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Contents
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CO N TE N TS Hi everyone, Welcome to a brand new yeat at Glasgow University. Whether you’re new or returning, there are so many things to get involved in at this grand instituiton - so make sure you take advantage of every opportunity! If you’re interested in getting involved with contributing articles, photos, graphics or ideas to GYou, or just want to see what it’s all about, please come along to our open meetings every Monday at 5.30pm in the GUU, or email me for more info! And check out our Comic Con, Endeavours Talk and special open meeting with DOMINOS PIZZA during FW itself... you know you want to. Lucy Keown Editor-in-Chief
4&5 From the board
6&7 News - the Hive reborn 8&9 lifestyle - what did you do this summer? & Recipe of the month 10&11 societies spotlight - gucfs
12&13 REVIEW - BEST OF THE BUNCH: SMALL MUSIC VENUES 14&15 culture - CULTURAL ROUND UP 16&17 Column - Gap year: unpacked 18 Pic of the month
Editorial Team: Culture Editor - Anna Ireland News Editor - Hannah Burgess Column Editor - Amy McShane Lifestyle Editor - Kate Whitaker Cover and Graphics Editor - Rachel Bean Website Editor - Terence Aqachmar Photography Editor - Lottie van Grieken
CONTRIBUTORS: Amy McShane, Lottie van Grieken, Anna Ireland, Kate Whitaker, Hannah Burgess, Terence Aquachmar, Katherine Raison, Lucy Keown, Rory Slater, Rachel Bean If you’d like to contribute in any way, or get in touch, please email: libraries@guu.co.uk, or check us out below; Facebook - /GYoumagazine Twitter - @g_youmagazine Website - gyou.co.uk G - Yo u | F r e s h e r s ’ E d i t i o n 2 0 1 5
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Fr om the Boar d
Hello and welcome to FW ‘15! It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to what will, I’m sure, be one of the best weeks of your life and also to your first edition of Glasgow University Union’s student magazine, the G-You. Freshers’ Week really is all about you, the Freshers, and our number one priority is to make sure every one of you has the best experience you possibly can. This year’s line-up is packed with all sorts of events and activities run by the four student bodies around campus, and I would urge you to all get involved with these as much as you can. More than this, I truly hope you will come down to GUU and experience some of what we have on offer because, after all, we really do have more fun. Our events this year consist of top class entertainment including the incredible Pendulum, games events with trolley races, hugely popular Foil Arms and
Hog following an incredible Fringe Run, stimulating debates and talks as well as a number of dressing up opportunities, wild parties and competitions with top notch prizes. Every single night of your Freshers’ Week we will be running our extremely unique club night which sees the old building completely transformed into an extraordinary venue with up to 7 bars to hop around, top notch tunes to dance to and, of course, a bit of karaoke to sing your heart out to. Freshers’ Week is just the beginning though, as this October GUU will be launching our brand spanking new nightclub complete with 12 metre long bar, podium and three other bar spaces. The new Hive launch night is sure to be a complete sell out so keep a close eye on our social media channels to be in with a chance of being there! Remember that our Freshers’ Helpers are there to help you with absolutely anything you
need at all and they really are the nicest bunch of people on campus. Please feel free to approach anyone in a yellow t shirt if you have a question, want a tour of the Union or just want a new friend – they are here for you! And if you see me around please come and say hello and, most importantly, make sure you get your welcome drink, completely on me, at the President’s pint on Monday afternoon. Finally, if you like what you see remember you can become a member from Monday 21st, when membership sign up commences and become part of the family – it’s completely free, takes 2 minutes and gets you some really great perks throughout the year. This week is the first step in the journey of your University life and I only hope we can help you enjoy every single second of it. Have a great week! Rory Slater GUU President 2015-16 president@guu.co.uk
Freshers’ Week really is all about you, the Freshers, and our number one priority is to make sure every one of you has the best experience you possibly can. G - Yo u | F r e s h e r s ’ E d i t i o n 2 0 1 5
Fr om the Boar d
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F RO M T HE B OAR D
RORY SLATER
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News
T H E H IV E REBORN
