Archive

Banned Shirts: Why Not Knowing the Band is an Act of Feminism

Posted 3:49pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Jamiema Lorimer

Nirvana. The Beatles. Pink Floyd. Bands that mean absolutely nothing to the girlies. Or do they? In this essay, I will outline why basic bitches wearing band shirts is actually a feminist act of sticking it to the man. Self-proclaimed music bros, Anthony Fantano subscribers, and guys who tune Read more...

QUIZ: Which Dunedin Venue Are You?

Posted 3:26pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

Your latest Tinder match hits you with the dreaded question: “What kind of music are you into?” What half-truth will make you seem more interesting? Jazz, but like, real jazz. Have you seen Whiplash? I’m actually in a surf rock band, that’s probably my go-to Read more...

Opinion: Busking Needs a Glow-Up

Posted 3:06pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

As a timid fourteen-year-old, I wanted to go busking in town with my ukulele. Ignoring the fact that a ukulele is a terrible busking instrument, I quickly found myself in a swamp of bureaucratic bereavement which only subsided after I gave up on my musical dreams forever. Granted, I was a terrible Read more...

How to Know if You’ve Got The Ick

Posted 11:54am Tuesday 16th May 2023 by Anna Robertshawe

Part 1 of 2: Understanding the Ick       Understand that getting the ick is not your fault. Society often stigmatises the ick and those who suffer from it. This means it can be easy to believe that you are a bad person. And maybe you are. You might be Read more...

Correlation or Causation?

Posted 3:19pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

According to Gen Z, “pipelines” are no longer what Big Oil puts in the ground. Rather, a pipeline is an ominous way of understanding the correlation or causation between particular people and their tendencies. There are a few pipelines which are specific to Otago and greater student Read more...

Secret Community Unearthed!...Sorta

Posted 2:03pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Athletics aren’t necessarily synonymous with student life. Sport New Zealand attests to this, claiming weekly participation in sporting activity drops from 98% to 75% at the age of 18. Despite these staggering statistics, the question remains: how do breathas remain so skinny in spite of such Read more...

How to Lose a Guy in Five Dates

Posted 3:26pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Nina Brown

As someone who’s been called a serial monogamist, I recently had the novel (dis)pleasure of re-entering the Dunedin dating scene. Now, “dating scene” is a somewhat generous term for what awaits singles on the damp streets of Dunners, which I was reminded of upon redownloading Read more...

Opinion: The System Isn’t Broken

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

A clean, green, egalitarian nation. One that cares deeply for its people and wildlife, all of whom exist within a beautiful, isolated bubble of freedom, safety, and prosperity. At least, that’s what New Zealand likes to go around bragging about. But when you take a deeper, harder look at this Read more...

Burnt Out

Posted 2:38pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Anna Robertshawe

“Work hard, play hard” works, until it doesn’t. Most of us drink anywhere between 1-4 nights a week, work one or two jobs, and belong to one or two clubs or volunteer groups - all on top of uni. It’s a lifestyle, and we make it work. But students are burning the candle at Read more...

All the gear, no idea

Posted 11:41am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Max Phillips

Otago is the MDMA capital of New Zealand.  Wastewater testing has revealed that Otago consumes nearly twice as much MDMA (1.8x) per capita than anywhere else in the country. In Quarter 2 of 2022, the Southern District consumed 538 mg per day per 1,000 people, compared to a national average Read more...

How to Smuggle Meth into New Zealand: Just Add Vinegar

Posted 11:38am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Rauri Warren

Imagine if New Zealand banned a specific LEGO set from crossing the border. Let’s say it’s the Titanic model, set #10294. That set comes with precisely 9,090 pieces, and only a specific combination of those pieces results in set #10294. Now let’s say that you built set #10294 Read more...

Pick your Poison: Drug Trends in Dunedin

Posted 11:32am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Anna Robertshawe

The relationship between drugs and Dunedin party culture is probably stronger than your parent’s marriage. But much like fashion and music, taste in drugs has changed over the past few decades. Critic Te Ārohi decided to take a deep dive into Dunedin drug trends over time and ask why some Read more...

Moshers of the world, unite!

Posted 3:04pm Sunday 2nd April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Trapped in every student’s soul is an immutable desire to mosh. Whether that be in a crowd of hundreds or alone in a crusty bedroom, mosh culture is fundamental to the plight of every student. As the age old saying goes: “Up there’s for thinking, down there’s for Read more...

