Exeposé Issue 612 Week 2

“I am a snob and I will not apologise”: Features catch up with controvertial alumnus Katie Hopkins Read the full interview on pages 12-13

The University of Exeter’s Independent Student Newspaper Tuesday 1 October 2013 • Issue 612 • www.exepose.ex.ac.uk • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose

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Photo: Niklas Rahmel

“Aggressive” bouncers banned from Lemmy

Guild concern over evening lectures Jon Jenner Editor

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Owen Keating News Editor TWO Lemon Grove bouncers have been dismissed from their positions on campus following multiple complaints from students, Exeposé has learnt. The bouncers were accused of being ‘unnecessarily aggressive’, with the complaints coming after a ‘shambles’ of a

queue to get into the Lemon Grove on Saturday 21 September, at the end of Freshers’ Week.

Ollie Skinner, a second year History and International Relations student who made an official complaint to the Lemon Grove, told Exeposé: “We got there around 8:15pm and there was already a massive queue, which we had expected. The queue was lined up heading towards the corner of Rennes

Games: GTA V - this generations last great title? - PAGE 32-33

drive.

“We were quite far back so didn’t see any bouncers giving directions, when suddenly, there was a stampede of people towards the Lemmy. As we got closer I saw that one bouncer on his own was trying to give directions to the five hundred people in the queue.

“Then, there was chaos, everyone was jostling to get as far ahead as they could or just not lose their place in the

Arts: Meet leading brick artist Nathan Sawaya - PAGE 30

queue. It was a huge squash and each time the queue went to move forward there was a mad rush to stay ahead and with your friends. It was like being in an unorganised herd. This carried on for at least two hours.”

When Skinner did eventually get near the front of the queue, he said: “One particular bouncer started to shout at the crowd using the F word repeatedly, making the very useful”...

Sport: Reports, stats and facts from the Varsity - PAGE 38-40

UNDERGRADUATES at the University are now finishing mandatory lectures as late as 8pm, with the Students’ Guild planning a consultation for affected students.

At the time of going to print, at least two disciplines at the university have timetabled lectures or seminars running from 6pm until 8pm, with the possibility of more modules across the university. At least 390 students are affected.

The drastic timetabling change comes without any student consultation, with timetabling and room bookings completed over the summer.

Last year, all teaching hours for undergraduates ran from 9am to 6pm, with Wednesday afternoons traditionally left free so that all students have the option to take part in sport. Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Masters courses were previously the only courses that could have contact time scheduled after 6pm.

Alex Louch, VP Academic Affairs, said: “I have strong concerns about the increasing use of late contact hours where no alternative has been provided. I plan to lead a student consultation project in the coming weeks to learn which students are most affected and how they are feeling the impact of this.”

Concerns are also being raised about the potential impact that an 8pm finish will affect student welfare.

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Editorial team Editors Meg Drewett & Jon Jenner Online Editors Olivia Luder & Liam Trim Deputy Editors Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner depeds@exepose.com News Editors Print: Louis Doré & Owen Keating Online: Harrison Jones & Tom Elliott news@exepose.com Comment Editors Online: Dave Reynolds & James Bennett comment@exepose.com Features Editors Print: Alexander Carden & James Roberts Online: Meg Lawrence & Imogen Watson features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Print: Kitty Howie & Emily-Rose Rolfe Online: Emma Brisdion & Ben Gilbert lifestyle@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Magda Cassidy & Josh Gray Online: Callum Burroughs & Ben Clarke music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Megan Furborough & Rob Harris Online: Jess O’Kane screen@exepose.com Books Editors Print: Elli Christie & Emma Holifield Online: Sophie Beckett & Rory Morgan books@exepose.com Arts Editors Print: Sophy Coombes-Roberts & Ricky Freelove Online: Bryony James & Giverny Masso arts@exepose.com Games Editors Print: Gemma Joyce & Becky Mullen Online: Hernan Romero & Jon Jones games@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton Online: Matt Bugler & Jamie Klein sports@exepose.com Photography Niklas Rahmel photography@exepose.com Copy Editors Charlotte Earland, Lauren Swift & Vanessa Tracey

@Exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exepose Advertising Ross Trant R.Trant@exeter.ac.uk (01392) 722432 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.

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1 OCTOBER 2013 |

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Louis Doré & Owen Keating news@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé News

Exeter ranks higher in league tables Zoey Jones News Team THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER has been ranked two places higher than it was last year in this year’s merged The Times and The Sunday Times university league tables. The university currently sits in eighth place, up from tenth last year, having overtaken both University College London and the University of Warwick. It has also risen the same two

The university’s reputation was a major factor in me applying James McDonald, a postgraduate student places in The Times’ independent league table, from tenth to eighth place. This follows on from its receipt of the Univer-

>> University of the Year and Russell Group member

sity of the Year Award from The Sunday Times in 2013.

The University’s rankings have improved dramatically in recent years; Exeter was ranked 34th by The Times in 2005.

Cambridge has overtaken Oxford to take the number one spot in the table this year. Birmingham was named the

Photo Credit: Niklas Rahmel

Sunday Times’ University of the Year for 2014.

The University of Exeter cites this award as one of the reasons why applications were 19 per cent higher in September 2013 than 2012, with this also being attributed to the university’s entrance into the Russell Group last year.

Students’ Guild president Hannah

Barton commented: “I am delighted to see the University of Exeter rise in The Times and Sunday Times league table.

Having joined the Russell Group last year, this is further recognition of the quality of the Exeter experience offered by the University and the Students’ Guild. I hope to see the University maintain and even improve this ranking in the coming years.”

James McDonald, a postgraduate student new to Exeter, said that “the university’s reputation was a major factor in me applying for a place and the fact that it has increased has made it even better for me to be here.”

Exeter has also remained in the top ten for both The Independent and The Sunday Times, sitting in 10th place in The Complete University Guide and 8th place in the Sunday Times’ own league table.

A third year English student told Exeposé: “with my own graduate employment imminent, it’s reassuring to know that the university has maintained and improved its position as a respected institution.”

New online submissions Film Studies and Drama best in the country process announced Owen Keating News Editor A NEW online submissions system has been announced which will allow students to submit assignments through MyExeter.

The process, which has been heavily supported by the Students’ Guild, allows students to submit essays and projects online. Not all students will immediately benefit from the system, owing to some assignments being unsuitable for online submission, though the Guild estimate that “£36,000 will be saved for students by this project.

This initiative reduces the cost of printing work as well as increasing flexibility for students to submit work away from campus and without the need to queue.”

Students are strongly advised to submit work in advance of deadlines to avoid any last minute complications with the system. Work can be changed and resubmitted on the BART system until the deadline, so assignments uploaded in advance of the deadline can be altered.

Alex Louch, Vice President for Academic Affairs, commented: “I am pleased to see online submissions more widely embraced across the University. Not only does it present a more convenient option for handing in assignments, but offers our students a more cost-effective means of submis-

sion than paper printing. The Students’ Guild advises students to submit work in good time whether they are using the online system or printed copies. I will be working with the University to monitor any issues that arise as this exciting new system rolls out.”

A third year English student told Exeposé: “The ideas behind the system are commendable, and make sense in terms of allowing students more flexibility with how they submit work.

However, it is not hard to imagine a situation where the system stutters and students are left panicking about submitting crucial assignments in time.”

Sue Milward, Head of eInnovation said: “Some submission times have been adjusted to spread the load on the system and the central print units to ensure that all assignments are submitted and printed successfully and then returned to Colleges for marking in a timely manner.

“In terms of College use, the current status is as follows: Humanities and SSIS will use eSubmission for all eligible assignments, the Business School already uses ELE for eSubmission and will be using eBART for a few more modules, the Medical School will use their own submission systems this year, EMPS have very few essay-based assignments but will use eBART where possible and CLES are in the final stages of deciding where to use it.”

James Smurthwaite News Team EXETER’s Drama and Film Studies departments, under the banner of Drama, Dance and Cinematics, have combined to finish top of their category in The Sunday Times University Guide 2014.

Whilst not topping any of the judging criteria (Student Satisfaction, Research Quality, Entry Points and Graduate Prospects) the departments managed to create the most consistently excellent package to finish top of the table with a score of 100, the highest possible.

This is excellent news for Drama at Exeter

Stephen Hodge, Head of Drama Exeter have risen from fourth last year t, leap-frogging Warwick, Queen Mary and Glasgow, who this year have finished, second, third and tenth respectively.

Lisa Stead, a lecturer in English and Film, told Exeposé: “Topping the league table is fantastic news. The teaching team works incredibly hard here at Exeter to provide the highest quality research-led teaching for our

students. The league table standing reflects how we strive to deliver a diverse and engaging range of options that tap into everything from the avant garde to digital technologies, engaging with the latest film theory and the most current innovations in form and aesthetics.” She added: “I see it as a real credit to both the staff and the students who together make Film Studies at Exeter something really special.”

Chris Davies, who is entering his final year of a PhD in Film, commented that the Film department’s support for post-graduate study is “exceptional”, before saying: “I’m incredibly proud to study Film here.”

The Head of Drama at the University, Stephen Hodge, commented: “Whilst we wouldn’t want everything we do to be driven by league table positions, this is excellent news for Drama at Exeter. It should assist in future student recruitment at a time when there is some very unhelpful political rhetoric being produced around the position of the arts within education. It comes as the result of persistent hard work by the Drama staff over recent years - in particular, we have endeavoured to address graduate employability prospects.”

Katie O’Connor, a second year Drama student, said: “I’m extremely proud of the department. The course they offer is second to none so I’m glad that it’s been recognised as such.”

Exeposé

| Week TWO

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Guild raises concerns over evening lectures As well as students being forced to walk home across the city in the dark becoming a safety concern, it may hamper their ability to participate in the wider student experience.

Chris Rootkin, VP Welfare and Community, said: “The introduction of compulsory late contact hours has the potential to impact heavily on students with jobs, student parents, distance learners and those who participate in societies, sport and other extra-curricular activities. I look forward to supporting the student consultation that the Guild will be running to explore this issue further.”

The Business School contains one of the worst affected modules, with BEE2028 Money and Banking having its lecture at 6-8pm on a Monday evening.

Tom Carter, a third year Economics student studying the Money and Banking module, said: “The worst thing is definitely the impact on your course. I struggle to concentrate in a two hour lecture full stop, but when you’ve been up for 12 hours it impossible.”

Amit Joshi, also studying the module, added: “I also have a lecture 4-5pm, so unless I eat in the Ram or something I’ll probably go hungry. All the lectures are put online but that’s never as useful as being in the actual room.”

The Students’ Guild are yet to announce details of any student consultation.

NEWS

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University paying hundreds of staff “poverty wages” Harrison Jones Online News Editor

• Over 300 University staff do not earn living wage • Living wage is £7.45 an hour • Principle has crossparty approval in Parliament Over 300 staff employed by the University do not earn the living wage as of June 2013, a Freedom of Information request (FOI) submitted by Exeposé has revealed.

Unlike the minimum wage, which stands at £6.19 an hour, the living wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living, including necessities like accommodation, food and clothing.

The principle has cross party agreement in Parliament and boasts David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Boris Johnson as vocal supporters.

Various other universities, including Loughborough, Queen Mary and UCL, have voluntarily agreed to pay all of their staff the living wage, alongside

numerous higher education colleges and student unions.

But 302 Exeter staff earn under the £7.45 an hour threshold, with one apprentice being paid as little as £2.77.

Despite six of these staff members earning less than the minimum wage, the University is breaking no laws because apprentices are not subject to the legislation brought in under the previous government.

A further five apprentices earn £6.19 exactly – which remains a full £1.26 per hour less than the living wage.

The bulk of the 302 low paid work-

Paying poverty wages is a totally unacceptable way to treat staff who are essential Carlus Hudson, SocStu co-President

ers are cleaners or catering/retail/domestic assistants, though the University did not break the statistics down further. 58 of those staff members are paid £7.11 an hour, with a further 233 earning an extra 18 pence.

A University spokesman said only: “we are actively considering the living wage, but will need to discuss further

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

with the unions.”

The University also highlighted how pay rates are negotiated at a national level, through Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff.

The revelations come as the University continues to invest heavily in new facilities, with hundreds of millions of pounds being poured into de-

We are actively considering the living wage but will need to discuss further with unions University spokesman velopments over the past few years, raising questions about where funding should go.

In a piece published online, Exeposé’s Online Comment Editor, James Bennett, notes the cost of the Forum and argues that the disparity between this and low staff pay is indefensible. He concludes that: “as a student population we should encourage the Guild to put pressure on the University to take up the voluntary living wage scheme.”

Freedom Society’s President, Liam Taylor, disagrees, suggesting there is

nothing wrong with the University’s pay rates.

“A living wage sounds like a nice idea on paper when times are tough.

Unfortunately the economic reality is that it doesn’t work and would do more harm than good by costing jobs,” he said.

The statistics will nonetheless place the spotlight on the University’s ethical obligations, and a number of other political societies have hinted at launching future campaigns in relation to staff pay.

Debating Society have said they would consider putting forward a relevant motion at a later event, whilst Labour Students, Liberal Democrat Society and Socialist Students have expressed concerns. All three groups are considering lobbying the University in response to the news.

SocStu co-President Carlus Hudson described the statistics as “outrageous,” suggesting that his society would put pressure on the University “to pay all of its staff the living wage.”

“Paying poverty wages is a totally unacceptable way to treat staff who are essential for keeping one of the highest ranking universities in the country running,” he added.

Lemmy bouncers dismissed from campus after student complaints

One Planet MBA third best in world

suggestion that we would not be let in unless we ‘sorted’ our ‘f***ing selves’ out, implying that some people ought to go to the back of the queue, meaning they would definitely not have got in despite queueing for such a long time. When I was near the front I also witnessed the same bouncer shout and swear at a girl who got separated from her group of friends when they were being let through a separate “queue” for people with tickets. She then proceeded to cry, at which point he did not stop, suggesting it was her fault he could not count.

The front of the queue was being monitored by one bouncer, who was controlling who moved forward to the door. He informed us that we would be allowed to go past him until he touched us. He then proceeded to light a cigarette and smoke it right in my face which was completely inappropriate and inconsiderate. He then let forward another group of students and touched me and it wasn’t exactly a friendly tap on the shoulder either.”

Skinner commented: “To then have a rude bouncer continually swear and be unnecessarily aggressive towards students, along with suggesting we sort it out ourselves made the whole experience even more shambolic”, before

Dannee McGuire News Team

adding: “He should have given more

A couple of bouncers were regularly using the F word, and generally being obnoxious Harrison Jones constructive direction”.

Skinner finally concluded: “To then see the Lemmy Twitter account saying the line was moving along nicely was outrageous, the person controlling the feed surely only needed to look out the door to see that wasn’t the case.”

Other students also told Exeposé about similar experiences in that same queue. Harrison Jones, online News Editor, was in the queue, and he said: “A couple of bouncers were regularly using the F word, and generally being obnoxious. I heard one tell a group of students to ‘f*** off’”.

Following his complaint to the Lemon Grove management, Mr. Skinner attended a meeting and left satisfied with the outcome. He told Exeposé: “My meeting with the Lemon Grove

management went well. My concerns and complaints were listened to and I left the meeting satisfied with what I was told.”

Students’ Guild President Hannah Barton says of the issue: “I was dismayed to receive a small number of complaints regarding the behaviour of externally contracted security staff at the Lemon Grove during the Welcome Lemmy. Issues were raised during the course of the evening about two members of the security team who were dealt with on site by the Head of Security.

We have since received assurance that they will not be returning to the Lemon Grove. The Students’ Guild continues to meet with students to discuss their complaints and is working with our security provider to maintain the great Lemmy experience that our members expect.”

Chris Rootkin, Students’ Guild Vice President Welfare & Community adds: “I am always sorry to hear that any student feels they have been treated poorly. The Students’ Guild takes student complaints very seriously. I am pleased that Guild staff and our security provider acted quickly to deal with the issues caused by external staff.”

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S One Planet MBA has been announced as coming third in the world in the Global Green MBA Survey.

As well as coming third in the world, the One Planet MBA has also come first place in the UK. The postgraduate course, launched in 2010, is unique for its affiliation with WWF. It offers an interdisciplinary approach to relating sustainability to business, economy, and local and global issues in general. Offered by the University of Exeter Business School, the MBA has been awarded 1st place in the Beyond Grey Pinstripes Rankings, which examines how well MBA programmes prepare its students for modern-day business. It has also won a Green Gown Award for its dedication to environmental regulation and responsibility.

Professor Malcolm Kirkup, director of One Planet MBA, says, “Corporate Knights should be commended for their continuing work in publicising those Business Schools which are leading the integration of sustainability into their MBAs. We are delighted to have been ranked so highly, and we attribute this largely to our unique collaboration with

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WWF International and an uncompromising curriculum that focuses on the responsible management of natural, social and financial capital.”

The Global Green MBA Survey evaluates how sustainability is academically integrated by universities around the world. Commenting on the survey’s results, Global Green MBA project director Jeremy Runnalls said, “[In the results] we found that there was a remarkable amount of innovation happening around the world, and expect this to accelerate.”

Alex Louch, Students’ Guild Vice President Academic Affairs says: “The recognition of the One Planet MBA as the leading sustainability-driven MBA in the UK and among the best in the world is further vindication of the quality of the education experience provided by the University of Exeter, its commitment to sustainability and the emphasis placed on long-term employability and business success for graduates. These are all values shared by the Students’ Guild”.

A third year Economics student said: “It’s giving business school students a real alternative to employment.

It’s nice to see other people recognising the quality of Exeter’s courses”.

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NEWS

1 OCTOBER 2013 |

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Exeposé

£127,000 in Activities’ Fair sig • 12,010 sign-ups at the fair • Over 200 societies and clubs represented at Fair Exeposé News bring you all the key information from this years STUDENTS paid over £127,000 to join student societies at the Activities’ Fair, held on campus on Sunday 22 September.

A grand total of £127,136.60 was spent on the day, as students new and returning flocked in their thousands to sign up for Students’ Guild and Athletic Union societies and clubs.

According to Guild data, there were at least 12,010 sign-ups on the day, with another 564 still waiting to be processed through the Guild’s registration system at the time of going to print. The 564 sign-ups that are still awaiting completion are held up for a variety of reasons, including the Guild awaiting student registration information from the University. The Students’ Guild were unavailable to supply the statistics for online sign-ups, which are still ongoing.

Over 200 societies and clubs exhibited at the Activities’ Fair, situated across several venues on campus. The Forum, Great Hall, and Terrace restaurant were packed with Guild societies, while the Sports Hall was filled with Athletic Union clubs.

The day was also attended by several local businesses, as fast food outlets, late night entertainment venues, and insurance providers all lobbied for students’ custom.

In a Guild communication to all society presidents on 27 September, Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses said: “The data entry of the Activities’ Fair sign-up sheets into our online membership system has been completed successfully. This has been completed slightly ahead of schedule”.

Curtis-Rendall added: “We are now manually going through any errors contained within the data. This is a more intense process but due to a minimal error rate we hope to have any additional data with you shortly. We also hope to receive all international student data from the University on 5th October - this may mean we experience some delay processing memberships of international students who have not registered.”

This year marked a return to students being able to pay cash at society stalls, rather than relying on an online payment system which notoriously caused long queues in the Great Hall last year.

The use of cash at society stalls put pressure on campus cash machines, and the Santander ATM in Devonshire House stopped dispensing money around lunchtime. Santander informed Exeposé that £180,000 had been put into the machine on Thursday. Queues at the four Natwest cash machines in

>> Students swarm in the Great hall to sign up to societies

The Forum attracted queues of over 100 students, with an alleged waiting time of at least fifteen minutes.

Students were broadly positive about their Activities’ Fair experience.

Giorgios Mamuzelos, a first year English student, lauded the “buzzing atmosphere” at the Fair, and said: “I ended up joining a few things I hadn’t even

considered before.”

A third year English student who helped run a society stall also commented: “The Activities’ Fair was great fun, and seemed to run far more smoothly than last year’s event. However, the alphabetical system in positioning society stalls seemed to place some societies at a greater advantage

launching a complaint, we were led to believe that the Guild would enforce the rules and this year, the Lib Dems would be a fee taking society. It is clear that this wasn’t the case. I feel the fault is with the Guild. I want a consistent stance on membership fee policy.

The[y] have become like a poorly run political party, saying one thing and doing another and I am tired of trying to get a position out of them!”

Conservative Future’s President, Harry Chamberlain followed up with, “I don’t feel that many of those involved in political societies are particularly upset by the LDS being allowed to offer free membership, as cashflow is essential to all societies and our membership figures have not been affected as a result. However, perhaps in future the Guild would like to take a more consistent standpoint on whether or not to allow societies to offer free membership.”

After being made aware of the con-

fusion by Exeposé, the Guild promptly created a new statement which will read, “The Guild recommends a society membership fee of £5, and strongly advises that societies do not charge less than £3.50 except in exceptional circumstances and we would always recommend a society talks to us first.”

Jak Curtis-Rendall, Students’ Guild Vice President Participation & Campuses says, “Some conflicting information regarding the fees that societies charge their members has been corrected and I am pleased that we have had the opportunity to clarify our guidance to societies on this issue. The Students’ Guild seeks to support all our student societies to maintain strong memberships and provide enriching experiences for their members. I feel it is important that societies consider the potential consequences of altering their membership charges and encourage society presidents and committees to approach the Activities & Volunteering Unit for advice.”

than others due to the passing traffic.”

Jak Curtis Rendall, the VP for Participation and Campus for the Students’ Guild, told Exeposé: “It has been a pleasure to receive positive feedback from this year’s Activities Fair. The Students’ Guild has worked hard to respond to student feedback from previous years and I am pleased that our re-

Guild clarifies its position on society member after societal confusion James Smurthwaite News Editor THE STUDENTS’ GUILD has clarified its policy on society membership fees after Exeposé made it aware of confusion regarding membership fees amongst Exeter’s political societies.

The Guild have clarified their position on minimum society membership fees following a furore surrounding the ability to offer free membership.

Last year, the Liberal Democrat Society were allowed to be a free society at the Activities’ Fair. However, other political societies, who were unsure why they hadn’t been offered this option, were assured that this would not be the same this academic year. At the Activities’ Fair however, it was discovered that Lib Dem Soc weren’t charging a fee again this year.

For the past two years the Liberal Democrat Society has been a free soci-

ety, as they are funded by the Liberal Youth movement. However, a Guild guide entitled ‘How to set up a society’ previously stated: “The Guild recommends societies charge a membership fee of £5, however societies must charge at least £3.50.”

Some conflicting information regarding the fees that societies charge their members has been corrected Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation & Campuses The Lib Dem’s alleged bending of the rules perplexed other political societies. Daniel Richards, President of Labour Students, commented, “after

>> The proof in page 8 of the “How to become a societ

| Week TWO

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Exeposé Analysis .5%

sYe Did you find everything you wanted to?

72.5%

Exeposé surveyed 300 people at the Freshers’ Squash to hear your thoughts on how the day went...

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gn-ups

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www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

No -

Exeposé

Student satisfaction with the organisation of the Freshers’ Fair Very Good - 166

O.K. - 78

26%

55.3%

Exceptional - 33

MANY societies have reported successful sign-up numbers after exhibiting at a packed Activities Fair.

Up in the Sports Hall, Snowsports had a very successful start to the year, signing up around 575 members, including 530 at the Activities Fair; this is approximately double last year’s total. President Rob Fail told Exeposé: “We had an unprecedented amount of sign ups this year, so we look forward to harder-core socials, better trips, faster teams and a stronger club”.

Debating Society also had a bumper year, pulling in over 400 members, after attracting around 185 sign-ups last year. Matt Nichols, a Debating Society Social Secretary stated “We are surprised and delighted with the numbers we had sign up. We didn’t quite anticipate the level of demand for the first debate but we should accommodate everyone this week.”

