The Viral Edition

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The PLC Armidale College Kaleidoscope thecollegekaleidoscope

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THE VIRAL ISSUE

Viral Issue The Viral Issue The Viral Issue The Viral Issue The Viral

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letter from the editors

letter from the editors Hello Everyone and welcome back to our second issue of the PLC Armidale College Kaleidoscope! - ‘The Viral Issue’. Ironically enough, we chose the title ‘The Viral Issue’ a long time before the ‘Coronavirus’ became a household name, but the virus inevitably had some tumultuous effects on our publication.

The past few months have been very trying times, not only for our school community but the wider world. Our routines have been completely upended, jobs have disappeared, communities have struggled, economies have crashed and lives have been lost. Our world has become a very broken place, increasingly divided and in ruins following the inumerable tragedies that in some way or another have affected us all.

Yet throughout this turbulent time, our team has remained united, our contributors have continued to work just as hard and we have been able to create something truly special that we are so very proud of.

The theme of ‘virality’ is often one associated with the internet or more recently COVID-19; however, we have taken many different approaches to this title. In this issue we explore the pressures of conforming to a ‘viral image’, discover the benefits and detriments of online learning and investigate the important work of the ‘Free Burma Rangers’. We talk to some pretty cool people (like Kevin Rudd and the cast of Masterchef 2020!!!), find out why crime is glorified in the media and provide an avenue for you all to figure out ‘Which Viral Meme You Are’. Suffice to say, this issue is pretty special.

But for the two of us, this issue is especially special, because it is actually our last one. We started this magazine last year, with the vague hope of providing students at our school with a voice, but we never could have predicted the enthusiasm that would be shown by the girls within our school and our wider community. We are eternally grateful to you, our readers, for allowing us to reestablish the first ‘student-led’ magazine after a very long time in PLC’s history and for providing us and every student at our school with a platform to speak our minds. A massive thank you especially to our brilliant mentor Mrs Tier, our Managing Editor Shelby Philp and our wonderful staff who collectively helped us to create this issue. It is a bittersweet goodbye to leave the Scope, but it is comforting to know that we are leaving our beloved publication in the capable hands of the next editors - Pearl Rogers and Esther Eickhoff. We have absolutely loved being your Editors-in-Chief for the past year and are so so proud to see what this magazine has become.

We wish you only the best.

With so much love, Thurkka and Izzy

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CONT

The Vira

IN THE SCHOOL

02. 06. 09.

Isolation?

Schmisolation.

Letter From the Editors

16.

Media Manipulation

18. 19.

Smiling to Spread Joy

FEATURES & HUMAN INTERESTS

24.

An Interview with Kevin Rudd

Asking Students Random Questioons

Yellow Vest Movement

27. 28.

It’s Possible: The Story of Pythagoras

Hope in the Darkest of Places THE COLLEGE QUIZZES

34. 36. 38.

Tik Tok

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Which Viral Meme Are You?

Crossword Corner

contents

TENTS

al Issue

NEWS & OPINION

10. 12. 14.

“What’s in a Name?”

Check Your Privilege

Glorification of Criminals

ARTS

20. 21. 22.

Art Gone Viral

Tree (Short Story)

Kaleidoscope of Poetry

ENTERTAINMENT

30. 32. 33.

A Look Into Masterchef 2020

Unlikely Animal Friends

What do Your Dreams Mean?

39 40 41.

Cartoon Corner

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Meet the Team

Contact Us

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isolation? sc

covid-19 and what it ha 2020 started in a way no horoscope could have predicted.

The global spread of COVID-19 had tumultuous impacts on our wider global community, but the flow-on effects reached even our fairly isolated town. What we have seen over the past few months, however, wasn’t a school in disarray but a community that managed to stay connected in spite of physical distances. From class ‘zooms’ to Wellbeing Wednesdays, we found that we could tackle anything (even a global pandemic). Here’s how.

online school PEARL ROGERS & TOMASINA MODEL

The end of term one became a learning curve for many, with the first implementation of at-home learning via video chats and online platforms. Now we have seen our fair share of awkward angles, messy rooms and teacher mishaps, but we must thank our whole community, (teachers and students alike) for acting open-mindedly, responsibly and for being able to adapt to new circumstances so quickly.

Thank you to the teachers for coming into school every day, working out how zoom works and maybe having a bit of trouble along the way!

Photos from Year 11 and 12’s online classes

online assembly THURKKA JEYAKUMAR

With online school came online assembly. For the first few weeks of term we were watching assembly on Youtube and filming it from home. Now that we’re all back at school, however, assembly is back to being live, even if it isn’t (as of yet) back to being ‘normal’. With most of the senior school ‘zooming’ in to live proceedings, it has definitely taken a different shape, but despite the change, assemblies and chapels are running efficiently throughout the school - a true mark of our capacity to adapt.

A very new and important part of these assemblies is both Charlie’s Sports Challenge and Sarah’s Creative Arts Challenge - challenges that help keep us stimulated and connected. Alternating each week, we’ve had some incredible responses to the tasks they’ve set (for an example see Page 32).

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in the school

chmisolation.

as meant for our school

school-wide challenges IZZY TAYLOR

On top of this, there have been a number of school-wide challenges. Every week, Wellbeing Wednesday saw us posing with our pets, wearing funky socks or brushing ‘crazy hair’. We’ve also had heaps of fun organising the Prefect Connect Sessions on Wednesday afternoons. Thanks to everyone who came along to these!

src update THURKKA JEYAKUMAR

SRC this term has looked quite different as well. Meetings were initially held online, events were cancelled and some initiatives were altered. In the end, however, the SRC has tried to utilise our abilities to aid the community around us in any way possible, in spite of the distances between us.

Pink Cupcakes for the Glen McGrath Foundation

Year 10 attempted to raise awareness for breast cancer and the McGrath Foundation by initiating a ‘Pink Cupcake Competition’. Students from Pre-K to 12 baked and decorated pink cupcakes of which photos were taken and sent into the Remote Learning Email Address. The winners of this competition were Maya Hess in the Senior School and Amelia Webb in the Junior school and money will be donated to the McGrath Foundation in their name. Congratulations, guys!

JUNIOR SCHOOL: 1st - Amelia Webb, 2nd - Madeline Dettwiler, 3rd - Lailah Nelson-Straub

SENIOR SCHOOL: 1st - Maya Hess, 2nd - Genie Inglis, 3rd - Harriet Gilpin

Letters to Ken Thompson Lodge IZZY TAYLOR

In another attempt to remain connected to our community amidst a global pandemic, Year 12 students have been writing letters to the senior citizens at the Armidale retirement village Ken Thompson Lodge. Eight girls took up the challenge and it has been incredibly rewarding to say the least. The initiave began after discovering the residents at Ken Thompson Lodge were beginning to feel quite lonely during their own isolations. Because of this, we

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began writing letters as a way of relieving some of the stress and tension that came along with adjusting to a new way of life. Writing the letters has enabled us to form unlikely friendships and helped create a connection within the community that will truly be valued. Whilst there is an obvious age gap, the friendships we have formed will forever impact us and hopefully inspire the years below to take up the challenge and connect with someone new through a letter.

impacts on year 12

an interview with Year 12 Student Shelby Philp Was Year 12 online school worse, better or the same as face-to-face school?

For me, it was practically the same. Because we were given all our work ahead of time and the procedure was very structured, the actual education component was incredibly similar. To some extent, it was actually slightly better, because it meant I could work at my own pace. That said, I know for some other Year 12s, not being able to talk to their teachers face-to-face was incredibly challenging.

Do you feel that you’ve missed any part of the ‘Year 12 experience’ because of online school?

There have definitely been things that we missed, for example our last athletics carnival, our last cross country and our last autumn festival. On top of this, there have also been quite a few initiatives and proposals that had already been approved, but were cancelled due to COVID-19. That said, there have also been some experiences that we gained. I doubt any other Year 12 class can say that they ever did all of pastoral care lying in their

beds, so it isn’t all negatives.

