NOVEMBER 2013
JUSTY
NUMBER: 01
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CONTENTS Hannah gives you the lowdown on Month of Games
A Numerical New Year
Why are Modern Women so Damn Nasty?
FROM THE BOARD
NEWS & POLITICS
NEWS & POLITICS
PAGE 5
PAGE 4
Trump: Changing the World of Women's Rights?
LIFESTYLE
VIEWS
PAGE 10
PAGE 11
All About the Changes
A Decade of Innovation
PHOTOGRAPHY
TECHNOLOGY
PAGE 12
TRAVEL PAGE 16-17
Manchester By Sea/La La Land REVIEW
CULTURE
PAGE 13
5 Of the Best: Getaways
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Selling an Experience
PAGE 9
A Change of Scenery
PAGE 7
The Necessity of Change
SOCIETY
PAGE 8-9
NEWS & POLITICS
PAGE 6-7
LGBTQ+ History Month
NEWS & POLITICS
The Courgette Crisis: How are We Coping?
PAGE 14
The Change I Didn't Know I Needed OPINION PAGE 19
PAGE 15
Art Feature: Into the Unknown ART PAGE 16-17
CONTRIBUTORS
WELCOME
Hannah Karim Joanne Ferguson Anya Brzeski Hannah Lane Katie MacLeod Tom Smits Hannah West Ciaran Doherty Caitlin Young Zoe McNaughton Emma Harrison Amy McShane
EDITORIAL TEAM Cover/Graphic Design - Rachel McCarney News & Politics Editor - Joanne Ferguson Views Editor - Amy McShane Lifestyle Editor - Katie MacLeod Culture Editor - Caitlin Young Photography Editor - Tom Smits Website/Features Editor - Jess Simpson, Johanna Crighton Social Media - Lottie van Grieken
C"
over Design: Rachel McCarney & Annabel White: "This issue is all about change and transition and we wanted a cover that would encapsulate that. This illustration symbolises inner growth. We used a lot of colour for the abundance of expanding roots as a symbol of the varied experiences that shape us. We decided to keep the watering can and little plant itself in black and white to symbolise while it may look on the surface nothing is changing, inside you grow and change everyday."
Hello readers! It is for the last time that I introduce this month's issue. Having had an incredible year, it's time to hand over the reigns. This year has been exciting, tiring, challenging, fun, and so much more. I've worked with a brilliant team and produced content that we are truly proud of. Enough of the soppy struff. In the tone of moving on, this month's theme is 'transition.' February is a time of shifting; seasons, uni work and mood. Change is no bad thing, but it's how you harness it that really allows you to grow. We have changes in the world of politics and women's rights to fire up the activist in you (p.6, p.8). Additionally, we have tips on dealing with change (p. 10), and the benefits of a change of environment (p.12). Sometimes, a different place is just what is needed. Our 5 best getaways give you some ideas of where to go (p. 16). I hope this offers some help. Have a great semester, and thanks for reading. As always, get involved by emailing libraries@guu.co.uk or come along to our meetings: 5.30pm @ GUU. Enjoy the issue! Anna Ireland Editor-In-Chief MULTIPURPOSEMGZ | 3
FROM THE BOARD
Hannah Karim Convener of Games
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From The Board
hat does a gallon of milk, a dodgeball and a trolley all have in common? They’re all vital items in Games Committee’s highly anticipated Month of Games of course! February marks a very exciting month for Games Committee as we fill it with lots of fun for everyone to come down and get involved in. If you were around in Fresher’s Week you will have already had a taste of what shenanigans we get up to. We’ve already crowned the winner of our Snooker and Pool tournament, as hosted by University of Glasgow’s Snooker and Pool club. As well as the Darts tournament, where you could have cut the tension with a knife. Do not worry, the fun is far from over, with all of the committee busy working away in preparation for all the remaining events, including conjuring up a “tasty” menu for this year’s Iron Stomach. As generous as ever, Games Com are putting on a 10 course spread for 12 brave volunteers. Past delicacies have included, as part of an ‘Around the World’ theme, a deconstructed American Pie to represent the United States, a block of feta and cup of olive oil
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for Greece and a raw potato as a classic Irish dish. Beware, Games Comm special Extra Hot Hot sauce is known to make a frequent appearance. Not quite your thing? I don’t see why not … but then maybe you’ll feel more at home in a pair of short shorts and a sweatband, at our Dodgeball Tournament. Or perhaps our infamous B.A.D.G.E (Big All Day Games Event) takes your fancy, a whole day full of tomfoolery, from trolley races in Kelvingrove park, water balloon slingshots, to a scavenger hunt around campus. Not to mention the End of Month Party to round all up all the fun and celebrate what I’m sure to be another great Month of Games.
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ll of our events take place in Glasgow University Union and are completely free to enter, and the only requirement is that you come ready to have a whole heap of fun. Each event winner will see their, or their teams name, in sparkling gold leaf in the Beer Bar to flaunt to future generations as one of their most esteemed achievements at university. If it didn’t sound too good to be true
already, each event has a cheeky cash prize of £100+ thrown on to it for the winner as well, don’t say we never get you anything nice! Below is a full list of our remaining events, we cannot wait to see all of your lovely faces down at them. If you have any questions at all don’t hesitate to message our Facebook page, www. facebook.com/guugamescom and give us a like on their too to keep up to date with each event and all the details you need to know.
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emaining Month of Games 2017 Events: ednesday 15th Feb Dodgeball, Debates, 8pm
riday 17th Feb - Iron Stomach, Beer Bar, 7pm uesday 21st Feb - BADGE, Reading Room, 3pm uesday 28th Feb – End of Month Party, Reading Room, 8pm
ee you soon!
