Verse Magazine Edition 51

VERSE

Loved and Lonely Unheard

Silent Suffering

Mental Health Check-In

Interview with Hannah Coleman

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

It was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Verse Magazine acknowledges the Kaurna, Boandik and Barngarla First Nations People as the traditional custodians of the unceded lands that are now home to the Univeristy of South Australia’s campuses in Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. Verse Magazine respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. Verse Magazine also acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia.

Through the medium of poetry prose, mental health check-ins, insightful interviews with emerging curators, and raw, memoirist reflections on neurodivergence, identity and romance, we enter unprecedented grounds for Verse.

ITOR’S EDITOR'S EDIT LETTER LETTER

ITOR’S EDITOR'S EDIT LETTER LETTER

ITOR’S EDITOR'S EDIT LETTER LETTER

EDITOR’S LETTER

As you divulge and digest each piece, we call on you to revisit your vulnerability, to diversify your knowledge of humanity by listening to stories across the spectrum, and to empower others to share their own.

As Edition 51 arrives amidst the crunchy, ochre leaves from Autumn’s seasonal shedding, this issue imitates these transformative shifts and candidly externalises our hopeful, internal monologues for a new beginning.

Until next edition,

Tamara Montina

ITOR’S EDITOR'S EDIT LETTER LETTER

ITOR’S EDITOR'S EDIT LETTER LETTER

To unapologetically voice one’s truest emotions is a feat in itself, and many of you have submitted your best, honest, and most vulnerable work.

ITOR’S EDITOR'S EDIT

PHOTO CREDITS ZANE QURESHI

EDIT LE

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"We asked UniSA students what's on repeat lately. These were your top picks."

Australia’s leading future-focused museum, MOD. Invites you to join the party at an event showcasing its 2023 exhibition – FLEX.

Set for the 12th of May – 6 to 9pm at MOD. Come along and immerse yourself in the exhibition, music, performers, food, and drink.

More details to come! Follow @mod_museum or the event page to be the first to find out.

About MOD’s 2023 Exhibition: FLEX

Are limits made to be pushed? We dare you to find out.

Your capacity for pain will be put to the test and your perception of risk will be gauged in MOD.s new exhibition FLEX.

Alter your form and find ways to play, where your body and the rules of the space it inhabits are different than here on Earth.

Use your breathing to journey through an immersive deconstructed landscape and see if you make it out the other side.

Navigate ethical challenges and tell us, where do you draw the line?

FLEX that bit further, let’s see what you are capable of.

FLEX opens on Tuesday 17 January and runs through to late November 2023.

WINTER EXCHANGE IN JAPAN

In SP1, UniSA partnered with Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU) to deliver an unforgettable, pop cultural exchange in Japan. We speak to students that attended the trip to hear about their experience.

TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS

“My experience at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan was unforgettable and I’m extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in this short exchange through UniSA. It was a bit of a plunge outside of my comfort zone, especially as a socially anxious person, but everyone was so kind, helpful and accommodating. I like that they offer English exchange opportunities, which provides options for those who don’t know the language like myself. And though the time goes by fast, there are lots of benefits to going on a short exchange if a long one isn’t feasible. I was able to make a lot of friends and visit so many cool places. During that time I surprised and impressed myself with what I was able to accomplish, so I think it’s a great personal growth opportunity and a lot of fun as well. One of my favourite parts of the exchange was going to the Kaiyukan Aquarium in Osaka with two KGU students who I became friends with. It’s the biggest aquarium in the world and so beautiful! If anyone is considering doing an exchange, I wholeheartedly recommend.”

Luna de Lara Bachelor of Design (Illustration and Animation)

“Going for an exchange to Japan was nothing like I imagined. Where I thought I would be alone most of the time adventuring and studying, there was a surprisingly large amount of local students, Australians, and other countries involved in the program. From the beginning, UniSA and the host uni KGU were very organised which made the trip to Japan and the university alone very easy. Class comprised of various group work tasks which got us to interact with each other and form friendships. The exchange program also had many field trips and cultural experiences we undertook as a group which was awesome.

