The Stagazine by Dagmar Ellefsen

THE STAGAZINE September 2015

CAMPUS GUIDE: TOP SPOTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

SURREY’S SMASHIN’IT: 4TH PLACE

NIGHTLIFE GUIDE TO GUILDFORD

TS TE N CO

IT STARTED WITH A MURDER

FIRST TIME AT THE FRINGE

POETRYFILM PARALLAX

MAKE-UP ESSENTIALS

STEAL THE STYLE

FASHION WEEK SS16

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I A T R E

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TIPS AND TRICKS 101

T N E 19

FASHION 12

ARTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

This is my first issue as editor and with it coming as always during fresher’s week I felt I had to go for a theme of ‘first times’. Now it might seem a little mundane but the truth is first times have always seemed the greatest triumph to me, there will always be someone faster, stronger, smarter to take the title you worked so hard to achieve, and there’s nothing wrong with it, in fact healthy competition drives us. However after 46 years, the first man on the moon will always be Neil Armstrong, and as hard as anyone works they can never take that away from him. So I would say embrace the first time, the first time you live by yourself, the first time you cook a proper meal even the first time you fail miserably and set off the smoke alarm. Your housemates might have to wait outside in the cold but there has to be a first time they hate you too.

r a w a S m i h a r Ib

E D I T O R I A L EDITOR: IBRAHIM SAWAR MARKETING: LOUIE LEWIS DESIGN: DAGMAR ELLEFSEN OPINION: JOSHUA LANGLEY SOCIETIES: CALVIN JOR ENTERTAINMENT: NICK DUFFY ARTS: GEORGIA PRIDDEN CREATIVE: MEGAN WILSON SPORTs: JOE DUFFY SCI-TECH: CONNOR IBBETSON FASHION: AKEY KHATUN FEATURES: CHARLOTTE HUTCHINS LITERATURE: KYRIAKI KOULTA WRITERS: BEN WATTS CHLOE OUTEN RHIANNON HUTCHINGS SAMUEL T. BING JONATHAN FEASEY KYRIAKI KOUTTA CALVIN JOR AKEY KHATUN NICK DUFFY GEORGIA PRIDDEN DESIGN: DAGMAR ELLEFSEN CONNOR IBBETSON PHOTOS: IAGO DIOGENES DO REGO MEGAN WILSON CONNOR IBBETSON DAGMAR ELLEFSEN

NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

BEST BUYS

HEALTHY RECIPES

CAMPUS GUIDE

36 SOCIETIES

OTHER

BUS STOP

LIBRARY SUPERMARKET POSTOFFICE APPLESEDE (BOOK SHOP) PHARMACY

GARDEN SOCIETY 03

LAKESIDE RESTAURANT COSTA COFFEE

WATES Food, Pool. Beer

CAMPUS GUIDE STUDENTS UNION RUBIX FRUIT & VEG MARKET (THURS)

DOCTORS’ OFFICE

STARBUCKS OAK ROOM HILLSIDE CAFE 04

THIS YEAR AT UoS

1 CHARITY. 2 PISTES. 24 HOURS.

his May, fencers from the Universities of Surrey, Portsmouth and Royal Holloway, as well as from around the world, gathered in Surrey for the 3rd annual 24 hour fencing marathon. Over the course of 24 hours of continuous fencing, foilists, sabreurs, and epeeists alike all took to the pistes in over 280 matches. / Connor Ibbetson

“It was very tough at times” said Richard Hormbrey, the Surrey Team Captain “We had a few spots where we struggled to get enough people to spread the fencing over but we pushed through and got there.” As the night progressed with increasingly unconventional matches, such as ‘Static chair fencing’ (when, eventually, no one could physically stand) made an appearance. There was also ‘opposite hand hour’ and general tomfoolery as the university mascots went head to head in full costume. Many fencers got ‘creative’ with their equipment and rules; some began fencing sabre in foil lames (no more cheeky wrist shots) and others made ‘Headshot only rules’ for Epee matches. Several fencers, including me, also strapped Go-Pros to helmets, swords and all sorts of equipment to produce some awesome first-person fencing footage. The event itself was just the climax however, with fundraising having started weeks ago, and the planning long before that. A flurry of bake sales, crowd-funding, and all round begging of family and friends has dominated our lives for weeks, with one fencer bringing in well over five

hundred pounds alone. In the end, months of work paid off in a total of two and a half thousand pounds raised. All of this will be sent off to our chosen charity – Trekstock. A charity for young cancer victims, Trekstock provides vital support and information to those afflicted, empowering them to thrive through the challenges of a journey that doesn’t stop after treatment finishes. The funds raised will go towards to the support of the some eleven thousand young adults diagnosed each year, whether that be through guidance and counseling or family support. This event rounded off a fantastic year for the club, with the women’s first team retaining their position in the premier league, and now being joined by the men’s first team as they advance into the premier league also. Victory after victory has befallen the club, most recently winning the Surrey county team sabre competition. Having said that, the Surrey Alumni gave us a run for our money recently during Grad-sport but it’s only upwards on onwards for the club from here.

Finally a special thanks must go to the University of Surrey Fencing team’s head coach, Andy Reynolds, who worked tirelessly through out the day and night to keep our equipment working, and to keep our little rabble organized. Additional paragraphs for ‘The Sword’, instead of final paragraph: Over the last four years. University of Surrey Fencing club has progressed from having second division teams and minor successes in cup and local competitions to being a force to be reckoned with on the BUCS circuit. This has been facilitated by the excellent work ethic of the students, unrelenting support from the Surrey Sports Park staff and top quality coaching from the resident coaching team. In addition to providing coaching for fencers at all levels, our aim is to support elite fencers within our squad to achieve their personal objectives during their time at the University of Surrey. If you would like to find out how University of Surrey Fencing Club could support you with coaching, training and funding, please contact Mark Garfoot, Performance Manager, at m.garfoot@surrey.ac.uk

FRESHER ESSENTIALS © Iago Diogenes Do Rego

How to get through first year

COFFEE TO GO

SURREY’S SMASHIN’ IT

4TH UNI IN THE UK THE GUARDIAN

/ Connor Ibbetson

aking the leaderboards by storm, Surrey has surged up the University rankings, being 11th in September 2014 to take 4th place in the guardian league tables this year, and 5th place in the NSS rankings. But league tables are just that, tables, what really matters? Surrey is the host to some absolutely groundbreaking research; recently a Surrey led collaboration with the Netherlands Forensic Institute, the National Physical Laboratory, King’s

College London and Sheffield Hallam University, developed an analytical process by which using nothing more than a fingerprint can test someone for suspected drug use. We are also currently smashing our way up the BUCS leaderboards, from Rugby and Hockey, to fencing and swimming, almost all the TeamSurrey teams are improving year on year, with the haul of BUCS points only getting bigger year on year.

MY FRESHER EXPERIENCE

aint, alcohol and dispensable clothes. This was all that was needed to stain our beloved House 48 and ourselves in the process, even though more than half of us didn’t have tickets to go to the event at

Rubix we persevered with jaegermeister and poundland paint. So the only lesson I really have to impart here is booze and fluorescent liquid might make for a fun night but don’t be that plonker wearing fresh Jordans giving everyone the death stare.

Invest in the UoS coffee cup. It saves you money on each cup of coffee and saves the environment from landfill. Buy it at hillside or lakeside café.

TICKETS TO UNIEVENTS Make sure to register on tixtu, to not miss out on tickets for all the awesome parties held on campus. Events usually take place in Rubix, the oakroom or PATS field. www.tixtu.com

DISCOUNT CARDS NUS Extra Card: £12 per year, Discounts across stores, added bonus 10% off at Co-operative. Rail Card: £30 per year, Best savings when travelling across UK, Save £4 every trip to London.

