Student Pages Magazine - Winter Edition 2019

Winter 2019 � Edition #5

WIN

THE ULTIMATE

CONTIKI

ALSO INSIDE

ADVENTURE

• WINTER FASHION MUST HAVES • BUILDING YOUR OWN PERSONAL BRAND • YOUNG & HOMELESS • VIDEO INTERVIEWS - DO’S & DON’TS ...AND MUCH MORE

EXCLUSIVES WITH RHE

U FF E LL  IYA M A H N Z Y FE LI Z  S U Z I R

 G E O R G E LE W IS

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Welcome to Welcome to our 5th Edition, the first of 2019, and what a year we have in stall for you!

Whatever your goals are this year, make sure to really push yourself and blow them out of the water, be audacious, and above all else, make 2019 a year to remember!

We’ve jam-packed this edition with useful tips to help you through the new term. We have an incredible exclusive with non other than Marvel Runaway’s Rhenzy Feliz. Not to mention two fantastic competitions including an incredible Contiki Tour Adventure including Flights to your Dream Destination, courtesy of STA Travel, and your chance to win yourself a pair of Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds. For life on and off campus, we’ve definitely got you covered.

One thing the articles in this issue will teach you is that life is a rollercoaster ride, and university is not immune from the realities that affect students at one point or another during their academic stint. Ultimately you will come across challenges, but through embracing those challenges you will come out of it stronger.

George Bernard Shaw said it best..”Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

Giving students the chance to get involved, write and be heard is at the heart of what we do and is why we started Student Pages Magazine. We are constantly on the lookout for on-campus student correspondents, magazine distributors, and campus ambassadors. If you’d like to be part of the Student Pages team, get in touch to find out more at joinus@studentpages.biz.

Also, remember to check out our website for the latest articles, insights and reviews at studentpages.biz

Gareth

Editor-in-Chief and Founder

INSIDE FEATURES Exclusive Interview with Rhenzy Feliz 8-11

Exclusive Interview with Suzi Ruffell 18-19

Exclusive Interview with lyama 28-29

Exclusive Interview with George Lewis 38-39

STUDENT LIFE

FASHION

CAREERS

TRAVEL

Interview with Photographer & Studio Manager at Hawes & Curtis, Jimmy La 21

Samuel’s Journey: A Journey from Carer to Care Home General Manager 30-31

Competition: WIN a Contiki Tour inc. Flights 26-27

In Our Wardrobe 22-23

Do’s and Don’ts for a Video Interview 34

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How to Build Your Personal Brand

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Getting Performance Experience without the Stage 6-7 Young & Homeless 14-17 The Unheard Side of University

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PUBLISHED BY Student Pages Media Group Ltd. 199 Bury New Road, Whitefield Manchester M45 6GE Tel: 0203 6016035 www.studentpages.biz PRINT Wyndeham Group

Accessory of the Season

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Best Buys under £50

Job Profile: Social Media Specialist 35

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Becoming a Barrister 36-37

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Saul Posel SUB EDITORS Edward Jones & Rudi Pediani SENIOR FEATURES EDITORS Elaine Zheng & Gabriella Wieland CAREERS FEATURES EDITOR Emma Rosen

DESIGNED BY Alison Parsons www.alison.graphics

CONTRIBUTING STUDENT WRITERS Lizzie Benton, Katie Gaster, Karel Aubun, Beheshteh Engineer, Ashleigh Rebecca McGreary, Peter Martz & James Hughes

EDITOR IN CHIEF & FOUNDER Gareth Rifkin

SOCIAL MEDIA Peter Martz & Edward Little

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My Solo Trip to Croatia

My Lagos Experience 50

ADVERTISING Elaine Black SPECIAL THANKS Rhenzy Feliz, Suzi Ruffell, Iyama, George Lewis, Joanne Elizabeth, Stewart Storrar, Siobhan Divers & Billie Ramsey If you would like to advertise within Student Pages Magazine, please get in touch with us on 02036016035; or email advertise@studentpages.biz.

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CREATING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND!

When you think of branding it’s easy for big names, such as Nike and Apple, to pop into your head, but branding isn’t just about a product; it’s a vital aspect of your future career and your personal profile.

The power of creating your personal brand is undeniable and can help you accelerate your career into paths that you never thought possible. You can become established in an industry, gain better career prospects, and even create your own business. To help you kick-start your personal brand we’ve revealed the steps you need to take to find your voice and get established.

Know Your Strengths

and Instagram to do cook-a-longs and share recipes you’ve come up with.

Before you begin creating your personal brand, it is essential to understand yourself and where your strengths and weaknesses lie. This is especially important because it will be the foundation of your personal brand and will help to navigate towards the area you want to specialise in.

No matter your passion and what gets you excited, there is a platform that you will feel comfortable with and give you the opportunity to voice your opinion. Having a platform is particularly helpful if you want to stand out for future careers in that industry, as many employers will be impressed that you have taken it upon yourself to get recognised and put the time and effort into the subject.

While this may seem overwhelming at first, it might be good to answer the following questions to help get you started:

•• •

What do your friends always compliment you for?

How would your friends describe you?

What are you passionate about?

As the old saying goes, ‘be yourself, because everyone else is taken’.

Show Rather Than Tell Once you know what you want to build your personal brand around, you now have to begin to create a portfolio that shows people who you are and what you are passionate about. To do this, you may look to create some specific social profiles, a blog, a podcast or even a YouTube channel.

Find a platform that helps you to get your message across in the best way possible. For example, if it’s fashion you might want to stick to Instagram, where you can post outfit photos and do Insta-videos of you reviewing high street pieces. If it’s food, you may look to use YouTube

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Increase Your Knowledge Don’t be naive in thinking that you’re already an expert! No matter the topic your personal brand will focus on, ensure to dedicate time to learning more and keeping up with any trends or news that may be relevant.

If you come across as being arrogant or unaware of current situations, you won’t gain the respect required to build a personal brand, as people will not look at you as a knowledgeable voice.

From reading the news to learning new trends and trying them out, this will all continue to help you grow and develop your brand and give you fresh content and information to share with any followers.

There are many online courses, and workshops around that can help you increase your knowledge without having to spend lots of money. From meet-ups to free courses, get searching for fresh knowledge that can continue to ignite your passion.

By Lizzie Benton

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Performance

Experience

W I T H O U T T H E S TA G E Whether you’re currently studying Drama and Performing Arts, or just want to explore the theatrical route, getting as much performance experience as possible is key to improving your confidence and stage presence.

But as a stage isn’t always available for your every performing desire, here’s how you can continue on your journey as a performer without having to wait for a casting call.

TEACH A CLASS While teaching may not instantly make you think of performing, children can prove to be the most critical audience. Why do you think party clowns get such a bad reputation?

Teachers of younger children have to perform their role every day to make subjects exciting and engaging for students, so entering the school environment can help you to hone in on your own performing skills.

From requesting to teach a class or taking part in story time, to doing a talk in front of a particular year group for a careers day, schools are often looking for outside help to educate the children on the big wide world. Contact a local

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primary or junior school and see how you can help out or get involved.

D O A TA L K Storytelling is the oldest form of performance, yet online talks are fast becoming a popular form to share experiences and lessons. This can be seen in the rise of TED talks and YouTube videos; we want to hear and watch people share their knowledge.

Doing a talk doesn’t necessarily mean you need to score yourself a TEDx talk, though. You can also find speaking opportunities at local meet-ups and networking events.

Think about a topic you’re particularly knowledgeable in and pitch yourself to talk at a local event.

Many of these networking groups are often desperate for people to fill their monthly meetings, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. These talks can provide you with fantastic opportunities to improve your storytelling and language skills.

TA K E T O T H E S T R E E T S Street performing goes far back in the history books, and it continues to be a major tourist attraction in many of the world’s big cities. So why not try your hand at a little performing history?

From singing and dancing to poetry and mime, there are many varieties of street performance that you can adopt to push your skills and develop your confidence.

Even established artists began on the streets, including Ed Sheeran, Tracy Chapman, Robin Williams, and Pierce Brosnan.

The public stage of the street not only makes you work hard to gain a captive audience but pushes you out of your comfort zone to think on your feet: skills which are critical for any performer.

S TA R T A C L U B Finding other like-minded people can help you gain confidence in your performance and help you gain advice from others in your position. If you haven’t discovered a drama club or performing arts group locally, consider starting one.

Not only can you then begin to play with your performances in front of a willing audience, but you can bring lots of different elements to each meet-up to help you all improve and enhance your skill sets. From an improvisation evening to a storytelling night, you can theme each event and develop your performing portfolio.

By Lizzie Benton

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Y Z N E RH IZ L E F

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Being a teenager in any world means tears, tantrums, hormones, and a whole lot of drama. Throw a few supervillains into the mix, and destruction is inevitable. For Rhenzy Feliz’s character, Alex Wilder in Marvel’s ‘Runaways’, this was certainly the case.

The 21-year-old actor, who stars as the frontrunner of an unlikely crew of teens, uncovers what life’s really like when you’re catapulted into the limelight as a teenager – with or without a little help from a superhero.

Fighting Societal Norms For many teen actors who take the leap into Hollywood, a life of auditions, acting classes, and agent-hopping typically prelude any role. This was not the case for Feliz, who only discovered his passion when his family moved from Florida to Los Angeles.

“Growing up in Florida, there wasn’t a lot of emphasis on acting. They want you to play football, go into baseball, or some other sport. When I got to LA, that changed for me.”

