Getamungstit - The Vices Edition (March 2020)

THE

EDITION

ISSUE 02, VOLUME 06 MARCH 2020 EDITORIAL TEAM Bec Marshallsay - Editor in Chief Carljohnson Anacin Aida Azhar Alison Cunliffe Mary Jo Dowsett Jasmine Parrotta Hayley Payne Isabelle Porter PUBLISHER Jordan Jansen TALENTED CONTRIBUTORS Cover artwork Georgia Crawford Editorial Carljohnson Anacin - Aida Azhar Alison Cunliffe - Mary Jo Dowsett Bec Marshallsay- Jasmine Parrotta D’Arcy Parrotta - Hayley Payne Isabelle Porter Creative Alison Cunliffe - Rae Cooper Hayley Wakefield DESIGN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Email us at getamungstit@griffith.edu.au

Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild acknowledges the people who are the traditional custodians of the land, pays respects to Elders, past and present, and extends that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

DISCLAIMER

SUBMISSIONS Are you a budding student journalist, photographer or have a random idea that could be a great story?

Getamungstit accepts art, photo and story submissions for consideration however there is no guarantee your work will be published.

The opinions expressed in this publication may not reflect those of the Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild. The information contained within this edition of Getamungstit was correct at the time of printing but could be subject to change.

If any article, document and/ or publication is inaccessible and you require copies and/or more information, contact the Student Guild where staff will ensure your requests and needs are met.

Liveworm Gold Coast by QCA Students Creative Director - Alejandra Ramirez Vidal Studio Administrator - Sharon Searle T +61 7 5552 7262 E goldcoast@liveworm.com.au W liveworm.com.au ADVERTISING Victoria Mancini Acting Marketing Manager GUGC Student Guild T +61 7 5552 8589 E v.mancini@griffith.edu.au W gugcstudentguild.com.au CONTACT Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild, The Link (G07) PO Box 96, Griffith University QLD 4222 E getamungstit@griffith.edu.au W gugcstudentguild.com.au/getamungstit F facebook.com/Getamungstit

10 Contents Editorial note

2

Message from your Student Guild

3

Geta Writers’ Award

5

Vox pop

6

Infographic 10

20 27

A guide to Netflix bingeing

12

Standards: The fault in our society

14

Deal with it: A quick history of playing cards

16

Escaping the social media vortex

18

Notoriously bad tourists

20

Is society contributing to binge eating?

22

Vices on film

24

Being single‌

26

Snapped on campus

27

Wellness 34 Online 40

Entertainment 44 Being creative

46

Get the hell outta here

52

46

52 1

EDITORIAL NOTE

Welcome to Edition 2!

By now you should be feeling much more comfortable on campus. You’ve finally added your assessment details to your calendar, you no longer need to stop and ask for directions to lectures, and any day now you are going to finally set foot inside the library to discover what the fuss is all about.

On the downside, mid-trimester can see the waning of enthusiasm in other areas. Your firm resolution to stay on top of your weekly readings is now about four weeks behind, and you have realised that a fullydrafted essay takes more than a killer set of stationery and good intentions. Wherever you are at though, this is the perfect time to get out and enjoy everything campus life has to offer… join a club, check out the workshops and rec trips on offer at the Guild, or head along to a Uni Night at the Uni Bar to turn uniacquaintances into solid friendships.

With vices in mind, we take a look at the origins of playing cards, and Hayley shares some tips on escaping the relentless pull of social media. Jasmine reflects on what happens when we take our bad behaviour overseas, while Isabelle encourages you to indulge by sharing her tips for a pro-level Netflix binge. In addition to our features we also have a stack of great regular content from our vices-themed ‘On film’ section to Alison’s selection of amusing things to do in ‘Get the hell outta here’.

Finally, make sure you check out ‘Meet the Ed Team’ vox pop to get to know our fantastic new-look team of editors who are excited to bring you quality content in 2020.

So grab a sweet treat and enjoy the Vices Edition.

The Editorial Team

This edition the Geta team is thinking about vices. In popular culture, vices are typically bad habits that run the gamut from outright immoral or wicked behaviour to indulgences that fall into the ‘too much of a good thing category’.

ITE R W US! R FO

This is your chance to tell us what you love, what you want to see more of or suggest new ideas. Maybe there is an issue you think we should be covering or you want to weigh in on the best coffee debate... whatever you need to get off your chest, we’d love to hear from you.

Connect with us and stay up to date!

- facebook.com/Getamungstit - facebook.com/groups/getamungstit.contributors/ - getamungstit@griffith.ed.au - gugcstudentguild.com.au/getamungstit

Editorial Article Title note

MESSAGE FROM YOUR STUDENT GUILD Hello and welcome to Week 5,

Events and activities

We wanted to take this opportunity to introduce the Student Guild. You would have seen us all over campus by now. The Guild office is prominently situated in The Link (G07) precinct, just south of the deck area, and we are responsible for most of the great activities you have experienced on campus since O-Week.

Bingo nights, free yoga, parties, creative workshops and market days are just a few of the events and activities the Student Guild has packed into the uni calendar. Our program is full of free and low-cost activities to enhance your social experience on campus and to give you opportunities to relax and unwind away from the books. Browse our events calendar at gugcstudentguild.com.au/events/ or follow us at facebook.com/GUGCStudentGuild/ and instagram.com/gugcstudentguild/ to make sure you never miss a thing.

In short, we are here as experts on student-life and our purpose is to make your time on campus as active and enjoyable as possible. Our activities are guided by an elected student board (your voice on campus) and delivered by a team of professional staff who are dedicated to enhancing your experience at university.

With that in mind we wanted to highlight just a few of the services we offer.

Assignment help Just one of our academic support services, assignment help is a free service offering assistance with understanding and planning your assignment, basic proofreading and editing, and advice on research and referencing. Assignment help sessions are by appointment only so check out our website for further information. gugcstudentguild.com.au/academic/

Volunteer Volunteering not only puts you at the heart of uni life but also offers fantastic networking opportunities and looks great on your CV. There are many opportunities to volunteer with the Guild including the Guild Crew, the Wellness Warriors, and with the Helping Hands program. Find out more about volunteer opportunities online. gugcstudentguild.com.au/volunteer/

That’s all from us for now but feel free to drop in to the Student Guild office if you have any questions about how we can support you.

Happy reading!

Your Student Guild team

gugcstudentguild.com.au/

3

GOLD COAST TO NATHAN CAMPUS

STUDENTS - $5.00 | GRIFFITH STAFF - $8.00 TRIMESTER 1 & 2

Departs Nathan campus:

6.45 am, 9.30 am, 2.30 pm, 6.05 pm, 8.15 pm

Departs Gold Coast campus:

7.45 am, 1.00 pm, 4.15 pm, 7.15 pm, 9.15 pm

To book visit gugcstudentguild.com.au

Face your life, its pain, its pleasure, leave no path untaken.

Neil Gaiman

GETAMUNGSTIT WRITERS’ AWARD

I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.

W.C. Fields

Do you have something to say about vices? Do you think we missed a great article opportunity on this theme? This is your chance to have your ideas published.

You are invited to submit articles or creative writing on the current edition theme for your chance to win and be published. Submissions must be the writer’s original work and must not have been published elsewhere.

It is good to be without vices, but it is not good to be without temptations.

Walter Bagehot

Theme: Vices, indulgence, morals, pleasure, bad habits.

Closes: 11.59 pm 20 May, 2020 Prize: Publication in the subsequent issue of Getamungstit magazine + $50 Campus Cash.

There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.

Win! $50 Campus Cash + your article published in a future edition.

Mark Twain Conditions Entries are open to current Griffith University Gold Coast students - student number must be provided with entry. Entries must be under 1000 words and must be submitted by email with the heading ‘Geta Writers’ Award’ to getamungstit@griffith.edu.au by the closing date. Entrants grant Getamungstit non-exclusive rights to publish the work in Getamungstit (in print and/or online).

The winning entry/entries will be selected by the Geta editorial team and/or appointees based on quality of writing and fit with the magazine.

