College Crow, Semester 1, 2024

PLC Sydney’s Student Magazine | Semester 1, 2024

From the Editors

Symph

Helios’ Plea

The Seven Top-Tier Oscar Best

Picture Winning Films

Meme Gallery

The Daily Bull

Book Recommendations Corner

Ranking & Rating 10 Iconic TV Shows (Part 2)

Guess the Popstar (Blob Form)!

The Onion Family

Echo of Tongues

Pop Idol

the long goodbye

Taylor Swift Playlist

The Pyramids of Popularity

Shrekspeare Baby!

© Copyright 2024, Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Sydney.

Editors: Kate Kim and Zoe Kopczyk (Year 12 Publications Co-Captains)

Staff Coordinator: Ms Kathryn Munro.

Assistant Editors/Proofreaders: Katarina Ahmed (Year 12), Anshita Baijal (Year 12), Stephanie Cheang (Year 10), Yu Ting Chen (Year 10), Natasha Chuan (Year 12), Sophie Graham (Year 11), Isabelle Ho Shon (Year 12), Ruby Huang (Year 11), Aileen Kim (Year 12), Chloe Kwok (Year 11), Quyen Nguyen (Year 9), Euna Oh (Year 11), Abigail Ong (Year 12), Maggie Su (Year 9), Kelly Sun (Year 10), Claire Van (Year 12), Angelina Wang (Year 10), Carolyn Wang (Year 12), Rachel Yang (Year 11), Ziqi Yang (Year 10), Jacqueline Yu (Year 12).

Design/Layout: Anshita Baijal (Year 12), Lulu Catalano (Year 10), Nancy Chen (Year 10), Yilan Chow (Year 11), Iris Hon (Year 9), Aileen Huang (Year 11), Amanda Huang (Year 10), Jasmine Huang (Year 10), Amy Jia (Year 9), Kristine Liu (Year 11), Isabella Loo (Year 11), Chloe Luo (Year 7), Lola Pittams (Year 9), Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 12), Reina Shi (Year 11).

College Crow Committee: Katarina Ahmed (Year 12), Jocelyn Arkapaw (Year 12), Anshita Baijal (Year 12), Priyanka (Priya) Bhadri (Year 10), Lumbini (Lulu) Catalano (Year 10), Olivia Chan (Year 12), Victoria Chan (Year 10), Alyssa Chang (Year 11), Stephanie Cheang (Year 10), Faye Chen (Year 8), Nancy Chen (Year 10), Siyi (Selina) Chen (Year 8), Yu Ting Chen (Year 10), Stephanie Chew (Year 11), Yilan Chow (Year 11), Natasha Chuan (Year 12), Emily Doust (Year 10), Alison Fang (Year 12), Chloe Fang (Year 9), Isabella Fu (Year 10), Jasmine Gifford (Year 11), Sophie Graham (Year 11), Chloe He (Year 10), Isabelle Ho Shon (Year 12), Zi Fei Iris (Iris) Hon (Year 9), Aileen Huang (Year 11), Jasmine Huang (Year 10), Qirun (Amanda) Huang (Year 10), Xinran (Ruby) Huang (Year 11), Xiaofan (Amy) Jia (Year 9), Emelie (M) Johansson (Year 12), Sophia Kelleher (Year 10), Aileen Kim (Year 12), Kate Kim (Year 12), Zoe Kopczyk (Year 12), Sahana Kumar (Year 9), Chloe Kwok (Year 11), Kristine Liu (Year 11), Xinyue (Kitty) Liu (Year 9), Annika Lo (Year 10), Isabella Loo (Year 11), Chloe Luo (Year 7), Anastasia Mouzos (Year 10), Do Quyen (Quyen) Nguyen (Year 9), Euna Oh (Year 11), Abigail Ong (Year 12), Lola Pittams (Year 9), Alexandra (Sasha) Prokhorov (Year 12), Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 12), Anna Prokhorov (Year 7), Chrysolite (Chrysty) Salla (Year 10), Reina Shi (Year 11), Maggie Su (Year 9), Kelly Sun (Year 10), Katelyn Tsourdalakis (Year 9), Helena Tuo (Year 8), Claire Van (Year 12), Danielle Vo (Year 10), Angelina Wang (Year 10), Anna Wang (Year 12), Carolyn Wang (Year 12), Cindy Wang (Year 11), Youtan (Rachel) Yang (Year 11), Ziqi Yang (Year 10), Tanika Young (Year 11), Jacqueline Yu (Year 12), Cathy Zeng (Year 11), Olivia Zhang (Year 7)

Front cover illustration: Zoe Kopczyk (Year 12).

Back cover illustration: Amanda Huang (Year 10)

Stock images: Elements throughout magazine provided by Canva.

From the Editors

Some thoughts from our 2023-2024 Publications Co-Captains, Kate Kim and Zoe Kopczyk.

It’s weird to think that my time as Publications Captain is already coming to an end, though it feels like I’ve just started. Working with these talented students has been a blast, so it’s no wonder time flew so quickly! College Crow has a tight schedule that has me marvelling at the quality pieces made in such a short amount of time, but having been a part of it for nearly five years, only now stepping into a leadership role, I have discovered that chaotic scheduling is imperative to the creative process! It’s the pressure that gets your mind working and your hands drawing! Yet, despite this, we all still manage to keep level headed (well, as level headed as a group of rowdy artists can be) and produce an amazing magazine by the end of the semester!

Truthfully, it took me a strange while to write this editor’s note. The thought, ‘It’s already the final term of my captaincy?!’, ricocheted in my mind, but I can say, serving as the Publications Co-Captain has been an absolute delight. I joined College Crow in 2019 as a Year 7 student who mightily believed she could unleash her creative prowess, and I do think that I have developed my literary artistry over the years. In leading a committee of talented, diligent students, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in leadership. Despite the mountains of emails and workload that this role requires, to be honest, I forget about these hectic attributes when I see the final hardcopy magazine. I just can’t help but smile at all the efforts paying off.