Different Breeds of Landlord

Posted 3:02pm Sunday 2nd April 2023 by Zak Rudin

Nestled throughout the sprawling ecosystem of Dunedin lies perhaps the most pervasive pest of all: the landlord. They come in all different shapes and sizes, marking territory in their own unique and equally infuriating ways. With each species of landlord comes a different experience. Critic Te Read more...

Lavender Town: A Lesbian’s Guide to a Dunedin Day Out

Posted 3:59pm Sunday 26th March 2023 by Lotto Ramsay

Rock climbing What is it about this sport that attracts queer women? It’s true that climbing gyms are often swarming with shirtless, sweaty “boulder bros”, and outdoor walls can crawl with trad climbers sporting greying beards and bulging veins, but climbing is overall a diverse Read more...

Dammed If You Do: Safe Vulva Sex

Posted 3:17pm Sunday 26th March 2023 by Lotto Ramsay

Note: This guide aims to inform on safe sex practices with and between vulvas. Not all women have vulvas, and not everyone with a vulva is a woman. Resources around STI prevention tend to focus exclusively on sex involving penises, even though STIs can also pass vulva-to-vulva Read more...

Homie-Eroticism: All the gay shit breathas do

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 26th March 2023 by Lotto Ramsay

Dunedin is one of the few places on earth where you’ll hear the f-slur casually used by straight breathas who are mere hours away from drinking out of each other’s nutsacks. I posit that Breathadom creates a unique space for playful, casual male intimacy that remains socially Read more...

Ko Te Katoa o Te Ingoa i Kōrerotia

Posted 2:55pm Sunday 19th March 2023 by Skyla from Ngāti Hine

Mātauranga taiao, environmental knowledge, has never been more relevant. Built over generations, it’s represented in the names of places all around us, and it offers insight into how these places might behave in a changing climate. That is, if you know what they Read more...

Birds of a Feather

Posted 2:34pm Sunday 19th March 2023 by Fox Meyer

Note: We’d like to thank the DCC staff who take care of Sid and his avian mates for letting us in and sharing Sid’s story. They’re keen to tell a bigger story about the ethics of aviaries, which are a relic of a more Victorian time. They can’t just get rid of the birds Read more...

My Life with the Bus Hub Barnacle

Posted 1:50pm Sunday 19th March 2023 by Hugh Askerud

A bus hub barnacle is usually about 1.5 metres tall, and can be identified by their disposable vapes and matching clothing. Pack behaviour is common in this species. While they are often regarded as dangerous, like so many other mid-sized mammals, their bark is worse than their Read more...

Nut Up or Shut Up: Why Halls Should Go Vegetarian

Posted 2:06pm Sunday 12th March 2023 by Fox Meyer

The way halls work right now, with opt-in veggies but obligate meats, is completely backwards.   I don’t care if you keep eating meat in your day-to-day life. It’s kinda cringe, but ultimately, the emissions from one private jet flight outweigh any of your dietary choices. So Read more...

Cutting Your Fringe: The Cost of Defunding the Dunedin Fringe Festival

Posted 1:17pm Sunday 12th March 2023 by Jamiema Lorimer

Dunedin Fringe Festival 2023 was thrown into doubt in September last year when Creative NZ (CNZ) declined their funding application. This year’s Fringe is set to go ahead, after a crowdfunding campaign and a great show of support from the community. Critic looks at what costs it took to send Read more...

It’s All Greek to Me!

Posted 1:10pm Sunday 12th March 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Before you get upset about the title, understand that a toga party in New Zealand in 2023 is about as Roman as it is Martian, so making a Greek pun is excusable.   With that out of the way: Toga party. What’s the deal? This annual event has become an intrinsic part of student Read more...

Avatar 2 Sucked, Actually

Posted 2:53pm Sunday 5th March 2023 by Skyla o Ngāti Hine

Avatar: The Way of Water recently ranked as the sixth-highest grossing film in all of cinematic history. Like thousands of other Kiwis around New Zealand, you may have found yourself in your local Hoyts this summer enjoying a box of popcorn and the long-awaited sequel. It’s also likely that Read more...

Game of Throwns

Posted 1:32pm Sunday 5th March 2023 by Hugh Askerud

There is something distinct in the Otago student spirit which inevitably leads to a bottle, egg, or other assorted item being thrown in the streets of studentville. Maybe it's the Leith’s unyielding supply of inedible trout which spawned the madness, or perhaps the bountiful amount of food Read more...

