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THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Read about Uni of Sheffield’s Winter Varsity victory in Sport
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ISSUE 129 | WEDNESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2019 | FREE
Uni investigating medical student for offensive group chat messages Niall O’Callaghan
The University of Sheffield has begun an investigation into a first year medical student who sent ‘slut shaming’ screenshots to a group chat containing over 240 students. A screenshot of an Instagram post of two girls was posted in the group chat by the student in question at 4.18am on Sunday 20 January, followed by the messages “easy shags” and “use protection”. The messages were followed by a voice note, in which the student said: “Mr [name censored], remember to use the old condoms, be a good boy. STI’s are not a joke”. The student then posted messages reading “wrong chat lol” and “I mean the message stands still”, before sending another voice note saying: “I mean guys; messages are here to be learnt. You should always use protection because at the end of the day STIs are not a joke as I’ve said previously. Have a good Pop Tarts. Goodnight”. None of the messages in the group chat of first year medics were replied to. However, the final voice note was
reacted to with a heart eyes emoji by one individual. A screen recording of the chat was sent to Forge Press by an anonymous source, who called the comments “slut shaming”. The student is now under investigation by the University disciplinary panel, who are reviewing the student’s ‘suitability to practice medicine’. A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: “As soon as our Medical School was made aware of this issue it followed established investigatory procedures, in line with University disciplinary and Fitness to Practise regulations. “Fitness to Practise procedures use standards set by national regulatory bodies, including the General Medical Council, to review conduct that could impact a student’s suitability to practise medicine.” The University of Sheffield Feminist Society (FemSoc) have called for more effective services and support to deal with this type of behaviour. In a statement, FemSoc president Emily Doyland said:... (cont. on p7)
Beren Maddison, Campaigns Officer for Sheffield Students’ Union’s LGBT+ Committee. Image: Rhiannon Cook
LGBT+ History Month launches with focus on campaigning and activism Lucas Mentken
The annual LGBT+ History Month celebration at Sheffield Students’ Union is set to shift its focus towards campaigning and activism this year. The LGBT+ History Month launch event on Thursday 7 February kicked off the month full of activities, events and projects in the Students’
We’ll give you 50% off coach travel. Where you go is up to you. Just go to nationalexpress.com/refreshers using the code Refreshers50 and book by 25 February for travel by 28 February.
Union and introduced this year’s theme of “Peace, Reconciliation, and Activism”. This theme is particularly fitting as June 2019 marks the 50 year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which are seen as a defining moment in LGBT+ History and the LGBT+ rights movement. Beren Maddison, Campaigns Officer on the Students’ Union’s
LGBT+ Committee, is taking charge as lead organiser for the first time after helping out with planning last year’s LGBT+ History Month. He said: “We have come really far but we have to remember what got us there and the fact that we are not quite done yet. “This month is useful to think about how we got the rights we have today and how we... (cont. on p6)
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PIC OF THE PRESS
The Arts Tower and Western Bank Library at dusk
Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief David Anderson Managing Editor Becky Sliwa Webb Deputy Editor David Craig Deputy Editor James Pendlington Head of News Ben Warner Head of Sport Adam May LOF Coordinator Sorcha Simons Culture Coordinator Tom Buckland Culture Coordinator Gethin Morgan News Editor Lucas Mentken News Editor Niall O’Callaghan News Editor Alex Peneva Features Editor Rebecca Lally Features Editor VACANT Opinion Editor Connie Coombs Opinion Editor Matthew Hartill Arts Editor Charly Hurrell Guest Arts Editor Nathan Makalena Lifestyle Editor Harry Browse Lifestyle Editor Amelia Shaw Music Editor Harriet Evans Music Editor Ben Kempton Screen Editor Gethin Morgan Screen Editor Izzy Cridland Games Editor Luke Baldwin Games Editor Tom Buckland Tech and Science Editor Aidan Hughes Tech and Science Editor Jade Le Marquand Break Editor Robin Wilde Sport Editor Patrick Burke Sport Editor Joshua Taylor News Online Editor Ewan Somerville News Online Editor Ynez Wahab Features/Lifestyle Online Editor Rebekah B Lowri Opinion Online Editor Jack Redfern Culture Online Editor Brenna Cooper Culture Online Editor Ben Kempton Sport Online Editor Michael Ekman Sport Online Editor VACANT Copy Editor Coordinator Leah Fox Copy Editor (News) Charlotte Magdalene Copy Editor (LOF) Brogan Maguire Copy Editor (LOF) Laura Foster Copy Editor (Culture) Salena Rayner Copy Editor (Culture) Bethan Davis Copy Editor (Sports) Charlie Payne Design and Training Coordinator Chloe Dervey Secretary and Social Secretary Connie Coombs Inclusions and Welfare Coordinator Charlotte Magdalene Marketing and Publicity Coordinator Chloe Dervey Photography Coordinator Juliet Cookson Website Coordinator Lisa Wehrstedt In-house Artist Chloe Dervey
Image: Juliet Cookson
Editorial
Hello everyone and welcome back to a new year, a new semester and a new issue of Forge Press. It’s been a long time since we released issue 128 in November and a lot has happened since then, so in these pages we’re going to do our best to catch you up. At university a new year very rarely gets off to a good start. Unless you’re a fan of deadlines, exams and crappy weather, there’s really very little to be excited about and these few weeks can often feel a tad overwhelming and quite glum. Amid the stress it can also be easy to break any New Year’s resolutions you might have made, which will only exacerbate any winter blues. So, if you want an easy resolution to make you feel better about yourself, here’s one on the house: buy a Campus Cup. For just a £5 deposit, you get a band which lets you pick up and drop off reusable cups from outlets across campus, as well a 20p discount on hot drinks.They’ve been out for about a year now, but the introduction of a new 20p levy on disposable cups means a Campus Cup now effectively saves you 40p on
each drink. So really you can’t afford not to have one. Anyway, I digress. Back to the bleak midwinter and all that. But wait! Is it actually that bleak? I was recently treated to a beacon of light in an otherwise dismal January in the form of the first new music in six years from my favourite band, Vampire Weekend. After months of cruel teasing on his Instagram account, lead singer Ezra Koenig confirmed a new album would be released this year and singles ‘Harmony Hall’ and ‘2021’ dropped on 24 January. I was overjoyed. However, unless you share my obsession with the band, you probably don’t care about this news at all. But I’m not telling you so you go out and pre-order the new Vampire Weekend album. My point is that, when the going gets tough and everything seems a bit too much, it’s important to take time to acknowledge and enjoy the small things. This could be hearing new music from a favourite band, finding out how to save 40p on your daily cappuccino, or just spending some
Get involved
Want to join the team? Get involved! No prior experience is necessary, just join the Facebook group Forge Press Contributors and come along to our regular contributor meetings
precious time with people you care about. If you ever doubt how valuable these moments are, go and watch Richard Curtis’ About Time. Hell, if you’ve got someone special to watch it with then watch it for Valentine’s Day. It’s pretty romantic. Speaking of Valentine’s Day, we’ve got plenty of romantic content in this issue for all you to enjoy, from Lifestyle’s top dating spots in Sheffield to Music’s collation of your favourite love songs. But if you’re not into romance then we’ve got plenty of other great stuff too. Because our wonderful editorial team and contributors here at Forge Press have surpassed themselves once again by producing a fantastic newspaper. So, if any of you are still reading me rambling on here, stop right now and go read what they’ve produced. It’s as wonderful as they are. Until next time.
every other Tuesday to meet the team and pitch your own ideas. Contact editor@forgetoday.com with any questions.
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News
NEWS IN BRIEF SHEFFIELD First wave of Tramlines Lineup
UNIVERSITY SU to charge extra for single-use cups
UNIVERSITY Music Soc 12-hour music playathon
The first wave of acts for the 2019 Tramlines festival has been announced. Headliners will be Courteeners, Two Door Cinema and Nile Rodgers and Chic. Happy Mondays, Reverend and The Makers and many more will also be joining them over the weekend of 19-21 July.
The Sheffield SU has introduced a 20p levy on single-use paper cups from SU outlets to encourage sustainability. With the currently existing 20p discount for using your own cup, this would make a 40p difference between a drink in a paper and in a reusable cup
The Music Society have conducted a 12-hour playathon to raise money for Support Dogs, their chosen charity. They played music throughout the day on Monday in places like the Activities Zone, Interval and Raynor Lounge.
UNIVERSITY Hundred Views of the Arts Tower
NATIONAL Revolutionise the North’s railway
UNIVERSITY Academic rep conference review
A collection of a hundred artworks of the Arts Tower will be displayed at the Western Bank Library Exhibition Gallery in February and March. It brings together photos, paintings, ceramics, film and other forms of art, presenting the iconic building from various perspectives and distances.
Northern political and business readers have backed a plan for the Northern Powerhouse Rail, going forward with investment of up to £39 billion in the northern rail network, and get the government to back their plans.
The Students’ Union hosted its first ever conference for academic reps in the Gallery on Thursday 7 February. It celebrated the relaunch of the academic reps system, and held a Q&A with the VC Koen Lamberts to conclude the day.
Firth Court
Broadway Lost Chords musical Eve Thomas On the 24th February, Firth Hall will host Forged in Sheffield’s
production of ‘Broadway’s Lost
Chords’, a musical comprised of
over twenty little-known numbers cut from various Broadway musicals.
Starting at 7:30pm, the show
will last 90 minutes and include an interval. Tickets range from
£5 to £11 and are available to book
now via the UoS website, or can be
Education for our Future SU campaign
purchased on the door.
Ben Warner
Dolls’, amongst others. They will
A new campaign, looking at education holistically, has been launched by three of the SU Officers ahead of the election period. ‘Education for the Future’ was launched on Monday 11 February by Anna Crump Raiswell, Education Officer, Mel Kee, SU Development Officer, and Women’s Officer Mayeda Tayyab, and focuses on making the curriculum more diverse and sustainable, as well as ensuring it is directed towards helping students’ futures. The campaign is helping focus on part of each Officer’s manifesto, such as Mayeda pledging to make the curriculum less white, by looking at the diversity of department staff and of reading lists. ‘Education for the Future’ was announced on the SU website and through the weekly SU Highlights email. The officers are calling
for students to get involved, and make the change themselves by contacting their department, becoming an academic rep or feeding back directly to the Students’ Union through their site. Mel Kee’s part of the campaign focuses on sustainability in education, with the end goal being that all graduates will leave the University of Sheffield with an understanding of sustainability and the changing environment. Meanwhile, Anna wants to focus on the way teaching is delivered in different courses at the University and whether skills taught are transferable enough to the real world. The campaign was also promoted to academic reps at the inaugural Academic Reps Conference on Thursday 7 February, where the new Vice-Chancellor Professor Koen Lamberts met students for a Q&A for the first time since he took the job in November.
The musical will include original
works from Irving Berlin’s ‘Annie Get Your Gun’, Rodgers and
Hammerstein’s ‘The King and I’ and Frank Loesser’s ‘Guys and
be performed by the University
of Sheffield Broadway Orchestra, conducted by Joshua Goodman.
Goodman has worked on new
orchestrations in conversation
with leading Broadway arranger
Larry Blank and the University of
Sheffield’s Head of Composition, George Nicholson.
The show is based on the
research of Dominic McHugh,
who presents the performance, and features Debra Finch, Scott
Hayward, Rachel Kelsall, and James Williamson as soloists.
The production is the work
of Forged in Sheffield, an
organisation ‘promoting a wealth
of diverse talent in our city through
SU Women’s Officer Mayeda Tayyab
performances’ by engaging with adults, students and children to create and present music.
‘Broadway’s Lost Chords’ was
born through their work with students.
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PhD engineers receive aditional funding Stacie Moore
The University of Sheffield is set to receive a share of £446 million in funding for PHD engineering and physical science students. The aim of this funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Centre (EPSRC) is to help centres ‘develop the skills needed for UK prosperity’, by training postgraduate students to an exceptional level. It also aims to tackle research and innovation challenges within the engineering and physical science fields. In particular, the funding will boost University’s seven EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) which help to develop students’ professional skills and technical research experience.
Chris Skidmore, Science and Innovation Minister, said: “As we explore new research to boost our economy with an increase of over £7 billion invested in R&D over five years – the highest for over 40 years – we will need skilled people to turn ideas into inventions with positive impact on our daily lives. “The Centres for Doctoral Training at universities across the country will offer the next generation of PhD students the ability to get ahead of the curve. This is our modern Industrial Strategy in action, ensuring all corners of the UK thrive with the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow. “As Science Minister, I’m delighted we’re making this massive investment in postgraduate students as part of our increased investment in R&D.”
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24-hour musical fundraises for Cancer Care charity David Anderson
The 24-Hour Musical team dazzled audiences in the Octagon Centre on Saturday 9 February with a stunning performance of Grease to raise money for Cavendish Cancer Care. Each year the team behind the event have just 24 hours to prepare a full-scale musical, from finding out what the show is to learning their scripts, rehearsing songs and dances and finally putting on the performance. George Evans, a third year History student who played the role of Danny, was delighted with how this year’s performance went. “I had my suspicions that it would be Grease and was very happy when it was announced,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do it for so long and have always just missed the opportunity to, so it was amazing to get the chance. “I was ecstatic to get Danny but immediately realised it’d be a very intense 24 hours. The show went really well, there were a few minor hiccups, but you have to come to expect that. It was a lot of fun playing around with the script on stage to get laughs out of the audience too.”
Harry Carling, a third year Business Management student who played the role of Kenickie, said: “The intensity of it all was crazy! There was room for very few breaks as the leads were needed in either a singing, dancing or acting rehearsal pretty much all the time. The lack of sleep was also very draining of course!” Lily Backler, a third year English and Theatre student who played the role of Sandy, said: “I was lucky to have played the part a few years ago so I remembered a lot of the lines. I was really happy with how it went, mostly because I had so much fun performing. It was a great audience. “I think the fact that my character didn’t have much space to be funny or improvise meant I felt like I had to do everything right, which was a lot of pressure around dress run and show time. Cavendish Cancer Care is charity in Sheffield dedicated to improving the quality of life for those living with cancer in South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Ms Backler continued: “I’ve seen cancer affect so many people I know at uni, so it’s great to do something that’s making a difference in Sheffield.”
Image: Dan West
Hundreds of University of Sheffield students took part in the Refreshers Fair last week. On Tuesday 5 February, the Octagon was full of society representatives, promoting their work and activities to old and new students at the university. The day after, stalls from a variety of student-friendly companies had occupied the area. As usual, it was ‘all about free stuff’ with participants including Domino’s, Nando’s, Game, Now TV and many more.
Image: Alex Peneva
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News
Sheffield protestors and Green Party Councillors plea to City Council for zero-carbon city by 2030 Lauren Savage & Luke Baldwin
Sheffield City Council has declared a state of climate emergency, with an aim to become carbon neutral by 2050. Jack Scott, Council Cabinet member for Transport and Development said: “The future of the human race relies on us taking bold action on climate change, and I am delighted that Sheffield is boldly leading the way here.” The Labour motion was met with fierce opposition by the Green Party and environmental protesters, who asked the deadline to be pushed forward to 2030. As protesters flooded into the public gallery, banners were unfurled and chants were heard in the Sheffield City Council. Sheffield Green Party have insisted that Sheffield must commit to being ‘zero carbon’ by 2030, or risk perilous consequences. The plea comes after a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that suggests “we only have 12 years left
to avoid the worst of it.” The report explained the enormous harm that a 2 degree rise in global mean surface temperatures is likely to cause, but also revealed a limit of 1.5 degrees may still be possible with immediate action from national and local government. Allison Teal, Councillor for Nether Edge and Sharrow Ward, said: “There is no issue of greater importance at present than Climate Change. Governments and industry have tried to ignore and deny the science that has alerted us to the dangers for decades. “We have 12 short years, if we are lucky, to adapt our way of life.” Many cities surrounding Sheffield, such as Nottingham and Manchester, have already responded by declaring ‘Climate Emergency’ and committing resources to address this. A motion is set to come to the full Sheffield City Council meeting this week, proposed by the local Labour Party, which would see Sheffield declare one too. Green Party Councillor Douglas Johnson said: ‘Electricity produced
by wind, solar and tidal power is absolutely critical to the country’s energy security and survival and the decision to purchase the Council’s electricity can make a significant difference to this industry.” Amelia Womack, Deputy Leader of the Green Party, said: “We live in a climate emergency and no one can be complacent. It’s so incredibly frustrating to see a Labour Council not taking action.” The protest also regenerated long running disputes between the public and the Council’s Streets Ahead contract, which is run by Amey. Mark Smith, of 70 Whirlowdale Crescent, was one such protester present in the chamber. He asked: “With scores of people arrested for peaceful protest, many now being proved wrongful, will the council reconsider their decision not to hold an inquiry given public trust in the council and police is at an alltime low?” Green Councillor Alison Teal echoed the thoughts of the protesters who believed Labour Councillor Lewis Dagnall had glossed over some of the questions.
Image: Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed
Students’ Union’s #WeShouldRun campaign to encourage further diversity in representation Alex Peneva
The Sheffield SU Officer team is encouraging more people to run for positions in this year’s SU elections and promoting diversity with the #WeShouldRun campaign. Following the success of last year’s #SheShouldRun campaign, which resulted in the first allwomen officer team in SU history, this year the officers are focusing on improving equal representation as a whole. “Men consistently outnumber women in leadership roles and Sheffield SU stand up to this,” says SU Activities Officer Cecilia Hudson-Monlinaro in the
Image: Alex Peneva
campaign promotion video. “Help us continue this trend and make sure your SU is representing
students like you,” she adds. The SU Officer team are calling for more students from underrepresented groups in the University, such as BME, LGBT+, mature and disabled students, to nominate themselves and ensure the SU officers team reflects the diverse identities and experiences of Sheffield students. Women’s Officer Mayeda Tayyab admitted that targeting so many different groups at once and launching the campaign after the nominations had opened would make it harder to see the immediate results of the campaign. She is hopeful that, in the long-run, more people from underrepresented groups will run for SU officer positions and that next-year’s team will carry on their good work in encouraging diversity.
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New ‘Varsity Voice’ competition launches Niall O’Callaghan
A new competition has opened giving students from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam the opportunity to perform at the FlyDSA Arena at the Varsity Ice Hockey event on 27 March. The competition, which was launched by Forge TV, invites both solo artists and bands from both universities to enter, however rules stipulate that groups “must not exceed a maximum of five members” and that “no live instruments are allowed throughout the competition”. Organiser Alfie Robinson said: “Varsity Voice is a brand new Varsity Competition from Forge TV alongside the sports officers at both The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. “Open to both sets of students it enables one lucky winner to perform in from of 8000+ of their fellow
students at the FlyDSA Arena before the start of Varsity’s final event, the ice hockey. “The competition was designed to get more students involved with varsity, especially those that may not be into sports. “It also helps bridge the gap between students at both universities as students from Hallam will be helping Forge TV film the whole competition”. Sports Officer Sarah Morse said: “I’m really excited to see the launch of the Varsity Voice competition as a new feature of Varsity this year. “Varsity has the power to bring a diverse set of students together under one shared passion. So it’s great to feature Varsity Voice at the Ice Hockey Varsity final and it will hopefully engage even more people with this spectacular event.” Uni of auditions are on 4 March, Hallam auditions on Friday 8 March with the final on Monday 18 March.
