Epigram 348 - The Croft

Wellbeing The key to being happy and fulfilled| p.6

Food How to throw the perfect dinner party| p.11

Style A review of the outfits at the BRIT awards | p.15

Travel Are AirBnB’s worth the hassle? | p.21

the croft

March Madness How to take a break and rewind when uni becomes overwhelming

the croft issue 9 | march 16 2020

Editor Daisy Farrow Deputy Editor Hendrike Rahtz Digital Editor Emma Holding

the croft editor’s no tes

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he Easter holidays are fast approaching, which, for most, means a well-deserved break - but not for third years! Easter holidays will feel like uni but without the contact hours; it’s crunch-time in terms of finishing the dissertation, preparing for what might be my last exam EVER, and worrying about what on earth I am going to do once my last 3-month-long summer is over.

Style give us a critique of the fashions at the BRITS on pg. 15

Luckily for me, from 9th March onwards I have no lectures and no seminars, which means dedicating all this time to my dissertation. I’m hoping that I will be able to exercise and do other activities, as long as I plan how much I write each day. Writing this now, I’ve had two essays due right next to each other which, for me, means eating constantly, residing in the brightly lit libraries until I go home to eat (again), and then sleep.

There will be a brief oasis for me when I travel to Budapest during the first week of Easter, where I plan to forget anything uni-related entirely and Take. A. Break. My close friend is doing a semester abroad there, meaning free accomodation, and - along with cheap flights - Hungary’s notorious inexpensive opportunities to eat, drink, and stay out constantly. I am very excited to leave Bristol for just a few days. But, when I return, it’s back to my laptop and buying expensive coffees to get me through.

Travel talks European festivals and partying abroad on pg.20

After a busy month in Bristol, Wellbeing talk about suffering from activism burnout, pg. 7

Through experience, taking a well-earned break is actually a good thing and makes me work harder post-break. Life isn’t all about good grades and proving you can work harder than anyone else. Our writer Rebekah Morris on page 4 importantly discusses taking the pressure off your workload.

Sometimes it’s not just uni work you have to take a break from too; on page 7 Sophie Shanahan reminds us that it’s also important to take a break from activism and changing the world. We all sometimes require a period of rest - whether that be an hour or a week. You will know when it’s time, so respond to it.

I guess my take-home is to make sure you do take regular breaks, and I don’t just mean a cigarette break or buying a coffee; have a day off, go outside, do exercise, get drunk - just remember that doing that once in awhile isn’t going to be detrimental to your performance and worth!

Hendrike Rah tz

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Going home for Easter? The Croft have some top tips on keeping your house plants alive, pg. 5

The Croft Deputy Editor

Food reviews the Krakow restaurant scene on pg. 10

Dear

consult

‘I can’t afford to make mistakes’

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My first pregnancy scare was definitely something to remember. It was a few weeks after hooking up with my nowboyfriend, and we were still early days. I hadn’t had my time of the month for a few weeks, and was starting to get worried.

So we trekked out to Clifton Down Boots, where we bought THREE packs of pregnancy tests. We were taking no risks.

The lady who served us on tills was definitely confused.

Back home, I chugged a galon of water (I’m well versed in downing pints) and spent ten minutes on the toilet peeing on three seperate sticks. The waiting was definitely the worst part. I wasn’t too sure if my nauseau was from nerves or morning sickness. Thankfully, they all came back negative.

It was a relief to know I wasn’t about to be a mother, but also definitely a waste of £30.

“ Epigram/ Hendrike Rahtz

‘A night to remember’

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Don’t get with a girl from Lounge. Trust me you can do better. Last week I was out with my mates when I spotted this girl not far from me. We got to talking and she ended up coming back to my place (nice). Once we got into the bedroom I thought it was gonna be the usual deal - a quick shag and then she leaves - but oh no, it was worse. First of all she called me the wrong name during bed. The sex wasn’t even good enough to look past this, so I was really offended. Then, she wouldn’t leave my house. I told her the usual line ‘oh I’ve got a 9am tomorrow’ but she didn’t get the hint, she just lay there.

Whatever, I’m not gonna kick a girl out in the cold at night.

But then she started snorring, and talking in her sleep, and thrashing about liked a crazy person. I ended up having to sleep on my shitty sofa in my lounge. Definitely not worth it.

thecroft...

My dissertation supervisor never replies to my emails. I am feeling really isolated with it, and think it’s unfair when some people meet their supervisors like every week. I think I’m going to get a bad grade.

Unfortunately we can’t all have the same supervisor, so it is likely there will be differences in the way supervisors work with their students. However, they should at least be contactable, so I would propose the next step is to go into the office of your School and basically bring it to light that they have not replied to multiple emails in X number of weeks. Letting other people know of your situation is always useful, and this might encourage your supervisor to reply to emails that, no matter how unfortunate this is, come from colleagues rather than students.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing this just yet, perhaps try knocking on their office doors regularly - hopefully you’ll catch them at one point! Depending on your subject, you might be able to find out online if they have specific office hours where they are not teaching, which would help your quest to find them and communicate with them.

Most of my friends are in relationships, and I get on with their partners but when we go out I can’t help feeling like a 5th wheel. We hardly ever spend time without the OH’s being there anymore.

It sounds like they might not realise they are making you feel a bit left out - it’s definitely not malicious, but when people are in relationships sometimes they tend to forget how to not be with their partner, i.e. they can’t be without them. It might just be worth confiding in your closest friends (when you can get them away from their partners!) that you feel this way, and hopefully they will understand. Also, if this doesn’t work, or you don’t want to bring it up straightaway, invite a couple more single friends out so you don’t feel like you’re standing out as the ‘single one’.

Love, your Editors x

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Have a story to submit to Bristol in Bed? Or a burning question for Consult the Croft? We are taking submissions by anonymous Google Forms, available on The Croft’s Facebook Writers’ Group.

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Stepping away from the workload Rebekah Morris, Second Year Politics and Economics, reflects on how to know when it’s a good time to take a well-deserved break from uni

However, I’ve found that when I do manage to sit down and try to tackle my workload, knowing when to take a break is important, so as to make sure I don’t get discouraged with how much I have to do, but also knowing not to take breaks so frequently that I don’t actually get enough work done - it is a tough balance for sure.

In knowing when to take a welldeserved break, I find that making a list of what needs to be done in order of importance prior to starting my day of work a great way to go about it – knowing your priorities in terms of workload can help you see what needs to be done first, and it helps me realise that just because I have a lot of work t o

Another way I know when to take a break is either by task or time – I ideally try to take breaks whenever a certain task is completed, but if the piece of work is too large, I’ll then go by time. I’ve found that for me taking a half an hour break after an hour and a half of studying works the best, but it will change from person to person. It sounds cliché, but you know yourself and whether you’re proud of the work you’ve produced.

I also find that I’m less tempted to take breaks when I keep my phone and laptop notifications off. I keep my phone on do not disturb as I know if anyone really needs me after two calls they will get through, yet I’m not being distracted by social media notifications which take away from the time that should be solely spent working. Also, seeing your friends out and about whilst you’re stuck in the library is never going to make you want to continue studying!

However, I’ve found that the most important way to prevent getting overwhelmed is to not constantly compare myself to my peers. I think one of the m o s t

important things I’ve learnt at university is to not use other people as a benchmark for my own progress. Everyone learns in different ways and works at different paces – as long as you have budgeted your time and know you’re on track, don’t focus on what other people are doing and whether you’re at the same stage as them.

Especially over the January exam period I found that I wasted so much time

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One of the most important things I’ve learnt at university is to not use other people as a benchmark for my own progress

concerning myself with what everyone else was doing, which could’ve been a far more productive use of my time.

At the end of the day, you have to put yourself first – both in terms of ensuring you’re making the most out of your time at university, but also making sure you’re learning in a productive way which doesn’t threaten your mental health. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talking to your peers and pastoral support at the University can help alleviate concerns about your workload whilst also providing an alternative approach to tackling it.

