A NOTE FROM THE ED
E
It is difficult to believe that 14 months ago we had no idea how our future was about to change. From our working lives to social lives, every aspect of our lives changed in a way that was unimaginable. But now, after some really really dark days, it looks like we might finally be breaking into our new normal, and hopefully happier times. For this issue of Farid we thought it was the perfect opportunity to look forward into the future. Whether this is the future of our weekly shop, or how the music industry will recover from a year of hardships. Kiera takes a look at the spooky similarities between our past year and the award winning Black Mirror series. Meg, a third year student, explores the future of graduations, and if an online party can ever really replace such an important celebration. We also investigate what age is truly the right age to decide on your future as well as what the well known phrase ‘the future is female’ really means. Everyone featured in this issue has worked really hard and produced content that I’m sure will make you look into the future differently. I personally think the future is bright. The last year has really shown us the strength and solidarity that is possible when people come together and work towards a shared goal. It has shown us the importance of positivity and optimism, feelings that can often be lost altogether in our busy lives. From now on we must all continue to look forward. As the final issue of the year this will also be my final issue as Editor. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Editor of Farid. It has taught me so much and provided an unmatched opportunity to work alongside some amazingly talented people. I thoroughly look forward to seeing what the future of the zine will be and have no doubt it will continue to be an amazing creative outlet for all.
With this issue being about the future I can’t help but think about the exciting times ahead. As the United Kingdom is gradually being vaccinated the public is slowly getting back their freedom, the summer is looking hopeful as we are finally allowed to see our friends outside. Whilst it’s a small victory, we are on the right track to finally come out of what has felt like an eternity in lockdown. Days are getting longer and warmer which only means one thing...barbeques. I don’t know about you but an excuse to have friends outside and eat copious amounts of grilled meats is my ideal night. Whether it’s raining or sunny, back home we always have to have at least three barbecues otherwise it’s not a proper year. As you wait for all restrictions to ease we’re still here keeping your mind occupied with some excellent content. In this issue, we have commentary on Tik Tok and how it’s a source of news as well as social media, a review of Netflix’s insightful documentary “Seaspiracy”, and a piece telling you how “the future is female”. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, so if that sounds like music to your ears then carry on reading. We’re not out of the woods yet, but considering we’ve got a fraction of our freedom back the future looks bright, both metaphorically and literally.
TROY MILAN HARRISON
DITORS MEGAN SMITH
Has Netflix Ruined
TV’s Format? By Troy Harrison
W
hen I finished the first two episodes of Wandavision I loved the mystery surrounding the series and was looking forward to how the story unfolded. However, I went onto social media and I found there were so many people judging the series via the two episodes that were released. Most were praising the series for being something new, but there was a minority that complained about how Vision was taken down by a piece of gum or how such a serious superhero was singing Yackety Yack. Then I went onto YouTube and saw a load of videos picking apart the two episodes for Marvel Easter Eggs and stuff you might have missed. With the series consisting of nine episodes which will be released weekly, I thought to myself “this is way too early to do all of this”. I said this because Netflix has made audiences extremely impatient. We want stuff as soon as we can, and when we can’t have it we try to pick apart the last thing we had until it’s a carcass. The Mandolorian is an example of this because that’s exactly what people did. Episode by episode, the Internet went wild as no stone was left unturned and no detail was left unnoticed, so much so that someone spotted one of the crew by zooming in and turning it into a meme. Of course, with meme culture and so many outlets trying to produce content that will grab an audience, you can excuse the Internet for trying to build hype up for the next episode, I did it myself by reviewing the House of M comic. However, I realised after I published it that being able to just enjoy something that comes out week by week is something that we as a general audience haven’t had in the last decade. Disney+’s approach to family entertainment is shown in the way that they release their content as well. Harking back to a time before streaming services when the whole family would gather
around the TV for a weekly episode of something. Networks like Sky One and CW still keep that alive which is nice, however, I catch myself skipping over The Simpsons on the TV now because I have a back catalogue of countless seasons that I can whip up any time. I can tell that Netflix is making me more impatient when it comes to TV. I’ve noticed this because the only thing I was thinking about when watching the season 2 trailer of Umbrella Academy is, “will they be released all at once?” I was in worry because if I wasn’t going to watch the whole season first, there was a large chance that I was going to get it spoiled for me. Now, I’m not singling out anyone in particular, but American fans of something don’t realise but they are kind of ruining stuff for people. Now, I love the Arrowverse shows, I really do, however, they’ve gone down in my opinion over time, not in quality but in the way that I’m never surprised by anything they do because American’s love spoiling each show. Now, you could argue, “Troy, stay off the Internet until the episode comes out,” I’d love to but sometimes there is a six-week difference between when the UK airs the different TV shows. Now, I’m not telling all of America to not spoil The Flash because it hurts my feelings, that’s just being entitled, what I will say though is to keep in mind that some audiences aren’t as fortunate, so maybe leave some things a mystery for each country to witness for the first time. So, to answer the question I originally asked, yes, streaming websites like Netflix have made the whole world more demanding when it comes to content, however, with Netflix aiming to release a film a week and Disney+ looking to churn out more Marvel content than Midtown Comics (shoutout to the NYC guys at Times Square. I will be back someday), it looks as though we’re going to get hungrier and hungrier, putting more pressure on Hollywood to make more TV. As delightful as more movies and TV sounds, sometimes quantity doesn’t always equal quality.