College Crow has become a sort of time capsule as it both documents the culture of the school, but also the progression of its creativity. I started in this club during Year 8 and it sure feels nostalgic to look back at the older issues (all of which I have kept) and see my rather dreadful art. College Crow has been a pretty prominent measure of my own skills, and for that it has been immensely helpful for developing my art! But I’ve also found myself peeking over the page to the progress of my peers whose creative abilities in both art and writing have grown alongside my own. I have a lot of pride in my heart when I see the work put into these issues and the immense quality with which they are produced. It’s bittersweet to let go of a community that revels in creativity!

All that to say that in this short time together I’ve had such a blast getting to know everyone, and helping cultivate a community that allows for a reprieve from the busy stoicism of school life. This club has been a large part of my identity here at PLC Sydney and I have found a lot of joy and a motivation for art through the committee and getting to collaborate with those from many different year groups. Thank you to the committee for their hard work, and thank you to my Co-Captain Kate who is always by my side helping me get the committee motivated, even when we’re both a little frightened to! And of course the biggest thank you to Ms Munro who constantly helps to guide both Kate and I through this hectic but fun journey as the leaders of this club. We genuinely would not be able to do this without her help.

Thank you all for 5 years <3 ~ Zoe ~

For this semester, the theme was ‘Pop Culture’, something both easy and challenging to write or illustrate on. Easy in that it is a broad theme, from fashion, music, TV shows, films, to celebrities. Challenging in terms of achieving originality without cliché – no wonder it took me until the deadline to write my piece! Either way, I always love seeing the captivating works of our writers and illustrators – a powerhouse for inspiration!

Almost all of the work we do in College Crow is ‘behindthe-scenes’, and though we only produce one issue each semester, there are so many ‘hands’ working behind the curtains that need to be credited. To all the editors, proofreaders, and designers, you girls have been absolute legends and I genuinely appreciate your attention to detail, helping to enhance the quality of our magazine. Whilst writing all of this, my mind flashed back to all the previous College Crow issues, and I have to admit, it almost makes my eyes swell with tears. I can’t even wholly convey my appreciation with words, but I’d like to thank the committee for their diligence, and huge thanks to my Co-Captain Zoe – working with you through the (minor) tribulations and (mostly) joys of leading College Crow has been pure fun and I’m so glad we had each other’s backs. Most of all, I am utterly grateful to Ms Munro – your warm support and endless guidance has made my College Crow experiences memorable and enjoyable, and though I always say this, without you, we would never be able to see or hold the amazing magazine.

College Crow has been such a huge part of my school life and so, I think it’ll occupy a precious spot in my heart. I know that I’ll be graduating with only gratitude and affection for the committee.

Thank you for all the memories :) ~ Kate ~

ity to earn a en hands. Three st held by the very , g p g g g were their own court People ask us the price we must pay if we dare attempt to exit the generous service of our employers; the answer is imprisonment. The nation’s finest rags clothe us, and we are cursed with melodies scaling in our heads; some say we are mad.

Perhaps we are.

In this modern time, these so-called musicians live life into their seventies. Seventies! To think that such a number is able to be reached by one who is not the Kaiser himself They manage to procure access to the highest calibre of doctors and surgeons to cure them of every insignificant ailment, a luxury only available to our nobility. Their skyscrapers touch the heavens, and their mansions sweep away acres of land, land that could house hundreds of such geniuses like me. To walk is to attract the unwanted attention of adoring fans; instead, they travel in style. A convoy, blackened windows of Bentleys and Teslas in carriages called cars, so I have learnt. Armed bodyguards, but not with swords or daggers, but guns (a modern invention, I am told). To leave employment is to become self-employed; your version. The nation’s finest silks ensnare them as wealth swims from every fibre of their being They perform to a devoted audience in theatres ten times the size of ours, to the sea of gifts being thrown at their feet as they are worshipped as the geniuses of their centuries. Me? I perform to an audience who riots with anger after months of hard work at my latest symphony; indeed, the symphony of their insistent and outraged voices drowns out the symphony of my orchestra

The Met Gala.

The glamorous annual event, each captivating outfit a mere note in the melody of creativity and extravagance, reserved for only the most successful, the most famous. From the midst of this, she emerges as virtuoso, commanding attention with every step she takes; silk cascades around her like a waterfall and I am nauseous as the scents of jasmine and rose flood my nose.

The Queen of Power Ballads, she is called. I almost faint. People stare quizzically at me. Have I never heard of No.5? Feeling insulted, I almost laugh. What musician would I be if I did not know Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony? They stare at me pityingly, like a lamb being prepared to be slaughtered. Chanel No.5, they say.

Throughout my whole journey in this new century, nothing could be more puzzling than the emergence of a cultural phenomenon, a new genre of music that has taken the world by storm K-pop Their necklines tear down low; so low it disfigures their bodies, a jagged lightning streak across the dark black fabric as flashes of neon colour and the crowd drowns out the heavy bass beating as the melody haphazardly pieces itself into a warped disjunct line, snaking its way through the audience like a venomous snake. It curls and snags on the branches of the voices belting out the lyrics, until every whisper echoes the dissonant tunes from the megaphones. But, alas, I can stay no more in this melting pop of new “music”. For I am told that the world has been rocked by something much larger.

She dances across the stage, painting her canvas of music – is that autotune I hear? – responding to the cries and cheers of the audience. Colours cloud my vision as the songs swing past me, passing over my head in a blur; the music is green, yellow, purple, red, light blue, black, pink, grey, brown, dark blue, white colliding into a kaleidoscope and explosion of words.

