Hyde 2020 Edition 1 - Hopeful

2 0 2 0 1 I S S U E

HYDE hopeful

edition

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY

Victoria University Student Union and Hyde acknowledges the Ancestors, Elders and families of the Boonwurrung, Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) and Wathaurung (Wadawurrung) on our Melbourne campuses and the Gadigal and Guring-gai people of the Eaora Nation on our Sydney campus.

These groups are the custodians of the University land and have been for many centuries. As we share our own knowledge practices within the University, may we pay respect to the deep knowledge embedded within the Aboriginal community and ownership of Country. We acknowledge that the land on which our campuses stand is the place of age of ceremonies and celebration, initiation and renewal. The Kulin and Eora people's living culture had, and has, a unique role in the life of these regions. Victoria University supports the aim of Reconciliation Australia to build better relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for the benefit of all Australians. It is important that staff, students, and visitors understand and respect the significance of recognising the traditional owners of University land.

letter from the editor Hello and welcome to the first edition of the Hyde Student Magazine for 2020; the orientation 'Hopeful' Edition!

We here at Hyde are so excited for the year ahead and hope students have the most incredible year starting with Orientation Festival across all our VU campuses!

In this 'new and improved' edition, we have a calendar of all the VU Student Union February and March events, helpful tips to stop procrastinating, top 10 movies on Netflix and so much more.

The Hyde team this year decided to give our student magazine a new look and bring some amazing things to our VU community. This year we are wanting to show you how awesome university can really be.

Like all great student publications, we are dependent on student contributions. Our goal is to provide all students with an outlet for their creative content. If you have anything you’d like shared, you can find our socials on the inside of the cover and hit us up. We will try out very best to accommodate any submissions.

Submissions we are looking for are articles, news, fiction, opinions, comedy, artworks or anything else your heart desires. We are very excited to see what VU students have been creating in their spare time. If there is anything you think would look great in Hyde, we want to see it.

Something different we are working on this year is including a consistent ‘Top 10’ and ‘5 ways to’ section, so if you want to help us and add to this section, contact us!

If you would like to submit to Hyde, you will have the chance for your work to be seen by all VU Hyde readers across all our 8 VU campuses and of course our online presence.

Thanks for reading, We hope you enjoy Hyde 2020!

Hannah Nadin Editor in Chief

PAGE NINE

VICE-CHANCELLOR WELCOME Professor Peter Dawkins

PAGE TEN

VU STUDENT UNION PRESIDENT WELCOME Will Penrose

PAGE ELEVEN

FEBRUARY & MARCH VU STUDENT UNION EVENTS

PAGE TWENTY-TWO

'IT STARTS HERE' anonymous

PAGE TWENTY-FOUR

PAGE THIRTEEN VU STUDENT UNION

PERSPECTIVE FROM A GRADUATE Matt Hannett

PAGE FIFTEEN

PAGE TWENTY-FOUR

WHAT IS THE BLOCK MODEL?

PAGE SEVENTEEN

AUSTRALIA'S BUSHFIRE DISASTER

PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN

HOW TO STAY IN THE LOOP AT VU Ronish Chattaraj

'A SYMBOL OF HOPE' anonymous

PAGE NINETEEN

PAGE TWENTY-NINE

WELCOME FROM VU ISA Prateek Shrestha & Swechhya Ghale

TOP 10... MOVIES ON NETFLIX Ronish Chattaraj

PAGE THIRTY-THREE ADD US ON SNAPCHAT Dictum Law Society

PAGE THIRTY-FOUR VUSU VIP MEMBERSHIP

PAGE THIRTY-SIX

CHEAP EATING OPTIONS AROUND YOUR CAMPUS

PAGE FORTY-NINE

5 WAYS TO... STOP PROCRASTINATING Ronish Chattaraj

PAGE FIFTY-TWO

'ITS THE ACTION, NOT THE FRUIT' Mahatma Gandhi

PAGE FIFTY-THREE

BUDGETING BUT STILL WANTING TO SHOP?

Dylan Nilmadhub

PAGE FIFTY-FIVE PAGE THIRTY-EIGHT

SONGS OF 2019

PAGE THIRTY-NINE NEW YEAR, NEW START?