There was also so much free time available after class for us to travel around to do whatever we wanted to do. The university and accommodation were conveniently located to travel to the main cities (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, etc.) so we were not limited to where we wanted to sightsee and eat. Since returning home, I still keep in contact with many of the students from the class via social media commenting on each other’s stories, and viewing what is happening in each other’s liveskeen for future opportunities to visit each other.”

Cindy Basset Bachelor of Primary Teaching (Honours)

Since returning home, I still keep in contact with many students...

“

“The Winter School Program at Kwansei Gakuin University was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my life. While the 3-week intensive’s daily classes provided a lot of information to cram in, the workload never felt overwhelming or exhausting thanks to the passion of the two tutors and the fascinating Japanese culture we were being taught. The tutors understood our reason for being there was to learn about and experience Japan, and so ensured we’d have enough time to independently explore the beautiful cities around us—which I took every opportunity to do so. It’s hard to summarise all the good memories and experiences in such a packed three weeks, but I can safely say I have no regrets doing the exchange, and once I’d returned home I already wanted to fly straight back to Japan.

Once I'd returned home I already wanted to fly straight back to Japan.

“

Somehow, despite the constant activities and adventures, there’s still so much I want to do. The only real difficulty I faced was the language barrier (I don’t speak any Japanese), but thanks to translator apps, Google maps, and the consistent friendliness of the Japanese population, it was never much of an issue. If anyone is even slightly considering doing this or any other exchange, follow my advice and just take advantage of the opportunity—you won’t regret it.”

Daniel Kopeikin Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing & Literature, Screen Studies)

PHOTO CREDITS EMILY BROWN

Unheard

From a young age it’s a familiar feeling

The more you lower your silence the more you grow your frustration

Your innocence maintains your patience

You walk away with an understanding

That sometimes your voice will be blending

With the echoes of the voiceless shouting...

But unheard

You start to recognise a trend

Accepting that when you reach for a helping hand most will not bend Even those whose within their souls you saw a friend

Because the world we live in has emphasised on every man for himself

You either prey on or be preyed on

If you want to survive put your head up and learn to move on Hold on to any privilege you can get

And the less you have the more you’ll be left..

Unheard

They say depression is rising in our community

But it’s a natural reaction to a world that shouldn’t be Cause they would rather medicate kids than embrace unity

They’d rather shift the blame call it insanity

So why is it too much of a hassle to let our walls unravel?

So that no one is left... unheard

WORDS SALEEMAH ABDELAAL

My Favourite Sundress

Today i wore my favorite sundress to take a walk in the park i loved how it billowed and twirled with my hair down and not a care how i walked on the sun and moon all at once how it felt to be divine

today i wore my favourite sundress and you told me all the places you could touch should your hands wander beneath you told me of the things you felt and that you wanted to take me right there

today i wore my favourite sundress before i slipped it off in dismay and chastised myself into clothes that weren't mine i will be me another time

WORDS OLIVIA SHARP

The Purest Form of Platonic Love

She’s in sun visors, left down in the passenger seat. She’s in eyeliner and road trips and slightly damp grass. I see her in books and bakeries; swords fights and knives. I hear her in whispers at night and laughter in libraries. The shrieks of running through the rain. I see her in the colour red: fiery and fierce. I see her in deep purple: royal and ruling and right. I know her in stage shows and karaoke and latenight drinking. I even feel her with me at home, in my denim jackets and chipped nail polish. In my fingerless gloves and faux leather boots. I see her everywhere. But maybe she sees me too. Maybe she sees me in shared playlists and playgrounds at night. Maybe she sees me in unfinished stories and crossed out poems and confessions on bathroom floors. Maybe I see her there too. Maybe, sometimes, we see each other.

