30 Years of Epigram Founding Editor and BBC correspondent James Landale writes about the paper’s past, present and future.
epigram
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The UK’s Best Student Media Society
est. 1989
Fortnightly 13th May 2019 Issue 339
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Revealed: Trans students feel ‘screwed over’ by Student Health Service • Long waiting times, uncertainty over treatment and medication refusal has left many transgender students frustrated with the Student Health Service
Exclusive Zoë Crowther
Students’ Union Correspondent
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ransgender students have felt ‘screwed over’ with long waiting times, uncertainty over treatment, and refusals from the Students’ Health Service to grant them hormone prescriptions. Students’ Health Service GPs have repeatedly refused to offer hormone prescriptions,
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recommending that students pay for their prescriptions through private Gender Identity Clinics (GICs) instead until they can get an appointment at an NHS GIC. The wait for NHS appointments can take years. The refusals were made on the basis that GPs did not want to take the risk of trusting the referrals from the private clinics, despite these clinics providing evidence from medical and psychological professionals that the patients were ready to start hormone replacement therapy. Siân Amekuedi, second year Maths and Philosophy student and recently elected next year’s Chair of Bristol SU Trans Network, told Epigram: ‘this whole situation has been disastrous for my mental health ... Continued on page 4...
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Organised Chaos /
Physics Soc win best society in UK • Bristol SU celebrated success as CHAOS (Physics Society) won national award for Best Society. • Epigram and Women in Finance also scooped up awards for Best Media Society and Most Improved Society Zoë Crowther
Students’ Union Correspondent
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ristol SU had a very successful night at the NUS National Societies Awards, with Chaos Physics Society, Epigram and Women in Finance all receiving awards. At the ceremony on the 30th April, Chaos scooped up the award for Best Society in the UK, after winning Best Academic Society last year. Epigram won best media society, following recent success at the Student Publication Association National Conference, winning awards for ... Continued on page 7...
Editorial
co-Editors in Chief: Ed Southgate & Cameron Scheijde editor@epigram.org.uk
Online Editor: Hannah Worthington Deputy Online Editors: Kate Hutchison & Oliver Cohen
Deputy Editor: Nikki Peach
Celebrating 30 years Inside...
Inside The Croft...
Travelling for Dummies
pg 31
Celebrating Black Artists Arts pg. 38
How to decorate your Uni room
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Online Features Editor
Imogen Horton
News Editor • A study has found that 15.7 per cent of students have used online ‘essay mills’ • In the UK, essay mill sites are still legal despite widespread opposition
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onclusions of a new study by the University of Swansea has revealed that between 2014 and 2018 an average of 15.7 per cent of students have admitted to cheating in their University degree through the use of online ‘essay-mills’. The study, led by Professor Phil Newton, director of learning and teaching at Swansea Medical School, looked at information dating back to 1978 and covered 54,514 participants from across the globe. The new findings of the new study show that the issue of paid-for tailor-made essay services, known also as ‘contract cheating’, is significantly on the rise
Bristol Labour Students refuse Brexit debate because Tory society organised the event •
Labour students ‘not comfortable’ with shared drunken debate BUCA called it a ‘sad reflection of the hardening of the political discourse’
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ristol Labour Students have refused to take part in a “Drunken EU Debate” with the other political societies because they ‘were not comfortable’ participating in joint events with the Bristol University Conservative Association (BUCA).
Speaking with Epigram, co-Chair of Bristol Labour Students, Ruth Day, said: ‘Tory Society have been asking us to do joint events and lots of our committee weren’t comfortable with that.’ She added: ‘When we heard about the “Drunken EU debate”, we thought it was something they were organising so weren’t keen to get involved’. Last academic year, Bristol Labour Students cohosted a ‘political speed-dating’ event with BUCA. Epigram has been informed that a motion has since been passed by the new Bristol Labour Students committee that all joint-events must be approved by a motion at the committee. BUCA Chairman, Harry Eastley-Jones, said: ‘The
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Inside....
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situation is a sad reflection of the hardening of the political discourse in recent years. Just because you disagree with someone does not make them a bad person. ‘As political societies we should be able to respect each other’s sincerely held beliefs and engage with each other in the free debate of ideas, which is what university is supposed to be all about.’ BUCA, Bristol Liberal Democrat Students and Bristol Green Soc will be debating Brexit in a “Drunken EU Debate” at Basement 45 on October 16, at 8pm. The event will be chaired by Epigram, and is open for all students to wacth. Continued on page 4
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Now in our 30th Year
James Cleaver Online News Editor
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The Student group have submitted wide-ranging proposals to Uni management Demands cover funding of services, staff training and more ‘compassionate’ care for all Bristol students.
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what does it take to make a truly dank meme?
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Bristol students hospitalised with meningitis infection P
ublic Health England has been notified that two students from the University of Bristol have been confirmed as having Meningococcal Meningitis Group B infection. The students are reported to be ‘recovering well’ in a hospital in Cardiff, with ‘their discharge from hospital being arranged’. They will return to their family homes following their discharge from hospital. The University of Bristol is working closely with Public Health England to ensure that necessary action is taken. Those who are very close friends, or share accommodation, with the students in hospital have been offered an antibiotic and vaccination which will decrease chances of the bacteria spreading. Students in the rest of the University are not considered to be at any increased risk and Public Health England have said that there is ‘currently no need to take any specific action or change the university routine for students and staff’. Meningitis Now have also agreed that the risk of further cases would be low. Fiona Neely, Consultant in Health Protection at Public Health England South West, said: ‘We
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First year starts dance campaign to highlight loneliness and mental health
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pigram has spoken to Freya Selman, a first-year student, about her mental health campaign ‘You Can Help’. The project, which she launched in collaboration with friend Jasmine Flanagan, aims to encourage young people to talk about their mental health as they believe this is essential to showing those struggling that they are not alone, no matter what they are going through Freya said: ‘We wanted to do this project to show people that you never, ever have to struggle’
Imogen Horton News Editor
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First year student Freya Selman has started a campaign to encourage young people to talk about their mental health ‘You can Help’ seeks to help people feeling isolated and alone Full story pg. 6
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he number of noise complaints submitted to the University increased to 120 last year, a considerable rise from last year’s figure of 80. Residents issued complaints particularly surrounding house parties and general noise during antisocial hours. The University has already received 34 noise complaints about student households so fare this term, a figure which, over the space of two
months, suggests that this problem is not going away. The prevalence of this issue has forced some local Bristolians to take matters into their own hands. ‘The Noise Pages’, a website founded by Andrew Waller, allows residents to log noise complaints about students in the Redland and Cotham areas. The website has split opinion in the student body. Speaking exclusively to Epigram, Waller described
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peakers at the cross-party event on Tuesday October 16 received both raucous applause and strongly worded objections while drunkenly debating
Illustration by Cameron Scheijde
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why he felt the need to set up a blog and bring to light the issue of noise complaints; ‘In March of this year there were two very loud parties on consecutive nights a very short distance apart. It annoyed me that the first party was in a house that I had complained about previously, they had already been through the system with Joni Lloyd (Bristol University’s Community Liaison... Continued on page 7
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Zoë Crowther • •
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Bristol launches BME powerlist Grad Chanté Joseph & SU exec Samantha Budd
the legitimacy of a People’s Vote on Brexit. Some attendees were highly critical of an event which seemingly trivialised such an important and complex topic. A Labour source told Epigram ‘The night is a farce. Drunken 18-19 year olds shouting about things they know nothing about. This is a serious issue: people stand here and think they have an opinion when they don’t know what’s going on.’ As a member of the audience, Edward Anders gave his opinion on the night: ‘There is no censorship here on free speech to argue your point of view. I think it’s great they’ve been given the opportunity to do this: it’s all light-hearted, in a Continued on page 8 drunken environment.’
Story inside pg. 4
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Bristol student’s campaign, focused on male mental health, wins regional award Campaign aims to encourage men to speak openly about their mental health Huxtable: ‘it is vital we keep encouraging people to be open’
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Fortnightly 18th February 2019 Issue 335
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Celebrating 30 years
est. 1988
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concentrating on their body language, with the intention of encouraging other men to communicate their thoughts. For the second part, in 2018, Huxtable interviewed over 100 men, questioning how mental health has directly impacted their lives. Huxtable told Epigram: ‘In these interviews, participants talked openly about suicide attempts, self-harm and the stresses of university.’ She added: ‘It’s vital we keep encouraging people of all ages and gender to be open and to talk about how they’re truly feeling.’
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The campaign believes that physical activities encourage a positive well-being by giving men a sense of belonging, and aims to provide a community that gives men not a cure but an escape. One participant, a kickboxer, spoke openly about trying to take his own life. In his interview, he emphasised how important it is to speak out about the stigma surrounding male mental health. The Bristol and Bath Health and Care awards was created to recognise organisations and people who help others in the community.
Celebrating 30 years
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IKEA society has unexpectedly captured the hearts and minds of the Bristol student population, with a membership expanding to 250. Road trips planned to go on furniture outings and eating the outlet’s famous meatballs Founder: ‘we don’t really know what it’s about to be honest’
Maddy Russell
Need to flush your loo? Refill it yourself
Second Year, Politics and IR Student
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group of Bristol students have launched an Ikea Society, aimed at all lovers of the Swedish self-assembly furniture brand. The society, which describes itself as a ‘fun, friendly society for furniture enthusiasts’ has seen over two hundred and fifty members join its Facebook group within the last few weeks. Members of the society are invited to join a monthly Ikea trip and to partake in a ‘cheeky’ lunch of the company’s famous Swedish-style meatballs. An Ikea themed costume party has also been planned for the 6th of December, at the White Harte. Students attending the event are encouraged to come wearing the company’s signature blue and yellow brand colours. In a statement to Epigram, Toby Maddock, president of the society said: ‘It all sort of spiraled really. It started after we had a Bristruth posted and that sort of kicked it all off. ‘We don’t know exactly what the society is about at the moment, to be honest. Initially it was a bit of a joke and now we have 250 plus members and a social planned for next week.’ IKEA Soc is one of a latest raft of new societies to request affiliation with the SU. Some of the new societies include ABBASoc, Bristol University Tea society, student mental health group Support our services. Women in Tech and Beat This together for eating disorders.
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Failed water supply in halls leaves students having to manually refill their toilets James Cleaver Online News Editor
Exclusive • •
New Bridewell students faced consistent water issues Students informed there was ‘no danger’ of the water being contaminated
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tudents at New Bridewell were forced to manually refill their toilets after having their water supply affected for the third time this term. A major leak in the water pipes at B block caused all the water at the Unite-owned residency to be turned off for two hours on Wednesday 14 November. The management team at the Unite-
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owned residency provided unlimited water bottles at reception, and students were informed that they had to manually fill up their toilets with water in order to flush them. The University refused to say how many plastic bottles were given out during this time. While the hot water was restored that night, the cold water was not turned back on until the next day after the visit of plumbing engineers. Once turned back on, the hot water was able to be used for cooking and washing. In emails seen by Epigram, students were advised ‘if you simply fill your toilet with water from the hot water system then they will still function as normal.’ Students were informed that there was absolutely no danger of the water being contaminated, and that a ‘major leak’ was the only concern.
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While the leak was being investigated, there was a loss of power for 15 minutes across the entire halls to avoid the obvious safety risk of mixing electricity and water. This is the third problem New Bridewell has faced with its water supply this year. For over a week at the end of October, the latter also affecting B block specifically. In that time, B block was without cold water for 24 hours, and there was a period of 90 minutes in which all blocks had their water turned off. Students were required to fill up their toilets with hot water and the management team provided refillable water bottles at reception again. Students also had to use shower and washing facilities at the nearby Puregym. Continued on page 2
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Dream Big
The Croft pg. 13
epigram Film pg. 34
Fortnightly 4th February 2019 Issue 334
Fortnightly 3rd December 2018 Issue 333
Furniture enthusiasts unite behind new IKEA society
How to do Venice on a budget
The Croft Pullout
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
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ristol student Olivia Huxtable’s Be Mankind campaign has been awarded the ‘Health campaign of the year’ at the 2018 Bristol and Bath Health and Care Awards. The campaign’s aim has been to start a conversation and destroy the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. The campaign consisted of two parts. In 2017, Huxtable interviewed over 35 males from Bristol University, including students, staff and alumni, about both their mental health experiences. Huxtable uploaded photos of the men mid-conversation,
Project Elephant launches all-female short film
Navigating second year while high on prescription painkillers
Exclusive interview with VC Prof. Hugh Brady on Brexit and Universities News page 8
ristol SU Officers have told Epigram that they would ‘oppose’ the role of a Men’s Officer, after UWE Students’ Union attempted to intoduce the position. Stanford, Bristol’s Union Affairs Officer and Sally Patterson, Liberation, Equality and Access Officer, both strongly disagree with the role, and ‘would oppose something equivalent at Bristol.’ Stanford did, however, suggest that ‘that’s a conversation for our students to have if they feel it is necessary.’ Bristol SU has networks for under-represented
student demographics, including women, members of the LGBT+ and trans communities, BME students and those from low income backgrounds. According to Stanford, comparisons should not be made between men’s struggles and the problems faced by these groups: ‘I don’t believe men are a liberation group. And I do not believe that men face discrimination for being men. ‘Men are seriously well represented, if not overrepresented, in leadership roles from the top to the bottom of our institution. Liberation is about historic and institutionalised forms of oppression such as that faced by women and LGBT+ communities. Men are not historically oppressed, and thus not a liberation group.’ UWE Students’ Union introduced three part-time officer positions in this October’s by-elections, including a Men’s Officer, Women’s Officer and Transgender Officer. Continued on page 3
Preview on page 16
est. 1988
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Celebrating 30 years
BeMankind wins Bristol’s Health Campaign of the Year Olivia Duggan Third Year, Theology
‘I am still dealing with the effects of unnecessary painkillers’
No deal would be hard, but we’re prepared
UWE SU spark debate after canidate for ‘men’s officer’ steps down NUS said the controversy was a ‘vile, undemocratic shambles
epigram
Fortnightly 5th November 2018 Issue 331
Bristol SU reject idea for ‘Men’s Officer’ Students’ Union Correspondent
Science pg. 14
pg.37
‘Men don’t face discrimination for being men’
Sparks fly in divisive drunken EU debate
SU Correspondent • Division escalted on the issue of the Northern Irish Border • Greens and Lib Dems called for more diverse debators as panel contained just one woman • Event recieved with a mixture of laughter, enjoyment and criticisms of trivialising important issues
Mandem founder Elias Williams talks to Zoe Crowther about race, identity and his new platform Features pg. 8
est. 1988
Black applicants 20 per cent less likely to get Bristol offer than white counterparts •
Figures from UCAS show a 20 percentage point gap between white and black applicants to Bristol
Cameron Scheijde co-Editor-in-Chief
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pplicants to the University of Bristol from black backgrounds are considerably less likely to get an offer from the University when applying at 18. The figures published by UCAS show a BME attainment gap, with considerably fewer black students receiving offers than white students. A 2017 Report by Bristol SU showed that BME students when at University felt isolated due
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est. 1988
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Fortnightly 4th March 2019 Issue 336
Find Bristol’s best green spaces
7 Famous Bristol alumni Film pg. 34
The Croft pg. 4
epigram
Celebrating 30 years
Celebrating 30 years
est. 1988
Uni condemns The Noise Pages for privacy breaches
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Fortnightly 18th March 2019 Issue 337 Celebrating 30 years
Is change coming?
Exclusive
U2 introduced for Vet students, but too many users lead to Vet ban Uni is giving free rides to locals to increase public use of U2
to often being the only BME people in the room. They were also more likely to suffer mental health difficulties, direct racism or microaggressions. While Universities do not know the ethnicity of their applicants, there is a gap between black students and those of other ethnicities at school level, with black students less likely to achieve 5 or more GCSEs at A*-C. In the SU survey, one respondent said: ‘I have only seen one black lecturer and there are only 5 black people in my course. Sometimes, I feel a bit lost because I do not see people that look like me on very often …. but if I do see a fellow black student I feel happy for some reason’ Other large Russell Group Universities have
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similar gaps, with the worst percentage point difference found at Oxford and Cambridge. Eva Larkai (pictured above), chair of the Bristol SU BME Network, said: ‘these statistics don’t come as a huge surprise to me. The data shows that the number of applications to the University of Bristol being made by BME students is increasing each year, yet it’s difficult to see any real progress reflected in our student population. It is evident that the structural barriers that block these students from accessing elitist institutions like Bristol aren’t being challenged adequately and there needs to be more transparency around why BME, and specifically black students, are being disproportionately implicated in this process’. Continued on page 6
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eterinary students have been banned from taking the U2 bus to their Langford campus because there are ‘too many’ vets, despite the service being introduced specifically for them. In an email seen by Epigram, the Veterinary School’s Manager, Dr. Tom Podesta, complained to Vet students that the volume of them using the service is ‘causing problems for other users and the general public who are struggling to get a seat in the morning’. He demanded that students ‘must’ instead now only use Turners Coaches provided for by the School, which run less frequently than the hourly, low-emission U2. His email contradicts correspondence received by students from the Veterinary admin office in December, which told students in Years 1-3 they must either use Turners Coaches or the U2 as they are not permitted to drive. They also specifically urged Veterinary students who did have permission to drive to prioritise taking the U2 bus if they could. The service was introduced at the beginning of this academic year to connect the Clifton campus to Langford following feedback from students and staff within the Veterinary School, but has been available for all students as well as the general public. Having celebrated that it would ‘make a huge difference to our students and staff’ in the Veterinary School when it was launched, Dr Podesta added in his email that the Vets must now ‘act responsibly’ by avoiding the bus. Continued on page 5
Exclusive • Uni spokesperson: the page ‘does little to encourage community cohesion’ • Concerns were raised around publication of house numbers • Noise Pages founder: “The University would naturally avoid any public discussion that shines a spotlight on their own failure”
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Fireworks at SU AMM as hour long debate passes West Bank divestment motion
ristol University has condemned ‘The Noises Pages’, a website set up to report loud house parties. A spokesperson for the University said ‘The University voiced concerns to the owner of The Noise Pages website from the outset, particularly around the impact on students’ safety by publishing house numbers’. The spokesperson has told Epigram that ‘We feel this approach does little to encourage community cohesion and we would prefer if concerns or complaints could be raised with us directly’. Reports from The Noise Pages website now no longer include house numbers and previously stated house numbers have been redacted. Whilst this move has been welcomed ‘as a positive step towards respecting students’
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safety and privacy’, Bristol University ‘would much rather issues were raised with us directly rather than any detail about student properties or accommodation published online.’ This statement follows Epigram’s report in October last year that the number of noise complaints about students in private housing has risen by 52%. The Noise Pages is a website founded by exjournalist and Redland resident, Andrew Waller. Waller creates detailed noise reports, which usually concern student house parties or loud drunken behaviour on the street in residential areas, and posts them on the site in order to raise awareness about residential noise pollution. Waller has responded to the University with the following statement: ‘First, no students are named on my website – as I’m pretty sure
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the university knows. Second, any “shaming” is self-inflicted: if you hold a loud party and keep the street awake, you’ve advertised yourself to the world and it’s a it’s a bit rich to then suggest that the community shouldn’t discuss your activities. Third, by far the main risk to community cohesion is those students who indulge in anti-social behaviour. Fourth, I and other residents have been raising our concerns directly with the University for years – with little meaningful result. The university, naturally, would prefer to avoid any public discussion which shines a spotlight on its own failure to get these problems under control. And lastly, I’m always unimpressed by “spokesmen” who hide behind anonymity’.
Continued on page 5...
Special Report on page 9
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Something to Laugh About Film & TV comedy special
Fortnightly 1st April 2019 Issue 338 Celebrating 30 years
Ginny Troughton, Sport and Student Development Officer, said: ‘We are aware of the difference in demographics and we are working to address this. We recently held a Barriers to Sport survey and will be working closely with SEH on the recommendations to broaden the appeal of university sports. ‘Existing initiatives such as This Girl Can and our Intramural teams also provide a good opportunity for increased inclusivity in sport.’ When asked whether sports clubs should make more effort to be inclusive, Captain of Bristol’s Korfball Club Holly Rowland said: ‘I think sports clubs definitely have a very “white” image. This is a big shame and something sports clubs should try to work against. ‘While we don’t do anything specific, I do think Korfball does attempt to avoid and dispel some stereotypes surrounding traditional sports clubs. It’s always our aim that anyone feels welcomed when they join the club, and we work hard to keep inclusivity as a central part of both training and socials.’ The figures also show unequal distribution of student memberships in other areas. BME students are nearly three times more likely than white students to join cultural societies, with only 5 per cent of white students joining these groups. On the SU website, many cultural societies declare their intentions to promote different cultures to all students as well as local communities. Stanford, Union Affairs Officer, said: “Many of the hobbies and interests represented in our student groups have an appeal to students of all Continued on page 2... backgrounds”
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Attenborough shines at alumni awards Bristol presented the broadcaster with a lifetime achievement award at the ceremony in London
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‘This is not an anti-Israel motion’
Illustration: Cameron Scheijde
Tom Taylor
Deputy Features Editor
Film & TV pg. 34 & 35
Only 15% of BME students join sports clubs - half the rate of white students
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Investigation Noise complaints issued to the Uni have gone up by 54 per cent Local sets up ‘The noise pages’ blog report on loud house parties
Fear the rise of Liberal Eugenics
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How diverse are our societies? A
Deputy News Editor
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Ed Southgate
est. 1988
Zoë Crowther
est. 1988
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Epigram’s new online campaign
Year in Nepal Topaz Maitland describes her year in industry on a placement in Kathmandu
co-Editor-in-Chief
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
Students’ Union Correspondent
‘If you’re a black artist you feel like “I’ve got to make something about blackness otherwise no-one’s going to care”’
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epigram ccording to the composition of membership, cultural societies can be considered the most ethnically diverse, while the percentage of BME student memberships in sports, performing arts and campaigning societies is comparatively low. According to statistics showing student membership in different types of SU societies, 30 per cent of all white students at the University of Bristol have joined sports clubs this academic year, compared to only 15 per cent of BME students. BME students only make up 13 per cent of sports clubs memberships, despite BME students making up 26 per cent of the Bristol student population. Performing arts and campaigning societies also have a low percentage of BME memberships, at 15 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. Earlier this year, Bristol was named the fifth ‘most healthy’ university in the UK from the results of a survey conducted by MyStudentHalls. Bristol’s sports clubs were described as varied and accommodating ‘everyone with a wide variety of health and wellbeing options - befitting of its standing as one of the country’s most popular universities.’
epigram
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The Croft pg. 10
Culture societies could be considered the most diverse, with Performing Arts, sports and campaigning faring worst. 30% of all white students have joined sports clubs this year, compared to just 15% of BME students
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Vet students banned from U2 because there are ‘too many’ vets
Inside The Croft ...
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Celebrating 30 years
FUZE 2019 Reviewed
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Support Our Service’s demands for first tier student support revolves around ‘general university support and non-emergency mental health issues’, the aim of which is to take ‘early preventative measures towards providing support’. Second tier student support focuses on backing for ‘moderate to severe consequences’, whilst the third tier involves support for severe and emergency cases. Read more: Double page spread detailing the demands on pages 6 and 7
pointing to the £300m investment being made in the new Temple Meads campus and the University’s £47.2m surplus in the academic year 2016/17. Their proposals were drawn up in consultation with over 150 responses to a survey released in May, and the group aims to effect change in areas such as funding, recruitment, advertising and training. Said proposals have been divided into three sections, based on the level of supported provided to students.
Science pg. 14
Fortnightly 19th November 2018 Issue 332
est. 1988
News Editor
upport Our Services, a student group campaigning for changes to the University’s support system, have released a series of demands aimed at revolutionising the way in which Bristol University deals with students’ wellbeing. The University has pledged an extra £1m per year for new wellbeing services and has transitioned its model of pastoral care from ‘halls-to-hubs’. Support Our Services believe that this ‘pales in comparison to other investments the university has made’,
Will technology kill my brain cells?
Arts pg. 38
epigram Imogen Horton
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The Art of Memes
Food pg.
understand that there will be concern among students, staff and parents following these cases, and we are following national guidelines in implementing control measures...to reduce spread of infection.’ ‘We urge students to look out for your housemates as symptoms of meningitis can look a lot like a hangover - so it’s important to be vigilant for anything out of character. ‘The best advice remains for everyone to be aware of and alert to the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, especially students and their parents. ‘Early recognition of meningitis and septicaemia symptoms can greatly improve the outcome of the disease. If anyone is feeling unusually unwell, and displaying the symptoms of meningitis or septicaemia, they should contact their GP surgery immediately or call NHS 111.’ Rob Dawson, Head of Support at Meningitis Research Foundation said: ‘‘Our thoughts are with the individuals affected. Our free helpline and support service is here to support anyone affected or anyone who may have questions following this news. ‘Meningococcal bacteria are transmitted from person to person by close contact with others such as coughing, sneezing, kissing etc. However, usually we have to be in very close or regular contact with someone for the bacteria to pass between us. Even when this happens, most of us will not become ill because we have natural immunity. Continued on page 2
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Lucy Downer
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Zoe Crowther
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Wellbeing pg. 19
Celebrating 30 years
Inside...
... 2 BURG-FOR-1 ER & with SIDE
Comment pg. 13
Living pg. 22
Fortnightly 22nd October 2018 Issue 330
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dominate our society this must change’
Should you be cutting down on alcohol?
Features pg. 10
The University of Bristol’s Independent Student Newspaper
‘Informed and compassionate care for all Bristol students’
Best and worst student letting agencies to use
Locals revolt ‘marauding bands of drunk and screaming students’
More pages of news than ever
Women’s rugby team face off against Cardiff Met
Students have been urged to look out for their friends and housemates There is no increased risk of infection for students at the University
Celebrating 30 years
New-look pullout
The Best Pub Lunches in Bristol
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For the 2018/19 Academic Year:
Match report pg. 47
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Support our Services issue demands to Uni...
‘Private schools still
Inside....
David Olusoga speaks to Ollie Smith
The Croft pg. 21
Welcome back to a new-look Epigram!
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The best - and worst - Spoons in Bristol
Fortnightly 8th October 2018 Issue 329
est. 1988
Celebrating 30 years
from it historical average of only 3.5% of students. Reflecting upon his findings, Prof. Phil Newton says: ‘These findings underscore the need for legislation to tackle essay-mills, alongside improvements in the way students are assessed and awareness-raising of the fundamentals of academic integrity. We need to utilise assessment methods that promote learning and at the same time reduce the likelihood that contract cheating can happen’. Newton believes that the true number of students cheating in their degrees could be a lot higher, as those who have used essay mills are less likely to take part in research on the subject. For instance, a recent Instagram Poll carried out by Epigram revealed that 99% of the student who participated admitted to never having paid others to write their essays, however, the reliability of such statistics remains undetermined. Talking to Epigram, a former University of Bristol student admitted that they had paid someone to write their essay saying that ‘it was the last piece of work I needed to submit and I was just fed up’. Continued on page 3
Emily Vernall
Ed Southgate
Arts pg. 39
epigram
One in seven students buy their essays online
co-Editor In Chief
What is the value of Banksy’s shredding stunt?
pg 18
Fortnightly 28th September 2018 Issue 328
‘We must help people who are excluded from education gaining access to our Universities’
Inside....
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Overcoming homesickness and lonliness The Croft
Your new lifestyle pullout from Epigram
pg. 22
How students can pass on plastic Science
2018/19 Front Pages
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Annual Member’s Meeting sees renewal of 2016 motion to divest from industries operating out of Israel’s West Bank. The debate lasted over an hour and was hotly contested by attendees.
James Cleaver
Online News Editor
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divided Annual Members’ Meeting narrowly voted for Bristol SU to lobby the University to divest from Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. The initial motion, which was later amended, aimed ‘to persuade the University against buying the products and services of companies with involvement in settler activity’.
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Proposed by Layla Assam and seconded by Mason Ammar, it called on Bristol to follow the example set by the University of Leeds in the hope that a boycott would make Israel’s occupation of the West Bank less economically viable. Assam spoke personally of her Palestinian heritage, urging the audience to think about what it would be like to grow up without freedom. The final results of a secret ballot were 128 in favour of the amended motion, 92 opposed, with 33 abstentions. In her proposing speech, Assam said she feels ‘grateful and privileged for education and opportunity’ but is ‘ashamed with the fact that my university has links to financial companies that support Israel, that facilitates the apartheid and the ongoing illegal occupation of my people’.
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She called on the members to ‘imagine a world where Palestinians as young as 10 years old are routinely taken from their homes at gunpoint in night-time raids by Israeli soldiers, with more and more illegal settlements being built each day’. She added: ‘UK universities remain deeply
‘Divesting from Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank’
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complicit with Israel’s apartheid regime through their investment and institutional links, and we as a group of students […] cannot be complacent.’ Nina Freedman, President of the Bristol Jewish Society, spoke in opposition to the motion. While insisting that she was not indifferent to the plight of the Palestinian people, she criticised the proposal for including the word ‘apartheid’ to describe Israel’s conduct. She claimed it was a ‘gross misuse’ of a term that ‘unnecessarily vilifies Israel and does an injustice to those who suffered in South African apartheid’. Mason Ammar supported the use of the word ‘apartheid’, arguing that the UN has used it in relation to the occupation and reaffirming that he feels ‘offended by an apartheid regime’. Continued on pages 4-5 ...
Epigram’s exclusive interview with Director of Student Services Mark Ames asks - are we finally seeing change to student support at Bristol? Double page spread pages 4-5 www.epigram.org.uk
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his year we’ve covered some great stories, important to student life and beyond. In the first issue, fresh into the role with big ambitions, we decided to dedicate the front page to two stories: essay mills, and Brexit. Much to our amusement in the Epigram office, we found that an almost identical headline in Epigram printer 5th February, 2008. News is cyclical, but it was very funny to find just how cyclical student news can be. The next issue we focused on mental health, which is obviously a dominant issue on campus - it was also the subject of our paper 7 issues later. Another theme of our front pages this year has. sadly, been oncampus discrimination.
