Issue 1119, Monday September 24

gair rhydd

gair rhydd | free word medi 24 - hydref 7 2018 september 24 - october 7 2018 rhifyn 1119 | issue 1119

Cardiff’s free weekly student newspaper

Union criticised Your complete guide to for subsidising Freshers’ 2018 Brexit opposition What’s on in Freshers’ Week

by Gareth Axenderrie

page 7

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ardiff Students’ Union has come under fire after it paid for free transportation for students to attend a demonstration calling for a ‘people’s vote’ on the UK’s final deal for leaving the European Union.

The union’s president, Fadhila Al Dhahouri, called on students to “unite against the Brexit madness”, while advertising a rally for a second referendum on the UK leaving the EU. In a post on Facebook on September 4, the president encouraged students to attend the demonstration that took place in Cardiff Bay on Saturday, September 8.

The post received multiple messages of both condemnation and support, with a heated debate unfolding over whether or not the union should subsidise transport to a political campaign.

Callum Sloper, president of Cardiff University Conservative Society, was highly critical of the Student Union’s decision to pay for the event.

Sloper told Gair Rhydd: “I don’t like the idea of the Student Union and other student officials getting involved with major politics generally, but even less so when it’s something like Brexit which we have already voted on.

“Wales itself voted to leave and Cardiff was one of only five counties which didn’t vote to leave. I don’t think it’s right to start reigniting pointless conversation about a second referendum, particularly by wasting SU money on free transport for a one-sided event.

“The real kick in the teeth for students like myself who voted to leave is that she (Al Dhahouri) has abused her position to campaign for a political cause which she knows is a massively divisive issue.

Mental health referals treble

by Gee Harland

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Freedom of Information request has revealed that the number of students referred to one of the university’s councelling services has trebled in the last six years.

Cardiff’s Mental Health Officer and VP Welfare discuss why.

page 3

Joining a sports club “Brexit Madness”: Cardiff Students’ Union President Fadhila Al Dhahouri called on studemts to support a ‘people’s vote’.

“She’s more than entitled to her opinion and can be as public as she wants, but she shouldn’t use the SU as a tool to help further her beliefs.”

Other students leapt to the President’s defence however.

“I think it’s great that the union is organising this. Regardless of your views on Brexit, it’s great that students have the opportunity to get to an event that’ll allow them to have a political voice.

“There’s no such thing as politically ‘neutral’; the students union is political every time it takes a step towards multireligious or LGBT equality, or approves or disapproves the forming of a society.”

Cardiff Students’ Union doesn’t have an official position on Brexit, however the move to subsidise transport for the rally has angered many students who have questioned the decision’s political motivation.

In a statement to Gair Rhydd, Al Dhahouri said her intention was to

campaign for certain issues that students face with Brexit, as opposed to highlighting the division that exists.

Al Dhahouri said: “The Students’ Union does not currently have a stance on the Brexit vote– however I want to ensure we initiate the conversations regarding the potential impacts of Brexit on our students, education and universities as a whole.

“Our priority is not the difference of opinion that happened during the vote because the decision has been made to leave the EU. Our priority is to ensure that during the negotiations process protection is given for students’ rights whatever the deal.

“More specifically, I will be campaigning for the rights of EU students, getting clarity for what will happen with the Erasmus+ scheme, and understanding what the impacts Brexit will have on EU funded research and innovation projects.”

Is Europe turning Freshers just to the far right? encouraging

by Silvia Martelli

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n the past decade, right-wing populism has grown increasingly popular. It has affected traditional parties across the continent, many of which now risk dangerous secessions.

So, is Europe turning politically black, or is this temporary?

page 18

binge drinking?

by Emma Videan

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atest statistics show 30% of students now drink two to three times a week. Is Freshers Week simply encouraging students to binge drink?

page 12

page 31

Must read advice on sexual health page 22

Ymdrochwch yn Ysbryd y Brifysgol page 8

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EDITORIAL

Gair Rhydd 2017/18 Coordinator Elaine Morgan

Editor-in-Chief Gareth Axenderrie

Deputy Editors Silvia Martelli Jessica Warren

Head of Digital Media Michael Ash

News

Gee Harland Klaudia Jazwinska Emma Ogao Matt Tomlin

Campus Life Ashley Boyle Cerian Jones

Taf-od

Llion Carbis Tomos Evans

Comment

Alys Hewitt Hannah Newberry Emma Videan

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com

word

the free

A letter from the editor

Croeso, Welcome New beginnings and our place in your time at Cardiff University

Column Road Karis Pearson

Politics

Charlotte King Silvia Martelli Rhys Thomas Sam Tilley

Advice

Ashavari Baral Katie Lewis

Sam’s Column

Sam Saunders

Science

Daniel Brown Jonathan Learmont

Sport

Reece Chambers Rosie Foley John Jones Jack Vavasour George Willoughby

Social Media Editors Indigo Jones Giovanna Coi

Digital Media Editors Maisie Marston Jordan Parker Cadi Thomas

Cartoonist

Louis Mertens

Copy Editors Meg Sharma Gemma Hopley Maria Mellor

Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. We may occasionally make mistakes, however if you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com.

You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints.

Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance.

Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.

by Gareth Axenderrie

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roeso Freshers. That’s welcome in Welsh by the way, just in case you haven’t at least downloaded the Welsh Duolingo app yet.

Welcome is a very apt greeting right now, because if you’re picking up this paper and reading this, you’re probably taking a little downtime out of the madness that is Freshers.

Allow me to firstly congratulate you on successfully getting a place at Cardiff University, without doubt one of the top universities in the United Kingdom for so many reasons.

Secondly, well done on choosing Cardiff as your home for at least the next three years. You’ve chosen a place packed with everything you could possibly want as a student, packaged into a city not much bigger than a large town.

Also, da iawn on choosing Wales as your newly adopted country. As ever we are excited to welcome you and it won’t be long until you’re experiencing a little famous Welsh hospitality I’m sure.

Now, down to business. I’m the editor-in-chief of your student newspaper here in Cardiff University.

You’ve probably just picked us up and don’t know much about us yet. If that’s the case, allow me to give you a quick whistle-stop tour of who we are and what we are going to try and achieve over the course of the next year.

To keep it short and sweet, we are essentially a weekly newspaper, funded by your students’ union, but with full editorial independence.

Our purpose is to act as your voice during your time here.

I like to think of university campus’ as a mini-world, with many of the working parts that resemble those awaiting us once we graduate. That means we are your press, and we are going to try to perform many of the functions that a quality free press has a responsibility to deliver.

First and foremost, we are here to hold both the university and union to account.

Nobody needs reminding that we are paying a heck of a lot of money to be

here. In fact, we are paying a lot more money than many of our friends across Europe and further afield.

We also don’t need reminding that we shouldn’t be wasting that money while we are here. Whether its coming from lecturers, parents, teachers or the media, we’ve been told and then told again.

It works both ways though. We want value for money, and as a voice for students and the only weekly newspaper within Cardiff University, we’re going to work to make sure nobody is shirking their responsibility to provide us with that value for money.

That goes for the university on the whole, and individual schools, but it also goes for this students’ union of ours.

Cardiff certainly has one of the best unions in the UK, but we pay for it as students, whether it’s through membership, or the sales of VKs. That means we have a right to know what our money is being spent on here, and the union has a responsibility to be transparent with us.

We have elected representatives who are directly chosen by us to make sure we are getting the most out of our union. The sabbatical and campaign officers run in elections on manifestos, and it’s our role to make sure they are doing their utmost to deliver on those promises and intentions.

This year we have a very talented and experienced team of editors, and I am confident that we can provide you with a voice, entertainment and a weekly newspaper that you enjoy picking up and reading.

We are going to be providing you with the latest news as you’d expect, but we’re also going to be providing you with information on what’s on across campus, the latest scientific developments from the university’s world-leading research, political coverage, advice, opinion and industry recognised sport coverage. Oh, and we also have a thriving Welsh lamguage section, making us the only bilingual student paper in the UK. It’s going to be a great year I’m sure, I hope we will be a part of yours also.

What you need to know about Gair Rhydd | your student newspaper here at Cardiff University

We are your student voice Editorially independent and funded by your Students’ Union

Anybody at Cardiff University can

write for us

Simply join the Gair Rhydd Contributors 2018/19 page on Facebook

In print weekly and always online we are printed weekly on a Monday, available for free across campus and online at gairrhydd.com

8 desks

We cover a vast range of content, as you’ll see. You are always welcome to contact any one of

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our desks, and you can find us on the 3rd floor of the

Students’ Union

To contact our news desk, drop us an email at news@gairrhydd.com

NEWYDDION

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Number of students referred to counselling at Cardiff University triples since 2012 Waiting times for appointments remain, but Cardiff University says it is increasing its funding for student wellbeing services

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Freedom of Information request by former Gair Rhydd editor, George Cook, has found that the number of mental health referals to Cardiff University’s student councelling services has tripled in the last six years.

by Gee Harland

The negative impact of mental health on University students comes as no surprise, at the hands of deadlines, exams, debt and their impending futures. One University Graduate interviewed for this article said: “I felt isolated and lonely, which made my anxiety worse.”This is a major issue in universities, and one that requires continuous attention.

“I felt isolated and lonely, which made my anxiety worse.”

Poor mental health among students needs to be addressed because when not given the proper attention they need, mental health problems can catalyse further difficulties. They can interrupt study, social life and self-care.

An increased demand for mental health services is suggested to be a result of the government lifting the ‘Students Number Gap in 2012’. Since the cap on the number of students accepted has been lifted, universities’ support services have reportedly been unable to keep up with the requirements for mental health support. Similarly, with overcrowded courses, lecturers may not be able to provide individual support for students due to the volume of the degree, and consequently, the lack of time.

Cardiff University provides ‘Student Support and Wellbeing Services’, located on Park Place. Describing their responsibilities as “promoting positive mental health and reducing stigma”, they are committed to “supporting [their] students with mental health difficulties”.

They offer a variety of counselling an wellbeing services, which start with a 90-minute Therapeutic Consultation (TC) which can be done face-to-face, or over the phone or email. If required, they then offer up to ten weekly counselling sessions. Similarly, wellbeing sessions are offered which “comprises both proactive and reactive methods” and are 45 minutes in length, and lead to further counselling sessions if needed.

Both types of sessions can be accessed through self-referral online.

Cardiff University Student Support and Wellbeing Services recently released their statistics for the total number of referrals for Counselling and/or

Wellbeing support. They show that the demand for counselling and wellbeing sessions has tripled since 2012. This takes into account many different issues which impact mental health, from abuse to physical health.

Orla Tarn, Mental Health Officer for Cardiff Students’ Union, told Gair Rhydd: “These figures can be viewed in a positive light. Obviously, it is not positive that so many students are having these issues at University, but it appears more people are seeking good health and this is highlighted by the increase in people attending mental health dropins.”

Resultantly, the average waiting times for an appointment have increased from 11.6 days to 13.6 days since 2012. Student Support and Wellbeing services state, they “deliver a risk-based approach”, so it may be that students are asked to join a waiting list during busy times.

However, it is clear that the number of students needing aid has increased, so waiting times are gradually becoming longer regardless.

Aaron Parkes, a Cardiff University student explained how it can be frustrating as exam periods are often two weeks long, and have finishedby the time an appointment becomes available.

It can be argued that Cardiff Univer-

Cardif University's funding for mental health, counselling and wellbeing services has increased over the last six years.

£485,000 £342,000

sity may need to focus more on meeting the demands of mental health referrals.

Tarn continued: “If you compare the University services to those on the NHS, the waiting times are a lot shorter. The drop-in sessions encourage students to access the support they need when they need it, but there are of course further things we should be doing.”

When asked what more could be done to improve support for students and address waiting times, she pointed to her election manifesto, which seeks to support staff across the university, and union in becoming more aware of

TOP: Graph for average waiting times for counselling at Cardiff University. students’ wellbeing, especially personal tutors around exam time.

Despite waiting times being lengthy, Cardiff University’s funding for mental health, counselling and wellbeing services has increased since 2012, from £342,000 to £485,000.

Registered mental health advisors and mentors have increased because of this, which may go towards aiding the waiting times for appointments. Alongside funding and staff increases, the Student Life Centre is in the process of being built. The £50 million project is delivered in partnership with the Students’ Union and will focus on careers, mental health services, international student support and financial support. It is due to be finished in 2020 and was a direct response to student feedback.

Amr Awishah, Vice President of Welfare and Campaigns for Cardiff Students; Union, comments that “there is an increasing need for mental health support in modern society, that is something that is happening on a global scale.

Students, as a part of society, are not excluded from that - we want to ensure all students are able to succeed, which means supporting them to deal with any problems they face whilst studying”.

Awishah also explains that PIPPS (Suicide Prevention Training) will be offered to staff and students across Cardiff University.

He continued: “There are a number of other projects and campaigns planned for the year, and I ecourage students to get in touch if they need support or if they want to be a part of shaping this activity.”

Tan’s final comments on the issue are

BOTTOM: Graph for average referals for counselling. that it is important for students to “just make that initial contact with somebody”.

Mental health evidently effects hundreds of students, especially since the capped courses were eradicated in 2012.

Though Cardiff University has signified

“Just make that initial contact with sombody.”

how important their student’s mental health is, it is still important to keep this issue at the forefront of the University’s agenda.

Waiting times for counselling and

referral appointments needs to be addressed further, but it is hoped the new Student Life Centre will go some way to making positive changes in this area.

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NEWS

Russell Group universities have lowest BME intake

by Emma Ogao

D

iversity has been a trending topic in higher education this year, following a report from the Higher Education Statistics Agency highlighting the age and ethnic breakdown of admissions in universities across the UK. Attention was immediately drawn to the prestigious group of Russell Group Universities, which on average, were shown to have the lowest proportions of BME (Black and Ethnic Minority) students, compared with other higher education institutions across the UK. According to UCAS statistics from 10 years ago, BME students were least likely to get into university, with an acceptance rate of 20 percent. By 2016, that number had grown to almost 40 percent - a record high, that indicated great steps towards bridging disparity in diversity.

But how diverse is Cardiff University? Statistics show that Cardiff University is making great improvements in diversity and inclusion, with the number of BME students steadily increasing on an annual basis. According to The Times (2018), Cardiff University currently ranks 127th in the world in terms of percentage of international students admitted annually. With students from over 120 countries, Cardiff is among the most ethnically diverse Universities in the UK, drawing majority of International Students from China much larger than any other overseas country.

Olamide Dada, the President of Cardiff University ACS (Afro Caribbean Society), is optimistic on this trend, hoping “diversity will continue to progress”on campus. However, also noting that “having diverse figures does not mean that underlying problems still do not exist”.

Cardiff University now stands as more diverse than ever before - stating that it remains “committed” to “supporting, developing and promoting equality and diversity” in all practices and activities.

JOMEC move to new building but concerns remain

by Gareth Axenderrie

C

ardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies (JOMEC) has moved into their new permanent home ahead of the new academic year.

JOMEC moves out of it’s traditional home in Bute building in Cathays Park and into its new purpose built premesis in Central Square.

The move has been welcomed by staff and students alike, however some concerns remain with the new location adding over 20 minutes walking time to most students’ commute.

Students studying joint honours courses also remain concerned that the move will disrupt their movements between departments.

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/news

Cyber security scheme reaches out to Cardiff students A

by Matt Tomlin

practical learning scheme, which teaches students some of the skills needed to combat cyber security risks, has piloted in the UK at Cardiff University. The Cyber Security Workforce Alliance, CWA for short, offered students from all subjects the opportunity last semester to spend 5 hours per week on an extracurricular virtual internship which uses applied learning for scenarios involving cyber-attacks.

Having begun in the USA in 2015, the idea behind this virtual internship is to bring practical skills such as problem solving, communication and teamwork into the classroom alongside the theme of cyber security so graduates can be more empowered when dealing with the workplace in today’s digital age.

There is also the need to fill a major skills gap in today’s labour market. The current number of open jobs in cyber security is estimated to be around 300 000, with a June 2017 report estimating this figure could increase to 3.5 million over the next four years. Some experts are concerned that incompetency by organisations with regards these types of skills shortages could cause serious economic damage to a number of sectors ranging from utilities to finance. In light of recent cyber-attacks, some affecting NHS systems and others going global after spreading from a specific attack on companies in Ukraine, the intellectually fulfilling and potentially high-paying task of securing digital assets is becoming a major cause for interest from graduates and employers.

The students who participated in the CWA project were split into groups

Cyber Security in Cardiff: Groups presented on their knowledge of the issue at Cardiff Business School.

which became known as Enigma and MinMax (Short for Minimum Risk, Maximum Security). These groups were given real scenarios, which had previously been experienced in industry, for which they had to explore how best to solve a cyber security breach across all departments. Each week they would put together a presentation which developed with the help of feedback from professional mentors of the scheme via Skype.

The final presentations of the two groups took place in May in the Business School’s Postgraduate Teaching Centre. Both presentations covered how, hypothetically, the students, as

representatives of departments such as Human Resources and Public Relations, would sustain success and repair security in light of a supposed cyber security breach. Discussing audits, cost-benefit analysis and PESTLE analysis as ways of analysing their institutional scenarios, the groups pitched their solutions to an audience of various professionals from companies like American Express and PricewaterhouseCoopers as well as professionals from public sector services, including law enforcement.

Giving feedback on the final presentations, the professionals in the audience expressed the success of the students in communicating potential

solutions to cyber security issues.

CWA students also highlighted after their performances their interest in cyber security issues and the usefulness of practical skills which they had gained from working with mentors and industry-related scenarios.

The digital classroom experience is expected to continue at Cardiff University this academic year as the university is aiming to have as many students as possible partaking in extracurricular workplace-centric schemes like CWA. Keep up to speed with your e-mails, as well as Gair Rhydd’s News and Campus Life sections, for any information on these upcoming initiatives.

eration of Student Islamic Societies.

Ablution is a washing ritual of hands, face, head, ears and feet that is performed prior to Muslim’s prayers. At the moment, students have to use the basins in the toilets to perform this ritual, which poses issues of hygiene, embarrassment and discomfort for students.

Cardiff Students’ Union currently has 2,400 Muslims on its student body.

Last year, a motion at the union’s Annual General Meeting, that included the provision of ablution facilities, was passed

by over 700 students.

Asked why more hasn’t been done in the past to address concerns surrounding ablutions facilities, Al Dhahouri told Gair Rhydd that it simply has not been made a priority.

“We have a small facility in the Postgraduate Teaching Centre which is not central. I deliberately engaged minorities and international students more than any other candidate as part of my election campaign. Leadership that delivers on their promises creates

and sustains engagement. If people don’t feel listened to, they disengage. I want to change that.”

Several speakers spoke against the moves at last year’s AGM, citing concerns that the plans only focussed on one group within the student community. However, the president believes that the move can be a benefit to all students.

Al Dhahouri continued: “In the era of diversity we are living in, we need our SU and the University to have inclusivity for all our students in everything we do.

“This is part of a wider effort on inclusivity, which will include genderneutral toilets, green energy initiatives and a wider range of campaigns and activities for more students to feel they have a voice at our SU. “Having ablution facilities is only one element to show support for the needs of our students, especially the protected characteristics under the Equality act. We are proud we have raised over £5,000 in this campaign.”

It is understood that the union is now exploring options for a start date, with minimising disruption to students a priority.

Appeal raises £5,000 for Muslim students’ ablutions facilities A

by Gareth Axenderrie

campaign to fundraise for better facilities for Muslim students within the union has hit its £5,000 target.

The campaign, spearheaded by union president Fadhila Al Dhahouri, aims to raise £16,000 to be spent on upgrading ablution facilities for Muslim students in the Students’ Union.

The £5,000 raised will be added to a further £5,000 donation received last year from independent donor, the Fed-

To contact our news desk, drop us an email at news@gairrhydd.com

Highest A-Levels results in six years despite more difficult exams

NEWYDDION

These are the highest standard of A-level results since 2012. However, critics have accused regulators of casuing these grades to have been achieved unfairly.

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Stormzy funds Cambridge scholarships

by Abi Dunbridge

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his years A-level results see more than 1 in 4 pupils awarded with the highest grades of A* or A. This is its highest level of A-level results since 2012. However, critics have accused regulators, claiming that these grades may not have been achieved fairly.

This is because grade boundaries have been set lower than they were in recent years to stop results from dropping. An example of this problem arising is with a physics paper setting the boundary for a C grade at 39 percent, compared to 2016 when the grade boundary was 60 percent.

2016 was the last year before a government overhaul of education, designed to make A-levels more rigorous for students. Michael Gove, the previous Education Secretary, initiated the alterations for A-level students, taking away the popular AS and A2 qualifications in order to create increased difficulty. As a result, students would sit their exams only at the end of their two-year course.

Gove has also been responsible for scrapping coursework, a previously popular choice amongst students

STORMZY: bSides (via Flickr) The exam hall, post-stress: Were the exams harder on paper inside and outside their sitting this year? which helped apply A-Levels to a wider variety of students and their varying skills. Therefore, the new changes arguably place more pressure onto students for their final exams.

Ofqual, the exams regulator, claim measures were taken to ensure students were not ‘disadvantaged’ by the

new system in comparison to recent years by lowering grade boundaries. An Ofqual spokesperson claims ‘boundaries were set using statistics to carry forward standards’, to ensure the change in the structure of A-Levels would not effect this year’s students’ grades.

It was also recorded that Russell Group University entry requirements lowered in clearing more than in recent years in an attempt to fill places. Hence, critics discuss how, despite the miraculous A-Level grades for 2018, they may not necessarily be fair.

The new ‘Centre for Student Life’ is to provide a new home for student resources

The Centre for Student Life is the biggest campus upgrade in a generation and is a revelation of the University’s attempts to create a sturdier partnership with students.

by Angharad May

S

ome students breeze through University and experience those sought-after best-yearsof-their-lives. However, the reality is that most students do need support at some stage whilst at University. UPP’s 2017 Student Experience Report shows 87% of first-year students experience difficulty coping academically or socially. With more students than ever attending University, alongside a diminishing stigma around mental health, there is increasing demand for support.

