speaker is a good listener, someone who internalises the information verbally given, churns it round inside their head, and returns with a response freshly layered in personal experience, perspective, and syntax. But more importantly, nobody wants to hear ‘me, me, me’ for an inequitable amount of time. I have been mostly fortunate in never having to ‘out’ myself as people have, I’ve been told, guessed that I was gay – although when I started at Woolies most of my department had no idea. Apart from inflating my ego at how masc and straight passing I must seem at times (to some people’s surprise), this also highlights the enduring process of ‘coming out’ queer people encounter throughout their lives.

Yes, I maintain that continuing stronghold of companions and acquaintances who know me almost inside out, but every now and then a new introduction will occur. You won’t have the courtesy of a hundred-forty characters or maybe the correct words in the right moment. No, you’ll have a fumbling, word vomit, stumblefest of conversation at times when you interact with people you barely know. You won’t have time to tell them you knew you were gay at age ten or went through phases of drug abuse or how you

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have five cats and a rabbit but only one of the cats loves you the most. Your introduction will be ongoing, and simply through speaking the layers of your life will unravel. There will be no character limit, no requisite time to ensnare someone’s attention; it will come gradually.

This was my experience at starting my first real job, working replenishment at Woolworths Harbourtown. People worked out who I was by what I spoke about. By mentioning my then-partner, Lewis, I ‘outed’ myself, and again when I mentioned the Mars Bar (now Oz Nightclub), or when I wore a rainbow flag earring to work, which began after Pulse. Introductions are constant, and sometimes beyond our control. By that token, ‘coming out’ is a continual process for queer people in a world where identity politics is at the forefront of people’s perceptions of one another.

The ‘I’ of identity plays into the ‘I’ of the introduction, shaping who you are to yourself and more significantly who you are to everyone else. In saying that, we also choose what is comfortable either for us to disclose to one another or what is easy for someone to hear (or both). We don’t always say ‘I’m gay’, ‘I’m bi’, ‘I’m trans’, especially in an environment or situation where this would put a queer person in any form of danger.

On the other hand, sometimes we as humans naturally go for levity: what’s funny, what’s entertaining, and what’s amusing or interesting to someone else affects how we present ourselves or rather what information we release to those around us. At the age of twenty-three, in my last memorable ‘get to know you’ session in the inaugural class of a uni topic, I went for ‘gay stuff, likes cats’ as the easiest and most light-hearted of things to note about myself.

You most likely won’t see the majority of these people again but humour, I’ve found, leaves at least some degree of remembrance after you part ways at the topic’s close. Saying ‘I met Josh Thomas at the Fringe once,’ sparks intrigue at something unfamiliar or unexpected from a stranger.

Reflected again in the idea of the small bios we craft for ourselves online, in print, and everywhere in between, is the twin idea of human engagement and the subjectiveness of disclosure: we want to meet and interact with new people but at the same time only allow or want them to know certain details.

Introductions are hard when you’re at a wine tour, hungover from the night before when you drank a sizeable amount of vodka and tried to kill yourself.

People wonder why you’re trembling all day (from withdrawals) and why you won’t take off your sweater. How do you explain this to people you’ve only just met today? Short answer: you don’t.

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p erson a l es say /I n t r o d uct i o n s

The privilege of knowing someone, of having skipped introductions, is the intimacy of knowledge and friendship. We are all evolving narratives to one another, but to our closest allies in this existential journey we are still largely known. My closest friends know more about me than some of the people I’ve studied with for three years, and even more than my own family knows about me. I have chosen to be honest and open with these people I trust. I don’t have to attempt humour or wit or select which parts are most palatable. Sure, we all do this from time to time, again to spare more uncomfortable details, but in my experience these somehow come to light – because of how we speak, what we speak about, and who we are speaking to. These more sordid and/or disturbing details, however, are known to the closest few, your knights of the Round Table, bound by faith and trust in and love for one another.

Your introductions, your ‘I’ statements and selected narratives, presented to one another, worked well enough to spur a yearslong friendship. But we aren’t all close to one another, either. We shelter and reveal different parts of ourselves, and those aren’t always aligned with the people we engage with. Humans, by our very nature, are all so varied in multitudinous ways, and will never all collectively mingle and cohere.