What do you think about NESA’s decision to continue with the HSC? As much as I don’t want to do the actual exams (like, AT ALL), I think that it makes sense. Every school’s assessments are different so I don’t know how else they would make it fair for all HSC students.

And the last one: What do you think about the UAC’s (University Admission Centre) decision not to include COVID-19 as a consideration factor for UNI applications?

I understand it to an extent, because we were all affected by the pandemic. What I don’t like is that it doesn’t take into consideration how different students were affected differently. Because I had access to the internet, school essentially carried on the same. But HSC students that didn’t have this access or the resources PLC provided me with have been significantly disadvantaged. Hopefully this is something that they keep in mind when assessing these UNI applications.

conclusion

These past few months have been a truly unique experience for the students at PLC. Our day-to-day lives changed quite drastically and we saw ourselves challenged in a way we have never been before. But in the end, what we saw was our students rise to the occasion and our school manage to stay connected in the midst of such a tumultuous time. A massive thank you to all of our teachers and the staff for making online school so enjoyable and to all the students for being so willing to adapt to new circumstances and engage in new activities. Yay for PLC!

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in the school

asking students random questions INTERVIEWS BY LIBBY COOK AND MIA MONTGOMERY Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?

Keira Peet - I hate being late. So - 20 minutes early. Even though being early makes me uncomfortable as well.

If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be?

Izzy Taylor - Boomerang by Jojo Siwa.

Would you rather be covered in fur or scales?

Paige McKenzie - I would rather be covered in scales cause who doesn’t want to look like Edward Cullen in the sun? Also having fur all over me would annoy me.

What’s your favorite Aussie Drama TV show?

Eva Flannery - Round the Twist. It was legendary. Straight facts.

What would you do if you were trapped on a deserted island?

Pearl Rogers - Teach the monkeys on the island the choreography to the ‘We Can’t Back Down’ dance from Camp Rock 2.

What’s the scariest dream you’ve ever had?

Thurkka - Probably isn’t the scariest dream but I did have a dream once that my friends and I turned into sticks of butter and we had to melt to save a dying forest.

What’s the most interesting thing you have found in your food?

Shelby Philip - A chicken feather. I’m never going to forget that.

Which teacher would you like to go on a cruise ship with?

Sarah Hughes - Probably Mrs Alison Dare. She seems fun.

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“what’s in The 2020 Year 12 Proposal

BY YEAR 1

Earlier this year, as the graduating class of 2020, we introduced a proposal to change our current guild names. It was a pretty big proposal, one that sparked widespread support, a myriad of questions and debate and some condemnation. So why are we pushing for it?

Well after months of research, what we found is not only a need for change, but a way to improve our connection to our school and our community.The current guilds are named after four Australian explorers or statesman - Sir John Forrest, Augustus Gregory, Lachlan Macquarie and William Wentworth. While it is undeniable that these men contributed in some manner to the formation of modern Australia, what we found by looking through the archives and speaking to members

of staff— was that these names were actually selected almost at random, with no significant link to our school community or our heritage. Beyond this, these explorers expressed racist and chauvinistic tendencies that were harmful to Aboriginal communities.

What this essentially showed us is that there is a fundamental difference between the beliefs of these men and our values as a school, particularly because we are an allgirls-school with such a high regard for our Indigenous community. But more than this, because these men have such little connection to our school we believe that by changing our guild names, we can accentuate

“I really like this you guys to ma makes our s - Piper Starr (Y

“I think it’s an outstanding idea.

Having female role models at an all-girls-school is so important.”

- Mr Shumack (Head of STEAM)

“You guys have given us reasonable and valid points for change and I honestly feel we would be disadvantaged by not listening to them” - Pearl Rogers (Year 11 Student)

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“As a girls’ school, I believe that perpetuating a patriarchy is a borderline insult and an affront to the school’s mission statement “Educating successful women of tomorrow.”.

- Ms Templeton (Visual Arts Teacher)

in the school

a name?” to change our Guild Names

12 2020

our relationship to our community and our history.

There are two models that we believe will help us achieve this. The first model is influential Australian women — women that not only contributed significantly to our country as a whole but also our school and our community.

This model gives us the opportunity to honour women that have shaped our history and provides our students with strong role models to look up to. The second model is past locations of PLC. These include Tulloch, Westholme, Birida, McRae, Scott and Montrose. This model also connects us to our history and our community, and especially to our Old Girls.

s idea and I want ake it happen. It school better.”

Year 9 Student)

“I now would feel guilty chanting the names we have, knowing what those men said and did.

I truly hope this proposal gets passed.

- Heidi Martin (Year 10 Student)

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We have received mixed feelings regarding the change, however, as a year group believe that this proposal will genuinely benefit our school.

Change is often a scary thing and letting go of something that has been such a significant part of our history will be hard to do but we are confident that this change will be worth it.

In the end, what this proposal allows us to do is both pay respect to the past and look to the future. It makes us stronger as a school and as a community. Because of this we hope so strongly that it garners the support it needs - to change our school for the better.

“I agree with it fully. It makes sense and there is a really strong reason.”

- Huna Moghaddar (Year 8 Student)

“I think it’s a really really good idea. If we change it to women, it presents strong role models for our students.”

- Teya Catterall (Year 7 Student)

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check your privilege

BY ISABELLE TAYLOR

Photos from Protests for George Floyd - Courtesy of Ashley Landis and Dai Sugano

I’ve grown up in a household that always has the radio playing. Its echo circulates throughout my home and enriches my daily routine. I find myself listening to everything from truck drivers trying desperately to answer trivia to the odd caller who believes they must fill everyone in on the latest conspiracy. I would say I am acclimatised to its playback and often don’t notice it as readily as the visitors in my house. Yet at the awkward moments when the news begins and the tragedies of our world begin to roll in, story by story, I am signalled by an internal mechanism to leave the room and ignore the pressing matters that are impacting thousands.

It’s a pretty ignorant and harmful thing to do.

So why do I keep finding myself doing it? What allows me to avoid uncomfortable questions?

What allows me to live my life the way I live it, without an impending fear of death at the hands of the law or neglect from my government and its people? The answer - my privilege.

Whilst I face my own problems in life, the overwhelming privilege that has been thrust upon me since birth enables me to closet myself from the world’s catastrophes. If I choose not to think or act upon the systemic injustices within other people’s lives, nothing will change for me, I can continue to thrive within the institutions and communities that are tailored to my every need. My position within the world as a white, middle-class student who has never and will never face the disadvantages of racial discrimination, a failing healthcare system or a substandard education has enabled me to 012 012

amass a significant amount of privilege that I often fail to recognise.

Acknowledging privilege is often an uncomfortable internal conversation. Honestly, it took me a while to understand what the term even meant. But in the midst of a global pandemic, the privilege of having easy access to an incredibly efficient healthcare system became even more obvious to me. Following the murder of George Floyd and the reactive protests not only across America but within my home nation, the privilege afforded to me by the very colour of my skin was explicitly exposed. The televising and coverage of the crisis in Yemen stripped away the divisive curtain separating first and third world countries to reveal the 1.3 million children under five who are suffering from the effects of malnutrition, a corrupt government and now COVID-19. This exposure to the tragedy was unbearable, too uncomfortable, too awkward to recognise but I made myself sit through it. I researched and wrestled with ideas, I argued with myself and talked to my friends who had experienced similar things because even though I had never encountered them I knew that I had to acknowledge the power these handicaps hold over certain groups within our society. As a beneficiary of immense social privilege, I had never imagined my life without the advantages given to me simply by the colour of my skin.

