may mei 2019
ISSUE NO. 03
Your Student Magazine
WHERE DOES MY STUDENT SERVICES FEE GO?
GR A D BA L
L RE- CAP
R
M OUR Y E T A
ATE
ART Y FL AT P
CL UB S UP D
ATES
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CONTENT IN THIS ISSUE
09... 13... 16... 18... 20... 22... 24... 26... 30... 32... 34... 36...
Your Student Executive Pester the Prez - Student Services Fee Rate Your Mate - Anna French PLARS - Flat Party of the Month Grad Ball - Re-cap Study Abroad - Colorado State Uni Alcohol - All you need to know Clubs Noticeboard Your Yarns Just Another Tumeric Trend - 1990's Mind Games
lusa.nz
Did you Hear the Alarm?
Your Student Magazine
COMMS@LUSA.ORG.NZ 3
Lincoln University Students' Association
Our Our 100 100 Years Years
As an association, we are striving each year to bring the biggest and best acts to Lincoln. This year will be no different, just wait until you hear who we have lined up...
We Welcomed Dave Dobbyn Onto Campus Yes, you read that correctly. In 1999 Dave Dobbyn performed at O'Week. Some say that's the best act ever brought to Lincoln, we guess that is just a matter of taste...
We Turned 100 We are going above and beyond this year to celebrate our birthday! You'll know this if you attended O'Week! We started from the bottom, now we are bringing you acts like Hermitude, Sachi, Golden Features, Kings, Savage, the list could go on.
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1999
37 years is how long we have been celebrating the end of lectures.
We Moved into the Union Building
In 1938 we joined the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations (NZUSA). NZUSA is a representative body that advocates for the interests of tertiary students throughout New Zealand.
The now desolate building behind the Dining Hall used to be our base, we had everything a Student Association could want. However, due to the Canterbury earthquakes the building was deemed unsafe for use.
The Association's Name Changed
We Moved To The Heart of Campus
In 1990 Lincoln College was granted the name Lincoln University, which was a pretty big deal. This meant we were no longer the Lincoln College Students' Association but rather Lincoln University Students' Association (LUSA).
We are the Lincoln University Students' Association, everything we do is for and with our students, so it just made sense for us to be in the heart of the campus. So in 2017, we moved into our home in Forbes.
2019
We Held the First Ever Garden Party
1982
We keep every single RAM so if you want to go down in LUSA's history, submit a piece now!
1938
The very first issue of our student magazine, Caclin (more commonly known now as RAM), hit the stands on March 26th 1945.
1971
We Produced The First Issue of Our Student Magazine
We Joined the National Students' Association
1990
Out first task as an association was to create the crest for Lincoln College.
2019 is going to be a cracker, after all, it is our 100th year. So join us as we party to celebrate one hundy!
2017
Prior to the Lincoln College Students' Association (LCSA) establishing, the students were represented by a student council.
1945
The Association was Established
1919
Our mission has always been to ensure that you have a quality uni experience. And after 100 years, we are still here doing what we do best, representation, support and banger events.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome back. We've missed your smiling faces and I'm sure they're looking a lot more 'refreshed' after the break. What did you get up to? As editor of RAM I'd love to see some of your snaps and hear some reviews of some awesome places you may have seen! After the months we've had I hope you managed some time to rest and reflect on what's important to you and reasses your goals for the year. Even if they are small, as long as they are positive, then you can't go wrong.
Grad Ball, Planet O featuring Lee Mvtthews, Winterball tickets going on sale...it's all go this month! Mrs O's is also open late on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays! Keep an eye out on out social platforms to keep up-to-date with who's playing, what specials are on etc. We know there's been some drink spiking at the 'local', but we can assure you, Mrs O's is safe as houses with water stations gauranteed roofy free!
RAM IS YOUR MAGAZINE! So get involved and you'll be rewarded with awesome gifts, like tickets to Garden Party.
PREZ
Articles Done some cool stuff? We wanna hear about it!
PESTER THE PREZ Share you opinion. The more controversial the better.
RATE YOUR MATE Not how hot they are, but your mates story about their awesome achievements.
For more info visit lusa.org.nz/ram To submit a piece email comms@lusa.org.nz
Follow us & keep up to date: lusa.nz
Editor & Design
Printer
Julia Wills comms@lusa.org.nz
RAM is printed by Inkwise
READ RAM ONLINE: www.lusa.org.nz/ram
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YOUR STUDENT PRESIDENT If we thought February was a big month, March was a different kettle of fish altogether.
get rid of them. It all starts with the little things, and by changing our own behaviours, and by being an upstander if we’re not happy with a friend or stranger’s behaviour, we can be the change.
There has been a lot of words said and a lot of things done already, following the tragic events of the 15th of March. Not just here at Lincoln, but throughout the rest of New Zealand and around the world. I’ve said and written enough throughout the last few of weeks, you’re probably getting sick of me doing so! But I just wanted to jot down a couple of things before I hand over to the rest of this month’s RAM issue, in which we have dedicated some of it as a tribute to the events that have directly and indirectly touched everyone’s lives in our Lincoln whanau.
On that note though, I just wanted to say how proud I am of how our Lincoln University community has banded together at this time of need. It didn’t surprise me that we conducted ourselves with dignity and respect, because I strongly believe that they are ingrained qualities of our students. However, they are qualities to never take for granted, and so I want to thank you all for your various displays of support, offers of assistance, kind words, your perseverance and your resilience in demonstrating to our Muslim brothers and sisters that they are safe and welcome here on this campus. You make me proud to be a part of this family.