Ice Hockey Varsity 2018 Image: Dan West
LGBT+ History Month kicks off with launch in Students’ Union Lucas Mentken
(cont. from front page) ...can get rights that we still need to help people in other countries. “It is a great thing to get involved with and it is one of the best parts of my university time.” One of the changes this year is that the History Month exhibition will be spread into three weekly portions rather than presenting everything in one day. Beren added: “I am particularly excited for the talks throughout the month. They are the best parts where you can get real education and LGBT+ history from different perspectives. “They are the most interesting to me because that is what LGBT+ history month is all about. It’s the acknowledgement, the education and the celebration of LGBT+ history.” The first talk, which will take place on Thursday 14 February, is led by guest speaker Lola Phoenix who will
talk about the history of the LGBT+ rights movement and influential activists such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Additionally, the LGBT Committee, the Sports Committee and the Students’ Union’s Sports Officer Sarah Morse collaborated to bring students Pride in Sport Week which aims to increase LGBT+ inclusion in university sports. Some of the events, which will run from 11 February to 17 February,
include several social sport sessions, a Pride in Sport Inclusions Workshop and a free Queer Zumba session. The month will conclude with “Splectrum”, an open mic night which welcomes LGBT+ performers for a night of stand-up comedy and music in the Students’ Union’s Raynor Lounge on 26 February. A full schedule of all LGBT+ History Month events with online sign up forms can be found on the Students’ Union’s website.
Students’ Union sessions on EU Settlement Scheme Alex Peneva
Sheffield SU will be holding free information sessions to support students through their applications for the EU Settlement Scheme. The EU Settlement Scheme allows EU citizens to apply for free to continue to live, work and study in the UK after 31 December 2020. Successful applicants will continue to be eligible for public services, funds and pensions as well as British citizenship if the requirements are met. The main scheme is expected to launch at the end of March this year. But, with the launching of the third phase of the pilot scheme on 21 January, more EU students are rushing their applications for settled or pre-settled status. To help them make an informed decision about whether and when to apply, the SU will be holding its second information session on the EU Settlement Scheme on 15 February at 12pm in the Auditorium. Currently applications are charged
£65 per adult and £32.50 per child under 16, though the fee will now be refunded due to a government U-turn after facing fierce pressure to abandon the charge. To be granted settled status, applicants must have been resident in the UK for a continuous period of five years and not have been absent for more than six months over any 12-month period. If they have not lived in the UK for at least five years, or cannot prove so, EU citizens resident here can apply for pre-settled status, which will allow them to stay in the UK for five more years, after which they will be able to apply for a settled status. A pre-settled status would preserve all citizen rights to healthcare, work and access to benefits. Places for the information session in the SU are still available but must be booked in advance before the event. Further information sessions on the EU Settlement Scheme will be held in March.
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News
University of Sheffield to investigate medical student for ‘slut shaming’ group chat messages Niall O’Callaghan
(cont. from front page) ...“Sheffield needs to look closely at how it will vocally support the students affected and take this as an opportunity to reform their sexual consent education – we need signposting of existing services and a genuine political will to deal with lad culture. “I wouldn’t know who to send those screenshots to other than a newspaper, and if I don’t know then how is anybody else meant to know?” The incident happened a fortnight before hundreds of students marched at Warwick University after two students managed to appeal their ten-year bans down to just one year following another incident involving group chat messages.
I wouldn’t know who to send those screenshots to other than a newspaper.
In total 11 students were suspended from Warwick after antiSemitic and sexist messages in a group chat emerged, including one which said “sometimes it’s fun to just go wild and rape 100 girls”.
Students at Warwick marched against the reduction of the bans in favour of lifetime bans for the perpetrators. The president of Warwick Students’ Union even called for vice-chancellor Stuart
Croft’s resignation if he could not explain why the bans were significantly reduced. In a statement on Warwick University’s website David Normington, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council said they were “deeply sorry” and launching an independent review into their disciplinary procedures, which “we will treat as a priority”. Ms Doyland added: “This is clearly a symbol of a wider problem – it’s not just happening in group chats or at some universities, this is happening in everyday encounters and it is ingrained within society. It is the responsibility in particular of universities to lead.” The person who disclosed the messages, who wishes to remain anonymous, told The Independent “I find it saddening that such harassment appears to be such commonplace amongst university students. “The group chat exists for all the medics in that year group to chat and arrange things and I hate to see that coming from a group of students who are meant to represent integrity and professionalism. “By sending it to a group this big it made us aware that this sort of thing is happening behind closed doors.”
By sending it to a group this big it made us aware that this sort of thing is happening behind closed doors. Speaking to Forge Press, President of Sheffield Students’ Union Lilian Jones commented: “We are so disappointed to see unacceptable behaviour like this that perpetuates a culture which objectifies women. “As a student community we are pleased that the University are taking it seriously, and that it is being considered in line with University disciplinary and Fitness to Practise regulations. We have been and will continue to support our student leaders in situations such as this. “The landscape of social media is constantly shifting and we are working hard to ensure our students are always well-equipped to navigate it.”
Petition launched to save Sheffield Old Town Hall Ben Warner & Alex Peneva
A petition launched to save Sheffield’s Old Town Hall has reached more than 2,400 signatures in less than two weeks of setting it up. It was started by the group ‘Friends of the Old Town Hall’ (FOTH), who are demanding that Sheffield City Council use the process of compulsory purchase to buy the site off its current private owners, G1 London Properties. On Sunday 3 February, Sheffield City Council announced on Radio Sheffield that the old Town Hall building had been sold. FOTH say this decision ‘came out of the blue’ but they are hopeful this will improve the current state of the
building. Valerie Bayliss, chair of the group, said: “We would welcome any new owner with a positive plan to bring the old Town Hall back into use but obviously we look for an appropriate treatment of the historic building.” FOTH say the company, who bought the site in 2004, have let it deteriorate and it needs desperate restoration work. The building served as Sheffield’s town hall and
2,400
signatures in under two weeks
later courthouse for over 200 years, until its closure in 1996. FOTH’s petition was launched on Thursday, 31 January, and has
since amassed more than 2,400 signatures, having attracted support from the Sheffield Star. The group say they have a plan for the building, should it be purchased by the City Council, including a business plan and a schedule for restoration work. “We don’t assume that the fact of a sale will automatically resolve all the old Town Hall’s problems,” added Ms Bayliss. “We will be watching developments closely and will continue to press the City Council to be ready to step in, in support of us, if there is no progress”. FOTH also invited the new owner of the building to attend the group’s next Open Meeting on 28 March for a discussion about the future of the old Town Hall.
Sheffield Old Town Hall
HISTORY MONTH
FEBRUARY 2019 @lgbtsu
@sheflgbt
@lgbtsu
Find out more sheffieldsu.com/LGBT+HistoryMonth facebook.com/LGBTHMatUoS/
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Features Features Editor Rebecca Lally
press.features@forgetoday.com
Is there a darker side to Dry January? Finn Bryne
Hello, and welcome back to the first Features section of the year! In this issue, we’ve got a piece on the Dry January movement, because there’s a growing trend of sobriety among young people, and also people choosing to make ‘clean’ New Years Resolutions. Along the same lines, there’s a piece on the benefits of exercise for mental health, something else many people will have doubtlessly picked up at the start of the year. Then, something more topical - a feature on Youtube celebrity and influencer culture, inspired by the recent chaotic visit of make-up guru James Charles to Birmingham. Hope you enjoy what we’ve got on offer, and see you next issue!
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T
his year it is estimated that 4.2 million Brits took part in Dry January, many of them young people and students. The amount of young people who are going completely without drink is on the rise. Not drinking alcohol-be this either for just one month or as a lifestyle choice- clearly has a lot of benefits; but could there be some negatives? Dry January was everywhere this year. The month involves going the whole of January without drinking any alcohol. This lack of drinking in January highlights an overall decline in youth drinking, and an increase in the number of people who are teetotal. Amongst the drinking culture at university and in the UK, it can come as a surprise that more and more young people are deciding not to drink. The reasons for a decline in youth drinking vary. There are
drinking are very noticeable. Health is the main benefit, with the chance of health conditions such as high blood pressure being dramatically reduced. Drinking less saves money, and naturally causes less hangovers. On the surface there seems to be very few negatives in the trend of Dry January and also the decline in young people drinking. There are some losers, however. The pub industry in particular has suffered greatly when it comes to alcohol being removed from our lives. In 2018 it was estimated that pubs were closing at a rate of 18 a week. In the UK, many pubs are the heart of the town and are a great place for friends to socialise. The fact that so many are closing, of course, cannot be solely blamed on
January, is definitely a factor which attributes to the growing pressures pubs are facing to keep the doors open. Putting down the bottle could mean an increased loss in our towns’ and cities’ social hubs. Turning your back on drink could also be worrying the government. In the last financial year £10.7bn was raised through taxes on alcohol. In the recent years of austerity, the government clearly needs all the financial help that it can get. The rise in teetotalism, be this for a month, or a lifestyle choice for the young, could possibly be detrimental to the effectiveness of our government. Businesses that rely on drinking customers for part of their revenue, for example nightclubs and football clubs, could also be suffering as
Amongst the drinking culture at university and in the UK, it can come as a surprise that more and more young people are deciding not to drink
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clear health benefits: weight loss, lower blood pressure, and increased mental wellbeing. Dry January can allows us to examine our drinking behaviour and patterns when we are drinking. There is now less pressure for young people to drink; in this day and age of an increasingly liberal society, peer pressure is generally frowned upon. An influx of different cultures that don’t drink has somewhat contributed to the feeling that drinking, especially in an area that is multicultural, is not widely regarded as a part of daily lives. The positives that come from both Dry January and the decline in youth
More and more young people are choosing to go sober for January Image: Max Pixel
Dry January or fewer young people drinking. The dramatic increase in rent for many pubs over the last few years paired with increased availability of cheap booze from supermarkets, are definitely key factors in the increase in pub closures. But the decline of young drinkers, and popularity of Dry
a result of alcohol’s popularity declining. But should we be worried? Probably not. Although the government might lose some money from alcohol taxes, the rise in Dry January and young people turning their backs on drinking would economically benefit our country much more. During the
month of January, alcohol related admissions to hospital reduced significantly, taking some of the strain off of the NHS. Obesity is the biggest health problem in the UK for
Health is the main benefit, with the chance of conditions such as high blood pressure being dramatically reduced
the NHS to deal with, and on average, those partaking in Dry January lose around 2kg. The increase in young people breaking away from our drinking culture will be beneficial both for the NHS and their personal health. Other public services also benefit from a decrease in drinking; the police have less arrests for drink related issues such as fighting and assault. It can be inferred that due to the improvement Dry January has on our public services, a rise in youth abstinence would consequently improve demand pressures on our NHS and police force. It is clear that Dry January and young people shunning drink has positive impacts across the board. Their own health is benefited as well as releasing a strain on public services as a result. It is hard to see the university drinking culture, or the UK’s love of alcohol, changing that much, but even if it is for one month the benefits probably do outweigh the drawbacks. The big loser in these rising trends is the pub business; the declining interest in drinking and increase in drink prices means that pubs are being switched for home drinking other social activities. The unaltered popularity of Wetherspoons, does however give the pub business some hope.
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YouTube influencer culture: a new kind of celebrity? frenzy may appear unnecessary and unjustified, it is clear why internet influencers, such as rom the infatuated followers James Charles himself, attract of Elvis Presley to the such a dedicated fanbase. frenzied fans of the Beatles, Like many YouTubers, his young people have idolised success and fame has not been celebrities for generations. These the result of people he knew musical icons were viewed as or the affluence of his family. some kind of euphoric dream, and Instead, his achievements began understood to be untouchable, as an innocent hobby and derive unlike the modern celebrity of the from a genuine artistic talent for 21st century. makeup. Paired with a charismatic With the rise of social media personality, it is understandable platforms such as Instagram, why over 13 million people choose Twitter, and YouTube, celebrities to watch his videos and develop now come in an entirely different relationships with him on a form. Not only do celebrities arise personal level. As a man in the from just these platforms alone, beauty community, his videos not but they enable only teach you young people to how to blend follow every part eyeshadow, of their idols’ but send out YouTube provides lives. From what an important a space where type of coffee message about young people they have at the beauty of can identify breakfast to how confidence and many calories individuality to a with genuine they just burnt young audience. individuals in the gym, we James Charles is who represent can become fully merely a drop in minorities engrossed in the ocean when not found in their everyday it comes to this. I lives and obsess recently became traditional media over them to our fascinated by a heart’s content. YouTuber named This then begs Nikki Lilly, who the question: is unwilling how powerful is the YouTube to let her facial disfigurement influencer culture, and how much prevent her from posting fashion has social media changed the and makeup videos. way young people obsess over Deservingly, she has gained celebrities? a fanbase of over half a million On a January weekend, people, made multiple television American YouTube star James appearances, and founded her Charles single-handedly brought own charity at just 14 years of Birmingham, one of the biggest UK age. For all the disadvantages of cities, to a complete gridlock. As social media, there is no doubt 8,000 fans flocked to the Bullring that YouTube provides a space shopping centre for a mere where young people can identify 30-second glimpse of their icon, with genuine individuals who traffic came to a chaotic standstill, represent minorities not found in forcing people to endure hour long traditional media. queues and some to even abandon Although social media provides their cars overnight. Whilst this an escape from the stresses of Anya Payne
F
Images: James Charles (above, page right) Nikki Lilly (right and below) Both Charles and Lilly promote positive messages within the Youtube community about self love and acceptance through the creative outlet of beauty and lifestyle videos.
everyday life, the absolute dependency young people have on it undeniably reflects a much deeper problem in society. For decades, loneliness was seen as affecting only the elderly, but as recently reported by the Office for National Statistics, findings suggested that 16 to 24-year olds are three times more likely to feel ‘always or often’ lonely, compared to people aged over 65. It is thus understandable why we’re drawn to bubbly and animated YouTubers that talk directly to us at any time of our choosing. Social media presents us with a vicious cycle: we cling to it as a distraction but watching idealised versions of people’s lives only perpetuates feelings of failure with our own. When relationships become stronger with faces through a screen than the real people that surround us, it is obvious that fan obsessions have gone too far, and it sheds light on the isolation that cripples
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Features
On a January weekend, American YouTuber James Charles, singlehandedly brought Birmingham, one of the biggest UK cities, to a complete gridlock.
millennials and Generation Z. In a world where celebrities share anything and everything, where do we draw the line on privacy? Whilst YouTubers may begin as real people from humble beginnings, their subscribers often air them to a level that is no longer ordinary. It has become a common occurrence for YouTubers to now plead with fans to respect the privacy of their homes and lives. With such large fanbases who expect to be updated on every aspect of their life, successful YouTubers cannot retain private lives or remain the ordinary person they once were. Sustaining the interest of millions of people and meeting the competitive demands of the YouTube algorithm then becomes another issue. To stay relevant, many YouTubers feel the pressure to give in to viral challenge videos, such as the Cinnamon Challenge, which fans then fatally imitate themselves. TGFbro is a notorious British YouTube channel known for posting radical videos, such as cementing their head in a microwave and bathing in quicksand. The release of their collector cards that promote fans daring one another to perform similar stunts has understandably caused controversy and concern over the lengths subscribers could go to mirror their icons. The influence of a YouTuber and the support of a subscriber community can therefore not be afforded to be underestimated. It remains questionable whether the new-age online celebrity has generated fans that are anymore obsessive than previous
generations. Infamously, the 1974 concert of David Cassidy, a teenage heartthrob, involved 800 people getting injured and a 14-year old girl dying as a surge of hysterical fans rushed towards the stage. It seems the frenzied fan culture is not exclusive to the 21st century, and the obsession young people develop for media icons is an intrinsic part of all societies. However, there is no denying that modern media platforms give birth to a far more personal relationship between YouTubers and their subscribers, and relate
Our favourite Forge TV videos Whilst we’re on the topic of Youtube: why not take a look at some of our favourite Forge TV content from this year? Don’t forget to subscribe!
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to a deeper issue of alienation within the younger generation. Whilst the YouTube culture allows young people to identify with likeminded and genuine people, it is seemingly unlikely that these fan relationships are healthy for either the subscriber or the YouTuber involved.
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Features
Exercising for mental well-being: is it a healthy coping mechanism? Aisha Mahal
T
he claim that exercise is not only beneficial for your physical health but also your mental health is very popular, and for good reason. From meeting new people to simply getting out of bed on a difficult morning, physical activity can be hugely valuable. The mental health charity Mind has partnered with RED January to encourage people to take the leap and exercise every day in an effort to improve their mental health. RED stands for ‘run every day’ but they encourage any type of activity from yoga to cycling to swimming. Can exercise really be a way to improve your mental health? Are there any issues which can arise from promoting exercise as a coping mechanism? From personal experience, there have been days when getting out of my bed in the morning has not been an easy task. Sometimes day to day university life does feel overwhelming. On these days going on a run in a park in Sheffield, going to the gym or taking a yoga class has been my saving grace. Getting out from under the covers and getting some fresh Yorkshire air actually does make me feel better. From dealing with stress to homesickness, exercise has become my personal way of clearing my head and getting that weight off my chest. But, that’s just my personal experience and there are many other concrete benefits associated with exercise. Firstly I’ll mention the boring part: the scientific proof. Exercise stimulates endorphins and enkephalins. These are the hormones in our body which make us feel happier. You may have heard of the phrase ‘runner’s high’, when you finish exercising and feel euphoric, and this feeling is down to these hormones. Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress, relieve feelings of anxiety and depression, boost self-esteem and improve sleep. In fact, research has shown that exercise is an effective but underused treatment for clinical depression. But, as important as the science is, there are many other
benefits of exercise for mental health too. Mind describes RED January as a ‘community initiative’ and this highlights another important aspect of exercise. It is a chance to meet new people and connect with your community in a new way. Through joining group sessions at your local sports centre or programmes such as Park Run (www.parkrun.org. uk), exercise widens your social group. Alternatively, exercise can be done with your friends or family. This provides a good opportunity to maintain your support groups, something which can be difficult if you’re struggling to get out and socialise as a result of your mental health. Exercise can also be used
31%
Sometimes day to day university life does feel overwhelming. On these days going for a run in a park in Sheffield, going to the gym, or taking a yoga class has been my saving grace
lower risk of depression among people who exercise vigourously several times a week1
For more advice and support, you can visit the student advice center in the student’s union. Find advice online at www.bigwhitewall.com
to engage with your surroundings. Going for a run, walk or a cycle ride gives you a chance to explore different areas around you. You could use it as an opportunity to see all the areas of your city which you’ve always said you would. A change of scenery can also be beneficial to those who are stuck in a mental health rut. Exercise can help those with poor mental health to discover a new coping mechanism. It’s scientifically beneficial while it also helps people to stay in contact with and widen their support systems. This is especially true for those at university. Being away from home, becoming self-sufficient, a lack of sleep… all these things can cause
45%
lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease among people who exercise regularly2
Article sources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/ blog/what-works-and-why/201803/howyour-mental-health-reaps-the-benefitsexercise https://www.mind.org.uk/redjanuary https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC489033/ https://www.webmd.com/depression/ guide/exercise-depression#2
Image: Giuseppe Milo pixael.com
trouble for those who struggle with their mental health. Taking part in university team sport allows you to meet new people, explore your new city and fill up some of your spare time. All these things will hopefully help if you’re struggling. This can be daunting, however, especially if like me you haven’t done team sports since year nine. This may add an extra level of unwelcome anxiety. In this situation look for activities like yoga or swimming where you can still meet people but don’t have to be part of a competitive team. Despite all these benefits, using exercise to help your mental health is not just an easy fix and it would be dangerous for people to view it in this way. Over-reliance on one coping method is as damaging as not using coping mechanisms at all. Exercising can’t be used as an excuse not to look after yourself in other ways, such as going to therapy or talking about how you feel. It becomes easy to convince yourself you are coping through exercise but if you bottle up your anxiety and emotions then exercising is anything but beneficial. Another issue to be aware of is the risk of becoming addicted to exercise. Although for many the thought of becoming addicted to exercising seems almost comical, it is a serious problem. The hormones released by exercise stimulate a similar response to morphine and other opioids and excessive exercise can become both a physical and social strain. A second physical risk of taking part in programmes like RED January is that inexperienced gym members can harm themselves if they don’t know how to use the machines. Both of these two risks can be alleviated by exercising in moderation and making sure you seek help and advice before trying new things. These aren’t reasons not to exercise to improve your mental health, simply they are warnings so that the exercise doesn’t put your physical health at risk. Without a doubt, exercise is an enjoyable, accessible and effective way to help improve your mental health. Be safe, have fun and hopefully you will feel the benefits.