With a certain stigma attached to the world of acting in his previous years, Rhenzy only considered acting as a profession when he reached the bright lights of California.

“It’s not weird to act here in LA. That’s when I first thought I’d give it a shot.

My best friend’s stepdad ran a comedy

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class, so I said we should go after practice one time. I went, and I loved it. I first found my passion through that.”

Though this was his first professional brush with acting, Rhenzy loved to perform as a child. But due to the unpopularity of acting in his hometown, it was something the star had overlooked as a future goal.

“As a kid, I loved singing karaoke on stage and I loved being in front of an audience to perform.”

But after arriving in Hollywood, where a career in acting was encouraged rather than discouraged, everything changed.

But Rhenzy still had one problem: convincing his family.

We’ve all been there, when you finally build up the courage to tell your family of your new life choice. You sit them down, prepare a big speech, but just as you utter the first word, you’re met with confused faces and a scowl.

“I didn’t tell my extended family that I was trying to become an actor at first, because they couldn’t understand it.

I would try and explain to them, but they just couldn’t grasp why I wasn’t going to school instead. I told them that’s something I could do later, and they’d totally write me off. That never felt great.”

While Feliz’s extended family were supportive in other ways, it’s easy to understand why following a career path in the arts – a difficult industry to break at the best of times – seemed alien to those around him. But one person who saw true potential in his career choices was his mother.

“My mom and I, we’re extremely close.

She was the one who originally gave me the push to do this whole acting thing. I was debating whether I should go to university, or to a pursue a career in acting – and the driving force behind me choosing acting was my mom.”

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His mother reminded him that if he wanted to go to Uni later in her life, the option was always there.

“She highlighted the momentum I had at the time, and that pursuing a career in acting was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was on the fence, unsure of what to do, and she pushed me to realise my dreams. She had a huge impact on my career and I thank her all the time for that.”

There is certainly a stereotype that the key to success is going to university and following a set path.

When people push against this current and strive for a creative role, many, naturally, receive cynical opinions from those around them due to the success rate of actually ‘making it’.

ground. But when you hear someone speak of applying this law to manifest their dream life, you’re likely met with feelings of doubt, scepticism, and thoughts of practicality over actuality.

But is the notion as whimsical as it sounds?

Not according to Rhenzy.

“First and foremost, you have to believe. It sounds cliché, but if you truly visualize it, truly embody whatever it is you’re trying to achieve, you’ll succeed.”

Even the biggest and brightest visions can lose radiance in the face of self-doubt. As a completely natural, and sometimes unavoidable thought process, self-doubt often inoculates you against the things that might derail you later on.

“But when you tell them you’re going to try and follow what you love, to perform on stage, or be in front of a camera, people have this sort of negativity towards it. I understand the doubt, but I feel like it perhaps comes from a place that, in certain cases, they didn’t have the courage to pursue their true passion.”

Secrets to Success The law of attraction is the most powerful law in the universe. A simple and unchanging universal principle, often likened to gravity. If you try to jump off your couch, you fall. If you toss a penny off a roof, it’ll hit the

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While there is a clear correlation between positive thinking and success, hard work, determination – and often an extra sprinkling of luck – play a huge role in people’s path into creative industries. Doubt in your craft is normal, but according to Feliz, what truly matters is being able to push through feelings of self-doubt and come out the other side.

“There were times where I sought validation, times when I didn’t feel like I was the one for the job.

On the rise up, when I was trying to get auditions, I definitely had feelings of doubt. But I always felt the potential of being the big movie star. I shot for the moon, and I’m still shooting – this is just the beginning for me.”

“I feel like society wants people to venture down the comfortable route.

If you can say that you’re going to a certain school for four years, get a diploma, a degree, then it’ll prove to your employer that you can do the job. They’ll hire you, and you’ll slowly work your way up, and you’ll do your 9-5. That’s what people are expected to do.

While going to university and obtaining a degree is by no means a thing to be discouraged, there is a certain courage to fighting societal expectations in pursuit of a dream.

What’s important, says Feliz, is the drive to carry on.

of my being was focused on producing good work – and through that, work immediately followed. Of course, I’m very fortunate, but I definitely feel it has something to do with the belief I had in myself.”

“There have definitely been times where I questioned if I still love what I do. But the main thing is that I soon realised I could not possibly be happier in any other job. There’s always going to be hard days. There are going to be times when you don’t want to get up and do it – but this is your job, so you have to.”

And while many making the jump into the industry often subsidise their income with extra work, Feliz instead suggests that giving yourself a backup plan can often be synonymous with confirming doubt in yourself.

Rhenzy never gave himself a back up plan, and that was what forced him to believe in himself.

“There was no plan B. There was only plan A. For me personally, that made all the difference. All of my being was focused on getting an acting job. All

The grass may always look greener, but at the end of the day every job is exactly that – a job.

“A lot of people say, ‘find something you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.’ But it’s still work: you still have to show up at 5am; you still have to stay up until six in the morning when the sun comes up to do shots that are going to add up to 30 seconds.”

Of course, in any job role, there’s going to be times when giving up seems

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easy. The young actor says the crucial thing is to place your other options side by side, and truly search within to discover if you wouldn’t be happier venturing down another route.

“If I had the choice between doing this or anything else, I would pick this a thousand times over.”

Marvel & More Marvel’s extensive catalogue means different things to different people, but the power of the superhero story is universal. For every person who felt like they didn’t fit in, who has ever felt different, an outcast, or not truly represented in the media, Marvel’s stories make them feel extraordinary.

They remind the reader, the viewer, or the listener that it’s okay to be considered different, because that’s what makes you the hero of your own story.

In Marvel’s hit-series Runaways, this message is strikingly resonant, but what exactly is it about the series that has struck such a chord with audiences across the globe?

“I think it’s because the show’s about teenagers – featuring teenagers.

These teenagers have been put in weird and extreme circumstances, forcing them to rise up and question everything they’ve known to be true.”

Questioning everything you’ve ever known is a feeling that most experience while growing up, and there are times when pretty much every teenager has thought that their parents are evil. But what if they actually were?

the show. We turn against everything we’ve ever known, against all the authoritative figures in our lives, and I feel like teenagers grasp onto that.”

Before moving to Florida, Rhenzy initially grew up in the Bronx. “Growing up I didn’t have a lot. In my last summer break, I went to stay at my aunt’s and the only place to sleep was on the floor. So I took a blanket down and slept right there. That’s kind of the way we grew up.”

With the up-and-coming actor’s lack of growing-up time, he relates to many of Marvel’s mass following.

Followers typically use comic books as a way of escapism, much in the same way Feliz can be the hero in his own story. The star of his own show. Not that his childhood was one he wanted to escape from.

“The way my family works, we’re all very close. We’re incredibly familyorientated, and that comes with love.

You truly feel that, that kind of love and support.”

The Importance of Authenticity In many ways, performance and authenticity are two opposing and often contradictory terms. A good performer is well-trained in the art of wearing different masks, whereas authenticity involves the removal of masks to reflect who we are deep inside.

But is it possible to achieve both?

The ‘Runaways’ actor always strives to feel something real with each performance.

“They’re seeing something very human which resonates with them.

It resonates with us all. I always try to play a version of myself – just a darker version who’s been through a lot more. That way, audiences see something real. That’s when I feel art is really coming across – when another human being can see through this visual medium and feel something themselves.”

The Final Mission Another universality in superhero movies is an epic climax. So what’s next for Rhenzy Feliz?

“I feel like I’m just at the beginning, as if I’m at the base of a huge mountain.

In terms of making it, I don’t feel like I will have truly made it until I can sit back, look out over my beautiful balcony and have scripts coming at me that I can pick and choose from.

The goal is longevity. It’s consistency.

Because the second you drop off, your career will slack, and you’ll fall off that mountain.”

Rhenzy Feliz’s climb continues when the second season of ‘Runaways’ airs in the UK this year.

By Gabriella Wieland Photos: Ian Spanier

Runaways explores this notion with a certain villainous intricacy, in a world reminiscent of current world affairs.

“There’s a lot going on in our own world right now, and as a teenager, there’s a certain point where you start to question authority. As you transition from childhood to adulthood, you begin to understand things on a completely different level.”

Rhenzy believes this is mirrored in the series: “I think that’s a huge theme in

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Top Apps 2019

to get YOUR hands on in

1. UNiDAYS UNiDAYS is one of the most hyped student apps around, and for good reason. They save you cash on everything you need for uni and more.

When you download the UNiDAYS app you get discounts on everything from the freshest looks and meals out with mates, to tech that’ll take you from studying to streaming.

We’re talking big savings of up to 50% and special deals on over 250 of your fave brands like ASOS, Deliveroo, Apple, EE, Spotify, and more. And it’s all for free. No, seriously. It’s free to join, free to use and exclusively for students in sixth form, college or university. If saving money on (pretty much) everything wasn’t enough, they’ve got comps, giveaways, next-level advice, and all the lols and life hacks you could want.

UNiDAYS is our number one app, because, well, it’s indispensable. Get it now.

3. Clubbable 2. cherii cherii is poised to disrupt the selfie app space in a huge way. By rewarding its users with free stuff when they post selfies, this will be the first app of its type in the UK. Open the app, take a selfie, add a frame or sticker and share it to your Instagram, Twitter or Facebook profile, but then things get exciting... when someone likes, comments or shares your post, you earn points in cherii, which can then be used to redeem products. From burgers to clothes, from taxi rides to makeup, imagine posting a selfie in the morning and getting a free pizza delivered for dinner. it really is that simple!