Concert tickets sell out in minutes, seconds, and she pockets the money. Her successes grow larger; each year brings more prosperity than the last, with more money than I would ever see in my lifetime. An entire team supports her endeavours; never will you see her burning the midnight oil to complete an entire symphony before the day dies

I envy her, to have financial independence the ability to walk away.

My existence is but a tapestry woven by the threads of the possible, and stained with the colours of the impossible

I am a genius created when heaven kissed the Earth; hell finds no solace in a human body that has been blessed with the gift that could rival the gods.

But no blessing can reach out and save me from the cold fingers of the man I serve; nor can it save me from the looming fate ahead of me.

We should resign ourselves to our destiny.

I wonder what they would say if they themselves enter into this exhilarating time.

Indeed, they would say, time is swift.

Helios'Plea

Once more, you tore yourself apart for me renewed your rivers, hills that trickle into the sky

To somehow grasp my warm fingers that stretch between your clouds-

To watch the stars flicker and die...

My Gaia, can your dance linger any more?

Haven’t you circled round enough to know we won ’ t attract?

I see the weight upon your golden shores,

I see how your forest-green lips crack.

My seas of fire desire the fresh pours of your rain,

To prance in this black void

Where we ’ ve been cursed to dwell

But how can we glow old together if you don’t love yourself?

If I remove the plagues that frail your blue beauty, If I burn them bitterly, they will flee.

Our orbit of love would have no restrain

If we just started over again.

The Seven Top-Tier Oscar Best PictureWinningFilms

Life-long, life-changing films

Platoon (1986)

You should be well-prepared to hold your breaths for this war film – it is powerful, it is painful. A film depicting the best and worst of humanity, ‘Platoon’ follows a new US Army volunteer serving in the Vietnam War while his Platoon Sergeant and his Squad Leader argue over the morality in the platoon and of the war itself

The film encapsulates a multitude of battle scenes, cinematographically detailing the nature of the Vietnam War, having been written and directed by Oliver Stone, a veteran of the war. The violence is always portrayed realistically and is never gratuitous or exploitative. The film should be viewed by mature audiences who can comprehend the theme of the futility of war and grapple with the concept that conflict brings out the real humanity of humans – both good and bad

It is both heart-wrenching and frustrating to witness the tribulations and/or atrocities of the characters, but, as viewers, the film compels us to look beyond the obvious. Rather than defining characters as good or evil, ‘Platoon’ draws them as morally gray, capturing that every soldier has their reasons for the way they act – unveiling humanity’s bare face

Schindler’s List (1993)

Platoon

Director Main Cast

MA15+

Directed by the renowned Steven Spielberg, ‘Schindler’s List’ explores the evil of the Holocaust, while telling the incredible story of how it was robbed of some of its targeted victims Based on the 1982 novel Schindler's Ark by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally, the film follows Oskar Schindler (a real figure), a German industrialist who saved more than a thousand Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II.

Spielberg shows Schindler battling with the madness of the Nazi system. Willing to use incessant bribes to protect Jews from the Nazis, Schindler represents a minority during World War II – doing something that risked his own life The film is notably in black and white, with one exception, symbolic of the Holocaust itself – to Spielberg, “The Holocaust was life without light. For me the symbol of life is color. That's why a film about the Holocaust has to be in black-and-white.”

At the end of the film, there is an overwhelming emotional impact created by footage of the actual people who were saved by Schindler and their descendants – “Schindler's Jews” Thus, the film speaks to us, that, more broadly, one person’s actions can save generations in the world. And perhaps, Spielberg depicts this hope in his single colour in the film; a little girl wearing a red coat, conveying that salvation exists even in the most tragic times.

OLIVER STONE

CHARLIE SHEEN

WILLEM DAFOE

TOM BERENGER

Schindler’s List

Director Main Cast

STEVEN SPIELBERG

LIAM NEESON

RALPH FIENNES

BEN KINGSLEY

FTorrest Gump (1994)

The titular character’s big heart, that more than makes up for his low IQ of 75, makes

this heartwarming comedy-drama film well-loved and popular. From being a college football star, fighting in Vietnam or captaining a shrimp boat, Forrest continually inspires others with his childlike optimism But, the person who Forrest cares about most – his childhood love

Jenny – may be the most difficult to save.

Zemeckis draws the audience’s attention to Forrest’s assiduous character by notably using numerous close-up shots. When Forrest is in the army, many close up shots of the dirt, blood and scars on Forrest depict what soldiers including him must endure while serving Additionally, the extreme close-up shots on Forrest’s eyes during his big ping-pong match displays his unswerving concentration – his determination to win. In a way, as we witness Forrest’s story in various settings, he becomes a motivation for us to take risks and pursue our own passions.

Forrest is representative of all that is virtuous and good about the world He is outrightly a decent human He aids his friends and companions if they are in need, even if some of them take advantage of his hospitality. Whilst Forrest appears to be a man of many shortcomings, such perspective changes as the film progresses, with his strengths coming to light. We learn from Forrest that it's okay to enjoy and appreciate life to the fullest in the present, as he brings laughter and smiles to those around him, and to us as we watch him

A romantic disaster film everybody would’ve at least heard of, ‘Titanic’ weaves a captivating story of love, sacrifice, and human resilience in the face of an unimaginable tragedy. Incorporating both historical and fictionalised aspects, it is based on the real-life sinking on the RMS Titanic during its maiden voyage in 1912. Cameron makes us awestruck with his ability to proportionately merge fiction and history