“I catch myself skipping over The Simpsons on the TV now because I have a back catalogue of countless seasons that I can whip up any time”
BLACK MIRROR
FACT
OR
FICTION? WRITTEN BY KIERA NEAL
With our everyday lives feeling less and less like reality, Kiera Neale takes a look at how our current COVID lives eerily reflect what we see in Black Mirror. Black Mirror is a Netflix anthology series mainly set in the future, which invites us to glance upon different possible ways society could negatively progress throughout the future. The show is known for its dark views and representations of what may be to come. There have been many eerie incidents of its storylines being proven to become somewhat true, which has caused understandable unsettlement due to the negative outcomes of the majority of the episodes. When something unsettling occurs, which was already predicted (often to do with the media) this can be labelled as a ‘Black Mirror Moment’- the pandemic being one of these things. The pandemic
brought around a whole host of new problems we never have even considered worrying about in our normal lives. For many, adjusting to the huge changes brought around from the pandemic has been far from easy, almost like adjusting to a whole new way of life rather than ‘a new normal.’ During the beginning of the pandemic, memes on Twitter started circulating comparing our new lifestyle during Covid to an episode of Black Mirror. Although these Twitter comments at the time were mostly comedic, it’s almost scary how increasingly true it began to feel. One of the episodes which bears an uncomfortable resemblance to life right now is ‘15 Million Merits’. The episode is based on the idea of a future where society survives by people using exercise bikes all day to receive ‘merits’ which they can exchange for rewards such as
entertainment like TV shows, and this cycle repeats every single day. The characters are never seen experiencing any form of outside life, always being trapped in the confines of the room where they exercise and ‘earn their living’, or where they sleep. The only place the main character, Bing, is shown enjoying his free time is in a tiny box-like room, emphasising his claustrophobic lifestyle. Similarly to Bing in this episode, during the lockdown periods, life for most people has seemed like an ongoing cycle, trapped in the confines of our own homes with little to no freedom. Just as Black Mirror portrayed, rather than proper social interaction, our only form of leisure is entertainment fed to us via the media. Bing’s whole room is made up of screens to project the film and TV he watches, suggesting his whole life is consumed by the media as there are no alternatives. The metaphor of being trapped insidae those four walls hasn’t felt more true than during the pandemic. Barely allowed to leave the house has made most of us stir crazy. I also think the imagery of Bing being surrounded by the media is another perfect reflection of life right now; no longer being able to rely on social interaction for entertainment, has resulted in a spike increase in the use of Instagram, Youtube, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter etc. to still feel connected to the world. However, relying solely on the media for our entertainment and social lives is never a healthy thing and for many, just like Bing, has started to consume our lives. Another episode with mentionable similarities to Covid life is Bandersnatch. The episode is different from all the others in the sense that it’s interactive, allowing the viewer to take control and make decisions. It follows the story of Stefan, a young man attempting to develop a game, however slowly descending into madness after feeling out of control of
his own life, due to the viewer’s greater powers. This episode shows parallels to today through the narrative idea of us losing control of our lives. From March of last year, we lost the right to go to work, socialise and even leave the house and for many, this sudden loss of freedom was a big struggle to adjust to. The episode makes many suggestions to the illusion of free will. The viewer and Stefan both believe they are in control, however, neither truly is. Stefan isn’t because his fate is being decided upon by the audience through a screen, however, the audience isn’t either as every choice they can make ultimately leads to an unhappy ending, no matter how good or bad you wish to make his outcome.
“This episode shows parallels to today through the narrative idea of us losing control of our lives.” Bandersnatch definitely has an underlying theme of impending doom, which at the moment all too many of us are familiar with. Although we know that eventually, things will get better, there’s a big sense of feeling like life now is never-ending, and the fact it’s been so long, it’s hard to imagine things getting better or a happy ending. The whole experience of living during a pandemic, has in general been bizarre and completely unpredictable, hence the comparisons to Black Mirror. However, we can only hope that we get a more positive outcome than the majority of endings from the show.
@hazelbynature
the new shopp
Could Amazon’s new till-less concep shop? Megan Smith takes a look at Having recently introduced its first till-less grocery store in London, the ability of Amazon to turn it’s hand to everything blows my mind. The retail giant has already established walk-out supermarkets in the US, with 26 stores located in four cities; New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle. Their Amazon Go stores were pioneered in 2018 and have been successful, but recent developments in the technology have meant the system can now distinguish between very specific items such as; different bouquets of flowers, magazines and greetings cards. It is obvious the company is keen to break into the grocery market here in the UK too, as alongside its flagship shop in London it is thought that Amazon has another ten sites where they plan to develop similar stores. The store in Ealing, London is
designed so you walk in, grab a bag, and then proceed to do your shopping. That all seems normal enough, but at the point where you would normally head to the checkout to pay for that shop, you just walk out. Straight out, with no checks. For someone nervous every time I walk through those security scanners at a supermarket, despite not having stolen anything, this puts the fear into me. But how does it work? Explaining it simply, because that is all my dinosaur brain can understand, the shop is designed with hundreds of cameras, depth sensors, and software developed that uses ‘deep-learning artificial intelligence.’ You sign in to the shop with the Amazon shopping app as you enter, and as you do your shopping the cameras and
w way of ping?
pt store be the future of the weekly t the retail giant’s newest venture. technology can record which items you pick up and place in your bag. You then leave and the price is charged to your account. Pretty clever. The shop employs around 30 staff, who are available to handle enquires and restock shelves, and stocks over 10,000 groceries, mostly amazon own brand items but it also has well known and loved items such as Heinz. While I think this a clever and very futuristic idea, I can’t help but think of all the tracking this entails. The shop is clear that it doesn’t involve any facial recognition software, yet the data and software that it does use provides Amazon with large personal data footprints of its shoppers. I guess this isn’t massively different to what it collects via its online shop, I always get the creepy adverts
of things I’ve bought on Amazon Prime stalking me all over the internet. But, do I want Amazon to know what I eat every week, could this get even deeper than just adverts? Now this is just a thought, and it’s not like I don’t walk around every day with an iPhone and Snapchat following my location, but I would love to know how Amazon will use the information behind my food shop to sell to its customers. It intrigues me. Many people however won’t be put off by the requirement to put information into the app or the cameras, and for them, this smooth new shopping experience awaits. Whatever you think, there is no doubt that this is a pioneering idea and a concept I’m sure will weave itself into our everyday lives in one way or another. After all, whoever liked queuing at the checkouts.
Can creative parties replace in-person graduations? The pandemic has been a constant disruption in our lives for over a year now, putting a lot of peoples plans on hold. As a final year university student, Meg Price takes a look at what the reality of what this year’s graduations might look like. I’m a final year student and I might not be graduating this year.These are hardly the words I wished to be telling myself about my end of the university experience. I always imagined graduation to be a time to rekindle lost memories with Uni friends, who are likely to move back with their families 100s of miles from me after completing their degrees. I imagined dressing up elegantly and throwing my hat into the air, not only for my enjoyment but also to share as a cliched boomerang on my Instagram feed to brag about leaving education behind. The fact that these glamorous situations that I’ve idealised in my mind may be postponed, or perhaps even made virtual in the future, is heartbreaking.
