3. ISSUE 01
CONTENTS
3
EDITORS
Eden Caceda
Katie Davern
Sophie Gallagher
Melanie Kembrey
Rob North
Sean O’Grady
CONTRIBUTORS
Amelia Adams-Acton, Alisha Aitken-
Radburn, Liam Carrigan, Kade Denton,
Whitney Duan, Laura Hanlon,
Pierce Hartigan, James Hennessy,
Rebecca Karpin, Michael Koziol,
Rachel McGinty, Zoe Morse,Virat
Nehru, Erin Rooney, Emily Shen,
Vanessa Song, Katie Stow,
Louisa Studman
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Molly Dektar
Whitney Duan
Vincent Power
PUBLICATIONS MANAGER
Louisa Stylian
DESIGN MANAGER
Jeanette Kho
DESIGN
Simon Macias
CONTACT
usubullmag@gmail.com
facebook.com/bullmag
@usubullmag
usu.edu.au/bullmag
The views expressed in this publication
are not necessarily the views of the USU.
The information contained within this
edition of BULL was correct at the time
of printing.
This publication is brought to you by
the University of Sydney Union
ISSUE 01, 2014
WRITE FOR US!
Whether you’re a budding
student journalist or have a
random idea that could be a
great story, email us and you
could get published here.
usubullmag@gmail.com
CONTENTS
FEATURES
THE A-Z OF STARTING AT USYD 10
A HOLE IN THE WALL 13
PLAYING WITH FIRE 18
THE STUDENT'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY 27
A SHAKESPEAREAN SOJOURN 32
REGULARS
What’s On 04
Editorial & Board 06
Letters 07
Opinion 09
Interview 17
Taste 22
Go 23
Move 24
Learn 25
The Time I Tried 31
Campus Fashion 35
Vox & Classic Countdown 36
Cow & Horns 37
Arts 39
Reviews 40
Experience 41
Club Confidential 42
Shutter Up 44
Comics 45
Ask Isabella 46
/BULLMAG /USUBULLMAG
4. BULL USU.EDU.AU
WHAT'S ON
4
FOR THE FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS – HEAD TO USU.EDU.AU AND CLICK THE CALENDAR.
CLUBS AND SOCS – REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS ON THE WEBSITE!
WHAT'S ON
MON TUE WED THU FRI
O-WEEK(FEBRUARY)
24
INTERNATIONAL O-WEEK
25
INTERNATIONAL O-WEEK
WELCOME TO SYDNEY PARTY
MANNING BAR, 7PM
26
O-WEEK
BULL FIESTA: HERMANN'S BAR 3PM
FORAGER’S MARKETS: FOOD
TRUCKS AND DISNEY MOVIES,
MANNING FORECOURT,5PM
LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!
O-WEEK OPENING NIGHT PARTY
MANNING BAR, 7PM
27
O-WEEK
USU SCAVENGER HUNT, 2.30PM
MONKEY BUSINESS COMEDY
NIGHT MACLAURIN HALL, 7PM
28
O-WEEK
DR KARL ON THE WORLD OF
SCIENCE, BASE CAMP, 12PM
ANIMALIA BAND NIGHT
MANNING BAR,
7PM
WK1(MARCH)
3 4 5
FUNCH
EASTERN AVENUE, 12–2PM
6
SNAKADAKTAL
MANNING BAR, 7PM
7
TGIF (TELL GRADS IT’S FRIDAY)
DRINKS
HERMANN’S BAR, 5PM
WK2(MARCH)
10 11 12
MARKETS
EASTERN AVENUE, 9AM-4PM
SUPERHEROES AND
VILLIANS PARTY
MANNING BAR, 8PM
13
BIG SCARY
MANNING BAR, 8PM
14
WK3(MARCH)
17 18 19
FUNCH
EASTERN AVENUE, 12–2PM
20
KINGSWOOD
MANNING BAR, 8PM
21
WK4(MARCH)
24
USU DEBATING EASTERS TRIALS
25
INTERFAITH FESTIVAL STARTS
26
INTERFAITH FESTIVAL
MARKETS
EASTERN AVENUE, 9–4PM
90s PARTY
MANNING BAR,8PM
27
INTERFAITH FESTIVAL
28
MANNING
5. ISSUE 01
WHAT'S ON
5
MUST SEE
SNAKADAKTAL
WITH THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON
+ SURES + CHELA + LEWI MCKIRDY + BASENJI
Thursday 6 March, 2014
7pm, Manning Bar // +18
First week back at uni and already falling asleep
in lectures? Well… come party with us! Join your
fellow students at Manning Bar and bring in the
new semester with some good times.The night’s
lineup is full of Aussie bands including the amazing
Snakadaktal, Brissie band The Trouble With
Templeton and surf-pop 4-piece SURES. But wait,
there’s more: Chela, Lewi McKirdy and Basenji will
also be playing!
ACCESS: $15+bf / Non-ACCESS: $20+bf
Tickets from manningbar.com
COMING UP
26
FEB
13
MAR
6
MAR
15
MAR
28
FEB
14
MAR
12
MAR
20
APR
LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!
FEAT. TIGERLILY
ANIMALIA FEAT. JINJA SAFARI
+ ELIZABETH ROSE + TOUCH SENSITIVE
KINGSWOOD FEAT.
CALLING ALL CARS
BIG SCARY
FEAT. THIEVES
DEKE DICKERSON
SNAKADAKTAL FEAT.
THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON
ICED EARTH
SUPERHEROES VS
VILLAINS PARTY
MONDAY
SOLO SESSIONS
1-2pm, Manning Bar
SCHOOL TUTORING
3-6pm, International
Student Lounge
$3.50 HAPPY HOUR
4-6pm, Manning Bar
and Hermann’s Bar
BINGO
5-6pm, Manning Bar
TUESDAY
TUESDAY TV
12-5pm, Manning
AUSTRALIAN
DISCUSSION GROUP
3-4pm, Level 4
Wentworth Building
GET UP! STAND UP!
5-6pm, Manning
$3.50 HAPPY HOUR
4-6pm, Manning Bar
and Hermann’s Bar
WEDNESDAY
FORTNIGHTLY MARKETS
9am-4pm,
Eastern Avenue
WEEKLY FUNCH
(FUN @ LUNCH)
12-2pm, Eastern Ave
TRIVIA
5-6pm, Manning Bar
GET UP!
STAND UP! COMED
1-2pm, Manning Bar
$3.50 HAPPY HOUR
4-6pm, Manning Bar
and Hermann’s Bar
PROJECT 52 COMEDY
7.30-10.30pm,
Hermann’s Bar
THURSDAY
THEATRESPORTS®
1-2pm, Manning BarBar
POOL COMPETITION
4-6pm, International
Student Lounge
BANDS & DJS
5.30pm, Hermann’s Bar
$3.50 HAPPY HOUR
4-6pm, Manning Bar
and Hermann’s Bar
FRIDAY
DJS
4-7pm, Hermann’s Bar
3.50 HAPPY HOUR
4-6pm, Manning Bar
and Hermann’s Bar
1ST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH
- TGIF (TELL GRADS
IT’S FIRDAY) DRINKS
5-7pm, Hermann’s Bar
EVERY WEEKMONDAY – FRIDAY
manningbar.com /Manningbarsydney #manningbar@Manningbar
6. WE ARE, as are you, another year
older and another year closer to death
(gainful employment). For those of
you coming back, we hope you enjoy
reading this rather than paying attention
in useless introductory lectures.
For those first years amongst you:
shut your laptop, put down that pen
and start reading this.
BULL this year is a little bit sexier
and a little bit sleeker.We locked
our designer in a room for 12 hours
a day and refused him sick leave.
As a result, we are prettier than ever
(thanks Simon).
We are also proud to be featuring
more original photography and comics
this year, in addition to our continued
tradition of quality journalism and
design.
University can be so much more
than the classes you attend in pursuit
of the job of your dreams. If nothing
else, you will probably realise that
dentistry is not the creative haven you
thought it was. If we jaded, (hopelessly)
aspirant writers can impart any wisdom,
it is to immerse yourself fully in
university life.
Make the most of your fleeting
youth and, if the fancy strikes,
contribute to the pages of this magazine.
FROM THE EDITORS
EDEN, KATIE, SOPHIE, MELANIE, ROB, SEAN
BULL USU.EDU.AU
EDITORIAL
6
BOARD Q&A:
HANNAH MORRIS
USU PRESIDENT
B: Given that the Union frequently makes
decisions that have political ramifications,
do you consider the Union to be a political body?
HM: First and foremost, the role of the Union
is to provide the best student experience
possible for all students.We do this through
facilitating a diverse range of leadership
opportunities and clubs and societies;
and providing entertainment, food and
beverage outlets, and spaces for students
to enjoy. As Board Directors, we are bound
by our Constitution and Regulations to
make decisions in the best interests of the
membership as a whole, not just a particular
group of students. In this respect, the Union
is not an inherently political body.That
being said, when acting in the interests of
the membership as a whole requires the
Union to make necessarily political
decisions, such as on women’s and queer
issues, issues concerning environmental
sustainability, and of course opposing VSU,
the Union does engage in activities of a
political nature.
B: At a recent hearing of Raue vs. Morris a
barrister representing the Union remarked that
it is not a purely democratic institution.What
are your thoughts on this?
HM: I would like to preface this by saying
that as I am not a member of the USU’s
legal team, I cannot presume the context
within which that statement was made or
what argument it was being made in as
part of or in response to. I assume what
you are referring to is the University
Senate regulations pertaining to particular
student organisations, including the
USU, which provides the Senate with
reserve powers in situations where there
are electoral, financial or governance
irregularities within the USU. As far as I am
aware, these reserve powers are rarely used,
and exist to safeguard against instances of
fraud, corruption and other Constitutional
breaches.
B: Do you believe that Senate control over a
student organisation is appropriate?
HM: I would not go so far as to say the
Senate “controls” the Union – for the
most part the Union operates completely
independently from the University Senate.
We pride ourselves on having a Board of
Directors where 11 of the 13 positions
elected are student directors; this is in
contrast to a lot of other student Unions
where their Boards have a majority of
Senate fellows or University administrators
filling director positions.The Union
also has retained control of our commercial
operations – a strong indicator of our
independence from the University –
despite the University’s intentions to take
it over in 2011.
7. CASUAL DOG
What’s that dog doing, I hear you ask?
I’ll tell you what he’s not doing: anything.
He’s casual dog. He’s just chillin’
because that’s what casual dog does.
Here are some things you need to
know about casual dog: he straight up
doesn’t wear pants to the office on Fridays.
He puts bananas in the top of his shopping
cart.That’s if he feels like shopping at all.
He might, he might not. He keeps it casual.
He’s never booked a restaurant, called
ahead for anything or signed any form
of contract. He doesn’t even have a bank
account. If you dared to throw a ball at cas
(alternatively caj) dog, he’d just look at you
and be like “relax mate”.
I think everyone agrees that he’s
really inspirational and should be the
guiding philosophy for the rest of our lives.
If you’re a first year student who worked
hard at high school and won a spot you
don’t really want in law, you’re going to
need to stop that kind of over achieving
behaviour. Casual dog does not approve.
