Issue 266 - Us

Issue 266 ‘Us’

Issue 266 ‘Us’

Letter from our Editor-in-Chief and Print Editor Being a student in 2020/21 has been a unique experience that no one has gone through before and will ever go through again. We want to pay tribute to this, and so, we decided that the theme of the final edition of the year should be ‘us’; filled with what makes our writers and how we as a generation and community see ourselves. Being Editor-in-Chief of Impact has truly made my year, and I hope that you enjoy this final edition just as much as I’ve enjoyed working with our incredible team on it.

As we were compiling article ideas for this edition, the theme of ‘us and them’ came up in varying ways between sections. For this reason, we have made a coherent link between these articles so you can see how different sections have addressed this discussion.

In News, Aidan Hall takes a look at the often-controversial topic of free speech, focussing on how the debate has infiltrated universities. Features writer Nila Varman delves into her own personal experience of ‘not being Indian enough’ and how this has shaped her identity.

Lifestyle had a lot to say about ‘Us’, as their section includes Science, Food, Travel, and Style. This means we have got a great range of articles, from Adam Goriparthi’s introspection over what our consciousness is, to Hannah Sutton’s exploration of our evolving relationship with food waste.

Moving onto Entertainment, Katie Connor provides her rundown of the films that have defined us as a generation, whilst Daria Paterek questions the artistic legacy of games - will they become as much of an art form as literature or paintings are today? You can also read Amrit Virdi’s interview with Drug Store Romeos, and Kit Sinclair’s personal account of how growing up as a ‘theatre kid’ has affected who she is today.

Last but not least, we have our Sports section. Matthew Cotter examines our relationship with sports and patriotism and if this is just veiled nationalism, whereas Gemma Cockrell gives us an insight into the expanding world of Formula E. This issue concludes what has been a wonderful run of magazines with the present committee. As endings often have you do, I had a look through all we’ve produced this academic year. Subconsciously, it seems we’ve created pieces which have been tinged by our interest in how our inner attitudes relate to a society we are desperate in altering—into one that includes us, all of us.

Too often, these two are at wars with each other, but it’s that sentiment which has fuelled our writings across the year, as we’ve tried to figure out what we, as students, want from a world that would rather we stay amenable. In other words, the personal couldn’t be any more political now.

And so, we carry that feeling into this issue, on a slightly more reflective, and at times anthropological, tone. Here, we’ve chosen to interrogate what exactly defines ‘us’, what are the things that have influenced ‘us’, and perhaps in what ways can we expand our ‘us’. We chose to explore this from as many angles as our page count allows. Now we’re not promising you that we’ve cracked the code and that we’ve conjured up a manifesto or anything, but we think, at the very least, we have added to a conversation that demands each person’s attention.

Currently, we have a culture that’s motivated by our desires to be more true to ourselves, be more individualistic, yet we—rather ironically—keep finding comrades that share what we thought are our specific experiences. I love that. The boundaries for our ‘us’ widens by the minute, and everyday that we choose to listen to each other for a little longer, the world’s just a bit better for it.

In many ways, this issue is one of our more introspective pieces, but it does not exchange that for a limited outlook. You’ll find that we engaged ourselves with stories wider than our usual comforts, treated with all the care demanded and made into interesting reads.

The point is, it’s a great issue, really it is. Enjoy!

CONTENTS News

06 08 10 12

24 25 26 28 30 31 33 34

Waste not Want not

44 45 46 48 49

Growing up with Games

The Reality of Sexual Assault on Campus

Tik Tok Takeover

Drug Store Romeos Interview

The Free Speech Debate

Spotlight on Poland

Music for the Mind

The Science Behind your Taste in Music

Fims That Have Defined Us

What is Consciousness?

Us vs Them: Superheroes

Impact Through the Years “Us vs Them” Politics?

Features

14 16 17 18 20

Not Indian Enough

Gaining some Per-speck-tive

Studying In Hong Kong

How Community Shapes Our University Experience

Us vs Them: Zoomers vs Boomers

Us and ‘Them’

Comic Strip

Photoshoot

Sports

51 52 54 56

Formula E

‘Us vs Them’ Varsity

Entertainment

39 40 41 42 43

In Defence of the Youtuber Book

Human Race

Is Sports the Best Way For us to Express Our Patriotism?

Confessions of a Theatre Kids

‘Generation Dystopia

Extra

Dinner Times

Unapologetically You

Impact Recommends

Dosas For Days

Games’ Artistic Legacy

The Team

Lifestyle

22 23

58 59

NEWS

News

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IMPACT

The Reality of Sexual Assault on Campus as Told By Students TW: Personal accounts of sexual harassment, assault and rape.

In the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard, an important discourse has begun about the pervasiveness of sexual assault and violence against women. Impact’s Jasmin Lemarie spoke to several victims, as well as representatives from advocacy groups working to raise awareness of the reality of sexual assault and harassment on campus.

‘Students deserve to access education without experiencing sexual objectification’

A recent recent survey for UN Women UK revealed that 97% of women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment. What is, then, the reality that female and non-binary students experience while on campus? Whilst being on an enclosed university campus is sometimes seen as safer than being in the city, female students argue that sexual assault on campus is still a huge issue that the university needs to tackle.

Currently, the University of Nottingham has a reporting system for “sexual misconduct”. This process involves emailing harassment@ nottingham.ac.uk, and then being invited to a meeting with a university representative to discuss the incident and receive “an offer of support”. The Review Panel makes the final decision on the outcome of the reported misconduct. They may choose to follow up on the incident, dismiss the case altogether, or refuse to take further action.

‘The current system doesn’t provide the anonymity that victims deserve’ Laurie Dixon, founding member of a new advocacy group Feminism For 97, argues that this an outdated reporting system that can make students feel undignified and wary of reporting sexual assault altogether. “The current system in place makes reporting assault or harassment a far scarier process”, she told Impact, “and doesn’t provide the anonymity that victims deserve”.

Feminism For 97 was set up by three students at University of Nottingham, who also organised a vigil for Sarah Everard outside the Portland Building on campus. Their Instagram page is filled with comments that students left on sticky notes on the vigil, detailing their experiences of sexual harassment and assault, including “I was catcalled right in front of this vigil”.

Feminism for 97 have also published information warning students of reported attacks around the lake on University Campus, where a man trying to push drugs has in the past assaulted a group of girls who refused. Dixon added “I feel like sexual assault happens everywhere and anywhere on campus. No one is safe, and harmful men are everywhere”.

‘I was catcalled right in front of this vigil’

NEWS Statistics released under the Freedom of Information request show that in the 2018/2019 academic year, 85 reports of sexual misconduct were filed by students at The University of Nottingham, and in the 2019/2020 academic year, 84 reports were made. Given such shocking statistics, Impact reached out to victims to give them the opportunity to anonymously share their experiences of sexual assault at university: “I was hosting a joint accommodation Christmas ball in first year.

There were two halls there. Someone from the other hall groped me at the end of the evening by touching my bum. He had his hand on my waist which in itself was extremely inappropriate, but he slowly lowered it. He tried to get me to go back to his for ‘a party of our own’ and was extremely persistent. I was put in an awkward position because I couldn’t leave the situation as we had to see the residents off at the end of the night. I tried to report to the university a year later but they were of no help”.

‘I was drunk and scared; I didn’t know when he would stop’ “During Freshers’ week, someone whom I had never met before came up to me in a nightclub and said he knew where I lived—he told me my exact accommodation, block, and floor number. I asked him to leave but he didn’t, so I just tried to ignore him. He tried to dance with me [in a sexually suggestive way], but I was obviously not interested, and very creeped out that a stranger knew exactly where I lived. He just kept touching me and grabbing my hands until he got bored enough to go and harass someone else”.

Another victim who had been raped in halls in first year testified that “I am pretty sure I have PTSD and probably need therapy.

This is the reality of what being a victim of sexual assault and harassment is. It does not matter how ‘bad’ a situation is, if you are a victim of these crimes it can have a devastating effect on your life”.

Yet another victim also reported being sexually assaulted in halls: “My flatmate sexually assaulted me in Freshers’ week, in my room, when we got back from a night out. I was drunk and scared; I didn’t know when he would stop. Afterwards I felt ashamed and my only consolation was ‘at least he didn’t rape me’”. This is the reality that many women have to face on campus, with Freshers’ week being particularly notorious for sexual assault and harassment.

‘Our Streets Now’ is a campaign that aims to tackle public sexual harassment, and The University of Nottingham branch has demanded that the University act against gender-based harassment and violence. Along with an open letter to ViceChancellor Shearer West, in a recent statement, Our Streets Now commented that “[o]n campus, in the city, around student living areas, we fear being followed, shouted at, touched, groped or grabbed. Students deserve to access education without experiencing sexual objectification”.

There seems a long way still to go before sexual assault ceases to be an issue at university. The first steps towards its eradication, however, are being taken by brave students spreading awareness, and listening to those who have experienced it.

Find the result of the UN Women UK survey here: https://www. unwomenuk.org/safe-spaces-now Please visit UoN’s ‘let’s be clear on consent’ page for a full list of support services available. You can also always email welfare@ impactnottingham.com if you’ve been affected by anything in this article.

By Jasmin Lemarie Illustrations and Page Design by Sophie Forrester

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Free Speech, Universities and Legislation: an Issue of Two Parts, Not Two Sides Freedom of Speech. Universities. Government.

Three phrases that when put together are bound to create controversy. Impact’s Head of News Aidan Hall breaks down the latest chapter in the debate around freedom of speech legislation at university, arguing that by asking two simple questions we can see that it’s far more constructive to look at this issue as having two parts, not as something that there are two opinions on.

In February, the government announced its plans to introduce legislation that would enable academics, students or visiting speakers who are ‘no-platformed’ to request compensation from universities if they feel their freedom of speech has been harmed.

In addition, the government proposed the appointment of a “free speech champion” who will investigate potential infringements of free speech in higher education and recommend redress. Students’ Unions are also now obliged to take steps to ensure the maintenance of lawful free speech and the law imposes a free speech condition on universities before they are eligible for public funding.

Since the proposal of these changes, there has been great controversy amongst stakeholders, not least on social media and in the newspapers. But with an issue as complex as freedom of speech, it is all too easy to become lost in the quagmire of online political commentary. This is especially the case when the quest for more information and clarity on a topic, often undertaken by continuous scrolling, seems only to uncover further disputes between the ‘two sides’ of the political spectrum.

‘In reality, this issue can be broken down into two simple questions that transcend the ‘left vs right’ narrative’ How best, then, are we to take a hold of and comprehend this issue? Well, in reality, this issue can be broken down into two simple questions that transcend the ‘left vs right’ narrative - the answers to which, also help frame the issue and make it easier to understand. The first of which is the following: is freedom of speech really at risk on university campuses in the UK? Answering ‘yes’ to this first question is, of course, the government. Why else, after all, would they decide to legislate? More specifically, and as the Minister for Education wrote in The Daily Telegraph in 2020, the government felt the need to address “the very real and alarming threat of censorship and ‘cancel culture’ within our universities”. All in all, the minister stated, the government was deeply worried about the “chilling effect” of silencing and censorship on campus.

‘Some … accuse the government of trying to solve a crisis that simply doesn’t exist’ The government, therefore, evidently believes there is a problem. Some, however, accuse the government of trying to solve a crisis that simply doesn’t exist, therefore coming down on the ‘no’ side of our first question. General Secretary at the University and College Union (UCU), Jo Grady, argued that the legislation addressed only “phantom threats to free speech”, and that the government ought to be taking steps to contain the “real and present danger” to students and academic staff: Covid-19.

NEWS

Along similar lines, Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, National Union of Students’ Vice-President for Higher Education, said that there is, “no evidence of a freedom of expression crisis on campus, and students’ unions are constantly taking positive steps to help facilitate the thousands of events that take place each year.”

This is, then, the first part of the issue. Depending on one’s answer to this first question, there is also a second framing question. Assuming, we answer ‘yes’ to the first question, we can then ask: was this legislation the right way to solve the problem? In other words, assuming the accuracy of the diagnosis, were the government’s proposals the best kind of medicine?

Answering ‘no’ to our second question, columnist Stephen Bush, wrote in The New Statesman, that the government is ignoring the real cause of the problem of free speech on university campuses: the “insecure, precarious and deeply casualised” academic labour market. More junior academic staff, Bush argues, feel that because their job is so unstable, they do not want to risk losing it by speaking out against the views of more senior members of staff.

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Similarly, Professor Selina Todd of Oxford University argued on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that universities have “dismally failed” to uphold freedom of debate in recent years, but called the new legislation a “blunt instrument”.

