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Editor: Morwenna Scott living@epigram. org. uk

@e2Living

Style

Travel

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Living

Square One

Click. The door closes and your parents have left. You don’t have any friends, you’re surrounded by strangers and you have to get started on what you have been told repeatedly, by almost everyone, will be the time of your life. No pressure there then.

Starting university is strange.

Everyone supposedly feels the same but when does that ever help? In one intense, alcohol, adrenaline, and fun filled week you are expected to have achieved quite a few things: 1) To have made friends with everyone living in your vicinity, (not easy with the odd bloke two doors down), 2) To have avoided picking up a reputation for anything undesirable (Poor Boring Beth), and 3) To know exactly what you’re up to academically this year (that intro lecture was today?).

Again, pressure seems to be the common theme here and maybe that is why university is so different from school.

There is pressure at school undeniably. ‘Get those grades or you won’t get into uni’, or ‘you have to go to that party because she will be there’.

But that is all very specific.

There is no over-arching narrative being imposed on you. No one is expecting you to have the time of your life. If we

are being honest, everyone was a bit weird when they were 13, but at school you have a fair few years to sort that out. There are only three at university. Three years to get a good grade, make some friends you will keep for the rest of your life, and create enough memories to cherish forever. That makes that first month seem even more daunting.

“Starting university is strange” However, maybe that is exactly the area where university comes into its own. School can often feel too forced, too superficial.

University is there, and this comes from someone entering their third year, to just be enjoyed. Click. The door shuts and you have no idea what you are meant to be doing until that incredibly awkward sounding ‘White T-shirt Party’ at 8pm in the bar. But forget the expectation, the suspense and even the fear. University is there to be experienced at your leisure, and if you seize the opportunities you will be able to look back on that first week with a satisfying smile.

Deputy: Sofia Gymer sofia.gymer@ epigram.org.uk

Deputy: Becki Murray becki.murray@ epigram.org.uk

Online: Jordan Kelly-Linden livingonline@epigram. org.uk

Playing the Friendship Game “You’ll have endless opportunities to cry and throw up on each other”; Elinor Lower talks finding friends at university.

It’s safe to say that the primary goal of most freshers arriving at university is to make friends. In an ideal world, these friends would be living in the same flat as you in halls, have a keen interest in everything you love, and maintain appropriate levels of cleanliness that would match perfectly to yours. You would gel immediately with a close group of pals and together you would face the trials and tribulations of university life as the best of friends, all the while remaining as close as ever with the people you said goodbye to back home.

In reality though, Freshers’ Week, and the weeks that follow after it, are a blur of meeting people, getting drunk with them, and then spending the rest of your life trying desperately to remember their names because you were too hyped in Lounge to listen at the time, and now it’s been two years and you can’t possibly ask them because it’ll make you look like a total idiot. Plus, as the weeks go by, you find yourself less and less likely to text your best friend from home at all. It’s fine though, they’ll do exactly the same to you. Life, eh?

In my experience, making friends at university was initially much harder than I thought it would be. Living in a hall of residence, in a flat with more fire doors than people, was hardly conducive to friendship. But, after much knocking on doors and numerous trips to Wetherspoons, the familiar faces on my floor became familiar enough for us to want to spend time together, to throw birthday parties for each other, and, more incredibly, to spend another year living together.

Still, the true Holy Grail of making friends is finding the right society. After the first social you’ll have contact details typed messily into your phone and hilarious photos to upload to Facebook. The people you live with may well have been matched with you based on the 200 word statement you wrote for your accommodation form (unlikely), but the people who’ve also joined a ridiculous society? They’ll be a perfect match. You’ll have endless opportunities to cry and throw up on each other on nights out, experience new things, and maybe even have the chance to go on a trip together, spending so much time with them that when you get home you have to spend a week with some kind of animal companion, and no human contact, to recover.

No matter your circumstances at university, everyone manages to make friends, whether it’s instantaneous or more of a slow-burn. It might be someone you bump into on the way to pick up your UCard, or it could be the girl whose drink you accidentally punch out of her hand in Po Na Na (sorry Caitlin). And soon, even though you’ve only known each other for a fortnight, you’ll feel like you’ve

been friends your whole life. Aw.

Jack Robertson

What’s On

Meet the e2 team

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Living: Morwenna Scott, Becki Murray, Sofia Gymer and Jordan Kelly-Linden will meet Tue 30th Sept 12pm Hawthorns Style: Maddy Streets, Hattie Bottom, Emma Ward and Beth Laverack will meet Fri 3rd Oct 12.30pm ASS Library Cafe Travel: Rowena Ball, Rosie Quigley and Constance Malleret will meet Wed 1st Oct 1.15pm Highbury Vaults

Elinor Lower

26.09.2014

Student Abroad Flickr:JoshuaDavisPhotography

are literally minutes away. But it’s not just about developing a taste for new things; it’s also about developing yourself as a person. Future bosses look for something unique in their candidates to differentiate them from the crowd and a study abroad experience does that. It proves that you are prepared to go out of your comfort zone, thrive somewhere unknown, and adapt to everything that might come your way. Language skills can be improved, friends for life can be made, and your world is expanded dramatically.

I may have only been here for three weeks but I’m already convinced that the next four months will be the best of my life; there’s something liberating about throwing yourself into a whole new existence and being truly independent for the first time ever.

And if it involves ‘donut burgers’ (that’s a burger made of donuts), then really what could be better?

Flickr:X-raydeltaone

So you thought you bagged a great deal?

Shopping regularly for the first time? Or even for the hundredth? Beware of the sneaky supermarket tactics that can take a chunk out of your student loan.

Aside from stocking up ahead of a festival, most Freshers won’t have done many regular food shops prior to university and are therefore most vulnerable to these tricks. Even someone like myself, who is so meticulous when picking out the best value eggs that some flatmates stopped coming to Sainsbury’s with me, can be distracted by them.

Returners and Freshers alike should be particularly aware of the seemingly amazing offers which greet you when you walk into the supermarket. Although it may seem that these are the best deals, when you think about it, it’s perfectly logical that supermarkets try to lull us into that false sense of security. It isn’t in their interest to helpfully pick out savings for customers.

Jasmine Birtles, a Financial Journalist and Editor of consumer website Moneymagpie.co.uk, highlights that ‘Supermarkets usually put expensive brands at eye level so that customers need to look down to find better value products.’ She also states that it is ‘statistically proven that customers turn right more often than left when entering a supermarket.

Companies therefore pay for their products to be placed in these positions’, in order to grab your attention first. The fact that brands continue to spend money on such product positioning is in itself evidence that it works: the profit from increased sales is obviously large enough to offset the cost.

Consequently, the so called ‘Offer’ or ‘Best Selling’

es470 Flickr:airlin

Lucy Stewart

Flickr: vnysia

Being a British university student myself, I think it’s okay for me to say that, as a group, we could never really be described as ‘enthusiastic’.

Our school spirit comes out maybe once or twice a year in a varsity match, or when we’ve been invited to an event that involves free alcohol, but the rest of our time is pretty much spent complaining about how nothing is how we want it. The contrast with American university students is incredible.

When you’ve just got off an eleven-hour flight, wearing your obligatory English jeans and jumper combo despite the thirty-degree heat, and there is immediately someone screaming ‘gooooooo Tigers!’ in your face, it becomes instantly clear that you are no longer in England. This is exactly what happened to me three weeks ago when I arrived in LA for my semester abroad, and this is also exactly when it first hit me how much of a change university life would be across the pond.

