The Courier 1423 by The Courier Online

Issue 1423 Monday 7th March 2022

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Creative Careers 2022

Is class back?

Ross Bennett analyses this inherently political concept Comment | page 8-9

With a whole day set for workshops and guest speakers, take a peek at what’s ahead

Pubs of Newcastle! Wet your whistle with the help of this top ten!

Creative Careers | page 24-27

Food & Drink | page 23

Sabb candidates face debate scrutiny Elizabeth Meade - Head of Current Affairs

A summary of the key points discussed in last week’s debates

uring the past week, candidates for NUSU’s Sabbatical Officer roles participated in debates, held live in the Herschel building and broadcast on NUTV. These debates have been a significant part of the democratic process at NUSU for years and give candidates a chance to go deeper into the contents of their manifestos. Monday, 28 February’s debates included candidates for Education Officer and Postgraduate Officer. Two candidates for Education Officer, Mack Marshall and Tom Wellesley, participated. Marshall, a Politics student, argued for manifesto points such as mitigating the disruption of strikes, reforming PECs and offering better wellbeing and career support.

Wellesley, a 4th year Music student with a lot of Rep and society experience arguing for better student support services. Both candidates have experience as Course Reps and School Reps, and Wellesley has acted as a Peer Mentor and Student Ambassador and has society experience. Both of them have made significant achievements in their current and former positions, such as when Marshall changed room booking in the Daysh building. Marshall and Wellesley each have unique plans to mitigate the impacts of striking on students and collaborate with staff. They also discussed avoiding largerscale political campaigning where they don’t believe they’ll have an impact, instead focusing on students here at Newcastle. Postgraduate candidates included Jack Short, Peko Tsou and Danica Limawan. Short’s manifesto points included improving the integration, welfare and employability of postgraduate students, including support for disabled and LGBTQ+ students. Tsou had a more focused manifesto, specifically with regards to hosting events for students to feel listened to and communicating with

staff. Limawan also had a smaller list of points centred around reaching out to students and improving postgraduate employability.

The debates are a significant part of NUSU’s democratic process Short most notably had a plan to allow PGR students to access hardship funds during strikes. This debate was unique in that two out of the three were international students, which influenced their manifestos. Tsou suggested that she could outline the visa and employment timeline for international students to help them plan their career. Limawan opined that strikes are particularly unfair to international students because they pay more to attend. The Student Media Officer debate and Welfare & Equality Officer debate took place on 2 March. The former featured Hattie Metcalfe and Meg

Howe. Metcalfe, a third year English Lit student and Howe, a third year history student, are Heads of the Culture and Life & Style sections respectively. Metcalfe’s manifesto points revolved around keeping student media current, creative and collaborative while Howe’s emphasised inclusivity. Both candidates wanted to focus on the climate: Howe by requiring three climate-themed articles be published each week and Metcalfe by assigning one of the Science sub-editors a climate focus. Howe also prioritized improving the social media presence of Student Media as a major goal. Metcalfe’s plan involved improved sports coverage, featuring at least two filmed events per year (although noted she wanted to do more if possible). The Welfare and Equality Officer Debate included candidates Elspeth Wilson, Padmini Gokhale, Will Rigby and Yesesvi Konakanchi. Candidate Aleena Ikram was not present. Wilson’s manifesto focused largely on providing better psychological support services. Gokhale’s manifesto focused on communicating with students and listening to their voices. Rigby argued for increased inclusivity. Konakanchi

expressed a desire to listen and relate to students throughout his points. Specifically, Wilson had plans to expand the types of resources available to students looking for support and focus on meeting accessibility needs. Gokhale conversely wanted to focus on student voice and ensure she was responding to current student needs. Rigby suggested utilizing digital media in his work, similar to the podcasts produced by the Classics Society he is in. Konakanchi had a similar idea, suggesting an NSR show involving music to help students get in touch with their emotions. Athletic Union Officer and Activities Officer debates took place on 3 March. AU Officer candidates included Teddy Weinberger, Hannah Danks and Jack Train. Weinberger’s manifesto focused on bringing his NCAA experience to Team Newcastle and providing more resources for athletes.

Continued on pg.3

Images: NUTV (YouTube)

Work with Student Media!

Attend Student Media Afternoons at 1:30pm during term time for guest speakers, content sign-ups and more!

Find out more here!

Inside 7th March 2022 Current Affairs | News Northumblerand beach ranked 8th Bamburgh beach named the 8th best in Europe by TripAdvisor's annual Travellers Choice Awards. Page 5

Current Affairs | Science Eczema, mental health & body acceptance Science can explain the cause, but more needs to be done to understand the mental implications of medical conditions. Page 11

Life & Style | Relationships No expectations, no obligations, no commitments After a long-term relationship ends, we try to protect our emotions, but at what cost? Page 14

Life & Style | Lifestyle Neurodiversity at University An analysis into how University life differs for individuals who are nerodivergent. Page 17

Life & Style | Travel 24 hours in Edinburgh You're in one of the most beautiful cities for one day, but what do you do? Page 21

Culture | Film The question of who should play LGBTQ+ characters The argument for why LGBTQ+ characters should be portrayed by LGBTQ+ actors. Pages 32

Culture | Arts The book-lovers guide to shelf organising 4 writers paint a picture of how they organise their beloved bookshelves. Page 36 & 37

Why couldn't the astronaut land on the moon? Because it was full - George Bell, Courier Jester and Film sub-editor

A note from the Deputy

elcome back to The Courier! We've got another beautiful issue for you this week forged from the blood, sweat and tears of the Editorial team. So when you thumb through these 44 pages of Student Media goodness, spare a thought for our sub-eds and their tireless hard work. As they were laying this up, in a Lecture Theatre not too far from the Office, me and Liz Meade ran the NUSU Student Election

Debates. It was an exhausting yet rewarding week, and all that coverage wouldn't have been possible without NUTV's dedicated technical expertise, and NSR's talent pool. It's been a week of Student Media pulling together, in times of strife and weariness, to do what it does best; inform the student populace. Check them out on NUTV's YouTube so that your vote is an informed one! And if The Courier brings you joy, get involved! There's countless oppurtunities as always. In addition to the weekly SMA, which will be held in the History Room

next Wednesday at 2pm, there's an incredibly exciting oppurtunity also on Wednesday just before the SMA from 12:30; A creative careers workshop run by our Culture coheads Maud & Hattie! By the end of the hour you'll have finished your first article ready to submit! So if you've ever wanted to get involved but weren't sure where to start, this is it! And tune in to Election Results Night on the 11th to catch us on the pre and post shows. Enjoy the issue! Muslim, Deputy Editor

THE COURIER

SECTIONS Editor

George Boatfield -- mediaofficer.union@newcastle.ac.uk

Current Affairs

Senior editor: Elizabeth Meade -- e.a.meade1@newcastle.ac.uk

News

-- courier.news@ncl.ac.uk Ruby Story-Dartford Alexander James Becca Alexander Renzo Szkwarok Daniel Wales Harry Jones

Campus Comment

-- courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Kayleigh Fraser Tiyanna Mistry Amana Khan

Comment

-- courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Humphrey Jordan Rosie Norman Emily Kelso

Science

-- c2.science@ncl.ac.uk Erika Armanino Jon Deery

Sport

Deputy Editor

Muslim Taseer -- m.taseer1@newcastle.ac.uk

Life & Style

Senior editor: Meg Howe --m.j.howe1@ncl.ac.uk

Relationships & Blind Date

Annabel Hogg Gabbi de Boer Imogen Mole

Lifestyle

-- c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk Leanna Thomson Faye Navesey Molly Taylor

Fashion & Beauty

-- c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Imogen Clarke Lizzie Yockney Sophia Ayub

Travel

-- courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Lenka Minarovicova Alice Holmes

Food & Drink

Marcel Shamshoum Scarlett Welch

Senior Editor: Peter Bath -- p.l.bath@ncl.ac.uk -- courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk Lucy Rimmer Mitchell Hall Katie Siddall Castor Chan Ethan Todd

Social Media

Social Media: Sarah Lahiri -- s.a.n.lahiri1@newcastle.ac.uk Meagan Screen Rahul Binov

Culture

Senior editors: Maud Webster --m.webster4@ncl.ac.uk Hattie Metcalfe -- h.metcalfe1@ncl.ac.uk

Music

-- c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Rowan Christina Driver Oren Brown Lucy Bower

-- c2.TV@ncl.ac.uk Rachael McCreanor Rebecca Sykes Carly Horne

Film

-- c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Jess Bradbury Autumn Keil George Bell

Gaming

-- courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Michael Duckworth Joseph Caddick Haaris Qureshi Peter Lennon

Arts

-- c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Ruby Taylor Maja Mazur Tom Wrath

Puzzles

Joseph Caddick

THE

COURIER

Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors:

Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Harry Jones, Alexander James & Daniel Wales

3 News Newcastle threatens to deduct 100% of pay for staff who refuse to reschedule classes Elizabeth Meade - Head of Current Affairs

The move comes as the UCU enters its third week of strike action

ewcastle University and five other universities have threatened to deduct 100% of staff pay indefinitely for taking action short of a strike (ASOS), according to the UCU. The UCU defines ASOS as “working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action and not undertaking any voluntary activities”. Newcastle University is not the only university making these threats. Queen Mary University of London, City University of London, University of Bradford, University of Bristol and Manchester Metropolitan University have done the same.

The threats from universities have only led to the possibility of more strike action

Staff taking ASOS are still continuing to work and not going on strike. However, these threats from universities have only led to the possibility of more strike action. UCU secretary Jo Grady has weighed in on this on the UCU site: “In action short of a strike, many staff will work strictly to their contract. The fact that some university bosses consider this worthy of a deduction in pay demonstrates the extent to which the

sector has become addicted to staff working themselves into the ground and beyond what they are contractually required to do”. Over the course of the strikes, striking lecturers and their supporters have distributed materials around campus explaining their demands. These take the form of illustrated posters and flyers put up in and around campus buildings and the NUSU building. As of 1 March, striking lecturers have also done a solitary peace picket in solidarity with Ukraine. Dr. Rob Dale, a Newcastle Russian History lecturer, spoke at this event on the significance of one-person pickets. The lecturers have also expressed solidarity with teachers at the Newcastle High School for Girls who are also striking for pensions.

"Newcastle are adding further fuel to the fire by refusing to build any form of bridge" A third year Newcastle student who chose to remain anonymous said, 'I think it's shameful that Newcastle University have threatened to punish those choosing to strike. This will only divide the institution and lecturers further and create a further means for them to strike'. Another student said, 'This is the third year to which my studies have been impacted. Newcastle are adding further fuel to the fire by refusing to build any form of bridges between both parties. If the institution deducts pay from those who refuse to resehdule classes, it will only create further anomosity from both parties'. The UCU strikes at Newcastle University will continue for five days from the week commencing 21 March. Image: Twitter (@PGUCU_Newcastle)

Debate recap - continued from the front cover Elizabeth Meade - Head of Current Affairs Continued from front cover... Danks’ manifesto focused on providing more opportunities for spectation and taster sessions. Train’s manifesto focused on creating a greater sense of community among Team Newcastle. Weinberger comes from California and has experience with the NCAA that he wants to bring to the table. He also wants to provide EDI training, nutritional advice and psychological support. Danks argued for providing greater opportunities for spectation throughout the year, including disabled students in sport and providing more taster sessions. Train most notably wants teams to be allowed to receive funding from bars and clubs, broadcast more and bring back sport socials for BUCS Wednesday.

The Activities Officer Debate featured Chiara Blows, Lilly Johnston, Haaris Qureshi, Matt Hall and Xuan Liu. Nav Bharagida was not present. Blows’ manifesto focused on making societies more accessible by streamlining Earn Your Stars and improving room booking. Johnston’s manifesto involved getting more students involved in volunteering. Qureshi’s manifesto focused on more mainstream support of societies. Hall’s manifesto involved making resources on fundraising and handovers easier for students to access. Liu’s manifesto largely involved launching more activities. During the debate, Johnston showed support for the idea of societies hosting other societies and collaborating on events, and suggested using the website to do this. Blows focused a lot on accessibility, especially being mindful of groups that may not be considered in accessibility initiatives. Qureshi brought up a lot of the experience he has gained in eight years of experience at NUSU, and how he will apply it to the role with

regards to everything from teamwork to room booking. Hall discussed the need to focus on student safety, with the goal of advocating for the University to do more to tackle misogyny and hate crimes. Liu, as an international student, suggested reaching out to INTO and encouraging students there to get more involved, while continuing to promote Give It A Go and Go Volunteer as entries to engagement.

Elections will end with the results night on Friday 11th March in Venue from 6pm The last night of debates, 4 March, included the NUS Referendum. Current NUSU President Abbie Hutchinson argued for Newcastle to vote ‘yes’ on

re-joining NUS, the National Union of Students, in order to access online resources, discounts and greater opportunities to advocate for change. Miles Ogden argued for Newcastle to vote ‘no’ because they removed many of their Liberation Officers for key issues (including officers representing black students and international students), the cost of membership is high and the resources provided to students would not improve their experience on an individual level. The President debate was likely the most contentious. Candidates included Ali Zuhad, Luke Grainge (who made a video), Mady Baugh, Owen Lukins (who attended via Zoom) and Shah Yaseen Ali. Zuhad’s manifesto focused on mental health, Grainge’s on forming a stronger community, Baugh’s on accessibility, Lukins’ on environmental and workers’ rights issues and Ali’s on diversity and inclusion. During the debate, Zuhad made a point about helping students find employment. Grainge’s video

emphasized the importance of better welfare policies and communication. Baugh spoke at length about handling mental health and sexual violence. Lukins’ standout goal was to hold a student strike in order to strengthen what UCU is already doing. Ali’s approach to strike action was to work with the University to improve conditions using a financebased approach. Now that the debates are over, there is one more ‘question time’ event 7th March from 12-2 in Luther’s, with voting week continuing until 10th March. The Elections season will then draw to a close with the results night on Friday 11th March in Venue on -2 of the Students’ Union from 6pm.

Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Harry Jones, Alexander James & Daniel Wales

Monday 7th March 2022

News

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Understanding the invasion of Ukraine Erika Armanino - Science sub-editor

ladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is the latest chapter in a longstanding history of conflict between the two

countries. Kiev, now Ukraine’s capital, was the centre of the first Slavic state that gave birth to both Russia and Ukraine. Vladimir Putin recently declared that “Russians and Ukrainians are one people, a single”, hinting at this history, and suggesting why the Russian president does not want Ukraine to get close to western governments. Thousands of years of history between the two countries created division in Ukraine. Eastern Ukraine has now stronger ties with Russia, because this part of the country was under Russian rule earlier than the western side. On the other hand, western Ukraine is more inclined towards western politicians, as it was under control of European powers (Poland, Austro-Hungarian Empire etc) for a long time. The current period of instability dates back to 2014, to the Revolution of Dignity, also known as the Maidan Revolution. This revolution took place in Ukraine against the elected president Viktor Yanukovych (a pro-Russian president) who, at the time, rejected political association and a free trade agreement with the European Union. This decision sparked massive protests that Yanukovych violently suppressed. Some see this as the point at which Europe and Russia diverged politically on Ukraine: Russia backed president Yanukovych, while Europe backed the protesters. Yanukovych was ran out of the country while Russia annexed Crimea.

Russia saw the protestors and unseating of Yanukovych as a sign that Ukraine could pivot towards the West and the European Union. Alongside this, fights between the Ukrainian military and the Russian backed rebels intensified, allowing Russia to covertly invade the eastern regions of Ukraine through support of the Russian separatist fighters. Putin's invasion of Ukraine is also undoubtedly related to the complicated history and tensions between Russia,

between Russia and Ukraine, Putin declared that Russia couldn’t feel “safe, develop and exist” because of the alleged threats coming from modern Ukraine. Russia’s president declared

that his goal was the “demilitarisation and de-Nazification” of Ukraine. Critics speculate that Putin does not only want to take control of Ukraine but he also wants NATO to return to its pre-

1997 borders and to remove its military infrastructures from countries that joined the alliance after this year. This would include every eastern Europe state.

Further NATO expansion eastwards is intolerable to Moscow NATO and the European Union. After the NATO's expansion eastward and incorporation of former Soviet Union countries after the Soviet Union collapsed, Putin could not tolerate another Eastern country under the umbrella authority of the European community. He considers Ukraine as a part of Russia and what he wants is to wind the clock back more than thirty years ago, to Russia's former Soviet empire. According to the New York Times, Russia presented NATO with a set of written demands to “ensure its security”. Among these demands, Russia asked for a guarantee that Ukraine would never join NATO and that NATO would reduce its deployed forces in eastern European countries currently within the alliance. Vladimir Putin accused NATO of threatening “our historic future as a nation”. Except for the already built tension

Image: Twitter

Immigration detention company investigated after racist messages

Killian Duvivier

itie, the company o p e r a t i n g Derwentside IRC in County Durham, are under investigation for racist Whatsapp messages sent between staff, according to The Mirror. A whistleblower has revealed WhatsApp messages from a workers group chat including ‘jokes’ about Syrian refugees, obscene references to Diane Abbott and derogatory comments about Chinese people. The recently shut-down WhatsApp group, created in 2019, counted 120 members. Mitie confirmed to The Guardian that eight members of staff have been suspended. Mitie operates multiple detention centres across the country and is responsible for the removal of those deemed to be illegal immigrants, and the deportation of foreign criminals. The company is paid by the Home Office with a 10-year long, £525 million contract. Mitie claim they opened an investigation as soon as they were made aware of the complaint, although the firm also told the

Guardian: “It has been brought to our attention that an allegation was previously raised but was not escalated in line with internal procedures". Going on to say "this is not acceptable and we are sharing details of our whistleblowing policy with all colleagues and reminding our managers of their responsibilities to take any such allegations with the

"Closed due to slanty eyed c**** ” utmost seriousness”. The shocking messages included a remark next to a photograph of a Chinese restaurant that was closed during after the first Covid lockdown back in March 2020: “Closed due to slanty eyed c**** ”, referring to COVID19's initial detection in Wuhan, China. A comment was also made in about Syrian refugees crossing the sea. A group members wrote: “They can only stay if they swim all the way”, with someone replying: “What, you mean from Syria?” But it doesn’t end there. Messages also include xenophobic jibes at Home Secretary, Priti Patel. “There is no place for racism, bullying, or discrimination in our business and

Image: George Evans via Youtube

we encourage our colleagues to raise any concerns via our whistleblowing procedures so that we can take appropriate action,” a spokesperson for Mitie said. The CEO of Mitie has since apologised for the racist messages sent by staff. In an email circulated to staff obtained by the

Guardian, he stated: “I have apologised to the home secretary personally over the weekend and assured her that no stone will be left unturned during this investigation.” The whistleblwer also told the Mirror: “There is no care. It’s utterly toxic. Casual racism amongst workers towards

those they are supposed to look after is disgusting.” Shadow Immigration Minister, Stephen Kinnock, labelled the WhatsApp group “sickening” and asked for Mitie’s contract with Home Office to be revised.

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Harry Jones, Alexander James & Daniel Wales

News

The 18-storey tower block that could destroy Quayside views Hannah Gul-Khan

Controversial building proposals rejected by Ouseburn locals and nearby businesses

he development is part of a plan to regenerate Malmo Quay along with 13 townhouses and 2 duplex apartments though residents worry the tower block will look disproportionate to the Tyneside scenery. PfP Igloos aim to breathe new life into the area where planning permission has not yet been granted. The agency believes “the scheme will support the ongoing successful regeneration of the Ouseburn Valley” where the developers aim to create a “sculptural landmark”. Development manager at Igloo, Alec Hamlin, supports the plans for redevelopment and believes them to be “an addition to the waterside that is of exemplary design quality – a landmark that provides attractive open spaces that can be enjoyed by all". Their previous project in 2017 built 76 homes located on the Ouseburn riverside known for their large open spaces and community feel. The local community in Ouseburn do not share this enthusiasm, they fear the views of the Quayside could be ruined. Many have acted in their

opposition, the website 'No to Malmo Quay' details that “this development threatens not only the impressive city vistas, including most notably the legendary view from the Free Trade Inn, but threatens the wonderfully special, but also fragile community into which the Ouseburn has evolved over the last 30 years". The website provides a portal to file an objection that is submitted to Newcastle City Council. The Chronicle have reported that so far there have been 1500 objections submitted, compared to 10 comments in support. A meeting took place earlier this month to determine the public view of the development plans. Of the 60 to 70 residents who attended, not one expressed support towards the building of the tower block. Residents attacked its lack of affordability that does not serve the interests of the local community.

Residents have attacked the tower's lack of affordability

Labour Councillor Nick Kemp told MSN News that there is “no reasonable basis for the proposed tall building at Malmo Quay”. Many took to social media to voice their frustration, where one user wrote “building this eyesore here which doesn’t sit with the aesthetics of the surrounding area whatsoever, might

Image: Flickr

as well plaster Sports Direct down the side.” Local resident and Newcastle student Daniel Wales said, ''I'm all for increased housing in Newcastle in lovely location, but if we overcrowd these scenic hotspots, it will spoil the landscape and discorage tourists from visiting''.

"...might as well plaster Sports Direct down the side."

Another Newcastle resident said, ''It's such a shame, Ouseburn is such a beautiful area, tourists come from all over to visit it, why spoil the views with housing?''

Trip Advisor names Bamburgh beach the eighth best in Europe Elžbieta Voverytė

The beach features alongside those in the Mediterranean

ripAdvisor has released its annual Travellers’ Choice Awards list for ‘the elites’ in tourism – hotels, destinations, restaurants, attractions – you name it. One category that is especially noteworthy to North Easterners is the Top 25 beaches in Europe. Bamburgh beach, just an hour away by car from Newcastle made it to the Top 10, being named the 8th best beach in Europe. Unsurprisingly, the majority of the list consists of beaches in Southern Europe countries and islands, surrounded by turqoise waters, yet three more beaches in the UK made the cut too. Luskentyre beach, located in Isle of Harris, Scotland, was the 7th, Porthminster in the very South of the country – 11th and Weymouth beach was the 19th. Nevertheless, Bamburgh beach surpasses others with its unique skyline that is complimented by Bamburgh castle. Just up the hill from the beach, the second most-visited attraction in the village gives visitors a spectacular overview of the beach and horizon of the North Sea. Located in the Nortumberland Coast

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the sandy seafront is 40 miles in length, connects with other beaches, and is great for long walks, according to travellers’ reviews. As well as being lengthy, the beach is relatively wide too and regular users of TripAdvisor are especially fond of this particular fragment of the coastline – the beach is dog-friendly and great for frolicking around.

If you've seen enough of Tynemouth, consider visting Bamburgh

Besides endless panorama of the sea, you can also gaze at the Bamburgh dunes – sandy yet filled with all types of flora, these will definitely catch your eye. Although the sea water doesn’t get very warm even during summer, there are water activities available and Bamburgh beach is known for having consistent waves. A trip to this village would make a great day-getaway, so if you’ve seen enough of Tynemouth, consider visiting Bamburgh. Topping the list was Spiaggia dei Conigli in Sicily, and the only other UK mention was Scotland's Luskentyre in Isle of Harris - ranked as number 7.

Image: Flickr

Sub-editors: Kayleigh Fraser, Tiyanna Mistry & Amana Khan

Monday 7th March 2022

Campus Comment

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Why the Russell Group should compensate students Elizabeth Meade - Head of Current Affiairs

Should the Russell Group compensate its students?

uring the pandemic, the Russell Group, a prestigious body of research universities receiving greater funding than other schools in the UK, has collected a great deal of money from students, around 2.2 billion pounds surplus. This is largely due to grade inflation, a large number of international students who pay higher fees and government furloughs.

International students in particular deserve a refund

Naturally, we as students want refunds. The university experience over the past two years has been severely compromised, and there is no way to justify equally high fees for online teaching. Students have also been evicted and lost their visa statuses through no fault of their own due to the pandemic. These warrant, at the very least, monetary compensation from universities. While all students deserve compensation for their loss of face-to-

face teaching time, international students in particular deserve a refund. We pay three times as much as home students, yet apparently that is still not enough money to buy the privilege of being treated equally. International students not only have to achieve higher attendance than UK students, they also typically have to pay all of their rent upfront if they do not have a UK guarantor. This is not fair to students whose families do not have the necessary income to pay for that, many of whom come to the UK looking for better-paying opportunities. International students are also not allowed to work more than 20 hours a week and cannot be self-employed, so they are limited in how they can financially support themselves. Even if international students are born into or somehow hit upon a situation in which they aren’t financially struggling, some of them have faced unique challenges in the pandemic. For instance, some face financial barriers to contacting family members who live far away, which is a crucial form of connection in a global emergency. This is especially true for the countless students who either contracted COVID-19 or had family members who did. Many were sent home and had to work remotely at very early or late hours due to a time zone difference. These issues come on top of the typical issues of racism, xenophobia and the language barrier that students may face depending on their ethnicity and level of English proficiency. Home students have faced unique issues as well that shouldn’t be neglected. Those who are working in order to financially support themselves have often been forced to work during lockdowns because they need the money or because they have been deemed ‘essential

workers’. Many have also struggled to pay rent month-to-month as conditions and rules change. Those with family in other parts of the UK that are far from their universities have had to deal with similar geographical issues to those from other countries.

The pandemic has taken a huge chunk out of my university experience As a student from the US with welloff parents who have been saving for years and no siblings, my family was able to pay for all my expenses, but that is a rare situation. While my extended family members who got ill have access to excellent care and are largely not highly susceptible to illness, that’s also a rare situation. Even as one of the few students privileged to be in the unicorn-rare situation of having all these advantages, the pandemic has taken a huge chunk out of my student experience. I can’t imagine how bad it has been for students without any of these advantages. While I understand that someone might be hesitant to give a student like myself a refund since I am surviving without one, that is not an excuse for universities to not give them to the students who are genuinely struggling.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Societies: Are they worth joining? Is Orwell Receiving th Hannah Ross

One of our writers discusses the appeal of societies

n y

Image: Wikimedia Commons

societies this year have seen memberships dwindle in the first year back in person since COVID. This begs the question: are societies worth joining at university? I am here to tell you yes! After three years at university, trialling a range of different societies, I can confidently say there is something for everyone. Societies are a fantastic way to meet new people, whether they be from your course at a subject society, who put on socials and balls so you can catch up outside of the lecture hall, or meet people from other courses who have a shared interest! Because there is no monetary incentive from

those running societies, plus the university giving grants out for memberships and special events, they are also a wonderful way to pursue an interest in a cheap way. This may be something you wanted to continue from previous experience, or an opportunity to try something new – a venture that would normally be less available to start from scratch as an adult. Of course, there are the classic sports societies, debate society, music etc, but there are societies to cater towards everyone's niche, such as: anime, figure skating, photography, and even a brewing society.

Societies are a fantastic way to meet new people There are also plenty of societies that run a variety of fun and creative socials. Sports societies – especially rugby – like to go hardcore on the dress-up! They are always the most iconic to see on the night scene – there is no mistaking them! Overall, I absolutely recommend getting involved in societies. They are a great social tool, especially when you are new to campus and still trying to meet people. It's a way to have fun and an effective distraction from uni work – particularly when it starts getting a little intense in later years!

Sam Norman

n January, the Daily Mail reported the University of Northampton had placed a trigger warning on Orwell’s political dystopian novel ‘1984.’ As another hallmark in literature and iconic author joins the likes of J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins and Phillip Pullman, the conversation of censorship resurfaces. Trigger warnings have become not a regularity in contemporary readings, but something often enough that eyebrows are not as much raised. However, the rich irony behind George Orwell’s 1984 being branded with a warning, coincides with the exact message of the book Orwell warns his readership about. Is this a case of the thought police attempting to restrict viewpoints before one even reads the book?