I just wanted to reiterate that the responsibility falls on each and every one of us in this community to make everlasting change, and it has always been that way. Examine your own values and behaviours, and be honest with yourself if you can change for the better. I’m not saying you’re a bad person if there is room for you to change – I’m saying that good people can turn into greater people. A classic example of this is passing off racially charged comments and statements as “just banter”. It’s not just banter team. It’s hurtful, and contributes to these slurs being normalised and therefore condoned. Which is simply unacceptable. Now I’m not targeting anyone in particular when using that example, please know that. I’m just pointing it out, because it’s things like this that then foster these negative feelings, and they evolve to more and more serious acts of racism. And it can then reach an extreme level where lives are lost, such as the 15th March. If you’ve only got racist jokes in your comedic repertoire,
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A quick rundown on what else I’ve been up to the last month so that you don’t think I’ve been sitting back and twiddling my thumbs! Community Day on the 24th March was an amazing day welcoming residents of the Selwyn and Christchurch communities and their families on their campus. You’ll see a full rundown article from me later in this issue and some pretty pictures. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the amazing clubs and student volunteers who contributed to what was truly a highlight on the university calendar. The value that you all added to this day is immense, and I hope you all enjoyed yourselves and experienced some well-deserved satisfaction from giving back to our wider community. I also flew to Wellington to attend the Postgraduate Student Allowance Rally on Parliament Lawn on April 11th. A bit of background on this – postgraduate students used to receive an income allowance (much like undergraduate students are
KRISTY HAVILL President eligible for) but this was stopped under the National government in 2013. The current Labour government used reinstating the PG Student Allowance as one of their policies that they ran on in the 2017 election, but we are yet to see this crucial element of a postgraduate’s income restored. Therefore New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA, which LUSA is a member of) circulated a petition, which has so far received 5,500 signatures, to hand to MP’s in order to push for the allowance’s reinstatement. This allowance changes lives in terms of postgrads not having to stretch themselves and work as much, and instead being able to focus on their studies. The mental and social benefits to the individual student are immense, and it cannot be understated the value of the research that these students produce and how that contributes to New Zealand and wider society. So to all of our Lincoln postgrads, and undergrads who are hoping to go into postgrad study – we’ve got your back, and we are doing all that we can to get this back for you! I hope you all had a relaxing midsemester break, and we’ve got plenty of good stuff lined up for you in the month of May – which you will find in amongst these pages, so read on! I can’t give away all of my tricks in one column. See ya soon, Aunty K-Hav
WINTERFEST 2019
2019 L U S A
L U S A
P R E S E N T S
P R E S E N T S
Wednesday 17 July 7.00pm – Midnight The Woolston Club Tickets
$50 iTicket.co.nz
R18 No ID, No Entry
Tickets available from Monday 27 May iTicket.co.nz
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YOUR ON CAMPUS STUDENT BAR
YOUR PRESIDENT
THE MAY CALENDAR Wednesday 8th CSM DJ’ing from 9pm
Thursday 9th LUSA PRESENTS
FEATURING
Saturday 11th Super Sport Saturdays Highlanders vs Jaguares @ 5:15pm, Chiefs vs Sharks @ 7:35pm, Storm vs Eels @ 9:35pm
GET YOUR TICKETS AT ITICKET.CO.NZ
Wednesday 15th
Thursday 16th
Saturday 18th
CSM DJ’ing from 9pm
Get in touch with us to hold your club event on this day!
Super Sport Saturdays Titans vs Bulldogs @ 5:00pm, Blues vs Chiefs @ 7:35pm, Raiders vs Rabbitohs @ 9:35pm
Wednesday 22nd
Thursday 23rd
Saturday 25th
CSM DJ’ing from 9pm
LUSA PRESENTS
FEATURING
GET YOUR TICKETS AT ITICKET.CO.NZ
Wednesday 29th
Thursday 30th
CSM DJ’ing from 9pm
Culture Showcase, International Event
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Super Sport Saturdays Raiders vs Cowboys @ 5:00pm, Crusaders vs Blues @ 7:35pm, Rabbitohs vs Tigers @ 9:35pm
YOUR STUDENT EXECUTIVE
Jacob Wright Ollie Rutland-Sims
General Rep
Vice President Hi! Welcome back to LU TV Semester One, Episode Two “Examination Week”. Winter is coming… How do I know? Well, for starters the Living room has now returned to its winter form of being an indoor washing line. My power bill has again risen to new unforeseen heights (making me consider selling one of my kidneys). My shoes are all covered in mud and the new season of my favourite TV show is FINALLY here! (I can’t wait to watch the Bachelorette, starting again on May 13th!!!). No, seriously winter is actually coming. I have been told by a reputable source that it is now autumn (weird…). Have you been outside recently? I have, it's cold as balls! I even had to put my woolly socks on the other morning. It’s looking like it’s going to be pretty cold out there this year (I can feel it in my bones). Are you ready for winter? Did you bring all those warm clothes from home to the halls with you? Does your flat have any heating? Is this your first winter away from home? Things can get pretty miserable pretty fast around here when you’re cold and sick, so look after yourselves, get some thermals, water proof your old rain coat, buy a heater, read up on your rights as a tenant, hassle your landlord for some insulation, call your mother (she’s worried about you) and pop into LUSA if you’re in a pinch or if you’re feeling a bit down. We’re here to help, so take full advantage of us. Don’t be a stranger, stop by and tell us what’s up!
Hey Guys, I hope you have all had an awesome break and are ready to crack back into the studies coming up over the next term. The first term was most definitely a big one for all of us and it was great to see the amazing support and love shown throughout the campus for one another. It made me realise why I love Lincoln. It’s been so cool to be able to get to know some more of you around campus through the likes of the Thursday afternoon back yard cricket, Community Day and Gumboot Day. Gumboot Day was a great success with some awesome activities such as gumboot shining and decorating, a sausage sizzle and LUSA’s Gumboot day raffle. The ‘I Am Hope Gumboot Day’ is an annual event started by Mike King, that looks to promote positive societal change in communities and schools and support youth through challenging times. This was a great success both across campus and throughout the nation, raising nearing on 1 million dollars as a country. So, cheers to all the awesome support Whanau, you guys are all awesome!!! Also, if you bought a gumboot day raffle ticket on the 5th of April the winners were announced on the LUSA Instagram and Facebook pages, so if your name was drawn pop into LUSA and grab your prizes also if you are not 100% sure if your name was draw pop into the LUSA office and ask one of the awesome staff members who will be most willing to help in any way they possibly can. All the best for the term aheadt, you are all going to rock it, and make sure you guys all get out and have a bit of fun too. 9
Ellen Pryor Tumuaki of Te Awhioraki What a term its been. We have truly been tested as a community these past couple of months and I was humbled to see how Lincoln University, as a community, came together to support our muslim brothers and sisters. The terror attacks shook our community and as a result many of the things we had planned were put on the back burner however, Community Day still went ahead and what a day it was! At our stall, the Te Awhioraki team helped kids (and some adults) weave harakeke into flowers and learn some poi moves. It was an awesome day! Great to see so many happy faces and get involved with the community. In term two, Te Awhioraki are putting a hangi down for students! So make sure you keep an eye out for details on that. If you want to help, get in touch via Facebook or email. Our study nights are still happening every Tuesday and Thursday in Te Whare Whakakotahi from 4.30pm. These include dinner and tutors can be arranged. Also watch out around campus for our 'Kupu of the Week' posters and get involved whanau! If you want to know more about Te Awhioraki or want to get involved, whether you are Maori or non-Maori, email teawhioraki@lincolnuni.ac.nz or follow us on Facebook/ Instagram @teawhioraki
james lee International Rep A LOT has happened since I last wrote and to say that it’s been rough for us would be an understatement. You know how I said I was stressed last time? Well I had no idea… the week after the horrific acts of March 15th took it to a whole new level. But seeing you all support each other through those times really highlights why I love our Uni. We really are one big family here at little ol’ Lincoln! We ran a support/social night a few weeks ago to provide a space for international students to come together and just destress and enjoy themselves through games, food, laughter, and great company. I had the chance to enlighten people on the beauty of L&P, some got to meet others who spoke their language, and at the end, some people just wouldn’t leave despite it being 30 mins overtime (sorry to Security who were wanting to lock up). Now I don’t mean to toot my own horn but I’d call that a success! (and even if it wasn’t, I still enjoyed myself and that’s what really matters right?) So, I encourage you, international or domestic, realise that we’re in this together and we all love having fun, so branch out and have some fun together!
