Freshers Issue September 17

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NOVEMBER 2013

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CONTENTS Get to know GUU with a low down from GUU PSM, Jenna

New Year, New Us

Rent Control: What and Why?

FROM THE BOARD

POLITICS

CURRENT AFFAIRS

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West End Watering Holes

PAGE 5

The Science of a Hangover

PAGE 5

Summer of '17 POLITICS PAGE 6

Expectation v Reality

Surviving Freshers Flu

LIFESTYLE

HEALTH

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PAGE 10

VIEWS

SCIENCE

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PAGE 8-9

Brunch Spots to Cure Every Type of Hangover

Amsterdam: Summer School

HAIM: Review

Autumn Weekend Breaks in Scotland

ENVIRONMENT

TRAVEL

CULTURE

TRAVEL

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PAGE 14

PAGE 11

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Glasgow's Secret Escapes

Horoscopes: Your Freshers' Forecast

5 unusual sports you'll find at Glasgow Uni

Art Feature by Kirsty Nicoll

CULTURE

COLUMN

SPORTS

ART

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Take a look at our back page for our Libraries Committee Freshers' events to look forward to!

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CONTRIBUTORS Rachel Mccarney Owain Campton Amy McShane Anya Brzeski Ciaran Doherty Izzy Thornton Caitin Young David Nkhansah

Hannah Raymond Taggy Elliot Fergus Greig Kirsty Nicoll Jenna McFarlane Malcolm Stewart

EDITORIAL TEAM Cover/Graphic Design - Rachel McCarney Politics & Current Affairs - Owain Campton Views and Column - Amy McShane Lifestyle & Culture - Anya Brzeski Sports, Health and Science - Ciaran Doherty Nature and Environment - Izzy Thornton Website/Features Editor - Caitlin Young Artwork and Photography - David Nkhansah Social Media & Socials Editor - Tom Smits

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WELCOME

over Design: Tommy Ramsay ' This is my graphic version of the Gilbert Scott building (Main building) at Glasgow university. Using vector graphics I render the building to its most simplistic shapes to emphasise its gothic structure. By depicting the building as such the image draws attention to It's symmetrical geometry and striking contribution to the cities skyline. This shows how an old building can still stand out in a busy modern city.'

Hello readers!

Freshers, welcome to Glasgow University! And to everybody else, WELCOME BACK. September is an exciting time of year, off to a fabulous start with Freshers' Week. It is also daunting and strange time, returning to Glasgow after a long summer, meeting new people or rekindling old friendships. Remember, everyone is in the same boat, and there will always be people on hand to go out for a pint (of fun), challenge at darts, make a pot luck dinner or dance away a night in HIVE with. In the meantime, have a look at our Freshers' events on the back page!

We hope you enjoy our Freshers issue! We will be holding weekly contributor meetings with the committee starting on the 18th September which are open to anyone interested in coming along and contibuting to the magazine or online. Our meetings will be Mondays from 6-6.30pm. You can also email libraries@guu.co.uk for more info on how to get involved.

HAPPY FRESHERS'!

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FROM THE BOARD

From the Board

Jenna Mcfarlane PSM

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ello and welcome to the Union’s very own magazine!

Freshers, you may be wondering what the ancient-looking, castle-esque structure at the bottom of University Avenue is and why everyone seems to be wearing bright green t-shirts. Is it a library? A museum? Are you missing out on some weird fashion trend?

Let me tell you – you’ll be well aware of that building, the green army and all they stand for by the end of Freshers’ Week. Introducing: Glasgow University Union.

The green-clad people are our Freshers’ Helpers – current Glasgow students who have been carefully picked to welcome you into your new home at Glasgow and help you with anything you need. Whether it be directions, information about events or purely for someone fun to speak to, these guys will be on hand 24/7 so don’t be scared to ask.

What about the building?’ I hear you cry.

Well, the GUU itself is considered by many who attend the University as a home where they can relax, be themselves and enjoy some of the best nights out of their lives. Back in the Neanderthal ages, 1855 to be precise, GUU was started up by three GU student societies as a social space. Now, we’ve taken the word ‘social’ to a new level, as we host multiple events every month and cater for a plethora of different interests; the GUU is even home to our very own nightclub, Hive, which is only two years old.

Freshers’ Week is an absolute blur of activities, new friendships and nights out, and you’ll probably find yourself spending

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most of your time between GUU and the University’s other student union, QMU. This Freshers’, we’ve gone above and beyond to cater for incoming students and we’ve got (if we do say so ourselves) one of the best line ups the Union – no, Glasgow! – has seen in years.

Everything kicks off on Friday the 8th with our International Students Ceilidh. If you’re from overseas and you’ve found yourself floating about Glasgow without a clue about what to do, this is a great event to kick start your Freshers’, especially if you’ve not a clue what a ceilidh entails (you won’t participate in anything more Scottish). Expect wild dancing, trad music and a generally amazing atmosphere. You’ll be off out to buy a kilt before you know it.

If that’s not your cup of tea, we have our main headliners for the week – and rumour has it, T in the Park bosses had to cancel the festival this year for fear of competition. On Saturday the 9th, producer GBX will be taking to our podium in Hive (which is complete with our new laser system – no biggie) to blast out some EDM bangers. Thursday night will see Swedish producer Neiked perform, including his top-5 single ‘Sexual’. And, on the last Saturday night, the crème-of-thecrop arrives in the form of electronica band Faithless, who’ve played world-renowned festivals like T and Creamfields. If you say you don’t know or don’t like their 90s anthem Insomnia, you’re lying.

In between this, we have our themed nights: our Sunday Glitterfest (think the epitome of festival) in partnership with GULGBTQ+; our Bands Night on Monday for those who can’t get enough of live music; our GU Galaxy UV Rave on Tuesday (glo-sticks, UV paint

and space costumes encouraged); Glasgow University Sports Association’s (GUSA) Themed Party on Wednesday; and last, but definitely not least, our Friday Fresher’s Fiesta (if you love decorations, face paint and carnivals, this is one not to be missed).

I did warn you it was an impressive line up. There will also be multiple activities happening during the day if nights out aren’t your thing, hosted by our four GUU Committees: Debates, Games, Libraries (the creators of this magazine) and Entertainments. These committees are made up of students like yourselves who found a passion for the Union during their own Freshers’ Week and they’ll be ensuring your week is one to be remembered. You’ll be able to become involved with these if you’re interested in due course.

Obviously, you’ll have severe GUU withdrawal symptoms after this incredible week, which is why we host our bi-weekly Thursday and Saturday Hive nights to quench your musical thirsts. With Base karaoke bar, our smaller Well dance floor and the humungous Hive open on both these nights, you’ll never be without a place where you can successfully escape from the worries of university life. As well as this, our committees will be hosting weekly Open Mic nights, Beer Bar quizzes, Debates speaker training and contributors’ meetings for this magazine. Stay tuned for special events throughout both semesters, like Oktoberfest, Halloween and St Patrick’s Day. And from someone who is (gasp) now going into their fourth year at Glasgow, make sure to make the most of all that the University and the Union offer as your time here will pass by in a flash!