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In the Clubbable app you create your group for going out to VIP nightclubs at major party capitals across the globe. Get amazing offers of guest list from the best promoters with benefits such as free entry, drinks, pre-drinks and taxi+dinner for the lucky ones.

If you want to go out big, book a VIP table in the app. The app allows you to invite other users to go in with you, as well as view the rating of the promoter from previous guests. Download now, and check out what all the fuss is about!

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A Mile in Their Shoes:

YOUNG & HOMELESS Over 100,000 young people are homeless each year: sleeping rough, sofa-surfing, living in supported housing.

Many carry the burdens of abuse, bereavement, and mental health issues.

But behind the staggering statistics are their daily struggles, their triumphs against all odds. Their untold stories.

For many of us, the notion of leaving home to live independently is one of the most appealing parts of university. No curfews.

No rules. No parents to answer to. But our home is always waiting at the end of term; mum and dad are just a phone call away

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when we’re feeling homesick and hopeless.

A safety net to catch us when we fall.

But not everyone is blessed with such a luxury. The true scale of youth homelessness is difficult to gauge, as many slip through the cracks, but a recent report from the London Assembly housing committee has shown that a fifth of young people (under 25s) in London are homeless, most of which are invisible.

You pass them in the street. Sit next to them on the bus. Share lecture halls with them.

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Josh’s Story Growing up, life was relatively normal for Josh. He moved from Folkstone, Kent, to Durham when he was six and then again to Sunderland a few years later. It soon became apparent that his mother was struggling with mental health issues, later diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Despite her best efforts to support Josh, the situation took its toll on him and he was eventually taken into foster care. Needless to say, being uprooted from his home and moving to a new environment at the age of twelve or thirteen wasn’t easy.

“Even though I was old enough to know something was wrong, at the same time looking back I didn’t have a real clue why. It’s daunting because you leave everything you are used to behind, even if it wasn’t the best for you.”

School presented an extra challenge whilst adapting to his new environment, and a year before his GCSEs he lost his father, and then, during first year of college, his grandfather.

But Josh’s passion for sports was a lifeline. He focused all his efforts on his goals, passing all of his GCSEs and earning triple distinction in his level 3 BTECs.

Onwards and Upwards Just before Josh turned eighteen, he moved out of his foster home and into supported housing. He struggled there as someone with ambition, surrounded by some who didn’t have the same energy and drive as him. He came across Centrepoint – a national organisation which supports

homeless youths – and moved into their accommodation where he settled down, and focused on his future.

The result? He received four university offers, and went on to study Sport and Exercise Sciences at Northumbria University.

“University has been great for me because I’m on a course I love and made some decent mates on my course. As well as all this I’ve been getting on great and getting good grades with a 2:1 for first year and aiming even higher for second.”

Second year has been a step up in workload as it is for many students, but Josh welcomes the challenge. His passion carries him through.

“I particularly enjoy the nutrition and physiology side of the course because I love learning about the human body but I didn’t realise it would be the toughest part.”

And the Award Goes to…

Getting good grades wasn’t the only good news Josh received in first year. He found out he would be travelling to London to be presented with an achievement award from Centrepoint.

By whom, you ask? Oh, you know, just the Duke of Cambridge.

“Yeah, winning the award and being at Kensington palace was all a bit mad.

Meeting Johnathan Ross, Emilia Clarke, and most importantly Prince William was one of those surreal days, you don’t really realise how big of a deal it is until you’re there. Really though it was one of the best days of my life.”

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Brogen’s Story Moving to university is a big decision for all of us. It’s exciting, liberating, even scary. But the choice to study Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Salford and move in with her boyfriend had graver consequences than most for Brogen.

Her parents did not approve of her life choices. They scorned and mocked her decision, banished her from the family unless she reversed her decision. But Brogen refused to let anyone else write her future for her. She moved to university, and in 2017 she made the decision to cut all ties with her toxic parental relationship.

In the aftermath of her familial estrangement, Brogen’s relationship broke down and she found herself homeless, with five months until her next loan payment and no one to lean on.

“I was struggling emotionally, mentally, and physically. What I wanted during that period was a hug from my mum and I couldn’t get it. It felt as if my whole world had fallen apart and all I could do was sit back and watch it.”

For eight months, she sofa-surfed between friends with her whole life in a suitcase. On top of all of her new problems, she still had the pressure of passing her exams.

Metamorphosis But despite the hand she was dealt, Brogen persevered throughout. She is currently in her third year, and graduation is in sight.

“I’ve grown massively at university as an individual, given that Uni was something my parents mocked me for… being a student has shown me just how resilient I am and opened my eyes to just how capable I am as a person. But also how loving I am as a person, given all the work I do to improve the support at universities for other estranged students.”

into something positive and create a support network for others in similar situations.

“I want to help others going through estrangement feel less isolated and help them to believe that they can still have a good life and a happy life in spite of estrangement… The idea behind it was to bring other estranged people together to meet one another and form meaningful friendships with others who have walked a similar path.”

Merry Christmas?

For Brogen and other estranged students, Christmas isn’t such a festive season. The constant emphasis on family, love, and holiday cheer can be suffocating.

“Christmas felt more like a day that made me feel punished, given the societal focus on family around this holiday…

Christmas unfortunately isn’t just on my mind on the run up to Xmas. It’s on my mind all year and I have to put measures in place in order to prepare myself for the season.”

But rather than be a bystander to her isolation and sadness, Brogen decided to reclaim Christmas. The holiday became a blank canvas, as clean as freshly fallen snow. She was free to spend Christmas wherever, however, and with whomever she liked. Free to make her own traditions and memories.

In 2017, she couldn’t face dinner without her family, but this year she had an early Christmas dinner and put up her tree with friends. Then she jetted off to New York City on Christmas Eve, spent a week travelling America before finishing in Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve. Not the worst way to spend your Christmas…

As she became more aware of how significant and overlooked the issue of disownment and estrangement is among students, she was determined to make a change. She set up and runs PAUSE (People at University Separated and Estranged) at the University of Salford.

It was important for her to channel her own experiences

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Zinnia’s Story Another Centrepoint award recipient was Zinnia, hers for ‘Rising Star’.

“I was shocked that I won an award. It was a great experience and to see people celebrate how far young people have come was great.”

She then went on to receive two more awards: one for commitment to excellence from North East Autism Society, where she works, and another from Youthbuild UK. “I went to London in the House of Commons to receive that award. Getting that award was amazing too. It took me a while to believe that I won. With me winning that award I get to go to Philadelphia with Youthbuild UK to meet other young people around the world. Really looking forward to that.”

But the road to her multiple award ceremonies was a long one.

On the Road “My whole life I have always been moving around. My parents would move all the time to stop social services from taking me from them. There was a time we lived in a tent for a while.”

When she was five, Zinnia’s mum kicked her and her dad out.

Her dad would come back in the evenings, drunk, and abuse her. She was hospitalised on multiple occasions.

Zinnia was taken into care at age nine, but she didn’t get along with her foster parents. She attended school for the first time but struggled to keep up and was bullied.

And then, at sixteen, Zinnia found out she was pregnant.

With little support around herself, let alone for a child, she decided to put her daughter up for adoption.

“I just couldn’t cope, and I didn’t want her to have a bad childhood like I did.”

eventually led to her landing her dream job with the North East Autism Society.

“I love working there.

My job is something I’m passionate about.

It helps with my mental health a lot and keeps me busy. Being able to get a job in something you love doing really is amazing.”

Giving Back Zinnia now talks in schools and works with Youth Homeless North East and Centrepoint to share her own story and educate youths about the issues surrounding homelessness.

“I love helping people and being able to talk to young people about my past and show them that you can achieve things. I want young people to know they’re not alone and that even though times might be hard now, they will get better in the future.”

With her dream job and multiple achievement awards under her belt, the future looks bright for Zinnia, but what inspires her to shoot for the stars?

“A couple of years ago my birth mum got in touch with us and I met her. And I was quite disappointed, because she hadn’t done anything. Losing her kids meant nothing to her.

So when I saw that, I thought, I don’t want my daughter to look at me like that, so she kind of inspired me to change my life around. So everything I do now is for her.”

She’s now saving for a house she can finally call her own.

By Eddy Jones

A year later, her foster parents asked her to leave. She sofasurfed a while before moving into a council flat, but soon had to move again due to feuds with neighbours.

“They would put glue in my lock, throw eggs at my windows because my ex would play his guitar or Xbox all night.”

She went to Centrepoint then for support with her mental health and personal finances. After moving into another flat, she broke up with her ex, who attacked her when she asked him to leave. She was so scared to stay in the flat that she went to a mate’s and ended up sofa-surfing for months again. Eventually she moved back into a flat of her own.

Passion for Art Although school wasn’t the easiest for Zinnia, there was one subject she always enjoyed: Art. Since the age of thirteen, she’s been painting and decorating as a hobby, which

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SUZI RUFFELL Is there a Better Time to be a Woman in Comedy?

Not everyone was born to be a comedian. Some people are born with a natural talent to make others laugh, and some have to work at it.

Nonetheless, making people chuckle at your every word for a living isn’t something that happens overnight. Comedians typically spend years honing their craft and building their reputation in order to establish themselves in the industry. And even when this process is complete, a roar of laughter from the audience every time you open your vocal chords is never guaranteed.