Xpression FM, the University’s campus radio station, attracted over 200 members, more than 30 extra members on last year’s total. Station manager Hazel Morgan said: “We’re pleased to have reaped the benefits of a more effective sign-up system, as students weren’t left frustrated by long, inefficient queues like last year. We look forward to a great year of producing high quality student

radio programming.”

XTV improved on their membership’s from last year, with conservative estimates placing their sign-up total at around 140 students, an improvement on roughly 100 members last year.

Alice Nicholson, this year’s Station Manager, commented: “It’s fantastic to see so many people expressing such interest in making films and TV at university. It’s great to see so many new faces, especially after the success we’ve had in 2013, including hosting NaSTA 40 here on campus.”

Northern Society also had a very positive day. Vice President Beth Wright stated: “We’re hugely pleased with the turnout we saw at the Activities Fair. We weren’t aware of such high demand for our society beforehand and we’re looking forward to a great year”.

Finally, Exeposé also had a successful Sunday, earning over 400 sign-ups, including 113 online signups at the time of writing. Meg Drewett, Editor, commented: “Such a healthy turnout indicates that student interest in journalism is alive and well. We look forward to a productive year of keeping students informed and interested in what’s happening on their campus.”

Poor - 23

Very Poor - 0

7.7%

11% Graphics by Louis Doré, words by Owen Keating, News Editors

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

introduction of cash payments at each society stand is viewed as a success.

We saw a huge turnout at the fair and a number of societies have since come in to tell us that they had a great day and sign-ups ran smoothly - in some cases, in record numbers. I am delighted with this year’s fair and look forward to the same success in future years.”

rship fees

y” .pdf document circulated by the Guild

Lemon Grove enjoys record attendance Rob Harris Screen Editor THE University’s student club has stated that in the six days the venue was open over the course of this year’s fresher’s week, attendance levels rose above 7,500 people, resulting in its highest turnout in the past three years.

The launch night of Play Harder was the busiest event the Lemon Grove has ever had Jem Bauermeister, Managing Director of Uni’d Students Jem Bauermeister, Managing Director of Uni’d Students, responsible for the Play Harder event at the Lemon Grove, stated: “We were ecstatic to find out that the launch night of Play Harder was the busiest event the Lemon Grove has ever had. The atmosphere was awesome as Freejak kept the dance floor packed all night. It looks like we aren’t the only ones who think there’s space for a new weekly night in Exeter with seriously decent music!”

Both Saturdays, Monday and

>> The Lemon Grove has had over 7,500 students through its doors in Freshers’ Week.

Thursday reached maximum capacity, with Rag Wednesday and Friday also reporting high numbers.

Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, commented “I am very proud of the great attendance levels that the Lemon Grove achieved during Freshers’ Week. Students’ Guild staff work hard to ensure stu-

dents receive a great Lemon Grove experience and it is gratifying to see new mid-week events gaining a strong following. To reach capacity repeatedly at such a large venue reflects the quality of Lemon Grove events and why our campus venue remains the biggest student club night in Exeter.”

Megan Furborough, a third year

Photo Credit: Niklas Rahmel

English student and regular Lemmy-goer told Exeposé: “I think it’s great to see that the university’s own club has been so popular during fresher’s week – it’s such a convenient venue for new students. It’s particularly nice to know that a Guild venue, which employs students to work behind the bar, is receiving such record figures.”

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NEWS

National Student News Helen Carrington News Team

Student numbers on the rise

STUDENT numbers have risen again this year, with as many continuing in full-time education now as before the increase in tuition fees.

There were concerns following the Coalition’s decision to increase tuition fees that there would be a drop in applications for undergraduate degrees, as more young people chose to enrol in training schemes and other alternative qualifications.

In 2011, around 465,000 students applied and were accepted into university. However, when tuition fees went up to £9,000 the following year, student numbers dropped to just 408,000.

However, the increase in tuition fees does not appear to have permanently deterred school leavers from the decision to continue in higher education, as student numbers have steadily increased in subsequent years, with around 446,000 students taking up university places this year.

Nicola Dandridge of the Universities UK lobbying group, said, “It is good news to see an increase in acceptances compared to last year. It shows that applicants are continuing to recognise the value of a university education.”

On the other hand, the number of Scottish students choosing to attend English universities has dropped rapidly, with only 1,540 accepted applications for undergraduate degrees in 2013.

Oxford Union retract EDL leader invite OXFORD UNION has withdrawn its invitation to Tommy Robinson, founder and leader of the English Defence League. The society tweeted Robinson saying that they would ‘love’ to host him as a speaker at the prestigious debating society. Parit Wacharasindhu, President of the Oxford Union, was criticised by the President of the Student Union for inviting the political leader, calling it a ‘pointless stunt’.

Wacharasindhi defended the invitation, stating that “the society is founded on the principle of free speech”, and that the debate provides a “neutral arena for political views.”

The National Union of Students raised initial concerns that Robinson’s presence at the university could be a security risk. Wacharasindhu admitted that these concerns needed to be resolved, and maintained that Robinson’s presence at the debate remained uncertain. However, following Robinson’s court appearance last week, the invite was officially rescinded, due to concerns that the student society would be unable to cover the necessary security costs. The EDL founder was arrested for incitement, after he organised a march in East London which was attended by 500 far-right supporters. He described the decision by the Oxford Union as ‘a load of rubbish’.

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Study finds that volunteering European Research increases life expectancy Council grants €6.3m to Jon Chilvers News Team A LARGE systematic review and meta-analysis led by the University of Exeter Medical School has found that volunteering may be good for your health.

The study, led by Dr Suzanne Richards has found that volunteering can improve both mental health, and life expectancy.

Dr. Richards said: “Our systematic review shows that volunteering is associated with improvements in mental health, but more work is needed to establish whether volunteering is actually the cause. It is still unclear whether biological and cultural factors and social resources that are often associated with better health and survival are also associated with a willingness to volunteer in the first place. The challenge now is to encourage people from more diverse backgrounds to take up volunteering, and then to measure whether improvements arise for them.”

Lauren Kay-Lambert, a third year student who volunteers for the homeless, said: “It is extremely important to

be aware of this way of life that so many of Exeter’s homeless live, and if I can spare just a few hours a week to make any sort of impact, then that would be just as beneficial to me, as it, hopefully, is for them.”

five Exeter academics

Volunteering is associated with improvements in mental health Dr. Suzanne Richards

THIS summer five Exeter academics were granted a cumulative €6.3m from the highly competitive ERC grant. The funds are aimed at the cream of University researchers in Europe and support ground-breaking research by Academics early in their career.

The European Research Council has, since 2002, maintained a crucial role in developing Europe into a leading knowledge-based economy, and now the University of Exeter will support 5 academics in the fields of Geography, Politics, Astrophysics, Sociology and Anthropology to contribute to this objective. All of the projects will be funded over five years.

Dr Claire Belcher, Dr Nicole Bolleyer, Dr Matt Browning, Dr Sabina Leonelli and Dr David Sing are the commended Exeter grant recipients of 2013.

However, some have questioned the study’s link between volunteering and physical well-being, arguing that the physical benefits from volunteering could be down to the simple fact that volunteers spend more time out of the house. The relationship with mental health may also be more complicated than first thought; if people find they are not getting enough back then the positive impact of volunteering on quality of life is limited.

Olivia Coelho-Pimenta News Team

Cornwall house improvements hinder student societies

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Louis Doré News Editor DELAYS to the summer works to Cornwall House have resulted in disruptions to student society activities. The works that were initially scheduled for completion on 31st August are now set to be finally handed over on 11th October, due to “unforeseen problems.”

Dance society, Kung Fu and Music societies are all known to have registered their concerns with the Guild about activities being disrupted or cancelled due to the construction work.

Liz Moore of Kung Fu Society, said: “It has become very clear that communications between the University and the Guild have been insufficient.”

Ian Millar, Head of Buildings stated in response to the delays: “This is very disappointing as we had hoped to wow Freshers and returning students alike with the finished building from the start of term. However we have worked very hard with Guild staff to mitigate the effects of the delay and ensure that all events can go ahead as planned.”

The project had three objectives, namely improving energy efficiency and structural maintenance, the relocation of Music from Knightley and the construction of a new Marketplace and Fresh Ideas office. These were funded by separate budgets totalling £1.7 million including VAT and fees. A £1 million loan was won from a HEFCE energy efficiency initiative to part fund the project, which is currently on course to be successfully delivered within budget.

Ian Millar also stated; “Estate Development Service (EDS) are delighted that we will shortly be taking the wraps off the new-look Cornwall House. On completion it will look clean and crisp, a building that the University and the

The university’s academics have established Exeter on both a national and international level by securing fourth place in the UK for a place in the overall top ten with regards to overall ERC grants in 2013.

Sean Fielding, Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Exeter says: “These grants recognise the best young researchers in Europe and competition is intense so I’d like to congratulate these five Exeter academics. Over 3000 people applied and only 287 were selected so to have five of the winners in Exeter is a great achievement. We came fourth in the UK in this round and we are currently in the top 10 for European Research Council grants overall.”

Jo Harris, a Geography student, said: “Studying Geography at a University where cutting-edge research is taking place makes me feel my degree is more current and relevant compared to courses offered in many other institutions”.

Rowancroft bus service to be trialled Emily Tanner Deputy Editor

>> The new Cornwall house is now scheduled for handover on 11th October

Members often turn up to classes to find the location has been suddenly changed Emma Holifield, third year BodySoc member Guild can be proud of.

The completed building will hope to boast greater soundproofing internally and externally, will have reduced energy usage and a reduction in carbon consumption of 185 tonnes a year.

“We consulted very widely with all levels of the Guild, students and Campus Services to develop the proposals and have worked closely with Guild staff on site all summer, to ensure that any inconvenience and disruption is minimised.”

Jak Curtis-Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, commented “I am disappointed that the University’s external

contractors remain behind in the scheduled improvements to Cornwall House, particularly now term has begun. This affected a small number of Freshers’ Week events and continues to impact on our student groups who require this vital space. While these delays are outside our control, the Students’ Guild is working hard to mitigate the effects on student activities as work continues.”

Emma Holifield, a third year member of BodySoc, told Exeposé: “Members often turn up to classes only to find the location has been suddenly changed.

With several hundred members attending classes, this can be a huge problem which can turn people off coming back to classes, particularly in the first few weeks of term.”

The University have stated that Campus Services will be monitoring energy usage and carrying out occupancy feedback exercises for the next 12 months and would be very glad to receive any feedback on the building.

EXETER UNIVERSITY and the Students’ Guild have recently launched a trial for a brand new service for students requiring transport between Rowancroft and Streatham Campus. The new, free shuttle bus service will run each weekday between 8am and 10am, with collections being made every 30 minutes.

Later collections will then run between the Geoffrey Pope building and Rowancroft at 16.15, 17.00 and 18.00 to return students to Rowancroft in the evening. The service will be reviewed after the trial period this term in January 2014.

Jak Curtis Rendall, VP Participation and Campuses, said: “I fully support this move that makes it easier for St. Luke’s and Streatham students to travel between sites whether that is St. Luke’s students travelling to lectures or facilities or Streatham students visiting X-Keys.

The Students’ Guild has been seeking improved travel options for some time now so this move is fantastic news. I hope when the trial service is reviewed in January that it has been welcomed by our students and becomes a permanent travel option.”

Janice Kenny, a first year History student argued: “Most people don’t spend all day on Campus so have to make alternative travel arrangements as the shuttle bus is only at certain times of the day. It is also unclear as to whether or not people can use the bus in both directions, for example going to campus at 4pm.” She went on to add “It still does not take away the unfairness for the people who study on Streatham but have to live on Rowancroft.”

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eight in the evening.

With student concerns about this, we hope that the Guild will respond equally as promptly as they have

This swift course of action from the Guild is a great sign that students can have faith in the organisation that represents them regarding the Lemon Grove bouncers to address these worries.

It can be a tricky task to manage the interests of so many students at once, and this week, the Guild seem to be doing a tremendous job.

Ready, set, go!

LAST week, more students than ever before flocked to campus for Freshers’ Week. After a week of a fun, laughs and meeting a whole host of new people, the week culminated in the Activities and Volunteering Fair.

The [Blurred Lines] vote should be a sign that students at Exeter care about the environment in which we live The Fair proved to be a raging success with a total of over 12,000 society memberships being purchased by students. Whether it was Doctor Who Society or Ultimate Frisbee that caught your eye, initial numbers

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Bouncing back AS term gets underway, it’s an exciting time for students at Exeter, and this week, it’s comforting to know that the Students’ Guild seem to be doing their very best to have their students’ backs.

After student complaints about their aggressive behaviour, two members of contract door staff at the Lemon Grove have been dimissed from their posts on campus and banned from returning. This swift course of action from the Guild is a great sign that students can have faith that the organisation that represents them cares about their safety.

Similarly, the Guild have also promised to plan a full student consultation after some students opened their timetables this week to discover they were being expected to attend lectures and seminars from six until

EDITORS

suggest that students plan to be just as engaged this year as last.

Also in the news last week, as Exeposé broke on our website, Exeposé Online, the Guild have announced plans to hold a student vote on whether or not to ban the playing of Robin Thicke’s controversial song ‘Blurred Lines’ on Guild premises and in the student media. This will undoubtedly lead to a few weeks of heated debate as campaigns gear up to make their feelings known.

No matter where you stand on this, the vote should be a sign that students at Exeter care about the environment within which we live and learn. All we can have different views and of course, we all have the right to voice them, so let’s hope that this is remembered in the coming weeks, as students get actively involved in our student community.

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Meg Drewett & Jon Jenner Clara Plackett & Emily Tanner

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e-Bart: A step backwards?

Emily Tanner, Deputy Editor, voices her concerns with the new e-BART system the College of Humanities are implementing Emily Tanner Deputy Editor

MAYBE I’m old school, maybe I still love the idea of running pages through my fingers and filing away my detailed feedback with my handwritten lecture notes but the news that Humanities students will now submit work via the e-BART system has not been met with much positivity from anyone.

Those who were initially thrilled by the prospect of being able to carry out even more of their degree from the comfort of their bed soon turned sour as the 10AM deadline was brought to their attention whilst others share in my own worry that feedback will become less detailed as tutors may be unable to engage as fully with the work they now have to review online. In a recent Welcome Back Talk third year students were warned that the system may require three hours to buffer due to demand on the server ultimately bringing the deadline to a shocking 7AM, when most students in general, let alone English students, will be fast asleep.

This means that the deadline has effectively been brought forward by nine whole hours, the time some, admittedly irresponsible, students will take to write up a whole essay.

As one of those annoying individuals who sets themselves a deadline the day before the actual deadline, the 10AM shouldn’t bother me too much, yet I worry that the system may still fail and that I may not receive a confirmation that the work has been received because my MyExeter - not the most reliable of servers at the best of times,

let alone when 200 students are frantically attempting to access a brand new system – has crashed out. It is likely that this will not happen I accept, and that the system will run as smoothly as it can yet the concern I and many other students will have when handing in their work in this new way is an unnecessary stress. Students who cut it a little finer are losing at least four hours of writing and proofing - generously assuming two hours are left to print, staple and walk to the desk on campus – which is a considerably significant length of time to make a potential difference to the quality of work produced.

Yesterday I found out that we would have to PDF our own work to submit to the e-BART system. As I write this, two of my housemates are installing software on their laptops, and doing their best to work out how exactly you PDF a Word document proving that many computers are not capable of carrying out this function without additional assistance. As work begins to pile up for many finalists even at this early stage

The news that English students will now submit work via e-BART has not been met with much positivity many will not have the chance to, or simply forget to, check the capabilities of their software before the deadline creating further problems when submitting work via an unknown system Feedback via the new system is also a grave concern of mine. I am generally very impressed with the written feedback I receive from tutors and enjoy the

smaller, in text comments made about punctuation or sentence structure, a lit-

In a recent Welcome Back Talk, third year students were warned that the system may require three hours to buffer tle line where it would have been ideal for me to break a paragraph or just a mark of approval by a particularly good point. Whilst I do not yet know how the new feedback will work I doubt that tutors will have the time to key in the command – if there even is one – which allows such small, supposedly inconsequential marks to be made on the page when they have 100 essays to mark in three weeks. Unless the e-BART system will scan in handwritten marking and feedback I worry that the feedback received may be less specific than it otherwise may have been.

Admittedly, I haven’t used e-BART, to hand in some of the most important essays I may ever write, just yet.

It could be a breeze, I could avoid a torrential downpour occurring the day before the deadline and press send smugly from the warmth of my duvet whilst my feedback could be clearer, more extensive and just as detailed? But right now I already miss those BART sheets and the bleep of the scanner as a paper receipt is handed to me by one of the lovely office staff which I can pin on my wall, safe in the knowledge that my work is in and being scribbled on by my tutors somewhere in the depths of Queens.

Thanks to those who helped proof this issue: Vanessa Tracey, Lauren Swift, Charlotte Earland, Thomas Davies, Emily Leahy, Laura Christopher, Lucy Pairman, Catherine Heffner, Bethany Stuart, Anna Bear, Natalie Clark, Maddi Puleston, Olivia Paine, Becky Clifford, Sabrina Aziz, Isobel Burston, James Smurthwaite, Tanera Simons, Chloe Glassonbury, Hector Salamanca and members of the Exeposé editorial team Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Exeposé

| WEEK TWO

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Freshers’ Week Success?

Daniel Richards A YEAR ago today I was weeping into my pillow after the most futile Fresher’s Squash ever. After spending seven straight hours handing out barcodes to confused first years in the hope that they would be able to make it through the hurdles and pitfalls of the sign up system, the day ended with an incredibly low sign up for most societies, including my own.

We trudged home knowing that we had failed and membership was very low indeed. The weather that day was abysmal, the till queues were horrendous and the number of students on campus to begin with was extremely low. Even the website for our society collapsed on the day, giving freshers no other option but to queue or give up! We demanded change and to all of our surprise, change is what we got!

This year’s squash system worked wonders for societies such as Labour Students This year’s squash system worked

Lydia Popiolek VOICE is the University of Exeter nightline run by students, for students.

We are here as an information and listening service to any student wishing to call up from 8pm-8am every night of term. If you need to call up for information or a friendly voice to talk to, we are here on 01392 724000.

wonders for societies such as Labour Students. Previously it has been an uphill battle to sign up members for societies such as ourselves. You win the battle, convince them to sign up from your trench in the main hall before sending your new convert out into no-man’s land to be beaten down by till queues or for them simply to realise that they have too many societies barcodes and your society has to fall by the wayside for the greater good. This year, if you won the battle, you most certainly won the war and sign ups on the day increased greatly.

I also know that more expensive societies had trouble convincing students to part with their cash The new system did have some teething problems, with the nearest cash points all running low on money and many people being forced to take to the web to sign up. I also know that the more expensive societies had trouble convincing students to part with their cash. However it was a system that worked for societies like ourselves and we will have a more prosperous year because of it. I would like to congratulate the Guild on a job well done and hope we never go back!

Voice is the University of Exeter nightline run by students, for students

This is my third year of volunteering with Voice, and I am now one of two Training Officers. It has been totally worthwhile and one of my proudest achievements I will take with me – I would recommend Voice volunteering to anyone wanting to help give something back to the student community.

Bethany Stuart THE APTLY named Freshers’ “squash” is always, inevitably, going to be a hectic and buzzing event.

However for a society that expects 800+ members each year, the reality was more absolute chaos and resulted in some rather frazzled committee members.

There was a farcical queue for BodySoc sign ups going right around the corner of the room We knew there were going to be issues as soon as we arrived to find a single table marked for BodySoc and immediately asked the Guild staff to

Sophy Coombes-Roberts Arts Editor WE are only a few days into term and already campus is full of complaints over timetabling. There are the usual moans and groans of too many tutorials or not enough hours, however this year it is the actual lecture timings which are at the topic of protest with a number of students seeing 6-8pm lectures spout up on their timetables.

Don’t get me wrong, paying £9,000 worth of fees each year means that I am all for an increase in contact hours, but do they really have to cut into my personal life? What could be worse than sitting in a lecture, stomach grumbling, wondering if you will be able to get home, eat, and change all in time to skip the queues at Mosaic? Surely there are enough hours in the working day to fit my lectures in...

I only have ten!

“We knew there were going to be issues as soon as we arrived to find a single table marked for BodySoc” reposition us - a request they declined primarily. However, as those of you who were in the Great Hall from 9 – 11 will have noticed there was a farcical queue for BodySoc sign ups going right around the corner of the room, blocking other stands and, more significantly, fire exits. After this the staff took the decision to move us and from then on their help was invaluable and we as a committee are very grateful. It is just unfortunate that it got to such a ridiculous stage before any action occurred as it inevitably impacted on sign-ups for other societies –apologies to those either side of us who no doubt got sick of the sight of pink in those hours!

On a more positive note, this year’s system was infinitely better than the pandemonium of last year, and I’m sure being able to sign-up straight away at the stand without

freshers having to queue a second time in The Sanctuary played a major

What’s more is that that the university is naive enough to expect a decent turnout to an evening class.

I had a 5pm lecture last year and that was bad enough, by the end of the term only about one third of the students were in attendance, so unless I have missed something, it seems unlikely that the forum will be a hive of activity at 8pm.

a good idea to try and engage young adults in academic discussions at the same time as the Great British Bake Off? The university day has always been 9am-6pm, and the only justification I have heard for the late lectures is that they are an attempt to keep Wednesday afternoon free. Of course that is essential, but if this truly is the reasoning behind them then surely it highlights a problem in our administrative system?

Other universities seem to be able to retain the length of a normal working day whilst allowing time for sport on a Wednesday. Indeed, we did until this term. What has changed from last year to warrant a 6pm lecture?

I know it is not the end of the world, and at least they haven’t asked me to come in at 7am for an ethics tutorial. Nevertheless, one cannot help but render these new timings annoying and ridiculously unnecessary.

Other universities seem to be able to retain the length of a normal working day whilst allowing time for sport on a Wednesday afternoon free Personally I would like to know the logic behind the new evening slots. Are they a result of timetabling mistakes? Lecture clashes? Or did somebody actually think it would be

This year’s system was infinitely better than the pandemonium of last year part in our increased membership and, subsequently, the success of our first socials and classes. Despite the utter chaos, we surpassed our expectations and achieved 691 sign-ups in 6 hours at the squash and had another 242 via the sign-ups online, turning over £17,930 (and still counting) – making 2013 set to be the biggest and most exciting year for the society yet.

The not-so shindigs of Sarah & Seb. #2 Freshers’ Fair

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COMMENT

“We have to readjust our priorities to show that we understand the importance of work” James Bennett Online Comment Editor 302 MEMBERS of staff at the University including Catering Assistants, Cleaners, Retail Assistants and Domestic Assistants are being paid less than the living wage, and The Forum cost £48 million. Surely it’s not possible to defend both of these statements?

Surely, we can’t suggest that as an institution we are struggling financially to the point that we can’t afford to pay these members of staff what has been independently determined as necessary to live decently?

I think it’s difficult to suggest that The Forum provides a more valuable service to the average student than these members of staff. Granted, the days of manually opening and closing windows according to the temperature of the room are a thing of the past for me thanks to the technological marvel that is the Forum seminar room complex. Similarly, although I have never

1 OCTOBER 2013 |

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personally used (and according to my final year’s timetable never will use) the 400-seat Alumni Auditorium, I am confident that it provides an unparalleled learning environment to those who take advantage of the swivel-chairs and power sockets within. Still, I cannot imagine I am alone when I say that if I was promised that the people who clean our buildings, maintain our halls and prepare our food were being paid the living wage, I could make do with a hook on a long stick and Amory C501.

