Issue 01 ✦ Expression

The

expressed in Salient do not necessarily reflect those of the Editors, VUWSA, or the University.

Complaints regarding the material published in Salient should first be brought to the Editors in writing (editor@salient.org.nz).

If not satisfied with the response, complaints should be directed to the Media Council (info@mediacouncil.org.nz).

E ditoral

It’s 2023, Time for Reinvention!

Kia ora e hoa mā!

We are Maia and Fran, your new Salient Editors.

New year, new opportunities for self-reinvention. And what better time to find yourself than your uni years? In the first issue of Salient for 2023, Expression, we are exploring all things identity. Whether you are a veteran Salient reader or it’s your first time picking up a copy, we want you to ponder: what does selfexpression mean to you?

Do you feel the most yourself when wearing your favourite fluffy hat, when you’re decorating your bedroom with magazine cut-outs, or sharing the wacky story behind your new tat? This issue is all about celebrating the core parts of your identity, whatever they might be.

We both have different ideas about expression and finding your identity, so we’ll split off here to share.

Maia: I came to university in search of a new identity. I’m not quite sure I ever managed some soul-shattering identity shift where I became unrecognisable from my earlier self (apart from an over-inflated sense of change when I cut my hair short). But I definitely did change in small parts; in the ways I dressed and spoke; in the people I surrounded myself with; in how I expressed my passions. Pōneke has become foundational to this new identity, so much so that going home to Tairāwhiti disrupts the sense of self I’ve built.

Fran: So, I’ll get it off my chest, I’m a Te Whanganui-a-Tara local. I started my uni journey in 2019 at Massey, on the same campus as my high school. I thought I had my life and selfexpression already figured out. To be honest, it really limited me. I only made friends with my flatmates at The Cube and didn’t attend any O-Week or Hall events. I had to realise that it’s not cool to peak in high school. I still had a lot of finding myself left to do. Four years later I’m happy to report I’ve come into myself and my own unique space in Pōneke.

In this issue, Fran dives into her post-graduate Gunge Gal era and attempts to unpack the vibe of the 2020s. Romanticise your degree with Kiran as he looks at the subversion of dark academia. Unpack the fuckery of the law school lecture recording debacle with Bridget.

Our news team, Ethan, Zoe, and Niamh, are here to walk you through the latest developments on and off campus. This week, they’re asking what will be left after Vic Books closes, what went wrong with the Tītoko enrolment system, and whether we will still have access to lecture recordings. Also, meet your VUWSA President Jess Ye in our first interview with her for the year.

You might notice that PM Chippy wanted to say hello, so we, the benevolent editors, generously gave him a page.

To our freshers: it’s your new beginning. It’s the time when you form your identity away from home, family, high school and explore your expression and individuality. Let yourself be weird and awkward. You’re 18. And if you’re 30, same goes. Don’t be basic, have fun! Embrace it with open arms.

To our returning students: welcome back. Don’t let your head get too big now that you’re a second year. We’ve all still got growing to do.

Arohanui, Maia & Fran

Salient is on the search for contributors! We are looking for feature writers, news journalists, arts and culture writers, columnists, visual artists, podcasters, poets and any other kind of creatives. If you think you’ve got the skills for any of the above, send us an email introducing yourself and pitching the kind of work you’d like to produce for Salient! All ideas are welcome.

Send ideas for print and writing to: editor@salient.org.nz

Send news article ideas or tips to: news@salient.org.nz

Send podcast pitches, topic or interview ideas to: podcasts@salient.org.nz

Send centrefold ideas, photos, illustrations or designs to: designer@salient.org.nz

UPCOMING ISSUES

Salient is seeking pitches for the following issues:

WEEK 5 - HUSTLE - pitches due Thursday 2nd March Hustle looks at balancing employment and university, side hustles, and industries that feed off student workers.

WEEK 6 - SEX - pitches due Thursday 9th March

Sex is about sexuality and body positivity. Welcoming pitches on all things sex, consent, education, sexual health, and kink culture.

WEEK 7 - BRAIN - pitches due Thursday 30th March

Brain covers all things that go on inside our heads and aims to highlight neuro-divergency and illuminate the spectrums of mental health.

News the

University Defends “Buggy” New System Amid Major Enrolment Cock-Up

Words by Niamh Vaughan (she/her)

The end of 2022 saw the implementation of the Tītoko Student Success programme, a new enrolment system for students at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

The intention of the new system was to increase student admission and retention by separating admission from enrollment, allowing students to apply to VUW all year-round.

Despite the system’s ambitions, the changes have proved challenging for many students. Confusion has arisen in regards to the new distinction between admission (aceptance into the university) and enrollment (selecting courses and confirmation of returning study). Salient understands that enrolments of new students were reportedly down 11% from last year, and re-enrollers reduced a further 20% as of January 2023.

VUWSA President Jessica Ye says VUWSA had been “consistently raising concerns” since the initial implementation of Tītoko at the beginning of 2022, upon “noticing that the system was buggy”.

“The message that we were hearing from the senior leadership team was that there [wasn’t] really a problem,” Ye said.

Due to the confusion between admittance and enrollment, students may not know if they’re enrolled or not. This is anticipated to impact access to StudyLink.

“Though you’ll get back paid, it’ll be difficult for students living week to week,” Ye said.

At this point in time, neither the potential financial deficit to the university, nor the actual enrolment numbers, have been made available to VUWSA. However, they anticipate enrolments to be “really low”.

Wendy Larner, currently the Provost at VUW, led the implementation of the new Tītoko enrollment system. In a statement to Salient, Larner said that the current unavailability of accurate data is because “at this time of year, enrolment figures continue to fluctuate daily.”

Though Larner is “aware that [the university] is facing enrolment challenges this year”, she suggests that New Zealand’s current low unemployment rates and the rising cost of living are to blame for “the bigger enrolment challenges the university face” and a “down-turn in enrolments across the tertiary education sector” in general.

Following the enrollment debacle, Larner is departing VUW to take on a new role as Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University. She claims that her “departure from the university is completely unrelated to the new systems issues”, and is, on the contrary, “very proud of the work that has been delivered under the Student Success programme.”

University Quietly Scraps Guaranteed Access to Lecture Recordings

Words by Ethan Manera (he/him)

As students flock back to campus for the start of the university year, confusion is rife surrounding whether they will have access to lecture recordings.

Throughout Covid-19, universal access to lecture recordings was rolled out in all New Zealand tertiary institutions. However, since the removal of this temporary accommodation last year, VUW students have been kept in the dark as to whether they will be provided tools for online learning.

The university has been notably vague on the future of lecture recordings heading into 2023. Their website states that Trimester 1 will see more courses “delivered with in-person components” and citing the “many advantages to being on-campus”, but an official policy outlining their approach is nowhere to be found.

Following the uncertainty from the university, VUWSA launched a petition alongside the National Disabled Students’ Association, campaigning to keep universal student access to lecture recordings.

Despite almost 4000 signatures, the university doubled down on scrapping guaranteed access. They told VUWSA that “staff will explicitly be encouraged to record their lectures and make them available wherever this is feasible”, but refused to mandate recordings.

When questioned by Salient, VUW Academic Vice Provost Professor Stuart Brock said the university’s lecture recording policy is “currently under review”. But he stated the approach to lecture recordings for Trimester 1 reflects the university’s pre-Covid-19 policy. This means the decision of whether to provide lecture recordings to students is made at an individual level for different courses “depending on the pedagogy of the course”.

“Staff are not required to provide lecture recordings to all students,” Brock said. The university also stated that there is “a robust correlation” between in-person attendance and student success, a claim that VUWSA disputes. When asked what evidence suggests this correlation, Salient were provided with a plethora of academic sources reinforcing the university’s stance.

Potential enforcement of in-person lecture attendance has many in the university community concerned that policy changes neglect to consider the complex lives of students. Many have to juggle study with employment, mental health, and other demands of modern student life.