Universities UK has developed a framework highlighting the need for university-wide services and Cardiff University is attempting to be constructive with plans for the future of its academic and social support services.

In 2016, the go-ahead was given for a £50m building to be constructed in Cardiff University’s Cathays Campus. Construction has already commenced on Park Place.

The Centre for Student Life, as the building will be called, has been labeled the biggest campus upgrade in a generation and signifies the University’s partnership with its student body. Cardiff University and the Students’ Union are working together in response to the desire of students for improvements to the aforementioned services.

Running 140m along Park Place,

The proposed Centre For Student Life: Concept art for the replacement to the current Cardiff University Students’ Union on Park Place.

it will hide the current Student Union building, and examples of the improvements it will house include redeveloped student support services, upgraded study spaces and increased numbers of consultation rooms in addition to shops and a 550-seat auditorium.

Many of these resources and facilities are currently dispersed, making them difficult to locate and thus adding to the stresses of student life.

In essence, this can lead to students not accessing help at the point of need. As such, the Centre for Stu-

dent Life is aiming to act as a central hub for students, with all aspects of student life converging on one location.

With enhanced services, the project aims to ensure that students from both the Heath and Cathays campuses feel more supported. This also applies to staff. If successful, the project could prove reassuring to prospective students as it showcases that the university is keeping up with the latest demand.

Another proposed perk of the project, is that the architects Feilden

Clegg Bradley Studios have so far designed the five-storey building with sustainability in mind. There is a a current focus on minimising the building’s carbon footprint by using renewable technology and systems which reduce energy consumption.

For example, there will be energyefficient lighting and a green roof.

The Centre for Student Life is due to be completed in 2020, which means that 2018 freshers will be able to reap the expected benefits of this innovative project, hopefully allowing them to further excel and thrive.

The scholarship will provide full payment of the students’ annual tuition fees, as well as a maintenance grant.

by Jono Melbourne

E

arlier this Summer, Stormzy, the rapper and Grime artist from Croydon, announced that he will be offering two fully-paid, non-refundable scholarships for two Black British students to attend Cambridge University.

Stormzy’s success within the Grime scene is indisputable. He won ‘Best Grime Act’ at both the 2014 and 2015 MOBO awards, as well as being named an ‘artist to look out for’ in the BBC’s influential sound of 2015 list.

Stormzy has reached the pinnacle of musical success in recent years.

The scholarships will provide full payment of the students’ annual tuition fees, as well as a grant to cover maintenance. Unlike others, these fortunate students will no longer need to rely on government or commercial loans.

Stormzy’s decision to fund the scholarships arose amidst a great deal of criticism of Cambridge University for not admitting enough students from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. A report carried out by the Financial Times claimed certain colleges within Cambridge did not admit any black students at all between 2012 and 2016.

Following this, the University appealed to schools and parents to address the issue of misrepresentation within its student body.

In a statement to Radio 1 Newsbeat, Stormzy claimed that, “in school and college I had the ability and was almost destined to go to one of the top Universities. But that didn’t happen for myself, so hopefully there’s another young black student out there that can have that opportunity through my scholarship.”

Your news desk Gee Harland Klaudia Jazwinska Emma Ogao Matt Tomlin news@gairrhydd.com

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CAMPUS LIFE

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/campuslife

It’s your freshers, so make the most of it

How to make the most of your first week in a new world of opportunity

by Cerian Jones

PITCH PERFECT: Cardiff University’s A Capella Society at a performance in Y Plas

I

t’s that time of year: cold nights out, booze, and the inevitable freshers flu. But before autumn sets in and term truly begins, there’s a lot to do as a newbie at uni.

The Students’ Union hosts many club nights, especially during Freshers’ Week. Check out our What’s On section to see what’s happen-

ing this week and head to the Cardiff Students website for more information and tickets! www.cardiffstudents.com/freshers18 The Societies & Volunteering Fair takes place on 25-26 September on the first floor of the Students’ Union. The Guild of Societies and Cardiff Volunteering will be recruiting new members and I highly recommend

that you sign up. Volunteering can offer rewarding experiences as well as friendships, and societies are a great way to meet new people outside your course and accommodation with common interests. Here are a few societies you can expect to see at the fair: Cardiff University Acappellads are looking for new members through all vocal ranges to

join them.

As part of a Gold Tier Society they have performed in local venues in addition to regional events such as the Best of South West event held in Bristol. They have a lot of exciting plans for the upcoming year! If you’re interested auditions will be held on 3&4 October on the 4th floor of the SU. The Anime Society is a community for people with an interest in Japanese culture. The society hosts events throughout Freshers’ Week and the rest of the year, including a social at The Vulcan Lounge on 29 September at 6PM. They also host fortnightly creative workshops covering a range of skills from origami practice to sushi making, as well as outings such as the upcoming trip to MCM London Comic Con this October.

The LGBTQ+ society, CU Pride is one of the most active societies across the University hosting several socials a week including a variety of different events; there is something for everyone! They welcome everyone regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. This society has a sense of community like no other, they are so welcoming and really made my fresher’s experience much less daunting.

The Jobs and Skills Fair on 27 September gives you the opportunity to find out more about earning while you learn. During the event, you will have the opportunity to sign up to Jobshop, a free student employment service.

Of course I highly recommend you go to these events but it’s your Freshers’ Week, it’s up to you to decide what you do. Nobody will force you to go clubbing if it’s not your idea of fun.

All I can do is show you the door to these fantastic opportunities. It’s up to you if you walk through it.

HOME

Being a citizen, a student, and yourself

by Cerian Jones

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think the first thing I noticed was the cold, the autumnal gusts that blew umbrellas inside-out and hats off, up and away. I knew I should’ve packed more jumpers. The streets around campus were overflowing with new students struggling with too many suitcases as their worried parents tried to help. I was in awe of the city already, and the looming campus buildings seemed intimidating at first. A friendly student volunteer helped me and mum find my accommodation building.

My new room was just that; a room with a steel frame for a bed and a skinny blue mattress, a new view through an unfamiliar window. The new room was empty, a skeleton of a bedroom, a vacant tomb of the student before me who’d scrawled their autograph into the desk with a knife, spelling out: SAM. The empty bookshelves seemed alien as the harsh single strip light blinked into life.

Autumn came closer with every day that passed, and they passed far too quickly.

Before I knew it the partying was over and term began. Soon I noticed the fallen leaves crunching beneath my feet. On my way to and from lectures I kicked the orange confetti up into the air, to watch it all spiral back down. Between the city and the campus were gardens and as the autumn chill set in, their colours grew warmer and more beautiful. The myriad of colours always

caught my eyes; I loved all the goldenmustards, the mouldy-greens, deep vermilions, and rusty-orange leaves that hung overhead. And on rainy days when I’d forget my umbrella- which was often- I’d give up trying to stay dry on my way home and jump and kick my way through the deep puddles until my jeans clung wet around my ankles and my hair stuck to my face.

At first the loneliness ached in my bones.

I felt completely alone. But I made friends; with flatmates, with people on my course, and I plucked up the courage to join a few societies.

My room soon became plastered with posters, the bookshelves filled with wellthumbed favourites alongside my textbooks. The bare wardrobe was full of clothes, alongside my new university hoodie. The desk was in constant chaos; pens and paper, unfinished postcards home, notes and textbooks were scattered upon the desk like fallen birds. The tree outside the window began to grow fresh buds on its spindly branches. My perfume left the room with a faint scent of home, and it was almost, finally my own.

Homesickness is a perfectly normal feeling to experience at university, for more information check out the advice section or read the information on the student intranet page which has useful resources, and a self-help library online. It can be found at wellbeing/self-help-resources/

HOMESICKNESS: A very nornal feeling at university. Source: Anthony Tran (via unsplash)

To contact our campus life desk, drop us an email at campuslife@gairrhydd.com

BYWYD CAMPWS

Your Guide to Cardiff this week

7

Fairs, festivals and all things Freshers

by Ashley Boyle here’s plenty to keep you distracted from the thought of new lectures and seminars this week, both on and off campus. Of course, our own Student Union ‘Give It A Go’ programme is packed, but if you’re returning to Cardiff and fancy something different, here’s the place to look.

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Whilst the clubnights in the SU are highly anticipated, something like the Comedy Central Live show this year might be more up your street, with guest comedian Joel Dommet and many more set to tickle your funny bone.

Off campus, there are still some tickets left to see the likes of Kylie Minogue, Jason Derulo or Rudi-

mental at the Inside Out Festival this year held not so far away in Bute Park. The band behind ‘Boogie Wonderland’, Earth, Wind and Fire, as well as Tony Hadley will also be headlining in Bute at the Party At The Park festival.

Cardiff Bay this week is playing host to the annual UKRO Challenge, welcoming 600 firefight-

ers from across the UK to take on difficult water, rope, vehicle and search and rescue challenges. Over 80 organisations will be there to provide fun activities and awareness to those attending over the three days, which will finish with a special appearance from the ‘Red Devils’ Parachute Regiment Freefall Display Team.

Your campus life desk Ashley Boyle Cerian Jones campuslife@gairrhydd.com

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TAF OD

Y Digwyddiadur

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yma’r lle i hysbysu’r holl ddigwyddiadau sy’n berthnasol i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd. Isod, gwelwch y digwyddiadau sy’n cymryd lle dros yr wythnosau nesaf.

24 Medi (Nos Lun) Crôl Croesawu’r Gym Gym. Noson i gyfarfod â phawb.

26 Medi (Dydd Mercher) Ffair y glas. Cyfle i ymaelodi â chymdeithasau Cymraeg Caerdydd.

28 Medi (Nos Wener) - Gig Twrw ac IKACHING yng Nghlwb Ifor Bach, gyda’r Candelas a’r Cledrau.

2 Hydref (Nos Fawrth) - Noson Pizza a Pheint AM DDIM! Digwyddiad wedi’w drefnu gan y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Dewch i 29 Plas y Parc i gyfarfod â swyddogion amrywiol sefydliadau Cymraeg o fewn y brifysgol.

4 Hydref (Nos Iau) - Crôl Teulu’r Gym Gym. Pwy fydd eich mam a thad chi?

Am fwy o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â tafod@gairrhydd.com.

Cyfrannwch i Taf-od bob pwrpas, mae Taf-od yn bapur

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newydd o fewn papur newydd, ac rydym yn hynod awyddus i gynnwys cyfranwyr newydd yn adran Gymraeg Gair Rhydd. Petaech yn dymuno ysgrifennu erthygl barn, erthygl newyddion, neu adolygiad, mae croeso i chi anfon eich erthyglau atom. Rydym yn croesawu testunau amrywiol, ac yn dymuno cynnwys ystod wahanol o gynnwys yn wythnosol. Cysylltwch â tafod@gairhydd. com gyda’ch syniadau ac erthyglau.

Cornel CMCC

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leni mae Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd yn profi eu blwyddyn lawn gyntaf gydag adran Gymraeg ym mhob rhan o Gyfryngau Myfyrwyr Caerdydd sef Clebar yn Quench a CUTV ynghyd â Xpress Radio a’r Taf-od o fewn Gair Rhydd. Dyma rai o’r pethau cyffrous sydd ar y gweill gyda CMCC dros yr wythnosau nesaf.

24 Medi (Nos Lun 6-8) - Y Tri Gŵr Ffôl ar Xpress Radio - Ydyn, maen nhw ‘nôl bois bach! Wedi cyfnod yn cyflwyno’r Tri Gŵr Ffôl ar Radio Cymru dros yr haf, mae Rob, Ifan ac Aled yn dychwelyd i’w cartref gwreiddiol ar Xpress Radio am gyfres newydd.

26 Medi (Nos Fercher 4-6) - Gwylio Gwleidyddiaeth ar Xpress Radio - Wedi haf llawn newidiadau i dirlun gwleidyddol Cymru, mae criw Gwylio Gwleidyddiaeth yn eu hôl. Medrwch nawr ddilyn holl hynt a helyntion y byd gwleidyddol, oll drwy lygaid y Cymry, drwy ddilyn cyfrif Trydar newydd y rhaglen, sef @GGwleidyddiaeth.

Am holl newyddion diweddaraf CMCC, dilynwch @CMCC ar Drydar neu ‘Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd - CMCC’ ar Facebook.

Am fwy o gynnwys, ewch i gairrhydd.com/tafod

Tymor newydd, pennawd newydd: Croeso i Gaerdydd

gan Llion Carbis

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ir yw pob aros, ond mae’r flwyddyn academaidd wedi ailddechrau. Unwaith eto, mae’r Brifysgol yn croesawu grŵp newydd o fyfyrwyr brwd sydd ar fin cychwyn pennod newydd o’i bywyd academaidd. Heb os, mae dechrau bywyd yn y Brifysgol yn gallu bod yn her frawychus, yn gyfnod ansicr i rai, ond mae’r broses o gyfarwyddo i amgylchiadau a lleoliad newydd yn un hollol naturiol.

Mae’n debygol fod pob myfyriwr sydd ar f în dechrau eu hastudiaethau yng Nghaerdydd yn profi emosiynau tebyg, cymysgedd o gyffro ac ychydig o nerfusrwydd. Yn sicr, mae symud i brifysgol yn ennyd arwyddocaol ym mywydau pawb, ac un sy’n hynod gyffrous.

Yn naturiol, fel prifddinas, mae Caerdydd yn llwyddo i ddenu myfyrwyr o bob cwr o Gymru. Petaech wedi teithio o bell, neu wedi byw yn y brifddinas am gyfnod estynedig, yr allwedd at lwyddiant yn y Brifysgol yw manteisio ar bob cyfle a cheisio mwynhau pob eiliad.

Dros y flwyddyn nesaf fe fydd atgofion euraidd a pherthnasau newydd yn cael eu ffurfio, ynghyd â datblygiad proffesiynol a chyraeddiadau academaidd. Y rheswm mae pawb yn dymuno astudio yn y Brifysgol yw ennill cymwysterau fel modd o ddilyn eu gyrfa ddymunol, ac er ei bod hi’n hollbwysig i weithio, mae’r flwyddyn agoriadol yn dynodi cyfle i gyfuno’r astudiaethau gyda mwynhad, a lle gwell i ymbleseru na phrifddinas Cymru?

Mae digonedd o ddigwyddiadau a lleoliadau ar gael sy’n gwasanaethu chwaethau pob unigolyn. Petaech yn caru chwaraeon, mae Stadiwm y Principality yng nghanol y dre ac mae’r strydoedd yn waddoledig â chyffro heintus ar ddiwrnodau gêm.

Ynghyd â rygbi, mae Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd yn gyfagos â’r dre, ymhle bydd modd gwylio’r tîm cenedlaethol o dan arweiniad Ryan Giggs, yn ogystal â Chaerdydd yn cystadlu yn erbyn cewri Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr.

Er gwaethaf fy niddordebau personol, nid chwaraeon yw popeth, ac mae yna sawl opsiwn ar hyd strydoedd y dre sydd yn cynnig toreth o fwynhad. O siopau amrywiol, i’r nifer ddiddiwedd o fwytai a siopau coffi, mae yna gymaint o ddewis a llefydd i fwynhau.

Mae clywed y Gymraeg yn cael ei hymarfer yn gyson, boed hynny ar nosweithiau allan, yn y dosbarth, neu ar y strydoedd yn destun balchder.

Ond, yn bwysicach fyth, yw’r gymuned o Gymry sydd wedi sefydlu yn y Brifddinas. Petai eich bod chi’n cymdeithasu yn y Gymraeg yn rheolaidd, braidd yn defnyddio eich mamiaith, neu yn ddysgwr, un o’r agweddau mwyaf cadarnhaol am Gaerdydd

YN Y LLUN: Parc y Waun Ddyfal (Tarddiad: Hannah Waldram drwy Flickr) yw’r cynifer o bobl sy’n defnyddio ac yn ymfalchïo yn y Gymraeg.

Yn bersonol, mae clywed y Gymraeg yn cael ei hymarfer yn gyson, boed hynny ar nosweithiau allan, yn y dosbarth, neu ar y strydoedd yn destun balchder. Fel unigolyn a oedd yn ystyried astudio yn Lloegr, credaf yn ddigamsyniol fy mod wedi gwneud y penderfyniad cywir gan aros yng Nghymru. I fod yn hollol onest, buas-

wn wedi difaru gadael.

Yr hyn sy’n weddill i’w ddweud yw croeso cynnes i Brifysgol Caerdydd, sicrhewch eich bod yn synhwyrol yn ystod wythnos y glas, a mwynhewch bob eiliad. Mae astudio yn y Brifysgol yn brofiad unigryw sy’n dra gwahanol i fywyd yn yr ysgol, a cheir cyfle i ddatblygu’n academaidd, yn broffesiynol ac fel person; manteisiwch ar bob cyfle!

Ymdrochwch yn Ysbryd y Brifysgol gan Tomos Evans

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yda blwyddyn arall o fwrlwm y brifddinas yn ei glas ddyddiau, bydd bywyd cymdeithasol Cymraeg y brifysgol yn ei hanterth unwaith eto. Mae’r holl gyfleoedd sy’n wynebu myfyrwyr y flwyddyn gyntaf yn gallu bod yn llethol, ond peidiwch â phoeni! Yn yr erthygl yma, cewch yr holl fanylion sydd eu hangen arnoch i wybod beth yw beth.

Y Gym Gym Y Gymdeithas Gymraeg, neu’r Gym Gym, yw cymdeithas Gymraeg fwyaf Caerdydd gyda’n agos i 200 o aelodau. Bob blwyddyn cewch chi’r cyfle i fynychu’r ddawns rhyng-gol, Eisteddfod rhyng-gol a thaith y Gym Gym i Iwerddon neu’r Alban. Mae crôls y Gym Gym, gan gynnwys y ‘crôl teulu’ a’r ‘crôl cymeriadau’ yn adnabyddus drwy’r ddinas gyfan am eu gwisgoedd lliwgar a byddai un neu ddau heb os yn medru bachu Sash Huw Fash, mae’n siŵr. Daw’r flwyddyn i ben gydag un o uchafbwyntiau’r calendr Cymraeg sef Wythnos y Gym Gym sy’n cynnwys sawl crôl megis y ‘crôl cnau’ a ‘crôl Canton’. Felly, os mai noson mas fyth-gofiadwy sy’n apelio, y Gym Gym yw’r lle i chi!

Cymdeithas Iolo Mae Cymdeithas Iolo yn gymde-

ithas sy’n hybu ac annog diwylliant Cymraeg a Chymreig drwy gynnal digwyddiadau megis ymweliadau â’r theatr a sgyrsiau gyda siaradwyr gwadd. Mae digwyddiadau’r gymdeithas yn apelio at siaradwyr Cymraeg iaith gyntaf ac ail iaith gan annog mwy o bobl i fynd ati i ddysgu’r iaith. Un o uchafbwyntiau blynyddol y gymdeithas yw’r Stomp farddonol a gaiff ei threfnu ar y cyd gydag Ysgol y Gymraeg. Hyd yn oed os nad yw barddoniaeth yn mynd â’ch bryd, yn sicr mae’n noson llawn hwyl ac adloniant sy’n siŵr o’ch diddanu. Felly, os mae Iolo yn apelio rhaid ymuno!

Aelwyd y Waunddyfal Aelwyd y Waunddyfal yw Aelwyd leol yr Urdd yn Cathays. Cewch y cyfle i berfformio yng nghyngerdd Nadolig y côr yn ogystal â chystadlu yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Llynedd, gwnaeth yr Aelwyd ennill yng nghystadlaethau’r côr bechgyn a’r côr merched ond trydydd oedd hi am fod yn y côr SATB (cam o’r radd flaenaf!)

Felly, os oes gennych gân i’w chanu, ymunwch yn y gân ac ymunwch ag Aelwyd y Waunddyfal.

CMCC Ar ôl iddo gael ei sefydlu’n llawn y llynedd, mae Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd wedi rhoi’r cyfle i

YN Y LLUN: Logo Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd (Tarddiad: UMCC drwy wefan Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd) bobl sydd â diddordeb yn y cyfryngau i ddatblygu sgiliau allweddol a ‘joio hefyd! Mae bellach gan bob adran o Gyfryngau Myfyrwyr Caerdydd adran Gymraeg; Taf-od yn Gair Rhydd, Clebar yn Quench (cylchgrawn y brifysgol), Xpress Radio (gorsaf radio’r brifysgol) a CUTV (sianel deledu’r brifysgol). Bob blwyddyn mae gan gyfranwyr CMCC y cyfle i ennill gwobr yng ngwobrau Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Caerdydd sy’n digwydd yn yr haf.

Felly os ydych chi am roi ben i bapur, neu air i gamera yna croeso i CMCC! Clwb y Mynydd Bychan Bwriad Clwb y Mynydd Bychan

yw i roi’r cyfle i fyfyrwyr gofal iechyd gymdeithasu trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Mae digwyddiadau’n cynnwys sesiynau adolygu, sesiynau â siaradwyr gwadd a digwyddiadau cymdeithasol. Mae yna gyfleoedd hefyd i wirfoddoli gyda’r clwb. Felly os mai gofal iechyd yw’ch pwnc, gofalwch eich bod yn ymuno â Chlwb y Mynydd Bychan.

Gobeithio’n wir eich bod yn fwy cyfarwydd â’r amrywiol gyfleoedd sydd yma ar eich cyfer o ddarllen yr erthygl hon. Yn syml, cofleidiwch bob cyfle ac ewch ati i ymdrochi yn ysbryd y brifysgol.

TAF-OD

I gysylltu â ni, e-bostiwch tafod@gairrhydd.com

gan Tomos Evans

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“Tymor Twp” y Senedd: Cyfle am Adnewyddiad?

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ae’n gyfnod o adnewyddu yng ngwleidyddiaeth Cymru wrth i arweinwyr dau allan o’r pum plaid yn y Senedd gamu oddi ar y cyfrwy ac wrth i un arall geisio dal ei gafael.

