Archive
What Dunedin Street Litter Are You?
Posted 6:34pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Fox Meyer
A single sock. Ciggie butts. The natural landscape of Dunedin is rich with treasures. They say “you are what you eat,” but also “you are what you throw away.” Bins overflowing with torn black rubbish bags. Noodles, spilled like entrails from a corpse. Bits of rubber and Read more...
Pussy Galore: A Conversation with Cat Rescue Dunedin
Posted 6:00pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Erin Gourley
You might think you love pussy, but Cat Rescue Dunedin love pussy more than you. Critic sat down with Amber Coste, President of CatS (Cat Rescue Dunedin Student Association) and committee member of Cat Rescue Dunedin Charitable Trust, to talk about cats and how students can get involved with the new Read more...
University Courses If They Were Animal Crossing Villagers
Posted 5:45pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Oscar Paul
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing the perfect escape tool from the cruel reality of Covid, Uni stress, depression, the housing market and the loss of Harlene. It’s also a genuinely fun game to play. Each game hosts cute wee villagers, which are anthropomorphic animals. For you commerce students Read more...
A Critical Analysis: Why I Hate Barbie in My Scene Barbie Jammin’ In Jamaica (2004)
Posted 5:32pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Asia Martusia King
Barbie’s a feminist icon. She’s an astrophysicist. A business executive. A police officer. George Washington, somehow. A paratrooper (“United States Marine Corps Sergeant Barbie”, 1991). She’s also a toxic backstabbing manipulator with a victim Read more...
The Guide to being the Ultimate Fresher: the tips and tricks for getting through uni
Posted 3:52pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
This guide here goes out to all my freshers who have just begun their journey at the University of Otago. I get it, you’re probably feeling nervous, excited, and slightly panicked about the prospect of spending the next few years of your life in this freezing cold, chlamydia infested hole at Read more...
Local Produce: Night Lunch
Posted 3:45pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Sean Gourley
Night Lunch are a Dunedin duo of Liams made famous by the smash hit music video for their song House Full of Shit. The band features the uniquely minimalist combo of Liam Hoffman on drums and Liam Clune on a home-made instrument called a diddly bow. Hoffman has finished Uni but Clune has come back Read more...
Renters United: Fighting for a Fair Deal for Renters
Posted 3:26pm Monday 26th April 2021 by Elliot Weir
Abusive landlords, privacy breaches, and runaway rent prices are the bread to the butter that is Renters United. The only thing worse than landlords are the structural conditions that created them. Look, I get it, not everyone wants to own their own house at whatever point they’re at in Read more...
Local Produce: Scott Tisdall Is Making Potatoes Instafamous
Posted 1:20am Monday 19th April 2021 by Sean Gourley
Scott Tisdall is an Otago student who moonlights growing moonlight potatoes on his family farm. Using Instagram as a platform, he is gradually expanding his operation to bring locally grown potatoes to the tables of starving students. Last season, he gave 33% of his profits to the cancer society. We Read more...
The Breatha Diet: a vape a day keeps the doctor away
Posted 12:59am Monday 19th April 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
There is quite possibly no creature as great, and as wild, as the Otago breatha. They can often be seen vaping, drinking, and sending pesky “you up x” texts at ungodly hours. How do breathas maintain such a lifestyle? What on earth could they possibly be fuelling their bodies Read more...
OPINION: Make Dunedin More Walkable
Posted 12:51am Monday 19th April 2021 by Elliot Weir
Dunedin was largely planned out by settlers that were probably way too deep on Scotch and Irn-Bru. In that state, they thought that a street with a 35% incline would be a funny meme. They literally tried to superimpose Edinburgh onto the Otago landscape, stubbornly ignoring all of the hills that Read more...
A Review of Lee Vandervis’s Book
Posted 12:38am Monday 19th April 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters
DCC Councillor Lee Vandervis has recently released a “book” (his words). The full title is The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Mayoralty Part 1: Invaluable for understanding the DCC and reading between the lines of local print-media monopoly. The title is only a fraction of this truly bizarre Read more...
Community Law: Where Otago law students do something useful for once
Posted 12:27am Monday 19th April 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
Sometimes as students we find ourselves in sticky, stressful situations. Whether it's tenancy troubles, uncertainty about contracts, or a dispute with an employer, we can sometimes feel out of our depth and unsure about where to go. Luckily, Community Law Otago can assist with all of Read more...