So why do it? Why upturn your whole life at university to spend time away from the friends you’ve made and the classes you know? And I’m not just talking about America. British students jet off all over the world searching for the chance of a once-in-a-lifetime study abroad experience, and every single one of those students will find themselves launched into a culture that is entirely different to the one that they are used to.

For me, there was never a question about it.

Studying abroad can benefit your life in so many ways, and not just by giving you a year to do even less work than you do at home. You can throw yourself into a whole new culture. In America there are constantly flat parties to go to, donut burgers to try, and red solo cups to drink from.

And, thanks to being in the centre of LA, beaches, mountains, and the delights of Beverley Hills

stands that you see in your rush to make pre-drinks on time are not always as student-friendly as they may seem.

At the same time, don’t be deceived when rebuying products. Just because you have bought something before does not mean you’ll necessarily get the same deal twice. Always check packaging carefully as well as looking for ‘Per gram’ or ‘Per sheet’ prices’. Birtles notes, however, that the supermarkets most popular amongst students, i.e. the cheaper ones, ‘aren’t quite as good at doing this as the mid-range ones’. She also warns students that retailers ‘often reduce the size of a pack without reducing the cost’ or making customers aware of the change. ‘For instance, they will suddenly sell 6 instead of 8 sausages per pack, or 26 dishwasher tablets rather than 28 for the same price.’ Not only could this make your turn cooking for your house a little awkward, but the price of your shopping can also increase fast.

“Supermarkets try to lull us into that false sense of security” So, next time you grace the endless aisles of Clifton Down Sainsbury’s or bemoan the lack of non-Tesco Finest products in the Clifton Village branch, look out for the reduction in size of a pack of salt. Don’t fall into the arms of the ‘Offers’ aisle perpendicular to the entrance as if it were Brad Pitt. Instead, check it out, have a look, but be prepared that better savings may be just around the corner.

Zaki Dogliani

@e2Living The Tobacco Factory

Living

The Greenbank (Easton)

Where to begin! As figurehead of George Furguson’s bustling edible empire, The Tobacco Factory’s got something for everyone. The spacious industrial style café , a hark back to the building’s history, serves up a delightful array of Mediterranean inspired food, and you’ll find every Bristol Beer Factory offering under the sun.

In October you can look forward to Factoberfest, their celebration of that beer thing that happens in Germany occasionally. Or venture down on any Sunday for the best food market in town: over 40 different stalls serving a range of local produce. We highly recommend Gopal’s Curry Shack.

Oh, yeah – the Tobacco Factory is also famous for its Theatre so check that out too.

The folks at Greenbank are all about providing for Easton’s strong sense of community. Rescued from redevelopment as a block of flats, Toby Bywater of Zazu’s Kitchen ensures there are plenty of reasons to make the trip. You’ll find responsibly and locally sourced food and drink: a cracking Sunday Roast, traditionally stonebaked pizzas, an eclectic selection of alcohol, and Extract Coffee – all served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Interior-wise, you’ll notice a pleasant mix of modern and traditional décor which sums the place up nicely: stylish but rooted.

When you’re in the neighbourhood, be sure to also check out No.12 Easton and the East Bristol Bakery.

Travel

Off the Beaten Track Here at Wriggle we’re all about inspiring you to check out the best independent places around town, and helping you save money in the process. Here’s a little encouragement to try some cool places off the beaten track. Download the free app to find offers at the following places and many more, near or far.

The Little Kitchen

Mathilda’s (The Bearpit)

The Little Kitchen is an adorable smallscale specialist cookery school run by the charming Claire and Madeleine. It offers a relaxed, well equipped cooking environment for affordable workshops and courses, with a low student to teacher ratio. We recently popped in for their Superfood Supper Club in which we prepared an array of healthy goodies to take home, along with detailed recipes. We also recommend popping in for breakfast on Saturday mornings to say hello; the pancakes are something else! You can eat in and have a chat or take them on your merry way. If you’re up for a wholesome weekend activity and learning some new skills to show off, then this is the place for you.

Style

Welcome to your friendly neighbourhood chilli bar. Located within the not-so-long-ago desolate Haymarket Walk on the periphery of the Bear Pit, Oliver and Sally offer up bold flavours, great ales (Wiper & True stocked), and a stylish place to feed and relax – all at very reasonable prices. The Tex-Mex style menu is brief but bold and revolves around the almighty chilli, whilst the ‘Half and Half’ option comes highly recommended. There’s also a wicked selection of nibbles at great prices: corn on the cob with melted butter comes in at a couple of quid, whilst their battered gherkin and blue cheese dip is mean. This is big flavour comfort food at its best; a thoroughly cool classic diner with a twist.

The best Indian in town. This is light-years from your average take-away – we’re talking authentic Indian and Pakistani street food with a modern twist.

Owned and run by the Bangladeshi born Faruk and Shilpi Choudhury, it can be found down the road from the Triangle; neatly nestled away from the bustle of town and within reach of the harbourside.

The first thing you’ll notice from the outside are the reclaimed wooden boxes in which they grow tomatoes, herbs and spices. Largely vegetarian, the food is affordable, invariably fresh and carefully prepared. We recommend the Aloo Parathas and Seasonal Sabji, although they welcome visitors with open arms and are happy to recommend dishes and let you sample what’s on the menu.

Flickr:StewartLeiwakabessy

Flickr:gothick_

Flickr:samsaunderseeds

What’s On

Chai Shai (Hotwells)

Flickr:mastrobiggo

26.09.2014

Final Countdown

It’s a bit depressing that as I start my third and final year at Bristol, I’m already thinking about its end. From the start of the university experience, there is always some emphasis on that end point. That moment when your parents nearly burst with pride as you don the gown and you give your best cheesy smile, degree in hand.

Now that that moment is less than a year away, I admit, I’m a little petrified.

Why? Well, my experience of Bristol has been, quite simply, amazing. I arrived at Wills Hall, suitcases piled with useless essentials and bottlefuls of expectations, a little knowledge, and some cider . Coming from my not-so-exciting hometown of Leicester and being thrust into the bright lights of Bristol, I drank up the atmosphere (and too many

student cocktails), and it really has been an unstoppable whirlwind of new people, opportunities, and adventures. But now it gets real.

That’s not to say I haven’t done any work, but this is third year, guys! Gotta get serious, right?

Of course we do. I can already picture the bags under my eyes with nightlong sessions at the ASS, just to get an essay to something vaguely resembling passable.

Yes, third year is about securing the degree class you want, but I don’t want to leave the frolics and organised chaos of my university life.

Maybe that’s it, I don’t want to leave.

I don’t want to leave Bristol, this time with suitcases piled with even more useless essentials, a little more knowledge, decidedly less cider, and a piece of paper that says, ‘Congrats – you did it!’ Admittedly, that suitcase is now stuffed to the brim with memories of all the laughter, pranks, highs and lows of my time here. And what makes third year - your supposed last chance to enjoy yourself before joining the rat-race such a party-pooper, is the knowledge that

come July, it’s all over.

I swear it was only a few weeks ago I was sending off my UCAS form! Where did it all go?

It has flown by, and that’s why us finalists are going to have to take those suitcases, dreams, and expectations we arrived with and turn them into juggling balls. It might be my last year at Bristol, but that doesn’t mean that the ASS now has to be the haunt of ‘choice’ for us. You know what I’m looking forward to? Being able to make the absolute most of this final year. So I’m going to take that timer counting down to graduation and make it my challenge to really appreciate the time, the experiences, and the friends I’ve made here in Bristol. Maybe with two years under my belt, I’ll appreciate it all a bit more.

“Maybe that’s it, I don’t want to leave” I guess we’ll just have to do twice as many things, twice as fast: get that degree and have the best time of our lives. Hey, time management is golden for the CV anyway!

