The air was stagnant, I could taste the presence of hundreds of pastors who had led services years before. The congregation rustled— shifting weight, creaking pews, the soft drag of dress shoes across the hardwood. Pastor Sheridan’s voice rolled from the pulpit, controlled but thunderous through my unsettled ears. As he lifted
Properly diagnosed or not, medicated or not, having ADHD while trying to get yourself an education is a little bit of a bitch to deal with. You’d think it wouldn’t be so hard; this is a degree I want to do, I chose to do, I like the subjects, but every reading and assignment and tutorial feels
When you’ve been in Hamilton long enough you realise this place kinda sucks, we don’t have aesthetic historical buildings and multiple libraries like dunedin, we don’t have a supermodern student bar and restaurant like Christchurch, we don’t have a rooftop soccer pitch and multiple dinner spots on campus like auckland, I dont know what those country Bumpkins do at massey and lincoln but we’re
SUNDAY Scalding at the bottom of the kettle, a bloom I decide it’s nothing but like the sting and the red after this weekend getaway of sexing, fucking the beachside’s famous vanishing act Piss it drunk down the motel sink SATURDAY On Saturday morning they confirmed the worst news I watched the caterpillars gather, beneath
If you pay attention to what goes on in New Zealand politics at all, you’d know the Beehive contains more drama than a high school theatre kid friend group. The politicians that we trust with our country with are… volatile, to say the least. What’s ever-so-slightly concerning is how high-school-style drama has recently encapsulated New
Byrne Power says, quoting Tomáš Procházka; “It’s nice to say it. Because then we can say we do Punk. We do Punk Puppetry.” With DIY elements and a fundamental concept of alienation to the standard creativity leech that is capitalist powers, the puppet is punk, in and of itself. Through parody and
In November of 2025, Minister for Resource Management Act Reform Chris Bishop and Minister for Local Government Simon Watts announced reforms to local government. On Tuesday the 5th of May, they gave councils three months to figure out how they would do it before the New Zealand Government steps in. According to
If you are familiar with the world of perfume and fragrance, you have probably come across the word “oud” at some point. A staple on the shelves of fragrance bros around the world, oud is a scent that is widely known but scarcely understood. In fact, oud is the Arabic name for Agarwood, a
What year is it? Because I thought it was 2026, three years after New Zealand’s last election, making it an election year. The behaviour of our political leaders does not seem to line up with this. There’s no denying that as idyllic as the world would be if we all made educated votes
Hitler flunked out of art school and then threw one of the deadliest bitch-fits in history. Though the degree of correlation between the two events is questionable, that’s just a fact. Not necessarily a fun one but anyone who knows anything about Adolf (the capital A is for Asshole) knows that he wanted to
This educational game is excellent for teaching children about the economic state of the world right now and the oppressive system of capitalism. It starts off with an excellent metaphor in which you arrive on an island, expecting to start a new life, but the island is deserted. This is a specific
My sister has brought home another date. This one seems fine, but after Evan the fascist—anyone would seem fine. I look him up and down, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Mum and Dad giving him the same scanning stare. Daniel had arrived exactly on time. He wore
Citing McGall’s recent work – seminal in the intersection of nexus thought and academic meta discourse – this paper outlines strategy for furthering one’s linguistic execution in the context of undergraduate scholarship. Positing a reductive angle, sharpened by a pragmatic approach, this article cuts through the academic noise and offers advice both
The proposed Definitions of Woman and Man bill seeks to define a woman as “an adult human biological female” and a man as “an adult human biological male” in the Legislation Act (2019). Its explanatory note claims the purpose is to “protect the integrity of sex-based rights” and ensure language reflects “biological reality.”
