Archive

Editorial: What’s Up, Love?

Posted 11:58am Sunday 4th October 2026 by Hanna Varrs

Welcome to the Love Issue! In this edition, you’ll find a double love feature, double love in culture, and a double Moaningful Confessions. Don’t say we don’t love you.  This issue was pretty spontaneous, but I think it’s well-timed. It’s the second to last Read more...

TLDR: Issue 25 2026

Posted 11:45am Sunday 4th October 2026 by Critic Staff

Flipper Fest! The charity event of the year is back! October 9th and 10th come and support the conservation of the Hoiho Yellow-Eyed Penguins. Stay updated through @opac_otago and @flipper.fest!!🐧 UniQ are hosting our AGM on the 9th of October, 7pm, at Clubs & Socs' Evison Lounge. Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: Double Feature

Posted 11:44am Sunday 4th October 2026 by Smutette

A Practical Lesson in Colour Theory By Smutette Let me set the scene. It’s Halloween. The night begins with me, determined to be Smurfette, buck-ass naked as my flatmate paints my entire body blue. Not with body paint, but electric blue acrylic paint we’d used on our flat sign. In Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 25 2026

Posted 11:41am Sunday 4th October 2026 by The Orb

Aquarius Having trouble deciding which personality to go with today? The allegations of you being “pretentious” and “vapi” are not going to go away unless you lock in and find a bit of inner peace. So take a minute and try finding yourself before you forget who you actually Read more...

OUSA Exec: Kamesha Jones

Posted 11:40am Sunday 4th October 2026 by Kamesha Jones

You are probably being asked to vote left, right and centre – literally. Two weeks ago, you might have had a flurry of Instagram requests from potential OUSA election candidates (guilty). If you were remotely clocked into anything the candidates were saying – you would have noticed a Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: The day I lost two things: my fave g-string and my…

Posted 3:51pm Saturday 26th September 2026 by Chappell Moan

Let me set the scene. It’s a Saturday night in my home town, and the clubs are calling my name. Naturally, I put on my sluttiest outfit and hit town with the confidence of a white man. ‘Come on Eileen’ was playing as I locked eyes with the pookiest man I had ever seen. Thankfully Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 24 2026

Posted 3:48pm Saturday 26th September 2026 by The Orb

Libra: Your love life has been on life support in 2026. It’s time to start thinking about dipping your toes back in the water, before your flatmates start feeling bad for you. Ask someone on a date – the stars promise that it’s time.  Hangxiety-inducing moment in town: Read more...

OUSA Exec: Vote.

Posted 3:46pm Saturday 26th September 2026 by OUSA Exec

Every year students have plenty to say about OUSA, and don’t get me wrong, that’s exactly how it should be. But if you’ve got strong opinions about who should be leading and advocating for you in 2027, the best way to make sure you’re heard is to vote!   The Read more...

Crossword Answers - Issue 24 2026

Posted 3:43pm Saturday 26th September 2026 by The Quizzler

Across 1 - Division 4 - Smooch 9 - Mannequin 10 - Joeys 11 - Anakin Skywalker 14 - Sid 15 - Chests 18 - Ensuite 20 - Chud 23 - Omit 24 - Odious 25 - Hoarse 26 - Due Down: 1 - Doomsday 2 - Veins 3 - Splendid 5 - Oreos 6 - Holster 7 - Sanjay 8 - Judas 12 - Alias 13 - Read more...

Editorial: The Crawl To The Finish Line

Posted 3:39pm Saturday 26th September 2026 by Hanna Varrs

Last Wednesday, I was on the phone with my best friend, Grace.  For avid Critic nerds, Grace was the main creator of the For The Girls game included in the centrefold of the Party Issue. Nowadays, I’m sad to say that we don’t find nearly enough time to talk with busy schedules Read more...

Critic Recipes For Bored Fuckers

Posted 5:53pm Thursday 24th September 2026 by Harry Almey

They said independence and flatting would be fun. What a load of hogwash. Before long, you've mastered the art of quick gruel for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Your parents are concerned: “you only eat what?” You explain that sometimes you simply need to shove something in your gob Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 23 2026

Posted 11:57am Sunday 20th September 2026 by The Orb

Capricorn Mid-sem is over, which means this is the one golden week where going to Central might not send you into a full panic attack. Capitalise on this tiny window of freedom before exams ruin your life again. Head to St Kilda at the witching hour and scream your woes into the waves. School Club Read more...

