For some, university is about progressing to the next level – in the lecture hall, on the sports field, or in relationships. For others, it’s about getting away from home and the attention of parents for the first time. But for a large number of students, riding into university
Issue One - Spring 2013
on a wave of optimism, it’s a huge opportunity to try something a bit different.
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Welcome Filling in UCAS forms is straightforward, the reality behind the process is daunting. Degree˚ is designed to give you an insight into what you won’t experience during Open Days, Visit Days or presentations from lecturers: what it’s really like to be a student, on a day-to-day basis at Edge Hill University.
Round the Edge
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Take a quick trip round Edge Hill, Ormskirk and the North West with our facts and figures infographic.
EHU Students
In this edition you’ll read about some of the opportunities you’ll have – joining student societies, seeing live bands, living away from home, probably for the first time, cleaning – again, possibly for the first time, and some of the characters you might meet around campus.
31% Full-Time Undergraduate 3% Full-Time Postgraduate 19% Part-Time Undergraduate 47% Part-Time Postgraduate
1,700+ Rooms available on campus, in 40 halls, over 160 landscaped acres.
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10° Join the Club
12° Liverpool Live!
14° When I Grow Up... 16° Heady Brew
EHU Students
20,625
06° Money Talks
18° Decks Appeal
20° Live: Kyla La Grange 22° Field of Dreams 24° Pinhole Wizard
26° Do You Remember the First Time?
28° Stand Out in the Crowd
30° Volunteers: Your Community Needs You!
Production Team Sam Armstrong Andy Butler Nick Lodge Mark Molloy
125 years
Edge Hill celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2010 with a series of commemorative events involving several Edge Hill alumni, including broadcaster and writer Stuart Maconie and actor Jonathan Pryce.
The distance in km of the Pendle Predator, one of Britain’s toughest cycling challenges, including climbs totalling 3122m.
02° Round the Edge
04° What’s on Your Wall
There have been 93 annual Isle of Man TT Races, the first being in 1907. Runs 25 May - 7June 2013
175km
7,327
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27,953 students
The campus lake is home to 175 Mallard ducks with approximately 3 pairs of Canadian Geese, 24 doves and 18 wood pigeons which provide regular photo opportunities for passing students. Check out the wildlife, amongst many other campus snaps, on our Facebook page.
41 students
Nothing really prepares you for the roller-coaster ride of the real thing, but Degree˚ hopes to answer some of your questions, allay some of your fears, and prepare you for the most exciting stage of your life… so far.
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Ormskirk market is held twice a week – Thursdays and Saturdays. The market was established by a Royal Charter that was granted by Edward I of England in 1286. Thursdays has been market day in Ormskirk since 1292.
Our campus is home to 12 unique sculptures, including several pigs and a group of orang-utans, made from a variety of materials. How many can you find?
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ity the title of Capit g the c al of n i v i Pop l, g o o in t p r he e Liv Gu m i o
Top speed reached by Stephenson’s Rocket in the Rainhill Trials of 1829.
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1.16million copies ‘Blue Monday’ by New Order is the biggest selling 12” single of all time
• 57: Number On e s in Lennon g l John e s by and ar t ney i s ts f art r cC
over 25,400 listed buildings, more than 1,300 scheduled monuments, 130 registered parks and gardens, 3 listed battlefields, and over 860 conservation areas.
18% of the region is in a National Park. With a further 11% in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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Racecourses, including Aintree, home of the Grand National, which attracts over 150,000 spectators each year.
National Trust sites, including the Shakespearean Rufford Old Hall and the childhood homes of the Beatles.
2,500+
The North West has
33: Most number on No 1 • e s w ritte each to r n Pau lM
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Professional football teams in the North West, including five English Premier League teams.
Michelin Star Restaurants 5 of the best restaurants in the UK: Fraiche, Birkenhead; Northcote, Langho; Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor, Chester; L’Enclume, Cartmel; Sharrow Bay Country House, Ullswater
So far... • 17: Official UK c hart s
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Listed buildings in Liverpool, plus a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the Three Graces on the city shoreline.
Number of iron men on Crosby Beach, Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ (2005).
NW beaches recommended by the Marine Conservation Society, including Formby, home to native red squirrels, and Southport.
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What’s on Your Wall? 04°
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With 1,700 rooms available, in 40 halls, over 160 acres, it’s busy on-campus. And that’s not mentioning offcampus accommodation. So how do you stand out in the crowd?
Uni accommodation can be bare, but look at it as a blank canvas, a space for you to stamp your personality on unfamiliar surroundings.
So, with little or no make-over budget, how do you make the right first impression? With a bit of imagination, a sprinkle of humour, a little self-confidence, and access to the regular campus market days, your room can become your new home. First stop, the poster stall, doing a roaring trade, as usual.
Students and posters go together like a horse and carriage, or maybe John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction. Best sellers this year include Audrey Hepburn for the girls, DC comic superheroes for the boys, and the Mixology cocktail recipes for all. But the biggest seller, by some way – in fact, it had actually sold out – was ‘Bazinga’, a phrase popularised by uber-geek Sheldon Cooper, from The Big Bang Theory.
We asked a few student shoppers what was going to be on their wall this term, and made a few of our lecturers look back at their own time as students, mostly through the gaps in their fingers as they covered their eyes.