If there are insufficient entries or the team cannot determine a winner, the editorial team may decide not to award a prize. All decisions are final, no correspondence will be entered into.

I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.

Nelson Mandela

5 2

VOX POP Meet the Ed Team Introducing you to the 2020 Getamungstit Editorial Team.

Aida WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING?

Aida Azhar: Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations & International Studies).

Alison Cunliffe: Bachelor of Education (Secondary).

Hayley Payne: Master of Global Development.

Isabelle Porter: Bachelor of Public Relations and Communications.

Jasmine Parrotta: Double degree in business and design.

Mary Jo Dowsett: Bachelor of Journalism (Honours).

Carljohson Anacin (a.k.a. Nicky): PhD HDR (Humanities, Languages and Social Science).

Vox pop

Alison

Hayley

Isabelle

FAVOURITE SECTION OF GETAMUNGSTIT?

BEST BINGE-WORTHY TV SHOW?

DO YOU HAVE ANY BAD HABITS?

Aida: Being creative.

Aida: Money Heist.

Alison: Being creative!

Alison: Definitely The Office (US) or The Good Place.

Aida: I’m so bad at replying to texts but I’m getting better at it.

Sometimes I tend to cancel plans with friends just to have more time with my own company.

Hayley: Having recently decided to be brave and try my hand at creative writing, I have to say that our creative section is my favourite.

The short stories and poems offer us a unique insight into the writer’s imagination and inspire me to keep trying to improve my own skills in this space.

Isabelle: Get the hell outta here.

Hayley: I had always been more of a movie person until I stumbled upon The Good Place. The way the show transformed from simply being a quirky comedy into a platform to explore our humanity was incredible. I ugly cried during the last episode and will truly miss having this show in my life!

Isabelle: The Office.

Jasmine: Being creative. I love seeing what people are creating, their styles and different creative avenues they are drawn to.

Jasmine: Friends. Old school, but always light and easy to watch with so many relatable moments.

Mary Jo: Entertainment section.

Mary Jo: Friends.

Nicky: Entertainment and On film.

Nicky: Breaking Bad and Silicon Valley.

7

Alison: I’m definitely a bit of a soft drink addict.

Hayley: I think one of my worst habits is that every few months I commit myself to an exercise plan and then promptly forget about it about a week into exercising. I am working on this one though!

Isabelle: Yes… leaving some assignments till the last minute.

Jasmine: Overthinking.

Mary Jo: Definitely leaving assignments until the last minute.

Nicky: Checking my phone as soon as I wake up. I hate doing it (but can’t help it) because it makes me forget my dreams instantly and I like remembering my dreams.

Jasmine

Mary Jo

Nicky

GUILTY PLEASURES?

BEST ADVICE FOR SURVIVING UNI?

Aida: I take too many pictures - I often get told to just ‘live in the moment’. Social media is a platform I use to express my creativity in editing most of my pictures and videos. Even though it takes so much of my time, I personally find it therapeutic.

Aida: If you want to do something, don’t wait around for anyone to do it with you. Put yourself out there. Even though it may seem scary to be outside of your comfort zone, it’s in those challenging times where you discover your full potential. Take charge of your own life and create the kind of uni experience that you want to have.

Alison: I make way too many houses in The Sims. I can focus on it for way too long.

Sometimes it makes my computer overheat. Oops.

Hayley: Every year I get so excited to watch The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I know that they are trashy, but they sure serve as an entertaining break when you’re stressed out from uni life.

Isabelle: Chocolate. Any type, any time.

Jasmine: Guilt-free!

Mary Jo: Listening to the Mamma Mia! soundtrack on repeat more times than I’d like to admit.

Alison: Have fun with your notes if you can. Whether it be colour coding or fun sticky notes. Having something nice to look at and getting creative can be the little bit of motivation you need to make and review your notes.

Hayley: There was once a time when people would be rewarded with education for hard work, as opposed to it just being a necessary avenue for getting a job. See studying is a gift. How many times in your life will you have the opportunity to learn something that you truly love?

Isabelle: Don’t sign up for morning classes if you’re not a morning person.

Jasmine: Talk to people.

Mary Jo: Make sure you consistently make time for yourself - balance is key when it comes to surviving uni! No matter how busy life becomes there’s always a spare 30-60 minutes every day that you can reserve just for you. Make yourself your number one priority!

Nicky: Embrace procrastination (consciously and with moderation) as part of your everyday life, but be sure to use it honestly and wisely (such as as a reward or diversion from mental exhaustion or before embarking on a big task) with the aim of achieving your daily or weekly goals and tasks.

Nicky: 90s pop.

Vox pop

VOX POP 9

Jasmine Parrotta

The top three most common vices across the world – smoking, drinking and overeating, according to Forbes.

A pack-a-day smoker is likely to spend over $10,000 a year on their habit, according to the Daily Mail.

The Galaxy Macau in China is the world’s top-grossing casino with a net revenue of $18.8 billion in 2019.

Many health experts suggest that for women one glass (150ml) and for men two glasses (300ml) of wine a day is optimal for health benefits.

Australians spent $27.5 billion buying goods online in 2018, according to Australia Post.

Moldova tops the annual alcohol consumption per person with an average of 18.22 litres, three times more than the global average of 6.1 litres.

Enjoy your sleep-in. People who wake up to an alarm rather than according to their body’s internal clock are three times more likely to be overweight.

A study by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who ate dark chocolate every day for 15 days cut their risk of insulin resistance by almost half, thanks to the high powered flavonols found in chocolate.

Sex (two to three times per week) may improve your immunity, sleep and help you look younger by triggering release of growth hormones beneficial for skin elasticity and the prevention of wrinkles.

Vices

The world’s largest chocolate bar (4m x 4m) weighed 5,792.50kg and was created in 2011 by Thorntons in the UK.

The world’s most expensive burger can be found in Las Vegas at the restaurant Fleur. It costs a whopping $5,000 and features wagyu beef, seared foie gras, and black truffle shavings.

It takes 21 days to form a habit and an additional 90 days to create permanent lifestyle change according to Dr Maxwell Maltz’s 21/90 rule.

The average 14-24-year-old Australian spends almost 14 hours (822 minutes) on social media every week, (nearly two hours every day) according to Roy Morgan Research.

People who eat lollies have lower BMIs, smaller waists and are at less risk of health inflammation than those who avoid sugary treats, according to a report from Business Insider Australia.

11

Receiving a like on Instagram is similar to taking a drug, as far as our brains are concerned, according to NYU’s Professor Adam Alter. Both encourage the release of the chemical dopamine which is associated with pleasure.

A guide to Netflix bingeing Isabelle Porter

As a long-term Netflix user, or should I say binge watcher, I have gained a specialised skillset over the years. This expertise includes identifying the most gripping bingeworthy shows, the best snacks, the ideal location and the most comfortable outfit.

As the first online streaming service to release the entirety of a television series by season, Netflix is the progenitor of the now infamous binge-watching culture, according to The Times. Once we realised that we could watch our favourite TV shows without being interrupted by advertisements or by waiting a week for the next episode, we never looked back.

Bailing on friends in favour of a 12 hour Grey’s Anatomy marathon went from being a shameful secret to a socially acceptable excuse for not leaving the house.

Once you know what you’re watching, the next thing you need to sort out is sustenance.

The best snacks in my opinion include popcorn, smarties and

chips. Who doesn’t enjoy popcorn with a movie or TV show? And most binge sessions are longer than a movie – so snacks are very important.

episodes of a final season, stay at home! You do not want to be interrupted by people chatting in the library or asking you if they can take your spare chair. Trust me.

Smarties are a great alternative to big blocks of chocolate; you just have to reach in the bag and never take your eyes off the screen. I threw a classic bag of chips in there just in case you don’t like my two other snack ideas.

If you’re blessed enough to have an air conditioner on full blast, you had better be in sweatpants and a big hoodie wrapped up like a burrito in bed. Or, if you’re like me and have to settle for a fan in this heat, an oversized tee and some sport shorts will do just fine too.