Having privilege does not mean that an individual is immune to life’s hardships, but it does mean having an unearned benefit or advantage one receives in society by nature news and opinion

Photos from Yemen Crisis - Courtesy of BBC and Hani Mohammed

of their identity. Once we recognise this privilege, we can start to visualise our life without it and understand that we by virtue of our race, economic standing or homeland are sheltered from the atrocities others are exposed to. Raising questions of privilege is not easy. It can be confronting for some; it may cause a good deal of discomfort. Yet it is not about apportioning individual blame or culpability. This is because privilege is not so much personal as it is structural. In an interview with the New Yorker, Peggy McIntosh, an American activist, reflected on how talking about privilege shouldn’t lead to divisive arguments or bitter confrontations but something positive: ‘it has to do with looking around yourself the way sociologists do and seeing the big patterns in the rest of society while keeping a balance and respecting your experience’ Social justice issues are everyone’s problem. If you are oppressed, you are fighting a daily battle against injustice. If you are not oppressed, it is important to consider if you are somehow a part of or even an active player in being the oppressor. Even if we are not involved in the oppressive actions, it is our responsibility to consider ways we can use our own privilege to help fight these injustices. How do you spend your money and resources? Who benefits and who suffers as a result of the societal choices you make? How can you use your rights to help change systems? How are you staying informed so that you can be the viral issue the viral issue

a part of crucial conversations and use your democratic rights to influence the system?

How can you raise awareness in your social circles? Social justice issues are systemic.

They exist because those of us with power in the system allow them to be perpetuated. Considering these questions and others along these lines are the first steps in changing the systems.

The radio will always be running throughout my house. Whilst I can shut my door or hide in my room, ignorance will never serve as a panacea. I have to learn to accept my privilege, no matter how uncomfortable or awkward it may be and I encourage you to do the same thing. Educate yourself, talk to others and check your privilege. There is no tool more powertful than dialogue. This ability to speak, to encourage rhetoric and pedagogy that highlights what is being misheard, misrepresented or ignored, is the metaphorical wrecking ball that we need to crumble institutionalised oppression.

So yes, radio will always be running throughout my house, it’s something that I just can’t escape. But to improve the lives of others and better the world we share, it’s time to start listening to it rather than discounting its impact and ignoring its importance.

The gap will always be there, the inherent inequality between men and women, indigenous Australians and the colonists, the wealthy and the poor. Closing it is the job of the privileged - yet we fail time and time again. It’s time to do better, 013 013

the glorification of criminals Why are we so intrigued by crime and its horror?

BY JOSIE FLINT

Imagine you’re on Facebook, scrolling mindlessly through your feed waiting for something to grab your attention. You see a brutal, gory headline about a massive criminal investigation or a tragic murder alongside an image of police tape and a sprinkling of blood.

You’ll click it, right? I know I always do. Whether it’s a tragedy we witness in our everyday lives or the vivid headlines that fill newspapers and flood social media feeds, we are compelled to pick apart the ordeal and evaluate the aftermath. Why can’t we look away?

From the second we switch on our phones, open our newspapers or turn on the TV we are hit with wave upon wave of viral news, flooding our feeds with ‘grabby’ titles. Now more than ever during this pandemic we’re seeing sensationalism at its finest. Considering humanity’s obsession with all things tragic and morbid, it’s no surprise that the true crime genre has risen to become one of the most popular. Delving into real-life tragedies with high production value allows the audience to think critically and re-evaluate, as botched trials are explored and the backstory to the crimes is illustrated, often alongside narration to craft the perfect narrative, one that will keep watchers hooked and wanting more. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly apparent that these advantages are often outweighed by the genre’s tendency

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to lean into a preconceived narrative, exploit suffering, manipulate public opinion, glorify criminals and prioritise ratings over morality.

I, by no means, am a bystander in this wave of true crime documentaries and dramas that have hurtled into popular culture the past few years.

From the Casefile True Crime podcast, Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos’s Netflix show Making A Murderer to the HBO series Jinx and more recently, Netflix originals like Unbelievable, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez and the infamous Tiger King have no doubt been parading your screens.

It’s no surprise that these shows and podcasts dominate the charts, I love them for their strangeness and the sheer spectacle.

The portrayal of key figures convicted of committing the heinous crimes depicted is also widely debated and potentially problematic, sparking conversations of ethics, the most recent and well-known example being Joe Exotic from Netflix’s newest crime documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness that took the world by storm. On-

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screen, Joe is a crazy yet lovable big cat owner who will stop at nothing to take out his rival and protect his tigers. In reality, he is currently in jail convicted on two counts of murder for hire, eight violations of the Lacey Act and nine violations of the Endangered Species Act. Alongside these, he supposedly shot his tigers and has been labelled as an abusive manipulator who targeted young and impressionable people. Despite these pretty condemning convictions, much of this was excluded from the documentary and subsequently the internet flooded with memes of praise. In an attempt to captivate audiences, producers often sideline ethics to sensationalise coverage of crimes.

In the HBO original, producers of The Jinx withheld their prime suspect’s confession from authorities until the finale had aired, thus suspending justice to increase ratings and media buzz, highlighting their warped commitment to theatrics over moral obligation.

Aside from the use of actual crimes as entertainment, public footage can be used without consent, leaving many of the victims and their families with no real way to object. To craft the perfect murder story, real-life tragedy is openly dissected, displayed and explored

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in the limelight, morphing reality into tales for public consumption with engrossed viewers often forgetting the prolonged and very real suffering of victims.

These are just a few of the ways that true crime can be morally and ethically difficult. Is it inherently disrespectful to treat real lives as a spectacle? Do we want to know the gory details because we care about the victim or because it excites us? Do we crane our necks at all that is tragic and bloody because we’re concerned or for pure entertainment? Do we examine crime scene photos out of pity or because we’re fascinated? Realistically, what are the advantages and potential dangers of deciding the law is wrong, and what practical impact does taking evidence out of a courtroom and displaying it to the world really have over a case? To what extent is true-crime ‘objective’; is it even possible to create an entirely objective narrative within the genre?

These questions are often easy to pose and difficult to answer.

Now more than ever the line between investigation and titillation is more blurred, and with the rise of global phenomena like Serial the influx of content has taken the world by storm. The truecrime genre truly does have the potential to open minds, however, to do so ethically one must abandon the sensationalism of tragedy for the sake of entertainment.

We need to remain conscious about what we are consuming, and never take subjective information and interpretation as fact.

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media man

Social Media and how

BY SARAH WATERS A

ILLUSTRATION BY BE

Social Media. It’s what entertains us, gives us information, helps us communicate, and is the basis for most of our self-confidence. And because of this, we find ourselves constantly comparing ourselves to the standards pre-determined by social media. How many times have you been scared to post something, unsure of how you look? We’re the creators and kings of the social media world and yet, we’re afraid of it.

As a result of the pressing standards of social media, most girls have felt the need to be seen and recognised as beautiful. Photos are posted in an attempt to feel loved, and people comment hatefully under the guise of a screen. As a popular Australian Instagram influencer, Essena O’Neill stated, about the effect of her social media: “I absolutely feel insecure.” (The Guardian, 2015).

Many well-known faces have spoken out about the pressure they have felt from social standards of media such as Instagram. Even celebrities such as Selena Gomez, once the most followed user of Instagram, has stated that the app “had become so consuming to me. It’s what I woke up to and went to sleep to. I was an addict, and it felt like I was seeing things I didn’t want to see, like it was putting things in my head that I didn’t want to care about. I always ended up feeling (bad) when I looked at Instagram.” (BBC, 2017). As women, we find it hard to have the confidence to stand tall and be proud of who we are, especially because of what society says is ‘acceptable’. This demand for perfection is a divisive aspect of society that perpetuates a feeling of worthlessness that resonates with so many of us.

Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, women are still subject to the societal pressure to be ‘perfect’ and this affects the portrayal of women in the media.

From the distorted photos we see on the front of Vogue to our feeds on Instagram or TikTok or even in our favourite Netflix series, we are being programmed to form ideas about beauty. Google ‘beautiful women’ and you will be confronted with photo after photo of society’s definition of beautiful. Four of the first five photos 016 016

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nipulation

w it affects women.

