ATARs | TRAVEL | MOVING | TEA FAD | ZInes | Feb 2014
18+ Event - please bring a passport or valid Aus. I.D.
SWINE
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Team
Contributors
Presitorial
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Editorial
Feature: Long Live the Zine
Feature: The Tea-volution
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Feature: Rules to Get You Through Moving
Feature: The Fog of War
Exhibition: Mikaela Merrilees
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Feature: Has ATAR Gone Too Far?
34 Reviews: The Mud
Feature: Lessons About Backpacking
Contribute to Swine: Contact us
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Eat: Summer Sips 3
Team
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RHYS POPE
DANIELLE THOMPSON
NICK KENNEDY
EDITOR IN CHIEF
EDITOR/SECRETARY
MANAGING EDITOR
Rhys Pope is a third year journalism student, and has been a regular contributor to Swine magazine since 2012. He is passionate about telling stories through all forms of media and is currently the proud father of 3 tomato plants.
Danielle Thompson is a third year journalism student, who has recently joined Swine. She is still overwhelmed with grief after Ali came third on the Bachelor Australia and writes so she can feel something again.
Nicholas Kennedy is a third year Journalism student. Nobody knows his real name or where he came from, and the only thing we know about him is he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.
SWINE
ELOISE RETALLICK
JONATHAN BOADLE
WE WANT YOU
LEAD DESIGNER
DISTRIBUTION AND PROMOTION
ADVERTISING MANAGER (YES IT IS BILL MURRAY) We need an advertising manager to help sell advertising which will allow us to make the best magazine ever! The role will be a superb addition to your resume and provide you with experience in dealing with clients and managing accounts. If you are interested in being a part of the team please contact us at media@ssu.org.au
Eloise is a third year Communication Design and Business (Marketing) Student. Art snob, wine lover and country music fan. She hates cats and cannot stand the colour purple - it shouldn’t be a thing!
Jonathan is a second year Media and Communications student, presenter on 3SSR and a coffee connoisseur. If you want to hear his story about the broken pencil then don’t... Because there is no point hahaha. 5
Contributors
Writers RHYS POPE DANIELLE THOMPSON NICK KENNEDY ELOISE RETALLICK JONATHAN BOADLE GEORGIA WESTGARTH JAMES CAMPBELL TYSON GILLIES BELINDA FRASER TRISH RETALLICK Photography RHYS POPE ELOISE RETALLICK DANIELLE THOMPSON Artwork MIKAELA MERRILEES ILLUSTRATION VIANA VAN EYK STERN CALLUM FLORY THOMAS MACKEY ELOISE RETALLICK Recipes DANIELLE THOMPSON JONATHAN BOADLE UNION PRESIDENT JOSHUA FERNANDEZ
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PRESITORIAL
PRESITORIAL
Hey all, Welcome to what promises to be a great year at Swinburne! Hope you’ve had a great summer and you’re all rested up for a busy two semesters – and three if you’re a winter term kid. The student union is a body which has existed since 1973, and ever since we’ve been at the forefront of fighting for students rights. Whether through tackling terrible government policy or making sure the university administration stops ignoring your rights; your student representatives are ready to shake up the university and ready to level it up. With each year brining up new challenges for all of us, one thing which i hope you learn at your time at Swinburne is that university should be more than just grabbing a piece of paper from the unyielding hands of a profit-making machine. It should be an experience where you engage in robust debate about the future, make life-long friends and challenge your views on the world. Don’t be afraid to ruffle a few feathers in the classroom. Start a healthy debate on keynesianism versus neo-liberalism while poking fun at the Austrian school. Quote ayn rand while discussing the role of government in society (please don’t). Learn how to shift paradigms, just do anything to start a discussion, and you might even win the talk against your tutor. If you want to start the talk outside of the classroom, start a club or get involved in one on clubs day. The thought of running a club can be daunting, but with the right people helping and a dedicated committee you can have a great experience on campus by not only enriching your own experience at university, but that of others. For those who want an even larger challenge, you should embrace the innovator and use it to hone in on your passion for people. Join one of the numerous union collectives and change the world, one action at a time. Volunteer at one of our many events to understand how the union works, or simply demand the university to allow for greater student control of student affairs. At the end of the day, the fight for your rights as students couldn’t be more important than ever. With funding cuts forcing universities to clamp down on courses and in turn teaching quality declining, your voice is what will ensure that the future of quality education remains strong. Don’t ever forget that the current administration closed down both the Lilydale and Prahran campuses, all without discussion with either staff or students. The union remains more relevant than ever, but the union can only thrive with students like you taking a stand. Feel free to have a friendly talk with any of our representatives at our numerous events, or simply pop past the office to have a quick chat. We’ll be more than happy to tell you why it matters to have a strong union; a union working for you!
