Navigator

Spring 2008 Winter 2007

Yourcomplete completeguide guideto touniversity universityand andcollege college Your

No sp r ec th m an sta ia ch rrin l: g

li

ve and est er rp oo l

La Violencia

Documenting the war in Colombia

Easter Breaks Escaping the pain of revision

The Steeples

Indie band hitting the big time

01Cover2.indd 1

03/03/2008 15:59:59

185 mm

campaigning

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Grenada, West Indies

©2008 St. George’s University

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contents

Spring 2008 Winter 2007

Yourcomplete completeguide guideto touniversity universityand andcollege college Your

m

N sp or e t

an sta cia h ch rrin l: g ve and est er rp oo l

li

La Violencia

Documenting the war in Colombia

Your eyes are about to be opened wide, lids stretched and jaw on the floor.

Inside this magazine is a new take on the drivel about university you’ve been force-fed at school. Navigator gets right under the skin of student life and delivers it as it should be told: uncensored and undiluted, with a punch and a

Easter Breaks

Opening the floodgates on university

37

Top 10 Get away Easter break s Get ou t of he re

slusic mu g

holida

There levels are times in will pe ak so life when yo take a week u just need off an on’t let d rew to switch off revision ard yo the grou churn you into nd. Work urself . Before big can be Gilsland in the counterpr ing too hard in clogging oductive, sand, exams, stres the most the middle up your of the sea or poin more in, mind to Wall to walk stunning, and and certa t where you snow s the . For acco takes threeis perhaps the exam can’t take inly can’t http: mmo

Catchy Scouse band hitting the big time

South

10 Events horizon Dates for you diary

12 Doors wide open

“If we can exp scene it’ll be ose the South a very proud African mu mome sic nt for us”

34 34-35

Spring

08

The Parlon

tones.indd

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progfile slu

37-38

21/02/2008

37

Spring

Revision tips for AS Level

40 Jargon finder

14 Tims.indd

Spring

08 07

14-15

Understanding the UCAS spiel

44 Top bands for 2008

08

37 28/02/

2008

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Spring 07 08

15 03/03/2008

16:18:05

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dred riel Garc ow began read The wor e.

I spen fighting ía Mar Years of Solit land withof a bombed ta quez Colombi st effect in ude their bare out villa when travellin long time of a beans I was livin clearing that this is the hug the civil war and hands 15.

I eventuag all over Latin g, studying e the in they surv potatoes to hear abo has caused. humanitaria and . For the sow maize, America ived on go ther lly plucked n crisi Alth fruit. ut it in first few befo noth e. up the have Any Britain ough we seld s weeks country; I had hea bee courage re swamps thing to get ing but wild thousand rd om because n forced to , extreme good and badso much abo to s of leave the land of the slum out of the festunripe ut the their land people known of the bloo s and , whe ering contradi s - a country things, but dy conf back as ‘la re they The last always of exag viole ctions alm lict belong. to working which ost alw ncia terrified part of that both gerated moving the vulnerab ays from ’. Those who is often mountai me. I rememb seduced the poo the fath moment for film was an flee are le sect and extr ns rest er ions me. espe er in being emely border and mos Ecua I trav ciall sons back of the fam in the precario of society into Colo dor, abo t ily and elled with y For five and ut to to whe this is us and mbia come three months really re they desperat face an and thin cross the 32 year from. it, I’m I lived had orig of his The you -old pea e futu I had never king, finally who had re. “wow, seen inally sant farm with Diog goin country a very rom their fathngest two for thre enes, er and and was antic idea g in!” the unto been forced e day er’s land sons had disappo his fam a s of the to wal half-exp . We trav ily, inted, of the uched prist to flee thei k for houto get ther ectin of my r land but it ine nort eventua rs to get e and then elled exp certainl g to be in paramili h. They left rainforest had that has ectations. ther y surp region swam lly arrived, assed It Diogene tary militias ten years the thre e. When we in the all dense everything: seems to be ago afte murdere rive land. fore sublime the fam s’ brothers a coun The nam r that ran e children r d two deserted sts, ench and try land ily thro Tige of e othe of and anted scapes, ugh r’ com the innocent r mem massacr colonial biodiver Caribbean bers of that seem es from the film ‘Bathed the men, bea cities, area. women ed thousand day on sity, but man ches and They injustice ed to sym force of this by the s of and child spent wonderf a knif survivin moment that they bolize both three e’s edg y people live ren ul g any hope e. the day-tohad suff finally that way they years on the in the What settled ered and huge enormo they had run, could moved in crea us cour the Colombi was the into the Cartagena. before they of so age to ted through a has were much Ther fast exp their which fillin a long film abou cruelty, keep goin anding e they dates history g in the coun g up with greed t? back to slum Spanish of refugee and indi the face Why the dark inequality to pile try. The only s from s which fference.