Suzi Ruffell understands this better than any – one of the biggest up-and-coming comedians currently on the circuit.

In constant demand at clubs and theatres, Suzi knows what it really takes to get those immense LOLs from crowds.

While a stand-up, by nature, involves standing tall in front of an audience for laughs, the profession itself is something people usually fall into. Despite it often taking years of honing your craft to establish yourself, most comics never have a set plan.

“I don’t think I realised comedy was for me for a very long time. It just sort of happened. I’ve never really met anybody

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who did have a plan, even if they’ve always liked being funny and creating sketches. There’s no sort of hard and fast way how to get in. It’s such a bizarre career choice. Most people just give it a go. And from there, it becomes a really exciting thing to do with your life.”

Although not having a plan is often beneficial to breaking into creative professions, that’s not to say that success will follow without a share of self-determination and persistence. Before Suzi ventured into the world of standup, she spent many years perfecting her performance skills at drama school. Deciding to give comedy a go on a whim,

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Suzi performed her first ever gig as a stand-up in a small pub in King’s Cross.

“I was decidedly average. Very few people are the fullyformed thing when they first start out, but most aren’t. It takes a really long time to work out how to do stand-up, and even longer to work out how you in particular want to do it.”

Once you’ve found your niche, there’s still work to be done.

“It takes a while to learn how to write and perform – and it’s a really long process to become a touring stand-up. From being an open mic-er, an open spot, to a professional comic, tour support, and now having my own tour, I’ve been about 10 years in the industry, and I’ve been in many roles which have really enabled me to build my craft.”

But even established comedians aren’t immune to the occasional hiccup. We’ve all had those moments when speaking in front of a group of people – you’ve planned what you’re going to say down to the very last word. You’ve practised it over and over again, and used your cat as an audience at least once – but one thought of what you’re going to get from the takeaway later, and you stumble. This is completely natural, according to Suzi. And for those wanting to perform as a career, it’s something that improves massively with the gift of time.

“It only really happens when you’re not truly connected to a gig. And when it does, you always find your thread. There’s a sort of muscle memory there, and it’s easy to pick back up.”

Above all, nerves are an integral part of the process. Rather, what’s important is remembering “you’re a person experiencing a whole range of emotions, and you can’t help that sometimes. Nerves are something you learn to deal with in your own way, and the more you do it, the less nervous you become.”

untypical. The industry is hugely supportive, and there’s a collection of fabulous, funny, and lovely female comics that I’m lucky to be a part of.”

While there might not be a better time for women in comedy, there’s much to be said for the female presence currently within the industry. Throughout history, feminism has been mobilised and strengthened through collective laughter, so is there a better way to affirm the movement than through the medium of comedy? In fact, comedy is often a matrix for processing social change, and it’s something very close to Suzi’s heart.

“Feminism means everything to me. It’s my ability to work, be myself, and be a valid member of society. It’s my ability to have a voice, to feel like my voice matters – it’s essentially at the heart of everything I am and everything I aspire to do.

The same applies to most 21st century women who choose to have a career, without having to answer to a husband, a partner, or anybody else. Feminism is certainly something I simply could not do without.”

With a strong dose of humour, even the bitterest pill tastes sweet.

Comedy has often been accredited to popularising feminism, making the movement more palatable to a wider public weary of a movement marred by stereotypes of ‘man-haters’. After all, there is no fiercer political weapon than laughter.

But have we gone too far? While there’s much to be said for comedy commentating, unravelling, and often scrutinising social issues, perhaps placing these messages at the forefront of a set detracts from the startling progression of the sociojustice movements in modern times.

For Suzi Ruffell, relaying political messages through her craft certainly isn’t a priority.

Just as overcoming the occasional nervous glitch is essential to becoming a great performer, combating social prejudice in any industry is paramount to celebrating diversity in our community. In recent years, there’s no doubt that we’ve made huge leaps and bounds with regards to gender equality. But while women can now vote, serve on a jury, and drive in a housecoat – yes, really – some argue that equality in the workplace still has a way to go.

“I’m a gay woman on stage, and that alone is a political act in a small way. I want to make people laugh. If they think a little bit, then that’s great. But the main aspect for my set is that it’s funny.”

According to recent figures, women account for just 10 percent of the comedy circuit, with male comics continuing to earn bundles more than their female counterparts. That said, the rise of women in the industry is undeniable.

For those wanting to follow in her footsteps, she has one simple message: “Write, write, write…If you’ve got the inclination, have a go, and just know that everyone has terrible gigs. You will improve. Gig, write, find your style, and just keep doing it. You’ll find your way.”

“I don’t think there’s a better time to be a woman in comedy. We’re beyond a time where women in comedy is

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And with many appearances on Dave, an episode of ‘Live at the Apollo’, and a tour well underway, she’s got the country in stitches.

By Gabriella Wieland

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GET IN TOUCH...

Student Pages talks to

Hawes & Curtis’ Photographer and Studio Manager,

Jimmy La 1. Which trends do you think will be big for Winter 2019?

There’s always a set trend of style, fabric and colours the fashion designers create, recycle and market over the years.

I feel that’s always been the tradition and will be, however with digital media such as blogs, social media, youtube etc for fashion lovers. I feel these assist trends in a more creative, individual, personal and diverse way.

2. How did you get into Fashion, and forge your career in this field?

I got into fashion because I want to combine my love for still life and life style photography together to create a story within a product or brand. The drive and passion to create digital content in photography with hard work, projects, collaboration, experiences, technical knowledge and creative background helped me in forging my career in this field.

3. Can you describe a typical day in the life of a Fashion Photographer?

There are different types of fashion photographers and typical day as a fashion photographer varies. Not every days the same which is interesting. Some days would be photoshoot for a few days and others would be post production working with a team.

4. What would you recommend to someone wanting to work in this field?

A generic question people ask is what camera? and a good camera does assist, but it’s the individual who creates the

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vision. So don’t get carried away with camera gear. Start small and once you get better you can upgrade. Have a good tool and go create. The more you experience the better you get.

5. Why do you love fashion photography?

I love fashion because the creativity that goes behind them.

The colours, style, people, location, themes, props, story, challenges the list goes on.

The hours can be long and is hard work but very rewarding when you see the final results, seeing the concept vision come to life.

6. What skills are most important in Fashion Photography?

Having a back ground in design really helps with creativity.

Most importantly good communication skills and knowledge of lighting, technical and post production skills.

7. What would you recommend for somebody to wear to an interview as a Fashion Photographer?

I recommend a balance of neutral and a touch of colour in your style so it’s not to distracting.

However, Like fashion it’s a style and you should wear what’s your style and be comfortable. I believe it shows your individuality and makes you stand out from other interviews upon first impression, because after all you’re looking to work in the fashion industry.

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THE ULTIMATE TRANSITIONAL PIECE The ultimate transitional piece, this dress is sure to drag you out of your winter dress code of jeans and (another) jumper, yet still look great by the time we finally reach those lazy summer evenings.

Our favourite feature, however, just has to be the pockets: who says fashion can’t be practical?!

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WIN FLIGHTS AND A CONTIKI TOUR TO YOUR DREAM DESTINATION

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WHO ARE CONTIKI? They love taking fun and young travellers to exciting parts of the globe! Their tours are strictly from 18-35s, so you know you’re in for a good time. Contiki offers over 350 trips in 6 continents, such as Europe, Australia, USA, Asia and South America and their latest destinations now include Sri Lanka and Africa.

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Cape Town • Kruger National Park Victoria Falls • Chobe

Say Ayubowan to Contiki’s newest hot spot, Sri Lanka. This adventure is going to take you all over. From national parks to beaches to the world-famous tea country, we’ve squeezed in all the highlights to create the perfect 10-day trip. Imagine hand-picked inclusions and Free Time Add-Ons that deliver the best Sri Lanka has to offer.

Don’t want to compromise? Think of this trip as the best of the best. From seeing the beautiful city and beaches of Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain, to having a chance of spotting the Big 5 in two of Africa’s top wildlife destinations, and experiencing the adrenaline filled activities of one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World - Victoria Falls. This trip lets you tick off all the highlights that South Africa has to offer.

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Visit http://www.statravel.co.uk/contiki-tours.htm to book online or speak to one of our Travel Experts at your local STA Travel store

*Terms and conditions apply. Must be 18 years or over to enter. See statravel.co.uk/ contiki-tours.htm for full terms and conditions.

Competition closes on 15th March 2019

MUSIC FROM THE SOUL

An Identity of Its Own Iyamah compiled her debut album, ‘Cryptic Love’ alongside two of her friends, none of them entirely certain of what they were doing.

“We didn’t have much – of money, of experience - but we made the most out of what we had.”

Now her team only gets bigger with every single, and while it may mark the artist’s evolution, the simplicity found in her early days is often missed.

Through her music, Iyamah hopes to connect with her audience through common feelings of honesty, vulnerability, and empowerment.

“Soul and hip-hop gives us the chance to talk about subjects that may be sensitive or difficult.”

As our generation is becoming more and more awake and open to conversation, we have become more aware, actively looking for solutions and change.

In the growing popularity of urban genres, she hopes people can listen with respect and come to understand where it comes from, and why it resonates with so many of us. While Iyamah worries that the popularity of soul and hip-hop may cause it to lose its meaning, the artist acknowledges that we cannot stop something from evolving and remains confident in the power of its words. In the end, we can only make sure to remember and respect the artists that came before us.

