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ISSUE 657 26 SEPT 2016 exepose.com
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XEPOSÉ Photo: Wang Yon Yan
THE UNIVERSIT Y OF EXE TER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987
Students pledge to help end sexual harassment
So we’re Global Top... 126? Susannah Keogh Editor
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HE University has fallen out of the prestigious Global Times Top 100 Rankings, less than a year after rising into the world’s top institutions. However, Exeter remains in the top one per cent of universities worldwide but the fall from the Top 100 is sure to be an embarrassment to the University, whose
rise has been lauded in the past year. At the time, Sir Steve warned students: “Please don’t think that this means our job is done, and we’ll automatically stay in the top 100. For us, the goal is long term sustainable achievement.” The Times World University Rankings are measured by five rankings: Teaching, Industry Income, Research Citations and International Outlook. In the latter, Exeter’s rating improved, which the University claims reflects its truly global perspective. It follows the University
increasing its marketing to international students, delivering an international career fair for a second year running in both Shanghai and Beijing. Professor Sir Steve Smith, ViceChancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Exeter said: “We were delighted to enter the top 100 universities in the world for the first time last year, experiencing a significant rise of 61 places to achieve 93rd position. With pioneering new initiatives, such as the Living Systems Institute opening in the coming months
and a commitment to attracting additional world-class academics to the University, Exeter is well-placed to continue to strengthen its position among the very best universities worldwide.” “The THE World University Rankings use tough global benchmarks that mean very small margins can equate to some fluctuation in year-on-year positions. “Although we saw a small drop in the positioning, these new rankings mean Exeter is still solidly placed in the top 1 per cent globally, and continues our overriding
upwards trajectory in the influential league tables in recent years.” Universities performing ahead of Exeter include the University of Sheffield and Queen Mary, London. An anonymous third year English student expressed concerns that an... increase in student numbers at the University is impacting on our league table performance. “When I arrived at Exeter three years ago, we were firmly in
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
COMMENT
MUSIC
The secret life of a student sex worker
Mercury Prize shutdown
Reviewing Queen Street’s new food outlets
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PAGES 22-23
PAGE 16
LIFESTYLE
Exeposé, Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ
Features Editors Print: Georgina Bolam & Katie Jenkins Online: Samuel Fawcett & Kate Jones features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Print: Jade Beard & Laurel Bibby Online: Alma Crespo & Lucy Ronan lifestyle@exepose.com Arts + Lit Editors Print: Emma Bessent & Natasha Ebbutt Online: Anna Blackburn & Izzy Hilliard artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Rory Marcham & Helen Payne Online: Sam Norris & Harry Williams music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Mark Allison & Zak Mahanifar Online: Cormac Dreelan & James Hands screen@exepose.com Games + Tech Editors Print: Jabez Sherrington & Sam Woolf Online: Ben Assirati & Jonathan Land games@exepose.com Science Editors Print: Victoria Bos & Beth Honey Online: Holly Belcher & Rebecca Broad sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Owain Evans & Lara Hopkins Online: James Angove & Ollie Lund sport@exepose.com Photography Satchi Minami & Wang Yong Yan photography@exepose.com With thanks to our proofing team: Copy Editors: Amy Batley, Jack Morgan Jones & Ashton Wenborn Proofers: Katie Jones, Barnaby Ridley, Olivia Bignold-Jordan, Adam Goldsmith, Rob Westlake, David Agnew, Alex Brammer, Jack Verhaeg, Deepa Latwani, Matthew Phillips, Mubanga Mweemba, Tristan Gatward
@ exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exepose Advertising Ross Trant R.Trant@exeter.ac.uk (01392) 722607 The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of the Publisher. Reproduction in any form requires the prior consent of the Publisher.
"The Holocaust was a good time" - AU bans white t-shirt socials PAGE 5
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News Editors Print: Rachel Ashenden & Natasa Christofidou Online: Georgia Roberts & David Smeeton news@exepose.com Comment Editors Print: Bea Fones & Mattew Newman Online: Olivia Horncastle & Rowan Keith comment@exepose.com
NEWS
EDITORIAL
Editors Print: Jeremy Brown, Hannah Butler, Susannah Keogh & Ben Londesbrough Online: Theodore Stone & Jessica Stanier
COMMENT
Simply the best (almost)
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ELLO, and congratulations on completing your first week of term. What better way to reward yourself then to check out the first official issue of Exeposé 2016/2017! Sorry to dampen your mood when you’ve only just arrived but (there’s no easy way to say this) Exeter just lost its position in the Top 100 of the Times Global University rankings. Ok, so we’re still in the top one per cent globally, but this is sure to be a bitter blow to Sir Steve, who was thrilled when Exeter finally made it in last year. Guess we’ll have to change those banners... Not all hope is lost though - we’re still pretty good here in the UK. 9th, actually, and the best in the South West. Ok, onto business. We’re glad to see the majority of you survived Freshers’ Week thanks in no small part to those angels in pink: the Welcome Team. You might not realise it, but they’re all volunteers, and they worked around the clock (sacrificing their own social life) to keep us safe. Three cheers to them! On the subject of student
safety... welcome to our 'student welfare and wellbeing' issue! Look out for themed articles and stories throughout the paper... Now, chances are you went to at least one white t-shirt social during Freshers Week… and good thing you did, because looks like they might be no more. Following shocking anti-semitic slurs on the back of white t shirts spotted during a Snowsports social, Exeter has hit the national headlines for all the wrong reasons, and the incident has rightly angered students across campus. So the AU have BANNED them, and we reveal in News that the Students’ Guild is considering whether or not to follow suit. In lighter news, over in Screen we’ve got the lowdown on the new Bridget Jones movie, plus a recap of all the Bake Off drama that’s shocked the nation. Fancy some baking therapy? Check out Lifestyle for a sinful cookie recipe to Berry your feelings. If you're looking for more opportunities to get involved with us, be sure to move your eyes ever so slightly to the right and come to one of our brand new writers' meetings. We’d love to see you! Now, get back to your reading lists...
Have a break, have a... nap? PAGE 8
FEATURES
Interview with Fee Scott, Devon Rape Crisis PAGE 10
SCIENCE
Are study drugs worth the risk? PAGE 35
Come along to our writers' meetings! We're introducing these informal fortnightly events for all our members, old and new. Chat to section eds, meet other writers, ask for feedback on articles and discuss ideas for new content! The meetings are on WEDNESDAY 28 SEPT, so come along to the Exeposé office (by the A&V desk) at: 11:30-12:30 to chat to our REPORT section eds (News, Comment, Features, Science and Sport), and 3:30-4:30 to meet the students behind our EXHIBIT sections!
Worldwide university news 'Sexual assault club' at South African police Tokyo University injure protesters
Bomb scare ‘hoax’ sees Banana-throwing students evacuated racism at US unis
TUDENTS from the University of Tokyo have been sentenced to prison after forming a club with the main objective of sexually assaulting women. According to The Japan Times, the group went by the name of: “The University of Tokyo Birthday Research Group” - and planned to intoxicate female students, before verbally and physically harassing them. Co-founder, Kensuke Matsumi, a 22 year old student, told the court that he saw women as ‘intellectually inferior;’ however he expressed regret for his acts. Matsumi, along with the rest of the stuents were sentenced to two years in prison - as the judge felt there was a possibility for rehabilitation.
bomb threat that is now believed to be a hoax had caused all schools to be evacuated in a small Canadian province. Around 19.000 students were evacuated from 60 schools on Prince Edward Island, a remote small province with an overall population of 146.000. Police officers in Ottawa received the threat through fax in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 21 September 2016, where unspecified schools were threatened. Students were all taken to a unspecified safe location where they were later collected by their parents. Cape Breton University was also evacuated as a consequence of the threat, however all academic institutions opened as normal on Thursday.
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ROTESTING students have been injured by police forces in Johannesburg while attending a demonstration over the high costs of education. The protest unfolded after Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand had announced that tuition fees for 2017 would increase by 8 per cent, a percentage higher than the country’s current inflation rate. During the protest, at least two students were severely harmed when the South African police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at the marching masses on Wednesday 21 September 2016, at an attempt to interrupt the protest. Violent protests last year had successfully pressured the government into freezing tuition fees for the academic year of 2016. However universities claim that a similar processes is no longer feasible.
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TUDENTS at the University of Washington arranged a protest on Monday 19 September 2016 to address reported incidences of racism and harassment that had occurred on campus dorms earlier in the month. A few hundred students turned up to an organised protest, where the main aim was to pressure the University to take action against ongoing racism in and around campus based dorms, where the main targets were black stuents. Such incidences were highlighted on 8 September 2016, where a black student had reported that a banana was thrown at her whilst she was entering her dorm. Another student had found a rotten banana outside their room. The University has claimed that students responsible for the racist incidences have been disciplined.
News 3
26 SEPT 2016 |
EXEPOSÉ
NEWS EDITORS: Rachel Ashenden Natasa Christofidou
Behind the scenes on student safety during Freshers’ Week
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N the aftermath of 2016/17 Freshers’ Week, Exeposé looked into the University and Guild’s efforts to ensure student safety and welfare during the week. The University’s Campus Services were on call throughout this year’s Freshers’ Week, predominantly through Estate Patrol. Meanwhile, the Guild’s Welcome Team - consisting of mainly student volunteers was scattered across campus and town. The Welcome Team helped new students settle in, with different groups of students and staff members positioned at different halls and meeting points around campus. Amongst the many events during Freshers’ Week were daily campus and town tours arranged by the Welcome Team, designed to make new students more familiar with their surroundings. When students visited central Exeter for various clubbing events, the Welcome Team coordinated via walkie talkies, ensuring that there were enough people stationed outside each clubbing venue. Members of the team also took responsibility for walking students back to their halls at the end of the night. Students have praised the Welcome Team’s efforts during Freshers’ Week. Lissy Smallbone, a third year English student told Exeposé: “having the Welcome Team on night shifts definitely makes the night scene a safer place for students than during the rest of the year. The fact that Welcome Team members are near clubs helps to get students home safely, so it prevents situations where students would otherwise be vulnerable. It definitely gave me a sense of security back in first year as I knew that these were people
I could trust and approach for help and directions.”
The Welcome Team makes the night scene a safer place for students Lissy Smallbone, student
Meanwhile the University’s Estate Patrol also provided support for students who needed help during the week. Two additional vechicles from Estate Patrol were introduced during the week, along with an extra Estate Patrol officer for telephone inquiries. The University’s services were coordinated by the environmental health officer from the City Council. Whilst the Welcome Team offered relatable advice and support to students, Estate Patrol served as a more official point of contact for students who were in immediate danger. An anonymous second
year Politics student gave Exeposé some insight into their experiences with Estate Patrol: “When I was living in halls last year, I always felt safe knowing that Estate Patrol was around, but I only really realised how important their presence was when I fell down in Timepiece during Freshers’ Week last year,” they said. “I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t walk to the hospital, nor did I have enough cash to get a taxi, so I called Estate Patrol and they were willing to rush me to A&E immediately. I think I would have felt very unsafe without their help.”
We had positive feedback from local residences and students Rory Cunningham, Community Liason Officer
Throughout Freshers’ Week, the University maintained close links with the
Photo: Natasa Christofidou
From SmartWater to getting home: Uni reveals new security initiatives SmartWater will soon be available from University outlets.
D-Locks are available from the Car Parking Office (Room 009, Northcote House) or ask at the SID desk in the Forum.
On Tuesday 29 September, the Student Community Wardens will also be offering free security marking and registering of valuables. Visit the Forum from 11am - 2pm to take part.
Devon and Cornwall Police Department, local churches, and Exeter City Council in order to welcome students to Exeter. The University of Exeter’s Community Liaison Officer, Rory Cunningam told Exeposé these collaborations had been “successful,” with the University receiving “positive feedback from local residents and students.” However, services provided during the week have been criticised for mainly benefiting first year students. Smallbone commented that services provided were “serving first years living in halls more than students living off campus.” Third year English student Jasmine Prasad, who works on the Guild’s Activities & Volunteering desk (A&V), told Exeposé: “we’ve had very positive responses from freshers about how safe they felt during Freshers Week, particularly on nights out.”
Hannah Butler Editor
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HE University has unveiled new plans to help keep both students and their property safe – using forensic ‘SmartWater’ to return stolen items to owners, and a “get you home” service for students stranded in the city centre. A traceable liquid that carries a unique forensic “code,” SmartWater permanently marks property such as bicycles. Users can register the unique code to an address, meaning recovered stolen items can easily be traced back to them. Once the initiative is launched, students can buy SmartWater kits from University outlets for £5. Allan Edgcumbe, Head of Security on Exeter’s Streatham campus, met with Exeposé to explain the initiatives. “Exeter is
a relatively safe city,” he stressed, “and so is our campus.” However, laptop and bicycle theft remains a problem for many students. Over the past six years, 158 bicycle thefts have been reported to the University’s security services. In 2015, 28 stolen bicycles were recorded – and the figure for 2016 so far stands at 20.
I treat students like I would my own family Allan Edgcumbe, Head of Security
Alongside the SmartWater kits, the Security and Transport team are offering heavy-duty bicycle D-locks for £10. Both the locks and SmartWater are being heavily subsidized by the team – using money collected from staff and student car-parking across campus. “It’s our way of giving
something back,” Edgcumbe said. As well as securing property, the team are keen to increase awareness of their specialist “get you home” service. “If you find yourself stranded in the city centre, having run out of money, particularly late at night then just ring Apple Taxis and they will convey you to the University security office,” Edgcumbe told Exeposé. Students still have to pay later
The A&V desk is responsible for solving student inquiries, particularly society administrative procedures - but also helped organise the Welcome Team and the Freshers’ Fair on Saturday 17 September. “The teams responsible for the organisation of our scheduled Welcome Team procedures more than rose above any challenges,” she said.
The Guild took the safety of Exeter students very seriously Will Vasey, senior Welcome Team member
Will Vasey, one of Welcome Team’s senior members, said: “One of the ways in which we achieved student safety is through our unique Welcome Team who are there to look out for student welfare throughout the week both day and night. Having been a member of Welcome Team for three years, I can see how seriously the Guild takes students’ safety during Freshers’ Week. I was also very grateful for the promotion of Nightline as a service for students to contact by the Guild. Overall, I feel the Guild took the safety and security of Exeter students very seriously during Freshers’ Week.” Cunningham also commented on the University’s cooperation with the Guild and local authorities: “The University takes its relationship with our neighbours extremely seriously and we work closely with local police and Exeter City Council so we can deal with any concerns about student behaviour quickly.,” he said. “I would like to thank the majority of students who have been respectful of other residents and businesses in the city.” on, he explained, “but this service has been negotiated by the Security Team with your safety in mind.” “My philosophy is: I treat students like I would my own family,” he said. “We’re much more welfare-orientated than they are security-orientated,” he explained, adding: “When I recruit my team, the adverts don’t focus on security - you can train for that. It’s all about welfare.” Photo: Yong Yan Wang
Natasa Christofidou News Editor
NEWS
Exeter is the best in the South West CONTINUED FROM FRONT ... the top 10 are on an upward trajectory globally. I’m just glad I’m graduating this year before things go further downhill.” In 2014, Exeter was ranked 154th in the global rankings
The World University Rankings use tough global benchmarks that mean very small margins can equate to some fluctuation Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor However, despite Exeter’s disappointing performance globally, there’s been success on the national stage, with the University being named the best in the South West in The Times and the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017. Beating rivals Bristol and Bath to secure the top spot, the Guide praised Exeter’s “longstanding international
focus” and noted all students are offered tuition in foreign languages. Their praise meant the University is now ranked 9th in the United Kingdom, among the leading universities for student satisfaction, world class research, varied new degree courses, international focus and career development and opportunities. Speaking about Exeter’s top ten position, Sir Steve told of his delight at the news: “It is a proud day not just for everyone associated with the University but also for our neighbours and the wider South West community as well as for our partners here in the South West and across the globe who are crucial to our success.” “With global-leading new initiatives such as the Living Systems Institute opening soon, coupled with our ability to attract the very best staff and students from across the world, Exeter is well placed to strengthen our position among the very best univerisities.” Figures released to Exeposé last year revealed that the number of students at the University has consistently risen every
year since 2002/2003, with the exception of between 2005/2006 and 2006/2007. In 2015/16, the planned number of students on Exeter campuses is 17,914, a growth of eight per cent since 2013/14, 1,365 more students than there were three years ago. The planned increase in student numbers on Streatham and St. Luke’s campuses between 2014/15-2015/16 is 450, a rise of 2.5 per cent.
I’m just glad I’m graduating this year before things go further downhill Anonymous third year student The University’s rise into the top 100 in 2016 followed years of improvements across campus and the subsequent increase in student numbers. With the £52 milliion Living Systems Institute set to open in Autumn, the construction on the Forum and renovation of Devonshire House all contributing to Exeter’s improved performance on the national stage.
É The Global Top 10 this year: - University of Oxford - California Institute of Tech - University of Stanford - University of Cambridge - Massachusetts Tech - Harvard University - Princeton University - Imperial College London - ETH Zurich - Cal Tech, Berkeley
Photo: Natasa Christofidou
Success in International Undergrad Awards Rachel Ashenden News Editor
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HIS year’s international Undergraduate Awards recognized 18 University of Exeter students as high-potential undergraduates, including the Regional Winner and Highly Commended Entrants. Known for celebrating academic potential across the globe, the competition is often referred to as a “junior Noble Prize”. It is the world’s largest international academic awards programme, including interdisciplinary work from the sciences, humanities, business and creative arts. The 2016 paper submissions were of the highest in record, totalling 4,514 papers from undergraduates in 244 institutions and 121 nationalities. University of Exeter now boasts a Regional Winner, Sofia Garré, whose paper was the highest-performing ‘Highly Commended’ papers from the category
‘Art History, Music Film & Theatre’, in the entirety of Europe. The six other regions of the competition are: Ireland, USA & Canada, Latin America, Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Sofia is a final year Liberal Arts stundent majoring in Art History. She told Exeposé that her paper, ‘The Role of Contemporary Art in defining Nature: Sebastiao Salgado and Brock Davis,’ examines the implications of two contemporary pieces of art – a photograph depicting the Sahara Desert by Salgado in 2009, and a piece by Brock Davis which was exhibited in Banksy’s ‘Dismaland’ in 2015 – to the definition of a modern concept of nature. The competition is advertised annually on the University’s website. It allows students to submit up to three essays - and recommends that only pieces graded 2:1 or above should be submitted. Entries are then judged by a panel of international academics over the summer period, and the top 10 per cent of papers in each category
are awarded with Highly-Commended. The 17 Highly Commended entrants from the University of Exeter included the following categories: Business, Classical Studies & Archaeology, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Engineering, History, Life Sciences, Philosophy, Politics & International Relations, Psychology, Social Sciences and Anthropology & Cultural Studies. Shamus Lee, Highly Commended for Business, won his award for a coursework piece which explores the relationship of leadership and power. He said: “I felt extremely humbled and honoured has been recognised in this year’s judging. This is a good platform to celebrate the efforts we put into our work at undergraduate level internationally.” Noting the success of the University in this year’s competition, CEO of The Undergraduate Awards Louise Hodgson said “This is a huge achievement for the University of Exeter and its students.
UA received the highest number of submissions to date with only the best papers making it through to the judging process – the competition was extremely tough and the Judges were astounded at the high quality of undergraduate research in the programme this year.
We will work with students if they are unhappy with the option they have been given Students’ Guild Highly Commended Entrants now have the opportunity to meet their fellow awardees at the annual UA Global Summit, taking place in Dublin, Ireland on November 8th-11th. The attendees will be addressed by NASA Astronaut Dr. Mae. Jemison, Shiza Shahid of the Malala Fund, MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abrahams, to name a few.
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Cat café coming to Exe
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XETER’S Mind Your Head society has shared an online poll gathering market research to help a local entrepreneur set up a Cat Café. The cafe, to be called ‘Coffee and Tails’, hopes to feature 10 to 15 cats at a time, with the potential to re-home some. The plans also feature a library section. Amy Cartledge, a proprietor of the cat cafe says it “aims to provide a tranquil, relaxing and stress free environment where our customers can enjoy quality coffee, with a good book and a cute kitty!” The cafe is set to open next academic year and further details are to be released. Jasmine Prasad, Contributor
How to swear like an Elizabethan in Devon
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R Todd Gray MBE, of Exeter University, is set to host a fundraiser lecture to help refurbish Pinhoe Library, entitled ‘Strumpets, Swearing and Drinking in Puritan Exeter’. Dr Gray, a University Research Fellow, has researched hundreds of slander cases in Devon between 1500 and 1650. The first time this subject has been discussed academically, his research is based on no less than 40,000 historical documents. According to Gray, only women would be called scolds or eavesdroppers, whereas the standard mockery for men would be of their low intelligence. Both were called beggars, witches and drunkards. Sex related scorn was the most popular; the favourite insults to 16th century Devon men being ‘rogue’ and ‘knave’, both accusations of dishonesty. The favourite insult for women was ‘whore’, and over two-hundred adjectives could be strung together with it to produce elaborate mockeries such as ‘drunken, poxy, platter-faced, hollow-mouthed whore’. Two abuses allegedly exclusive to Exeter were ‘nippy’ and ‘ninnycock’. It will be in Exeter Guildhall at 2pm on Wednesday 21 September. Matthew Phillips, Contributor
Exeter drone research into Amazonian depths
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esearchers from the University of Exeter will use new drone technology to survey the Amazon rainforest, to learn more about the impact that ancient humans had on the forests. The project, Pre-Columbian Amazon Scale Transformations (PAST) is in collaboration with the National Institute for Space Research in Brazil, and hopes to reveal the nature and scale of changes made thousands of years ago by humans in the Amazon. Remote Sensing experts from the University of Exeter built and tested the equipment during the past year in Brazil, with the expertise of the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research and the RPA manufacturers XMobots. Ellen Parker, Contributor
NEWS
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#NeverOK campaign officially relaunches Rachel Ashenden News Editor
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HE Students’ Guild has officially re-launched its #NeverOK campaign, demonstrating that the University maintains a zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment as a new academic year begins. In the first week of term, the four Sabbatical Officers and their #NeverOK campaigners took on a spot in the Forum to recruit supporters to sign the pledge against sexual harassment. The Sabbs, who are jointly leading the campaign with the Guild, were present at the stall 11:30-1:30 throughout the week.