The last thing you need to organise is the location. The perfect location really depends on the show you’re watching, who you’re watching it with and how invested you are. If you’re watching Game of Thrones or Shameless, you do not want to be watching that on campus due to frequent graphic scenes, you’re better off at home for that one.

Let’s be honest, you will not be watching a show in your bed with your parents. Ensure you pick the appropriate spot for your guests, if you have any. Most of my binges take place in my bed at 3am when I should be writing an essay. Lastly, if you are watching the last two

A guide to Netflix bingeing

SOME WINNING COMBINATIONS

GAME OF THRONES In bed Guest optional Snacking on smarties

THE CROWN Family home Parents welcome Tea and scones provided by the parentals

COMMUNITY At the library With your group assignment partner Eating Guzman Y Gomez

STRANGER THINGS Couch, lights off Alone Crunching chips

SEX EDUCATION Anywhere not in public With your best friend Devouring popcorn

13

STANDARDS: THE FAULT IN OUR SOCIETY Mary Jo Dowsett

Have you ever walked away from a situation, whether it be a job or relationship, simply because you didn’t feel as though you were valued or respected? Or have you ever refused to live in a certain place or even dine at a specific restaurant? Well if the answer is yes, then chances are you have well-established standards that you are not only reluctant but unwilling to change.

But what happens when standards start to become restrictive, unhealthy, and ultimately unattainable?

Standards have always been a fundamental part of our lives. They are specific qualities we expect and require and, for the most part, play an important role in helping us determine what we will or won’t accept. However, although most standards can vary significantly from person to person, they can also be heavily shaped and influenced by your generation and the corresponding social ‘norms’.

Naturally, society is continuously evolving and as a result, what used to be attainable thirty-plus years ago is no longer realistic. For example, it was once the norm to be a homeowner by the age of 23 and to be guaranteed a well-paid job if you made it through university. Despite being severely outdated, these standards are still lingering in the minds of today’s younger generations and is consequently creating a sense of failure and unfulfillment.

The rise of social media has additionally fuelled this perfectionist mindset, with thousands of young men and women succumbing to the pressures surrounding beauty, relationships and their careers. Highlight reels are disguised as ‘real life’ and extravagant lives are put on display for the entire world to envy.

This obsession and pressure to have the ‘perfect’ life and continuously reach unrealistic standards has created a significant spike in the number of young people suffering from anxiety and depression, according to a study conducted by the University of Western Ontario. The American Psychology Association specifically revealed that the amount of teenagers suffering from a mental health disorder has more than doubled in the past decade alone.

”

...teenagers suffering from a mental health disorder has more than doubled in the past decade alone.

A 2017 study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that within the last three decades we have been chasing down the idea of ‘perfection’ more than ever before. The study speculated this rise in perfectionism could have been sparked through ‘more competitive environments, more unrealistic expectations, and more anxious and controlling parents than generations before’.

Standards: The fault in our society

”

Clearly today’s ‘perfectionism’ (defined as ‘a person’s striving for flawlessness and setting high performance standards, accompanied by critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others’ evaluations’) has consumed the minds of young people everywhere.

It has become a world where we are sold false perceptions of what life really is and our mental health has subsequently taken a hit.

So begin questioning everything. Everything you are told and everything you see. Gone are the days where we sit back and passively digest everything around us.

By refusing to simply ‘accept’ we can begin to halt the vicious cycle we have been subconsciously swept-upin our entire lives. Your standards will help you reach your own personal potential, so set your standards high - but still ensure there is a sense of reality to it.

So what needs to change? As mentioned earlier, standards are, of course, an essential and important part of life - but they need to be realistic, reflective of who you are and above all, healthy. They need to reflect your beliefs and values, not society’s distorted perception of what is and isn’t ‘good enough’. It’s time to start rejecting what you have been force fed by the media, by past generations and by who you follow on social media.

Standards used to be extremely localised, set by your family and local community. However, the younger generations today are now exposed to the entire globe posting fictional realities masked as ‘real life’. Standards that were once the norm in past generations additionally haunt us further, still holding value in our minds despite holding little relevance in the world today. Basically, these things that were once designed to improve ourselves and keep our values in check are currently doing far more harm than good.

Just because you have chosen a path that doesn’t exactly match your parents, grandparents or even peers doesn’t mean you are on the wrong path. If we continue to try and live up to society’s standards, whatever they may be, we will never reach happiness (no matter how convincing external voices may be).

”

So, it’s true - we live in a time where we are ultimately set up for failure and as a result our mental health has never been worse. But if we increase our awareness and actively begin to reject the continuous illusions fed to us daily, we will atleast have given ourselves a fighting chance to nip it in the bud before we completely lose a sense of reality.

...reflect your beliefs and values, not society’s distorted perception of what is and isn’t ‘good enough’

”

15

Deal with it: A quick history of playing cards Bec Marshallsay

The humble playing card has a wealth of cultural mythology built around it, much of which is contradictory. On one hand the act of playing cards is intriguing and mysterious. Think James Bond, glamourous evening wear, and high-stakes bluffing. On the other hand playing cards is one of the most universal and decidedly unglamorous forms of recreation. Think Go-Fish with your grandma, tacky gift shops, and being on the losing end of a round of King’s Cup. Cards can even be used to make a personal statement, to woo, and impress. Once again, however, it all depends on context. High level shuffling and dealing skills are likely to wow all and sundry, and are a great conversation starter.

Conversely, even the most well executed magic trick is likely to hit a point of diminishing returns with your audience if either of you are over the age of 12.

So where did the deck of cards come from? And how come every house has at least one deck sequestered away in a random draw or cupboard, even though no one ever remembers buying them?

(Fun fact: if you live in a place long enough they will multiply of their own accord).

Origins Original playing cards were far different to the standard deck we are familiar with in the West today. The modern deck reflects many different cultural influences over several hundred years of development.

Pinpointing the exact origin of cards is somewhat of a mystery but many historians speculate that they could have started as early as the 9th century in China’s Tang Dynasty. Due to their flimsy nature, there is little surviving evidence to prove this theory and it is possible that early references to playing cards could have instead referred to domino pieces such as those used in later games such as Mahjong (established in the 17th century).

Common speculation also considers that playing cards may have originated with Mamluk cards in Egypt in the 13th century. With a few surviving cards from this era now housed in Istanbul and known as the Topkapi deck (although they are believed to come from three different decks), Mamluk cards derive their name from the Mamluk Sultanate that governed Egypt from 1250 until the Ottoman’s conquered Egypt in 1517. It is probable that playing cards were

Deal with it: A quick history of playing cards

taken from Egypt to Europe by Arabic travellers during this period.

Playing cards in Europe were mentioned as early as 1377 and by the 1400s they were beginning to be denounced in religious sermons preaching against the vice of gambling. Cards originating in Italy during this time were sought after luxury items and the decks featured four suits – swords, clubs, cups and coins. It was woodcut printing in Germany that saw cards become a popular, and affordable, pastime and the Germans standardised the suits - acorns, hearts, leaves and bells.

There are many different patterns of cards originating from different regions of medieval Europe and beyond. Significantly it is the French adaptation that is responsible for the four suits we are most familiar with today – spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts.

WHO’S WHO IN THE DECK? The face cards we know and use today are not just a random assortment of old-timey looking illustrations. Under the British-French tradition the jacks, kings and queens have a long standing connection with real historical figures.

The kings

The queens

Other trivia

The kings represent historical leaders. The King of Spades is David of Israel (from the Old Testament), the King of Clubs is Alexander the Great, the King of Hearts is believed to be French king and the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne, and the King of Diamonds is Caesar Augustus.

Although less well known than their male counterparts, the queens are also believed to represent significant historical characters. The Queen of Spades is Pallas, an historical iteration of the goddess Athena. The Queen of Hearts and Queen of Diamonds both represent biblical figures, Judith and Rachel, respectively.

The Queen of Clubs is a little more of a mystery, with most sources denoting her simply as Argine, which translates as regina (ruler or queen).