NEWS & POLITICS
A Numerical New Year Joanne Ferguson Politics Editor
For most of last month I was helping to organise a panel for the Dialectics Society about how 2016 unfolded the way it did. I started my emails with “Well, 2016 is finally over …” which was true, numerically. It is indeed now 2017. 6 =/= 7. But the “Well”, that sigh of relief – that was a lie. The theme of this issue is change, but the ticking of a clock to midnight a month or so ago does not mean the world has changed. Let’s look at Trump’s ban on immigration from certain Muslim countries. He said that he was going to do this last year – the only thing that’s changed is that now he’s attempting to put it into practice. Interestingly, he’s looking likely to be thwarted by the courts – a theme that became prominent in Brexit last year.
To be fair, trends do happen. Punk is massively associated with 1976. That whole blue and black or white and gold dress thing only happened for one day. So if we take the official word of 2016 “post-truth” as an indicator of its most prominent trend, then 2017 is nothing but a continuation. Now we say “alternative facts”. This is along the same theme – the devaluing of the truth – but it goes further. “post-truth” was the disregarding of facts. “alternative facts” replaces them. It is therefore a continuation of a trend, ignoring the arbitrary separation by the calendars we happen to use.
and say that it turned out his ban was unconstitutional and that he was going to scrap it – and that that was the right thing to do – I am confident that all his followers would do would be to call him a poser, only in it for the money, part of the establishment. It takes action. And that’s why I’m worried about what happened to 2016. It became personified. It became the baddie. It became The Last Leg’s ‘Dick of the Year’. And as long as bad things kept happening, confirmation bias seemed to prove us all right. I remember at Hogmanay counting down to when it would be over. But what? Islamopobia? Sexism? Homophobia? Ableism? Nothing ended; the trends continued.
And it’s going to progress further. Populism can’t stop itself. If tomorrow Trump were to turn round But for 2016 we hid from
our real enemies: Trump. ISIS, discrimination. We called them 2016 and didn’t have to fight them, because you can’t fight time. That’s why I recently went to my first rally – the one in Glasgow on February 30th. It was freezing and I hate loud noises and I get nervous around large groups of people and I didn’t even stay the whole time, but I went. We chanted “Build bridges, not walls” until our throats died and we all got colds. So for the next however long that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to get angry about all the things that were wrong last year and that remain wrong this year. Because nothing’s changed in the past thirty-seven days, and unless we actually do something about it, nothing’s going to.
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NEWS & POLITICS
Anya Brzeski
Nasty /adj.
1. Bad or very unpleasant 2. Unkind 3. Rude or offensive
Why Are Modern Women So Damn Nasty? I
Alternatively:
Nasty / adj.
1. A competent and confident individual who refuses to accept societal BS
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’m not really a betting woman. I would, however, be willing to place quite a sum of money betting that Donald Trump did not intend to spark a Feminist movement when he called his political opponent, Hillary Clinton, a “nasty woman”.
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oliticians insulting one another is nothing new, our own parliament being a perfect example, and yet Trump has struck an unpleasant chord within many by so casually dismissing his female opponent. This was not an attack on Clinton’s policies or political standing, it was a tool for dismissing her as an unimportant woman. It’s a clear exhibit of a powerful man (although perhaps child is more accurate) attempting to put down a powerful woman who makes him feel insecure and uncomfortable. So when the President of the United States, arguably the most powerful leader in the world, sees fit to publicly dismiss women’s ideas solely because they come from a woman, we must ask ourselves: how do we counter this bullying? Well, what if we all became Nasty?
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n case you have been living under a rock (or a mountain of Uni work) you might have missed some of the finer insults traded between candidates within the US elections. During the final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the latter called Clinton “such a nasty woman” (this being just 1 of the 48 times he interrupted her during the debate). Clinton had built an argument for reforming the US tax system, aiming a gibe at Trump for avoiding paying income tax for several years, when the ever-eloquent Mr Trump accused Mrs Clinton of nastiness. It seems petty, and it is. Although whether we should expect any more from this man is questionable. But people picked up on it, and many had much to say on the matter.
"Nasty seems to have become synonomous with unpleasantness within a sexual context. so when we use the word nasty, it comes with an entire history of its own."
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o why has this particular insult evoked such a reaction? asty, alongside being used to mean vulgar or offensive in any sense, has strong connotations of negative sexual behaviour. Particularly in America, we see this word used in relation to women. In 18th and 19th century Virginia, ‘nasty’ was used to describe some female African American slaves, who were deemed unsuitable for domestic
work. Of course, the music industry has had a huge role in people’s understanding of the word. Within the music industry, nasty is a word inextricably linked with women’s sexual behaviour. Rarely empowering (Janet Jackson’s Nasty stands out) the word is more often derogatory, and it’s scattered across popular music. Perhaps because of this exposure, nasty seems to have become synonymous with uncleanliness and unpleasantness within a sexual context. So when we use the word nasty, it comes with an entire history of its own.
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ven if insults are commonplace in politics, this case is different. In reclaiming the word nasty, the movement behind it has given a voice to people whose beliefs and opinions have been constantly put down or swept to one side. Whether they have been side-lined because of gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, or political opinions: what matters is that all of these people are refusing to be silenced.
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nd so we see the rise of Nasty Women.
linton’s campaign Clinton’s campaign managers did a wonderful job in highlighting this insult. Within hours, the insult was plastered all over the internet. The URL nastywomengetshitdone.com was, suddenly online and redirecting visitors straight to Clinton’s campaign page. The URL currently redirects to the Planned Parenthood website. And of course, these days, nothing is really a big deal until there are memes made about it. And the memes su-
NEWS & POLITICS
pporting Clinton were rolling from the word nasty go.
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he reaction on Twitter has also been explosive. #Nastywoman is becoming a tag for solidarity and equality. It’s becoming all-encompassing. People standing up against racist, sexist, homophobic behaviour are proudly taking on the label of Nasty. People want to voice their support for anyone who comes up against this bullying. As recently as the 9th of February, Republican senator Mitch McConnell warned and then silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren whilst she argued against the nomination of the new Attorney General. “She was warned… never the less she persisted” this was the Senator McConnell’s reasoning for silencing this Nasty Woman. Unrelenting, Senator Warren chose to
continue her speech on a live feed on Facebook. #neverthelessshepersisted is becoming another rallying cry for those refusing to be silenced.