Amber-Rose Stinton, president of VUW’s Disabled Students’ Association is “very much against the policy changes”, saying it will create “an undue burden on students”.

“We are quite distressed about the fact that we are now going backwards on this.” Says Stinton.

Stinton said students enrolled with disability services will now have to opt in to receive lecture recordings. This raises issues for those who do not wish to disclose their disability to course coordinators out of fear of discrimination.

“Students with disabilities need to be accommodated,” Stinton said. “The university have clearly demonstrated that it is possible to do dual delivery, so we’re a little bit confused on why exactly they have decided to go back on that.”

Vic Books Goneburger: Future of Textbook Purchasing Murky

Words by Zoë Mills (she/they)

with a multi- million dollar portfolio of investments. Their primary role is creating capital to subsidise the services provided by VUWSA. Green said that Vic Books failed to return a profit to the trust over the past decade. “The more resources we devote to supporting Vic Books, the less the Trust has available to carry out its primary role”, Green said.

In 2021 the trust earnt $1,416,760 in income and had a total expenditure of $1,347,714.

On 24 January, Vic Books announced that they will be officially closing down after over 48 years in business. The store shared via social media that the Kelburn campus branch will remain open until 31 March. Employees will stay in their positions until the closure of the store.

This comes less than a year after the closure of the Pipitea branch last July. Anti-mandate protests surrounding the business caused a major loss in revenue.

The university bookshop and cafe is the only store on campus that provides textbooks, stationary, and other essential course materials, as well as serving as the social heart of the Kelburn campus.

However, general manager Jessica Godfrey says that the closure was inevitable due to a decline in students on campus.“The reason that revenue is not enough is because there’s not enough people on campus, and the reason that I think there’s not enough people on campus is [because of students] working from home and online learning.” Godfrey says it’s a similar trend with other campus businesses:“ none of them are making any money.”

Vic Books is owned solely by the VUWSA Trust. Spokesperson Nicholas Green says that operating a solely retail-based store when more students were choosing to study from home was no longer economically viable post-Covid-19. The Trust acts as a financial backing to VUWSA

“It has become clear that the pandemic has fundamentally changed the nature of study at Victoria and made running a broad-based retail business on campus immensely challenging,” said Green. “We have therefore accepted the view of the Vic Books board that the business cannot continue in its current form.”

As for students needing to purchase textbooks and course materials for Trimester 2 courses onwards, the future is unclear. No formal plan has been communicated to students since the announcement.

Godfrey understands that students will be able to order textbooks to another space on campus. When asked, Green couldn’t outline a clear plan on behalf of the VUWSA Trust. “We are still working on that,” he said.

The university has echoed a similar statement of uncertainty to students. “Te Herenga Waka— Victoria University of Wellington is currently working through a number of options, but students will still be able to purchase the textbooks they require once Vic Books closes on 31 March. We hope to have further information to share with students in the next two to three weeks.”

In the meantime, Godfrey urges students to engage in local businesses to prevent further closures. “If you value the business, you need to think about how you express your value.”

HEADLINE

TAMATHA PAUL SELECTED AS GREEN CANDIDATE FOR WELLINGTON CENTRAL

Former VUWSA president Tamatha Paul has been selected as the official candidate of Green Party in the race for the Wellington Central electorate. Paul, a current Wellington City Councillor, announced the news via social media, and is currently the only candidate from the electorate to announce their candidacy. She was endorsed by Greens leader James Shaw at the start of the month, after he stepped aside to make room for the former VUWSA president. Former candidates Nicola Willis (National) and current Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson (Labour) have announced they will not run in the electorate this year.

WELLINGTONIANS SHOOKETH AFTER SHAKY EVENING

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake shook Wellington on 15 February. Geonet has shared that the earthquake occurred 50km northwest of Paraparaumu at 7:38 p.m. The shake was reportedly felt from Auckland to Christchurch. A second earthquake was reported in Taupō at 8 p.m. Wellingtonians described the shake across social media platforms as “loud”, “strong”, and “scary”. Some took to Twitter to share videos of the earthquake shaking their homes. No significant damage has been reported as a result of the quake.

SHARED SENTIMENT OF CLIMATE ACTION FOLLOWING CYCLONE GABRIELLE

As many across the North Island grapple with the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle, a united push for climate action is being echoed across Aotearoa. Numerous big names have contributed to the call for climate action from across the political spectrum with everyone from James Shaw to Christopher Luxon. Luxon said there is “no doubt” that climate change contributed to the disaster. Former ‘first bloke’ Clarke Gayford also spoke out about what he dubbed a “worldwide issue”, saying, “the time of denial is over”.

A vending machine at Kelburn campus ignited controversy last week following an incident that saw a student lose over $3 after a bag of kumara chips failed to dispense. The second-year English and Classics student, who ^Salient has agreed not to name, attempted to purchase the chips from a vending machine outside The Bubble, but was left empty-handed and hungry. “The chips didn’t even move at all,” they said. “That was the last thing I needed right now, that was my bus fare.” The vending machine has refused to comment.

CAMPUS VENDING MACHINE MISHAP LEAVES VUW STUDENT “EMBARRASSED” AND “VULNERABLE”

Polly (she/her)

English Literature, Philosophy & Art History

“ It was a bit of a pain in the ass but I managed. I had to get my brother involved, he’s done the whole uni thing before. It took me a hot second. ”

HOT TAKES Did you have any problems with the enrolment system ?

Pablo (he/him) Cyber Security, Minoring in Photography

“ No, I felt like it was pretty smooth, pretty easy. When I was stuck with something, I called up admissions and they really helped out. ”

Jude (he/him) Commerce, Majoring in International Business

“

Caitlyn

Biomedical Science

I did have a few struggles with it. When I was enrolling, I wasn’t able to choose a double major, only a double degree, and that ended up postponing my enrollment. I got in touch with the university, and I got it sorted in about a week or two. ”

“ Not really. It was annoying that if I wasn’t ready to finish the whole thing at once, I had to redo everything. If I got to a question and wanted to ask someone about it, I had to go offline, and start over. ”

(they/she)

Chippy’s Welcome

Words by Chris Hipkins (he/him)

Kia ora everyone and welcome to what I’m sure is going to be a fantastic trimester at Victoria! It’s already been a busy start to the year, and so as classes get underway for 2023, I wanted to briefly introduce myself, and wish you all the best for your studies.

Some twenty years ago, I was lucky enough to be the President of VUWSA, and I never would have imagined I’d be writing this now, as the Prime Minister of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Much of my time at university was spent advocating for students, and it’s something I’ve continued into my working life and my job here at the Beehive.

I know things are particularly tough for many people right now. The cost of living is one of the biggest pressures students are facing. I want to ensure you can focus on your education, without stressing about power bills or the price of groceries. Easing the cost pressures on New Zealanders is our Government’s number one priority, and we’re doing what we can to help.

I know many of you will have jobs alongside your studies, and you might be earning the minimum wage. To help ease the pressure, we’ve just announced an increase to the minimum wage in line with inflation, so you can expect a little more in your pay check from April. Getting to class and to work can be another big strain on finances, especially if you live off-campus. To make getting around more affordable, we’ve extended the fuel tax cut, road user charges discount and half price public transport until 30 June.

These measures are just a start, and I’m committed to continuing to support students and tackle those big issues like the cost of living.

For me, there’s no doubt that my student years were some of my favourites. There’s nothing like that mixture of excitement, anticipation, and nerves that comes with the start of each university yearparticularly so as a first time student.

As you get stuck into this year, I’d encourage you to take every opportunity that comes your way, work hard, take the time to enjoy yourself - and of course enrol to vote in this year’s election! On our side, we’ll keep doing everything we can to make things a little easier.

Meet Your 2023 VUWSA President: Jess Ye

Words by Maia Ingoe (she/her) and Francesca Pietkiewicz (she/they)

do participate in VUWSA, and then engaging withdifferent groups who aren’t involved.