Our #WhatsMicroaggression campaign addressed this important issue of oncampus microaggressions. We covered the important issues of the BME attainment gap, diversity in student societies and, in this issue, the issues that Trans students face at the student health service. Our news this year has been close to key student issues throughout - I’ll begrudgingly admit to checking Bristruths a few times for key student problems Finally, I am very proud of the strides forward we’ve made on the newspaper’s design. There were a few teething problems with the new look. but I’m sure you’ll agree our redesign is a considerable improvement from last year!
Epigram Editorial Team 2018/19
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Goodbye to the bane of our lives - and our greatest pleasure
This paper was born in a different age - that it has survived is no miracle James Landale BBC Diplomatic Correspondent, Editor-in-Chief, 1989
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he fact that Epigram has survived for 30 years is not a miracle. It is testament to successive generations of dedicated students who have kept the flame alive, shaping and developing this newspaper into the glory that it is today. They could have gone to the pub. They chose not to and we should all be grateful. What is a miracle is that Epigram survived its first few editions. We made it up from scratch. We blagged a small office in the Union. We went out and bought lots of newspapers and shamelessly copied the styles and fonts we liked. Our biggest influence was the Independent, the new kid on the Fleet Street block, which was revolutionary in its design. We did what we liked and wrote what we wanted. There was too much arch humour, the copy needed better subbing and the pictures were pretty ropey. But it was fun to put together and the readers seemed to like it. Remember: this paper was born in a different age. Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street, the Berlin Wall still stood and Twitter was something that birds did in trees. The technology was different. There was no email, no internet, no Google. The whole newspaper was put together on a single Apple Macintosh desktop computer. Contributors would queue up to copy their pieces directly in the machine. Those who were more technically minded would write their articles on university computers – few had the means to own their own laptop - and then proudly walk into the office bearing a floppy disc which we would insert into the side of the Mac. Some simply wrote their copy in longhand, as we all did with essays in those days, and expected someone (me) to type it up for them. The whole paper would then be saved onto one disc - and yes, they really were floppy - and taken to a rather insalubrious part of Bristol where the printers would commit the alchemy that turned our work into a real newspaper you could touch and feel. Reverently I would hand over the disc containing all our labours and they would casually chuck it onto their to-do pile somewhere between the advertising freesheets and the smutty magazines. But a few days later we would pick up several
hundred bound copies and distribute them joyously but slowly round the halls of residence from the back of a car. Epigram was a child of internal student union politics. There had been a single news magazine called Bacus that served all student bodies in Bristol - the uni, the poly, the technical colleges and so on. But it was hardly a riveting read; it published, for example, minutes of NUS meetings. There was a row over cash and the University Union decided to withdraw its funding and set up its own newspaper instead. Crucially, that meant that we had a fair wind. We were allowed to experiment and make mistakes. And, boy, did we make some of those. The first headline was in Latin and had a typo. I cannot decide which I regret most. I remember fondly the day we reviewed a band from Manchester that we thought was called the Hippy Monkeys. I hope the Happy Mondays never got to read the cutting. But there were some good stories, the listings were comprehensive and the sum was greater than the parts. And the attitude of the paper then is still the right one for today, namely that university should be about more than just the next stage of life after A-Levels, that it should be savoured as a rare moment when one can live a communal life of unrestricted intellectual discovery, unencumbered by the responsibilities of family, mortgage and job, where you can go down to the pub and talk nonsense about truth, beauty and justice. And from what I read about the intellectual self-censorship and curbs on free speech that exist on some university campuses today, that is not a bad attitude for a student newspaper to promote. The task I set Epigram was to reflect that ambition of university life: to interest and inform the student body about itself; to make students aware of what else they could find and do at Bristol outside of the library or the M4. I am not sure we entirely succeeded. There were still many undergraduates who came down to Bristol for a few midweek lectures before returning to London for the weekend. And there were some who rarely stirred from their books or Neighbours. I hope Epigram can keep working at the same task today, lifting the eyes of students above the horizon to see what else is on offer at Bristol. Just as newspapers play an important role in society, they can do the same within a university. Here is to the next 30 years.
Cameron Scheijde & Ed Southgate co-Editors-in-Chief, 2019
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Epigram’s first edition - and first editorial
‘The task I set Epigram was to reflect that ambition of university life: to interest and inform the student body about itself; to make students aware of what else they could find and do at Bristol outside of the library or the M4’
e’ve reached the end of our year in charge, and the end of Epigram’s 30th year in existence. For us both, it has been undeniably one of the most challenging years of our life, but also one of the most invigorating and exciting. The fact that we are the 30th iteration of full-time, third year students giving up hours of their life to put together a newspaper that has been printed for Bristol students non-stop is incredible. It is difficult but a testament to Bristol students that, for 30 years, Epigram has changed and morphed but the overall quality has hardly lapsed. The fact that, two years after joining the University fresh from school, any student could be editing a fortnightly newspaper with full control and autonomy over its design, journalism, output and finances is mind-blowing and, frankly, irresponsible. But it does teach anyone who is lucky or unfortunate enough to get the job an awful lot about the media industry, working with others and themselves. Epigram is about more than just those who work for it. It is about our 30,000+ readers who visit the website every month, and the 3,000 students and locals who pick up the physical newspaper, and the content we produce has to be top quality, and always is. Much in the spirit of James Landale’s setting up of Epigram 30 years ago, Epigram is about broadening the horizons of the student bubble, holding the institutions we live in to account and bringing issues that matter to the fore of the student mind. Bristol campus life is a real microcosm of society and as such Epigram often finds itself playing the role of the BBC, the public broadcaster requiring impartiality and representation. While we can always find ourselves stuck in the middle of important issues, the job that many, many editors have done to create a product and a brand that consistently produces top-quality, pertinent and important journalism, as well as funny, uplifting or supportive lifestyle pieces, has been fantastic. When Epigram was founded, the internet didn’t exist. Yet the job that digital and online editors have done in the years since ‘Epigram Online’ was founded in 2001 has
been similarly extraordinary. Epigram has won or been highly commended at the SPA Awards in Best Digital Media in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Our website reaches tens of thousands a month, and our social media combined following continues to rise, now at over 14,000 followers. We’ve created, with limited skill but endless enthusiasm, a digital multimedia presence that regularly tops the country when it comes to student newspapers. Not to blow our own horn too much, but we think that’s pretty special, given we are run by unpaid student volunteers in their late teens and early 20s. This year we won Best Website as well as Best Digital Media to kick off our online-first age, and special recognition should go to Online Editor Hannah for the awesome work she’s done throughout this year. She’s been our counsellor, HR manager and motivator throughout and thoroughly deserves all the accolades coming her way. This year we’ve achieved amazing things, and though awards are not all important what we do, they are a nice recognition in a job that can seem thankless, particularly in this age of online polarisation and abuse. Our three national wins as well as awards for Nikki and Kate’s incredible #WhatsMicroagression campaign are testament to the awe-inspiring hard work of the team. Next year, Patrick Sullivan (of Film & TV) and Imogen Horton (of News) will be taking over Ed and I’s positions next year - and we’re sure they’ll do amazing jobs. In the newly-named ‘Digital Editor’ role, Features’ Tom Taylor will pick up on Hannah’s great work to continue Epigram’s strong online presence into our 31st year. Supporting them are the talented Will Charley (Comment) and Bethany Marris (Music) in Deputy and Deputy Digital positions respectively. This year has been endlessly challenging, and we cannot wait to hand on the Editor’s burgeoning inbox to the next team, but we’ll always miss the experience we’ve had in this hot steam-box of an office. Best of luck to next year’s team, we’re sure you’ll do an amazing job. From all of us in this sweatbox room, it’s goodbye.
News
Editor: Imogen Horton Online Editor: James Cleaver Deputy Editors: Lucy Downer, Nina Bryant Investigations Editor: Louise Cripps Uni Management Correspondent: Laura Reid Student Life Correspondent: Victoria Dyer SU Correspondent: Zoë Crowther
Got a story for the News team? Email:newsteam.epigram@gmail.com
‘Things got really bad, so I took matters into my own hands and started self medicating’ Zoë Crowther SU Correspondent
Continued from front page... She continued, ‘if I had this issue resolved it would be a massive strain and a substantial financial burden off my back.’ Siân has recently moved practice from the Students’ Health Service, due to a series of bad experiences: ‘In first year, when I was referred I was put on the longest waiting list in the UK for a GIC. ‘I was then repeatedly lied to about how long the waiting list was going to be. I still haven’t been seen and I’m not likely to be given a first appointment until after four years from when I would have been referred. ‘I got really desperate and student health refused to give me a bridging prescription despite adverse effects on my mental health. Things got really bad, so I took matters into my own hands and started self-medicating.’ Siân ended up paying £600 for treatment at a private GIC. After being told by the private clinic that she was ready to start hormone replacement therapy, her Students’ Health GP refused to accept the referral and she had to pay for a private prescription. She told Epigram that she explained to her GP how her dysphoria was having a drastic negative impact on her quality of
“It can have a direct impact on mental health and it makes you feel like you won’t be listened to with other issues.” Milo Clenshaw, Second Year Film and English
life, but the GP ‘just said to call the crisis team.’ In addition, being unable to afford a standard NHS hormone blocker, she has had to use one with ‘pretty nasty side effects.’ Another student, preferring to remain anonymous, revealed that Student Health is unwilling to treat any trans patient coming through the private route, and that GPs had largely left him to ‘figure it out’ himself. He has since moved to a different practice. This student told Epigram how he had to work part-time in order to save up for private care, but said he doesn’t blame the GPs working at Student Health: ‘I still respect those GPs and separate them from the systematic overload the NHS has right now. ‘Everyone I’ve met has been sympathetic and really kind. Even the SHS GP who told me the bad news was nearer to crying than I was.’ Milo Clenshaw, a second-year Film and English student at Bristol, also recently had his private referral refused by a GP at the Students’ Health Service. He has incurred huge costs as a result, paying for his doctor from the private GIC to write his prescription, on top of paying for psychological assessments and blood monitoring. Speaking to Epigram, Milo said: ‘It was frustrating for me to feel like Student
Health weren’t willing or didn’t have the knowledge to help me. ‘I understand that trans healthcare might not be the most pressing issue for them, but it can have a direct impact on mental health, and it makes you feel like you won’t be listened to with other issues. I think the practice is knowledgeable and sensitive about social transitioning, but medically they either are not fully aware of the problems or are not sensitive to them. The University of Bristol gave the following statement: ‘The Students’ Health Service is well placed to offer specialist support for transgender students. ‘All staff have had equality and diversity training in line with University and NHS guidance. In addition, 45 staff from across Student Services have taken part in specific training which explores issues regarding gender and would be very happy to talk to, support and signpost to appropriate services, any student who needs help or advice. ‘If a student is already in the process of transitioning under care of a specialist NHS team, the service has shared-care guidance from that specialist team and will continue to provide prescribed medication as appropriate. Once patients have transitioned under specialist care, staff would continue to provide prescribed medication.’
Both Siân and Milo had medical and psychological assessments by GenderCare, a network of individual specialists including qualified NHS doctors. The GenderCare website states that they are ‘independent practitioners experienced at working with each other and with external providers, including your GP.’ A spokesperson for NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group said: ‘Transgender care is a specialist service commissioned by NHS England and not the CCG. ‘Prescribing decisions for transgender hormone therapy have always remained with individual GPs and practices, and all requests for treatment should be considered on a case-by-case basis. ‘National guidance states that a GP may reasonably decline responsibility for prescribing, monitoring and testing if they are not assured that the recommendation for prescribing has been made by an expert gender specialist.’ Transgender patients across the country struggle with getting hormone therapy through their GPs. Students and young people often have limited finances and resources, so are particularly vulnerable to getting lost in the system and face more obstacles than most in accessing the care that they need.
Senior Residents cite lack of clarity and training as reasons for resigning Patrick Sullivan Film & TV Editor
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ata obtained by Epigram showed six fewer Senior Residents (SRs) were employed as of April 2019 than in September 2018, with 102 SRs and 25 Chief Residents (CRs) employed. In place of the old system, Residential Life was introduced with three Residential Villages comprising of nearby halls of residence. North Village, based in Stoke Bishop, now operates with four fewer SRs than at the start of Freshers’ Week, whereas East and West Village both only have one fewer. Each village has eight or nine Chief Residents, who work 15 hours a week, and none have resigned in the period. Rachel, who started the role this academic year, resigned despite high hopes for being an SR. ‘It seemed like an interesting role with clear tasks, limited working hours, useful and organised. However the role and tasks were not clear. The focus was on the shift hours more than what we were going to provide during these hours - quantity, not quality.’ The change of structure also means SRs are now contracted to work 12 hours per week and have to work that around any degree commitments or stresses. Controversially, Senior Wardens were removed from halls and, in their place, Residential Life Advisors placed in the three Village Hubs: Clifton Hill House (West), The Hawthorns (East), and Stoke Bishop (North).
Frances, who has been a SR for two years, believes the new system means halls have ‘lost [their] community a little bit’. ‘It’s not all done through the goodness of your heart like last year. My first year as a SR [in 2017/18] was incredible. I made lifelong friends, I was like a proud parent, and it was just a really good experience. Whereas now it’s a job and like any job, you turn up, you do your shift, Resident Advisors might have something for you to do, they might not. It lost the flexibility and voluntary selflessness. ‘The biggest difference for me has to be losing the support network - someone who’s always there. It’s easier. I loved my Deputy Wardens and the [Senior] Warden - I thought they were inspirational. The thing I do like about the new system is the 24 hour support because it does take the pressure off if there’s something happening, someone who’s more senior and probably knows how to handle it a little bit better than you do, that you can call up and they’d deal with it.’ Current SRs have also expressed concerns about the continued training and support they receive in their roles. ‘There’s been little or no support throughout the year as we rarely receive responses to emails. This isn’t at all what I expected given the necessity for shift work as opposed to active engagement,’ another anonymous source told Epigram. ‘Having missed some of the training sessions due to academic commitments, the team failed to schedule any catch-up sessions despite me asking for them at the
“The biggest difference for me has to be losing the support network - someone who’s always there. It’s easier. I loved my Deputy Wardens and the [Senior] Warden - I thought they were inspirational.” Senior Resident 2017-present
very beginning and they’ve failed to follow up on this. No effort has been made to enforce the one-to-one appointments with our line managers either.’ Rachel also had issues with attending training due to not being in the UK for the sessions. ‘In the beginning, I received an email that I can’t be accepted as I won’t be able to attend the training. I was fine with that, and as I’m not going to work for this post [sic], I booked a room at other accommodation and paid the deposit. ‘After a few days, I received another email saying I had been accepted and that I had to attend the training when I arrived in the UK. When I arrived Bristol, I asked for [the compulsory] training but I did not get any!’ Each of the initial training sessions, organised by the Residential Life team between September 3 and 6, had between nine and 16 absentees from those who registered. Less than five did not take on the role, meaning several students started work without completing the compulsory training. They were encouraged to use the optional, online training facilities on the staff portal, including a mental health course, but that ‘didn’t work’ for Rachel. Frances also told Epigram: ‘If you wanted further training, it was from your own initiative.’ Claire Slater, Deputy Director of Student Services (Wellbeing and Residential Life) said: ‘The SRs and CRs are an integral part of our Residential Life teams. ‘We have been talking to our SRs and CRs
to get feedback about their experiences this year and this has informed some changes that will be introduced next academic year, including raising their profile and ensuring they continue to work proactively with both students and the Residential Life teams. ‘Although there was a slight reduction in the number of SRs during the year, the size of the team has meant that this has not impacted on the range of activities they have been able to deliver and the support provided. We have had some really positive feedback from many of our SRs and CRs this year, so it is disappointing to hear these concerns. We would encourage any SRs to share feedback with us so we can continually improve the service we offer. ‘Ongoing support has been provided to the Senior Residents by the Chief Residents, the Residential Life Advisers and the wider Residential Life teams but we will review this to ensure all members of the team feel supported. Although a small percentage of Senior Residents were unable to attend some of the initial training sessions due to other commitments, all the training resources were shared and online resources were made available and next year the initial training will be compulsory. There have also been opportunities to further develop relevant skills and knowledge through the role and by working alongside more experienced colleagues.’ Names of sources have been changed in this article to maintain anonymity.
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BME Officer allowed to keep position despite calls for removal • An independent investigation found Omar Chowdhury’s comments to be antisemitic, but he is to remain as BME Officer • A petition has been launched by Bristol Students Against Antisemitism calling for the removal of the BME Officer from his position • JSoc have voted in favour of campaigning for his removal
Will Charley Comment Editor
Nina Bryant
Deputy News Editor
Maddy Russell
Second Year, Politics and IR
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espite a petition calling for his removal, incoming Bristol SU BME Chair Omar Chowdhury is set to keep his position Bristol Students Against Antisemitism, established a Change.org petition demanding the resignation of incoming Bristol SU BME Chair Omar Chowdhury for ‘antisemitic abuse’. The petition comes following reports
that Chowdhury told a Jewish student, Izzy Posen, to ‘be like Israel and cease to exist’, during an argument in the comment section of Bristruths. The petition, which has 650 signatures at the time of writing, states that the results of an independent Bristol SU investigation, which found Mr Chowdhury to have made antisemitic comments and gave him an official warning, was ‘NOT enough’. Instead, the petition states, ‘Mr Chowdhury, we support your policy of zero tolerance for racism, which is why we will not tolerate you or your racism’, referencing part of the incoming BME Chair’s election manifesto. The petition goes on to state that ‘ethnic minorities cannot reasonably expect someone found to have been antisemitic to be their champion and representative in fighting antisemitism on our campus, making Omar clearly unfit and incapable to fulfil his role effectively.’ Speaking to Epigram, Sam Kahn and Seb Sultan, co-founders of Bristol Students Against Antisemitism, said: ‘Making racist comments certainly makes someone unsuitable for an anti-racism role. That’s why we’re calling on the SU, not to allow antisemitism to remain in our Union and to force Mr Chowdhury to stand down. ‘Omar himself promised ‘zero tolerance on racism’. We will not allow his racism to be tolerated.’
“Making racist comments certainly makes someone unstuiable for an anti-racism role” Sam Kahn and Seb Sultan, Founders, Bristol Students Against Antisemitism
Last week a vote held to establish JSoc’s views as a society on the issue resulted in the majority of their members calling for Chowdhury to be removed from his position as BME Network Chair. In a statement, JSoc said: ‘In our role as the representative organisation of Jewish students at Bristol, we are pleased to have held a vote to determine our stance on such a vital issue. ‘The result of the vote is that a majority of our membership has expressed their lack of confidence in Omar Chowdhury to continue in his role and we therefore call for his removal.’ They added, ‘we will now represent this position fully to the SU and other relevant institutions.’ However, an independent report, commissioned by the SU, has found that BME officer Omar Chowdhury should be able to remain in his role, despite confirmation that his comments were anti-Semitic. Bristol SU issued a series of recommendations to Chowdhury regarding his conduct and the SU has agreed to develop a plan with him to ensure that he fully abides to the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism in future. In an apology for his comments, Chowdhury said that he took ‘reponsibility’ for his words and that it was now his job to show that he could, and will, work with Jewish students to represent them.
He stated: ‘A couple of weeks ago some screenshots resurfaced of comments that I had made on Facebook in April 2018. A complaint was made to the Students’ Union and an investigation was launched which I have co-operated fully and honestly with. ‘I wholeheartedly apologise to Izzy Posen, Jewish students at the university, and the wider Jewish community for these ignorant and offensive comments. These comments were anti-Semitic and unacceptable. ‘I regret my words and I am disappointed in myself for contributing to the hostile environment that is faced by Jewish people at university and in society. ‘Over the last two weeks, I have already begun efforts to educate myself on antisemitism and I have learned a lot just in this small timeframe. I want to continue to grow my understanding of antisemitism and the different forms it takes and will undertake antisemitism training as part of this. ‘I will do everything I can to show that these comments do not represent my character and commit to creating a more welcoming environment for minorities in the work I do next year, starting with myself.’ The SU confirmed that it was committed to tackling racism and anti-Semitism in all forms and said that it was imperative that all its elected representatives engaged with Jewish students to better understand the challenges they face.
Analysis / Antisemitism in academia Imogen Horton News Editor
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igures from the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which monitors anti-Semitism, have shown that reported incidents involving Jewish students and academics have increased, with 112 incidents recorded over the past five years. In February 2017, universities were urged to act swiftly and tackle anti-Semitism following a rise of reported incidents on campus. At Exeter University, a ‘Rights for Whites’ sign and a swastika was found in a halls of residence, an act described by the university after an investigation as ‘an ill-judged, deeply offensive joke’. Josh Nagli, the former Union of Jewish Students campaigns director, called the increase in events ‘concerning’ adding that ‘it seems like some sort of coordinated activity’ and that there was ‘a risk of seeing it more and more on different campuses’. While at the University of Cambridge, flyers were distributed appearing to express support for David Irving, a Holocaust denier. The University reported the incident to the police. However, not all universities have been so swift to harshly condemn these acts. In November 2016 the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education recommended that Sheffield Hallam University pay £3000 compensation to a student after they failed to deal with his complaints regarding posts on the University’s Palestine Society social media
“The government recognised there’s work to do regarding how we tackle antisemitism on campus.”
Karen Pollock Chief Executive, Holocaust Educational Trust
accounts. A spokesman from Universities UK has also weighed in on the debate, explaining the ‘balancing act’ universities were contending with, protecting students from abuse while also permitting legitimate free speech. Only last month, Piers Robinson, a Professor at Sheffield University left his position after it was uncovered that he was ‘engaging in denial’ of anti-Semitism allegations within the Labour Party. The academic had signed a petition in defence of suspended Labour MP Chris Williamson, which claimed that antiSemitism allegations in Labour were ‘being used as a weapon to silence those who speak out against injustice’. Earlier this year, the government funded a trip for student leaders and senior staff, from nearly fifty universities, including the University of Bristol, to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The trip, organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust and the Union of Jewish Students, aimed to help promote a new commitment to tackling anti-Semitism on campus. Participants agreed to raise awareness of the Holocaust and challenge anti-Semitism, racism and prejudice in their universities. Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust said: ‘The government recognised there’s a piece of work to do regarding how we tackle antisemitism on campus. One way of doing it is education.’ ‘I hope we can demonstrate that this is worth doing again.’
epigram 13.05.2019
6 News
Over 80 per cent of Bristol students face housing issues Flickr / Kathryn Wright
Laura Reid University Management Correspondent
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pigram has learnt that 83 per cent of Bristol students have reported issues with their houses at some point while at university. Save the Student’s 2019 survey reported that these problems included damp, bed bugs, rodents, a lack of water or heating and burglaries. Despite the urgency of some of these issues, only 45 per cent were resolved within a week. Although burglaries only represented 5 per cent of the issues reported nationwide, the consequence of these events can cause not only monetary loss, but also be harmful to student wellbeing. In response to a survey conducted by
Epigram, one anonymous student argued that ‘university security services should be doing more drive-rounds to deter burglars especially given how close [Kingsdown] is to the university campus’. Another student, whose house was also burgled during the holidays, suggested that letting agencies should not ‘advertise the property with a big “student house for let” sign outside’ as ‘this indicates to burglars that the property will be empty over Christmas and Easter’. Problems with landlords and agencies were common in the complaints made by students about their housing. While 16 per cent of Bristol students struggled to get their deposit back, 20 per cent of students in Bristol have said that their landlord made inappropriate visits. According to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, a landlord needs to give at least 24 hours
notice before they visit for any reason. The history of properties was also not often disclosed to students. One student, victim to burglary, told Epigram that agencies ‘make students aware if their property has been burgled before’. They added ‘our house had been burgled the previous two years but we had not been told this until after we had been burgled. If we had known we would have taken out insurance and made sure we had alarms fitted’. Moving into privately rented accommodation for the first time can be a daunting experience for students. Save the Student said that they recommend students take out contents insurance when renting student accommodation, or ‘checking whether your parents’ contents insurance will cover you at uni too,’ to give them protection if things go wrong.
Uni comments over affordable Two thirds of Bristol housing branded ‘ridiculous’ by students rely on financial help from SU Officer • The University of Bristol has come under fire after rejecting Council’s plans for affordable student housing
Maddy Russell
Second Year Politics & IR
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ristol University has opposed suggestions made by Bristol City Council to include cheaper spaces in new student accommodation. As part of its major development plan released in March, Bristol City Council has suggested that a proportion of new university accommodation being built in the city should include lower-cost spaces to meet an ‘identified need’ for cheaper rent amongst some students. However, a leaked document has revealed that these suggestions were rejected by the University, who requested that the idea be removed from the Council’s proposed plans altogether. Student Living Officer, Vanessa Wilson, highlighted the stress that rent has on students, saying: ‘Accommodation costs are a massive burden on students and they have a significant impact on their wellbeing. It is ridiculous that the University has disregarded affordable housing in this way. ‘Personally, I feel let down as I’ve been working with the University to increase
“It is ridiculous that the University has disregarded affordable housing in this way” Vanessa Wilson, Student Living Officer
the number of accommodation bursaries available and have been pushing for a rent reduction strategy to be adopted.’ In response the University has reiterated that it offers an Accommodation Bursary to students from low-income areas, and that no profit is made from halls of residence run by the University. A University of Bristol spokesperson has responded to the news, stating: ‘Since the original consultation the University has held constructive meetings with the Council to develop a strategy for student accommodation in the city which enables a sustainable increase in purpose-built student accommodation available at a range of rents. ‘This will be achieved by ensuring development comes forward in appropriate locations, avoids harmful impacts on residential areas, preserves the diversity of uses within commercial areas and is balanced with the city’s wider housing requirements. ‘It is unlikely that any further purposebuilt student accommodation could be built within easy access of the University campus with all rooms offered at an affordable rent due to land prices in the city. ‘We appreciate that accommodation is one of the most significant costs that students have to meet, and we are committed to ensuring that University accommodation is available to a full range of budgets and personal requirements.
their parents
• Rent prices in Bristol are above the national average • Many students work part time in order to fund their rent and studies • Nearly 70 per cent of Bristol students have said that accommodation costs affect their mental health
Lucy Downer
Deputy News Editor
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ew figures obtained by Epigram, have revealed that 66 per cent of Bristol students rely on their parents to help fund them at university. This statistic is much higher than the national average, with students generally receiving around £74 a week from their parents/ guardians. With rising rent prices, and the location of the university in the expensive Clifton area, these new figures suggest that Bristol students are becoming increasingly reliant on family members to meet their living costs, with many relying on alternative means of funding. Save the Student reported that 33 per cent of students use their overdraft while 50 per
cent of students in Bristol said they were struggling to match rent payments. The later figure being the average accross the country. Currently, there is no additional funding available to students at Bristol university for their higher than average rent prices – as is available to students studying in and around London. Many students who do not qualify for larger maintenance loans are also complaining about the pressure this is putting on them and their families to fund university. The average rent in Bristol in 2018 was £131pw, rising to £132pw this year. While the average deposit cost was around £357 and agency fees typically cost £136. Many students at Bristol whose parents either can’t help to fund them during their studies take on part-time work, creating concerns over the impact this might have on student’s mental health and their studies. In regards to mental health, 68 per cent of Bristol students said that accommodation costs affected their mental health, with 12 per cent saying it was having a big effect. With rising concerns over both the affordability of student housing in student areas in Bristol, and the quality of housing available, this problem remains one of the major issues facing Bristol students today.
13.05.2019 epigram
News 7
Bristol Physics Society wins Best Society in the UK • Chaos continues its success, after winning ‘Best Academic Society’ last year • Epigram won ‘Best Media Society’ • Bristol’s Women in Finance also won ‘Most Improved’
Zoë Crowther
Students’ Union Correspondent
SPA and now the NUS. We’re truly grateful. Wishing all my luck to next year’s team!’ Union Affairs Officer Stanford offered his thoughts: ‘I’ve always said that Bristol is the home of the highest quality extracurricular activity on the planet! To see three of our societies win national awards is a testament to that quality and the hard work of our student groups. ‘Huge congratulations to all nominated groups and winners, especially to Chaos who are now officially the best society in the UK. Excited to have this comment published by the country’s best media society!’
• The new scheme offers a firstyear bursary of £2,000 • Students taking part in the scheme will also receive financial help to support them in gaining work experience • The programme will be funded by donations from Bristol alumni and friends
Maddy Russell
Second Year Politics & IR
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National Societies Awards / Twitter
Continued from front page... ... best Digital Media and Best Website. Bristol’s Women in Finance also won Most Improved Society. Chaos President Ostin D’Silva said: ‘We feel incredibly thrilled and honoured to be recognised for the work we have done this year. Having been handed over a society that won best academic society last year, we are proud to have built upon the amazing work done by previous committees. ‘The standard of societies at the event was incredibly high and we would like to congratulate everyone who won, especially our fellow societies at Bristol SU.’ Kate Hutchison, Deputy Online Editor for Epigram, shared her delight: ‘I’m so proud of the Epigram team and what we’ve achieved this year! We’ve tried really hard to bring about lasting changes to the paper’s print and digital presence, so I’m over the moon that our work has been recognised by the
New scholarship launched to attract disadvantaged students
he University has launched a new scholarship aimed at attracting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Futures Scholarship Programme is open to incoming undergraduates, classed as those being from disadvantaged backgrounds and offers a first-year bursary of £2,000. The introduction of the scholarship has been presented by the University as a means of providing extra reassurance to prospective students, who are unsure whether they can afford the costs of studying at Bristol. In addition to the initial bursary, students will also be offered £2,500 to aid potential career opportunities during their studies, such as internships or work experience placements. In a statement, Undergraduate Education
“We hope the Future scholarship Programme will remove some of these financial worries” Professor Sarah Purdy, Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience
Officer, Nasra Ayub said: ‘Students from disadvantaged backgrounds need support, not only to get to University, but also when they are in University. ‘It’s great to see the introduction of the new Futures Scholarship Programme and I’m pleased to see the University’s commitment to this. ‘We have a long way to go and look forward to seeing and assisting the University address the current imbalance at Bristol’ The programme, which is to be funded by donations from the University’s alumni and friends, will aim to support around 50 undergraduate students each year. Those designated as eligible for the scheme will also receive guidance and careers support from a specialist coordinator. The University has stated that it hopes the introduction of the scholarship will ensure disadvantaged students the opportunity to engage in a wide range of programmes, which are aimed at building confidence and networking skills. Professor Sarah Purdy, Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience, said: ‘We know the financial burden of fees, food, travel and living costs adds up quickly and can be a real deterrent for students who come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. ‘Bristol is committed to attracting the best and brightest students, and we hope the Futures Scholarship Programme will remove some of these financial worries and barriers.’