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TUDENT NE S U UR
Joshua Fernandez THE SWI NB T OF EN President
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Editorial
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Hi and welcome to Swine! Swinburne’s only 100% student run magazine. Swine is the newly re-titled and re-imagined version of ‘The Swine’, Swinburne’s former student newspaper which has been published for over 20 years. This change is because we have an all new media committee behind the magazine! We are committed to making you a beautiful, yet informative magazine. Remember that this is our first mag, so be gentle. We’ve been hard at work all summer to make this our dream magazine we want you to be a part of it this year. But we can’t do it without people like you. Being involved with Swine is a great experience. It’s a great way to meet new people, plus you get to be published in print which looks pretty good on the resume. We’re always on the lookout for new submissions, anyone involved with the university is welcome to submit an article, their own artwork or even a creative writing story. At Swine we are always looking for opinionated writers, journalists, critical reviewers and basically anyone interested in magazines. You could be a first year engineering student or a fifth year arts student, as long as you’re keen we’re happy to have you involved. Submissions are officially open for Swine Issue 2. 2014 looks set to be a great year for Swine and we’re all excited to get going. If you’re interested in getting involved send us an email swine@ssu.org.au Good luck in 2014! Rhys Pope
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“In about ’99... I totally bought into the idea that in just a few years time zines would be online, everyone would be shopping exclusively online and having sex exclusively online.”
Long Live the Zine
by Rhys PopE 9
Feature: Long Live The Zine Luke Sinclair could have just given up on zines right then and there, but luckily for everyone he didn’t. In 2001 he co-founded Melbourne’s own Sticky Institute along with Simone Ewenson. Today Sticky is the only living home for zines in Australia and zines are just as popular as ever. “After a couple of years it was quite apparent that that wasn’t what was happening... The internet was making lots more zines lots more accessible for lots more people. So instead of being this evil thing to wipe zines out it was actually bringing the community together and people could find zines a hell of a lot easier,” says Luke.
They can replicate the form of magazines, with separate articles and stories or they can be completely different. Zines have changed a fair bit over time, “I started reading zines in about ’93 and that was how you would find out about shows, that was how you found out about the music. It was more used as an information source, a lot more than it is now.” says Luke. The exact history of where zines came from is debateable, some argue that zines are a natural evolution of pamphlets and independent magazines that were printed from the invention of the printing press until the 1930s.
Zines are independently produced print publications, most “I would directly relate these of them are black and white back to 1976 punk rock,” says photocopies and are usually printed in less than 100 copies. Luke.
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“Zines are about getting involved and doing it, like anybody can make a zine.”
SWINE Others like Luke argue that zines came about during the 1970s, a time where underground and DIY cultures began to blossom. Photocopiers were also becoming cheaper and more accessible, leading to beginning modern zines. Gemma Flack, is a visual artist and illustrator, she only became involved in making zines in 2013. “I read zines for a really long time, but I never really participated in the fairs or culture... I did my first zine fair... in February this year.”
have a really hardcore radical feminist zine on the shelf, next to some teenage boy, aliens probing the population kinda zine,” says Luke. But zines don’t usually last many issues “Most of them will make one issue and fade away... they usually, decide it’s not for them, realise how much work it is and realise how much money they’re gonna lose,” says Luke.
He says if you’re going to make a successful zine you need to be critical,“... if you are gonna improve you’ve gotta look at “Zines are about getting involved what you’ve done with the first and doing it, like anybody can issue.” make a zine. It’s so easy to get involved with,” says Gemma. “It’s an avenue to say or do whatever you want without worrying what people are gonna think of it.” “I’m really into handmade, DIY kind of stuff, It’s my favourite medium to make stuff in,” says Gemma. “I think the best part for me is someone who’s read my zine and then sent me and email or comes in and says, hey I really liked your zine. That’s an awesome kind of validation.” Truly anyone can make a zine, about anything they want. Luke says that the youngest people they get at Sticky are around eight and it just goes up from there. But most zine makers are in their 20s and topics can range wildly too. He says that the purpose of a zine is to be something that you just could never do in the mainstream media.
“You draw it, write it and photocopy it, it’s as easy as that.” “Maybe you printed too many and you’ve got a box full under your bed. Maybe you spent too much on the photocopying and you find out how to do it cheaper, the photocopies are too light or too heavy and dark,” says Luke “So yeah you try and improve it each time.” Gemma encourages everyone to get involved, “People in the zine community are just really friendly. It’s so easy to get into a zine and anyone can make it, you know. You draw it, write it and photocopy it, it’s as easy as that.”
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Feature: The Tea-volution
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The Tea-volution A cup of tea no longer stands as a prim beverage to have alongside undersized, cucumber sandwiches in an English Garden or as something to sip on the couch on a rainy Sunday. Lately, you could never request a cuppa’ and receive a mug with a Lipton or Bushells tea bag still floating around. The question, “milk or sugar?”, has been replaced by “would you like ‘Gunpowder Green, China Jasmine or Hobart Breakfast?”. Where did this tea fascination spring from? Suddenly everyone is reaping benefits from green tea antioxidants and developing tea drawers that consume half the kitchen.
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Feature: The Tea-volution on the flourishing coffee industry, opening her first shop in Fitzroy over 15 years ago. Now with over 30 stores across Australia and 2 stores in New Zealand, T2 is selling enough tea a month to make over 7 million cups. Shearer, who in fact has a background in fashion, has found a way to trend up the tea tradition and the store has thrived as a result. T2 has produced lines of attractive tea sets which have been frequently featured in fashion, food and home style magazines, making the tea drinking experience about more than just the taste. “Modern tea culture pays as much homage to the receptacle as to the leaf itself,” according to The Age.