BE A BETTER HUMAN

PAGE FIFTY-SEVEN ACTIVITIES

PAGE FIFTY-NINE CONTRIBUTORS

PAGE FORTY-TWO

'I'M NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE' anonymous

PAGE FORTY-THREE PEER 2 PEER MENTORING PROGRAM Dictum Law Society

PAGE FORTY-FIVE 'MY STORY' Ronish Chattaraj

PAGE FORTY-SEVEN

VUSUTEER PROGRAM Emma Whitbread

page 9 | Hopeful 2020

Peter Dawkins Vice-Chancellor, Victoria University

Vice-Chancellor Welcome I would like to welcome all our students to Victoria University in 2020.

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and a university without boundaries. As the University of Opportunity and Success, we are committed to providing you with the opportunities and skills you need to succeed through quality educational experiences, aimed at all students from all backgrounds.

It is an exciting time for the university and our students. We are undergoing a transformation that is creating a new type of University for the 21st century, and we have introduced the revolutionary VU Block Model of teaching – a new, more progressive way to do Uni. The VU Block Model has now been successfully rolled out for first and second year undergraduate students, and by 2022 it will be implemented across all VU’s vocational and higher education courses. This is actually a milestone year for us, as we will have students graduating at the end of the year who have been taught in the Block Mode for their entire Bachelor degree.

Victoria University is a world-class institution, offering world-class opportunities. We prepare you for the world of work by developing your employability and connecting you with cutting-edge opportunities in entrepreneurship and leadership. The skills and knowledge you are gaining here at VU will provide the next crucial step as you continue on your learning journeys and develop your careers.

However, university life is not only about what happens inside the classroom. As you study with us, I encourage you to join in the events, clubs, sporting and volunteering activities that will connect you with lifelong friends and networks.

Enjoy this incredibly special time in your lives, of learning and growth. I hope you are able to harness the opportunities presented to you and I wish you all the best with your studies in 2020.

Professor Peter Dawkins Vice-Chancellor and President

Will Penrose 2020 VUSU President

VUSU President Welcome Welcome to everyone, especially the new and returning students to 2020 at Victoria University.

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which Victoria University Student Union operates within, the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Tribes of the Kulin Nations. I would also like to acknowledge that the land on which VUSU operates was the place of age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal and that the Kulin people's living culture had and has a unique role in the life of this region.

This year the VU Student Union has so much in store for students and the VU community, starting with Orientation Festival (O’ Fest). O' Fest is a great opportunity for students to explore all that VU has to offer and a chance to meet new people around campus. At O’ Fest you will also get to hear about the amazing VUSUteer (volunteer) programme that VUSU offers students a chance to be apart of.

We will also have our VIP membership packs on offer to purchase with some awesome merchandise and goodies inside. Make sure to also check out the College Societies, the International Student Association and of course the Hyde Student Magazine stalls.

During the next year, we have some amazing events planned for students and the entire VU community including the Be a Better Human Festival, De Stress Festival, Queernival and many more. At the VU Student Union each year we like to improve on our events and make our festivities bigger and better than the year before, make sure to keep a look out on our Facebook page to stay updated on all that we will be hosting through out the year, including our weekly VUSU Hangs.

We at the VU Student Union are all students ourselves so we know as well as anyone that University can be so much fun but also can present challenges along the way. That’s why we are always close by to help you if needed. If you would like more information, have any questions or queries about how to get more involved in volunteering and helping out around the student union or just anything around VU you can come and find us in Building M at Footscray Park, we are always happy to chat with everyone.

I wish all of the Students at Victoria University the best of luck in everything you attempt in 2020 and remember if you need any help contact the VU Student Unio, we are here for students.