POLITICS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS

New year, new us niversity is a time to exploU re. We often experiment in this period of our lives with

Owain Campton Politics and Current Affiars Editor

logy before exploring them all.

A person who defines themselves by one philosophy, isn’t an individual, but a reflection of another’s thoughts. So, let’s be open to new ideas, there will be many!

sex, drugs and rock and roll.

However, with this freedom comes responsibility. We’re by all means an adult now, even if we don’t want to admit it. So we’ll have to get involved with the lasgow is an amazing Unirest of society; bills, appointversity, which values actiments, politics and all. vism and political engagement, and it’s on us to step into that. e have a library filled with Here we are afforded the right material to inform and to vote, have the NHS, and educate ourselves, we should some even receive free tuition, use it, and see the world throu- so there is a responsibility for us gh a new lens. We must be re- to respect and involve ourselves ady to admit we haven’t a clue with the process which makes what we believe, lord knows I this all possible, so the futudon’t yet, but I’m confident we’ll re stays bright. So we’ll inform get there in time. We shouldn’t ourselves on current affairs and devote ourselves to one ideo- party stances, and then when it

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comes time, register and vote.

If we can’t find a party that speaks for us, then we’ll write to our official and challenge them! hen there are literally NaW zis waving flags on the streets of the US, and hate cri-

me has been rising, it is our duty to stand up for what we believe in. The paradox of the tolerant society is that it must not tolerate intolerance, so when we see groups of people hating on another, or when we hear language that’s sexist, racist, or xenophobic, it is on us to call them out, be them our course mates, flat mates or even family.

It’smaka new academic year, let’s e it a new us!

RENT CONTROL WHAT AND WHY?

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or many beginning their degree this September, renting accommodation will likely be something unfamiliar. If this is you I say, be prepared. Be prepared to spend more money and time than your predecessors, searching for a place to live in the coming years. If you are a zealous and motivated person, unlike I, then perhaps you’ll find what every student desires – a cheap, sexy flat which is close enough to campus so that you can get up five minutes before lectures start. This isn’t impossible…yet.

Malcolm Stewart

the mere mention of a spontaneous 128 MPs are landlords, has influenced night out, or a party has your flat mates this stance? bellowing with laughter, as you all sit he good news is legislation passed around the cold kitchen table, sharing last year in Holyrood will see the baked beans from a tin. introduction of new ‘Rent Pressure Zones’ (RPZ) in December. In these t’s clear what motivates this increase, areas landlords are still permitted to not inflation, or the cost of living, but put up rent, but are restricted to an private sector greed. What can be done increase of the annual inflation plus 1%. to stop this change to university lifestyle, Councils will have to submit a request how can the government intervene? to Holyrood for their constituency to The answer is rent control. This become an RPZ. produces a price ceiling, preventing rent from being charged above a certain ent Pressure Zones are a reassuring he cost of renting a flat in Glasgow level or introducing a predetermined step in the right direction, and we rose by 7% in 2016 alone and will percentage it may increase by. Some now must turn our attention towards continue to rise. Soon, many students parties, such as the Greens, stand ensuring the university area becomes will be priced out of near campus out when it comes to support for rent one. This means electing officials in residences, or forced to work more control. However, Westminster currently the coming years who will actively fight frequently. So be prepared to enter have no plans to introduce progressive for us. It also means raising awareness survival mode. A frugal existence where rent control legislation. Perhaps the fact amongst our peers, showing them

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POLITICS

Summer of '17 Owain Campton Politics and Current Affairs Editor Much has happened since we all finished our exams, be them advanced highers, A-levels, or University. We all have a tendency to drop out of the social-political sphere during the holidays, I mean it’s a rare type of person reads The Economist at the beach on the Algarve… So I figured it’d be best to give you a quick run down of the events since the start of June, just so you can sound like a well informed individual when it comes to your predrink chats Since apparently Trump believes you can announce new legislation within a 140 character tweet, I will strive to do the same here.

Silver linings of Brexit

emerge.

21st of June: Queen Speech Opens Parliament The lack of Pomp and Circumstance, no crown or gown, is an indicator at this being a rushed job, much like the snap election.

26th of July: Trump bans Transgender People from Serving…Via Twitter…

Trump states, "the United States Government will not accept or allow... transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military,"

26th of June: The DUP Strike £1bn Deal to Prop up Tories Ultra conservative party of N.I. exchange help from their 10 seats to pass legislation, in return for £1bn to go to N.I. (NHS still struggling) Check out “The DUP: what they stand for and why we should be worried” online

1st of June: Trump withdraws US from Paris Agreement Trump formally announces his intent to withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Earth to warm by at least 2 degrees by 2100 says WMO. Check out “Trump: watching the world burn?” on our web-edition 8th of June: General Election (GE) Tories really messed up, loosing 14 seats, 10 off a majority. Labour, the biggest “winner” gaining 33. SNP loose 19, in backlash over indyref2.

19th of June: Finsbury Park Attack A vehicle rammed into people walking out of a mosque in the Finsbury Park neighborhood of London, killing 1, injuring 10.

19th of June: Formal Brexit Negotiations Begin Despite having not received the mandate Theresa May had hoped for in the GE, arguable the most important negotiations in UK history, begin. It’s not all doom and gloom Take a look over the page for some 6 | MULTIPURPOSEMGZ

11th of August: Trump nearly Starts World War Three… Via Twitter…

President Trump states on Twitter that America's military capabilities against North Korea are "locked and loaded" 12th of August: Clashes between Neo-Nazis and AntiFa A car plowed into a group of people marching peacefully during counter protests in Charlottesville, Virginia killing one.

15th of August: Trump scolds both sides for Charlottesville violence Trump portions blame for violence between literal Nazis and other altright groups, and those I label as “normal humans”…

29th of June: N.I. Women Given Right to have Abortions through English NHS MP Stella Creasy tabled the amendment committing the Gov. to funding abortions in Eng for NI women, after High Court ruled there was no right.

4th of July: Trump Celebrates Independence Day by Tweeting at North Korea President condemns the successful test launch of a North Korean InterContinental Ballistic Missile, via twitter 20th of July: New LibDem Leader After loosing the University of Glasgow Rector election, Vince Cable takes up leadership of the LibDems, after no candidates

16th of August: Brexit paper regarding N.I. Border Released So they can’t have a hard border because of the Belfast Agreement, so how are they going police it?

This paper did not answer many questions…

17th of August: Van Plows into people on Las Ramblas, Barcelona 16 dead and many injured after a vehicle ran over pedestrians. Another attack occurred 75 miles south in Cambrils that day. IS claimed both.

25th of August: Trump signs ban on transgender A month later trump makes good on his tweet and signs a directive banning transgender recruitment in the military service.