Y cyntaf oddi ar y marc oedd Carwyn Jones gyda’i ymddiswyddiad fel Prif Weinidog Cymru ac arweinydd y Blaid Lafur yng Nghymru. Daeth y cyhoeddiad ar 21 Ebrill yng nghynhadledd Llafur Cymru yn Llandudno.

Yn ôl Mr Jones, mae’r broses yn “helpu i roi mwy o egni i mewn i unrhyw blaid”.

O ran ei olynydd, dywedodd Carwyn Jones, mewn cyfweliad â Llais y Maes yn ystod yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, bod “rhaid cael cystadleuaeth”. Dywedodd fod yr “ymgeiswyr, wrth gwrs, yn gallu cael eu mesur” o ganlyniad i’r broses ethol. “Mae pobl yn gallu gweld fel maen nhw’n perfformio’n gyhoeddus, gweld pa syniadau sydd gyda nhw.” Yn ôl Mr Jones, mae’r broses yn “helpu i roi mwy o egni i mewn i unrhyw blaid”.

Ar y funud, mae pum ceffyl yn y ras i’w olynu, gyda’r ceffyl blaen Mark Drakeford yn meddu ar gefnogaeth 16 Aelod Cynulliad, tra bod Vaughan Gething yn meddu ar gefnogaeth pump ohonynt.

Mae Eluned Morgan hefyd wedi datgan ei bwriad i sefyll ond mae hi ond yn meddu ar gefnogaeth pedwar o fewn grŵp Llafur y Cynulliad. Golyga hyn nad oes ganddi ddigon o gefnogaeth i ennill

YN Y LLUN: Llun o’r Senedd ym Mae Caerdydd (Tarddiad: Wojtek Gurak drwy Flick) lle ar y papur pleidleisio ar hyn o bryd gan fod angen cefnogaeth pump AC Llafur i sefyll. A fydd hi’n syrthio ar y rhwystr cyntaf tybed?

Yna, ar 27 Mehefin, gwnaeth Andrew RT Davies ymddiswyddo fel arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig. Roedd suon y bae yn awgrymu fod Mr Davies wedi colli llawer o gefnogaeth o fewn y blaid y ddwy ochr i Glawdd Offa ac ei fod wedi penderfynu camu o’r neilltu. Paul Davies wnaeth gamu i’r adwy gan ennill yr etholiad i ddewis arweinydd, gan faeddu Suzy Davies. Mae Paul Davies eisoes wedi dweud ei fod yn fodlon cydweithio gyda phleidiau eraill er mwyn dod i rym.

A chewch glywed cyfweliad gyda Paul Davies ar rifyn cynta’r gyfres newydd o Gwylio Gwleidyddiaeth ar Xpress Radio ar 26 Medi rhwng 4 a 6.

Ar 4 Gorffennaf, derbyniodd Leanne Wood her i’w harweinyddiaeth o Blaid Cymru o ddau gyfeiriad, gyda Rhun ap Iorwerth ac Adam Price ill dau yn cynnig eu hunain i arwain y blaid. Gyda ras tri cheffyl yn ei hanterth, a fydd Leanne Wood yn llwyddo i gadw’i gafael ar yr awenau, neu a fydd hi’n cael ei disodli gan un o’i gwrthwynebwyr?

Gyda ras tri cheffyl yn ei hanterth, a fydd Leanne Wood yn llwyddo i gadw’i gafael ar yr awenau, neu a fydd hi’n cael ei disodli gan un o’i gwrthwynebwyr?

Mae grŵp UKIP yn y Cynulliad hefyd yn cael ei arwain gan joci newydd.

Buodd misoedd o ansefydlogrwydd yng ngrŵp y blaid yn y Cynulliad, gyda Caroline Jones yn disodli Neil Hamilton fel arweinydd. Yna, galwodd y blaid yn ganolog am etholiad i ateb y cwestiwn ynghylch arweinyddiaeth y grŵp. Yn groes i ddisgwyliadau, daeth Gareth Bennett i’r brig gan drechu ei ddau wrthwynebydd. Er bod Neil Hamilton yn parhau fel arweinydd UKIP yng Nghymru, a fydd y canlyniad hwn yn adfywiad i’r blaid yng Nghymru, neu ai dim ond pennod arall mewn stori o ansicrwydd gwleidyddol i’r blaid yw hi?

Mae’r ansefydlogrwydd ym Mae Caerdydd yn gwneud i wleidyddiaeth San Steffan edrych yn hynod sefydlog er i Theresa May barhau i geisio dal ei

gafael ar bŵer wrth obeithio cyrraedd y llinell derfyn o ran Brexit, ble bynnag y mae honno.

Un peth sy’n sicr yw bod gan arweinwyr gwleidyddol newydd Cymru lawer i’w wneud yn ystod y blynyddoedd nesaf wrth iddynt gyfrannu at ddod â Brexit yn realaeth. Ond mae syniadau gwahanol gan amrywiol bobl ynglŷn â sut mae gwneud hynny. Cytundeb Chequers, cytundeb arall, dim cytundeb, ail refferendwm efallai?

Mae “Tymor Twp” y Cynulliad heb os yn codi nifer o gwestiynau ynghylch gwleidyddiaeth ein gwlad. Wedi cyfnod o weryru gwleidyddol, pwy fydd y cyntaf i’r felin yn 2021? Efallai ei bod hi’n rhy gynnar i addasu’r ods ar hyn o bryd ond mae haf 2018 wedi dangos fod gwleidyddiaeth Cymru ar garlam.

Yn Trafod yr wythnos hon... Iestyn Harries 1. Pwy wyt ti a beth wyt ti’n astudio?

Iestyn Harries ac yn astudio Cymraeg.

2. Oes gen ti ‘claim to fame’?

Wncwl yn actio ar ‘Y Gwyll’ ac ‘Un Bore Mercher’.

3. Beth yw dy hoff le yng Nghaerdydd?

Disco room Pryzm.

4. Beth oedd dy eiriau cyntaf?

Viva Gareth Bale.

5. Pa seleb fyddet ti’n gwahodd i dy dŷ am goffi?

Jordan Spieth i gael chat am golff.

6. Beth yw dy bryd bwyd delfrydol?

Stêc a tsips.

7. Pwy oeddet ti’n ffansïo pan oeddet ti’n iau?

Margot Robbie.

8. Beth yw dy hoff raglen deledu?

100% Pobol y Cwm, soap gore sydd ar y teledu.

9. Noson mewn neu noson mas?

Pam? Noson mas. Ma nights out Caerdydd yn quality.

10. Beth yw dy hoff ddiwrnod o’r flwyddyn a pham?

Diwrnod olaf arholiadau, gallu edrych ymlaen at fwynhau’r haf.

11. Oes gennyt unrhyw arferion drwg?

Fi’n caru bwyd sothach yn enwedig nuggets McDonald’s.

12. Beth fyddai dy leoliad gwyliau delfrydol?

Abu Dhabi.

13. Pe taset yn gallu bod yn rhywun arall am ddiwrnod, pwy fyddet ti’n dewis?

Tiger Woods.

14. Disgrifia dy hun mewn tri gair.

Siaradus, hapus a chlustiau mawr.

15. Pwy fydd yn ‘Trafod gyda’r Taf-od’ y tro nesaf?

Gwern Llŷr.

Eich adran taf-od Llion Carbis Tomos Evans tafod@gairrhydd.com

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TAF OD

Am fwy o gynnwys, ewch i gairrhydd.com/tafod

Canlyniadau cyferbyniol i Gymru wrth i drawsnewidiad Giggs barhau

gan Llion Carbis

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n hanesyddol, nid yw bywyd fel cefnogwr pêl-droed Cymru yn un syml. Mae Ryan Giggs wedi profi dechrau cymysglyd i’w yrfa fel hyfforddwr y tîm cenedlaethol.

Ar yr un llaw, mae aelodau ffyddlon y Wal Goch wedi’u swyno a gorfoleddu gan ddau ymddangosiad ymosodol rhagorol, yn maeddu Tsieina a Gweriniaeth Iwerddon – gan lwyddo i sgorio 10 gôl mewn dwy gêm. Fodd bynnag, nid ydym wedi llwyddo i sgorio’r un gôl yn erbyn timau mwy adnabyddus a thalentog megis Uruguay, Mecsico neu Denmarc.

Roedd y fuddugoliaeth sylweddol o 4-1 yn erbyn Iwerddon yn Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd yn ddangosydd o nifer o’r manteision sydd wedi ymgodi yn sgîl penodiad Giggs. I barhau o waith hwyr Chris Coleman, penderfynodd Giggs i ymddiried yn ei chwaraewyr ifanc, ac am benderfyniad, gydag Ethan Ampadu, David Brooks, Chris Mepham a Connor Roberts yn ffynnu ar y llwyfan rhyngwladol, am y tro cyntaf mewn gêm gystadleuol.

Heb os, perfformiad rhagorol ydoedd, un o’r dangosiadau gorau mae Cymru wedi cynhyrchu am gyfnod helaeth. Roedd hyder y chwaraewyr yn deimladwy wrth iddynt basio’r bêl o amgylch y cae yn benderfynol ac yn gywir, gyda’r triawd o Allen, Ramsey ac Ampadu yn allweddol wrth iddynt arddangos eu hystod o basio.

Yn ychwanegol, roedd llyfnder i ymosod Cymru gyda Lawrence, Bale a Brooks yn amnewid safleoedd yn gyson, ac yn edrych i redeg tu ôl amddiffyn Iwerddon, gan ysgogi sawl problem i’r Gwyddelod. Dyna oedd ein buddugoliaeth gyntaf yn erbyn Gweriniaeth Iwerddon ers 1992, ac ein canlyniad gorau erioed yn erbyn y gwrthwynebwyr.

Yn gyfatebol, roedd y noson a’r canlyniad yn teimlo’n hynod arwyddocaol, ond roedd yr holl agweddau cadarnhaol a oedd yn cymeriadu’r perfformiad yn erbyn Iwerddon ar goll yn erbyn Denmarc. Doedd ein pasio ddim mor gywir, gyda Ramsey yn dioddef noson i’w anghofio. Yn ogystal, nid oeddem yn medru treiddio amddiffyn Denmarc, gyda chapten y gwrthwynebwyr, Simon Kjær, yn rhagori.

Er gwaethaf ei dalent ormodol a’i ddoniau huawdl, nid oedd Bale yn medru trawsnewid y gêm er budd ei wlad.

Cafodd ein diffyg gallu i greu cyfleoedd ystyrlon yn nhraean olaf y cae ei adlewyrchu gan benderfyniad Gareth Bale i ollwng yn ddwfn a derbyn meddiant fel modd o ysbrydoli ei dîm. Er gwaethaf ei dalent ormodol a’i ddoniau huawdl, nid oedd Bale yn medru trawsnewid y gêm er budd ei wlad.

Tra roedd mwyafrif y ffocws cyn y gêm wedi’i flaenoriaethu ar anghydfod chwaraewyr Denmarc a’u cymdeithas pêl-droed, ynghyd â phroblemau technegol awyren Cymru, un chwaraewr hynod dalentog oedd wedi dominyddu’r noson gyda pherfformiad cofiadwy.

Anodd ydoedd i Gymru negyddu Christian Eriksen a osododd ei wlad ar frig grŵp B4 yn Nghynghrair y Cenhedloedd ar ôl sgorio dwy gôl arall ar y llwyfan rhyngwladol. Yn ei ddeunaw ymddangosiad diwethaf i Ddenmarc, mae Erkisen wedi sgorio pymtheg gôl a chreu

YN Y LLUN: Murlun o Gareth Bale yn Eglwys Newydd. (Tarddiad: Jeremy Segrott drwy Flickr)

pump arall, sy’n adlewyrchiad clir o’i fedrusrwydd.

Wrth ddadansoddi’r golled, gwelwn ei bod yn wers werthfawr i garfan sy’n gymharol ddibrofiad. Rydym dal yn addasu ac yn cyfarwyddo ein hun gyda gofynion a meddylfryd Ryan Giggs, ac er bod yr hyfforddwr yn ysu i chwarae arddull o bêl-droed sy’n fwy agored ac ymosodol, nid oes

modd ennill gyda’r athroniaeth yna ar bob achlysur.

O dan arweiniad Chris Coleman, tîm cymharol amddiffynnol oedd Cymru, yn edrych i sgorio gan wrthymosod. Yn naturiol felly, mae trawsnewidiad i arddull fwy ymosodol yn debygol o gymryd amser, ond gydag ymddangosiad nifer o sêr talentog, mae’r dyfodol yn hynod ddisglair.

Barn y bobl: Agweddau negyddol ynghylch y Gymraeg

Gyda rhai enwogion yn defnyddio eu platfformau cyhoeddus i danseilio’r Gymraeg, Taf-od sy’n gofyn am ymatebion myfyrwyr Caerdydd am statws ein hiaith.

Meleri Williams

Jacob Morris

Myfyrwraig ail flwyddyn Cymraeg a Newyddiaduraeth

Myfyriwr ail flwyddyn Cymraeg a Gwleidyddiaeth

Dyw’r sylwadau diweddar ddim yn peri gofid imi gan mai anwybodaeth lwyr sy’n sail i’r sylwadau. Wedi treulio un o wythnosau gorau fy mywyd ar faes yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yng Nghaerdydd yr haf hwn, rydw i a ni i gyd fel Cymry’n gwybod fod ein hiaith, ein diwylliant a’n cariad at ein cenedl yn hollol fyw.

Yn anffodus, mae’r sylwadau hyn yn llwyddo i gorddi ffrae yn ddyddiol dros wefannau cymdeithasol a thrueni yw hi fod cymaint o ymateb i’r sylwadau, sy’n llwyddo hyrwyddo ac ymestyn eu cyhoeddusrwydd ymhellach! Er, rhaid gwneud safiad yn eu herbyn a dangos iddynt nad yw eu barn yn gymwys â chymdeithas yr unfed ganrif ar hugain.

Eich adran taf-od Llion Carbis Tomos Evans tafod@gairrhydd.com

Wiliam Jac Rees Myfyriwr ail flwyddyn Gwleidyddiaeth

Mae rhai dadleuon tuag at yr iaith Gymraeg yn ddiweddar wedi bod yn hollol ddi-sail. Mae’r gallu i siarad Cymraeg yn sgil fydd pawb sy’n ei siarad yn elwa o. Rydym newydd gael ‘Steddfod lwyddiannus ym Mae Caerdydd sy’n dangos fod yr iaith Gymraeg yn fyw ac yn ffynnu ymhob darn o gymdeithas.

Gwenan Gravell Myfyrwraig drydedd flwyddyn Newyddiaduraeth

Ar ôl darllen nifer o sylwadau negyddol tuag at y Gymraeg ar Drydar yn ddiweddar, dwi’n cwestiynu os mae rhai wir gyda phroblem tuag at yr iaith neu os ydyn nhw ishe rhyw ymateb ffrwydriadol wrth bobl Cymraeg. Does ganddyn nhw ddim diddordeb i glywed fel mae’r iaith wedi buddio nifer fawr o bobl o ran ennill swyddi, gwneud ffrindiau a bod yn rhan o gymuned welwch chi ddim unman arall yn y byd! Dim ond rhyw “five seconds of fame” ma’ nhw’n chwilio am!

TAF-OD

I gysylltu â ni, e-bostiwch tafod@gairrhydd.com

11

Ydych chi’n barod am ‘Bryd o Daf-od’?

Mae colofn newydd sbon ar y gweill.

Cyfranwyr amrywiol. Testunau amrywiol. Safbwyntiau amrywiol.

Am ragor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â tafod@gairrhydd.com

Your future career starts here! Save the dates...

Dyma fan cychwyn eich gyrfa yn y dyfodol! Nodwch y dyddiadau...

Autumn Careers Fair Tuesday 9 October, 11:00 - 15:00, City Hall

STEM Careers Fair

Monday 15, Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 October 11:00 - 15:00, The Forum, School of Engineering

Business, Banking and Finance Careers Fair Tuesday 23 October, 11:00 - 15:00, Postgraduate Teaching Centre, Business School

Law Careers Fair Tuesday 30 October, 13:30 - 16:30, City Hall

Science Careers Fair Wednesday 7 November, 11:00 - 15:00, VJ Gallery, Main Building

Search ‘Fairs and Events’ on the Intrranet I Chwiliwch am ‘Ffeiriau a Digwyddiadau’ ar y Fewnrwyd

Ffair Gyrfaoedd yr Hydref Dydd Mawrth 9 Hydref, 11:00 - 15:00, Neuadd y Ddinas

Ffair Gyrfaoedd STEM

Dydd Llun 15, dydd Mawrth 16 a dydd Mercher 17 Hydref 11:00 - 15:00, Y Fforwm, Ysgol Peirianneg

Ffair Gyrfaoedd Busnes, Bancio ac Arian Dydd Mawrth 23 Hydref, 11:00 - 15:00, Canolfan Addysgu Ôl-raddedigion, Ysgol Busnes

Ffair Gyrfaoedd y Gyfraith Dydd Mawrth 30 Hydref, 13:30 - 16:30, Neuadd y Ddinas

Ffair Gyrfaoedd y Gwyddorau Dydd Mercher 7 Tachwedd, 11:00 - 15:00, Galeri VJ, Prif Adeilad

@cardiffcareers #CUFairs

cardiffunicareers

12

COMMENT

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/comment

Does Freshers Week have too much of an emphasis on binge drinking?

by Emma Videan

A

s the new academic year rolls in, so does Freshers Week: one to two weeks at the beginning of the year with an emphasis on getting to know flatmates, coursemates and a new city while drinking heavily and spending nights at clubs. For some, there could be no better way to begin the academic year, but for others it is a time of peer pressure and trying to fit in with a drinking culture they are not used to.

Beginning the year with such an intense first week can be a real shock to the system, especially for new students, who for the majority have never lived away from home.

Being without parental supervision is an exciting experience for many freshers as it leaves students free to fend for themselves.

However, it also leaves them with the responsibility of controlling their alcohol intake and how much they decide to go out.

The difficulty can be that this sudden ability to do as they please can leave new students ill with ‘freshers flu’ and not feeling their best for their first lectures of the year. On average, 23% of students drink once a week and 29% drink two to three times a week while at university. With students drinking frequently - some 26% of students are getting drunk once a week and 15% getting drunk more than once a week - statistics suggest that the emphasis on alcohol might tempt students to spend these years partying rather than studying.

It is entirely possible to find a happy balance of work and play, but not all students are given the support and encouragement they need to find this balance. Information is available upon request from Cardiff University’s Student Support and Wellbeing or external guidance organisations, however, I believe it should be necessary for all students to be given more advice upon beginning university. More information is needed about the hours they should spend working and the importance of keeping an alert and clear mind ahead of their contact hours.

An important question remains about whether Freshers Week is too heavily emphasised on drinking. For non-drinkers, Freshers Week can be very daunting. Without being able to take part in the drinking

Freshers: Drinking to excess? Source: kaicho20 (via Pixabay) culture, fitting in and making friends can be challenging. During the first weeks of the year, it is common that different flats will hold pre-drinks and each night of the week will mean a different nightclub. Pre drinks and nightclubs can still be enjoyed without alcohol but the prospect of having to look after drunk friends and being one of the few sober people in the group is not always an appealing one.

For one period at university, I chose to not drink so that I was able to focus on my studies and fitness and it definitely was less appealing to go out with my friends in the evening as I knew that I would be the only one not drinking. While this was only a period of a few months, for those who choose to abstain permanently, it is completely understandable why Freshers Week might not be their idea of a good time. In the infographic, 8% of students surveyed had never drunk alcohol.

For 32% of the students that have never drunk alcohol, it was because of religious or cultural reasons. For these students and

others who do not drink it can be easy for them to become excluded from social situations and isolated, especially in first year with new flatmates.

It is for this reason, that the emphasis put on drinking, not only throughout Freshers Week but throughout university life should be addressed more. It can be challenging for non-drinkers to find their place, establish friendships and form early memories with the people that they are surrounded by and binge drinking can have negative health impacts on drinkers.

It could easily be argued that we are too far gone within the drinking culture to try and change the attitudes of the millions of people that go to university in the UK. However, there would be no harm in universities ensuring that there are evening activities available for students who do not wish to drink. For example, student halls could put on film nights in communal areas where people who might not want to go out to nightclubs can meet and bond over other interests.

Should universities offer alcohol free accommodation?

Contributors argue for and against the idea that universities should give prospective students the option of alcohol free or quieter accommodation when selecting first year housing.

by Ashavari Baral

W

hen I first moved to University in 2016, I imagined that University dorms would remind me of the ones I saw in movies - girls and boys in and out of each other’s rooms, loud music blaring from afar, the smell of testosterone and beer and a big pile of red solo cups outside everyone’s room (okay, maybe I watch too many American college chick flicks). However, when I arrived to Aberdare Hall, Cardiff University’s only all-girl accommodation, but living in quieter halls didn’t prove disappointing. Now, for starters I am not a quiet person in the least. I am probably the biggest people person you’d meet, but I liked the fact that my halls of residence were opposed to who I was.

The girls I lived with were more on the shy side and liked this world of serenity and peace away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I genuinely

think that quiet accommodation can do wonders for a student’s life - it doesn’t restrict them from going to the louder, more sociable accommodations and meeting people, and at the same time allows them to concentrate on settling in and focusing on their education. I wouldn’t think it stops you from experiencing the social aspect of university, as people in quieter accommodations could be more outgoing than you think. I met livewires at my halls that were amazing support systems when I left home. A quieter environment allows you to get to know your flat mates better, beyond the drunk faces you see at parties in louder accommodations.

Preferring the peace and quiet after a loud night at Revs or an exhausting day at lectures is exactly what the doctor ordered, and I did not regret it one bit. Maybe expanding your horizons in first year means adapting to your independence and your freedom, and the best way to do that is in a more peaceful setting.