Some Astrology Bullshit About Chlöe Swarbrick
Posted 12:18am Monday 19th April 2021 by Asia Martusia King
Jacinda Arden wouldn’t give me her birth time. But I figured that if any other politician had a CoStar it would be Chlöe Swarbrick, because she’s queer and vegan. I was wrong. Thankfully she’s a gem, and texted her mum for me. Chlöe schlorped into this world on 26th Read more...
Power Ranking the Dunedin News Splinter Groups
Posted 11:57pm Sunday 18th April 2021 by Erin Gourley
Dunedin News, the original news group for Dunedinites, is infamous for its (il)liberal “you will be kicked out if the admin does not like you” policy. There is a strict list of offences that will get you kicked out, all of which are broadly interpreted by Daryl Taylor, the page’s Read more...
Local Produce: Paddy Patterns
Posted 12:40am Sunday 11th April 2021 by Susana Jones
Paddy Patterns are just a pair of gals who make the loveliest handmade clothes (mostly tops) from funky, retro, preloved materials. Emily and Allie, both students at Otago, are the big brains behind Paddy Patterns. “We’ve been friends since year seven. We started making some very Read more...
The Critic Mid-Sem Haiku Competition
Posted 12:30am Sunday 11th April 2021 by Critic
Nothing screams Easter like a haiku competition. We asked you to send in haikus and you did, in moderate numbers, so thanks. While only the top 20 could be published and only the top 5 get tote bags, we were in equal parts inspired and depressed by all of them. If you wrote one of the poems in the Read more...
Let Us Live: Ōtepoti and the world need to address gender-based violence
Posted 12:21am Sunday 11th April 2021 by Eileen Corcoran
TW: sexual assault, harassment, femicide. Sarah Everard followed all the rules women are taught from birth. She spoke to her boyfriend as she walked through a park home at 9pm on a Wednesday, she wore comfortable and warm clothes, and shoes made for running. Still, it didn’t save her. She Read more...
Generation Hero: How Gen Zero are taking on climate change
Posted 5:35pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
Climate change is a scary subject. As concern has grown, so has the number of environmental organisations and people willing to take on the challenge of our generation. One of these organisations is Generation Zero, a non-partisan group which focuses on a solutions-based approach to climate Read more...
Stoner’s AI Creation Sounds Like Adorable Children’s TV Show
Posted 5:31pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Denzel Chung
Maybe it was an internet rabbit hole, where at 3am on Tuesday morning you stumbled on a video of an M&M serenading you with a Japanese ballad. Maybe it was Kim Jong-Un singing “Witch Doctor”. Or maybe, if you are actively involved in Dunedin News (i.e. over 50), you saw mayor Aaron Read more...
The Slinks: Kings of Flat Parties
Posted 5:24pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Sean Gourley
The Slinks are an up and coming band on the Dunedin scene. Starting out in 2019, they’ve worked their way up from playing at the humble Crown Hotel to playing gigs as far out of town as Queenstown. They have two EPs out on Spotify: The Slinks and Come On Now. We checked in with them to see Read more...
New Vegan Food Box Just Dropped
Posted 5:18pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Fox Meyer
Let me tell you that this box fucking slaps. Taste Nature is an organic food store (and much more) located by the casino. It’s a bit out of the way for your average student, but that’s okay, because the people who may be interested in an organic, plant-based meal box are the same Read more...
The Cycle of Agua: How to recycle your cooking water and save the planet
Posted 5:07pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Susana Jones
Water. Everyone’s favourite health food. We know and love it, and most of us should probably be drinking more of it. Sure, 70% of the Earth is covered in water, and with global warming being today’s hottest topic, sometimes it seems like we are being engulfed by water. But that drip-drip Read more...
The Pain of Endometriosis
Posted 5:00pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Alice Taylor
Endometriosis can be summed up in one word: pain. Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects one in ten women. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. You can only be officially diagnosed through a laparoscopic surgery under general anesthetic. Read more...
Your Indie Movie Beach Parties Are Killing Baby Penguins
Posted 4:56pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Asia Martusia King
At a cave in Long Beach, a group of students are having a party. They sip on ciders around a campfire, laughing gleefully while the sunset dips over the horizon. Tongue Tied by Grouplove is inexplicably playing. A white man with dreadlocks is strumming the one song he knows on ukulele. I dunno, no Read more...
The Pros and Cons of Different Methods of Consuming Drugs
Posted 3:05pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Runze Liu
Warning: Drugs can cause harm. This guide does not substitute medical advice. If you think you or someone is in danger from drugs, call 111. Whether you’re just lighting up a joint with your flatmate or you’re about to rail some lines of coke in an R-rated comedy trilogy about a Read more...
