The Finnish line is a column series by Martta Tikka, an exchange student from Finland. In this column series, they talk about their experiences about Aotearoa, its people and events. After a careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that Finnish people don’t feed each other nearly as often
I fell in love with the moon the darkness swallowed a pale silver glow on pink blush cheeks lay awake with the stars where in the week-long nights there was company I fell in love with the sun shining on ocean waves with my feet in the shallows sinking into the sand golden
I Miss You You were waiting for me, The sun met your skin, Absorbing rays like they were yours to take. I almost skimmed past, But you caught my attention, The right moment – our moment. Golden locks settled inside you. There was something clean about you, with the smell
Many people think of Hindi and Urdu as two distinct languages. Others believe the exact opposite. In my experience, few debates get as heated as those concerning the relationship of Hindi and Urdu. Open the comment section of any video discussing this question, and you will find Hindi and Urdu
Welcome back to the $50 Date, the column where a broke Uni student tries to have fun somewhere near to Hamilton without breaking the bank. The rules of the activity haven’t changed; We get $50 (Each or total, it’s not specified), we find something to do fairly close to Hamilton,
It’s almost pyrrhic that Artificial Intelligence struggles to replicate the way hands look, when some of the first pieces of evidence regarding human creativity are handprints branded on the walls of caves. Located in Indonesia are what is believed to be the oldest known handprint stencils, dated around 67,800 years
I think we bullied Christopher Luxon a bit too hard. I never thought I’d say that, but after all the jokes about him avoiding questions, he’s really started to speak his mind. If you think that’s a good thing, then what I’d say to you is that what’s going on
By Timothy Townshend.This first paragraph is largely introducing the lineage that Brushtail Possums inhabit, if that does not interest you skip it. Brushtail Possums are a member of the the clade Diprotodontia, a ~25 Million Year old group ranging in diversity from the extinct Hippo-sized Diprotodont to the Tasmanian pygmy
About Understanding / Ymmärryksestä I’ve been training how to speak English for over a decade now. In Finland, most people have learnt English since elementary school as a mandatory part of the curriculum. We learnt proper UK pronunciation, we watched The Simpsons, we did everything in school and outside of
To skateboarders, where we skate matters. AI will harm our connection to the places we skate. This may seem like a small concern in the scheme of things, but that might be the point. Maybe you don’t care about skateboarders, but something as specific as this shows us just how all-consuming AI’s effects
Content warning: this review discusses themes of graphic violence and feet This informative film acts as a metaphor for the exploration of one man and his weird obsession with women’s feet. While this review is non-kink shaming, it will explore how the director’s action film is an intertextual expression across
The sun casts down onto the water that decorates the grass beneath me, a million tiny prisms littering the strands that intertwine like lovers. My feet are white, bleached by the winter of shoes and the endless torrent of rain. Gross. The bottoms of my jeans and the shoulders of my shirt are
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
Gothic culture is one of complex meanings, presentations, and cultural associations. The style originated in France in the 12th century, being characterized by pointed arches, stained glass, and ribbed vault features in architecture. This style was labelled as “Gothic” later, used as a derogatory term. The style moved closer to
Tattooing is one of the raddest, welcoming, quirkiest, creative, and friendly cultures I’ve ever encountered. I have twenty tats, nothing compared to Ruby or Lans or folks who’ve had the money or connections and time to really get inked. I’ve enjoyed every one. Nearly half of them I’ve done, about
Make way for the creatives We’ve had academia, now it’s time for the arts students to rise and shine (not that the arts aren’t academic), to fill the pages with creative freedom and all kinds of stuff that might make you question everything entirely. That’s what artists are good at.
by Brianna Waka E ngā hau e whā o te ao, nō mai tata, nō mai tawhiti, tae noa mai ki tēnei pito o Nukutawhiti, tēnā koutou, take a photo, tēnā koutou katoa. Mauri ora you magic people sitting with these kupu now. We’re sliding headfirst into the busiest, most
By Toby Brockelbank & Mykhaylo Tevkun Stake and Destroy Most of the reason I was stoked on this job was to write about the skate scene, share cool shit I thought was going down in our world of grinds and flips, and convince at least one of you readers to
Holding the power of being your opening thoughts to this week’s issue, I am giving you a list of (some of) my favourite films and why you should most definitely watch them (after reading this issue): 1. Juno (2007) This is the best romcom ever, and don’t let the genre romcom
Aries: please break up with your shitty boyfriend, he’s ruining your life dude. Taurus: if you need life advice, refer to the lorde x jack antonoff lore slideshow. it knows all. Leo: it’s time to confess your sins on a piece of paper in a park, and then smoke three
Now, I will admit that even though a random audit is supposed to be going into a class you have ZERO business being in, I kind of do have a slight amount of business here. Sue me, you’re going to hear about an english paper from an english and writing
Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas holds a special place in my heart. When I was highkey fat and horrifically depressed in highschool, I mean like completely miserable – I had a nose pimple and my crush called me Rudolph – sitting in the library and letting my Spotify shuffle through Room
Your horoscope your pop culture moment Aries: ‘beefin’ wit my chick while I’m in jail’ Cancer: The time Charli D’amelio thought the #HereForCharli movement was about her Aquarius: ‘she’s got… PTSD, or, whatever. Post traumatic… Downs Syndrome’ Sagitarius: ‘ninnies on the glass, ninnies on the glass’ Gemini: ‘Stop sign?? What
Ingredients: Method:
It’s important to note that ‘girl dinner’ is extremely subjective. It is different for everyone, and varies on your levels of energy, motivation, finances, and total personal value (amongst others). That being said, let’s get into my personal dinner. Playlist: Do not listen to any music, just open Spotify and
When we were friends is The Backseat Lovers’ 2019 debut album, an indie, slightly pop-rocky-y lyrical exploration of being 18-20, learning about people and the world, and having wonderful experiences whilst being not too sure on what to think of them. The album opens with ‘Watch Your Mouth’, a song about wanting to help someone you love get through something, before
It is the first week back at uni (yay) and I had nothing better to do. Actually that is a lie, I was assigned three practicals on my first day back that I had to complete by the end of the week but instead of doing that, I decided to attend a random lecture. You’re welcome.
