Guest writer, and 3rd year law Student, Natali, shows us how to make a difference.

Drought, climate change, the high price of food and fuel, exclusion and poverty are daily aspects of life that millions of children and their families in East Africa face. 13.3 million people are affected by this devastation every day. In Somalia alone, an estimated 30,000 children have died from malnutrition this year. We all share a desire to help but we are reluctant to act apprehensive of an inept ability to make an impact. On Monday the 10th of October 2011, we were shown it only takes 8.

It took 8 UWS students to vaccinate 2125 kids in a matter of three days. It took 8 UWS students to provide 10 and a half months worth of food used to treat malnourished children. How did only 8 students do all this?

They didn’t just ponder on the issues helplessly following a commercial on TV, they decided to act. In 2010, they formed the UWS United Nations Student Society (UWS UNSS) to uphold the work of the United Nations and it’s Charter.

What is the UWS UNSS? The UWS UNSS seeks to promote a social justice culture amongst the thriving student community by providing a platform for students to engage in contentious debates on current events with like-minded and sometimes not-so-like-minded peers.

Their launch event, held at Parramatta campus, pitted the recently voted UWS Law Lecturer of the Year, Simon Kozlina, up against Benjamin Cheung, a fellow United Nations student society member from UNSW and a MUNing (model UN) veteran.

Conveyed to a crowd of eager UWS students, the two contenders debated about the fate of Gaddafi in the event of his capture.

They asked who should decide the fate of Gaddafi: the ICC or the Libyan people? Simon Kozlina started as the clear favourite and took the social justice route citing integrity and the capacity of the ICC to establish its case to prosecute Gaddafi. However, he was unable to undercut the MUNing extraordinaire Benjamin Cheung who maintained the solid legal conservative perspective that the ICC has no jurisdiction to prosecute in a country that is willing and able to prosecute Gaddafi themselves. Ultimately it was the crowd who decided the dictator’s fate and it eventuated in a tie leaving us to wonder what should happen to Gaddafi?

In between the riveting rebuttals, the UWS UNSS was able to collect $425 in donations for UNCIEF’s East African Famine Crisis Appeal and that’s how… it only took 8.

If the success of these 8 UWS students taught us anything it’s that’s you don’t need to go far to offer help. So although seeing the avalanche of depressing information on TV and the Internet may make you feel helpless, there is so much you can do.

Some people sit around and moan about their lives, some moan about not being able to do anything about it, and some have no idea what they are doing here. But those 8 UWS students seem to have an inkling. And now they’ve made real progress as well. It’s time others did the same.

-Natali Nissan-
Vice President of the UWS UNSS

* For more information on how to join the UWS United Nations Student Society email uwsunss@gmail.com

Leaving home can be an opposing mix of the excitement of gaining independence and freedom, and the grievance of leaving and the facing the frightening ultimatum – “Am I actually capable of fending for myself?”

The Kingswood Student Residence is an eclectic congregation of fledgling home-leavers; some people have relocated from local suburbs while others have made their way here from other states and different countries. I spoke to my fellow “ressies” about their experiences in moving out and the different ways each of us miss home…

Many of the people I spoke with agreed that the inconveniencing facts of life such as doing everything for yourself and budgeting for food and rent, are a small price to pay for the freedom of living out of home. While we all miss luxuries like having dinner on the table after a long day at uni, access to mum’s car and occasionally walking around in nothing but our undies – no one misses the “Where the hell have you been!?” speech at 4am.

Learning to feed one’s self proves to be a challenging process of trial and error for many here. Even the ‘safe’ option of toast for supper can lead to regularly setting off the fire alarms… In fact the early days when the piercing screech of the alarm bells provoked panic and gathering outside in the cold, have given in to bothered sighs and resigned to waiting out the nauseating noise in your own home until the fire truck rolls in and begrudged fire men yet again discover no fire to fight, but perhaps a heavily steaming saucepan of over-cooked two-minute-noodles. Here’s hoping our attitude is somehow instinctively less complacent in the event of a legitimate fire.

“When I left home, to come here, I was surprised by how much I didn’t miss home,”commented one of my friends. This reaction was not unlike my own, the day my family moved me onto the residence I was surprisingly unflustered, and I’m quite sure I may even have offended them when I didn’t even shed so much as a single tear as we exchanged the final hugs and I pranced off in the direction of a jumping castle (which was a part of the Orientation Week festivities).It can take instances like your family moving further away, or even a serious family illness (or something else you would refer to as “extenuating circumstances” in an application for special consideration) to provoke real dislocation from home and make you want to see your families faces.