25th of August: Trump pardons Ex Sheriff, Joe Arpaio Found guilty of criminal contempt, he “terrorized Latino families” while continuing to illegally profile. Trump says he’s “admirable.”

attempting to delegitimize the first black president with a baseless conspiracy theory. If you were truly awful, you’d do both on the same day. If you were unfathomably despicable you would use the cover of a potentially catastrophic hurricane to try to get away 25th of August: Hurricane Harvey makes landfall with them without anyone noticing.

The most powerful storm to hit the US since 2005, it’s Just because we are in a different country doesn’t mean brought 30 inches of rain in just a day, sever flooding has we can’t resist, we just have to be politically involved left many stranded in Texas. and call out bulls*** when we see it.

A note on the 25th : If you were a bigoted president without a shred of empathy, you would probably decide to officially ban transgender people from the military despite enormous backlash. Or you’d pardon a racist sheriff who, besides you, was the leading voice

This Brings you up to a two week, a good starting point for any post-HIVE drunken chats this freshers, but make sure to like us on Facebook to get the low down on the latest political, social and cultural topics of conversation.

VIEWS

WEST END WATERING HOLES

Anya Brzeski Lifestyle and Culture Editor

Whether it’s your first time living in Glasgow or not, here’s a handy list of some favourites in the University area. As lifestyle at university is largely about drinking (we were all thinking it) or indeed, not drinking, there’s a key included of the risk factor involved when going to these places. I must stress that the key is solely a guide, and if you are determined enough, you could turn any of these places into a level 3 risk. You have been warned.

Risk of Hangover: 1 - Hangover unlikely 2 - Mild hangover is likely 3 - Unavoidable Hangover

Tchai-Ovna- a gorgeous tea-room just minutes away from the Uni, Tchai-Ovna serves up over 100 types of tea from across the globe. Feeling peckish? They also serve delicious vegetarian and vegan food. To top it all off, they have some lovely intimate music evenings- think Czech music, jazz, classical piano recitals, and acoustic evenings.

Hillhead Bookclub- £3 mojitos, £2 mixers, and pitchers served in Risk of a hangover: 1 gramophones HB is already a winner. Throw ping pong tables and good music into the mix and you have the perfect recipe Òran Mór- A huge gleaming wooden bar, a great selection for post-lecture chillouts. Keep an eye out for bingo nights, craft of whisky, and many beer options. The unmissable church on markets and music events honouring people like Prince. the corner of Byres Road and Great Western Road is not the cheapest option around, but it’s open until 2 or 3am, which is Risk of hangover: 2 a great excuse to settle in there for the evening and admire the stunning building. They also have loads of live music and the ‘Play, Pie and a Pint’- but don’t expect anything mainstream.

Glasgow University Union- multiple bars to choose from, pool tables, a Starbucks coffee outlet, and Hive. Need I say more?

Never expect that you’ll only stay for 1 drink…

Risk of hangover: 3

Risk of a hangover: 2 St Louis Café Bar- Breakfast served until 5pm, open mics and DJ nights, this place is a haven for all (they also let wellbehaved dogs in!). The progression from café during the day, The Arlington- A true boozer and Glasgow institution. Cheap to a funky bar in the evening is continental in style without being alcohol and one of the best open mic nights in Glasgow every pretentious. An absolute must for causing a hangover- and Wednesday make this place damn special. It also (not one curing it! word of a lie) houses the real Stone of Destiny, so it’d be foolish Risk of a hangover: 2 to skip over this place…

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SCIENCE

The science of a hangover

Ciaran Doherty Sports, Health and Science Editor

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ost of us have been there, that horrible moment when you crawl out of bed after a night of punishing our livers with pints of fun in HIVE (other drinking establishments are available) and feel as if your world is about to come to an end. As soon as you surface from you slumber you are hit the all too familiar symptoms of headaches, nausea and dehydration. For 77% of people who occasionally like to have one beer too many on a night out this is the reality you face. Hangovers have become part of life for most drinkers and can vary widely, some people merely feel a little dehydrated and others spend the entire next day attached to their toilet as the kebab they ate on their way home decides to reappear in a very dramatic fashion.

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angovers appear to have plagued mankind since the beginning of human civilisation so you’d think we be experts on them by know wouldn’t you? Unfortunately to this day the exact cause of hangovers has not been identified. I imagine most scientists will claim to have better things to be investigating but these people have probably never felt the after effects of drinking two bottles of a certain tonic wine. So for the mean time we will just have to piece the puzzle together from small studies and theories.

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ne of the oldest and still most widely believed theories is that alcohol dehydrates you. This is true alcohol is a type of diuretic; this means it suppresses your body’s ability to conserve water and thus makes the body produce larger volumes of urine.

This explains why after three pints you need to run to the toilet every 5 minutes. So this theory does have scientific backing but doesn’t give a cause of hangovers, although dehydration is known to cause headaches, as anyone who’s ever had a hangover knows waking up and downing 2 pints of water in an attempt to cure yourself is no miracle cure, which leads us to believe there may be more factors at work.

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ther theories along these lines included electrolytes; these are the body’s minerals such as sodium and potassium.

The theory thought alcohol may change their levels and create hangovers; however a study showed there to be no significant difference in their levels between happy healthy sober people and those poor individual with hangovers. n the quest to find the elusive cause people begin to look at the effects alcohol has on our insides. It has been shown to send our digestive track into mayhem, irritating the lining of our stomach and intestines, increasing the amount of acid in our stomachs and even making our pancreas secrete more digestive enzymes. This combination of things is to blame for the nausea that is so often felt after one too many (Yes, this means you can’t simply blame the

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kebab), but yet again this doesn’t seem to provide a reason for all the symptoms people feel and some people experience no nausea at all despite feeling horrendous the next day.

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cience has come a long way from the days of blaming everything on witches and demons, particularly in the last 100 years or so the toolkit of a scientist has become increasingly complex and impressive. This has led the search for our elusive cause into the world of the non-visible. Here the invisible effects of alcohol and its derivatives can be investigated.

'Hangovers appear to have plagued mankind since the beginning of human civilisation so you’d think we be experts on them by know wouldn’t you?'

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lcohol we drink is broken down by our livers via various pathways that in order to prevent you from immediately turning the page I will not begin to explain. This breakdown does produce some things that are in some cases even more toxic to our bodies, one such chemical is called Acetaldehyde which is supposedly 30 times as toxic (and without the pleasant side effects) as our beloved alcohol. Some believe this to be one of the key players in why we feel so awful the next morning, but as usual it’s not that simple, the breakdown produces other substances that our bodies find just as unpleasant.

If you’ve ever had the displeasure of sitting through an immunology lecture you’ll know the human immune system is up there with some of the most complex and misunderstood things in nature. Alcohol is believed to make the immune system activate, almost as if the body is under attack. The cells of the immune system then release things called cytokines, which have many different purposes most of which do not make very exciting reading. High level of cytokines have been found to give people hangover like symptoms and increased levels of cytokines are found in poor individuals suffering after several tequilas.

