Mia Basic I feel everything is so ordered and structured. Even as a kid we would do creative writing tasks but if it wasn’t ’structured right’ it was incorrect. Creativity is taken away without realising it and it feels as we get older there is this plug in us that says if I can’t play an instrument or draw or write then I’m not creative and it stops our flow even starting. And I suppose that’s where the power of music comes in, because for me it puts a plug on order and stru

By Ainsley Benbow Greek philosopher Plato once stated that music can be “a more potent instrument than any other”, recognising its importance in life and even for study. Through modern research and data, music has been proven to help people study, depending on the type of music and how it is used. When used correctly, music can improve focus and motivation; in contrast, if used poorly, music can become just another distraction.  One of the biggest advantages to studying with

By Sabrina Whenman & Julia Scarfe Julia Video games rarely lack a soundtrack, whether it be victory music or exploration music. Different genres of games have different styles of music, whether it be music played entirely on synths, dramatic orchestral vocals or punk rock, music affects the ultimate feel of a game. But listening to video game music on its own is still a great experience, as the music is manufactured to affect your mood.   Personally, listening to classical mu

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 Joanna Cowan Movie scores are crucial to movies, they work beneath conscious awareness, steering your emotional responses in the direction the director intends, building the tension and revealing to you a character's true motive. When I was younger I used to predict what was going to happen next in a movie just by the shift in music.  So here is a playlist made of my top ranked movie scores: note that this is focusing not on any jukebox scores but scores written for the mo

By Hannah Hippmann Radiohead is the worst band in the world, and In Rainbows ironically sucked the colour out of my soul.… is what I would’ve said if I were   clinically insane and frothing at the mouth.  Jokes aside, I love Radiohead so much that I can confirm my life force is irrevocably tethered to their authentic, beautiful, and indescribably angelic music. Whilst my favourite album alternates from their electronically desolate  Kid A  (2000) to In Rainbows  (2007), I can

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 Stephanie Ma What is art to you? When someone brings up art, you may think of the greats; Van Gogh's Starry Night, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Johannes Vermeer's The Girl With The Pearl Earring. Perhaps, you have a broader ideal of art. Fashion shows, filmography or even public protests. Either way, it most likely means something to you.  Maybe the stars in the Starry Night represent a light in the world, and you like to get lost in the swirls that dance through the nig

By Nicole Irwanto and Elizabeth Bizannes   With the heat going up to 45 degrees, heavy meals don’t stand a chance. Summer snacks are all about keeping cool, refreshing, and the right amount of everything! To make the PERFECT summer snack you need to fill three checkboxes: easy to make, packed with fresh, summer flavors, and will leave you feeling glowing inside and out!  Fresh fruit is the go-to when it comes to making summer snacks. Watermelon, grapes, mangoes, strawberries-

By Ainsley Benbow I don’t think New Year’s Resolutions should be a thing.  I’m sorry…not really.  I know, I know, that every year it is so fun to make a list of things to change in the following year. Goals, lifestyle, health, the whole thing, but what impact does that actually have? Waiting up all night for that special time right when the fireworks go off…. BAM!!! “New Year, New Me” mentality, right? It is the same cycle every year, but how long does it actually last? Have

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 Hannah Kent Fergburger  Anyone who has ever been to Queenstown (including me) will recommend that you try Fergburger, claiming it’s the best burger in the world — and I’d have to agree. At first, I thought it was overhyped: the lines are long, and the store is always crowded. However, despite not usually liking burgers, I absolutely loved this one. It had a juicy New Zealand steak patty, and I think what made it special was the tomato relish inside, replacing the usual tom

By Kenzie Eyles If you are under the age of 16 please watch these movies with a parent due to some confronting themes that may not be for you. 1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) A shy teenager finds friendship, love, and belonging during his first year of high school. It’s about feeling invisible, growing up, and learning how to be present in your own life. 2. Dead Poets Society (1989) Students at a strict boarding school are inspired by an English teacher to think for

By Kenzie Eyles For many high school students, doing nothing doesn’t actually feel like doing nothing. It feels like procrastinating, falling behind, or wasting time. Even when a free afternoon finally arrives, it can be hard to enjoy it without thinking about everything that should be getting done. School creates a constant cycle of work. There’s always another assignment due, another test to revise for, or another task you could start early. Because of this, rest can start

By Ava Hallinan (School Vice-Captain) and Mia Khoudair (School Captain) At first glance, Felicity seems simple. It is often understood as happiness or joy. Yet as the year of Felicity has unfolded, it has become clear that this definition is incomplete. Felicity is a state of being, an inner peace that manifests within. Steady, grounding, and enduring. It is not dependent on external circumstances or fleeting moments of success, but instead grows from a disposition of the hea

By Heidi Rong This is a curated list of books that I have read or am hoping to read. Of the ones below, they span from children’s literature, social issues, and works of authors I admire. This collection is offered in the hope of sparking further reading.  We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets  The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang Orientalism: Western Conceptions of the Orient by Edward W. Said Maoism at The Grassroots: Everyday Life in China’s Era of High Socialism by Je

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 Tanaz Tahery and Myra Vasudev Christmas is celebrated all over the world, each culture having a unique way to celebrate brings its own magic to the holiday. Traditions in countries may differ immensely, but it's what makes Christmas so magical and whimsical. Let's take a little festive journey around the globe and see how the Christmas magic is spread in five very different places – Brazil, Egypt, France, and the Philippines. Egypt In Egypt, most traditions predominantly r