Another person I spoke to recalled how he would make the journey back home every weekend when he first moved on, before he truly started to settle; “It becomes easier – you’re not as dependent on others… Living at home is the easy option, with family and dozens of friends at your beck and call. Challenge yourself: cook you own dinner, get a job, make new friends…”

While phone calls, skyping, visits and amateur facebook-stalking help us to stay in contact with the family and friends we couldn’t bring with us, the absence of the cute and cuddly is a tender wound. Pets being against the rules has not stopped numerous attempts to adopt stray kittens which occasionally wander into our midst. The no-name cans of tuna which were gifted to everyone in their welcome packs have been seen sitting on back steps next to bowls of lapped-up milk. While these poor cats always suspiciously disappear, we choose to believe they move on to greener pastures.

I leave you with this advice, moving away from home can be scary and it can be thrilling. You’ll never know what opportunities you’ll pass up if you don’t get out sooner or later. Embrace the new chapter in life, but keep in touch with family and old friends. And never take for granted having a dog around to lick up spilt food.

OUTBURST: As I was completing this piece in a late-night, deadline-crossing frenzy, I was, no joke, interrupted by the fire alarm!! Irony aside, it appears that when the alarm sounds at 1.07AM people actually do stumble out from their bedrooms to congregate outside our houses and collectively grumble about being disturbed from slumber and night-before assignmenting sessions.

-Alannah Maher-

Picture Credit: Getty Images

Before I finally got into fitness my biggest issue was that I didn’t find the traditional forms of sports and exercise exciting enough. I couldn’t stand just running down the street, by the time the second song on my iPod came on, my body was dragging me back home and I thought I was too cool for P.E. or team sports. I was a lost cause. University only made it worse: internships, work, early mornings, the last week of semester cram sessions and my oh so important social life combined to make spare time an non-existent option in my life but at least now I had a better excuse for never raising my heartbeat. Yes, I know that this is the life of ever university student and my lack of time does not make me different from your friends or you so in probably my nicest and generous jester of the week I give you my secret to finding the time and effort to working out: fun exercises or trick exercises. These eight fun workouts that don’t feel like workouts are the perfect antidote to the time poor and lazy who want to be healthy:

1.     Dancing: Whether you Waltz, Cha Cha or simply slap on some heels and go clubbing you bound to burn hundreds on calories and tone your core, legs and thighs. Oh, by the way the most frowned upon dancing that involves a pole and sexy music can burn between 200 and 400 calories in 1 hour. Now we know why fitness pole dancing venues are starting to outnumber the professional places.

2.     Rock climbing: Outdoor or indoor this seriously fun and hard activity is everywhere these days and it’s no wonder why: an average 60kg women burns up to 647 calories (167 more calories than a Big Mac) an hour while toning your abs, arms, shoulders and back. Also it is surprisingly quite cheap with Sydney Indoor Climbing, at St Peters and Villawood, offering all day access with equipment for $26.

3.     Roller skating and ice skating: If balance is your thing roller skating and ice skating might be your perfect new hobby and health habit. As well as burning up to 370 calories in 30 minutes it also tones your legs, thighs and bum and is perfect for a first date. And with the ability to do both inside or outside depending where you are you can do both pretty much year long.

4.     Trampolining: If you are still living at home I bet you have a trampoline from your child years rusting in the backyard. Jumping around, back flipping (or at least trying to) and star jumping not only takes you back to being a kid but also burns some serious fat: a 70kg person burns an average of 257 calories in 1 hour. And if you chuck in some fancy moves, jump lunges and squats you can also tone up.

5.     Mini golfing: Ah, mini golfing the lazy man’s golf and probably the most over used first date idea next to the movies. But as lazy as it may seem hitting balls at weird faces and miniatures of world monuments can actually burn 136 calories in 1 hour. Not bad for something a 5 year old can even master.

6.     Shopping: Spending your cash need not be as depressing anymore. 1 hour walking around and trying on some new dresses can burn up to 97 calories. I guess shopping is a respective cycle then

7.     Trapeze School: The circus classic is now available to everyone with schools popping up just about every month. Sydney Trapeze school at St Peters offers trapeze lesions for as low as $55 and even 10 week intensive workshops where you can perform in your own finale show. As well being fun and just a little strange Trapeze burns hundreds of calories and works basically every muscle in your body particularly your core. And while you are there you can also take a silk class or learn classic circus tricks.