That’s why introductions are hard, because they don’t always work; ‘gay stuff, love cats’ doesn’t open every door, and sometimes not even a window. Introductions are hard because who we are in any given moment might not be indicative of who we will be in an hour, a week, even a month from now, but it’s what people see and hear and the consequences are ours to bear. I’ve been told in the past I’m not that funny and my vulgarity (namely a propensity for foul language and openly sex-posi talk) isn’t charming at all. There are parts of us we can change, and indeed choose to, for our own

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good and for the good of one another. Who we are when first introduced can change. I saw one of my exes on Grindr the other day and, besides being triggered to shit, was reminded of who I was when we were first together and who I am now, after a change of medication, a better GP, and exemplary psychologist – and a will to become something better than what I was. My introduction to him was not what I would present to people nowadays.

Our introductions are not always what we want, what others want, or indeed, contrary to what it might seem, an accurate reflection of who we truly are. Whether we are hiding things and showing others or have simply not achieved our full emotional bloom, our introductions can dramatically affect who we know now and who we will still know in any given elapse of time. Introductions are hard, but the ones that land are usually, in my experience, infinitely priceless in the care, support, laughter, love, and joy provided by the friends and lovers made from these jumping-off points.

Introductions are hard, but as with every difficult existential task we face now and again, experience and time allows us to craft both ourselves and our personal narratives into something more pliable to our own desires and goals in life. How much of ‘yourself’ you present is entirely up to you, and perfecting the hundred-forty characters that define you is an art form in itself. The ‘I’ in your introduction will no doubt change throughout life, for without change we would all remain stagnant, unevolved. Introductions are hard because they can be make or break, but take it from me, after years and years of success and failure: be yourself and people will respond, with kindness and acceptance. Change what you don’t like and keep what you love. Personal development is a constant process; thankfully that’s why dating app bios can always be changed.

j ust for fun/ quiz

Empire times quiz 1. Which Australian singer is known for her 2001 single ‘Strawberry Kisses’?

2. Which band sang the words: “Don’t wanna be an American Idiot”?

3. Who wrote the Tomorrow series?

4. In which country was The Lord of the Rings trilogy filmed?

5. What is the name of the former Channel 10 children’s TV show that played episodes of Pokémon, Dragonball Z, and BeyBlade?

6. Who won the first Australian Idol in 2003?

7. What was Starkid Productions 2009 viral hit that launched the career of Darren Criss?

8. What children’s production company famously had orange VCR tapes?

9. Who was the main antagonist in The Saddle Club?

10. What video game features a bird and bear as protagonists?

11. Dorothy the Dinosaur loves to eat what sort of flower?

12. What is the Rugrats’ favourite dinosaur?

13. Adam Hills was the presenter of which ABC music quiz show?

14. Which former Doctor Who actor appeared as a villain in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

15. Who you gonna call?

1. Nikki Webster. 2. Green Day. 3. John Marsden 4. New Zealand. 5. Cheez TV. 6. Guy Sebastian. 7. A Very Potter Musical. 8. Nickelodeon. 9. Veronica DiAngelo. 10. Banjo-Kazooie. 11. Roses. 12. Reptar. 13. Spicks and Specks. 14. David Tennant. 15. GHOSTBUSTERS! ANSWERS

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just for f u n /cr o s s wo r d

empire times crossword To meet our theme, we thought we’d introduce you to some of Flinders’ most prominent graduates and staff members. Below we have described 14 people who have walked the grounds of Flinders (and some who still do). Good luck!

Across

Down

2. Lead singer of Redgum and one-time Australian Democrats candidate in the seat of Mayo.

1. Host of ‘Evenings’ on ABC Radio and recently appeared as the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show’s Adelaide season.

6. He was the second-longest serving Premier of South Australia who after leaving parliament studied at Flinders and gained his doctorate.

3. Film reviewer on ABC Radio and Creative Arts lecturer.

9. This former ET editor is best known as his character H.G. Nelson.

11. First female Artistic Director of the South Australian Theatre Company and current drama lecturer.

12. Author of Possum Magic and former Associate Professor.

13. Lead singer of The Angels.

14. Director of Shine, Hearts in Atlantis and The Lucky One. 38

4. This drama centre graduate plays Bess on ABC’s Upper Middle Bogan.

5. This iconic actress (and Logie Awards Hall of Fame recipient) is fondly remembered for her work on Play School.

7. Current federal member for Kingston and former student council president.

8. Author of Burial Rites and Creative Writing graduate.

10. This actor appeared in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

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advice/ po p cu lt u r e

Otaku Spending Spree An Introduction to Anime and Video Game Shopping in Japan Words by Cameron Lowe To any otaku (geek) of anime and video games, Japan is a dream come true. Japan is the home of anime and many beloved video game companies like: Nintendo, Sony, and Square Enix. This distinction means there’s many places for an otaku to explore and shop all over the country. I was lucky enough to visit Japan in late 2017 and ended up going on a spending spree. Below is an introduction to some places and a few tips for otaku shopping if you’re ever in Japan.

