MARCH 2016 / IMMERSE YOURSELF UNSW STUDENT MAGAZINE LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS I barely remember my first day be given at Hogwarts UNSW to those of Kindergarten, besides the fact I who ask for it. We even have a super turned up carrying a Barbie backpack cool President and Vice-Chancellor, that used to be my pride and joy. The Ian Jacobs, who you’ll come to see as reason for this: the uniform shop had the Albus Dumbledore of UNSW, run out of school bags. At first, I was minus the floor-length beard and nervous that I would be standing out. half-moon glasses, but with the same I was actually scared I wouldn’t make sass and attitude needed to stick it to friends, until, one by one, my new standardised admissions testing. classmates started admiring my bag. (I must say, five- year old me was chuffed Now that I’m well into my at the bold fashion statement she made. university degree, I’m more than Present me is secretly jealous.) comfortable at UNSW. Maybe a little too comfortable since I almost agreed When I turned up to my first to a nude centrefold for Tharunka. O-Week, I didn’t have my magical That doesn’t mean I’m not nervous Barbie backpack to help me. Since about my role as Managing Editor Kindergarten, I had totally lost my of the publication. I feel like I’m in sense of style, coolness and direction, the same boat as all you newbies this NATALIE something which isn’t hard to do in year, trying to leave a good impression the concrete jungle that is UNSW. To and actually proof-reading my work SEKULOVSKA be honest, I’m still trying to figure out before it gets sent to the printers. But where Rex Vowels is. above all, I feel like I can bring to the / table (at which the sub-editors and I University really is an unusual make very, very important decisions, environment for a newcomer. You’re I promise), a sense of hope and MANAGING EDITOR meeting new people left, right and enthusiasm, that we, as a student body, centre of the main walkway, you’re have the voice to enact change, no pressured into finding the best coffee/ matter our gender, sexual orientation, chai on campus, and you’re sorely ethnicity, age and preferred caffeinated disappointed when you discover that and/or non-caffeinated beverage. the Quidditch team’s broomsticks don’t actually fly. You’re kind of left So, with a hearty welcome (back, to your own devices and that can be for some of you) to UNSW, and with overwhelming at times. the hope you won’t judge Tharunka based on my little spiel, I’ll sign off and But this feeling doesn’t last too leave you to dive into the first issue of long at UNSW. You’re given so many the new year. opportunities to grow, not only through the many clubs and societies on campus, but also through the services offered by Student Equity and Disabilities Unit, Nura Gili, Arc Legal and Kingsford Legal Centre, Student Development International etc. You know what they say: Help will always 2 JAYDEN CARLA DAVID TU CASSIE BELL RATHSAM-HUA ZUNIGA-NAVARRO TL;DR Study hard, or not. Your When I finished high school I had I’m at an incredibly important My name is Carla and even after 4 money. Your choice. Take advantage no idea who I was, or what I wanted stage of my growth and development. years at UNSW, I’m pretty confident of all opportunities available. Make to do with my life. So I ran away to At age 10, after my parents I still haven’t explored every inch of friends! Europe for a year to find out–when I inadvertently took me to the Las Vegas it. When I first started in 2012, I was returned, I had less of an idea. male strip show: Australia: Thunder continuously late to classes and spent I’m just the designer, I don’t write It wasn’t until my second year of Down Under, I suddenly realised the most of my time completely lost… long and deep stuff. Leave me alone. uni, after transferring to a combined man I was supposed to become. not much has changed if I’m honest. It Media/Law degree, that I kind of took me a while to find my feet at uni, found my thing. I began to learn what 11 years after that day, I have and to find the people who I could I care about, what I like and dislike, since failed to become the man I was spend every minute of the day with, what my strengths and weaknesses are supposed to become. As such, I’m both in class and outside of it, and and how to use them. giving other things a shot. even