Issue 16: Future 2022

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UNSA would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians upon which this magazine was written, the Pambalong Clan of the Awabakal Nation. We would also like to extend this acknowledgement to the Birpai, Darkinjung and Gadigal peoples, as the traditional custodians of the lands upon which the University of Newcastle resides and UNSA operates. UNSA would like to pay respects to all Elders past, present and emerging, and acknowledge them as the true knowledge holders.

We acknowledge the historical inequalities faced by Aboriginal people and the continuing struggle for justice and equality. Black Lives Matter.

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

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Editor's Editor's Letters Letters It’s time to stop snoozing those alarms, semester is back in session… yayyy…?

If any of you science and engineering students invent a time machine, I need to be the first to know because frankly, I’m OVER these holidays going by so fast.

Mind you, it was a good time to relax, reflect, and refuel, before diving into another busy semester. I can’t reeeeeally complain because it’s O-Week round 2, and we’ve got some fun things coming up (check page 7) including 5sos playing at Bar On The Hill in December - like whaaaat?! My year 8 fangirl stage is on the steady rise for a comeback.

Speaking of time machines, welcome to our Future magazine! We’re all about forward thinking in this issue, revealing true desires, concerns and predictions for what lies ahead. There are so many opportunities coming up, including YOUR contribution to Opus!

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - contributing to Opus, either online or in the magazine, is one of the best ways to build your creative portfolio and earn some dollar dollar bills whilst you’re a student. Alls you need to do is check out our instagram @opus.unsa and click on the link in our bio. From here, you could sign up as a contributor, submit a proposal for whatever the upcoming magazine is, or read from our wide variety of online articles.

And while thinking about the future sometimes turns my legs to jelly, growing comfortable in that feeling of unknowing can also be a really empowering thing!

This issue is all about those speculations: putting on our two-way goggles and looking both forwards and backwards in time to reflect and project on what ‘future’ means to us. We’ve got some sci-fi flash fiction, some ruminations on education, some fears, some dreams, and a whole lot of creative juice in this issue. So go on, have a sip, and try to take some calming breaths.

I know that looking to the future isn’t always the most “stress-free” thing, however, a quote that motivates and comforts me, was said by Abraham Lincoln - “the best way to predict the future is to create it.”

So let’s get up, get those degrees and go!

Good luck :) Editor

Melanie Jenkins What show would you love to see a reboot of in the future?

Wizards of waverly place

Welcome to the future! I feel a bit like Squidward in that one episode of Spongebob: curled up in the fetal position before a cinematic chrome backdrop.

Now, I’m gonna make like a tree and get outta here.

Junior Editor

Stephanie Jenkins What show would you love to see a reboot of in the future?

Hannah Montana

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Editors Letters

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Contents

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President’s Letter

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Contributors

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WTF is Going on Melanie Jenkins

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My Definition Jennifer Lowe

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UoN Work Placements? More Like Life Displacements

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Expectation vs Reality Rachel Barr

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Artist Q&A with Cody Ryan Opus team

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The Unknowingness Ivy-Rose Laidler

Memorabilia Maddie Rose

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White Light / White Heat Harman Burgess

Liminal Time Maddie Rose

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The Future of Australia Stephanie Jenkins

Student Wellbeing Resources Ruby Walker

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Present, Past and Future Summer Harrison

Tree of Life Lucy Egan

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The Indescribable Power of His Comedy Stephanie Jenkins

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How to Contribute to Opus Magazine

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Yeah That Didn’t Work Out Tegan Stettaford

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UoN says Goodbye to Excesssive Environmental Waste Esme Piper

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Tech in 2030 Sarthak Birani

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Horoscopes Stephanie Jenkins

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Presidents Letter

“Remember to take it easy on yourself, these are trying times and Uni can be tough, even without floods, fires and pandemics.”

Hello friends new and old! Welcome to Semester 2, 2022. It’s that unique time of year again where freshmen meet the seasoned and friendships are reinvigorated. A time when we can forge new friendships, rekindle old ones (hello to my friends who I have not seen in approximately 4 monthslove ya), and swear that we will absolutely, under no circumstances, procrastinate on our assessments.

For our friends who are new to UoN, a huge welcome and congratulations on your acceptance!

Undertaking tertiary education is no easy feat but here at UNSA we do our best to walk alongside you and offer support in the ways that we can. For our newbies and our oldies, here is everything you need to know about UNSA. We are your student association and union here at the University of Newcastle. We run free food events every week, parties and social events throughout the semester, and are big nerds for advocacy and supporting students from the beginning of their UoN journey to the very end. We are a Not-ForProfit organisation run by students for the benefit of students and we like long walks on the beach <3

Seriously though, we exist to support you. Feel free to drop into our building at Callaghan for free coffee and snackos, have a chat or simply approach one of our friendly student reps at a BBQ and let us know what’s on your mind. I don’t want to brag but we’re also pretty laid back and love a good chat. This year we have accomplished a lot here at little old UNSA, including the reinstatement of extended hours at NUspace campus! If there is a cause or issue close to your heart that you think we should be involved in, drop us a line and we’ll get on it!

That’s enough about us though - I can’t wait to learn about you! All the best for your future studies and endeavours. Although I don’t have a cr take it easy on yourself, these are trying times and Uni can be tough, even without floods, fires and pandemics.

Seek out support if you need it and make sure you come and try our barista coffee and hot chocolate machine. It is simply delightful.

Yours in solidarity,

Jess Philbrook

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ContribUtors What show would you love to see a reboot of in the future?

Tiana Williams Graphic Designer Charmed - WITH the original cast!

Harman Burgess Firefly

Jennifer Lowe

Cody ryan Cover Artist Hunter x Hunter

Rachel Barr Dance Academy

Lucy Egan That 70’s Show

Summer Harrison Fleabag

Esme Piper Friends

Maddie Rose, Gravity Falls

Sarthak Birani Friends

Ivy-Rose Laidler Vampire Diaries

Tegan Stettaford Young Dracula

Ruby Walker Fleabag 66

WTF is going on?

Semester 2 Edition Words: Melanie Jenkins Maybe this is your first year; maybe it’s your last; or maybe you’re somewhere in the middle. Either way, you should be living, laughing, loving to the fullest. To help you do so, I’ve put together a list of events and courses you might be interested in this semester! I know that studies can sometimes get you down, so when you’re in need of some fun (and start wondering wtf is going on?) look no further.

July

August

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International UNSA Glow Student Party Meet and Greet

Discounted First Aid Course @ Callaghan

Cheese & Chocolate Festival, Hunter Valley

Paint Your Inner Drag Queen, Pino and Picasso

UON Central Coast Campus Open Day

Knights vs Bulldogs (home game)

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22-26

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The Dreggs playing at the Cambridge Hotel

Slowly Slowly playing at the Cambridge Hotel

Discounted First Aid Course @ Callaghan

PRIDE Week

Discounted Discounted RSA Course RCG Course @ Ourimbah @ Ourimbah

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September 3

October

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Opus PRIDE Zine Out Now!

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Discounted First Aid Course @ Ourimbah

Discounted Discounted Opus First Discounted RSA Course RCG Course Nations Zine First Aid @ Callaghan @ Callaghan Out Now! Course @ Callaghan

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19

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TBD

Grapevine Festival

Opus Halloween Issue Out Now!

Discounted First Aid Course @ Callaghan

UNSA Halloween Festival of Frights

Newcastle Pride Festival

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5

5

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Opus Celebration Issue Out Now!