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early everyone I know who enjoys a drink always has a particular poison of choice that they claim gives them the worst hangovers, all the previous theories would suggest this is simply in your head (or perhaps the amount you drink) but our last theory may prove them to be correct. Congeners are the products produced by fermentation other than the desired ethanol (alcohol),

it is said they are responsible for the taste and aromas of most drinks. The theory goes that these unintended chemicals could also be partly responsible for hangovers. Drinks such as red wine and brandy are high in congeners whereas gin and vodka are lower in them. So the next time your friend passes on that glass of red wine, don’t immediately shoot them down they might be on to something without even knowing it.

Expectation vs Reality We all come to university with expectations : whether you’re a fresher, an international student in a new city, or an old hand at Glasgow Uni. It’s great to have be excited and be expecting things from your university experience, but it’s always good to have some perspective.

We’re looking into some of the less plausible expectations in our expectation vs reality guide, because sometimes it’s comforting to know that you’re not the only one living up to EVERY one of your expectations.

Going Out EXPECTATION: I WILL PARTY EVERY NIGHT! I’ll know all of the

coolest spots for nightlife in the city, and I WILL like Viper every single time I go.

REALITY: partying every night might be fun, but sooner or later, your liver and bank account are going to shut that down. Even the most seasoned drinker needs a break from time to time. Some of the best nights at uni are the ones spent with flatmates or friends, staying in and playing cards or watching films. Embrace the chilled nights. That said, Glasgow does have a phenomenal nightlife, with something to suit everyone, if that happens to be Viper, fantastic, if not , it’s not the end of the world (you’ll just have to travel a bit further).

Fashion and Style EXPECTATION: Move over,Cara Delevingne, there’s a new fashion

icon on the scene. Wearing fantastically cheap clothes (all vintage or charity shop buys, btw) and looking individual and chic. Nailing the student style, impressing fellow classmates and library-goers alike.

REALITY: *rolls out of bed 10 minutes before a tutorial starts and grabs the same t-shirt as the past 4 days*. Ok, so less Delevingne, and more Little Britain, but really, so long as there are clothes on your person, you’re doing pretty damn good. There are some real hotspots for finding unique clothes at a decent price (hello, West End charity shops!) and if you’re one of those amazing people who find it within themselves to put on makeup and coordinate your clothes every day, you have my admiration. For the rest of us, it’s really a question of priorities: sleeping longer or slaying the fashion game. Either way, that sweet sweet student discount comes into its own when clothes shopping.

Classes EXPECTATION: Ok. This year- this is my year to get organised and

attend ALL of my classes. Even that awful macro economics lecture

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o now the part everyone wants to know, a cure. On the internet you will find all manners of cures from raw pickled herring (Germany apparently) to the more common ones of a glass of water with two paracetamol, but unfortunately no one has yet discovered the miracle cure we’re all dreaming of, and if you do please feel free to contact me with it...

LIFESTYLE Anya Brzeski Lifestyle and Culture Editor on Friday morning. I’ll do all my work during the day so that I can socialise in the evenings. Haha, look at me and my time management skills!

REALITY: *Repeats above mantra to self whilst clicking on to the next episode of Game of Thrones *. Having said that, it’s a great feeling when you get to 3pm and you’ve done more than browsing the internet and half-heartedly think about going to a lecture, maybe hit up the library once in a while.

Money EXPECTATION: Student Loan = unlimited money.

REALITY: When you’re living it up in Freshers Week and going out

all the time and can’t be bothered cooking for yourself, it’s highly likely that you’ll blow all that money pretty quickly. And by all means, do that, its Freshers Week after all but once those first few days are over, it’s a good idea to start paying a tiny bit of attention to your finances.

One of the biggest drains on the old student loans is buying coffee, either in the library, or elsewhere. Invest in a travel coffee mug or flask and take your own coffee. Overdraft is cool, and it’s usually free if you’re a student, but please remember that it’s still debt at the end of the day. But in the mean time, there’s always a spare £5 for one more Pint of Fun at the Union.

Being happy all the time EXPECTATION: I WILL BE HAPPY ALL OF THE TIME REALITY: That is ridiculous. I have a serious bone to pick with the

people that perpetuate the rumours that, at uni, you must always be having a spiffing time. Seriously people, WTF?? It’s highly unlikely that anyone is every happy all the time outside of university in the first place. And then you add some of the more stressful aspects of uni life onto that-things like deadlines, finances, living in a brand new city, trying to make friends, having a mini existential crisis in Tesco because you have nothing in the fridge and you’ve only got £7.58 in your wallet. It’s understandable that you might have days when you feel like s***t. Of course, it’s best if you are enjoying uni, and if you aren’t, here are a few small ideas to help get you back on track. Sleep- such a small thing and it makes such a difference- the app Sleep Cycle is free and tracks your sleep quality and helps you wake up more naturally.

Student Minds spokespeople often advise Yoga as a way to destress, or something as simple as making time to take a 10 minute walk (not to class). But my top advice is having a cup of tea and some biscuits, and reminding yourself that if Trump can last this long as President, and Putin can release EVEN MORE topless photos, you CAN do this.

Of course, if you notice yourself feeling really quite down for a longer period of time, the Uni offers various support services, and information can be obtained through the Uni website.

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HEALTH

Fergus Greig

Surviving Freshers Flu

I know many of you will have glanced at the title to this article and laughed my concerns away. “Freshers’ Flu isn’t something to concern me!” you might have said. You will think of me as over-protective as your family when they sent you off to Glasgow. Bear with me though because Freshers’ Flu can seriously ruin the start of your time here at University. I’ve seen people catch it in September and still be coughing in December! Personally I’ve had such a sore throat that I was struck silent for a day and a half with…my new flatmates were pretty glad about that. If you don’t want to miss out on any of the excitement of Freshers’ Week because you’re too ill to go out of your room then here are three tips to beat it.

1) Wash your hands!

Honestly this is one of the biggest pieces of advice that will help. No matter how drunk you are on your night out, make sure to wash those hands whenever you have a chance.

With the number of different people you will be meeting from all over the world during Freshers’ Week you will be coming into contact with different bugs and germs that your body will have no way to cope with. You’ll be shaking hands with everyone new you meet and hugging them making it the perfect environment for colds, coughs and sneezes to pass around. The best way to break the cycle is just basic hygiene, not to mention you don’t want to be the gross one amongst your new friends!

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2) Eat well!

It can be one of the hardest things to do in Freshers’ Week especially if its your first time away from home in charge of buying and cooking your food but if you only eat microwave meals and chips n’ cheese for a full week you’re asking to become rundown. Without eating some occasional healthy meals which include fruit and veg your body will run out of the vitamins and energy to keep up a healthy immune system. If you don’t give your body a chance with the food you eat then the alcohol and lack of sleep will certainly catch up with you. Get someone who knows a bit about cooking to show you a thing about it or tune into Jamie Oliver’s new show where he cooks healthy meals with only five ingredients (Jamie’s Quick & Easy).