• Jokers did not appear in a standard deck of cards until 1867 and were first introduced in America.

Interestingly the King of Hearts is sometimes referred to as ‘the Suicide King’ because he appears to be stabbing himself in the head with his own sword. Many historians believe that originally Charlemagne was carrying a battle axe, and that over the course of time the head of the axe was left off of printing, until it evolved into a precariously positioned sword.

There is some debate to suggest that the English refashioned the Queen of Hearts as we know her to represent Elizabeth of York, consort of King Henry VII, due to the card’s striking resemblance to a portrait of Elizabeth, complete with Tudor style headdress.

• The Ace of Spades is usually the most ornate card in a deck because in the time of King James I, manufacturers were required to pay stamp duty on each deck of cards they produced. Originally this required the manufacturer to include their own insignia on the Ace of Spades and the card was physically stamped to indicate that the tax had been paid.

• The King of Hearts is the only king without a moustache.

• Playing cards did not include the suit and number markers in the corner of the cards until the American Civil War, when the design was patented. This made it easier for players to hold their cards in a discrete fan.

• The Jack of Spades and Jack of Hearts are sometimes known as ‘one-eyed jacks’ because their profile position means that only one eye is visible.

17

Escaping the social media vortex Hayley Payne

”

If you continuously find yourself slipping away from reality and into the depths of the online world, it could be a sign that you need a break.

”

It is a hot summer afternoon. I have just made a pot of peppermint tea, set up a nice candle and laid out my study checklist for the next few hours. I sit down at my laptop and decide to quickly check Facebook to see whether I have any important notifications.

Grow a forest Suddenly, I look up. It’s dark. I’m watching a reality series on YouTube where English celebrities I’ve never heard of are attempting to live in the Victorian era. I look at that time and realise that it’s been four hours since I made my pot of tea. I need to start making dinner. I’ve done no study.

We have all experienced the frustration when a quick check for notifications becomes a few hours of scrolling. Sometimes we are so far into the vortex of social media that we don’t know how we arrived on a certain page, video or article.

While social media plays an important role in society, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure that we remain the users of social platforms and don’t allow them to use and control us. To help you stay focused and away from your phone we have developed a list of simple yet effective tips for staying off social media while working and studying.

While much of this article focuses on keeping you away from your phone, there are also many apps that can help you on your quest to stay focused. If you’re anything like me and are obsessed with indoor plants and environmental conservation than you will love the app Forest. The Forest app allows you to set a timer for how long you’d like to concentrate and choose a tree, bush or plant to grow while you focus, eventually leading to creating a forest in the app.

For each item you grow, you win coins. In order to be successful in growing a tree, you must stay away from your phone and not leave the app during the designated time. Once you have a certain amount of coins you can also use them to help organisations plant real-life trees in forests across the world. It’s a win-win situation!

Escaping the social media vortex

Set boundaries

Find your tune You may have recently seen a viral article which highlighted how some people don’t have an inner monologue. While the revelation was shocking for many, I found it offered the perfect explanation for why many of us struggle to focus on one thing for a long period of time. Those of us whose brains are constantly chatting internally are usually bombarded with thoughts while trying to concentrate.

Everyone has a friend or knows a vlogger who decided to go on a social media detox. Recently, I decided to join the trend by deleting Instagram, Twitter and Facebook from my phone. The most terrifying part of this wasn’t deleting the applications but how instinctively my thumb kept pressing the screen where their icons used to be for weeks after the apps were gone.

For example, I will sit down to write an essay and will be thinking about checking emails, what to cook, not to forget about an event tomorrow, how I admire that person’s coat, wonder if I am snacking too loud and so much more. The only thing that I have found that truly helps me to quiet this voice is either classical or low-fi style music. Anything with a nice and relaxing tune but no lyrics helps to shut down the chatty voice and lets me get on with my work.

While I use Facebook frequently for work, I have found that not having it on my phone forces me to only use the desktop version and now I only access the platform when I need to check groups and notifications. I have set times each day when I can check my accounts and have let any important people know that I am not on the platform often. The extra time this has added to my schedule is astounding and I haven’t missed out on a single opportunity, invite, meme or important update.

Take a real break

Study offline

If you continuously find yourself slipping away from reality and into the depths of the online world, it could be a sign that you need a break. As university students, we run an incredibly busy balancing act of studying and working while maintaining a home and family life.

Many of us see spending time checking up on social media as a break away from life. However, if you’ve ever finished scrolling on your phone and felt tired, angry, sad, jealous, lonely or inadequate then you will know that this isn’t the best break option for you. Schedule in some time for a real break such as light stretching, a short walk, some delicious snacks, a cuddle with your dog or just some time outside.

Allowing your mind to reset will help you to focus and feel able to carry on studying without mindlessly checking your phone.

This method is simple. If you’re working from a textbook or sitting in a lecture, simply turn off your WiFi and mobile data. Download your Spotify playlist, save any articles you need and start working without the temptation of checking into your online world.

Plan out your study session and head offline during this time. If you want to you can always schedule in some short break times to check for any important notifications as needed.

With many of us having grown up with social media playing a massive role in our lives it can be tough to switch off. Using a few simple tips to stay focused and avoid falling into the vortex can help you to develop a more healthy and sustainable relationship with social media.

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Notoriously bad tourists Jasmine Parrotta

As Australians, we often pride ourselves on our enthusiasm for travel and our willingness to embrace different cultures. Surely a love for travel is a great national characteristic? Yet over the past decade, Australian travellers, mainly younger age groups, have been receiving a particularly bad reputation for our bad travel habits.

Instead of travelling abroad and respecting cultural differences, we’re getting a reputation for thrusting our own so-called ‘cultural habits’ upon the world.

While we’re definitely not the only nationality behaving badly abroad, it doesn’t mean we’re excused.

Our boozy nights (and days), obnoxious pack mentality, disrespect, reckless accidents and run-ins with the law have been increasing. In 2018/19 there were a total of 1,572 cases of Australian travellers being arrested around the world, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The US, Thailand and China were the top three countries where most arrests took place, and the total number of arrests increased 25% on the preceding five years.

Of the 11 million Australians who made overseas trips in 2018/2019, 13,715 incidents required consular assistance for issues ranging from welfare-checks in times of crisis, to assistance where Australians were hospitalised or died overseas.

As such, it is not just locals who are impacted when we act out overseas, but also a busy consular system who deliver much needed assistance to Australians in genuine need. ‘Our Foreign Ministers and busy professional consular corps have better things to do with their time than intervene on behalf of Australians behaving badly on tour’ says Alex Oliver, Director of Research at the Lowy Institute, speaking to The New Mail.

Notoriously bad tourists

So why do we behave so badly?

Tourism behaviour expert, Dr Deborah Edwards, blames the lack of understanding of culture. Edward’s research for The University of Sydney further explains that ill behaviour while travelling is often age-related, as the young already feel a sense of immortality and this intensifies when they travel.

Perhaps our behaviour abroad also has something to do with Australia becoming the world’s most over-regulated nanny state?

The list of what we can’t do grows continually; we can’t smoke (in public areas), can’t ride a bike without a helmet, can’t drink a shot after midnight, can’t take your dog in the car without a special harness. Our government is basically telling us they don’t think we’re sensible enough to make decisions for ourselves.

Remember it’s someone’s home, not just your playground.

Our ‘freedom of choice’ is becoming overly managed, and it is possible that we act out on this when we manage to ‘escape’ overseas.

It’s important not to treat our destinations as one giant nightclub or theme park, and to remember that everywhere we go is also someone’s home. We are visitors.

There are certain freedoms that do come with travelling abroad, and places to let our hair down, but we need to be mindful of our surroundings.

By doing a bit of research (which should be common courtesy before you travel to a new destination) you might find a number of unique local customs,

Here are a few simple ways to ensure you’re properly equipped for your next overseas adventure...

beliefs or behaviours. Jessica Plautz reported for Mashable Australia that while some behaviours are just considered rude (such as hugging in Japan, eating with your hands in Italy, asking for milk with your tea in China, and not tipping in the United States), other actions are illegal, such as speaking negatively of the king in Thailand, doing the ‘Nazi salute’ in Germany (which could land you five years in prison), kissing in public in India, jaywalking in the Czech Republic or the USA, wearing camo clothing in Barbados, and, in Singapore, drinking alcohol between the hours of 10.30pm and 7am.

