Editorial
Contents
Have you been noticing the sudden increase in facial hair recently? Specifically in the upper lip area? That’s because it’s finally the month of Movember when moustaches are sprouted in the name of charity. So for this issue we thought we’d celebrate that fact! Flip to the features section to see some of those from Glasgow University participating in the challenge and Rebecca discusses the campaign to get our political leaders involved on page 8. The GUUi is also getting a makeover over Christmas as we felt it was time for an update! This will be the last issue with the title GUUi and we want your suggestions for a new name. Keep your eyes peeled or contact libraries@ guu.co.uk for further information. Claire Flynn GUU Convenor Of Libraries Editor-In-Chief
3 The Board - Aisling Holling, Present Student Member 4 The Hotlist 5 Features- It’s Movember Time 7 Politics - Independence: The Effect On The Everyday 8 Politics- Meeting The American Ambassador & Will You Support The Moalition? 9 Lifestyle- Potential Flatmate Questionnaire & The BakeOff 10 Lifestyle - Bearded Women 11 Culture- An Adventure Through Time And Space 12 Culture- Scottish Mental Health Arts And Film Festival 13 Column- Erasmust! & This Month Online 14 Column- Sandy Says 15 Sport- Connie’s Cardio Challenge 16 Sport- McAndrew Road Relays 17 Clubs & Societies- We Are The Mighty GUSSC Editor-In-Chief Claire Flynn Features Editor Harriet Johnston Politics Editor Kathryn Stevenson Lifestyle Editor Kirsty McKenzie Culture Editor Kate Whitaker Column Editor Lucy Keown
Find us online... guuimagazine.wordpress.com issuu.com/guui facebook.com/guuaye twitter.com/guuimagazine
Sports Editor (GUSA Publicity Convenor) Stuart Morrison Photography and Artwork Romain Ricchi Cover Design James Yates Sponsorship and Advertising Joseph Meaden
Contributors James Yates Aisling Holling Fergus Gill Kirsty McKenzie Harriet Johnston Romain Ricchi Kathryn Stevenson Joseph Meaden Rebecca Richardson Alice Johnson Ali Cooper Huw Clarke Kate Whitaker Lucy Keown Rachel Lawson Jessica Oliver-Bell Connie Zehentmeier Ailsa Pender If you’d like to contribute to the GUUi in any way (editorially, writing or photography) e-mail: libraries@guu.co.uk The opinions expressed in this publication do not represent those of Glasgow University Union.
The Board
H
ello everyone and welcome to my favourite time of year. It may surprise some of you to know that Christmas isn’t actually what I’m talking about. I’m a big fan of Christmas, don’t get me wrong, but I’m talking about something that requires even more preparation and is even more secretive than Santa. If you’ve seen the words ‘D*** F*****’ anywhere over campus then I will let you in on the secret; I am in fact talking about Daft Friday. Daft Friday is Glasgow University Union’s longest running event and this year we celebrate the 105th. It began in 1909 when James Bridie, Honorary Secretary at the time, found himself overcome with tedium and clergyman’s sore throat. He began to roar for some sort of entertainment and demanded he wanted a concert, so he and the President dragged the piano into the Debates Chamber and started to sing. By 5pm that day the party was in full swing and the concert went on uninterrupted into the early hours of Saturday. Now the event sees a huge live act and DJ grace our stage along with a ceilidh, swingband, casino, free breakfast and much more spread across 4 floors within a building which is completely transformed into a secret theme. And that’s where I come in. Since September a committee of incredibly talented students have been building and painting artwork so that Daft Friday is, quite literally, an event unlike any you’ve seen before. If you haven’t already got your ticket then stop playing with fire and buy one NOW so you don’t miss out on the biggest event of the year. Did I mention it was 12 hours? For more details on the history of Daft Friday or to see pictures of previous themes such as Marvel, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter (the list is endless) then visit daftfriday. wordpress.com Aisling Holling Present Student Member psm@guu.co.uk
Photograph by Fergus Gill
THE HOTLIST
The Hotlist
From what’s blazing hot at the moment to what’s blatantly not.