HANNAH BURGESS For those of you who are joining us for the first time, you have picked one of the most exciting years, from a social perspective, to join life on campus at Glasgow University. Not only have you come to a university with two student unions, but you have arrived here as one reveals its new and improved facilities for the first time. Work has been undertaken to improve and extend Glasgow University Union, which has meant that we have been Hive-less since January 2013. It has been a very long time. Even Nicola Sturgeon has been known to refer to the union as a ‘hub of university life’ in Glasgow. I can’t disagree. However, after almost two and a half years of uncertain Thursday night plans, a Hive-less union and general disruption, GUU’s new extension is almost ready to open its doors to all of us, and welcome us all back. Whilst the final year and postgrads among us will remember the unparalleled nights in Deep 6 and the joy of reaching the top of the podium in the Hive dancefloor, the new building is guaranteed to update and remodel some of our old favourites as well as creating some brand new and very exciting additions and modernisations to
the to the University’s oldest union. Since its closure in January 2013 we have witnessed the shell of Hive, which held so many memories for so many people, being bulldozed before our very eyes. Many of you will remember the night when the doors to Hive were closed for the last time and we all thought life as we know it had ended, however now with the benefit of hindsight and with the opening of the brand spanking new space on the horizon I doesn’t hurt as much saying that in reality the Hive was in dire need of attention, so now is the time to clear those sad memories from your minds as Hive is back and she looks to be bigger and better than ever! The purpose built club space which union goers have been missing is not only set to return in all her modernised glory but will bring new features her predecessor could only have dreamed of. Do not worry the podium is back and the best part is the addition of a 16 metre long bar; that’s right people, 16 metres - which can only mean less time queuing and more time on the podium, which is undoubtedly a good thing, right?
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Nostalgically speaking, I think that I have to admit that I might miss no longer having the one pair of shoes worn only to Hive, but having options on the footwear front is probably a good thing. I must resist the urge to look back and compare, and simply enjoy and appreciate the improvements on offer. Take ‘The Well’, for example. This area, I am told, has another dance floor and will offer different music to that which will be played in Hive. The fact that The Well will offer a distinctly different space with an industrial feel is a prospect that I’m very excited about, and I have to say that I am looking forward to finding out what will be on offer there. The third large bar, the Base Bar, will be sponsored by no other than Jack Daniels. Dare we hope that the Jack Daniels is sponsored too? I am loathed to compare, but for those of us who have been around for a while, I think this may be a bit like Deep Six. For the rest of you, you will soon form your own opinions. These are exciting times! The new addition in the extension
News is to be G12, the new coffee shop, serving no less than Starbucks coffee which you can enjoy. If you are lucky enough to get a table at the glass front, you will find yourself looking along University Avenue and watching the world go by. However, should you prefer something stronger than a coffee, G12 will also offer a classier evening venue serving wines, beer and cocktails. I think I’ll have to try that out – research, you understand. The whole programme of improvem e n t s should
give all students access to not only this brand new addition to the GUU building, but also to the existing billiards hall which has been improved and updated with a new seating area. Now I have to admit that I have not been in the billiards hall very often at all, so it is pretty well unchartered territory for me. I will, however, force myself to check it out. The promise of another seating area has its attractions, particularly on busy nights… and it’ll also have pool tables and huge TVs for all the latest sporting events.
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All of us have been eagerly anticipating the unveiling of the new extension, and at last, the wait is nearly over. I am sure that all of us will enjoy many good times, day and night, over the weeks to come as we settle in to this, the heart of Uni life. It will once again be a meeting place, become part of our weekly routine and the cause of the odd hangover, I’m sure. But it even offers the old Starbucks as a remedy in the morning. It seems they have thought of everything. I look forward to finding out for myself!
You have picked one of the most exciting years, from a social perspective, to join life on campus at Glasgow University.