I

by Ashley Boyle

personally think that not only is this an option that I wouldn’t prefer, but it’s unfeasible. Here at Cardiff, we are asked to make a list of 10 university halls in order of preference when applying for accommodation.

If a group of students have put busy Talybont at the top but are dealt quiet, nondrinking halls, does the university really think that their outlook of drinking culture at university will change?

Surely this idea only works on the premise that everyone within the building has the same attitude. But based on the fact that those who apply late or join Cardiff through clearing and are assigned these halls will not have these preferences, it’s not achievable. How will they enforce the

‘Alcohol Free’ rule? Bag searches at the door?

I also feel that alcohol is a definite ice breaker for freshers. It can be daunting not knowing anyone or anywhere, and having a drink (though not excessively) lets students open up and relax a bit more given the strange and new situation.

The people I met at my halls during freshers are still my housemates in third year and are now lifelong friends. In our first year we were spread out over Gordon Hall and had it not been for socialising in one of the kitchens having a drink (we had no other social space), I may well have missed the opportunity to get to know them all.

I haven’t got a really strong relationship with those on my course, so if not for my halls, perhaps I wouldn’t still be here.

SYLWADAU

To contact our comment desk, drop us an email at comment@gairrhydd.com

Lad culture

Harmless? Or a poisonous social construct?

by Samuel Capper

L

ad culture is a phenomenon that is rapidly growing, especially within universities, and one which has been increasingly debated in recent times. A report by the National Union of Students describes this subculture as “founded upon a trinity of ‘drinking, football and fucking’” and it’s not hard to see why. The hypermasculinity of ‘lad culture’ is often seen on university nights out, in bars, clubs, and even on the city streets.

Male-dominated sporting societies (e.g. football or rugby) frequently encourage aggressive masculinity amongst students and provide a platform for demonstrating dominant masculine traits, which carries over into society socials. At these socials, drinking games and ‘hazing’ are frequently engaged in, with alcohol consumption levels signifying who is deemed a ‘lad’.

Alcohol obviously has a significant role here, removing inhibitors and allowing inappropriate comments and actions to be made. The need to assert masculine dominance also leads many ‘lads’ to desire power over women, frequently through sexual conquest.

Perpetuated by online sites such as UNILAD and LADbible, ‘lad culture’ is fast becoming a dominant template for masculinity. Hedonistic and misogynistic behaviours are strongly encouraged by these sites, with sexist content and articles continuously propagated. UNILAD has published several such articles, one titled ‘How to Pull a Fresher’, noting them to be “especially vulnerable”.

The combination of univer-

sity subcultures and online platforms work together to create an environment of peer pressure like nothing before. Many men, as well as women, engage in such drinking games and participate in drunken sexual behaviour, at least partly out of fear of rejection by their peers.

In universities, especially during Freshers Week, the need to conform and fit in is huge, but this pressure fails to condone ‘laddish’ behaviour. Even those

who do not directly engage in such behaviour are a part of it.

Dismissing inappropriate comments as ‘just banter’ or turning the other cheek to sexual misconduct is just as poisonous as the culture itself.

‘Lad culture’ continues to expand rapidly, and as it does the pressure to conform grows exponentially. No longer ‘a bit of banter’, the poisonous subculture must be combatted now more than ever.

Is this the end of memes?

The open internet takes another knock with articles 11 and 13

by Emma Videan

O

n Wednesday 12 September, the EU’s Legislative Committee voted to adopt sweeping measures that will upend the internet as it is today. This was the first major update to European copyright law since 2001 and while for the majority it has been accepted, article 11 and 13 have been described as ‘disastrous’ by some of the most important figures in the technological world, including Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee. To give you a brief overview, article 11, known as the ‘link tax’, creates a new copyright rule for linking to news organisations and quoting text from stories. In theory, this has been designed to support public information providers by bringing users to their home pages.

However article 11 is very vague and details are to be decided upon by each of the 28 EU countries, thus creating 28 different laws. A huge issue with this is that only large organisations will be able to afford the licensing and so this law will be hugely damaging to smaller organisations.

Article 13 is equally problematic because it says that the top 20% of platforms will need to use a very strict system that finds any infringing material.

The system is a combination of an automatic system and a huge team of people that review the material and costs millions. An indication of how unpopular this is within the field is the fact that

League tables a useful tool or symbolic of elitism?

by Andrea Gaini

L

Lad culture: a poisonous epidemic in our universities?

last week 70 iconic figures in technology signed a letter opposing the article. The biggest issue here is the harm caused to freedom of speech and small businesses and that it gives further advantage to large companies that already monitor users heavily.

Both of these articles are vague in their wording and have been met with extreme criticism. In a social mediadominated world, these articles are damaging to even the most juvenile memes of the internet, such as those that use screenshots from films. Regulations such as these signal a major move towards the privatization of the internet.

Larger companies, such as Facebook and Google, are dominating the once ‘open’ internet because of their economic advantages.

Start up businesses are likely to find the internet a more daunting place, with the risk of being inundated with strict guidelines that could result in fines or lawsuits if not followed. New legislations run serious risk of damaging the music industry, as musicians who create remixes and mashups using the rule of fair use will no longer be able to do so without licensing. Users of SoundCloud will inevitably suffer from these articles that stifle creativity and free speech.

Even with recent GDPR regulations being implemented, it is becoming more difficult to use, create and grow platforms that are legal and stand a chance against the global brands that dominate

the internet.

More steps should be taken by those with legislative power to ensure that large companies don’t monopolize the

More steps should be taken by those with legislative power to ensure that large companies don’t monopolize the internet

internet and instead keep it as it was always supposed to be - a place for open debate, opinion spreading and most importantly for all voices to be expressed equally. It seems as though there is not enough understanding in governing bodies about the importance and modern use of the internet, which could very well be the reason why debates such as this are so heated. With an increasing number of legislations such as these surfacing, there will also be a need to educate young people about the laws of the world wide web as it becomes one of the most important tools we have.

Stifled: Will new EU laws curtail internet freedom? Source: Pixelkult (via Pixabay)

13

eague tables fall back into the ongoing cultural debate between appearance and what’s inside. Russell Group universities appear far better than other universities, not simply in the United Kingdom but worldwide.

Before coming to Cardiff from Italy I had never heard of the University of South Wales or Cardiff Metropolitan University, and looking at league tables I remember picking from the top 30 universities and forgetting about thousands of institutions proposing different courses or different approaches to teaching, simply because their score was not as high. But does it really matter what score universities have in the league tables?

Graduating from Cardiff University without having learned anything, but still managing to get a 2:1 will not help you become the experienced, intellectual alumni Cardiff claims to input in the world. Knowledge cannot be bought, and it cannot even come with good grades, or good league scores.

Knowledge comes from your curiosity and willingness to understand how things work, mostly for the sake of it.

Remembering Schopenhauer’s study on the ‘Veil of Maya’ will probably not come to hand while sending emails, nevertheless, it will expand your understanding of human thought, whether you approve the philosopher’s conception of life or not.

Despite this very philosophical approach to knowledge, we live in a society where appearance is almost always more important than content.

Therefore, league tables have become central to prospective students’ selection process of universities. Going to a higher rated university will almost certainly provide more life opportunities and better chances of getting a good job after graduating.

Success becomes the most important thing in life. Success in having a good job, success in having a beautiful family, success in living a ‘dream’ that is more defined by adverts than our minds. This socalled dream gives people the right to feel better than others because they studied in a ‘better’ institution or they have a ‘better’ job.

But success is not for everybody. Success is for the elite, for the best appearing ones.

League tables are just an instrument used to live the ‘dream’, and they fuel a society where living up to generational standards is the only thing that matters.

14

COMMENT

Pride for profit

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/comment

Is Pride-themed clothing a show of support or simply a profit-making scheme?

by Meg Sharma

P

ride has become increasingly prevalent in the past few years, with this year’s celebrations seeing some of biggest gatherings not only in attendance, but in visibility, fashion and celebrity presence. With Britney Spears headlining Brighton Pride, Pride in London receiving five years of funding, and the ever increasing popularity of drag queens, Pride has seen a marked turn in popularity.

This is in no way a bad thing; if people are supporting LGBTQ+ rights because they love RuPaul’s Drag Race, it’s still more people supporting the cause. However, Pride’s popularity has led to the release of clothing collections which are marketed directly towards the event, leaving us to wonder - is Pride just a quick profit-making scheme?

Having long been involved with Pride, looking for outfits for myself and friends to wear to the event has been a fun part of the process, which is why I was excited to see a Pridethemed collection on online retailer ‘Boohoo’. The campaign originally marketed its products as unisex, with slogans such as ‘End Gender’ ‘Love is Love’ ‘F**k Hate’ adorning t-shirts, jumpers, hats and even shorts. Most of the pictures feature a masculine and feminine person, in line with the

‘gender neutral’ element of the collection. I ordered an item, excited to wear it or gift it to a friend, however it arrived with a Mens label on it. I felt confused; I have no problem with wearing gendered clothing, but this was supposed to be genderless. For someone else, this could have caused gender dysphoria or a sense that this clothing wasn’t for them, despite it being clothing that celebrated ‘Pride’.

When I reached out to Boohoo, they said the collection was ‘his and hers’ with options for ‘male’ and ‘female’ body types. The website gives no such option. With these simple words, the collection defied the importance of Pride, excluding those who do not identify with the ‘his’ or ‘her’ label. Boohoo’s response shows that they hadn’t given the collection full thought, viewing Pride as a trend to capitalise on. Whilst the collection originally donated 10% of each purchase to charities ‘The Rainbow Fund’ and the ‘Terrence Higgins Fund’, there is no evidence of this on their website, meaning they may have stopped donations. There is no way to prove whether Boohoo released the collection with money on their minds, but with the CEO of BoohooMan.com commenting that the clothing is ‘for everyone’, they have definitely missed the mark.

It’s Scroll Free September

Pride: Pride-themed clothing - does it miss the point? Source: Pixabay It’s also no coincidence that ‘Rainbow Brights’ became a popular trend in June, with many clothing companies producing rainbow-striped garments, possibly as a subtle way of putting the gay flag on clothing. If you search for Pride clothing, many retailers such as Topshop and New Look display items of this nature some directly mentioning love or pride, others choosing what I would call the cowardly approach. It’s not necessary for companies to mention Pride, but it becomes easy to assume

that they are using the gay flag because they know people will buy it to wear at Pride. Some people may want these subtler garments, but should fast fashion retailers profit from this?

In some cases, it’s not up for speculation. PinkNews recently pointed out that some companies were manufacturing Pride Collections in countries where being homosexual is still a crime, meaning that workers were being forced to create clothing they could not wear without being

criminalised. Two companies to be found doing so, H&M and Levi’s, made donations, but a 10% donation doesn’t fix the problem or wipe their slate clean, and they still would have made a considerable profit.

Releasing collections or clothing for Pride is the first step, but showing they actually care for the cause is more important. Many Pride collections don’t raise awareness for the necessity of Pride, so profit simply off of the positive celebration of the event.

How we can all benefit from getting a bit less screen time...

by Jess Warren

W

e are coming to the end of the month, and nearing the end of ‘Scroll Free September’, a campaign launched by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) that aims to help people rediscover a balance between their life and social media usage.

If you’re anything like me, in the evening when I like to stick on a film or catch-up on Bake Off, I still find myself sat on the sofa scrolling through my phone.

Flicking from Instagram, to Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat and then back again to start the cycle.

I just can’t stop my hand from clinking on those glowing symbols with red notifications.

Scroll Free September has been created to help people take a break from their social media accounts, and is not just aimed at young people, but everybody.

Following on from RSPH’s #StatusOfMind report in 2017, the negative effects of social media were found to include anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, negative body image, poor sleep patterns and FOMO (the fear of missing out).

With so many of us uploading our every move onto social media, first in the form of snapchat stories, then Instagram stories, and maybe even a Facebook up-

date every now and again, we can always see what people are up to.

Whilst these platforms have revolutionised the way we communicate, connect with one another and share information, they can very easily become a constant cloud over our minds and overwhelm those that don’t think they’re having quite as much fun as others.

What is interesting about a lot of social media sites are that they become an echo chamber. They learn our browsing preferences and then provide us with related images or posts. They learn what we like and reproduce it, so much so, that we are no longer viewing reality.

Instead, it is a targeted algorithm, or indeed the collection of people you follow, and the similar attitudes and views they have to you, that cultivate what you see online.

It is thought that by taking a break from social media sites for a month, you can reflect on your personal consumption. What have you missed? What did you not miss so much, and why do you think that was? And how did you fill your time instead?

By taking a timeout from social media, we can reflect on its influence over our lives. What’s interesting about RSPH’s campaign is that they’ve put together five dif-

Time to stop scrolling: Do you spend too much time on your phone? Source: Mike MacKenzie (Via Flickr) ferent ways this could be tackled.

A brilliant way of eradicating the excuses as to why we can’t give up on social media, they’ve got a suggestion for everyone.

The biggest of tasks is the ‘cold turkey’, giving up all social media accounts for 30 days, then it gets progressively easier. The ‘social butterfly’ could aim to give

up the use of social media when they are out seeing friends and family, the ‘night owl’ could stop their social media consumption by 6pm each evening, the ‘busy bee’ would stop using these apps whilst they’re at work, and finally the ‘sleeping dog’ would stop using social media when they’re in their bedroom.

All of these different variations have been created to suit a range of individuals, and if you’re still curious about how much time you really spend on your phone, this month Apple released a new feature called ScreenTime which allows the user to monitor how much they’re using their phone, and to set limits.

COLOFN

To contact our comment desk, drop us an email at comment@gairrhydd.com

Karis Pearson

COLUMNROAD

15

What’s the beef with ‘Cultured Meat’?

W

ould you eat a burger grown in a Petri dish?

In 2013, the first person did, when Mark Post, the Dutch researcher, created the world’s first beef burger that was successfully grown in a Petri dish, from one tiny muscle cell. Since then, lab-grown or ‘cultured meat’ as it has come to be known, has developed and become far cheaper to produce and sell (approximately £1,992 cheaper in fact) making it far more likely to feature in our food future.

According to people who have tasted the lab-grown burger, it is uncanny to the real thing, which is brilliant news for those who miss the taste and texture of meat products but avoid them for moral and ethical reasons.

However, most people don’t like to be to be told what they can and cannot eat, and the idea that their meat might eventually be grown in a dish rather than in a field (or in most cases, a factory farm) doesn’t please everyone.

I was vegetarian for about three years before recently going vegan and I speak to plenty of people who just don’t get why, as a veggie, you’d want to eat a fake meat meal. Back home, I recently visited my aunt and uncle, and after an afternoon of catching up I ended up staying for dinner. I’d bought my own food just in case – a contingency you get used to once you go vegan. When it was all cooked and plated up my uncle looked from me to my Linda McCartney sausages, his expression confused.

“I just don’t understand. Why would you want to eat something that looks and tastes like meat? You don’t want to eat meat.”

It’s frustrating. The consensus seems

to be that vegans who eat fake meat aren’t being very good vegans. It’s not the shape of the sausages that offends me. I’m not put off by how meat tastes, I ate it for 18 years quite happily (and ignorantly). With that being said, I recently tried a mock meat burger at a new eatery in Cardiff that tasted disturbingly similar to a Big Mac, and not in a good way (if there is such a thing).

But no, I don’t object to foods which liken themselves to meat but are not, because my issue with meat is the treatment of the animal that was killed for its meat; how its production affects the environment; and what it will do to my body if I eat it.

Vegans who eat fake meat aren’t being very good vegans The brilliant thing about cultured meat, is that it would have none of the impacts on animal welfare or the environment but would taste the same.

Hence why in many ways, if cultured meat were to become mainstream, it would be the better choice. Cultured meat can be produced with up to 96% less greenhouse gas emissions than regular meat, making it a much more environmentally sound food source. Unfortunately, one thing that is not guaranteed at this point is an increased health benefit of cultured meat that you get in soya-based protein products, like Linda McCartney

products, which currently dominate the veggie food market. Linda’s contains less unhealthy saturated fat than real meat, which contributes to many cardiovascular issues.

Unsurprisingly, the innovations in cultured meat have been pretty well received by animal rights groups, including PETA. Decoupling meattasting products from the violence of the livestock industry will have positive consequences for the welfare of animals, as rather than facing slaughter only a small amount of their muscle tissue (taken without harming the animal) will be needed to produce food that tastes the same. Last year, San Francisco-based food technology company Memphis Meats developed various other ‘meat’ products, including chicken and duck. The PETA website has referred to the US company’s southern fried chicken as “The Chicken Tender That’s Tender To Chickens”.

However, despite all the hype, not everyone is as excited about these innovations in cultured meat. BBC Two’s Victoria Derbyshire recently debated this topic on her show, with Elisa Allen, a member of PETA and Nick Allen (sadly of no relation, as I imagine that would’ve led to some titillating chat round the family dinner table), Head of the British Meat Processors Association. Nick Allen expressed concern that the “beautiful patchwork of countryside” blanketing much of the UK would disappear if farming were to be replaced by lab-grown meat. Huh. I find his concerns about the potential neglect of the UK’s beautiful patches of greenery and wildlife intensely frustrating. As it stands, meat consumption worldwide is predicted to increase, and so will

Does ‘cultured meat’ benefit animal welfare?

Source: Jeroen van Luin (via flickr). carbon emissions, leaving biodiversity under threat. Never mind the deforestation of tropical rainforests in the pursuit of beef, so long as Nick Allen can still drive around the Somerset countryside and marvel at a few fields of cows and sheep.

‘Natural’ is used loosely in the meat and dairy industry.

For many people the thought that their dinner is being scientifically created rather than naturally grown may be unappealing. Personally, I don’t agree. The term ‘natural’ is used dangerously loosely within the meat and dairy industry and it is overlooked by those criticising the lab-grown product that plenty of products assumed to be ‘natural’ in UK supermarkets are pumped full of antibiotics in order to make them safe for consumers to eat.

The reality of animal agriculture is often far from the picturesque country farmyard the meat industry would have us all believe.

If cultured meat really takes off it could come to be a regular fixture on the dinner table in the years to come. If this is the case, we’ll likely find it being sold more casually in restaurants and fast-food places too. This is good news all round, as what holds many people back from cutting down on their meat consumption is convenience, and seeing cultured meat come to places like

McDonald’s (which is obviously a heck of a long way off ) would change the game.

Now for the shameless veg plug.

With convenience dominating many of our food choices, one of the best times to break the cycle and give going meat-free a try is when coming to university. Hear me out, going veggie or vegan doesn’t have to mean spending loads of money or getting really into kale. I’m not obsessed with yoga or turmeric and trust me, I still eat plenty of chips. Cardiff has a pretty good veggie/vegan scene, so your food doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to go shopping around hippie health food stores either. Tesco has recently broadened its range to include all sorts of fake meats, cheeses and ice cream (try the vegan Cornetto), but obviously, if you’re happy with lentils and veggies, you can buy those just about anywhere!.

Plenty of students come to uni having never cooked their own meals before and if that’s you, you might find cutting back on meat (not necessarily cutting it out) is both the cheaper and easier way to go. It also saves you having to ask your house mates to come and have a look at your chicken breasts to reassure you that you’re not about to get Salmonella. You can’t get much more convenient than that.

Your comment desk Alys Hewitt Hannah Newberry Emma Videan Columnist Karis Pearson comment@gairrhydd.com

POLITICS

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Welsh politicians in the spotlight

From the First Minister to a controversial party leader: those you need to know Leanne Wood

by Jack Hudson

Carwyn Jones The current First Minister of Wales and the third Labour politician to lead the Welsh government since its creation.

However, there will soon be a fourth, as before the end of the year Jones will be replaced by the winner of the Welsh Labour leadership contest that is currently taking place. Having been the First Minister since 2009, Jones has been a constant figure in a changing political landscape and has generally avoided controversy. His resignation, however, comes in the context of a scandal following the death of former minister Carl Sargent.

The inquiry into Jones’ actions is still ongoing.

She might be the only name from this list you recognise as the woman who spoke for Plaid Cymru in the general election debates in 2015 and 2017. Despite having a public profile perhaps greater than the First Minister’s, her influence in Welsh politics does not match this, as her party currently has fewer seats than the Welsh Conservatives in the Assembly. Her election as leader of Plaid Cymru in 2012 was a shock to the party as she was seen as an outsider from the left of the party. She is currently fighting a leadership challenge. Wood’s position reflects Jeremy Corbyn’s in the 2016 Labour leadership election: she does not have much support from her MP’s and AM’s, but has a strong chance of retaining her position because of support among party members. The winner will be announced on 28 September. If she does overcome this challenge, it is her stated aim to become First Minister in 2021; otherwise, she has promised to resign.

Paul Davies

Gareth Bennett

He became leader of the Welsh Conservative Party in the National Assembly this month, succeeding Andrew R. T. Davies.

He won the contest with 68.1% of the vote. Having been deputy leader since 2011, he is believed to have avoided the controversies brought by the previous leader who was an ardent Brexiteer. Paul Davies on the other hand backed Remain, though is now committed to seeing Brexit through and has been described as a “man in a beige suit” (in other words, very boring).

He was elected as leader of Welsh UKIP in August and is a controversial figure even within the party. In 2016, he blamed Cardiff ’s uncollected rubbish problem on students and Eastern European migrants. Recently he has backed Boris Johnson’s comments on the burqa, has said that transgender rights could lead to the ‘implosion’ of society and is under investigation for allegedly spending £9,000 of public money on an office that never opened.

Alun Cairns

Mark Drakeford

He is the MP for the Vale of Glamorgan and has been Secretary of State for Wales in the United Kingdom Government since 2016.

He is responsible for the abolition of the Severn Bridge tolls and its renaming to the ‘Prince of Wales Bridge’. Cairns was accused of bringing down the previous Welsh Conservative leader, Andrew R.T. Davies, in what was called a ‘coup’ from Westminster. Most recently, he announced the scrapping of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project which drew ire from Welsh nationalists.

