By The Mary Word

By Myra Vasudev Graduation is fast approaching, and you know what that means; it's time to curate the perfect soundtrack.. From bubblegum pop lyrics to nostalgic and tear-jerking ballads, I’ve made sure to include the essential tracks that capture every emotion you might experience when you toss your cap in the air and say your farewells to Loreto Normanhurst, venturing bravely into what comes next. While your blazer might collect dust in your closet in your childhood bedroom

By Kenzie Eyles “It is my first day of high school ever, and I need to turn things around.” At eleven, I thought high school was a movie waiting to happen. I thought there would be a defining moment. A montage. A makeover. A dramatic walk through the gates where suddenly I became someone else. Someone cooler. Someone louder. Someone worth remembering. But I didn’t become that. Not the school captain. Not the dux. Not the girl with 10 thousand followers or a parking spot with

Drawn By Indigo Gazecki

By Hannah Hippmann With year 12 graduation approaching, I (currently in year 10), wonder how much I will change in these 2 perilous years. But, despite whatever change I may go through, we all still call ourselves the same name, exist in the same body, and own the same possessions. On paper, I’m the same person. But is that fair? Are we really the same person throughout our entire lives? Does continuity of name necessarily imply continuity of identity? If not, what is the rea

By Ainsley Benbow I’ve been thinking about starting a scrapbook for the past 18 years of my life, but have never really gotten around to it. Sure, I’ve tried to write in my diary every once in a while, but it’s never really stuck. And yet, I’m always thinking about how I’m going to remember all my moments from high school when all my photos are crammed in one big pile in my camera roll. Then, right before I started Year 12 in October 2025, I kept seeing ‘Senior Year Scrapboo

By Zoe Macedone DYNASTY OF STYLE All ages, Free. Hardcore music and mosh, held every second month in 2026. Hosted by the Australian punk band ‘SPEED’, showcasing metal, punk, grunge and heavy metal for the alternative community. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dynastyofstylehc?stkn=NXdmaWc3czh5YXcz Gifts of Mercy Emporium All ages/18+ (subjective), $15 (subjective) Held in a thrift store, smaller venue and mosh featuring many upcoming, smaller bands. Lineups are gener

By Julia Scarfe Disclaimer: This Information may vary between ballet schools and ballet styles, this article is based on my personal experience doing Cecchetti ballet. The majority of people who see ballet immediately assume it’s easy. It’s not. It looks easy because the people you see on social media or on the stage have trained for years, if not decades to perfect the technique and musicality required to make ballet look easy, not to mention the fine art of keeping a straig

By Hannah Kent This is a family recipe that we found in my great-grandmother’s personal cookbook. Before her death, she refused to let us see the recipe or watch her make it. Despite this, she made it all the time, and it has long become a staple in our family. We aren’t sure what her source was or if she developed the recipe herself. It was possibly inspired by a similar recipe in Edmund’s Cookbook, which we found in her belongings. Still, through research, I have found that

By Stephanie Ma If your childhood was somewhat similar to mine, you would’ve also watched the animated series ‘Ever After High’, a show about the descendants of fairytale legends, and fallen absolutely in love with it. From the fashion and character design to the non one-dimensional character development, the series that was (extremely) unfortunately cut short has stayed with me for all these years. The story begins with two different episodes focusing on the same event, sho

I have conducted an experiment where I put this article in twice, one with a picture of climate change on the front and the name making climate change cool and the other with a picture of the met gala named “met gala”. I wish to see which gets more views in order to determine whether my hypothesis about our avoidance of climate change for simple pleasures until we realise it is too late is correct. There is a concept that, “those who do not see the direct consequences of thei

By Hannah Hippmann The cicada fumbled her youthful limbs in darkness. The soft, moisture-filled mixture of wet clay and sand comforted her lime green abdomen. Warmth tickled her antenna. Roots threaded through darkness, the slow pulse of the underground harmonising with her. Finally seventeen. Finally ready to travel into the new realm of existence. Bzzzz bzzzzzz Maybe she imagined it, but she could almost hear her brother’s familiar hum singing in the world of light. His p

By Jessica Henry

By Ainsley Benbow Written in alphabetical order Aged Cheddar You’ve got refined taste, and you know it. You’re not here for anything as basic as depth or complexity; little sharpness is exactly your vibe. You sometimes (more often than not) correct people when they’re wrong; however, you are usually right because of all the articles and podcasts you binge to fill your free time. American Cheese You love burgers and all things fast food, and there’s absolutely no shame in it.