Trial by Zentech: A Story of Blood, Piss and Prostate
Posted 3:02pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Fox Meyer
This is a true story. It has been edited for clarity, but all of the content you’re about to read came straight from the mouth of an anonymous student using the pseudonym “Dusty”. The drug I tested in 2018 was a prostate anti-inflammatory. Possible side effects included Read more...
Which Antidepressant Are You?
Posted 2:54pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters
1. What is your preferred method of escapism? a. Online shopping (1) b. Poetry Read more...
Local Produce: Judah Kelly
Posted 1:35pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Fox Meyer
Dunedin-raised Judah Kelley believes that building your own power and voice is important, and that music is a way to share that message with anyone who wants to listen. “It’s a better message to send than just another sad song,” she said. She continues to be a local crowd-pleaser, Read more...
Fantastic Drugs and Where to Find Them
Posted 1:27pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Elliot Weir
The Dark Web The Deep Web, whilst sounding like a 2005 sci-fi hacker fantasy realm, actually just refers to anything on the internet that won’t directly show up when you search on a search engine like Google. This includes anything from your email homepage, to your Netflix homepage, Read more...
How to Grow Weed in Your Flat
Posted 12:55pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Harold the Giraffe
Kia ora kids! Harold the Giraffe here. Aunty Jacindy might have banned the ol’ wacky baccy despite disproportionately racist levels of cannabis-related incarceration in Aotearoa, but don’t despair. DIY is in our DNA! Anyone can grow the devil’s lettuce in their flat with a bit of Read more...
Kava: From Root to Ritual
Posted 12:38pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Susana Jones
Kava, yaqona, ‘ava, ‘awa, malok, grog. My earliest memory of this sacred substance was when I was about 10 years old, sitting cross-legged on the floor covered in woven mats in my childhood home. Family surrounded me while my uncle squeezed the brown out of the powdered root and into the Read more...
Best Places to Skate in Dunedin
Posted 2:42pm Sunday 14th March 2021 by Jay Bailey
In the glory of an empty, level-four-lockdown Dunedin, I finally faced my fears and learned how to ride a skateboard. Learning to skate at nineteen years of age may not impress some, but after years of desire, envy, fear, and trepidation, I was thrilled to cruise around the old Coupland’s car Read more...
Fuck, I Can’t Cook!
Posted 2:23pm Sunday 14th March 2021 by Alice Taylor
This recipe for Pad Thai hits my craving for noodles when I simply don’t have the means to spend on my dearest, Thai Hanoi. I shamelessly use Wattie’s Pad Thai sauce because I am poor and lazy and the sauce is delicious. Serves 3 250g rice noodles 2 eggs 1 onion 4 spring Read more...
Why the Pisces Moon Might Be Fucking With You
Posted 1:49pm Sunday 14th March 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters
These past few weeks we have been experiencing a Pisces moon. For those unfamiliar with astrology, Pisces (Feb 19 – March 20) is a sign commonly associated with empathy, impressionability, white wine, creativity, and emotional fragility. Basically, they’re weak ass bitches. We knew Read more...
Which Uni Building Are You?
Posted 1:29pm Sunday 14th March 2021 by Elliot Weir
1. How old are you? a. A literal baby (1) b. A teenager (2) c. Early 20s Read more...
Jutland Studio/Spaceland: A New Dunedin Creative Renaissance
Posted 1:13pm Sunday 14th March 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters
The scene: Waterfront warehouse district, surrounded by big trucks, empty buildings, and corrugated iron everywhere. Enter a new resurgence of the local gig scene. A quiet, yellow corner building with high ceiling and some bizarre architecture is the setting for a rejuvenation of the Dunedin music Read more...
Local Produce: Zena Burgess, owner of Zen Blu Jewellery
Posted 12:24pm Sunday 14th March 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
Zen Blu necklaces look like what would happen if you told a mermaid to pull apart some 70s jewellery and make it into something magical. The brightly coloured plastic beads sit alongside pearls, seashells and (presumably) enchanted symbols. On the Instagram page, the necklaces are edited onto a Read more...
Top 10 Ways to Trick Your Flatmates into Doing Shared Flat Meals
Posted 1:34am Sunday 14th March 2021 by Callan George
Just do it. Start cooking. Make a giant fuck off meal and serve it to the whole clan. Odds are, they’ll accept a free feed. Repeat this until your flatties feel as if they have to return the ‘favour’ and then boom, you’ve guilt tripped them a system of mutual Read more...
