Verse Magazine Edition 50

V ERSE

USASA is here to help you through the good times & the bad. We are a non-profit, student-owned organisation focused on providing services & a voice for all UniSA students.

USASA empowers you through:

Verse Magazine

Student Representation

Academic Advocacy

Student Clubs

Social Events

Student Voice

USASA Grants

Financial Counselling

USASA Student Spaces

UniSA Merchandise

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.

EDITOR’S LETTER

An interlude of respite. A playful abstraction of wandering and wondering. An escape from the realities that we are presented with.

This is Edition 50.

As you thumb leisurely through these pages (or frantically click ‘next’ online), you will be greeted by the minds of those who are grappling with the discourse of time, whilst others touch on the dimensions of human embrace and the nostalgia of shadowed memories. It is ultimately an existentialist exchange that proves to be an enlightening and entertaining experience for all readers.

Through honouring and celebrating the diverse talent of UniSA students for the 50th anniversary of VERSE, this instalment is lyrical, tender and sentimental. With the distinctive inclusion of poetry prose, oversea voyages, flirty cocktails, and a zesty student survival guide, these are the ideal ingredients for a quintessential, homebody night-in.

Please sit back, pour yourself a hot cuppa, and wholly savour the first edition of 2023.

Until next edition,

TAMARA MONTINA

Hi lovely people, You can call me Ash (he/him) if that makes life easier! I am excited to share my new role as the Communications Editor for Verse 2023.

I specialise in Public Relations and marketing, a career I have followed for the last three years in Adelaide. I’m also pursuing a degree in Media Communications at UniSA, allowing me to connect with you through this platform.

I am usually at the Magill campus, so feel free to say hi, or send a text or anything that works for you. We’ve got a fantastic team here at Verse to bring your creative pieces to life this year.

Hello, friends!

My name is Tamara Montina (she/her), and I am especially overjoyed to share that I am Verse Mag’s Head Editor for 2023!

A bit about me? Well, I am readily approaching my second year in the Bachelor of Creative Industries degree, with a major in Communication and Media, and minors in Film and Creative Writing… What a mouthful! As an avid consumer of words and an eccentric hoarder of magazines, my fervour for writing and the editorial process has led me to this wondrous opportunity to leverage diverse voices across campuses and disciplines. From working at a creative agency as an editorial assistant, to freelance writing, and even, co-running an

Tamara

Ashutosh

Tamara

Ashutosh

Adelaide lifestyle blog, I am thrilled to now be in this position to be creating invaluable connections with my peers (aka you!) through the publication.

Let’s work together to make this year the best year for Verse!

Lucia

Hi guys!

My name is Lucia (She/Her), I am from Peru, and I am very excited to be part of the Verse Team as a Graphic Designer.

After travelling for about 3 years, I found my passion, art, technology and creating! At first it was difficult to discover, but doing and trying different things led me to this revelation. That’s why I’m currently about to start my second year in

Illustration and Animation where I learned that we are all born creative. Also, more than a year ago with my girlfriend we founded Picaron Studio; our little place to create, have fun and teach.

Throughout last year I have met very talented students who break the mould, so I would like Verse to be a platform where all students feel safe to show and say what they feel through their creations.

Sometimes sharing what one feels can help others.

5 Student Friendly

Cafés

Coffee has always been my closest companion as a student, from early morning classes to late-night homework. Here is my selection of 5 reasonably priced cafés that you may enjoy as a student to study comfortably, rather than being cooped up at home, in light of the expanding coffee culture and the opening of cosy cafés throughout the city.

Almost every conversation usually starts with ‘wanna grab a cup of coffee’, whether it’s a date or a mate. We love our coffee here in Adelaide with local cafés and coffee shops in every suburb.

SEVEN GROUNDS

$ Prices are around 8.5- 25.5 depending on the choice of food. Unit 1/28a Hawker St, Brompton SA 5007

A lovely rustic café serving brunch with an influence of Asian cuisine is hidden away in Bowden. The café is only ten minutes from the city, and there are bus stops close by for students using public transportation. Depending on your mood, Seven Grounds provides a variety of coffee styles; from robust pour-overs to delicate batch brews. Ideal if you want to sample various coffee brewing techniques! Even though the café appears to be extremely crowded and fast-paced, there is always comfy seating available, where you may unwind and work. Every time I’ve been here, there is already someone hunched over a huge cup, eyes glued to their device, and typing intently.

The food options at Seven Ground are pretty enticing. The chef’s colourful, inventive presentation makes you hungry just by looking at the meal. All of the meals offered are wonderful, but in particular, the French toast sticks out. With some freshly made matcha custard, they make french toast with taro coating.

Friendly Cafés in Adelaide

COFFEE INSTITUTE

$ Prices are around 9- 25 depending on the choice of food.

96 Walkerville Terrace, Walkerville SA 5081

The Coffee Institute is a lovely cafe cluster that is near the city of Walkerville. I’ve always been greeted here with the kindest staff and prompt service!

