MERICI MAGAZINE
5 "
NEW RECIPES Meme Page Returns
POP CULTURE UPDATES Study Tips and Motivation
CREDITS Editor-in-chief: Evelyn Bewley Editors: Isabel Curcio and Alexandra Witt
Editor’s Note MERICI MAGAZINE Welcome to another issue of the Merici Magazine! It’s hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of Term 3. As we approach the end of the term, this issue is a great opportunity to take a break. from assignments and celebrate the creativity and experiences that make our Merici Community so special. A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to this issue. We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and effort everyone continues to put into the magazine. We are so incredibly proud of how far the magazine has grown. Happy reading! .
With thanks, Evelyn, Lexie, and Isabel
The Editors
CONTENTS 03
Inside a Dream Summer - Sonya Sangklub
04
26 Fun Facts for ‘26 - Ava Ibester
05
Cupcake Recipe - Marissa McAlary
06 - 07
Whimsical Photo Ideas - Deidre Kelly
08
Tiramisu Recipe - Alanah Arun
09
Most Recommended Books - Eliza Henry
10
Chia Seed Pudding Recipe - Frankie Fuller
11 - 12
Microwaved Memes - Sabine Lange & Olivia Rabeling
13
Emmy Nominations - Andie Roggeveen
14
Books That are Becoming Movies - Violet McKenzie
15 - 16
Pop Culture Updates - Maeve Jean
17
Study Tips - Angelique Fittler-van Tilburg
18
Manticora Scabra - Georgia Yi
19-20
Book Review - Aadrika Bharathwaj
21
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes - Diya Deepak
22 - 23
Chocolate Mud Cake Recipe - Alexis Beckett
CONTENTS 24
DIYs For the Holidays - Lily Kain
25
The ‘YA’ Book Guide - Siena di Pietro & Isabelle Stensrud
26
The Merici School Bucket List - Grace Lindh
27
Journaling - Yuika Shimada
28
Celebrity Zoom-in: Olivia Newton-John - Edie Roff
29
Facsinating Global Holidays - Ashlyn Edghill
30
Indie Games you should try! - Annabelle Brown
INSIDE A
DREAM
Summer THE ULTIMATE ESCAPE
THE DESTINATION Crystal-clear waters, golden beaches, and endless sunshine. This summer, is your sign to escape to paradise for adventure, relaxation, and unforgettable memories.
DAY 01
DAY 02
DAY 03
DAY 04
Arrive
Explore
Beach
Sunset
EAT
DO
3 things
3 things
Fresh tropical fruit Seafood by the beach Gelato every evening
Swim in crystal waters Try water sports Explore local markets
PACK
essentials
Swimsuits Sunscreen Sunglasses Cute Outfits Camera
The perfect summer starts here.
26 FUN FACTS FOR ‘26! Share these with your friends, family, anyone!
Did you know that... 1. Lobsters’ blood is blue? 2. The T.rex likely had feathers? 3. Finland is known as the happiest place on earth? 4. Most ginger cats are male? 5. Animals can be allergic to humans? 6. A rainbow on Venus is called a glory? 7. Hibernating animals don’t dream? 8. Someone left a family photo one the moon? 9. Laughing came before languages were invented? 10. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out? 11. A group of owls is called a parliament? 12. Humans share 60% of DNA with bananas? 13. The Great Pyramids were built when wooly mammoths were still alive? 14. Your heart beats 100,000 times a day? 15. Polar bear fur is transparent, not white? 16. A group of flamingoes is called a ‘flamboyance’? 17. The dot over the letters j and i is called a ‘tittle’? 18. Your bones are stronger than steel? 19. Cows have best friends, like we do? 20. There’s a town called ‘Batman’ in Turkey 21. The word for a day after tomorrow is called overmorrow? 22. The @ symbol has no name? 23. Your nose can remember 50,000 scents? 24. Time passes slower for your feet than your head? 25. The inventor of the pringles can is buried in one 26. You can’t hum continuously while blocking your nose? (got you!)
by Marissa McAlary
ingredients - 1/4 cup vegetable oil - 1/2 cup sugar - 1 egg (room temp) - 1/2 cup cake flour - 1/4 cup cocoa powder - 3/4 tsp baking powder - Pinch of salt - 1/4 cup whole milk
instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners. 2. Mix oil and sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla (and food coloring for red velvet), and mix well. 3. In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients. Add half to the wet mix, then stir in milk. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and combine. 4. Fill liners 2/3 full. 5. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before frosting. Enjoy customizing these recipes to suit your taste!
