Growth Edition

Plant to Pot

Words by: Molly
Art by: Pipi Joannou

From the infamous alleyways to the cosy cafes and bars we love, Melbourne is known for its small places.

For some of us, our homes are the same. So, when it comes to brightening up our balconies, tiny backyards, or wanting to make the switch to sustainable living, gardens are the way to go.

… Plant to Pot
Growth Edition

Climate CHANGE

Words by: Lizzie Tooth
Art by: Isaac Gomez

Have you ever felt a sense of distress regarding climate change? Are you constantly conscious of your carbon footprint? Are you scared to have kids cause you don’t want to bring them into a world on fire? Losing hope over the broader ecological crisis? 

If this sounds like you, I hate to break it to you, but you’ve got a hot case of climate anxiety. Whilst it may be debilitating, take some relief in knowing that you’re not alone. 

… Climate CHANGE
Changes Edition

Brat Summer Incoming

Words by: Shabnam Sidhu
Art by: Alyssa Sandler
“You’re that girl who is a bit messy and loves to party and maybe says dumb things sometimes. She’s honest, blunt, and a little bit volatile, that’s Brat.” Charli XCX

It is the last summer before my 25th birthday and it feels like a pivotal moment in my life. As reflect on my early twenties, my life has often felt like a hot mess. have an existential crisis every other day. I worry I am not living up to my potential and that every waking moment is being wasted. I am overwhelmed and consumed by my thoughts of not being attractive or confident enough to do the things I want the most. I am tired of failing to put myself out there because I’ve concerned myself with societal expectations.

… Brat Summer Incoming
Changes Edition

You’re On My Mind, You’re In My Heart

Words by: Elizabeth Sabelino 
Art by: Evelyn Johnson

T as in Troy? No Gabriella, T as in Things Have Changed.

To the younger me, High School Musical (HSM) was my whole life. You name it I could sing, dance and act all the parts… Bed sheets? Owned. Merch? Owned. Books? Owned. Stationery? Owned. Troy and Gabriella shirt? I wish I owned. It pained me so much when my cousin got one while I got Sharpay and Ryan. It devastated me. I felt like I was an imposter. I felt like I loved HSM, but it never loved me back like when I auditioned for Gabriella in the school production and didn’t get the part. Nonetheless, my unwavering spirit for HSM never diminished. The cultural legacy of HSM still has a chokehold on my life.

… You’re On My Mind, You’re In My Heart
Changes Edition

How to: Be The Change

Words by: Natalia Godinez Paz
Art by: Jess Heng

We’ve all heard Gandhi’s famous quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” a thousand times. It’s inspiring, but what does it really mean in practice?

How can we move beyond words to contribute to the causes that matter the most to us? Where to start? Whether you’re passionate about environmental protection, political advocacy, global humanitarian efforts or local issues, here are five ways to make a difference besides attending demonstrations, signing petitions or donating:

… How to: Be The Change
Changes Edition

My Mum and I are Besties Now

Words by: Parisa Sarmady
Art by: Jennifer Chen

Like many, as of June 7, Charli XCX’s recent album ‘BRAT’ has been in my constant rotation. However, whilst listening to ‘Apple’ I found myself completely caught off guard.

I did not anticipate the way the lyrics would trigger self-reflection regarding my own relationship with my mum over the years.

Growing up, my mum and I couldn’t have been more different. Because of this, we were distant and had many, many, many arguments about everything big and small. This is mostly due to the fact that we couldn’t find a common communication style due to our generational differences. Thus, we never really understood what each other was really going through.

Especially as a teenager, I was very self-centred and I had a ‘the world revolves around me’ type of attitude. Yeah, it was definitely not a pleasant time, considering you also add hormonal mood swings and puberty to the mix. So, understandably, I didn’t really see my mum as an actual human being with issues of her own until my mid-late teens.

However, as we’ve both gotten older, this is no longer the case. It was only after I graduated high school in 2021 that we really got to work on our relationship and sorted our issues out.