Although there is a lot of activity in the dining spaces, both indoors and outside, you feel relaxed because of the uplifting vibe in the environment. Excellent service is provided. The speed, especially with so many other customers, impressed me. The cuisine is not only exquisitely prepared, but it also tastes wonderful. On a stressful day, the combination of delectable meals and silky house-roasted beans will make you feel serene. The Coffee Institute is the perfect place to get a quick meal before heading to class or a hot cup of coffee while working on something.

WORDS ASHUTOSH BUDHATHOKI

DEVOUR

$ Prices are around 10 - 21 depending on the choice of food. 52 Davenport Terrace, Richmond SA 5033

It is advised you visit Devour if you are in the Richmond area. They offer friendly employees, reasonably priced food, and excellent coffee. Enjoy the delicious range of cuisine, which includes vegan options if you’re interested.

The incredibly accommodating staff adds to the atmosphere of friendliness. The kind staff will be pleased to seat your group of friends comfortably or find you a quiet spot. Food is wonderful and delivered fast and freshly. Many Devour regulars prefer the burger and baos, and you will understand why after you have experienced them.

KARMA AND CROW

$ Prices are around 7-25 depending on the choice of food. 249/251 Richmond Rd, Richmond SA 5033

Being hidden off to the side on busy Richmond Road, the shop is simple to overlook the first time you visit. You shouldn’t skip out on breakfast here, though. An fantastic little cafe owned by an excellent group of individuals, with a terrific atmosphere, a cute little plant jungle interior, plenty of attractive succulents and ferns, and good food and coffee.

The interior decor is really rustic, and the verandah is bright and lively. A nice place to retreat while finishing off projects and meeting deadlines. There was a wide variety of meals, and the staff was helpful and kind without being overbearing. You may always discover a growing menu with fresh, inventive foods to taste and enjoy there because they have a constantly changing seasonal menu.

“Although Adelaide is home to many other lovely and cosy cafés, these are my top choices because of the atmosphere, the helpful staff, the reasonable prices, and the delicious cuisine. There must be a tonne more, and I would love to learn more. Please feel free to send me your top picks through instagram”.

MELO CAFE

$ Prices are around 9- 28 depending on the choice of food. 1/1 Longview Rd, Windsor Gardens SA 5087

The Melo Cafe is a small, family-friendly location tucked away in a small row of businesses with a bright, open ambience. As soon as you walk in, people grin and give you a warm welcome. The shop is filled with gorgeous plants that provide a fresh, comfortable atmosphere. Your motivation will be at an all-time high, giving it the ideal setting for completing your task in peace.

The cuisine is excellent and reasonably priced considering the serving sizes that are provided. The coffee is excellent, and the food comes in large portions. Additionally, this hidden gem features covered patio seating, making it perfect for any weather. Try the Melo Cafe if you want to spend a long afternoon studying at home and you’ll feel rejuvenated.

USASA Interview with Rhythm Gulati

Tell us a bit about yourself! What is your role at USASA?

My name is Rhythm Gulati. I made the journey to South Australia five years ago after spending the majority of my life in Delhi, India. I have completed a Bachelor of Business in event management and tourism from UniSA.

In my free time, I like to Illustrate, paint, hike, cook for my friends, or read.

I recently started working at USASA as an Events Officer where I am responsible for the planning, and execution of student engagement events and activities.

What are your top 3 tips for new students?

Networking: Every time you step out of your comfort zone and meet someone new, you’ll be building up your self-confidence, as well as some invaluable communicative skills that will last you a lifetime.

Ask for help: University can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when there’s so much information to absorb. If you ever have any questions, be open and ask for help. Many university resources are free of cost. If you are having difficulties, there is

always a staff around to answer any questions and provide support. Have fun and reward yourself: Although studying and getting good grades is important, it is also very crucial to have fun and make lasting memories during your uni years. Embrace learning but also participate in extra-curricular activities such as joining a club, attending uni events, and gathering your friends for a pub crawl.

What are the best ways to make quality connections and friendships at Uni?

USASA clubs are a fantastic way to meet like-minded people and make new friends. USASA has a wide variety of clubs, so there’s something for everyone. Additionally, volunteering at university events is another great way to make new friends. Funny story – I met my partner at one of the events where we were volunteering together so you never know you.

Where is the best place to ask about financial and student well-being assistance?

USASA’s Financial Wellbeing Service is a free, confidential, and non-judgmental program available to all UniSA students. Students can simply reach

out to USASA and book an appointment with a Financial Counsellor to seek support. Additionally, there are several self-help resources as well as in-person counselling services available for students facing personal hardships.

If you could go back to your first day of Uni, what would you do differently?

If I was to go back to my first day of uni, I would not overthink and be nervous while talking to new people. Instead, I would relax, socialise and remind myself that these new students are all in the same boat as me.

