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
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
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
Noah: A few mates making documentaries on things we’re interested in. Noah: Louis and I met at uni. Gryffin’s my cousin. Louis: We were all helping out at 95bFM and John Campbell came in one evening to give a talk. He told everyone off for only speaking with pundits, politicians
Let’s be honest: fan fiction is the internet’s wild, untamed jungle—a place where Harry Potter can fall in love with Draco Malfoy, Sherlock Holmes can solve crimes with Pikachu, and absolutely no one is safe from an unexpected vampire transformation or being human trafficked by their mother to a boyband.
Sarah: Semi-retired cosplayer The first time I ever cosplayed it was 2019, and I still cared about the MCU. I walked into Tauranga Armageddon in an incredibly hodgepodge crimson coat and bodice knowing full well that the cheap curtain fabric wasn’t particularly accurate to the Scarlet Witch costume I had tried
By Maya Trotman Nearly every evening I would be sitting on the couch with a heat pack on my stomach holding painkillers with a glass of water ready. One evening, the worst pain of my life arrived. I was in the bathroom, scared, because now I knew this wasn’t normal,
Prescription Abuse and The Pharmaceutical Black Market Unlike most of our writers who spend their time writing on Substack or Wattpad, turns out someone had a friend outside of our writer’s room. Some friends have different struggles to you, and some struggles have more stigma, consequences, and are harder, if
Destigmatising Desire and Navigating Consent Sexuality is a vast, colourful spectrum, and kinks, unconventional sexual interests or practices are a vibrant part of it. Yet, despite growing conversations about sex-positivity, many kinks remain shrouded in stigma, misunderstanding, or shame. Destigmatising kinks is not just about making sex more fun; it’s
Polygamy in Islam through the eyes of a young woman Having grown up in a Muslim home, I was taught that Islam is a religion founded in justice, mercy, and balance: A faith that champions the rights of women, protects the vulnerable, and demands fairness in every aspect of life.
Is language the truest representation of a culture? And if not, what do you think is the truest representation? I probably wouldn’t use the word ‘true’ or ‘truth’ in reference to culture, but I am very interested in the belief systems that underpin our cultural practices, how we express those
Skateboarding means the world to skaters from everywhere. Skating is a radical, inclusive, and interconnected community with a philosophy of Fuck You to anyone who tells us what to do, how to live, or where we can skate. It’s a small world in skateboarding but also a spread out one
I interviewed an old mate from high school who just so happens to drum for Pineja. Super talented, smart, nice, & funny dude, but he supports Chelsea so there’s definitely room to be cooler. Stod got me into Songs for the Deaf & The Strokes so fair to say he’s
Mondogreen are a rad local band bringing a humble, funny, & mellow vibe to the local scene. Lochie & Connor are some gnarly skaters from back in my hometown. When I was learning to drop in, they were the cool seniors who actually knew how to skate. Can’t lie, with
Who are you & what are you up to musically?I am a child of the universe + my parents… I am also a musician and DJ based in Wellington. I’m currently in multiple bands as a bass player, singer and guitarist. I have been playing DJ gigs and radio sets
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: 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 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
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 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
Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere is a compelling but uneven look at misogynistic online influencers and the young men drawn to them. The film effectively exposes an ecosystem where outrage and insecurity are turned into a lucrative business model, with “manfluencers” selling courses, communities, and personas as much as ideas. It’s most powerful
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.
Rating: +3 I flew to Melbourne last week to watch the 2026 f1 season opener in person, so here is my review of how it was run, and what they could improve on next time. The track was busiest for qualifying and race day, and most people caught the tram or walked
Ok gang, let’s talk about Resident Evil Requiem. For starters, I’m a big fan of Capcom and have been playing their games for about 8 years now. I was first introduced to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and my initial reaction when I started playing it was something along the lines
There are no words to describe this event. I genuinely fked myself going to this concert because after this there won’t be any better concert to go to. Benito is a great guy, one of the best people alive, but he fked my life and left me in an existential void. It was an amazing show,
Propelled to the forefront of the whole electroclash/knitted sweater/no-its-not-indie-sleaze-dont-call-it-that London/New York “scene” with their two 2025 albums Basspunk 2 and Forever, Bassvictim’s Ike Clatman and Maria Monrow have had an open messiness to their image that lands somewhere between Pete Doherty with Kate Moss and the Instagram stories of that highschool couple you’re sort of worried about. Although
+4 Charli XCX’s new film The Moment is both a cringe-fest and a beautiful commentary on modern pop music, set to bratty beats we know and love. While the British popstar isn’t the greatest actress of all time, her ability to tap into emotions on a dime is admirable, and within the context of the film, she
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