Epigram / Hendrike Rahtz

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do, it doesn’t mean it all has to be done immediately.

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t is extremely easy to get overwhelmed at University trying to manage your workload, social life and most importantly your mental health. However, I often find that when I’m overwhelmed, I try to justify not working in order to not exhaust myself – and then I get trapped in a vicious cycle of my workload piling up and becoming too stressed to do anything about it.

Keeping your house plants alive: top tips Before the Easter break, Digital Editor Emma Holding shares her tips on how to care for your plants 1. Listen to the care card When you buy your plant, you usually get a little ‘care card’ with it - a short guide on how to keep your new baby alive. Of course it’s usually maximally vague (the plant shop will not be held responsible for the immediate death of your succulent) but it still contains the essential information. If it says to water when ‘dry half way down’, don’t just guess when this point this, you have to get stuck in. If you’re really committed to a long life with your new plant, you’ll have to actually delve a finger into the soil to check if it’s time for watering. They say this on the care card - rather than ‘every 2 weeks’ - because plants will absorb water at different speeds in different lights and at different times.

2. Track how much you water it If, however, you’ve just spent the remnants of this term’s loan on a luscious manicure and you are truly opposed to checking your plant the practical way, keep track of when you water it. You will start to notice every so often that your plant needs some lovin’, and if you try and trace how frequently this is you should be able to keep on top of it - at least for a season at a time, it might change from winter to summer. If your plant is pretty self-reliant then you can probably pay it minimal attention, just watering on e.g. every other Monday. At least this way you shouldn’t starve it for a month and then overcompensate by drenching it every day for a week, ending up with a halfdead, half-nourished plant.

3. Keep the water present even if you’re not The most crucial tip of the article.

Living far from Bristol, if I go home I tend to stay for a while - meaning my plants are left to fend for themselves.

And, with Easter fast approaching, many of you will need to hear this. I use an old 1 litre plastic bottle (change depending on your plant) and poke small holes in the lid - I use a needle, heated up with a lighter, and shove it through the plastic - making about 5 or 6 holes. Then, I fill up the bottle with water almost full, but not entirely, secure the lid, and stand it upside down in my plant, with the lid nestled into the soil. I make sure my plant can get light from the window, and as the light comes in each day while I’m away - excuse me on the science here, I’m an arts student - the bit of air at the top expands and pushes the water down into my plant. Presto, your plant is on a steady drip during the whole of your absence.

The very first plant I bought in my first year is still with me now as I near the end of university, spritely and youthful as can be, all because of this tip. You’re welcome.

Unsplash / Chris Lee

Living with strangers vs. best friends

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Epigram / Lily Sheridan Power

Lily Sheridan Power, Second Year Anthropology, shares her experience of student housing

ne of my biggest qualms about starting university was what living in halls would be like. In first year I lived in University Hall in a flat of five people and quickly discovered that living with strangers can require quite an adjustment. Sharing is easier said than done, and learning to live in a flat-share with strangers became one of many lessons that apparently can only be learned with time.

I often found refuge during that year in the flat of a course mate of mine, who I now live with. Now, in my second year, I without a doubt live with my closest friends, none of whom I lived with last year. The chances of being placed with lifelong pals in the random draw of first year halls are unfortunately low. Despite my flat dynamic, halls still provided me with a lot of good stories, even if it wasn’t the best.

When we first started going to house viewings, or ‘house shopping’ as we came to call it, we had to agree on our top priorities. After enduring a year of the dreaded U1, we wanted to live in Stokes Croft, in a house with a large living room designed for maximum socialising.

Fast forward six months, I live with my three best friends and can definitely say I have made a good decision. Stokes Croft, despite its distance from uni, caught our eyes from the beginning. We all love the bustling nightlife and the diversity of shops within a short distance from where we live. The walk

to lectures, though sometimes torturing as it stretches across a relentless hill, will certainly wake you up for the day and save you the money of a gym membership.

Living with someone on my course has enabled me to keep better track of my deadlines; forgetting a deadline is much harder when you are living with someone who is always there to encourage the grind. There is also some strength in numbers - a tempting night out can be resisted if you stand in solidarity. Even if you and your housemates do different courses, which will sometimes mean different schedules, my housemates and I have found it helpful to try and work throughout the day to free up our evenings and spend them together. Arguments are bound to happen, but communicating your problems can prevent things from escalating. In my experience, disagreements can usually be solved by making more time for one another. Sometimes you need to make plans that are a little more on the fun side than a mass clean of the kitchen.

I feel lucky now to live with my best friends, and it feels much better than living with who I was placed with last year. Where you live can have such a big impact on your mood, but even if you don’t live with your best friends, there’s always other ways to make friends and spend time with people - hanging out at my course mates in first year probably made us the great friends we are today.

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Wellbeing

Editor Bethany Harris Deputy Editor Rosie Angel-Clark Digital Editor Laurence Dawkins

Is there a science behind happiness?

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here seem to be a lot of misconceptions surrounding the idea of happiness. For example, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what happiness means.

The most important thing to recognise is that happiness means different things to different people.

Some value their relationships with their friends and family because that makes them happy.

Others are happy when they are doing something they love.

For me, happiness comes from watching that video of Tom Holland lip-syncing to Rihanna’s Umbrella (seriously watch it – it’s amazing). So it can be tough to figure out what happiness means to you.

But for some people happiness is much harder to achieve. Take university students for instance.

The most common reasons why we aren’t feeling happy are worries about our exam results or keeping on top of our work or managing our finances. And sometimes all three at once!

Some of you may be asking – why does this matter? Why should I care if I’m not happy all the time, isn’t that just life?

Perhaps you think that happiness is impossible to control and doesn’t have any real impact.

Or maybe you really enjoy listening to I Miss You by Blink 182 on repeat, and that’s the end of that.

No, don’t judge my music choices Susan – just mind your own business, thank you very much!

Well this is actually where the science-y stuff comes in. Studies have shown that happiness has a whole host of benefits like better creativity and productivity. Our relationships with other people are stronger and we are physically

healthier too.

Since starting the Science of Happiness unit this term, I have learnt so much about happiness already. One idea which really struck a chord with me was how we often let our perceptions of academic success be warped by our minds.

In a lecture, we were shown two orange circles, both surrounded by blue circles. The orange circle on the left was surrounded by six large blue circles, whilst the orange circle on the right was surrounded by ten smaller blue

Epigram / Rebecca Widowson

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Rebecca Widowson considers the fact behind our feelings

circles (see above).

We were asked to consider which orange circle was bigger and almost unanimously voted for the one on the right.

Until the lecturer removed the blue circles to reveal – plot twist – that the orange circles were the same size! Yes, you were right to gasp in amazement!

The point is that we always see the size of our academic success relative to other’s academic success.

In this case, the orange circle on the left represents how you see your work because it’s smaller than the orange circle on the right, which represents other’s work. Like when your friends get a better mark than you did, or thought of something really

clever to say, and you’re like, “boy, oh, boy, I wish I was like that.”

When what we should really be doing is taking a step back. We need to remember that our work is not comparable to other people’s, and we’ve achieved loads of things already!

Another common misconception surrounding happiness is that it is fixed, or that it’s somehow predetermined by our DNA and can never exceed a certain level.

FALSE! First things first: your levels of happiness will fluctuate. Not only throughout your life, when you go through both good and bad things, but they can fluctuate throughout your day too.

I mean we’ve all had those moment when we think everything is fine but suddenly we drop some cheesy pasta on the floor and start to cry. We’ve all had that … right?

Right?!

There are actually loads of smallscale things that we can use in our everyday lives to feel just a little bit happier.

Something as simple as saying hello to a passer-by, or helping a friend do the dishes can help increase how happy we feel.

Funnily enough, it’s also been proven that smiling, even when you’re not feeling happy, can help to actually make you happier.