What is your favourite thing about UniSA?

My favourite thing about UniSA is that along with great academic opportunities, they also offer many non-academic services for students to have a vibrant campus life and a positive student experience.

-I would not overthink and be nervous while talking to new people-

Lonely Heart

A tactful method of developing one’s understanding of the human heart’s anatomy is through drawing it!

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1

One study reported that “when studying anatomy science, drawing is one of effective important methods because it is an integration of ideas and knowledge of vision thereby increasing comprehension and learning motivation of college students”

2 3

(Joewono et al. 2018).

In my personal test of these findings, I spent time on February 15th, 2022 to complete this watercolour and marker ink mixed media artwork of the human

heart’s anatomy. The process began with a simple search for an accurate reference image to proportionately sketch out the heart and its main components. Next, I chose watercolour paints that resembled the hues found in Renaissance period artworks to highlight those main components.

Once the paint dried, I used a black marker to outline the main components of the heart followed by the detail.

The process took about 3 to 4 hours one lonely afternoon and I managed to create something meaningful. For those of you who are students in the field of clinical and health sciences, you may use post-it notes to label over the parts of the heart to test your knowledge!

MOD. Opens New Exhibition: FLEX

Media Release: Publish 17 Jan 2023

In MOD,’s new exhibition FLEX, we test how we might inch closer, or rush towards, boundaries. Join us as we manipulate our perceptions and alter our bodies. Will you thrive or survive in extreme environments? And where do you draw the line?

FLEX is the tenth exhibition for MOD. And opens on 17 Jan 2023. MOD. is a future-focused museum, a place to be and be inspired by ideas at the intersection of science, art, and innovation. MOD. is like no other museum experience in Australia. By bringing together researchers, industries, and students the exhibition showcases how research shapes our understanding of the world around us and helps us to better imagine possible futures.

Director of MOD., Dr Kristin Alford says “So often when we think about the future, we think about external factors such as climate and digital disruption. FLEX invites us to think about the future of things closer to home, our bodies and our minds.”

In FLEX, visitors can explore interactive galleries where they will meet digital versions of themselves, delve into body augmentation, learn more about r resilience, explore ideas about living on Mars and challenge their perception of pain.

Adam Drogemuller is a PhD student who designed an interactive that allows visitors to visualise their pain in 3D as part of his research. He says “MOD facilitating this research enables us to

analyse objects that have been created by the public so that we can work towards a new physical language for pain descriptors, as opposed to the existing verbal expressions of pain. A physical language may be more beneficial for expressing chronic pain.”

Our live research embedded into the exhibition includes the return of the ‘pain chairs’ where visitors can test how perception alters experiences of pain and thinking through the ethical questions relating emerging technologies. Through FLEX visitors can see the blending of real research with creative ideas that provoke new thinking.

Exhibition Coordinator of FLEX, Claudia von der Borch said that “When you walk through FLEX, you’ll experience tension and curiosity. This exhibition builds from a juxtaposition of real and speculative futures for our bodies, to a reflective space for considering the ethical boundaries we create and embrace. It concludes with an immersive journey into breath that grounds you in your own capability to deal with stress.”

This exhibition is open from the 17 Jan to 24 Nov. MOD. Is open Tues – Sat, 10 am – 5 pm

Find more information about FLEX on https://mod.org.au/exhibitions/flex/ MOD. is free to visit.

For more information contact: Erika Barrett (she/her): Engagement Officer

E: Erika.Barrett@unisa.edu.au or M: 0423 928 774

skeleton crew

expiration date: _ /_/_

Where is the image that struck me so To believe in love wherever I go, That made me stop and think and look And read every word in every book?

Where is the hand that held me so To make me believe in Cupid’s bow, That pierced me in my side so deep And rendered my eyes to start to weep?

Where is the light that blinded me so To believe in love in every foe, That opened my eyes to see it true And once again fall in love with you?

WORDS FOTI MANTIS

THE ABYSS

I don’t do it anymore and I never will, It’s like an empty bag you cannot fill, But I admit it is something that I miss, Looking down into the abyss.

It’ll turn away all the people you know, It’ll reveal the things you could never show, It’s permanent like a tattoo on your wrist, Looking down into the abyss.

It’ll blind your eyes if you look too fast, It’ll confuse the present with the past, Stay too long and you’ll start to hiss, Looking down into the abyss.

You can try to pretend that it’s not real, It’ll eat you alive and leave the peel, It’s like loving a person you cannot kiss, Looking down into the abyss.

It’ll give you an answer you cannot take, It’ll make you think what’s real is fake, You can’t turn away from something like this, Looking down into the abyss.

It’s something that’ll make you want to resist, It’s something that’ll make you want to persist, You will always question why you exist, Looking down into the abyss

WORDS FOTI MANTIS

I don’t like perfect ion

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

“No journey is ever going to be a smooth sail, and it shouldn’t be. This last trip for me was by no means all smooth and fun, but it is still a memorable ride. Some moments were too beautiful to not capture it; some were too grand to miss; and some were the right place, right time.”