The Russell Group of leading UK universities worried that, irrespective of the answer to our first question, the law would create an “unnecessary and burdensome bureaucracy”.

‘In order to have a richer understanding of an issue… we must identify the crux of it, and in some cases… this is simply a matter of asking two simple questions’ It can be seen that like many political matters the issue of freedom of speech, universities and legislation evades the left-right dichotomy. It is no simple matter of either agreeing or disagreeing with a policy. Instead, in order to have a richer understanding of an issue and take a more informed stance about it, we must identify the crux of it, and in some cases-as in this one-this is simply a matter of asking two simple questions.

By Aidan Hall Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Impact

NEWS

Through the Years

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IMPACT

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Politics : A Story of Divisiveness and Tribalism

By Lauren McGaun Page Design by Chiara Crompton

We are often told about the ubiquity of an ‘Us vs. Them’ politics in modern Britain. But do we all really know what this means when we hear it? Impact’s News Editor Lauren McGaun explains what the term means, and how the phenomenon is having a corrosive effect on British media and political discourse.

‘Us vs Them’ politics is the psychological term used to describe the divisive and turbulent political era we are currently experiencing: partisanship is rife and collaboration is close to non-existent.

Whether it be Brexit or tuition fees, the divisiveness of policy decisions that affect the general public has led to a huge disconnect between the ‘people’ and ‘those in power’.

Author and journalist, Amanda Ripley, has written extensively on the issue of ‘Us vs.

Them’, with her latest book, High Conflict – Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out, in which she examines the boxing of individuals into narrow categories and how this can lead to further divisions, with the distinctions between people’s roles causing them to clash ideologically.

In examining the term ‘High Conflict’, Amanda characterises the ‘Us vs. Them’ divide as something which morphs into an evil ideological feud. “High conflict is what incites people to lose their minds in ideological disputes, political feuds, or gang vendettas”, she explains.

Whilst ‘Us vs. Them’ politics is most evident at the highest levels of government decision making where referendums have the power to split populations, this kind of politics can equally be found at a smaller level, particularly in corporation spheres. Wherever there exists a perceived ideological threat from an elite or opposing party, groups who are often in a weaker position embody the characteristics of these politics, protesting what they see as an oppression of their rights.

‘In the UK, party political allegiances and ‘Us vs. Them’ politics have grown to such an extent that any bipartisan, pluralist visions seem like a long distant memory’ In the UK, party political allegiances and ‘Us vs. Them’ politics have grown to such an extent that any bipartisan, pluralist visions seem like a long distant memory. As Guardian columnist John Harris noted in 2018: “our new political culture has superseded the dominance of what some people call ‘centrism’...This has grim consequences, not least for our collective sense of priorities.”

With politicians’ political rhetoric, both inwardly and outwardly, forming a culture which breeds hatred and division, the UK media has naturally clung on to the most divisive political issues in its main news coverage, whether this be coverage of race, Brexit or immigration. This is while topics where the general public can often display more consensus, such as climate change, have been all but cut from headlines.

And the issue doesn’t just stop at mainstream politics. Universities have long been the cultivators of intellectual debate and political discussion, offering a safe space in which to do this. Where the problem lies, however, is with the vast socioeconomic and ethnic diversity of the student population, resulting in ideological clashes based on preconceived views from vastly opposing backgrounds.

‘Despite all its bad elements, the pandemic has brought us all together, diminishing the gap between ‘us’ and ‘them’’ Perhaps, all hope is not lost, however. Despite all its bad elements, the pandemic has brought us all together, diminishing the gap between ‘us’ and ‘them’. What will be essential going forward, many argue, is not allowing this bipartisan culture to continue so that consensus and discussion can once again become a central feature of British politics.

FEATURES

Features

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‘Indian enough’. What does that even mean?

Honestly, I didn’t know for a long time either.

Growing up, I assumed my respect and love of the culture fundamental to my upbringing was the definition of being Indian. What more could it mean? I grew up adoring my brown skin for the most part, honouring the fact I was able to speak Tamil, the oldest spoken language in the world, and immersing myself in the history, art, food—all whilst navigating a tightrope between the Indian and British experience.

Not Indian Enough

Nila Varman recounts her experiences as an individual of South Indian heritage living in the UK. She explores the sense of not feeling ‘Indian enough’ and recalls the discrimination she faced from some of her peers.

Nonetheless, within some communities, I’m perceived as too Indian, due to my bilingual abilities, my love of Carnatic music, and my habit of sprucing up dishes with spices. I was one of two Indian kids at school, the other being my brother, and although I’d always been surprisingly comfortable around my non-Brown peers, I became increasingly unsettled as I grew older.

Unsettled by the reality that having a South Indian identity would sometimes invite ridicule and shame from my Brown friends.

You’d think I’d feel comfortable amongst people who look like me. I wish you were right. On the contrary, in certain Brown communities, I’m often made to feel ashamed about my culture, as though I’m ‘not Indian enough’. I frequently find myself trying to explain that just because my family doesn’t originate from a certain region of India, or just because I’m a non-Hindi speaking South Indian, that doesn’t mean I’m out of touch with culture or that I don’t explore other traditions.

I’ve realised now that identifying as ‘Indian enough’ doesn’t mean ticking an artificial and arbitrary ‘criterion’, which in itself is merely the modern manifestation of years of noxious stereotypes. Rather, my Indian identity is a reflection of how I feel on the inside.

‘I’d overhear conversations about how ‘oily, gross, dark skinned and ugly’ South Indians are’

FEATURES

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When I spent time at an Indian school, I suffered one of the most belittling experiences of my life: being discriminated against by fellow brown peers. I was teased for my South Indian heritage and subjected to every lazy stereotype in the book. I’d overhear conversations about how ‘oily, gross, dark skinned and ugly’ South Indians are. I’d be excluded from conversations where my peers would speak in Hindi and prod me to contribute once I’d learned their language—if I didn’t, I was thought to be insufficiently Indian.

‘I once took a rubber and tried to rub my skin in the hopes I could make it lighter, because kids at school associated attractiveness with light-skin’ Sometimes, I was too dark, other times, not dark enough.

My knowledge of topics would be doubted or disregarded because I was either ‘too South Indian to know’, or because I was born and raised in the UK. As a condescending consequence, many would feel the need to explain to me (or more accurately, explain at me) the obvious, not bothering to hear my perspective. I’d be tirelessly mocked for the coconut oil with which my mum would treat my hair or imitated when speaking Tamil. I’d never felt so alienated, and the false standard of being ‘Indian enough’ descended from a risible non-issue to a confidence-killing anxiety. I once took a rubber and tried to rub my skin in the hopes I could make it lighter, because kids at school associated attractiveness with light-skin. Suffice to say, the experiment left me with only sore red marks.

Photos courtesy of Nila Varman

‘I ultimately realised, however, that what mattered was simply what I thought of me’ I tried becoming something I wasn’t because I was so blindly ashamed of being a dark-skinned, Tamil-speaking girl from Manchester. I ultimately realised, however, that what mattered was simply what I thought of me. I didn’t understand why I so desperately craved approval from those who would never regard me as anything more than a little brown dot amongst countless others.

Today, I’m outspokenly proud of my heritage, of the values my Amma and Appa instilled in me, yet I still struggle to carve a space within the Brown community in certain settings. Over the years, I’ve found myself gradually peeling away from the pernicious question of whether I’m ‘Indian enough’, and focusing instead on how to be Nila, by reaffirming the love I have for my upbringing and culture.

This little epiphany didn’t come easily—you can’t have light without heat. Though I wouldn’t wish such a punishing climb on anyone else, when I pause to appreciate the perspective it’s imprinted upon me, I wouldn’t change a thing.

By Nila Varman Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Gaining Some Per-speck-tive Life on Earth has been far from easy this last year. But, Niamh is here to offer some advice and perspective on how small our Nottingham bubble, yet alone the planet, is compared to the universe.

I’m not sure if anyone’s ever told you this, but you’re pretty inconsequential. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you’re a lovely person —well-meaning, affable, filled with hopes and aspirations—but this is a friendly reminder that you’re nothing out of the ordinary.

Now hold on, don’t take this personally. The Darwins and Newtons and Shakespeares and Columbuses of the world, they didn’t matter either. “But evolution? Gravity? Theatre? Discovery?

How on Earth can you claim these things don’t matter!” I hear you cry. Well, you see, that’s just it. The answer is in your question: “How on EARTH?” I’m not thinking in Earth terms; I’m thinking big picture here.

‘Why sweat the small stuff when the human race is a speck anyway?’

When we realise that nothing matters, we free ourselves to decide exactly what we want to matter. Simply put, our only real purpose on this funny little space rock is to enjoy ourselves and encourage others to do the same. Why sweat the small stuff when the human race is a speck anyway? That essay you’re freaking out over is an even tinier speck. That date you’re too scared to go on is an even teensier one.

That year travelling is a mere blink of the universe’s infinite eye.

Take risks. Live boldly. As the wise Paulo Coehlo said, life is a mere moment, a “little parenthesis in eternity”; we must use it “to meet, to love, to share”. … Not to sit replaying the moment my cereal-stuffed face flashed onto the screen of a one-hundred person Teams call.

Speck or no speck, though, I’m still getting over that one.

The Milky Way is one of approximately two trillion galaxies in the Universe, so even if we imagine Earth as a solitary sand grain in the Saharan Desert, we’re still nowhere near comprehending how utterly microscopic we are within time and space. We’re all miniscule specks on a tiny planet in a single solar system amidst a potentially infinite universe. It’s not exactly like anything we do really matters.

Now, this is probably sounding like a heck of a lot of bad news (particularly for those of you who’ve wasted precious seconds entering the Notts BNOC competition, only to find out, by cosmological standards, you’re actually a Big Not Of Consequence), but allow me to provide some solace.

If we are so utterly inconsequential, if even humanity’s greatest goals, that of solving climate change, achieving world peace and curing cancer, are dwarfed in the reality of a universe so vast, surely our day-to-day mundane problems must hardly matter at all? As I accidentally blast Britney full volume from my phone rather than my headphones on a packed commuter train, or mistakenly turn my camera on mid-lecture whilst shovelling food into my mouth, I remind myself that life is much too short to be spent worrying about such trivialities.

‘Remembering that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves can have an unmistakably grounding effect’

Even when life tosses us a real curved ball, sudden unemployment or the loss of a loved one, remembering that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves can have an unmistakably grounding effect.

By Niamh Robinson Illustrations and Page Design by Sarah MacAllan

FEATURES

Our International Uni: Studying in Hong Kong Morenike Tomori interviews Marianna, a second year English and Philosophy student who was lucky enough to spend a semester abroad in Hong Kong last year.

Morenike: Marianna, welcome. So, which university did you attend during your semester abroad and how would you rate your experience?

Marianna: Hi Morenike, thank you for having me. So, I attended City University which is one of two universities in Hong Kong. It was 10/10 honestly!

What is one thing you wish you had known prior to starting your semester abroad?

How quickly time flies! In the beginning, I was in a new country and there was so much to do, but I didn’t know many people initially to go to these things with. I made a list of places to go to and did many activities with my friends, most of whom were also exchange students, but we almost ran out of time to complete everything.

What advice would you give to people applying for semesters abroad?

I originally applied to Canada, Sweden and Australia. When I saw “congratulations your exchange application has been successful” and that I was going to be placed in Hong Kong, I tried to keep an open mind. Before going to Hong Kong, I thought it would be very urban, like Dubai and Singapore, but this was not the case. Hong Kong is a lot like Nottingham, it has plenty of nature and beautiful scenery. Plus, there are some aspects of life in Hong Kong which are so unlike the UK and I would never have experienced these cultural differences if I’d closed my mind off early on! I’d advise anyone who is applying for a semester (or year) abroad not to focus so intensely on their choices. Choose random locations and just be open to anything and everything. Life is too short to worry about whether you’ll like where you’re going. Plus, if Covid has shown anything, it’s that you never know when you will have the opportunity to go abroad again, so make sure to grab every opportunity that comes your way.

Did this experience broaden your perspective more generally?

Absolutely. In the beginning I was so scared, but I really found my place in Hong Kong. After I graduate, I want to take a gap year and work abroad in Chile for a bit!

If you’d like to read more about her experiences, Marianna has written an article titled ‘Quarantine in hotel room 2315, Hong Kong’, which can be found on the Impact website.

By Morenike Tomori Page Design by Chiara Crompton Image courtesy of ‘University of Nottingham’ on Unsplash’; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/legalcode

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How Community Shapes Our Uni Experience

Image courtesy of Max Goodman

Anjolaoluwa Alabi explores one of the university’s largest communities, the Jewish community, whilst speaking to two of its members about all things food, brotherhood and club corners.