Alice, BA (Hons) Design for Performance “I’m studying costume design, so I like the vintage look – Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Audrey Hepburn is a classic look, and she’s pretty. You need to assert your personality – and this is what I’m after.” Ruby, BA (Hons) Primary Education “A map of London because it reminds me of home.” Becka, BA (Hons) Primary Education “I’ve got a poster of One Direction. Quite girly but it’s something nice to look at in the morning.” Ste, BSc (Hons) Accountancy “I’m a big fan of The Big Bang Theory and DC Comics, so I went for two awesome posters of them.” Matthew, 21, BA (Hons) Secondary Religious Education “I bought a couple of VW van posters. It’s to cover up the brown doors and yellow walls – make your room a bit more your own. I’ve got a VW van, and every summer I go to a few VW shows. It’s a bit of home from home.”
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Housemates Sarah and Olivia, BSc (Hons) Psychology and BA (Hons) Primary Education “We wanted to pimp up our living room so we went for a giant poster of Audrey Hepburn. We also got one each for our bedrooms – but we’re not obsessed! She’s classy and sophisticated, and that’s the look we’re after.” Sarah: “I also got my boyfriend a poster of a chimp. He pulls funny faces, and that’s my name for him.” Olivia: “My boyfriend’s a bit of a geek, so I got him the shot of NY skyscraper construction workers eating their lunch on a girder in the 30s [it’s called Lunch Atop a Skyscraper (1932) – student posters ed.] recreated with lego. It’s just a bit classier than the usual 18 year old boy’s posters. But I also got him one of a superhero.”
Robert Sheppard, Professor of Poetry and Poetics BA English Literature (with History Minor) University of East Anglia “A collage covering it all, carefully fragmenting magazine images, gig tickets, and a big poster of Allen Ginsberg that frightened me one day when I woke up and thought there was a crazy man in my room!”
Dr Mari Hughes-Edwards, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, BA (Hons) in English Literature Bristol University “A massive picture of Keanu Reeves holding an Arden Shakespeare. Beautiful man plus great work of literary art…” Dr Lauren Knott BSc (Hons) Psychology Lancaster University “A collage of photos of old friends and new, of family and loved ones, of great nights out and favourite places from back home – anything that triggered a happy memory (I’m a memory researcher after all!)” Roger Spalding, BA History with English Literature minor University of East Anglia “A very large portrait poster of Leon Trotsky, who, at that time, I saw as an ideal role model. Employability did not occupy a large part of my outlook as a student.” Dan Pantano, Reader in Poetry and Literary Translation “I had a giant Friedrich Nietzsche poster on my wall, which read, “Have a Nietzsche Day!””
So, what’s on your wall? Let us know at:
facebook.com/edgehilluniversity and you could win vouchers to spend to make your room just that little bit more homely.
facebook.com/edgehilluniversity
Money Talks 06°
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A student and his or her money are easily parted, especially when there’s not a great deal of it in the first place. But other sources of income are available from Edge Hill University, as well as advice on how to make your cash go that little bit further, if loans and overdrafts aren’t enough to keep you in diamonds, furs, or budget baked beans.
Bursaries and scholarships For prospective students we have a whole range of scholarship opportunities, designed to reward outstanding ability, hard work and enterprise.
If you achieve 320 UCAS points or more at one sitting, you’ll automatically receive a High Achievers Scholarship worth £1,000, while the National Scholarship Programme is aimed at outstanding students from lower income families, and could net you up to £3,000 in benefits.
If you can demonstrate determination, commitment and achievement outside your studies at school or college, in areas such as sport, creativity, enterprise or volunteering, you could find yourself up to £2,000 better off over the course of your studies with Edge Hill’s Entrance Scholarships.
Finally, Edge Hill’s recent Freedom of the City award from Liverpool is celebrated in the Liverpool Scholarship, aimed at Liverpool-based students who achieve outstanding results. Up to £3,000 is available to contribute to a full-time students’ first year fund.
Once you’re here, there are more bursaries available, including awards for poetry, academic and personal achievement, overcoming personal difficulty, and community work – go to our website to find out more: edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships Earn while you learn Part-time employment: many people have their first taste of work at university, and earning your first pay cheque is very satisfying. You do need to make sure you have the balance right, though – ultimately, you are at university to earn a degree.
Other popular student job opportunities include bar and hotel work, waiting tables, working in call centres, and shop work. And working at things like music festivals can give you free entry and accommodation in return for a few hours work a day.
Heather Powell BSc (Hons) Mathematics Key Stage 2/3 Education with QTS “For me, the decision to take on part-time work was more for the experience than the money, as I felt that it would better prepare me for my career. I work for the University, and opportunities range from administrative and mailing work within the office, to showing prospective students and families around our campus, to assisting with school visits and open days. I’ve been involved in leading workshops with school/college students, as well as giving presentations on my student experience, and attending HE Fairs on behalf of the University.”
Three key things you need to know about your Student Loan • • •
Until your salary reaches £21,000 or more you will pay nothing.
If you still owe money after 30 years, all remaining debt is wiped.
View the student loan as a graduate tax, rather than a loan. It’s repaid through the income tax system, the amount repaid increases/decreases with earnings, and it won’t affect your credit history.
Information applies to Home/EU students on full-time undergraduate degrees charging full fees.
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Eddy Lowe BSc (Hons) Physical Geography and Geology
“I took on part-time work while studying in order to improve my chances of getting a graduate job, and to help fund my studies. I contribute to campus tours, accommodation tours, and campus events such as conferences, and have also done some administrative work, including mail distribution. Completing these jobs has allowed me to improve my communication skills, given me confidence and an insight into the workings of the university.”
“The extra money allows me to enjoy more leisure activities and provides extra money for fieldwork projects, but I’ve also been saving to go travelling once I graduate.”
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Budgets, Beans and Bog Roll 08°
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Feature: Money Talks
To help you avoid any blossom blighting or leaf withering, we asked one of our student financial advisers for some handy tips to ensure you don’t run out of beans or toilet roll halfway through your first term.