As 2021 graduates, like myself, cling hopelessly to the potential of our graduations going ahead under the government’s roadmap, many graduates from the previous year have lost faith in their graduations continuing in person. Leavers from 2020 envision leaving their photo opportunities behind for yet another celebration behind a screen.
think for me and a lot of my friends we’d built it up in our minds as an opportunity to see each other again after the pandemic had made it impossible.” “In retrospect, we probably should have suspected it would be postponed. To us, it was a bit of a light at the end of a miserable tunnel which made it all the worse when Uni put it back again.”
For many graduates and soon-to-be leavers, the prospect of university graduation ceremony cancellations isn’t something that can be ignored.
“I think we’ll all tacitly accept it might not happen, which hurts because it feels like a significant life event that now probably won’t go ahead.”
LOSS OF HOPE Harry Gowland, 23, University of Kent graduate, was supposed to finish his graduation last November until it got cancelled due to restrictions. He said: “I
The cancellation of future grad-nightsout is not something entirely negative for everyone, as graduates aim to commemorate the completion of their degrees in the best ways they can.
Since the pandemic began, people have had to find unique ways to celebrate achievements, birthdays and concerts from the comfort of their own homes. In 2020, I celebrated my 20th birthday in my garden, dressed in glitter, patterned festival shorts, flowers in my hair and drinking plenty of cider, to avoid the reality I couldn’t see my friendship group in mass at a summer festival. In the same year, my friends celebrated fancy dress parties for their birthdays on Zoom, we saw videos of prom-goers dancing in their gowns in their kitchens and images of grandparents celebrating from a distance behind windows.
She said: “We’ll just have good food, friends and family, maybe get some gowns and caps for obligatory pictures, maybe have someone hand us fake diplomas, that kind of thing, just to make sure we still have a fun celebration for getting through Uni together.”
These extravagant and socially-distanced compromises for group celebrations have also become the creative future for graduations.
After being told her winter graduation would be cancelled, she was offered an invitation to a potential ceremony in the future, although this promise remains without a set-date.Sophie said: “We thought because we’ve been through a lot together and because it’s quite unclear when we’ll get an official graduation ceremony, we’d have a graduation celebration ourselves.”
CELEBRATING FROM HOME For Sophie Kiderlin, 23, University of Bath graduate, the postponement of graduation parties has left her planning an alternative style ceremony alongside her best friend from Uni.
“We thought because we’ve been through a lot together and because it’s quite unclear when we’ll get an official graduation ceremony, we’d have a graduation celebration ourselves.”
“I think it will be nice to have that more informal thing and, in the future, maybe go to a formal uni-led graduation but for now it’s just about recognising the achievement and celebrating it in the way we best know how to – rather than having nothing at all.” With the optimism of at-home celebrations and celebrating in new ways, I feel slightly inspired to plan alternative options for a future graduation – however, I know I’m not alone in feeling eager to return to groups rather than resulting in another zoom quiz. It would be a shame for graduation ceremonies to not be rearranged, but no matter how graduations look in the future, plan something that will make it worthwhile. Whether that’s a party with friends, a quiet movie night in, black hats and fake diplomas or even cat-walking down your street in heels, a ballgown-style dress and a prosecco in hand. Make your celebrations as budget or as fancy as you like. The main thing is, when it comes to graduations, let’s make it a time to remember.
My thoughts on Seaspiracy:
MEGAN SMITH
When Seaspiracy popped up on the Netflix home page I will admit I avoided even watching the trailer. Programs such as these hit me hard when I watch them. Back in the day before I was a vegetarian I watched Cowspiracy, and goodness me it set my moral compass spinning. While I knew I needed to watch Seaspiracy, to educate myself about the state of our oceans, the guilt of my vegetarian fails and sushi relapses was hanging over me. I finally found the courage to watch it on a pretty ‘meh’ Sunday night and wasn’t disappointed by the impact it had. The documentary follows director Ali Tabrizi as he investigates the impact of fishing on marine wildlife. He initially sets out to uncover the impact of plastics on the oceans but finds himself going down a VERY windy road, looking at illegal fishing, slavery and whaling. The impact of overfishing has always been something that I have always thought about, even before I became a vegetarian. I used to ask my mum to make sure she bought dolphin-friendly tuna, but watching the documentary has shattered this and what I thought was an ethical purchase. The deep, dark, and complicated impacts of the fishing industry are something no one could have guessed, or thought about, as they went to pick up their fish and chips on a Friday. But I believe this documentary will be a turning point
for people to make more conscious and informed choices. I also found it extremely interesting how they touched on sustainability as a ‘marketing tool.’ I do not doubt that I have fallen into the trap of buying things that are ‘sustainable’ when the most sustainable thing to do is not buy them at all. Clothes fit well into this marketing strategy. Every day we see more and more ‘sustainable brands’ releasing new lines, making us think that buying them is the best thing to do, when in fact, the manufacturing and energy used means that not buying at all is the best option. I didn’t think, or realise, the same would ever apply to the food we eat, but Seaspiracy explores this concept well. The ideas surrounding fish farming were also eye-opening. It may just be my naivety but I didn’t even know fish farming existed. Although some of the images are pretty shocking and disturbing, I am glad that the program looked at it in detail and further explained the misleading information that is so often fed to us as consumers. Another thing I will touch on is the slavery that is exposed. In no way when I started watching did I expect there to be slavery and murder covered during a documentary about fishing. But these aspects helped to show how much of a serious criminal problem overfishing is, and how a lot of the issues covered are deep-rooted in corruption and crime. However, it is a difficult topic to
cover, and the documentary has inevitably faced some backlash. Being from Cornwall myself I have grown up in an area in which there is a tradition for fishing, with many smaller fishing companies, and fishermen that have been part of multigenerational fishing families. Some of the criticism of the documentary has been that it painted the whole of the fishing industry in a bad light, while only focussing on super large, industrial fishing companies. People argue that small fishing vessels which don’t use destructive nets are as sustainable as you can get, and by tarnishing fishing as a whole, the documentary has endangered the industry and many that rely on it. There have also been arguments from some of the NGO’s involved that they have been quoted in a ‘misleading way’ and that their interviews have been taken out of context. I think whichever way you choose to look at it, the shock factor of this documentary cannot be missed. It lays bare a huge number of flaws in an industry that is seemingly ignored by many of us. Whether you will always eat fish or you plan to give it up, it is important for us all to know what impact our actions have and how we can be accountable.