Thank you and good luck

page 11 | Hopeful 2020

FEBRUARY & MARCH EVENTS O' Fest Werribee

11

10 17 24

O' Fest Footscray Park

18

O' Fest Footscray Nicholson

25

2

12 19 26

3 Holi festival

Cultural Diversity Week

O' Fest City Flinders

Mental Health First Aid

O' Fest City Queen & King

O' Fest Sunshine

13

O' Fest St Albans & Welcome Party

14

20

21

27

28 International Women's Day

4

5

11

12

13

6

9

10

16

17

18

19

20

23

24

25

26

27

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WHAT IS THE VUSU? VUSU (Victoria University Student Union) is the PEAK REPRESENTATIVE STUDENT BODY at Victoria University, designed to provide and advocate for students at VU. The team at VUSU are diligent in students rights, safety and security, as well as providing the best student experiences throughout the university journey!

They are an independent entity which works collaboratively with VU departments and in partnership with Student Services to create positive change, provide advocacy for students, proves advocacy for students and to ensure the constant improvement of the student experience at VU. They have representation on many committees, including the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) consultative committee.

VUSU is funded by the Student Services & Amenities Fees.

VUSU is an amazing organisation that is for students by students. What this means is that the VUSU is run by students (everyone is a student in the team) who with everything they do is in the best interest for students.

What do they do (not limited to): Advocate for students Run amazing events Host mental health first aids Host student forums Compile realtime feedback on the block model to take to the university Provide free food and drinks on campus as often as possible Promote health and welfare of students Support students in their studies Advocate for what students need and much more!!

Cat Abourizk 2019 VUSU President

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What is 'Block Model'?

Victoria University is the first university in Australia to bring in the 'Block Model'. How is this way of learning different to the 'traditional' way of learning? Well, instead of focusing on four subjects at once over twelve weeks with four weeks of exams, it's one subject in four weeks.

This way of learning is more extensive but easier to focus on the one subject. The block model has had a better success rate then traditional learning and offers more of team building and collaborating.

Benefits of the block model: More success in your units Less stress - less exams More one-on-one time with academics Flexible around your life - 3 days a week Confidence through collaboration - building in teams Valuable learning and skills for more information on the block model go to: https://www.vu.edu.au/study-at-vu/why-choose-vu/vu-block-model

page 17 | Hopeful 2020

how

in

at

to

the

stay

loop

VU?

As a student we don't just come to university to do our degrees (thats the most important reason why we are there but...) we also come to have fun and meet new people.

Make sure to also look around campus for posters and on bulletin boards, people still them up just incase you miss social media platforms.

VU Student Union socials:

As a VU student it is important to stay in the loop and know what is going on around the VU campuses (yes campuses, FYI there are 9).

How do you do that you ask... well, follow all the important VU social medias; they are pretty up-to-date and they make sure that when events are coming up they post to inform you with what's happening.

FB: facebook.com/vustudentunion Insta: instagram.com/vusugram email: queries@vustudentunion.com

Victoria University socials: FB: facebook.com/victoriauniversity Insta: instagram.com/victoriauniversity

VU Student Life socials: FB: facebook.com/vustudentlife Insta: instagram.com/vu_studentlife

the the put the

Ronish Chattaraj 2020 VUSU VP Welfare Officer

page 19 | Hopeful 2020

W e l c o m e f r o m V U

I S A

On behalf of VU ISA, we would first of all like to congratulate everyone starting university this year. Your journey towards growth, learning and your career has begun and is in full force.

Even though there might be times when uni might feel like the worst decision of your life when you are pulling an all nighter trying to meet a deadline, we can assure you that all the hard work and cups upon cups of coffee will have been worth something when you finally get your degree.

(And that fancy graduation hat).

To all to all my fellow international students, welcome to Victoria University and kudos for leaving everything behind and starting from scratch in a new country. It is a big step and all of you are brave.

We are well aware (from firsthand experience) that the whole processes of settling in and can seem very daunting and homesickness is real but it does get easier once you start meeting more people and making new friends.

Make sure to make use of all the support services like free counseling provided by the university and of course all the free food by attending various events throughout the year.

It is a great way to meet new people, build networks and also learn the art of saving dollars along the way. This may sound like a lame marketing attempt but we would like to remind you all that we are always there to help make your transition into university life easier. So do not hesitate to come and say ‘hi’ to us.

Good luck on your upcoming classes. 2020 is going to be your year!

