ISSUE FIVE

22nd August 2012

What a busy time of year it is, we are right in the thick of it now!
Open Day
The university has just had its Open Day for the secondary school students who may be thinking of joining Massey University next year. A very successful day with over 1700 visitors to the university. A big thank you to all of those who volunteered their rooms to show potential residents.

Above: Halls Ball, a fantastic night out. Below: Halls Indoor Soccer Tourney in action.

Community Events
Weve just completed running two successful community events. A few weeks back we held the Halls Soccer Tourney. This event brought in large numbers with a total of fifteen registered teams. Congratulations to Matai Hall who took out the grand final against Rotary Court. Matai received $100 credit for their social account plus 50 valuable gumboot points. The MVPs for the tourney were Georgia Cooper from Matai and David Morton from Rotary. Other semi-finalists included City Court and Ferguson Hall. The second event, the Halls Ball was a fantastic night enjoyed by all. The theme, decorations, the residents, all looked spectacular. Check out the write up inside. There are still a few cool events coming up so ensure you take part!

Gumboot points

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Gumboot Shield Ladder Board EventsBall, Soccer Tourney and Tree Planting Upcoming EventsFlatting Expo, Kindness Campaign, Quiz Night City Court Hall Event Student CounsellingSleep Sport and Recreation Centre September Wellbeing Month Medical Centre Healthy Eating Centre for Teaching and Learning Exam Prep Campus LivingImportant Notices Chaplaincy

Updated points for the Gumboot Shield are included within this newsletter. The next chance to gain points is to participate is to get teams organised for our upcoming Quiz Night in September. This will be the last big event for the year and bound to be a bundle of laughs.

Flatting
It is that time of year to start hunting for a flat! Do you know where to start? For most of you, this will be a new experience. To get expert advice, make sure you attend the Flatting Expo which will be held on the first week back after the mid semester break. Get all the info and win some flat prizes! All landlords require a flatting reference which you can get from the Accommodation Office. You can also sign up for a flatting reference at the Flatting Expo. Please remember it will take 5 working days until you can collect your reference so ensure you get in before you need it for your flat. See more details inside about the flatting expo event. More gumboot points will be on offer at this event as well. Also, it is that time of year with seasonal flu. Be sure to look after your own health. Make sure you get checked out at the Medical Centre if you are unwell. Also look after each other in the halls! After all, we are one big family!

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

CITY COURT HALL EVENT

City Court X FACTOR
On Friday 27th July, City Court residents took to the Monro Stage for the X-Factor Talent night. The majority of the hall took part with each pod battling each other out for the title of CITY COURT X-FACTOR WINNER 2012. It was such an awesome night filled with a whole heap of laughter from Joes cooking show to Team Shannons Macarena. Everyone came up with remarkable ideas for the show and we hope everybody had an enjoyable night. The placings for the talent night are as follows:

SOCCER TOURNEY
Fierce, intense and competitive are just a few words that describe the Soccer Tourney held on 29th of July. There were 14 halls and an RA team who participated, but it was Matai who came out on top. The day started off with the tough pool rounds. Pool C proved to be difficult with all teams drawing. All of the pools showed us that there are some football superstars residing in the halls. Teams were lucky to make it to the quarters. After City and Colombo played, a penalty shootout was called to determine who would move on to the semis. It came down to the last two shooters on each team. The pressure was undeniable and all spectators were tense. It was City who stepped up though with Joe Petty saving Colombos final strike. Along with City, it was Ferguson, Rotary and Matai who made it to the semis. The level of competitiveness had reached a whole other level. Who needs the Olympics when you have the Halls Soccer Tourney? You could see the hunger in every team to make it to the final. It was exciting that two halls who have never won a gumboot shield competition this year were the last standing. It had been a long road for Rotary and Matai but they were troopers and put in a fight until the end. A final score of three to one meant that Matai were the winners of the Halls Soccer Tourney 2012. Congratulations to them and also to the Most Valuable Players Georgia Cooper from Matai, and David Morton from Rotary. The best thing about the day was the attendance of the halls amazing supporters who cheered their teams on to the bitter end. I think some actually felt as if they were on the court with them! The team spirit was very evident throughout the day. Thank you to all who participated.

1st D1 & D2 Little people 2nd C3 Jason Bieber 3rd D3 Synchronised Swimming Check out the photos on the City Court Facebook page.