Slavery colonisation rubbish all ove on thodid you cho way to in the days of was wid the city r up get se in was exp Americas land the vile espread and buil I chos issues? ose to can ima e to . swamps was and the focus resource loited for its gine the d a house on in a pow tell this stor around colo abunda and thei top. As cond erfu y beca coffers s which wer nce of ny l itions that is and poe use it you e used of born amor two younge natural were going shows achieve rich land to fill appallin on not tic way som all ove own the d narrowl ngst the sewst sons, who g r the this exp independen ers. Once globe. just in Colo ething y wer would Colombi mbi loitation ce from desperat survived the age and rubb e I thin agree Europea a that this k that mos a but the worryin continue n of land ion, they took ordeal. Rece ish, only g t d, only Spanish and the and North which ntly, in so man characteristi is one of the people now it American abando they hea a gamble y benefite Colombian on ned in lost the people are cs of our wor most compan was upp enough the coun rd had bee a piece on ld ies of bloo d. The history er class who n sustaine powerful link the run and today: dy stru with whoto sustain themtryside nea left of Colo s to d them hav from ggles mbia long. the and thei the land that e and othe rby, large to has bee to surv m they had I wan Unfortun richness that control and r way r fam ive. The n organize themselv t people s of life have ilies prof atel the to land it y to this country resource for so had bee d in orde “Colo is it abo es why this see the film r offers. day its n own is ut the and ask of a sma s have larg beach mbia ha is caus way that happening. ely stay vast natural ll min ing this es - bu s everyt ed by a Wha we are ed in ority Part of is link ? The the han t many hing living t feared ed in world this ong . cruel ds that ways cocaine peop - from oing and which we live in guerrilla baron le live dense today we do between bloodthirsty struggle has not day-to forest and blow rebels had but some year been the revo guerrilla figh war in the a stormed s -day on s to de fully n it all coun family his man ago illegal lutionary idea ters who beli tryside moved sky high. a knife serted underst armed Diogene sion refugee eve in ls of Che there and, and ’s edge” private grou with a s s lifestyle property ps who are Guevara, commun and began group and his s in rich it is often resorted and of to . Rece man paid to beca ity othe buil countries again. y of use d them r That’s continue to cultivati ntly both grou protect selves like Brita of our Our indi these terri months when I cam ble thin a the conf ng drugs ps hav fference to help e in. I e gs are in that we are lict. Man is inex day livesliving with spen them lead y peo cusable. happening. to Blue Pete to beli as they them film t four ple beli a futu ing thei eve foug r - that eve - from I think that re. third r day prog bad thin they wer It was a truly ht to build wor to gs hap rams like backwar ld because e, com incredib themselv pen in es there pletely le the people disguise d and prim unaided feat; ther itive are mor e , in the committ d form of racis than us.

It is like e world ed in Colombi m. Most of a happen the crim a and because thro es people ughout the profit greatly

20 Drink plenty 307 mm

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Colom stude bia’s 40 nt Tim -year Hawk civil wa ins sp r has ent fou torn com You spe r month mu nt fou filming s therenities ap there in Co r months filming art and bia your particullom a fam killed tho choice ar rea . Were that the ily dis Colombi sons of placedusands. a has themselvgroups now in my held a countr y? for only care by the Bristol ima powerfu forgotte es rich from about conflic the nov gination n ever sinc l presence el One the first about why drugs and hav making t.

by Gab e I first Hun they shad plac e

Sharing the pain of revision 297 mm

breaks

12:17:11

lencia

19 Group therapy 270 mm

Easter

days //na . happenin dation any get it out revision All students optio g asp?Page tionaltrail.co.u again in need to schedule Kent, Coun in Devon, Corn k/hadrian ns, see Id=56 Given break up that you’r with a few swall/site other coun ty Londonde wall, Cambridg short sojou their much s. rry, Cum eshire, Hibern time, Navie unlikely to rns. bria, and informati ties around short, ate in gator has be able to the on many Renting stude spare http://w visit the Easte country. For Wales dug up a cotta body and nt-friendly, the Top ww.easte ge for r Egg Trail more with a breaks 10 a bunch reggtrail. to website bit more mind. Some of mate few nights is Wales. com. are dirt-c revitalise the pricey, Festiva good to s. And This unsu heap, but all a good do its repu ng hero some a worthy location The Easte l frenzy tatio of the of a shou Walkin is r perio UK far including n, offering t. festiv surpasses dram als locat d isn’t know The Hadr g Hadri - and a the popular Snow atic scenery n for hold ed outsi an’s Wa ian’s Wall Christiani dece de the pilgrimag ing donia Natio ty. How hike, abse nt range of realm e for thosewalk has beco ll, UK be ever nal s of pretty attra il, kaya , they Wall me a bit in your need k and surf, ctions. You Park runn boat. Genegood, dependin do exist, and of a abode. can from Wall ing the brea ing to limber or just dth of To get simply festivals: rally, a lot of g on what float can Northern up. The Solway send in Tyne relax them are s your if can spen a rough idea side in England clientele the music does of price folk and d four of diver Cumbria - cove to Bowness may s, nights cottage n’t suit jazz -onse in a sturd five of you you, the Arguably well bring for as to do the terrain. As such rs a good 82 a smile little person. y miles whole to your folk festiv the UK’s most Obviously as £45 per thing – you may not face. location well-know al happ it will take want ens in according pick your the best Gosport late Marc n you wan part of to wha & Fareh a wee t to do h. The t you’re while overlooki am Easter easy to k – but it’s there, Festival, do short ng and Ports may prices sections. er mou change claims to be Engla th Harbour, acco If you this. If opt for the you feel rding to indoor nd’s bigg short brea folk festiv the for est the secti adre need k, naline, al with over 300 on it wou be best acts from Chollerfor between ld to the worl across d and near Snow pitch yourself d. Conf irme acts for north-wes donia, in the 2008 inclu d Chumbaw t. If, on de hand, you wan the other the Oyst umba and t some action, erband. coastal Pem highlight Other south-wes brokeshire in the workshop s include musi t is stunn c s, danc ing a craft e displ coastalco (see www. fair Club. Ticke and the Festi ays, ttages.co. val ts are uk). For informati for £75. more on on See www available now co.uk/fes renting cottage .efes further a in fine deta tivals/gosport/ tivals. cottages4 Wales, see ils.

2008 for www Another wales-ho you.co.uk, www . widesprea Easter festiv . al www.qual lidays.co.uk, Glouceste d appeal is Nailswith a more and itycottage rshire. s.co.uk. by the The one- tock, in Eas local com day festiv This one ter Egg abso mun al is run Trail lutely ity in Nails is slap bang on and very attractive free, making worth the Easte and it topical. . r weekend supportin The organiser that much more is From Monday s put an g local , 24th Marc Friday 21st to spot bands emphasis to is runn h, the so it’s some undi ing National on informati scovered a good chan competit a massive, and Trust on see ce ive, Easte fierc www.nails talent. For fact that r egg hunt ely tock.com more it Ski An . The . work in sounds a bit dorra juvenile your favo If you may wan prowess ur: develope use the cunn and fun, t some serio years to us exer ing few sport d over cise, adre dash ahea better seve than skiin s can mee legged naline d of the nteen t those pack belief, g. And, shortcriteria skiing chocolate and seek contrary does out (parents’) to popu n’t have presents to cover all the enough lar the chea bank account. to tear apar for your Easter t your pest coun Ando family.