Photographs by Danielle Thompson and Rhys Pope
caused a frenzy.
In the Christmas build up, flocks As a mega tea drinker myself, of people consulted the store to fill the stockings of loved ones. I wonder whether I have recently fallen into a trap And post Christmas returning of bright coloured boxes to find a herbal tea remedy to designed to convince me that deal with the bulk stress that Camomile is for the tummies was caused by visiting relatives and a pot of Peppermint will during the holiday period. dull the pain of any headache Business Review Weekly or am I, and the rest of reported in 2013 that sales at the world, seriously on to T2 were sitting at about $57 something with this? million annually and growing. Tea franchise, Tea Too (T2), According to T2s website which seems to have found its Maryanne Shearer, founder and way to almost every Australian CEO of T2, recognised a gap in metropolitan street corner, has the market and decided to take 14
Many blogs have also been devoted to tea, with posts from ‘tea masters’ about the perfect way to pour the tea, the temperature of the water and the perfect amount of time to brew a pot. Perhaps, the tea fixation that seems to be taking over is us just finally catching up on what the Eastern world has known for centuries. Tea in Japan, according to the Kew Botanical Gardens, was introduced by Buddhists and dates back to 600 B.C.E. Buddhists made use of the calming but stimulating qualities of tea to assist with meditation and self-cultivation. Within Buddhism “everything is connected to tea,” stated news organisation China Daily.
SWINE All tea comes from the leaves of the plant Camellia Sinensis. Although both black and green tea are from this same species, green tea is regularly promoted for its health benefits. Black tea is the plant after it has been fermented, says Kew Botanical Gardens. According to a Harvard University health study done in 2004, black, green and oolong tea all have a huge amount of benefits such as reduced risk of heart disease and reduction in hypertension by 46 to 65 per cent. The study states that green tea releases a high amount of catechins which are more powerful than vitamin C and E as antioxidants.
caffeine. However, it also contains an amino acid, L-theanine which has a soothing effect and relieves the unwanted jitters of caffeine. With Eastern beliefs and practices becoming more and more prominent in Western society it is only natural that tea culture will rise with it. Tea clearly has a huge range of benefits and if it is packed in colourful boxes or can be wrapped and stuck under the Christmas tree when you are low on ideas, then all the better. As long as it continues to send me into a Zen coma and requires me to sit still for ten minutes then I won’t be hopping off the tea train anytime soon.
"Perhaps, the tea fixation that seems to be taking over is us just finally catching up on what the Eastern world has known for centuries."
As with coffee, tea contains
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Feature: The Rules to Get You Through Moving
The Rules to Get You Through Moving
Text by Danielle Thompson Illustrations by Viana Van Eyk Stern
For many uni students, the start of the semester means buying a couple of new pens, crisp books and fussing over timetables. But it has also come to be the time of moving. With all your curb-side collection, IKEA and Gumtree furniture you make way into yet another share house, with a mouldy bathroom and ridiculous lack of storage.
This, as many young citizens know, is one of the worst experiences a uni student, with a limited moving budget will have to go through. I put ‘the move’ into three categories; finding a place that doesn’t smell like that banana in the bottom of your bag from 2009, packing your whole life in to one undersized van, and finally, the transfer to your new, old, share castle.
Finding a Place
1. Lower your standards: When looking online and sorting through the likes of Domain and realestate.com, for a uni student, it is important that you don’t go in with high standards. In fact, the lower the better. Rather than, “does it have a second bathroom?” and “does it have ducted heating?” the questions you need to be asking are more like “will the roof cave in next time there is a Southerly breeze?” and “is that asbestos or just egg stuck on the wall?” 2. Make yourself known:
3. Place emphasis on your good points:
When attending a house inspection alongside 60 other desperate students who are all willing to do whatever it takes to be accepted into a home no better than your Dad’s backyard shed, it is important that you are noticed by the real estate agent. Shameless flirting, and the classic brush of the arm are all encouraged.
When filling out a rental application rather than ticking the box that implies that in your last rental property you lost your whole bond followed with the reason, “got smashed and then so did all the windows and lights”, perhaps put in the point about recently getting employee of the week for your exquisite meat slicing skills in the Safeway deli.
Remember: Never overdo the wit on a real estate agent. Your half of a Cultural Studies degree is more education than they could ever dream of.
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Packing
1. Boxes, boxes, boxes: When realising that your lease end day is getting closer and that soon you will be carting your nicely stained couch down the stairs of your 3rd floor apartment, you begin to see boxes everywhere. It develops like a newly formed superpower which, let’s be honest would make a fairly average comic, but you soon find that you manage to cart a box or two home after every trip outside after finding them in back alleys, back yards, and bins! 2. Gather the essentials: Although, you may have developed an unnatural attachment to that pink, fairy floss shaded jumper that once protected you from the Melbourne wind chill, if it is now significantly thinner, and leaves a pink fluff on everything else you own it may be time to say adieu. Be brutal and cut throat when it comes to what goes in the suitcase. If it was too short last summer for a trip to the beach, it probably hasn’t grown.