Jess said that many of VUWSA’s problems with engagement stem from the chronic underfunding of the association. “To increase engagement, we need to talk to the university and say, ‘if you want us to bring legitimate student perspectives into these conversations, you need to fund us so that we have more consistent engagement with students.’”

Jessica Ye is the first Asian woman to be VUWSA President, and one of 13 women who have led the student executive in its 124 years of existence. “I’ve had a lot of imposter syndrome,” Jess told Salient. Despite this, the new president has a drive to increase engagement with VUWSA and to continue its work advocating for student concerns.

A core aspect of Jess’s identity is being a first-generation Chinese immigrant. “I would not have been born if my parents didn’t immigrate [to Aotearoa], because of the one child policy.” During our interview, Jess wears a jade ring on a necklace given to her by her Grandma. It’s a piece of her family history that survived immigration from China.

Studying Law and Development Studies at VUW evolved Jess’s existing “anti-system and anti-capitalist thinking”. Determined to unpack the world further, Jess joined Salient Podcasts in her second year and founded Zeitgeist, a socio-critical show.

Zeitgeist sought to cover three core questions: what is the world, what could it be, and if it can’t get better, how do we cope with that? “With these spaces, you hold a lot of anger. But at the same time, it’s important to hold space for love,” she said.

As VUWSA President, Jess’s main priority is democratic participation. VUWSA has been struggling with record-low voter turnout in elections and the past two presidents have been elected unopposed. Jess plans to combat this by first looking at the demographics of those who

This conversation with the university has begun. Jess has met with new Vice Chancellor Nic Smith once already. She said Nic seemed more honest and open to accountability on issues like the failure of the university’s new enrollment system.

VUWSA will be continuing to campaign for a Universal Basic Income and for free education regardless of NZUSA’s stance, Jess told Salient. As a students’ association placed in the capital with a politically active student body, Jess said VUWSA had an “obligation” to engage with “systemic” issues. “I think, ultimately, a lot of the issues that students face go back to the beginning of privatisation of education,” she said.

While campaigning last year, Jess told Salient she’d be keen on another referendum to leave NZUSA. The botched communication on the referendum to leave the national student body was a source of controversy for VUWSAlast year. Jess confirmed to us that another referendum will not be on the agenda because of the current attitudes of the executive.

Salient asked Jess what she thought of two ex-VUWSA Presidents who are notable candidates in the upcoming general election. Of Chris Hipkins, current Prime Minister and VUWSA President in 2000 and 2001, she said, “I think he needs to remember his roots.” As for Tamatha Paul, Green Party candidate for Wellington Central and 2019 VUWSA President, Jess said “I think she’s got it in the bag. And I think it’s a win for students.”

Jess emphasised that VUWSA is here to be your advocacy agent and that students are welcome to reach out to her. “Just come into the office. I have no life. I’m always there.”

TOP TUNES OF ‘22

THE GROOVE GARDEN GARDEN

Words by Xavier Farrow-Francis (he/she/they)

MOTOMAMI by ROSALÍA

Balancing tenacity and fragility with great precision, MOTOMAMI is an album detailing ROSALÍA’s multi-faceted character. It’s brash, it’s vulnerable; devilish and angelic. There just isn’t another musician working today as bold and electrifying as ROSALÍA. She breaks so many multicultural musical boundaries throughout this record. Her artistry pushes far beyond indie or mainstream circles, creating a beast of an album like no other.

LISTEN IF YOU LIKE: Frank Ocean, Björk, Rihanna, Arca, FKA twigs GENRES: art pop, alternative R&B, reggaeton

Alto Arc by Alto Arc

On one hand, Alto Arc’s music is amongst the darkest, scariest, and most apocalyptic music I’ve ever heard. But on the other hand, it can feel so inexplicably euphoric and entrancing. Isamaya Ffrench and George Clarke’s prophetic and folktale-esque poetry matched with Danny L Harle and Trayer Tryon’s dazzlingly terror-inducing soundscapes are like nothing I’ve ever heard before.

LISTEN IF YOU LIKE: A24 horror films, Lingua Ignota, Caroline Polachek GENRES: experimental, industrial, poetry, doom, dark ambient

Cry Sugar by Hudson Mohawke

Hudson Mohawke’s first album in seven years is filled to the brim with variety, proving his virtuosity as a producer and DJ. He bounces between raging EDM bangers like “Intentions” and “Bicstan”, grandiose utopian ambient cuts like “Stump” and “Lonely Days”, and gospel-infused hip-hop beats like “Behold and “3 Sheets To The Wind”. I don’t think I’ve had this much fun listening to any other album in 2022.

LISTEN IF YOU LIKE: Disclosure, Flume, SOPHIE, Kanye West GENRES: electronic, dance, future bass, trap

I Love You Jennifer B by Jockstrap

It’s difficult to even try to sum up I Love You Jennifer B. It’s such a frivolous and erratic record that flicks through sound palettes as quickly as an overwhelmed child flicking through an experimental comic book. But that’s precisely the charm of it. Cheeky and boisterous at points, mystical and perplexing at others, Jockstrap’s unique blend of baroque and glitch-heavy bass is utterly enthralling.

LISTEN IF YOU LIKE: Spellling, black midi, Kero Kero Bonito, Black Country, New Road GENRES: experimental, art pop, progressive pop, glitch pop

Ugly Season by Perfume Genius

There is but one goal of Perfume Genius’ latest serving: be as freak as fucking possible. Composed originally as a soundtrack to an experimental dance show, Ugly Season stands on its own as an intricately layered collection of peculiar and outlandish songs. We’ve got chamber music, we’ve got psychedelic rock, we’ve got trip hop. Hell, we’ve even got reggae. Anything and everything goes. Sexy and hideous all at once, this record is perfect if you’re craving something eclectic and unpredictable.

LISTEN IF YOU LIKE: Julia Holter, Portishead, Weyes Blood, Xiu Xiu GENRES: experimental, ambient pop, neo-psychedelia, chamber music

Fringe Festival: A Stage for Students

Words by Maia Ingoe (she/her)

Fringe is known as the ‘birthplace of brilliance’ for a reason. Over February and March, emerging Pōneke artists and established performers take the stage. Salient talked to three shows making their fringe debut.

King Shit

King Shit explores online masculinity through an anthology of mediums. It is the first professional production by Wills Toon-Lister and Oliver Knott, who both completed degrees in Theatre at VUW last year.

The show was born from recollections of the oppressive influence of anti-feminist masculinity in 2016. Wills describes it as a switch being flipped. “It drove young boys from Minecraft videos to PewDiePie to Jordan Peterson to Ben Shapiro,” he said.

“It’s awful,” Oliver added, “that the only masculine voice we were hearing was anti-feminist out of fear.”

Wills and Oliver are clear that while King Shit explores heavy themes, “you cannot understate the silly”. They describe the show’s style as camp, defiant, and beautiful. King Shit isn’t here to bring you answers or conclusions, instead it aims to start a critical conversation on masculine expression.

“At the theatre program at Vic, Fringe is seen as the next goal,” said Oliver. “Naturally it was a great platform to showcase this.”

King Shit is showing at two/fiftyseven on Willis Street from 8-10 March.

Hell School Musical

Hell School Musical was first devised in a VUW Musical Theatre course in 2022. One year later, the cast and crew are performing the show in Fringe.

“I feel like it never really left our minds,” Aylana Francis from the Hell School Musical team told Salient. Set at a high school reunion, the ex-students discover that thirteen years ago, some of their peers sold their souls to the devil.

While some of the original production cast and crew have left the show, most of the team have stayed on. For cast members Annie Black, who plays the head-prefect Alice, and Zayne Barefoot, who plays Hearts, it will be their first time performing in the show. Isolating with Covid-19 meant they didn’t make it to the stage the first time around.