1 When researching student bank accounts, always look for the best terms for you, rather than automatically taking the best introductory offer. Some accounts will automatically transfer you to an account which charges full interest rates on overdrafts once you graduate. Other accounts may well give you a fixed period of low or no interest following graduation. ‘“My other piece of advice, Copperfield,” said Mr. Micawber, “you know. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery. The blossom is blighted, the leaf is withered, the god of day goes down upon the dreary scene, and, in short, you are for ever floored. As I am!”’ David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
2 Explore student financial support options. Every university has an Access to Learning Fund, designed to assist students suffering financial difficulty. 3 Visit the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) website. They have a student section, containing advice and guidance, contact numbers, and discussion areas, as well as an app that you can download to help you with your financial decision-making. nasma.org.uk
4 If you want to work out how much an item will cost you over the course of a certain period, try The Demotivator at moneysavingexpert.com. The cost of that morning cappuccino over the course of a year could really keep you awake at night.
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5 Never shop on an empty stomach, and try the shopping basket exercise. Do one shop with only branded goods, then do another of own-brand, or discount brand, goods. The difference can be substantial, especially over the course of a year.
6 Take your own lunch, it could save you over £750 per year (based on spending £4 per day on lunch over a 39-week academic year).
7 Shop at the end of the day, as many supermarkets will reduce the price of fresh items before they pass their sell-by date. However, you may need sharp elbows to get past OAPs with similar ideas.
8 Always weigh your own fruit and veg, rather than buy the pre-packed versions. They are always cheaper, and you will have less waste, because you are likely to be buying only what you need.
9 If in doubt, make a list. Separate the must-haves from the would-like-to-haves. Compare your income with potential outgoings. Anything you can’t afford give the heave-ho. Don’t feel pressured into spending money. If there’s something you really need, look at alternative ways of supplementing your income (see page 6).
10 You can find plenty more ways to save money online. Start at facebook.com/StudentMoneyTips or Vouchercodes.co.uk
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Join the Club 10°
The dizzying hubbub of the Freshers’ Week market-place presents an almost overwhelming range of student societies, so we‘ve cherry-picked a few of the activities competing for your attention.
As you would expect, sports feature quite prominently, with the usual sporting suspects, such as football, cricket, badminton, athletics, tennis and netball. Following the higher profile given the sport by the Olympics, the Women’s Football teams are going from strength to strength, at all ability levels, and compete with other universities in the North West. If you’re looking for something on the sporting fringes, maybe you could chance your arm at Handball. This breakthrough sport is currently experiencing the “Olympic effect” and attracting students curious to see what all the fuss is about. Lisa Sarodnick, a 3rd Year Business and Management undergraduate, is the driving force behind the society: ‘It’s the fastest growing sport in the UK, and after the Olympics people want to give it a go. Everyone’s welcome to join, and we’re hoping it’ll get the BUCS [British Universities and Colleges Sport] seal of approval next year, with a league of its own.’ It lost out this year only to American Football.
Or why not dive into Pool? Last year the team was triumphant, winning the 9-ball league, and finishing runner-up in the 8-ball. The team counts England representatives and a former professional snooker player amongst its number.
However, they are keen to change the game’s image by attracting more women, and losing its perennial ‘pub game’ tag.
Kate Johnson, studying for a degree in Children and Young People's Learning and Development, likes playing with fire. Literally. She became addicted to learning new tricks performing poi, a performance art which involves swinging weights through a variety of geometric patterns:
“I like to perform with fire – if I could dance with fire every day, I would – but the key to the society’s success is letting other people just have a go.”
Her mad skills were attracting the interest of more and more people at EHU, so she decided to form the Circus Skills society, hosting regular workshops, and inviting guests to perform and teach, such as professional hula hoopers. These days it’s a properly-regulated real vocation, but Kate doesn’t want to run away and join the circus just yet: “I’m looking at taking the skills I’ve learnt into schools, showing children that there’s more to circuses than clowns and juggling.”
When Amy Radbourne, a Creative Writing and Drama student from Norfolk, and Liverpudlian Lauren Parkinson, studying English Literature and History, met Jasper the Parrot, Mimi the Monster, and Albert, they knew they’d found their soulmates. They’re puppets, of course, and the Puppets Gone Mad society is always looking for people to bring life to a variety of inanimate characters, whether as performers, scriptwriters, set designers, or just for fun. Find out more at facebook.com/groups/ EdgeHillPuppetsGoneMad
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If you’re looking for a quieter life, though, how about talking about life’s big issues over a nice cuppa? That’s pretty much the philosophy behind Philosotea. Members suggest the topics of conversation, and anything goes, from making a sandwich to the origins of man. As long as you make it past the thorny issue of Darjeeling or Earl Grey.
Starting a new life at university can feel a little like hurtling through the space-time vortex. So where better place to materialise than in the Dr Who society? No longer a programme with niche geek appeal, there’s a whole new generation of fans, of both sexes, discussing who they think is the best doctor. Society companions Nye and Brian are clear who they think has the best behind-the-sofa manner: Matt Smith. Disagree? Debate the Doctor’s relative character dimensions at regular events, perhaps over fishfingers and custard.
Finally, students seem to love dressing up. If you also like wielding an ancient weapon, running about in a field, and charging once more unto the breach, before hitting the pub, then you’ll love the Medieval Re-enactment society. Focusing on 12th century history, be prepared to also pick up a few pointers on crafts, clothes, foods, and life and death under the feudal system. If you’d rather make up your own history, why not have a go at Tabletop Gaming? Previously a male preserve, the world of multi-player, fantasy roleplaying games is attracting a growing number of women, keen to show they can hold their own amongst wizards, warlocks, warriors, and the downright weird.
