Archive

Editorial: Passion 4 Protest

Posted 2:15pm Monday 15th September 2025 by Heeni Koero Te Rerenoa (Sky)

During my studies, I've picked up on a throughline that isn’t always named outright: the role of wāhine Māori in the resurgence and survival of te reo Māori. From the emergence of Te Kōhanga Reo and the frontline of activism, to the dining rooms where karakia were Read more...

OUSA Exec: Revitalising te Reo Māori

Posted 1:20pm Monday 15th September 2025 by Pororangi Templeton

E hika mā, kua eke te reo! He aha te mea nui o tēnei wiki? He reo Māori, he reo Māori, he reo Māori! This week marks the 50th celebrations of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. The acts of our kaumātua and the voices of our tauira Māori at university in  the Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 22 2025

Posted 12:06pm Monday 15th September 2025 by The Orb

Pisces Burnout is imminent. Try stop it before it happens otherwise the rest of your year is probably wharked. Try getting a good sleep schedule, or a good energy drink regimen to help bring a bit more energy into your life. Tō Wero Reo Māori: Swap “leshgo” for Read more...

Da Smoothie Bar

Posted 12:03pm Monday 15th September 2025 by Critic Staff

East Coast Sunrise A crisp citrusy pour in bright orange-yellow tones, kissed with a hint of kiwi, served over ice with a salted rim. Orange to taste the sunrise, pineapple to taste the warmth, kiwi to taste freshness – and that salted rim to taste the beach.  120 ml orange Read more...

Debatable: Should all first-years have to take a reo Māori paper?

Posted 11:55am Monday 15th September 2025 by Harry Almey

Against Freedom: that's what I love about the university experience.  Ah, public school. Thirteen years of "do this," "study that," "these are your classes," and "you must wear this [basic-as] uniform". Being forced to wear a tie made me hate Read more...

Dear Heeni

Posted 11:51am Monday 15th September 2025 by Heeni Koero Te Rerenoa (Sky)

How can I practice when I’m at the beginner stage? E hoa, start small but start everywhere. Whatever you see in arm’s reach, learn the kupu for it – Māori dictionary is your new best friend. My biggest tip? Start with transliterations and slang! It’s fun, low-stress, Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Roast Tomato Soup

Posted 6:08pm Sunday 7th September 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Time: 1 hr 15 mins  Serves: 4 When shopping seasonally during winter, fresh tomatoes are generally off the menu at my house. Sadly, no tomatoes means no tomato soup during soup season. Thankfully this year I have found a workaround: canned tomatoes! They taste the same once roasted, are Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: The Flip Phone Fumble

Posted 6:04pm Sunday 7th September 2025 by Lady Jane Grey

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. It all began at a flat party where I met a man who looked like he’d been frozen in time since 2005. Spikey blue hair, skinny jeans hanging on for dear life, and that Read more...

Debatable: Should flatmates be banned from opening windows in winter for fresh air?

Posted 5:52pm Sunday 7th September 2025 by Molly Liddell

For It's winter in Dunedin (spring technically begins on September 21) which means two things: the wind hurts your face and your power bill could bankrupt a small nation. Yet somehow there is always that flatmate, the one who decides the flat's already freezing lounge needs a "fresh Read more...

Booze Review: Cola Cruisers

Posted 5:44pm Sunday 7th September 2025 by Joan of Rark

They finally did it. The company who could at this point trademark the term “lolly water” have circled back to the original lolly water: Cola.  Whilst this stuff is not their first dabble into cola flavours, with cherry cola and vanilla cola being other flavour options, it took Read more...

OUSA Exec: Politics Week Is Back

Posted 5:18pm Sunday 7th September 2025 by Jett Groshinski

After two long, politics-free years, Politics Week is finally making its return – and honestly, it couldn’t come at a better time. This year, Ōtepoti students are getting front-row seats to one of the most underrated shows in town: local body elections. That’s right, the Read more...