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he fight is also being fought on different battle grounds. The clothing brand, The Outrage, are running various clothing lines, including one named “Nasty Women Unite”. This range of clothing and accessories donates 15% of the profits to various organisations, including Planned Parenthood and the National Organisation for Women. They have maintained their sense of humour in the face of intolerance by donating this money under Donald Trump’s name. If you’re looking for ideas on how to fight back, take a leaf out of The Outrage’s book. The brand also helped fund women from difficult financial situations to travel
to the Women’s March on January 21st, helping this year’s Women’s March to be the largest in history.
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s women all over the world, and particularly in the USA, are calling out inequality, they are branding themselves as Nasty Women. If we choose to take the modern, alternative definition of the word, there are a host of women who fit the bill. You probably know quite a few yourself. Any woman refusing to accept the BS about women and inequality within society today is a standard bearer for the Nasty camp. For that matter, anyone calling out societal BS is Nasty. Anyone fighting for equality within the world can be Nasty. We want your inequality-fighting spirit. We welcome you all with open arms.
The Courgette Crisis: How are We Coping? Hannah Lane
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couple of weeks ago, I was browsing on my phone when I received a message from a family member on our group chat notifying me of an apparent courgette shortage in the UK. Multiple exclamations of horror from other family members were expressed in disbelief. Several sad and crying face emojis followed. It was chaos.
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uring the bleak month of January, the apparent shortage of our favourite green vegetable in UK supermarkets has led to a peak in our vegetable woes. At a time of healthy clean eating, courgettes could not be missed more. Due to an unseasonably cold and wet December and January, flooding, and poor light levels in Spain and Southern Europe – where much of the UK’s out-of-season produce is exported from – courgettes have been scarce and difficult to find even in larger supermarkets. According to the BBC, 50% of Britain’s vegetables are imported from abroad – meaning our sadness at no longer being able to put our spirali-
zer to good use is hitting us particularly hard.
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owever, it isn’t only courgettes that are in short supply – shortages have also been noted among other imported vegetables such as iceberg lettuce, spinach and artichokes. How we are coping with such a distressing onslaught of vegetable rationing is frankly admirable. It is with deep sadness that we cook our vegetarian lasagnes, healthy ratatouille and pasta bakes knowing that our favourite vegetable will be missing from them.
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hat can be done to help us through? For now, we may have to abandon the dream of spiralized courgetti and return to our favourite carb. Also, several different vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower and leeks are at their seasonal best right now in Britain, so it may be worth munching humbly on these as we wait the return of the courgette. I’ve heard it won’t be long – supermarkets have assured us the crisis is only a short term problem, and some were spotted back in Sainsbury’s on Byres Road earlier today. So don’t worry – our ratatouilles will be compete and delicious once more.
"How we are coping with such a distressing onslaught of vegetable rationing is frankly admirable."
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NEWS & POLITICS
Trump: Changing the World of Women's Rights?
Katie MacLeod Lifestyle Editor
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of harmony came over the globe, with not only women of all ages stepping out in anger, frustration and disappointment, but men of all ages too, showing support for their wives, their mothers, their sisters, their daughters and their friends. There was a crèche for the kids at the march in London where they could get their face painted, for crying out loud; abnd then there’s his personal solutely everybody was urged to take treatment of, and regard to, part. There was a massive push for as many people as possible to show a women. unified front, and it was recognised on he 21st of January 2017 will be an incredibly large scale. a date in history, where it will rump has said a multitude of be reminded how women came things that have sent the femitogether in solidarity pounding the nism movement into overdrive. streets of Washington to protest in utter contempt the inauguration of the However, it doesn’t require being a most controversial President of the 44 ‘feminist’ to be utterly astounded by there have been. Somewhat of a so- the vile things that have passed the lips of the US President. Just to name cialist rebellion has begun. but a few: generally shouting over his his was a march originally pre- female political opponent in debates pared to take place in Washing- showing complete disregard for her ton, the new home of President voice; discussing ‘grabbing her by the Trump, however, it took our country, pussy’; patronising women by stating and others, by storm. Sister marches that the certain way in which a women were displayed throughout the UK, acted was down to her menstruating; with at least 14 marches and demons- calling breastfeeding ‘disgusting’; trations happening within the cities of and last of all, and most disturbing our country. It was as though a wave of all (just joking….not really) insulrump’s right-wing agenda would send the best of us into a cardiac arrest. There’s the wall. There’s the Dakota pipe-line extravaganza. There’s the firing of the Attorney General for….disagreeing with el Presidente himself. How dare he disagree with such a reasonable and pleasant man, you may ask…
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ting MERYL STREEP. Through these kind, respectful and polite words we have witnessed the great potential of the new President. OR, have we been shown his abhorrent disrespect towards the female race? I think it’s the latter. It really makes you wonder:
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oes he love his mother, or his wife, or god-forbid his daughters who have grown up surrounded by this distorted society that Trump has created with his blatant misogyny.
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y friend, Justin van Lieshout from Haliburton, Canada attended the march taking place in Toronto. Amongst a multitude of comments, when I asked him about his overriding feelings on the whole movement, he had this to say:
NEWS & POLITICS
“I feel like the women’s marches missed a massive opportunity. While I fully support women’s rights, the marches weren’t really focussed on them. They centralised around a protest of Donald Trump which I think is a massive shame. The sad reality is that there’s nothing we (non-Americans) can do about the Trump presidency. And instead of using the marches to re-evaluate our own nation’s stance on women’s rights, all of our energy was focussed on the US. It missed a key opportunity to make change – where we the people actually have influence.”