Another fun thing to try is laughing out loud. The crazier the laugh, the better. Think evil-genius laugh meets the sound of a hearty belly laugh and I guarantee, you will start genuinely laughing, and thus feeling happier.

Try it now! Who cares if you’re in a silent study zone? Unleash the sound of laughter upon other stressed students! Go on – I dare you.

Activism burnout: carrying the weight of the world

Sophie Shanahan reminds us it is important to have time off from the fight

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Epigram / Sophie Shanahan

a real-life target that we could strive for.

A couple of days before the election, I stayed in bed until the early afternoon. It was the most exhausted I had felt in a long time, but also the guiltiest. My brain ached from the weight of my thoughts - I just could not understand how I could be tucked up in bed while there was more important work to be done. I also could not drag myself out from under the covers.

Rationally, I knew that if anyone else had been in my position I would have begged them to stay at home, told them that of course they needed time off - time to recover and recharge, time for tea and friends and sleep.

However, I found it unfathomably hard to apply this logic to myself. I apologised for cancelling plans with friends who obviously understood and had no issue with me taking this time for myself.

I did all those things I would have encouraged others to do, everything that should have made me feel replenished, yet I was still itching to be back on the front line.

After the results came in, I did not know what to do with myself. I had spent that night sitting up until 6am in my living room, surrounded by the sullen faces of others who had been campaigning alongside me. For the next week I did almost nothing: moped around, lived my life as I had done before the election but feeling as if I should have done more, should have pushed harder.

I feel as if we, not just environmental and political campaigners but also our generation as a whole, often take so much of the world upon our shoulders.

The constant weight of the climate crisis and of social and political disorder truly takes a toll, and feeling as if we are the only ones fighting to solve these issues takes an even greater one. I get no-end of fulfilment from the environmental work I do, from the people around me and the action we affect but I also am guilty of forgetting that this does not mean I cannot make sure I am also fulfilled within my own personal sphere.

The burden of the climate fight is one that is hard to bear, but also one that can seem lighter when balanced with stepping back into your own world and taking time for yourself and your own life.

Unsplash / STIL

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omeone asked me recently how I can care so much about the world, how I can dedicate such a portion of my life towards fighting and campaigning for better action on the climate crisis. I gave my stock answer of there being nothing more pressing for me to give my time to than the future of the world itself. This is true, of course, and is definitely my motivation for most of what I do and want to spend my future doing, but what struck me about the question was that it was not really asking about why I was doing these things, rather how I managed to fit them into my life.

I took a step back after the conversation and asked myself whether I really was managing to find balance. I wondered whether there should be more distinction between my life - what I viewed as personally ig important to me in terms of my ra m /R degree, my relationships and my osi eA social life - and the life of the ngel-Clark m / R planet. In some respects, osi eA these are hugely intertwined. ngel -C A lot of my time is spent campaigning and working withinlark organisations to raise awareness of the climate emergency and so many of my relationships in my personal life stem from there.

It then becomes difficult to see where my life ends and everything else begins. I realised that I had begun to feel selfish for wanting to take time out of this ‘eco-warrior’ bubble and devote it to what felt important on an individual scale.

I had no idea how to draw the boundary between fighting the big fight and realising that there being bigger issues in the world did not invalidate any personal struggles or successes in my own seemingly tiny life.

This really came to be true during the general election campaign, when I was out campaigning for the Greens nearly every day of the week. I lived in thermal socks and fingerless gloves, my knuckles white and worn from knocking on hundreds of doors. I feel like this period amplified what I had previously been experiencing. I saw nothing more important than this fight and, really for the first time, it felt like something tangible - winning this seat was

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Isolation and lonliness: the importance of friendships at university Laurence Dawkins explores the value of making and maintianing friendships

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diverse network of good friends can help us achieve balance and satisfaction in our lives, so it‘s important to give friendships the attention they deserve.

Reflecting back on first year I was very lonely. I knew lots of people which I could call a friend but I felt alone. Looking back, I see a miserable person.

I believed that there wasn‘t much point in making close friends, it was just time I would be losing when I could be developing myself, instead. Much of my first year was spent struggling with abstruse philosophy, challenging physics and difficult works of literature. I believed I was trying to fulfill my development into the best version of myself. I am used to trying to be very controlling over the situations I put myself in, and the thought of putting my personal development on hold for others scared me.

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allow us to experience vicariously situations which (for whatever reason) we didn‘t have the opportunity to; they give us advice and encouragement, company and comfort.

They can make us feel a part of something.

The past few years, for me, have been about experimenting with life and finding my place in the world. Developing my interests, passions, beliefs and all those other things which give us the confidence in everyday life to feel as though what we are doing is worth it.

Everyone is slightly different and brings out something slightly different in our characters, which is why maintaining a diverse network of friends is also somethings pleasurable.

Of course, it is not easy to maintain such a network, but there is no easy route to overall life satisfaction.

Looking at my life now, as if from an outsider’s perspective, I see a satisfied, happy, productive, kind, intelligent, and friendly person, and I believe allowing friendships to form has been important in that shift.

The past few years, for me,

have been about experimenting with life and finding my place

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in the world.

I was frustrated in becoming a version of myself which I thought would be the best, because of the difficulty of the ideal to which I was trying to become. Through a particularly terrible bout of depression, and the following conversations with my therapist, I was able to see that the things which I valued had to change, and the person I wanted to become would never be the person I would actually become. This was a big relinquish of control and seemed scary at the time but I have since forgotten any of the difficulty of it.

Once I understood that I needed to change my values I then had to enact this change, which is ongoing, and herein is one of the significant values of friends and companionship: they help us to adjust our standards and allow us to more easily become better versions of ourselves.

Developing friendships is productive for many reasons; friends project back to us those things in our wellbeing which we might not have noticed, or been ignoring; they

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Epigram / Henry Bourne

Final year stress: what’s next for me?

Lucy Siers comments on the stress that many final year students experience in the months leading up to grduation As the end of education looms large for many final year is quite normal. students, a sense of unease dominates feelings about what is For many, including myself, just the fact of not knowing next. These anxieties and stresses can take many forms: getting what job you want is pressure enough. I will no longer be able ‘the perfect job’, moving back home, concerns about money and to hide behind my ‘student’ status to justify my uncertainty to worries of loneliness to name a few. friends and family. There is a fear of appearing unmotivated For many people without a set post-university plan, it may or boring if your only plan is to move back home and find a feel like life has transitioned from one that is fast-paced, temporary job. Considering we have spent most of our lives structured by lectures, deadlines and social events, to a life navigating the education system, often we do not want to in limbo and lacking a sense of purpose. The potentially settle for a job that will make us unhappy. This is the first anti-climactic ending to university can intensify this feeling. time that our next step is totally our choice, which can be Adrenaline and pressure carry you through your last deadlines simultaneously exciting and terrifying. and exams, all leading up to the eventual achievement of ‘The Moving back home can be another key point of stress Degree’. Then suddenly, after years of hard work, its finished for numerous reasons: moving back in with family, feeling and you’re leaving university. isolated both geographically and socially, and the lack of One of the most common stresses can be the access to societies. Moving back home can feel pressure of finding ‘the perfect job’ to like you’re regressing, like you’re trying launch into immediately, getting your to fit your graduate self back into the foot firmly onto that ‘career ladder’ mould of who you were at 18. It before the claws of unemployment might be challenging to maintain can even touch you. University your autonomy and could put can feel like existing inside an pressures on your mental echo chamber. The pressure health. The statistics look to find your dream job daunting, Student Minds straight away is intensified and City Mental Health and reinforced to the point Alliance spoke to 300 where it is accepted that recent graduates and 49% leaving university without said their mental health a respectable job offer will declined after leaving damage your prospects of university and 40% felt ever succeeding. Coming to socially isolated. the end of my undergraduate Perhaps the most degree last year, I felt this important thing to pressure infiltrating nearly remember is that learning every interaction I had with my to live at home again, even if course mates, so much so that only temporary, will be different I actively distanced myself from and could be quite difficult. Give any engagement with career-talk. This yourself time to adapt. Try to anticipate rs Sie worked for me as it allowed me to really what you may find most difficult in the Epigram / Lucy think about what I wanted to do next. transition period and what adjustments you Taking a gap year/s to gain perspective and experience can implement when moving home. Maintaining things before stepping into a fulltime job is a respectable option. that made you happy at university, which could include Considering a majority of our lives will be spent working there hobbies or activities, at home may allow you some stability should be no rush to get going. The period after graduating and continuity. Treating your family like they’re your can be the best opportunity to do other, more personal things. housemates, doing your own meals/washing, could prevent Employers should not consider taking a gap year to fulfil other the feeling of loss of independence. It will be important to interests as irresponsible, nor should it be seen as a cop-out for be kind to yourself, give yourself enough time to consider those that lack direction. The myth that you have to launch your next steps and adjust to your new life away from yourself straight onto the ‘career ladder’ otherwise you will be university. Self-pressure can be crushing, try not to force a lost cause is just that - a myth. yourself down a path that you do not think is right for you.