1984 being branded with a warning, coincides with the exact message of the book The answer is a simple no. Staff at the University of Northampton have warned their students of the “explicit material” in

the novel and all cited content students may find “offensive and upsetting.” There is no luring of political or social affiliations nor is there policing of thoughts. It also must be acknowledged the novel contains enormous themes of violence, war, graphic torture and suppression, something that many would agree on constitutes a content warning. Warnings of this nature are common amongst many Universities, with Newcastle giving content warnings on their more intense novels such as Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus” and many of Ovid’s

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Kayleigh Fraser, Tiyanna Mistry & Amana Khan

Campus Comment

Wait, what's Science Central? George Bell - Film sub-editor

hat drew me to Newcastle was how integrated the University’s campus was with the city. With everything spread out, I not only got the student experience but the ability to explore this great city. But it isn't all sunshine and Greggs. As a third-year computer science student, I am based almost exclusively in the Newcastle Helix Science Central campus. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve had to go onto the main campus, with the exception of Courier-related affairs. And it has been more recently that I’ve noticed h o w much this

divide seems to be growing, beyond the 5-10 minute walk. Yes, it makes sense for me to not have to go onto the main campus, the Urban Science Building has everything I’d ever need for my degree (spoilers, it's lots of computers). Yes, the mere thought of having to go to the main campus, be it for exams or student cards, sends shivers down my spine and has me begging for the sweet release of death. But it still feels like my university experience has been somewhat fragmented. It feels as if students who mostly attend the Science Central campus are out of the loop, not really aware of how Newcastle University is fairing as a wider establishment. The UCU strikes have been having a big impact on a lot of students and staff, but for most of those studying Computer Science, it feels like just

another Tuesday. Lecturers rarely seem to be striking, raising the question: what is Science Central doing differently? Be it upper management, better funding or just that separation, this only reinforces how divided it all seems. There are always so many interesting and engaging schemes and events happening on Main Campus that have little influence and presence in Science Central. During Newcastle University’s Black History Month, while it was great to see the inclusion and representation of people of colour, it felt almost limited to Main Campus with little to no involvement with the Science Central campus. Things like the on-campus mirrors I would have loved to have gotten involved

with and learned from those experiences but they were noticeably absent from a campus a lot of people exclusively attend. I’d love for

Main Campus and the Science Central campus to overlap more, creating a more cohesive university experience that doesn’t split people up further just because of their choice of degree. I don’t want to be shunned by all my non-computing friends when I ask what the Arches are (an arch is a shape and there are lots of them, how am I meant to know what that is referring to!). There is a lot of potential between the two campuses with great experiences for all, so it seems a waste to stick exclusively to one. So why not check out the other from time to time? Image: Geograph

he Orwellian Treatment? Spring has sprung on campus! stories from “Metamorphoses.” In these alone cannibalism, kidnapping, sexual abuse and murder are all strong themes, therefore is it only fair a student gets a warning of what content they’re in for? While the Daily Mail have rushed to the concluding headline “wokery beyond parody” the real issue with the Orwell novel isn’t about censorship, and clearly by their article a much smaller section of a culture war. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen further fanned the flames: “there's a certain irony that students are now being issued trigger warnings before reading 1984.

Image: Rawpixel

Our university campuses are fast becoming dystopian Big Brother zones.” It’s fascinating to wonder how a warning in a book that includes the protagonist being tortured and threatened with a cage of frenzied rats, has become viewed as such a regressive step for some. The MP of North West Leicestershire enjoys the narrative of the “liberal elite” forcing people to “conform to a homogenised society” however the reality of the situation just is not true. Content warnings are for the student who may have had a family member die recently and is not ready to critically analyse a piece of that nature; the student who was sexually assaulted and does not want to relive that through a novel or even just the student who is made vastly uncomfortable by books that go beyond violence and include explicit torture. My perspective is rather clear, and fortunately, a dramatized Daily Mail article and the words of a Tory MP attempting to strike ‘wokeism’ fear will not halter the course of trigger warnings. While trigger warnings should be observed case by case in the chance something inappropriate is said, a sweeping generalization statement of them being Orwellian is unfair to the students who rely on them. Students preferring to be informed of the graphic themes of a novel is not a part of the ‘woke’ culture war.

Tiyanna Mistry, Amana Khan and Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment sub-editors

pring – the season of rebirth, renewal and rejuvenation. As the season approaches, students await in anticipation for the reopening of beer gardens, spring break activities and brighter days ahead. After the cold months that Newcastle Uni students have endured, which was exacerbated by Storm Eunice, the warmer months of Spring is something that is keeping everyone motivated and excited.This all coupled with Easter and St. Patrick's Day means just one thing for us students and that is beer, beer and more beer, whilst also hoping for a slight tan when sitting in one of the Wetherspoon's beer gardens. The ushering in of this season brings forth excitement and happier days. For students, finishing a midday lecture

and heading to beer gardens with friends to catch up over a few cheap pints, is the definition of a spring day.

The ushering in of this season brings forth excitement and happier days For others, it is the feeling of being sun kissed surrounded by blooming daffodils in the park that truly defines spring. But for many, we look forward to brighter days and the freshness of spring. There is no doubt that Spring is going to be a season where students can let loose in outdoor spaces, instead of being confined within the four walls of a bar or restaurant,instead you will see us at the beach having a barbecue or having a picnic in the park. Another wonderful part of spring to mention is the abundance of pub gardens and drinking opportunities.

For the past two years, due to the pandemic, spring has been and gone with commemoration at all. In 2020, we were in a full scale lockdown. Then, in 2021, the only thing you could do was meet a singular friend at the park. This year, it's time to grab your picnic dresses and order in double gins for the spring of all springs. I suppose the only bad thing about spring at university is the looming deadlines. Even though it's sunny, there's a distinct abundance of stress and fatigue across campus. Lingering amongst the crisp pints and double rums is red bull and monster cans being chugged to avoid late submissions. The season itself, is one accompanied by cleanliness as many adopt the mentality: ‘out with the old and in with the new’! From new traditions to reconnecting with old mates, it is no doubt that Spring holds a different meaning for everyone. Here’s to brighter days ahead!

Image: Pixabay

Sub-editors: Emily Kelso & Humphrey Jordan

Monday 7th March 2022

Comment

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No-class: the re-emergence of class in UK politics?

highlights how a working-class person’s background can inform and be the basis of their later work. Linking this into the political sphere, research published in Comparative Political Studies has shown that MPs from a working-class background commonly vote for more traditional welfare policies. This is indicative of the way in which class upbringing affects political leaning. Class in of itself is inherently political, not just economical. However, it has been shown that the role of class in politics is no longer as predictable as it used to be – an election poll in 2019 showed that more working-class people vote Conservative than those in the middle class. Whilst this seems unusual when compared with preconceived notions of class voting lines it shows that ideas of class are not easy-to-define boxes that can be slotted into.

Ross Bennett

Have class tensions come back? Or did they never leave?

ith the rise in wealth and living conditions in the years since the Second World War, there are those who believe that the lines of class division were blurred indistinctly – making the majority of the UK populace purely middle class. However, in the past few years this has proven itself to not entirely be the case. Class lines, divisions and tensions have strongly re-embedded themselves in the British political circus.

Class in of itself is inherently political, not just economical

Would those most affected by the pandemic vote for the party that mishandled it? It is impossible to separate the concept of class from those who were most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, research by the University of Nottingham found that it was working-class women who were most negatively affected economically and mentally (with that particular demographic reporting the most psychological distress out of any other). Therefore, it is obvious to see the links between the governmental handlings, the following reaction of the

Image: Flcikr, PxHere, Rawpixel, Open Food Facts

populace and the resulting distortion effect on the political spectrum. Would those most affected by the pandemic vote for a party who could be described as mishandling it? Of course, it could be argued that the role of class as a political concept never disappeared, one piece of evidence

supporting this is the fact that only 8% of Labour MPs come from workingclass backgrounds (compared with the 70% figure from the 1920s). With this information at hand can we really say that those representing the British people in government truly represent the British people?

In Cynthia Cruz’s work The Melancholia of Class, Cruz outlines how it is the tendency of workingclass people to try to erase their backgrounds in order to ‘fit in’ with their middle and upper-class peers, as well as the then resulting mourning of their working-class roots. Cruz also

In truth, class is inherently a political concept – albeit a fluid one. No longer as predictable as it was in the days of yester year, class has re-rooted itself firmly in the political sphere, yet it is definitely an unsure beast to wrangle with. In fact, whilst the role of class looms ever over the House of Commons, the ripple effects of its presence are nowhere near as easy to tell.

Is it the right time to end the UK's Covid restrictions? Hannah Ross

A case is made in favour of ending COVID-19 public health restrictions.

s statistics show that hospital admissions and death rates of Covid-19 have plummeted, the time has come to ask whether the government are right to completely end restrictions in the UK. To answer this question properly we must adequately analyse the data provided by the government whilst also looking at other viral pandemics of the past. Graphs provided by the government show that positive tests, hospital admissions, and deaths are all on a downward trend, with the number of deaths recorded in the last seven days on 25th February of 845 – a 17.8% decrease from the previous seven-day period. Whilst the number of tests conducted has also dropped, this trend may be due to people not presenting symptoms and the people who have a severe reaction are more likely to have taken a test. The other thing to note is that deaths are measured by whether an individual has had a positive test within the last 28 days and so may be slightly higher than in reality, as Covid was not necessarily the cause of death.

It is also reassuring to look at vaccination status data. The government has kept a record of all vaccinations of people above the age of 12. Whilst only 66.3 percent of individuals have had their third dose of vaccine, it is important to note that children between the ages of 12-15 only qualify for this dose if they are high risk. Alternatively, looking at the first-dose vaccinations, 91.5 percent of the population over the age of 12 have had this. This bodes well as the World Health Organisation have found that vaccinating reduces the risk of transmission in the Delta variant by up to 40 percent and there is up to a 60 percent reduction in other variants (excluding Omicron which awaits further research). It also significantly reduces the risk of getting seriously ill and dying from the virus.

Society cannot function if we continue to have thousands of people off work The other point of note is how viruses tend to evolve and have done in the past. For example, influenza used to be much deadlier than it is now. Viruses do not fare well if they ended up killing the person they inhabit because it makes its ability to spread much more difficult and so it dies before it can make more. This is also true of coronavirus. We can see a significant downward trend in deaths

and severe symptoms as people react to this and are more likely to prevent infection (through the restrictions we have had in place for the last two years). With the flu now we offer an annual vaccine to those who are particularly susceptible to it and whilst there is a small number of people who die from it each year, this number is very low, and we live quite happily with the virus. I see coronavirus heading down a similar route – society cannot function if we continue to have thousands of people off work as well as the huge blow it has had to our economy.

Vaccination significantly reduces risk In conclusion, I believe we are reaching the point where it is the right time for restrictions to end. Deaths and hospital admissions are on the decline and will only grow smaller as uptake of the second and third doses of the vaccine increases. Society must go back to normal for people to live their lives to the fullest extent. Perhaps it is wrong to remove all restrictions at once, however, it is certainly the time to transition towards this stage.

Image: Rawpixel, Wikimedia Commons

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Emily Kelso & Humphrey Jordan

Comment

Sanctions against Russia: A failure or slow burner? Tom Barlow

The sanctions placed on Russia thus far are discussed to evaluate whether they go far enough or not

selection of Russian banks will be banned from Swift, as European leaders finally come together to detach Russia from the international finance system. But is it enough? A selection of Russian banks will be banned from Swift, as European leaders finally come together to detach Russia from the international finance system. But is it enough? Calls to expel Russia from Swift have been ongoing ever since Russia invaded on the 24th February. Germany and Italy are two countries which heavily rely on the importation of gas, with Russia supplying around 60% of the former’s gas. Leaders Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sergio Mattarella were therefore reluctant to impose meaningful sanctions, due to the knock-on effects that would have on the two countries’ energy supplies. Germany initially halted the Nord Stream 2 initiative as a sanction against Russia, which is a pipeline intended to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany.

The pipeline had not been opened prior to the sanctions, however, meaning such German sanctions were in reality weak - and Germany had endured criticism for this. Russia’s quick-paced storm into Kyiv (the capital of Ukraine) in a matter of days have seen European leaders reevaluate their decisions made when Russia first invaded. The new sanctions, including removing Russia from Swift are directly aimed at reducing the ability of the Russian central bank to spend its foreign currency reserves.

Liz Truss has claimed that she has a hit list of Russian Oligarchs facing sanctions

Russian oligarchs. An unfolding situation affecting the football world is Chelsea’s owner Roman Abramovich. He has given stewardship of the club to the trustees of the club’s charity foundation, who’s chairman, Bruce Buck, is also the chairman of Chelsea FC. As of the 27th February, the trustees have yet to confirm whether they accept Abramovich's decision. Not the best preparation on the eve of a cup final for the Pensioners. Truss refused to comment on whether Abramovich was on her ‘hit-list,’ but it is believed that the close relations between Vladimir Putin and the Chelsea owner are of great significance in the unfolding s itu at i on

with the oligarch.

German sanctions were in reality weak

RUSI think-tanker Tom Keatinge exclaimed that the UK’s first bombardment of sanctions were more like bringing a ‘peashooter to a gunfight'. Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Tom Tugendhat, has expressed how we need to hit out hard and early and so will the failure in rolling out more severe

A further sanction has been the ending of sales of golden visa, which the White House announced in collaboration with the UK, Italy, Germany, France and Canada. Russian oligarchs have been able to effectively buy citizenships in various countries such as the UK, with no need to prove efficiently that their money was obtained legitimately. Liz Truss, the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has claimed that she has a ‘hit-list’ of Russian oligarchs facing sanctions. Truss also explained how the government would be accelerating the roll-out of the new economic crime bill this week, in an attempt to target people’s assets more easily, such as properties and other possessions of the

sanctions earlier be of detriment to NATO countries? Will the asset freezing of oligarchs and banning of selected Russian banks from Swift be enough to dry out Putin’s $500bn reserve quick enough? Unless Russia step foot on a NATO country then these sanctions will have to be enough, and they will continually grow to become more severe in an attempt to cripple the aggressive Putin regime. Leaders will have to move in coordination, but quickly, as each day more innocent lives are lost.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

For Ukranians - a question of fight or flight with the help of police. An act of beauty that brings hope to an innocent people fighting for freedom and democracy. Solidarity is forming, with people deciding to fight this full-scale invasion, making homemade weapons such as molotov cocktails—a determination finding its source in a unifying national sentiment to protect their beloved country by their own means.

Killian Duvivier

A portrait of the situation of Ukrainians in the midst of war

magine waking up at the sound of bombs. This is what Ukrainians are facing since tensions have escalated to a new level, war. Russia initiated an attack on the country with military operations including the development of troops and bombings of strategic military sites in Ukraine. On the 24th February, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, declared martial law, calling anyone willingly able to fight to join for the defence of the country. Any men between 18 to 60 years old have been forbidden to leave the country as many families decided to flee to neighbouring western countries, such as Poland.

Anxiety and fear have become a part of daily life, many Ukrainians thrust into risk Anxiety and fear have become part of daily life, as many Ukrainians who decided (or were forced) to stay live in the dread of being injured by the Russian bombs supposed to ‘demilitarise’ the country in the words of Vladimir Putin. Ukrainians went from citizens of a sovereign country to refugees and soldiers within a mere 24 hours. Many are still hesitating over whether to

A war that even the Russians don’t want, with more than 1,700 arrests following anti-war protests

Image: Twitter. @escapethecityyy

escape, waiting to see if bombings and invasion will reach their own area. For the people that managed to flee — to western cities such as Lviv first — they are now accumulating along the borders of neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary and Moldavia; with people waiting hours on end in their cars to cross. Some even had to reach the other side walking, many carrying young children. Although the lives of Ukrainians

took a tragic turn since the beginning of this war, many were prepared to seek a plan B. Truth is, the people of Ukraine were expecting the tensions to take a new turn since 2014, in light of the annexation of Crimea and the pro-Russian movements in the Donbass region. With about 2 million that had already moved to Poland since the start of the conflict, many more are now yet to come. For the people that stay, the question

is where to find a refuge. A safe shelter protecting them from the Russian bombs. For several days now, some people have found refuge in Kyiv's metro, built much deeper into the ground than most of its counterparts and therefore providing an essential anti-bombing protection. In the midst of uncertainty, a 23-yearold mother gave birth in one of the metro stations to a baby girl whilst hiding from bombings in the capital

It seems as if no one wants this war, in many countries in the world, Ukrainian nationals and other supports are going down in the street demanding Russia to end this war. ‘HET BONHE’ can be read on many prosteter’s signs meaning ‘no war’ in Russian. A war that even the Russians don’t want, with more than 1,700 arrests in 53 different Russian cities following the anti-war protests. Loads of questions remain unanswered as to whether the war will last, what will happen for the majority staying. Will the Western countries will be able to palliate with the growing number of refugees? All these questions leave Ukrainians in a total fog.

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Erika Armanino & Jon Deery

Science

Do we have to choose Killed for Capital: between science and God? Our Green Earth Leo David Prajogo

The Newcastle Christian Union hosted a recent talk on whether science is compatible with faith

spent my Wednesday evening attending a talk with the title above by Newcastle Christian Union. I’m a Muslim science student who knows nothing about Christianity, and personally, I think it was an excellent way to spend my evening.

The Christian Union got together four Christian scientists: part-time chemistry researcher Bill Cleggs, SNES lecturer Helen Adamson, interventional cardiologist Vijay Kunadian (recently promoted to professor of cardiology!) and radiologist JJ Wyatt. Our four speakers tackled this divisive question with grace, drawing on their own faith and experience as scientists to answer the audience’s queries about whether faith and science can co-exist. In his opening speech Bill made a point that I think will stick with me for a very long time: faith is trust, and, like how the religious have faith in their beliefs, scientists must have faith in their imperfect models and theories. Faith in science and faith in God are not all that different. For him, faith is not an explanation that goes against science, and science is not an argument against religion. JJ and Vijay discussed how their faith in God guided their work as medical professionals. Helen spoke

Images: Look and Learn, Flickr and Canva

Hannah Ross

Is capitalism compatible with a habitable planet?

about the compatibility of the Bible and evolution. There were many audeince questions, from whether the Bible supports the existence of extraterrestrial life to why God allows us to suffer. I found it fascinating how Christian beliefs about science aligned with my own faith. “Do we have to choose between science and God?” is a question with so much room for debate, and I look forward to see what other intriguing events the Christian Union has in store.

Eczema, mental health and body acceptance Erika Armanino -Science Sub-Editor

czema is a medical condition in which the skin becomes red and inflamed with blisters which cause itching and bleeding. There are seven different types of eczema but the most common is Atopic Dermatitis, the one I suffer from. Atopic Dermatitis is chronic and there is no cure for it and it affects 5-10% of adults in the UK. Despite being common among children and adults, the mental health and psychological awareness around this skin condition is still behind the times. The first time red patches appeared on my skin I was three years old, when my mother noticed that my nursery uniform was irritating my skin. Since then, a part of my life has been devoted to finding relief. It is useless to say that this relief never arrived. In my childhood and teenage years I must have seen at least forty different doctors as I was literally tearing my skin apart. For people who don’t have any skin conditions it is nearly impossible to understand how this can affect you both physically and mentally. I’m not only talking about having irritated and red skin, it’s way more complicated than that. When I was younger I used

to scratch myself so hard to the point of bleeding, which forced my parents to bandage my arms and to force me to wear gloves when going to bed because I could seriously injure myself. As a kid I kept asking myself why my skin wasn’t as flawless as my classmates’ and why I could not use the ‘trendy’ body products everybody else was. Some kids wouldn’t touch me because they were afraid of getting ‘the plague’. We all know that kids have no boundaries and they cannot control their opinions and I hold no grudge. But it is something I don’t forget. Growing up I realised that the looks of adults hurt more than the ones of kids. One of the first things that I learned having eczema is that the mental triggers are way stronger than the physical ones. This was hard to accept and harder to control. Materials such as wool and nickel cannot be in contact with my skin as it would create a rash. Food such as mussels, whole grain products and tomatoes were only a few of the foods I couldn’t eat. But, what really triggers my skin is anxiety and stress. It is automatic and I have no control over it: when anxious or stressed about something I start scratching my arms, seeing what I’ve done to my skin makes me more stressed, which makes me want to scratch more. It’s basically a vicious circle that I still haven’t learned how to control after twenty-three years of my life. Accepting that my skin is different was hard. I remember when I was in school and during the period of April-

May you could start feeling the summer arriving. Where I’m from - Italy - students pass the months of April, May and June in t-shirts as the classrooms transform into massive ovens. While the other kids could not wait to get into their summer clothes, heat only meant one thing to me: having to take my hoodie off. Taking my hoodie off meant showing the world my skin. I remember I dragged that moment for as long as I could, while severely sweating. Sometimes I’d like to give my younger self a hug. I should also specify that eczema is not talked about in Italy and that I only met two people who had my same condition during my childhood. This did not make the acceptance any easier. Realising my skin is different has been a long journey that has not come to an end yet. Eczema is something that I’ll never heal from and I finally accept it. When I look at my skin now I don’t see something to hide, instead I see scars that tell a story: my story. I take my eczema as a physical warning for my body to tell me that there is something wrong with my mental health, which pushes me to take action. I am grateful for all the effort and time my parents put into making me feel better and into finding a solution that best fit me. I still haven’t found that solution but I definitely learnt to love my skin the way it is. As Joseph Goldstein said: ‘You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf’.

t is safe to say that the world is currently falling into the abyss that is the future after climate change. The largest contributors to carbon emissions today are big oil and gas companies looking for cheap techniques of production to perpetuate the world dictator of growth: capitalism. A 2017 report from the Climate Accountability Institute showed that 100 companies are responsible for over 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions – many of which are state- or privately-owned fuel companies. Capitalist economics requires that we function in the realm of competitive markets with the aim of outpricing other companies to capture the market and generate higher profits. For this to happen, companies set lower prices to entice consumers and can only combat this negative source by providing a large supply cheaply. This requires low wages and, more relevantly, cheap technology. Fuel companies are the main culprits of carbon emissions as they provide the supply of non-renewable energy resources. These companies have been lobbying governments for decades to delay national and global action. They have been aware of the threat of climate change since the 1950s, yet have continued regardless, hiding behind the excuse that consumers are the ones responsible – again echoing this capitalist mindset of the necessity (and inevitability) of consumerism. The aim of growth only exacerbates the issue, finding more consumers to accumulate more capital to invest in expanding the company to increase supply, and therefore consumption, of oil and gas. And so, the cycle continues... The transition to renewable energy sources is costly as it requires research and the technology needs to be refined to make mass-production cheap. Most companies are not willing to make this jump as it damages their profits, and their technology is already catered towards oil and gas extraction and consumption. Take electric cars for example. These are only just being adapted for popular use. Charging points

are becoming more frequent but still lack the capacity for large-scale use, and the time between charges is still an issue that needs technological research, discouraging consumers from buying them. So, what can be done and what is being done to combat this? One route is through government policies that either reward or punish companies for the way they behave in terms of method and output. Unfortunately, this is difficult in our current globalised world because companies can move from country to country and can also act as international entities problematising who is held accountable to which government – or should international institutions have the power to deal with this? Companies can find loopholes to base themselves in certain places where they avoid punishment and continue to sell to whoever demands it, and there will continue to be demand because low-carbon options are less viable to consumers. A solution that is currently being used is through investment opportunities. Because sustainable development is being promoted to the public now, it is appealing to them to see companies that market themselves as sustainable, but who are also affordable to them. Therefore, companies have investors find sustainable initiatives for them to invest in something they can use as a marketing tool to say they support sustainability. Whilst this does not deal with the issue of poor environmental strategies of that company, at least money is being put into the sustainability sector so the research can be done to produce affordable, sustainable options. This leaves the question of stranded assets. If the world moves to sustainable options to battle the emergency climate crisis, what happens to the companies that are left with no demand and so useless expensive equipment and millions of workers they can no longer pay? This then comes back to the waste of capital and labour – companies cannot give these up otherwise their whole capitalist endeavour will fall. Governments around the world must find a way to compensate companies for their losses otherwise they will continue to fight against sustainable development and capitalism will inevitably push us into the grave.

Image: PxHere and Wikimedia Commons

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole

Relationships

Rate the Date What made you sign up for Blind Date? I've never had a blind date before so I asked myself "why not?!" and signed up for it. What were your first impressions of Parvathi? She is charming and beautiful. She seemed down to earth but adventurous and we got along well. How did you find the venue? Scream For Pizza was cozy with really good vibes and ambiance. The food was delicious, and the staff were polite. What did you choose to eat and drink? We ordered 'Mr. Blue Spice' Pizza to share and 'SFP Fried Buttermilk Chicken' on the side. She had pineapple juice and I had a Coke. Did you find out anything interesting about your date? Parvathi said that she doesn't have a structured image of an "Ideal man" that a guy has to fit in. She prefers spending time getting to know people before she decides whether she likes him. Describe your date in 3 words Dancing, Travelling, Shopping and Dogs (Sorry, I cross the word limit in my assignments as well!). Would you like to see each other again? Yes I would like to know more about her Would you recommend Blind Date to a friend? I would absolutely recommend it my friends.

Parvathi, Drug Chem, 23

Yusuf, Environmental Eng, 26

Rate the Date What made you sign up for Blind Date? I signed up just for curiosity and fun. What were your first impressions of Yusuf? He was nice, gentlemanly and a genuine guy. How did you find the venue? Scream For Pizza was very nice and cozy. What did you choose to eat and drink? We chose pizza and soft drinks. Did you find out anything interesting about your date? We had a really good time, we could talk about things we had in common. Describe your date in 3 words Sweet, calm and geniune. Would you like to see each other again? We are seeing how things go. Would you recommend Blind Date to a friend? Yes definitely, it's a new experience.

Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole

Monday 7th March 2022

Relationships

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No expectations, no obligations, no commitments Meg Howe - Head of Life & Style

After ending things with a long-term partner, your perspective on relationships is bound to change...

he hardest part of a relationship is the societal pressures that come along with the labels. The second that the words ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’ are mentioned, I feel this huge sense of unnecessary pressure that can often result in unwanted complications. Making things ‘official’ often leaves us with so many questions surrounding the way we’re expected to act, things we should say, and the things we should do. Saying this however, outside of these pressures, the idea of a relationship really appeals to me. This isn’t to say that I am unable to find happiness spending time alone, but the idea of having someone I can rely on and someone I can spend my time with, really makes me happy (vom!).

This puts me in the position where I have control over my feelings I think there is one simple fix to this. A way to enjoy the company of another person, but without the expectations, obligations, and commitments of

an ‘official’ relationship. For lack of a better word, I’ve been calling this a ‘deal’ or an ‘agreement’. I know this sounds like some weird, financially beneficial arrangement, but what I mean by this is that all parties are getting what they want from the ‘relationship’, without the hassle or worry.

My biggest worry comes from the obligation to do something for the other person

Whilst what I propose requires a degree of commitment to the cause itself, I believe that this sort of ‘agreement’ puts me in the position where I have control over my feelings and am less likely to get heartbroken, (she says) but only tell will tell…

I think that ‘sweet spot’ lies somewhere in that odd phase between knowing and not knowing what the situation is: or as I like to call it, a ‘situationship’! My biggest worry when it comes to making a relationship ‘official’ comes from the obligation I feel to do something for the other person due to my commitment to them. And when I say that I don’t want commitments, I think it’s important for me to state that they do kind of scare me. Not to the point where I’ll completely run away, but when that pressure of commitment isn’t there I believe that I’m more likely to enjoy the time I’m spending with someone. What I’m describing here is pretty much a casual relationship; which can mean different things to different people. And with any of these relationships, it’s important to rely on communication. Our expectations of each other can differ; some of us may feel obligated to do some things, while others feel obligated to do others; and commitment may mean different things to different people.