There is no excuse for bad behaviour abroad. Every insensitive and thoughtless act affects how we, as Australians, get treated when we travel abroad, not to mention the number of people considering Australia as their next travel destination. While we have little influence over the rules and regulations that are imposed on us in our own country, we do have control over how we act and our international reputation when we’re visitors abroad. Let’s bring back our laid-back, easy-going reputation.

• Pack your manners with your passport, they are just as important.

be a tourist whom locals complain about.

• A respectful attitude when travelling should force you to learn and never to assume that what’s okay to do in one place will be okay in the next.

• Be mindful of other customs and traditions, the way you live may be different to others.

• Never act entitled – you may have paid for your holiday, but this isn’t your ‘golden ticket’ to being demanding.

• Remember it’s someone’s home, not just your playground. Don’t

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Let’s continue to explore the world with open minds, our multicultural society has been preparing us for an abundance of worldwide food, customs, culture and history.

• Decency and common sense. Be clean, tidy and leave minimal evidence you were ever there. In other words, leave somewhere the way you found it - take your rubbish and don’t carve your initial into a centuryold tree.

BEING SINGLE...

Isn’t that the trend now?

Aida Azhar Yes, I might be saying this to justify why I’ve been single for almost a decade now.

For those who are in a healthy relationship - I’m happy for you.. do share some tips, help a friend out. But if you’re single, jump on the band wagon as you are not alone in this one. Everybody has certain areas in their life where they want to feel more fulfilled at more than the others. Some of us prioritise our wealth, significance, or relationships with friends and family while the rest of us put an emphasis on constantly choosing ourselves.

72% of millennials make a conscious decision to remain single, according to a Tinder survey on people aged 18-25. Some millennials believe that committing to a relationship limits them when it comes to new experiences. This suggests a changing mindset in society where partnership is no longer a need but more of a want with many preferring to be selfpartnered. So how exactly did the ‘non-relationship’ culture transition from a taboo into the next big thing?

Being single...

When it comes to relationships, many of us tend to not stick around for long as we get bored easily by the process of getting to know another person.

We want it now! now! now!

The right word for it would be impatient. Most of us grew up with an early exposure to technology. We live a life where everything is reachable at the tip of our fingers. Wanna watch a TV series? Use Netflix.

Wanna set up for a date? Use Tinder. Wanna order some food? Use UberEats. We have never had to face the struggle of waiting or the fear of our demands not being met because fulfilment can instantly be found anywhere.

When it comes to relationships, many of us tend to not stick around for long as we get bored easily by the process of getting to know another person. It is easy to get caught up in this social media world where everyone glorifies their idea of a perfect relationship.

We look at a 15 second story on Instagram, only to become envious of someone else’s love life and then impose completely unrealistic expectations on our significant other. We set the bar really high without even considering the different stages of life that we are all at. You’re comparing your love life to Kylie Jenner’s lifestyle? It’s no wonder most millennials tend to let go of relationships easily when their partner does not meet their high standard.

Just a bunch of narcissists.

Aren’t we all? With the amount of options being thrown at us these days, nobody settles for less.

Especially when it comes to finding someone with whom we’re compatible. It is challenging to commit to one person when it is ingrained in our minds that there might be a better person out there. When things go wrong, we are quick to cut ties and move on to the next best thing that will better serve our vision of a perfect partner.

Being a narcissist is not always a bad thing. Society may perceive it as egotistical, self-centered or conceited but I see it as living up to your standards.

You know exactly what you wish to pursue in life and you don’t need to seek validation from others in order to make your life meaningful. With or without

relationship, you are perfectly happy just the way you are. However, narcissists are overprotective of themselves. They envision a partner that reflect their own value, and won’t hold on to a partnership that is imperfect, but rewarding nonetheless. Their love towards themselves often limits their ability to see the value in others. Hence, narcissists find it more empowering to be on their own as they have more control to do what they think is right for them.

Romantic gestures? That is crossing the line.

In this era of modern love, we are cautious with the person we choose to invest our emotions in. Many of us are afraid of coming off as too caring or too clingy.

We hide our vulnerability from our partners to not appear as weak or sensitive. Has modern romance turned us away from being truthful to our feelings?

Relationships don’t last these days because people are inclined to give less than what they’re capable of giving, so they create an apathetic kind of love.

Loving is easy but we make it complicated when we overthink things. We do the bare minimum of what romance used to be when it comes to asking someone out on a proper date (oh wait, do people even do that anymore or do they just swipe right on Tinder?). Not interested? Ghosting them will do the job. At least I won’t have to give them any explanation.

Gone are the days when relationships were genuine, open and wwnever ambiguous.

Love is supposed to be a beautiful thing based upon continual effort. We need to find the right balance between viewing relationships as a hindrance or viewing them as the source of all our personal fulfillment. The first step to overcoming our relationship barriers is to acknowledge where our unreasonable expectations lay. It is okay to have some fear about relationships but by acknowledging and accepting our fears or barriers, we can get the courage to try a new approach. Break the rules. Love unconditionally. Tell people how you feel about them.

Whether you’re in a relationship or not, spread as much love as you can because everybody deserves to be loved and to love someone is an utter privilege.

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Hancock (2008) Hancock (Will Smith) is a superhero with a big PR problem – while he may have ‘super’ in the bag by virtue of his strength and ability to fly, his drinking, swearing and general disregard for public property leave him far from heroic in the eyes of the public. His fortunes are about to change when he saves the live of PR specialist and all-round niceguy, Ray Embry (Jason Bateman).

Despite the reservations of his wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), Embry is determined to help Hancock improve his image.

Vices on film Bec Marshallsay

Wine Country (2019) A Netflix special release, Wine Country reunites a group of friends who have begun to drift apart, to celebrate the big 5-0 for one of their posse. The weekend’s wine tasting itinerary soon becomes derailed as their varied personal issues create a bubbling pot of tension. The line-up of comedy geniuses including Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch and Tina Fey is reason enough to watch Wine Country. And if you wanted to pair it with a cheeky cab sav or Friday night rosé then all the better.

Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is the smooth-talking protagonist of Thank You For Smoking, whose lofty purpose in life is to defend the interests of big tobacco companies.

To give a sense of Naylor’s moral compass - he prides himself on being a member of the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death) – a casual lunch group consisting of his peers from the firearms and alcohol industries. This black satire doesn’t always hit the mark but it is a bit of cringe-worthy fun for those who enjoy House of Cards style antihero narratives.

If Johnny Depp is the only Willy Wonka you’ve ever know it’s time to step back in time and experience the unhinged genius of Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. This musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel was rejected by the author but has gained such acclaim as to have been identified for cultural preservation in the US National Film Registry. It’s hard to predict whether the adventures of Charlie, Veruca, Violet, Mike and Augustus will serve as a warning against over indulgence - or just have you hankering for a chocolate bar of your own.

Vices on film

Casino Royale (2006)

Chef (2014)

Seven (1995)

Arguably one of the best Bond films of the franchise, Casino Royale was Daniel Craig’s debut appearance as 007. Despite introducing a new, modern James Bond, Casino Royale tapped into some of the classic elements of the spy-series, including Bond going head to head with La Chifre (Mads Mikkelsen) in one of the best high-stakes poker games of all time. Upping the action and toning down the misogyny just a tad, Casino Royale is a great watch for long-time fans, as well as those who have never seen Britain’s greatest spy order a martini before.

If nothing else, Chef will leave you inspired to put all the love and attention into creating the perfect toasted sandwich as you should be putting into your 60% final assignment. Writer, director and star, Jon Favreau, manages to recruit a host of big names into this surprisingly fun and simple film about a disgraced high-end chef who rediscovers his love of food when he starts a Cuban food truck business. A light and breezy watch that should definitely be followed by a DIY cook-fest.