Perhaps the greatest thing we have in University is community.

We belong to societies, sports teams, networks and some of us even get tribal about our halls of residence. The sects to which we feel a sense of belonging undoubtedly shape our university experience.

FEATURES As such, I thought it necessary to explore one of the largest communities within our University: the Jewish Community. I spoke to 2nd Year Industrial Economics student Max Goodman and 3rd Year Mechanical Engineering Student Caleb Jacobs.

In conversation, I learnt truths about a Nottingham Jewish fraternity, the power of networking, and commandeering a section of the club, Rock City. The stories of this close-knit community are fascinating to say the least!

‘First and foremost, our university is considered a ‘Juni’ as I was reliably informed” First and foremost, our university is considered a ‘Juni’ as I was reliably informed, much to the amusement of Max, Caleb and myself. If it wasn’t already implicit, this is because of its large Jewish population and active community.

Max and Caleb took slightly differing views in terms of whether there was a conscious effort to pick a ‘Juni’. For Caleb, he knew that Nottingham is considered quite a popular university, especially among the North London Jews. He wanted to get involved with on-campus events and had always considered that an important factor when choosing his university.

It was less conscious for Max. Also from North London, the majority of his friends were Jewish, so it was a natural progression when deciding on a University.

‘Just like any other community, people with similar lingo, backgrounds and interests, will naturally gravitate towards each other’ The sense I got from both students was that, just like any other community, people with similar lingo, backgrounds and interests will naturally gravitate towards each other.

The Jewish community in Nottingham is no different.

Seeing as they were both part of the North London Jewish community, I jokingly tried to probe whether there was any sort of rivalry between the Jewish subsets and if that came to fruition in university. Of course, that suggestion was put to bed!

‘I was made to see how international and diverse the Jewish community in Nottingham truly is’ In fact, I was made to see how international and diverse the Jewish community in Nottingham truly is. This is no more evident than with the Jewish fraternity AEPi. AEPi is essentially a Jewish fraternity with chapters all over the world, with one in Nottingham.

Obviously, fraternity culture in America is very different to what it is in the UK. According to Caleb, AEPi was just a way to form an extra community. These were people seeing each other regularly at JSCOC events, but AEPi is for people who want to create a “sense of brotherhood”.

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They regularly have guest speakers and host numerous events. At one such event, Max went slightly beyond his spice tolerance in a ‘hot ones’ get-to-know-me social (modelled after the hot ones YouTube series) and found himself sticking his head out the window—mouth numb—before passing out, unable to speak for the rest of the night! But I was thoroughly reassured it was all good fun nonetheless!

It was very interesting to hear about how the community is kept alive and blossoming. Aside from the obviously very helpful JSOC, Caleb heard about AEPi, which is not actually University or Student Union affiliated, through a student in the year above. Aware that he was a new student and Jewish, they messaged and invited him to their poker night.

Such goodwill gestures were echoed by Max who managed to secure financial support and advice for a business idea through a contact he acquired through networking at AEPi. Max described the community as “a natural conveyor belt” remarking that “if you’re Jewish and you end up in Nottingham, it’s unsurprising that you end up getting inducted to that Jewish University culture.”

Nothing forms bonds quite like food, especially when it’s free. ‘Chabad’ is the weekly Friday feast at Mendy’s where north of 120 Jewish students come together, eat and give thanks. A stonewall feature of the Jewish Uni experience.

It would be remiss to talk about Jewish culture in Notts and not talk about ‘Jew Corner’. This is a section of Rock City that has been commandeered by UoN Jewish students!

Essentially a “self-fulfilling prophecy” according to Caleb, one would hear about it from other Jews who hang out there and would go, see loads of other people you know and end up telling other people about it, an unending cycle. Its inception is kind of folklore in Nottingham as neither Max nor Caleb could confirm the details to that effect.

‘Max feels that “the communal dynamic that Nottingham has helped produce really allows these values to circulate throughout the University”’ In all, as Caleb remarked, “community is very integral to Judaism.” The traditional values of Dugma Eesheet (role modelling), Emunah (trustworthiness) and Kavod (respect) are universal. Max feels that “the communal dynamic that Nottingham has helped produce really allows these values to circulate throughout the University.”

This has been an overwhelmingly positive experience for the pair, as I am sure it has been for many others.

By Anjolaoluwa Alabi Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Zoomers vs. Boomers Tired of being labelled soft or easily offended, Gareth critiques the “snowflake” stereotype aimed at younger generations.

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘In my day…’ normally followed by a tale of how much harder life used to be and how soft young people are these days? I remember my father telling me how he used to walk to school through snow, rain, blazing heat and apparently with a bag full of rocks. Clearly an indicator of the early climate change crisis he still ignores.

He attempts to lecture me on how easy it is to save money if you just ‘tighten your belt and knuckle down’. I imagine he assumes the reason I cannot afford a house is because I enjoy an avocado now and then and not the ruinous state his generation left the economy in.

I truly take issue with the idea that the previous generation, those of our parents and grandparents, think we are somehow soft. Rather, I say, we are less forgiving, far tougher and stronger than can be believed. How often are we told that we cannot take a joke, or that young people get offended too easily, while they’re red faced with rage that their favourite 70s sitcom has been removed from whatever television channel black hole it was languishing in. The answer is easy, we can take a joke, we love jokes. But what you are laughing at is racism, sexism, mocking minorities, trans people, in fact anyone who is not a white cis man and that is not funny.

‘You say we are soft; I say we are kind’ You say we are soft; I say we are kind. You decry us as snowflakes who get offended at the drop of a hat. Well I have news for you, you used to freak out if people of a different colour shared a water fountain and are currently ready to go to war over someone saying mean things about the flag. Heck, you marched, drunk on power (and cheap booze), to bravely defend statues and urinate next to memorials. ‘...all of our generation has to live and survive in this world that needs a lot more kindness and a lot less of those days’ All that for a refusal to ‘give in’ to some imagined foe that wants to take away humour and their right to marginalise others. Worryingly, there is a real danger, that the mistakes and ideologies of the past will follow us into the present - the evils of toxic masculinity, humour from misery and creating the idea of a lesser person.

I know that it isn’t all of that generation but all of our generation has to live and survive in this world that needs a lot more kindness and a lot less of those days.

By Gareth Holmes Illustration and Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Lifestyle

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Dinner Times Kayleigh Moore explores how capitalism created modern mealtimes The Roman period had very different attitudes to mealtimes than we do today. The idea of eating more than one meal a day was shocking to many and considered a form of gluttony. Romans only ate once a day around noon a large meal, which for the wealthier in society was an opportunity to show off with extravagance.

‘The industrial revolution meant that many people were working longer days doing hard labour, and to do this you needed fuel’

In the Middle Ages, mealtimes were set by the natural work patterns of feudal life; the impact of the Industrial Revolution can be seen as a turning point for what we would recognise as mealtimes. The industrial revolution meant that many people were working longer days doing hard labour, and to do this you needed fuel, so people started to eat breakfast. Breakfast provided workers with the energy to do hard labour early in the day.

Workers in the Industrial Revolution by midday would have worked around 6 hours with still another 6 to go, this meant that a midday meal was needed. However, eating at midday was not a new thing. In the Middle Ages, most people would have their main meal at this time.

‘The industrial revolution meant that many people were working longer days doing hard labour, and to do this you needed fuel’

The working pattern and time restrictions brought on by the Industrial Revolution changed the type of meal that was needed; instead of being the main meal of the day it just needed to be enough to give you energy for the rest of the working day. Outside factories, pies would often be sold and the importance of a quick, but filling meal was becoming more prominent. Britain became the first nation to offer industrialised food to suit the needs of the people.

This shows the impact of working hours on mealtimes and the types of food consumed.

The word ‘dinner’ and what it refers to is a debate that stems back further than the ‘north-south divide’. In the Roman period, dinner was eaten in the middle of the day because people in this period (continuing into the Middle Ages) got up earlier and went to bed earlier, as their day was dictated by natural lighting.

However, the invention of artificial lighting changed when people ate. Now it was fashionable to eat later in the day and socialise by candlelight. As people working outside of the family home, instead of on a feudal homestead, the evening became the only time possible to have a proper meal.

As you can see, mealtimes have greatly changed over the course of history and it is clear that the impact of capitalism, particularly the industrial revolution, has played a major role in the creation of modern mealtimes. As many people are now working from home, there is the possibility that mealtimes may even change again.

By Kayleigh Moore Illustrations by Ellie Stainforth-Mallison Page Design by Sarah MacAllan

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Dosas for Days – My Favourite Takeaway ‘I decided to look at ways I could make the Indian street food snacks I loved so much at home’

The UK’s favourite takeaways are far from traditional, at least for the cultures they originate from. If you’re looking to try something new, Alice Nott shares a recipe for Dosas, an authentic Indian street food.

When we think of Indian takeaway, we think of Chicken Tikka Masala or a Saag Paneer. However, some of my favoured dishes are Indian street food, especially Dosas. I remember first trying them in a vegetarian Indian restaurant called Sagar in London, and then a few years later in a restaurant called Zindiya, which opened in my hometown of Birmingham.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has forced Zindiya to close for a while so I decided to look at ways I could make the Indian street food snacks I loved so much at home. I came across Meera Sodha’s book Fresh India, which I have adapted this recipe from. It is simple, filling, and tastes brilliant. It can also be kept and reheated the next day for any meal.

Ingredients Dosa Filling: • 1kg of new potatoes • 1 carton of coconut cream • 1 large onion • 2 green finger chillies • 1 tbsp of mustard seeds • 1 tsp of cumin seeds • 1 ½ tsp of salt • 2.5cm piece of ginger • Butter • Coriander or curry leaves (optional) Dosas: • 175g of chickpea flour • 75g of plain flour • ½ tsp of salt • ½ tsp of bicarbonate of Soda • 380ml of water • Oil

‘It is simple, filling, and tastes brilliant’

Method Boil the potatoes until tender (you can put a knife through easily). Once tender, drain and mash the potatoes and leave to one side.

Put some oil and a bit of butter in a pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the cumin seeds and coriander/curry leaves if using.

Cook for a minute before adding the onion, chillies, and ginger, which you need to cook on low heat for 10-15 mins.

After about 10 mins, add some more butter, the potatoes, and the coconut cream, then leave to one side.

Mix all the ingredients of the dosas together to make a batter. In a medium pan on medium to high heat, add a teaspoon of oil to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom, then add a ladle or so of batter for each dosa. Cook for 1 minute before adding some of the filling you made earlier and then cook for another 20 seconds. Once cooked, fold over or roll one side of the dosa over the other, you can then serve immediately or put in a foil basket until the rest of the dosa are cooked.

Serve alone or with a dhal or chutney.

By Alice Nott Illustrations and Page Design

by Sarah MacAllan

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IMPACT

Waste Not Want Not Did we develop a more sustainable relationship with food in the pandemic?

Hannah Sutton investigates.

When the pandemic began in early 2020, panic set in for many people; visions of a dystopian disaster surrounding the first lockdown in March were common. Food shortages plagued the country as people started bulk buying goods with long shelf lives, leaving stores empty.

‘Those who were shielding were especially vulnerable, as they couldn’t ‘come back in the morning’’

This was a double-edged knife; stores were left unable to cater to those in need, at the same time as people were being told they needed weeks’, if not months’, supply. Working in a supermarket, it was heart-breaking to see those who were genuinely struggling to fill their cupboards up. Those who were shielding were especially vulnerable, as they couldn’t ‘come back in the morning’ when our deliveries were due.

Fear and anxiety surrounded supermarkets, with images of crowds at a time when masks were not required by law and social distancing wasn’t enforced. Shoppers at home were booking out the online grocery slots for weeks in advance, leaving little to no option for more sustainability in preventing these shortages.

Even a year on, supermarkets are still struggling to meet customer’s expectations. When the announcement of the lockdown in January occurred, there was still a flocking to supermarkets and selling out of commodities.

Limits on popular food items are still common.

‘Food is not an endless commodity’ Food is not an endless commodity, and with the departure from the European Union in the beginning of 2021, prices of foreign imported items are increasing.

Food needs to be used sustainably, not bought ‘because you can’. It is a privilege to be able to buy perishable items, but they can’t just sit there and go to waste.

Since the pandemic, our relationship with food has changed. For some, such as key workers, this means buying when you can; their days come more to revolve around other people rather than themselves. Others, such as those who are shielding, have had to think about having enough food to see them through weeks, or even months.

There has also been a growth in community donating or sharing food, so it does not go to waste and is distributed equally. Food waste makes up 90% of waste in landfill at a time when this year alone some months saw thousands of children in hospital for malnutrition.