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Lifestyle
WHAT DI D YOU D O T H I S SU M M E R ?
KATE WHITAKER Kate Whitaker What is your degree/year of study? History and I’m going into my 4th year. What did you do this summer? When my year abroad in Montreal ended I spent a month travelling Canada and America and then three months working at a summer camp in Vermont. Why did you choose to work at a summer camp? I wanted to try and spend as much of my summer in the outdoors as possible and Songa is a tripping camp, which means that every month I ran a week-long wilderness canoe trip for eight, 13 year old girls. I also chose Songa because it is an all girls camp that is built around the ideology of female empowerment and showing young girls that they can be whoever they want and do whatever they want. It’s a pretty cool place. What did you learn from the experi-
ence? I learnt a lot about myself; what I can do and what I struggle with. I learnt more about working under pressure and problem solving than any other job or internship has ever taught me – one day on trip, hours away from phone signal let alone help, after it had been raining for 24 hours straight meaning there was no chance of making a fire, our stove totally gave out on us. Yet we somehow had to find a way to feed seven cold and hungry girls! What was your biggest challenge this summer? Having very little personal space and next to no alone time. I was living in a cabin with seven kids, running three activity periods a day and even eating my meals at tables with the children. It gets seriously intense, but it was interesting to put myself in that position because it made me realise what I need to be productive and successful. What was the highlight? My highlight of this summer was
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when I received a letter afterwards from one of the girls that I had been teaching kayaking to stating that whenever she feels down, she watches the video of her rolling her boat and remembers what she can achieve. Taggy Elliot What is your degree/year of study? 2nd year History and English Literature What did you do this summer? I spent 2 months in Australia and New Zealand Why did you choose to travel? My boyfriend lives in Sydney and my cousin lives with her family in Christchurch, so I thought the lengthy summer break would be the perfect opportunity to visit everyone and see some of Australia and New Zealand. What did you learn from the experi-
Lifestyle ence? Life Down Under is so much more laid back than life here, and New Zealand winters are so much better than British ones. What was your biggest challenge this summer? It was quite challenging to fly to the other side of the world alone, but it was totally worth it. What was the highlight? Obviously seeing infamous landmarks such as Bondi Beach, Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge was a major highlight, but also discovering lesser-known beaches such as Cronulla was really lovely. Moreover, I loved Winterfest in Queenstown, NZ because I didn’t realise how Christmassy I could feel in the middle of June!
Romain Ricchi What is your degree/year of study? Earth Science , level 4 What did you do this summer? A research internship in Lyon, France at the ‘Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon’ for a month Why did you choose to do an internship this summer? I wanted to gain experience in my field of study as I am going into my final year. I was looking at an experience either in a private company or a research institute. What did you learn from the experience? It has been my first real research experience which will be useful in the future. I was working alone on the project that was given to me. I had to do some background reading, organise my time, find the results
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and finally produce a report. Also, as I did my internship in France so I had to learn the technical words in French as well (even if it’s my 1st language)... What was your biggest challenge this summer? The biggest challenge was not only to understand all the background reading done in 4 days but to apply the knowledge to the project. In fact, that wasn’t the biggest challenge.... the biggest challenge was to work with a temperature of 38°C nearly everyday without AC! What was the highlight? The highlight is the final result which will probably be used in a scientific paper!
R EC I P E O F T HE M O N T H KATE WHITAKER Chocolate Mug Cake When you’re craving something sweet but baking is too much effort and the shop seems way too far away, try making a mug cake for a delicious and easy treat. Using maple syrup and coconut oil or banana means it’s actually pretty healthy too! - 1/3 cup of flour (can use spelt, or gf flour) - 1/3 cup + tbsp of maple syrup or
golden syrup, or 1/3 cup of sugar - 1 tbsp of cacao or cocoa powder - ¼ tsp of baking powder - ¼ tsp vanilla extract - Pinch of salt - 2 tbsp of oil (coconut or vegetable) or this can be substituted for a mashed up banana! - 2 tbsp of milk of choice (almond is really good)
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl - flour, cacao powder, baking powder, salt and sugar if using. Combine wet ingredients in a
separate bowl - syrup if using, vanilla extract, oil (if using coconut melt it slight before mixing) and milk. Slowly add wet mixture to dry, ensuring it is fully incorporated at each stage. Mix until smooth. Pour into a ceramic mug or jam jar. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes. Check cake by inserting a fork, if it comes out clean it is done, if not microwave for a further 30 seconds. Ice/ add sprinkles/ fruit/ ice cream/ chocolate chips!