G B I
90% OF THE WORLD’S LARGE FISH HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT BY FISHING
46% OF THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH IS COMPRISED OF FISHING NETS
300,000 DOLPHINS, WHALES AND PORPOISES ARE KILLED IN FISHING NETS EVERY YEAR, ALONG WITH 30,000 SHARKS PER HOUR ENOUGH FISHING LINE IS SET EVERY DAY TO WRAP AROUND THE EARTH 500X
GOVERNMENTS GIVE $35 BILLION TO THE FISHING INDUSTRY EVERY YEAR
3.9 BILLION ACRES OF SEAFLOOR IS DEFORESTED EVERY YEAR BY TRAWLING
SLAVERY IN THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY IS REPORTED IN 47 COUNTRIES
The Future is Female but how long will this take? We want inclusivity for all. The Future is Female has been a prominent Feminist phrase for as long as I can remember. But after a heavy week of setbacks for women, I am sitting here wondering, how long will a female future take to come around? As I am writing this, the week has been heavy. The atmosphere is just different. The sun has been out and schools, universities and colleges are open again, but something just isn’t sitting right with me, all the women across the UK, and the world. The news is currently full of sadness. The case of Sarah Everard is ongoing and heartwrenching. A survey from UN Women UK has found that 97% of women have suffered from sexual harassment and I am left pondering whether the future will ever be female? Will the future ever be female when I am sat in 2021, reading through Twitter, hearing about all the shocking, heartbreaking things women have to go through still on a day-to-day basis? Women have always been at a disadvantage. As women, we have been seen as the weaker, less able sex and that is just a fact. To back this up with just one statistic, according to UN Women UK, men’s wages are still higher than women’s in both rural and urban areas. It is a hard one for me because although I want the future to be more female, will it ever be? To be honest, I don’t feel too hopeful right now. I appreciate this feminist phrase. But how can you expect the future to be female when women are still discriminated against in a sexist society? And not only women but so many more people in marginalised, underrepresented groups deserve to be equal now and in the ‘future.’ I am not saying everyone in society is sexist or discriminates against individuals. I am not saying every man that walks the Earth sexualises women, but it is still a prominent issue in today’s climate and it needs to change. The Future is Female began as a 1970s lesbian separatist slogan and it was seen on its first T-shirt five years later in a New York City feminist bookshop. Since then, we have seen progress for Women’s Rights but it just hasn’t been enough.
-Holly Ostle
The suffragette movement in 1903 was a major step in the right direction. More women have been seen in positions of power. Kamala Harris becoming the first female Vice-President of America is a huge step forward for women. But it isn’t just about having women in power, obviously, this is important and aids the progression of women, but females go through and deal with more than just a lack of representation in powerful positions. The week I am writing this has been significantly ironic as the first day of the week is International Women’s Day, and the last day of the week is Mother’s Day, two very significant days for celebrating the importance of women across the world. This feminist phrase is so interesting to me that I asked some of my female friends about it, to see what they feel it means and signifies. Paige, who is 19 years old and currently studies Filmmaking at university says: “I think the phrase is quite patronising and is so ironic and kind of insensitive to be honest because of the sickening inequality in so many countries. I understand in Western Culture there is so much support and more opportunities given to women, but what about the rest of society?” “I also feel like the patriarchy exists in so many instances it’s insane! Even the way lads speak about women in programmes and films only brought out five years ago, and still in America now with stereotypes and sexualising women and we are almost desensitised to it, so we accept it. Despite women gaining more opportunities in modern-day society, I think the phrase does encourage a positive affirmation for the future but almost insinuates it’s ok to take a back seat on feminist activism, as though we should be comfortable that the future is female now just because things are starting to move. We shouldn’t put the breaks on and just think, ‘ok we’ve done our part,’ and get comfortable. If anything we need to keep pushing and challenging conversations etc just the same with casual racism.”
“I understand social issues that existed previously in history are being resolved, there are lots of calls for recognising sexual harassment and women’s agency, but there are so many new issues that attack women in the modern-day that didn’t even exist before, like online trolling regarding women’s bodies on social media, so new issues are arising. The patriarchy still exists so much and it’s so trivial to say the future is female.” 21-year-old Megan, who is currently a student too says: “I think the phrase is a powerful one and one to be celebrated. The future is female, and it is time for all types of women to take up the spaces we haven’t been given or we’ve been kept from in the past. Whether this is in the work-space, political scenes, sports, or just in everyday life.” “However, I can see the limitations of the phrase. Whilst it is important for women to shout about their achievements and the progress we are making it is also key that everyone in society helps us achieve that, it shouldn’t be our sole responsibility to right the wrongs and the oppression of the past. In the same breath, the future should be for anyone and everyone that has seen some sort of oppression in the past, for all marginalised groups and minorities. It is key in our future that we make space for ALL people, as this is the only way we, as a society, will grow positively.” What would a “the Future is Female” future actually look like? I imagine a time where women are seen as equal to men in ALL circumstances, where women don’t need to pay extortionate prices for their sanitary products, there are no women facing period poverty, more women are in power and a time where that 97% figure from the UN Women UK is 0% or just barely existing. We have a way to go as women and we won’t get there until everyone puts the work in. Hopefully, the future will be more female and society will be inclusive for all. But when this will be, I am not too sure right now. It is still a work in progress.
“how can you expect the future to be female when women are still discriminated against in a sexist society?”