Seven stars a baby-faced Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as a decidedly younger looking Morgan Freeman. The intense thriller follows Mills (Pitt) and Somerset (Freeman) as they pursue a serial killer whose crimes are inspired by the seven deadly sins. Director David Fincher has built a solid career in the tense-thrills genre, having also directed Panic Room, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and Gone Girl. Seven is a brutal film that will leave a lasting impact.

The House (2017)

Maverick (1994)

When they find themselves short of funds to send their daughter to college, Scott (Will Ferrell) and Kate (Amy Poehler) are talked into opening an underground casino at their home by their loosecanon neighbour, Frank (Jason Mantzoukas). The House is a perfectly serviceable comedy that typifies a mainstream Ferrell film – it lacks the quotable, cult qualities of earlier films such as Anchorman, but there are quite a few chuckles to be had. Some of the funniest moments come from the supporting cast of reputable comedians including Nick Kroll, Randall Park, and Jessica St. Clair.

This is the Wild West, card-playing, action-adventure you never knew you needed. Maverick stars a pre-creepy Mel Gibson as Bret Maverick, a card-playing conman whose past cons are quickly catching up with him. Maverick stands to earn a $500,000 and a reputation if he can survive long enough to make it to an exclusive river-boat poker tournament.

Along the way he is forced to align himself with erstwhile foes, lawman Marshall Zane Cooper (James Garner, The Notebook) , and rival con-artist, Annabelle Bransford (Jodie Foster, Elysium).

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

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Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels starts with a simple premise – Eddy and his mates are small time crooks who buy into a high stakes card game held by infamous crime boss, Harry ‘The Hatchet’ Lonsdale. When Eddy loses, the group find themselves with half a million pounds of debt due within the week. In signature Guy Ritchie (director) style, things get decidedly more complicated from there as the group plans a robbery to try and save themselves from Hatchet’s debt collectors. Forget the Bond-style glamour of gambling, Lock, Stock is gritty, grimy and lots of fun (with more than one vice on the table).

IS SOCIETY CONTRIBUTING TO BINGE EATING? D’Arcy Parrotta

Binge eating disorder (BED) effects 47% of all Australians diagnosed with an eating disorder, according to the Butterfly Foundation. Furthermore, the National Eating Disorders Collaboration believe that BED effects roughly 6% of the total population, making it the most prevalent eating disorder within Australia.

With the number of BEDs on the rise, both nationally and internationally, we need to understand why, so we can take preventative action.

Eating disorders are often multifactorial, usually stemming from a combination of environmental, biological and psychological factors, according to Mirror Mirror. The BED is characterised by regular, uncontrollable episodes of binge eating, and, unlike other prevalent eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, the incidence of BED is relatively equal in males and females. It’s important we understand the factors that affect our chances of developing BED.

Environmental

Psychological

YouTube is a breeding ground for the latest gluttonous food crazes, most recently mukbang clips originating out of Korea, where people livestream themselves devouring plates of food. YouTube stars review entire takeaway menus, and ‘10,000 calorie cheat day videos’ are sought-after viewing. This food consumption craze, coupled with #food being one of the top 25 most hashtagged words on Instagram is worrying.

200 million Instagram accounts per day view food related posts.

Our society is bombarding us with food reality tv shows, exposing us to the latest #pizza on Insta feeds and then increasing accessibility to food thanks to delivery services like Uber Eats, Menulog, Eatnow, and deliveroo. Overindulgence has become too easy.

The stress and anxiety that can result from daily life, can be linked to the development of a BED. Competing for jobs, studying at a tertiary level, making ends meet financially, and information overload, are some of the many factors that generate stress and anxiety. If we do not have the skills to manage our own mental health, it has become a psychological trend to nurture ourselves with food.

Biological

If you need immediate help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 to speak with a trained counsellor 24/7.

Recent research in Australia has discovered that there are common genetic factors that underlie the predisposition to certain eating disorders, including binge eating. However, while genetic factors may play a part in the development and onset of eating disorders, they do not determine 100% of the causality of eating disorders. Additionally, a Journal of Psychiatric Research study has found possible connections linking hormone irregularities, (low levels of serotonin for example) with binge eating disorders.

Is society contributing to binge eating?

The solution Reduce your fascination with food, learn to destress, and seek medical advice if you feel you suffer from stress, anxiety or eating irregularities.

The Butterfly Foundation provides free confidential help, support and information for people with eating disorders as well as their family and friends on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit their site at the butterflyfoundation.org.au The National Eating Disorder Collaboration (NEDC) provides upto-date research and information on eating disorders at nedc.com.au

e w O - festival - e k 17 February @ Car Park 2

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f l-ofest -a t 19 February @ G h Aquatic Centre riffit

Snapped on campus

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l l e o r - disco - r 18 February 55) @ rooftop of the Multistorey Car Park (G

Snapped on campus

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B E- partyA -C H 21 February @ the Uni Bar

Snapped on campus

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TEN WAYS TO FIND INSPIRATION WHEN YOUR IMAGINATION ISN’T HELPING Alison Cunliffe

Creative block upsets me sometimes. I hate feeling like I’m not being productive.

This is a bit of a living hell for a serial procrastinator, but I find my ways around it. How? I procrastinate by doing other productive-but-less-urgent tasks. Cleaning to do? Let’s try on this shirt I found in the process. Have to get ready for work? Better start organising my planner. Assignment due?

Time to write this article. (I’m kidding, I have nothing due right now, but I guarantee you I’ll be writing articles when I should be making lesson plans in this trimester).

Ten ways to find inspiration when your imagination isn’t helping

Wellne ss But some days I REALLY want to be productive creatively. I want to make some art and practise.

On some of those days, nothing happens. My hands won’t do what I want them to, or I can’t think of anything at all, or my body turns to goo and I don’t want to get up and start drawing because if I don’t like my art I’ll be upset. It’s always worse when I’m already having a bad day, but even good days get frustrating when your pens all seem to be running out and your Pinterest boards aren’t inspiring you one bit. It’s a silly problem, but it’s one that most people I know have shared. Creative blocks sucks in all forms and all genres (yes that includes assessment pieces), so what can we do to get through it?

1. Give yourself a break I’m starting us off with the obvious option here. Maybe you just need to stop and come back to it again later. If you’ve been working at it all day, or you just really don’t want to start, sometimes it can help to focus on something else for a little while. Now, if you have a close deadline this probably isn’t the best option, but walking away for just five minutes can be a huge help.

2. Try something new This is probably my favourite option if you’re not trying to finish or start something specific.

Recently I was feeling absolutely defeated because I just couldn’t bring myself to be productive even though I really wanted to.

The things I was trying to make weren’t looking good at all, and I had a pretty embarrassing crisis about it. In the end, I took a break from panicking and went to the shops with a friend. As it turns out, Big W has a pretty decent range of embroidery supplies if you’re starting out, and that night I learnt how to hand embroider. (And can I just say – it’s one of my favourite art styles to work on now.) If you’ve been watching candle making videos for months now

and have a few extra dollars, then grab some supplies and have fun.

I also find that I’m a lot less hard on myself for mistakes if what I’m working on is new to me.

3. Finish an old project Rifle through your unfinished work and find something you think you could finish now. You can always recreate an old piece in a new way or find a way to improve something you didn’t end up happy with. But hey, even if you don’t find something to rework, looking at previous projects is a good way to inspire new ones. Don’t use this as an excuse to procrastinate, though. Reading all your English assignments from grade ten might be fun, but if they aren’t inspiring you they can probably wait.

4. Stop erasing your progress Now I’m not saying never erase anything, but don’t keep deleting and rewriting the same paragraph over and over again or ripping out pages to start fresh. Build upon what you have and fix it later. You’ll get more done faster if you work and then edit, rather than editing one section so much that you have no time to finish the rest on time (or before you lose interest).