Discounted First Aid Course @ Ourimbah

This That Festival

UNSA Grand Ball

Novemeber 12 Last day of Exams

December

23 UNSA Oktoberfest

7 No thoughts, just HOLIDAYS

5SOS playing at Bar on the Hill

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More Than Just A Name Words: Jennifer Lowe

Content Warning: Readers are advised that the following piece discusses some themes that may make some readers uncomfortable, including domestic and familial violence, and eugenics. If these themes might bring anything up for you, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

My community has had many name changes – from different abilities, disability, disability and equity, accessibility and equity–and everyone keeps asking me what the preferred name is. What are the “right” words to use, or the most politically correct way to say something or talk about a community? I can’t help but feel like they’re kind of missing the point.

Each name serves different means to different members. Some may prefer the idea of accessibility because it sounds better to them than disability, because of the stigma. Some seek to take ownership of the word disability, to claim it back, and think using the term different ability in a way invalidates their experience of how debilitating their disability is. But this doesn’t change the “other” or mainstream desire to put a name to experiences. “You are gay”. “You are aboriginal”. “You are trans”.

But this really does miss the point of the relationships and cultures that the person presents as they say their own definition: it demonstrates their struggles and experience with the world around them. I use the term different ability because when I was younger, and I wasn’t yet diagnosed with autism, I still had an otherness about me. Something I could feel was inherent to my experience, even if it didn’t have a name.

I wouldn’t remember to brush my teeth; I would just get too distracted. I would sit out in front of my house, count the cars that went past, because I enjoyed the sheer joy of collecting data. I loved life–just, I was very different to those around me. I played by myself, pretending I was a robot being controlled by someone–but I had to give them the rules on how to move me. I talked to myself and even laughed with myself. I would sometimes just sit and look at the sky and be mesmerised by the colour; how blue, in my eyes, it was. I was just an autistic being, living life in a different way, but no one could comprehend it.

What child would give so much value to the colour of the sky? What child would willingly just play by themselves? There had to be something wrong with them. Teachers were the first to notice. “It wasn’t normal,” they would say. Well, I couldn’t comprehend it at the time, and students also wouldn’t understand.

And the reason I say I couldn’t comprehend it at the time is simply, I couldn’t care less–I didn’t define my relationship with myself because of how my peers looked at me. I knew I was weird, but it didn’t impact what behaviours I would do, or shift my perception of how I explored the world, because it just wasn’t important to me. This would shift a little bit as I got old, but I never completely lost that connection I had to that otherness. But despite being unable to care about my peers’ perspective, there was one person who I was not allowed to not understand. And that was my mother.

It started off innocent enough: noticing that I didn’t

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learn as fast as others; being annoyed at having to remind me all the time that I had to brush my hair; trying to retrain my brain to eat peas the right way. But then they started to grow a bit more… I guess, forceful.

Her getting angry when I didn’t present emotion like other kids my age and didn’t get sad when she was angry at me; her being embarrassed when I did something wrong in public and forcing me to learn only ways she deemed appropriate.

But then she became angry–and not angry at my mistakes, but me.

Because I was the wrong; in ways I couldn’t change.

She would push me up against a counter and scream in my face when I didn’t eat fast enough; she told me I should kill myself when I didn’t do my homework; and when I would say something that she saw as “wrong”, she would slap me.

“Support changes someone. It reminds you you’re human in the simplest way. It’s a touch that links not bodies but hearts.”

I learnt to hate the fact I was not right. This thing that made me different. This thing if only it wasn’t there.

Then my mother would love me.

I was 18 when I got a name for my otherness. I was autistic. It hurt more than anything; it proved my worst fears, there was something inherently wrong with me. My mother had been in the right. I was wrong.

Now you can see how the special I had just loved, because I couldn’t see a reason to why not, turned to a fear of why do. It created a brokenness. A break in the self and a break in my reality. Why could I see joy in colours when the colours I saw were not the right ones? But even as I treated myself very differently, my boyfriend didn’t. My friends didn’t. They stated, “it doesn’t make sense to.”

And support changes someone. It reminds you you’re human in the simplest way. It’s a touch that links not bodies but hearts.

was I outside of the trauma? How much of me was a persona, masking to appear tolerable to others, and how much was just a little child within me screaming?

I am differently abled because there is nothing wrong with me. Yes, I am disadvantaged, not because I am me but because of others. With all my experiences, how can I ever use the word disabled to describe myself when it feels like I then have to admit that there’s something wrong with me–when that very statement gives me so much pain? Again, not to discourage others from using that word to identify their experiences with, but I don’t.

For a community who has no historical ancestry, or connection with a shared country, there is a commonality in our experiences and as they are of difference. Maybe there should be a mindset of looking to understand our definition, instead of trying to make it so universal. My definition demonstrates and emphasises my challenges.

My definition is as individual to me as my name.

The Accessibility and Equity collective is a group for students with a mental illness or learning disorder, are hard of hearing, a braille user or vision impaired, experiencing chronic pain or mobility issues, who are neurodivergent, or otherwise have lived experiences in any of these areas, or identify with a disability. You do not need a diagnosis to be involved or a part of this group. We prompt empowerment for members of our community, community building, education and transparency. Intersectional experiences are all welcome and we are LGBTQ+ friendly.

As Convenor, my goals for this year include establishing the AEC to be a place that not only connects people together, but empowers them with understanding and ways to express themselves, so we can all grow together. I am proud of my position, and I am proud of the people I already work alongside. I hope to establish more accessible systems and tools for my community in the future.

To find out more about the Accessibility and Equity Collective (AEC), head to their page on the UNSA website, or scan the QR code below:

I began to start learning my own language. What 99

UON Work Placements?

More Like Life Displacements It’s time to make changes, we need paid placement for students Anonymous Students, especially those who move away from home, are often at the most stressful stage of their lives. Learning about who they are and what they picture for their future is already a task in itself. Having to support themselves as a casual or part-time worker, while managing uni and a social life, is a whole other level of stress and anxiety.

For many students, to pass their course a series of placements take place where they undergo unpaid work for a business; all to give students “work experience”. Depending on the course, and the availability of businesses across the state, students, more often than not are required to complete their placements in a different town.

The frequency of placement also varies. Some students may do one day a week at a local clinic, while others may do five days a week for six weeks at a time.

Considering students often need to find their own way to the location of their placement, commuting each time sometimes isn’t feasible, especially if it’s out of town.

Placement causes financial and emotional stress, as many students sacrifice paid work or other income to complete it. University policy says that it is mandatory for students to participate in placement, but offers no adequate support for students whatsoever.

For a student studying radiation therapy, for example, six weeks of placement will be conducted each semester for two years, before completing eighteen weeks in their final year of study. Imagine yourself in their shoes for a moment. You apply for all the locations possible in your local area (plus a few out of town ones). You are successful for the one that is a two-and-a-half hour drive away. So, you tell work that you’ll be gone for six weeks, pack your bags, and go.

Sign the petition

Let’s break this down: The cost of accommodation for six weeks, paid out of your own pocket, versus..

Travel fuel to and from the placement location.

Additional fuel to drive to work each day, parking permits and/or public transport tickets.

Uniforms, including suitable shoes (that aren’t tax deductible if you’re a student).

Groceries to survive off, stationary, equipment and supplies.

Plus, an average of $200/week for rent back home.

Not to mention the isolation that students may feel from loved ones while they are away.

Students on placement, still in training, do not receive any remuneration, as the university believes that the work experience is enough. The free work experience does not pay the bills, nor meet current life situations.

I’m sure if placement was voluntary, many students would not risk the financial stress it would cause.