Prateek Shrestha & Swechhya (Susie) Ghale VU ISA

page 22 | Hopeful 2020

it starts here with a beginning your journey our journey we all begin somewhere a common connection this place today marks a new start a new you create your start your beginning how? just begin here we all have

-anonymous

page 24 | Hopeful 2020

Perspective from a graduate Firstly, congratulations on beginning a new chapter in your life here at Victoria University. This is one of the most vital career and life defining periods you will be exposed to. As a recent graduate, I have endured the joys, and failure of first year. First year university is different to anything you have experienced before. Whether you are a recent school leaver, mature age, or international student, this will be a year that will define your entire degree. And one thing to keep in mind is, your first year will go fast, and before you know it you will be graduating, like I did in 2019.

So, with that being said, if there are any tips I can give you from a graduate’s perspective, it would be these: Work hard- Acclimatising to university life will be greatly aided by hard work. And hard work will mean better grades, which will increase your motivation.

Embrace teamwork and group work- Although at times you may resent group and team work, its relevance to your first job is huge. Learn how to use yours and other people’s strengths, and how to work with a diverse range of people.

Make key relationships- Expand your network. Get to know your pupils, staff, lecturers and course coordinators, and alumni. These are the key networks and relationships that will set you for success. And remember, you never know who you will run into, meet or work for later in life because of this network.

Get involved- There are an abundance of extracurricular activities to be involved with, and I encourage you to take these opportunities with both hands, you are one of thousands of students, and will be one of thousands of students who graduate. This is a great way to stand out from the pack.

Lastly, have fun!! This will be challenging and difficult, however this will be one of the most enjoyable and worthy things you will ever do, so embrace every bit of it!

- Matt Hannett, Graduate of 2019

page 25 | Hopeful 2020

Australia's Bushfire Disaster As most of you are aware, Victoria and more widely Australia have been suffering from a bushfire crisis on a scale that has never been seen before in this country.

We would like to extend our condolences to the victims and their families of the bushfire events in Victoria and the broader Australian community who have been affected by this continuing tragedy.

Unfortunately, this bushfire season is far from over, and with resources stretched to their limits, the damage may have only just begun. If you are able to and in a position to financially contribute, we fully encourage you to please help by donating to the relief efforts. Below are just a few of the Victorian relief efforts: Victorian Bushfire Appeal Gippsland Emergency Relief Wildlife Victoria Bushfire Appeal Bushfire Emergency Wildlife fund This list is by no means exhaustive, as there are many other organisations in this state and others which are also battling to help in any way that they can.

This crisis is more than likely only in its infancy, and we urge you all to give anything that you are capable of. If you have friends who have been affected, reach out to them and check that they’re okay. Times like these can be stressful to say the least, and it’s important that we come together and support each other as a united community.

NSW Bushfire Photo credit: Bendigo Advertiser

page 27 | Hopeful 2020

a symbol of hope a butterfly starts its journey as a caterpillar it starts cocooned and sheltered without colour now bold and beautiful a butterfly born anew from a caterpillar a butterfly breakthrough with coloured wings it spreads its beauty for each and all to see for I emerge in the sunbeam that butterfly is me -anonymous

Top 10...

page 29 | Hopeful 2020

MOVIES ON

6 Underground From suiting up as everyone’s favourite mischievous superhero, Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds returns to the screen with a team of untraceable mercenaries on a “bold and bloody mission” to bring down a brutal dictator”. Directed by Michael Buy, 6 Underground follows an elite group of international operatives who fake their own deaths in an attempt to erase their past and begin work in the shadows to help save the world.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Reunite with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and get your Breaking Bad fix with El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. After the hit show aired its final episode in 2013, the writers have made a comeback with this sequel and will finally reveal what really happened at the end of the series when Pinkman was kidnapped by a drug gang and kept in captivity. The crime thriller is written and directed by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan.

The Perfect Date Some teens get a job at Woolies or Maccas to earn money, while boys like Brooks Rattigan (Noah Centineo) pose as a stand-in date for other young girls to rack up enough money for college.