OPINION: Priority Should Be Given to Māori Students When it Comes to Teaching Te Reo
Posted 1:23am Sunday 14th March 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
The use of te reo Māori has been revived over the past five years. Both non-Māori and Māori are now open to learning the language. However, with this spike in popularity comes the need for the appropriate resources and infrastructure to ensure that anybody who wishes to learn te reo Read more...
Are Mullets Sexy? The Castle Street Perspective
Posted 1:18am Sunday 14th March 2021 by Asia Martusia King
Mullets have a long history. The world’s first mullet was depicted on a metal deity figurine unearthed in an English car park, dating back to 1st-century AD (After Drip). Roman warriors with mullets were engineered for battle, their hair styled out of their eyes and difficult to grab. Murder Read more...
Job Searching, Now With a Side of Mental Health Support
Posted 12:27am Sunday 7th March 2021 by Susana Jones
If you’ve ever been a student searching for a job, you’ve definitely heard of Student Job Search (SJS). If you’re funded by a Daddy and have never been on that job search grind, SJS is a charity, underwritten by MSD and the student unions, that hooks students up with job Read more...
Where Did the Word “Breather” Come From?
Posted 11:33pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Oscar Paul
For years, Otago students were dubbed ‘scarfies’. The word was popularised by the eponymous 1999 film and came loaded with half-a-century of resentment from older generations. As ubiquitous as the ‘scarfie’ moniker once was, it has increasingly been replaced by a newer, more Read more...
What’s Wrong With Freshers?
Posted 10:56pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Fox Meyer
We intercepted first-years on their way out of the Toga Party to ask a simple question: What is the biggest problem in your life right now? Three new friends all admitted that “coming from a solid group of friends back home, and starting anew” was really tough, but patted Read more...
Local Produce: Sometime Winner
Posted 10:35pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Annabelle Vaughan
As the saying goes, you win some, you lose some. This mantra rings especially true for one of Dunedin’s newest up and coming acts, Sometime Winner. The five-piece line up consists of lead singer Louis (who dubs himself Kid Freeman on the Mic), guitarist Silas, violinist Rose, bassist Read more...
From the Parthenon to the Octagon
Posted 10:21pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Elliot Weir
The first question Critic asked Sam, as we sat down for an interview in the sun, was how The Bacchae is pronounced. The answer, apparently, is ‘back-eye.’ The play is an ancient Athenian tragedy written by Euripedes, reimagined for a modern audience by a local team led by Read more...
What Coping Mechanism Are You?
Posted 11:23pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters
How long have you been in Dunedin? a. Less than 2 years Read more...
OG Lime vs. Lime Gen4 vs. Neuron
Posted 11:06pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic
Gone are the simple days when Lime scooters ruled the streets. Scootering in Dunedin is no longer a one-horse race, with Neuron entering the fray in early January and forcing the humble Lime to upgrade, Incredibles-style, to compete. Critic’s self-proclaimed scooter expert took it upon himself Read more...
OPINION: Third Years Need to Stop Fucking Freshers
Posted 10:53pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters
CW: Sexual assault. The fact that you already know what I’m talking about tells me all I need to know. We all have that one skeevy friend who jokes about buying a fresher too many drinks at Catacombs or picking one up on Castle. Their comments are usually followed by a couple of sheepish Read more...
How to Pretend You Know Cricket
Posted 10:37pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Elliot Weir
From deliveries to dismissals, dibbly-dobblers to golden ducks, cricket is an elaborate and perplexing way to waste your time. There are a lot of made-up words involved, like ‘inning’ and ‘wicket’ and ‘dilscoop.’ Aside from white men over the age of 50 and people Read more...
Who would win if the Rakaia Salmon and the Gore Giant Trout fought to the death?
Posted 9:56pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Erin Gourley
In the centre of Gore stands a giant trout. On the outskirts of Rakaia stands a giant salmon. The fish are perched in the same pose — frozen in mid-air with cavernous maws agape. Separated by 452km of State Highway one, these twin titans of the South Island road trip are too far away to see Read more...
Moscato, Rosé, Moscato Rosé: Do They Taste the Same?
Posted 4:16pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Dessert wine, you gotta love her. Perfect for a cheeky necking before a night out, or something sweet you can sip while watching the hit movie ‘Bridesmaids’. Compared to other wines, dessert wine is particularly palatable and easy to drink. But rumour has it, they kind of taste the same Read more...