Opinion Opinion Editors Connie Coombs Matthew Hartill Welcome back one and all! We hope your Christmases and New Years were more eventful and less stressful than your dear editors’. Having not participated in Dry January or Veganuary (or, in Connie’s case, having already broken your New Year’s Resolution) we weren’t best placed to comment on others’ efforts. Luckily, Angelo Irving has saved our backside and done so, as you can see on page 14. On top of deadlines, it’s been cold, though maybe not quite enough to warrant the extensive weather coverage we’ve seen over the last few weeks - see Matthew’s rant opposite. As for the rest of it we hope you have a good start to Semester 2, and don’t forget to drop us an email if you want to rant along with us! All the best, Opinion x
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Amazon’s excessive packaging: Time to deliver on sustainability pledge? David Anderson
Amazon use too much packaging it’s hardly an original argument. I’m sure many of you have noticed it and I know that numerous publications have challenged the retailer on its environmental sustainability before. So why am I writing this? Because, despite all their talk of moving towards a more sustainable future, very little appears to have changed. Amazon claim to have a software program which determines the “right-sized” box for any given item, based on its dimensions and weight. And they say that this software has dramatically reduced their packaging waste and transportation costs. It sounds good on paper, but I recently bought an LP from Amazon and the packaging was anything but “right-sized”. These records usually arrive in a thin square box, a couple of inches larger than the product itself. Amazon’s was packaged inside one of these boxes, then this box was
thrown into a larger box, and a load of brown paper was used to fill up the empty space [see image]. Amazon’s packaging is produced from 100 percent recovered fibre content, and this is then 100 percent recyclable once used. So, things could be worse. But why do they insist upon using such excessive amounts of packaging for items when other companies deliver the same products safely with far less waste? You may argue that we should avoid shopping online overall, but this could be counterproductive. Some studies, including one from Green Logistics, have found that online shopping is more environmentally friendly than travelling into town yourself when shopping for a small number of items. So maybe we should just avoid using Amazon? Sure, that could work. But when the website offers such a vast array of products, often very competitively priced, you’d be foolish to think that you could persuade everyone to suddenly stop taking advantage of their cheap and
conveniently quick service. What we need is Amazon to increase their efforts to reduce waste. They are making improvements, undertaking new programmes “to conserve resources and reduce [their] impact on the environment”. These include their new Frustration Free Packaging scheme and a packaging feedback programme in which customers can review how their items are delivered. But more customers need to utilize this feedback. Rather than just complaining to your friends (or moaning in your student newspaper…), contact the company yourself. I emailed Amazon’s customer service team regarding my LP delivery on Wednesday 23 January. In their reply, the team acknowledged my request for them to use less packaging for my orders and said that the feedback would be taken on board. If more people
pressure the company in this way, maybe they’ll finally deliver on their promises.
British weather is snow joke Matthew Hartill
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In case it has escaped your attention, things are quite busy at the minute. I don’t mean on an individual basis, although with copious amounts of exams and coursework, I doubt you’ve had too much time to relax lately. No, I’m talking about on a national scale, where, for example, Brexit continues to dominate the headlines daily. That was until last week, when we came to associate the words WARNING and DISRUPTION (capitalised in headlines or shouted ominously by stern-faced newscasters) not with the B-word, but with snow. Now, I’m not suggesting that the recent snowfall, though undeniably
picturesque, wasn’t a pain. Indeed, in some areas of the UK you may well have even described it as a major DISRUPTION over the past week. Yet with the amount that has fallen, I question whether it was quite so worthy of its place high (sometimes even top) on the news agenda. What makes it all the more baffling, however, is when you place this in the context of the current times we live in. Surprisingly, I’m not (solely) referring to Brexit here. Instead I’m talking about events on the other side of the Atlantic; not Trump, but a so-called polar vortex, which has plunged a third of the US into temperatures of below -17C. Indeed, at its worst temperatures plummeted to -48C in Minnesota, and at least 21 people are reported to have died, yet news outlets across
the UK chose to barely focus on this at all, instead devoting greater air time or column inches to the weather in this country. Though understandable from the point of view of geographical proximity, the endless shots of peeved reporters standing outside, hyperbolising endlessly about the weather, grew more than a little tiresome. After all, what, in essence, was the news they were imparting? That there was snow? Fine. There is often a place for weather-related news, and as stereotypes so often like to remind us, we are somewhat obsessed with talking about our climate in this country. But in many of the shots I saw on TV there was really very little to get worked up about. Besides, as I mentioned, there are plenty of other things to talk
about right now. Perhaps the BBC and the like were, in fact, doing us a public service by stopping the incessant Brexit chatter for a few days. However, the lack of any real story here somewhat undermined this and made them look more than a little stupid in the process.
Image: Roger A Smith
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Is Veganuary worth the effort?
Angelo Irving enters the New Year discussion... Being trapped in the library in early January makes Veganuary tough, even if you are a dedicated (although occasionally lazy) vegan. While Sheffield is great for vegan junk food, if you want a quick and healthy snack, your best bet is to bring a packed lunch. The past year has seen an explosion in the number of companies that have jumped on the Veganuary train, and veganism seems to have graduated from a hipster trend to a genuine lifestyle alternative. Going hand in hand with that, however, is the fact that it is easier than ever to eat vegan junk food. Iceland has a large selection of burgers, pizzas, meatballs and sausages; Sainsbury’s has you sorted for sliced ‘ham’ and ‘chicken’, and Tesco has a wide range of nachos, biscuits, and yoghurts. If you’re on campus, Bar One can satisfy all of your deep fried or
sugary needs and Interval can serve you hearty, carb loaded food at a reasonable price. That said, there are a couple of problems with Veganuary and veganism in general. If it isn’t done properly you can find yourself missing serious amounts of protein in your diet, which is replaced with carbohydrates and high levels of saturated fat. The other issue is that eating healthily as a vegan still seems synonymous with plain vegetables and pulses. This is why my goal this Veganuary was to introduce my friends to a tasty, quick, and cheap vegan snack that could be made at home. I love avocados as much as the next person, but as my bank account doesn’t, they were out. Shop bought meat substitutes are expensive and so they were avoided also. What I settled on was savoury vegan tarts. Chickpea flour, water, vegetables,
There’s a couple of problems with veganism... you can find yourself missing serious amounts of protein and seasoning makes the perfect savoury snack and introduction to vegan food. When my farmer friend ate four in a single sitting before asking me to make him a batch, I realised that the key to a successful Veganuary isn’t to ape non-vegan food. After all, imitation meat is never going to satisfy you if you are
used to ‘the real thing’ (although the Greggs vegan sausage roll is sold out in most places I look). Instead, original recipes appear to be the way to go.
Have you attempted Veganuary, with mixed results? Are you a fullyfledged vegan with a story to tell? Or are you a committed carnivore who just can’t see the point? Whatever your view on veganism, email us for your say. We’d love to hear it.
Images: Angelo Irving
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Opinion Opinion
HS2: Hopelessly Spiralling 2... Failure? Jack Spacey-Helder
Horrific spending 2? Hopeless speculation 2? The construction of HS2, the government’s second high speed railway, which is planned to link London with our beloved ‘Northern Powerhouse’, is underway. The tracks haven’t branched out from Euston yet but the cost is already somewhere between four and 10 billion pounds. This is in addition to the everrising cost predictions for the rest of the proposed track, which have ballooned from 36 billion to over 60 billion pounds. The government bandy around the term ‘world’s most expensive railway system’ as if that is an honorable status, albeit something that is to be covered by the taxpayer. After all, never mind the fact that due to running over budget the ‘speed’ of High Speed 2 has been bumped down, and the number of trains per hour decreased. It will,
however, bring prosperity to the North, they insist. I find that hard to believe; shaving half an hour off the trip to London isn’t going to reverse the near decade of cuts that have hit urban regions in Yorkshire harder than anywhere else. Besides, from a local perspective, the initially proposed Sheffield line isn’t even coming here anymore. Another question - who is going to be able to afford this journey? A quick search shows me that if I want to travel to London and back from Sheffield tomorrow, the cheapest option is an £80 return ticket. That’s the ‘Super Off-Peak Return’. Super indeed; super expensive. This is the result of allowing two dozen private companies to run the trains in the UK. Would it not make more sense, for the North, the UK and the planet, to invest the remaining 60 billion pounds into renewable sources of energy, upgrading tracks and electrifying trains? The train I get occasionally to visit my parents in Huddersfield is
slow, old, leaky and often too full for people to sit. The railways are indeed crying out for improvements - but sensible, sustainable ones, and so there is no way I can endorse the blind capitalist venture of HS2. And that’s just for starters. The proposed track will uproot hundreds of people from their family homes, force local businesses to move and destroy ancient wildlife habitats up and down the country. P l u s , w i t h wifi on
many trains now, people who need to are working from Manchester, Leeds or Birmingham on their way to London already. With a projected completion date of 2050, local journeys will continue to suffer. Add to this the worrying images of private HS2 security guards abusing
environmentalists in the Colne Valley and six figure salaries being creamed off by one in four HS2 workers and there seems to be no valid reason to go ahead with this seemingly doomed project.
Image: Ingy The Wingy / Adambro
I’m not a student for much longer. Stop housing me like one Connie Coombs
We’ve all seen the brand-new tower blocks looming ominously over the Sheffield skyline, promising the earth to university students. With over 60,000 of them across Uni of and Hallam, it’s little wonder that companies are vying for their money, snatching desperately at the wallets of those who study here. With a student retention rate of roughly a third, however, one would hope that the companies in charge would (just maybe) think to accommodate the young professionals who choose to make Sheffield their home. I arrived in Sheffield in 2014, Home Counties accent firmly in place, with the expectation that I’d faff about for three years in somewhere where I
could afford the pints and then swan back home to a London grad scheme. Naturally, I fell in love with the place, and you couldn’t pay me enough to move back south. There are good jobs to be found in the city, and it’s got great connections to nearby towns and cities like Leeds. The problem, I’ve found, is the housing. Having had friends who live in studios, I know it’s probably not for me. I’m fortunate enough to have a boyfriend with whom I can split the rent, so I’ve been trying to find housing that I can afford on my salary and (hopefully) his PhD grant. When house-hunting, my price point seems to phase out the ‘young professional’ accommodation. It just so happens that every other flat that holds promise contains that nasty little phrase: “Available July 2019,
I’m fed up of washing machines that don’t work, boilers that shudder when you turn them on, and windows that let out whatever heat the pathetic radiators emit student let”. I’ve been a student for five years. I’m fed up of washing machines that don’t work, boilers that shudder when you turn them on,
and windows that let out whatever heat the pathetic radiators emit. It shouldn’t be too much to ask for a modern-enough block where I won’t be woken up by second-years pouring in from Corp at half three. It’s nothing against them, it’s just that we will live very different lives. The money to build the houses is clearly there. Plenty of people choose to stay in Sheffield after graduation, seeking to build their lives in this great city: if only the housing developers realised, or perhaps if only they cared.
Image credit: Graham Hogg
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Lifestyle Lifestyle Editors Amelia Shaw Harry Browse Was your New Year’s Resolution to be a bit more careful with money? We’ve worked with the SU Welfare Officer to bring you the Money Diaries; anonymous submissions of student’s weekly spending habits. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve also got lots of date ideas, and a simple pesto pasta recipe if, instead, you just fancy a romantic night in.
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Money Diaries The 18th of February marks the start of National Student Money Week, so we have teamed up with the SU Welfare Officer, Katherine Swindells, to bring you our take on the money diaries. The money diaries are published anonymously, here’s a sneak preview of this online regular feature.
Meet our mystery money diarist... Age: 23 Occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer/Writer Describe your spending habits/ attitude to money in a few sentences: A few months of unemployment after an undergraduate degree can really shake you out of some unhealthy spending habits, so I’ve been careful with money for the last couple of years while doing a part-time Masters - mainly out of a low income job and a lack of family support. Still, I’ve been trying to reign in my spending on food, and I buy more games and audiobooks than I probably should. Income per month: Earnings (minus tax): £1500 (on average) Student loan/bursary: £178 (averaged out) Regular spending per month: Rent: £500 Utilities: £35 (Internet, others included in rent) Travel: £0 Phone: £20 Other spending eg. gym, netflix, childcare: £8 Netflix, £8 Audible, £5 Spotify Premium, £73 Council Tax, £16 Website Hosting, £16 Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription Loan Payback: £0 Savings: £50 Leftover to spend: £947
Day 1 6:00: Up early today, because I have a job interview in London. I escape the judgement of this money diary by booking travel in advance, but for the purposes of shaming, yes, I did book a cheap Megabus before bailing the night before and booking a more expensive train ticket. I can’t cope with getting to Meadowhall for 8AM. On the way to the station, I realise I have forgotten my £3 meal deal purchased for the journey the night before. Bugger. I go and buy another one, plus an iced coffee and a croissant for breakfast on the train. £4.75. 8:51: My train sets off towards Doncaster, where I will change for Kings Cross. While on the first leg, I overhear the posh lady next to me on the phone: “Yes, and how long will the Archbishop be able to spare for the meeting?” I assume she is heading to York, unless there’s an Archbishop of Donny. 11:15: We arrive at King’s Cross and I studiously swerve the Harry Potter trolley to avoid being run down by tweens. My interview isn’t for a few hours, so out of boredom I get the tube to Holborn. £7 (for the day’s Tube travel). 12:30: Walk over to Covent Garden, where I poke around cobbled streets and pleasant shops. I pick up a couple of pens from Muji and a box of Moomin-branded tea for my girlfriend as souvenirs. £3 for the pens, £7.99 for the tea. 14:45: I blow the interview. It was only for a two month contract, not a permanent job, but still annoying. 16:00: After killing time for a bit longer, I meet M, an old university friend, in the Wetherspoons at St. Pancras station. to commiserate, I order fish and chips with a brownie for pudding, at inflated Station Spoons prices. £13.70. 19:54: I board my train back at King’s Cross, disappointed but having at least had a fun day out. To fortify myself for the journey I buy a Pret filter coffee. 99p. 23:00: After a delay in Doncaster, I arrive back in Sheffield and catch the tram back home - sod walking. £1.80. Total: Spent £39.23
8:30: Get up from a lie-in after yesterday’s trip. I make toast with honey, as I’m out of milk and want to hold on until the next Tesco delivery arrives. I make a cafetiere coffee and take it relatively easy. 10:00: Arrive at the IC and fiddle with a novel draft that will obviously never happen. The 30,000 word roadblock is a fearsome enemy. I do manage an hour’s work for a client, and eat the meal deal I forgot to take to London (Katsu wrap, pineapple and an Innocent smoothie). +£20. 12:30: My friend C is in town, so we go to Coffee Revs for a catch up as I haven’t seen him in about a year. He’s buying a house now. I feel unaccomplished and small. £6.00 Total: Earned £13.30
are so into conspiracy theories. I think lizard people did it. 13:00: Trying to not work for a day is driving me insane with boredom. How do you people just not do stuff for a whole 24 hours? I make a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, then go for an aimless walk and end up sitting in Bar One with a different book for a while. I buy a Diet Coke. £1.35. 18:00: After killing more time, I head home in time for my Tesco delivery, which I do fortnightly to save on food. It’s quite a haul and I run out of freezer space. I have about three days to make and eat about a litre of smoothies before my frozen fruit goes bad in the fridge. I put these shops on my credit card before paying them off at the end of the month in an attempt to build up my credit rating, because I live life on the wild side. £49.82. 19:00: The first dinner of the new delivery - I make macaroni cheese which will probably last for two meals. Total: Spent £52.87
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Day 3 8:30: Can’t be bothered to make breakfast today as I’ve run out of both bread and milk - and porridge with water is horrible. Instead I buy an orange juice and a croissant from Sainsburys. £1.70. 9:00: I am trying to take the day off work, but I go to the library to get out of the house and read for a bit. The book is about why Americans
Day 2
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Lifestyle
Worried about money? Contact the Student Advice Centre at the SU or by email: advice@sheffield.ac.uk
Day 5
Day 4 7:30: Back into the normal routine at last now my cereal stocks are replenished. I have own-brand Shreddies and a cafetiere coffee. My weight-loss attempts since Christmas seem to be finally working. I weight myself weekly and find I’ve lost about two pounds on last week. 9:00: Back in the creative flow after my day off - apparently this ‘relaxation’ thing does work quite well. Three hours of design work flies by. +£60. 12:30: I take a break to pick up my girlfriend from the station, since she’s been home for a few days postexams. We get the tram up and go for a drink in Interval, where I buy her lunch. Lunch: £5.85, Tram: £1.80. 13:30: A new client has agreed to my quote for a booklet design. It makes up for losing my library seat and having to use one of the uncomfortable Diamond armchairbooths. +£175. 16:45: I get home early after getting bored with work (an understated bonus of freelance work) and do an hour on my exercise bike before making dinner (a breaded chicken steak with rice, broccoli and green beans). 19:00: There’s a lot of evening to fill, isn’t there? I’m out of audiobooks to listen to so I buy a three-credit pack from Audible. £18. Total:Earned £209.25
MONDAY
7:00: Wake up, and make breakfast (knock-off Tesco Weetabix). I make an instant coffee because I’m too lazy to clean the cafetiere after making nice stuff. It gets the job done. I remember I have a fancydress party next week and order a sailor’s hat from Amazon. It is extortionate. £18.95. 8:30: Leave the house and do three hours’ design work in the IC. This should be exciting and creative, but it’s the seventh Twitter banner I’ve made for this client in as many days, so it’s difficult to get the creative juices flowing. While I work, I listen to synthwave videos on YouTube, because I enjoy feeling like a hacker in a 90s film. +£60. 12:00: Check my bank balance out of habit, and find an invoice from a couple of weeks ago has been paid. That deserves an early lunch. +£350. 12:15: I live close enough to the library that I can’t justify yet another meal deal, so I go home and make lunch (toast with tomato soup). I bulk-bought 12 tins of soup to get a previous Tesco delivery up to the £40 mark, and this is the first one I’ve actually eaten. Afterwards I decide to stay home it’s exam season so libraries are full - and do some dissertation reading for a couple of hours. 14:30: I go into town to meet an old friend who’s around for a job interview. I’m also aiming to buy a coat for the costume party, but I realise I already have one which will do the job. While I’m waiting, I find a nice thick turtleneck jumper discounted from £30 to £10 and decide to treat myself. £10. 15:45: My friend and I go to The Harley for a burger and a catch up. I’m very grateful when he pays. Later, it occurs he makes about twice as much money as me, so maybe that’s only fair. Total:Earned £381.05
TUESDAY
Opinion at the end of the week: This was an unusually successful
Day 6
Day 7
8:15: Leave for a meeting at Hunter’s Bar and decide to walk rather than get the bus, since I discover they cancelled the service that used to go that way. 10:30: Post-meeting I decide to work from home for the rest of the morning to save money on lunch. I finish off a small commission and send it to one client, before trying to come up with some social media content for another. +£32. I stick with it until lunch (porridge with honey) and head out to the SU to meet my girlfriend for some board games, and I buy us each a coffee and cake. £7.94. 16:30: Once we finish up, I go back home and make dinner again (turkey steaks with baked potatoes and green beans). It’s surprisingly easy when you’ve got a decent stock of food, although for most of my undergraduate life this wasn’t something I easily grasped. Total: Earned £24.06
8:30: In an attempt to coerce myself into a productive day, I buy a zerocalorie energy drink on my way to the Diamond, which I soon come to regret. At least with the end of exams, the building is completely dead, so I can actually get my work done. £1.40. 12:30: I go to my old flat to pick up some stuff I apparently left behind. On the way back up I get another meal deal (it’s all about the mayonnaise-free Katsu wrap) to suppress my hunger. £3. 17:30: I get home and am tempted to order food, but I must be strong. Instead, I make pasta and quorn meatballs with a homemade sauce. I go and spend the evening working in the IC, finishing off a batch of social media content. +£24. I finish the night by buying a new Switch game which is heavily discounted on the online store. £1.89. Total: Earned £17.71
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
week, to put it mildly, which means it’s difficult to assess it on its own - I feel relatively well-off, which means I need to avoid getting into bad habits for stretches where I’m making less money. Since I started getting regular Tesco deliveries I’ve found I eat better and save a lot on food, but it’s not always easy to plan out in advance what I’ll need. The difficulty with being freelance is that you’re not guaranteed a stable income, but I think I’ve managed to make it work so far.