Google Form Flat Quizzes: How Much Heat Can You Handle?

Posted 1:28pm Sunday 5th March 2023 by Critic

When tensions are highest in a flat, everyone agrees to the bad idea of doing an anonymous Google Form quiz. It’s a fact of life. However, like with all good things in life, you can choose the spiciness level of these questions. From complimentary props to sulk-inducing burns, here’s Read more...

Opinion: Critic Te Ārohi Will Be Covering The Election This Year

Posted 7:53pm Sunday 26th February 2023 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

For those of you too young to remember, or those who need a memory jog, Critic Te Ārohi made the decision to not cover the 2020 general election on the basis that party politicians had “nothing more to offer students than a shrivelled pea.” The decision received an extensive amount Read more...

Flo and O Party Themes, Reviewed

Posted 6:42pm Sunday 26th February 2023 by Critic

    Monday 13th: Courtyard: Back to School Appropriate for day 1 of parties. Makes sense. Opportunity to wear some kinky outfits.   Eyewitness testimony: Seemed to have the most turnout as a uniform is pretty easy to source. People got sloshed immediately and many Read more...

Local Produce: Becca Caffyn

Posted 7:48pm Sunday 9th October 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

“I’m good at feeling and feeling deep,” Becca Caffyn laments on her new song ‘Replacement Blonde.’ The sorrowful ballad is also the title track of her debut EP. We caught up with Becca to talk about her latest music, change and processing these feelings through Read more...

Opinion on VIP Entry: Special Admission or Special Treatment?

Posted 7:44pm Sunday 9th October 2022 by Skyla from Ngāti Hine

For too long, Māori have been surrounded by the stigma of relying on handouts and “free money” from the government. There are social expectations of what Māori are meant to be, and if you don’t fit a particular narrative, then you aren’t Māori enough. A plastic Read more...

Dictionary of Rare Duds Slang

Posted 7:39pm Sunday 9th October 2022 by Critic

Acoustic adjective: To wank without the use of sex toys, objects, or lubricant. Ex: “I forgot to charge my Satisfyer so I had to go acoustic last night.” Synonyms: Acapella, cavemanning.  Analogue: adjective. Hand-rolled cigarettes, as opposed to pre-rolled. Battler: noun. Read more...

A Guide to the Night Sky: Existential Crises Have Never Been So Accessible

Posted 6:47pm Sunday 9th October 2022 by Keegan Wells

The night sky is like your lectures: you catch yourself saying “I should go look at that sometime” and rarely actually follow up. However, this article is not here to tell you to watch your lectures. Lectures cost around a box and a half ($35) apiece if you’re a domestic student, Read more...

Te Roopū Māori 2023

Posted 5:03pm Sunday 2nd October 2022 by Critic

Tumuaki Clay McQueen Mauri ora e te whānau! ko Clay McQueen tōku ingoa he uri au nō Ngāpuhi, Otaua, Wainui, Mataraua anō hoki. I te taha o tōku pāpā he uri au nō Kawhia me Whaingaroa, he mangainga o Hoturoa. Ka mutu, i tipu ake au i Te pū o te Read more...

Reviewing the Law Revue

Posted 3:55pm Sunday 2nd October 2022 by Zak Rudin

Disclaimer: this article was written by a law student (cringe). Last Saturday night saw the return of the annual Law Revue, hosted in the first year law school chapel that is Castle 1. The theme: High (Law) School Musical. Critic Te Ārohi took one for the team and put their Saturday night in Read more...

An Indigenous Opinion on the Queen’s Death:

Posted 3:54pm Sunday 2nd October 2022 by Skyla o Ngāti Hine

As the world remembers Queen Elizabeth II, it is clear that for many, her 70-year-long reign symbolised great strength and familiarity. However, with the #RoyalFamily TikTok hashtag skyrocketing to 17.7 billion views, and Parliament’s recent declaration of September 26th as an official day of Read more...

What Houseplant Are You?

Posted 2:46pm Sunday 2nd October 2022 by Nina Brown

The frost-bitten landscape of Ōtepoti doesn’t exactly provide the ideal living environment for houseplants – or students, for that matter. But there’s nothing quite like a flat filled with withering houseplants at varying stages of mortality, and this quiz will help you Read more...