If we don’t develop our ideas sustainability, it will soon leave us with less options, and more waste, which the environment cannot handle.

By Hannah Sutton Illustrations and Page Design

by Sarah MacAllan

LIFESTYLE

TikTok Takeover It’s been our go-to place for style inspiration during the pandemic; Kiah Tooke sums up TikTok’s inescapable style influences over the past year.

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Dark Academia Another subculture of fashion that has boomed on TikTok is Dark Academia. This is a style that incorporates a scholarly literature aesthetic with a gothic flare. Complete with dark vintage blazers, thick yarn cardigans and an autumnal palette, Dark Academia rose most significantly last year when most universities were closed, giving the style a nostalgic feel. The TikTok account run by Asiya (@cosyfaerie) is a perfect example of how to incorporate this aesthetic into your everyday wear.

With over 2 billion downloads on the App Store and Google Play, TikTok’s myriad of style influencers has reached more people over the past year than ever before.

Throughout the pandemic, there have been numerous fashion trends popularised on TikTok, from tie-dye t-shirts all the way to knitted vests. Narrowing down the vast styles that have transformed our looks whilst locked indoors, these are my personal favourites.

‘Cottagecore fashion is centred around romanticised ideas of countryside living, the dream of returning to nature and being separated from urban life’

‘What’s TikTok style without mentioning the rise of the Y2K fashion lovers (or should I say cult!)?’

Cottagecore Cottagecore fashion is centred around romanticised ideas of countryside living, the dream of returning to nature and being separated from urban life, all of which remind me of a real-life version of Animal Crossing! The Cottagecore style typically comprises long floaty dresses, puffy sleeves, floral prints and natural earthy tones. The most notable piece of Cottagecore-esque clothing that became iconic on TikTok is Lirika Matoshi’s Strawberry Dress, after model Tess Holliday wore it to the January 2020 Grammys. Although the style existed pre-pandemic on platforms such as Tumblr, numerous famous TikTok content creators such as Rebecca (@aclotheshorse) have helped popularise the trend.

Y2K What’s TikTok style without mentioning the rise of the Y2K fashion lovers (or should I say cult!)? TikTok’s role in the revival of noughties fashion is undeniable, with big TikTok stars such as Charli D’Amelio (@charlidamelio) endorsing this retro look. Baggy jeans, co-ord sets and tiny shoulder bags are reminiscent of Paris Hilton circa 2000, but they’re making a comeback. The accessories from Y2K inspired fashion are my personal favourites; butterfly clips and layered necklaces can easily be added to any outfit to add a creative twist.

Although the revival of low-rise jeans is not to my personal taste, the 2000s did see some iconic trends that TikTok has helped rejuvenate. I mean, what’s summer without a Juicy tracksuit?

By Kiah Tooke Illustrations and Page Design

by Sarah MacAllan

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IMPACT

Spotlight On: Poland Impact writer Daria Paterek discusses her ties to Poland and its landscape, history and many traditions

I was four years old when I immigrated to England. Since my parents are first-generation Polish immigrants, I grew up in England and embraced English traditions. At the same time, I was able to explore my Polish heritage and retain my own cultural identity. Therefore, I want to showcase the beautiful country I was not raised in but grew to love.

Many renowned people come from Poland, including John Paul II, Nicolaus Copernicus, Frederic Chopin, and Marie Curie. The country is further showcased by athletes such as Robert Lewandowski and Agnieszka Radwańska.

Nature My country’s name, which originates from the name of the tribe Polanie, translates to ‘people living in open fields’. The name coincides with the importance of nature preservation within Poland. As a result, there is a lot of environmental diversity. It is the land of gorgeous coastal beaches, lake districts, massive forests and mountains, as well as a desert.

History My homeland’s history is dominated by war. Over the past thousand years, Poles have had to defend their sovereignty from multiple foreign threats. Disadvantaged by the geographical location and positioned between two foreign threats, Poland’s history is marked by war and foreign aggressions. Despite this, history is dynamic and plentiful. Poland went from once the biggest country in Europe in 1492 to being erased from the world map in 1795.

Despite the constant threats to its sovereignty, Poland retained its independence. The 11th of November marks National Independence Day to commemorate Poland regaining independence in 1918 after over a century of repression and erasure.

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Traditions Multiple interesting, fruitful, and bizarre traditions come from Poland.

One tradition that is very close to my heart is a name day. A name day is the equivalent of a mini-birthday and holds the same celebratory practises. The celebration includes gathering and socialising with close ones and receiving gifts. Among the older generation, name days are often regarded with higher importance than birthdays. Every day of the year, a few names are celebrated. Consequently, Polish calendars contain the names celebrated on a given day. Name days are also sometimes displayed on public transport. Mine is on the 25th October!

Fat Thursday is celebrated annually before Lent. Poland is a heavily Catholic country, and many traditions are linked directly to Catholicism.

Since Lent is a time for fasting, the few days before Lent are an opportunity for feasting and indulging. Fat Thursday, as a result, is a chance for Poles to experience the taste of freedom before Lent. Fat Thursday consists of indulging in Polish doughnuts (pączki) as well as angel wings (faworki). It is a common belief that if you don’t eat a doughnut on Fat Thursday, you will experience bad luck for the rest of the year.

Another fun Polish tradition is two-day weddings. While many cultures have long wedding celebrations, what is interesting about the tradition is the name. The second day of the wedding is called poprawiny, derived from the verb poprawić meaning to improve. So powprawiny is another chance to celebrate in a more laid-back setting.

Food The most common ingredients in Polish cuisine include beetroot, potatoes, sauerkraut, gherkins, meat, and spices (dill, parsley, and celery).

Let’s start with a classic - pierogi. Pierogies are Polish dumplings made from thin dough filled with a variety of fillings, and then boiled. The most popular fillings are meat, sauerkraut, mushrooms, and potatoes with onions. The dish can also be made sweet and contain sweet cottage cheese or seasonal fruits. In response to the rise of vegetarianism in Poland, tofu pierogies are now sold in supermarkets.

Bigos is considered a Polish national dish and has appeared within Polish literature. It has also featured in Pan Tadeusz, a mock-heroic poem. After hunting, the men celebrated by eating bigos. Coincidentally, the English translation is ‘hunter’s stew’, and the dish consists of chopped meat stewed with sauerkraut.

I am proud to have such a rich heritage.

By Daria Paterek Page Design by Chiara Crompton Photos courtesy of Daria Paterek

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IMPACT

There’s No Accounting For Taste…Or is There?

Many of us treat music as an emotional panacea: to invigorate, inspire and console in equal measure. Joe looks at how musicologists are using a scientific lens to explore the complex and often contradictory notions that underpin our musical preferences.

I can’t profess to be any kind of music theory buff— talk of time signatures, chord progressions, notes and motifs, goes in one ear and out the other. What I can just about comprehend is timbre: the quality, character, or essence of a piece of music and the effect it has on the listener. Put simply, how it makes me feel.

Leading musicologist, Nolan Gasser, pioneered the Music Genome Project to clarify this ‘broad and deep understanding of music’. Through an exhaustive and ongoing research process, musicologists attempt to organise a catalogue of songs into distinct genome groups according to their stylistic attributes. In doing so, they aim to develop the most personalised listening experience on the market and answer some quite profound questions about the way music functions in society.

Are there such things as musical genes? Do certain musical sequences or types of rhythm appeal to different types of people? Is it possible that your music taste has been inherited from your parents?

cultural cleavages have ceased to exist. Fan culture now seems to circulate around individual artists rather than broad genres—think Beliebers, BTS or Swifties. It’s less about finding your clan, and more about identifying with the ethos or aesthetic of specific musicians. We like the image of ourselves as a devotee of the most well-known pop icons and simultaneously revel in being part of the select fanbase of an ‘underground’ artist.

But why do we as fans associate with one musician over another?

Certain groups appear indoctrinated to enjoy the entire output of one artist or band—technically good or otherwise. Gasser’s research suggests that the impetus for latching onto one particular type of sound might be because of just one ‘genetically compatible’ musical hook. He asserts that the music we are exposed to in our developmental years (from about six months to two years old) has an almost irreversible effect on the way we understand certain musical conventions. What is striking is how early we form a stylistic bias.

This is not to say that if your parents had blared the Beatles from their stereo around the clock, you’ll grow up to love the Beatles; frequently the opposite is true, and we consciously rebel against the taste of our parents.

This is the eternal churn of the development of music, most often a new style emerges from the disillusionment with outdated musical techniques. But what it does mean, is that from a very young age we are hard-wired to As tastes have fragmented, perhaps because there’s more accept the rules about harmony and rhythm that exist in diverse music on offer, I’d argue that these quite stark our native musical culture.

Musical preference has long been something of a social marker; historical distinctions have appeared between subcultures on the basis of their respective tastes in music.

The most obvious examples that spring to mind are Mods vs rockers, punks, hippies, etc.

‘The impetus for latching onto one particular type of sound might be because of just one ‘genetically compatible’ musical hook’

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‘From a very young age we are hard-wired to accept the rules about harmony and rhythm that exist in our native musical culture’

Of course, there are other, less quantifiable reasons for why we develop an individual musical preference.

Nostalgia plays a significant role in why we cherish certain songs, for example. In the same way that the olfactory nerve means that a distinctive scent can trigger the most vivid memory, so too can the evocative might of music transport us. The point is that a combination of these factors contributes to your unique musical identity.

‘The olfactory nerve means that a distinctive scent can trigger the most vivid memory' The same identity-focused methodology can still be applied to genre: perhaps my penchant for rocksteady stems from a desire for a more easy-going lifestyle. Or an obsession with punk forms part of an internal frustration with conformity.

Cutting across all of this is the dominance of technology and algorithms in our modern engagement with music which confuses the picture even further. On the one hand, impersonally curated playlists stifle the once organic process of musical discovery and arguably makes fandom less exciting. The unfathomably vast catalogue of music which streaming services offer seems irresistible to the modern listener.

But innovations in the way we listen have also opened our ears to myriad musical styles, so that even the most casual listener has a much broader frame of reference.

Even ten years ago, hour upon hour of musical content was inaccessible to those who couldn’t spend the time trawling through record stores.

‘Impersonally curated playlists stifle the once organic process of musical discovery’

Streaming often means that listeners tend more towards breadth than depth—to devise playlists full of singles, by artists old and new, rather than taking a deep-dive into an album or just one artist’s discography. The sheer diversity of music that’s available makes the task of assessing whether particular musical syntax falls better on one set of ears than another, virtually impossible.

There’s an argument to be made that this whole exercise in dissecting music through an algorithm is far too formulaic to properly collect any information about such an ineffable medium. If the adage that “writing about music is like dancing about architecture” is to be believed, then the forensic analysis that Gasser has subjected music to verges on farce.

So, despite the extensive research, there’s no sole rhyme nor reason why electronica sounds better to some than indiefolk, or why you might opt for rhythm & blues rather than drum & bass. There’s just no accounting for taste.

By Joe Hughes Illustrations and Page Design by Amy Ridehalgh

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Could There Be Other Life In The Universe?

Cora-Laine looks out to the stars and asks, are we alone?

Human beings make up just 0.01% of life on Earth. If one human were to fall through a tunnel from one side of the Earth to the other, it would take between 38-42 minutes.

Even at the speed of light, it would take 2 years to cross the solar system, and then 28 more to cross the solar interstellar neighbourhood that is made up of about 53 other star systems. All of which live in the Milky Way galaxy. It would take 100,000 years to travel across the Milky Way, but the universe does not stop there. It is made up of numerous galaxies and to travel across what is observable of it today, it would take about 93 billion years.

Why am I telling you this? Why am I rambling on about the size of our universe? To give you some perspective. To make you question why and if we are the only intelligent life that exists within our universe.

Around 300,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens evolved.

Fossils and DNA show that before us, beings anatomically similar to us existed. It is from here that the chaos of our intelligent race began and developed into what it is today. As humans gained more knowledge, we also became more curious. Why are we here? What created our world? Are we alone? As we asked these questions, more holes emerged in our knowledge and more puzzles went unsolved. Our yearning to know grew stronger and soon enough, we made our own answers.

Humans turned to religion to find purpose and answers. How was the Earth created? By God(s) and spiritual beings? Something unexplainable or weird happens? The god(s) or spiritual beings did it. Yet, our curiosity grew and new disciplines like science, mathematics, and philosophy appeared to provide new answers. Somewhere along the line of history, our ideas and beliefs changed. The gods were no longer the sole answer. Instead, we turned to the skies, deep into space, and questioned whether there were other beings out there, beings that played with our world and observed.