Dave From Maharajas
Posted 4:03pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Fox Meyer
Some people say their hero is their mum. Some say Steve Irwin. Personally, I’d go with Dave from Maharajas. The dashing young manager is just as much a superhero as any of the rest. He upholds the law, serves the community, and doesn’t ask for anything in return. I’ve always been a Read more...
Local Produce: L Hotel
Posted 3:59pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Fox Meyer
Up-and-coming band L Hotel, who formed a powerhouse threesome from previous band the Shitz, have recently been hitting Dunedin stages and blessing our ears with funky covers we all know and love. Critic caught up with bassist and ex-Radio 1 host Dave Borrie after a job interview. He did not get the Read more...
Hoarders: The Stories Behind Student Election Steals
Posted 3:58pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Annabelle Vaughan
It’s the most wonderful, most polarizing time of 2020. Election season. Every three years, election hoardings from different political parties pop up around Dunedin, displaying the politicians vying for your vote (which you should definitely cast). But North Dunedin is probably not the best Read more...
How to Hypothetically Chuck a Hāngi Pit in Your Flat Yard
Posted 3:56pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Hāngi is iconic; the food that connects us to our ancestors, the best treat for all. Most importantly, forget your expensive, overhyped ham - Hāngi is the best Christmas dish, prove me wrong. Hāngi, as we all know, takes a huge amount of work. You have to dig a hole, find the Read more...
‘Better Than a Funeral’: Balancing Being a Good Flatmate and Looking After Yourself
Posted 9:47pm Thursday 24th September 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
CW: Mental illness and suicide Moving into a hall or your first flat is insanely cool, especially moving in with friends who you know will make your year an absolute liability, but an amazing experience. Binge drinking on a Tuesday night with morning classes the next day and maccas runs at 3 am Read more...
Theia: Bringing Old School Wisdom into the Modern World
Posted 4:23pm Sunday 13th September 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
Christchurch-born artist Theia (or Em-Haley Walker when she’s not on stage) has shaken up Kiwi pop as we know it with her own unapologetic spin to the genre. Nestled in her certified bangers is a softer, more personal touch, soon to have a space of its very own. Between stacking up songwriting Read more...
Participating in Mahuru Māori but my reo isn’t good
Posted 3:59pm Sunday 13th September 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Mahuru Māori is the annual challenge set to everyone in the effort to normalise and integrate Māori language into everyday lives. The challenge, set by Paraone Gloyne of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2014, has grown immensely. In the first year, only three people participated, but in 2019 Read more...
IT'S NOT THAT DEEP - stick n pokes, a guide
Posted 10:30pm Thursday 10th September 2020 by Kate Yule
Stick and pokes are nothing new. Egyptians were doing it thousands of years ago, however recently it seems a bunch of bored students are too. Whether it's Caitlin who wants to spice up her personality by getting a lightning bolt tattooed on her finger, or your local breather with his nickname Read more...
Local Produce: Hannah Martin
Posted 10:28pm Thursday 10th September 2020 by Sinead Gill
Hannah Martin isn’t a Dunedin local, but Critic is officially claiming her as one of Dunedin and Studentville’s best emerging artists. She submitted her piece, “The Creation of Dunners”, to the OUSA Art Exhibition, and describes that piece like she does her other work: Read more...
Local Produce | Adelaide Cara
Posted 9:48pm Thursday 3rd September 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
Radio One’s soundwave angel Adelaide Cara is bringing a darker sound to the Dunedin music scene. As a local producer and the vocalist of Milpool, they are a force to be reckoned with. They plan on leaving a supernatural mark on music – their instrumentals can only be described as Read more...
Bargain Box: Is It Worth It?
Posted 9:47pm Thursday 3rd September 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Trying to plan and decide what to eat for dinner takes up too much time in the day. Time that could be better-spent binge-watching Netflix shows with your flatmates and avoiding pending assignments. If you’re anything like me, eating like a rat is what gets us through the day. It’s not Read more...
Zodiac Records: South D’s Best Kept Secret
Posted 9:09pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Tyler West
Walking down King Edwards Street in South Dunedin you pass bustling cafes, second-hand stores, and various offices. Standing out is a storefront full to bursting with books and music. “BOOK EXCHANGE” reads one side in bright yellow, “Zodiac RECORDS” reads the other. I spent Read more...
Things to Do and See In and Around Dunedin (if it’s 1980).
