Seventh Edition | 2017

The Seventh Edition VOICE

Reconciliation Dinner

Friday, 26 May: National Sorry Day. This is the day Australia comes together to remember and commemorate the mistreatment of this country’s indigenous population.

The Menzies community on Thursday 1 June came together to enlighten themselves about the mistreatments of the past. Jo Rey, a prominent Aboriginal member of the community spoke about the impacts her culture has experienced in their lifetimes. Her words echoed around the walls. It stung of mistreatment and the pain she carries upon her shoulders the sun burns from past persecution.

“The Aliens... the aliens….”

This is how she referred to the white settlers- an almost metaphorical way of illustrating the intrusion they brought upon the land and the Indigenous people of Australia. Her words were moving and will be forever ingrained in the memories of the many residents that listened to her crucial version of events. She challenged the audience to not be casual about the idea of reconciliation but rather work towards justice for all Australians, seeking understanding and genuine connections between all residents.

Secondly, Bruce Pollard, the master of RMC, shared some of his own thoughts on why reconciliation is such a difficult goal to achieve in Australia. He described some of the key cultural characteristics both Anglo-Celtic and Indigenous Australia, highlighting the apparent differences between the two, and how this makes it difficult for us to understand each other.

Our final speaker, Tim Mildenhall, RMC’s associate chaplain, worked many years in Broome with both non-Indigenous and Indigenous individuals. Reflecting on his experiences, he draws on the challenges he faced. A series of government officials would come through Broome, each determined what they thought the solution would be toward the ‘problem’ of reconciliation. This personal experience made Tim realise that the situation was never going to be fixed by government programs… It would be solved through individuals showing love to each other across the cultural divide.

Can you accept this challenge?

An important message was brought from this challenging night: We as a younger generation need to stay enlightened about the disadvantages that are still apparent in societal norms. At RMC, we firmly believe in the importance of respecting all people, and working toward reconciliation with our Indigenous community.

http://rmc.org.au/blog

Staying Warm through a Sydney Winter

Posted

on June 7, 2017

by Katrina Clifford

It’s cold today! After a long, warm autumn, winter has suddenly hit Sydney. The temperatures don’t look too bad in theory, but a Sydney 15°C is much colder than the same temperature in other parts of the world.

So, if you’re new to Sydney, what can you do to stay warm through the next few months? Here are a few ideas:

1. Dress appropriately. If you have 8am lectures, or are out late at night, a coat, scarf and winter hat are all worthwhile investments. You’ll find that many indoors spaces are heated, so you’ll want to have layers on underneath your coat. Thin jumpers and jackets, even singlets, are all a good idea. Check out Big W or Target for a range of inexpensive clothing. If you’re really freezing, the outdoors stores at the top of the Mac Centre will sell you thermal underwear!

2. Keep your feet warm. Thick socks go a long way on a cold day. If you’re cold at night, a thick pair of bedsocks makes a huge difference. And for wandering around college, try a pair of Ugg Boots, made with either real or fake sheepskin – they’re an Australian specialty and great in the cold weather.

3. Make sure your heater is working. If the heater in your room doesn’t seem to be doing its job, report it in the RMC maintenance app. We’ll check it out, and fix or replace it if needed.

4. Still cold? Blankets are your friend. Buy cheap polarfleece blankets in the supermarket or at one of the big stores (Big W or Target both stock them). Or invest in wool if you can afford it – it’s better for the environment.

5. Hot water bottles are brilliant in cold weather. You can get one for less than $10 from Target or the supermarket. Fill them with boiling water from the kettle in the kitchen, and they’ll keep you warm for hours. Great for putting on your lap while you study, taking to bed, or wrapping your clothes in first thing (nice hot clothes to put on in the morning!).

6. This is the weather for hot drinks, so grab some hot chocolate, coffee or tea for a quick warm up.

Winter is short in Sydney, and before you know it, spring will be here. But in the meantime, stay warm!

TWO-WEEK

Block

Block Wars

What’s the Fuss About? A Review on Fidget Spinners.