WORDS & ARTWORK JUSTIN LEUNG

spritz

of mind Sunset state

BUDHATHOKI

ARTWORK LUCIA ROJAS

It’s 6 O’Clock on a late summer evening, the golden hour is approaching. Whiskey is out of the question because it’s too early, and it’s too late for a lemonade. It’s Spritz time on the dot.

Aperol Spritz is a drink you might like if you prefer a good, simple beverage without having to worry about too many ingredients. Prosecco, soda water, and Aperol are all you need to make a beautiful spritzer.

It has an orange hue that rivals a sunset, is effervescent, and is incredibly well iced. It falls under the larger genre of aperitifs, or aperitivos: the low-alcohol, frequently bitter-leaning beverages (as well as the bottles on which they are based) that are intended to prepare your palette for the upcoming evening meal.

Pour 3 parts of Prosecco (90 ml) into a wine glass or other glass of your choice, and while the beverage is still bubbling, add 2 parts of your Aperol Spritz (60ml). All that is left

to do is to top it with 1 part soda water and ice cubes (30ml). It’s time for your Aperol Spritz.

I was in the Sussex Hotel, a cosmopolitan and upscale establishment that has been servicing Walkerville and the surrounding area since 1843.

It is one of South Australia’s most charming art deco historic pubs.

With a restaurant, outside beer garden, sports bar, and gaming area, the Sussex Hotel is already a prosperous enterprise. If you’re in the neighbourhood, I’d highly recommend stopping by for a few drinks.

ASHUTOSH

How the Murder of an Academic Changed Adelaide’s Queer Community

WORDS ZOE ROSHKOV

This article may contain sensitive topics that may be disturbing for some readers. This includes content related to violence against LGBTQ+ members and mentions of death.

Adelaide’s history with the queer community had a very dark beginning, from hiding in the shadows and being driven underground by threats of violence and discrimination.

The 1970’s were a time in South Australia’s history where homosexual acts were criminalised and to be found out as a gay person, was to be in a position of danger. The history of the LGBTQIA+ community has often been hidden from view, but many individuals throughout the past have lived radical private lives outside the accepted sexual norms.

This reality was made brutally clear to South Australia in 1972 after the murder of gay Adelaide University

law lecturer, Dr George Duncan, who was thrown into the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens and drowned. The crime, still unpunished, horrified many in the South Australian community. It revolted mainstream society so much that disbelief turned to outrage and reform was on everyone’s agenda.

Through the small step in activism of the first Adelaide pride walk, this ignited social concern about discrimination to minorities and had aims of recognising and celebrating gay lifestyles. This liberation movement occurred, again, in the shadow of George Duncan’s death.

Sadly, it was the killing of Dr. Duncan that became a catalyst for

change. It was this, among other events that lead SA to be the first jurisdiction to decriminalise male homosexual acts.

One of Adelaide’s gay elders, Will Sergeant, lived through this oppression. He has seen queer life go from a criminal offence to marriage equality in Australia. He experienced a world when living as a gay man remained difficult and dangerous, and discrimination continued, but he was also part of the fight for law reform and a safer future for the queer community, as a 1970’s gay liberationist.

Sergeant carried his banner proudly outside of the shadows. He attended the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and was a participant in Adelaide’s first Pride March in 1973 which was an early, prominant push for queer rights and positive changes to law over these 50 years.

Will Sergeant and his alter ego

Dr Gertrude Glossip have been a driving force for change in queer acceptance and representation in Adelaide. Since its conception in 1997, Gertrude has had a fundamental role in South Australia’s Feast Festival. Known as ‘The Queen of The walk’ Gertrude

has been hosting rainbow walking tours of Adelaide’s queer history at every Feast.

This year marks 25 seasons of Gertrude’s history walks. The experienced captain details a noholds barred history lesson of how the queer community has gone from hiding in the shadows to making a complete 180 onto the Adelaide CBD where people feel it is safe to celebrate openly and proudly.

For the past two years, Gertrude’s history walks have been based at Port Adelaide, sponsored by the Port Adelaide and Enfield City Library. “A marvellous step in the right direction for queer representation having a mainstream organisation promote and sponsor Feast Festival,” Gertrude says.

“Anything that fosters education and understanding and embracing inclusivity is really wonderful for the general population,” Glossip explains.

Siren’s Silence

She lured in her prey, her lips producing a sweet smile and a seductive song. He had no hope. He was drawn in by her spell, enchanted by her haunted beauty. He was always warned: do not listen to the siren’s song, or a sorrowful death will be found. In pleasure is pain and with pain is death and sweet, sweet nothingness.

His hands gripped her legs, blood seeping through crescent shaped wounds. Her song twisted around his head, clouding his senses with unfathomable desires that only the wicked of Davy Jones’ Locker would dare to ever ponder. Her face drew close, as did her body, the light of the land fading further and further as the waves carried them to sea.