Top boss costs city council £180k per year • Four executives receiving a salary of over £100,000 • Bristol’s top earner is the Director of Adults, Children and Education • These figures come at a time of widespread cuts Wikimedia Commons
Cameron Scheijde Co-Editor-in-Chief
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our of Bristol City Council’s top executives are paid over £100k per year, prompting questions into ‘abusing the public purse’ in a time of widespread cuts to public services such as libraries. Figures published by the Telegraph showed that over 1,600 council employees across the country earned more than £100k. Bristol’s top earner is the Director of Adults, Children and Education who earns a salary of £145,685 and a pension contribution of £33,334, costing the council a total of £179,019 every year. The Liberal Democrats 2020 Mayoral Candidate Mary Page told Epigram: ‘It is shameful that senior executives in local government, and far too often in Labourcontrolled Councils like Bristol, are abusing the public purse in this way. ‘Under this Mayor, two senior Executives
have been paid off at over the newly proposed cap of £95,000. Nicola Yates received around £200,000 and Anna Klonowski around £98,000 after just 7 months work. A single payment for half a year which is nearly 4 times the average annual wage of Bristolians. It is disgraceful. ‘It is right and proper that people are paid fairly for what they do but Executives’ pay should not be set at an exorbitant level above that of other hard-working council employees. ‘It’s claimed that 6 figure salaries attract the best talent in but I think we’re all hardpushed to see the results being delivered and
“It is right that people are paid fairly for what they do but Executives’ pay should not be set at an exorbitant level” Mary Page, Lib-Dem 202 Mayoral Candidate
the Council’s own ‘Quality of Life’ survey of Bristolians said our satisfaction with leadership of the Council had dropped to an all-time low of 24 per cent’. It comes at a time of widespread cuts to public services, one of them being libraries across Bristol, a useful tool for students around the city. Mayor Marvin Rees recently stalled his plan to close 17 of the city’s 27 libraries, but question marks remain over their future. Councillor for Clifton, where many students live, Paula O’Rourke, told Bristol Live that she feared this to be a ‘temporary stay of execution’, rather than a long term
plan. Campaign group ‘Save Redland Library’ stated the six-figure salaries paid to senior executives is a key concern to their campaign. ‘Our concern is that the Council does not take the holistic view of libraries’, they said, ‘they do not see the benefits that libraries bring. ‘In 2017, the Council wanted to axe 17 of the city’s libraries. Last year, this plan was put on hold until 2020. The Council are currently undertaking a review on the future of libraries - at cost of £350k. We suspect that they will use this as on opportunity to offload libraries on volunteers and other groups’. A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: ‘In the past 12 months we’ve restructured senior management to reduce the number of positions and save the council over £1m a year. ‘Senior management at the council have responsibility for leading a billion pound organisation, delivering services to over half a million people in 183,000 households and supporting a city economy worth an estimated £15billion. Their salaries reflect the scale of these responsibilities and are set by a cross-party Human Resources Committee who, as part of their remit, make a judgement on balancing value for money and the need for sufficiently talented people to do the job.’
epigram 13.05.2019
8 News
Bristol becomes the first university to declare a climate emergency • A letter to the Vice-Chancellor was signed by 100 academics • 500 students signed the petition • Several Bristol students were arrested during the Extinction Rebellion protests
Imogen Horton News Editor
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ollowing action from students and staff, the University of Bristol has become the first UK University to declare a climate emergency. The decision followed a letter to the Vice-Chancellor signed by around 100 academics, and a petition signed by 500 students. The declaration reaffirmed their pledges to divest completely from all investments in fossil fuel companies by 2020 and become carbon neutral by 2030. To date, the University have reduced carbon emissions by 27 per cent and say they are well on the way to hitting their target.
Biology student Giles Atkinson led the student petition. He said: ‘Universities have an opportunity in being leaders to the response to climate change. ‘This declaration will help communicate the urgency of the situation and inspire further action. We hope that other universities follow suit.’ In a statement, the University also spoke about the ‘deep concerns’ of students, acknowledging ‘a strong link between climate change, anxiety and mental health issues becoming increasingly evident’. Professor Judith Squires, Deputy ViceChancellor and Provost, said: ‘The University of Bristol plays a key role in fighting climate change, it does this through its research, its teaching and how it operates. ‘Calling a climate emergency highlights the urgency of the task we are engaged in and I hope others join us in increasing their action on this, the biggest challenge we face.’ The University of Bristol has also recently launched a new Masters course ‘Research in Global Environmental Challenges’ which they say will teach the next generation of
researchers to take an interdisciplinary approach to the most complex environmental challenges. A Students’ Union meeting in February passed a motion to put pressure on the University to declare a climate emergency, but due to lack of engagement from students across the University at the AMM, no official stance was taken by the SU. Vanessa Wilson, Bristol SU Student Living Officer, told Epigram that the SU ‘are pleased to learn that the University have heard our students and are taking a lead on this issue’. She continued: ‘The future of the planet is among the biggest challenges our generation faces. While this is just the start and much work has to be done, now Bristol students have a huge opportunity to play a part in tackling this issue head-on.’ The declaration also coincided with the involvement of over 20 Bristol students in the Extinction Rebellion protests this week. Within the protests, several students were arrested, including philosophy student, Luke Watson. Watson was arrested for climbing on top of a train at Canary Wharf station, halting
“Calling a climate emergency highlights the urgency of the task we are engaged in.” Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
DLR services. The philosophy student pleaded not guilty at Highbury Corner magistrates court on 16 April, however was charged with obstructing trains or carriages on the railway by an unlawful act, contrary to section 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861. He was also denied bail and will be remanded in custody for a month before appearing at Blackfriars crown court on 16 May. He could face a prison sentence of up to two years. Roisin Moyle, Policy and Campaigns Assistant at Bristol SU, was also arrested at Oxford Circus after she locked herself to the boat. Talking to Epigram, Eleanor Strangways, 4th year student and member of UoB Extinction Rebellion, said: ‘We believe that with Bristol University leading the way on the climate crisis, other universities will do the same. This should hopefully escalate the pressure on the UK government to respond to the three demands of Extinction Rebellion.’ The University’s declaration supports Bristol City Council’s recent climate emergency declaration and its pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Bristol student to stand in European Parliament Elections Louise Cripps
Investigations Editor
Twitter/ Nick Codling
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Facebook / Alexander Hickmott
Bristol University second year student, Luke Stagnetto, is standing for election to the European Parliament in the South West and Gibraltar region as part of the Liberal Democrat team. The twenty-year-old Politics and International Relations student is the youngest UK candidate to stand in these elections. He follows in his father’s footsteps, Jonathan Stagnetto, who stood for the position back in 2009. He is sixth on the Liberal Democrat slate. In a press release Stagnetto said: ‘It is important that Gibraltar should be directly represented in these European elections because they will be fundamental for the way forward. ‘To be given the opportunity to stand as a Gibraltarian candidate at the European elections and play an active role in the Brexit debate is hugely fulfilling.’ Commenting on his age, Stagnetto told Epigram, ‘Knowing I am the youngest candidate to stand at the upcoming elections is a daunting fact, but it also makes me realise how fortunate I have been to be given such an important platform to represent the youth vote.’ Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Dr. Joseph Garcia MP, said, ‘Young people like Luke will be among those worst affected by our departure from the European Union. It is vital that they have their say.’ Read more on Features page 11...
Features
Editor: Ollie Smith Deputy Editor: Tom Taylor Online Editor: Niamh Rowe
@OllieWJSmith @tomtay10r
Twitter: @EpigramFeatures
‘Extremely worrying and distressing’ anonymous posts in Free Speech Society’s discussion group Content Warning: This article references content which is highly offensive and could be distressing to some
Revealed: Bristol University Free Speech Society’s Facebook discussion group contains highly offensive anonymous posts
Tom Taylor
Deputy Features Editor
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“...it is important to remain sensitive to this fact and critical to comments like this that can only facilitate division that leads to this prejudice” Bristol University Islamic Society
trans cult should stop’. In reference to these submissions, Bristol University’s LGBT Network Chair told Epigram: ‘It appears that people are increasingly appealing to free speech to cover up hate speech’ and ‘it needs to be addressed that if people make homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise bigoted comments, they must be held accountable for the impact their words have’. The Network Chair’s comment goes straight to the heart of the issue. ‘It’s even more worrying to let people’s actions and words remain unchecked’, they told Epigram. The Free Speech Society’s discussion group provides a platform for people to air highly offensive and discriminatory views without being held accountable. There is a clear disconnect between the idea of an open and balanced discussion page, and an anonymous submissions forum which allows hateful views to be given a platform without dealing with the repercussions. A post on April 17 argued that ‘numerous state-funded organisations within British Universities and British Politics’ are funded by Israel ‘to try and control British Politics’. J-Soc, a society which represents the voices of Jewish students at Bristol University,
in the post racist, it is rejected by all serious scientists. It highlights the perils of anonymous submission forums, especially when the admins have such a blatant disregard for the impact the approved posts can have on people. A recent post references an offensive Bristruth which referenced a ‘diseased Somali brothel’. This post had already received significant backlash on Bristruths for being racist and discriminatory. The Free Speech Society post asked ‘Is it even wrong though (sic).’ It should be noted that not all anonymous posts contain offensive views. Some have sparked political and philosophical debate in a constructive way. However, the posts referenced above are not anomalies. A significant number of submissions approved by admins contain material that people may find offensive or discriminatory. Furthermore, it appears from discussion within the group that in-person debates are usually more respectful than these anonymous posts would indicate. The fundamental issue with Free Speech Society’s discussion group is a misunderstanding of how social media works, combined with lack of thought on behalf of the admins about who offensive posts are affecting.
told Epigram that the post was ‘extremely worrying and distressing.’ ‘We, as J-Soc, continue to operate on a zero tolerance policy to these incidences so that we can eradicate anti-Semitism from campus’. A post of this nature, perpetuating an antiSemitic conspiracy theory, is unacceptable and in different circumstances the author would face consequences for publishing it. The anonymous nature of the forum prevents a key tenant of free speech and debate being practiced: holding people to account for their actions and words. One of the most distressing posts was preceded by an admin notice which included the statement: ‘The sentiment expressed in this submission is one that we strongly disagree with. We post it because we want people to know that there are people with these views around.’ The post went on to posture that ‘...races should be kept separate, and there’s a lot of merit to the 1920s era racial science. I know that after WW2 there was a conspiracy to put fake egalitarian science in its place but we’re starting to see a resurgence and I’m glad’. It is likely that this post was submitted to ‘troll’ readers - that is to provoke outrage and reaction for the sake of it. Whether this is the case or not, the view has been given a platform and put forward as a point of discussion. Not only is the argument
Facebook groups, whether open or closed, are not private spaces. When admins post anonymous submissions, they are actively publishing a view to over 500 people and, by their own admission, indicating that it is a serious point of discussion. A representative from the Free Speech Society told Epigram: ‘Posts are not endorsements of views, but are there to spawn discussion and so that members have the opportunity to respond to ideas they do not agree with.’ ‘Our criteria are (sic) that post contents should not violate the law and that they refrain from using aggressive or confrontational language’, the spokesperson stated, ‘We also try to enforce that within the group discussions’. It is difficult to see how opening debate about the morality of paedophilia and or the validity of trans people is not confrontational. Some of the issues raised in the group, such as 1920s racial science, are not constructive topics for debate. Other topics are clearly not suited for a forum which allows anonymous submissions. Free Speech Society have stated that: ‘If people find this shocking, it just proves that we still have a lot of work to do on campus’. Whether the wider University would benefit from debate around paedophilia, incest, antiSemitic conspiracy theories or Islamophobia, should perhaps be the next point of discussion.
Facebook / Free Speech Society Discussion
“If people find this shocking, it just proves that we still have a lot of work to do on campus” Bristol University Free Speech Society
Facebook / Free Speech Society Discussion
arlier last month, the Free Speech Society began posting anonymous submissions in their ‘discussion group’. Around 550 members of the closed Facebook group can submit thoughts and opinions with complete anonymity to await approval by the group’s administrators. Whilst Free Speech Society is affiliated to Bristol Student’s Union, members of the discussion group are not necessarily students. One member wrote in a comment: ‘[I] have no idea how I ended up in this group having never even been to Bristol, and having graduated a couple of years ago, but it’s been wild reading’. One early submission celebrates the anonymity of the forum: ‘This is such a good idea,’ the member writes, ‘since the left is so intolerant of views different to their own it makes it very difficult for me to express my views or have a discussion without being shit down and insulted...’ It soon became clear, however, that a significant proportion of the submissions posted were intended to shock and offend readers, rather than promote insightful debate. In a comment within the discussion group, a Free Speech Society admin wrote: ‘...posts won’t be turned down just because of their controversial content...but the amount of spam and trolling that gets submitted make (sic) it impossible to post everything.’ The admin goes on to comment, on a post dated April 16: ‘We do post everything that we believe to have been submitted sincerely as a discussion point.’ An anonymous submission, posted by admins on the same date, argues that the Notre Dame cathedral fire ‘indicates the erasure of European culture and values’ and that ‘Minarets will be erected in place of the fallen spire’. A ‘minaret’ is a spire typically found in the architecture of mosques. A week later, admins approved a post which included the statement: ‘There’s nothing wrong with being afraid of religion, particularly Islam’. The contributor goes on to write: ‘Thinking that ALL Muslims believe in such practices is obviously egregious and shouldnt be taken seriously, however a lot do, and is pointing out the fact immediately “Islamophobic”? NO!’ The post concludes by asking: ‘...are people not entitled to be worried that
if communities, in this case the Muslim community, becomes a dominant faith in the UK, that the rights of exisiting marginalised communities may be eroded?’ Bristol University Islamic Society, having seen these posts, told Epigram: ‘We recognise the right to free speech and discussion about Islam and have celebrated this ourselves many times, including in our ‘Ask a Muslim’ stalls and ‘Discover Islam’ week open sessions. Critical discourse is useful, and we are happy to engage with this and offer answers.’ The spokesperson went on to say: ‘However, we believe comments like this in an isolated space seem quite closed and don’t offer too much scope for open dialogue.’ ‘There is a risk,’ the Islamic Society argue, ‘of bubbles being created where students feel too divided to communicate and unsafe spaces that work against the objective of open and balanced discussion.’ ‘Around the world Muslims, as well as other minorities, are facing persecution, and it is important to remain sensitive to this fact and critical to comments like this that can only facilitate division that leads to this prejudice’. Some submissions posted to the group are clearly designed to shock and disgust readers. Members of the group have lamented their approval and the effect it could have on the society’s reputation. One such post, posted on April 30, asks ‘If a child consents to pedophilia (sic), should it be legal?’ Earlier that week, a post intended to create discussion around ‘this group’s stance on incest’ was approved. Posts of this nature are portrayed as serious ‘discussion points’, stimulating intellectual debate. They are far more likely to cause distress to victims of child sexual abuse and familial sexual abuse than initiate a thought provoking discussion. A topic frequently discussed on the group is trans rights. An anonymous post in late April feared that ‘the society is going to reach the stage where all the trans/LGBT members leave which’, the member argued, ‘could end really badly for us as it would be harder to defend ourselves against arguments that we are a transphobic society.’ This post followed an earlier submission asking whether ‘transmen are a threat to masculinity’. Under one post disucssing the morality of giving children under the age of 18 hormone therapy, a vitriolic comment still remains arguing that a ‘stat would only be believable if it didn’t come from some odious trans centred lobby’ and that ‘...the
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13.05.2019
epigram
European elections: Epigram speaks to candidates “I’d also like to hope that my candidature may also encourage other students to endeavor to try and make a difference in their unique fields of interest” Luke Stagnetto, Lib-Dem MEP Candidate
Wikimedia Commons
Luke Stagnetto
Andrew Adonis: Labour
Luke Stagnetto: Lib-Dems The youngest UK candidate for the European elections speaks to Epigram about running for the Lib-Dems and representing Gibralter
Louise Cripps
Ivestigations Editor
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How do you find balancing a campaign and completing your degree? ‘In truth, it has been challenging. Whilst technology helps to circumvent the difficulties presented by the geographical distance between the campaign office in England and living in Gibraltar, it does mean that I am constantly on stand-by to reply to emails and phone calls.’ ‘I’ve had to ensure that my academic commitments take precedent over campaigning requirements, which has highlighted to me the importance of scheduling and timetabling. It really does make me appreciate the work ethic of those students amongst us who complete their university degrees whilst working a part-time job or are fully committed sports players too.’ What promoted the decision to run for the election whilst attending University, why not wait? ‘The upcoming 2019 European election may likely be the last of their kind in the United Kingdom. If the UK are to leave the EU on the 31st October 2019, or earlier, it may be that European elections will never take place again in the UK & Gibraltar. Waiting was out of the question. The opportunity arose and I jumped at it. It’s something I
Niamh Rowe
Features Online Editor
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Do you think being a student provides any advantages to your campaign? ‘It most certainly helps, especially given the fact that I am currently completing a politics & international relations degree. One of my modules this term was titled ‘Integration and Cooperation within the EU’, which has given me invaluable insight and knowledge to help me understand the current political climate domestically and across Europe.’ ‘Knowing that I am the youngest candidate to stand at the upcoming elections is a daunting fact, but it also makes me realize how fortunate I have been to be given such an important platform to represent the youth vote.’
Wikipedia
ristol second year Luke Stagnetto is standing for election to the European Parliament in the South West and Gibraltar region. He is part of the liberal Democrat team, sixth on their slate. At the tender age of twenty, Stagnetto is the youngest candidate to stand in the UK. He is currently completing a politics and international relations degree.
The Labour Peer discusses Brexit, austerity and the environment
really feel passionately about.’ ‘I was initially prompted by the fact that I didn’t want there to be elections held in Gibraltar which couldn’t influence the lives and futures of Gibraltarians, without there being a Gibraltarian on the ballot paper. Bristol has quickly become my home away from home and so it’s also very special to me to have the opportunity to stand for election in the South West region.’
Being sixth on the slate, what do you hope to achieve in this election? ‘Whilst I would have welcomed a higher seeding on the Liberal Democrat slate, I think that the very fact that I had my candidature accepted in the first place, is an achievement. It not only reaffirms the Liberal Democrat’s commitment to Gibraltar but is also indicative of their confidence in the role that the youth must play in the political process. It’s all about participation and representation. It is paramount that young people should feel represented and have their voices heard, as ultimately, it is our generation and those which follow, which will be most greatly impacted by our departure from the EU.’ ‘I’d also like to hope that my candidature may also encourage other students to endeavor to try and make a difference in their unique fields of interest… politically or otherwise.’
“It is vital that we say NO to Farage’s far right and Tories, led by May, who pander to their agenda of xenophobia and isolationism” Andrew Adonis, Labour MEP Candidate
start by asking: Why have you decided to stand for the upcoming elections on May 23rd? ‘The Euro elections on 23 May are a virtual referendum on Theresa May, Nigel Farage and Brexit. It is vital that we say NO to Farage’s far right and Tories, led by May, who pander to their agenda of xenophobia and isolationism. This is also our chance to say a clear NO to May’s Brexit and support growing calls for a second referendum with an option to stay in the EU. For all these reasons I am standing for Labour in the crucial battleground of the South-West where at the last Euro election, in 2014, UKIP plus the Tories took 61 per cent of the vote & Labour only 13 per cent. I want to help change that situation radically.’ Adonis had previously stated that ‘austerity and Brexit are two sides of the same coin’. I asked him to elaborate on this connection. ‘Austerity is a product of the same Thatcherite ideology as Brexit. It was Thatcher who started Brexit as a rightwing agenda to dismantle European social and environmental regulation in her Bruges speech of 1988. Farage was one of her earliest and strongest supporters and he now champions this neo-Thatcherism.’ Some may be apprehensive of the inconsistency between Adonis’ legacy of dedication to Remain, and The Labour Party’s website which states ‘Labour respects the result of the referendum, and Britain is leaving the EU’. I asked him why he decided to stand for a party that supports this despite his pro-referendum ethos, and whether his election may just symbolise and reinforce party divisions? ‘Labour, led by Jeremy Corbyn, voted in parliament on April 1st for a referendum on ‘any’ Brexit deal, with an option to stay in the EU. So we are the party for remainers and I am absolutely confident that Labour will deliver.’ ‘Jeremy Corbyn is leading the huge majority of Labour MPs and Labour members in supporting a referendum on any Brexit
deal. He also speaks for the majority of the country who want an end to this Brexit catastrophe.’ Tom Watson recently told The Observer that Labour cannot win the upcoming elections ‘by being mealy-mouthed and sounding as if we half agree with him (Farage)’. Watson epoused further that voters need ‘clarity on this issue’ and Labour could not ‘sit on the fence’ any longer. It seems that Adonis’ clearly defined policy to push for a referendum with several options may be precisely the unified stance Labour needs to win back supporters. Voting for his agenda would also send a clear message to the Labour party about the South West’s attitudes on Brexit. I also addressed concerns regarding the fact that the majority of South West constituencies voted to leave, which would include Labour supporters. In areas such as Torridge this reached 60.8 per cent. The success of The Brexit Party may be attributed to a sense of betrayal towards the ‘Westminster Elite’ for failing to deliver the referendum outcome. As both a key voice for a second referendum and a significant figure in Westminster, I asked whether this could further alienate some Labour voters? ‘Both remainers and leavers get to have their say in a referendum. The people cannot betray the people!’ For Adonis it appears difficult to label further democracy as an undemocratic route out of this crisis. Finally, pausing the Brexit battle lines, I mentioned the widespread concern amongst Bristol students regarding the climate emergency we are facing, illustrated by the Bristol philosophy student being arrested for gluing himself to a train for the Extinction Rebellion. I asked how Labour is planning to face up to this reality? ‘We support much bolder action to tackle the climate emergency. As a former Transport Secretary I championed radical plans for the electrification of transport which have been scaled back by the Tories. For example I announced the electrification of the Great Western main line to Bristol Temple Meads and right through to Swansea - which Chris Grayling has scaled back. It is also vital that we resist Brexit in the name of environmental protection.’
epigram
Features 11
13.05.2019
‘I want to put my time and energy into doing my bit for the environment’: In conversation with Gillian Burke The Springwatch and Autumnwatch presenter discusses her time as a UoB student and her work towards environmental conservation
Imogen Horton News Editor
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Victoria May Harrison
e should be able to start looking forward to the odd brighter day I’m one of those people who just thinks that everything is going to turn out just fine,’ Gillian tells me, ‘I just assume that things are going to work - sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t!’ A regular presenter on the BBC series Springwatch and Autumnwatch, Bristol University alumni Gillian Burke has also worked on many other wildlife documentaries including Blue Planet UK. Growing up in Kenya, living ‘out in the sticks’, Burke had ‘a lot of time to explore the world at a child’s pace’. Her mother worked for an environmental programme while her father was keen that she and her brother would ‘fall in love with the wonders of Africa’. She tells me how she spent her time ‘rooting around for beetles and termites’. Reflecting on this, she said ‘I had this gentle exposure to nature and the natural world. It was just a part of my life; it wasn’t necessarily a choice.’ When she moved to Vienna, aged ten, things changed. ‘I forgot about all of that and got really involved with performing arts and ballet, I sang and acted too’. It was only once she turned eighteen that Burke decided ‘I’ve got to get a degree in something that is going to get me a job’. Studying for a biology degree was inspired by her early childhood memories in Kenya,
she told me, adding ‘If I wasn’t going to do drama, I thought I’d quite happily spend the rest of my days bumbling around in Landrover, working for the Kenyan Wildlife Service.’ Back in 1992, Burke stepped off a plane at Heathrow with two suitcases. She’d visited the UK before but never Bristol and yet this is where she’d spend the next three years at university. A resident of Badock Hall, Burke became completely immersed in her degree course. We chat about what Bristol was like, the friends she made and the occasional trips to Thekla. Although the only BME student on her course, Burke tells me that a lack of diversity didn’t impact her university experience. ‘I noticed it, but it didn’t trouble me. That was just the way the world was: “BME” wasn’t even a thing.’ Considering the situation today, she adds ‘It’s good that people are trying to redress the balance, but it wasn’t something I thought about back then.’ Instead, the biggest division she encountered was between the arts and the sciences. Met with bemusement when she went to join the Drama Society, she tells me ‘that was where I first encountered the “Oh you’re a biology student”’. ‘I struggled with the division between arts and sciences. The idea that you were either an artist or a scientist, simply the notion, I hadn’t come across until I got to Bristol. So that was actually one of the hardest things, which is maybe a bit surprising, because I was familiar with British culture.’ We move on to talking about presenting, a notably hard industry to break into, and I ask how she ended up in her current job. She laughs, ‘this is probably going to be the longest answer you get.’ While at Uni, Burke explains that while she was fascinated every time she walked past the BBC, she never considered it as a
Photo courtesy of BBC
“I want to put my time and energy into doing my bit to work towards a point where as a species we stabilise how we’re impacting the planet and hopefully reverse some of that impact”
career path. ‘It never occurred to me when I was at university that this was something I could actually do. It felt like something other people would do, but never me. It took me a long time to join the dots.’ It would only be years later after taking a ‘meandering path’, that Burke would consider a role in television. Echoing the thoughts of many students, she told me ‘I had no idea what I was going to do with my life’. She did a year as a research assistant, while considering a PhD, and instead applied for a masters at LSE. The course never ran and that was the end of any post-grad ambitions. She then cared for her ‘wonderful Uncle’ who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in his early thirties. When Burke tells me the last part, she pauses for a second, then adds ‘That is something I would never regret doing. It was a really important thing to take time out to do.’ Moving from job to job, her enthusiasm never wavered: ‘My favourite thing I’m working on is always the thing I’m working on, until the next thing comes along.’ Starting with a work experience role, Burke slowly worked her way through the BBC natural history unit up to a producer director. I thought the dots were finally beginning to join in her story, but Burke corrects me, ‘never in that whole time did I consider being a presenter’. She explains: ‘I always felt that there was more editorial control working as a producer director rather than a presenter. So, to me at the time, it didn’t really appeal to not have that editorial control.’ Voiceover work and narration, working specifically on wildlife documentaries, came after Burke had had children. She tells me ‘it felt like a really good fit’. ‘I thought there is an element of performance here and I’m also using my skills as a biologist.’ It was through this that Burke made the transition to presenting. People began asking her why she wasn’t doing work on screen as well. She admits ‘I hadn’t
considered it, but I started to think maybe I should’. Her goal now? ‘Just really becoming heavily involved with environmental conservation work. The presenting is fantastic, but to me that is the endgame.’ Burke’s presenting work has given her the platform to ‘advocate for the environment’. ‘The work I do on screen is what people are most aware of, but I’m really excited about the opportunities that it is giving me to work with other organisations’ ‘I want to put my time and energy into doing my bit to work towards a point where as a species we stabilise how we’re impacting the planet and hopefully reverse some of that impact. I really believe that that is the most important thing right now.’ Burke is also incredibly aware the impact these documentaries can have on their audiences. As the first thing she presented outside the watches, she said working on Blue Planet UK was a highlight. ‘It was amazing. It was wonderful to hear people say “I had no idea we had such big marine mammals, or coral reefs in British waters”. I really, really loved it. It was so cool to be able to surprise people about the incredible diversity, and rich marine life that can be seen on British shores.’ At the end of our chat I ask Burke about her most embarrassing on-screen moment. She laughs, mumbles ‘too many’, and then tells me about a live presenting piece she did. ‘I was knelt down and talking about plastic pollution. I did the whole piece to camera, finished and threw it back to Chris and Michaela wherever they were at the time. ‘I got up and realised that my zipper on my trouser was totally undone the whole time. As soon as we got back to where we were staying, I went onto iPlayer and scrolled really quickly, thinking “I hope no one else saw that!” Thankfully it wasn’t quite visible.’ She finishes saying: ‘I won’t tell you which season it was so no one can ever look at it!’