Image: Pixabay (jupilup)

So he's a bit of a fixer-upper... We believe all men are deserving of second chances regardless of how terrible they may be

Ciara Rivers

A discussion of how the patriarchy leads women to believe they need to nurture and cater for their

romantic interest (think Beauty and the Beast) so the trope in part stems from the prioritisation of male storylines and character development. This also reinforces the idea that women have a responsibility to physically and emotionally nurture men. In a reallife context, we thus believe that all men are deserving of love, care and second chances regardless of how terrible a person they may be. The idea of romance is romanticised in society so women are putting themselves secondary to their partners for the continuation of a romantic relationship. We like the idea of having a boyfriend so much we are willing to overlook his misogyny. Plus, the concept of “fixing him” makes us feel needed as well as desired and loved. It provides a sense of fulfilment that cannot be obtained from simply being with this man because of his problematic nature.Ultimately, you can’t fix him and nor should you wish to. This idea is outdated and harmful because it perpetuates gender stereotypes of women having a responsibility to nurture men. It is time men took on the onus of fixing the negative impacts of patriarchy themselves in order to not be a burden in their relationships. A partner should never be a project.

f you are anything like me, the urge to “fix” people has been around since an early age, beginning with an inexplicable and concerning attraction to Rude Ralph from Horrid Henry and Draco Malfoy. Though the complex can occur in relationships of all sexualities, it is especially relevant to heterosexuality as it usually involves a woman aiming to solve her problematic boyfriend who is at best emotionally unavailable and at worse abusive. This is because the concept is fundamentally a symptom of a patriarchal society. Firstly, it relies on gender stereotyping: girls are raised to be nurturing and maternal and boys grow up expecting this kind of treatment from every woman in their lives. The moral superiority and advanced maturity of women and girls are seen as a fact of life. Furthermore, toxic masculinity has normalised men that are incapable of emotionally opening up to anyone other than their romantic interest.

It perpetuates the stereotype that it's women's responsibility to nurture men

These ideas are then developed and sustained by media tropes. From Jim Stark in Rebel without a Cause to Danny in Grease to Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, we are constantly taught that Bad Boy characters are desirable. Often Bad Boys receive redemption arcs under the influence of their perfect female

Image: Spanner- Unsplash (kalljet)

Image: Brain - Pixabay (b0red)

Image: (Nate Jacobs)IMDB

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole

Relationships

Should we still be dating for marriage? Heather Adams

A question into the reason behind our romantic relationships

or much of society, marriage is the end goal when it comes to relationships. There is this huge pressure put on us to find ‘The One’ as soon as possible so that we can settle down and achieve the heteronormative goal of a perfect marriage and family. However, even though it is essential to be honest and upfront in the early stages of dating, only dating to get married can be counterproductive and create toxic situations. We are so frequently told that we shouldn’t date people if we don’t see a future with them, but, when we are overanalysing our (potential) future with a new partner, we very quickly forget to be present in the relationship. There are so many crucial milestones that we experience when in the throes of a new relationship and it is very possible that those of us who are desperate to get married skip over these stages to arrive at the marriage part as quickly as possible. Whereas what we should be doing is taking our time and enjoying the so-called honeymoon phase before things progress.The idea that a relationship is only successful if it ends in marriage is deeply problematic because romantic relationships form a major part of our development as they allow us to learn about ourselves and our desires.

Romantic relationships allow us to learn about ourselves and our desires

types of people to discover who we are most compatible with. Many relationships are simply meant to end so that we can have a better idea of what we want in the future. These breakups should therefore not be seen as failures because they show that we have realised the issues that were present and, rather than ignoring them to rush to the finish line, i.e., marriage, we are instead looking for someone with whom we are more compatible.

This obsession with the future can cause us to settle with people who are not right for us It is very easy to ignore red flags in relationships when we are putting so much emphasis on marriage because this desperation to get married means that we are not focussing on the present, but rather obsessing over the future. Additionally, this obsession with the future can cause us to settle with people who are not right for us, despite their glaringly obvious red flags because we think that we are in love when we’re not so that we can rush the relationship to arrive at the end-stage quicker Obviously, wanting to get married is a perfectly acceptable desire and this is something that we should discuss with the people that we are dating. But we mustn’t settle for someone willing to marry us even when they are clearly not right for us and understand that just because a relationship has ended, does not make it a failure.

Dating teaches us what we want out of a relationship, so it is important to date different

Image: Stocksnap Pixabay

Solo adventuring Let's celebrate our Joseph Caddick - Puzzles & Gaming sub-editor

Taking time for oursleves by going on solo trips is an important part of self care

alentine’s Day can be a difficult time if you’re single, especially when juggling the usual stresses of student life on top of it. Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be treated, and that’s something that is true for every day, not just February 14th. This is something it’s taken me 22 years to learn, but I’m so glad I know now. Rather than spending Valentine’s Day feeling a little glum, I decided to go on a mini-holiday, 24 hours where I spoiled myself so much that I just couldn’t feel sad. The events started with a Thai massage, something I’d never experienced before. It was a little more intense than I expected, but once I got over that it was a fantastic experience. The 60 minutes felt like no time at all, and it was time for the next stop on my whistlestop holiday. All holidays feature a nice change of scenery, so I’d booked myself into a hotel. At £81 for the night, it wasn’t cheap, and certainly not something I can do often on my budget. That being said, it’s the closest thing I’ve had to a holiday since the pandemic hit. And if a hotel wasn’t enough, I’d bought myself a box of chocolates a few days earlier that I’d packed in my bag. I enjoyed these whilst I lay on the comfy, freshly made hotel bed.

Image: Pexels Pixabay

female friends!

Annabel Hogg - Relationship sub-editor

As International Women's Day approaches, it's time to talk about why female friendships are so empowering

h. We’ve all heard it before. “I’m not really friends with girls, I just get along with boys so much better!”. It’s a sentence said by women all across the globe and one that perpetuates stigma around female friendships – that they’re bitchy, full of drama, and emotional. Well, in celebration of International Women’s Day, I’m here to tell you that not being friends with girls is old news, and that life becomes so much better when you stop judging your fellow women. The world is a scary place for women, but it becomes a little less scary when there’s people fighting your corner. In the last two weeks, one of my friends formed a human wall to protect me from a creepy guy in a club, I screamed at a man for taking photos of my friends until he deleted them, and we’ve held countless drinks to stop eachother getting spiked. Granted, many of my male friends would do the same if I asked – but they’re not always watching out for this shit. I always feel far safer and enjoy my night way more when I’m with people who face the same hurdles. Also, female friendships are just fun. There’s nothing I love more than fully embracing the “basic” label with my friends. We sip our silly

little iced coffees, watch our rom-coms and talk about boys 90% of the time – and it is absolutely wonderful.

We sip our silly little iced coffees, watch our romcoms and talk about boys 90% of the time When me and my fellow sub-editors end up in D&P, my favourite part is waking up the next morning (one time four of us crammed into one bed), looking like corpses and trying to piece together the night before. My uni experience has been made by all the wonderful women I’ve met and I pity anyone still stuck in the ‘not like other girls’ mindset from 2010. It’s sexist and it’s boring. Go get a caramel macchiato and catch up with your girl-friends, you won’t regret it.

Image: Pixabay ( autumnsgoddess0)

Sub-editors: Faye Navesey, Molly Taylor & Leanna Thomson

Monday 7th March 2022

Lifestyle

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Listen-in to these podcasts Voice elitism: The struggles Podcasts are becoming of having a regional accent more and more popular, Peter Bath - Head of Sport

though the rise of spotify and apple music. So, here's a list of It's a Beautiful Day in the Gulch the must listen to ones!

- Miles and Alex

Hannah Ross

Ologies - Alie Ward his podcast brings an hour of delight with every episode! Ologies is a podcast where science enthusiast, the wonderful Alie Ward, interviews a different 'ologist' each week to find out all there is to know about what they do for a living, from the everyday research to the downright weird scenarios they end up in. On the face of it, this appears to be an average science podcast, but when you start to explore all the episodes you find such an eclectic mix of content, including things you didn't even know you wanted to learn about! Episodes range from volcanology (volcanoes), to horology (the study of watchmaking), to myrmecology (the biology and behaviours of ants), all the way to mixology (well I think we all know what this one is about!). This podcast is great to listen to in the shower, walking to university, a car journey, anywhere! It's a lovely way to refresh and relax whilst learning something new at the same time!

Molly Taylor - Lifestyle sub-editor

The Girls Bathroom - Sophia & Cinzia

he Girls Bathroom is a podcast created by Sophia and Cinzia, two best friends from Nottingham. Inspired by the gossip and advice sessions in the girls bathroom of a club, they discuss relationships and girl chat in a way which makes the listener feel like they're part of the girl group. They have a question of the week, where they ask something on instagram like 'would you ever get back with an ex that cheated?' or 'Would you take your partner's surname if you got married?' and then discuss. In the rest of the podcast, they read out listener dilemmas and discuss what advice they would give in different scenarios. This is a really nice way of bridging the gap between the speakers and listeners, and the topics they discuss are sometimes issues I had never thought of before. It's the kind of podcast that you can listen to when you're cooking, walking to uni, or in the bath. I can't wait for Wednesday when the next one comes out!

Images: Pixabay @C5187396 Pixabay @positive_images Pixabay @GDJ

wo ‘bros’ from Bloomington, Indiana, Miles and Alex, have relaxed chats on anything that springs to mind. This one might be a hard sell The listenership is modest, the production lofi and there’s no specific topic, but this is what gives Gulch its charm. Admittedly, a lot of the appeal is down to my parasocial relationship with the hosts at this point, but there’s more to it than that. Most episodes open with a short poem from Alex. A typical offering is “Grass has blades / So does the mower / The mower wins the battle / Grass wins the war.” The ensuing free-flowing chats often come back to topics including feats of strength (Alex supposedly once did 1000 push-ups on Valentine’s day), Wim ‘the Iceman’ Hof, and animal facts. The pod’s description is simply “Livin’ la vida local”. The local focus might seem off-putting if, like me, you’d never heard of Bloomington, but escaping into a whole different world for an hour is strangely relaxing. Episodes are often recorded on-the-go, including visits to museums and festivals. This means they’re unpredictable - sometimes they capture a beautiful spontaneous event, sometimes it’s almost all drowned out by the sound of a lawnmower.

Emma Bausen

Off Menu - James Acaster and Ed Gamble

oodies, attention! This one is for you. Off Menu is about a celeb’s favourite starter, main course, desert, side dish and drink. The show is hosted by James Acaster, as a genie-waiter granting all the guests wishes, and Ed Gamble, as himself. Each week a guest is questioned on their food choices, including the hilarious or emotional stories behind them. It is an absolute treat and trust me, you will be hungry after each episode. For an extra kick, each week there’s a secret ingredient. If said ingredient is chosen by the celeb, they will be kicked out of the restaurant, no matter if they are Oscar nominated, a national treasure or a chef themselves. The guests range from Jaimie Oliver and Aisling Bea to Anne-Marie and Greg Davies. There are currently over 130 episodes already, so I'm confident that there’ll be at least one celeb that you want to hear from. New episodes are out every Wednesday. Give it a listen!

Carly Horne - TV sub-editor

A discussion of accent representation in the media and within the workplace

n a 1975 article, a University lecturer was quoted as saying 'The accent of the lowest state of Glaswegians is the ugliest one can encounter' and as someone who grew up between Glasgow and Paisley, this quote has always stuck with me. To be mocked for something you can't control is an issue many of us face. For some people, however, it can be a real point of insecurity. My accent has always been a source of anxiety for me and I have serious concerns of being unduly judged for something I have no real control over. I never speak up in lectures, despite knowing the answer - just in case I’m asked to repeat myself. My accent has been laughed at for being heavy, despite the fact I don’t sound remotely like the accent so often mocked. Worst of all, I go through phases where I seriously give thought to accent reduction classes, just so there’s never any chance of my West Scotland twang holding me back in my job search. It might sound crazy, but this really isn't such an unfounded concern. Research conducted by the Social Mobility Commission found that working-class candidates find it disproportionately more difficult to enter elite professions than those of higher socioeconomic status. Despite presenting with similar experiences and qualifications, it was found that employers were making such decisions through indicators of prestige rather than merit. Additionally, it was in 2006 that the Chartered Institute of Personnel and

Development made some startling discoveries around how our accents impact our job prospects. Not only did only 3% admit that accent and dialect were a protected characteristic, but around 76% reported discriminating against applicants on the basis of their accents. Despite growing up around Scottish accents, I only vaguely remember hearing them on TV and no, Laura Kuenssberg, unfortunately, doesn’t count. I remember thinking that seeing Carol Kirkwood on BBC weather every morning was a sign of true representation, or watching Laurie Brett on Waterloo Road was demonstrative of the fact that maybe one day I could be on TV, or hold a job in the public eye (despite my own vague West of Scotland accent). Given the outrage when a Scottish couple appeared on Gogglebox last week without subtitles, however, I suspect my chances are slim. I think the reality is, we in the United Kingdom have been allowed to operate with a damaging attitude of elitism and obsession with social class which has spread across all areas of our lives. We associate power and intelligence with the Received Pronunciation (RP) accent (which is only used by approximately 2% of the population), but more common, regional accents we deem as a sign of a lack of education. Scots may reside in No. 10, have found their place in Hollywood, and even worked their way up to the position of BBC’s Political Editor; but I will always remember that 1975 article and try to tone down what is nothing more than my personal identity.

Images: Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Darkmoon_ Art, OpenClipart-Vectors

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Monday 7th March 2022

Neurodiversity at University Haaris Qureshi - Gaming sub-editor

The lack of inclusivity within our education system becomes all too clear when you are a student with autism

he education system in Britain is not designed with disability accommodation in mind. Yes, services exist to provide support, which improve year after year - but these services are plasters and duct tape used to patch an inherently and institutionally unequal system. Autism is one of those disabilities that paradoxically receives a large amount of awareness but also is continuously misunderstood - particularly in the education system. It feels that, to the ignorant, autistic people are either seen as socially isolated savants or severely learning disabled*. It's extremely common for allistics (non-autistic people) to feel the need to pigeonhole autistic into a category, despite autism being a 'spectrum' (although, not a linear one - and, to be honest, all disabilities exist on one spectrum or another, rather than being discrete types). I think this continued lack of understanding of how autism can work - and worse, the insufficient amount of autistic people working in disability support - is certainly the reason I have struggled as an autistic student and likely the reason a lot of my fellow autistics also do. I wasn't formally diagnosed as autistic until my First Year of uni in 2014 (after a diagnosis journey of about four or five years), but I have been autistic all my life. Thus, I had to spend my entire school career (i.e. my formative years) learning things that were being taught through an allistic lens. Everyone learns differently, autistic or not, but a lot of the ways that allistic students learn are in particular inaccessible to the way neurodiverse people process information. And then finding out you are autistic for sure at the age of 19 doesn't suddenly fix anything. Image: Wikamedia Commons @ MissLunaRose12

It's not as if I can suddenly switch over to autistic learning methods, because I was never taught those. And even when I access University support, it's not exactly helpful. I often get asked well what methods work for you? I don't know! That's the point! If I knew, I'd be trying them. This above quote is something that needs to be drilled into the minds of everyone involved in the education system. Frankly, we need a revolutionary move of completely dismantling the institution and rebuilding it from scratch to be inclusive.

"Allowing a student with a hidden disability to struggle academically... is no different than failing to provide a ramp for a person in a wheelchair" - Unknown

Patches don't work - rather than teaching all kids as if they were able-bodied and then providing support to disabled kids that only serves to confuse us, we need to teach all kids the same way that is inclusive to both. It's definitely possible. Hopefully one day it'll be likely. *As a terminology footnote - the UK 'officially' uses the term 'learning difficulty' to describe disabilities that are considered to impact on one's ability to process information - this tends to refer to disabilities like dyslexia and dysgraphia and others that come under the neurodiversity group. This author considers the term euphemistic (i.e. worded to avoid the word 'disability') and therefore prefers the US wording of 'learning disability', which in the UK is used instead to refer to neurodevelopment disorders such as Down syndrome (the US (and I) uses the term 'intellectual disability'). This article will therefore, as per my preference and self-identity, use the American terminology for these two.

Sub-editors: Faye Navesey, Molly Taylor & Leanna Thomson

Lifestyle

A clinically vulnerable view on ending restrictions Leo David Prajogo

The new lifting of restrictions fail to take into account the lives of the vulnerable

Trigger Warning: Covid-19 illness and death or many people, getting COVID just means staying home for ten days. For me and my family, it could mean planning a funeral. That's what my friend said when she heard about the COVID restrictions being lifted, and I fully agree. I'm someone who's gotten sick before from sharing a kitchen with someone sick. If I end up in A&E when I get a cold because I'm chronically ill, I might go to the mortuary if I get COVID. I have lost an aunt and uncle to COVID, and hearing that restrictions are being lifted fills me with rage. Why does my health, and the health of my disabled, immunocompromised, and chronically ill friends and family, matter less than the general public's convenience? Ending free testing and routine tracing means I’m far less likely to know if I come into

contact with someone with COVID. Stopping self-isolation payments discourages selfisolation. One day I may have to pay for others' recklessness, and if I pay, the price I pay will be steep.

Why does my health... matter less than the general public's convenience? With restrictions lifted, I am becoming scared; I am scared that I am losing this protection, I am scared I will be infected, and I am scared I will lose someone else I love. I am scared of going out in public. I am scared of meeting my friends. I am scared of going to lectures. I agree that one day, public health restrictions need to be lifted. We can't live with COVID restrictions forever, but choosing to live with COVID at the expense of the vulnerable is not the right answer. Lifting COVID restrictions sends out a very, very clear message: the lives of the chronically ill, immunocompromised, and disabled do not matter. Our lives should not be worth this little.

Images: Pixabay @ cromaconceptovisual

The importance of finding your happy place! Alex Burns

Travelling to your happy place is a sure-fire way to improve your mental wellbeing

ou skim your eyes across the words “happy place”, whilst reading the first line of this article, and with that moment, the image of something, someone, or somewhere has hopefully flashed into your mind. Subliminally, your brain has already stored several images of what a happy place is – a “memory, situation, or activity that makes you feel happy.”. The idea that our happy memories play out like scenes from a movie is not a new concept, and has even become a recent trend on the viral video app TikTok. The last few years have felt like an uphill battle in the fight for happiness, and it is so important to be able to find and place ourselves in environments that surround us with joy. A happy place can help you calm down, embrace new skills or make connections - but it doesn’t just have to be a real-life space. There are plenty of online opportunities to lift your mood too, like watching your all-time

favourite nostalgic movie on Disney+, or tuning in to Fearne Cotton’s aptly named “Happy Place” podcast on Spotify. Whether you are in Newcastle visiting, studying or live here permanently, there is plenty of happiness to be found in this city. The days are getting longer, and the weather is getting warmer – so there are no excuses to get out and find your new favourite places to relax in Newcastle.

Blue Spaces A 2021 study for the international journal of mental health revealed that the effects of “blue space” exposure can benefit mental health and symptoms of depression. Any body of water can constitute a blue space – but up here in the glorious North East we are less than 30 minutes away from the coast. You can jump on the metro at any central location and arrive at Tynemouth station in 30 minutes. The historic grade II listed station building, originally built in 1882, holds a weekly market over the weekend where you can support local artists and meet like-minded people, and enjoy some amazing scran. After this, make your way down to Longsands beach where you can find happiness in new hobbies, such as learning to surf with the famous

Tynemouth Surf Co. Get your steps in by walking up and down the pristine beaches (you really feel alive when that Northern wind hits your face!) or just sit, read a book, and listen to the sound of the waves crash nearby.

There is SO much more to see in Ouseburn, so get your comfy (and warm!) kit on and take a walk down the canal.

Green Spaces

Lastly, I couldn’t talk about happy places in Newcastle without mentioning some of the amazing rave spaces you can visit after the sun goes down. A 2018 study reveals that raving makes you happier, healthier and more successful. Ghetec is a freshly launched nightlife organisation bringing “dynamic, forward-thinking electronic music in the region”, as founder Boo wrote last week in Narc Magazine. " “Its mission is to create fully sensory parties and a platform for boundaryless self-expression. We will be pushing by bringing DJs to the city for their debut performances, whilst shining a light on under-represented local talent.” Raving isn’t just about the drink and the drugs – we are all the same in the dark – so keep in mind that a rave can become one of your greatest happy spaces even if you are straight-edge. There is a massive sense of community and amazing music to keep you occupied all night long!

The study also includes notes on how green spaces can provide much-needed benefits to physical and mental health. These include reducing stress levels and boosting productivity. Newcastle has plenty of access to some amazing green spaces, and here are two of my absolute favourites. Horticulture is an amazing café, bar and restaurant that provides a warm, light and green space to enjoy. Surrounded by plant life, enjoy a coffee and an alternative place to study, or make new memories with friends during a spontaneous cocktail night. Another amazing place in Newcastle to get your green fix is the Ouseburn Valley. Accessible by bus, metro or a good hilly walk, Ouseburn has become one of my favourite spots in the city. A couple of my personal happy places include: eating at Cook House (which has held onto its spot in the Michelin guide this year), pints at vegan pub The Ship Inn, and getting some much-needed exercise at The Valley Climbing Centre.

Dark Spaces

Images: Pixabay @ TheDigitalArtist, @RomanShasko, @holgersfotographie

Sub-editors: Sophia Ayub, Imogen Clarke & Lizzie Yockney

Monday 7th March 2022

Fashion & Beauty

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Campus Fashion: Me n' My Graphic Tee Harriet Metcalfe - Co-Head of Culture

Image: Pixabay starchim01

Not quite femme, but not quite masculine either- my wardrobe was teetering on the edge of both

This installment of campus fashion: a love of graphic tees; Flornece Pugh; and Tumblr

lthough I watched the likes of 27 Dresses (2008) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006) over and over again growing up, my awakening to fashion ultimately (and perhaps bizarrely) came through Tumblr's 2013 emo era, and lead singers of bands. As a young(er) Bastille fan, I would google for Dan Smith's graphic tees, avoiding the likes of his $100 purchases from tours to the US, and going for the £10 H&M options instead (spy the NASA t-shirt I bought from the mens section four years ago and still own). Much to the dismay of my mother who couldn't understand the need to own a Twin Peaks t-shirt.

champion female filmmakers and women in the creative industry through their simple but bold t-shirts and "Read Me" blog. But this snazzy number comes from Y2K tees, another online store whose slogan simply reads that "the 90s called, they want their tees back". I'd never fallen into the 90s tshirt trend before - to be frank I'd never found one that appealed all that much to me - but when I see something with Florence Pugh on... well, I have to buy it, right? Especially when the woman has a colander on her head. Paired with my black jeans I wear religiously (to the point where they're now heading into the dangerous territory between soft black and a dark grey), graphic tees like this one allow me to embrace a more androgynous side to my personality. Something not quite femme, but not quite masculine either - my wardrobe teetering on the edge of both. It's the space where I feel most comfortable, shopping through both the male and female sections, and wearing whatever I like the look of - no matter the gender designated to its label.

My awakening to fashion ultimately came through Tumblr's 2013 emo era Gradually, I started research for my own tees instead - finding the likes of the wonderful Girls on Tops, who

Image: Harriet Metcalfe

'TikTok Couture': The Good and The Bad

Samantha Seidu

TikTok has made trend cycles shorter than in previous years. What's the impact?

e all know of TikTok, the addictive social media platform that grew in popularity over lockdown. In one app, you will inevitably find content you find interesting, squashed into the space of around 30 seconds to 3 minutes maximum. TikTok in its nature is very fast paced; you find one short video to watch or you’re scrolling through to find something else to watch. This new way of producing and consuming content has influenced the way trends emerge in all categories. Naturally, the fast-paced nature of TikTok will impact the way fashion trends grow. Fashion, in itself, is an industry that is constantly evolving and changing. However, our generation’s short attention span combined with the fast stream of content has changed how we now dress and follow trends.

The fast-paced nature of TikTok will influence the way fashion trends grow

To understand how TikTok’s algorithm has changed fashion trends, we need to understand how trends work. A lot of the trends we know of today did not pop out of thin air, they are recycled and readopted; this is what we call a trend cycle. Before the rise of technology, social media and influencer culture, a normal trend cycle would typically last around 10-20 years (this is a ‘macrotrend'). A good example of this would be the Y2K/ late 90s retro look which has now resurfaced about 20 years later. New technology has increased our exposure to fashion, making different styles more accessible than ever before. This means that trend cycles have now been reduced from 10-20 years to around 3-5 years (this is a ‘micro-trend’). The arrival of TikTok has created even shorter trend cycles, lasting no longer than around three months;

for example, the Lirika Matoshi ‘Strawberry Dress’ left as soon as it came.

TikTok has created even shorted trend cycles, lasting no longer than three months, for example Fashion trends aren’t inherently a bad thing, something becomes popular for the moment then leaves, to become popular and reinvented several years later. The issue today is that trend cycles have now become too short. Whilst in the past, trends cycles could give people time to explore the trend and adopt the style, in the present day trend cycles are so short that by the time you buy your clothes, a new style will be in fashion. With influencer culture and ‘try-on hauls’, clothes in styles are bought in bulk from fast fashion sites, only to be thrown out or sent to charity shops a few months later. This is all starting to have a negative impact on the environment, most clothes end up in landfill sites whilst more are being produced en masse to keep up with the high demand for trends that will not last so long. Whilst TikTok isn’t entirely to blame, it has played a huge part in reducing the length of time between trend cycles leading to the increased consumption of fast fashion.

is also hugely important; try to reduce how much you buy from fast fashion sites or avoid it if you can! Avoid buying clothes from these sites in bulk, the cheaper prices may be tempting but these clothes were never meant to last long. Finally, dispose of your clothes responsibly when you no longer want them; donate them, give them to friends or relatives or make something new with the fabric, this way, you can prolong the longevity of the item of clothing. As mentioned before, trends are not a bad thing, they are new and exciting. But following them irresponsibly can cost us all a lot. Trends will come and go naturally, so use each trend to find your own personal style that you can follow for many years.

Image: Pixabay agnesse3

By the time you buy your clothes, a new style will be in fashion So this brings about the question: what can I do to help? The most important thing to do is to make sure you observe every trend but do not necessarily follow it. If a new trend emerges and you want to try it out, ask yourself if you really like the style or if you are trying to follow the trend. Can you see yourself wearing this in 5 years time, 10 or even 20? Use TikTok to your advantage, it has millions of different styles for you to pick and choose from regardless of whether they are in style or not. Look for styles and aesthetics you like the most and try to stick to it. Shopping sustainably

Image: Instagram @urbanoutfitters

Image: Instagram @lirika.matoshi

Image: Pixabay greissdesign

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Monday 7th March 2022

Rihanna's Maternity Fashion

Tiyanna Mistry - Campus Comment sub-editor

ihanna – a Singer, Actress, successful Business owner and now soon to be-mother. Her talent and influence in society has no limits. With the recent announcement of her pregnancy, eyes have no doubt turned to her notorious maternity outfits, adding ‘fashion icon’ to her long list of attributes. Whilst we all know that Rihanna has produced some jaw-dropping red-carpet looks, her maternity fits have been to die for. Since announcing her pregnancy with A$AP Rocky, the star has been sporting low rise jeans, crop tops and flowy jackets that showcase her baby bump. Her recent dazzling looks have redefined maternity wear by wearing clothes that proudly display her baby bump. Just the other week, she rocked up to the Gucci fashion show in Milan alongside her beau, adorned in latex, fur and a glittering Cleopatra-esque headpiece. Her look for sure stole the show! Though in a recent interview with Page Six, she has described that dressing like herself whilst pregnant has been a ‘challenge’, this has not deterred her from being a trendsetter. Whilst her maternity outfits may not be considered traditional, her alternative style will no-doubt be an inspiration for other mums-to-be. By proudly showcasing her baby bump and continuing to wear red-carpet worthy fits, Rihanna is changing the face of maternity style forever!

Sub-editors: Sophia Ayub, Imogen Clarke & Lizzie Yockney

Fashion & Beauty

The Nineties: The best decade of fashion Imogen Mole - Relationships Sub-Editor

Rachel Green, Beyonce & Princess Diana: is the 90s the best decade of fashion?

or me, the golden decade of fashion has to be the 90s. Whether you’re a lover or a hater there’s no denying that it was an iconic decade, and with most trends slipping back onto Urban Outfitters' rails, and Tiktok’s recreating Princess Diana’s street style, it’s certainly proved to be influential. Although I’m a 2002 baby so grew up around 2000’s fashion (don’t get me wrong, I was as insanely jealous of Hannah Montana’s sequin dresses as the next person), I have always gravitated to the 90s, in style, music and TV. As an avid watcher of iconic 90s TV shows like Friends and Sex And The City, the style I looked up to growing up was optimised by Rachel Green’s slogan sweatshirts, plaid miniskirts and baby tees and Carrie Bradshaw’s racerback mini dresses and low waisted midi-skirts.