My hope is that #NeverOK is not an end of itself, but the start of a wider body of work we can do to make a lasting real difference Alec James, Welfare & Diversity VP Exeter Students’ Guild President Toby Gladwin said “Sexual harassment is a major issue both on and off campus and the #NeverOk campaign is a great starting point to raise awareness about and tackle this issue.
The campaign upholds that students and staff alike have the right to live, work and study in a safe and supportive environment. It ensures that sexual harassment, both physical and non-physical, is condemned by the university. The online details of the pledge show examples of sexual harassment, also noting that the list is not extensive, as “it can be anything that leaves another person feeling uncomfortable”. #NeverOK intends to educate students about what constitutes consent, and to encourage them to challenge harassing behaviour wherever it occurs. Their notolerance policy covers areas beyond campus – in bars, on public transport, and even online. The Guild is working with Exeter police, the Council and external agencies, to foster a community that actively says it is never ok to engage in sexual harassment of any form. VP Welfare & Diversity Alec James told Exeposé “I am so pleased this campaign has returned: it represents a fantastic opportunity to make our campuses and city a safer place for students, and it has been hugely encouraging to see so many students engaging in the campaign. My hope is that #NeverOK is not an end of itself, but the start of a wider body of work we can do to make a lasting real difference on this issue.” This year the campaign is additionally illustrated by a video which uses curly fries
as an analogy to sexual consent. Aligning appetite with sexual responsiveness, the video shows that an individual holds the right to change their mind as to whether they want to consume the curly fries, and that they should never be forced to eat them. It further teaches that “unconscious people do not want curly fries”, and that if “someone said ‘yes’ to curly fries last Saturday, it doesn’t mean they want curly fries all the time.” The video finalises by claiming that if you are able to understand when people don’t want curly fries, then you should be able to understand when someone doesn’t want sex: “whether it’s curly fries or sex, consent is everything”. The video is based on YouTuber Emmeline May’s famous blog post - which compares consent to drinking a cup of tea.
of a serious issue. #neverok to conflate fried food and rape…”, adding “Imagine what it’d be like for someone who’d been assaulted to watch this video.”
As a victim of sexual assault, #NeverOk means a lot to me, as education is vital in ensuring that this stops happening to people Nick McAplin, 2nd year student The Students’ Guild responded on Twitter: “We’re sorry you feel that way.
We made our vid as a tool to educate and empower students to start a conversation”. Nick McAlpin, a second year French and Arabic student, said: “As a victim of sexual assault, #NeverOK means a lot to me, as education is vital in ensuring that this stops happening to people. Particularly as a male victim, I was pleased to see the gender-neutral language used in the video produced for the campaign, as people of all or no genders can be both victims and perpetrators.”
For further information regarding the #NeverOK campaign, and to sign the pledge, visit exeterguild.org/neverok
This video is downright offensive and makes light of a serious issue. #neverok to conflate fried food and rape Zoe Bulaitis, PhD student Yet Zoe Bulaitis, a PhD student and postgraduate teacher, expressed her concern at the video’s content by tweeting the Guild and the Guild President. She tweeted: “this video is downright offensive and makes light
Guild “forgot” to Ban for white t-shirt socials remove tampon tax after racism and holocaust jokes
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TUDENTS have expressed their frustration after the Guild Shop ‘forgot’ to subsidise the tampon tax on sanitary products, meaning the price of the essential items increased significantly. Following an NUS Women’s Liberation Campaign last year, the Guild agreed to subsidise the 5 per cent tax, meaning sanitary products would be sold at £2.18 across campus. Last year, Exeposé revealed this vow was not being implemented in the Guild Shop but have since discovered the products are once again not being subsidised.
I’m not surprised women’s issues are being forgotten yet again Beth Pitcher, FemSoc A female student, who asked to remain anonymous said: “It saddens me that the Guild have forgotten once again to remove the tax. They have a duty to their female students. To pay £3.90 for
a pack of sanitary towels really is taking the liberty, and not looking out for the welfare of students.” Having charged 18 pence more than the Marketplace last year for tampons, this academic year the Guild Shop sold the sanitary towels at £1.72 more than their Forum rivals. Mere hours after Exeposé alerted the Guild to the error, the price was changed. The omission has not surprised some students. Beth Pitcher, Treasurer of the Feminist Society, said: “I’m not surprised that women’s issues are being forgotten yet again in a male dominated world. Just another example of how our lives are made harder and more expensive by the establishment. This sort of thing happens all the time but will we ever receive equity for it?” A Students’ Guild spokesperson told Exeposé: “The Guild is committed to subsidising the tax on sanitary products in our outlets, in this instance a pricing error occurred when entering the new product line into the tills. “As soon as the error was realised it was rectified, and we are happy to refund the price difference to anyone who purchased at the higher cost.”
Hannah Butler Editor
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HE Athletic Union has introduced a complete ban on ‘white T-shirt socials’ after members of Exeter Snowsports were seen sporting anti-semitic and racist slogans at a club social. On 21 September, photos of club members appeared on Twitter. The students were spotted in Exeter’s Timepiece club – and wore t-shirts reading: “The Holocaust was a good time,” and “don’t speak to me if you’re not white.” +972 Magazine editor Dimi Reider, who shared the photos, labelled them “anti-semitic” and “white supremisist.” A University spokesperson openly condemned the slogans. Telling Exeposé an
investigation had already been launched, they commented: “The University of Exeter is an inclusive and friendly environment where all students are welcomed. Anti-Semitic, racist or bigoted behaviour in any form is not tolerated.” The AU has apologised for any offence caused – and taken drastic measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. “The Athletic Union operates a zerotolerance policy towards racist or bigoted behaviour,” AU President Josh Callander told Exeposé. “We have banned any future sporting social events which involve the practice of students writing on white t-shirts. We want to prevent anything like this happening again, and I would like to apologise to anyone affected.”
We want to prevent anything like this happening again Josh Callander, AU President
Photo: +972 Magazine
Susannah Keogh Editor
Pointing out: “we have run more than 200 sporting taster sessions for new students this month,” Callander expressed disappointment that “the unacceptable actions of a few individuals” had overshadowed this year’s Freshers’ Week.
Photo: +972 Magazine
Exeter Snowsports apologised for any offence caused, stressing that the club “has a zero tolerance policy for these actions and we will be contacting our members in due course to express this.” “Unfortunately, as only eight committee members, we cannot be responsible for everything written by other students” they explained, “especially when there are over 1,000 people.” Meanwhile, the Students’ Guild - who oversee all non-AU student societies - are yet to decide whether to follow suit. “The Guild’s stance on white T-shirt socials will be student-led and considered over the coming days,” a spokeserson told Exeposé. “We would encourage a joint effort across the student community to stamp out discrimination in all forms and ensure nobody is excluded from social activity in our city.”
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Comment
26 SEPT 2016 |
EXEPOSÉ
COMMENT EDITORS: Bea Fones Matthew Newman
Seminars and suspenders:
the secret life of a student sex worker
Exeter student, Claire*, works as an escort alongside her studies. Here, she shares her experiences and discusses the issues and stigmas surrounding student sex work. Written by: Bea Fones, Comment Editor Contains discussion of sexual violence, prostitution, mental health.
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he taboo surrounding sexwork is such that very few at university who partake in it would tell even their close friends about their work – as a result, it’s extremely difficult to investigate exactly how many of our students are working in the sex trade, and how it affects them. The thought of a young student selling sex on the side of their studies isn’t one which most people want to dwell on. It’s a topic often brushed under the carpet, but it’s precisely this attitude which leads to prejudice and violence against sex-workers themselves. Earlier this year, Exeposé reported that 422 students at Exeter University are signed up to SeekingArrangement. com, a dating website where wealthy benefactors can find “mutually beneficial relationships” with younger men and women looking for financial support. Despite universities’ warnings for students to be cautious of entering into such arrangements, some students continue to turn to sex work, from stripping to prostitution, webcam shows and pornography, to pay the bills.
It’s lying really, but there’s so much stigma and risk for me, I have to keep those in the know to a minimum Kate Byard, President of Exeter University’s Feminist Society, interviewed Claire* about her experiences working in the sex industry whilst studying at Exeter. Claire works as an escort during the university term, having started during Freshers’ Week last year. “I call myself a “call girl” but that’s basically a cute way of saying “hooker”.
So I offer the full service – everything from the Girlfriend Experience (essentially laughing at an unfunny man’s jokes and telling him he should be a comedian) to full-on penetrative sex.” Working as an escort once or twice a week is enough to cover Claire’s everyday life expenses, but despite citing the pay as one of the biggest advantages of sex work, she admits that a lot of the money she earns goes directly back into the job. “Hair, make-up, phone bills, travel, lingerie, waxing, tanning, gym classes… God, I must spend at least half of it. And then if you’re only
me a little, because it ruins the “mystique” of me, and therefore my marketability. Suddenly I’m not really some fantasy twenty-year old who struts around all day in stockings, a suspender belt, and false eyelashes, but a real girl with greasy hair, jogging bottoms, and flip flops walking home with her Sainsbury’s shopping.”
office. I did wonder why he was using an escort! But I never ask them. Everyone has their own reasons for coming – shyness, anxiety, loneliness, frustration, or just hot-blooded horniness. I’m a hooker, not a therapist and plus, that’s their private business. If they are using sex to come to terms with things,
them before we moved in. It actually helps keep me safe, because I let the client in, take his hand and lead him upstairs, then before we get to my room, I knock
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I call myself a ‘call-girl’, but that’s basically a cute way of saying ‘hooker’ working one hour, you have to spend an hour before getting ready, then however long it takes to get there and then you need to debrief. So if I get £90 in an hour I probably only actually get £25 or £30 of that.” Claire laughs when we query whether she continues her work during university holidays. “Gosh, I’d never do it in my hometown! I come from a very, very small area and I’d probably turn up to my first booking, and it would be something awful, like my old school teacher. Exeter is bad enough for running into clients – which I do all the time!” Her point is a valid one, and no doubt a concern which plays on the mind of many students who work in the sex industry. “At first it was awkward [running into clients] – especially if they were with their families. Now it just annoys
Is it a typical, “young woman, sleazy old client” situation? Claire shrugs. Though younger clients are rarer than older men, she says it’s a real mix. “I see all kinds of customers. I had a 21-year-old client this week. Gym body, lovely smile. A good day at the
that’s their prerogative.” Leading the double life which sex work brings means a constant risk of discovery, but Claire explains that she’s lucky to have supportive housemates who know about her work. “I told
on my housemate’s bedroom door and say “I have a client”. He shouts, “Yell if there’s a problem,” and the client knows basically not to mess with me, because I’m not on my own. When I go to out-calls - the client’s house - I always tell my housemates the exact address, and text them every half-hour. It’s just a safety thing.” Even though Claire’s housemates know about her work, she admits that she has to lie to her family, who “don’t know and never will… If they found out, they’d probably disown me.” Although society is quick to criti
COMMENT cize sex workers, there are few opportunities for the workers themselves to discuss the toll the work takes on them. For Claire, the emotional impact is something she’s very aware of. “There are some girls who just see man after man after man, with 10-minute intervals, all night. I can’t do that. I see one guy, then go home and have a hot bath. I take it slow and look after my health; my mental health, that is. I go home and chat to my housemate about anything that upset me, although mainly we just laugh about the things I’ve had to do.” Claire recounts one of the stories she shared with a housemate recently. “I remember us hysterically rolling around in the kitchen last week, because I had to help one of my clients up the stairs and then find his walking stick. I’m lucky I have that support. And I needed that laughing session to take my mind off the half hour I spent with the
client…” A mock shudder. University is supposed to be a time for developing yourself socially as well as academically, but Claire tells us that her social life suffers enormously as a result of her work. “I never go out. I went clubbing three times last year. I can never meet people at weekends because that’s prime business time for locals, and weeknights is when businessmen come to stay. And you know, I can’t even have coffee after a seminar with my classmates because I’m rushing home to get my thong and push-up bra on for someone coming over for an ‘Afternoon Delight’ session.” Maintaining close friends becomes a struggle, Claire explains. “Many-atime, I’ve lamented that I can’t just talk about it to my friends. I always have to say “Oh, I’m in the library,” when actually I’ve got my legs hooked over some
guy’s shoulders out at the Premier Inn. It’s lying really, but there’s so much stigma and risk for me, I have to keep those in the know to a minimum.” Romantic relationships also take a hit. “Total buzz kill. I was really into a guy recently and just couldn’t bring myself to tell him I was a sex worker. Eventually I just called it off.” Claire tells us that she wouldn’t keep her work secret from a future partner. “I don’t think it would be fair, and I’m sure that there is some sort of consent issue with sleeping with a sex worker undeclared. If I do settle down, then it will be with someone who isn’t “slutshamey,” and who accepts sex work.”
I don’t ask why they’re using an escort... I’m a hooker, not a therapist “I get to feel sexy and wanted all day when I do bookings… I get to meet lots of interesting men and actually form some quite strong bonds with some of them if they become regular customers. I helped one guy
through his divorce. He’d book me out for three or four hour sessions every week, and we’d just sit and watch Netflix and talk about his life and divorce…” A slightly incredulous reaction prompts her to laugh. “Ok, and a little sex.” This year, Exeter University Feminist Society will be working to destigmatise sex-work amongst the student population, and support decriminalisation campaigns. Kate Byard, FemSoc President, told us, “Going by national statistics, (Toynbee Hall, 2009 & 2014) there are an estimated 300 female sex workers at Exeter. As a Feminist Society, we seek to advise and protect these women, ensuring that they have access
to the protection they deserve, as well as knowledge of their legal rights. Our upcoming campaigns this year will focus on destigmatisation, STI and contraception advice, and material handouts, as well as negotiations - alongside other ‘de-crim’ campaign organisations such as the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) - with the government to decriminalise sex work and protect all sex workers.” Sex workers are too often dismissed from conversations regarding their own welfare, even in feminist forums and support groups. Sex-Worker-Exclusionary Radical Feminists (SWERFs) often promote negative feeling towards sex-workers by taking action against the women themselves. Many sex workers, including Claire, do their best to ignore these groups. “They are not feminists, and I would consider myself feminist; a lot of my clients are too. SWERFs are one of the reasons I have to be anonymous. They aren’t supporting women who are desperately trying to support themselves. Instead of just campaigning against sex work, why don’t they fundraise and give female students grants or funding? That would help a lot more than just stigmatising us.” A common complaint which those without experience in the sex industry cite as something which would put them off considering it, is the impact on other relationships, but Claire doesn’t see this as a particular obstacle. “I’ve been treated better by clients than some men I know socially or who I’ve met in clubs. And because all names and acts are sorted beforehand, my paid sex is often far more consensual than casual sex I’ve had, as there’s an actual contract of what we can and can’t do.” Regardless of this, Claire warns against taking sex work lightly. “You have to have an experienced girl show you the ropes. I went in not having a clue or knowing anyone in the business, and was taken advantage of a lot. There are lots of things non-sex-workers don’t think of, that we working girls have to take into consideration. It’s just tricks of the trade… I’d need to write a book on everything.” Claire continues. “Seriously, this isn’t a job you can just walk into.” Society tends to stereotype sex workers as victims, forced into the industry through trafficking or addiction. Whilst this is undeniably the case for many, the reality is that some young women see working in the sex trade to be a lucrative way to make use of
their bodies without committing to traditional working hours and constraints. “I started because I financially had to,” Claire says. “Fees, rent, book prices, bills, clothes, travel… It’s all too expensive. If I could get away without working at university, then I would; I’m sure my grades would benefit.” And according to Claire, the advantages outweigh those of other work she’s done. “I tried bar work when I was in sixth form, and was so sexually, emotionally and verbally harassed that I gave up. That was more difficult for me than this job. I wouldn’t want you to think I’ve been ‘forced’into it.” Discussing safety in her line of work, Claire goes quiet. “I feel unsafe every single time I open my front door, or turn up to a strange man’s house. Each booking I take, I often look around my room and wonder if I’ll see it again. Then I think, fuck, my obituary will say “murdered prostitute”. That’s not how I want to be remembered.”
I just want to be respected and treated like other workers The reality of sex works brings insurmountable dangers which, as Claire confirms, are always in the minds of those partaking in it. It takes only one violent client to cause trauma, or lifethreatening injury. Claire assures us that most of her clients are just lonely and shy. “You can’t be scared of a guy who’s literally scared of you… and your boobs.” She laughs. Her smile fades as she admits that she still worries nonetheless. “I’ve had a couple too many bad experiences not to: bruises, strangulation, someone thinking my lady-part is a punching bag. Guys hitting you around a bit. I’ve had a few stalker situations too. Guys turning up at
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my house randomly when I decline a booking. Maybe that’s why we charge so much. The risks. But I experienced violence as a waitress too. I had plates and glasses thrown at me across the restaurant and had to hold drunk women back from punching me. All for £6.40 per hour.” We ask Claire if she considers there to be a consent issue between her and her clients due to the circumstances of her work, but she just shrugs. “Aren’t all jobs financial coercion?” And the crux of the conversation around sex work does come down to just that. In the end, sex work is work. It should be regarded as such. Regardless of the different context of the sex industry compared to other employment, prostitutes are people. Webcam models are people. Strippers are people. The legal question of whether they should be entitled to basic rights is not even one which should still require discussion. Claire is one of a number of university students who have made a personal choice to enter the sex industry, and like many others, she hopes that raising awareness of the issues she faces will prompt a change in attitudes towards sex workers. “I just want to be respected and treated like other workers. I want people to acknowledge that what I do is hard, but also professional. It is an actual job.” Claire is adamant that the risks involved in being a sex worker would decrease exponentially if it weren’t punishable by law. “You know, if they decriminalised it, then I wouldn’t be in danger. If this line of work was regulated and taxed, and sex workers had the right to unionise, then I could be protected. In the meantime, I’m going to do it anyway because it’s the only way I can survive.”
* Name changed for confidentiality purposes Interview conducted by Kate Byard
If you have been affected by any of these issues, please contact these helplines for confidential advice: English Collective of Prostitutes 020 7482 2496 The RA Trust 020 7183 7985 Women’s Aid 24hr Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247 NHS Walk-In Centre (Sidwell Street) 01392 276892 To respond to this article, contact us at: comment@exepose.com
COMMENT
Have a break, have a...nap? Josh Jewell Contributor
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AST year duing the deadline week of second term I was still, by all accounts, functioning normally. Despite the fact I was rushing to get my two summative essays ready before the end of the week, I was eating, sleeping, and going to the pub with friends as I had been all year. But sometimes the stress and strain we are actually experiencing is unknown even to ourselves. Two or three nights before the deadline I had a few friends round for dinner; towards the end of the evening I left the kitchen to get my phone from my room. When I came back my friends were staring at me in horror. As I left the room I had brushed my hand against the latch on the door and gashed it open. Blood had been pouring out of my hand and I hadn’t noticed. The injury wasn’t even serious enough to send me to A&E, but as I reflected on the complete lack of pain I experienced I realised that my general stress level and intensity of my focus at the time meant that if I was concentrating on something – my work, the thought of getting my phone from my room, cooking dinner – everything else was shut out. This monomania has its benefits, especially when you’re dealing with a big work load, but I have since realised that such a lifestyle can have very serious mental health consequences. As someone
who has suffered from anxiety for years I assumed that I would be very aware of my limits – overworking myself or not getting enough sleep is rarely an issue for people whose internal warning system is already so sensitive. But as I looked down at my bandaged hand, I realised that I was already well beyond my limits and hadn’t had any idea. It was like looking up from swimming in the sea and realising that I couldn’t see land anymore. Looking back, the issue was to do with sleep. Not necessarily the amount of time I was sleeping, but the quality of sleep I was getting. I would often go to sleep either in front of Netflix, drunk, or after tossing and turning for hours of insomnia only to wake up four hours later for a seminar. At a time of high stress, a poor sleeping pattern doesn’t make you feel tired; your level of mental stimulation is such that tiredness never quite sets in, so you never feel like anything is wrong. Beneath the surface however, the toll being taken is extreme. Exhibit A: my mutilated hand. When we all first arrive at university we are told that we have to choose two sides of the epicurean triangle of student lifestyle:
work, sleep, and social life. Of course, for leagues of eighteen-year-olds enjoying the freedom of having just left home, the thought of relinquishing a social life is utterly unthinkable, so we are
made to feel like the real choice is between passing our degree and sleep. So this is how so many of us begin our student experiences, by being told
that a proper night of zeds is an indulgence. If you type ‘do students’ into google, one of the top recommendations is “get enough sleep”. There are probably some national statistics available on this subject, and I strongly advise you to seek them out if you have the time (which I don’t, because I’ve got some essays due and I’m going to the pub in a bit) but think about this: if you stay until closing in Unit 1 or Timepiece just once a week you will rack up a sleep defecit of about 16 hours a month. That’s the equivalent of a night’s sleep every fortnight, which might not sound that bad, but imagine being told that you had to do an all-nighter every two weeks for the rest of your time at uni. Doesn’t sound very much fun put that way, does it? So how do we stop Exeter becoming a sinkhole of student somnambulism? Last year, at the risk of exacerbating student sleep
deprivation and its associated mental health issues, the University brought the start of the timetable forward half an hour. Perhaps it is time we all talk to our Sabbs about reversing this move, or even moving the entire timetable back several hours to begin and end at more sociable hours. Equally, at a time when body confidence is at the forefront of our discourse, why not make the decision to be sleep confident? Just as society arbitrarily frowns upon certain body shapes, it also arbitrarily sneers at those who hit the hay early. Isn’t it time that we give this absurd criticism the middle finger, just as we have done with body image shaming? So this year, when deadline time approaches, please make sure you’re pulling down the eye-patches on a regular basis. And if you get asked on night out but are already exhausted, tell them you’ll sleep on it…
The student balancing act Emma Bessent Arts & Lit Editor
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week into lectures with auditions, socials and try-outs clamouring for space on your calendar, you’re not on your own if you’re starting to worry about how your academic and social lives are going to marry up this year. Attending a top university renowned for sporting success and with a thriving performing arts community has us pulling our hair out as we try to balance a degree with commitments to clubs and societies without turning down every invitation to pres. Nights out are energy, time and money consuming however much you love Timepiece, and there are
few students who can honestly say that a heavy session the night before has never hampered their performance in morning seminars.