Comment
Editor: Will Charley @willcharley1 Online Editor: Ffion Clarke
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Why we need a rent strike
Bristol, Cut the Rent
We- Bristol, Cut the Rent- have commenced a rent strike across Bristol University. Here are the reasons and why you should get involved Ruth Day and Pascal van Liempt Bristol, Cut the Rent
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burden should absolutely not be levelled at first years who feel as though they have no other living option. Everyone should have access to a safe and affordable place to live and the University is letting us all down. Bristol, Cut the Rent have been campaigning against this grotesque exploitation of students for the last three years. In spite of this, the University has been
“Not only are these high rents financially detrimental to many students, they also bring along a high mental burden”
Bristol, Cut the Rent
s a rite of passage into university, freshers are sold the merits of living in university halls. Places of socialising, wild nights out, places to study, friends for life, and a support system as they transition into the difficult and, in many ways, alien university lifestyle. But there is a sinister undercurrent to their living situation. They are being exploited by the University, which charges extortionate rent to people who, in the vast majority of cases, have no other option. Rents in university halls have risen by almost 90 per cent over the last 10 years, compared to rents in the private sector only rising by 12.8 per cent over the same period (statistics for the whole of the UK from ONS). Even only considering the university sector, the average halls rent at Bristol University is £30pw over the average rent in halls nationally. Most worryingly, only 1 per cent of the beds in Bristol University accommodation cost below half the maximum maintenance loan, meaning that most students cannot afford to live on what is, for many of them, their only source of income. Yet a number of halls have not been
refurbished over the last 10 years, meaning that students are living in the same conditions that students were 10 years ago, but are paying nearly double in rent. Many halls are in poor condition; just this year alone we have heard stories of flooding in Hiatt Baker and New Bridewell, mouldy rooms in Stoke Bishop halls and rats chewing through cables in Winkworth. Most importantly, we have taken note of the worrying statistic that ten University-owned residences have asbestos in the walls. We cannot stand by while the University demands over half of every students’ income simply to live, whilst making us pay for halls that are substandard and, in some cases, actively unsafe. Not only are these high rents financially detrimental to many students, they also bring along a high mental burden. A BBC student survey last year found that 45 per cent of students in the UK found that the stress of high rent negatively affected their mental health. Bristol University, an institution that has made a very recent commitment to safeguard student mental health and even, in their recently published Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, a commitment to “actively seek opportunities to reduce the cost of living for students”, should not be contributing to worsening student mental health. The University has a duty of care over its students, to ensure that we are supported in every aspect of university life. Following from this, since high rent and unaffordable accommodation are massively affecting student wellbeing, the University has a duty to change this in any way possible. Nobody should have to scrape by just to be able to pay rent whilst studying full time and this financial, and often mental
consistently ignoring our demands for fair rent and affordable accommodation. This term, we handed in a 600+ strong petition to the University demanding lower rents, an increase in accommodation bursaries, more provision for emergency housing of students and more transparency regarding the University’s rent budget. Not only did the University respond to us late, but when they responded, it was with excuses for why the rent could not
“Bristol, Cut the Rent have been campaigning against this grotesque exploitation of students for the last three years”
be lowered - instead of with a concrete answer (or even a solution) to the problems that students are facing. So, as a last resort action, we have called a rent strike in all University-owned halls (i.e. not UNITE residences or New Bridewell/The Courtrooms). This is meant for us to get collective bargaining power as students; we aim to push the University to firstly compensate students currently in halls, and secondly cut halls rent for first year students coming in next year. The premise of this action is simple students pledge to withhold their final rent payment, due to be paid at the end of April, if 100 other students join them. This is because there is safety in numbers, and we are incredibly proud to say we reached this minimum of 100 students; therefore, the rent strike is going ahead. We are optimistic about our ability to achieve change through this medium. Rent striking has proven to be a really successful tactic in various campaigns throughout the history of university activism. In 2016, for example, Goldsmiths, UCL and SOAS students went on a rent strike and won £1.5m in rents cuts and compensation for current students. Just one hall at Sussex University went on strike and won £64,000 in compensation for students living in that hall. We all need to come together to fight for affordable halls for all. The larger the strike, the stronger we are, tell your friends who do live in halls about the strike, and help us build the campaign. all of us on board, we can create a better university and ensure that all of us feel safe and supported during our time at the University of Bristol.
Comment 13
13.05.2019 epigram
The reason I chose to be arrested during the Extinction Rebellion protests I am graduating this summer and yet I was in custody last month. Here is why I believe I was right in choosing to be arrested with Extinction Rebellion Ellie Strangways
“The biggest threat to our future is our own complacency and the belief that someone else will sort this out”
Fourth Year, French and Politics
Epigram/ Will Charley
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UN last year, predicts that we have merely 11 years left until we pass a tipping point with the climate crisis. The report states that if we do not maintain temperature rises to below 1.5 Celsius, perilous conditions will ensue including immense droughts, mass flooding and the consequent mass migration. This report demonstrates that we are currently facing an existential threat through climate change. Noam Chomsky recently stated that: “It is impossible to exaggerate the awesome nature of the challenge we face: To determine, within the next few years, whether organised human society can survive in anything like its present form. Global warming is already a prime factor in destroying species at a rate not seen for 65 million years. There is no time to delay changing course radically to avert major catastrophe.” Having spoken to a lot of the public this last week, I have realised that despite scientists from around the world confirming
the devastating effects that human activity is having on the climate, a worrying number of the human population are still ‘climate denialists’. With right-wing politicians such as President Trump fuelling the climate denial conversation, I would like to echo the idea raised by David Attenborough who pointed out that even if you do not believe in climate change, there is an undeniable fact that the planet is currently undergoing a mass loss in biodiversity, like we have never seen before. This coupled with plastic pollution will lead to an inevitable existential threat in itself. With these ideas in mind, our generation is faced with two pathways. The first is to allow the climate disaster to happen, leaving an uninhabitable planet as our legacy. The second option, however, is to react, and fight for what we believe in, to ensure a better world for both our futures and the future of our children. It is clear, however, that for the second option to even
“We are at a deciding point in our history. What legacy will our generation leave behind?”
Epigram/ Will Charley
n Sunday 14th April, a group of 15 Bristol students, including myself, took the bus to London to participate in the Extinction Rebellion mass civil disobedience. As some of you will have seen on the news, Extinction Rebellion are an activist group promoting non-violent civil disobedience to combat government inaction towards the climate crisis. Different local groups from around the country occupied five major sites in London - Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Parliament square and Piccadilly circus - for 10 days, shutting down central London. Our group of students were primarily based in Oxford Circus. Within five days of the protests, police turned up in their hundreds, following calls from Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, to use ‘the full force of the law’ . By the end of that day, I was sitting in police custody where I was kept for 14 hours. I want to make it clear that these arrests were voluntary and could have been avoided. During my time in custody, I wrote the majority of this article, about why, despite being in my final year of study and entering the job market this summer, I believe I am justified in breaking the law in a peaceful manner, in order to get our voices heard about the climate crisis. The recent IPCC report, published by the
be feasible, we have extremely little time to act. With the declaration of the Climate Emergency announced, Bristol University is leading the way on the climate change debate. However, we need the students, a section of the population that is arguably the most privileged, in terms of lack of responsibilities and free time, to be at the forefront of this fight. The biggest threat to our future is our own complacency and the belief that someone else will sort this out for us. The science around climate change has been around for decades, however, our government has been systematically ignoring it, favouring profit over people. I solemnly believe that we have the problemsolving skills to address this issue, however, we need mass civil disobedience in order to be heard. We are at a deciding point in our history. What legacy will our generation leave behind? Will it be one of denialism, hopelessness, and the selfish plunder of the earth or will it be one of hope, compassion, and change? This question can only be answered through the actions of the population. I therefore, urge students to stand in unity against the climate crisis. We have the ability to change our future, but only if we act together.
The ‘sadistic disembowelment’ of the ASS shows that the University does not care
Students are being let down by the dramatic reduction of seats Sabrina Miller First Year, English
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Epigram/ Will Charley
hen I revise I find it exceedingly useful to escape from the claustrophobic confines of my stuffy, suffocating bedroom. My parents always used to advise that a change of scene can really help re-calibrate your brain after hours of labouring on the daily grind. With that in mind, why on Earth have the University decided to mercilessly gut the library during exam month! Our precious ASS has had its chairs and tables ruthlessly discarded and its sofas rendered redundant. This ransacked and abandoned library would not be out of place in a zombie-apocalypse blockbuster and is, despairingly, a mere shadow of its once vibrant self. The ASS stairways are hauntingly silent, the toilet queues unfamiliarly short and the source café sandwiches fully stocked well
past lunch time. I am honestly flabbergasted. I do not know if I am being too demanding, but the least I expect from an academically acclaimed
institution, is a working library during exam time. Stop me if I am going too far, but the timing of this decision is absolutely farcical. How does the University expect students to effectively revise for their summer exams without sufficient access to revision space? Prior to this sadistic disembowelment, Bristruth’s was already rife with confessions from frustrated students struggling to find seats in the library. I am not convinced that removing even more seats has helped improve the situation! What is worse is that, as far as I am aware the University have offered limited alternatives, and limited apologies to students for this spontaneous sacking of our beloved ASS. I believe the University has a duty to ensure that there is an abundance of space for studious students to finish writing dissertations and cram their speedily scribbled notes, and so far, they have failed. According to the SU, there are only 500 available seats in the ASS. To put this into context, there are around 23,000 students at the University of Bristol. Somehow I do not think the 500 seats is going to quite cut it! I completely appreciate that the University has security concerns and I am obviously
“The University have offered limited alternatives and limited apologies to students for this spontaneous sacking”
grateful that the University claims to place my safety at the forefront of its agenda, however the timing of this decision is still comically absurd. This entire year the ASS has been bursting with life, swollen with seats and packed with tables. Why now have the University decided to draw a line in the sand? It’s genuinely shocking that this supposedly serious fire safety hazard has only come to light now. This is either someone’s sick joke to inconvenience stress-ridden students, or there has been a huge safety over-sight! In my opinion, either way, the University has clearly failed the student body. I really hope that this does not have a devastating impact on results, and I am confident that the resilient student body will still excel in their exams and unearth new places to revise; however, I believe that the University needs to do more to accommodate students during these stressful times. Exams are not easy, and I think the University needs to work harder to support students and make the exam experience less traumatising. With that all being said, I am sure I alongside the rest of the student body eagerly anticipate the return of the ASS in all its glory this September.
epigram 13.05.2019
14 Comment
Being made to buy your own books shows the University relies on privilege To gain an arts degree, you have to be privileged or else you will be disadvantaged. This must stop. Maia Miller-Lewis Deputy Online Comment Editor
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“If the institution does not have the funds, space and staff to support the number of students coming in, it should restrain the number of offers it gives”
£30, the average student may, and I stress may, have the budget to stretch to one text. But there are usually two or three books demanded by a syllabus. Unless students can find cheaper, secondhand versions- which usually have some kind of writing, disfiguring the text -the books are simply too expensive to buy. Although it is used by many as an excuse for why they have not done their essential reading, for those who actually care about their degree, being unable to access texts through no fault of their own can have a significantly detrimental impact upon their academic performance and grasp of key concepts and ideas. In some cases, this impact can snowball
Epigram / Will Charley
efore even coming to university, prospective arts, social science and humanities students everywhere have to accept that they are going to spend at least the next three years continuously reading. Book after book, and if you are not willing to turn the pages, there is no point paying for the privilege of being handed a pretty piece of paper at the end. But one thing that I certainly didn’t expect when coming to Bristol is that in order to fulfil my literary obligation, I was going to have to pay out of my own pocket. There are so many different factors that make paying for course books simply wrong. On a base level, as students, we are paying the University £9,250 a year to give us an education. If the ASS and other university libraries cannot afford to stock an adequate supply of books, or departments cannot choose course material that can be
more easily accessed online, I have serious questions as to where and on what my money is being spent. What makes this particular point even more outrageous is that while Philosophy students are fighting over the last copy of Nietzsche, the Geography department can afford to subsidise field trips to salubrious destinations, such as Majorca. This is not a slight against Geography students, or any other course that has an included trip. If anything, I applaud them- they picked well. But my argument is that it just does not add up. It is well known that arts and humanities degrees are not as well funded as science and engineering degrees, mainly due to the fact that there are so many arts and humanity students floating around campuses up and down the country. But to use this as an excuse for students having to buy their own books is frankly an insincere cop out. Students are given their application offer by the University. Surely as a consequence, the University must know how many students they are getting each year and be able to prepare accordingly. It is basic logic. If the institution does not have the funds, space or staff to support the number of students coming in, it should restrain the number of offers it gives. It isn’t as if course books are affordable either. With some texts costing well above
to have a further negative effect on student’s mental health. At a high achieving, Russell Group university, not having that core text can further feelings of anxiety and depression among students, fearful of falling behind on work and getting left behind by their peers. Furthermore, famous for our relatively privileged student cohort, being unable to afford core texts at Bristol University can inducing feelings of embarrassment and shame, seriously impacting on an individual’s wellbeing and self-confidence, in an already high-pressured environment. To me, the fundamental problem with all of this is that it is premised on the assumption that a student at Bristol University can simply afford whatever the University is mandating. Unforgivably, this is not the reality many, if not most student live. Squeezed from all angles by high rents, an ill-thought-out maintenance loan system, and the ever-present understanding that when we leave university we will be taking a massive debt along with us; the thought of spending £30 on a book that we more than likely only use for ten weeks is simply too high a price to pay. Indeed, all this just seems to be another indicator that a university education is becoming ever more bound up in privilege, when it should be moving towards meritocratic inclusion.
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Science & Tech
Editor: Bethany Harris Deputy Editor: Vilhelmiina Haavisto Online Editor: Caitlin Bromfield
Follow our Instagram/Twitter @episcitech
Trading ‘Likes’ for privacy? Wing Wong
First Year, Chemistry
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“In an age when children learn how to use a tablet before they can ride a bike, making sure they have the freedom to play, learn and explore in the digital world is of paramount importance”
Though preliminary, there is growing evidence to suggest a link between heavy technology of use and unhappiness. On average, 16 to 24-year-olds spend three hours on social media per day; equivalent to an entire decade over a lifetime. Whether it’s the fear of missing out or feeling like you’re in the only person in the world not doing something, social media can have detrimental effects. We live in a perpetual state of interruption; the relentless onslaught of information can easily overwhelm and disorientate. Does the onus for change lie entirely in the hands of tech companies? It is incredibly difficult to attribute responsibility when the effects are so amorphous. Where does personal responsibility begin? Is this technology being designed for humans to use, or are we being manipulated by the technology itself instead? There is a common narrative that technology is neutral, and that it is up to us to decide how we use it. However, algorithms are continuously influencing the behaviour of our society; companies are spending millions on developing techniques to orchestrate our psychological biases, embedding manipulative techniques in the infrastructure. An attention economy has evolved, whereby programmers are
all competing to create the most popular time-waster. A world of falsity is cultivated, yet our thoughts, values and beliefs are shaped by these very platforms. Short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops are key to creating habits that become bona fide addictions for many; we’re all addicted to some degree. There is a danger of creating isolated, alienated individuals who connect to one another through products and never directly. Still, the paradox is that we derive tremendous value from social media, and it can undoubtedly be a force for good. However, we need to eliminate the reliance on arguably unethical economic models that incentivise calculated behaviour manipulation. The way we connect is changing; screen to screen interactions are becoming the norm, and social media is a necessary component of modern interaction. Nonetheless, there are complex challenges ahead regarding privacy and regulation, and an urgent need to develop technology that is compatible with human wellbeing. However, I am profoundly optimistic in our potential to make progress and engage with technology on our own terms. We should not surrender power and algorithms to agendas that don’t have our best interest at heart. Flickr / AJC1
n an increasingly digital age, can the effects of social media on our lives go too far? Under a new code of practice proposed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), under-18s on Facebook, Snapchat and other platforms may face restrictions on features like “likes” or “streaks” in a bid to set a global standard for children’s privacy online. These “nudge techniques” are commonly used for profiling and targeted advertising; liking foregrounded, seemingly innocuous things can determine sensitive information like religion and sexuality. As a result, we are shown content that is algorithmically tailored to who we appear to be. Other forms of these techniques include increasing the attractiveness of a lower privacy setting in comparison to a higher privacy option to collect additional personal data. Under the new 16-rule code, nudge techniques cannot be used to persuade children to provide unnecessary personal data, weaken their privacy protection or extend their use of the service. Other standards include limiting how data is collected, used and shared, defaulting to the “highest privacy” setting, with geolocation services disabled as a default and implementing “robust age-verification mechanisms”. Amid the burgeoning distrust between the public and tech companies over personal privacy and data leaks, these measures aim to provide children with online access without being tracked or monetised with
their personal data. In a world where teenagers can be radicalised through Internet propaganda, online security is a key priority. Earlier this month, Prince Harry commented that “social media is more addictive than drugs and alcohol, and it’s more dangerous because it’s normalised and there are no restrictions to it.” The recent scrutiny that Facebook has experienced illustrates the unforeseen consequences that can arise through rapid technological advancement, and living in this transition state, it is important to educate and monitor the benefits, risks and costs of how technology is used. “There has to be a balancing act: protecting people online while embracing the opportunities that digital innovation brings,” Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said in a statement. “In an age when children learn how to use a tablet before they can ride a bike, making sure they have the freedom to play, learn and explore in the digital world is of paramount importance.” A consultation on the draft regulations has been launched until the 31st of May; following approval, the code of practice is expected to be implemented by 2020. Failure to comply could incur a fine of up to 4 per cent of a company’s global turnover, under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). A study on teens aged 13-18 conducted by the UCLA Brain Mapping Centre revealed increased activity in the nucleus accumbens (a region of the brain’s reward circuitry that is thought to be particularly sensitive during adolescence) from receiving a high number of social media likes. Teens were also highly influenced to favour posts which were endorsed by their peers—irrespective of the content—demonstrating the effect of herd mentality.
Unsplash / George Pagan III
Facebook and Instagram may have to remove ‘Like’ buttons for children in the UK
Rise of the friendly fridge Flickr / Andrew Gomzyakov
Plastic crystals may revolutionise refrigeration technology
Rowan Fenelon Fourth Year, Chemistry
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he world is waking up to the threat of climate change. It is becoming one of the biggest issues of the century and the need to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions is becoming increasingly apparent. A large contributor to our emissions and global warming is actually our need to keep things cool; air conditioning and refrigeration require large amounts of energy. It is estimated that between 25 and 30 per cent of the electricity the world consumes is for refrigeration. So, if there was a way of reducing the amount of energy required for refrigeration, this could have a dramatic effect on global emissions. Traditionally, fridges use a coolant system in which a compound is cycled through the fridge, changing from gas to liquid. The liquid is used to absorb the excess heat from the fridge, thus cooling the air inside and converting the coolant liquid to a gas. This gas is
“...between 25 and 30% of the electricity the world consumes is for refrigeration”
then compressed back into a liquid so it can repeat the process; a lot of energy is required to compress the gas back into a liquid and as fridges are kept on constantly, the electricity needed quickly adds up. Historically, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were used as the gases in refrigeration. However, they released chlorine radicals into the atmosphere, causing ozone depletion in the atmosphere and thus contributed to the ozone hole. Thankfully, CFCs were phased out due to the Montreal Protocol and the ozone layer is replenishing. However, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the molecules that replaced CFCs, also have high global warming potential. This means they absorb a lot of infrared (IR) radiation in the atmosphere and have a long half-life, so they stay in the atmosphere for a long time. Despite HFCs
often being collected from old fridges, their concentrations in the atmosphere have risen since their introduction, thus further contributing to global warming and climate change. A proposed alternative for refrigeration is the use of solid-state cooling systems. Bing Li and other scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Metal Research in Shenyang are investigating the use of plastic crystals in refrigeration. For a solid system to be used in refrigeration it must exhibit colossal barocaloric effects (CBCEs), in which a pressure change induces a phase transition which results in cooling. Plastic crystals have large amounts of orientational disorder and there are only weak interactions between the substances. They are characterised by their softness, as they are easily moulded, like wax. Plastic crystals can be distinguished between liquid crystals, used in electronic screens, due to longrange order. The long-range order is a result of the centres of mass remaining constant, with the molecules being free to rotate or move around these centres of mass. This long-range order can be identified by X-ray crystallography. It is possible to reduce the disorder in
the plastic crystal by cooling the system. This causes the molecules to orient in favourable orientations, but reduces the number of configurations available, resulting in an entropy reduction and an enthalpy change. It has been shown that large amounts of heat are absorbed in these solid-solid transitions. Thus, the possibility for their use as a solid-state cooling system is apparent. For their use in refrigeration, this phase transition must be able to be induced by a pressure change. The researchers found that neopentylglycol (NPG) exhibited CBCEs upon changing from the plastic crystal to the ordered solid phase with a slight pressure change. This phase transition had an entropy change ten times greater than other calorimetric materials available. The CBCEs were attributed to the reduction in orientational disorder, and this was confirmed by molecular dynamics studies. Overall, these substances are a hopeful prospective alternative to typical refrigeration systems, but more research is needed to investigate increasing their energy efficiency and how implementation of the solid-state cooling system would be done.
16 Science and Tech
epigram
13.05.2019
The costs of being head-fish Bristol researchers have developed computer games for fish to see why some lead a shoal and others follow
Axaule Alzhanova Second Year, Biochemistry
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Teamwork makes the dream work in fish shoals A “shoal” is a group of fish that stays together and interacts with each other. Some species of fish self-organise into shoals led
Unsplash / Annie Spratt
eing a leader of a group can be rewarding, but it often comes with a price. For leaders of animal groups like bird flocks and fish shoals, the price is high. Behavioural scientists believe animal leaders are at a greater risk of predation than their followers. Although this is a widely accepted notion in animal behaviour research, there has been no experimental evidence to directly demonstrate this. For the first time ever, a study led by Bristol’s Dr Christos Ioannou produced evidence that validates this theory.
by one or few individuals at the front. Why do fish do this? For prey fish, there are two big benefits – increased protection from predators and a better chance of finding food through collective foraging. The leader of the shoal directs the group’s movements and activities. As such, leading fish are at power to make decisions that may prioritise themselves over their followers – such as getting access to food first. Still, followers do benefit in shoals by being led by more informed individuals that are more likely to find resources. Leaders, however, will also be the first to encounter predators, lowering their chances of survival. This was confirmed by Dr Ioannou’s research group when they looked at the frequency of attacks on leading prey in shoals.
Unsplash / David Clode
A (virtual) reality check When observing animal groups in nature, there are some hurdles to studying social behaviour. When looking at attacks on leading individuals, it is difficult to tell whether predators target leaders because of their frontal position or because of other indirect factors, such as the individual traits that made them leaders (e.g. larger size). So how did Dr Ioannou’s research group overcome this hurdle? The answer is in virtual reality. The research group used a virtual 2D simulation of prey fish to observe attacks by real predatory fish. This allowed prey behaviour to be programmed strictly to “leaders”, “followers” or “solitary prey”. The influences of any other indirect features were therefore eliminated. The simulation of prey was projected onto a fish tank, where real predatory fish were seen to attack the simulated prey.
“‘The leader of the shoal directs the group’s movements and activities... and are at power to make decisions that may prioritise themselves over their followers’”
A hierarchy of predation risk The results of the study confirmed that leaders were attacked more frequently than followers due to their spatial position at the front.
The researchers also found that the predation risk for leaders was decreased when neighbouring followers were in proximity. This may have caused leaders to adapt their behaviour to “wait” for followers when the latter have strayed too far behind. Importantly, it was found that solitary prey – prey isolated from groups – were at even greater risk of attack. Not only are predators more likely to attack solitary prey over any other prey, but they are also more likely to carry out their attack at a time where there is a greater number of solitary prey. This explains why, despite being under more risk than followers, leading prey prefer to stay in groups, rather than breaking off to swim alone. Overall, the study established a “hierarchy of risk”: solitary prey were at most risk of a predatory attack, with leading prey second. The followers were the safest, with the middle of the group slightly safer than the trailing group.
The weight of the verdict What do these findings tell us? A great deal about evolution. To maintain the safety of followers, leaders are under selective pressure to keep the group together and close to each other. This means evolution favours group-oriented traits in the leading prey. It also explains why fish adopt different social roles in nature – followers and leaders. Both positions have their own advantages and disadvantages. Hungrier fish, for example, may seek to lead the prey to access food first, while more “frightened” fish may settle in the middle of the group for safety. Further studies using virtual reality in this field could lead to even more exciting discoveries. As Dr Ioannou said: “This work also highlights the striking insights into animal behaviour can be gained from experiments combining real animals with virtual reality.”
What’s new in science? Pollinators and nanoribbons Nina Webb explores the possible applications of ‘wonder materials’
Pollinators are critical to the success of UK agriculture however their numbers are significantly declining, thus pollinator protection strategies are at the forefront of ecological research. Keeping hedgerows intact and planting areas of wildflowers are possible solutions and are employed by some UK farmers to provide additional sources of pollen and nectar to pollinators such as bees. However, a recent study from the University of Bristol has revealed that it is in fact early spring and late summer, when wildflowers are not in bloom, that pollinators experience nectar deficit on UK farmland. The study has emphasized the importance of the timing of nectar availability. Without a constant supply of nectar throughout the year, pollinator health and survival is at risk. “If a bumblebee queen comes out of hibernation in March and finds nothing to eat, it doesn’t matter how much nectar there is in summer, because she won’t be alive,” explained Jane Memmott, principal investigator. The study has important applications for pollinator protection. Identification of when gaps in nectar and pollen availability occur in the UK will allow measures to be put in place that ensure there is a more consistent supply, increasing the survival rate of important pollinators such as bees. “Early-flowering plants like willows and dandelions, or late-flowering red clover and ivy could all help to fill the hungry gaps if we allow them to survive and flower on farmland,” commented Tom Timberlake, the lead author. By placing a greater emphasis on the timing of resource availability we face a better chance of meeting supply with pollinator demand.
Want to charge your phone in 60 seconds? Research contributed to by the University of Bristol means that this may one day not just be wishful thinking. Advances in conductive nanomaterials mean that we are heading toward an era of 60-second-fast-charging battery technology. Published in Nature, collaborative research by the University of Bristol, UCL, Virginia Commonwealth University and Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne has been fruitful in the production of 2-dimensional phosphorene nanoribbons. Despite countless theoretical studies into their construction, the conception was not intentional, but an unexpected outcome during the attempts to synthesise sheets, rather than ribbons, of phosphorene. Graphene is a monolayer of graphite in the same way that phosphorene is a single layer of phosphorous. However, the latter is a natural semiconductor, with widely predicted applications in electronics and fast charging battery technology. By engaging existing and novel partnerships in future work, implementing phosphorene nanoribbons in batteries, solar cells, thermoelectric devices, which convert waste heat to electricity, and photocatalysis will be explored. Bristol’s School of physics is home to the Interface Analysis Centre, instrumental in the characterization of the unusual and “exotic” properties of the novel materials. The uniform width of the nanoribbons results in their defined electronic character; they are also flexible and usually just one atom layer thick. Where they are thicker, they increase in seamless steps of atoms and split with each monolayer possessing distinct electronic characteristics.
Unsplash / Jenna Lee
Beth Harris reviews new research into UK pollinator protection strategies
Image credit: University of Bristol
p l e H
Issue 12 / 13th May 2019
me! Food//
3 Years at Bristol in Food
Travel //
Maltese Dreams: things to do in Malta
Wellbeing Living Food Style Travel
Wellbeing //
How to deal with exam stress Living //
Unusual living arrangements
epigram / The Croft 13.05.2019
Editor Jasmine Burke
Deputy-Editor Luke Unger
Online Editor Marina Afzal-Khan @epigramwellbeing
Epigram Wellbeing
@EpigramWB
Exam season is upon us- don’t panic!
Grace Williams gives us a run down on her top tips to minimize exam stress
Epigram / Luke Unger
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xam stress is basically unavoidable at this time of year and it affects everyone. Often we can feel like it’s all a bit too much. While it may be easy to retreat into your room with a Deliveroo or begin rolling your tenth cigarette in ten minutes, this handy guide will give you some helpful tips on how to manage that stress effectively.
EAT WELL
During exam season it is so easy to neglect your physical wellbeing as well as your mental wellbeing. It is really important to eat nutritious foods to help keep your energy levels up during long revision sessions and especially to fuel your brain on the day of an exam.
adrenaline should keep you alert and if your body becomes hyperalert you may end up feeling more tired. Porridge is a good choice for the morning of an exam but I like to spice things up and make a big banana loaf the day before, slice it up and freeze the individual slices. On the day of my exams I can just chuck a piece in the microwave and I am ready to go. This also helps me get excited for the morning because I know I have a yummy breakfast waiting for me! Another added bonus of procrasti-baking is that it is a really good way to relax between revision sessions. Baking is really soothing and then you have tasty snacks to get you through the actual revision! EXERCISE
Some foods that are generally good for brainpower are Exercise is really key to keeping your brain focused and happy. Mindful exercise during exams can help keep your endorphins flowing and provides a good break from revision too. You can:
• Leafy greens • Salmon • Grains like porridge oats and cereal bars • Quinoa • Rice • Coconut milk • Dark chocolate
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Even the placebo effect of knowing the foods are good for your brain helps!
It is so easy to neglect your physical wellbeing as well as your mental wellbeing
Dog walk - if you don’t have a dog, find someone that does! Do yoga in your room or outside in the garden if it is sunny Play some tennis with friends or another sport you like Walk to the shops to get your baking ingredients
These are just a few ideas but even ten minutes of exercise a day can make a big difference.
much better since I started giving myself proper breaks and working efficiently in the time I allocate to work. Everyone is different though, so if long revision stints are your style, then that’s okay too! WORK ENVIRONMENT I find that mixing up your work environment keeps things interesting, as I get quite bored if I am stuck in one place for days on end. I find that the ASS can get quite overwhelming during exam season so other places I like to work are: • • • •
Cafés with big tables (try out the Crazy Fox in Cabot) Senate House Will’s Memorial library My living room
When I am at home I also like going to the local university’s library – where you can get a free visitor’s day pass. There are lots of options for study spaces, many of which I did not branch out to until this year. So do not be afraid to try a new work space because you might find somewhere you really like!
PREPARATION The best way to minimise exam stress is to prepare yourself as much as you can. If you have limited time, try to organise your notes into meaningful chunks with mindmaps, diagrams and bullet-pointed essay plans. I find that if I try to remember things in lots of different ways, more information sticks in my brain.
Unsplash / Cliqueimages
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As somebody that gets really bad physical anxiety symptoms before exams, I often find it hard to find foods to eat on the day of the exam that will fill me up but will not make me feel sick. Eating before an exam – even a morning exam - really helps to get your body switched on and ready to go. Avoiding caffeine is a good idea too because the caffeine can make you feel a lot more nervous. If you, like me, are 97 per cent coffee 3 per cent human, then try having a decaffeinated coffee before the exam. The
FRESH AIR
Unsplash / Dubler
Get yourself outside! If the weather is nice, allow yourself to enjoy it, even if you need to revise in between. It is such a struggle to stay motivated if the weather is nice outside but it is equally important to get fresh air and enjoy it even if you are busy cramming 57 lectures into your brain. Try and work towards a goal. For example, if you work until lunch, then you will go and sit outside during your lunch break. Breaks outside in the sun should leave you feeling refreshed and ready to do another productive chunk of revision. It is unrealistic to work for eight hours straight without regular breaks. I used to do it, but my marks have gotten
If you get bored of writing out notes you can try: • •
Teaching a friend what you know Talking to someone about what you have learnt – they don’t have to be someone on your course! • Talking things out loud while you are in the shower or on the loo One of the hardest things to do while revising is testing yourself. This is the only way you will find out what you know and do not know. This can be scary initially if you find out that you know nothing but, if you get over that initial hurdle, it is so satisfying once you start to improve on the mini tests you do. I often waste a lot of time re-writing my notes out again and again, trying to avoid testing myself because that actually requires brainpower. However, it is so helpful to sit down with a friend and time yourselves for five minutes on each topic, writing down what you know and then going through and filling in the gaps with your notes. Testing yourself and learning from your mistakes will ultimately give you confidence walking into the exam.