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t is completely astounding to see so many people turn out to protest the degradation of women by the President of the United States. To see so many people stand for any cause is amazing, and especially one which has been on the radar of social movements for as long as history can remember – women’s rights. However, as picked up by Justin, the marches
were still protesting TRUMP. It was a way for people to show their disgust and distaste towards the inauguration of the US President. The cause of the marches seemed to be lost amongst this, and before long it was just regarded as a protest against Donald Trump as a person, and not his mistreatment and disrespect towards women. It was a march with the sole focus being the USA, and the women that Trump has been personally attacking. This energy needs to be channelled into something purely positive, despite its dark source. The momentum that has been created through the realisation of the misogynistic behaviour of the President of the US must be focussed purely on women’s rights in our own countries, irrespective of who is in Presidency in what country. It is a cause that, now it is being protested at such a highly publicised level, must be continued espite the overriding reason that everyone has come together in unification, it is amazing
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SOCIETY
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n celebration of LGBT history month GULGBTQ+ society have some great events lined up for a little celebration of love! From debates to a full on festival, GULGBTQ+ has got you covered.
to see love turn into hate. The mutual hate and hurt emanating from one man can turn a whole section of society, and the world, together in love, to support one another, and to fight for one another in the action against a male chauvinist who has found himself in, arguably, the most powerful position in the world. Regardless of the fact that hate should never be a prominent feeling in anyone’s lives, the pride and delight that has come from these demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people coming together to protect fellow women, or the women in their lives, is something that is momentous, and an overwhelming feeling of good shines through, despite the darkness of its origins. Something good must come out of this Presidency – and I really hope that it is a new age for women, sparked by the chauvinistic persona of the farce that is Donald Trump.
LGBTQ+ History Month Tom Smits
and bring your iron stomach because gious or part of the LGBTQ+ communidrinking will be on the heavy side. ty its worth your while to come down to some of the events broaden your mind! 8th February 4th February n association with Glasgow Univer2nd February ULGBTQ+ has linked up with sity Union Debating, GULGBTQ+ Glasgow University Amnesty brings you an invigorating debate; ollowing on from the reading International to give you a “This House Regrets the Commercialiparty, the LGBTQ+ society as sneak peek into their weekly meetings. sation of Pride”. Starting at noon, the linked arms with the Creative On this loved filled day, the meeting will motion will be thrown into the Debates Writing Society to get you writing on focus on intersex rights. Chamber and the games begin! An is- LGBT concerns. It kicks off with a invianting to know more: come sue that is very relevant to current times, gorating discussion by LGBT authors, and then you can get your pens out along to the Bridie Library in it is bound to be heated! and start writing yourself! This will take the GUU at 5pm – it is bound 0th February-24th February place in the GUU Drawing Room from to be an interesting meeting! or the whole week Glasgow 6pm! Network of the Student Chris6th February tian Movement are organir if your like me and couldn’t he LGBTQ+ society isn’t letsing evenings that bring a correlation see yourself writing more than ting much out of the bag with between elements regarding Christianiuniversity essays, head down this event, but the 16th Fety and the LGBTQ+ community. A wide to QMU’s Qudos at 6:30pm where bruary marks a Mardi Gras celebration range of topics will be discussed from the Rocky Horror Picture Show will be in the GUU! asexuality and queer bible studies, and screened featuring Denton Deviants ardi Gras is the southern Amethings you may not have heard of befoshadow cast! rican version of Carnival – so come down to the GUU and re such as trans Christianity. Its going to here's lots more. Visit facedress in the craziest clothes you got. be a wee that will definitely teach you something new. Even if your not relibook.com/gulgbtqplus. Make yourself stand out from the crowd
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LIFESTYLE
The Necessity of Change Katie MacLeod Lifestyle Editor
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ou’ve still got the pile of Christmas presents because you don’t know where to put them. You’ve drank so much prosecco your blood no longer knows its own company. You've not really moved off the couch. You've watched all of the Christmas specials on TV at least twice. Your new years’ resolutions are already falling apart at the seams, a bit like your jeans. AND THEN, before you know it, you’re back in Glasgow, expected to be ready and raring to go for a fantastic semester of learning and productivity and general prodigy-like behaviour. After almost a month of being an entirely sub-par human being on the ‘functioning’ scale, can real-life really come a-knocking and expect us to automatically revert back into being the geniuses we know we are? Of course not. The transition from Christmas sloth to proper person is one that is necessary to allow us to begin to operate a real life again.
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e all start the semester with great intentions; we tell ourselves that we will devise a study plan and stick to it, that we will only drink twice a week, that we will cook healthy meals every single night and not fall foul to the comfort and ease of Deliveroo. However, does this ever really happen?... Incredibly rarely.
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o not only start your semester with a glitteringly positive attitude, but CONTINUE this momentum right through until May, follow our beautiful tips:
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1
. PERSPECTIVE. As the highly emotional and highly hormonal creatures that we students are, it is incredibly easy to make small issues seem like the end of the world. Yes, coursework may be building up higher than your lifelong expectations. Yes, you may have a kitchen consisting of unwashed dishes and empty cupboards. Yes, you may not have opened Moodle since December. These aren’t a particularly great accumulation of things, but in perspective, you’re not dying are you? These are all things that are rectifiable with a combination of a little organisation, motivation, and a little time. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the amount that you haven’t done, but, realistically, you haven’t run over your cat. You're just a normal human in that sometimes things slip a little bit. You’ve not caused world hunger; you just haven’t looked at your uni email in a while.
do when you’re feeling less-than positive is to go for a walk. Get out into the fresh air and see other people going about their daily lives, you’ll more than definitely see a few dogs as well which will undoubtedly cheer you up. You will come back feeling a little bit lighter. As a self-confessed ex-chunky gal, that was the number one thing I noticed as I changed my lifestyle – the positivity entered and the lethargy vacated. Force yourself to eat a few more bits of fruit and vegetables a day and before you know it, it will be a routine. It will be a routine that will make you feel better in most ways, and when you feel better in most ways, it’s inevitable that your positivity levels will rocket. You don’t need to start an Instagram-worthy meal prep and smoothie regiment, just have a banana instead of a packet of crisps. Be good to yourself.