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A cross-section of what’s on offer – there’s many more things to explore…
African/Caribbean * Amnesty International * Anime * Atheists and Sceptics * Cheerleading * China * Christian Union * Circus Skills * Climbing Mountaineering * Dance and Drama * Debating * Digimon * Disney * Dr Who * Edge TV * Fantasy and Sci Fi * Feminism * FIFA Fridays * Fighting Games * Film Making * Game Development * Geology * Green/Environment * Handball * Hip Hop Streetdance * History * Horse Riding * International * Islamic * Labour * Law and Criminology * LGBT+ * Medieval Re-enactment * Moving Image * Murder Mystery * Musical Theatre * NFL * NUT * Philosotea * Photography * Poker * Pole Dancing * Poland * Primary Education * Psychology * Puppets Gone Mad * Rock and Roll/American Dance * Sign Language * Singing * Social Sciences * Stage Notes * Swimming * Tabletop Gaming * Transcendental Meditation * Vibe Magazine * Vibe Online * Vibe Radio * Vibe TV * Video Gaming Take a closer look at edgehillsu.org.uk/getinvolved/societies/
And if you can’t find what you’re after, maybe you could do something about it…
Liverpool Live! 12째
liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk
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ities have always had a talent for reinvention, embracing the new in order to shock old bones back to life. Music scenes play a vital role in this, a creative space where people have a voice, and where like-minded souls can share fresh ideas.
Ever since The Beatles revolutionised popular music in the Sixties, Liverpool has always punched above its weight musically. And now there’s a real buzz about the place again, the sound of young bands with something to say, and, crucially, somewhere to say it.
Liverpool Sound City, a three-day music and live arts festival held every May, aims to bring people back to the city and put it back on the map, using the annual Texan band gathering, South by South West (SXSW), as the model for a city-based music festival.
2012 was its biggest year yet, incorporating dozens of venues, from Professor Green at the Liverpool Echo Arena to Sweet Billy Pilgrim upstairs at Leaf, Liverpool’s tea-emporium-cumbar-cum-occasional-knitting-club-host, fitting in rising stars like Alt J, Django Django and Jake Bugg somewhere between the two.
And the festival finds plenty of room for local favourites (and Edge Hill veterans) such as the effervescent Tea Street Band, psychedelic noise-rockers Mugstar, upwardly mobile folk-poppers Stealing Sheep, and the frankly indefinable Forest Swords. And Edge Hill Uni is in the middle of this scene with its band night Cantina, working with Liverpool Sound City to bring the best local talent to Ormskirk – and to you. Vibe editor Nat Tomlinson turned up and tuned in:
“Cantina is definitely not to be missed. Beg, borrow or steal to get a ticket to one of these fantastic nights. Forget another night sat in the same old pub; grab a friend and head down to The Venue instead for a night full of fresh, local, live music that is guaranteed not to disappoint.”
If you’re interested in this stuff, you should also check out the work being done by other local promoters such as Harvest Sun, who lure bands initially loved from afar to the Mersey shores. The North West really is a deep pool of musical and cultural activity, if you’ve got a taste for excitement and adventure, take the plunge.
And if you’re really into music, but on a tight budget, try volunteering with Sound City. You may actually have to do some work, but you’ll also get access to many new and potentially life-altering cultural experiences: liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk
When I Grow Up... 14°
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Southport girl Natalie Tomlinson is in her second year studying English Language. She’s also the news editor of Vibe, Edge Hill University’s online student magazine www.vibemedia.co Let’s start with her work on Vibe. How did that come about?
“I’ve always wanted to be a journalist. I’m very nosey – it gets me into trouble! From when I was 11 or 12 I liked to read the papers, and I’ve always loved to write. Through school, and then college, there was never a place for people that have an interest to write – it’s so hard to get work experience now.
“A group of us got involved with Vibe over the summer, developing the website, drumming up attention – we’re still going through that at the minute. They had a radio station last year, and a magazine, but the rest of it’s brand new. It’s very exciting.
“I’m the editor of the online news section, so we do the news, sport, reviews everything that doesn’t go into another box comes my way.”
Natalie is looking to make it the go-to news site for Edge Hill: students: “We want to write about what student’s want to hear about. We’ll find a place for any Edge Hill student with something to say. The nice thing about being in charge of a particular section is you’re free to implement what you want to.
“We’ve had quite a lot of interest, and we’re just acting on that now, getting people involved, getting people to write. Absolutely anyone can contribute, but it’s brand new and a work in progress at the minute.” As “a bit of a feminist” and the only girl on board at the moment,
I’ve been up at midnight, one in the morning, because things are coming up.
Natalie is keen to attract other female writers, to ensure Vibe has a good balance of stories and perspectives:
“The last thing I wrote was a big piece on the International Day of the Girl, on women’s problems and violence, education, things like that. I’m the only female [currently working on Vibe], so it’s important to me that other females get into it, because I think, even now, we’re supposed to be equal, but we’re not.”
And more people also reduces the editor’s workload:
“I’ve been up at midnight, one in the morning, because things are coming up. If someone writes an article, they send it through to me, I have to check through all the grammar before I can put it on, and you have to check picture copyrights, lots of things you don’t think of initially.
“We’ve had more first years than anything else. They come up with fresh ideas all the time. For example, one lad came up with the idea of a science section, which could be amazing. I would never have thought of that, but I would love to read something like that.”