As a uni student myself who will soon be on placement and lives paycheck to paycheck, the idea of having to miss work to go on placement is extremely stressful.

Frankly, it’s a burden; one I know other students also face.

Though I do not think action will be taken quickly, as universities all over Australia are still recovering from the loss of international students during the pandemic, students now should still be fighting for students in the future. A change.org petition has been made to help bring attention to this unexplained and unfair expectation that uni students face. If you’d like to see some change, sign your name, and share with your friends. Let’s not let placements displace our lives.

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EXPECTATIONS VS REALITY Words: Rachel Barr

Umm… mum? I think you were lying when you told me that being a grown-up was fun.

Back to the Future Part II (1989) had some high expectations when considering the world’s future.

It wasn’t far off with smart homes and fashion, but flying cars? Well, we’re not quite there, yet.

When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel – taking myself wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. But that high expectation slowly slipped away when I realised that fuel isn’t free, and five o’clock traffic is truly alive and well.

When I was eight, I watched one of the Herbie (1969-2005) films for the first time and decided that a Volkswagen Beetle was going to be “future me’s” car. Unfortunately, eight-year-old me failed to know that money doesn’t grow on trees, and a 2010 second-hand Kia will have to suffice.

My mum told me that “future me” was eligible for a lot of things. Highschool, university, drinking, no curfew… but she failed to mention that these things are only glorified in the movies, and the real world holds a lot more curveballs. I’m only twenty-one and am full of nostalgia, and yearn to turn back time… if only for one day.

I’d like to give a shout out to my family…

Thanks for telling me about hangxiety, I guess?

I realised the older I get, the less ‘tolerant’ I become to alcohol, and how much worse I get

with managing my hangover. I would much rather watch Netflix on a Saturday night than be drunk in tha club, and this is all Sunday hangxiety’s fault.

Thanks a lot.

Why did everybody fail to mention that American schooling is completely different to Australia, and college is not the same as university? I have never been to a Project-X style party, and have never seen someone flipped upside down drinking a keg. When I turned legal, I had high expectations and was met with disappointment.

Earning money is bloody hard. With the rise of inflation and the cost of living not matching my pay wage, I struggle to budget my money for the things I need versus the things I want. How the hell am I meant to live, laugh, love in these conditions?

I don’t blame my mum for allowing me to create a false reality when I was young; she just didn’t want to crush my dreams of how (not) perfect being an adult was. The expectations I had of adulthood had me eager to grow tall and turn older, but I now know that with expectations come reality. But, each year that passes, I grow another year older, and another year wiser of the challenges that come with being alive on this planet. Maybe one day, I’ll figure it all out.

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Artist Q&A With Cody Ryan Opus has been the voice of students, by students, for over 70 years. During that time, we have been dedicated to supporting students, amplifying their voices, and creating space to debate essential and positive change in the higher education sector.

However, this magazine’s theme gives us a chance to look to the Future and recognise the change that is still to come. And what better way to engage with the future of our students than to dedicate this issue to all of our peers who work so hard to make our magazine what it is. This month, we’ve teamed up with a local student artist to design our cover in his own image of the Future.

Say hello to Cody Ryan, and his artwork: Solarpunk Ideas Introduce yourself: My name is Cody, pronouns are He/Him, and I study Psychology. A fun fact about me is that I got the Art Award in 8th Grade (and yes, still my proudest moment).

What does the magazine theme of Future mean to you?

I think I speak for a lot of folks when I say that the future is an increasingly concerning topic. It’s really easy to get bogged down about it; about the responsibility I and many young people feel surrounding the future. Lately I’ve been trying to be more enthusiastic about what lies ahead, and solarpunk art has been increasingly inspiring in how it imagines a more sustainable and equitable world where I could be proud to hand the baton to future generations.

Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process?

It changes constantly, as I think most people will tell you. My medium of choice is almost always my iPad

with Procreate, but I’ve been known to spend plenty of time on Photoshop too. If all conditions are perfect then I’ll be able to dedicate 4+ hours to one of the long list of ideas I have in my notes, with a candle lit, some low lighting, and some Tribe Called Quest or something similar playing.

My inspiration comes from a lot of places. My best thoughts come at random while I’m trying to sleep, but I get little ideas from people I see, steal color palettes from movie scenes I love, and tend to draw what I’ve been feeling at the time of creation, whether I know it or not.

What went into the creation of our cover this month?

I wanted to capture some of the Solarpunk art that I’ve been seeing lately. The dandelion was used because it’s one of those things that people hate reflexively as a “weed”, when in reality it has its part to play in nature. It’s only because we put so much stock in these absurdly manicured lawns of suburbia that we dislike these pretty little guys.

The future is about rethinking our current schemas and bringing new ideas to the table, so I hope that comes across when people see my artwork on the cover.

This one was actually a relatively quick process, and I drew most of it while I was watching the NBA Eastern conference finals (go Celtics!!!).

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“it’s about creating something YOU like, that gives you purpose and meaning”

Do you have any advice for students starting their creative journey?

I think I get in my head comparing my art to others often, and I think that’s a common problem. It’s an easy problem to fall into especially when you don’t feel as knowledgeable or technically proficient as others (especially self-taught folks like myself). To me, art isn’t about who can draw the most realistic hand or has the most interesting brush stroke pattern, it’s about creating something YOU like, that gives you purpose and meaning. If others like it, then that’s amazing, but it’s about expressing your views, feelings, and personality in whatever medium.

Keeping some of it for yourself can help too. I know the reflex for a lot of folks is to immediately start capitalizing on your talents and sell it to others, but

I’m cautious about that. I know art has to pay the bills for a lot of people, but keeping things for yourself that don’t have a price tag on them has a lot of value I think.

Ultimately, it’s up to you. Nobody can force you to create (I hope) and it’s up to you to decide what your process looks like. I do recommend candles and Tribe as a rule of thumb though.

Where can people find you?

I post all of my art on my main Instagram @ thebigseed. I should probably get a separate one someday, but not yet. If anybody would like to reach out, my DMs are always a good place to reach out and I’d love to see what you’re working on, what your thoughts on the future are, or anything in between.

Artist

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The Unknowingness A Future with Endometriosis and Motherhood

Words: Ivy-Rose Laidler

I had to think long and hard about this one. When this magazine theme was presented to me, I wasn’t sure what I was going to write. So I started to think: to think about my future. Where I want to be in the next year, where I see my family, what could possibly happen. My thought process then brought me to the idea of children and how much I would love children in my future. Not today, nor tomorrow, but someday I would love to have children. I’m one of those people who as soon as I see a little’n running around, I just want to hold their hand, cuddle them, spend all day and night with them!

Currently, at home I have my beautiful Rosey. Rosey is actually a dog, but she is my baby. I got Rosey in 2020 from Dog Rescue Newcastle; yes, I know, a Covid puppy. Originally I applied for her sister Poppy but she was already sold, so I enquired about Rosey and, to my surprise, I could get her the very next day! I was so excited to bring this baby home and look after her. Now, at the age of two, she is fifty kilos, has a beautiful brindle coat, and is the biggest sook I have ever met.

Every time I discipline her, like telling her to wait, sit, calm, or letting her know that she can wait, and that she is fine, my mum looks at me with pride. She frequently tells me “you’re a really good mummy,” and that “you’re a tough and caring mummy.” This tough part comes from when my, again, fifty-kilo dog is crying at the back door to come in while we’re eating dinner and I tell her “no, you’re fine, you can wait until we’re finished,” which she still gets

upset about. My mum tells me how patient and kind I am, and how I would make an amazing mum some day. And I really hope I do.