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. Not everything will be perfect – don’t expect it to be. If things were perfect all the time we wouldn’t know true happiness, because we would never know how special and relieving that feeling of happiness is after a period of despair and distress. That was deep. But seriously, do not beat yourself up about you/your life/your grades not being perfect. Things can and will improve with some patience and perseverance. Use the feeling of ‘imperfection’ to motivate you towards your personal ‘perfection’ – don’t waste time feeling disheartened by it. Beat it off with the realisation that things do and will go wrong at some points in your life, and with this realisation will come positivity that things can be bettered. . Eat well and exercise. It doesn't take a guru to realise that eating fruit and vegetables and getting your heart rate up makes you more energetic, alert and focused, and in turn, more positive about life in general. The gym isn't for everyone, and it doesn't have to be. The best thing you can
. Make your space the nicest place to be, ever. Whether it be your living room, your kitchen, your bathroom, or your bedroom, make it a haven. Make it the place you look forward to going to at the end of the day, or at a point where you feel like you could burst with stress and worry. Everybody needs a place that they can go to recharge their batteries, re-energise their tired bodies and brains, and recuperate for the day following. By making your space and enjoyable and relaxing place to be – a place that you truly look forward to hiding away in – you are doing yourself a massive favour. By doing this, it takes no effort to shut off and rejuvenate, it makes it nothing but a pleasure. Through giving yourself this space to be only you, you are allowing your mind to rest, and a rested mind leads to a positive outlook on your busy life. here we have it, kids. Now I expect to see us all bright, sunny and motivated human beings, even come the end of May when exams and deadlines have attempted to steal our souls, happiness, and Hive Thursdays.
VIEWS
Selling An Experience Joanne Ferguson Politics Editor
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spent a great deal of my childhood in Borders, the book shop chain. I was thirteen when the chain went out of business, but it feels like a lot longer ago. Pretty much all that I remember is holding a big stack of fantasy novels and attempting to perch on the edge of the lowest shelf to read the first chapter of one of them.
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erching, however, is an alien concept to my new book home, Waterstones. There are so many comfy armchairs and couches, backed up by an army of plastic cafeteria chairs, that the only time I’ve failed to get a seat was when picking up my mum’s Christmas present this Christmas Eve. I’m not saying sofas are the underlying reason why Waterstones made it back into profit in 2015, but the underlying principle, making the experience of buying a book enjoyable, is an enormous part of it, and why it holds a different place in my memory than Borders.
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It is a very different experience [reading an ebook]. You don’t remember it as well. I know it’s not just me. You don’t have the physical relationship. You don’t know where you are in a book. It may say 62% but it doesn’t mean the same thing. You can’t remember what it’s called because you haven’t had the cover.”
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he information you can gain from an e-book and a physical book is exactly the same, and usually cheaper for an e-book. However, the physical experience – I would also add that highlighting is much more convenient on a physical book, and that curling up with an LED screen is a lot less cosy, but everyone’s experience is personal – is worth to some people so much more than one or two pounds. You can even see this happen in books that would be free as e-books because they are out of copyright. Penguin Classics, in particular, are really taking advantage of the fact that you see the cohe managing director ver of a physical book way of Waterstones, Ja- more often than you see the mes Daunt, contrasts cover of an e-book. the experiences of reading e-books and physical hat’s interesting books: about it being the experience that matters is that you can see this happening in other
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reviving industries. In November this year, vinyl sales overtook those of digital units. In 2014, 1.3 million vinyl records were sold, the highest total in twenty years. It’s a similar situation to digital versus physical books. The experience of having the records in their sleeves, the care required in order to keep them good, the warmth felt when you can actually see your music playing. All of these are examples of people being willing to pay more for what they see as a superior experience.
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know what you’re doing – which I’m fairly confident isn’t just me – it can be quite intimidating to try and work it out yourself. This isn’t quite the same as the other two because there’s little change in price, but investing the time of going into the shop is often a cost in itself, so the principle stands.
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hat this makes me wonder is what could be next to sell an experience. My guess is cinemas. Home televisions and sound systems are becoming more and more sophisticated to the point that you’re not really gaining that much quality by going to the cinema, not to mention the wide availability of films on streaming services. So what could cinemas provide? Comfier seats than at home, maybe couches? There could be in-built cafés with people sitting at tables and eating pizza while watching their films.
think you can even see this in attempts to keep the high street alive in general. Human contact is something that is valued in some areas more than others. For example, buying a new phone. I recently went into a shop, bought a phone, went to a café to activate the phone, failed in doing so, then went straight back to the shop to ask what was wrong. It turned out I just didn’t understand the phone, but the people thehatever it is, the re were able to explain this selling of the exquickly and without being perience seems complicated or condescen- to be an intriguing step in ding. If you buy your phone the digital vs physical retail online, and you don’t really conflict.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
A CHANGE OF Hannah West SCENERY Hannah West
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itting that mid-point in the semester, it’s pretty standard to feel like you just want to escape all of your responsibilities, procrastinate to the max, do anything to get away from the looming deadlines and lectures that you’re already way behind on – a change of scenery is most certainly needed. Not to mention, Uni itself is coming closer and closer to an end, bringing on the inevitable surge of panic that often seems to accompany the thought of huge changes like these. Procrastination knows no bounds at times like these – and for my two flatmates and me, this was taken extremely literally.
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efore this semester, I had gone to some lengths to avoid responsibilities and, really, life in general – but this was taken to a new level this year, where I actually resorted to leaving the country in order to get away from it all. I can’t even pretend that we gave it a good shot, really, considering the 12 | MULTIPURPOSEMGZ
fact that our budget flights to Berlin were booked the Sunday before the new semester even started. I can say, however, that it did the trick, and that I would recommend a mid-semester break to anyone else who happens to be extremely against the idea of behaving like a responsible student.