Opinion

Immigration / Ben Watts

NO STATES, NO BORDERS It’s common at any protest march to find at least one person holding a placard stating’ No Human is Illegal’. The reason I point to this, is that whilst it is a fairly common view, it is something that is almost entirely absent from mainstream political discourse. It is easy for us, in times where only a small few are feeling the benefits of our apparently improving economic climate, to say that we simply do not have the means to help out those in need.

here are so many myths that are unsupported by factual evidence that remain unchallenged by certain media outlets and which are then uncritically repeated by those who take what they read at face value and allow themselves to become enraged at something that is in reality a small part of the problem in our society. The purpose of this article is to challenge some of the most frequently repeated memes in relation to immigration (not the kind involving humorous photos on the internet, rather the kind that form a basis for a set of beliefs as popularised by Richard Dawkins). These simplify the issue, indicating that the difficult problem of

immigration can simply be solved by closing the borders. I will deconstruct two key pillars of the immigration debate: the economic consequences, and the societal consequences particularly in relation to integration within a multi-cultural society. In terms of economics, there are two schools of thought in migration which shape the debate. One side claims that migration causes a drain on resources that ought to exist for the benefit of British people, pointing to the decline of available social housing, and the zero-sum game of jobs available to a British citizen. The other, claims that immigration causes a net gain for our economy and therefore

increases funds available (in theory) for all inhabitants of the UK, and that this economic boost creates a net gain in the number of jobs available for all. So which is correct? Let’s examine the evidence. A certain amount of unemployment has been an accepted fact of Western economics since the 1980s. Theory states that this is because having an available pool of labour increases competition for jobs, and therefore forces the market to become more efficient, and therefore further forces businesses to reduce their number of staff. This further incentivises the creation of businesses from those who have feasible ideas as they can easily hire staff. Simply put modern capitalism accepts a certain amount of unemployment. A recent UCL study showed that migrants from the EU between 2000 and 2011 made a net contribution of £20 billion to the UK economy. Rather than causing a decline in funds available to British people, the study found the opposite. Accounting for the costs of public services including education, unemployment benefits and healthcare, migrants paid far more in 08

CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS’ AS MARX DEFINED IT IS WHEN WORKERS REALISE THAT THEY ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION AS THEIR NEIGHBOURS AND CO-WORKERS AND BAND TOGETHER IN ORDER TO LOBBY

FOR THEIR FAIR SHARE

taxes than they received in benefits. Due to their age, education and work ethic, migrants are as a percentage of British society more likely to be in work than their British-born counterparts. Under the heading of economics, it is also necessary to point out another important fact. When it is a billionaire from Russia buying a multi-million pound house in London, inflating property prices and contributing to the gentrification of London, it is seen as a benefit for the UK in terms of taxes paid on the property, but when it is a university-educated minimum-wage worker from Poland, the worker is seen as taking a job from a British native. The problem here, as ever in Britain, is a form of classism. Whilst the wealthy are lauded for the sensible decision to purchase an asset which will appreciate in value, the worker who has only their labour to trade is marginalised and treated with disrespect. It is this that leads me to the underlying message of every debate on immigration: if the country does not have the money to support its own people, then it should not be expected to support new arrivals. As previously mentioned, the British economy is nolonger in recession. This may come as a surprise to many, because it is clear that with rising rents, utility bills, and other aspects of cost-of-living they are no better off than they were before the economic crisis. This begs the question: where is the money going? It is here that I must point to structural inequalities within our economy as popularised by movements like Occupy which brought 09

the concept of the 1% into mainstream vocabulary. Since the 1970s, there has been a massive transfer of wealth from the public sector to private individuals. This has created a certain social class (the 1% if you will) that has a disproportionate share of national income. This information is widely available and discussed in terms of the shrinking middle class by Democrats in the US, the language of Occupy and in terms of inequality by academics including Joseph Stiglitz, Paul Krugman, Thomas Piketty, and others. Armed with the Friedmanite arguments of trickle-down economics, governments have propagated this transfer of wealth for several decades, and the fact that the wealthiest 1% increased their wealth during the financial crisis which saw the incomes of the majority stagnate or decline in relative terms, makes it clear that the ‘trickle-down’ argument is based on a flawed premise. The economic concept of marginal propensity to consume explains this very well. It is immigrants, who seek nothing more than a chance to work hard and support themselves and their families that take the brunt of the misdirected anger that people rightly feel when they see constant reminders in the media that others are receiving more than their fair share, whilst they have to struggle and toil to pay the bills. ‘Class consciousness’, as Marx defined it is when workers realise that they are in the same situation as their neighbours and co-workers and band

together in order to lobby for their fair share. This is something sorely lacking in today’s society. Focused on the cult of individuality, we are alienated from our communities. Whilst the advent of welfare is one of the greatest achievements of human compassion, the belief that everyone living in society is entitled to a basic quality of life to be ensured by government services and paid for out of general taxation, it used to be the case that the needs of the disadvantaged in a community would be taken care of by civil society organisations within that community, linking the individuals within the community to its general welfare. This has allowed for the disintegration of our communities, which is another of the common arguments against massimmigration and multiculturalism itself. Whilst the subject of integration in multicultural society is a complex and difficult issue and therefore deserving of an entire article of its own to even begin to scratch the surface of the issue, it is enough for the purposes of this article to discuss integration in a more basic form. Assessing the state of integration is not easy. With mediaendorsed fears of Islam, it would be easy to say that Britain is a highly divided society, and very different from times of higher homogeneity in the population in terms of ethnicity, religion and culture. It is not possible to answer this question here, as the points on both sides are complex and hold some sense of truth. The last Labour government from 1997 to 2010 based its advocacy for massimmigration on the hope that if we all benefited from the advantages of

a permanently-booming economy, integration would not be necessary. The fault in this argument became clear in 2008, when it became clear that continued economic growth is impossible. It is true that there are areas of the UK that can be compared to ethnoreligious enclaves, and that there are areas of the UK wherein it is unusual to hear spoken English. My question is: why does this matter, if those individuals wish only to live a peaceful life? It is my view that Britain has forgotten the value of tolerance. Talk of banning the burkha, and promoting so-called British values misses the fact that it has been a British value to be tolerant of difference, until there is a very good reason not to. Treating

entire communities with suspicion does not help the cause of integration, and in fact serves to further alienate those who would otherwise. It is however a fact of human nature that we fear what we do not know. The lack of knowledge amongst the broader population about culture of the newer arrivals in our community does not help to solve this. Spreading misinformation and pointing to highly unusual individual cases within a community exacerbates this further, and whilst I do not wish to accuse any particular journalists or media outlets of this, a simple browse of the headlines on a newspaper stand on any given day clearly supports this notion.

1. What are British values, and why are they apparently in opposition to those held by other communities? 2. Do your opinions on immigration and its effects match up to reality? 3. Have you asked the question: why has an editor chosen to include this particular story in a newspaper? Do they have a vested interest? Sources for all facts in this article are available on request, and any responses or further debate is encouraged.

I would like to end this article with a series of questions:

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PoetryFilm PARALLAX

PoetryFilm is an iconic film festival located in the heart of London, portraying the inner thoughts of an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul. PoetryFilm displayed 14 short films that cinematically explored various areas of the poetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. This festival was featured at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, where the plain white walls told such purest stories. BY LAURETTA ALONGE

Arts

Susan Young ;

It St art ed Wit h a M u r d er / Lauretta Alonge

PoetryFilm is an iconic film festival located in the heart of London, portraying the inner thoughts of an individual’s soul.

oetryFilm was launched 13 years ago by Zata Banks (On the left), as she realised that there was no market for the kind of work she believed in. Today, this is a well celebrated event in the filmmaking world. PoetryFilm allows for all year around submissions for poetry in film form, silent films are especially welcomed. The theatre was pitch black, which only added to the intensity of the work on show. Each short film shined a light into various aspects of people’s lives, such as the repetition of light and dark in Guy Sherwin’s Breathing, or the beauty behind Susan Young’s abusive relationship. Particular entries such as Barattolo di Sale by PNEUMA, explored the definition of normal. Barattolo di Sale allowed the audience to explore the world beyond their eyes. Other entries such as Spirit of Place by Oliver Harrison through a a ghostlike setting, ensured that the audience paid close attention to the significance of the appearance and disappearance of the diamond heels. The black and white setting of Oliver Harrison’s Spirit of place, accompanied by the wordlessness of this film was a great start to the PoetryFilm event. Work such as Growing Up by Eugeny Tsymbalyuk appealed to audiences of all ages as it explored the complexity behind the act of growing up and the

inevitable aspects that must occur to ensure that we make the transition from teenager to adult. This was beautifully portrayed in a 150 second, black and white clip where a couple bare their souls to each other but are faced with the cold reality that life often stands in the way. Twelve Hours of Daylight, by Bridget Sutherland was burst of fresh air. The exotic sounds coupled with the fast moving abstract, slanderous colours made this piece an inspiration. Bridget Sutherland used phrases such as ‘The tree that works at night takes in light’, cracking into our very being with the notion that hard work in our darkest hour allows us to excel when our time comes. PoetryFilm Parallax was simply breathtaking. It allowed for the exploration of an area of life I was not accustomed to. The atmosphere alone makes me mark this as one of the ‘must’ experience aspects of London. Between each short film we were provided with an insight into the next entry and the mindset the artist had when creating their masterpieces. Zata Banks provided these chic, elegant introductions, whilst the event took places in a small cinema type settings which made the poetry that more intimate. Each short film was interrupted by a bright light where Zata Banks, shone a light into the twilight setting: Making each film more powerful, and more life altering.