Grace Williams Third Year, Experimental Psychology
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13.05.2019 epigram / The Croft
‘It came out of the blue for me completely’: coming to terms with suicide I woke every day to this mess of emotions - anger, sadness, guilt, confusion – and after a while it just became too much. Work went to pot, I wasn’t eating, didn’t really feel anything and I withdrew myself from everyone. It came to the point where I remember breaking down whilst making cheese on toast, initially confused as to why there were drops of water forming on my cheddar. I was lucky enough to be living in a house with a group of friends that were willing to let me just talk and vent. I’ll be forever thankful for them. The feeling of relief after I spoke about everything I felt was welcome. I could finally begin to breathe again after months of feeling like I was suffocating.
Natasha took her own life around this time last year. It came out of the blue for me completely. I remember walking out of the ASS library to be stopped by my friend who did Physics and shown the email on her phone. After reading it I sat down, messaged my flat attaching the email, turned off my phone and did not turn it on for forty-eight hours. I could not deal with any more words. When it comes to dealing with grief, there are no set rules. I think what makes suicide harder is the idea that the person felt like they needed to
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hen I close my eyes and think of Natasha I think of the smell of baked cakes. She used to bake a few times every week and every time I opened the door of our flat this glorious smell would greet you as you entered. That smell would be followed by the shy, gentle laughter of her getting the icing wrong or reacting to my other ridiculous flatmates. She once talked about opening a bakery in Bristol when she had finished university.
take their own life, an unfathomable feeling for most people. As children we are bought up with the notion that life is sacred, precious and that death is something we should avoid, not something we should seek. Therefore, the maelstrom of emotions that you feel when this happens is something no one can ever prepare you for. For me – someone who deals with their emotions through good old-fashioned suppression – I was at sea without a life jacket.
The feeling of relief after I spoke about everything I felt was welcome. I could finally begin to breathe again after months of feeling like I was suffocating
Epigram / Ellie Leopold
Need a revision break? Introducing Mind Your Head 2019
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When something like this happens, thoughts run through your mind like ‘I should have known’ or ‘I should have asked her this’. I certainly felt a level of guilt for a long time. I think that unfathomability also gives way to a certain degree of anger. I remember feeling distinctly angry at Natasha at the funeral as I looked around at the faces in the benches, asking myself how she could do this. How could she leave her family like this? With these thoughts came guilt, knowing that the choice to take her own life did not come out of a happy place. It was fair to say I was in a wee bit of a state.
asmine Burke interviews Ellie Leopold, the incoming chair of the Wellbeing Network and Mind Your Head: a series of events targeted towards improving student wellbeing during exam period.
So, what exactly is the Wellbeing Network?
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Unsplash / Jade Wulfraat
TW: This article discusses sensitive topics such as suicide.
The maelstrom of emotions that you feel when this happens is something no one can ever prepare you for
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The more I have spoken to people who have experienced the same thing, the more I could see that these emotions are ones everyone feels when something like this happens. However, the only way you’re ever going to get through it is by talking to someone about it - be it a healthcare professional, your parents, or your friends. A key thing when dealing with this is having coping strategies. For me it was wearing my body out every day with exercise so that I could sleep and I had an appetite, maintaining communication with my friends and family, and planning things way in advance so I had something to look forward to. It definitely felt empty and robotic at first, but soon became what I relied on. It allowed me the level-headedness to able to process what had happened without spiralling back under the cover of my bed. I think one important thing I’d say to anyone who’s going through something like this is don’t expect those emotions you felt initially to one day suddenly disappear. This is going to be with you for the rest of your life. I often still feel like I see her face in the people I pass on the street. I always think about her every time I enter a bakery. There’s definitely sadness linked in these memories but, crucially, there’s also a celebration of her life – honestly, she was one of the nicest and kindest people I’ve ever known. It’s how you work through and address these emotions that allows each day to be a little easier. Truth be told, it has not stopped affecting me. I think about her every day and sometimes, yeah, I do need a moment. But it’s getting better one day at a time and that’s what you and I need to hold onto.
Luke Unger Deputy Wellbeing Editor
Are there any events that you in particular are looking forward to? As a Psychology with Innovation student, I am definitely looking forward to the co-create event that I mentioned. I want to see how the badge works and how people react to them from an innovation perspective. I was also looking forward to the science of happiness lecture as I have been a mentor for the science of happiness lecture series over this term and I have enjoyed going to those and learning about happiness from a scientific perspective. Also, Professor Laurie Santor - the lecturer from Yale that joined Professor Bruce Hood looked really interesting. Is there anything else that you would like people to know?
And what is Mind Your Head?
The Wellbeing Network is a network for students at the University of Bristol. The network aims to increase community spirit and improve the wellbeing experience of all students at Bristol. It provides an opportunity to socialise, discuss and campaign on issues relating to students’ wellbeing and mental health at Bristol.
Mind your Head is a campaign that’s been running for a few years now, just before or around exam time because that is when students get particularly stressed. All of the events are centred around the five ways to good wellbeing : connect, give, keep learning, take notice and be active. They provide an opportunity for students to reflect on how they can improve their wellbeing, as well as hopefully push them to take a break from revision and working to deadlines, as it is so easy to become wrapped up in deadlines and exams. This year it runs from Monday 29 April until Monday 3 June.
The Wellbeing Workshops: Various dates Many students still do not know who their wellbeing advisor is or how to contact them. So, these workshops are organised with the intention of humanising the wellbeing advisors more. They are a chance to meet the advisors and get more information about how to contact them, whilst also participating in workshops centred around exams, mental health and self-esteem.
Epigram / Ellie Leopold
Epigram / Ellie Leopold
Are there any events that students should particularly look out for?
This time of year can be stressful, so try and remember the five ways to wellbeing and reach out to your friends and wellbeing support - it will all be okay in the end. Also, feel free to reach out to the Wellbeing Network’s Facebook page, or me personally if you have any thoughts or queries. Finally, look out for the events! You can find and book tickets to all of them here on the SU website and we will be posting reminders to our Facebook page.
Jasmine Burke Wellbeing Editor
epigram / The Croft
Editor Hope Riley
Deputy Editor Imogen Rogers
13.05.2019
Online Editor Josie Roberts
Epigram Living Writers 2018-19
Unusual living scenarios Part I: Third-year chaos Left things to the last minute and have no accommodation sorted for next year? Look no further than our two-part series, written by students who found themselves in some very unusual circumstances...
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hird year was upon me and with no Uni accommodation sorted out, I felt slightly uneasy. I’d dashed off in January to Spain for a semester of studying abroad; putting off sorting accommodation for September. Too many fiestas paired with a general lack of organisation on my part meant that September rolled around with no plan in place. A semi-plan which I’d crafted in late August fell through in a bizarre turn of events. (The room I was supposed to live in was still being occupied by a rather sleep-deprived and stoned rocker.) I had to find a place quick, which was difficult at 10pm on a Saturday night with two full suitcases, a pile of bedding and a guitar. Crashing at my old flatmate’s house for a few weeks made me initially question why I hadn’t got organised and signed a tenancy
Olivia Rutherford History, Third Year
Part II: The Catholic Chaplaincy video interview with a private landlord, my Godmother rung up the Catholic Chaplaincy. Although my family aren’t Catholic, my sister and I converted as we went to Catholic schools. The Chaplaincy ended up offering me a box room which they have reserved for guests. Whilst my family (my Grandma in particular) were relieved that I had somewhere safe to live, I was
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R
esults day was suddenly upon me, and lo and behold I had gotten into Bristol! I was very happy and relieved, despite a little disappointment as Durham had been my firm choice. This happiness took the back seat when I realised, three weeks before I was meant to move in, that Bristol don’t guarantee accommodation to insurance offer-holders.
” Epigram / Olivia Rutherford
and the zoo - who had all been too relaxed to get sorted with accommodation as well. I could moan about the fact that the flat’s a bit grim and how 7am drum and bass isn’t what breakfast music I would usually put on, but overall I’m happy with how this year has worked out. It’s a busy place, our flat. I don’t even ask now who people are - it’s a place in transit. Whether it be girlfriends, boyfriends, uni mates, siblings, parents - it’s endless. But that’s what makes it interesting. The house is interesting too, we have a spare room and a kitchen with an archway that makes it look like a pizzeria. We joked that the house could turn into a pizzeria for next doors’ house parties worthy of ‘The Noise Pages’. From sorting out bills, to solving leaking pipes, WiFi issues and organising mass clean-ups when ‘household grim’ reaches crisis point, I’m surprised by how nine different people have
I guess I’d always thought that to be happy in a flat you had to live with people with whom you had lots in common
There were twelve members of the household, about half were international students and there were also about five PhD students
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Epigram / Lucy Bird
Six months later I can genuinely say I could not have been more surprised by how it has worked out. There is a bit of a gender imbalance in the flat - I live with seven guys and another girl, a mix of students from DBS music, UWE, BIMM, University of Law
Flickr / shrinkin’violet
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with my friends before leaving Bristol. But regrets to one side, I spent the autumnal sunshine pacing around the city for viewings and madly searching on Facebook groups. Nevertheless, one day after a series of three house viewings, I decided I just had to grab a room in a random house and hope for the best. I surveyed my choices: surprisingly cheap but not too cheerful. But I signed a tenancy agreement for a flat on Whiteladies to live with nine randomers.
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I had to find a place quick, which was difficult at 10pm on a Saturday night with two full suitcases, a pile of bedding and a guitar
clubbed together. I guess I’d always thought that to be happy in a flat you had to live with people with whom you had lots in common. On paper, I have hardly anything in common with my flatmates and yet, for some bizarre reason, it works. I’ve really enjoyed living with them, we’ve had a lot of laughs. And the laid- back attitude continues - I haven’t even thought about next year yet!
Mum and I descended into panic mode; we were getting in touch with anyone we knew who had even the most tenuous Bristol connection. After numerous emails, phone calls and a
How wrong I was! Within a week of living there, I was offered a place in halls but liked it so much at the chappo (Chaplaincy) I wanted to stay. There were twelve members of the household, about half were international students and there were also about five PhD students. We took it in turns to cook four days a week so that meant you didn’t cook often but when you did it had to be for twelve people! The house was huge and even had a common room with a projector, making it perfect for film nights. So, thankfully, my box room with no space for a desk (nor a wardrobe) didn’t cramp my 6-foot-tall frame too much. It also helped that I moved into a room quadruple the size after Christmas! There was never a quiet moment between the residents, their guests and members of the Catholic society coming in and out, but I loved it as I am a very sociable person and there are members of the household with whom I am still good friends today. After living in the house for a year, I decided to branch out and live with non-Catholics, but throughought my second- and
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Epigram / Lucy Bird
worried that all the people living there would be so incredibly devout there wouldn’t be such a thing as fun allowed...
I am very grateful for the opportunity of living in a community that helped me to grow in my faith. as well as teaching me not to buy into the stereotypes of religious people
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third-year I still attended CathSoc events. I was Social Secretary last year and run a Bible study group this year. I am very grateful for the opportunity of living in a community that helped me to grow in my faith, as well as teaching me not to buy into the stereotypes of religious people.
Lucy Bird Chemistry, Third Year
13.05.2019 epigram / The Croft
5
Take a (revision) break!
By Easter, the avalanche hits. You panic, cramming in 12-hour study days and doing insane amounts of research for essays and exams. The ‘holiday’ period becomes an intensive study session, with all thoughts of relaxation out of the window. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way. Contrary to popular belief, doing well in essays and exams and having fun aren’t mutually exclusive, though this is sometimes difficult to remember as it goes against the stereotype of being a good student. In fact, revising too much can actually be counterproductive; staring at books and screens all day is not good for your mood or your ability to concentrate and learn new information. As Cottrell points out in The Study Skills Handbook, being a ‘virtuous’ student is not equivalent to being an effective one. And effective students take breaks. Not the partying kind, or the distracted browsing of internet pages that it’s so easy to waste an hour or so on nowadays. These are okay for the evening or weekend, but unlikely to be helpful when you’re trying to work. What I’m talking about are breaks which refresh the mind, lift mood and leave you ready and able to have a useful study session. How long should these be? Most experts (including Bristol University) recommend 10-minute-breaks following a 20-minutestudy period. This is perhaps a good guide but, as with anything, you have to find what works for you. The same goes for how you spend these breaks. I’ve suggested some activities which aren’t likely to be helpful, and made a short list of some which I think are. These activities are fun and flexible, so can be fit into any revision plan or done spontaneously.
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t happens to us all. After the stress of January exams, it’s hard not to take your foot off the gas and relax a bit in term time. But all too soon the work not done, lectures missed and seminars half-listened to start to snowball.
The ‘holiday’ period becomes an intensive study session, with all thoughts of relaxation out the window
Epigram / Ellie Brown
With the dreaded revision season now upon us, Ellie Brown tells us how important it is to make sure you take frequent revision breaks!
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1. Get creative The sheer joy of making something new, brought to life by the skill of your mind and body, is hard to replicate. More active than passive forms of entertainment, getting creative is great partly because of this sense of achievement, although it’s easy to fall into the trap of criticising what you’ve made, especially if you’re a perfectionist. Don’t! It’s about the process, not the product. You could write a poem, paint a picture or work on a larger project like a short film. You could even bring creativity to your studies, for instance making a model or poster of something you’re learning about. If creating alone isn’t your thing, groups such as Student Body in Mind run relaxed workshops in the Living Room which are free to join. 2. Move around Although the weather has been lovely recently, it’s likely you’ll be studying inside and sitting down. This isn’t great for the mind or body, so it’s good to get up and go outside if you can. You don’t have to do much. Walking to the shops for ten minutes is enough to get your muscles working and heart rate up. Plus, the fresh air and lack of distractions
can be a relief. If you’d rather stay inside, doing chores, cooking dinner and baking all count as they involve moving around. It doesn’t matter how small the exercise is, as long as you do some! 3. Interact with others The last and most important one. Studying is almost always an activity done alone, unless you regularly meet up with other people as part of a revision groups. Even then, you’ll probably do quite a bit of work in silence, like reading and making notes, and discussions will be focused on work, depending on how disciplined your group is. There won’t be much opportunity to feel close to others. Yet this is vital for our wellbeing. So, use revision breaks to check in with loved ones, such as friends, family or pets if you have them. Have a laugh and keep the essays and exams in perspective. Work will seem much easier then.
Ellie Brown Sociology and Politics, Second Year
Part-time summer jobs in Bristol
Staying in Bristol over the summer? Student loan not cutting it? Deputy Living Editor Imogen Rogers tells us about the jobs on offer in Bristol this summer
Child-minding This may not be the first summer job that springs to mind, but they can be really enjoyable and rewarding. As the summer holidays hit, many families are looking for people to care for their children whilst they are at work and keep them entertained until they return. If you are good with kids, or have worked with them before, this is a great option. It often helps if you have a car with you at Bristol, but it is not always a necessity. You generally get paid pretty well and you have your evenings and weekends free! Bar Work Working behind the bar is not for everyone but if you enjoy chatting to people, have an outgoing personality and are prepared to deal with difficult (see: Drunk) customers then this is the one for you! If you prefer to have your days free, and work at night, then bar work is a good option, although they often require you to be pretty flexible. If working behind a bar at a club or pub is not your thing, or you do not want to be working so late into the night, then you could combine bar work with waiting and find a role in a restaurant. Mbargo, Lakota, Zero Degrees and Wahaca are all currently looking for bar and floor staff.
leadership and communication skills. Energy Kidz Ltd at St Werburghs Primary School are looking for ‘Play Leaders’ over summer, great for enthusiastic and fun individuals (with a lot of patience)!
Epigram / Imogen Rogers
Many of you, for whatever reason, will choose to stay in Bristol over the summer. Sadly, your student loan will probably not tide you through all four months and so getting a part-time job over summer is a great way to save money but also to meet new people. When looking for summer jobs in Bristol, I recommend the website Indeed.co.uk, you can also set alerts to tell you of any recent job vacancies that may suit you, and a lot of them are suitable for students. Here are a few ideas to get you started, as well as some current vacancies around Bristol!
Retail Working in retail gets a bad reputation- yes you have to put up with customers, complaints, long hours and working on weekends- but it is also gives you great customer service, communication skills and commercial awareness (yes you can put that on your CV), and of course, that much earned retail discount! There are currently part-time positions at Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Superdry, Wilko and Primark all in Cabot Circus. Summer Camps Working at a summer camp does not have to be abroad, various camps around Bristol run during the school summer holidays and so it is one of the best jobs for students. They are a great way to gain experience working with children as well as to strengthen your sports,
Bristol Museums If you already have a part-time job or are not looking to make money, then volunteering is a great alternative. The Bristol Museums offer short- and long-term volunteering roles where you can learn new skills and see what it takes to work in a museum. They offer a wide range of opportunities including research, visitor engagement and even a railway volunteer. Volunteering is a great activity for university students, it can help boost your CV, give you experience in employment and lets you make a difference within the community! Check out their website for more at www.bristolmuseums.org.uk. Charity Shops Another volunteering role is working in a Charity Shop. Bristol is full of them and they are always on the lookout for help! You can often work as little half-a-day a week, so they fit neatly alongside other jobs and commitments. They also provide retail experience – interacting with customers, stocking shelves, cashier training- all without having to face working in the nightmarish Cabot Circus. You can choose a charity that means a lot to you, making your time spent even more valuable, and another perk is that you get first dibs on any great items that come in! Oxfam on Cotham Hill is currently recruiting.
Imogen Rogers Deputy Living Editor
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Editor Laila Freeman @lunchingwithlaila
Deputy Editor
Online Editor
Olivia Critoph
Nicole Abou-Abdallah
Epigram Food 2018-19
@epigram_food
My time in Bristol in Food FoodEditorLailaFreemanreflectsonherthreeyearsatBristolandalltheamazingfoodthereistobehad When I picked Bristol University, I did not know about the abundance of cafes and restaurants that this city had to offer. Now, one month before leaving, I am trying to pack in all my favourite places and don’t even know where to begin. In Bristol I have discovered so many of my favourite cafes and restaurants, yet I still know that there are so many more that I have yet to try.
Epigram / Laila Freeman
By Second Year, not only did I thankfully have the freedom of my own kitchen - and thus an escape from the daily Quorn stew I had endured the year before - but I was also ready to explore all that Bristol had to offer. Beets and Roots on Cotham Hill soon became a firm favourite of my house - their trademark buddha bowl is incredible. We tried a lot of brunch restaurants that year, with a particular highlight including Primrose Cafe in Clifton Village. As we lived relatively far out - at the top of Whiteladies - Second Year was definitely the year of the takeaway. We soon found our favourites: Chai Pani for an Indian and Chan’s Chow for a Chinese. We also found our absolute least favourite: Dragon Fountain, which we had during our 24 hour History exam and was arguably worse than the essay that we had to write.
Epigram / Laila Freeman
Instagram / boscopizzeria
Then there was Third Year. This year, we have been absolutely determined to make the most of our last year at Bristol. Although this has fallen away a bit, with the increase in deadlines and essay stress, at the beginning of the year we introduced house meals out once a week. This was an amazing way to truly acquaint oneself with the Bristol food scene. We discovered several places on Cotham Hill - my personal favourite road for food - such as Convivio and Falafel King. We also had an amazing meal at Clifton Thai at the end of First Term and cannot wait to go back there soon.
Epigram / Laila Freeman
Having catered meals meant that I did not venture that far into the Bristol food scene in First Year. Of course I paid a good few visits to Boston Tea Party - a classic that will forever be in my heart - and also sampled some other local cafes that were to become favourites, such as Pinkmans Bakery on Park Street. I also discovered Bosco Pizzeria on Whiteladies Road where I went with my flat for my nineteenth birthday. Unfortunately though, I was not that ambitious and am ashamed to say that I still opted for chains such as Pizza Express on the rare occasions that I did go out for dinner.
Epigram / Laila Freeman
My time in Bristol, food wise, started poorly. To put it politely, I personally found that catered halls did not suit me. While I have heard that the meat options faired better, as a vegetarian I found that there was very little variety. After all, there are only so many days that you can eat Quorn stew for dinner; and only so many names that said Quorn stew can be given before it becomes apparent that it is, in fact, the same meal every time.
Turning twenty one this year has also meant that we have sampled our fair share of ‘occasion’ restaurants. I went to Lost and Found which opened earlier this year for my twenty first, whilst we have also been to The Florist and The Botanist for others, which were all equally lovely. However, Bristol’s food scene does not have to be classy to be enjoyable and so it would be wrong not to mention the concerning number of Donnavans consumed in broad daylight by my house, for example after a pub quiz and even after a society meeting. Conversely - and seemingly controversially - Taka Taka did not win our hearts and so was far from a key feature of my diet, having only been there twice.
So, how would I sum up my Bristol food experience? Over the last three years I have come to discover that Bristol has some of the best independent cafes and restaurants on offer. Being gluten and dairy intolerant, eating out can sometimes be quite difficult, but in Bristol I have rarely found a restaurant that is not well catered to dietary requirements. Unfortunately , the plethora of good food on offer has resulted in a simultaneous desire to pack in all the places we have yet to try and to revisit all of our old favourites. So, this is looking to be quite an expensive term - not least because I will probably have to buy a whole new wardrobe in a clothes size up once I am done. There are so many reasons why I will be sad to leave Bristol. The food is definitely high up on that list.
Laila Freeman Food Editor
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Bristol’s best sun traps
Seasonal eating for summer
NicoleAbou-AbdallahreviewsthebestplacestoenjoythewarmweatherinBristol
There is no better way to spend a sunny bank-holiday than being out in the sun with a Pimm’s in hand, or even an ice-cold shake. Check out these swanky out door seating areas around campus when trying to decide where to catch the hottest rays.
Zerodegrees This is a very cute microbrewery/restaurant found on Park Row. It has a cute terrace which overlooks the Christmas Steps, and even offers student discount on their drinks! If you fancy paying this place a visit on a day which does not fall on a bank-holiday, they also have lots of drinks deals, meaning you can taste all of their beers for a fraction of the price.
Laila Freeman shares the final installment of theSeasonalEatingseries Although slightly prematurely, the recent surge in clear skies, light mornings and rising temperatures has got us thinking towards summer. Summer: no exams, holidays, and… foremost, the final instalment of the seasonal eating guide that Epigram Food has produced throughout the year. So, what is in season in summer? Summer is all about cool fresh foods. As temperatures get warmer, this is what the body naturally craves. Fruits and vegetables along with good old water, of course - are essential in order to stay hydrated. Luckily, there is great variation in what is available so you will never be bored.
The Epiphany Cafe
Instagram / Zero Degrees
99 Queen’s road This is a small cafe, just out of the way from Victoria Rooms. It offers a range of drinks, from ice-cold frappes to wine and spirits. The outdoor patio is large enough to accommodate big groups of friends, and the staff are all extremely friendly (even towards dogs)!
For those of you who associate summer with salads, you are in luck: loads of vegetables are in season. Pack your salads with carrots, cucumber, watercress, peppers and broccoli, which are all grown fresh during July and August. Why not add some prawns or tuna too?
Colston Arms You can spend the whole afternoon here in the beautiful and rustic beer garden, located on a road just off St. Michael’s Hill. This cute and quirky pub offers lots of board games that you can play while you sip a cold one and catch the rays! Epigram / Laila Freeman
Instagram / Colstan Arms
Epigram / Laila Freeman
A low-key yet gorgeous cafe, found inside the Royal West of England Art Academy, is a beautiful terrace seating area which is great for people-watching. It is strictly a cafe, meaning no alcoholic beverages are served. However, the coffee here is one of the best I have tasted in Bristol.
How about for those with a sweeter tooth? If you are someone who turns to fresh fruits to snack on, an abundance of healthy produce is grown during the summer. Fruits such as apricots, cherries, raspberries, strawberries and peaches are in season, with blackberries and melon making a slightly later appearance in July.
Nicole A.A. Online Food Editor
Laila Freeman Food Editor
Recipe: Chicken and Chorizo tagliatelle NicoleAbou-Abdallahsharesthiseasyandtastyrecipeforasummerydinner
What you will need: 2 cans chopped tomatoes 1 onion 2 cloves of garlic 4 chicken breasts 1 ring of Chorizo Tagliatelle (recommended portion of 3/4 nests per portion) A teaspoon of olive oil Tablespoon of tomato puree Grated Parmesan to serve
Method: 1. Chop the chorizo into slices and fry in a hot pan with olive oil 2. Allow to sizzle and wait until juices begin to run from the chorizo and it turns brown 3. Dice the onion and add to the pan 4. Once the onion has browned, dice some garlic and add to the onion and chorizo 5. Chop the chicken breasts into large strips and add to the pan. 6. Allow to fry for 7 minutes until cooked inside (no longer pink) 7. Add one heaped table spoon of tomato puree and stir in 8. Add the chopped tomatoes and allow to simmer 9. In a separate pan, boil some water and cook tagliatelle to the packet instructions and drain 10. Combine and serve with grated Parmesan or cheese of choice
Epigram /Nicole AA
This is a quick and easy dish which will satisfy your meaty cravings in under 30 minutes. It is hearty and produces plenty of portions to get you through the week!
Nicole A.A. Online Food Editor
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epigram / The Croft 13.05.2019
Epigram Style 2018/19
Get involved: University of Bristol’s Charity Fashion Show George Eatøn, Production Editor of UoB’s Charity Fashion Show explains how you can get involved with this exciting opportunity
Apply now to be involved in what is set to be the most exciting event next academic year. The show promises to be one of the highlights in the social calendar and most importantly, will be supporting a local charity. Check out the official Facebook page for all the roles.
Image Credit/ Instagram, @adwoaaboah
Image Credit/ Instagram, @Jameela Jamil
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nspired by the success of other student led charity fashion shows: Durham, St Andrews and Fuze to name a few, it’s time for Bristol’s very own. The show will champion and provide a platform for local designers, student designers as well as bringing exciting brands. With the venue and charity still to be released there’s plenty for the committee to do. There really is a role for everyone, even if you’re not that into fashion.
George Eaton, Second Year History of Art
Revision Attire! Stylish and comfortable- some of Bristol’s best revision looks Anna Kell, 2nd Year
Gabriella Guselli, 2nd Year Long-lasting, nice fitting, stretchy black Joni jeans from Topshop with a loose-fitting Brandy Melville black top. Cute.
Light and summery, blue jeans £20 from BS8 with a black belt and a white top £3 from Asos. Jemima Carr-Jones, Deputy Editor
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13.05.2019 The Croft / epigram
How to wear tie-dye: The hottest Spring/ Summer 2019 Trend
Style Sub-Editor Laura Mallinson talks us through her styling tips for the standout trend of the season and how you can fully embrace this vibrant flare of colour
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his vibrant noughties trend takes me straight back to summer holidays as a child 3)Jeans and a nice top? begging my mum to let me tie-dye every one of my white t-shirts. The process is Want to spruce up your go-to ‘jeans and a nice messy and unpredictable, and the result: an top’ vibe? Go tie-dye for an injection of energy that unapologetically handmade explosion of revitalises those blue Levi’s jeans. colour. Excellent. If you’re looking to brighten up your dull revision filled days or simply eagerly awaiting getting your festival wardrobe primed and ready, then you’ll be welcoming the return of our multi-coloured friend.
Here’s one of our favourite tie- dye items from Zara, in store now for £39.99
4)Mix it up!
Yes, revision season makes us all want to curl up into our comfiest clothes, and I bet one of your housemates Tie-dye is often associated with tops and dresses but will ask if their PJ bottoms are acceptable library attire why not experiment with your bottom half? A striking but alas, those grey days can be instantly sparked up. pair of tie-dyed white or stone washed jeans will create Bring a smile to the ASS by pairing your black joggers an instant wow factor and bring a new edge to the trend. with a statement T for a zap of tie-dye colour. This wardrobe banger is made for easy fashion.
Blazers are also a key trend this SS19 season and bringing tailored lines alongside the free-flowing tiedye is sure to make an impact. Pair your handmade tie-dye tops and shirts with a structured blazer or pipe-line trousers for a powerful contrast and an unexpected twist. Laura Mallison, Style Sub-Editor
5) A pop of colour! If you fancy adding some colourful surprises into you day-to-day then tie-dye accessories are the way. Socks, headbands and scrunchies are all staples that can be zapped with the tie-dye mood. Cropped jeans, tie-dye socks and your battered stan smiths are going to look ace.
If all else fails, make your own! All you need is some dye (we recommend dylon), some marble, a few hairbands, and a blank slate! And an easy to follow tutorial, of course.
Image Credit/ NobodysChild
2)Juxtaposition
Image Credit/ Topshop.com
1) No more grey days!
Image Credit/ Zara.com
This time around, tie-dye is having the high-end stamp of approval and not just the ‘I-made-this-infive-minutes’ look as London’s catwalk exploded with these enticing spirals of colour. Since then, the highstreet retailers have been giving us tie-dye galore. So, if you’re not the messy hands-on type or simply want a quick fix into the tie-dye hype, then the Spring/ Summer high-street has got you covered. So, with tiedye coming from both high-end and handmade how should we style this bundle of fun?
We’re loving this playsuit from Topshop. Available to purchase online for £49.99
Our favourite however, is these Nobody’s Child Black TieDye Rib Flare Trousers for £26.00
Louis Vuitton has removed MJ-inspired clothing range In the wake of Dan Reed’s documentary ‘Leaving Neverland’, which details Wade Robson and James Safechuck’s accounts of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch, Louis Vuitton have decided to pull pieces from their SS19 men’s collection inspired by the pop icon. The harrowing two-part documentary aired on Channel 4 on March 6th and 7th and has divided public opinion since its release. The Jackson Family have denied the claims made by Robson and Safechuck. The Fashion Industry is certainly not new to controversy, as earlier this month Burberry faced backlash after showcasing a hoodie with a noose around the neck. These recent controversies demonstrate the significance of social issues within fashion. Since the emergence of the #MeToo movement - which was sparked by the exposure of the culture of Hollywood sexual exploitation in late October 2017, attention to the issue of sexual abuse has intensified; notably seen in the recent R. Kelly documentary and the validation of rumours that have existed for years surrounding the R&B singer. Streaming giant Spotify has even removed R Kelly from its playlists. Louis Vuitton seems to be following in the footsteps of big brands in eradicating alleged-abusers from mainstream reception. However, is this another case of fake ‘Woke-Capitalism’- do brands truly care about the issue of sexual abuse - do they care more about an ensuing PR crisis and the economic success of their brand? Why was ‘Finding Neverland’ the turning point for Louis Vuitton
when allegations initially rose surrounding Michael Jackson during the 1990s? Furthermore, is the inspired collection condoning sexual assault or is it simply an appreciation for the craftsmanship and the visual artistry behind these iconic costumes? After all, ‘Thriller’ is the bestselling video tape of all time and it seems a drastic action to remove all traces of the icon, who played a massive role in pop culture. Virgil Abloh, the designer of the collection released a statement that read ‘My intention for this show was to refer to Michael Jackson as a pop culture artist’. Even today, controversial icons such as Woody Allen, accused by his adopted daughter of sexual abuse, continue to have films produced and aired.
diversity and the rise of the plus-size model. Fashion is so entrenched in our everyday lives that the issue of Michael Jackson is one we shouldn’t ignore and brush under the carpet of politics. Is it possible to separate art from artist, appreciating their art but not their morality and is it possible to have a spotless figure of admiration? Perhaps, the issue lies with the deification of people who are simply human beings and our shock when the illusion of perfection is suddenly shattered.