It’s not casual to hand in assignments early,
to sign up to every single club or to email
your lecturers for additional reading
materials. If this sounds like something you
might be tempted to do, you should print
off casual dog’s picture and tell yourself to
be casual. Not that he would say anything,
casual dog doesn’t care that much.
History would be very different if
more people had adopted casual dog as
their philosophy. Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini
would not have been bothered.The Ku
Klux Klan would have taken off their
hoods and had a good night’s sleep instead.
Here are casual dog’s last few Facebook
posts: “woof”, “ah yes time for a relaxing
nap”, “why so serious”, “time to chill”
and “yoooooooo calm down”.You can
contact him directly at facebook.com/
casualdog but please don’t be upset if he
doesn’t reply.
ISSUE 01
LETTERS & PICK OF THE MONTH
7
WARRANTED PRAISE
As someone who has recently read the
last two issues of BULL magazine on a
second by second basis, I offer my sincere
congratulations, and hope that any and all
following ventures deliver more than they
can promise! If there is one thing I can
safely write about, it’s that my 20 years
have been ridden on a rolling wave of
literature unmatched. So I also thank you
(as a reader) for giving back to articles and
words what they’ve been slowly losing and
that is funny, engaging, and unique stories.
By writing and exposing pure gold within
the minutes of the mundane, you have
given people the power to see the world
through the words of a generation that will
endure through the heart of time.
~ Mason Marcobello, Arts II
Eds: Mason, we think this is the beginning
of a beautiful friendship.
SOCCER FOOTBALL
What is wrong with Soccer Football
in Australia? Soccer Football is still
living in the 20th Century SBS Special
Broadcasting Service Age! Soccer is a
World Game of Two Separate Regions!
There are two worlds of World Soccer
Football! Firstly, there is the Advanced
Soccer World of South America and
Europe. Secondly, there is everyone else
namely Asia, Africa, North America, and
Oceania!! Hence there should be A Super
World Cup for the nations of Europe and
South America with an Ordinary World
Cup for all other countries like Asia,
Africa, Oceania and North America!!
Soccer Football is NOT The World Game!!
That is SEX!
~ Jane Wallace
Eds: Good point, well made. Five stars.
RE: GETTING RACY
According to ‘Getting Racy’, the previous
feature on “sexual racism”, we should
reflect upon and discuss our inherent
sexual preferences especially where racial
divides are evident. But to what end? So
that we may alter our desires in conformity
with our distaste for discrimination?
Obviously not, because it is admitted that
“despite knowing that who we fancy is
LETTERS
BULL WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
Tell us about the stories you
shared with your friends or those
you placed on the bottom of your
budgie cage. Or just write and let
us know you’re lonely.
Email usubullmag@gmail.com
inexplicably tied to cultural norms that
have been thrust upon us since birth,
there’s little we can do to cut ourselves
loose”. So what’s left to do? To keep
fancying as we have always done but now
to feel guilty about doing so.To continue
to have certain preferences which have
apparently been built into us, but now to
experience them as racist fetishisations.
We must flagellate ourselves in an eternal
process of privilege checking which
extends not only to our social attitudes but
now to our very desires. So what has been
the effect of this article? Nothing: except
that it adds an extra layer of guilt onto our
existing practices without calling on us to
change them. It defers the utopian dream
of an indiscriminatory desire indefinitely
and makes us feel bad for the biases we
currently inherit.
~ Anonymous
Eds: We’re sorry to hear we’ve caused you
such sexual angst. We can only guess from
this letter what you’re into, but rest assured
no judgement here.
RE: SEX AFTER 60
I just wanted to say that I thought the ‘sex
after 60’ article was excellent. So good to
read something thought-provoking and
well written and I liked how it looked at
LGBT issues as well, as they often aren’t
considered! Was really impressed that a
student wrote it. It thought it could easily
be published in a weekend magazine.
~ Katherine
Eds:Thanks Katherine – it’s wonderful to
hear you enjoyed the piece.And if you’re over
60, you go girl.
8. www.lunaparksydney.com25% off the regular price of an Annual V.I.P Pass. See www.lunaparksydney.com for full Terms and Conditions.
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Counter staff Instructions: Do not process via PDA - Scan Eligible product at counter - Scan Discount Barcode
at counter - Finalise transaction (10% should be deducted from Ticketed Price) - Retain and Destroy Voucher
Limit of 1 voucher per customer, per visit (No bulk buys). Offer only available to eligible product
(Back Up Plus and Wireless Plus). Photocopies will not be accepted.Offer Valid until 30th March 2014
This year, make sure to be ready with the only drives that help back
up all your content from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Whether it’d be research papers, lecture notes or even photos from
your weekend away with mates.
Offer can only be redeemed when presented with original flyer at JB Hi Fi store across NSW only
between 24th Feb - 30th March (inclusive). No photocopies allowed.
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Present this at any JB Hi Fi store
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SG_OWeek_HalfPage_BlitzMag-02_X3.pdf 1 10/02/2014 1:28 pm
9. ISSUE 01
OPINION
9
UNFAIR AND
UNPAID: MECO3671
ALISHA AITKEN-RADBURN
Imagine working
three weeks, 140 hours,
full-time.You would
be pretty excited when
payday rolls around. Except in this scenario,
you end up paying the University of Sydney
$733 to do it.That’s the reality you face when
completing Internship units in undergraduate
degrees like the Bachelor of (Arts) Media and
Communications, Government and Business
focused degrees and many postgraduate courses,
from Art Curating to Health Communication.
In the Media and Communications
Department, the Internship unit consists of
a main work placement that has little to no
interaction with the University.The department
has a fantastic internship coordinator who assists
students to find opportunities but other than this
there are very little other contact hours.
LOVE ME TINDER
RACHEL MCGINTY
I am about to do
something that I
never thought I
would do. I am
admitting a secret
I was going to carry to the grave - I met my
boyfriend on Tinder.
Yes I carry a Tinder secret, and it’s
something I have to constantly deal with because
at heart, I am a diehard romantic. It seems that
in the world of apps, we’ve forgotten how to
meet people. I’ve never seen a film where the girl
was swept off her feet by a Facebook message,
even if it did include cute Emojis. I can’t get my
head around Twitter proposals and I constantly
There are no lectures and no tutorials.
Students then hand in a 2000 word journal
reflecting on the internship, which is then
assessed by the department.
I think it’s about time the University
receives a little refresher course on how
tertiary education usually functions.
Universities provide learning environments
in the form of resources, tutors and lecturers.
In exchange we provide payment which
remunerates academics and contributes to
the cost of resources.
We don’t pay for the Uni to outsource
our learning. Nor do we accept that once
they send us elsewhere for our education
that they then give casual staff the equivalent
cost of a Thai La-Ong lunch special to mark
an assessment.
When you consider the difficulty some
students have balancing Uni, paid employment
and living costs, a compulsory internship for
which you cough up $733, places unfair pressure
on some students.
cringe at E-Harmony ads.Why is it that the
easiest way to meet people is by interacting with
a screen?
I’m so happy I met Luke, but I do wish I
met him a different way, and I just can’t bring
myself to tell people the truth. According to
a few inebriated thinking sessions, we met in
Fisher library, he slid a cute note across the table,
got my number and asked me out a week later.
Let’s be honest, that makes him sound a lot more
suave than he actually is. In reality, we looked at
five photos, read a tagline, saw that we had the
same taste in music and swiped right; something
straight out of a Nicholas Sparks novel.
However, it seems all of our effort was for
nothing. People found out and couldn’t care
less. I even had a friend who after hearing this,
admitted that Tinder allowed him to spread his
man-slut wings and find a girl to bang for every
day of the week (except on Sunday, because
a man needs his rest). Another friend told me
how he managed to get three dates in a week
and he couldn’t be prouder.
I just don’t buy it though. Am I the only
one that thinks ‘online dating’ and ‘GenY’
is an oxymoron? Sure we’re the generation
of technology, but when I think of online dating
I think of my friend’s 50-year-old mum who
met her husband on Christian Mingle. I think
of creepy men who use it like Craigslist. I think
of my friend who uses it as his day planner
for sex. Even though it somehow worked out
for me, I may have read one too many Jane
Austen novels.There should be some sort
of real life contact involved in this process.
Be old-fashioned, ditch the app and actually
have a conversation with people – you never
know who you’ll meet!
On top of this, some students can get stuck
with a really awful internship. Previous graduates
have shifted around subjects and in some cases
failed in order to squeeze an internship into their
busy lives. And, having made these sacrifices
are left to do ubiquitous coffee runs and reword
articles from The Guardian.
It is this polarisation of expectations and
experiences that make the fact that you pay for
the unit of study problematic.
I am pro-internship. It is an absolute
necessity in a number of industries to put in
the hard yards and do some unpaid work.
And personally, I have had some amazing
experiences doing work experiences and
internships. Other have made me want to
shoot myself in the face (see: licking
envelopes for a full day at CHOICE Magazine).
Students deserve credit points for
internships because they have achieved particular
academic outcomes like communication skills
and time management. Not because they can
afford to foot the bill.
OPINION
10. BULL USU.EDU.AU
FEATURE
10
LECTURES AND TUTORS AND BEER,
OH MY! NEVER FEAR, KATIE DAVERN
IS HERE TO HOLD YOUR HAND.
WHETHER YOU’RE A FRESH-FACED university
newbie or a returning soldier, starting
Semester 1 can be tough.That European
holiday your parents paid for seems
decades ago and you’re slapped in the face
with the reality of not knowing the name of
your subjects, let alone being in an adequate
mental state to recommence learning
something other than every scene
of Breaking Bad.
Last year, BULL helped answer age-old
questions on topics like dying online, stage
mums and ethnic foods white people like.
To get the 'bull' rolling this year, we’ve
decided to give you all the answers you
need to survive the first couple of weeks
at uni.You’re welcome.
A: ARTS STUDENT
If only one thing is certain in your degree,
it’s that studying at Sydney Uni will make
everyone you tell, without a moment’s
hesitation, assume you’re a lazy, good-for-
nothing Arts student. And this very well
may be true, but it also may be quite false
(hello Science and Eengineering students).
In any case, BULL advises you to embrace
the stereotype and thank the gods of
Cultural Studies and Philosophy for giving
you a uni week of only two days.
B: BOSCH
Bosch is that little, obscurely placed dot on
your clean USYD map, designed to torture
students who have just come back from a three
month break doing absolutely zero physical
activity. Situated in the Middle of Nowhere,
you’ll probably have at least one class in
Bosch during your time at Sydney Uni, and
we wish your little legs good luck with that.
C: COFFEE
The liquid black gold that runs the world,
also runs Sydney Uni, but in a more
palatable reincarnation – coffee. If you’re
not a coffee-drinker, you’d best be set to
change your ways. No really, if it’s not the
peer pressure, it’ll be that week you have
three assessments due every day. (BULL
Tip #1: Ease into your coffee adventures
with a chocolate-y mocha.)
D: DEFERRING AND TRANSFERRING
If, after the first few weeks of uni, your
course just isn’t cutting it for you, don’t fret!
It isn’t uncommon for school-leavers
to transfer degrees in their first year or
even defer a semester or two throughout
their studies. Instead of having that
existential crisis, speak to your unit
coordinator and you’ll be able to work
something out.