Like many high-schoolers, Brooks dreams of going to Yale in order to make a difference in the world. But he’s worried his good grades and after-school jobs isn’t enough, especially with the costly Ivy League fees. So, he creates an app where others can hire him for any event as their fake boyfriend. The girls can also pick his personality and mould him into the date of their dreams.

Bird Box You’ve seen the memes, but you might be wondering if the record-breaking Bird Box is all it’s cracked up to be. The Netflix original film stars Sandra Bullock as Malorie, alongside John Malkovich and Aussie icon, Jacki Weaver. The film, based on the novel of the same name by Josh Malerman, takes place in a world where mysterious creatures have decimated the population, as the moment you look at them, you’ll see something that drives you to commit suicide.

Falling Inn Love If you love cheesy romantic comedies, get ready to eat up Falling Inn Love on Netflix. After dumping her non-committal boyfriend of two years, Gabriela Diaz (Christina Milian) wins a New Zealand inn and leaves her corporate job and insufferable boss to remodel an unexpectedly worn down property on the other side of the world. Thankfully though, there’s Jake Taylor (Adam Demos) — a handsome, and of course single, contractor available to help flip the inn and Gabriela’s life around.

The Laundromat

Murder Mystery

The Laundromat is one of this year’s most anticipated movies, giving audiences a suitably big name cast to cover what is said to be the largest data leak in history. Steven Soderbergh’s fictional take on the Panama Papers follows a retired woman named Ellen (Meryl Streep) who gets caught up in all sorts of trouble when she starts investigating why she wasn’t able to sue those responsible for the terrible accident that led to her husband’s death. After finding out this was all due to a fake insurance policy and dodgy dealings involving two lawyers (Antonio Banderas and Gary Oldman) from a Panamabased firm, Ellen quickly learns her problem is linked to a huge offshore tax scheme helping the world’s richest and most powerful get away with tax evasion. From then on, Ellen does everything she can to track down and expose the duo behind it all.

Need a killer flick to pass the time? Keep one eye open for Murder Mystery, a Netflix Original which takes a comedic spin on Agatha Christie’s classic Murder on the Orient Express. Watch how everything unfolds after Nick (Adam Sandler) and his wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) unexpectedly find themselves in a modern whodunit after taking up a once-in-a-lifetime vacation opportunity offered by viscount Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans).Despite leaving for a holiday intended to keep their marriage alive, it seems the couple must first survive their European trip and figure out what to do when they’ve been framed for the murder of an elderly billionaire on a yacht. The other prime suspects responsible for entertaining your night include Gemma Arterton, Adeel Akhtar, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Dany Boon and Terence Stamp.

The Irishman Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese's THE IRISHMAN, an epic saga of organized crime in post-war America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th century.

Spanning decades, the film chronicles one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, and offers a monumental journey through the hidden corridors of organized crime: its inner workings, rivalries and connections to mainstream politics.

The King All hail King Henry in one of Netflix’s most anticipated films of the year. Timothée Chalamet takes on the role of Hal, a reluctant heir to the English throne, who left royal life and went to live among the people. But everything changes when his tyrannical father dies and is forced to embrace the royal life as the newly crowned King Henry V. Follow the young king as he tries to deal with not just the palace politics and war he inherited, but also the emotional strings of his past life and his relationship with his closest friend and mentor, the ageing alcoholic knight, John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton).

Marriage Story Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson are terrific as a couple facing the awful aftermath of their relationship in Noah Baumbach’s heartfelt drama. It’s a must-watch and was one of the mostanticipated movies in 2019.

page 34 | Hopeful 2020

VUSU VIP MEMBERSHIP

Being a VUSU VIP means that you'll get access to perks and discounts at VUSU events throughout the year! Plus you also get free stuff.

Whats included:

For more details of how-to signup, event itinerary and keep track of activities around every campus, please log on to the VUSU website: https://vustudentunion.com/ or like our FB page with the same name.

vusu.queries@gmail.com facebook.com/VUstudentunion instagram.com/vusugram

vustudentunion.com

page 36 | Hopeful 2020 Cheap

eating

around

your

Food at university is a must for us students as we have long days at university which makes us tired and stressed so having food is always a big help as it gives us energy and keeps us awake.