5. Prompts Prompts come in many forms. You can start with a colour and shape as a theme, find an auto generated website, or devise your own using a number generator and some base concepts. If you’re on tiktok, you’ve probably seen heaps of art, original character and writing challenges there too. These can be super fun, and if all goes well why not post a video of your project? I like to save these challenge videos when I see them so I can try them when I’m stuck between a creative rock and hard place later on.

6. Find a new muse source Pinterest can be a great source for ideas, but sometimes you get nothing exciting or new.Whether 35

you want to use real life or fantasy as a starting point, sometimes the best ideas come from right in front of you. If you want to draw something surreal, look at what is on either side of you. Your hand and a vase? There you go – you’re drawing a vase hand today. This may or may not have been a painting I made once – but it’s one of my favourites to this day and this method of defeating my artist’s block is what gave me the idea to begin with.

7. Repurposing This applies more to my crafters here, but it’s still applicable. Find some fun objects and go from there. I like to collect paint chips whenever I visit Bunnings, and keep tickets from movies and events to create something out of later. Even if you’re not crafting these can be useful things to keep among others. Need an idea for song lyrics? Paint chips have some pretty cool colour names that could spark an idea.

8. Current events Browse the news, new movies and more and see what sparks your interest. It can be a direct relation or a distance connection, all we are trying to find is a place to start.

Even a new conspiracy theory could be the spark to a fun idea.

9. Nostalgia Had a favourite bear as a kid? Used to love the Powerpuff Girls? Dinosaurs? Embrace your inner child and do your memories justice.

10. Think of something you need to improve on Last but not least, we never stop learning. Bad at writing dialogue? Force yourself to write a conversation between two characters. Hate drawing ears? Find a tutorial and practise. It doesn’t sound like fun, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be creating better pieces in the future – it might just be an ear, but progress is progress.

GOT DUMBBELLS? GOT A GYM Part one Set the clock for 15 minutes and complete as many rounds as possible of the following exercises before the time runs out:

1.

10 dumbbell overhead presses

2. 5 burpees 3. 10 dumbbell bent-over-rows 4. 5 burpees 5. 10 dumbbell thrusters 6. 5 burpees Rest for five minutes.

Dumbbell overhead presses

Dumbbell bent-over-rows

Burpees

Dumbbell thrusters

Wellness

Wellne ss Front squat

Romanian deadlift

Floor press

Squat jumps

Part two Complete five rounds of the following exercises: 1.

15 dumbbell front squats

2. 15 dumbell floor pressses 3. 15 dumbbell Romanian deadlifts 4. 15 squat jumps

You don’t need a ton of equipment to get in a solid full-body workout. Next time you’re in the gym (or if you have a pair of dumbbells at home), find yourself some space and give this dumbbell-only workout a try. This 30-minute session caters for all muscle groups and is sure to get the heart rate up!

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Powered by Uni F it n e s s

Vegan peanut butter date bars This super-simple inexpensive vegan energy bar snack is perfect to put in your lunch bag to help fuel your brain during study sessions or help fuel your body before or after exercise.

Ingredients 1 cup almonds 20 pitted dates 1 cup crushed pretzels 1/3 cup peanut butter Âź cup vegan choc chips (optional)

Method

1 Place dates in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Let sit for approximately 20 mins.

4 After the final blitz, with ingredients well combined, add in the crushed pretzels and choc chips. Mix in well with your hands.

2 In a food processor or blender, blitz almonds to a flour like consistency.

5 Place the final mixture on a tray lined with baking paper and spread out evenly until flat. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

3 After 20 minutes of soaking in water, remove the dates and drain excess water.

Add to the almond mixture along with the peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined well.

Wellness

6 Once cooled, remove the tray from the fridge and cut the mixture into bars in any size you like.

Wellne ss

Powered by Uni F it n e s s

Enjoy as a post workout snack, or anytime you want a delicious vegan treat!

Online Hayley Payne

CHILLED COW

MICHELE KHARE

YouTube channel

YouTube channel

Chilled Cow is a YouTube channel that also acts as the soundtrack to a successful and productive study life. Famous for their live music stream of low-fi hip hop beats, their music is calming, fun, full of imagination and somehow a magical ingredient for focusing on university work. Just try not to get distracted by the constant stream of comments flowing in from dedicated fans across the world.

In a world of millions of YouTubers, there are few who can truly inspire and make a lasting impact on their viewers’ lives. Michelle Khare is exactly that. Having left Buzzfeed a few years ago Michelle has built a YouTube channel based on showing how much the human body and mind can achieve. Her main content is episodes in a series of ‘Challenge Accepted’ videos where she does literally everything.

Think becoming a superhero, learning martial arts, training to sing and release an album, completing military training, facing firefighter recruitment and so much more. youtube.com

youtube.com

GET PREPARED App After the horrific and seemingly never-ending summer of significant weather events across the country, there has never been an app that you’ve needed more. The app has been developed by the Red Cross to help all Australians feel prepared and ready should they be affected during a disaster situation. Within the app, you will find a step by step process for creating an emergency kit, an area for setting up key emergency contacts and information on how to act in different disaster situations. apps.apple.com/au/app/get-prepared

Online

THE MINIMALISTS Podcast Josh and Ryan from The Minimalists blog, documentaries, and podcast are two friends who decided to leave the corporate world behind and follow a simpler and more meaningful life. Their podcast invites guests from all walks to life to discuss the concept of minimalism and how it can apply to anything from fashion, relationships, careers, and more. theminimalists.com/podcast/

PLAGUE INC Game

Plague Inc is an online game created by NDEMIC CREATIONS that has been active for around eight years. The game acts as an educational platform to show how various virus and diseases can spread throughout the world. While the gameplay itself is strategic and entertaining, it acts as a useful platform to learn some of the basics of public health and to develop an understanding of the different types of disease outbreaks and their response. ndemiccreations.com/en/22-plague-inc

WOMEN OF IMPACT Facebook group An online community created by National Geographic full of women supporting women?

Sign us up! Women of Impact is an international Facebook group developed simply for women to share their stories, inspire others and discuss issues of importance in a safe and supportive space.

Everyone can join the page so long as they follow the group rules and support its purpose in women’s empowerment. facebook.com

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Entertainment

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) 2020 Running time:109 min Genre: Action, comedy Director: Cathy Yan Carljohnson Anacin

Taking off from the first screen appearance of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, The Wolf of Wall Street; I, Tonya) in the movie Suicide Squad , Birds of Prey brings forth Quinn’s ostentatious and unpredictable character together with a little help from her new friends. Director Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs) maintains the glittery and manic personality of Harley Quinn while still giving the new characters their own moments in this exciting addition to the ‘DC Extended Universe’.

The great thing about the film is its ability to let you understand the whole plot and back story without going back to the first instalment of the Suicide Squad. It tells the viewer right away who Harlene

Quinzel is, and about her past, up to the circumstances that led to her ‘emancipation’ as a result of her break-up with the Joker (shown through footage from the prequel). However, with her newfound freedom and lack of partner-in-crime, she is now being hunted by everyone she has ever offended, one way or another.

One of them is the notorious gangster Roman Sionis a.k.a.

Black Mask (Ewan McGregor), but Harley quickly comes into terms with Roman by agreeing to find a diamond that has been stolen from his vicious accomplice, Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina).

The plot seems to be chaotic at first as different profiles are presented in a seemingly incoherent way. But as Harley narrates the back story and introduces us to her friends and enemies, everything becomes clearer as the movie gains its momentum. It’s a good thing Yan and Robbie are able to tie it up and make the story comprehensible amidst Harley’s scattered mind.

The film also features Helena

Entertainment

Bertinelli a.k.a. The Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Dinah Lance a.k.a. Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) who all have an interest in retrieving the diamond from Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco).

Birds of Prey is action-packed and displays fantastic stunt work that gives it a spectacular flair accompanying the visuals and the film’s editing. With the predominantly female cast and crew, I sense an illustration of women empowerment while reminding us of a Deadpoollike story-telling that is violently entertaining. Bonus for having a Filipino cast (Basco) and Yan being the first female Asian director to direct a Hollywood superhero film.