WORDS NATASHA BENGER

Her mouth covered his own as a wave crashed overhead, her legs climbing atop of him.

Her mouth covered his own as a wave crashed overhead, her legs climbing atop of him. His hands cradled her waist as she gripped his hair with a desperate ferocity. Breaths turned to gasps, grunts to growls as they fought to control the other. The siren’s song wrapped around them like a fog, twisted and thick, shrouding them from the light of the bay.

Her hands ripped at his hair, his gasping breath that was once for lust was now for his life. Her growls erupted to screams as her fists tore from his head. Her fangs grew pointed and claws dug deep as she pushed them into the deep of the ocean. His pointless struggle foamed the sea around them, Persian blue turned red. She was a monster.

Long had she grown tired of people using her as their own, disregarding and discarding her passion, taking her benevolence for granted. What once was a gentle sea breeze now grew to become a raging storm, taking its revenge one sad sailor at a time. The mermaid became a monster, the lullaby now a nightmare as the ocean raged with her fury.

She tore out his tongue that sought to taint her, ripped his wandering hands to shreds. And as his body sank into the deep, she screamed into the fog of her sorrows.

Then all of a sudden, the night was clear, any reminisce of what had just taken place was washed away by ocean and time. All that was left was a lone wanderer on the beach, and a lighthouse illuminating the poisoned waters. The air was crisp with the sound of a siren’s silence, the laugh of a monster hidden in the wind.

Inspired by The Lighthouse by Halsey.

Masterpiece

WORDS ALEXANDRA ALAVA

Splashes of paint ruin the unfinished art piece Sage is currently working on in her room. The whole floor and walls were covered in colors of reds, blues, violets, and every other color imaginable. Her canvas, twice her size, lay still on the floor as it fell from the stand as a result of her frustrations.

Something about not getting the color right. Or maybe it’s the shapes?

The whole space smelled of paint, lit by the natural glow of the moonlight with only a lamp in the shape of a brain lighting the room. Of course, she wouldn’t get the art right if her light could barely illuminate a corner of the space. Either way, she paces the room, the moon and the stars glistening above, her music filling the room with soft melodies while she trips over paint caps, cans, and brushes with every step.

It was a mess of a room, but it is an artist’s space.

Hours into the dead of the night, she sips what seems to be her fifth cup of warm coffee gone cold, an instant mix that doesn’t even have an ounce of caffeine enough to keep her

awake. And yet she sips as she thinks of what her paint-covered brush should do next.

Maybe the snow-covered pine trees would work better? Or will a frozen lake look best with the snowy mountains that seem to be looming alone far away with no one to talk to, and nothing to do, but stay still as mountains do? Maybe a few wandering owls can accompany this lonely mountain, or perhaps hide it behind a thin cover of mist, waiting for someone to unravel its stories and legends.

Still, she continues to pace the room and stare at that lifeless piece of canvas with blobs of paint that doesn’t satisfy Sage’s taste. Still, she thinks… and thinks… and thinks. Deep into her thought, flashes of life come to mind – a pod of whales surfing the oceans, a woman manipulating the elements of the earth, to a whole different planet that thrives with unnatural species roaming and hunting and feeding. None, however,

gives her the idea that will spark life in her. And so she thinks.

She releases her hold on her brush, making more of a mess she isn’t too bothered to clean. With a deep, heavy sigh, she retired to her room, laying on the blanket she laid on the floor earlier this day knowing that she would be too unbothered to clean off the paint staining her skin or change into cleaner, fresher clothes. So there she lies, on an old ratty blanket with enough paint on her to deem her another art piece of hers.

~

“Leave it, thanks.” Sage voices out to three men carrying wooden boxes full of her artwork. They placed everything in a neat pile by the corner inside an empty two-floor building, with nothing but empty white walls, lined with ceiling-mounted lighting, emitting a warm neutral glow that makes the vacuous space feel somewhat home-like.

Spotless. Untainted, pure.

No flaws mark these walls. Not a single imperfection. Sage thought.

“Until I got here.” She whispered to herself as she sighs, walking over to the crates, and unloading each piece of canvas wrapped with delicate paper, sitting on top of a cushion of bubble wrap. She places them all on the floor, careful not to trip over any of it for glass-framed pieces, and

loosely rolled up canvases inside long tubes dress the floor. She began to work.

Slowly, the bland white walls are filled with both life and death. Paintings of bliss and pain cover the walls like a story waiting to unfold, waiting for its reader to take its bait. Slowly, pieces of her work are hung against the walls. All put away for display, all in different fragments. Sketches, paintings, sculptures, and murals.

For hours and days, she worked. Moving pieces here and there. Hanging frames and setting up statues. Adjusting the way that one light hits the artwork, and even as far as adjusting the room’s air circulation. Sage set the whole gallery herself, refusing help from even her closest. She created all of this, so it’s up to her to do it, making everything as perfect as it can be. Calls were made, ads were posted, and friends invited.