Posted 9:08pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Asia Martusia King
One day in a secondhand bookshop, I unearthed an ancient tome from the year 1980. Blowing a thick layer of dust from the cover, I could make out the words Discovering Dunedin: 503 things to see and do in and around Dunedin. Written by Joyce Herd and accompanied with photos by the delightfully named Read more...
An Exclusive Interview with @sinksofdunedin
Posted 8:57pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Naomii Seah
@sinksofdunedin, a novelty Instagram account for documenting and rating various sinks around Dunedin, has experienced a meteoric rise to fame since they created their account in late June. Currently, they have over 1000 followers, and 70 posts. On their account, they post glossy, well composed Read more...
The Dunedin Ice Stadium: The Hottest Coldest Place in Town
Posted 8:52pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Fox Meyer
When I was deciding where to go to uni, I googled ‘best ice rink in NZ’. Apparently it’s in Dunedin, so now I’m in Dunedin too. Our rink offers ice disco nights, quiet midday sessions, live hockey, skating lessons and curling, all with a beach on the doorstep Somebody once Read more...
Local Produce: Jonte
Posted 8:51pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Andy Randell
Back in high school and my first few years of varsity, I really wanted to be in one of those bands that would play gigs every other Saturday and pull in hundreds of people every time. So, I started one. We would practise every weekend, but it never amounted to anything, even though we played for Read more...
Mark Neilson: Acting Out Campus Security
Posted 8:39pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Jack Gilmore
Actor and campus watchman Mark Neilson was told by Otago Uni “don’t come back” when he was a student here in the 90s. Yet, as time moved on, Mark has returned a couple of times. Firstly, through OUSA’s Social Activities department in the early 2000s, and again in 2018 as a Read more...
A Brief History of the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
Posted 8:12pm Thursday 27th August 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
The Otago Settlers Museum is New Zealand’s oldest history museum, and it’s hard to miss. The Museum spans across a huge portion of land from the Train Station to the Chinese Gardens, and the Museum itself was established to reflect colonial settlement. Starting off as the Otago Early Read more...
Wooosh! Wind Tunnels: Where, Why, What?
Posted 8:09pm Thursday 13th August 2020 by Zoe Humprey
It’s a Monday morning, you’re walking to class and for once you’ve woken up early enough to actually make an effort. Your hair is styled, your clothes are at least a step above sweatpants and that mild sense of organisation has lulled you into a feeling of confidence— when Read more...
Cody’s, Diesel, and Mavs: Do They Taste the Same?
Posted 8:04pm Thursday 13th August 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Word on the street is that, when it comes down to it, three bourbon and colas don’t taste any different. Cody’s, Diesel and Billy Mavericks, popular choices from rugby boys and bogans alike, are rumoured to have no distinguishing taste differences that set them apart from one Read more...
A Legacy Bids Farewell: the Churro Connoisseurs Leaving to Sail Around the World
Posted 7:58pm Thursday 13th August 2020 by Caroline Moratti
Eight years ago, Dunedin was different, and by different I mean objectively worse. Today it’s a (vaguely) bustling town of fusion cuisines, pokey cafes and various delicacies, but back then, the only food trucks were TexOtago and the Bacon Buttie Station. Even then the concept of travelling Read more...
Juno Is
Posted 7:54pm Thursday 13th August 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
Dunedin-born, Mackenzie Hollebon (Mac), the mind behind Juno Is, has been in the gig scene for a while now. She initially emerged as the drummer for ‘Lacuna’ before pursuing a solo career - after some growing pains, she is thriving. “It was a really good transition into having full Read more...
Deconstructing Bisexuality
Posted 7:54pm Thursday 13th August 2020 by Naomii Seah
What do Shego, Velma and Kiera Knightly in Pirates of the Caribbean have in common? They’re all female characters I had a crush on in childhood. I’ve always known I was attracted to women. Conversely, I’d always been attracted to men. For most of my life I’d been happy Read more...
Tasting the Rainbow: An investigation into which coloured alcohol fucks you up the most
Posted 9:53pm Thursday 6th August 2020 by Annabelle Vaughan
Picking out a weekend beverage can be stressful, but there is generally one common consideration: alcohol content versus cost. But there is a danger in living life that way - not all alcohol is created equal, and people swear that different types will affect them in different ways. Where one drink Read more...
Local Produce | Neive Strang
Posted 9:51pm Thursday 6th August 2020 by Caroline Moratti
Writing about music can be hard sometimes, much like a perfume commercial - how do you convey a sound, a smell, a sense? But to me, listening to Neive Strang is the same sensation as the first sizzle of onions in a pan. It’s delicious, intoxicating and it’s only the beginning. The Read more...