This is one of the safest and most brilliantly varied social niches you will ever live in In a culture where degree education is ever-more accessible, the academic side of things can lose prestige when compared to a healthy social life. Students find themselves picking between the two sides as to which matters most to them, thinking you can’t have it all. However, the root of the problem is that the two are seen as incompatible and entirely separate entities, rather than enrichments of each
other. Once you start realising that your rehearsals with EUTCo are helping you to better understand the staging of the play you’re studying, or that you met the perfect study partner on the cocktail social you went to last week, even that you can focus on your studies better if you give yourself a night or two off a week to drink and dance, you’ll find “balancing” your activities comes with much more ease. It’s important to remember that this is one of the safest and most brilliantly varied social niches that you are ever likely to live in. Most people will not have access to the facilities that we have here at Exeter throughout their adult lives. Whether you want to write theatre reviews, learn how to knit, try ju-jitsu, , sing acapella, or you just want to know what it feels like to stand up on a surfboard, you can do it at university in an environment that is designed to
protect and cultivate you as an individual. At the same time, you have to remember what you’re paying for; an education, and not a free pass to do whatever the hell you want for three years.
Remember what you’re paying for; an education If all you do is act, socialise and compete then you’re missing out on the very crux of the university experience. Alright, poring over your notes with a highlighter isn’t necessarily going to provide you with as good a time as boozy bowling, but really investing in your degree will ensure that you can keep doing what you love when you leave uni rather than being held back
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from your dream job because you lacked discipline. But it’s no better to go into the workplace with a brilliant understanding of graph theory and the complete inability to hold a conversation with your potential employer than it is to have a brilliant energy in interviews when the crappy grades on your CV mean that you struggle to get past the application stage. You have to decide who it is that you want to become, and then begin building up a portfolio of experiences both academic and social that enable that person to become a reality. And if you aren’t enjoying creating those memories, then you didn’t choose the person that you really want to become. University shouldn’t only be seen a tool to help you get further in life; it should be a safe space for you to find out how to be happy in life. Photo: Students’ Guild
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Features
26 SEPT 2016 |
EXEPOSÉ
FEATURES EDITORS: Georgina Bolam Katie Jenkins
“It’s about giving people their lives back” Hannah Butler, Editor, meets with Fee Scott, CEO of Devon Rape Crisis, to discuss the issue of sexual violence in Exeter
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here is literally nothing about this building in central Exeter that suggests I’m at the right address. Giving the email from Fee Scott another quick glance, I reach for the doorbell then draw back, doubting myself again. No, this is definitely the place. After a couple more minutes of dithering, I’m struck by a thought: how many other women have stood right where I am now, wondering whether to press that doorbell?
For students, most [sexual violence] has happened at university A few seconds later, I’ve been buzzed up to the home of Devon Rape Crisis. And after a few flights of stairs, one thing’s clear: pressing that doorbell could be one of the best decisions a woman who’s suffered sexual assault could ever gather the courage to make. “It’s just hugely important that people feel safe,” Scott explains. “If you’ve experienced rape or childhood sexual abuse, you’ve had experiences of extreme unsafety - so before we do anything else, we have to make it safe. Whether that’s because it’s anonymous, it’s a private address, whether that’s because once you’re inside it’s a really nice space we’ve got here…” I have to agree. If anywhere feels like a safe place, it’s here. When I sit down with Scott, the first thing she does is slip off her shoes to get comfy, curling up crosslegged on the armchair. She might be Chief Executive Officer of the charity, but in this room she’s simply a caring face; a listening ear;
and someone you just instinctively trust – which is good, because many of the women who sit in this chair will have been through some horrific experiences. For the past five years, Devon Rape Crisis has been helping women cope with the devastating effects of rape and sexual assault. Founded in 2011 as part of the coalition government’s commitment to increasing support for victims of sexual violence, it’s one of 15 centres across the UK. Funded by the Ministry of Justice, alongside several generous patrons and public fundraising campaigns, it now boasts a team of nine staff, across three offices – in Exeter, Barnstaple and Torquay. “For the majority of students, contact would be here,” Scott explains. Why are we talking about students today? Because last year, over a third of those contacting DRCS were between 18 and 24. “We opened our young people’s counselling service last year and we’ve had a lot of people through our door since then,” Scott says. “So far only female students, although we’re open to young men.” As this is a female-only space, male sufferers are supported at a separate address in Exeter. I ask what kinds of things students report – is it childhood abuse or more recent traumas? “It’s a mixture,” she admits, “but I’d say that for students, most of it has happened since they’ve been at university.” There’s a pause while this sinks in. “It’s sad,
really,” is all I can say – but it hardly scratches the surface. “It is” she nods gravely. “I mean, we’re talking about young people with the whole of their lives ahead of them, who - because of what’s happened - find it difficult to get on with their lives. University should be open, free, exciting, joyful, challenging... and this stops them making use of all the opportunities at university. And that is desperately sad.” So how do students get in touch? And what happens when they do? “Anybody can refer themselves for our face-toface services, or other people can refer them,” Scott explains. “For example, the Wellbeing Centre is a really good source of referrals and signposting.” These students often need more than the support currently offered by the on-campus centre. “If you were abused as a child, you need more than six sessions to start working on that,” she stresses.
If someone wants to [report] we will back them all the way But equally, it’s always up to the sufferer how long they stay with DRCS. “We meet people initially for an assessment,” Scott says, “and as much as possible, it’s a twoway thing. So we’re figuring out: are we the right people to offer you support? And we hope that people are figuring out: is this an organisation I feel comfortable and safe with?” If the answers are yes, counselling starts within a couple of weeks. “If you want to come once, that’s fine,” Scott tells me. “If you want to come for eight sessions, then decide you’re done - or you’re thinking, my exams are coming up and I can’t think about this right now, that’s also fine,” she smiles. “We just work with people.” For young people, it’s mostly a one-onone counselling service – although DRCS also offers practical support. “Sometimes, a really terrifying place for people to visit is the dentist,” Scott explains. “So we’ve got people who can go with you.” The team also offers an advocacy service, supporting people with things like housing and university issues. “If people don’t know how to speak to those organisations, we can go along with them.” Scott’s also keen to talk about the team’s EMDR treatment (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), which alters the
way traumatic memories are stored in the brain. “It’s a really powerful trauma intervention,” she explains, “helpful for people experiencing nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks.” If you want to report sexual violence, DRCS can also help with that – although they never force anyone to do this. “A lot of women don’t report, and we haven’t got an agenda about reporting,” Scott explains. “If someone wants to, we will back them all the way. We’ll go to the police station with them, phone up with them, we’ll stick with them until the trial... But at the moment, most women don’t sit here and say “I want to report.” So we don’t bring it up - because our focus is on people’s safety and recovery. “Because of the culture we’ve all grown up in, before you can get to placing blame where it’s deserved, you have to deal with the misplaced self-blame that makes women think they won’t be believed. Some people do then feel stronger, and decide to report. But we’re not pushing people.” Self-blame. It’s a loaded term – and one Scott clearly feels strongly about: “It’s the myths that stop people reporting, and it’s the myths that stop people phoning up, because they think they’ll be blamed,” she says. There’s despair in her voice now. Controlled, of course… but it’s there. “It’s the things people read in newspapers that make them think, oh, what’s the point, it must have been my fault in some way… It’s the wallpaper of a society where sexual violence is condoned in some ways, or accepted, and made fun of.” She tells me about a 2014 NUS report, which revealed a third of female students had experienced unwanted sexual advances. “That’s huge, isn’t it! I’ve heard lots of students say: ‘it just happens. It’s expected.’ And that isn’t okay. If I came into work and somebody touched me inappropriately, that would be a disciplinary offence!” It might be widespread, but that doesn’t make it easy to seek help. “Our email and phone services are really important,” Scott explains, “because one of the biggest features of sexual violence is shame. For some people phoning up is good because it’s anonymous - we don’t take anybody’s number - but for some people, even getting the words out is difficult. So our email service is brilliant. Again, it’s anonymous - a server in London whips off addresses and replaces them with a number.” Making it to the first session is clearly an achievement in itself – but still, many survivors bring doubts. “It’s
quite common for people to start with: ‘I don’t know whether that was rape...’” Scott says. “But we’re clear: sex without consent is rape. Sexual contact without consent is sexual assault. It’s our job to be clear. But it doesn’t surprise me that people rock up and say they’re not sure. Because newspapers, TV, Twitter, everything, is full of counter-messages.
It’s the wallpaper of a society where sexual violence is condoned “We don’t say to men: don’t rape. Or: you go home before it gets dark. So it’s always about women’s responsibility to look after themselves. We don’t necessarily look at perpetrators, we just question women – asking things like: what were you wearing, how many drinks did you have? Why did you have coffee with him? We never say to the perpetrator, well, why did you buy her a drink? Why did you invite her for coffee? Why did you offer to walk her home?” But things are different here. “The very first thing we do is just believe people,” Scott says earnestly. “We don’t have to investigate anything - we just have to give a damn about the person sitting opposite us.” It’s an approach that can change lives. “We see people... transformed, really,” she smiles. “It’s common for people to come in quite contracted, clearly feeling shame and discomfort, and walk out standing up that much taller. “Our ethos is about respect, empowerment and belief,” Scott sums up with a kind of calm determination. “Sexual violence means your decisions have been taken away from you, so our job is to give you back those decisions. It’s just about giving people their lives back.”
If you have been personally affected by any of the issues raised in this interview, Devon Rape Crisis can be contacted anonymously on 01392 204174 or support@devonrapecrisis.org.uk More information on volunteering and fundraising events can be found at http://www. devonrapecrisis.org.uk/
FEATURES
11
Too cool for grammar school?
Following Theresa May’s controversial decision to reinstate grammar schooling, Rowan Keith, Online Comment Editor, and Theo Stone, Online Editor, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of these educational reforms.
Against
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Theo Stone
art of the difficulty which exists is that grammar schools end the possibility for true meritocracy at the age of 11. If your development is not as speedy as is demanded of you, then it is probable that you will have to say goodbye to a strong education, and be forced to resign into a world of reinforced career ceilings and low expectations, something which doesn’t need to, or indeed must not, happen. Look at London, where many non-selective comprehensives perform very strongly, and are able to beat out competition from most selective schools, save for the ones with fees high enough to solve the debt crisis of a small country. What they have is funding, not selection. The government says that we should give up on non-selection because they have failed, but the figures they use target areas such as Kent, with far lower education funding than more successful parts of the country. The answer to the problem is not diverting funding from the current system towards grammars, but to actually restructure the funding to ensure that schools across the country are able to receive strong monetary support. If a school is equipped, then it will have a chance. Eighty per cent of those who took the 11-plus and went to grammars from working-class backgrounds failed to break through the barrier. Why on earth would it be any different now? Another problem: Are those who do well at the age of 11 the ones who will do well seven years later? From my own experience, the answer is often no; indeed, the Head Boy at my primary school dropped out after AS-Levels, the highest scorer failed to meet expectations, and many of the ‘chosen ones’ (the rest of the high-scorers) are by no means the most successful. Indeed, in spite of some
holding true in their success, the variants in achievement from my school’s year are so widespread that it becomes impossible to proclaim 11-plus exams are successful. Indeed, I myself garnered only a very modest grade in the exam, and I wound up with full marks in two A-Levels (okay, they were History and Religious Studies, but the point stands, dammit!)
What they have is funding, not selection For as much as we’d like to believe that intelligence is instantaneous, the gut feeling is not only false, it’s patently untrue. Richard Feynman and Albert Einstein, two of the finest minds of the 20th century, were slow to learn speech, but we accept that they were still in a developmental phase. At age 11, we’re still in a developmental phase, our capabilities still shifting in capacity. To cast the die before the mould is set is a lunatic position. Furthermore, let us look at the finances. Whilst everybody experiences schooling, how many experience extracurricular schooling, that is, how many have private tutors? How many can afford them? Another reason why grammar schools are not truly meritocratic is because it ignores the boundaries set by wealth. Those struggling in school, but wealthy enough to afford tutors, can prepare themselves ad infinitum in order to achieve the necessary marks, but those marginally more intelligent than them, but poorer, are unable to afford the fees, and thus at a direct disadvantage when it comes to taking the exam. We cannot ban private tutors, they exist for a reason, but they nevertheless present a massive problem when achieving meritocracy. The argument is supported by the OECD, who themselves acknowledge that those from a wealthier background possess massive advantages when it comes to the 11-plus exam, in spite of the government
proclaiming that the return of grammar schools will ‘help the poor’. Here’s the kicker. Why is the evidence against them? Simple. It’s because they do not work. In addition, why is the education of continental Europe, particularly the Scandinavian model, seen to be more successful? Simple. It’s because the models are focused on research and allowing for the development of the infant, of the individual, as opposed to the convulsive obsession with the tradition of ticking boxes and cod-merits. There is no reason to demand a return to grammar schooling, aside from the pomposity presented by our rosetinted glasses, the same glasses which have promised us so much over the past year, but when we have called upon them to deliver, have come up short every single time. The only true act of restoration which we should perform upon grammar schools is to restore its reputation as a failed concept, which must finally be consigned to history. The necessary future which we must bestow upon grammar schools is their destruction, not their survival. We need to stop obsessing with dead ideas, and start looking for new ones, because isn’t that what good education wants us to do?
For
F
Rowan Keith
or a pretty non-committal Prime Minister, Theresa May has just made a pretty bold move; and I, for one, could not be more behind it. As someone who went to a grammar school, I have experienced first-hand the benefits of a grammar school education. I was very lucky. I lived in a very middle class area, and unsurprisingly all the surrounding schools were extremely good, meaning not getting into the
grammar school did not mean forfeiting a decent education for the next seven years. However, if Theresa May follows through on the requirements she has currently stated, the introduction of more grammar schools should lead to an increase in educational standards across the board and an increase in choice for students. Grammar schools also give students freedom. Just as there are specialist sports schools and schools with an emphasis on performing arts, there are grammar schools. I knew when I was 11 that I was never going to be an athlete and I definitely wasn’t a dancer, so for me I wanted a school whose focus was almost purely on academics. My local comprehensive was a performing arts college, something I never excelled at, and I didn’t want to spend seven years in a school that clearly wasn’t designed for people like me. In my mind I didn’t see it as a hierarchy of schools, I just saw the grammar school as the one that would suit me best. May is not reintroducing the 11 plus, a test that forcibly split children into two categories, one of which was seen as significantly less desirable, she is simply providing more options for those who want it. The reforms also force schools to take in new students at 13 and 16, meaning that students can choose to make the decision when they are more mature and know more about what they want to do. I am not going to try and argue with the facts. Grammar schools do mainly cater for the middle class in society. It is the children with the parents who themselves went to grammar schools and university that push their children towards them. However, by raising the availability and knowledge of grammar schools, and by having grammar schools sponsor primary feeders, all students will have
more awareness of grammar schools and therefore have more of a chance of getting in. Also, whilst grammar schools are made up of the wealthier in society, why not take advantage of this? May’s new proposal forces grammar schools to put money toward disadvantaged schools, or even build new, non-selective schools, effectively creating a Robin Hood situation in schooling. May is also introducing quotas of students from lower class backgrounds, which, although it will not resolve the effect of class on schooling, will hopefully lessen it.
Everyone will have more of a chance of getting in Even if you do not agree with grammar schools, they are unequivocally better than the alternatives when it comes to selective schools. This brings me to the part of the proposal I cannot defend. Religion and state mandated education should have nothing to do with each other, and the introduction of more faith schools is appalling. Other than grammar schools, the main two types of selective schools are private or religion. I won’t lie, I do not believe that a system of separate grammar and state schools is ideal. In an ideal world, comprehensives would be able to cater to everyone and there would be no need for grammars. However, in the world we currently live in and as someone who believes in and has experienced the benefits of small schools, I can see that this ideal is simply not achievable right now. There is not the funding for it. The new reforms should remove the strain on comprehensive schools and improve the standard of schooling.. Whether or not this plan will actually be executed properly I do not know, but in theory this plan should be a great thing for everyone.
FEATURES
It’s such a Pitt-y Katie Jenkins, Features Editor, investigates Brangelina’s breakup and Hollywood’s all-too-familiar ‘love’ fantasy
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T is a truth universally acknowledged that a celebrity man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of an equally lucrative, Instagram queen, botox-fuelled wife. So well-ingrained is this mentality, that the latest phenomenon to explode upon social media has been instigated not by the Syrian Civil War, nor the New York terror blasts, nor even the latest Calais controversy. Instead? The jewel-encrusted announcement of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s impending divorce: a break-up poised to garner more heartbreak than Romeo and Juliet, and nearly as much angst as Bella and Edward “It’s a dark day in Hollywood,” crooned US Weekly magazine, while The Cut rapidly followed suit, immediately firing seven theories as to the couple’s split, from “Russian hookers” to an ohso-specific “incident” that “affected the entire family”. Piers Morgan, meanwhile, has blamed Donald Trump.
A break-up poised to garner more heartbreak than Romeo and Juliet The story of Brangelina is as central to celebrity culture as Noah’s Ark is to the Bible; meeting on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2004, Pitt’s ensuing divorce with American sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston and subsequent relationship with Jolie unleashed one of the most bitter celebrity feuds in Hollywood history. To women, Jolie represented the ultimate vixen, Pitt the sociopathic womanizer, consolidated by a Vanity Fair interview in 2005, in which Aniston famously
wept “there’s a sensitivity chip missing here”. However, by 2014, Brangelina were marketed as the ultimate “relationship ideal”, cementing a marital standard with which all celebrity relationships were to be assessed. As a brand, Brangelina have hardly been one of the most striking couples of contemporary Tinseltown. In contrast with the bombastic pomposity of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, or the childish aestheticism of Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston, Brangelina are almost like the couple next door, armed with a mere eight Oscar nominations and a small army of adopted children. Yet, their divorce is set to mark an especially lucrative milestone in celebrity culture, one paved by tabloid magazines and riddled with a scathing objectification of human relationships. The scandal of a celebrity break-up is hardly a new phenomenon for gossip columnists; since the launch of Twitter and Instagram in the 2000s, the obsession with celebrity culture has reached stratospheric heights. From the “conscious uncoupling” of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, to rumoured tensions between Jay Z and Beyoncé, both tabloids and stars themselves have found lucrative methods with which to harness their own marital griefs. While Gwyneth Paltrow has since established herself as an entrepreneurial “empress” with lifestyle publication, Goop, Beyoncé has earned nearly $2 million worth of heartbreak compensation with her latest album, Lemonade. Yet, as My News LA has smugly
highlighted, the Brangelina breakup “is in a league of its own”. Not only (for those heartbroken fans sobbing into their ice cream) has it unleashed an unprecedented Twitter storm of Jennifer Aniston memes and Illuminati-style conspiracy theories, but it has also utterly uprooted the relationship ideal consumerist culture has so vehemently hinged upon.