REVENGE
PO RN
Following the BBC3 documentary about revenge porn, Megan Smith take a look at how despite the change of laws, the issue remains at the forefront of society. I’m sure that by now the majority of us understand what revenge porn is, or have at least heard of it. If you haven’t, revenge porn is (according to the gov.uk website), ‘Sharing private sexual materials with the intent to cause distress.’ The subject of revenge porn has been around for while now, notably since the explosion of social media and picture sharing apps such as Snapchat and Instagram. It has also recently been revisited as a topic since the release of the BBC3 documentary fronted by Love Island star Zara Mcdermott. The documentary focusses on Zara’s own experience with revenge porn, both while she was at school and another occasion while she was on love island. It also explores the storied of a number of other women who have been affected by similar things. The documentary is eye-opening and sad. Zara speaks openly about the effect that the experience had on her mental health while she was at school, and the way she was treated by her teachers, the adults she should be able to trust. It seemed as though the teachers just did not know how to approach the issue and due to this it was Zara who was victim blamed. She even talks about how she was excluded from school regarding the pictures. Following on from her traumatic experience at school Zara went on to become a victim to revenge porn again during her time on the ITV dating show Love Island. Whilst in the villa, cut off from the world and without her phone, explicit pictures of her had been sent around the internet. It was discovered by her sister, who at the time was running her social media accounts, as people were messaging her to say they had been sent the picture
to their Whatsapp groups. After leaving the villa Zara was subject to a lot of abuse involving the pictures and has been greatly affected in many ways. She said she has worried about what her parents think of her as well as worrying about what potential partners may think if they find out she is the one in the pictures. Zara’s story is a shocking one but one that is relatable to a lot of women. The UK’s revenge porn helpline has seen a year on year increase since 2015,with over 1000 reports in 2017. It is great that she has been able to use her platform for change as until now, justice for women who have been subjected to revenge porn is almost non-existent. In the documentary we see that despite knowing who both of the people were that had shared Zara’s photos they faced no consequences do to the lack of laws and support for victims. I feel as though this shows a greater problem for women and not just one limited to revenge porn. The ingrained victim blamed within our society makes it so hard to fight for what is right, or even ask for help. Time and time again people focus on what women were wearing when they were sexually assaulted, or why they were walking home alone, rather than focussing on the real problem, the assailant. But could we be making progress? The government has recently introduced amendments to its domestic abuse bill which says that abusers who threaten to share naked images of someone can face up to two years in jail. This has been introduced on top of the governments original ‘revenge porn’ laws, introduced in 2015, that have
since seen 900 abusers convicted. These new amendments provide support for victims who have been threatened with their pictures being shared, rather than only those who have actually had the pictures shared. It looks to be a step in the right direction, and the future for women being able to get justice is slightly brighter, however, there is obviously still a long way to go. 2021 has seen great progress for women, as well as awareness and campaigning for support of other minorities. But, at other times it has made me question if we are in-fact actually going backwards. From the racism and misogyny shown to Meghan by the British press, both before and after the historical interview, to the heartbreakingly tragic case of Sarah Everard and calls from women to, yet again, reclaim the night it seems like we are well and truly stuck. We’ve shared our experiences, we’ve tried to educate men, we’re even taken things to court, yet there is seemingly no progress in the way women in our society feel, and more often then not we continue to be blamed. The focus remains on what we were wearing, where we were going, what time we were out, how we were speaking, why we shared the photos, rather than being on the people who have been doing the harm. We have been hurt and we continue to feel stuck. Raising awareness on issues like revenge porn is so important to help women feel connected, it allows us to identify with each others experiences. A change in legislation is also a small step in the right direction in holding perpetrators accountable. But ultimately, we don’t want to be bonding over shared trauma, we want these experiences to stop. It isn’t until there is an extreme shift in attitudes, the system, and society, that threats to women will ever come to an end.
e h fut T u r f o T H e u s i M c i
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T H E C O V I D 1 9 PA N D E M I C H A S D I S R U P T E D A N U N B E L I E VA B L E N U M B E R O F I N D U S T R I E S , B U T D E B ATA B L E N O N E H AV E B E E N M O R E A F F E C T E D T H A N T H E L I V E M U S I C I N D U S T R Y. I S A A C L E W I S R E F L E C T S O N W H AT T H E L A S T Y E A R H A S B E E N L I K E F O R A R T I S T S A N D W H AT T H E I R F U T U R E M AY L O O K L I K E .
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In the last year, the music industry has been turned on its head. The pandemic has forced musicians, who would ordinarily be touring the world, inside. For some, this has trapped them in a studio and allowed them to write their greatest album. Black Country, New Road and many more did exactly this. Others turned to create content through the use of social media. Bands such as Enter Shikari, expected to tour and promote their latest album, instead found themselves performing multiple live sets through the power of the internet. Many artists managed to use the current conditions of the world to their advantage. YUNGBLUD’s massive rise in popularity can be accredited to his huge amount of online engagement through productions such as ‘The Yungblud Show’ and an impressive work rate of singles, TV performances and collaborations. But how is the music industry going to adapt? Will it go back to how it was, or will there be some permanent changes? The hectic weekends and insane nights of live music haven’t been experienced (legally) for over a year now. For so many people, gigs and festivals are their social lives. For artists, they are one of the many reasons they love their job. They have been hugely missed and will most definitely make a huge come back. An elbow to the back, crowd surfing and mosh pits. These are some of the many things which make gigs so special, but they are also why live music is so dangerous in 2021. If Boris’s plan is all smooth sailing, then we can expect this year’s summer to be very different from that of lasts. Some huge festivals have already been forced to cancel due to the timing of announcements and the inability to safely set up. The festivals such as Reading & Leeds, Creamfields and TRNSMT which are still going ahead run the risk of cancelling, and potentially forcing attendees to social distance. If the virus is still a public threat, then the summer of music which everybody is expecting maybe tragically halted.
However, if the 21st of June is as glorious as we are all expecting then the music industry will witness the most lucrative few months ever. If safe to do so, music enthusiasts will most likely rush to see all of their favourite artists. Those artists are and have already started to plan huge tours across the country. Grass root bands will also flourish after lockdown as many have a year’s worth of content and the general public’s interest in any social event will be at an all-time high. The time spent watching performances through a screen will only motivate people to get out and see these bands live. The usual worry of money will be lessened by the lack of opportunities to spend during the pandemic, therefore encouraging ticket purchases of music. With regards to the release of music, less drastic changes will be seen however 2020 has most definitely had an impact on how bands produce and create. A more intense approach to making music has been implemented and this will almost definitely continue. Bands have been forced to work remotely. For some, this means more thorough work on albums and in effect better music but for others, this removes the chemistry which is what makes that particular artist so distinct. For those bands trapped together, they have had the opportunity to work relentlessly to create what they hope to be a masterpiece and will most likely continue. There are two paths that albums and singles can go down. First, artists have less time to write and produce because they are performing and finally living their lives again. This means a reduction in music to listen to. On the second path, artists and producers take advantage of the regained ability to actually be together and relentlessly produce and create music. It is most likely that different artists will take different approaches. Many who live for performing will take the first path however it is so unpredictable. Music is going to come back with a bang, and we are ready for it.