It was great to see more than 50 postgrad students come out and enjoy the sunshine and tasty lunch on Monday the 8th of April. A range of people from different departments attended and there was plenty of food to be eaten! It was a good chance to meet new people and chat about how postgrad life is going.
Jemma Ramsey Post Grad Rep
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A big thanks to the catering staff and LUSA for putting on a stellar event. I looking forward to organising another postgrad event in Semester 2. Suggestions are always welcome!
Max Lichtenstein Secretary
jennifer tregurtha General Rep
Kia Ora whanau! Ke te pehea koutou? Already it’s May and the year is flying by! The first half of the semester was a busy one, and the build up to exams is also going to be an uphill battle. Make sure you look after yourself and your mates to balance the stress levels. Do the shit you love doing and keep up the positivity! As an Exec, we are working hard to enhance the student experience at Uni – from the cheap beers at Mrs O’s on a Wednesday & Thursdee, Garden Party planning to the wellbeing drop-in centre that was opened up after the Otautahi attacks. Make sure you utilise your student voice and make the most of all the opportunities LUSA provides for you as a student. Coming up on the [transperant] policy front, we are over hauling LUSA’s strategic plan. This is a huuuggggeee job as it will outline how we want LUSA to operate over the next few years. Any sweet ideas, queries, qualms or concerns? Get in touch! We want to have as much student input into this as possible, because it’s the students that will be impacted by it.
Hello again Lincoln whanau! The last couple of months have been a Sam Blackmore hugely General Rep testing time for all of us, and it can affect us all in really different ways. Make sure you keep an eye on your mates over the next while and take the time to keep a good work/life balance. We also have services available on campus for support, check out student health for more info.
Hey everyone! Well, we’re finally getting into that crazy part of the semester where we have so many assignments due and haven’t even started thinking about exams yet… but don’t worry, LUSA still has lots of stuff happening to help you take a break from study during this time. Be sure to come and check out Mrs O’s on a Wednesday or Thursday night, as well as the clubs, which are running heaps of awesome activities, so make sure you are engaging with clubs you’re interested in. As I’m writing this I’ve just come back from a 2 day conference and I am fizzing with ideas around campus engagement that I want to see happen at Lincoln! As always, feel free to contact me on Jennifer.tregurtha@lincolnuni.ac.nz if you have any suggestions about ways to help students feel more engaged with the campus. Not long to go now to the end of the semester – you got this!
Since the start of the semester I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working alongside a few others on the Respectfully Lincoln program for the halls students. The program focused around looking at how we can support each other in difficult situations, how to be clear about consent and no consent and recognising it, and stepping up to be upstanders if we see harmful behavior. I'd have to admit, it was a bit awkward at times, but we had a few laughs along the way! I was really impressed at how everyone involved acknowledged the importance of having this program at Lincoln. I can’t wait to see where the program will go in the future, and I really believe that
we can make a bit of a change! I’d like to thank everyone that has been involved in the program too. Taane, Barb, Megan and Kristy, my co-facilitators. You guys were awesome! I learnt a heap off you all while presenting. Also, a huge thanks to Dr Jackie Blunt for driving the program and being a massive support to us all. Legend! We also had Gumboot Friday on the last day of term. Check out Jacob’s write up for the details on that! Thank you to everyone who donated and supported the cause! Hope that the break has treated you all well, and you’ve been able to recharge the batteries for the next few weeks of class. 11
Ten improvements achieved, because students said: An international student buddy system A bigger, better O’Week Dedicated Mrs O’s nights and regular Planet O A new Respectfully Lincoln training programme in the halls Upgraded heating and air conditioning in a number of learning spaces New Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) stations in the library More social opportunities for non-halls students Extended life for Student ID cards (four years) Opening the access way from campus centre to Burns New features on the LU myday student portal
Want to have a say? Join The Flock at lusa.org.nz/the-flock to give feedback and design better student experiences.
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PESTER THE PRES Here we goooooo, some more queries/questions/concerns/grievances/ annoyances that have been fired through to yours truly over the past month:
Fudge knuckles! How on earth are LUSA events so expensive to organise and run?! Well you see, the funny thing with organising outstandingly good events is that… THINGS COST MONEY! In the feedback from students last year, they wanted to see a better and bigger Orientation to what LUSA has provided in the past. In order for us to deliver that, we had to spend more money. And lemme tell ya right now for free (you’re welcome), the acts that we got in for your enjoyment and entertainment weren’t cheap! What is the Student Services Fee? The student services fee (SSF) is what you pay to the university at the beginning of each year, which is then distributed out across various parts of the university, including LUSA, to provide you with amazing services. For 2019, the SSF is $720. Because we’re good sorts, we’ve included a summary of how that SSF is split in this issue of RAM for your perusal. In terms of LUSA, the allocation that we receive from the SSF is our main source of income, so it is very important! Without it, we wouldn’t exist, plain and simple. Why do I need to give two hoots about the Student Services Fee? It’s your money mate! It actually goes on your student loan if you have one (shhh, I didn’t tell you that), so you probably won’t think twice about it. And with free fees for first years (try saying that
quickly!) you won’t be worrying too much about it either (bet you tried saying it quickly didn’t ya). LUSA will be holding a hui (gathering) to collect feedback about all things Student Services Fee on the 14th May in Grounded. What in the world do we need to attend the SSF hui for? Because LUSA needs you to tell us about whether you would be ok with more increases in the fee, meaning that LUSA would get more income and therefore be able to continue to put on great events and services for you well into the future. At this stage, we can’t sustain putting on great events because we’re losing money in doing so, unless of course we put the SSF up and earnt more income. For example, if you were ok with us advocating to increase the SSF by $20, it would mean we’d be able to get Six60 for Garden Party. Nah jokes they’re bloody expensive, but another $20 each goes a long way trust me! Why can’t we decrease it or just get rid of the fee altogether? Lower fee = lower income = lower quality of services for students = lower student experience. No fee = no income = no services = horrendous student experience. I can’t spell it out any clearer really. See Student Service Fee breakdown over the page.
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2018 LUSA INCOME
$540,089
$222,160
Received from the student service fee in 2018
Income received from event ticket sales
AND WHAT WE DID WITH IT...