I have always gravitated to the 90s, in style, music and TV athleisure, the 90s was a time where there wasn’t just one category for what being ‘stylish’ meant, and suddenly everyone was experimenting with their style, asking themselves whether they were a Monica Geller or a Rachel Green, a Beyoncé or a Kelly Rowland, a Baby Spice or Ginger Spice. So yes, like in every decade there was some hits and misses in the 90s (I'm looking at you, parachute pants), I stand by the fact that the 90s was the best decade for fashion. Image: Instagram @90sspicegirlsfan

The 90s seemed to be the first decade where casual street style really started to emerge

The 90s seemed to be the first decade where casual street style really started to emerge, I love that you could wear an oversized white t-shirt and boyfriend jeans in the day and a barely-there mini silk slip-dress at night (hello, posh spice), and although some would argue rightly so that the 90s was not a time of major inclusivity, it did offer many different expressions of style: from hip-hop style dungarees and bandana prints to rave culture bucket hats and tie-dye, to Sporty Spice's trendy

At this point in the semester, we are all daydreaming of a getaway

e’re fully into the year now, and honestly, I think it’s time for a holiday. But what will you be packing?

Image: Pixabay Rabbixel

Image: Instagram @organistaofficial

Ask anyone I know, and they will say they hate packing for a holiday. But luckily, being organised for me is practically a hobby, so this is how I pack for a holiday – a perfectionist's addiction!

The main thing for me is feeling comfortable! The main thing is where you’ll be going. Is it somewhere sunny and warm, or cold and snowy? And with the recent pandemic, there has been a massive increase in the number of holiday goers within the UK, so you know, expect rain and pack layers! If its somewhere warm, we’re thinking shorts, vest tops, skirts, dresses and of course a swimming costume. If it’s cold, wrap up warm with hoodies, possibly joggers (extra comfy), hat scarves, gloves and most likely some fluffy snow boots. Don't forget to treat yourself with a new outfit for evening meals. The main thing for me is feeling comfortable! Toiletries are a given. Just make sure you don't have too much in your hand luggage if you're flying! You do not want to have to open your case up at customs! Extras I like to have with me away are sea salt spray (taming my hair in the humidity), sun cream, and for when I inevitably burn, after sun or aloe vera! Make-up wise, I'd say keep it minimum. Less is more when you have a nice tan, minimal coverage will

Image: Instagram @loevely.lady.diana

Image: Instagram @rachelgreen._.outfits

Fashion hacks for your holiday packs! Imogen Smillie

give you more time to enjoy the finer things on your getaway!

I could go onto explain how I pack the exact pairs of underwear for the number of days away If you want to be extra organised packing cubes are a great idea, splitting up clean clothes, dirty clothes, toiletries etc. A recent find of mine is to roll your clothes instead of folding them. Seems crazy, but it actually saves you loads of space in your case! I could go on to explain how I plan the exact number of pairs of underwear for the number of days I’ll be away (plus extras just in case), but that takes away the relaxation we all want and need. So stay comfy and enjoy!!

Image: Instagram @dualipa

The Power of Charity

Hannah Ross

he blazer I found is one of my favourite charity shop finds. It gives very Winona Ryder Heathers vibes with her oversized suit look – I especially enjoy rolling the sleeves up to give that professional yet carefree appearance. It is originally Marks and Spencers and I actually found it in the men's section, which I recommend to anyone when it comes to jackets because it's like having a wearable TARDIS with number of pockets on it! Whilst the average M&S men's blazer retails at between £50-£100 this piece cost me a fiver in Oxfam – cheap, yet fashionable and most importantly high quality – this will last a lifetime! I found an Oh Polly corset top in a local hospice charity shop in West Yorkshire last week. The top was basically brand new with the original labels still attached. I often enjoy flicking through the Oh Polly website but am often saddened after as it is not the kind of shop for student on a tight budget to be buying from every day – as much as I wish I could! This corset on the other hand cost me a total of three whole English pounds – STEAL! And all towards a fantastic cause at the same time. The benefit of charity shops is that everything is cheap so there are no fears in giving clothes a little edit if they don't quite fit right or you feel they need a little embellishment. I also find them great for sewing projects. For example, I am currently collecting ties for a bargainous £1 each to make into a garment – saves so much money on expensive fabric!

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Alice Holmes & Lenka Minarovicova

Travel

24 hours in Edinburgh Alice Holmes - Travel sub-editor

Another instalment of our 24 hour in a city series, this time visiting Edinburgh, Scotland.

dinburgh is one of my favourite cities in the UK. It has such a nice mix of beautiful old architecture and cobblestone streets but doesn’t miss out on all the shops and restaurants and atmosphere of a busy modern city. It is the perfect size to walk around and explore and is great to visit at all times of the year. I’ve compiled a 24hour guide packed to the brim with things to do, places to see and things to eat because there’s so much on offer. With Edinburgh being only a 2-hour train journey from Newcastle, it’s perfect for a day trip. For this specific guide I would recommend a Spring/Summer visit due to the amount of time spent outside however, any season would be great. First things first, after arriving in Edinburgh, the best thing to start your day is breakfast/brunch. One place I love to go to is Hula, based in the Grassmarket which is a beautiful area to explore after you’ve eaten. Hula is a small café offering a wide ranging menu filled with healthy options. We had the avocado on toast which was amazing and fresh green juice. They also offer lunch poke bowls which I would love to go back and try one day. It is also environmentally conscious with no plastic and locally sourced food. After food, walk up to Arthur’s seat, an ancient volcano 251m above sea level. When my friends and I decided to do this, we went under the pretence from many travel guides that it’s an easy hike. Although it’s not especially challenging, it does require a lot of effort and time. It is worth it though. The views from the top over the city really are beautiful, especially on a sunny day.

After a long walk, lunch is required. Vittoria’s on the Bridge is a really nice Italian restaurant with a beautiful interior and friendly staff. They have a menu filled with pizza and pasta and their tiramisu is amazing. Take the afternoon exploring around the castle and visiting many of Edinburgh’s independent book shops. We explored a number of them including Golden Hare books and Topping and

Company booksellers. If you are interested in history, you could also explore inside Edinburgh castle, or just look around outside. If you have time in the afternoon, the National Gallery of Scotland is free to enter, sitting below the castle it is great to explore if you enjoy art, and even if you don’t it’s still interesting to look around. A great stop for ice cream is Mary’s Milk Bar, now popular due to Tik Tok, this ice cream shop always has extensively long queues in summer and offers peculiar flavours. We enjoyed sitting by the green below the castle and eating ice creams on summer afternoons. For an evening meal, I would highly recommend Topolabamba. This Mexican restaurant offers a variety of dishes including tapas, quesadillas, burritos, and lots of tequila-based cocktails. We ordered lots of different small plates and shared them between us which I would highly recommend. For the evening, one activity I have never actually done in Edinburgh, but have always wanted to, is a ghost tour. They advertise them all around the city and I think it would be perfect activity to end the days with a group of friends.

This week we asked for personal reflections on why travel is important to you...

n a world where you can be anything, be a traveller! There seems to be an innate human desire to travel, explore and experience new things. So much so that the English language has a word for it: ‘wanderlust’. The word suggests craving and thirst for travel, that many of us experience in our lifetime. But what is it that drives us to want to travel the way we do? The world is full of so many beautiful locations, cultures and foods; and without travel we would be severely limited to the places and people we can experience. Whilst our corner of the world (and in this example I mean England), is full of countryside

Year Abroad Diaries: Dealing with loneliness Lenka Minarovicova - Travel sub-editor

Different causes of loneliness you can experience on your year abroad and how to deal with it.

hilst on your year abroad, you’ll most definitely feel lonely at some point. It’s natural but it’s better to be prepared in advance. The loneliness may be caused by various things and I’ve attempted to put them into categories.

1/ Culutre shock

Image: Source: Alice Holmes

The importance of travel Meg Howe - Head of Life & Style

villages, quaint little towns, and bustling cities, there is a huge wide world of places to explore far beyond the rolling hills of England.

Every single travel experience I've had has left me with memories to last a lifetime

Maybe it’s that so many books, TV shows or movies depict exotic jungles, sandy beaches and blue skies, which makes us want to hop on a plane

or a train to explore the world. Or maybe it’s the longing to have a unique story to tell; something that other people may not have done. But for me, my desire to travel - whether it be abroad or within our borders - comes from two main things. Firstly, the memories! Every single travel experience I’ve had has left me with memories to last a lifetime. These are experiences that I will never forget, and often ones with people I care so deeply about. Secondly, education! There has been so much I’ve learned on each one of my travel adventures. Whether it be a historic fact about the area, or the trip itself has been for educational purposes. I have always taken something away from the travel experience. My travel experiences have allowed me to grow so significantly as a person. Whether that be my first time on an aeroplane without my parents, or attempting to speak the native language of the country I am in. I am grateful for our ability to travel, and it’s not something I will ever take for granted!

Moving to a completely new country for a year is just as exciting as scary. Different people experience this at different times – some as soon as they get to the new place, others after a few months. While getting to know new cultures is an amazing experience that will help you grow as a person, there is something comforting about one’s own culture. The way people think, the shared history and the possibility to reference these things. This was something that caught me by surprise – I expected to miss my family and friends and I knew I’d have to adjust to the new culture, but I didn’t realise there were “national inside jokes” that made me feel understood.

2/ Personal reasons

These include illnesses or other unfortunate situations you can’t really influence. When you’re out and about, having a good time or just lots of things to do, you don’t really have that much time to think about how much you miss your home. But when you get ill, there’s not many things you can do. It may also remind you of the love and care you get at home when ill. One of the most heart-breaking moments for me was when my dog died as I was at uni. There was no one to share my grief with and it made me feel extremely lonely.

3/ Global reasons

Another example of things you have no influence on, such as pandemics and wars. These are usually very difficult to deal with even at home, so the fact that you’re somewhere all alone without the people closest to your heart is quite depressing.

How to deal with it?

There are two ways how to deal with feeling lonely – distract yourself by spending some time with friends or trying out new things, seeing new places; or embrace the feeling. Cry your eyes out, your feelings are valid. And while you it may not be how you imagined your amazing year abroad, I promise, you’ll come out of it stronger.

Image: Source: Pixabay Image: Source: Unsplash

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Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Scarlett Welch & Marcel Shamshoum

Food & Drink

Top ten pubs in Newcastle: a definitive ranking Peter Bath - Head of Sport Maud Webster - Head of Culture

or the last three years, we have been intensively studying the pubs, bars, ale houses and taverns of Newcastleupon-Tyne. Based on a qualitative assessment of drinks, prices and vibes, we present the findings of our in-depth study.

it celebrates its 20th anniversary (under current management) this year.

4. Tyne Bar Cheapish pints, an expansive beer garden and nestled between the Quayside and the Ouseburn Valley: the Tyne Bar is a top spot for an evening down the pub. Head here on Thursdays for their Burger + a Pint deal to also sample some delicious pub grub. It also holds an array of music events, if that’s your jam.

1. The Carriage

5. Free Trade Inn

6. The Punch Bowl

A pub so iconic it has its own merch, head up the hill from Tyne Bar to the Free Trade Inn. As well as a cosy interior it boasts a beer garden with stunning views of the Quayside in all its glory. The bar offers a strong selection of casks to appeal to hardcore ale-heads but with a friendly atmosphere that’s neither too hipstery nor old fashioned. Don’t miss Pizza Nights on Wednesdays supplied by Sandyford’s Scream for Pizza.

This place has a crazy variety of booze on tap as well as eccentric decor. It may be a little pricey but worth the visit on a special occasion if you're after fun and quirky vibes, and lots of choice in drinks.

A gorgeous pub, close to Jesmond Metro station, The Carriage has a prime location between Jesmond and the city centre. Located in the old Jesmond train station building, now decked out with a fireplace, free jukebox, arcade machines and cocktails on tap. On top of all this there’s delicious vegan food and a constantly updated supply of cask ales.

7. The Hancock Student discounts, live sports and right by campus. There’s nothing exciting in the way of drinks here - a Guinness is your best bet in lieu of cask ales, while the food offered is standard, solid pub fare. That said, it’s fun, cheap enough and a good place to start a night.

8. Trent House A first year staple, Trent House offers a cosy and intimate pub vibe and also a very good quiz every Wednesday for all you intellectual students. Sports on the telly and pool upstairs mean the “world famous” Trent House is the complete package.

2. Crown Posada

9. Bar Loco

A hidden gem by the quayside, under the arches of the Tyne Bridge. The old man vibes might be too much for some, but the cosy interior which looks like it’s been preserved exactly for the last 100 years is worth a visit alone. Check out the stained glass and sample some lovely beers (but be careful of one dangerously strong coffee-flavoured stout).

Trent House’s little sister, Bar Loco is a city centre classic. It’s a quick walk from uni and most student accommodation. Although less ‘pubby’ than some on this list; with cool decor, pizzas and cocktails Bar Loco has a lot to offer.

10. Brinkburn Brewery A bit of a wildcard choice to complete the constellation of Ouseburn establishments, this brewery has its own bar with impeccable vibes. It's not exactly ‘Spoons prices but then it’s not exactly ‘Spoons. There’s also a tent inside (?) full of sofas. Zany.

3. Cumberland Arms Make the trek up the Ouseburn to this quirky, standalone pub building and be rewarded with nice old pub traditional-ish vibes, board games and a big ol’ fire. The Cumberland Arms has been around since 1899 (!) and has retained the same layout since. Look out for the schedule of folky gigs, especially as

If there’s a hidden gem we’ve missed, send us your recommendations so we can do more ‘research’! Image: Maud Webster

Recipe of the Week Review: Slice Newcastle

Casey Duignan

The perfect chicken gyros & homemade flatbreads!

erfect for sharing: What is not to love about a Big Night In? Turn on the music, pour the drinks and serve up these 'fill-your-own gyros' to your housemates and loved ones!

Ingredients (Serves 6) Chicken: 6 chicken thighs; boned and skin on 110g plain/Greek yoghurt 2tsp chilli flakes 2tsp garlic powder 2tbsp paprika (smoked or unsmoked) 2tbsp fennel seeds Salt and pepper Olive oil (for greasing) Flatbreads: 280g self-raising flour 280g plain/Greek yoghurt Salt and pepper 2tsp paprika 2tsp fennel seeds 100g butter Fresh coriander Accompaniments (optional): Avocados (sliced); Lettuce leaves (shredded); Lemon (wedges); Tomatoes (diced); Grilled halloumi; Plain/Greek yoghurt; Grated cheese; or Salsa Method 1. Make your marinade: Add 110g of yoghurt to a bowl. Stir in: chilli flakes, garlic powder,

paprika, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. 2. Add chicken thighs to the bowl. Make sure all the meat is coated. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge. (If you forgot to prep the night before - don't worry! 1-2 hours will be enough time to start tenderising the meat). 3. Remove the chicken thighs from the bowl and place skin-side up on an oiled tray. Sprinkle with extra salt. 4. Make your flat bread dough: combine flour, yoghurt, salt, pepper, paprika and fennel seeds in a bowl. When the dough has roughly come together, tip it out and knead until soft. The dough should be slightly sticky, but if it really hard to work with, add a little more flour. Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes. 5. Melt the butter in a microwave and stir in chopped coriander. Set aside. 6. Prepare any accompaniments. 7. After 5-10 minutes, divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll out on a floured surface until they are about 7mm thick. Heat up a dry frying pan until smoking hot. 8. Put your chicken under a pre-heated grill for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and the skin has started to blacken. When the chicken is cooked, cover with foil and leave in a warm oven until ready to serve. 9. When your pan is hot, cook your flatbreads for 4 minutes, turning half way. The flatbreads will be ready to turn when little air pockets have formed and turned golden brown. After each flatbread has cooked, brush with your coriander butter. 10. Serve: arrange your chicken, flatbreads and accompaniments so that your guests can help themselves and build their perfect gyros!

Marcel Shamshoum - Food & Drink sub-editor

do yearn to the simpler times when pizza had just two or three toppings at best. People have definitely gone mad with their toppings, from pineapples to ketchup to dessert pizzas with Nutella and strawberries. As you can tell, I am a conservative when it comes to Italian cuisine and especially pizza toppings. Nothing beats a thin, crispy, warm, stretchy margherita cooked with the finest ingredients of flour, tomatoes, cheese and olive oil (yeah and basil, I’ll give you that). Let’s face it, Newcastle isn’t famed for its Italian food culture scene – not yet at least. However many Italian establishments have been growing in the city, a good number of these are run by actual Italian immigrants who are putting their heart and soul into the trade. Some even serving unique regional cuisine such as Pani’s, an authentic Italian restaurant specializing in Sardinian cooking. But to us students, we do love our pizzas – yes, we are on a budget here. Slice Newcastle, a small shop in the city’s Grainger market offers the best pizza I’ve eaten in the city so far. The slice is £2, however the size of that slice is so big, you’d get full just by looking at it. Nevertheless, I went for the bite and then the next bite and the next and the next until there was no pizza on my plate, it was at this moment I wished I had more cash to buy another slice! In case I didn’t mention they only accept cash payments and not card, which is a bit of a bummer cause who carries cash these days? But in all honesty, I wouldn’t mind getting cash especially for that meal and so should you! Since I’ve already set the scene to the kind of person I am, I obviously got the margherita. The slice wasn’t too thin nor too thick, it was exactly

the right thickness. The tomato sauce beautifully seasoned with a sweet aftertaste that made your pallet rejoice. Then the mighty cheese, it was soft, stringy and stretchy as it should be. Now what surprised me was the use of dried oregano rather than basil, which is not religiously Italian but I loved it. Of course they do have other toppings to choose from ranging from spicy salamino (pepperoni), veggies, ham and mushroom and sausage and onion. They also have calzone for those of you who enjoy that… Now if you fancy a whole pizza, you can get an 18’’ pie starting from £11 for a margherita; which is nothing considering the size of slices and the quality of that pizza. Pizza has always been a hot topic for many, especially when it comes to toppings. But believe me when I tell you there is nothing better than simplicity and humbleness. Slice pizza is the to find high quality and authenticity of pizza making in a place that reflects high quality ingredients and humble shopping, that is the Grainger market. So next time you find yourself shopping and hungry at the same time, I highly recommend stopping at slice to have a slice.

Image: Instagram (@slice_newcastle)

Monday 7th March 2022

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Creative Careers Why do we have a Creative Careers event? 24

Maud Webster - Head of Culture

Looking towards this weeks's Creative Careers event, we look at the benefits of creative careers and why the week exists

very year, Newcastle University's Careers Service host a week of talks and workshops centred around helping students forge a pathway into creative careers. This year, Courier writers have had the opportunity to sit down with four of the lovely event hosts and chat to them about their careers, tips for

Our speakers are ready to impart their wisdom and open up doors graduates and what they love about their jobs. The Careers Service's Kate Rothery, who is organising the event, comments: "Planning and running Creative Careers each year is such a highlight of my job. As a working

class, dyslexic, first generation student, when I was at university there were many industries that I felt shut off from. One of the highlights of building a career in careers has been seeing just how many people are willing to support students and graduates finding their way into their chosen career path and the creative professions are no different." "Often for students, irrespective of their background, overcoming the information barrier and building contacts to progress is hard and that is why an event like this is so important. Our fabulous line up of speakers, a number of whom are alumni that were sitting in your place a few

The Courier will be hosting a workshop on Wednesday 9th

It's also a fab opportunity to network with some local companies and learn more about the work of different organisations in our region. There's limited space on every session so make sure you head to the Careers Service site (or follow the QR code) to sign up. The Courier will be hosting a workshop on Wednesday 9th, centred around writing a publishable piece for the Courier in an hour. If you're a regular reader but haven't jumped into writing yet, this is your chance to give it a go! On a personal level, I'm really glad our University is promoting events about working in the creative industries, and encouraging people to take these paths. From a young age I felt very disheartened by the prospect of trying to find a job in the media or in writing or similar sectors, because of the

pressure the (state, at least) educational system puts on the importance of going into STEM. Until university, I thought I was going to go and study Engineering and become an Engineer, because this is what school had taught me would be the "sensible" path. Luckily, one of my five uni choices was an Arts degree and now I'm excited about the possibility of a Creative Career. Opportunities like writing for the Courier and guidance offered by the Careers Service has bolstered the idea that working in a creative industry is by no means a lost cause. So, if you're wanting to meet some fantastic individuals forging paths in the creative industry or in creative roles, sign up for some of the sessions and workshops happening in the SU this week!

years ago, are ready and raring to impart their wisdom and open up doors." "This event is designed to show students there are no industries you are shut off from. Sign up to a Creative Careers session and hear from a range of industry experts from fields such as Marketing, PR, Photography, Film & TV. We look forward to welcoming you on the 9th March in the Students Union." There's an array of events going on during the week, learning more about working in industries including PR, film, music, marketing and the arts.

Image: The Careers Service

Creative Careers 2022 Interview:

You’ve recently started at Monstarlab EMEA, so how’s it going? How is it adjusting to a new office? This is the end of week two, it’s been a really great couple of weeks getting to know the team and how the organisation operates. Monstarlab is a digital experience partner focused on accelerating growth for our clients. We use human-centred design, engineering expertise, our open partnership approach and our extensive network of global talent to achieve this. It is a very large company which is organised into 3 main markets: the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific with 30 offices and more than 1,200 people globally. In my previous company, hedgehog lab, we only had 100 employees and I was the only person in marketing so I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know the UK and global marketing teams. The Newcastle office only opened in November 2021 and I am employee number 3 so I am looking forward to more members of the team starting in the next few months. What does being a marketing manager entail, what do you do on a day to day basis? My three main objectives are to support the wider team to attract new business, engage with our

I applied for a job at hedgehog lab and when I got offered it I thought 'what's the worst that can happen?' What inspired your career shift from the cultural to technology sector? For eleven years I worked at some of the region's best loved museums, and it is something that I absolutely loved doing - getting involved in the exhibitions, running events and delivering the education programmes. But I got to the stage where I felt I had done everything, and there wasn’t really that opportunity for me to grow anymore. So I decided to retrain in marketing because when I looked at all the transferable skills that I had (e.g. communication, teamwork, campaign planning) it just made a lot of sense to transition into marketing. Marketing gave me a lot of opportunity to apply for jobs across different sectors and types

In December 2021 I won rising star of the year at the North East Marketing Awards. After a whirlwind 18 months career pivoting into marketing tech from an 11 year career in the culture sector this reinforced that all my hard work had paid off and that marketing is something that I not only enjoy but I am good at. I am really looking forward to seeing how my career develops in future.

What did you study at uni and how has it helped you in your career so far?

I had the best time at Newcastle, my undergraduate degree was in Archaeology and Ancient History, and my Masters was in Museum Studies How do you manage a work/life balance, do you have any tips? If I'm being honest I probably haven't got the right balance just yet, and I think working from home over the past 18 months has made it really hard to find that balance. I love going into the office (when it is safe to do so) and use the commute as a way to take a break from work and switch off.

a re

ers

ice

What has been one of your top achievements / something you’re most proud of since moving into the tech sector?

When I was working from home I tried to have a separate work space from my main living space so that I'm not constantly in the presence of my work kit. When I'm on holiday or I don't want to be disturbed I delete all the work apps from my phone so I'm not tempted to check in. I also try to book things like gym classes, hair appointments or dinner reservations in after work so that I have to switch off. eC

irst up in our series of Creative Careers interviews is with Kathryn Wharton, the marketing manager at digital consultancy company Monstarlab EMEA. We chatted about what her role entails, what it’s like to go with a major career shift from the culture to the tech sector, and how her degree at Newcastle has helped her so far in her career.

of organisations. I’ll be honest, I did just kind of fall into tech. I applied for a job at hedgehog lab and when I got offered it I thought what is the worst that can happen? After nearly two years I still think tech is a really exciting space to be in. New technology is emerging all the time and as someone who loves learning new things it definitely keeps me on my toes. If you think about where tech was ten years ago, the sector is accelerating so fast, what are the next ten years going to look like?

: Th

We chat to Kathryn about her career shift, new role at Monstarlab and tips for recent graduates entering the job market...

current clients and promote our employer brand. I do this by running online and offline campaigns which might include writing white papers or using social media to drive traffic to the website. It also includes event management for our clients and partners and finding PR opportunities which might include submitting award entries. I do different activities throughout the year, some new business campaigns are targeted at specific industries but something that is really important for 2022 is building our brand because we aren't very well known in the UK. As well as attracting new business, building our brand is also important for talent acquisition, Monstarlab has very ambitious aspirations to grow the team. At the moment in tech, there’s a lot of movement in the sector and a lot of competition for the best talent, so it's about building our brand and saying why Monstarlab is an amazing place to work.

I mage

Maud Webster - Head of Culture

I had the best time at Newcastle, my undergraduate degree was in Archaeology and Ancient History, and my Masters was in Museum Studies. As part of the Masters I did a placement at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum, which is one of the venues within Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) which is who I was offered a contract with after graduation. I was with TWAM for 11 years, spending part of my career at Sunderland Museum, Discovery Museum, and then I ended up on campus at Great North Museum:Hancock. My background in archaeology gave me the historical knowledge and the ability to tell stories through objects. The enthusiasm I have for archaeology, which was nurtured during my time at Newcastle continuously came across when I was

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Monday 7th March 2022

Creative Careers

Creative Careers 2022 Interview: Amelia Webb Meg Howe - Head of Life and Style

Our Head of Life and Style chats to Amelia Webb, social media manager at Shifted

: Kathryn Wharton working with the museum visitors and when I went for promotions. Also, I remember when I was doing my degree we would do group projects, so you were developing your team working skills, communications skills and adaptability which is really important in my career. What would be a piece of advice you’d give to a recent graduate, who is looking to find a job after uni? My top practical tip is if you look at a job description, and you can do three quarters of what is on there, then apply. If you can’t do three quarters, then maybe it isn’t the right opportunity for you, but you don’t need to be able to do one hundred percent because the reason that

Always be nice to people - Newcastle is such a small place and you don't know when you'll bump into someone again!

you are going into a job is to learn. And secondly, always be nice to people. Newcastle is such a small place, and you don’t know when you’ll bump into someone again! One final thing to say is that when I was a student I thought that you go to university, you go into a job, and then you do that job, in that sector, forever. And I think that probably was the case in the past. And I think it took me a few years to get my head around the idea that it is okay to do a career for three, five, ten years, whatever, and then you can have a career change or career pivot like I have done. And it is not like a waste of your education, because, as I said earlier, you’re building up teamwork, communication, adaptability, all of those things that are very transferable across all sectors and all jobs.

Image: The Careers Service

that have been published that day. They also dedicate some time in the morning to curating the newsletter round-up. Much of Amelia’s afternoon is spent in meetings, and they are also responsible for the management of internal campaigns and projects. What is one part of your role that you enjoy the most?

melia Webb (they/she), graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Politics and Sociology and now works as a Social Media Manager for Sifted. Sifted is a Financial Times-backed site, covering European technology and startup news.

Amelia finds working for Sifted to be intellectually stimulating. They enjoy taking complex ideas and making them digestible for the average audience. Amelia believes this to be vital, as it ensures that the tech and start-up world, which can often be filled with jargon, is not gatekept from the average person.

Can you tell me what your role at Sifted entails?

What is the most valuable skill you learned during your degree that you use in your role?

Amelia’s role at Sifted is cross-functional. They work within editorial and marketing teams, curating content for Sifted’s Social Media platforms. This includes working alongside journalists to understand the ins and outs of their work, and presenting this in a way suited to the audience of the social media platforms.

Whilst Amelia feels as though they achieved everything they wanted during their degree, she would tell herself to seek a mentor. Her advice would be that once you have an idea of what you want to do and how to get there, to seek a mentor from within that industry.

What does the ‘average’ day look like for you?

What is the most valuable skill you learned during your degree that you use in your role?