Currently the frontrunner in the Welsh Labour race to replace Carwyn Jones as First Minister. He has the backing of Momentum, the pro-Corbyn group, and would likely be a very different First Minister for Wales to the three who have come before him. He currently serves as Finance and Local Government Secretary, after leaving the Health and Social Services portfolio in May 2016.

The Welsh Assembly Your devolved parliament

by Wiliam Rees

T

he National Assembly for Wales is a devolved parliament in charge of legislating and varying taxes in Wales.

It was created in 1999, following the 1997 referendum on the creation of an assembly with powers separate from Westminster. This meant that Wales would have its own legislature to form its own laws and enact policies in devolved areas. Since then, the nature of the Welsh Assembly has changed drastically, having been given more powers following another successful referendum in 2011.

It is extremely important to make the distinction clear between the Welsh Assembly and the Welsh Government. The Assembly’s website states that it is “the democratically elected body that represents the interests of

Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales, agrees Welsh taxes and holds the Welsh Government to account”. The highest authority within the Assembly is the Llywydd, who chairs all the meetings, similarly to the Speaker in Westminster. The current Llywydd is Elin Jones AM, who represents Ceredigion.

On the other hand, the Welsh Government is the devolved government for Wales. ​It is formed after an election and made up from a single party or a coalition. It proposes laws on subjects (such as education, health, and the environment) and delivers policies. The leader of the Welsh Government is referred to as the First Minister, a post currently held by the AM for Bridgend, Carwyn Jones.

Unlike elections to Westminster, members of the Welsh Assembly are elected via a semiproportional electoral system known as an

The Senedd The building opened in 2006 and cost a total of £69.6 milion.

Source: Wikimedia

“Additional Members System”. This means that alongside the 40 Constituency AMs elected via First Past the Post (FPTP), there are 20 Additional Members elected via a regional list across Wales’ five different electoral regions. This is to make up for any disproportionalities that occur as a result of FPTP. In the most recent Assembly elections in 2016, Welsh Labour won 29 seats, Plaid Cymru 12, Welsh Conservatives 11, Welsh UKIP seven and the Welsh Liberal Democrats one. Since then, due to numerous clashes within the different

political groups, there are now 12 Conservatives, 10 Plaid Cymru and five UKIP. There are also three independents, one of which – Dafydd Elis-Thomas, AM for Dwyfor Meirionydd – has agreed to work with Welsh Labour alongside the sole Liberal Democrat, Kirsty Williams, to give the government a slim majority of two seats.

Despite the next election being three years away (2021), Welsh politics has been heating up over the summer as all the party groups began to undertake leadership elections.

To contact our politics desk, drop us an email at politics@gairrhydd.com

GWLEIDYDDIAETH 17

Interview with Stephen Doughty MP

“I’m proudly British, proudly Welsh and proudly European”

by Rhys Thomas

S

isyphus is a character from Greek mythology who was punished for eternity, being made to roll a boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down again when nearing the summit. Stephen Doughty’s choice of three key political battles this year - a second referendum on Brexit, wiping out anti-semitism in the Labour Party and backing Vaughan Gething for Welsh Labour leader could hardly be described as taking the easy route.

We started with Brexit. He is an ardent proponent of the campaign for a ‘People’s Vote’, a second referendum on membership of the European Union.

“I’ve long-term been a sceptic of Brexit. I voted Remain and my constituency voted Remain. Nothing has convinced me otherwise since the original referendum, and I think the facts have become clearer as we learn more about the lies that were told.”

Doughty’s criticisms come despite having actually voted to hold a referendum on European membership back in June 2015. Why did he not vote against a referendum then? “I voted for the referendum by pressure from the whips at the time that we needed to have one. I personally tried to put amendments through about extending the voting age to 16, making sure that EU citizens could vote.

I think we should have always had a two-thirds majority built in to it, as we’ve had in some previous referendums.”

Labour frontbencher Barry Gardiner warned of civil disobedience if another referendum was held, but Doughty is not convinced. “We may end up with more trouble if people who felt that they were going to have a magical solution to their problems, which is what they were actually promised by the lies of Nigel Farage, then find out that not only is their own job put at risk, they’re actually poorer, there’s more austerity and there’s instability in the economy and society. That’s actually a bigger recipe for challenges and problems in our society, rather than going through with something extremely challenging.”

The vast majority of people I have ever met who voted Leave did not vote that way because of the European Union “The vast majority of people I have ever met who voted Leave did not vote that way because of the European Union or specific things about it. There were three reasons – firstly the concerns about migration and the way it’s handled, secondly concerns about feeling left behind and feeling disengaged from the economy and society, thirdly for some people it was simply a protest vote for people who wanted to give a bloody nose to the Cameron Government with austerity and everything else that was going on. We need to understand those complex reasons, and if we don’t have answers to those questions then we’ll get into some serious issues in the future, but I think there are answers to those questions and the answers will not be given by leaving.”

Labour’s annual conference started this week in Liverpool - Doughty and others have been pushing for a vote of delegates at conference, but the leadership have been resisting. “I’m hopeful that it will be on the agenda. I certainly hope there’ll be a vote on a People’s Vote. I believe over one-hundred constituency parties have put forward what’s called a ‘contemporary motion’. We have trade unions that have shifted position. There’s a huge shift going on in the Labour Party and an overwhelming number

of members and voters favour a People’s Vote”.

Brexit has no doubt consumed party and country, but anti-Semitism is firmly Labour’s burden.

The party’s summer has seen a whirlwind of antiSemitism, allegations and denials. It finished with the grudging adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition (with a Corbyn-approved caveat). Doughty was “deeply disappointed with the way it was handled. There is no place for anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, discrimination of any sort within the Labour Party either today or historically – we’ve been a party that’s fought racism, anti-Semitism and inequality, and that has to be one of our basic principles. I’m deeply frustrated that some in the party felt unable to agree to what is a fairly straightforward IHRA definition that is used by everyone from the Welsh Government to the Police to our sister party, the Co-operative Party.”

His message for IHRA opponents inside the party is “I believe in a secure Israel and a secure Palestine. My focus has always been on the civilians living on both sides of that conflict who suffer the consequences. I’ve been perfectly free to speak out on those issues, I’ve never felt stymied by that and I don’t see why the definition would prevent you from speaking out. Unfortunately, there are individuals who have other viewpoints who are worried that this would restrict what they can say – in that case you should think if you should be saying those things in the first place.”

Many blame Jeremy Corbyn, including veteran Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge who called him a “racist and anti-Semite.” Doughty rejects that, but stressed his “zero tolerance” approach to antiSemitism. “I don’t think Jeremy is an anti-Semite.

I think he has said some very unhelpful things on the issue. He has made very clear he is against antiSemitism in the party and he gave a very passionate speech to the Parliamentary Labour Party this week saying that. The issue is you’ve got to look at deeds not words and there are individuals who believe that they are acting in Jeremy’s name who have been anti-Semitic and have used anti-Semitic language, tropes and other imagery. There are definitely individuals in the Labour Party who think this is acceptable. Not just in around the issue of Israel/Palestine, but in terms of wider conspiracy mindset about Jews controlling the world economy or society. That is deeply disturbing.”

The Jewish community disagrees. A Jewish Chronicle poll stated that 86% of British Jews believe Jeremy Corbyn to be an anti-Semite. “It is clear that they feel very dismayed and often disgusted by what they have seen. Whatever comes out of this

crisis, the first thing we have to do is regain the trust of the Jewish community, because the Labour Party has a strong Jewish tradition within it. A lot of damage has already been done because of the failure to quickly adopt the IHRA definition. Now that’s been done, I hope that draws a line under that issue, but the party is going to have to go much further,” citing the significant backlog of anti-Semitism claims against members that the party is failing to investigate.

Doughty dismissed suggestions of resigning the whip or forming a new breakaway party. “I’ve served as an activist, member, candidate and Member of Parliament under many different leaders and regimes. There have been controversies and crises of various sorts throughout the history of the Labour Party. I have never felt the need to resign and nor do I intend to do so. I would rather stand firm in the principles I believe in, and actually we have a duty to the Jewish members, Members of Parliament and councillors in the party to speak up in solidarity with them.”

Three of the Welsh parties are electing new leaders. I asked Doughty about his thoughts on the opposition. Firstly, Plaid Cymru. “We’ve got common ground when it comes to causes around social justice, equality, Brexit, the environment, the importance of the Welsh language, devolution – but obviously we disagree on a fundamental issue which is independence. I would be deeply concerned to see a Plaid leader who was willing to countenance a deal with the Tories or UKIP and I think that Plaid leadership candidates need to make clear where they stand on that.”

We have a duty to the Jewish members, Members of Parliament and councillors in the Party to speak up in solidarity

On the Welsh Conservatives and their new leader? “Who is Paul Davies? The Tories have a real job to explain how they differ in any way from their UK Government and you can either represent Wales or you represent a UK Government still delivering austerity and not giving Wales its fair share of funding.”

His harshest criticism was saved for UKIP, who have also elected a new leader in Gareth Bennett.

“UKIP in Wales are a joke. How many leadership contests, internal fights? Gareth has unfortunately expressed some extremely unpleasant views, what I believe to be racist, transphobic, sexist views.”

Now it’s Welsh Labour’s turn to join the leadership merry-go-round. First Minister Carwyn Jones is stepping down in December, and the race looks like a straight shootout between Mark Drakeford, “who would be an excellent First Minister,” and Vaughan Gething – Doughty’s constituency equivalent in the Welsh Assembly and the man he is backing for leader. “We need to move to a new generation of leadership in the Assembly. If you’re going to reinvigorate and regenerate in office and win a next election, you need to have new ideas and fresh faces.

Vaughan’s done a great job in the health service.

Defending it in the face of vicious attacks from Conservatives at Westminster whilst retaining it as a public proper NHS in the tradition of Nye Bevan. He’s taken the most pro-European position which is very much in Wales’ interests. Both as an employment lawyer and former President of the TUC in Wales, he understands the realities of Wales’ industries of manufacturing, of hightech and of working people across of country – and wouldn’t it be fantastic to have the first BME First Minister of Wales!”

This week’s Labour Conference is the next battle in what has been a lengthy war for Doughty and his allies. With battle lines drawn, he is firmly on the wrong side of the Party leadership but won’t be fazed by the daunting challenge facing him. Doughty is admirable in keeping his affable and engaging manner - and unlike the unfortunate Sisyphus, he’ll be hoping to keep this boulder at the top of the hill.

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Is Europe turning (politically) black?

In the past years, right-wing populism has grown increasingly popular. It has affected traditional parties across the continent, many of which now risk dangerous secessions.

by Silvia Martelli

E

urope is undergoing a deep political mutation that 10 years ago was unimaginable.

Back in 2008, most European countries had governments which were either left-wing or centre-left. But in more recent years, the continent’s political map has turned increasingly ‘black’ as the result of an overflow of populists and sovereignists whose spread has been largely unstoppable. The results of the Swedish elections are the latest and most obvious evidence of this phenomenon.

The ‘old’ continent In 2008 (see map above), the majority of European governments leaned towards the left side of the political spectrum. In the United Kingdom, Labour were in Government with Gordon Brown succeeding Tony Blair the year before. France was ruled by the Union for a Popular Movement, but in 2012 were replaced by François Hollande’s Socialist Party. Similarly, Spain was governed by the Socialists’ Workers Party, and Italy was led by the Democratic Party of Romano Prodi; later on during that same year, Silvio Berlusconi was elected, signalling a shift towards the right in Italian politics. The Swedish Social Democrats, the biggest party in every election since 1914, had once again received the majority of the votes.

Austria, Slovakia and Hungary were no exception to this left-wing trend.

and chances are that the next European elections may see a populist coalition taking over European People’s Party group (EPP) and the Party of the European Socialists (PES), the first and second largest groups respectively within the European Parliament.

The metamorphosis of traditional parties is even more evident within those aligned to the centreright. In the UK for example, the Brexit result has deepened splits within the Conservative Party and

has seen an increased mirroring of UKIP’s populist rhetoric. Following the Italian elections which occurred last March, the centre-right party Forza Italia has grown ever closer to the far-right party Lega Nord. In Germany, Bavarian members of the Christian Social Union (CSU) have openly become competitors to their traditional allies, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), and even the Spanish party Ciudadanos has abandoned many of its

centrist ideologies and opted for a more right-wing approach.

The issue at stake is that democratic and pro-European establishments seem trapped within an outdated logics that right-wing populism has well overtook.

And the consequence is that, during next year’s European elections, the far-right agenda may be even more prevalent.

Populist, Sovereignist, Far-Right Centre-Right Moderate Centre-Right Centre-Left, Left, Green

The spread of right-wing populism The European geopolitical landscape has heavily transformed since then. The 2008 financial crisis led to wide spread economic alienation which was quickly met with political dissatisfaction towards what was increasingly perceived as a helpless Establishment.

Right-wing populism began to spread and kept doing so consistently as ideologies such as nationalism and nativism grew increasingly popular. It is often argued that this successful spread was the direct consequence of the people’s disappointment with left-wing governments that repeatedly failed to address issues such as immigration, whereas populism was able to offer more straightforward answers for it.

As a result, during the previous French elections, the president of the National Front, Marine Le Pen, made it to the second round. In Germany, Alternative for Germany (AfD, a far right-wing party) is growing increasingly popular and for the first time has entered the Parliament. In Austria, the junior coalition partner Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) is managing to impose its political agenda upon the ruling Austrian People’s Party (OVP), similarly to how the Italian Lega is hegemonising the government led by the Five Star Movement.

In Sweden, a country traditionally left-wing and welcoming towards immigrants, we saw a populist nationalist party winning 17.7% of the vote in the latest elections.

How traditional parties are being affected The rise in right-wing support across the continent is mirrored by a transformation in traditional parties. Socialists and social-democrats are retreating (with the exception of Spain and Portugal)

The Two Europes In the top corner, the political map of the continent in 2008. Above, 2018

GWLEIDYDDIAETH 19

To contact our politics desk, drop us an email at politics@gairrhydd.com

What’s on in politics?

Elections, referendums and more

Labour Party Annual Conference September 23 This will facilitate a discussion on whether Labour will back a new general election or a fresh public vote on the final Brexit deal; Corbyn is under increasing pressure to take a stance.

Macedonian Referendum September 30 A vote on changing the name of Macedonia to the Republic of North Maceedonia, which would increase chance of the state becoming a member of the EU and NATO.

Welsh Labour Party leadership election Date TBD

US Midterm Elections November 6 These elections are the first chance for US voters to pass a nationwide judgment on Trump’s administration. It is anticipated that the Democrats will see a wave of seats being won, and if they win control of the House, they can better challenge Trump’s legislative agenda and even start impeachment proceedings.

This will see Wales get a new First Minister, as Carwyn Jones, the current Welsh Labour leader and FM, is standing down in Autumn. The candidates for leadership are Mark Drakeford and Vaughan Gething, with Eluned Morgan a possible late addition.

G20 Summit November 30th December 1st Held in Buenos Aires.

September 2018

June 2019

Conservative Party Annual Conference September 30 The main focus of this event will be Brexit, where it is anticipated that up to 80 MPs will reject Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit proposal. The mood is expected to be gloomy for May, especially with Boris Johnson on the march!

European Parliament Elections May 23

Final Brexit Summit December 13-14

Brazilian general election October 7

Brexit Summit October 17-18 This is the deadline for reaching an agreement with the EU on the final Brexit deal. If this fails, an emergency EU summit will be held in November, but some fear time will be running out to make a deal possible.

If the UK and the EU do not reach an agreement in the first summit but later decide they would like to form a deal, this is most likely their final chance to do so.

Citizens in all 27 EU member states will elect 705 MEPs to form the new House. Jean-Claude Juncker is not campaigning for a second term as President.

Michel Barnier, the European Chief Negotiator, is a probable strong contender.

The UK formally leaves the EU March 29 This date is exactly two years since Theresa May invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, triggering the process of leaving the EU. If no deal has been made, the UK will fall back onto World Trade Organisation rules.

Cardiff’s Political Party Societies

Cardiff University Conservatives The Cardiff University Conservative Society boasts it has campaigned in multiple elections and has had former members stand as candidates for Cardiff City Council with Joel Williams winning his seat.

“Cardiff University Conservatives are the largest centre-right political society in Wales, having stood members for election throughout the city. Our members value principles such as freedom of speech and fairness, meaning we have a broad range of people involved.”

– Callum Sloper, President.

Upcoming events September 27th: The Haguethon, a political-themed Cathays bar crawl.

Date TBD: A talk by MP David T.C. Davies.

Looking to get involved? More information can be found on their Facebook page, Twitter profile (@CardiffUniCons), or find them at the societies fair on September 26th!

Plaid Ifanc Prifysgol Caerdydd

Plaid Ifanc Cardiff University is proud to be fighting for Welsh independence and social justice, and is open to accepting all as new members.

“Plaid Ifanc stands for creating a fair and socially just society within an independent Wales, free form the shackles of Westminster. If you agree with us – join us!”

– Wiliam Rees, President.

Upcoming events October 2nd: A talk by Dr Daniel Evans.

October 12th: A screening of Good Bye, Lenin!

October 24th: Cathays Bar Crawl Looking to get involved? More details can be found on their Facebook page Plaid Ifanc Cardiff University.

Cardiff University Labour

Students

Cardiff University Labour Students boasts being the university’s biggest political party society, where members can meet highprofile politicians such as Jeremy Corbyn, Tom Watson and Carwyn Jones.

They also work with the wider Labour Party, getting involved in campaigns and taking part in Young Labour and Welsh Labour conferences.

“Joining our society is a fantastic way for students to meet likeminded people and form close friendships whilst actively campaigning for the Labour Party!”

– Hannah McCarthy, President.

Upcoming events September 25th: A tour of the Senedd and lunch with Cardiff Central’s AM, Jenny Rathbone.

September 27th: “Paint the Town Red”, a Cathays bar crawl.

Looking to get involved? More information can be found on their social media accounts.

Facebook: @CardiffUniversityLabourStudents. Twitter: @ LSCaerdydd. Instagram: @CardiffLabourStudents. Email: LabourStudents@Cardiff.ac.uk

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POLITICS

What they have said...

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The Donald’s hot summer

There is an ever-growing chorus crying out for the first successful impeachment of a sitting president. But Trump so far holds strong

by Sam Tilley

‘‘A lot of our neighbors envy the excellence of our health care system. We are attached to our model which associates hospital medicine — public and private — and private medical practice.

My ambition is clear: I want what we call the health care system to be one of the pillars of the welfare state of the 21st century. A health care system that prevents and protects against today’s and tomorrow’s Emmanuel Macron 18/09/2018 The French President following struggles of the health care system with increasing costs and lack of doctors in rural region and poor neighborhoods.

‘‘Today is a happy day because our leader will be released from jail. We are thankful to Allah.

This verdict from the anti-corruption court... it was clear that there was no corruption proved against Nawaz Sharif. Hopefully, we will show that there is nothing to this case.’’

T

o say that Donald Trump enjoyed a tumultuous summer would probably be an understatement. Anyone inside his administration hoping for a quiet couple of months quickly found themselves embroiled with talks of treason, trade wars and, for the first time since the days of George W. Bush, the possibility of American diplomatic isolation on the world’s biggest stages.

The overarching theme of Trump’s government is “America First”, and just in case anyone was in any doubt over just how far Trump would go to achieve his most prized objective, this summer has certainly laid these reservations to bed.

Unprecedented tariffs levied against both the EU and China have led to many political and economic observers calling for cooler heads to prevail, but if Trump can weather the international condemnation he received after withdrawing from the Paris climate change agreement, the opinions of comparatively few won’t force him to double back on the domestically-popular policy.

Arguably, the biggest revelation to hit the White House this summer didn’t come from Moscow or Berlin or Washington, but instead from within. The publishing of an anonymous op-ed by The New York Times subtly entitled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration” brought the President’s worst fear to light; the idea that one of his chosen senior officials could possibly betray his government.

YUGE! Trump’s problems have gotten bigger, but he doesn’t seem too worried. Source: Wikimedia the little-known 25th Amendment; a procedure to remove a President by a simple majority of his executive cabinet and, most crucially, the Vice-President. The fact that current Vice President Mike Pence is heavily rumored to have authored the anonymous article has no doubt left the President feeling very isolated indeed.

With Donald Trump now facing isolation on both the domestic and international stages, there are sure to be questions over how sustainable his policies are and, more importantly, just how efficiently he can

I

n July, Theresa May invited her cabinet to Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence, to agree on a Brexit proposal. The trip glowed with a sense of optimism that they “will agree on a Brexit stance”, which was true. They agreed on a soft deal with a “common rule book” for trade and a “combined customs territory”, but the PM was criticised

by MPs favouring a hard Brexit for “picking a side”.

Soon came the resignations of David Davis, Brexit Secretary, and Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary, both dissatisfied with the trade deal.

Dominic Raab and Jeremy Hunt became the new Brexit and Foreign Secretaries respectively, and cabinet tensions were alleviated.

“Why does the trade deal matter?”

Hamza Shehbaz 19/09/2018 Nawaz Sharif’s nephew after the release of former pakistanian Prime Minister. Last July Sharif was sentenced to ten years for corruption.

Your politics desk

politics@gairrhydd.com

that no matter what happens during the final 18 months of Trump’s first term as President, he will not go down without a fight.

President non Grata?

Trump has often been regarded as an unwanted burden when it comes to public, and private, ceremonies and events.

Events he has politely been asked to distance himself from include the funerals of Barbara Bush and John McCain, as well as the Royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

After a tumultuous summer, here’s our guide to Brexit.

by Charlotte King

Charlotte King Silvia Martelli Rhys Thomas Sam Tilley

enact them.

One thing analysts can agree on is

Brexit: Where are we now?

Vladimir Putin 18/09/2018 The Russian President after a metting at the Kremlin with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

‘‘Hungary is undoubtedly one of our key partners in Europe.

Relations are developing in practically every direction.’’