The Result
Food/Drink: £95.15 Entertainment and Nights Out: £19.89 Clothes/Beauty: £28.95 Travel: £9.60 Other: +£710.01
Total: +£556.42
18
Lifestyle
The best places to go in Sheffield for Valentine’s Day... Sahar Ghadirian
Its that time of year again, when shops like to sell us overpriced chocolates, flowers, teddy bears and heart-shaped balloons. Yes… Valentine’s day is coming up along with the many pressures that it often brings. It may be slightly commercialised, but nonetheless, it can be a day to remind you to show a bit of appreciation to those you love - romantically and platonically; celebrating with your friends or, of course, your partner. We all know it can get a bit pricey or repetitive, so how about trying something different? Here are a list of a few cute and quirky things to do and see on Valentine’s day in Sheffield:
The Treehouse Café
Why not celebrate Valentine’s in a creative way? The Treehouse Café - Sheffield’s first board game café is a friendly, welcoming space with a library of 400+ games, with expert staff on hand to make recommendations and help with the rules. Alongside the games, they serve a full menu of delicious homemade food, locally-sourced tea and coffee, and a wide range of
draught craft beer, wines and spirits. It may bring you together if you’re double dating, or if it’s just you two on the date, the competition might cause a bit of tension, but it’s all part of the fun isn’t it. With discounts for students, it’s always a good idea to book early as it can get very popular throughout the week.
The Great Escape Game
Coincidentally, The Great Escape Game rooms, is hosting an alternative Valentine’s date night at its two locations in Sheffield. Why not trade the traditional candlelit dinner for an exciting live escape room experience blurring the lines between the hum-drum of everyday life and the world of video games and movies? You and your loved one being locked in a room with up to an hour to escape will definitely test your relationship, but is most certainly worthwhile. The ‘couples offer’ can be booked online which includes any escape game, a drink each, and any pizza and ice-cream sundae to share!
Live Music
A great way to spend a date, especially on Valentine’s day, is going to a gig. There’s plenty of venues in Sheffield
which put on free gigs in the week. Luckily, West Street Live have a great set on the 14th: Connah Evans / Mal Hijo / Waterside / Casino Rockets are all on the bill. They may not be bands you’ve heard of, but taking a date to a gig always helps ease off any awkwardness. There’s lots to talk about after and it’s a good way to suss out each other’s music tastes. You’ll have a lot more freedom than just sitting at a table of a restaurant, and you’re saving a lot more money!
Circus of Horrors Show
Sometimes the unconventional dates end up being the best. It has become a bit of a tradition for Sheffield City Hall to host the infamous Circus of Horrors show each Valentine’s day, and it always end up being a popular event for locals. Tickets are priced from £20, but this is more than worth it for the amazing amalgamation of bizarre, brave and beautiful circus and freak show acts. Coupled with a searing live soundtrack, it is not one to miss! Quirky Bars. Sheffield is full of bars and pubs, so it can be hard to choose where to go, but two relatively new places - Firepit Rocks and Church: Temple of Fun, seem like the perfect spot to spend some quality time in.
Firepit
Sheffield’s only BBQ, rock and dive bar has a relaxed atmosphere with casual dining and drinks. Despite being in the heart of Sheffield, the American theme is well and truly alive and you’ll feel like you’re in a movie.
Church
Church is an all-rounder, being a bar, restaurant tattoo parlour and clothes shop, you won’t get bored. The gaming booths, the art work and mosaics adorning the walls and ceiling provide a unique sentiment to the Kelham Island scene. And being all vegan is even better. It has received rave reviews and the free
photobooth is perfect for creating a keepsake of your romantic Valentine’s date.
The Leadmill
Obviously, if you want to go all out, whether you’re all loved up in a couple or just wanting to celebrate with friends, Sheffield’s best club night (as awarded by Exposed Magazine) is hosting a Valentine’s Ball: ‘Love Shack!’, a Club Tropicana you would be silly to miss.
Creamy Mushroom and Pesto Spaghetti Steps
The
Cookbook Jack Redfern
This is a perfect dish to make in bulk and save for a hearty lunch, or to feed a famished flat. A slight twist on this simple classic will make you feel like a budget-friendly Nigella.
Ingredients
Spaghetti 10 mushrooms, chestnut or regular, thinly sliced 1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped 1/2 tsp of mixed herbs 2 heaped tsp of green pesto 300ml milk, dairy or plant based
1. Boil your water for the pasta in a kettle then pour into a saucepan, along with half a teaspoon of salt. The best way to measure your spaghetti is, per serving, gather the spaghetti to meet the width of the face of a 2p coin. So, in this case, do this twice. 2. Add the pasta to the boiling water and whilst it’s cooking heat some oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry your mushrooms till brown. Make sure they don’t overlap otherwise they won’t crisp well. 3. Add your garlic, fry for a minute then sprinkle in the mixed herbs. 4. Now add the milk and pesto and reduce till the sauce is a thick consistency. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. 5. The pasta should be cooked (after 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta but reserve about half a cup of the pasta cooking water. 6. Then add the pasta and water to your mushroom pan and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring and tossing the pasta as you do so. 7. Decant into two bowls and serve.
. l e v a r t h c a o c  o % 0 5 u We’ll give yo up to you. s i o g u o y e r Whe
Just go to nationalexpress.com/refreshers using the code Refreshers50 and book by 25 February for travel by 28 February.
T&Cs apply
20
Break Break Editor Robin Wilde Happy new year, and welcome back to your regularly scheduled Break content. It’s important to know what lies in store during this new important semester, which is why we’ve included our scientific and rigorous personality test to determine your future. It’s studenttested to perfection (read: I got my partner to take it first) and 100% guaranteed accurate. While Valentine’s Day is taking place shortly after the publication of this issue, it is an undeniable truth that the couples who celebrate it are mind-numbing at the best of times, and so I shan’t be indulging them here. They say instead that the couple who campaigns together reigns together (or at least, I say that) so the rest of this issue is given over to the important task of lazily mocking people taking part in the SU elections. While it might strike some of them as mean, I secretly love the SU elections as a piece of pageantry, and publish these election campaign cliches only in the hope that the general standard of campaigning improves as a result. It may be a vain hope, but a last exercise of amateurish democracy before we all go to pick up our No Deal ration cards is no bad thing.
Sudoku
Easy
Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.34)
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2
Semester 2: Semester Harder
Now you’ve hacked your way through the jungle of exams and essay deadlines, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going
to get on during the second half of this academic year. Follow our handy Answer this quick quiz to determine your course.
1) Will you vote in the SU elections? a. Yes. I love democracy and our institutions. b. Yes. I am a tedious student politics nerd. c. Panic-vote in the last five minutes because I put it off all week. d. No. I am a monster who hates freedom.
2) How do you feel about Varsity? a. Turn Goodwin into a library to upset the popular kids. b. Meh, it keeps the jocks busy. c. I might try and go along to the ice hockey. d. WE ARE BLACK AND GOLD!
3) How did your exams go? a. I’m disappointed in only getting 85% on everything. b. Worth the month of skirmishing for a library space. c. 41% is still a pass, Karen. d. I am a postgraduate. I don’t have exams.
4) Looking forward to Brexit? a. I’ve stockpiled medicine and dug a fallout shelter in the garden. b. I’ve booked flights for March 30th because I live life on the edge. c. Fingers crossed for those sweet trade deals with Bhutan and El Salvador. d. What’s a Brexit?
5) Are you registered to vote in the local elections in May? a. I’ve registered myself, all my housemates, and already scouted out my polling station. b. I did it because the University told me to. c. I’ll get there eventually. d. I vote at my parents’ estate in Hampshire.
6) Looking forward to the next Forge Press AGM? a. Stop the presses! I’m there. b. Only if I can write snide quizzes to make myself feel big. c. I only read The Tab. d. I am reading this newspaper on the toilet.
7) How’s the love life? a. Fulfilling, mutually supportive and with strong foundations. b. They call me the bungee cord, because I’m on the rebound. c. What I finds, I keeps. d. My Instagram is identical pictures of me and “this one” in generic date locations.
HOW TO SCORE: Give yourself 4 points for every A answer, 3 points for every B answer, 2 points for every C answer and 1 point for every D answer.
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Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.71)
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Feb 3 17:05:07 2019 GMT. Enjoy!
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5 1 “The world 2 9 Breaks everyone, and 8 3 afterward, 7 6 1 9 many are strong at Relatable Content Corner the broken places”
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Feb 3 17:05:39 2019 GMT. Enjoy!
Ernest Hemingway
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License. See: https://xkcd.com/license.html
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7
Your Results
22-28: You’re infuriatingly well-adjusted. Student society will find you a comfortable niche where you will grow content and complacent. Then, come the revolution (or graduation) the bitter winds of adult life will chill you all the more deeply. 18-21: A conformist cog in the student machine. You will get along okay by keeping your head down, but if you were to fall into the workings of the Paternoster, few would notice or mourn. 14-17: Your aloof air of detached
cynicism belies the fact that you’re not quite as clever as all those awards in primary school made you out to be. While you’ll probably make it through university, you’d better start downplaying your expectations now. 7-13: Coasting along the rough waters of life in a patched-up rubber dinghy is unsustainable. Ahead of you lies a life of disappointment, shattered dreams and remorse for your missed opportunities.
21
Break
SU Election Here at Break we’ve seen our share of Students’ Union elections, and important as they are it’s hard to deny they can be a little dull. This time around, liven up Forge’s live debates by following
along with our handy cut-outand-keep bingo chart. The truly hardcore may wish to turn this into a drinking game, and numb the pain of being harangued on the concourse for two weeks.
Someone makes a fuss about the food van.
Candidate pretends to have a view on something they clearly know nothing about.
Welfare Officer candidates agree on literally everything.
“This is more of a comment than a question”.
Stream starts late due to technical issues.
International Students Officer candidate talks about Brexit and nothing else.
Candidate clearly thinks they are Leon Trotsky.
Candidate clearly thinks they are Jordan Peterson.
Candidate clearly thinks they are Justin Trudeau.
Someone is described as an “anti-establishment” candidate.
Someone endorses another candidate for another role.
Activities candidate talks about creating an Activities Committee and nothing else.
Candidate describes themselves as “passionate”.
Massive unfunded spending commitment.
Development candidate talks about environment and nothing else.
Candidate clearly doesn’t know what role involves.
Only two candidates say anything memorable while everyone else sits in silence.
Welfare candidate talks about mental health and nothing else.
Moderator loses control of candidates.
Candidate sucks up to existing officer.
Education Officer Candidate talks about tuition fees and nothing else.
Candidate basically wears pyjamas.
Candidate wears a suit.
President Candidate talks about the NUS and nothing else.
Sports Officer candidate talks about Varsity and nothing else.
Candidate promises something that already exists.
Candidate promises something that was tried and failed.
Candidate doesn’t show up for debate.
Somehow, foreign policy becomes an issue.
Women’s Officer candidate talks about intersectionality and nothing else.
22
What’s on
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13 Feb - 28 Feb
TRY SOMETHING NEW Henna Drawing 14 Feb 5pm View Room 6 £5.50 £3.30 (Res Life)
This class provides you with all the materials and patterns needed to adorn your skin with beautiful illustrations. If you’ve ever been impressed by someone else’s Henna art, this is the perfect opportunity to try it yourself.
Belly Dancing 14 Feb 7pm View Room 6 £3.30 £1.10 (Res Life)
Belly dancing provides great abdominal exercise and this class is perfect for those who have never done it before. Wear comfortable clothing (exposed belly not required) and water for this session.
£3.30
Not tried it yet? Remember you can pop down to Bar One for some karaoke every Thursday night! 9pm - 1:30am
Film Unit: The Room and Best F(r)iends Vol. 2 (with Greg Sestero) Friday 15 February 10pm - 2:45am Nelson Mandela Auditorium
Kensington Palace
Queer Zumba 15 February, 5:15pm Studio Free
Archery 17 February, 5pm Goodwin Sports Centre £2 Credit: Movie DB
£11
Talk on Queer Herstory 14 February, 5pm Gallery Room 3 Free
Bouldering 15 February, 6pm Goodwin Sports Centre £2
Greg Sestero (co-star of cult
favourite oddity The Room) returns to Film Unit for a doublebill screening of the film that made him famous and his latest collaboration with Tommy Wiseau. There’s always a great atmosphere at these events, which provide a unique cinema experience like no other.
LGBT+ History Month Highlights:
Talk on Decolonising LGBT+ History 21 February, 5pm View Room 5 Free Splectrum Open Mic Night 26 February, 9pm Raynor Lounge Free
Sunday 17 February 8am - 4:30pm Departs outside Bar One £44/£38.50 (Res Life)
This trip from team Give It A Go gives you the chance to explore the royal residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (also known as Will and Kate). Upon arrival, you are free to explore the Palace grounds at your leisure until the 4:15pm departure back to Sheffield. Get out of the city for a day and enjoy a peaceful change of scenery.
Credit: Lee Penney
For more information about LGBT+ History Month at the University of Sheffield:
23
Spotlight
Society Spotlight LGBT+ Committee
David Anderson
O
n Thursday 7 February, the LGBT+ Committee at the University of Sheffield launched their LGBT+ History Month in the Activities Zone in Sheffield Students’ Union. If you were in the building, you couldn’t miss it. A huge rainbow balloon arch dominated the zone, and throughout the day performances and activities were taking place regularly. The next day I sat down with Marlowe MacDonald, chair of LGBT+ Committee, in the Gallery overlooking the zone, where the arch still stood proud, to talk about the event, their committee and the importance of LGBT+ History Month as a whole. LGBT+ Committee is a representative committee made up of 20 roles, including Marlowe’s, with 19 of those currently filled. They all work to ensure the representation of all LGBT+ students, which includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual and other groups including asexual, intersex, queer and questioning. “We have three main responsibilities of campaigning, welfare and socials,” Marlowe explains. “So we run bi-weekly socials, one alcoholic and one nonalcoholic, we have three welfare officers who provide welfare support and resources for LGBT+ students and we have two campaign officers who run campaigns across the university for more awareness and inclusion of LGBT+ students, in conjunction with the chair who also runs campaigns.” A key event in the committee’s annual calendar is, of course, LGBT+ History Month, which takes place nationwide throughout February. With a number of exciting and ambitious events planned by LGBT+ Committee for the month, it was important for them to start big with their launch event. “It went really, really well,” says
Marlowe. “One of the campaigns officers, Beren [Maddison], their role is to set up LGBT+ History month. “We had a gospel choir perform, K-Pop Dance Society and we had a crafts area where people made some cards for estranged students. It’s called the Rainbow Cards Project. You write birthday cards for people estranged from their families. And then we had photo booths so people could scrapbook under the rainbow balloon arch we made. It was a really big launch and it went really well. There were lots of people and we’ve got lots of beautiful arts and crafts we can keep forever now.” Sexual Health Sheffield and Mental Health Matters society were also present at the event, which included the launch of Pride in Sport week. Running from 11th15th February, Pride in Sport week will host LGBT+ inclusive sessions ranging from Quidditch to Zumba. For Marlowe, it was crucial that the launch was so visible.
This time of year especially, obviously being closeted is difficult and having it open means closeted people can come and be involved if they want to
“Part of it is being out and being proud,” they say. “This time of year especially, obviously being closeted is difficult and having it open means closeted people can come and be involved if they want to. People who are just interested can too, and it can also be a safe place for people who are out and proud and happy about it. So I think it was really important that it was quite central and also
it was nice to know that we’re still an important part of the SU. Even though obviously we don’t apply to everyone, we’re still important.” As exciting as the launch event was, it was just the beginning of LGBT+ History month for the committee. Throughout February they have arranged a number of activities, guest talks and panels. They will also have a weekly exhibition in the SU’s beach huts about LGBT+ history, with a particular focus on Britain and Sheffield and why it’s so important. One date worth saving is the relaunch of LGBT+ open mic night Splectrum. Having been a regular night in the past, the re-launch will initially be a one-off event and with it the committee will be introducing a new fundraising element and to raise money for a trans festival. “I think I’m most excited for the Splectrum night because it will be nice to have just a night of celebration for us” says Marlowe. “I think in History month a lot of it is quite sad, because we have faced a lot of oppression over the past few years and we still are. Things are getting a little bit more difficult in terms of media and trans antagonism and things like that. It will be nice to have a night when we can just celebrate and be ourselves. The campaigning is equally as important, but it’s just nice to have a celebration.” But LGBT+ History Month is wider than the SU. This year the theme for the nationwide event is Peace, Activism and Reconciliation, and Marlowe thinks the month is as important as ever today. “There have definitely been some strides in people becoming more inclusive,” they say. “But then there’s also been some backwards and forwards, particularly with trans issues, I’ve found. Things have become a bit more difficult in terms of media representation and at the same time the Gender Recognition Act Consultation was a few years ago. So things are making steps forward, but at the same time
there are a lot of people who are still pushing back against that. “I think it’s really important to remember that we did come from Pride and the movement has gone a really long way back and we need to remember our roots. We need to remember that it’s particularly trans people and people of colour who were the ones who started all of this. There have been gender non-conforming and queer people since the beginning of time. We have always been here and it’s really important to remember that we’ve always been here and that this isn’t a new phenomenon. But at the same time welcome new people who are discovering their sexuality and their gender right now and make sure that they feel included too.” Once LGBT+ History Month is over, that won’t be the end of the campaigning for the committee. The team have been working all year to improve the representation of LGBT+ students and will continue to do so into the future. This year there
has been a particular emphasis on improving university life for trans students. “I think a big aim for the committee has been what I unofficially call ‘making things better for trans students at university’,” says Marlowe. “Catchy name, I know! So I’ve been having a lot of meetings with people at the SU and the university to encourage staff at the advice centre and staff in different departments to do trans inclusion and awareness training. “Because we get quite a few complaints from different places from students who have not always had the best experiences in lectures when it comes to whether things have been a bit exclusive for them or maybe they’ve not always felt that comfortable. So from encouraging staff to have more training to campaigning on getting more gender neutral toilets and facilities across the university, that’s what we’ve been focussing on.”
Marlowe MacDonald, chair of LGBT+ Committee
24
Arts Arts Editor Charly Hurrell Guest Editor Nathan Makalena
A word from Charly:
Christmas has been and gone and as the post-celebration blues set in, the exam stress disappears and the hole in which it leaves is filled by the imminent term facing us. At university, everything can take over the time that you need for mental stability. Although it seems like no element could be sacrificed, a few minutes in the morning to write a few thankful notes, draw a sketch appreciating nature or just meditating on the day to come can really help. Valentine’s Day is a burden to many but don’t be ashamed of your solitude as I definitely feel it is when I appreciate myself the most. We all have different priorities so as much as not letting others shame you of yours, appreciate the differences in those around you. I have had a wonderful time at Forge but it is time for me to appreciate my differences in priorities and be thankful for the time I have had, but also the other things that are yet to come my way.