8.     Sex: An oldie but for a reason. Being the dominant partner and working hard in the bedroom 2 to 3 times a week can burn more than 200 calories. Another plus is sex also makes you less stress and happier (if you didn’t already know that).

*The calories are averages of persons of certain weights and heights use a reliable calorie calculator to get a more accurate rate for yourself

-Mia Kibbler-

Degree has a new column, all about the latest in technology and gaming!

Bastion is the debut 360 and PC title from the newly founded studio, Supergiant Games. Although it falls under the genre “action role-playing game”, it’s the audio and visual style that demand your attention. Hand drawn 2D artwork that rivals that of fellow indie title ‘Braid’, and a dynamic narration system where the narrator reacts to your individual actions, and not just at key points in the game. The narration continues throughout the entirety of the game, and to my own surprise, this never gets annoying. Due to the interesting writing and overall impressive voice work, not once did I think to my self “Ok yes yes, I’ve heard you repeat that 30 times!”

You play as a silent protagonist known only as “the kid” whose just awoken to find the world in pieces following a the great calamity. The kid fights on, making his way to Bastion, the cities emergency evacuation point, only to find a single old man who tells him that they can make it all right if they have the right equipment. Luckily, the game controls really tightly and snappily in a way that is reminiscent of 2D games from the Super Nintendo era.

The only significant downside is the repetitiveness of the game play, as the levels stay mostly the same throughout with optional trial levels as the only real variation. It’s saving grace however, is that you regularly obtain and upgrade new weapons and spirits – such as ‘Whale Ale’ and ‘Doomshine’ which grant the player a range of shady benefits. A refreshing change of pace for an action game is that the enemies are actually quite formidable, and you’ll be hard press to effortlessly wipe out large groups of enemies while just mashing random buttons.

For a $15 arcade title you wouldn’t normally expect a deep story, but in this case you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The fantastical world which from the onset we know little about, is slowly unravelled by the narrator and mementos you find, and you’ll learn a lot of back story and cultural information as you progress through the game. Not to give too much away, but the ending presents one of the most intriguing and morally difficult in-game decisions that I’ve ever made.

Bastion is a beautiful game throughout, and if you manage to fight your way to the end you’ll be well rewarded – however, those looking for a game with great combat may tire out along the way.

4 stars

-Daniel Parrey-

I am indecisive about a lot of things, what to eat for breakfast, what to eat for lunch, what to eat for dinner, you get the idea. But when the big decision time came when I had to pick a career it didn’t take me long to land on Journalism.

Writing being one thing that comes easy to me, and not having the attention span for long ass novel writing Journalism was the career that jumped out at me.

For a lot of people though, this is not the case. From the little decisions, such as what to wear in the morning, to the life changing ones that leave you feeling queasy some people just hate making a choice. I think I can leave the day-to-day decision to you though and focus on that huge question of what to do with your life.

What are you doing? That is the question many face from those annoying family members who look down at anything less than a uni degree. Butbeing told for half your life that the HSC is the be all and end all, many find themselves not having thought this far into the future. Then when chucked into the wide-world that awaits you after that prison called high school they often feel lost at where to go from here.

You may have no idea whatsoever and decide to take a gap-year to figure it out, and then wasted that gap-year travelling or partying and still have no idea. You may have found the course you love and don’t know where to go from there or, like me, you have found what career you want just don’t know the exact role you want to play in it.

Whatever the case there a few ways in which to figure out what life you wish to lead. The first, and often easiest thing to do is take notice of what you enjoy, think about whether you could handle doing this full time, do you want to get paid for doing it? Doing your research can also help, start with what you like, or are interested in and research jobs around that area.

Most importantly don’t forget, in the world we live in new jobs are created each day! So don’t stress, pick a course you like and go from there.

-Coralee Kelly-

Emily explores the fashion sense hidden in your favourite gadgets.

In the 21^st century our little gadgets aren’t just necessary pieces of technology, they’re fashion statements.

We use them all day, everyday. They’re in our ears, in our hands and on our laps. So why not make them personal?

While those little white head phones are iconic go for something more fun! Retro headphones are coming back in a big way. Like a cute tiffany blue pair from Typo for only $20! or for the real lovers of sound Beats by Dr.Dre (ranging from $50 to $500).

Don’t just stop at head phones, style the unit too!

Every major label seems to have a range now for the technology generation. Hermés has sweet little leather cases in their signature orange that will blow your mind (and your wallet). Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Dolce Gabbana are also following the trend with leather, suede and vinyl ranges to sit the iphone and ipad.