$41,550 $8,835 $15,000 received by Clubs and Societies in Club Grants
spent on free food
RAM printing costs
142 Students
7 Students
12 Community Pantry
accessed the advocacy and support services provided by LUSA in 2018
received financial support in 2018 from the Hardship Fund
$3,000 Student Job Search 2018 Membership
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requests were fulfilled throughout 2018
$13,500 Paid to NZUSA
2018 EVENT COSTS
$210,000 Garden Party
$45,000 Winterball
$8,000 International Night
2019 EVENT COSTS
$210,000 Ivey Dreams
Student Service Fee Hui 2019
What if Garden Party couldnˈt continue? Did you love orientation? Do you want it again? How good would more free counseling be? Are you prepared to pay more?
$45,000 Planet O O’Week
$23,000
Come along to hear about where the student service fee is being spent currently and what can be done to help secure funding for more events and services such as counseling.
Toga Party
$8,000 Bogan Bingo
$250,000 Projected Garden Party
Tuesday 14th May
Grounded, Forbes
Presentations at· · 12.00pm & 1.00pm
$37,000 Projected Grad Ball
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RATE YOUR MATE
RATE YOUR MATE ANNA FRENCH - THE BUDDING YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR "I LOVE THE START-UP COMMUNITY SO MUCH THAT I’VE BEGUN TEACHING BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP"
tell us about yourself: Hey Team, my name is Anna! I’m a third year student studying a BCOM majoring in Supply Chain Management and Global Business. I’m from Christchurch and am largely involved in the start-up community in NZ! What is it that has launched you into Rate A Mate fame? At the end of my first year I completed a one month accelerator programme which pretty much kick-started my involvement in social enterprises. Since then, I’ve worked to improve access to social sport in New Zealand, provide waste management solutions in Christchurch and have worked to create a new hammock design in Colorado! I have a passion for entrepreneurship and love the start-up community so much that I’ve begun teaching business and entrepreneurship around the South Island as a Facilitator for Young Enterprise. What inspired you to sign start teaching Entrepreneurship? Working with High School students often allows me to be the first point of contact that these young people have with entrepreneurship and applying real business skills. I have been fortunate enough to have some incredible mentors along the way and be involved in like opportunities that I have been inspired to work towards offering those same life changing opportunities to others. Can you talk us through the process of of starting a company? Starting a company isn’t as scary as everyone may think, but it can be difficult to start a company that is feasible and has the ability to scale. To provide a very brief summary: first of all, you start with a problem that you are passionate
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about and work from there. The problem can range from a minor inconvenience that you have experienced, all the way through to climate change. Through customer surveying and problem discovery sessions you identify what specifically the problem is, validate if this is a problem and identify who your target market is. Now, time for the solution. I would recommend at this point you complete a Lean Canvas model. Not only does this get you to think about the problem, customer segment and solution, but other fundamental information such as your unique-value proposition, choice of channels, potential revenue streams, cost structure and key metrics. The Lean Canvas is an awesome way to get started on creating a company and can put you in a great position to further develop the solution that actually solves a problem. What were some challenges you have experienced when creating a company? Honestly, there have been way too many to count. Entrepreneurship is all about working to overcome challenges and if all else fails, pivot. Any highlights/yarns/special experiences you’d like to share? There are so many inspirational quotes that I feel I should include right about now, but the one that comes to mind was something I heard recently: 20 year-old Alexia Hilbertidou, CEO and Founder of GirlBoss said that when fear stops you from trying to solve a problem that affects more than just yourself, you are being selfish. She also recommended that I read the Defining Decade by Meg Jay. I’m not one to say a book can change your life but this book definitely has potential to. The book is aimed at those in their 20s but I genuinely believe everyone should give it a read.
How can people find out more about the Start-Up community? We’re pretty lucky to be so close to a city that has a really groovy startup community. Here are a few opportunities/spaces that can help you get a foot in the door: •
Ministry of Awesome: Check out the Weekly Coffee and Jam Sessions
•
UC Centre for Entrepreneurship Competitions: Often Open to all Canterbury Tertiary students.
•
Venture Up Accelerator Programme.
•
Start Up Weekend Christchurch.
•
Biz Dojo and The Greenhouse are innovative working spaces who often host events.
•
Entré: Student Run Club at UC, Ara and Lincoln.
•
Blinc innovation on campus.
Culture Showcase. This is an opportunity to experience the many diverse and vibrant cultures of our students on campus.
Thursday 30th May 5pm – 7pm Mrs O’s 17
PARTY LIKE ROCK STAR BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
FLAT PARTY OF THE MONTH!
THE KITCHEN FLATTIES ARE LIKE FAMILY. HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE IN YOUR FLAT FAM? WHO ARE THEY & WHAT ARE THEY STUDYING (IF ANYTHING)? There are four of us females living under one roof. Yeah, nah...seems problematic but works out pretty well. We all study at Lincoln Uni (of course) There's SD Shazz, Brenda, Nicole, Ant, and last but not least (our runaway and RAM famous) cat Lincoln. Together we all make up The Kitchen!
WHAT'S 3 THINGS YOUR FLAT MUST HAVE AT YOUR FLAT PARTY? BESIDES FOOD AND NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS ;) 1. The UE boom. 2. The disco lights. 3. The flat cat who likes to get dizzy on the fizzy.
AN EPIC MOMENT YOU & YOUR FLATTIES HAVE HAD: An epic moment is when we all stood around a toilet teaching our fellow flatmate how to take a tactical like a big girl. We pride ourselves in being supportive drunks. Also Lime home after hitting up town and scooting down the motorway!
WHAT IS YOUR #1 TIP YOU'D GIVE TO ANOTHER FIRST TIME FLATTER HOSTING A FLAT PARTY? Make it a good one (SURELY). It's a great way to introduce yourself to the neighbourhood.
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you've won a FLAT PARTY
WHAT'S YOUR FLATS MOST PRIZED POSSESSION? Our scrumpy hats and 'free to roam' slogan t-shirts. Plus our compulsory red card out-fits to look extra snatched.
WHAT’S THE WORST SIN ANYONE’S COMMITTED? The worst sin is calling up your flatmate, who'd just tucked you into your bed that you threw up and fell out of bed into said vomit. Or asking your "BestFlatmate-In-The-World" to pick you up Macca's after a quiet night, only to have them change their minds when entering the drive-through. WHAT'S THE BEST ROOM IN THE FLAT AND WHY? Definitely the dining room corner, where all big decisions are made with four shot glasses and a bottle of vodka and Jagermeister, just to completely wash down the flat rules we won't completely remember in the morning!
WHAT'S THE GO TO HANGOVER CURE FOR THE FLAT? Definitely chockey milk, coke, and berroca. In that order.
WHAT'S THE LONGEST ANYONE HAS EVERY GONE WITHOUT WASHING THEIR SHEETS? We're a clean bunch. If anything, how long have we gone without cleaning the dishes since the dishwasher passed (RIP Nemo).