The wages that some apprentices

The wages that some apprentices are being paid are very low are being paid are very low, and are obviously well below both the minimum and living wages. That being said, apprentices are not planning on being apprentices forever, and I think that it’s understandable that they should be paid a small wage considering their assumed inexperience and the amount of training they are (hopefully) receiving. An ap-

prenticeship is an educational process, so although their wage of as little as £2.77 for one apprentice is concerning to say the least, the more troubling statistic has to be those who are in steady employment by the University and are earning below the living wage.

The nuts and bolts of exactly how low an apprentice’s wage should be is a different discussion, but I am much less concerned by this than those wages of the permanently contracted staff at the University who may not necessarily have any career advancement in mind.

With the University’s record intake of students this academic year, these same members of staff are going to be put under increasing pressure to keep the place functioning on a day to day level, and as a student population we should encourage the Guild to put any and all pressure on the University to take up the voluntary Living Wage scheme. We have to readjust our priorities to show that we understand the importance of the work that is done by these members of staff, and respect and reward their contribution and dedication accordingly.

Michael Doyle DO you remember the run-up to exams last year? The crowded study rooms, the packed library – both old and new – and, the sheer difficulty of getting from A to B on campus due to the high number of students on campus, adding to the daily stress of revision.

If so, you may find, as I do, the university’s decision to increase the intake for this academic year, without sufficiently expanding learning space, rather quaint. The university struggled immensely last year to accommodate students in the learning areas available. With an increased intake this year, it will be inevitably more difficult for students to find a place to study.

Furthermore, an increase in student numbers can only lead to a decline in the academic experience for all undergraduates.

Larger seminar groups and reduced contact hours could become the norm.

A greater focus on teaching can only lead to a pronounced diversion away from research, which could lead to top academics deciding to move to institutions that grant them far more

Exeposé

time for research and less time to teach.

Moreover, an increased number of Exeter graduates with 2:1’s will find it increasingly difficult to differentiate themselves in the labour market leading to a decline in the Exeter graduate

The university struggled immensely last year to accomodate students in the learning areas available premium, and subsequently, greater difficulty in finding employment. The reforms made to the tertiary education sector in 2012 were designed to make the student choose their institution as if they were a customer shopping for the best product in the market. For the reasons outlined above, rather than getting value for their £9,000 tuition; students are being badly short changed by this ill-thought out admissions policy.

As it stands, Exeter is standing at the top of a slippery slope. After years of progressively moving up the university rankings and then attaining Russell Group status, Exeter is at risk of losing that prestigious ranking if it does not revert back to a more sensible admissions policy.

“Living in a hotel with no kitchen, washing machines or access to most of our possessions is far from ideal” Ricky Freelove Arts Editor

FRESHERS’ Week is an exciting time for everybody. Even if you aren’t a fresher, starting the new academic year is always exciting, especially if you are moving into a house for the first time.

Unless of course you can’t move into it yet because work is still being carried out on your ‘fresh new crib’.

As a result many students, including myself, have ended up missing out on all the fun and activities which go on throughout Freshers’ Week. This is the case for many students across Exeter whose landlords are the illusive yet ubiquitous Student Cribs.

Based in West London, Student Cribs have properties in eight major

towns and cities across the UK. The company refurbished 21 houses across Exeter during the summer vacation, including nine on Victoria Street, one on Pennsylvania Road and another on Old Tiverton; of which how many were completed by the proposed 14th September I cannot say. However, I can testify, not many. With our house refurbishment delayed by two weeks (28 September) and recent news that one house on Richmond Road will not be ready until 31st September.

As a result of this delay, many students have stayed in the Premier Inn, St Davids or Jury’s Inn, near Arena. I am not one for complaining about living in a hotel for two weeks, however the whole ethos of the Student Cribs is that they cater for what students need. Their website states: “We like to employ people straight out of Uni so as the older members of the team regretfully “mature” the younger

ones make sure we understand how our tenants’ needs evolve.” Living in a hotel with no kitchen, washing machines or access to most of our possessions is far from ideal for a human being, never mind for students.

The WiFi at the hotel is questionable and I’m frequently returned to the hotel’s WiFi page which is a joy to come to every ten minutes In terms of compensation, my housemates and I will be eating like kings up until Christmas. For those of us who stayed at the hotel, during the first week we had breakfast paid for (£8.95 a day). And had a £20 budget

Photo: valesouthern.co.uk

per night in the Thyme restaurant which is located on the ground floor of the hotel – naturally I was eating steak and drinking beer every night. During the second week we were given a more generous and less restricted £70 a day to eat where we wanted, however we won’t see any of this money until five working days after we have moved into our house. After speaking to the receptionist at the Premier Inn, she told me that at least 40 students had been staying with them for the two week period. The Premier Inn may as well have ‘University of Exeter student accomodation’ written across the building.

So you may be thinking that sounds great, which in some ways it is.

However, eating out for 3 meals a day and NOT receiving any of this money until after I move in is a nightmare for a student, especially during the second week when our student loan had not come through!

For the people who opted not to live in the hotel and instead sort themselves out will probably be able to afford their own manor house with a helipad now. These students received £60 a day for one week, and then £100 a day for the second. That’s right, £1,120 in two weeks. Again, it may sound glamorous but sleeping on a sofa; eating in restaurants everyday and having no access to a washing machine is an ordeal. Especially if it is another week until they see any of this money.

The WiFi at the hotel is questionable and I’m frequently returned to the hotel’s WiFi page, which is just a joy to come to every ten minutes. Similarly the rooms are apparently sound proof, and as a result have limited phone

signal, which again is a torment as we can’t arrange to meet up with friends who are on the other side of Exeter!

Three of the boys in my house have had to use a storage facility for their possessions, whilst another housemate and myself are relying on parents to make the journey across the country with all our possessions. Bear in mind that I only packed a suitcase for one week including none of my course books, writing equipment or spare clothes. I am now at the grim point of recycling clothing as I’ve worn everything I brought and have no access to a washing machine.

Three of the boys in my house have had to use a storage facility for their possessions I can appreciate that the delay of the refurbishments across Exeter is not the company’s fault; it is of course the contractors’. Admittedly, from looking at their website and YouTube channel’s “before and after” videos the company obviously put a lot of money into refurbishing the houses they own and those lucky people who have moved in already have said “it’s worth the wait”.

However, come the 28 September it’s going to be like Freshers’ Week again for all of us moving in. We’re two weeks behind most houses and not in a routine for academic life yet.

I’m personally just looking forward to getting all of this out of the way with and being able to eat like an emperor for the next few weeks.

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Strong Woman, Principled Mother...

James Roberts, Features Editor, takes a look behind the snarling mask of Britain’s favourite hate figure, and finds a suprisingly gooey centre...

STANDING in the packed lobby of Paddington Station ready to meet with Katie Hopkins, we were aware of the risk of becoming public enemy number two by association. It was a mere week or so after Hopkins set her sights on the two darlings of stay-at-homemothers – small children and Holly Willoughby – and had since been touring the television studios megaphoning her musings on everything from Katherine Jenkins to fat people.

The prospect of now sitting with her, stationary and easily approachable, in a public place, was a daunting one.

Seconds later, ‘Britain’s most hated woman’ appeared from the station stairs, with surprisingly little fanfare.

Hopkins seems to revel in the label.

“No one comes up and calls you the biggest bitch in Britain,” she says, “in the

street, the reaction is really positive.” Given the internet epidemic that followed her polemical spat about baby-names on the This Morning sofa, I’m shocked that a London tube jour-

Seconds later Britain’s most hated woman appeared from the station stairs, with surprisingly little fanfare ney could be so serene. “I got a few ‘Tyler, Tyler, give us a wave’ chants on the way here, but that’s about it.”

Hopkins begins by illustrating her side of the ‘Tyler-gate’ scandal, w h i c h conveniently elbowed her back into the public eye. Naturally, she is defiant at the prospect of a carefully managed back-track, so common with celebrities today; “I am a snob and I won’t apologise”, she affirms with her cutting, middle-England eloquence. Indeed, Hopkins has positioned herself as the unapologetic voice of the career-minded classes, willing to speak up where otherwise a slight tut and sideways glance at the school gate might suffice.

While unpopular with most, she is undoubtedly their persistent champion.

“Loads of us say ‘there’s that Tyler, or that Chardonnay. Would you look at the mother?’” Hopkins explains with an almost conspiratorial conviction, “the mum’s snubbing out a cigarette under her heel; yep there’s little

Destiny all mapped out.” We ask: Why don’t more people rally to her cause? “Saying it out loud is not a terribly British thing to do“, she dismissively hits back.

Despite her unfaltering reserves of self-confidence, Hopkins seems relieved to hear at the start of the interview that it will not be played out live.

Perhaps she is sub-consciously aware of the already considerable and ever-growing list of foes that has been accumulated through her regular chatshow blitzkriegs. However, Hopkins shows no desire for armistice. “This Morning sent me a press release from NetMums”, she recounts dryly, rolling her eyes, “that turgid, dull, unoriginal and uninspiring lot.” Preparing to pounce and drawing her claws, she goes on, “if you cut them their blood would run Cath Kidston floral,” at the same time, with a mischievous grin,

confirming she couldn’t bear the thought of lacerating any Mumsnet members. Catty, indeed.

Nevertheless, Hopkins has certainly made a career as businesswoman-come-mother, “telling it the way it is”, though she adamantly objects to

NetMums, that turgid, dull, unoriginal and uninspiring lot. If you cut them their blood would run Cath Kidston floral her rent-a-gob status on daytime television: “I’m not like that, but you have to spin on a dial to make TV work”,

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Hopkins pleads. Even more so, with just a hint of genuine self-conscious-

“I’m not a celebrity at all!” says the former I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! contestant ness, she insists, “I’m not a ‘celebrity’ at all! I hate television and reality TV!” Though one might be inclined to question the merit of such a sentiment from a former I’m a Celebrity contestant, it seems to betray a more complex, personal side to this otherwise single-minded and business-like e x t e r i o r.

This

is made most clear as she describes the circumstances in which she shot to national fame, on the BBC television show, The Apprentice. “It was quite frightening to start with, with only six months between filming and The Apprentice being shown

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on TV,” particularly given that she “thought I would come out of the series around the middle, looking normal, with people thinking ‘she’s quite a good egg!’ and leaving it there.” Conceivably, then, could Britain be wrong about Katie Hopkins?

Increasingly, as the conversation moves away from her most recent forays into television, Hopkins becomes decidedly more credible, though no less forgiving. She is clear that her public image has been shaped by her personal world view. “I have opinions on everything,” she says, including life in the media spotlight: “If you don’t like being on TV, sit on the sofa!” Hopkins blasts, “I don’t have any sympathy.” If nothing else, Hopkins is happy to practice as she preaches, recalling with unnerving impassivity the moment that a Sunday newspaper “knocked at

t h e door on a Saturday morning, telling me they were going to run pictures of me naked with someone in a field.” But does she accept, as Philip Schofield pointed out, her own hypocrisy in condemning geographical baby names while calling her own daughter India? “If you mention India and the geographical thing I will kick you in the nuts.” With the point well taken, we move on with the interview.

For a woman seemingly incapable of taking offence, Hopkins is firm about the effect of her own choices on

her children. Her willingness to laugh at the tranche of abuse thrown at her is as telling as her conviction to help her children protect themselves from her media profile. Hopkins triumphantly lists her favourite abuses: ““horseface”, “big nose”, they are both good ones”, she chuckles. Instead, her most poisonous venom is reserved exclusively for those that use her children to attack her. “Judgemental mothers that use guilt as a tool are awful”, Hopkins hisses with curtness and surprising vulnerability: “vipers in the kitchen.”

Indeed, as the interview goes on, Hopkins becomes an increasingly warm, almost motherly, figure; far detached from the cold, almost vindictive, persona which comes with appearing on television to regularly to defend relatively unpopular opinions.

At one point, without a hint of

Katie points down the stairs from where we are sitting, drawing attention to an overweight lady at the bottom. “Over-hanging bum-shelf,” she sighs, “that’s not attractive at all.” Almost immediately, Katie Hopkins the mother is gone

[She recalls] with unnerving impassivity the moment that a Sunday newspaper] knocked at the door on a Saturday morning, telling me that they were going to run pictures of me naked in a field acrimony, Hopkins describes the difficulty of the media misreporting her being thrown out of Sandhurst: “I’m epileptic, and I lied to get in. When they found out they obviously had to ask me to leave – obviously you can’t h a v e

an epileptic with an AK-47.” One cannot help get the sense that her readiness to attack others, without defending herself, has helped craft her one-sided image as Britain’s nastiest talking head.

As the interview draws to a close, Katie points down the stairs from where we are sitting, drawing attention to an overweight lady at the bottom. “Overhanging bum shelf,” she sighs, “that’s not attractive at all.”

Almost immediately, Katie Hopkins the mother is gone, and in her place sits the outwardly malicious, seemingly spiteful, blonde shrew which has made her a household name. She may be a strong woman and principled mother, but Katie Hopkins still revels in being the biggest bitch in Britain.

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Life and Times of Katie Hopkins Katie Hopkins shot to fame following her appearance on The Apprentice (Season 3) where she courted controversy with her comments about the other candidates. Hopkins survived until Week 11, when she withdrew citing family reasons, causing lasting personal issues with Alan Sugar.

After The Apprentice, Hopkins took a job at the Met Office in Exeter, which she left in 2007, based upon a number of factors - including her media profile and her relationship with a married employee - explicit pictures of which appeared in the tabloid press.

Since then, she has appeared on a number of television programmes, such as a panellist Question Time and a contestant on I’m A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here. She has also written several books.

In 2013, Hopkins appeared on This Morning to discuss whether children’s names affect their life chances. Her controversial performance, including stating that she would not allow her children to associate with children called Tyler or Chardonnay, quickly went viral on YouTube, gaining 12 million views. She also published a book of baby names in the wake of the controversy.

Hopkins is a regular visitor to campus, having previously worked in the Alumni Office upon leaving university.

... or Britain’s Biggest Baddie?

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#everydayrapeculture As the student vote on the use of Blurred Lines throughout the University is announced Emily Tanner, Deputy Editor takes a look at the wider issue of rape culture in our society.

“I KNOW you want it, I know you want it. Because you’re a good girl,” is a refrain you must have undoubtedly heard in the bars and clubs over the summer.

Not even disguised in metaphor or wrapped in layers of lyrical flair, Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ explicitly supports rape culture. Even in this modern age where sexism is supposedly dying away and the battles of the feminists and the egalitarians seem to many to have been concluded years ago, a culture in which rape is still accepted by some as funny, light hearted and something to be discussed over a couple of pints in the pub is shockingly evident.

Slogans such as “Nice girlfriend.

What breed is she?” from Topman and “I’m feeling rapey,” and “Sometimes no means yes,” from eBay have been covering the chests men across the world this summer. The fact that a popular manufacturer such as Topman or the biggest online sales site eBay feel it is still acceptable to sell t-shirts with such slogans pasted across the front for the world to see, proves that many do not give the matter the respect nor treat it with the severity it deserves.

With 85,000 women estimated to be victims of rape in England and Wales each year, 400,000 women sexually assaulted annually and one in five women aged between 16 and 59 suffering some experience of sexual violence in their

Moreover 28 per cent of women who are victims of the most serious offenses never tell anyone and only 15 per cent report the offense to the police life from the age of 16, it is clear that rape is still a serious subject in society.

Moreover 28 per cent of women who are victims of the most serious offenses never tell anyone – arguably due in

part to the trivialisation of the matter in wider society – and only 15 per cent will report the offense to the police.

‘Blurred Lines’ is possibly the smash hit anthem of the summer which maintained its place at number one for a number of weeks and is probably played daily on most national and local radio stations. It would be wrong to say that everyone who listens to the song, everyone who mindlessly waves their

Here in Exeter the matter is still as evident as it is in popular culture arms around to it in a club on a Saturday night, even everyone who likes the song is in support of rape culture.

It is a catchy pop record which many, in one way or another, will enjoy, regardless of the lyrics. Yet the issue here is surely this lack of regard for the lyrics, not just on the part of the listeners or the clubbers who scream “I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two,” but the fact that a song with such awful lyrics has been accepted into society and culture with few questions as to why or how. We thankfully exist in a culture which may see problems with songs like this and the T-shirts sold by Topman and eBay and may resent the fact that ‘Blurred Lines’ has become so successful but in which many individuals are willing to either support or turn a blind eye to the trivialisation of rape culture.

Here in Exeter the matter is still as evident as it is in popular culture and the wider society. Were someone to direct you towards Hoopern Lane most students may shrug their shoulders and look baffled at the whereabouts of this location. Were someone to instead direct you towards the colloquially named ‘Rape Alley’ most could tell you exactly where this was. Students barely realise that in naming this lane as they do they are trivialising the matter of rape culture in a way which is ad-

mittedly far from the trivialisation of ‘Blurred Lines’ and Topman’s t-shirts, but nonetheless willing to accept matters of rape into an everyday language which decontextualizes the real issues at stake. We are accepting the use of language involved in a culture of rape into our everyday speech without fully understanding the consequences.

Challenges to this blind acceptance of rape culture and the language we use surrounding the matter was, however, taken on at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival by Fosters Comedy Award Winner Adrienne Truscott whose show Asking For It won the Award’s Panel Prize this year. Dressed only from the waist up, Truscott tackled the issues surrounding the acceptance, an acceptance which is now thankfully waning significantly, of rape jokes in modern, popular comedy in a small, insignificant bookshop in Edinburgh and went on to win one of the biggest arts awards of the year. Evidently challenges to rape culture are not going unnoticed – although it should be noted in this instance that these challenges are not going unnoticed at the world’s biggest gathering of liberal, left-wing arts fans – as society begins to accept the prevalent attitude as a serious problem

Battles against an acceptance of the casual, colloquial culture surrounding rape are at least surfacing and not a matter to be taken lightly.

‘Blurred Lines’ will never become unpopular, Topman may once again make and sell inappropriate T-Shirts without seeing where the problem is and Exeter students may never learn where Hoopern Lane is, but it seems that battles against an acceptance of the casual, colloquial culture and language surrounding rape are at least surfacing in our society.

If you have been affected the issues discussed in this article you can contact the national rape crisis helpline on 0808 802 9999 for confidential advice

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15

Breaking Brad(shaw)

Photo: Huffington Post

This summer, intrepid Exeposé Online Features Editors Meg Lawrence and Imogen Watson ventured deep within the murky world of Westminster politics and arrived at the murkier-still office of Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw. They lived to tell the tale, and speak about what they found there for the first time exclusively to Exeposé Features.

DURING the summer, Exeposé Online Features’ Editors Meg Lawrence and Imogen Watson caught up with Exeter’s Labour MP Ben Bradshaw in his office in Parliament. Here, he tells Meg Lawrence what he thinks about students, schools, streetlights and much more.

Friendly, down-to-earth, good-humored and approachable, Ben Bradshaw isn’t a stereotypical MP. Relatively unmoved by the trappings of power and privilege, the politician, who has represented his Devon seat since 1997, is as proud of his political achievements as he is of his city.

Away from the West Country, Bradshaw’s Westminster office in Portcullis House is equally relaxed. His young team is chatty and enthusiastic, and clearly share their boss’ political vision.

That vision is a mix of political ambition and a desire to improve the life of his constituents, but it is tinged by the frustration that is an obvious hangover of opposition politics. Higher Education, he fears, is a typical casualty of a government that has forgotten to look out for young people.

‘In a global economy it’s going to be increasingly important in my view that people are qualified up to degree level. We saw a big expansion in higher education under the Labour government, I worry that this has stalled under this government,’ he admits. ‘It is becoming increasingly more difficult for people to be

Ballot Box Ben Bradshaw has been MP for Exeter since 1997. He has a majority of 2721. Exeposé Features has helpfully compiled this nifty guide to your local MP:

able to afford [higher education].’

Bradshaw still stands by Labour’s aim to get 50 per cent of young people in higher education. ‘If we’re to compete in the modern world in the future, in a globalised economy, we can either compete on the basis of low wages and low income… or on the basis of our knowledge and our skills,’ he says.

Bradshaw is against the recent

increase in tuition fees and believes the Liberal Democrats have betrayed young people in a ‘direct deceit of the electorate’. He adds: ‘the Liberal Democrats made a clear pledge at the last election- you may remember Nick Clegg travelled around the country with his Liberal Democrat MPs holding up placards saying we will abolish tuition fees, and one of the first

things the coalition did when they got into office was treble tuition fees.’

Given the chance to be government, Bradshaw insists he would campaign to reduce tuition fees - although he doesn’t think it will ever return to being as low as £3,000 a year: ‘The current Labour policy is to reduce fees to £6,000 as an initial step, but I think we need to look at much more imaginative ways to make the funding of higher education fairer. We also need to address very urgently the trend we’ve seen in the last few years of people from middle and lower income families being put off going into higher education because of fears of getting into debt.’

Bradshaw believes it is a ‘terrible tragedy’ that people are put off going to university for fear of getting into debt, and although this hasn’t been apparent in his home constituency, many universities are struggling to fill courses with a 6.6% drop in university applicants nationwide.

But Bradshaw warns that universities like Exeter cannot afford to be complacent. ‘Exeter University has done a great job under its current Vice Chancellor [Steve Smith] over recent years in terms of expanding access. It has spent a lot of money on bursaries for students, and has also encouraged more people from the local area to go to university, but we absolutely do have to keep an eye on this, because it’s always going to be tempting for uni-

Supports elected House of Lords

Voted for ID cards

Voted against raising tuition fees to £6,000 or £9,000

Supports the Hunting Ban

His vision is a mix of political ambition and a desire to improve the lives of his constituents, but it is tinged by the frustration that is an obvious hangover of opposition politics

Supported introducing AV Strongly pro-EU

Voted in favour of marriage equality Supports maintaining Trident as a nuclear deterrent

versities when they’re cash-strapped, to focus on those students who they feel will bring in the most cash.’

With its high entry requirements and expensive rents, Exeter has a reputation for being a middle-class student magnet but Bradshaw believes the situation is improving. He says: ‘certain-

Higher education, he fears, is a typical casualty of a government that has forgotten to look out for young people ly in the years that I’ve been a Member of Parliament, I’ve seen a big change in the mix of the student body, and certainly at the Freshers’ Fair every year when I go up. You still get quite a strong contingent of young people from wealthy independent schools but there’s also a much bigger cross-section, and also a much more international student body given the success that Exeter has had in attracting overseas students which again has helped it perform as a university, raised money and boosted the local economy.’

Attracting international students is no easy task given that they could end up paying as much as £35,000 for

a year of study, in comparison with the £9,000 that British students now pay.

But that, Bradshaw believes, is why they are so attractive as a source of income. ‘If you’re in a situation like Exeter University,’ he says, ‘where you’re wanting to ensure that British youngsters who have got the talent and ability can go to university and not worry about the cost, and you want to provide bursaries and support for those people, and at the same time you’re facing government cuts, one of the ways that you can raise income is with foreign students, and don’t forget a lot of those foreign and overseas students will be coming on bursaries themselves from their home governments.’

Whether a home or international student, a common dilemma for any graduate is the growing prospect of unemployment. Bradshaw outlines the steps necessary to reduce unemployment: ‘The most important thing is to get the economy growing and get a proper industrial strategy in place where we’re investing in those areas - the environmental technologies, the creative industries and so forth, which will provide the well-paid graduate jobs for the future. That’s what the government needs to do.’

To read the full interview with Ben Bradshaw, and watch the video, head over to exepose.com.