OUSA Exec: Tumuaki Takirua

Posted 11:52am Sunday 20th September 2026 by OUSA Exec

Mauri ora e te iwi! Whoop whoop, here’s your other Māori rep, to talk more about Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori! I’ll keep this pretty paku because the week’s already over – but the celebration of te reo Māori will carry on forever.  AsI write this piece, we Read more...

Editorial: Enrol To Vote By The 25th of October

Posted 11:50am Sunday 20th September 2026 by Hanna Varrs

This issue has turned out to be pretty politics heavy, and I’m pleased about it. Politics should be at the forefront of everyone’s minds right now, and I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t scream at everyone to enrol to vote. As you’ll see on the cover, Read more...

Crossword Answers - Issue 23 2026

Posted 11:40am Sunday 20th September 2026 by The Quizzler

Across 1 - The Water Horse 7 - Exposed 8 - Scrotum 9 - Divorced 10 - Regent 13 - Daleks 14 - Spaceman 15 - Musings 17 - Inhabit 21 - Abode 22 - Germ 23 - Cumin 24 - Delhi Down 1 - Tweedledum 2 - Woohoo 3 - Trenches 4 - Hose 5 - Shoegaze 6 - Gumption 11 - Amphibious 12 - Read more...

Friends With Benefits

Posted 11:39am Sunday 20th September 2026 by Heeni Koero Te Rerenoa (Sky)

If there’s one thing a Ngāpuhi likes, it’s arguing a case. Unfortunately for everyone else, I’ve always got one.  When I left Whangārei, most people assured me I was about to meet a whole new world of “like-minded” people. Unfortunately, I interpreted Read more...

Booze Review: Absolut Vodka with Sprite Watermelon Zero Sugar 5% Cans

Posted 11:35am Sunday 20th September 2026 by Swig60

Welcome back beer lovers and toe suckers. It’s the final stretch of the uni year, so we only have a handful of drinking weekends, a semester of lectures, 2 showers, and 400 wanks (or whatever girls do instead) left to go. For this week's drink, we have something that smells like vodka, Read more...

Editorial: Issue 22 2026

Posted 12:31pm Sunday 13th September 2026 by Heeni Koero Te Rerenoa (Sky)

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, named after the whitest Bratz girl of the Read more...

Da Juicy Joint

Posted 11:20am Sunday 13th September 2026 by Critic

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 unsweetened almond milk ¼ cup Read more...

Before You Leave Ōtepoti

Posted 11:18am Sunday 13th September 2026 by Te Āwhina Brundell

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, we've also reached that point in the Read more...

Carpool Confession

Posted 11:16am Sunday 13th September 2026 by Te Āwhina Brundell

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 much as you can. Kia kaha te reo Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 22 2026

Posted 11:13am Sunday 13th September 2026 by The Orb

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 study burnout sets in.  Your Bratz Read more...

Something Sweet From Te Rito

Posted 11:11am Sunday 13th September 2026 by Jarna Flintoff

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 in.  University can be the first chance to Read more...

Crossword Answers - Issue 22 2026

Posted 11:03am Sunday 13th September 2026 by The Quizzler

ACROSS  1 - Ready for the reins! [SADDLED]  5 - She comes with an outfit change! [DOLL] 6 - South American country with a spicy name! [CHILE] 8 -  Seeing red. [MARS] 9 -  There aren’t enough in a day! [HOURS] 11 - Charmed, captivated. [ENCHANTED] 14 - Read more...

Diva Dashboard

Posted 11:01am Sunday 13th September 2026 by Critic Staff

Guest Contributors Te Āwhina Brundell Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Te Hikutū, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe Last Seen: 1 year ago in Te Reo o Te Moana Nickname – Valley Gewl Zodiac Sign Read more...

TLDR: Issue 21 2026

Posted 11:56am Sunday 6th September 2026 by Critic Staff

Anthsoc, SOUPPES, Classoc, and Hsoc are excited to bring you a collaborative Humanities Wine and Cheese night. On the 16th September, 6:00- 9:30PM, in the Humanities common room (Burns building). Tickets for members are $5, and non-members are $10. Everyone is welcome! BYO wine.  Calling all Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: Lessons I Learnt From Breaking My Penis

Posted 11:51am Sunday 6th September 2026 by Casamoaner

It's away! It's a hit! Negative. It didn't go in. It just impacted on the surface.  I woke up the morning after a fun night with a severe case of morning wouldn't. Nothing. Like picking up a phone that's been disconnected. Like turning the key on a car with no battery. It Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 21 2026

Posted 11:49am Sunday 6th September 2026 by The Orb

Pisces Everyone knows that you want that Capricorn bad, despite your attempts to act aloof and professionally detached. Stop pretending you don’t care because out of fear caring might make you look stupid. You already look stupid. You may as well get what you want. Your Brunch Order: Read more...