However, if you can’t justify $400 for a leather case (and let’s face it, what uni student can?) then there are plenty of moderately prices fashion covers. Vintage website www.modcloth.com has an array of quirky covers such us classic novels, vintage cameras and even cassettes!

And why just style the outside? What about the interior?

Get the fashion networks free app for photos and footage of the latest runway shows as well as one on one interviews with the models and designers. Ralph Laurens app posts their entire look book and gives you behind the scenes footage. Trimirror is a nifty little app that allows you to upload photos of your clothes, create online outfits and even post them for feedback! It’s like having your best friend in the changing rooms. If you’re after just a bit of fun try the ultra addictive fashion story where you run your own store, help customers and choose what clothes the stock.

Regardless of what your style is reflect it in every aspect of your wardrobe including your iphone!

-Emily Wheeler-

Jessie reviews Gotye’s latest, and possibly greatest album.

Album: Making Mirrors

Artist: Gotye

Label: Eleven

Release date: 19 August, 2011

Peak chart position/sales: (AUS) #1 (NZ) #

If you’re not in the know, like I wasn’t, an artist like Gotye is one of those whose annoyingly ambiguous name leads you to avoid gender-specific pronouns in knowledgable company as you tiptoe around the fact that you have no idea whether to say “he”, “she” or “they”.  Tired of being devoid of such street cred, I decided to diffuse my social minefield of woeful ignorance and discovered that Gotye is Wouter “Wally” De Backer, a Belgian-Australian musician with a bundle of instrument skills and musical talent up his sleeve. After two albums passing fairly unnoticed by the wider population, the talent has hit the mainstream for Gotye and suddenly everyone’s talking about Making Mirrors. Mirrors is Gotye’s third studio album and shot to number one in the ARIA charts, while simultaneously holding the top position in the singles chart for “Eyes Wide Open”. Impressive.

Unwilling to buy into the hype however, I decided to press the ‘play’ button for myself and was met by a carefully crafted medley of airy synth lines, buzzing electronica, indie-esque atmospheres, bouncing old-school pop and De Backer’s distinctly emotive vocals that by turns whisper or holler lines of curious poetry that weaves its way through this rich combination of styles and themes.

“Dreamt of a doorway that opened into everything” whispers De Backer on the title track and album opener, which, at just 1’01″ long, serves as a cryptic preface to this reflective (coughpunintendedcough) album. Filled with mesmerising layers of dreamy synth pipes and an otherworldly processed vocal, this inspired snippet is frustratingly short for something so beautifully crafted.  Instead, the album dives into infectiously catchy dance-inspired tune “Easy Way Out”, filled with pumping energy and fun pop influences – and it’s so damn good that all is instantly forgiven. Fellow rising star Kimbra makes a cameo appearance, adding an insightful aspect to the floating acoustic accents of “Somebody That I Used To Know” that, with its homely percussion and jangling countermelodies emits the sort of indie folk organicism that would sound comfortable on an Angus & Julia Stone album. “Smoke and Mirrors”, an incongruent mesh of pumping percussion, harp accents, brass blasts and the eerie hook “Mother” that echoes throughout, shows Gotye’s darker side, but he is not over-indulgent in such unease, interspersing the heavier numbers with infectiously uplifting tracks “I Feel Better” and “In Your Light”.

The versatility is winning, vocals soulful and sweet and the influences cleverly combined to make an unpretentious album that puts its own stamp of originality on paths that have been trodden.Before I realise it, I’ve listened to the entire album in one sitting -Mirrors is the kind of journey that holds you from start to finish, a truly thoughtful collection of songs that work together to make a cohesive and, for all its artiness, completely accessible album.

4 stars

Listen to: Making Mirrors, In Your Light, Somebody That I Used To Know

-Jessie Cunnife-

Rohmone’s illustrations are a burst of sweetness to the eyeballs, flowing with innocent quirkiness and abounding in bubblegum colours.

His simple shapes translate to delightful wonderlands with an otherworldly feel. Read on to find out how this modern day poet nearly fell victim to a science degree.

When did you start drawing?

Since kindergarten.

When did realise that your illustrations could take you places professionally?

Around my high school years. I initially thought of doing a science course but I found out that the real reason I like to draw is that it makes people smile and makes them happy. If it brightens up someone’s day then it’s worth it in the end.

Where does inspiration come from when drawing?

My initial inspiration comes from major video game web comics. Also lots of regular comic artists and anime artists.