The Transfer
1. Utilise your connections:
2. Consult Gumtree:
In the moving situation, the expression “it’s not what you know...it’s who” has never been more true. Suddenly you find yourself sending overly friendly messages to your brothers, girlfriend’s family friends uncle’s cousin because they might have a little garage space somewhere. On the positive side though, you may discover you have some fairly awesome friends who are willing to spend hours helping you move or phoning around to help you get from A to B. Then if worst comes to worse there is always the side of road, because someone out there will want your framed picture of Shannon Noll from 2006.
After van rental attempts with the likes of Eurocar and Thrifty for the fun price of $250 for four hours, it became very clear that a few friendly Gumtree blokes are willing you meet you at your place, pick up your stuff, squeeze it into their Mercedes 2.6 tonner and cart it to your next destination for the reasonable price of about $80. Thanks “Melbourne’s Cheapest Movers” with the five gumtree rating for saving the day! Sure some people have parents on hand with trailers, and others have condensed the contents of their life into a suitcase that requires a slightly uncomfortable train ride to their next destination. But for those who have found moving more than a little bit of a pain, good luck!!!!! 17
Feature: The Fog of War
Morris, McNamara, Rumsfeld & The Changing Face of Wartime Politics. By Nick Kennedy Images courtesy of YouTube The United States’ War on Terror is the most controversial occurrence of western foreign politics and action since the waging of the Vietnam War. Regrettable turning points of international politics, and of all encompassing cultural shift; both conflicts extracted, and instilled, much from global communities. The frosted distrust and cynicism that permeated through the proxy conflict that continues to 18
haunt the United States since its end in 1975, the Vietnam War has been told from basically every per-spective that can be heard. Likewise, the modernised xenophobia that took hold of the world on September 11, 2001 was the hook on which the United States’ War on Terror hung it’s hat, and the modern era of communications has shown countless accounts of the conflict, and it’s disastrous results, changing perspectives on war, from the highest of command, to
the lowest foot soldier. Perspective is an important thing to filmmaker Errol Morris. In his 2003 film ‘The Fog of War: Elev-en Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara’, Morris sought answers and perspective from the most important face in the Vietnam War; former Secretary of Defence, Robert S. McNamara. Morris’ unorthodox technique of interviewing placed him and McNamara at separate ends of two cameras, speaking
SWINE to televised images of each other rather than simply engaging in face to face conversation. The ‘Interrortron’, as Morris refers to it, explores the relationship between “mono-logue and language, and how people present themselves to camera, and express themselves to camera”. Throughout the film McNamara outlines eleven lessons he learned as a result of his career under Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy, expressing views about war in regards to proportionality, justified conflict, and just how close we got to nuclear war for 13 days in 1962. McNamara’s aged recollection of past events was captivating, not just for their content, but for the effect time had taken on them and the man which they followed. McNamara famously admitted many errors, eventually even admitting the Vietnam War was indeed a mistake, but something that he can’t give any more thought to. If there was ever a lesson learned in a man’s life, Vietnam was just that for McNamara.
strange effects. Some, it broke; turning them into babbling nobodies, sprouting week after week a new cure for the distress that had taken over their nation (see: Fox News). Others, it formed; those being much akin to Morris’ latest victim, (another) former Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld takes the same seat as McNamara in Morris’ spiritual successor to ‘The Fog of War’; a new film which owes its name to one of Rumsfeld’s most famous quotes; ‘The Unknown Known’.
"Morris' film was universally acclaimed." Strange, though, since Rumsfeld’s opinion of Morris’ previous work with McNamara had left a bitter taste. “That man had nothing to apologise for”, Rumsfeld told Morris. A product of his time, truly.
Rumsfeld’s involvement in the 2001 to 2006 period of the War on Terror was Morris’ film was universally characterised by a cowboy acclaimed. It showed a man approach to foreign warfare. who was, for a time, essentially Fair enough that Rumsfeld in control of the strings of history, understands the immense both asserting and admitting pres-sure that McNamara was in equal measure, telling a under throughout the war, worn tale in a fresh light, all but even McNamara himself the while confirming to viewers understands the responsibility of that humanism is often the most his position didn’t absolve him compelling of ave-nues a story of accountability, but quite the can take, owing a great debt to contrary. McNamara’s conscious-stricken dialogue. The portrayal of McNamara in ‘The Fog of War’ was The aforementioned xenophobia given detail through the use of that gripped the United States achieved foot-age, audio, and after September, 2001 had
photographs. Countless meetings with Presidents and Generals, all of them sur-rounded in an air of calculated confusion, befitting the time in which they occurred. You can hear the accepted desperation in McNamara’s voice every time he ends a call with “we’ll see what we can do, Mr. President”. Seeking that same effect, in the case of ‘The Unknown Known’, Morris sought equal detail in Rumsfeld’s communications, but was met with a sea of faceless documentation known as Rumsfeld’s ‘snowflakes’; an almost endless back catalogue of memos and letters dating from even before Rumsfeld’s time as Secretary of Defence, back to his term as congressman for Illinois. Comparing the experiences and activities of the two men, McNamara and Rumsfeld could not have come out of their respective periods with more differences. The comparison was masterfully made by Morris, and derives another angle on not only the evolution of war, but the evolution of politi-cians.