Sometimes the cafes and restaurants on campus may not be what you're looking for which is perfectly fine.

There are many affordable places near each campus that have different cuisines.

Footscray Park and Footscray Nicholson campus is round the corner from many places such as Footscray Market and Highpoint Shopping centre which has a wider variety of food that you may like. There is even a McDonald's down the road.

Sunshine campus is also down the road from Highpoint Shopping Centre but you are also down the road Sunshine Plaza which has a food court on one side of the centre.

options

campus

Flinders, Queen, King and Flinders Lane are all in the city with many affordable places to eat such as Flinders station and Elizabeth which is full of diverse cafes and restaurant. All these campuses are also near Melbourne Central which has a massive food court.

Further West side we have Werribee campus which has a few cafes near the station approximately a 5 minute walk down the road but you also have Pacific Werribee shopping centre although it is a bit further away, there is a food court that students will love.

St Albans campus has a lot of food options to offer as it is directly between St Albans market and Brimbrank Shopping centre, which both have plenty to offer as there are many different choices.

There are many more food options around each campus but all it takes is a little bit of exploring and finding quality food for a little price.

page 38 | Hopeful 2020

Songs of 2019 On the 25th of January 2020 Triple J released their 2019 hottest 100, below is the list of the top 20 songs: 1 2 3 4 5

Bad Guy Rushing back Charlie Dance Monkey Bulls on Parade

Billie Eilish Flume ft Vera Blue Mallrat Tones and I Denzel Curry (like a version)

6 7 8 9 10

Drink too much Robbery Heavy Hearted Better in Blak Exit Sign

G Flip Lime Cordiale The Jungle Giants Thelma Plum Hilltop Hoods ft Illy

for the rest of the 90 songs, follow the link below to catch up on the 2019 hottest 100: https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/triple-js-hottest-100of-2019-live-updates/

page 39 | Hopeful 2020

?

New Years resolution; useless or helpful?

It's a new year. The clock strikes midnight. A new day. A new month. But most importantly, a new year. This means a fresh start and a time to change. "New year, new me".

This time of year makes us want to see the best version of ourselves, we set goals for ourselves to achieve. We are wanting to be and see a more successful self than the year before.

December is the month we self-reflect, where we look back at the year gone and criticise the decisions we made or didn't make. We say to ourselves the next year will be our year and make promises to motivate ourselves to change, hoping to give ourselves a fresh start we need.

Be the best version of ourselves, right?

This is where we are wrong. New year's resolutions aren't to help us, but to put unnecessary societal pressures on us.

Resolutions aren't good for our mental health; our self-esteem. They convince us that we aren't enough and must change in order to be, forcing us to improve.

In reality we don't need to change to be what society perserves as the 'perfect' image. We do not need to change. We need to self-accept to self-improve. We need to learn to love ourselves as we are.

New Year's resolutions are like goals, meaning we focus on what we don't have rather than what we do, making us reduce our selfconfidence and self-esteem. This is why New Year's resolutions don't get kept because shortly after the year begins we lose faith in ourselves and realise they are a lot more work than we'd originally thought.

We also have a habit of making more than one, making it more overwhelming when we don't keep them.

So forget what society does: "new year, new me", how about "new year, same you"? We don't need to change just because it's a new year.

Quite frankly we don't need to change at all.

You can decide to change but don't do it because of societal pressures, do what makes you happy as that's what's most important!

page 42 | Hopeful 2020

i'm not where I want to be.

But I'm also not where I was.

And that is progress in every sense of the word I'm proud of myself for where I am today - anonymous

page 43 | Hopeful 2020

page 45 | Hopeful 2020

My Story “VU opened up many doors to me and although it is undoubtedly a huge learning curve it is well worth the journey.”

Going to VU has been one of the defining moments of my life.

*FLASHBACK* As an international student, my uni-life started on hard rock as I was late to enter Australia, thereby missing my orientation, and the first week of classes. As a result, when I came over here, I was completely unaware of what a Myki is, how to see my classes’ timetables, what the clubs had to offer, etc. Google became my best friend for the first few months, as I clearly struggled to make friends or find a social life, on and off-campus.