WORDS SARAH PETTINA

Loved & Lonely:

on being neurodivergent, married and lonely.

WORDS ALINA FATIMA

Valentine came and went like a swift breeze and left us once again with only candy wrappers and glitter in its wake. Re-runs of romcoms of lonely romantics who are promised after all the trial and tribulations, that their lonely days are finally over. But, some of us are bound to it, perpetually peeking at strangers who tilt their heads close and wonder if they feel like you.

My disclaimer is this, very little in my life have I been truly isolated, and I’m certainly not writing about literal isolation, but rather the epidemic of lonely girls who wander life in crowded rooms, friendships and love with cellophane sheets between them. Lonely is a definition that is mostly self-ascribed to me, by me, and maybe my therapist. I was a social butterfly most of my life and even though I’m socially awkward and somewhat ungraceful, I think

I’ve been described as having somewhat gawky and unpolished charm. I was a fearless 10, a goofy 16 and now I am a hushed 23. Yet, I’ve always been lonely, forever feeling a pane of glass between me and everyone else in the universe, never as close as I can be and always one wrong word or mistake away from ruining any relationships I’ve built, assuming the worst of others when it comes to their perception of me, always reaching.

I dissect my lonelines into parts, Pakistani Australian Muslim.

Too western for Pakistan, too desi and too Muslim for Australians, and never Muslim enough for my community. Jack of all trades, master of none, on a tightrope going nowhere.

Internet communities and high school friends filled spaces for a time, but only by the grip of youth and freedom of adult responsibilities. Then, of course, my ADHD, and its accompanying friend. Rejection-sensitive dysmorphia is a new term in my life, but I’ve been carrying it around for the past 5 years like a stone in my shoe. It’s never obvious to you that you are strange or annoying, until the moment someone lets you know. A hushed giggle in the back of the class, and now my half-urdu tongue, my forgetful, loud, off-beat, fidgety-self takes up too much space in my head for other people to fit.

These are things that my husband can’t fix, nor are they things he should have to. We stuff ourselves with hollow hopes and hurt where other, real and solid things used to go and, and we cannot understand why they feel empty. Getting married changed a lot of things; I feel for the first time like an individual and not one half of a relationship. I’m competing for first prize in; just a wife, daughter, friend or student. But if you’d ask if I was lonely, the answer is still yes. His love is wonderful and fulfilling, and my life is much better for having him in it. No doubt he’s lonely too, in his own ways that I can’t fix, hurt that came along well before me. Specific topics hurt us both, in different ways, and certain phone calls we avoid. I haven’t quite accepted loneliness, but I revel in sharing my loneliness with him; sitting in it together, our peculiar dinner guest.

because no one makes fun of pronunciations when they don’t hear you, you don’t feel forgotten or uninvited when you avoid people, and excuses are always for them and never yourself. When old friends describe me, I hear a stranger’s name on their teeth and wonder when was the last time we had made that long archived, inside joke.

I let the internet and shallow aesthetics take up space where my traditions wanted to fit,

Silent Suffering: An Ode to Endo

It's on your bowels but it's only in your head pain so bad you wish you were dead.

Sex isn't pleasure, you're enslaved by the pain but you're just a woman so you must be insane.

Feeling unheard, feeling alone all the answers still unknown.

They invade your body, take away your pride to turn around and say the pain will subside.

Turns out you were right; you knew all along finally, an answer, woman, you are strong.

Your pain is real; it is raw, it is true don't let them think otherwise, it's your point of view.

It's endometriosis, it affects one in nine stay strong, my friend, together we'll be fine.

WORDS AMELIA WALTERS

I'm Sorry

WORDS SALEEMAH ABDELAAL

I’m sorry but all theyll teach you is deceiving

Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows

cause when the rain comes and the sun goes

It’s hard to find a meaning

I have so much anger stemming from pain

And I don’t think the hurt is worth the gain

Maybe you’re too young to hear my mentality

But who’s to decide when you’re ready for reality

I’m sorry..