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e only went for two nights, but engaging with something so new, vast and fast-paced for even just three days did a spectacular job of making us feel refreshed and – somewhat – ready to go back and face the rest of this year, having done something so fun and exciting in the middle of it. Doing something like that was a great way to deal with the changes that always seem so near, but it also reminded us that just because we have busy lives here, it doesn’t mean we can’t take a couple of days out every once in a while.
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hile a spontaneous trip to Germany was an amazing experience, a spur of the moment break doesn’t have to be so drastic – a day trip to Loch Lomond, or a camping trip up north with friends (dare you brave it) would do the trick too. Either way, getting away on a quick break is certainly recommended.
TECHNOLOGY
a decade of innovation Ciaran Doherty
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t’s been ten years since Steve jobs announced Apple would be producing a product that could store 1000’s of songs, connect to the internet and even make calls. In his own words he said; “today Apple is going to reinvent the phone”. This new piece of technological magic was to be known as the iPhone.
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o some people the iPhone has become a way of life, with millions of people queuing each year to get the newest piece of Apple hardware for themselves. The latest models (the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus) reportedly sold four times as many as the next popular model on its release date. If these figures are to believed (Apple refused to release the real figures) then the craze seems to be showing no signs of dying.
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he iPhone as we know is said to have begun as a secret project, deep in the depths of Apple, known as “Project Purple” in 2005. Steve Jobs envisioned a device that would not need a physical keyboard and would instead use a touchscreen. Eventually he imagined his new device as being combined with a phone, and so the iPhone was born.
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he iPhone was launched in June 2007. Thousands of people queued outside shops overnight before its release. Stores were broken into and a man was even shot in people’s quests to get their hands on the elusive product. Many stores sold their entire stock within the first hour. Over a million units were purchased in the first two months, and over 6 million were sold in its relatively short life span before it was replaced by the iPhone 3G.
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o how did the iPhone lure so many people to the Apple store to spend hundreds on its new and untested phone? Apple had already redesigned personal computers and revolutionised the music industry with the birth of downloadable music via iTunes and the iPod. With their slick modern designs and feeling of exclusivity, Apple products seemed to be more desirable than other similar tech. But what made the iPhone stand out? This question is hard to answer and depends on what each person looked for from their phone. For many, it was the inclusion of a fully functional touchscreen in an era when this technology was new, unreliable and when buttons still dominated the phone in-
dustry. For others, it was the iPhone’s slick design which resembled nothing on the market at that time (throwback to your Nokia 3310 or the excitement of getting a Moto RAZR flip phone). But for many of the ever increasing horde of Apple die hards, it was simply that distinguishable and prestigious Apple logo.
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ast forward ten years. Its 2017 and we are now on our 14th incarnation of the iPhone. Over 1 billion iPhones have been sold in total. The iPhone has evolved over the years, taking many risks and never following the line of thought of other phone manufacturers. Some of the most revolutionary things it has done include the development of the “App Store” which has created thousands of jobs in app development, the inclusion of an intelligent personal assistant, Siri, which many other companies have begun to follow suit on, and the beginning of threaded text messages which were also its doing (remember the stress of having to open texts a person had previously sent you, just to know what was going on in the conversation before replying). The iPhones 7 newest revelations is the death of the standard headphone jack; could this be the beginning of the end
for standard earphones? If this catches on like most of the iPhones previous technological inventions, then buying a pair of earphones could soon be a lot more complicated.
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ith each iPhone continuing to outdo the last, the future looks bright for technology and Apple’s already considerable finances. While many other companies try (constantly) to outdo the iPhones hardware, the release of an new iPhone creates huge anticipation and still seems to set the standard for phones each year. On paper each iPhone may not have the best processor or highest quality camera when compared to its competitors, but somehow the people at Apple still seem to produce a phone which combines all its tech in a better and slicker way.
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umours are already rife for the iPhone 8 with revelations such as a curved screen and potentially even wireless charging. If Apple’s usual routine is followed, this should be announced in September and who knows, because of its tenth anniversary, this iPhone might just be a little more special.
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CULTURE
All About the Changes
Caitlin Young Culture Editor
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pring is fast approaching and it is well associated with change and transition, so what better way to get you into the feel of change than a selection of films that prove that change isn’t a bad thing, but something that should be encouraged. emember The Titans
emember the Titans is a film based on real life events centred on an American football team that has undergone a merger of two formerly segregated schools in North Carolina. This is one of my favourite films and I was first shown it in one of my classes in school but I was too young to properly understand the true meaning of the film. The film follows the story of Coach Boone who is assigned to replace the coach of a formerly all white team, the film is set in 1971 and this is when racial tension was high and this move which was set to defuse the tension initially caused a slight uproar. As the film progresses, the boys bond and slowly break down the invisible wall of segregation that they have always known. It is a truly uplifting film but it is a light-hearted way of showing just how much things have changed for the better in society.
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hiladelphia
hiladelphia was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS as well as homophobia. In addition to this it also tackles racism. Tom Hank’s character is an associate at a uber fancy New York firm however out of fear of the reaction from his co-workers he keeps his sexual orientation a secret. After receiving a high profile case he is diagnosed with AIDS shortly thereafter. In short, he is the victim of homophobia in the work place and is fired. He seeks the help of lawyer Joe Miller, played by Denzel Washington who is no stranger to the effects of discrimination and on this basis agrees to help Hank’s character. While the film does not have the happiest of endings, it was acclaimed for tackling such a taboo subject and igniting the shift in people’s reaction to homophobia during that time.
he Perks of Being a Wallflower
tephen Chowbosky’s widely acclaimed Young Adult novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower was a book for the people that were never the most popular in school or the best at sports, it was a book for those who felt pushed to the side lines. Charlie, the protagonist, was relatable to those who felt like they didn’t fit in and struggled with that. Of course, as his story was told it got darker but the core of the story was a young boy transitioning through his teen years trying to figure out the type of person he wanted to be. The book was made into a film starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson, if you’re looking for a coming of age film without the cheesy storyline of the hotter than hot jock falling in love with the quiet smart girl then this is the one for you.