recipe credits: @2days.delights insta
whimsical photo ideas
by deirdre kelly
To keep the magic until spring
use a cute background photo and a cut-out of a polaroid camera and paste a photo inside
0.5 with a cute drink
0.5 and a yummy lunch spread
take photos of the contents of your bag and hold down to make stickers then add to a photo of you holding your bag (all photos are off pinterest, credits to creators!)
whimsical photo ideas
By deirdre kelly
To keep the magic until spring
create some cut-outs of your favourite lipgloss and overlay it on a photo of you
take a photo of your friend holding up a drink and one of you, then put them in a two pic template and create a sticker of your friend, overlay it on the other one of her
Easy Tiramisu Recipe From
Servings
Cook time
Calories
Alanah Arun
8-10 Slices
20 Minutes
390
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups whipping cream 8-ounce cheese
Steps for Cooking: 1
1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2
1/2 cup cold espresso 3 tablespoons coffee
3
1 package lady fingers 8-ounce cocoa powder
Notes:
Enjoyed best when shared.
4
Add whipping cream to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed with electric mixers (or use a stand mixer). Add coffee and liqueur to a shallow bowl. Dip the lady's fingers in the coffee. Smooth half of the mascarpone mixture over the top. Add another layer of dipped lady fingers. Dust cocoa powder generously over the top (I use a fine mesh strainer to do this). Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or up to overnight before serving.
BOOKS
AUGUST 2026
WHAT ARE THE MOST RECOMENDED BOOKS? I know that finding books can be hard. So I asked all my friends, PC group, teachers, and pretty much my whole grade what books they would recommend. They all gave amazing suggestions, and I thought that I could share this with the school. There are a lot of readers at this school and I know that readers block is the worst! Spending ages to find a book and finding out that you don’t even like it! So, I bring to you “the most recommended books of Merici College!”.
YEAR 10-12 I asked some seniors what they loved reading the most this year or over the last couple of years, heres what they said:
Year 7-9 I asked the girls in my PC group from year 7-9 (plus all my friends) and these are the books they recommended: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson We Were Liars by E. Lockhart The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden Growing Up Asian in Australia by Alice Pung To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Animal Farm by George Orwell The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The People Smuggler by Robin de Crespigny
CONCLUSION Well there you have it! to get out of a readers block here are many books recommended from people all over the school! If you want to read any of these feel free! Enjoy!
CHIA SEED PUDDING INGREDIENTS ¼ cup of chia seeds 1 cup milk (any kind will do) 1tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS Add milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk well Add chia seeds and whisk until combined Wait 10 minutes than whisk all ingredients well to avoid lumps Refrigerate for 3 hours Enjoy on its own or serve with fruit, honey or a drizzle of maple syrup!
Microwaved Memes
By Sabine Lange & Olivia Rabeling
EMMY NOMINATIONS Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Mark Ruffalo (Task), Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat), Noah Wyle (The Pitt)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Elle Fanning (Margo's got Money Troubles), Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback), Jean Smart (Hacks)
Oustanding Reality Competition Program
Dancing with the Stars, RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor 50, Top Chef, The Traitors
BOOKS THAT ARE BECOMING MOVIES!! read it before the movie comes out!!
FAKE SKATING genres-Young adult -Sports fiction -Contemporary romance
By: Violet McKenzie
SUNRISE ON THE REAPING
BETTER THAN THE MOVIES
genresgenres-Science fiction -Young adult -Distopian -Contemporary fiction romance
POP CULTURE updates TAYLOR SWIFT’S WEDDING ARRIANA STEPS BACK FROM Taylor and Travis are officially married! Although photos are SPOTLIGHT still unreleased, we know a few things: they were married at Ariana Grande steps back from the spotlight Madison Square Garden which was very controversial and unusual. The happy couple invited many celebrities including Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Ed Sheeran, Benson Boone, Tate McRae, Hugh Grant, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence and Zoë Kravitz. This wedding was the event of the season and everyone’s talking about it. Taylor and Travis seem like the perfect couple!