Local Produce: Dunedinsound.com

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 7th September 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

More people than ever are recording what’s going on at gigs. But where do these videos go after the show? Maybe someone will post a few seconds onto their Instagram story, but once it expires, it’s gone. Fraser Thompson understands the danger that “lots of important and valuable Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 21 2025

Posted 10:40am Sunday 7th September 2025 by The Orb

Pisces Flat drama is brewing like the cups of Earl Grey left in your kitchen. Try to stay out of the way of the crossfire and lock yourself in your room or the library.  Microwave meal to make: Mixed chicken and beef two minute noodles Libra A hazy, dreamy cloud shrouds you this week. Read more...

Editorial: A Challenge to the Uni’s Monopoly on Scones

Posted 10:38am Sunday 7th September 2025 by Nina Brown

I learned why the supermarket duopoly is making butter a luxury grocery item last week. Features Editor Hanna patiently explained to me how competition is important to ensure that prices meet demand, and why there being two major supermarkets in Aotearoa means prices inflate to the point of there Read more...

Booze Review: Wild Boar Bourbon & Cola

Posted 10:38pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Gin Swigmore

I drank Wild Boar Bourbon and Cola while playing a 1983 version of Trivial Pursuit. Half of the questions were about the Soviet Union. Fitting. Like oil and water, bourbon and communism just don’t mix. Drinking Wild Boar makes you feel like you’d be complicit in the Red Scare. The drink Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: The Travelling Cum Jumper

Posted 10:36pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Dirty Talk

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. Salty, bitter, metallic – the distinctive taste of cum. Caught off guard, I forget I can swallow. Matt lies down next to me while I pick up the nearest piece of Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Cookie Dough Slice

Posted 10:26pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Ruby Hudson

This week we are serving up a raw cookie dough slice, the perfect sweet to pair with a coffee or satisfy those afternoon choccy cravings. Packed full of goodies like dates, peanut butter and tahini, it gives you a more nutritious and affordable option to those vending machine treats. Make this up at Read more...

OUSA Exec: Romanticise Studenthood

Posted 10:23pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Amy Martin

A few weeks ago, after a Pint Night, I spiralled into what can only be described as a mini existential crisis. I realised the countdown has officially begun. The final semester. Suddenly, the late night study sessions will feel nostalgic, a host will feel like a memory forming, and walking across Read more...

Local Produce: Pages Layn

Posted 10:06pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

Quickly rising the ranks, Pages Layn is getting around Dunedin like a juicy piece of gossip, popping up all over the place, opening just about any gig they can. Having debuted at the first Pint Night of the year, this pack of punters have now managed to score themselves a spot on Rhythm & Alps Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 20 2025

Posted 3:24pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by The Orb

Pisces Your flatmate dishes are starting to look like a biohazard. Channel your fiery rage into either cleaning them or weaponising them to tear the flat dynamic apart in the group chat. Either way, it's a good way to get some of those pent up emotions out. This week's crime: Catfish your Read more...

Editorial: I Want Essential Workers on My Zombie Apocalypse Team

Posted 3:21pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Nina Brown

To cope with long distance, my undergrad friend group has subscribed to a monthly newsletter called Letterloop. Each month brings a fresh set of questions for everyone to answer. They range from the mundane (“how’s work going?”), to the serious (“what’s your biggest Read more...

Debatable: Is pulling an all-nighter more effective than studying in advance?

Posted 3:19pm Sunday 24th August 2025 by Molly Liddell

For There is something almost heroic about pulling an all-nighter: 2am with an energy drink in one hand, wondering if your flatmates will ever know the sacrifice you made for this essay. You're not just a student, you're an academic weapon sharp enough to cut through half a semester's Read more...

Booze Review: Thunderdonk Salted Caramel Whisky

Posted 12:00am Monday 18th August 2025 by Gin Swigmore

Whisky is stoic as fuck. Four fingering a whisky glass makes you feel like a wise and mysterious cowboy – a cowboy that has just silenced a saloon with their presence after spending all day contemplating and riding off into the sunset. Drinking Thunderdonk makes you a mysterious and curious Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Kūmara Fritters

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Time: 1 hr  Serves: 6  Fritters are the perfect way to use up those bits of vegetable you haven’t got round to, and always make a tasty lunch. This recipe makes the BEST crispy crunchy kūmara fritters that are perfect on their own or as a side dish! Depending on the size Read more...

Debatable: Is Ed Sheeran copying Jackson Pollock?