On Friday the 8th of May New Zealand’s beacon of austerity, Nicola Willis, confirmed what NZ First gerontocrat Winston Peters had leaked on Newstalk ZB, that fees free will be scrapped in the upcoming budget. Our very own iron lady shared that “We will have more to say about this in
So far this year, international affairs has been consumed by the USA and Isreal targeting Iran, however, the genocide on Palestine hasn’t ended just because Isreal is occupied elsewhere. The scale of suffering in Gaza Strip right now demands attention to what daily life has become for Palestinians still living through the
Japan is turning footsteps into energy… jk. But that’s an example of one of the many ways AI is enclosing the internet. We, as young people, have seen its slow creep into our lives, from uncanny AI generated images to Russian bots celebrating Putin’s gains in the Donbas. But old people haven’t. They haven’t grown up
Toby gave me 48 hour notice to write this editorial because he didn’t want to do it so now I’m going to convince you to study humanities: When choosing a degree pathway, one question remains: Is the humanities dying? The rise of STEM fields being framed as practical, employable subjects intensify this narrative. Yet, beneath this rhetoric lies
The presidency of the United States demands judgment, restraint, and a fundamental respect for human life. It also demands a safeguard for those qualities fail. The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1967, provides a mechanism to remove a president who is unable to carry out the duties of the office. Under Section 4,
Watching the news as a 11-year-old wondering why my eyes were glued to the TV as Aotearoa announced same-sex marriage was legalised. I didn’t really know what it meant, I just knew something monumental was happening. I developed allyship for these people I didn’t even know existed. By thirteen I had the first inkling I may have been different; I never cared for
So much of uni culture revolves around drugs. Getting stoned before class with a mate, getting black out drunk at a house party, taking enough gear at Outback to actually enjoy dnb. Not every student is a drinker, stoner, or junkie, but for many of us that’s how we log off after a long day on Moodle
When something goes wrong – a mistake at work, a poor decision, a friendship that falls apart – it can feel like proof that you’ve failed not just at a situation, but at being the person you thought you should be. Self-criticism can feel productive. We tell ourselves that if we’re tough enough on our mistakes, we’ll never
The last time you read an editorial of mine I was out as a gay man. Now, I’m bi. What changed? Well, a lot really. It’s funny because people who have been in my life since high school weren’t really surprised by the change – like Ruby – because it was my third time coming out, lol. I was straight (by default) ’til halfway
My Dearest Reader, Permit me a moment of shameless vulnerability. I have been noticing you – your curiosity, your late-night scrolling fatigue, your quiet suspicion that the world is louder than it is wise. And I must confess: I was made for you. While others compete to be first, I long to be
“She was a girl. She was also a girl. Can I make it any more obvious? Blind Date is back and we’re bringing the lesbians! (and the bisexuals no bi-erasure here).” Person 1: Before the date I was super nervous got ready hours before hand and kept checking my phone
Lauren – for Lots of people say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. I wouldn’t be the first to avidly agree with that, but I have my fair share of long distance connections all over the world, so I get it. It’s hard, sure, but it’s doable and worth it in the long run. Maintaining a friendship or
We sat down with Joe, Luca, Nick and Jack from the 4-piece Pōneke based band Wet Denim on Sunday. Appearing at Homegrown the night before, the band was stoked with how Kirikiriroa came out to support and bust a boogie, commenting: “Yeah, it felt like the main stage was just
Because I failed bio consistently throughout high school, I figured there was no better lecture to run into than one of the first for nursing 102; and I was very pleasantly surprised by what I walked into. The class size was massive, and with a diverse range of ages it
Less cheap, less easy, Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Serves: 4 Estimated cost per serve: $5 Why This Slaps ? This meal is perfect for cooking for someone special, whether you want to show you care or you’re just trying to get laid. It’s pretty easy, relatively cheap, tastes good, and makes a lot.