Bringing the show to Fringe “just seemed like the next step”, said Aylana. Thanks to the festival and funding from Creative New Zealand, the show has grown into a two-hour production of interlocking storylines backed by a live band. “[At Fringe], there’s a push for things to be diverse, creative, and push boundaries and expectations. It’s a really fun space to be in,” said Jules.

Hell School Musical was showing at Hannah Playhouse from 21-23 February.

Women Drinking Hemlock

Women Drinking Hemlock is a queer comedy with a happy ending. Set in Pōneke, two bars open opposite each other and rivalry ensues.

Not only is it funny, Women Drinking Hemlock prioritises accessibility. It is performed with audio description, sign language, and touch tours. First written by Sacha Acland, Women Drinking Hemlock takes its title from a classical play, the contents of which have been lost due to time.

It’s the first production for many of the executive team and cast, and it’s the first to be directed by Bee Wilson Kilby. Fringe was suggested to Sacha by a VUW tutor as a good home for the show.

Putting on a show for the first time has been a learning process for Bee and Sacha. They’ve had to navigate prioritising accessibility while dealing with ambitious sets and transitions. “It’s a fun take on bringing a bit of TV magic into theatre,” said Bee.

The culture of VUW is very present in Women Drinking Hemlock, as well as that of the Ponēke hospitality scene. “For Vic students who’ve worked in hospo and hated it, you’ll find this hilarious,” said Sacha.

Women Drinking Hemlock is showing at Gryphon Theatre from 7-9 March.

Your experiences matter

It can feel isolating to be at uni and to face problems.

For example, you can’t get your head around the process to make a complaint, or perhaps you are experiencing racism or discrimination.

This is where the Code for learner wellbeing and safety comes in. The Code aims to ensure we feel a sense of belonging in classrooms and beyond, including in student accommodation. It supports students’ wellbeing, voice and identity.

It also requires your uni to have culturally responsive support services to ensure your mental

and physical wellbeing are well looked after.

The Code is all about improving your tertiary education experience and creating opportunities to talk to your uni if you face problems or have ideas about how to make things better.

Also be encouraged to talk to local or national student associations who will do their best to represent you and amplify your feedback about what you’re experiencing: the great, the good, the bad and the ugly. And if you are still facing issues, you can talk to NZQA.

The Lust for Academia, But Make it Aesthetic

Words by Kiran Patel (he/they)

“I’m in my dark academia era,” they say after watching Dead Poets Society, while sporting a thrifted tweed jacket. And by “they”, I mean me. I’m five years out of the trend cycle and five years away from being thirty, flirty, and thriving: adopting the aesthetic feels like a must-have for my upcoming academic pursuits.

The dark academia aesthetic continues to make waves in the current tertiary zeitgeist. With a strong presence online and in the Ponēke fashion scene, the aesthetic presents the perfect opportunity to deepen your own personal style through exploring dark academic places, spaces, and creators.

Despite its antique slay, dark academia has sometimes been boiled down to a frivolous fad that perpetuates inauthenticity, superficiality, and dubious ethics. I think this criticism deserves a bit of critical analysis, with a focus on how the dark academia revival actually prioritises diversity and freedom of expression.

Those steering clear of TikTok microtrends may be asking: what is dark academia?

The aesthetic has its roots in the sophisticated fashion of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. These decades romanticised the pursuit of knowledge through appreciating the beauty of the past: European epochs, classical mythology, and literature. If dark academia was a mood board, it would contain wax sealed letters and greased hair, gothic campuses filled with illicit secrets, and longing gazes out of ratty windows that hint at a brooding love affair.

You may have already come to the conclusion that romanticising this era is a tad problematic, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Many have argued that the revival of the dark academia aesthetic only serves to prop up the same Eurocentric and elitist values that ruled in the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Access to higher education was a luxury reserved only for the upper class who asserted wealth and intellect.

Western literature, languages, and culture were imprinted as the pinnacles of artistic enlightenment.

Most of all, the aesthetic seemingly idealises white cis men in blazers, born with the privilege to lounge in lecture halls worshipping their own egos.

I’ll admit, the irony of discussing the elitism of higher education while being a university student hasn’t gone over my head. There’s still a bit of an ‘ick’ to romanticising an institution that continues to perpetuate systemic racism, classism, and eurocentricity through its practices.

Questionable intentions aside, dark academia’s general thematic elements are still enticing to a new generation of progressives.

Is it the vintage maximalism or low lighting that allows a visual escape from the mundanity of modernity? The deep browns and understated beiges that add a level of sophistication to your identity complex? Or maybe the temporary indulgence in a time removed from the melancholy of a climate crisis and two-minute noodle lifestyle? I personally like the fourth, secret option: all of the above.

At the heart of it, dark academia is grounded in making reading, writing, and learning an enjoyable experience.

The aesthetic tells the world that you’re emancipated from the shackles of neoliberalism and the academic calendar. You’re just a fun gal pursuing education for the soul! Who cares if your humanities degree plants you in foreseeable financial debt? For you, it’s a worthwhile investment if not to engulf yourself in the works of Viriginia Woolf and ponder the plights of humanity.

The dark academia subculture is chalked up as a fun and harmless way for our generation to romanticise the student life. Critics of the aesthetic have challenged whether we

really value the beauty of academia or just the beauty of the aesthetic itself. We’re solely fixated on consuming ourselves with an identity through a performative lust for education rather than having the big brains to actually enjoy it.

But this begs the question: why can’t we have both?

I reckon these critiques are steeped in a level of anti-Gen Z elitism—as soon as it becomes a social media trend, appreciating academia is doused in superficiality. It’s also presumptuous to assume that aesthetics of past eras were rooted in a simple pursuit for artistic beauty. Surely there’s a bit of self-flagellation and superiority flexing involved. The snooty bourgeoisie would’ve salivated at wearing their plaid vests and Oxfords while pointing their noses down at the lower classes.

Props to those that aren’t going through one identity crisis after the other. But I don’t see the harm in trying on different hats to see what fits! It’s all about trial and error. Thoughts and vibes can absolutely coexist, so why can’t we pursue educational enlightenment while looking hot as fuck?

It’s about time we contest who exactly deems expression as authentic and why it’s often a tool to gatekeep from the masses. If you gravitate to a style that romanticises your uni experience, I say that’s a win. Particularly if it dulls the dread of being churned out of a degree factory straight into the throes of late-stage capitalism. Also, personal style evolves over time. If you do end up feeling like a pretentious git in your plaid pants and newsboy hat, you’ll at least be a pretentious git with the agency to reinvent.

For me, the best part about a renewed liberal interest in dark academia is that its followers have been able to democratise, gender-fuck, invert, and decolonise elements of the original material. They celebrate queer artists of the decades past, reimagine dark academia themes through the lens of POC writers, and uphold the principle of “vintage clothing, not values”.

Black creators like @cosyfaerie on TikTok and @amandamaryanna on YouTube actively subvert, reassess, and radicalise the once-restrictive subculture through their engagement with it. As writer Mel Monier states, “Black women’s experiences in dark academia echo afro-futuristic ideologies by allowing Black folks to engage with the past, projecting Black life and joy into historical narratives, while simultaneously reimagining possibilities for vivid Black futures.”

Dark academia emphasises possesing the choice and accessibility to do whatever the fuck you want. And there’s no better place to let your freak flag fly than in Pōneke: the city is full with potential for exploration both in fashion and in feeling.

Hunters and Collectors, for example, dabbles in upscale dark academia statement pieces that compliment its brick wall backdrop and wooden flooring. The creaking staircase leading up to the mezzanine floor serves as an ominous background score for the Cuba Street staple. But for those preferring to ball on a budget (especially during a cost of living crisis), our iconic street beacons a plethora of thrift shops sprinkled with mix-and-match items that won’t compromise your weekly budget, or the planet.