Liz Stokes of The Beths on ‘Expert In A Dying Field’:

Posted 1:55pm Saturday 24th September 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

Aotearoa indie darlings, The Beths, released their third album ‘Expert In A Dying Field’ mid-way through this month. To Critic’s surprise, the album is not actually about our humanities/marine science students and staff looking on in despair as their department is slowly snuffed Read more...

Unipol: Opioid of the masses?

Posted 1:52pm Saturday 24th September 2022 by Hugh Askerud

It’s a Saturday night. You’ve decided to do scrumpy hands and are midway through the second bottle feeling at the top of your game. Then it strikes you: that ‘what the fuck am I doing’ sort of feeling that inevitably leaves you in tears. Everyone has moments like this, where Read more...

BASK Vol. III: A Deep Dive into Ōtepoti’s Newest Creative Community

Posted 1:50pm Saturday 24th September 2022 by Kaia Kahurangi Jamieson

There’s something about this city. Something that made Chris Knox pick up a guitar, Taika Waititi envision a film set in his dingy student flat, and Steven Malkmus refer to us ‘home-baking Kiwis’ in Pavement’s recently blown-up TikTok hit Harness your Hopes. We come here and Read more...

Local Produce: Dunedin Dream Brokerage

Posted 10:16pm Sunday 18th September 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

If you’ve heard birdsong on George Street, or admired the rainbow lights adorning the street during Pride month, then you’ve experienced the mahi of Dunedin Dream Brokerage. We talked to Madison Kelly to learn more about this dynamic local organisation.  The focus of Dunedin Read more...

Quiz: How did you get arrested?

Posted 8:34pm Sunday 18th September 2022 by Critic

Oof, things are a bit blurry this morning. You’ve ended up in the paddy wagon (again!) but this time, you’re not sure how. Let’s see if we can piece things together: how did you get arrested? You’ve got a big night coming up, so the first stop is the piss shop. What are Read more...

New Zealand FurCon (Furry Convicts)

Posted 8:27pm Sunday 18th September 2022 by Arlo Hill

Max the Paddle Pop Lion: Suspect Description: Max the Lion, also known as Paddle Pop the Lion, is not only the Mascot of the flavoursome ice creams; he is also the star of his own nightmare-fuelling animated TV show/movies where his otherworldly agility and strength are demonstrated. Like, Read more...

Cone Stealing

Posted 8:17pm Sunday 18th September 2022 by Keegan Wells

Ah, the road cone. The orange trumpet, the witch’s hat, the tradie’s funnel. Whatever you want to call it, it serves an important purpose within society: allowing drunk students to commit a (mostly) victimless crime and be creative with interior decorating. Except it’s mostly Read more...

Behind Bars:

Posted 7:53pm Sunday 18th September 2022 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan (Ngāi Tahu)

We often look to the Treaty of Waitangi as the definitive turning point in New Zealand history. As the founding document and shared agreement between two peoples, many look at this early colonial era as a time of trade, survival and adapting to a new society. Pākehā immersed themselves in Read more...

Local Produce: Aidan Taira Geraghty

Posted 6:36pm Sunday 11th September 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

Ko Maukatere tōku mauka Ko Waimakarere tōku awa Ko Tākitimu tōku waka Ko Kāi Tahu tōku iwi Ko Ngāi Tūāhuriri tōku hapu Nō Ōtepoti ahau Ko Aidan tōku Ikoa Aidan (Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha, Kāi Tahu) is currently in his Read more...

MĀOR110 Should be Mandatory

Posted 6:27pm Sunday 11th September 2022 by Skyla from Ngāti Hine

The University’s decision to bar students with recognised experience in te reo Māori from taking MĀOR110 (Conversational Māori) was regrettable to be sure. It was undone after students pushed back. The second most regrettable decision the University has made was not making the Read more...

Torn Between Two Worlds:

Posted 6:23pm Sunday 11th September 2022 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

Navigating one’s identity at university can be a tricky task for many. You’re away from friends, family and the familiarity that comes with home. You’re finally off in the big wide world, free to experiment and figure out who you really are. But for Māori students, the Read more...

Māori, Pasifika and the N-word

Posted 6:20pm Sunday 11th September 2022 by Skyla from Ngāti Hine

Black Americans have permeated Aotearoa with their culture for decades. We can hear them in our music, we can see them in our fashion. The likes of Michael Jackson, Tupac and NWA have left an indelible mark on global communities, particularly people of colour, who otherwise have been Read more...