3) Hydrate (with something other than another Beer)!

An obvious one but somehow we all forget to do it. Maybe it’s in all the excitement of meeting so many new people and all the events on offer that we forget that bars aren’t the only places to go for a drink. Even bars serve water for free so take advantage of it and keep your body topped up. Without proper hydration you’ll find that sore throat isn’t ever going to go away. If possible try and get some lemon and ginger tea and add some honey to help soothe the pain away as well as put a bit of zing in your step.

If you follow these pieces of advice you should generally avoid the worst cases of Freshers’ Flu and be one of the first to bounce back to normality

after the week is over. However if you feel this isn’t enough help then some slightly more out there cures include: Apple Cider Vinegar - Importantly with this cure do not drink it unless extremely diluted, you should gargle this and it will help to both soothe your throat and loosen all that mucus that is causing you to feel bunged up.

Turnips- A surprising food but one that actually contains a number of vitamins including Vitamin C and A which is good for quieting those stubborn coughs as well as helping fight future infections.

Rum - While this may go against what I said earlier a wee bit of rum heated up with brown sugar can actually be beneficial to dealing with the Freshers’ Flu. The main effect is the dulling of feelings such as pain and discomfort in your throat as well as dilating your blood vessels allowing your body to better deal with infections.

Turmeric - Used to ease a wide range of ailments from colds to headaches Turmeric can make a tea the recipe for which can be found on Pinterest.

Hindu medicine has been using it for well over 3000 years so it must be good for you!

I hope that somewhere in here you can find something to help you with the Freshers’ Flu. I’m about to take part in my fifth Freshers’ Week and I’ve never not ended up with some form of cold or cough or sore throat so the chances of not getting something are extremely low. The best thing to do is be prepared and not let it dampen your spirit to get out there and enjoy the start of your time at Glasgow.

Good Luck!

LIFESTYLE

Brunch spots to cure every type of hangover Izzy Thornton Nature and Environment Editor

Artisan Roast on Gibson Street holds the title for Best Coffee in Glasgow so you’d be mad to go anywhere else.

4.

The Debrief Hangover – G12

With its cosy corners and location on Uni Avenue, G12 is the perfect place for the morning after debrief with your pals to relive the night and cure the hangover together. Starbucks coffee is served here along with a selection of sandwiches and ice cream, so you can treat yourself to something sweet when you’re feeling rough.

5.

The Glasgow Hangover – University Café

You’ve been drinking Buckfast all night and now you feel like you just crawled out from the gutter. But do not fear – Glaswegians have mastered the art of curing the hangover by deep frying food that probably shouldn’t be deep fried! Head down to The cure for a hangover is an answer long sought after and this University Café on Byres Road to experience the world famous Freshers Week more than ever, you will need something to ease deep fried mars bar or deep fried pizza all washed down with the pounding head and weak stomach. Whether it’s a greasy Irn Bru. fry up or a fresh fruit salad, there are brunch options for every The Veggie Hangover – The V&V level of hungover you will feel. Below are a few (of the many) 6. great places in the West End to brunch the day after a big night For those lethargic hangovers that leave you feeling as if you out. haven’t slept in weeks, the vegan scran at The V&V will fill you with that much needed energy. Although it will take a lot to drag 1.

The Big Feed Hangover - TriBeCa you off the sofa, you’ll feel like less of a vegetable once you’ve This NYC themed diner with its American sized portions will eaten a few. blow your hangover out the water. Highlights include pancakes The Walk of Shame Hangover – Cottonrake stacked high and drowned in maple syrup, waffles smothered in 7.

Nutella and a Full English Breakfast as big as the table - you will be spoiled for choice. With two locations in the West End, on You’ve just left a snoring stranger in their bed as you hurriedly grab your jacket and make a run for it. Whether it’s more Stride Dumbarton Road and Park Road, you can’t miss it. of Pride than Walk of Shame, you’ll need something to get you 2.

The ‘I’m Never Drinking Again’ Hangover – through the journey home. The unmissable location on Great Western Road and the easy in-n-out vibe means you’ll be away The Juice Garden with your coffee and brownie before anyone even notices you’re You wake up with a plan to change your lifestyle, you want still wearing last night’s outfit. to detox all the alcohol out of your system and start a juice The Toilet Bowl Hangover – Greggs cleanse. Fill yourself with as much healthy granola and yoghurt, 8. smoothies and hummus wraps as you want, as this place on Byres Road caters for your optimistic organic needs. It’s a nice The worst of the worst, this hangover will leave you with your idea to detox but by the end of the day you’ll be 4 cans of head down the toilet for most of the day. But before you get to that stage, you owe it to yourself to grab something to eat.

Dragon Soop deep at pres.

Greggs is a fine establishment that will not judge you even if you turn up in your pyjamas. From 80p sausage rolls to steak bakes, 3.

The Sunglasses Hangover – Artisan Roast you’ll manage to use the leftover change from the night before The hang is so bad you can’t stand even the slightest bright to cover your brunch – after all there’s no point spending more light so you resort to wearing sunglasses all day, even when than £2.50 on something you’ll be bringing back up again in a indoors. There is only one thing you can stomach today; coffee. few hours.

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OPINION

Amsterdam:

Summer School Hannah Raymond

Amsterdam: the home of legalised cannabis, hallucinogenic mushrooms, prostitution, a lot of cheese, and more bikes than there are people.

This is the common perception of the Netherlands’ capital which attracts tourists, stag do’s, and stoners from all over the world. This summer, I had the opportunity to learn about this city from a different perspective; that of a study abroad student.

While I was procrastinating writing my final essays at the end of last semester, I came across an email advertising summer school programmes. Due to my complete lack of desire to write my essays, I followed the links and found a course that perfectly fit my research interests called “Security Governance and Conflict Resolution” (catchy title, I know) which was running for three weeks in Amsterdam (bonus) in summer. After a week of pondering and more procrastinating, I sent off an application for the course, and applied for funding from the university, because I’m a student, therefore inherently broke and in need of money. I was accepted to the course,

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and received a £500 scholarship for the course from the Study Abroad team which was a huge help in covering the costs of the course and accommodation.

A Friday in mid June rolled around sooner than I anticipated, and I hopped on a plane with no real expectations. The location of my apartment building was on Prinsengracht, home to the Anne Frank House. My room had a huge window seat looking over the canal, which was buzzing with the sound of boats, bars and bikes at night and let sunlight flood the room during the day. This window seat quickly became my reading/ meditating/ eating/ thinking spot. I spent my first weekend exploring the area and a few museums with some people I met in the building.