Are we more focused on the past now the future is uncertain?
Meg Price explores how our unsettling year and an unknown future leads us to look back on some of the good times.
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he feeling of nostalgia is something we’ve always loved. Looking back through physical photo albums and scrolling through Snapchat-filtered group photos isn’t a new sensation. You might feel embarrassed when your Mum starts showing your friends pictures of you as a badly dressed toddler from your family album but soon after you will probably share the pictures on your social media with a comedic caption about your fashion sense getting even worse with age. By definition, ‘nostalgia is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past,’ and now as the future remains uncertain, we’re more reliant on nostalgic memories and reminiscent photos than ever before. Senior therapist, Sally Baker, says we’re more nostalgic due to the “collective low mood and heightened anxiety” we’ve all had during the pandemic.“At the start of the first lockdown, people rushed to watch films like Contagion – no one had any idea how it looked like to be in a pandemic – but now that we know, we just want escapism. People are re-reading Harry Potter and rewatching Friends. We go back to things that are easy to consume.” But it isn’t only old TV series, films and
“we hanker for certainty and have none about the future.” novels that we’ve turned to for our dose of nostalgia. Our social media platforms have acted as virtual photo albums, looking back through selectively chosen clubbing memories, snippets from live concerts and Interrailing
pictures with friends taken on film cameras. Usually, Sally says she’d advise people to focus on the present, but as “we hanker for certainty and have none about the future,” she suggests it’s only human nature to focus on our memories. You might have seen a resurgence of these memories with “Throwback Thursday” posts and the growth of ‘Camera Roll Dumps’ scattered across your daily Instagram feed, sharing aesthetically pleasing moments from 2019 and earlier. “Maybe if we were more heavily committed to our present, we might not be so intent in sharing nostalgic posts.” It’s not just glamorised Summer moments we’re sharing online. A quick scroll through TikTok will show you people are even reminiscing about the first lockdown, as if making whipped coffee, baking banana bread and taking part in early trending dances with family, each count as a nostalgic moment. You’re probably guilty of getting involved in sharing photos and videos as a part of some of these ‘throwback’ trends yourself. Sally agrees that the excessive sharing of memories is a symptom of our mood and desperation for certainty but says the majority of posts we share are “selective” as we “cherry-pick the good bits.” With social media prompting us to share memoirs from a few years ago, we can be picky about the moments we choose to share.“We rarely will share about the bad things that have happened to us. Instead, we share about gigs, Glastonbury and all of the things we’re now in the process of grieving for.” The desire to return to live gigs and festivals has been proven with sell-outs of Reading and Leeds among other festivals, running out of weekend and day tickets in a matter of hours. The national craving for returned social lives and happier times have reflected in our wishful posts and our nostalgia has become a shared feeling. Our reflections on the past have only been strengthened by our longing for a better future.
“the present is tough” so we should “give ourselves a break.” Is it bad to focus on nostalgia? Sally says there’s no real harm in looking back at memories and it’s all part of human nature.“It’s only a problem if it takes part in real life and precludes you from the present.” She says people can think catastrophically when looking into the future which isn’t the aim but being present is usually the goal. She acknowledges that: “the present is tough” so we should “give ourselves a break.” To look back on happy memories and even less happy ones is not a harmful routine – whether that’s scrolling through old social media posts or sharing regular #tbt’s – so long as it’s not affecting your ability to enjoy the present day. In Vex King’s book on self-love, “Good Vibes, Good Life,” he said: “I look back on my memories and embrace everything that happened; there’s a lesson to be learnt by every event.” There are lessons to be learned by our memories, so reflecting on both our nostalgic Summer memories as well as our less positive ones isn’t bad to do during the pandemic, it just reflects our desire to make new exciting memories in the future. By sharing our best memories on social media and looking back through our past, we’re clinging on to the hope that normality is just around the corner.
WHEN IS THE RIGHT AGE TO DECIDE OUR FUTURE?
Choosing your career can be the most important decision you ever make. With many jobs requiring years of education and qualifications, Anna Pearce explores if young people are being forced to make these big decisions too early. In the UK, we pick our GCSEs at age 13-14. Our A-levels can be chosen at ages 15-16. At age 18, we can go off to University where we study a course which is supposed to lead us into our careers. As a society, this is normalised, but should we be asking ourselves if people of these ages are too young to plan out their lives?
feeling very anxious and it affected my mental health as I was still not sure 100% I wanted to carry on,” she says. “I finally worked out that I wanted to study in media or journalism and switched two of my A-levels to photography and sociology, still keeping English Lit as I wanted to go into the creative side of work.”
Teenagers and young people are still figuring out who they are when they’re supposed to be making choices for their future careers. As we get older, we change, and decisions and aspirations might differ. But when is the right time to decide on a career? Young people are likely to move out in their 20’s and need money to do so, meaning that choosing a career at a young age could be important as some careers need years of training.
Hannah Townsend, 18, chose A levels which she was interested in because she was unsure about what she wanted to do. She now works at a coffee shop which she enjoys. “I had no idea I’d be doing this when I chose my GCSEs,” she says. “We are too young to decide, we change so much at this age.”
The Daily Mail reported in 2018 that in the UK, a person has an average of six jobs in their lifetime. Should we be deciding on specific careers so young? Anonymous, in their second year of a Journalism degree, says, “I was good with media, photography and writing at school so I just stuck with it and ran with it, that’s what my teachers told me anyway. Fast forward to now, I work part-time in the hospital and during all of this with COVID-19, it’s opened my eyes to what I want to do. So, all being well, I will be starting my nursing degree soon.” They also say, “I do think we’re being forced into what we want to do far too young.” Chloé Bishop, 19, explains that when choosing A levels, she envisioned a career in law, and chose History, Law and English Literature. “I ended up
William Preece, 15, is currently in year 11 and is planning what he wants to do next. “I don’t know what I want to do. I wish I had more time,” he says. He wishes that instead of qualifications, there was something more about creativity. He can’t get into certain places such as sixth form as it’s too academic for him. Amy Berry, 18, “In year 9, we are meant to choose our GCSE subjects, most of these we have never done or even heard of,” she says. She was given her reserved subject option at GCSE which was French, and she didn’t enjoy it. She doesn’t feel like it’s helped her at all in choosing a career. Joe Manton, 19, remembers picking the GCSEs that he thought would be good for university, only to discover that he didn’t want to go to university. “I believe there should be an in-between period, where you focus on core subjects and then take those exams. And after that, make more specific choices,” he suggests.
