Are You Bound For Burnout?
Uni life can be a lot, but the end of the semester is drawing near – and so are those assessments and exams. Are you keeping your hauora in check, or are you one deadline away from a meltdown? Take the quiz, check in with yourself, and see where you’re at. Your alarm goes off at 8am. How do you start your day? A. Up and at ‘em! Early bird gets the worm. B. Scroll for a little, then slowly get ready...Find Your Feel-Good Fit
Let’s be real: exams are around the corner, and as a working student doing my master’s and juggling everything in between, I know how quickly hauora can slip down the priority list. And when life gets this busy, it’s hard not to look to the endless wellness advice filling our feeds for an answer. There’s an entire culture built around the pursuit of wellness. Right now, your algorithm is probably stacked with it:...GRWM: Pounamu Palette
Imagine the South Island launching its own eyeshadow palette. Crack open the compact, and you’ll find smoky forest greens, creamy blue sheens, leafy olives, and icy shimmers that easily double as highlight. Except this collection isn’t sitting beneath the fluorescent lights at Mecca; it has been forming beneath Te Waipounamu for millions of years. But before we swatch, let’s get the formula straight. Pounamu is not simply...Tipihaere in Tōkyō
There is something slightly unsettling about turning 21. Everyone makes such a fuss about it that you start wondering whether you’re supposed to feel different when the number changes. Spoiler: it doesn’t. I’d spent enough time imagining the usual party: a big venue, an even bigger yardie, a hundred-odd people, the 21st key, and remembering halfway through the night that you were supposed to be having fun. Cute, but not really...Couldn’t Get It Up: SGM For Changes to Exec Roles Fails To Meet Quorum
Last Wednesday at 12pm, a Student General Meeting was held to consider a new roster of OUSA Executive roles. Except it technically wasn't held. To change the constitution, the meeting needed 112 (around 0.5% of the student body) to show up. A solid 80 did. Imagine having to watch your friend schedule a 21st on a Friday and watching everyone leave at 9pm because they have “plans tomorrow, sorry”. That’s kind of how it...The Green Party's Pitch to Māori Students
Otago students registered on the Māori roll will elect the MP for Te Tai Tonga at the November 7th election. This MP will represent the whole South Island, plus the city of Wellington, in...
EXPLAINER: University Proposes Changes to Senior Leadership Team
An anonymous source sent Critic Te Ārohi the proposed changes to the University’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Sparing...
Editorial: Issue 22 2026
My mum was 18 when she had me. She liked the Bratz, and apparently knew I would too. So when it came time to name her first daughter, she had a plan. The only flaw in this master plan was that she was having a brown-eyed Māori girl in Whangārei,...
Carpool Confession
I have a confession to make: Sometimes, speaking te reo Māori scares me more around other Māori than it does around anyone else. We talk constantly about revitalisation. Kōrero Māori. Normalise te reo Māori. Use what you have, as...
Before You Leave Ōtepoti
Congratulations, tauira mā. You survived another Ōtepoti winter. The days are getting longer, the flowers are popping up, and now and then the sun stays out long enough for us to remember that Dunedin can be quite beautiful. Unfortunately,...
Something Sweet From Te Rito
For some tauira, connecting with te ao Māori is like finding your way home. For others, it can feel like turning up at the wrong house, standing at the front door and wondering if someone is gonna ask you who your parents are before letting you...
Local Produce: What’s Hot? Moewai Rauputi Marsh
Some flowers bloom loudly; others take their time, unfurling petal by petal. Moewai Rauputi Marsh feels like the latter. An artist and arts facilitator based in Ōtepoti, Moewai is rooted...
TLDR: Issue 22 2026
We're excited to announce that the 2026 Geology Ball will be held on Friday the 18th of September in the Moa Room at the Dunedin Railway Station! Mark your calendars and get ready for a fantastic night of great food, music, and celebrating with fellow...
Da Juicy Joint
Island Gewl Ngā kai 1½ cups frozen pineapple ¼ cup vanilla high-protein yoghurt ½ cup coconut water 1 scoop protein powder ½ tsp chia seeds 4 ice cubes Juicy Couture Ngā kai ¾ cup...
Horoscopes: Issue 22 2026
Libra: Your brain might be yelling at you to start early prep for finals, but your wairua is screaming to pick up a pencil, knitting needles, or literally anything with slightly more whimsy than grinding out Quizlet flashcards. Give in to the art before the...
