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Victoria University of Wellington's Student Magazine
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Grant Robertson Votes, Eats Sausage, and Ignores Protesters on Campus
Grant Robertson Votes, Eats Sausage, and Ignores Protesters on Campus

VUW has become a hotspot for politicians heading to cast their vote, with Labour’s Grant Robertson and Ibrahim Omer voting in the Hub last Wednesday, and the Greens’ Tamatha Paul and James Shaw, alongside Wellington mayor Tory Whanau, voting here last Monday. Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni showed up in support, but didn’t cast her vote. 

Staff Told to Tear Down Posters Protesting Staff Cuts On Open Day
Staff Told to Tear Down Posters Protesting Staff Cuts On Open Day

Documents released to Salient under the Official Information Act reveal the university ordered the removal of posters protesting staff cuts around campus ahead of Open Day. A staff member, whose name was withheld by the university, emailed the communications department in early August saying, “We have seen quite a few posters and fliers dropped across campus about “staff cuts” and “programme cuts” etc.”

OPINION: Not Keen on Either Chris? That’s Fine, You Still Have Options 
OPINION: Not Keen on Either Chris? That’s Fine, You Still Have Options 

Whether you're a politics nerd like me, or someone who can't stand it, I think that we can all agree that this election has been one of the most dry, bland, and uninspiring contests of recent years. We’ve got a choice between Chris and Chris for PM; one with hair, and one with considerably less hair; a seasoned politician and a seasoned businessman. The same lines are recited and the same pandering becomes easy to see through. ‘Does it really matter which Chris gets my vote?’

Condom Confusion Erupts as Machine Vanishes from Campus Toilets
Condom Confusion Erupts as Machine Vanishes from Campus Toilets

A curious condom machine in a men's bathroom on Kelburn campus has vanished following reporting by Salient, with the university sending mixed signals. The coin operated machine piqued Salient’s interest in April for its retro charm and bizarrely off-branded product. 

How to Survive the Renting Rat Race 
How to Survive the Renting Rat Race 

It’s that time of year again: hordes of freshers perform the annual ritual of scurrying to find a flat before the next academic year begins. The difficulty to even be offered a flat as a first-time renter has forced our news intern to accept a flat in the ditch of Devon Street in Aro Valley (pray for him). 

Features 2023
The Children Yearn for the Mines: Confessing to my Minecraft YouTuber Past  
The Children Yearn for the Mines: Confessing to my Minecraft YouTuber Past  

Ah, nostalgia—that bittersweet sensation that tugs at our heartstrings and transports us back to simpler times. When I first heard the theme for this week’s Salient, I knew exactly what I needed to share, but I couldn't help hesitating. Was I ready to confess my most significant, darkest secret?

Help! I’m Considering Time Travelling Back to the 2010s
Help! I’m Considering Time Travelling Back to the 2010s

2000’s nostagliacore is all over my FYP. Soft-grunge 2014 Tumblr is resurfacing. I’m going on Sylvanian shopping trips. It feels like my brain has been wired back to the past. For the first time since I was 16, I’m off birth control. Maybe this #tbtthursday is more like a freaky friday with my teenage self. 

Halloween Hallowhere Hallohowdoyoudo?
Halloween Hallowhere Hallohowdoyoudo?

Okay, I know it’s not technically Halloween. This issue is closer to the election than that good ol’ murder-mystery-skeleton-fright-night. But the Christmas pop up store is already flaunting its red and green cheer on Willis Street, so it’s official: nothing is real anymore, including time.

The Iconic, the Cringe, and the Timeless: Why We’re Still Talking About Alexa Chung’s It Ten Years After Its Release 
The Iconic, the Cringe, and the Timeless: Why We’re Still Talking About Alexa Chung’s It Ten Years After Its Release 

After many years living overseas, I finally landed in my teenage room for a few weeks to escape the burnout of my most sincere attempt at adulting and keeping myself together. To my delight, I was surrounded by my old book, CD, and movie collections. I dove deep into my bookshelves and found my hardcover, linen copy of Alexa Chung’s 2013 book It.

Fresher Feels Then and Now
Fresher Feels Then and Now

It’s the tenth time this week that I’ve heard this song, but I don’t mind. I’m suffering in the Vic Books queue with only five hours of sleep, patiently waiting for my flat white (cow’s milk) in a takeaway cup while pondering whether Harambe truly deserved to be shot. The First Year Panic™ effuses amongst us all, each person avoiding eye contact with one another in fear of being perceived. 

Predicting the Election with New Zealand’s Leading Psychic
Predicting the Election with New Zealand’s Leading Psychic

I wanted to speak to the only person with the ability to know for sure what’s in store for election day, so I travelled to Christchurch to sit down with psychic medium, Ron L. Griffiths.