We created this world and it’s pretty messsed up

There is always some type of fault in the way we grow up

I’ve watched other kids crying mama wake up

And she never did…

Silence…

Said the judge before he took a poor soul away

Locking up innocents everyday

Cause freedom of speech is just a phrase made to create a false sense of liberation in this capitalism fuelled world

See out there it’s easy to get killed over a word

Yeah words have started wars but they’ve also created peace

So don’t ever be afraid to share your piece and stand up to what you believe

Even if it leads to blood shedding or a flow of tears

You see I would rather get killed than live in fear

But let me step back

You’re growing up in a world where harassment is on the rise

Where people shame others for their size

I would love to give you my advise

But if I tell you anyone knows what they’re doing it would be delusion

See we are all the problem but we are also the solution

Yet we stumble around looking for answers in confusion

Refusing to ask anyone else for their resolution

Our ego contributing to segregation while trying to achieve integration

all on our seperate roads searching for the path to unity

We are meant to be one community

But the longer we are in peace with division and inequality the more we lose our humanity

Interview with HANNAH COLEMAN

Artist Biography

Hannah Coleman (she/her) is an emerging contemporary artist, curator and poet born in South Africa, who has lived in Australia since 1999. Hannah recently graduated a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts at the University of South Australia. Her current work focuses on cultural identity and diaspora, retrospection and catharsis. Her practice is centred around process and the works are often

INTERVIEWER TAMARA MONTINA

transmissions of memory and sensation voiced through layers of colour and texture. Inspired by the natural world, her family and her peers, Hannah’s curiositydriven experimentations and methodologies reject traditional approaches and, instead, are grounded in the flexibility of her materials and the inspiration drawn from them. She plans on refining this practice while beginning her exploration into curatorial endeavours where she intends on cultivating discourse surrounding culturally diverse lived experiences; specifically, people of colour and queer identifying people.

1. Hi Hannah, thank you for joining Verse for this interview. Please introduce yourself to the readers!

Hello darlings! It’s lovely to be catching up with you all.

I’m Hannah, an emerging contemporary artist, curator and poet working on Kaurna Land. I graduated from UniSA in 2021 with a Bachelor of Contemporary Art. She’s a Leo, double Aries with a taste for all things chic, shiny and cosmopolitan. This verve seeps into most nooks and crannies of my practice and I’m still in the early days of learning how to hone the potential energy.

2. As an emerging contemporary artist with a handle on a multitude of artistic mediums (from knitting acrylic yarn to glazing earthenware), which practice do you currently resonate most with and why?

the navigation of a wall or gallery space to be the most exciting part of practice. Process used to be the focus but, as I delve further into curation, responding to and/or working with spaces has become a stimulating and inspiring challenge.

Honestly, none of them. I’ve spent the better part of the last two years trying to find something that would stick, and now I’ve got quite a mishmash portfolio of work. I’m often influenced by yummy materials catching my fancy, next thing you know I’m exhibiting an 8m knitted tube, having never really knitted before… this could be the undiagnosed neurodivergence. Suffice to say I never want to knit again. Perhaps, to answer your question, installation might be the true medium for me. Through all of my experiments I’ve found

3. Have you always had a linear relationship with art? How did you know you wanted to pursue a Contemporary Arts degree?

Art in a formal sense hasn’t always been a constant for me. Like most people, I underestimated the potential for professional success in this industry and was easily discouraged by the thought of financial obstacles. Initially, I was enrolled in Interior Architecture as a creative compromise, because that could lead to a ‘real job’… right???

PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL HAINES

interplay of elements, or rather, are these a subconscious influence? Why are you drawn to these themes when creating?

Unfortunately, technical drawing, in my opinion, was slightly more enjoyable than being skinned live. I reassessed after failing out of semester one (a grossly privileged thing to do) and enrolled in Contemporary Art. Don’t get me wrong, there were still times where I questioned my pathway but final year was a dream and I’m so happy with where I landed.