At the core of the Brangelina obsession, there lies a fear of individualism Say what you will: as far as celebrity couplings go, Brangelina seemed pretty darn genuine. In spite of the rumoured infidelities, the remunerative Hollywood careers, the charity endorsements, Brangelina maintained a refreshingly human quality in the cesspit of the celebrity stratosphere. Far from the materialistic glamour of other celebrity unions, Pitt’s Tumblr-induced confession about Jolie’s breakdown in 2013 was marked by a far more primitive compassion than often riddles celebrity culture; a primal veracity that is too often quashed by the consumerist quest for perfection. As such, the media obsession with Brangelina’s split is riddled by more than a destruction of “the dream that love can last”. Mary Valle’s somewhat ironic recognition - “It’s sad no matter what happened. The Jolie-Pitts bore the flag of love and family and commitment for humanity for all of us” - brutally
exposes the superficial idolatry with which relationships are now portrayed in the public consciousness. Where chivalry and courtly love were once extolled by Medieval poets, contemporary scholars (by which I mean The Daily Mail and Instagram) have since flayed such ideals, lauding instead the juxtaposing visions of lad culture and superficial #relationshipgoals. At best, such paradigms serve as an empowering reclamation of single life, glorifying the sexualised, ambitious single figure and parodying the emotional potency with which relationships are equated. However, at worst such ideas represent a devastating incomprehension of loneliness, substituting self-love and respect for outdated gender stereotypes and the facade that genuine happiness can only be found in the constraints of a relationship. Certainly, coverage surrounding the split has already been condemned for its “toxic sexism” and its overexposure, with Susan Sarandon criticising CNN’s prioritisation of the divorce over the death of Terrence Crutcher, a black man killed by police. Yet, such issues are hardly exclusive to the Brangelina controversy; Amber Heard was described as a “manipulative arsehole” by comic Doug Stanhope following her divorce from Johnny Depp and allegations of domestic abuse; meanwhile excessive coverage of the Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston relationship was dissected by Bridie Jabour as a “suspicion of successful women...a need for women to know their place”. For both Pitt and Jolie, the termination of their 12 year long relationship is sure to bring with it the inevitable grieving period: the custody struggles, the sobbing into tequila bottles, the battle to re-establish an individual identity in the public eye. Yet, for the tabloids, the divorce has enabled a new gold-coated angle with which to assert their own shallow analysis of individual relationships. As Susan Cain has argued, “our world prizes extroverts” and, as such, the idea of being alone is all too often confused with that of loneliness. It is perhaps for this reason that relationships are so tirelessly dissected by the media, constructing diamond pedestals with which to ogle the latest, hottest celebrity couple. Yet at the core of the Brangelina obsession there lies a fear of individualism, a need to idolise the sexualised “lad”, the “empowered” single woman, or the “perfect” couple. Although a mere celebrity scandal, at the heart of the coverage are intertwined themes as old as society itself: a pressure to love, a desire to be loved, and the all-encompassing horror at feeling alone.
12
How to handle your impending Hollywood divorce BY
“Sassy Zak” Mahinfar
A
NOTHER ticking time-bomb in the minefield of Hollywood marriages has detonated on 2016. Here at Exeposé we’ve laid out a step-by-step guide to get you through this difficult time if you are a celebrity struggling with divorce. If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Inviting a reputable divorce lawyer to your wedding ceremony can encourage favourable rates when your marriage inevitably sours. When hiring a young and attractive nanny, doing so from a reputable retailer that provides a free chastity belt may temporarily defer your husband’s infidelity and the relationship’s collapse. Equally, buying mansions on different continents and in even numbers will make them easier to divide later. Do the same when adopting your children . Don’t forget to commit the appropriate human rights abuses by naming your infant something quirky like Shingles or Sudacrem. This will also add value if legal fees spiral out of control and you need to auction your children on Ebay. You may also want to sign your autograph on their forehead. Be sure to discuss the press release announcing your divorce with a responsible adult before publishing it. This way you will avoid contentious phrases such as ‘conscious uncoupling’ that make your divorce sound like a frog dismounting its mate. If divorce feels a little too conventional to your tastes you might want to consider one of the many alternatives. These include having your younger sibling assault your partner in an elevator, or releasing an hour-long visual album that venomously disgraces them on a global stage before reaching the empowering climax of “I’ll just stay with him anyway”. Follow these top tips and you shall have a long, volatile marriage that if you’re lucky will end during a natural disaster and reduce media coverage so that your dissipating marriage will only occupy half of the front pages alongside the equally newsworthy loss of human life.
lifestyle
ARTS + LIT
E X H I B IT MUSIC
GAMES + TECH
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MERCURY PRIZE 2016
VIRTUAL REALITY, OR VERY RUBBISH?
NEW queen street FOOD OUTLETS
BUDLEIGH SALTERTON LIT FEST
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mental health on screen
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LIFESTYLE EDITORS Jade Beard Laurel Bibby
ARTS + LIT EDITORS Emma Bessent Tash Ebbutt
MUSIC EDITORS Rory Marcham Helen Payne
SCREEN EDITORS Mark Allison Zak Mahinfar
GAMES + TECH EDITORS Jabez Sherrington Sam Woolf 26 SEPT 2016 | EXEPOSÉ
lifestyle
Staying safe in a student city W
Tash Ebbutt, Arts + Lit Editor, shares her top tips on keeping safe in Exeter
HETHER you’re a fresher or in final year, a new year in Exeter always provides an excuse to celebrate. But surrounding all the fun and booze you’re bound to have, the issue, whilst on socials or with friends, is safety. Here in Exeter, crime rates are incredibly low in comparison to other university cities, but statistics are no safety net when it comes to walking home at 3am in the morning when you’re most likely off your face. At the end of the day, you don’t want to ruin a great night out by doing something stupid, so here are a few top tips to staying safe whilst out and about in Exeter.
minds alike, I feel this is especially important when you’re under the influence. Whether you’re going hard at Cheesy’s or just having a pitcher of cocktails with friends at the Impy, bear in mind where your purse or wallet is, or any other valuables you may have brought with you. Those who tend to carry a bag, make sure you’re aware of its presence on your person. It’s so easy to pop your bag
it’s just annoying when you lose money. Poor student vibes and all that. Keep an eye on your drink An obvious point, I know, but whether you’re drinking lemonade or a VK, do not let anyone tamper with your drink. Chances are your friend is probably trying to steal a sip of your drink to enable them to continue
DO NOT LET ANYONE TAMPER WITH YOUR DRINK Never walk home alone We’ve all been there - you’re out with the squad and everyone seems to be having an amazing time… except you. You’re tired, your feet ache and all you want is to go home and watch the latest episode of GBBO. As you plan your escape route through the couples embracing to the wild dancers whose limbs are a-flailing, there’s only one problem: you’re alone. And that’s where the story ends, folks, because you don’t leave the pub, club or wherever you are. You grab a friend, even if they’re unwilling, because walking home with a disgruntled pal is way better than potential attack - or worse. This especially applies if your sober mind has disappeared. A drunken mind can be disorientated, lack judgement and even completely dismiss every sensible thing you know. Please don’t walk home alone if you can help it - two or more people are always going to be better than one. Keep an eye on your valuables Although this applies to both sober and drunk
Wear sensible shoes Now, I know I sound like an elderly lady over here rooting for the orthopaedic shoe, but we live in Exeter, a place of many hills. Girls especially, heels are not going to do your feet any good as you stumble up the hill to bed after a night out. Regarding safety, when you’re tipsy and wobbling all over the place, you’re putting yourself at risk of injury. I partly included this tip so others don’t have to experience what I went through a few months ago: wearing heels, getting stupidly drunk and ending the night in A&E with a sprained foot. Drunken heel incidents could lead to much worse of course, so although I’m not forbidding heels, do think about your poor feet while you’re enjoying the Exeter nightlife.
SERVICES Estate Patrol
Estate Patrol offer a 24/7 service for matters of student security and safety. 01392 723999
Guardian Angel Service
Estate Patrol also provide this additional service for any student walking alone after dark to any car park. CCTV will monitor your route to ensure students’ safety. their journey to a down for a second exeter.ac.uk sugar high or drunken or for someone to slip bliss, but you can never be 100 it off your shoulder and vanish per cent sure. With drink spiking on the rise, into the crowd. There’s nothing worse than make sure to keep your cup with you, even it losing money, cards or keys, so please be caremeans having your drink featuring in your selfie ful. Personally, I recommend leaving your most so you don't abandon your cup. important cards at home because it’s always such a hassle to replace them and, let’s face it,
Exeter Nightline
Student nightline is a confidential listening and information service avaliable from 8pm until 8am, Nightline is run for students, by students. 01392 724000
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26 SEPT 2016 | EXEPOSÉ
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26 SEPT 2016
EDITORS: Jade Beard and Laurel Bibby
lifestyle
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Food fit for a Queen Two Lifestyle writers review the latest culinary additions to Exeter’s Queen Street
Turtle Bay AAAAB
THE recent £12 million redevelopment of Queen Street’s NIA Guildhall Shopping and DinPARRY ing in Exeter has brought a vast array of new and exciting restaurants to the city. The combination of well-known names and local businesses, including GBK and Turtle Bay, to name a few, provides some comforting familiarity, but also offers the opportunity to try something new if you’re feeling a little more adventurous. Having recently visited the new Turtle Bay, it certainly did not disappoint. Whether you fancy lunch, dinner, or cocktails, there is something on offer for everyone. Firstly, the central location: Queen Street in the city, makes it the perfect stop-off to re-energise mid-shopping trip, or to relax straight after work or lectures. Secondly, even from the exterior, the vibrant atmosphere is noticeable. The combination of the appropriately chosen décor and the rum-based cocktails creates an authentic Caribbean atmosphere, which is enhanced by the food and music choices too. The new restaurant and bar is already proving popular; however, the venue is sufficiently staffed
to cope with the high demand (the cocktail making is impressively speedy). I visited the bar for a cocktail evening, a far more chilled, but equally sociable, alternative to a night out at Unit 1 or Timepiece. The range of cocktails on offer, together with the 2-4-1 deal on the same wine or cocktail in happy hour (until 7pm, and from 10pm until closing every day) ensures a very enjoyable and affordable evening. Further increasing the appeal, the bar remains open till 1.30am on Friday and Saturday nights, meaning that the evening does not have to be cut short. Despite not having eaten here yet, I certainly have high expectations, and am confident that I will not be disappointed. The authentic ‘one pots’ and ‘Jerk Pit BBQ’ are enticing me back. However, they also offer a ‘lunch ‘n’ lighter’ range for those of us who are trying to be good. Just a quick word of warning to those who can’t handle the heat, from previous experience at other Turtle Bay restaurants, the food is certainly hot and spicy. Turtle Bay is a fantastic addition to Exeter’s food scene, and I am sure that I will be spending a lot of time (and money) here in the very near future. In fact, I’m already planning my next trip.
Photo: @turtlebayuk via Instagram
Photo: @gbkburgers via Instagram
Gourmet Burger Kitchen AAA GOURMET Burger Kitchen, mid-Freshers’. I was late (as REBECCA always) but apparently when BROAD my friends walked in wanting a table for four, the staff member told them they were lucky to get a table without a booking. Awkward – the place was pretty empty. It got busier throughout the night, but at 7pm there were more staff around than customers. First impressions? A very new, stylish place, trying slightly too hard to be cool. Geometric things on random metal shelves, colourful brick tiles, chips served in metal pots - you know the drill. We could’ve been in any new London burger joint (where GBK, incidentally, has six separate branches). A relaxed vibe created by order-at-the-bar and an open kitchen is dispelled by hovering staff clearing away plates the second you finish. While those at the bar continuously plug the GBK app and give you feedback slips, the rest bunch in small groups like nervous fresh. The burgers – a veggie, a bean, and a beef with Red Leicester – were good, buns so perfect they looked like the plastic kiddy versions, the patties oozing with full-on flavour but easily drowning out the smidgens of relishes and limp salad inside. They’d ran out of truffle fries. Onion rings and corn on the cob sides were perfect – crispy, slightly charred, just what we
wanted. The free help-yourself monkey nuts tasted a little stale but are a nice touch. Portion sizes of fries were disappointing, you’re better off getting a cone at Clock Tower chippy. Not so the milkshakes: worth the expense for a huge portion of intense creaminess (hint: choose extra Nutella). The menu has a good range of burgers, including smaller versions, though the lack of a vegan choice is disappointing from a brand trying so hard to be down-with-the-kids. Staff attention was akin to that of a hungover third year in a compulsory lecture: dozing interspersed with short periods of panicked noting. Table water wasn’t delivered for five minutes, then came multiple times, the spare glasses going unnoticed by each consecutive waitress. Sauces (which you’re charged for) were forgotten. My burger came immediately but everyone else’s, ordered right after mine, didn’t arrive until well after I was finished. That was a real let down, though potentially just a clever sales technique because I then had to order more food, obvs. Exeter doesn’t need any more burger places or chain restaurants. But GBK is shiny enough – and close enough to the recentlyclosed Ruby’s – to draw in customers for the moment, while it finds its feet. But like that hungover third year with a deadline approaching, it better be quick about it.
EXHIBIT
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LIFESTYLE
EDITORS: Jade Beard and Laurel Bibby
26 SEPT 2016
Fashioning fall
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Photo: static.pexels.com
Jasmine Prasad rounds up the latest seasonal trends
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HE leaves are a-changing. Autumn is upon us, and when the seasons shift, a few updates to your wardrobe are sure to follow. Thankfully, for those of us who don’t have the money to spend on a full new fall wardrobe, autumn 2016 is maybe the easiest season we’ve ever had to look fabulous without breaking the bank. Dressing for this Fall is all about customisation; taking inspiration from runway trends and street style and making them yours’, and there are so many ways to do that without even buying a single new piece! Embroidery is still reigning supreme in all high street stores, and you can so easily reinvent your denim with little touches. If you’re looking to spend little to no money, raid the
sewing kit you packed when you started university and try stitching a few basic patterns onto your jeans or jackets. So simple, but so effective. Stitching may not quite be your thing, and that’s fine! Think pins and patches for a fun way to showcase your personality. And what’s more, you can pick these up at markets and charity shops, showing support for great causes while saving those pennies in the process! This autumn, we’re all about reviving pieces and adapting what you already have in your wardrobes for a colder climate. Layer a polo neck under the sundress you’ve been wearing and there’s a perfect autumn outfit for you. Wide-legged pants have been creeping in throughout summer and trench coats too on those colder summer days, á la Celine
and Proenza Schouler. An update on the offthe-shoulder trend of summer includes snuggly jumpers in the same cut. Perfect for going on beautiful crisp Fall walks.You’ll definitely be able to re-use some of your wardrobe staples this season, which is amazing for all of our credit cards. If you’re going to be spending on anything, check out this season’s biggest colour and fabric trends. Lilac and camel are our go-to picks for colour, and anything in velvet will have you looking chic for party season in seconds. Sequins are, of course, a staple every year, but this year they’re maximal. Make sure you’re staying warm with a stylish statement coat. Military cuts with huge accents will be everywhere, and, as if the sports-luxe trend
couldn’t get any bigger, the puffa jacket is back guys. Have fun with that. In short, go big or go home with key pieces. Of course, we are Exetah, so athleisure will always be a thing. Your Stan Smiths and Nike Airs are a great addition to any outfit, and perfect for tackling the hills. It’s pretty impossible to go wrong there, but if you want to try something new for a utumn, try clashing your sportswear with less casual, in the same way that Balenciaga did, with well cut, high class pieces. Autumn is all about parties, about wrapping up warm as the leaves change, and looking good doing it. Making a statement definitely does not have to cost you, so strike out this season!
Dark chocolate and orange zest cookies Rachel Ashenden, News Editor, shares the perfect recipe for autumn days
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HESE fragrant and indulgent cookies are tastiest paired with candied chocolate orange dippers. Rather than setting yourself that tricky and unnecessary technical challenge of homemade jaffa cakes, here you can have the same flavour combination packed into a gooey cookie. They will keep in an air tight container for 3 days - so from a Wednesday night’s Bake Off all the way through to the weekend... Ingredients • 200g softened butter • 130g brown sugar • 260g plain flour • 1 egg yolk • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Zest of 1/2 orange • 50g dark chocolate, chopped • Handful of chopped hazelnuts For the chocolate orange dippers • 1 orange, sliced into segments • 50g dark chocolate, melted • 50g caster sugar • 100ml water
Photo: Rachel Ashenden
Method 1 Cream together the softened butter and brown sugar. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and combine well. 2 Add in the flour alongside the chopped dark chocolate, orange zest and hazelnuts. Mix well until it forms a sticky dough. 3 On a floured surface, roll the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film. Put the cookie dough in the freezer for 45 minutes preheat the oven to 180ºC / fan. 4 Take the cookie dough out of the freezer and mould into 12 discs. Place the cookies on baking paper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Leave to cool before serving. 5 To make the candied chocolate orange dippers, as shown in my photo, create a syrup in a pan by warming the water with caster sugar. Bring to the boil on a medium heat, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. 6 Add the orange slices and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes. Remove them from the pan, and pop them in the fridge to cool and harden. 7 Dip the orange slices into melted dark chocolate. Enjoy!
arts + lit
Budleigh Salterton(s of fun) Josephine Greenland recalls her experience of the local literary festival
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AST weekend the Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival came to the seaside resort of the same name for the eighth year in a row. A range of novelists, poets, biographers, historians and broadcasters (including Hilary Mantel and Mark Haddon) came to read and discuss their latest publications and hold writing workshops in prose and poetry.
BLACK HUMOUR PERMEATES THE SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE PROSE Dame Hilary Mantel, the festival’s president, read her latest short story, ‘The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher’. Her collection of the same name depicts the discussion between a woman and a photographer on the day the prime minister is taken to hospital. The language is tight and acerbic, brimming with astounding detail. Mantel described the short story as a “strange
Arts in the news
collision of elements”, a creative process that boils down to “the art of the glimpse”. She called it an unpredictable form entailing an endless process of rewriting and crossovers, lacking the structure of the novel. She also revealed that the last installment of the Thomas Cromwell novels could be released in 2018. Army veteran Harry Parker and broadcaster Peter Hanington discussed the moral tensions between the military and journalism, concerning the difficulty with telling the truth. Parker’s Anatomy of a Soldier tells the story of a soldier in Afghanistan, but from viewpoint of
Banksy artwork removed from outdoor car park in Liverpool to be installed in a dedicated street art gallery
45 objects he comes across during service. Each object is given a chapter to tell its story. Chapter 42, which Parker read aloud, is told from a grenade’s perspective as it tears through the soldier’s body. The first person perspective and present tense create an atmosphere where the mine is personified and the soldier becomes the object. Hanington’s A Dying Breed is a contemporary thriller narrated in a style reminiscent of John Le Carré and Graham Greene, depicting the relationship between war and media from a journalist’s viewpoint. Black humour permeates the simple yet effective prose, which creates
UK arts market set to soar in the wake of Brexit
an engaging, easy-to-follow story. Hanington explains the difficulties with getting published when your work dips into more than one genre, and that he cut out several of the black comedy parts in order to sell the novel as a thriller. Parker and Hanington acknowledged that there is an unavoidable tension between the army and journalists over war reporting. Parker explained how, from the soldier’s perspective, war is a focused world of low-tactic battles, narrow as a needle’s eye, where a good day consists of staging an ambush or helping an old man cross the road. For the journalist, Hanington asserted, these focused missions lose sight of the “greater picture”, the supposed grand cause of fighting for your homeland, democracy and freedom. What defined a good journalist, the broadcastersaid, was one who saw a story where others saw nothing. Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival offered up the writing of both established and up-andcoming writers in a relaxed, picturesuqe environment, and I wholly recommend every lover of literature to go next year.
New outdoor comedy festival, Laughterama, cancelled after locals complain it would threaten community
Le Carré’d away
Theodore Stone, Online Editor, praises the subtlety of John Le Carré’s sly short stories THE PIGEON TUNNEL John Le Carré AAAA
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HE spy thriller is a genre with many authors, but few of them have transcended beyond the realms of airport bookstores. Some have found fame through media franchises and masculine obsession, others through a theatrical reimagining, and there are those who score once before perpetually missing the goal time and time again. None of these could ever aspire to the heights attained by John Le Carré, the enigmatic and yet timelessly brilliant author of perhaps the finest spy fiction in literary history. However, in spite of his large bibliography we know almost nothing about him, save for snippets from articles here and there from across the decades. Rumours and desperate biographies treat the symptoms of this curiosity fever, but no permanent cure is known. Nonetheless, it appears that we now have a stronger antidote in the form of The Pigeon
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Tunnel, a set of stories from Le Carré’s (or rather David Cornwell as he is properly known) life. Rather than following a usual autobiographical logic, there is practically no order to his excursions and you leave the book learning very little about the man himself. Whilst at first glance one might assume it to be a memoir of a sort, or an attempt at non-chronological autobiography, you would be hard-pressed to draw the same conclusion at the end. So much for the journalists’ pre-launch ramblings. It’s difficult to condemn this book, since it works surprisingly well. Save a mildly uneven introduction, the book jumps from point to point with surprising grace, thanks to Le Carré’s nearunparalleled ability to blend what initially seem to be unrelated points together into
a tight and ordered package. Even when the story is expected to fixate on him as the protagonist, he instead slots himself into the background, and concerns himself with those around him. It is a welcome relief from similar works of non-fiction, and stylistically blends far more effectively with the rest of the Le Carré canon than a full-blown obsessive would. Le Carré treats himself like he would one of his characters, observing the events of the day, rather than starting a fire to make themselves the observed. The decision allows him to flesh out the lives of others, staying true to his mantra of knowing everything about the one we are not observing. Alongside this, The Pigeon Tunnel grants us privy to a side of Le Carré we have rarely seen before: his humour. The book’s tone is electrified
by his sharp and highly observational wit, tastefully lightening even the most solemn of passages. It’s dazzlingly effective and I would love to see more; perhaps this autobiographical collection has opened a new scope for his fiction.
THE BOOK JUMPS FROM POINT TO POINT WITH SURPRISING GRACE This, flittered and filled with a cast of stellar directors (Kubrick, Fritz Lang, Coppola and more), war correspondents, politicians (MacMillan, Thatcher and so on), crooks, cops and more, make this one of his most exotic turns and chronicles a rich, varied and multi-storied life which we have seldom seen, and will likely never see again. From his own eyes, at least. Shaky, and yet filled with enough charm, action and Le Carré brilliance to overpower these flaws, if you’re looking for a book to read during the next few months I really do struggle to suggest better.