Red hot
Luke warm
Pass a jacket
Bloody cold
Arctic Tundra
Facial hair- we all know November is the month for charitable facial hair but why not jazz up your tache? Whether you go for a full on chin curtain or the more humble chin puff, go the extra (hairy) inch this month. JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)- this cultural detox might be what we all need after months of suffering FOMO. It’s your soul’s equivalent of not drinking for a month - and just as hard. JOMO in it’s purest form is refusing to watch Season 3 of Homeland, tweet about Made in Chelsea or spend another minute talking about Miley Cyrus’s writhing naked body on a wrecking ball. The trailer for the new Lance Armstrong film has been released and it looks amazing! Confirming my suspicions that the Tour de France is exactly like Amsterdam - lots of people cycling off their tits on drugs. Tinder - does finding love on Tinder actually work? All I know is that girls only choose stuff online if they are drunk, bored or avoiding work. It’s rarely something they actually fancy keeping. Work Experience - an essential but ultimately terrifying experience. If you are lucky, it’s just a lot of adults ignoring you while you make them cups of tea. If you are really unlucky you’ll get a ‘mentor’ who believes in tough love. My first day working for a solicitor I was locked in a cell with a deranged convict threatening to shit himself.
-Kirsty McKenzie
Like us: facebook.com/guuaye
-4-
Features
T
IT’S MOVEMBER TIME!
he Moustache. And November. Hand in hand to make the perfect pun to raise money and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer. The excuse is here to grow your best facial hair possible, whether that is a full rocker or a few gentle wisps. Mo Bros literally wear the message of Movember on their face; to keep discussions about cancer current, casual and as informal as possible. In 2012, over £92 million was raised for the cause. With that type of incredible amount, it seems surprising that this is only Movember’s 10th year. It all began with only 30 Mo Bros in Melbourne Australia, raising no money at all but setting out the rules and guidelines which remain in place today. The rules are as follows; 1) Each Mo Bro, must begin Movember with a clean shaven face. 2) For the entire month, each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache. 3) There can be no joining of the side burns to the Mo. That is considered a beard. 4) There can be no joining of the handlebars to the chin. This is considered a goatee. 5) Each Mo Bro must conduct himself as a true gentleman. The four men who came up with the brilliant idea, were simply looking to see who could come up with the best moustache and attempting to bring back the classic facial hair. As something which began as a dare in a bar, the evolution of the global charity movement is hugely impressive. But it’s something every man (and some womendon’t forget about our Mo Sistas!) can get involved in, and why not? Check out a few of the people doing Movember 2K13 here, and look out for them on campus! Maybe a couple of them will be rocking the full Santa beard come December; you’ll be able to check out the final result on our wordpress blog at guuimagazine.wordpress.com. -Harriet Johnston -Photography by Romain Ricchi
Chase, 3rd Year MOtivation: To raise money for a good cause that sometimes gets ignored.
Gintare, 4th Year, MOtivation: To change the face of men’s health!
-5-
Mike, 4th Year MOtivation: I do it every year- I love to help the charity.
Features
Stu, GUSA President MOtivation: To lead by example, raising awareness for a good cause.
Sean, 3rd year MOtivation: To raise money for a relevant issue.
George, 3rd Year MOtivation: To show people I look sexy with a tache.
Chris, 5th Year MOtivation: To raise awareness of the charity and the cause.
Joe, 1st year MOtivation: All the ladies love a good tache.
Romain, 2nd year MOtivation: To raise awareness for the cause.
Follow us: twitter.com/guuimagazine
Tom, 4th year MOtivation: The rest of my body is hairy so my face should be too.
Andy, 3rd Year MOtivation: I got bullied into it...
Rory, 3rd year MOtivation: I know I’m going to look fantastic with a moustache.
Politics
Independence: The Effect On The Everyday
A
“The challenge is always there with macro economics. You are talking big figures and big pictures but bluntly put being part of the UK means that you have an access to jobs and you have job security and that is greater than it would be if you were not part of the UK and I think you have to put it as starkly as that.”
s somewhat of an immigrant in Scotland, the idea of independence fills me with a warm fuzzy feeling. The Scottish can finally be allowed to play in their kilts in peace and those nasty English bullies will be sent back to their own side of the playground where they can pick on someone their own size. However, as a politics student, I am aware that there is a bit more to independence than just playground politics.
Carmichael’s words strike particular significance as Better Together launched a new arm of their pro-UK campaign called “Academics Together.” The campaign is made up of those who believe Scotland’s world-leading scientists, researchers and universities benefit from being part of the United Kingdom. Their main concern is the protection of funding. Better Together chief Alistair Darling points out that the “disproportionately high share of UK research funding Scottish facilities receive for a country with less than a tenth of the UK’s population.”