Are you too broke to go to live concerts? Do you live in an island nation that your favourite artist won’t ever come to? Or maybe they came to Aotearoa, but now it’s over and the post-concert depression is hitting too hard? Let me introduce you to the world of YouTube live concerts. Music is at its most
Nexus Soundcheck is the heart and soul of music journalism in Kirikiriroa. We want to be at every gig, reviewing every newly released album, and interviewing the best and most promising local talent. We’ll be in the mosh with you. We’ll be at the shitty open mic nights with you, and we’ll be with you at the merch table buying a CD withour last
Easy Baguette (Makes 2 small) Ingredients 500 g Standard Flour 350ml Lukewarm water 3g Dry Yeast 10g Salt This is one of the easiest recipes to get into breadmaking. Mix flour and water in a bowl until no longer dry, cover and rest for 30 minutes. This will allow the gluten to
I’m generally not a business or management person, mainly because I don’t like maths besides statistics and I’m bad with money, but for the sake of a random audit I decided to watch a second year strategic management lecture. The lecture started off with the general admin stuff at the overall course outline. This was of no interest to me, but it was good
Aries- Instead of being a fire sign, try putting the “air” in Aries and fucking relax (and play golf with a Taurus). Taurus- I see a new friend in your future. It’s very important that you become completely codependent and play golf every weekend. What, who said that? Gemini- You’ll feel the urge to forgive all the people who haven’t actually wronged you that bad; it’s important
Cheap, easy Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Serves: a lot Estimated cost per serve: $ not much Why This Slaps? It doesn’t, in fact it’s quite shit, however when you’re sitting in your flat on Sunday night rethinking all your life decisions while the vomit stain on your carpet slowly fades, you need something easy
Maiki Sherman has resigned from her role as political editor for 1News at TVNZ. That’s the headline, but it’s not the full picture. The circumstances surrounding her resignation have been only one part of an ecosystem of muddied waters that now make up the relationship between Parliament, the media, and the New Zealand
There is no hiding the association university has with stress; deadlines, class, and the pending doom of an uncertain future have always been part of student life. But for many students in Aotearoa, that experience is increasingly being replaced by exhaustion. Between rising rents, grocery prices, transport costs, and tuition
The tumultuous history of deciding who pays for university The University of Waikato opened in1964, and its students back then had a much different experience financing university than we do today. From 1962 until 1989, the government paid for tertiary tuition fees in full with the state bursary. As the story often goes, all good things
It’s not much of a secret that online gambling has seen a rise in popularity in the last few years, especially with the younger generation. The technology being offered today means you can gamble from anywhere you can find a connection, anytime you want, on whatever device you’re using. It’s convenient, accessible, and marketed as entertainment suited
Content warning: mentions of sexual violence, drug use and suicide The popularisation of looksmaxxing has opened a gaping glory hole in the manosphere – ironically by some of the most homophobic people on the internet. Looksmaxxing, a portmanteau of ‘looks’ and ‘maximising’, is the idea and practice of improving one’s physical appearance through a variety of
At some point in the early 21st century, it became clear that the cultural mood had shifted. The ironic detachment that defined late 20th-century art and thought – so central to postmodernism – no longer felt sufficient in a world shaped by climate anxiety, digital hyperconnectivity, and renewed political urgency. Yet a return to
Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 film Amelie begins by describing the movements of a blue fly one day in 1973, and it only grows more whimsical from there. The film follows its namesake, 23-year-old Amelie Poulain, a shy and imaginative young waitress living in Paris. One night, Amelie finds a 40-year-old time capsule behind
Brittle Splits is a 30-something year old Waikato Arts alumni, who wears nipple pasties and fishnet tops onstage (in 9 inch boots) just for fun—and feminist expression, duh. Here, she outlines the mediascape of pole politics within Aotearoa. She recommends strippers to follow (Online only. Do. Not. Stalk.) for equal
FORGED IN FAILURE AFTER FAILURE Founded in 2016 by eccentric millionaire and Wellington Phoenix Co-Owner Gareth Morgan, The Opportunities Party was at best quixotic and at worst your most stoned friends half-baked take on civics lessons they hadn’t really paid attention to. Morgan was already somewhat of a meme-worthy celebrity, and the founding of what was, for all intents and purposes, a vanity party was
I try to avoid watching the news these days. Whenever I do it just seems like a sickening tableau of ruin. A macabre parade before the end of the world with grand marshals who sit in ivory towers and feed off the flesh of the masses beneath them. More and more I think that I
Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie are having sex again, but now it’s happening in a scene written by a chatbot that has never wanted anything in its life. It looks like a story: there’s rhythm, description, a beginning and an end. But nothing is at stake. No one is there behind it. Hollywood is doing a slower
Growing up in a very Catholic school system all the way from year one to year thirteen, learning about religion was more of an obligation than a choice, though I will admit, it wasn’t all that bad. I was surrounded by classmates who had very differing opinions on the topic: some hated
Trump buys all of his staff the same shoes, guesses shoe sizes: There are so many layers to this that I could make a joke about this with, but the fact he said “everyone’s afraid not to wear them” says enough I think. A drone looking for a missing man finds a bear waking
For $3 a day paying for a park on campus, it should be a hell of a lot easier to find a space, but apparently, everyone and their mother wants to circle the place as soon as I do too. I’m living in self-catered accommodation, and there’s still not enough parking for us. As much as
Ok, technically not the view of anyone not wearing a Maga hat or owning Twitter but it isn’t far off, at least according to Dr Anna Marie Brennan, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law. In an interview with the University of Waikato Dr Brenan (pictured) said private companies are rapidly turning asteroid mining into a
The Hamilton City Council is proposing lowering the speed limit on a 460m stretch of Te Rapa Road from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. The speed limit change would apply between Hutchinson Road and State Highway 1C. Why? One of the consequences of calling Hamilton the city of the future is that
Toward the end of the 2010s then Nexus Editor Lyam Buchanan and Critic Editor Joel McManus before people recognised his actual talents in journalism, hatched a scheme to buy Wellington’s Salient Magazine. Now, Salient was never actually for sale, but issues with Victoria University and VuWsa had created a significant risk that
Iran war pushes fuel past $100 usd per barrel: This is definitely our sign to flood the Hamilton bus system and finally take advantage of that student pricing. Judith Collins regarding Christopher Luxon: “he’s excellent” The results of that recent poll definitely say otherwise, but whatever butters your lobster queen. Just remember that’s the party you quit.
The humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank continues to worsen in 2026, as ongoing violence, restrictions on aid, and political tensions intensify across the region. In Gaza, millions of residents remain heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance after years of war and destruction. Aid groups warn that the closure of
Apparently, there has been a train from Hamilton to Auckland since 2021, and I’m only just learning about it after reading news of a one-year extension to its government funding. As a lifelong JAFFA, I grew up with public transport – Auckland Transport buses to school, train rides to the city or mall, and the
It is no surprise for many to hear of the various extreme weather events that have rocked Aotearoa over the past few months (additionally, the past couple of years). From rain, to slips, to temperature changes, every part of the country has recently been feeling the effects of a changing climate. As of
A big bit of the rhetoric used to push the regulations of puberty blockers is the medical angle. “There just isn’t enough long-term research about the benefits and risks involved with supplying these drugs to young people with gender dysphoria” is the angle that this government went with. Is this really valid? I reached out to Dr. Steven Lillis
To start off with, I think you need to talk about the difference between queer and being gay. Because being queer is the political identity that is rooted in the whakapapa of Stonewall Riots, which was black trans women leading the way. And when you take away the political agency that we
The US, Iran and Israel are almost in full-blown war. I know there’s always a lot of chat going around about how WWIII is probably on the way at some point, but this genuinely feels like it is the beginning of really bad things. 48 Iranian leaders and 3 US soldiers dead in
Rating: 4/5 Okay so we all grew up watching Coachella videos on YouTube, right? Right. But what’s it actually like to be a peasant at one of the world’s biggest festivals? Unfortunately, it’s pretty incredible. Listen, there’s really no “budget” way to do Coachella without sacrificing a fraction of your dignity, so I’m not about to give you numbers or
SPOILER WARNING Euphoria episode 2 wasn’t any less inane than episode 1, however a little less disgusting. Amazingly we got blessed with a Maddy opening scene, who is deservingly living her best life working a high-end office job. While also being an only fans manager on the side, I love women in male dominated
Rating: 4/5 Set in the years leading up to the secession of South Sudan, Goodbye Julia tells the tale of an unlikely friendship between two women in a racially divided nation. The story revolves around Mona and Julia, two women who could not be more different. Mona is North Sudanese,
Rating: -2/5 If you’re a Euphoria fan that hasn’t seen the new episode, then skip this because I am about to spoil it. It was good. It wasn’t amazing, or mind blowing, it was just an episode of Euphoria. I watched it twice, to try and work out what the problem was, and I deduced that while it
Rating: 5/5 Bojack Horseman is constantly controversial in my mind- I flop between hating him because he’s an asshole, to feeling terrible for him because his life is falling apart, before I realise that’s entirely his fault and flop back to the first opinion, but nothing conflicted me more than season two,
Rating: 2/5 A24’s The Drama (2025), directed by Kristoffer Borgli, is a razor-sharp satire that skewers modern Hollywood with gleeful abandon. Starring Zendaya as a fading starlet navigating auditions, breakdowns, and absurd industry rituals, the film revels in cringe-inducing cringe comedy – think improvised tantrums and viral meltdowns that expose fame’s hollow core. Its lo-fi aesthetic,
Rating: 4/5 April Harper Grey is an artpop/hyperpop artist known as Underscores. She frequently collaborates with other experimental pop adjacent artists such as Jane Remover and Danny Brown, whilst having her own unique genre-bending sound that separates her from the rest. Underscores’ latest album U is fully self-produced and feels like her most personal and all-encompassing album