Claimed over £54,000 in expenses between 2004-08

Abstained in the vote over intervention in Syria

Supported the war in Iraq

Voted in favour of 90 day detention for terrorism suspects

Supported David Miliband for Labour Party Leader

Contact email: ben.bradshaw.mp@ parliament.uk

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Lucy Porter makes your hovel halls heavenly

How can you deal with lodgings that are spatially and atmospherically challenged? certainly sprinkle glitter on it and that’s exactly what I was forced to do under the circumstances. Yes the bare brick walls were a little claustrophobiainducing and yes I may have gotten better digs at the prison o n

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Kitty Howie & Emily-Rose Rolfe lifestyle@exepose.com

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Grand designs THE LAFROWDA experience taught me more about making the most of what I’ve got than any tentative CV revision.

If the state of my parents’ car at the end of each university year is anything to go by, it’s safe to say that I know how to pack a lot into one student bedroom.

Even though my dwelling in Lafrowda (as in old, possibly-now-demolished Lafrowda) was about the same size as aforementioned car, that doesn’t mean getting home was no mean feat and I am certainly glad that my first year wasn’t similarly spent with my face squashed against the window (all the more so because there were builders permanently lurking on the scaffolding outside).

Not to polish a turd but you can

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New North Road but I did my best and made it my own.

So how can you deal with lodgings that are spatially and atmospherically challenged?

Step 1 : Eliminate any nasties If you’re going into halls, the cleaners should have got it all but there’s always a chance, wherever you are, that there is something that needs sorting pronto (blocked drain, hidden dairy product, silverfish infestation… really, do this first, I can’t begin to express how difficult the little buggers are to catch amongst a jungle of bunting and fairylights).

Step 2 : Cover surfaces I’ve been through three rounds of university open days and can assure you that when it comes to accommodation, anything older than five years is equally dismal nationwide. However, you don’t have to live with it! Buy rugs, throws, blankets, wall hangings, tapestries, posters; anything that might thoroughly undo those hideous interior design choices that only a sadist could have made.

Step 3 : Accessorise!

I’m not just talking to the girls here. This is probably your first home away from home so make use of it! In the first year, my room looked like it had been lived in for ten years within ten minutes –

I had photo frames, candles (perhaps not allowed but ssh), flags, art work, leisure-reading that I never got round to, the occasional ornament or souvenir… fully claim your cave from the start.

Don’t underdo it, I’ve seen some rooms so sparsely decorated they looked sterile.

Step 4 : Maximise your storage At risk of sounding like your parents, don’t underestimate good storage facilities. You can buy a range of boxes for all sorts of things and they really do make it easy to keep all your stuff in order/squeeze every last possession into the nooks and crannies of your hovel.

Step 5 : Bake a cake And get that disgusting odour out of your kitchen! Whilst you might not feel up to de-crusting the microwave, there’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked chocolate cake wafting down the corridors to disguise the timeworn and carefully crafted layers of baked-bean/ pesto/burnt pasta stench.

And finally, if I’ve learnt anything at university, it’s that there is never too little space for anything – it just takes a bit of creativity and a natural talent for jigsaw puzzles. Decorating is easy with Ikea nearby! … except it isn’t. Well there’s home delivery! … which costs £9 (£18 if you go over 25kg, you big spender).

So go for it, buy that armchair or houseplant, go mad and pretend you’re a brand new homeowner (but stop short at painting and wall demolition). Buy whatever you damn well please. Just don’t expect to have a ride home at the end of the year.

Sorority sister Our columnist, Holly Alsop, is studying for a year at the College of William and Mary, Virginia. She tells us about joining a sorority.

I’M officially in a sorority, I’m so relieved not least because this column has been called Sorority Sister.

A sorority is a big bunch of women who band together and help charities, do socials with fraternities, hang out and form close friendships - we really do call each other sisters. There is a sorority house where we all hang out and some of the sisters live. There are nine chapters (sorority houses) on campus and girls like me have to go through an intense recruitment process to be picked by one of them, a process known as ‘rushing’ or hell.

No, it’s not actually that bad. You just have to talk to about 15 women in each of the nine houses and show them how amazing and nice you are so they’ll pick you, it’s a cut-throat system and girls do get rejected. I cannot count

I can only compare it to speed dating the number of times I was asked about England, and why I chose William and Mary and the cultural differences. I repeated myself so much, I have a stash of anecdotes in my head ready to whip out any given time. The one time I had to come up with new material, when someone asked me what my spirit animal was, I panicked. Fortunately,

before I answered, the time was up, the girls started singing their sorority song and we were herded out the door, their voices echoing around us.

I can only compare it to speed dating, where you move from person to person getting to know as much as

After 5 days of this cross-examination, I made it into Alpha Chi Omega you can about one another in minutes.

Some conversations were excruciatingly awkward and with other girls we couldn’t stop chatting. You have to dress to impress as well, wedges and sundresses were the order of the day and your hair must be perfectly coiffed. I heard a couple of horror stories; the usual falling over and unfunny jokes - though one girl swallowed a fly mid-speech which wasn’t pretty.

After 5 days of this cross-examination, I made it into Alpha Chi Omega.

The sorority I wanted and the coolest sorority on campus. Hand on my heart, rose in the other, I pledged to “represent Alpha Chi in all that I do, never betray my sisters and honour the letters”. So now I have a cute tee-shirt, a weird secret hand symbol and I scream and hug every fellow sister I see on campus.

>> Photo courtesy of wallsave.

While this might be going a bit far, a few balloons and colour can really spice things up.

Eleanor Davis helps you adjust to houses from halls MOVING into a new house can be surprisingly daunting. Before everyone unpacks, the abundance of blank space can feel alien. Here are a few tips on how to bring warmth and student vibrancy to every nook and cranny of the new home!

The new bedroom: It’s probably bigger than your student flat in halls and maybe less like an indestructible hotel room. Yet space can be overwhelming. For girly girls, bunting and fairy lights are always essential for prettification. For guys perhaps a large graphic poster (with white tack, think of the deposit)! Whatever your style,

a rug will always help fill and decorate bland floor-space, so long as you can

Before everyone unpacks the abundance of black space can feel alien see it under the pile of clothes and unopened bank notices. I am also slightly obsessed with squashy cushions – and lots of them. Vintage, modern, fluffy you name it! But, best of all, smother that room with photos of friends, mugshots and fresher-memories; after all it’s the people that make the home!

The kitchen:

A new phenomena for some, a memory of mess and cleaner-related arguments for others. Golden rule: keep it clean as possible before those land lords come a knockin’. Cheap placemats, pots for teabags and sugar and cushions on chairs also give that lovely lived-in feel.

Smother that room with photos of friends, mug-shots and fresher memories.

Think about investing in a plastic box to pile all that glass recyling into before a group trip to the supermarket - a fail safe way to stop people leaving their empties lying around.

The living room: Make this space somewhere to hang out and relax after a stressful day of essays or heavy night of less than sober antics.

Shelves stacked with DVDs, blankets for snuggles (and to combat cold!) and flat photos all make the house feel like your own as opposed to rented. It could be fun to have a wall of photographic shame or baby picture nostalgia. If you have a higher people to sofa space ratio, consider investing in some bright beanbags. These can be chucked in a corner and kept out of the way and easily dragged out when their comfort is required.

Whatever you choose to do, make the house your own with personal touches and cosy comforts!

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You, me and Zookie

Exeposé

Tom Shopland, third year computer science and business management student, launched online clothing platform Zookie with his friend and fellow computer whizz Tom Hargrave last week. Kitty Howie, Lifestyle Editor, caught up with the man behind the brand to find out more.

Lifestyle: What is Zookie?

Tom: We are a website which provides a platform for some of the best up-and-coming, independent clothing brands. At the moment we have 25 different brands and we’re adding new ones each week. We help independent fashion brands get discovered, and we help people find cool clothes they might not have heard of before.

L: Where did you get the idea from?

T: Last year I tried to start my own clothing company – but it was a bit of an effort. It’s difficult if you want to find out about a niche clothing company because you have to find their website off your own back – I thought to myself, why don’t you put them all in one place?

We are a website which provides a platform for some of the best up-and-coming independant clothing brands L: You’re still at uni though – how did you find the time to actually set up a business?!

T: Essentially through the “Could You be an Entrepreneur?” module, run by the Business School here in Exeter. You have to write a business plan – I got the idea and things kind of went from there. That’s the root of where everything started.

L: Zookie is a pretty memorable name – how did you think of it?

T: I’m glad you think so! We sat down with a whiteboard and smashed out name after name until we found one we liked. One of our next jobs is to get up the Google rankings! It’s

difficult to think of a name and get a website address at the same time.

L: What makes Zookie stand out against competition? It seems very similar to ASOS market place.

T: Naturally I’m going to sound biased, but it’s a better version of ASOS market place! Zookie is great because unlike our competition, it has a personal feel. My website has colour and a personality. The most important thing we do is that we really make an effort to sell each individual brand’s personality. We’re not just a white screen on Zookie. It looks like each individual brand has its own website.

L: Would you say that you’re quite selective with the brands you choose?

T: We’re trying to keep to two styles at the moment, the first being a sort of skatery, surfy kind of vibe and the second being like a “fresh” and current sort of thing. A lot of the people behind the brands I’ve been speaking to are other university students at the moment. The top I’m wearing is from Izes who are based in Loughborough.

L: You champion getting brands discovered. Other than giving them a platform, what else do you do to help promote their clothes?

T: At the moment we’re doing an album with our top 20 picks of the month in a lookbook sort of thing. We’ve done it so that when you click the products it takes you right through to their product info, all that kinda thing. We’re trying to be as helpful as we can to the brands to help get them discovered – the other competition doesn’t offer this.

L: You only launched the website last week and you’re already generating profits. Where do you see Zookie taking you?

T: Basically, we have 25 brands at

the moment. The short-term vision is that by Christmas we’ll have 100.

We want 10000 Facebook likes and 20000 twitter followers. We only set up our twitter a week ago and we already have 1000 followers!

L: And in the long run?

T: For it to get bigger and bigger!

An exciting feature we added to the website this week was the ability to sell worldwide which means we

The most important thing we do is that we make an effort to sell each individual brands’ personality can take on international clothing brands - things can only get bigger!

Our next big push is going to be a facility where each brand can upload their own images. We’re testing a tool for brand managers to upload and manage their own shop fronts. This will make Zookie more attractive to potential future clients because they’ll have more control: they’ll be able to create a space with personality and identity.

We also just sponsored the University’s Mountain Biking society and we have things in the pipeline for other socities and sports teams too.

would absolutely love more than anything to not have to go and work for some dickhead. We’ve already had someone approach us for an internship which is crazy. I was like – we’re only a week old company! This time three months ago before the launch of Zookie I was applying for internships myself and now people are wanting to come to us! It’s really exciting!

L: What are Exeter students going to like most about it?

T: The fact we feature student set-up and run brands who focus on current student fashion and trends. Tight Threads, for example, comes from Exeter.

New independent clothing brands are added to Zookie every week.

For more information, the best way to keep updated is to follow @zookieuk on twitter and by liking their facebook page /zookieuk. >> Tom Shopland in Izes. Photo credit Niklas Rahmel.

L: This sounds like it takes up a lot of your time!

T: It takes up a lot of time but I’m committed to it. I’ll come home from the Lemmy or whatever and then sit for another two hours on it.

L: What’s going to happen when you graduate – will you put even more focus into Zookie?

T: Oh definitely. It’s my job. I

Dare to go bareback Emily-Rose Rolfe, Lifestyle Editor, gives you the backbone to go backless in fashion THERE’S some new skin on show this season, and it’s disarmingly provocative. You show no boobs, no bum, no legs, yet you’ll get more double takes than if you showed all three. Ladies, it’s time to show your backbone to the night-time masses.

Whether your back feels brave and you want your top to hit the small of it, or you want to leave your curves to the imagination and show only a sultry pair of shoulder blades, it’s this underrated area of your delightful body that is asking to be put on display.

Some of you might be thinking that your metaphorical spine is far too weak to reveal your literal one. It’s almost like you feel you

have to stick to the tried and tested option of a tight dress that hints at a peachy bottom and perky boobs.

After questioning a small test

I have found that your confidence will sky rocket group of admittedly very confident girls, as well as testing this new trend myself (you’re welcome), I have found that your confidence will sky rocket when the compliments come rushing in. Your female friends will gush

at and be inspired by your style, and you’ll also be a hit with your guy friends. Trust me. The result of one item of clothing plus good posture will improve your mood and stroke your ego beyond all previous experience.

Practically, you need to ditch the Wonderbra and go for nipple daisies (whether industrial strength or light plaster looking petals). I’m sorry to say this to you, but publicly showing the back of your bra will never be seductive. It’s better to go bare than bra, no matter how proud Agent Provocateur would be of your lingerie.

For the bigger breasted woman, this backless trend should only be worked during cocktail hour. I

would never want your dancing to be restricted for fashion. Besides, the

Publically showing the back of your bra will never be seductive dance floor does not want to see your puppies getting too excitable. This trend is dignified enough to be taken to the most swanky locations in Exeter and, if you want to keep your cardigan on, it can stay your little style secret that you have the freedom to

expose if the right moment arises.

If your back is feeling self-conscious but still craves to be the star of your outfit, let it play peek-a-boo and wear a lace back. I know, this has been in shops for what feels like aeons, however from a little research this season’s high street has put the spotlight on your back. Exeter shops have faith in your confidence, and don’t want you to shy away from experimenting with what flatters your body shape.

Your backbone had better be ready to be flashed; it deserves to be drawn attention to. It’s strong and sexy and surprising. You’re keeping secrets whilst making people stop and stare. Why hold back?

Exeposé

| WEEK TWO

lifestyle

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

How’s it hanging?

Callum McGovern on feeling rough after a night out and what you can do to help yourself out the next day THE DANES call it ‘carpenters in the head’, the Germans a ‘tomcat’ and the Mexicans, quite appropriately, just feel ‘raw’. A rite of passage into adulthood, the hangover is something most of us have to suffer after a good night out (or in).

In a nutshell, a hangover is what I can only describe as a car crash of side effects we feel after a heavy bout of drinking In fact, as I write this, I’m sure there are students all over Exeter and beyond still nursing their poor heads after a heavy week of house music and cheap spirits. I’m the first to agree they’re not fun – and they play havoc with our heads and the rest of our bodies, leaving us physical and emotional wrecks, slumped somewhere between the bed and the toilet, wanting our mummies and making the classic move of saying we’ll ‘never drink again’. Yeah right.

In a nutshell a hangover is what

I can only describe as a car crash of side effects we feel after a heavy bout of drinking. These can range from the trademark moodiness, headache and nausea to things like drooling too much, a lack of concentration and even an increased heartbeat.

Hangover symptoms are as varied as the bar at Timepiece, and their seriousness is unsurprisingly linked to what you drank – and how much – the night before. Darker drinks – think red wine or whiskey, for example – are higher in toxins that worsen our hangovers, whereas white wine and clear spirits aren’t quite as bad. Likewise, the more expensive the drink, and the higher its quality, generally the fewer the number of toxins. There you go – one step to avoid feeling like a bear with a sore head the next morning is to steer clear of that £3.99 bottle of rosé at The Co-op on your way into town.

But it’s not just how many 2-for-1 Jägerbombs you manage to put away that decide how bad you’ll feel the next day: your stature, your age, your gender (women get worse hangovers than men, apparently), your alcohol threshold (that’s whether you’re a lightweight or not), whether you had anything to eat beforehand and

how much sleep you’ve had all play a part. So unfortunately, there are some things we can’t control. Sorry girls.

In my hours of sobriety and hang-

It’s not just how many 2-for1 Jägerbombs you manage to put away that decide how bad you’ll feel over-ness, I have looked for hangover cures. My efforts were in vain, so don’t try and look for yourself because there is no real cure. Alcohol and all its spiteful friends get into our bloodstream, making them difficult to just ‘get rid of’.

That said, as sensible students, there are a few things we can do to at least minimise the effects.

ON THE NIGHT: 1. Eat before you begin drinking. Something high in fat (pizza’s a good move) will help to limit the amount of alcohol soaked up into the bloodstream as it sort of creates a lining in the stomach. Milk can do the same thing, but

eating something isn’t a bad idea.

2. Drink water throughout the day before and the night itself. It might seem like a bit of a chore, but getting into the habit of drinking a glass of water with every tipple is worthwhile.

3. Never mix grape and grain!

Choose beer, wine or spirits at the start of your bender and stand by your choice - if you start mixing then you’re taking in even more alcohol.

THE MORNING AFTER 1. Eat something. If you can really stomach it, a fry-up might do you good.

If you’re a bit more delicate, then take in bland, simple carbs like bread or crackers to help raise your glucose levels.

2. Water. Again. Again. Again.

3. Get some sleep. It’s hard to fall asleep when you feel as though you’ve walked across the M25, but sleep will let your body do its job and (most importantly in my eyes) give you a break from feeling rough.

Ellie Jesson gives you five tips to help to improve your ass-ets

1. Google.

Cara Delevigne, Ryan Gosling, Miranda Kerr… I spent last year with a fridge covered in fitspirational photographs and a fridge magnet quoting ‘Back Away Fatty’. Whilst I’m yet to wake up looking like a Victoria’s Secret model, this constant reminder that you don’t get a six pack by eating half a dozen chocolate mousse’s for dinner definitely helped.

2. Join a sports team Exeter has a huge variety of AU options, from Lacrosse to Boxing, so there’s sure to be something you’d like to get in-

3. Stash!

The other bonus of joining a sports team!

Go on, spend that student loan – not only will you feel like you fit in when you’re mooching around the gym (even if you’re just watching the Kardashian’s on the treadmill) but wearing it onto campus essentially guilt trips you into doing some sort of activity. Plus there’s the satisfaction of leaving your lecture and breezily declaring ‘Oh yah, I’m just off to the gym’ – even if you’re out of breath by the time you’ve reached the front door.

4. The gym itself!

Want to know why everyone looks so good during Baywatch? Because they spend the rest of their time working out. It’s hardly a secret that good bodies come from hard work, so going to the gym is essentially window shopping for Wednesday TP. It’s also a proven fact (perhaps not scientifically) that staring at a rugby players arms makes planking 78 per cent easier – satisfying for both your abs and your overall wellbeing.

5. Go to a fitness class.

Don’t think Zumba is going to be your thing? It’s fine, everyone else there looks ridiculous too. You needn’t spend a fortune on gym membership either – BodySoc puts on a wealth of classes at a more student-friendly price. Really can’t bear the thought of working out in

a brightly lit room full of people? YouTube is your friend – rope in your housemates, put on your loudest music and rock out to one of hundreds of free workout routines (though if, like me, your living room window happens to open onto the street, it may be best to close the curtain first – you may feel like Beyoncé,

but that may only be in your own head).

Essentially, there’s only one thing to do – get involved. Your abs will love you, as will your older self when you don’t gain the dreaded freshman fifteen. See you in the sports park!

Tweet us @ExeposeLStyle Exeposé Lifestyle @ExeposeLStyle Genuinely the proudest we’ve been with your response to content everyou freshers are defo the best contributors we’ve had! #futurejournos Owen Keating @owenkeats few phrases antagonise me more than “cheeky pint”. What exactly is “cheeky” about having a pint, aged 18-22ish, at university.

Sam Jackson @ smajckson I think I may just go crazy at Freshers Fair and sign up for everything Kitty Howie @kittylikescake In the queue for arena. #whoami #jeanvaljean Beth Wright @BethWright26 Day 2 of term and there’s not a spare seat in the library. Seriously?!

Hannah Peck @hannahkaatie Feeling a spontaneous haircut tomorrow #goodbyebrass

Anna Collin @annacollin93 I love the lemmy and @ExeterECU love the lemmy and for that we should all be greatful. Thank you. #guildtimes Olivia Luder @olivialuder I have been living off Galaxy Bubbles and Tic Tacs for over a week. On over 8 boxes now #puttingthefreshinfreshers Jonathan Jenner @JonJenner Someone reeeeeeally needs to set fire to all the computers in the print shop so we can start again. Christ this is painful.

Connor McGovern @connorjmcgovern There is a #peacock wandering around outside my block. Yes, PEACOCK

>> Russel Seal Fitness Centre. Photo credit Niklas Rahmel.

Exeter – one look at the lycra-clad bodies of Stocker Road and the seemingly endless supply of Kukri trackies in the library can tell you that. So what’s a physically demotivated undergrad to do? Find inspiration, of course.

volved in – and most societies boast excellent intramural teams as well. Having a group of other people relying on you to turn up makes it far easier to get out of bed and up the hill to the sports park (which quite frankly counts as exercise in itself).

Tweets of the week

Magda Cassidy @Magdacassidy can’t stop looking at China’s beautiful new baby pandas!! Even cuter than Regina the obese hedgehog’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ vid #sorrymiley

Ab-solutely fabulous LOVE it or hate it, sport is a part of life in

19

Harrison Jones @HarrisonJones7 Smart price bread should come clean and just call itself sawdust loaf. #StudentBudgets Toby Craddock @TobiasCraddock Overheard in Timpiece: “I was like ‘GIN’ and you were like ‘MULBS’” Holly Alsop @hollyalsop writing an essay about Lara Croft, Brad Pitt and the peculiarities of Cosmo magazine. College is great. #women #popularculture Charlotte Winter @CharlotteWinte1 As a third year I don’t think I should be allowed to have freshers’ flu #wah

20

Music

Music

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @ExeposeMusic

1 OCTOBER 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Exeposé

MUSIC EDITORS

Magda Cassidy & Josh Gray music@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Music

Listings Tue 1 October Pearshaped Launch Party Cavern Sun 6 October Various Artists Firehouse Tue 8 October Drenge Cavern Wed 9 October Kink Exeter Launch Night ft.

Mausi & Dive in Cavern Sun 12 October Eats Everything Phoenix Tue 15th October Canterbury Cavern Sat 19 October Oxjam Multiple Venues Sun 20th October Babyshambles Great Hall

R U Kidding Me? Arctic Monkeys AM Domino

Sun 20th October Jake Bugg Plymouth Pavilions Tue 22 October Temples Phoenix Tue 29 October Brother & Bones Mama Stones Sun 10 November Editors Great Hall

One to Watch

Editors @ The Great Hall Ok they’re a bit gloomy. Ok they’ve lost their guitarist. Ok we’d all forgotten about them for a while. But no matter! Their new album’s coming out soon, and who doesn’t want to scream along to ‘Munich’ and ‘Blood’.

I FEEL I should preface this piece with the fact that I am, or at least once was, very proud to call Sheffield’s finest my favourite band. From the acclaimed ‘Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not’ through to the mixed reviews of ‘Humbug’ and ‘Suck it and See’, I have always been able to find a way to defend Arctic Monkeys. Yet as I sat down and AM IS more than a simple album, it’s an aural seduction that plucks on your heartstrings like they’re strung to a battered old Stratocaster. Every genius couplet that slithers fully-formed from Alex Turner’s crooning lips feels like an ice cube melting as it slowly slides down your spine.

Each beat replaces the rhythm of your heart with the off-kilter palpatations of Matt Helder’s deep-impact drumming.

Every rise and fall of the backing falsetto harmonies just makes you want to strip down and wander naked through the wild. Arctic Monkey’s fifth record

Flop or top? Exeposé reports from the frontline of the AM debate

pressed play on AM earlier this week the straw broke the camel’s back. They’re just not as good as they used to be.

AM cannot be slated completely. It contains pure gems such as singles ‘Do I Wanna Know’ and ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High’ which in my humble opinion, although lyrically somewhat poorer than the poetry of the first three, maybe even four, albums, are catchy enough and musically good enough for me to almost still rate them alongside ‘Brianstorm’ and ‘Mardy Bum’, despite the lack of lyrical flair.

However, aside from the singles and maybe one or two album tracks, there are few stand out, quality tracks on AM. ‘One For the Road’ could be half decent if it didn’t contain that awful echoey opening and unnecessary backing vocals, whilst ‘Number One Party Anthem’ is one of the worst things the is simultaneously a love letter, a drunken text and a snatched whisper with a forbidden lover in a hidden booth.