LIFESTYLE

One of the earliest recorded references to extra-terrestrial life is in a novel by Lucian of Samosata called Vera Historia (meaning True Story), written around 200 CE. It details a venture to the moon where the narrator discovers lunar-life there, of which is at war with beings that inhabit the sun. The novel was meant to be satire, meant to question the possibilities of real truth, yet it now stands as one of the earliest examples of the human race’s obsession with extraterrestrial beings.

Flash forward to the modern day where humans thrive in a reality built on advanced technology and unending access to knowledge. Despite all this, what lives in the unknown reaches of space still piques our interests.

On Earth, for life to exist there are many variables required. Humans, plants, animals, and fungi survive from access to necessities like sunlight, liquid water, carbon, oxygen and other elements like nitrogen, sodium. And they all need to be in the right form. It is these that, we believed, are needed for life to thrive. But, from deep-Earth drilling projects, and exploration of the seas, there are also microorganisms and lifeforms that could survive without some or all of these variables. Some—like those that live by combining hydrogen and dissolved carbon dioxide—are capable of surviving without the sun and with no need for photosynthesis.

So, the question of whether other life exists in the universe moves away from whether life can survive to whether life can begin—for the planet Mars, and Jupiter’s moon Europa have, in areas, similar conditions to places on Earth.

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This is where more exploration is required. The answers are not yet laid out on a table before us.

For now, all we know is that life on Earth is carbon-based and stores its genetic information mostly as DNA. By assuming that this is a requirement for all life, this limits us to very few possibilities for life in the universe. For within the reach of 93 billion light years, we would need to investigate more than 6 billion planets that are like our own, a number determined by astronomers at Canada’s University of British Columbia (UBC), for the slimmest possibility of extraterrestrial life. However, to discover alternative methods of creating extra-terrestrial life would put our own knowledge and understanding at risk of unravelling and reopen questions that we humans beings had thought we answered.

By Cora-Laine Moynihan Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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ConscioUS USness: Knowing Me, Knowing You Where are you? Not geographically, but within yourself. What and where is consciousness?

Adam Goriparthi investigates.

Look in a mirror. Look into your eyes. You know exactly who is staring back. Why? An unmistakable sense of ‘self’. One that is so inherent that we often fail to notice it. Consciousness allows us to recognise and perceive both ourselves and our environment. Our mind is an enigma; so, where does consciousness come from, and where does it end?

‘Our consciousness truly amounts to just a selection of cells in the brain’

Everything about us stems from our consciousness. Our phobias. Our loves. Knowing that we all live and we all die.

For many, the concept is interchangeable with ‘mind’; for others, it is merely a component of it. Consider how we differentiate between cold, dark nights and the sensation of petrichor. Think about how our sense of ‘self’ changes when we are drunk or dreaming. Generally, consciousness enables subjectivity in an objective world; each experience producing a different sensation.

The recipe for consciousness likely involves both arousal and awareness, each associated with certain brain regions. For example, arousal is seemingly induced within our brainstem in the rostral dorsolateral pontine tegmentum; this area is already linked to breathing and sleeping. By contrast, awareness originates from our cortex—particularly in the left ventral anterior insula and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. However, an issue with consciousness is that it’s unobservable; we can’t explain why neuronal signals lead to the second-hand embarrassment triggered by watching Riverdale (even if we see the brain activity). Nonetheless, our consciousness truly amounts to just a selection of cells in the brain.

Many psychologists maintain the theory that there is a hierarchy of consciousness, which correlates with brain complexity. Most animals possess a minimal level of consciousness (even with the simplest of nervous systems).

These minds are assumed to be flooded by a sea of raw sensations, floating between sparse perceptions like hunger and fear. Indeed, many traits that distinguish humans from other species (including complex reasoning and co-articulation in speech production) can be induced unconsciously.

‘...when the brain becomes more specialised, one begins to experience the world differently’

As such, when the brain becomes more specialised, one begins to experience the world differently—through external awareness and some introspection. Despite this, there is still a limited sense of self. It is only the most sophisticated animals such as humans—peaking in mental complexity—that create an account of life events and experiences, which become attributed to the sense of ‘self’.

Therefore, our possession of consciousness is not what makes us human but what makes us ‘individual’.

Ultimately, consciousness differentiates ‘us’ from ‘others’.

It is responsible for the cohesion of any community. It isn’t a sole neurophysiological process, but a state of mind derived from various neurological and psychological aspects. In essence, consciousness adds meaning to an otherwise chaotic life.

By Adam Goriparthi Illustrations by Gemma Cockrell Page Design by Sarah MacAllan

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A Comic by Chiara Crompton

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‘Pineapple Popsicle’ - Photographs by Ben Ofungwu

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Entertainment

‘Image courtesy of Paul Hudson on Flickr’; https://unsplash.com/photos/sBc8oen_ocg

ENTERTAINMENT

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In defence of the YouTuber Book Daisy looks into why art created by YouTubers isn’t necessarily always a bad thing, and can actually help industries grow.

Most people of our generation will have picked up a ‘YouTuber book’ at some point in their lives, or, at the very least, considered it. It doesn’t take a critic to pick up a book written by Zoella and make the judgement that it won’t win a Pulitzer or go down in history, but YouTuber books have garnered a deeper examination than that: do they really deserve to be published?

The immediate reaction from book junkies when they hear of the latest YouTuber publishing their first novel or memoir is one of eye-rolling. Surely, publishing someone because of their platform is taking an opportunity away from someone who is better educated, better skilled and better deserving of a book deal.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. One person’s opportunity is not another’s loss, and revenue brought in by guaranteed sellers—like those with established audiences—only create more opportunities for lesser-known talents destined to be the next Dickens. The publishing industry could not exist without the mass market.

But it hasn’t stopped at books. Slowly, YouTubers are invading formerly sacred spaces. Joe Sugg and Colleen Ballinger joined the casts of Waitress on the Westend and Broadway, respectively, in 2019. Again, their casting sold tickets that provided the show with longevity. However, where YouTuber books have a very specific target market, theatre does not. When a person pays to see a high-quality show, they deserve to see better than some of the sub-par celebrity casting choices that have been made in the past.

‘Perhaps we should stop gatekeeping an industry that should be enjoyed by all’ Furthermore, the theatre and book industries are sadly still dominated by nepotism and disproportionately representative of the privately educated. If having an online platform gives a shoe-in to those who are disadvantaged, it is something to be celebrated. Perhaps we should stop gatekeeping an industry that should be enjoyed by all.

When it came to Zoe Sugg’s ghost-writing scandal of 2014, ghost-writing was nothing new to the publishing industry, occurring in the cases of most celebrity books and memoirs; the problem with this one was the close relationship between Sugg and her young audience. It was an issue of miscommunication between publishing house, author and audience. Readers felt lied to by the vlogger, but were perhaps naïve to the workings of the industry who viewed celebrities having help with writing as commonplace.

‘YouTuber books represent the symbiotic intersection between art and capitalism’ YouTuber books represent the symbiotic intersection between art and capitalism. Creators with established platforms help industries grow and therefore help to produce better art in the future. However, casting directors and publishers must go forth with more care to ensure that buyers are not misled and that those who might pick up a book or theatre ticket, without any knowledge of the platform that supports it, will still get a high-quality experience for their money.

By Daisy Forster Illustration and Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Confessions of a Theatre Kid: How Performance has Shaped Who I Am Kit talks about a childhood led by theatre and how it has helped her overcome challenges and discover who she is.

There’s often one theme that ties together those fuzzy recollections from early childhood. For me, it was theatre; whether I was performing in a primary school play as a particularly animated squirrel, being taken to see my favourite contestant from Any Dream Will Do, or spending countless Sunday afternoons watching West Side Story (my mum’s favourite) on television.

So, I suppose it’s unsurprising that I grew up into that distinct variety of teenager known as a ‘theatre kid’ (defined by Urban Dictionary as someone who does “weird things with weird people usually involving song”). Often people envision a ‘theatre kid’ as someone who just cannot get off the stage, and though I’ve had my share of turns in the spotlight, my love of theatre transcended performing—it formed part of who I was.

I’m lucky that my family had both the means and inclination to visit the theatre, and those brief moments spent in an auditorium are some of my most cherished. There’s a particular feeling that accompanies live theatre, an ephemeral, irreplicable experience shared with a room full of complete strangers.

Once the curtain fell though, theatre formed the backdrop to my everyday life. It was the soundtrack to my revision, the subject of my excited rants to my long-suffering friends, the cause of my sleepless nights staying up to watch the Tonys. There was a cast recording for every occasion, and I heard myself in the characters, listening to how they dealt with their problems so I could work out how to deal with my own.

Being a ‘theatre kid’ did tangibly improve my life; having suffered for many years from a debilitating shyness, I eventually forced myself to join a local theatre production and felt the first spark of a confidence I had been sorely missing. But, clichéd as it sounds, theatre was mainly something internal that allowed me to work out who I was, and who I was becoming.

Nowadays, I no longer need to rely on theatre as a crutch for describing my personality—it’s an aspect of myself, rather than my defining characteristic.

But even now, it’s hard to shake years of full-blown theatrical obsession. It’s 1am, my housemates and I are shouting along exuberantly to the Hamilton soundtrack, and I feel my 14 year-old self light up with excitement.

By Kit Sinclair Page Design by Chiara Crompton

ENTERTAINMENT

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Generation Dystopia: Why are we so Obsessed with the End of the World?

Lilith looks into the novels that were popular amongst Gen Z teenagers and examines our fascination with a doomed world.

The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner; if you’re a student in 2021, it’s likely you grew up reading (and watching) these familiar trilogies throughout your teens. The dystopian trilogy dominated Young Adult fiction sales throughout the 2010s, but why were we so obsessed with humanity’s impending doom?

Actually, there are several reasonable explanations. Firstly, dystopias rely on a certain level of relatability to their readers.

While it might seem hard to draw comparisons between yourself and Katniss Everdeen at first glance, fundamental parallels exist.

The typical narrative structure of a dystopia goes something like this: a coming-of-age protagonist (often a heroine), typically an outcast, assumes the role of underdog and incites rebellion against the status-quo, usually headed by an authoritarian leader who oversees a totalitarian state or oppressive regime that threatens mankind’s livelihood.

However, as the protagonist navigates their precarious society, they are simultaneously battling the more mundane aspects of adolescence (because no young adult novel would be complete without a love triangle). In this sense, the protagonist becomes representative of their reader. Novelist Moira Young captures the essence of this teenage dystopia: “books set in either chaotic or strictly controlled societies mirror a teenager’s life; at school, at home, with their peers and in the wider world”. We all know that familiar feeling of teen-angst; constantly undermined by the adults who control your life, your teens feel like it’s you against the world.

More significantly, our attraction to dystopias stems from the realisation that these futures aren’t all-too distant. In fact, we’re living some of them out now. Dystopias portray speculative futures which often have an eerie prophetic quality—just look at the enduring relevance of Nineteen Eighty-four. When aspects of a novel are recognisable in our own world, they reflect the more ominous undertones of current society. In this way, authors provide implicit social commentaries through their satirical fictitious landscapes which encourage us to think critically about the world we inhabit.

Yesterday’s adults caused the unsettled climate of today, and the power to change tomorrow lies with us. Technology, climate-change, WMD, deadly viruses and the widening economic inequality gap all threaten civilised life as we know it.

As Young explains, this is why the dystopia really is the zeitgeist of our epoch; they’re written by “anxious adults, worried about the planet, the degradation of civil society and the bitter inheritance we’re leaving for the young”.

Aside from these more profound explanations, the genre is typically plot-driven. Dystopias are no aesthetic literary masterpiece. They are gritty, suspenseful, page-turning plots that keep you reading past midnight on a school night. And in true teen insurgence, what more could you want from a novel?

By Lilith Hudson Illustration and Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Unapologetically You: Freedom of Expression in the LGBT+ Community

Gen Z appears to have had more freedom to express themselves than any other generation; Manjula discusses how this has been shown by the LGBT+ community.

The ability to express oneself through art is one of the most liberating things, and our generation is lucky in that now our freedom of expression is so vast and great. We, as a society, are finally starting to move forward towards the inclusivity of all people, no matter their race, gender, sexuality, class, ability and age, but for gender and sexuality especially, expression through art has been amazing.

‘The increase of androgenous fashion within popular culture, influenced by the gender fluid identities in the LGBTQ+ community, has led to new and original styles’

In the 21st century, the LGBTQ+ community has become more accepted than ever before, and the ways in which different aspects of this community have led to artistic expression is incredible. The increase of androgenous fashion within popular culture, influenced by the gender fluid identities in the LGBTQ+ community, has led to new and original styles. Unisex clothing has become more common, and it allows people who don’t adhere to the gendered clothing norms to express themselves through their fashion in order to show and be who they truly are.