Hunts you can try to ski rra is perhaps are alwa www.lastm ys find jaw- in Europe, although dropping inute.com Travelling bargains for othe at to Ando r rra is inexp countries. ensive and

La Vio

Visit universities on an open day

14-17

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Africa’ s

8 The Steeples

34 The Parl

oto

The latest essentials from campus

mbia

6 Newsflash

4 Myth bashing

in Colo

03/03/2008 15:59:59

14

01Cover2.indd 1

Docum La Violenc enting ia the wa r

Indie band hitting the big time

hottes nes t expo rt

Escaping the pain of revision

The Steeples

Revealing the best of the year norgthe slu rn del

ights

NORTHERN DELIGHTS

27 Life in Leeds

All good things Yorkshire

22 Head north

Eleven page special on the North

26 Scouse party

Cultural hubub in Liverpool

28 Stunning punts

Cruise canals in Lancaster

29 Top Nottch

Nottingham’s student paradise

30 Dirt cheap

Misers retreat in Sheffield

Scouse

Liverpo

ol is now

31 Old

school

All roads lead to York

32 Multicultural 28

28-29 LiverL

eeds.indd

kno

party

wn acr Liverpoo oss the l wasn’t world as Culture voted Euro 2008 for a cultur nothing. pean Capital export, al and of The Beat While it’s studen les, ende the city Added biggest t hotspo to this, still chur d decades studentthe plac ns out music, t ago, e is dow friendly. a shed art load of nright minimal The cost two prom and performance good without of inent mem s. fiercely On top of ame detractin living is footballi fought of this, bers of nitie g ng elite over. day, Live s available. Give from the rang Nestled – Liverpoo the English FC – hail e rpool was n from the l FC and the hear right in point, ther an impo that, in its are worl city. And Everton t of the d famo while its city is Liverpool flavour. e is a strong interrtant trading us, of univ exports John Moo This has ersity stud its imports – national Universit res opened of eate in the some serio ents – are y. ries, the way generatin form us excit establish This modern for a mas styles and bars, musical ement. g men s t may not have the spanning cultural delig Pulsating hts reputatio all corn of its neig n hub globe. ers of the The city The nigh hbour, has three but the subs tlife is with a of Liver universit strong, tanc good mix pool ies institution e is most defin of supe Society, and Liver , Liverpool John - the Universit itely there r-clubs has been Chibuku y pool Hope Moores (suc for Citize . The live-mus and Garl Universit be at the Universit nship prog lauded for its ands) and h as ic venu y, heart of y – and Foundatio instil es. ramm small, Liverpool ling stud this repu they may n ents with e, dedicated to tation. has prod good prac Triple wh Given that sport and uced lead tice in day a sense of ethic the ers acro ammy The Univ to day life.

Finally, s and ss music, a discerning arts, it cont ersity of the Live inually horde of is a bit attracts Liverpool leading looking different rpool Hope Univ universit univ is to unea . It is the y students universit ersit of the Russ ersities, a stea one of the UK’s rth wha place so only ecum y y t it is that dfast mem successful education in the whole enical the UK’s ell Group whic makes . of Euro h comprise ber the top rese alon pe, pitch gsid the diffe arch-led upwards s rent divis e the aim of unify ing institution 20 of of 18,5 It is alrea 00 ions of s. With 30,000 Name: Dun Christiani ing applicant students, and dy mak ing around contribut ty. s each year Name of can Hepburn ion to Capi headway with , spaces planning its are tal of Cultu Moores institution: Live events re festi Universi rpool John alongsid city’s lead vities, Memorab Location ty e many ing arts of the and thea days spen le moments inclu Degree: : Liverpool tre com t watching ded the Imagina panies. of drun endless TV, and Screen ken Studies tive Writing and absolute debauchery. Altho the endless nigh I’d spen Length d defining ts of a perfe moment ugh to be fair famously Age: 25 degree: 3 yea ct the has to be coming r day back Champion Liverpool in When I to beat ’s decided AC Milan Liverpool end of my League Final. to go idea wha It was towa in the time in t I wanted to University starting mad. It Liverpool rds the I had no the prow was an and the l for inter to study and was absolutel with a and the had mate esting cour on y outstandi city went who s ses. I alrea cheap ng nigh locals and le city centre supported in at university t dy was students in Liver Liverpool lunch at celebratin rammed with pool and One of when I the bigg came acros FC so was over the Stud the love est high g together! the Liverpool s Writing ent lights for of footb John Moo and Scree moon Union all me was the city couple res Univ n had. Whe that just abou of swift ersity. After at t everyone before ther or didn’t wee obvious in even supp you were a that Liver kend visits it beca a heading red or blue matc ort pool was a h me Scou to was , the city Kiss The plenty of an occasion and se team, every for me.

Red peop there were pool hall Liverpool le out and abou always t on matc has coun to watc and shop h s and there tless bars, clubs h day. wha available , eateries tever . The grea ’s even plenty football of there are t thing was on, about the culture three big play som in a coup city is that student e pool and le paradise. universities there into Conc more pints. Then indulge Most Scou and they so it’s a ert Squa tend to sers are re to visit it would be bars and have their the wee so takin one of kend whic big nigh friendly the man cheap drink g advantag ts and the h leave e of y s the wee out on chea infamous offers were on whatever k nights only thing p drink offers Blue Ange before for the the city hitting and £1 students. areas are l, or Raz, lacks is the a drink The enou for the a bit dodg offer. A gh polic Blue Ange £1 entry want to e. Som typical l would find your y and you wou night in covered end with ldn’t reall e self out own at the stud and abou night. y group of ents stag to get a t on your sweatkebab from gering dow n the road a call to Gem ini’s befo the re placi could cont 24 hour booz ng e man inue. so the party

Spr Spr ing ing0808

28

28/02/2008

12:33:56

Bradford and Derby wooing students

Editor Francis Andrews • Head of Design Kathleen Rayfield Navigator is published by Educate Ltd, 91-93 Southwark Street, London SE1 OHX, 020-7902 1200. The opinions in the articles are those of the individual writer and not necessarily of Educate Ltd or any associated personnel. Educate Ltd, the Editor and Publishers of Navigator do not necessarily agree with the views expressed in this publication and do not accept responsibility for any personal opinions therein. The paper used for Navigator is made from sustainable wood pulp.