Soccer Tourney Placings

1st=Matai 2nd=Rotary 3rd=Ferguson 4th=CityCourt 5th=Colombo th 6 =WalterDyer 7th=Kairanga 8th=Tawa th 9 =Moginie 10th=Totara th 11 =Tararua/Ruahine 12th=McHardy 13th=RARoyals 14th=Atawhai 15thEgmont

TREE PLANTING EVENT

We were lucky with the weather this year for the Trees for Students Event at Pit Park. The rain just held off and some beautiful sunshine managed to shine through. In conjunction with MUSA, this is the 4th year where Massey University Halls have been involved in this project. Pit Park was originally used as an old clay pit/gravel pit for disposal of spoil such as clay tiles and pipes. Activities that create excessive noise, and do not compliment the historical significance of the pit are considered inappropriate. A group was therefore established called the Pit Park People (PPP). A key aim of the PPP was to avoid the inappropriate use of the pit for activities that would degrade the environment of the reserve and/or its surrounding residential land use. The main aim is to create the area into a dynamic, multi functional, safe, connected, cultural heritage and educational environment. The group runs every third Sunday afternoon of the month starting at 1:30pm and finishes at 3pm with a cup of tea. Anyone can join, so head on down if you have some free time. A big thank you to all those who helped out with the tree planting. There was a good turnout and the help to plant more trees was much appreciated.

Next Community Event Coming Up

Kindness Campaign Student Street Cleanup

Saturday 22nd September More info out after the break. Gumboot points on offer too!

HALLS BALL
The Massey Halls Ball was a great success. Students arrived at the Travelodge where the Fire Club was breathing fire and performing other illusionary tricks. The rest of the night followed with music, dancing, food and drinks. The Moulin Rouge theme was a central feature of the night. A heart shaped entrance, red carpet, Eiffel tower and windmill created a Paris like atmosphere. Many of the residents also came dressed in theme, showcasing accessories such as feather boas, red lipstick, bow ties, and tuxs. Throughout the night, many photos were captured both in the photo room and ballroom. Those taken in the photo room will soon be on display at the Accommodation Services Office, while those in the ballroom can be viewed on the Massey Manawatu Halls of Residence Facebook page. Two major prizes corresponded to the ball. The first was the limo prize draw, which was won by Jacob Janse van Vuuren from Moginie Hall and Sascha van Doodewaard from Miro Hall. The second prize was the gumboot points awarded on the basis of hall attendance. City Court took this out with a massive 80% of their hall attending the ball. Great work City! A big thank you to Travelodge for their assistance with the event, Image Group NZ Ltd who provided the decorations and lighting equipment, Urban Ersha with their musical talents, and the Halls staff and PPS Security Team who ensured everyone was kept safe. It was surely a memorable night enjoyed by all.

STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE

I Just Cant Sleep!
As the pressure of work increases and we become more stressed, many students approach Student Counselling or Massey Medical about difficulty sleeping. There can be numerous reasons for sleeplessness as well as numerous helpful strategies which appeal to different people. At Student Counselling we have numerous ways of assisting (also use the self-help resources on http://CROW.massey.ac.nz ) and you can borrow relaxation and sleep inducing CDs which are very effective. Students generally have shocking sleep hygiene going to bed as the sun rises and sleeping until mid-afternoon. The body does not generally work like that and needs a fairly regular pattern if sleep is going to be effective. Apart from resting, sleep has an essential function in helping our brains to sift and sort information gleaned during the day so all that material you have been studying needs to be filed in the brain during sleep! So pulling an all-nighter during the exams is seldom effective! What can you do about it? There are a number of self-help strategies you can use to improve you sleep hygiene and improve your quality of sleep, but if there are underlying health issues or emotional worries and stresses it is helpful to talk to a professional as well and seek other supports. Go to bed only when you are sleepy. Do not use your bed for anything except sleep (and intimacy) If you find yourself unable to fall asleep, get up! Read a book write a letter, do something. Stay up as long as you wish and then return to bed to sleep. Do not watch the clock and worry about not sleeping. Get out of bed if you do not fall asleep fairly quickly. Get up at the same time every morning, irrespective of how much sleep you had during the night. This will help your body to acquire a consistent sleep rhythm. It is often more about when you wake than when you fall asleep. Once you wake get up and go outside as soon as possible (or, if it is cold, at least open the curtains and try for some natural light as this helps reset the body clock). Do not nap during the day. Additional Tips