Another way in which the LGBTQ+ community have been able to express themselves through fashion is through pride flags and colours which enable people to be proud of who they are. Yearly Pride events have become a tradition and it is inspiring to see the artistic expression of the community through things like makeup, clothing and hair colours. The existence of Pride has fed into other art forms such as paintings, sculptures and film which just goes to show how loud expression from the LGBTQ+

community is. Gilbert Baker was the artist that actually designed the rainbow flag and his art along with many others expresses the identities within this community. For example Zanele Muholi, who uses their experience as a black queer person to create films, and Francis Cannon who does illustrations focusing on the body, gender and sexuality.

‘The makeup, fashion and performances that drag queens do is not only a way in which they can express themselves but is also for entertainment purposes’

Lastly, the most well-known form of artistic expression from the LGBTQ+ community is drag, and the television show RuPaul’s Drag Race has encouraged it to become popular. The art form of drag is predominantly carried out by gay men, and despite its many misconceptions, more and more people are learning about it and appreciating the talent and creativity that goes into it. The makeup, fashion and performances that drag queens do is not only a way in which they can express themselves, but is also for entertainment purposes, hence the popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The LGBTQ+ community have expressed themselves through so many different art forms, from film to makeup. As we continue to move forward in society, we can appreciate and be inspired by the way in which the community uses their freedom of expression.

By Manjula Simon Illustrations by Harriet Bray Page Design by Sarah MacAllan

ENTERTAINMENT

The Artistic and Cultural Legacy of Video Games

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Daria weighs up the artistic strengths of the medium, and how games tackle serious subject matter.

By Daria Paterek Illustration and Page Design by Chiara Crompton

Video games synthesise many traditional artforms: illustration, narrative, music, and animation to create a revolutionary fusion. If treated respectfully, video games have massive potential to be considered art.

Video games’ artistic potential comes from their ability to do what no other medium can; fully immerse their audience into a fictional world. Games are increasingly using that immersion to tackle real-world issues, becoming a platform to educate and raise awareness in an intimate, personal way.

Video games can be used to destigmatize and start conversations about mental health. Celeste, a 2D platformer, tackles the issue of depression and anxiety. The game’s complex levels are physical manifestations of the protagonist’s mental health. Celeste spreads awareness about the reality of mental illness: low self-esteem, self-deprecation, and catharsis.

‘Video games not only tackle issues on a micro, personal level but also on a macro, societal one.’

Video games not only tackle issues on a micro, personal level but also on a macro, societal one.

Games like Papers Please and This War of Mine explore human displacement, war, and migration through the perspectives of a border official working for a fascist regime, and a group of civilians struggling to survive a warzone. These games demonstrate the unique strengths of the medium because they are user-driven. The player is forced to make moral decisions driven by their conscience that create in-game consequences.

The player has free reign to be completely selfish at the expense of others or maintain a moral stance that could threaten their survival.

The few times film has attempted giving audiences this kind of autonomy, like in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, it came off as shallow and gimmicky.

Not all games that tackle heavy subjects do it well.

Detroit Become Human draws distasteful parallels to the civil rights movement and Holocaust to tell its story of android liberation. Detroit uses segregation in buses and concentration camps for shock value, encouraging players to see historical parallels to make itself look ‘deep’. However, the execution is lazy and offensive. Detroit’s misappropriation of Black and Jewish history shows how not to tackle serious issues.

‘Even games with reputations for mindlessness, like Grand Theft Auto, invite audiences to question their society with their close replication and parody of reality.’

Even games with reputations for mindlessness, like Grand Theft Auto, invite audiences to question their society with their close replication and parody of reality. Why are the characters in the positions they are? Do societal institutions facilitate crime? The protagonist of 2004’s GTA: San Andreas is CJ, a black man. CJ talks directly about how discrimination and systematic oppression funnelled him into a harsh life of crime and poverty.

Though sometimes dated and politically incorrect, GTA’s provocative tackling of modern-day issues puts itself at the centre of the cultural zeitgeist.

If the most commercially successful games can provoke conversation about personal and societal issues, surely that proves they aren’t just empty entertainment, and should be considered art?

IMPACT

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Growing up with Games The raised eyebrows of older generations at the mention of video games are something many of us are familiar with.

Although tiresome, is this disapproval understandable? The language around the hobby can be, admittedly, unflattering.

We’re diagnosed as growing up with games, being corrupted and becoming addicted—interconnected with the virtual world from our very beginnings. It seems without our online presence our generation becomes lost.

Alice explores how video games continue to shape our generation. ‘[Games] can even according to a recent UCL study, reduce depressive symptoms’

Attachment to games could be a natural progression of entertainment; their immersive simulations let us escape and vent without danger. Our need for escapism has become more acute in the pandemic, but even before then games provided for many isolated individuals and can even, according to a recent UCL study, reduce depressive symptoms.

Despite this, older generations have long accused adrenalinepumping games of causing real-life violent behaviour: The American Psychological Association reviewed studies conducted from 2005 to 2013 and found some evidence video games contributed to ‘aggressive cognitions’. However, more recent studies published in the Royal Society Open Journal found only a ‘minuscule’ connection: in reality, there is no real danger—other than perhaps strained eyes.

Video games are being incorporated into traditional professional environments; they hone beneficial skills such as hand-eye coordination and problem-solving, with studies concluding that skills harnessed by playing video games can help careers such as being a surgeon or pilot. The US Air Force even wants to use gaming to find the next generation of pilots.

Video games themselves offer us many new career paths, whether you’re making or playing them: when we think of video games, it’s likely through the explosion of young entertainers that dominate online social platforms like YouTube and Twitch. You may have heard of Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, the multimillionaire Fortnite streamer who topped Forbes list of top-earning gamers and signed deals with companies like Adidas. He even has his own sneaker.

‘The connotations of being a ‘girl gamer’ remain derogatory’

However, that same Forbes list showcases a key issue in the gaming industry. All top 10 earners are male. Studies done by the Entertainment Association of Canada show video games are played almost equally by males and females, and yet the connotations of being a ‘girl gamer’ remain derogatory. You may have heard of PewDiePie, but who knows Kayla ‘Squizzy’ Squires, first female professional Call of Duty player?

The truth is all generations have their idle habits.

Although ours seem flashier, video games just remould what has come before. People have always enjoyed stories involving adventure and violence. Is modern gaming really such a revolution? Perhaps not. It’s effects on our generation have been, like many things, a mix of good and bad. Gaming should therefore remain a part of our lives, as long as this generation remembers – all good things should come in moderation.

By Alice Busvine Illustrations by Sophie Forrester Page Design by Sarah MacAllan

ENTERTAINMENT

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Interview: Drug Store Romeos on Soundtracks and Synaesthesia With their transcendent, ethereal and dreamlike sound, Drug Store Romeos have gained a fanbase across the globe. Amrit Virdi chatted with the talented indie dream-pop trio to discuss creativity in lockdown, synaesthesia and their musical bond.

United by the power of technology in lockdown, Hampshire three-piece Drug Store Romeos haven’t let the current circumstances halt plans for their debut album, now fittingly revealed as The World Within Our Bedrooms.

Vocalist Sarah explains “we basically had a year of having to work quite independently, and I think it went really well to be honest, as we then fused our pieces together,” when discussing the process behind their upcoming record.

Interestingly, colour and visuals drive the band’s otherworldly sound, as guitarist Charlie reveals “there is one of our songs, that is going to be a single, that probably only exists because of that exact colour of purple,” as he gestures towards a fluorescent purple light. Whilst the band were quick to state that their synaesthesia was not “as cool as a lot of people’s”, the detail Charlie describes about his “third eye” vision when it comes to the interrelation between colour and music is simply fascinating.

The band are joyously close-knit having been friends since their school days and a shared passion for music evidently plays into their illusive melodies. Sarah refers to the experimental and psychedelic tunes of British Band Broadcast as being their “mother hen to discovering ourselves”, as Charlie recalls Broadcast’s music as evoking imagery of “a kind of moderately isolated, young, English woman who is kind of melancholic”, which the band were aiming to recreate.

Despite their differing musical backgrounds, ranging from jazz and classical to 90s alt-rock, the friendship holding the band together is rock solid and musically unites the trio, as drummer Jonny amicably referenced his bandmate as introducing him to new realms of music. “Finding friends like Charlie early on who had quite an established music taste was very useful for me because I could look at that and kind of get more of an understanding of my own perception on music”, the drummer explains with a grin.

Equally grin-inducing and described by Charlie as “very surreal” is the use of the band’s techno-track Frame of Reference in the Amazon Original film ‘The Map of Tiny Perfect Things’. Leading to a skyrocket of their streams in America, Charlie expresses his gratitude by saying it is “the biggest compliment”. The future is bright for Drug Store Romeos as they remain a tight-knit trio united by music. Frame of Reference is available to stream now, with their debut album The World Within Our Bedrooms out on June 25th.

By Amrit Virdi Page Design by Chiara Crompton ‘Image courtesy of Paul Hudson on Flickr’; https://unsplash.com/photos/ sBc8oen_ocg

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Music for the Mind In a world overtaken by chaos and uncertainty, many of us turn to music to calm the mind and momentarily escape reality. Christina delves into how our brains understand music, and Gemma Cockrell provides the personal touch with how one album helped her through lockdown.

Music arrives at the ear in the form of soundwaves which are funnelled to the eardrum. The vibrations caused by the soundwaves striking the eardrum then passes through multiple passageways. Eventually, tiny electrical currents are sent to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe of the brain.

From there it’s unclear exactly what happens, but it is known that you interpret music through many parts of your brain. It also helps boost your brain function in other ways too, such as to improve your communication skills, enhance your immune system and even make you more intelligent. Strangely, music also affects your ability to perceive the passage of time.

‘Listening to classical music boosts your cognitive function’ Music cannot only make you feel happier but can also improve your bodily functions. Studies performed on patients undergoing surgery showed that those listening to music before, during and after the surgery had lower heart rates and blood pressure. It is widely known that listening to classical music boosts your cognitive function (known as the ‘Mozart effect’) as it essentially exercises your brain cells, allowing them to process information faster. Studies showed that listening to classical music can increase your IQ by an average of 2.1 points!

Surprisingly however, classical music might not be the best music to listen to.

Your brain’s grey matter prefers the same music that you do, meaning the best music for you to listen to are the songs you grew up with.

‘Even when the world doesn’t make sense, turn on your favourite songs and allow music to work its magic’ Music can even seem to perform miracles. Patients with late-stage Alzheimer’s are often unresponsive but, as neuroscientist Kiminobu Sugaya stated, “once you put in the headphones and play [their favourite music] their eyes light up”. With the effects lasting for around 10 minutes after the music had been turned off. It’s been suggested that we have understood the meaning of music before having understood language, so even when the world doesn’t make sense, turn on your favourite songs and allow music to work its magic.

By Christina Giallombardo

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How I’m feeling now is truly a product of its time. On the album’s penultimate track anthems, Charli XCX sings “I’m so bored / Wake up late and eat some cereal / Try my best to be physical / Lose myself in a TV show”. Before lockdown, these lyrics would have sounded bizarre, but in 2020 they made perfect sense.

The majority of the album serves as an ode to her long-time lover, Huck Kwong. On Forever, she muses “I’ll love you forever, even when we’re not together”, and on the shimmering Claws, she repeatedly confesses “I like everything about you”. Charli admitted that her relationship had previously been distant, but lockdown had brought them closer together. She gave me much-needed hope that lockdown would strengthen my own relationship in the same way.

Charli is well-known for her love of partying, and this shines through on glistening tracks like ‘Pink Diamond’, ‘Party 4 U, and ‘c2.0’—the latter of which is an updated version of 2019’s ‘Click’ and an appreciation of spending time with friends that appeared on her self-titled album, Charli. Here, ‘c2.0’ continues to be a celebration of friendship, but with a cannylockdown twist: “I miss them every night / I miss them by my side.”

‘The lyrics may be simple, but they were just so relatable’ Charli achieved what no other artist could quite manage: she perfectly summarised the lockdown experience. The lyrics may be simple, but they were just so relatable. Her overall message on How I’m Feeling Now was one of positivity: “Finally when it’s over, we might be even closer”. As the album title aptly predicted, it explored Charli’s deepest feelings, reflected on the negatives and elevated the positives. Somehow, when the pandemic was at its absolute worst, she managed to convince me that things would be brighter on the other side.

By Gemma Cockrell

Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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Films that have defined us

Katie reflects on the popular films that marked our childhoods and teenage years

As university students growing up in the very beginnings of Generation Z, our identities can sometimes feel a bit torn.