And then there are her own articles:
“You can lose hours without realising, a lot of internet searching, going through articles that have already been written on the subject, finding statistics on websites. You do find the same story on different newspaper websites told very differently, but I think it’s important to be impartial, which is a really hard thing for me to do, so I’m definitely learning.” Read more of Natalie’s work at www.vibemedia.co
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Heady Brew 16°
by Natalie Tomlinson
Artist:
The Tea Street Band Venue
Edge Hill Students Union Date:
Autumn 2012
Find out who else has visited Ormskirk’s number one live music night ehu.ac.uk/2q5
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uite simply, Cantina rocked. The first in a series of live music nights at Edge Hill’s Venue had been set on a pedestal in the local area, meaning it had high standards to live up to. It did not disappoint.
The night had charisma, style and an electric atmosphere, but was undeniably stolen by the featured group, The Tea Street Band. Cantina, a new venture from Edge Hill's Student Union in collaboration with Liverpool Sound City, was always going to please. Aiming to bring the best of the local indie and underground scene to our ears can be nothing but a good thing, saving us all from another night of the usual mainstream hits.
The Venue, frankly, has not played host to so many people. Loud enough to be classed as a 'proper night out' but relaxed enough to actually enjoy yourself and have a good chat, Edge Hill's bar is the ideal place to spend a few hours after a hard week. Whether you nip down early to take advantage of the bargain drink prices, or make a night of it and stay late, this bar rivals some of the best in town.
The band itself, however, really made the night. There's only one thing better than watching a band who so obviously love every minute of their set, and that's watching a band love every minute whilst being completely in sync, in tune and in time with each other. The songs were gritty, the voices smooth, the playing faultless. The Venue was filled with the haunting, lingering sounds of what must be one of Liverpool's best underground bands. Their line-up of original songs meant there wasn't one second of this set that wasn't a wonder to behold. If every band Cantina has to offer are in anywhere near the same league as this one, nights on campus have been changed forever.
Decks Appeal: Danny Howard 18째
Profile
Superstar DJ!
djdannyhoward.com
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ig room sexy house. Not the description of your average dwelling in London’s stockbroker belt, but Danny Howard’s preferred dance music genre. Not that Danny’s musical tastes can be quite so easily pigeonholed. His love of all music electronic has helped him land a Saturday afternoon BBC Radio 1 slot, spinning dance anthems to the nation. But DJing was not a career path originally considered by the Edge Hill University Sport and Exercise Science graduate:
“I definitely saw myself with a career in sport of some kind. The DJing came about almost by accident. One of my friends had some decks that he never used so I borrowed them and started messing around. Once I learned how to mix two records together, I really got the bug.
“My first proper gig was at The Venue. I persuaded the Students’ Union to let me play at one of their events, then, afterwards, got my mates to tell the SU manager how much they loved the music and the DJ. It was a bit cheeky but it led to a weekly residency.
Danny was coaxed into entering Radio 1’s Superstar DJ competition, and the day after winning the public vote in a live mix challenge on Chris Moyles’ show, he found himself opening a Radio 1 party in Ibiza! Since then Danny’s played to crowds of 3,000 with Fatboy Slim, DJed in some of the biggest clubs in the world, and taken the torch from DJ legend Dave Pearce, former presenter of Radio 1’s Dance Anthems. Most recently, he made his live debut at Liverpool’s top student club night, Medication.
“Sport studies might be an unlikely start to a career as a DJ but if I hadn’t gone to Edge Hill, none of this would have happened. So Edge Hill did help my career, but in a way I never could have expected.” Dance Anthems with Danny Howard is on Saturday 4-7pm, Radio 1. Find out more at: djdannyhoward.com
Read interviews and reviews of Danny’s DJ talents at facebook.com/MedicationLiverpool
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Centre Stage for Arts at Edge Hill
The last few months at Edge Hill University have been pretty hectic, culturally. The Arts Centre has been refurbished and revitalised – with a roster of acts to match, we’ve launched a brand new band night for students, and our Performing Arts students have been wowing Festival audiences in Edinburgh.
The Arts Centre relaunch saw a host of shows, exhibitions and gigs, as well as a parade, descend upon Edge Hill Uni. Watford’s finest, and name-for-the-future, Kyla La Grange headlined the Rose Theatre, bringing her self-penned debut album to life in front of a rapt audience.
Artist:
Kyla La Grange + Deafen The Creatures
Venue
TheArtsCentre at Edge Hill Date:
October 2012
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ith the release of her debut album, Ashes, our cover star Kyla La Grange put herself firmly into that growing group of “women with attitude”, Florence Welch, Natasha Khan, Adele, Kate Nash, Kate Bush even, all epitomising a growing confidence amongst young women to step out on their own, armed initially with only their talent and a fistful of tunes. Her gig at London’s Scala featured stilt-walkers and contortionists, and could accommodate over a thousand screaming punters. The new Arts Centre at Edge Hill University, with a smaller but equally appreciative audience, was, then, something of a detour from the path to the arenas. That didn’t stop her belting out a full band set, although she did disappoint by not delivering her customary bad joke.
The recent single arrived mid-set and is another new anthem for another new generation. But it’s a goodie, placing a huge tick in the box marked ‘catchy but inspirational’. For this reviewer, though, it’s in the quieter, more thoughtful moments that she really shines. Relying on that voice, rather than any studio trickery, to deliver moving confessionals about the allconsuming nature of love, she’s at her most effective on ‘To Be Torn’. A song for romantic teenage dreamers everywhere, the unobtrusive backing allows Kyla’s voice to take centre stage. Nice ‘Oo ooo oo’s, too.
That didn’t stop her belting out a full band set, although she did disappoint by not delivering her customary bad joke.