PACK
SIGN UP at lusa.org.nz/flat-of-the-month
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LUSA'S 2O19 RE-CAP
GradBall 2019 was held at Welles Street in town. With a sold out event, we knew we were in for a goodie! As 7.30pm came and went, the Graduates finally rolled in after pre-drinks at the Carlton, and hit the ground running. Heading straight for the dance f loor for a bit of 'singing your lungs out' to Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten and then to the bar to claim their free drink or buy a round for their mates. By then things were well under way! Slippery when wet was the theme for the night! The f loor that is. It made for some interesting dance moves to say the least and the footwear was starting to become questionable... especially when the Prez took off her sparkly heels in exchange for Ollie from the Exec's brown sneakers with mismatched laces and about three sizes too big! As 8pm hit, so did the band Assembly Required, 'hitting' the stage. Starting off their set with 'Wagon Wheel' of course. ( Just incase you lived under a rock and missed it at your time at Lincoln, or just wanted to hear it for the 500th time!). Rocking a Nirvana Unplugged tee, the guitar duo - Christchurch's most loved bands never fail to deliver. With a blend of everything, from a bit of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car to Five's Keep on Moving, they had everyone cutting some 20
shapes at some stage through the night. Welles St put on some epic Mediterranian canapes that were passed around and went down a treat- (and probably came back up later that night!) falafel balls, crispy chicken, pulled lamb pizzas, cheesecake, chocolate brownies mmm. Not to mention the pita pocket station! The roaming photographer from QuikPix, f loated around the room, just like his dark locks which trailed behind him, and with his lit up toilet seat contraption, some great digital shots were capture and sent to your device. If you missed this guy then our photo wall in the corner by the sound deak was the place to head to capture the night. All in all, it was an awesome celebration catching up with fellow friends and students and everybody managed to chuck a powerade down and look presentable for Graduation Day! Congratulations to all and for those working hard towards their qualifications, then this is something to look forward too at the end of all your hard work!
More Grad Ball photos to come on Facebook
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STUDY ABROAD
COLORADO STATE UNI I’m here to tell you all about the semester I spent abroad at Colorado! Why did you choose to study abroad? I always knew that I wanted to, I just wasn’t sure where. It was actually the girl repping the LU merch with me who convinced me to head over to Colorado. She’s a CSU student and we met in class during my first year, while she studied abroad at Lincoln. After seeing all the fun she was having and hearing all the great stories about Colorado, the next thing I knew, I was filling out my application. What was it like studying at an American College? Man, where do I start. So to put it into perspective, CSU has 33,000 students of which around 7,000 live in campus accommodation.
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Campus felt like one huge family and the school spirit was insane, especially when it came to orientation and sports. There is always something going on and the incredible range of programmes, classes, clubs and facilities meant the college experience exceeded all of my expectations.
So what was your average day like at CSU? I only had one full day of class, and then every other day I would have one, maybe two hours. My usual routine was breakfast with my roommate, classes, school work and then the afternoons were always a mix of mountain biking, climbing, planning road trips or going on adventures with friends. Although school was definitely busy, I was living a pretty cool lifestyle and the weekends only got better! Football games, Greek life and road trips! What opportunities were there for travel? Studying abroad is a super easy way to travel and really explore an area! When I was heading over I made my way from San Fran to Denver before the sem started, and then afterwards, I spent three months backpacking around the US, British Columbia and Australia! I also spent most of my weekends driving through various states, seeing incredible sights and making awesome memories with my closest mates.
What were your overall key takeaways? You’re never going to regret travel. For sure it can be tricky at times and it’s not the cheapest thing to do, but you will learn something from every experience you have if you’re open enough to do so. I returned to New Zealand with friendships for life that double as a load of couches to crash on when I next go travelling, a far more global mindset and a clearer idea on what I want to do post-graduation. If your interested.. Go see Diane De Hann in the Administrative Office to explore your options and talk to our international students studying at Lincoln! They’ll be able to give you the best insight about what to expect and life at the university you are hoping to attend! So if you’re waiting for a sign to go study abroad, this is it!
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>
ALCOHOL
What is ALCOHOL Alcohol is a depressant that slows down brain and body functions. One standard alcoholic drink takes at least one hour to leave the body.
DURING USE IT CAN MAKE YOU FEEL... Energetic
Flushed
Talkative
Light-headed
More confident Relaxed
did you know?
More emotional Uncoordinated
Alcohol affects young people differently to adults.
Memory loss Loss of judgement Vomiting Death
afterwards, signs of a HANGOVER can be:
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Thirsty
Difficulty concentrating
Headaches
Anxious
Sick
Low mood
Tired
This may last SEVERAL HOURS
if someone iS: Confussed and vomiting Breathing slowly, pale skin, blue lips Losing consciousness Having seizures
then: Call 111
be safer with ALCOHOL by: >
Eating before drinking
>
Counting standard drinks
>
Knowing your limits and its effects on you
>
Avoid mixing with other drugs or medications
>
Not using while pregnant
WHEN GOING OUT, KEEP SAFE BY: Go out with people you trust
Stay with them Keep them awake and warm
Keep and eye on your drink Know how you are getting home
Give them water Lie them on their side with open airways
consider making changes if: Drinking and / or hangovers are affecting relationships, study or work Bad things happen when you're drunk Unpleasant effects outweigh the pleasant effects
seek professional help if you or someone you know is: > Having to drink more to get the same effect
> Finding it hard to stop drinking > Experiencing withdrawal effects when you stop
> Having suicidal thoughts
Always look out for your mates
get support to make changes if: Driving while drunk Drinking by yourself Spending more time / money on alcohol than you want Always thinking about alcohol Others are concerned about your drinking
support & info: Alcohol Drug Helpline Txt 8681 Call 0800 787 797 drughelp.org.nz drugfoundation.org.nz optforwellbeing.org 25
CLUB NOTICEBOARD
Young Farmers have started the year off with a hiss and a roar. The first event of the year has been ticked off with an unreal trip through North Canterbury. Friday 15th March saw 34 of Lincoln’s finest young agricultural minds jump in three vans with the first stop at Waipara Hills Winery, where we learnt the art of tasting fine wine. Leaving Waipara feeling classy - we headed North East to Stoneyhurst Station where we spent the afternoon driving round the property, listening to Charlie tell us about his fantastic operation and the challenges and strengths he sees within the sheep and beef industry. Kaikoura then welcomed us with open arms for the night, and we thankfully didn’t receive any noise complaints at our accommodation. Mt Guardian Perendale Stud was our first stop on Saturday morning followed by lunch and a tour round Te Mania Angus Stud in the afternoon. Then the treacherous hike to Hanmer began with the hot pools being the first target. Hanmer had the pleasure of witnessing Lincoln's finest on the dance floor, with the battlers not getting to bed till the crack of dawn.