Spring 08 03contents.indd 3

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03/03/2008 16:30:24

slug introduction

Shattering the many m There’s a crucial difference between university and school: one is fun, the other isn’t so much.

Over the next 48 pages, Navigator spells out why higher education can be an absolute giggle.

T

here’s a certain stigma that surrounds education and, let’s be honest, it’s not the most exciting of concepts. Secondary school is a procession of bored faces trudging from class to class, suffocated by tight uniforms and a rule book the size of the Yellow Pages. But perhaps its biggest crime is that it reduces the idea of learning to a chore, and the idea of academic life to something resembling a minimum-security prison. Shame, because it must make the thought of extending education another three or 44 four years beyond that just horrific. as

Glasveg

44-45

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Spr

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Bands

08

44

Hammering home There are many myths surrounding university that need some serious smashing.

Without doing so, you are likely to see it as a continuation of your present situation.

Whether you are happy with that or not, the truth is that university or college will far exceed all expectations. This magazine aims to set your mind on the right path for deciding whether you want to go into higher education or not: instead of injecting fear about how lost you’ll be in life without a degree (which, of course, we don’t believe is true), we’d like to tell you about how much of a giggle you’ll have when you’re at university. Naturally you’ll have concerns and preconceptions of what it is like. Some

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myths still in circulation are either outdated, or wrong, and we’re about to put a hammer to them.

You may be worried about the clientele that university attracts. Legend has it that university is solely the stomping ground of toffs – those rich, posh gits that frown on anyone 45 with a student loan or overdraft. This is false.

Universities are increasingly attracting people of all backgrounds, and this is what makes it such an interesting experience.

The government has pumped money into providing bursaries and additional loans for people who have trouble meeting the challenging fees, and as such, your average campus is now thronging with all sorts of folk. Make sure you check out what financial Spring

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What may be the most off-putting illusion about university is that life doesn’t exist outside of the library or seminar room. You couldn’t be more wrong. Particularly in the first year, studying seems to take a bit of a backseat while you enjoy the freedom of a life spent living with friends, away from parents and with very few restrictions on your day-to-day existence. It is like a year-long holiday interspersed with 8 the odd essay and tutorial (although don’t lose sight of the principle reason why you are forking out money to be there). The best way to begin to get an idea of this is to go on a few open days to universities around the country. This will give you an idea of the quality of particular institutions you’re visiting, and also a more general idea of what students spend their days doing. A section later in the magazine spells out the best way to prepare for and make the most of open days. An important thing to timetable into your day is a trip round the surrounding area - you need to know if the location suits your character or not. music slug

towering

“

Most 18-2 1 year olds are crea tive to experime and open different nting with things. Musi is an obvio c us channellin way of g that

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“Legend has it that university is the stomping ground of toffs.

This is false: they attract people of all backgrounds.” help is available for you: an article in the News section on page six spills the beans on universities’ failures to allocate almost £12m worth of grants to eligible students.

Read it and weep. And then run to get that free cash.

ove

Amidst the sound. Livermass of young indie bands out pool-bas guitarist at the mom Danny Rank ed The Steeples, ent, it’s diffi however, in are refre cult are catch shingly mod y, and voca to pick out an origi est. Navi list Andy na gator spok Culshaw e to them in London and

Melting pot up North For those who can’t manage open days, we’ve tried to compensate by including a special on ten universities in the north. We drew a wobbly imaginary line connecting Lancaster, Derby, Nottingham and York,

Winter Spring 07 08 28/02/2008 15:43:24

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introduction slug

y myths of university slurod int g

uctio

and scoured all the big university towns within that. What we discovered was a melting pot of some of the most happening student life in the country, all within a short distance of one another and all offering up their own particular brands of magic.

And our time spent in the field conjured up another issue to 9 present you with: why is university such a creative environment? Our brief sojourns in Manchester and Liverpool made us realise that some of the most inspired minds – and not just academic - are brought to the

ring over liverpool

nds out at the mom ent, es, howe ver, are catch it’s difficult to pick out ngly mod y, and voca an original est. Navi list Andy gator spok Culshaw e to them in London and

music

Liverpool again and churns out top artist s the place again. What is it about that pushe creativity? s musical

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts so it was very natural for me.

Andy: You get to university and whole world a opens up in front of you.

You’re thrown into a new environment so you can create the Does the person hype make nervous you want about havin you feel to be. your reput Because you g to delive ation in the meet so many r It’s great. people from future? on Every different backgro another review. week we find out it’s impossi unds, about ble not to and it definite It’s all happening develop interest new areas. so quickly ly excites Most 18-21 s in us. and open year olds are creative to experim Danny, you’re enting with things so different they want a big fan Bluetones. something towards. of The to channe Music and l that performing on the sameWhat was it like way to do is an obvious to that. play bill as them last Danny: Yeah I was thinking other day. about this There’s a lot more melodic the coming from the north. bands there’s been Ever a strong focus since the Beatles coming out on the music of music-oriented Liverpool. It’s general ly very anyway, lots musicians, of gigs and and active Beatles. Also, these all stem back to the the city thrives generated on the tourism by the arts in turn pushes general, so the music that in scene.

year?

at Oxjam

Ah, it was great. They’re was talking one of those about who bands I write great a real party melodies, band. It was to be billed an amazing alongside thought them – I’ve them play been seeing for a few years thought I’d have my band now and never Hopefully on the same we’ll get to flyer! support them soon.

You call yours elf an indie Yet, when pop band. pretty sureI listen to Loosy Lucy, there’s a creeping bit of old I’m in. a genre not Does tying yours ska elf

to Andy: I think pigeon-hole you the ska bit a bit? developed is my doing a real taste - I’ve for or so. In a sense it does it in the past year it has to be pigeon-hole done because you but idea of the sort of music it gives people an like a gauge you’re writing; I suppose. it acts We do have influences in our music various and ‘indie pretty broad pop’ is a label so we within that can move around quite a bit.