Whilst Amelia’s days are not all the same, they follow a somewhat similar structure. Amelia splits her time and works in a hybrid style, with two-thirds in the London office and one-third of her time working remotely from her home in the North-East. Amelia’s day starts at 8am, where she begins to schedule social media posts for articles

Some of the most valuable skills that Amelia learned during her degree that have helped her during her role at Sifted include organisation, time management, and multi-tasking. Amelia states that during University you have different responsibilities and therefore time management is not something that you have to think too much about. Since starting her role with Sifted, Amelia has developed the skills in checklisting and blocking out her day.

Monday 7th March 2022

Creative Careers

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What events are taking place during Creative Careers 2022? Creative Careers 2022: The Civic Journalism Lab presents a Broadcast Journalism taster session Come along to this practical afternoon taster into Broadcast Journalism with guest from BBC, ITV & Global Radio.

Northern Film & Media as they provide an overview of the Film & TV Industry, what’s happening in the region, and how to get your foot in the door.

Creative Careers 2022: Have a go at optimising your digital PR campaign with SEO

Are you currently navigating applications for your graduate career? Come along to this live interview and Q&A to hear more about search and applying for graduate roles in Marketing, relocating to build a career and Phoebes experience with MC2 Creative Careers 2022: Sue Todd Photography - Develop your brand and increase exposure using LinkedIn

In this practical workshop get a chance to work on a PR campaign. Learn the basics of SEO and making press releases stand out to journalists with leading PR firm NORTH.

As successful & sought after food photographer Sue Todd has built her brand from the ground up using LinkedIn to increase her reach and exposure achieving accolades such as Commercial Photographer of the Year 2020 at the North England Prestige Awards

C r e a t i v e Careers 2022: How to break into film and TV with Northern Film + Media H e a r f r o m

Creative Careers 2022: A conversation with Phoebe McElduff – Succeeding on MC2’s marketing graduate scheme.

Image: The Careers Service

Creative Careers takes over your regular student media afternoon. Come along for story assignments from NUTV, NUSR & The Courier and hear from guest Amelia Webb on the importance of working collaboratively with marketing professionals as a journalist Creative Careers 2022: What it takes to succeed in Broadcast PR Broadcast Revolution a leading PR firm working with top names like Amazon, Harrods & John Lewis introduce you to the principles of promotion through broadcasting on TV and radio and breaking into this field.

Creative Careers 2022: Develop your ideas Write a publishable piece in less than an hour!

Creative Careers 2022: From Museums Assistant to Marketing Rising Star of the Year 2021 – Recognising your skills to succeed.

Come along to this idea generation workshop with our Newcastle University student newspaper The Courier and get a chance to take your idea from a seed to a publishable piece in less than an hour!

Considering building a career in Marketing? Hear from Kathryn who went from an Archaeology degree at Newcastle and working as a Museums Assistant to Marketing Manager at Monstarlab and winner of 2021 NE Marketing Awards Rising star of the year.

Creative Careers 2022: Student Media Afternoon - Working with marketers as a journalist

Creative Careers 2022 Interview Molly Taylor - Lifestyle sub-editor

his week I talked to Sue Todd, a Fine Food and Hospitality Photographer based in The North East. We discussed her career journey, as well as some of her tips for using Linkedin as a young professional entering into the world of work. I saw on Linkedin that you have been working as a Fine Food and Hospitality Photographer since December 2014. What were the steps you took to progress your career to be at the place it is today? It’s been a very convoluted path! Photography was what I always wanted to do, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen at first. I began in the catering industry with my husband and worked for the British Rail in the IT department. They encouraged me to go to university to do IT, so I decided to try it, alongside bringing up my children, looking after my husband who was ill at the time, and

raisings pigs, hens and goats! My husband was getting better by that point thankfully, and I later joined him in his business. That opened up the world of photography to me again, because we were working in e-commerce, high-tech medical training simulators and VR haptics. In 2014, that basically all came to a stop and I thought, “what now?”. This was a great opportunity to pursue what I always wanted: photography. I’ve never been happier as far as work’s concerned. I’ve worked with some amazing companies and done so many different projects. I think the one thing I really love is that every day is different: you never know what’s going to come up next.

Some other days I just go prop shopping! What does your day-to-day work schedule look like? Every day is so different. Some days I’m in a studio working, and I might have client goods arriving. Other times I’ll have clients coming into work, which involves making sure we’ve got everything

ready and that things are set up properly to work with them. Afterwards, I’ll come back upstairs to the office and go through and cull the images, and plan when I’m going to do the editing. Some other days I just go prop shopping! With food, you always need different props. You wouldn’t think that this was a big part of the job, but of course, you need things like napkins, plates and cutlery when you are shooting. I have masses of cutlery now because I don’t want to use the same fork on every shoot. A lot of the time, people don’t realise that a lot goes into that side of the job. Who are the kinds of clients you shoot for and do they usually approach you, or do you reach out to them? Interestingly, it used to be about half and half, and then with Covid, it was mainly clients approaching me. I even have clients on the south coast and in France now! Obviously, it’s a bit more difficult for them to get up North, so they tend to send me products. When you’ve worked with a client for a while, you get to know what their likes and dislikes are, and how to fit in with their brand. I’ve come across a few photographers who will say what they can do for the client in their style, whereas photographers

need to cater for their client’s needs rather than their own. In terms of my style, my photos tend to be very bright and vibrant or Image: The Ca very dark and moody, depending on how I feel on the day! But when photographing for the client, it must fit with what they need, and their vision might be completely different to yours. I usually get a mix of new clients as well as repeat clients. Some will come back on a very regular basis, while others I meet a couple of times a year, or only once or twice. Some of my clients will have a very distinct brief for what they need from the project, whereas others will drop things off and leave it up to me as the photographer because they trust me. At first, that was quite daunting, but I have adjusted to this as time has gone on.

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Creative Careers 2022 Interview: Sarah Jayne-Taylorson and Sophie Smith (NORTH) Leanna Thomson - Lifestyle sub-editor

reative Careers is one of my personal highlights of the Career Service's annual calendar. However, this year's programme struck me as being particularly exciting and interactive. Something that caught my eye was 'Have a go at optimising your digital PR campaign with SEO.' So, I of course jumped at the opportunity of interviewing the women behind it - Sarah JayneTaylorson and Sophie Smith of Newcastle-based firm, NORTH. How would you describe your role? Sarah-Jayne: I'm a digital PR executive at North. My day-to-day is working with a range of mainly lifestyle clients and coming up with campaign ideas, working with the content team to bring those ideas to life through blog posts and press releases, putting together media lists and then outreaching it to various journalists and target media outlets. We also do a lot of reactive stuff, so a lot of my job is keeping an eye on what's going on in the news and coming up with ideas for clients based off things that might be trending on Tiktok, Netflix, etc. Sophie: I'm content and digital PR. It's a mixture between content marketing, which is optimising on-site content so that we can rank on Google and when people search for certain key terms, our clients can be the first result. I also write the content for the campaigns that we do for the digital PR. How did you get into the industry?

Image: The Careers Service

Sarah-Jayne: I did my undergraduate in English Literature but always had an interest in Media and Journalism. I did a lot of Journalism modules, some magazine and PR placements, then went back to university and did my masters in Media & PR at Newcastle. Following on from that, I worked in hospitality and leisure as a marketing and PR

assistant, then went into jewellery commerce where I was a marketing executive. PR was something I always had in terms of university training, but digital PR was still a fairly new discipline, it only popped up in the last few years, and that was when I decided it was the specific branch of PR I wanted to go down. Sophie: My undergrad at Newcastle was in Maths with Management. During my Media & PR Master's, I did an internship for visiting professor, Stephen Waddington, and through him I met the head of NORTH. Like SJ said, digital PR is very new - I didn't learn it through my degree, I learnt it through networking on Twitter. What advice would you give students looking to get into PR? Sarah-Jayne: Be pro-active. If there's anything you're interested in or any skills you need to hone, do it as much as you can. Things like working on the student paper can be so beneficial when you come to find a job as you're already honing writing a n d networking skills, which are directly linked to what we do in PR. Practice where you can: write a blog, start a Tiktok account, anything that shows off who you are and

what you're interested in. Sophie: Network. I did all of my networking, which was my way into the industry, during lockdown, but I honestly think networking on Twitter is more beneficial than paying to go to events - especially in this industry, as everyone who's in PR is on there! Put yourself out there; neither of us got our jobs through a job application, we just got in touch with the person in charge. People will be more willing to talk to you that way than through a bog-standard CV. Sarah Jayne and Sophie's event will focus on the fundamentals of content optimisation and digital PR. They'll be going through a real blog campaign that NORTH produced for a client in the past, highlighting what the key elements of on-page content optimisation are in order to rank the blog as high as possible on Google.

Image: The Careers Service

w: Food Photographer Sue Todd

In terms of the kinds of clients I shoot for, it’s a huge remit. I work with a couple of mixologists who put together drinks areers Service menus and once in a while, we have a big cocktail session. I have a client who sells beautiful grass-raised poultry and I take pictures of his eggs and hens. I am often asked to photograph food in cafes, restaurants, and as well as plated meals. There is a growing amount of clients who send me their jars of jam or chocolate as well. We also have done cookery shoots and videos; I haven’t delved into videography as much as I’d like to, but it is hard to fit everything in!

London that I thought ‘Wow, it’s actually edible!’, and I’ve loved food ever since. Working in catering also bolstered that up, and it means that I have an affinity and understanding with people in the trade about the pressures that they face. Although when I first started off, I was shooting all kinds of things (and I still have some purely commercial clients), more and more it’s predominantly food that I photograph. Food is quite difficult to shoot, and quite often I shoot with people who don’t realise how difficult it can be. The camera notices that lettuce is wilting in front of you whereas our eyes don’t always. Although the sauce doesn’t look congealed to the human eye, the camera notices every detail!

My style is very much business to business

What is it about food that makes it so interesting to photograph?

You are doing a talk soon with the Careers Service about using Linkedin to increase exposure and build your brand. Why is it so important to have an effective online presence when looking for jobs?

Food didn’t appeal to me much as a child, and it wasn’t until I went to

I think it depends a lot on what you’re doing to a certain extent. My style is very much business

to business because I don’t tend to work with the general public. Linkedin is very business-focused, and it took me a while to find my feet there but once I did, I have found it immensely useful. More often than not, I have had business on Linkedin from people I didn’t know were watching. I’ve had a phone call out of the blue, I’ve had messages on Linkedin, as well as emails from people saying they’ve been watching my business or projects for a while, and I had no idea who these people are! Having said that, I have also had people who have become connections, and I’ve gradually talked to them. Some people ask for a price, and you might be too expensive for them in that moment, but you stay in their mind and they come back later when they're ready. If anyone is looking for a job when they come out of university, I think Linkedin is probably the best platform because there are lots of jobs advertised. You can’t put a value on creating bonds and trust with people or clients. When messaging people on Linkedin, don’t send a sales note asking for a job, but instead a friendly one saying that you’ve been looking at what they’re doing or saw one of their posts, and you were wondering if they wouldn’t mind connecting with you. That puts you into their mind, and when they are in need, they’ll think of you.

Linkedin can seem really offputting because it’s full of loads of businesses, and it can seem hard finding your place there, but it’s also the place where job opportunities come up and jobs are posted all the time. If you’ve got plenty on your profile, and it’s not all about yourself, but rather, you join in the conversation, people will see you’re capable of conversing and having sensible and polite conversations, therefore giving you more credibility. What is your favourite thing about your job? You have new experiences and you learn different things with every person that you work with, and I think that’s what makes it for me. I love the fact that I’ve got my own space now as opposed to working from home all the time. I’ve loved building it all up from the beginning to where I am now, and it’s such a pleasure to get up in the morning and know that you’re going off to do something you love. I have spent a long time doing jobs that I hated, so it’s fabulous now to do the one thing I’ve only ever wanted to do.

Sub-editors: Oren Brown, Lucy Bower & Rowan Christina Driver

Music

Backhand Deals Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard

Joe Millward

ooking up at ‘Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard’, it’s hard to avoid the visions of a Queen cover band. In actuality, they began with conventional indie pop, but quickly broke away into the best of 70s slack-jawed rock and roll, keeping only the weirdest of their indie roots. Quirky lyrics are belted over head-shaking drumbeat, or crooned over classic guitar.

It's hard to pinpoint a weak area of the album - it captures its traget sound intensley - and doesn't let it go We begin with ‘New Age Millennial Magic’ - that juxtapositionally kicks off with a 4 line rhapsody of a cow destined for the electronic storefront of a shoe shop. I did say quirky right? From there we are powered through a swinging song of consumerism in the modern age - this is how to open your debut. It’s hard to pinpoint a weak area of the album - it captures its target sound intensely - and doesnt let it go. This is no bad thing if you're a Queen fan, or have a musical background more rich than my experience playing the triangle, and can promptly give me a lecture on the differences in clef. For us plebs though, it's hard to differentiate between songs until the hook they are pushing finally lands, or an utterly bizarre lyric worms its way in.

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An introduction to: The M Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment Sub-editor

"Its like the music from Stranger Things!" get introduced to the US band The Midnight

hen people ask me who my favourite artist is, I always say The Midnight. Most of the time though, they have no idea who I'm talking about. Until now. The Midnight is a North American band made up of Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Tyler Lyle and Los Angeles-based Danish-born producer, songwriter, and singer Tim McEwan. The band was formed in 2012 after Lyle and McEwan met at a song writing workshop in Hollywood. Since then, the duo have released six albums (with the seventh hopefully on the way). It's hard to describe what style The Midnight are, exactly. The technical term is 80's inspired 'synth wave', but when I say that to people they look at me like I've just said something in a foreign tongue. Most of the time, I say "It's like the music from Stranger Things." ... "Ohhhh!" They'll reply, as we finally get on the same page.

I found the band in 2018, after a friend sent me a video of their most popular song 'Sunset', and admitted they thought I'd enjoy it. Boy, were they right. As of now, The Midnight are still my favourite artist. Throughout their discography, they have an eclectic mix of songs. Each album often dictates its own vibe, following a theme or narrative surrounding youth, summer, or even the internet in the 90's. Their album 'Kids' is an example of this, as all songs are set around the life stage of childhood. In this album, there's even a track named 'Saturday mornings' that features old adverts from the 80's - it's like you're a kid all over again, waking up to watch cartoons. My favourite album of theirs is their 2016 release 'Endless Summer'. With 12 tracks and two bonus tracks, 'Endless Summer' is all about summer love, loss, and heartbreak. This album is also home to my favourite song of theirs (and my favourite song of all time): Vampires. Words cannot express how much I love that song; but statistics can. It's been my top song on Spotify for 4 years in a row, and I'm pretty sure anyone who knows me will attest that I play Vampires at any waking opportunity I'm given. Another highlight of theirs was a classical EP entitled 'The Rearview Mirror' released in 2021. In this, the band utilised an orchestra and reimagined their songs in a classical format. This, above anything, shows how creative they are as a collective. New depths can be reached in each of

these 5 classical numbers, and you can listen to these songs in such a stunning new light. As much as they are quite popular, they still feel like a really underrated and undiscovered band. As of February 2022, they have 772,597 monthly listeners on Spotify. This should be a way higher number The Midnight have been adapting an 80's style aesthetic years before artists like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa jumped on the band wagon.

Live Review: Mimi Webb at NUSU Jasmin Bateman

The rest of the album lies somewhere between here and millennial magic ‘Crescent Moon vs Demolition Man’ falls into both these categories, tying for best song on the album, with its fantastically unique hook that is so joyous you won't care if you are overheard singing about your crescent moons and peasant fools. ‘Yourself ’ feels separated as a piano led quasi-lovesong, with lead vocals swinging from floaty to raw, ultimately meandering into a trumpet solo. The rest of the album lies somewhere between here and millennial magic. ‘Break Right In’ is the midpoint, copying Millennial Magic's sing-songy start with a somehow more obscure premise and strong hook, being the perfect encapsulation of 70s rock with modern techniques, and quirky contemporary references.

Will it match up to the greats? It is certainly a unique style - but only in this day and age. The album feels well past being simply inspired by 70’s rock and roll, so it's unlikely to attract any new listeners with its only differential coming in the form of modern lyrics and techniques. For the old guard of 70s rock and roll, will it match up to the greats? I don’t know - and I don’t care, because I’m too busy belting about an Ikea break-in. Image: Twitter (@mimiwebb)

breakthrough artist who seems to have it all: a stellar voice, a loyal fanbase and catchy lyrics, has yet to master the art of giving a captivating performance. First on stage that evening was support act Millie Turner, and she put on a wonderful performance, warming up the crowd with her bubbly and energetic presence. The 19-year-old sang some catchy bops including ‘Jungle’ and ‘January’, her indie electronica tunes setting the tone for a fun evening at the Newcastle University Student Union. However, it was her cover of ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley that really got the crowd excited. Everyone in the room was singing along as soon Millie sang the first line, without needing any encouragement. At exactly 21:00, when the lights dimmed and it was clear that Mimi Webb was about to enter the stage, the crowd erupted. A sea of smartphones immediately rose from the throng and lit up the room, her Gen Z fans deeming it essential to capture every moment of this night on Snapchat. As the breakout star introduced her song ‘Lonely in Love’, from her debut EP Seven Shades of Heartbreak, she told the crowd that this song was the hardest

to write out of all her songs. Her vulnerability in her music and lyrics was clear as she shared this song with the crowd. It is evident that Mimi enjoys seeing her fans sing along so fiercely, belting along every lyric with her, as she constantly moved her mic over to the crowd. Songs such as ‘Heavenly’ and her cover of ‘Stay’ by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber were a welcome addition to the set, as most of her songs tended to blend into one another, each one sounding even more similar than the last. She was pacing across the stage energetically throughout the entire show with a beaming smile, but it did not do any justice in terms of adding any variety or excitement to her performance.

Her husky voice has an impressive vocal range that demonstrates she has some strong future potential The encore of the evening included her new single ‘House on Fire’, which has scorched into the UK charts this week, entering at an impressive number 6. This banger was a sweet end to the set, and the final song of the night ‘Good Without’ was a sure fan favourite to end the night with. Unfortunately, Mimi Webb’s performance that evening was extremely predictable and repetitive. There’s no denying that Mimi is a talented singer: her husky voice has an impressive vocal range that demonstrates she has some strong future potential. Whilst her singing voice is well practiced, it could be argued that she needs to work on making her concerts a little more exciting and diverse, and a bit less monotonous.

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Sub-editors: Oren Brown, Lucy Bower & Rowan Christina Driver

Music

Midnight In the future, I'm sure the band will gain even more popularity and the recognition they deserve. The band will be touring in Europe from late April, and I'll be seeing them live for the second time in May.

An intro to: Haley Heynderickx Rachael McCreanor - TV Sub-editor

aley Heynderickx is, without question, one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of the past decade within the indie-folk sphere, yet she is also one of the most underrated. Her music has been in circulation since 2015 and yet it is only within the last few years that she has begun to receive some much-deserved recognition. I was first introduced to Heynderickx’s work in my first year of uni, locked away in student halls, watching the university experience I had spent years waiting for disappear at the hands of Covid. Heynderickx’s single ‘Oom Sha La La’ seemed to encapsulate this visceral sensation of time slipping away in a way nothing else could – it took only the very first line “the milk is sour, I’ve barely been to college, and I've been doubtful, of all that I have dreamed of ” and I was well and truly hooked. ‘Oom Sha La La’ was first released as a single in 2017, before re-release as part of Heynderickx’s acclaimed debut album I Need to Start a Garden (2018). The track was Heynderickx’s first major hit before she eventually found further recognition in 2021 as another song from the album, ‘The Bug Collector’, went viral on TikTok. According to Clunk Magazine, ‘Oom Sha La La’ began as an “embarrassing stream of consciousness experiment that went much further than ever expected”, yet the Portland-based musician’s success was certainly not a fluke. Not a single song on the album disappoints, even the seven-minute-long ballad

‘Worth It’ keeps you engrossed (and emotionally unstable) until the very end. The album’s tracks are linked by a deeply sensitive, emotional view of the world. Heynderickx cossets the rare gift of turning even the most morose of subject matter into a beautiful, ultimately hopeful experience. Take ‘Drinking Song’, the final track of the album and one of my personal favourites. In this track, Heynderickx explores the intersection of loss and togetherness with lyrics that stay with you long after the song concludes - “and the edge of the world makes it seem/that everyone gone is still singing the same song”. It is Heynderickx's command of the written word which sets her apart from other artists within the genre, she manages to grapple with some of the darkest themes whilst maintaining a delicate lightness in her exploration of emotion - it is this combination that makes her music truly addictive. Whilst her musical prowess is evident through her work, Heynderickx’s true genius lies in her songwriting itself. Each track layers whimsical and often fantastical images, building rich metaphors into the atmospheric soundscapes she creates within each song. Heynderickx is anything but your typical singer-songwriter. Her lyrical prowess paired with a deep appreciation for beautiful melodies and full harmonies creates a listening experience unlike many others. Haley Heynderickx remains a criminally underrated artist whose work belongs firmly in the playlists of every student who feels life is passing them by much too quickly – so, that being said, go give her a listen.

Is 'Indie Sleaze' making a comeback? Betsy Cleaver

Has there been a reemergence of noughties indie culture in this post-pandemic world?

irst it was 90s nostalgia and then the Y2K trends filling our screens and our wardrobes. Now, in a post-pandemic world it’s the early 2000s “Indie Sleaze” movement that’s tipped to be making a comeback. With an aesthetic that’s based on sticky-floor indie bands and “heroine chic'' models coming back into the mainstream, what does this revival mean for our playlists, fashion choices and culture? Originating in the early 2000s, the 20 year trend cycle model means that it's about time for “Indie Sleaze” to be gaining popularity once more. The era characterised by skinny jeans, leather jackets, dusty band tees and trilby hats, mixes 90s grunge (think: the iconic photo of Kate Moss hanging out of a widow smoking a cigarette) with some of the questionable style choices of the 2000s (please, no more feather headbands). For girls, you wanted to be Alexa Chung or Effy Stonem, and for boys it was Alex Turner or Pete Doherty. Provocative American Apparel adverts, amature style flash photography of crowded clubs and polaroid cameras dominated the Instagram Feeds So, what about the Image: Skins, Channel 4

music? To be considered fully on board with the “indie sleaze” trend, your playlists should be full of bands like The Libertines, The Strokes (“Is This It”, a staple for any indie music fan), Razorlight and LCD Soundsystem. Chaotic guitar bands with sing along anthems sums it up! And, with The Kooks going on tour and Bloc Party set to release an album later on in the year, the “Indie Sleaze” music genre is truly making a comeback.

Hate it or rate it, the indie music genre will always be popular In a post pandemic world, people are craving the return to gigs and wild nights out, perhaps feeding into the reason that this trend is starting to become mainstream again. Hate it or rate it, the indie music genre will always be popular, but the fashion style and aesthetic becoming popular once more is going to be an interesting one to look out for!

Love Sux Avril Lavigne

Peter Lennon - Gaming Sub-editor

fter a decade of little-to-no commercial success for the genre, pop punk has been enjoying a revival in the mainstream, with upcoming artists, such as Mod Sun and Olivia Rodrigo, climbing the charts. It only makes sense that original pop punk pioneer Avril Lavigne would return to her roots with her seventh studio album: Love Sux. After her underwhelming soft rock-pop 2019 effort Head Above Water, Lavigne has signed under the new DTA label, which is headed by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. Along with Barker, the album is also produced by John Feldman and Mod Sun, with writing and vocal collaborations with Machine Gun Kelley, black Bear, and Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus. The mixture of upcoming pop-punk artists and experienced veterans has produced an evolved sound, combining real instruments with synth strings, which have become a trademark of pop in the 2010s. As well as this, Love Sux threads more delicate sounds into its heavier, maximalist tracks. In particular, “Déjà vu” opens with a light arpeggio trill, leading to the more typical electric guitars. This threading is such a small part of the album, but something that has hooked me to the rhythm of the album’s narrative. While Love Sux is about… well…. how love sucks, this is more than a catchy-hook, angry break-up album like Lavigne’s top-charting The Best Damn Thing (2007). Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to enjoy as for as that goes – a personal favourite being the eponymous track’s chorus hook “No I don’t wanna get up/Laying in my bed, thinking love sucks” – but at its core there’s a real sense of growth in navigating love, which apparently doesn’t get any easier at 37. The outrage and frustration of the relationship is felt most purely in the lead single “Bite Me”, while the album’s three collaborations provide a back-and-forth, she-said-he-said arguments that highlight that relationships can be dysfunctional on both parties. Meanwhile, the lighter, acoustic sounds that appear in the heavier ones make the truer rock ballads feel fluid with the narrative flow, rather than jarring and pace-disrupting. “Avalanche” and “Dare to Love Me” both take the time to highlight a vulnerable side, with the latter urging caution on expressing affections, particularly when they’re not fully there. “Break of a Heartache” – the shortest track at only 1:51 – is a fantastic, energetic closer. The song caps off the album perfectly because it’s about recognising signs of a bad relationship early (from past experience) and shutting it down before it becomes constraining and toxic. There’s also a wicked satisfaction when the last lines of the album follow as: “don’t ruin my life/no not this time motherfucker so I guess/it’s goodbye.”

Love Sux is quite possibly Avril Lavigne's most fully realised album since her debut

Image: Twitter (@AlexTurnerSays)

All in all, Love Sux is quite possibly Avril Lavigne’s most fully realised album since her debut Let Go (2002). Experimental instrumentation with the pop punk revival, a clear album narrative, and signature tongue-and-cheek lyrics makes for a career best. Lavigne has found herself in good company and I hope that this will put an end to the Label hopping, confused albums that had marked her career throughout the 2010s.

Sub-editors: Carly Horne, Rachael McCreanor & Rebecca Sykes

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Top of the lit: our favourite Bridgerton has lost its Duke, book to TV adaptations will the next series cope? Lizzie Yockney - Fashion & Beauty sub-editor

Maja Mazur - Arts sub-editor

am of the opinion that book to TV adaptations are so much better than book to film adaptations. Though there are some faithful movie versions of books (I’m thinking the Hunger Games (2012-2015) series), I always finish watching a movie adaptation feeling a little bit deflated, often muttering ‘the book was better’. Bits are cut for time, characters are removed or added, and plot lines are changed, often for commercial purposes. For me, adaptations are often disappointing. This, however, seems to happen less when a book has been adapted into a TV series. More time can be spent on the story-line, characters can be developed more thoroughly, and worlds can be built more convincingly. Though there are definite anomalies, I personally think that the TV format allows for better, more faithful adaptations of books. A prime example of this are the movie adaptations of the Percy Jackson series, which most fans of the books absolutely hate. Due to their unfaithfulness to the books, it is clear why author Rick Riordan has distanced himself from the films and it is unsurprising that the Percy Jackson book series has been picked up by Disney Plus and will become a TV series in the future. It' set to start filming in Summer 2022.

ally Rooney’s coming of age book Normal People has divided readers. While Barack Obama listed it as one of his favourite books of 2019, many bookworms were disappointed by Rooney’s style. And although I found myself on the satisfied side of that spectrum, I never expected its adaptation to become one of my favourite TV shows. However, when I saw that Lenny Abrahamson, the director of the wonderful Room, would be responsible for Normal People, I knew it would be good - I just didn’t predict how much it would impact me.

When everything was uncertain and scary, it was both cathartic and upsetting

Rather than dwelling too much on failed book to film adaptations, my favourite book to TV adaptation in recent years is Normal People. Unlike most, I didn’t watch the TV series until a couple of months after it was released, and after lots of nagging from my best friend. I had read the book a few years before the series came out and I became quite attached to the characters. Because of this, I was anxious as to whether the series would have veered away from the book too much and if the characters that I had pictured whilst reading would be portrayed in the same way on-screen. Of course, I watched the series and loved it. I was obsessed with Connell’s chain and cried buckets like everyone else. It felt like I had just read the book again, but in a different way. Normal People is a more nuanced story about the painfully complicated relationship between Connell (Paul Mescal) and Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones), which spans many years. This, I think was perfectly captured by twelve halfhour episodes. Evidently, this adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel was so successful that her debut novel, Conversations With Friends, will also be adapted into a limited series that is set to be released in spring this year.