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ARTS + LIT
EDITORS: Tash Ebbutt and Emma Bessent
Balm for the soul
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Tash Ebbutt, Arts + Lit Editor, discusses whether reading can be a means of therapy
here’s nothing I like more than getting all cosy, making myself a big mug of hot chocolate and grabbing a book off my shelf. It is one of those things that I’ve always loved and will probably always love, especially due to the fact I’m a massive bookworm - the English Lit degree is proof of that one. But what really draws me towards my overflowing shelves is the fact that reading relaxes me. Fun fact, a study undertaken by the University of Sussex suggests that just six minutes of reading a day can de-stress you by reducing your heart rate and easing muscle tension. For me, it removes all traces of anxiety from my life. Whenever I’m stressed or I’ve over frazzled myself with too much work, the perfect solution is to just stop, pick up an old favourite and unwind. But can reading actually help as a means of therapy for those suffering from anxiety and other mental illnesses? I believe it can, and so does Samuel M. Crothers, who first coined the phrase ‘bibliotherapy’ in 1916. Reading offers an escape route from the everyday, mundane world. As soon as you open a book there is a whole new world to explore; where the emotions you feel do not exist and
it is this freedom of sorts that relieves your suffering. Think of all the characters we know and love today: Harry Potter, Daenerys Targaryen and Gandalf; to name a few. All of them inhabit worlds different to our own. In a world filled with magic, for example, our own problems are less likely to consume us because there is so much to discover and learn.
ME BEFORE YOU MADE ME REALISE I WAS MISSING OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD ENHANCE MY LIFE It is this learning which aids those in need. Books can easily serve as life lessons, as inspirations - you can empathise with characters, you can relate to certain situations and it is this connection which allows readers to grow themselves through compassion and empathy. Such emotions make you feel less alone, characters become friends, worlds of fantasy become
worlds of reality and it is a truly wonderful concept to immerse yourself in. As someone who has suffered from anxiety, I can honestly root for the reading cause. It offers you a much needed break from the stresses of the world that can easily bring you down. An example of my own lifestyle being changed by a book’s message is when I read Me Before You; a quotable phrase being ‘Live Boldly’. As someone who struggles with confidence, it made me think about how I was missing opportunities that could enhance my life - why not just break out of my figurative shell, try new things and talk to new people? It was not an immediate epiphany, I didn’t just ‘see the light’ or anything. I know that it’s not that easy for everyone and it obviously wasn’t just reading a book that stopped me feeling anxious, but I can honestly say that it did help and reading will always be a huge part of my life. I have always found that books give you advice in a way that is entirely different from a person in the fact that it is often timeless and applicable to more than one situation. It is no wonder studies are starting to prove that reading can help those suffering with men-
Art to Art
Jorunn Joiner presents her mixed media artwork
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fter studying art for three years before coming to university, it is now my greatest hobby. I am particularly interested in the possibilities of different medias, among them digital art. Studying art has enabled me to go beyond my comfort zone, both in materials and motifs, allowing for experimentation with styles and ideas. I haven’t found a favourite personal style yet. I work both within fanart –
art inspired by celebrities, films, TV shows and other media - and a few more personal projects. Recently, I have been drawing portraits of my housemates in their favourite style of art. During school, I hosted joint exhibits in galleries in Stockholm, among them the Modern Museum of Stockholm. My future projects are going to be based in oil colour, focusing on colours of landscapes. At the moment I am working on still life paintings.
tal illnesses. Take Emory University’s study proving that reading enhances connectivity in the brain as well as improving the brain’s function. Professor Gregory Berns noted that “The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist.” This transportation promotes compassion and therefore self-growth. Such self-growth as previously mentioned can help aid issues such as anxiety.
IT ALLOWS READERS TO GROW THEMSELVES THROUGH COMPASSION The best part of all this? There are literally thousands and thousands of books, all ready and waiting to embrace you in a papery hug. With so many worlds and characters to meet I highly recommend you delve into the local Waterstones or Bookcycle, grab your favourite hot drink and just relax!
music Skepta-cal?
Following the Mercury Prize awards last week, Tom Murphy and Helen Payne, Music Editor, discuss whether Skepta’s Konnichiwa was a worthy winner
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RBAN music is no stranger to success at the Mercury Prize. R&B superstar Ms. Dynamite set the standard in 2002. Dizzee Rascal’s seminal debut album Boy in da Corner bagged the award in ‘03. Now Skepta’s historic, unexpected win on 15 September means even more. Grime’s recovery from the commercial, trite mediocrity of the past is finally complete. Grime is now the most important sound in the UK music scene. Konnichiwa is a record that proves grime means so much more than bass saturated instrumentals and 140 beats per minute. The album is a masterpiece in self-expression. Skepta’s own background and experiences form the basis of the album, allowing a sense of intimacy to permeate through the record. As much a work of social criticism as art, Skepta vividly depicts the harsh reality of British urban life. The autobiographically charged ‘Crime Riddim’ scathingly attacks the indignity of police stop and search culture. Real artistry stems from Skepta’s ability to empower not only himself but those marginalised and dismissed in urban communities across the UK. The album is cohesive and focused. Features from American superstars are moulded around Skepta’s own themes and ideas. The strength of Skepta’s own voice and his message are never diluted by the hip-hop heavyweights that provide support on the album. Skepta personifies the modern independent artist, unsigned by any major label and acting as CEO of ‘Boy Better Know’, his own record company. The only messages that extend from his music are Skepta’s own, cultivating an organic relationship between himself as an artist and his fans. This artistic independence has allowed Skepta to remain true to the close relationship between artist and audience from which the grime scene was built on. Grime was
born from the intimacy of underground raves and the freedom of pirate radio, environments that facilitated artistic freedom for MCs and producers to thrive on. Mercury Prize panels are not afraid to shock the public with surprise decisions. The relatively unknown Benjamin Clementine swept to victory last year, seemingly out of nowhere. Skepta’s unexpected victory denied the late great David Bowie one final posthumous accolade to cap an unprecedentedly influential musical career. The legendary memory of Bowie framed the entire ceremony, and Jarvis Cocker directly preceded the awards presentation with the idea that “David Bowie was looking down” on the soon to be crowned Tottenham MC. While stylistically so very different, both Konnichiwa and the huge body of Bowie’s critically acclaimed work over the decades challenge an industry that is often bland and consumerist. Bowie consistently pushed the boundaries of musical creativity, while the UK grime scene provides the UK’s premier urban trailblazer through Skepta’s independent, thoughtful and socially conscious music. In 1993 on NBC, Bowie himself agreed that rappers could be considered the only truly creative people in the music business. How fitting it is that the 2016 Mercury has been awarded to an artist who demonstrates so clearly the “means of a discovery and purpose” in “Black and Hispanic music” highlighted by Bowie over two decades ago. In Konnichiwa Skepta has crafted a record with energy and aggression to once again provide a voice for urban communities disenfranchised and ignored by society. The people’s microphonechampion is the worthiest of Mercury winners.
Tom Murphy
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AVING spent the first two years of my university life living with two Essex bornand-bred housemates, I’ve learnt that the phrase “shut up”, alongside its primary function to tell someone to be quiet, may also be used to express disbelief or shock. It was that same imperative uttered from my lips the moment I discovered Skepta had won the Mercury Prize last week with his latest album, Konnichiwa, and it is that same phrase fellow grime artist Stormzy tells me to do on his thought provoking and well-mannered single “Shut Up”. State of disbelief, I think so. Skepta is a pioneer of modern grime. He promised to make music that had meaning in his 2012 flop #underdogpsychosisno1, a video uploaded to YouTube which even premiered in the Tate Modern, but in this attempt has produced an album almost embarrassingly anti-authoritarian, incredibly crude, and (to be honest) a bit dated. He discusses contempt for the police, the press, the media’s image culture, government and even satirises religion, but doesn’t offer anything new. Konnichiwa has the potential to make some significant critique on our society – but ends up combining stabbing, repetitive synth lines, random interjections from the likes of JME, Wiley and Pharrell, and jolted syllables that don’t quite fit to make a long list of songs that I don’t want to listen to. #sorrynotsorry. Konnichiwa was up against some serious contenders. Michael Kiwanuka’s beautiful and soulful Love and Hate looked promising – reaching number one in the UK album charts. The jazz musician’s success keeps growing with a magnificent style and incredible live show, those huge brown eyes letting you know something amazing is about to happen. Also in the running was Anohni’s HOPELESSNESS, a breakthrough album that addresses transgender, political and environmental issues
FOR “THE ALBUM IS A MASTERPIECE IN SELF EXPRESSION”
in our modern world. Anohni is only the second openly transgender artist nominated for an Academy Award, making her an important role model for listeners and reducing the stigma attached. The album scored “universal acclaim” from Metacritic, making me continue to wonder why, when there are such poignant albums nominated, Skepta won. And of course, not forgetting to mention two mindblowing greats of our generation, Radiohead, who, yes, may exude a slight pretentious quality for some people, but present a long standing contribution to the industry, alongside their galloping leaps forward in the alt-rock genre with A Moon Shaped Pool, reaching out and standing out from the crowd with the creative vision of Thom Yorke and co., teasing their fans with surprise releases and gimmicks. Then we have David Bowie, a pop genius who needs no argument and was robbed of the title. The day of the announcement, the other Music editors and I were certain that either of these two artists would win. I even toyed with the idea of a satirical article as to why Skepta should be the winner. But we were proved wrong, and it seems grime’s extortionate rise to the surface of mainstream music – especially at university where the drinking culture is rife (‘That’s Not Me’ always seems to get played at our pre-drinks) – has been reflected in this year’s Mercury Prize. A bad thing? Not necessarily. Grime is on the rise, and I hate to say it, but that’s not me.
Helen Payne
KONNICHIWA IS OUT NOW ON BOY BETTER KNOW
AGAINST Image credit: Bestival
“ALMOST EMBARASSINGLY ANTIAUTHORITARIAN”
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EDITORS: Rory Marcham and Helen Payne
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RORY MARCHAM
o add anything new to the conversation surrounding Blackstar would be a near-impossible task. Nonetheless, to re-iterate its praise is inevitable, because to deny that Bowie’s final collection of songs is anything but stellar would be to kid yourself. With the Duke writing at the very fringes of accessible music, and plagued by his own mortality, Blackstar is at once a fascinating piece of jazz-flecked art rock, and one of the finest pieces of performance art in recent memory. His self-eulogy, ‘Lazarus’, reinvents the morbid statement as a final act of defiance, a call from what should be an unreachable beyond. To discuss your impending death is one thing, but to make it a part of your musical statement is something else. This is aided by the fact that the music Bowie wrote was his best in years; his most captivating since ‘Let’s Dance’, and his most artistic since Scary Monsters & Super Creeps: albums held by many as forming the very pinnacles of popular music. From dissonant jazz to industrial wastelands and over the moon to stringed ballads, Blackstar blends itself together into an eternally fascinating body of work, which far surpasses the work of us mortals. In many ways, I can’t answer why this is the finest album of Mercury’s roster, but I can show you how. Give it a listen, the Starman is waiting.
hilst his debut album saw him collect the BBC’s Sound of 2012 award, and a Mercury Prize nomination, Kiwanuka never quite gained the notoriety of many of his fellow folk singer-songwriting peers. Four years on, Kiwanuka returns alongside super-producer Danger Mouse with a progressive album filled to the brim with modern soul anthems. From the sprawling, psychedelically tinged opener ‘Cold Little Heart’, it’s clear this is an album to take his music to a totally different level and an expansive sound that has seen comparisons to Pink Floyd. A more confident lyrical exploration, epitomised by opening single ‘Black Man in a White World’ sees Kiwanuka tread more personal waters, alongside ‘Father’s Child’ which sees him open up about his experiences with religion. Whilst the album does feel somewhat retro in its production, with tracks including ‘One More Night’ and ‘Love & Hate’ sounding as if they had been plucked straight off of a 70s soul record, it’s the way in which they are drenched in interesting guitar effects and accompanied by an intriguing orchestral landscape, that makes it very much an album of the 21st century and a very worthy contender for this year’s Mercury Prize.
RADIOHEAD A MOON SHAPED POOL
MICHAEL KIWANUKA LOVE & HATE
45% 55%
No (Someone call 999 David Bowie’s been robbed)
LEWIS NORMAN
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Yes (Grime was huge in 2016)
DAVID BOWIE BLACK STAR
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NOHNI’s debut album, HOPELESSNESS evokes a quiet rage at the current geopolitical reality, standing as a call to action rather than the passivity its title suggests. The album delves into significant political and cultural realities particularly pertinent to post-9/11 America - mass surveillance, drone warfare, and environmental ruin - while creating a harrowing and glorious new sound. ANOHNI’s unique voice (an androgynous, unearthly and arresting croon) paired with discordant electronic backing creates a startlingly individual album held aloft by thematically dark songs so particular in their word choice that each is beautifully provocative poetry. ANOHNI’s songs are like Trojan horses, carrying difficult topics in a case of electronic beats and ambient sounds. The pain expressed in these songs is evident by the passion of ANOHNI’s voice; ‘Crisis’ concludes with her sobbing out an apology to the families of those affected by drone bombings, attacks on “countries/under false premise” and to those held and killed in Guantanamo. HOPELESSNESS acts as a criticism of the hollowness of the American dream and expression of the crushing disappointment in the American reality. If I could use just two words to describe ANOHNI’s haunting album, it would be these: stay woke.
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Should Skepta have won the Mercury Prize?
THEO STONE
ANOHNI HOPELESSNESS
Exeposé Music writers review their favourite Mercury Prize nominees
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he genius of Radiohead is something that will be discussed for decades. To have five critically acclaimed albums spanning and exploring a multitude of genres to the scale that Thom Yorke and co. do is an achievement only a select few in the musical elite can claim. Therefore, the fact A Moon Shaped Pool had nothing to prove to us but still managed to surprise and test musical limits confirms once again that this is a band that hasn’t even begun to peak. This is Radiohead at it’s most symphonic, most expansive and most reflective. These moments of reflection are A Moon Shaped Pool’s finest; the pensive arpeggio on ‘Present Tense’ and the gentle unfurling of ‘True Love Waits’ make A Moon Shaped Pool an essential nominee.
Take a look online for the complete list of nominee reviews at exepose.com
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EDITORS: Rory Marcham and Helen Payne
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Glass Animals smash it
Georgie White reviews the Oxford four-piece’s sophomore album it means to be human, affirming to us that we may sometimes feel lost, empty and unfulfilled but that’s okay, because it means we’re real. It is certainly the most fitting opener: no other track could compete with the over bounding energy and excitement that seeps from every hidden detail.
GLASS ANIMALS How To Be a Human Being 26 August
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wo years after the release of their debut, Zaba, Glass Animals are back with How To Be A Human Being, an ode to storytelling and explorations of our deepest feelings. Breathing the secrets and stories of an eclectic mix of people that the band met on tour, the album is worlds apart from the blissful havens of Zaba. With a clear focus on reality, in all its weird and wonderful forms, the most mundane but intimate experiences of the human mind are dug out and illuminated with no stone left unturned, from Tesco boxes to pineapples to jars of mayonnaise. Opener and first single ‘Life Itself’, borrowing warm beats and melodies from around the world, is a playful paradox, combining upbeat charm with hauntingly relatable lyrics about lost potential and economic struggle, such as “I can’t get a job so I live with my mum”. Each image is a carefully handpicked window magnifying what
A CONTROLLED EXPLOSION, A PURPOSEFUL WHIRLWIND OF THEMES Second single, ‘Youth’, shies away from the euphoric playfulness of Life Itself, instead opting for a more melancholic tone. This perfectly fits the subject matter of a parent’s nostalgia relayed in a retrospective love song to their child. ‘Youth’ is captivating as, by the end, we’re not sure whether to feel deflated or elevated; the character’s feelings are complicated, it’s difficult to determine whether they are excited for their child’s youth or lamenting for their own. Leaving this for us to work out for ourselves allows us to have a personal relationship with the character, a feature that Glass Animals have so perfectly
achieved throughout the album. Not only does the album flit between different human experiences, but it also does between genres and styles. Tracks like ‘Take A Slice’ and ‘Cane Suga’ conjure a light-hearted and clumsy indie electronic atmosphere, true to the band’s roots, while we hear undertones of borrowed hip-hop beats in ‘Season 2 Episode 3’. This reinforces the unpredictable nature of human lives that are constantly in a state of flux, as well as giving each individual story its own unique perspective, as each character is brought to life. ‘Poplar St.’ and ‘Agnes’, the albums final two tracks respectively, adopt a much darker tone, loaded with an overriding sense of melancholy. It is clear to see why these two tracks were selected to close the album: after the playground of both subtle and jagged details and layers upon layers of hidden quirks that came before, the album is personified as it has naturally drawn to an end and matured throughout, almost as if it, as a whole, is a character in itself. This being said, it’s not all bitterness and despair. One of the greatest features of How To Be A Human Being is how no track is simply sad, or simply elevating. ‘Agnes’, while eerily gloomy, blossoms into a
Credit: Bestival
euphoric masterpiece halfway through that will send a shiver down your spine at the moment of the chant-like chorus. Everything in not only the track, but also the album, has been building up to this moment, and suddenly this becomes illuminated; the final secret is revealed and leaves us not knowing how to feel. Despite the experimental fusions of eccentric synths and sounds, of which Zaba was very much concerned with, the biggest departure of How To Be A Human Being from the band’s debut is undeniably the character development. We hear 11 unique people’s stories and become more than just a spectator of their lives, but a part of their worlds. The album is a controlled explosion, a purposeful whirlwind of themes, genres and sounds, showing rather than telling us the experiences right at the album’s heart that are responsible for its existence, just as any good story should do.
HOW TO BE A HUMAN BEING IS OUT NOW
Never had a dream come true... until now Hannah Butler, Editor, had the time of her life when Brad and Jo visited the Lemmy for an S Club 7 Freshers’ Party
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hat time are they on?!” some glitter-faced student dangled over the barrier to yell at the security guy. He’d already answered this about seven times… but if we asked enough, maybe Brad and Jo would appear earlier. “Half 12,” walkie-talkie man shouted back. Nope: still another hour and a half. A long time to stand crushed against a barrier in a rapidly heating Lemmy. But hey: I’d waited 14 years for this. I could wait 90 minutes more. Unfortunately, everyone else at the barrier seemed to be thinking the same thing. Looked like any chance of going for a wee before the show was long past. Tension built as a stream of official-looking people snuck in and out of
the back door. Rumour had it Jo and Brad were in the Grove Diner doing meet and greets. Well, at least someone was getting an S Club Party tonight. Considering the event started three hours ago, we’d not had much of one yet…but things were about to change. In a wave of VKfuelled hysteria, someone had spotted two familiar figures sauntering out onto the Lemmy stage. Within seconds, they’d launched into that one we’d all been playing at pre-drinks tonight. The S Club Party had officially begun, guys. And what a weird, hyped-up party it was. There was an almost fetish-like interest in grabbing Brad’s hand – and he wasn’t doing anything to put people off, extending it into the front row every 30 seconds or so. You almost felt
sorry for Jo… until she reached out and earned almost the same response. One might’ve been more generous with his limbs, but apparently we were just as eager to exchange sweat with either of these superhuman bodies. In terms of the music, t was the same bubblegum party anthems we fell in love with in the early noughties. In fact, it all sounded suspiciously familiar. Almost like they were the exact same vocals we’d listened to earlier on our album copy. Apparently Jo’s been working on the “rubbish live vocal” she admitted to after the 2014 Children in Need reunion gig. If only there’d been a bit more singing, though. As the night drew on, Brad and Jo graced us with a maximum of seven or eight
tracks – pretty stingy for a hall of fired-up freshers who’ve obviously stayed proudly loyal to the band ever since they disbanded back in 2003. It also felt a bit off to announce you’re playing some obscure ones to “test who knows the album tracks,” then scour the front row to see who’s singing along. What was this: a show for the fans, or an ego boost? We paid to see you, guys. Don’t try and make us feel bad. To be honest though, it’s hard to feel bad to a backdrop of ‘Reach,’ ‘Bring it all Back’ and ‘Don’t Stop Movin’’. Brad and Jo already had the recipe for success here – and they knew it. Even if it’s not quite the Dream Come True to watch two of your childhood idols awkwardly grinding on each other.
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Matters of the mind
Declan Barnes looks at the portrayal of mental health in cinema
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HE representation of mental health and illness in film is an important issue, and it goes without saying that some films do it better than others. If we work from the basis that popular culture and art are hugely influential in how people view mental illness, which seems fairly obvious, then it’s crucial that filmmakers treat the subject with care. All art plays a role particularly in the reduction or promotion of stigma around mental health.