4. Your work often revisits themes of cultural identity, diaspora and retrospection, is this an intentional

I’d say it’s more subconscious for sure. Its kind of the whole point of art, isn’t it; retrospection and identity? Specifically, diaspora and cultural identity are two themes I really couldn’t run from anymore. Being a person of colour who’s family migrated when I was a baby, my lived experience just comes with some quirks and I’m at a stage where visual langue is the best way for me to process my frustration, confusion and also joy around what little connection I have to my culture.

5. You have stated that you are inspired by the natural world. In which setting do you feel the catalyst of inspiration most?

The beach holds a special spot in my heart; I spend most days in summer alone somewhere along the coastline. Just being in the sun really. Heliotherapy- the therapeutic use of sunlight has had me enraptured for sometime. I’d say it inspires my poetry more than my art practice nowadays. I’m actually exhibiting a work, Solarium, in June at FELTspace about this exact topic. It’ll be a light installation mimicking the bright intensity of the sun.

“ I was enrolled in Interior Architecture as a creative compromise, because that could lead to a ‘real job’… right???

6. A huge congratulations on receiving the Project Curator title for the upcoming Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition! Through this opportunity, have you learnt anything new about yourself or the curatorial process? If so, please share!

Thank you so much! It’s been a great learning experience! Being the first project I’ve curated, there’s so much I’ve picked up from admin to logistics. The Helpmann team has given me all the admin support a girl could dream of while still leaving enough independence to find my groove. The install process has been fabulous, working with such an experienced team at ACE lead by Oakey has left me very spoiled and now I have delusions of being able to hang anything perfectly centred and level in under 3 minutes. Patrice Sharkey has been the kindest and most encouraging mentor; she’s definitely been the calm in the storm.

I’ve learned how important collaboration and team effort is. As someone who is naturally an independent worker, it has been a challenge learning when to ask for and accept help but this project is so large scale that it’s been a fantastic chance to open up to being a team player.

7. What can we expect from the Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition this year, and where can we find further information?

The beauty of the Helpmann Graduate Exhibition is the variety. You get to see 21 unique practices speaking to each other and the intermingling is just divine. We have stunning emerging graduate voices like Jayda Wilson and Chris Siu conversing with skilled experienced artists returning to study like the talented Jessica Murtagh and Carrie Radzevicius. Expect to see artisanal craftsmanship along with exciting new perspectives.

All information can be found on the Helpmann Academy website or through their Instagram @ helpmannacademy. I would heavily encourage everyone to make their way down to ACE to see the show for themselves! The exhibition will be open to the public from April 1st to May 6th.

Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition

2023 Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition

1 April – 6 May 2023 at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (ACE).

The Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition is an annual celebration of the strongest creative voices emerging from South Australia’s contemporary art scene.

Each year visual artists from Flinders University and

the University of South Australia showcase their graduate works at this prominent arts event. Since 2021, the Exhibition has been hosted at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Adelaide Contemporary Experimental is the presenting partner of the 2023 Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition.

PHOTOGRAPHY ELLA MAUDE

COMPETITION DETAILS COMPETITION DETAILS

Verse and USASA are looking for a talented artist to design a pin!

Have your artwork transformed into enamel pins & distributed to fellow UniSA Students. The Design a Pin competition is open to all UniSA students studying all disciplines, with the selected design winning a $250 voucher.

Size: printed at 25 mm x 25 mm

Colours: up to 3 PMS colours (+ metal frame & back of pin)

Submit: a high-resolution .png, .pdf or .jpeg file

Entries close, at 9 am Monday 22 May

Cocktail Recipe

WORDS ASHUTOSH BUDHATHOKI

As the rainy season sets in, there is nothing quite like the sound of raindrops tapping against the windows and the cold breeze blowing in. To combat the chill and to get into the rainy season spirit, a Dark n’ Stormy cocktail is the perfect drink to sip on. So, as the rain pours down and the winds howl outside, mix up a Dark n’ Stormy and settle in for a cozy night indoors.