Akihabara is Paradise, but Expensive To any lover of anime and video games, you’ve probably already heard of this famous district in Tokyo. Just two stops north on the Yamanote (green) Line from the main Tokyo Station, Akihabara is a dream come true for any otaku. For anime lovers, Akihabara is everything you ever dreamt of. You have stores that are storeys high full of anime, manga, and figurines. One of these, Akihabara Gamers is eight storeys high and has everything, from the latest manga to life sized figurines.

“Despite being a paradise for an otaku, Akihabara is also more expensive compared to many places in Japan.”

For lovers of video games, you’re also spoiled for choice. There are stores galore here full of both the latest and classic video games.

In stores like Traders, you have titles from Nintendo Switch and the Super Famicom together. None though are more famous than Super Potato. A 10-minute walk from Akihabara Station, this store is more like a museum of gaming than an actual store. To compliment this too are a number of maid cafés, computing stores, and trading card outlets.

Despite being a paradise for an otaku, Akihabara is also more expensive compared to many places in Japan. This is probably

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due to it being a popular tourist trap, making stores with tax more common. For example, I bought The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on Super Famicom at Super Potato. The price was 5440 yen ($54AUD) on the box, but upon purchasing it at the counter, went up to past 5800 yen ($60AUD) at the register.

Whilst Akihabara is a must see, try to limit your spending as there’s plenty more, much cheaper places to shop around Japan, like Shibuya.

Book Off is Heaven on Earth Book Off is a used goods department store, similar to Savers, but filled with everything you could ever dream of. It has shelves of manga, anime, and video games, both old and new, to explore, as well as retro toys from western shows like Thunderbirds.

There’s two factors that make Book Off paradise: the first being the price. In Book Off, you can find games that would be expensive in other stores for a low price. It’s in the Book Off flagship store in Shibuya (also a paradise) where I found a boxed copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64 for 1,950 yen (about $21AUD). Buying this from Super Potato in Akihabara would’ve cost me well over 3,000 yen before tax. The best part of this is there’s no tax on used goods, meaning you can go crazy and buy those retro games you’ve always wanted.

The second factor that makes Book Off heaven is that they’re located all throughout Japan, with more than one in every major city. Generally, you’ll get your otaku souvenirs more cheaply the further out of central Tokyo you go. They’re also at least twothree stories high each store so you’ll be spoiled for choice no matter where you go.

ad vic e/pop culture Be Aware of the Region Lock There are two words that send shivers down the spines of any otaku: region lock. For those who don’t know, region lock is when you can’t play something (e.g. a game or DVD) you bought in region A in region B. Many modern media players and game consoles don’t have this problem now, but older home consoles like the Super Famicom are region locked.

This makes it impossible to play your retro games bought there on your consoles here in Australia.

There’s two ways to overcome this problem. The first is to buy a third-party NTSC-J to PAL adapter, which is readily available online.

The second is to buy one of the consoles over there and bring it here.

Super Famicoms especially are very affordable (usually between $25$60AUD) in Japan. However, be aware that they run at the Japanese 100V power, meaning you’ll fry them on our 230V power. You will need to buy a transformer here, which start from about $30AUD. The other, particularly for anime lovers, is to watch them through the computer, that’s if you don’t have an Xbox One, or PlayStation 4.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Seiken Densetsu Collection. Firstparty Nintendo titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey have English options though.

Some Final Tips/Warnings • Be cautious on how much you buy over in Japan. It may be more affordable than here in Australia, but customs may give you a tax if you have over $900 worth of goods.

• If you’re buying adult otaku merchandise, be careful with what you buy. Some of the adult goods in the anime/video game stores may be illegal here in Australia and will seized by customs upon arriving home.

• You will spend a lot of money! Make sure you have sufficient money and keep some to try the magnificent Japanese food that you can buy.