The album was perhaps trying a little too hard, overplaying Kyla’s subtly dextrous voice, and with a little too much going on, but live the Cambridge philosophy graduate from Watford breathed life and depth into moody power-ballads like ‘Courage’ and ‘Vampire Smile’. Where women used to have to walk through walls to be noticed, now they simply write crowd-pleasers called ‘Walk Through Walls’.
The simple piano chords that open ‘Heavy Stone’ set the scene for Kyla’s voice to once again grab the spotlight with minimum fuss. It’s a familiar tale of heartache and woe, but when the band’s backing vocals join in the effect is quite moving, mournfully beautiful but simultaneously uplifting.
A couple of stompers later and she’s gone, but not before a well-received encore, a new song to reward the Ormskirk faithful.
Amidst the album’s slightly claustrophobic atmosphere lies an undeniable talent. Kyla’s songs just need room to breathe.
Catch our video to ‘Walk Through Walls’ at edgehill.ac.uk/walkthroughwalls
Field of Dreams 22째
Whatever your level, Edge Hill is constantly investing in its sports provision in order to deliver high quality sporting opportunities.
Further developments to campus facilities will be available for the 2013/14 academic year:
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Profile: Dean Williams Senior Lecturer in Physical Education Dean Williams represented Edge Hill at the 2012 London Olympics. He was selected as Chief Field Referee, supervising a team of technical officials, and ensuring that everything was above board and by the book.
What was your general impression of the Games? “Just being part of a fantastic Olympic Games in general, knowing that the country had done a great job. The atmosphere around the Olympic Park was superb, the giant screens showing live performances and the looks on people’s faces. Staying in the Olympic village was also an interesting experience — the food hall was about the size of two aircraft hangars. “I remember the decathletes saying they had never seen the likes of the support before at morning sessions, as 50,000 people stayed in the stadium to see them complete their pole-vault during the session break!”
How did it feel to be in a stadium regularly filled with 80,000 people? “The crowd supported all the athletes, but the decibels went up considerably if it was a Brit. I remember seeing young Katarina Johnson-Thompson from Liverpool being announced at the start of the Heptathlon 200m and she was amazed at the roar she got, she looked around and could only say ‘oh wow’!
“The crowd were also incredibly sensitive. During the Paralympic visually-impaired jumps, for example, the athletes use a guide to direct them using auditory signals. 80,000 people were silent to allow the athletes to hear the guide, but then heard the roar of applause for their performance afterwards.”
What was your sporting highlight of the Games? “I was the referee on the Men’s Long Jump Final on “Super Saturday”, and it was great to see Greg Rutherford’s disbelief at becoming Olympic Champion. I was also fortunate to be at the start for the Men’s 100m final, won, of course, by the amazing Usain Bolt. In the Paralympics, it was Aled Davies winning the F42 Discus for GB in a new European record to a roar from the crowd the Paralympics has probably never heard before!”
In terms of a London 2012 legacy, what would you like to see? “I’d hope that there’s a legacy of participation in sport across all groups in society and an interest in lifelong healthy activity. Hopefully it will have inspired many youngsters to take up sport and to focus on what they can do to overcome any adversity they may face and to enjoy participation in physical activity both recreationally and competitively right up to the highest standard. I’d also hope that the magnificent job the Olympic and Paralympic volunteers did would be a catalyst for more people to volunteer in their communities.”
Dean’s Heroes of the Games
As a coach and teacher, is there anything you took away from the Games? “As a coach, it was interesting to see the variety of techniques used in some of the events, and how the athletes prepared themselves for the event.
“As a teacher, it was the importance of taking part: for example seeing athletes from smaller countries who finished way behind the rest of the field but were just proud to participate as Olympians. The ways in which they can still strive to take part in sport and physical activity from the community level up, as coaches, officials, volunteers, or medical support staff.”
Creative Commons flickr.com/photos/28247785@N03/7804653792
“I thought Jessica Ennis was superb in living up to the intense expectations that had been put upon her, and delivering in style. There were many inspirational performers in the Paralympics but I particularly admired the performance and tenacity of Iliesa Delana in winning the F42 (amputee) High Jump with 1.74 metres for Fiji, their first ever Paralympic medal. “And finally, the volunteer ‘Games Makers’ who at their own expense did so much to make the Olympics and Paralympics the success they were, and always with a smile!”
Pinhole Wizard 24°
Check out Neill’s pinhole wizardry
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Name: Neill Cockwill Job title: Lecturer in Media
Media lecturer Neill Cockwill is going back to the future in researching his passion. Photography junkie Neill has a deep-seated fascination with the humble pinhole camera, the earliest photography technique. “I love photography, but I have a particular passion for pinhole cameras. I get obsessed with the way the long exposures offer a different perspective on photography, and in today’s overprocessed digital world, pinhole photography feels authentic. I think it’s the purity of the process that’s so appealing. A box with a piece of film in it and a hole at the front, nothing has changed in the process in over 160 years.”
The latest addition to Neill’s camera collection is the ‘Rolls Royce’ of pinholes, the Zero Image, picked up in Hong Kong, but the majority of his cameras are homemade:
“The beauty of pinhole cameras is that you can make them out of anything that is light and tight. I've seen pinholes made out of human skulls, tortoise shells, wheely bins...”
“It’s such a simple process, you choose the size of camera you want in relation to shooting on film negative or photographic paper then build the camera around them.”
Neill’s latest project aims to document the construction of the £16m Creative Edge building, which will provide TV studios with full broadcast capability, recording and sound editing suites, radio, animation and photography studios, and laboratories for students on media, film, animation, advertising and computing programmes.
“The exposure will be around 6-8 months and should document the 'rise' of the building. Hopefully the shot will offer an ‘x-ray' as it goes up.”