Image: IMDb

The screenwriters with Rooney herself among them, created a consistent history out of the fragmented book It couldn’t be an easy task with much of the novel’s power lying in the writing style, rather than only its simple story. However, screenwriters’ and directors’ efforts wouldn’t achieve anything if not for perfect actors. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal are incredible as Marianne and Connell: there’s chemistry, passion, care. These roles would be challenging for even much more experienced actors than them because what’s truly important between Marianne and Connell stays unspoken, rather it’s contained in their glances, subtle movements, trembling of their voices. They’re so convincing that I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t the only viewer who couldn’t believe that the actors don’t date in real life. Numerous sex scenes and graphic nudity could have turned out cringy if not for their acting skills, as well as subtle directing, intimate lighting and beautiful shots. I know that some viewers disregard them as unnecessary and even disturbing – but they are essential to show the progress of Marianne and Connell’s Im ag e: relationship. Pix ab Moreover, actors ay and filmmakers emphasised in interviews that there was lots of planning and experts involved to guarantee comfort, so there’s no reason why we as viewers should feel that actors’ boundaries were crossed. Above all, Normal People truly moved me: from the beginning to end it’s an emotional rollercoaster. There’s a couple of scenes that I doubt I would ever forget, such as the prom, therapy session and of course the ending, which made me cry like no other before.

Imogen Smillie

Viscount Bridgerton (Jonathon Bailey) takes centre stage in season 2 of Bridgerton

fter the success of its first season, Bridgerton is back on the 25th of March 2022. With first looks in the trailer, where will the newest instalment take this gossiping

group? Netflix’s global success certainly created some noise after Season 1, so there was no doubt it would soon return to explore the relationships, secrets, and overall gossip of this scandalous society. But with the vast number of changes to both the plot and cast, will it live up to the hype once again? Spoilers to come, so make sure to get up to speed with the show on Netflix now! First of all, possibly the biggest plot twist first time round, was the identity of the infamous Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) – an anonymous writer who revealed all the secrets practically in real time through a newspaper of sorts. After much speculation from the fans, who hadn’t already read the books, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlin) was revealed as the font of all knowledge, surprising to many from this quiet naïve character. But how will this affect her relationships in Season 2? Will she tell the love her life, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton)? Will she keep this secret any longer from her closest friend Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie)? We will have to find out, but nevertheless, it seems obvious Lady

Whistledown will never fail to disappoint her loyal readers. The love story between Simon and Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) was the main storyline, being ‘slightly’ erotic and yet heartwarmingly real, perhaps these lovebirds were the reason for the TV show's overall popularity. However, Page will not be returning, which he seemed to always know- explaining to Variety that "it’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year". But, how will they explain this in terms of the other characters? The two just had a baby together, and with very little about Daphne in the trailer, I guess we will have to wait to find out about her fate for Season 2.

My main concern for Season 2 is the lack of Simon Bassett Basing the story around the theme of gossip, overall the show is comforting and relatable. Despite being set during the Regency period of the 1800’s, there is someone that anyone watching can relate to. Whether that be Simon and his stubborn nature towards love, Eloise and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and the need to be themselves, or Daphne and her duties to society. All things we can look forward to seeing on our screens at the end of March. Alongside classical versions of modern songs, this show will hopefully continue to create gossip in real life, all based on the gossip created through these aristocratic families.

The Legend of Vox Machina: George Bell - Film sub-editor

From hit Dungeons and Dragons campaign to animated series, does this fantasy world live up to the hype?

aking the internet by storm, the Dungeons & Dragons show Critical Role has garnered a huge following. So when it was announced that an animated show was being made about it, safe to say everyone lost it. But has the show lived up to the hype or rolled a natural one? Based on the first Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Critical Role, livestreamed to t hous ands, T h e Legends of Vox

Machina follows a group of ragtag adventures and heroes as they attempt to save the mystical realm of Exandria. This band of misfits was only brought from the streaming platform Twitch to Amazon Prime Video with the overwhelming support of a Kickstarter that raised a shocking $11.3 million. Safe to say the pressure was on to deliver something great, and they certainly did! One of the main selling points of Critical Role is its cast. The main cast are all seasoned and professional voice actors with numerous accolades between them, including The Last of Us actor Ashley Johnson, which meant that the original

THE

COURIER

Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: Carly Horne, Rachael McCreanor & Rebecca Sykes

Review: This is Going to Hurt TV and the trauma aesthetic Michael Duckworth - Gaming sub-editor

en Whishaw stars in the BBC’s latest hit hospital drama based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Adam Kay. Originally published in 2017, the book skyrocketed in popularity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show translates to the small screen the diary entries of author Adam Kay written during his time as a junior doctor in the mid-noughties. Snapshots of Adam's home and work life create a darkly comic and deeply tragic tableau that speaks volumes about the chronically underfunded state of public health services in the UK. Whishaw plays a Fleabag-esque character with oodles of personality and plenty of witty, dry and darkly comic commentary on the situations and people around him. As Adam’s work life becomes increasingly all-consuming, his relationships with his family and his boyfriend (Tom Durant Pritchard) become more and more strained. Whishaw delivers a standout performance that is heartbreakingly believable, with excellent comedic timing, and a dry charm. Fresh on the ward is Shruti (Ambika Mod), another junior doctor still studying

for her exams put under the watch of Adam who is made to train her up on the labour ward. The friendship between these two creates the heart of the series, initially fraught as Shruti struggles to get to grips with the high-pressure environment as Adam is simply too busy to grant her any patience. As she becomes more competent, she replaces Adam on the ward as he becomes wrapped up in a medico-legal case after an anonymous complaint is put against him from a fellow employee. Shruti's arc is masterfully portrayed by Ambika Mod, from the nervous, bumbling beginner to a cold and walled-off professional. This is Going to Hurt doesn’t pull its punches when depicting life on the ward, from grisly surgeries, brutal decision making, impertinent patients to a looming, all-encompassing exhaustion all conveyed in excruciating detail. And while it is a soul crushing reality to immerse yourself in, the suspense and wry comedy that weave through the hard-to-watch moments make it difficult to tear your eyes away. The novel and TV show are both deeply needed insights into the abysmal state of the NHS after years of Tory austerity. With suicide rates for healthcare professionals continuing to be significantly higher than the national average it is vital that the truth of their experience is shared on a national scale, as painful as it is to confront.

Image: IMDb

a D&D disaster or delight? own characters in this show. Everyone gives a fantastic performance, not only showing their amazing talent but also their connection to the characters. After playing them around a table for countless years, there is no one who better knows these characters and it absolutely pays off. As someone who watched the first campaign, it never got old hearing their voices behind their animated counterparts. Something many people love about Dungeons & Dragons is the visualisation of all the epicness that is unfolding, and this show perfectly personifies that feeling.

Image: IMDb

Picturing what is happening is one thing, but seeing it animated by professionals is something else entirely. Fight scenes are done excellently and keep you engaged throughout, while more intimate moments are done justice with attention to detail that pervades the quirks and personality of each character. This is only reinforced by a stunning soundtrack that will consistently have you tapping your feet. This show may miss a lot of people due to its Dungeons & Dragons' origins and all the complexities that may hold, but The Legend of Vox Machina does a fantastic job of bridging the gap between new and old fans. While at times it can be a little indulgent to the older fans with niche references, for the most part, it does a great job of portraying this fantastic world without needing any other prior knowledge. Don’t go in expecting the next Lord of the Rings or you might find yourself slightly disappointed. This is a Dungeons & Dragons first and foremost and does a mighty fine job of scratching that itch.

Evie Lake

Is it time to reconsider the way in which on-screen trauma is handled? Content Warning: self-harm, eating disorders, drug abuse, mental illness, hospitalisation

he aestheticisation of trauma is not a new phenomenon. By this I mean, in drama, trauma is often attached to an idealised character, and then their struggle is championed by watchers for the way it looks. It can be put down to gendered internet culture, as the glorification of a traumatised female body was the majority shareholder of Tumblr feeds everywhere: self-harm, anorexia and drug abuse. For me, the glorification of this aesthetic was born out of Skins, the well-known and, well, fucked up. Skins and Tumblr often converge in my brain to form a strange and morbid mosaic of suffering, desire and the female body. At the time, trauma and its aftermath suggested adventure and making the most out of your teenage years, that if you wanted boys to fall in love with you you’d probably end up distraught, but, being mentally scarred attracted boys. The story development was this: a girl has a dangerous past history, because of it she’s mysterious, and because she’s mysterious the boys want to know more. In some shape or form, they try to save her, and who doesn’t love that story? Although not a central character for the first two seasons, Effy Stonem is probably the most notorious character in Skins. Even today, Effy’s voice is pertinent to the glorified female trauma argument, as her character monologues grace TikToks; people still idolise her. Effy’s character arc was plagued by struggle and trauma that saw her transform from a wildish young girl who acted out, to hospitalised with severe depression and schizophrenia. During her first appearances, she’s silent, forced to see a counsellor for withholding speech which sets her up with a complicated and scarred past. In her final season, she recovers speedily from her hospitalisation and is seemingly able to begin a new life. Effy’s experience was romanticised because of the men she attracted. Both Cook and Freddie continuously attempt to save her and people desperately dreamt of having partners who would do the same for them. Effy was continually traumatised throughout Skins but not for the sake of her own character development, instead, she served to humanise and develop Cook and Freddie. The more audiences didn’t understand her, the more we loved those boys for trying so hard to help her. Effy’s character development was reduced to sensationalist events for the depth of a male character. This didn’t start with Skins and nor did it die with it. Trauma is a gendered device in the media, often used to show how much a man can endure and overcome whilst creating a girl who is in need of rescuing. There will never be a complete departure from this, however, the trauma narrative has been cemented as ever-popular by Skins’ distant and younger cousin, Euphoria, although perhaps in a less gendered way. A show that initially started out as a sensationalised view of American teenagers today, the second season’s narrative confirmed that the single thread that ties the show

together is trauma. Whether it be the trauma of the characters or the audience, the rehashing of the teenage trauma show feeds into the aestheticisation in a way that sees audiences revel in the beauty and lives of the characters. Most people marvel at the fashion and makeup before they even consider the narrative.

Trauma narratives that resist character development always catch public attention due to aestheticisation Speaking of the final episode, director and creator Sam Levinson stated that he hoped the audience felt “like they had been through it” themselves, but this perpetuates a drive to traumatise characters solely to make an impact on the viewer and not to serve character development. Viewers are continuously worn down and this season saw a surge in discourse of people giving up on the show on account of it. People didn’t want to be re-traumatised every week, and no one was safe from the breadth of trauma the show offers. Notably, the absolute focus on shock and trauma saw fan favourite, Jules, be largely left out of season two altogether. Trauma narratives that resist character development always catch public attention due to aestheticisation. In making shows glamorous, and the cast unattainably hot, viewers are immediately trapped into the lives and trauma of the characters through attraction. Skins ended so long ago now that we can consider the differences the narrative may have held today. But a focus on fashion, sex and romance amongst teens always seems to glorify toxic and traumatising behaviour in a way that is unhealthy, especially as teen shows will always attract younger teenagers. Ultimately, it sets up a complicated and dangerous view of life and the way we view hardship. Trauma is enshrined in beauty which is unrealistic and harmful. This isn’t to say that TV shouldn’t traumatise their characters, but shows should give their characters other things besides their trauma; make them a whole person before you continuously knock them down, and then maybe audiences will stay.

Image: IMDb

Sub-editors: George Bell, Jess Bradbury & Autumn Keil

Monday 7th March 2022

Film

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COURIER

The Batman Press Conference! Why Straight people should Jess Bradbury - Film sub-editor

The film team had the fab opportunity to attend an online press conference for DC's The Batman

e had the exciting opportunity last Friday to attend a zoom press conference for the new Batman film, starring Robert Pattinson. The panel consisted of the leading man himself, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano and Jeffrey Wright and took place over a zoom call. We had the chance to submit questions beforehand, with a moderator asking some of her own questions before moving on to those sent in by ourselves and other media outlets. Unfortunately, the questions we sent in didn’t get answered, but it was still a fantastic opportunity to attend and hear about the process of making the film!

The panel themselves were all charming, answering enthusiastically to questions The panel themselves were all charming and relaxed, answering enthusiastically to the questions put forward - clearly proud of the film that they have created and excited for audiences to see it. Robert Pattinson accidentally revealed a minor spoiler for the film near the beginning of the conference, that the plot takes place over the space of a week. The panel laughed this off, however, and managed to avoid any further spoilers for the film, minor or large. When asked about whether the film focused more on Bruce Wayne’s character or his alter ego, Pattinson noted how the film actually gives little attention to him as a person - rather, that it favours showing the extent Batman will go to in protecting Gotham. He then also shared that he funnily felt

All images: IMDB

most like the superhero when chatting with British women, and how strange it felt to hear British actors do American accents when filming in Liverpool. But it wasn’t just Pattinson who told anecdotes from the time spent on set, the other cast members also spoke of their fun experience filming.

Jeffrey Wright revealed he had painfully torn a muscle whilst filming One of the most interesting questions sent in was about injuries the cast had suffered during filming. Pattinson, Kravitz and Dano all answered saying they had the minor scratch here and there, whilst Jeffrey Wright revealed he had painfully tore a muscle whilst filming - something which came as a surprise to the rest of the panel. Wright was also asked if he thought Gordon was more of a hero than Batman, answering that he didn’t think he was. Zoe Kravitz also told the story of how she was reunited with her taekwondo instructor from when she was eight years old. The reunion came after she had to perform a stunt kick during filming, something which she said she was proud of as she had a nap beforehand and still performed it in one take. Paul Dano praised the scriptwriting of Matt Reeves, saying that he felt it was one of the most fleshed-out versions of Batman’s story. When asked about the inspiration for the Riddler’s costume, Dano noted how it was partly based on the zodiac killer to give the character a more sinister feel.

Hearing the cast talk about the film has built our hype for seeing it on the big screen Of course, there were lots more interesting questions and answers but this article would be about 3000 words going through them all. We had a great time attending, and hearing the cast talk about the film has only built our hype to go and see it on the big screen. The Batman will be in cinemas from March 4th.

not play LGBTQ+ characters Sarah Tunstall

find this is the everlasting question in film and tv; is it okay that we represent the LGBTQ+ community through straight actors? I don’t think so. With existing issues in the film industry such as queerbaiting and lack of representation, I feel like casting straight actors to depict our community in films follows the same line of controversy. Employing straight actors to tell what are really, our own stories, still feels like a restrained acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. Especially when the conversation opens with 'here’s a film for you guys, something that represents your story'. It feels like the industry is saying: 'Yes, you can have your own film, but if we use gay actors, that might be a bit too gay for our

film company.' I can sometimes sympathise with the actors themselves. They have really been employed in this role by a company that chose not to use LGBTQ+ members, and now they must make sure they voice a whole community correctly.

Employing straight actors feels like a restrained acceptance of LGBTQ+ people I bet it's anxiety-driven for sure. But when I sit and watch a supposed “LGBTQ+ film” and know the actor is straight, it feels like a personal mockery from them to me, someone who is proudly a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Images: Pixabay

Who takes the biscuit for the Snatch Katie Siddall - Sports sub-ed

his took some thought, but I finally decided that the cast is in... Guy Ritchie's 2000 film Snatch. Snatch is known as a sequel to another Ritchie film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking

Barrels. This film - and casting - is definitely worth the watch if you haven't already. The story line is impeccable! Those amongst the cast are: Jason Statham, Stephen Graham, Brad Pitt, Alan Ford and... Vinnie Jones. I believe all these actors understood the assignment! You could say that some of their personalities show through their characters Vinnie Jones for instance was a wildcat around the 2000s with loads of stories in the news circulating his life after, and during, his football career. Before we say more on Vinnie Jones, let's look at Brad Pitt, who signed up to play the role of a traveller. For this role, Pitt revealed he went to live with an Irish traveller in order to learn the accent. Two other people who understood the assignment are Statham and Graham. They play partners, which "doesn't

mean [they...] take walks". They are in the world of unlicensed boxing and set up matches for people to place illegal bets on. Statham, aka Turkish, runs the show whilst Graham, aka Tommy, could be said to act as a plot device - he gets Turkish into trouble. Tommy is the character that brings all the links into play, without him Turkish would be fine and not owe anyone anything, especially Brick Top (Alan Ford). Both actors bounce off one another in harmony and I cannot personally think of another duo who could do a better job. Now, back to Vinnie Jones. Jones is known as a troublemaker is the football community and generally in his life. His character Bullet-Tooth Tony represents him, to an extent. Jones is now celebrating nine years sober, and though it isn't implied that Tony takes drugs, the violence replicates his footballing madness. For me, Alan Ford was the best casting - his calm, collected, insane character Brick Top is without a doubt perfection. The famous scene where he discusses the phrase "as greedy as a pig" sends chills down my spine - he is talking about killing people and feeding them to pigs as if he is describing what he had for breakfast. Ford made a cameo in Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - it was Ritchie's best decision to bring him back for a larger, more vicious character.

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COURIER

Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editors: George Bell, Jess Bradbury & Autumn Keil

Film

Interview: Director Russell Owen Big screen, little screens

Peter Bath - Head of Sport hepherd, a psychological horror written and directed by Owen, tells the story of a man who escapes to a remote island, but is haunted by trauma and depression manifested in bleak landscapes and folk horror imagery. How did you decide on that location? I was trying to find a lighthouse with a really interesting landscape nearby we could shoot on. It was almost impossible because all lighthouses are either really nice AirBnBs or they're really remote and you can't get to them. One the last locations we looked at, the Isle of Mull - I went right down to the far side of the island where it's quite difficult to get to ... and I saw this amazing incredible landscape. I couldn't believe no-one had filmed here. But then I recognised because the roads are tiny and all the rest. But I thought, by hook or by crook we're gonna do it here, so it would film a little bit unique. So you started writing the film in 2005. How's the process been? It must have been a long journey from conception to the final product. Yeah, it really has. I was a storyboarder doing concept art for years, working with other directors. People are like 'oh you need to get more experience' and stuff like that, and I ended up making a short film and that ended up getting me directing commercials and all the rest of it. But the film

itself, although it's quite a simple traditional story, no one was willing to finance it until people like Ari Aster and Robert Eggers and Jordan Peele. It tended to fit in more to that new wave of slightly abstract horrors. So thanks to those guys I finally got the funding. It was like 'Oh yeah, people do want to want to see that kind of thing. OK fine, here's some cash', 16 years later. It's been very very tough. There's a zombie film I made with a really bad script ... I said, 'Look, this is hardly a career starter for me, but I'm gonna make this film look as great as I can, and I won't take any money, I'll do it for free if the next film on your slate is Shepherd.' And the producers agreed. The second a director says 'I'll do it for free, if you do this', that's just saving them money and they're getting another film after it. How have you found the reception to the film so far? Yeah, I was quite surprised. You dream about 'maybe critics will like it', but I didn't expect it to be in the BFI Film Festival, and I certainly didn't expect it to be Mark Kermode's film of the week. In general, it got a really warm response, and it's 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes. When you go into these things, no matter how hard you work, you always expect it's going to be a complete disaster and move on, so I'm really pleased with that. Read the full interview on The Courier's site

e all-time best ensemble cast? Little Miss Sunshine

Heather Adams nsemble casts seem to be having a moment right now with numerous films starring a plethora of Hollywood A-listers being released, from Knives Out to Eternals to, most recently, Don’t Look Up, so it would seem as though there are plenty of new releases to choose from when deciding on the best ensemble cast of a film. However, it is not a recent release that stands out to me, but rather the 2006 tragicomedy Little Miss Sunshine. Little Miss Sunshine tells the story of the dysfunctional Hoover family: Olive (played by Abigail Breslin), her parents Richard and Sheryl (Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette), her brother Dwayne (Paul Dano), uncle Frank (Steve Carrell) and Grandpa Edwin (Alan Arkin), who must all embark on a tense road trip in a VW van so that O l i v e can partake in the Little Miss

Image: Praveenaaa29 on Reddit

Sunshine beauty pageant. This film is an example of a brilliantly executed ensemble project because each member of the family is dealing with their own personal struggles, which are all explored within the relatively short running time of 102 minutes. From Dwayne’s discovery that he is colour blind, meaning that he cannot fulfil his dream of becoming a pilot, to Olive’s issues with body image to Edwin’s heroin addiction.

Greatest ensemble in cinematic history Little Miss Sunshine has a witty, uplifting and almost perfect script that makes the characters’ woes feel painfully realistic and highlights the importance of families persevering together through difficulties. But the chemistry of its performers is possibly its greatest achievement as this remains unmatched and it is what makes this cast, in my opinion, the greatest ensemble in cinema history.

Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment sub-editor

One of the most successful comedy series of all time, The Inbetweeners makes the smooth transition into film

ome TV shows flawlessly flow into movies, some absolutely don't. The Inbetweeners Movie is in that former category. As if three seasons of the TV show wasn't enough, The Inbetweeners movie graced our screens in 2011. Featuring the returning cast including Simon Bird and James Buckley, the movie followed the boys on their first ever lads holiday to Malia.

The quotes are just impeccable, too. I find myself too often saying 'You sh*t on floor? 50 euro fine. Every time.' and 'I stopped believing in god when I realized it's just dog backwards.'

The stakes are low and the characters are shadows of what they were previously

In my eyes, this film will always be the perfect TV show to big screen spin off. It manages to wholly redefine characters yet still stays true to the three series of the show and years of character development. I'll always love The Inbetweeners Movie. On the other hand, there are some TV shows that don’t translate as well to cinema. Downton The film works because Abbey is the perfect example of this. I’m not sure whether this is simply because I’m a huge it is just so intensly fan of the series, or because the film is genuinely poor. funny, yet still manages Set a few years after the series ended, the plot centres around a chaotic Downton as the King to stick to its TV roots and Queen come to stay. Drama between the servants ensues along with some conflict as to Filled with jokes about sex, clubbing, lad whether the Crawley family should ‘go on’ with culture and drinking, the Inbetweeners their lavish lifestyle. movie is a perfect depiction After watching six seasons of the of that stage between show with endless character childhood and development, it feels like Images: IMDB adulthood. We watch most of it is thrown the boys navigate out the window. their first serious The stakes are low, relationships and the characters their own self are shadows of discovery away what they were from home; a previously and perfect bridge I just don’t feel from the ending as invested. of season 3. Then, at the end, The film works the Dowager is because it is just suddenly dying? so intensely funny, Okay then. The only yet still manages to thing they got right was stay true to it's TV series giving Barrow a semblance roots. It incorporates the same of a love story. plot developments, yet reinvents them with Don’t get me wrong… it’s a stunningly brand new twists. For example, James Buckley's beautiful film and I do like it but not as much character Jay lying about his virginity and as the series. The second film is due to release pretending he's a sex god and Joe Thomas' in April, and I’m praying the stakes are higher Simon getting over his first serious girlfriend. In than a dinner this time around. the movie, these characters are both developed Overall, I think that some series work better further as they both fall in love unexpectedly. as films than others. To make it work, the narrative must stay true to the series and not try to add too many new nuances and complicate In my eyes, this film will everything the show built in the beginning. That’s exactly why the Inbetweeners works… always be the perfect TV and Downton Abbey doesn’t.

show to big screen spin off

Print: Michael Duckworth, Peter Lennon Online: Haaris Qureshi, Joseph Caddick

Monday 7th March 2022

Gaming

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COURIER

On the 'Fall of Wordle' Sims 4 LGBTQ+ content to re

Amy Haslam

ife used to be simple. Now I wake up every day, I complete the daily Wordle, then, of course, I have to do the Quordle, Nerdle, Worldle, Globle, Lewdle, Sweardle, Taylordle (Taylor swift wordle). By then it's bedtime. Repeat. Perhaps it's all these spin-offs that have caused peoples’ severe Wordle fatigue… Or maybe it's all the articles and tweets about Wordle. This one included. Wordle came out in October 2021. Based on the TV game show Lingo, but with a oncea-day element and no dead-inside host. At the time, the idea of playing something once a day was foreign. Wordle appeals to the part of the brain that likes to pour the cereal in the bowl before the milk. It gives us routine and order. Especially after a time of unpredictable disease and lockdowns. The game's success comes largely from the ability to share with others, the ultimate small talk conversation piece - universal to anyone. Even able to unite you with those weird cousins you try to avoid, with the easily shareable copy and paste grid.

But what happens when they no longer care or play the game... Will we keep playing when we lose the ability to brag to others? Recently there's been an argued ‘Fall of Wordle'. Of course, the obvious thing to blame for this is the New York Times. However, for the most part, they have improved the game. I think John Wardle himself underestimated how little the general public wants to learn new words. The day that the word was ‘CAULK’ caused an international outcry. I still refuse to learn what a 'CAULK' is. Recently, the New York Times saved us from ‘AGORA’ which would have caused the second outcry in a week. Maybe instead of looking to point fingers at which party is to blame for its slight decrease in popularity, we can just consider that it's a trend running its natural course. Flappy Bird died of mainly natural causes and maybe this will too. We don't need a Wordle autopsy. It's not going to disappear from our consciousness, crosswords still get played and those are far less fun.

Hannah Ross lectronic Arts is set to release The Sims 4's My Wedding Stories game pack uncensored in Russia after fan backlash, setting a precedent for releasing LGBTQ+ content in homophobic countries. The announcement came after fans in Russia rushed to the internet creating an online petition with over 10,000 signatures and spreading #weddingsforrussia when EA stated they would not be releasing the game pack in the country. The Sims series has a history as being a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ representation in gaming, though in the original game the ability to have samesex couples largely happened due

to a miscommunication. The creative team had originally decided not to include this ability, but the programmer did not get the memo. The demo at E3 that showed two female Sims kissing shocked audience members, though the function was allowed to stay, and the series has become a global hit over the years, allowing gamers to be whoever they want to be in the game, and continuing to widen the range of experiences. This concept is particularly important in homophobic countries as it allows an alternative platform for exposing concepts of sexuality that aren’t particularly well taught in schools, if talked about at all. It allows gaming to

Image: Peter Lennon

Memory Card: A deep dive into Live A Live (1994) Kefan Chen

Looking back on the original JRPG ahead of its 2022 remake, releasing in July on Nintendo Switch

here is no denying that Square Soft has been around for quite some time now. Although they publish a wide range of RPGs, their final output is always high quality. Aside from Hanjuku Hero, another Japan-only game, Live A Live is Square's most creative effort. Character designs, story structure, and everything else will astound you in Live A Live. We're all grinning, laughing, and shaking our heads at the same time because of the game's startling and humorous style. Although there will be no beauty pageants in this game, there will be a lot of fun. The game's visuals aren't horrible, but their quality hasn’t aged well. Far superior visuals in the year of Final Fantasy VI. During a battle, the characters are very welldesigned and animated. Despite the improved graphics, they don't measure up to the aesthetics of the previous generation of Final Fantasy games. Aside from that, the settings are varied and well-

Seven seemingly unrelated plotlines are woven together to form one cohesive whole

thought-out. The impossible has been achieved in this game. Seven seemingly unrelated plotlines are woven together to form one cohesive whole in this game. At one point in the game, you'll see a

scene straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The writing is so great, though, that you won't even realise that many of them are unexpectedly derivative in nature. The Medieval chapter makes up for the previous plot surprises with numerous more shocking ones. There is no need for more information. The bouts are a joy to witness. Traditional turnbased gameplay was replaced with a strategy/ RPG approach. Even though the characters in random conflicts are scattered over the map, the action moves along swiftly. The strategic combination of skills is fun and fascinating to play around with. When it comes to battling, the emphasis shifts from one chapter to the next. This is also an excellent notion. As the game progresses, so does the gameplay and experience. A high-pitched voice announces, "Squaresoft," as the game gets started. That is the worst sound in terms of gameplay. With every hit being exact and the levelup song (suited f o r each

character) being just delightful, the music is great. It's not as good as the rest of the music on the console. However, the game benefits from it. Good writing and a non-repetitive gaming experience are the hallmarks of this title. A lot of the choices you make

Image: Square Enix

directly affect the game's outcome. Totally out-of-the-ordinary things. Some of the more terrible things you'll encounter in the game may be found here... Their legs were encased in lizard skin. Sexism Is Proliferating Cookies are being baked for the deceased by a group of individuals. Breast-bearing apes (with one male ape for all of them) Robotic chickens pursue and try to kiss you on the lips as you run about. Nothing can prepare you for the sight of that. You wouldn't expect a game like this to be that good, but it is. In terms of innovation and gameplay, this is one of Square's best games ever. As bizarre as it may seem, the outcomes may surprise you.