WELLU
WELLU kick-started 2019 with a 'Bling your Gumboots' stand on Gumboot Friday (April 5th), and this was a huge success with many funky gumboots trotting away! WELLU has also been working hard behind the scenes, creating our mission statement and recruiting new members. We are also excited to launch our new project, called Quirky Collections! Quirky Collections will be displayed in the library and around campus showcasing collections of creative, curious or cheerful items. The aim of this project is to connect with one another, whether it be through shared interests, or something entirely new. The second half of semester one's Quirky Collection is Biological Bonanza and preserved specimens, skeletons and fossils will be displayed (strictly nothing human!). If you, or someone you know, has any Biological specimens (think fossils, butterflies or trophies) worth featuring email zee.hammond-walker@lincolnuni.ac.nz. Keep your eyes peeled for WELLU's AGM!
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Grampians Angus Stud was our last stop of the trip on Sunday with an unreal farm tour and talk from Sarah and Jono about their operation. The trip ran without a hitch and everyone came back in one piece. It was great to see so many new faces on the trip and so much demand for trips. A big shout out must go to Rachel, Phoebe, Milly and George for organising the trip and to the van drivers. This term Young Farmers have the Speed Shear on the 18th of May, and the Hunting Competition early next semester! Keep your eyes peeled on social media as we have LFYC merchandise in the pipeline!
VOLUNTEER CLUB The Volunteer Club is off to a great start; we have been deciding on the direction that will be taken for 2019. The Volunteer Club will be founding a project named ‘Mission Mozambique’ which will work towards a mission trip to Mozambique in the summer of 2020/2021. We will provide our services and clean up beaches, teach children to swim and help to nurture the marine wildlife. This project will include an extensive amount of fundraising and planning. Alongside this project, the Volunteer Club will also be taking part in other events such as Sign Language Week, cooking at the City Mission and significant days of the year including Pink Shirt Day and Daffodil Day. We are always on the hunt for more volunteers, Email Petra.Campbell@lincolnuni.ac.nz if you want to sign up!
CLUB NOTICEBOARD
The LatiNZ Club held a Quiz and Dance evening on Thursday 28th March, in Mrs O's and it was amazing! With a great turn out and lots of participation, heaps of fun was had, with plenty of enthusiastic from the bold salsa dancers from many countries! We were also impressed with how much you guys knew about our lovely countries of Latin America. A big thanks to all participants for your positive vibes which made this event an amazing evening. We are very grateful to LUSA for the prizes they provided and the encouragement to participate on a Thursday night at Mrs O’s. As requested by those that participated, and for the ones that want to join the Latin experience, we will be having more nights like this one. Make sure you join and get posted on our events. Join our club: http://tinyurl.com/LATINZClub You can also join our Facebook group: https://www. facebook.com/groups/683527035319461 Gracias, Obrigada, Thank you!!! LatiNZ Comittee
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CLUB NOTICEBOARD
HUNTING CLUB The Lincoln University Hunting Club has been busy in the first 7 weeks of the study year, so far we’ve completed a successful club clay bird shoot with over 20 members attending for the afternoon. Our most recent event was the Macaulay Hut 4wd trip. We had 20 members and 4 trucks head down to the Mackenzie District where we ventured past Lake Tekapo into the hills. It was an amazing weekend with great weather and some successful hunting with 8 thar shot. This year the Hunting Club are fortunate enough to have a number of Future Leaders on the executive with President, Vice President and secretary/treasurer roles being fulfilled by current scholars who are putting their leadership skills into practice. Our clubs next event will be the annual Lincoln University Hunting Club Duck Calling Competition, being held at the Famous Grouse on the 11th of May at 7:30pm.
GOLDEN Z Golden Z is all about supporting women worldwide, and having fun while doing so. While we have had a slow start for 2019 we have inducted a whole heap of new members across all year groups and have some amazing events planned this coming term. These events include our infamous Wine Tour coming up soon, this is a super fun day out with our club tasting wines from 3 different wineries in Waipara, North Canterbury. Our Pink Ribbon Breakfast is always a huge success and raises money for the Breast Cancer Foundation and we will be hosting this in mid May. Following this, for our service project this year we will be helping our Zonta district out with making cushions for breast cancer patients after surgery which help with their recovery. Our first meeting for term 2 was a wine and cheese night during week 1 celebrating women in leadership. On the 19th of May at 9am Golden Z will be participating in the Zonta Yellow Rose 5km and 10km run and walk for the PADA Foundation. If you would like to come to any meetings or events or would like to know more about the club, please email Maddie.emery@lincolnuni.ac.nz
HANDY LANDYS
Handy Landys have started off the year with a bang. Our first event was a day trip on the 23rd of March where about 10 of our keen members visited Nevilles farm, who is the patron of Young Farmers. It was great to see lots of new members as well as our keen regulars getting stuck in painting sheds and chopping fire wood for the day which Neville really appreciated, even kindly donating the firewood to keep our student flats toasty and warm. The Handy Landys exec have been on a mission this year to get our name and purpose out there in the community and we have been overwhelmed by the positive response and the number of new contacts we are making. It is awesome to see the number of people reaching out and asking for help and we really look forward to following up on this and helping out as many people as we can for the rest of the year.
The next trip we have planned is in Kaikoura on a dairy farm that was damaged by the earthquake. The earthquake damage created numerous new wetlands on the property which the Handy Landys will be helping to plant with over 500 native trees during May. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details on this trip, we hope to have lots of people attend. This term Young Farmers have the Speed Shear on the 18th of May, and the Hunting Competition early next semester! Keep your eyes peeled on social media as we have LFYC merchandise in the pipeline! 28
Duck calling competition Join the Lincoln University
DATE: 11TH MAY TIME: 7:30PM VENUE: THE FAMOUS GROUSE Join us at The Grouse for an awesome night of duck and goose calling. We’ve even got spot prizes, a raffle and guest speakers!
Competition Entry Fee:
$10 $15 for members
for non-members
Pay on the night.
For more info contact Patrick at pmcfadden987@gmail.com or on 027 288 4625
Everybody is welcome!