His dedication to historical accuracy and detail in the film is visible, where from the meticulous reconstruction of the ship’s interior to the depiction of real-life passengers and events, the film offers a window into the world of the early 20th Century. Meanwhile, the love narrative is fairly clichéd, but it is brilliantly executed; portrayed against the backdrop of the passengers being forced to make impossible choices whilst the ship sinks. We all know that the relationship between Rose and Jack transcends social and societal expectations, affirming the transformative power of love amidst the most challenging circumstances. But ‘Titanic’ is more than just a love story; just as the shipwreck of the RMS Titanic serves as a poignant metaphor for the fleeting nature of life and love, ‘Titanic’ reminds us of the enduring power of human connection.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

It’s not a boxing movie, it’s a movie about a boxer An American sports drama film, ‘Million Dollar Baby’ follows Maggie Fitzgerald, an amateur boxer who is guided by an aged, cynical boxing trainer, Frankie Dunn, to achieve her dream of becoming a professional. The film very well portrays the feelings of success contrasted with the feelings of failure Lighting plays a crucial role in displaying this, with the shades of dark tones symbolising the despondency of the characters But, as the narrative progresses, we see moments of brighter lighting, capturing the palette of hope and courage that has surfaced for the characters to grasp.

At first glance, there wasn’t much about this film that made me want to watch it. But, first impressions aren’t everything – Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman made it impossible to not be drawn in ‘Million Dollar Baby’ explores a woman determined to make something of herself, and a man who doesn't want to do anything for this woman, but finally does everything. The film delves into the reality of adversity and courage – that yes, relationships can stumble, but pushing through together can achieve success and contentment; anything better than forsaking

reen Book (2018)

Inspired by the true story of a 1962 tour of the Deep South by African American pianist Don Shirley and Italian-American bouncer and later actor Tony Lip, ‘Green Book’ follows the development of their relationship against a backdrop of racial segregation in the early 1960s in America On first thought, you may wonder why the title is ‘Green Book’: it is derived from ‘The Negro Motorist Green Book’, the guidebook that Tony Lip uses to navigate the racially divided landscape.

‘Green Book’ delves into the relationship between the two men who come to discover that they have much in common, compelling them to realise that the biases they imposed on each other at the start, hindered their interactions Thus, the film serves as a reminder of the enduring power of friendship and the importance of confronting one’s prejudices in the pursuit of inclusion and understanding.

Beyond the relationship between the two men, the film addresses the harsh realities of racism, doing so in a both tearjerking and entertaining manner. We are further alerted that violence as a response to racism, which has been perpetuated throughout history, is not the answer to the problem As Dr Don Shirley remarks in ‘Green Book’, “You never win with violence. You only win when you maintain your dignity.”

Parasite (2019)

The first foreign-language film ever to win a Best Picture Oscar, ‘Parasite’ follows the ories of two families, the Parks and the Kims; their lives becoming tethered – first mbiotically, and then in an aggressively parasitic way. ong cleverly designed the set to fit into the mould of what he called a “staircase movie”, sentially representative of his greater purpose The camera often focuses on the aracters walking up and down the stairs, reflecting the movement of individuals going up d down the social ladder. This accentuates the film’s amplification of social inequality, vealing that individuals may desire to move between classes, but in reality, it is almost mpracticable.

arasite’ is conclusively a comedy without clowns and a tragedy without villains Suspense constantly raised throughout the film, tension emboldening us to keep attentive to every ene to find meaning. Revealing the issue of wealth and class disparity with sophistication d a unique storyline, the film tells us that we should never be like a “parasite” under any rcumstances for quite good reason. As the New York Times puts it, “It is an urgent story of ass told in the most sensationally entertaining way ”

Director

HILARY

CLINT

BILLY

Director

A collection of memes for the future history museums.

Talking cat and sad cat, 2023

The Daily Bull

Year 7

It is very easy to tell who the Year 7s are based on who congregates in the middle of hallways and at the bottom of stairs.

Year 7s found impersonating the older years by wearing white ribbons will now be required to enrol in Year 10 and above courses, meaning they will also have to do Year 10 and above examinations.

It seems the generations keep getting shorter and shorter! Any Year 7 under 5’4 will have the exciting opportunity to re-enrol into Evandale, beginning in Year 1!

To avoid awkward requests to senior students, Year 7s will now be required to navigate the school with a medieval style map, fitted with compass and coordinates to improve their navigational skills

Any Year 7 caught on social media will be required to do a tiktok dance with Mrs Chiba in assembly.

Year 8

Year 8s who are late to class will be enrolled into the ‘Piggyback Pride Program’, where Year 12s can piggyback upon Year 8s and be taken to class

Any Year 8s found taunting Year 7s will be moved down to Year 7 to recall what it truly feels like.

To affirm the knowledge in your research task about PLC Sydney History, Year 8 students will now have their history lessons in the tunnels beneath the school (they will be joined by the mole people) BEWARE even though you are in Year 8, don't let Mrs Chiba catch you on social media…

Year 9

Any student not doing their Bronze Duke of Ed will be assigned an older student who started but never finished and must complete the certificate for them. Realistic human skin suits will be provided so no one ever suspects a thing

Any Year 9 found shorter than the median height of Year 8 will be moved down to Year 7 as punishment.

Any Rebecca essay found mentioning an ‘unreliable narrator’ will have points deducted for unoriginality. However, if the concept of an unreliable narrator is not argued, further points will be deducted.

I know you’re stressed, but you might want to wait a year before you start bringing out your phones

Year 10

Any student who produces an insufficient SRP will take on the Sisyphean task of re-doing their project with more elaborate methods, more controlled variables, and measuring everything humanly possible (sanity levels included) This will last until Year 12, where they will be forced volunteer themselves to study Science Extension.

Any students with a social media account with over 100K followers will receive an extra 10 ATAR points, a medal, and a shield in their honour.

