2016 in editors’ picks and overlooked gems

After 26 editions and 12 months, we’ve picked out the pieces from our year that we think deserve a second read. Whether they were overlooked the first time or were so stellar they stayed with us, these are the stories we thought deserved a little extra spotlight.

Impermanent ink by Tansy Gardam

This piece has everything: tattoos, gangs, cosmetic surgery and Los Angeles; but it’s also so engaging and well-written. It is such a cool insight into a small little world and I am proud it made it’s way into our rag.  Victoria Zerbst

Fear and loathing in Canberra by Tom St John

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Alexandros Tsathas

The sex form by Courtney Thompson

Despite being discouraged by some (in case she didn’t like the feedback), Courtney turned a joke suggestion into an engaging insight into a pitfall of casual sex and dating. Writing with humility and a hilarious, confrontingly naked personal voice, it’s a feminist think piece in a form that everyone (well, perhaps not it’s subjects) can enjoy. Subeta Vimalarajah

Stranded by Zoe Stojanovic-Hill

Australian border policy generates a lot of stories like Faizal’s. Those stories don’t always get told. Zoe worked incredibly hard to make sure this piece told Faizal’s story the way he wanted it, which is, to my mind, both rare and important. Sam Langford

The Victoria Park eels have been to New Caledonia by Elliot Brennan

The niche-r the better with Honi, I often find. With so much happening on campus, the smaller and deeper you go, the more unexpectedly fascinating things can become: Elliott Brennan’s science piece on the lives of the eels in Victoria Park was all three of these things. Mary Ward

My salty summer by Liam Donohoe

Derided by students across the spectrum for their notorious recruitment tactics and bizarre political goals, Liam penetrated Socialist Alternative with the tenacity of a seasoned investigator, investing the time and dedication to learn how the group worked. The final product was original and showed off his creative talent. Tom Joyner

How I’d hack your Wi-Fi by Alex Hogue

This is a highly engaging and original piece with real-world application. Andrew Bell

Bad blood in the water by Kevin Lee

Kevin’s article, which won best opinion article at this year’s Honi awards night, was an example of Honi’s capacity to break away from mainstream coverage of world events, and deliver unique, student-focussed analysis. Natalie Buckett

I slept with a rapist by Anonymous

Like all good pieces, this one speaks for itself. I will only add that, in a discourse that sometimes feels depressingly shaped by ‘backlash’ to this issue instead of coverage, this piece – with its plain truth and reminder of how normal it all is – is the perfect kind of antidote. Naaman Zhou

This side of home by Yifan Kong

The goal of prioritising the voices of international students cannot be reached by merely doing the important work of rigorously reporting the systematic abuse of international students in Australia. We must also feature the rich detail of everyday life. This beautiful and personal piece about summer in Beijing does just that. Max Hall