Some of us grew up (barely) in the late 90s, others born as millennium babies in the early 2000s—but all of us share common memories of the films we were raised watching.

So, I have attempted to compile a list of the most iconic and impactful films of our generation. These are the films which have defined us over the years, and which we may someday show to our own children of the next generation.

‘As littluns, we all had our animation film of choice (the ones we would watch on repeat until our parents’ ears bled)’ As littluns, we all had our animation film of choice (the ones we would watch on repeat until our parents’ ears bled) and these were my personal favourites: Toy Story 2 (1999), Finding Nemo (2003), and The Incredibles (2004).

Deserving a category of its own, the Harry Potter films markedly followed Generation Z from childhood to our tweenage years. Whether you were a fan or not, there’s no denying this franchise running from 2001-2011 impacted all of us.

Featuring some of the hottest actors on the scene, the early 2010s were littered with dystopian novel adaptation films. I give to you, the iconic dystopian trilogies of The Hunger Games (2012), The Maze Runner (2014), and Divergent (2014).

This may be slightly biased, writing as a woman, but I think I can speak for a lot of my peers when I say these chick flicks were instrumental in influencing the lives of 13-16 year-old girls across the UK. If you weren’t blasting Ultraviolet from your iPod Nano, constructing your very own Burn Book, or sticking your head out your mum’s sunroof to try and recreate that famous Perks scene, what were you doing? These were of course; Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008), Mean Girls (2004) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012).

‘If you weren’t blasting Ultraviolet from your iPod Nano or constructing your very own Burn Book...what were you doing?’

Arguably, the most influential and pivotal films of our generation were those you watched at around the age of sixteen, when you discovered ‘real’ film. Probably a lot of sitting on a pretentious high horse before eventually settling on your own humbled taste played a part in this developmental stage. I cannot decide these films for everyone, for these are the films marking the transition from teenagerhood to adulthood, and for some of us this has barely begun—there are still films which continue to develop and impact our taste to this day.

By Katie Connor Page Design by Chiara Crompton ‘image courtesy of Catherine Chen on Flickr’; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc/2.0/legalcode - image altered

ENTERTAINMENT

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: Superhero Films in the Early Noughties Compared to Now Cora explores how superhero films have evolved with the growing rivalry between Marvel and DC, and how they have recently given their heroines the chance to shine.

In the past twenty years, the superhero genre has evolved immensely. From originally restricting itself to solely new versions of classic heroes like DC’s Batman and Superman, and Marvel’s Spiderman, the genre has now exploded into massive blockbusters and cinematic universes

In the early 2000s, films about superpowered humans and millionaire vigilantes were rare and at times poorly produced. Take 2003’s Daredevil as an example. Even its lead, Ben Affleck, disliked the film so much that he swapped comic book brands to reattempt his heroic outing as The Batman.

It was not until Marvel really anchored themselves on the movie scene that superhero adventures started to dominate theatres worldwide.

2008 saw the first seed planted that would grow into the all-powerful MCU. Iron Man began Phase One of Marvel’s entertainment takeover and rooted itself as the beginning of a new era for the superhero genre. No longer would the genre rely on reboots to draw in audiences. No longer would it limit itself to standalones. It exploded into its own galaxy, made of franchises upon franchises.

‘The battle between these two brand adversaries had reached a vital point’

The same year Iron Man appeared was the same year that Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight cemented itself as one of the greats. Although the dark and gritty film was rated higher by critics and audiences than its competitor, Marvel’s “billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” had one leg up on DC’s lone vigilante. The Dark Knight trilogy was everything a Batman world needed to be, but what it couldn’t do was set DC up with its own cinematic universe. With some later reboots and recasting in the late 2010s, the DCU emerged, but it never reached the standards or popularity of the MCU. One thing the DCU did right, however, was finally give heroines their chance to shine.

Gal Gadot empowered women worldwide with her portrayal of Wonder Woman in the standalone film. It was the first time a heroine was given her own agency and showed her strengths, without propping up male co-workers or being overly sexualised. The film gave women a heroine to admire and changed the superhero genre remarkably.

‘Numerous heroines are coming to the forefront, and rightfully taking their place alongside heroes’

Now, numerous heroines are coming to the forefront, and rightfully taking their place alongside heroes. From inclusivity to addressing real injustices, superhero films have evolved for the better.

By Cora-Laine Moynihan Marvel set the stage with its omnipotent all-star team up in Avengers, and DC needed to fight back. The battle between these two brand adversaries had reached a vital point.

Illustrations and Page Design

by Sarah MacAllan

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Sports

‘Image courtesy of ‘Nottingham Trent University’ on Unsplash’; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/legalcode

SPORTS

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Formula E’s Model For Changing Sports’ Relationship With The Environment Balancing spectacle with environmental impact is becoming an increasingly important issue throughout the world of sport. Gemma Cockrell looks at Formula E’s pioneering model that has environmental concerns at its heart.

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship has become the first global sport to achieve a net zero carbon footprint. They followed the approach which was recommended by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which involved three key phases: measurement of carbon output, reduction of the championship footprint, and the offsetting of remaining unavoidable emissions.

‘Formula E’s carbon footprint was 72% freight, 14% staff, 6% spectators, 4% food, 4% operations and 1% in the manufacture of the cars’ Since the establishment of Formula E in 2014, carbon footprint experts, Quantis, have worked alongside the sport in order to monitor and calculate the environmental, social, and economic impacts, and to identify opportunities for further improvement. In the most recent data available, collected during the championship’s fifth season in 2019, Formula E’s carbon footprint was 72% freight, 14% staff, 6% spectators, 4% food, 4% operations and 1% in the manufacture of the cars.

Alongside efforts to reduce freight and transportation emissions, Formula E works with suppliers to ensure that products are locally sourced and low impact. Events also have a no-parking policy to encourage the use of public transport, and attendance is limited to those who are required on-site for race-related duties.

Reusable water stations have been introduced, saving 200,000 plastic bottles. By extending end-of-life options for lithium-ion battery cells, establishing a battery recycling programme, and ensuring that tyres are 100% recyclable, the sport also ensures that their cars are as sustainable as possible.

Due to the support of sustainability projects which are certified according to the requirements of the Verified Carbon Standard, Clean Development Mechanism, or the Gold Standard, the unavoidable emissions from the past six seasons of Formula E have been officially confirmed as offset. Every project follows the regulations outlined in the Kyoto Protocol by the UN Climate Change Secretariat, and they are carefully selected to ensure that they benefit the local economies which the championship has raced in.

‘The positive impact of these projects is not limited to their environmental benefit – they also generate local employment opportunities, improve local air quality, and contribute to infrastructure development’ Examples include biogas energy generation in China, landfill gas energy generation in Mexico, Chile, Malaysia and the USA, and wind power generation in Morocco, Argentina and Uruguay. The positive impact of these projects is not limited to their environmental benefit – they also generate local employment opportunities, improve local air quality, and contribute to infrastructure development.

Formula E is dedicated to leaving behind a positive legacy. Its success in achieving a net zero carbon footprint has left motorsport fans questioning what the future holds for Formula 1, amidst rumours that Formula 1 will also convert to electric in the future.

By Gemma Cockrell Illustrations and Page Design by Chiara Crompton

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2021 marks another year without Nottingham’s much loved Varsity series. In this article, Maya Israel reminisces about the past clashes and considers how the rivalry has altered over the years.

Varsity: The Battle of Two Sports-Crazed Universities

The atmosphere surrounding Varsity is always electric. It is the one time of year sports lovers and those who wouldn’t know a football if it hit them in the face, come together with something in common, a desire to out chant their sporting rival.

Varsity is a brilliant affair. It is an opportunity to watch live sports you might never otherwise have the chance to see, to support your sporting friends who spend hours on end training, to feel a sense of community as you support your university team and to have a laugh together whilst doing so.

The rivalry between the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University is nothing short of immense. Arriving at a Rugby Union game, it feels as if the tension has been building all year and tickets will have sold out in minutes to watch the action unfold (although admittedly some of the ‘unfolding’ happens off-pitch).

2021 is the second year Varsity has been cancelled as a result of the pandemic. With athletes going back to play, however, they will already begin preparing for next year’s series. Predicting which university will dominate looking forward, we must first take a look back at the past to see who’s dominated which sports and how the rivalry has changed over the years.

Looking at the overall results, UoN have won eight consecutive years in a row, and have consistently dominated the final standings since 2015, winning 2-5 more sports every year and taking Super Wednesday every year since its formation in 2016. It hasn’t always been this way, however. Looking back at scores from 2008 and 2010, Trent outplayed UoN. In 2011, the universities tied and in 2014 UoN only won by one sport.

What enabled UoN to drastically alter the scoreboard, and will it continue? Let’s consider this by taking a look at some of the most hotly contested sports, starting with Men’s Rugby Union.

Men’s Rugby Union Men’s Rugby Union was one of the three sports Trent won last year, but arguably holds the gravitas of winning a couple more.

The team beat UoN 20-25 in their fifth consecutive win, making them unbeaten six years in a row (eight if you count the two missed pandemic series). After going behind at half-time, the team in pink managed to bring it back for a well-deserved win.

In a post-match interview, in which you can hear the ongoing excitement of the crowd, a Trent rugby player described the game as ‘the biggest day of the year for the lads’, and put the win partially down to a wealth of experience within the team which helped maintain a positive, calm mentality towards the end of the match. With three words to summarise the win, the same player said ‘Boozy. Tiring. Boozy’.

SPORTS

Women’s Basketball The wins in Women’s Basketball have quite literally bounced back and forth between Trent and UoN over the years. In 2017, UoN snatched the win at 62-56, in 2018, Trent took it back winning 53-48 and in 2019, UoN confidently won again 66-50.

You only have to look at the pictures to see how determined the players are to win at Motorpoint Arena.

Super Wednesday

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The good-natured rivalry Varsity brings is something all students can appreciate. From a player’s perspective, I know I cannot wait to get back on the field with Trent.

The atmosphere is unparalleled in what feels like the World Cup of the university year. Everyone has a stake in the outcome. Its return provides an opportunity to reset the scores, to see which university teams are able to hold onto their titles, and who, in the two year break, might’ve lost their fire.

Super Wednesday is an event which hosts the smaller sports, such as Ultimate, Badminton and Squash. UoN have won every Super Wednesday so far in style, narrowly beating Trent in 2016 and 2017 and demolishing their efforts in 2018 and 2019.

Looking at the scores on the board in 2019, most wins were competitive, with UoN just able to pull away from Trent’s grasp.

Women’s Dodgeball won by 2 points, Archery by 1, and Horseball by 2 points.

Ice Hockey Now, this wouldn’t be a Varsity article if we didn’t discuss Ice Hockey. For most students, Ice Hockey is something they’ve only briefly seen on TV. When Varsity rolls around, however, tickets are prized. An opportunity to watch a highly competitive contact sport on ice doesn’t roll around often in the UK. I believe it’s safe to say that the teams at Trent and UoN are relatively evenly matched, with every game, bar 2016, proving an intense watch. The games in 2017 and 2015 were particularly tight, with Trent winning 5-4 in 2017 and UoN winning 4-3 in 2015.

By Maya Israel Page Design by Chiara Crompton ‘Image courtesy of ‘Nottingham Trent University’ on Unsplash’; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/2.0/legalcode - image altered

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Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - What is the True Cause of Our Sporting Evolution?

Every year, humans push the limits in high performance sports. Athletes are running faster, throwing further and jumping higher. In football, basketball and rugby, players are working their bodies increasingly harder, covering more distance in matches year on year. This relentless progress has led to the assumption that the human race is evolving to become quicker, stronger and all round physiologically better.

In 1954, Sir Roger Bannister broke the world record for the fastest mile, being the first person to run the distance in under 4 minutes. This was a feat deemed ‘impossible’ by many prior to the 1950s. Yet today, the record stands at an astonishing 3:43.13, achieved by Hicham El Guerrouj. In fact, now, over 1,000 men worldwide run the mile in under 4 minutes every year.

While this does evidence considerable athletic progress, is it the human body which has evolved to achieve this or are other factors responsible?

Significantly, Hicham El Guerrouj broke his world record on a high-tech running track in Rome’s famous Stadio Olimpico, while Sir Roger Banister was running on an energysapping cinder track at Iffley Road, Oxford. Scientists have since estimated that the cinder tracks used by athletes of Banister’s day were 1.5% slower because of this. Clearly, therefore, the technological advancements in sports have allowed athletes to push the limits of human high performance.