However, if you are someone who feels they want to start Most importantly, you must accept that everyone will take a ‘proper’ job straight away then it is important to remember alternative routes and each route (graduate job/travelling/ that careers are not so one dimensional any more. If the first chilling) is valid as long as it works for you. Move at the pace job you find yourself in after university isn’t making you happy you feel comfortable and try not to let the limbo period be Epigram / Lucy Siers then transitioning between jobs, and even entire professions, disheartening.

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Food

Editor Deputy Editor Deputy Editor Digital Editor

Virginia Campbell Emma Bayley-Melendez Jessica Gadd Ruby Griffiths

Foodie Fantasy in Krakow

To our amazement the goulash was served in what can only be described as a mini cauldron with a ladle too - we were quickly under the food’s spell! Served with a light salad and two potato pancakes we found ourselves comatose by the end. As if the food and incredible hospitality weren’t enough, we were then given a free shot of plum vodka and told to say “Na Zdrowie” which literally means ‘to health.’ The best thing about dining in Krakow has to be the price of the food. Prior to the trip beginning I collected some Polish Zloty and was told that my money would go far but I didn’t quite imagine how far that would be.

The entire meal we had including a carafe of wine and bottled mineral water came to around thirteen pounds which is insane considering how much we pay for food in the UK. Polish cuisine is massively comforting especially in the colder seasons and I think

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Epigram / Emma Bayley-Melendez Epigram / Emma Bayley-Melendez

Down a little side street in the Old Town is the Black Duck, found through a quick ‘best Polish food near me’ search, my friend and I headed over. With the high ratings we went in expecting to try incredible Polish food and we were certainly not disappointed. As you may imagine the Black Duck does specialise in duck and the restaurant has lots of duck artistry which adds a certain quirk to the fairly traditional layout. We quickly engaged in conversation with an elderly British couple who recommended the goulash but did warn us of the big portion sizes! Both feeling tired and in need of a boost we decided to plough through the order with full portions (although in Krakow lots of restaurants do offer half portions).

Epigram / Emma Bayley-Melendez

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few weeks ago, I found myself getting the train to London where I caught a flight to Krakow. Having only ever been to Poland once before I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness, affordability and beauty of this quaint city. With the weather being pretty cold (as I expected), indulging in traditional Polish cuisine was the perfect way to engage in local culture and frankly keep myself warm in the low temperatures!

Epigram / Emma Bayley-Melendez

Emma Bayley-Melendez gives Krakow’s food scene a glowing review a trip to Krakow would be amiss without sampling Pierogi. Pierogi is a type of dumpling commonly found in Eastern Europe and is filled with various fillings, either sweet or savoury. The best pierogi I had was the cheese, onion and potato; very simple but when made right it tastes incredible. What’s even better is that it’s the perfect way to use leftovers if you have remaining mash from the day before! A friend tried Zurek which is a type of soup/ stew that is served in rye bread, I didn’t try this myself, but the photos left me slightly regretting this choice.

As a city, Krakow is very progressive in a lot of ways and despite often indulging in more traditional food, we were lucky in being able to find lots of vegan and vegetarian places that offered more modern options. One place which was great value for money and could easily have a restaurant opened up in the UK was Krowarzywa Vegan Burger. I had the Beyond Meat burger with their homemade slaw and potato wedges and was very impressed. This is the perfect option if you’re wanting a slightly healthier alternative to hangover food, as we found after a night of heavy drinking. Glonojad is another option; a super modern eatery with very healthy homemade options and a great serving of salad- very much reminded me of Beets n Roots!

So many of my happiest holiday memories can be captured with the nostalgic rememberings of meals I had. Though sad to have left, I will hold Krakow in my mind with a newfound fondness of foods I hadn’t previously understood or sampled for myself. This city break left me aching to visit again not only for my desire to try more local food but also so I can explore more of the city’s rich history. In particular, I hope to explore more of the Jewish quarter in my next visit and repay Mleczarnia a visit - a gorgeous café that was filled with old photographs and furnished with well-loved items that gave it a wonderful homely ambience. Till I visit again I will have to learn how to master the perfect goulash and pierogi.

Dinner Party Perfection

Jessica Gadd reveals her guide to hosting the perfect uni dinner party and impressing your guests

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t’s hit third year, your dissertation deadline is looming and suddenly (as if you’ve aged a decade overnight) the dinner party scene seems much more appealing than a mad one at Lakota. But throwing a dinner party in student housing comes with a unique set of challenges - the kitchen is too small, we only have three plates between five people, our downstairs neighbour will report us to the uni if we make too much noise… the list goes on. Never fear! Here are some top tips for making your uni dinner party a roaring success.

The Decor Epigram / Jessica Gadd

For most students, the kitchen is permanently in a pretty dire state: the sink is overflowing with dirty dishes, the bins are overflowing because you’re too lazy to take them out and you daren’t walk on the floor without shoes on. In other words, it’s time to deep clean your kitchen. The phrase ‘a burden shared is a burden halved’ comes to mind, so gather your flatmates to help you if you want to minimise the effort of cleaning. Once the dining space is habitable, you can begin to adorn it with a few cheap decor hacks that will definitely impress your guests. Think fairy lights, balloons, confetti to scatter over the table and ‘upcycled’ wine bottle candle holders.

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The Menu

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For dessert, I generally turn to chocolate. At my last dinner party, my attempt at Jamie Oliver’s clementine chocolate torte earned rave reviews from my flatmates (granted, one of them has been known to add raw broccoli to pizza, but high praise nevertheless).

I won’t lie, there was a lot of faff involved; from squeezing fifteen clementines by hand to attempting to whisk the egg/sugar mixture without an electric whisk. It was well worth it though. The texture of the torte can best be described as somewhere between cake, brownie and mousse and the rich chocolate was well balanced by the slightly bitter clementine syrup. Dust with icing sugar for presentation points.

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Next, the main course; this should be something you can cook in bulk, especially if it’s for a larger party. A vegetarian paella is normally a crowd pleaser and I prefer to experiment by combining the best elements of several recipes rather than just sticking to one. Garnish the dish with lemon wedges and chopped parsley for added flavour.

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The menu is what distinguishes a good dinner party from a great one. There’s a lot to be said for preparing ahead of time, so I’d advise choosing recipes where you can get most of the hard work out the way before your guests arrive. For the starter, go for an antipasti style set-up. You can take some initiative here but some examples include fresh focaccia, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, hummus and cured meats if you’re feeling extra bougie.

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gra For the entertainment, isomething simple and personal goes a long way. The more it plays to the group’s inside jokes and funny m /J flat’s ‘Come Dine With Me’ circuit, some of the best examples included an eighty question pub stories, the better. During my quiz based on our escapades over that year, flat-themed articulate and a slightly random but highly competitive easter egg hunt.