Neill will wax lyrical about the beauty of pinholes ad infinitum, if we let him:
“The photographs become almost tangible; the same light that is reflected off the subjects is the same uninterrupted light that burns the silver-halides in the film. What you’re seeing is a direct link to the original subject. It’s not just a moment in time, it’s a tangible temporality of seconds and minutes that have literally been captured and preserved…for me it feels so pure…real photography. “I know that sounds really pretentious, but we live in a real world, not a digital one.” You said it, Neill, but where should fledgling photographers start?
“Pinhole Photography: From Historic Technique to Digital Application by Eric Renner is the budding pinhole photographer’s bible, and there are loads of Flickr sites, with really good discussion forums.”
And if you’ve caught the shutter bug, or just want to know your SLRs from your CCDs, join our photography society.
Best part of your job? Working one to one with students, seeing them grow intellectually.
Holiday where and why? Berlin – the best city in the world. Or Turkey – friendliest people in the world.
Who, alive or dead, has inspired you in life/do you most admire? I’m inspired by, and admire, different people depending on my mood, but favourites would be [photographer] Sally Mann, Frankie Boyle, Terry Gilliam and Eric Morecambe.
Culturally, I never miss..? Sadly, You’ve Been Framed… it makes me happy to recognise evolution and natural selection at work.
Growing up I wanted to be..? A chef.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? Tomato grading, where I had to make value judgements on the redness of a fruit – for eight hours a day.
Guilty pleasure? I don’t feel guilty about anything that brings me pleasure.
How do you relax? With coffee, cigarettes, and time to think.
What’s in your mp3/cd player at the moment? I’ve had an iPhone for two years and don’t have any music on it. I’ve just bought a 1970s radiogram, so the last two LPs I bought were the best of Acker Bilk and the best of Roxy Music. ...and in the car? Original 1950s lounge music. What book/reading material is on your bedside table at the moment? I’m revisiting 1984 by George Orwell, and there’s always a copy of the Fortean Times. What car do you drive? A black London taxi.
What has been your most embarrassing moment? No chance!
What was on your student bedroom wall? I was a married, mature student, so no student wall.
Advice for prospective students? Make the most of your time at university, it’s the single most important influence on happiness in your work and home life.
Finally, tell us a joke… Why don’t worms have balls? Because they can’t dance.
Do You Remember the First Time? 26째
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Find out how to negotiate your first year at Edge Hill from our Student bloggers
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You’ve packed your bags, stocked up on groceries, revitalised your music collection, upgraded to the latest iPhone, and used your parents’ credit card to splash out on a whole new wardrobe. But no amount of planning can quite prepare you for that first day at university. Here, a few of our academics reveal the hopes, fears and hair-anguish that marked their own arrival on campus.
The most important thing is to study a subject you’re passionate about. Studying, living, breathing something you absolutely love doing will enable you to live a full, authentic and rewarding life. What more could anyone ask for? Dan Pantano, Reader in Poetry & Literary Translation
None of my family had degrees and I didn’t have a clue what to expect of academic work. Coming from a small country town, I hoped to find excitement. My fear was that I wouldn’t fit in with my middle class peers from the Home Counties. I wanted to wear what I liked, grow my hair long and do my best to shock. My university had a student occupation protest every term, so that wasn’t hard. Roger Spalding, Senior Lecturer in History
There are many important decisions to make when applying to university. What course do I want to study? What career choices should I make? But equally important is, what university should I choose? You’ll know when you visit, you’ll instantly feel at home, like you belong, and you'll feel excited about the prospect of studying there. Make sure you choose a university that fits you. Lauren Knott, Reader in Psychology
Bus to Northampton, train to Rugby; change for New Street, train to Shrewsbury, twocarriage diesel to Aberystwyth, and almost two hours on Morgan’s Coaches. No car, no phone at home, and a three month postal strike. I couldn’t see, speak to or hear from a member of my family for an entire term. And I guess mentally I never went ‘back home’ again. Living in a freezing Terrapin hut for ten, one shared loo, I played every sport, ran the GeogSoc, booked bands, made lifelong friends and even did some work. Looking back, memories erased, no regrets, I guess those first few weeks must have been pretty tough… John Cater, Vice-Chancellor I remember struggling with a reel-to-reel tape recorder (with tapes of Soft Machine, Zappa, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis) from Brighton to Norwich on the train. Long hair and straggly beard were not good ideas but studying hard and playing hard were. I hoped that I’d be able to read the great modernist writers, write about them, and write creatively out of that experience. I did. Robert Sheppard, Professor of Poetry & Poetics
I remember how much stuff I took! I never travel light. I recall the Ford estate car my father drove was packed to the roof and then some… I remember getting to my hall and meeting the extremely laid-back Antipodean Senior Resident (a good friend today). And I also remember saying goodbye to my parents that first time – and the lump in my (scared to death) throat as they drove away. Mari Hughes-Edwards, Senior Lecturer in English Literature
Stand Out in the Crowd 28째
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Audition Day
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udition rooms are a breeding ground for fear (def: an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm) and nervousness (def: feelings of anxiety or apprehension).
But despite the negative connotations, fear and nervousness in the face of an audition are totally natural. And you’re in good company, with many a star of stage and screen having endured the process. Robert de Niro always tells actors when they go in for an audition ‘don't be afraid to do what your instincts tell you. You may not get the part, but people will take notice.’
And Al Pacino would turn up just ‘to have the opportunity to audition…another chance to get up there and try out [his] stuff, or try out what [he had] learned and see how it worked with an audience, because where are you gonna get an audience?’
The key seems to be to treat the audition as a great opportunity. Having survived the Edge Hill Performing Arts audition process, our students are able to be far more objective about auditioning.