Policy Scorecards: Rank the Parties!
Policy Scorecards: Rank the Parties!
TikTok on the Clock, but the Parties Don’t Stop: A Ranking of New Zealand’s Political TikTok Pages
TikTok on the Clock, but the Parties Don’t Stop: A Ranking of New Zealand’s Political TikTok Pages

Ever been glued to your TikTok For You page instead of writing an overdue essay? Perhaps you’ve seen Christopher Luxon or Chlӧe Swarbrick pop up. Nearing the election, New Zealand’s political parties are ramping up their social media campaigns with TikTok. But how good are these attempts to connect with young voters? I’ve scrolled through the politicians’ TikTok pages so you don’t have to.

Salient Election Poll: THE RESULTS
Salient Election Poll: THE RESULTS

In news just as shocking as the next Prime Minister of Aotearoa being named Chris, voters at Victoria University of Wellington have overwhelmingly indicated their support for a left-wing government this election.

This identity. My identity. What’s an identity again?
This identity. My identity. What’s an identity again?

I’ve always struggled with what box to tick on forms that only give you one option for your ethnicity.

It begs me to consider: well, am I Samoan, or am I European?

I’ve ticked the latter more often.

Arts and Culture
The Remote Work Wunderkind: Reviewing The Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk
The Remote Work Wunderkind: Reviewing The Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk

I have been blessed by the manifestation gods. 

Mid last year I bought a refurbished iPad. And I by no means regret it, it’s been a wonder. I originally bought it to inspire me to do more digital art, while that hasn’t happened I have used it for reading, yoga videos, watching YouTube in bed without the clunkiness of a laptop keyboard and finally, casual work or study in the library or a cafe. 

The Groove Garden: Top Tunes of ‘23: July and Onwards…
The Groove Garden: Top Tunes of ‘23: July and Onwards…
It’s Bedroom, Not Bedroom Pop: Keira Batten Coogan’s New EP Lips Are For Talking
It’s Bedroom, Not Bedroom Pop: Keira Batten Coogan’s New EP Lips Are For Talking

A few weeks ago, my mate put on this cool, indie-sounding artist while we were getting ready to go out. After hearing the first few lines, I was obsessed.

Pasifika Creatives in Business 
I Know That You Know That We Know

What comes to mind when folks talk about Pasifika arts and culture? It’s food, fashion, celebrations, music, dance, and language. Of course, these visible forms of culture are important, and writing about these things takes a powerful pride in our culture. We embrace these tangible art forms as crucial parts of our way of life… the islander life. 

Unearthing Pacific Literature: Talemaot Solomon Stories of Peace and Conflict

The earliest form of literature was said to be cuneiform scripts on clay tablets, created by ancient Mesopotamians in 3400 BC. Hundreds of years on, and literature has apparently become an integrated part of almost all cultures. Inevitably, literature has played a significant role in preserving the past, explaining the present, and predicting the future of human existence.

Sidewalk Spotlight: The Stories Behind Wellington's Street Performers
Sidewalk Spotlight: The Stories Behind Wellington's Street Performers

I always get a feeling of excitement when I begin my hike up Cuba Street and hear music playing. My pace quickens in anticipation for the performers I’ve come to recognise by ear. They add a layer of excitement to our daily routines, boring errands, and even more boring classes. The Wellington CBD is brimming with talented performers on every corner. From bands to magicians, the streets are one giant variety show.

Pissing your Pants… Extravagantly… In a Supermarket Aisle… at Age 14
Pissing your Pants… Extravagantly… In a Supermarket Aisle… at Age 14

Imagine the feeling of pissing your pants. In public. Seriously, okay, I know you’ve just picked up  Salient between classes, this is not what you signed up for, and you just want a spot of light relief. Well, I’m giving you some. Go on. Relieve yourself. Imagine it. 

Twelve Meals, Four Critics, One Sitting: Eating My Way Through Wellington’s Newest Food Court
Twelve Meals, Four Critics, One Sitting: Eating My Way Through Wellington’s Newest Food Court

Willis Lane flaunts itself as “an exceptional curation of bars and eateries” with an “eclectic ensemble of vendors, gourmet wonders, curious attractions, and interactive experiences”, but what makes it different from any other Wellington CBD food court? I pulled together a rag-tag team of hungry third-years to put this new establishment to the ultimate test.

KATHYJCUISINE: Putting Kelburn’s Culinary Creations to the Test

My fellow Katharine Jermyn Hall inmates will testify that good food is hard to come by, especially on a tight student budget. But at Kelburn, do you have to sell your belongings or your soul to get a feed? Last week, Salient let me out of the ‘KAJE’ on a heroic quest to splurge on some tertiary tucker. Was it a hit or completely shit?