‘Since the introduction of low friction [swim] suits, nearly 2 seconds has been shaved off the fastest time’

SPORTS

In swimming, since the introduction of low friction swimsuits in 2008, record times in the pool have been slashed. Indeed in 2008, Libby Trickett became the first woman to swim the 100m freestyle in under 53 seconds with a time of 52.88 seconds. The record now stands at 51.71 seconds, swam by Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden. Since the introduction of low friction suits, nearly 2 seconds has been shaved off the fastest time.

As well as improved technologies, our changing understanding of body types in sport accounts for our athletic boundaries being pushed further and further. In the past, it was believed an average ‘athletic build’ was ideal for all sports. Now, however, we understand every sport or event has a ‘specialized’ body type which is best suited to that activity.

‘While Phelps, 6’4” tall, towers over El Guerrouj, 5’9”, both athletes have the same length legs’

Michael Phelps and the previously mentioned Hicham El Guerrouj are both world record holders and are considered the ‘greatest ever’ athletes in their respective sports. Both athletes also have highly specialised body types that allow them to excel. For swimmers, it is understood that long torsos and short legs are advantageous for propelling the body through the water, yet in running, long legs and short torsos are much more effective. Both Phelps and El Guerrouj fit these respective moulds perfectly. While Phelps, 6’4” tall, towers over El Guerrouj, 5’9”, both athletes have the same length legs.

Body specialisation goes to freakish lengths in sports like basketball. While it’s obvious that height is key, an often-understated advantage for basketballers is having a long wingspan. Generally, wingspan is about equal to height; with the average wingspan of American males being 5”9. NBA players, however, have an average wingspan 4 inches greater than their average height, at 7ft. In fact, Epstein Sports record that the average NBA player has an arms-to-height ratio which is greater than the diagnostic criteria for Marfan syndrome; a dysfunctional growth disorder characterised by elongated limbs.

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The financial incentive for top level athletes, and the money that now exists in sport, pulls it all together in explaining the remarkable progression humans have made with regard to elite performance. In the past, many sports fielded non-professional competitors, hence, being a full-time athlete was not a realistic option.

In the modern era, the situation is very different. In 1983, the NBA signed a ground-breaking contract making the players partners in the league. Suddenly, anyone who could be an NBA player wanted to be one. After this contract, the proportion of NBA players over 7ft nearly doubled.

‘Promising young players can now access elite training, with most clubs having youth academies—starting with Under-9 squads’

The average premier league footballer earns over £3 million a year, with the highest paid player, PierreEmerick Aubameyang, scooping £375,000 a week.

Current financial incentives in football result in many young boys, and an increasing number of young girls, dreaming of the fame and wealth that ‘making it’ would deliver. With an increasing number of boys and girls attracted to football, clubs have a massive pool of talent to choose from. Promising young players can now access elite training, with most clubs having youth academies—starting with Under-9 squads.

The money in sports also facilitates innovation and new technologies that enable athletes to push the limits on high performance.

Clearly, a number of factors have produced increasingly higher performance rates in athletes across the last century. Yes, we are getting stronger and faster.

However, this isn’t down to physiological evolution, but instead technological evolution and an ever-greater scientific understanding of sport.

By Ewan James Illustrations and Page Design

by Sarah MacAllan ‘The financial incentive for top level athletes...pulls it all together in explaining the remarkable progression humans have made with regard to elite performance’

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Football, Flags and Face Paint: Is Sport The ‘Best’ Way for Us to Express National Pride?

The sporting world has always been a patriotic one, but what does it mean for sport when this pride feeds into something more? Matthew Cotter considers an issue that lies at the heart of our national identity.

Here in Britain, and particularly England, our relationship with national pride is somewhat taboo.

Unlike other nations with their national flags, many in this country feel uneasy at the sight of St George’s cross. Yet, when it comes to sport, whether it be football, rugby, or cricket, we see no issue with painting our children’s faces and decorating our homes with it.

So, the question arises, is sport the best way for us to express our national pride? And is it the safest form of nationalism?

Dr. Richard Arnold of Muskingum University has investigated the relationship between sport and nationalism extensively. His journal article State of the Field provides us with many of the answers when questioning how sport interacts with nationalism in this country. Dr. Arnold asserted that ‘like any social practice, sport is both a reflection and constitutive force of society’ meaning that it can both mirror and have an impact on the levels of nationalism in a nation. He goes as far as suggesting that sport can bolster civic conceptions of a nation by unifying diverse societies under one banner.

The issue with English nationalism is that, in part, it has been hijacked by those on the far-right. This association has seeped into the sporting world; through the hooliganism issues experienced (particularly with football) in the 1970s and 80s. However, in recent years, the narrative has begun to shift, as has sporting success in England. England’s Men’s and Women’s Cricket teams are current One-Day World Champions, and their footballing counterparts most recently reached the semi-finals in their respective World Cups. It can be suggested that sporting success breeds national pride.

‘Following England’s long-run in the 2018 Football World Cup, surveys showed people were keener to express their English identity’

‘Within sport, individuals can separate their emotional investment in their nation from any political preference, thus acting as a unifier for all communities’

Following England’s long-run in the 2018 Football World Cup, surveys showed people were keener to express their English identity. It can be argued that sport is the safest mechanism for this expression. Within sport, individuals can separate their emotional investment in their nation from any political preference, thus acting as a unifier for all communities.

For so long, England’s sporting pride has been backward facing. In 2018 SNP leader Nichola Sturgeon commented, “I wish England well in the World Cup, maybe if they win this World Cup, we can stop talking about 1966 at long last”. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps we need to release ourselves from this obsession and use sport as a tool to move the discussion over English nationalism in a positive, modernised direction.

‘If sport was able to be a safe space for the recapture of British pride, then it can do so again for England’

The 2012 Olympics served perfectly in, albeit somewhat briefly, recapturing the sense of British identity. Dr. Arnold argues that ‘the whole tenor of the bid book for London 2012 was that the city was a perfect metaphor of the Olympic movement itself, being an example of tolerance and inclusion’. As a result of the games, around threequarters of Brits declared themselves proud of their British identity. Forgotten were the debates over the dangers of British pride. At that moment, it was sport, not politics, that had the attention of the nation. We should not forget that in the 1980s and 90s, the Union Flag was captured by individuals like the ones who now hold a grasp on St George’s Cross. If sport was able to be a safe space for the recapture of British pride, then it can do so again for England.

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Noticeably, the aforementioned recent success of England’s sporting sides has had a dramatic effect on English identity. It allowed English patriotism to be accelerated into a new, more positive direction. Squads are becoming increasingly diverse, reflecting our nation’s multiculturalism. Of the eleven who started England’s semi-final to Croatia in the Men’s World Cup in 2018, five were of Caribbean descent. The same side broke the norm of London-centricity, with players hailing from Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and Northumbria. Throughout the tournament, Head Coach, Gareth Southgate reiterated the desire for his team to act as a unifier for a nation greatly divided. Through their success, and also their composition, people found it easier to support the England National team than previously. With this considered, sport seems the perfect arena for patriotic sentiments to be projected.

‘Separate from the white, racist, boozy connotations of English nationalism in the past’

This summer, Southgate and his side will once again look to replicate their performance on and off the pitch. With the persistence of the Covid-19 Pandemic, many are looking at the European Championships as a beacon of hope. Any successful run is likely to ignite the fallen morale and once again provide a platform for the expression of patriotism. With the likes of the recently honoured Marcus Rashford MBE leading the team, England supporters should once again feel free to express national pride.

Separate from the white, racist, boozy connotations of English nationalism in the past, the recent growing trend of English pride is based on a celebration of diversity through sporting success.

Moving forwards, the desire for national sporting success mirrors that of a growing requirement to unify our fragmented society.

Major sporting events such as the European Championships, T20 World Cup later this year, and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games will offer us plenty of opportunity for this.

By Matthew Cotter Illustrations and Page Design

by Sarah MacAllan

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IMPACT RECOMMENDS Chiara Crompton recommends: Charlie Megira Listening to Charlie Megira sounds like stepping out of time. Born Gabi Abudraham, Megira was an Israeli musician working in the 90s and 2000s, whose eclectic sound jumped from 50s rockabilly to 90s New Wave. It is not merely his music that feels out of time however, with not so much as a Wikipedia page to his name, Megira, despite a quietly adoring fan base, is as elusive as he is intriguing. It would be crass to market him with the intrigue of his tragically untimely death, or the lack of appreciation he experienced during his lifetime, so I’ll leave you simply with my recommendation for his truly wonderful music.

Daisy Forster recommends: The Submission by Amy Waldman I haven’t heard this novel talked about much in the book community, but it really isn’t one to miss!

In a counter-historical world, the competition to design the 9/11 memorial is won by a muslim-American. It explores some really interesting and difficult questions about the war on terror and the impact of terrorism on muslims living around the world. I think it’s an especially important book given the rise of islamophobia in Europe but is also a very cleverly crafted novel. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to be made to think.

Jack Richardson recommends: Invincible (Amazon Prime) Based on the comic from Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, this show following a teenage superhero’s first steps looks like your standard DC animated movie but packs all the jaw-dropping twists, gore, and trope-subversion Kirkman is known for—think a less cynical The Boys. Invincible benefits from an expansive universe with decades of history without needing you to do any ‘homework’. Kirkman has had 20 years to streamline the comic’s story; the cast is more diverse and the storytelling more efficient. Add a phenomenal voice cast (Steven Yuen, JK Simmons, Sandra Oh, Mahershala Ali…) and solid action sequences and this my favourite show in a while. Make sure to stay until the end of episode 1.

Kit Sinclair recommends: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Kazuo Ishiguro’s work has quickly entered into the canon of modern classics, and for good reason; having finished this book a few days ago, I’m disappointed that I hadn’t got round to reading it sooner. Part science-fiction, part coming-of-age, part dystopia, and yet somehow defying the limits of all of those genres, Never Let Me Go is an intriguing and heartrending tale of three young lives intertwined from childhood (it’s also a relatively quick read at just under 300 pages). I think if I give away any more about this book it would probably ruin the experience—try to go in knowing as little as possible, and if you’re anything like me, be prepared to cry!

Matthew Bird recommends: On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal by Naomi Klein On Fire is a collection of Naomi Klein’s essays and speeches from over a decade of writing about the climate emergency, especially focused on the need for justice and solutions that end the exploitation of not only our planet but its people. Klein’s prose is both beautiful in its language and devastating in its truth. At this point, everyone is aware the climate is in dire straits but reading this book will inform you not only how bad things are, but why. It isn’t simply a case of society burning fossil fuels, it is the underlying systems which rely on the exploitation of ‘the other’ that leads to the burning of our planet. The only way to stop exploiting our planet is stop exploiting people (almost always those from communities marginalised by those in power). This is not a fun read by any stretch of the imagination, but I would argue it is a necessary read and ultimately a hopeful one.

Phoebe Raine recommends: Podcast: ‘Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed’ I am completely obsessed with this light-hearted hilarious podcast by comedian Chris Ramsey and his wife, Rosie.

The podcast is simply them chatting to each other about life, their kids, what’s annoying them about each other (their “beef”) and reading out listener emails. Whilst it may sound dull, their down-to-earth personalities and Newcastle accents add a level of charm and relatability. The emails they receive are filled with stories of toilet terrors, relationship secrets and all-round insanity.

It’s a refreshing look into the lives of their listeners and this couple who never fail to poke fun at each other and themselves. It’s a great one to walk/run to, just make sure you’re wearing headphones!

You will definitely be laughing out loud to this one. Find it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Illustration and Page Design

by Chiara Crompton

THE TEAM

Senior Team Editor in Chief - Emily Casey Online Editor - Phoebe Raine Print Editor - Ben Ofungwu External Manager - Natasha Phang-Lee Social Media Assistant - Georgia Honey Deputy Online Editor - Melina Williams Deputy Online Editor- Abi Kara-Fernandes Artistic Director – Chiara Crompton Head of Illustrations – Sarah MacAllan Head of Images - Nina Shasha Welfare Officer- Grace Cloughton

Head of Sections Head of News - Aidan Hall Head of Features - Niamh Robinson Head of Lifestyle - Lilith Hudson Head of Entertainment - Annabel D’Monte Head of Sport - Maya Israel Head of Podcasts - Kit Sinclair Head of Reviews- Jasmin Lemarie

Editors News Editor - Lauren McGaun Features Editor - Anna Stacey Comment Editor - Isabelle Raikes Food Editor - Alice Nott Style Editor - Francesca Wormald Travel Editor - Charlotte Smith Arts Editor - Daisy Forster Film and TV Editor - Annabel D’Monte Gaming Editor - Jack Richardson Music Editor - Olivia Stock Sports Editor - Rachel Roberts Science Editor- Matthew Bird Reviews Editor- Amrit Virdi