OUSA Exec: Why You Should Come Along To The Student General Meeting

Posted 11:48am Sunday 6th September 2026 by Daniel Leamy

The Executive is proposing changes to the OUSA Constitution that would reshape how student representation works from 2027 onwards. The proposal includes new roles, changes to existing portfolios, and the addition of a dedicated Disabilities Representative. These are significant changes that would Read more...

Editorial: The Week Of My Dreams

Posted 11:47am Sunday 6th September 2026 by Hanna Varrs

On the 29th of June, I received an email from some people representing a photo company. Long story short, they were requesting $365 due to using a picture that amounted to copyright infringement. Uh oh! They sent a link to where we’d used this material, which was a random Facebook post from Read more...

Crossword Answers - Issue 20 2026

Posted 12:36pm Sunday 23rd August 2026 by The Quizzler

ACROSS 1 - Surrealism 6 - Cake 8 - Beluga 9 - Neon 10 - Bozos 11 - Siren 12 - Infamy 15 - Dread 16 - Grim 18 - Capo 20 - Flamingo 22 - Tales 24 - Abundant 25 - Hoax 26 - Stronghold 27 - Evil DOWN 1 - Sculpting 2 - Ribs 3 - Eelworms 4 - Lagoon 5 - Mona Lisa 6 - Read more...

Moaningful Confessions: A Nail-Biting Tale

Posted 12:35pm Sunday 23rd August 2026 by Chappell Moan

We all have that person that’s somehow accumulated an impressive amount of lore and become a celebrity within the friend group. Mine was this guy who I had no romantic feelings for, and who I invited to my birthday party – entirely as a joke. By some miracle, he showed up. Right on Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 20 2026

Posted 12:34pm Sunday 23rd August 2026 by The Orb

Leo The slopes are calling your name – the Ōtepoti snow day gave you hunger for the alps. You're ready to sell your sanity, fill a five-seater car with eight of your friends and make the long road trip to Queenstown. Beware: there will be at least three arguments on the way!! Your Read more...

OUSA Exec

Posted 12:24pm Sunday 23rd August 2026 by OUSA Exec

Kia ora,  The OUSA Exec are aware of reports from students alleging white supremacist activity in Dunedin. At this stage, it is not clear whether these groups have any involvement with Otago students. While there is currently no confirmed connection, we believe it is important to keep our Read more...

Editorial: Read This If You Intend To Run For OUSA Exec

Posted 12:22pm Sunday 23rd August 2026 by Hanna Varrs

The OUSA student executive elections are coming up, with campaigning beginning on the 14th of September. For those that are tuned in to the happenings of OUSA, they’ll have some understanding of the current Exec roles.  However, the Exec has passed a decision this week to put major Read more...

Signed, Sealed, (Still Left On) Delivered

Posted 11:28am Sunday 23rd August 2026 by Heeni Koero Te Rerenoa (Sky)

If there’s one thing a Ngāpuhi likes, it’s arguing a case. Unfortunately for everyone else, I’ve always got one.  We were promised that phones would make us more connected. Instant messaging arrived and, for once, the name did exactly what it said on the tin: messages Read more...

Crossword Answers - Issue 19 2026

Posted 10:35am Sunday 16th August 2026 by The Quizzler

ACROSS: 1 - Sivle Talk 5 - Spuds 10 - Tintin 11 - Astute 12 - Heartthrob 13 - Stub 14 - Eat my shorts 18 - American Gothic 21 - Oklahoma 22 - Vodka 23 - Robert Pattinson DOWN: 2 - Vienna 3 - Enlist 4 - Loiter 6 - Pout 7 - Super bowl 8 - Blabbering 9 - Itchy 14 - Elsa 15 Read more...

TLDR: Issue 19 2026

Posted 10:34am Sunday 16th August 2026 by Critic Staff

The Otago Literary Society is running their monthly Book Club on the 20th of August, 6-7:30pm in Room 3, Clubs & Socs. This month they are collaborating with the History Students Society with the theme "History". Attendees can bring any literary text, Read more...