This would have been exemplified by talk within the op-ed of invoking

Chequers: The country house where May attemtpted to reach an agreement with cabinet ministers. Source: Wikimedia Commons

some might ask. Our economic relationship with the EU is important because it determines the nature of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

MPs supporting a soft deal argue that a hard deal will cause tension between the two nations.

Regardless, when the Chequers deal was assessed by the EU it was rejected. Michel Barnier, the EU’s Chief Negotiator, says applying the rules of the customs union to a nonmember state is legally impossible.

So, the deal was instantly a no-go.

This left many feeling deflated, and talks began of what happens if we leave the EU with no deal at all. The UK will fall back onto World Trade Organisation rules, which will see customs checks and tariffs on goods, amongst other changes. The PM says this “wouldn’t be the end of the world”.

In August, parliament went on recess. The People’s Vote campaign emerged calling for the people to get a vote on the final Brexit deal, but the PM quickly nipped that in the bud. As it stands, only parliament

will vote on the final deal, whatever that may be. As August ended, May travelled to Africa, visiting South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya in search of trade links to reinforce the UK’s ties outside of the EU, giving us more trade options once we leave.

September arrives, and parliament is back in session. May stands by the Chequers deal, stating she is unwilling to compromise. But, as Barnier “strongly opposes” the proposal, so what’s the next move?

At the Conservative party conference this month, it is estimated up to 80 MPs will vote against the trade deal. Some say a “catastrophic split” within the party is looming as May faces increasing pressure to take a harder stance on Brexit.

So to summarise, the PM still backs the Chequers deal but the EU are standing firmly against it. Raab and Barnier believe an agreement can be made within the next eight weeks, but dissatisfied Brexiteers have begun discussing challenging the PM’s leadership. The road ahead is rough, as there appears to be no clear path to a Brexit deal as of yet.

22

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How to avoid an STI this freshers The simple steps to help care for your sexual health Sexual Health

What you need to know

SHAG

free

Cardiff’s weekly sexual health drop in session.

Pick up your condoms, lube and other essentials every Wednesday from September 26.

Last minute freebies when

you’ve pulled There are condom dispensers around the SU. Rock up, grab as many as you see fit and you’re on your way.

Most conveniently, there’s one by reception desk on the

2nd floor

, perfectly placed for when you’re caught short on your way out of a club night.

If in doubt, check it out If you have any concerns or doubts about any symptoms, get it checked out.

Your first port of call should be

Cardiff’s Department of Sexual Health.

by Katie Lewis

F

or a lot of freshers, this first week is jam-packed with fresher’s events, house parties and nights out. During these situations you’ll meet lots of new people, and with some you may well go on to have sexual relations with. Don’t worry, I’m not going to lecture you as I’m sure you are a responsible bunch of people. However, your sexual health is very important and with a few tips you can hopefully avoid any mishaps.

If you have queries about sexual health, or just fancy a bit of a recap on information, Cardiff University have a Sexual Health Awareness Group, aptly named SHAG. SHAG are run by student volunteers and deliver helpful information on sexual health. They have placed two dispensers providing free condoms, one in the SU reception and one in the Heath IV lounge. They also run a C-card drop in session on Wednesdays 1pm- 3pm in room 3D in the SU, where you can get free condoms of assorted types and sizes. As you may know, condoms are around 98% effective, and now you know that they’re free, you’d be silly not to grab some.

Most of you will have signed up with a local GP surgery if you moved into halls this year, and this is important because they can help if you are uncertain about whether or not you have an STI. If you do spot any symptoms, or feel worried after having sex without a condom, act quickly and pay a visit to the sexual health clinic or your GP to seek treatment.

During the blur of fresher’s week, you may feel in the spirit of trying new things, but unsafe sex shouldn’t

For opening times and any queries, call 029 2033 5208

Welfare

Give It A Go Sessions Shag Drop in September 26 | 13:00 SHAG@cardiff.ac.uk

Nightline Volunteer Info Session October 4 | 17:00 info@cardiffnightline.co.uk

Mindfulness Taster Workshop October 3 | 11:00 studentsupportworkshops@ cardiff.ac.uk

be one of them. Make sure that you don’t do anything that you think might be unsafe or risk your sexual health. Don’t be afraid to question your sexual partners, especially if it’s casual sex and there are possibly other people in the picture. You have look out for your welfare, so have a conversation with them about staying safe and not spreading infection.

A really crucial piece of advice is to pop into a sexual health clinic prior to any sexual activity and to get tested. Even if you think you’re probably clear, it’s best to double check first as you could unknowingly have an STI and infect a sexual partner. The NHS recommends that people don’t have sex, including oral sex, until they have been given the all clear from a

health professional. Many STI’s have no symptoms at all, and the infection can stay undetected.

You want to end fresher’s with a bang, but not an STI, so stay safe.

Have fun but take care of yourself this Freshers!

Thriving in a long distance relationship

by Alys Jones

Cardiff Royal Infirmary Newport Rd, Cardiff CF24 0SZ

From a fun night to a GP’s bed: Don’t risk your sexual health and ruin the fun of freshers week. Source: Martha Dominguez de Gouveia.

T

here’s a strange preconception about long distance relationships, especially when you tell someone about your significant other during freshers.

It’s the idea that long distance relationships don’t work while you’re in university because one of you will cheat eventually, or the distance will be too difficult, or you need be single to ‘get out there’ and ‘meet new people’. In my experience, none of this is true.

I’d been in a relationship for just over a month when I started university. It was my first relationship, we were opposite ends of the country, about a five-hour train journey apart. All the signs of a relationship doomed to fail, right? Two years on and I can happily say that I’m glad to be in a long distance relationship. I actually think it’s ideal.

Being in different universities means that most of the time we spend together is over FaceTime – which can be frustrating with dodgy halls wifi. But chatting all the time rather than going out on dates meant we got to know each other really well, really quickly.

We watch TV shows together

over FaceTime – The Apprentice is our favourite. Once we’ve saved up enough for train fares to see each other, we both get to visit cities we probably wouldn’t have travelled to before.

I won’t pretend it’s always easy.

It can be lonely, especially if your friends have their significant others around.

It’s hard when someone who’s around so often is suddenly miles away. But one thing that taught me is how to be alone: how to deal with things by myself, how to be independent and cope without relying on someone else. That was a really important lesson for my own personal development that I couldn’t have learnt without being in a long distance relationship.

Even though we’re apart, I’ve never felt like my girlfriend and I are growing apart. We’ve been able to grow independently – she has her own life, house and friends, and so do I. Now those people are my friends too.

Long distance relationships can be great, they teach you so much about self-love and independence. They might not be for everyone, but if you’re both honest, trusting and committed, they can be more than just worth it.

Could you hack it? Or would you lose what you have to live the freshers lifestyle? Source: William Stitt.

CYNGOR

To contact our advice desk, drop us an email at advice@gairrhydd.com

The do’s and dont’s of Freshers’ Week A fourth year’s guide to navigating freshers week

by Joanna Cunningham

S

H

Things I would do…

Embrace Freshers week: Grab every opportunity and enjoy each moment. Source: Keith Luke. three or more years. Don’t say I didn’t warn you...

Things I wouldn’t do....

Don’t be afraid to try out for a club. When I arrived at Cardiff, I had planned to try out for Cheerleading but, when the day of the try-outs came, I almost didn’t go as I feared looking stupid by going alone. To this day, I am so grateful that my

mum forced me to go, as this was one of the best decisions I made over my time at uni. Here was where I made all my friends, and I discovered a hobby and a passion which I never thought I would have. Go for it and try out for multiple clubs if you want - what have you got to lose!?

Don’t feel pressured to be friends with the first people you meet. You will meet so many different people at uni, and if they’re not your cup of

tea, that’s not the end of the world!

So, now you know some of my fresher dos and don’ts, I hope you will feel a little more secure in the knowledge that no, you are not alone, and yes, you will have the best years of your life at uni. Take risks, be yourself and, most importantly, enjoy your time in university.

Your time here will fly by...

How to make your new room feel like home

by Sai

F

or most freshers, going to university will be the first time they have to live away from home.

This means having to develop basic survival skills such as cooking (which goes beyond beans on toast), washing that mounting pile of clothes in the corner and trying to cope with that uncomfortable feeling of wanting to go ‘home’ which can be extremely hard.

Personally, I just took my entire room with me, which was partly because my mother has a mindset belonging to a few centuries ago, when going to university meant you would never move back, and because I lived about a 17 hour drive away. This gave me the advantage of being surrounded by useless things, which did not help me feel at home at all, and others I did appreciate.

Nevertheless, I have managed to identify some objects which made me feel at home that might help you; the reader. Pillows or stuffed animals not only make your room physically more comfortable, they also hold sentimental value. The aspect of comfort goes for rugs as well, even if your room already has carpet flooring. Posters and extra light counter the effect of carpets to make your room seem smaller and imitate the sunlight which will probably be blocked out by curtains most

A mature student’s guide to freshers

by Gareth Axenderrie

tepping into my fourth, and final year, of uni is bittersweet.

In one sense, I have the excitement of exploring my next chapter in life; going into the world of work, and finally facing up to the fact that I’m no longer a teenager. On the other hand, I have so much to miss: having all my friends basically on my doorstep; going out for no real reason and dressing up like a fool; having the freedom to go for a beer at any point during the week, and it being acceptable; studying a subject I love. After reflecting over my three years at Cardiff, I think I am qualified to help advise this years freshers. Therefore I present to you my dos and don’ts for any fresher who needs a little guidance before entering the bubble that is university.

Try out new things! Remember, everyone is in the same position put yourself out there and be outgoing and friendly. Trust me, everyone is too busy worrying about how they’re coming across and frankly don’t care enough to judge you!

Go to the Freshers Fair and explore your options. Even if you initially don’t want to join a society or club, there are so many options out there, and you might discover something you didn’t even know existed!

You can always attend some taster sessions and see what suits you.

Attempt to look a little bit nice when you go and collect your student card. You WILL be hungover, and they WILL take a photo of you which will haunt you for the next

23

Some room inspiration: Proof that a few little flourishes go a long way. Source: neonbrand.

of the day.

When asking some friends, most said similar things as above, adding a flag from your home country or a poster from your favourite TV show.

In addition, the idea of buying new

things rather than bringing items from your parents’ home to create your own space was brought up, since sometimes distance brings one closer to home, and creating something unique to you can create a feeling of satisfaction and thus

comfort.

Ultimately, bring items which are comforting or of sentimental significance when going to university, as well as items you like and enjoy to make you feel more at home in your room.

ow many times did you really believe this day would come?

You, surrounded by 18-yearolds, back in university.

You may be one of the lucky ones, feeling completely comfortable with your new surroundings. If you are even remotely like me however, you may well be feeling a little nervous at the thought of embarking on the next three years as an official ‘mature student’.

On top of that trepidation comes Freshers’ Week. It’s true, it is marketed to your 18-year-old contemporaries, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find your place among the organised chaos.

The easy thing to do would probably be to lock yourself away, and leave the club nights, parties and alcohol-induced antics to the youngsters. The easy thing is rarely the right thing to do however.

In fact, you really are better off getting stuck in, besides, there really is something for everybody during Freshers’, and you’ll likely surprise yourself how suited you are to many of them.

The first thing you’re going to want to do is drop any belief you have that there’s somewhere you don’t belong just because you’ve been labelled mature. That’s nonsense, and I can guarantee the only person who will believe it if you allow them to is yourself.

If anything, people are going to want to reach out to you a little more, it’s human nature to have your interest peaked by things that are different, and you’re a good different. I remember during my Freshers, I had to answer dozens of questions regarding why I am here, and why I haven’t been to uni already... it’s a great icebreaker.

Secondly, simply don’t be shy and get stuck in. The truth is, you’re only going to be here for three years, and regardless of who you are, they’re a hugely formative part of your life.

You don’t want to look back in three years time and wish you’d given it a little more. It’s incredibly cliched, but you’ll make friends and memories for life, and so many start during freshers.

Finally, make sure you hit the freshers’ fairs, there is literally something for everybody. This year they are across four days, with one each for sports and volunteering and wo for societies.

They really are a perfect opportunity to meet people, find your niche in this new environment and figure out what you want to spend your quality time doing over the next three years.

Forthermore, there’s a tonne of opportunities to try things out with free Give It A Go sessions, and it is well worth trying out as many things as you see fit.

Finally, allow yourself room to feel a little uncomfortable, but don’t lose sight of the fact you’re here to enjoy yourself as much as anybody else is.

As a mature student, I have gained so much from my university experience, and it all started during that first Freshers Week.

ADVICE

24

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Diary of an introvert

How to make friends for life this freshers.

by Katie Lewis

F

or people like me, who find new social situations nerve-wracking, Freshers’ can seem like a daunting week. Not only do you have the pressure of living independently in what is likely to be a new environment to you, but you also have the challenge of tackling new social encounters. During the run up to starting at Cardiff, I was filled with a mix of dread and excitement. Before university, I was comfortable within my tight set of friends from school, and I feared the thought of having to go it alone. But on reflection I think that overthinking is one of the worst things you can do, and that it is important to recognise that everyone is in the same boat as you (it’s cliché but it’s true).

For first years, this is the week that you meet the people you will live with for the rest of the year. You might be panicking and asking yourself ‘What if they don’t like me?’ or even ‘What if I don’t like them?’ And the truth is that it’s likely you won’t get along with everyone you meet during your first week. But don’t force things, because as you relax and focus on enjoying yourself you will find true friends along the way.

If I am honest, I had quite high hopes and believed that I would quickly find a group of new best friends and we would form that unbreakable bond. And yes, some of the people I met that first drunken blur of a week I am still close with now, but some initial friendships

began to fall apart after the buzz of fresher’s week was behind me. During your first few weeks, you will meet so many different people that it will take a while until you can decipher who are your type of people.

Definitely be open minded when you meet new people, and acknowledge that everyone has different opinions and character traits which may not be too similar to yours, but this doesn’t mean you can’t get on.

If you’re moving into halls for the first time, leave your door open if you’re just hanging out in your room, this will show that you’re approachable and it might invite people to come and join you. If you seclude yourself from your flatmates in the first few weeks it might be harder to get involved with them. You could try suggesting game nights, where you can get to know each other over an intense game of Monopoly, or perhaps suggest just cooking a group meal and get chatting with everyone. Your first year flatmates might not develop into being your best friends, but it’s always reassuring to have people around you that you are comfortable with and can talk to.

Another tip is that I would strongly recommend joining a club or sports society, even if the thought of meeting new people makes you nervous.

Joining a team allows you to be part of a network of people and gives you plenty of opportunity to get to know your peers. And if you’re not

Embrace Freshers’ week: Grab every opportunity. Source: Elevate (via unsplash) sure of what club you’d like to join, maybe take part in a few ‘Give It A Go’ taster sessions. These sessions give you a great opportunity to come out of your shell and get chatting to new people in a low pressure environment.

Overall, the best advice I can give

you is to be yourself. If you adopt a new persona during fresher’s week to try to fit in, it will only backfire as your peers won’t know your true self. If you aren’t a crazy party animal, you don’t have to force yourself out every night just to ‘fit in’.

The chances are that there is some-

Freshers week: Expectations vs. reality

by Karis Pearson

F

Expectations vs. reality: You may end up swapping your beer for a cup of herbal tea.

Source: Nik Macmillan and Drew Farwell (via Unsplash)

reshers’ week. The week of a lifetime. You’ve just moved out of home and into University Halls, ready to get sloshed and meet The Chuckle Brothers (too soon?) before you’ve got to crack down and make the most of that £9,000 a year.

That was how I envisioned freshers’ would begin. I expected it to be one big party straight away. I thought I’d love everyone in my halls and we’d do all the freshers’ stuff together. If I’d been thinking a little more pessimistically, I may have aimed lower, but I never would’ve anticipated a flat full of postgrads who weren’t even interested in drinking tea with me, let alone anything stronger. One guy was a Donald Trump supporter, which as you can imagine was a bundle of fun.

Along with my housemates, I didn’t envisage having the same conversation with just about everyone I met, but i did, and believe me, so will you. “Where are you from? What course do you do?” At times it feels like you’re stuck in a never ending introductory cycle, but eventually it dies down and by late October more interesting conversation starts to emerge. But don’t go thinking that all the freshers’ rumours aren’t true because drinking copious cups of tea is 100% a freshers’ reality.

one feeling exactly the same as you, so don’t fret. Freshers’ is supposed to be an opportunity for you to find your feet and explore new opportunities, so just focus on having fun and along the way you’ll meet tons of interesting new people.

Good Luck!

I did have some great nights out during freshers’, but, like many before me and many after me, I made the mistake of purchasing the freshers’ wristband. Freshers’ wristbands, in my opinion, are a bad idea. You won’t know for certain what nights out you’ll end up going to; it’ll probably depend on the friends you make and where you all feel like going. The friends I eventually ended up making during freshers’ (who are still my friends now) all had different wristbands, so half the time they were pointless.

If you’re luckier than I was, you’ll have a great first few weeks hanging out with your flatmates, exploring local delights like the Lidl bakery and £1 VK’s. However, don’t be too surprised if a few weeks in you realise maybe one of the reasons you all loved each other so much during freshers’ was because 90% of the time you were all pissed, and you sort of wish you hadn’t already promised to live with them all next year.

While there’s truth in saying that freshers’ is bigged up, it can still be such a fun week. Just don’t get too down if you feel like you haven’t met your best friends straight away. And if the nights out aren’t what you were hoping for, hang in there, you’ll meet people that you really click with eventually and then you’ll have a lot more fun with them.

COLOFN

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Saunders’ Corner

25

Sam Saunders

Getting the most out of your final Fresher’s

F

irst things first, let’s get the introductions out of the way. I’m Sam, the advice columnist for Gair Rhydd this year. I’m 21, studying BA French and History and I’m going into my final year at Cardiff.

I’ve had previous experience writing for and editing Gair Rhydd and I’m extremely excited to be given this new opportunity, where I can write something almost every week. My aim for the column is obvioulsy to try and give good advice to my readers, but as that is also the goal of the section as a whole, I’m very keen to add a personal touch to everything I write.

This will, I hope, make the column more interesting and insightful, so I hope you’ll stick with me. Anyway, onto the important stuff.

So here we are then, the start of a new university year. For many of us, including myself, it’ll be the last time I get to experience student life, and that starts with Fresher’s Week. I feel a little melancholy that this is my last Fresher’s, it seems like the first one was only yesterday! My first was amazing, I met so many new people, went out a lot and tried to explore this new and wonderful city as much as I could.

To everyone who’s doing it for the first time, I hope that you have a blast, and that you find some very useful advice in the rest of the section, where

Katie and Megh have put together a great spread.

Don’t read ‘enjoy it as much as you can’ as go out and get trashed every night

But, as you’ll have guessed from the title, I’ll be focusing on advice for final year students seeking to enjoy this week, and the wider year as well.

First and foremost, my advice would be to enjoy it as much as you can, as it’ll probably be one of the only weeks of the year when you’re not bogged down with classes, work or the dreaded dissertation.

However, don’t read ‘enjoy it as much as you can’ as go out and get trashed every night, I think a more balanced approach is needed. I for one could never really do that, and my hangovers seem to have worsened into a mini-hell since the end of first year, so I really wouldn’t recommend it! I think nights out are obviously an important part of freshers for a lot of people, but instead of heading to the SU or Greyfriars Road, why not branch out?

Go to the places in Cardiff you’ve never been to before, try somewhere like Bingo Lingo or the Tramshed if you’ve not before. Clwb Ifor Bach (Welsh Club) is another great place to spend an evening and a lot of friends have recommended Ten Feet Tall to me. If you fancy something a bit slower, 2-for-1 cocktails and dinner at the Irie Shack is not to be missed, especially as the same offer applies at their restaurant in Cardiff Bay. If you’re looking for non-alcoholic activities, then there’s plenty of those around the city too. For example, maybe you’ve never been to Cardiff Castle, or had a look at the exhibits in the museum, which has free entry.

Another activity I would recommend is to get the water taxi from Bute Park to the Bay, which isn’t very expensive and is a great day time activity. Why not take advantage of Cardiff City’s newly acquired Premier League status and go and watch a match there?

The club have reduced student prices and the home games always have a great atmosphere!

It’s worth having a look at the events societies are running for fresher’s week as well, as these give you an opportunity to try something new, or just muck around for a few hours. I’m really keen to give the Surf Society a go, as I think it’s probably my last chance before the sea gets ridicu-

lously cold and I’ve always wanted to properly try it! I would also recommend the dry ski slope trip organised by the snowsports society, as it gives you a chance to brush up on your ski skills and have a burger and a drink afterwards. There are many more of these that you can find on the Student’s Union website, and there’s lots of worthwhile trips to different cities in the UK, also run by the Give it a Go team.

If you’re willing to go a bit further afield, Barry is always a nice place to spend a warm day (and it might be your last chance for a while!) while Roath Park provides a more local option. If you’re lucky enough to have a car, St Fagans, the National Museum of Wales, is worth a look, there’s a GoApe near Brigend and numerous beaches to explore, with Ogmore my pick for an evening stroll.

I hope this first column has given you some new ideas about how to spend your Fresher’s Week, as well as some ideas for free time during the rest of the year, as that was the goal.

As I said at the start, the best advice to give is to enjoy it, this year is one of the last chances you’ll have to be a student, so use the free time as best you can! I hope you’ve enjoyed this, dear reader, and I hope you’ll be back for the rest of my columns throughout the year. I can’t wait.

Image sources (clockwise from left): Pikakoko via Flickr, Sam Saunders, Ed Webster via Flickr, Cheryl Colan via Flickr, Jon Candy via Flickr

Sam Saunders

Your new advice columnist Name: Sam Saunders Age: 21 Course: History and French Year: 4 Best Night Out in Cardiff: Bump N Grind/Bingo Lingo Favourite Food: Pizza or Lasgne Drink of Choice: Amstel/Blue Moon Favourite Sport: Skiing Rugby Allegiance: England

Your advice desk Megh Baral Katie Lewis Columnist Sam Saunders advice@gairrhydd.com

SCIENCE

26

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/science

A summer of extreme weather explained Is 2018’s sweltering summer a sign of things to come?

