ISSUE SIX

3RD OCTOBER 2012

Only a few more weeks till exams...

Greetings everyone, It is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of the academic year. It seems like it was only last month that many of you arrived nervously for the first time to Massey with the hope of doing well in this part of your life journey. Right now should be a busy time with your studies where youll be working on your final assignments and preparing for exams. Try finding out what type of exams you have so that you can prepare for them as appropriate. Check out the library for past exams, start practicing now. I hope that you have all enjoyed living in the Halls this year and have made life-long friends, learnt a lot about yourself as well as the other people around you and all the while having fun doing so. For those of you who have re-applied to return to the halls, try to view it as an opportunity to take a leadership role as part of our community for 2013. As for the rest of you who will be going flatting next year, I wish you all the best with that new experience. For our final community event, the Accommodation Services Office will be hosting a free BBQ for all residents on Wed 17th October outside Kanuka Commons from 12-2pm. We hope to see you there. All in all, I wish you all the best for your upcoming exams and final assessments. If you are worried about exams, make sure that you ask your RA about the upcoming workshops held in Massey to assist you with some of those anxieties and how to effectively prepare for them over the next couple of weeks. Jason Auvaa Community Manager

Above: Tawa Residents at the Halls Quiz Night. Below: Village League Event in action.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Gumboot Shield Ladder Board Events BeenFlatting Expo, Kindness Campaign, Village League Comp, Quiz Night Upcoming EventsEnd of Year BBQ Student CounsellingKeeping Happy Sport and Recreation Centre Summer Gym Memberships Medical Centre Stress and Solutions Exam Support Sessions Campus LivingImportant Notices Chaplaincy

Level 2, The Student Centre (above the MUSA shop)

FLATTING EXPO
Another fantastic event this year with a huge turnout of students attending the flatting expo. We had a large presence of exhibitors this year including the Palmerston North City Council, ACC, NZ Police, Fire Service, Housing Advise Centre, National Bank, Central Rentals, State Insurance, Real Estate Companies, Massey Budgeting Service to name a few. Interested students were able to gain valuable information about all the necessities for a successful flatting experience. A strong focus of the expo this year was around student insurance. With the recent student flat fire in Morris Street, students had become more aware of the need to be insured. It was great to hear from the Fire Service and the students affected by this tragic fire. A big welcome this year to State Insurance. This was their first time at the Expo and certainly students were very interested in talking to them about Insurance. There were also many tips from other stalls on budgeting, learning about flatting contractual issues, health and safety with electrical equipment, rubbish and recycling and safety issues while out and about in the city. A big thank you to a few sponsors who donated products to the expoCool Charm and Ecostore. Congratulations also to our prize winners at the Accommodation Services Stand who won an array of useful flat appliances. The winner of the State Insurance bag of goodies was Chelci Zeeman of Totara Hall. The winner of the Central Rentals $50 rental voucher was Mathew Harding of City Court. If you missed out on the Expo, dont forget to pick up your copy of the Flatters Guide from the Accommodation Office. Its your one stop guide to all you need to know about going flatting. If you haven't organised your flatting reference yet, you can pop in to the Accommodation Services Office to sign up for one. Please remember that references will take a minimum of 10 working days to process.

QUIZ NIGHT
Who is the smartest hall on campus you ask? We had to put them through the mighty test at the annual Quiz Night held at the events centre on Thursday 27th September. As you might expect, it was a classy affairstaff dressed as nerds, Totara in their pjs, and Tawa in crazy gear! Seventeen Halls vied for the title and battled it out through rounds of general knowledge, movies and TV, lyrics and theme songs, maths and anatomy, and much more. You see, we here at Accommodation Services encourage residents to be a well-rounded bunch. The questions werent easy but most managed to prove their smarts, and some not so much! It just so happens, that if we leave the future in the hands of City Court, we might do very well indeed. City Court are the 2012 winners of the Quiz and currently lead the Gumboot Shield by a nail-biting one point! Congratulations City Court! During the night we looked back on our unforgettable time in the halls, from crazy sports to the present. This was hosted by the wonderful Bex T who has provided us with laughs all year, and this night was no exception. We had delicious food and then the highlight for manya Gangnam Style dance battle! All participants were hilarious but Miros dancer Ariana coming out on top with her crazy moves. Tre from Egmont was second, with Kathy from Tawa third. As our last big event this year, we would like to thank you for your constant energy and enthusiasm. We hope youve created memories to last a life time.