We tend to place the focus of independence on the ‘star players’ of a country- currency, defence and membership into the EU as well the economy’s ability to adjust to such changes. But do these elements change how Scottish people live their lives? So you may be holding cents instead of pence by 2014 and , depending on how well the euro is doing, perhaps not as many as you’d hoped! However that element relies on Scotland’s membership into the EU, subject to majority vote by the European Council. Although the SNP reassure us with ‘almost’ automatic membership as an existing part of the EU, uncertainty lingers. With such unsteady ground beneath us, it’s comforting to know that in October 2012, The Royal United Services Institute suggested in October 2012 that an independent Scotland could set up a Scottish Defence Force at a tidy cost of £1.8 billion per annum.
Speaking ahead of the launch in Glasgow, Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University said: “I would hate to see our world-leading reputation for innovation and discovery put at risk. I would hate to see the next big breakthrough jeopardised or see the chances of a young researcher curtailed.” With the University of Glasgow alone facilitating 23,693 students this year, this new take on Scotland’s presence within the UK is one that cannot be easily dismissed.
“We tend to place the focus of independence on the ‘star players’ of a country...”
Defence issues and membership into the EU may mean very little to you as you go about your typical day; however, as a student of University of Glasgow, it seems like matters of independence just got relevant.
As much of a relief as that is, yet again we’re faced with the question, how does that affect the everyday? Giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee, the Lib Dem MP for Orkney and Shetland, Alistair Carmichael, places a stern relevance on the issues of independence:
-Kathryn Stevenson We will have a feature about Scottish independence in every issue in the run up to the referendum!
-7-
T
Meeting The American Ambassador
owards the end of last month I was invited to Edinburgh for a reception to meet the newly appointed US Ambassador to the UK, Matthew Barzun, as part of his visit to Scotland. He was a very charming individual, displaying all the qualities a diplomat should have. He made a speech about the relationship between Scotland and the US whilst holding something that is admired, cherished and distilled by both Scots and Americans alike - a dram of whisky. After his speech, he was determined to meet and chat to everyone who was in attendance. I’m not American, nor a politician or diplomat (yet), I have no American family and have only been to the place once. Therefore, you are probably wondering why on Earth I was invited to such an event. The
O
Politics
truth of the matter is that there wasn’t only one ambassador at this particular reception. Of course there was Mr Barzun himself...and then there was me. I am on the five-member board of the Glasgow University American Society (GUAS) and my official role is British Ambassador to GUAS. As you can imagine, it was quite funny when it came to introducing myself to Mr Barzun. I of course referred to him as “Mr Ambassador” and to my surprise he addressed me in the same way! It was an honour to attend this event and to meet Mr. Barzun along with three other members of the American Society board. -Joseph Meaden
Will You Support The Moalition?
nce cited as the ultimate symbol of masculinity and power moustaches and beards have acquired a comedic value of sorts. However, this Movember a campaign has sparked petitioning David Cameron and Nick Clegg to take part in the Movember challenge in an attempt to raise more awareness for men’s health. Hopefully ‘The Moalition’ as the campaign has been aptly named, will rise to the challange and ‘lead from the lip’ this November. No doubt the move would spark controversy and a source of fervor for slow news days, as Jeremy Paxman’s recent dabble with designer stubble has shown. Here are some examples that Clegg and Cameron should take note of before ditching those razors... WWI PM David Lloyd George is a good Or Cameron could go one better and source of inspiration- a classic style for any Peter Mandelson famously used to sport politician looking for a more classical and this retro number . Is this a possibility for Clegg and Cameron? respected persona.
-Rebecca Richardson
Like us: facebook.com/guuaye GUUi
-8-
grow and take a more unique stance on Movember. This one is a vote winner for sure...
Lifestyle
Potential Flatmate Questionnaire
F
irst year is usually the most exciting one because it’s the one year you don’t get to choose who you live with. I was lumped in a 12 man flat with a Hungarian who loved to lap dance, a passive aggressive ‘model’ and a man who we only saw when there was a full moon. But come 2nd term you’re starting to think about who you are going to choose to live with next year and if you still don’t know who makes the cut then ask them these essential questions. 1. When do you know when it is time to clean? a ) I always clean b) when it starts to smell c) when the Council get involved d) Channel 4 want to do a documentary based on your home called “Flats & Rats” 2. Unannounced morning visits from parents. Discuss.