Sweltering summer The Numbers

35.3 ºC

The hottest temperature of the summer in the UK, recorded in Faversham, Kent on July, 26

Heavy flooding in parts of France

1,600

forced in August led to evacuations in the south and the loss of power in homes in the south west and north

17,000

47millimitres

The ammount of rainfall the UK recieved between June 1 and July 16. Making it the driest period since records began

15.8 ºC

The joint hottest average summer temperature across the UK on record.

England also recorded its hottest summer ever (17.1ºC)

61

Sweden experienced concurrent wildfires across an area

20,000 hectares

on of July 20 due to a period of sustained drought

256% In August, the southern Indian state of Kerala recieved 256% of its average monsoon rainfall which led to the worst flooding in nearly a century. This resulted in at least evacuees and an estimated death toll of

1,028,073

483

32ºC Temperatures broke 32 degrees in Norway and Finland during the summer months.

In some areas, temperatures of above average were recorded.

15ºC

12ºC How above average temperatures were in Kumagaya, a city near Tokyo on July 23.

41.1 degrees is the hottest temperature ever recorded in Japan.

At least deaths have been associated with the effects of the extreme heat on those with preexisting health conditions in the country.

44

Scorching: Records were smashed across Europe, while flooding and wildfires reaked havoc worldwide Source: Belle Co (Via Pexels)

by Jonathan Learmont high pressure. In the summer of 2018 issue - so can easily be ignored in planet’. The worry is that if humans

T

his summer, news programmes sounded like a broken record.

Scorching weather. Hottest day. Extreme temperatures. Whilst wonderful weather was enjoyed in the UK, the implications of the blistering sunshine should not be ignored.

Even those of us not studying climate change know that it leads to global warming which leads to increasing weather extremes, but is this all that is happening?

Global warming is affecting the Jet Stream, and therefore the weather in the UK. The Jet Stream is a band of strong winds around the Northern Hemisphere, occurring 5-7 miles above the Earth, blowing up to 200mph from west to east and driven by contrasting temperatures between the tropics and the Arctic. The warming of the Arctic has caused the Jet Stream to slow down while undulating more. Since the difference in temperature between the tropics and the Arctic is decreasing, the Jet Stream is becoming weaker and less stable leading to bouts of extreme temperature.

Changes in ocean circulation are also leading to temperature changes in the UK. The North Atlantic Drift (or Gulf Stream) System affects the Jet Stream as the surface temperature of oceanic water adjusts with the pattern of high and low pressure in the atmosphere, subsequently altering jet stream undulations. It is these undulations which determine the location of low-pressure depressions with associated weather fronts and higher wind speeds, and calmer areas of

a persistent area of high pressure prevented rain-bearing fronts from reaching the UK. Most scientists (if not politicians) agree that global warming has been caused by human activity, namely the release of greenhouse gases, and if no action is taken to prevent further warming the earth as we know it will change; glaciers will melt, sea level will rise, low-lying coastal land will be under the sea and some areas will become uninhabitable due to extreme heat. However, humans have been slow to react to these potential consequences of global warming. Some argue that the climate and therefore temperature has natural variability. The natural fluctuation is now raising temperature and combined with greenhouse gas emissions global temperature is rising.

Climate change is an issue which many people struggle to relate to because it’s a global, long-term and complex issue Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh from Cardiff University’s School of Psychology & Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research said: “Climate change is an issue which many people struggle to relate to because it’s a global, long-term and complex

day-to-day life. However, when we directly experience impacts of climate change, like floods, those who believe in human-caused climate change are likely to become more concerned.

“So it remains to be seen whether experiencing heatwaves increases climate change concern, or simply raises awareness of the issue, and how crucial media coverage that connects climate change to current weather events is.”

The main consequences of climate change are that: temperatures will continue to increase; frost-free seasons will lengthen, impacting agriculture and ecosystems; heavy precipitation events will increase; droughts and heatwaves will become more intense with a reduction in soil moisture making the heatwaves worse; the intensity, duration and strength of hurricanes will exacerbate; and global sea level will continue to rise due to melting ice, causing more flooding.

As with any contentious issue both pros and cons exist from the above list, and these each have major ramifications of their own, but humans do not see how such extreme events are linked to climate change, despite scientists having long-predicted these effects. Human-caused climate change is making these events more extreme, with the results of our negative actions unfolding in front of our eyes. It’s almost as if climate change is screaming out, sending us signals to say, ‘hey, stop killing the

continue to ignore these signals, these extreme events are likely to become more pronounced.

What the future climate will look like we can only estimate using very sophisticated models of the Earth Dr. Marie Ekstrom, Research Fellow in Climate Change from Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Ocean Science suggests: “What the future climate will look like we can only estimate using very sophisticated models of the Earth system.”

The fact that the Met Office predictions for UK mean summer temperatures in the 2050s compared to 1961-1990 range between an increase of 1 to 5ºC for a low emission scenario and an increase of 1 to 7ºC if the future follows a high emission scenario” just shows the complexity of the science of meteorology.

Whilst many theories exist concerning the causes and ongoing impact of climate change, what is clear is that negative human actions contribute to a worsening state of global warming, manifesting itself in extreme weather events which have knock-on effects in uncertain but potentially extensive and devastating ways.

To contact our advice desk, drop us an email at science@gairrhydd.com

GWYDDONIAETH

Cardiff University study to examine PrEP approach to HIV C

by Jonathan Learmont

ardiff University’s Infections, Inflammation and Immunity Division will conduct world leading research on a new global HIV prevention strategy. It will be led by Deputy Director of the division Dr David Gillespie after winning a Health Research Fellowship funded by the Welsh Government.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a prevention strategy where antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), usually used in treating those tested HIV positive, are prescribed for HIV negative people to significantly reduce the likelihood of those at higher risk from being infected.

When taken in a daily dose, the levels of ARVs are sufficiently high in the blood to prevent HIV from entering cells and replicating so the person exposed remains HIV negative. The study will examine numerous variables expected to influence the success of the strategy including treatment start, dosage and duration of medication, as when looked at alongside patients’ sexual behaviours, their effect is not well established.

Dr Gillespie said: “While the PrEP drugs are proven to reduce the chance of HIV-acquisition by up to 86%, there has been very little evaluation of how these drugs are being used in conjunction with sexual behaviour over time, and whether their use can be improved to increase their efficacy further.”

An average of 153 new HIV cases, the vast majority from sexual transmission, have been diagnosed annually over the previous six years in Wales. PrEP became available across Wales as part of a three-year trial in 2017 with approval from Vaughan Gething, Cabinet Sec-

ental health is, and will continue to be, a widespread issue for our generation.

One in four people worldwide will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime, and nearly one in three

Detection of new gravitational wave tech

by Will Ballard

N A small pill, a big difference: PrEP is used to lower the risk of infection. Source: NIAID (via Flickr) retary of Health, Well-being and Sport.

NHS services in Wales have been able to prescribe the generic preparations of the drug used for PrEP since the summer of this year. Branded as ‘Teva’, it is now available from multiple sexual health clinics across Wales.

The reduction in spread of HIV internationally from PrEP would be most impactful in nations with young populations who may be unaware of their infection risk. One in five people

worldwide with newly acquired HIV reside in South Africa. As of late 2017 an estimated 1,745 new infections occur weekly amongst women between the ages of 15 and 24, a demographic which makes up 10% of their population and is statistically the most susceptible in the country. Yet clinical trials carried out in South Africa, such as FEM-PrEP, struggled to ensure adherence to prescriptions, partly because patients underestimated their own risk.

Commenting on the potential outcomes of the investigation, Dr Gillespie stated: “Our new research uniquely centres on developing guidance that aims to optimise the use of PrEP.” This study can be significant in reducing infection figures both in Wales and globally, as available funding for tackling HIV could be used for PrEP in the most effective way.

Its guidance may lay out the road map to fully address one of the biggest public health issues in the world today.

students report dealing with mental health issues. In fact, 450 million people suffer from mental illness worldwide, making it one of the leading causes of disability. Many of the students who are reading this article will be suffering

from some form of mental health issue – I myself have been treated for depression and anxiety for more than a year now. The recent major increase in mental illness diagnoses among young people is due in part to the increased stress of modern life, but also to the fact that awareness of these conditions is improving, and we are gradually destigmatising mental health topics.

There is growing evidence that illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia have some genetic cause, meaning some people are more likely to develop them than others. Learning more about this could provide exciting new windows into treatment.

Dr Nick Clifton, of the Cardiff Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, has been working on such a project, studying the DNA of thousands of people in order to advance our understanding of the genetic causes behind mental illness, and how they interact with our environment to create mental illness. Dr Clifton is a fellow of the Changing Minds programme, which supports young researchers, and helps them pursue independent projects. Changing Minds is partnered

with the Cardiff-based charity: The Waterloo Foundation, providing grant money, advanced skills training, and connections to industrial partners.

Dr Clifton has found proteins in the brain which are involved in brain development, but also closely linked to mental illness. Proteins are created by the body using its genetics, and so knowing more about the genes which affect brain development could help scientists decide when and which treatments would be most effective. Dr Clifton describes this as “an exciting project with discoveries which we hope will facilitate the design of new treatments for people suffering with psychiatric disorders.”

A successor programme to Changing Minds, Future Minds, is due to start in October, lasting six years and funded by a £650,000 grant from The Waterloo Foundation. The founder of the Waterloo Foundation, Professor Heather Stevens, said she believes Future Minds will “develop new treatments to help children and adults who live with these challenging conditions”. Hopefully there are new treatments and forms of support on the way for the millions around the world who live with mental health issues.

New Research into mental health treatments at Cardiff University M

by Milo Moran

27

GROWING EVIDENCE: Illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia may have some genetic cause. Source: Tumisu (via Flickr)

ew gravitational wave detection technology allows us to “hear” the collision of black holes in the universe for the first time, a truly groundbreaking advance in scientific discovery.

When two black holes collide, which surprisingly happens every few minutes, they produce ripples that are so powerful that they travel across the very fabric of spacetime. An incredible feat of nature, yet it wasn’t until 2015 that we were able to detect these ripples in any capacity whatsoever. Originally posited by the great Albert Einstein, gravitational waves were finally detected, after 100 years of searching, by the collaboration of physicists at the LIGO and Virgo on 14th September 2015.

However, it wasn’t until this year that scientists developed a way for us to actually hear these ripples! Every year, there are over 100,000 gravitational wave events that are too faint to be detected by the LIGO-Virgo detectors. They are caused by smaller black hole collisions happening further away. Nonetheless, their signals do resolve in a “hum” that, until lately, could not be unambiguously distinguished by detectors due to the other cosmological noise that interferes.

Thrane Smith and his team at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav) and Monash University have developed an algorithm that can comb through the LIGO-Virgo static data and identify the signals of the black hole collisions.

Thrane commented on this new technology and the significance it has for the scientific community at large, saying, “Measuring the gravitational-wave background will allow us to study populations of black holes at vast distances.

Someday, the technique may enable us to see gravitational waves from the Big Bang, hidden behind gravitational waves from black holes and neutron stars.”

What’s truly fascinating about the new technology is that, when converted to audio, an upsweep of sound can be heard, ending in a loud “BLOOP”.

Smith explained this effectively to the Sydney Morning Herald, “It’s the same thing your brain does when your car radio goes out of reception and goes to static...Little bits and pieces of radio stations still come through - but your brain is able to put them together and work out what song is playing.”

Your science desk Danny Brown Jonathan Learmont science@gairrhydd.com

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SPORT

Cardiff feel the Blues

by Sion Ford

T

o describe the beginning of the Blues’ season as disappointing is an underwhelmingly familiar feeling, and one that is made all the more frustrating given where this squad was coming from. That is, a Challenge Cup winning year which saw the Blues move away from some of the old clichés that haunted. Poor defence, inability to kill a game off, falling by the wayside when it really matters.

Or at least that’s one way to look at it. The other being that this a steady squad who are under the stewardship of a new head coach and backroom staff. That in spite of racking up three last-minute losses in their opening three fixtures, they’ve demonstrated an ability to carve teams apart and exert genuine pressure and competition. That this group of players are so close, but agonisingly far from developing the habit of winning.

Consider the first game of the season, a Friday night fixture against defending league champions Leinster where Cardiff was looking at its best. Yes, this was against a Leinster team which has drawn much criticism for its complete lack of profile players. And yes, from a position of 29-14 up you shouldn’t be losing at home. But this is Leinster, and Leinster are rightly or wrongly the set-up in the Northern Hemisphere envied by all.

This is where it gets harder to stay upbeat, as the Blues travelled to both Italian clubs and again saw a winning position disappear. Benetton were the first, a fixture that used to be a guaranteed (if scrappy) win now looking evermore formidable in the shadow of their essentiallyinternational pack.

A typical away team performance saw the score at the break 16-10 in the Blues’ favour, and yet the same old stories of losing the battle up front when it mattered most reappeared. Combined with a lack of whatever you want to call it, the ability to see out a game, the Blues were downed in the last minute, again.

Then came the trip to Parma, the game against Zebre being billed as a make-or-break by new head coach Mulvihill, who said “we can’t repeat what happened last and lose five or six in a row… we’ve got to win next week”.

Within eleven minutes, the Blues had already scored and converted three tries, but all they could muster in the second half was a penalty. Zebre, in stark contrast, ended the first half with a try before adding three later additions to, again, take away the win in the last minute.

What, then, lies in store for the Blues this season?

It’s not an exciting answer, but instead a pragmatic one. It will be another building year for the Blues, another year of trying to get things in place to take that step forward. Talk of despair at this stage is laughable, but so it is familiar. Two home games against Munster and the Cheetahs will offer some redemption for the Blues, and if anything Mulvihill’s words ring louder now more so than ever.

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/sport

Opinion: Ben Stokes, one of the best Despite slandering treatment in the media, Stokes remains a top player

by George Willoughby

E

ngland all-rounder Ben Stokes has had a whirlwind of a month both on and off the cricket field.

Cleared with affray just over two weeks ago, the 27-year old found himself selected for England’s series winning test match against India.

Inevitably with all criminal cases involving a famous sports-player, the media place a heavy emphasis on belittling the player in question.

They chose to ignore the fact that the national cricket team is getting a world-class player back available to play in a crucial match.

To name a few, one headline mentions the ‘Big Bash’ and how Stokes could be ‘frozen’ out of it, another shows journalists still disputing his not-guilty verdict by suggesting he should be banned for a year and even earn the ‘forgiveness of the crowd’.

Former England captain Michael Vaughn portrays a contrasting viewpoint, but the general consensus from the media is one of negativity.

Stokes, in his return to test match cricket, put in disciplined performances when the Indian bowling attack continued to expose the frailties of England’s top order.

However, we saw a different side to Ben Stokes’ play, especially his batting in the second innings.

Despite all the off-field drama, the left-hander refused to give his wicket away cheaply much to the contrast of England’s top order. We associate Ben Stokes with explosive hitting and fast paced scoring in all formats of the game.

Such slandering from the mainstream media created doubt as to

whether he could persevere at the crease. Himself and Jos Buttler put on a resilient 169-run partnership which saved England from an embarrassing defeat.

Throughout his career, he has been the man to turn to when a partnership needs to be broken.

He’s had a habit of bowling that magic ball to dismiss a set batsman and he’s the closest all-rounder we have had to the great Andrew Flintoff.

The England selectors back him, coach Trevor Bayliss backs him, captain Joe Root backs him, but it seems the media have a vested interest away from his phenomenal playing ability.

Stokes was able to repay that faith with another excellent performance in the fourth test. In a low scoring affair – with neither side able to post over 300 in a single innings, the batsmen valuing their wicket was of the upmost importance.

liked one of their players to do the same.

India were looking in great shape chasing down their target of 245 with Virat Kholi and Ajinkya Rahane leading the reply.

But, the rest of the team crumbled with the last six India batters falling for a disappointing 51 runs.

Without a doubt, if a player was to replicate Stokes’ determined play, then Kholi’s men would have won the test.

As we know, England went onto convincingly wrap up the series against the number one ranked test match side in the world.

Statistically, even with all the offfield drama and not featuring in the

second test, Stokes was one of England’s most consistent performers.

Despite the victory, the top order issues that were present before the series have been exacerbated with the announcement of Alistair Cook’s retirement.

Keaton Jennings struggled for runs, and so to Jonny Bairstow who has only managed to muster together 39 runs in his last six appearances.

The way the media treated Stokes following his court case result was disappointing, but his performances against India should have gone a long way in proving the doubters wrong.

He is currently one of England and the world’s best, and at 27, the sky is the limit.

“Stokes’ 62 off 187 balls showed grit, tons of fight and proved why he is one of England’s best.”

Over the course of two England innings, the 27-year old logged 53 total runs off 189 deliveries.

Even with wickets falling around him and a spinning fourth-day pitch, the left-hander anchored England’s scoring and how India would have

Pictured: Ben Stokes in action during an ODI match (via Flickr)

Wales do country proud despite loss

By John Jones

W

ales Women’s heroic World Cup qualifying campaign came to a disappointing end in August as they were beaten 3-0 by a slick England side. Despite going into the match top of the table, Wales were simply outclassed by Phil Neville’s team, who leapfrogged their opponents to seal automatic qualification to the finals in France next summer. With other results also not going their way, Wales will miss out entirely on what would have been an historic Women’s World Cup debut.

However, the despondency etched on the faces of Jayne Ludlow’s side after the full-time whistle at Rodney Parade was certainly not a fair reflection of what this side has achieved in the past year, not only for themselves, but for the future of women’s football in Wales.

To say that this team have defied expectations is an understatement.

Ranked 36th in the world when qualification began, Wales went seven games unbeaten before facing England, scoring seven goals and conceding none. Whilst the likes of Kazakhstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina may not have provided a stern test for the Welsh, it is the comprehensive nature of these results that make them so impressive. It is also important to take into consideration that around three-quarters of the team are

only semi-professional, with others only recently turning pro; goalkeeper Laura O’ Sullivan still works full time as an office administrator. Compare this to their English counterparts, whose captain Steph Houghton reportedly earns £65,000 a year playing for Manchester City, and the scale of Wales’ achievement is magnified greatly. WalesEngland was, therefore, always about more than a local rivalry; it was a clash of professionals against amateurs and, perhaps, also one of assurance against intrepidity, which explains why the goalless draw between the two sides in April was heralded as one of the greatest nights for Welsh women’s football.

The enormity of Wales’ achievements has not gone unrecognised, with a record crowd of over 5,000 people piling into Rodney Parade for the final match, after tickets sold out within 24 hours.

Crucially, many in attendance were families with young daughters, providing success for the FAW’s continued focus on attracting youth to games. Additionally, both England-Wales fixtures were shown live during prime-time slots on the BBC, with this higher level of exposure, in addition to documentary series The Women in Red, helping to elevate the profiles of the team, and promote the sport as a whole.

So, what will be the legacy of this

heroic team? There looks to be encouraging signs already. FAW chief Jonathan Ford has stated his intent to invest more money in the women’s national team, in order to meet Jayne Ludlow’s wish for a fully professional Wales side. Ludlow’s vision may also become a reality through the development of the women’s game across Wales, with domestic competition

growing stronger each year, whilst the national youth sides continue to excel. Also, with more young girls finding role models in the current side, it seems inevitable that Wales will have an ever-increasing pool of talent to choose from, as well as a swollen fan base. Whilst they may have missed out on the World Cup, the future seems incredibly bright for Welsh football.

Pictured: Wales captain Sophie Ingle in action during her country’s 1-0 win over Kazakhstan in November last year (via Flickr)

CHWARAEON

To contact our sport desk, drop us an email at sport@gairrhydd.com

Devils ‘up for the challenge’ John Jones interviews ex-Cardiff Devils player Neil Francis

By John Jones

C

ardiff freshers looking to get involved in ice hockey do not have far to travel to witness some world-class action, as the Cardiff Devils look to defend their Elite League title for the second successive season.

Ahead of their season opener against Nottingham Panthers, we sent Sports Editor John Jones to the club’s Director of Corporate Development, Neil Francis, about the team’s form, his hopes for the upcoming season, and his involvement with the club and the sport as a whole.

Cardiff born and bred, Francis worked his way through the Devils’ junior development system to make his first team debut at just 16 years old. After a 15-year playing career, and 679 games for the club, he retired as a player and took up the role of Bench Coach, which he held for seven seasons.

Now having moved up into management, Francis may be less involved with the on-ice action as he once was, but is delighted to have had such a long association with the Devils, and being able to share the incredible successes of previous seasons, after what was a difficult period for the club.

“We’re now into our fifth year of new ownership” Francis explains.

“Todd Kellmann came in and took over as managing director, backed

by four businessmen from Calgary, and it was chance to rebuild the club, to strip it right back down and look at what we needed to change to get back to the glory days of the 1990s, when we were the dominant force in British ice hockey. Sadly, for various reasons, the Devils had fallen behind some of our competitors and the club wasn’t in a good place,” said Francis.

However, the appointment of the dynamic Canadian Andrew Lord as head coach in 2014 kick-started what has since been an “incredible journey” for the Cardiff club.

“We won the Challenge Cup in our first year under new ownership, which really set the tone that this was going to be a winning organisation again.

“We’ve built on that year on year, and in 2017, we won the league title for the first time in 20 years, before managing to regain it last season, as well as adding the end of season play-off trophy for the first time in 19 years.”

Nevertheless, whilst happily surprised at the speed of the club’s dramatic turnaround, and enjoying the club’s position back on the top perch of UK ice hockey, Francis is wary of the potential dangers that lie ahead in the upcoming season.

“The toughest thing in any sport is to retain championships, as you put yourself up on the pedestal where

everybody is going after you - whenever teams play against the champions, they’re upping their game by 10%.”

Given their commanding performances in their first defence of the league title last season, there is, however, confidence amongst the Devils’ players and coaching staff that they can bring glory to the Welsh capital once again.