WebWatch Hi guys!

Welcome to the first issue of the year! How do you like it? The new team has been working really hard to make it as beautiful as Beyoncé and as on point as Caitlin Moran’s eyeliner game. We hope it’s had the desired effect... alternatively, if it’s currently being used to mop up spilled pre-drinks then yes, okay we guess that’s fine too.

Anyway, I’m just here to remind you that Living is also online! And, we have lots of amazing features and recipes that can only be found there. Don’t believe me? Well check out my top five favourite articles coming up on the site and prepare to be convinced:

1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

10 Student Food Bloggers You Need to Follow Right Now CocktailClub: Back to Basics Soundtrack to Freshers’ Week Best of Bristol: Student-Friendly Restaurants Epigram Eats Out http://www.epigram.org.uk/living

Becky Millar

@e2Travel

Editor: Rowena Ball travel@ epigram.org.uk

Deputy: Rosanna Quigely deputytravel@ epigram.org.uk

Online: Constance Malleret travelonline@ epigram.org.uk

Having lived there, I may be biased but I feel that the Piazza Unità d’Italia steals the prize for natural beauty. It is found in Trieste, a small and little-known city in the extreme east of Italy, closer to Ljubljana than it is to Rome. Something for the history buffs among you: this is the spot where Mussolini decided to unveil his anti-Semitic race laws to the world. Nowadays, however, the piazza is better known as the largest square in Europe to face the sea. Here, you can enjoy an aperitivo (surely one of Italy’s finest pastimes) and watch the sun setting over the Adriatic while flanked by palatial buildings.

Of the hundreds of squares and plazas in Barcelona that one could mention, I’m choosing Plaça Urquinaona, purely for its fun and unpronounceable name. It also has one of the nicest café-bistros known to mankind and is staffed by beautiful people who’ll whip you up some of the best food in the city. This is one of the little places where you can sit and put your feet up, in between flitting from the nearby Plaça Catalunya to Gaudi’s masterpieces and the Parc de la Ciutadella. In short, Plaça Urquinaona represents the vibrant and exciting life of one of Europe’s most popular cities while offering a slice of calm and, more importantly, pie.

For the musically-minded or art lovers among you, there is a square in fair Paris that explores the outer limits of whimsy. It is the Place Stravinsky, in which there is a spectacular fountain dedicated to the works of the Russian

composer of the same name.

It features no fewer than sixteen sculptures, each designed to represent one of his pieces.

Among them is a giant pair of Monroe-esque rouged lips, a startled-looking multi-coloured elephant head, and an ample-bosomed mermaid, all accentuated by mad spurts and jets of water. It tops the list of childishly

Tiananmen Square: 25 Visiting Tiananmen Square in 2008, aged 16, we were told not to mention the events that took place there in 1989. As we trooped into the square, our teachers told us in hushed tones that we should not talk about the hundreds or even thousands (the exact death toll is unknown) who died there following protests against the Communist regime. Of course, we did as we were told and followed our Chinese guide, who told us everything about the buildings which surround the square’s 440,000 square metres.

The largest public square in the world, it is home to the Tiananmen tower, which dates from 1417. A Monument to the People’s Heroes, it is a granite tower depicting the history of China, flanked by huge halls and state buildings. On the south side of the square is the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao, where his body lies, surrounded by fresh flowers and a never-ending flood of visitors. All of these sights were pointed out to us, and form the standard tour undertaken by millions of tourists annually, from both within China and further afield.

Mention of the protests of April to June 1989, and the subsequent martial law and increased censorship, was conspicuous by its absence. The protests were sparked by the death of Hu Yaobang, a liberal reformer and former Communist Party general

imaginative places I’ve ever visited (quite a feat considering they include somewhere called ‘The Belly Button of the World’).

Moving further east we have Odeonsplatz, tucked away in central Munich, Bavaria’s largest city. Designed and built in the 18th century and home to an unfortunate amount of National Socialist activity in the 1930s, Odeonsplatz is now a much calmer and more pleasant place to while away the hours. The square is equipped with hammocks and armchairs for anyone to enjoy.

Not only this but, in an effort to bring a bit more culture into the people of Munich’s day-to-day lives, there are also wellstocked bookshelves full of the greats of German literature.

When the sun is out, which it often is in southern Germany, Odeonsplatz is full of people of all generations enjoying a spot of Goethe.

Rowena Ball

Squares are, undoubtedly, the central part of any city, the hub of urban life. Trafalgar Square and Piazza San Marco are the big names, but it is sometimes the lesser-known ones that hold the most charm. Rowena Ball and Bethany Jenkin take us on a tour of their European favourites.

secretary, who was deposed after struggling (unsuccessfully) to change the direction that his party was taking.

Students congregated in the square to mourn him, and initially there was little antagonism. Soon, however, the gatherings became expressions of the grievances against the party, and protests spread across the country.

The party’s earlier conciliatory stance shifted; martial law was declared on 20 May, and 300,000 troops were deployed in the city centre. Those within the party who expressed sympathy with the protesters were demoted or purged, control over media outlets was tightened, and political reform was brought to a halt.

So, whether you prefer natural beauty, experimental art installations, or just a good slice of cake, Europe’s always unique and often quirky squares will have something, somewhere, for you.

Years Later To this day, the ruling Communist Party of China bans discussion of the events, and children do not study them at school. Some are ignorant of the facts relating to the protests, and most would decline to discuss them, for fear of the repercussions.

The question is, can China hide from acknowledging these events forever? It is the third most visited country in the world, and tourism is a huge part of the economy. If tourists were to demand information, to suggest that a tour of the square without mention of such an enormous event is unacceptable, would there be any change in stance?

Given that 25 years have now passed without any formal acknowledgement, the outlook is somewhat bleak.

Katy Barney Flickr: Leo Chimaera

What’s On

Style

Travel

Living

Looking Around European Squares

26.09.2014

Mexico’s Dual Personality

A dangerous destination or a safe tourist hotspot?

Sam Sam Benstead Benstead

Mexico is in many ways a country which is back at square one. It is home to the world’s most dangerous drug cartels, whose influence extends across business, politics and international borders. Responsible for the deaths of over 47,500 people since 2006, the country is truly at war with itself as it tries to supply the United States’ insatiable demand for narcotics. Death is normal and so is the government’s indifference to it: mass graves of migrants who pay cartels in order to be smuggled into the USA are ‘mysteries’ that will remain unsolved.

Mexico’s cities have regularly topped the ‘World’s Most Dangerous’ lists, and international media is never slow to highlight how unstable the country is, especially for wealthy Western travellers. Naturally, the capital Mexico City, the largest city in North America, is portrayed as the headquarters of crime, the ‘Gotham City’ of a country where the only light shines from Cancun.

Mexico politically returned to square one in 2000, when for the first time since 1929 a new party came to power. The country leapt into the 21st century, leaving its ‘democratic dictatorship’ behind and promising modernization and growth. What followed is really a story of a divided country on two separate paths. On the one hand, Mexico

Anna Fleck’s experiences lead her to take a less positive stance on Mexico’s situation.

Before going to Mexico, I was ignorant of the spreading network of powerful drug cartels and the exceedingly high rates of crime. Taking advice from Mexican friends, I avoided the subway at night, booked secure taxis, and stayed in a pair at all times. In this way, I remained blissfully unaware of the crimes that unfolded in the suburbs of Mexico City and beyond. However, frightening tales soon reached me, unearthing the darker side of Mexico.

After dining in the town square of Oaxaca with a friend, I was invited to join an expressive, rather forceful woman and her male companion for a drink.