If the title of a student’s SRP does not contain a pun, the punishment will be to write an essay on the effectiveness of puns to qualitatively measure humour.

Congratulations! You can finally wear the white ribbon you waited three years for! Now stop rolling your kilts five times Any student found with their kilts rolled will be personally sent to Mrs Chiba’s office where they will write an essay on the history of Scottish kilts and how they would laugh at you if they saw it rolled that high.

Any leftovers left in the Common Room fridge for over a week will be fed to the owner during the weekly assembly.

Year 12 will now begin a weekly sacrifice of a randomly selected student to the Common Room Gods to please let us have a printer (please!!). Students who took the ‘smart’ out of the ‘smart casual’ dress code at the Mother-Daughter High Tea will be required to do a two year T&D course.

Staff

Staff will now be receiving feedback on their feedback. This will be delivered in the form of student messenger letters, where students will travel from class to class with pieces of parchment and read off the criticisms during class time

All Year 11s found making too much noise will be placed in ‘A Room Of One's Own’ to reflect, accompanied by their ‘favourite’ teacher interrogating them.

As of 2024, any students who got below an 80 on their Christian Studies exam will be required to reattend CRU camp

As a part of your comparative study of Moulin Rouge and As You Like It, students will be performing both texts simultaneously in an improvisational theatre night run by PLC Sydney.

Any students caught referring to a study period as a ‘free period’ will have their free periods revoked, replaced with unpaid tutoring of Evandale students in the drums, recorder, or any other needlessly loud instrument of their choice.

Year 11s found sitting in the library during library lessons for junior year groups will be assimilated into these classes.

Year 11 Year 12

Any House group whose walk on is found being longer than the allotted 30 seconds will be required to participate in House Gym in their costumes

Due to the flooding of the common room, an incarpet ecosystem will be cultivated by Seed students. Say goodbye to clean floors and hello to carpet moss!

Staff who correct a student’s uniform will be required to wear the student uniform for the rest of the year.

Any staff who park poorly in the staff car park will now have photos of their parking shown weekly in assembly for the school to judge.

In order to make sure staff are fit for every emergency, every holidays, they will undergo PLC Sydney’s very own ‘Ninja Warrior’. The teachers will climb, jump, and swim their way to the prize of 5 sick days!

General

Any student who discusses the patriarchy in their English essay will get an automatic 5 extra marks. There will be a bonus 10 points awarded to students who mention words like Byronic, Machiavellian, Empiricism, and Epistemology.

PLC Sydney will be introducing a ‘Shush On The Train Please’ program. Any student who makes objectional noise (anything above a whisper) will be required to speak in rhyming couplets for the next three months

Every week, PLC Sydney will select one student from each year and swap the students’ timetables in order to enrich student learning at different age levels; cultivating a larger understanding of the struggles of every year group

College Crow’s Librarians-in-Residence Book Recommendations Corner

Welcome and thank you for reading our last Book Recommendations Corner. We hope you enjoy!

- Jocelyn, Olivia and Ella -

Stardust | Author: Neil Gaiman

Library code: F GAI [FAN] | Reviewed by Ella: 3.5/5

Ok so, for full context I watched the movie first before I read the book so I couldn’t help but compare the two during my reading. HOWEVER, I shall endeavour to give the most unbiased review possible

The story begins in the closed off town of Wall, which borders an unknown mystical land beyond, and follows the travels of Tristran (you read that right, Tristran with two r ’s) Thorn as he ventures into this unknown land seeking to retrieve a fallen star to win the hand of the beautiful Victoria. But, when he reaches the site where the star fell, he finds a woman wearing a necklace with a gemstone (I promise that detail is important) who desperately wants to return to the sky, and so their journey begins. This book has everything from evil plotting witches to sky pirates to unicorns, which will keep you turning the page In essence, this story is three different stories occurring simultaneously - a set of princes each trying to become king, witches trying to become youthful again and Tristran trying to win the heart of Victoria - that intersect with the star and culminate in one big final face off. Overall the book is fairly entertaining the whole way through, despite its predictability in terms of romantic plot, and isn’t too long at less than 200 pages, so it’s a good option if you ’ re looking for a quick read.

A Cage of Butterflies | Author: Brian Caswell

Library code: F CAS [SCI] | Reviewed by Jocelyn: 3.75/5

Hmm. I have mixed feelings about this book. The concept really captivated me, following the stories of multiple highly intelligent kids at an ‘institute’. However, there are another group of kids on the premises, a group of mysterious ‘babies’ whose lives, and minds, were transformed by a fever.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, and while I appreciated the insight into the characters it did leave me wanting more depth and exploration into the emotions, backstories and thoughts of individual characters

The prologue was engaging and the beginning half of the novel had me on my toes wanting more, I had to set myself limits because I was supposed to be studying. It was such an easy, light read, and flowed really well.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stay that way… The plot started to drag and the ‘ crazy plot twists’ I had hoped for, that the book had built up for, never really arrived. I ended feeling satisfied, but not blown away. I’d recommend it for a quick, easy read, however, I wouldn’t call it an emotional rollercoaster

The Dutch House | Author: Ann Patchett

Library code: F PAT [HIS] | Reviewed by Olivia: 4.5/5 book, great book Thumbs up

Ann Patchett’s storytelling is something else, probably one of my favourites, her characterisation is undoubtedly admirable. You can tell because it seems as though she’s writing about the most mediocre things but it is still so good, it is interesting and you just have to keep reading This story is emotionally compelling, a story about family and forgiveness

I do like a book that is grounded in place, and in this book the house becomes the central point - it comes to represent so many different things.

The book follows the life of two siblings, Danny and Maeve, told from the perspective of the older, Danny, and spans over five decades. Their mother leaves them and their father eventually brings in a new stepmother.