In short, my first semester at uni was like a boring 9-5 desk job where I would just go to my classes, and go home as soon as the classes ended.

But, things took a complete turnover starting the following semester, when I got the chance to attend the O’Fest and explore what our university has to offer. I met some wonderful people and bought a ticket for the Welcome Party hosted by VUSU. I personally didn’t know and care about what a Student Union is, at that point in time, but all I did know and want was to get to know more people and become friends and embrace the new culture. And that day onwards, the gates for a healthy university life opened for me. I started spending a little more time in uni, after my classes, just because I knew a couple of people on campus.

That’s all you need for a headstart, a couple of people or any activity that you like, on campus, which can get break your stagnant 9-5 job like routine and transition it into a healthy, fun-filled uni life, which should be the case.

In no time, I saw myself involved in many activities conducted by the student union, and I really enjoyed doing for our student community as it taught me so much and helped me develop my soft skills, and secondly and most importantly, make memories and friends.

These experiences actually paid off, and I had the honour of becoming the President of the VU-ISA (International Student’s Association) and currently, am the Vice-President Welfare of the Student Union (VUSU), and I don’t think so I would have done without the learnings or the skill-sets, I developed throughout this process, or the people (friends) I have had the opportunity to share my experiences with, and learn from them.

So I would highly recommend to all the students, who feel the same about having a monotonous uni life, ‘don’t be afraid to go to uni and explore all the services being offered.’ Trust me, the university is a much better place to go to when you explore and involve yourself in the many services and skill-building workshops our university has to offer. GET KEEN!!

- Ronish Chattaraj

page 47 | Hopeful 2020

The 2020 VUSUteer program is jam packed with lots of opportunities for all students! The VUSUteer program includes not only volunteering at all the different events running throughout the year, but this year we are running workshops, social nights, community work and giving you the opportunity to meet new people, make new friends and learn new skills! vusuteers@vustudentunion.com vustudentunion.com/volunteer

vustudentunion.com

Dylan Nilmadhub VUSUteer

page 49 | Hopeful 2020

5 ways to...

stop procrastinating 1

The task isn't urgent

2

I don't know how to start or what comes next 3

Afraid of failure

4

5

Just don't want to do our work

Some of us work better under pressure

Whether it’s a crying baby, a pinging phone, or a deadline on the calendar, we tend to pay attention to what’s right in front of us, but it’s a lot harder to prioritise things that aren’t urgent.

From organizing the basement to saving for retirement, we all have things we never get around to. As a result, tasks big and small sit neglected at the bottom of the to-do list for months, if not years.

Solution: Consider the big picture. For example, if you’ve been wanting to go back to school, but just never seem to get around to it, take a step back. What would this mean for your life? What are your values and goals around your education? What’s the big picture?

Taking on a new perspective can jumpstart the process of acting.

Too often, we find ourselves procrastinating, because we’re not sure what to do first. We feel overwhelmed, confused, or disorganized. We put off getting started, because we’re not sure what the first step is.This kind of procrastination is less an avoidance of the task, and more an avoidance of negative emotion.

Solution: Build confusion into the task.

The key is to acknowledge that it’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed or stupid when you’re just starting out, especially if you’ve never done the task before. Therefore, build confusion into the task. Make “figure out steps” the first step. Add “scream into your pillow” to the top of your to-do list, if that gets you moving. Remember, it’s okay for the beginning of the task to include a lot of pivots, do-overs, and plain old messing up. It only feels lousy if you think it shouldn’t be happening.

A dash of perfectionism isn’t all bad. After all, high standards lead to high-level work.

Bruno Mars, Serena Williams, and Beyoncé are all self-proclaimed perfectionists. But sometimes high standards have the opposite effect. We blow off our projects, convinced there’s no way we can meet the standards we set for ourselves.

Solution: Untangle performance and selfworth. Perfectionism and procrastination are linked, but it’s not necessarily the skyhigh standards that slow you down, but the sky-high standards mixed with a belief that your performance is tied to your self-worth.