Another fun idea is a simple game of ‘guess who wrote this tragic post on facebook when they were thirteen’. This involves putting on your stalker cap and scrolling through each of your guests’ profiles from back in the day, and then making your them guess who wrote what. This one is sure to get some laughs, as well as some second hand embarrassment. If all else fails, supply plenty of alcohol so that the next morning your guests won’t even remember what went wrong! ad

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Waste Free February: Worth It? Matthew Randell tells us about his month attempting to go waste-free and provides some practical tips for living more sustainably

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aste-Freebruary… a portmanteau of waste-free and February. Why February? Because it’s the shortest month. I’ll start by defining waste-free, because it can be quite a misleading term. This month, I was not waste-free; I just did what I could. And for most people, what they can do is a lot more than they actually do. Brief disclaimer: I am privileged to live near a waste-free shop and greengrocers and I can afford to spend more than 29p on 500g of pasta, even if I often choose not to. I aimed for no packaging at all since even recycling is not 100% efficient, but when this was not possible I selected recyclable materials over non-recyclable alternatives.

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Pasta. This is the easiest thing in the world, depending on your location.

Preserve on Gloucester Road is a zero-waste shop where you can bring a jar or container with you and fill it with pastas, beans, lentils, rice, flours, spices or even a dried soya mince. In general, it only works out slightly more expensive than regular supermarkets and the plastic-free shopping experience is way more fun. The only part I wince at is that it prints me a single-use barcode for the cashier to scan, but it’s still the most efficient way I suppose.

Frozen veg. Instead of buying a plastic bag of pre-cut frozen vegetables, I bought fresh unpackaged ones from the greengrocers. This does cost more and there is a greater risk of food waste, but overall it’s an easy change and you’re free to get any combination of obscure vegetables you like.

Bread. I usually buy a plastic-bag-wrapped loaf of bread from Lidl. This didn’t seem like it would be an issue – I see unwrapped bread in bakeries all the time. The cost was considerably higher though; I went from paying 40p for an 800g sliced loaf to paying over £1 for a loaf that didn’t go nearly as far.

This may not sound like a big deal, but when you eat bread 5-7 a week you have to take it into consideration.

Cheese. I struggled with this one. I tried foil-wrapped brie, but I don’t know if I cleaned it well enough for recycling. My current suggestion is going to a cheese counter or butchers with some beeswax wrap or a tub and asking if they’d mind putting it straight in there for you.

Snacks. Sometimes you want something sweeter than a jar of nuts. Creme eggs are in season and wrapped only in foil. Also, Smarties and Rolos have recyclable packaging. There is something bitterly ironic about the way that my attempt to live more ethically drove me into the arms of Nestle… Fortunately, Wilko came to the rescue with their ‘natural selection’ brand of yoghurt coated banana, dried fruits, chocolate covered nuts, etc. All in paper bags. Amazing.

Epigram / Matthew Randell

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Epigram / Matthew Randell

When planning my meals, I found there were only a few key everyday foods which I needed alternatives for:

Epigram / Matthew Randell

Toiletries are a separate issue. Like in The Good Place, modern life is too complicated to be a good person and I now need to go and check whether the tube is printed in vegetable ink. I’ll give a quick shoutout to Colgate’s ‘Smile for Good’ toothpaste with completely recyclable packaging. This saved me from the mess that is toothpaste tablets - which lacked both instructions and fluoride.

This experiment opened my eyes to the amount of single-use plastic that’s around. I already thought I was pretty ahead of the curve with my Ecosia web browser, metal collapsible straw, and bamboo toothbrush, but now I see plastic everywhere in a way I didn’t before. The good news is that societal pressures and apathetic companies trying to protect their bottom-line mean “eco-friendly packaging” is on the rise. Coming towards the end of the month, my small waste jar is getting full with fruit stickers and the plastic rings you pull from the carton of soya milk.

Overall, I found this diet way less restrictive than veganism (although a plant-based diet definitely complements the lifestyle). I won’t debate which is most environmentally friendly, I find them both admirable. But it really is surprisingly easy, so I would encourage you to Google (or Ecosia) your closest zero-waste shop, head down to see what you can switch out and just be a little more waste-aware than you were yesterday.

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Seasonal Soup: Curried Cauliflower

This delicious soup makes the most of seasonal highlights such as cauliflower and leeks Method:

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Preheat the oven, then scatter the cauliflower florets onto a baking tray

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with the ground cumin and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until

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evenly coated and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15-25 minutes until the cauliflower is lightly caramelised.

2. While the cauliflower is roasting, start to heat some oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion, leeks and potato for a few minutes until slightly soft. Then add the courgette.

3. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and add to the pan with the rest of the vegetables.

4. Next, prepare some chicken or vegetable stock and pour it over the vegetables so that they are covered.

5. Bring the mixture to boil, and then turn down the heat and leave to simmer gently for roughly an hour, stirring occasionally.

6. Once all the ingredients have softened, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Transfer the soup into a blender (you may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender) and blitz until smooth.

7. Transfer the soup back into the pan and heat through. Add the milk and

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a little more hot water depending on how you like the consistency.

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Season to taste.

8. Serve into individual bowls and garnish with chilli flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. The soup should last in the fridge for a few days, and it freezes well too. Perfect for batch cooking!

Ingredients: 1 large cauliflower, 1 courgette (peeled), 2 large leeks, one white onion, 1 potato, 2tsp ground cumin, 1-2 chicken/ vegetable stock cubes, splash of milk

Here’s What The Food Team Are Giving Up For Lent...

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I’m going to be giving up as much processed food as possible because I want to challenge myself to make my food from scratch. I have a tonne of recipe books that are yet to be used!

Emma Bayley-Melendez

For lent this year, I’ve decided to give up coffee. I’m hoping that this will encourage me to drink more water rather than turning to caffeine for an energy boost.

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Jessica Gadd

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Style​

Editor Orin Carlin Digital Editor Laura Mallinson

Diversity, designers and dressing up

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Cheryl Ong reports on the University of Bristol Charity Fashion Show

he University of Bristol Charity Fashion Show took place on a classic catwalk stage, accompanied with futuristic visuals and production by Limbie Cinema. The atmosphere was vibrant and loud, with cheers that roared like ocean tides as people gathered around the stage. Smoke and neon lights made the runway come to life and pulsating music filled the room with excitement, allowing a repetitive march to build gradually.

Gloria Jane Royer, a relatively new designer from London, explored fashion with an innovative yet sustainable mindset and had designs that screamed uniqueness. The moment I saw the extravagant designs and contrasting colours, I could not help but smile from cheek to cheek and be in absolute awe.

They had a masculine whisper, but indubitably reinforced feminine power; this mix allowed for an apparent duality and it translated strength. The textures were very inventive and each piece seemed like a piece of art.

Facebook / SoulMedia

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2Point5D, a Bristol based indie brand, was one of my favourites of the night. It encompassed the meaning of youth, and had some of the most wholesome designs I have ever seen. It was authentic yet retro, showcasing 90s extravagance and endearingly reminded me of the movie Clueless. I particularly enjoyed the layering of vibrant block colours – knee-high boots matched sunglasses and earrings, all completed with a soft-toy bag. Such fun!

Facebook / SoulMedia

Facebook / SoulMedia

Lydia Jackson’s standout looks came next on the runway, accompanied by some stunning visuals on the screen.

Her pieces not only were grand, but seemed to celebrate an array of cultures.

I particularly enjoyed the platform shoes and veil-like headpieces teamed with evening gloves. Pops of neon and varying textures of mesh felt cool and innovative.

Facebook / SoulMedia

In the show notes, it described the show’s motif to be ‘spirit’ and it stated that they were supporting Off The Record, a local charity which aims to “support, promote and defend mental health, rights and social position of young people” – something which I also am very passionate about. The show fiercely challenged pressure surrounding body image and instead I picked up on a sense of belonging.