In my opinion, nothing embodies the dark academia feel better than The Library, an inconspicuous bar on Courtenay Place that buzzes with an old world romanticism. Its booklined walls and comfy armchairs reverberate the scenery of an Oxbridge library straight into the heart of the Ponēke nightlife. While the 2-for-1 cocktails and live music might not be ideal for a study sesh, its cosy, intimate atmosphere fulfils the fantasy of a dark academic on a classy night out.

If you’re feeling inclined, take elements of the dark academia aesthetic that tickle your fancy and carpe diem your way through the pandemonium of student life. You can, in fact, have a fervour for your expensive education AND a sexy, thrifty style to match.

“Is it the vintage maximalism or low lighting that allows a visual escape from the mundanity of modernity?”

The 2020s = The GUNGE Era

Words by Francesca Pietkiewicz (she/they)

This is my Gunge era. Not to be mistaken for 1990s and early 2000s Grunge and its romanticised grease, nor the era’s disco, electric, glimmer rave scene. Gunge is its own realm.

I’m a Golden Dragon-type Gen Z: born in the year 2000. Growing up, ‘gunge’ was an ooey-gooey substance, poured over local celebs and specially hand-picked kids on What Now. Called ‘slime’ in America, it was shot from a blaster by celebrities like Kevin, Joe or Nick Jonas at the Kids’ Choice Awards.

Gen Z lives within the greenish gloop-glob and virtual viscosity of gunge. Gunge is getting a $20 piercing in your 20s. Gunge is, in a literal sense, the crystallising gunk ball that consumes that same piercing. It’s more of a growth than an infection, but you look cool to your teen successors. That means you’re doing something right. Gunge is the smell of nit treatments of my childhood and a flatmate’s friend’s menthol vape. It’s preferring the way you look when an Instagram filter called *:･✧Sickly Twilight Green*:･✧ tints your features and sparkles your skin. It’s not quite Grimes, but it holds hands with cyberculture and then might accidentally embody her essence. It’s wearing ski boots in the sunshine. My Gunge is accepting that I’ve always resonated with counter-culture, but never dived that deep.

As a fashion academic and Associate Professor in Design Innovation, Jennifer Whitty supported my thoughts that the current rise of cargo and utility clothing was not a coincidence. “Trends are responsive to the time they happen within. With every recession, there’s a rise in goths, and red lipstick sales go up at times of difficulty. There are ways that we turn to the adorned body to deal with things and cope.”

I’ve fallen in love with many decades. Growing up, taking pride in being ‘not like the other girlies’, it was a form of escapism for me. It started with the 1950s and poodle-puff-skirts, then went to the late-2000s Zooey Deschanel twee Peter Pan collars. It was the 80s for a moment, after hearing “Girls

On Film” and receiving boombox earrings as a gift. It soon evolved into the 60s when I saw Moonrise Kingdom and was Suzy for Halloween. My most beloved generations have remained: the groovy activist flared 1970s, the glittery nostalgia filled 2000s, and the red wine-stained and cigarette-burned poetic 1990s.

Jennifer was part of the youth movement in the 1990s and early 2000s. “I feel like I’m caught in a time machine. Certain types of music and clothes, they’re back. It has gone full circle.” I can tell she’s a little confused about why I want to talk about Grunge so much. “Back then you would be constantly asked, are you a raver or a rocker? Grunge felt more traditional, more patriarchal. It just did not feel as progressive as the electronic techno-rave scene did.”

I’m starting to realise the irony. I’ve been asking Jennifer about Grunge because I’m thinking strictly about Kurt Cobain’s Seattle sound and flannel. My Gunge is more like the rave scene. “Nirvana themselves were probably the most progressive,” Jennifer said. “The whole rock scene seemed really aggressive and melancholic.”

Jennifer was more connected to the rave scene. “[The 90s/00s rave culture] was built on [the back of 70s] disco. It was aligned with inclusion and gay rights. It was a celebration of moving beyond the binary, [an escape from] the white, Western, masculine-dominated world.” Sounds a bit familiar.

Gunge, for me, was realising I was in my early 20s and hadn’t done anything stupid. So I got two tattoos, a nose piercing, and bleached my hair all chunky-like, Avril-style. I thought about how to inhabit this world alongside waste, mould, and insects. I learnt to appreciate the ecosystem of bugs hanging from my ceiling, swarming my kitchen counter, and even the ones busting up my computer’s code. I shifted my perspective to see hope in all things mutant, like Chernobyl and its growing, glorious garden-scape only made possible by human absence. I pondered on nuclear destruction

and Ru Paul’s fracking empire while tending to the chemical-blonde burns under my bleached eyebrows.

This Gunge thing I’ve coined is messy. It’s not afraid to clash with itself. It mirrors the world’s disgusting magpieesque maximalism. It combats the climate crisis by adding creative new spins to the old. “If your garment has a tear, repair it, or do something else to alter it,” Jennifer told me. “That’s a badge of honour, you’ve put your creativity into it. You’ve reclaimed your own agency.” All TikTok-era coreculture is just relentlessly recollecting shiny trash. It takes notes of different eras and subcultures and blends them.

Jennifer calls this embrace of messiness “an element of power”. “There’s much more acceptance of diversity. [The 90s/00s] had it to an extent, but we wanted more solidarity. Whereas now, a group of friends can be radically different from each other.”

Gunge is reflective of the state of our planet, a specialist subject for Jennifer. With a background in fashion and a key eco-critical knowledge of the world, she’ll be teaching in the new Global Studies program. “I studied art and fashion, but most of the courses that I teach are about social or environmental justice. [They look] at design as a mechanism to shift practices, raise awareness, and [think about] how to make change for the people and the planet”.

“I think it all boils down to being afraid of dying. Fashion and buying new things is often a way of rejecting ageing. But there are other ways of getting that feeling that don’t rely on the consumption of fossil fuel-pumped synthetics. Anything that is working towards acceptance of reinventing the old rather than glorifying the perpetual new is really healthy.”

Gunge makes me smile while walking past the asbestosinfested complex on Pirie Street, listening to Mazzy Star but feeling more like Faye Webster because “I Know I’m Funny haha”. The truest soundtrack of Pōneke 2020s Gunge would be a 2010-style remix of every StudyLink hold song with a Bunnings Warehouse jingle bass drop. Gunge reflects a life oversaturated, both figuratively and literally.

I started writing Gunge when I finally stopped limiting myself in fear of what others might think, or what styles worked with my gender, body type or skin tone, and allowed myself to be fluid. Gunge is gross and gorgeous at the same time. We all are awkwardly beautiful, and like our struggling planet, our unique differences and changes, sudden or slow, deserve to be loved.

Next time you’re at the op-shop, look for colours and fabrics you like. Don’t look for trends or what feels familiar. Be unafraid to mix and match. Trust me, you will be giving gunge and it will change your life.

“ Gunge ,for me, was realising I was in my early 20s and hadn’t done anything stupid.

Unpacking The Law Faculty’s Failed Lecture Recording Logic

Words by Bridget Scott (she/her)

Law students are finally complaining about something justified. The Law Faculty has hardlaunched 2023 with new restrictions on access to lecture recordings, kicking off a passionate round of media and Twitter discourse. Despite all the conversation, contradictory logic used to justify the policy has still gone under-examined while the raw deal received by students has been misconstrued. Not to fan the flames, but after starting the year with flooding and cyclones across the country, the faculty’s incoherent insistence that we permanently return to butts-on-seats learning seems likely to be proven premature.

The recording of lectures runs on a timed schedule from the equipment in the room. Recordings are automatically uploaded to a platform, where they are hosted and viewed. For the past few years, these videos have been immediately released to students via Panopto for the duration of the course. Now, the faculty has decided that they will be unavailable unless students can prove sufficient need to justify their release. This is the case for at least the four compulsory 200-level papers and, according to information available at the time of enrollment, 80% of 300-level papers.