BETTER THEN THE MOVIES OFFFICIAL CASTING Better then the movies, written by Lynn Painter, is a popular teen romance book with a cozy, funny and enjoyable plot. It is being adapted into a film by Original Headquarters and staring Beartrice Kitsos and David Iacono. You might know David from The Summer I turned pretty or from Jurassic Park. You might know Beatrice from The babysitters club or Percy Jackson. Although some fans do not agree with this choice, I can’t help being excited.
after her “eternal sunshine” tour ends. She did this after extreme scrutiny by fans regarding her health and weight. It has also been confirmed that she will not be returning to the West End for “Sunday in the Park with George”. Although it is upsetting, I wish Ariana the best and hope she recovers and stays true to herself!
OLIVIA’S NEW ALBUM You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love just dropped and it might be her best album yet! After her breakup with Louis Partridge, Olivia Rodrigo dropped a killer album featuring a pop/rock vibe with funky songs that express her emotions in a sincere way. It features two hit singles Drop Dead and The Cure as well as a colab with singer/songwriter The Cure (Louis’ favourite singer!). I would highly recommend listening to this album if you are into pop!
POP CULTURE
updates
ELLE
NEW SPIDERMAN MOVIE
This series, based of Legally Blonde, has me and everyone I know hooked. It follows a young Elle Woods who navigates moving to a new school in Seattle. It has a catchy soundtrack, awesome fashion and tense love triangle. The real question is, are you team Dustin or Miles? If you haven't watched it, I seriously recommend!
SUNRISE ON THE REAPING
Everyone's talking about it or living under a rock; this movie seems to be on everyone's radar and I’ve got to say I'm here for it! The latest Spider man movie just dropped, and it follows Peter Parker four years on from No way Home. He is now living full time as Spider Man while investigating a new villain. I haven't watched yet, but I, like everyone else, am planning to.
Sunrise on the reaping might just be the thing 2026 has been missing! It comes out on the 26th of November and trust me I will be standing outside the cinema long before then lining up to get a seat. This movie follows a young Haymitch Albernathy as he enters The Hunger Games. Changing his life as he knows it. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading and watching this series. it is a critically acclaimed movie set in a Dystopian World filled with horror and romance. The casting of this new movie is absolutely perfect and fans have only given praise! If you like good cinema I am sure you would love this!
FARMER WANTS A WIFE The 2026 season has officially come to an end, and it left jaws on the floor. Although I refuse to spoil too much, the finale had me on the edge of my seat! This story follows five farmers navigating love and is a light show with just enough drama to keep me on the edge of my seat. I recommend to anyone who wants to watch a real-life romance, with quirky people and relaxing vibe, I cannot wait to watch the next season!
WRITTEN BY MAEVE JEAN
SET UP YOUR TIME TO WORK
WORK TOGETHER
Find a buddy to test each other or work for short periods of time like 15 to 30 minutes then take a play games that test these skills with each other. And with large short break and do something research to study before get each that you won’t get addicted or other to focus on a bit and distracted with when you go summaries for the other back to the
work or study 01.
FIND ANOTHER PLACE
02.
STUDY & HOMEWORK TIPS DON’T PROCRASTINATE
SET UP YOUR SPACE
Try to set up Go to places a desk or 05. 03. away from to something in your much stuff or house that you can people to make it do the work in. Put easier to lock in like phone and electronics 04. a libary. Alowing a away and on silent different while you ORGANISE TIME enviornment when study so you you really need don’t have the Organise time for you to do the to do a big urge to use work and break the task into parts them chunk then set a schedule of what to focus on when and goals to finish it by And also Make an assessment calender so you don’t forget about any
Apps Must have to maximise studing
Quizlet
Headspace
Spotify
It’s free and has flashcards and You need to be calm to study and breath Listen to music while you games and you can make your own after long stressful days and helps with work but choose wisely with study set or use pre-made ones calm quite music to help sleep focus
By Georgia Y
MANTICORA SCABRA Manticore is the Persian word for ‘Man eater’, also being the name of the mythical Persian creature.
Binomial Name: Manticora Scabra Klug
‘Klug’ comes from the author that first named the Manticora Scabra, Johann Christoph Friedrich Klug, a German biologist.
Classification: Insects Coleoptera (Beetles)
Manticora Scabra, also known as tiger beetles, are a part of the Cicindelidae beetle family, a sub family of the Carabidae (Ground beetle). They are located around Southern Africa, found in countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and other countries located around the South of Africa. They are known for their size and unique curved mandibles that are also asymmetrical. Unlike most Tiger Beetles, the Manticora Scabra can’t fly. Due to this factor the Manticora Scabra has adapted to be an agile runner, especially when hunting.