Posted 11:55pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by Liberty Murray

Yes After successfully defeating the plagiarism allegations on his music, Ed Sheeran may not be so successful when it comes to his paintings. The singer doesn’t claim to be a fine artist, but still sells his work? His chaotic, paint-splattered pieces clearly mimic Jackson Pollock’s Read more...

OUSA Exec: Getting Through the Final Weeks of Winter

Posted 11:35pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by Daniel Leamy

Alright, legends. We’ve finally hit the last stretch of the cold Dunedin winter. By now your flat probably feels like an igloo, the stench of wet laundry won’t go away, and the mould on your bedroom ceiling is growing faster than your will to study and your tolerance for flatmates’ Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: Electric Feel

Posted 11:14pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by Dirty Talk

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. — How about your hands? — Fuck yeah! If someone suggests tying you up, you'd assume they have a bit of experience with bondage. So you can imagine my Read more...

Local Produce: Let’s Craft

Posted 11:11pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

In a world where single use items are the norm and purchasing sustainable products can set you back an arm and a leg, it is the Dunedin students who have learnt to get crafty. Critic Te Ārohi spoke to two students who have successfully channeled their artistic side alongside their Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 19 2025

Posted 11:08pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by The Orb

Pisces There is much work to be done to create good habits with your finances. Don’t fall into the 3pm trap of cheap rice balls, let yourself just ‘pop into’ Chemist warehouse, or journey to PAK’nSAVE without a grocery list. Be mindful and you'll be rich by the end of Read more...

Editorial: Praying at the Altar of Art

Posted 11:06pm Sunday 17th August 2025 by Nina Brown

I’m sick of talking about art in the context of how dire the current artistic landscape is. We get it; there’s no funding, AI is taking over the world, Bachelor of Arts graduates are somewhat screwed (I can say that, I am one), and Act’s arts spokesman took 20 minutes to think of a Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Roast Pumpkin Salad

Posted 10:12pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Serves: 6 Time: 1 hr  I hate to admit that I am not the biggest fan of hot vegetables. This causes some anguish in winter when I crave something fresh and salady but can’t fathom spending $5.99 on a cucumber. As a cure when winter provides pumpkins galore, I make roast pumpkin Read more...

Booze Review: Saints & Sinners

Posted 9:44pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Joan of Rark

What is good! This week's booze review was kindly brought to you by me wanting to intentionally get another mockable beverage so you lot don’t think I’m an alcoholic.  Saints & Sinners are a rather funky duo of vodka soda and guarana extract. They’re available in Read more...

OUSA Exec: Lecture Recording Policy Rally

Posted 9:42pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Stella Lynch

Good morning, good afternoon & good evening Academic Weapons I have some FAQs regarding the Recording of Lectures Policy that OUSA co-sponsors. TLDR: OUSA is hosting a chalking event at 4:30pm on Monday 11th August at 640 Cumberland St where we will cover the campus with reasons as to why Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: The Groom Who Couldn’t Commit

Posted 9:20pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Lady Jane Grey

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. I never see guys writing in here, which feels a bit weak considering how many of us are out here making decisions worth confessing. So, here's mine. My girlfriend Read more...

Local Produce: Bespoke Ōtepoti

Posted 9:19pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

If there’s a will, there's a way. When George Street doesn't provide it, this pack of student fashionistas certainly will. Critic Te Ārohi has reached out to three local entrepreneurs to see what they get up to in between lectures. From beauticians to lending out curated Read more...

Horoscopes: 2025 Issue 18

Posted 9:11pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by The Orb

Pisces Pisces, you have been having a little trouble understanding what people are asking of you in your relationships. Try applying some of your active listening skills to make those around you feel both heard and seen. This may also help you to understand what is expected of you in certain Read more...

Editorial: It’s All Political

Posted 9:09pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Nina Brown

“It’s all political.” That’s what Chlöe Swarbrick told me when I said to her that we’d focus on the ‘Politics’ section of the Critic census in our interview. Two weeks later, the words were ringing in my ears as I edited the fashion issue. Fashion is Read more...

Debatable: Is it appropriate to wear pajamas to campus?