Discoveries on the first night included: apple pie from Winkle 43 — served until 2am so you can either enjoy it sober in the late afternoon sun or fulfil your intoxicated desire for sugar until the wee hours. On this night it was a sober affair between four jet-lagged strangers.

The day before the course started, I

met the rest of my classmates. I met someone I clicked with so well that everyone thought we knew each other already. I met someone who has a lot of traits I hope to have in a few years’ time. I met someone who was nothing like me but who I got on with regardless. In a group of 19 people, there were 13 nationalities, including Singaporean, Indian, Lebanese (of Armenian decent), Chinese, Syrian (Arab living in Turkey), Canadian, American (one from El Salvador and one Russian), Polish, Belgian, Austrian etc. This mix of cultural backgrounds, and some bold characters, made for heated debates at times, but also was a great way to gain alternative perspectives on certain issues, not to mention the advantages of making connections to like-minded people all over the world.

Cycling is an essential part of life in Amsterdam. Getting through Dam Square and other touristy areas proved a little risky, but the thrill of dodging trams, other cyclists, and tourists made the whole experience more exciting. days the classes involved lectures, discussions, and watching documentaries.

\ Every morning a few of us met outside the apartment building to cycle to the university. In any other city, traffic at 9am is loud, slow and frustrating.

But in Amsterdam, the majority of commuters cycle so the whole experience of getting to work/class is 100x more enjoyable. After class we would take our bikes to different parts of the city, often kinda winging it, and looking for cafes or places to have a drink, chat and (maybe) do some reading or coursework before coming home to make dinner and reconvene in the garden or watch films together.

The pace of life was slow, there was no sensation of rushing and stressing, just taking each experience as it came; this is a major part of what made me fall in love with life in the Netherlands.

Most After an introduction session with our lecturer and some free drinks, we had a chance to mingle amongst ourselves and get to know each other, bonding over travel stories and pints

until we were told to leave, and we made our way to hire bikes to really blend in with the locals.

Aside from the regular classes we went on several excursions, including an overnight trip to Belgium to visit the European Commission and the NATO headquarters, a trip to the International Criminal Court and the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands in the Hague (which, by the way, you need a passport to get into, I showed up to the train station with no passport and had to cycle back to my apartment to get it — ended up being late but still made it), and a guided tour of the red light district by the Prostitution Information Centre, which is run by former sex workers (this was a daytime, informative tour that dispelled many of the myths about sex work, so naturally we had to come back at night to get a feel for what it was like during business hours). These trips helped me to see a different side of these institutions; by listening to the people that work there themselves rather than simply accepting what you hear from others, it becomes apparent that we have a

HAIM – Something to Tell You: A E Sorry, say that again..?

fter a lengthy break in-between their massive debut album release, Haim have returned and believe me when I say this, they do not disappoint. The album has a classic, Fleetwood Mac-esque sound with a modern twist of RnB on the rocks; once again they have given us the perfect cocktail of an album. There is obviously a lot of pressure on a band to top their previous album, even more pressure when it was a great success – some bands never reach that high ever again – but Haim have fortunately not fallen into that category.

distorted idea of how the world works; preventing the right voices from being heard can prevent conflict resolution in many settings, from sex workers rights to ethnic violence to civil war.

The last night of the trip was concluded in a similar way to how it started; with a slice of pie and a beer from Winkel 43 until the bar closed, only this time we were no longer strangers. On the way home from the bar, the three weeks of hot weather finally burst into a thunder storm. I spent the last few hours that night/early morning on my window ledge with my feet dangling off the edge, getting soaked and chatting with a friend. While the course itself was intellectually stimulating, I also learnt a lot about myself in those short three weeks. I learnt that a backpack full of clothes and a few essentials is enough possessions. I learnt to take every opportunity that comes to me. I learnt that I am capable of more than I thought. If you get a chance to take part in a summer school programme, take it and run with it.

REVIEW

Caitlin Young Website and Features Editor

You” is where you can hear them slightly stepping out of their comfort zone in the verses but quickly go back to that punchy Haim-like chorus.

ven though they have clearly kept to the same formula they used for their debut album, they have let themselves experiment a little bit. “Kept Me Crying” deviates slightly from their usual sound going with a bit of a deeper sound for the verses but this ties in well with the song context – the girls have went a bit Taylor Swift break up song with this one but I like it!

Want You Back” was our first introduction to the new album “Night So Long” again is a bit different and is one of the sadder and it gave us a more mature sound (and an amazing music songs on the album, both lyrically and sound-wise but it is very video) while still being recognisable as a Haim song thanks to good song. “Right Now” is definitely a wildcard, it has spoken the lead singer on the song, Danielle Haim, who’s deep voice elements but it doesn’t feel out of place in context of the song has became one of the band’s signatures. The sisters have itself – the risk paid off. It’ll be an interesting song to see played referenced the late and great George Michael as one of their live. influences in this album and that is evident in particular moments of this album, particularly so in “Ready For You” thanks to the verall, the LA sisters have kept that eternally cool sound hand claps reminiscent to that of George Michael’s “Freedom”. that makes you wish you were driving down the California coast with the roof down instead of walking to your next lecture highlight for me is “You Never Knew” and it is definitely the with your earphones in – a girl can dream though. While they “most Fleetwood Mac” song on the album and as a fan have experimented with their sound by collaborating with the of both bands this song was played on loop for a while. It can likes of Calvin Harris it’s comforting to see them sticking by their be likened to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and “Gypsy”, which guns and giving the masses a truly great album. If it ain’t broke, makes it a winner in my eyes. The title track “Something To Tell don’t fix it.

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TRAVEL

AUTUMN WEEKEND GETAWAYS IN SCOTLAND Izzy Thornton Nature and Environment Editor

Even though it’s the beginning of the academic year, it’s always exciting to get away from Glasgow for a few nights and at this time of year Scotland is quite possibly the best place to be. The falling leaves and balmy autumnal afternoon sunshine make wherever you go feel absolutely magical. Whether you escape to another city or into the rural Highlands and Islands, there is a location to suit every type of weekend break without putting too much of a dent in the student loan.

Surf Sessions in Tiree In September the ocean temperature is at its warmest (15 degrees) and so what better excuse to crack out the wetsuit and hit the beach with your board. Tiree is famous for its waves and tropical looking beaches so you’ll feel like you’ve gone a lot further than the Isles on this break. Fly easily from Glasgow Airport with Flybe.

Loch Tay Road Trip For those of you lucky enough to have your car at uni, the road from Glasgow to Loch Tay 14 | MULTIPURPOSEMGZ

is unmissable. You’ll journey through valleys, alongside rivers and through the quaint towns of Crieff and Aberfeldy before you arrive. On the loch, try your hand at canoeing, take a dip in the water or sweat it out at the Hotbox sauna.

Shred it up in Fort William If city life isn’t high energy enough for you, grab your bike and head north. Fort William boasts one of the most famous downhill tracks in the country, home to the annual Redbull MTB World Cup. You’ll find plenty of great hostels, making an escape to Fort William affordable and very accessible – the bus leaves daily from Great Western Road!