T
. 3. The way to resolve any flatmate dispute is a) heavy drinking and late night confessions b) passive aggressive post-it notes c) Domino’s Two for Tuesday 4. Am I allowed unrestricted access to your wardrobe? Even if you haven’t worn it yet?* 5. When is it ever acceptable to wear your flatmates underwear? Please explain your answer. 6. How many lies have you told during this questionnaire? *Obviously this question is wholly unreasonable. Never move in with someone who asks to wear your clothes before you have. They’re monsters. -Kirsty McKenzie
THE BAKE-OFF
he Great British Bake Off: a show which has previously seen swarms of women cluster around buntingcovered homes, clutching Cath Kidston mugs of Earl Grey, while they all sit and complain about their soggy bottoms before going to bed fantasising about Paul Hollywood. But this year, there was something missing. Gone are the days when I would unapologetically follow last year’s James Morton around Altitude. Truth be told, I didn’t like any of this year’s finalists. Take Kimberley for example. Seems nice enough, right? Maybe so, until disaster strikes in the form of a crumbly pastry catastrophe and Kimberley resides to giving us all the silent treatment and sulking in an empty field for a while.
Then there’s Ruby. In the excitement of still being here, Ruby bakes a pie in the shape of a picnic basket. But then in the technical she realises that she isn’t Francis, so has a little cry, dashing the hopes of male watchers everywhere. But this is in fact a triumph for Ruby; it’s the first time she’s shown any facial expression throughout the series. So Francis came out on top. Her cakes tasted like shit, but hey, they looked pretty; thus re-enforcing the message to little girls everywhere that it really is what’s on the outside that counts. (No, I’m not bitter that Howard was heartlessly tossed out in week 6. Not at all.) -Alice Johnson
-9-
2
Bearded Women
5.5 centimetres. The length of Vivian Wheeler’s beard according to Guinness World Records 2014. Whilst such an impressive length on a man’s face might deserve the tip of a hat, bearded women remain a source of ridicule and are widely unheard of. But is this phenomenon more common than we think? What is life like for women with facial hair? And more importantly, does it matter? According to Embarrassing Bodies (yes that gruesome channel four programme) excess facial hair affects around one in every ten women. There can be a number of causes, however, growing facial hair is often entirely natural. Despite this, womanly whiskers remain taboo: a recent study of 1000 women with unwanted facial hair found that 30% suffer from clinical depression and a quarter believe facial hair has held them back from promotion. Standing up against this prejudice are a number of women wearing their fuzz with pride.
a wave of new customers to the café where portraits of Clémentine had been flying off the shelves. Just across the channel a feminist activist from Brighton recently launched Hairey Awarey: a campaign which urges women to “grow it and show it”. Jessica points out: “The simplest of actions (leaving the razor at the sink side) can have life-changing effects for the women brave enough to try it.” One brave woman is German-born Mariam who recently appeared on ITV’s This Morning Show to discuss why she put down her tweezers. After constant plucking and always feeling nervous in public she decided whilst living at home in 2008 to give her beard a try. “I want to give people the opportunity to talk to a bearded lady, because usually they are too scared in the street” says Mariam. The beard “has given me opportunities” and “I am happy with it”.
Perhaps the most famous bearded lady was Clémentine Delait, a café owner from Lorraine, France. The story goes that one weekend Clémentine visited a carnival with her husband where the star performance was a bearded lady. To her disappointment the woman had only a sprinkling of stubble. Raising the issue with the carnival organizer Clémentine bet 500 francs that she could grow a better beard herself. Needless to say, Clémentine’s goatee was victorious. The bet had attracted
Follow us: twitter.com/guuimagazine
Lifestyle
- 10 -
Although some women have had a positive experience from wearing their whiskers with pride, for many the stigma attached is still too great. Instead of laughing at these women let’s celebrate their brilliant bristles. You think a guy’s beard can look pretty fetching? Well, if you are lucky enough to bump into a bearded lady anytime soon don’t just stand there gawping - appreciate it. -Ali Cooper
Culture
AN ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE
F
The Curse of Fenric (1989)- A gem from a much maligned period in Who history, broadcast weeks before the show was cancelled by the BBC. The Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace travel to a Second World War naval base, besieged by vampires. This story is the first to feature of the sort of character development that would become key to the revived series
ew television programmes can manage to last 50 years, and even fewer can occupy such a unique place in the national consciousness as Doctor Who. Certainly when first broadcast on the 23rd November 1963, to fairly tepid reviews, no one could foresee that it would become the longest-running science fiction TV drama in the world.