AM is a love letter, a drunken text and a snatched whisper Right from the off AM promises unrestrained passions and heady sensuality. ‘Do I Wanna Know’ wields a riff as slinky as a velvet vixen that underpins Turner’s assurance that ‘The night was mainly made for saying things that you can’t say tomorrow day’… Sigh … After this stroke of the thighs AM slides its questing fingers further north, leading to the frantic intensity of ‘R U

band has ever produced and sounds like they wanted to make ‘Piledriver Waltz’ fifty times more dull. ‘Snap Out of It’ could have been made by any average mid-noughties indie band during their

‘I Wanna Be Yours’ is just the epitome of cringe

‘poppy’ phase, ‘Mad Sounds’ is something I could fall asleep to – and not in a good way – and their use of the dialectical word for electricity in ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ is just the epitome of cringe.

Turner may still have the occasional poetic turn of phrase – few and far between as they are - but Helders is rarely given the opportunity to showcase the drum skills we heard in most tracks from the first four albums and the guitar parts are Mine’… Shudder… Things come to a mid-album climax with the double penetration of ‘Arabella’ and ‘I Want It All’… Sweet Sugary Goodness…

Before the post coital cigarette of ‘No .1 Party Anthem’ and the sweet pillow talk of ‘Mad Sounds’, in which Alex breathes sweet Lou Reed-esque longings into your ear.

But the Arctic Monkeys, those stylish yet sweet master teasers, haven’t finished with us yet. With album highlight ‘Fireside’ AM judders back into gear with a vengeance, wrapping its muscular arms around us as if to say ‘Hey, up for round two?’ It manages to sound both powerful and passionate without overpowering our silly little souls and then leads into the endearing

never anything special.

AM seems to be the Arctic Monkeys’ identity crisis.

It is inconsistent: neither a good indie record nor a good R & B album nor a solid rock LP; and most of all, it’s just a little bit average. NME said they thought the band’s peak was yet to come (despite giving AM an outrageous 10/10), but to be honest I think they passed that point years ago. I will still be interested in seeing where the Arctic Monkeys progress to in the future yet I have little hope that they will ever reach the exceptional standard of their first two albums.

EMILY TANNER DEPUTY EDITOR trouser-fumble of ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When Your High?’. Things get sweatier and sweatier until the untouchable ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ slides deep into you, bringing tears of happiness to eyes tightly screwed shut. Just listening to this song evokes more powerful emotions than any long-awaited kiss after years of hidden desire. Alex’s yearning cry melds with the fabric of the universe and cannot fail to raise the hairs on the back of any doubter’s neck.

Listening to AM is better than falling in love; it’s the revelation you’ve always been in love… with four young gents from Sheffield.

JOSH GRAY MUSIC EDITOR

Exeposé

| WEEK twO

Care to be Kinky?

Magda Cassidy, Music Editor, chats to Lewis Lawrence about Exeter’s coolest new live music night to get bands like Muse or Foals, there’s something incredibly special about seeing a group shortly before they’re huge. People always enjoy that, especially if you see them in an intimate

“WE USED to go to all the way to Bristol and Plymouth to try and see good up and coming bands. When we got bored of that, we decided to try and bring them to us”. For Lewis Lawrence, co-founder of student run record label Blanket Records and founder of Exeter’s newest music night, the core motive behind Kink Wednesdays is clear, “We made the night based on what we as students would want, so hopefully there’ll be a real market for it.”

Kink will run every other club dominated Wednesday from 8pm2am, uniting high quality music with a traditional good night out. “The Cavern is a good space, but it’s wasted on way too many house nights and bands that don’t hit the student market” reasons Lewis. “While Exeter’s not big enough

Kink’s increasing calibre of bands has made booking bigger acts easier venue like The Cavern”. Kink’s first acts, Mausi and Dive In, might fit this ‘about to blow up’ criteria, and suggest a decent taste essential for the night if it’s going to graduate to fielding bigger names someday. “People always enjoy seeing a band shortly before they’re huge, like when Alt-J played here two

years ago.”

Although initially a difficult task, Kink’s increasing calibre of bands has made booking bigger acts progressively easier. “Social media has been really useful too; it’s easy to spot a band that’s going to hit the big time. When we saw Dive In go viral on Hypemachine for example, we knew they were worth snapping up while they were still relatively unknown.”

“I’ve done my research and there’s no other night in the South West quite like us. We hope to make Exeter one of the best cities in the country for up and coming music.”

Tickets for the launch are £6 and are available online.

Get in tune: online and on air Head to Exeposé Music Online for more information on Kink, a spotlight feature on Lil Dicky, our verdict on Rizzle Kicks’ latest album and a review of 2000 Trees. www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Photo: Emily Cobb Photography

Building Bridges Josh Gray, Music Editor, headed over to The Old Firehouse for a chat with Bristol’s Bridges

BRISTOL has no shortage of up and coming guitar bands, but Bridges stand out from the herd. On stage they exhibit a sheer enthusiasm for the songs they’ve perfected over the last year; “75 per cent of the songs we played tonight we haven’t played before” reveals Ethan Proctor, lead man and rhythm guitarist, “The sounds getting better and we’re getting a lot tighter”.

This show marks the genesis of an new era for the group, as they’ve spent a gigless summer rebuilding their set to suit the addition of new guitarist Josh Redman-Thomas with the result that they’re confident that they “sound so much bigger now”. When questioned about how this addition has changed their sound, Ethan compares their progression to Foals’, “I suppose that’s where our sound’s heading now; we used to be about dirty rock dance tunes, now we’ve gone a bit more Foals-y with duelling guitars” The Firehouse is the perfect venue to appreciate just how tight the band are. After solid support by acoustic acts Kathey Giddings, David Johnson and Ben Jackson (the latter of who’s throaty

MUSIC

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

croon must have had any fresh girls present buckling at the knees) Bridges sonically control the small yet eager dance floor, with future classics such as ‘Hunt In Packs’ elevated a higher plain thanks to the rough vocal harmonies of Ethan and drummer (and ex-Exeter uni student) Joe Lane. But since the last time they played the venue their performance is noticeably more crowd orientated, and the band’s assertion that ‘We’re trying to make sure everyone’s having a good time’ is backed up by their more extroverted set. Before epic closer ‘Fire’ the manically addictive chorus is taught to a willing crowd, adding what can only be described as a ‘stadium-ish’ dynamic to the set. All in all it was a performance that sounded more suited to the larger venues of Bristol where they’ll hopefully be frequently performing over the next year. Bridges themselves certainly don’t lack faith in their upward trajectory, “We were at Glastonbury this year sitting and watching the Rolling Stones saying ‘we’re going to be there soon. I mean, not where the Stones are, but…”

If you’re looking to get involved with student radio, then look no further! The Xmedia Music Show is a fortnightly collaboration between Exeposé and Xpression FM. If you want to get involved like us on Facebook and email us at music@exepose.com

Alter Bridge Fortress Roadrunner ...............................

METAL CORNER

Out 8 October

FROM the dulcet, flamenco opening tones on Alter Bridge’s new album, I was admittedly impressed by their riffing: the rare combination of delicate and forceful strikes like a sniper’s bullet with the minimalistic and clinical precision that we’ve come to expect from Alter Bridge.

The bridge sections are emotive and feel like they mean something to Myles Kennedy, but they also smack of self-indulgence. However, they lead very nicely to some rather heavy and anthemic chorus sections.

The harmonies are tight and show a clear link of creative thought between Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti

21

- each band member working very nicely together and showing a far more mature artistic effort. In spite of this, as is a general problem with fourth albums, the musical progression and ‘maturity’ appear to stifle any ‘new’ sound. The raw flair and timelessness of their seminal work, Blackbird, seems to hang over them like the Sword of Damocles.

I was not exactly hooked by the new album. The songs, whilst certainly well considered on the part of the artists, have almost a blended quality - they merge quickly into one another to form an admittedly rather good muddle. The guitar solos suffer in a similar way - they are fast, melodic, occasionally bluesy and certainly well placed – but lack originality. As for the riffs – the guitar work is of high quality, but the initial catchiness of the opening track is quickly lost to some average, paint-by-numbers Alter Bridge material.

The musical progression and ‘maturit y ’ app ear to stif le any new sound This is by no means at all a bad album but, for all the flair and musical talent, it seems a rather mundane affair.

If you like chunky riffs with melodic interludes, this won’t disappoint; but the main feeling I got from Alter Bridge’s latest effort was ‘So what?’

SAMUEL BAKER

Exeposé Music’s Bogus Debate!

We posed the question: ‘Cheesy Tuesdays at Arena: best night ever or den of filth?’

James Lloyd and Ben Clarke, Online Music Editor, got back to us with this...

JL: WHEN I first heard the topic of this debate I was genuinely quite horrified.

How could anyone not love indulging in the weekly wonder we call Cheesy Tuesdays? Now I am ready to admit that I am not as keenly committed as some; one of my friends pre-booked tickets for every single Tuesday in Term three, and unfortunately I missed out on getting a ticket for Cheesys in Freshers’ Week, but I suppose that gives due credit to the night’s popularity that weeks before everyone had even got back to Uni tickets had already sold out.

What makes this night so great then? Well, it boils down to the choice of music (and the nomenclature of the night gives that away). Don’t get me wrong, there are other great nights out in Exeter, Timepiece is a particularly diverse venue, especially on big nights (Big Band will be playing on Halloween, a night not to be missed!), however, Cheesy Tuesdays is quite probably the only place where you don’t feel utterly ridiculous yelling ‘I’m a Barbie girl’ at the top of your voice.

The atmosphere and the music are unequivocally linked: a blast from the past. Everybody relives a bit of their childhood when they hear one of their old time favourites come on as everyone once again “reaches for the stars” and “follows that rainbow”. Now I admit, one of my major criticisms about some nights out is that they play solely modern club tunes which, although enjoyable and decorated with some

pretty decent rhythmic riffs, the majority of them tend to be rather musically and lyrically uninspiring: here’s looking at you Kid Cudi. Okay, “Stacey’s mum has got it going on, wow-oh-wow-oh” is hardly that inspiring, but I don’t care about that, because when I was a child, I didn’t worry about those sorts of things, hell, I can shamefully own up to my first ever CD being Steps’ Steptacular…

That’s the great thing about Cheesys, you go with your mates and have a great laugh, and there will always be songs that someone loves and remembers. Can’t go wrong really!

BC: I ABSOLUTELY hate Cheesy Tuesdays. And, given the glaring misspelling of ‘cheesey’ on the event poster, I’m pretty sure the powers that be at Arena share my distaste for their gorgonzola strength slab of ostensible ‘entertainment’. To understand my cheese aversion you must understand my character. I’m all about cool dance nights at The Cavern and Cellar Door and I just love deep house and minimal techno.

But last Tuesday when my housemate planned a night out at Cheesy’s for her birthday, I deigned to join the Arena party. I was gutted to miss the Thieves night across town, but I thought it would do me little harm to dip my toes in the mainstream and see what all the fuss was about.

I made sure I drank a lot before venturing out, but waiting in the trailing queue sobered me up. The agonising

shuffling forward gave the appearance of a group of condemned criminals awaiting a public execution. Upon passing the burly bouncer I paid a small fortune for the cloakroom, only to be greeted by that sickening stench to which the name of the night is dedicated.

By this time, the Birthday girl was already being sick in the toilets; they say eating cheese before sleeping gives you bad dreams, now I was living out my own cheesy nightmare alone. I took this as my cue to queue again for a drink that I hoped would numb the senses and stop the smell. They didn’t stock Red Stripe so I downed a couple of Jung Bombs. The liquid was thick and the glass was hot.

Then something strange happened. I was overwhelmed by a wave of euphoria as the ominous opening to ‘Baywatch’ shuddered into life. Calm flooded my soul. It was as if some cheese-eating deity controlled me. I felt an irrepressible urge to take my Obey top off and swing it about my head like a revolutionary flag of freedom. I was stripped of all existential angst and musical pretentions. In that liminal moment nothing else mattered.

Then I understood: you cannot be against Cheesy Tuesdays, for Cheesy Tuesdays is life. I was converted. But I cannot tell anyone. I must remain closeted, and keep up my veneer of musical snobbery and artificial romance with obscure future garage remixes by ironically named DJs. A ripe slab of brie used to be my guilty pleasure. Now I find comfort in a different type of cheese.

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26/09/2013 18:46

Exeposé

| WEEK two

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Newsreel Emmy awards gain larger audiences Winning its greatest viewership since 2005, 17.6 million tuned in to watch Neil Patrick Harris host the latest awards ceremony. Big winners included Steven Soderbergh’s Behind The Candelabra and the staggeringly intense Breaking Bad, with Exeter University’s very own Abi Morgan also picking up the Best Writing award for BBC’s The Hour.

Jerry Bruckheimer splits with Disney The veteran producer, most well-known for his involvement in the Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure franchises, is to part ways with the company after The Lone Ranger failed to turn any profit, losing $190 million.

With an affiliation spanning two decades and covering 27 films, Bruckheimer claims that he is ready to move on.

The Walking Dead set for spin-off While details are sparse at the time of writing, the hit series is to see another adaptation of the comic books set in the same universe with a fresh cast of characters. Expected to release sometime in 2015, it aims to show a new corner of Kirkman’s world and expand upon the current series’ huge financial and critical success.

The Radio Times celebrates 90th Birthday To celebrate the occasion, a poll was conducted to create the ‘ultimate TV schedule’ from the votes of over 30,000 viewers. Rather expectedly, old favourites such as Doctor Who, Only Fools And Horses and the much loved Sir Trevor McDonald topped the list.

Gosling Vs. Cumberbatch In the fight of the century, Screen asked 99 students who they thought was hotter: Ryan ‘The Gos’ Gosling or Benedict ‘I bring all my Cumberbitches to the yard’ Cumberbatch. With the results in and counted the winner was (unsurprisingly) announced as Ryan Gosling, with 56 votes to 43 - despite a certain Exeposé editor’s attempt to rig the votes...

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Rush finds the winning formula Carmen Paddock watches Ron Howard’s directorial return shift into top gear Rush Director: Ron Howard Cast: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Alexandra Maria Lara, Olivia Wilde 123 mins (15) FROM the theatrical trailer, it appears that Ron Howard’s first directorial project since 2011 will appeal only to sports and Formula One fans. It is a pleasant surprise when this proves entirely untrue. Rush follows the intertwining on-track careers and personal lives of James Hunt (Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Brühl) - one a carefree playboy with great natural talent, the other a brilliant tactician willing to work his way to the top - throughout the 1970s, culminating in their battle for the 1976 world championship. The compelling narrative, centering on the drivers’ clashing personalities and progression from bitter rivals to mut u a l

admiration, would be an enthralling tale even without the dangerous thrills of Formula One. The supporting cast all deliver strong performances (Alexandra Maria Lara is especially stunning as Lauda’s ever-supportive wife), but the film belongs to Hemsworth and Brühl; thankfully their dynamic performances prove more than worthy of carrying the film.

Hemsworth’s Hunt wins the heart of raci n g spons o r s , several ladies, and the audience

through embodying the British superstar’s wild ways, witty self-depre-

Rush’s greatest achievement is making two deeply flawed protagonists sympathetic cation, and exuberant confidence. However, he keeps his portrayal from devolving into caricature by imbuing Hunt with a sense of loneliness underlying his charisma, perhaps an emotion

he attempts to fill with the track’s life-or-death thrills. Brühl, who met with Lauda several times to prepare for the role, effectively changes his accent and mannerisms to become the endlessly determined, brusque-to-thepoint-of-offensive Austrian. Anyone familiar with the 1976 championship will know that Lauda’s career takes a terrifying turn; Brühl keeps every ounce of characteristic blunt stubbornness whilst giving viewers glimpses of (understandable) mental distress.

His nuanced performance may well be awards-worthy.

While some of Howard’s recent projects have not lived up to the greatness of Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Frost/Nixon, Rush is arguably of their higher calibre. Howard’s eye for cinematography and framing shots is particularly striking, notably in the harrowing hospital sequences and exquisite melding of archival footage at the end. He is aided by Peter Morgan’s smart screenplay and Hans Zimmer’s effective score; the former keeps the plot’s pace moving briskly whilst the latter evokes both the excitement of 1970s Formula One and its lethal undercurrent.

Rush’s greatest achievement is arguably its ability to make two deeply flawed protagonists incredibly sympathetic, involving viewers in their fierce competition and often equally tormented personal struggles. While the film centers around the ultimate contest, it is hard to take sides whilst wishing for both drivers to succeed.

Headshot: Rachel McAdams FOR many, Rachel McAdams will always be synonymous with the blonde bombshell and super bitch Regina George. The teen movie classic Mean Girls brought the actress to the world’s attention in 2004, thrusting her into the spotlight and away from her expectations that her career would simply revolve around stage productions in Canada.

Her popularity flourished with the release of box office hits such as the tear jerking The Notebook and hilarious rom-com Wedding Crashers. But just as it appeared the actress’ career was about to really take off, McAdams unexpectedly withdrew from public life.

In a break from acting that lasted for the majority of 2006 to 2008, the actress famously turned down top roles in The Devil Wears Prada and Casino Royale.

The actress has since said that although

the pause from acting was not entirely intended, it offered a welcome break as she was beginning to lose control over her career decisions.

Whether this brief hiatus hampered McAdams career or not can’t be known, unless of course we make use of time travel, a plot device it appears the actress is fond of. Having previously appeared in time bending romances The Time Traveller’s Wife and Midnight In Paris, the release of About Time earlier this month sees McAdams in her third role in a time travel story.

Significantly, all three see McAdams play the role of the wife or girlfriend, the significant other who continues living life in chronological order while her screen husband or boyfriend bounces through the eras. This has added to the recent criticism that McAdams has gained for her choice of roles.

After playing string of love interests, Time magazine accused the actress as “coasting” in “unabashedly romantic movies,” a critique shared by others who suggested her talent was wasted in these kind of films.

With her charming former flame (and Exeposé Screen favorite) Ryan Gosling calling her “one of the great loves of my life” it’s easy to see why McAdams is suitable for these stock lovable roles. However, despite her career break perhaps affecting her chance to move onto more significant roles, surely McAdams initial promise and ability to deliver a host of other hilariously cutting one liners as Regina George (“Boo, you whore!”), grants her the right to a few more meaty parts in the future.

EMMA HOLIFIELD BOOKS EDITOR

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Screen

More to Yorkshire than Pudding Eleanor Davis tackles Channel 4’s latest fly-on-the-wall series Educating Yorkshire Cast: Thornhill Community Academy 2013 Channel 4 Season 1, 5 Episodes AT first, Educating Yorkshire seemed a light-hearted, stereotypical portrayal of life at comprehensive school ‘upNorth’. Yet I am unashamedly hooked.

The fly-on-the-wall style accesses classrooms, staff rooms and even the formidable Head Teacher’s office and it’s concoction of sentimentality and everyday humour makes for more than just lazy viewing. Having only recently left my own comprehensive secondary school, the pupil/staff relationships and playground politics are hilariously familiar. During my teen years, I loathed the idea of teaching; now, it

has captured my imagination.

The first episode introduces the new Head Master at Thornhill Community Academy, near Dewsbury, Mr. Mitchell. This undoubtedly charismatic, bald-headed, no-nonsense character epitomises Educating Yorkshire. His

I began thinking: I want that relentless sarcasm and drive to do good life aim is to create “decent human-beings” – a more difficult task than you might think. As Mitchell dances in to the tune of ‘There May Be Trouble Ahead’, an hour of entertainment ensues. His determined passion to improve Thronhill’s grades, put truanting “bums on seats”, and remove ridiculously excessive make-up is quite

infectious. I began thinking; I want that relentless sarcasm and drive to do good! I suddenly wanted to shout “you’re in school do maths!” and “if that’s style you can keep it!”

Maybe I could find my calling in the classroom, as so many of these teachers seem to have. Although the pupils, for example Year 10’s Bailey, are a source of laughter, enquiring “D’ya like my eyebrows? I shaved ‘em all off”. Their personal stories are heart-warmingly intriguing, yet never sob stories. The scars on her face, from a vicious dog attack, explain the ridiculous, pubescent caking of make-up and uncover greater truth behind troublesome-teen personas. The novelty of secondary school documentaries may soon wear off but to me, that candid reality will always be oddly inspiring.

Breaking Bad: Remember my name Jonathan Blyth gives his verdict on the cult drama’s legacy OVER the last six years, through countless plot twists, genre shifts and film homages, (and one long bottle episode about a fly), Vince Gilligan and co have charted the progression of one man’s ascent into criminal godliness, and descent into evil. The current era of television, often called the Golden Age of Drama, has been obsessed with tortured protagonists since Tony Soprano. Breaking Bad stands as the most critically acclaimed of this era of anti-villains, with three Emmy wins for Bryan Cranston in his role as Walter White. So now that Walt is leaving our screens, are we going to see an end to this style of character?

Tension drives conflict. Conflict drives drama. Drama makes for, who’d have guessed it, good drama. And whilst tension and conflict can come from external sources, the last few years of television have clearly shown that the best drama comes from internal struggles. Some of Breaking Bad’s most compelling scenes have come from observing Jesse and Walt wrestle with their own innate villainy, or watching characters make tough choices between their priorities. For those of you who are already well acquainted with the series, compare these scenes to the finale of season two. This mostly superficial, externally-driven event is widely considered Breaking Bad at its weakest. Homeland has a similar problem. Most of the

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large-scale CIA thriller scenes feel like an add-on to the real show, a 24 knockoff left in to drive up viewers. Homeland’s strongest sections are those concerning Damian Lewis and his personal struggles, similarly to Breaking Bad being most emotionally compelling when it deals with the internal.

Ultimately, shows such as Homeland, Mad Men and B o a rd w a l k Empire will continue to provide drama based around villainous protagonists, and thus we a r e unlikely to see an

end to this style of character. However, Breaking Bad has been one of the most watched and talked about shows of the last six years; what will fill its place? What will the next era of television be? The significant surge in horror and surrealist based shows over the last two years, including American Horror Story, The Following, Bates Motel and more recently the critically acclaimed Hannibal suggests that viewers are keen on seeing a darker, stranger tone in televised drama for the next few years.

Or will Agents of Shield, created by the critically adored, fanatically loved, and consistently cancelled Joss Whedon begin a push towards more relaxed shows dominating our screens. Despite already being a cultural and critical darling, Game of Thrones seems the most likely to replace Breaking Bad as the show of choice for television connoisseurs and the average viewer alike.

We cannot be sure of where television will go after Walter White and company (or whoever is left alive) leave our TV’s and Netflix queues. Perhaps in five to ten years we will see a show claimed to homage the Breaking Bad era, as Breaking Bad itself does to 70s exploitation cinema.

All we can be certain of is, one of the greatest shows ever created is finishing next Sunday, and its impact will be felt for years to come.

Exeposé

Screen Asks This week, Screen asked which Great British Bake Off contestant’s house you’d most like to go round to for tea James’ house from series three, so I can steal his knitted jumpers! Plus it’s always handy to have a doctor when there’s that many cakes involved.

EMILY TANNER DEPUTY EDITOR Brendan’s house to tell him he was robbed. Controversial...?

NATALIE GARCES-BOVETT Rob. He makes satellites, he must have got so many cool gadgets at home!

NIKLAS RAHMEL PHOTOGRAPHER Kimberly from the current series because of her smile - you just know she’s going to be really nice and doesn’t seem like the kind of person to slip you a sly rohypnol. Not that

I’m paranoid or anything...

KITTY HOWIE LIFESTYLE EDITOR Glenn, you’d never leave hungry with the size of the cakes he makes!

Fed for a week after tea at his.

ALICE NICHOLSON Toby - he had potential that was never quite fulfilled. He looked like he just really needed a hug!