HALLS END OF YEAR BBQ

Halls End of Year Farewell BBQ

Wednesday Oct 17th Outside Kanuka Commons Grill Time 12pm-2pm All Welcome FREE! FREE! FREE!
HALLS KINDNESS CAMPAIGN
Around 60 students from the halls converged on Ada, Morris, Ranfurly and Rolleston student street areas on Saturday 22nd September with their gloves and rubbish bags. As part of the universitys Kindness Campaign, the halls students picked up rubbish off the student streets and went door-knocking to take trash from houses. Several trailer loads of rubbish were gathered throughout. The event was about serving and engaging with the wider community. It gave all the students involved the chance to interact with off campus students. It was also a great opportunity for students to appreciate the environment where they live or will be living next year! Well done to the students who participated. You can be proud of what you have offered our community. We all know there was another incentive to turn up for this wonderful event too, yes the gumboot points. Well done to Colombo and Tararua/Ruahine who had the greatest turnouts for their halls.

STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE

Keep Happy In The Last Few Weeks This time of the year can be a difficult one for many of us although it is warming up and there is much more sunlight, we can still be cooped up indoors and struggling to focus on exams now only a matter of a few weeks away. Have I done enough study? What will they ask me? What will I do in the holidays? What about next year? Flatting? It is quite important to find ways of keeping positive and focussed at this stage it can slip so easily and we can end up feeling out of control and overwhelmed. There are a few relatively easily things we can do to make a significant difference at any time but are really useful to do at this time! Just as our Olympic athletes know, the skill does not develop overnight and we need to practise and rehearse the skills to become competent let alone expert, but the effort is worthwhile in the end! So try a few of these things. At the end of each day take a few moments to reflect on the day, paying particular attention to the things that have gone well the cool experiences. This might be a chat to a friend, warm sunshine, the plum trees in blossom, a lecture you enjoyed, a good session in the gym or just a peaceful walk across campus looking at the blue sky. Try to jot down three things each day. Each day look for something you can do for another person! It may just be holding a door open for them, picking up something they have dropped, a compliment, a prayer, or noticing they look tired and creating an opportunity to sit with them and listen as they off load to you. Reflect on the good or kind things other people have done for you, your friends, your parents, or even an academic. If you have an opportunity, smile and thank then as they give you your coffee or hand out notes. If you dont have that opportunity take a moment quietly to acknowledge how they have supported you, cheered you up, or helped you. Practise the art of stillness. Walk more slowly, talk more quietly, breathe more slowly. Notice your body in space, look at the colours around you, listen to the sounds, try to be in the present for just a few moments at the time without all the thoughts and worries and interruptions crowding in. Avoid being busy all the time find a moment or two in time when you can simply stop the rushing and the thinking. Learn to breathe with your diaphragm and not your chest. Spend time in nature. We are fortunate on our campus to have the green spaces all around us. Utilise them regularly. If necessary seek help and support before you become overwhelmed! Talk to a friend, an RA, a chaplain, a counsellor, a lecturer, your parents or a learning consultant. Attend the last minute workshops run by the Centre for Teaching and Learning and by Student Counselling Service. Dont wait until melt down as it will be harder to change things then. The Centre for Teaching and Learning runs Study Up sessions on Surviving the Exams and on Preparation makes perfect: Exam study techniques throughout October as does Student Counselling as part of the WoW series (When Overwhelm Threatens To Become Overwhelming and Exam Stress Nightmare on Uni Street)

You may like to look at the website http://crow.massey.ac.nz where you will find a vast array of self-help materials to assist you do these things. Make the most of the final week and look for ways of enjoying exam time. Notice how things are different and what is enjoyable about it. Think about how good it will feel at the end rather than paying too much attention to the struggles in between that journey will be very with you as you study!

CHAPLAINCY
Wow! The year has nearly gone. Just the minor hurdles of exams to negotiate before cracking on into the summer break. We hope it has been a good year for you; new friends, grades OK, life generally good. We hope too, your revision and exams go well. If you are an overseas student here for the semester, we trust you have enjoyed not just Massey but the country as well. The end of a year is invariably a good time to take stock. What have I learned? Not just about my subject but about myself, the sort of person I want to be and the values I want to adopt. Also about life and how it is best lived. These are important questions and an essential complement to the academic side of university life we easily overlook in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The answers we settle upon will actually shape the direction and quality of our life experience more than any academic achievements. So dont short change yourself here. As chaplains at the Centre we are always happy to be a sounding board in your deliberations if you would find that helpful. On the pancake front, we will be running Pancake Nites 7pm every Wednesday until the last week in term and the Centre will be open 9-5 Monday Friday until the end of the semester, so please use the place to chill out or revise if that will be of help to you. So, may the remainder of the year go well for you, and your summer - plus the rest of life if you are returning overseas! - be great. COLIN DAYOn behalf of the chaplains