One by one, each remnant transformed the vacant space into a place where each step you take, will either embrace you with its warmth or suffocate you with its icy grasp. Either way, it makes you feel wanting to succumb to its hold, letting its gentle grasp ease into you.

~

“They would be proud of you, Sage.”

They. He meant Sage’s family.

After weeks of careful design, shaping the place to fit and to connect each piece of art, as if invisible strings made of life start at one, and continue as it goes through every artwork. Life, threading all the pieces together until it meets the last. Death.

But death is not the end. At least, not for Sage.

“They are not here and they never appreciated art, Eric. You know this.” Sage replies, sipping a glass of white wine, looking from the balcony of the second floor.

Glancing around the place, the sweet aroma of the fermented grapes, the oceanic fragrance that lulls you as you read a book with the waves crashing on shore, and the distant chatter of the people as they critique the pieces or talk amongst themselves fill up the once emptied space.

The building opened its doors to the public just a few hours ago. Sage cuts the red flashy ribbon by the entrance with golden scissors as her inner circle line the front of the small crowd, awaiting to see what ’s beyond its doors. In one snip, the ribbon falls, her friends cheer, and the crowd applauses. Sage steps aside, greeting each and every one of them as the guards open the door to the gallery.

As soon as you enter, the warm aura of the space embraces you. Welcoming you for you to walk inside and see the life pouring into this place. The first areas are lined with pieces that make you feel pleasure and ecstasy as if this place is where you want to stay for everlasting bliss. Heaven on earth it seems.

Pieces made draw you into them. Light pours from the ceiling to the ground, bright colors dress the walls. Sights of bright days, warm summers, and breezy springs highlight this area. You feel as if you’re bathing under the glow of the warm sun. The songs of the water and the beats of the waves draw you deeper into this fantasy. Curated, to make you feel alive.

“You should go. Enjoy my life’s work.” Sage utters, drowns what’s left of her drink, and walks away, not until she hears Eric mutter, “If you can count nudes and barbed wire art.”

Yes, the warmth welcomes, but the cold shivers.

As you walk further into the gallery, the warmness of it all fades, giving way to the dark, broken, and damaged pieces. The opposite of the embrace you felt at the start. Here, there is only you, in front of a thousand haunting pieces. One look makes a chill run down your spine.

Snowy mountains, dark forests, frozen lakes, and the void cover this area of the gallery. Broken parts of the naked body binded in wires covered with spikes. Blood drips all over.

In here, you’re engulfed in a thick cover of shadow. Goosebumps trail your skin, and your heartbeat quickens. Your steps slow as you look around, and all you can see is the dark and hear only silence. And in every glance, your subconscious tries to pull you away from this horrendous place, your feet begging to walk away, feeling yourself to look the other way, to go back to the light, and yet, once you look deeper, you actually find yourself wanting the darkness more. Somehow, in this deep abyss, you find yourself wanting more.

She leaves, glancing past unknown faces, and listening to whispered conversations. Servers going around carrying glasses of champagne and trays of various appetizers entertain the guests as they blatantly ignore the framed pieces surrounding them. Overlooking the strokes, textures, values, and time put into each piece.

This is a waste of time, she thought. None of these people are here for the art. ~

Under the blanket of the comfortable silence of the night, Sage stares into nothingness but at the one corner of the wall that isn’t marked with charcoal sketches and ripped pages of old books. For what reason? None at all. It looked pretty, vintage, and quirky, she thought as she stuck them up. Photographs of the sun and the moon, of the birds and the waves and the trees. Pictures of passersby, the food, local shops, and her memories all cover the wall. There to look at to either see a glimpse of the past or just there collecting dust. Who knows, right?

Minutes pass by, with the deafening sound of silence. The moon starts to set to let the sun rise on the horizon. Sage sits at the top of her bed, beady eyes start to blur her vision. Her mind is a whirlwind of chaos, and one by one, tears start to form just under her eyes, and yet she lays there still as a rock. Waiting for each of those tears to drop and stain her shirt, the familiar sensation comes rushing back, that feeling as if your body refuses to give you air. Your heart constricts as if it all but gives up pumping the body the blood it needs. Your chest, buried under tons of bricks, forced to cave in. The strong urge to claw your skin off, as if you’re a prisoner of yourself.

Soon the first tear fell, leaving a trail of wetness behind as Sage moved closer to the edge of the bed. The

faint lingering scent of coffee, of earth, and of the forest from the burnt-down candle doesn’t seem to calm her down. The space, illuminated by only the light from the setting moon doesn’t feel serene at all. The clock ticks as her bed creaks while she moves, it feels like a ticking bomb. Tears threaten to fall more every second.

Reaching the table on the side of her bed, Sage whispers, “Just one.”