Letters: Issue 19 2026

Posted 10:19am Sunday 16th August 2026 by Critic

Response to JK Rowling Concerns Thank you for raising your concerns about our choice of theme for this year’s Law Revue, Harry Potter. We completely agree with your criticism of JK Rowling, she's a dick! The content of the show is critical of her views, and she is appropriately Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 19 2026

Posted 10:15am Sunday 16th August 2026 by The Orb

Cancer The break’s coming up, and all you can think about is how time is slipping right through your fingers. Stock up on your favourite chocolate to stress eat now, because even though your brain is fried, we both know you’re still going to try to shove more lectures into Read more...

OUSA Exec: Choose Your Power Plan Wisely

Posted 10:06am Sunday 16th August 2026 by Zoe Eckhoff

Are you signed with Contact Energy? Got that free power from 9-12am? Well, here’s your Residential Rep’s hot take – consider an alternative.  There’s lots of debate on which power plan is the best, or which will save you the most money. The reality is: the best plan Read more...

Editorial: Less Room For Me, More Room For Politics

Posted 9:59am Sunday 16th August 2026 by Hanna Varrs

Holy fuck – what a week! Firstly, I am absolutely thrilled with the amount of letters Critic has been receiving lately. I literally couldn’t fit them all in the mag, even with me cutting this editorial in half. Talk about student engagement.  Secondly, this issue has turned out Read more...

The Politics of Being Nice

Posted 9:51am Sunday 16th August 2026 by Heeni Koero Te Rerenoa (Sky)

If there’s one thing a Ngāpuhi likes, it’s arguing a case. Unfortunately for everyone else, I’ve always got one. That’s probably why I’ve never quite understood Kiwis’ obsession with being nice. Between inherited British politeness, our talent for Read more...

Booze Review/Recipe: Boozy Hot Chocolate

Posted 9:48am Sunday 16th August 2026 by Swig60

Sup snowers and blowers! It was snowing a couple weeks ago, and not the kind of snow you find in the Hyde Street portaloos. Safe to say, we got rinsed on the day we were supposed to write this, but what better to write about than day drinking!? You can’t say snow to a no-day. We Read more...

Shell Armour Oil Review

Posted 4:34pm Saturday 8th August 2026 by Sir Fucks-A-Lot

Now, as a Knight of the Pound Table, I must say that I have tried my fair share of armour lube. I tend toward a low sheen, noise reducing, odourless oil. The Shell Amour Oil is just that, with the added bonuses of being perfectly neutral and rust-evasive. The multi-head applicator tip is great Read more...

Crossword Answers - Issue 18 2026

Posted 4:07pm Saturday 8th August 2026 by The Quizzler

ACROSS: 1 - Excalibur 5 - Heart 9 - Rivendell 10 - Yeti 11 - Lord Farquaad 13 - Pea 14 - Shellphone 18 - Tea 20 - Genovia 21 - Unicorn 23 - Beanstalk 24 - Suspicious Stew DOWN: 1 - Emerald City 2 - Cerberus 3 - Love 4 - Banner 6 - Ariel 7 - Taniwha 8 - Flora 12 - Read more...

Letters: Issue 18 2026

Posted 3:58pm Saturday 8th August 2026 by Critic

Tēnā koutou Te Ārohi While traipsing the tiled halls of the Robertson I saw posters for this year's Law Revue, and was disappointed to see the theme: a parody of Harry Potter (Harry Notter: The Boy Who Passed). I just want to remind everyone of some matters about JK Read more...

University: A Story Of Your Own Making

Posted 3:52pm Saturday 8th August 2026 by Fergus Parks

Hear ye! Hear ye! It's your Post Grad Rep back for another Exec column! More often than not, the greatest stories and fairytales we know are born from the realities of the world we live in. You reading this might not feel like you're part of some grand adventure, slaying a dragon or Read more...

Editorial: Once Upon A Time…

Posted 3:48pm Saturday 8th August 2026 by Hanna Varrs

Once upon a time, there was a student magazine called Critic Te Ārohi. And it was the best publication in the entire world.  I am super proud of this issue, but it feels wrong to be writing this editorial. That’s because this issue belongs to Stella Caulton, the designer for this Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 18 2026

Posted 3:32pm Saturday 8th August 2026 by The Orb

Aries Fire burns bright in your heart, yet the one you seek may be blinded by flames. You leap toward peaks high in the heavens, but mind thy step – don’t mistake treacherous lands for a safe haven.  Your fairytale: Thumbelina Taurus Your pocket has been swindled of copper, Read more...