The Path of Creation

INTERVIEW WITH

lyamah Iyamah’s music is a lot of things - a blend of neo-soul, hip-hop, jazz, and trap - but beyond all, it is a sound that cannot be confined to categorisation. A unique rendition of the artist’s truth. It combines the power of soul with the freedom of reggae, the depth of jazz, and the courage of hip hop.

“It’s an expression of my story,” ... “When I sing, I sing as if I were re-living the experience because I want others to feel it too.”

The artist’s musical education began with a year spent with Higher Performance, which taught her the coverage of songs and performance, and focused on stage presence and experimentation with a variety of genres. After a while, the artist noticed that merely covering a song was not enough, she wanted to create her own. While she had been acquainted with composition, they had either been top lines for bass tracks, or personal songs written on the piano.

It was only as she undertook a three-year degree in song writing that the artist was given the opportunity to perform her own pieces before an audience.

Beyond the Degree As a recent graduate, Iyamah shares her reflections on how the student life at ICMP helped shape her identity as an artist.

“When I moved to London I didn’t know anyone.”

Winning the scholarship in her first year allowed Iyamah to gain faith and created an urge to prove herself worthy of the award, which fuelled the fire that would carry the musician through the trials to come.

University granted the artist a space for reflection and growth. The access to teachers who served as advisors, as

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well as classmates who understood her struggle fostered a sense of community and direction. In the safety of its confines, Iyamah was able to explore and define herself as an artist.

“Going out and doing it by yourself is very confident, but unrealistic unless you have a support system acquainted with the industry.”

When one has yet to gather the experience they need, it is useful to have a place where their talents can be nurtured and grow.

Challenges in Collaboration For Iyamah, finding producers she could work with had been an extremely important process, but nevertheless a difficult one. Even now, despite having gained the respect of many who are willing to listen to her ideas and help her develop her sound, the musician often finds herself frustrated with getting her way.

“I really have to be confident and trust I know what I want.”

As producers are often after what is current, they tend to ignore the artist’s desire to actually create.

As such, finding a producer appears to be a job in itself; Iyamah went through five until she became satisfied with Silver & Gold. While it can be frustrating to derive from your head a sound that no one else can hear, with time, she has learned to trust her gut.

“Eventually, things will get easier. It’s just something you have to work towards.”

Similarly, Iyamah confesses she had difficulty letting others into the writing process, as much of her music had been derived from personal experience.

“If an idea doesn’t come from me, I feel disconnected from the song entirely.”

Often, collaboration meant that she had to detach herself from the song entirely to allow for other ideas to take shape, as ultimately, art comes before artist.

“There’s nothing worst than a bunch of unfinished songs lingering in your head.”

As such, she makes it a priority to bring the process to conclusion, even if the song does not become hers to claim.

Advice for Aspiring Musicians While an artist can go from homeless to famous in the space of a year, it is tempting to buy into the myth of overnight success, without considering the sacrifices they had to make to get there.

“We need more platforms that show the journey of independent artists. A space where they can talk about their highs and their lows, and the real struggle…Be consistent and don’t expect anything from anyone.”

Not only is it crucial to show up for yourself, as you are, but to make the active effort to get out of your comfort zone to seek out people and places to find what’s right for you.

“Get yourself out there!”

By Elaine Zheng

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ADVERTORIAL

y e n r u o J s ’ l e u Sam

A

R TO CAR

ROM CARE JOURNEY F

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NERAL MA E HOME GE

When Samuel Koromo experienced the trauma of watching his father suffer from the effects of a stroke, he knew he wanted to do something in his life that gave him the chance to care for people.

When he started his 6-month PreAccess Course at Barking College, Samuel had no idea he was setting himself on a course that would see him become the Care Home General Manager of Barchester Healthcare’s award-winning Parkview Care Home in Darlington.

Samuel talks to Student Pages Magazine about his journey into nursing, and how his personal experience of caring for his father led him into a career that ensured he could pursue a meaningful life and help those that need it the most.

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Starting the journey Samuel’s father played an influential role in him discovering a career in care, and once qualified as a Carer, Samuel moved into a role at Barchester Healthcare. With a supportive team around him Samuel instantly knew that a career in Health Care was going to bring him the fulfilment he wanted.

“When I joined Barchester, I was told that if I wanted to progress there would be opportunities for me to move my career forward into nursing. That’s when I started to realise how far I could go in a Health Care career and thought, I can actually do this!”

Samuel found his manager very supportive and welcoming.”

She gave me flexibility to study and would even help me with my nursing assignments. Having all that support in place from the beginning made such a difference. “ Flexibility is just one of the benefits at Barchester, there are so many added extras to keep you motivated, such as the employee of the month scheme, being part of a company-wide profit share scheme where you can receive an annual bonus and even simply sitting down to a meal together as a team. “Even my birthday is recognised!” said Samuel. “When I came to Park View, the team did a birthday celebration for me - I was really not expecting that. All these extra little things make coming to work so worthwhile.”

Through the dedicated support system and training provided by Barchester, Samuel went from being a Carer to a Nurse and onto a Senior Nurse role. Being promoted to Unit Manager followed, which subsequently led to a position as Acting Manager. For Samuel, the decision to make the next move in his career was a simple one; “When the Care Home General Manager position came up, I decided to do my level 5 in Leadership and Management in Health & Social Care.”

Finding purpose At every step of his career from Carer to Care Home General Manager, Samuel has taken his vision of wanting to care and support others and developed it with the training and opportunities provided at Barchester. We asked Samuel to reflect on his mission and his career so far.

Prior to coming to Barchester Healthcare, Samuel worked briefly at another care home. However, it failed to provide the support Samuel needed to support his aspirations.

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“Providing activities and motivation is so important for our residents, so we arranged a cultural day and invited family and friends to join us. I was delighted with how many came and the atmosphere was amazing. When the CQC came and did their review they said the home felt like a family; that meant a lot to me.”

Samuel believes a career in care is all about your attitude, “Ask for help if you need it. Never give up. Work hard. Be part of the team. There is help at every step of the way. Respect leadership, policies and procedures. Always go the extra mile to make sure someone’s life is more comfortable or improved.”

Go as far as you can Samuel’s passion, experience and belief that you can do anything you set your heart on has meant he has been able to achieve his aspirations through the fantastic support Barchester has in place, and he is not finished yet!

For Samuel, Parkview is his second home. The residents and his team are part of his family and he enjoys coming up with new events and activities that bring his family of residents, their families and staff closer to the local community.

Having originally just wanted to undertake a role which allowed him to care, what Samuel actually found was so much more. Something that had a buzz, energy and purpose to it. At Barchester Samuel found that he could not only use his degree to help people to live a full and happy life, but he could also feel invigorated and fulfilled.

Barchester currently employs over 17,000 people to care for 10,000 residents and patients at over 200 purpose-built care homes and six independent hospitals across the UK. If you would like to enhance your course work with hands-on experience within the care sector visit: jobs.barchester.com for more information.

jobs.barchester.com

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Job Profile: CHEF We recently caught up with Brice Perry, who originally trained as a computer programmer and systems engineer, before finding his true calling in catering. Now Head Chef at Barchester’s Thistle Hill Care Centre in Knaresborough, Brice was happy to give us an insight into a career in catering and the skills you need to draw on to succeed in this industry.

Brice believes a catering role in the care sector is worth looking into if you’re interested in a catering career. Working in a care home gives you a lot more freedom to do what you want to do than working in the restaurant side of the catering industry. He went on to explain “A lot of restaurants around us are now part of a chain, which means they’re governed by spec sheets. It can be quite difficult to progress your skills once you get into that type of environment.”

At Barchester, the focus is on the quality of the food, the presentation of the meals and the overall dining experience for the residents. As Barchester wants to provide an almost hotel-style experience in their care homes, the catering team are given the freedom to explore their ideas and are given time to spend on their dishes. Brice said, “You know exactly how many meals you are preparing, so you can continually improve your skills and knowledge as you focus on developing the finer elements of each dish.”

If you’re looking at a part time student route into a catering career, Brice recommends studying an NVQ in catering. “But even if you don’t have any catering qualifications, you can come into a kitchen at a lower level, whilst you’re studying your NVQ”.

“ Even if

you don’t have any catering qualifications, you can come into a kitchen at a lower level, whilst you’re studying your NVQ

„

Brice suggests starting with a basic NVQ, then working up to level 2, and level 3 alongside your day to day role. “Working and learning at the same time gives you the practical experience of the skills you’re learning. This helps you to learn things a bit quicker, because you’re using your skills straight away, instead of doing a full year length course and suddenly finding yourself in the workplace without enough practical experience.”

At Barchester, kitchen assistants interested in developing their careers are continually encouraged to use their skills by being given the opportunity to produce some of the cold puddings and other more involved elements in the kitchen. Brice added ‘I enjoy using my mentoring skills to help newer members of the team to flourish.”

Making a difference Brice feels a real sense of purpose in the food produced for the residents in Thistle Hill, “One of the highlights of the day for our residents is the evening meal they share together. Seeing the resident’s reaction to something I have created, especially when it’s something a little bit different or something for a special occasion is a great feeling. I get great pleasure from knowing I’ve made their life just that little bit better.”