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YOUR YARN
COMMUNITY DAY The inaugural Community Day, organised by LUSA in conjunction with the university, was held on Sunday 24th March under a sunny, blue skies cracker of a Lincoln day. The idea behind the event was to bring the wider Lincoln, Selwyn and Christchurch communities onto campus so that they could have a look around and meet as many of you lovely students as possible. And what a day! We kicked off at 10am, and the crowds rolled through the gate from then right through until 3pm. Babies, toddlers, kids, teenagers, parents, grandparents, the Vice-Chancellor - everyone and anyone was there. It was a special feeling to experience the diversity of our wider community and to share our special campus with them in the wake of such tragic events. To rally together and share in something positive reminded us that we can and will get through these tough times together. There were a number of LUSA clubs that facilitated activities on the day, such as LatiNZ providing music and salsa dancing lessons, and Te Awhioraki were flat out the whole day welcoming people of all ages to learn how to create flax flowers and use poi. The dream team trifecta of the Agroecology Club, Ecological Society and Soils Society were also in attendance running some interactive activities, as well as the Tramping & Climbing Club who ran their tree climbing activity again after its success on Clubs Market Day during Orientation. Young Farmers also came to the party with sheep shearing demonstrations, which attracted very large crowds, and the Wine Appreciation Society graciously led tours to the RFH Building for beer brewing exhibitions and to the vineyard.
and a rat just to name a few (don’t even get me started on the rat), was arguably the highlight of the day for many people. The inflatables from Canterbury Cricket were also highly utilised, as was the Art Committee art tour and the fruit and vege on offer to purchase from the BHU organics stall. And since my life revolves around food (anyone else or just me?), the donuts, woodfired pizza, fritz wieners, thai and Mr Whippy food trucks were a huge hit. Overall, it was a hugely successful day, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the students, volunteers and stallholders (apologies to those that I missed!) for your service and contribution to making the day the brilliant event that it was. This event will continue to be held in the future, and there is definitely plenty of scope for us to build and improve on this first occurrence – so if you’ve got any rad ideas for what it should look like next year, send ‘em through! By Kristy Havill
Now I don’t mean to brag, but there was a unicorn there. Yes, you read that right. A unicorn. Okay okay yeah we’re all about transparency here at LUSA, so it was white pony with a rainbow coloured horn. Basically the same thing surely? Anyway the petting zoo, host of rabbits, ponies, a goat, a lamb, an alpaca
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YOUR YARN
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT Introducing the new and improved 'International Night'! Or should I say nights… "What the heck, that sounds wild. Tell me more James!” I hear you say. That’s right, we know you’ve loved International Night in the past, but you know what’s better than one International Night? MULTIPLE international nights with some even being DAAAAYS! WOW! I know right? You knew that LUSA 2019 was going to be fantastic with the quality exec we have but did you know it’d be this good? At LUSA we’re all about keeping things fresh and exciting for students, but don’t worry, you’ll still be getting the International Night experience that you’ve come to love, just in a different way. In semester 1, we’re bringing
the event back to International Night’s roots with the Culture Showcase! A night where each culture on campus brings a piece of home and we all join together and celebrate our uniqueness through enjoying each other’s food, activities, and traditions. This is coming up on the 30th of May so keep an eye out for more info coming soon! In Semester 2 we’re partnering with the Selwyn District Council to do something bigger than ever before. We will be combining with their Culture Fest to create a weeklong celebration of cultural diversity which will end with an amazing festival of colour, music, and food. It’s going to be an event you won’t want to miss! By James Lee
WOMENS BASKETBALL WINNERS Lincoln University have qualified for the 3x3 FISU World University League Finals in Xiamen, after winning the University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand 3x3 Championships on the weekend of the 13th April. The Lincoln University women’s 3x3 team of Connie Poletti, Ajiah Pepe, Lucy Brown and Rosalia Samia won the women’s final, beating the University of Auckland 14 to 12. That was after narrowly winning the semi-final over Canterbury 20-18. Lincoln’s Head Coach Josh Thompson said, although the team went undefeated for two days, it wasn’t easy. “It was pretty nerve-wracking, but the girls have been composed throughout the whole tournament. “I think we started our preparation around February this year. The girls have had a lot of prep and some early morning trainings. They’ve put in a lot of work and it paid off in the end.” When asked who the MVP would be, Coach Thompson said Connie Poletti’s experience and class need to be commended. “She’s a great leader, not just on the court, but off the court as well. She knows what she needs to do and how to put the team in positions to win these games,” said Thompson. Poletti said her team’s ability to adapt quickly was essential to winning the title. “Our defence was really good the whole game. We needed to make sure they couldn’t shoot. And then just understanding that I could work in the post a lot more since we weren’t hitting outside shots. So adapting was really key,” said Poletti. 31
JUST ANOTHER TUMERIC TREND?
1990's What sets the 90’s apart was styles and cultures being figured out, which led to some pretty creative things. Culturally, we always incorporate hints of nostalgia and there are always positives and negatives to every decade. So, as the 90's makes its comeback, we wonder how long it will stick around for and what we actaully take from it that is truly cool...
The 1990's was the golden era and included the iconic sitcom, Friends, the Backstreet Boys, the Spice Girls, and the brilliant movie, Clueless. Plus great toys like Tomogatchi, Furbies, Pokemon, Push Pops, Rollerblades and of course, not forgetting the Rachel Haircut, the Macarena, lots of piercings and good ole grunge music! While a handful of past fashion trends that make us want to vom, there are many infamous clothing choices that have made a comeback. These clothing styles include items such as the beloved scrunchie, mum jeans, overalls, chokers, crop tops and velvet. Chokers were the de-facto neck accoutrement in the 90s, and everyone wore them. Even Jared Leto. Now Taylor Swift called it “the new flower crown” at Coachella. Guess the days when teens wore the stretchy “tattoo” versions to Intermediate dances aren’t so long gone after all.
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Pop culture was not messing around when it came to bare midriffs back in the day—but while Kylie Jenner may be taking her cues from Xtina, the rest of us tend to stick to easier-to-pulloff pairings like a cropped turtleneck or tee with highwaisted jeans.
Whether we’re buying real ’90s 501s Mum jeans from TradeMe or the vintage-inspired styles denim brands that have been launching left and right lately, fashion girls today are all about high-rise jeans and trueblue washes. Long live grunge. The iconic early 90s style of plaid is making a comeback in bold plaids. Both guys and gals can get into this one, and you get extra points if the plaid is flannel or 'flanno' as I like to call it! Long, straight hair is back on the menu. Going long and shiny is all the rage. For dudes, it looks like the man bun of yesteryear is on the way out, but the haircut du jour hasn’t manifested itself yet. The dream of a Billy Ray Cyrus mullet resurgence still lives! No updo or half-up style was complete without a pair of skinny 'slut strands' hanging on either side of your face back in the day. Overall music was game changing and scary movies felt original. If you like conspiracies, this would be the perfect era for you. We were begging to play outside with friends or play video games like Nintendo or Sega but mostly with friends. We didn't worry about global warming… yet. Less food was genetically modified at the time, break dancing was pretty cool, petrol prices was low, homes were cheap, TV & the computer were HUGE (but internet was slow) and you had to rewind VHS tapes from BlockBuster and last but not least it was way more intense to have to call a girl/guy on the phone the first time instead of sending a planned out text message. SUBMIT A CRAZY TREND YOU'VE EXPERIENCED TO FEATURE IN THE RAM | 150 WORDS | 4 PICS | COMMS@LUSA.ORG.NZ
SNAPCHAT ROYALTY lusa .n
z
SEND IN ! YOUR SNAPS
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MIND GAMES
PROCRASTINATION PUZZLES The 'EASY PEASY' sudoku
The 'A BIT HARD' sudoku
ADULT ALPHABET
The 'WHOLLY MOLLY' sudoku
RIDDLE ME THIS: RIDDLE: What 8 letter word can have a letter taken away and it still makes a word. Take another letter away and it still makes a word. Keep on doing that until you have one letter left. What is the word?