Now, to the future. In February I had a small pregnancy scare, in which I missed two of my contraceptive pills somewhere and I was becoming sick. Freaking myself out, I took a test and hoped I wouldn’t be. During the time before I could get a pregnancy test, I was panicking about what I would do, what would happen to uni, how we would support ourselves, all the if’s and but’s I could possibly think of. Having the conversation with my boyfriend was hard, as one may expect, and of course he was supportive, but also scared beyond belief. The test came back negative and there was a massive sigh of relief. No longer did I have to think about the if’s and but’s. No longer did I have to worry. But, then it hit me…

I have endometriosis. By definition, endometriosis is the growth of uterine lining outside of the uterus.

I had surgery last year for this, and they removed endometrium (uterine lining) from the underside of my ovaries and back wall of my uterus. It was very painful, to say the least. I then remembered–I guess for lack of a better word–a symptom that can occur because of endometriosis… infertility and problems with pregnancy. And that scared me. I realised that my endometriosis could cause me to not be able to have children, one of the biggest things I think of when I think of the future.

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I have watched family and friends fight endometriosis, struggle with falling pregnant, and have surgery after surgery to see if they will even have the chance to have children. Some yes and some no. It is said that having children before the age of 28 or 30 helps increase the chance of being pregnant, which has really made me think about my life goals and the time of which I would have children. In fear, I would want them soon, but in reality, I would be waiting until my late 20’s to even start thinking about it.

While this thought is extremely scary, I have hope.

The future is full of unknowns and countless possibilities, which make it hard to even predict what may happen tomorrow. There are three things that help keep me hopeful. One, I have a gynaecologist who has helped me with my surgery and is set on helping me with any of my endometriosis troubles.

Two, I have a supportive family, boyfriend, and friends who will be by my side no matter what. And three, one day I’m going to be a mum–no matter what. I’ll either be a mother to my child later in life (when I’m ready and not rushed) or a mother to a child who is not birthed by me, but one I adopt. I might be a mother to another Rosey (or five) and care for these dogs as my babies. Either way, I will not give up on my dream of being a good mother, nor will I let endometriosis control my life or happiness.

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White Light/ White Heat Harman Burgess

18’th Nov, 1974: Galileo Space Telescope—Image No. 1 You see colours: pink nebulas, blue stars, red planets— spread out on the purple fabric of space— brown dust clouds and black holes and whirlpooling light. The spidery arm of the milky way bisects the image glowing on your computer monitor; the first person to see the first picture from the first deepspace telescope.

Your breath catches at the sheer scale of it; the terrible beauty of all that perfect colour; the strange visions of alien worlds, the deranged magnificence of the heavens. And you wonder, then, as you examine the universe, what could possibly be out there?

20’th Feb, 1975: Galileo Space Telescope—Image No. 2 The second image slowly renders on your monitor— the mountainous bulk of computers surrounding you exhale furnace blasts of heat; diodes flaring, machines screaming. And pixel by pixel, hour by hour, you watch a star explode. The finished picture shows a band of white light radiating out from the bottom right-hand corner— a supernova, captured

in frozen time, crystalline glass. And the light is so bright it burns your eyes, so bright it hurts, so bright that everything else seems like shadows in comparison.

You watch impotently; burdened by the knowledge that a million light-years away, on the other side of the universe, a galaxy is dying.

3’rd May, 1975: Galileo Space Telescope—Image No. 3 Nervously, you wait as the third transmission forms.

And you see the white light has spread across space; ghostly tendrils of mist reaching out to touch the skies of distant planets like the fingers of a giant pale hand; like a fiery tsunami; like a searing avalanche.

And at the explosion’s centre lies a shadow; a black ball of nothingness; drinking in the light, feeding on the destruction. Yet stranger still is the odd feeling of movement coming from behind the image, as though something was pushing against the light.

Something powerful enough to move reality.

You feel very small in comparison.

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25’th Oct, 1975: Galileo Space Telescope—Image No. 4 Your mind has been troubled, your sleep disturbed, your thoughts uneasy— you see the white light when you close your eyes and you live in colourless delusions. An eternity passes before the next image arrives; when it finally renders, your confusion grows.

For beneath the shadow, beneath the world, beneath your feet, are the bone-white silhouettes of teeth; and the jaws of an undying, ever-hungry, ever-hating beast closing around you.

It’s not the fading supernova that draws your attention, nor the sparks flying from the monitor; rather, it’s the hole in the photo, the tear in space.

And despite the black smoke filling the room, despite the piercing fire alarm, you look out— past the stars, past the universe, past sanity; and you see something, something ancient and cruel, something evil.

As the building collapses around you, time stands still.

As burning flames lick your face, the world freezes.

As your mind disintegrates, something reaches towards you.

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The Future of Australi Looking ahead post-election

Words: Stephanie Jenkins It’s now been a nice, comfortable few months since the 2022 Federal Election came to a close. Australia had a change of government for the first time since Julia Gillard served as the twenty-seventh Australian Prime Minister in 2010. Over a decade on—a twelveyear run set against the backdrop of worsening climate change, a global pandemic, and ongoing social progression—Australia has sworn in Anthony Albanese as the thirty-first Australian Prime Minister, and leader of a Labor majority government. So, what now?

The policies, proposals, and opinions discussed in this article are considered as correct as possible, as of June 15, 2022. Interested readers are encouraged to use this article as a starting off point for further research into Australian politics and social discourse, and not a ‘be all and end all’ political recap.

climate, social inequalities, and the rising cost of living.

In fact, the number of primary votes that landed away from the two major parties came in at a record high: about 30 per cent. That means that only 70 per cent of Australians voted for one of the major parties.

One minor party whose policies increasingly speak to the issues affecting young people—the Greens—also recorded their best result ever in federal politics, based on primary votes, electorates won, and the party’s increasingly weighted influence on the major parties to meet the publics demands. The changing attitudes of Australians around how parliament is formed might indicate room for more extensive and drastic change to our federal government in the future.

Climate Change and the Environment Changes to the Two-Party System Something that stood out during the 2022 election was a significant rise in the popularity of minor parties and independents, signalling a swing away from the two-party system in the collective consciousness of many Australians. A hung parliament was looking increasingly possible as the two major parties felt pressure from voters to appeal to grander and more pressing issues affecting young people, such as

Perhaps in response to the rising pressure for action on climate change, Prime Minister Albanese dedicated the first Administrative Arrangements Order of his leadership to the creation of two new government bodies: one of which may pave the way for further and significant climate action. Made on June 1, the AAO outlines the creation of a Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Under the Opposition, climate policy had been catalogued 18

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“The two major parties felt pressure from voters to appeal to grander and more pressing issues affecting young people.”

under the agriculture and industry portfolios. Perhaps the creation of this new department signals a more extensive and promising collection of climate actions to come.

It is clear that climate concern was the deciding factor for many voters this election season, and the current government made significant promises to this effect as part of their election campaign. Labor’s Powering Australia plan is predicted to create 604,000 jobs, especially available to those in the regions. On an economic level, the plan will spur $76 billion of investment while cutting the cost of power significantly by 2025. Most importantly in terms of the climate crisis, the plan sets Australia on track to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030—keeping the nation on track for net zero by 2050.

Electricity prices have already seen a rise this year, along with mostly everything else, as the cost of living rides the wave of inflation. While the Powering Australia plan has ambitious goals to address the price of electricity as we move into a more renewable energy structure, the possibility of ongoing electricity droughts in the meantime might place more pressure on the federal government to get their show on the road.