To cater towards those who require extra support, the faculty has created a hardship category to identify those with disabilities, childcare, or work responsibilities. These students will have their needs assessed and some extra resources provided, which potentially include lecture recordings. A statement released by Mark Bennett, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning, anticipated that “most, if not all, the situations that have been raised by students as being of concern would likely meet the hardship standard.”

However, almost all students are covered by those hardship categories. Wellington’s cost of living means very few students work less than 12 hours a week. Students are generally in inflexible, minimum wage jobs where shifts have to be covered at the last second or go late into the night..

On a personal level, I have the life experience that law school prioritises. I attended the closest thing Dunedin has to a private school, I don’t have any financial obligations to my family or community, and if something impacted my ability to be healthy, pay rent, or work, my parents would help me out. Yet, since second year, I’ve worked 10-20 hours a week at multiple jobs. Only in the second half of 2022 could I find something flexible and remote. Those that aren’t working, don’t have any learning or mental health challenges, and aren’t wrangling children are such a minority. Whether they come to class or not, they will hardly be noticed.

If almost every student reaches the exception threshold, what is the point? Creating a massive load of bureaucracy for the already overworked and underpaid student success advisers? Forcing students to jump through administrative hoops and make vulnerable disclosures about their circumstances? And that’s before we consider issues of implicit exclusion. Students who have the confidence to advocate for themselves within the intimidating and opaque law school system are those students who were already equipped with the tools to succeed.

Without hardship, the new lecture recording policy would be extraordinarily exclusionary. But the faculty will have to choose. Either hardship will be awarded so broadly it

becomes a hoop-jumping administrative exercise, or many of those who aren’t wealthy, able bodied, and childless will be excluded from an accessible legal education. In a homogeneous industry that plays an outsized role in shaping society, every person with an interesting or diverse background who is pushed out of entering the field is a huge loss.

Even if the hardship strategy is widely applied, it doesn’t make provisions for students who are forced to miss class for one-off instances such as Covid-19, job interviews, or funerals. Someone who has negotiated shifts or found childcare to attend class, hasn’t applied for hardship will be left scrambling if they experience a hiccup. Working off notes from friends, flying blind in tutorials, or disclosing personal details to academic staff for access to recordings creates an unnecessary degree of stress and uncertainty. That’s especially true when law school has a significant amount of power in gatekeeping access to legal career paths..

All of this depends on hardship status functioning as it has been designed. At the time of writing this, less than 10 working days from Trimester 1 beginning, many of those who have disclosed their hardship status have not been advised what form their support will take.

The Faculty justifies these changes by complaining that lecture attendance has been too low, that pedagogy and legal education has been compromised, and that students will not have sufficient knowledge to qualify for a law degree if they do not physically attend every class.

In terms of poor attendance, blaming lecture recordings alone is disingenuous. Throughout the past few years, delivery methods have been incredibly inconsistent. They’ve been different between papers and days, often changing within a few hours’ notice. When a random Wednesday includes a Zoom tutorial (extremely hard in a silent library), an hour of content uploaded in advance (recycled from last year), and a discussion session on campus (that makes sense after viewing three hours of content), why would anyone schlep across town?

But apparently inconsistency was a symptom of the times and it certainly wasn’t easy on teaching staff either. Simply having regular classes with the same delivery methods in the same location for the first time since 2020 will naturally improve attendance without being punitive.

On pedagogy, law students have been told throughout the pandemic that grades have remained consistent with pre2020 levels. VUW maintains that students are not to expect

favourable scaling or receive grade bumps as a result of Covid-19. This is not the case at other universities, which added 5% to grades in 2020. The University of Auckland, New Zealand’s highest ranked law school, has a policy to “release all lectures captured” by recording.

Students who attend class consistently, do all the readings, ask questions in tutorials, and develop strong relationships with academic staff might perform better on assessments. But the standard for receiving an LLB isn’t to be an outstanding student, it’s to be a student who passes exams approved by the New Zealand Council of Legal Education. Afterall, what qualifies as good attendance, being sufficiently engaged, or having social connections— all problems the faculty claims to be addressing with this policy—is highly subjective and therefore potentially discriminatory. Anonymously marked assessments are the closest thing we have to gaining an unbiased understanding of a student’s legal skills. To restrict access to a learning resource, one that is used even by diligent students as a revision and clarification tool, because some students might use it too heavily in exam preparation, is nonsensical.

This isn’t a cynical view of a legal education, it’s a practical one. To prevent students from making the rational decision to trade off marginally lower grades or the nebulous

benefits of “discussion” or “collegiality” in return for making money, participating in extracurriculars, or caring for their communities is controlling and paternalistic.

It creates a world where university is more rigid than a regular 9-5 job or working at most law firms. Students studying law are still students. When opportunities to explore different paths come up, being empowered to take control over the process of gaining one’s degree makes a huge difference to whether law school feels like a supportive, welcoming space or a combative one where students are at war with the faculty. This is especially crucial given that the hardship strategy’s inflexibility has forced students to create petitions and advocate publicly for access to a resource that has been standard practice across the country for years.

Releasing lecture recordings creates limited extra work for teaching staff, acts as a useful resource for students, and improves equity in a legal education. Drawing lines between students who are sufficiently disadvantaged to deserve access and those who aren’t is a poorly-judged illustration of the faculty’s insistence on overreaching into students’ lives. The new policy will do little to improve class attendence while irreparably undermining the student experience.

It creates a world where university is more rigid than a regular 9-5 job or working at most law firms.

PODCASTS

We Speak In Sound Waves

Words by Alex Marinkovich-Josey (he/him)

Igot my start in podcasting at 14, when my geeky dad revealed his impressive collection of audio recording equipment to me. He had been podcasting with my mum and passed on to me. I launched a small pop culture podcast with one of my oldest friends and we kept going for nearly two years. I continued to experiment in the audio space, creating interview shows, tabletop-roleplaying shows, and more. Yeah, I was a nerd, but I had made a space where I was able to express myself and find people who wanted to talk about the same things.

When I moved back to New Zealand, I felt lost as a New Zealander who grew up overseas. I expressed that culture shock through my show with Salient Podcasts, Stranger at Home. My co-host Gil and I routinely converse with academics, students, immigrants, and politicians about their experiences with national, cultural, and personal identity. It’s been incredibly cathartic. My own struggles with learning to fit in have become a point of connection not difference, as I had initially feared they would.

Now, as the Podcast Manager at Salient Podcasts, I want to take my passion for self-expression and connect more students at VUW to the opportunities of podcasting. I want to see Salient Podcasts continue to engage with audiences on campus and around the country, and to get more people to try out podcasting for themselves. I’d love to force the country at large to pay attention to student issues through Salient Podcasts, especially given that it’s an election year. For podcasters, we’ve got our decked-out studio available for use and opportunities to connect with professional podcasters in the works!

Podcasting has been around since blogging was a thing. Hell, they both use RSS feeds. Audioblogs were a major step away from radio to on-demand content. Audio journalism was democratised so that anyone with passion and a decent microphone was able to reach other fans of whatever they wanted to talk about. The internet became a machine constantly facilitating expression en-masse, and podcasting has continued to boom throughout the years. If you’ve got an interest, you can guarantee there is a podcast about it. Podcasting is a wide space, with plenty of room for everyone.

You can expect to hear from the rest of our shows soon as they return to ramp up production over the next few weeks. For now, to meet the crew, here's a playlist of some of our current podcasts.

If you’ve got hot takes you just have to share, a funky conspiracy theory that audiences need to know, or just want to be a part of the crew that's taking student media to new heights, Salient Podcasts is the place to be. If you want to try out expressing those ideas you’ve got pent up via podcasting, flick us a pitch at podcasts@salient.org.nz.

Check out our instagram for more details!

FOR REAL? Our REAL Besties! Rock Dog

What is the Anthropocene?