AND AZARIA JONES

ETHANY EICKHOFF

in Google images are of women with blonde hair and blue eyes. They are all white. They are all young. They all have similar facial features. They are photoshopped and edited, then projected to the public as the unattainable standard of beauty. And it is because of this that so many young girls, including the girls at our school, have become so insecure within themselves.

But luckily, it’s not all bad news. There are people trying to do something about it. Health agencies who specialise in areas of mental health and outreach including Beyond Blue and Mental Health Associations are advocating for these issues and women in power, such as country leaders or celebrities, are speaking out.

‘Dove’, for example, has been a huge advocate of women embracing their natural beauty. As of 2004, they have been running a campaign they call the ‘Dove Real Beauty Campaign’. In 2015, they released a video highlighting how Photoshop can alter and distort images of models that we see. The short clip went viral and showed women of all ages that these photos that we compare ourselves to are ultimately fake.

By accepting this idea that we are all inherently imperfect, we will be able to acknowledge that there is no ‘one idea’ of beauty. But to make substantial progress into accepting this FACT as a society, we have to all try to contribute to making media a positive thing, instead of an avenue for self-hate. Everyone can make a difference somewhere whether it’s choosing not to judge a photo, or deciding not to comment something negative on a post. Simple acts like this encourage positive female activity in the media.

So be the person that cheers another and makes them feel pretty, that compliments finer points of someone’s style or their personality. We create the society we live in.

And though we can’t change society’s standards, it is so so important that we do whatever we can to make it a better place. Because a strong community of women has the power to change the world. viral issue thethe viral issue

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smiling to spread joy

BY ANVITI SINHA

Smiling. Something we all do on a daily basis, but do we all know the real health benefits of it? Why is smiling the symbol that is rated the highest positive emotion content?

Smiling has lots of health benefits. It releases hormones including Dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, boosts immunity and brain function, uses both sides of the brain, keeping the brain alert, increases heart function and helps us to think logically and make better decisions.

But smiling also has positive effects for people around you. Our brains feel rewarded even when someone else smiles. One Swedish study even suggests that we can’t physically stop ourselves from smiling when we see others to smile, so it’s like an infectious line of happiness.

It is also scientifically proven that smiling can affect our performance in our work field

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or at school. A study performed by a group of economists, found that “human happiness has large and positive causal effects on productivity. Positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings, while negative emotions have the opposite effect.”

Just for the record, you can smile 129,600 times a day at maximum. But, I’m not dedicated enough to smile that many times a day (My best would be around 500). But, if every single person in our PLC school community would smile 129,600 smiles a day, we would witness around 38,880,000 a day, and a total of 6,998,400,000 smiles in one school year!

Smiling is one of the key ingredients in our survival. It is necessary in order to have a good and happy life. So, brighten this world with your wonderful smile, inspire everyone to do the same, spread joy and gain the benefits.

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the yellow vests are here to stay

BY CAITLIN HANSFORD

ILLUSTRATION BY BETHANY EICKHOFF

At the end of 2018, our news feeds and televisions were filled with images and videos of protesters rampaging through Paris and other cities in France wearing fluoro-yellow safety vests. They lit fires in the streets, blocked roads, graffitied monuments and vandalised and stole from shops. This was the start of the Yellow Vest Movement or ‘Les Gilets Jaunes’ in French. Graphic footage crowded the news for a few weeks before fading with the demands of the 24-hour-news-cycle. There has been little coverage since that has explained either its fuel or its fruits. It will surprise many that this movement, the protests and the upset, still continues, almost 18 months later.

Tensions increased in France over a growing mixture of political factors that emphasised the distance between rich and poor.

The proposal of a fuel tax hike was poorly received as it disadvantaged those with the least means and was widely believed as a step to cutting the taxes of wealthier individuals and large corporations. The government justified their actions as an attempt to fight climate change.

Various accumulating factors led to diminishing trust in the youthful President Macron. Ex-investment banker, Macron, did not help his reputation when he filmed press releases from his gold-trimmed desk surrounded by gold candlesticks and a crystal chandelier in his office of the Elysée Palace.

Upset by a future that appeared to distance the rich and the poor, citizens donned the yellow vests that they are legally required to carry in every vehicle and took to the streets.

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Hundreds of thousands then marched but with little response to their demands, they turned to more outrageous actions. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, a symbol of the aristocracy and inequality, was a target of much damage, looting and vandalism, as were many shopping centres throughout France. Riot police turned out in force with tear gas, water trucks and barricades of police shields.

Four thousand have been injured including blindness and

loss of limbs, while ten have died.

For months, many spent their weekends camped on roundabouts surrounded by placards and chanting demands at passing motorists. After continuing for a few weeks, the government scrapped the fuel tax hike but new widespread political awareness had shown the people what they needed to do to improve the conditions of inequality (Guardian, 2018).

I arrived in France to begin my exchange program as the protests began in November 2018.

I witnessed and experienced

some of the effects of the escalating violence. The blocking of many roads meant travel was limited or greatly lengthened. At school, we were often restricted to using one entrance gate only when there were normally four so that staff could ensure protesters didn’t enter the school. We had class interrupted one day as a non-violent but extremely loud protest moved past the school setting off flares, and had a gate blocked by the lighting of wooden pallets on the road.

From my observations, it seems as if a majority of French citizens are in agreement with the protesters’ motivations but are upset by their methods. The vandalism of the Arcde-Triomphe in December of 2018 created outrage and shock. It was unthinkable that one would even dream of defacing a national monument, much more a war memorial.

Talking to my host sister about the protests she said: “We knew something was going to happen, but I didn’t think it would last this long.”.

Fatigue from the ongoing protests and the interruptions they cause is widely felt but the end does not appear in sight. A now diminished but highly active group of protesters have not even been fazed by the restrictions of COVID-19.

The Yellow Vest Movement has now been exported to many countries including Australia where it has failed to gain much support. But as Australian inequalities become increasingly obvious due to the current economic upheaval, it is possible that we may soon be seeing the yellow vest on our streets too. Perhaps the shared devastations and disruption of the past few months will allow us to reevaluate just how fair we are?

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art gone viral

We all know what art is ...

But what happens when it goes viral?

BY NEVADA GUIDANCE

We’ve all heard of a viral videos, but….Viral Art? Not so common. You don’t really hear about someone painting something or doing a sketch that becomes a media sensation.

Is Viral Art even a thing?

Does something viral have to be media?

How can a piece of art be shared a gazillion times and go viral? Well, it has happened before.

A now famous street artist called “Banksy” has had his work shared a LOT. Platforms such as tumblr have hundreds of Banksy-inspired posts. And not to mention Youtube. Some Banksy related videos have approximately 1 million views, and thousands of comments.

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But how does something become viral?

What makes it so likeable? Well, you’ll find that content that evokes and especially provokes an emotional response is more likely to go viral.

The more you think about it, doesn’t it make sense?

How about that cute picture your friend sent you that’s now your screensaver? Or that GIF that you always send to people?

So, in conclusion Viral It’s all viral!

Art is basically like an extremely shared video or pic. Viral Art is all around us. And we all know what art is….

Right?

arts

tree

SHORT STORY BY NERISSA HALLMAN I want to experience the wind blowing around me as I feel the sun’s rays. I want to speak with the birds and the butterflies. I want to enjoy the company of billions of blossoms in the spring. I want to give sweet apples to the children who ride their bikes past everyday, the ones with bright, wide smiles and curls of hair that look like honey in the sunlight.

But instead I’m a bonsai tree.

A bonsai with teeny-weeny leaves and toothpicks for branches. No kids that ride their bikes past want to climb up and reach for apples. Why would they? That’s the thing about being a bonsai; nobody sees a speck of beauty in you. After a while you begin to believe that you’re not beautiful either, that you mean nothing to no one. It begins to feel like the truth, some sort of twisted belief. * * * * * * My mouth gapes open in awe, my jaw slack as my eyes travel up the colossal trunk of a bonsai tree.