Megan Griffiths, 20, “I think we’re pushed into careers too early simply so the school can meet the goals. Some kids might not work best at university, but they’re told to apply anyway,” she says. Looking at what other countries do in terms of exams and I discovered that many take them around the same time that we do in the UK, and some even younger. However, what was interesting is that in New Zealand, they do an NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement.) This involves school marking (internal assessments) as well as end of year assessments (external assessments). Each subject is split into standards, which are specific areas of that subject. In each of these standards, you can earn credits, which count towards the final qualification. These are a lot more specific than GCSEs and A level results and show which areas in each subject you’re particularly good at. After receiving results, you’re given Vocational Pathways Awards which show what skills you’re good at. This can help guide students into career choices and also looks good to employers. I personally think this way of marking seems useful. I’ve always thought there are flaws in the UK education system and these flaws can let people down when they’re looking for careers. I believe that so many young people are forced to decide their careers at such a young age. But what is the right age? What do you think?
@drawmejay
Marvel Retrospect The modern age
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With Marvel having an extended catalogue of different characters, you’d think that it would be plain sailing from here. Not only would talented artists such as Todd McFarlane work on a character like SpiderMan, but Marvel would hold the honour of the company that would have the biggest selling comic of all time. Jim Lee and Chris Claremont’s first X-Men comic still holds the record to this day, remaining the unbeatable champion. However, Marvel would face its biggest challenge yet, going from bust to billions. Before that, the comic book industry saw the rise of
independent comic book stores, meaning Marvel wasn’t just being at newsagents and pharmacists. Comic book stores were on the rise, meaning the books were able to take more and more risks, stories like DC’s Watchmen, a bleak, dystopian commentary on Margret Thatcher’s England and the Silver Age of comics, were able to become cult classics without including well-known characters like Batman or Superman. These comic book stores also meant that new comic book companies were coming out of the woodwork, the aforementioned Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane were unhappy about how they were being treated at Marvel. So, with Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld and a handful of other Marvel creators, WildStorm (later known as Image) Comics was created. Characters like Spawn, Savage Dragon and Invincible (which is an animated series on Amazon Prime). This didn’t just happen with Marvel, DC had several writers of
colour lead by writer Dwayne McDuffie, leave and create Milestone Comics, where popular characters like Static
Dwayne McDuffie
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ell, we’re finally here. We’ve finally reached the end of this long and winding journey through the history of Marvel Comics and there is no better place to talk about the future of Marvel than the Future Issue of Farid. I don’t only want to be talking about what Marvel has done, I also want to be talking about the future of where the company is going. So, I think it’s time to talk about the modern age. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Modern Age of Marvel.
“The future seems bright for the company, but no matter where they’re heading, I’ll be one of the true believers that’s eager to find out the next chapter in the story.” -Troy Milan Harrison
- PRESENT Shock and Icon were created but they later found their way into the DC Universe, fighting alongside the Justice League. Quick side note, there’s a high possibility that Dwayne McDuffie was a huge part of your childhood without you knowing it as he wrote for projects such as Ben 10, Justice League: Unlimited, What’s New Scooby-Doo, and Justice League: Doom.
With all this in mind, the comic book industry crashed because of a well of overwhelming titles, this meant that Marvel had no choice but to file for bankruptcy and sell some of their most popular characters to film companies. The ramifications of these events are still in effect today, it’s why there’s a sense of confusion with casual filmgoers as the X-Men, Fantastic 4 and SpiderMan films couldn’t be involved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wolverine couldn’t join up with the Avengers because Wolverine was owned by 20th Century Fox. It was a long and hard slog for the company, but Marvel’s experiment with multimedia projects helped them get back on track and become the juggernaut that we all know them to be. Films such as Blade, Sam Raimi’s SpiderMan, X-Men, and Iron Man not only kick-started Marvel’s reputation but were also the first films to showcase how much of a critical success Marvel could be at the box office. Back in the realm of comics, Marvel was also dominating in the early 2000s because writers like Brian Micheal Bendis and Mark Millar were
changing the game were shaking up the Marvel Universe. Stories like the House of M and Civil War pitted the heroes we loved against each other or wiped a whole species out of existence. Writers showed that comics could be melodramatic stories that could make for brilliant yearly events.
By the 2010s and with the success of the MCU, a new era of Marvel was taking place. New heroes such as the Ultimate Spiderman, Miles Morales burst onto the pages, being a superhero of colour and proving that anyone of any background was worthy of wearing the mask. The first Muslim mainstream superhero, Ms Marvel made her way into the Marvel Universe, being inspired by Carol Danvers and using her Inhuman powers to become a new kind of teenage hero. Speaking of Carol, Marvel wasn’t just introducing new characters, they were updating old ones as Danvers finally became Captain Marvel in July of 2012, honouring the man who first gave her powers back in 1968. Now, of course, in the present day, the House of Ideas isn’t just known for publishing books. Marvel has become a juggernaut (no pun intended) in the entertainment industry, having the most successful cinematic universe, with the studios at a time holding the record for the highestgrossing movie of all time (not
counting inflation), having a great catalogue of shows on Netflix, and bringing in a new era of superhero television with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, which has an impressive seven-season run. So what’s next for Marvel Entertainment?
Well, if you’ve been keeping your eyes peeled, Disney+ miniseries like Wandavision. Disney+ will help to revolutionize Marvel into a brand new age of storytelling, bringing the lesser-known characters from the MCU into the spotlight and telling stories that one movie doesn’t have time to tell. The MCU is also sailing into Phase 4 as upcoming films such as Chang Chi, Black Widow and the Eternals tell different aspects of the award-winning universe. The future seems bright for the company, but no matter where they’re heading, I’ll be one of the true believers that’s eager to find out the next chapter in the story.