Susan Young is a young intelligent filmmaker Inspirational and effortlessly beautiful. She was a victim of abuse. After the PoetryFilm event I was given an opportunity to speak to Susan Young about her work. Susan was very open about her experiences, as she described to me in vivid detail her abusive marriage. The film “It Started With a Murder” is a film which must be seen by those who wish to gain an insight into life of a victimised woman. It’s defined by the 2 second interval flashing lights that portray various aspects of her ordeal. The light is seen as a symbolism of the truth of her story finally being told. Over a glass of wine in the ICA’s bar Susan Young bore her soul to a small group of us as she explained the journey of her abuse. The telling of her story is laid out on a police report. The words are often covered by blood to eradicate the distance between her seemingly normal audience and her experience. It Started with a Murder concludes with Susan Young being granted a divorce, which she described as a symbolism of her liberty, and strength to finally break free. Susan Young’s incorporation of a Decree of dissolution and a police report was used to implement a more empowered ending to her story. This is as Susan Young later revealed that her husband was in fact not charged for the ongoing abuse she had faced. This eclipse of creativity was nothing short of masterful. Susan is currently studying at the Royal College of Art after discovering that animation is a good technique to help people who have suffered from psychological trauma: Refusing to let her misfortune in the 90s define her presence and viewing her experience as nothing more than serendipitous. It Started With a Murder is the first of the three part trilogy, the next in the series is The Betray. A must see. 12

Hold on tight, we’re exploring the world’s biggest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe.

First Time at the

Fringe! In August I took an exciting trip up to Scotland to explore the world’s biggest (and craziest) arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe.

By Georgia Pridden, Arts Editor

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is quite like tumbling into a rabbit hole and surfacing in Wonderland. Literally, I walked past the Queen of Hearts and a group of actors dressed as playing cards while wandering down the Royal Mile! The whole city feels alive with excitement and madness as flyers cover doors, fences and pillars, advertising every kind of show you’d like to see and some you probably didn’t even know you wanted to see until you’re there. With well over 3000 acts at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival there was no time to be bored! The first Edinburgh Fringe Festival was in 1947, the same year as the first Edinburgh Festival, though not in association with it. The official Edinburgh Festival was created to be an opportunity to showcase art in its many forms, the two individual components of this being the International and International Film festivals. However eight theatre companies decided turn up uninvited to perform their shows and in 1948 this became known as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, or more

Arts

Fringe Festival was from the 7th- 31st August 2015/ It is the world’s biggest arts festival/It started in 1947 and has expanded every year since/Over 3000 acts performed at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival performed magic tricks in the street. Just strolling along the Royal Mile meant being handed flyers for every show you can imagine by people in every costume you can imagine. The festival has a great variety of shows; theatre, comedy, magic, dancing, music, cabaret and spoken word. All this across one city and many of the shows free! All the shows we went to see were no further than a 30 minute walk apart and even then there were plenty of taxis for when we were running late.

commonly the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has since expanded each year until becoming the biggest event in the Edinburgh Festival. I was incredibly excited to head up to Edinburgh to visit my first ever Fringe back in August. I only had three days to cram in as much as possible and honestly, even after watching twelve shows, a handful of street performers and doing some sightseeing, I really wish we’d had longer! When we first arrived on a Monday morning, the streets were calm and there was no sign of a festival taking over the city. By midday however the streets were bustling with tourists and performers. The High Street was the place to be during the Fringe, music poured out of the venues, every theatre, every hall, every pub back room had been turned into a performance space, there were even Fringe performances happening in a church! Crowds gathered around performers who danced or

Fringe Bucket List Go and see something you’ve never seen before/ Pick a flyer at random and go see that show/See a Free Fringe show/See some fireworks/Watch a street performer/Do some sightseeing, appreciate Edinburgh, it’s beautiful!

The spaces between the shows gave us a chance to explore Edinburgh. It’s a beautiful and historic city with so much to see, there’s Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Zoo, the Edinburgh Dungeons and plenty of tour companies offering trips up to the stunning Highlands. If you decide to go to the 2016 Fringe Festival definitely make sure you’ve allowed time to explore Scotland while you’re there! So, if you love the arts of every variety, cheap or free shows all in one fascinating city, then consider a trip to the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, you won’t regret it and, hey, maybe I’ll even see you there!

SMALL FACTS

• One of the first comic to movie adaptations was Mandrake the Magician (1939). • In 2009 Disney purchased Marvel comics for $4 billion. • Nicolas Cage was cast in the titular role of Tim Burton’s cancelled ‘Superman Lives’.

ENT ER TA I N M EN T:

SUPERHERO FATIGUE In short, there are too many superhero films being released in a small space of time. / Nick Duffy

Entertainment

n short, there are too many superhero films being released in a small space of time. It’s boring. I’m bored. Every film follows the same order; protagonist is initially defeated by a new ever elaborate antagonist, then after a number of progressively more superficial ‘battles’ occur the protagonist wins, then credits roll, then cue a teaser for the next one. Two to three months later the process repeats itself, and that’s just for one Production Company. Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier was (arguably) the last bearable superhero film; its plot driven conspiracythriller angle superseded

its Wheedon-esk jamming of loosely packed plot points wrapped around several under-developed superhero stereotypes. Note that while Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy was released later that year, I’m counting it as a space opera rather than a superhero title due to a closer resembles to Star Wars than The Avengers. It was conveniently Marvel’s latest cinematic endeavour, The Avenger’s Age of Ultron that finally left me disinterested in the overall genre. The film isn’t long enough, the pacing is terrible, and there were far too many characters and dominoes being lined up for the next FIVE YEARS of planned releases. Without spoiling anything, the whole film is a set up for 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, that’s it. Then, peppered between these multimillion dollar releases are a number of television shows. Netflix’s Daredevil was enjoyable enough, albeit three episodes too long; at least it moved away from the trope-laden nonsense present in the Age Of Ultron, in favour of a more adult-action orientated theme. Alongside Daredevil, there are the three upcoming Netflix shows in production, as well as both Agent Carter and Agents of Shield

both being renewed for additional seasons. Again this is just Marvel’s output; DC is flooding the market in the same way. As for DC, after the success of Nolan’s Dark Knight, (and its train wreck sequel) Warner Bros. has fully embraced the ‘darkness’ of its adaptations as unfortunately present in Snyder’s bleak and boring Man Of Steel. It worked in Nolan’s ‘grounded’ universe, but Man of Steel doesn’t need to be gritty or realistic - it’s about a flying alien, it doesn’t need to be grounded. Then you have the origin stories. EVERYONE knows Spiderman’s Spiderman because he was bitten by a spider; they don’t need two films less than a decade apart to reinforce this. Yes it’s the production team’s ‘artistic vision’ for that particular adaptation, but it’s so unnecessary. Millions of dollars aren’t thrown at producing these films without an already assumed public interest in the property (with some exceptions). The spider biting Peter Parker, Krypton blowing up, and the Waynes being gunned down are all common knowledge at this point, they don’t need to be rebooted and repeated every time.

“It’s about a flying alien, it doesn’t need to be grounded”

SMALL FACTS

• There will at least be released fifteen superhero movies over the next three years. • Marvel’s The Avengers grossed over $1.5 billion at the box office. 16

“Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, more important offices than to merely keep us warm. They change our view of the world and the world’s view of us.” [Richard Malone – AW15]

Virginia Woolf, Orlando

[This is the Uniform – AW14]

New at London Fashion Week

SS16

London Fashion Week is almost here. Who are the hottest up-and-coming designers?

upport scheme Fashion East has a mix of new designers for its 15th year, including Caitlin Price and Richard Malone, both debuting this year. Caitlin made her first appearance in February with a collection compiled of 19th century elements and contemporary casualwear. Richard’s graduate collection won a Deutsche Bank award for fashion, previously won by Christopher Kane. This is the Uniform, a womenswear brand is also making an appearance. We look forward to seeing what they have to bring to the table. By Rhiannon Hutchings 17

[Caitlin Price – Graduate Collection 2013]

©TopShop

Fashion

Steal the Style

The Decade Of Peace, Love and Good Fashion Throwing it back to the 1960’s, London’s AW15 fashion week brings you “Mod Girl.” Consisting of a high neck top, A-line mini skirt, & trench coat, the look can be paired with ankle boots or high boots, making it perfect for autumn & winter! Don’t forget the Topshop 10 % Student Discount

Chevron Mini Skirt Topshop Price: £42.00 ‘70’s Belted Duster Coat Topshop Price: £79.00

High Neck Ribbed Top Topshop Price: £14.00

By Chloe Outen 18

Tips and tricks

101

By Akey Khatun

We all get lazy when it comes to washing our makeup brushes but it’s a must! Brushes should be washed once a week so that it prevents you from having breakouts and collection of bacteria, oil and dead skin on the brushes… especially beauty blenders! The longer you leave your brushes, the more bacteria it accumulates…. Gross! Here’s a quick way of cleaning your brushes! • Luke warm water • Baby shampoo – i.e Johnsons baby shampoo • Dirty Brushes/ blenders 1.) Wet your brush and put a little bit of baby shampoo in your palm 2.) Swirl the brush in the baby shampoo with a bit of water to get all the product out 3.) Rinse the brush with water and remove the excess water 4.) Once the water has been removed, put the brush at the edge of the table to air dry! Voilà, that’s all you need to do to have clean brushes! Clean brushes mean’s clearer skin and clearer skin is always something we want! Plus who doesn’t love using a clean brush? I do!