A lot of the feature in artists and bands we formed, this magazine either or musically, developed them selves at university. such a creat ive enviro Why is it nment?

I did a music

Danny: Well

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degree at

the

There’s a piece in this on stude magazine nt could spendlife in Liverpool.

If you 24 hours carefree again as student, take you? where woulda it Andy:

Ha! Wednes day night: Easily the Medication. most debauch ed night you’ll in Liverpoo l, you’ve got to do it! Your have bet is to stay best away from There’s lots the obvious of backstre places. ets with some wonderful surprises, weird and definitely The Cavern worth explorin Club, where g. the Beatles name, is full made their of tourists now - actually Matthew Street , all of Danny: There’s is. a place opposit e the Cavern “ Scou

seen as

aggressive but it’s just a bit of Danny: I think fun. you go people the further north more. At the let their hair down gigs we’ve the crowd played at in Scotland just go wild.

There’s a every time! stage invasion In London people can’t that. seem to do

Tell us a bit Britney’s about the new single Tears

, .

Danny: It was thought that actually written with the loads of people for the image. get into bands All of our careers as heroes took far as they their could and the musical really side of it, not just image. pushed thought of the concept We and penned long before the lyrics Britney’s problem anyway. s hit the media

sers let their For an outs hair down and go mad ider, the sheer confi at the week Club called dence is The quite intim end. you’d expect Cavern Pub. It’s more idating” how authentic Liverpool very student Andy: to

there are

be, and it’s -friendly.

Nearby the universities loads of good bars.

How do the the town Scousers take to overrun by stude having

Andy: A lot nts? of them who week let their work nine-tohair down five all weekend.

For an outside and go mad at the of Scouser r, the sheer s can confidence We’re general be quite intimidating I think. ly very boistero us and this can be

I think if you’re going artist you have to sacrifice to be a solo If you’re so a bit of creativit hell-bent y. on getting then you publicity physica on the writing lly can’t spend as much time process. There’s would sacrifice no way we this aspect sometimes for publicity doing . We’re lot more brutal 16-18 hour days and are a in our writing be because than we used with to more criticism more exposure we’re and need getting To find out to act on it. more about The Steeple www.thesteepl s visit: es.com

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“Many of the country’s most successful bands - such as Coldplay and Blur - formed whilst studying for a degree” fore at university. Many of the country’s legendary bands – such as Coldplay and Blur – formed whilst studying for a degree, laying waste to the idea that it’s all about the library. Indeed, the time spent doing a degree can be one of the most formative periods of your life, and not for the reasons you may think. We spoke to two bands – The Steeples from Liverpool and The Parlotones from South Africa – who are blazing their way through the music industry, and asked why university brings out the artistic side of you. Check out their interviews later on in the magazine.

One W Ride ild

Jungle study Another popular concern running through the minds of those weighing up whether to go or not is whether a job is guaranteed after graduating. The answer is, obviously, no. Nothing is guaranteed, but there are ways to significantly strengthen your chances. A lot depends on the degree you do. If your course has a strong vocational aspect to it – something very specific, such as Medicine or Accountancy – then the chances may be stronger because you have been trained with precise skills tailored to a job. If you do a non-vocational course – such as Anthropology or English Literature – then there isn’t really a specific ability you learn but a range of skills. This can be very appealing for employers who are looking for someone with initiative, analytical ability and a broad range of interests. It is also good to get some work

experience whilst you are doing your degree: employers will look favourably on someone who understands the work environment and has shown a proactive and enthusiastic attitude.

But some students take the concept of work experience to the next level. Instead of venturing into town to cut your teeth as an office intern, the adventurous ones amongst you can go much further afield. We discovered a University of Bristol student lurking deep in the jungles of Colombia filming a family displaced by the war. By studying Spanish and Politics, he claimed,

n

proslu file g

The Un Alista iversity of ir Top ley inv Central Lan ited us in cashire is to sam a ple a gem in the bit of that north. Stu life dent

24-25

24 UCLA

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I’m a thir Busines d year s Stud BA here ies stud at ent of Cen the Univ tral Lan ersity (UCLan cash village ). I come ire from called in Notting a hom Edwinstowehamshire e of (Robin Sherwo , the od it cam Hood etc) Forest . Whe e dow I cho se UCL n to cho n osing was an for imp my univ Busines ressed a number ersi with the rep of reasons ty subject s School and :I utat talk and for my really enjo ion of on the course yed building the ope on the the universi s and n day, I had ope saw faci to we will ty. Usually the man n day; universioffer. In lities that travel for com been the univ y new off to two nigh like this ties, I had parison allo ersity the eve ts a wee I’m real cated with and to the . With the n’t seen oth anythin er Advanc ly enjoying work tho nts we hav k best city centre, universi g quit ty of bot will be ement: the my tim se evening e cam e e her h wor it’s like s. man UCLan pus so clos e in my wor extreme lds. y skil ly Place has the e given king life. importa ls I’ve gain My deg ment me, The opp nt in the ed placeme both ortunity rest of on my require ree is a at UC four Lan on whi nt, has year given degree and UCLan has placemes me to ch course to spe my life. me build in my this yea nt, so my nd a yea and my care the foun r on dations days er for a placeme r. I was lucky are quit work the rest A nt e diff I wor Day eno here of ere k working ugh to In Th Advanc for a part get a nt 11.00am e Lif of the for the e the univement univ univ han time ersity. our gove r from to get up the rest ersity arou main aimersity call lie in last nigh I supp ed today. nd the is to ose, got differe of the head promot North ing off Just got to t, so good nt asp country a sligh e one grab Wes job to my . My t ects of job has t and 11.30am some wat I had a game 12.3 sight our exte to it, but 0pm lecture. er befo mainly many problem rnal liais to star at his flat re lecture, – Just to pro so t the finis mote s. We go on officers I assist night. should be of note lots of num hed my try to the out to who a fun acco 9.30 bers get pot courses now s needed has man way pm – and tabl unting as one before y eve we do ential in It’s a night some es so nts my lect that one stud Thu at be scho of their lunch plenty . ents at UCLan All my our Stud rsday so cho on the ure at oneGot a sma events ol careers ices. The to conside and ll game poker mat ent Union it’s the Stud way 2.00 r us events, se eve or the I thin so time to break club pm arou nts cou k. off to which has es are goin , 53 Deg ent man get nd the reg get som - Just abo country y UCAS fair ional care ld ut e ene headingthe Union just finishedg out afte rees.