E: EXCHANGE
Doing an exchange during your degree can
be one of the most rewarding experiences
of your student life. Unlike a holiday, you’ll
get a real feel for the country of your choice
and unlike a permanent move, you get to
muck around under the guise of “study”
and get to come back home at the end of it!
(BULL Tip #2:There’s no EXCH1001 class,
so look into it early in your degree if it’s
something you want to do and plan your
studies around it.)
F: FISHER LIBRARY
The only place on earth (or maybe just
in Sydney) that doubles its inhabitants
only in the months of June and October.
At some stage you will probably have to
borrow a book or, perhaps more likely,
meet a friend there, so acquaint yourself.
(BULL Tip #3:The perfect place for a quick
nap is the reserve section, under the wall
shelves on a not-so-fluffy-but-still-good
patch of carpet. Ahh. 9/10 nap stars.)
G: GRADES
BULL’s going to make this nice and simple
for you: Try to attend tutorials/seminars/
11. ISSUE 01
FEATURE
11
labs 80 per cent of the time and you should
be fine (unless you have 100 per cent
attendance lab requirements or something
crazy like that). Handing things in late will
result in a two per cent late penalty per
weekday, unless your faculty is a bit nasty
and deducts ten per cent every weekday –
it’s a good idea to look into that if you’re not
sure. (BULL Tip #4: Despite all of the above,
there’s a neat little thing called the simple
extension.We’ll just leave that there...)
H: HOW TO MEET SOMEONE AT UNI
Making friends is only easy for about
0.01 per cent of the uni population so don’t
worry if your introductory conversation runs
a little short, you’re in the majority. Just be
open to making new friends and watch how
they fly to you like bees to honey. Clubs and
Societies can help you break the ice.
I: IBIS
Beware of the white and grey winged
creature that haunts garbage bins and
vulnerable first years. It will stare at
you and inch closer to you, pretending
to adjust its feathers. But don’t let its
grimy layers fool you.The ibis is after
your food. Always.
J: JACARANDA TREES
There are two jacaranda trees at Sydney
University; one in the Quad and one just
outside Manning.There’s a lame saying
about being ready for exams by the time
the jacaranda sprouts its lilac flowers,
but BULL just thinks the trees are pretty,
hence the inclusion. (BULL Tip #5: Please
don’t send us photos of the jacaranda trees...
we have plenty)
K: KNOWLEDGE
Be prepared to fill up on a good dose
of knowledge. University is the place for
it and your brain will thank you after its
three months of idleness.
L: LAWNS
There are lots of well-kept lawns for
you to sprawl out on in between classes.
From the Quad Lawns to the Law Lawns,
from the Engineering Lawns to the squiggly
chairs on Cadigal Green – there’s a lawn
for every occasion!
M & N: MANNING VS. HERMANNS
The two main watering holes of Sydney
University quench the thirsts of the masses
on a daily basis. Societal rules about it
being too early to drink don’t really exist on
campus, which will be a plus for some. For
the non-drinkers, both bars are pretty great
venues for University events and live music.
O: O-WEEK
The three days where you’ll sign up to
way more clubs than you ever intend
on committing to because stall staff can
sometimes be persuasive, or else the free
chocolate and lollies in their membership
bags had you at hello. Join in and be merry!
P: POLITICS, STUDENT POLITICS
There are a few rounds of student elections
every year, mainly for the SRC and for the
USU Board. Be prepared for an onslaught of
colourful flyers, overly-friendly campaigners
and over-used slogans. By the end of the first
week, you will probably have mastered all
the methods on how to avoid campaigners.
(BULL Tip #6: Be nice to campaigners,
90 per cent probably enjoy the experience
just as much as you do... i.e. not a lot.)
Q: QUIDDITCH
If you are a first year or have managed to
avoid the Internet and breakfast TV for all
of 2013 (a distinct possibility), you may
not know that Sydney Uni has its very own
Quidditch Club! USYD is slowly catching
up to Hogwarts, one quaffle at a time.
R: READINGS
To do one’s readings or to pretend to do
one’s readings; that is the question that will
confront you during your first semester.
Whether you read your set weekly readings
or you don’t, at some stage you will be
required to feign some knowledge of them,
so be prepared to flex those bullshit muscles.
(BULL Tip #7: and it’s probably advisable to
have a flick through your reader before your
exams at the very least.)
S: SCI-TECH LIBRARY
The library where students can eat, drink
and be merry. Perfect if your stomach is
aching for nutrients but your brain is also
demanding some kind of information
before it enters a mid-semester exam in
the next two hours. Now prepare yourself
for some nerdy library low-down: if a quiet
library is what you’re after, try Badham
Library near the Holme building or else,
pretend you’re a Fine Arts student in the
beautiful Schaeffer Library around the
corner from Manning.
T: THEATRESPORTS
For some, it’s a Thursday lunch ritual.
For others, it’s a reason to avoid Manning
and all the comedic fools that stumble in
and out of your favourite uni bar between
12.30-2.30pm. It is something you should
experience at least once, even if student
comedy ain’t really your thing.
U: UNI BROTHERS
Located in the Wentworth food court,
Uni Brothers are famous for their cheap,
hunger-busting meals, the most notable
of which is the Meat Box. A Uni Brothers
Meat Box contains gigantic proportions of
meat, rice and chips; enough to make your
arteries quiver in equal amounts of fear and
excitement.You’re basically a legend if you
finish a Meat Box and a human if you don’t.
V: VERGE FESTIVAL
Verge Festival happens every year
during semester two and is impossible
to miss.Think dynamic art installations,
Harry Potter trivia in The Great Hall (yes),
comedy nights galore and a sizeable dose
of affordable live music,Verge Festival
reinvigorates Sydney Uni in the last part
of the year – when everyone needs it most.
W: WINTER AND SUMMER SCHOOL
Not for the faint-hearted, winter and
summer school is definitely the best way to
catch up on units that you may have failed
or simply forgot to do. It will be a fair chunk
of your holidays dedicated to studying so
make sure you’re prepared to commit.
X: XX – SERVICES FOR WOMEN ON CAMPUS
If you are passionate about women’s issues
or just want to be surrounded by people
who are very likely to have the same views
on the issue, join the Women’s Collective.
Run by the SRC Women’s Officers, they
have regular meetings and can provide
you with a heap of resources, services
and support. Plus, the Women’s Room
on Level 1 at Manning is a safe space to
chill out and it always has an open door.
Y: YOUTH
Your university years are some of the best
in your life (what job will give you a three-
month holiday?) so make the most of it.
Go to those uni events, try your best to get
involved and let your interests lead the way –
savour your youth!
Z: ZERO MONEY
Yep, you’ll realise quite soon that the ‘poor
uni student’ stereotype is unfortunately a
universal truth.While you will become a
master at scouting out free food and events,
there will be some university fun that comes
with a price tag. Along with your mother,
BULL thinks it might be a good idea for you
to get a job. Start your search at Sydney
Uni’s CareerHub – it’s not so scary!
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13. ISSUE 01
FEATURE
13
I WAKE UP ON A COUCH. A hot autumn sun has me peeling
head and limbs from leather. As I contemplate the dull
ache in my head, not yet ready to move, a stranger walks
into the dwelling affectionately known as The Depot
(named for the tour buses often parked in their front
yard). It is the landlord. He enquires about the size of
our night (medium), the location of the others (asleep),
and whether or not I was hanging around to help put up
a ceiling in the living room.
SEAN O’GRADY COULDN’T LIVE LIKE THIS,
BUT HE’S GLAD HIS FRIENDS DO.
A HOLE IN THE WALL
14. counter of the (conveniently) local asbestos removal specialists.
The powder remained unidentified, but was declared safe.
This anecdote is indicative of a sub-culture that often
goes unacknowledged in cities around the world. People move
into these places because they are comparatively cheap when
compared with other rental accommodation, and offer huge
swathes of freedom.What they also get are unforeseeable
dangers, to which they have limited means of recourse.
Tenants find themselves trapped in a catch-22. Landlords
who lease illegal dwellings have no incentive to fix things
that are broken or dangerous. And tenants cannot appeal to
the Residential Tenancies Act, because they don’t live in a
residential building, and risk fines if they are found out.
Ben and Alicia live in two rooms behind the Martin Luther
King Jr. mural in Newtown. Ben lived there first, in a loft bed
above the kitchen. Alicia, his partner, moved into the main
bedroom with Ben when his former housemate returned to
America. They run an open house. People call by to kill time,
to plan short films, to eat take away food they picked up along
King Street or to have a couple of drinks. Planks of wood
straddle milk crates and form seats. Recently, the complex
pooled funds for an inflatable pool.The water quickly turned
stagnant.Whilst they love the revolving set of people that call by,
A couple of months before this, my friends came home one
night to find a new room-mate living there.They had received
no word from the landlord, and had no idea who he was. As it
turned out, he had been living there previously and had simply
re-appeared.They quickly became firm friends, but one has to
wonder what other events could have transpired.
The Cozy Castle started in early 2011. Situated on
Parramatta Road, from the outside it was easily mistaken
for an abandoned commercial lot, left decrepit as leases in
the Inner West became too steep. And it was exactly that
when people first moved in.The process of turning it into
a space that could be lived in was fraught. Michael Booker,
a UNSW Arts student, helped set up and later lived in
The Cozy Castle (with no rooms left, he simply built a new
one himself). He tells of a room that was filled ankle high
with a mysterious green powder. Residents were worried
that it might be asbestos.With no ability to claim expenses
for cleaning and testing the powder (legally speaking nobody
was allowed to live there) a group of students and artists
were understandably at a loss with what to do. Marlena, a
performance artist, utilising what Booker describes as her
“LA grifter skills”, simply picked up a handful of the powder,
marched it across Parramatta Road, and dumped it on the
14 BULL USU.EDU.AU
FEATURE
MARLENA, A PERFORMANCE ARTIST, UTILISING WHAT BOOKER DESCRIBES AS HER “LA GRIFTER SKILLS”,
SIMPLY PICKED UP A HANDFUL OF THE POWDER, MARCHED IT ACROSS PARRAMATTA ROAD, AND DUMPED IT
ON THE COUNTER OF THE (CONVENIENTLY) LOCAL ASBESTOS REMOVAL SPECIALISTS.
15. at times their generosity hurts them. Once, they left a friend’s
21st to go home and get a good night’s sleep – they didn’t feel
like partying.The party took their leaving as an invitation to
kick on back at their place. Convincing people that the house
wasn’t open for kick-ons took over an hour.
Location is a blessing and a curse for Ben and Alicia.
The steady stream of people leaving the Courthouse
at close often sees people wander up to their
back gate. Sometimes the lock is kicked in.
Whilst the landlord replaces it, the lock
remains flimsy and is kicked in again.
On the event of Margaret
Thatcher’s death, a rally celebrating
the former British Prime
Minister’s demise was staged on
their doorstep. Coming home
with a few friends – all under
the influence – they were made
to navigate a dozen or so irate
Anarchists blocking their front
door and yelling “the witch is
dead!” Eventually they retreated
to their back door. By the time
they felt it was safe to venture
outside (sometime after the police
came and broke up the protest) they
were able to trace a trail of destruction
through Camperdown Memorial Park.
The theme that runs through the people I speak
to is that the sacrifices in security and living conditions
make up for themselves in terms of the freedom they
are granted.