All kinds of birds of the most vibrant colours create a soothing melody that calms my pained body. A warm voice sounds from the canopy, smooth like clay. “Hello, little one. What is the purpose of your presence?”. I slump onto the mossy ground, littered with leaves and small branches.

“How… How can I grow to be as big and magnificent and as wise as you?”

“You don’t see yourself as big and magnificent and as wise as I? You are made from the same earth, the same dust, the same wood as me and you thirst for the same water that I thirst for, do you not value yourself as much as me?”

“Well… no. You seem much more important than me.”

The tree seemed to shake her leaves in disappointment. “You don’t see it.” She bows her branches with despair.

“See what? I don’t understand.” A wave of confusion washes over me.

“You don’t see my scars. Everyone has them; some are just better at hiding them than others. But what you are also blind to is your immeasurable beauty. You may not have blossoms that bloom in the

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spring or birds that sing to you each morning, but you have a beauty that never ends.”.

I stared up at her with understanding from the foot of her trunk. * * * * * * A human sat at the foot of my trunk.

“Do you have scars, human?”

“Well there was one time I fell off my bike and had to get stitches, but aside from that I don’t think I have any scars.” She giggles with glee, her freckled hands covering parts of her mouth, a few of her teeth shining like shears in the sunlight.

“And did that scar change your life?”

“Well, no, but I have scarred on the inside. Some scars that hurt when I think about them, others not as much, like they’re almost healed.”

Scars on the inside. Humans are much more reserved than they seem. Maybe every human has scars within? Maybe I’m not the only one that feels so twisted inside?

A tree and a person could be exactly the same, and neither of them would know. If you think wildly enough, you can make a direct match between almost everything a tree does and everything a human does. We are almost identical.

All we need is an extra two elements to survive.

When you look at the way time impacts a bonsai tree, it truly is similar. Scars that look artificial at first begin to look natural as we weather and age. When we look at our response to the scars that are created, we begin to realise that out of emotional trauma and these scars, we have found something beautiful. To see ourselves not only survive, but thrive. And the scars become a part of us. You can’t add bark to a tree, just like you can’t take away the emotional scars on a human and have them seem like they were never there.

I stare down at the human at the foot of my trunk. I guess being a bonsai tree isn’t such a bad thing after all.

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one person Alannah Williams You know that one person who is always just sitting there

Could have been that one person

You know that one person who never spoke to you The one you never tried to know Could have been that one person Who cheers, even when you come last.

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crying skies Harriet Eastment

The one you always tell to leave

Who always manages to make you laugh.

a kaleidosco

You know that one person who loves you more than anyone The one who’s always there with hugs Could have been one of those people Who you just walked past.

I remember.

When our sky cried such mournful moans.

Her anger rampaging over our heads in scowling black clouds.

I remember.

Her ash came down as she looked upon her bed of chaos.

Her tears showered down black and raging.

I remember.

I remember how my Dad looked when he saw black clouds glare down.

He knew how much we would cry.

I remember.

I remember whirling leaves.

Dancing, prancing, mocking us.

Flying away in a wind so howling our voices drowned.

Pain Pain Pain I remember how the birds flew.

They sang songs of fear and sorrow.

I remember.

I remember my anguish, my choking lungs.

I remember.

And yet I do not wish to forget.

I will remember.

I remember.

I remember.

I remember.

arts

ope of poetry viral love Azaria Jones

social media Huna Moghaddar

Social media, Everyone agrees, Is no encyclopedia, It doesn’t put your mind at ease, It contaminates minds, Stereotypes everywhere, Bad comments that everyone finds, Hideous makeup and hair, Whether you like it or not, It will change you, Twists you up like a knot, Too hard to get through,

Something’s in the air So stay inside to be safe Don’t go outdoors or you’ll risk it Catching feelings is such a waste I’m worried it may be infecting me Not a cough or scratchy tongue But this certain curious ache That has found itself wedged between my lungs It inflicts this kind of hole Right where my heart should be But it gets so filled at times I almost cease to breathe It plays havoc on my emotions And twists all of my thinking Until all I have are thoughts of you Flowing endlessly, without reason I try so hard to stop it But around you, I feel so weak This viral love will end me But I don’t mind, I think

Social media has turned into a mess, Only negativity galore, Just like I said, no need to confess, Do I need to say more?

But there is more to this, It’s not so bad, There are also aspects, That are worthy to add, You could start a business, Or share some big news, Find info on sickness, Or even buy some new shoes, Social media, it has kept us connected, It might seem fun, But it isn’t just for the neglected, It’s for everyone, All-in-all, We need to be nice, No need for a prank call, They shouldn’t pay the price, There’s no doubt about it, Either way, Social media is here to stay.

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an interview w

“The remarkable thing about the Apology w accept

INTERVIEW

Q: The COVID-19 pandemic has already made many of us appreciate the times when we weren’t glued to our phones and our devices. Kids have found a new passion for baking, tik-tok dancing and by the looks of it you’ve been training hard yourself. How exactly did your handball matches against Australian students come about and did you expect to become such a viral sensation?

It started in 2013 when I’d arrived early at Brisbane State High School for an event there.

It was especially unusual because I rarely turn up early for anything! While I was waiting, some students were playing handball and they called over to me, ‘OK, Ruddster, let’s see what you’re made of!’ Now, I hadn’t played handball in decades but, the next thing you knew, a video of us was going viral. Suddenly everyone wanted to have a go. Nowadays, I’m known as ‘the Handball King’. Whenever I go to schools to talk about Indigenous reconciliation for the National Apology Foundation, I also try to play a bit of handball. It’s become a tradition. I keep training, even in lockdown, at my place on the Sunshine Coast with my son.

Q: Coronavirus has undoubtedly taken a devastating toll on millions worldwide and brought to light major inequalities from the education to healthcare sectors but what do you think could be some of the long term effects of this on our society?

This corona crisis is like nothing we’ve seen in Australia for a century or more, and it’s exposing some hard truths. Since at least the 1980s, there’s been a concerted campaign 024

by political conservatives against the idea of having a robust state to provide what are called ‘public goods’ – things like healthcare, education and other support for people in need. I’m optimistic that we can now have a serious conversation about the sort of society we really want to live in and the important role of the state in ensuring those public goods. One more thing on this.

It’s amazing how the Morrison government has listened to scientists throughout this crisis, while they ignore the expert advice on climate change. I hope that changes.

Q: The youth of today are our future leaders, scientists, teachers, world champion handballers...I think as ‘young people’ we’ve always known that one day we’ll change the world but 2019 thrust a spotlight on the global effect of one girl fighting for climate change. Having been a parliamentary member, how important and effective is student activism?

It’s inspiring to see Greta Thunberg expressing the frustration of your generation on this existential issue of climate change. She really features and human interests

with Kevin Rudd

wasn’t that it was made, but that it was ted.”

W BY JESS LI

gets up the nose of a lot of cranky old blokes my age, and that suggests to me that she’s doing a good job. Student activism has been crucial to so many just causes throughout history. When I was at school, there was a student campaign to end the Vietnam War. I was an activist at university, working to resettle Vietnamese refugees in our community, raising awareness about human rights issues, and volunteering at a drug rehabilitation centre. Young people must remain active because they’re the ones that these big issues, like climate change, will have the greatest effect on. Activism is important, whether it’s at the local or global level.

Q: You were at school when Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister, so if you had the chance to talk to him then what would the conversation be about?

I was a teenager when Gough Whitlam became Prime Minister. A lot of people in my town weren’t very fond of him, to be honest, including people in my family. But he was an enormous inspiration to me. I suppose I might have asked him about China. Did you know that, before Whitlam was prime minister, Australia didn’t have a diplomatic relationship with China? It took a lot of courage for Whitlam to go there and break down some of the barriers between our two countries. It doesn’t mean we always get along, of course.