Price of Living Living up to another one of the current government’s cornerstone election campaign promises, the

minimum wage will be increased by 5.2% from July 1; just slightly above the rate of inflation that is driving up the cost of living all across the country. That’s a dollar increase from $20.33 per hour to $21.38.

The Fair Work Commission have stated that the increase will not have any adverse effects on the economy at large, but some have said that it may put some businesses under stress. The increase is estimated to affect 2.7 million workers Australia-wide, but minor party leader, Adam Bandt, has expressed some concern that the increase might be misconstrued as a pay rise. He reminds us that “it’s past time for a real raise for those on low wages” (@adambandt on Instagram). We will need to keep our eyes peeled to see what else the federal government will implement in an attempt to support young people.

Diversity in Parliament In terms of more overhand diversity, the current Australian government has taken some strides to represent a more authentic and varied picture of the Australian public. The Prime Minister has introduced the first Aboriginal woman in cabinet, Linda Burney as Minister for Indigenous Australians, as well as the first two Muslim ministers that Australia has ever seen: Dr Anne Aly as Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth, and Ed Husic as Minister for Industry and Science.

The current government has also made some visible and front-facing changes in terms of representation; not limited to the long-overdue display of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at press conferences.

However, the current parliament falls short when it comes to women in leadership roles. Women only occupy two out of seven leadership positions, including only one of four in the House of Representatives and Senate: Penny Wong as Leader of the Senate.

While a change of government inevitably invites great change, it is also important to remain critical. The current Australian government has made some big promises during their 2022 campaign, and it’s up to us to hold them—and all governments—accountable for our future.

“The Prime Minister has introduced the first Aboriginal woman in cabinet,

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PRESENT, PAST and FUTURE Summer Harrison Let me bring you to the present…

When I think about the future, I often wonder, The brevity of our existence which makes me ponder.

Sometimes I sit and think how life would be, If I didn’t undertake a combined law degree.

Life would be quiet, life would be relaxed, If I didn’t have to write about crimes and their impacts.

Let me take you into my past…

When I was younger, I wanted to do truck driving, I used to look at them on highways and think, wow they’re thriving!

During my first years in school, my future prospects took a turn, I had to become a teacher and share all I had learned.

This idea stuck for a while, however, I started to dislike school, Now the thought of being a doctor seemed way more cool.

In high school I got to speak in my first moot court, I wonder if I could make this sort of arguing my sport.

Now, after all that practice, law seemed like the most perfect degree, I had to enrol at the prestigious Newcastle University.

Now let me take you to the future…

Looking back at my university days I had so much time, Every day was full of fun and I was really in my prime.

Now, being a solicitor with endless cases may sound great, But it’s hard to get enough sleep when you finish work at 8.

I look back and contemplate my days in the UoN Student’s Association, And think gee this really did prepare me for all this litigation.

I now love my job and I wouldn’t change my life, But gosh did those university assignments cause me some strife.

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Student Wellbeing Resources Delivery Program 2022-2023

Words: Ruby Walker

Whenever the sweet end-of-semester holidays finally arrive, I like to take the time to look back, reflect, restock, and gather my thoughts; to begin thinking ahead to how I am going to survive (and thrive) in the second half of the year. This time round, looking back over the first half of the year, one phrase comes to mind: ‘Menty B’. Boy did I have a few. There are so many aspects to our wellbeing, that finding the balance can be extremely challenging. Factoring your own personal struggles alongside our shared experience of Miss Rona’s Panny D Special, looking after yourself beyond the point of simply existing feels near impossible.

Looking after our wellbeing is something that we all need to do, and sometimes it feels like we should just know how to do it. It’s important to acknowledge that sometimes we don’t know! Or maybe we kind of know but haven’t got it quite right, and that is okay!

For most, University is seen to be a place we come to learn and develop new skills to further our career, but it is also a place to learn and grow as people.

Now is a great opportunity to start learning about our wellbeing and carrying through that knowledge into the future.

With that in mind, UNSA has teamed up with Student Central and Counselling to deliver a new Student Wellbeing Resource Program that hopefully will be fully up and running for 2023. The point of the program will be to make it easy and engaging for students to learn what we don’t know, and work on our wellbeing skills so we can be living our best lives.

Wellbeing resources will be delivered under broad one-word monthly themes that can be broken down into a range of topics to explore. Resources will include new and existing networks that can be accessed in person or online in the form of: • Workshops • Activities and events • Presentations, including Q&A • Info/tip sheets • Links to Podcasts, articles, videos, websites, etc Looking to 2023, we hope to have a place available on the UNSA website where all these resources and info on upcoming events are in one place, easy to access.

In the meanwhile, sign up to become a UNSA member to receive updates!

This is all well and dandy to hear about, but you may be wondering when you can go to get amongst it! I can see y’all getting involved in this in your very near future… NEXT SEMESTER, YEWWWW! Semester 2 will be when we are trialling some features of the program to gauge interest and how it should be delivered. I’m very excited to say that UNSA will be hosting some dope AF workshops from Counselling that will be an experimental, interactive presentation/ Q&A/activity style, exploring different topics that relate to the month’s theme. These workshops will happen once a month in person at either the Clubhouse or UNSA building, as well as online via link– or you can join us at a booked room at Ourimbah and NUspace to zoom in with a group! To accompany the

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So if you are keen to check all this out, here are couple things you can do: Do what?

workshops, UNSA will be providing some free snacks, take home activities, and UNSA merch. If you can’t make it to the workshop, you are more than welcome to come into the UNSA building, where there will be some paper resources (these can also be found online at UoN Counselling, linked below) like Tip Sheets from Counselling that will be refreshed each month for y’all to take home (hey, we also have free fruit and coffee– grab that too)!

Check out next sem’s monthly themes and workshop titles: Month

Monthly theme

Workshop

June

Foundations

Setting up for Success

July

Reflection

TBC

August

Networking

Building Healthy Social Networks

September

Creativity

Creative Self Care

October

Mood

Make Stress Your Friend

November

Celebrations

Party Safe

Where at?

Sign up to UNSA to receive updates:

https://unsa.org.au/ Account/Register

Check the UNSA website for info, including registration forms:

https://unsa.org.au/

https://www.newcastle.

Check the UoN edu.au/current-students/ Counselling website for support/personal/ workshop updates: counselling/workshopsand-webinars https://www.newcastle.

Check out the UoN edu.au/current-students/ Counselling online support/personal/ resources: counselling/study-andwellbeing-resources Come into the UNSA building to have yarn about it:

Located Between Bar on the Hill and Student Central

TLDR; What: Semester 2 monthly interactive wellbeing workshops, tip sheets, free snacks, UNSA merch.

Where: In person at the Clubhouse or UNSA buildings, or via Zoom.

How: Check the UNSA website for updates and registration forms.

Lastly If you have ideas you’d like to see in the program, comments or feedback send me an email!

Ruby.Walker10@uon.edu.au

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How to Contrib to Future Opus Magazines

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Contributor Sign Up

If you’re keen on having your work published with Opus, sign up to our mailing list using the link in our Instagram bio, @opus.unsa (or scan the QR code to visit our Linktree directly). From here, we will send you a welcome email and share with you key magazine dates, themes, submission links and article requirements, such as word length.

Proposals are generally due three weeks after the initial call-out, and all you need to do is submit your idea (a draft title and a little summary of your piece). These are submitted through our website, the link to which you can find again in our Linktree or Insta bio!