By Mackenzie Williamson We always talk about next year's Halloween as an exciting event, a celebration eagerly anticipated. But, as we go into our modern day, will we… GET RID OF HALLOWEEN?! Who would've estimated Halloween's rise in popularity throughout the years? But will this celebration be worth keeping? Commercial companies' advertisements have boasted that their lollies are the best, healthiest, and worthy of praise. But lollies are not all we think about at Halloween…

By Madeleine Candy It seems like as soon as Halloween toys and decorations are over, Christmas ones are here! We all know that companies need money in order to get financially benefited, but how does this affect the wider public? These are the statistics for each year. Christmas is the biggest sales event in the year, earning approximately $66 billion for department stores around Australia. Second comes Easter, exceeding $8 billion in sales. Although Halloween is not very wel

By Kenzie Eyles  Let’s be real, 2025 has been full of stuff no one saw coming. From apps getting banned to unexpected celebrity news, it’s been one curveball after another. Here are a few things that definitely weren’t on our 2025 bingo card (I can’t do everything, or this will be 100 pages long).  1. TikTok shut down Everyone joked it would happen, but when the U.S. really banned TikTok halfway through the year, the internet went crazy.  Creators were panicking, people were

By Hannah Hippmann As our spooky October edges towards the 31st, I question, what are we really celebrating? Costumes? Parties? Decorations? Chocolates and lollies? Halloween, in the US and now Australia, has become a spectacle, rooted in inauthentic cultural transmission and consumerism. As a result, Halloween has lost its soul and rich cultural roots. In its place? An annual holiday that is projected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars, disregarding historical tradi

Common Misconceptions And Passed Over Issues That Happen During Celebrations By Sophie Zucconi Environmental Produces large amounts of waste from single-use decorations, plastic cutlery, fireworks, travel, and food waste. Often leading to rubbish being left behind, which then harms wildlife and pollutes waterways. Commercialization Companies often use celebrations and holidays to generate significant profits, diverting attention from the original purpose. Health risks Overeat

By Ally Chan Everybody knows that one of them is about February 29, the date that only comes by every four years in a leap year. So many people consider that a rare birthday, and it is less than 0.07% of people who have that birthday. Many consider it the rarest birthday, and they are correct. It is one in 1461 births, so it makes it rare. The people born on that day even have a special name, Leapers. Some other rare birthdays are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and the Fourth of

By Sabrina Whenman Percy Jackson art by frostbite.studio s Think about it, all those books you read as a primary schooler or even now...

By Ainsley Benbow For centuries, the school bag has been a constant companion for students. Although its form varies across societies,...

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By Mackenzie Eyles, Ainsley Benbow, Joanna Cowan, Ava Carroll and Hannah Kent Do a drive-through at Maccas #Pdriverontheloose Eat...

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By Elizabeth Bizannes , Nicole Irwanto and Mackenzie Williamson When we go out, we always try to dress our best. Long sleeve T-shirts and...

By Ainsley Benbow Who could’ve known that simply cheese could make someone so rich, a net worth of $3.1 billion (Forbes 2017) to be...

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By Mackenzie Eyles Concerts are an amazing experience - bright lights, great music, seeing your favourite artist in person. It is unreal....

By Grace Hartley, Tessa Haire and Abbie Geoghegan Creating a Vision Board Lets make your pinterest dreams come true, whilst focusing on...

By Mackenzie Eyles We all know how long holiday brain lasts, but we still are expected to get back into the school routine and start...

By Ainsley Benbow Want to decorate your home or room in the lead up to Christmas? Try out these simple ideas and  tutorials guides to...

By Ainsley Benbow With the summer holidays being on the cusp of starting, the anticipation for lazy beach days, sunburnt Sundays,...

By Ainsley Benbow George R.R. Martin famously once wrote, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives...

By Mackenzie Eyles Dear Normo girls, Summer holidays are the perfect time for your glow up. Come back to school in 2025 as a brand new...

By Charlotte King If you're stuck at home with nothing to do but watch tv while the room fills with sun, and your clothes are stuck to...

By Brooke Kilmurray, Elizabeth Eade, and Elizabeth Ie As our time at Loreto draws to a close, we thought what better way to submit a...

By Jessica Ingham A guide to the millions of possibilities post-high school, based on real-life case studies of Year 12 students. Whether...

By Ainsley Benbow I know we’ve all thought about it: what is cheesecake, really? Many different sources describe cheesecake as a...

By Chloe Cheng For this graduation issue, you can try to change one of your hobbies into cooking! Here are some cooking recipes you can...

By Lauren Meany and Avery Benbow https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_MzwtUjrGEzxU1fRNLuWXjgrZxj3CKFLH3z_2YX8bin6AxQ/viewform?usp=...

By Elisa Jeong, Ava Martin and Rosemary O'Brien

By Olivia Klostermann Below, I’ve written a few insights into the schooling experience, and, whilst these are things I have personally...

By Belle Barden, Josephine Egan, Lauren Meaney, and Niamh Kelleher As Year 12 Graduation looms closer and closer, the dilemma of finding...

By Avery Benbow, Zoe Huang, Camila De La Cruz and Sophie Critchlow