





At least not for the reasons that most people think. Mona Lisa has often been credited for both her beauty and mystery, unarguably one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s most famous pieces. However, visually, it’s not even one of his more provoking works. I myself am partial to his sketches (even those that remain unfinished) that greatly demonstrate his position as a polymath, rather

Super Bot Flat getting boring? Everyone sitting around staring at their phones? It’s time to introduce a game that has existed in parts of the country for a long time: Super Bot. This game requires equal parts skill, luck, and poor decision-making. What you need: How to play: Step one is simple; everyone finishes their drinks. Once

decorum; diaphonized let them lave up the cerebellum with soap build up phellum, genetic armor, mi amor! you can cope, leave that man, but you know you never can he’s the cylinder for worms and the cameras at cannes w ash while you rot and pour bodies on the froth niagra of viagra in the vice-cubes of hoth caught

Q: Should I change tutorials because there are no cute guys in the one I’m in? A: Yes absolutely. Jk, but having people in your tutorial you enjoy the company of can be 50/50. The most important thing in your tutorial is of course to work on your learning and assignments, but I know the

Matcha mania has taken the world by storm. What was once a ritual beverage consumed exclusively at tea ceremonies has quickly become a global sensation. Across the world, matcha’s bright green colour, earth aroma, and slightly bitter taste have captured the taste buds of millions. But when have you ever stopped to ask: what exactly is

If you were at the university’s clubs day during Week 1, you may have seen the Young Nats and Labour tents staring each other down. As an avid watcher of Parliament TV, I can tell you that things got even more intense when it came to discussing smoking and vaping policies in the debating chamber. During

Overnight the once “white boy of every month” turned into a filler crush no one remembers past February, a scrawny second-string Seamus Lohery knockoff with a French name and zero wattage – torched his arty girl fanbase by shitting on ballet and opera in a CNN/Variety Town Hall with Matthew McConaughey. A man who has literally fucked a

¿Sabes qué me rompe las bolas? Cuando alguien me dice, seguro con tu acento tenés alto levante. Y dejando de lado si esto es verdad o no, si realmente trae algún beneficio práctico, el comentario en sí ya me está diciendo algo, porque no están hablando de mí, no están hablando de mi

The National Party has proposed a bill to disestablish the Ministry for the Environment. It will then merge with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Transport. The bill was introduced on the 16th of February and went through its first reading on the 19th. The

Nietzsche may be the most misunderstood Philosopher. His name often generates a general sense of unease and controversy. Some of said controversy is a necessary backlash which befalls all radical thinkers, a sort of conservative pearl clutching at ones own cultural values. The controversies surrounding Nietzsche often involve his sexism, link to Nazism

Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Jennifer Milam, sits down with Nexus to explain her horrifically long job title, and now we think she’s too funny and cool to work for the uni. 1. What do you do at the University? As Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, I am responsible for all aspects of the student experience and

Left: When we are asking ourselves if the name Hamilton should be reverted to its Māori name Kirikiriroa, we need to think about what it represents and who is affected by it most. Yes, the city under the name of Hamilton has a lot of history, and the name has become ingrained in

ACT’s newest policy is giving students false hope for cheaper study costs. Under its proposed tertiary policy, students would be able to opt out of paying Student Services Fees, which currently help everything from our health services to UniRec to this very magazine. ACT argues this would give students more

Over the past decade trust in the media has declined. I think this has moved beyond postmodern scepticism, so I’ve written a bit about how technology influences culture and reminded you all that we’re getting fucked by AI. I believe the gap between media’s representation of truth and reality itself

For issue 12 I wrote an editorial telling you to use academic jargon and the language of your field of study in your assignments. Here’s more unsolicited advice for writing assignments. There’s something I’ve noticed to be constant across my assignments, papers, and the fields I’ve studied. Virtually every assignment wants you to apply a framework to

The best decision I ever made as someone in their early (to mid) twenties was to stop caring what other people think. And that’s not to say I’m perfect at it but I try to focus on me and only me. I don’t care if my outfits fit the trends; here at Nexus, I write what I want to write. I take uni papers that

University students have become experts at being busy. We juggle lectures, assignments, jobs, internships, clubs, relationships, side hustles, and somehow try to maintain a social life in between. If you’re not exhausted, it almost feels like you’re doing something wrong. Somewhere along the way, we’ve started wearing stress like a badge of honour. The advice we’re usually given falls into two

The following is based on anonymous reports from teaching staff and students, my personal opinion, and a healthy helping of speculation. We cannot find any evidence this is certainly happening; there is no uni statement or policy I could find from a google search. However, if the university is mandating that teaching staff include AI in their

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

He is a 20-year-old third year that was looking for Miss Right that he could plan his environment around. She is a 19-year-old Nursing student looking for Mr Right now. Was it a love connection? We will let you judge. PSA: Women don’t owe men anything – but they do