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Monday 7th March 2022

Print: Michael Duckworth, Peter Lennon Online: Haaris Qureshi, Joseph Caddick

Gaming

elease uncensored in Russia The rise of mobile gaming be a true escape for people and helps to normalise homosexuality in society. There was some confusion as to why EA initially chose to withhold the release of this game pack in Russia with the company stating that they did not want to release an edited version as "holding back Cam and Dom's [same sex] story meant compromising the values we live by." However, EA would not have had to compromise in any way to comply with Russia's controversial 'homosexual propaganda' laws, which have illegalised 'promotion' of homosexuality to children. The game itself already has an 18+ rating in Russia to comply with this so, under the age restriction, and with no issues raised with them by the Kremlin, there was no problem with the My Wedding Stories game pack being released.

Fortunately, the game pack has now been released and the protests on social media have helped show that, if not the government, then society in Russia is changing and that not everyone who lives there should be associated with homophobia. It has been a win for the Russian LGBTQ+ community and will hopefully prompt further promotion of non-normative gender and sexuality in Russia in the future.

Sims 4 has an 18 rating in Russia for LGBTQ+ content in the game

Image: Electronic Arts

was, and Geometry Dash still makes me want to Kayleigh Fraser pull my hair out. - Campus Comment sub-editor These games all succeeded because of how ince the release of the iPhone in the special they were. Mobile was a new platform late 2000's, mobile games have been that creators had to adapt to. An entire new all the rage. But for me, the period format forced studios to stray away from between 2010-2012 will always be formats used on consoles such as the Wii and the best. the PS3 and try something wholly different. It's inevitable that I'd look fondly upon my However, some of these have just lost their childhood gaming years. Back when draw. But why? Is it because we've grown we were young, everything was new up, or have mobile games become so and emerging. The industry repetitive and similar that it's not was young, the creators worth it anymore? I'd say it's a bit of filled with ideas, and the both. market was booming. One app I use is abundant Everyone seemed to be with pop-up ads. Nearly all playing mobile games. of these are for mobile Right off the bat, I games. They are can think of so many endlessly repetitive games that soared and seem to popup the charts. up only to my Temple Run, annoyance. I Fruit Ninja, never have any Angry Birds, intentions of Dumb Ways playing these to Die, games. For one, Subway there's always a Sur fers, thousand other Cut the Rope, games like it, FarmVille... . My and you know personal favourite for a fact that was Tiny Tower. said game will The concept being have pop-up ads, one of building a too. tower with oodles of It's sad to think different floors from food that the industry has Image: thethreesisters (Flickr) gone downhill. What once and retail to residential and recreation. My highest tower reached used to bring me so much nearly 100 floors. joy is something I never even Nowadays, some of these games have stood consider playing any more. I hope in the the test of time. Subway Surfers is used to make future we get some better mobile games. Right memes, Candy Crush is still as popular with now, the games are dry and with no signs of forty-something year old women as it always uniqueness whatsoever.

Minecraft: We're not fibbing about these amphibians Elizabeth Meade - Senior Science Editor

Frogs are being added to the block-tacular world of Minecraft, 11 years after its full release

fter years of anticipation, Minecraft frogs are soon to be a reality. A release changelog from 8 February detailing features of Version 1.18.10, which is currently available in Bedrock, describes this unprecedented addition to the Minecraft universe. Minecraft frogs can perform a variety of actions in-game. They can “croak, jump, swim, and walk on land” according to the changelog. The frogs can also reproduce. The resulting Minecraft tadpoles can swim around and later become frogs. The type of frog a tadpole will grow into is determined by biome. The frogs also come in three biome-based types: temperate, cold, and warm, which are orange,

Minecraft frogs have the opportunity to significantly enhance gameplay via the new mechanics they provide green and grey respectively. However, frogs only come into existence on their own in swamps. To

make other frogs, the player must place tadpoles in a different environment. Minecraft frogs can also produce special ingame items. By eating Slimes, frogs can produce Slime Balls. By eating Magma Cubes, frogs can produce Froglights, small glowing blocks. These come in different colours based on which type of frog is eating the Magma Cube. This feature is significantly less realistic, as real frogs can not eat magma and eat a diet of insects, small invertebrates and even some small vertebrates. Large frogs have been known to eat hamsters and smaller frogs. Nevertheless, the care that Minecraft has taken in their frog design is unusual. These frogs can produce several realistic noises and inflate their vocal sacs. According to a Minecraft Live session cited on the Minecraft Wiki, the “warm” frog was inspired by the real-world grey foam-nest tree frog. This attention to biological detail is high for a fantasy game. The history of frogs in video games is extensive, making them an unsurprising choice for a new animal in Minecraft. The classic arcade game Frogger involves helping a frog cross a road while avoiding cars. The 1978 game Frogs also involves controlling a frog that hops on lily pads. More modern frog games include Frog Fractions, Animal Crossing and Tabikaeru. Perhaps there is something appealing

about hopping around as a gameplay mechanic, or maybe frogs are just easy to render with their recognizable shape. An endless stream of frog memes makes 2022 an ideal time to add frogs to Minecraft in terms of marketing. A subset of the meme-making population believes that frogs are visually appealing animals due to their large eyes and unique

personalities. As a result, they receive a great deal of attention on websites and social media platforms such as Tumblr, Facebook and Instagram. The massive fanbase for frogs has led to a great deal of excitement around this development. Beyond their aesthetic purposes, I believe Minecraft frogs have the opportunity to significantly enhance gameplay via the new mechanics and challenges they provide. They are, for many fans, a breath-taking new addition to modern gaming that today’s youth will tell their grandchildren about in the years to come. Newcastle student Hannah Ross summarises the situation briefly: “The frog uprising has begun. You can’t stop it now”. Image: iDeactivateMC (YouTube)

Sub-editors: Tom Wrath, Maja Mazur & Ruby Taylor

Monday 7th March 2022

Arts

I n t e r v i e w : International Women's Day: Merlin Mee Book characters we admire Ruby Taylor - Arts Sub-Editor

Merlin Mee shares details of his freelance work How would you describe your job title? What work do you do, both paid and voluntary? Merlin works full-time at GCSEPod as a publishing assistant, and does freelance work on the side. He described his job title within freelance as a freelance creative. "That’s the term that I use, because it’s really open. I didn’t want to put myself in a box with it. Freelance creative consists of not only video work and filming things, but also working as part of a creative team on productions. It’s mainly been in theatre that I do it.” What is a typical day of work like for you? “I’ll get up at eight, start work as normal...I don’t answer freelance emails during my work shift. I will wait until my lunch break to do that. My lunch is an hour long, so I’ll make sure any freelance work I do is within that bubble. But then that I’ve also had time to eat!” “So usually if I have a gig in the evening after work, I usually like to get there about six to half six. I like to get there a bit early to see everyone again, the lighting team and the production team and stuff. I’m kind of like a semipermanent fixture there, like usually I know everyone there. I set up at the back, have a nice crack on with people, go get myself a Greggs, and wait for the play to start! It will usually be recording the play or watching it, and then doing the VoxPops afterwards.” How do you maintain balance and avoid burn out? “Sometimes it’s taught me to be quite brutal in my self-care. I’m a yes person, I will say yes to everything because it sounds like such an awesome opportunity, but then if I feel like I can’t take this on because I don’t want my career at GCSEpod to suffer.” “Talking to my friends or my partner about it...He will be almost brutally honest about it, but he’ll say, "Merlin you’re taking too much on!”” How do you find work as a freelancer? “I would say my first ever proper piece of freelance work...I was paid £10 to make an advert about pillows for a pillow company...That was on a freelance networking site." "I would say I’ve got a lot of my work by talking to people and reaching out. And I know that’s such a cliché answer, but I think that it does help. Even just turning up to events...it is an unfortunate that that is to some extent true, but I think it’s just about trying to get your work out there and yourself out there." Some tips Merlin swears by is having a portfolio where all your work can be in one place and joining Tyne and Wear Cultural Freelancers Facebook page for advice and jobs. He says “Never underestimate the power of social media." Any advice specifically for students at Newcastle University wanting to get into freelance work? “The great thing about being at uni is there is so many opportunities to practise...so for me that was NUTV, and internships.... It doesn’t matter about your income or how much student loan you are entitled to, there is a whole massive studio of creative things you can do.” Find him at merlinmee. com and @merlin. mee on Instagram

Image: Merlin Mee

Imogen Clarke - Fashion & Beauty Sub-Editor

Leah Graham

Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

Addy Prentiss (One Of Us Is Lying)

rowing up, strong female book characters were a bit thin on the ground. Can we count Tracy Beaker, Katniss Everdeen, Bella Swan (the icon herself) as feminist icons? Probably not. Yet, when I read the Harry Potter books in my early teens, I immediately decided to base my personality on one character in particular. To me, Hermione Granger was a character who was unapologetically brilliant, in a world where girls are taught to downplay their talents. However, when reading the Harry Potter books as an adult (which I do, regularly), Hermione's character has so many more layers than I could pick up on as a child. Although her representation in the films is great, much of her personality, not to mention her selfless campaigning for elf-rights from book four onwards, is missed out. If nothing else, she married a ginger, which is an achievement in itself.

hilst I can’t say the same for her TV series (that I’m yet to binge) counterpart, a female book character that is definitely worth looking up to is Addy Prentiss from One Of Us Is Lying. The character travels across the novel on a journey of selfdiscovery, finding herself again after a coercive relationship- and being a murder suspect at the same time. Early in the novel, the high school student is dominated by her boyfriend and mother, living up to their ideals and demands. Her mother makes the teen feel even more worthless, and Jake practically controls her every move.

The character suffers from great emotional upheaval, but instead of giving in, she uses the situation to find her identity.

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Review: Animal Far Ruby Taylor - Arts Sub-Editor

hen I sat down in my seat for the first night of the 2022 adaptation of Animal Farm at the Theatre Royal, I did not expect to love it as much as I did. I will admit, I have never read Orwell in my life, so the only context I had for the show was some intriguing press release pictures on Instagram and the pieces I knew of the story. I did not expect to love it as much as I did. There was chatter through all the seats in the lead up to curtains, as a bedraggled farmer carried a pig-carcass back and forward across the stage. We were all excited to see what the puppets would be like on stage. The truth is I was blown away by the puppets. The puppeteers and designers had meticulously worked together to make the movements and sounds of the animals realistic. There were multiple puppeteers per animal for many of the larger ones, but you were in no w a y distracted by t h e

After her secret is revealed (spoilers!), she becomes closer to her sister, who herself is trapped in a loveless marriage. She separates herself from her toxic friends, finds her love of bike riding and styles her hair in a nonconventional way - finding her identity again. The character suffers from great emotional upheaval, but instead of giving in, she uses the situation to find her identity and is even stronger for it. Image: Instagram @questetic

Image: Twitter @TheatreRoyalNew

Image: Josh Smith

Bookworms' bookshe Josh Smith

Neve Watson

I love organised shelves. I love waking up alive even more. However, my life, my love and my lady is being lazy. Therefore, my shelves range from the impractically triple stacked to the Head Crusher 3000. I have beautiful books that have survived two World Wars and unless someone tells me to stop cramming them in diagonally, I can’t see them surviving the third. I do deserve at least a crumb of credit for trying. Categories have emerged naturally: the Russians settled their own little shelf and started taking over their non-fiction neighbours once their stack reached the top. All of my epic poetry is pushed in a stack that is unobstructed — this is to assert dominance over my girlfriend when she walks in my room and beholds my Homeric, intellectual superiority. My shelf of new, to-read books is hidden in my cupboard, which averts any consumerist guilt. We will call my method the Organic System. New Oxfam hauls crop up and spread like Japanese knotweed until a shelf fills, then ‘nature’ buys a new shelf and continues the spread. Ad infinitum. Well, not exactly. Ad until the bookshelf falls, killing me in my sleep, leaving nothing behind but a pile of mouldy paper-um. Perhaps it’s time to organise my shelves.

I’ve tried and tested many ways how to organise my bookshelves, but I always come back to colour coordinated. Don’t get me wrong, I used to have them alphabetically by author’s surname (I felt like I was in Waterstones every time I looked at my shelves) and that was fine, but I didn’t think it was brilliant. When the first lockdown began, I sorted through all my books and donated or sold the ones I wouldn’t read again and looked on Pinterest (a Godsend) for inspiration. Since finding a colour coordinated bookshelf, I haven’t looked back. Of course, you’ve got to think which colour you’d like to begin with (my shelves start with green). I went as far as looking up a colour wheel and seeing the different gradients of colours and how they bleed into each other, and that was really satisfying, too, to watch my books go from a pale green into a deep one. I liked the idea more of just having a randomised green section though, with less order than a steady gradient. It's just aesthetically pleasing to look at and I highly recommend it. As long as you don’t take issue with books within a series being in different places on your shelves if they aren’t the same colours!

Image: Maja Mazur

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Monday 7th March 2022

rm @ Theatre Royal human presence on stage. It was especially clever how the legs of the of the puppeteer became the back legs of the puppet, ingeniously incorporating the human presence into the animal form. When the action was happening far away, tiny models of the characters and places would be used to create perspective. Having never read Animal Farm, I was completely absorbed by the story as much as the production, and my heart was pounding throughout. This wasn’t helped by the death toll that would ring throughout the theatre when any animal died, with their name and age projected on the huge black theatre screens. I loved the fast-paced nature of the show, and the drama would increase with every scene change. The show is on tour throughout the UK until the end of May, and I would definitely recommend catching the show if you can!

Sub-editors: Tom Wrath, Maja Mazur & Ruby Taylor

Interview: Emily Clifton

think it's important to remain angry because we can see which way this is going'' Emily tells me, speaking about her time as a nurse during the pandemic, “the privitisation of the NHS is happening before our eyes - I dont know how much longer it's gunna be here.” We have met in a busy coffee shop in the centre of Newcastle, but Emily’s ‘Fuck The Tories’ necklace stands out to me straight away. Alongside her work in healthcare she is the owner of Olive’s Book Club, (named after her dog), an independent book shop which focuses on selling the words of marginalised voices. This year, Emily plans to move into her first physical bookshop. “I started selling second hand books on Depop and it seemed to be doing really well even though they were just second hand books,” Emily shares, “but I think people kinda connected with the reason why I was selling them - I gave some of the profits to charities like Womens Aid and the Okra Project - which is a charity that provides hot meals for black trans people around the world.” From this progressive beginning, Emily has built up a project which boasts over two thousand followers on Instagram, and customers from up and down the country. Most impressively, Emily has built a literary community here in the North East - “I get a lot of repeat customers, people that come back, people who come and see me at every market and that’s really nice. You build up a kind of relationship. I get customers recommending books to me that I’ve never heard of, and I’m like ooo I’ll check that out. It's just really lovely, it's a really nice community.” However, being someone so refreshingly vocal about the injustices in our society, especially online, Emily has faced abuse. “I feel quite at risk sometimes,” she admits, “even though people are like ‘ahhh it’s probably just a bot! It’s not a real person.’ I’m like - ‘but I am and I’ve got real feelings’” This hostility is a growing concern, “I think it’s something we need to consider going forward, having a physical space, because when people know that you’re political and you’re queer, there are a lot of people who don’t want your voice to be heard”. Fortunately though, Emily’s hard work on Olive’s Book Club has been recognised and won her a nomination for the ‘New Futures’ award run by the Booksellers Association. “I know what books I wanna sell, I’ve got my vision for my shop, I know exactly where I want it to go” Emily explains, “I guess I’m just lacking the business know-how. This award - it’s given me the tools that I need to hopefully make it a reality. It’s really exciting.” The assured way in which Emily speaks about her plans for her shop makes me wonder what advice she might have for students starting out in the arts - “You’ve got to be passionate about it. And stick with it”, she says immediately, but then she adds to not, “be so afraid of everything. It's only in the last year that I've become more sociable and felt comfortable actually speaking to people and branching out and that has really helped with my business”. “I wanna open my book shop. That’s for sure”, Emily says of the future, but she feels sadness at the thought of leaving behind her work in healthcare, “I’m glad that I’ve got my bookshop as something to focus on, it's just a bit sad because I actually do really like doing my job [nursing] but I just don’t feel like I'm working under the conditions that make it possible for me to do it as well as I want to”. Although it is shameful that the NHS has been purposefully underfunded to the point where those within it feel unable to do the job they feel an instinct to do, it is inspiring to see Emily use her anger for the better. “I think it’s quite a challenging time politically especially for like queer people and people of colour and trans people” she says, “it’s just a really toxic environment at the moment so we need to make safe spaces for queer people.” I am excited to see the space that Emily creates, and the ways it will improve the literary scene in Newcastle. Emily’s bookshop is available at www.olivesbookclub. co.uk/ Instagram @olivesbookclub

Sarah Tunstall

his question is quite difficult in its approach, if regarding any other person, you would expect their wishes to be completely honoured and fulfilled but when faced with an artist does the idea of the consumer take over this decision? Can you read a book that the author never intended to be published? Can you listen to a musician’s songs if they never wanted listening platforms to keep playing them? Can you create an exhibition, even in commemoration, if the artist never intended for their art to be shown?`W Vivian Maier for example and her undeveloped storage of film photography that was found and published later after her death. Prince, a good example here, pretty much spent most of his life sharing how against he was with the people that controlled the record industry, and now, here we are 5 years after his death, and I have the majority of his catalogue downloaded on my phone from Spotify.

Maja Mazur - Arts Sub-Editor

Moving up to University, I sat squished under a flatpack bookshelf in the back of the car, sacrificing my lungs for the rainbow book shelf I've always wanted but never had. Is there anything more satisfying than seeing your paperbacks and hardbacks arranged in glorious technicolour? Definitely not. I have one shelf of paperbacks arranged from red to black and then the same on the shelf above with my extensive collection of clothbound classics. I top my bookshelf off with fairy lights, plants and photos of my family and friends. When i get in bed on a night and stare straight into this little piece of my heart, I feel nothing but happiness. There is no greater feeling than stepping over to my beautiful rainbow and pulling a brand new adventure off the shelf.

Image: Maja Mazur

Should we honour artists' last wishes?

From the consumer’s perspective I also think of how Harper Lee didn’t want Go Set a Watchman (the sequel to her famous To Kill a Mockingbird) to be published, yet a year before her death, I see it in my local WH Smiths in hardback. I never read it as I have never read the first book, but I wondered if her dedicated fans respected her wishes to not read it even before she passed away or if the excitement of their favourite author publishing another book got to the best of them. If the consumer wants more art, be that from an author, musician, or artist, how far are the wishes of the passed artist followed? You could argue the continuance of publishing books/music, exhibition displays or the selling of art are instead, a commemoration to the artist rather than dismay to their wishes. But once you start looking at these artists as who they are, people, the continued publishing and ‘celebration’ of them feel wrong. Would Prince be excited by the new streaming platforms we have? Would Harper Lee forgive her publishers if she saw her fans devour her book? And would Vivian Maier, a childminder in her time, be happy to see her storage pictures hung in a gallery? These are questions I don’t think we can ever really answer. Image: Flickr

elves: The organisation obstacle Annabel Hogg - Relationships Sub-Editor

Arts

When I moved to England, I initially really missed my bookshelf at home. Thankfully though, I have no self-control and had a Waterstones close enough to grow a nice collection of books in a short time. In fact, soon, I will have to stack them on the floor, with my student accommodation clearly not expecting a bookworm. I enjoy organising my books vaguely by their genre. The highest shelf, protected by a Lego Harry Potter Minifigure, is full of fantasy and crime with a touch of classic. But the one below is my favourite. And no, not because it’s the prettiest nor because it makes me look like a literary snob. No, I love it because it’s fully sponsored by my boyfriend - at least once, my poor purse had a rest. Lower there’s a small chunk of Russian bricks I pretend to have read, and some modern fiction with a random Polish edition of Dune vibing next to books in English. Sadly, my YA section is much less impressive here than in my family home but give me another few more months here, and it will dominate. I could pretend that it’s all but on the desk between dead lavender, still miraculously alive plants and squashed editions of The Courier, there’s a couple of books that didn’t make it to my bookshelf. Let the lonely Volume 4 of Heartstopper speak itself for my responsible bookbuying habits.

Image: Neve Watson

Autumn Lily - Film Sub-Editor

Sub-editor: Joseph Caddick

38 Across

Monday 7th March 2022

Puzzles

1. ___ Croft, Tomb Raider protagonist. (4) 3. Capitalism-inspired board game. (8) 9. Insult meaning uneducated and from the countryside. (7) 10. A symbol or character carved onto a pole. (5) 11. In the past. (3) 12. Opposed to. (7) 13. Pull a vehicle along with a rope. (3) 14. A program used on a mobile phone. (3) 15. Criminal. (6) 16. Coloured carp kept in ponds. (3) 18. Christian holiday that follows Lent. (6) 21. Arachnid. (6) 22. Bill ___, the Science Guy. (3) 23. Primates with either short or no tails. (4) 24. Where squids store their ink. (3) 26. Electrocute. (3)

COURIER

Crossword

Down

1. Scales star sign. (5) 2. Defensive wall. (7) 4. Intricately decorated. (6) 5. Another name for the hashtag symbol. (10) 6. Canadian capital city. (6) 7. Holiest day of Jewish calendar. (3,6) 8. Use of products to look after your epidermis. (8) 15. Geographical region including Australia and Polynesia. (7) 17. Aphrodite’s lover in Greek mythology. (6) 19. ___ Redgrave, Olympic goldwinning rower. (5) 20. Indian currency. (5) 25. 1998 Dreamworks film. (4) 27. Take revenge for perceived wrongs, usually murder. (6) 28. Thick spicy sauce made from tomatoes. (6)

Codeword:

Wordsearch - Metals

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Calcium Copper Iron Nickel Rubidium Tin Zinc

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Chromium Gold Lead Platinum Silver Tungsten Zirconium

Cobalt Iridium Mercury Radium Sodium Uranium

Last Issue's Answers M

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Word Wheel: Newcastle

WIN A PRIZE!

Upload your puzzle solutions to Instagram and tag @thecourieronline to enter the prize draw!

COURIER

Monday 7th March 2022

Sub-editor: Joseph Caddick

Puzzles

Instructions

Nonogram

Colour in the cells in the grid according to the numbers on the sides of the grid to reveal a picture. The individual numbers in each row/column are separated by spaces of 1 or more squares.

Notes

Difficulty: Hard

Word Wheel Sudoku 7 March 2021

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Create as many words as you can of 3 letters or more from the wheel. Each letter can only be used once and you must use the one in the middle of the wheel. Try to find the 9 letter word that uses all the letters. Goal: 35 words

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

Monday 7th March 2022

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Sport Heading in football: crucial part of Tottenha the game or growing health crisis? left trop 40

Ethan Todd -Sports sub-editor

A look into whether heading should be removed from football

heading in training, limiting the level of ‘high force’ headers, being that from corners, crosses or free kicks to 10 per training week.

ithin the last year, the topic surrounding the safety of heading in football has been heavily debated as to whether it should be reduced or even eradicated altogether from the sport, amid consequential health concerns for footballers about the risk of brain injuries such as dementia. In a study from 2021 conducted by Twitter: @Football_Tweet researchers at the University of Glasgow (led by Professor Willie Stewart I think that banning and published by the journal JAMA Neurology) via Sky Sports, ‘based on the heading from health records of around 8,000 former professional footballers in Scotland… football altogether [Outfield players] were almost four times as likely as an ordinary member would be radical and of the public, with defenders developing dementia in later life roughly five times detrimental more often than the public at large.’ As a result of this study last year, Personally, I think that banning professional clubs were issued with new heading from football altogether would guidelines regarding the limitation of be a radical and extremely detrimental

to the game we love, creating a severely lesser enjoyable viewing experience of football. No headed goals or defending with heading would drastically hamper the way in which the beautiful game is played, and has been for generations, bringing in the contentious debate as to whether the enjoyment of supporters trumps the safety of the players.

Unfortunately, such is the nature of the sport, every time footballers step out onto the turf there is a risk of injury, whether that be a head injury, broken leg or torn muscle; heading is just as threatening for the players as tackling is. Regarding the specific context of dementia, in the UK it ‘is estimated that over 850,000 people suffer with it, mainly affecting the elderly and as well as this, at the age of 65 the likelihood of developing dementia roughly doubles every five years.’ Despite the early indications of this study, more research must be carried out over an extended period of time, that would further supporting the idea that heading causes higher risk of dementia as there is no definitive evidence that heading a ball does cause dementia, before banning headers altogether from the sport; which would evidently impact the enjoyment of the viewing and playing experience. Image: Wikimedia Commons

UEFA strips St. Petersburg from hosting the Champions League Final Tom Barlow

The Champions League final has been moved to Paris, France due to the RussiaUkraine conflict

he he Champions League Final, due to be played at St. Petersburg in Russia, will now be played in Paris, France on the 28th May

2022. Due to the escalating advances by President Putin and his military into Ukraine, various sanctions have been placed on Russia. Losing out on the lucrative prospect of hosting the Champions League Final in front of a full house of 68,000 at the Gazprom Arena, or its more renowned name as the Krestovsky Stadium, will be one of these sanctions. The final will now be played at the Stade de France in Paris to 81,000 people. Originally, the final was meant to be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, but due to the coronavirus postponements of 2020, all final hosts would be rolled back a year. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin called an extraordinary meeting to discuss whether Russia should be allowed to host the final. On the 25th February, UEFA confirmed that the 2022 Champions League Final would be moved to Paris at the Stade de

France from St Petersburg. This is the first time that the Champions League final will be held at the venue for over 15 years, where the Stade de France hosted the 2006 final. The day will be a bitter memory for Arsenal fans, as their lead was cancelled out by Samuel Eto’o, running out as eventual losers. This year, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all have the opportunity to play at this final, as they are all currently halfway through their round of 16 knockout ties in the tournament. Manchester City have the most recent memories of this stadium, as they came out 2-0 losers to Paris Saint Germain earlier this season in the group stages. The last English side to win at the Stade de France was Manchester United in last season’s group stage, as they won 2-1, thanks to a late Marcus Rashford winner. The season before that, it was Rashford again who scored a late third goal to see Manchester United progress into the quarter finals against the side from Paris, so perhaps it is written in the stars for United to return back to this famous arena this year. Various other sports, such as Formula 1, have also taken the initiative to cancel their sporting events in Russia, as the Grand Prix in Sochi this year has been axed. Poland

have told FIFA that they refuse to play Russia in next month’s World Cup play offs, seeing the Czech Republic and Sweden also announce that they would not play Russia, as the winner who progressed

from their tie would play the winner from Poland and Russia’s. The famous FC Schalke 04 from Germany have stripped their shirt of their leading sponsor Gazprom and Manchester United have severed ties with Russian airline, Aeroflot, amidst the invasion of Ukraine.

Pundit Simon Jordan has urged UEFA to 'boot' Russian teams out of European competitions.

Arthur Ferridge

Conte's Tottenham remain trophy-less after 14 years

he date is February 24th, 2008. Flo Rida’s “Low” is top of the Billboard Hot 100, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has just been announced, and the iPod Touch is taking the world by storm. If that isn’t enough of a sign of the times, Tottenham Hotspur have just beaten Chelsea in extra time to win the Carling Cup. Fourteen years later, the Lilywhites are yet to lift another trophy, which begs the question: what has happened to Tottenham? While it is tempting to make the blanket statement that Spur’s recent form has been uniformly poor, citing some embarrassing results and underwhelming cup runs, this would not tell the full story. The story of Tottenham’s recent history can be characterized as one of missed opportunities, poor business, and simply being ‘spursy’. Spurs have had plentiful opportunities to change their fortunes, achieving nine topfive finishes in the Premier League and competing in Europe in thirteen of the last fourteen years. However, when discussing Spurs, every pro comes with a handful of cons. In 14 years, Spurs have lost four cup finals, had several awkward results against Image: Twitter (@ and @DeludedBr lesser sides, and burned through ten managers, none of whom could reverse the club’s fortunes. The fact that proven managers such as Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and Maurizio Pochettino have been unable to succeed with Spurs points to a deeper lying issue at the club which goes beyond onfield performances.