Recently, in an attempt to understand the craze I purchased my first ever fidget spinner. I thought I’d share my fidget spinner experience with you all. What was I thinking? Well…. There had to be a reason why everyone had them right? Or maybe I just wanted to be like all the little kids these days… I mean who doesn’t miss childhood??!!!

But in all seriousness, what is this phase we are currently memeing about?

“Fidget spinners” are small devices that the user can essentially rotate between their fingers. It is used to relieve hyperactive disorder, anxiety and autism- although this craze has taken to challenges of tossing, transferring and twirling the spinners around. (Note to readers: do not play with it around dinner- almost guaranteed to land in your food).

“It’s meant to stop stress… They are really good. Everyone needs them. It’s good for stress.”

A eight year old boy proclaimed as he asked if I had any fidget spinners in stock at Kmart. I could not contain my shock at this point as: (1) I had no idea what this toy was and (2) why would an eight year old need a stress coping mechanism at this stage of his life?

This craze has an almost addictive nature with many of us no matter what age owning one of them. Hey, even RMC has invested in creating their own....

A Notice from the 1983 yearbook, back by popular demand

Humans

Throughout my 21 years of living, playing sport has been a huge part of my life. I have played soccer, touch, hockey, basketball, boys and netball. My netball career began in 2013 when the other girls from my basketball team weren’t keen on playing anymore and wanted to focus on year 11 and 12, which is ironic since 4 of them now work for Maccy D’s. So I turned to netty.

As a kid I didn’t want to play netball because it was compulsory to wear a skirt (gender stereotypes ammiright), I would have much rather played in my baggy basketball shorts. All of my friends played together in a netty team since year 1, so I decided 10 years later that I was ready to wear a skirt and show of my 10/10 pins! Never in my life have I been so aggressive while playing sport, and a non contact sport, but that’s the biggest joke, there is more contact than horny freshers in OWeek. I absolutely hated other girls pushing off me to get the ball, constantly touching me and bouncing around me.

I grew to love netball and have now been playing for 5 years, our current team is called “the blue bitches”, due to an aggressive outrage from me. I was playing for the mixed team last year in the fast five comp where we came across the blue bitch herself (blue because of their bib colour). This particular girl was very unpleasant to play against and was swearing, pushing, attempting to trip me, just touching me in general, and was an overall psycho, and wasn’t even my opposite player! So late in the last quarter I just had enough, so I gave her a good push and walked off the court. “The blue bitch” decided to yell and the umpires, WHO WERE ON MY SIDE 4SURE (but did not condone my actions), copped it. I apologised to the umpires, and ran off to make sure I didn’t get into trouble, hehehe.

This incident was the first of a few, the second time I lost it in netty was in intercollege netball. One of the ditsy, cake face dull DLC girls who thought she was fabulous messed with the wrong RMC gal. She was doing all the same as “the blue bitch” and more, she had so much talk. This time it escalated, I pushed her, but on her neck. You could image the words coming out of her mouth after I did it, but the umpires didn’t even see it, lol.

So moral of the story is, don’t; touch me, swear at me, annoy me, talk too much or be psycho.

Maddie Martin

of RMC

When I came to this country I only had the shirt on my back and the millions of dollars of inheritance from my parents. As a native of Borosnogovia, I have found adapting to life in Australia quite challenging - for instance - adapting to life in Australia. Living at RMC has been such a positive experience for me over the last 2 weeks as I have made so many friends in N Block and learned so much about college traditions, like the one where I have to give Keelan Birch $50 a day for protection but I’m not allowed to tell anyone about it!

But my semester abroad isn’t all fun and games. On my first day here I almost died! Cindy Diep saved me from a vicious drop bear attack in the far away land of Y3A. Last week I was almost killed by a hoop snake too! For those of you that don’t know, a hoop snake is a snake that swallows its tail and rolls after you relentlessly until death. Thankfully Maddie Martin and Alex Wall were nearby and began to recite John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ (which we all know scares off the hoop snakes).

I’m really looking forward to meeting more of my fellow collegiates over the next semester! Stop by my room in N315 and say blyat’!

Alexei (Alex) Morozov

Grooves Around College

Top tunes that have been blasted around college!