A typi rgy backtime for ers r the s tha . cal into the bar for a now help a pow t occu 3.00 ing out day for for few drin so it’s club. pm the rest er nap r me days 10.3 Feel ks befo need 0pm of the to whe with cam now wou a to re n nee – With to get pus tou of the day. ld be seminar run thou lot better ded, these in the man afte rs gh time and and and as r y scho £1 entr done that slee to get club by on this need to I’ve got an ol visi working open y ticke a mov 11pm on ts we econ p, week’s go thro ts I or e on omi ugh have some 3.00 chap and getI pay £4, need 5.00 am to the ter in the wor cs pm in the so the ligh – It’s clos the text k I’ve Nee off to club. ing poker. d some book. after ts have food One com time now being before of the is alw and as in a dark e on in lads heading ays a 53 is hav antics shock. ened club Degrees usual ing a , Grea 24-25 bed, and time t nigh for four which UCLA as for N.ind lectures I have an a takeawat, lots of hours d 25 tomorro early star y. The random n time w! t and for a full day of

his life has 25 turned into an incredible adventure: in his words, “it’s not what you study; it’s what you do with it that counts”. On your open day, check what potential there is to study abroad as part of your degree. This can be as beneficial to those taking social sciences as it can be for medical students: those who gain experience in radically different environments are likely to be able to adapt better to various situations, particularly in the workplace.

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Dreamy life Overall, however, you need to know that university is nothing like school. It gives you an independence that you are not likely to have experienced before, and a work structure much more relaxing and malleable than your current reality.

You’ll make a sea of new friends, have the opportunity to try your hand at the hundreds of quirky activities on offer, and live a life you can only dream of at the moment. But before then, you’ve got exams, and lots of them. If all this sounds like your cup of tea, knuckle down and remember what lies ahead of you. Those results may just decide whether you have the power of choice or not.

Winter Spring 07 4-5 .indd 5

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news

Newsflash Hidden pot of gold

Green universities

(The Guardian – 24/01/08)

(The Guardian - 01/02/08)

Data protection laws last year stopped 12,000 of the UK’s poorest students gaining bursaries worth on average £1,000 each.

With the introduction of top-up fees, from which almost £500m has been raised, universities we’re supposed to give back around £114m in bursaries to eligible students. According to the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), however, universities failed to allocate £19m.

David Barrett, assistant director of OFFA, said that the 12,000 students who missed out on bursaries for which they could have been eligible could account for £12m of the unspent £19m. They had failed to tick a box on their loan application form which allowed the Student Loans Company to share their data with their university, alerting them to the fact that they qualify for the bursary.

Part of the precondition of demanding top-up fees of £3000 per student was that universities would do everything possible to attract lower-income students through bursary packages. But according to OFFA, on average universities spent 16.5 per cent less on bursaries than planned, some 48 institutions even spending 25 per cent less.

Universities across the land have been given a cash injection to help push the higher education sector towards a more sustainable existence.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced recently £2.4bn in funding for universities’ teaching, research and infrastructure, £290m of which will go directly into sustainable building projects.

The announcement follows a report from HEFCE showing that roughly two-thirds of institutions are engaged in sustainable development-related research. The Council wants universities to maximise their role in improving the environment, preserving natural resources and making an economic and social impact.

Food priorities (Online Scene – 21/01/08) Students are placing diet and eating patterns low on their priority list, according to a government study. The study revealed that some 46 per cent of students have at some point worried about running out of food due to cash problems. Furthermore, 62 per cent of students place price over quality when it comes to buying food.

Whilst parents across the country may be flabbergasted at the findings, this won’t be news to your average student.

The National Food Agency, who conducted the study, found that students are more concerned about paying rent than eating well. According to the NFA, they spend on average £3 a day on food, the majority of which is of a poor quality.

The National Union of Students (NUS) has revealed that after deducting average rents, students have on average £35 a week to spend. With food low on the priority list, students generally focus their money on luxuries - such as clothes and alcohol rather than necessities.

6 news.indd 6

Rosy futures?

(BBC website - 31/01/08) University graduates are having more success in finding work in top companies than ever before, according to a recent poll.

The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) surveyed 217 big companies and discovered that graduate vacancies are likely to be 16.4% higher than last year.

AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard said, however, that the unexpected shortage of well-qualified candidates “makes worrying reading”.

With an apparent shortfall in home-grown skill, firms are increasingly looking to international students to fill the spaces. The study, by Trendence research institute, said that a quarter of employees praised the “strong work ethic and desire to succeed” of overseas graduates.

The study assessed ‘Generation Y’ candidates – those born after 1982 – and discovered that they tend to be “less loyal to the business” that employs them. Some employers surveyed said this group were “self-centred”, “fickle” and “greedy”.

One of the reasons for this is said to be graduates’ negative perceptions of the business sector.

Winter 07 28/02/2008 17:07:41

MAKE YOUR CHOICE COUNT

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www.brunel.ac.uk news.indd 7

26/02/2008 12:33:31

music slug

towering over l Amidst the mass of young indie bands out at the moment, it’s difficult to pick out an original sound. Liverpool-based The Steeples, however, are catchy, and vocalist Andy Culshaw and guitarist Danny Rankin are refreshingly modest. Navigator spoke to them in London

“

Most 18-21 year olds are creative and open to experimenting with different things. Music is an obvious way of channelling that

8

Spring 08

08-09 The steeples.indd 8

28/02/2008 12:44:04

music

r liverpool Liverpool churns out top artists again and again. What is it about the place that pushes musical creativity?

Danny: Yeah I was thinking about this the other day. There’s a lot more melodic bands coming from the north. Ever since the Beatles there’s been a strong focus on the music coming out of Liverpool. It’s generally very music-oriented anyway, lots of gigs and active musicians, and these all stem back to the Beatles. Also, the city thrives on the tourism generated by the arts in general, so that in turn pushes the music scene.