East Coast Escape Take the train from Central to Aberdeen for a stunning journey along the East Coast.

The summer crowds from the Before arriving in Aberdeen, Fringe have dispersed leaving Edinburgh (mostly) tourist free. Autumn is the best time of year to wander through The Meadows or check out the view from the top of Arthur’s Seat. Although the nightlife in Edinburgh doesn’t really compare to that of Glasgow’s, there are plenty of cool places to hang out at night, including the Jazz Bar and The Devil’s Advocate. With a make a pit stop at Stonehaven plethora of hostels to choose to walk along the beaches and from across Edinburgh, a treat yourself to ice cream weekend stay in Scotland’s from the famous Aunty Betty’s. capital won’t break the bank. Aberdeen nightlife is pretty especially Institute during Boozy Weekend in Arran lively, the weekend. The morning after, cure the hangover with a A whiskey lovers’ paradise, swim in the North Sea which will Arran is the perfect escape leave you refreshed and ready with its distillery and plenty to explore the city. Aberdeen of cosy pubs for a wee dram. University is well worth a visit as If you’re feeling energetic, it’s the 5th oldest uni in the UK! hike up Arran’s highest peak, Goatfell, at 874m, for glorious views of the island. Take the ferry from Ardrossan, just an hour outside of Glasgow.

Capital City Weekend

CULTURE

Taggy Elliot Glasgow has so much to explore, making it an exciting place to live. Many first-year students are just beginning their time here, so I thought I would compile a small collection of places that are worth checking out whilst you are studying here. They’re also great places to see with any friends or relatives who come and visit. This is just a sample of the hidden gems that Glasgow offers, so I hope you get to find your own escapes in the next few years as well.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum and the surrounding park are located right on the university’s doorstep. You can pass the time exploring wandering through the 22 galleries and looking at the 8000 objects on display.

This is a particularly good escape on a rainy day. On a sunnier day, Kelvingrove Park is the best place to take a break from studying, and it can give you views of the beautiful sunsets that Glasgow has to offer.

The Glasgow Botanic Gardens are another leafy area close to the university.

It has several glasshouses but the Kibble Palace is

unique perspective, using paintings, photographs and film amongst others to celebrate Glasgow’s history.

Glasgow Green is also known for its Bonfire Night celebrations in November, so I would definitely suggest In the centre of Glasgow- you try and go to the other yes, you can get out of side of the city if you can. the West End- is George Square. Close to the shops Another escape, away from of Buchanan Street and the city, is Loch Lomond.

St Enoch, the square is a Situated out west, you can space where you can truly drive (or if you’re mad, appreciate the atmosphere cycle) to its shores and take of Glasgow, and enjoy in the stunning Scottish the Victorian architecture. countryside. Its beauty It’s easy to get to on the isn’t a secret, but try and subway, and there is a get out there if you can whole range of places to because it isn’t far away escape to within its vicinity. from Glasgow but it feels like another world. It is a If you move further east, small glimpse into nature you’ll find Glasgow in Scotland, which is hard Cathedral and the to properly appreciate in Necropolis. Walking up the the city. If you look in the Necropolis is certainly an right places, you’ll also see escape, as it takes you uphill Highland cows- a must-see to give you a 360-degree for anyone’s bucket list! view of Glasgow and the surrounding area. It feels This is quite a diverse, hectic slightly creepy, owing to list, but I feel that it shows it being a cemetery, it is the diversity of Glasgow something not to be missed. and why it’s such an exciting Modelled on Père-Lachaise place to live. In many ways, in Paris, it is hauntingly this is a just a starting point interesting, holding the and I’m sure you will find tombs of several notable your own places to escape to as you get to know not individuals. only the West End, but also Also in the east is Glasgow the other areas of the city Green and the People’s and beyond. Maybe I’m Palace. The latter houses just being sentimental, but a range of collections that there’s nowhere quite like show what life was like this city. Even just walking for Glaswegians in the down to the river gives you 18th century to the 20th a chance to truly appreciate century. Its sources give a its beauty. I hope you all have a brilliant time getting to know Glasgow!

Secret Esapes

perhaps the most wellknown one. The botanics have been on this site since 1842, meaning that it is full of history. If you walk out of the gardens and head down Byres Road, I suggest that you treat yourself to an ice-cream from Nardinis.

Tasty even in winter, you can always find an escape in this café.

On the other end of University Avenue, along Gibson Street, you will find Tchai Ovna. You will most likely find a tonne of UofG students inside, meaning it’s not really a secret, but it’s certainly an escape.

It sells around 100 kinds of tea, and has a wide range of vegetarian dishes available. It’s the perfect atmosphere to read, relax, play games, or even catch up on the seminar reading that you’ve been putting off for ages. Mixed Up Records is beside the café, which offers a wide range of second hand vinyls, CDs and DVDs. You’ll soon learn that the phrase ‘second hand’ is a student’s best friend, and you’ll be able to pass the time seeing what it has to offer.

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HOROSCOPES

Your Freshers forecast Amy McShane Views and Collumn Editor

Are you as confused about your life as I am? Do you often look to the stars, straining your eyes through the light pollution of the West End, to try and find answers? Probably not.

Even so, I’m starting a new year with a new perspective: horoscopes. I’ve got the Freshers Week covered, you can sit back and relax, for I know exactly what’s going to happen to you after analysing the zodiac signs and rubbing up a crystal ball I found in the Byres Road Oxfam shop. Let me lay out your fortunes...

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

ARIES (March 21 - April 19)

Aquarius, your element is ‘air’ - you are light and breezy, like a fresh summer wind. You will whoosh into Freshers Week with your calming nature and ‘ready for anything’ attitude. Say yes to the Muay Thai society, take a leap of faith and organise welcome drinks for your new flatmates, accept every leaflet that is thrust into your arms over the course of the week. YES is your word!

Ah, Aries. You're the goat - literally. One with massive horns. Or is that a ram? Are a ram and a goat the same thing? The Stars tell me you’re full of courage and confidence. What’s that I see in my crystal ball? A BNOC. You were always a bit misunderstood in school, but now is the time to crack your way out of that cocoon and become the social butterfly you always knew you were.

PISCES (Feb 19 - March 20)

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)

Your lucky number is three, so I recommend that you spend the first two days of Freshers Week preparing for the third - the best day of your life. You will meet an eye catching Taurus who will play a huge part in your university life. I am feeling close to the name ‘Steve’ here. Watch out for Steves. The Stars tell me that you're a romantic, but also someone who likes to be alone, so play it cool with that Taurus before they start getting all clingy on you: the West End is a small place.

A Taurus loves to be in the kitchen,and I can see exactly where your freshers week will take you. Try your hand at rustling up some SAAS friendly cocktails to win over your flatmates.