“But we overlay the present onto the past We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we ’ re not seeing it as the people we were, we ’ re seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered ”

Isn’t Patchett smart?

I feel like the ending is pretty full circle. I do think that at times the story gets quite slow, just as life does, hah. While the subject matter does differ from my usual read, this is possibly one of the most well-written and thought-out novels I’ve read.

Ranking & Rating 10 Iconic Nostalgic Childhood TV Shows (Part 2)

Here are 10 MORE iconic and nostalgic TV shows from our childhoods Go check out the first part in 2023 Semester 2 College Crow!

#10 Dirtgirlworld (2009-2010) | Rating: -1000/10

We appreciate the environmental concern, but this show was so, SO creepy; mainly because of the animation From Dirtgirl’s sinister face to the caterpillar and bug?!?! Don’t search it up if you don’t want to have nightmares. No wonder it only ran for a year… (although it felt like way longer).

#9 LazyTown (2002-2014) | Rating: 4.5/10

This show was kinda weird at first but has grown to become iconic. From Stephanie’s neon pink bob, to Sporticus’ random backflips, to the Queen Robbie Rotten himself. Not a drop-everything-and-watch type of show but good enough for some classic, ABC Kids, unhinged entertainment

#8 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky (2005-) | Rating: 5.5/10 (My sister made me put this on the list; take it away Anna): The intro was amazing. They basically built everyone's dream house in the intro. Imagine living in a huge, colourful house in the middle of nowhere with everything you ’ ve ever dreamed of!! Also, friendship goalsss!!

#7 Mister Maker (2007-2009) | Rating: 6/10

It was always super fun to watch the 1-minute challenge, but let’s be honest, did we ever actually do any of the crafts? (No). We did jam out to “I AM A SHAPE, DOO DOO DOO”, though, and it was super satisfying when the kids dressed in different colours lay down on the floor to make an image. #MakeItMisterMaker #Tocky

#6 Charlie and Lola (2005-2008) | Rating: 6.5/10

The title might include them both, but we all know Lol icon - she sips on her pink milk and girl bosses her wa and Sizzles Lowe!! #I’mFarTooExtremelyBusy

#5 Olivia (2009-2015) | Rating: 7/10

Olivia is an icon!! Think Peppa Pig but ~glamorous~. She can do anything, just like Barbie. One episode she’s an artist, in another a ballerina. What an inspiration. And her in the red sparkly dress? Hello?? Queen Plus, the theme song is super catchy!!

#4 Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom (2009-) | Rating: 8/10

Somewhere… hidden amongst thorny brambles… is a little kingdom of elves and fairies (*omg*) Everyone who lives here is vErY vEry smOL (so petite)

I’m Ben Elf! *toots horn* and I’m Princess Holly (icon) *waves wand* C’mon, let’s play! Wait for us! *profuse giggling* ~Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom~ *trumpet toots* But we all know the real icon is NANNY PLUM #I’llTurnYouIntoAFrog! #TheWiseOldElfIsAMansplainer

#3 Fireman Sam (1987-2023) | Rating: 9/10

Ran for so long, super iconic. Sam is a hero and saved many lives with his mates, Penny and Elvis. There’s just one question: Why does such a small town have so many fires and emergencies??

Is that annoying kid Norman an arsonist?

Expert Ms Munro comments: “I was always fairly certain that if they packed Norman and Mike Flood off from Ponty Pandy there would no longer be a need for a Fire Station in Fireman Sam And why is the population only HeHearsThatFireAlarmSamIsAlwaysCoolAndCalm #SamIsTheHeroNextDoor

#2 Peppa Pig (2004-) | Rating: 10/10

Peppa = icon. Ready? DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO

I’M PEPPA PIG *oinks aggressively*

THIS IS MY BROTHER GEORGE *oink oink*

THIS IS MUMMY PIG *OINK* AND THIS IS DADDY PIG *OINK ELIFH@ELIFH@P#F:@#P*

*hysterical laughter*

Out of all the unhinged moments of the episodes, the winner by far was when everyone would fall to the floor, and flop around like dead fish dead cockroach style laughing their heads off. #WeLoveJumpingInMuddyPuddles #IfYouJumpInMuddyPuddlesYouMustWearYou Shoutout to Miss Rabbit and her 5000 jobs! (Who also voices Nanny Plum, btw)

#1 The Wiggles (1991-) | Rating: ∞/10

They’re Aussie they’re iconic what more can be said? Just entertaining and educating one ibute to the OG Wiggles and their legacy. Here are some Yummy)’, ‘Hot Potato’, ‘If You’re Happy And You Know It’, ur Bear’, ‘Hokey Pokey’ and ‘Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car.’ ut to Dorothy the Dinosaur! #ILikeToEatApplesAndBananas

Special/Honourable Mention!! - On The Rise: Bluey (2018-)

This might not be a nostalgic show yet, but with the number of kids who are growing up watching this show, it certainly will be in years to come! Not only does Bluey have intricate plots that are both entertaining and thought-provoking, appealing to both children and parents alike, but they have even incorporated Auslan (Australian Sign Language) - bare minimum, we know Paving the way in representation and inclusivity, they partnered with Deaf Connect to create the ‘Turtle Boy’ episode, where character, Dougie, is Deaf and uses Auslan to communicate with his mum Even Bunnings have teamed up with Bluey to create their very own Bluey themed range If that’s not iconic, we don’t know what is!

We hope you enjoyed Part 2 of us ranking and rating iconic Aussie childhood TV shows! P.S. email any comments/suggestions/disagreements to us.

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We got the call around 11 PM-ish. I know this because, prior to the phone ringing, my mum was going on about whether we should send our cousin by car or let him go on the MTR himself. We had just finished eating at a Thai hotpot place that at the time had recently opened up in Mongkok, and were going to head home before my mum’s phone started ringing, and I remember this vividly, because she stopped mid-sentence – an eerie silence that stood out starkly against the bustling background noise.