Facebook: The Stag Fashion and Beauty Snapchat: Thestagfb Instagram: Thestagfashionandbeauty Twitter: @Thestagfb

Top

Beauty

Makeup Essentials

Rimmel Kate Matte Red Lip Lipstick Come on ladies, its time to bring £5.49 out that inner Sasha fierce within

you! We all need a red lippy in our lives. Plus having a red lip shows many things, show yourself off!

L’Oréal Paris CR Exclusive £6.99

Glow

Dramatic Eye

HIGHLIGHT ON FLEEK! GLOW GIRL’S GLOW!! Make them boy’s see you from a mile away and think that an angel has come down on earth! (Just don’t look like Tinkerbell… but still glow!)

Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Eye Concealer £7.99

theBalm Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer £17.50

L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim Black Intense £6.99

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Pen Black Excess £8.99

Winged Look

Cover Up

Had an all-nighter? Been partying too much? Don’t worry we have been blessed with concealers and there are so many on the market now! It’s something you will always need… trust me.

We sometimes want to go all out for a night out and there’s nothing better than a Smokey eye. Whether its natural or dramatic there is something for everyone!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19

If in doubt, wing it! A winged eyeliner can be dramatic yet classical! Perfect for those “I can’t deal with full face makeup” days! All these eyeliners have been tried and tested so we have found you the best, long lasting and blackest of black eyeliners! By Akey Khatun 20

HOW TO SURVIVE FRESHERS FROM HOME:

It’s no secret that the uni life is expensive; so many students are staying at home whilst completing their degree. Fear not homebound freshers! You may feel as though you’re going to miss out on the important parts of university life; moving out for the first time, living with new people, partying, making friends, but I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to worry. Here’s my advice on how to get the most out of your first year, without flying the nest.

You will make friends- trust me! During my first week of university, I sheepishly entered a common-room full of strangers, some looking lost like me, some seemingly confident in talking to others. It was then, after all the overwhelming stages of my first week, that I met one of my best friends, bonding over a mini pizza whilst we were waiting for a welcome lecture. The trick is not to overthink it, just be yourself and you will make friends naturally. Everyone is in the same boat, and just because you haven’t had the bonus of meeting housemates, doesn’t mean you can’t make great friends in your first few weeks of lectures.

2 3

Don’t rule out any freshers week events Although you may not be able to attend all of the events on offer, don’t feel as though you can’t take part in the big old party that is freshers week. Even if you just attend one or two events, it’s a way to feel a part of the welcoming process to university.

Take in your surroundings Because you won’t be living on campus, you may feel like university campus is a bit daunting and vast to begin with. Rest assured you will find your feet fast, and there are plenty of maps and signposts around campus even if you did get lost. (Also, university is a lot more relaxed than college, so if you are a few minutes late to your first few lectures nobody will bat an eyelid)

Leave plenty of time for travel As you do not have the luxury of waking up 10 minutes before a lecture and still making it on time, always leave a good amount of time for travelling. Whether you’re driving, getting the train or being flown in by private helicopter (there’s always a possibility!) make sure you aren’t going to be over an hour late – you may as well stay at home, and we’re paying £9,000 for this! #typicalstudentsays So there are my tips on being a fresher at home. Although you may not be out partying every night, you are probably still getting your washing done for you and at least 2 meals a week cooked for you. It ain’t all that bad after all.

/ Josie Pullen / @koalateajosie / sparklyjumpers.blogspot.com 21

HATRED OF EVERYTHING

FA C T

MYTH

“You only use 10 percent of your brain”

POEM

“The truth is that we use virtually all of our brain every day--not just 10%. Reading this engages your frontal and occipital lobes to see and comprehend and your hippocampus to remember, while your brainstem and cerebellum help you remain seated, breathing, circulating blood, and digesting your food. Your pituitary gland and hypothalamus are regulating hormones, temperature.”

‘Begin’

Beginnings are all you will ever need. They are the hope and the chance and the pure. Beginnings with whole opportunity they breed. They are the key to your chains of before. Beginnings are founded on the will for renewal. They are the cure and the youth and the seed. Beginnings are to fix any problem, the tool, And provide you the liberation you heed. Beginnings are potential in entirety. With a beginning clear your mind may be. Beginnings are clean, raw prosperity, Here is your time to change the world, you see. Beginnings are endless and this is one now. Open your eyes to this journey of ‘how’. There are no limits, no boundaries or walls. Release your mind; a new beginning has called. Samuel T. Bing

SHARE YOUR UNI-EXPERIENCE

#Stagazine

@Dagmarlou

@Hannahhk14 @TheStagSurrey

By Louie Lewis, Head of Marketing I travel a lot on trains. Its better than driving, swimming or roly-polying to work. I’m sitting on the train, in the lovely, quiet and pleasantly scented extra wide seats I choose to pay just that little bit extra for. All of a sudden the train door flies open, and in walks a middle aged man. He is about 370 pounds and his breathing pattern sounds like a roofied hoover. Now that’s fine with me, I smoke fourty cigarettes a day and eat like an unhinged maniac so that’s probably me in 20 years. What offends me, is that he fails to spot the fact that nearly the entire carriage is empty, and sits down opposite me. He then produces a prawn-mayo baguette out of a Morrisons bag. It smells like someone has left a mackerel behind a radiator for approximately three weeks, then marinaded it in a Jou Du Badger Faeces. He then eats it whilst giving me occasional awkward stares. I dont think I have been that internally upset since paying £120 for the pullmans first class just three hours ago. But I can’t move... that would look like I’m being rude. Perhaps I shall leave it another 20 minutes, then fain having a severe bowel movement, and run for the other carriage. Also, I have discovered a substance hotter than magma. Hotter even than Nick Jonas, whom merrily melts my soul and makes me wish I wasn’t born looking like Jabba the Hut’s left testicle. The substance

in question, is Abellio Greater Anglia complimentry coffee. The coffee took 25 minutes to cool to the point of supernova and the complimentry first class food was a small biscuit, this horrible thermite based coffee and a pack of horrible cheap salted crisps. I’m sorry but a certain train company are a miserable bunch of public shafting morons and they should be kicked in the shins. You haven’t ruined me just yet though. You didn’t put locks on the toilet roll holder in the carriage WCs. Guess thats a free half-roll of toilet paper for me, then.

www.MissMaze.com

Interview with

MISSMAZE

By Nick Duffy

“

missmazeband

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Guildford based alternative rock band MISSMAZE; here’s what happened. So who are MISSMAZE? An Interview with MISSMAZE We’re a new Alternative rock band based in Guildford. The three of us, Csongor Debreczy (Lead Singer/Guitarist), Áron Boateng (Bass) and James Storey (drums) started MISSMAZE about six months ago. How would you describe your style? Heavy guitar riffs, rich and melodic vocals and transgressive lyrics, rocking out over a powerful back line of Bass and Drums. What influences/inspires your music? We’re inspired by legendary bands: Nirvana, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, The Doors as well as jazz and blues music. The ‘Sell Me’ EP is top notch; you can really hear those musical influences fusing together with the unique MIZZMASE sound; are you working on a debut album? Thank you, and yes. We are currently working on the cover art for our next release which will be out before we go to Hungary to record some new material. Where can we see you next perform? Our next one will be in Hungary at the famous A38 boat venue after our recording session. When we come back we’ll have more booked around England. The Stag’s theme for this month is first times, with that in mind, do you have any advice for freshers looking to become musicians? Well, I think the most important thing is to be honest with your art. Try to make something which is different and unusual, be current, be different. Always listen to others and be nice no matter what they say. After you’ve listened to them, you can decide if you wanna take it on or not, but you have to listen to everyone no matter what [he/]she say and later think about it in the shower, on the toilet, wherever, and decide if it’s good for you, or not. My other suggestion would be, is that you have to really really push yourself and you have to work hard! It is the 21st century; loads of good bands, artists, whatever. Therefore, you have to be really good, and you have to get the most out of you. So I’d say passion and attitude! 120%!

MISS MAZE MISS MAZE MISS MAZE MISS MAZE

Literature

Despite our longing for success, why do we keep desiring to be half?

She was not looking for her other half

‘He’s my other half’ she whispered and right at that moment, only if you looked very carefully, you could see the stars aligning. And just like Shakespeare would say, they were ‘a pair of star-cross’d lovers’. And that was when she finally felt complete. Or at least she was expected to think so… 2, 500 thousand years ago, the great philosopher Plato, in an attempt to explain the mystery of human nature called love, wrote the ‘Symposium’. His theory, as narrated by Aristophanes, was that, at the beginning of time people where sphere-like creatures with 2 faces, 4 hands, 4 feet and 2 genitelia. These creatures were so strong that the Gods at mount Olympus feared of them, and so Zeus, using lighting, tore them in two. Since then, according to Plato’s myth, humans are only half, and are constantly searching for their other half in order to reach their initial completeness. Their passion and strive to become one again was named love. Today, two and a half millenniums and a zillion of romance movies later, society still continues to embrace the idea that everyone is half and continuously in a pursuit for completeness.