Booker describes The Cozy Castle not as a house, but as a venue.
It may have had only one shower for up to 10 tenants, but while
they lived there it was not just a home, but a rehearsal space,
art studio and live music venue. I went to a party (my first in
a warehouse) where live bands played, performance art happened
and people were left to wander through art installations.
Graffiti is a recurring theme. Residents of
both the Cozy Castle and The Depot lend
their house out as a canvas to graffiti artists.
Booker much preferred waking up to
a “crazy bird man” than to a blank
wall. Declan, a Fine Arts student,
threw his 21st at The Depot.
His lazy afternoon of drinks
kicked on well into the evening.
As I sat there I watched friends
of his (and one complete
stranger) paint murals and
throw up stencils, transforming
the inside of their place from
plaster walls, to a gallery of
sorts. Not only is the art left
behind, but the stories of how
it got there stay along with it.
As The Depot is passed onto new
tenants (it will be soon) they will
inherit an eclectic body of work – no
doubt adding to it themselves.
As for the negative experiences, a silver
lining is often found. Alicia reclaimed a pair of shoes
discarded by the Anarchists. She wears them to this day.
Special thanks toVincent Power for allowing BULL the use of
his photographs.
COMING HOME WITH
A FEW FRIENDS – ALL UNDER
THE INFLUENCE – THEY WERE MADE
TO NAVIGATE A DOZEN OR SO IRATE
ANARCHISTS BLOCKING THEIR
FRONT DOOR AND YELLING
“THE WITCH IS DEAD!”
ISSUE 01
FEATURE
15
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and fitness centres, a range of
short courses, social sport, and
more than 45 sporting clubs
to get involved in, our annual
membership gives you access to
an amazing range of benefits at
unbeatable prices.unbeatable prices.
For the full range of membership passes, visit www.susf.com.au
or call into either The Sports & Aquatic Centre or The Arena Sports Centre.
It’s easy to become
an annual member
at Sydney Uni Sport
& Fitness
PRICES
Sydney Uni Students
$60
Sydney Uni Staff
& Community Members
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Facebook: ‘Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness’ Twitter: ‘SydUniSportFit’
17. ISSUE 01
INTERVIEW
17
GEORGIA HITCH is a third year Media
and Communications student here at the
University of Sydney who is certainly leaving
her mark on the Sydney community radio
scene.This year, the Canberra born 20-year-
old is stepping up to the mic to present
Up For It, the breakfast show on FBi. She’s
sweet, switched on, and has a collection
of ticket stubs ranging from Paul Simon
to The Kooks. Erin Rooney sat down and
had a little chat with one of the youngest
breakfast radio presenters in Australia.
What first appealed to you about working
in radio?
Well, I’ve done a bit of work in TV and film,
and I think the thing that I drew on from
those experiences was that working behind
the scenes, you don’t get as much credit
as you deserve. So I think that’s the thing
that most appealed to me about radio, that
you get instant credit if you put in the hard
yards producing and putting together the
show, and people recognise that as you speak
through the microphone.
How did you start working at FBi?
I applied for presenter training in June/July
of 2012, just because it was my first year in
Sydney and I thought I’d try my hand in TV,
film, radio and whatever else in the media
world I could have a go at. Unfortunately,
I didn’t get straight into the presenter
training, but then they asked if I wanted to
come on as a volunteer, and I said yes.
What’s the best interview that you’ve done
for FBi?
It was probably one I did with Regurgitator,
the first time I’d done a Drive show. I was
producing the show and the programming
director asked me to fill in, and that has
probably been the biggest opportunity,
because it was a good chance for me to
prove that I could do it. It was my first live-
to-air interview, and they’re a very iconic
band – even my parents knew who they
were! It was one of those weird ones because
I was just so nervous, checking the mics and
everything. But it was definitely the one that
got the ball rolling.
And was it worth the hard yards to get out there
presenting?
Yes definitely! Some people are really
against presenting; just the idea of being
behind the microphone really throws them.
Having said that, producing was a lot of
fun as well, something that I really enjoyed,
and I think that presenting is just a step up
from that. For me it’s kind of like a natural
progression. It’s where I had aimed to get to
in the beginning and I was going around the
steps to get there.
What do you think you’re going to bring to
Up For It?
It’s going to be a lot about enthusiasm.
I think coming from Canberra and being in
Sydney – it’s still a novelty, the idea that I’m
going to be on the radio and be on it every
morning. It’s very exciting, even when I was
doing overnight shifts from 1-6am, people
could tune in and hear your voice on the
radio, and for me that doesn’t really ever
get old! But yeah, lots of Fleetwood Mac…
there will be lots of Fleetwood Mac.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
My goal would be to work internationally,
that’s my aim for the sky kind of thing.
I would like to be in broadcasting, whether
that’s producing internationally or working
in some other form in radio. Hopefully for
a music channel because that’s really what
interests me.
What was your favourite track of 2013?
‘Time To Run’ by Lord Huron. It was one
of those ones I discovered in the music
library at FBi and I think that there was
this funny fact about how one of their
clips uses Indonesian subtitles and has this
Spaghetti Western setting. I just got really
into the album – it’s an amazing debut
album from them.
INTERVIEW
GEORGIA HITCH
19. ISSUE 01
FEATURE
19
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I had a family friend named Dean
who loved to play with fire. I still remember a holiday in
Fraser Island when he sprayed deodorant on his shoes,
set them on fire and watched them burn as dingoes scampered
away from the light into the shadows beneath the caravans.
Not long after that, we went to different high schools,
stopped playing sport together and I forgot all about Dean and
his burning desire.That was until a year or so ago, when I was
in a supermarket and saw him on the front page of one of the
Sunday tabloids. His face was black with ash, but there he was
in a Rural Fire Service uniform with a hose in his hand and a
blaze at his back.
There was something about fire that always captivated
him. In some ways bushfires are elemental to all of our lives
in Australia.We recognise like something instinctual that smell,
that eerie yellow glow. I live in the bush and every sign
of smoke comes with a story – where embers
from the last fire landed, which houses in the
street burnt down, how galahs screamed as
they flew out of the valley. As many as
60,000 bushfires rip across Australia
every year. Although research
suggests up to half of these bushfires
might be deliberately lit, very little
is known about who starts them
and even less is known about why.
There’s no classic bushfire arsonist,
no single profile of a fire setter.
What do we know about people
who deliberately light bushfires?
According to Doctor Janet Stanley,
Chief Research Officer at the Monash
Sustainability Institute, the vast majority
are men, about 40 per cent are adolescents
aged 15 to 17 years old, 13 per cent are children
and the rest are most likely to be men aged 30 and
older.The motivations of bushfire starters differ
from those who set structures like banks and schools alight.
They are not as goal-oriented, they don’t want to obtain
insurance money, hide crime, seek revenge or threaten
specific individuals. But there’s no definable mindset common
amongst bushfire arsonists; their reasons for starting fires
are as complex as they are diverse.
Doctor Stanley says fire setting can be an impulsive
action for younger people, who often don’t intend to commit
arson when they strike a match. “A lot of it comes from
anger, some from straight boredom, and sometimes without
the intention of lighting a bushfire, they might set fire to a
rubbish bin and it spreads,” she says. “There’s a high youth
unemployment rate at the moment and quite a high level of
disengagement.They’re not looking for jobs, they’re not in
education and often these youths live around the edges of cities
which are penetrating into the bush.”
The psychology behind fire setting seems to get even
murkier when it comes to the group of men aged 30 and over
who light fires. “There’s not a lot we know but there seems to
be some patterns,” Doctor Stanley says. “Many of them were
firelighters when they were younger, but most children and
adolescents who light fires grow out of it, but this group of
usually men over 30 maintained the behaviour.There’s a
whole complex of reasons why,” Doctor Stanley says.
They may feel disengaged from the community and see
a huge bushfire as way to re-connect.They might want to gain
attention. Although extensive media coverage doesn’t
make an arsonist, experts say it can trigger someone who has
been planning to light a fire or has started one in the past.
Others may be mentally ill or personality disordered
like Brendan Sokaluk, who was found guilty of
starting a fire on Black Saturday in 2009 that
killed 10 people. His conviction made him
Victoria’s worst killer but the judge said
he found sentencing him difficult as
Sokaluk has an intellectual disability
and is autistic. Most who light
troublesome fires do it within four
kilometres of where they live and
many serial firebugs plan well in
advance, selecting locations where
fire is likely, preparing incendiary
devices, waiting until a day where
the pointer on fire warning signs
in the neighbourhood are sitting
on extreme.
Attempting to establish a portrait
of fire starters can be a nebulous and
futile exercise, because they often share
the characteristics of other general offenders.
The director of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science
and Legal Studies at Swinburne University, Professor
James Olgoff, says the so called “profile” of fire starters –
young, white, lower socioeconomic status males who are socially
limited, unemployed and substance using – is generally useless
for attempting to identify them or determining which ones are
at risk of re-offending.
Indeed, fire starters rarely only criminally offend by
committing arson. They might light a bushfire one day, steal
a car the next. “It’s once a fire and then they do something
else,” says Professor Olgoff’s colleague Doctor Troy McEwan.
“There’s this image of firebugs running around setting fires
but most people who are charged with arson actually have
committed lots of other offences and they are not arson related.
Very few people exclusively set fires.”
EVERY YEAR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BUSHFIRES BURN ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND EXPERTS SAY AS MANY AS HALF
MIGHT BE DELIBERATELY LIT. BUT WHO ARE THESE FIREBUGS? COULD THEY BE OUR NEIGHBOURS OR UNI FRIENDS?
MELANIE KEMBREY INVESTIGATES A BURNING DESIRE
“PEOPLE LIGHT
A FIRE AND THEN
THEY ARE FIRST ON THE
SCENE AT THE STATION
WITH THEIR GEAR ON,
READY TO FIGHT.”
20. BULL USU.EDU.AU
FEATURE
20
Dr McEwan says pyromania is an old diagnostic term and it’s
unhelpful when it comes to understanding bushfire arsonists
because it is circular: people who light fires are told they have
pyromania; pyros are pyros because they light fires. Often
people who repeatedly light fires aren’t unable to control their
actions but find them positively reinforcing. Like eating an
entire tub of chocolate ice cream, it either relieves how bad
you are feeling or just intrinsically feels good. It’s generally
accepted that almost a third of arsonists will go on to start
more fires; some will set hundreds over their lifetime.
“The fire itself is not addictive but incredibly
reinforcing.The psychological and emotional response
they get from lighting the fire make it such a pleasant
experience, something they want to do more than once.
It’s highly reinforcing,” Dr McEwan says. “Even if
your intention isn’t to relieve some kind of anxiety but
to get a response, fires get an immediate response and
are therefore immediately reinforcing.That’s how the
behaviour can become repetitive.”
There are also the relatively rare but extremely well
publicised cases of Rural Fire Service volunteers caught
lighting fires.There was 20-year-old Joshua Staples,
a junior volunteer, who was found guilty last year of lighting
a series of fires in greater western Sydney. Or even more
recently, the 21-year-old volunteer Alex Gordon Noble who lit
10 fires in Lake Macquarie in August and September and then
assisted in putting them out. Police alleged he started the blazes
because he was bored, wanted to gain firefighting experience
and eventually work full-time with the RFS. According to
police, his plan was to start the fire, call the police on his way
“THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSE
THEY GET FROM LIGHTING THE
FIRE MAKE IT SUCH A PLEASANT
EXPERIENCE, SOMETHING THEY
WANT TO DO MORE
THAN ONCE.”