Posted 9:02pm Sunday 10th August 2025 by Molly Liddell

For There’s something deeply liberating about the idea of rolling out of bed, chucking on your Oodie and stumbling into a brisk 9am lecture. The cosy feel of your soft cotton PJs brushing against your skin, the faint scent of last night's Mi Goreng noodles still lingering, and the Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Sexy Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Posted 8:46pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Serves: 6 Time: 45 mins For the people with someone to cook for and for those who self sauce xx Ingredients  Cake Batter 1 cup plain flour  2 tsp baking powder  ½ cup brown sugar (lightly packed) 3 Tbsp cocoa powder  ½ cup milk  1 Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: The Long Arm of the Law

Posted 8:42pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Dirty Talk

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous.   Last summer, I started seeing a girl with a thing for urban exploration. Our shared interest was part risk, part sensual – there’s a rush to making out on a Read more...

OUSA Exec: Winter Well-being

Posted 8:32pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Amy Whyman

Winter is here. Now is the time where you have to guess whether Castle and Leith St are shimmering because of broken glass or frost. It’s the time of slipping down the hill to your lectures and spending long nights at the library because of its heating system. Long story short, it’s Read more...

Local Produce: Flipper Fest

Posted 8:06pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

Saving the penguins has never looked sexier. Hoiho advocate and local musician Mario Girardet of Dibs! and Caribou is putting his money where his beak is. Over a series of seven gigs, each with an equally stacked lineup, Flipper Fest is raising money for the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust (Te Tautiaki Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 17 2025

Posted 8:03pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by The Orb

Pisces You feel like AskOtago this week. Everyone in your life seems to have a problem and apparently you are the only one they can talk to about it. Don't let other people's mental loads weigh on you, but that’s easier said than done. Be sure to take time for yourself. Extra bits Read more...

Editorial: Let’s Humanise Sex Again

Posted 8:02pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Nina Brown

The contemporary modern dating scene gets a look in the mirror in this year’s sex issue. I spent the past week carrying a vintage Playboy in my bag, which was kindly loaned to me as part of my research. With plenty of full-frontal bush, tips for pleasing your wife, and ads for gentlemanly Read more...

Debatable: Bush or no bush?

Posted 7:59pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Molly Smith-Soppet

Bush I am sick and tired of razors, of ingrown hairs, of the unspoken expectation that our genitals should resemble a Christmas ham. I, for one, don’t give a fuck if you have pubes. Frankly, we have them for a reason and they deserve a comeback. Not as a quirky thing or as a feminist Read more...

Booze Reviews: Coast Road Creamery Chocolate Cream Liqueur

Posted 7:38pm Sunday 3rd August 2025 by Joan of Rark

And with that, the streak has ended. We have finally found a boozy number I would never like to see again, much like high school calculus (good riddance).  This dirty fuck of a drink is supposedly wine based. Judging by the taste it's a red – not in a ‘nicely locked in Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Roast Pumpkin Soup

Posted 6:10pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Serves: 8  Time: 1 hr roasting + 30 mins cooking Cost: $ Eating seasonal produce is good for the planet, your health, and your budget. At this time of year pumpkin is one of the most affordable things we can find that fits the bill. This recipe is pretty low effort, just taking a bit Read more...

Moaningful Confession: Play It Cool

Posted 6:06pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Critic

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. Two weeks ago, I met the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. Our chance encounter outside the Clubs & Societies building led to two weeks of flirting more skillful than Read more...

Booze Review: Orchard Storm Crush’d Cider

Posted 5:56pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Joan of Rark

Dropping sometime around the end of last year, newcomer Orchard Storm Crush’d Ciders are another solid bev proving my theory that they’re making alcohol taste even better to keep everyone drunk and stop societal progress, à la the Kraggle from The Lego Movie or like half the Read more...

OUSA Exec: Madam Acting President

Posted 5:54pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Amy Martin

With Liam out of the office for the day, it was time for me to finally shine. That’s right, your favourite Administrative Vice-President (me) stepped up to the presidential plate to take on the hefty responsibilities of OUSA’s top job.  Honestly not too much was different on my Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 16 2025

Posted 5:30pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by The Orb

Pisces Do something this week that will leave a lasting impact for others to remember you by. The moon is drawing you away from others, but you're a social creature so whether you start a new club or graffiti half the flats on Castle St, you need to make an impact so big you'll be Read more...