On the other hand, surely it is a positive sign that influential brands, such as Louis Vuitton, are willing to pull collections and respond according to the social climate, to influence their audience to show respect towards the victims of sexual abuse. Surely, the paedophilic nature of the allegations and the abuse detailed in ‘Finding Neverland’ make the sacrifice of this menswear line a small price to pay to demonstrate sensitivity in the current climate. The fashion industry has already started to make positive steps towards social change, with the growing inclusion of
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Interview with Student Travel Tips Amelia Edgell-Cole interviews Alfie Laurence about his new website, Student Travel Tips, to find out what inspired him and how the site is helping people across the globe.
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here are you currently located? What are you doing on your year abroad?
I am currently in São Paulo, Brazil for the Portuguese part of my year abroad. I study Spanish and Portuguese and wanted to do a split of South America and Europe so not only could I make the most of the Erasmus funding but also nip back to England to see some friends from September to Christmas and then make the big move over to South America for their summer. I chose Valencia as I love being by the sea and I wasn’t sure Barcelona and Madrid were for me, and studied at the university there. It was a really good experience, very unorganised at times but I made a great group of mates who I’ll stay close with for sure. In terms of making the most of speaking Spanish, it wasn’t the best; I definitely improved hanging out with Spanish friends in our block, but not as much as if I had taken the plunge and gone to Latin America. Going to Brazil was the best decision I’ve made this year, the Brazilian culture is amazing and I’m loving the fast pacedness of Sao Paulo. I arrived just in time for carnaval, which was certainly a good ice breaker with all my new friends out here. My job here is working as an intern at a Portuguese language school called Aprenda2. Alongside being a student in the classes, I help run the social media and events during the week, such trips to a museums or happy hour at a bar. They also trained me to teach English three days a week so I’m doing that on the side to earn a bit of money - plenty of things to put on my CV! What’s the idea behind the Student Travel Tips website and how did you come up with it?
On February 17th, I was on the phone to my mum feeling very grateful for the support the people around me had given me to get settled and right there and then I bought the domain www.studenttraveltips.co.uk. It does what it says on the tin and I think it’s pretty catchy! The site is more than I could ever have imagined. It’s growing every day and has now opened up to more than just year abroad students to an advice site, which will cater for gap year students, exchange students, people just generally seeking first-hand advice on places around the world. Let’s be honest, we don’t really want to stare at Lonely Planet for hours planning routes you’ve seen in online blogs. What kind of information/ guidance does the website offer? The site is split into a few sections. The destination drop down menu offers you all these different countries around the world and takes you to a more general information page with websites on where to live and how to go about the accommodation process, how to travel around the city in the cheapest and most efficient way possible and money advice. The site also has a testimonials menu which, in my opinion, is the best part. Every city on the website has at least one student who is either currently there or has been there in years prior. We have over 40 destinations on the page now so there’s lots to choose from. This allows students to have a read of what students have done in these places and offer the best advice and recommendations for the city. The testimonial pages have questions such as ‘Where did you live?’, ‘How did you find it?’, ‘What did you do?’, and has information on all the best places to go out clubbing, eat on a student budget, excursions, how to make the most of the city and day to day tips on staying safe. All of this information is advised by people who have spent at least 6 months in these destinations so the advice is certainly better than what TripAdvisor have been paid to advertise! There is also a media section which in time will become a space where people can send photos, podcasts, videos they’ve made for
have helped me massively in getting it looking the way it is, along with some friends helping me set up the Instagram and Facebook pages and general tidy ups.
What differentiates Student Travel Tips from other travel blog sites is that it’s specialised; the information on the site is specific to students in these places right now. It allows future students and young people to relate to these people and feel relaxed before the big move abroad. Travelling anywhere, especially on your own and to somewhere you’ve never been is always going to be a daunting process; this site ensures people feel relaxed and look forward to their trips. It’s certainly a work in progress and I believe that it could be a resource that could help students for many years to come explore new places, do lots more things and come back from incredible adventures with more advice to pass on.
What have been your personal year abroad highlights?
How do you compile the information? A lot of sliding into people’s messages, to be honest. I shamelessly messaged around 150 people, at Bristol and elsewhere asking if they’d be willing to write something for this new site I’m creating. I created a template that’s easy to fill out and it’s actually quite enjoyable reminiscing over your time away and offering others your tips. I had no past IT knowledge but with a lot of trial and error, the site gradually took shape whilst being out in Brazil and it is exactly the way I wanted it to look, but better. What’s been the general response to the website? Have people been willing to contribute/ given good feedback?
Instagram/ studenttraveltipsuk
The vision behind Student Travel Tips was simply to offer a platform for students yet to embark on a year abroad or gap year to seek all sorts of advice on what to do, where to stay and guidance towards other useful websites and resources. Tips on nightlife, food and excursions as well as vital information on transport and budgeting from people who have experienced the country first hand. In the run up to my trip here I’d been speaking with my friend Lucas about São Paulo before coming out here. He gave me so much advice, and I felt as though it was only fair to create something so people could benefit as much as I have from having people around me who had been there years previously.
people to enjoy and relate to on a personal level - it’s just a bit of creative fun really. It’s currently just got some of mine and my friends Spotify playlists on!
The launch was absolutely phenomenal. So far in 3 weeks, we’ve had over 3,000 visitors in 52 different countries! I think having a supportive network of friends - Not only friends in the UK but in Spain, Brazil, US, China - was very important getting it spread. The response has been mainly positive! People saying that it’s a very useful site which people can use and contribute for many years to come. I’ve had lots of constructive feedback which I’ve immediately taken on board and put straight into the site, such as separating all money and accommodation advice to their own sections so they’re easier to locate, beginning to branch out to other countries etc. The contribution from my friends, and people I don’t even know, has been amazing. The most common phrase I get is ‘wow I wish I had this before I came out here!’ which is great - hopefully there will be less of that with the site now! How have you found it managing the website alongside your year abroad studies/ work? Fortunately with my internship in Brazil, I finish work around 3pm. The work environment is very relaxed and they allow me to stay in the school and get on with the site. Student Travel Tips has become my addiction! Over the last six weeks I’ve been working on it every day. Some days i’ll be trying to sleep but so many ideas are coming to me and I end up staying up until 4/5 in the morning on it trying to get it ready and slick as quickly as possible, whilst not trying to take down the site to make these changes! My mum and my brother
Very good question. My personal highlights in Spain were just having the best time with my friend Marc and the other ‘chavales’ out there. We became such a tight group of friends, going to football games, being on the beach right through until November and the daily bocadillos and cortados at the local cafe. I wouldn’t change a thing about Valencia. I’ve only been in Brazil for seven weeks or so but I’d say Carnaval was definitely up there with one of the best experiences in my life. I also really enjoy life in SP and the fact that I am living with 30 people in a big student house has also been a highlight for me. Meeting and living with people from Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil has not only meant I can practise my Spanish with the Latinos but also have a big social circle to help me whenever I feel lonely. A year abroad has its highs and lows that’s for sure, you’ll have times where you’ll only meant I can practise my Spanish with the Latinos but also have a big social circle to help me whenever I feel lonely. A year abroad has its highs and lows that’s for sure, you’ll have times where you’ll feel alone and may not have that close friend nearby but you’ll get through the tough stages. I’m also very grateful to have my friend through the tough stages. I’m also very grateful to have my friend Michaela here with me as well. What’s been your favourite part of starting the website? I think it’s got to be reading everyone’s stories. Some of the people I don’t even know, so reading about their trips to Guadalajara in Mexico or even Phuket in Thailand is great. Not only is it so interesting to see what people in my position are up to but also all the knowledge of these places that I can benefit from when I decide to go out there in the future is fantastic. I’m learning so so much every day and even if I was to end my year abroad tomorrow, I’d be satisfied with the things I’ve learned and skills I can take on with me for later life. Fortunately I have another three months to enjoy Brazil and even travel to Chile and Argentina using all the tips on the site! Do you have any tips for students embarking on a year abroad? Absolutely. I’d say take a plunge with some places they may not be considering. Brazil over Portugal is a huge one - I cannot recommend Brazil enough. I’ve picked up so much Portuguese and have made contacts and friends out here from all over the globe. The Erasmus crowd is something I’d avoid; although you can have the best time, it doesn’t force you to speak the language as much as being in South America or Guadeloupe for French, for example. Also with the Brexit chaos, studying in Europe might not be an affordable option so have a look at the website and consider new places. See it as a year of experience for yourself. There will always be nights to go back to in Bristol but avoid FOMO - you have the opportunity to live in a foreign country(ies) for a whole year. Make the most of every minute. What’s next for the website? There’s lots in the pipeline at the moment and I’m very excited to get it all up eventually. We’re expanding to Australia, Asia, Canada, Japan, China, the US and so shortly people will be able to get the tips for these places also. More for the non language students I think. I’m working on creating Student Travel Talks which will be a podcast series speaking to students and travellers I know that have great advice for young people embarking on new adventures. The rest of the future plans I’ll have to keep quiet for now but this isn’t a short term project - I plan to continue this well past university, for sure. There are infinite possibilities with this website so watch this space! Huge thank you to everyone checking out the website as well as the Facebook and Instagram page, and also to people passing it on. Hopefully by September it will be a name many students know of and can resort to it for advice. After all, you’d much rather take advice aimed at someone aged 21 than a 60 year old professor, wouldn’t you?
Amelia Edgell-Cole Travel Editor Alfie Laurence Third year, Spanish and Portuguese
epigram / The Croft 13.05.2019
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Farewell from the editors!
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Amelia Edgell-Cole Travel Editor
Epigram / Jemima Stafford
Amelia Shoebridge Online Travel Editor
Valetta, Malta’s capital, has an atmosphere unlike anywhere else, and as the cool of the night throws a shade of relief across the city (where
“Their gelato is so good that I would wake up from very surreal and vivid dreams where I was churning my own” temperatures in the summer months rarely drop below 30 degrees) locals can be found down side-streets of crumbling, towering Baroque buildings, drinking and playing chess. From the Upper Barrakka Gardens, you can take in harbour views, and Valetta’s cityscape, which has earned it the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounding the gardens are myriad bars, where live music can be heard ricocheting off the narrow streets until early morning. Malta was the European Capital of Culture last year, and as you might expect, there are plenty of beautiful churches and art galleries to visit, with St John’s Cathedral having the only signed work and largest painting by Caravaggio.
Culture and cuisine Because Malta stayed under British rule until 1964, when it gained independence, English is the main language spoken. The island is still heavily Catholic, which can be seen through the numerous festivals hosted throughout the year, like the Maltese Carnival, which takes place in the week leading up to Ash Wednesday. Malta’s rustic cuisine is made up of Italian and English, as well as French and Spanish, influence. This means you will find a lot of diversity, but mostly fresh seafood and pasta dishes. Apparently, it is a cultural must when visiting Malta to try ‘pastizzi‘, which is basically pastry fried with ricotta cheese. Also, their gelato is so good that I would wake up from very surreal and vivid dreams where I was churning my own, weeks after trying it. Pastizzi and gelato may single-handedly be the cause of Malta’s position as the most obese country within the European Union. Beaches If you’re a beach snob who seeks out Bali-style stretches of untouched white sand you won’t necessarily be disappointed. However, the real charm of Malta’s beaches lies in the sundry selection of natural rock pools, and Malta’s rugged coast sees to it that the azure waters can be accessed via protected lidos and lagoons. Beach babes take note: many of these beaches are difficult to access, requiring your own car, and several have no facilities, so bring your own accoutrements. Of recommendation: (rocky) Peter’s Pool, Blue Lagoon, Ghar Lapsi, (sandy) Paradise Bay and Golden Bay. Malta has the holy trinity of holiday wants, whether visiting as a group, with a significant other, or for solo travel — beautiful beaches, amazing food, and great nightlife. Just don’t eat too many pastizzi or you might find Ryanair trying to charge you extra for body Unsplash / Reuben Farrugia
I’ve loved editing all our wonderful writers’ work this past year. You have inspired me to travel to many new exotic and unusual places. Where I am most looking forward to going to this summer is India and Nepal which I will be visiting as part of a university trip. I will be going to India to take part in a global leadership conference and I am volunteering in Nepal working in rural communities.
Cities and towns
Outside of Valetta, must-see places are Mdina, the ancient walled city, which is a beautiful and timeless exhibition of Baroque and medieval architecture, and Gozo, the stunning sister island (thought to be Calypso’s island of Homer’s Odyssey). Sliema is Valetta’s somewhat less attractive neighbouring town, but it makes up for it with the long beach promenade from which you can see the capital from across the water. Sliema is surrounded by rocky beach, and upon the rocks perch vibrant bars and shacks that turn into buzzy clubs at night.
Epigram / Jemima Stafford
Rachel Evans Deputy Travel Editor
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first visited Malta last summer, because a friend is lucky enough to live there (top tip for forging lasting friendships: make it useful), and I still feel strongly that it is one of the most underrated places in Europe. I hadn’t really heard about it as a holiday destination beforehand, and having a local show you around gives great insight into how to avoid the tourist traps and get the most out of your trip. I can’t imagine anything sadder than going to this beautiful, culturally diverse island steeped in rich history and falling into the trap of traversing from scuzzy bar to bar, full of English tourists, in a style not dissimilar to your standard Benidorm experience. To the concern of locals, towns like Paceville are receiving influxes of English tourists looking to party, and often these crowds aren’t the nicest. Not to slate the cheap and boozy holiday — but with so much natural beauty, and such unique cities, Malta deserves a different approach.
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I knew at the start of the year that this time would come, and now sadly it’s here. Being the Deputy Editor of Travel for Epigram has been an awesome experience, and I’m so sad to be leaving. Thank you to everyone for all your support, from amazing article submissions to just picking Epigram up and flicking through. It means so much to us to know there are people out there reading our articles and appreciating the work. I am so lucky to be able to say I’ve had an amazing team, and the people taking over next year will be equally as fantastic. Travel is something that I absolutely love so I hope to be able to carry on doing it now that I have to enter into the adult world! This summer I’m heading to Japan for two weeks to do a tour of Honshu which will hopefully be amazing. I’m hoping to snap up some last minute deals and head off on some shorter European breaks before I start working as well. Once I’ve saved up, it would be amazing to go and travel the world for a longer period of time, so that is my goal. I would absolutely love to head over to the Americas. I hope you all get the chance to keep travelling!
Fried cheesy pastries and stunning beaches your kind of thing? Then you’ll love Malta. Jemima Stafford tells all
Epigram / Jemima Stafford
ow time flies when you’re an Epigram section editor! It seems like only last week we were writing our ‘hello from the editors’ to go in the first issue of this year’s paper, and now one Christmas formal, thirteen issues and many coffees later we’ve come to the end. I’ve loved editing the travel section this year, not only because I’ve gotten to work with a fabulous team, but I have also had the chance to read some amazing travel stories and pick up some great tips I’m sure I’ll take with me when I graduate. After a summer of working at home and holidaying in Menorca, I’ll be heading off to Chendgu in China for a two-month internship - something I’m ridiculously excited for and haven’t stopped talking about. From there, I plan on travelling around China, hopefully visiting Beijing and Shanghai, then on to Hong Kong and Tokyo. If I’ve still got enough money I’m then hoping to do the typical Southeast Asia ‘Gap Yah’ route and head to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam…but I haven’t planned that far ahead yet! I’ll be sad to say goodbye to Bristol, my home for three years and one of my favourite cities, but I’m sure I’ll be back. Best of luck for the next travel team!
Maltese Dreams
Jemima Stafford Second Year, English
15
13.05.2019 epigram / The Croft
A Gran(d) Canarian Adventure Anna Stephens shares her experience adventuring on the largest of the Canary Islands
Along haphazard paths and roads we came home with the afternoon sun painting the path ahead of us gold. My flat skater shoes allowed me to bounce from brick to brick, and our skin glowed in the fading light. The way was paved with adventure. Sometimes the road simply ceased to exist, and choices of pavement became endless: steep hills between houses, ragged stone walkways and the rocky grassy space in between. This is Galdar, the seaside town in the province of Las Palmas, where colourful square houses rest in clumps on
Epigram / Anna Stephens
the horizon beneath a backdrop of misty volcanos. We arrived in Gran Canaria with few pre-conceived expectations. I mostly knew that I was going to spend my birthday somewhere close to where I was conceived 22 years ago (Ghana, Africa), amongst the chaotic warmth of Spanish culture.
At some point, we decided to turn left down a small grassy lane inbetween half-built houses to avoid the rest of banana road. The first thing we saw was a herd of goats at the end of the lane staring us straight in the eye, and a small dog fearlessly running towards us with his tongue lolling out of his mouth. It would be impossible to try to pinpoint the owners of all the various strays we met along
This is true for what is probably my favourite road in the town; featuring bars and small shops, it slopes gently uphill towards the plaza and is lined with lanterns which give off an orangey glow and curve inward towards the road. The plaza is a stunning feature of the town, backed by a wide flat stone church, surrounded by tall palms and cute apartments. To pass the town I practice rolling my ‘r’s, so I can at least communicate a bit with the Gran Canarians without sounding so ridiculously British. It feels frustrating at times, as if my mouth just wasn’t made that way, but a good helpful technique is to stick your tongue out of your mouth and blow into it. Also repeating words like ‘actriz’, ‘tres’ and ‘incredible’ until they become nonsensical and your tongue takes on a life of it’s own. Even if your ‘r’s still aren’t rolling together at the end, at least you can laugh at yourself. As we begin to near our small village, which consists of colourful houses and mosaics, and rests on a cliff jutting out to sea, the beautiful blues of the sea become visible. The sea here is vibrant with its own colour: flawless white waves crash one by one against the coast and vibrant blue, green and turquoise colours show the sea as surreal in its beauty and power. The force of the sea overpowers any other sound. This place will be remembered by its crashing waves, adorable strays, rocky paths and colourful houses built wherever one feels like... because that’s Gran Canaria! Info: Gran Canaria is the largest of the Canary islands in the African archipelago. Somewhere between Africa (geographically) and Spain (culturally), it is unique in its chaos. The island’s name derives from its original inhabitants the Canarii people, who made
Epigram / Anna Stephens
There are no tower blocks or tall buildings in sight and this makes the view appear endless, providing the feeling of space and freedom. We walked towards the sea between tall brick walls, either side of which lay a huge banana plantation, so every now and then dark leaves peeked over the stones above us and we saw clumps of vibrant green banana’s and the dark pathways between. Every path appeared mysterious to me in this place, and occasionally an open doorway would give sight of a steep set of mosaic stairs calling to be explored, with no explanation of what lay ahead. A feature of the island appears to be an incredible lack of urban planning, so there is no sidewalk for pedestrians on the banana road and cars come swinging round the corner honking their horns or swerving out of our way. However, this makes for many opportunities to hitchhike, and we made good use of this when we had to carry eight-litre bottles of water back to make up for the filtered sea water which came of the tap.
the road. On this island, anything goes. Goats on the road? Why not! “Lets build a house right here, on this rock!” “LETS PAINT IT PURPLE!” I imagine a local might say. Life is chaotic in every way. Inhabitants lounge outside of houses, peer off balconies or chatter away in Spanish slang, unafraid of making noise. There is little room for rules or order, yet somehow everything just about fits together remarkably, despite it all. We reach a road of matching pastel-coloured houses with picturesque lanterns - so maybe it is not fair to say there is no urban planning, there is definitely ‘coloured planning’!
their way here over the seas from North Africa around 500 BC. The Canarii, or ‘Guanches’ as they are otherwise called, named the island ‘Land of the Brave’, and it was later given the epithet ‘great’ by the fifteenth-century Spanish colonisers.
Anna Stephens Third Year, History
Alice Oliver provides a round up of some of the best things to do in Bristol over the summer
B
ristol in summer is a glorious site, filled with busy g r e e n spaces, beer gardens and a great range of events. Unfortunately for students, May and June, whilst beautiful, are mostly filled with studying, exams, stress and dissertation blues. Staying in Bristol for the rest of the summer, however, offers the unique chance to get to know the city at its best, without the everyday pressures of uni life. Flickr/ Richimal
F
rom our small apartment next to the sea, we walked to the town of Galdar and back every day along dusty roads dotted with wild cacti and vegetation.
Summer time in Bristol
Sunny days in Bristol are in a league of their own. The city’s pubs offer a joyous range of beer gardens, from the riverside tables at The Apple and King Street Brewhouse, to the bustling pavements of Gloucester Road at The Blue Lagoon and The Gallimaufry, to the upper deck of Under the Stars. As for green spaces, top spots for sunbathing or just enjoying the sunshine with pals, the Downs offer vast expanses of greenery, perfect for large group gatherings, picnics, a jog, a game of hide and seek, or even just for lounging around reading. Brandon Hill and College Green, whilst smaller, offer those living closer to the city centre a chance to enjoy the weather surrounded by greenery. Cabot Tower is a great place to stop for stunning views of the city’s rooftops. For something a bit further out, Arnos Vale, a Victorian Cemetery in Totterdown, is a hidden gem within the city. The Garden Cemetery hosts 45 acres of greenery, offering woodland trails, guided tours and a café. For days out in the city, Bristol Lido in Clifton is open for public swimming from 1pm-4pm Monday to Friday - though at £20 for three hours use of the pool, sauna, hot tub and steam room, it’s likely to be a one-off visit. For a more affordable day out, head down to the harbour to catch one of Bristol Ferry’s boats for a completely new perspective of the city. The ferries run every day except Christmas and day tickets cost only £6.60, allowing you to hop on and off between pub stops, museum visits and shopping trips. For something a bit different, Windmill Hill City Farm in Bedminster is home to farm animals and community gardens, offering a slice of the countryside even amongst the urban sprawl. Whilst aimed largely at children, the farm is worth a visit for anyone interested in sustainability and community projects. The farm includes a ‘zero-mile café’, which aims to source as much food as possible from the farm itself. Staying in Bristol or summer also offers the chance to experience one of the city’s most iconic events. The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta takes place this year from the 8 – 11 August at Ashton Court Estate, promising displays of over 130 balloons from around the world, as well as trades stalls, fairground rides, fireworks and ‘nightglows’. The event is completely free apart from car parking, making it perfect for students who already live nearby. As for other events, Bristol Shakespeare Festival takes place throughout July, hosting a number of his most famous plays as well as several fringe events across the city. Elsewhere, the last weekend in August sees the return of Summer Screens at Bristol Zoo Gardens, offering evening screenings of both recent (Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody) and classic (Jurassic Park) films at £15 per head.
Alice Oliver Fourth Year, French and Portuguese
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Film & TV
Editor: Patrick Sullivan Online Editor: James Turnbull Deputy Editor: Luke Silverman Deputy Editor: Nora Gunn
Photo courtesy of HBO
Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad prove the power of shocking deaths
Second Year, Liberal Arts
T
he two shows that defined my entry into TV drama viewing were Game of Thrones (2011-2019) and Breaking Bad (2008-2013), premiering within three years of each other. They both helped kickstart the current thirst for great TV drama, and the potential for large-scale streaming services. Though they are quite different genres, both have high body counts and deal with significant deaths inventively. Warning: this piece contains spoilers, but nothing from the current Game of Thrones season! Game of Thrones discussions often centre around who has died, who will die, who killed whom, who will come back to life, and how all this will affect the plot. The cycle of life and death - which is often disrupted - has been a major driving force in the show and deaths often hit ‘Hardhome’ - sorry, home hard. When it comes down to it, despite its fantasy setting, the show kills as mercilessly as the real world, albeit not always in real world ways. Especially in the first few seasons, it was compelling that, in Westeros, death was always just around the corner - and that nobody was too important to be immune. While it does deliver cathartic deaths of the villains we expected e.g. Tywin’s (Charles Dance) classic toilet bound demise and Viserys’ (Harry Lloyd) iconic golden crown; where it `has truly excelled has been in the unexpected or banal deaths of characters who have grown familiar or whom we simply do not expect to die. As the final season takes place, it is important to remember the shocking precedent set by the execution of Ned Stark (Sean Bean), the show’s main protagonist - and the highest billed actor - within the first series. This iconic, wrong-footing
death completely confounded its audience, and crucially allowed many of the events in the rest of the show to be set in motion. Further, his death freighted the actions of other characters with danger, they might be just as expendable. An episode later, we see another main protagonist Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) willingly walk into fire; with Ned Stark’s death hot on her heels, the moment carried so much weight as we didn’t know if the series would kill her off just as easily. Game of Thrones’ memorably less rigorous application of the death sentence later in the series may be argued to have undermined the sense of tension that this initial callousness set up. The murder - and resurrection - of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) seemed to stem from a need to facilitate a number of plot elements. Firstly, to provide another emotional and shocking death scene for the audience, but also to provide a means for him to break his oath to the Night’s Watch which states that: ‘It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory’. Given that Jon subsequently needs to take up his position as Lord of Winterfell - and who knows, maybe in the end the King of the Seven Kingdoms?
- and have some love interests, this is quite a pressing issue. However, although it is a show that still kills off important characters, the sense that absolutely everyone is at risk has been significantly reduced. Breaking Bad is premised on Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) cancer diagnosis, viewed sometimes in the show as a kind of ‘death sentence’. The show approaches death in a similar way to Game of Thrones in that it is often doled out in a visceral ‘real world’ kind of way - there is disease as well as murder, though the villains do not hesitate to kill. However, it’s the cathartic deaths when character’s villainy demands it, or where it is needed to provide a satisfying ending to a character arc, that provide the really memorable moments. The most iconic deaths illustrating these cases are surely those of Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) and Walt. Gus’ death in the episode ‘Face Off’, not only delivers on shock value with the double bluff of him walking out seemingly unscathed before the reveal of the other side of his body, it also brings the audience a sense of twisted justice - while Walt is also by this point a villainous character, Gus is somehow worse still and we still root for Walt to prevail.
Photo courtesy of AMC
These two shows are landmark examples of how TV can ruthlessly kill off characters Laurence Boag-Mathews
“The cycle of life and death which is often disrupted - has been a major driving force in the show”
“It was ultimately a satisfying finale, especially due to the hype surrounding it”
Furthermore, the event is extra satisfying for plot development and the development of the characters involved: Walt’s involvement and his single motive being victory over Gus rather than attempting to save more lives or vengeance on behalf of victims mean this murder becomes a critical point in Walt’s descent into total moral corruption. Walt’s demise seemed for many a poetic and fitting end to the series. It was ultimately a satisfying finale, especially due to the hype surrounding it, and the difficulty to please the huge audience that the show ultimately drew. As Walt’s cancer was the trigger for the events of the series, we knew that it was always a possibility that he would die. It has been described as one of the greatest television endings of all time - the show comes full circle in that the finale and the pilot both take place on Walt’s birthday who can forget the iconic veggie bacon 50, possibly the best mid life crisis symbolism in screen history. The audience was satisfied with our ‘goodies’; Skyler (Anna Gunn), Jesse (Aaron Paul), and Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte) getting their best possible endings given the circumstances. However, there’s also a sense of final satisfaction for Walt himself. He has been able, to an extent, to choose how he goes out, rather than let his disease or another character determine his fate, which delivers the undercurrent of moral ambiguity central to the show. These two shows demonstrate the power death can have as a plot point in a TV setting. Breaking Bad’s use of Walt’s death as a tool of suspense, choosing to end the way it did allowed the creators to maintain the weight behind death in the series, it was not a clear cut good defeating evil. On the other hand, Game of Thrones could be accused of literal overkill in its early seasons, leading to the deaths becoming less impactful later in the series. The genius of Game of Thrones was its breaking away from the clear cut dichotomy of heroes versus villains that we expect from fantasy. We have yet to see if it can pull off a finale that delivers on the peril established in earlier series that made it so refreshing when it began.
13.05.2019
epigram
Film & TV 35
Are Hollywood endings too cliché?