This classic cocktail is the perfect way to weather the storm and unwind after a long day of classes, all without breaking the bank. The Dark n’ Stormy is made with dark rum, ginger beer, and lime juice, and its bold and spicy flavors are sure to warm you up on a cold and rainy day. The drink’s origins can be traced back to Bermuda, where it was traditionally made with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, but it has since become a popular drink around the world.

One of the best things about the Dark n’ Stormy is that it’s incredibly cheap and easy to make, making it the perfect drink for students.

The ingredients for this cocktail can be found at most grocery stores and are relatively inexpensive. The rum can be purchased for a reasonable price, and ginger beer can often be found on sale. The lime juice can be squeezed from fresh limes or purchased in a bottle, depending on your preference.

Additionally, the drink is easy to make, so you don’t need to be a mixologist to enjoy a delicious cocktail. All you need is a tall glass, ice, two ounces of dark rum, ginger beer, and lime juice. Fill the glass with ice, add the rum, top with ginger beer, and squeeze in some lime juice. Give it a quick stir, and your drink is ready to enjoy.

So the next time it’s pouring outside, grab a bottle of dark rum, a can of ginger beer, and some fresh lime juice, and mix yourself up a Dark n’ Stormy. It’s the perfect way to warm up and enjoy the rainy weather.

Dressing

WORDS JESSE SEIDEL

Today I chose not to wear a dress I love because it was too big for me. I got this beautiful, fun dress less than twelve months ago, and now, only sadness comes when I see it on my body. This pain feels too unique.

But not unique enough.

As women, and just as people in this world, we are conditioned to celebrate weight loss. So people seem unable to

I taught myself to love my body. I struggled. I worked. I beat myself up. I directed my anger at the system. Then I guilted myself into happiness. And somehow I won this war that we all have with ourselves.

I was happy. But now I can't wear the clothes that helped me feel happy.

“

I did not have a choice about whether or not to become a warrior. Born into a body that existed. But somehow I won, or I thought I did. But this fight continues. It always continues. With every day, meal, movement and breath, I remind myself to be happy.

My body changes. How I once learnt to see myself doesn’t match how I am, at this time.

My legs look different. People I used to know tell me I’ve lost weight, as if it’s a compliment. It is not and will never be.

I now need to struggle again. I need to continue to fight for myself. For myself, however I appear, and for everyone else. Because no one can be free of this fight until everyone has won.

You would think now that I know the tactics and the battle formations, that it would be easier. But I’m running out of anger.

I was happy. But now I can’t wear the clothes that helped me feel happy.

And buying more will not make the pain disappear. Will not make the fighting stop.

Because it wasn’t about the dress. That was only a tool to show that I was stronger than I thought. That I loved myself.

Now I need to re-learn how to love myself as I change.

I wish this war had an ending. That it was possible for me to come out victorious. But I alone can’t solve this for the world. The best I can do is promise myself kindness, and stay strong.

To the Stars that Listen

The stars, The friend for the Saint and the Sinner. They hold our deepest secrets. Yet, they tell no one.

When they look down from above, they see all the tears of heartache, of grief, of fear yet they offer no hand nor wipe the tears off.

They see killers, cold-blooded killers and thieves; Thugs who rule the night. Hurting people, destroying everything. But, they don’t stop it.

They see dreamers looking at them. Sharing a glass of wine with the man on the moon. The dreamers who find solitude in the darkness. They listen to the stories that the dreamers have to say.

Without any comments, They listen and they never share.

They see people falling in love, they see people fall out of love, They see people who are happy and in love, and people who pretend to know what love looks like. They judge no one, They simply observe, listen and they disappear when the sun takes over. As if nothing happened, And they come again and be your friend in the night.

