Latest Articles

Editorial Assistant Elizabete Lasmane delves into the internal dilemma that presents when deciding between authenticity and hiding to keep up expectations as the ideal woman. I cannot answer honestly how true my goals, desires, and ambitions are. Is there a part of me untouched by society? Without confusion in my own sincerity? How much of me is shaped by expectations because I am a woman? How much of me is me? To be a woman is to not know who you are, but to perform. It is t

News Editorial Assistant Maryam Bokhari explores her cultural connection to this issue’s theme by diving into contemporary discourse around the Hijab and what it means to her. Growing up, I always thought my mum’s hijab collection was the coolest thing in the world. Leopard prints, pashminas and shimmery organzas would spill out of her wardrobe every morning as she’d decide on which one to wear and how to style it. When she’d leave for work, I’d pick out a few and clumsily wr

Megha Mahesh dissects the controversial new penal code introduced by the Taliban in Afghanistan and its dangerous ramifications for women in Afghan society “A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not in public. This is extraordinary. This is a suppression of the natural law” - Meryl Streep [1] A man may face fifteen days in prison if he beats his wife and children to the point of fractured bones or opened wounds [2]. A woman, by contrast, is not to be heard in public nor i

Editorial Assistant Jordan Jayanthi examines the contemporary usage of technology in tactics of digital violence and its hazardous ramifications for vulnerable women. Content Warning: this article contains mentions of online sexual harassment, deepfakes, and grooming. Imagine discovering footage of you has been altered into explicit content and splashed across the internet—images of you circulating without your consent. Technology mediates our lives now, and the use of socia

Editorial Assistant Alicja Krotofil probes into shocking Sydney death of elderly man Chris Baghsarian and what next steps are to be expected as the situation unfolds Content Warning: this article contains mentions of murder On Wednesday 25 February 2026, two men were arrested for the alleged kidnapping and murder of Chris Baghsarian, aged 85. Nearly a fortnight ago, Baghsarian was reported missing from his home in North Ryde, and just one day later, his body was found and ide

Editorial Assistant Alicja Krotofil unveils the reality of the recent shark attacks along the Australian coastline and questions whether animals should bear the blame for these events, or the humans In the summer of 2026, New South Wales saw a shocking four shark attacks occur on its beaches within the span of 48 hours. All victims of the attacks suffered major injuries, and unfortunately, one of the victims—a twelve year old boy—suffered fatal wounds and did not survive [1].

Editorial Assistant Maryam Bokhari celebrates Australia’s international wins in the recent Winter Olympics events and unravels how Australians have been able to consistently succeed in an unlikely athletic environment. Neither sunburn nor frostbite could stop our Australian athletes as they concluded their historical victory in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. With a record-breaking total of three gold, two silver, and one bronze medals, this year has been Austra

Meet the students who advocate for us through meetings, events, and more. William John Francis Postgraduate Representative An insurance broker and financial analyst who builds ventures with surgical focus on risk, capital efficiency, and disciplined growth. He blends technical underwriting insight with market strategy, preferring evidence over hype and execution over theory while pursuing scalable, defensible businesses across insurance, finance, and emerging commercial oppo

Editorial Assistant Amy Shelton catalogues the variety of women-centred clubs and committees available on Macquarie University’s campus for the inclusive benefit of students Macquarie University has a range of initiatives and spaces aimed at improving gender equality and women’s safety. WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE SCHOLARSHIP Macquarie University offers a Women in Management and Finance Scholarship for female international students who wish to undertake a Master’s cours

Editorial Assistant Shreya Arora breaks down the first-ever Model UN Conference to exist between three major Sydney institutions and importance of discussions about diplomacy to exist in the daily life of students Jointly hosted by the Macquarie University United Nations Society (MQUNSOC), the Society of International Diplomacy and Domestic Affairs (SIDDA), and the Western Sydney University United Nations Society (WSUUNS), Down MUN’der launched its inaugural Model UN confere

Editorial Assistant Vanessa Bland ruminates on where she grew up in Little Bay and how it has since changed, but the ghost of its past lives on in those who remember. When I was a kid, my sister and I used to write letters to the boogeyman. He lived behind a door at Prince Henry Hospital, hidden behind filing cabinets in the medical records department, permanently locked and completely irresistible. Our mum worked evening shifts there and we’d spend hours drawing, playing hid

Contributor Deanna Arudselvam investigates how True Crime is making waves in the cultural zeitgeist through her exploration of Netflix’s Tiger King , an infamous series that took the world by storm . Exotic animals, eccentric zoo owners, and murder plots collide in Netflix’s Tiger King , turning real crime into addictive entertainment. This highlights why true crime has become one of modern media’s most powerful niches as it blends shocking reality, larger than life character