Does the hype make you feel nervous about having to deliver on your reputation in the future?

It’s great. Every week we find out about another review. It’s all happening so quickly and it definitely excites us.

Danny, you’re a big fan of The Bluetones. What was it like to play on the same bill as them at Oxjam last year?

Ah, it was great. They’re one of those bands I was talking about who write great melodies, a real party band. It was an amazing thought to be billed alongside them – I’ve been seeing them play for a few years now and never thought I’d have my band on the same flyer!

Hopefully we’ll get to support them soon.

You call yourself an indie pop band.

Yet, when I listen to Loosy Lucy, I’m pretty sure there’s a bit of old ska creeping in. Does tying yourself to a genre not pigeon-hole you a bit?

Andy: I think the ska bit is my doing - I’ve developed a real taste for it in the past year or so. In a sense it does pigeon-hole you but it has to be done because it gives people an idea of the sort of music you’re writing; it acts like a gauge I suppose. We do have various influences in our music and ‘indie pop’ is a pretty broad label so we can move around within that quite a bit.

A lot of the artists and bands we feature in this magazine either formed, or developed themselves musically, at university. Why is it such a creative environment?

Danny: Well I did a music degree at the

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts so it was very natural for me.

Andy: You get to university and a whole world opens up in front of you.

You’re thrown into a new environment so you can create the person you want to be.

Because you meet so many people from different backgrounds, it’s impossible not to develop interests in new areas. Most 18-21 year olds are creative and open to experimenting with different things so they want something to channel that towards. Music and performing is an obvious way to do that.

There’s a piece in this magazine on student life in Liverpool. If you could spend 24 hours again as a carefree student, where would it take you?

Andy: Ha! Wednesday night: Medication.

Easily the most debauched night you’ll have in Liverpool, you’ve got to do it! Your best bet is to stay away from the obvious places.

There’s lots of backstreets with some weird and wonderful surprises, definitely worth exploring.

The Cavern Club, where the Beatles made their name, is full of tourists now - actually, all of Matthew Street is.

Danny: There’s a place opposite the Cavern

seen as aggressive but it’s just a bit of fun.

Danny: I think the further north you go people let their hair down more. At the gigs we’ve played at in Scotland the crowd just go wild. There’s a stage invasion every time! In London people can’t seem to do that.

Tell us a bit about the new single, Britney’s Tears.

Danny: It was actually written with the thought that loads of people get into bands for the image. All of our heroes took their careers as far as they could and really pushed the musical side of it, not just image. We thought of the concept and penned the lyrics long before Britney’s problems hit the media anyway.

“ Scousers let their hair down and go mad at the weekend.

For an outsider, the sheer confidence is quite intimidating” Club called The Cavern Pub. It’s more how you’d expect authentic Liverpool to be, and it’s very student-friendly. Nearby the universities there are loads of good bars.

How do the Scousers take to having the town overrun by students?

Andy: A lot of them who work nine-to-five all week let their hair down and go mad at the weekend. For an outsider, the sheer confidence of Scousers can be quite intimidating I think.

We’re generally very boisterous and this can be

Andy: I think if you’re going to be a solo artist you have to sacrifice a bit of creativity.

If you’re so hell-bent on getting publicity then you physically can’t spend as much time on the writing process. There’s no way we would sacrifice this aspect for publicity. We’re sometimes doing 16-18 hour days and are a lot more brutal in our writing than we used to be because with more exposure we’re getting more criticism and need to act on it.

To find out more about The Steeples visit: www.thesteeples.com

Spring 08 08-09 The steeples.indd 9

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28/02/2008 12:44:30

applications

Diary dates Keep your ear to the ground over the next year or so. The UCAS ball starts rolling fairly soon, so here is a breakdown of the dates to look out for during the application process.

Although the beginning of the application process may seem quite far off, it is certainly worth knowing now what lies ahead of you.

The UCAS conventions (see page 42) are looming so you’ll need to know what the next stages are following these. The process is different if you are applying for Art and/or Design courses (known by UCAS as Route B).

If you fall into this category, see the separate application process at the bottom of the page.

colleges on applications received by 15 January are rejected by default.  6 June 2009 Outstanding replies from applicants declined by default where the last decision from universities and colleges was received by 9 May (except those governed by Route B timetable or Extra).

TIMETABLE FOR APPLICATION (except Route B)  September 2008 Application processing begins.  15 October 2008 Closing date for applications to Oxford University, University of Cambridge and courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science or veterinary medicine.  15 January 2009 Closing date for applications from UK and EU students to be guaranteed equal academic consideration.  26 February 2009 Applicants can refer themselves through Extra for the first time.  31 March 2009 Universities and colleges should aim to have sent decisions on all applications received by 15 January.  6 May 2009 Outstanding replies from applicants declined by default where the last decision from universities and colleges was received by 31 March (except those living outside the EU, those governed by the Route B timetable or Extra).  9 May 2009 Outstanding decisions from universities and

10 10 Diary.indd 10

governed by Route B timetable or Extra).

Last date for applicants to refer themselves through Extra.  14 July 2009 Outstanding replies declined by default where last decision received by 13 June (all applicants except Extra).  21 July 2009 Outstanding decisions on applications received by 30 June and Extra referrals rejected by default.  31 July 2009 Outstanding replies declined by default where last decision received by 21 July (except those living outside the EU).  5 August 2009 Publication of SQA results.  8 August 2009 All outstanding replies declined by default.  14 August 2009 Publication of GCE and VCE results.

Start of vacancy information service.  20 September 2009 Last date for receipt of applications for 2008 entry.

APPLICATIONS THROUGH ROUTE B

30 June 2009 Last date for receipt of applications for immediate consideration. Those received after this date held for Clearing.  7 July 2009 Outstanding replies from applicants declined by default where the last decision from universities and colleges was received by 13 June (except those living outside the EU whose last decision reached UCAS after 9 May, those

 12 February 2009 First date UCAS send applications for art and design Route B Round 1 to universities and colleges.  26 February 2009 Applicants can refer themselves through Extra for the first time.  7 March 2009 Advisory closing date for applications to reach UCAS.  24 March 2009 Last date for applications to be considered in first round of interviews.  28 March 2009 First date UCAS send applications for art and design Route B Round 2 to universities and colleges.