Once the proposal due date has lapsed, the Opus team will decide which articles will be published in the magazine and contact you directly to give you the green light to go ahead and begin creating your submission. Plus, articles that are not suited for the magazine still have the opportunity to be published online on our website.

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Magazine Call-Out At the beginning of each magazine month, a call-out email is sent to all students who signed up to be contributors, alerting them to the new magazine’s theme. We wanna get your creative juices flowing, inspire you to propose a piece of work that you think goes with the theme.

Successful contributors are emailed a new due date for the submission of their final draft which is generally two weeks after proposals. It’s super important that these deadlines are met so that we can send the magazine to print on time.

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bute s aA aA aA

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Design We send the final versions of the pieces to our Opus Graphic Designer who begins putting it into the magazine layout. Here, they create the beautiful pages you see throughout the entire magazine.

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About two weeks after printing, the magazine arrives and is distributed among all the Opus magazine stands across the UON campuses! A handful of issues are kept in the Opus office in the UNSA building for contributors, records, and communications students. It is after this that contributors are contacted regarding their gift cards!

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Once the drafted articles are submitted, the Opus team begins the editing process, analysing each piece for grammar, spelling, flow, etc. If any extensive edits need to be made, we will contact the contributor to ensure we’re all on the same page.

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Once the magazine is edited, designed, and fully complete, we double–no, triple–check it, before sending it to our printers. It is usually a six week process from the initial call-out to this finalisation point. It is around this time that we’ll send out the call-out for the next magazine, creating a cycle.

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Yeah, That Didn’t Work Out Career Evolution

Words: Tegan Stettaford

Career /ke’rie/ NOUN An occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.

When I grow up…

“I wanna be famous, I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies…”

Quite frankly, if you went back in time and asked 10-year-old me what job I foresaw myself in when I grew up, the answer would not look all that different to the Pussycat Dolls exclamations. At what was clearly my peak of dreaming, I was determined to be in the spotlight in almost every aspect possible. Of course, I would be a renowned singer to rival my idol Taylor Swift (despite having zero talent and being essentially tone deaf). When not touring, I would be filming the next big movie (despite being unable to remember a five-minute monologue from 10 Things I Hate About You). To top it all off, as the triple threat that I was clearly destined to be, I would be modelling the biggest brands on runways and in magazines (but my side-profile says otherwise).

Such big career aspirations are not uncommon from children and most of us had really big dreams such as this when we were young. However, the reality is that we cannot all be that 1% that fill extraordinary roles, and so comes: career evolution.

For me, those dreams certainly began to falter upon entering high school, and my lack of creativity but strong love for learning changed my pace. As a huge animal lover, being a veterinarian was on the cards for quite some time; that was until 8th grade science and scalpels became involved. As much as I loved animals and wanted to help them, not only could I not handle the sight of blood or gore, but the emotional turmoil of seeing animals at their worst, and losing them frequently scratched this one of the list.

Then, Year 10 came around and we were forced to really start thinking about what our future would look like. I had tossed up my interests and abilities and had a few options in mind. My love for forensics took the cake and thus I brought to the career counsellor the options; a detective, a coroner, or a forensic psychologist. With a quick realisation of the reality, once again of gore, and also the limited

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work available, coroner got dropped pretty quickly.

Detective too, was shortly removed upon realising that going through the police force was not for me. So, forensic psychology it was.

I now also hope to remain in academia. I absolutely adore teaching and find so much value in researching such impactful areas. Alas, I know that my journey is still fresh and, in time, I may change my mind again.

Following Year 12, I got into the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at UoN to progress this career goal. As I studied my way through the four years, it became abundantly clear that forensic psychology was quite a niche field and maybe not the easiest career to just slip into. Although the passion remains, considerations were taken. I had been advised that undertaking the clinical masters would be an ideal stepping stone to get into forensics one day, and I was definitely interested in clinical practice. Whilst preparing my masters application and getting ready for the interview process during honours, I realised I had taken a keen interest in research and another door opened. During masters applications, I also applied for a PhD scholarship and that is where I ended up!

The reality of working in this day and age is that we never really know if we want to do what we are doing until we do it, or where we will end up at the end of the day. The evolution of our career goals and aspirations is ongoing throughout our lives and although this initially caused me immense frustration, confusion, and concern I am now incredibly thankful for where I have ended up. In saying that, I am still in my early 20’s and completing studies, so I suspect there will be more changes to come!

In this year and a half of my PhD, my career aspirations have continued to evolve. Although I do plan to go back and complete a clinical masters following my PhD and hope to find myself in forensics in some way,

For those of you who are struggling with the idea of selecting a career, are not sure your degree is right for you, or are not enjoying what you are doing now: that uncertainty is OK. Always remember, you are not tied to the career path you chose when you were 16.

You can always change degrees, or leave university, if it is no longer for you. You can come back at 45 and complete a masters in a whole different field! Come to sit with the uncertainty as an opportunity, not a burden.

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Tech in 2030 Words: Sarthak Birani

When we talk about technology in the future, often the thing we are most excited about is the world of Metaverse. Living in a virtual realistic world is the most futuristic prediction at the moment. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls Metaverse “the successor to the mobile internet” with “a bigger sense of presence’’.

We might think of it as a whole new communication tool, or maybe something the gaming industry would evaluate as a development of human intelligence; giving life to virtual reality in the real world, and real experiences right from the science-fictional world.

Big tech companies like Tesla have had their focus on artificial technology over the past decade, building cars that are fully automatic. The world of AI and machine learning has been consistently building systems by using innovations in path-based navigation. Innovations in machine learning, such as making a machine capable of interpretation, is evidence of growth in AI over the last decade.

Machine learning and user interfaces, such as speech and gesture recognition, will boost efficiency and possibly eliminate knowledge work completely.

G Suite has been using this kind of technology in responding to emails already.

Moreover, the general public believes in tech giants, like Apple and Microsoft, and the ‘common’ people have been showing their support and interest in these companies. This is evidenced by the rise in the index of the NASDAQ Stock Market. The stocks after the Dotcom bubble in the 90s have been on the rise due to the constantly evolving high end technology. By the 2030s, there is no doubt that we will be living in a world of fully autonomous machines, programmed to work in accordance with the obstacles they face.

The manufacturing industry is likely to see a huge rise in the use of 3-D printers as well. 3-D printers have been heavily used to print parts from PLA (Polylactic Acid), but there has been no technology designed yet to use metals to print 3-D objects. It could be possible in future that the manufacturing and material science industry be highly dependent on 3-D printers and shorten the cycle for supply change management, which would lighten the impact of them in the economy of many manufacturing countries.

Overall, I believe that AI and machine learning will govern 70% of the economy of any industry based on tech. 60% of smart devices in the world are connected to the internet, and I believe that this trajectory will continue into smart devices that are linked closer with AI and machine learning. In my opinion, AI interest will continue to rise until the year 2030, which would potentially change the dynamics of the world as human resources depend more and more on machines.

Apart from AI and machine learning, the world will see development in the field of medical engineering.

With advances in computer processing speeds, we will see a commensurate advance in genetic engineering technologies. Agriculture will be improved, fossil fuel use will be reduced, and human life expectancy will be extended thanks to DNA sequencing technologies and advanced analytics.

These are the potential technologies that we might see in the future world and could be a great inclusion to our lives. The technology related to AI and machine learning will continue to grow and we will see new innovations in the technology over the years.

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Memorabilia Maddie Rose The collection of trinkets formed a kind of story -So many pieces, a diverse multitude -Linking together in a strange yet lovely glory.