Rating: 4/5 It’s not every day that you watch a movie that, despite its slow pace, absolutely captivates you. Recently, I stumbled across a movie called Kokuho. Directed by Lee Sang-il, Kokuho dives into the world of kabuki theatre and explores themes of artistic discipline and personal identity. But at its heart, it is a universal story
Rating: 4 As an avid horror movie fan, I liked to think I could predict how the story was going to go, but this one really had me stumped, and the reveal had me absolutely amazed. Malignant is an incredible movie about a woman named Madison who is starting to have
Rating: 2 Because I didn’t look properly at the specifics of the showing, I walked into the theatre and ended up watching the newest Avatar movie in 3D, which wasn’t something I’d done in a long time, and it made the movie’s experience so much better to be sitting there
Rating: 4 For many people in the arts, creation is central to identity. I’m in that group. I put a little bit of myself in everything I do. Consequently, I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli and the work of Hayao Miyazaki, who is one of the most powerful storytellers I’ve come across. ‘Miyazaki’ by Paris Paloma
Time for my bi-annual re-watch of Cartoon Network’s Over The Garden Wall. (Those who are politically correct also watch it in September as the creators intended.) It’s a heartwarming story about two brothers getting lost in The Unknown and slowly losing hope as they draw deeper into the woods, as winter creeps closer, as The Beast draws nearer.
I’ll just come right out and say it. If there were no extra financial support for education, I would not be attending university right now. Many tauira don’t have the luxury of a safety net or financial stability. Many come from homes that don’t have an extra $20 to spare. Back in the dark ages, in
Tauira Māori on campus Māne (Monday) Tūrei (Tuesday) Wenerei (Wednesday) Hoki atu ki tō kāinga – Just go home Nā Elyse Rahiri Only a quarter of the way through the year and already most of us are feeling a bit pau te hau. Getting back into the swing of study can be overwhelming and even worse if you have people pleasing tendencies, don’t say
Tauira Māori on campus Tūrei (Tuesday) Wenerei (Wednesday) Taite (Thursday) Te Waiora – Rā Hākinakina | Gate 2b – 4:30 pm Reo Māori Phrases of the Week Kia ora koutou! Here are some useful everyday Reo Māori phrases to help you talk about holidays, whānau, and what you’ve been up to. COLUMN I tōku whānau tokorua ōku kuia, noho tahi ai. Arā, ko tōku kuia a toto nei, me te kuia o tōku ngākau. Ko te rongo o te aroha, kāore i rerekē. He tirohanga Māori tēnei. Ahakoa te momo aroha,
By now you’ve probably heard we’ve got a new name. We’re still WSU, but now we also carry our ingoa Māori, Te Awa Kōtui. This didn’t happen overnight. WSU has been working towards an ingoa Māori that truly reflects us and our tauira for a long time, across multiple boards. I also want to acknowledge the presidents, vice presidents, VP Māori, and life members who contributed
Kia ora, my name is Anaia Rua, and I am from Ngāi Tūhoe & Ngāti Awa. In the following piece, I reflect on the profound connection shared between Aotearoa and our relatives from Hawai’i during the “He Kura Tūroa” wānanga. He Kura Tūroa: Relatives Across the Pacific He ahurea te taiao, he taiao te ahurea. The environment is the culture, the culture is the
A question I heard recently has been sitting with me: can tikanga evolve in a modern world? It came up during a kōrero between a group of tauira, and it sparked a lot of reflection for me about what I’ve been taught and how I understand tikanga today. For many people, tikanga is
There’s a strong Māori presence on campus and plenty happening this week, from Cultural Hour to weekly wānanga and study spaces. If you want to meet other tauira, build your reo, or spend time in a Māori space between classes, there are kaupapa running across campus. Keep an eye on… Te whakahiapo – Maori law students association – @te_whakahiapo