It was clear that models had been selected for their individual stage presence and charisma rather than on account of how well they might conform to an unrealistic body standard - models were of varying sizes and gender identities which I feel just promotes a positive and inclusive attitude.

SHH streetwear showcased pieces that embodied a prolific and wandering mind.

Graffiti instantly came to mind, and I enjoyed the visual mixture of tie-dye, pattern and colour which gave off a cool aura. These designs seemed reminiscent of everyday wear and I could definitely imagine them being at home in a bustling city street.

The show ended with everyone dancing to “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan and “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire – a gleeful way to end the night!

Best of the BRITS Ryan Welsh shares his (un)professional fashion opinion on this year’s BRITS

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s someone who often wears a black North Face, Adidas trackies and trainers into uni (and no, I don’t play any sports) my friends don’t necessarily ask for my fashion advice. More fool them. However, I must acknowledge that the most exciting thing in my wardrobe is an orange jacket that makes me look like a traffic cone. Nonetheless, I am here to give my opinion on the plethora of outfits that were seen at the BRIT Awards this year.

STORMZY

Instagram / brits

HARRY STYLES Although the suit itself is cool, this is an example of an outfit that is much less than the sum of its parts. Also, I’m fairly confident that my gran has the same necklace.

Instagram / brits

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These pearls seem pretty bargainous.

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This guy is so bloody cool that he can turn up to an event dressed like a marshmallow and you’d still wish you were him. If you’re feeling bolder than Stormzy and are not planning on being in a muddy environment, bag yourself one of these white turtlenecks.

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Is she cosplaying a Tim Burton character?

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Instagram / brits

This is exactly how I wanted to dress instead of wearing school uniform. This will be exactly how I will to dress in the office instead of a suit. Or a wedding. Or a funeral.

Instagram / santandave

Take my comments with a pinch of salt as I look like a geography teacher half the time, but what can we take away from the outfits of these A-listers? Not much. Maybe don’t dress up as a chocolate bar unless you want to be included in an article like this. For better fashion advice, read the other articles in the Style section.

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FUZE 2020: Behind the scenes

Hendrike Rahtz and May Garland quiz the team behind this year’s FUZE fashion show

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Interviewing a Director of Marketing for a FUZE production is pretty exciting. Pippa tells me that her role is essentially to do the marketing and PR, leading the large team of talented photographers and designers. The big goal for FUZE this year is to break out into the mainstream and wider city press. This is something they have definitely already achieved - having been featured in CRACK magazine, and even getting sponsorship from Made in Chelsea star, Jamie Laing’s, company - Candy Kittens.

FUZE is already a very wellknown event amongst students at Bristol. Pippa tells me that her passion lies in ‘building a brand’s image as a whole.’ A bigger influence in the styling of this year’s show has been the production team’s choice to feature more sustainable clothing and fashion options.

Talking of wavy garms, we discuss the everyday clothing we each like to wear, Pippa telling me that her fashion inspiration mostly stems from 90s fashion, telling me that she is commonly wearing a long black leather coat, a vintage pin-stripped suit, and some classic white Air Force trainers. ‘I love the colliding of smart and casual,’ she says. To end, I wonder what her key styling tip is - to ‘be your authentic self, hit the charity shops and be as sustainable as possible’.

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Epigram / Jazz Zervos

Epigram / Pippa Adamthwaite-Cook

ippa Adamthwaithe-Cook and Jazz Zervos are respectively the Marketing Director and Managing Director of the FUZE fashion show which takes place on 13th and 14th of March. The Style section was keen to rack their brains on all things FUZE and find out a little more about how they operate behind the scenes.

I spoke to Jazz Zervos over a cup of coffee; where this year’s FUZE Managing Director revealed her inspiration behind applying for the role was her love of FUZE productions - because they ‘uniquely incorporated different realms of the art industry’, including dancing and performance.

Her role as the Managing Director is responsible for sourcing talented people for the team, which has led her to pursuing creative curation in her career after working on FUZE. Working with the directors, finding venues and working to a tight deadline is part of ‘the process of collaboration with lots of people’s creative ideas.’

We got onto discussing the origins of FUZE, which started in 2003, creating spectacular performances to raise money for charity. Her own background of performing in, and managing events, started with directing the student production of Rent at the Student Union. As always, I want to talk about what we’re both into wearing right now; Jazz likes a ecclectic mix between modern and retro, wearing a lot of black and then something bright - like her striking red nails, for example.

Talking about current trends, she reveals that she borrows a lot of clothes from her mum’s wardrobe, because she prefers styles that give her outfit a stand-out vintage twist.

A pop of colour Editor Orin Carlin

I find it odd how many people my age steer clear of blush, I wonder if this is because blusher isn’t especially à la mode at the minute, but believe me when I tell you that a cream blush can do you more than a few favours!

It is so forgiving that you can afford to be slightly haphazard with the application. Pull a crazed smile and dab it on the fattest part (the apple) of your cheek and blend it in.

CONVERTIBLE COLOUR, £18 STILA

LIP & CHEEK, MILK MAKEUP

Stila’s Convertible Colour in the shade Peony is perfect for my olive complexion and you could even pop a bit on your lips if you’re feeling matchy-matchy (or just stuck for other products!). £20.50

I adore Milk Makeup’s Lip & Cheek in the shade Werk because it is so ridiculously easy to apply, even a child could make a mean job of it. Also: it reminds me of a big fat Pritt Stick.

LOVE. CREAM COLOUR BASE, £19.50 | MAC MAC’s Cream Colour Base in the shade Hush will forever have my heart. Don’t go mad or you’ll look very futuristic, but it’s great for when I need to function after a big night out.

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Orin Carlin jets off and shares her flight must-haves

hat storm are we on? I can’t keep up. All I know is that I’m sick to death of the prolonged miserable weather (eagle-eyed readers will notice this as a common complaint of mine) and frankly this time I’m going to do something about it. As much as I adore recommending various genius products that can help you cope with chapped lips and flaky skin (and believe me, it truly is the light of my life) I thought it was time to bugger off and soak up some sun. Without further ado, here are my in-flight essentials that I simply cannot live (by which I obviously mean ‘emerge looking and feeling at least half-decent’) without.

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Unless you are maddeningly lucky, you’ll probably get bloated on an aeroplane and therefore I reckon NE O Z CK leggings are the way MA PILL OW, £13.99 | A to go. People always bang on about how you’d have to be mad to wear jeans on a flight (guilty!) but I think what is really important is just that they’re not too tight i.e. stay away from Topshop’s Joni jeans. Which you have probably been doing anyway, if your sense of style has developed even remotely since age 13.

Mine hasn’t and my bum is grateful.

editors’ picks

PEARS “Oddly specific, but the pears in Clifton Down Sainsbury’s have been EXCEPTIONAL recently.

They have revolutionised my fruit intake and I (admittedly deludedly) have decided that I essentially am the definition of health. Rate it. Keep ‘em coming.”

ESPRESSO MAKER, £20 JOHN LEWIS “Let’s give our daily coffee dose the luxury it deserves. Waking up for a 9am never felt so good with an Italian Espresso coffee pot - when your flat smells of gorgeous fresh coffee you’ll never look back!”

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Unrelatedly if you are blessed enough to have a torso short enough that it resembles that of a child’s, it is your lucky day.

I am about to share the best kept secret ever for ‘petite’-sized (bleugh) women. Run, do not walk, to Zara Kids. This knitted sweater is on my wish-list, it just looks so cosy and therefore perfect for flight style.

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FACIAL SPRITZ, £12 | CAUDALIE

Let’s be real. Are you a hot mess? Are you that person who kneels in the security queue with knickers and flip flops and sunglasses strewn around you like a moat of stress as you perspire and dig through your inappropriately stuffed carry-on bag for the bottle of sun cream that you just literally just bought and then instantly forgot about? Please, on behalf of literally everyone, get your shit together. This will help.