A word from Nathan: Hello, Nathan Makalena, Head of Music on Forge Radio popping in to contribute to the wonderful arts section of this issue. Like the Bauhaus’ marriage of art and design I speak with Stephen Escritt about, I thought my editor’s pick should be part of the grey area between the worlds of art and music. The Disintegration Loops by William Basinski features short fragments of music slowly decaying as they wind around a tape recorder. It is beautiful, and haunting and much more magnificent than I could translate in 100 words. Go have a listen.
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THEATRE Blood Brothers at Lyceum Theatre
Siân Summerfield
Blood Brothers tells the story of twin brothers separated at birth because their struggling single mother can’t afford to keep both. The two grow up in very different environments but strike up a strong friendship, oblivious to the truth, until the story comes tragically to an end. Having watched it in GCSE drama I absolutely jumped at the chance to see Blood Brothers again and relive it. If truth be told, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. It was done as a very episodic, non-naturalistic play with
lots of on-stage multi-roling, plus way too many set changes. In the first song there was four set changes alone, making it very clunky. The Narrator (Robbie Scotcher) loomed ominously throughout, always lurking in the darkness or leaning on the set. He was also similarly clunky - the songs and the plot would build momentum and then he would jump in and ruin the flow completely. Some of the set itself was wobbling throughout and the countryside backdrop for the second half of the play was horrendous – almost like it had been done with Windows Paint. I
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found the character of Eddie (Mark Hutchinson) physically make me cringe, and Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley), whose descent into madness was either half-hearted or completely over the top. The lovely scene where the unknowing brothers meet for the first time as young boys was really underplayed and rushed through what could have been great comic timing – can you tell I know the script well? However – the good bits. It’s a cracking soundtrack, especially Mrs Johnston and ‘Easy Terms’ – Linzi Hatley has an incredible voice. Sean Jones as Mickey gave a
great performance, especially his portrayal of the transition from wild little boy to depressed father, struggling with his experience of prison, unemployment and depression. All songs were performed and choreographed brilliantly. I may have glorified Blood Brothers in my head a little over the past few years, thus being a little disappointed. However, the final song ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’ never fails to make me sob - although I had consumed a large amount of red wine and prosecco. Touchingly, a little girl in the audience loudly sobbed alongside me for the rest of the song – and the cast got a standing ovation. Verdict: very watchable but be prepared for some slightly dubious attempts at a Scouse accent. Image: Sheffield Theatres
STORY The
Bookshelf A showcase of student creative writing Poems of the paper: Like a Bike by Dominic Watmore you can ride my bike, if you tell me what it's like, i just want to know.
It is ok to be alone by Charly Hurrell moments of quiet are hard to find in these busy times gift yourself a minute or two and let yourself Breathe
Have you secretly been writing some rhythms? Get in touch with press.arts@forgetoday.com to get involved!
The Freeman Diary: Chapter Six Ryan Smith
‘You have all been chosen by The State Government because you are the heads of your respected fields,’ he said. He introduced each of us one by one. I was given the distinction of being ‘the most sought after engineer in all of the Union’. He continued. ‘You are all aware of the attempts made by the Rail Section to ratify new developments on existing lines traced across the country. Under the Commission of Railway Transport, bids have been made that will improve the quality of railway transport for the millions of daily commuters, providing a level of economic output this country has never seen before. The State Government has a duty for all it’s people, and will look to further develop all areas of transport. It is people like yourselves that have the foresight and innovation to look to the future. This is an asset, something that can be used over and over again.’ ‘The State Government has learned recently of the rejection
of the Co- Line Transexpress Mr Freeman had great influence in; of the approval of the Matterly Principal summarized by Miss Benoit; of the development in new metals stronger than ever thought possible by Mr Goodwin and the Corporation of DesignTech; of the innovations of staff management used by Mr Darson at Darson and Sons; of the developments of the disposal of nuclear waste undertaken by Mrs Bennett at the Corporation of Cryogenic and Nuclear Section; and finally the work done by Miss Rowbottom in her analytics and studies in the field of aeronautical engineering. Innovation is what keeps The State moving forward in the best possible condition for the upcoming changes in technology and renovation.’ ‘That said, the contents of this meeting are strictly confidential. Should any of you be found to admit any single idea, thought, vision or statement made in the next hour to any outside persons, you will be a prisoner of the state and will be punished. Is that understood?’ We all nodded. The story continues in our next issue out on 1 March.
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Arts
SHORT STORY
The group’s necessary exploration is one we’ve all experienced after a few too many gins
What we talk about when we talk about love
by Raymond Carver Charly Hurrell
Mel, Terri, Laura and Nick meet up for a few gins, a few more than they intended, and end up on the typical tongue-loosened conversation topic of intimacy and the big four letter word, love. Raymond Carver throws the reader into Terri’s difficult relationship with an abusive and emotionally dependant ex-partner, “sure, it’s abnormal in most
people’s eyes. But he was willing to die for it. He did die for it.” The room take it in turns criticising adding to the pile of advice that builds up on the table and we are quickly, but not too quickly, welcomed into the worlds of their past relationships. Carver’s style is accessible and sleek, not unlike the classic Salinger, but his modernist take on the ageless and perpetually worrying topic of love is wonderfully done. An argument over the validity of
each other’s relationships begins and each type of relationship crops up, especially a humble elderly love of a lifetime through Mel’s anecdote. Mel is a tiring character that the short story could do less of, but without his serious, emotional and tipsy voice the story would not progress the way it does. The tone of the group’s necessary exploration is one we’ve all experienced after a few too many gins, and creates a firmly relatable story.
HOW TO MAKE Origami Hearts 1
Here is a cheap and quick way to make hearts using origami, to give to a friend, a loved one or yourself! I used watercolour paper which I painted with watercolours to give a cute washed pink look, after letting it dry I cut it into a square. If you don’t want to fold diagonally
4
To begin, fold your square across diagonally in both ways, and unfold.
2
Carver juxtaposes the importance of each love that is endured through a lifetime and the force to validate it when discussing it in a heavy pressured social setting. He takes us on a tour round the room to each struggling young adult’s exploration of their own feelings, from the powerful, overwhelming, ‘more than life itself’ love to a honeymoon-esque smitten cute love. In our contemporary generation, our understanding of
5 3
you can align the same size piece of paper across the top but at a different rotation (landscape over the top of portrait) and cut along the side to create a neater effect. However, in this tutorial, we fold diagonally as the first step so that’s not a problem! Charly Hurrell
Repeat with the other side. You should be able to see the heart beginning to form - exciting stuff!
Fold one corner into the centre and then fold the opposite corner so it meets the top of the previously folded corner.
Take one side that hasn’t been folded yet, and fold it upwards so the bottom turns and aligns with the line from the first fold, in the centre.
our own feelings is more important than ever, with books on selfunderstanding and emotional maturity in every bookshop. It can be easy to get caught up in experience, volunteering, managing a degree and finances, and maintain emotional stability in our own selves. Carver’s modern story (published in 1981) relates to each young adult in our contemporary western culture, as we weave and stumble through the most important years of our life.
6 Turn the paper over so you are looking at the back and fold one side edge in to soften the shape. Repeat with other side.
7
Fold the tops of the heart in to soften the top shape and turn over.
Ta da! Your wonderfully handcrafted and adorable as a teacup pig, origami heart.
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Arts
In Conversation Nathan Makalena speaks to Stephen Escritt, Strategic Development Director at S1 Artspace, about the galleries postcode shift and what they hope to achieve in Park Hill. Nathan Makalena
Park Hill flats, originally an ambitious social housing experiment in the 60s, have since become immortalised as part of the spirit and skyline of Sheffield.
Notable appearances in all forms of art have aided in the process, the lyrics of Pulp, the canvas’ of Mandy Payne, and the backdrop for This Is England ‘90. Now situated at the middle of it all, in a repurposed garage, hoping to shape the artistic future of the site, is the S1 Artspace.
“I suppose the name is something we should have already changed” notes Stephen Escritt, the current director of the gallery. After it was pushed out of its original home in Trafalgar Street by new developments, the opportunity emerged in S2 out of the need for a
Image: Reuben James Brown
Image: Reuben James Brown
cultural facility in Park Hill as part of redevelopment plans. “What really appealed to us about this site is it’s not the usual place you’d expect to find an art gallery”, Stephen continues. “I think we have the benefit here of being on people’s doorstep which makes it so easy to reach out to the community and get people to come who are living in S2.” “One of the fascinating things about Sheffield is that it’s a divided city in many respects. You have vast swathes of the city without the cultural facilities you’d find in others. This move is part of addressing that.” When constructed, a key aspect of Park Hills design was preventing the isolation living in a tower block typically brings. A series of wide concrete walkways worked to connect the buildings to each other, serving as communal areas in an approach known as ‘streets in the sky’. However by the 1980s it was no longer a popular place to live and poor upkeep of apartments and walkways meant it lost any communal atmosphere it was trying to create. The recent redevelopment isn’t just about moving people back into the estate, Stephen says “This whole thing is about opening up the space, before it was mothballed it used to be a major thoroughfare from S2 into town but it’s acted like a barrier since it was closed.” “It’s not just us”, he continues. “You’ve got a lot of office and cafe space in this first phase, and as they do the next phase there’ll be a lot more public facilities. It’s all about creating that sense of community and destination on this side of town as well.” For their first year in Park Hill, S1 Artspace have been celebrating the work of Bauhaus on its 100th anniversary. The German art school saw all facets of design, most notably architecture, as artistic; revolutionizing modernist
architecture, industrial design and typography. “I think the spirit of the school was about freeing yourself from preconceptions of the past and being creative.” says Stephen, who thinks the teachings directly relate to the story of Sheffield. “Sheffield has all this amazing industrial heritage stretching back but over the past 30 years, it’s had to unlearn being an industrial city and relearn being something else. It still has the feeling of industry but now in new ways.” In bringing Bauhaus to Sheffield Stephen hopes that sense of artistic community will stay: “it was a creative institution in which great things happened, and we’re about thinking how to recreate those conditions here.” As well as a gallery, S1 has extensive studio space for as many as 30 artists, including art students from Sheffield Hallam. They can use the space to create and then get their work showcased in the same building. “Sheffield’s got a great tradition in the universities of bringing through young creatives, now that there’s a shortage of affordable studio spaces in the city centre I think it’s important to give them a space to work as the creative side of the economy is increasingly important. As for their intentions moving forwards, S1 are looking to secure a more permanent location in Duke Street tower block, currently being renovated as part of stage two developments. The space would offer even more gallery and studio space and help cement them as part of Park Hill’s new identity. When asked about his aims for the future Stephen said “If someone was pulling into the train station, I’d want there to be as much reason to turn around and come up here as there is to go into town. I think that would mean success in rebalancing the city.”
r u o y d n fi o t . . . e e m h i t t t ll i a t r s a s ' e e y r t e x e Th n r o f y t r e p o r p
G N I S U HO ATION M R O F IN FAIR y r a u r b e F h t 0 n o 2 i n y U ’ a s t d n s e e d u n Wed llery, Level 4, St5:00 1 0 0 : 11
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Make Yours a
Smart Move
Welfare
28
Music Music Editors Harriet Evans Ben Kempton For our first issue back we’ve got a range of content. From a feature on best music to help you concentrate so you can smash your dissertation to the most romantic songs to play for Valentines Day, there’s plenty to fill your music fix.
Editors’ Picks
Harriet: Honey Swim Deep Being from near Birmingham, I’ve been a big fan of my fellow Brummies Swim Deep for a long time. ‘Honey’ is one of my all time favourite songs because it’s just so nostalgic for me. When I listen to it, it takes me back to being 16 on my first trip to Reading Festival and makes me feel full of energy and happiness. Let’s be honest, “Don’t just dream in your sleep it’s just lazy” is a mantra we should all get behind a little more.
Ben: Exits - Foals Ahead of their new two-part album Everything Will Not Be Saved, Foals released ‘Exits’ which displays all the promise and excitment that surrounds a new Foals record. Their sound has changed slightly, less rock and more pop but the lead singer Yannis Philippakis promises the new part 2 of the new album will retain their heavy rock sound whilst part 1 will have a ‘new wave’ sound lead by synths and keyboard. Normally hearing that would terrify me, but Exits suggests the band’s new sound is going to be great.
Lo-Fi or death metal? The sound of studying Matt Boland
With exam season slowly dipping below the horizon, many of you probably don’t want to think about them again in a hurry. But, for when they inevitably roll round once more, Universal Production Music has something that may just give you the upper hand. It is no secret that music has a huge impact on our emotions and state of mind. Instruments, genres and keys have an innate and moving effect on us. As such, they are used in almost every aspect of our lives. Our cars appear vibrant and cool like the rock music they are advertised with, our films are deep and sad from the mountain of minor chords, and spas are relaxing simply due to the inexplicable power of pan pipes. But alongside the tracks designed to make you feel powerfully emotional; there are ones intended to calm you down, help you focus and concentrate. These are particularly interesting when applied to work. Throughout my time at high school,
a ‘no music’ rule was imposed almost universally for quiet study – having a supply teacher malleable enough to allow it was a rare treat. Yet, for pretty much every hour of revision I do, I have music on. I find blocking out other sounds and only having the work to focus on is hugely more productive. In the past, I’ve personally leant towards familiar tracks I know well that fade into the background, or else ambient sounds like rain or waves. However, people swear by electronica, whale sounds or even techno. It would, it seems, depends on who you ask. Some might say that classical music is incredible, whereas for others it is white noise or nothing. I am sure as well that you have your own preferred choice, be it lo-fi or death metal. This type of music is incredibly popular – it is hard to have a look around Spotify without stumbling across some of their many concentration playlists, featuring instrumentals, lo-fi beats and more. Used by so many and so often, logically we want to find out – from instrumental guitar tracks
all the way to brown noise – which is best? Universal Production Music, along with Dr Catherine Loveday, have done some serious research into this. They have created a concentration playlist that is quite remarkable. Calmingly predictable but not boring – walking the fine line between the two brilliantly. The science behind it is very interesting. Subconsciously we are always scanning for outside stimulus, even when we are engrossed in a task. Anything unexpected – sniffles, conversations, giggles – are all deadly to concentration. If your brain hears something surprising, it will tear you out of your focus. The best way to avoid this, it turns out, is with soothing electronica and techno. Specifically, tracks with a broad range of frequencies that ‘keep our vigilance system engaged but not alerted’, ones that are soft and not too complex. Dr Loveday references the album After Dark by Douglas Holmquist as being especially good
at this. The compiled playlist makes for interesting listening. It is not the type of music you would put on to
People swear by electronica, techno or even whale sounds actively listen to – whether that be to wind down or just for fun, but it does help with focus and concentration if you buy into it properly. If you want my advice, recover from whatever post-exam antics you had and enjoy these few weeks of bliss without thinking about summer exams. But when the time comes, head on over to UPM’s site and try out the albums and playlist there – it will be a whole lot better than the death metal you usually revise too, I promise. If you want to read more about this and listen to the music for yourself, check out UPM’s website.
Win Two Tickets to BangFace Weekender 2019 Forge Music have teamed up with BangFace Weekender so you can win a pair of tickets for this year’s festival! This year BangFace is happening on 14-18 March and the raving experts are now in their 10th year of hosting a weekend of pure, unadulterated madness. Think a Neo-Rave explosion; acid, jungle, rave hardcore, drum & bass, breakcore, bass, techno and electronica. Just some of the names on the lineup are drum & bass veterans Ed Rush and Audio (as Killbox), Mollie Collins, Ninja Tune’s Amon Tobin and Sheffield’s very own Off Me Nut. All you have to do is tag one friend you would take to the festival with you in the comments on our Facebook or Twitter posts to be in with a chance of winning two tickets. The winner will be announced on 22nd February on our Facebook page.
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Music Album Review Strange Creatures Drenge
Brenna Cooper
Strange Creatures sees Drenge produce an album which is tighter and more cohesive than their previous two records, with the selection of tracks fitting together seamlessly. Described by the band themselves, Strange Creatures is “the most considered record we have ever made.” Following on from a highly successful debut is difficult for any band. After the release of their second album Undertow in 2015, Drenge have been relatively quiet; playing only a handful of live shows and releasing their latest EP, Autonomy in the build-up to their new album. From the opener ‘Bonfire of The City Boys’, the album sets a new tone. Slower and more atmospheric, building on the gloom and feelings of desperation from their EP and previous albums. If there’s one thing Drenge do particularly well, it’s creating disconcerting imagery in their lyrics. In ‘Autonomy’ they
refer to the notion of uncanny valley, the unsettling feeling experienced when people come into contact with androids who closely resemble humans, with their words“I’m struggling when to spot, whether something’s real or something’s fake, or not“. This demonstrates their knack for cynical song writing which packs emotional weight. Preluding single ‘This Dance’ is easily the most pop-oriented track on the album which, along with ‘Teenage Love’, are the songs that will translate best at their live shows. ‘Prom Night,’ features eerie lyrics telling a high school horror story (one which wouldn’t be out of place as a scene in Carrie) and the
They’re songs which will grow on you rather than grab you immediately. Their new album shows progression and maturity addition of a saxophone makes one of the most interesting songs on the album. The album’s closing track
Interview Pale Waves Jack Mattless
Image: Facebook
As years in the music industry go, few compare to the one just experienced by Manchester’s Pale Waves. February’s EP was swiftly followed by debut album My Mind Makes Noises which flew straight into the UK top 10, facilitating a world tour this autumn spanning Europe, the Americas and large parts of Asia. “ I t ’ s been mad,” a chipper sounding Heather
Image: pitponyphotography
‘When I Look Into Your Eyes’ boasts an acoustic guitar which ends the album in a reflective, poetic manner, similar to previous albums. The energy of the album slows considerably with ‘No Flesh Road’ and ‘Avalanches.’ The pace drops and lacks the high tempo and thrashing energy of the two previous
albums. On a first listen, fans might feel a little disillusioned at the slower pace of Strange Creatures. They’re songs which will grow on you rather than grab you immediately. Their new sound shows progression and maturity. Drenge are a band attempting to creatively grow and
Strange Creatures is the sign of evolution. The album builds on their previous work with the addition of more dynamic instruments and interesting songs to inspire unsettling observations of daily life. Strange Creatures is out 22 February.
Baron-Gracie says, “I’ve seen so many bands play at the Ritz in
that has characterised most of the band’s music is likely to subvert the
for recording in February, BaronGracie emphasises that she doesn’t
Manchester and always thought I’d love that to be me one day so playing sold out shows there and other iconic venues like Shepherds Bush in London has just been so surreal… you definitely feel like something must be going right.” Not taking the rapidly growing popularity of the band for granted, Baron-Gracie seems acutely aware of the struggles that up-and-coming bands face. Despite mainstream success, they remain something of an oddity for a four- piece guitar band in that both the lead singer and drummer are female. “The music industry can be quite an intimidating place especially for women. When me and Ciara [drummer and co-songwriter] started Pale Waves, we had a lot of men talk down to us and not really value us as musicians. They didn’t want to see beyond the image”. It’s easy to see why this would be frustrating. Baron-Gracie’s neogothic aesthetic is certainly striking but the instantly infectious pop
expectations of first time listeners. Ever the optimist, Baron-Gracie seems set on turning the adversity on its head. “I feel like it’s getting better though,” she says, “I’ve been amazed at the number of young girls who have come up to us and said we’ve inspired them to pick up a guitar and have now started a band… I feel like the more successful female artists there are on the scene, the more things will continue to improve”. As for her own musical inspirations, the mix is an eclectic ride through the last four decades with Avril Lavigne, Madonna and Prince cited as key pillars of influence. “I also really love Robert Smith’s whole persona, his dark makeup and massive hair and how he’s not bowed down to social pressure to tone things down as he’s got older”. My Mind Makes Noises is certainly not a million miles away from a Wish era song by The Cure and another EP is already in the works. Currently set
want to play with the band’s existing sound too much. “We’re only as big as we are now because people have liked the stuff so far and we owe it to them to not drift too far from that… I don’t really get it when bands get big and feel the need to reinvent themselves”. Shade. Thrown. But more fundamentally it’s pretty clear that Baron-Gracie has a genuine affection for pop, having just covered Taylor Swift’s 22 for Spotify, she strikes me as an artist both proud and wholly at ease with where she and her band sit in the musical landscape. Given the sizable following amassed over the last year it’s easy to understand why she wouldn’t want to upset the apple cart too much. Pale Waves returned to Sheffield on the 25th of January 2019, supporting The 1975 at Fly DSA Arena. They are confirmed for Reading/Leeds next summer.