Alcohol Intervention
Posted 9:49pm Thursday 6th August 2020 by Naomii Seah
“Alcohol in Aotearoa is super prevalent in all our social activities and our lifestyle. When you want to celebrate a good day, you sink some piss; if you want to get over a bad day, you sink some piss; if you’re bored, you sink some piss. That social behaviour around drinking is Read more...
Let Them Eat Cabbage: The Wheres, Whats and Hows of Community Gardens Near Campus
Posted 8:25pm Thursday 30th July 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
No one ever told me how much admin making food would be. I miss the years of meals just manifesting before me three times a day. Now it’s up to ME to find fresh produce and limit my hot chip intake. Fortunately, hunting and gathering for yourself three times a day isn’t nail-pullingly Read more...
It’s Time to Duel: Meet Dunedin’s Tabletop Tycoon
Posted 2:35pm Thursday 30th July 2020 by Oscar Paul
Gregory Mansfield probably came out of the womb wearing a DuelDisk on his arm and Exodia in hand. At an older age, Gregory and his mates got back into YuGiOh! and all of its nostalgic glory. They were hooked on watching card unboxing videos, making their own decks and competing in and judging local Read more...
Curing the Common Cold
Posted 1:07pm Sunday 26th July 2020 by Naomii Seah
I’m sitting in my room with a friend, having a perfectly pleasant and innocuous conversation when I feel it. The little tickle in my throat. The wind in my windpipe. There’s a little moment where I think it won’t happen, and then it does: a sneeze, a cough, another sneeze and a Read more...
CRIME? Gay Paradise Ducks Relocated from Campus
Posted 1:04pm Sunday 19th July 2020 by Erin Gourley
Disclaimer: Please do not harass anyone mentioned in this story. Everyone is just doing what they think is best for the boys. Bill and Bill, the iconic gay paradise ducks that liked (PAST TENSE) to chill out on Union Lawn, were controversially uplifted and relocated by Bird Rescue Dunedin after Read more...
How to Tell if Your Flat is Haunted
Posted 10:32pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
Ah, Dunedin houses. Since most of the houses in Studentville are a little (a lot) old, the usual quirks of ancient houses are common, slanted floors, water stains, and of course, ghosts. Not all ghosts are mean and dramatic, some are merely vibing on the astral plane and sometimes stir up some funky Read more...
The Great Critic Garlic Bread Review
Posted 7:49pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Henessey Griffiths
Garlic bread has to be one of the most humbling foods out there. On the outside it is but a simple meal of garlic butter and toasted bread. Yet, any garlic bread fan understands that there is much complexity to the dish. The pungent sting of garlic, coddled with the smooth undertones of butter, Read more...
The Tale of Two TJs: The Otago Student Living the Best of Both Worlds.
Posted 2:26pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Annabelle Vaughan
TJ Zee, better known by his stage name “ZExII” is one of Dunedin’s best emerging music acts, and is also just a generally cool guy. A Physiotherapy student by day, and a performer by night, one could even go as far to say that he is Dunedin’s very own Hannah Montana. Who, in Read more...
A White Woman With Bangs Tells You Which Planets Are Making You Sad
Posted 12:59pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
Astrology is like a personality test, but cosmic and mean. In the stars lies a horribly accurate character analysis chart that will expose your flaws and potentially make you reevaluate your past relationships. You haven’t lived until you have your ass handed to you by the fucking planets. As Read more...
Tired of Tinder: A Return to The Dating Websites of Our Forefathers
Posted 12:47pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Naomii Seah
It’s 2am, and I’m lying in bed swiping through Tinder for what feels like the 100th time this week. It’s post lockdown, and my rotation is getting a bit tight. At this point in my university career, it feels like I’ve gone through half the dating pool in Dunedin, and every Read more...
Poll: 91% of Otago Students Support Factory-Farming Kiwis on Stewart Island
Posted 3:26pm Sunday 5th July 2020 by Fox Meyer
Data doesn’t lie. More Otago students support factory-farming Kiwis on Stewart Island than legalising cannabis. These young patriots have a keen eye on creating a booming economy in the Southland/Rakiura area, with 100% responding that they’d support increasing jobs in the area. 100% Read more...
UniMart RTD Coffee Review
Posted 1:32am Friday 3rd July 2020 by Sinead Gill
Most people have never tried an RTD coffee (ready to drink. No, it doesn’t mean it is alcoholic), but you should. They are revolutionary. If I’d known they were a thing in first year, it might not have taken me five years to finish my degree. UniMart is full of them, and most of them are Read more...