21. ISSUE 01
FEATURE
21
to the fire station and then wait to attend the fire in his RFS
uniform. Noble called Triple Zero 17 separate times to report
fires. He turned himself into police in the end and said he
wanted help to manage his fascination with fire. His Facebook
cover image was a picture of bush burning.
Matthew Willis, Research Analyst at the Australian Institute
of Criminology (AIC), says these people are usually socially
excluded, don’t have stable personal relationships and volunteer
as a firefighter to improve their self esteem and to be seen
as a hero. “If you do that and you don’t actually get a chance
to stop a fire, sometimes people will create that opportunity
for themselves. People light a fire and then they are first on
the scene at the station with their gear on, ready to fight,”
Mr Willis says.
A fascination with fire is a normal thing. Fire is built
into mythologies and our culture, indivisible from images of
total destruction and complete rebirth. Many children play
with fire, burning leaves and paper, and that’s quite standard
behaviour, says Mr Willis. “It’s quite normal for kids to do
that but then some move on to experimenting with something
larger, and for a small proportion of them it becomes really
problematic and starts to deliver that extra gain,” he says.
People who light bushfires don’t necessarily intend to kill
people and cause destruction, many just want to receive a
response and simply don’t consider what could happen if the
fire is not put out in time.
All of the experts and researchers I speak to start the
conversation with some version of the refrain: “Again there is
almost no research to actually understand a lot of this.”There is
little data on bushfire arson in Australia.While fire investigators
can determine that a fire is suspicious, it’s incredibly difficult
to find who is responsible and only about one per cent of
arsonists are caught and convicted. From those that are
caught and charged, there’s only a certain proportion that
can be accessed by experts for research purposes.Without
understanding the psychology of fire setters, it’s difficult to
form strategies to prevent bushfire arson or to create treatment
or intervention programs for those who do light fires.
Mr Willis, from the AIC, says the risk of bushfire arson
is increasing as weather conditions become more severe and
urban sprawl means cities are expanding into fringe areas
where suburbs meet the bush. “Prevention is the goal, to
reduce the likelihood and the number of fires that are lit,”
he says. “The majority of fires that are deliberately lit will end
up being small and quickly and easily controlled by fire services
but every time a fire is lit you create the possibility that it’s
going to end up becoming damaging and contributing to some
of the terrible fire events we’ve seen.”
Research is taking place on the subject in other countries –
particularly in the United Kingdom and United States and
concerning child arsonists – but the data is not necessarily
transferable to Australia, which has its own unique environment
and conditions. Although the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal
Commission, held after the Black Saturday bushfires that
killed 173 people, recommended a research program aimed at
refining arson prevention and detection strategies, government
cash hasn’t been put on the table.We know details about when,
where and how people start bushfires but as we hit the peak
of this year’s fire season, the why part of the equation remains
largely a mystery and at best a guessing game.
22. BULL USU.EDU.AU
TASTE
22
WHO’S DOING IT BEST
LAURA HANLON
WHETHER YOU’RE EATING OFF A ROCK at
Black Star Pastry in Newtown or drinking a
shake out of a glass milk bottle from Three
Williams Café in Redfern, it seems Sydney’s
bars and cafés are embracing their earthy
roots with more quirky and sustainable ways
to serve food and beverages. So, hop on your
Malvern Star and raise a jar to the top local
eateries and bars acing the trend.
1. Paint tin cocktails @Newtown Hotel,
174 King St, Newtown
An instant #sohipster is awarded to the
booze selection from this 130-year-old
establishment, which has recently been given
a lick of fresh paint.Walk past the kissing
booth and you will find the beer garden and
the Paint Tin Donkey Punch.The sugary
concoction is filled with lychees, Gordon’s
gin, apple, mixed berry tea, roses and a ladle
for sharing while you people watch those
same people admiring your paint tin.
2. Egg carton croquettes @Three
Williams, 613a Elizabeth St, Redfern
With newly propped bike racks, peddling
up Cleveland Street and hooking a right to
pay an affordable visit to this new resident
is only polite. Crispy fish croquettes are
nestled into a half egg carton recycled from
their egg orders. Accompanied by a wedge
of lemon and aioli, fingers will be sufficiently
licked. Grab some beer battered chips to
compliment the fish or go for a grilled prawn
“narnie” (a naan bread/sandwich hybrid)
– the soft pillows of bread will have you
dreaming of your next hit.
3. Juice jars @Devon Café,
76 Devonshire St, Surry Hills
Don’t worry, manufactured meat served on
a sandwich with tomato sauce is nowhere
in sight at this café. Instead, friendly staff
(some with glorious accents!) will cut
the mint for your watermelon and apple
refresher straight from the herb wall.
Served in jars, the fresh juice selection
matches any meal on their organic menu.
Minimalist decor follows the au naturale
feel of the café, with beechwood-crafted
furniture throughout. University of
Sydney student and mega-foodie,Thanisa
Naripthaphan, has frequented a number of
restaurants serving up dishes with a hint
of hipster and recommends Devon Café if
you’re after a modern-Australian menu and
a trendy hum.
4. Old record coasters @Grasshopper Bar,
Temperance Laneway, Sydney
High quotients of hipsters scuttle down
this dark alleyway, and for good reason.
Bar owner and President of the Small Bar
Association, Martin O’Sullivan, has cosily
tetris-ed himself between the Hilton Hotel
and Strand Arcade to inject something
special among the rubbish bins lining
the pavement. Bringing wallpaper back
and sourcing second-hand furniture,
this retro-esque small bar has a numbered
rather than named drink list and uses old
records as coasters. No. 89 is particularly
cute, with honeydew melon liquor, caramel,
lime and a pony of pineapple brought to
you in a teddy bear jar. Any cocktail spillage
would be a sin.
5. Paddle boards, Errywhere
Why are all our meals suddenly being plated
on wooden paddles? Previously reserved for
gourmet pizzas straight from the wood-fire
oven, timber slabs are increasingly sidelining
the humble ceramic. Undergoing a popular
“square” transformation in the 90s, the
plate’s material-morphism was inevitable.
The Wedge Espresso at 53/55 Glebe Point Rd
dishes up several items on the board
including their upgraded take on sloppy
joes. Newcomer Bion Societé is another
food styling hub located in Camperdown.
The Organic Breakfast Granola – a glass
full of maple roasted oats, mixed nuts with
vanilla yoghurt foam and berries – sits on
top of a honey-drizzled paddle board.
The Smoked Salmon Stack is also beautifully
presented with rose-shaped curls of salmon
on sour dough toast, avocado puree, feta,
trout roe, fresh herbs, olive oil and marinated
black olives.
TASTE
SERVING TRENDS
23. ISSUE 01
GO
23
ICE FISHING IN HWACHEON
ROB NORTH
FISHING CERTAINLY ISN’T MY FAVOURITE PASTIME
in Australia. I’ve never had the patience or the
skill. In fact, the closest I’ve come to catching
a fish is at the local teppanyaki restaurant –
and even then I dropped it!
But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity
to smash a hole in the ice and hook my
very own catch of the day. And little did
I know, by the end of the afternoon I’d be
stripping off my winter woollies, diving into
a pit of near freezing water, and trying my
hand (literally) at catching a big ol’
mountain trout.
The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
is an annual celebration of all things winter
in Korea.Taking place roughly three hours
north east of Seoul, it reportedly draws over
a million people each year looking to have a
go at the main event: ice fishing.
The bus trip out to Hwacheon weaves
its way through the mountainous countryside,
passing countless quiet farming villages
and tank lined army outposts. Upon arrival
I ventured down through the silent back alley
markets, where visitors can pick up a wide
variety of fresh local produce.There are also
a number of small admittedly unappealing
looking restaurants, with middle aged women
chopping and preparing the meals in the
middle of the room. I personally opted not
to try them, but if I’ve learnt anything
travelling in Korea, it’s often the dingiest
backwater eateries that serve the best and
most authentic cuisine.
The sleepy riverside village stands in
stark contrast to the bustling, neon drenched
sprawling metropolis of Seoul.The unassuming
low-rise community is flanked on all sides
by mountains, providing a scenic experience
for visitors and residents alike. And perhaps
most noticeably, it is devoid of nearly all signs
of Western influence, save for the modern
architecture and the odd convenience store
or two.
The frozen river sits on the edge of town,
and I was shocked to see just how many
people had come along to revel in the winter
wonderland.Thousands of Korean families
stood on the ice, fishing, cooking and eating.
Ice fishing itself is fairly simple, and
removes a lot of the complexities of normal
fishing.There’s no big rod, which means no
casting. Instead the process involves hacking
a hole in the ice with a small metal pick, and
dropping a line and lure down the hole. Every
three seconds a small ‘bob’ is necessary to
keep the fish below interested.
Unfortunately I wasn’t quite able to
grasp the simple technique; I was shamed by
the skilful locals, many of whom seemed to be
pulling in a fish per minute.
Soon enough, a festival staff member
noticed my frustration and grabbed my hand,
leading me down the ice and into a small tent.
After changing into a t-shirt and a pair of shorts
I was ushered out onto the ice and stood beside
a small circular pit of ice water teeming with
mountain trout.
It was time for hand fishing.
‘Gangnam Style’ was pumping over
the speaker system, and the announcer was
whipping the growing audience into a frenzy.
And then we jumped in. I dropped my hands
into the cold water and began reaching for the
quick and slippery fish. I managed to catch a
couple, and proceeded to stuff them down my
shirt (as is the done practice) to avoid them
wriggling out my hands.
Call me crazy, but despite the cold it
was a genuinely exhilarating experience.
I can’t say that I’ve come back to Australia
an avid fisherman, but Hwacheon certainly
hooked me in.
GO
SOUTH KOREA
DO KOREA LIKE A TRUE TOURIST
1. Visit a Cat Café: Korea is home to
many cat cafés where patrons can play
with or merely watch the household
pets while they eat.
2. Take a DMZ Tour: Bill Clinton
describes it as the scariest place on
earth. Pick a tour company that visits
Panmunjom, the abandoned village on
the border where discussions between
North and South continue to take place.
3. Get Drunk on Soju: This sweet vodka-
like substance plays a central part in all
Korean celebrations and business deals,
but be warned – almost any local will
well and truly drink you under the table.
24. BULL USU.EDU.AU
SECTION HEADING
24 BULL USU.EDU.AU
MOVE
24
NOW & ZEN
SOPHIE GALLAGHER
THE BEATLES DID IT, Mick Jagger’s doing it,
and even Radiohead front man ThomYorke
has revealed that he uses meditation, “the new
cool”, to help keep his spirits high.
A few years ago it was dieting and
hard-core gym workouts. Now, celebrities,
mums and mobs have been slowing down
and waxing lyrical about the quiet side of
life. Clearly, a bit of chilling out and finding
your Zen is needed to cope with our hectic
modern day routines.
“There is no question that meditation
has recently become very popular,” said
local meditation guru,Thom Knoles, who
has been based in Sydney for more than 30
years. He says meditation is about everything
you do in life becoming easier, and you start
understanding more about yourself, leading
to a better life.