~

Nearing the end of her art exhibit, people still come and go. For Sage, all they are but a blur in a sea of frames. This whole exhibition was meant to tell a tale. To find each piece, and find how it fits the puzzle. But no one even dares to try. Walking past the tainted walls, looking over each fragment she put on display. Sage sighs, shaking her head in defeat despite setting up an art gallery is quite literally her life’s goal.

Dreaming of creating art, from sunrise to sundown, and even then, working through the long night, accompanied by only her thoughts and dreams. Going into her headspace flowing with feelings, designs, and values. A world created by her and for her. A place she can get lost in when reality seems too real. It’s a place she calls her own.

Everything she dreamed she wanted to be real, and so she made it happen. Years of thinking, careful design, and even reckless moves all add up to these few weeks of where she is now.

She was proud of herself. Impressed at what she managed to create – a whole building full of art. And yet, something was amiss. Despite being surrounded by her creations and the fulfilling sense of achievement in her heart, there is something missing, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Sage walks along the corridors for the last few times before the building starts to close its doors, signaling the edge of the cliff, and preparing to pack up to end this journey she started. Not many are left. Just a few hours before she has to retire to her place, and going back the next day to pack and ship the sold pieces, and bringing back the ones left, for her to store in the comforts of her home. To wait for the next keen buyer, intent on decorating their multi-million homes.

Lost in her thoughts, she stumbles her way past the gallery, not seeing what’s about to hit her.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see – Are you… Sage? Aster Sage?”

“Iam. And you are?” “Andy.”

An art show, worthy of kings, queens, and knights and lords.

The girl, Andy, flustered, her

freckled-covered cheeks starting to stain with red as she realized who she just bumped into. Her eyes seem to glint with curiosity and fascination, stars dancing within those deep brown eyes. Her face was sculpted so pure and beaming with energy. It’s as if the creator poured too much of life into this girl. Her soul so bright Sage swears her aura overpowers her small frame, wrapping her in glimpses of light.

Andy smiles wide, like a toddler with a candy, licking away with no care in the world but at the moment she is now. There’s a touch of bird in her. Like a songbird. Elegance in her voice, power in her words. Captivating all who listens, leaving Sage in a trance.

“I’m sorry again, but I can’t help but ask… why did you decide to use those… those uhm… ah, the barbed wires to wrap your sculptures? And why are some of them tainted with gold? I mean, it shows the silver lining, isn’t it? And, and the way you arranged your pieces. Wow. That is brilliant, I mean

precious than a pearl’s prized luster.

Andy continues to go on and on about this whole entire art gallery as if she made the pieces herself and set them up exactly how it is now. She talks like she made each stroke herself. Like she entered Sage’s mind and held the brush herself. She speaks as if she knows the story behind every painting, and yet questions the choices made to finish it.

“Who are you?” Sage utters more to herself than anyone.

“This, all of these pieces, they’re not just art, are they?” Andy realizes, eyes widening as she stares at Sage. She sees it. Andy saw past. “This whole gallery…

It ’s you”.

She talks a lot, Sage thought. Just like songbirds. A blue jay maybe, or perhaps she’s more of a wren where her notes fall and crash like the waterfall, unstoppable, unyielding. Giving way to a glimpse in this girl’s soul – radiance, beauty, and courage swirling around in a pool that reflects the light, making it look more

Just time.

WORDS YVONNE DUMLAO

I am frustrated with time...

At my birth, I was gifted time in all its entirety. Moments, my first smile as a babe, snuggling into my mother’s warmth, tiny hands gripping a pinkie. Seconds, walking for the first time, saying my first words. Minutes, tying shoelaces on my own, singing happy birthday. Hours, first day of school, sleeping in my own room. Days, months, years. Seeing my mother at the breakfast table one morning and then again four years later in a strange country.

Time is life. It allowed me to grow and learn, that while time may be a gift, living wasn’t as kind.

I do not hate time, for I am stuck with it; it structures my entire livelihood. I need time; therefore, I do not hate it.

But nor do I love it.

Time is cruel, greedy. Time took away my grandfather, someone I love, or would have loved, too early that I hold no vivid memories of him. Only moments uttered by family who remember him, who lived in his presence, who felt his love. I only know him through one old photograph, he’s holding me in his arms, too young to remember that he loved me like I was his own.

Eventually, time took away his partner too. Orphaning my father and immersing me with regret for not holding her a few seconds longer in our last embrace.

Time steals. Memories, love, people. Years I could have had with my mother when I needed her most.

Time flies. I can still remember that phone call, hearing that my grandmother was gone, like it was yesterday. Yet six years has already passed. Years gone in a flash but the pain remaining behind.

Now I don’t feel at all. Teaching me that life isn’t so easy. Time does not stop for anyone. Whether it is because you are sad, or grieving or ill. Time won’t stop for you. It never has. It will go on and on, beginning with life but never ending in death.