• Check out Shibuya. It’s an iconic Tokyo location in video games and is filled with many otaku stores.

Also, please be aware that while games on modern consoles like the Nintendo Switch are region-free, many are still locked to Japanese language only. This is apparent in mainly third-party releases, like

Pictured Previous Page: A shot of Akihabara.

Top Left: Anime key figures from Akihabara Gamers.

Bottom Left: Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem for Nintendo DS (Japan-only) from Shibuya Book Off. Right: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past from Akihabara Super Potato.

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Gu ide/E n vi r o n m en t

Intro To Zero Waste Marina Deller

A few months ago I found myself standing by the side of a busy road with soy sauce trickling down my leg and into my sock. The soy sauce had leaked from my reusable container, through my canvas bag, and snuck its way down my leggings to my calves. It was a particularly hot day, so the sauce was drying quickly and sticking to everything it touched. Dozens of cars passed me as I fumbled with my bags, and cursed the day I ever encountered the idea of a ‘zero waste’ lifestyle.

Zero-waste is a movement which seeks to examine, critique and correct all of the ways we frivolously consume – as well as frivolously dispose of. I’m sure I don’t have to explain the ins and outs of capitalism and consumerist culture; we are all aware of how much we buy, and how often. We know that we should put our cans in the recycling, and buy locally if we can. Although – what do we actually know?

At the beginning of last year, I thought that I knew it all. I was an enviro-warrior as a kid – I bullied my parents to recycle, proudly said ‘no’ to plastic bags wherever I could, and I always brought a packed lunch and my handy drink bottle. I knew that ‘plastic = bad’ and ‘recycling = good’. I knew that because I already didn’t consume animal products such as meat or dairy, that I was doing some good for the environment. What I didn’t realise was just how complex the issue of ‘waste’ truly is.

The majority of products which we buy, we use within days or weeks, and then throw away, and they will never break down.

Think of every instant noodle packet, every straw, every Maccas cup, every bit of cling wrap, every plastic bottle, of everything that you’ve bought through your life… think of it, still existing out there, somewhere. Out of sight and mind does not mean out of existence.

When we pop something into a bin, and wheel that bin to the curb, physically removing the trash from our houses and lives, the trash does not disappear into thin air. Just because it no longer exists right next to you, does not mean that it goes away.

This is where the zero waste movement comes in. Budding for the last few years in individual homes, on social media sites, and discussed within forums such as TED Talks – zero waste is a lifestyle that is beginning to catch people’s attention. I first learned of zero waste after talking to fellow vegan pals about other instances of environmental damage. KeepCups and the like were on the rise, and I wanted to know more. What I learned within a few short google searches stumped me. I was outraged. How blind had we all been? How did we think that recycling was ‘good enough’? How did we let ourselves slip into the ‘easy’, the ‘quick’, without thinking 42

of what it meant for our planet? The solution, it’s apparent, is to live life – as far as is possible – without creating waste.

That’s how I found myself on the side of the road, soy sauce slithering down my leg. I’d brought my own container to the sushi place, as well as a smaller container filled with soy sauce from home – in an attempt not to use the teeny tiny plastic fish they provide. Despite the heat, despite the people watching from their cars, despite my now-salty socks, I found myself laughing. I pulled out the sushi, and ate it on my walk home.

It took a few months of such trial and error – as well as research and brainstorming – to get in the swing of really reducing my waste. At first I wanted to rush out and buy all the shiny new things that you ‘need’ for a zero waste lifestyle – special bags for fruit and veg, a special blender for making your own almond milk, etc., etc. But I forced myself to go slow. The temptation of consuming, of losing sight of the whole darn point, was very real.

But I persisted. I slowly accumulated items and tricks as they were necessary. I bought a bamboo toothbrush when my plastic one needed replacing. Instead of the fancy fruit bags advertised online, I bought laundry bags for three bucks from K-Mart which worked just as well. I dug my mum’s old canvas bags out of hiding to use for my shopping. I found a reusable stainless steel drinking straw at the markets which was ex-display, so the lady gave it to me half price. I started carrying tiny metal cutlery in my bag so I could avoid plastic knives and forks. I learned how to make my own hummus – and eventually even homemade crackers. Cutting down waste became second nature.

