Not your typical Cinderella story

Photo by Sarthak Navjivan on Unsplash

by Rachel Garvey

February eh? A month that holds the romance-filled day known as Valentine’s Day, a month where the brightly coloured daffodils bring life to the green areas of our little city. For others, it sparks the proper start to the new decade, as the trial month of January has now come to an end. That’s February in a nutshell for the majority of people, but for students it means RAG Week. Ah yes, the week where lecture hall seats are sadly abandoned for the bar stools and soft booths in the pubs and various pre-drinking venues like houses and student accommodation.

I fondly remember being a little younger, in my early teens, driving around with parents and seeing crowds of students flock to the streets of Galway with cans of drink in their hand, laughing at nothing and everything and my parents would say, “Ah look it, they’re at it again because of that RAG Week”. I would just sit and stare and ponder on the whole concept of RAG Week and what it meant. My innocent mind just associated rags with Cinderella before her tremendous transformation before the ball, but this reference was nowhere near the actual meaning of it. Then, many years later, I became a student and understood more of it. I experienced sitting in the front row of a lecture hall without eyes burning into the back of my head, because there was no-one behind me to do that and then a few days later, I would have a flood of people begging me for class notes they had missed out on. I always ended up turning over my notes because I just couldn’t decline. This is a fact: when I attended college, I never ever took part in RAG Week’s festivities. Not one drink did I have, not one pub or club did I go to, but I merely stood back and experienced if from a distance. That is experience enough for me, thanks very much! However, I can’t be completely biased and say I’m all against it. That’s not true, because some days, it’s a goal to go out during that time. You won’t know if you like something unless you try it first. There are disadvantages, but the advantages too. The advantages being that it’s okay to blow off steam and to have fun on the town with friends for however long you see fit (I honestly don’t know how people can do it for days on end). Galway’s nightlife becomes even more alive and it’s that life that creates an addictive atmosphere, as well as generating a healthy income into businesses. Now, I’ll spare you the details of the disadvantages, but I will say this: • Look after yourselves on those days and nights out. Something can go wrong faster than you think, so staying with your group of friends will ensure your safety • Drink only what you’re comfortable with and don’t exceed that limit for anyone • Mind your possessions and keep them close, there has been major upset caused in the past with many phones and wallets going missing • Have respect for yourself on a night out and respect for those around you. Don’t go breaking bottles down shop street ‘fore the fearsome poor girl in heels gets a piece of glass wedged in her foot or outside an elderly person’s home; anti-social behaviour like that scares them, so be mindful. • Just have fun without overdoing it! It’s part of the student life but have fun in the sense that you won’t do something you’ll regret doing!

On an end note, have fun and be safe! Cinderella ditched her rags for glass slippers and a glimmering dress. It’s not the worst thing in the world if you lose a shoe before midnight, but just make sure you have a pair of flats in your bag, because I hardly think Prince Charming will be running all over Galway and trying the shoe on every single girl’s foot to see which one it fits.

In my early teens I would just sit and stare and ponder on the whole concept of RAG Week and what it meant. My innocent mind just associated rags with Cinderella before her tremendous transformation before the ball, but this reference was nowhere near the actual meaning of it.

Remember all instead of one

by Rachel Garvey

A threat of World War III, a continent suffering from bushfires and a virus spreading itself throughout Hubei’s province. 2020 could not have been off to a more devastating start. Then, a new headline emerged and it was a headline that would shock audiences from all over. On January 26 th 2020, star basketball player, Kobe Bryant, and his teenage daughter of thirteen years old, Gianna Bryant, tragically died in a helicopter crash. I usually don’t follow sports, but it was through a friend I first heard it. It was heart-breaking to hear how he looked up to Kobe and how the news devastated him, as it would for thousands of fans around the world, as well, of course, as his life-long friends that played alongside him during many basketball games and, most importantly, his family.

Tragedies like this don’t just affect those close but can have an impact on people worldwide. News articles and headlines and playbacks from Kobe’s basketball games flooded the online world, as online users reminisced about their favourite things about him and his best moments during games. However, as tragic as it was for a father and daughter to die together in a tragic accident, we can’t forget about the other members on board the helicopter, and it only seems to be Kobe we are hearing about. I really don’t want to offend anyone by saying that, but it is quite possible to remember and grieve over them all. There were nine passengers altogether on board, two of which were Kobe and Gianna, as well as fourteen-year-old Alyssa Altobelli, Keri and John Altobelli, thirteen-year-old Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan.