“We do a class with prospective students, and a lot of them say “I’ve never done anything like this before, I don’t think I’m going to be able to get in here, I’ve not trained like this,” and it was good for me, feeling the same way in my own audition, to be able to tell them that it’s nothing to worry about. Lecturers are looking to see your potential, rather than how good you are on your audition day. It’s more about what you can get out of the course, rather than how good you are on that day.” Chelsea Bell, BA (Hons) Dance
Josie was another nervous auditioner: “The Rose Theatre was packed with people here for audition and I was just thinking ‘wow, this must really be a great university for all these people to come and audition here.’ We did the workshop which had a bit of dance and physical theatre, and I had such a great time. I’m still friends with people I met on the day.” Josias Bertrand, BA (Hons) Dance & Drama Auditions can be overwhelming situations and nerves will always play a part, so work out how to control them, rather than vice versa. Develop your own routines to help you relax and focus.
Here are a few tips:
- Give yourself plenty of time to get to the audition, and therefore plenty of time to prepare. - The people in the audition room want you to be good, so treat them as an audience, waiting to be entertained. Let them see how much you love to perform.
- Be confident (even if your insides have turned to jelly). Creating a good positive impression will always work in your favour.
- Do something you’re familiar with – so practice, practice, practice. That way you can focus on other aspects of the performance, such as beats, character, and feelings.
- Relaxation exercises can be useful – techniques such as stretching, deep breathing, meditation or visualisation can help you control your nerves.
- Finally, believe in yourself.
Now go in there and break a leg!
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Name: Emma Heron Job title: Senior Lecturer in Drama
“Most applicants will work with staff from their chosen course in a workshop which can include both group and individual exercises, such as a dance solo, or a drama improvisation. Design applicants are interviewed, but there are some sample questions on our website to help them prepare. “Following this, they’ll be given a short writing task, on an aspect of performance. “There’ll be many opportunities to ask questions, and current students from a range of programmes will be around to talk about what it’s like to study at Edge Hill.
“There’ll also be opportunities to socialise with other visitors, participate in tours of the campus, student halls, the Performing Arts department, and our new Arts Centre, and attend talks on things such as student finance. During workshops and interviews, anyone accompanying applicants on the day can enjoy talks and tours, or they can relax in the Arts Centre Café. “Applicants find the afternoon of activities enjoyable, and it offers them a chance to meet people they may see if they choose to join the course. The really important thing to remember is that meeting us and visiting the campus will help them discover if Edge Hill Performing Arts programmes will be right for them.” Further information about audition day can be found at ehu.ac.uk/2q7
Volunteers
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Amid all the talk of a “lost generation”, triple dip recessions, even accusations of laziness levelled at young people, the one group of people who are not hanging around for things to happen, or feeling sorry for themselves, are young people themselves. With jobs before, during and after university currently thin on the ground, the best thing the careerminded, forward-thinking student can do is to build up their portfolio of work-related skills. This could give them a crucial advantage in a highly competitive job market.
And they are doing just that, with over 5,000 students a year in the UK involved in some form of volunteering activity. Our young people clearly refuse to accept defeat in challenging economic times. But apart from gaining vital experience and confidence in the workplace, what are the benefits of volunteering? •
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You develop job-specific and transferable skills You can gain accredited training It can help you find the right career path You contribute to, and engage with, the local community You build a network of contacts
And, of course, it can lead to the holy grail of volunteering: paid employment opportunities. But it’s also about engaging with the world and finding something you’re passionate about, something you’re willing to donate your time to, for no material reward.
“Volunteering is all about giving back and helping to create confident citizens. To me, volunteering and campaigning actually overlap. Sometimes people start volunteering in a soup kitchen and end up being the most informed policy advocates around issues such as poverty and hunger, becoming integral to a campaign,” says current NUS president Liam Burns, and judging panellist for this year’s Student Volunteer of the Year. Thomas Holt (right), a Children's Nursing student at Edge Hill, is also a Jujitsu instructor’s assistant, cub leader, scout leader, a mentor, a 12-1 tutor and a Childline counsellor. This commitment and generosity has earned him the title of Student Volunteer of the Year 2013: “I’m really humbled by the accolade because volunteering is really just part of life for me. It’s part of my day and who I am. I hope this will inspire others to put an hour or two aside a week to volunteer.”
“People often ask why I do what I do and how I can get up in the morning knowing I have 12 hours of children's activities to plan and run, along with assignments and uni work. The truth is I enjoy every second of it. No matter how a session has gone, I look at the smiling faces as the children leave and think of the difference I’m making.”
“I've been a drama, music, homework club organiser, sat on seven different committees, worked with 11 different charities in two different countries, and words cannot describe what a time I've had!” There’s never a better time to volunteer than while at university, whether it’s for two hours or two days a week. Volunteering Coordinators Helen Rimmer and Jennie Owen are part of Edge Hill's Careers Centre:
"With the jobs market more competitive than ever, volunteering is seen as key experience by employers when recruiting. This is the perfect opportunity for students to build their CVs and gain the skills they need for when they start applying for jobs."
There are many rewards to earn from volunteering, and the final word goes to our Student Volunteer of the Year:
“Volunteering helps you to either build yourself or discover something new you like. It gives you something to talk about at an interview – and finding something you're passionate about makes you look more employable. Volunteering should be something you enjoy, something challenging but something fun. There’s a volunteering opportunity out there for everyone. Do what you like, but like what you do.” For further information and advice on volunteering ehu.ac.uk/2q8
Open Day Saturday 15th June 2013 10.00am -3.00pm
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Come and take a closer look... Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP T: 01695 575171 edgehill.ac.uk/opendays study@edgehill.ac.uk