By Kyriaki Koutta, Literature Editor

However the question is, what if she did not feel half, what if she already felt complete? In fact in a world where our desire for success is what drives our everyday lives, how did we settle to only being half, or even worse settle for a half partner? Yet, complete does not mean perfect; howbeit having a complete partner means you are about to experience something that was not ‘prescribed’ on the second half of yourself, something unexpected, something unimaginable, something new. Because you see, half and half only makes one, but one plus one could make infinity… When she reconsidered her words, she changed her mind; ‘You are my other one’, she shouted, and together they made a leap to infinity. Because when infinity was an option, she would never settle for half of it. And when a new beginning was in her way, she would never compromise for half of the greatness she was set out to achieve. She wouldn’t accept anything less than the life she always dreamt. She just started by saying ‘You are my other one’. After all, only the moon can seem incomplete and still be magnificent! 24

ÂŠ Diogenes Do Rego

Nightlife

GUIDE TO

GUILDFORD A few chosen highlights of places to have fun in Guildford /Ibrahim Sarwar, Editor

So you may have heard talk of university towns being completely crazy along with alcohol and drug fuelled nights that don’t end. That is probably not going to be the case for most of you freshers being in Surrey but all is not lost there are still places to have fun and even if Guildford isn’t the best night out in the world and I guarantee you will be itching to go Casino and Popworld on more than a few occasions. I have chosen a few of the highlights that I think you will really enjoy and can look forward to throughout your time here. However, the best night of freshers for me wasn’t a night out. Half of my housemates hadn’t bought freshers tickets and the rest had been going out. On the third night they agreed to all stay in with us and have a night together. We had a few drinks and then went on a drunken stroll to the lake where we spoke to some random people explored the green and found the angriest boy known to man. All in all it was one of my favourite nights at university. It sparked the rest of the year and a particularly nice Sunday Roast. 27

TIPS TO LIFE IN GUILDFORD 1. THE “SHORTCUT” TO CO-OP: It’s a lie, don’t ever believe it! 2. SCENERY AND PARKS: Enjoy the scenery and parks, minigolf in Stoke Park Gardens and the Castle gardens are always a good way to spend an afternoon. 3. KOKORO: Kokoro is the best cheap eat in town, scratch that, it is one of the best places hands down. 4. SHERE AND WOKING: Branch out a little further, Shere and Woking are close by towns and have a ton to offer, haunted lakes and shopping to name a few. 5. LONDON: On that note London is closer than you think and only £10 for a day return. 6. A NIGHT OUT:

The Boileroom, G-live and Electric theatre should not be overlooked for those looking for a slightly different night out . 7. 24 HOUR TESCO: 24 hour Tesco shuts on Saturday night, the pain of walking all the way there to see it shut at 2 a.m. cannot be unfelt. © Dagmar Ellefsen

RUBIX

INESCAPABLE

You cannot get around going to Rubix, there is nothing more quintessentially UoS than a night out at Rubix followed by a drunken stumble to the Pizzaman window. Every big event happening on campus happens here, so buy your tickets early for everything from Freshers to End of Year Show you’ll need to be an eager beaver. Always look for the side bars to save yourself the queue and expect huge queues and massive amounts of people at the big events.

Expect: Chart music, everyone you know and a meal at the end Price: Usually £5, special events will vary

CASINO

HIP-HOP DOWNSTAIRS

I was sceptical when I first went into Casino, in fact I left probably an hour into the night. Now two years later and I can’t wait for my next Casino night out. Call it what you will, that damn place has grown on

me. Usually your next big bet on any other big clubbing event in town, I have seen Tinie Tempah, Fuse ODG and others which have all been worth going too. Along with that when both floors are open there is something to keep everyone happy. One night with a bouncy castle and a questionably looking chocolate fountain was enough to cement Casino’s place in my life. Expect: Hip-hop downstairs, Chart music upstairs Price: £5 - £10

PRESHA

THE LIVINGROOM

Every Thursday night there is a night, full of the kind of music you can rave to whilst buying cans of Red Stripe and spilling out onto the walkway outside. It is different in such a good way, this is not for the people who want something to sing along to but everyone should try it out and see what they’re missing. Well I say you can’t sing along but hearing any type of old school garage mixes brings out the Daniel Beddingfield in me. Expect: Drum and Bass, Good DJ’s Price: Usually under £5

THIRTEEN

THE “NEW” PLACE

Expect: Chart music with a few hidden gems Price: £5 on a night, free when it’s a bar

It is a new place on the scene, only opened towards the end of the last academic year but it has quickly become a favourite of mine. Its main purpose is a bar with chilled out music and events that go on sporadically throughout the year. It does however also double up as a club on some nights and actually is a half decent one. The downstairs area boasts shisha and some room to move around in with a bar that means you can hang out for a bit. Combine that with another two floors and a moot VIP area and it’s well worth going to.

BOOKS

WHAT BOOK FITS YOUR TYPE?

Make sure you read the right book. 1. FASHIONISTA

2. FOODIE

3. CULTURE SNOB

£8.10 Amazon.co.uk

£12.99 Amazon.co.uk

£9.98 Amazon.co.uk

While being fashionable and stylish has been inextricably linked with high heels for many decades, Rochell’s guide to flat shoes establishes an improved yet cozier take on footwear.

A culinary map of London promising to guide you to its most gastronomically impeccable corners. This is not a restaurant guide, but a book about ‘food and the people who make, sell, cook and care about it.’

Bukowski’s poems are always unique in captivating a raw essence of love and life. No different to the rest of his work, this poetry masterpiece captures his controversial views on society and relationships.

1. INTELLECTUAL

Coehlo’s classic is destined to redefine your perspective on life. The plot that ‘when you want something, the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it’ along with the simplicity of his writing leads the journey towards the treasure of life. £6.29 Amazon.co.uk

GADGETS

MAKE UNI-LIFE BETTER 1. Plugtruck, moves as far and fast as your laptop or smartphone needs to go. Designed by Jörg Gätjens. buy it at Droog.com 2. Parrot sommelier corkscrew, designed by Alessandro Mendini, is the perfect accessory for a nice bottle of wine. Buy it at Alessi.com 3. Fixie pizza cutter, in stainless steel brings your slice servings to the next gear. Buy it on amazon.co.uk 4. Bang og Olufsen Beoplay headphones H6, buy them at beoplay.com 31

Entertainment

MUSIC

ALBUM EYEDOM - WE CAME AS STRANGERS August 31st saw the release of Eyedom, the third album from British ‘rock/folk/avant-garde’ group We Came As Strangers. But is the kick-started indie band’s album worth listening to? Not really. Despite interesting arrangements, the repetitively average vocals of the apparently mononymous Ellem drag the ten track album into a thirty-five minute mediocre single. It’s also worth mentioning We Came As Strangers’ guitarist happens to be Justin Sandercoe. He’s kind of a big deal amongst up-and-coming guitarists, with hundreds of free and easily accessible tutorials on his website: http://www.justinguitar.com/. Just forget Eyedom, watch some of his videos instead.

SONG STEP IN - HAIGANOUSH Surrey Graduate Veronica Melkonian and her brother Richard, together known as Haiganoush,recently released their latest track Step In. The alternative track features solid production and an enchanting juxtaposition of Amy Winehoue-esk vocals with a reserved electronic beat.

BAND BLACK SABBATH

A Brief Retrospective On April 30th 2016, in New Zealand’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, Black Sabbath will perform their final show. The aptly titled ‘The End’ tour promises the ‘final tour… of the greatest metal band of all time’ and one final album, both of which we’ve all heard before; cough The Rolling Stones cough. But after nearly half a century, the band’s pioneering guitarist and recent cancer survivor Tony Iommi announced that his “body won’t take it much more”, and it seems bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist/bat-biting enthusiast Ozzy Osbourne agree. So who are Black Sabbath? They’re an early seventies rock band from Birmingham who redefined the metal genre with their 1970 release Paranoid, and continued to perform through different iterations over the next forty seven years. There’s also plenty of drama worth reading about the group, whether it’s stories of drug excess or Ozzy’s weekly criticisms of former drummer Bill Ward.