Tiger Beetles are said to be so fast that they lost sight temporarily due to the inability to process the world around them.
The Manticora Scabra is considered one of the largest tiger beetle’s in the world.
Extra facts: The right mandible of the manticora scabra is always larger than the left mandible. Tiger Beetles can run around 120 times it’s body length in 1 second. Tiger Beetles are known to be predatory insects.
Size: around 4.7 cm to 6.5 cm in length Diet: Insects (Such as flies, ants, spiders, etc.) Habitat: Arid areas around Southern Africa
Book Review
LIGHTLARK SAGA
y s a t Fan
YA Ro ma nce
Book 1 of the Lightlark saga follows Isla Crown, the ruler of the Wildling realm, as she competes in the Centennial, a deadly game held every century on the enchanted island of Lightlark. The Centennial's aim is to break the curses affecting six realms, but to win, one ruler must die. Only problem is, a ruler’s life is linked to their people’s, meaning if they die, so does their entire realm... As she navigates alliances, secrets, and dangerous trials, Isla must decide if she's willing to sacrifice her heart to save her people or risk dooming them all.
Book Review
THE PRISON HEALER Pa Tu ge rne r
sy a t n Fa
Kiva Meridan, a seventeen-year-old who has spent ten years in Zalindov prison as the healer. She knows the rules to survive: don’t speak to anyone, keep your head down, do as you’re told. But when the Rebel Queen is brought to Zalindov, Kiva is ordered to keep her alive long enough to face the Trials by Ordeal, a series of elemental challenges. The woman is deathly sick, and no matter what Kiva does, in no condition to survive those trials. She recieves a secret note from her family: the Rebel Queen must live, at any cost. Kiva knows what she must do... She risks her own life, taking the Rebel Queen’s place in the trials.
Choc Chip Cookies Author: Nagi Maehashi
Total Time: 32min
Snack: Cookies!
Serving Size 13 large cookies
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups plain flour 1 tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda 175g unsalted butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
1.Preheat oven to 180C
Instructions
2.Line 2 trays with baking paper 3.Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. 4.Place the butter in a large heatproof bowl. Microwave until the butter is almost fully melted
5.Whisk to finish melting the butter 6.Add brown and white sugar, egg, yolk and vanilla and whisk for 15 sec
7.Add flour mixture and mix until flour is almost fully incorporated. 8.Add 1 cup chocolate chips, stir to disperse and flour is fully incorporated. 9.Scoop small chunks of batter and place on baking trays 10.Bake for 8min and cool for 5 min. Then enjoy! By: Diya Deepak
chocolate mug cake recipe sy two s a e tep er p s su
ingredients ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup white sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder ⅛ teaspoon baking soda ⅛ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon water ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
TIps mix in choc chips to boost the chocolate flavor
steps whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large microwave-safe mug; stir in milk, canola oil, water, and vanilla extract.
Cook in the microwave until cake is done in the middle, about 1 minute 45 seconds. ( may need more time )
friendship bracelet
using beads or basic braid styles. You can make them for or with friends.
scrapbook
make a basic scrapbook, you can use old paper and basic household supplies. If you’re going on holidays, you can make a visual diary out of an old notebook.
old clothes and sewing supplys headband
using buttons and fabric, you can glue them to an old hairclip or headband. Make sure to sand or file the item if it’s plastic. Use hot glue, or modling glue. Don’t use pva glue because it doesn’t stick to plastic
B
‘ Y e a ’ h T G u k i de o o
Do you read in your free time? N o
s Ye
Do you sometimes try to write your own stories?
N o
Do you enjoy romance stories? N o
Yes
Do you enjoy dystopian stories?
Yes
Are you doing this guide because it is your first time reading?
Yes
Do you prefer books over movies?
No
N o
s Ye Yes
No
Do you like to relate to characters?
o N
No
Yes
Ye s
N o
Yes
do you like other people buying you books?
Do you sometimes choose books because of the covers?