MEG DREWETT EDITOR I’d like to go round to Frances’, because although her concepts can get a bit much week-to-week, she seems very cute, has a great imagination and we can bond over our fringes.

MEGAN FURBOROUGH SCREEN EDITOR

Campus Cinema Review: The World’s End The World’s End Director: Edgar Wright Cast: Martin Freeman, Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike 109 mins (15) THERE are few films more suited to the cosy comforts of the Campus Cinema than Edgar Wright’s The World’s End, the final, thought-provoking instalment in the unofficially dubbed “Blood and Ice Cream” trilogy, which have changed Simon Pegg and Nick Frost from North London newcomers to global comedy behemoths.

The films starts, appropriately, in therapy. Simon Pegg’s Gary King is struggling to let go of his youth, and while the skinny jeans themselves might not be fading, his capacity to keep up the facade of eternal youth certainly is. Here begins an occasionally crass, constantly funny look about what it’s like to be a man and suddenly realise that you’re in your forties. Depressing?

Not a bit. Gary is joined on the Golden Mile, an infamous bar crawl around his home town by his fellow lads of yesteryear, who also failed to complete the crawl as they left school.

Snappy dialogue comes thick and fast, as Gary tells Andy (played by the wonderfully grown up Nick Frost), that his

decision to order a water at the bar is like ‘seeing a lion eating hummus’.

Like many of my own nights out, things get a bit weird after the fourth or fifth pint. The rest of the town are strangely subdued, and there’s a bit of a blarney in a bathroom where the old timers take on some youths and find that said teens are actually filled with blue gunk. And are also robots. Like I said, weird. The sweaty, Sunday casual

Like many of my own nights out, things get a bit weird after the fourth or fifth pint wearing cast decide to fight their way out, and fist-pumpingly funny carnage naturally ensues.

Unlike Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, this film gives at least a nod towards the complications inherent in the male condition. As the film rushes towards its heart-warming, mildly random conclusion, it mixes humanity with humour, as these one time boys realise that maybe, just maybe, they still have a chance at being men. And finishing the Golden Mile, obviously.

OWEN KEATING NEWS EDITOR

As Hot As... the hot or nots of this summer’s film news HAROLD AND KUMAR – Kal Penn has revealed that production for the next instalment in the hit ‘Harold & Kumar Get Droned’, is already underway. After a consistent nosedive in quality since the first film, we’re not exactly hopeful.

Cumberbatch

DEXTER - 2.8 million viewers tuned in to watch what some are calling the lamest series finale ever of the serial killer drama. After eight series Dexter has finally been laid to rest, and hopefully the writers have too.

BRYAN CRANSTON – The TV veteran is set to play Dalton Trumbo in an adaptation of the controversial Oscar winner’s life. With a story rich in industry isolation and accusations of communism, Cranston will surely nail the role.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO – Leo has been confirmed to play Woodrow Wilson in an upcoming biopic. Will DiCaprio follow in the footsteps of Daniel Day Lewis or will he be hung out to dry for an Oscar yet again?

HOMELAND – After an excruciating wait Homeland is back, and hits UK TV at the beginning of October. At Screen we’re so excited that our faces are permanently contorted in homage to Claire Danes’ much loved cry face.

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Exeposé

| WEEK two

Books Term has started and summer is now well and truly over. Here’s a run down of the top five books left in Travelodges over the summer.

Other books in the list include The Great Gatsby and Bradley Wiggins’ autobiography.

1. Fifty Shades Freed - EL James Last year the first in the Fifty Shades trilogy topped the Travelodge list, with the last installment ranking 4th.

It looks like readers stuck with the series over the year and a whopping 1209 people abandoned their copies of the third book Fifty Shades Freed.

2. Bared to You - Sylvia Day Labelled by some as jumping on the Fifty Shades band wagon, Bared to You is another erotica title that graced the list. The abandonment of titillating tales in this genre fits the general trend in recent years of erotic fiction being left in Travelodges.

3. The Marriage Bargain - Jennifer Probst Despite sporting one of the worst book covers Exeposé Books has ever seen (seriously, google it!), The Marriage Bargain has somehow managed to get onto the New York Times bestseller list. If the content is anything like the cover, it is unsurprising that it’s left in Travelodges!

4. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn On the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne’s beautiful wife disappears. As Nick finds himself a suspect in her disappearance, secrets about his wife begin to come out providing plenty of plot twists and suspense. The best selling thriller is acclaimed by critics and is now being turned into a film starring Ben Affleck.

5. The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling With many viewing the superstar writer’s move away from the Harry Potter fandom as a bit of a flop, it’s perhaps not surprising that it got left in hotel rooms over the summer.

Will her new book under the pseudonym Richard Galbraith suffer the same fate?

The top five left behind in 2012 were Fifty Shades of Grey, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, Fifty Shades Freed and The Hunger Games.

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Does the Commonwealth need a common prize?

In this issue’s debate Emily Tanner, Deputy Editor, examines the benefits of opening up the Man Booker Prize while Elli Christie, Books Editor, argues the plan has many flaws To me, a good book is a good book.

Whoever wrote it, wherever it was written and in whatever language, if it makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you feel something, think about the world a little differently or just gives you half an hour of entertainment before you fall asleep at night, then it’s a good book.

Recent controversy surrounding the new rules of the Man Booker Prize may have some grounding – in a piece last week, DJ Taylor wrote in The Independent that

The prize is simply becoming increasingly international the new rules would overshadow “provincial” writers from Britain – yet surely the international nature of the award will now increase competition and may even prove that said “provincial” writers are just as good, if not better than their equivalents across the Atlantic.

I never realised until recently that I am quite a fan of American fiction.

America offers an array of exceptional contemporary authors, as much of my summer reading has proven, and surely deserves to be recognised in a prize that already includes the Commonwealth. It is not as though the Man Booker has excluded many and extended its hand towards the world’s superpower, instead the prize is simply becoming increasingly international in order to represent the widest variety of outstanding fiction published in English.

There is no reason that the new eligibility rules will automatically generate a culture in which big publishers and international literary superstars will win the Man

Booker each year. I would hope, maybe naiively, that if a twenty-year-old receptionist’s debut work about growing up on a council estate in Yorkshire is better than the work of a Yale graduate who is swanning around in the literary circles of New York, the Yorkshire lass’ novel would be victorious and the Yale grad would be kept off the shortlist. Admittedly the literary world may not work in such idealistic terms, but in allowing the small fish to compete with the ocean giants the competition will become fiercer, something which could increase the quality of this country’s writing and will ensure that the best book will win.

Had changes not been made to the Man Booker’s rules. I’m not

When the literary world learnt that the Man Booker Prize was changing its criteria, which amongst other things would allow American writers to enter and would greatly increase the chances of the larger publishing houses, there was universal shock. The prize has not suffered from any substantial controversy over the past couple of years and it is hard to argue that the standard has dropped. Recent winners have inclued Bring Up the Bodies and The Sense of an Ending, as well as

AGAINST

It is hard to argue that the standard has dropped all those other books from the shortlist.

Many writers that I admire are American or would not have qualified for the Man Booker prize

FOR

I think it’s great - there’s a lot more variety now.

There’s even more books to choose from!

EMMA HOLIFIELD, BOOKS EDITOR CRESSIDA TRAVIS

sure I,or many others, would have called the award exclusive or argued that it did not represent the whole range of English language fiction. Yet since these changes have now been made it seems better to look at the award as inclusive and international, as a prize which will let the good books, the great books, truly shine amidst all other exceptional ET

There’s no point opening up the Man Booker Prize when the Pulitzer prize remains closed.

The decision to change the criteria of the Prize was clearly not unanimous, since Antonia Fraser finished her association with the prize when it was announced. Such a strong action by a leading literary figure, who has been involved since the Booker’s beginnings suggests to me that the Booker is starting to lose sight of its history and what has previously differentiated it from other literary prizes, such as the Pulitzer or the Costa. Furthermore, this move makes the Man Booker International prize almost obsolete, since this prize was introduced in 2004 to reward writers who were outside the scope of the Man Booker itself.

under the old requirements. However, I do not think this was detrimental at all to either writer or prize. Not only is there the Nobel prize for Literature, encouraging competition across countries and continents and rewarding idealist literature that benefits mankind, there are a whole host of other prizes that reward individuality and uniqueness instead of attempting to choose an overall winner.

In an age of transnationalism it is difficult to define what is meant by British anyway.

This move makes the Man Booker International prize almost obsolete I will still look forward to the longlist and shortlist announcements along with the final result but with an increase in possible applications I can only feel sorry for the judges. Previously there has been a reading list of 120 books for the judges to wade through and this is only likely to increase as the larger publishing houses are now able to enter more than one book, as well as many more houses now qualifying to enter, which could in future also present multiple entries.

The Man Booker has survived changes to its requirements in the past but the motivation behind this prize seems to self centredly believe that the Booker is the most important and well regarded prize, despite it being only one in a host of significant prizes.

EC

This move disadvantages British writers at a time when the arts are already suffering.

CLARA PLACKETT, DEPUTY EDITOR MEG DREWETT, EDITOR MEGAN FURBOROUGH, SCREEN EDITOR

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Condensed Condensed Classics Classics Silas Marner George Eliot (1861)

“A man falling into dark waters seeks a momentary footing even on sliding stones.”

Despite being the shortest of George Eliot’s novels, this timeless tale triumphantly restores the message that fortune, whether seemingly bad or good, will always reward the innocent and good willed and punish the sinners of society.

Silas Marner follows the title character’s fall into a well of isolation, bitterness, and greed after being wrongly accused by his community. He is only pulled out when he unexpectedly finds an orphan, Eppie, who becomes his source of affection and strength. Filled with rambling yet poetic sentences and beautifully crafted figurative language, Eliot’s novel not only recites the awakening of her characters but also inspires the reader to have faith in leading a honourable life. cHARLOTTE EARLAND

Author Profile Khaled Hosseini AFTER initially abandoning literature for a career in medicine, Khaled Hosseini proves that you don’t have to study writing to be capable of beautiful prose.

Being born in Afghanistan, Hosseini’s family left the country for Paris in 1976. Plans to return to his homeland were quashed by the invasion of Soviet troops, creating a violent state of unrest that made it impossible for his family to return. They instead sought asylum in the United States, where he and his siblings excelled. While writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, he followed a disciplined schedule, getting up at 5am to write for three hours before going to work at a medical facility.

A habitual short story writer, Hosseini was inspired to write his debut novel by memories of his own childhood spent flying kites in Kabul. The resultant work, The Kite Runner, shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for two years. His books

Hosseini is fantastic at portraying the devastating lack of control his characters endure have received acclaim from readers and critics alike and have increased in popularity with the release of a Hollywood film, stage performances and graphic novel adaptations of The Kite Runner.

Hosseini’s popularity has led him to give up work as patients began inventing complaints so that they could come and get copies of his book signed.

All of his novels include frequent allusions to pertinent information about Afghanistan’s political past. This offers a unique opportunity for the common

About a Girl Lindsey Kelk CHICK-LIT shouldn’t be chained to the sun lounger…

The latest novel from chick-lit sensation Lindsey Kelk is arguably the perfect summer read. However, if you’re already pining for the sun after returning from a far-flung exotic escape, curl up on the sofa, add another week to summer and ignore the Exeter rain.

Tess Brookes is a super-organised career girl working in marketing, but when her career and personal life take a dramatic turn for the worse she’s forced to reevaluate.

After accidentally accepting her flat-mate’s photography assignment to Hawaii, Tess is flung into tropical

Her hilarious writing style flows easily chaos. Dealing with vain models, difficult clients and a hunky journalist who just wants to get into her trousers, Tess must decide whether or not to continue masquerading as ‘Vanessa,’ or return home to face reality.

Lindsey keeps you guessing throughout with this one. Her hilarireader to become associated with important issues in the country. Hosseini is fantastic at portraying the devstasting

Abrupt and heart wrenching plot turns lack of control his characters endure as a result of political unrest. Events involving the Taliban, America and the exodus of Pakistani refugees all create many abrupt and heart wrenching plot turns in the lives of Hosseini’s characters, ripping them away from normality.

Hosseini makes the country’s complex politics accessible and I’ve come away from each novel feeling much more aware of Afg h a n i s t a n ’s rich history, as well as being eager to learn more.

T h e cross-generational span of his books is a distinctive feature of Hosseini’s work that is used even extensively in his latest novel.

A n d The Mountains Echoed, his third published work, focuses on the lasting affects

ous writing style flows easily, and the lovable, stand-out characters can be effortlessly related to. Yet, immersed in the witty style are snippets of wisdom that it’s okay to let go of identity for a while, to dare to escape, and to want to sleep with that self-centered bad-boy.

With a somewhat abrupt ending

Immersed in the witty writing style are snippets of wisdom and slightly predictable plot, the novel doesn’t quite measure up to the immensely popular I Heart series or Single Girls To-Do List, but the delicious setting almost makes up for it. Kelk puts a fresh twist on the bad-boy plot, and as usual her unique writing style will have you laughing out loud. So, if you’re longing for cocktails, parties and sun loungers, delve into About a Girl.

Also written by Lindsey Kelk is her breakthrough I Heart series. Follow Angela Clark as she falls in love with New York, Hollywood, Paris, Vegas and London.

Natalie Clark of giving away a child. His love of Afghanisatan’s beautiful poetry is clear and infuses every part of his sensitive works.

Offset by war and terror, as well as themes of brotherhood, love and, most poignantly, the regrets accumulated with age, Hosseini’s writing promises to strike a chord with any reader. With poetic language, compelling characters and plenty of suspense, his books make incredible reads and I can’t recommend them enough. Just ensure you’re prepared to cry, I’m yet to meet someone who didn’t find themselves welling up!

Emma Holifield Books editor

oh comely Bi-monthly £4.00

AT a time when most magazines marketed predominantly at women seem intent on giving their readers a complex, the beautifully designed independent lifestyle magazine oh comely is a relatively new and welcome addition to WH Smith shelves.

Founded in 2011, this bi-monthly has all the music, recipes, film and fashion you could want in your magazine fix, but it’s unique in its resistance to deal with these in the tried and tested ways. Each issue is themed—the Sepember/October 13 edition is homage to all things space, and the features range from the wonderful and the bizarre to the everyday and the forgotten.

It isn’t hard to see why its tagline urges readers to “keep your curiosity sacred”; with an interview with the Pope’s astrologer, illustrations of animals that met their fate en route to space and a recipe for ‘stargazey pie’ (that is, a Cornish fish pie where the fish heads are left perpendicular on top the pastry), oh comely has a knack for telling life’s smaller stories.

Telling life’s smaller stories Indeed, its eclectic variety of illustrations, photography and writing give the magazine the wistful and understated charm of a scrapbook.

Exeposé

This is a magazine full of unexpected delights, and if it wasn’t for the open, honest writing and sense of humour it could all feel a bit twee. It avoids this, though, with thought-provoking features such as “Seaside Towns”, a raw and poignant collection of portraits by Anthony Gerace of Sussex and Kent seaside resorts out of season.

Other highlights include a think piece on alcohol in space, a how-to guide on building your very own rocket and “The Familiar”, a strange and compelling short story by

It refuses to be categorised and resists defining its target reader Fab Gorjian. The whole magazine seems, in fact, strange and compelling in the way it refuses to be categorised and resists defining its target reader- there is very little advertising space.

If you are arts-minded, curious, or even just a magazine junkie looking for something a bit different, oh comely is a glossy unlike any other that will show you some of the world’s weird and wonderful things that you didn’t know you wanted to know.

Bryony izzard

Any Last Words?

This week we asked for your favourite back to school moments to celebrate the start of lectures Darren Shan trying to return to school while mulling over whether or not to be killed by a vampire he met in an abandoned theatre was not only pretty dark, but actually very harrowing for an 11 year old me. I may not have recovered.

OWEN KEATING The Haunted School from the Goosebumps series. Not enough kids nowadays are warned about the possibility that you’ll be trapped in another world after a camera steals your soul during a class picture.

ROB HARRIS Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Coming back to uni inevitably ends up with me and my housemates baking cakes of the same epic proportions as the chocolate masterpiece Miss Trunchbull makes Bruce Bogtrotter eat. NOM! EMMA HOLIFIELD

Got to go with The Worst Witch as I always feel as unprepared as Mildred Hubble when a new term begins!

ELLI CHRISTIE Hard Times always reminds me of my stern Northern education between shifts in mills.

EMILY TANNER Coming back to university always reminds me of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys as the boys endeavour to gain a place at Oxford or Cambridge.

Granted we are at Exeter but the book makes me remember my academic journey to uni. On top of that I can’t help hoping I might walk into a class theatre to find an eccentric Hector-like lecturer to brighten up my course.

SOPHY COOMBES-ROBERTS

Any Last Words is a quick and easy way to get in the paper, with a question every fortnight which can be answered through the Exeposé Books Facebook group, twitter @exeposebooks, and email: books@exepose.com.

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Arts Diary Our regular Arts Diary column shows you all the important events going on in Exeter Freshers’ Week...

Art

Wasted @ RAMM Ends 19 September

Comedy

Exeter Comedy Club @ Exeter Corn Exchange 4 October, 8:30pm Daniel Sloss: Stand-Up @The Exeter Pheonix 10 October, 8pm

Theatre

TORO! TORO! @ Northcott Theatre 8-12 October, 7pm Attempt The Bikeshed 10,11,12,18 October, 7:30pm

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1 OCTOBER 2013 |

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ARTS EDITORS

Sophy Coombes-Roberts & Ricky Freelove arts@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Arts

Just another brick in the...

Arts Editor, Ricky Freelove, talks toys and sculpture with leading brick artist Nathan Sawaya WHEN it comes to modern art, I, like many, have no huge desire to see a Barbie face burnt, and be expected to search for a deeper meaning as to what this could mean. However, when it comes to art in the form of toys, a new type of sculpture has emerged in the last 13 years, and who better to discuss this with than The Brick Artist himself: Nathan Sawaya.

Sawaya’s art focuses on large-scale sculptures using only the very basic and elementary children’s first building blocks: LEGO® bricks. Most of his work is three-dimensional, although he does create some two-dimensional portraits, with a reoccurring theme of Star Wars in both dimensions. It’s hard not to look at Sawaya’s sculptures and secretly think, “Hey, I could do that.” But his ability to transform LEGO bricks into life-like beings with real devotion to their scale and perfection enables him to elevate an ordinary toy to the status of fine art.

I had to chisel away literally days worth of work For years, Sawaya’s touring exhibition: ‘The Art of the Brick’®, has entertained and inspired art lovers and enthusiasts. Now, with four exhibitions touring North America, Asia and Australia, Sawaya is inspiring millions around the globe. Each exhibition focuses on LEGO as a medium of art. The crea-

olution using children’s toys. Sawaya said he realized his success after “I had created a website, www.brickartist.

When my site crashed one day from too many hits, I realized it was time to leave the law firm and go play with bricks full time com, to showcase my artwork in a virtual gallery. When my site crashed one day from too many hits, I realized it was time to leave the law firm and go play with bricks full time.”

When it came to the transition from lawyer to professional artist, Nathan said it was tough to make that leap and in terms of when the change came it depended on how you want to look at it: “Some would say it took a few minutes, and when I made up my mind, I was ready to go.

But then others might say that it took years before I was ready to really leave my successful law practice behind to go play with

sneak preview as to what he was doing at the moment… to no avail. When I asked Nathan what he is working on at the moment he replied bluntly: “A new exhibition for Europe”. I later asked which of his pieces was his favorite, he answered very secretively but alluringly: “The next one”. So it looks like we Europeans may be in luck for something bigger and better than anything we’ve seen of his before.

Sawaya is completely dedicated and devoted to his work. Just from reading a bio on his work I was struck by his strenuous work ethic and went on to ask what it’s like when nearing completion of a piece. He responded enthusiastically: “It is almost impossible to leave the studio if a sculpture is near completion. At times I will think I only have a few hours more work and then spend the whole night working to finish a piece.” He then went on to discuss the creation of his most famous piece Yellow: “When I was working on a piece titled Yellow, which depicts a figure tearing his chest open while thousands of LEGO bricks spill out, I was nearing the end of the piece and I spent almost a full 48 hours in the studio working to complete it.”

Naturally my destructive-child side came out and I questioned whether he had ever had an absolute

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‘Spring Awakening’ Shotgun Theatre 21-23 January Production team wanted, email js518@exeter.ac.uk

‘Lost If Found’ Theatre With Theatre 7-9 November

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tions, constructed from nearly one million pieces, were built from standard bricks beginning as early as 2000. In 2011, CNN named The Art of the Brick on the top 12 must see exhibitions in the world.

Nathan Sawaya comes from an educated and professional background; he attended NYU School of Law and later became an attorney. However, he soon realized he would rather be sitting on the floor expressing himself using LEGO bricks, than sitting in a boardroom negotiating contracts. It was then that Sawaya rediscovered his beloved bricks and indulged in his inner child to create what many believe is a new art rev-

bricks f u l l time.”

After asking the basic and serious questions I thought I might be able to get a

nightmare with a piece and dropped it or smashed it.

He replied very politely: “Nothing dramatic, but since I permanently glue my sculptures together there are times when I

need to chisel apart sections of a sculpture that I am working on.” He soon conformed and he went on to describe a ‘nightmare’, which I had originally asked for: “I was working on a gigantic sculpture of a hand a few years ago. As I was approaching the base of the fingers, I realized that the proportions of the palm were not right. I had to chisel away literally days worth of work. It was a difficult time. You need a lot of patience for this job.”

I had a massive inclination to then ask Nathan how many times had he stood on a LEGO brick in bare feet, but decided I should retain at least some professionalism. Instead I decided to delve into what drives him to continue making such marvel sculptures and where his inspiration comes from. “I know the main reason I pursue my art is to inspire others. Hopefully inspire them enough to pick up a LEGO brick or whatever they have handy and create something on their own. My pieces grow out of my fears and accomplishments, as a lawyer and as an artist, as a boy and as a man.”

I was nearing the end of a piece and I spent 48 hours in the studio working to complete it As the interview drew to a close I finally asked Nathan what advice he would give to students who are considering leaving the professional world of work in order to pursue their own personal interests?

H e replied deeply saying: “It is important to pursue your passions. Only then are you really going to be satisfied with your life. It doesn’t have to happen overnight, but take time to find out what makes you really happy.”

To see more of Nathan Sawaya’s work visit www.brickartist.com. There is a possibility that Yellow may become a miniature LEGO set. If you are interested in helping Sawaya’s campaign he needs to reach over 10,000 supporters to make this a reality. Please follow the link below and register to support this project http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/ view/17353

Exeposé

| WEEK TWO

‘How I lost my Rocky Horror Virginity’

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Laura Christopher reviews the 40th Anniversary production of The Rocky Horror Show WHEN I first informed my father that I would be going to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show he graciously offered to lend me his fishnets and then added that his bask was probably a little too big for me.

I also realised what a great testament they were to the incredible durability of the show now entering its fortieth year of production. So what if Rocky Horror rather embarrassingly traverses generations? That does not make it any less outrageous, funny or deliciously salacious.

For all you complete Rocky Horror virgins out there, Patrick O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Picture Show is a musical comedy horror about two virginal sweethearts, who breakdown and seek refuge, only to

Exehibition Every issue, Exeposé Arts features a piece of student art. This week, it’s student artist, Jemima Hubberstey DESPITE being an English Literature student, it is surprisingly difficult to describe myself as an artist. Art is normally what I do when words no longer make sense, when I can’t string an articulate sentence together and language is totally alien to me. Art is my catharsis, a creative outlet for relieving any anxieties or negative emotions. Whether or not one believes in ‘l’art pour l’art’, I think the creative has a huge effect on one’s state of mind.

There is something enchanting about animals in art, and I particularly love the works of George Stubbs and Cecil Al-

encounter a household led by the alien transvestite Dr Frank N. Furter.