MASSEY MEDICAL CENTRE

What is stress?
Stress is the way your body, mind and feelings react to everything that happens to you or around you. These reactions are normal. Everyone has them. Physical reactions Feeling faint Tense jaw Tight chest Heart beats faster Breathing quickly Sweating Knots in stomach Tense muscles Trembling or shaking Headaches Thoughts and feelings Feel like everyone is bugging you Cant make up your mind Cant concentrate Feeling impatient Forgetting things often Finding it hard to relax Not feeling so confident Confused Taking stupid risks e.g. drinking and driving, unsafe sex Crying often

Its important to notice when you are getting stressed and do something about it before you reach this stage!

It can come from having too much going on in your life, or not enough happening in your life so you feel bored or frustrated.

What causes this kind of overload? Solutions

Stress Overload
Eating more Using drink or drugs to escape Feel like youre losing control Not sleeping Getting angry easier Getting sick often

Talk about it. You will feel better, less confused and less alone. Be honest with someone you trust when they ask how you are. Watch a funny movie with a friend Dance Do something creative paint or write. Give yourself a treat Spend time with family/friends Go outside and do something active Eat some healthy food each day Let your feelings out punch a pillow, have a good cry, be easy on yourself. Choose whichever stress solutions you think are the most important for you at the moment. Divide solution into: Cant fix leave alone Can fix deal with one thing at a time. All above information is available from the Massey Medical Centre.

SUMMER SEMESTER Summer semester period runs from the 18th November 2012 to the 31st of January 2013. We will be using Tararua/Ruahine Flats. Please apply online through the Massey Accommodation website. END OF YEAR INFORMATION In the next few weeks you will receive a letter explaining the end of year check out procedures for 2012. Attached to this will be a copy of your accommodation statement with weekly charges to the end of your agreement (18th November 2012), and a Bond refund form. Please ensure your fees are paid and up to date. You will also need to ensure that you have completed the 2012 Bond Refund Form so that your bond can be refunded to you. Accounts must be paid up to date and bond refund forms returned to the RSO by Friday 16th November 2012. Please note that bond refunds can take up to 28 working days to process. If you have any questions, please visit the RSO and talk to our staff. Storage will also be available during the summer semester with prices ranging from $16.50 to $44.00 per week, you will also need to provide your own padlock. Please make enquiries at the RSO, our front office staff will be available to take you to have a look at the storage facilities during our office hours of 8.30am 5.00pm Monday to Friday. You will need to book quickly as spaces are limited. MAIL AND PARCELS Please ensure that your mail/ parcels are forwarded to your home address as all mail/parcels received will be returned to sender after the 31st January 2013. Good luck with your exams and enjoy your break! CLV Team

MASSEY SPORT AND RECREATION CENTRE

VILLAGE LEAGUE / TOUCH EVENT

What a glorious day it was for this event. Bright blue sky and nice warm sunshine beaming down on everyone. This event was new this year and came about by the interest of the students. Each village put together a league team and a touch team. The competition was fiercely fought, and despite a few nasty injuries the residents enjoyed letting off some steam before exams roll in. In the final game, Turitea and Moginie Village combined teams to face the courts. The final scorea draw! In the touch, Turitea were victorious.

Keep Fit Over Summer

Staying in Palmerston North over the summer and looking for a way to keep active? Make use of our fully equipped fitness centre during the quieter months of summer and join in the Les Mills Group Exercise Classes which will be running all summer long. Join the Recreation Centre now for the best value gym membership in town. Join now for 4 months memberships for just $70 (Internal students only). Summer Hours (starting November 5th) 6am-9pm MondayFriday 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday

EXAM SUPPORT SESSIONS

See also http://wow.massey.ac.nz and http://owll.massey.ac.nz . These sessions can also be viewed through Adobe connect after the session, and instructions are on the websites.