The woman began to sing, swaying drunkenly to the music of a live band whilst her accomplice avoided eye contact, clearly made uncomfortable by her raucous hollers and dramatic actions – jabbing a finger at the man and grimacing, miming clipping him around the head, and drawing a line across her throat menacingly.

Needless to say, I was a bit confused. Turning to examine the cowering man, I saw a tattoo etched beneath his left eye. It was a teardrop.

Downing her drink, my new female friend proceeded to pull a hefty wad of cash from her purse and thrust it at a waiter who stooped nervously by her side.

City elected its own governor for the first time and was given greater autonomy. On the other, Mexico as a country ceased to be run by a patriarchal political party and was instead led by murderous drug cartels.

The capital elected a left-wing government that saw great increases in welfare spending: pensioners could afford to live with dignity and students could afford to stay in school. Following welfare reform, the jefe de gobierno (Head of State) set about converting the urban sprawl into a community. Free exhibitions and concerts were well attended across all parts of the city and heavy investment into public gyms, bike share schemes, and parks allowed people to interact with their communities.

Liberal policies such as legal abortions and same-sex marriage were introduced, to the disgust of the strict Catholic states. Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, renovated the entire historic centre of the city in order to attract tourists, and a 90,000-strong Mexico City police force was introduced to fight crime. The city became safe and started to draw in students and academics to its numerous universities, as well as businesses that now saw it as a secure place to work. It is a thriving city with a lower murder rate than New York, and the highest density of museums in the world.

Once the PRI (Mexico’s ruling party for 70 years) gave up control in 2000, there was a power vacuum in the country. Whereas once a long chain of bribes and payments kept the Mexican drug producers in line with the government vision (Mexico has always trafficked drugs to the USA), the then-new president wanted to break up these alliances by using the military. A controlled and wellestablished system of drug production and transportation was broken: cartel leaders

I thanked her for the drinks, and communicated my intentions to leave, keen to get away from this bizarre drama.

However, the teardrop tattoo interested me. In Mexican gang culture, it is associated with murder, time spent in prison, or (if the tattoo is filled in) mourning of a family or gang-member. Mexicans who sport these tattoos may be presumed to be connected to one of the many drug gangs or ‘cartels’ which run the underworld of Central America. These cartels control the trafficking of drugs from South America to the Unites States; an immensely profitable business that is worth an estimated $13 billion a year.

The two chief cartels, the Zetas and the Sinaloa Cartel, control the largest areas of territory across Mexico, and are rivals to one another and all competing gangs within a drug war. The cartels battle to gain dominance over terrain and drug-shipping routes for the movement of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana. The Zetas currently hold territorial power over half of Mexico’s states and are infamous for their use of brutal violence, preferring beheadings and the torture of boiling to death.

At the recent Amnesty International Student Media Summit (2014), BBC3 reporter Stacey Dooley spoke about her experience in Mexico. Having recently spent three weeks there filming for her documentary on drug cartels, she experienced the horrors of the drug war firsthand. ‘We met people who lost 10 to 12 members of their family

were killed and the market opened to new competition.

However, wars between new and ambitious drug cartels ensued, and in 2006 the Mexican army entered the fray to create the drug war that is devastating large parts of Mexico today. Cartels have destroyed Mexican cities and towns, not only with the violent battles that occur in the streets, but also with extortion, which cripples local economies.

The press is told what to report; this often means images of decapitated bodies baring gruesome messages to rival cartels. The capital city watches on from afar.

I arrived to work in Mexico City in September 2013, filled with fear. Six months later, I left with a far greater understanding of this complex country, and a love for its people and culture. Is the country back to square one? The PRI has returned after a 12-year exodus and narcotics violence is decreasing. The country could be set to recover, led by a prosperous capital and a wave of privatization. Alternatively, many are arguing that the return of the PRI will lead to a return to the old Mexico, a Mexico run by the elite for the elite, or perhaps a return to the ‘good old days’, i.e. a return to peace. I believe that in the future Mexico will become travelable and prosperous, regarded in the same light as other Latin American countries that have beaten their demons – Colombia, Brazil and Chile have broken through military rule and cartel control. Mexico’s time is coming.

Sam Benstead

Looking beyond Mexico’s drug cartel problems, Sam Benstead sees a promising future for the country.

because they didn’t co-operate with the cartels’, she said.

Unfortunately, the problems appear to have escalated as vigilantes enter the fray. Teachers, gardeners, and parents stand to fight against the brutal gangmembers, in an attempt to protect their families.

The government is unable to destroy the cartels, as the problems appear to infiltrate many levels within the gang nexus; the cartels alter when members shift allegiance after leaders are killed or captured.

Freedom of speech is also being stifled as cartels stop journalists from reporting on their crimes.

Dooley spoke of how she had been surrounded by mobsters, each aiming an AK47, safety-catches off, at her head. Fortunately she escaped unscathed.

Catching up with her after the talk, I asked her what she sees in the country’s near future. Her answer: ‘Honestly, the foreseeable future is bleak.

Mexico is beyond repair, and it is so unstable that the government can’t do anything. It’s totally useless.’

Northern Mexico has fallen into a state of war.

Journalists, civilians and gang members in the northern states continue to live in peril, and unfortunately, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Back to basics Stepping on to the tiny island of Hœdic, just off the coast of Southern Brittany in France, is a bit like entering a parallel world, or maybe going back in time. A group of white houses with slate roofs and colourful shutters cluster on 2.08 square kilometres of land, surrounded by dunes which leave no place for cars, clubs, or shopping centres.

Although the island’s population, averaging less than 100 in the winter months, can now increase nearly fifty-fold in the peak of summer, little seems to have changed since my family started visiting fifteen years ago. The tractor to-ing and fro-ing between the port and the village is still the only motorised vehicle on the island, the one bakery and lone grocery store are the limited options for food shopping, phone signal remains unpredictable at best, and even though most of the locals’ houses are connected to the internet, the island’s single hotel is the only place tourists can check their emails – you can forget about 3G. When my sisters and I were younger, these peculiarities had little impact on us other than the fact that we were given more freedom than at any other time during the year. It is only recently that I have started to appreciate that a holiday on Hœdic is essentially a return to a simpler way of life. The absence of phones means that dinner invitations are delivered in person, either in the queue at the grocery store or by popping around unannounced to the person’s house. If they’re away you can just

leave a note on the kitchen table – no one locks their doors. Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram all take a backseat as phones remain buried inside handbags, while leisurely breakfasts of fresh baguette and home-made jam, walks to the beach, and bracing swims in the freezing Atlantic become memories etched in your mind rather than on your hard drive. Reading, fishing and blackberry-picking are probably the most intense activities you will come across, but however you choose to while away your days, you will inevitably end up at the bistrot – the French version of a pub – in the evening for a drink and a chat with the local fishermen.

As there is very little to do on the island, life for tourists is pared down to the bare minimum of eating, sleeping and socialising, and each simple activity takes on unprecedented importance. In a world where we live at a frantic pace to the constant sound of traffic, alarm clocks, and phones, it is wonderfully refreshing to switch off and revert to enjoying simple pleasures for a week or two. The absence of nightclubs is not felt when you can admire the Milky Way and its many shooting stars on a clear night.

Constance Malleret

What’s On

.com ys ke Mon ck :Sto kr Flic

Eco-tourism has really taken off in the past few years. From the eco-lodges of Tanzania and Kenya to the Inca Trails and jungle tours of South America, it seems tourists are becoming increasingly interested in this greener, nature-friendly form of sightseeing. I personally find ecotourism a somewhat conflicting concept.