Drawing on the age-old practices of
religion, meditation is the perfect answer to
peace of mind, and its blissful benefits are
tenfold. Daily practice aims to help control
the mind, resulting in improved creativity,
rejuvenation and greater concentration
ability, boosting self-confidence and mental
toughness.
Sydney University student, Amy Grady,
always meditates before an exam to help
organise her thoughts. “It allows me stay
calm and prepares me to expect any exam
scenario,” she said. “I truly believe it’s as
important as studying.”
Experts say regular meditation lowers
stress, increases energy and improves overall
health and wellbeing, with different styles
and techniques available to help achieve
inner peace by calming the mind.
Transcendental Meditation (often called
TM) is one of the most popular forms of
meditation because the effortless technique
can be practiced by anybody, anywhere.
Introduced in India in the mid-1950s by
spiritual leader Maharishi MaheshYogi,
TM involves the use of a sound or mantra
and is practiced for 15 to 20 minutes
twice per day.
Buddhism is similar in its philosophy
of spiritual enlightenment and encourages
students to learn more about the theory
behind the practice. Unibodhi, the
University of Sydney Buddhist Society, has
free meditation workshops and HALS, the
Health and Lifestyle Society, encourages
everyone to enjoy meditation.
If you want to go the source, the Nan
Tien Temple down the South Coast offers a
great introduction to Buddhist meditation,
with one-day retreats held throughout the
year.To find inner peace in the inner city,
you can drop in to meditation and Buddhism
classes at Mahasiddha Kadampa Meditation
Centre in Surry Hills.
MOVE
MEDITATION
FREE YOUR MIND
STAY LOCAL
• The Buddhist Library and Meditation
Centre in Camperdown has a wealth
of information and teachings of Buddhist
techniques, with regular talks and
courses. 90 Church St, Camperdown.
buddhistlibrary.org.au
• The Mahasiddha Kadampa Meditation
Centre in Newtown offers weekly
classes throughout Sydney, with drop in
Monday workshops in Newtown. Dickson
Space, 35 - 39 Dickson St, Newtown.
meditateinsydney.org
GET OUT OF TOWN
• The Blue Mountains Insight and
Meditation Centre is a hot spot for silent
retreats, chanting meditation and regular
courses. 25 Rutland Rd, Medlow Bath.
meditation.asn.au
DIY AT HOME
• Find a quiet space to meditate for
20 minutes twice a day. It's as easy
as that!
• Every weekday, Daily Om will email you
inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy
and fulfilling day. See dailyom.com
• Read Deepak Chopra. See chopra.com
25. ISSUE 07
SECTION HEADING
25
THE “NEXT BIG THING”
EDEN CACEDA
WITH SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZING about the
new wearable computer, and technology
enthusiasts awaiting the final retail version
to be released later this year, Google Glass
is expected to be the “next big thing”
in computing.
Google Glass is the latest advance in
augmented reality that allows people to
interact in the real world while browsing
the Internet and living life as if through
the glasses of a computer.The user has
an optical head-mounted display, which
presents information in a small rectangle
“glass” above the right eye’s field of vision.
This display presents information in a
Smartphone format and can be controlled
through voice commands by the wearer.This
means that you can wear Google Glass and
use it in your every day field of vision, film
or take photos of what you are seeing, or
search and translate while you’re walking
down the street.
Google X, the corporation’s secret
facility responsible for Google’s driverless
car and stratosphere Internet balloons, has
developed the new headset computing
system. Google Glass aims to become a
ubiquitous computer – a computer that
appears anywhere and everywhere. Google
branded the invention as an interactive
computer that can “be there when you need
it and [get] out of your way when you don’t.”
Google Glass will one day replace the
Smartphone, becoming an extension of the
body rather than a pocket-bound distraction.
The wants of consumers are also being heard
through the Glass Explorer program of
2013, which allowed some people to test the
technology.This particular initiative meant
that things like the app store and media
player were added to the final list of specs
for Google Glass and will be fine-tuned for
distribution to the publiclater this year.
However, integrating technologies
like this into everyday life may be difficult
because of the computer’s unusual equipment.
A user was controversially given a fine
because she was driving while wearing the
frameless glasses (despite them not being
activated) late last year. In January, another
user was questioned by police after wearing
the eyewear inside an AMC cinema film
screening.This particular incident has
brought up questions of film piracy and how
new technology like this can be monitored.
With any new technology there is
potential for misuse and privacy issues.
When people are walking around with their
Google Glasses on and recording everything
in their sight, some people may feel uneasy,
prompting the belief that the computer
could be used as a perving mechanism.
Google even removed an app that allowed
photos to be taken with a blink and facial
recognition apps will be banned from
Google Play for Glass.
Google Glass has already been released
to some reviewers to evaluate how the
computer works before hitting the markets
and so far has achieved mixed results.
The battery life seems to be a big issue for
current users, saying the hardware only lasts
about a day, if that.When sending a photo or
video it is difficult to use a simple function
like MMS or email attachment. But, hands-
free ability to message, navigate, search and
take photos makes it a piece of computing
that could potentially change the world and
the way we live our lives.
LEARN
GOOGLE GLASS
25ISSUE 01
LEARN
HYBRID FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
1. THE TAYBERRY is a mix between
blackberry and red raspberry and
named after the River Tay in Scotland.
Tayberries are much sweeter, larger
and more aromatic than blackberries
and raspberries. The berry is difficult
to pick by hand and cannot be machine
harvested so it is on its way to becoming
a commercially grown berry crop.
2. RANGPURS are a hybrid of mandarins
and lemons. Also known as lemandarins,
the bitter fruit is incredibly acidic and is
commonly used as a substitute for limes.
Named after Rangpur in Bangladesh, a
city known for this and other citrus fruits,
rangpurs were introduced to Florida from
Bengal in the late 19th Century from
seeds obtained in northwest India.
3. TANGELOS are a cross between
tangerines and grapefruits, or pomelos.
Developed by a U.S. Department of
Agriculture biologist Walter Swingle in
1911, tangelos are incredibly large when
next to a normal tangerine. They have
a juicy, tangerine flavour but lack the
bitterness of a grapefruit.
4. PLUOTS are later generation crosses of
plums and apricots. They taste like plums
but have the texture of an apricot and
were created by 20th Century biologist
Floyd Zaiger. Their hybrid nature means
that pluots can endure long distance
shipping before reaching consumers,
unlike plums and apricots.
5. BLOOD LIMES are a hybrid citric fruit
developed by the CSIRO to investigate
salt-resistant crop. A mix between
Ellendale mandarins and Australian Finger
limes, they have seen some commercial
development with the first crop hitting
markets in Australia in 2004. The fruit is
now in consideration for export.
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27. 27ISSUE 01
FEATURE
DON’T PANIC, EDEN CACEDA AND WHITNEY DUAN ARE HERE TO
SHOW YOU THE WAY OUTSIDE OF THE UNIVERSITY WALLS
As a fresher, the sites are too numerous to know where to start,
and as a returning veteran, it all seems to have blurred into
a vague memory as you visit the same place every time.
Expeditions to the exciting terrain beyond campus borders,
as you will find, often teach you more than the lectures will.
Between and after classes, venturing beyond the gates with
or without company will certainly cure any hunger, ennui or
writer’s block uni throws your way.
So without further ado, here’s a USYD student’s guide to
(more or less) the galaxy.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS PERKS a University of Sydney student
is privileged with while studying on the Camperdown and
Darlington campuses: close proximity to Central Station, the
Hogwarts-esque beauty of the Quadrangle and the archives
of Fisher Library – to name a few. However, the biggest benefit
is most probably the location.
The uni’s surrounding suburbs host a kaleidoscope
of culturally diverse restaurants, quaint cafés and great
social hubs that are too often given up for a lazy pide or
Manning chips.
28. BULL USU.EDU.AU
FEATURE
28
CENTRAL
WHITE RABBIT GALLERY (14 min from City Rd Entrance)
Housed modestly in a four-story warehouse,White Rabbit
Gallery exhibits an internationally recognised collection of
artworks without the pretentiousness or elitism too often
associated with the art world.The contemporary Chinese
gallery delivers a thought-provoking chorus of political and
cultural messages about China, its inhabitants and diaspora
post-Mao.The vastly diverse and ever-changing collection
never fails to astound while their ambient Tea Room provides
the perfect climate to vent your awe over dumplings.
NEWTOWN
GOULD’S BOOK ARCADE (7 min from City Rd Entrance)
From fading and peeling paint to postered windows, the tired
exterior of Gould’s looks more like a ramshackle newsagency
than the enormous treasure cave it holds. Every corner of this
two-storey labyrinth is stuffed with an impressive collection
of second-hand books, records, DVDs, magazines, CDs and
anything out of print. In the lavish chaos of this bookworm’s
dream, there’s no promise you’ll find what you’re looking for;
it has everything and nothing.
THE PIE TIN (13 min from City Rd Entrance)
The staling pies under the polished cabinet at Pie Face frown
bitterly across the road at the mouth of the innocent lane where
Newtown’s pie magnate-in-residence dwells. Infamous for its
heavenly dessert pies, the café seduces hoards into her chic
setting, lusting for a slice of the Oreo pie. Alternatively, for those
with a savoury tooth,The Pie Tin’s freshly baked artisan pies
come in delightfully generous servings.
DENDY CINEMAS (15 min from City Rd Entrance)
The resident theatre for the University crowd is close to all the
great offerings of King Street. Hosting an array of foreign and
independent films, the interior of Dendy is refreshing and far
from the archetypes of other chain cinemas. If you have a big
gap in a timetable or want to take another student on a date after
class, Dendy is a good place to visit.
GLEBE
TERU CAFÉ (3 min from University Ave entrance)
The first thing you need to know about USYD cultural life:
ACCESS will always be your best friend. At Teru, you get
10 per cent off when you flash that piece of orange plastic.
The mosaic of retro posters, mounted on brightly coloured
walls, black and white tiled floors, and the oriental wooden
partition give this pizza-turned-burger joint an ethnic feel that
you just can’t seem to put your finger on. Its large seating area
towards the back caters to big groups, making this café a great
place to come with a group of friends. Oh, and they do an
incredible lamb burger.
THE WEDGE (4 min from University Ave Entrance)
Wedged into a small alleyway, this hidden gem is too often
bypassed by students.The narrow strip that is The Wedge
accommodates one of the most astonishingly original cafés
Glebe has to offer.The quirky bar serves up a truly unique
menu of Australian-inspired healthy light meals and beverages
that far outshine food you’ll find on campus.
SAPPHO BOOKS CAFÉ & WINE BAR (3 min from University Ave Entrance)
The rich aromas of fresh coffee waft through the dusty aisles of
this second-hand bookstore that hides a lively wine bar boasting
a variety of tasty snacks. Behind the shelves, the rustic and run-
down courtyard being inhabited by tropical ferns is the perfect
venue for book lovers to eat and enjoy some Charlotte Brontë.
With specialty tapas at affordable prices, Sappho’s is a relaxing
place to go with a friend for a quick lunch, read a book, or cuddle
with the shop’s resident kitten.
VICTORIA PARK (10 sec from University Ave Entrance)
As a main thoroughfare for students bitterly trudging to their
lectures,Victoria Park is easily overlooked as a social space.