“Working as Head Chef in a care home gives me the flexibility I enjoy. Whether I’m baking some fancy cakes for the residents, or catching up on my paperwork, this job is always interesting. The best part of my role is having time to chat with the residents, to see how they are doing and find out what their favourite meals are so I can cater to their needs.”

Find out more about Barchester and browse all the current vacancies @ jobs.barchester.com

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Do’s and Don’ts for a

VIDEO INTERVIEW You’ve aced your CV and cover letter for that dream grad job and sent it off before the application deadline – great! Three days later, you get an email asking for a video interview as the first step. Oh no…

These days, it’s not uncommon for employers to ask for a video call interview during the preliminary stages of your application before asking you in for a face to face interview.

Don’t be worried if this sets you a little on edge, as Student Pages is here to the rescue with our top tips for how to handle the situation.

Do as much research as you would for a face to face interview.

• •

Think of three or four questions to ask at the end of the interview. This could be about the future of the role and/or company, if there is any room for innovation within the role, how many people are in the team, or what the office culture is like?

•

Do’s

• • •

Go somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed – put a warning on the housemates’ WhatsApp group!

•

Make sure your phone is on silent with vibrate off. Good luck messages on the aforementioned WhatsApp group are appreciated but the buzzing will be unprofessional.

Keep a glass of water nearby to quench your thirst from all the talking you’re going to be doing.

Dress as if you were going to a regular job interview.

Whilst you can wear whatever you want below where the camera cuts off, dressing professionally on your lower half will keep you in the zone – also, far too many people have been known to stand up without thinking, revealing PJs (or worse)!

Test your Wi-Fi out beforehand by calling someone else over the same application as the one you’ll be using. Try Skyping your mum the day before, just in case.

•

Have some notes on hand if you’re nervous, or at least have your CV and some questions nearby.

You can place them where they’re not visible to the interviewer and can provide some handy backup if the need arises.

Don’ts

• • •

Don’t have the TV or any other tech on in the background – it will distract you, even if it’s on silent.

Don’t interrupt. It can be hard to gauge when someone has finished speaking when you’re not there in person.

Don’t sit on your bed or have it in the background. You need to be sitting somewhere professional looking, even it it’s just your dining room table.

By Emma Rosen

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ADVERTORIAL

Job Profile: SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Student Pages spoke to Jess Hutchby about finding her passion as a Social Media Specialist within O2’s Careers Team.

We caught up with her to find out what it is like working for O2 and how she has grown within her role for one of UK’s top companies to work for, “a company that champions career development”.

Having originally started as a part-time advisor whilst doing her Master’s Degree, Jess progressed to an Assistant Manager, all whilst writing her dissertation (It can be done!!). She joined the Resourcing Team as a Social Media Specialist this March, and the rest as they say is history. For Jess, building experience was all part of working for the company, getting to know the brand, the jobs roles, what we do on a day to day basis.

“Being a Social Media Specialist links in with both of my degrees, I have an undergraduate degree in Journalism and a postgraduate degree in Publishing, so with both of these degrees there has been some sort of Social Media/Marketing aspect and my love of Social Media grew from my Undergraduate degree, where I started looking at it in a whole new way and not just as a place to post my own content (it is a networking place).”

“ My love of

Social Media grew from my Undergraduate degree, where I started looking at it in a whole new way

„

Jess highlighted a key part of her role was to promote the advantages of O2, from benefits of being part of O2, to educational tools, from CV tips and interview advice, to help provide the necessary insight for future candidates wishing to apply to work for O2.

One of the real key highlights within Jess’s role, is the diversity every day brings.

The ability to utilize her creative skillset to push the boundaries and think outside the box for topics that will drive interest to O2’s social media platform, and provide engaging content, that will strike a cord with O2’s audience. Equal to this is the work involved in planning content for the week to come, linking in with different departments and stores to ensure fresh and relevant content is available on a regular basis. The flexibility to work from home has ensured Jess has the flexibility to manage her workload in the comfort of her home environment, whilst scheduled meetings within the office provide that work consistency.

“The biggest challenges are trying to create the content. Not in terms of having the content, but making sure it is what our audience wants, and making sure that it is different, because as a Careers Social Channel, it can be easy to sink into a page that just posts job tips and jobs and that isn’t what O2 Careers is just about.”

For students interested in undertaking her journey, Jess strongly recommends honing your research skill set! Ensure that your research covers not only Social Media but also the company you want to work for, get to know its brand, how it works and the sort of Social Media they use. Making sure to keep up to date with Social Media news and the changes that happen, because it changes often and it changes fast.

Find out more about 02 and browse all their current vacancies @ https://O2careers.co.uk

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35

becoming a

BARRISTER

WHY BECOME A BARRISTER IN INDEPENDENT PRACTICE?

KEY SKILLS OF A BARRISTER

❶ You want to help people.

Every case presents a new opportunity to help someone: finding the meaning in a badly drawn will or contract; negotiating sensible child-care arrangements; mitigating for someone facing a prison sentence, representing victims of accidents; helping businesses with commercial disputes; challenging decisions by public bodies.

you’re the sharp end of every case. Initial decisions are made as a team but independently, you need to be quick and confident.

❷ You care about justice.

Shouting loudest shouldn’t work; the deepest pocket shouldn’t always win; public bodies shouldn’t deploy resources unavailable to individuals.

Problem assessment:

❸ You want your work to be varied and

intellectually stimulating.

❹ You want to (usually) work for

yourself.

But if not, the rest still applies; think about the employed Bar. ❺ You want a friendly atmosphere, which allows you to retain your independence.

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Judgement:

Willingness to work:

there’s no escaping hard work. If you want to get the judgement calls right, you need to prepare like a demon. you need to solve your problems. You need to see all angles to anticipate the dangers in your case and spot the problems for your opponent.

Academic ability:

you don’t need an Oxbridge 1st, but you do need good results.

Advocacy:

you need to be able to express complicated concepts in layman’s terms.

Integrity:

you must be utterly trustworthy and never allow your ethical standards to slip.

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HOW TO BECOME A BARRISTER? There are three pathways to becoming a barrister: the academic stage, the vocational stage, and pupillage.

Academic

Pupillage

There are two academic routes to consider.

Pupillage is a year-long apprenticeship. In the first six months you follow one or more barristers in court and help with their paperwork. You train as you go. In the second semester you also undertake your own cases.

Then it’s time to look for permanent tenancy or a job.

❶ Law degree + Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) ❷ Other degree + Law Conversion (GDL) + BPTC You don’t need a law degree to become a barrister. You always can do the GDL: a one-year course covering the core subjects. It’s tough but interesting.

You should do mini pupillages (shadowing a barrister), moot or debate, and volunteer with legal organisations.

This will help you decide if the Bar is for you and if so, which areas of law appeal to you.

Vocational: BPTC The BPTC is a one or two-year course (full or part-time) covering civil and criminal procedure and advocacy skills. Passing it is essential, and it costs a lot of money, although there is help available The Inns of Court offer scholarships, and BPTC providers often have other funding available.

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Pupillage is incredibly competitive. There are approximately 430 pupillages each year, and about 3,000 applicants. The London/Provincial split is about 350:80. You need to get the grades, work on what makes you stand out, demonstrate you know what the profession demands, and hone your advocacy skills.

Even then your chances of making it will be about 1 in 3.

Thinking of applying for pupillage? Take a look at www. pupillageandhowtogetit.com, for the inside truth – good and bad – and a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.

By Beheshteh Engineer, Pupil Barrister, Goldsmith Chambers

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GEORGE LEWIS FEAR OR REGRET: What’s Harder to Face? ions, Laughter is a funny thing. It’s one of the most natural human funct ing one of the first methods of communication we learn before grasp the power of speech, and it has puzzled scientists for centuries. age While laughter may be the most universally understood langu to nse respo in across the globe, making others flash their teeth ally. something you’ve said isn’t always something that comes natur In the case of award-winning comedian, George Lewis, the power of laughter was always around him while growing up – and this truly shows in his craft. Whether he’s talking about his love of gravy, his love of his girlfriend, or both, Lewis has an infectious and natural comedic flair that is inherently contagious.

How did the Stockport comic utilise this skill to become one of the biggest new names in comedy?

“I’ve always loved comedy, but I never thought I was going to be a comedian.”

Instead, the comic envisioned himself writing or starring in a sit-com. With no sure-fire way to break into the niche, he remembers an interview with Stephen Merchant, who said the best way to get into it is through performing stand-up on the circuit.

With the road to the stage now in sight, George was positively… horrified.

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“I remember instantly thinking, ‘that sounds horrible’. I loved watching stand-up, but the idea of standing on a stage myself sounded very daunting.”

Although the idea of performing to a crowd of people was something alien to George, the idea of living with regret overpowered his fear of the unknown.

With Merchant’s words echoing in his mind, he booked his first ever stand-up gig without telling anybody close to him. With the pressure of his first gig eased by secrecy, he took to the medium straight away, and soon became a regular on the circuit.

But his first footings in the industry didn’t quite live up to expectation.

“I half expected that I’d just walk on stage and get a rush, but it wasn’t like that at all. For the first year, it wasn’t enjoyable enough to justify how nervous it made me.”

That said, perseverance in all aspects is key. Although George’s early career, like all great comedians, was filled with nerves and uncertainty, this soon fades.

“If you carry on, it gets to the point where you really do enjoy it. The rush is incredible now. It’s just like telling a joke in a pub, or to your friends, and everyone actually laughs. You get a rush, so if you can do that to hundreds or thousands of people at once, it’s just an amazing feeling – but it certainly wasn’t there at the start.”