And my personal favourites By Madeleine Candy In our fantastic world, there are over 60,000 species of trees. They bifurcate into two main groups, flowering and non flowering. Non flowering trees were the first to come about 360 to 390 million years ago, while flowering trees and plants came about 140 to 150 million years ago. That means, whenever you see a picture with dinosaurs and flowering plants, you now know it is wrong and unreliable! Examples of flowering trees includ

By Ally Chan In the 1950s, everybody was rocking and rolling out to the one, the only Elvis Presley. But they also rocked and rolled out to some other dudes too: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, and Frank Sinatra. You may know them from songs like Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, or It's Now or Never by Elvis Presely. Perhaps Chuck Berry's most famous songs, like Johnny B. Goode, Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, Rock and Roll Music, and Sweet Little Sixteen. In the

by Tilly Merton Music has a unique ability to reach parts of us that words alone cannot. Across cultures and generations, music remains a constant companion — quietly supporting our mental, emotional and social wellbeing. In this article, I have decided to add sufficient evidence to my claim about the release of cortisol levels (the stress hormone). I will be measuring my heart rate throughout the full completion of this article, with music being played in the background, sta

By Sophia Kwak-Fang and Katie Zhao Music video expressing the joy we find in music - inspiration drawn from the song by Beach Bunny

By Serena Wang When it comes to watching something new, it always feels like I finish it too fast. Like, it’s over in an hour, but I still want more. I’m sure it’s something you’ve felt before too, searching around for some exclusive clips or a new interview – but there’s never enough content. Now, I can’t speak for everyone when I say this, but I personally obsess over characters the moment I see them. They live at the front of my mind for weeks and months on end – but all

By Myra Vasudev No one knows how music started. Maybe it started as a soft whisper in the wind. A rock tapping on wood. Wooden sticks clanging together. The first grunts of language. Truly, we’ll never know. But there’s one thing we know for sure. We all connect to it, one way or another. From bubblegum pop lyrics to classical instrumental pieces, music is revolutionary - It brings people together through soul and heart. Since the beginning of time, there has been music. H

By Liliana Cannizzaro Hey, everyone! My name is Liliana and I am a chronic music listener. I spend most of my time at home in my bed crying to my favourite albums, some of which I speak about here! Today, I’m presenting you with artists everyone has to give a go listening to at least once, if you’re a weirdo like me that is. These artists blend relatability with amazing quality, which impresses me and would probably impress you too! So, without further ado, let’s get started!

By Shriyaa Madan Gopal The Berklee College of Music is an incredibly prestigious music school known for its alumni, including Charlie Puth and Lauv, and for the 300 Grammys they have won. Berklee is renowned for its contemporary approach to music and diverse programs. This summer, I came across an opportunity to audit Berklee’s free music theory course on EDX. So, is one of the top music institutes’ courses actually worth it? It’s a six-week course made up of YouTube videos p

By Julia Scarfe Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong are highly acclaimed indie games produced by Team Cherry, a three person group based in Adelaide, South Australia. Hollow Knight is well known amongst the gaming community for its great graphics, storyline and especially, its music. The music of Hollow Knight and Silksong was entirely composed by Christopher Larkin, and is a key component of the game’s ambiance and feeling when being played. The music of the game

By Thea Boyd Hello! So you're a new student this year! Or maybe you’ve been here too long and need some tips before the music fest. You’ve come to the right place! I have everything you need to survive the music fest this year! Don’t panic I know it sounds cringy, but seriously, don’t overthink. Music Fest is fun if you make it fun, but if you just think of the negatives, that’s all you’ll see. So chill, take it easy, and enjoy Music Fest the way you want! Distractions While

How come music attracts the most over the top outfits? By: Kimaya Mahindra and Charlotte King Let’s talk about the 2026 Grammys, an annual event that celebrates accomplished musical artists. And this year, some outfits definitely took everyone by surprise. In this article, Charlie and I (Kimaya) will share our opinions on these glittery and glamorous outfits and decide if they were ‘Slayed or Outplayed.’ First, let’s start off with Sabrina Carpenter, who wore a custom Valent

By Clara Ding, Hannah Hippmann and Heidi Rong

New Year Fireworks & Traditions across the world. By Jennifer L, Eloise H, Emily T and Lizzy P Across the world, all different countries welcome the New Year with different traditions. The most iconic ways to celebrate are fireworks, but each place has their own special meaning behind them. In this article, we decided to rank the most impressive New Year’s fireworks and traditions from around the world. These are ranked from the most spectacular to the most unique. All of t

By Joanna Cowan Recently, the "I wish I lived in Pandora” trend went viral on the internet. People began to criticize those who said they wished to live in the Avatar world, despite its being almost identical to Earth. To put this into perspective, I have collected some data about the biggest climate change events in this past century: Earth’s temperature is rising 1.2% since pre-industrial times 3.6 billion people are vulnerable to climate change Between 2030 and 2050, clim