MOVIES

Schindler’s List “There will be generations because of what you did” Directed by Steven Spielberg and sweeping the 1994 Academy Awards, Schindler’s List is the marvelled adaptation of a novel which depicts the actions of ‘Oskar Schindler’ (Liam Neeson) during World War II. With its haunting presentation of the holocaust, this 197-minute epic of the ‘Schindlerjuden’ never deters from being brutally realistic as we follow Oskar from his goal of making a substantial profit, to his emotional shift to save as many people as possible. The acting is flawless, sparking the career of Ralph Fiennes and continuing Ben Kingsley’s impressive filmography,

and the musical score of John Williams perfectly evokes the sorrows of every victim. The story itself may seem slow to some, but the pace helps to present the several years these events continued for. As a result, the film is heavily focused on the story with some scattered moments of action that will certainly shock most, and the ending itself is nothing short of a historical marvel. Saying any more will spoil it, so if you love emotional films that are cruelly realistic and will almost certainly make you cry, I recommend you find this film and give it your full attention whilst viewing. By Jonathan Feasey

SERIES

TRUE DETECTIVE REVIEW August saw the end Nic Pizzolatto’s anthology series ‘True Detective’ Series Two. The controversial series which promises a new self-contained story and characters in each year has been seemingly panned by critics calling it convoluted, bleak, and badly paced. Now here’s a mild spoiler, the first series was also convoluted, bleak, and badly paced; but what do critics know? Most the issues that plagued the first series can be linked to showrunner/ screenwriter/ pseudo-philosopher Nic Pizzolatto whose southern gothic infused police procedural trapped itself 33

By Nick Duffy

within an ambiguous plot and overtly pretentious dialogue. Over a year later, we’re still no closer to knowing the relevance of the frequently referenced Yellow King, and why Marty’s (Harrelson) daughter Audrey was drawing those pictures; there’s a great fan theory online regarding the latter, google it. However from a production perspective, the first series was faultless. The visionary Cary Fukunaga oversaw the eight episode anthology, ensuring a certain consistency that Pizzolatto’s sophomoric effort lacked. The coupling of established actors Woody Harrelson

and Matthew McConaughey led to the commercial and critical ascension of the series, with the New Yorker proclaiming 2014 to be the McConaissance. Side note, the New Yorker was wrong, it was 2012. For series two, the setting has moved from the swaps of Louisiana to the industrial towns of California, and the detective duo replaced with by a quartet of flawed characters with a shared connection, the death of city manager Ben Caspere. Just ignore the hype and it’s perfectly watchable. Not necessarily enjoyable, but watchable.

Batman Earth One, Volume One, Review A new take on the classic Batman characters Batman Earth One, volume one, was published as a hardback in July 2012. As a senior member of DC Comics, Geoff Johns, knew exactly how to take a story that has been told many times before and twist it into a brand new series of events that led to the birth of the Batman. The first graphic novel (July 2012) approaches classic characters such as Batman’s parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth and the Penguin from a whole new angle. Readers learn the relationship between Gotham’s two most important families, the Wayne family and the Arkham family. Martha Wayne grew up in Arkham Manor in the days before tragedy struck and her mother killed her father. After this incident, the Arkham family’s reputation went to ruin. Knowing that Bruce is the son of an Arkham, Harvey Dent bullied Bruce throughout his childhood and would not let his twin sister, Jessica Dent, date him. This differs from the original Batman comics in two ways. Firstly, Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent were friends until the day Dent became the villainous Two Face. Secondly, Martha was never associated with the Arkhams until now. When Thomas and Martha were murdered, heartbreak rang through the city and awoke the criminal empire. This now makes a lot of sense because the Wayne family clearly represented the heart of Gotham through the joining of its two most recognised families. Gary Frank’s art brings the young Batman to life, presenting him in a basic costume with basic weaponry. Throughout the two graphic novels, Bruce is helped and trained by his family’s bodyguard (no longer butler) Alfred Pennyworth, who is an ex-military man. Alfred ends up saving the day by shooting the Penguin (who is the corrupt mayor of Gotham) dead once the Penguin discovered Batman is really Bruce Wayne. Similarly to the Penguin, whose story is retold in these novels, Killer Croc’s character is explored in a way that makes readers

By Ellie Egleton

sympathize with him. Catwoman makes an appearance in Batman Earth One, volume two and is just as cool as ever whilst the Riddler is much more twisted and his riddles are used only for evil. Batman Earth One is great because of Bruce Wayne’s supporting cast. The Gotham City Police Department is also explored by John and Frank in a way that reverses Harvey Bullock’s doughnut eating, bad cop stereotype. Bullock is known as Commissioner Gordon’s partner but in this he is the star of a reality TV show that explores real life crime. Bullock moved to Gotham to try and get higher ratings for his show but after a run in with the new villain, the Birthday Boy, in a bid to help Gordon save his daughter, Barbara, Bullock realises the true horror of crime and is reduced to a drunken mess who Gordon now has to sober up. Overall, Batman Earth One, volume one, is an excellent read which takes Batman back to his roots. Even though it may sound like there is a lot going on, the story flows across the pages with great ease and in a way which absorbs you into Gotham itself. You become invested in each character and become desperate to know what happens next. If you are brand new to the Batman universe then Batman Earth One is a great starting point as each character has a new origin, it is unlike any other Batman book out there and does not need any context. It is an excellent standalone story which is followed by Batman Earth One, volume two (May, 2015) which is just as good!

Amazon Prices: Hardcover - £14.88 Paperback - £6.99

Pictured above: Batman Earth One, Volume One cover. A 144 page graphic novel.

Taking Batman back to basics. It is early days in Bruce Wayne’s fighting career and he is still trying to get used to being the Batman.

Introducing the Dark Knight’s new villain, the murderous ‘Birthday Boy’. A hired thug of the corrupt mayor, Penguin. 34

BOOK REVIEW:

‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’ What should we learn about the opposite sex, or how to cope with God’s Jokes? / Anastacia Ulvanova

ecent mass media publications have confidently stated that men tend to spend more time with those women who are more of the ‘male type’ behavior. Can you guess why? The growing love towards feminists and businesswomen and rising precedence given to them by men during the 21st century, are not a result of power change. In fact these patterns are a result of men being happier with those women with whom they can speak their common ‘Martian’ language. Thus, women with similar way of thinking

to men could, more easily, find a common ground for cooperating and communicating with the opposite sex. This is the basic idea throughout John Gray’s book. In fact he highlights that, the problem in any relationship is all about the ‘‘different languages’’ we speak, in other words different ways of understanding the same words and phrases while talking to each other. Onwards, whilst men and women tend to wait for different responses to their own words and actions than what they actually receive, conflict is inevitable. Curious what’s behind all this mess? Well, this was God’s greatest joke, to make us as different as possible. Adam, as a strong and rational character; opposed with Eve’s complete irrationality, affectivity and beauty. Being in love, we always forget that while men were born to be logic, women were born to be emotional; therefore irrespective of our will, we have to learn how to compromise these differences.

An interesting fact is that altogether our world could be divided in two halves. On the one hand the ‘Small world’; the world of the family and relationships between people, ruled primarily by women. And on the other hand the ‘Big world’; the world of history, politics and fates of human nations, ruled mainly by men. Still, in spite of the fact that we live in a world of growing female power and influence, this distribution of roles preserved the majority of relationships between the sexes. As well, it is good to understand occasional switching between two worlds is a normal feature of character, just like we ask for some privacy and we should be ready to give it to one another.

Firstly, a typical woman is concentrated on people and feelings while a typical man focuses more on personal success, goals, and methods

Hard to admit it, but the main mistake in any relationship is mainly done by females, who have the passion for acting sacrificially.

RELATIONSHIP SECRETS:

Here are a few secrets towards the ‘great relationship’, as presented in John Gray’s book: 1. Accept your partner with all his/her negative sides, since all people deserve to be loved just the way they are. Remember, howbeit, it was your choice. 2. Be cooperative in your relationship, your partner is not the only one responsible for the mutual happiness. Men should try to become more patient and emotionally open, while women should attempt being more logical, and not expect ‘female behavior’ patterns from the male partner. 3. Give your partner some private space. The main secret is hidden just there: any decision should favor you both, because either you both win, or you both lose.

of achieving those. Again, while the typical woman expects mutual understanding and support from her partner, the typical man is doing his best to find an appropriate decision for the problem occurred. Men are not sympathizers, they are decisive actors.

Women can easily forget about their own priorities, dreams and goals, becoming fully, physically and mentally focused on their partner’s happiness. The nest decision for a good and fulfilled life in harmony is to remember about your own concerns and not suppress your personality ‘in favor’ of someone else’s comfort. The author agreed with the popular trend that successful women receive two times more attention from the opposite sex, as opposed to women who limit themselves within the ‘small world’ only.

Societies

GUIDE

By Calvin Jor

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD Yes your first priority may be going to lectures (well, at least that’s what most people think) but don’t miss out on all the different exciting events and activities happening on campus! From dancing to singing, from politics to volunteering, societies have lots to offer and there is always something that fits you. There won’t be any experience like it once you have graduated and start working, so grab the chance while you still can!