ART PLAYS A ROLE IN THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH It’s true that in recent years the cultural stigma around mental illness has been improving; however, the problem is far from dissipated. Firstly, general public stigma is still apparent - as the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) points out, “Nearly nine in ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination” negatively affects their lives. They say this is partly because many people believe they are “Violent and dangerous”. The MHF cites the media as a main exacerbating factor here (such as the coverage of the Germanwings plane crash), but film is a culprit as well. The number of major films that portray mental illness purely as a basis for violence far outnumbers the sensitive treatments. Films like Fight Club, Fatal Attraction, Shutter Island, American Psycho, and We Need To Talk About Kevin (I could go on) base their violence in exaggerated depictions of madness. I am not saying that these are bad films for this
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reason - such a monochromatic view would be unhelpful. However, when these portrayals become the dominant norm, it is problematic. The reason for this tendency is fairly clear - films need conflict, drama or struggle, and mental illness provides good material. The problem arises when filmmakers misrepresent mental illness in an attempt to make a film more exciting. Often this is a gimmick. For example, the widespread use of visual hallucination as a plot device in Hollywood is at odds with the reality of psychotic disorders such as Schizophrenia. Powerful visual hallucinations like in Pi, A Beautiful Mind, and Black Swan are very uncommon, and far less likely than auditory hallucinations. A Beautiful Mind is a per fect example of this problem, because John Nash, upon whom the film is based, never suffered visual hallucinations - only auditory. This shows an implicit belief that Nash’s real struggle simply wasn’t entertaining enough, and a willingness to eschew all the complicated and varied symptoms of such disorders in favour of more potentially titillating ones. Beyond general stigma, though, is a deeper problem. Matt Haig, author of Reasons to Stay Alive, recently tweeted about how people are far more accepting now of mentally unwell people in the abstract - they won’t immediately ridicule them or discriminate against them based on a label. However, the actual symptoms of the illness are still heavily stigmatised - a person is fine with anxiety in theory, but is dismissive or disbelieving when they see a panic attack over something ostensibly trivial. Film’s role here is clear: to familiarise the general public with neurodiverse
behaviours, and to vanquish the plethora of myths and misconceptions about various disorders. This includes viewers who are mentally ill themselves, as often stigma and misinformation is internalised, exacerbating conditions. Depression and anxiety in particular have been dealt with far more effectively on the screen than other, lesser understood disorders. This is likely for two reasons: firstly, they are by far the most common, and so it is easier to depict respectfully - and there is more likely to be outcry if it is not. Secondly, the symptoms (in the majority) are less externally extreme than other disorders, and the temptation to stereotype or exaggerate is curtailed.
THE BEST FILMS MAKE AN OVERT EFFORT TO CREATE TRUE EMPATHY Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Alzheimers are some other disorders which have been treated impressively, as films like Room and Still Alice distinguish between a character who has a disorder and a character who is a disorder. A sea of brilliant films portraying substance abuse disorders exist too. Despite this, there is still a lot of work to do to promote greater neurodiversity in film without relying on clichés. People with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are not all a variation of Rainman or Sherlock Holmes, and women with ASDs are severely underrepresented. Personality disorders need to be rescued from lazy stereotyping as in Fatal Attraction, Mr Nobody and, arguably, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
All of this is not to say that some filmmakers don’t do a beautiful job of properly presenting mental illness. Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation depicts depression subtly and elegantly through Scarlett Johansson’s convincing acting, and the metaphorisation of her isolation in Tokyo. Her Virgin Suicides portrays depression similarly well, as does the David Foster Wallace biopic End of the Tour, and films like Spike Jonze’s Her, Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York, and Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road. Some of these films succeed in different ways - both Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia and Kaufman’s Synecdoche externalise the disorder, and impose it on the real world in a postmodern sense, without resorting to delusion. But the best films are those that make an overt effort to humanise, and to create true empathy - not exploitative pity - for mentally ill characters. Short Term 12 does this fantastically, exploring multi-faceted characters with a variety of problems without being intrusive or over-indulgent. This lack of a spotlight is likely why it’s often auxiliary characters that perform best, like Carey Mulligan in Shame, or Robert De Niro in (the otherwise simplistic) Silver Linings Playbook. An honorary mention here should go to so many of PT Anderson’s characters, as well as Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The point is not that filmmakers should avoid portrayals of mental illness, or that they should explicitly go out of their way to do so. Nor should they seek only to depict the mentally ill in a positive light. Mental illness should just be there, as it is in real life: an aspect of so many people’s lives, but not their whole existence.
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EDITORS: Mark Allison and Zak Mahinfar
26 SEPT 2016
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Three’s a crowd Vicki Baker praises the return of Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones BRIDGET JONES’S BABY Director: Sharon Maguire Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth. 2016, 123 minutes.
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T was a twelve-year wait to see what Bridget Jones got up to next and honestly, after Helen Fielding brutally killed off Mark Darcy in the car crash that was Mad About the Boy, did anyone really care? Thankfully the filmmakers have chosen to disregard this third literary instalment, allowing Bridget a big-screen comeback that’s both comical and emotive. It has also meant that Colin Firth who may have aged but definitely still has something going on - returns to his awkwardly charming role of Mr Darcy. And, in true Bridget Jones style, he isn’t the only leading man.
ing films, as flashbacks are used without feeling like filler. Bridget is still making ridiculous life decisions, and it’s a good job she is, because one of these bad decisions is Patrick Dempsey’s Jack. Dempsey brings an updated, international, and less caddish version of Grant’s boyish charm, playing off Firth’s character well as ‘the other man’ in Bridget’s life. To call this film vintage Bridget would be underselling it; she’s more mature, has improved her fashion sense and, dare I say it, is less irritating (probably because she doesn’t spend the majority of the film moaning about her non-existent weight issue). Renée Zellweger is also joined by an excellent cast, including new additions such as Sarah Solemani of Him and Her fame. Solemani takes on the role of Bridget’s best friend
now that the old crowd are busy looking after babies. Returning stars include Gemma Jones, who obviously had no trouble jumping back into the role of anoverbearing mother barely trying to hide her disappointment at her lack of son-inlaw or grandchildren. Bridget herself has now graduated from a young, single woman trying to find love to a middle-aged, single woman attempting to master modern day living. It’s a hilarious and, at times, terrifyingly realistic representation that manages to remain funny and fresh throughout the film. Of course, there’s still the element of ‘this would never happen in real life’, namely the festival scenes and the fact that she manages to convince two men to accept parental responsibility for a baby that might not be theirs.
BRIDGET IS MORE MATURE THIS TIME
The ridiculousness, not so much of Bridget’s situation but the way she handles it, is summed up by her request for two covert and separate baby scans for both potential fathers, overseen by Emma Thompson as an acerbic doctor. Thompson, who also co-wrote the film, proves to be one of the best new additions, offering up a few of the funniest lines and some poignant advice about single motherhood, showing that Bridget has indeed grown up and moved with the times. Her determination to put her motherly duties above any man or self-pity makes for a far more emotional story than either of the previous films. Finally, she is a Bridget you can fully root for, to the point where the all too neat and perfect ending isn’t even annoying or cringe-worthy.
DIE-HARD BRIDGET FANS WILL BE MORE THAN A LITTLE WEEPY The thoroughly predictable, yet beautifully executed, happily-ever-after is the only way Bridget’s story could ever have ended, and will leave die hard Bridget fans more than a little weepy. You have been warned.
Hugh Grant’s absence is obviously felt, but does not go unacknowledged. In fact, there is great continuity between Bridget Jones’s Baby and the two preced-
Let’s do the time warp again Victoria Bos, Science Editor, looks back at the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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HE Rocky Horror Picture Show was first released on the big screen back in 1975 and has since gained immense popularity across the globe for its interesting characters, catchy songs and generally odd storyline. It is not uncommon for fans to dress up at screenings, throw props at certain points and even join in with the songs, giving the impression that showings are really more of a cult meet up than a simple trip to the cinema. So, with its 41st anniversary having just passed and a remake on the horizon later this year, it’s time to ask whether Rocky Horror really lives up to the hype.
THE TRADITIONAL FORMULA IS TURNED ON ITS HEAD The overall plot of the film is very much a parody of well-known previous
science fiction films, as laid out in the first song ‘Science Fiction Double Feature’. This includes a young couple breaking down in the middle of nowhere, a castle, a mad scientist, henchmen, a monster’s birth and aliens. Now, you would think that this would be a boring and predictable affair, but that is where this film comes into its own, turning the traditional formula on its head with hilarious results. The mad scientist? He’s a transvestite. The innocent and pure couple? They both have sex with him. Those henchmen, established as brother and sister? They have a rather incestuous relationship. This adds real shock value and certainly makes the film memorable.
The music is a major element of the film and it is clear to see why. With the score and book being written by Richard O’Brien, many of the songs will be left stuck in your head for days afterwards. You will struggle to find someone who has never heard ‘The Time Warp’ and who doesn’t know that infamous dance. ‘Sweet Transvestite’ is certainly a fitting entrance for such an over the top character as Frank N. Furter and ‘Hot Patootie’, as sung by a young Meatloaf, could very easily stand on its own as a single. Other songs are just plain funny including Janet’s sexual awakening in ‘Touch-a Touch-a Toucha Touch Me’ and the later ‘Rose Tint my World’ where everyone gains a corset and
suspenders. However, one song that was a slight let-down was ‘Eddie’s Teddy’ as sung by Johnathan Adams. Adams does not have the best vocals, which could be excused if he actually put any character into the role. Consequently, though quite catchy, this is the one let down of the soundtrack.
ROCKY HORROR REALLY IS A MUSICAL FOR THE AGES Characters within the film fall into two camps, either madly over the top or stereotypical, often serving to brilliantly contrast with one another and leading to some great moments. So, with an interesting story, timeless music and glorious characters, Rocky Horror really is a musical for the ages. Its impact on the world has gone beyond a dream and survives to the present day.
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SCREEN
EDITORS: Mark Allison and Zak Mahinfar
Bake off: struck off
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26 SEPT 2016
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Photo: Rept0n1x via Wikimedia Commons
Rachel Ashenden, News Editor, gives her verdict on the move to Channel 4
EARNING that The Great British Bake Off was losing Mel and Sue and being downgraded to Channel 4 sent me into an existential crisis, reminiscent of when the BBC threatened to axe all its online recipes and I panic-printed all my favourites. The earlier empty threat to rid the internet of the best free recipe archive within the public domain was another cruel, Tory-motivated attempt to privatise the accessible. The ramifications could have been huge, discouraging students (and grown ups) from cooking their meals from scratch as the BBC is the ultimate go-to website for that last minute ingredients check.
THE SHOW WILL LOSE ITS ESSENCE BY MOVING THREE CHANNELS DOWN The Bake Off announcement was a little like the downfall of Big Brother (aka my childhood), when it disappeared from Channel 4 and into the abyss – where in God’s name is it now? Will this be the case when Bake Off is taken away from the BBC? Will it feature agonising adverts, disrupting the flow of the puns, innuendo, and baking disasters? Mel and Sue had better not be replaced by that awful, infuriating commentator, Dave Lamb. It has since been announced that Mary Berry
will follow Mel and Sue, unsurprising as somehow her other-worldly presence does not match with Channel 4 etiquette. I’m afraid the program will be demoted to the likes of Come Dine with Me, a show produced for bitchiness and forced drama, featuring participants uninterested in or inept at cooking, only in it for their 15 minutes of fame. Bake Off is beautiful because you can tell the contestants always wanted to be in the tent. Martha - series five’s baby-faced yet prematurely talented undergraduate – inspired me to apply for GBBO once I graduate. Surely my journey into the real world and employment will then be as easy as Nadiya’s transition to food journalism fame, right? Her star baker status, followed by a weekly food column for The Times, spiralling into an array of publishing contracts and then landing into The Chronicles of Nadiya - a two-part foodie travelogue into Bangladeshi cuisine. Truly, The Great British Bake Off sets you up for life. But not if it’s aired on Channel 4. A snobby accusation, I know, but I fear that the show will lose its essence by moving three channels down the pecking order. It must be remembered what happened when the formula was adapted for American audiences, resulting in The American Baking Competition - ratings were abysmal. Like a recipe for a classic Victoria sponge, The Great British Bake Off simply shouldn’t be meddled with - it’s already perfect.
Stock photo: Pexels
Streaming killed the video star
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Beth Honey, Science Editor, discusses how the way we watch TV is changing
HE domination of streaming services over conventional television has become ever more apparent over recent years. The likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Sky Go, are among the sites raking in millions of subscribers each year, providing instant access to films, TV programmes and documentaries. Since 2011, Netflix has reported increases of over 60 million subscribers worldwide, allowing viewers to indulge in their favourite TV shows at their convenience on mobiles, laptops, tablets, and more. Although the ‘standard Netflix’ package now costs £7.49 per month , it’s a small price for many in comparison to a Sky box subscription that costs north of £30 per month for premium perks. Despite the ever-increasing choice of programmes and films for both streaming sites and conventional television, the latter does not provide the chance to bingewatch box sets without having to wait for the next episode. Traditional television set-ups obviously do not cater for this change in the way audiences now want to watch their favoured programmes. Even more modern TV set-ups, such as a Sky box, don’t solve this issue; while full box sets are often provided, it’s necessary to wait until each episode individually downloads. Perhaps this sheds light on the 38 per cent drop in traditional TV viewing in 18-24 year olds, according to The Total Audience Report, (Nielson). This trend may also somewhat reflect the unbalanced nature of working life and social life; Londoners are those most
likely to watch time shifted TV, showing how lifestyle factors are contributing to the change in how and when we watch television. Paying out for a TV when your personal schedule hardly leaves time for it may lean people toward simple streaming subscriptions, accessible from their laptop or phone.
STREAMING SERVICES CAN AND WILL CONTINUE TO COMPETE However, choosing streaming over conventional television doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of what you watch. Netflix original series House of Cards, for instance, has a budget of approximately £3.5 million per episode, whereas ITVs Downton Abbey has only £1 million. Pairing this with the appearance of huge actors such as Winona Ryder, Idris Elba, and Paul Rudd in Netflix original films and series demonstrates how streaming services can, and will, continue to compete with conventional television. Whether or not streaming will one day lead to the complete downfall of traditional TV viewing is debatable. Cable TV gives the majority of access to sports events, and unlike streaming services, will not be affected by a dodgy WiFi connection. However, a bit of stormy weather and it’s probably time to pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read all summer.
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games + tech Is this the real life?
Natasa Christofidou, News Editor, illuminates the unspoken negative effects of Virtual Reality
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efore the launch of interactive software, 3D images, and VR software, our experiences of technology were relatively limited. Ever since the invention of the very first TV in the 1920s and the consequent innovation of the ENIAC computer in 1946, technology has come a long way. Not to mention that new devices and prototypes are produced on a daily basis, contrasting the ENIAC’s production, which took roughly three years to complete. However, VR devices have the ability to transcend our conception of reality into what was previously inconceivable for the human mind to comprehend. Admittedly, such innovations have led to medical breakthroughs, educational improvements and endorphinproducing games. However, parallel to VR’s revolutionary nature, exists a world of serious risks, such as addition, which could ultimately result in social isolation and self dissilusionment. Many will justify their addiction to VR as an escape from their social shortcomings. For some, it is a steady rock that will always be there in times of need. As a result, they end up submerging themselves into a constant state of disillusionment that puts the consumer in a comfortable state of denial. Technological creations such as VR are essentially products of a profit-making industry. As a result, VR could end up harming the psychological condition of the person using the device more than the producers will ever be aware of.
VR’S REVOLUTIONARY NATURE ALSO INCLUDES RISKS, SUCH AS ADDICTION Before explaining the costly aspect of VR, the effects it has on creating an illusion of reality on the user are crucial and should therefore be priorities. Going back to one’s mental wellbeing and the perceived benefits of VR, the aspect of disillusionment becomes the determining factor in what separates VR methods of medical recovery and conventional practices. In contrast to having treat-
ment for psychological issues, such as mental health improvement, VR acts as a coping mechanism as opposed to a sustainable solution that allows you to integrate into your physical surroundings.
IN ORDER TO EXIST IN A VR WORLD, YOU MUST FIRST EXIST IN THE REAL WORLD In the same way that most coping mechanisms become permanent due to their perceived effectiveness, so does VR. The underlying artificial properties of VR devices are what essentially make it more dangerous to its user than other forms of coping mechanisms. These credits are given to its artificial properties that are based on its portrayal of a fiction as one’s world. Due to the way that a VR screen can transport the viewer into an alternate reality where the viewer is no longer aware of their physical surroundings. Surely one’s need to escape from our hectic, overpopulated and diversely opinionated world is understandable. However, when we become comfortable with a non-existent surrounding, then this will complicate our grasp of the world around us. Whilst acknowledging the benefits of choosing to escape the world we live in, especially if you come from a rather cynical perspective of the world, one must recognize that in order to exist in a VR world, you must first exist in the real world. Hence, when using a device that promises to transcend your world into a manageable and enjoyable experience, the fragile nature of this is quickly exposed, as it cannot maintain the alternate world without the input of our real, pre-existing world. There are essential daily practices that are required for our survival, which can only be executed in the real world in order to
BYTE-SIZE blast from the past by Jonathan Land
LIFE IS STRANGE Dontnod PS4, PS3, PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360
2015 AAAB
allow us to exist within an alternate world. As a result, a VR conception of our world cannot maintain itself without the pre-existence and continuation of a material world, whereas the latter can survive and thrive without the existence of VR. For example, one must sleep, eat, and shower in order to continue interacting with a VR device. These practices cannot physically be done in a VR world, as it fails to be interactive to the extent where routine practices are integrated within the VR device. Ironically, VR’s main purpose is to allow its user to interact with the product at hand, however whilst one escapes into an alternate reality, they are prevented from being interactive with the world they were born into and the one they are able to change and improve. Humans are social creatures for cooperative and mutually beneficial purposes, however VR could result in a lack of communication as video games have already proven to generate young adults who spend days fixated to a screen. When addressing mental health more closely, I cannot ignore the fact that by giving ourselves a virtual reality, we are in fact damaging ourselves even more. Not only are we hiding away from the root cause of our fears and concerns, but we are justifying it by using technological experiments as reasoning. Our mind is a physical and visual object, but we’re dealing with robotic appliances that may well have transformed the frameworks of technology as a whole, but have possibly reversed our explosive imaginations. Even more so, VR can’t replicate the precise way that people experience reality and perceive their surroundings. In real life, we can gain a 180-degree view of our environment (field
of view), by simply moving our eyes, however in VR we are required to move our heads in order to allow the headset’s inbuilt sensors to monitor our intentions to look at a different area around us. Thus, one’s experience of using VR will always be skewed as their actions will not coherently reflect what they usually expect, which could damage one’s behaviours if they alter to adopt a VR-style mode of movement. Lastly, when addressing the socioeconomic aspects of VR, one could even argue that it is a classist product. Not only would one require a smartphone, high-end PC, or PlayStation 4 to use it, but the VR device itself needs to be purchased, and this is without even examining the costs of different apps behind it. If someone were to use VR for wellbeing purposes and emotional or psychological recovery, then even when disregarding VR’s perception of reality, positive results would only be available to buyers who have the funds to purchase this.
VR CAN’T REPLICATE THE PRECISE WAY THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE REALITY Even though one could argue that with all medical treatments, there is a requirement to charge and it all funnels down to the affordability of a service, this nonetheless stands as a barrier for the usage of VR. Compared to public health services where free or affordable services are provided, VR does not comply with any of our basic human rights, hence making it an elitist product that can only benefit and be enjoyed by economically privileged individuals. Hence, by immersing oneself in a different world, the initial problem of needing an escape from reality has actually been exemplified. With regards to social isolation, tackling a conscious and physical world through non-physical visuals is effectively implausible as the initial problem and its solution are both on different platforms and levels of conception.
Life is Strange is a game everyone should play, as it captures teenage life with all its ups and downs almost perfectly. The protagonist, Maxine Caulfield, is a photography student who learns that she can rewind time. Within the first minutes you can see the student stereotypes, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as throughout the game each character is fleshed out substantially. This is where the game gets interesting, as every choice has a consequence. The game also integrates issues most teens go through such as bullying, drug abuse and suicidal thoughts. The developer has done this in such a way that the player has to think about how to defuse situations, and with the rewind mechanics, this offers much creativity. It’s a great way to make the player think more about the lasting effects of their decisions, as you could’ve changed the outcome.
EXHIBIT
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GAMES + TECH
EDITORS: Jabez Sherrington and Sam Woolf
26 SEPT 2016
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31
Brain-waves
Sam Woolf, Games + Tech Editor, discusses how videogames are fighting dementia
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ntertainment has taken many forms over the years. From ancient Greek tragedies right up to that mouth-watering episode of The Great British Bake Off you had to catch up on iPlayer the other night, the material with which we entertain ourselves has transformed radically since the days of old.
DATA RECIEVED DURING GAMEPLAY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Yet throughout the course of human history, viewers have remained wholly separate from what they are actually viewing. A reader can turn the pages of a book but will never be able to affect the outcome of the narrative. Movie goers may be on the edge of their seat the entire time, but have no decision making power beyond the trivial matter of whether they should keep their phone on silent or not. And of course you could theoretically get up out of your seat in the theatre and join the performers of a play on stage, but you may be met with some awkward looks to say the least. However, since the widespread commercialisation of video games and other interactive entertainment that kick-started in
the latter half of the 20th century, the lines between entertainer and entertainee have been drastically blurred. Gamers can become part of the stories they play, and the decisions they make can directly affect the world around them. Thanks to the gaming industry you can save a princess, become a rock star, or travel to unseen, undiscovered planets. You can even walk around in the real world with immensely powerful monsters in your pocket. Open world games such Skyrim and Fallout 4 even take this one step further by dropping you into the middle of a gargantuan unknown land and giving you free reign to explore the it as you see fit. Interactivity makes gaming a unique venture from other modern forms of media. Entertainment is no longer a one way street in which the viewer is a passive spectator. (Well it can be… who doesn’t love the occasional TV show binge?). But instead, entertainment can be seen as a twoway street in which information is exchanged in both directions. Gamers gain a more openended experience that is dependent on the player’s skill level in this exchange. But what is gained by the developers? Not a lot really.