Aries – Stop procrastinating, embrace your 15 deadlines and get shit done. Taurus – Happy Birthday, also calm down, invest in a journal. Gemini – They’re not looking at you; they don’t want you; stop being a pick me. Cancer – It’s time to become less insufferable. It’s time for you to shine, I feel big things and more friends coming your way. Leo – Spice

Weekly topic: online literature. THEY’RE STUDYING FANFICTION THIS WEEK. Granted it’s that shitty Harry Styles After one. I’d be interested in doing a census and see if people like this homework more or less than reading through a twenty page scholarly article. There are some people who have Wattpad open in this class but, unlike usual, they’re actually engaging with the lecture. I really like the way

Album review Bri Louise Pōneke based, Bri Louise, brings a calm gentleness to this Album; you can hear the smile in her voice and the love she has for those she sings about. With smooth jazz and R ‘n’ B notes, the Album was recorded live, with a ~20-piece support band/choir, giving it

The Beths – gig Review We’re in an old church-turned-music-venue, you can feel the lingering evangelical spirit whipping up the crowd into a holy fervour, worshiping the divine power that is The Beths. It’s hot as hell, packed to bursting with students and mid-30s day-one fans alike. My friends and I manage to push almost
Ingredients 1 cup lukewarm water 1 tablespoon of sugar 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 2 tablespoons olive oil (it wont explode if u use vegetable oil but it wont be as flavorful) 2 ½ – 3 cups standard four (for this recipe I eyeball it but its usually around 350gr) 1 teaspoon of salt Fresh rosemary Cherry tomatoes

As a third-year History major, I know fuck all about media. I took the subject in high school, but that was four years ago and I’m pretty certain we just watched movies. So, when I walked into a MEDIA100 tutorial at 2pm a few Fridays ago, I had absolutely no idea what

No: Logically, I can see why this would be an ideal option. However, the main thing that must be understood when it comes to an official language in New Zealand is that they are often made that way out of necessity. Te reo was banned from being spoke and by the 80s less than 20% of Māori considered te reo to be their native

Capricorn: – Capricorn of the month: Sophia Laforteza – We’re all in this together. Get your ass in gear and fix your sleep schedule. Your parents are worried. Aquarius: – Aquarius of the month: the Weekend – You’re a bad actor and a bad liar. No one is falling for it. Give it up while you’re ahead.

“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

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

It’s a Friday night. Classes have finally – and politely – fucked off for the weekend and campus is buzzing. Typically, we would see large groups of first years heading to a friend’s room in the halls, to get ready and pre-game for town. You want evidence, brave the Outback’s bathrooms, there’s your evidence. Along with the kiddies

The ‘90s were a time of both optimism and unease. The internet promised connection, the economy was booming, and pop culture was fueled by irony and rebellion. Yet, beneath the surface of society lay the growing fears of youth, violence, and alternative identity. Defined by its moody aesthetic, introspective sound,

It’s a windswept October’s night; a long howl echoes through the night, curling and searching its way through the misty streets. The clouds scud across the sky, flitting in and out of the shadows. Hanging in the sky, gazing over the world gone mad, sits a shining celestial body: the

Welcome to the ultimate tattoo placement pain guide where Ruby Tocker and Lans McGall professionally and seriously rate (most) body placements for tattoos. Below is a detailed map accompanied by very formal blurbs about each spot. Sternum: ouch ouch ouch ouch OUCHY You’re gonna want to rip the tattoo machine

Interview by Ruby Tocker – Photopraghy by Lans Mcgall Kaleb Satherley, or gypsy_tattooer, is a local tattoo artist who’s known for his clean blackwork. While his subject matter ranges from ornamental flora to a spider wrapped in chains, his pieces are consistently intentional and precise, showcasing both his versatile artistry

By Maraea Gowens Real talk: talking about money can be awkward as. For many of us, it is easier to talk about who is hot or not at Te Matatini than to talk about investing, savings and all the financial jargon… But here is the secret: our tīpuna were investors

Ariana Grande Fans Piss me off on Twitter: These people are genuinely worse than Swifities. I feel like an insane chud having fights with people on this godforsaken app behind an anonymous profile, but their behaviour is getting out of hand. Winston Peters is a Dick, as per usual. In

Lucky for Rotorua, PM Luxon met with their Business Chamber to discuss the state of the economy for small business owners. Unlucky for said business owners, Luxon had some not so nice things to say. After stating that small business owners need to simply “be adult” when facing rising costs

#FUMBLEOFTHECENTURY No, this isn’t about Penk’s failure to overthrow the government. No, this isn’t about Luxon basically giving TOP over to the left bloc right before they got kingmaker status. This is about your flatmate locking himself in his bedroom after texting “W Tits” to a woman on Hinge. At least

Wait times for the Human Ethics committee in Health research have left much to be desired, affecting the work of many Honours and Post-graduate students. One student stated that in 2025, they submitted their research proposal to the ALPSS ethics committee in April, intending to start research in May. While
Waikato students and residents gather in te Pā to witness our very own political debate. With Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke representing Te Pāti Māori, Opportunity party leader Qiulae Wong, Dr. Parmjeet Parmar from Act, Hamilton East candidate Georgie Dansey (Labour), Hon Tama Potaka – our current Hamilton West MP with National, Dr