Framed by busy main roads, it’s hard to find a getaway
from concrete confines as beautiful and as ambient as this.
Whether you’re just looking for a sunbathed picnic on the
grass, or a breath of fresh air via the scenic route, or feeling
adventurous enough to kayak the pond waters,Victoria Park
is a student’s Mecca for unwinding from the stresses of
tertiary education.
Teru Café TheWedge
29. ISSUE 01
FEATURE
29
KING STREET
Newtown dwellers are infamous for living off a toxic diet of local
Thai, froyo and beer that dominate King Street.The bustling
street alone, before it even splits into Enmore Road, is home
to 16 Thai restaurants, 6 frozen yoghurt stores and 21 bars and
pubs. Here we collected the top few for each category:
THAI (N.B.Always bring cash, card is rarely accepted)
THAIRIFFIC (9 min from City Rd Entrance): Housed in a chic modern
casual dining space,ThaiRiffic prevails in all categories
– food quality, atmosphere, service and value.
THAI-LA ONG (9 min from City Rd Entrance): As a hungry student
with a shallow hip pocket,Thai-La Ong’s extensive $7 lunch
specials menu will be the answer to all your prayers.
CHEDI THAI (8 min from City Rd Entrance): Fusing Australian dining
experience with Thai cultural aesthetics, Chedi Thai delivers a
tasteful and intimate restaurant appropriate for dinner dates.
FROYO
YOGURTLAND (11 min from City Rd Entrance): With self-serve
machines, 16 available flavours, 33 toppings and large seating spaces,
Yogurtland offers the best social froyo experience in Newtown.
ZWIRL (8 min from City Rd Entrance): This tiny froyo shop
compensates for its variety and venue shortcomings by being
super cheap, being closest to uni and having $2 happy hours.
MOOBERRY (11min from City Rd Entrance): The trendiest looking froyo
joint in Newtown, Mooberry’s walls are donned with a thick carpet
of grass, porcelain stag heads, and framed posters and mirrors.
BARS AND PUBS
THE CORRIDOR (11 min from City Rd Entrance): This easy to pass bar
is a cool venue to drink at and easy to get to.The small bar does
get very crowded (it really is a corridor), so get there early.
KULETO’S COCKTAIL BAR (11 min from City Rd Entrance): During their
Monday-Saturday happy hour (5.30-7.30pm) you can enjoy two
cocktails for the price of one. And that’s all you need sometimes.
ZANZIBAR (17 min from City Rd Entrance): this three-level pub caters
to all species of drinkers: the bottom pub floor, a more social
second floor and a rooftop bar with tables and chairs.
Photos byWhitney Duan
Gould’s Book Arcade
White Rabbit Gallery Sappho Books Café &Wine Bar
30.
31. ISSUE 01
THE TIME I TRIED...
31
ALL JAMES HENNESSY WANTS IS TO BE
REMEMBERED AS A MAN WHO ALWAYS,
ALWAYS CO-OPERATED WITH AUTHORITY.
THOSE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH to be in the
CBD over the past few weeks would have
noticed a citywide police crackdown on
jaywalking – widely understood to be
the most heinous of all crimes. Fluoro-
vested officers stood at the corner of busy
intersections and issued tickets to hasty
pedestrians each time they crossed the road
on a red signal.
It’s too easy to dismiss this particular
police action as both misdirected and
unnecessarily immiserating.The veneer
of civil society hangs on the most delicate
thread of law and order, and the wild actions
of these deluded, street-crossing hucksters
threatens the very foundations upon which
our civilisation is built. Fining them is not
enough.They should be fired out of cannons
into the sea, alongside other unrepentant
evildoers such as those who stand on the
right side of escalators and losers who sit
facing the wrong way on trains.
But, alas.There’s a whiff of
hypocrisy in my condemnation.
I too am a particularly
impenitent criminal.
I can’t recall the last time
I actually waited for a
crossing indicator to
flick over to green.
It’s not an issue of
impatience. It’s just
that I love crime, so
very much. Not even
the most potent designer
drug could challenge the
natural high of a minor traffic
infraction. So, for one whole week,
I decided to cast aside my addiction to
wrongdoing. I would stand at the crossing
like every other idiot, and cross only when
the little green man deigned it appropriate.
That way, when I die, I can be remembered
as a man who always, always co-operated
with authority. A beautiful legacy to leave for
my ugly, ugly children.
Day one was a tough slog. I stood
at a three-way intersection in Bondi
Junction, coffee cup cradled in my hand,
waiting for the light to turn green. It was
agony, in the most egregiously Biblical sense.
I could feel my life slowly
ebbing away. Each
ticking sound from
the indicator box was
another minute step
closer to my eventual
death. I began to ask
vague quantitative
questions in my mind:
what percentage of my life
am I squandering right now?
What could I be achieving if I
weren’t standing here like some kind of
moron? These were pointless questions in
retrospect, because if I weren’t there I’d
probably be eating chips somewhere else.
It was just a noticeably less delicious way
of wasting my life.
By day two, I had already lost my
mind. I had the shakes. I looked like a
junkie.The inability to cross the road
whenever I pleased paralysed me with the
kind of crippling existential ennui that
I’d only ever experienced when I ran out
of mass-purchased mi goreng satchels
halfway through a pay cycle. Seeing my
fellow Sydneysiders cross the road without
compunction only increased my crisis.
Granted, I was less likely to be hit by a
bus than the average bloke. But there’s a
profound difference between living and
merely surviving. I’d have rather been hit
by one thousand buses than live another
day in this moral exile.
The third day was my last. Standing
before the crossing at the corner of Eddy
Ave and Pitt Street, the tic-tic-tic echoing
through my atrophied brain tissue, I finally
broke. Seeing no cars in sight – an intuition
further confirmed by scientifically proven
stop-look-listen protocol – I bolted across
the street like a demon, leaving passers-by
in awe of my flagrant disregard for traffic
law. My shirt rippled across my body, my
shoelaces untied, my face beaming with the
kind of pride reserved only for the most
remorseless street criminals.
At last, once again, I could feel the wind
in my hair.
THE TIME I TRIED...
NOT JAYWALKING
"NOT EVEN THE
MOST POTENT DESIGNER
DRUG COULD CHALLENGE THE
NATURAL HIGH OF A MINOR
TRAFFIC INFRACTION."
32. they could find, with only a small kitchen
and the nearest bathroom down the street
at a little café. Now with only six at a time,
the facilities are better, but the experience is
still raw. He liked to quoteYeats, who wrote,
“be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be
angels in disguise.” It constantly rings true.
“Henry Miller once described this shop
as ‘a wonderland of books’, and I really did
feel like Alice falling through the rabbit
hole that first time I came here,” said Milly
Unwin, former Tumbleweed and a current
worker in the store. Lost on the streets of
Paris, she discovered Shakespeare and Co.
on her year abroad, and promised to come
back after her studies in England were
complete. In 2012, she returned, slept
amongst the labyrinth of nooks and crannies
and then got a job assisting the archivist,
contributing to a soon to be published book
that will chronicle the store’s incredible history.
Her work has led her to discover some
impressive truths of its past. In the pre-
Internet era, she describes, the Tumbleweed
Hotel wasn’t as well known, so George used to
thrust the keys on people he liked the look
of, generally those seen reading Dostoyevsky.
“I always think it’s funny to think someone
could come in for a five-minute flick through
The Idiot, and end up staying a month!”
SOPHIE GALLAGHER WANTS TO SPEND
A NIGHT AT THE TUMBLEWEED HOTEL
YOU COULD BE WALKING from a lesson at
the Sorbonne, down the cobblestone streets.
You could be crossing the river Seine from
Notre Dame, past chipped green boxes on
the left bank where old vendors huddle. If
it’s winter, you could be enticed by the smell
of mulled wine from glowing cafes, the red
hue of their interiors heaving with life and
drama and history.Yet in the centre of this
scene, is a small bookstore that has sheltered
literary dreamers for years. Shakespeare and
Company is the writer’s paradise.
In 1919, an American expatriate
named Sylvia Beach opened the first
Shakespeare and Co. in Paris.The book
traffic soon became almost incidental to
the fact that it was, first and foremost,
a combined haven and support system for
struggling would-be authors, with names
like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald,
and James Joyce.The store eventually
closed under German pressure in the midst
of World War II, and it would be more than
a decade before it was seen again.
George Whitman opened his bookstore,
Le Mistral in 1951.Within the vanguard
of a new expatriate movement, his shop’s
purpose seemed to reflect Beach’s 1920’s
paradise, and once he renamed it to
Shakespeare and Company, the rest
was history.
The store has weathered the Beats, the 1968
student riots, the hippies, and numerous tax
audits by the French authorities.Throughout
it all, though, potential authors found a
home there amongst the books, in more
ways than one.
Sleeping on benches, small fold out
beds and on the floor amongst the books,
Whitman hid a hotel within his bookstore.
In exchange for a bed, they only had to give
a few hours of work within the shop, read
a book a day and write a one-page
autobiography for his archives. Despite
his death a few years ago, his daughter still
continues this tradition as it’s manager today,
and many still make the pilgrimage with
no money, a sleeping bag, and a head full
of hope.
They are called Tumbleweeds, rolling
in off the Parisian streets and staying there,
as characters in a never ending story.
When Whitman ran the store, there could
be up to 25 people sleeping in any place
BULL USU.EDU.AU
FEATURE
32
A
SHAKESPEAREAN
Sojourn
§
33. Though that is the appeal of Paris, the
cultural effervescence running through the
walls of Shakespeare and Co., created a place
that truly encapsulated the poignant beauty
of the city. And with George at the helm,
a traveller who believed in generosity and
kindness to all, he established an institution
rather than a store. By remaining there,
he allowed others to travel, and his motto
“Give what you can, take what you need”
was the creed of Hotel Tumbleweed,
a philosophy that was as radical then as
it is now.
Yet at its heart are the hopeful authors,
the explorers, the people.Whitman’s idea
was to create a preserve where eccentric
minds could exchange passions and interests.
“I always love it when a new Tumbleweed
arrives (as they do pretty much every
week) and you have a whole new life story
to discover, another character in the novel
of the bookshop.”
Molly Dektar, a 23-year-old Harvard
graduate, heard of the elusive hotel when
she was 18, and was obsessed with the idea
right away. “I appreciate radical attempts to
share, rather than own,” she recalled, which
led to a two-month stay, first in January
and then June throughout 2013.What most
appealed to her was Whitman’s belief that
Shakespeare and Company is “a socialist
utopia masquerading as a bookstore.”
Here, she saw an immediate trust emerge
from his pre-modern ideas of hospitality,
which made it easy to connect to people.
Every Tumbleweed has a story about
how they managed to stay, she believes.
“I went from being one of the thousands
and thousands of people who visit the shop
each day, enchanted by the history and the
atmosphere, to one of the few people who
got see George’s rooms up above the shop,
crammed with the shop’s archives, and the
writer’s studio with its gilt-edged mirror.
It felt like a dream.”
The one-page biographies also add
to the enchantment, with every page the
distilled essence of life with thousands of
dreams and aspirations crammed into each
black folder. One, which Dektar recalls,
was of an amnesiac that wrote of his ability
to only remember facts without emotion
and senses, “I’m a wolf in need of meat.”
