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
We’re back! Happy September everyone- I hope you’re ready to get on with the rest of the semester and kick ass with the rest of your uni work. I want to use this space for two things, and I’ll start with a little how-to guide on staying on your game
Last week was magnificent. It was epic. It was an absolute dream. It was a legendary tale I’ll tell my kids one day. It was *insert every other good adjective*. Why, you ask? Not because of the Olympics, no. But because of you. Shoutout to the readers who manifested for
A lot has happened in the time between the release of our previous issue and this one. Football didn’t “come home”, Trump is talking about unity, and Daemon Targaryen had an explicit dream about his mum (?). Somehow, only one of these things surprises me (and it isn’t the last
As I was writing this, the waves of Kamala beach were crashing in front of me, and I was torn between abandoning Nexus, and keeping my job (just kidding… kind of!). The water was so clear, and the weather was finally nice and sunny. I could have been swimming that
The people spoke and asked for option one, which unfortunately means that everyone who didn’t pick that has to read my rambles about power-scaling… or do you? I would love to talk to you about how there is no way Gojo could beat Hashirama (bffr), however I have decided that
I have been sitting at my computer for two days with absolutely no progress. I have written so many first sentences and paragraphs, but I can’t seem to finish them! So, I decided to add all of my starters here for two reasons: one, you can decide which piece you
Can we all collectively agree that the red sports house in school was the fucking best? I recently saw a TikTok talking about school sports, and so many people were gassing up the red house. Why? Because we were fucking on something. When I was in primary school in Australia,
This week has simultaneously been the BEST week for Nexus ‘24 and the WORST week for me, and here’s why: The Nexus writing crew is here and ready to go! I was already lucky enough to be working with the most legendary design team, but now we have four absolutely
I have a serious question for all of you. I was watching The Babysitter (2017) last night, and there was the question of who to put in a five-member inter-galactic dream team. I want to know who you guys would choose in a team to fight a star war (hehe),
It doesn’t seem right to be claiming this space as my own. For the past two years, I have worked with Jak, and it feels weird to be succeeding him in the editor’s position. Well, I suppose all there is to do is say thank you. Thanks for being awesome,
Playlist: The ratatouille soundtrack. The vibes are the most important part of this meal. Ingredients: Method:
“Drug reactions can be unpredictable, rare, and can vary from patient to patient. That’s what makes them idiosyncratic – we don’t know what causes it.” That’s the first thing I hear after walking into BIOMD202, and I start to wonder if I’m on drugs as I’ve missed half of this lecture trying to find MSB 1.05, which took me roughly
Four people who’ve never voted or voted but didn’t care sit in a room and learn about politics, so you don’t have to. This week: Welfare, benefits, and entitlements LABOUR -Have been critical of the coalition government’s changes to welfare and benefits such as Temporary Additional Support and the upping of the minimum income contribution for those receiving the Income-Related Rent
The government has turned into a stay-at-home boy mum Facebook group who have nothing better to do than complain about things that don’t really involve them. Every time I open my phone I get blasted with articles about shit our government is fucking with now instead of the things we actually asked for. Although I am
Aries- We all know you’re procrastinating on that assignment, stop putting it off and you’ll feel better. Taurus- It’s ok to ask people for help, you’re not inconveniencing people, I promise. Gemini- Try that new hobby you’ve always wanted to, it’s not about being good it’s about enjoying it. Cancer- Stop wasting time on your friend that’s always stirring up drama, they’re not worth your time. Leo- Sometimes it’s ok to beat a
Studylink just hit? This is the meal for you. Delicious, super easy, and not overly expensive. Playlist: Anything you want really. I’d start with 4EVER by clairo, She’s my Collar by Gorillaz and Kali Uchis, and Redbone by Childish Gambino. You will need: Method:
Guitar driven, rolling beats. Quick looping drums, and jazz-like solos. Lyrics that float through your ears and reverberate in your brain. Northan and West Africa. Indigo blue tagelmust. Desert Blues music is mostly in their native language of Tamasheq, but understanding it is not so important as feeling it. My first exposure
Audrey Hobert, night one of two shows at Auckland’s Powerstation, and the excitement raging through the air was intoxicating. The mezzanine upstairs was the all ages access, which, if you got there as soon as the doors opened and snagged a spot right at the barricade, was arguably a better view than being down on
An Ode to All the Stuff I’ve Lost to the Void: “Heart of darkness Devoid of mind Desperation imminent Give me my fucking stuff back.” If I tell you I am a chronic loser of stuff, no one would be surprised. Constantly having tabs on where everything in your life is seems to be
Aries – Someone’s doing rituals to get your attention late at night in their bedroom, so maybe figure out who it is in case they make a voodoo doll and you find yourself having sharp pains in your chest at random times throughout the day. Taurus – You don’t have to save all of your stickers for a
As a second year, and first time student I feel like I and others in my year have been screwed over twice now. I was in year 13 starting to apply for universities when the decision to move free fees from the first to final year was put in place. Now, just
This is a very cheap and easy meal that is great for the winter months and is bound to accelerate the seasonal depression. This meal isn’t that tasty, looks pretty shit but can be cooked while you’re not at home and costs fuck all. Ingredients Method Go to the supermarket and get one of those brown paper bags.