In a shock to a surprising amount of people, a senior NZFirst youth figure was revealed to have been connected to far-right messaging networks. Nicholas Newport/Wells, 26, a former Waikato University student, was linked to at least one social media account that repeatedly posted ‘Heil Hitler!’, and which expressed support

For the past 12 years, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has risen almost unimpeded. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party has won election after election and built a governing coalition that dominates India’s Parliament. Over the years, Modi has cultivated an image as a strong leader who doesn’t bend

If you’ve driven anywhere in Hamilton in the last year, you’d notice there seems to be an epidemic of very poor drivers on our roads, making bad decisions and making our city look worse than it already does. With a whopping 338 accidents or fatal crashes on our Hamilton roads

Step aside, DC’s Trinity: There’s a new superhero trio on the block. They’re tough, they’re righteous, and they’re fighting the toughest crime of all: misogyny. Who are the brave warriors behind this triumvirate? Why, it’s none other than Chris Hipkins, Chris Luxon, and Chris Bishop. That’s right, the fifth wave

Just let people be weird and slightly annoying. Take that with a grain of salt as I am a very weird and occasionally annoying person, but I am vehemently opposed to the idea of ‘main character syndrome.’ It’s really exhausting to exist as a human being, let alone to do

…Or, Our Chrisis II… Or, Ya Feeling Lucky Penk? In Sam Neil’s breakout feature film role, the 1977 political thriller Sleeping Dogs, the New Zealand government slips into a military junta which mutates the country into a Fascist police state that eventually brings in American military advisors with rifles and

On 27 May 2026, a group of disabled student activists gathered in the SUB over pizza and sodas to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Te Awa Kōtui Waikato Students Union and the Waikato Disabled Students Association. This small but influential club is dedicated to supporting and advocating for all disabled

Rating: 2/5 Do you want a story with too many characters and not enough mystery? Then A Man You Can Bank On is the book for you! Set in a small town in the Australian outback, this novel follows a cast of criminals, townspeople and police as they all try

Rating: 5/5 Attack on Titan is an anime that starts off deceptively simple but becomes a true thriller the further you get into it. The story starts off as a story about humanity desperately trying to survive against man-eating Titans. But as the series progresses, it develops into a much

Rating: 3/5 Season of Fear by Emily Cooper is a feminist fantasy-horror novel inspired by Bavarian folklore of Germany, and a loose adaptation of The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was by the Brothers Grimm. The story centers around Isle Odenwald, a teen girl

Rating: 5/5 If you’re like me and are a fan of stand-up comedy or have watched Taskmaster New Zealand a few too many times, you may have heard of comedian Jack Ansett. On the 24th of July my boyfriend and I went to watch the only Hamilton stop on his

Rating: 1/5 Now, I have to admit I’m only halfway through this season, so I can’t provide a full and inclusive review, but I think with Taskmaster, that doesn’t matter so much. Australians will do Australian things, and Big Tom will make fun of Lesser Tom for simply existing. This

Rating: 4/5 Get your ass to the cinemas, Spider-man: Brand New Day is officially out. It’s a strange film to review because it assumes a history that feels just out of reach. Everyone in New York reacts to Spider-Man like he’s always been there, yet the man beneath the mask

Rating: -1/5 After a six volume graphic novel series, one novella, and three series of a Netflix show, Heartstopper came to a close with a feature length film Heartstopper Forever. These loved characters ended their highschool chapters, and it was clear the actors were dying to do so. The actors have been linked to said teen drama

Rating: -3/5 It never ceases to amaze me how this travesty of Donna Tart’s The Secret History ever managed to become so popular. If We Were Villains tells the story of a group of Shakespearean drama students as they try to cover up the death of friend. However, the fact that the students study

Rating: 3/5 My favourite nepo-baby is back with a new album, titled Daughter from Hell. This time, she and Aaron Dessner, Gracie’s longtime producer, are picking up the piano a lot more, rather than her trademark plucky fingerstyle acoustic, popular on her album The Secret of Us. This album, though still filled lyrically with her personal

Rating: 3/5 This movie had never been anywhere close to being on my radar, but I’ve got some theatre-kid friends, so I ended up falling in love with a hundred and twenty minutes of Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams singing very badly. Well, Will sang badly. Rachel’s character was actually incredible, and he

Rating: 1/5 I went into this movie thinking they’d seriously fuck up the series, since let’s be real, how many movies can you make before it starts to go downhill? Apparently, five isn’t too many. I left the theatre with two of my best friends, all of us pretending like we hadn’t just bawled our eyes out at an

Rating: 4/5 First day back in Semester B, and there’s something new in the library! It looks so cozy and inviting, and kind of reminds me of a fishbowl. Cute! I forget everything every three seconds, and I’m insanely sensitive to changes in my environment, so I think I‘ll belong there. That’s right folks, I’m talking about the glass study boxes that

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