Tues 9 Oct 12-12:30pm Wed 10 Oct 12-12:30pm Thurs 11 Oct 12:00-1:00pm

Preparation makes perfect: Exam study techniques Surviving the exam When overwhelm threatens to become overwhelming

Develop some extra memory skills and Student Centre (level 2, room 2.10). learn some structured revision tricks. Study tips and strategies for getting Student Centre (level 2, room 2.10) through the exam How we recognise and manage early AH 3 symptoms of overwhelm before they escalate, and how to manage overwhelm if we dont recognise these symptoms in time! Develop some extra memory skills and Student Centre (level 2, room 2.10) learn some structured revision tricks Study tips and strategies for getting Student Centre (level 2, room 2.10) through the exam Explore ways to clear your mind so as to AH 3 achieve the results you deserve

Tues 16 Oct 12:00-12:30pm Wed 17 Oct 12-12:30pm Thurs 18 Oct 12:00-1:00pm

Preparation makes perfect: Exam study techniques Surviving the exam Exam stressNightmare on Uni Street

As of 28th September 2012 PLACINGS

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th

City Colombo Tararua/Ruahine Walter Dyer Totara Moginie Matai Tawa Egmont Atawhai McHardy Miro Kiwitea CraigLockhart/Bindaloe Rotary Kairanga

530 528 513 451 371 347 344 299 295 293 266 263 238 223 216 202

Just Social Leagues to go!!!!

RESIDENTS OF THE MONTHAUGUST

Congratulations to the following residents who have been selected as residents of the month for August 2012 for their respective halls. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge the significant contribution that a resident has made within the hall during the last month. Each will receive a movie voucher for their contributions to the community. This award is given based on the following criteria:

General behaviour is exemplary Respectful of others Actively participating in hall events Actively encourages a clean and tidy environment Encourages and motivates others in the all Active involvement in resident committees Above all, is a positive role model

PROFILE THIS MONTH

Ariana Te Rangiita MIRO HALL

Katherine ODonnell TAWA HALL

Thomas Goswell KAIRANGA COURT

Oliver Tilley MATAI HALL

Melissa Prowse MOGINIE HALL

Anna Sanford TOTARA HALL

Amanda Schwass CRAIGLOCKHART HALL

Jordan Rivers WALTER DYER HALL

Harry Thomson MCHARDY HALL

Zhi Chen ROTARY COURT

Hideki and Emma Selwyn ATAWHAI FLATS

Ray Garalde KIWITEA HALL

Jo Petty CITY COURT

Amanda, from Craiglockhart Hall, is studying towards a Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching. She is getting the award for Resident of the Month for a range of reasons. She is always friendly, having a chat with anyone she sees. Her happy personality and willingness to help her RA have also contributed to her winning this award. Amanda is constantly involved in hall events, and goes above and beyond to make sure the whole hall attends. She often knocks on doors to let everyone know whats happening and will happily help out with distributing fliers. Amanda originally lived in Miro Hall, but has settled into Craiglockhart and has become a valuable resident.

Sarah Perrott EGMONT COURT

Marika Boseyaco TARARUA/RUAHINE

John Dickson COLOMBO HALL

RESIDENTS OF THE MONTHSEPTEMBER

Congratulations to the following residents who have been selected as residents of the month for September 2012 for their respective halls. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge the significant contribution that a resident has made within the hall during the last month. Each will receive a movie voucher for their contributions to the community. This award is given based on the following criteria:

General behaviour is exemplary Respectful of others Actively participating in hall events Actively encourages a clean and tidy environment Encourages and motivates others in the all Active involvement in resident committees Above all, is a positive role model

PROFILE THIS MONTH

No Image Available

Joeli Nagera MIRO HALL

Anthony Sabo-o TAWA HALL

Wei Dai KAIRANGA COURT

Ashley Mellow MATAI HALL

Anthony Finnerty CRAIGLOCKHART/ BINDALOE HALL

Rachel Meads TOTARA HALL

Vili Hasiata
Moginie Hall
Vili is from Auckland and is in his first year studying for a degree in Aviation Management. He can usually be found around Moginie Hall, always friendly and ready to chat or hang out with anyone. He is involved in the Massey Pasifika Club, and enjoys "anything and everything", particularly sports! He is always a force of enthusiasm in Social League games, even occasionally jumping in to lend a hand as an extra player in friendly RA games. Vili can always be relied on to bring a good time to any hall or village event, and above all we appreciate the hall spirit he brings to Moginie hall! Congratulations Vili on Moginies Resident of the Month!

Ryan Larsen WALTER DYER HALL

Riley Power MCHARDY HALL

Chloe Phoon ROTARY COURT

Renzo Cuadros ATAWHAI FLATS

Justin Lewis KIWITEA HALL

Adam Estrin CITY COURT

Simon Ferguson EGMONT COURT

Belinda Martin TARARUA/RUAHINE

Josh Dunstan-Brown COLOMBO HALL