In 2022 I was diagnosed with alopecia areata due to emotional stress and lost noticeable amounts of hair. This obviously hugely impacted my self-esteem at the time and forced me to open up my eyes to how I subconsciously and toxically bottle up my emotions. During this time, I learnt to emotionally open up to my mum. And by doing so I also allowed myself to reflect on why I’ve been engaging in this behaviour. Now, I still don’t have the answers myself, but being able to process these complex emotions with my mum by my side has made me realise we’re actually more alike than I thought.

Regarding the relationship we have today, yeah, we still have our squabbles, but they don’t get nasty and mean like they used to. We’re able to engage in personal conversations and actually try to understand where each other is coming from. She’s practically my bestie these days we’re inseparable. We always hang out, have fun chats and spill the tea together. I love how we can talk to each other about literally anything and everything now. In a way, I’m thankful for my alopecia areata, as it’s given me the opportunity to actually connect with my mum as an adult. I have so much respect for her and love her immensely. If you told 14-year-old me how close we would be today and that we’re able to communicate civilly, she would honestly not have believed you.

Like all relationships, it isn’t perfect, but every day presents itself as an opportunity. And really, it’s the imperfections that make it that much more special.

So, I guess, we worked it out on the remix?

Changes Edition

Lemons to Lemonade, and Everything In between

Words by: Shanya Sylvester 
Art by: Jess Heng

When was sixteen, I had my entire life mapped out with no room for deviation.

I was going to graduate from high school with a great ATAR score, then graduate from university in three years, before nabbing a well-paying job at a respectable company. This was all going to come together so that I could live the kind of life that fascinated me like those in the movies and media I grew up consuming: the glamorous, self-assured twenty-something, who flourished in the pursuit of her goals.

I would meet a nice guy who could survive the awkwardness of family introductions and we would be married by the time I was 26. After a couple of years of wedded bliss, I would become a mother at 28, and we would all live happily ever after. The end.

… Lemons to Lemonade, and Everything In between
Changes Edition

Nursing a Broken Heart With Lots of Thinking

Words by: Jude Corbet O'Rourke
Art by: Stephanie Hughs

In the last five years, I have been fortunate enough to have felt the deepest joy of falling in love three times, and all three relationships ended in the same way: international departure.

As I write this, I am still grieving the separation from my most recent partner and have spent many hours thinking about the meaning of love in my life, and how the end of these relationships have shaped that.

… Nursing a Broken Heart With Lots of Thinking
Changes Edition

Dearest Esperanto

Words by: Angel Tully
Art by: Jennifer Hoang

Dearest Esperanto,

I wish I could say it was love at first sight, but to be completely honest, I can’t even remember the first time I set eyes on you.

Only that my first time opening up one of these gorgeous matte magazines was the 2021 Sex Edition – I mean what better welcome is there to the essence of Espy than Sex? Once I had read it cover to cover I placed it neatly on my bookshelf, where it inaugurated a pile of Esperanto Magazines that would continue to grow over the next three years. The only difference – every one since then has had my name in it too.

… Dearest Esperanto
Changes Edition

Interview a Grad

Words by: Indira Dyza Kirana
Art by: Sama Harris

Tania is a Monash University graduate who recently returned to her home country of Indonesia after studying for the last two years in Melbourne.

Back home, she has been navigating the challenges and surprises that come with transitioning from the laid-back, multicultural vibe of Melbourne to the bustling streets of Jakarta. Tania opens up about the highs and lows of reverse culture shock, re-establishing social connections and finding herself again after living abroad. 

… Interview a Grad
Changes Edition

Social Media Killed the Video Star

Words by: Angel Tully 
Art by: Sheyla Pandzo

I’m going to hedge a pretty confident guess that by the time this article is printed, the phrase “very demure, very mindful” will be long forgotten.

Pushed out of the realm of what is considered cool and trendy, and only used by ageing millennials who love to try and jump on the moving train after it’s already left the station.

Perhaps you forgot about the Four Seasons Orlando Baby, or the short lived Mob Wife aesthetic (I mean, that really paved the way for the return of the smokey eye in time for brat summer). Trends and viral internet moments are passing through our fingers at such an alarmingly fast rate that even fast fashion companies built on slave labour (that people seem to keep choosing to ignore??) can barely keep up. 

… Social Media Killed the Video Star