But don’t be put out by the way it sounds; don’t judge a book by its cover. Alien transvestites, murder, scientific experiments and lots of sexual relations combine to produce the explosive production that is Rocky Horror.

As every frequent Rocky-goer knows, participation is key in Rocky Horror whether you’re joining in the enthusiastic heckling by screaming “slut” every time Janet Weiss is mentioned, inventing your own smutty quip, whipping out your newspapers and torches, or just joining in with the ‘Time Warp’. All barriers between cast and audience are down. You’re all there to embrace den as both artists capture so much of the animal’s expression and animation.

I try to do the same in my own animal portraits- I may be slightly batty but I really think that animals have their own characters as much as humans do. When I draw some dogs there is so much energy it is as though they want to jump out of the picture, while others could happily doze off and sit quietly while I draw their noses. At times I do feel a bit like Miss Potter, talking to my drawings and smiling at their expressions.

The type of materials I use depends on the subject, as different mediums can help to enhance certain features of the subject’s character. By choice I will nearly always use chalk pastel as I think it gives a lovely soft effect. If I want a picture to make more of a statement, then acrylic has a lot of vivacity and gives a picture a lot of body.

the madness, simply enjoy the experience and just remember there will always be someone looking more out of place than you.

I was dubious as to whether any Frank N. Furter could ever hold a candle to the iconic Tim Curry. I was pleasantly surprised as Oliver Thornton pulled it out of the bag as

Blue Stockings Shakespeare’s Globe

24 August- 10 October BLUESTOCKING (n). - an intellectual or literary woman.

As women, it’s easy to take our modern day privileges for granted such as our rights to vote, work and our education. Don’t worry, you need not fear. I am not a feminist preacher about to highlight the endless woes of women, but am instead portraying my reaction to Jessica Swale’s Blue Stockings, currently showing at Shakespeare’s Globe, from which I was astonished to learn that women, despite working their stockings off, only won the right to graduate in 1948.

Set in 1896 Victorian England, Swale’s Blue Stockings follows the girls of Girton College, Cambridge, as they battle their way through the first year of university, caught against the profoundly misogynistic backdrop of unrelenting professors and judgemental students, whilst trying their best to contribute towards the world of science. Their passion for knowledge is

Summer Exhibition The Royal Academy FOR the past 245 years the Royal Academy of Art has put on its Summer Exhibition, the world’s largest open-submission exhibition. Over 11,000 entries from established artists and newcomers alike are whittled down to a final (and still generous) 1,200 artworks put on display, meaning that the Summer Exhibition could very well offer art-lovers the best value for money in London (unless of course they were to purchase Mimmo Paladino Hino’s £106,775 work on offer this year).

It’s hard to get bored as there is so much going on at the exhibition. Not only is the sheer variety of art on offer exciting, but so too is the way they are displayed. Each of the exhibition’s 14 rooms often bring together several mediums through what is known as the ‘salon hang’; a dense covering of artwork,

the murderous transvestite alien, full of energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the challenging role. With this role so expertly filled the play progresses with entertaining ease, but I also found Rachel Grundy and Ben Forster as Janet and Brad just as satisfying for my Rocky Horror needs.

Once a clandestine cult experience the show has become gradually more mainstream, for instance many of the songs were performed in the hit American TV show Glee. But no matter how cringingly mainstream or old this show gets, it never gets tired and is full of life, energy and definitely worth a watch.

brutally marred by social prejudices that scorn women for their supposed hysteria and inability to think rationally. Fighting for their right to graduate, the women must prove themselves to the rest of the country; nevertheless, as hard as they try they cannot quite manage to escape the responsibilities that

one of the students, we united together, hissing at his unjust attack on his fellow classmates and breaking into elated cheers when he finally received his well-deserved comeuppance. At points, it seemed to lack direction as the plot more than often strayed to focus on Tess’s love endeavours; nonetheless with standout performances from both Gabrielle Lloyd, playing the leader of the battle, Miss Elizabeth Welsh, and Sarah MacRae, playing the girls’ mentor, Miss Blake (also giving an excellent performance as Helena in the Globe’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream), these flaws went almost unnoticed.

I am not in any way saying it rivals the work of Shakespeare – the Old Bard won’t be turning in his grave anytime soon over a renaming of his theatre to ‘Swale’s Globe’ – but if you’re in London at any point over the next week or so, why not head over to the Globe for an entertaining and thought provoking production.

Fighting for their right to graduate the women must prove themselves to the rest of the country are expected of them as women.

It in no way helps when Tess, played by Ellie Piercy, falls in love with ‘a boy she met in a library’ and strays from her path that was once dedicated to her education, blindly drifting into the cruel hands of those who already see her as an intolerable burden on the potential for progress.

Swale’s production was all at once comical, inspiring, enlightening and infuriating. The audience both sympathised with the characters and at times, viciously despised them – in the case of without signage, covering the walls in uneven ranks. Despite the potential chaos in such collisions, it is an incredibly engaging style of display in which visitors are given freedom from predetermined curatorial decisions.

This year’s Summer Exhibition winner of the £25,000 Charles Wollaston Award was artist El Anatusi, for his creation TSIATSIA Searching for Connection. This external artwork, a tapestry of found objects – predominantly aluminium bottle tops and copper wire – made a shimmering statement as it enveloped Burlington House. Inside, rooms II and III were the most promising, delivering intricate and detailed works that visitors could appreciate without the screaming colours of vast abstract expressions clamouring for attention found elsewhere. However, in a quiet corner of room III was my favourite piece of the exhibition: Everything Meets Here, a delicate pencil composition by Jessie

AMRITA PAL

Brennan. Artists Francisca Prieto and Alexander Korzer-Robinson also impressed for the third year running with their charming artworks using the medium of paper. A standout of the exhibition was Grayson Perry, who stole the show by having a whole room dedicated to his tapestry series The Vanity of Small Differences.

Overall, the Summer Exhibition is certainly not for the faint hearted! Year upon year I find myself recollecting the artworks that I found banal, ugly and ridiculous as much as the brilliant ones…

Nevertheless, for its rare and unusual nature it’s worth enjoying once a year at the Royal Academy. With such a veritable lucky dip of mediums, there’s something for everyone and the Summer Exhibition is a brilliant endorsement of what the art world has to offer.

LAUREN SWIFT

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Grand Theft Awesome

Alex Phelps gets lost in the satirical, decandent, and down-right ridiculous city of Los Santos. Yoga anyone?

Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar North

Xbox 360/PS3 Out Now BEFORE I go into any detail about Grand Theft Auto V, I can say that gun to head (or grenade launcher) it is the best game I have played - not just this year, but ever. I find myself constantly surprised by the sheer ambition of this game. Everything, from the vast and varied environments of mountain ranges and cityscapes, to the tiniest details of trees swaying and waves foaming, has been done with such care and attention.

Rockstar has taken the lessons of all their previous titles such as GTA IV, L.A. Noire, Red Dead Redemption, and even Max Payne, to deliver their best project to date.

GTA V puts you in control of not one, not two, but three characters. Each one comes from a different walk of life and brings their own unique special something when you select them. First

is Franklin, with a similar background to San Andreas’ CJ but much more believable. Next is Michael, a retired bank robber with a family, who is itching to get back into the game. Finally there is Trevor. Well, I’m going to let you discover Trevor for yourself, but if you’ve seen the trailers, you will know why.

This feature is perfect as each character brings their own unique dynamic to your experience. They each have special abilities, which boil down to Franklin’s slow motion driving, Michael’s bullet time and Trevor’s rage mode. Swapping between characters is seamless as the camera zooms out the map and then homes in on the character you chose. When you find your character they could be doing anything, such as Michael on a bike ride with his son, or Trevor passed out naked on train tracks. I found myself swapping between them constantly just to see what insanity they were all up to. The missions are much more varied than GTA IV’s ‘go here and shoot that’ approach.

On GTA V you plan intricate heists and hire crews that can determine the success

of your robbery. You can fly jets, drive boats and just about any vehicle you can think of. The missions are so varied that when you start one you never quite know what to expect.

As always with a Rockstar title the dialogue is sharp and hilarious. Whereas in GTA IV the focus was a satire of the American dream, GTA V has gone for recession and economic crisis. Rockstar pokes fun at everyone. From far left and far right politicians to rednecks and douchebag businessmen. There was never a moment when I was not laughing either from a deep parody or just a dumb gag. Banter between the three main characters reinforces this, as does every simple interaction you as a player make with the world around you. Rather than the seriousness of IV or the silliness of San Andreas, GTA V strikes a balance between both narrative and overthe-top fun. Much thought obviously went into giving a lot to the mission-driven

Gunning for greatness Hey now Rockstar, get your game on, go play.

EVEN with three months left on the calendar it would be safe to assume that the race for Game of the Year 2013 will be a three horse race, and boy, what fine stallions they are. With Bioshock: Infinite, The Last of Us and now of course the sensational Grand Theft Auto V all ranking up there as some of the best games of the now waning current console generation, you would think that deciding on a definitive winner would be a near impossible task. The strange thing however, is that it has always been clear cut who the victor would be, and always has been ever since the first trailer rolled out nearly two years ago. People will of course always have preferences as well as a diverse range of opinions when it comes to games, but the atmosphere produced by the sprawling city of Los Santos will continuously place Rockstar North’s magnum opus firmly above nearly all competition.

Before we can truly come to grips with why GTA V’s game world is such a success, a closer look needs to be taken at both Bioshock and The Last of Us. When stepping into either universe, one is faced with a nuanced, finely tuned style that clutches the player’s head and heartstrings in such a way that you are guided throughout the action by one single overarching thematic vision. This results in a carefully controlled environment for the story to unfold in relation to the gameplay, and while of course this rigid approach is responsible for some

of the industry’s most memorable creations, Grand Theft Auto V manages to take it one step further and evolve it into something truly unique.

With a map larger than that of San Andreas, Red Dead Redemption and GTA: IV combined, Rockstar have fashioned a world where the atmosphere can be both tightly constructed and freely twisted to form a setting where a character’s, and indeed the player’s, personality can evoke numerous different contextualised impressions of each location. Take the psychotic Trevor and the barren, dusty countryside on the outskirts of the city. To him, it is his home, a space for him to drink, race, fly planes and *cough* kidnap and kill people. Where he lives and acts paints a perfect picture of who he is as a person, giving the player a certain sense of identity when they take control. Put Franklin into this position however, and things become more jarring. For a humble street hustler raised in the dense, working class projects of Los Santos to be exploring small, filthy trailer parks in the middle of nowhere, it makes the environment all the more alien, even though nothing has actually changed.

All of this points to a near perfect relationship between gameplay and atmosphere that truly encapsulates the unruly sense of liberty and freedom that the series is famous for. While its rivals may have built brilliant living worlds

of their own, G r a n d Theft Auto V’s universe lives,

breaths, maims, and jokes its way to the very top.

ROB HARRIS SCREEN EDITOR

fans and those of us that just like to cause some carnage.

As the last hurrah of the current gen GTA V looks incredible, pushing these consoles to their absolute limit. Whether you are in a helicopter hovering above the glorious Los Santos skyline or taking a dirt bike around the magnificent Mount Chiliad, the game never fails to provide visual delight. Lighting is perfectly rendered and atmosphere is always thick.

There are simply too many little bits of beauty for me to list. So many times I have had to stop and just take in the deep and picturesque world Rockstar have made.

Overall if I had to describe GTA V in one word it would just be “fun”. No matter what kind of player you are, this will appeal to you. There are countless mini-games and activities, including tennis and yoga, tons of collectables for the comple-

tion-ist, and an arsenal of weapons for the more psychotic of us. Many times

No matter what kind of player you are, this will appeal to you I have seriously questioned my mental health after five minutes with a grenade launcher. The online version, which will be released at the beginning of October, only seems to further enhance the carnage as you can bring your friends along on your adventures. The detail and effort put into the sandbox make it not only it the best game of its kind but also the best game of this generation. Truly I have never had so much fun or found myself so addicted to a game before. While GTA V is not for everyone and never will be, if you are thinking of buying it then just do it. I guarantee you will not be leaving Los Santos anytime soon!

Exeposé

| WEEK TWO

GTAverage Mostly in tune - but are people deaf to Rockstar’s wrong notes?

GRAND THEFT AUTO V represents the manifestation of all the experiences and skills Rockstar have compiled over the years. It’s an amazing, well-con-

If you want a positive review of the game, look somewhere else structed game, and after playing it for many hours straight I sincerely believe that it will be my game of the year.

But I am not writing here to exuberantly praise the game – there are plenty of reviews which do that already.

Rather, I want to dedicate this review to all the flaws this game has, which most reviewers seem to skip over as they gush about the game. If you want a happy, positive review of the game, look anywhere else on the internet. But right now, there are several problems which hadn’t really been addressed by most other news sources.

Firstly, there is no option to instantly appear near mission givers.

While the massive, vibrant world is a joy to explore, it soon became a hindrance. Every time I needed to go to a mission, I needed

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to drive for 5-10 minutes just to get there, then perhaps a further 5-10 minutes to get to the mission’s objective.

Secondly, there is no GTA Online at launch day. I am aware that they had problems with the online portion before release, so they decided to delay it to improve the service. However, I find it unacceptable that they have developed a game for five years with the biggest budget in video gaming history, yet they can’t give their consumers the full product on release day. No matter which way you look at it, it’s a case of poor planning. No-one should accept this as being fine and normal, especially when most people are paying full price.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the gunplay is average at best.

Most of the time you will be bracing against some sort of cover, then popping up like a jack-in-a-box to kill any enemy senseless enough to poke their head out from cover. The guns also lack any great impact, feeling more like pea shooters at the best of times. While Rockstar had added more variety to their missions, you are still expected to hold a gun in most cases, and they are an absolute bore to use. Give Infinity Ward some cred-

it; while they get bashed for repetitive gameplay, at least they designed their gunplay much better than Rockstar over the years.

Please understand that I absolutely adore this game. I could have rattled down all the amazing experiences I had with my flatmate as we explored the world, and you would have walked away satisfied. But most reviewers seem to skim over these important flaws, and I feel that it is vitally impor-

It’s unacceptable they can’t provide the full product on release day tant for you all to hear about its virtues as well as its vices before you purchase it. I can only hope that future reviewers will do the same.

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GTAV Sandbox Special Our writers share their favourite picks of GTA V The Skydiving cheat. Then attempting to hit pedestrians/cars and you plummet to the ground.

Tom Ffiske Pressing X and B at the same time to faceplant whatever happens to be in front of me at the time.

Jack Merrell That dogs shag each other.

George ‘Boyo’ Pearcy Its anti-gun stance is commendable...

Meg Drewett Uppercutting pedestrians.

Hugh Dignan Like the Saw movies, I was impressed to see the continuation of another classic entertainment series.

Alice Nicholson

Trevor just Trevor.

Alex Phelps How it’s on PC on release day. Oh wait…

Rob L Newnham Free stickers I can put on my knee.

Niklas Rahmel Teaching me to be a more considerate driver.

Becky Mullen I always wanted a yoga simulator.

Karina Johnson Stripping down to briefs and running wild with the deer.

Rob Harris Taking a taxi to work, because I can’t afford it in real life.

Gemma Joyce

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New Sandbox questions are posted each issue.

One less convert Why GTA V doesn’t deserve our full marks

TOM FFISKE

“One of the best video games ever made!” claims IGN, “Nonstop fun!” cries The Guardian. With rave reviews from almost all major games media outlets, and having set records for the amount of money it has made to date, Grand Theft Auto V is enjoying the praise of millions. But should we really be awarding such a shamelessly misogynistic game such high admiration?

Should a shamelesslesy misogynistic game be awarded praise?

Gamespot Editor, Carolyn Petit, recently came under fire for marking the game down to 9/10 with her only main criticism being the lack of depth, and violence towards, female characters in the game. While no one can deny the quality of engineering, it’s variety of missions and the quality of gameplay, refusing to review such a massive piece of popular culture within it’s social context is blind and dangerous.

And reviewing it within one and refusing to acknowledge it’s flaws in the final mark is even worse.

It’s like a lecturer giving you a first for an essay

because it was beautifully written but you’ve thrown one random paragraph in the middle that argues in favour of throwing puppies off cliffs becoming a new Olympic sport.

Should we throw puppies off cliffs in the name of national pride and sportsmanship? No. Just like we shouldn’t reduce female characters to archaic stereotypes in the name of being satirical to an audience who are picking up a controller to be immersed in a new world, and not necessarily to laugh upon and imitate the sad and harmful downfalls present in our own.

Rockstar Games missed out on an opportunity to do something new with GTA V, but all they’ve done is retell the offensive jokes that have become antiquated since 2001 when the series started. They were offensive then, and they are offensive now.

Perhaps if the series was able to develop it’s cultural awareness as much as it’s technical mastery it would

They were offensive then, and they are offensive now be deserving of the titles so nonchalantly dished out by the reviewers with the most influence. With female involvement in the industry being debated and sometimes rejected by a community often tarnished by the comments of trolls and bigots, GTA V, to me, gives an excellent example of a reason women are continuously put off the gaming world. If you’re offended by the joke, you don’t get it. And if you don’t get it, you’re not welcome here.

GEMMA JOYCE GAMES EDITOR

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Exeposé

Miss-Gendered in World of Warcraft

It’s a man’s world in Azeroth, but Laura Wilson argues the problem lies with the community, not the developers.

IN 2007, Blizzard Entertainment released a handful of commercials entitled ‘What’s Your Game?’ to advertise their highly successful MMORPG World of Warcraft. Mr T, William Shatner, Ozzy Osbourne and Jean-Claude Van Damme all participated in the two-minute video spots encouraging more people to join the already seven million strong WoW community. But where were the women?

Independent research

by Nielsen carried out in 2009 demonstrated that over 400,000 women were playing the game in the United States, and WowInsider’s comment on these figures went so far as to say: ‘it’s definitely true World of Warcraft and PC gaming in general is no longer only the domain of the male demographic.’ Perhaps not, but sharing the domain with the demographic, which

WoWInsider implies had the foothold for so long, is not always a comfortable experience for the female player.

I joined WoW towards the end of the Cataclysm expansion, having been introduced to the game by my boyfriend at the time, and was welcomed into his at least 100 strong all male guild.

Nice as they were, interaction always seemed tainted by the fact that I was addressed

as

the guild officer’s girlfriend.

Becoming disinterested in the activities of the guild, I instead actively sought out aspects of the game that interested me. I cooked my way to level 525, fished up gold coins in Dalaran and slogged for over a month to obtain a Hyjal Bear Cub companion. Although fighting and killing wasn’t my interest, I would never suggest that any game content is inaccessible for the female gamer. If the female demographic is growing in WoW then there must be lots of different elements that appeal to them.

There is plenty of room for female involvement in feats of physical strength and, in fact, some of the most powerful end bosses are female in gender, such as the naga queen Lady Vash’j and the black dragonflight broodmother Onyxia. Dragon/humanoids such as Alexstrasza and Chromie are also excellent examples of strong female characters, fighting for the overall peace of the kingdom. In both playable and non-playable characters, gender has no bearing on ability; capabilities are defined by skill, not identity.

While female characters like blood and night-elves possess unrealistic curves, the game does not force anyone to adhere to any physical appearance. You can be anyone you like and whilst some, like me, seek out attributes that already define us (in

real life I’m 5 foot 2, in WoW I play a gnome), a lot of players thrive on creating characters who are diametrically opposed to who they really are.

But how does one know if they are encountering female players on a daily basis? A large part of WoW’s avatar creation is the fantastical escapism that selecting skin colours, body shapes, hairstyles and gender provides.

The enigmatic anonymity that this provides allows players to be accepted on their abilities, but the prevalence of gender bending is still tarnished with the assumption that most characters are male underneath.

I personally experience this assumption often and it is heavily reflected in the language of other players.

The gendered affectations ‘dude’, ‘bro’ and ‘man’ are rife and whilst I’m not certain I’d prefer a female alternative, I’m also not sure whether suitable parallel words even exist.

Game content is never inaccessible for the female gamer Pointing out that I am not a ‘dude’ often causes apology and surprise. I’ve found that, when I reveal that I’m a girl, other players cut me a lot more slack

for mistakes and cover my back far more obviously in tougher instances, than they would to male ‘noobs’ who are encountered far more regularly and encouraged to find their own feet. It often seems like female WoW’ers are such rare and super delicate beasts that more experienced players, annoyingly, have a chivalric duty to hold their hand.

It seems male players have a chivalric duty towards female WoW’ers With strong female characters and lots of different aspects of the game for women to enjoy, I don’t think the problem with World of Warcraft is that its game is unfriendly to females. The issue lies with the overarching assumption that the realm of gaming is still dominated by men behind the faceless screen, it can safely be predicted that you’re a ‘dude’. When this illusion falls, the way that you are treated is then subject to the limitations assigned to your gender. Maybe women were missing from the European Blizzard commercials because it would be too much of a shock to the male gamer demographic for us females to say ‘Hey! This is my game too.’

Trailer Round-up: October Highlights

Exeposé Games checks out the top games trailers for this autumn. Will these games match up to the hype?

Batman Arkham Origins: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and PC 25 October

Batman: Arkham Origins

ARKHAM ASYLUM was an unexpectedly game-changing, um… game. It featured the greatest combat mechanic ever (whilst remaining a simple button-mashing joy to play) and combined a pantheon of classic Batman villains while managing to retain a surprisingly focused story. For its sequel Arkham City re-read all of the above, but imagine it taken to another level.

So why does the trailer for upcoming prequel Batman: Arkham Origins leave me feeling so cold? It ticks all the B-man boxes: impressive roster of bad guys, mighty scraps with identical henchmen, gadgets and gizmos

and growling (oh my!) But this is the core of the problem: we’ve seen this all before. There isn’t a glimpse of anything new or innovative in the entire trailer. I might as well have been watching a fan-made pseudo-advert made up of clips from Asylum and City. I find the concept of a video game prequel a worrying one, as it limits the possiblity of expanding on previous titles and suggests the writing team lack the imagination to carry the story forward; this trailer has done nothing to soothe my apprehension.

JOSH GRAY MUSIC EDITOR

Ryse: Son of Rome: Xbox One Exclusive 22 November

Read more Exeposé Games online at exepose.ex.ac.uk

Ryse: Son of Rome

THIS is one of those trailers that leaves you with a ridiculous number of questions, such as why have they misspelled ‘rise’? Why is there a commentator who sounds like he’s transferred from All-Russia State Radio? How is the (actually not that colossal) Colusseum as large as a generously sized Battlefield 4 map? Why am I watching this rather than completing GTA V? Why does this game not look as good as Shadow of Rome (an absolutely incredible gladiator game on PS2 that you should totally check out if you haven’t played it)?

Where do the cages come from?

Why is there fire? Why am I fighting Michael Stipe? How did this studio (Crytek) manage to make Far Cry 3?

Why must so many men die pointlessly to satisfy the bloodlust of mankind? Why am I not Russell Crowe?

WHY AM I NOT ENTERTAINED???

The answer to most of these questions is ‘because they’ve made this game for kinect’. Except for the first question. There is no excuse for spelling ‘rise’ with a ‘y’, even if you’re German.

JOSH GRAY MUSIC EDITOR

Expand your horizons • ExpEriEncE nEw culturEs • EnhancE your Employability • Funding opportunitiEs availablE

Study abroad

where will a

degree at Exeter take

you?

Exeter degree programmes include a study abroad option Visit our website for further information

www.exeter.ac.uk/international/abroad/

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Exeposé

Feature

In the Clubhouse

In the Clubhouse this week Matt Damant, Jiu Jitsu club Captain, talks Dojos, Obis and Wazas with Mike Stanton and Will Kelleher, Sport Editors. Yoi! Hajime!