Editorial: It Happened, I Went to a Split-Screened Rave

Posted 5:29pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Nina Brown

I went to a split-screened rave last week. Picture this: a boiler room on the top floor of The Grand in Wellington. Frothing crowd of mid-20s, sunglasses on (despite the dark) and exposed skin slick with sweat, surrounding the DJ. And above it all, Minecraft and Subway Surfers projected onto an Read more...

Debatable: Is “breaking the seal” real?

Posted 5:26pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Adam Stitely

No So, you’re racing like a pisshorse. Is it a) because you drank five 330ml cans (1.65L) in thirty minutes, or b) because you took a piss after drinking five 330ml cans in thirty minutes.  Ones who answered A would argue that getting on the piss has a science behind it. It’s Read more...

Local Produce: Saints: The Card Game

Posted 5:10pm Saturday 26th July 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

Following his tenure at Critic Te Ārohi as 2019 Editor, one marked by “that” Knox College investigation and a war on shady landlords, Charlie O’Mannin has managed to keep himself busy. The Dunedin local turned indie board game creator hopes that his most recent venture helps Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Pesto Pasta

Posted 5:18pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Time: 45 mins  Serves: 5  Price: $$ At this time of year it’s always handy to have a really quick meal to whip up mid week that’ll get you tucked up and cosy asap! This pesto pasta is a speedy, versatile and delicious option that everyone will enjoy, and maybe even Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: Acquaintance with Disadvantages

Posted 5:08pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Critic

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. When I was 19, I started sleeping with a 29-year-old man who thought he was incredibly charming in a sort of post-ironic, tortured-intellectual kind of way. I mostly just Read more...

Booze Review: Monsuta Lemon Chu-Hai

Posted 5:02pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Joan of Rark

WSG (What’s good) my pimps, playaz, and operators! It is I, Joan of the Rark, presenting to you what I would like to call “Japanese Codys” (JCs). This is for two reasons: 1) I cannot remember what they are actually called (chur to my editor for fixing the title), and 2) I believe Read more...

OUSA Exec: Lecture Recordings Policy Update

Posted 4:57pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Stella Lynch

Good mythical morning wee Critic readers. I am ever so happy that you flicked to the back of the mag and laid your eyes upon our humble Exec column. If you’ve stopped reading already, you suck. It’s that time of year where we all get a fresh gust of wind to tide us through the Read more...

Local Produce: Jess Lord

Posted 4:43pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Molly Smith-Soppet

‘Breaking your face’ would probably deter anyone from a sport they love, but not Jess Lord. Jess did exactly that – nose and cheekbone broken after going face first into a ledge. Now a second-year physio student, she's basically doing her own post-injury rehab in the form of a Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 15 2025

Posted 4:41pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by The Orb

Pisces You're a little ‘in your feels’ this week and the weather is pushing you closer and closer to seasonal depression. Push yourself to get out of bed a little earlier every day and by the end of the week you will have a smile back on that dial!  What dinosaur are you: Read more...

Editorial: Surviving North D With Your Crew

Posted 4:30pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Nina Brown

Like many University of Otago students, when I moved into my first flat in second-year, I went in blind. All I knew going into flat hunting was my sister telling me to chase sunshine, my mum’s tip to test the shower pressure at viewings, and that if you don’t sign by August you’ll Read more...

Debatable: Should you date international students?

Posted 4:28pm Saturday 19th July 2025 by Ella Grayson

For Who doesn’t love an accent?  Winter is the best time of year to smell out the fresh batch of sexy internationals away for a semester to play in the snow of Central Otago, or enjoy the black mould of Dunners. For many of us the fantasy of finding the love of our lives at Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Spaghetti Bolognese

Posted 1:14pm Monday 14th July 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Welcome to Semester Two! I hope you had a great break and are braced for a wintery start to the second half of the year. We have an absolute classic this week: the humble spaghetti bolognese. I know what you’re thinking: “Pfft please! I know how to make spag bowl.” But when I tell Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: “Caught, Clawed, and Chlorinated”

Posted 1:12pm Monday 14th July 2025 by Critic

Have something juicy to tell us? Send your salacious stories to moaningful@critic.co.nz. Submissions remain anonymous. There’s something about Mediterranean air that turns you into the kind of girl who says yes to Jägermeister and public fingering. I was on a family holiday – Read more...