Q: I remember watching your apology the viral issue

to Indigenous Australians on TV when I was in Kindergarten (not that long ago I promise), but I wasn’t able to understand the importance of the message until much later. We even study it at school. What did it mean to you to be able to do this?

When I gave the Apology in 2008, it was long overdue. The government before mine, the Howard Government, had denied the Stolen Generations ever existed. In my mind, the Apology is meaningful not because of its words, which were just one step towards national healing and reconciliation. The Apology is meaningful because it was backed by action and a commitment to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The remarkable thing about the Apology wasn’t that it was made, but that it was accepted.

Q: Closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is incredibly important and you’ve made it one of your personal missions in the creation of the National Apology Foundation. But how far have we really come (in closing the gap)?

Not far enough. If closing the gap was easy, we would have done it a long time ago. The fact is, like most things that are worthwhile, it takes a lot of effort. When I was in office, we accepted the challenge from Indigenous leaders to set targets to close the gap

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in areas like education, health and employment. A lot of progress has been made over the past decade, and our nation is on track to meet two of those seven targets. Closing the gap has been made harder because in 2014, after we left office, the Liberal-National government ripped half a billion dollars out of Indigenous programs.

Q: What more can students in particular do to ensure that we continue the spirit of the reconciliation message?

You know, the first thing is this: it starts with respect. If you’re a new arrival like me – my criminal ancestors landed a couple of hundred years ago – and you know someone who’s indigenous, you have the opportunity to learn from someone who is part of the oldest continuing culture on earth. It’s amazing to think about what such a precious gift that is. It’s extraordinary. That’s the starting point. The end point is making sure that we actually close the gap.

Q: Armidale is very much a rural town and many of our girls board hours away from their homes. Being a ‘country boy’ yourself,’ can you look back and offer some inspiration for students who might think they’re disadvantaged by being so far from metropolitan cities?

I grew up in Eumundi, a tiny country town in Queensland, with only 162 people at the time I was born. Country towns felt even more isolated back then, without the internet or anything like that. It’s tough sometimes – I understand that, especially if you’re far from family – but the important thing is to work out how to connect with others in a way that’s meaningful to you. My advice is to 026

read as widely as you can and identify your passions. Then try and find others who share some of those passions.

Q: For girls in the younger years who may not know much about politics, what was a day in the life of being the Prime Minister of Australia?

You can never truly grasp what being Prime Minister is like until you’re it. I came into office with a lot to do, and we pushed forward every one of those things as hard as we could. But you’re also bombarded by a million problems all at once, and it’s your job to seek out the answers you need to make the best decisions you can. A lot of politicians become overwhelmed, but I always tried to clarify problems by breaking them down into their different parts. That’s a good tool for life, especially during a crisis like this one. Every day in office is precious, because that’s one more day you can use to help others.

Q: How much better than Barack Obama are you at handball - Is the ‘flick of the wrist’ technique the secret to your success?

I’ve known Barack for more than 10 years, but he’s never dared to challenge me at handball. I can only assume he knows he’ll lose. That said, I’ve never challenged him at basketball, so I suppose we’re square.

Q: It’s a tough last question, but what do you hope will be your legacy?

That’s for history to tell. The important thing is to keep doing your part to create a better world.

features and human interests

it’s possible

the story of pythagoras

BY KHUSHI AILA

Pythagoras. When you hear this name, the first thought that probably pops into your head is his famous theorem. Because of this, you may think this will be a boring article, but do not fear. Trust me, this is not just a boring and complicated series of numbers but an article showing you that it’s possible to do anything if you put your mind and soul into it. This is the story of Pythagoras.

Pythagoras is one of the most famous Greek philosophers of politics and religion.

He is a mathematician, astronomer, and musician between 570BC and 495BC. He was born on the island of Samos but little is known about his early life. After studying philosophy in Greece, he went to southern Italy to escape the harsh rule of the tyrant Polycrates who came to power in about 538 BC. Unfortunately, a rival group later launched an attack on Pythagoras and his followers at the gathering of the sect, and the group was nearly wiped out! Pythagoras was either forced to leave the town or had left shortly before of his own accord. He died early in the fifth century BC. Despite this he only died at around 75, not bad for a person of the time.

As you can see, he did have a tough life! First of all, it is already really hard to invent something nowadays but one man, alone, managed to change civilization.

The discovery of the “Pythagoras’ Theorem” has influenced mathematics significantly. He is just a normal person like the rest of us! If he could do it, you also have a chance to change the world!

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hope in the darkest of places A look into the Free Burma Rangers

BY CHARLOTTE THOMAS

Dave Eubank - Courtesy of Cap Times

For Sue Eubank, family means everything. In 1997 Sue’s dad, David, established a group now known as the Free Burma Rangers. The Free Burma Rangers are a Christian humanitarian service movement for oppressed ethnic minorities in war zones around the world. The Free Burma Rangers are primarily a family operated group and work with local ethnic pro-democracy groups to supply training and essential resources to those who are most in need. Their work is mainly in Burma, where civil war has been tearing the country apart for almost 60 years. They also work in Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan and Sudan.

Their work is inspired by the words of Jesus in Luke 4:18-19: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to

proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. FBR is made up of people of different faiths and all are free to believe as they choose. “We of different faiths and ethnicities are joined in love as we try to serve the oppressed.“(Eubank, n.d.)

I was lucky enough to meet Sue Eubank whilst I was living in Thailand, and her life makes isolation look like a walk in the park. Sue is 18 years old now and has been accompanying her family into war-torn countries since she was a toddler. Even though the experience is incredibly difficult, Sue says that she wouldn’t change it for anything. I interviewed Sue to see what her life is like now.

In your own words, what are the Free Burma Rangers?

Free Burma Rangers means family. Ever since I started coming on missions with my family, the ethnic volunteers that worked with us helped raise me as if they were my uncles and aunts. They would carry me on their backs and shoulders, hold my hand as we walked from village to village, and even lead the pack horses I rode. Free Burma Rangers has brought me into a family of people from all over the world, and I wouldn’t ask to change it for anything.

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features and human interests

What is your role when you go on missions?

My role on missions in Burma, Iraq, Syria and Sudan is to help lead relief pack horses and mule pack trains, drive ambulances and to help my mom, Karen Eubank, put on a kid’s program called the ‘Good Life Club’. These programs are for kids who have had to run away from their homes and are still in threat of being attacked.

What is the thing you love most about being part of the Free Burma Rangers?

My favourite thing about going on missions is our team and the people we serve. The Free Burma Rangers have seventy-one teams active in Burma and one team in Iraq and Syria.

The compassion, love and patience they have for others even while their own people are getting attacked is incredible to look up to. I also love all the adventures that we go on. For instance, riding rafts down rivers in Burma, exploring ancient Arab castles, and riding horses in the jungle to a children’s program. In Burma, I love to ride my horse on the pack train that brings relief supplies to rural areas that cannot be reached by vehicles.

How do you go to school if you are always travelling?

For School, my mother has homeschooled my two siblings and I. We mainly use workbooks and CD’s with lesson plans and lectures inside them that we carry on missions with us. Before high school, my classes were all done on paperback books that my mother carried into the jungle, but as I got into high school my courses were mainly CD courses I completed on my computer. I did my school in bamboo houses while my mother put on a kid’s program, in blown-up buildings in Iraq and Syria, and even on road trips.

What advice would you give to anyone who might want to do something like this in the future?

There are many amazing organisations all around the world that have different operations.

Getting involved doesn’t always mean being in a foreign country and, you might be called to serve from your home, or only work part-time with an organisation. But if you do feel called to work in a foreign country with an organization, my best advice would be to be bold.

Dave Eubank - Courtesy of CBN News

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a look into mas

an interview with Laura Sharrad,

INTERVIEW BY THU

Who would you say was your biggest inspiration growing up?