At first, zero waste seems like a very tall ask. The word ‘zero’ has such an intimidating weight to it – the idea that one wrong move and you’re a failure. But that is so far from the truth. No one lives 100% zero waste – not even the social media stars who proudly wave their mason jars which hold exactly one year’s worth of trash. We are human. Many of us drive cars, work for companies which produce masses of waste, maybe we even buy hot chips in a bucket from the local roadhouse when in the middle of nowhere and starving (okay, perhaps that’s just me). We live in a consumerist society – so it’s not as easy as merely saying, ‘I opt out’.

Although, in a way, it is easy. It’s easy to say ‘no thanks’ to a receipt or a plastic bag. It’s easy to keep a reusable cup in your office, or bring coffee in a thermos. It’s easy to buy clothes at second-hand stores rather than brand new. It’s easy to buy fruit and veg loose in your basket.

Gu id e/ Env ironment When you first start thinking about reducing waste, considering how much we take for granted, and how unsustainable our habits are, it can be overwhelming. Walking down the street, you see litter everywhere. You see people flick rubbish out of car windows. You see hundreds of coffee pods and teabags tossed. You see people buying, buying, buying. You see plastic in the hands of everyone around you – cling wrap around lunches, double straws in drinks, soft drink bottles. You realise how much every person, every day, must waste. You become terrified.

The saddest part is how much of it is swept under the rug in the name of convenience or cost effectiveness… is it ‘convenient’ or ‘cost effective’ to destroy our beautiful planet?

The silver lining is in the ease of making small changes. It takes only a few shifted habits, a few extra moments of thought, and a more mindful way of viewing the resources available to us. Critical thinking and careful consideration – things that we’re all really proficient at due to being uni students, yeah? – are invaluable tools at our disposal. There are easy things we can consider when making everyday choices. For instance, rather than the usual three ‘Rs’, the zero waste movement offers five.

REFUSE – Say no to single-use objects or items you do not need.

E.g. plastic bags, promotional freebies, straws at bars.

REDUCE – Truly consider if you need certain things, and, if not, reduce your consumption. E.g. buying brand new clothes for each occasion, eating or using animal products.

REUSE – Buy objects which are more durable (such as glass, steel and wood) and reuse them whenever you can. E.g. drink bottles, lunch boxes, shopping bags, metal straws. Bring containers or jars to the bulk store and buy in large quantities.

That said – in situations where it’s one-use or recyclable? Choose recyclable.

ROT – For anything truly biodegradable, or for food scraps, use compost.

There are also two more major tips that I add to my own personal zero-waste manifesto: MAKE IT NEW – Buy second-hand: scavenge op-shops, vintage shops, garage sales, markets, online groups. Borrow things from friends and family instead of buying new. This isn’t just for clothing, but also household objects, presents, decorations, etc.

CREATE – Make your own: create face masks, moisturiser, body scrub, household cleaning products, clothing, packed meals, etc.

Anything you can make yourself, try to! It can be an adventure, and save money in the long-run too.

What has become so clear to me in the last half a year or so is that we need to realise that ‘disposable’ means nothing at all.

We cannot continue to put things out of sight until we ruin our ecosystems, our breathable air, our water systems, and choke our beloved planet.

Zero waste is not something that can happen overnight, but is a revolution that will be made in tiny steps by hundreds of people.

Take pride in being the person who thinks a little more carefully – make small changes in the name of big change.

Bring your KeepCup to work, refill your water bottle, shop at the bulk store when you can. And don’t forget to laugh at yourself if you are doused in soy sauce. It’s all part of the journey.

RECYCLE – Recycle as little as possible… truly! Recycling often means the material is repurposed once and then sent to landfill, or if there are excess products or the wrong type of product then much of what we ‘recycle’ won’t actually be recycled at all.

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recipe/L u n chbox i d eas

Flinders University Vegetarian and Vegan Club Presents:

Lunchbox Ideas If you’re anything like me, the idea of buying a coffee and lunch daily physically pains you. Unfortunately, I also tend to suck at being motivated to prepare decent meals and hate the idea of a routine meal plan because I crave variety too much. Super easy and super quick dishes like this one help avoid falling into the (inevitable – come SWOTVAC) trap of eating a can of baked beans or 2 minute noodles for lunch.

SUPER Simple Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew Ingredients 1 small onion 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 can crushed tomatoes 2 Tbsp Tomato paste 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup frozen cauliflower (best if it’s thawed before cooking) ½ cup frozen spinach/kale Spices: Cumin, thyme, paprika, coriander Salt and pepper to taste

Method Sauté the onion in a large frying pan until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

Add cauliflower, chickpeas, and spices and sauté for another 5-10 minutes Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Turn the heat down and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reduces – about 20 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shown served with rice and broccoli.