Describe your style of drawing?

Simple.

Tell us about Keyboard Octopus.

It’s one of the major pieces displayed on the website. The type of art style is called paper children, in which you use paper and incorporate it into real life in some way. I was just fooling around with the keyboard and I decided to draw an octopus and put it together.

Motto to live by?

Always look at things from a different perspective.

Dream job?

One of two things; either an animator or any profession that has to do with video games.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Architecture in Helsinki, but I also listen to a lot of in-game music.

Most precious possession?

At the current moment, probably my laptop.

Favourite film?

Spirited Away.

What’s an essential tool or technology to have in this profession?

For me, my tablet. Originally I was skeptical about using digital works but after using the tablet for a while, it’s accessibility became very convenient. I’ve been drawn more to doing digital art now. At the rate we’re going, this is going to be standard among art making. There’s always going to be a place for traditional art, but with digital art its much more accessible and people will see that.

What advice would you give to somebody wanting to take up illustration or animation as a career?

In this field you work for other people, you produce things for others so you need to keep that in mind. You can’t do it for yourself, its mainly to make other people happy or fulfill their needs. That’s the most important thing.

What did you want to be when you were little?

An astronaut.

Haven’t got your fill of Rohmone’s illustrations? Check out daemon107.deviantart.com for more!

Alannah dives into the craziness that is the Penrith Shuttle Bus

Amongst the main fantasy scenario’s of living on campus at university – aside from the day dreams of escaping the strong hold of parents, eating whatever you want, drinking whenever you want, and the potential of steamy exchange students – there is the ideal, of sleep.

Glorious sleep, well into the morning. Snoozing away whilst your off-campus counterparts are merging lanes and changing trains. Not emerging from your duvet-cocoon until about 10 to 15 minutes before your first tutorial or lazy lecture of the day, to throw on some clothes and stroll on in while the student-motorists wage territorial wars in the car park.

This fantasy however, is only at its ideal state for around half of the population of the Kingswood Residence. While Kingswood Campus is a comfortable few-minute stroll away, Werrington Campus remains distanced by a daunting expanse of green fields. While this unused landscape of tumbling greenery appears to be great fun for frolicking re-enactments of The Sound of Music, it is a significant hurdle for those of us who cannot afford one’s own automobile (let alone fork out the ridiculous price UWS asks be paid for the privilege of parking your car where you live).

When unable to bum a ride five minutes before class from a friend who just happens to have a coinciding uni schedule and petrol in the tank, we are left to the mercy of the Shuttle Bus. While the year started with an adequate sized yellow beast doing the rounds from the train station to the campuses on the hour every hour, some brilliantly ill-informed minds consorted to change this system for two stunted-caterpillar-like-vehicles chasing one another around, loosely sticking to a schedule of passing every half hour. The compact-size of these shuttles often means that not everyone can squeeze in like the tinned-sardines we are, and the tendency to not run on time means that you can watch it speed past as you are strolling to the bus stop ten minutes ahead of time and miss the roll-call in your tutorial. The outrage this system causes leads to many distasteful nicknames, such as ‘The Scuttle’ and ‘The Shittle’.

Now, you may have acknowledged by now that I am a lazy person who refuses to walk, and I have some arguments for this case.

a) The time it takes to walk is unpredictable (fitter people calculate minimum 15 minutes whereas regular people calculate maximum 30 minutes.)
b) The Shuttle will inevitably by-pass you mid-walk.
c) Sun + gentle exercise + heavy textbooks = Pitt-stains.

As I draw my rant to a close, guiltily aware that I still don’t have to wake up until two to three hours later than other students and that these are merely white-chick problems – I remind my fellow Shittle Bus commuters not to take out their aggressions on our humble bus drivers, who are simply doing the best they can to manage to get us to uni in time to grab a takeaway skim-latte before class.

-Alannah Maher-

The cosy claustrophobia,

Thick air and thicker walls,
Chilled frosty windows,
While with smug satisfaction the glittering of the coals.

Cornices clutter the close ceiling,
Dank intoxication soaks through,
Heavy curtains drape sills and corners,
Trapped warmth rises, seeping into bones.

Smoky rose wallpaper,
Musty, diamond patterns,
The close ceiling hangs,
And filling the spaces with its streaming pallor, cold sunlight crowds the room.

Such cosy claustrophobia,
Thick air and thicker walls,
Chilled frosty windows,
While with smug satisfaction the glittering of the coals.

-Jessie Cunniffe-