Local Produce | TìMMY the FIRST

Posted 8:19pm Saturday 3rd September 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

TîMMY the FIRST is a rapper, songwriter and producer based here in Ōtepoti who has been creating music for years. Critic caught up with the graduated neuroscience student to chat about how he got involved in the music scene as well as his upcoming projects.  It all started when a Read more...

Opinion: Dunedin Desperately Needs a Queer Nightlife Scene

Posted 8:02pm Saturday 3rd September 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

Dunedin’s queer scene for the most part consists of one bar, UniQ, a Facebook group, and the occasional drag queen or king. These folks are doing the absolute most, don’t get me wrong, but what we desperately need is queer nightlife aimed at students.  It’s no secret that Read more...

Gone Fishin’

Posted 7:53pm Saturday 3rd September 2022 by Hugh Askerud

With food prices skyrocketing over the past couple months, and student allowances increasing only ever so slightly, it seemed suspicious to see so many students with full bellies around central campus. With many others huddling around their open ovens, the presence of pot-bellied breathas around our Read more...

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch:

Posted 7:26pm Friday 2nd September 2022 by Ruby Werry

Picture this: it's the start of the semester, and you are once again reluctantly sitting in a packed lecture theatre for a paper you’re definitely not going to pay attention to. Your lecturer then begins the class by asking for a class rep. After a long awkward silence and a few glances Read more...

Local Produce | Jazz Club

Posted 5:02pm Friday 19th August 2022 by Zak Rudin

The student-led Otago University Jazz Club formed at the start of the year to perform weekly jam sessions to a live audience. The club describes itself as “a collection of students who are interested in playing and listening to jazz.” Jazz Club founder and pianist Matthew Tait, said, Read more...

What Shitty Student Car Do You Drive?

Posted 4:54pm Friday 19th August 2022 by Ruby Werry

There’s nothing that screams ‘student’ quite like the deafening, failing exhaust of a shitty car you love with all your heart, held together by nothing but duct tape and a dream. A key part of your personality, this quiz will determine what noble steed gets you from Burns A to B. Read more...

How Many Hats Would A Hat Guy Post If A Hat Guy Could Post Hats?

Posted 4:46pm Friday 19th August 2022 by Keegan Wells

Daniel [@end_my_lyth], a local student and self described “not really a hat guy” has been putting hats on his head and taking photos of them for the past 2,000 days and posting them to Instagram. Like all bad things, it began in high school with his acquaintance posting a photo of a Read more...

Opinion: Artificial Intelligence Creating Māori Designs is Basically Cultural Appropriation

Posted 4:39pm Friday 19th August 2022 by Skyla from Ngāti Hine

We were supposed to have flying cars by 2022, but instead, we have bots that don’t know how to differentiate indigenous cultures from opposite sides of the globe. The day that artificial intelligence recognises tā moko on iPhones, automatically generates captions in te reo Māori, and Read more...

Local Produce | Spicy Paint Job

Posted 3:54pm Monday 15th August 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

In my favourite Spicy Paint Job piece, a demon girl balances a wineglass in her hand. “My art comes so easily when I’m absolutely horsed,” she is saying, an exact portrait of every Critic writer ever. You may already know Spicy’s work from Critic centrefolds past. This issue, Read more...

Opinion: Rural Communities Should be at the Heart of the Mental Health Discussion

Posted 2:55pm Monday 15th August 2022 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

It’s no secret that Aotearoa faces a crippling and harrowing mental health crisis. From a young age, you’re told to ‘harden up’ or ‘suck it up’. Did you get hurt playing rugby? Toughen up and get back out there. Upset about something? Shut up and stop complaining, Read more...

Breathology 101: A Crash Course in Breathaism

Posted 2:52pm Monday 15th August 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

Okay dudes, so hear me out: I’m in a bit of a bind over here, ‘cause I may or may not have just kidnapped a breatha, and I don’t have a lot of time until he figures out how to open the (unlocked) door and escape. From his cries of “Oi bros, watch this!” I think Read more...

Why Dunedin Boys Live in Shit Houses

Posted 2:50pm Monday 15th August 2022 by Anna Robertshawe

It’s a man’s world, and we’re all living in it. Unless, of course, you’re a Dunedin boy. Then there’s a chance you’re not living anywhere.  The flatting scene in Dunedin is one-of-a-kind. One could compare it to an episode of Survivor, where competing Read more...