The Caves of Androzani (1984)- The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) is criticised by some for being mostly cold and humorless, however he shines in this unusually gritty and violent tale. The Doctor and companion, Peri, visit Androzani Minor; a planet used to extract drugs for its powerful neighbour.
For it’s 50-year tenure many writers have commented on what has made the show so successful. A general consensus exists on the idea of mystery. The Doctor, in all his incarnations, has always been an ambiguous character, who as much a mystery to the viewer as he is to those around him. At various times in the shows history he has been portrayed as a ‘god-like’ figure (with the power of resurrection), but one that is flawed and filled with indecision. Companions are also an integral part of Doctor Who; presenting the viewer with someone they can relate to, as the Doctor is of course alien. The most successful companions, such as Sarah Jane Smith and Rose Tyler, have been everyday people looking to escape their mundane lives. Escapism is something the character of the Doctor, and the programme itself, asks us to embrace. Finally it is difficult to talk about Doctor Who without mentioning its undeniable ‘Britishness’. From the show’s dry wit and irony to the endless quarries and warehouses used as locations, nothing else captures Britain’s love of the eccentric quite like it.
Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways (2005)- Christopher Eccleston’s final two-parter shows why the revived series has been such a success: sublime acting, gripping story, epic special effects. To many viewers Billie Piper was a revelation in the first series as bored teenager, Rose. Fangirls will be pleased purely by the number of Daleks on show in these episodes. Genesis of the Daleks (1975)- Not just the best Doctor Who story ever, but probably one of the finest pieces of British television. The origins of the Doctor’s most infamous foe are explored in dark and disturbing detail. The creator of the Daleks, Terry Nation, makes an explicit comparison to the Nazis, previously speculated by many. The late Elizabeth Sladen shines as Sarah Jane Smith, confronted by the horrors of chemical war. Tom Baker is never better than here, as the Doctor debating whether to defeat the Daleks before they are even created.
Essential Viewing: An Unearthly Child (1963)- Where it all began, the first ever story. Many of the shows essential elements are introduced here: timelords, the TARDIS, bigger on the inside. The story itself concerns the first Doctor (William Hartnell) taking his granddaughter, Susan, and teachers, Barbara and Ian, to the Stone Age.
The 50th Anniversary special ‘The Day of the Doctor’ will be broadcast on BBC One on the 23rd of November. -Huw Clarke
- 11 -
T
SMHAFF
hroughout October The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival (SMHAFF) took place across Scotland. Consisting of 306 different events spread over 26 days, the festival aimed to bring awareness and increase understanding of many aspects of mental health. The GUUi’s highlights included Emma Davies and Morag McKinnon’s I AM Breathing, a screening of Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche New York, Barrowland Ballet’s Tiger and the Oscar-winning Running From Crazy. I AM Breathing I AM Breathing is an eye opening documentary which follows the final few months of the inspirational Neil Platt. Diagnosed with MND (Motor Neurone Disease) at the age of 33, Neil was a healthy, young architect, husband and father. I AM Breathing shows the devastating consequences of the currently incurable disease which breaks down the nerves in the brain and spinal cord preventing the sufferer from being able to perform basic actions such as walking, talking and breathing. The documentary not only shows the physical impact of the disease on Neil’s life, it also explores the difficulty of having to accept and prepare for death. Beautiful and poignant, this is an incredibly touching work of art which I would thoroughly recommend. Bring your tissues though. -Kate Whitaker Synecdoche, New York No, I don’t know how to say it either and it’s not just the name that is complicated. Kaufman’s film follows the tragic life of Caden Cotard (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a young director who gets a grant to put on a ground breaking performance. Cotard attempts to portray an exact replica of his life through the production. He exactly recreates the settings, people and experiences in his life, however when the actor playing him does this, and the actor playing the actor also does this etc, the creation fake realities inside fake realities results in the lines of truth and fiction becoming blurred. Confusing, yet incredibly clever, Synecdoche, New York, is
LikeGUUi us: facebook.com/guuaye
Culture
a thought provoking exploration of the capacity and complexity of the human mind. -Kate Whitaker Tiger In a converted warehouse which is now the Tramway Theatre in the Southside of Glasgow, the Barrowland Ballet company put their spin on the well known children’s tale, ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’. Tiger was mesmerising, emotional and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Three dancers acted out the 60 minute ballet which was nearly completely wordless, mixed a live violin and pre-recorded music, and used lighting to help convey mood and the difference in the three characters. On top of this, the stage was a free standing space in the middle of the audience, enclosed by scaffolding and intertwined string, which was used by the dancers as part of the story as they sometimes were enclosed by, or escaping from, this cage. I know it’s an experience I won’t be forgetting soon. -Lucy Keown Running From Crazy In this documentary Mariel Hemingway, one of Ernest Hemingway’s three granddaughters, gives a unique insight into one of America’s most powerful dynasties. This film gives a rather raw insight into a family plagued by suicide and substance abuse. She, along with her sisters Margaux and Joan, were three blonde models/actresses who took New York’sStudio 54 scene by storm in the early 80s. However, career failure and cocaine addiction led Margaux to commit suicide in 1996, echoing her grandfathers demise. The most touching parts of the film are extracts from a documentary she made in 1983 on her family and her grandfather. It is hard not to be touched by Mariel’s determination that her daughters should not be affected by the public eye and her effotts for a campaign to raise awareness about the issue of suicide. -Huw Clarke Check out guuimagazine.wordpress.com for more extensive reviews of these productions.