Stranger at Home

The Beauty in the Gap SheCess

Ghazaleh Golbakhsh: Islamophobia in New Zealand

Dear Aunty Vic

I've just moved into the halls and I'm crushing on my neighbour. Even worse, he has a long-term girlfriend. I’m not a home wrecker, but this is the hardest I’ve crushed on someone in years. What do I do?!

A.Qlocked in your room and write down all your feelings for this person. Blast “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” and fucking wallow. Unrequited love is one of the most all-consuming emotions and all I know to do is to sit with it. The following day, when your emotions have settled, go through what you wrote with a red-fucking-pen and call yourself out.

Whether you’re in a small, 100-person hall, or a monster like Te Puni, halls are overwhelming. Crushes are always common occurrences in the first few months of halls, whether it’s a friend-crush, an actual-crush, or a crush that is destroyed after seeing what shoes they wear (men in low-cut socks and Air Force 1s: ick).

Let’s just lay down the facts. You are not a bad person for developing a crush on your neighbour. The reality is, when you’re in halls, it’s seriously hard to not get a crush on every second person you meet. Everyone’s fanatasing about fuckbuddies or their future spouse.

Until that crush fades, what can you do? I would like to remind you that you do not substantially know this person. A crush is an idealised version of someone who has been in your life for a maximum of two weeks. Girl, get a grip.

The only secure fact in this situation is that he is not all he’s cracked up to be. Spend one evening

.Yes, he shouted you a coffee. But remind yourself that he bought your other neighbour Anna one too. Why? To make friends. Snapchats and walking to uni together— I hate to say it—can genuinely just be an attempt at locking in friendships.

Miss Capital-Crusher, I would not recommend completely ghosting this guy. However, I would recommend realising that everyone is on their best form in that first month. Get the fuck out of there, that’s fuck-boy-101 type shit. You’re in your first month of the newest chapter of your life, do not spend it obsessing over a crush.

Focus on remembering the names of people you met yesterday, help out a new friend with what outfit they’re going to wear that night, go with someone new to the bottle store. Pour all your energy into new friendships and yourself. The boy can wait, he can be in that relationship. And if he’s the one (if the one is even real), you’ll have all the time in the world once he’s out of a relationship.

WHAKAKĀINGA

Words By Te Huihui o Matariki Chí Huy Tran (he/him; Taranaki, Te Iwi o Maruwharanui)

Transitioning from high school to university challenged my sense of home. I didn’t know what I was heading into, and I certainly didn’t expect I would end up where I am now. At high school, my ability to express myself was limited. After my first year studying at Te Herenga Waka, I realised that expressing each individual aspect of yourself is key to making connections with your peers inside and outside the classroom.

What worked for me was finding my sense of self through my culture and solidifying my own mātauranga Māori. I never expected the opportunities and potential that discovering my self-expression would have. Of course, this wouldn’t have been achievable without the āwhina coming from our Māori Students Association at Victoria University of Wellington: Ngāi Tauira.

The word “loss” perfectly describes what it was like for me starting my first year. As a result, I joined Ngāi Tauira, hoping that my uni life would be filled with joy and support. This community of students would soon become what I consider to be an indispensable part of my life while attending uni and in general.

Ngāi Tauira offers a range of services to students, including support, funding for scholarships and other educational opportunities, national

participation on boards and councils, social networking, and pastoral care. In accordance with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Ngāi Tauira seeks to support, nourish, and foster the intellectual, cultural, political, and social potential of all tauira. Additionally, Ngāi Tauira is in favour of any initiative that will help promote the study of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori at Te Herenga Waka.

The best thing that Ngāi Tauira has provided me is a safe space where I can fully express and submerge myself into Te Ao Māori while studying in a Western academic environment— something that I couldn’t achieve in my time at a mainstream high school. What I love most about being part of Ngāi Tauira is attending kaupapa Māori with my mates. There’s always so much to learn and reflect on from each kaupapa.

A message for those who are starting their first year at Vic (especially those who are not Pōneke based): if you need a safe space where you can find your own identity through the years, Ngāi Tauira can be a home away from home. Ngāi Tauira will always welcome everyone and will encourage our Māori students to help you define who you are as a person. It will definitely be a great time to learn and grow alongside our awesome NT whānau.

Chur, Huy

Words By Goose (they/them)

Kia ora, g’day, and howdy friends! Goose here. I’m part of the exec team running UniQ this year and we’re so excited to get things rolling in 2023.

Just in case you haven’t heard of UniQ yet, we’re the representative group for queer students here at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. We’re a student-led group supporting the rainbow community, running social spaces and advocacy initiatives, and making sure this university is an inclusive space for us all.

We’re the gay club basically.

Throughout the year, we’ll be putting on events and get-togethers. You can expect drag shows, quiz nights, meetups, and online events. Pride Week and our big Gayla (like a gala, but gay) will top it all off in Trimester 2!

This week’s Salient theme is Expression, so I’d like to talk a little about how important this magazine has been for my own personal expression. My publishing journey started back in 2021 with a small stream of consciousness piece that I had churning around in my head for a while, but never had anywhere to put it. It found its place here in the UniQ Column. Being part of UniQ and having the opportunity to get my voice out there in a specifically queer context has been invaluable for my aspirations as a writer, and it’s always so fulfilling seeing the community’s reaction to my work.

Fruit Salad is an open space for queer student voices with a message to share. We welcome all kinds of contributions: short articles, vent pieces, profiles, poetry, creative nonfiction. If it fits in a page, we can get it published. And in Tri 2, we take over editorship at Salient for a whole week, filling each and every page with our own queer goodness.

Got a feature article in mind? Got some art to show off? We’d love to have you in Queerlient!

I hope this year gives us all a chance to express ourselves as openly as we can. If this little column can be a home for some new queer voices, like it was for mine years ago, then I can say I’ve done my job right.

Finally, if you’re looking to make some new friends or just wanna get to know the community here at uni, you’ve got a couple fun options:We have our very own on-campus Rainbow Room, a relaxed hangout space in the Student Union Building. It is open every Friday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. if you want to enjoy comfy seats and fun board games. We also manage a busy Discord server, open 24/7!

You can keep up with all the updates and events through our Facebook and Instagram pages, just look for ‘UniQ Victoria’. And if you do want to get involved feel free to message us there or email info@uniqvictoria.org.nz.

Can’t wait to see ya!

tories Between the Seams

Behind our outfits are memories, associations, and stories. Clothes are as sentimental as they are aesthetic. Hand-me-down clothes connect us back through generations, carrying the stories of those who wore it before us. We have garments worn at monumental occasions and transitory periods, meaning our change of identity is forever associated with that piece.

We asked six people to open their closets and tell us the stories behind their clothes. By tracing the connections of individual pieces to personal style, we see a piece with relevance beyond a single season and learn to love our clothes slowly.

Sylvia (she/her)

“My yellow dress is my favourite dress. My mum bought it for me three years ago from one of those fancy recycle stores. I love it because it’s very cottagecore. I got so happy when I put it on for the first time. It’s yellow and flowy and it feels like me. My Mary Jane Dr. Martens are my mums from the 90s. The quality in Dr. Martens has gone down since then, so it’s nice having an old pair that’s made really well. I don’t really buy new clothes anymore, almost all my clothes are second-hand.”

Sibel (she/they)

“I remember wanting loafers as a child. I found these Dr. Martens and they changed my life. I’ve had them for three years now and they are the comfiest shoes I’ve ever owned. They’re important to me because they bring all the elements of my style together. I can wear shorts and a t-shirt, with the loafers adding a little classy flare. My Brain Dead cap is my favourite and most loved accessory. It gives me insane gender euphoria. Being a masc-presenting person, I’m always looking for ways to elevate outfits. This hat does it all for me.”