Local Produce | Sunflower Scent

Posted 7:50pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

Sunflower Scent have been on the scene for a few years now, shooting thrashing riffs right into your ear canals. Critic caught up with two of the band members, Jamie and Liam, for a catch up on their latest projects and a bonus botany lesson. Jamie and Liam started making music together in 2019. Read more...

Opinion: International Students Deserve More Scholarships

Posted 7:48pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Keegan Wells

International students pay around five times as much as domestic students and don’t receive first year fees free. Yes, the government partially subsidises university fees, including fees free, and international students or their parents have not been paying taxes to the government, so it makes Read more...

Why did your student visa get revoked?

Posted 7:42pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Critic

You’ve made it across the border, into the airport and down to Dunedin. Now that you’re in the filthiest Uni town Aotearoa has to offer, there are plenty of ways to get yourself into trouble. So, tell us, how did you lose your visa? QUESTIONS: What’s your ideal night out? a. Read more...

Sex Education: Does single-sex schooling affect us more than we realise?

Posted 7:25pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

If you didn’t go to a single-sex school, then you probably know someone who did. Single-sex education is a socially accepted norm here compared to other countries, but over the past 30 years there has been plenty of debate about its efficacy. In Aotearoa, the argument is something like Read more...

Degenerate Delicacies:

Posted 7:23pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

Everyone is intimately familiar with some variation of broke student food, the sort you stumble through making after a night on the piss, or eat with your hands while crying in bed. There’s a certain comfort to its simplicity (toasted sandwich, anyone?), and it always manages to taste like Read more...

Local Produce | The Edmond Brothers

Posted 4:37pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

By the time you’re reading this, Edmond Brothers will have released their latest track ‘Waiting For A Sunday’ and will be gearing up for their Thursday night gig at U-Bar. Critic caught up with the literal bros on their new music, and on sussing your Thursday night plans. The Read more...

Immersing Myself in Dunedin’s Hidden Poetry Scene

Posted 4:28pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Hugh Askerud

What is possibly the most anti-Dunedin thing to ever exist in Dunedin? Poetry. While the shades of autumn may give rise to some compelling imagery, there really isn’t that much in the way of beautiful land or people to show off, or at least not in the sunless boglands of North D. Dunedin is Read more...

Which Dunedin-Filmed Movie Should You Watch?

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Elliot Weir

Not sure what it is about broken glass and burning vistas that attract film crews, but people sometimes decide to shoot their movie here. And that’s… certainly a decision they can make. While Wellington might be the film capital of the country, Dunedin has had its fair share of moments Read more...

Aotearoa’s Politicians if They were Your Flatmates

Posted 2:14pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

Despite what they do now, many of Aotearoa’s politicians come from humble backgrounds, including being former Otago University students. Much like you and I, they were once flatting in cold houses, cooking shit meals, and bickering over power bills. Here, presented to you, are Aoteaora’s Read more...

How Reo Changes with Region

Posted 2:12pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Skyla o Ngāti Hine

Te reo Māori is on the rise. Well actually, it has been for over forty years. Whether you’re from Dunedin or just here for the moment, you’re likely to have encountered the dialect of the Kāi Tahu iwi here in Ōtepoti. And while the mita is distinctly different from Read more...

Local Produce | Swooping Tūī

Posted 6:27pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Zak Rudin

Swooping Tūī is a brand new initiative designed to provide menstrual cups to people of lower socio-economic backgrounds in and outside of Aotearoa, through selling natural moisturising creams. Critic Te Arohi sat down with Mahina Walle, the second-year ecology student who started the Read more...

Vengeance Capitalist

Posted 6:25pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

Look, we all know that relationships are a give and take. It’s just that sometimes that might mean it’s a given to take your ex’s possessions and then sell them on campus for profit.  At the start of first semester I buried my teenage romance of two years, and I thought Read more...

Opinion: I’m Glad You Came

Posted 6:24pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Annabelle Parata Vaughan

Picture this: it’s late at night, and you’re tucked up in bed with your special someone. Maybe you’ve met up with your sneaky link to do the dirty deed, or you’ve pulled at a party. Maybe you’re one of those people who’s in a relationship, and have just come back Read more...