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he Graduate
his is one that many of us will probably relate to at some point in our post undergrad life, Dustin Hoffman plays a 21 year old recent graduate who has no defined plans of what he wants to do with his post university (what’s new). Now here is where it steers away from your stereotypical coming of age flick, Hoffman’s character is seduced by Mrs Robinson (cougar alert) but over time he begins to fall in love with her daughter instead. As you can probably guess as the film unfolds it is not a simple boy meets girl film but definitely one to watch.
REVIEW
Manchester By the Sea: The Review Zoe McNaughton
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asey Affleck and Michelle Williams star in this new tear-jerker about love, loss and re-encountering the skeletons in our closets. Due to a death in the family, the unfathomably melancholy Lee Chandler (Affleck) returns to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-sea, Massachusetts, where this new cause for grief forces him to confront old faces and sorrows he had, until now, firmly locked away in the past. It’s hard not to be moved by Affleck’s performance as a man crippled by heartbreak and bereavement, and although she appears relatively fleetingly, Williams,
REVIEW
La La Land: The Review
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asily the most hyped film of the year so far amongst audience and critics alike, La La Land has burst onto cinema screens across the globe with what appears to be almost universal success, earning a record-matching 14 Academy Award nominations. But there is always the faint suspicion – does it really live up its reputation?
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n short, yes. Working with an all-star cast and team, director Damien Chazelle here moves from the dark, tension fraught scenes of his previous hit, the critically acclaimed Whiplash, to essentially the opposite end of the spectrum. La La Land is a gorgeous explosion of colour, music and the glamour of Hollywood. From the first scene, bursting onscreen in a fun nod to cinemascope, it is a carefully balanced mixture of exuberant dance sequences, irresistibly catchy motifs (I challenge any and all viewers to restrain ‘City of Stars’ from being stuck in their head days later), and an overarching sense of the whimsical.
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who plays Lee’s ex-wife, really hammers home the complex politics of love tainted by loss. While it’s easy to get bogged down with the heavy stuff in this film, it’s not all doom and gloom; much-needed comic relief is provided throughout, primarily via the protagonist’s relationship with his nephew Patrick (Ben O’Brien), who’s boyish charm and witty humour will give you a giggle through the inevitable tears. Coupled with a Spotify-worthy soundtrack and bleakly-beautiful cinematography, this film is sure to give you goosebumps in the best way possible.
mma Stone and Ryan Gosling are enchanting as Mia and Seb, two artists struggling to achieve their ambitions – Mia as a wannabae actress, Seb as a traditional jazz musician. The two make a charming match, with Seb presented as a romantic yearning for the past, while Mia is more modern and very much working towards the future. The two find a kindred spirit in each other with their shared dreams, a romantic prospect that fits perfectly into the genre it finds itself in here, where the very design encourages creativity. I was pleasantly surprised, however, by some of the more bittersweet truths explored in their relationship – it feels appropriate to their characters and their goals, and adds a sense of realism to the often fantastical world being portrayed (as realistic as a
Emma Harrison
film with spontaneous singing and dancing can be, at least). Often their love story feels like a choice between these two very things, unable to have both the dream and reality. The chemistry between Stone and Gosling, seen previously in Gangster Squad and Crazy, Stupid, Love, is also put to excellent use, making the pair thoroughly believable from the beginning.
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his does not take away, however, from how spectacularly fun the film is. Perhaps the clearest direction that La La Land takes is its utterly unabashed homage to its roots - it revels gloriously in it, with nods to the likes of Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story, Moulin Rouge!, and many more. It is perfectly self-aware, at times quite deliberately idiosyncratic, and enjoys the silly moments just as much as the serious ones. The latter certainly are not in short supply, with some strong emotional sequences mixed amongst the big numbers – perhaps reducing some of the ‘cheesiness’ which has come to be somewhat associated with the genre - but the film as a whole is lively enough to carry this with ease. I particularly appreciated that, despite the Hollywood gloss, there was no point where it tried to act as something that it wasn’t; neither Stone nor Gosling are professional singers, dancers or musicians, but they are perfectly entertaining and all the more relatable for it, with the ‘Audition’ scene being especially powerful for I think this very reason.
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verall, La La Land is simply a hugely enjoyable experience that is wonderful to look at, no matter what your taste in films. I struggle to imagine anyone leaving without a smile on their face.
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Poznan Poland
Five Of the POLAND Best: Getaways TRAVEL
Tom Smits Photography Editor
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Again a country that has popped up in traveller’s blogs and magazines in recent years, but it looks like a definite cool country to travel through. It’s a big a one too, so you could spend a couple weeks city hopping within Poland. Gdansk, Krakow, Warsaw, and Poznan are just some of the latest hot spots that offer a culture experience you won’t forget. Flights from Glasgow remain relatively cheap throughout the year and once there, you won’t be spending more than 2 pounds for a pint. Definitely go and check out the less popular cities such as Poznan and Wroclaw, which arches above and beyond in its agriculture. Perhaps another country you can take a road trip through? Both Wizz Air and RyanAir offers flights to that end of world for a couple of loafs of bread.
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Sand dunes of spices, top-quality food, and all year sun is what should get you to Morocco. A country that is somewhat undiscovered but in recent years has gained popularity amongst travellers; Morocco offers a range of activities catering to all. Why not hop on a snowboard and go down a dune of hot sand in the desert, showing off them snowboard skills (its not as easy as it looks). Marrakesh is known for its rich culture, the coast for its pristine beaches and you’ve also got the mesmerizing Atlas Mountains - so you can literally find a whole adventure package there. Flights might be a little more expensive compared to other destinations, but you’ll be spending a lot less money once there! Check out some of the traditionally built The Madrassa Hostel in Marrakesh where beds go for as cheap as 5 pounds!