Good Boys 2019 Running time:90 min Genre: Comedy Director: Gene Stupnitsky Carljohnson Anacin

Just another coming-of-age movie? Not really. In Good Boys, Gene Stupnitsky, in his directorial debut, gives a new twist to the usual story of adventure-seeking boys who try to chase their age.

The movie sets itself apart from other comedy films along this genre and plot. It does this by telling the story of 12-year olds who are transitioning from 5th to 6th grade and trying to explore a new world before them - from sipping beer and dealing drugs to watching and talking about porn (which they have really no idea about). The stuff that teens and adults consider as vices, these kids try to (or unintentionally) experience with childishness.

Good Boys follows three grade-schoolers, who consider themselves as tweens, and their misadventures as they try to make it to a kissing party, and avoid being grounded by their parents.

The story starts with Max (Jacob Tremblay) being invited to a party by the ‘cool kids’ and tagging his

buddies Thor (Brady Noon) and Lucas (Keith L. Williams).

Max eagerly wants to join the party as he knows that it will be his chance to be with his crush. But going to a kissing party without knowing how to kiss? Well, using dad’s drone, the ‘Bean Bag Boys’ attempt to spy on their neighbours to learn how to kiss. As expected, the plan goes wrong and they need to recover the drone from two ladies who apparently lead them to do more bad acts that they wouldn’t normally do (both in the movie and as young people in real life).

While the movie gets stereotypical and obvious at some point, Good Boys still delivers a unique brand of comedy and drama. I see it as a younger sibling of Superbad (also written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, producers of Good Boys) and Booksmart. It’s actually the innocence and naivete of the boys that make the movie charming and funny. The movie also leans on these character traits to remind the viewer of

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the serious side of being young and its disappointments. Certain elements of maturity are yet to be discovered by the kids, but are still relevant to their older counterparts, give the film a pinch of seriousness - letting go, pursuing your passion, and being yourself.

If you want a good laugh after a stressful week, I recommend you watch Good Boys. Bonus points for making adult viewers reflect on how we understand stuff differently compared to how young people do.

Entertainment

MANIC Halsey Mary Jo Dowsett With the release of her brand-new album Manic, Halsey has once and for all asserted her dominance within the music scene. Manic is the third studio album from the 25-year-old and is by far her most interesting album to date, combining multiple genres to help create a highly emotive autobiographical record.

The 16-track album is essentially Halsey’s inner monologue as she carefully narrates the everyday struggles of life, delving deep into her fame, mental health and of course love. Each track has its own intimate story to tell, with each

displaying a unique combination of instrumentation and even genre Songs such as ‘Clementine’ cleverly depict the ongoing inner conflicts many of us experience, with the lyrics ‘I don’t need anyone; I just need everyone and then some’ desperately repeated throughout the chorus. ‘Still Learning’ additionally highlights Halsey’s pain of being misunderstood and the accompanying confusion of her fame, with lyrics such as ‘I should be living the dream, but I go home and I got no self-esteem’.

Each song on the album has been carefully crafted to produce an

Entertainment

authentic body of work that can resonate with almost anyone – even if you can’t relate to the fame.

Halsey is one of the leading artists breaking down traditional genre barriers, injecting elements of country, hip-hop, punk and rock seamlessly throughout the album.

Somehow, Halsey manages to create music that technically belongs nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Overall, Manic is an emotionally raw, sonically unique and exciting album, proving Halsey is a major forceto be reckoned with when it comes to song writing.

The Half Drowned King Linnea Hartsuyker Bec Marshallsay The Half Drowned King is the first of a trilogy that draws its inspiration from the Icelandic sagas and history of Norway, to tell the story of the Viking age in the time of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway. This debut novel from Linnea Hartsuyker, follows Ragnvald Eysteinsson and his sister, Svanhild, as they fight to find their place in a dangerous world.

If you are up to date with Vikings and seeking a literary equivalent, then this is a good place to start.

Ragnvald is believed to have been a real historical character pledged to Harald, in his quest to unite

all of Norway under one ruler.

Hartsukyer, draws on other real life figures including the ‘sea king’ Solvi ‘Bandy-legs’ to sketch a chaotic and bloody portrait of the age.

Whilst compelling overall, The Half Drowned King is by no means a perfect novel. Ragnvald and Svanhild both grate at times, and too many times the reader is frustrated by the lack of communication between characters, simply for the purpose of heightening emotional stakes (a feature that is even more frustratingly pronounced in the novel’s sequel, The Sea Queen).

A few small quibbles aside, and this is for the most part a highly entertaining and compelling piece of historical fiction that will leave you seeking out the sequels.

Being creative

PUBLIC Rae Cooper

Through a series of re-mixed media (stock) image collage, the series of digital works contemplates the conflict between reality and manufactured truth in an age of political disillusionment.

This online exhibition provides downloadable files for print and sharing online.

View the exhibition at raecooper.com/public or follow #raecooper on Instagram.

Being creative

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Being creative

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Being creative

Being creative

Artist: Alison Cunliffe Degree: Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Instagram: @alisoncunliffeart

Do you want to see your work in print?

Getamungstit is seeking high quality submissions of short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and other genres for our creative section.

Check out the Contributor Guidelines at gugcstudentguild.com.au/getamungstit for further information.

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Get the hell outta here Get your game on Alison Cunliffe Get the hell outta here is ready to help you find an excuse to challenge your friends. For the Vices Edition, we have embraced our competitive side and found some Gold Coast and Brisbane hubs for friendly rivalry.

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BEACH ACTIVITIES Free - $ If you have been for a walk along some of our local beaches, you have probably seen some of the free gym equipment and activities that line the sidewalks.

See who can do more chin ups, or grab a volleyball from Pacific Fair and walk on over to the volleyball courts near Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club. Doesn’t tickle your fancy? Rally the troops and bring whatever sports equipment you can get a hold of to make up your own sport.

X-ZONE SOUTHPORT $ Starting at $6 for a quick game of pool, or $5 for an hour on their computers, X-Zone Entertainment in Southport is a hole in the wall bar for darts, pool and internet gaming. You can also buy a range of drinks and snacks from their counter or enjoy Southport’s dining to the fullest and grab a meal nearby. X-Zone is walking distance from Chinatown and Australia Fair, so there are plenty of fooderies and bars to check out while in the area. Take your Griffith University student ID with you to Ramen Danbo on Ferry Road to get a free soft drink and kaedama (extra noodles) with any ramen before your game. facebook.com/XZoneEntertainment

Get the hell outta here

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN PLAY VOLLEYBALL, TENNIS AND BASKETBALL ON CAMPUS? CHECK OUT COURT HIRE AT GUGCSTUDENTGUILD.COM.AU/COURT-HIRE

B LUCKY & SONS FORTITUDE VALLEY, BRISBANE $-$$ As an arcade bar in the Valley, B Lucky & Sons offers some of the most fun to be had in Brisbane. Not only are the prizes and drinks super fun in comparison to other arcades and bars, they offer are extremely affordable deals if you visit Sunday-Thursday. Not every special allows for ticket earning, but if you just want to play some games with your friends, their game offers start from $10 for an hour on Sundays, and $15 unlimited games some weeknights. These offers change on occasion, so make sure to check their website to find out what they have on offer.

Of course if you do want to see if you’ll ‘B Lucky’ and win some tickets, the prizes can be pretty cool. From vintage toys and lunchboxes to Sailor Moon Monopoly and collectibles - a pop culture lover’s dream come true. If you run out of luck, you can always cash-in for some candy. They also serve bubble tea (alcoholic and alcohol free), pizza, cocktails and more, and although the prices for dining are more typical of a nice bar, the bubble tea is definitely worth it. luckyandsons.com.au

CATCH A GAME OF AFLW Free Would rather watch than compete? The final round of the AFL Women is being played on the last weekend in March (27 -29 March) and includes free entry to watch the Brisbane Lions play North Melbourne at the Gabba.

Rather not head to the stadium? Check the AFLW broadcast guide and invite the squad over to watch the game with you at home. womens.afl

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G E TA M UNG ST IT

ISSUE 3 VOLUME 6

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