Conte faces the same challenges as predecessors, a difficult squad

Image: Twitter (@ChampionsLeague)

Image: Twitter (@DeadlineDayLive)

Following a recent 1-0 loss to Burnley, a frustrated Antonio Conte threatened to abandon his position as manager, stating post-match that he is “too honest to close my eyes and continue.” and often outlast lackluster coaches. Working with names such as Harry Kane and Son Heung Min under a

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am still Man City's metaverse madness phy-less Joe Millward

board unafraid of investing seems like a fantastic deal on paper, however, it is a mountain that Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino, and Nuno Espirito Santo have all failed to summit.

The blame for Tottenham's recent struggles often falls on Chairman Daniel Levy

Hailing from Essex and Cambridge educated, Levy made his million as a businessman, working with Rangers FC, Slavia Prague, and FC Basel before becoming a majority shareholder at Tottenham Hotspur in 2000. Levy has not shied away from investing in the team, spending over £1.2 billion on transfers across 22 seasons. The quality of the transfers often let him down. His £54 million record signing, Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombélé, has rather consistently u nd e r p e r for me d, amassing more yellow cards (10) than assists (9) in his first two seasons at the club before heading back to Lyon on loan in January. Some particular lowlights of Levy’s transfers can be found in his sales rather than his purchases. Gareth Bale and Luka Modric departed for Real Madrid in 2013 and 2012 respectively and have gone on to win four Champions League @SpursOfficial rendan) titles each. The same applies to Kyle Walker, who spent eight years at White Hart Lane before a move to Manchester City in 2017, where in four seasons he has won as many trophies as Tottenham have in the last 59 years (10). While Levy has managed some clever finds in the bargain bin, there is no getting around the fact that he has squandered massive money on several flop transfers, leaving the club £480 million in the red from transfers alone, not to mention the brand-new Hotspur Stadium, which is reported to have cost upwards of £1 billion. So, how to sum up Tottenham Hotspur’s last fourteen years? Billions of pounds invested, eight managers sacked, four cup finals lost, one shiny new stadium and zero trophies. Despite their brushes with success, Spurs remain spursy and seem set to stay that way for years to come.

Manchester City joins the confusing universe of the metaverse

he year is 2023. The average price of a Manchester City season ticket is £550 quid. Thankfully, you swiped an Oculus quest 2, for the low-low price of £299.99 - a steal. You strap in, dropping onto the pitch, just as millions of digital avatars cheer in applause. Manchester City have unveiled plans to reconstruct the Etihad stadium - all 54,000 seats, chewing gum not included. The scheme is the beginning of an integration into the metaverse, with Sony (owners of Oculus VR) heading up the ‘construction’. The stadium will obviously offer digital tours, and several new dimensions in which to watch the game from home, but eventually will be used for virtual merchandising and digital fan interactions.

and metaverse. Cudos is the largest planned integration, allowing athletes to create digital Non Fungible versions of themselves to monetize in fantasy sports, video games, crypto and the metaverse. Don’t think that clubs have been slow to pick up mind, Manchester City have their own crypto coin already, and out of the surprising number of football club cryptocoins, it is second only to Paris St Germain’s in value. If you're wondering what value or purpose Cryptocoin has in relation to the football experience, you're not alone. It is the same with the virtual Etihad. Wasn't the second hand

viewing experience perfected with a big screen and pints in hand, surrounded by one's brothers in arms - not wriggling around in your VR, jostling behind sonic the hedgehog for a better view of a

laggy of the game. Aside from dodgy monetization options, it offers nothing tangible - give me a shirt, pint, and a grease marked flatscreen anyday.

Image: Twitter (@ManCity)

You didn't really think that it wasn't about more ways to find profit did you?

In an industry with millions changing hands daily, it is no wonder football is entering the cryptosphere

Image: Twitter (@ManCity)

Ownership turmoil hits Sunderland Ethan Todd -Sports sub-editor

A fan's perspective on the Black Cats' continuing turmoil

underland fans have once again been left incandescent with rage after recent revelations regarding the true ownership of the club, being misled once more by the Black Cats hierarchy, as the club revealed that the former owners still hold a majority share. Chaos and treachery has surrounded the club once again, as the fans believed that SwissFrench billionaire Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who took over Sunderland in February 2021 was to be the majority shareholder. This was alongside the former ownership, The Madrox Group consisting of the owners present in the infamous ‘Sunderland till I die’ Netflix documentary, Stewart Donald, Juan Satori and the hilariously cringeworthy Charlie Methven, still retaining a minority share hold on Wearside. However, amid months of speculation and unanswered questions from the Sunderland faithful,

Louis-Dreyfus revealed he only yields a 41 per cent stake in the club; yet it has been hidden that Donald, Satori and the main figure of ridicule, Methven, still grasp a comprised stake of the remaining 59 percent. In a statement to the supporters, 25 year old Louis-Dreyfus wrote that: “As previously stated, I have executive control of the running of the football club – something that was a fundamental requirement upon the purchase of my shares – and the executive management team… report to me on a day to day basis." “Over the past 12 months, SAFC has required significant shareholder funding as part of our ongoing investment within the

Image: Twitter (@Kyrill_Dreyfus)

club… all shareholders remain wholly committed to honouring their respective financial obligations.” The reason for the Black Cats fans being left with a bitter and angry taste in their mouth is that the former owners became so unpopular towards the end of their reign, yet still retain such power in the club given their requirement to fund the club. Especially, given the sacking of Lee Johnson earlier this year and the long awaited arrival of new manager, former Norwich and Preston boss Alex Neil, has cast a shadow of doubt over every decision made at the Stadium of Light this season both in the dugout and on the pitch.

Image: Twitter (@ SunderlandAFC)

Having been deprived of optimism for so long, Sunderland fans finally thought that Louis-Dreyfus was a young owner, willing to fuel the club with ample financial backing and oversee the club's return to their former glory with trust. Yet in light of the recent findings, that trust has certainly been marred from a fan perspective, possibly irreparably, given there is such distain for the Madrox Group on Wearside. A spokesperson for Stewart Donald, the man with the largest share in the majority owners’ group, stated that: Methven outlined to The Athletic that, “Like Stewart, I would be very happy to sell my shares. But in the meantime, I will continue to provide my share of the financing of the club.” Despite this, Sunderland supporters inevitably distrust these statements and have been once again coaxed into believing in falsities, combining lying owners with severely deflating performances on the pitch with only one win in their last seven outings. It has left the red and white army disenfranchised and impoverished with hope of a rise from the ashes of the third tier of English Football.

Image: Twitter (@ALS_Fanzine)

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Monday 7th March 2022

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Tennis: Alexander Zverev kicked out of Mexican Open after violent outburst Tom Barlow

Shock rippled through the crowd as Alexander Zverev was ejected for his temper

lexander Zverev has been kicked from the Mexican Open, after a furious outrage saw him smack umpire Alessandro Germani’s chair several times in his first-round doubles loss. The German and his Brazilian partner Marcelo Melo lost in three sets to Brit Lloyd Glasspool and the Finnish Harri Heliövaara. The third set tie-break finished 10-6, with Zverev furious over a line-call that would see his opponents gain match point. Heliövaara slammed a forehand cross-court at 8-6

to the onrushing Melo and the ball seemingly clipped the line as it passed the Brazilian. Zverev and Melo were outraged at the decision, as the German tapped beside the line in pure disbelief that the decision didn’t go his way. Lloyd and Harri then won the succeeding point with an ace before all players shook hands amicably. Zverev then walked straight to the umpire and swung his racket viciously at his chair, dangerously close to Germani’s right leg. Three swipes at the chair were not enough for the world number three, as he got back up from his own to chair to take another punt at the umpire’s, as he calmly stepped down from the high seat. Zverev shouted at fury with the referee, as he accused Germani of “destroying the game.” Plaudits must be given to Alessandro for his unflappable nature in the situation, as he calmly stepped down from his position and away from Zverev, who at one point seemed dangerously

close to not be aiming at the chair itself. Criticisms have also landed at the door of Marcelo Melo, as although he showed through silence in how to accept defeat, he could have done more to quench the rage that Zverev was projecting towards the umpire.

"This type of attitude must be stopped... there are children looking at us"- Rafael Nadal Zverev’s round of 16 singles match against fellow German Peter Gojowczyk was given as a walkover to Gojowczyk, as Zverev had been expelled from the Mexican Open by the ATP, just two hours after the incident for unsportsmanlike behaviour in his intimidating riot. Zverev apologised for

his behaviour stating that his ‘outburst’ was ‘wrong and unacceptable’ and that he is ‘disappointed in himself.’ The German claimed to have privately apologised to Germani and that there was ‘no excuse’ for his actions. Tournament prize money and points will be rescinded from Alexander, as he awaits further possible fines or suspensions from the ATP. The event was a seemingly needless outburst from his perspective, as he had fought in the previous round of the singles tournament to the latest ever finish to a tennis match, as he beat Jenson Brooksby at 4.55am to defend his title. From the perspective of the tennis world, it was a disgusting moment of visual horror.

Image: Twitter (@telegraph_sport)

Phil Foden's Masi fired: new Virtual mum attacked Race Control now in play at boxing event Rosie McCallum

Adam Tibke

The footballer and his entourage were followed and harassed throughout the venue

n Saturday 19 February, during the highly anticipated grudge match between boxers Amir Khan and Kell Brook, Claire Foden, mother of Manchester City footballer Phil Foden, was attacked during an altercation that occurred backstage at the Manchester AO Arena. Footage of the attack was posted on social media. In the footage, Foden appears to be the target of foul and abusive language as he and his family are followed whilst trying to make their way towards a box where they’d watch the fight. The dispute turned from heated argument to physical violence as Claire pushed one of the harassers away from her family, which he retaliated against by striking the 41 year old mother in the face. This escalation began a claustrophobic brawl in the dark halls of the venue, as the harassers and Foden's entourage exchanged blows. Witnesses claim that people were “screaming and shouting,” and that a man was “bleeding.” One even described it as being like “a scene from the Wild West.” Image: Instagram (@PhilFoden)

Eventually, security were called and several people were escorted out of the building.

"Screaming and shouting" "A scene from the wild west" Manchester City issued a statement in support of Foden and his family. Like many, the club were appalled by the actions of the assailants and have condemned their actions. Foden has received praise for how well he handled himself in the difficult situation. The Greater Manchester Police are now investigating the incident.

ecent talk in the world of F1 racing disclosed that Michael Masi is no longer the FIA's race director. Many are questioning whether this was the right move. Much controversy enfolded the world of motor racing after questionable decisions were made at the final race in Abu Dhabi during the 2021 season. Masi faced severe backlash and criticism after the decisions made when the safety car was out on track on the final remaining laps. After Latifi’s contact with Schumacher on Lap 52, the Williams collided with the wall resulting in the safety car being deployed, consequently slowing down the race and closing the gap between the leaders. Masi made the executive decision to remove the safety car prior to the final two laps. He ordered the cars between Verstappen and Hamilton to overtake the leading two cars to allow for an exciting final race of the season in contention for the championship. The final decision changed the entire outcome of the championship, ensuing chaos to come. After the controversy of the race, Masi faced the wrath of Mercedes and Toto Wolff surrounding what they considered as a breach of the rules. Appeals were made and denied. The constructor’s champions made their stance abundantly clear as they boycotted the FIA prizegiving ceremony. Many drivers have since shared their opinions regarding the sacking of Michael Masi as race director. One driver in particular made it clear he was extremely unhappy with the outcome. Champion Max Verstappen stated, “For me it’s very unfair what happened to Michael because he’s really been thrown under the bus”. Though some may argue his opinion is biased based on his result, other drivers also made their support known for Masi. The likes of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo

believe Masi has no right to be judged solely based on the unfortunate final event. Whilst this decision was a shock to many, Masi still remains within the sport and now takes on a new safety role within the FIA.

it’s unfair what happened to Michael ... he’s been thrown under the bus - Max Verstappen Masi’s replacements have since been announced. Niels Wittich, a former DTM race director, and Eduardo Freitas, WEC race director, will assume the role collectively. Since the incident, the FIA have confirmed that they are taking steps in a positive direction to create change in the sport. One of their first steps in avoiding any further conflict is the announcement of the ‘Virtual Race Control Room’. The VR Control Room has been explained by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the new FIA President, in comparison to VAR in football offering another independent perspective and an extra pair of eyes. Much like football, the virtual control room is rumoured to result in quicker, more accurate analysis of incidents. It seems like as in many other sports it was only a matter of time before the introduction of further technologies as a referee within the world of motor racing. It has been reported that the

virtual eyes will be situated outside the immediate race circuit to help eliminate subjective decisions. Sulayem announced that there will also no longer be direct communication links with the racing team leads during the race. In doing so, this will ensure less pressure and attempted team influencing upon the directors and decisions can be made without any additional pressure. The key role changes come at a time of transformation in the sport. With the introduction of the new regulations, the sport is turning a new page and striving for better, fairer racing. There is no evidence as of yet to suggest whether or not these changes will have a positive influence upon the sport, though I’m intrigued to see what’ll happen next. So, here’s to an up-and-coming 2022 season of F1, hopefully, with a little less controversy.

Image: Twitter (@ESPNF1)

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Athletics: NUAXC at

Emma Davies

espite an extremely early start on Friday and Storm Eunice’s lovely presence, NUAXC made it to Sheffield EIS arena for the BUCS 2022 indoor athletics. With a buzzing atmosphere and lots of excitement, the events began, and Newcastle established early on that we would be the loudest supporting uni. Starting the team off strong in the field events were Jake and Nathan competing in the shot put. Both athletes threw great distances with Jake achieving a new PB of 8.87m. At the same time the excitement of the 60m began, after all the efforts from training, our 60m athletes definitely delivered to make NUAXC proud. First up was Jake who did great, even with the stress of having a timing clash with shot put. Then the women’s 60m followed with Jagoda and Alicia smashing their

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

Sport 43 PB's galore for BUCS BUCS 2022 indoor RESULTS

races, both achieving PBs 8.79 (Alicia) Other mascots were not as dedicated and 8.49 (Jagoda). as Newcastle, being dressed in onesies After a successful day one, everyone giving them a clear advantage over was eager to start Saturday’s events. The NUAXC, meaning we, unfortunately, first track race of the day was the 1500m, didn’t make the final. a hard race, and our only cross-country The last event of the day was the representative Ed did amazingly well. men’s 4x200m. Nathan started strong Next up was the 400m heats, with on the first leg, followed by Ed, then JC, Naomi and athletics captain Asha, Jake maintained the speedy pace and running strong races. An extra special finishing was JC who powered over the mention to Asha, who cruised her way finish line. over the finish line, coming first in her The famous NUAXC slogan ‘start fast, heat, making it into the semi-finals. maintain the pace, sprint finish’ clearly After all the excitement and cheering worked, as the boys secured second from the 400m, Nathan took to the high place in their heat. Unfortunately, our jump and achieved an impressive height women’s relay team had to withdraw of 1.85m. Image: Instagram (@NUAXC) from racing due to injury, Then came the most however, we were sure they anticipated event of the would have performed weekend - the mascot race equally as brilliant as the boys! and it certainly was exciting With one final day of to watch! James represented competition remaining and our famous lion costume athletes feeling tired from the and most definitely ran a PB, previous days excitement, it even by completing the 200m didn’t stop the team's high spirit distance in lane! and moral.

First on the track was the 200m with Emma running a solid race. Due to covid the boys were unable to represent in this distance. Next up was Sunday’s star of the show, Asha’s 400m semi-final and with a final at stake, the pressure was on, but Asha performed amazingly, achieving a new indoor PB of 56.40 and very nearly an outdoor PB. She finished second in her heat and secured her place in the final. Asha did NUAXC proud in the finals and it is safe to say there were quite a few sore throats from all the supporters after! Finally, non-competing athletes, Aidan and athletics captain Melissa, did a fabulous job at motivating everybody throughout the weekend; also shoutout to JC and Melissa for driving the team, especially in such horrific road conditions. Overall, NUAXC had a fabulous weekend down in Sheffield, everyone who came to compete should be proud of their performances - roll on BUCS outdoors!

Hooked from the Start: Fight Night Katie Siddall - Sports sub-editor

Fight Night's return to the Student Union ends with a bang - literally

he first Fight Night event of March happened in the NUSU, under Luther's bar, with many drunks everywhere the bouncers had a few scraps of their own especially after the final match!

First though, we shall discuss the other highlights of the night. There was nine fights, two of which were female's fights. The first fight of the night between Adam Ward and 'Lethal' Liam Pitt ended up with the red corner's Lethal Liam winning with a stoppage during the second round. A similar theme occurred throughout the night as the first match after each interval break was won due to stoppage. Both fighters had impeccable technique for the amount of training they had and their footwork only improved throughout the match as they settled into a rhythm.

Image: Jess Mather vs Emily Hamby (Castor Chan and Katie Siddal)

Highlights of the evening: Fighter of the Night: 'Lethal' Liam PItt Technically speaking, the punches (jabs and hooks) which landed were exceptional considering the time that they had to train. Overall he seemed faster and lighter on his feet than opponent Adam, who threw heavy hits that Liam took well. His footwork only improved throughout the fight and he gained many supporters as the fight continued into the night.

Men's Fight of the Night: Isaac 'Alright Darlin' Jones vs. Joel Dormenyo People were already expecting a good fight from Joel, but perhaps were not expecting the speed at which he won his round. A brilliant win by stoppage, they brought the crowd to their feet as Joel landed great punches to throw Isaac off guard. He also had much of the crowd behind him, and definitely brought the house down with his jubilant celebrations.

The second fight was the only draw of the night! No one saw this coming as James 'El Matador' Matthews started tiring as the fight continued. His opponent, Cain 'Weeman' Donnelly, looked to be dominating the fight - the expressions on their faces when it was announced the fight was a draw spoke more than words could ever say. The fourth matchup was slated to be the round to watch: Isaac 'Alright Darlin' Jones and Joel Dormenyo. Those who have come to the previous Fight Night will recognise Joel's name - he won his round back in December. Isaac held his own well but ended up dazed after crowd favourite Joel claimed victory by stoppage. Moving to the first female match, the fifth fight of the night was between Finola Powers and Al 'Exterminator' Grant (aka Alex Grant). This was a memorable fight for many reasons, the strength behind each jab and hook was incredible; however, it was Alex's fundraiser that turned heads. Instead of wearing the usual Fight Night t-shirt when walking out, Alex and company were all wearing Weston Park t-shirts due to Alex dedicating her match to raise money for this charity - so far raising £3,500. Click here to donate. The fight itself was not in her favour however as she started to slow down and run out of steam during the second and third rounds allowing Finola Power to land a lot of good punches to win the fight. The penultimate male fight saw Moles 'Money' Monaghan vs. Callum 'Hitman' Harrison. To everyone's surprise, Moles

walked out representing the blue corner with a spider's web painted red on his skull; whilst Callum, representing the red corner, walked out wearing blue shorts. The fight itself was scrappy with a lot of stoppage due to Moles's gum shield falling out several times causing complaints from the crowd; however, Moles remained the favourite with every connecting punch gaining cheers from the same crowd. The ref 's patience seemed to be wearing thin as he told Moles mid-fight that if his mouthguard was to fall out again then the round would be over - this led to speculation around the ring that the fight would be forfeited. Yet it was Callum who stormed to victory after three rounds of phenomenal punches. The final fight of the night was definitely the one to remember! This included the only knockout of the night as favourite Michael Colquhoun was laid on the canvas during the first round. The whole display was incredible as Michael seemed to be overpowering opponent Ishy Singh, who didn't seem to have much technique behind him. Unfortunately for Michael, he stepped into a hook from Ishy instead of ducking out of the way... this led to Michael on the canvas along with medics, followed by drunks and bouncers. Throughout the night, the atmosphere never let us down as the songs were booming loudly, the crowd was singing and cheering and the drinks kept rolling in (and all over the floor and people). Credit to everyone in student media who volunteered their time to help out

Women's Fight of the Night: Jess 'the Small but Mighty' Mather vs. Emily 'the Dental Damager' Hamby

Moment of the Night: Ishy Singh knocks out Michael Colquhoun

This fight was an extraordinary night as both girls dominated in the first round. Jess took control within the other two rounds as Emily started to tire. The questions what came to mind were: 'Does Emily do dentistry or hate teeth?' and 'Should Jess have had Emily's name based on how many punches to the head she connected?'

This moment felt as though time had stopped due to Ishy's supporters running towards and into the ring. Many were being thrown out by bouncers with the rest shouting at the top of their lungs. One of the most shocking punches thrown and most certainly the craziest moment of the night. You can watch Fight Night on NUTV's YouTube account to relive the moments, or see them for the first time.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL 1 V Manchester 1

14-12

BADMINTON

M2 V Leeds Beckett 1 M3 V Sheff' Hallam 3 W2 V York 1

5-3 8-0 1-7

BASKETBALL

M3 V Hull 1 W2 V Northumbria 2 M2 V Sunderland 1

FENCING

W1 V Imperial 1

63-62 52-48 85-65 109-122

FOOTBALL

W1 V Sunderland 1 M2 V Northumbria

FUTSAL

8-0 2-0

W1 V Sunderland 1 W1 V York St John M1 V Edinburgh

8-4 5-3 6-3

1 V Warwick

1-5

M3 V Durham 5 W3 V York 1 W6 V Northumbria 3 W4 V Leeds 4 W5 V Cumbria 1 W1 V Oxford Brookes 1 W2 V Northumbria 1

1-1 2-0 1-1 4-1 9-0 2-4 1-2

GOLF

HOCKEY

LACROSSE

W3 V Leeds Beckett 2 W2 V Leeds Beckett M1 V Leeds 1

NETBALL

W4 V Leeds Beckett W3 V Leeds 5 W2 V Leeds 3 W5 V Northumbria 5

8-2 4-15 7-5 48-33 40-47 46-37 44-15

POLE DANCING

Beginner 1st (E. Bassett) Intermediate 2nd (C. Stepney) Group 1st Overall 2nd

RUGBY UNION

M2 V Durham 3 M4 V York 2 M3 V York 1 M1 V Exeter 3

SQUASH

M3 V Exeter 3

TABLE TENNIS

W1 V Liverpool 2 M2 V Leeds 1 W1 V Liverpool 1

TENNIS

M2 V Durham 4

21-15 87-7 14-0 57-12 2-1 5-0 10-7 5-0 6-0

Newcastle University Hockey Club Image: Brandon Few

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Newcastle Come Dancing: what a ‘‘fab-u-lous’’ evening Castor Chan - Sports sub-editor

One sports subeditor and NSR host tells us about her dance experience

hen I signed up for Newcastle Come Dancing, I was silently hoping for lyrical or ballroom. Upon receiving Bollywood, I was excited, but had completely no idea what was in store. Having danced ballet before uni, I was missing it desperately during my time in Newcastle. But I didn’t have a ton of time to fit regular practices into my schedule, so when the dance club’s page popped up on my Insta feed, I jumped at the opportunity to get back on stage. Looking at former years, I knew there was a huge range of styles the club covered. Something like contemporary would fit well with my existing skillset, but I think I would have been too comfortable. Bollywood has turned out to be a brilliant choice as I get to be out of my comfort zone and channel more energy into the choreography, yet less intimidating than street or freestyle that I dare not touch with a ten-foot pole. Maybe next year? The first step to my ‘celebrity’ journey - which sounds odd out of context - was meeting my ‘professional’, Anusha. I was immediately comfortable with her from the first rehearsal but definitely not unchallenged, and Anusha was great at walking me through the bits I was struggling with. She split the routine into three main parts with a medley of three songs: Sun Saathiya, Radha, and Nagada Nagada. (Four rehearsals later and it now plays in my dreams on repeat.) I learned the dance over three rehearsals, spending about an hour on each section. Anusha also decided to incorporate some of my ballet training in Sun Saathiya to give it a bit of a fusion style. Out of the three, Radha took the most time and was the hardest one to remember, but it actually ended up my favourite part! Then we had a session to clean up the routine, with a dress rehearsal to sort out costumes. We landed on a sparkly top and long skirt that Anusha borrowed from the Bollywood Society. Most of the dress rehearsal was actually spent trying not to step on the dress or practicing the fastest way to whip it off - spoiler for our

costume change! Then came the day of the show, a mere 3 weeks later. By then, I was feeling surprisingly confident, but as 6:30 crept closer the nervous energy built up. We were given 15 minutes per dancing pair to practice on stage and block out positions for the dance. A big surprise we got when we arrived was seeing the judges table on stage, but all teams made it work and no judges were harmed over the course of the night. Anusha and I shared a dressing room with Dahna and Ellie, the freestyle pair. I also got to chat with a couple of the other dancers, like Sabrina and Rachel for Mongolian dance. Everyone backstage was pumped for their performance, and the cheers from the waiting dancers were just as loud as the crowd’s. Intro videos played before each performance, with a couple clips recorded from rehearsal. Particularly exciting performances included a musical theatre number to Greased Lightning (complete with leather jacket), a Samba piece with Shakira blasting from the speakers, and a Charleston number with a flip that got everyone clapping.

Everyone was pumped for their performance As the last duo of the night, the pressure was on Anusha and I to give a great show to wrap up the night. It was so much fun to be back on a stage, and as Anusha advised me, I worried less about perfect choreography and focused on giving good energy to the crowd. The highlights of our routine were definitely Anusha’s cartwheel and the costume change, and it all paid off when we received two 10s out of the four judges. After that, we had a break for the audience to vote for their favourite couple. Voting was completed through donations into buckets that corresponded with each pair. As a collaboration between the dance club and the RAG Society, all the proceeds from the votes, entry prices and extra raffle tickets would go towards the Dragonfly Cancer Trust. One of the judges

present was Sarah Hogg, their Senior Fundraiser. The trust offers support to patients in palliative care under the age of 25 and does many things such as keepsakes, memory-making experiences and creative therapy activities. Over the night, we raised hundreds of pounds, which was a huge achievement that all the organisers should be extremely proud of.

Voting was completed by donations for Dragonfly Cancer Trust The winners of the night were Imogen and James, the Charleston duo, and they performed an encore to a standing ovation. Overall it was a very successful night with hosts Owen Images: Nour Eldamaty

Images: Instagram (@ncldanceclub)

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and Watson keeping the energy up throughout the show. A big shoutout to Tarryn and the organisers, and everyone who helped out backstage as well! And obviously, a very well done to all the ‘celebrities’ who worked hard to learn everything and the ‘professionals’ who choreographed all the brilliant routines.

View from the AU Fergus Mainland - Athletic Union Officer

nyone who says sport and politics don’t mix clearly lives under a rock. The past week has taught us that the sports field can very quickly become a political battlefield with players, coaches and teams being used like pawns in a larger geopolitical conflict. Debate has gripped the sporting world, fixated on F1, FIFA and the Olympic & Paralympic Association’s rulings on Russia and Belarus’ athletes. Following pressure from national organisations, Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from competing in the Paralympic Games. At the Winter Olympics closing ceremony, IOC President, Thomas Bach left athletes with these words, “You overcame these divisions showing in this community we are equal. The unifying power of the Olympics is stronger than the forces that want to divide us. You give peace a chance.” These comments were followed by words from Ukraine’s Para Head Coach, Andriy Nesterenko who said that Ukraine’s presence at the game shows that his country is “still alive.” To represent one’s country on the national Olympian stage is a privilege that very few people get to experience. With it comes the importance of demonstrating Olympism (excellence, friendship and respect). My point is that the athletes who go to the games are representatives of their country- the good and the bad. As such, if a country cannot compete channelling the spirit of Olympism, they have no place on the world stage. With a global audience, sports teams and organisations can send powerful messages that very few industries can compete with. A nation’s pride lies in its sports teams and Russia is no exception. Therefore, as the world’s governments and financial bodies cripple Russia with economic sanctions, sport has its part to play. Governing bodies must ensure that the games we love and the escapism that comes with them are all protected and upheld. Sport and all aspects of it must be held to the highest standard and those who dare bring it into disrepute must be reprimanded for the all the world to see.

Football

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