“We’re always trying to raise the bar, as we know that the chasing pack are raising their standards to try and catch us – it’s a tough job, but we’ve put in some great foundations to it. We have a great nucleus of guys that have been with us over the past four successful years, and they know what is expected of them.

“Winning is definitely a culture here, and the expectation for those arriving in Cardiff [such as new signing Charles Linglet] is that you are brought in to help us compete for a championship. Defending titles is always tough, but we’re well up for the challenge.”

Away from the Devils’ performances, it was interesting to learn how Francis was drawn to ice hockey, a sport that suffers from lack of mainstream exposure in the UK, and, in Wales particularly, is often overshadowed by the feats of the nation’s rugby and football teams.

“When I first started, the Devils were fairly new; there was this

big buzz that there was a new and unique sport in town. As a 12-yearold who enjoyed sport, I went down as a spectator, and the pace and physicality of the sport had me hooked straight away.”

When asked what advice he would give those wanting to get involved in ice hockey, Francis stressed developing the basics.

“Skating is the most important thing. Ice hockey is not like any other sport where you can run out on a field and learn the game as you go along – you’re on two blades on a very slippery surface, and if you can’t get from A to B then you’re obviously going to have real trouble playing the game” “Once you’ve picked up the basics of good skating, you can develop the rest of your game quite quickly,” Francis added.

To aid this development, the Devils not only have a successful junior club in place, but also run learn-toplay programs, suitable for all ages and abilities. Cardiff Redhawks, made up from university students from around South Wales also play regular fixtures against teams from all over the UK. Francis encouraged any interested freshers to give the sport a try; “even if you don’t make a career out of ice hockey, there is still a lot of enjoyment to be had by playing the game at a recreational level”.

29

2018 Cardiff’s sporting year Cardiff City

Promoted to the Premier League

Cardiff Blues European Challenge Cup Winners

Cardiff Devils Elite League and Playoff Champions

Geraint Thomas

Tour de France winner

Opinion: Cup competitions are being devalued

By George Willoughby

T

he Carabao Cup, the Checkatrade Trophy and the FA Cup. The three main domestic cup competitions for English clubs, but are we seeing their demise?

This has been a trend for a short while now with clubs seeing cups as more of a hindrance to them. The noticeable changes are the drop off in crowds and the sheer number of changes made to starting line-ups.

Lower league clubs still try and persevere with cup football as a good cup run can be extremely beneficial.

Lincoln City are a prime example of what success in a cup competition can bring. The Imps reached the FA Cup quarter-finals as a non-league club two seasons ago. A feat that no other National League club has achieved in over a century. It wasn’t just about the money either. The performances of Danny Cowley’s men touched the hearts of thousands,.

There is a cliché that is continuously used after a team in the third, fourth or fifth tier of English football have a great cup run. It’s the usual ‘they’ve re-discovered the love for cup football’ or something along those lines. But, every year we see the decreasing prominence of cup football within the English footballing pyramid.

It’s become almost a given now for top flight teams to make near double-digit changes to their usual starting eleven which is resulting in declining attendances. We’re seeing

significantly lower crowds as the fans have lost the interest to watch a second team play in a competition that the club has no intention of progressing in. Managers will try to defend their decisions and claim they want to advance into the next round.

Unfortunately, it’s clear to see that the general feeling is to focus completely on league campaigns.

Given the strength that Premier League squads have at their disposal, it’s not surprising to witness the changes.

However, teams like Bournemouth, Huddersfield, etc make household alterations to their squad for cup matches, despite the fact it’s their only chance of silverware.

Granted, some may have a relegation battle to fight, but even so, a good cup run or even a big upset is especially great for the fans who will not experience winning all that often.

Keeping it local, Cardiff are no exception to this either. A Carabao cup tie saw Neil Warnock’s men host Championship outfit Norwich. As expected, nine changes were made, and they ultimately paid the price with The Canaries impressively running away with a comprehensive 3-1 win. Only 6953 people attended that match, which is a 78% drop in attendance compared to Cardiff ’s average home gate so far this season.

The sad reality is that cup football in England is in a worrisome state.

They only become relevant when it reaches the later rounds which is

Pictured: Wembley Stadium hosts the finals of all three domestic cups (via Flickr) having profound negative implications for the earlier matchups.

The Checkatrade Trophy tries to offer an alternative with its format.

Although, despite the motives behind the competition to try and promote young English talent, it faces mass ri-

valry from lower league fans who have protested by boycotting matches since its introduction in the 2016-17 season.

It seems that even with the English Football League offering something different, fans are refusing to accept it but that’s a completely different topic

in its own right.

Whether a solution can be found as to why cup competitions have become so insignificant remains still unknown.

As it stands, they are far from being a priority as this trend looks to continue for the foreseeable future.

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SPORT

A long road ahead

by Reece Chambers

W

hen I first arrived at the Cardiff City stadium back in August, the feeling that filled the South Wales’ air was one of excitement but also a realistic feeling that this is going to be a long season.

Staying in the Premier League, Warnock believes, will be a far bigger achievement than getting there in the first place. Overall, it’s hard to argue with that considering the club’s financial inferiority to around 90% of the teams in the league.

Cardiff ’s two Championship promotion counterparts, Fulham and Wolves, spent £98m and £66m respectively last summer compared to Cardiff ’s £27m which shows the first hurdle that Warnock and his side have to tackle – a lack of Premier League quality.

The ruthlessness you need to stay in the Premier League is something that Cardiff have failed to show so far this season. They could have easily taken three points from Arsenal earlier in September when Petr Cech showed on several occasions why he is not suited to Unai Emery’s expansive style of football.

Both Harry Arter and Bobby Reid had glorious chances against the Gunners but showed just why such a large number of fans and pundits are tipping Cardiff to not only be relegated this season, but finish rock-bottom.

Football is gloriously unpredictable but that won’t keep Cardiff in the league alone. The one thing that can keep the Bluebirds up is the determination and endeavour they have shown in the opening two months of the season to go toeto-toe with every side they face.

Warnock’s side had Arsenal on the ropes at the Cardiff City Stadium and even took the lead at Stamford Bridge. The games Cardiff are expected to win are not those against the so-called top six, but against lower league opposition. Indeed, losing against the better teams puts more pressure on matches against the likes of Burnley and Huddersfield.

The cruel run of games including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City is an incredibly tough task for any side in the league, let alone the side expected to finish bottom.

That said, the Bluebirds have taken many positives from their opening set of fixtures.

As an outsider looking in, it’s hard to fault the team spirit and determination of the Cardiff City team. Neil Warnock has a side that makes up for their deficiencies in quality with a hard-working side that will give anything for the Cardiff City badge.

Therefore, the long, long roadthat lies ahead for Cardiff City is not one that should be feared but embraced.

If Warnock can maintain such high levels of diligence and combine that with more ruthlessness in front of goal, the Bluebirds have every chance of defying the odds that are heavily stacked against them this season.

For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/sport

IMG Rugby

IMG Rugby boasts a high level of competitive rugby and entertaining socials

by Jack Vavasour

T

his season the Cardiff University Rugby Club enter into their first season as a BUCS Super Rugby side. This can only mean one thing for rugby at Cardiff - it’s going to get better.

The standard of players arriving will be improving. For IMG rugby, this can be seen as a huge positive as the number of players wanting to participate in rugby competitions will also be on the up. IMG (IntraMural Games) is competed between the schools and societies at Cardiff University.

The IMG league at Cardiff University is often a very high standard with many of the players having played at some of the highest levels.

The competition has become fierce, with last year the league going down to the final day to determine a champion.

There are currently nine societies involved, putting out a total of 10 teams. CARBS, winner of Society of the Year last year, are the biggest society with the ability to field two teams on a weekly basis.

Phystory, last year’s league champions, along with GymGym, arguably make up the league’s three most competitive teams and consistently put out the same starting fifteens on

a regular basis.

Other teams sometimes struggle with numbers, sometimes putting strain on the league. However, last year, as the weather improved, it was a common sight to see huge amounts of supporters flooding down to Blackweir to support their friends and own societies.

The atmosphere on a Wednesday

“The competition has become fierce...last year, the league went down to the final day to determine a champion.” afternoon is electric and the matches exhilarating.

Next year, with the promotion of Cardiff University into Super Rugby, we hope to see an improvement as well on the IMG circuit with numbers improving and the standard continuing to rise.

That said, last year CARBS played, and beat, LSE at Cardiff Arms Park, in front of a relatively large crowd.

Matches take place on Wednesdays at the Blackweir pitches.

Scrums are uncontested to keep the

IMG Rugby: Phystory RFC in action during the last season league safe, and this often creates better and more free flowing matches, which allows for plenty of attacking rugby.

To get involved, you should look

for posters in your respective subject buildings, look on Facebook and, with certain societies, at the Freshers’ Fair in the Students’ Union on 24th September.

IMG Football

Fun, competitive and social football on offer through IMG

by John Jones

H

aving loved playing and watching sport throughout my entire life, the eclectic range of sporting opportunities on offer at Cardiff was always going to be a huge draw for me when choosing universities.

Throughout my time at school and college, I played both rugby and hockey to a decent standard, so I was disappointed to not make the cut at the men’s hockey trials during my first term at uni.

However, it did make me realise that playing high-level sport at Cardiff was more competitive than anything I had been used to before and required a greater commitment than I was willing to make.

“For me, sport was something to be involved in alongside my degree and other commitments, not instead of” By no means should this discourage anyone from trying out for these teams – if you have enthusiasm and the right levels of commitment and desire then they will most likely take you on – I just knew that it wasn’t for me.

What I wanted was an opportunity to regularly play a sport that I enjoyed, keep fit and make new friends. It was

then that I was introduced to the wonderful, unpredictable world of IMG football.

The IMG (Intra-Mural Games) program constitutes recreational, fun and competitive leagues for those wanting to play sport and socialise with new people, without a significant time commitment or necessary prior experience.

Despite not playing regular football in eight years (which showed greatly), I soon slotted into a welcoming, goodhumoured and relaxed team, and found myself playing some really enjoyable, if at times incredibly poor, football on a weekly basis.

It is exactly this that makes IMG football so successful. It cares not for your experience, fitness or natural talent; as long as you can show up on a Wednesday afternoon, kick a ball about, and have a laugh, you’re good to go.

However, this is not to undersell IMG – across the four 11-a-side leagues, you can find some real talent, which ensures that fixtures remain competitive and fast flowing. For every Titus Bramble, there’s a Paolo Maldini; for every Ali Dia, there’s a Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, playing on a heavily saturated Pontcanna pitch, being pummelled by rain, and taking a few stingers on the thigh from a ball made of concrete makes it more of a level playing field (although not literally).

The more optimistic approach to the lacklustre playing conditions is to say that it only heightens the sense of teamwork and camaraderie; if your

teammate can pick you out with a perfectly weighted through-ball whilst playing on a pitch like the Somme, then they’ll have your back anywhere.

A similar feeling is had from the weekly socials following the matches; you may find yourself dressed as a hippy, a caveman, a clown or a pretty little flower, but as you stagger towards the SU with your team, shivering and inebriated, you’ll take comfort in the fact that you’re all in it together (always drink responsibly).

In order for an IMG team to thrive, however, it needs plenty of players, and not only to ensure that they turn out with at least eleven players each week.

So, if you find yourself in the same position as I did, try out for an IMG team; chances are, it will be one of the best decisions you make during your time at Cardiff.

To get involved in IMG football, find out if your subject or society have a team (either 7-a-side or 11-a-side), or you can always find another at the Fresher’s Fair on 24th September.

Welsh rivals: Cardiff IMG in action against Swansea during Varsity

CHWARAEON

To contact our sport desk, drop us an email at sport@gairrhydd.com

Freshers’ Guide: Sport at Cardiff

31

We asked members from a number of clubs to tell us about their sport and why you should try it out

Women’s Football

Joining Women’s Football is a great way to meet new people. The Women’s team currently has two teams that compete in BUCS leagues, with the first team competing in the highest division.

The club also prides itself on being inclusive and sociable. Every Wednesday night they hold a themed social and there are lots of other events throughout the year.

For anyone who wants to try out for those teams there are trials on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 September at Talybont 3G (located in Talybont North).

Men’s Football

Women’s Rugby

Women’s rugby is one of the fastest developing sports in the UK – so now is the time to join. The 1st team are in Western 1A, one league below the Prem. There is also a development team, which feeds into the 1st team. The Club also has entertaining socials every Wednesday night.

Training is three times a week at Talybont 3G, with a gym session on Friday mornings.

Rugby is a brilliant way to get fit, make new friends and have a lot of fun, both on and off the pitch.

Men’s Rugby

The Men’s football club is one of the biggest men’s clubs at Cardiff University.

With five teams competing in BUCS, there are varying abilities, so it is open to everyone.

They also operate a Futsal club with two teams also playing against other universities in BUCS. All levels are welcome to trial for the club and it will not only benefit your football abilities but also improve your social life! CUFC has a great reputation for socials and it is a great way for everyone to get to know each other.

The Men’s team currently run four teams that compete nationwide in the BUCS Leagues.

The flagship of the Club is the 1st XV who will compete in the BUCS Super Rugby league for the first time this season, having gained promotion in the 2017/18 season.

CURFC are also firm advocates of enjoying themselves on and off of the rugby pitch.

They hold weekly socials following games on a Wednesday at their regular venue, as well as annual Christmas meals and End of Season Dinner Awards ceremonies.

Netball

Cardiff University Netball Club is one of the biggest female sports teams within the University. It consists of six teams who all compete in the BUCS leagues, with the 1st team playing in the Premier South league.

Training takes place at Talybont on Sunday evenings, which focuses on skills, drills and match practice, with shooting practice held on Tuesday mornings In addition, there are socials every Wednesday which promises to bring laughs, drama and lots and lots of entertaining stories.

Ultimate Frisbee

Voted ‘Most Improved Club’ at last year’s AU awards, Cardiff No Frills is your university’s very own Ultimate Frisbee team. Ultimate is a fast-paced, athletic, and dynamic sport with a renowned social life and, most importantly, an inclusive, friendly atmosphere.

The first teams compete regularly at regional and national level in Mixed, Women’s, and Men’s divisions, the club caters to all levels of experience and abilities, and welcomes competitive and social members alike.

Hockey Cardiff University Hockey Club has four Men’s and six Ladies’ teams who all compete in BUCS on a Wednesday, and again in their relevant Saturday leagues.

We are proud of the fact that we offer hockey for all abilities and have a very welcoming and enjoyable social side of the club too.

Off the pitch, we have an equally eventful and varied social calendar with regular mixed post-match socials every Wednesday. While we play hard to win on the pitch, we realise that, at amateur level, it is just as important to have fun.

Korfball Korfball is a fast-paced and dynamic mixed team sport. You play in teams of eight (four boys and four girls), on a rectangular pitch (basketball/netball sized) which is divided into two halves. Cardiff Korfball has three teams playing in the Welsh National League, BUCS and the Welsh Cup. We host a variety of socials that are most definitely needed after a long day of Korfing.

All are welcome!

Whether you’re up for some healthy competitive energy or just social exercise, we guarantee that you will have a blast!

Head of Rugby cont: Super Rugby awaits

by Reece Chambers

C

ardiff University men’s rugby team will be taking part in their debut season of the BUCS Super League this season with the best teams from around the UK also competing – including Hartpury, Cardiff Met and Durham University.

There is no doubting that this will be a challenge for the BUCS Super League debutants, but it is a challenge that they look well equipped to face.

Last year, the men’s 1st XV comprehensively won the BUCS Southern A Division to be promoted to the Super League as well as missing out on the title the previous year by a single point.

In recent years, the University has stepped up their focus of men’s rugby with the appointment of Head of Rugby, Alun-Wyn Davies, who has spoken of his side’s upcoming season in the Super League with great ex-

citement.

“We’re not here to just make the numbers up,” says Davies.

“We’ve spoken about what we are going to achieve rather than trying to feel our way into it.

“I dare say now that we’re at a level where we can compete and challenge.

“It’s going to be a challenge but that’s the whole point of sport isn’t it.”

“We’ve got a good squad that can adapt, it’s just when we adapt that will be the crucial point.”

Clearly, Davies is ambitious and excited about the new season ahead

for the 1st team. And, whilst he is acutely aware that there will be many obstacles over the season, he believes his side can overcome those challenges.

“We’re in the league now and we plan to stay in the league and compete. The guys are used to achieving what we set out and we’re absolutely not going in there to make the numbers up.

“I like being the underdog, going up against the likes of Hartpury. It’s about what we do as a group collectively and I believe we can do something special this year.

“We’ve got a culture of winning… last year we won the league comfortably and winning is a habit,” says Davies.

As well as this being a challenge for the players, the team is aware that this is an extraordinary opportunity to get exposure in front of professional scouts.

“It’s the best development path-

way in the UK, last year Super Rugby had 23 professional contracts out of it. I don’t think any English Premiership team or Welsh team can boast that over the last five years.

“These guys are putting themselves in the shop window and people are watching so I’m massively excited for them individually as well as I am collectively.”

Any top class team starts with the right preparation and Davies believes Cardiff have trained well over the pre-season.

“The guys have been back in for pre-season for about six weeks which is unheard of for Cardiff University.

“95% of the squad have been in solidly for the last three weeks. We’re trying to increase the intensity in training to make decisions at intensity which will have a positive outcome and the guys are slowly getting it.

“They’ve had quite a brutal conditioning block but that’s only going to make us stronger for this year.”

“We’re absolutely not going in there to make the numbers up... I believe we can do something special this year” Your sport desk Reece Chambers Rosie Foley John Jones Jack Vavasour George Willoughby sport@gairrhydd.com

CHWARAEON

To contact our sport desk, drop us an email at sport@gairrhydd.com

sport

Cardiff Devils Interview Page 29

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chwaraeon

Cardiff City and Cardiff Blues Columns Page 28-30

Clocking up their European miles: Cardiff University Futsal team travelled over 2,100 miles to compete in the UEFA tournament.

UEFA Champions League appearance for Cardiff University Futsal team EXCLUSIVE

By Reece Chambers

O

ver the summer, a number of students represented Cardiff University Futsal team at the UEFA Champions League Futsal preliminary rounds in Poland.

The Cardiff University Futsal team that travelled to mainland Europe was made up of a combination of Cardiff University students as well as Welsh National League players joining to wear the Cardiff University badge.

After a long journey to Poland, the team took part in three matches against top quality opponents from across Europe. And, despite failing to win any of their three matches, the team registered a point against Varna City with losses to Record Bielsko-Biala and Racing Futsal Luxembourg.

Regardless of the results for the team, travelling to Poland and competing in a tournament as prestigious as the UEFA Champions League would have been immensely valuable for the players’ progression in the game of futsal.

Second year student Ryan Dabbs topped off a personally impressive first year of sport for the University by making the trip to Poland to rep-

resent the University.

Speaking exclusively to Gair Rhydd, Dabbs was quick to outline how much of an ‘incredible’ experience taking part in a UEFA Champions League tournament was for both himself and his team mates.

“It was an incredible experience, especially with it being a UEFA tournament it was clearly very professional and well organised,” said Dabbs.

“It’s definitely got to be the highlight [of my career], having only played futsal for 10 months it’s been an enjoyable time for me, playing at St George’s Park and now in the champions league. Not many people are able to say they’ve played in a UEFA tournament.

“When I was younger I played in Northern Ireland for a week but the professionalism doesn’t compare, with every little detail focused on.”

Given that Cardiff University Futsal team have been very successful in the domestic BUCS league, they were clearly disappointed to have not registered a win in the UEFA tournament. Dabbs was clear disappointed with the results but acutely aware of the quality in opposition.

“I think it was disappointing we weren’t able to get a win in one of the final two games but we were

still pleased with getting a point and scoring a goal in each game considering the quality of some opposition.

“It was a very big test but also very enjoyable because you saw them do some things with their movement and tactics that I’ve never seen before,” said Dabbs.

“My standout memory would be scoring without a doubt… being able to score, let alone play, was a very memorable moment.”

The team will be hoping to take lessons from their travels in Poland as they embark on the upcoming BUCS league which kicks off on 14 October when the men’s 1st team host Brunel University.

“I hope it strengthens the team… I think experiences like that helps any players and team.”

Much is often debated amongst football and futsal fans about the differences between the two sports.

Therefore it was interesting to hear Dabbs’ thoughts considering he plays for both University teams.

In Dabbs’ opinion, there are actually only a few similarities.

“They’re completely different and only share a few similarities. Futsal is played at an incredibly high intensity the entire time, so you only play four or five minutes before coming off, and then going back on five minutes later,” said Dabbs.

“One mistake in futsal is always punished due to the small court, whereas in football one mistake might not be as bad because there are 10 other players there on a much bigger pitch.”

Ranked in the Premier South division of the BUCS Futsal division, Cardiff University have a highlyranked team who compete against other high-performing Universities.

And, whilst futsal might be an unfamiliar sport to most footballers, it is a sport that is just as entertaining and rewarding to player as football.

If you have played football for a number of years and are looking for a change at University, futsal may be that answer.

Cardiff University Futsal team will be at the Freshers’ Fair in the Students’ Union on 24th September to sign up to trials for the team.

Head of Rugby: “We’re ready to challenge and compete”

By Reece Chambers

A

head of men rugby’s opening BUCS Super League fixture against Hartpury College on Wednesday, Head of Rugby AlunWyn Davies says they are ready to ‘compete and challenge’ at the highest level of University rugby. Cardiff University men’s rugby team will be taking part in their debut season of the Super League this season.

Continued: P31

Freshers guide: Sport at Cardiff Uni

by Rosie Foley

C

ardiff University gives an excellent balance of focus on academia and sport. With over 60 clubs there are plenty of opportunities for both men and women to progress further in sport or try out something new. Cardiff excels in sport with the majority of the 1st teams being in respectable leagues.

The traditional sports of rugby and football stand-out for Cardiff, however there are some new sports developing and flying the Cardiff University flag high across the UK. Continued: P31