OUSA Exec: The Glorious and Half-Serious Revolution

Posted 1:09pm Monday 14th July 2025 by Liam White

The last couple of months have been rough. Not “there’s no seats in the link” rough. More like “I tried to rebuild the student movement with a whiteboard and a lack of sleep” rough. Please don’t misinterpret this, I love my job. There’s no greater Read more...

Local Produce: Powder Chutes

Posted 1:02pm Monday 14th July 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

From fans to friends. A local rock band from Wanaka ended 2024 on Spark Arena’s stage playing with Grammy-nominated act Highly Suspect. 2025 saw the band interrupt their usual rotation of gigs with a nationwide tour promoting their self-titled album, Powder Chutes. Shredding through chords and Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 14 2025

Posted 12:48pm Monday 14th July 2025 by Critic

Pisces This week you’ll find the thing you so desperately need to fill that hole in your heart. You’ve felt a little ‘out of sorts’ lately and crave stability; this will come from the most unexpected of places. Mistake to Avoid: Getting addicted to vaping… Read more...

Editorial: Census Was a Trip

Posted 11:37am Monday 14th July 2025 by Nina Brown

Welcome back to campus! While many of you had a well-deserved rest and shroom-induced epiphanies, I tripped in a labyrinth of census data, was sent down corridors of correlations and came out the other end both enlightened and far too familiar with your lives.  The Critic census was birthed Read more...

Debatable: Is it socially acceptable to drink glasses of milk?

Posted 11:35am Monday 14th July 2025 by Hunter Jolly

For It was a bit of a shock to learn that drinking the occasional glass of milk was a controversial act. I’m an adamant milk slurper, so you’d better believe that after a hard day of mahi, I like to come home and guzzle down a pint or two of it. What’s not to love? It’s Read more...

Recession Indicators: Otago Edition

Posted 11:26am Monday 14th July 2025 by Molly Smith-Soppet

Aotearoa technically isn’t in a recession anymore, but this is what I have seen and things I expect to see in the near future as signs of economic backsliding. Full buses  Home hair cuts and choppy bangs U-Bar pintflation (alongside the death) The rise of platonic Read more...

Booze Review: Speight’s Hazy Pale Ale

Posted 11:14am Monday 14th July 2025 by Joan of Rark

This article does not start with a sip, but with a journey. Of course, by journey I mean driving from my boozeless flat in the North East Valley to Rattray Street to pick up a rarer drop than most conjured up by those mad bastards under the Triple Star: Speight’s Hazy Pale Read more...

Booze Review: Kristov Orange Label

Posted 5:49pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Joan of Rark

We’ve gone DI-why the fuck would you do that this week: Kristov Red Label and Raro. Born from a post in the ‘Throwback 4s & Rotary of NZ’ facebook group, surrounded by mentions of monster-ports, premix, and Purple Goannas, this shit should have made like dreads and tribal Read more...

Debatable: Is the gaydar real?

Posted 5:45pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Stella Weston

For:  We naturally put other people in boxes immediately upon meeting them based on preconceptions and perceived signals, real or imagined. We are brought up to understand that subtle indicators are reflective of deeper identities. The subliminal messages that we send with our choices in Read more...

Critical Tribune: OUSA Dyes Leith River Green In Celebration Of 135th Birthday

Posted 5:41pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Anna Marrs

Students may have noticed that the Leith is running more green than usual this week. The Otago University’s Student Association has poured gallons of green commercial dye into our very own Leith River in celebration of their 135th birthday, a move that some ecology experts are calling Read more...

OUSA Exec: The Referendum (Again)

Posted 5:31pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Liam White

We know what you’re thinking—“surely the Exec aren’t still going on about the referendum?”  Yes. Yes, we are. Because now the message is louder and clearer: voting opens today! If you’re reading this on a study break, why not procrastinate just a little Read more...