It is defined as ‘tourism directed towards exotic natural environments, intended to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.’ The very nature of visiting said natural environments, particularly for us island-bound Brits, requires taking at least one flight, often followed by a car, bus, or boat ride (I refuse to believe that the UK possesses anything remotely exotic which isn’t confined to a zoo). As we all know, the fuel emissions from these exciting excursions are – skipping the GCSE science part heating up our planet and generally wreaking havoc within the natural world. I don’t think anyone can reasonably believe they are helping the world’s most endangered animals by flying 2,000 miles to collect a few turtle eggs. Not to mention the more direct impact that an influx of tourists can have on a fragile ecosystem in terms of water supply and waste disposal, even if there are strict controls in place. It does make me wonder whether these sorts of trips are more of an ego-boost than an eco-effort for some people.

Despite my cynicism, I do in fact have experience of eco-tourism myself. When I was seventeen, I spent five weeks in the Peruvian Amazon with a group of other young people on a trip with the British Exploring Society, under the pretext of supporting local conservation efforts. I use

the word pretext because I think we would all have been kidding ourselves if we said that the sole reason we took the trip was to help protect the environment. Lets face it, no amount of trees planted during our stay was ever going to offset the carbon emissions of around thirty hours in total on a plane.

Times sixty. Granted, the five weeks were spent almost entirely without electricity, which adds to our green credentials, but the real reason we were all there was to visit an exciting new country, get a real experience of the jungle, and witness exotic flora and fauna in its natural habitat. Being able to describe it as ‘an experience dedicated to conservational development’ was mainly a way of helping me feel good about myself, and plumping out the old C.V. That said, eco-tourism is not just about conserving the environment. It’s a way for people to avoid the tourist hotspots, try something different, and discover some of the rarest creatures in the world (the animals in the Galapagos Islands have no fear of humans!). What’s more, it creates important awareness of the fragility of many environments, and in many cases helps some of the world’s poorest communities by bringing in revenue from tourists who are careful and considerate. Maybe it does help us feel better about the air miles, but as tourism goes, I think there are much worse ways of visiting a foreign place. And for those of us who are genuinely worried about our carbon footprint, I hear Butlin’s has a deal on this time of year.

Rosanna Quigley

Bristol is a wonderful city. Whiteladies Road offers a plethora of bars, coffee shops and lunch options, Stoke Bishop is a fantastic rowdy mixture of freshers awkwardly finding their feet and returners promoting their ‘organised fun’, while Cabot Circus is a hot spot for clothes shops and chain restaurants. That said, do Bristol University students know anything other than the straight line from halls to the Triangle?

Do we really know our city like the locals do?

As a fourth-year languages student, I have spent the last 12 months exploring the French city of Bordeaux and the Spanish city of Malaga. With only six months in each place to lap up the rich culture around me, spare Sunday afternoons were spent in art galleries, days off work involved whistle-stop tours of local landmarks, and hangovers provided little barrier to my desire for exploration. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the two years I had spent in Bristol previously. I imagine the most exotic voyage I ever made was to watch a French film at the Watershed or perhaps the one time I climbed Cabot Tower.

Aware of my generalisation, I feel strongly that a large majority of Bristol students have their blinkers fixed firmly to their faces when it comes to exploring the city. The well-heard complaints that, ‘the Student’s Union is just too far away’ or the stereotypes that second years live in Redland, while third years opt for Clifton seem restrictive and unnecessary. With a host of sights to see and things to do, why do we all seem so apathetic towards our surroundings? There is more to Bristol than the university and a really nice bridge.

Inspired by my year abroad, I have made a plan.

With only one year to go in the pearl of the South West, my fourth year is to be a second attempt at my first year (with maybe a little bit more studying thrown in). Back to being an inquisitive fresher, back to square one. Day trips to Weston-Super-Mare, Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury are all on the list. Lecturefree afternoons will be spent at the M Shed, St Nicholas’ Market, Ashton Court and the SS Great Britain. Fewer Friday nights spent in Lounge, but rather exploring the variety of cocktail bars and the occasional speakeasy for which Bristol is actually quite famous.

In the future, if I am ever asked by a Bristolian where I went to university, I would feel a sense of shame if I was unable to engage in a conversation about our city other than the well-trodden tracks around Woodland Road. If, as seems likely, I am to move away after graduation, I want to feel that I have made the most out of my time in this beautiful, arty, yet very rainy city that seems hooked on so much more than just hot air balloons and valuable graffiti.

Flickr: euqirneto

Style

Eco-tourism or ego-tourism?

Online: Constance Malleret travelonline@ epigram.org.uk

Thinking outside the Triangle: a second start in the South-West

Jenny Burton

Flickr: jharkn

Travel

Living

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Constance Malleret

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Travel

Reshaping the rules of jewellery Style writer Molly Simpson talks us through how to embrace the new trend that is geometric jewellery You only need to glance in the direction of New York Fashion Week to see that geometric designs are dominating the catwalk, and SS15 is looking to be full of abstract patterns and unconventional shapes by the likes of Alexander Wang, DKNY and Lacoste to name a few. In much the same vein, jewellery has been given a heavy dose of attitude in the form of rightangles and rigid shapes, as squares have reshaped the rules of accessorising. Where floral pendants and delicate chains once sat on the neck and wrist, you’ll now find striking cuffs and sharp-pointed pendants putting their own stamp on femininity.

Style

Necklace, Warehouse, £30

Ring, Cos, £25

Ring, Warehouse, £8

Stacked pendant, ASOS, £12

Necklace, ASOS, £8

Ring, ASOS, £8

Diamond pendant, Made, £25

you can’t get much more simplistic than squares.

Just because the sides are straight and the angles are sharp doesn’t mean it can’t be delicate, and geometric jewellery can be the optimum final touch to an outfit. Although a far cry from the dainty flowers and intricate designs that we’ve become accustomed to, the smart and ultra-chic style of geometry is being embraced by fashion icons and should be welcomed into your wardrobe too.

Ring, Etsy, £36.52 It might be a daunting prospect, wearing jewellery that is reminiscent of a GCSE maths book, but consider this the one kind of Maths lesson you actually want to have. It’s no longer necessary to cover yourself in fine-cut diamonds - or Claire’s Accessories’ best imitation of - to look spruced up. Minimalism is at the forefront of contemporary style, so now geometric jewels can give you just the perfect amount of edge without being labelled as ‘edgy’.

This is definitely a statementmaking trend. With a student budget and a wardrobe that always feels repetitive and malnourished,

Alexander Wang Spring/Summer 15, New York Fashion Week

a collection of transformative accessories means you don’t have to update your wardrobe once a week, so you’re not wearing the same outfit in every Bunker Monday photo that gets uploaded to Facebook.

Think structured chokers, cagey cuffs and cross-hatched lattice rings to draw the attention away from your clothes and towards your eye for detail and clean style. Or, for easy access into this abstract aesthetic choose square hoops instead of the conventional circles for a change.

Simplicity is underrated when it comes to accessorising, and

Cuff, Accessorize, £6

Editors’ choice

Our ‘must-have’ items to help you survive Freshers’ Week ERA in Navy, Vans Shoes, £50

What’s On

numeronoir.net

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Feather collar, Vintage unknown, Price unavailable

They’re Real mascara, Benefit Cosmetics, £19.50

Reyes print umbrella, Oliver Bonas, £18

Beth

@bethlaverack Online Style Editor

Hattie @HattieBottom Deputy Style Editor.