- 12- 12 - -
Column
Erasmust!
THiS MONTH ONLINE
Erasmus is quite possibly the best invention since Malteasers, and as such we are dedicating a column to it. Want your adventures, disasters and tales of joy or woe in print for all your jealous friends at home to see? Get in touch with us at libraries@guu.co.uk and become the writer you always dreamed of being. Or let us edit you into one.
A
lmost all degree disciplines at Glasgow allow students to study abroad and if you are given the opportunity - take it! I personally went to Maastricht, a small city in the south of the Netherlands.Maastricht offered an ideal mix of internationally-minded subjects, with extensive provision for international students socially. I lived in halls, which allowed me to make a wide range of friends from all over the world. This definitely made me more globally aware and internationally-minded, which I am now taking full advantage of in graduate application forms! A great aspect about Erasmus exchange is the EU grant. I received over £3000, which allowed me to take full advantage of the exchange experience and made going away for a whole academic year more feasible. I travelled to France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic and Belgium with friends I met in Maastricht - something I didn’t fully appreciate I would get the chance to do before I went. On my initial flight to Amsterdam I felt physically sick and questioned my sanity more than a few times. However, there is a definite ‘exchange atmosphere’, which, wherever you choose to study, will make itself apparent and in no time at all you’ll have made loads of mates, and be out every night with them having a few beers (girls, you WILL be a beer drinker after a year in Europe - just persist!)
The best of the internet’s famous furry faces?
W
hat animal has the internet celebrated most this month? There’s always one - a sloth that’s too smiley, an overly-cute baby panda or maybe a goat with a penchant for Taylor Swift... and this month was no exception. Introducing Snoopybabe, China’s most celebrated and really really really fluffy cat. Snoopybabe not only has arguably one of the best names I’ve ever heard, but has accumulated half a million Twitter followers, and a growing Instagram reputation, which is pretty bloody amazing for a feline. His flat pie-face and humungous eyes are his best asset, according to his owner, which he flaunts to full effect in his many modelling photographs (I kid you not), where his owner has dressed poor Snoopybabe in woolly hats, sparkly necklaces and cat-leotards (if that’s a thing). Although I feel bad for Snoopybabe, who is quite obviously obsessed over and tortured by his owner into dressing up like a doll, I feel the internet would be a much duller place without him. Beauty is pain Snoops. Check Snoopybabe out on the above sites to experience a bit more of what he’s about, and decide for yourself if he is the new Top Puss on the world wide web. Grumpy Cat is so last month. -Lucy Keown
If anyone reading this is in doubt about applying for study abroad, take the leap. There are infinite amounts of benefits to be gained - including having contacts all over the world (I for one won’t be paying for accommodation any time soon…). Academically, socially, personally, I have grownup, developed an international mind-set and have a greater awareness of other countries and cultures which I hope will stand me in good stead for life. -Rachel Lawson
- 13 -
F
Sandy Says
Column
or all those with soul-wrenching secrets, burning questions about love, life and why Viper is marketing Pints of Fun, Sandy is here to give some clarity on those out of the ordinary aspects of life which sometimes can get us all in a muddle. A veteran at life, Sandy’s motto is ‘Help me to help you’, and with that we welcome our new favourite Aunty to tell us what’s what. It’s totally anonymous, totally un-serious and totally legit (ahem)... Dear Sandy I know it’s Movember, and doing your bit for charity is great and all... but I’m genuinely concerned about the hygiene implications associated with growing a moustache. A pal of mine contracted ‘pediculosis pubis’, to most of us crabs, in his finely grown facial hair. So what I’m really asking is if there’s any way to avoid this happening, or is it a sacrifice I should be willing to make in the name of charity? Signed, Scared of the Upper Lip Itch Dear Upper Lip Itch Movember is indeed a great cause, and if I’m honest I think your concerns are relatively unfounded. Did your friend who contracted this on his moustache already have it... somewhere else? I think you need only be concerned about this if either you already have it, or know someone who has whom you may