Perhaps you could figure out how her life ensued.

Her eyes flicked over each individual antique And glossed over with imagery of times past.

Scenes playing like cinema; ambient memories.

Oh, how time dances so fast.

Circling around her, three hundred twirls Before she even took a step.

As her memory swims through an ocean of dreams, She feels a small but sudden grip.

A girl in a dress with a tear-stained face.

A face young but familiar to her.

As if she'd seen it in the mirror, a similar figure, Many times, many years before.

"Tell me," she spoke, this young, gentle creature, Timid but with a begging tone.

"Tell me how it ends. Tell me how it goes.

Tell me, I need to know."

Kneeling down to meet her eye-to-eye, The woman knew what to say.

"It gets better. It gets easier.

But pain never goes away.

I remember that feeling and how I learned To heal, to stand and how To keep on going. I've got more to learn.

I know there is better to come.

So no matter how I feel, or how I cry I'll continue to carry on."

A faint smile of empathy Passed between the two.

"The last thing I want to say is I'm so proud of you.

Look at how far you've come.

Look at where you've been.

Look at how amazing you are, Even if you can't see it.

Not every day has to be perfect, Not even good or okay.

But please, take another step.

Better is coming your way."

"All I can say, without spoiling the journey Is that you go through a lot.

Sometimes, the days when you're at your worst You're going to feel like you've lost.

But you keep going. Just for one day.

Then another, and another more.

It's sore and hurts but after some time You'll find it doesn't hurt so bad anymore.

"I don't know how it ends, I'm not done yet.

And I still cry all of the time.

But the tears come less and the smiles come more.

It's hard, but I try.

I know it gets better because I remember you I know why you're crying right now.

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Liminal Time Maddie Rose This is what the end feels like. A cliff-edge far behind you. Nothingness flying toward you like a flash flood. Knowing it’s a portal to a beginning doesn't make it feel any less terrifying or heartbreaking. Watching that cliff speckled with memories fall further away as an ocean's worth of tears stream down your cheeks. You blink another tear off the edge of your eyelash as it envelops you. You're in the nothingness. Limbo. Purgatory. The end has ended. The beginning has yet to begin. You lie in wait. After your body is lifted so suddenly into this black hole, the absolute inertia of nothing makes you dizzy. There's a pinhole of light but it is too far away and you can't move. The pinhole becomes a doorway and your body feels lighter. A handshake. A smile. A coffee. A laugh.

The nothingness turns a lighter shade of dark.

Your toes clench and your heart comes rapidly alive as your soul finally reaches the light. This is what the beginning feels like.

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Tree of Life Words: Lucy Egan

“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked… and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest and as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and one by one they plopped to the ground at my feet.”

– Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar I remember reading this quote for the first time when I had to read The Bell Jar for HSC English.

I remember thinking that summed up pretty accurately how I was feeling when I was trying to decide what university degree I would apply for through UAC; what kind of ATAR I was aiming for and what kind of future I would choose for myself.

Sometimes you do have those moments in life when you can see the future branching out in front of you with different options for which path you might take. Sometimes it’s easily in reach and other times it seems so far away it’s almost unattainable.

That particular quote stuck with me (I know, really; out of everything that transpires in that book, it seems kind of unbelievable, right?). Sometimes, I find it comforting that there can be so many existences, choices, and opportunities, and other times frustrating and doubt-inspiring. What if I make the wrong decision? What if I choose something that’s not ripe to be picked yet, or something that has rotted already?

I didn’t really know what degree I wanted to do when I was in high school. I believed, when I was

younger, that everyone older than me knew what they were doing and what they wanted in life.

By Year Twelve, I realised that they actually didn’t know, they were just figuring it out as they went. I have always wanted to be a writer since I was little, but could I get a job as one? Telling people I was doing a Bachelor of Arts was always an interesting experience, and I would be quick to add that I have another qualification that guarantees regular work, unlike the uncertain career of ‘a writer’.

People would generally relax visibly at that, and I would feel like a liar.

You may, from these few paragraphs, be able to tell a few things about me already. I am a worry wart. I am indecisive (something I can’t even blame on being a Libra). I am an English major. I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot this year (amongst other things, I’m not just sitting ruminating on my potential future and nothing else) as I am in my Honours year, and must start to make decisions for next year. I started Honours because it seemed like a natural progression from the end of my BA; I like writing and researching, it supposedly makes you more employable, and chiefly, I wasn’t sure what to do next.

Now, I know one could say my indecisiveness is my fault for doing a Bachelor of Arts. There is no definitive job waiting at the end of the three years (or, if you’re me, five years); nothing concrete at least. I felt naïve when I started Honours and people in my class started talking about careers in academia and how they were keen to establish themselves in a higher research degree space. I felt very silly. Here I was, signing up for another year at uni, and more HECS debt, because I wasn’t sure what to do next.

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And it was a good choice! I’m loving Honours and my classmates and my thesis project. But it’s still hovering over me: the great question of next year.

And I know that it will all work out in the end. And despite my fears of what I will do post-BA degree, there are a lot of options that I’m currently tossing up. If I get the marks, do I want to continue in academia? Or do I want to go into industry? And if I do go into it, what field or area will I go for? Or maybe I should travel, or study overseas? The world has expanded for me in a way I couldn’t have imagined when I started as an undergraduate student in 2018.

I know it’s all very hypothetical and somewhat privileged; ultimately I must make a choice to continue to exist in a capitalist economy, earning money to survive.

And whilst I’m a dreamer, I also know that as a realist– that I will have to make a decision, pick that fig, and find out whether it was good or not. But in the meantime, it’s fun to dream right?

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The Indescribable Power of His Comedy Bo Burnham’s ‘Inside’ One Year Later Words: Stephanie Jenkins

Over a year ago, comedian Bo Burnham’s 2021 Netflix special Inside sent waves through the collective consciousness of all people affected by lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Built around the central spire of a man’s deteriorating mental health, the comedy-special-meets-mockumentary-meetsmusical-comedy-meets-philosophical-monologue marked the long-awaited return of Burnham to the comedy scene. Five years prior to Inside’s release, Burnham quit performing to address the anxiety and panic attacks that plagued him onstage. In his own words, “I spent that time trying to improve myself mentally. And you know what? I did!” Then, like an ominous cloud, the Covid-19 pandemic swept the whole world into the unfamiliarity of lockdowns, isolation, and fear.

One year later, on the one-year anniversary of Inside’s release, Burnham posted The Inside Outtakes to YouTube. A one-hour-long blooper reel, The Outtakes feature extended footage of the special’s production, including writing and filming, recording, and additional songs that didn’t quite make it. Burnham also cleverly plays with the platform to include satirised ads and further his critique of digital culture and performativity. While The Outtakes provide a more jovial lens through which to re-engage with Burnham’s special, for the anniversary of Inside I wanted to take a look back over the original and ask: Has anything changed?

Written, directed, filmed, edited, and performed

by Burnham completely in the guest house of his home during the 2020 and 2021 Covid-19 lockdowns in the US, Inside paints a raw, poignant, but eerily authentic picture of what many people experienced during the pandemic-enforced isolation. Rooted in an introspective consideration of performativity and mental health, the special also touches on other widespread issues such as isolation, climate change, relationships in the digital age, technological

dependence, and the deteriorating state of social, cultural, and political affairs. I find it hard to describe Inside to those that are yet to watch it—to accurately portray the passion that I feel for it. You say ‘comedy special’ and people expect to laugh; but filtered through the hilarious and uncomfortably accurate musical comedy are deeply discomfiting B-roll monologues, philosophical musings, and a documentary of life in isolation that brings tears to my eyes still to this day.