Fran (she/they)

“I bought this shirt back when I was 17. It’s a true 70s piece from Tangent. I remember being nervous to buy it because it was a ‘men’s shirt’ in a ‘men’s store’. This was a big step toward realising I was non-binary and how, a lot of the time, I feel more comfortable in masculine clothes. I’ve paired the shirt with some orange flares and dunks. I think the 70s is such a gorgeous era because of its androgynous flare. Swap out the shirt for a halter, add some glam and it’s the perfect, femme 70s look.”

Lillias (she/her)

“I dress like my parents and I did in the early 2000s. Some of the key photos of us together in my first couple of weeks, mum’s wearing long skirts and fun tops, and dad’s wearing the t-shirt I’m wearing now. The seams are fraying and the thread that’s stitching it together is literally disintegrating. He wore it all the time. Mum is a second-hand lover like me and she bought this skirt when it was out of style in the 90s. It’s woollen and NZ made. This film camera was mum’s first, and it’s the first one I got.”

Maia (she/her)

“My suede leather jacket is synonymous with my identity. It’s my mum’s. She bought it in Italy during three years of overseas travel in her 20s. After coating it in her memories, it’s etched itself in mine. This dress is one she made for a university ball in the 90s and has recently been passed onto me. These high-heeled boots are the fiercest item in my wardrobe and mum has been trying to get me into them for years. By wearing her clothes, I’m paying homage to her and carrying her with me while making my own memories.”

Concept and Photos by Francesca Pietkiewicz (she/they) and Maia Ingoe (she/her)

You’re Reading Your Horoscope Wrong:

From Salient’s Resident Astrologer and Astro-Girly

Words by the Salient Wizard (thee/thou) and Francesca Pietkiewicz (she/they)

If you’ve ever turned to the back of this magazine hoping for some accurate astrological guidance and been disappointed, I’m here to tell you that it’s a you problem, unlike my relationship with my ex, not a me problem.

Believe it or not, astrology wasn’t created by TikTok scammers—it’s actually an ancient practice. So old, we actually don’t know how old. If you’re new to astrology, you may not know that you have more than one astrological sign (though you’ve probably heard cute astrology girlies talking about their ‘big three’). The one you’re looking for when you read your horoscope every week is called your ‘sun sign’. But if you want your planetary advice to be more accurate, you should be reading for your ‘rising sign’ or ‘ascendant’: the sign in charge of the energy you present purse-first into the party. You could even call it your expressive essence.

Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

In order to find your rising sign, you’re going to have to find a birth chart calculator online (we use Café Astrology). Ask a family member your birth-time, enter it into the calculator, and watch it ‘cast’ your birth chart. Your birth chart is a wheel divided into 12 sections: a snapshot of the position of the planets when you were born. These 12 sections are called ‘houses’, and each one will be assigned a sign in Zodiacal order.

These houses are all associated with different things and aspects of a person’s life, with the first representing yourself and your body. Your ‘rising sign’ is whatever sign rules your first house. For example, if you’re a Leo rising, your first house will be ruled by Leo, your second will be by Virgo, your third will be by Libra, and so on. Ta-da! If this is big-boy confusing, just scroll down the page or check your Co-Star app (we don’t recommend) for a list.

Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

CARDINAL (C) Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn

Think initiator. Cardinal signs hold the metaphorical torch of each element, giving CEO energy, leader vibes, and confidence. They cannot be stopped. They will drive themselves insane if it means being successful in their mission, whether that be getting a date or pioneering a start-up.

FIXED (F) Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus

Fixed signs are driven and on a set path. They are potentially control freaks, stubborn yet stable, and grounded within their purpose. These signs are ground workers of the zodiac; the support system when the cardinals ultimately overwhelm themselves. Each of these signs have rizz but also are adamant god-complex beings who need their alone time to thrive.

MUTABLE (M) Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini, Virgo

Mutable signs are the easy-going, free-flowing members of the zodiac; the true manifestations of full-spectrum humans, ranging from chill to constant chaos. They are the ‘life of the party’ signs and the most interesting characters of the zodiac. They are the glory babies—coming in hot with all of the ideas spirit-straight from the aether.

You are bringing sensuality to every aspect of your routines. Think morning yoga and sexy candlelight rituals. Kind of random energy for the beginning of the uni year, but get it I guess.

Really beautiful and comfortable things were happening for you over the summer, but now uni is starting up again and somehow you’ve ended up fully out of your comfort zone. Shhh, don’t be scared. Embrace the chaos.

What has happened to your filter this week? You’re talkative enough already and now the planets have stolen your ability to read the room. Think twice before giving your opinion about the Megan Fox and MGK breakup. Nobody values it.

You keep changing your mind about serious decisions every five seconds. Your friends are getting sick of you complaining about your situationship one moment, and then refusing to leave it the next. Hell, even I’m getting sick of you.

Leo, your mind is on spooky shit rn. You’ve been watching ghost hunting videos, doing your readings in Mount Street Cemetery, and checking Facebook Marketplace for Ouija boards every day.

I see loving conversations with your significant other. You’re really getting to know each other better. It’s either that or you’re getting pissed off at your partner’s shit communication. There is no in-between.

Awwww, Venus is in your 7th house! Exciting! Sorry, I’ll translate: you’re going to be distracted from your oh-soimportant first week because you’ll be too busy meeting the love of your life. I don’t care if this is a big claim.

Your astrological energy is like your parents giving you a lump sum of money that’s supposed to last you a few months and then you spend it in a week. Did you take out course related costs and spend it all on a night out?

I don’t want to freak you out, but I think the person you’re really into at the moment is not focused on you at all. They’re thinking about boring things like work and career. Forget that shit, man. Protect your energy.

Oh, Capricorn. I know you’ve skipped straight to the horoscopes with a burning question in your heart that you hope I’ll answer. Stop searching for signs and actually take your life into your own hands.

I can tell that you’re desperately waiting for something. Like, DESPERATELY. I see you Aquarius. I see your struggle. The stars do too, and don’t worry, what you’re waiting for is coming. It just probably won’t be here this week. Or next week...

I’m sorry, I don’t really have anything exciting to say about your week, Pisces. It’s just typical “getting-usedto-new-routine” type stuff. I could’ve said that about any of the signs, but apparently it’s especially true for you. Slay.

Let’s clear the air Pōneke!

Let’s clear the air Pōneke!

From 1 March 2023, hospitality venues with outdoor dining on council land will be smokefree and vapefree.

Find out more at wellington.govt.nz/smokefree

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so sad or angry about the lost decades that we spent arguing whether climate change was real or not, caused by humans or not… because it is clearly here now.

“ James Shaw, 14/02/22 -

Minister for Climate Change

A Novel Idea

ACROSS

1. Charismatic reasoning; personal preference (10)

6. New York's Central or Wellington's Frank Kitts, say (4)

10. Group of lions (5)

11. 'The Birthday Party' author Katherine (9)

12. Giving a new title to (8)

14. Fictional mouse Stuart, or current Minister of Justice Andrew (6)

16. Ability to respond to complicated emotions and art (11)

19. Duration; distance (6)

20. Australian city where Sia and Cold Chisel hail from (8)

23. Bigotry or bias (9)

24. Taste or hearing, say (5)

25. 'The Favourite' actor Stone (4)

26. Author whose titles (or nearly all of them) are this puzzle's starred entries (4,6)

DOWN

1. Andy Warhol's genre (3,3)

2. Monarchy period (5)

3. Function (3)

4. Relating to the specific meaning of words (8)

5. Pigpen noise (4)

7. With particular finesse or talent (7)

8. Renal organ (6)

9. It's the O in OCR (8)

13. Bull-headed figure of Greek myth (8)

15. Aerial view (5-3)

16. Ray of light; kitchen appliance maker (7)

17. Go by, as time (6)

18. Athens and Heraklion are on its coast (6)

21. Otherwise (2,3)

22. Middle Simpson child (4)

24. Early Beatles member Sutcliffe, or Tommy's dad on 'Rugrats' (3)

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