Local Produce: ‘Bussy Galore’ by Dirty Talk

Posted 5:18pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Molly Smith-Soppet

If you've found yourself chain smoking outside Woof! or neck deep in an americano at Yours, you may have spotted a slim, lipstick-red booklet amongst the anarchist clutter. No, it's not Mao’s Little Red Book, but it has just as much revolutionary energy. It’s Bussy Galore: Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 13 2025

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Critic

Pisces Assignment grind has been getting you down, but now is the time to treat yourself to a big present. Who cares if it will put you into financial ruin in the very near future, put that purchase on Afterpay and never look back. Your Queer awakening: Glee Libra PLEASE GO TO THE TOILET AFTER Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Noodle Wrap

Posted 5:12pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Gordon Ramthisdownyourgullet

Strap yourselves in folks, cause we are about to get freaky. Have you ever been hungry/hungover as fuck only to discover you have close to no real food? Well then this recipe is for you financially struggling legends. This feed has been built solely on the random scraps you have in the cupboard or Read more...

Editorial: Representation Matters, Now More Than Ever

Posted 5:01pm Sunday 25th May 2025 by Nina Brown

Let me get this out of the way: I’m a very straight, stereotypical cis-woman. If you look at me, there’s little doubt in your mind that my favourite colour as a young girl was pink, that my first crush was Dan Carter, and that Azealia Banks Twitter lore draws a blank (had to consult the Read more...

OUSA Exec: The Referendum

Posted 10:47pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Amy Martin

Look, I get it. You’re all sick and tired of hearing about the referendum. Frankly, I’m sick of talking about it! But, here we are still referendum-ing. I promise we are coming to the end of it soon, but don’t get too excited. Odds are that we are going to be doing it all again in Read more...

Local Produce: Women in Business Otago

Posted 10:30pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Molly Smith-Soppet

If you think business clubs are just suited-up LinkedIn influencers moonlighting a degree double majoring in Finance and Accounting, you clearly haven't met Women in Business (WIB). This isn't your average stock-trading, hustle-culture club. WIB is a women-led club built on the belief that Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 12 2025

Posted 10:27pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Critic

Pisces Start a business! There's no time like the present to pile another thing onto your plate and at least you will be motivated by your bank account's potential for exponential growth. Get creative with it and be sure to invest in Instagram ads. Old media to revive: Print TV Read more...

Editorial: Behind the Scenes EXCLUSIVE of Tabloid

Posted 10:22pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Nina Brown

Like most campus-bound creatures in May, Critic Te Ārohi has been crawling towards the pointy end of the semester, and Tabloid Issue has been the light at the end of the tunnel. Only so much of the antics can make it onto the page, so strap yourself in for an EXCLUSIVE cut of the behind the Read more...

Debatable: Should politicians have social media?

Posted 10:18pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Gryffin Blockley

For From flat-out cringe to just plain confusing, seeing your democratically-elected Gen-X or Boomer politicians on your FYP can be jarring at first. But even if it’s a tough watch seeing some MP try and be ‘down with the kids’, at least they’re trying right? Political Read more...

Critical Tribune: LEAKED! OIA Reveals Otago is Legally Obligated to Hire Unelected Politicians

Posted 9:59pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Anderson Coomer

Emails released under the Official Information Act (OIA) have revealed that the University of Otago has entered into a legally binding agreement with the Labour Party to hire politicians that don’t get elected.  The official document stated that the University was required to Read more...

Booze Reviews: Ormond Rich Rouge

Posted 9:57pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Griselda Pinot

Move over pinot gris, here come the rich aromas of the lady herself – Ruby Rouge. Aptly named, considering the colour of my cheeks after a glass. She presents with a deep crimson body, casting a siren call for an immediate sip.  Is it cherry, strawberry or blackberry that offends the Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Bento Bowls

Posted 9:51pm Sunday 18th May 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Not to be that guy… but I am currently in Japan, sitting on a train eating a bento box. For this week's recipe I thought I’d bring you along with me, and share a homemade take on a bento bowl. This recipe is pretty quick and easy to make, and could be modified to use tofu, beef or Read more...

Activist Rodent Learns What Neoliberalism Means

Posted 4:45pm Tuesday 13th May 2025 by Anderson Coomer

Thousands of people in the Southern Region were left without internet access on Wednesday 16 April following an incident of a rodent chewing through a fibre cable after being radicalised into an anarcho-primitivist agenda through a mix of “hot Leninist goths” and “Into the Wild Read more...

