Have you noticed the rise of nostalgiacore all over social media lately? Hazy filters, grainy home videos, VHS effects. You’ll see old cartoons playing on chunky TVs, retro game consoles booting up, bedroom shots with fairy lights and Bratz dolls, or Windows XP desktops loading up “Paint.” All of it is wrapped in soft music—usually some lo-fi remix of a Mario Kart song or a slowed-down 2000s hit. It’s oddly comforting. And kind of heartbreaking.   Scroll through the comments and the same things show up, over and over:   “Nothing will ever feel like this again.”   “I wish I could go back.”   “This makes me...

Every morning, 6 o’clock sharp, the citizens of The Greatest Town In The World – the best town you will ever live in - awake to the chirping that rings around their home, by the wooden bird that leaps out from its home. They get out of their tidy bed, smiles constantly worn, and begin their day, beneath the cloudless skies. The smell of freshly cut grass wafts into the nostrils of John Smith as he exchanges his daily greetings with his neighbours, his kids bumping past them on their way to school. The act breeds dopamine in his system, his smile widening as they head off. As John commences his daily commute to the Ouroboros Financing Foundation...

“Authentic leaders don’t set out to be leaders, they set out to make a positive difference. It is never about the role and always about the goal”. The fondness I have for this quote lies in the profound insight that captures the essence of authentic leadership, one driven by purpose rather than power. Embedded within this idea are 3 key traits that define authentic leaders: integrity, vision and empathy. At the heart of ‘making a positive difference’ is integrity. Actions speak louder than words. It is easy to break a promise, to lie, to not take accountability for one’s mistakes, to bend the rules, to play favourites, but the...

Bunzo was a rabbit of four months with a stout body and poor hind limb. Bored of his days laying with the bark and clovers, he trudged to the edge of the woods until he found the Light. *** The Light was heaven. When he discovered the grassy plains of endless warmth, he knew there could be no sweeter paradise. The ground cushioned his steps like a bed, the sun’s heat blanketed him, happily unobstructed by the trees that darkened the forest Bunzo came from. He ambled towards the sweet freshness of vegetables sprouting from the dirt. He’d stay forever if he didn’t have to return to his colony. A man lived there, in a farmhouse. He...

In a world where smoking is the new societal norm and drugs is the new cool kids trend, gambling is but a mere game for the upcoming generation. Gambling has been ignored across not only Australia, but governments all across the world. Schools have decided to focus on more pressing issues like cyberbullying and young people's mental health. This issue seems to be left behind in the abyss of ignored global problems. In hopes of raising awareness on gambling and its severe impacts on young people, I will be shining light on this neglected global issue.     Gambling - as mentioned earlier - is a major issue, not just amongst Australians,...