The special won many awards following its release but none more essential to the collective consciousness of the digital landscape as Inside’s significant adoption

by TikTok. Many, if not all, of the original songs from the Inside soundtrack made appearances on the app—a testament to the show’s immense impact on its audience at a time when we needed it most. Watching or listening to the special now, at a time when the pandemic seems to have largely left our collective social consciousness, may remind us of the intricacies of living in a world locked down. It may spark an odd feeling of nostalgia—that unsettling, rose-coloured sheen that our memories of early lockdown life seem to take on.

So, I ask again: Has anything changed? Yes, of course it has. The Earth continues to spin onward; time unfolding before us the same as it always has. But Inside’s snapshot of isolation may continue to ripple through our world for a long time to come. More than a historical artefact—a contextualised piece of digital archaeology—Burnham’s special acts as a mirror to ourselves that can continue to be held before us as we move through growing up, growing old, and growing onward, together.

Inside can be streamed on Netflix, The Inside Outtakes on YouTube, and the Inside (Deluxe) soundtrack on Spotify.

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Image source : Netflix Bo Burnham Inside

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UON Says Goodbye to Excessive Environmental Waste

Refurbishing AV Equipment is Bringing the University to a Sustainable Future

Each fully assemb responsibly resou Words: Esme Piper The University is taking some practical steps toward a greener, more sustainable future, and IT Services is committed to enabling the University's sustainability mission.

And here’s the next big thing: the University Refurbishing AV Equipment! (That’s ‘Audio Visual’ Equipment, for all the non-tech folks).

Every five years, classrooms, offices, learning spaces, and libraries here at UON are fitted out with brand new technologies: desks, chairs, and equipment.

However, as the University moves forward into a more sustainable future, the days of excessive waste are gone.

Throughout 2022, IT Services have been carefully assessing the Digital Excellence Strategy (2021-2025), and the importance of the sustainability initiative was raised. The University has over 37,000 students and 2,600 staff members across 14 campuses, and it’s time to step up on our action against climate change and towards environmental sustainability.

As the University turns to a stronger focus on sustainability across the campuses, the way that

equipment is utilised, refurbished, and recycled is also being revolutionised. IT Services is targeting two different methods for delivering a more resourceful, beneficial, and restructured approach to refurbishing equipment. By strategising which equipment needs to be replaced, updated, or refurbished, IT Services are dispersing existing equipment throughout the University, across campuses and classrooms. An example of this is the refurbishment of projectors – if they’re no longer required in a certain room, they can be repurposed across different faculties, rather than just going to waste!

Another approach that the University has adopted to maintain sustainability throughout the campuses is the recycle and resale of elements of unused equipment, from lecterns and monitor frames to computers and microphones. By distributing equipment in this way, the University is taking initiative to design around what we already have, not simply what the space might demand – slowly reducing our carbon footprint through a recycling strategy. This also provides cheaper alternatives for people who purchase materials from the University, as some of the equipment is well within shelf life or great working condition.

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bled piece cost approximately $65K, this is now being urced and reused!

Ready to package and sell as a reduced recycled cost for other uses

Items to be dispersed throughout the University’s campuses IT Services will provide exemplary leadership in this, and future, sustainable resource management.

As the University progresses on their sustainability journey, they’re embarking on becoming a leader in environmentally conscious outcomes and practices in our regions, and the higher education sector. By delivering a clear action path for positive change, the University will improve its environmental sustainability performance and result in lasting financial and social benefits.

Recycled doors from lecterns

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Horoscopes Words: Stephanie Jenkins The future is invisible. Unknowable. A mysterious journey through the stars set against a backdrop of true black. Astrology, tarot, runes–all the tools at our disposal to catch a glimmer into that infinite unknown–may not give us a reading of the future proper; but rather help us to understand our existence on this beautiful Earth just a little more. This issue, I have drawn connections between each sign and a card from the Major Arcana to help provide a torch in the light for all those who wander through this liminal space that lies somewhere between past and future.

Aries Mar 21 – Apr 19 The Emperor - #4 Like Ares himself, ruled by Mars and ruler subsequent of war and courage, The Emperor represents authority and reason.

While he can symbolise selfdetermination and a control over one’s life, he can also represent rebellion if the heart and head are not considered in tandem.

Taurus Apr 20 – May 20 The Hermit - #9 Often misinterpreted as symbolising isolation alone, The Hermit is more accurately drawn to represent spiritual solitude, healing, and enlightenment. See how they hold their torch ahead of them to light the way? Peer into the reaches of the lamplight and you might act as a beacon for the lost.

Gemini May 21 – Jun 20 Temperance - #14 The twins, so often at odds, Gemini may find solace in the balance that Temperance brings. A symbol of moderation, Temperance can indicate a taming of life’s turbulence.

However, it can also represent the inverse: indulgence and excess. Come back to the root of yourself and water that soil.

Cancer Jun 21 – Jul 22 The Hanged Man - #12 Limbo: that transient space between cause and effect.

Perhaps you are caught paralysed; stuck at a crossroads in your life.

Or maybe your limbo looks more like a tightrope dance between one risk and another. Let go for a moment and feel the release that freefalling might grant you.

Libra Sep 23 – Oct 22 The High Priestess - #3 Sensual and powerful, the High Priestess demands rightful attention. A symbol of intuition, she demands to be heard. Like reading a book, the High Priestess asks you to construct whole worlds within you–and to rule over them with determination.

Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 21 Justice - #11 Karma may lie in the realm of eccentrics, but cause and effect is indisputable. Actions have consequences, and the Justice card may indicate a ruling in your favour. However, in other readings, it can also represent retribution or a lack of accountability. Perhaps reflect over your actions in light of current events.

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Leo Jul 23 – Aug 22 The Star - #17 Trials have been passed through, obstacles have been patched, and contentment now floods the reservoir of your life. The Star’s positive power can bleed into every card in the spread!

However, it can sometimes also symbolise a need for revitalisation.

The Star represents healing– whatever that means to you.

Virgo Aug 23 – Sep 22 The Chariot - #7 Travelling forward towards one’s destiny, The Chariot represents victory, control, and the navigation of obstacles. Keep hold of those reins, for the road has not yet ended. Do not let the view of victory from the seat of your chariot blind you to the potholes on your path.

Sagittarius Nov 22 – Dec 21 The Fool - #0 Like the Joker in a pack of playing cards, The Fool is flighty and twisted. A symbol of new beginnings, The Fool can represent both the joys of a journey begun but also the recklessness of a cliff’s edge lying in wait. Look before you step, but step you must.

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 19 Death - #13 Not a physical death, but a spiritual death that spurs new and burgeoning life. Death’s transformation can sometimes be sudden, but grief and growth are essential. Holding on to your past can halt your forward movement and force you to linger in a limbo of discomfort and stagnation.

Aquarius Jan 20 – Feb 18 The Magician - #1 All that you need comes from within. Representing inner knowledge and intimate power, The Magician asks you to manifest your own destiny.

However, it can also warn of inner demons and mental fog.

Watch out for energy vampires and guard your learned knowledge.

Pisces Feb 19 – Mar 20 Wheel of Fortune - #10 The Wheel of Fortune symbolises luck. Neither good nor bad, this card is a karmic representation of where your path may take you.

Change is coming, as it always does, and remembering that the future is still in the process of being written may offer you some comfort while the Earth spins onward.

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University of Newcastle Students Association Publication Future Issue July 2022

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