JIU JITSU is a martial art dating back to the samurai of feudal Japan, originally created as a method of close combat in the heat of battle.

The style works to manipulate an opponent’s strength rather than oppose it, culminating in the use of joint locks, pins and throws. Such a technical style therefore favours people of all shapes and sizes.

Exeter University Jiu Jitsu Club was founded in September of 2006, gaining AU recognition in 2007.

The club was founded by Dr Richard Catterick, a 5th Dan Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu and a highly experienced martial artist. The University club is a branch of Catterick’s style of Jiu Jitsu: seishin mizu ryu tatakai jutsu, which also teaches a variety of styles to the townspeople of Exeter and to the College.

The appeal of Jiu Jitsu has quickly seen the club rise to become the largest

and most successful martial arts club on campus. This is culminated in winning the SMR National Jiu Jitsu Championships in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

In addition, National Gold, Silver and Bronze in The British Ju Jitsu Association National Governing Body (BJJAGB) Championships have added to the clubs honours over the years.

The Jiu Jitsu club has risen to become the largest and most successful martial art club on campus While Catterick still runs the entire club, the university classes are now taken by Head Instructor Laura Ibarra-Hempel, a student of his who is now

a black belt.

This year over 60 new members joined, with more expected over the next couple of weeks, cementing EUJJ’s place as the largest martial art group on campus.

The Senseis have wasted no time in breaking in the new recruits and training them for their first grading by the end of term.

There is a tight knit group of orange belts who are starting their second year in the club and are also pushing hard towards their green belts, expecting to grade also by the end of term.

The big event in the Jiu Jitsu calendar is the National Ball, held in Leicester next year, where all the style’s university and city clubs culminate to train and socialise.

The Nationals tournament held this winter is the first opportunity for members to prove their skills in competitive style. But even after the year has fin-

ished there is still a final big event, the Style’s summer school here in Devon which has proved a favourite of members for years.

The big event is the National Ball, held in Leicester next year where all the Uni and City clubs culminate Jiu Jitsu at Exeter is not only a highly effective form of self-defence, it also provides fantastic social opportunities.

The club asks you leave your ego at the door when you train, upholding long held values of respect, discipline and humility.

Members can be guaranteed high quality training and expertise from the instructors, taught in a friendly atmos-

phere where combat and compassion go hand in hand.

Potential members can get involved by turning up and expressing an interest to join; all are welcome.

The club trains Wednesdays 1:30pm in their Town ‘Dojo’ near the Farmer’s Union, and Sundays 8-9:30 in Studio 3 at the Sports Park.

Seishin Mizu Ryu is a Japanese Jiu Jitsu style comprising of four distinct areas which all trace lineage back to feudal Japan.

An empty hand art (Ju Jutsu/ Aiki Ju Jutsu), a staff art (Bo Jutsu), a blade art (Ken Jutsu), and a flexible weapon art (Kusari Jutsu). All are bound together by a series of principles which both encompass and penetrate the whole martial art.

Club Captain Matt Damant is more than happy to answer any questions by email at jiujitsu.captain@exeter.ac.uk Photo: Jiu Jitsu

60 seconds with...

Matt Damant

Caroline Thomas

EUJJ Club Captain

Second Year EUJJ member

What is the best aspect of Jiu Jitsu Club?

There aren’t any egos getting in the way of what we do. It’s a good atmosphere. The next few answers might change your opinion though.

What is the best aspect of Jiu Jitsu Club?

I love the people in the club so it’s great to meet up and train with them every week.

Best sporting moment?

My greatest achievement was getting my 10 metre swimming badge.

Sporting Hero?

The girl from Bend it like Beckham.

What are your goals for the season/ next season?

My over-riding goal for 2013-14 is to reduce my strawpedo record of 2.5 seconds. Bold, I know.

Best sporting moment?

Standing in the middle of your first ‘grab circle’ and realising you can (sort of) handle it.

Sporting Hero?

Our Senseis. I’m saying this so they don’t hurt me!

What are your pre-dive preparations?

I try and take on plenty of water before training and do a lap of ‘bear walking’ to get ready.

What are your goals for the season?

Getting prepared for nationals in November and pushing on towards my green belt.

Exeposé

| WEEK TWO

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37

What did you do last summer?

Will Kelleher, Sports Editor, chats to the Univeristy’s sporting stars after a busy summer on the field.

NOW that we’re all settled back at University, with autumn closing in day by day, Exeposé Sport takes you back to the summer. We’ve chatted to the students that have had great success across the world over the break. Here are their stories.

We start at the European University Sports’ Association (EUSA) regatta on Lake Malta, Poznan, Poland. From bow to stroke the Ladies’ lightweight quad consisted of Hannah Traylen, Emma Townshend, Jess Elkington and Charlotte Dexter [pictured bottom left]. The girls represented Exeter in a showdown for all the winners of BUCS and equivalent foreign competitions on 6 to 8 September.

Despite a huge headwind, by sheer force of will, the girls superbly beat crews from Austria (silver- in red pictured left above) and Poland (bronzein blue pictured) to claim Gold for Britain and Exeter in the final.

“We soon forgot about the terrible weather when we crossed the line first and heard crews from Durham, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Imperial London, whom we would normally regard with disdain, cheering for us” said Elkington.

“A summer of training and sobriety was so worth it!”

Jess is now targetting the GB U23 trials as her next goal- what’s stopping her?

Next we’re off to Colorado, USA and Zoe Saynor [pictured top right].

Zoe, having been part of the BUCS winning EUWRFC team last year, travelled across the pond to compete in the Nation’s Cup for England Women.

The rugby tournament was contested between South Africa, USA, Canada and England.

A summer of training and sobriety was so worth it!

Jess Elkington Saynor’s England came runners-up overall to Canada, beating the holders USA on the way to the final.

“This was my first cap (I got three in total whilst away) and singing the anthem with the squad is something that will never lose its special feeling.

This year is now World Cup year – I aim to compete and progress as a player within the RFU academy and vie for a regular spot on the England Elite squad next season” said Saynor.

If Zoe does make it to that Elite squad she will join EUWRFC alumna Amber Reed, who continues to represent her country at the highest level.

Staying in Canada we move onto the Lacrosse World Championships and our very own Arts Editor Sophy Coombes-Roberts [pictured top left].

Sophy played in August for Wales and helped her country place an amazing 5th in the world. Coombes-Roberts herself collected the MVP award in the crossover game versus Austria. This

is the best Wales have placed for 12 years.

“It was an incredible experience to play in a World Cup whilst still at university. The event has inspired me to work even harder so in four years time we can come back and rival the top four teams in the world,” Sophy commented.

Off to Kazan, Russia now and Luke Treharne [pictured second from left in bottom left photo] and Hannah Pugley.

Both were part of the Great Britain Universities squad that competed at the Summer Universiade which drew over 12,000 competitors from 150 countries, making it the world’s second largest sporting event after the Olympic Games. Team GB was made up of 175 people, and won six medals (one gold, one silver, four bronze).

For a seriously academic uni we aren’t half punching above our weight. Let’s shout about it more Luke and the GBR Rugby 7s Men’s team blitzed their way through to the final four, beating Malaysia, Georgia, Belgium and Japan. Having lost the semi finals to France, they bounced back to record an impressive 31-14 win against South Africa for bronze a match in which Luke scored GBR’s

first points, running from his own half and weaving through the South African defence to score a great solo try.

Hannah competed amid an Olympic-standard field of shooters, participating in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle (where she smashed her personal best for the discipline - by 12 points - for a score of 405.0), Women’s 50m Prone Rifle (where a score of 586 took her to 13th place, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the final) and Women’s 50m 3 Position Rifle.

Finally it’s back on home soil as six current EURFC members played for Exeter Chiefs in the annual JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Sevens. Broadcast live on BT Sport on their launch night, Sam Blanchet, Rob Coote, Ali Chisholm, Tom Dowding [pictured top middle], Ollie Claxton and Luke Treharne, all pulled on the new electric tribal shirts at Kingsholm, home of Gloucester. Unfortunately Chiefs lost all three of their matches narrowly but it will stand them in good stead for the season.

“It was an awesome experience and we had a lot of the uni boys in there which worked well as we’re all used to each other” said scrum-half Coote.

So there you go, a whistle stop tour of the current students who had superb summers before coming home to Exeter. Let’s hope they can all bring this form to BUCS next week.

You know, for a seriously academic uni we aren’t half punching above our weight. Let’s shout about it a bit more.

BUCS Fixtures 09/10/13 Your guide to the first BUCS fixtures of the season

Badminton:

Rugby Union: Tennis:

Womens 1sts v Mens 5ths v Bath 3rds Womens 1sts v Bath Womens 1sts (A) 14:00 University of Bath 1sts (H) 14:00 (H) 14:00 Main Hall Bath Exeter Tennis Centre

Lacrosse:

Mens 1sts v Swansea 1sts (H) 14:00 TopshMens 1sts v Bath am Sports Ground

1sts (H) 14:00 ExeWomens 2nds v Mens 3rds v Glouces- ter Tennis Centre Bath 2nds (A) 14:00 tershire 1sts (H) 14:00 Good luck to all teams University of Bath Duckes Meadow involved. Send us your updates to our Twitter Mens 1sts (H) 14:00 @ExeposeSport and Duckes Meadow let us know how you get on by emailing Mens 4ths v Bristol sport@exepose.com

3rds (H) 14:00 Duckes Meadow Mens 2nds v South Wales 1sts (A) 14:00 USW, Sports Park

Mens 6ths v Plymouth 2nds (A) 14:00 King George V Playing Fields

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Exeposé

Town vs Gown: the match in numbers

6-0

Player Ratings City

by Matt Bugler

St. James’ Park Attendance: 4,324

by Jordan Edgington 1. James Mitchison

Player Ratings University

6

Graphics by Louis Doré

2. Aaron Dawson

7

3. Connor Riley-Lowe 6

7

10.

Nichols

2.

Thompson

7.

Blenkinsop

1.

Mitchison

8.

Jagger Cane

7.

Gosling

4.

Tillson

9.

Langley

8.

Hobbs

14.

Chamberlain

1.

Slack

6

6.

Bouwers

4.

Mickelm

2.

Dawson

19.

Rigg

11.

Marriott

3.

Aimson

8

54%

Possession

14

Shots on Target

1

8

Shots off Target

4

3

Offsides

0

Strong throughout and displayed some exquisite touches, scoring two great goals. One a super free kick the other a wonderful chip.

Substitutes

12. James Byrne

6

18. Justin Pope

6

5. Hussein Heidari

5

Very tricky and nimble little customer, caused trouble in midfield.

Had little to do at right back but was solid regardless.

Didn’t have much to do after coming off the bench in the second half.

Had to be on his toes a couple of times when the Uni attacked but this was rare.

12

Fouls

15

6

6

6. Louis Bouwers

5

9. Matt Langley

5

8. Scott Hobbs

5

He seemed to have no time on the ball.

Struggled with a very few opportunities and appeared isolated up front.

Had the only shot on target for Uni. Overhit several long balls. A tough night.

Bookings

0

0 12. Matt Judge

6

233

15. Laurie Dwyer

6

14. Tom Faktor

6

16. Rob Fellingham

5

17. Sean Buxton

5

18. Nathan Blackie

6

Looked more composed at left-back and was solid in the tackle. Didn’t do his reputation any harm.

More tidy and assured in central midfield.

76

87%

6

Was solid when called upon, though did give ball away in key areas.

Completed Passes

511

Substitutes GK Tim Salinger

Made a couple of good saves, but was second best to the Nichols free-kick.

Pass Completion

(lighter tone is incomplete) With huge thanks to our statistics team: Mike Stanton, James Beeson, Alex Whitington and Ricky Freelove.

68%

2 33

7

10. Toby Yeates

Made one mazy run in the first half but was otherwise largely anonymous.

5 11

17. Matt Jay

6

11. Matthaus Marriott 5

111

9

5. Jesse Wilson

Good defensively, but lacked some composure when in on goal.

Linked up play competently from up front and on the wings. Good performance all round.

10. Tom Nichols

5

46% 7. Myles Blenkinsop

Dangerous from both wings. Scored a brace of goals, both very well taken.

Clinical finishing.

14. Elliot Chamberlain 7

4. Jim Micklem

Showed a couple of nice touches but took too long to work a counter attack.

Tidy finish for City’s first goal. Substituted soon after.

11. Oliver Watkins

5

Too slow in the tackle for the fourth goal and guilty of one horrible slice.

Tireless performance in the middle of the park.

7. Jacob Gosling

3. Lewis Aimson

Willing to put his body on the line but also put in some rash challenges.

7

Dominated the game with dogged tackling and precision passing. Dictated the tempo of the game.

5

Struggled at times with his ball control and one of the many offenders of the

5.

Wilson

7

8. Jacob Jagger Cane 7

2. Nick Thompson

Frequently caught out of position and misjudged several headers and passes.

Commanding in the tackle with an eye for an accurate long ball.

19. George Rigg

7

aimless hoof upfield.

Exceptional reading of the game- kept things tight at the back well.

4. Jordan Tillson

10.

Yeates

3.

Riley-Lowe

A quiet evening for the left back but picked up the ‘Varsity Shield’ for his team as captain for the night.

6. Jacob Wannell

11.

Watkins

6.

Wannell

Incredible run and finish for City’s second goal. Subbed before half time after his goal.

1. Nat Slack

Made a string of fine first half saves.

Faultless for the goals.

Had very little to do all night.

Tried hard but was wasteful in possession.

Brought some much needed touch in the middle of the park.

Made one cynical foul. Managed to work the ball into some dangerous positions.

Exeposé

| WEEK TWO

SPORT

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Why not bring TP to SJP?

39

Crossword No.50byRaucous

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Across

Mike Stanton Sports Editor A RECORD crowd turned out at St James’ Park on Wednesday night to shout, chant and inevitably leave early at the sixth annual football varsity, Town vs Gown, raising money for the Cardiomyopathy Association and the Adam Stansfield Foundation.

A chill in the air and the threat of rain didn’t put off over 4,000 eager fans from filling the stands and the streets surrounding the stadium with various socials, an elaborate procession of fancy-dress clad fans leading the charge to support the Gown at SJP. As always the shouts, cheers and jeers could be heard from the bar beneath the Flybe stand as EURFC and the Netball club fought for vocal and bolting supremacy in the Centre Spot bar before piling in to the Big Bank to join the rest of the AU contingent, where the white shirts of EUAFC were already caught up in a shouting match with the cops and robbers themed rowers.

As kick off drew nearer the Cheer-

An elaborate procession of fancy dress clad fans led the charge to support the Gown at SJP leaders got the crowed warmed up for the festivities, the crowd’s excitement not letting up despite warnings on the loud speaker of the consequences of “entering the field of play”, referring to the record breaking seven and a half streakers from last year’s Varsity. It seemed the looser members of the crowd had prepared for this - crowd surfing, instead of pitch invasions, became a regular feature of the Big Bank stand.

The game kicked off with an electric atmosphere. 17 minutes in City fired one

into the back of the net, yet this could not break the unwavering support of the Uni massive.

Resist the call of TP, party in the stands, re-create the sweaty crush of ‘top top’ in the Big Bank After 21 minutes the crowd remained resolute despite another goal for the Grecians. However, when a third goal was fired in before the break, the inevitable happened. In what appears to have become a sad tradition of the Football Varsity, before the first half was even up the Big Bank was left practically empty, a sombre space that had once been occupied by the most raucous of University fans. The chants of various AU clubs subsided as the race began for the Timepiece queue and the first of many hard earned doubles.

Due to this exile from the more vocal members of the crowd the atmosphere dropped as the first half limped over the line and the players headed down the tunnel. The second half began with a new found optimism that the University team could stage a dramatic comeback, a win that would go down in the history books and in Exeter folklore.

This was not the case. Nine minutes into the second half City blasted another one in and with it the last remaining fans out of the stands. Those who did leave missed a goal fest, unfortunately it was one sided but for the neutral it would have been a cracker.

One group of rugby boys returned to the stands and staged a comeback of their own, combining with the remaining EUAFC supporters and despite another brace of goals against the University they remained strong, this small group of blue and white shirts cheering on their team, responding to every slip, every call from the officials and every increasingly aggressive tackle with a chorus of jeers, boos and celebrations.

This small group of supporters were a reminder of what the Varsity could be like - despite the score they remained

cheering on and in doing so re- energizing both players and fans alike.

I would like to end this piece with a plea to supporters of the Varsity in years to come. Resist the call of Timepiece, party in the stands, re-create the hot, sweaty crush of top-top in the Big Bank.

In doing so the Football Varsity will become even greater than it already is; a unique, once-a-year party in SJP. And who knows, with this support for the whole game, maybe one year the Gown will find that edge to finally overcome the Town.

1. Sailing match (8,3) 8. Solo era (anag.) (7) 10. _______ thinking; solving problems creatively (7) 11. Vampire (7) 12. Indian dish (7) 13. Month (7) 18. Rap riot (anag.) (7) 19. Immediate (7) 20. Native of Middle Eastern country (7) 21. Artful handwriting (11)

Down 2. Countless (6) 3. Save (6) 4.Working together (13) 5. Sibling (6) 6. Chaos (11) 7.Wet weather footwear (11) 9. Field (4) 14. Examine (4) 15. South American country (6) 16. Spanish fleet (6) 17. Shine (6)

Overheard at Football Varsity 2013:

by Ben Clarke, Online Music Editor “You can’t actually hear the crowd. You just concentrate on the game”

“I could hear the game from my window”

Lewis Aimson, EUAFC defender

“6-5, we’re gonna win 6-5...”

Green Army in the Big Bank

“I’m just ready to go to Timepiece” Anonymous Spectator

Victoria Street resident

“I’m incredibly proud to be part of the Varsity. They’re a very strong team”

“I’m not a huge football fan but the Varsity is always amazing!”

Anonymous spectator

“Next goal wins anyone?”

Spectator when the score was 5-0

EUAFC Member

“I think we were outplayed by a more organised and fitter team”

Elliot Fisher, Spectator

“Just wish the girls had a Varsity of their own” Harriet Richards, Womens’1st XI

40

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Will Kelleher & Mike Stanton sport@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Sport Photo: Akshay Mittal

Gown hit for six in Varsity

TopTweets from the game The best of your tweets from Wednesday night using #TownVsGown Matt Judge @Judgey100 Well that didn’t go as planned...

Dan @Danlongden1 Such a good night even if we did get battered Emma Crossey @EmmaCrossey Aside from the score line, the biggest disappointment of the night was the lack of streakers Ollie Wheatly @OllieWheatley Everone’s pissed off to Timepiece.

Good support. What a joke!

Will Martin @WillMartin19 6-0 to City, but at least the Uni lads can take solace in the fact that their future carrers won’t end by 35...

Hannah Smith @Hannah Smith1077 Half Time, sports teams leave #noatmosphere

Football Varsity Owen Keating News Editor

EXETER CITY defeated Exeter University in the sixth annual Football Varsity match at St. James’ Park in front of a record crowd of 4,324. Immense commitment and effort from the University was undone by the slicker movement and passing of their professional counterparts.

Gown kicked off, and after a patchy opening few minutes, City took control of proceedings.

Uni were struggling to hold onto the ball in key areas, as City’s relentless passing pressured the Uni midfield into losing the ball. Despite this carelessness in possession, Uni defended well from City’s constant barrage of long balls, with centre backs Jesse Wilson and Jim Micklem constantly assertive.

The men in green could barely get out of their half, but tenacious closing down kept City from inflicting too much damage. As a packed Big Bank stand roared on their Uni side, Slack excelled again with a fine point blank save from Tom Nichols after the ball dropped to the striker in the box.

City’s relentless pressure inevitably told, and they took the lead after seventeen minutes, when a neat passing move opened up space for Jake Gosling, who made no mistake in placing the ball into the top corner.

Uni found themselves two behind almost immediately, as loose passing from the kickoff allowed City to break; Ollie Watkins cut in from the left, and only a fine diving save from Slack stopped City’s advantage from doubling.

Despite the heavy pressure from City, Uni forced their first corner after nineteen minutes, but it came to nothing. From the resulting goal kick, City right back Aaron Dawson picked up the ball deep within his own half, and a slaloming run through a non-existent Uni midfield ended with him slamming the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

Gown had their first shot of the game after twenty five minutes, as Matt Langley blasted a long range free kick into the boisterous Big Bank stand. The University had finally found a foothold, and passes started to go on the floor rather than into the stands as both sides settled into a more cohesive rhythm.

Ollie Watkins was still causing problems for the Uni defence, and as the game approached the half hour mark, the University’s relentless pressing of the City midfield paid dividends, as the Uni forced a few throws deep in opposition territory. The Uni midfield had finally found their feet as neat movement between Scott Hobbs and Miles Blenkinsop created a few half chances.

This was the University’s best spell of the game with Toby Yeates firing over after 38 minutes. Despite this strong spell for the Uni, City soaked up the

pressure, and in first half stoppage time, effectively ended the game as a contest.

Tom Nichols saw his shot parried by the impressive Slack, but Ollie Watkins was on hand to steer home City’s third goal.

The University’s hardworking start to the half was unfortunately undone though, as winger Ollie Watkins surged into the box; he poked home from nine yards to score his second goal.

Gown had their first shot on target after 20 minutes, as Langley blasted a free kick into the Big Bank stand Despite Jesse Wilson heading wide from a corner in the 56th minute, City were now well on top, and they added their fifth goal just before the hour. A Uni clearance was closed down, and Tom Nichols reacted fastest, running onto the loose ball before calmly lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.

Far from being disheartened, the Uni side kept harrying and hassling their professional opponents, unfortunately to no avail. Nichols hit the post for City, before Scott Hobbs’ jinking run ended with a long range shot which City keeper James Mitchison saved comfortably.

Uni improved as the half wore on; a 70th minute free kick from Rob Fellingham drifted harmlessly wide, and the

introduction of Nathan Blackie made the University a more potent attacking threat.

Tom Nichols again showed the class that has earned him first team appearances for Exeter City, as he added his side’s sixth, and his second, with a free kick that beat substitute goalkeeper Tim Salinger from 25 yards.

City continued to press as the Uni side tired, and Salinger did very well to save a deflected shot after 74 minutes, as well as parrying George Rigg’s low drive from outside the box.

Despite this constant pressure, the Uni didn’t give up, and after forcing a corner on 87 minutes, caused City problems with their movement from the resulting corner, which bounced through the six yard box before being cleared.

As the crowds began to clear, Elliott Chamberlain rattled the Uni posts once more in stoppage time, bringing down the curtain on this year’s Varsity.

Guild President Hannah Barton told Xpression FM: “The atmosphere was amazing. I don’t follow football, and I could definitely follow football if the atmosphere was always like this”.

Right back Nick Thompson also commented: “It was a great day as it always is with 4,300 people here”.

The record crowd of over 4,000 students couldn’t be disappointed with their side’s effort; the Green Machine may have been outclassed, but no-one could have accused them of being outfought.

Lucy Manley @Lucy_Manley Actually saw one goal this year at Varsity out of six... Improvement from last year Tom Vaughan @Tommy_Vaughn The game last night was good fun, shame about the result Joe Hellier @joehellierecfc Another record breaking varsity with over 4,300 attending. Thanks for amking it such a great event, brilliant atmosphere tonight Mohamed @MoRhymesDaPoet Overall, great to see the uni lads put in a good effort tonight. Record attendence, money raised for charity... #Winners :) Louis Doré @LouisAlexDore Some nice passing phases amongst scrappy play from @EUAFC, but @OfficialECFC clearly have some young talent. Chin up boys James Beeson @jdbeeson16 Dissapointing result but good fun all the same Nick Mason @NickJMason My brain feels like it has been kicked around a pitch by 22 apes on acid Rebecca Hadfield @D_RebeccaH Having a great night watching the football #neverthoughtidsaythat