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
Dance can be many different things: exercise, fun, enjoyment, a form of expression and so on. It can also mean many different things to people, and as dance is such a universal art form everyone has varied experiences, ideas, and motivations. I chatted to three dancers to learn what dance
Part 1: Ripeka Paapu The notion that receiving or giving oral sex while wearing moko kanohi is tapu reflects a modern discomfort, not the lived realities of our tipuna. To understand moko is to understand that it has always been part of the totality of our humanity, not a restriction
Written By Manasseh Cowley We had just finished presenting at one of Bogotá’s most prestigious universities and it was now time for whakawhanaungatanga and kai. Seated to my left was a professor of law. Although not Indigenous herself, she shared her hopes for a future that saw the integration of
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not some ancient, dusty relic. Hell, it’s barely 185 years old – younger than the first working camera! It is the foundation document of Niu Tīreni, intended to set up a relationship between Māori and the Crown built on the three P’s: partnership, participation, and
Written By Naianga Tapiata If you’ve ever been to any uni, you’ll know the vibe, there’s ALWAYS a policy for everything. Missed an exam? There’s a form. Late assignment, that’ll be 10% off. Now imagine that you are a Māori student and your world doesn’t just run on timetables and
by Toby Brockelbank & Patrick Kigongo Nexus are stoked to have the chance to interview Uganda Skate Society. Absolute shredders with one of the gnarliest parks we’ve ever seen. Massive shoutout to Gose Gerald for his kindness and being so keen to work with us. Nexus also thank Patrick Kigongo
On the 20th of May, ACT member of parliament David Seymour announced on his Facebook account that ACT would be directly supporting the movement of the controversial ‘Man and Woman’ bill through parliament. Promoted as a feminist movement, the bill seeks to define transgender people under their biological sex in
Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered Budget 2026without any election-year giveaways. The Government has spent months preparing New Zealanders for what is one of the tightest budgets in years. Rather than major new spending programmes, the focus was on controlling government debt, returning the books to surplus, and funding a small number of priority areas. For students, that may
Max Verstappen takes a podium in Montreal: No one understands how much this means to me. The battle between him and Hamilton was class, and we got a podium out of it too. The Red Bull comeback might be coming sooner than we thought. Crusaders horse spooks at home game: Look,
Four people who’ve never voted or voted but didn’t care sit in a room and learn about politics, so you don’t have to. This week: Housing and Rentals. Labour ACT National Greens NZ First Te Pāti Māori Opportunity Party Responses: Lauren: Filly: Due to my current situation, what Labour is proposing sounds really good to me, one of my end goals has always been buying a house for my fam, so any support to help me
Thousands of public servants to lose their jobs, saving the government billions. Good to see that the government’s solution to being in crippling debt is to fire the people that literally operate the country. Another great example of why they are a one term government. Couple Devastated after uninsured pirate ship catches on fire and sinks
By Nexus Magazine – additional reporting done by Nexus Interns Tomas Richly and Hailey Reece Mid-Trimester restructures at the Waikato School of Design have led to tears, panic and at least ten students scrambling to find 100-hour internships in the last three weeks of the Trimester. According to a University spokesperson the
Missing Hotel Guest found inside huge crocodile airlifted from river Oh so this is a real thing that happens? You can actually get swallowed whole by a creature? Thank god we don’t have crocodiles here, because if we did I’d never touch a body of water again in my life. Pierre Gasly dramatically flips after a crash with Liam Lawson I’m not religious, but thank
We sent Dylan to talk to Campus Chaplin and genuinely good human Brother Andew. Or at least we planned to. We were curious as to ‘Brother A’s response to Trump reposting AI generated images and Pete Hegseth quoting fake scripture from Tarantino. Dylan wisely opted out of entering a house or worship in fear of
There was a twinkle of optimism drifting through the air just a week ago, it seems. Greens MP Francisco Hernandez put forward a Private Members’ bill that would see students receiving support during winter under the pretense that, like our country’s old, students are particularly at risk during the colder months of the year. But Fees Free is getting canned, continuing
Fees Free is gone! Winston Peters let it slip on the eighth that one of the outcomes of the upcoming budget would be the end of Fees Free, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed it. The policy has had a short and, to put it bluntly, awkward life. Introduced by Labour in 2018, the policy made
Four people who’ve never voted, 25 weeks and 4 days until the election, and a whole lot of issues on everyone’s mind. It’s a simple set-up, and this week’s been made a lot simpler with the buh-byeing of Fees Free. LABOUR ACT NATIONAL GREENS NZFirst Te Pāti Māori Opportunity Party Response: Lauren: Green party is definitely the one I agree with the most at the
Ah, travelling. Something so many of us want to do but can’t afford to. But regardless of whether you have booked your flights to your dream destination or are currently fantasising through your TikTok feed, buckle up. Because today I want to rant about the difference between travelling and sightseeing. By the end of this piece, you will hopefully be
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