SOCIETIES

LEARNING

I’ve gained knowledge and had experiences I never thought I would from getting involved with societies, and they’re something you won’t learn from your lecturer! What’s more, what you learn from societies can actually enhance your employability and might help you with finding a placement and graduate job!

03 SOCIAL

Are you new to Surrey or maybe even new to the country? No problemo! Societies are the best places to meet new people with different background outside your course who might end up becoming your best buddies at the university!

For dummies students

Three reasons to join a society, Three reasons NOT to join a society

I’m an international student, born in Hong Kong and just before coming to Surrey in 2012 I finished high school in Australia. Coming to England to study for a degree was something completely new to me. It wasn’t my first time travelling overseas by myself but it was my first time setting foot in this exciting country – the country of the Queen, Premier League football and Harry Potter. Before I came, my mind was full of questions like “What would the university be like?” or “Will I get along well with people here?” It turns out there was nothing to worry about and I’ve enjoyed every minute at Surrey since then. One of the main reasons was because of the great time I had at the events and activities of different societies alongside hanging out with people I met there. So, why should you join at least one society while you’re here?

Got any questions or need help from the Students’ Union regarding societies? Email Alex Mackenzie Smith, Vice President Activity / ussu.vpactivity@surrey.ac.uk or Danielle Platt, Societies Executive Chair / ussu.socschair@surrey.ac.uk

01 MONEY

As a university student you are automatically a member of University of Surrey Students’ Union. That allows you to become member of any USSU society and many of them are free to join! Although some charge its members an annual membership fee, most of them are quite affordable so there’s nothing to worry about.

02 TIME

Society meetings and activities are usually after lecture hours so it wouldn’t affect your study!

I HAVE NO ONE TO GO TO EVENTS WITH Read “Three reasons to join a society” #3! 36

Healthy strawberry pie Crust: - 2 eggs - 100 g blanched almonds (grounded to flour) - 50 g coconut fiber flour - 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar - 1 banana - 50 g 80% chocolate 1: Blend almonds and banana. Then mix it with the rest of the ingredients (except the chocolate). Put the dough in a greased disk (D:24 cm) and put it in a preheated oven (200 C) for 15 minutes. 2: When you take it out, distribute the chocolate onto the crust, so it melts, and brush it out across the crust.

Cake crème: - 3 spoons maizena (starch) - 3 eggyolkes - 5 dl milk - 50 g sugar - 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar - 2 sheets isinglass 1: Dissolve the isinglass in cold water. 2: Mix all the ingredients (except isinglass) in a small saucepan (tip: mix maizena and milk little by little in a bowl before adding it to the saucepan). 3: Boil the crème at steady heat (whilst mixing) until it is thick. 4: After this, remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the isinglass (removed from the water). 5: Cover the crème with saran wrap and leave it to cool.

Skyr crème: - 2 dl skyr - 25 g vanilla protein powder 1: Mix the ingredients together thoroughly. 2: When the cake crème is cooled off, mix it with the skyr crème. This will result in a sweet taste with a slightly sour twist from the skyr, which soothes the cake very well. Garnish: - 80 % chocolate - 1/2 kg strawberries 1: Garnish the cake with the strawberries however you like and tear chocolate over it. 2: Leave the cake to cool off for at least four hours to reach the best result

Banana Popsicle:

- 1 dl almonds - 2 1/2 dl cooked black beans (equal to 100 grams of uncooked or 190 grams of cooked black beans) - 15 dates - 3 Tbsp. cacao powder - 3 eggs - 2 dl coconut flour - 1 Tsp baking powder - 1 Tsp vanilla sugar Frosting: - 1/2 dl almonds (or walnuts) - 1 dl cacao powder - 10 dates - 1 dl full-fat coconut milk - Â˝ -1 dl coconut oil 1: Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. 2: In a food processor blend the almonds to flour 3: Combine the black beans and dates in food processor 4: Stir in the remaining ingredients 5: Pour into a prepared pan 6: bake for 20-25 minutes Frosting 1: Blend the almond, dates and cacao powder to a paste 2: Then add in coconut milk and coconut oil. Blend to combine and process until smooth, glossy, and all-around lovely. 3: Pour frosting over your brownie base and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Black bean brownie University is not just about academics, it is also about good times with good friends. Good times with good friends usually involve good food. These recipes are not only yummie, but also healthy so you can dive in without feeling guilty. For more recipes check out: www.fitinspiration.dk Instagram: Fitinspirationdk /Tine Vieland Jensen Personal trainer & Dietician

- 3 bananas, peeled and halved - 50 g melted dark chocolate - Chopped almonds or other nuts (optional) - Popsicle sticks 1: Peel and halve bananas. 2: Insert popsicle sticks into each banana half on plate covered with a cookie sheet. 3: Freeze the bananas for approx. 1-2 hours. 4: Melt the dark chocolate and decorate the chilled bananas, sprinkle with the chopped almonds.

Banana pancakes: 2 3 2 2 1

bananas, ripe to overripe eggs Tbsp. coconut flour Tbsp. Greek yogurt pn salt

1: Mash bananas 2: In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, mashed bananas, coconut flour, greek yogurt and salt together. 3: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once very hot, drop a small amount of the batter on the skillet. Cook until the edges look dry. Flip and cook on the other side until cooked through 38

iving in the moment.

Sometimes to get the most out of life, we need to take time to smell the roses. / Joshua Langley Opinions and Analysis Editor

Living in the moment, is easier said than done; especially with the demands of academic study and the worries about future choices that we all experience whilst at university. As there is no way to know what will happen in the future, we should take a few seconds every day to relax and avoid any thoughts about that unknown. However, since we only move forward one individual second at a time, we should aim to savour the moment, and only worry about what we can control, whilst taking the necessary small steps that are needed to improve our lives each day. This is not to say that preparation for the significant things in our life should be avoided, while we stare blankly out of the window into space. Indeed, in order to enjoy life and minimise stress we should organise every activity with as much time to spare as possible, as this is ultimately what allows us to take a step back and relax. This again is something that can be difficult whilst at university, since there is always a free event, a house party or increasingly an online distraction that prevents us from getting-on with study in plenty of time. The question of how to cope with the competing demands of everyday life and study is one that has a different answer for each student. In my experience the best way is to have a routine that allows me to work at my most productive time

during the day. Some people; although not many students it has to be said, work best in the early morning before there are other people awake, both physically and online to distract them. Others study best in the middle of the day, when there is the most light and with the TV, videos or the radio on in the background to prevent them from getting bored, whilst others I know begin study in the early evening and work through into the early hours. The choice of when to study during the day is something that should be savoured, as many people do not have this opportunity after university due to their daily routines and other responsibilities they have to deal with.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We only move forward one individual second at a timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Whether this is paid work or an internship, or whether it is caring for dependent family members; everyone has important things which sometimes prevent them from devoting as much time to study as they would like. What is important is that you are able to devote enough time to study, that you are able to learn at least something from the experience. Clearly, gaining the best possible grades is important, but sometimes life gets in the way

and individuals do unfortunately have to hand-in an assessment, which is not up-to, their very best standard. Everyday provides another opportunity to achieve something. We cannot change the things that went wrong yesterday but we can take a moment today to reflect upon what our experience has taught us, to do better tomorrow.

By Joshua Langley, Opinions and Analysis Editor 40

E BO L A;

A QUINTESSENTIALLY HUMAN DISEASE In the last few weeks, Sierra Leone, the one of the worst hit countries in the Ebola epidemic, was declared free of the Ebola virus by the World Health Organization after 42 days without a new reported case (This is double the number of days Ebola takes to incubate and show symptoms). Dr. Elisabetta Groppelli recently returned from a 7-week deployment there, and gave a short seminar here at Surrey on her work in the country.

“Perhaps it is in our very nature to seek those we love, instead of those who can help us.” Dr. Elisabetta Groppelli

Sci-Tech

Ebola, the virus.

rom a pathological perspective, as little as 5-6 Ebola viral particles are required for infection, and once inside the body, the virus attacks blood cells and cells of the immune system, causing wide acting, but unfortunately generic symptoms and a critical lack of awareness causes many people to not realize they are infected with the deadly virus. Its “saving grace” as Dr. Groppelli describes it, is the fact Ebola is not airborne “It’s a large virus – its not going to fly” becoming airborne would be a huge evolutionary jump, and that’s extremely unlikely to happen in any short amount of time. Dr. Groppelli recalled the strong emotional aspect of the outbreak, citing one particular case in Sierra Leone’s Bombali district. Freetown, Sierra Leones capital is crowded, full of people moving to the city from the rural areas like Bombali, “Because of

opportunities, because of jobs, because of dreams. Really any human reason you can find.” But it was here, in Freetown, that one man found none of things, instead he found only poverty, loneliness and disease – Ebola. He did what any one of us would have done, a curiously human response, he moved back home. “He was treated and cared for by his mother and his traditional healer, he was visited by his friends, and this very human behavior resulted in forty-six deaths. “ It is in this aspect that we must appreciate the deeply human nature that drives this very inhuman virus to spread. Perhaps it is in our very nature to seek those we love, instead of those who can help us. “Sierra Leone lacks a proper health care structure, and traditions are still common place which provides an added challenge during an outbreak” the lack of health care structure means there were no

pre-existing facilities on the ground, so new ones had to be built. Areas of forest were simply cleared and treatment centers built almost overnight. Dr. Groppelli described the quite surreal experience of “wearing scrubs and looking at the beautiful African dawn from behind fences and surrounded by plastic and the inescapable smell of chlorine.” Elisabetta spent most of her time working in a laboratory diagnostic unit, which can be a challenge at the best of times “Try to open a bag of skittles while wearing two pairs of oversize kitchen gloves, and sorting them without spilling any” was how she portrayed trying to operate the complex and intricate diagnostic equipment from behind the multiple layers of plastic protection in twenty-eight degree heat. “As a scientist, I do fundamental research, not diagnosis” she said, and while the role Dr.