Feedback on how the game plays, reports on any catastrophic glitches or bugs, maybe ideas for a potential sequel? But that’s about it. Game developers only received information on how to make their games better. That is, until earlier this year when the game Sea Hero Quest was released. The game was developed by the British game company Glitchers in association with The University of East Anglia, University College London, and Alzheimer’s Research UK. In terms of plot, it revolves around the son of a man who has lost his memories to dementia. Playing as the son, it is up to the player to embark on an epic journey across the seas and navigate around such obstacles as icebergs and sea monsters. However, what makes Sea Hero Quest different from nearly every other game that has come before it, is the way in which it makes use of the data received by its players. By exploring the open seas of the game, players help researchers to understand the mental process of 3D navigation – this being one of the first skills lost by those diagnosed with dementia. Sea Hero Quest, then, is as much a research tool as it is a game. Gamers can enjoy the mentally stimulating gameplay, but at the same time they are doing their bit to expand what is already known about the disease. Due to this non-imposing approach, Sea Hero Quest has proven to be highy effective. According to researchers from UCL, the game has been 150 times faster than lab based experiments in generating research data. In fact, since its launch in
May, Sea Hero Quest has generated 9,000 years worth of dementia research data. By definition, both casual and hard-core gamers spend a significant proportion of their time gaming. And, whilst it may be easy to write off gaming as just another form of entertainment, it is clear that there is an untapped well prevalent in the gaming industry. Games that generate research data for Parkinson’s disease, games that help diagnose mental health problems, the possibilities are near endless. The real word benefits of interactive media may currently be somewhat underutilised, but Sea Hero Quest has shown that the data received during gameplay can make a difference. You won’t improve the world by sitting alone reading Harry Potter or catching up on Orange is the New Black, but now you actually can make the world a better place by playing a videogame.
Crash birthday bash
David Agnew celebrates Crash Bandicoot’s 20th birthday
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ou may find it hard to believe that, twenty years ago to the month, a quirky bandicoot named Crash made his video game debut on the original PlayStation. Developed by Naughty Dog and released on 9th September 1996, Crash Bandicoot was one of the original 3D platformers. Along with Jumping Flash, Super Mario 64, and Banjo-Kazooie;; these were the games that took us beyond the second dimension and into the magical realm of fully-fledged 3D gameplay. Crash specifically contributed thirdperson perspective gameplay that foreshadowed the industry’s fascination with endless runners on mobile devices several years later. Think old school Temple Run.. Also, one of the central elements of the games was how crazy it all was. Certainly, Crash was a much more unstable protagonist than Nintendo’s portly plumber. But his vivid stare and manic grin - which was a stark contrast
to mellow moustache of Mario – were just the tip of the insanity iceberg. For instance, let’s take a look at how the game handled the simple concept of crates. There were the run of the mill regular crates, but there were also crates that could be bounced on repeatedly to gain more fruit, crates that would spawn a magical tiki face that would act as a protective shield. And who could forget the dreaded TNT crates, which would explode if struck. The original Crash Bandicoot has now sold in excess of 7 million units worldwide, but the famed bandicoot is known for far more than his breakout hit. Over the years, Crash has stared in numer-
ous games that include platformers, kart racers and even isometric exploration titles. Some of these are even remembered pretty fondly. However, from PlayStation exclusive in the 1990s, and multiplatform mascot in the 2000s, to fond nostalgic memory in the 2010s Crash has always been predominantly associated with the platforming genre.
A MUCH MORE UNSTABLE PROTAGONIST THAN NINTENDO’S PORTLY PLUMBER Fortunately for fans of platform, it would appear that run and jump games are back in a big way. In 2013, Super Mario 3D World blew everyone away when it seamlessly merged the 2D and 3D Mario formulas. Last year, Microsoft took us back to a simpler time of pix-
els and polygons with the jam-packed Rare Replay. And just this year, Ratchet and Clank wowed fans with just what was capable when modern game design is combined with more retro ideas. Even outside of the triple A space it is clear that people are keen for the return of 3D platformers. The success of the Kickstarter campaign for Yooka-Laylee – which is set for a 2017 release - demonstrates just how enthusiastic gamers are to jump back in. But what of Crash? Can we expect a fullblown 3D platforming adventure staring our beloved bandicoot anytime soon? Well… kind of. He is set to appear in Activision’s Skylanders: Imaginators in October, and next year gamers can expect a remaster of the first three Crash Bandicoot titles sometime in 2017. But, with regards to a new main series game, it may be the case that Crash will be celebrating his 25th birthday well before we see a true return to form for the iconic game character.
EXHIBIT
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GAMES + TECH
EDITORS: Jabez Sherrington and Sam Woolf
26 SEP 2016
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32
The WoW factor addition of content, meant to prolong the longevity of the base game. Even though we have just had a few short weeks with the new World of Warcraft experience, positives and negatives have begun to take foot in this iteration of Azeroth. A huge chunk of gameplay in World of Warcraft revolves around questing, and the zones which that takes place in. Legion offers four core zones: Azsuna, Stormheim, Highmountain and Val’Sharah. These zones are rather messy - Stormheim and Val’Sharah offer great progressive stories, that logically roll out quests in a way that shows vital story aspects of the zones’ own tales, and the core events of Legion. Azsuna, whilst being the only zone that really deals with the Legion menace directly, has several individual quest chains that don’t mesh together in a fluid way. Highmountain is somewhere in the middle, with a pretty solid core ‘unification’ angle, mired by loads of generic fetch-quests and irrelevant offshoots. Each place offers many fun things to do, but I was left with an overall feeling of mediocrity from too many facets of questing. One amazing feature that almost pulls this back, is the implementation of scaling zones - it allows a system where you can run through a zone at any level, but also not worry about becoming under-levelled, or feeling a lack of challenge; each mob adapts to your level, so elites stay elite, and trash is more recycled than disposed.
The fifth zone - an area of end-level content called Suramar - is fantastically crafted. The role of the titular Legion comes into play organically, and the city of Suramar itself is the most lifelike in World of Warcraft yet - with a strong set of quests setting the pace within. Visually, however, the zones are gorgeous. In a game that brands itself as a World, you have to travel around a lot, which is an absolute joy in Legion. Beyond the odd annoying tunnel or oddly mob-populated path, you are free to roam around a diverse range of places, filled to the brim with secrets and attention to detail. All these things are nursed under the watchful glow of a brilliant skybox, that changes to suit each zone perfectly - from the fel-tainted vista of Azsuna, to the brooding clouds of Stormheim, all areas in Legion definitely have the correct atmosphere, even if lacking in other things. The musical score to Legion is also one of the clear winners of the expansion, complimenting each place with a soundtrack which suits the location perfectly. Within these visuals, lies a series of dungeons - as is to be expected from a new WoW expansion. Legion provides several well-designed dungeons right out of the gate, all reflecting back in some way to the questing zones. The story of the expansion is involved within them in a way that we have not really seen in World of Warcraft before - each boss, event, or cinematic adds to the angle of the Legion invading Azeroth, and us adventurers being the last line of defence before a ruined world. While a little lengthy at times, these instanced dungeons
are definitely some of the best things to do in this latest iteration of WoW. To compliment these dungeon-based player vs environment scenarios, we also have raids just around the corner; while not yet released at the time of this review, the mechanics, drops, and design look impressive already - Blizzard seems to be incorporating the lore into the raids the same way they are fleshing out the dungeon content, with Karazahn being teased in the upcoming content patch, and The Emerald Nightmare already within the game files. Player v Player (PvP) is also given attention in Legion, with the standard battlegrounds/ queues, as well as a new PvP ‘zone’ in the form of the Dalaran Underbelly. Mad, crazy, yet fun, this offers players a chance to unwind, whilst also collecting key resources for the rest of the game. Perhaps the biggest change to Legion are the introduction of Class Halls. A reworking of the Garrison System from Warlords of Draenor, players now have yet another facet to sink time into in their hours playing the game. Revolving around your class, the Class Hall offers various side quests, and furthers the overarching story of the game. Overall, I had a great time with Legion. Side-activities are fun and rewarding, with a great main storyline standing over them. While the core questing feels a little same-old, the atmosphere and PvE content more than make up for it. With an upcoming patch, and a promise to keep releasing more and more content, I look forward to seeing how the game keeps evolving.
CROSSWORD # 87
SUDOKU #24 Down 1 Seven days (now gone for 17s?) (4) 2 Great in size (5) 3 See (7) 4 Implant firmly - to Reno (anagram) (6) 6 US state (with a Sweet Home?) (7) 7 Musical instrument (that’s typed on?) (8) 8/5/20/25/26 To become successful again - Met hack faced bedroom (anagram) (4,4,4,3,4) 13 Nosey illness? (4,4) 15 Treacle (anagram) - complex daughter in Greek myth? (7) 17 University newcomer (7) 18 Go around (6) 20 See 8 22 Attractive person (5) 23 Sleep (needed by 17s after their 1 Down?) (4)
Exeter, 16 Affair, 19 Deep-fry, 21 Each, 24 Osteopath, 27 Serpent.
PUZZLES BY ALFRED
Across: 1Welcome, 9 Ear, 10 Surrogacy, 11 Beer, 12 Oregano, 14
STUDY BREAK
ANSWERS Down: 1 Week, 2 Large, 3 Observe, 4 Enroot, 6 Alabama, 7
Across 1 Greet - reception (7) 5 See 8 Down 9 Organ of hearing (3) 10 State of being a substitute (parent, say) - go, carry us! (anagram) (9) 11 Alcoholic drink (enjoyed by 17s in their 1 Down?) (4) 12 Cooking herb - near goo (anagram) (7) 14 English city (you are here) (6) 16 (Illicit) relationship (6) 19 Cook in fat or oil - defy rep (anagram) (4-3) 21 For every person (4) 24 Body therapist - set a photo (anagram) (9) 25 See 8 Down 26 See 8 Down 27 Snake (7)
Keyboard, 8/5/20/25/26 Come back from the dead, 13 Head
VEN months before its announcement, World of Warcraft: Legion was in a peculiar place. With the dwindling subscriber count, lethargic content, and an overall stench of failure, Warlords of Draenor - World of Warcraft’s prior expansion - had left the game teetering on a razor’s edge. If the next expansion failed to deliver what players wanted, the MMO would plummet into a downward spiral, with little hope of a return to glory. If the next expansion is genuinely good, however, it could be the rebirth of the most popular online RPG of all time. With subscribers trickling away daily, Blizzard needed to offer one last glimmer of hope to fans - to keep them playing until the new expansion dropped. So they pulled out all the stops: an amazing trailer at Gamescom 2015, throwbacks to the fan-loved Burning Crusade Expansion, the return of the Legion (and more importantly - Illidan Stormrage). Online cinematics offered juicy snippets of lore developments, and the Warcraft film - while rough in places - overall gelled well with the playerbase. Days before the expansion dropped on the 30th of August 2016, the servers were full of players working together in a way reminiscent of the early days of World of Warcraft, participating in relatively fun prerelease quests and activities. When the expansion finally released, Blizzard actually proved for the first time they could provide a stable launch, with barely any issues (beyond the odd understandable server queue) interrupting the arrival of the Legion expansion. But Legion is just that - an expansion. An
cold, 15 Electra, 17 Fresher, 18 Bypass, 22 Cutie, 23 Rest.
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Jabez Sherrington, Games + Tech Editor, faces off against the invaders in Blizzard’s latest expansion
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e c a l p e h t n ow # u o y l l i ow w
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Annual unirider valid from 19 September 2016 until 16 June 2017. Price based on an annual ticket valid in Exeter. Prices in other regions may vary.
Annual unirider valid from 19 September 2016 until 16 June 2017. Price based on an annual ticket valid in Exeter. Prices in other regions may vary. www.stagecoachbus.com/unirider
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Science
26 SEPT 2016 |
EXEPOSÉ
SCIENCE EDITORS: Victoria Bos Beth Honey
How stress affects your body
Victoria Bos and Beth Honey, Science Editors, look at the physical manifestations of stress, left over from our .prehistoric environment and how they still affect various parts of the human body in response to modern life
Liver When the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine are released, the liver produces and releases more glucose into the blood stream which would provide the energy needed for a fight or flight reaction. For most people this can be easily reabsorbed into the body, but for those suffering from, or prone to Type 2 Diabetes, it can cause major imbalances within the blood which may require assistance.
Heart At times of stress one’s heart-rate will increase and more of the stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, are released into the blood stream, preparing for the fight or flight reaction. In the short term this is fine, however with chronic stress the increased heart rate can cause strain increasing the risk of hypertension, heart attacks and strokes.
Respiratory System
Stomach
Stress often increases breathing rate as left over from the primeval need to fight or flight in stressful situations. This can be a major issue for those with asthma or lung disease, leading to possible attacks of a lack of oxygen. This increased breathing rate can also lead to panic attacks for those prone to them. Breathing techniques can be helpful in maintaining a healthy and calm respiratory level during stressful periods.
When stressed, your brain generally becomes more alert, in case of the approach of any other threats, so you are more acutely aware of sensations within your stomach. Directly from stress your stomach can react with “butterflies”, nausea and even pain, with chronic stress leading to the possibility of stomach ulcers.
Reproductive Systems
Male Large amounts of the stress hormone cortisol within the blood stream can affect sperm and testosterone production, as well as lead to erectile dysfunction. Female Stress can have different effects on the menstrual cycle depending on the person. Common issues include: absent or irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, changing length and extremely painful periods.
Muscles In times of stress, various muscles in the body will contract and become tense, in order to limit pain and injury should the stress stimulus strike out at you, as they often would in prehistoric times. If these muscles remain this way for long periods of time, it can lead to pain in the muscles and cause other issues such as tension headaches. Medical professionals suggest that relaxation techniques and therapies such as massage, can help relieve this tension.
Biweekly Breakthroughs It’s in our DNA
Codeine: it’s not worth the risk
Beat2Phone
King’s College London have utilised DNA to predict later behavioural qualities, namely intelligence. They used a measure of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), a type of genetic variant, to correlate with a measure of education achievement, such as years spent in study. Reporting that these DNA variants can account for 10% of differences between academic achievement of children below 16, these results may help to identify those most at risk of developing learning disabilities.
The American Academy of Paediatrics released a report this month detailing the severe effects of giving children codeine. This drug is often given as pain relief, producing scaled effects across different people, such as little pain relief to life threatening breathing reactions. Codeine is still available through over the counter medicines, however, this report emphasises the need to address the safety risks when administering children the drug.
A mobile device has been created that can detect irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia), transmitting the data directly to medical staff. The Technical Research Centre of Finland named this portable device Beat2Phone, accurately measuring this heart irregularity, as well as indicators of stress, such as variability between high and low heart rate. This technology may make it easier to prevent and detect a multitude of conditions such as myocarditis and atrial fibrillation.
SCIENCE
35
Gotta get flu this
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Hannah Butler, Editor, examines the phenomenon of freshers’ flu, and how to avoid it
O you’re in Unit 1. And Eminem’s One Shot has just come on. You’re getting down, arms waving to the sick beat, rapping along with: “Yo / His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy / There’s vomit on his sweater already…” when it dawns on you. This sounds familiar. You look down – and phew: there’s no vomit yet. But hey, you do feel kind of clammy. And achey. In fact, your throat definitely hurts. Maybe you were rapping too hard. That might explain the thumping headache, too. But it doesn’t explain the runny nose. In the words of Taylor Swift: “I don’t know about you, but that sounds like Freshers’ Flu.” Ok, that might not be *exactly* how the onset of Freshers’ Flu goes for everyone. (I mean, Eminem’s an optional extra.)
But however it happened, it’s happened. You’ve succumbed. So now you’re holed up indoors for a few days, what better time to learn just how you ended up sharing a bed with so many germs? We’ll do it in a kind of “morning after, retracing-yoursteps” format. Ok, so this one time…
That heavy night out left your immune system woefully short on cytokines 1. Someone decided mid-September was the best time to begin a new academic year. You know, just as the UK’s annual flu season is kicking off. With colder tem-
peratures meaning viruses last longer on exposed surfaces, drier air dehydrating our mucus membranes (doesn’t that sound lovely), and less Vitamin D around to keep our immune systems topped up, we’re not in a good place to fend off the coming onslaught… 2. Fast forward a few years, and YOU slammed the car door shut after a 624538 hour journey, gazed up at your shiny new halls (unless you got Moberly… #bants), then bounded in to make new friends from around the world. Thing is, Tim from Canada had a whole load of pathogens he was immune to, but Johannes from Germany wasn’t. And Maria from South Africa was carrying her own set of germs that Tim’s immune system couldn’t hack. And don’t even get me started on what you’ve now
given Paulo... 3. Everyone decided to celebrate these new friendships with a healthy dose of alcohol. Thing is, that heavy night out left your immune system woefully short on cytokines (chemical messengers that cause an inflammatory response, drawing more white blood cells to Ground Zero to fight whatever’s gotten inside you). This means you’re not as good at warding off infections any more…
You decided that VKS and Domino’s were more essential than fruit and veg
4. You decided VKs and Domino’s were more essential than fruit and veg. Aaand there goes that vitamin boost that could have salvaged your immune system. 5. The lack of sleep, lack of vitamins and the stress of meeting all these new people finally got too much. Your poor body’s put up the white flag. The germs have won. So there you have it. But hey, while you might not have won the battle, there’s still time to win the war. Take advantage of the excuse to sleep for 20 hours straight, order in some fruit and veg, and start a serious course of re-hydration. Freshers’ Flu isn’t the most glamorous start to your university years… but in a few decades, you’ll be telling your grandkids about that-timeyou-almost-died.
Study drugs debunked
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Alina Ivan sheds light on the truth behind study drugs and their dangerous effects on the brain and body
OGNITIVE enhancement is something that many of us would have thought about. Sat at the desk staring at a blank Word document – wouldn’t it be great to have those assignments done better and quicker?! In this endeavour some resort to caffeine, while others prefer exercise, meditation, or all three. In the meantime, some try to hack their brain. Every year, more and more students fall for promises that ‘nootropics’ such as Modalert (modafinil), Ritalin, or Donepezil can provide a shortcut to an upgraded self: alert, motivated, and able to function well with little or no sleep. Prescriptions for the socalled ‘nootropics’ or ‘cognitive enhancers’ have been flourishing on the black market in recent years. Originally developed to
treat narcolepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or dementia respectively, they are often
advertised as an easy way to achieve the brain’s full potential. Apart from obvious concerns to do with buying off shady websites whose main aim may be to maximise their sales, the often overlooked adverse side effects are yet another reason for worry. Headaches, insomnia, symptoms of depression and anxiety, cardiac arrhythmia and skin rashes are only a few of them. And prolonged use can cause dependence. Since the brain continues its development until late adolescence, chances are that changes caused by nootropics
during this critical period are irreversible. Still, any good grounds to believe they work? Not yet. Studies to date have provided a mixed bag of results. Those which do, infact, find a positive effect on
performance have tested them on clinical populations, rarely looking at the longterm effects in healthy individuals. Moreover, effects are observed in controlled lab conditions, which could possibly have little to do with completing assignments in real life. Then what does this inflated rhetoric rest upon? Some advertising websites claim that they hack the balance of particular neurotransmitters within the brain, the molecules that help neurons communicate with one another. In particular, they vaguely explain that nootropics over-stimulate the secretion of neurotransmitters that facilitate cognitive function, such as acethylcholine or glutamate. In reality, the mechanism behind the way this medication could work is poorly understood – something that academic reports do not fail to emphasize. And supposing they worked, do we want academic “doping” to become the norm? The hype about nootropics is potentially dangerous, as people may start feeling pressurised to give them a try to keep up with the new standards. It is time to ask ourselves, is this the society we want to foster? Do we want to find ourselves in
a more work obsessed society in which we are expected to enhance ourselves to work longer hours and achieve ever-increasing evels of productivity?
Chances are that changes caused by nootropics during this critical period are irreversible
Will these tools really make our lives easier? If we asked the people who more than a century ago fought for the right to an eight hour work day – and won – their answer would probably be no. Now it is for us to decide whether we want to sign up for this poorly designed mass experiment. We don’t know what exact effect nootropics have on healthy individuals. If they do, indeed, have a positive one, it isn’t without side effects or societal implications. There may be room for nootropics in a future society, but first we need to test their efficacy and safety on healthy people.
Personal experiences A University of Exeter student reflects on their own experiences: “Modafinil is definitely a two-edged sword. Firstly, you cannot be sure what you’re taking. Despite their convincing appearance, you can’t deny that it would be easy to fake, and I wasn’t 100% confident in what I was doing. However, I went ahead with it, and after around 20 minutes to half an hour, I felt a rush of energy and focus. It was fairly subtle, and it could’ve been psychosomatic. The rumours that you can become focused on a bug on the wall for ten hours seem completely wrong, as I could chop and change between tasks and function absolutely normally - just with more focus and energy. I got a lot of work done, yes, but afterwards I dropped off completely, feeling tired and anxious for the rest of the evening. Was it worth it? I’m not sure.” Anonymous
SCIENCE
36
Dyson Spheres: the power of a star Theodore Stone, Online Editor, explains the theory of the Dyson Sphere and the controversy surrounding them
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AST year, Sci-fi fans from across the internet simultaneously experienced a sensation of grand elation when it was announced that scientists were seriously considering the possibility that they had discovered what could be a Dyson Sphere encircling a star. The star in question, KIC 8462852, had been experiencing a period of unusual dimming over the past century, with light being blocked from when it was first detected last October. In fact, more than 20 per cent of its light had been blocked by something exceptionally sizeable. For reference, an object the size of the Solar System’s largest planet, Jupiter, would only block around 2 per cent of the light emitted by said star.
