What time is it? The time of our lives, Brian and Eda think
12 weeks ago, we tuned into an emergency briefing from a stern, tired-looking PM who told us that we, once again, had to Stay Home and Save Lives. By some miracle, we’ve made it this far: watching excited graduands striding up and down the road through the fogged glass in the library windows. However, for those of us who aren’t soaring, flying through our degree, it may seem like a never-ending road to get there.
Kia ora. We’re Brian and Eda, co-editors of Craccum and all-round charitable people (allegedly), here to remind you that the inter-semester break is upon us. While it seems like a premature thing to say with the remaining hurdle of exams, they’ll come and go, no matter how prepared (or not) you are. When the dust settles, it’s time to treat yourself to a break.
It’s an easy thing to verbalise, but when it comes time, it’s hard to put into action. We’re all busy people when university is on, and it’s easy to lose track of healthy habits and necessary self-care. Sometimes, your organs may be saying “we’re all in this together,” but your brain is like, “no bitches, I’ve got to study.”
In all fairness, even though we preach, we can acknowledge how easy it is to let the wheels fall off the wagon. For instance, Brian skipped breakfast trying to catch up on work this morning, and staying in the lab ‘til midnight yesterday led to McDonalds delivery as a rushed dinner. Eda has been stressing about (but not arsed enough to actually cook) the raw chicken that’s been in the fridge for six days and instead, gone to eat Wicked Wings while publicly crying as a form of escapism. Sometimes you just have to do what you need to see you through those particularly stressful times. (Though, we cannot stress finding proper help if things are taking a toll on your ability to get through the day.)
Sometimes you just have to do what you need to see you through those particularly stressful times. (Though, we cannot stress finding proper help if things are taking a toll on your ability to get through the day.)
It’s really okay to be a hot mess right now. Everyone has different coping mechanisms and priorities to keep up with their wellbeing, so you do you, boo. We just don’t condone shoplifting, drunk driving and having more than five packets of Munch Mart Spicy Squid Snack in a day. But as we all head into the break, it’s necessary to turn our attention to sustainable self-care. Having fun is one aspect, but also restoring natural habits and correcting our lives in whatever way (sleep schedule, for instance) is important, as the next semester is bound to take an equally heavy toll on our body.
As we part ways until the start of Semester 2, we also farewell our brilliant News Editor, Ella Morgan, from the editorial team. We want to acknowledge her tireless efforts in serving information to students where mainstream media could not, particularly during the COVID developments last year, and her contributions to shaping Craccum’s Te Ao Māori and News sections for the future
So, we’re signing out for this semester. It’s time to get ready to take a break, but also restore your blood sugars, vacuum your damn room, and see some sunlight. And if we work, work, there’ll be no doubt. We can still save this summer (in the Northern hemisphere), if we work this out.
See you in Semester Two.
Yours faithfully,
Brian Gu (he/him) and Eda Tang (she/her)
Co-Editors of Craccum 2021