They should all be remembered, but it just so happens that one of the most iconic basketball players of all time was one of the deceased with his young daughter, and it’s that unfortunate event that shocked millions worldwide, but we need to remember that every life needs to be treated the same. It’s the sad reality of today’s world where, if a celebrity dies in an accident, the whole online world erupts over it, but what is mentioned of the unfortunate people who were killed alongside the celebrity? Do we ever hear anything about them? The answer, truthfully, is no. That needs to change, but when?

In March 2010, Los Angeles Lakers played against Orlando with Orlando’s Matt Barnes making an inbound pass at Kobe in an attempt to make him flinch. However, he didn’t flinch, and we see in that example how strong-willed Kobe was. He didn’t flinch back in fear or alarm and he stood his ground tall and full of pride. We see, in this example, our idol, who many people have looked up to for many long years, who many people have strived to be like. He was a credit to the world of basketball and to the world itself. In his final moments, he wasn’t just a star basketball player, he was a Dad, a friend, just a person, the same as those other passengers. None of them was better than the other, they were all equal in their own eyes and I’m sure Kobe knew that too, so why don’t we lead by his example and remember them all equally, not just one or two? If Kobe was still alive today and witnessed how unfair all of this was, he would definitely flinch from this unfairness.

There was a cartoon which graced the internet with its presence recently, a cartoon of Kobe and Gianna, their backs turned to us and their arms around each other, with Gianna asking “Where to next, Dad?”, and Kobe responding “I don’t know, but we’ll do it together!”. They all did it together, may they all rest in peace.

Going Green: Worth the Fuss?

By Siobhan Brew

Vegetarian and vegan diets can be viewed as a trend set by celebrities, such as Natalie Portman, Joaquin Phoenix and Beyonce, but it can seem like a lot of work to cut meat entirely out of your diet. However, with fast-food restaurants such as McDonalds and KFC making the inclusions of vegan and vegetarian options on their menus and supermarkets like Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Aldi providing more options on their shelves for those following the meat-free diets, it is now even easier than ever to take the leap. With more information, recipes and movements available such as Veganuary, and the Meat Free Monday movement created by Paul McCartney, there is really no reason not to try it out.

I have been a vegetarian for three years now. I remember when I decided to make the switch, I was almost scared to tell my mother. I had been reared on a meat diet – sausages and pudding for the breakfast, bacon and cabbage for the dinner; and to this day, I still miss these meals. My reasons for quitting were by no means revolutionary; I just found myself eating a lot of processed meat. It was quick and easy but held very little nutritional value, and I decided it would be healthier to cut everything out altogether.

There are several other reasons to choose a plant-based diet. Medical News Today shows how a plant-based diet helps lower levels of cholesterol, improved blood pressure and blood flow, better blood sugar control and lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Simple reasons such as food allergens, like lactose intolerance, may be a reason to change to a vegan diet. With climate change and the effect of agriculture in the emission of greenhouse gases, people take on the vegetarian and vegan diet for environmental reasons. The cost can also be an influential factor. Meat can be a costly part of the shopping list and cutting it out or replacing it with vegetables, pulses and meat substitutions such as Quorn can save money. Following such diets can be somewhat restrictive. A vegan does not consume any meat, seafood or animal products, such as eggs and milk. Not consuming foods rich in nutrients and vitamins will mean a necessary dependency on supplements in order to ensure your immune system does not suffer. The likes of Evergreen and Holland and Barrett’s can provide the various nutrients and vitamins often high in animal and animal-made products such as Iron, Calcium, B6, and B12, while Boots provides options more affordable for students.

Galway is also a very vegetarian-vegan friendly city. With previously mentioned fast food restaurants an option, TGO Falafel Bar on Mary Street, The Lighthouse Café on Abbeygate Street Upper exclusively offer delicious and interesting vegan options as well as other restaurants, such as Dela Restaurant on Dominick Street Lower, The Quay Street Kitchen on Quay Street and even Boojum, offering great options to try out too.

Essentially, there is no real downside to trying out a plant-based diet, nor is there any pressure to do so. Whether it is something you want to continue for the future or partake in once-a-week, there are several healthy, cheap options in the city whether you are cooking at home or eating out.