Words by Hannah Schauder Art by Angharad Neal-Williams
We all know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But what about judging people by their postcode?
Peak Hour Hacks
Words by Sarah Hillman Art by Serena Ang
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimised by peak hour traffic. I mean, let’s face it guys…she’s a bitch.
Melbourne Overheard
Words by Khoo Wei Shawn Art by Soda
Welcome Home
Words by Ragina Hong Art by Victoria Mangano
To all those trying to make Melbourne their new home,
No Moolah in Melbourne
Words by Maggie Zhou Art by Xiaoyang Pei
A $10 croissant. I brought a $10 croissant without batting an eyelid. That was the final (plastic-free) straw for me.
A Chat with Approachable Members of Your Local Community and The Grogans.
Words by Elias Mussali
Art by Marissa Hor
Melbourne is a vibrant and lively city of music. Any night of the week, quality live music is never too far away. Whether you like folk, indie or heavy metal, our venues have you covered. To get a better grasp on the mecca of music, I had a chat with two major Melbourne bands.
… A Chat with Approachable Members of Your Local Community and The Grogans.
Shut Up and Drive
Words by Tiffany Forbes Art by Sarah Mackey
If uni has you skulling coffee like it’s water, and has your bags under your eyes screaming “help me”, you’re probably in need of a well-earned break.
The Rivalry That Stops The Nation
Words by Emily Burkhardt Art by Gabby Parish
There are those rivalries that will go down in history as absolute GOATs (Greatest of All Time for all my acronym illiterates out there). Coke versus Pepsi, Star Wars versus Star Trek, an English breakfast versus a Continental breakfast. Alongside these pop culture tensions are the rivalries that emerge between cities. From Moscow and St Petersburg, to Barcelona and Madrid, Australia’s own Melbourne versus Sydney seems to be one of the more infamous. According to the rest of the world, this battle between Oz’s two biggest cities has gotten a little bit out of control!
Kicking Goals
Words by Tess Astle Art by Kea Tokley-Higgs
While my brother played footy, I made daisy chains on the sidelines. While the boys at school kicked the ball, the girls dangled from monkey bars. They played Jack in the Pack while we did cartwheels. No ever told us we couldn’t play footy but no one ever told us we could either. I always wanted to play but the only way was to join the boys’ team and be the token tomboy. So instead I choose (and loved) basketball and became a Fremantle fan for life.
Jack of All Trades
Words by Isabelle Knot Art by Liam Grant
I’ve worked more jobs than the average student; anything and everything from deli chick, administrative assistant, freelance writer to pyjama store sales assistant. I’ve even tried my luck helping frustrated iOS users at the infamous genius bar!
I was constantly exhausted trying to balance work, life and my university commitments which often came at the detriment of my mental health. It wasn’t until a throw-away joke made by my mum that I considered something a bit more unconventional, a job where I could call all the shots and do so from my own home.
Phone sex.
Shop Ya Local
Words by Sarah Petty Art by Griea Taylor
Although I have always been fond of the inexpensive jeans at Zara or the cosy jumpers I can find at H&M, there’s just something about walking into a one-of-a-kind shop and finding something truly unique. Whether you are looking for vintage clothes, cool gifts or simply are searching for new brands, pursuing stores beyond the big brands maybe what you’re after. Melbourne holds a treasure trove of independent stores, you just need to know where to look.
The ‘Burbs are Back
Words by Caitlin Johnston Art by Finn Astle
When you think Melbourne you generally think inner-city laneways, coffee carts in every nook and heritage buildings that hide our trendy bars and niche art galleries. But are Melbourne’s outer suburbs getting pushed out of the limelight? Whether you find yourself somewhere in the suburban north, south, east or west, here are some hidden gems for you to check out.
All The Rage
Words by Samantha Pillios Art by Nick Manton
Festivals are usually all fun and games but sometimes the politics can be a hard pill to swallow
Dark Destinations
Words by Georgia Cameron Art by Ty Foley
Did you know that there is a graveyard of bodies underneath the carpark of Queen Vic market? If that hasn’t already spooked you away then get ready; we’re about to jump into the kookiest parts of Melbourne.
The Unofficial Ranking of Uni Campuses
Words by Elysee Lee
Art by Katelin Eichner
‘Victoria—The Education State’ on every third license plate was enough to convince me that Melbourne had plenty of good universities to choose from. The evaluation process should have been fairly straightforward. Does the uni have my preferred course? Is it reputable? Do I meet the entry requirements?
Mum, The Miracle
Words by Lara Shearer Art by Jessie Lui
It’s February 16th 1983, the day is Wednesday. The heat is dry and harsh in a small country town in Central Victoria. It was a seemingly normal school day for Caroline, 17. It is when her religion teacher is late to class that the students can’t bear the heat anymore, spilling outside onto the lawn. “We looked down towards the school oval and all I remember is just seeing massive flames, massive trees on fire…”
Melbourne’s Best Date Spots
Words by Nikeetha Gamage Art by Hayley Sinnatt
Coffee at the same old café, movies at the same old cinema or dinner at the same old restaurant. It’s easy to be unimaginative when it comes to deciding where to go on a date. Why not do something different for that guy you matched with on Tinder, that cutie you’ve been crushing on for what feels like forever or your long-term lover? I have compiled a list of the best date spots, ideas and activities in Melbourne to spice up your next date!
Hustlin’ Hard
Words by Sami Jenkins Art by Navarre Fenwick
These days I feel like us young people are always hustlin’ hustlin’ hustlin’. The absolute trash of a stereotype that we are somehow mindlessly reaping the benefits of what our parents set up for us is bogus.
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Words by Freya Lauerson Art by Freya Lauerson
What is intimacy? Is it holding hands? Because I can think of far more cool things than some clammy struggle in the name of romance. Google offers no help, by defining intimacy with even more ambiguity: “a close familiarity or friendship” or “a cosy and private or relaxed atmosphere”.
Losing It…Or Not
Words by Anonymous Art by Sarah Mackey
Millennials are the ones held responsible for hookup culture and dating apps, yet ironically, statistics suggest that we’re remaining abstinent for significantly longer than our parents.
The Future of Sex: Robots and VR porn
Words by Tess Astle Art by Kelly Zheng
Harmony’s not like other girls. She’s totally customisable. You can choose if she’s blonde or brunette, funny or flirty, curvy or athletic. You can even select her nipple shape, her sex noises and her pubic hair style. She’s your dream girl, with a starting price of $10,000.
Esperanto Magazine 