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Societies Spotlight
On February 21st 2015, Glasgow University’s first ever Charity Fashion Show (GUCFS) sold out the world-renowned Glasgow University Hunter Halls which was transformed into a sleek runway in aid of cancer research charity, the Beatson Pebble Appeal. As a showcase of the spirit of community and creativity within Glasgow, GUCFS’s inaugural event featured cutting edge contemporary local designers, hairstylists, make-up artists and djs. The event included designers ten30, Arsalan, 21st Century Kilts, 2014’s Scotland Re: Designed New Talent Award winner, KellyDawn Riot, hairstylist Blow - Finnieston, make-up artist The Academy of Make-up and dj Frogbeats Collective. The night was described as ”A huge result for the teams first foray into the catwalk!” (Scotland Redesigned), “One of my favourite shows yet” (Jenny Cleaton @Jacandthebox) and won Glasgow University’s Most Exceptional Event Award from the Student Representative Council (SRC). GUCFS now reaches over 65000 people in 45 different countries through social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and was featured throughout the year in both local and national media including University of Glasgow’s G-You magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and STV. GUCFS’s sponsors, including Morgan Stanley, Red Bull, Spotify, Elle, Jim Beam, Stoli, Sourz, Brugul, Khiels, ProperCorn, and Spencer & Fleetwood, helped the fashion show and events throughout the year to happen. Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show are proud to announce that they raised £3000 in aid of the Beatson
Pebble Appeal. This year the fashion show plans to be bigger and even better! GUCFS will be continuing their philanthropic activities this year by supporting their chosen charity for 2015-16, Teenage Cancer Trust. Teenage Cancer Trust is a world class cancer service for 13- 24 year olds in the UK. Every day seven young people are diagnosed with cancer and they need the best professional care and support. Locally within Glasgow there are two specialist units that provide homely comfort and solace for patients undergoing treatment. One is based in the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and the other in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. They ensure the best possible quality care is given so that the young person is treated as a young person first and a cancer patient second. In 2016 all the money raised by Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show will be invested in these two units. The fashion show also provides a platform for students to gain professional experience: the search for potential models will start in
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October and other roles for the fashion show such as make-up artists, photographers, dressers and ushers will become available during the year. GUCFS’s mission for 2015-16 is to unleash the creative potential in Glasgow. Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show would not be possible without the dedicated team of students that help to make it happen. The committee runs campaigns and events throughout the academic year which culminate with the main show in February. Go and visit their table at the Freshers Fair or have your picture taken in their large polaroid photo frame which will pop up all over campus during Freshers Week. Check Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show’s website and social media for updates and exclusive behind the scenes access! website: www.gucfs.co.uk facebook: Glasgow University Charity Fashion Show twitter: @GUCFS instagram: gucfs email: secretary@gucfs.co.uk
Societies Spotlight
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GUC F S
KATHERINE RAISON
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Review
B E ST O F T HE B UN C H : G LAS G OW ’ S S M AL L M US IC VENUES
ANNA IRELAND There are a host of great venues in Glasgow, whatever your musical taste. However, if you’re a newbie to the Glasgow-gig scene, there’s no better way to start than in the smaller hideouts that truly give the city its legendary name. They are also considerably cheaper, and often a great opportunity to catch a band that are on their way to the big leagues, well before anyone else has heard of them. In these cases, smaller is definitely mightier.