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Music
The Most Romantic Songs For Valentines Day It can be hard to find the words to tell someone how much they mean to you, but if you are planning on wooing your Valentine with a Pitbull song, let us step in and save you from your fate. We went out on campus and asked what you think the most romantic song is to play to your sweetheart.
ics Sam - Phys ove You More’ L - ‘Couldn’t
John Martyn
r what esn’t matte out how it do ab is ng So it so e. “The her anymor couldn’t love he , , he es it do sh e d sh es all this ba ter if she do at es m do t n’ he es do r more than le to love he ab be ” t n. n’ io ld rs wou the live ve recommend right now. I
eography ll I Love James - G Long Wi w o H ‘ s rboy The Wate You’ some of eat than more upb k “It’s a bit but I thin al ballads, n io it d is a your tr is version better. Th it s e k a in ld g that m Ellie Gou than the r e tt e b much xaphone? e have a sa sh s e o d , one k so.” Don’t thin
Chloe - Physicia n Associate Stud ies Elvis Presley - ‘C an’t Help Falling in Love’ “My parents used
to sing it to each other on road trips in the car!”
Charlie - Sociol The Tur ogy tles - ‘H a p p y Togethe “You kn ow, it’s r’ th
Aerosm
Phoebe
ith - ‘Do
- Histor
n’t Wan
y
na Miss
“It is jus t such a A Thing great po ’ scenario wer ball s. You ca a d fo n r all relate it girlfrien to your b d, but it oyfriend ’s also a or good on karaoke e to sing to your m on the ates. A g ood allrounder. ”
at scene from Th here Ho e Simps mer see ons s the pig and is ru nning th for the fi rough a rst time fi e ld of rain him. Bu t the lyri bows wit cs are ac h tually co ol.”
Movie w
Izzy - Sociology Fleetwood Mac - ‘Songbird’ “The simple piano accompaniment
gives it a romantic feel, and the lyrics of unconditional love for another.”
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32
Screen Screen Editors Gethin Morgan Izzy Cridland Welcome to Screen for the first time in 2019. It looks set to be an amazing year for film, with Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars IX and new work from Scorsese, Tarantino and Jordan Peele. Oh, and let’s not forget the best film of 2019, John Wick: Chapter 3. For now, we’ve decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day by picking our favourite romantic films. Enjoy.
write for us!
press.screen@forgetoday.com
?
And the Oscar goes to... With the Academy Awards just over a week away, Gethin Morgan
and Izzy Cridand break down this year’s race and give their thoughts on some of the main categories...
Editors’ Picks Eagle vs Shark
The debut feature film of New Zealand’s brilliant oddball director Taika Waititi; Eagle vs Shark runs with the tagline “There’s someone for everyone... apparently. Luckily, love is blind.” While that may sound a little mean, it fits perfectly when you watch this heartwarming tale of two misfits who fall in love. He’s a video game store clerk, she works at fast food chain ‘Meaty Boy’. It truly is a tale for the ages.- Gethin
Before Sunrise
Sparks fly between Celine (Julie Delphy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) after they meet on a train and spontaneously spend the day together in Vienna. Linklater’s style is all over Before Sunrise as Delphy and Hawke morphe into brilliantly genuine characters. The film centres solely on Celine and Jesse as they philosophically ponder the meaning of life and love but it is in what they don’t say that their clear connection is revealed as Linklater’s sensitive and subtle directing exposes a very real human experience of a fleeting romance. - Izzy
Best Picture
The race for the biggest award of the night is more open than it has been in years. With no particularly strong front-runners emerging all awards season, it could be one of several. The openness of the field could allow Roma to become the first ever foreign language film to win Best Pic. Its biggest rival is probably Golden Globe and Producers Guild winner Green Book, which may benefit from the preferential ballot, which means being in everyone’s
top three is more valuable than being some people’s number one. The Favourite, which has the joint-most nominations alongside Roma, is another genuine contender.
Gethin
I really think Roma could do it. The Academy are in a habit of breaking their own records. To be honest, as long as Bo-Rap doesn’t win I’ll be content. That film is not Oscarworthy.
Best Director
If one category has been dominated all awards season it’s Alfonso Cuaron for Best Director. Roma is based on Cuaron’s childhood home and having been writer, director, editor and cinematographer on the film, it is very much his baby. He has won pretty much every award going and despite rumbles of Spike Lee becoming a late contender, it seems inevitable that Cuaron will win. Along with his pals Guillermo Del Toro and Alejandro
Izzy
Roma should win, the combination of fantastic editing and cinematography makes this very personal film feel extremely impactful and worthy of the night’s most celebrated award.
Best Actress
Another very competitive category here. Glenn Close (The Wife), Olivia Colman (The Favourite) and Lady Gaga (A Star is Born) are all strong contenders. It looks set to be the overdue Close who takes it though, having won at SAG and most other places. Poor Olivia Colman will be ruing not campaigning for Supporting Actress. Her performance as Queen Anne is a supporting role and one which would’ve easily won Best Supporting Actress.
And sadly for Lady Gaga, to win an Oscar you need more than one person in a room of 100 people to believe in you if you want to win a little golden statue.
Gethin
I was so happy to see Yalitza Aparicio nominated. A nomination is a win in itself for a first-time actor. My fingers are still crossed for the delightful Olivia Colman but I think this one is going Close’s way.
Izzy
Aparacio’s performance for an inexperienced actor is incredible. The performance is both subtle and
emotional as you can see the weight of the world and its effects brewing behind the eyes of Aparacio’s character Cleo.
Best Actor
This is a very tightly contested category. It looks set to be between Rami Malek for his encapsulating portrayal of Freddie Mercury and Christian Bale for his transformation into the shoes of Dick Cheney. Two brilliant performances which display similar skills, most notably transforming into a well known public figure. One is a beloved icon, the other a mysterious bad-guy politician. Malek is probably the favourite
G. Inarritu, he could make it the fifth time in six years that a Mexican wins Best Director.
Gethin
Cuaron deserves this. As you can probably tell we love Roma here at Screen. Shout out to Spike Lee too for a ridiculously overdue nomination.
Izzy
Cuaron manages to capture so sensitively both a deeply personal story and a broader reflection of mexico’s social and political history. It would be criminal for Cuaron to not pick up the award, for what is an incredible directorial achievement. after taking home the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award, but don’t be shocked to see Bale swoop in on the night.
Gethin
I feel sorry for Bradley Cooper on this one. He threw everything into A Star is Born. His performance would stand a good chance of winning most years, but he faces a tough field. As the only nominee in this category not portraying a real-life character, perhaps there’s a lesson to be learnt for Oscarhungry actors.
Izzy
Rami Malek, should probably pick up this award, although it is a tight race between him and Bale, who both are totally believable in their very different character portrayals.
33
Screen
Best Supporting Actor
Supporting awards often go to the actors with more screen-time. Hence why this race is firmly between Mahershala Ali (Green Book) and Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?). Mahershala is fast-becoming an Academy darling after winning this very award for Moonlight two years ago. The smart money would be on him to join the fairly exclusive double-acting Oscar club.
Best Original Sreenplay
The screenplay nominations can often highlight films which haven’t got much love elsewhere. First Reformed is that example in original screenplay. Paul Schrader’s film has a loyal fanbase who were rooting for a Best Picture nod and some more attention for Ethan Hawke in Best Actor. Sadly for them, the nomination is all it’ll get here. The Favourite is
Documentary
Three of the five nominees in this category screened at 2018’s Sheffield Doc/Fest (represent!). Minding the Gap, Of Fathers and Sons and Hale County This Morning, This Evening all made the programme in Sheff but it’s Free Solo which stands out as the favourite in this category. The winner of Best Doc is often the one which gets the most coverage - see Netflix documentary Icarus, which won last year for its shocking unveiling of performance enhancing drugs in cycling - simply
Gethin
As much as I’d love to see Sam Elliott (A Star is Born) and his magnificent moustache on stage. Mahershala Ali (along with fellow nominee Adam Driver) is one of the finest actors working today. He deserves this.
Izzy
Mahershala Ali is incredible at presenting Dr Don Shirley, an isolated classical pianist, Ali nails Shirley’s serious and poised character, whilst displaying some of the best drunk acting I’ve seen. Shout out to Timothee Chalamet however who in my opinion was far more more worthy of a nomination than Sam Rockwell’s caricature performance. the clear, er, favourite in this one. Adam McKay’s Vice is a remarkable script and could perhaps be one to watch.
Gethin
I adored Vice and McKay is a super intelligent filmmaker, but I have to condone The Favourite winning best screenplay, purely for the number of C-bombs it drops.
Izzy
The Favourite’s script is sharp, witty and hilarious. This original take on the 18th century monarchy is unlike any other period drama you will have seen.
because a lot of Academy voters are too lazy to go out of their way and watch everything. This is quite an open category though, so don’t rule out fifth nominee RBG, which is also nominated for Best Original Song for ‘I’ll Fight’.
Gethin
Hale County This Morning, This Evening totally stole my heart at Doc/Fest in the summer. I’m rooting for the brilliant RaMell Ross to win, even though I fear it may not happen.
Izzy
Hale County This Morning, This Evening gave me a new appreciation of documentaries, with the classic interview style taken away, it allows the subjects of the doc to immerse us in their stories.
Best Supporting Actress
Easily the most open acting category, this one is tough to call, especially since the winner at SAG was Emily Blunt, who isn’t even nominated here. Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are both terrific in The Favourite, but fans of the film might just split the vote between them. Amy Adams is great in Vice too, and is well overdue on her sixth nomination. If there’s one standout it’s probably Regina King for If Beale
Best Adapted Screenplay
Adapted Screenplay welcomes three non-Best Picture nominees to the fold. The Coen bros six-part anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs joins Can You Ever Forgive Me? And Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk are all worthy nominees. Meanwhile Bradley Cooper rounds off his triple-nomination for A Star is Born. It’s probably more
Street Could Talk, who won at the Golden Globes and will be the one category where fans of Beale Street can throw their love.
Gethin
I love Amy Adams and was furious with her lack of nomination for Arrival two years ago. I think one of The Favourite pairing should take it though.
With entries from Mexico, Poland, Germany, Japan and Lebanon, the strength of this category is reflected in the fact two of the nominees have also received Best Director nominations, which last happened in 1976. Pawel Pawlikowski is nominated for Cold War, which any other year would be a clear favourite. Unfortunately for Pawel he happens to have made his film in the same year as Cuaron’s Roma. It’s hard to imagine a foreign film winning Best Picture and then missing out
Animated Film
Izzy
This is a strong category, but Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz are not supporting actresses in The Favourite, they are lead. Weisz probably just trumps Stone’s performance and I think will take home the award. It was great to see Marina De Tariva get a nomination, because again, I love Roma. disappointment for Coops though, as BlacKkKlansman looks set to win. It’s the obvious place to reward a great film and a great writer/ director in Spike Lee, who has yet to win an Oscar.
Gethin
COENS BABY. I love the Coen brothers and I loved The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Spike Lee and co. deserve it for BlacKkKlansman though.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a revolutionary animation and is quite rightly nailed on to win Best Animated Feature.
Score
Black Panther could become an Oscar winner here, but the smart money would be on If Beale Street Could Talk.
Original Song
Izzy
BlacKkKlansman is my pick for adapted screenplay, however it would be nice for Cooper to pick up an award here as A Star is Born doesn’t deserve to walk away empty handed.
Foreign Film
Oscar Extras
on Foreign Film. So unfortunately for Cold War, and the much-loved Shoplifters from Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda, this could be one of four Oscar Cuaron picks up on the night.
Gethin
Ok, I’ll level with you here. Roma is the only one I’ve seen. I was annoyed to miss Cold War and Shoplifters last year, but will be catching up on them at Film Unit this semester!
A Star is Born has had a soul-destroying drop from Oscar frontrunner to winner of nothing. ‘Shallow’ for song is the one survivor that will surely win.
Cinematography
An impressive list but Roma stands out. A beautifully made film from the very first shot. Three Oscars for Cuaron?
Editing
Izzy
Again, Roma pretty much deserves to win every award. It has a shot at Best Picture this year but if it doesn’t get it, it will inevitably pick up Best Foreign Film.
Tough to call. BlacKkKlansman is a serious contender but Vice’s kinetic energy may secure the editing win.
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Screen
All images: The Movie Database
Big Screen
Vice
Josh Teggert
Big Screen
Green Book Dana Raer
Set in a dark period where racism and homophobia was rife in the United States, Green Book entails a sweet and heartwarming story of friendship between two people from different backgrounds: easygoing Italian immigrant Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) and Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), a black, wealthy and talented musician. This true story presents the itinerary of Shirley’s tour in the ‘deep South’ alongside his bodyguard, chauffeur and friend-in need Tony. The ‘Green Book’ is the travel guide with hotels
Big Screen Can You Ever Forgive Me? Paul Deshmukh-Reeves
Some actors tend to be cast for a single style of performance, and this has been especially true of Melissa McCarthy, known to most as a comedienne, comic actress and occasional Saturday Night Live host. It is refreshing, then, to see her proving she also has
and restaurants that accept the presence of black people. Even from the first sequences of the movie, the whole journey sheds light in both a humorous and heartwrenching manner on the problems of American society in the sixties. It shows how the talent of a musician can be overshadowed by the colour of one’s skin to the point that it degrades an artist and humiliates even further. With all that said, it is surprising that no matter how many racist remarks, violent actions or neverending obstacles appear on the journey, the virtuoso continues to fight for his principles with courage and dignity, even evoking a change in Tony’s perspectives, an amusing man with a specific dictation and speech full of profanities. The outstanding acting perfectly encapsulates the warmth of a new-
found friendship between two people in different positions, with discrepancies known then to be untouchable. Funny, witty and sincere, the movie sparks an inner-debate into the minds of the watchers: the dreadfulness of those times is actually not a heavy topic, it only shows the ridiculous and horrible ways Don Shirley was treated and how he handled racist situations with dignity and seriousness. The mastermind behind the creation, Peter Farelly, looks through the lenses of two unlikely friends and serves as an eye-opener to a world of suffering, neglect, and ostracism. All in all, the movie combines remarkable visuals of the Carnegie Theatre, rooms full of fine art and natural sceneries on the road with heartfelt performances given by Ali and Mortensen.
Adam McKay has had quite the career; from his early days with Will Ferrell and co, McKay’s flare for both comedy and drama sets the standards high for his latest film, Vice. Christian Bale stars as the ruthless bureaucratic Washington insider, Dick Cheney. His unassuming personality may never warrant a second glance, but behind the scenes Cheney schemes his way up the political ladder to wield enormous power, eventually as Vice-President to Bush, becoming the world’s most influential ‘vice’. Yet, while this film never fails to provoke, the tone often makes it a tedious watch. Vice opens by stating that the quietest person in the room is often the smartest. McKay then continues to scream at the audience how intelligent this film is, and it just doesn’t work. His style here, though successful in creating an incredibly unnerving atmosphere, doesn’t fit with the overarching narrative. The consistent sub-story fourth wall
extraordinary dramatic ability. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on the memoir of biographer-turnedforger Lee Israel (McCarthy) who, together with Jack Hock (Richard E Grant), fabricated over 400 letters by deceased celebrities in order to revive her equally deceased writing career – until her conviction in 1993. Initially there appears to be a tonal clash between McCarthy’s sombre portrayal of Lee and Grant’s almost satirically flamboyant Jack. However, as the film continues and the duo spend time together, their chemistry quickly develops. The pair’s interactions support the film’s themes of mimicry and
identity: Jack copies Lee’s orders repeatedly when the pair go out to eat and drink, and they both amuse themselves several times by making prank calls. Even before her initial meeting with Jack, Lee steals a coat from the cloakroom at a writers’ party – literally taking the mantle of a successful writer from somebody else. Combined with her exceptional ability to imitate writers, Lee’s crisis of identity is shown: she has spent her life writing about (and as) other people and as a result has
very few of her own personality traits to share. This comes to a head when a potential relationship with bookseller Anna fails due to Lee’s inability to open herself up.McCarthy’s performance is the standout, turning the abrasive, antisocial Lee into a likable character. She expertly switches between a harsh, unforgiving exterior and a lonely-but-caring interior as well as injecting enough dark humour to perfectly round Lee out as a prickly but ultimately sympathetic character. Grant provides an
breaking is engaging at the start, but proceeds to distract from the plot, confusing the tone throughout until a last-minute twist ties it together rather unsatisfyingly. Once again, Bale provides a brilliant performance as the lead. Convincingly characterising the cold bureaucrat, Bale is chilling in this position amongst some of Washington’s most despicable schemers. However, Vice attempts to make Cheney more complicated than necessary in order to stretch its appeal. Bale makes up for overdramatization with a persuasive display, making the character believable and at times, compelling. He is supported by superb performances by Amy Adams, another hit outing from Steve Carrell, and a disturbingly concise portrayal of George W. Bush by Sam Rockwell. Regardless of the aforementioned issues with the tone, Vice always feels committed to telling this story with integrity. Yet, overall, Vice is as disturbing as it is confusing. McKay provides another provoking political biopic but fails to accomplish the benchmarks of filmmaking he has demonstrated he is capable of in the past. excellent complement to her as well in Jack – a cheerful extrovert to complement the introverted Lee. In addition, he never feels completely eclipsed by McCarthy, since the two share a bond but few personality traits, which allows both to shine equally without a feeling of one outdoing the other. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is an excellent character study of a lonely writer, yet simultaneously a warning about the consequences of only living through the experiences of others. Add in stellar performances from the leading duo and you have one of the best biopics in recent years.
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Games Games Editors Tom Buckland Luke Baldwin Welcome back to a new year of Games! It is looking to be a tremendous 2019 for all our pixelated pals. This time a decade ago saw the dawn of gaming staples like the Arkham, Borderlands and Dragon Age series as well as spectacular sequels like Modern Warfare 2, Uncharted 2 and Assassin’s Creed 2. Here’s hoping that 2019 can follow suit with some modern classics.
Editors’ Picks
Tom - Fire Emblem series Whilst many would suggest you start on Fire Emblem: Awakening, I will override these opinions and tell you to pick up any of these games that you can get your grubby hands on. Every one of these games is addictive fun, lacing wonderful characters and story into intricate and difficult strategy gameplay. Everything will seem like fun and games until a rival soldier slaughters one of your favourite archers and they’re out of action for good. High risk, high reward you’re welcome.
Obviously this game received a lot of widespread praise towards the tail end of last year but its sheer scale meant I didn’t have the time to fully bask in its glory until the Christmas break. Now that I have I cannot stop thinking about it. I stand by that God of War was the best in show for 2018, but RDR2 is just an unbelievable showcase of the scope of modern gaming. A masterpiece in storytelling, character writing and world building, RDR2 stands tall as Rockstar’s crowning jewel.