That combination can grind you to a halt.

We all knew (or maybe were) that kid in high school or college who could crack open the textbook for the first time a few days before the final exam and still do better than those of us who planned ahead.

Solution: Know thyself. The lesson here is know thyself. If the high-pressure intensity of all-nighters works for you, go ahead and make that pot of coffee and crack open the textbook at midnight.

What we’re supposed to be doing is boring.

It’s hard. It’s 3 p.m. on a beautiful Friday, and we’d rather be doing anything else.

There are some things no one wants to do— taxes, calling customer service, getting off the couch to go to bed—I mean, why do we have to be horizontal in a different place?

What to do in this case?

Solution: Measure and compensate. A study in the European Journal of Personality might have found a solution. It showed that many college students who procrastinated did so simply because there were fun alternatives. In their minds, they weren’t blowing off their work—they fully intended to study. Just not right now.

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It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.

- Mahatma Gandhi

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budgeting but still wanting to shop?

UNiDAYS is a great opportunity for students to get some awesome discounts.

They have discounts on fashion, beauty, lifestyle, health and fitness, technology and more. Below are just some of the discounts on offer at UNiDAYS, go to the website to find out more.

Perks of being a student!

UNiDAYS discounts change all the time; giving you more of a deal and sometimes less. So make sure you check out the website or download the app and keep on top of all the perks you get for just being a student! Happy shopping!

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In 2017, The Australian Human Rights Commission conducted a randomised survey of university students, including students here at Victoria University, and released the National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian Universities. The report offered many suggestions for Universities to adopt and while we think those recommendations are fantastic, here at VU we want to do even better!

The general outline of this project is to bring in materials on education, including booklets, merchandise (tshirts, pens, etc) as well as to hold a clubs festival space where the information can be passed along to students in a personalised manner. This would include Be a Better Human campaign info, student club stalls, performances and special guest speakers, free food and giveaways including awesome BaBH shirts, pens and more!

This initiative was created with a group of Flinders students from the ground up, to reflect campus culture and what we think everyone needs to appreciate – consent, respect and empathy. The campaign is called Be a Better Human (BaBH), because we don’t just want it to be about what we shouldn’t do; we want it to be about self-improvement for everyone. And when we say ‘everyone’, we really do mean everyone. We’re encouraging everyone who is part of our campus community to take a moment and consider how we can ‘better’ our behaviour.

Events like the BaBH festival help build a culture of respect, empathy and consent for all students and staff.

“Victoria University has a zero tolerance approach to violence in any form, including sexual and gender-based violence. Gender-based violence is a serious social issue driven by gender inequality and enabled by sexist attitudes and behaviours. We work to build a culture of safety and respect, where students and staff are empowered to become change agents to help stop gender-based violence at the University and in the wider community.” (VU Respect & Responsibility)

STRESS LESS

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Try colouring in to de-stress or maybe procrastinate...

Would you Rather?

Win the piston cup

or

Win the Monsters University Games

Have the ability to stretch your entire body like elastic

or

Have the ability to be completely invisible

Look after 101 well-behaved dogs

or

Look after one outof-control alien

Explore the depths of the ocean with Ariel

or

Fly the Neverland skies with Peter Pan

Have Mary Poppins as your nanny

or

Have Bagheera look after you

"If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead." - Gusteau, Ratatouille

page 59 | Hopeful 2020

CONTRIBUTORS the Hyde team could not have done this newest edition without the help of those who contributed Will Penrose, VU Student Union President Ronish Chattaraj, VU Student Union VP Welfare Officer Emma Whitbread, VU Student Union VUSUteer Officer Dylan Nilmadhub, VU Student Union VUSUteer Matt Hannett, VU 2019 Graduate VU International Students Association (ISA) Dictum Law Society VU in the Community

HYDE STUDENT MAGAZINE

needs your help!!!

We rely so much on student contributions and we need your help in order to make this magazine something amazing!

We are looking for each edition: Articles News Fiction Opinions Comedy Photographs Artworks Or anything else your heart desires We look forward to seeing everything our VU students have been creating in their spare time!

Victoria University

STUDENT UNION