Wind down an hour before bed and avoid TV and computers

Long term sleep problems may be a symptom of a health problem such as anxiety, depression or a physical illness. If your sleep difficulties have persisted for several months, it would be useful for you to check this out with a professional, such as a medical doctor or a counsellor. However remember that no-one ever died through lack of sleep (well, almost no-one!) and insomnia is not a disease which requires medication in the long term.

during this time (something about the frequency of the screen appears to stimulate the brain rather than calm it) Reduce caffeine (including energy drinks) and alcohol intake late in the day. Reduce physical and mental stimulation late in the day if you are studying late, try to give yourself about 30 minutes of wind down time. Exercise late in the afternoon or early evening. Do not have a visible bedroom clock. Have a light carbohydrate or dairy snack before bedtime. Avoid chocolate or large amounts of sugar. Avoid drinking large amounts of fluid late in the day. Have a hot bath or shower early on in the evening the drop of body temperature helps signal to your brain that it is time for sleep. Where to from here? Different things work for different people! Feel free to contact Student Counselling Service if you find your sleep problems arent improving, or if they are seriously interfering with your daily life.

CHAPLAINCY
By the time you read this the London Olympics will be just a warm glow in Kiwis collective memory and the country will be either celebrating the continued success of the All Blacks or plunged into the depths of despair and self recrimination because we have been beaten by the Aussies and/or (heaven forbid!) the Argentinians. Often our sense of self esteem is based on the most superficial and transitory of factors; perceived social status or material prosperity or acquisition, for example. Hopefully, during your time at Massey, you will give serious thought to the values and priorities that will govern your life in all its different contexts and the basis and viability of those values. More than anything else they will shape the sort of person you are and your capacity to cope with the different circumstances life will throw up at you. Chaplains are one of the resources Massey provides to help you in this process. It is something of supreme importance so dont let the immediate busyness of life push it aside. Dont forget, as well PANCAKES EVERY WEDNESDAY AT THE CENTRE 7PM. Colin Dayon behalf of the Chaplains

MASSEY MEDICAL CENTRE

YES! Young adults need to consider having a heart healthy lifestyle whatever you are doing now, CAN influence how your health and life will be in the future. I dont want to give you information that you already know, lets assume you are already aware that you need to eat your colours each day colourful fruit and veges. At your next meal look at the colour palette of your plate is it all beige , meaning nothing but battered fish and oily chips? Is it alive with colour? Does it have green veges, yellow veges, white fish or chicken, brown meat? Colourful = Healthy. Ok, so lets also assume you already know you must eat healthy 90% of the time are you actually doing it? I know that it is hard, at times to make a healthy choice when there is not a lot of healthy options to choose from do the best you can with what you have. If you feel you need to take dietary supplements such as multi vitamins then that is a good choice ask your pharmacist for the most appropriate for you, this is a good idea at exam times when your body is under some stress and you may not be eating as well as you should be. If you are feeling tired and unable to concentrate then you can have your iron and Vit B12 levels checked by a nurse. If you dont eat well you wont have the energy to go out with your friends, study or play sport. Always grab food in season good for the environment and healthy on the wallet. DID YOU KNOW? Your heart beats 101,000 times a day. There are 20 teaspoons of sugar in a 600ml bottle of fizzy drink!! Chicken nuggets contain TWICE as much fat per ounce as a hamburger!! Just remember you are what you eat! Hints and tips: Dont skip breakfast if you cant eat first thing in the morning then ensure you have something healthy around morning tea time. Eat your food slowly and enjoy it you will feel fuller and your body will digest the food properly. Eat plenty of superfoods what are superfoods I hear you ask? - Wholegrains - Colourful veges - Fish - Yoghurt - Water - Porridge and cheap to eat - Bananas - Beans - Nuts walnuts, brazil and almond especially Portion control Oh yes, I can imagine all the sheepish grins on faces while you read this, follow these simple rules for proper portion preferences. DONT UPSIZE YOUR MEALS UNLESS YOU WANT TO UPSIZE YOUR WAISTLINE!!! Its ok to have a burger now and again but dont have the fries or fizzy drink. of your plate should have carbs potatoes, kumara, corn, rice, pasta of your plate should be protein meat, eggs, fish, nuts and seeds of your plate should be vegetables Weight gain We all know that our population is growing in size, having some healthy flesh on your bones is a sign of good health. Feeling good about how we look gives us confidence, but having too much weight can make us feel lethargic and unwell it can also cause some serious health concerns. Having too little weight can also be a concern for our health and can cause multiple problems, including irregular periods and fatigue.