What is most captured from Dektar’s
account is how it’s the little things that
remain most poignant in her mind.Whether
it is the view of the cherry tree branches,
the feeling of being like a spy watching those
reading on her bed during the day without
knowing someone slept there at night,
throwing snow balls from flower boxes onto
the street below, and Tumbleweed dinners
made from recipes whose first step was,
“Open the wine, and begin drinking.”
Yet it was the people, the trust and the
sharing that most inspired her. She called
every person fascinating: “it reminds me of
what happens when you matte and frame
a drawing – everyone is in their best light,
everyone’s good qualities come out.”
To be a Tumbleweed, you transform into
a character sleeping in the rooms above the
bookstore.You are like the 30,000 that have
stayed before you, yet like humanity, you
each bring a new perspective to the world.
George’s livelihood inspired everyone else’s,
and the feeling evoked from the Parisian
sojourn is nearly indescribable. For Molly,
however, it was a dream, and can hardly be
better described. “It had the quality of being
in love, that intense positivity and sense
of possibility and care, but not centered
around a specific person, rather a place,
a community, and a history.”
Special thanks to Molly Dektar for allowing
BULL to use her photographs.You can check out
more at malborkmalbork.blogspot.com
WHAT MOST
APPEALED TO HER WAS
WHITMAN’S BELIEF THAT
SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY
IS “A SOCIALIST UTOPIA
MASQUERADING AS
A BOOKSTORE.”
WHAT MOST
APPEALED TO HER WAS
WHITMAN’S BELIEF THAT
SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY
IS “A SOCIALIST UTOPIA
MASQUERADING AS
A BOOKSTORE.”
ISSUE 01
FEATURE
33
35. ISSUE 01
CAMPUS FASHION
35
KATIE STOW // ARTS (MECO) II
DRESS: ICE Design
JACKET: Forever 21
SUNGLASSES: Le Specs
SHOES: Sportsgirl
How would you describe your personal style?
Usually I’m a t-shirt and jeans girl. It’s kind
of a horrendous blokey style.
Where do you see orange coming into play
on campus?
There has to be some student election t-shirt
in an overwhelming orange.
What’s hot and what’s not?
I have a hatred for socks and thongs. It makes
no logical sense. If it’s hot, wear thongs, if it’s
cold, wear socks. A combination clearly means
you have confused feet.
Who’s your style icon and why?
Khlo-money Kardashian: she’s a badass lady
with one heck of a bootaaay. I’d stuff my jeans
to get junk in my trunk like that. Also, she’s got
this post break-up glow that makes her even
more stylish.
EMILY SHEN // ARTS (MECO)/LAW II
DRESS: Topshop
SHIRT: The North Face
SUNGLASSES: Ksubi
SHOES: Wittner
EARPHONES: Sony
How would you describe your personal style?
If it’s not black, put it back on the rack
(orange is definitely going to be trying for me).
Where do you see orange coming into play
on campus?
If the Wednesday Markets fail in bringing out
bright bags and jewellery, I’m going to be very
disappointed.
What’s hot and what’s not?
Hot: Cute ankle boots, perfect for trekking
across campus. Not: Birkenstocks and socks.
Take them away. Please.
Who’s your style icon and why?
Kourtney Kardashian is my perfect mix of
grunge and glamour. Bonus points: Mason,
whose sense of style has already seen him
featured in fashion news worldwide
(sorry North).
REBECCA KARPIN // ARTS (MECO) II
DRESS: Luvalot
SHORTS: Tattoo
SUNGLASSES: Ray Bans
SHOES: Rocketdog
HANDBAG: Steve Madden
How would you describe your personal style?
Very chilled! I like to wear what’s comfortable
but I try to make sure I look nice at the same time.
Where do you see orange coming into play
on campus?
Orange is the colour this season! Bright orange is
always noticeable when someone wears it.
I think people from all faculties will be wearing
some orange this year, whether it is a bracelet or
a pattern on a skirt.
What’s hot and what’s not?
Wearing bright colours this season is so hot,
just be careful not to clash – it’s fashion suicide!
Who’s your style icon and why?
Kim Kardashian! Whether she’s walking down
the aisle, pregnant as a killer whale or about to
undergo a ‘vampire facial’, she always knows how
to do her hair and accessorise to pull the look off.
She is definitely the most stylish person I know!
CAMPUS FASHION
ORANGE
36. BULL USU.EDU.AU
CLASSIC COUNTDOWN & VOX POPS
36
ELAINE YEO // ARTS & LAW II
Listening to: Led Apple’s
cover of ‘Counting Stars’
onYouTube.
Reading: The Murder of
Roger Ackroyd by Agatha
Christie.
Watching: Friends reruns
for the millionth time.
DARREN ZENG // ARTS II
Listening to: 'Beam' by
Mako (Dannic Mix).
Reading: Best ofYahoo
Answers by College Humour.
Watching: ‘Rage Quit
– Surgeon Simulator’
onYouTube by user
Roosterteeth.
EMILY THOMAS // ARTS II
Listening to: CHVRCHES.
Reading: The Hobbit
by J.R.R.Tolkien.
Watching: Game of Thrones.
MARIAH CAREY DIVA MOMENTS
MICHAEL KOZIOL WIPES AWAY THE GLITTER, AND BREAKS
DOWN THE IMPERFECT ANGEL’S BEST/WORST MOMENTS.
5
WHEN SHE STRIPPED ON TRL
In 2001, Mariah made a manic and
unannounced appearance on the Total
Request Live television program. She
stripped down to her underwear and handed
out ice cream. A few days later, she checked
into rehab for an emotional breakdown.
4
WHEN SHE DISSED MADONNA
The first rule of being a diva: you
hate all other divas. In 1995, Madonna
said she’d rather kill herself than be
Mariah Carey. Mariah retorted: “I really
haven’t paid attention to Madonna since I was
in like, seventh or eighth grade, when she used
to be popular.”
3
WHEN SHE GOES ON TOUR
Mariah doesn’t travel lightly. On her
most recent tour to Australia, her
entourage reportedly consisted of
40 people, plus backstage demands for two
vases of white roses, eight tall leafy plants and
tea made from still water from the natural
springs of Poland.
2
WHEN SHE CLAIMED NICKI MINAJ
THREATENED TO SHOOT HER
Mariah and Nicki rarely ceased
feuding while judges on American Idol.
But it reached its peak when Mariah hired
extra security after telling reporters that
Nicki said, “If I had a gun, I would shoot the
fucking bitch”.
1
WHEN SHE SINGS THE FUCKING
ROOF OFF
Mariah may talk the talk, but she can
also walk the walk. After 24 years in
the business, 18 US number one hits and
200 million album sales, TheVoice is still
going strong. And yes, she can still hit those
whistle notes.
VOX POPS
CLASSIC
COUNTDOWN
37. HAVE A COW
LIAM CARRIGAN IS FED UP WITH
CULTURAL SNOBS.
I MAY AS WELL BE HONEST ABOUT IT: I have
pretty questionable taste, even for a
homosexual. I still feel an existential dread
as people peruse my iTunes library, just in
case they discover that I once purchased a
Kreayshawn album.
At Sydney University, this can be an
especially sticky situation. I highly doubt
that I will ever manage to live down my
numerous sins, which involve drunkenly
reciting a Lil’ Kim verse at a SASS poetry
slam and publicly declaring my adoration
for Paris Hilton’s classic self-titled album.
My Facebook feed has served as a tribute
to The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills and
Heidi Montag’s plastic surgery. Seemingly,
the only universally acceptable piece of
popular culture around these parts is Game
of Thrones, which I am terrified to accuse
of unbearably slow pacing, lest I be socially
ostracised for the duration of my degree.
I even had the horrible misfortune of
self-consciously declaring my love for the
apparently trendy, kooky and hip ‘Frances
Ha’ in a desperate attempt to rebuild my
fallen profile. In response, a friend opined,
“Typical, the acting was insufferable so I’m
not surprised you would like it.” For Christ’s
sake, I even went to the effort of seeing it
at the Sydney Film Festival so I could truly
feel like a wanker! Will you people ever be
impressed???
Just because someone regularly reads
WHO magazine, watches Duck Dynasty
or believes Miley Cyrus is a feminist icon,
doesn’t mean they are any less of a person.
I, for one, won’t be that individual who
“doesn’t want to be friends with someone
who disrespects Lady GaGa”, which was a
rather unfortunate contributing factor to the
ending of a friend’s romance.
You have a unique opportunity to discuss
and debate taste and culture amongst the
sharpest minds in the country. Don’t let it
get personal.
BEYJAY
ROB NORTH BRUSHES THE DIRT OFF HIS
SHOULDER, AND LETS THE WORLD KNOW
BEYJAY ARE IRREPLACEABLE.
Shawn Corey Carter and Beyoncé Giselle
Knowles are the closest thing we have to
a hip-hop royal couple.The hustler King
Hova and the forever fierce Queen Bey have
dominated the charts and our hearts for over
a decade, amassing a private fortune and over
30 Grammys between them, all the while
laying the blueprints for their daughter’s
future business empire.
Please ignore this college dropout and his
channel E! wife to be and continue to enjoy
the lyrical and musical genius of the crazy in
love BeyJay.
It’s true that in his early career Kanye West
worked closely with Jay-Z as a songwriter and
producer, but it was Jay’s smooth flow and cool
persona that raked in the cash money. Put simply,
without Jay-Z there would be no Kanye.
Kanye has since slumped into hanging
with the altogether generic rapper 2 Chainz,
best known for his utterly infantile line,
“She got a big booty so I call her big booty”.
And while Kim Kardashian relies on a sex-
tape scandal and a trashy reality television show,
Beyoncé shines with genuine talent.
KimYe may be watching the throne, but we
all know who’s sitting on it. Bow down bitches,
BeyJay run this town tonight.
KIMYE
LOUISA STUDMAN TAKES A BREAK FROM THE
TV TO GO HAM, AND SHE AIN’T SHOWIN’
NO MERCY.
I’m not ashamed to say I keep up with the
Kardashians. I’ve been watching lovingly over
the KimYe romance since its inception, and have
come to the conclusion that Kim Kardashian
and Kanye West are the perfect celebrity couple.
When it comes to real life drama, KimYe
are far more willing to delight us with their very
public antics.
If Kim's wedding to some loser basketballer
cost $10 million, then the KimYe wedding is
‘Bound 2’ be at least twice as big.
Last time round, the Kardashian family
pulled out all the stops: family facelifts,
a thousand roses delivered via air freight from
Africa, and personalised pashminas for the
blessed attendees. No doubt her marriage to
Yeezus will be the most beautifully obscene
display of nouveau riche splendour E! has
ever seen.
Meanwhile, Jay Z and Beyonce got married a
whole six years ago, and what’s more, in a private
ceremony, which is no fun for anyone else.
Finally, and there’s no sugar coating this,
North West is way cuter than Blue Ivy. Judging
the power couples by the calibre of progeny,
KimYe take it out – no contest.
Jay Z and Beyonce might be celebrity royalty,
but really, what’s a King (and Queen) to a God
(and Goddess)?
ISSUE 01
COW & HORNS
37
LOCKING
HORNS
BEYJAY VS. KIMYE