Aries: Have you thought about cancelling that gym membership? When was the last time you actually went? Cancer: Do not go anywhere near the library stairs this week. You will be cursed to fall down them. Aquarius: Consider the fact that doing the readings for class might actually help you pass whatever you’re
Best songs with colours in the title Back to Black: Amy Winehouse Black Hole Sun: Soundgarden Brown Sugar: The Rolling Stones Red Moon: Big Thief Orange Show Speedway: Lizzy McAlpine Big Yellow Taxi: Joni Mitchell Yellow ledbetter: Pearl Jam Green Light: Lorde Blue Monday: New Order Purple Rain: Prince Pink + White: Frank Ocean
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
by Toby Brockelbank and Mykhaylo Tevkun Who are you and what’s your favourite skate trick?My name is Mykhaylo Tevkun—people call me Mike T. I’m the founder of Association Skateboarding Ukraine (@skateukraine), where I’ve been leading the charge for over a decade. I’ve got more than 20 years of experience as
Hind Rajab was five years old when she, after witnessing the killings of six of her family members, was herself murdered by members of the IDF on the 24th of January 2024. This – if anything – should have been the line; Hind’s story should have inspired some sort of
Swipe. Next reel. Swipe. Next Tik Tok. Again. Again. Again. Again. It never ends. The algorithm feeds you more. It gives you what you want. It gives you what you don’t want but can’t help but watch. It chooses, out of a million billion videos, what you watch next. And
This issue contains plenty of discussion on crime itself, its social and political foundation, and even its distortion into entertainment, but very little on its consequences. Aotearoa has 18 prisons. Under a Labour Government, our prison population dropped more than 25%, however under our right-wing coalition, has exceeded 10,000 inmates
Ever since I could remember, I’ve been a writer. It’s been in my blood since the first day I picked up a pen and discovered I could create whatever I wanted out of nothing but the ink, a random piece of paper, and whatever my imagination could possibly think to
The True Crime Fascination Morbid curiosity. On some level, we’re all guilty of it. You drive past a car crash and you’re watching to see if you can catch a glimpse of anything, you see a taped off crime scene swarming with cops and you walk a little slower past
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: 3/5 Highly recommend. I find myself doing this all the time, and I have done so since I was a kid. Not only is it an imagination exercise, but it can be grounding and help you get to know yourself just a bit better! And let’s be real, who doesn’t like pretending to be
Rating: 5/5 Hamilton gardens are free! Wes free, and while you kinda need a car to get there, it is a pretty good spot to wander around pretending your degree still has a ROI. When people ask “what’s there to do in Hamilton” I often say the gardens are nice, having only been there twice
Rating: 2/5 As a girly with, now, thirteen tattoos, I have been in tattoo studios of all sorts. I have had tattoos done by apprentices, senior artists, drunk artists looking for a bit of fun, pop up market artists, and – as of recently – a very posh, incredibly professional, and extra expensive studio in Auckland
Rating: -3/5 Yung Lean’s new song is trite shit. Fantano was right. I knew this for sure when, lashed by the sun and staving off offerings of gear, I watched him & Bladee project themselves in AI Generated Dragonball Z style form at Laneway. Now, I can’t blame Lean for trying to divorce himself from shit he was making when
Rating: 5/5 William Dalrymple’s The Anarchy is a cautionary tale about what happens when a corporation is left dangerously unregulated. Set in the distant east, the book navigates the story of the British East India Company, a trading corporation accountable to only its shareholders, as it rises to overthrow one of the
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
Rating: 3/5 Pretty Lethal, the action thriller starring Uma Therman and Maddie Ziegler is pretty damn lethal to the eyes. The plot has great potential – five ballerinas travel to Istanbul but TRAGICALLY ARE TRAPPED IN A SCARY HOTEL. I’m sure you can see where this is going: 1. Someone important dies 2. The ballerinas freak out 3. All five
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: -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: 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: 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,
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