The megastructure would be designed to encompass a star, and capture its rays. Their joy was escalated in August 2016, when a similar phenomenon was observed with the stellar object EPIC 204278916, a young star with a resolved disk. Over an observance period of 25 days (from 79 non-consecutive), dimming of up to 65 per cent was observed. The variability was highly periodic and could be attributed with stellar rotation, leading some to hypothesise that the irregular dimming was from a warped disk with an eccentric orbit. As a result of both of these observations, it was posited that an advanced alien civilisation could have built megastructures around the stars to harness the energy. This concept has long been known to the communities of both astronomy and science fiction communities as Dyson Sphere, named after the man who fleshed out the concept, Freeman Dyson, although it first appeared in the novel Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon. The megastruc-
ture would be designed to encompass a star and capture its rays, thereby granting the structure the ability to maximise the amount of energy harnessed. As a brute example, you would essentially wind up with a shell encompassing a star, with cities built on its interior. Doing so would meet the needs of advanced civilisations and would see a ready solution regarding problems of space and sustainable habitation. That is, as long as the species who built it had both the patience and resources. Although megastructures are theoretically possible, they far exceed the technological grasp of contemporary humans, not to mention the resources which we currently possess. Indeed, the theoretical number of craft required is so immense that it wo u l d take centuries. To combat the problem, the scientist George Dvorsky advocated the creation of self-replicating robots to overcome the limitation, although, again, we are by no means capable of producing such devices as of yet. Nonetheless, if - going against expectations - we are able to start building one, the most likely candidate, and indeed the most likely candidate for KIC, would be a Dyson Swarm; a large number of independent constructs (think purposed Space Station modules) orbiting in a dense formation. This would solve a number of
problems a full sphere would not, such as preventing structural implosion due to the gravity acting upon the construct (something as large as a Dyson Sphere would, if using contemporary material, be surprisingly brittle), whilst also allowing for forms of wireless energy transfer. In KIC’s case, the type most befitting of it would be a Dyson Swarm (essentially a dot-to-dot variation of a Sphere).
However, there are numerous problems with both alien hypotheses. After a two-week surveillance of KIC by SETI, no technology-related radio signals were detected, no narrowband signals, or even any medium-band signals, the ones most common to human use.
In addition, the archival VERITAS gamma-ray observatory found no pulsed optical beams which could be associated with the star, thereby making the chances of alien life being involved with the star’s dimming almost negligible. If there are no extraordinary emissions of any kind, it is unreasonable to believe the idea that there are those which would be responsible for such emissions. Likewise, with EPIC, the star has been noted to possess an orbital disc of suspended matter, or comet-like objects, bound in eccentric orbits to the star, which could, after further observation, do away with the need for a megastructure. Indeed, these discs have been noted in the past to have caused mistakes like these to be made, due to their occasionally odd behaviour and construction. As for KIC, we have a number of potential explanations which have been levied; however each have their flaws and the mystery is still officially unsolved. For example, it has been suggested that, if the star is younger than its speed and position suggests, then it is likely that material is still coalescing around it, which will either be absorbed or thrown into space at a later date. However, the chances of this are low, since a spectroscopic study of the system found no evidence of coalescing material within the necessary distance. Another
possibility is that a massive collision would create warm dust which would glow in infrared wavelengths, although this has not been detected.
If the star is younger than its speed and position suggests, then it is likely that material is still coalescing around it However, one proposed explanation which is still out there is that the reduction in light is caused by a cloud of disintegrating comets orbiting the star in an elliptic pattern. Under this scenario, gravity from a nearby star could have potentially caused comets from KIC’s Oort Cloud (think of an outer rim asteroid belt except far, far larger) to fall into the system. This hypothesis is supposed by the existence of a Red Dwarf star only 885 AU (the distance between the Sun and Earth is 1 AU) away. However, this would require an immense amount of matter to be shunted, and would likely need a far larger star to achieve this event, whilst alternate collisions or bodies have been ruled out due to a lack of evidence. As such, what would normally be seen as a rather routine mystery has become rather enticing. As of this moment, the likelihood that we have found aliens is rather slim. However, firm conclusions relating to both stars have not yet been reached, so it is not by any stretch safe to say that the book has been closed on aliens. With the astronomer Jason Wright and colleagues set to observe KIC next month as West Virginia’s Green Bank Telescope, we should hopefully have a lid placed on this mystery in the next few months. Just don’t hold your breath, we probably won’t find Scotty.
Boldly Going Where No Tech Has Gone Before Mars Rover - Curiosity
Sputnik 1
Sent to Mars on 6th August 2012, the rover is currently exploring the Gale Crater in a search for any signs that the planet may have once supported life. With a mass of 899kg, the rover is carrying 80kg of scientific equipment and is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. The new rover is due to be revealed in 2020, but Curiosity’s mission has been extended indefinetely.
The Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite sent into orbit. Launched by Russia on 4th October 1957, consisted of a rounded metallic sphere and 4 external antennae that broadcasted radio signals which were detectable from across the globe. Leading to the “space race” between the USA and Russia, the satellite fell back to Earth on 4th January 1958, having drained it’s battery after three months above Earth.
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SPORT
38
From green to gold Lara Hopkins, Sport Editor, speaks to Amber Reed, England rugby international and World Cup winner about EUWRFC, Bristol and the first professional contracts
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URNING a sporting hobby into a profession is many peoples’ dream. Exeter University alumna and England international Amber Reed has done just that, securing one of only 18 fulltime women’s 15s rugby contracts. For her, this was a bit of a shock - maybe not that she was one of the first 18 to achieve this, but that it happened at all. She explains, “the opportunity to be a professional rugby player is something I thought I’d never get a chance to do. I always thought the contracts would happen at some point, the way women’s rugby is progressing, but I thought I’d just miss it and the next wave of future stars would get the opportunity.”
I thought I’d miss out and the next wave of stars would get the opportunity
we could for our age and worked our way down, just learning a lot of things in a short space of time.” The England adventure didn’t stop there. At 18, Reed went to the under-20 trials but didn’t get in, although she’s very realistic about the experience. “Looking back I was disappointed, but I wasn’t ready, and there were some fantastic girls who are in and around the England set up now.” She wouldn’t have even attended the trials if not for her dad: “I didn’t really want to go to the trials, I was a bit nervous, but my dad convinced me it would be a good idea. Looking back I’m glad I did because it helped me understand where I was.” She certainly learnt from the experience, making the team the two following seasons and winning her first senior cap against Canada in November 2012. This led to the opportunity to be part of the 2014 World Cup, hosted by France. “The whole process started off the back of the 2013 tour. I’d only been around the senior squad for about a year, so didn’t really expect too much. I just wanted to get my head down, work hard, and see what happened.” The hard work paid off as she was selected in the initial 30 players in January and was then part of the final 26 when the squad was whittled down in May. Despite not playing as much rugby as she’d have liked due to injury and, in her opinion, England having two of the best centres Rachael Burford and Emily Scarrott - Reed can see the positives: “to learn from them was fantastic.” She still keeps the medal on her bedside table and with the next World Cup held in Dublin in August 2017, her main focus is to get another. Her time at Exeter from 2010-2013 also helped Reed’s sporting career, although she feels she didn’t make the most of her time here. “It’s the old saying, you don’t
The facilities and resources we had as a women’s rugby club were fantastic Despite all this success, women’s rugby still faces many challenges, the main one being participation due to the snowball effect. “Participation is the main thing because that’s the bottom of your pyramid,” Reed states. “The more players you have at the bottom the more fuel there is for the elite pathways as you move up. There’s more players to choose from, more competition, so the standard is going to keep raising.” This has definitely happened over the last few years but needs to continue so the money hurdle can be overcome. “The more exposure there is then the more potential for income there may be. Sponsors are more willing if they know your games will be watched by a couple of hundred people, so in turn clubs get more money to put into resources, better facilities. It’s all a bit of a snowball effect.” However, it is clear that this too is improving, with Old Mutual Wealth sponsoring the autumn games. “This is the going to be the best supported Autumn Internationals we’ve ever had.” Like the men, England women will play four games. It is clear why she is here today: to help EUWRFC to get more girls involved in rugby. “University sport is fantastic – you can turn up as a fresher having not done much sport before, pick one, try it out, and
then play with internationals. That’s what it was like when I was here and that’s what it’s like now with Poppy Leitch and Clara Nielson.” Many players may feel that playing with inexperienced club mates would hold them back, but not Reed. “I learnt from the girls who never played before, as I did from the other experienced players, because they just enjoy the game and they pick up little bits and pieces. They just see it from a new perspective.” This is similar to what she has done as an ambassador of the Eagle Project in Bristol, which goes into schools for 6-8 weeks to introduce girls to rugby. “We went from seeing girls who would have every excuse for forgetting their PE kit bring it in every week and actually enjoying it.” Maybe this is because rugby is such a special sport as it can engage everyone. Reed says, “Especially in the 15s game you don’t necessarily have to be that slender athletic build you do for other sports. You can be one of the bigger girls but you have a role in the team which is vitally important, you’re needed in the environment. This is why rugby is so special.” With many girls resisting any type of exercise during their teenage years maybe rugby could be the answer, especially with the opportunities to play sevens and even touch too, if the full contact version is a bit daunting. It is clear though that Reed’s time playing at Exeter is one of the most special in her career, with the 2013 BUCS win at Twickenham a real highlight. “We got there in my first year but lost to Leeds Met who had a quality side and deserved to win it that year. We just missed out in the semi-
finals to Cardiff Met (then UWIC) in 2012, but then had the opportunity to beat them in my final year.” Despite being the underdogs in that game, having lost to their opposition 80-0 away earlier in the season, Exeter scored the winning try in the final minute. “Everything ended up clicking for us. We put them under a bit of pressure and it seemed as if they just weren’t used to that.”
You can be one of the bigger girls but you have a vital role in the team Her other most enjoyable win was her first cap, describing the feeling, “I’ve made it, although I knew I had a bit more to do because I didn’t just want to win one cap. It was awesome that after all the hard work I put in, all the lifts from my parents, I could say thank you and give a bit back.” When she was merely an amateur Reed worked as a PE teacher, with rugby being her main hobby. Now, she’s on the hunt for new one, “Teaching filled up a lot of time in terms of being at school then planning lessons, and rugby was the break from that, the bit I really enjoyed. Now that it’s a job I still absolutely love it to bits, but now I’m trying to get suggestions from other people about what to do in my free time.” For now she has some DIY to do on her new house. Once that is done, I’m sure she’ll find some other physical activity for entertainment. However, Reed is not complaining. As she describes it, “this really is a dream come true.”
Photo: England Rugby
Despite her uncle playing lock for Scotland, Reed didn’t pick up the oval ball until she was 14. However, a debut Rosslyn Park win in 2006 for her Colston’s School team spurred on her and her teammates, including Katie Mason who has just been awarded one of the first 7s contracts. “We thought winning was pretty cool so decided we liked playing the game.” The following year the Colston team won the tournament again and subsequently five girls were invited to various trials. Reed, along with two others, went to what was then the under 18 Talent Development Group. “It kind of spiralled a bit,” explained Reed. “The three of us who went to the same trials were all a bit shy and hadn’t played that much rugby. All the other girls had come up through the county and regional setups. We went into the top level
Photo: England Rugby
know what you’ve got until it’s gone. The facilities and resources we had as a women’s rugby club and a sports scholar here were fantastic.” She gives a special mention to the strength and conditioning coaches Beef and Andy, and also Jo Yapp. “Jo joined as an assistant coach in my first year then took that through. To have an ex-England captain as one of your university coaches is going to stand you in pretty good stead.” It certainly did, with Reed now captaining Bristol rugby, who have a good number of Exeter girls playing for them, “We’ve got a great carful of girls coming up, there’s some quality talent in the Exeter students.” Reed explains that the club just wasn’t smart enough on the pitch when finishing 5th out of 6 in the women’s Premiership last season, either not getting enough bonus points of their own or allowing the opposition to get losing bonuses against them. This season, with an aim of a top two finish, has started promisingly, with the team picking up a bonus point win against Wasps in their opening game.
SPORT 'S IN A ER PT N A R C O C
Bouncing back
Exeposé Sport talks to EUMBC Club Captain Anton Marsh about their upcoming season
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AILING from Hong Kong, where basketball seems to be a much larger sport than here in the UK, Exeter University Men’s Basketball Club Captain and third year Sport and Health Science student Anton Marsh has been playing the sport for almost nine years, although he only started to really take it seriously during his GCSEs. “It was there I was introduced to the role of managing players when becoming team captain, so Club Captain is the next big step for me.” As Marsh explains, being Club Captain is a management role. It is his job to organise training, courts, and ensure that the team captains are all doing their jobs. ”I make sure everything is in order and no one gets into trouble,” he jokes. This is crucial in EUMBC as only the 1s have an actual coach, with the captains of the 2s and 3s in charge of training sessions for their teams, preparing them for BUCS games, intramural and local leagues. With no high performance places (“we probably don’t perform well enough to merit HPP training,” laughs Marsh), players are also responsible for their own strength training, with team training includ-
ing a lot of cardio. On the topic of performance, things are looking bright for EUMBC. Despite facing a relegation battle in their final match of last season, the 1s finished third of six in the Western 1A division, the top university league in the South-West. “We were in fifth going into that match, and with the possibility of fifth as well as sixth being relegated, that game saved us.” The aim this year is to make that third place finish a lot more comfortably. According to Marsh there are some key guys to watch this year. “Big things are expected from myself,” he explains. “Other players coming back are Nick Higgins and Joel De Lara Bond (one of the 1s captains) who both play their roles incredible well.” This is the first year the 2s are playing BUCS. “I’ve set the bar quite high for them, as they are in the lowest league.” A good finish, perhaps even promotion, is certainly a possibility especially since the 2s only lost to Marjons, a university
that are in a higher league, by four points in a recent friendly, and often give the 1s a run for their money in practice. “It’s always interesting to watch the first half of those games. The 1s are usually taken a bit off-guard, and have to play a bit more seriously.” This shows the talent in the 2s, and all the starting line ups. It’s time now for the freshers to make their impact. “They still look so nervous!” explains Marsh. “I think they are all still rather intimidated by the whole thing.” He admits that he felt the same when he was in their position two years ago. “I had no idea what I was doing, no idea who to talk to. I just smiled and went along with it.” This worked for Marsh, however, who was initially picked for the 2s but was eventually noticed by the 1s and started training with them, and the same thing happened the following year. This year he wants to make an impact for the team sooner. One aspect where EUMBC differs from many teams are their socials, which are often held with the women’s basketball club. “We like to take basketball very seriously but at the same time we enjoy the chilled social aspect of it too. It’s all good fun at the end of the day.” As this captain explains, two of the key guys in charge of this fun as-
pect are the social secs, Jason Scott and Daryus Jokhi, second years and 1s players who are very loud, “which is an ideal personality type for their job!”
I had no idea what I was doing, no idea who to talk to. I just smiled and went along with it Hopefully this will be a big year for the club, with both BUCS teams making an impact on their respective leagues whilst also really enjoying their sport. It is clear that their Club Captain does. When asked about his favourite basketball moment he didn’t choose a specific win or an individual moment of glory, but a set play that came off really well. “I ended up with the ball, saw Nick (Higgins) cutting in, passed it to him and he just went straight up and slammed it! He’s done it in practice but it’s so hard to do in a game when you have defenders on you. He dunked on someone which is even better, made them look silly.” If the side can pull off their plays just as well as that this year, they'll hopefully be looking at a good finish by the end of the season.
A fresh perspective
First year Rosie Dath looks back at her very recent Freshers' Week sporting experience
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HAT is Fresher’s Week without all the stress of moving, finding your way around and making friends? Luckily, this year’s freshers had the chance to try out a lot of new and exciting sports throughout the week, helping them relax and getting those endorphins pumping! I saw a lot of people eagerly trying out for sports which I had never had the chance to do before, and I found myself filled with the infectious spirit and jumping on the bandwagon for things which I didn’t think would interest me at all. The first day, when I was feeling a bit anxious and homesick, I was convinced to join in on the Cool Running’s jog into Exeter. Not being a fan of running, I was a bit apprehensive, but when I turned up I was very relieved to find that many people there were not experienced runners either – I was not the only one who had been coerced into joining! I loved that the tast-
er session catered for all levels, and even though I lagged behind, the older years were more than willing to slow down and help me out! The run was great, and the joggers helped give a scenic, although tiring, tour of Exeter.
The taster sessions were fun and a good way to get some exercise I also found myself at the slightly surreal experience that was the mixed lacrosse taster session. I had never played lacrosse before, let alone with boys as well, so it was strange getting used to the sport whilst also trying not to get hit by any over-competitive guys! It was a great session though – the students in charge made sure we knew the basics of the game before letting us loose on the pitch, which ended up making
The swimming taster session I went to was so engaging and enjoyable, I even joined up Natasa Christofidou, News Editor
the game much more entertaining! I decided to try out for the Ladies Hockey Club, simply because I have played hockey for most of my life, and I figured playing it at university would give my new life a sense of normality. The trials were tough, and very intense – it was clear that every player there wanted to represent the University in competitive matches. The standard was very high, with players who would normally make the 1st team in their school being placed in the lower teams. I noticed there was a great deal of people who had represented their country in international games, which was intimidating to say the least. It was a great experience though – the coaches were supportive and gave everyone a chance. I was lucky enough to be called back for trials and earn a place in the club. The older years were extremely friendly, prepared to help anyone who was confused! The Wednesday social was very
It was brilliant to see so many clubs on the hill fighting for new members Lara Hopkins, Sport Editor
fun, if not very crowed! Put simply, I really enjoyed getting involved in the sports in Fresher’s Week. Everyone was very enthusiastic about their sport, and the taster sessions were fun and a good way to get some free exercise into a busy schedule. It didn’t hurt either that I made some friends along the way.
Not being a fresher, I quickly tired of dodging stash-clad students on my way to the Forum Bea Fones, Comment Editor
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Is Super Rugby that 'super'? CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE Whilst it's undoubtedly better for those at the very top, will the extracompetitive aspect help those who are trying to break through to that level get the opportunity to do so? With each match being between the very best teams, each side is going to want to put their strongest 15 players out as much as is possible. The lack of games against weaker opposition is surely going to cut off some of the opportunities for players on the fringe to progress and fight their way out of the 2s.
The league is [also] designed to raise the standard of institutions trying to get into the league Could it also stifle competition between universities? With added exposure for the top flight, a two-tier system could develop much further, seeing the teams in Super Rugby gain such an advantage in terms of students applying that the universities lower down just cannot compete. This is something that a BUCS spokesman refuted, telling Exeposé that the league is "designed to raise the standard of rugby not only of those currently within the BUCS Super Rugby league, but also these insitutions trying to get into the league in forthcoming years." Quite how accurate this will be, however, remains to be seen. Also, if we see an improvement in the standard of play, more ticketed matches and a potential TV contract signed, university sport will begin to become more lucrative. There is nothing wrong at all with the University making some extra money from sport, but if taken too far we may start to see it following in the footsteps of the United States. One of the key defining features of university sport here is that players are students first and athletes later - something which couldn't be more different across the pond. If we begin to follow their route, will we see universities, keen to increase revenue from sport, prioritise playing skills over academic prowess? When it comes to developing the best players for the top domestic sides and the English national team, there is no question that BUCS Super Rugby will be a big improvement. Yet, when we think about what it might lead to, and the significant changes it may make to the culture of university sport in the UK, perhaps we ought to think about it a little bit more carefully.
Sport
26 SEPT 2016 |
An interview with England rugby international and Exeter alumna Amber Reed
One fresher’s perspective on the University’s sporting scene
Page 38
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EXEPOSÉ
SPORT EDITORS: Owain Evans Lara Hopkins
Super Rugby?
Photo: Edwin Yeung
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With BUCS launching an ambitious new top flight for Rugby Union, Owain Evans, Sport Editor, looks at the changes this might bring
N Monday 19 September, a collection of Men’s Rugby Union captains descended on Twickenham. They were there for one of the most important events in the recent history of University sport - the launch of the new league: BUCS Super Rugby. Super Rugby marks a large change in direction for the top universities the new league pits the top four sides
from the past five years from the north and the top four from the south in a single competition - one that resembles the latter stages of the BUCS Championship in the strength of those competing. Many of the games have been moved to later kick offs in small stadiums to try and draw out a crowd. All of the matches are being filmed by a company called Rugby Vertical and there’s a lot of talk that these re-
cordings will be made available to the media, with rumours of a televised weekly highlights show on the way.
The creation of Super Rugby is a terrific advertisement for university rugby It’s certainly easy to see why play-
ing tougher matches would be good for the best players - those yearning to bridge the gap between the university setting and the Championship and even Premiership. By concentrating these players into a smaller league, it also makes it a far bigger stage - something that many who would otherwise fly under-the-radar could use to spring themselves into the limelight and a professional career. It also acts as a
good window for the University to the outside world: as Josh Callander told Exeposé: “The creation of the BUCS Super Rugby format is a terrific advertisement for university rugby and the University of Exeter Rugby Club.” Yet is this really the best way forward for university rugby? I suppose it depends on where it wants to go.
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