1. Biking (Solo) - Frank Ocean

2. Jade - Mike Posner

3. Dogtown - The Fratellis

4. Zombie - Dionysia

5. Boomerang - Lucy Schwartz

6. I Fell in Love Again - Andy Citrin

7. Pink Champagne - Nick Lopez

8. New Rules - Dua Lipa

9. Drugs - Adam Jensen

10. In The Arms Of A Stranger - Mike Posner

11. Bad Word - Panicland

12. Well Off - Former Vandal

13. Good Rythm (feat. G. Love) - Eric Hutchinson

14. Burning Fire - Ask Jonesy & Company

15. Cocaine Trade - Christian Hansen & the Autistics

16. Helicopters - Stop Light Observations

17. Jaded - Chase Goehring

18. I Built a Friend - Alec Benjamin

Happening:

Mon 14.08.17 - Interview Skills Seminar

Wed 16.08.17 - Inter-Block Debating Competition

Thu 17.08.17 - Think True: Happiness

Thu 17.08.17 - Toga Two Ubar Party

Fri 18.08.17 - RMCSA Annual Ball

Sat 19.08.17 - RMC/Macquarie University Open Day

Mon 21.08.17 - Resume Rescue Sessions

Tue 22.08.17 - Mansfield Cup Intercollegiate Debate (DLC messed up, again)

Wed 23.08.17 - Managing Stress Workshop

Thu 24.08.17 - Christmas in Winter

Sun 27.08.17 - North Ryde Fun Run

Mon 28.08.17 - RMC Forum (Ethics & Religion)

Sophia: “I think everyone wants to be a window at some stage.”

“I thought you were my lucky hole” -Russell after sinking the 8 ball

Jess Morrison: I’m procasta-doinganything

*Jordan Kennedy sneaks up behind Keelan and initiates a hug*

Keelan: “I don’t know who this is and I’m feeling uncomfortable”

Korissa: “ I give children a flat adult infection... I mean inflection, I am the reason children grow up”

Andrew Holdsworth: there are fifty six weeks in a year, I don’t care what you say, the extra month is mine.

“It just shat itself” John P. in reference to Hamsini’s fan lighting on fire

Beth Hadfield - But I get urges to do cartwheels. I just get this WEEEE feeling

Avanti- would they rather live in an orphanage or come live with me

Dan Lee: What’s dessert?

James Hilly: IceCream aka nothing

Avanti: “Anyone hear something burning???”

Katrina at New Members meeting: “If you don’t like the look of your RT!!! you can find another one”

Jonty’s very sexy when he gets angry. -anon

“I’m a poopyhead.” - Jake Beattie

Patrick: “Something smells very fishy here” *whilst placing salmon down on the table at dinner.*

Shubi: “Who’s pewdiepie?”

Basel: Your boss isn’t there Beth McInns: who?

Lauren: “You’re a white girl”

Frenchie: “Why do you say white? I’m a black girl”

Dan Moxey: “Have you tried blood orange juice before?”

Keelan: “I don’t drink the blood of oranges, I’m vegan.”

Bacon isn’t that great, there I said it! -Patrick

“You should hide in the closet, no one will ever think to look for you there.” Jess Moran to Rachel Miller

Cindy: I haven’t been productive this morning.

Ellie: want to come to the library?

Cindy: no im going to go to mac centre to increase the procrastination

“Making welcome packs for D Block”

Patrick Newall: “Meet at 3am and we’ll watch Shrek 2

The hardest thing about eating RMC food is deciding what’s fat and what’s actual food -Anon

Keelan: “I’m not talking to Jess, she can’t even speak english” *Jess Morrisons’s brain is mush in exam period*

Andrew H. talking bout burrito day: it split.

Jack Bailey: lots of things split. That’s how we got you.

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Share your voice with everyone!

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Send through your work as a message on our Facebook page, or submit it anonymously by slipping it under the doors of either B206 or B116. Any kind of contribution is accepted. Drawings, Articles, Poems, Stories, etc. And don’t forget to send in any funny submissions for the Wiretap. #RMCwiretap

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