Recipe by Claire Perry

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Top Six/A ust ra l i an t v s h ow s

Top Six: Australian TV shows

The Family Law

Gruen

Danger 5

Based on the memoirs of Benjamin Law, this comedy series follows the Law family who live on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. The Family Law deals with divorce, independence, interracial marriage and keeping your dignity while playing school music concerts dressed as fruit. The entire cast is amazing, but the standout is Fiona Choi as Jenny, the most hilarious mother in television (and probably real life too). The first two seasons are on SBS on Demand in multiple languages, and the third and final season is in production now.

‘Ads? On the ABC!?’ Was the original marketing line for Gruen Transfer when it started in 2008. Gruen takes a critical look at marketing and advertising and how it works (or doesn’t). Hosted by comedian Wil Anderson, the show has a range of segments such as ‘How Do You Sell?’, ‘Ad of the Week’, and ‘The Pitch’, which each take different aspects of advertising for the panelists to discuss. At different times, it has looked at particular social or political events, such as the 2010 and 2013 Australian elections, and the 2012 Olympic Games.

Spies, dinosaurs, and Nazis: Danger 5 has it all. Created right here in Adelaide, Danger 5 is a show created by Dario Russo (Flinders graduate) and David Ashby. The show follows five multinational spies who endlessly attempt to assassinate Hitler.

This show was originally broadcast on the SBS in 2010, with a second season in 2014.

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Danger 5 is unlike any other Australian TV show done in recent years, and is a showcase of what can be achieved in the Flinders screen degrees. This is a must watch especially for students doing screen degrees, and should be on your list if you’re not doing those degrees.

T op S ix/Aust ral ian tv shows

These are six Australian TV shows you should be watching.

Upper Middle Bogan

Round the Twist

Housos

Starring Flinders graduate Annie Maynard, Upper Middle Bogan explores the meeting of two worlds. Bess is an anesthesiologist who discovers she was adopted after her mother is diagnosed as diabetic. Bess then sets out to find her birth family, the Wheelers, who are champion drag racers. The Wheelers are incredibly loving and accepting, as opposed to Bess’ adoptive mother Margaret. This show is different to other shows as it shows bogans can be kind, loving people. After all, everyone is a little bit bogan.

An Aussie classic. The show that shaped a generation of young Australians. Loosely based on the work of popular children’s author Paul Jennings, Round the Twist follows the Twist family’s fantastical adventures. ‘Do you remember the episode where Bronson has a fish on his dick and it works like a propeller that makes him swim really fast?’ Is a question charged with nostalgia and affection, and there’s a sense of pride that an Australian TV show really did that with no repercussions. An absolute must-watch.

Very few shows, in my opinion, have been able to satire bogan culture as accurately as Housos. Set in the fictional western Sydney suburb Sunnyvale, Housos follows a number of different bogans from different cultural backgrounds, from Anglo-Australian to Pacific Islanders.

I highly recommend this show because it’s lowbrow and not afraid of political correctness. This show is best watched while wearing your best AC/DC tank top and servo store pie covered in tomato sauce.

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just for f u n /pets @ f l in d e r s

pets @ flinders Ollie Name: Ollie (short for Ollivander) Owner: Ainsley Age: 8 Breed: Border Collie X (Maybe a Papillion?)

Likes: Long walks, constant attention, being told he’s beautiful, tearing sheep toys apart, looking majestical.

Dislikes: Fireworks, storms, vacuum cleaners and other dogs.

JOSIE Name: Josie Owner: Cameron Age: 12 Breed: Jack Russell/ Mini Foxy Likes: Sleeping, eating, cuddles, walks, constant attention, barking Dislikes: Coldness, flies, thunderstorms, being alone

ASPARAGUS

Name: Asparagus Owner: Oli Age: 2 Breed: Cat/asshole Likes: Waking up before sunrise, vegemite, hiding, sitting on people Dislikes: Loud noises, heights, other cats, dogs, vacuum cleaners

On this page, we want you to meet some of our best friends. Next issue, we’d love to meet some of yours!

Submit your pets photograph and info to empire.times@flinders.edu.au and we’ll feature them in the next issue!

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