Editorial Assistant Katrina Wang divulges her love for Tolkien’s Legendarium and how fans have curated a niche community that traverses worlds way beyond his renowned literary works. I can hear you already: Tolkien? Niche? Dear writer, have you been living under a rock? The answer is very much no, but let me preface by saying, I have not met in person anyone else who has delved as unnecessarily—maybe dangerously so, like the Dwarves of Moria—deep into Tolkien's legendarium as

Editorial Assistant Martha Florence analyses five scientist’s dedication to their special niche. I’ll let you decide: this can be a vaguely interesting—or unquantifiably boring—article to skim and forget, or an informative guide on the myriad ways to perform totally ethical and above-board experiments. Your choice, no judgement will be held. Speaking of upstanding ethics, that line of thought often naturally leads to stereotypes of the mad, Frankensteinian scientist. Those w

Deputy Editor Niamh McGonnell-Hall investigates the hot vampire niche and how it exposes our darkest desires. Trigger warning: this piece contains sexual references and references to Gothic sexual fear. In the beginning… We all know the bloodsucking, mountain-dwelling, dismemberment-crazed vampire. It is what most would consider a niche within the Gothic horror genre of literature and film, with many variations, adaptations and allusions to this shadowy figure appearing thro

Newly appointed Section Editor Juliette Allen introduces Jules’ Journal, where she ventures into all things Film & Television. Hello Grapey readers and welcome to the first issue of 2026. Welcome to my new segment entitled Jules’ Journal where I plan to have a lot of fun this year. If you, like me, enjoy getting film ‘recs’, then look no further! I present to you some of my more niche recommendations to check out. I also wanted to briefly talk about the word Niche and how

Editorial Assistant Alicja Krotofil explores the obscure world of Birding, and gives us an exclusive guide to the birds you might spot around campus. So, you’ve heard this phrase used in social circles or thrown around on social media, but you’ve got no idea what it means? You’re exactly where you need to be right now, because I’m about to take a little deep dive into what birding is—and bring you along with me! Birding , also known as bird watching, is the act of observi

Has Sydney Sweeney really done it this time? News Section Editor Siya Pujari talks dodgy branding deals, eugenics and the dangerous reality consumerism is heading towards. If you are tired of reading about Sydney Sweeney’s jeans, look away! Now that you’ve been warned, I do find the discourse around the notorious American Eagle ad and how Sweeney has been torn apart by the culture interesting—specifically, how it is always a woman who becomes the topic of relentless criticism

Editorial Assistant Emily Chan interrogates the one question we all have in the back of our minds. What if I don’t know what I want? It spreads across the dinner table like poison, squeezing between the gentle scrapes of metal forks on ceramic plates, so quiet you wouldn’t have heard it if you weren’t so busy eating, if the conversation hadn’t lulled. There is a change in the air; it stiffens, then stirs, then stiffens again, as if unsure of its place, unsure if it’s taking

Editorial Assistant Daniel Palmer traces the complex relationship between the Australian cultural landscape and the phenomenon of paranormal activity. The paranormal is a phenomenon intrinsically borne from suspicion. With rumours in America of strange aircraft flying, and a growing cultural paranoia aimed at both foreign and domestic governments, a new suspicion took shape. As the Cold War’s disquieting malaise seeped into everyday life, a new form of the phenomena surged in

News Editorial Assistant Maryam Bokhari contemplates the tension between performance and authenticity, even when no one is watching. It seems like all we were born to do is be perceived, viewed in such a way that means something, right before we’re even allowed to find that meaning for ourselves. Our whole life is being spent and broadcast on the internet, and because of this, I’ve found myself slowly splitting: Half girl, half digital. When will the surveillance cameras in

Editorial Assistant Ella Barker reflects on a beautifully personal moment of love and passion for ancient history. At 14 years old I was shy, bookish, and nerdy, so of course I became obsessed with history. I read and read and read everything I could about everything I could and fell in love with every corner of the past. Each nook and cranny of my soul still holds these corners close, so when I stood in the middle of the ruins of Pompeii, staring at Vesuvius, my shoulders b

Editorial Assistant and board game expert Max Cooper shares his top strategies for ultimate victory. Have you ever played a board game? Do you enjoy winning immensely? If you don’t: head to the next page, get out of here. However, if you do and are willing to sell your soul, read on. Below is an overview of both brutal and manipulative tactics, as well as some more conventional strategic ones, to guide you towards winning at Risk and Catan, two board games I have a NICHE int