Words by: Ruby Ellam
Art by: Lisa Vullings

Open water is way scarier than space — there, I said it. 

Words by: Simone Kealy
Art by: Ashley Scott

While many of us have escaped into fiction during quarantine, there are numerous places across the globe that bring these stories to life. Here are a few that have inspired me to travel after this madness is over.

Words by: Sarah Petty
Photography by: Alexis Hancock

The state of tranquillity and clarity that occurs for hikers when partaking in long treks was profound for Alexis Hancock, who trekked the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea as well as Kala Patthar which lies along the south ridge of Pumori in the Nepalese Himalayas.

Words by: Tricia Rivera
Art by: Marissa Hor

If I could pick a place to visit right now, it would be New York. I love walking around the skyscraper lined streets, pretending I live there (whilst admittedly doing rather touristy things).

Words by: Victoria Gillett
Art by: Sarah Annett

Choosing a travel buddy is kind of like choosing a life partner. You have to be 100% comfortable with each other. Ride the ups and downs, be understanding of your need for both space and support, and share interests and goals. We dream of that ebony and ivory companionship, perfect harmony. 

Words by: Stephanie Booth
Art by: Charlotte Elwell

“Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?“

Words by: Udaivir Kapoor
Art by: Ying Xuan

My grandmother, Vimla Kapoor, was only five years old when colonial rule in India ended, and the country was split into two, primarily based on religion and ideology.

Words by: Hannah Cohen
Art by: Lillian Busby

When I boarded the plane with a one-way ticket to Heathrow, London burning a hole in my passport wallet, I wasn’t sure who I was. Freshly eighteen and wrapped in a shiny aura of optimism and innocence, the motivation for my gap year was to move to a country on the other side of the globe without knowing a soul and hopefully, find myself.

Words by: Stephanie Booth
Art by: Duyen My Lee (Amee)

One of my most memorable meals was a cricket taco from a restaurant in New York. While I didn’t like the fact that the server received most of the tip, while the cook and dishwashers got less, I did love the taco. Crispy, flavoursome and exciting. It’s the only time I’ve liked cricket.

Words by: Georgia Cameron
Art by: Liam Grant

Travelling the world can be one of the most liberating and life changing things that one can experience. Running on little sleep after being in transit for several hours, you arrive in an amazing new place wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to see what your new location has to offer — the amazing food, the different culture and the beautiful sights.

Words by: Natasha Schapova
Art by: Aleesha Martin

I was born in New Zealand but lived the majority of my life in Australia. However, growing up with two Russian parents, I had never really considered myself to be that Australian at all.

Words and Collage by: Caitlin Johnston

Monash has a campus in Prato, Italy. I found this out in my second year when I was living in a sharehouse, working multiple jobs and living off McDonald’s and Mi Goreng. Travel was the last thing on my mind.

Words by: Malena Frey
Art by: Jake Porter

There’s no denying that the latest fashion trends bombard us wherever we look. Whether it’s through Facebook or Instagram, the Kendall Jenners and Tammy Hembrows of the world (and every influencer
in between) seem to be constantly flaunting one trend or another, which can make us feel as though we needed to have ‘it’ yesterday.

Words by: Tiffany Forbes
Art by: Sophie McKenzie-Stripp

I like to think of travel as an extension of myself; a string of intimate and distinct memories that only exist within the crevices of my own brain.

Words by: Amy Jenkin
Art by: Johanna Toner

Like many university students, dreaming of my next international adventure has gotten me through the drudgery of many semesters.

Words by: Thiamando Pavlidis
Art by: Jackie Liu

Conspiracy theories are like watching entire seasons of Real Housewives in one sitting. The deeper you get into it, the more you start questioning a) what’s real and what’s for the audience and b) your own sanity. 

Words by: Madison Marshall

Words by: Joseph Lew
Art by: Ruth Ong

We’ve all had our own projects during lockdown. Some of us are baking sourdough. Some of us are learning to play the piano. And some of us are trying to fit 30 hours of sleep into a 24 hour day.

Words by: Dina Ivkovich
Art by: m.ink

I read somewhere that trying to capture New York City in a single frame is like trying to hold water — it slips through your fingers. The obstacle in this metaphor is our own hands, and the response by its original creator is this: ironically and kindly, fuck you. 

Words by: Kiera Eardley
Art by: Martina Fenech

Planes are grounded, we’re supposed to be hungover on a boat in Croatia right now, and things are feeling a bit gloomy. We’re stuck indoors, but who says we can’t make our own holiday from the safety of the couch?

Words by: Suzanna Telai
Art by: Sally Ann Gething

When people talk about the history of Australia they often just talk about the history of white people who have lived in Australia.