Emma @Emma_Ward94 Deputy Style Editor

Maddy Style Editor

@MaddyStreets

Some navy Vans became my shoe staple in first year, I wore them everywhere from lectures to nights out. They might be looking worse for wear but my belief that trainers are an essential Bristol student item stays strong. They are comfy and make tackling the infamous hills an easier task, as well as now becoming a legitimate style staple in anyone’s wardrobe. I’ve currently got my eyes on a pair of Nike’s – it’s just so hard to resist that ‘swoosh’.

If I had to get rid of my whole wardrobe and only save one thing to take to freshers’ week, it would be my feather collar. It was a present, bought from an antiques shop so no one else has it.

The feathers are so soft and turn any plain outfit into something dramatic and luxurious. I think for Freshers’ Week you need to wear clothes that give you confidence and this forest green, ball of fluff makes me feel like something between a diva and ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’!

Completing a full face of makeup during the first few weeks of Uni is almost impossible; if you’ve ever tried to do your foundation with a shaky hangover hand, you’ll know what I mean. So my essential beauty item to see you through Freshers is Benefit’s ‘They’re Real’ mascara. Your lashes will immediately look super long and give you a wide awake, fresh look, meaning you can skip the rest of your makeup routine and still leave halls looking at least half awake!

In Bristol, we’re only ever about 5 minutes away from rain and when you’re running around, making 100 first impressions, the last thing you need is to look like a drowned rat! In times like these, the most valuable item is a waterproof or umbrella.

Pick a stylish jacket and you’re not only protected from the weather, but you’ve got your outfit sorted for the day, while an umbrella can be shoved into any bag and easily carried about for whenever rain inevitably strikes.

Editor: Maddy Streets style@ epigram.org.uk

@e2Style

Deputy: Emma Ward eward@ epigram.org.uk

Deputy: Hattie Bottom hattie@ epigram.org.uk

Online Beth Laverack onlinestyle@ epigram.org.uk

What’s On

Style

Travel

Living

Sneakers: worth kicking up a fuss over?

I still love Pokémon and Yu Gi Oh cards, plus I’m sure I still have some Beyblades gathering dust in the my bedroom. I still have the childish desire to amass, read about and obsess over collectibles.

I subscribe to blogs such as Hypebeast, Highsnobiety and Complex. Most of the time, the biggest invoice on my debit card is from Endclothing, and I’m ashamed to confess that I wash my sneakers with Jason Markk more regularly than I wash my socks. I am a sneakerhead.

Sneakerheads live in the world of Air Jordans, Yeezys, cops, drops, kicks and crepes. The phenomenon of sneakerhead culture started in the 1980s, when Michael Jordan released his infamous Air Jordan sneaker.

Since then, basketball, hip-hop, and street culture have embraced the concept of limited-edition sneakers being both valuable collectibles and status symbols.

Owning a limited pair of sneakers is similar to owning a fast sports car: owning a pair shows you are wealthy enough to be able to spend your money on nonessential items (more avid sneakerheads might disagree). Rare kicks are just as sought after and admired as rare cars; shoes are released in limited ‘packs’ in very exclusive quantities, similarl to the release of cars like the Bugatti Veyron.

Most importantly, new kicks are infinitely more impressive than used kicks; one

step on the sole is just like one mile on the clock, and it makes all the difference.

Just like second-hand ‘crepes’, fake ‘crepes’ will not be tolerated by any true sneakerhead. Those with the most expertise in the community perform ‘legit checks’ via photos on the wavey kicks forum (the geeky brother of wavey garms) for aspiring sneaker heads, to help them get their hands on only the realest sneaks. The artform of the legit check is so highly valued by some of us that Carnegie Mellon University now offers an official course in ‘Sneakerology 101’, which teaches students how to tell their Janoskis from their Huaraches.

The Pikachu Shiny Pokémon card of the sneaker world, the Nike Air Yeezy 2 “Red October” designed by Kanye West, had one pair sell for $90,300 on eBay this summer, despite the original cost of the trainers only being $245. Most of us sneakerheads can only dream of owning a pair; not only is their price incredibly inflated but in order to buy a pair, you’re also in need of the dedication to camp outside the Nike 21 Mercer Street store in NYC and wait for a big ‘drop’ - or to perhaps

stab someone in the queue for a Retro Foamposites release (which happened in a Maryland shopping mall in 2011).

I’m only at square one of my venture into the sneaker-world and my collection of limiteds is only 4 pairs strong’ so I think that as long as I keep perspective, I will have fun being a sneakerhead just as I enjoyed collecting Pokemon as a child. I don’t intend to spend $90,000 on sneakers anytime soon. Instead, I’ll probably always have a bigger soft-spot for splashing out on swagged-out diamond chains.

Giles Thomson

Minimal Effort, Maximum Style Plum Ayloff looks at the minimalistic trend on and off the catwalk

Jil Sander, AW 14-15

Minimalism on the Catwalks Narciso Rodriguez, AW 14-15

Minimalism: it’s a trend that never seems to go out of fashion, so what better way to start the new term than with a clean and simple wardrobe? An excellent method of getting rid of excessive embellishment, this no-fuss approach to fashion gives a pared down yet luxurious simplicity to your look.

A classic aesthetic that takes you back to basics, minimalism can give a powerful and striking image while keeping it simple.

This style is best worn and most often seen using a strictly monochrome black and white palette, with the injection of muted colours such as camel, navy, and grey. It is also essential to be free from overbearing accessories, or at least keep classic ones to a subtle minimum; unfussy silver or gold jewellery is the idea here. A striking minimalist outfit focuses on clean, straight lines in the clothes, giving you a great silhouette.

We may see extreme surges of popularity on the catwalk in certain seasons (think A/W ’10-11 and then S/S ’12), but a minimalist approach to dressing never fails to make an impact, regardless of what’s officially ‘on-trend’ that season.

However, the AW14-15 collections were yet another masterclass on how to rock this look. Jil Sander perfected cool, calm, and pure quality, showing an emphasis

on shift dresses and square-cut jackets and suit trousers. While monochrome is a great way to start when it comes to minimalist styling, your wardrobe need not be limited to a colourless palette - Narciso Rodriguez showed us th at minimalism can be fabulous in colour too, with a bright orange contrast amongst the darker colours for his A/W ’1415 collection.

Despite the effortless impression it gives, we all know that perfecting effective minimalism is far from effortless, so choosing a few classic items is essential.

This trend makes great use of simple staples that you can wear over and over again, such as a well-cut white shirt or a simple A-line jacket. it’s never too difficult to come by this style on the high street, as many stores have consistent basics collections, such as H&M and Cos. Zara’s current collection is also valuable when perfecting a minimalist wardrobe, offering structured jackets and straight cut coats which create the desired clean line effect, as well as making use of neutral colours.

This season is clearly calling for the lessis-more approach to fashion, so go back to basics with minimalist chic.

Skirt, Zara. £25.99

Top, H&M, £12.99

26.09.14

Clean sweep for Duster Coats, AW14’s outerwear of choice This season’s most popular cover-up has Eve Crosbie reaching for her purse...

For anyone still clinging on to the memories of summer, I’m sorry to break it to you but the return to university means only one thing – autumn is upon us. Enter mini-trend of the season number one: the duster coat. Being oversized and longer in length, these jackets are a breath of fresh air from the trends that have dominated the catwalks over the last few years. While you won’t be shamed for sticking to your reliable trench or duffel coat, Autumn/Winter 15 is the perfect time to embrace a coat that’s a little different. Due to its lightweight material, the duster has already made an appearance on the high street during the summer months, but it looks as if this style is only going to get more popular. As the weather begins to dip a couple of degrees, now is the perfect time to invest in something that will cover you up on those chillier evenings, as well as the wet walks to and from lectures.