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Bae-Play: Games to play with your significant other Rocket League Peter Reed
Rocket League is a game that almost anyone can just pick up and play, but which takes time to master. This make it one of the most fun couch or online multiplayer games out there. With adjustable match times, it offers fast and fluid fun. It’s enjoyable to soar through the air trying to shoot a perfect goal but it’s more likely you’ll miss the shot entirely and let your opponent land an easy goal. Because of short match times this makes it an ideal passand-play game between friends, and the competitive nature is unlike anything when there is a tight game or if it goes into overtime. There are also multiple modes, allowing you to either play with or
Super Smash Bros: Ultimate Chelsea Burrell
Luke - Red Dead 2
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The massive crossover fighting game series that is Super Smash Bros. first entered my life when it was released for the Nintendo 64 back in 1999. But, it wasn’t until the following release of Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube that I truly understood how much more enjoyable a match between Peach and Captain Falcon can get when you’re with someone else. This series is great to play with another, and Smash Bros Ultimate offers the biggest character roster ever, and 100+ fighting stages, meaning you and your bae have many options to choose from. It’s also the perfect opportunity to find out what
against your bae. If the matches are starting to become one sided, work together in 2-on-2, 3-on-3 or 4-on4 matches. Rocket League takes teamwork, or mashing forward and hoping for the best, depending on your strategy. While the focus of Rocket League is on its online multiplayer, the different modes and adjustments that can be made are all available offline, allowing for games with power-ups, hockey pucks or basketballs, if a game of regular car footie isn’t for you. But even to non-football fans, Rocket League is a multiplayer gem.
characters your significant other plays as. Do they love the quicker ones like Pikachu and Link? Or, do they release their true raw power as Donkey Kong or Bowser? It’s amazing fun to sit beside one another, throwing expletives and laughing about how one of you stupidly jumped off the stage without reason. As a game that’s naturally competitive, playing alone isn’t as much fun as when you and bae team up against those Kirby players spamming Up+B, or decide a stage for your next date with a perilous one-on-one. No matter the mode, the game allows for various adjustments to the match settings, and ultimately, may actually decide whether your relationship can survive all those intense battles, or whether you make the perfect team as Smash Bros.champions.
Portal 2 Harry Cottle
Portal 2 is my favourite game of all time. The single player campaign builds on its predecessor in every way: the story is intriguing, the writing hilarious and the puzzles are always challenging. Not only does the game offer a great single player experience, it also includes a lengthy co-op campaign which is just as good, if not better. The aim of each test chamber remains the same, get you and your partner to the door to progress, the key difference being that you have 4 portals between the two players.. However, t h e s e
Borderlands Luke Baldwin
Since its maiden voyage a decade ago, Gearbox’s psychotic shooter has stood tall as one of the most original and vibrant franchises in modern gaming. Since then we have had a whole host of entries but Borderlands 2 marks a clear peak in quality for the franchise. The games trademark cellshaded look, coupled with its notoriously over the top humour, means at times it is more
levels have been expertly designed to force cooperation. To solve them, you’ll need to communicate. Portal 2 co-op manages to retain the series’ signature humour as GLaDOS returns to jeer you on. Whilst the design forces you to collaborate, GLaDOS encourages you to embrace your darker side. If you are standing on a button which is stopping your partner from falling into a pit of spikes, why wouldn’t you step off? The lack of punishment for these ‘accidental’ deaths encourages misbehaviour and can lead to hilarious moments of self sabotage. Despite GLaDOS’ attempts to get you to turn on your partner, the wholesomeness of your robotic characters prevails. You can interact in a number of ways including high fives, hugs and dances. Successfully working together to navigate the chamber is incredibly rewarding. So pick up Portal 2 this Valentines if you’re looking for something to play with bae. akin to watching a Saturday morning cartoon then playing an ultra violent shooter. Gameplay perfectly balances depth and number crunching with good ole fashioned fun and silliness. All this means things never get too serious or too simple. There will be times you and your partner are perfectly in unison, a deadly duo leaving a mass of bandits and skags in your wake. Other times you will want to scream at each other as you fight over that super rare weapon or try to be the same boss for the umpteenth time. But regardless the two of you will be having a laugh all the way. Maybe someday we will be blessed with a third iteration of the main series, but until then equip your best gear, head to Pandora and go hunt for some loot with bae.
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REVIEW Luke Baldwin
Few series have tried harder to reinvent themselves more than Resident Evil. Capcom’s survivalhorror has morphed into a firstperson spook-fest in recent iterations, more akin to games like Amnesia and Outlast. So the choice to return to their thirdperson roots with a remaster of one of their most popular games, Resident Evil 2, is certainly an unexpected turn for the franchise. The game throws players back into Raccoon City as either Claire Redfield or Leon Kennedy, and to
In a world of lazy reboots and remasters it’s so freshing to see one done so well, somehow breathing new life into a game over two decades old everyone’s surprise the evil Umbrella Corporation has been up to their usual dodgy tricks of unleashing bioweapons that turn the population into flesh eating zombies. Although familiar, it’s nice to see these well-known characters, places and story with a fresh lick of paint. With the recent influx of remasters, it’s worth asking whether a game
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truly deserves all the modern bells and whistles; Resident Evil 2 is certainly iconic enough to justify this decision. Nothing reflects this more than the gameplay. As legendary as the early Resident Evil games are, the janky isometric camera and tank like controls haven’t aged well. Resident Evil 2 plays like a dream, benefitting profusely from its revamped mechanics. Coupling this with gorgeous lighting effects and a strategic structure means the game feels challenging and scary but never frustrating. Some players may have a gripe with Mr. X, an ever-present invincible goliath who stalks the player with one goal in mind: smashing your head into teeny tiny pieces. Whilst the more slow-paced methodical players will find avoiding this horrible hulk tedious, it’s just one of the many ways Capcom keeps players on their toes. There’s never a moment’s rest, with tensions high; when the suspense snapping moments
finally come, they’re even more satisfying and of course, terrifying. There’s a valid argument that the package offer lacks enough content to warrant, not just the price tag, but the effort of remastering altogether. Each character’s campaign takes less than 10 hours to complete, with little variation between the two. But there’s enough difference along with genuine quality to justify double playthroughs. New game plus offers further deviation to sweeten the deal.
100%
players found Mr. X absolutely terrifying
In a world of lazy reboots and remasters it’s so refreshing to see one done so well, somehow breathing new life into a game over two decades old. Perfectly combining a vintage nostalgia with contemporary spin, Resident Evil 2 is ideal for long term fans of the series and anyone who simply loves the horror genre. Piece of advice for anyone wanting to avoid heart attacks though: play with a friend.
Images: Resident Evil 2 - Capcom
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Games
REVIEW Tom Buckland
For a franchise that has waited 13 years for a direct entry into its series, Kingdom Hearts 3 has a lot to live up to. The odd Final Fantasy and Disney crossover is a lasting memory and a stand-out game to a lot of modern gamers’ nostalgia, and as a result this may be one of the most anticipated releases of our generation. The question is, was it all worth it? Kingdom Hearts 3 keeps to a similar routine to its predecessors; Sora, Donald, and Goofy venture across several different worlds that are all an homage to one of the many Disney films produced over the years. Kingdom Hearts 3 took us back to worlds of games past, but also introduced new worlds like Tangled, and the still popular Frozen. Pixar have entered the fold this time round, with Sora now able to journey to the world’s of Monsters Inc. and Toy Story. Whether it’s clambering across door conveyor belts with Boo or exploring a
ginormous toy shop with Mike and Sully, these two worlds and the countless other trademark Disney worlds share a great deal of charm and beauty that you would only expect the films themselves to produce. The story woven in and between the worlds Sora and company venture to is hard to grasp if you’re new to the series, but it does try its best to accommodate those that may have yet to experience Kingdom Hearts’ long, ever-developing, complex and deeply confusing story. Kingdom Hearts 3 stays consistently complicated, but does attempt to tie up loose ends in the overarching plot and engage players in stories on Disney worlds that typically follow the plots of their respective movies. Square Enix have done away with the constantly criticised controls from previous games, polishing and refining the gameplay to be addictively repetitive (though never monotonous) yet refreshing and exciting in every encounter. The inclusion of attractions - theme park rides that Sora, Donald and Goofy can use to vanquish enemies - and keyblade “form-changes” - the Shooting Star keyblade can
transform into two ranged pistols, for example - ensure that the combat keeps the player on their toes and aware of the battle around them. Small faults are unfortunate for a game that Square Enix have had plenty of time to inject infallible love into. There is the occasional bug and the cutscenes, for new players, could be seen as long, tedious, and an overload of information. The starting few hours could drag for players that aren’t nearly as invested in the franchise’s story as gamers that have played and enjoyed previous entries. It is hard, however, to criticise what the game struggles with when everything else is done so immaculately. There may be small criticisms of the worlds - Frozen’s world becomes very dull after the novelty’s run out but it is undeniable that Square Enix have transformed these cinematic masterpieces so expertly into playable experiences. It is infectious, ridiculous fun to battle atop the rooftops of San
Fransokyo with Big Hero 6 and that is very difficult for your enjoyment to be halted by hiccups. In today’s gaming climate, it is very unlikely that a game like Kingdom Hearts 3 is released unless it’s a remaster of a nostalgic platformer. Kingdom Hearts 3 stands as testament that the childish, enjoyable fun that we experienced in our childhood has still got it. A game like this is so refreshing and novel to modern gaming, it is painfully difficult to criticise it for the few occasions where it only narrowly misses the mark.
5 million
copies shipped in its first week
Images: Kingdom Hearts 3
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Science & Tech Science & Tech Editors Jade Le Marquand Aidan Hughes Now that the drunken festivities are done with and the horror of January exams is finally over, Science and Tech is back to remind you that science is only interesting when you’re not studying it. You may disagree with us, you may say that you’ve never cried into a textbook at 4am. To that we say you are literally the only one. That’s right, it’s just you. Now, for all five of you dedicated readers, please enjoy our special new year/valentines issue (it’s not our fault, it’s how the dates worked out). For those of you just wanting to get to sport, turn the page.
Aidan’s Pick The Anthropocene Reviewed
The Antropocene Reviewed is a podcast by John Green, the author of best-selling books such as The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska. In The Antropocene Reviewed, John gives his take on different aspects of the geological age defined by humans (from Tetris to viral meningisitis) concluding with a rating out of five stars. I give The Anthropocene Reviewed five stars.
Jade’s Pick
The sports gene: talent practice and the truth about success Are the best athletes born or made? Why is there a difference between male and female performance? Why are so many long distance runners from the Kalenjin area of Kenya? This book answers these questions by exploring the underlying genetic components that may influence the success that an athlete has in their chosen sport. All of this highlights the important advancements in knowledge that come from sports science and how this can be used to produce the next generation of faster, stronger and more successful athletes.
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The Valentine’s Day Experiment Two strangers give their take on the questionnaire designed to make people fall in love “Ida Kistja”
I had heard that there was a test consisting of thirty six questions, which, when discussed between two strangers, could essentially make them fall in love with one another. After seeing that Forge wanted two volunteers, I was keen to give it a go myself, and see if it really worked. I was told a place and a time. Everything about my partner was kept a secret, to prevent any prejudices from interfering with the test. I thought it would be an elaborate version of “20 Questions” - a really long speeddate. But the questions we were given were hard. I mean, really, really hard. They made me think about myself in a way that I hadn’t before; they got me to question my own values and priorities, as well as listening to my partner’s. For example, “What is one of your treasured memories?” was fairly simple to answer after a moment of thinking, but when asked “What would you want to know if a crystal ball could tell you anything about yourself?” I was stumped. Perhaps the hardest part of the experiment were the joint questions, like when we were asked to take it in turns to list one another’s positive characteristics. My partner and I had gotten on well during the questions, and they were interesting to discuss things with, but, at that point, we had known each other about forty five minutes. It was a little tricky to come up with things without repeating what the other had said. I feel like the experiment would be better served when taken with someone whom you already know as a friend, though that may defeat the overall purpose. In the final four minutes, we were asked to maintain eye contact in complete silence. This was tricky,
mostly because we kept laughing. We finally managed it, and it was a pretty strange way to end the experience: having spent around an hour and a half getting to know each other pretty personally, it felt odd to end it in silence. Overall, whilst it was definitely a bonding experience (it’s not every day you sit in a room with a stranger and talk about your childhood or tell them “your most terrible memory”), I’m sad to say I’m not in love with my partner. It was a great experience. I was fortunate enough to have a brilliant partner who was genuine and easy to talk to, but for me, even with the four minutes of eye contact which scientists say deepens the bond between people, I don’t feel any romantic feeling toward them. I’d definitely stop and say hi around uni, and catch up on how they were getting on, but if you’re looking for an easy in to a relationships (or not so easy if you consider how deep some of the questions are), I’m not sure it’s the future go-to method.
Can 36 questions make two strangers fall in love?
“Mia Moore”
On the way to View Room 1, my inner voice of sanity wouldn’t stop asking: ‘Why have you signed up for an inescapable blind interview with a complete stranger? Why is this level of risk acceptable?’. I was curious of how psychology could unlock connections between people using a framed set of questions, if such a thing was at all possible. However my original blasé mindset was now MIA. I thought the test would include icebreaker activities and actions designed to induce positive responses from each other, similar to courting displays of male birds of paradise. Upon arrival, the simple question-and-answer style sheet appeared tame and monotonous, yet I tried to retain an open mind. When my partner arrived, I felt more reassured. We both weren’t sure what to expect, but I began to get curious to learn more about them, and that’s when curiosity overtook apprehension. The test contained more questions than I expected, asking a lot about personal details. However, my partner was very open and honest, and so was I. The final question, sharing a personal problem and getting their advice, was the most
difficult
easy earlier in the
as deep discussion was so
test, so
there was little left to add. The most awkward question was the most embarrassing moment, considering mine was very embarrassing (think You’ve Been Framed), but the tale did elicit an extremely big laugh from my partner. My favourite question was alternating positive characteristics, as everything that was said in both directions was honest yet empowering. I could never have told you or guessed how layered and complex my partner was before the experiment, but I enjoyed finding out and never tired of the exercise. Both of us often got easily distracted in other conversations. By the end of the experiment I feel we both had not only a better understanding of each other, but also a great level of respect for each other’s personal experiences, struggles and interests. The trickiest task was those last four minutes of staring into each other’s eyes, which may have made the major difference. After about 90 seconds of setting each other off laughing, the staring settled, and the attractive face I saw when we began seemed to be an entirely different one. Now I understood the person behind the face - their life, hobbies, hardships - they seemed even more captivating. Would I like to see them again? Yes. After we parted, I became increasingly annoyed at myself for not asking for their surname or contact details. I’d become so caught up in the moment I’d forgotten to think ahead. The test had successfully piqued my interest in them, much more so that I had expected, though I’m not sure how much of it was down to chance and being randomly paired with someone I shared many similarities with. If you’re reading this and the feeling is mutual, be it as friends or otherwise, I know some fantastic spots to ramble in the Peak District if you wish to embark on an adventure.
39
Science & Tech
Our Chemical Romance: how do we fall in love? Vavi Maniichuk
Think back to the last time you really ‘clicked’ with somebody. Was the unexpected connection you made with that person your own mere dualistic perception? Or was it more deeply biologically rooted within your physical body? What exactly underlies the intense love and affection we develop for another individual, no matter if they are family, friends, or a romantic interest? Due to this ambiguity, the all-encompassing term ‘love’ has never meant just one thing. The Ancient Greeks strongly believed that there were different types of ‘love’, suited for different personal and social relationships: eros (sexual passion), philia (deep friendship), ludus (playful love), agape (universal love), pragma (long-term love) and philautia (self-love). But can philosophy solely explain “love” to us or can we look towards science to further understand how the physiological body reacts to the phenomenon of ‘love’? For centuries people believed that emotions arise from the heart because of its central position in the chest wall. We now know though that it is the brain that primarily mediates not only our motions, but also our emotions. For example, when we suddenly see somebody that we may feel attracted to, our
bodies start to exhibit signs of this attraction, such as clamminess. Like the Greeks’ theory of love, a team of scientists at Rutgers University broadly categorised ‘love’ into ‘lust’, ‘attraction’ and ‘attachment’, depending on the hormones involved. Lust is driven by the intense desire for sexual gratification,
Everybody has the potential to form a chemical attraction for another person
rooted in the evolutionary need to procreate. The key hormones for lust are testosterone and oestrogen, whose secretion is stimulated by the brain’s hypothalamus. Testosterone increases libido not only in men, but also in women, and although the effects of oestrogen on libido are less pronounced than of testosterone. Some women do report being more sexually motivated around the time that they ovulate, which is when levels of oestrogen reach their peak. Once lust has led to its desired outcome, the body responds by rapidly increasing the levels of ‘feel-
good’ hormones, such as dopamine and oxytocin. The associated elated feelings reinforce the reward pathways in the brain, signalling to the individual that similar future actions can have the same pleasing results. Brain scans of volunteers ‘in love’ have illustrated that the primary reward centres of the brain are significantly active when volunteers are shown an image of someone they are intensely attracted to, compared to when they are shown an image of a neutral acquaintance. Although attraction is often associated with lust, it is still a separate entity that can occur without the latter. The main hormones that underlie attraction are dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Dopamine is released when we do things that make us feel good, such as sex and being with loved ones, making it well-known for its role in the brain’s reward pathway. Related to dopamine, norepinephrine is part of the ‘fight or flight’ response to stressful situations that require us to stay alert, by decreasing fatigue and hunger. Similarly, when we are attracted to somebody, we may sleep and eat less than usual, as we feel more energetic and euphoric due to heightened levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. Serotonin, which decreases during attraction, is known to play a role not only in
mood, but also in hunger and is thus likely to underlie the overpowering infatuation that often characterises the initial stages of love. After the intense and allconsuming period at the start of a new relationship, attachment gradually develops towards the other person. This infant stage of pragma is a major factor in any long-term relationship, whether it be between your partner, family, friends or children. Vasopressin is one of the two hormones that allows attachment to strengthen, but the predominant hormone that ‘glues’ together two people is oxytocin. Known as the ‘love’ hormone, oxytocin levels surge during a range of different activities, such as sex, breastfeeding and childbirth. However, the common factor between these actions is that they are all precursors to forming a bond with another individual. Oxytocin is the reason why we can feel attached to both immediate family and romantic partners, without also feeling lust and attraction for the former. However, the same hormones that are associated positively with love also seem to be responsible for the more negative aspects of love that we commonly see/feel. Such as: behaving erratically and becoming overly-dependent on our partners. Dopamine’s role in the reward pathway means that its
release fuels both our virtues e.g. exercising, and vices e.g. overeating. This reward circuit is particularly well-studied in addiction, where it has been shown that the same brain regions that light up when we feel attracted to somebody also fire more when we consume sugar or even drugs, meaning you can really feel “addicted” to another person. Too much dopamine in a relationship can lead to an unhealthy emotional dependence on our partners, and likewise, excess levels of oxytocin can explain why sometimes, as we become increasingly affectionate towards somebody we are attached to, we become more distant towards outsiders. Whilst the evidence suggests that hormones do play an important role in love, as with most things, there is never one definite cause. Everybody has the potential to form an initial chemical attraction for another person; whether this develops into pure, unadulterated love that goes beyond the initial endocrine-driven ‘honeymoon’ phase of infatuation, is still very much up to the rest of you, and most importantly, you and your partner’s inherent values and sense of free will to separate yourself from your primal instincts and think rationally before acting on your irrational, potentially damaging impulses.