The feeling is universal. After all, laughter is social. It’s contagious.

It provides powerful, uncensored insights into our unconsciousness. But just how much of a comic’s material is censored, and how much is rehearsed?

For George Lewis, the pleasure of crafting material lies within telling a genuine story from his own life.

“It’s quite nice to think back on your life and be able to tell it in a funny

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light. During my last show, I talked a lot about school and it was really enjoyable thinking back on past memories – thinking back to that mate from school you had.”

The catharsis of turning an unpleasant situation into a point of humour is one of the most attractive perks of the job.

“It really is therapeutic. If you can retell something that’s happened to you in a humorous way, it helps you process it and see the funny side to life.”

Not only is the process therapeutic; it’s a good way to get the creative juices flowing, too.

style while crafting original material is no easy feat. Being able to tell a story that has equal measures of originality and unpredictability is a gift.

“When you become a comedian, you can sometimes stop laughing at other material because you can see it coming – you become desensitised to it, because you’re looking for the same punchlines. So when someone surprises you with theirs or catches you off-guard, it really is inspiring.”

While finding inspiration for material that’s both

“I always start off with the real thing, then add little fictional interludes and relay it as if it happened. Most of my stories are true, but over time, you add little pieces.

It’s harder to just completely tell stories from your life - because who has a life that’s completely hilarious everyday?”

Comedy, like all art, isn’t weighed down by accuracy.

Art cares deeply about the truth, but of course everyone’s ‘truth’ is different; stand-up truth is one the audience either shares or comes to agree by way of the comic’s comedic persuasion. For Lewis, this very aspect of authenticity to one’s own humour is an essential part of remaining happy in the role.

“Somebody told me early on in my career that, if you only tell stories you find funny, you’ll always enjoy your job. It’s when you try guessing what other people find funny – which a lot of people do – that the content becomes tedious.”

For those aspiring to relay fictional comedic accounts in their craft, hope is not lost. What’s important is staying true to your own sense of humour.

Equally, staying authentic to one’s

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writing. To let your mind do other stuff after using all the creativity.”

But when you’ve finally written the material for your set, switched off by listening to your favourite band – there’s still one question. How do you know whether it’s funny, or not? George’s advice on how to test your comedic nuances is simple, but indispensable: gig, gig, gig.

“It really enables you to gauge what’s funny and what isn’t. You become harsh with yourself, you push yourself – because there’s no arguing with the audience. If everyone laughs, it’s funny.

If nobody does, it isn’t. It’s a great way of testing your material authentically.

But only write about the things you enjoy, because then it’s always the best job in the world.”

And with Lewis soon set to grace our screens with ITV 2’s ‘The Sketch Show’, an upcoming tour underway, and a support spot on Russell Kane’s next tour, the success of his methods is self-evident.

Although he succeeds in getting those laughs from the crowd, we wanted to know if being a stand-up comedian is always a laugh for the person performing.

original and engaging can often be a demanding process, most people have their own little hacks for getting the creative juices flowing. But what works for one person may not work for another.

“I know some comedians who will find a song that matches a mood they want to create – and listen to nothing but that until they’ve finished writing the material. I always think it sounds like such a good technique, but for me it’s the opposite. Music is a way of switching off for me – to turn off to

“When you first start out, it’s such a long process of going against the competition gig after gig. As long as you have more good gigs than bad, it’s all good.”

The comedians’ final advice echoes this sentiment, aligning with the words of other successful comedians before him.

“Get into stand-up, no matter how daunting it may seem. Like the advice Stephen Merchant gave me, it’s a great thing to do at the start. If you have any inclination that you might want to do this as a career, just do it.

If you want a career in comedy, and you’re good enough, anyone can do it.”

By Gabriella Wieland

39

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Dealing with Grief No one thinks about university as a time of loss, yet many students experience bereavement while studying for their degree. In April of my first year, I was one of them.

Consequently, I failed to attend the last four weeks of term, barely managed to complete my remaining assignments, and finished for the summer with nothing more than a cursory email to my tutors stating what had happened. My grief felt overwhelmingly personal, and I didn’t want to talk about it.

In August, the unthinkable happened, and I lost somebody else. I was shattered.

I started my second year with the sole consolation that I didn’t have the energy to drop out. Once again, I refused to speak about what had happened. I neglected to even inform my tutors I’d suffered a second loss, and I became as socially and emotionally withdrawn as it was possible to be while still attending most classes. Grief is a unique state of being ‘locked in,’ and, though I was there for all of second year this time, I remember almost nothing of it.

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Nothing in twentyfour weeks.

If my experience is worth telling, it’s as evidence of how isolating and insidious grief can be, especially in an environment thrumming with life, and how powerfully its mindset can veer you away from seeking support. The way I handled grief was to my own detriment, and given hindsight I would have done it differently. What I cannot change can help someone else facing bereavement at university. In the end, I graduated with First Class honours; I’ve completed a Masters since. Loss may have coloured my undergraduate experience, but it didn’t ultimately define it.

An essential part of dealing with grief is first understanding how it works.

Grief, fundamentally, is not a static event but a process: something which shifts and changes its expression over time. It does not always look like we conventionally expect: people function, keep engagements, study, and pass assignments. Grief may come with frightening emotions such as anger, resentment, and betrayal.

These are neither right nor wrong.

It can feel like standing in a hundredstrong crowd and being paralysingly alone. Grief is unique to everyone, and there is no standardized reaction to bereavement. It is ‘normal’ for grief to last any duration of time. Recovery is personal and cannot be objectively measured.

Knowing, therefore, that grief can be dynamic and segregating is critical to managing it, and the best way to deal with bereavement lacks cloak and dagger, or esoterica. It is simply the most obvious and hardest aspect of losing someone: talking about it.

All universities recognise the need to support their students and provide many services targeted towards wellbeing, including advice centres and free counselling sessions. Speaking with someone unconnected to the epicentre of loss can be deeply cathartic, and the details of student resources are widely accessible through university intranets. Equally, spiritual support and guidance can be found in the university chaplaincy or student-led faith groups. Many people, like me, find talking to friends or housemates about grief simply too difficult, yet both can also be incredibly encouraging and sympathetic.

Dealing with grief at university also has academic options: extensions can be granted on deadlines, and exams can be postponed due to bereavement and stress, however these must be discussed with an academic advisor.

The unwavering factor is conversation.

Grief is the most powerful when it’s allowed to stay silent, like mine.

It took me years to realize it shouldn’t be given that power.

By Katie Gaster

43

THE UNHEARD SIDE OF UNIVERSITY Speaking to people is one of the easiest things in the world, right?

A conversation is simple, instinctual - one of the first fundaments of society we ever learn - except, what happens when it isn’t?

For most people, university is a time to discover and distinguish their individual voices, either academically or otherwise, however, for a few there is something about the focused intensity of a seminar room, the vast, panopticon proportions of a lecture hall, or simply being surrounded by too many people that robs their intrinsic ability to speak. This is social anxiety: a two-way mirror that has been irresponsibly blackened out on the receiving end. The story behind that glass is the unheard side. Mine, and anyone else’s who struggles with the same fears.

It is estimated that social anxiety effects around 7% of the population at any one time (to put it into perspective that’s 532,000,000 people), which means that if you don’t suffer from the condition yourself, you have at least encountered someone who does, even if you didn’t realise it. People with social anxiety are often mislabelled as shy, quiet, withdrawn or aloof, which are really just ways of describing a set of behaviours that can be difficult to understand. Essentially, social anxiety is the crippling fear of being negatively judged by others, and while everyone’s experiences of it are different, they are similar in the fundamental points.

Personally, I find eye contact exceedingly difficult (I’ve known some of my best friends for years, and I couldn’t tell you the colour of their eyes); when I have to speak on the phone I lose all ability to comprehend the English language, and in any public setting there’s an elastic chord that installs itself insidiously in my chest and winds tighter and tighter until it feels like I can’t breathe.

Smash the glass and that is what social anxiety feels like. Yet paradoxically, or perhaps just humanly,

people with social anxiety actually want to make friends, to be included in groups, or involved and engaged in social interactions. And they can. I have friends who are understanding and accepting of my limitations, who make allowances. So do many people with social anxiety.

An amusing and slightly iconographic way to consider this condition is as a form of social vampirism; we can’t enter a conversation unless we’re invited in, and the acceptance of that invitation will have to depend on a certain level of trust. Luckily, we have an instinctive sense of who is trustworthy. It’s a collective superpower. Marvel, eat your heart out.

Being in university – an environment that depends on your ability to navigate a social minefield – is hard when you struggle with the interpersonal elements. But it IS worth it. When you leave in three years’ time, degree in hand, it’ll be the achievements you remember and the people who made an impression on you, many of whom may even be life-long friends.

As you embrace 2019 as a new chapter of your life, there will invariably be someone on your course who suffers from social anxiety. Do them a favour and help restore the connection their fears have taken from them. People with social anxiety are vibrant, funny, and incredible. They’re both like and unlike anyone else. All they ask is that you are patient with them, and get to know them at their speed.

Surely, that’s not asking a lot after all?

By Ashley Rebecca McGreary

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STUDENT SELF-CARE:

A Neglected Necessity or an Envied Luxury?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is difficult to prioritise amidst all the external stresses of student life. But is this neglectful way of living preventing many of us from reaching our full potential and staying happy?