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Aeroplane air is rather unpleasant.

It makes your skin feel tight and uncomfortable, plus we shall not even begin to mention that you’re essentially breathing in everyone else’s germs. Gross. To perk up your dehydrated skin and give you a bit of a boost, facial spritzes are ideal. Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir is my personal weapon of choice, the smell is utterly divine and always makes me feel instantly refreshed.

EYE SERUM, £42 | AURELIA “Admittedly a heavy blow to the student budget but trust me, it’s worth it. If you’re trying to balance your mid-term workload with your Tinder dates, this refreshing gem will de-puff and brighten your eyes, covering up any signs of sleepless nights.”

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Deputy Editor Hendrike Rahtz shares her shower favourites for this Winter season, making sure she stays healthy and happy.

Travel

Editor Lily Donnelly Deputy Editor Emma Loubser Digital Editor Will Holmes

A love letter to Lisbon

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Callum Ruddock on falling in love the sound of accomplished violinists rehearsing at the orchestral school below come morning.

Music was to define our time in Bairro Alto. Be it the sound of the Wiener Philharmonic (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) who’d set up shop just down the street offering passers by an impromptu summers evening concert, or the hum of battery powered radios which bled from small independent mercados. I was in proverbial heaven.

Bairro Alto’s charm lifted my spirit and fortified my confidence.

I tactfully avoided tourist restaurants

Epigram/CallumRuddock

had fallen in love with the idea of loving someone. Having chased a close friend to Portugal for a summer of platonic romance, our afternoon jaunt had ended in the hills of Lisbon. The air was soupy and lacked energy. Below I spied hilltop houses and the silhouette of a beautiful girl. The pace of life there wasn’t poetically slower; nor was my desire for it to be. Back then I didn’t smoke – I certainly drank a lot. I was slimmer; thought of myself as a more interesting person, and truly hoped my naïve emotional sails would catch the proverbial winds of love. Lisbon seemed foreign and that alone was exciting.

These things aside, I will spare you the romance and emotions. I live better off the page than on it. And, whilst I often wish for the latter; deep down I know this to be good. Here then are some stories of our favourite places.

Bairro Alto’s buzzing streets felt a thousand miles from our apartment.

The throb of the crowds could be found a mere two blocks away, and yet our position opposite an old metal works felt untouched. We had managed to bag ourselves a comfortable downtown spot. Not cheap by any standard, but what we received in return was far better than what we deserved. A varnished solid wood banister led-up to a spacious and light 3-bedroom apartment, with a stunning cream tiled kitchen complete with large unpolished marble surfaces.

The terrace and balconies were covered with a rich array of house plants; the front room beautifully furnished with Scandinavian furniture, as we sat humbled by the breadth and scope of the things that lay before us.

Each room led well into the others through floor-to-ceiling double doors in that way European summer homes often do. Mopeds would speed by in the dead of night and make way for

as one might avoid bad pubs. Because let’s be frank – any restaurant that employs someone to stand outside and entice tourists in isn’t worth your time. Good restaurants don’t need to advertise when word of mouth is king.

It is the case in Lisbon, as it is anywhere else, locals know best. Portuguese cuisine is built on locality. Bairro Alto was kind to us. It suited our needs and helped us feel part of the city.

If you’re hoping to stay central you can’t go wrong with Bairro Alto. Busy

if a little touristy, it’s transformation from shopping district by day to party hub by night is at least worthy of a visit.

Portugal is a nation of fish-eaters.

Bacalhau (dried salted cod) and other fish of all kinds remain restaurant staples. Why then, at 7pm on a Thursday evening, was I sat alone eating steak? The Decadente was an extravagant place for steak, set in the Swiss ambassador’s former residence, the modern restaurant was to be centre stage for my daring deceit. I’d sat down with my notepad and begun to write.

My friend had reliably informed me that she’d found the “best rooftop bar in the city” and had run off to grab a table, a glass of fizz and a phone call home. “I don’t like steak anyway”, she remarked as I was left alone. I would have to entertain myself.

I got a cheap bottle of house red and set to work on my food. No sooner than I’d started I was disturbed by the head waiter. He enquired as to what I was writing about. “Just reviewing for the Guardian,” I softly replied, a grin across my face. And just like that, out came more food and new dishes filled with surprising zings.

Tuna steak and pak-choi, and enough of it to feed four. I gobbled it down unapologetically grinning to myself over our misunderstanding. The waiter let out an almost weary cheer as I fired a thumbs-up his way. Compliments to the chef I thought.

Chefs always take pride in their food (or at least you’d hope so) and this chef was no different. I almost felt sorry for the poor person stuck behind the service hatch readying dishes for a fib filled nineteen-year-old. The food was outstanding and I’m sure if you visited them today, you’d be as satisfied as I was.

Maybe if you ask about their Guardian review they’ll say, “oh yeah we’re still waiting for that to be published.”

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Summer of the sesh

Maxwell Livesey talks European festivals for every music taste

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uropean music festivals attract thousands of people each summer, as people travel abroad with friends to see all their favourite artists perform. With a multitude of festivals, however, it can be difficult to decide where to travel and which artists to see. Here is a roundup of some of the top music festivals in Europe this summer.

Openair Frauenfeld, 9 – 11 July Openair Frauenfeld has to be at the top of the music festival list for any fans of rap/hip-hop. The festival has seen some of rap’s biggest artists, including Eminem, Travis Scott and J. Cole, and the headliners who have been announced for this summer include Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky and Meek Mill.

Located in a small town in northern Switzerland, Frauenfeld hosts 170,000 people for one of the largest hip-hop festivals in Europe. With beautiful, warm weather and large crowds, the atmosphere over the weekend is incredible.

Although Switzerland is generally expensive, 3-day tickets start at CHF 255 (the equivalent of roughly £200), which is similar to other festivals.

Ultra Europe, 10 – 12 July Ultra Europe hosts some of the biggest electronic music artists in the world, for an action-packed weekend. The lineup this year includes Afrojack, David Guetta and Marshmello with many more names to come.

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Benicàssim, 16 – 19 July Just north of Valencia, in the small beach town of Benicàssim, is where thousands of people come to watch artists perform until sunrise. The festival boasts artists from a range of genres, so you will definitely be able to see your favourite artists regardless of your taste in music. Artists performing this summer include Khalid, Vampire Weekend, Martin Garrix, Liam Gallagher and Rita Ora. On the picturesque Spanish coastline, with sunny weather and the beautiful Mediterranean right by the camping grounds, Benicàssim is an amazingly fun festival students are sure to enjoy.

Tickets start at €65 for a 4-day pass, with camping at an additional €25.

Unsplash/Yvette de Wit

Epigram/Emma Bayley-Melendez

NOS Alive, 9 – 11 July Located just outside Lisbon, NOS Alive is one of summer’s most exciting music festivals. With a line-up that includes Kendrick Lamar, Jorja Smith, Billie Eilish and Two Door Cinema Club, the festival caters for a variety of music tastes.

Portugal’s southern coastline is beautiful and picturesque, making it an ideal location for crowds to bask in the sun and watch their favourite acts perform. Due to the nocturnal schedule of the festival, festivalgoers are given the opportunity to explore Lisbon and surrounding areas during the day.

Tickets for the festival start at €69 for daily tickets and €159 for a 3-day ticket.

The festival takes place in Croatia, in the coastal city of Split, which boasts beautiful, summer weather and spectacular scenery. Throughout the day festivalgoers are able to enjoy the beaches and the festival’s two dance parties, Ultra Beach and Regatta Party, on nearby islands.

Tickets for the 3-day festival start at €159.

Sziget Festival, 5 – 11 August Sziget Festival has a huge line-up over its 7-day festival, with artists from a variety of genres attracting a huge mix of people and music tastes. The line-up for 2020 features Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, A$AP Rocky, Lewis Capaldi, Stormzy, slowthai and many more.