"...was masterfully made by Morris, and derives another angle on not only the evolution of war, but the evolution of politi-cians." 19
Feature: The Fog of War
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EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION MIKAELA MERRILEES
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Art: Mikaela Merrilees
Dallas Green Mikaela Merrilees Lead pencil on paper 22
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Lorde Mikaela Merrilees Lead and colour pencil on paper 23
Art: Mikaela Merrilees
Chet Faker Mikaela Merrilees Lead pencil on paper 24
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Name: Mikaela Merrilees Age: 22 Lives: St Kilda From: Woodonga What did you study at Swinburne? “I studied Communication design. I started off doing a traineeship in PE and I was thinking about going down that line. I hated it, and kids; so graphic design was pretty much the next option.” What did you enjoy most about your course? “Probably the freedom of it all. You’re given a brief and it’s just like you have complete creative range, which is really nice.” What was the most important thing you learned at uni? “Probably self motivation, It’s a lot different to high school. And organisation actually, I wasn’t a very organised person until I went to uni and I was like shit, I have a million deadlines.” Where you very interested in art stuff at school? “Yeah all my subjects we’re arty. [in high school] It was all illustration even in media I tried to do illustration, it didn’t work out too well. I’ve always enjoyed illustrating, it’s pretty much been my thing.” Do you follow other artists? “Yes. My Instagram is just full of them! Kelly Smith is like, amazing, probably my favourite. She’s kinda got a similar style [to me] but she’s a
lot more fashion oriented. But her works are just incredible.”
exactly that profitable at the start.”
You draw a lot of celebrities, how do you choose who to draw?
What are your plans now you’ve finished at Swinburne?
“With the girls, this is gonna sound really weird but, I like really blank expressions on their face, because I think it’s more inviting and intriguing, I guess. Guys, I have a weird beard obsession, so that’s probably how I pick the guys that I draw.“
“I actually just worked at the Australian Open in the media section and I met some really influential people through that. So I potentially could end up in TV! I’m kinda going just wherever it takes me.”
Do you work with materials other than pencil? “I prefer to work with pencils, but I’ve done chalk drawings and charcoal and stuff.” What inspires you? “I guess the people around me and what I’m doing.” Have you ever exhibited your work? “I had a drawing in a book once, that was like year eight, but that’s basically it. People didn’t even know I could draw until, basically when I got to uni. I was never ashamed about it but it was always my thing.” Have you sold your work? “Yeah, I’ve actually sold one of my works to a football player. I’m starting doing commissions and yeah, it’s pretty slow to start with.” Would you like to just stay an illustrator or would you like to explore more design? “Yeah, I would just love to be an illustrator and make money off my art, but I guess it’s not
Title Page Image: Fruit Mikaela Merrilees Lead pencil on paper 25
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Has ATAR gone too far? By Georgia Westgarth
How can putting a number on someone’s first 18 years of life, really portray them as someone worthy of a career? 26
My philosophy tutor said last Monday, ‘a degree means nothing.’ The class laughed. Being a journalism student and being told a hundred times over about the lack of jobs in the industry can get tiring. The laugh was funny, it was funny that we were all sitting there completing our degrees and acknowledging at the same
time, that in the real world, what does it all mean? I did actually think twice at that moment as to why I was there, learning about philosophy when all I want to do is break the news and repeat “Georgia Westgarth, Nine News” to a rolling camera. ››
Feature: Has ATAR gone too far? high school doesn’t determine success, it’s about what you do The expectations, stress, decisions after,” said Buyn. and hard work put on students during VCE is one I have found In 2011, reports by the to be over dramatised, over Education Department found that, on average, one Victorian publicised and over the top. school student Jordan Buyn, 20, a VCE graduate now studying Business attempts suicide every week of the at Monash University said, “at school year. the time I thought that one year was going to make or break my Former secondary whole life’s direction, I felt my school Principal, entire career was based on that Mr Dixon, told one year.” the Herald Sun at the time, “There Long serving VCE teacher, who did not wish to be named said, just seemed to be a spate of them. “I have seen many students get It was around low ATAR scores and do really [VCE] exam time, and I thought, well at university and in the ‘I need to go a bit deeper on this workforce, in trades especially. and see what’s happening’.” “An ex-student of mine, who Photographs by Rhys Pope
applying for courses and jobs.” “We live in a world now where you’re going to go through so many fragmentations as a person and with that many different jobs as well,” said McLaren.