Pearl and the Puppets live at the Oran Mor G - Yo u | F r e s h e r s ’ E d i t i o n 2 0 1 5
Review
ORAN MOR
KING TUTS
Within this converted church (featuring some intricate artwork by Glasgow’s own Alistair Gray) you will find the perfect cramped basement for the most intimate of gig-settings. There is no barrier between artist and audience, meaning that you get a fully immersive experience. As well as playing host to gigs, weddings and plays, the Oran Mor has a fantastic bar, one of the few in the West End to be open until 3am, for all those who prefer their nights to continue into the small hours. They also originated the winning combination ‘A Play, a Pie and a Pint’, a lunchtime theatre programme promising 38 new plays a year for the delight of both your eyes and wallet, at only £14 a pop. They have new plays every week during Autum/ Winter, running from Mondays to Saturdays at the student-friendly time of 1pm. Essentially, Oran Mor is the cultural hotspot for all you music, theatre and drink loving West-Enders.
King Tuts is perhaps the most well known of Glasgow’s small venues, forming a large part of the live music scene that sees Scotland renowned worldwide. If it’s representation at one of the UK’s largest festivals (they have a stage at T in the Park that showcases the best of the venue each year) wasn’t enough to secure Tuts as an excellent judge of live music, then perhaps its ability to host the greatest up and coming artists will. Supporting industry veterans at the start of their careers (Oasis, Radiohead, Biffy Clyro, to name a few), for many, it is a right of passage to pass through King Tuts doors on their way to the top. It’s many accolades pay homage to this, including NME naming it ‘Britain’s Best Small Venue’ in 2011. The enjoyment bands gain from playing such an intimate venue is clear, as artists such as The View return here, post-mainstream success, often to feel the warmth of such a close crowd. And you are close, with a 300-capacity that treats onlookers to a special experience.
STEREO Stereo is a newbie, but is looking extremely promising with its line up for the coming year. As well as being a vegan restaurant (every cool kid’s at it these days), they offer DJ sets, gigs and club nights. The varied nature of its offerings is representative of the diverse nature of Glasgow’s gig-goers, and caters directly to this. With upcoming sets from Eliza and the Bear and Coasts, not to mention Welsh indie-pop collective Los Campesinos!, it appears the future is bright for Stereo. Pay it a visit for good food, cheap artists and what looks to be very good live music.
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goes, no preconceptions or judgement allowed. Expect to see local and international artists, most likely swaying from a few too many White Russians. THE ART SCHOOL The space in the Union of the Glasgow School of Art plays host to a variety of events, most notably club and music nights. It is small but perfectly formed, providing an excellent place for both the understated and the more ‘out-there’. Its generally casual vibe lends itself well to marrying small DJ sets with larger scale offerings, with a smaller bar downstairs and larger gig venue upstairs. Jamie T played a supremely sweaty warm up gig here last year before setting off on a wider UK tour. This is the beauty of small venues – often you’re catching the artist before anyone else, and in a much more intimate setting. You never forget the first gig you see like that, and it will not be your last. The Art School is a great starting point for trying something new and a little bit special. A token one for Glasgow newbies:
SLEAZYS
THE BARROWLANDS
Nice N’ Sleazys is a bar-cum-gig venue, entertaining Glaswegians since 1991, transforming it’s basement, upon occasion, into a home for the best of the eclectic and unusual. Hosting a technicolour of musical events, from Acoustic Open Mic nights to Stranglers tribute acts (‘Straighten Out’ – 19 Sept), it’s a real melting point of musical variety. It could just be that meeting your friend for a chilled drink turns into an unexpected night of great music. That’s what is great about Sleazy’s: anything
Oh the Barras. You cannot beat the sweatiest, and perhaps the mightiest, of Glasgow’s larger musical offerings. A dancehall in the good ol’ days, it is now famous for its wealth of fantastic bands and very excitable Glaswegian audiences.