when I did I still didn’t feel like I was in the right place. So, by way of Searching for answers, I found the introduction, here are strength to embark on a treacherous After transferring to a double a few of the things I’ve pilgrimage to where thousands, like degree in my third year, I finally learnt so far: myself, have sought answers: Yahoo discovered the Art and Design campus Answers. Guided by the supreme in Paddington, and let me tell you, Things I can do:Bake; skim read; say tutelage of Candy_Man_37xX, I it was worth the wait. University the alphabet backwards. now find myself studying law and can sometimes make you feel like Things I can’t do:Read analogue time; film at UNSW. If you find yourself you are a small fish, being swallowed find the Old Main Building; stop at in a similar place that is, studying whole by an endless stream of classes, one episode. at UNSW, or more broadly, being a Roundhouse parties and people Things I will do:Finish reading Infinite human, don’t be afraid to search for walking down the main walkway to Jest; exonerate Adnan Syed; order more answers. Better still, skip the whole catch the 5 o’clock bus. But it can also wine. Yahoo Answers stage of life and dive make you feel part of a community Things I won’t do:Finish reading right into what campus has to offer. which cares, listens and enriches you Infinite Jest; keep tomato sauce in the That’s what this issue is all about: on a daily basis, if you know where to fridge; vote #1 Trump. ‘Immersing yourself’ in nitty gritty of look and who to talk to. Most of the Things I love:The coffee at Bar Navitas university culture. So get out there, time where you see yourself at the end (lower campus); the coffee at The go down to the Roundhouse and of your degree, compared to where you Whitehouse (mid-campus); the coffee have a bev. Or get out there, go up truly end up are completely different. at The Coffee Cart (upper campus). to the Whitehouse and have a bev. Things I hate:Kale; Basser Steps; Alternatively, get out there, go further This issue of Tharunka is all drivers who don’t do the “thank you up to the Coffee Cart and have a bev. about immersion - in uni life, in your wave”. passions, in a new way of looking at Things I wish I knew before starting My way of passing off as a yourself and your world. We hope that uni: Download an app called “Lost on productive member of the community it gives you a taste of what UNSW has Campus”–It tells you where everything is sub editing the very issue of to offer, and that you go on to seek is, including microwaves and secret Tharunka that you’re holding in your new ways to immerse yourself. Find bathrooms. Don’t worry if you’re five hands right now. If you’re new to the your niche, even if it takes a while - it’s minutes late to class and don’t ask scene, I’m sure you’ll soon find your there. permission to go to the bathroom. Do own unique niche. Or maybe you’ll say hi to the person sitting next to you take over my position next year. The and don’t be afraid to ask questions possibilities are endless. If you really (most of your tutors are students are interested though, you’ll have themselves). to master advanced writing skills like using third and second person Finally, whether or not this is your narration with consistency. Jayden’s first rodeo at UNSW, this semester still working on it. I challenge you to do something different. Something weird. Something Well, that’s enough from me. I cool. Something that really floats your really hope you enjoy reading the first boat. Find your thing! And relish the 2K16 issue of Tharunka. It’s a great brief and wonderful life of the uni time. student. 3 THE TEAM / MANAGING EDITOR Natalie Sekulovska SUB-EDITORS Cassie Bell, Jayden Rathsam-Hua, Carla Zuniga-Navarro DESIGNER David Tu / CONTRIBUTORS Aaron Taverniti, Aislinn Stein-Magee, Alex Linker, Bridget Cama, Brittney Rigby, Cam Kennedy, Charlotte Amelia, Charlotte Goodsir, Elizabeth Read, Emma Donaldson, Emma Purintanawut, Eric Qian, Fahad Ali, Gene Brownlie, Gigi V, Isobel Bloomfield, Jocelyn Dracakis, Joseph Dee, Kata Komlos, Liliana Occhiuto, Michael Fung, Michael Murdocca, Mirachael Racela, Niamh Short, Sophie Johnston, Toby Walmsley, Zara Khan / Tharunka acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land, the Gadigal and Bedigal people of the Eora nation, on which our university now stands.