The festival takes place on Óbuda Island in Budapest, one of Europe’s most interesting and exciting cities, giving festivalgoers the chance to explore the city outside of the festival grounds. Additionally, Sziget Festival has multiple art installations in venues including a circus, theatre, and museum, as it offers artists and performers the opportunity to showcase their talents.

Budapest is one of Europe’s cheaper cities, making it ideal for student travellers. Tickets for the 7-day festival are €299, however there are multiple ticket options available for people who only want to attend certain or fewer days.

To Airbnb, or not to Airbnb Lingfeng Ge talks about preparing for the unexpected with Airbnb

1. Check-in There are two check-in modes on Airbnb: check-in with the host or self check-in. When the host is there to let you in their home, they usually need to know your arrival time in advance. If you’re running late, some of them will be OK with it, but some will pull a long face when you finally arrive, and some will stop waiting for you and go away before you arrive….

You can never know in advance which type of hosts they are.

The self check-in could be as frustrating. I still remember how nervous I was after I arrived at an Airbnb home in Reims, France three years ago. The host was away and left her whole apartment to me, so I had to self check-in. She told me a day before that, when I arrived at the courtyard gate, I needed to put my hand through the gate and unlock the gate from inside.

So when I arrived there, I just tried to do as she told me. It was unexpectedly difficult. I couldn’t see anything at the other side of the gate from outside the gate as I scrabbled for the hatch.

I tried a while, and I thought I had touched every possible area where the hatch could be, but I still hadn’t touched the hatch.

I gave the host a ring, but she didn’t answer. So I tried again to find the hatch, but again I couldn’t find it. I rang her again but got no response again. So I continued to scramble around, sweating through my clothes. I can’t remember how long I was stuck there until someone came from the courtyard and opened the gate for me.

Unsplash/Michael Shannon

I’ve stayed in both hotels and Airbnb many times. To me, the biggest difference between the two is simple: when I book the former, I know what will be there, but when I book the latter, I don’t know what to expect. Let me show you a few unexpected, unpleasant things I’ve experienced with Airbnb:

2. Hygiene When you book a 3-star hotel, you know the room will be satisfyingly clean. But when you book an Airbnb, unless you’re lucky enough to catch a superhost, the cleanliness will be a question until you get there. Sometimes the photos of the room make you believe the room is clean, and sometimes the reviews don’t tell you something is dirty in the room, but don’t be too optimistic! After you get there and see everything with your own eyes, you may get upset. For example, two years ago I booked an Airbnb room with good photos and good reviews, but when I got there and had a look at the bed, I saw shoe prints on the duvet! Another example is an Airbnb house I stayed in last month. In photos, the room looked very stylish.

And some reviews said the room was clean. When I got there, my first glance also told me everything looked clean. But later, I moved the pillow, only to see a blood stain on the bedsheet underneath. And then I started to check everything - I saw human hairs in the bathrobe, and I saw food stains on almost every bowl, mug, piece of cutlery….

Unsplash/Curology

3. Heating Let me talk again about the Airbnb house I stayed in last month. It was January in Coventry, so I expected to have a warm heater in my room. In fact, there was a heater in every room of the house, but unexpectedly, the host didn’t want to turn any of them on. I had to shroud myself with a duvet when I wasn’t in bed. Also, on the second evening I’d stayed there, it was raining heavily. My shoes were wet through when I came back to the house in the evening. Because the heating was kept off during the night, when I put on my shoes again the next morning, they were still wet. I ended up walking in my wet shoes for hours, although it wasn’t raining at all that day.

The stories above are just the tip of the iceberg. The space here is limited, so I can’t tell all my Airbnb stories with unexpected unpleasant things inside. But if you’re mentally strong enough, you can always explore the unexpectedness of Airbnb yourself!

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Spotlight on: the Netherlands Candra George shares her tips on culture, cycling and nightlife

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Stroopwafels are delicious caramel wafer sandwiches balanced on a cup of tea...

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G Candra eorge

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Amsterdam boasts some of the country’s best cultural spots and sites.

Some of the most famous are the Anne Frank House and Van Gogh museum

For those adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers, the A'Dam Lookout is Europe's highest swing

G Candra eorge

Cultural attractions

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– so you don’t miss out like I did, it’s best to book your tickets in advance.

Other great museums include the Rijksmuseum, home to lots of iconic pieces of art.

For the more adventurous tourists who are interested in Amsterdam’s Red Light District history, there is the Venustempel Sex Museum which exhibits erotic photos, paintings and statues.

Food and drink

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For those adrenaline junkies and thrill-seekers, the A’Dam Lookout is an activity for your bucket list, offering Europe’s highest swing allowing you to view the entire city’s skyline. I visited during the morning to avoid a large queue, however the swing offers some beautiful views at night when the city truly springs to life!

For those looking for more of a party atmosphere, a great place to start your night out is the city’s Ice Bar where you get to sample some Dutch Heineken beer. Amsterdam is also famous for its cafés and coffee shops, like the ‘Bulldog’ franchise, found throughout the city centre. It is important to remember that drug use is not permitted outside of these places. Furthermore, Amsterdam health authorities have launched a campaign to warn tourists about the dangers of buying drugs in the city.

Find out more on that here: https:// www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ netherlands.

Most importantly, if you will be spending time partying in the city, make sure you stick with your mates through apps such as Whatsapp ‘check ins’ and ‘Find my Friends’ for Apple users.

G Candra eorge

Up, up and away: Nightlife

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his year’s Eurovision 2020 contest being hosted in Rotterdam provides a good chance to focus on all things Dutch. Whilst Britain never seems to be successful in this musical showcase of talents, it remains an opportunity to celebrate the multiculturalism and the talents from countries other than our own. The Netherlands also offers great holiday and travel destinations from Amsterdam to The Hague, and it was the inspiration for my first postA-Levels holiday without my parents.

I ventured off to Amsterdam with my boyfriend, and this is what I got up to...

Back in 2017, before being a Bristol student and taking the plunge into veganism, I had a great time sampling the rich and decadent Dutch delicacies (a lot of cheese) and desserts. Forget cheesy fries from the local kebab shop, the Dutch serve thick-cut loaded fries with a variety of toppings from onions and mayonnaise to peanut satay and spicy sauce.

For those interested in dessert, Amsterdam is a great spot for bakeries and patisseries with generous dollops of fresh whipped cream and ladles of melted chocolate sauce. Stroopwafels are delicious caramel wafer sandwiches balanced on a cup of tea that melts the sugary goodness. Pancake day reminded me of ‘poffertjes’ which are small fluffy cloud-like pancakes served in most dessert shops in the city, often with icing sugar and maple syrup.

Get active!

When I wasn’t spending my time trying out the local food, I enjoyed renting bikes and exploring the city for myself, instead of always using the trams to travel. Thanks to this, I ended up discovering the hidden parks the city has to offer. Vondelpark is an idyllic haven right in the centre of the city and is a nice flat cycle route. If you are looking for even more of a workout, rent a pedal boat so that you can experience the canals for yourself. This was truly a quad-burner, even though I didn’t do my share of pedalling…

For more travel inspiration and advice follow @TravelAware on Instagram.

Croft Editor Daisy Farrow shares a moment from her recent holiday to Barbados, where she visited a botanical garden ran my an elderly man and his rescue dog.

Reading Week Relaxation Our Croft Editors and writers share how they spent their reading week detoxing from their busy university lives

Croft Editor Daisy Farrow took some time away from uni to go on holiday with her family. Pictured is her dog, Hawkin, asleep in the caravan

Digital Editor Emma Holding made some yummy chocolate cupcakes in time for Easter! (They tasted better than they looked)

Deputy Editor Hendrike Rahtz started to celebrate the beginning of Spring with some hydrangas

Spring cleaning means a new spring wardrobe... say bye-bye to furs and hello to florals!

Have any good photos of Bristol or student life? Submit them to thecroft.epigram@gmail.com for a chance of featuring on the back page!