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Culture
CUL T U RAL ROUN D U P
ANNA IRELAND A selection of some of the most exciting new music and culturalhappenings around to carry you through Semester One, all in one handy place. FILM There are number of long-anticipated releases arriving this autumn, some of which are definitely intellectual and definitely count as studying. Check ‘em out. Detailing the true story of the ‘mad’ Frenchman Philippe Petit (Gordon-Levitt), who completed the illegal wire walk between the World Trade Center towers, is The Walk (Joesph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley). Might have a few ‘pinch me’ moments of suspense and/or have you hanging on the edge of your seat. Released: September 30 Even the trailer for Suffragette (Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep) is goosebump-worthy – a fierce tale of fight and eventual triumph for the incredible work of the Suffragettes. An inspiring tale that may require tissues. Released: 16 October In case you’ve been living under a
rock and weren’t aware, the new James Bond film is to be released this Autumn. Spectre (Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Lea Seydoux) looks to contain all the action and excitement you’d expect from the series, as Bond goes into ‘hiding’ on a mission to take down secret organisation, Spectre. Released: 26 October The story of Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy, Daniel Radcliffe) is one told many times, but never previously with the use of special effects. A bold, large-scale interpretation of the classic, with what should be an interesting dynamic between Frankenstein’s assistant Igor (Radcliffe) and Dr. Frankenstein himself (McAvoy). Released: 25 November MUSIC It seems only right to start with Glaswegians – Chvrches have released new single ‘Leave a Trace’ ahead of album ‘Every Eye Open,’ due 25 September. Following the success of their previous electronic-pop outputs, the trio exhibit their Prince/Depeche Mode infused sound clearly on this track, displaying a similar, if slightly elevated, path. This is no
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bad thing; if you’ve got a good thing, why change it? In a similar vein, electronic-veterans Hot Chip have some new material, following festival slots over the summer. Hot Chip tracks often fall prey to criticism of the ‘samey’ variety and, if you’re of that mindset, ‘Need You Now’ from album ‘Why Makes Sense?’ might just be the track to revitalise your Hot Chip luvin’. It’s Moby-esque in it’s mellow, but extremely catchy, nature. Foals are masters in upping their game. As a band that gained a steady stream of momentum before rippling the pool of mainstream music - and then causing a full-on splash with last years release – new track ‘Mountain at my Gates’ from ‘What Went Down’ is everything you’d want from a new Foals track, and potentially a little bit more. It has that extra something that Foals manage to muster album to album. If you prefer your music on the easy listening, breezy side, then Mac DeMarco may already have been the soundtrack to your summer. Mac is the master of songs that plod along gently, oozing out
Culture more laid-back vibes than most can manage in a year. ‘No Other Heart’ from upcoming mini-album ‘Another One’ is dreamy, destined to ease you gently into his further releases. See him if you can: his live shows can be a level of mental that you wouldn’t expect from his music.
this is.
Disclosure need little by way of introduction, other than: they’re back (ish). First track from LP ‘Charcoal’ featured Sam Smith and I’m sure, if you’re a UK resident, it fairly saturated your eardrums this summer. Second offering ‘Moving Mountains’ feat. Brendan Reilly is less predictable; where ‘Omen’ harked back to what they do best, ‘Moving Mountains’ does more to surpass expectation. For a duo still very much in their prime, new music should still be exciting, and
Take One Action Film Festival – Various venues, 16-27 September
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but explore some of Glasgow’s smaller art and film houses, such as the CCA and the GFT.
ART/COMEDY/EVENTS There are some really cool, interesting and informative events going on around town in the upcoming months. Take a wee peek and tickle your cultural taste buds.
This alternative film festival covers a wide range of venues and a vast scope of productions. With a focus on problems facing the world today, topics range from climate change to social policy. The onus is on people power, meaning an immersive audience experience aiming to promote community action. It’s not only a chance to view some interesting and challenging pieces,
The Turner Prize – The Tramway, 1 October – 17 January 16 Every year, the most esteemed contemporary art prize for those under 50 in Britain showcases the work of its nominees. This year, it leaves the Tate Britain for Glasgow’s Tramway, an art space widely respected for its commissioning, producing and presenting of contemporary art projects. Many of the prestigious prize’s previous winners have been from Scotland or trained in Glasgow, so it is a fitting match. There will also be workshops, talks, tours and activities to explore.