LAURA: Growing up, I’d have to say my two Nonnas - Maria and Rosa. They are the reason I began to cook, fell in love with cooking, and why I am where I am today. Throughout my early teenage years though, Jamie Oliver & Antonio Carluccio really inspired me to take my cooking further & I absolutely loved watching their cooking shows every weekend.

EMELIA: Definitely my mum! She always encouraged me, in and out of the kitchen BRENDAN: My biggest inspiration in the kitchen growing up was my Mum and Grandmere (grandmother). Further to that, I loved watching people like Poh, Adam Liaw and Kylie Kwong on TV! Is there anything that happens in real-life on Masterchef that we don’t see on the show?

LAURA: A lot ... there are about 10 camera men, who are each shooting about 12 hours of footage each, so that’s a lot of of footage for one episode. Obviously you guys only see about an hour’s worth so a lot gets cut back.

There’s actually lots of breaks during the day & filming is quite long.

EMELIA: You don’t get to see any of the behind the scenes - the hours we spend together in the green room, the dinner parties at each other’s apartments; it really is why we all become so close during filming.

What’s it like living with the other Masterchef contestants?

LAURA: The first time around back in Season 6, we all lived in a house and 030 030

as fun as it was, it did get a little bit too full on having to share bedrooms and bathrooms with so many people.

This year, we had very different living arrangements. We were all put up in hotel rooms with our own bedroom & bathroom and a shared kitchen and living space. I was so fortunate to have shared rooms with Emelia so it made the whole living away from home experience so much better.

BRENDAN: It’s heaps of fun! Although we are in a competition, we are all interested in the same thing so we get along very well. We cook for each other and enjoy other non-food related activities such as playing tennis.

What has been the best moment of Masterchef so far for you?

LAURA: This is a tough one. I’ve had so many - cooking for Gordon Ramsay in day one, winning my first team challenge with Kahn, the Matt stone team challenge service...

EMELIA: Honestly, all of it. I feel so privileged to have had such an incredible experience, not once, but twice.

BRENDAN: The best moment for me was walking through those MasterChef doors for the second time around. It’s an incredible feeling you can’t describe, and something I never thought I would get to do again in my life.

What would you say is your goto comfort food?

LAURA: Lasagna. Hands down.

EMELIA: Pasta for sure. And chocolate.

I eat both by the kilo.

BRENDAN: Yum Cha! Have you liked this season of Masterchef or your original season more and why? features and human interest

sterchef 2020

Emelia Jackson and Brendan Pang

URKKA JEYAKUMAR

LAURA: This is really tough because I have truly loved both experiences.

I think I probably enjoyed this time around a little more as I truly got to enjoy and experience something pretty spectacular.

EMELIA: Absolutely this season. I loved Season 6 but I think coming back with more experience and a little older, I have just made time to stop and appreciate every little moment of Series 12 in a way that I didn’t before.

BRENDAN: I’ve loved this season so much more because I wasn’t as scared.

I had lots of fun and I got to spend it with two good friends - Reece and Jess and I also made heaps of new friends!

Is there anything you wish you had known before coming back to Masterchef?

LAURA: How hard it would be!

EMELIA: I wish I backed myself a little more in the early days - I am also so introverted when I first do something or meet people, and I wish I came out of my shell a little sooner.

BRENDAN: Not at all! There’s nothing you can really plan for. MasterChef is full of surprises and you just need to take it day by day.

What has been the worst part of the enforced COVID-19 restrictions for you?

LAURA: Not being able to travel back home weekly. By the end I think I went three and half months without seeing my husband, so it was pretty tough.

EMELIA: ALL. OF. IT. I lost all my future cake orders and wedding bookings - so my business became almost non-existant. But mostly, the boredom the viral issue the viral issue

of lockdown!

BRENDAN: Not being able to see my family whilst filming MasterChef. I live in Perth so it’s a long way away.

This one’s trickier: Would you rather never be able to eat again or never be able to sleep again?

LAURA: I do love my sleep, but I think I love my food more.

EMELIA: Do I have to choose? I do love to eat but honestly, I love sleeping more.

BRENDAN: Sleep. I love food way too much and would never give it up.

Do you have any advice for Year 12s finishing school now, especially ones who are interested in hospitality and food?

LAURA: I took a very different route to get into the hospitality industry, and it’s definitely a very rare path that I’m super lucky to have had. I say if you’re passionate about getting into the hospitality industry, get experience. Go to TAFE, or get a diploma in cookery or management, study business managament ... there’s so many amazing subjects and courses to take part in.

EMELIA: My biggest piece of advice is probably not what you’re expecting!

Get a degree first. Once you finish studying - that’s it! Straight into the big bad world and no turning back so lap up every minute of education that you can. It gives you time and experience to work out what you really want to accomplish in life, because who really knows what’s next at 17?

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unlikely animal friends

BY JEANIE INGLIS Friends come in all different shapes and sizes but it’s important we accept everyone for who they are. These images show that our differences are what make us unique and beautiful.

Photos Courtesy of National Geographic

our top ten disney songs

The results of Sarah’s most recent Creative Arts Challenge!

1

Into The Unknown

2

How Far I’ll Go

3

Show Yourself

4

Let It Go

5

Circle of Life

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Frozen II Moana Frozen II Frozen Lion King

6

Can’t Wait To Be King

Lion King

7

You’re Welcome

8

A Whole New World

9

You’ve Got A Friend In Me

10

Moana Aladdin Toy Story Hakuna Matata

Lion King

entertainment

what do your dreams mean?

BY KAITLIN MUNGALL

We have all had a dream of some sort before, it is a pretty common occurrence for every person that goes to sleep. But not many people may be aware of the fact that there are many different types of dreams that occur at night. Two examples are: Nightmares: Nightmares are very frightening dreams that can be caused from pressure, stress, anxiety or a bad memory. They are more common for children under 10, but can still occur for people older than 10.

Lucid Dreams: The type of dream where the person knows that they are dreaming, and they have the ability to control what happens and what events take place in the dream. This ability to change the storyline can help reduce the chance of nightmares, as the dreamer changes it to suit them.

It’s hard to depict why certain events in dreams occur and what they mean for you because feelings, events, careers and reactions all change what happens and why.

It is possible, however, to explain in general what different elements in a dream can mean: Snakes and/or spiders in a dream can symbolise that you are scared

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or have anxiety about something that is going to happen in the future.

Being chased usually depicts a feeling of being threatened, and you are trying to escape and run away from it.

Teeth in a dream can mean that you are scared about aging.

Radios and TV’s can symbolise a connection between the conscious and unconscious minds.

Water can mean many things; for example if the water is a calm pool it can represent peace, but raging oceans can represent concern.

Falling can indictate an anxiety for letting go, losing control, or somehow failing after success.

Money can symbolise your self-worth, and if in your dream you are exchanging money it can represent you planning to change something in your life.

So the next time you remember you have a dream, you will now be able to decode it, and answer the question “I wonder why.....”.

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tik tok

BY SERAPHINA KATTA AND MAKENZIE ROBERTSON

‘TikTok’, it’s the app we all love and know. For some people it’s where they make money, for others, it’s where they watch and enjoy clips of their friends and famous creators. Lots of you have probably wanted to be Tik Tok famous, haven’t you? Well, we wanted to be TikTok famous too, but that didn’t work out. We tried everything; dancing, acting, making jokes and keeping up with the trends. Nothing worked! So, we got thinking and then we thought; is it really worth it? From the dancing to the dangerous stunts, TikTok might not be as good as we all suspected.

TikTok is quite a dangerous platform with more negatives than many of us may realise.

Toxic messages aiming to set the standard of what girls should look like have been recently circulating on Tik Tok. These videos include ones titled ‘do this 034

to get the perfect body’ or ‘what I eat in a day videos’ and ‘my workout routine for a flat stomach’. Although the videos may not be intended to do any harm to anyone, they can trigger people and promote harmful messages.