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Atlas Mountains Morocco
Sigiriya Sri Lank
TRAVEL
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ASTERN EUROPE
illed with ravishing history, cultural sites and people who can drink like the Scottish – Eastern Europe has become a trendsetter for budget travelers. For many years it seemed an unwelcoming area, but after visiting some of it myself, it is absolutely beautiful. There is something authentic about Eastern Europe, its culture is genuine and there is no bullshit. But don’t underestimate the size of these countries; it can take a couple of hours to get from one side of Bulgaria to the other. Interrailing is popular option amongst travellers through this block, but if you’ve got a drivers license definitely look into renting a car/van. It is very cheap (so is petrol) and you get have a little more control over the journey, in addition to experience the culture more. Geographically too, these countries lay close to each other so a roadtrip is very much doable! Look at airlines such as WizzAir and RyanAir for cheap deals to this part of the world. Sometimes it is even cheaper to fly into a different airport than you are flying out of. Accommodation wise there is plentiful, from beautiful lakeside hostels, to city Airbnbs, you won’t find it difficult to find a budgeted place to sleep.
Ljubljana Slovenia
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RI LANKA
f you don’t mind flying a little longer, Sri Lanka should on the top of your list. It’s been named destination to watch by multiple travel sources and I couldn’t agree more. With history expanding more than 250,000 years, it’s a place doesn’t lack cultural heritage. A multitude of religions and societies represent Sri Lanka which emphasize further how culturally rich it is. Don’t be mistaken by its ‘island’ label as its spread across many kilometers and it takes a couple hours for you to get from the north to the south. Its landscape is another pull factors, with white sand beaches and luscious rainforests on naturally woven mountains. Not to forget its food, which literally will cost you a loaf of bread (for a full plate, or even two meals). Flights tend to be under the 500 mark, but its an investment that you probably won’t forget.
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AZAKHSTAN
erhaps a surprise, but Kazakhstan is one heck of a country! The landscape is filled all sorts of dimensions, but flights there are cheap considering it’s pretty far away (as cheap as 300 pounds!!). It’s even a winter destinations for skiers and snowboarders in the Altay Mountains. It’s very big though (that’s what she said) as ir’s the world’s ninth biggest country by size. Perhaps another road trip? Air Astana flies you for a cheap price all around the country, or you can the train around! The unknown might scare you away, but it should be unknown that draws you in.
Kazakhstan
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OPINION
The Change I Didn't Know I Needed Amy McShane
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don’t know exactly when it was, but at some point I felt like I needed change. I think we always need change, just different forms at different times and on different scales. I craved a new place; a reasonably significant change. I moved to Amsterdam.
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he thing is, I didn’t want this change until long after I had applied for Erasmus. It was a sort of perfect coincidence. I applied for a study abroad semester around the middle of second year, over a year ago, based on the fact that it is one of the simplest opportunities to travel I have, and probably ever will have, received. I love travelling. I love pushing myself to do things I don’t initially have the guts to do. I love my degree
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subject. I submitted the application around two minutes before the deadline and didn’t think about it again until several months later when I received various ‘preliminary’ acceptances from both the Erasmus programme in Glasgow and, later, my ‘host’ university (UvA in Amsterdam, The Netherlands).
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ll of it was rather ‘preliminary’ for such a long time that I sort of pushed into the back of my mind where ‘things that probably won’t ever happen’ live. The summer passed and things started to become more formal, yet I was suddenly hit with unexpected financial setbacks and the question-mark over my Erasmus semester grew while everyone else’s disappeared. It wasn’t
until around January of this year when I finally resolved the issues I had and took the leap of confirming it all. I booked a flight two weeks before I was due to arrive, crammed in shifts at work and hasteful goodbyes, then jammed two suitcases full of my favourite and most important stuff. For some reason I didn’t pack a single can of Irn Bru and I still haven’t forgiven myself.
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arrived in Amsterdam after a signal failure at Schiphol airport tried to burst the dream once more. Thankfully, Flybe didn’t let that stop them. Late at night, completely alone, a minibus dumped me in the middle of a flat, grey suburb completely devoid of canals and squint houses. After an hour of trying to unlock various doors in the neighbourhood, I fell into number 358 and cried a little bit. It all hit me at once. Why did I just leave my family, my job and all of my friends for this tiny room? How did I let this happen? Why did I take something that was good and ruin it?
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draped fairy lights over everything in sight and assembled a cheap set of bed linen. I lined up all my
OPINION
toiletries like they were a silverware collection and hung my clothes on hangers as if to tell myself ‘this is mine now’. I know there isn’t much to say about materialism and ‘stuff’ but I was grateful for every piece of my ‘old life’ that I’d brought that night; even my toothpaste. It was one of the strangest things I’ve ever experienced. I lay and tried to clear my mind of the regret that was flooding in. It was only six months of a study abroad session; I couldn’t treat initial nervousness like a first world problem. The fear I felt was far more exciting than the boredom I might have felt that night in the four walls of my usual home.
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f course, the next week played out like anyone else could have told me it would. I made friends and absorbed the beautiful foreign environment. I went out, laughed, ate and drank. I explored a new university campus and began lectures in the most interesting subjects. I bought a bike. I also tried to drink beer but I still think it’s vile.
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oing all of these things for the first time again, flexing the social muscles I’d allowed to fall dormant and pushing myself to be independent was all so refreshing
and enjoyable in a way I hadn’t felt in a very long time. It’s true that there’s nothing more liberating than hindsight; I realised how reliant I had become on other people and a dull routine to get me through a weird few months in an unhappy place. It wasn’t a tragedy; I just needed some change. It’s only been a week and I feel infinitely better. Not necessarily because life in Amsterdam is better than life in Glasgow, but because change reminds us to appreciate the things we take for granted; like people we love and the privileges we have. I can’t wait for the next six months and everything after that.
ART
Annabel White 3rd Year, History of Art
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