WORDS PAMODHI KAPUKOTUWA

ARRAYÁN CHAIR

WORDS & ARTWORK MARTIN JIMENEZ

The Arrayán Chair is inspired by trees and their incredible way of growing.

The entire chair is made of copper and must be 3D printed using the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technique.

Designed using Rhino3D and Grasshopper software, it was necessary to investigate a natural process called gravitropism, which tells

the cells of the tree which way gravity is. This is how this one grows in search of light and nutrients. With this information in hand, the chair was designed to simulate this incredible natural growth process, achieving ramifications similar to those of this wonderful tree.

My inspiration to make this chair comes from a Chilean tree called Arrayan, mainly because of its capability to grow in difficult environments and because of its colour.

WORDS & ARTWORK MARTIN JIMENEZ

SHARE YOUR ARTWORK

Selfcare in 10 ways

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Penpals

President’s Letter

My name is Isaac Solomon, and I am the USASA President for 2023.

In this edition of Verse, I wanted to talk about progress.

What does progress mean in the context of our lives as a university student?

In its simplest terms progress is about moving forward. Whether it’s in our studies, in our careers or as a society. Sometimes it can be very easy to tell whether you are moving forward and at other

times it’s slightly more difficult to determine in which direction you are heading. Often, we take it for granted that things will naturally move in a positive direction, though that is not always the case.

Studying at University can be extremely challenging, and it should be. Whenever we go to class or complete an assignment, we know that we are getting one step closer to the completion of our degree. Even if we fail, more often than not we have learnt a valuable lesson. This is progress.

Progress in a community or societal sense can be less clear. Whether it’s on a student level or in our state and federal parliaments not everyone agrees on the direction our communities and our society should take. Recently UniSA introduced the Ally Network to ensure that queer students are welcomed and supported at university. This was extremely hard fought for and took a long time. These kind of initiatives are not always guaranteed and to suggest something similar 30 years ago would have been unheard of. It’s only because people stood up and fought for their rights that we got to this point. In my view this is progress.

Sometimes progress can be slow. Not long ago the State Parliament passed for the first time, a constitutional amendment to create a First Nations Voice to Parliament with the Governor signing the bill into law on the steps of Parliament. To hear the stories and see the faces of people from around the state who had worked so hard for years for this outcome was eye-opening. While not everyone agrees that a Voice to Parliament on both a State and Federal level is the right way to go, these people who fought years to have their culture and heritage recognised view this as progress. One step along the way in a journey that has not yet reached it’s end.

One major decision which is currently a hot topic here at university is whether we should join with the University of Adelaide in creating a completely new university. In this moment not everyone is sure what progress looks like.

In my opinion, whether or not this move is progressive will be determined by the level of input given by students. The more that we are able to make our voices heard, the better represented our views will be in the new

institution. Just because the University’s consultation phase is over does not mean that our opinions no longer matter. If the new university goes ahead, it will be designed by and for the existing staff and students. It’s important that in any conversations around the new University we make our wants and needs known to the university. This is the only way to ensure progress.

Over the next few months, I will be ensuring that as many voices as possible are heard in discussions about the creation of a new university but I cannot do it alone. If you would like to play a greater role in that conversation, please get in touch.

One theme is common throughout all the things I have mentioned. Progress is never easy but little by little we can make it happen. Whether you’re championing major social issues or completing your studies, you should be proud of your achievements, even if the results aren’t evident yet.

Ngaityalya (Thank you)  (Nai-chal-ya)

Isaac Solomon

Progress is never easy but little by little we can make it happen...

“

Official Shop Now

Contributors

Alina Fatima

Amelia Walters

Ashutosh Budhathoki

Brydie Kerr

Cindy Basset

Daniel Kopeikin

Emily Brown

Isaac Solomon

Jayani Amanda

Jesse Seidel

Lucia Rojas

Luna de Lara

Martin Jimenez

Molina Arias

Nicholas Thomas

Olivia Sharp

Pamodhi Kapukotuwa

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