On top of this, there are many dangerous stunts performed that are not flagged to viewers. People will do things such as parkour across buildings without expressing that these stunts could lead to serious injuries or potential deaths but sometimes TikTok does not issue a warning as it should.

These faults in the system and mistakes from creators have lead to deaths and injuries. According to The Sun, as of 28th of February, there had been 41 deaths tied to TikTok. Many of these were tied in with the stunts on the app. One example of a stunt gone wrong is when a teen and his friend were filming on a railway track and got hit by a train resulting in their death. There entertainment

was also a viral trend called the “skull-breaker challenge” it was a challenge that involved three people standing in a line. The two people on the outside would jump first, tell the person in the middle to jump after them and when the person in the middle jumped they’d put their feet behind their legs. This resulted in the middle person falling straight onto their back and whilst it was all a joke many people got seriously injured.

Although TikTok is a restricted environment many things are overlooked or are not seen.

Like many other social media platforms, you are supposed to be 13 to sign up to the app but you can easily lie about your age. A study

by BBC Trending found that some TikTok users are as young as the age of nine, meaning these kids are posting and seeing inappropriate content that they may not understand. Many of the trends and dances can be inappropriate, the songs, dances and trends can all have inappropriate meanings or actions. The app has an endless scrolling feature and the videos play automatically meaning these children will easily find inappropriate content. The same study found that TikTok was failing to remove online predators who were sending messages and commenting inappropriate things to teenagers and kids. This is concerning as many of the kids did not understand what was happening and therefore did not tell anyone. When these comments were reported TikTok only removed the comments and left the predators to lurk on the platform. On the 18th of April 2019, TikTok was banned in India due to its inappropriate and concerning content.

When we asked teens “What is your opinion on TikTok?” Many of them used the word ‘addictive’ in their response. The app actually has endless scrolling as new content is always being added and does not display the time as many other apps do. Both these features could describe why it’s such an addictive app. Another feature of TikTok’s platform is that the ‘For You’ page is exactly what it sounds like. When you like a post, TikTok recognises the hashtags, sound, creator and filters (if used). Once TikTok has this data it immediately processes it and puts similar content onto your ‘For You’ page. This makes the app personalised for you so it will draw in your interest more and you’ll see the type of content the the viral viral issue issue

you like. All the above features make the app addicting and time-consuming.

Although Tik Tok has many cons it also has some pros.

The social media platform is a place where people can express their talents and have plenty of entertainment. The personalised ‘For You’ page is video feed specifically “for you” - the viewer, which is based on what you watch, like, and share.

Tik Tok makes you want to watch more and more. If you’re looking to be entertained you can count on the app to have content you want.

Some of the pros of Tik Tok are shown through the creators themselves and their perspective along with their audience. The platform provides a framework that makes it easier for people to create videos. These creators are starting younger than ever before.

According to some news articles, TikTok is making it easier for them to become content creators. It allows them to create content that they would not otherwise be able to make easily on their own, it gives them a framework they can play or create within. For example, the app gives people tools like filters, control over video speed, access to professional audio and more. Even if you’re not the best at lip-syncing, you can still create something fun on TikTok with music, voiceover or comedic background.

It can also have significant impacts on the music industry. A ‘famous’ Tik-Toker, Thomas Petrou says “if you look at iTunes or Apple Music the top songs are songs that are played on TikTok.’. As you can see many Artists can find TikTok and its famous creators as a support for their songs to grow faster over time.

In the end it is evident, that Tik Tok has many benefits but we have to be wary of its detriments as well if we want to ensure we are responsibly and safely using the app. It is definitely something to think about.

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which viral m 1. What is your favourite day?

A. Tuesday B. Thursday C. Monday D. Weekend E. Wednesday F. Friday

6. Who’s the best singer?

A. Ed Sheeran B. Billie Eilish C. Beyoncé D. Shawn Mendes E. Ariana Grande F. Adele

2. Where is your ideal holiday destination A. U.S.A B. England C. Africa D. Bali E. Switzerland F. France

7. What’s the best flavour of chips?

A. Plain B. Barbecue C. Chicken D. Salt and vinegar E. Cheese and Onion F. Honey Soy Chicken

3. What is your main hobby?

A. Sports B. Reading/Studying C. Netflix/Gaming D. Music E. Art F. Cooking

8. What’s your favourite kid’s TV show?

A. Shaun the Sheep B. Peppa Pig C. Playschool D. Bananas in Pajamas E. Charlie and Lola F. Thomas the Tank Engine

4. What’s the best TV show?

A. Brooklyn Nine-Nine B. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air C. Vampire Diaries D. Gossip Girl E. On My Block F. Kath and Kim 5. What’s your favourite chocolate bar?

A. Snickers B. Mars Bars C. Cherry Ripes D. Turkish Delights E. Coconut Rolls F. Milky Ways

BY SARAH WATERS AND AZARIA JONES ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHIYO BROWN

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9. What’s your favourite colour?

A. Blue B. Red C. Yellow D. Green E. Pink F. Purple 10. What is your favourite genre of music?

A. Pop B. Rock C. Rap D. Alternative/Indie E. Hip Hop/R&B F. Classical

college quizzes

meme are you?

If you answered mostly A’s: Your personality best matches Happy Spongebob! You can make the best of every situation and are able to bounce back from tough situations. You are a great person to be around and liked all round.

If you answered mostly B’s: Your personality best matches the Scared Hamster. Sometimes situations can seem a bit much and you just feel like a nice warm bed in front of your favourite Netflix series to cheer you up.

If you answered mostly C’s: The Angry Women Screaming at a Cat best matches your personality! You tend to feel misunderstood by others who just don’t get it. You are an outgoing person who is very verbal and likes to be heard.

If you answered mostly D’s: The Confused Maths Lady best matches your personality! You can get a bit overwhelmed and are generally a quiet person... We’ll never know what’s really going on.

If you answered mostly E’s: Your personality best matches the Surprised Pikachu! You are excitable and take pleasure in the little things in life.

You are always there for people if they need help but can get easily distracted...

If you answered mostly F’s: The Concerned Monkey Puppet best suits your personality! You are vigilant and watch out for scams or fakes in life- but can be quite judgemental on others. Remember to be kind! the viral issue

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Crossword Puzzle

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BY PEARL ROGERS

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5. The iconic 2000’s Social Media platform that peak1. Finish the vine: Look at all those... own: ed in Across: 2005-2008.

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Broadway musicals of what teen pop star whose motion on Instagram 13. What type of big cat is Joe Exotic famous for ownmixture adaption featuring Jason .

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cartoon corner

BY HARRIET GILPIN

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meet the team EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Thurkka Jeyakumar Isabelle Taylor MANAGING SENIOR EDITOR Shelby Philp IN THE SCHOOL EDITOR Pearl Rogers NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR Jessica Li ARTS EDITOR Sarah Hughes FEATURES AND HUMAN INTEREST EDITOR Caitlin Hansford ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Josie Flint

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COLLEGE QUIZZES EDITOR Esther Eickhoff

Makenzie Robertson Harriet Gilpin

CONTRIBUTORS Tomasina Model Mia Montgomery Libby Cook Year 12 2020 Sarah Waters Zari Jones Anviti Sinha Nevada Guidance Nerissa Hallman Alannah Williams Harriet Eastment Huna Moghaddar Charlotte Thomas Khushi Aila Jeanie Inglis Kaitlin Mungal Seraphina Katta

CARTOONIST Harriet Gilpin COVER ILLUSTRATOR Bethany Eickhoff ILLUSTRATORS Bethany Eickhoff Harriet Gilpin Chiyo Brown Huna Moghaddar PHOTOGRAPHERS Esther Eickhoff Chloe Clark ADVISOR Mrs Shirley Tier

meet the team

contact us For enquiries, comments and questions: thescope@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

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