Mid Semester Break

A reminder that the Mid-Semester break (24/08 09/09) is coming up. As usual all Matai Hall residents will need to vacate their rooms by 10am on Sunday the 24th of August and remove all their belongings for the 2 week break so that extramural students can use these rooms the first lot of check ins are at 12pm that day, you will be able to collect your keys from our office on Sunday 9th of September after 2pm. If you are not in Matai Halls and are not staying for this break please keep your room key as you are not required to return this for this particular break. Please note if your payment plan is the weekly direct debit, the direct debit will continue over the 2 week holiday break, so you need to make sure that there is money in that account for the direct debit to be taken out.

Maintenance Reporting and Inventory Check for your Room

A reminder that your room inventory check needs to be done urgently if you have not already completed this. An inventory check list has been left on your desk in your room for you to complete and hand in to our office. It is extremely important that you check and sign off for the inventory items in your room. If you do not sign off on them and any damage is found during room inspections, you will be liable to pay for all damages found. Maintenance reporting can also be done through the following website: https://portal.clv.co.nz/StarRezPortal Please note there is a PC in the RSO set up specifically for logging maintenance requests during our office hours, information sheets in regard to how to log in are available at our office for you to use.

MASSEY SPORT AND RECREATION CENTRE

Well-being: a good or satisfactory condition of existence, characterised by health, happiness and prosperity. (Dictionary.com) Well-being: The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. (Oxford dictionary) However you define it, we all crave it. In fact achieving well-being has been the concern of philosophers since Aristotle. In many respects it is the very essence of human existence. While academic debate may continue about precisely how well-being should be defined, the science of subjective well-being suggests that experiencing good feelings and undertaking activities which are engaging form a vital part in building up a stock of inner resources to help us develop resilience and cope when things go wrong. At Massey University September is WELL-BEING MONTH and the focus is on student and staff well-being, with a series of FREE seminars and events every day of the month. Were taking a holistic approach with information on all aspects of wellbeing - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and even financial wellbeing. All the September well-being events are made possible thanks to collaboration between the Recreation Centre, the Medical Centre and Careers and Counselling. By drawing on Masseys own resources, and combining with a number of outside providers weve put together a calendar of events which really does have something for everyone. For those concerned about their physical well-being there is free fitness testing and classes from body balance to creative dance. Mid-Central Health will be here with information on Breast Awareness and the BSA Programme. From stress management to mindfulness to healthy relationships its all here at Massey in September and its all free.

PLACES ARE LIMITED SO REGISTER EARLY TO SECURE A PLACE FOR THE FREE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT INTEREST YOU. For the full calendar of events see the Recreation Centre Website. Email to Esther E.Rush@massey.ac.nz to register.

CENTRE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

Looking for someone to help you with your academic skills such as writing and studying effectively in order to be the best student YOU can be? Then you need to visit us at the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Where: Student Centre (upstairs above The MUSA dairyacross from the library) When: 9-4.30pm Call us: Extn 81950 Visit: owl.massey.ac.nz For just 30 minutes on a Tuesday and Wednesday, you could be enhancing some serious academic skills: http://owll.massey.ac.nz/studyup.php BUT WAIT, THERES MORE Visit Stream and click on the course: Academic Writing and Learning Support and check out the other services we can offer you.

EXAM PREP Put these dates in your calendars... Study UpPreparation makes perfect: Exam Study Techniques Develop extra memory skills and learn some structured revision techniques. Participate online or come to the Student Centre. Manawatu Campus Tuesday 9th October Tuesday 16th October Study UpSurviving the Exam Study tips and strategies for getting through the exam. Participate online or come to the Student Centre. Manawatu Campus Wednesday 10th October Wednesday 17th October

As of 18TH AUGUST 2012 PLACINGS

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

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

430 388 383 354 313 303 294 266 237 210 210 203 187 186 178 128