Research figures show that 24 per cent of VCE graduates took a gap year from 2009 to 2010, an increase of ten per cent in ten years. Many feel a gap year puts you in such a relaxed and easy going mind-set that you’ll never return to study. But, on the other hand, some students need the year to mature and grow in themselves, wasn’t as determined to study The mental stress and selfallowing them to better decide on hard, did a landscaping diploma criticism can divulge much a career path. at TAFE and now owns his own insecurity in teens at such a Gap year traveller, now studying tree surgeon business. vulnerable age of transformation, Communications at Latrobe “Another student who scored growing up and decision making University, Carina Neville, 19, moderately during VCE went in all areas of life. said, “the only thing I truly knew onto do an arts degree, majoring Students at this age are I wanted to do was travel, and I in Psychology. She got into answering questions about did it, which gave me a lot more medicine and is now a doctor at huge life choices as well as self-assurance. the Alfred hospital. juggling part time jobs, turning “I knew I didn’t want to waste “There are many great stories like 18, running a car, dealing with a year doing something I didn’t relationships, friendships and like, travelling gave me a break this and nothing is impossible, sometimes drugs, as well as from study, a bigger cultural but it is harder and does study and adapting to a life after awareness and the confidence require a lot of resilience and 13 years of knowing only how to start the conversation with the determination to keep going, if stranger sitting next to me,” she you do not qualify for the course to be a student. said. you want in the first place,” she RMIT fashion student, Alexia said. Petsinis, 20, says, “school Philosopher, Glenn McLaren, doesn’t give you a clear enough says “The growth of At a VCE level it is all about view of what university life is administration, marketing, drumming into the students the importance of a high score, but about, leaving VCE and realising managing and the casualisation it can be harmful to their thinking there’s life after it comes as quite of universities has turned a sudden shock, they don’t teach them into businesses, it’s not processes and mental health. you what to do once you leave.” a defining experience like it “I became obsessive on rankings Philosopher, Glenn McLaren, at once was, the whole university and subjects that got scaled up, Swinburne University feels there’s learning experience has been devalued.” at the time you don’t realise that a “disconnect between the perception and reality in students
"at the time I thought that one year was going to make or break my whole life's directioN"
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SWINE a career in social work and I didn’t need year 12 to get the better of me to do this job. “I can’t even remember my ATAR score two years out of VCE,” said Clancy. Long term VCE teacher says, “no one ever asks you when you’re working, ‘what was your ATAR score’, but it may have been important in getting you where you are.” Alexia Petsinis, fashion student, felt pressure to use her high score, applying for courses with higher requirements than what she had originally wanted to study. Her tip is, “don’t let others or your ATAR influence your decisions on a course choice, go with your gut and follow your dreams.” Shannon Clancy lived by the mantra ‘live within your means.’ Her advice is to “know what you are capable of and be happy with that.”
“I’m flat out trying to fit in with the back on it and from where we students’ lives, not the other way all are now there was really no need for it. around,” said McLaren. The Australian recently published “I partied my way through an article outlining some VCE and secondary schools new ways of combating anxiety and stress watched it get the better of so around exam time. many people, With one ladies’ college I regret starting introducing ‘worry slips’, a slip the year off for students to write down their trying hard best and worst case scenario and any stress and the most likely outcome. I experienced. VCE graduate, Shannon Clancy, “At the end 20, now a full time disabled of the day, you know what you carer says, “everybody around are capable of and what you me was so stressed, looking want out of life. I always wanted
And from me, well I’ll keep my pen to paper regardless of the economic climate, decline in jobs, rise of the blogger, technology’s war on print, the dime a dozen post graduate degrees and my ATAR score. Because I believe if you want to be successful, you will be, regardless of… it all!
"At the end of the day, you know what you are capable of and what you want out of life."
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SOME LESSONS ABOUT BACKPACKING, FROM A FORMERLY INEXPERIENCED TRAVELLER. By James Campbell
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Feature: Lessons about backpacking Photographs by James Campbell and Eloise Retallick Neither of us were by any means experienced travellers, in fact we both rarely left the state of Victoria before undertaking the challenge of backpacking through another continent on the other side of the world.
counter and began freely discussing a matter with the same assistant Jordan and I had been struggling with. They quickly finished their discussion and the beautiful young customer turned our way, picking us for backpackers straight away.
the incredibly weak coffee, confused, before finding out that in Italian the word ‘latte’ means ‘milk’, and is not a variation of coffee. You have to order a ‘café latte’ if you want anything containing caffeine.