ANSWER: The word is starting! starting, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in, I. Cool, huh?
RIDDLE: What room do ghosts avoid?
ANSWER: The living room.
RIDDLE: Mr. and Mrs. Mustard have six daughters and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the Mustard family?
ANSWER: There are nine Mustards in the family. Since each daughter shares the same brother, there are six girls, one boy and Mr. and Mrs. Mustard.
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30/1/19 2:45 pm
Did You Hear the Alarm? By Angela Robb I was planning to study on Saturday, but the events of Friday 15th March before had kidnapped my attention. Management assignment stayed quiet while I wrote a personal reflections. Perhaps some of it may resonate with you? Or perhaps it may just be a peek into the life of another student on campus.
Safe, but shaken, we dispersed homeward. The lockdown alarm still sounding its three beeps, then a pause. We knew what it meant now.
What happened when you heard the lockdown alarm? The question repeated all week. Where were you during the Christchurch shooting? The story will be told to our grandchildren.
The adrenaline of those two strange hours faded with further news. The violence stung our hearts and froze our minds. Confused between rejoicing to be alive and grieving for those who weren’t. Pulled in a hundred directions from the inside, unsure what to express on the outside. How do we respond when the New Zealand we have known is shattered? Do we weep with those who weep? Do we keep calm and carry on? Or somehow do both, tip-toeing our way on the tightrope to recovery?
I poured the tea for my friend, and sat down cross-legged on the window seat of our student cafe, Bibles beside us as we began to prepare next week’s study. We barely noticed the noise. Three beeps, then a pause. Was a fridge left open, or a truck reversing? It continued and so did our chatting — until a staff member informed us.
The man I most respect surprised me by his response to a similar situation where people were brutally killed as they worshipped. “Do you think these people were worse offenders than others because they suffered this way? No, I tell you; but unless you change your ways from the heart, you will all likewise perish.”
“This is a lockdown alarm. Everyone please move away from the windows and sit where you cannot be seen from outside.”
That comment may seem callous. But what if your neighbour was telling you about the recent Nelson fires, and behind him you saw a black cloud of smoke as flames licked up dry pasture towards his house. Would you simply stand and be a good listener, or tell him to run? Would telling him to run be callous or kind?
We slowly realised this was not just a test of our new safety app. A serious shooting was reported in Christchurch. This was a real alarm. So much for our Bible study...or getting home anytime soon. Hiding behind couches is not something I’ve done since playing hide and seek as a child. Now, a dozen adults were crouching on the floor. No wonder people walking by looked at us strangely! In this state of emergency, it would have been the perfect time for me to say, “Excuse me, does anyone mind if I pray aloud?”, but I kept it inside, shy of making anyone more uncomfortable than we were already. I wish I had, though, especially when the lady next to me started crying as more information about the tragic attack came through. We felt alarm and relief when an armed police man entered the building - alarmed that this was serious, relieved that security was in place. After two hours of sitting still, interrupted by tiptoed bathroom breaks and sneaky carrot cake (from LUSA, by the way, who had been hiding in their back store room), we were excused. 36
As the wake of this tragedy rocks our nation, and the world, I do not want to stay silent, simply shy of making people feel uncomfortable, if another alarm needs sounding. Whether we find ourselves brokenhearted, outraged, or simply sad that this happened in the place we call home, life and death situations wake us up to pay attention. What if this event points us to the bigger realities we normally live blind to? Like the fact that our daily existence is dependent on things outside of ourselves and we might not actually be as in control of our lives as we pretend. What if there is a God who is actually in charge of our world - and us? What if the only reason we are alive reading this is because Someone else woke us up breathing with heart beating this morning? What if we need a wake-up call to stop ignoring the One we were made to live for?
When the lockdown alarm interrupted, the Bible was left unattended on the window seat. We were meant to be doing a study on Romans 5. Rereading the passage the day after, words stood out: helpless, death, life, being saved, making friends from enemies. Words that connected with current events in Christchurch. Could God speak hope to a shattered city scattered with hurting hearts?
If you’ll excuse me, I think I hear a call to pray and I don’t want to ignore it this time.
You see, when we were utterly helpless, Christ [that’s Jesus, by the way] came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
You know our needs. You know how to help us and we trust that you will.
(The Bible, Romans 5:6–11, emphasis added) God doesn’t keep to himself here. He sends his Son, Jesus, on a sacrificial rescue mission. He reaches out a strong hand of grace to lift us from the death we deserve for being rebels. He initiates friendship with the ones who ignored him. (And I don’t think there are any other effective safety strategies on offer). Maybe you’re hearing something now. Not a lockdown alarm, but a call to prayer. A command not to phone 111, but to ask for the heavenly emergency department, please, to get hold of the Rescuer who attends to our deepest need. This is not just a safety system test. This is the real deal. We need to pay attention before time runs out for people to be saved. What happens when you hear the warning? Do you snooze through the sounding smoke alarm and wake up too late? Or do you respond to the siren while there is still time to be saved today?
O God, We don’t even know what to say when our hearts hurt— world broken, friends suffering, and minds reeling from the impact of the violence witnessed in our free land. So we just say please help us.
Some of us may ignore you most of the time. We have desperate needs we prefer to pretend away. Help us to stop pretending and instead call to Jesus to save us in our time of need. May this be a wake-up call to the the reality of life and death and our daily dependence on You. Some of us already rest safe in your steady love. We have a message of hope to share. Help us to care enough for the people around us to sound the alarm while there is still time to respond and be rescued. Let us reflect your love for the hurting hearts around us. All of us need compassion and courage to overcome evil with good. So we ask that you would help us now. Thank you that you hear our prayers. In the saving name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
And that is a little look into the inside world of a student responding to an incident that impacted us all in some way. If you’re a Christian, I hope this helps encourage you to process this event with the light Jesus shines on darkness. And if you’re not a Christian, I hope this different perspective still helps with good thoughts as you process things, and isn’t too weird for you! I’m around campus and happy to chat. You can find me at most Christian Fellowship club events. Check us out on Facebook at “Lincoln Uni Christian Fellowship” or email us at lincoln. christianfellowship@gmail.com. We’d love to have you visit.
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Your Messages of Support We thank you for your beautiful messages displayed on Grounded Cafe's chalk board. We have recorded them here in RAM.
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Kia Kaha 15.03.19