Try a ‘Boke’: Baileys and Coke (gold star for getting this hilarious reference), or maybe even a Pina Colada - just rum and milk with an umbrella on top, right?

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20) I can see that you have a changeable and open mind, Gemini. While you might think you can handle extra curricular activities every morning, three trips to Ikea on the bus and several pints of fun in the evening, the stars tell me you will be asking your mum if she can pick you up by day four. The harsh truth is, your mum is loving the peace and lack of dirty cups sitting around the house - so just ride through the Freshers Flu and give Sandra the space she’s been craving for 18 years.

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HOROSCOPES

CANCER (June 21 - July 22)

LIBRA (Sept 23 - Oct 22)

You are a crab. Crabs like using their pincers.

You also don’t like strangers - they make you crabby. Cancer, keep your pincers under wraps this week because you’ll be meeting a heck of a lot of strangers. Try to keep yourself calm and motivated by thinking about things you like: walking sideways, seaweed, saltwater, attractive young crabs your age...

Libra, your reputation is flawless. You are a diplomat, you dedicate your life to finding peace on earth and you just hate negativity, dude. I see visions of you at the Freshers Week Open Mic night: there are flowers in your hair, Yoko Ono seems to be by your side and a sweet, sweet melody about a utopian world is drifting from your ethically sourced guitar eventually drowned out by raucous applause.

LEO (July 23 - Aug 22) SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Leos just love being admired, and I can sense that your main aim this week is to find yourself a new squeeze. There was never much going on in your village and Tinder couldn’t find anything in a ten mile radius, but I have good news for you: you will be the centre of attention this week. Get spruced up and start posting boomerang selfies on Instagram as soon as you get to pres - you know the one that caught your eye in halls is going tonight so hoist yourself onto that HIVE podium and start making the eyes!

I’ve heard that you are a rather resourceful character who lives to experience life to the full. I have visions of you scaling up the highest steeple of the main building as the clock strikes midnight on Monday the 18th; making national newspapers; sparking a manhunt and eventually fleeing the country before you make it to your first lecture. Interesting.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21)

VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sept 22) You’re hardworking by nature, so I know you’ll feel like doing all the recommended reading this Freshers Week, but the truth is the graft that will pay off the most is learning how to make friends. I sense that you will meet a friend for life with a similar love for recommended reading, and once the week is over you can begin the process of setting up the first ‘Recommended Reading Society’ Glasgow has ever seen. Yeesh!

You love to be free, and you are so excited to finally break the shackles of your parents.

The moon moves into the left side of your aura, and I sense mischief ahead. There is a mysterious incident involving a fire engine and a smoking wok at your halls, and you will relish in your new naughty side perhaps a little too much. You will become known as ‘Silly Sagi’ and your life will take an interesting path. Who do you trust? The angel or the devil?

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 19) I’ve seen that you enjoy the finer things in life - you are materialistic by nature. I predict that you will spend your first few days taking notes: Ellesse leggings - check, Patagonia fleece check, Reeboks that are so minging they’re actually cool in an ironic way - check. Bam: you win first place in a Tab article on most fashionable freshers around campus and you suddenly realise that maybe Economics wasn’t the one for you - the catwalks of London, New York and Milan are calling your name: sports shabby chic hasn’t gone high end yet.

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SPORT

5 UNUSUAL SPORTS YOU'LL FIND AT GLASGOW UNIVERSITY Ciaran Doherty Sports, Health and Science Editor Another fresher’s week is upon us, for many it is the start of a new adventure at university and for even more of us it is simply back to normal, but this fresher’s week you may want to attempt something new. Luckily university is the perfect place to do such a thing with a vast array of clubs and societies, here I’m going to give you a quick low down on 5 sports that can be enjoyed at Glasgow uni that people may be not be as familiar with.

American Football: Here in the UK when we hear the word football it conjures up images on Messi curling a round ball into a net from 30 yards… or perhaps overweight middle aged men shouting at each other on a Sunday morning in your local park, but on the other side of the Atlantic it means something different. Originating in 1869 in American “colleges”, American football took off. With players that look like the swat division of your local rugby team it is the ultimate team contact sport with some of the biggest hits you can get away with in competitive sport.

In recent years it’s influence has begun to spread around the world, with the eyes of the NFL’s (America’s version of the premier league) set firmly on breaking the UK market if you haven’t

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watched a game its likely you soon will. In February the NFL reaches it’s extravagant with one of the most viewed sporting events of the year the Super bowl. Despite attracting over 100 million viewers it still has a long way to go to catch the world cup final which has a reported 900 million plus viewers.

Potholing: Also known as caving or spelunking it involves exploring cave systems. A past time for the more adventurous sort it involves squeezing through tight rock formations, negotiating water hazards, some climbing and a large dose of bravery. As adding challenge the caves are in complete darkness once you pass the entrance so it’s perhaps not for those who enjoy a night light at bedtime. Personally this sounds like my idea of torture but if this sounds like an enjoyable adventure to you perhaps you should give it a go!

Hares and Hounds: Fancy yourself the next Mo Farrah or Paula Radcliffe? Or do you simply want to run off that beer belly you’ll most likely develop during freshers?

Then this might be the club for you.

One of the Glasgow uni’s oldest sports clubs they offer various levels of running to suit all needs and for those who would like to take their running a bit more seriously they also cater for competitive runners. So if you fancy a run for whatever reason this is probably the place for you.

Gaelic Football: Until recently Ireland’s most watched and played sport was relatively unknown to those without any Irish connections but a recent investment

by TV companies has led to a bigger audience. With records of this sport dating back to 1308 it is one of the oldest sports in Europe. It could be described as a cross between rugby and football. Played by teams of 15 a side on a massive rectangular pitch, the ball may be picked up and carried with the object being to kick it into the goal for 3 points or over the crossbar for one point. Despite its massive audiences the sport remains completely amateur meaning even the country’s finest players who can train every day of the week don’t earn a single penny and play it simply for the love of the game.

It all cumulates in the All-Ireland Final in Croke park (this year the 17th of September), where one county will win the bragging rights for the year.

Watching this may wet your appetite for this lesser known sport!

Wakeboarding: If you’d enjoy a more aquatic sport then wakeboarding could be the thing for you. Developed from water skiing and snowboarding techniques this particular sport is a high paced adrenaline rush for people who can brave the often frigid temperatures found in Scottish waters. At the university wakeboarding is available for all levels from beginners’ right through to those who fancy showing off their skills in a competition. Also some of the locations on offer here aren’t too bad on the eye either!

ART FEATURE

Artwork Feature Kirsty Nicoll, Glasgow University, History of Art Graduate Untitled, September 2015, Oil on canvas

'I'm Kirsty and I've just graduated from GU with a degree in History of Art, and I've painted for the daft friday committee for the past 2 years. This is a painting I did for my grandparents diamond wedding anniversary. I wanted to do something which captured the happiness in their marriage, so I used bright colours and lots of light in a photo that caught them sharing a little chuckle!'

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