As soon as we gave up on constantly trying to pretend we weren’t tourists, we settled in I felt inclined to say something quite quickly; we learnt how to to this lady, not because she navigate our way around the Last year my good friend was beautiful or anything, but various languages. You just Jordan and I flew into Milan, because she was staring at us have to ask people if they speak Italy, which was the starting from two metres away, inside an English, and you will find that point of a six week journey empty chemist. many people do. But if it turns through Central and Western out they don’t, just point at shit. Europe. I looked her straight in the eye, and with slight confidence We hopped off the plane at regained, managed to blurt out Another thing travellers quickly about 10.30 in the morning, an incredibly smooth ‘grazie’. realise is how physically and Jordan cruised along with ‘Fuck I just said thank you to that punishing the experience of his usual carefree nonchalance, woman!’ I said to Jordan, who european backpacking can be. I on the other hand was feeling was busy rummaging through Depending on how long you’re slightly out of my depth. his bag. ‘Yeah man chill out,’ he there for, and what you do with We walked into a chemist where replied. your time, this can vary, but I Jordan could get his phone set guarantee there will be at least The woman stared at me even up with an overseas SIM card one point where you suddenly more confused than before, and I decided that it would be collected her things and quickly pass out from exhaustion. a good time to try out the few left the store. You’ll spend days on end getting phrases I knew in Italian. up at a (reasonably) early hour It was, by all means, incredibly The first thing I learnt whilst embarrassing. Naturally I felt like in order to take in everything travelling through a foreign a particular town or city has to a dickhead. nation with a foreign language offer, and as a result you’ll do a is that there most certainly is a lot of walking, especially if you language barrier. find yourself not bothering with any form of public transport. It did not go down well at all; I fumbled around a SIM card And if, as you are on pamphlet speaking bullshit holiday, you wish to indulge Italian, all the while feeling the in a countries local alcoholic build up of nerves brought on by beverages and take in their bar the awkward situation. culture there is a chance that your already exhausted body This farce came to a humiliating will also be struggling with a climax when a beautiful Italian Then when Jordan and I rather incessant hangover, which woman entered the chemist were in Milan we went to the obviously makes matters a lot whilst Jordan and I stood waiting McDonalds in Milano Centrale worse. for him to receive his phone from railway station where I ordered the chemist’s assistant. what I thought was a ‘latte’. I Do not underestimated how sat down and started drinking The woman came up to the
"in Italian the word 'latte' means 'milk', and is not a variation of coffee. "
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much this can take out of you; the combination of lack of sleep, constant walking and alcohol is enough to send even the healthiest person into a near zombie-like state. I don’t actually have any remedies for this inevitability (aside from perhaps plenty of water); all I can say is that you must be prepared to get comfortable in any situation. At some stage your body will decide it needs sleep at the most inconvenient time. I once passed out on the ground of Paris’s Gare Du Nord railway station waiting in a line of about 30 people to buy tickets for our next international destination. Even though it was about two in the afternoon, my body didn’t care, and I woke up to Jordan taking extreme close up photos of my drooling mug.
Before departing you may have people telling you about the dangers of backpacking. How you need to watch your back for pickpockets and how you should steer clear of this particular part of London, etc. but I would say that with a little common sense you should be fine when encountering these ‘problems’. There is a likelihood you will encounter Romani people (otherwise known as gypsies) on your travels, who may ask you to sign something and then hand them five Euros. They may even try to pickpocket you, so basically, don’t sign shit.
metro one day Jordan was stopped by a young Romani girl who feigned deafness in order to get his signature and a donation from him. He must’ve been sleeping when we were told about this common scheme.
"I guarantee there will be at least one point where you suddenly pass out from exhaustion."
This is, apparently, a ploy for them to acquire your signature in order to pickpocket your credit He signed a petition and then card and make purchases in opened his wallet in order to your name. don’t sign shit. find five Euros, though once she decided to snatch at a twenty, Upon emerging from the Paris Jordan had to quickly retract his 31
Feature: Lessons about backpacking unfortunate if you let it be. After all, travel is about stepping outside of your comfort zone and embracing cultural differences that may seem alienating at first. However, I’m not saying you should embrace a Romani person; you might lose your wallet. People can cause you grief wherever you go of course, just keep your wits about and if something seems a little bit off trust your instinct and do what’s necessary to avoid any risky situations, other than that you should be fine.
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Even though the idea of travelling through a foreign land can be daunting. There is really nothing to be deterred from, it’s an awesome thing to get out and do if you get the chance, just don’t be an idiot about it.
"I'm not saying you should embrace a Romani person; you might lose your wallet."
NEWS REVIEWS WRITING ARTWORK PHOTOGRAPHY Want to contribute? Contact us at swine@ssu.org.au *Bill Murray does not officially endorse this advertisement
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Reviews
the mud
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY DIRECTOR: BEN STILLER BEN STILLER, KRISTEN WIIG This movie takes you on Walter Mitty’s first adventure, as he steps out of the office, where he works as a photo developer, and into a world he’s only produced on paper. Don’t be dismayed by the beginning. You may be wondering where this movie is going?! But it is going somewhere, all the way to Greenland, and to regain your faith in the fact that anything you do, big or small, is valued by someone. ‘Beautiful things don’t ask for attention’ and this movie asks no less than to be enjoyed and to inspire you to take a chance! -Georgia Westgarth
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SAVING MR. BANKS DIRECTOR: JOHN LEE HANCOCK EMMA THOMPSON, TOM HANKS
THE BOOK THIEF DIRECTOR: BRIAN PERCIVAL SOPHIE NÉLISSE, GEOFFREY RUSH
P.L. Travers’ story Mary Poppins was the most profitable film of 1965 and a cinema classic. The movie follows Travers, reluctant to yield the rights to her novel, as she works with Disney to ensure her Mary Poppins is preserved on screen. Fragments of Travers’ childhood mirror the progression of the film creation, which connect her characters to her early life. Tom Hanks is an endearing Walt Disney alongside a clipped, often rude Travers, who Thompson plays beautifully, making a dislikeable character loveable.The film is wonderful; invariably funny and deeply moving.
The Book Thief was an undemanding film that was able to hook audience members who had not previously read Mark Zusak’s novel. The story follows a young girl, in World War II Germany, and her daily life and as the war takes a turn for the worst she find comfort in the words of the books she once stole. For those who had read the book, the movie falls short, missing subtle details that help shape characters allowing the reader to really emphasise with them. What’s more, the ending of the movie differed from the book which was disappointing.