Excelsior
TikTok: the teacher or just the time passer? I spoke to Mel Sims, who without TikTok, wouldn’t have discovered later in life that she has ADHD. Is there more than meets the eye to this video sharing app? By Hannah Smith
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ikTok has become an international favourite time passer, particularly over the last year. Whether your FYP (for you page) is filled with dancers, cosplayers, self-proclaimed cooks, or the classic funny pets, we have all been sucked into cycles of endless scrolling. With about 43% of people now spending more time on social media according to Smart Insights, it’s no wonder publications aim to find an audience there. While you may be able to find plenty of news and information among the memes and latest beauty trends in places like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, TikTok has never really screamed ‘educational.’ Of course, not every platform has to but as of January 2021, TikTok has 689 million monthly active users worldwide, according to Data Reportal, making it the seventh-largest platform. So, surely there is room for more content variety, right? I spoke to Mel Sims, founder of Mooze Booze, who discovered she had ADHD through TikTok at the age of 48. “I discovered a lady called ‘Pinkpearbear’ and that was the aha moment,” Mel says, “it was a very emotional discovery that without TikTok I might not have realised – visually seeing someone going through the same thing made it so much clearer and I could relate to these people.” Mel says that she never knew women of her age could have undiagnosed ADHD and that without stumbling across a TikTok video, she probably would have never known. For the longest time now, we have relied on the internet for a wealth of information. You can research and discover anything at just a few taps of your fingertips. When it comes to navigating the confusing and often daunting topic of mental health, while the internet alone cannot provide professional help, it can certainly offer support. Mel says, “the TikTok community I found is amazing. It makes you ask questions about yourself now and about your past.”
After discovering ADHD content on TikTok, Mel received a free diagnosis with Psychiatry UK via the NHS Right to Choose. “There was a template to send to your doctor to have them fill in and send off which happened immediately,” she says, “my doctor had no idea about it and even thanked me for introducing her to this route as said that so many doctors actually don’t know about it. It was that easy and I had a diagnosis two weeks later.” According to MentalHealth.org. uk, 75% of mental health problems are established by age 24. However, they also estimate that 75% of people in the UK overall may not get access to the necessary treatment. These figures indicate that people of an older demographic are even less likely to receive a diagnosis and/or treatment which is evident in Mel’s case as she reiterates, “I may never have even known this without TikTok.” Lockdown had an interesting impact on us all. It gave us more time to think, be restless, be bored, be unhappy and like many people, Mel was the same way. “This unsettled, buzzy feeling wouldn’t go away,” she says. With the pressure coming from the redundancy of staff members from her business to juggling home-schooling, Mel says, “I was constantly looking for excitement and happiness as there were no external distractions to take me away from my ADHD feelings, so like many others, I drank too much.” “For my liver and my sanity, I turned this into a business,” she continues, “I now understand that it was my undiagnosed ADHD that made me.” As in Mel’s case and the cases of many others, social media can be a blessing in disguise. But as mentioned previously, TikTok is yet to have a more esteemed reputation. “It is not just for young people but for everyone,” says Mel, who has since set up a TikTok account of her own called ‘midlifeADD.’ The general view of TikTok seems to be that it is for the younger generations only – even myself and my friends at the ripe old age of 22 feel too old for it sometimes. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.
To answer the question: can TikTok be more than just a time passer? I think we can say, yes. In a world that is increasingly utilising social media for more than this, there is evidence to support TikTok as a reputable platform. Like any social media platform, there is room for evolvement and enjoyment. Mel says, “the quick, visual videos let me learn about it in 10 minutes - it is for all ages if you are searching for something,” which rings true along with a quote I’ve seen floating around the internet, “use social media to inspire people not impress them.” u
“visually seeing someone going through the same thing made it so much clearer”
Mel Sims
Our future and our phones... As an entire nation, we are attached to our phones. According to GSMA realtime intelligence data, there are exactly 5.13 billion people in the world who own mobile devices. That is 66.5% of the world. Have you ever just opened TikTok for 10 minutes but it ends up turning into two hours and you genuinely don’t feel good about it? Or, have you ever spent half an hour to an hour just scrolling through Instagram to realise you gained nothing? I fear for what our future will look like in terms of how disconnected we are from the real world because of how connected we are with our less realistic, some might say fake, online worlds. I love a lot about the online world, it is an industry I am keen to get myself into. To reflect on the past year, it has kept us connected to our loved ones, kept us learning online and quite simply entertained us in many ways. But I do regularly sit and wonder about what this past year would’ve been like if we didn’t all have our phones placed perfectly in our hands or resting gently on the sofa armchair next to us. We are constantly just waiting for something new to happen, for something new to happen online, in our online worlds… The more I think about this, the weirder it gets. Why do we rely on it so much that we are completely missing out on what could be happening in real-time, around us? Anyway, of course, social media and the internet have their positives and it seems like it is only going to grow. But I do fear that the future might be so dominated by the online world that we will miss out on the life going on around us. I have been thinking about this more recently as that pesky little
‘your storage is almost full’ notification pops up on my phone. It’s funny how many pictures of food and meals out I have on my phone… but why? Why can’t I enjoy a meal and not take a picture of it? Why can’t I just enjoy the moment without having to add it to my photo library? To be honest, I have stopped that now but it’s the small things that make you realise how consumed we are. I think back to when I used to go out the front of my house with my little walkie-talkies and play kerby on the street. I think back to when I used to call my friends on the house phone to ask if they could come and play in the street. I think back to all my old family photos where there is no phone in sight. I wonder whether these were more care-free times? A lot more these days you see young girls and boys sat flicking through their phones, iPods or iPads, watching the TV (not all but a lot) and I almost feel sorry for them. I feel bad about the fact that social media can create a lot of pressure and insecurity for some people and I just don’t feel like anyone should have to deal with that, especially young people. In the future, I would love to see social media used more honestly. I think we are seeing this a lot more and some of my favourite accounts represent this (@em_clarkson on Insta for example). Social media and the online world is going to be hugely beneficial for companies and brands around the world and I don’t knock that. I think it is hugely impactful. It is more about the fact we are so indulged in it and we spend so much of our time online that we might not even realise how much real life we miss.
Holly Ostle
Illustration by @reeceillustration