It looks like the hottest pattern for the duster coat is another one of winter’s biggest trends, tile print. Double your style credentials and buy your duster in the more mature variant of overworked tartan, if you’re not afraid to make a splash in print.

These contemporary duster coats from Topshop and ASOS allow you to make sure your coat is as much a part of your outfit as what you wear underneath it, which is crucial when you want to look put together but not freeze! Even if you’re petite, don’t be put off by the long line cut; style with a pair of chunky heeled boots to add height and even out proportions.

Alternatively, you can still stay classic with your coat if you’re not one for bold fashion statements. For those that like to keep their outerwear a bit more neutral, choosing an un-patterned, simple design and block colours will ensure that you can always team your coat with other statement pieces. You may think the colder months mean sticking only to sombre blacks, greys and navies, but don’t be scared to wear pastels during winter! As the catwalks have shown, these shades are here to stay, and a pale pink or blue will always add a feminine touch to a masculine trend such as the duster coat.

Even if you’ve never heard of a duster coat, or if the first image that comes to mind is Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in his classic leather number, this is one trend worth trying out. The simple shape makes it a winner for all body types, as well as all occasions, and the range of materials and prints mean you can definitely find one to suit your taste. And if you need any more convincing, just remember how often it rains in Bristol…

Interview: Olivia McEwan Emma Ward speaks to Olivia McEwan, who graduated with a First in Economics and Management in 2013, about her new job as a Buyer’s Assistant at Selfridges and how she got there.

Did you take part in any extra-curricular activities whilst at Uni? I was a stylist for Fuze in my final year which was a really fun experience. I had involvement in sourcing brands, choosing outfits and running the shows. It was a really good opportunity to meet people who had a mutual interest in fashion.

Did you complete any work experience / hold a part time job whilst at Uni? I interned consistently in summer holidays from 6th form onwards.

The more internships I did, the more focused they became on buying.

Whilst at Bristol, in holidays I completed a three month internship at Harvey Nichols in the Accessories Buying Team, a month’s internship at Topshop in the Skirts Buying Team and, after I finished my final exams, I went on to do a further three months at Harrods in the Designer Accessories Buying Team. I also had the chance to work backstage at Erdem SS14 show, which showed me a whole different side to London Fashion Week.

Did you know that you wanted to go in to fashion before you started your degree - if so, why did you choose Economics?

I thought from about 16 that I wanted to go into Buying. I had already done work experience in fashion environments and knew that buying seemed to be the perfect bridge between business and design. My A level choices were quite varied but traditional, and I knew I wanted to go on to do an academic degree that would challenge me. It’s hard to find fashion degrees that have the same level of academia as the traditional subjects have. The more experience in fashion I gained, the more I realised how valued an economics degree would be. A huge amount of buyers I have worked with have come from a similar background.

“

How would you describe your current job?

The team is relatively small and I assist one buyer. We work with a huge amount of brands, over one hundred, so we are constantly receiving emails and on the phone! It’s amazing working for a multi branded department store because you get to work with so many fantastic brands.

you have to be prepared to work hard in fashion; to get where I am today I’ve put in months of interning and long hours.

Do you have any advice for current students looking to go in to fashion?

Do your research. It is so important to make sure that you understand the role that you are taking on. Try and speak to people who already do it and try and gain as much work experience as possible. Often people don’t realise the demands that come with working in fashion; you have to know you’re prepared to work long hours often in a (relatively) menial job. It’s not all glamour and fun 24/7.

Best part, worst part and most unexpected part of your job?

From Top to Bottom: ASOS checked duster coat £65, Boohoo pastel pink coat £40, Mango camel coat £139, Topshop checked duster coat £79, Asos lilac coat £90, Shelikes Carlie Duster Coat in Black £32

It’s just been London Fashion Week and having the opportunity to go to the exhibitions and shows makes the hours in the office seem worthwhile. It’s so exciting seeing the buzz around London. In terms of the worst part, I do really enjoy my job, but you have to be prepared to work hard in fashion; to get where I am today I’ve put in months of interning and long hours. I interned when I graduated for three months, and when your friends are starting their shiny new graduate schemes, it can be hard to keep motivated but it definitely pays off in the end.

The most unexpected thing is getting to sit front row. This season I frow’d at House of Holland, Sibling and Nazir Mazhar.

Visit www.epigram.org.uk for the interview in full

What’sOn

The best pick of this fortnight’s theatre, film, music and more.

Music

flickr: Christopher Alvarez

Living

30

Editor: Sam Mason-Jones whatson@ epigram.org.uk

FKA Twigs

Trinity Centre, 9th October

Tahliah Debrett Barnett is making the coolest music in the world right now. In the twenty months since Tahliah Debrett Barnett first raised brows with the release of EP1, a growing surge of notice has carried her moniker FKA Twigs into the gaze of the public eye. With the recent release of her debut LP1, a lesson

Travel

in lyrical simplicity and on-point production, a follow-up string of live dates will see the singer wend her way to Bristol’s Trinity Centre for a show on the 9th October. If you can get a ticket, do.

The Horrors O2 Academy, 1st October It’s beginning to become business as usual for the Horrors, who for the third successive time have made a comprehensive rock album that alters their course just enough to avoid allegations of stagnation. Latest

long-player Luminous, as you might expect,

is shot through with images of light, finding the band raising their gaze from their shoes to stare at the heavens above. As a

Dracula

Bristol Old Vic, 1st-4th October

Mark Bruce’s award-winning dance theatre production breathes a dynamic and erotic new life into Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. With Jonathan Goddard cast as the sinister Count of the title, the mercurial action is backed by a soundtrack that balances Bach and Mozart with Ligeti and Fred Frith in a re-imagination that tunnels deep to the dark heart of the human conscience.

result their autumn

Russell Howard

tour should find Badwan and co.

Tobacco Factory, 27th September

World-beating comedian Russell Howard returns to his teenage stomping ground for a sole

though

performance in the intimate surround of the Factory Theatre. Now comfortably accustomed

we’re still not quite flickr: The Bull Pen

Style

in relatively fine fettle-

expecting Faris to be dropping Oscar Pistorius

Stage

jokes

between songs.

to the arena circuit, upon which he will embark again in December, the cosiness of the setting will provide a different platform

for Bristol’s prodigal comic.

Tokyo Dub Eastville Park, 27th September Having spent the previous two years nestled in its city centre

Hot Tub Cinema

flickr: Tom Stainer Photography

home of Castle Park, Tokyo Dub is upping sticks and expanding

What’s On

for its fourth birthday. Having established itself as an uncouth mix of reggae, dub, dance and beyond, the festival falls on the Freshers’ second weekend and offers a deserved departure from things like Ring of Fire and Sam Smith. Smattered across eight stages are a number of gems, with acts like Dub Pistols, Mungo’s Hi Fi and Eliphino augmenting a solid line-up.

Three for free Tall Ships

The Christmas Steps, 9th October

Paintworks, 8th-14th October Making a splash (apologies) with something slightly different, the Hot Tub Cinema will take over the Paintworks for a week in October. It’s pretty self-explanatory: rather than the usual folding seats of a cinema, audience members will occupy berths in twenty hot tubs while enjoying tub-side waiter service. Each of the seven nights will be given over to a recent classic, with The Lion King, Ghostbusters and, erm, Hot Tub Time Machine.