Unlike other aspects of health, self care isn’t one we shy away from talking about. Most of us probably discuss it on a day-to-day basis. In fact, we probably have the same thoughts as the person we are talking to. A simple admission of “I could do more to lead a healthier lifestyle”, justified with a more defensive “but I’m not that bad” is a fair summary of our self-care dialogue. However, this disregard for something so severe has, unsurprisingly, severe consequences.

University is a fast-paced environment, full of perfectly legitimate reasons for a student to self-diagnose themselves with anxiety, stress, and even depression.

A student’s diet is renowned for its inclination towards microwave meals over a healthy diet. The chaotic environment you find yourself in demands more ‘me time’. So why not start now? Before you continue reading, go and make yourself a cup of fresh coffee, or pour yourself a cold refreshing water. Put your phone on silent, and just breathe for a moment.

46

If you don’t come back, I will be slightly offended, but at-ease, knowing I helped kick start your ‘me time’.

It is important to throw yourself into new experiences whilst studying. Meet new people. Try new hobbies. Explore new cultures. But if you manage to enjoy these new experiences and still look after your physical and mental health, your university lifestyle will be all the more fulfilling. Stop reacting to those Pinterest or Instagram images of the perfect cultured lifestyle, and start being proactive with your own lifestyle.

The best advice I can give to help kick-start this lifestyle is to prioritise your mornings. It is proven that we are more responsive, productive, and absorbent in the first few hours of the day. So why do we waste these? I’m not suggesting waking up at sunrise; just set your alarm an hour earlier for the first week and progress slowly.

Whilst your Uni friends are recovering from the night before, you can enjoy the bliss you have allowed yourself.

Start to think about what you will do today to be productive, and how you’ll achieve these goals. Whether you tick off every item from your to-do list is irrelevant; you’ll find yourself more at peace the next time you see others freaking out about deadlines or finances.

Here are a few pro-active suggestions that helped me to achieve a lifestyle that took care of myself without needing to give up any of my guilty pleasures:

•

Be an Early-Riser: Set your alarm clock an hour earlier and make your mornings count. Relax or work; it’ll pay off either way. Drag yourself away from that pillow. Even if your tongue feels like a towel.

•

Music: I have several playlists on Spotify that were created to ease stress, encourage productivity, and minimise those worrying ‘what if’ thoughts. Select your favourite artist and blast out those tunes.

Sing along in the shower, or listen on the train with a wry smile.

•

A Global Menu: Find new exotic recipes and discover healthier foods, full of the things that will take care of your insides and leave you glowing. Check out local charity shops for recipe books from all over the world.

•

Neglect your Smart-Friend: Turn off notifications for all those applications that pester you unnecessarily during your day.

We’ve all been there. We pick up our phone for ‘five minutes’ and put it down an hour later.

By James Hughes

www.STUDENTPAGES.biz

e s o p r u p e R , e l c y c Up & Reuse: 5 household items

D E E N T ’ N O D U YO Y A W A W O R H TO T

By Siobhan Divers

Despite warnings about recycling, reusing, and reducing what we use to preserve our planet, we as a society often only use things once, for the purpose they were made, without considering any other potential they could have. However, with a little imagination and creativity, these everyday objects can be repurposed.

1. Wine Bottles

empty wine and spirit Instead of throwing away them into decorations? bottles, why not upcycle ry lights or use them as Fill empty bottles with fai ate some ambience in candle stick holders to cre vely, they can be used to your bedroom. Alternati vase! hold flowers or plants – DIY

2. Ring Pulls

3. Jars

Empty jars can make for How about great storage solutions. y to hold using them as a desk tid n makeup eve or ns, pencils and pe repurpose o als uld co brushes? You rs, or empty jars as candle holde s or jam de ma me ho fill them with et dg bu low a for sauces to make . ted cia pre ap be to gift that is sure

When recycling empty cans, carefully remove y sharp edges, and the ring pull, file down an er to your clothes use it to add a second lay the ring pull on the hangers. Put one side of slot the hook of hook of the hanger and other side of the tab another hanger into the thes in the wardrobe! and hey presto – extra clo

4. Key-rings

ns For the zip on those jea , up y sta n’t wo t that jus ng -ri key the h attac onto the zip, pulling it up and hooking the ring around the button on your jeans – problem solved!

5. Clothes Pegs

gs away your old clothes pe over, instead of throwing lly ng icia Ha off is m? r roo me ur yo sum up en Wh brighten ar, why not use them to ye xt ne the for use m d an the g m rin roo or sto rner of your ur ceiling or from each co y, a piece of string from yo y. If you’re feeling extra art wa ve ati photos in a cre me so ng ha to . gs int pe s pa clothe stel coloured k great with a splash of pa wooden clothes pegs loo

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My Solo Trip to Croatia Last summer my time at university came to an end, and all of a sudden I was an adult with a fun new array of responsibilities, like earning a steady income to maintain my London lifestyle. So naturally, I decided now was the perfect time to run away from all my responsibilities and go on a solo trip I could hardly afford. I didn’t care where, as long as it was hot, cheap, and pretty. One evening after watching a very sunny episode of ‘Made in Chelsea’ set in Croatia, I had the destination of my first solo adventure.

In recent years Croatia - a regular filming location for ‘Game of Thrones’ - has become a popular tourist destination. One of those locations was the city Split. Built around the preserved Roman castle remains of Diocletian’s Palace, Split was bustling with tourists in exploration of the countless tours and landmarks. Maybe it was the beautiful palace remains, maybe it was the live music that filled the streets every night, or maybe it was the incredible (and super cheap) pizza, but Split stole my heart and I will never forget my time there.

If you like a good night out, Split has a great range of bars, clubs, and pub crawls. One of my best nights in Croatia was on a pub crawl that included free pizza, and ended with a huge club on a gorgeous sandy beach. Another destination for the party animals is the Island of Hvar whose party Island reputation is welldeserved. An hour long ferry ride from Split, the Island is worth a visit for its beauty alone. The hostel I stayed in on Hvar provided a free pub crawl every night ending with a boat ride to a club located on a gorgeous little island. Yes, it was as fun as it sounds!

When people ask me what my favourite part of my trip was, Plitvice National Park springs to mind. I didn’t visit Croatia just to sunbathe and get drunk (although I did a fair amount of both). I also wanted to experience the incredible natural phenomena of Croatia.

The six-hour hike provided landscapes more beautiful than anything I’d ever witnessed; overwhelmingly vast waterfalls and the freshest air left me fuelled with energy. If you go to Croatia, the national parks are a must.

If you’re looking for a break somewhere with crystal clear waters, Islandhopping boat trips, countless hiking trails, and a buzzing nightlife, there is certainly a place for you in Croatia. If none of the above entice you, go just for the best and cheapest pizza ever.

Seriously.

by Katie Gaster

As someone who has never found it easy to talk to strangers, going abroad alone was pretty daunting. I didn’t go away intending to make friends, however I found myself meeting loads of people, some of whom I’m still in contact with today. If you’re going away wanting to be sociable my biggest tips are to stay at hostels and go on pub crawls. It’s almost impossible not to make friends.

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My

LAGOS

Experience Last summer, just before starting Uni, I had an eye-opening cultural experience spending two weeks in Lagos, Nigeria.

Prior to the holiday, I didn’t know much about dayto-day life in Nigeria. I’d heard only a few details from relatives, like not being able to charge my phone often, and that I’ll probably be the only one wearing trainers (everyone wears sandals). Both turned out to be true!

Visually, I was never quite sure what to expect. The photos that I tried to take neither matched the ‘culturally experienced’ ones on Google Images, or the sugar-coated ‘natural beauty’ portrayed by daytime TV documentaries.

Lagos has some similarities to London. To my surprise, there are even a few shopping centres! If you ignore the frequent power cuts and the fact that the cinema screen is cropped, it actually looks like Westfield. Before you step back outside into the heat and dirt, that is.

Don’t get me wrong, the culture is amazing. Everyone you interact with is willing to do all they can for you; putting a stool down to do your nails in the middle of town, or selling you ready-to-eat dinner on the street. There are limitless opportunities for the freelancers of Nigeria!

The food is probably the only predictable thing; everything, everywhere, has the Nigerian kick to it. From KFC with Jollof rice instead of chips to the Domino’s pizza showered with seasonings. You can’t find a restaurant that doesn’t

specialise in a variety of meat and rice… Fish and chips?

Think again.

The weather is great: a natural balance of heat and humidity that means you can wear thin layers of clothes whilst breathing comfortably. Like London, Nigeria have buses called ‘Danfos’, which can only be described as yellow mini buses. There weren’t many physical bus stops, but it seemed common knowledge where you could get on and off.

You could also hire a taxi – just remember that you are also hiring the driver too. All you have to do is buy him food and he will happily be your chauffeur for as many days as you need. Motorbike is a popular way to travel short distances too, just like hailing a taxi in the movies, you simply wave a driver down and hop on.

Despite tapping into new pockets of culture every day, there is so much more to experience in Nigeria. See for yourself!

By Karel Aubun

50

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RUN THE

LONDON LANDMARKS HALF MARATHON Take in the capital’s iconic landmarks through Westminster and the City and run for the seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2019 gosh.org/londonlandmarks Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Registered Charity no. 1160024.

Closed roads 13,000 runners Flat route

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APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE • LONDON SW1V 1LG *Best available seats, on the day of the performance only, with a valid student ID. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.