“I think this is it ” We knew a long time ago – every year since I was born.

My parents argued about it the whole drive to the hospital They were talking about one of their recent cases and how my dad had messed up because of my mum’s lack of preparation; he showed up to court with insufficient documents and was put on the spot by the judge “Does this happen often?” my cousin whispered, the tension thick in the atmosphere. “No,” I had lied –though why I’m not quite sure.

My mum cried anyway

By the time we parked the car, my grandma had already passed “Old age”, they said I thought, “At least it was old age, not Alzheimer’s.”

Up until now, I had never even considered that death could be anything real. We had the word “dead” always hung onto the crown of our teeth, expecting it to stay there, but it was the kind of change that made it feel more like a revolution.

When we got home that night, it must’ve been 2 AM already. The house was still, for the first time, and my mum quickly retreated into her bedroom without a word.

“...What do we do now?” I’d never seen someone properly die before. The only funeral I’d ever had to attend was my aunt’s a few years back, and I didn’t even properly go to that. My parents told me I was better off at school during it “Don’t you understand? Our household is in mourning now.” My dad said, with an ironic smile at the end. And so my gaze shifted, and suddenly I was my father again. Or my father’s child, whichever description fit the crime. In the sense that I wasn’t doing it correctly, grieving. In the sense that I was doing it wrong, that I wasn’t dealing with it the way other people ought to do. I thought about all the people I failed, in a way, by acting mildly So it becomes the paradox of our lives: How many success stories do you really get to hear? How many, out of the 8 billion on this Earth, come out the way we truly want it to? What becomes of the icons of our lives? We leave these tragedies in favour of the feel-good times We forgo listening in favour of waiting for our turn to speak Everything is done in a cadence so you don't have to consider that you might not be liked. You might not be loved. You might have nothing; you might be perceived as nothing.

This is not the worst that can happen.

I’d always thought I’d win when it came down to it. I always thought things would work out anyway.

“She knows you,” my mum said, once. “Of course she does. You’re her last grandchild.” Her back was still turned, and I briefly wondered what it was like to miss someone while they were still there What it was like to love someone so much one day and to bury them the next

Continues over page.

Consider a scenario: Let’s say God in heaven heads down to the corner store and buys a Lego set. In a rush of excitement, let’s say he tears at the packaging with his bare hands until the pieces throw themselves into piles and piles of red, blue, green and yellow He’s halfway through the process before something else catches his attention and he decides to stop. Let’s say he’s bored of it now, and decides to store it away in a tiny little box to wait until the motivation comes to him again, if it ever does

This is my name and this is what I leave behind: He builds me brick by brick before he decides he wants to stop. Did you look at me? Did you ever look at me? Do you still want to?

Your name is Yellow and you were born with grids for hands Your name is Yellow and you were built with an end in mind. Your name is Yellow and you were halfway started, halfway finished. Glass half full, glass half empty. To you she is a droplet. To me she is a rainstorm.

I thought long and hard about how I could make this story interesting, how I could tell it without being in it, without being too involved, without making it too personal. I wanted to deal with it the way the living do – helplessly The problem with me is that I will never know for sure what I really want in life because I spent at least half of it somewhere else: looking down, pretending that the phone distracting me takes me away from it

Time is all we have. And maybe we’ll lose even that. We are a generation of children whose values have come to stimulate one another, designed as the death of the individual We are living in an era, a technical Dark Age defined by its excess of information rather than the lack of it, escaping into our births, our deaths, our pasts and our futures, evidence all pointing to a present we don’t want to confront This is the face of a twenty-first-century woman, a girl who stands on the edge of a roof that waits for no tomorrow. This is the face of a dog who knows how to wait but not how to go. We are slowly leaning into pop culture, a total rejection and abandonment of meaning and sensibility because we are afraid the more we hold on the more it hurts us. The passive killing of the individual through the entertainment of the consumer.

If you’re reading this, and I know you are – I hope you forgive me. Maybe I will never know you in a way that matters. But that’s the price of parenthood, which is to say, everything is one big question: is your apology an extension of yourself, or are you yourself an apology? This is your obligation, and this is my responsibility. To be loved despite everything, fervently and intentionally. You will hold my hand, my unloveable hand, and think, “There is a reason for this. Even if it isn’t clear to me what it is yet.”

It’s all you know, anyway Continued from page 25.

TAYLOR PLAY

If somehow you are still not into TAY-TAY even after all the concert fanfare, here are the top 11 songs I recommend to get you started:

Love Story - A gentle beat and a slow love story 1. Trouble - A vent for days when you want to scream 2. Blank Space - When you ’ re feeling sentimental 3. Cruel Summer - A ‘cruel’ romance, cool 4. Lavender Haze - Need to sing your heart out? 5. Enchanted - A sad love story for sad days 6. You Belong With Me - Perfect for you to sing at the mirror pretending it’s your crush 7. Shake it Off - This is the most classic 8. Anti-Hero - One of the saddest songs ever 9. We are Never Ever Getting Back Together - For one of her exes 10. Wildest Dreams - Amazing, nothing else 11.

and Kanye s clocks in at a mere $400 Million, is there much of a competition?

Drake

The Weeknd Eminem Justin Bieber Rihanna Beyonce

Ariana Grande Ed Sheeran

Billie Eilish Adele

*the author apologises for the heinous wrongs committed towards those who stan K-pop as well as fans of Selena Gomez, Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry etc. I’m sure you understand, based on the humungous length of this list of a few singers, why I could not accommodate more. Committed Swifties might be vehemently anti-Ye but I was only seeking to highlight their rivalry (though Tay is clearly superior). Taylor is positioned above the pyramid in order to demonstrate her godly status - she does not deserve to hobnob among the likes of Drake (sorry, fans). Finally I would like to make it clear that I am not by any means a Swiftie, only an author wanting to promote healthy conversation (ahem, enmity and discord) among readers.