New year, not so new me: why do so many of us fail our new year resolutions? Ekaterina Vyurkova
It is that time of the year when social media news feeds are filled with people sharing their lists of New Year Resolutions in an effort to present all the goals to be achieved in the next 365 days. There are some typical aims for most students, such as eating healthier, exercising more (even if there is barely any energy left after a long study session) and spending less money to avoid being completely broke at the end of the month.
Unfortunately, it is not just a myth that these resolutions will only be stuck to for the first week or two of the new year. In fact, according to a research conducted by Strava, a social network for athletes, the second Friday in January is known as the ‘Quitter’s Day’ for all those who have set personal goals. Failure to approach these goals in a correct mental way is an apparent reason why the success of New Year Resolutions is usually limited. A mental health clinician, Dr. Shainna Ali, shared in Psychology Today that feeling overwhelmed
about not having a clear understanding where to start and being pushed to start as soon as possible postpones the desire to pursue the goals. Dr. Ali emphasizes on the need to know why these goals are necessary in the first place. Success will not be achieved as the targets are normally not personalised and they will not be able to influence a person’s lifestyle to a large extent. People need to avoid copying the goals of others and instead focus on their personal needs. The National Academy of Sciences in the US also shared their discovery
of decision fatigue. If, for example, a person wishes to eat healthier in the new year, they have to choose in favor of healthier food every time they eat by using their willpower. However, by constantly agonising over a decision, the limited supply of willpower is used up quickly as it has not been trained to be used this often, causing them to feel exhausted and overwhelmed. As willpower is the key to success in achieving resolutions, it should be implemented correctly. Kelly McGonigal, a lecturer at Stanford University, stated in her book ‘Willpower Instinct’ that
greater willpower is achieved only through self-compassion. Those who criticize themselves for cheating on their new year goal will repeat the same mistake in the future. If they forgave themselves, they will be less likely to abandon their goals again as their motivation will rise and they will achieve better self-control. Even if New Year Resolutions are a popular element of our culture, the only way for them to become more than just posts on social media is by maintaining the right mindset throughout the entire journey of pursuing goals.
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Science & Tech
James Watson’s stripping of accolades is well deserved Darby Knight
History is almost always written by the winners, and in genetics winners don’t come much bigger than the scientists who literally unravelled the structure of DNA, changing biology forever. James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilson stood alongside heroes of their field: Darwin, Mendel and Cuvier, and left behind Rosalind Franklin, who was instrumental to their discovery (and incidentally the only female in their group). But unlike Darwin, who can do no wrong in death, Watson has found himself in rocky waters regarding race. So rocky in fact, that Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have now stripped him of all his honorary accolades. Watson has
repeatedly stated suspicions of genetic differences between races, particularly regarding intelligence. Is this misunderstood science, poor choice of words, or deeper racial bias? Let’s begin with an objective analysis: his accolades were stripped because in the 2019 documentary ‘American Masters: Decoding Watson’, he states his views haven’t changed. So what are his views? Watson has made claims that due to their genes: black people are less intelligent than white people, that dark-skinned individuals have a higher libido and that there are genetic foundations for Jewish, Indian and Chinese stereotypes. Yikes. What about the science behind his statements? For the articles
Watson is credited with the co-discovery of the famous double-helix structure of DNA
in which these claims are made I’ve found no citations, sources or data - nor has Watson appeared to provide any. Watson has failed to acknowledge the role environment plays in development, or how both the environment and genes interact to influence the development of human traits. Cold Spring Harbour confirm as much, saying the claims are ‘unsupported by data’. Rule #1 of science: have data to support your theories. That’s elementary my dear Watson. Ultimately it’s hard to see how, in any way, his comments or views can be justified, and everyone who is outraged has a right to be. Currently, Watson resides in a nursing home with ‘little awareness of his surroundings’ after suffering a car accident in October 2018, so could the new comments be misinterpreted? Unlikely. He’s spoken in a similar vein at conferences in 2000 and 2007, suggesting that his fixed opinion hasn’t changed over time. Was stripping him of accolades the correct response to his reaffirmations? Is it fair to strip away the achievements of an old man so close to the end of his life? Perhaps he doesn’t care; titles are titles. Watson was fired in 2007 by Cold Spring Harbour after 40 years
OPINION
Watson’s comments have caused him to lose one the greatest scientific honours there is of work for his comments, and even that wasn’t enough to make him rethink his words. Words can’t change history and so James Watson will always be credited for his achievements. Everyone is entitled to speak freely of things they’re passionate about. If it’s a belief of a scientific nature it is perfectly acceptable,
ONES to watch - Tech 2019 Flexible displays
The new Samsung phone will be the world’s first foldable smartphone and is due to be released in the first half of 2019. Infinity Flex Display is the technology behind the concept - and it won’t be limited to phones, but could find its way into laptops and TVs. Rival company LG demoed its own foldable display at the CES tech convention in Las Vegas, built into a swanky new handbag. There has been no word from Samsung regarding the cost of their foldable phone, but the new Galaxy device is likely to be one of the most expensive phones on the tech scene this year.
P&G Opté wand
An alternative to applying foundation and makeup, the Opté wand from Procter and Gamble will print make-up onto your skin. A camera in the handheld device takes 200 photos a second to detect the colour and pigmentation of your skin, identifying blemishes and applying make-up of the correct colour to conceal using technology not dissimilar to an inkjet printer. The effects are longer-lasting than traditional make-up and result in more natural-looking skin.
FoldiMate laundry folder
As we approach the inevitable AI apocalypse, robots are taking over every job you can imagine - even folding laundry. FoldiMate has created a Wi-Fi-enabled robot that can fold most items of clothing (shirts, trousers, towels) in only 30 seconds. It will cost about £700, so only just outside a student budget. The machine will also stack your laundered items for you, ready to transfer to a drawer. The company’s website says, “FoldiMate is like having a friend that folds laundry for you.” Marie Kondo, eat your heart out.
provided there is sound supporting evidence, reasoning and data. But making unsubstantiated claims of differences between entire races at the very foundation of biology without good science? No one is above this, not even Nobel-prizewinning scientists. This isn’t just a poor choice of words, it’s a poor sell of science.
George Tuli describes some of the most hotly anticipate tech releases of the coming year
Gillette heated razor
Simulating a hot-towel shave, the latest shaving ‘innovation’ from Gillette is a razor with a gold bar at the base of the blades that heats up to 43oC in less than a second. This warms the shaving foam and is supposedly better than running a regular razor under a hot tap for a few seconds. It’ll set you back £125, plus extra for the new blades.
Y-Brush
Two minutes is far too long to spend brushing your teeth. Fortunately, FasTeesH has developed the Y-Brush to get the job done in only 10 seconds. From April this year, you’ll be able to deep-clean all your teeth simultaneously just by chewing on the Y-Brush mouthpiece. Nylon bristles at the correct angle and length are combined with sonic vibrations to deliver a more thorough scrub — 4x the time per tooth compared with conventional brushing. The device will last 30 days on a single charge, and charges wirelessly like all good gadgets should.
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Watford’s FA Cup changes are a testament to Gracia’s squad management David Anderson
When Watford travelled to Newcastle United in the FA Cup on Saturday 26 January, they made 11 changes to their starting lineup and were lambasted for doing so. Teams are often criticised for fielding weakened teams and not taking cup competitions seriously, but the criticism of Watford went a step further. Chris Sutton called
The sorry situation evokes sadness, and a disbelief at the decline of one of the nation’s great clubs
the club a “disgrace” in his punditry for BT Sport, going so far as to say “I actually hope they get beat this
afternoon”. Sadly for Mr Sutton, the Hornets won comfortably. Sutton’s comments were uneducated and showed he had no idea of the strength of the team that Watford were putting out at St James’ Park. Because Watford manager Javi Gracia was not throwing in the towel with his changes. He made sensible alterations to his side and put out a team which he felt was capable of doing the job, while resting players who could do with a day off. After all, the game was on a Saturday and Watford were making a big trip to Wembley to face Spurs the following Wednesday. The argument that footballers should be able to play twice in a week without issue is incredibly dated. Football these days is played at a far higher intensity than decades past, and although players are fitter nowadays and train daily, to play twice in a matter of days when your opposition has had a week to recover will always put you at a disadvantage. Watford will have expected Spurs to be resting players in their game, and they did. But Tottenham lost and were
knocked out of the cup at the hands of Crystal Palace. Watford, on the other hand, were able to beat Newcastle and still go to Spurs with a strong and fit enough team to put up a good fight. They were even leading until ten minutes from time. This is a testament to Gracia and his coaching staff, and the way in which they manage their squad to
ensure every player is ready to be called upon to do a job at any point. Of the ‘weakened’ team that started at Newcastle, every outfield player had appeared in the Premier League this season. A number were even regular starters who had just been rotated out in the previous game. This is positive for Watford because, when you look at their
squad list, you feel as though any player could come into the team and perform if called upon. So Sutton can feel free to wish defeat upon Watford if he wants to. But if they lose, it won’t be because they’ve fielded a weakened side Javi Gracia is building a squad of players in which nobody is simply there to make up the numbers.
Poch key to Tottenham success despite barren run of trophies Jordan Sollof
The job that Mauricio Pochettino has carried out at Tottenham Hotspur since being appointed head coach in May 2014 has been nothing short of sensational. Before he arrived, Spurs were in a precarious position. Andre Villas-Boas’ stint as
Image: Mithcell Sauvare, Flickr
manager did not pan out as most had hoped, and he lasted just 18 months in the job before being fired by the ruthless chairman that is Daniel Levy. In came Tim Sherwood until the end of the season, but he could not propel Spurs far enough up the table, and the club looked in a messy situation. It was evident that Sherwood was simply not the
right man for the job, contrary to his own opinion. Time and time again Daniel Levy had got it wrong with his manager appointments, until he poached the promising Pochettino from Southampton. With Poch at the reigns, Spurs had a new lease of life. His high pressing, attacking style of play made a significant impact almost immediately, despite not having stamped his own mark on his squad. It was clear that after a few transfer windows, Tottenham would be as strong a force as they have ever been in the Premier League. In his first season in charge, Pochettino led Spurs to fifth place and the league cup final, where they lost out to Chelsea at Wembley. After moving on the squad’s deadwood, signing the likes of Toby Alderweireld, bringing through young talent, and with a world-class new stadium on
the horizon, Spurs looked in a very strong place. Their performances on the pitch, particularly in the last three-and-a-half seasons, show how far the club has progressed. Pochettino has now led Spurs to three consecutive top-three finishes, whilst also being in the title picture on a couple of occasions. The standout season for Spurs so far under the Argentine has to be 2016/17, there they finished in their highest premier league position ever of second place, amassing an impressive total of 86 points, which would have been enough to win the title in 11 of the 26 Premier League seasons played. What many must not forget is they are working on limited resources compared to the other clubs that make up the so-called ‘Big Six’. Their net spend is just £29 million since the arrival of Pochettino, compared
to Man City’s £518m and Liverpool’s £183 million. Yet Tottenham are still competing with these powerhouses, and to put it quite frankly, they are overachieving. Currently, Spurs sit third in the premier league and very much have a chance, albeit a small one, of winning the league title. This is after making no new signings for two consecutive transfer windows. They are still yet to win a trophy, however Poch has still been a huge success. Several players like Eriksen and Kane are linked with moves away from the club in every window, but, however important they are, Spurs’ real prized possession is the man that has transformed the club into one of the best in England, with the potential to dominate and win major trophies in the future.
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Free Women-Only gym sessions to launch at Goodwin in bid to help physical and mental health David Anderson
Sport Sheffield will launch free Women-Only sessions at Goodwin Sports Centre this Sunday in a new scheme which aims to make the gym less ‘intimidating’. The sessions have been organised by Sheffield Students’ Union’s Welfare Officer Katharine Swindells and Sports Officer Sarah Morse, in partnership with Sport Sheffield. They will run on Sunday evenings from 6-7pm, outside the gym’s normal opening time, to ensure that regular workout time is not affected. The sessions will be just like normal gym time, although the staff on hand will be women too. Ms Swindells said: “Everyone knows that exercise is really good for your mental and physical health, and making the gym more accessible was part of my manifesto last year. “I knew from my own and friends’ experience that it can be really intimidating using the gym, especially if you’re just starting. We’d joke about not being able to
go downstairs in Goodwin where the weight machines are, because it tends to be mostly used by men, and you feel like you’re being watched or judged.
6-7pm
sessions are held in Goodwin Sports Centre
“So when I came into the role I wanted to try and push for a women’s-only hour, so that women who might feel uncomfortable or embarrassed usually can use the gym in a more relaxed environment, and maybe try some new machines and exercises too.” The sessions are part of a wider project that Ms Swindells and Ms Morse are working on with Sport Sheffield to engage inactive women in sport, and they received funding from British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) to help make it happen.
Ms Swindells continued: “It’s something Sport Sheffield are really keen on, as they know women face barriers using their facilities, and they have been amazingly helpful and supportive. “Sarah and I have loved reading through all the comments on social media, seeing women tagging their mates and planning to go together. Because BUCS have given us funding for this, they’ll want to see comprehensive feedback, so we’ll be collecting data on the sessions and running focus groups on barriers women face in sport more broadly as well.” The sessions are free and can be booked using your Sport Sheffield account, following the steps online at www.sport-sheffield.com.
Image: Sport Sheffield
Volleyball celebrate Student Cup Final result Adam May
The Black and Gold’s Women’s Volleyball team celebrated a 12thplaced finish at the Student Cup Finals last week. Made-up of the top 16 teams in the country, the competition
We are extremeley proud to represent the university. It’s a privilege to go out and compete. gave the side a chance to showcase their talent against some of the best in the university game, with
Essex University taking both the men’s and women’s titles at UEA Sportspark. This year’s event was Erin Hills’ last with the club, having been involved since her first year at the university. Miss Hills, a third year human geography student, said: “I know I speak for my whole team when I say that we are always extremely proud to represent the University of Sheffield at any competition, especially the Student Cup Finals. “We also can’t thank the university enough for the constant support they provide us, from the Alumni Foundation sponsoring our new kit to Sport Sheffield helping out with training venue and transport costs, so it really is a privilege to go out and compete to the best of our ability and hopefully do the university proud.” The team moved up two places from their entry last year and, in
Miss Hills’ first year, the team were nearly relegated from their division and failed to qualify for the Student Cup Finals. They’ve gone from strength to strength, though, and began this season’s BUCS campaign in the Northern 1A after securing promotion last year. With Varsity just around the corner, it looks to be a promising time for all involved in the club. Miss Hills added: “Hallam have really strong volleyball squads, so it’s always a challenging but exciting opportunity to play against tough teams. “I know all of our teams will give it our best shot and I am really looking forward to watching everyone play. “It will be my last Varsity competition, so my feelings are bittersweet. I love how united the university becomes during Varsity, and I am really going to miss it when I graduate!”
Image: Sport Sheffield
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Sport
Captain’s corner
Head of Sport Adam May
This week on Captain’s Corner Beth Dexter and Lily Evans introduce us to the stunt cheerleading society. Josh Taylor
JT: How did you get into the sport? BD: I went to the sports fair at the start of the year and signed up to the give it a gos, I knew I wanted to try cheerleading but didn’t know I’d do stunt and love it! LE: My boyfriend’s sister was part of the Sabrecats and spoke so highly of them, so I went along to the freshers fair and to the give it a go and loved it! JT: How does stunt cheerleading differ from other types of cheerleading? BD: Stunt cheerleading compromises of stunting, jumps, dance and tumbling. We don’t have pom-poms and we compete at various competitions (don’t
compete at varsity). LE: As well as that stunt has got much more of an acrobatic element. Pom cheer is based mainly on dance and jumps. JT: What’s the society like? BD: The society is amazing!! So friendly and helpful, it’s where I’ve made some of the best friends ever. It really feels like more than a team because you know that no matter what is happening you will have someone to turn to because they’re so supportive LE: The society is amazing! It’s mainly made up of girls, but the number of boys is increasing. We’re all very close and attend weekly socials to ROAR.
JT: Do you compete in BUCS? Where do you perform? BD: We are not a BUCS sport, but we do have three competitions a year where we compete in the national university cheerleading competitions. LE: This year the events are in March and take place in Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham, which hosts the final JT: Aims for this year? BD: This year we introduced a new level one competition team which we had never had before, this team is comprised of girls who have never done cheer before or have
never competed in a cheerleading competition. Our main aim was to make the club even more successful than last year, this also included increasing the confidence of our blue squad and improving our relationship with the American football team. JT: How can people get in touch? BD: you can email us on stuntcheerleading@sheffield.ac.uk, all the committee have access to this email and can answer any questions. Alternatively, you can message myself or lily and we will be happy to chat.
Uni of search for seventh straight crown after Varsity snowsports success in Alps Adam May
Continued from back-page... Equestrian, Sailing, Trampolining and Cycling Cross Country also compete for the points with the Black and Golds searching for a seventh straight win in the competition. Football then returns to Hillsborough as the men’s and women’s 1s take to Sheffield Wednesday’s hallowed turf as the 2019 instalment gets into fullswing. Hallam Sports Park Day, a favourite among fans of both universities, will play host to a jam-packed day of sport, including hockey, cricket, ultimate frisbee, rugby union, rugby league and football. Ponds Forge, EIS, Goodwin, Hallamshire, Dams Flask, High Bradfield, Octagon Centre, Tideswell Dale, Hallamshire Golf Club, Abbeydale and Norton are just some of the venues that will also be hosting fixtures this year.
The Fly DSA Arena will have the pleasure of closing this year’s event with the Ice Hockey 1s taking to the
‘It was great to see so many students get involved, no matter their level’
Sarah Morse ice in what should be an exhilarating finale in one of the most hotlyanticipated sporting events on the university calendar on 27 March.
Image: Sarah Morse
Hello! Welcome to the first issue of Forge Press for 2019. I hope exams went well and that you’re settling into the new semester well. What a year we’ve got in store. The sport’s team will be working overdrive in the coming weeks as Varsity is fast approaching. Hopefully you’ve all got your tickets for should be another fine showcase of university sport as the Black and Gold’s search for that coveted seventh-straight crown. The University of Sheffield have taken a 3-1 lead after their success in snowsports, with the action our back-page story. Elsewhere in this issue we reflect on volleyball and women-only gym hours, an initiative that the Students’ Union officers have worked tirelessly to achieve. We also have two opinion pieces on FA Cup changes and whether a trophyless Tottenham could still be considered a success. Enjoy the issue and, as ever, if you want to get involved then please ping me an email on press.sport@ forgetoday.com. Cheers!
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Sport
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Black and Golds claim Varsity win in the Alps Adam May
Team Hallam and the University of Sheffield battled it out on the slopes of the French Alps in an epic Snowsports Varsity event, with the Black and Golds recording a 3-1 win. More than 600 supporters travelled out to Val Thorens for the day-long event to back their teams in a series of freestyle and slalom skiing and snowboarding fixtures. The first four points of the
annual Varsity competition were up for grabs, with the freestyle ski race and snowboard race worth one point each and the final two points awarded on a dual team slalom course. Hallam took the snowboarding race point, while the Black and Golds were victorious in both the ski racing and both male and female freestyle events in ski and snowboarding respectively Callum Green, president of the University of Sheffield’s
snowboarding club, said: “It was incredible. The events were close which meant the competition was so exciting to watch and it made the results so tense that the final announcement made us ecstatic. “I was incredibly proud; mostly because we had few experts and our winners were actually people who just wanted to give it a go from a variety of ability levels, proving that it’s accessible to everyone.” Sarah Morse, University of
Sheffield Sports Officer, added: “It was great to see so many students get involved, no matter their level. The end result was one we can all be proud of. I’m pleased to say that by the end of the day, there was almost a clean sweep of University of Sheffield winners on the podiums and we are taking three points back home to Sheffield with us.” Varsity resumes on 13 March with Cycling Dual Slalom before...
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