-Eloise Retallick
-Belinda Fraser
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OLD DANNY BROWN
LOVE'S CRUSHING DIAMOND MUTUAL BENEFIT
DON'T TALK TOO RAC
Featuring appearances of A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q and the tranquil voice of Megan James of Purity Ring, this versatile concept album encompasses many aspects of the life of Danny Brown. Weaving through the raw but impeccable production, comes vocals both lyrically and rhythmically sound, speaking of the somewhat cliché rap topics of life on the street, drugs and sex.
The debut studio album from Jason Lee’s music project, Mutual Benefit, features just over 30 minutes of collaborative works exploring indie folk and experimental sampling. Each track, rich with warm, flawless vocal harmonies, are contrasted by segments of somewhat dissonant arrangements of tonal sounds, ranging from bells and chimes to video game samples. These seamless connecting layers, give an insight into the composer’s interest in everyday sounds and their influence on popular music, which is often missed in indie music. This combination is a refreshing and unique change to contemporary indie folk.
What does a prolific remix collective do when they’re not remixing? They make original music of course.
But it’s the overall emotion and atmosphere of this album that sets Danny Brown apart. Even blatant drug songs, “Dip” and “Smoking and Drinking”, still manage to maintain Danny Brown’s unique attitude towards life. -Tyson Gillies
-Tyson Gillies
In their first original EP, Remix Artist Collective have teamed up with five of the artists they have previously remixed. The four track EP features guest vocalists: Kele from Bloc Party and MNDR, Penguin Prison, Tokyo Police Club and Katie Herzig. The EP is a great example of the group’s signature indie pop sound. The tracks move from dance-y, with ‘Let Go’, to the final love ballad ‘We Belong’. All in all it is some solid contemporary pop. - Rhys Pope 35
Reviews
GRACE GRACE CODDINGTON
One Day DAVID NICHOLLS
GONE GIRL GILLIAN FLYNN
For anyone who has seen The Semptember Issue, a documentary on American Vogue, you would have been captured by the crazy, redhaired, no nonsense, British stylist Grace Coddington.
When a post graduation party brings Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew together on the 15th of July 1988, they had no idea they would have such an impact on each other’s lives.
Gillian Flynn fiction writer, winner of multiple awards including the UK Dagger award – “dagger” fitting nicely with the dark nature of her content. This thriller is a tale of a relationship gone wrong and the callous, devious minds at play as each partner attempts to hurt the other.
Known for her utter love of clothes, strong-mindedness and romantic vision. Within her autobiography, her expressed hate of celebrity culture and remarkable love of cats, she becomes a highly lovable character. The book touches on challenging moments of her life in a very British way, lightly, but enough to earn a great deal of your respect. An incredible woman and a fabulous book. -Danielle Thompson 36
Each new chapter describes the 15th of July a year on, capturing the changing lives and friendship of the two characters in one significant day. The novel presents their long love story in an honest and unglamorous way, causing the reader to become totally attached to Emma and Dexter and their relatable romance. Such a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story. -Danielle Thompson
Flynn’s writing style is nothing short of masterful, showing deep insights into the human minds of troubled characters. Almost exhausted at the conclusion, I will not divulge the ending, suffice to say one is left disturbed at the thought of a child that might be the product of two such twisted individuals. -Trish Retallick
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Eat: Summer Sips
Summer Sips:
For those who, like we journalism students, undergo a 12 hour week, here is something for you to enjoy in your extended gaps in between classes.
This last one is Christmas in a glass; it will be fun‌ if you don’t invite distant relatives
The Scotch Fox Ingredients: 15ml lime juice 60ml of blended scotch 150ml of ginger beer Lime wedges Method: Get one tall glass and fill it with as much ice as you feel necessary, squeeze in half a lime then add the Scotch. Gently dazzle the ginger beer in the glass and top with lime wedges. 38
Perfect for lubricating awkward situations and brain freezes
I-see Berries Daiquiri Ingredients: 1 packet of frozen mixed berries Juice from 2 limes 1/2 cup of sugar syrup Approx 60mls of white rum Method: Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend them. Add extra ice to blender during heatwaves. Serve.
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Something to suck on from your hammock.
Benedict Cucumber-batch
Ideal to make for you and three friends and then realise that you didn’t invite anyone over
Pimms My Ride
Ingredients: 2cm thick cucumber slice 5.3 mint leaves 1 tsp of caster sugar 45mls gin (or add liberally to your preference of enjoyment) 60mls apple juice 15mls lemon juice Cucumber sticks to garnish
Ingredients: 4 cups filled with ice cubes (or one big glass) 1 lemon, sliced thinly 160ml of Pimm’s 125ml of frosty lemonade 125ml of chilled ginger ale Then some orange, cucumber or what ever floats your cocktail for garnish.
Method: Crush down cucumber slice, mint and sugar and spoon into a cocktail shaker or a bar glass. Add gin and juices, half fill with ice, shake well and pour through a strainer into a tall glass. Garnish with cucumber sticks and drink up!
Method: Find a 1-litre jug, or borrow one from your local pub without telling them, fill half of the jug with ice. Add lemon slices. Pour in the Pimm’s, then the lemonade and ginger ale. Stir, serve, garnish and enjoy. 39
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