How to Take Tinder Photos

Posted 6:21pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Keegan Wells

North Dunedin Tinder is one of the nine circles of hell. If you manage to escape the aggressive post-hunt photos to the more left-wing side of Tinder, you end up with people describing their star-sign, Myers Briggs, and twenty other tests they’ve taken just to avoid reconciling with their own Read more...

Between a Cock and a Hard Place

Posted 6:17pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Kaia Kahurangi Jamieson

When you think ‘sexual dysfunction’, you probably imagine emergency room flyers for Viagra. The words ‘low sex drive’ might conjure up a dead-end marriage, two snotty children and a fold-out couch in the garage for dad. What you probably aren’t thinking of is your peers Read more...

Local Produce | Neive Strang and Band

Posted 5:11pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Nina Brown

From winning the 2020 OUSA Bring the Noise competition, to opening for dreamy musician Mousey at Dive earlier this year, Neive Strang and her band have been making waves in the Ōtepoti music scene. Neive is the lyrical genius behind the operation, backed up by drummer Benny, guitarist Jack, and Read more...

Opinion: Roe v Wade Isn’t Just America’s Problem

Posted 5:07pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

On June 24th, the conservative Catholic-dominated United States Supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, a landmark 1973 case which guaranteed the constitutional right to an abortion. The decision was met with pushback and protest, and rightfully so. Solidarity protests are being held across the globe, Read more...

Where is Castle Street’s Pet Possum?

Posted 5:05pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Keegan Wells

The conversation with Matt, James, and Peter was held through a layer of tears. We found the boys reminiscing over their pet possum, Possmate. Yes, you read it right: this group of breathas had “adopted” and “domesticated” a pet possum in their Castle street flat. However, Read more...

Make it 16:

Posted 4:12pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Young people face a plethora of existential issues, such as the housing crisis, climate change and student debt. But, if you’re under the age of 18, you can’t vote on the issues that will most impact your future. The crew of Make it 16, a non-partisan, youth-led campaign, want to lower Read more...

Local Produce | Jason Hart of Tutor4U

Posted 2:22am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

If spending two weeks of break relaxing, along with the introspection of Matariki, has got you thinking ‘new semester, new me?’ then we have some good news for you. Whether your resolution revolves around finding stability in your grades or your finances, Tutor4U, a marketplace for Read more...

Foul Player? More like FOWL PLAYA!

Posted 2:19am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Ruby Werry

For those unaware, the last time Critic had a chat with Ōtepoti’s famous gay ducks it ended with a show of epic proportions and an unexpected pregnancy. So, another tabloid issue and another year later, Critic launched a check-in with our favourite dysfunctional queer Read more...

The Great Annual Critic Bar Review 2022

Posted 2:18am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Fox Meyer

Last year, we trusted the Dunedin populace to pick out their favourite bar. The finals ended up between Woof! and DSC, with DSC very narrowly edging out Woof! for the top spot. This year, the two behemoths went head-to-head again in the finals, for a rematch of the ages. And, in a triumphant Read more...

Local Produce | Riot Gull

Posted 6:57pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

In the early nineties, the riot grrrl scene started in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It united feminism and punk ideologies through music, fostering a gender-inclusive DIY subculture. Riot Gull are one of Ōtepoti’s newest bands, their name a play on that movement. Critic sat down with the Read more...

Certified Freak, Seven Days a Week:

Posted 6:50pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Being a student is great for many reasons, one of which is that every day of the week is an excuse to party. After extensive research (a few years of study), Critic Te Arohi has compiled an official ranking of the best nights of the week to go out. Grasp your fleeting youth with both hands, and make Read more...

Hold the Cone:

Posted 6:47pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Sean Gourley

The life cycle of a road cone in New Zealand is similar to our own life cycles. We are born in a place no one has heard of, we spend vast amounts of time sitting in the middle of nowhere doing next to nothing, and from time to time we get filled with alcohol and get absolutely smashed at parties. Read more...

The Best BYO Wine Pairings

Posted 6:44pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Keegan Wells and Annabelle Parata Vaughan

The ancient Egyptians got a lot of things right. The angles of their pyramids, the fact they even built pyramids (inarguably sick), and maybe most importantly, the fact they liked to absolutely smash back wine. One painting of a New Year’s feast includes a woman saying “give me eighteen Read more...