By Ainsley Benbow “Seeing music” is in fact a true occurrence in which people, when exposed to certain sounds, involuntarily perceive colours, shapes or patterns alongside what they hear. Believed to be affecting roughly 1% of the general population, chromesthesia, also known as sound-to-colour synesthesia, is a neurological phenomenon. It is likely the most common type of synaesthesia where auditory stimuli, such as musical notes or everyday sounds, can trigger various combi

By Ainsley Benbow By now, I’m sure most people have seen the phenomenon that is People We Meet on Vacation. Maybe it is just me, but this movie is genuinely so adorable and an absolutely brilliant rom-com. I mean – the dance scene and blue wig??!! Simply ICONIC. Poppy’s character is so memorable, with a personality that makes her distinctive, hilarious to watch, and such a beacon of light that brightens every room or wedding. With her energetic, carefree nature, but also a hi

By Ainsley Benbow Quiz Link - Which High School Musical Character Are You?

By Ainsley Benbow The Alhambra is an ancient palace, fortress, and citadel complex located in the city of Granada in southern Spain. Peering over the city on a rocky hill, protected by mountains, forests and surrounded by the Darro River, the Alhambra has been witness to political, geographical, social, and economic changes for hundreds of years. Originally built as a fortified royal city, the Alhambra served as a political and ceremonial heart of Muslim Granada for centuries

By Ally Chan Well, we must all know about the iconic Sydney fireworks, the beautiful ones at Sydney Harbour. Well, some people all across the globe do very different things. For example, in Spain, there is a tradition of eating 12 grapes on New Year's Eve, and in the South, black-eyed peas are eaten instead. In Denmark, in addition to all the noise coming from the fireworks, they smash plates at their neighbours' doors; I wouldn’t want to be in Denmark over the New Year. In

By Julia Scarfe, Julia Foong and Eve Collins As spooky season approaches, we thought it would be a fun way to engage with Halloween traditions by doing an overview and overall rating of some common candies given out on Halloween. In partnership with Eve, Julia and Julia, we would like to introduce our candy rating for 2025! Eve Collins Fun-size chocolate bars - 7/10 These chocolates can taste really good, depending on which one you acquire during your quest to scavenge for c

By Joanna Cowan I already know what you’re thinking: ‘These aren’t one sentence.’ And you’d be right — but ‘one sentence’ sounds way catchier than ‘two,’ so let’s roll with it. I have rated these one sentence horror stories from 1 = the stuff of nightmares to 13 = Eh. My father wasn’t too terrible, but I certainly preferred my mother. Though, in hindsight, I may have simply overcooked him. To the girl who keeps knocking on my door at night. I’m not letting you out. I just won

By Shriyaa Madan Gopal This article is a murder article. Not literally, I didn’t take the Halloween theme that far. But the words, “this song is a murder song,” was what Billy Idol used to tell people when describing his classic 80s hit, ‘Eyes without a Face.’ With its distinct synth and guitar riffs, the song has certainly made its influence on New-wave synth pop music. However, behind this dark ballad, there is a past, or rather, a girl named Christiane, and her descent int

This term, students were invited to let their imaginations run wild in The Mary Word’s 2025 Creativity Competition — and they truly delivered! Inspired by the theme “Celebrating the Past, Creating the Future,” entries reflected on memories, milestones, and the dreams that lie ahead, with each submission offering a unique perspective into the creativity and spirit of our Loreto community. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to share their ideas, narratives, and ar

By Kiera Short and Isabella Scotti Most of you have probably seen Sophie Silva before, but for those who don’t know who she is, she’s a fashion content creator who has created numerous amazing costumes over the years. Here, we have collected our ten favourite costumes to share with you. First up, we have Jack Skellington from her recent 31 days of Halloween costumes! The makeup is on point, and the costume is costuming. The dress and corset are absolutely perfect, with the st

By The Mary Word team

By Heidi Rong 葵花籽 (sunflower seeds) Pronounced: kuí huā zǐ. Winter mornings in Chéngdū. Time did not move—not in that ordinary,...

By Katie Zhao and Sophia Kwak-Fang https://opinionstage.com/page/1d2be067-efcc-4dee-8ee9-cea25b95a3e3

By Katia Hales

By Joanna Cowan https://opinionstage.com/page/4ee1b041-d763-4158-9736-1f5cc4de57d3

By Julia Scarfe, Lili Cannizzaro, Zoe Macedone and Sophie Zucconi

By Hannah Hippmann Her hands lay flat on the metallic-plastic scented trampoline, feeling the embroidered strands of bristly grass and...

By Olivia Sukari you are the darkness. when i asked you whether you thought you were the sun, the moon or stars, you told me you were the...

A Song of Nang Tani: The Banana Tree Spirit By Heidi Rong the banana trees do not protest— they cradle themselves, green limbs...

By Katie Zhao

By Chloe Cheng Do you want to play Finish the Lyrics? You are welcome to also guess the song. You will have 5 seconds to guess the rest...