Local Produce: Te Kahui

Posted 3:57pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

Kahui is an Ōtepoti Hip-Hop and R&B band that has been reinventing the solo work of their frontman's Spotify tunes for a live audience. Opening up for Kiwi legend Mā at Pearl Diver on the 12th of April has been the band's most recent accolade. The group is made up of rapper Te Read more...

In The Cage: Can I enjoy movies anymore?

Posted 3:41pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Jordan Irvine

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is probably only notable for the fact that it is another period piece so the Cage has an Italian accent that is more Mario than Chris Pratt was. It is devastatingly long and watching it after Sinners – one of the best films to come out this year, by the way Read more...

Booze Review: Toblerone

Posted 3:13pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Gin Swigmore

Critic went homemade this week. After last week’s adventure tackling a box of Hard Rated Alcoholic Lemon and some questionable decisions to attend an uneventful but expensive night in the Octagon, Critic’s alcohol budget was blown on unnecessary Ubers, vodka sodas, and a guilty attempt Read more...

OUSA Exec: Flatting Quality Survey

Posted 3:09pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Callum Hadlow

We all know flatting in Dunedin can be a wild ride; from absolutely abusing free hours of power to keep the place warm, to seeing more fungi on your wall than at a bush doof. It has become a right of passage to wear three layers indoors and have that one window that doesn't close. But it Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 11 2025

Posted 2:57pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Critic

Pisces Invest in fruit during this week's grocery shop. Your memory and mind is stronger than ever and you will definitely not forget about the fruit and let it rot in the back of your fridge for three weeks. Now is also a good time to pick up a new hobby – maybe crosswords. Instrument Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Toblerone Cocktail

Posted 2:56pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Tossing up between an alcoholic tipple and a decadent dessert to follow your flat dinner? Why not have both with the Toblerone. Inspired by the titular chocolate bar, the Toblerone tied together caffeinated, nutty, and velvety sweetness from a homemade honey syrup is (the star of the show). With a Read more...

Editorial: I Don’t Need to Defend My Music Taste

Posted 2:40pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Nina Brown

The debatable topic this week asks whether or not music taste can be a dealbreaker in a relationship. The topic was put forth as a light-hearted suggestion, tapping into the vein of Gen Z culture where relationship “icks” are as trivial as how he ties his shoes or whether he calls urine Read more...

Debatable: Is differing music taste a relationship deal breaker?

Posted 2:39pm Sunday 11th May 2025 by Ellie Bennett

Yes It’s all about compatibility, baby!  POV: you love late ‘60s psychedelic rock, while your partner froths Ed Sheeran. No hate to Ed, but those two genres have nothing in common, and chances are neither do you and the person you’re in a relationship with. Sure, a Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Shakshuka

Posted 10:10pm Sunday 4th May 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Shakshuka did the rounds a couple years ago on social media and I have been making it ever since. Tasty, cheap and fast to prepare, it is a great option to make on a weeknight when you’ve got other shit to do! If you aren’t cooking for a crowd, feel free to save a container of the tomato Read more...

In The Cage: “Let’s Ride”

Posted 9:55pm Sunday 4th May 2025 by Jordan Irvine

In the late ‘90s, the vibrant colour of the ‘80s faded away, as films – particularly actions and dramas – favoured colour tones of greys, greens, and blues. This is shown in 1999’s 8MM, As the name of the website I watched it on suggested (effedupmovies.com) the Read more...

Booze Reviews: Hard Rated Booze Review

Posted 9:53pm Sunday 4th May 2025 by Gin Swigmore

For the second week in a row, we’re reviewing Aussie booze. While Australia hasn’t given us much in terms of worthy exports – apart from Milo, Vegemite, and a bang average rugby team – there’s something that may just take the throne: Hard Rated Alcoholic Lemon. The Read more...

OUSA Exec: Why One Week Off?

Posted 9:40pm Sunday 4th May 2025 by Stella Lynch

For reasons unknown (slow news week), Critic Te Ārohi has decided that semester lengths are such a hot topic that they deserve two weeks of coverage. Naturally, they handed me a full page and said, “500 words, please.” Because apparently I’m the only student who knows how any Read more...