Opinion: Going off the pill changed my life

Posted 1:48pm Sunday 22nd May 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

When I was 17 years old, I became part of the 88% of Kiwi women of eligible age who are on the oral contraceptive pill. At the time, I didn’t really question what I was putting in my body, as I understood that taking the pill was one of the next natural steps in becoming a woman. But earlier Read more...

The Great Divide:

Posted 1:45pm Sunday 22nd May 2022 by Keegan Wells

Some people feel incredibly opinionated about using only pads or only tampons and renounce the other as if it went against their family values. Two people, who swear by each of the sanitary products, sat down with Critic Te Arohi to state their case, lay their facts out, and walk away without Read more...

A Bloody Good Time

Posted 1:38pm Sunday 22nd May 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Getting your period is a major milestone during puberty. After years of sex ed talks and seeing your friends and family get it, finally having your period can be scary, exciting and also just straight up gross. Here are a few of the weird, wonderful, messy and icky parts of periods, as told by some Read more...

A Big Ol’ Deep Dive into IUDs

Posted 1:35pm Sunday 22nd May 2022 by Keegan Wells

An IUD, or Intrauterine Device, is a physical contraceptive that sits inside the uterus – not to be confused with IEDs, which are bombs. They can be either hormonal (going by names such as Mirena or Skyla) or non-hormonal (going by the creative name Copper, which is what it is made out of). Read more...

Opinion: Please, go to gigs

Posted 8:45pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Dunedin is a city that bleeds music, but in recent years, our gig culture has faltered. And I’m worried that we’re going to forget what it meant to us in the first place. Because students mostly cycle out every three years, if we lose something for three years straight, there Read more...

Behind the Sound:

Posted 8:43pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Behind every live gig, song, or album is a wide range of people whose jobs are crucial to curating the final product. One of these jobs is the role of sound engineers, whose technical skills, attention to detail, and ability to feel the beat bring the music we love to life.  Chances are if Read more...

Why is Gore the Country Music Capital of New Zealand?

Posted 8:33pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Ruby Werry

Gore is known for its big fish, suspected rates of incest, and, for some reason, country music. If we’re wondering what Gore has to do with the American South, that pretty much answers the question.  The success of country music in New Zealand, and in Gore specifically, mimics the Read more...

2022 Eurovision Song Rankings

Posted 8:24pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Ruby Werry

If you’re wondering why you should care about Eurovision as a humble Dunedin student, simply consider that New Zealand is providing the official Prosecco of Eurovision, despite not being allowed to participate. Here are the top picks according to our staff, and a complete list of all 41 Read more...

Critic Poetry Comp

Posted 2:02pm Sunday 8th May 2022 by Vega McHaffie

Winner: taurus knows libra By Vega McHaffie i would plead that when he saw me he wouldn’t realise; my soul was an idea scrawled across real estate agent pads floating amongst reminders to get oat milk, to vacuum car seats after the beach, to water forgotten succulents. it was not a Read more...

If These Walls Could Talk

Posted 1:56pm Sunday 8th May 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

The Otago Uni Campus contains a remarkably anachronistic blend of architectural styles and movements, truly putting the “camp” in Campus. Luckily for all you plebeians, Critic’s resident team of expert architecture historians have compiled a guide to the unspoken symbolism of Read more...

Campus (s)chop suey?

Posted 3:01am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

The campus shop is filled with wonders. The ratio of sweets to fizz to pies is usually fantastic. However, there are those items that really make you question what place they have in a campus shop. Fried noodles? What do they expect students to do, munch through a whole bag while studying? The Read more...

Tauraka Toi: A Landing Place

Posted 2:59am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Paemanu: Tauraka Toi was one of the most recent exhibitions held at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. The exhibition worked with over 40 Ngāi Tahu artists, presenting them with the opportunity to display their art and personal journeys in a collaborative way which facilitated connection with Read more...

(QUIZ) Who’s Selling your Data?

Posted 5:08pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Critic

Fill in the blanks by answering these questions and finding the corresponding conspiratorial content.   Read more...

Local Produce: Emily Alice

Posted 2:39pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Jamiema Lorimer

Emily Alice, the band, is Emily Kerr-Bell (vocals), Josh Botting (keys), Toby Roseman (guitar), Josh Tuiavii (drums) and Sol Wyatt (bass). Critic Te Arohi chatted with the band about their upcoming music, their studies and being inspired by the sounds surrounding them growing up. The band formed Read more...