Bristol Bright Night Harbourside, 26th September

Crack’s 5th Birthday

The Crown Courts, 10th October

A real treat for you here as Brighton post-rockers

The streets of Bristol’s harbourside will light up as a

To celebrate half a decade of its being, Crack magazine

play a free gig at The Christmas Steps pub in the city

‘living laboratory’ for one Friday night to celebrate

has assembled a motley crew of DJs and is hosting a

centre. Fans might recall two riotous visits to the

and showcase the scientific research that the city has

knees up at the wonderful Old Crown Courts in the

Fleece in years previous, and will hope for glimpses

become renowned for. Interactive and immersive

middle of Bristol, free to those who apply online. A

of new material from the imminent follow-up to

street performances and experiments are to take

line-up led by Erol Alkan also features Tim Sweeney

2012 debut Everything Touching.

place at various venues throughout the evening.

and a live performance from Tom Hawk.

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WELCOME (BACK) TO BRISTOL!

Sept 2014

by Jo Woods, Union Affairs Officer

Welcome to Bristol and welcome to the University of

We have giant club nights like the Rio

Bristol.You are now a proud member of the Students’

Carnival at Motion and the return of

Union and part of a community of over 20,000

Wednesday Sports Night at the eternally

members.

popular Bunker. Most of our student

Alyx Murray-Jackman

groups are running events, so whether

Sport and Student Development Officer @MJAlyx

Right now, you are probably feeling excited, nervous,

you want to play women’s rugby for

overwhelmed and unsure of what to expect.

the first time, debate politics in a pub

And that’s just the second and third years!

or enter a team for a quiz; there is something for everyone.

But despite the nerves and butterflies and bricks

Alex Bradbrook Academic Experience (UG) Officer @Alex_bradbrook

Alice Phillips Equality, Liberation and Access Officer @AlicePhillips90 Tom Phipps Student Living Officer @thomas_phipps

in your stomach, this coming week is going to be

As the leaders of the Students’ Union,

amazing! There are so many different events to go to

we want to welcome you and make sure

and people to meet. There are events centred round

you have the best time possible. So get

everything from pizza and board-games to bikes and

involved, get in touch and have a great

Jo Woods

BBQs.

time.

Union Affairs Officer @GoGoJoWoods

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UBU and the student body. By providing a direct

www.ubu.org.uk/elections now.

link to the opinions and feedback of students and linking to a much wider support structure within

For more information, email a UBU Course Rep

the University; Course Reps make a huge difference

Coordinator ubu-representation@bristol.ac.uk or

to quality of education at Bristol as well as being

speak to your course leader or a lecturer at the

fantastic for students' personal development.

beginning of term. Postgraduate research reps will be recruited locally via schools.

In 2013-14 over 400 students nominated themselves and 330 were successfully elected to represent students across several schools, in all faculties.

SHAPE YOUR LEARNING, NOMINATE YOURSELF

REPRESENT YOUR RESIDENCE Shape your residence and make it the best place to live; nominate yourself today! The JCR is a committee of students that are in place to represent the voice

Sept 2014

of students in that residence and organise social and sporting events throughout the year.

Each residence is slightly different but some of the roles that exist include: • President • Vice President • Treasurer • Social Secretary • Sports Rep

GET MOVING, GET WINNING

• Charity Rep • International Rep • Sustainability/Environmental Rep

You may be vaguely aware that Bristol will be the

a competition between the two Bristol universities

2015 Green Capital. But did you also know that

to log as many of your journeys to uni by bike, foot

Whether it be aiming to be the President that brings

cycling rates have doubled in the last decade and

or bus as possible.

change and a voice to student council; the residence

the Mayor wants to double them again?

that raises the most for charity; the residence that There are hundreds of prizes including iPads, cinema

throws the best events; or the residence that wins the

UBU and the University want to support this and

tickets, Amazon & Love2shop vouchers, Spotify

intramural sports, please nominate yourself to be part

we know students are the best people to help!

subscriptions and free National Express tickets up

of your JCR!

We’ve put together a range of activities including

for grabs. Plus it’s greener, healthier and cheaper.

free cycle training, bike repairs, a bus service, sustainable travel events; the list goes on.

If you are living in City Centre Living or Riverside, Most importantly of all, we need you to sign up so

please go to www.ubu.org.uk/elections to nominate

we can beat UWE in the league table!

and find out more.

chance to win some great prizes. We have teamed

Register today and get active

If you live within Stoke Bishop or another residence,

up with Sustrans and UWE to put on the Big Uni

www.biguni.getmeactive.org.uk.

please contact your SSA, Senior Resident or Warden

For the new term we would like to give you the

Travel Challenge so from Wednesday 1 October it’s

for more info on how to get involved.

REGISTER TO VOTE There has been much talk of voting in the news recently with the Scottish Referendum and the ongoing debate about whether voting should be extended to 16 and 17 year olds. Enabling more young people to vote is a good thing for creating a healthy democracy.

Voting means you can affect change and get your voice heard. As the next general election approaches, it's more important than ever that you register.

If you would like more information on registering to vote, check out www.lovewhereyoulivebristol.co.uk/register-vote As a student you can register at both your term time address and at your home address - although you are only able to vote at one.

Registering to vote couldn’t be easier. Go online to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT UPON THE BRISTOL COMMUNITY

All you need is: • Full name

• National Insurance number

• Address

• Date of Birth

UBU aims to enable students to positively engage with the wider community and has helped hundreds of students to participate in volunteering programmes this year.

Having dedicated thousands of hours of community volunteering between them, University of Bristol students have received some great recognition from the most important people of all; those who have directly benefited from their hours of commitment.

Pitstop – a project that sees students accompany young people with disabilities on day trips, has been praised for the life changing impact that it has had on the children. One parent commented that the volunteers have encouraged their child to ‘try activities he might otherwise avoid with his

GET FIT, HAVE FUN! Fit and Fabulous membership is now available for all those who identify as women at the University of Bristol (both students and staff).

Membership costs just £14.99 and gets you access to at least five sessions per week for Terms One and Two (less than a £1 a week!)

Regular sessions include: • Zumba at UBU and Churchill Hall • Ultimate Frisbee at UBU • Women's Basketball at Bristol Grammar School • Aerobics at Churchill Hall Plus great one-offs and short courses including self-defence, hula hooping and much more.

*Special Offer*

family and he has loved every minute’.

As well as helping the children themselves, Pitstop has made a remarkable impact upon the lives of parents and families. One parent said, ‘To us as a family we are able to do things that we were unable to do... i.e. a day out on bikes and being able to go for a meal and talk to me. As a mum I can take a breath and relax.’

Saturday Club, which sees students plan and accompany adults with disabilities on social activities such as visits to the zoo and craft clubs, is another project that has received glowing praise.

A Saturday Club member described the activities as ‘excellent, friendly and well organised’, whilst a mother of one of the members said the club was a ‘life-saver’ to her daughter and has provided her with much needed respite.

The UBU Volunteering Team are also asking for your feedback and would value your thoughts if you have ever taken part in any UBU Volunteering projects. www.surveymonkey.com/s/UBUvolunteer

First 100 members receive a free water bottle and gym towel.

If you would like to volunteer and make a similar impact upon the lives of Join us at our FREE Launch ZUMBA event on Wednesday 1 October!

local people then visit www.ubu.org.uk/volunteering or email us

Everyone is welcome to attend. www.ubu.org.uk/fitandfab

ubu-volunteering@bristol.ac.uk.

Sept 2014

THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE START THIS WEEK MAKE THE MOST OF IT

GREAT EVENTS • NIGHTS OUT • MEET FRIENDS • MAKE MEMORIES • CHILL OUT

WWW.UBU.ORG.UK/EVENTS DANCE YOUR SOCKS OFF • EXPLORE THE CITY • GET ACTIVE • HAVE FUN