• Or, more specfically, Zaire Ebolavirus is one of five known Ebola Viruses and it is the strain responsible for causing disease in mammals • Infection takes 21 days to incubate to the full disease • When fully developed causes hemorrhagic fever, being often fatal • The primary transmisson of the virus occurs through bodily fluids • total suspected cases number at least 27, 872 • With an estimated total of 11, 295 deaths occuring as a result • There was a single confirmed case of Ebola in the UK, compared with 4 in the USA

Groppelli played was without a doubt technically challenging, what hit home the most for her was, in her words “When you realize that the graph (produced by the diagnostic test) is a person, and knowing there is a one-in-two chance that person will not survive, and in the context of an outbreak, a single person is not enough, everything is much bigger.” Following a positive diagnosis, a process called ‘Contact tracing’ begins. All the people who have had contact with the infected individual must be tested, the infected individual must be quarantined, and then cared for – and this whole process happens both at a district level as well as a national level. Here volunteers from the British Army such as Major Dunlop, played a big role in finding information in the community and feeding this back to the labs and treatment centers. This flow of information allowed better understanding of the

movement of the virus. However the “Different traditions of a different society” presented its own difficulty. Dr. Groppelli noted “Individual names are not as important as they are here (in this country)” this obviously presents a problem in following specific patients, especially in the environment already lacking in any sort of modern health care infrastructure. Integration with the community was obviously a vital factor in control of the disease spread, but in an environment such as Sierra Leone, where traditions still hold fast, and traditional healers are favored over more modern medicine. This presented a unique set of problems, for instance, Major Dunlop from the British army described in way in which infected bodies were exhumed by traditional healers in order to re-bury them in a way more in-line with their WestAfrican tradition that is thought to put the soul to rest. However, these funeral processes just resulted in further spread of the diseases

through communities. The traditional healers refused to work with the international aid efforts, seeing this to undermine their own work, their own government even attempted to bribe them to not interfere with the relief effort and this failed.

“When you realize that the graph is a person, and knowing there is a one-in-two chance that person will not survive...”

It is certainly clear to me now, and I hope to some extent, you. That there are many lessons to be learned from this epidemic, and if we are to better fight the diseases that threaten us, then perhaps we should learn something about each other. Better understanding of the human element of Dr. Elisabetta Groppelli disease could, in future, help us to over come many of the aspects that have hindered the effort against Ebola in WestAfrica. Dr. Groppelli chose to end her seminar with a quote I found quite poignant; “Diseases are of a time and a place, nature provides the stage and sets the day. By his actions, man can halt the play or create a drama of epic proportions” By Connor Ibbetson, Science and technology editor

Lifted spirits

s a man who spent his younger days constrained by the pint of Fosters and Jack Daniels atmosphere, the idea of cocktails was lost on me. They seemed like the sure fire way to get thrown out of the local old man pub me and my friends would spend our time in. You know the type, smells of stale beer and fags, toilets so dirty you have to hold your breath for fear of passing out and a sense that the guy with three lions tattooed on his neck might not like you so much after his next pint. Ah yes the true English pub, all but gone, and definitely not the place you’d order a Bellini.

So you can imagine when I was told by my friend who had started work as a bartender that I should order a strawberry daiquiri I was wholly against the idea. Half-heartedly I agreed for it was happy hour and paying £4 didn’t seem like the hellish torture that £8 would have been. It took me less than three seconds to realise something, cocktails are delicious. It then took me nine cocktails to realise, cocktails are dangerous. A drunken tube ride home that ended with me in deep Essex was all I remember that night. Now I can’t say I still don’t order a pint every time the pub door opens but one things for sure, I will never turn down a daiquiri.

/Ibrahim Sarwar, editor 44

Student APPS

BOOKS

LAPTOPS Dell XPS 13: £849.99,

Swoodle: Free, Imagine Google docs had a lovechild with Skype, perfect for group projects when time is short

Netflix: £6.99 a month, Star of the infamous Netflix and chill, uni life wouldn’t be the same without it

Spotify: £5 a month, All the music you could want with none of the hassle, the only ones complaining are Taylor Swift fans

1984 by George Orwell: £5.59, Through the ‘Big Brother’ concept, Orwell as a modern prophet crafts a society where everything is being watched.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: £6.29, A milestone in African literature.

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk: £6.29, Through dystopian plot full of twists and definitely an unexpected ending, Palahniuk approaches self discovery in a unique way.

An absolute powerhouse of an ultrabook, a worthy investment if you plan to run a lot of high demand software

Microsoft surface Pro 3: £792.99, The best two-in-one laptop out there, years of careful refinement by Microsoft have produced one of the best hybrid laptops on the market.

ASUS Zenbook UX305: £799, A just over half an inch thick, and 1kg in weight, this is lightest and thinnest ultrabook out there, even beating out the latest Macbook Air.

Best Buys TRAINERS

Nike Flykit Lunar 3: £140, (Women) A little expensive but top quality, breathable fabric and light material

BACKPACKS

Herschel Settlement Backpack: £55, Durable, Space for a laptop and all while dressing like a hipster

Adidas Adipure Prima 360.2: £70, (Women) More reasonably priced and a definite steal at this price

Ochre Kanken Classic: £75, But worth it. great quality. Nike LunarGlide 7: £105, (Men) A tad clunky but allows for a soft and comfortable run every time

New Balance Boracay: £57, (Men) More associated with style then performance over the last few years, these trainers actually surprise in the performance aspect

The North Face Jester Backpack: £60, You can pack everything you own into this period

HEADPHONES

Denon AH-D600: RRP £499.99, Never seen a pair in the wild, but with several industry awards and recommendations (not endorsements) these pricey cans mute the competition.

Beats by Dr Dre Studio: RRP £269.95, While the quality of audio can be debated, Dr. Dre knows how to market them; they’re fashionable. Apparently.

Sony MDR-1R: RRP £179.94, Simply put, these are professional headphones for a fraction of the price

Top Picks October London

(Day trip for £15 w. Railcard) - NFL on Regent Street DATE: Sunday 25th Oct 2015 Time: 12 p.m Price: Free - An exciting change up to the usual hum drum of Regent Street, this iconic location will be gloriously Americanised into a block partyesque extravaganza, with food, drink and festivities it seems a shame to miss out when we are all too close. Expect oversized burgers and egos.

Guildford Town - Electric Comedy Club (Next to Wetherspoons) DATE: Thursday 8th Oct 2015 Time: 7:45 p.m Price: £8.50 (£9.50 on the door) - Guildford has more to offer than meets the eye, with places like the electric theatre and the boiler room within walking distance there’s plenty you won’t to miss out on. As part of a monthly comedy show, Matt Price and Carly Smallman will be performing in October, look forward to a wallet friendly show that might just surprise you. - Bar Thirteen DATE: Wednesday 30th Sept 2015 Time: 8pm – 3am Price: £5 max - #OLDSKOOL ARTFUL DODGER FRESHERS PARTY is not one to be missed. 3 floors of music and jaeger bombs at £1.50 will make for an interesting night. In the heart of fresher’s week if the union event doesn’t take your fancy or you couldn’t get tickets then this is the one for you

Campus Events

- Rubix DATE: Saturday 3rd Oct 2015 Time: 10 pm – 3am Price: Wristband/£13 on the door - Example and DJ Wire are shaping up to be the biggest event this Fresher’s week and it is definitely the way to end the first week at Surrey. Promising all the classics so no one needs to feel left out, expect’ Changed the way you kissed me’ a few times and some decent mixes by the man himself. - Presha (The Living Room) DATE: Every Thursday (Last year might have changed) Time: 10pm – 3am Price: Under £5 - Hands down one of my favourite nights out in Guildford. It’s not the usual vibe you get on campus. Think less One Direction and more drum and bass and chilled out dubstep. A few decent DJ’s and the atmosphere of raving in South London make for a pretty decent night.