Types of Sweater Boys
Posted 10:52pm Thursday 2nd July 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
The classic David Bain sweater These boys are omnipresent in your Politics, English, or Anthropology lectures. They think the bags under their eyes from staying up til 4am looking at Reddit threads makes the interesting and different, but it actually just makes them look tired. They WILL ask Read more...
A-Z OF DUNEDIN ARTISTS
Posted 4:33pm Sunday 24th May 2020 by Critic
Adelaide Cara: Alternative Pop Bad Sav: Alternative Rock Captain Saturated Planet: Indie Rock Death and the Maiden: Alternative Rock Élan Vital: Dark Disco Flyspray: Post-Punk Gulls: Ambient Electronica Hot Donnas: Alternative Rock Iron Mammoth: Alternative Read more...
Don't do the 30 Day Squat Challenge
Posted 7:23pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Ever since Dame Queen Nicki Minaj’s music videos emerged, I think a piece of all of us dreamt of having an ass so fat, so bodacious, that we would cry in the shower while doing a mere 15 squats naked to achieve what she has. Or maybe that was just me. Drenched in sweat from the gym that I Read more...
Critic Reviews Mayor Aaron Hawkin's Critic Music Reviews
Posted 6:56pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Henessey Griffiths
Aaron Hawkins: Mayor of Ōtepoti, antagonist of Dunedin News. Before his career in local government took off, Aaron was the Music Director and Breakfast Show Host for Radio One 91FM, and the Music Editor for Critic. 14 years later, it’s safe to say that Radio One and Critic now has a Read more...
Period Underwear: Worth it?
Posted 1:04am Friday 15th May 2020 by Andy Randell
Try something for me: what do you think of when I tell you to think of period products. You will have, no doubt, had tampons and pads spring to mind, maybe even the more recently popular moon cup, but how many of you thought of underwear itself? Probably very few of you did, unless you read the Read more...
Gender Diverse Takes On Periods
Posted 5:22pm Thursday 14th May 2020 by Sinead Gill
There is a lot of stigma around periods. Not as much stigma as there is around gender diversity, though. So what if you were stuck in the middle of both discourses? This would be a shit menstruation issue without talking to the one group of menstruators who are most excluded when it comes to period Read more...
PMDD: PMS’s Evil Twin
Posted 4:30pm Thursday 14th May 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, more commonly known as PMDD, is a disorder that affects 1 in 20 people with uteruses but is relatively unknown. The symptoms of PMDD are extensive and can cause serious disruptions in day to day life, that often require medication. What is PMDD? Well, most people Read more...
Colonisation Made Periods Gross
Posted 4:16pm Thursday 14th May 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington
Waiwhero, mate marama, mate wāhine, paheke, te awa atua. There are many ways to describe menstruation for Māori, because it is an important part of life. It is a sign of whakapapa, connection to the land, connection to the gods. Menstruation was power - until Read more...
How to Free Bleed
Posted 4:14pm Thursday 14th May 2020 by Naomii Seah
Periods are rough, messy, and miserable. Sanitary items are no better. Sometimes it’s just too much effort to find one, let alone buy them. Sometimes your flow is so light that a sanitary product just doesn’t seem worth it. Sometimes, you just need to free bleed. Here’s Read more...
How to Get $50 Worth From a Moon Cup When You Don’t Bleed Four Days a Month
Posted 4:01pm Thursday 14th May 2020 by Fox Meyer
Moon cups are great. They’re inconspicuous, reduce plastic waste, and they’re easily distributable to people with uteruses in developing nations. All my female friends were raving about them, and not one to miss out on the latest trend, I decided to invest and see what all the hype was Read more...
Fostering Animals: Yes or Yes?
Posted 4:59pm Monday 11th May 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
It might sound obvious, but if you have a secure home and love animals, but don’t see yourself living in Dunedin forever, fostering is a great option. Fostering is a great way to get a cuddle fix while also socialising an animal so they are ready for a forever home. Depending on who you foster Read more...
UoO Hunger Games: Sims 4 Edition
Posted 2:57pm Monday 11th May 2020 by Critic
With (from left top:) Law Student, Girl Who Sleeps, Country Boy, A+ Student, Breatha, Thrifty Artsy Girl, and Jock Sims 4 has made a resurgence during the lockdown. With no social interaction and nothing to do; what else will kill five hours in the blink of an eye? Killing sims is a Read more...
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