Time was never a gift or a curse. Time is just time, too complicated, too powerful, too frustrating.

Time changed my life. I remember being happy, careless, curious, innocent.

this time

FaceTimes at bedtime

Smiles with crease lines

Fresh sheets from the clothesline

Too much screen time

Vodka sodas with lime

You laugh at the wrong times

I cry all the time

WORDS ELIZA DUNN

Zodiac

In & Out for 2023

Based on the TikTok trend

Pisces

19 Feb - 20 Mar

IN: Embracing your chaotic love life.

OUT: Cancelling on your friends last minute.

Aries

21 Mar - 19 Apr

IN: Self-confidence.

OUT: Impulsive behaviour.

Taurus

20 Apr - 20 May

IN: Extending kindness to yourself.

OUT: Being the instigator of every argument.

Gemini

21 May - 20 June

IN: Brutal honesty.

OUT: Being friends with people you don’t actually like.

Cancer

21 June - 22 Jul

IN: Taking initiative in your love life.

OUT: People pleasing.

WORDS TAMARA MONTINA ARTWORK LUCIA ROJAS

Leo

23 Jul - 22 Aug

IN: Feeling independent.

OUT: Lack of selfawareness.

Virgo

23 Aug - 22 Sep

IN: Working towards your goals, with healthy doses of self-care.

OUT: Spending your savings on retail therapy.

Libra

23 Sep - 22 Oct

IN: Exploring friendships and relationships.

OUT: Being passive during confrontation.

Scorpio

23 Oct - 21 Nov

IN: Following your gut instinct.

OUT: Overworking yourself to the point of burn out.

Sagittarius

22 Nov - 21 Dec

IN: Honing in on your optimism.

OUT: Making excuses for yourself.

Capricorn

22 Dec - 19 Jan

Aquarius

20 Jan - 18 Feb

IN: Being THE drama.

OUT: Caring what others think.

MULTIPLE VENUES

FREE ENTRY

DRINK SPECIALS

GOOD TIMES

FOOD SPECIALS

THURS 6 APRIL 7 PM - LATE

To all of the new students… University is an exciting time in the lives of so many people. You’ve worked hard to get here. Maybe you’re following in your parents, siblings or relatives’ footsteps and are excited about what you’ve heard from their time at Uni, or perhaps you’re the first in your family to start this new chapter in your story. Maybe there are a lot of people who contributed to getting you here, who worked hard alongside you and empowered you to reach your goals, or perhaps this was something you had to work a little harder for and had to do alone. Either way, this spot is yours; you’ve earned it.

President’s Letter

Welcome to UniSA for 2023. Welcome to all new students joining for the first time in 2023, and welcome back to those returning for another year. The last couple of years have been unusual for everyone; things have changed a lot, whether you were studying at Uni, finishing high school or taking a not-so-normal gap year. 2023 will be distinctly different. The unknown about exactly how the year will play out is the scariest and most exciting part about studying in 2023.

When I started University in 2020, the year began much like any other. Though 3 weeks in, the pandemic hit for the first time. Since I was elected as student President in 2022, I have been driven to reconnect students here at UniSAreconnecting with services, reconnecting with one another, and reconnecting with a sense of purpose.

At the UniSA Student Association (USASA), we empower you to help shape your university journey. Our new student board is driven and ready to tackle the year’s challenges. There will be many opportunities and challenges in the year ahead. Whether it’s joining clubs and meeting new friends, participating in fun events, seeking help with study, finding an inclusive and welcoming community of peers or turning your vision into a reality - through it all, at USASA, we’re here for you.

Ngaityalya (Thank you)  (Nai-chal-ya)

Isaac Solomon

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

USASA Academic Advocacy

Receive free, confidential and independent advice.

The USASA Advocates are experts in academic policies and procedures. They can help you understand what’s happening and what you need to do if you are facing academic issues to help you pursue your rights on a wide range of academic troubles.

usasa.sa.edu.au/support/ academic-advocacy/

USASA Clubs & Societies

Ready to find your flock?

Explore over 90 cultural, special interest, academic and social justice clubs.

Joining a club allows you to make friends with like-minded people, expand your university experience and much more!

Can’t find the club for you? Start your own!

Show your uni pride with UniSA Merchandise.

Official UniSA Merchandise is now available from USASA!

All profit from merchandise sales goes straight back into empowering you and supporting the work of USASA. Choose from a variety of clothes and colours including hoodies, t-shirts, caps & more. See the full range at your closest USASA Space or online.

Contributors

Alexandra, Alava

Ashutosh Budhathoki

Eliza, Dunn

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Henry, Hough-Hobbs

Hoi Lam, Ng

Isaac Soloman

Jotinder, Singh

Justin, Leung

Lucia Rojas

Matt, Palmer

Natasha, Benger

Rhythm Gulati

Tamara Montina

Tansy Bennett

Yvonne, Dumlao

Zoe Roshkov

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@hhh_photos

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