THE MERICI SCHOOL BUCKET LIST There is a particular kind of panic that arrives somewhere in between the end of the year and when someone asks “what are your plans for after school?” perhaps your mind goes to university, perhaps it goes to the fact you will soon need to create a LinkedIn account, but for many, or at least for a few, your mind goes to experience, to what you want to see, do and remember, to what many will refer to as a bucket list. So, what belongs on a Merici bucket list? Well a 2024 study by researchers Pociunite, Zimprich, and Wolf found that people remember experiences particularly when those experiences were distinctive to them or had carried “an emotional impact on the person”. So perhaps this list be a reflection of something more then just going somewhere new, maybe our bucket lists should be reflection on us, something that makes life feel, even if just briefly, larger then what it was. This idea of is not new, in fact it has been mirrored by Audrey Burnside as proposed in her “my bucket list of niche” that a good bucket list should be niche, filled with oddly specific, personal experiences that have meaning to the individual. Perhaps she proposed this because a nice bucket list is the most efficient way to come up with a simple and unique bucket list or perhaps she said it as it was the most simple thing to come to mind and she knew how much money it would make her, or perhaps she made it because a nice bucket list is the one most relative of a person, the one not made to be stock standard but the one that could be a guideline for all to live out their fullest potential with their bucket list.
Journaling tips!
Make it simple
Keep your journals simple, there’s no need to over
complicate it
September
Ever seen those SUPER aesthetic journals? Ever thought, ‘I would love to journal but I’m just not bothered?’ Here are some starter tips!
Make it fun!
Make it yours
Make it fun and enjoyable for yourself! I mean, decorate it and
create it the way you want
you’re the one using it
What do you need? Not everyone is going to need mood traker, create it
acording to what you need
Miss a day? Just don’t miss the next Missing a day is fine, but consistency and routine is
the key to journaling
Weather
Mood
Habits
W at
er
By Edie Roff
CELEBRITY ZOOM-IN OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
Few karaoke songs are as butchered as those from Grease. From the bubbly “Summer Nights” to the soaring “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” Olivia Newton-John’s voice became globally recognisable. Yet behind the blonde curls and black leather was a woman whose voice extended far beyond a microphone. Born in Cambridge in 1948 and raised in Australia from the age of five, Newton-John began performing at just fifteen and her success soon crossed international borders. Her 1973 hit “Let Me Be There” earned her a Grammy, followed by three more Grammy Awards and countless other accolades. Her portrayal of Sandy in Grease (1978) cemented her place in popculture, but it was her use of her voice beyond entertainment that defined her legacy. Newton-John was the first Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Environment Programme, advocating for environmental responsibility.
Two years later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Rather than allowing her experience to silence her, she transformed it into advocacy. Over three decades, she raised millions for cancer research and helped establish the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne and later founded the Olivia Newton-John Foundation. Olivia died in 2022, but her voice did not. Her music continues to be celebrated, while her work continues to change lives. Her legacy demonstrates that having a voice is not simply about being heard; it is about choosing what to say, and having the courage to say it. From stages to surgery, Grammys to Goodwill Ambassador, Dame Olivia Newton-John never let herself be silenced. She used her voice to create something greater than fame: hope, change and possibility.
Fascinating Global Holidays Have you ever wondered if there was a holiday dedicated to Skyscrapers? Probably not... but there is!
Skyscraper Day (September 3rd) September 3rd marks the birthday of renowned architect Louis Sullivan, and celebrates his architectural, engineering and design achievements behind high-rise buildings.
No Rhyme or Reason Day (September 1st) A day to celebrate the English words that do not rhyme with anything else. People observe this holiday by writing a list of words that do not have rhymes, and post these on social media to check!
International Panic Day (June 18th) This day recognises the often hidden stress and burnout that many people face within daily life. It is encouraged on International Panic Day for individuals to slow down and be kind to themselves.
National Frozen food day (March 6th) The history, convenience and scientific innovation of preserving food through freezing deserves it’s own day, doesn’t it? Next March 6th, grab your favourite frozen food to celebrate this exciting occasion! *Information from National Day Calendar*
Indie Games you should try! Delatrune! It Is an amazing game about knowing yourself and others and how your choices don’t matter or does it? 5/5 stars
Spiritfarer This game is a nice sim were the main story follows a girl named Stella. Her job is to help souls finish their unfinished bussiness 4.8/5 stars
Seven Days To End With You It’s a challenging puzzle game where you don’t understand the lanugage and it is your job to figure it out using your wits and smarts to uncover whats going on. Or you use google. 4.5/5
Celste This is one of the hardest patforming games you could ever find! It has pixel perfect jump and amzing machanics. The story is amazing. Can you climb the mountain or will you subcome to your pragmatic side? This game is for people who love a challenge or hate themselves. 4.9/5