Getty Images / Donaldson Collection
In the 20th century, romantic endings were the trend but now films have turned to realism Louie Bell First Year, Geography
I
t’s the part of the film we can quote: ‘Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown…’; where we cry: The Green Mile (1999); where we fall in love: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994); and where we’re just left without words: The Usual Suspects (1995). The endings of the best movies bring out our deepest emotions, spark debate and are often the lasting memory we have once we leave the cinema as the credits roll. But given the obvious attraction of leaving the audience wanting more, why do so many films subscribe to the same old ‘Hollywood Ending’, where the two lovers unite, where the villain is defeated and the world saved? Film historian Richard Maltby theorised in 2003 that the happy ending was used as a ‘re-establishment of order’ whereby the audience would understand that all the behaviour on screen would ultimately not push the limits set by ordinary society and would ultimately have no consequence. In effect, they reinforce the status quo, bringing justice, peace and rewards to who deserve it, reaffirming what the audience expects and conforms to. Beginning with the ultimate and most common happy ending: the romantic ending. The two lovers share the long-awaited kiss, the score swells and sweeps as they unite before walking/driving/limping off into the sunset. Some of the most memorable endings of this kind include Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), The Graduate (1967) and even films
“The endings of the best movies bring out our deepest emotions, spark debate and are often the lasting memory we have once we leave the cinema as the credits roll”
that aren’t focused primarily on the romantic relationship between two protagonists such as Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt (1943). It’s well documented that various productions in film history have been subject to deep divisions between the screenwriter/ director and the production company’s vision for a film’s ending. Breakfast at Tiffany’s was such a production where a happy and romantic ‘Hollywood ending’ was added contrary to its source material, Truman Capote’s 1958 novella in which there was no romantic affair whatsoever. Such divisions over the film’s ending are not limited to romantic or mega-budget films Terry Gilliam’s legendary feud with Universal Pictures’ chairman Sid Sheinberg over his 1985 masterpiece Brazil is such an example. Universal executives wanted a more cheerful ending and enforced significant cuts without Gilliam’s knowledge as they believed the original finale would alienate audiences. The dispute reached such intensity that Gilliam took out a full-page ad in Variety magazine that simply stated ‘Dear Sid Sheinberg, when
are you going to release my film, BRAZIL?’. The film was eventually released as it was intended to be after it won Best Picture at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Gilliam’s quest for artistic integrity versus the studio’s determination for a pleasing ‘Hollywood Ending’ demonstrates the conflicting attitudes to cinema that forged a new vision of story, character and message. Rather than a cheerful ending rich in warm, upbeat messages to reinforce ‘good’ notions about the world, films that challenged the expectations and tolerances of the audience began to emerge and have risen in number ever since. Whilst they still provoke thought, they do so with greater negativity, tragedy or even ‘realism’ whereby the romanticism and idealism of Old Hollywood goes down the drain. Such a shift in films has led to the greater inclusion of individuals, groups and stories not before seen in the cinematic world. Through the adoption and acceptance of negative or tragic endings, the experience of those who have been marginalised,
oppressed or discriminated by society in the past can be shown to audiences who may have never considered or learnt about such experiences. Consider this: would Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight (2016) ever have been able to be made in the 1980s or ‘90s? If it had, what kind of effect would an overwhelmingly positive ending have on the integrity of the story, and the experience of millions of people whom the film is supposed to represent? Even historical stories can be subject to criticism about their remotely positive endings. Famously, director Stanley Kubrick responded to Schindler’s List (1993) by saying that ‘The Holocaust is about 6 million people who get killed. Schindler’s List is about 600 who don’t.’ The future of cinema remains to be seen. How will movie endings change as time progresses? Will they continue to move ever closer to the harsh truth of our world, abandoning all idealistic escapism that used to attract cinemagoers? In essence: will good triumph over evil as it always has?
Editors’ Picks
IMDb / Miramax
IMDb / Paramount Television
Photo courtesy of BBC
IMDb / 20th Century Fox
For our final issue as the Film & TV team, we celebrate the Farewells which left us blubbering
Patrick Sullivan
Luke Silverman
James Turnbull
Nora Gunn
Editor
Deputy Editor
Online Editor
Deputy Editor
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Doctor Who - ‘The End of Time’ (2009)
Frasier - ‘Goodnight Seattle’ (2004)
Good Will Hunting (1998)
I love a finale which leads to speculation, strongly hints at an outcome but leaves the slimmest chance of alternatives. The late William Goldman’s script offers such. The titular outlaws dream of a quieter life in Bolivia, but face an inescapable situation with the army of their very nation of hope. They crouch behind a wall, greatly outnumbered. It’s here when Butch (Newman) suggests Australia instead, enjoying a last plea to his sceptical partner-in-crime (Redford). Instead of the inevitable shootout and deaths of our beloved duo, we get a freezeframe and gunfire noise. We now can always speculate on their potential survival, despite the real life counterparts being buried in unnamed Bolivian graves. That’s the beauty of cinema, as well as final lines such as: ‘Good. For a minute I thought we were in trouble.’
‘I don’t want to go’, the iconic last words uttered by David Tennant, one of the greatest Doctors of all time. It is safe to say that we did not want him to go either but saying goodbye to Tennant as the much beloved British character was made easier by how brilliant the two part episode was. The episode also served as the farewell to the longtime showrunner and executive producer Russell T Davies, who stepped away from the role afterwards. The episode focuses on the aftermath of The Master’s (John Simm) devious plan, turning everyone into copies of himself. With the help of all the usual faces that we have come to love, the doctor is able to save the day. The entire cast is on-point and the end of the episode will leave you wishing you never had to say goodbye to the Tenth Doctor.
The final episode of Frasier is far from perfect, and repeats mistakes made so often in the show’s later seasons. However, as the tone shifts and turns reflective, ‘Goodnight Seattle’ evolves into the perfect finale for Frasier’s journey. Six months after the end of classic Boston-based sitcom Cheers (1982-93), which spawned this successful spinoff, Frasier moved to Seattle, seeking solitude and tranquillity – and finding neither. But as the series nears the end, and those closest to him have moved on to more, he knows what he needed all along was family and community. That sombre realisation spurs Frasier’s brave choice in the show’s heartwarming twist ending. And so, as I sign off from Epigram and think about life after university, I’ll sign off with Frasier’s final words: “Wish me luck.”
Not only does this film star the late Robin Williams, it also stars a gorgeous young Matt Damon as a troubled maths genius. So far so good right? Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the film was originally intended to be a thriller, but producers encouraged the writers to focus more on the relationship between Will (Damon) and his therapist, Sean (Williams). Through this, the film is able to discuss issues of elitism in education, mental health and trauma. But that isn’t why I picked it. I picked it because it has possibly the most epic farewell in cinema. Sean gently coaches Will, who’s past has left him with a fear of emotional pain. The audience sympathise, while also tearing their hair out as he rashly dumps his girlfriend Skylar (Driver). However, Will rejects the corporate offers thrown at him and drives cross country ‘to go see about a girl’.
epigram 13.05.2019
36 Film & TV
TV’s most memorable final episodes Blackadder
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-96)
The Sopranos
(1983-89)
(1999-2007)
Photo courtesy of NBC Universal
These four shows were iconic during their run and finished with high impact Leah Martindale
Seinfeld
(1989-98)
Seinfeld is arguably the most famous sitcom ever, running for an impressive 180 episodes, with #179 and #180 comprising the two-part ‘Finale’. With the final episode racking up 78 million live viewers, it certainly holds its weight amongst historic finales. ‘Finale’ hinges on the gang being arrested in a strange town for disobeying a morality code. When on trial, miscellaneous fan favourites from previous episodes come to testify against them. This episode, indubitably a stage-wink to the audience, drew unexpected, mixed responses. Decades on, articles titled ‘Why the Seinfeld finale still sucks’ still permeate the internet. People feel angry, betrayed, describing the episode as a cop-out or a preachy moralistic plot twist after twohundred episodes of miscreant behaviours. But love it or hate it, it is undeniable in my eyes that at the very least, the Seinfeld gang got their just desserts.
I can’t write an article on best endings without mentioning the agony that ensued when Blackadder Goes Forth’s final episode hit our screens. There are iconic lines I can’t think of without a tear springing to my eye - ‘Thank God! We lived through it! The Great War, 1914 to 1917!’. Blackadder’s penultimate lines encapsulate how the show was bittersweet: ‘Whatever it was, I’m sure it was better than my plan to get out of this by pretending to be mad. I mean, who would have noticed another madman round here?’ The series was undeniably funny, desperately British, and entirely ridiculous, but more than any other Blackadder series it was real. The audience sat and watched their favourite characters go over the ‘big push’ knowing they never made it home. Like millions underprepared, scared, brainwashed young men, they were lost to the Earth, with big shots like Melchett miles behind them in his smoking jacket. The episode is arguably TV’s finest, wrapping up a series so neatly and so sadly it deserves pride of place on this list.
HBO / Will Hart
W
e know all good things must come to an end, but why our favourite shows? From Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s (2015-19) live performances of iconic songs to How I Met Your Mother (2005-14) - justice for Tracy! - TV has a history of divisive finales.
Photo courtesy of BBC
Third Year, Film and TV
The 89th The Sopranos episode ‘Made In America’ marked the end of an era. The drama follows the Soprano family, headed by Italian-American mobster patriarch Tony Soprano. Balancing family life and high level crime, the show manages to shoehorn a surprising amount of comedy and relatability into a situation unknown to the majority of audience members. The episode also managed to garner an unexpected amount of controversy. The final sequence, after Tony has been in hiding, made deals with the FBI, and tried to reconcile with his family, shows a doorbell ringing, Tony looking up, and the screen cuts to black. A cliffhanger to rival The Italian Job (1969), the finale has left folk wondering for over a decade. As annoying as it is - and there is no denying that the niggling suspicions and half-answered questions are annoying - there is something masochistically impressive about a series finale that leaves you with an eternal unanswerable question.
“The episode is arguably TV’s finest, wrapping up a series so neatly and so sadly it deserves pride of place on this list”
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for six seasons with 148 episodes, 2 Aunt Viv’s, and millions of laughs. The sixth season saw many changes: Carlton moved away to Princeton; Hilary and Ashley moved to New York; Geoffrey returns to England to be with his estranged son; and in the penultimate episode Vivian and Philip reveal they are selling their Bel-Air mansion to follow their children to New York. Will stays in California to continue his studies alone, as his engagement to Lisa has by this point fallen through twice. The Fresh Prince was no stranger to sadness. From Trevor’s darkly comical, tragic end in a bungee-jumping accident to Will’s iconic ‘How come he don’t want me?’, the show knew how to play to the moment and tug at the heartstrings. The show’s ending, with the family coming apart and the house slowly emptying, lacks the painful poignancy of some other episodes, but leaves the audience with a bittersweet taste that is everything the series deserved.
Fleabag’s finale is the perfect example of how TV endings should work
Many shows try to please audiences with happy endings, but Waller-Bridge resists Caitlin Danaher Third Year, English
Photo courtesy of BBC
P
hoebe Waller-Bridge’s succinct 12 part series, Fleabag (2016-19), ended in hilarious and heartbreaking fashion. Whilst the dust has settled and we can maybe listen to Alabama Shakes’ ‘This Feeling’ on public transport without uncontrollably sobbing, the effects of the ending, equal parts melancholic and hopeful, are still reverberating. Collective hearts broke when Sian Clifford (Claire, Fleabag’s highly-strung sister) announced that this season of Fleabag would be the show’s last. As the final episode aired, Twitter became an assortment of sorrowful lamentations: What will Fleabag do next? How can we live without her? Did Claire and Klare (Hillborg) reunite in the Boots of Terminal 5 over a pair of tweezers?! Whilst the romantics among us may have felt initially deflated when Fleabag’s love was rejected by The Priest, it can’t be denied the conclusion given to us is the most fitting for Fleabag. As Andrew Scott’s Priest asserts in his heart-rending speech about love: ‘It takes strength to know what’s right.’ By withholding the traditional ending from the audience, Waller-Bridge
courageously opts for the poetic rather than anticipated, not giving us what we wanted, but what her troubled protagonist needed. At a family gathering last weekend, the conundrum of Fleabag and Priest dominated conversation. Even the most pious of my Catholic aunts and uncles were vying for the Priest to hang up his cassock and ditch the priesthood for a lusty life with Fleabag. Yet deep down we all knew this romance was doomed. That’s not to say, when The Priest says of Fleabag’s love, ‘It’ll pass,’ it isn’t any less of a sucker punch. The acknowledgment of mutual but incompatible love is one of the most devastating TV moments in memory. Yet, in all its sadness, the ending given to us is the best possible conclusion. On Twitter, cartoon writer Zac Gorman stated: ‘If you were to draw a story curve, in general a happy ending is one where the characters
“Waller-Bridge courageously opts for the poetic rather than anticipated finale, not giving us what we wanted, but what her troubled protagonist needed”
end up better than where they started but really not too much better.’ Citing Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) as a failed ending, Gorman argued a successful finale lies in ‘the Evergreen Ending principle’, where the ending facilitates main characters to have an afterlife beyond the script, and the power over the narrative is transferred from the writer to the audience’s imagination. Many TV shows have attempted a satisfying ending, but inadvertently created something so at odds with the overall series tone, it reduces our previous experience of the show. For some series, this failure comes down to the inability to ‘quit while ahead’. Arguably, Sherlock (2010-2017) reaches its apex in Season 2 and struggles to progress once Sherlock’s nemesis Moriarty (the electrifying Scott again) is killed off. For Parks and Recreation, the show backs
itself into a corner when Leslie is expecting triplets, and the final season is set in the future to ensure she could get back to work and resume her comic capers. As one frustrated Twitter user made clear, the fierce optimism so essential to Parks and Rec and Leslie is arguably pushed too far in the end, losing the popular initial, small-town feel. With Fleabag, we are not given the ‘happy ending’ of a rom-com. The Priest does not give up his vocational calling for love. Nor, as the episode enters its dying seconds, do we see The Priest chase after Fleabag, having realised his mistake. Yet we also don’t see Fleabag walking broken-hearted towards more acts of self-destruction, as seen in the Season 1 finale. In The Priest, Fleabag finally meets her equal. He sees past her attempts to distract from the ‘screaming void inside her empty heart’. The Priest’s recognition of her deflection means Fleabag confronts this. With her final wave to the camera, the audience, privy to her witty observations, self-deprecation and grief, are left behind as she overcomes her devastating guilt. Gorman argues: ‘A real happy ending is knowing the characters are going to be okay. That they’ve finally found a little bit of balance and ended up better than they started.’ Whilst we may not have been ready to say goodbye to her, we can be comforted in the fact that after all her hard times, Fleabag is finally going to be alright.
Arts
epigram 13.05.2019
@epigramarts
Editor: Alina Young Online Editor: Gabi Spiro Deputy Editors: Anna Trafford and Livi Player
@epigramarts
Poetry in Motion: the student night out Since everyone has become chained to their library desks and the taste of alcohol just a distant memory, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to recreate a classic Bristol student night out through the humble haiku...
Organised Fun
“See you inside”
Ring of fire, oh god I can never waterfall What is this nonsense - Tatiana Dowley, Third Year Arch & Anth
Pleasure Seeking
Friend of a lifetime Made in the queue of Lola’s Never seen again - Ethan Luc, Chief Proofreader
3.48* Uber Rating
Sweaty and grimy An outlet for hedonism Bass and sound ring out - Hannibal Knowles, Third Year Geography
Thursday Night Pilgrimage
Can we use the aux? We’re going to sing ABBA Far, far too loudly - Anna Trafford, Deputy Arts Editor
Gospel
Cig break in Brass Pig. The shimmering lure pulsates Anyone for Bargs? - Jonny Bound, Third Year Biology
I went Triangle Course I got a Donervans Taka Taka shit - George Gill, Third Year History
Forgotten ID
On the voyage back to Stokey B
Is there any chance I could use my nectar card? I swear I’m 18 Abel Magwitch, First Year Criminology
Cab swerved suddenly Is vodka coming back up? “Please pull over — now!” - A Wretched Wretcher, First Year Medicine
Beef
Coming down
Elbow in the back Half-glimpse of a darkened face Send an elbow back - Ethan Luc, Epigram Chief Proofreader
It’s already 5 Afters are overrated Wanna sleep; please leave. - The Host, Second Year Philosophy
Sister Solidarity
The morning after
Epigram / Cassandra Lek
Met my new best friend In sticky Lakota loos Thanks for the lip balm - Alina Young, Arts Editor
Get me out of here, Severely dissatisfied Walk of shame #ragrets - Jeanette Moon, Second Year Economics
An Ode to Sports Night
Berocca and an Ibuprofen
Three blue VKs please Why am I dressed as a cow? Thursday is ruined - Flora Whyte, Third Year Geography
“Why am I dressed as a cow?”
Hangovers and tea Catching up on the gossip Laughing in friend’s bed - Barely Alive, Third Year English
The morning after the night before: the domestic student
The student experience in snaps and screenshots A truly candid perspective on a fresher’s experience at Bristol University, Tabitha Gammer’s photo exhibition is a welcome alternative to Instagramworthy snaps
T
abitha Gammer’s New Series is an original insight into life as a student in Bristol. As a student herself, Tabitha’s artwork comes from a place of understanding, and is consequently extremely relatable to many studying in Bristol. It is difficult to classify Tabitha’s work; a mixture of screenshotted messages, candid photographs of friends and images of Bristol itself, the exhibition captures fragments of first-year life just as it happened: with no frills or filters. For example, one photograph simply depicted a plate with potato smileys, peas and fish fingers, a classic school dinneresque meal many of us have eaten in our time at university (and rightly so: potato smileys are the best). What makes Tabitha’s work stand out is a complete lack of pretention: unlike many YouTubers and Instagrammers who use social media to portray student life as moving from one perfect moment to the next, this
“It’s always about turning something dark and traumatic into something beautiful”
exhibition showcases the realities of what it’s like to find your feet in a new city. My favourite photograph from the exhibition is a simple shot in theory: two construction workers on a rooftop. Despite the scenario seeming generic, there is something so characteristically ‘Bristol’ about this image that it made me stop and take a closer look. I was reminded of the constant drilling that emanates from the under-construction Arts Complex, and the recent work done on the Fry Building. I realised just how much construction and re-construction is part of what we see and hear on campus; an inescapable part of the university experience itself.
Epigram / Yasmin Inkersole
Second Year, English
Epigram / Yasmin Inkersole
Epigram / Yasmin Inkersole
Yasmin Inkersole
Among these images, several screenshotted Facebook messages stood out in the exhibition, revealing genuine and personal conversations. These refreshingly honest messages were at some moments funny, at others more serious. I found it surprising to see such a message as part of an art exhibition. It felt as though someone had trusted me with their phone and I’d discovered something that I wasn’t supposed to see, and I realised how rare it is to find the difficulties and tensions of student life on public display. At once, thoughts of the isolation and loneliness that many students experience in their first year came to my
mind, reminding me of the mental strain it takes not only to relocate but to start an entirely new phase of life when one is often still a teenager. The power of artwork such as this is that it does not only make you recall past experiences with nostalgia and gratitude, but brings to mind the difficult moments in which being a new student was scary and sometimes lonely. This candid representation of student life in the arts made me feel welcomed and understood, as well as allowing me to reflect on being a fresher with a smile. Tabitha Gammer’s ‘New Series’, @ Deanery Road Vestibule, 29 April - 3 May
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38 Arts
Study break with a cultural twist Fancy a quick library break? We take you on a tour of everything the RWA has to offer Third Year, English
D
walls. Their coffee is outstanding, and the food that is locally-sourced and seasonal also ticks all of the boxes. I can particularly recommend their delicious toasties! And for a quick hit of sweetness their cakes are a delight. I love the dark chocolate and poached pear friand, maybe because it is slightly frosted with edible glitter. Whether you’re wanting a quick coffee break, or a catch-up with a friend between revision, the Epiphany is the waiting revelation. Sadly, it’s not open on Mondays. For some art to go with your latte-art, the gallery has several exhibitions at the moment, and all are free entry with your U-Card. The exhibition ‘Gaudier-Brzeska: Disputing the
“I felt transported back to my carefree primary school days. Definitely a creative and easy-going breathing space”
Epigram / Abigail Alltimes
uring exam and essay season leaving the library to clear your mind, eat some food, grab a coffee, or simply getting some movement back into your body is hugely important. Yet, the dread of being absent long enough for someone to poach your library space limits your options. Even deciding between the same three uninspiring cafes becomes repetitive rather than refreshing. The Royal West of England Academy, or the RWA, is the perfect retreat for either a fiveminute coffee, fifteen minute browse or an hour lunch break. Situated beside Beacon House, the RWA is only a few minutes’ walk from the University study areas and offers refreshment of both the caffeinated and creative kind. The Epiphany cafe, recently voted in the top 50 coffee shops in England by Big Seven Travel, offers seating inside, outside or upstairs on a balcony overlooking the Victoria Rooms. So, you can either soak in that south-west sunshine, or relax inside with the cooling tiled
Instagram / rwabristol
Instagram / theepiphanyrwa
Abigail Alltimes
Earth’ features sketches, abstract sculptures and cubist drawings from the artist a century after his time spent in Bristol. The exhibition showcases the artist’s interest in the natural world, particularly his observations of animals and birds. I appreciate how Henri GaudierBrzeska captures the distinct behaviours, bearings and movement of his chosen subjects. Even in the fantastical creatures, such as the sculpture ‘Mermaid’, Gaudier-Brezska has depicted and moulded their elusive and enticing character. Additionally, the RWA Sculpture Open Exhibition displays a variety of artwork. You can wander through the gallery and allow yourself to be drawn in by the various materials, colours and compositions. A great way to refresh a revision stuck mind; plus, visitors can enjoy responding and creating their own artwork in the Sculpture Lab. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with my friend whilst using pritt-stick, cardboard, masking tape and split pins - I felt transported back to my carefree primary school days. Definitely a creative and easy-going breathing space. These exhibitions run until the 2nd of June, so exam season is covered. And coming up is the gallery’s Secret Postcard Exhibition running from 4th-15th May; showcasing anonymous submissions from professional artists such as Tracy Emin, Ana Maria Pacheo, Christopher LeBrun and many more!
Our honest guide to Bristol’s arty spots After a couple of years as editors of the Arts team at Epigram, we’ve learnt a few things about the venues - here are our truthful opinions Alina Young Arts Editor
Anna Trafford Deputy Arts Editor
Bristol Old Vic Let’s be real – going to this place makes you feel like you’ve made it. You rub shoulders with adults that look well put together and cultured, sip red wine by the metallic bar, saunter upstairs into a theatre that looks lifted out of the West End. Its swish architecture and interiors have been given a facelift lately, and now that it’s reopened: man does it look good. Think glass, exposed brick and red lighting, blended with original features from Bristol’s oldest theatre. 9 out of 10 plays that we’ve seen here have left us blown away - this place is genuinely first class.
The Wardrobe Theatre
Two words: Edgy Shakespeare. If this place does one thing, it’s taking Shakespeare gems and turning them upside down and shaking them about. Look out for the English Department’s own Shakespeare don Laurence Publicover at the season’s opening nights. It’s in the round, too - classic - except with a grungy, underground, industrial feel. Even if you have no idea what’s going on, we promise you’ll have something to talk about over a craft pint, as this theatre is not afraid of taking some risks. Shows here are reliably high quality, making it a solid favourite among our team - if only TFT was within walking distance!
Spike Island If you’ve got to impress your effortlessly alternative date, this is the place to take them. The contemporary art is conceptual enough for you to make up endless pretentious interpretations on the spot, and it’s far enough from Uni to affirm your ‘I just like to get out of the bubble’ image. Having said that, the gallery regularly delivers truly quality blockbuster exhibitions - in 2017 Lubaina Himid had a major show there, and Spike Island was right on the contemporary pulse as that same year she won the Turner Prize. While the exhibitions can be a bit out there, they never fail to be thought-provoking. Best of all, they’re free, so you’ve got nothing to lose!
Arnolfini This monolithic stalwart of the Bristol arts scene occupies a prime position on the harbourside and boasts an atmospheric
cafe bar and cracking (if slightly overpriced) bookshop, stuffed full of off-the-wall titles. The gallery’s artistic offerings, however, have been somewhat disappointing in our time here. In 2017, the blockbuster Grayson Perry exhibition captured our hearts and minds, but since the exhibition’s finish in December there’s been little else of interest. Luckily, the event space isn’t totally going to wastethere’s the odd talk, spoken word night or music event, and it’s been Raise the Bar’s new home since September. We thought this was an art gallery, but now we’re less sure what the vision is - perhaps a vague “Arts Space”. We’ve got our fingers crossed for them to blow us away again sometime soon.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery A heavyweight of Queens Road, this is a two-in-one kind of affair where the exhibits are a mixed bag of the weird and wonderful. Beyond the exquisite central hall - think ‘atmospheric Victorian grandeur’ - are a maze of galleries that take you through geological artifacts, taxidermy animals, Bristol’s archaeology, Eastern ceramics in glass cases, to name just a few of the exhibits. Some of these feel a bit dated, and the taxidermy is rather creepy (although perhaps the collection is impressive?) but nonetheless the museum is undoubtedly charming. Their permanent art exhibits in the upstairs galleries are underrated - the rarely busy Victorian art room is a space of tranquility where you can take a pause with ‘La belle dame sans merci’.
RWA As you can probably tell from the article above, we are a little bit in love with the RWA. Of the arty venues within easy walking distance of Woodland Road, RWA can be counted on most to provide top quality on a
budget of £0. We were pleasantly surprised that an exhibition as prestigious as Albert Irwin — the UK’s answer to Jackson Pollock — was brought right to our doorstep earlier this year. The open exhibition can be hit and miss but with artworks covering virtually every surface, there’s bound to be something that floats your boat. Insider tip: check out Wriggle for some irresistible deals at the Epiphany Cafe on the bottom floor.
Martin Parr Foundation “Even if you have no idea what’s going on, we promise you’ll have something to talk about over a craft pint”
A near-newcomer to the Bristol arts scene, this unassuming gallery space aims to showcase British and Irish photography in the legacy of Martin Parr - one of the UK’s most significant living documentary photographers. We must confess it isn’t in the most accessible place; it is housed in essentially one room in the Paintworks complex in Arnos Vale (we hadn’t heard of it either). But, for photography fanatics, we’re sure the trip out there will be worth it for their extensive library of British and Irish photobooks.
Instagram / victorlirio
In all honesty, this place is pretty damn far away. And as Bristol’s buses aren’t the most convenient in the country, get your walking shoes on and be ready for a trek. Once you get there, though, it’s the haven of fringe theatre that you hoped it would be. Comedy is excellently suited to its cosy studio space, and they’ve always got reams of upcoming quirky shows we tag each other in with the best intentions of going (although don’t always make it).
Tobacco Factory Theatre
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Arts 39
How to creatively wreck your notes Welcome to our procrastination station. This stop is origami making. Repurpose your revision notes into cranes, and set your exam woes free
STEP ONE:
STEP TWO: Fold in half. Open it up, flip it and fold in
Cut whatever piece of paper you’re using into an exact square and flip it so that the blank side is facing up.
half again.
Miriam Szlezinger Second Year, English
STEP THREE:
Make sure that the side with the writing is facing up and then rotate 45 degrees so that the corner is facing you.
STEP SIX:
STEP FOUR:
Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner to make a triangle. Open triangle.
Fold the two front flaps into the centre line, then flip and repeat
on the other side.
STEP FIVE:
Pull sides in so that the two side corners meet at the bottom corner and flatten. It should look like a squashed frog/flower bud.
STEP SEVEN:
Open folded flaps, fold down triangle at the top (fold only until the baseline of the triangle).
STEP EIGHT:
Unfold triangle. Lift bottom corner of the open square right up over the line, opening the shape and flatten. Repeat this whole step on other side.
. .
Epigram / Livi Player
STEP NINE: Fold the edges of both long front flaps into
STEP TEN: Fold both long ‘legs’ up, then unfold both and inside-
.
.
centre line. Flip and repeat.
STEP TWELVE: Fold down both wings and pull the wings outwards to fill the middle bit with air.
reverse fold the legs.
STEP THIRTEEN:
STEP ELEVEN: Fold down the end of one of the longs bits to make a head.
Draw an eye on the crane’s face. Mine is cryingbecause he knows that I’ve been procrastinating. Here he is sitting on my unopened coursework books.
STEP FOURTEEN: To be really extra, purchase some origami paper and make funky cranes.
▣
Postgraduate open afternoons Explore postgraduate opportunities, meet current students and academics, and ask questions about postgrad life at Bristol and our alumni discount. April – May 2019
Book your place today: bristol.ac.uk/postgrad-visit
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Music
Editor: Alexia Kirov Deputy Editor: Joe Gorecki Online Editor: Bethany Marris @EpigramMusic
epigram_music
epigram_music
30 Years Special / The Best Albums of 1988/89
Leonard Cohen / I’m Your Man An unapologetically ‘80s album from Leonard Cohen sounds like it wouldn’t work: his arrangements are often at their best when distantly punctuating his rich poetry. I’m Your Man proves this wrong, however, justifying Cohen’s keen adoption of the synthesiser and drum machine. The album features some of his best mid-career hits, including the driving, apocalyptic ‘First We Take Manhattan’ and the iconic ‘Tower of Song’, Cohen’s, cool rumination on song-writing, aging and legacy. The first thing I ever wrote for Epigram was Leonard Cohen’s obituary and since his death, I’m Your Man is an album I keep coming back to: As enigma-filled as any in the Cohen back-catalogue, I’m Your Man is a confident portrait of a songwriter in his prime. Joe Gorecki, Deputy Music Editor
R.E.M. / Green An album full of existential dread for the imminent destruction of the environment and a raging authoritarian in the White House sounds like it could have been released yesterday but R.E.M.’s Green isn’t just an album full of pointed political statements, it is also an album of a band at a crossroads. The album was their first for Warner Bros. and saw the quartet further build upon their early college radio rock sound – ‘Orange Crush’ remains one of R.E.M.’s guitar-led highlights – yet the band too began to embrace a more musically-varied and poporientated sensibility that would catapult them to superstar status. Tracks like ‘Stand’ bring out the band’s anarchic joy while album highlight ‘World Leader Pretend’ showcases Michael Stipe’s intense and thoughtful melancholy accompanied by a stellar set of string arrangements. R.E.M. would never be the same after Green and it remains a rewarding musical document of a band in flux. Joe Gorecki, Deputy Music Editor
James / One Man Clapping Could I really wrap up two years of Music editorial duties on anyone other than James? (If you know, you know). One Man Clapping is a live album recorded over three nights at the nearby Bath Moles club in November 1988; perhaps some of Epigram’s first writers were lucky enough to experience the historic gigs first-hand. CD copies of this indie charttopper - funded by the band on a bank loan - are notoriously hard to track down for a reasonable price. Thanks to YouTube, however, it is not hard to hear why this LP is so revered by fans. One Man Clapping captures the ebullience of the band in the decade before continent-spanning tours and TV appearances; if I could get one more person to listen to it, I’d consider my time as Music Editor a success. Alexia Kirov, Music Editor
Rory McLeod / Footsteps And Heartbeats In a decade of profound musical change, Rory McLeod bucked the trend to produce a hidden gem composed in the traditional folk style. Having released two solo albums prior, the ex-circus clown and fire eater gained little further recognition from his 1989 release. Songs combine intricate guitar and harmonica with personal and intimate lyricism. Despite his relative anonymity, McLeod has received recognition from a series of veritable sources: Texas Harmonica Champion in 1981, Street Busker of the Year at the Edinburgh Festival in 1985, and Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2002. McLeod’s technical ability is explicitly manifested in Footsteps and Heartbeats, and, using its compositional simplicity to its strength, the album showcases McLeod’s talent in such a way as to make the complex instrumentals accessible and infectious. A champion of the timeless troubadour style, Footsteps And Heartbeats sounds like it could’ve been released yesterday. Mark Parker, Second Year History
Tracy Chapman / Tracy Chapman
Morrissey / Viva Hate
In an industry spoiled with endless possibilities of sonic manipulation and sampling, Tracy Chapman’s eponymous debut remains a testament to the power of unpretentious folk and sincere lyricism. While still at college, Chapman penned the album’s opening track, ‘Talkin’ Bout a Revolution’. In true academic fashion, Chapman harnesses her introduction to set the tone of the record, drawing upon the ills of society through a lens of hope and a call for change. Alongside confronting themes of racial segregation, domestic violence and endemic poverty, Chapman explores the minefields of love and and romantic longing. Politically and sentimentally profound yet not one bit audacious, there’s no mystery behind this record’s colossal success.
