By Abdullah Aldabbagh, Zilian Zhou & Sih-Yu Chen The Surprising Keys to Building Unbreakable Friendships Ever wondered what makes a university friendship truly tough as nails? Well, we did, in this article we will look into what makes people go from distant colleagues to the closest of friends. We found three main pillars to forming unshakable bonds. We found this by interviewing university students that range from 10 different nationalities, which gave us an international perspective. Representation of the 3 pillars of friendship Photo: Dave & Margie Hill / Kleerup via Flickr Understanding the Foundation of Friendship: Interest, Convenience, and … Continue reading Testing the Bonds: What Really Makes Bonds Last

By Linoka Senanayake, Anna Yeh and Grace Nguyen Photo of Trinity students sitting on a field. Credit: Linoka Senanayake   Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” Friendship makes life better and supports us through tough times. Real friends can be hard to find, but they help us stay on track and need our honesty and have our back.   The connection of a friendship  How do we know when we have made a friend?   Anannya from India: The Power of Vibe   Anannya sees friendship as a shared vibe that … Continue reading Is She Your Bestie, Or Is She Shady?

By K Yang, N Yang & X Liang Studying abroad has been very popular for decades, but whether to go home during the holidays is a very important topic for international students. We interviewed some international students about their views and got some interesting findings. Strong Sense of Belonging: The Pull of Home Photo: K Yang    According to the survey, one-third of the interviewees have a strong sense of belonging to their homes. Most people with a strong sense of belonging choose to go home as soon as they get a holiday. They have various reasons for wanting to … Continue reading Where’s Home – Here Or There?

By Bruce Shen, Danielle Guo, Kate Qiu & Karen Li Landing in a new country is like opening a mystery box – you’re both excited and scared, wondering whether you’ll end up with a surprise or a complete disaster. For international students, the adventure is a roller coaster, trying to decipher strange customs, missing mom’s cooking, and figuring out how the washing machine really works. But behind all the culture shock, awkward encounters and questionable food choices lies a shift that turns naive novices into self-sufficient professionals. So, when we explore how students move from “Help, I’m lost!” to “I’ve … Continue reading From Homesick to Loving Thyself: How Students Abroad Went from ‘Help!’ to ‘I Got This!’

By Julie, Alyssa, Ben, Jeffery Photo: Noé Karine pinterest Cooking is a great way for international students to connect with each other. It’s not just about the food- when you cook with others, you share more than just a recipe. You share culture and your unique experience. Cooking together not only create tasty food, also build friendships that can last long after the dishes are done. A Chinese international student at Trinity College shared “The most important thing in cooking is putting your heart into it. Cooking is like a relationship, you need to care to get the best results”. … Continue reading Cook like REMY – Eat Like A King!

By Siew Chern Lim, Wenyao (Vinnie) Li, Abdullah Mohammed & J Alsherebi Nearly 1.2 million students move to Australia every year, with many of them facing the challenge of making a new, unfamiliar space feel like home. When stepping into a new chapter of life in a foreign land, how do international students transform foreign living spaces into houses that reflect culture and personal comfort? To answer that question and many more, we spoke to three students from diverse backgrounds to find out what makes them feel at home when they are abroad Anannya (18) India Arriving in Melbourne just … Continue reading Home Away from Home

Written by Bolortuya, Amirah & Ishnoorpreet Get ready for the wildest ride of your life with ‘BRAT SUMMER’ — Where every moment is a rebellious adventure you won’t forget! Move over, “Hot Girl Summer”, there’s a new trend in town, and it’s all about embracing your inner diva. #BratSummer, popularized on TikTok by pop star Charli XCX, is less about poolside lounging and more about owning your confidence and individuality. What even is #BratSummer? Charli XCX’s album “brat” debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts. The dance pop album touches on themes of womanhood, partying, and generational trauma, inspiring fashion … Continue reading From Album to Aesthetic: The Phenomenon of Brat Summer