Elvis Presle E

Michael Jackson Bob Dylan

J

Freddi Mercury Bowie

Stevie Wonder Jimi Hendrix Mick Jagger Aretha Franklin

*There are a lot more singers from the previous century than this one. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that considering last century is over (surprise, surprise) and this one isn’t. Besides, given the quality of their singing (and songs) all of these artists are pretty much at the same level - too good to be even good-er (my grammar is correct, thank you). Therefore, I’d like for you to see this more as a top 10 artists of the 20th century pyramid rather than a ranking system WHO CAN CHOOSE BETWEEN ELVIS, ELTON JOHN AND MICHAEL JACKSON? I can’t, clearly. I just ranked those guys in reverse alphabetical order (to make it look like I wasn’t putting it in alphabetical order). I already went through enough pain choosing just 12 for the list - I couldn’t rank them. And now for the final piece of proof that I nearly died in the making of this piece: I could have added Stevie Nicks, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles (they aren’t a single artist so I couldn’t include them - biggest disappointment of my life), Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney etc etc etc.

**I think Whitney wins that one. I will Always Love You might have been written by Dolly Parton but it’s Houston’s song through and through.

(a.k.a. I regurgitate what I remembered of Merchant of Venice for something other than a slightly subpar essay)

by Alison Fang (Year 12), illustrated by Anna Wang (Year 12)

Just as the English language is built on the works of Shakespeare, the modern world is built on Shrek. Shakespeare himself coined the phrase "all that glisters is not gold," and its relevance is perhaps nowhere clearer than in regards to the 2001 film, Shrek. Today, I will argue that this movie is Shakespeare’s spiritual successor in terms of language, topic, form, impact, and general vibes.

Language

Shakespeare has been credited with the creation of over 1,700 words that we still use today, enabling more effective self-expression. Likewise, Shrek plays a similar role in our modern context through its impact on memes, ranging from the TikTok audio “but pookie, you promised that you wouldn’t hurt them” (Shrek 2) to the term “shrekt”.

While this may seem insignificant, memes can deliver powerful social commentary through the vehicle of humour, or alternatively, just exist for the lols (Both are extremely valid and necessary )

The Human Experience

Both Shakespeare and Shrek give voice to the human experience Just as Shylock has his famous “hath not a Jew eyes?” speech in Merchant of Venice, Shrek has his memorable “ ogres are like onions… onions have layers, ogres have layers!” Merchant is a study of how we interpret (and fail to interpret) the (often transactional) nature of human relationships What other text encourages us to recognise limiting narratives and demonstrates the nature of (often not so human) relationships? SHREK, BABY.

Genre & Other Fun

Stuff

Both Shakespeare and Shrek are pioneers in the genres of their time. Shakespeare believed tragedy required romance and was the first to connect romance with tragedy (I’m still upset about Desdemona), and expanded ideas surrounding plot, characterisation, and genre. On the other hand, Shrek subverts fairy-tale-movie tradition: Shrek and Fiona end up happy together in all their ugly, ogre-y glory. The titular character himself was not a typical hero, but a monster. Shakespeare also participates in this subversion, jarringly mixing genre in Merchant of Venice, which, as a “problem play” treads the line of tragedy and comedy and leaves us feeling bummed out

Both Shrek and Shakespeare also borrow from their predecessors Shrek clearly borrows from fairytales, featuring the three little pigs, the gingerbread man, and many others. Similarly, Shakespeare is a “magpie” (thanks Mrs Tabuteau); his Merchant of Venice borrows from the Italian Il Pecorene, where he also plays on and flips folktales that would have been known to his audience; Merchant of Venice’s three caskets plot is a gender-bent version of a story from Gesta Romanorum, where a woman chooses caskets to marry the Emperor’s son.

Humour in The Time of Shrekspeare

While Shrek and Shakespeare both succeed in capturing the human experience, neither of these works are limited to just this. Shakespeare’s impressive body of work includes tragedies, problem plays (Year 12 Advanced LETS GO), but also crucially, comedies. Though Shakespearean comedies aren’t always comedic in the modern-day sense of the word (the man likes his disguise and marriage), he did enjoy his bawdy humour, from puns about STDs ("Why masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i' th' nose thus?" in Othello) to general intercourse But regardless of his slightly archaic language, many of his jokes still work in the modern day, like this one from Titus Andronicus:

DEMETRIUS: Villain, what hast thou done?

AARON: That which thou canst not undo.

CHIRON: Thou hast undone our mother.

AARON: Villain, I have done thy mother.

Just as Shakespeare experiments with different genres, Shrek is an amalgamation of romantic, fantasy, and comedic films One of the main reasons why Shrek still remains in the public consciousness is because of this humour that appeals both to children (see Donkey’s incessant, all-too-familiar “ are we there yet?” in Shrek 1) and adults alike Just as Shakespeare likes his innuendos, so does Shrek, who remarks, “do you think maybe he's compensating for something?” at the sight of Lord Farquaad’s ginormous castle. Hmm.

Shrek is the second coming of Shakespeare. Its impact has been huge and metaphorically immeasurable both culturally and economically; Shrek is the highestgrossing animated film ever released in Australia. Just as Shakespeare has inspired film adaptations and has his plays still performed to this day, Shrek has inspired spin-offs and fanmade works of art. If Shakespeare were alive today (and maybe he is; after all, Woolf described him as “incandescent”) he would be proud to be associated with this green ogre and its franchise.