1988 marked the release of Morrissey’s first ever solo album following The Smiths parting ways in 1987. Produced and cowritten by Stephen Street who also produced several of The Smiths’ albums, Viva Hate is distinctly Morrissey at his unapologetic best. The album contains some of his most wellknown solo songs including ‘Suedehead’ and the ever relevant ‘Everyday is like Sunday’, particularly prominent for any of us who have ever visited Clevedon on a rainy afternoon. The album showcases Morrissey’s prowess without Johnny Marr for back up. Despite initial scepticism preceding its release, it was well received and is still regarded as one of Morrissey’s best albums to date. For who else apart from Morrissey can call for Armageddon and make it sound ever so appealing?
Bethany Marris, Online Music Editor
The Stone Roses / The Stone Roses How many albums can claim to have one of the greatest guitar solos of all time while simultaneously also having one of the greatest dance anthems of the era? Yet with ‘I am the Resurrection’ and ‘Fools Gold’ The Stone Roses achieves just that. The dulcet tones of Ian Brown and the distinguished riffs of Ian Squire lay the foundations to a truly revolutionary album. Highlights include ‘Shoot You Down’, ‘This Is The One’ and the beautiful interlude ‘Elizabeth My Dear’. However, it is with ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ and ‘Waterfall’ that the uniqueness and brilliance of the Stone Roses’ sound best comes through. With Reni on the drums and Mani on the bass, the beautifully rocky foundations are propelled into Acid House. This unique concoction of the two genres launched ‘Madchester’ into the world’s consciousness. Alongside the Happy Mondays’ Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches a year later, this album changed the world of music for good. Nick Kramers, Third Year History
Katie Hubbard, First Year Geography
The Cure / Disintegratiom May 2nd marked exactly 30 years since the release of The Cure’s eighth studio album, Disintegration. The record showed a realised return to the dark, gloomy sound that the band had established some years before. It was the perfect antithesis after the release of more optimistic record, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. Smith’s sombre lyrics made their anticipated homecoming: ‘I think it's dark and it looks like it's rain’ he sings over the epic and dark arrangement of ‘Plainsong’, the album’s first track. Disintegration saw The Cure reach global success, gaining number three in the UK charts and peaking at twelve in the United States. It sold more than three million copies worldwide, the band’s best selling record to date. As an album Disintegration is an embodiment of the immersive and introspective genre of rock that The Cure had been fostering throughout the eighties: a truly unparalleled record. Francesca Frankis, Second Year History
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42 Music
‘The album started to form itself’:
In conversation with Maverick Sabre Epigram Music chat with Maverick Sabre about his ‘visual technique’, collaborations and his love for the hip-hop of today... Bethany Marris Online Music Editor
S
Chuff Media /
ince 2008, Irish singer-songwriter Michael Stafford has carved his artistic identity through avenues of Hip-Hop, Soul and R&B under the moniker ‘Maverick Sabre’. Stafford’s earlier work with the likes of Professor Green and Chase and Status are to be credited for his UK breakthrough, yet he’s most widely known for his critically acclaimed debut Lonely Are The Brave (2012) and sophomore record Innerstanding (2015). More recently, the artist has worked with names such as Rudimental, Jorja Smith and Joey Badass, although his last few years have been spent writing and producing for others. In March, following the release of singles ‘Into Nirvana’ and ‘Slow Down’, Stafford released his third album, When I Wake Up. Revealing the creative process behind When I Wake Up, Stafford explained that the album was conceived almost ‘by accident’ during a period of writing predominantly for other people. ‘I put making my own album to the back of my mind a bit, and in that process I kinda started to experiment more, producing beats and just making music for the fun of it’. It was through this that ‘the album started to form itself’. Stafford ‘slowed down’ his ‘behind the scenes’ collaborations, in turn making time to channel his creativity exclusively into his own project. Stafford proceeded to break down his technique of ‘writing to visuals’: ‘everything on the album was written to visual’, whether that be a ‘movie, music video or photo’. Stafford continued, ‘the visual technique is something that I’ve always used, I’ve been doing it since I was like twelve’. The difference this time, however, is that the vast majority of When I Wake Up was created ‘at home’. ‘It was always around me , I’ve got a small TV that played movies and music videos on a loop throughout when I was making the record.’ As a result of this, Stafford’s latest record is probably his ‘most personal’ body of work; from it being created in his living
room to ‘everyone working on it being friends and family.’ The artist disclosed that he’d even been ‘kicked out of a flat for making music’.‘I was in there for four years and I got kicked out for making tunes’. It quickly became clear that where possible, Michael chooses to undergo the album process alongside those whose work he knows inside out. ‘Being as hands on and bullheaded as I am in general, I had to trust people’. The artist’s proclivity for the familiar is also translated in his videos. Stafford was quick to assert that he’s ‘on every shoot of every video’, even those he doesn’t appear in. Acknowledging his luck, Michael explained that his friends ‘just so happen’ to double up as ‘awesome directors’. Furthermore, the only two featuring voices on the record are no exception to this trend. Stafford and Reggae artist Chronixx, who features on ‘Her Grace’, have been ‘working together for almost five years now’. British R&B star Jorja Smith also lends soulful vocals on the single ‘Slow Down’, painting a vivid image of a passionate relationship in turmoil. Michael tells that the pair have ‘been making music for years’ and ‘always will’. ‘Jorja and I are inspired by a lot of similar things’, ‘it’s just a natural connection’.
Towards the end of the interview, conversation turned to Stafford’s passion for Hip-Hop. On asking whether he’d consider producing a predominantly Hip-Hop record, the artist answered with unmistakable enthusiasm; ‘I’d love to. Love to do, love to do’. Sabre proceeded to reveal that once the album tour is complete, he’s got ‘two beat tapes ready just to put out for pure love’, further contemplating the idea of ‘sitting down with a rapper and producing a unique 10 track album with them’. In terms of who this ‘rapper’ might be, there’s an abundance of people Stafford would be keen to work with. These names include London based MC ‘Manik’, and Ruben Vincent, ‘a kid from North Carolina who’s part of the 9th Wonder clique’. Aside from this, we discussed the artist’s current Hip-Hop ‘go-to’ list, where he cited ‘the obvious ones’; Kendrick Lamar and J Cole, alongside British MC Loyle Carner. Stafford spoke excitedly of Carner and the ‘wicked things’ he’s doing for Hip-Hop, ‘it’s nice to see that his kind of Hip-Hop which I grew up on - still being appreciated by young audiences now, It’s a testament
Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed to Epigram Music this year! This might be our final print issue for 2018/19, but we’ll still be running online until the end of term, so send us your article ideas:
‘It’s nice to see that his kind of HipHop - which I grew up on is still being appreciated by young audiences now’ 2012 / Lonely Are The Brave
to how powerful true hip-hop is’. ‘Even in the age of heavy bass and drill, people will still sell out Brixton Academy with this material. It’s beautiful’. Through ‘visually’ inspired song-writing, neighbour-disrupting home production, and preparing Beat Tapes purely for the love of it, Stafford’s musical fervour is palpable. Despite experiencing a wealth of success since 2012, the artist talks with enthusiasm and genuineness about the achievements of others in his industry; recommending both established and up-and-coming artists of all genres at every given opportunity. Although a supposedly ‘unintentional’ project, ’When I Wake Up’ is a diverse showcase of Sabre’s gritty, soulful range, luxurious instrumentals and the beauty of collaborative spirit.
2015 / Innerstanding
2019 / When I Wake Up
music.epigram@ gmail.com
13.05.2019 epigram
Music 43
Review/ Yasiin Bey @ O2 Academy ‘A generous mixture of old favourites, interesting covers and experimental new tracks’ made Yassin Bey’s gig an ‘engaging masterpiece’ Joe Boyd
Second Year, Politics and Sociology
‘Why the likes of Loyle Carner hail him as one of their greatest inspirations became even more evident...’
Epigram / Harry Goldsmith
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he Brooklyn native first graced the stage as part of the hip-hop trio Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) in 1994, before emerging as a solo artist under the alias Mos Def two years later. After gaining critical acclaim with hits such as: ‘Auditorium’, ‘Ms Fat Booty’ and ‘Mathematics’, the rapper turned actor has featured in lead roles in hit films such as the 2003 rendition of The Italian Job and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, then going on to release his most successful album The Ecstatic in 2009. Since legally changing his name to Yasiin Bey in 2011, Mos Def is still at the top of his game. At Bristol’s 02 Academy, he demonstrated his ability to captivate an audience with some of the most unique beats and stage presence in hip-hop. As the DJ decks from the final support act, Sip the Juice, were rolled off stage at 21:30, the crowd waited in eager ancitpation and roared with bursting excitement. ‘O Trem Azul’ by Lô Borges began playing and moments later Yasiin slowly crossed the stage, placing his bag down and beginning to spray paint ‘oyster’ across a white sheet draped in front of the decks. Not wasting any time, he opened the set by shouting ‘Bristol, What’s Up?’ while the beat dropped for fan favourite, ‘Auditorium’. The performance lived up to the energetic yet melancholic nature of the song. Addressing the socio-political implications of the American military occupation of Iraq at the start of the 21st century on top of the
perfect Madlib beat. Madlib layers pitched down samples of Indian heavyweights S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Lata Mangeshkar with wavering synth tones to create a beat that is renowned as one of his best. After the hook, Yasiin got the crowd to recreate this historic beat while he steadily tapped the mic before letting Slick Rick’s verse play on the vinyl. The whole time, Yasiin danced around the stage with an effortless confidence, cutting extravagant shapes in an unquestionably cool fashion. Everyone’s eyes were fixated on him the entire time. The song came to a close with the crowd shouting “what it is” back at Yasiin every time he said “you know, they know”. As the beat ran out, Yasiin started covering the stage in rose petals as he continued to prance around, an incredible start to what went on to be an incredible gig. After introducing himself properly and performing further tracks from The Ecstatic and Black on Both Sides, he suddenly cut the music for a second to play the Portuguese record ‘Tudo Que Você Podia Ser’ by Milton Nascimento, telling the audience to “take this moment to just vibe”. Yasiin then proceeded to spin around, what must have been at least 30 times on the spot, somehow coming out seemingly unphased to continue his interpretive dance routine around the stage before freestyling over the end of the song. While this probably was not what the audience were expecting from a Mos Def gig, the entire performance was extremely animated and captivating. The quirks of the performance did not end there, with Yasiin taking breaks between tracks to perform poetry interludes to a mostly silent and attentive crowd. The first peom addressed the issues of gun violence before smoothly transitioning into a cover of C.R.E.A.M.’s ‘El Michels Affair’. The second talked about forgiveness before dropping into some new material, which he proclaimed “some people don’t understand”, before continuing to shatter more petals while navigating the stage vibrantly. While it was clear that a proportion of the crowd weren’t
here for this, the majority listened fixatedly. As the set began to come to a close, he dropped another crowd favourite in ‘Ms Fat Booty’. The familiar sounds of the Aretha Franklin’s ‘One Step Ahead’ sample sent the crowd into an unrivalled ecstatic state. Yasiin followed with another cover, this time of ‘Fall in Love’ by Slum Village keeping the energy alive before saying his final farewells and walking out to the sound of Yemane Barya’s ‘Kemey Aleki’. While some people began to scarper for an easy exit, the committed used their new found space to stay dancing, until the crackling vinyl came to an end. Yasiin Bey did not disappoint. While it was evident that a fair amount of people
only went for the one or two songs they knew, the overall atmosphere was that of pure excitement. Playing a generous mixture of old favourites, interesting covers and more experimental new tracks made the gig an engaging masterpiece from start to finish. His continued innovative stage presence made comparable to an interesting and captivating art installation. Some of the most unique beats in hip-hop and characteristically razor-sharp lyricism were to be expected from a hip-hop giant and Yasiin sure delivered. The influence he has had on current trends in hip-hop and why the likes of Loyle Carner hail him as one of their greatest inspirations became even more evident when seeing him perform.
Rising artist Maisie Peters brought her mellow acoustic vibes and understated but confident manner to the Louisiana Anna Hart
Third Year, English
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righton-born, eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter, Maisie Peters, brought her mellow acoustic vibes to the eagerly awaiting crowd at The Louisiana on the final date of her first headline UK tour. After walking through the crowd to take her place on stage, she opened with ‘In My Head’, the first track from her debut EP, Dressed Too Nice For a Jacket, bringing the small room to life as the
youthful audience sang and danced along. Her set, which lasted just under an hour, featured most of her discography from the first song she ever released, ‘Place We Were Made’, to her most recent track, ‘Favourite Ex’. The intimate venue was the perfect setting for her soft, enchanting vocals,
accentuated by the supporting musicians and backing vocals; violin, piano and guitar melodies added extra depth to the slower ballads, while drum pad beats heightened the energy of her more upbeat songs. A mash-up of one of her older songs, the beautifully melancholic ‘Birthday’, with a new, more upbeat and sassy song, ‘This is All You’, made for a particularly strong performance, as was her silky smooth song about being in love, ‘Feels Like This’. Her supporters passionately sang every word of her somewhat short set, especially for the energetic bridge of ‘You to You’, a song about wanting revenge on someone who has treated you badly, expressed in the sentiment ‘hope she does a you to you’. Displaying her aptitude for live performance, Maisie paused for dramatic effect just before the impactful line ‘and then she fucks you over just for fun’, which everyone loudly and passionately joined in
‘The intimate venue was the perfect setting for her soft, enchanting vocals.’
on. The funny anecdotes she shared between songs revealed the inspiration behind some of her songs, as well as the meaning behind the lyrics, with her bubbly personality engaging the audience. At one point she asked the audience to name one of her guitars, to which someone enthusiastically shouted out ‘Sheila’, which made everyone, including Maisie, laugh. After telling the audience to pretend she left the stage and came back on, saying she was too clumsy to leave and come back for encores, Maisie ended her show with the sleek and beautifully devastating ‘Worst of You’, a song about loving someone who does you wrong, in spite of their bad behaviour. Her perfectly-balanced understated yet confident style, coupled with a creative flair for writing beautiful songs makes Maisie Peters a swiftly rising artist to look out for.
Maisie Peters
Review/ Maisie Peters @ The Louisiana
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Food from around the Globe
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Word Sudoku Fill the empty squares with letters A, R, T, I, C, H, O, K, E so that each letter appears once in each row, column and 3x3 box.
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46 Sport
epigram 13.05.2019
A season to remember for football teams Ellie Vaughan
Women’s Club Captain
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“March 13 will go down in Bristol University history”
a strong outing for Stefano Guardiola’s first season at the club. Off the pitch, highlights included a fantastic Movember campaign which raised over £2600 in aid of men’s health issues, while UBAFC began a fantastic partnership
with VITA accommodation to offer first year welcoming events. While the 1s ultimately failed to achieve promotion to the BUCS Premiership following a playoff defeat away to Chichester, the season will be remembered as the most successful ever for the club.
Alex Hunt
Men’s Club Captain
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BAFC secured their highest ever position (fourth) in the BUCS table, thanks to a hugely successful season as the 1s came out winners of the Western 1a division, while 3s, 4s & 5s all secured promotion from their respective leagues. The 1s’ title race went down to the last day, with UBAFC achieving a 2-1 victory away at fellow promotion chasers Southampton to secure the division title. March 13 will go down in Bristol University history, as student coach Aaron Farr and his 3s secured promotion at Fortress Dingle on the same day as Arthur Leventhorpe’s 4s, topping off fantastic seasons for the clubs. The club were blessed with a talented first year intake, many of whom played a vital part in Nathan Winner’s 5s’ league title, marking a third successive promotion for the 5s team. Finally, the 6s marked an impressive first season in BUCS with a second place finish. The 2s secured a top half finish, while reaching the semi-finals of the Western Cup,
Ed Hanton
his has arguably been the most successful season in our club’s history. We have had four teams regularly competing – three of which have been in the BUCS leagues, whilst our development team have been playing in a casual league. The club finished ninth in the country for women’s football, thanks to our many achievements this season. The first team won the Western 1A league, and also won the play-offs – leading to promotion to the Southern Premier League next season. This is an achievement that the whole club are incredibly proud of. Moreover, the 1st team was one of the two Bristol Uni teams to make it to the BUCS Big Wednesday Trophy Cup Final in Nottingham – it is the first time we have ever competed in this event and so it provided a great opportunity to gain recognition on a national scale. The 2nd team managed to hold their own in a new, tougher league, and also made it to their cup quarter finals. This is promising for next year as we look towards promotion for them too. The 3rd team finished runnersup in the Western 3A league, despite it only being their second season competing in BUCS, and having finished fifth in the same league last season. Our development squad has provided an environment where anyone of any ability or experience is able to go and play football
in a more relaxed and friendly setting. We are therefore very pleased to be a club that has something for everyone, and nobody is ever turned away. Being able to grow as a club in both membership and performance is no easy task, but the growth in Women’s Football as a sport has allowed us to do this, and we’re so excited to see what the club will achieve in the future.
Epigram’s alternative Premier League awards Sterling winning the PFA young player award? Really? Epigram Sport imagines which players would win these alternative end-of-season awards
Henry Edwards Sport Editor
for huge sums and with big reputations. Fulham’s Jean Michael Seri did score a belter earlier in the season, but has done nothing since as his side slipped back to the Championship. Meanwhile, Brighton broke their transfer record to sign Iranian forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh. Judging by the fact that most people are unlikely to have heard of him, the Brighton man gets it. The ‘Eder’ award for Unlikeliest Hero
The ‘Michu’ award for Best Signing
The ‘Alexis Sanchez’ award for Worst Signing Fred has been a big let down at United, but has at least showed signs of improvement in recent weeks. Manchester City haven’t made many errors with regard to transfers recently, but Mahrez does little for the team other than seemingly confuse Guardiola and slow their attacks. However, the award is a toss-up between two players who arrived
The ‘Adel Taarabt’ award for Player Going From Hero to Zero But what of the players that have gone from hero to zero this campaign? Old age has not been kind to Leicester captain Wes Morgan, while Chelsea’s switch to a back four has exposed the weaknesses of both Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta. Let us not forget the naughty Marko Arnautovic, who has lost the love of the West Ham faithful. Then there is also Wayne Hennessey; he may not have been a hero in the first place,
The ‘Rob Green’ award for Most Error Prone Player Hugo Lloris has not been the same player since his drink-driving arrest, which is a coincidently positive lesson to all of us. I remember Asmir Begovic as a safe pair of hands while at Stoke many moons ago, but he is now a bit of a joke at Bournemouth. But the award can’t not go to Arsenal centreback Shkodran Mustafi. It has been a cruel twist of fate that while just about every other Arsenal defender has endured a period out
injured, the clumsy German has escaped unscathed throughout. The ‘So Long, Farewell’ award for Person That Shall Be Missed This was the season where I most enjoyed watching Aaron Ramsey, and I hope that he finds success in Italy. The cheeky and scintillatingly good Eden Hazard will surely be on the move this summer – hopefully we saw him at his best. However, this award belongs to those we truly lost this season: legendary England goalkeeper Gordon Bank, Argentine striker Emiliano Sala and the victims of the Leicester City helicopter crash, including owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Their deaths this season taught us to remember those who play a part in the drama we love, and reminded us that some things transcend what is only a sport.
Flickr/ Ronnie Macdonald
Only players who were truly value for money are considered here. Alisson has more clean sheets than any keeper this season, but then again he was signed as the most expensive shot-stopper of all time. Credit should go to veterans Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham) and Joao Moutinho (Wolves), who were both signed for fees well under £10m and yet have been integral cogs within their respective sides. In another season, young playmakers David Brooks (Bournemouth) and James Maddison (Leicester) may be walking away with this award. But because of his importance to his new team, and that team’s lack of power within the market, Newcastle’s on-loan striker Salomon Rondon gets the nod.
A few players have rescued their careers from the brink. Watford left-back Jose Holebas has had one of his best seasons at the age of 34, while Michael Keane has thankfully put a rotten 2017/18 behind him to earn himself Gareth Southgate’s favour. Chelsea’s Ross Barkley has shown promising glimpses in the limited opportunities he’s been handed this season, and recently starred in England’s victory in Montenegro. But there is really only one contender for this award. For transforming his reputation from a bumbling bulldozer who does nothing to a bumbling bulldozer who does something, it has to be the machine that is Moussa Sissoko.
“He may not have been a hero in the first place, but at least the world didn’t think he was a total buffoon this time last year”
but at least the world didn’t think he was a total buffoon this time last year. The award, however, must go to Kieran Trippier, who has gone from World Cup titan to a fragile weak link reportedly attracting the interest of teams like Manchester United. How the mighty can fall.
Sport 47
13.05.2019 epigram
Lacrosse teams making excellence the norm Southern Premiership champions for the third time in as many years and a member selected for the international stage; a hugely successful year for lacrosse
James Clemetson Men’s Vice Captain
Instagram/ Aidan Crawford
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his year was another fantastic one for Men’s and Mixed Lacrosse, with not only great success on the field but also, we saw the club grow in numbers and as ever, our bustling and all-inclusive social side shone through. Our Men’s 1st team once again won the Southern Premiership for the third consecutive year. This is certainly one of our crowning achievements in the club’s history and something we look to replicate year on year. The boys put on some great shows. First of all the Exeter game at home was a major success hosting hundreds of fans plus Red Bull. The 1s proved too much for Exeter, and then in the quarter-finals of the national cup they faced Manchester, a team with a number of American players. It proved to be a game of seriously high-level lacrosse, again in front of a big crowd. Our 2nd team remained in their new league, a significant achievement noting the progression of senior players from last year moving into the 1st team, as well as the huge increase in competition from other teams in the league. The team did really well in the cup, unfortunately bowing out to an impressive Imperial side by only one goal in
extra time. This year we saw our biggest intake of new players, and as a sport that many people start at university this is an enormous success for us, demonstrating our presence as a sport and on campus. In our mixed sessions at the start of the year we had the pleasure of welcoming over 300 attendants as well over 800 email sign ups. This yielded us 227 members in total, an increase of 13 on last year (214). Varsity this year was a huge success, teamed up with Ultimate Frisbee. There were over 400 spectators, again with Red Bull supporting. The 2s played UWE 1s and our 1s played ALLSTARS, UWE’s alumni team, putting on a great evening of sport. Individually, one of our new members who began playing this year has been selected for the China International Lacrosse team to tour in South Korea in June this summer, as well as having two players in the English Universities team, and two more in the reserves. The mixed side of the club have put strong work going into the performance team and are looking to strengthen it even further with initiatives to drive defence orientated players to add depth to the squad and ultimately aid progression of the team. Whilst for the social team, we saw more away days to remember such as the likes of Exeter, something which we wish to continue by seeing Exeter visit Bristol next season. As ever we will work to offer a two-path entry into lacrosse either via the casual mixed route or the more serious performance lead men’s side of the club and produce players that represent the university at the national
“As ever we will work to offer a two-path entry into lacrosse”
and international level. We will continue to push recruitment and drive initiatives to encourage new players into the sport, as well as offering a vibrant social community to foster strong internal relationships and team chemistry. Overall the season was really successful
with high-level lacrosse, and a complete riot along the way. To anyone that has debated coming along to a mixed session on the Downs or to a Men’s session at fortress Coombe I would highly recommend it. It really is an awesome club to be part of and a fantastic sport to watch.
UBWRFC: fond farewells but an exciting future Fantastic league finishes, awesome socials and a brand new team for the women’s rugby club during 2018/19
Lucy Hall Club Captain
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BWRFC have seen their greatest and most formative year yet, laying strong foundations for things to come and trialling our ambitious plans to improve our club. We saw 30 members travel back to Bristol for our four-week preseason where we had rugby training, S+C and socials to keep us interested and to bring us back together after the long summer. We’re looking forward to another month of rugby at the end of summer this year.
following their promotion last year, finishing fourth as well. This means next year we are ready for them to push for a top three finish and then eventually another promotion! They also defeated UWE 1s on Varsity day which was a long awaited victory and celebrated accordingly. 3rd Team Season Our brand new 3rd team have been the biggest change and biggest success in our club this year; complete beginners learning the game and playing quality rugby. They completed their first season and were
“Our 1st team anticipated a tough year in the Southern Premiership, but our hard work saw us achieve our highest position ever”
competitive at each game. The smiles on their faces more than made up for the losses they faced. UBWRFC also came third in an international 7s tournament in Leeds. We are incredibly proud of everything we have achieved this year. We have held charity pub quizzes, skipped for ten hours for Ignition, and are already in training for the charity Waterpolo tournament later this term. We have been hugely involved in the #WeAreBristol community especially through intramural netball. The Rugby
Rhinos were only formed this year and already we have come second in the top league. We now have more non-alcoholic socials on offer. Our girls have been iceskating, to Pen-Y-Fan, movie nights, brunches and more Bristol Bears games than we can throw a rugby ball at. At the term winds down, we are sad to say goodbye to some of our star players, waving a fond farewell to Lucy Attwood who has ignited and inspired our club daily by being award Player of the Season by Bristol Bears and by being capped by England Senior Ladies. We wish her the best of luck and we hope to see even more women taking up Women’s Rugby next year.
1st Team Season
2nd Team Season Our 2nd team have achieved so much
UBWRFC
Our 1st team anticipated a tough year in the Southern Premiership, but our hard work saw us achieve our highest position ever at fourth! We were contending for the wins against our toughest rivals: Exeter, Hartpury and Cardiff Met were hot on their toes as we steamed down the pitch. We’ve finished eighth in the UK, narrowly missing out on being a part of the National League, but be assured we will be there in the next three years.
Sport
Editor: Henry Edwards Deputy Editor: Charlotte Greenwood Online Editor: Freddie Keighley Deputy Online Editor: Barney Stone
2018/19 Review Special Epigram / Alice Lampard UoB Spartans Basketball Club
Successful season for the Spartans Basketball kicks off our end-of-season special issue; both the women and men’s teams have had exciting and memorable campaigns on the court
Hugh Atkinson Third Year, History
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ristol’s Spartans basketball team has continued to make great strides this year with a large influx of new players making an immediate contribution both on and off the court. With a total of five teams across the Women’s and Men’s squads, regular coaching for all teams has been a struggle in previous years. However, the implementation of more structured coaching has resulted in a massive improvement in quality and morale across the board. This has translated into tangible team success as Bristol rose through the ranks to break into the top fifteen best basketball programmes in the nation. The continued progress of the team has left Women’s 1st team coach Rick Hampton feeling optimistic about the future of the club. He states that the ‘club is going from strength to strength. With a solid coaching
structure and plans in place to develop our overseas recruitment, the future is looking bright for the Spartans’. A summary of each of the teams’ seasons will give a more detailed picture of the progress made in the last year.
chemistry, the Women’s 2s finished fourth in the league with a squad built virtually from scratch. From this position of strength, they have the blueprint for future success under coach Dan Morris. Men’s 1st Team:
Women’s 1st Team: The Men’s 1st team have been through an up and down year, after dealing with some chemistry issues during the first few weeks of the season, the team began to see some positive results on the court. After proving their quality during trials, a number of rookies made valuable contributions during key games, while familiar faces such as 2nd year forward Nej Karadeniz and guard Jacob Wright continued to show their value on court.
Captained by one of the best players to step onto a Spartan’s court, in Noelia Gonzalez, the Women’s 1s enjoyed another season of high quality basketball, dismissing many of the teams that came their way. Headlined by a second place finish in the league and a dominating 107-27 win over UWE in varsity, the last year has showcased why the Women’s 1s continue to hang with the upper echelons of British basketball. Despite losing a number of key players, the team retained a high level of play with a mix of new recruits.
Men’s 2nd Team:
Women’s 2nd Team: The Women’s 2s faced a big task this year with only four players returning to the squad from last year as well as increasing competition in the league. The team took this challenge in their stride and enjoyed the fruits of their hard work by averaging more points per game than they have in any previous season. By focusing on integrating new players and establishing good team
“Bristol rose through the ranks to break into the top fifteen best basketball programmes in the nation”
This year the Men’s 2s showed their quality on both sides of the floor despite big roster changes and an influx of new players. While a new roster can often result in chemistry issues, this didn’t seem to affect the team at any point in the season. An influx of Erasmus students brought an unselfish and exciting brand of basketball to the team which produced a number of key wins as well as a third place finish in the league.
Men’s 3rd Team: While a sixth place league finish may not have been the goal at the start of the season, the Men’s 3s showed a style of play and level of team cohesion that shows momentum going into next year. New players such as Jeffrey Xiu joined the team and made an immediate contribution on both ends of the floor. Jeffrey started the season as a P2P player however, after showing his quality on court, he earned a place in the team and was the leading scorer in a number of key games. The group made strides in establishing a solid team bond and have played some of the most unselfish basketball in the entire club this year. Recognition should also be given to members of the Spartans committee, who have worked hard to organise and structure the team, translating to quality results on the floor. For example, Nick Tallon, the team’s Participation Officer, dedicated significant time and energy to running sessions for new players and deserves a huge amount of credit for his work this year. Finally, Spartans president, Diane McHugh, worked tirelessly all year and showed the same level of energy and passion for the job that she has always has. Diane deserves a huge amount of respect for her influential contributions both in leadership and on the court.