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Column
GAP Y EAR : UN PAC K E D
AMY MCSHANE To many, hearing the words "I took a gap year" is a similar sound to that of a silver spoon clinking away in ones mouth. Conclusions fill the mind; their mum shops at Waitrose, they ski, their education was paid for; they are the BOURGEOISIE. Before they can be stopped, the words "Ohhh, a gap yah!" escape your lips and hang in the air like a weird deja vu. I admit that I took that forbidden year between high school and university. It was the best and most fulfilling period of the two decades I have to my name so far. Not only that, but it was also the most educational. I learned more in that twelve months than could ever be squeezed into a textbook, or five. Essentially, I learned how to grow up - something yet to be put on the state school curriculum (no, my education was not paid for). At first, my parents said it was a terrible idea. An expensive year of wandering round the globe, whilst they continue to work nine to five - and beyond? Insulting, understandably. However, the ideas in my head were rather different. If left alone in a room for even just half an hour, I find myself bored. I
crave productivity, work and knowledge. They eventually began to believe that this was a year to be filled with purpose, not palm trees and piña coladas. I left school without haste and went from part time to full time as a waitress. I took hours that I could barely manage, working a shift at one job and walking straight into my next shift at another. I felt tired, bored and slightly disappointed with working life. I worked beside people who do it every day and gladly because they have responsibilities and a few years' more practice at adulthood than I. Any notion of entitlement in me was gone; everything began to look different. My parents' seemingly frugal attitude to money made sense, my bruised teenage moral compass began to smooth out, and I made friends with other 'types' of people I'd never before had the chance to get to know. In the autumn, three school friends and I fulfilled a promise to go inter railing together across Europe. We had little idea of how to spend our minimum wage earnings (way too much of which went on food), felt a little bit unsafe most of the time,
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and knew nothing about travel insurance and how to use it when a purse was stolen in Prague (mine), but nonetheless it was a wonderful first experience of the world outside a small Scottish market town on the edge of the highlands. Following this extravagant expenditure, I spent the rest of the year feeding my bank balance. I quietly spent a couple of months researching NGOs and volunteer organisations for my next adventure. I chose National Citizenship Service; a government initiative created by the Department for International Development that sends groups of young people to developing countries as, effectively, a large pack of foreign aid in the form of manual labour. The programme was three months long and 'cost' nothing (a small sum of money had to be raised, but 95% of the actual cost was subsidised by the government). Ethically, it was almost the only option. I was already aware of the deceiving 'voluntourism' market and thankfully I knew what to avoid. The result of my research was three dream-like months in Kenya on a constant feeling of ecstasy
Column
and enlightenment. I worked hard at a local school, lived with a single grandmother in a thick, dirty concrete building and ended up in the hospital one too many times but I felt a degree of happiness that I couldn't even fathom in dreams before that trip. I thrived off such a 'basic' lifestyle and the warmth of the people, and soon realised the one thing I had to work towards with my politics degree was right back in Kenya in international development. Every day since then, that
dream has been the first and the last thing I think about. I also happened to meet a fellow volunteer I particularly liked and almost two years later, we continue to commit to the journey between Glasgow and London every few weeks. This was my year out of 'reality'. Every time someone uses that term I struggle not to argue, but what is reality? While the ‘common’ routine of leaving school, completing a degree, getting a job and
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starting a family might be reality to most of the people around me, it is not the reality for everyone. To dip into other people’s realities for just twelve months was the most educating experience I have ever had; to pause and look around at people, places and situations that are not in my daily life. If only more people would stop to pause and explore other realities.
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Photography
P IC O F T HE M O N T H LOTTIE VAN GRIEKEN A rare sunny photo of Kelvingrove Art Gallery, with the University of Glasgow in the distance.
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