become ‘intimate’ with, in which case you/they should see a medical professional. And I can see no reason why your moustache could be infected by a pubic disease... do you? Dear Sandy My flatmate makes the worst noises when she’s throwing up. Every time she gets drunk, without fail, the next morning the whole building can hear her spewing her guts up and retching like she’s being strangled. What’s more, she seems to feel the need to spit the residue of vomit so loudly I can hear it through the wall! It’s absolutely disgusting, and I need advice to get her to keep the contents of her stomach private. What should I do? Signed, Sick of Her Sick Dear Sick of Her I advise that you either prepare a pint of water and some carb-filled food for her when she returns from her nights out to soak up the offending alcohol, or learn to stop whining and suck it up. She’s undoubtedly having a much worse time than you are. And you need to get out more. Well thanks for your time Sandy! Remember, if YOU have a problem, Sandy can help you! E-mail her at libraries@guu.co.uk, a totally confidential service for all your agony aunt needs, or tweet her at @guuimagazine . Until next time.
Follow us: twitter.com/guuimagazine
- 14 -
Sport
Connie’s Cardio Challenge F
inding it hard to maintain the motivation to keep in shape as it gets colder and you can just claim you are wearing an extra jumper? Don’t worry, I’ve created a solution to all your winter cardio woes; Connie’s Cardio Challenge! Pick up an activity log from the Stevenson Building or from around campus and from the 18th to the 24th of November, keep it filled in with the distance you have covered from within the warm, winter stormproof walls of the gym. The Challenge is split into the three pre-recognised sporting divisions of gold, silver and bronze to separate the recreational weekend swimmers from the hardened treadmill tyrants. Within each division you can pick three of the four cardio exercises; swimming, rowing, treadmill/X-trainer or cycling and attempt to complete the required distance for each across the week. This is a fantastic way to keep motivated as deadlines and exams approach and Tesco unveil their unreason
ably good Christmas sandwich range. What’s more it’s an opportunity to get your sweaty, well exercised hands on some of the awesome Nike/ Glasgow University gear. Submit your completed activity log to the Stevenson reception by midday on the 26th of November to be in with a chance of winning some Nike kit or, even better, some GUSA sports goodies; scientifically proven to enhance sporting performance. My cardio challenge is the best way to challenge yourself and push your personal fitness goals or enter with some friends and encourage each other to mask their hideous Movember attempts with well-toned bodies. Of course, just like everything else in the world, you can keep track of everyone’s progress on Twitter using #CCC13 @glasgowunisport and your old friend #BlackAndGold. Let’s do this! -Connie Zehentmeier (GUSA Health and Fitness Convenor)
- 15 -
McAndrew Road Relays R
Sport
Girls go the extra mile for GUHH
egional road relay results may perhaps be perceived to be insignificant in the grand scheme of Scottish athletics. Most races in the series, McAndrew included, are not part of the Scottish University Championship. There are no official PBs to be attained by individuals on the odd distances either. One lap of the McAndrew relay is 3.25 miles (give or take a couple of hundred meters depending on your local knowledge and general sense of direction). But it is tradition that every year, clubs in the West of Scotland conjure up their most enthusiastic runners and demonstrate the strength and depth of their team. Therefore it is important that the Glasgow University Hares and Hounds (GUHH) make an appearance to remind the rest of the running community that they too can contend for the silverware. The races in the series are always in the same order, held on roughly the same dates each winter. Organisers of the McAndrew road relay were concerned that this year, with the Great Scottish Run being held the following day, there would be a poor turnout. But word must have spread about the great pastry after-party, as there were plenty of people present. Amongst those competing were a few twinkling stars in the form of commonwealth select Laura Muir, representing GUHH, and one of Britain’s best steeplechasers Sarah Benson, a new recruit of Cambuslang. There was also the notable presence of a not-so local club visiting from Armagh, Ireland. The city of Armagh hosts a fantastic running festival each spring, and generously invites a selection of athletes from across the UK and internationally to stay, and participate in both road and cross country events. In return Cambuslang put
Like us: facebook.com/guuaye
- 16 -
up Team Armagh for a weekend in rainy October and they get to take in the sights of Scotstoun, Jordanhill and Anniesland. Naturally, the team every girl wanted to be on was ‘Team Laura’ (the girls’ A team for GUHH), but only two other students could have this honour. After much debate it was eventually decided that Kathryn Pennel and Jessica Oliver-Bell would join Laura. Laura ran the first leg, allowing her to race with some of the strongest men, and she produced the fastest women’s lap time of 18.09. This was a very hard act to follow but Jessica (19.15) and Kathryn (20.37) did their best to hold onto this leading position. There was a nail bitingly anxious moment when, on the final leg Kathryn was misdirected by a marshal and ran some way off course. Luckily, she managed to find her way back and her turn of speed at the end secured the top team spot for the university, although unfortunately she just missed out on the fastest U20 award, which went to Katie Bristow of Cambuslang. The GUHH boys A team were outside of the podium positions, but came 5th out of 21 teams in their category, which is still very impressive given that they were up against senior men with considerably more endurance experience. Aishan Patil, in his first year at Glasgow, ran the first leg (18.41), then next in line were Peter Bowman (17.27) and Sam Davies (17.57), who specialise in 800m. Lastly, Ruben Lopez legged the glory lap (18.43). All in all it was a good turn out from freshmen and seasoned students alike. Let’s hope some of these newbies can continue to train through the harsh winter weather and replicate these kinds of performances off-road. Next up on the race calender: National Cross-Country Relays (October 26th). -Jessica Oliver-Bell
Clubs & Societies
WE ARE THE MIGHTY GUSSC
H
ello all, my name is Ailsa, I am the Secretary of the Glasgow University Ski & Snowboard Club and I would like to tell you a bit more about us! We pride ourselves on our reputation as one of Glasgow University’s biggest (over 550 members this year), most social and friendly societies. I joined GUSSC in my first year and I am so happy that I did – it’s one of the clubs that many other sports members join and so it’s a great way to meet new people. Also, with big socials and the numerous trips throughout the year, it’s hard to avoid making new pals. From our outrageously messy cheese and wine night (LOADS of wine, not so much cheese), to pub golf, to a subcrawl, to our annual AGM, the GUSSC social calendar is packed from September to March. Whether we’re pouring wine down your throat, stumbling off Glasgow’s ‘clockwork orange’ together or voting in the new committee, the GUSSC committee and members are sure to have an absolute riot of a time together. GUSSC has so much to offer, I would full-heartedly encourage everyone to come along and meet our lovely committee at some point if you’re even the slightest bit interested in joining; I’m sure we’ll be able to sell it to you! We welcome skiers and boarders of all levels; whether you’re a total beginner or enjoy competing in race or freestyle, GUSSC caters for all. We run blocks of lessons in each semester at the dry slopes in Bellahouston Park and run training sessions on the dry slopes at Bearsden. Following on from lessons, we also boast a fantastic history of success at competitions; SUDS (Scottish University Dry Slope Championships) and BUDS (British University Dry Slope Championships) happen every November and are a couple of huge weekends in Edinburgh that GUSSC are always found at representing on the competition and party fronts. We also take competitors to the BUSC Main Event each Easter, our second annual trip to the continent for some excellent powder and fun. Our Christmas trip just keeps getting bigger and this year we are heading to Tignes in January. 465 spaces sold out in just under one week and I for one am already counting down the days! Skiing and snowboarding prove to be excellent hangover cures and I can honestly say that these trips have been some of the best weeks of my life. If you didn’t book, expect to be feeling overwhelming levels of FOMO when we all set off in the first week of January – living it up in the Alps and chinning champagne at La Folie Douce. We also run trips up north to Scotland’s resorts, when the snow starts falling, of course. GUSSC is definitely a club worth joining and for the princely sum of £20 for membership it’s an absolute steal! Any questions please do not hesitate to email me at secretary@gussc.com!
BIG GUSSC LOVE AND SNOGS. -Ailsa Pender
- 17 -
Follow us: twitter.com/guuimagazine