Spring 08 28/02/2008 17:08:10

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26/02/2008 12:38:52

preparation

opeN door

Open days are perhaps the best way to get that vital feel for a university or college before you make your final decision

I

t may be a risk deciding on a course and location without going to check it out in person beforehand: there are elements of university/college life that vary greatly from one place to another, and some may not be to your suiting.

Primarily, an open day should give you a feeling for the institutions you are applying for. What many students fail to do, however, is to use their open day to check out the location as well. Life at university stretches far beyond the walls of campus so it is equally important that you have confidence that the town/city will fulfil all your wildest dreams.

If you already have friends or relatives in the town then it would be a wise idea to shack up with them for the night. It is crucial that you properly explore the town and see what the nightlife has in store (even if you’re not old enough to use it yet!). Extra-curricular activities are as integral to your degree as curricular life so make sure there is plenty to keep you occupied.

Is the course lecture or seminar-based?

Ideally, every module you study will be done via a weekly lecture followed by a seminar. A lecture will give you a broader overview of the subject and highlight the key areas for further discussion. The seminar will then go into greater detail on the issues brought up in the lecture. Whilst the lecture is led by the lecturer with little input from students, seminars are much more interactive and take the form of a discussion. It is important that you have both of these elements in your degree, although it is, of course, dependent on what you are studying. The institutions that don’t offer both must have strong reasons for doing so, such as careful direction over independent study .

How much independent study is there?

It would be a good idea to get an idea of the workload you’ll be landed with. Some people going in blind to the course find they cannot cope with the amount of assessment required of them (some Oxbridge courses demand two essays per week!) so it’s important to find this out. Again, make sure the independent study is balanced out with the number of contact hours you have with tutors. A course that sacrifices contact hours for independent study is worth approaching with caution – remember what you are paying tuition fees for.

Can students do placements as part of the course?

While you are amongst your tutors on the open day, however, there are several points you should raise to give you a better idea of what your degree will involve. Here are some of them:

12 12 open days.indd 12

If your degree has a vocational aspect (one that is geared towards a particular profession, such as Law) then it is very useful to get some experience in the workplace before you are thrown headlong into it. Usually only Medicine guarantees placements during the course so you’ll have to be proactive about it. Many tutors encourage you to do one, however, and will help you sort it out if you prompt

them, so ask at the open day whether they can be arranged through the university or the college.

Is there financial help for students?

All universities offer help in the realm of cash. Students by their nature cannot budget, and universities have prepared themselves for late rent payments and overdue tuition fees by providing funds to keep bank balances in the clear. Be sure to check out all the options available, such as hardship loans and vice-chancellor’s loans.

Also, many students – particularly those from a poor background - don’t realise that they are entitled to bursaries. These can be anything up to £1,000 so don’t let that pass you by.

How active are societies on campus?

Your guides on the open day should know a thing or two about the students’ union, and how strong it’s presence is on campus.

Although this isn’t a key factor in your time there, it’s always good to have an active student union and lots of societies for you to get involved with. It shows that student life on campus has a bit more to it than studying, drinking and sleeping.

Can you see the on-campus accommodation?

Ask to have a nosey round the student halls while your there. You can decide which would best suit you (for example, corridors or self-contained flats) and fit your price range. Always look for a decent communal area in your accommodation: this is an important (but by no means vital) part of building a solid friendship group - usually round the TV. Importantly, however, get to know the other people that may be on your course.

Although your first contact at university will be with your housemates, you’ll be stuck with those on your course for several years.

Spring 08 28/02/2008 13:40:45

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12 open days.indd 13

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slug profile

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Spring 07 08 28/02/2008 13:01:45

La Violencia

xxxxxxxxxxxprofile slug

Colombia’s 40-year civil war has torn communities apart and killed thousands. Bristol student Tim Hawkins spent four months there filming a family displaced by the conflict.

You spent four months filming in Colombia. Were there particular reasons for your choice of country?

Colombia has held a powerful presence in my imagination ever since I first read the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude

by Gabriel García Marquez when I was 15.

I spent a long time living, studying and travelling all over Latin America before I eventually plucked up the courage to go there. I had heard so much about the country; good and bad things, but always extremes - a country of exaggerated contradictions that both seduced and terrified me. I remember being in the mountains in Ecuador, about to cross the border into Colombia and thinking, “wow, this is really it, I’m finally going in!”

I had a very romantic idea of the country and was half-expecting to be disappointed, but it certainly surpassed all of my expectations. It seems to be a country that has everything: sublime landscapes, dense forests, enchanted colonial cities, deserted Caribbean beaches and wonderful biodiversity, but many people live day-today on a knife’s edge.

What was the film about?

Colombia has a long history of inequality which dates back to the dark days of Spanish colonisation in the Americas.

Slavery was widespread and the colony was exploited for its abundance of natural resources which were used to fill the coffers of rich land owners. Once Colombia achieved independence from the Spanish this exploitation continued, only now it was European and North American companies and the Colombian upper class who benefited. The history of Colombia has been of bloody struggles to control and profit from the richness that the country offers.

Unfortunately to this day its vast natural resources have largely stayed in the hands of a small minority.

Part of this ongoing struggle has been a cruel and bloodthirsty war in the countryside between guerrilla fighters who believe in the revolutionary ideals of Che Guevara, and illegal armed groups who are paid to protect private property. Recently both groups have resorted to cultivating drugs to help them to continue the conflict. Many people believe

that the groups now only care about making themselves rich from drugs and have forgotten about why they began fighting in the first place.

The worst effect of the civil war in Colombia is the huge humanitarian crisis that this has caused. Although we seldom hear about it in Britain thousands of people have been forced to leave their land because of the bloody conflict which is often known as ‘la violencia’. Those who flee are almost always from the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society and face an extremely precarious and desperate future.

For five months I lived with Diogenes, a 32 year-old peasant farmer and his family, who had been forced to flee their land in the untouched pristine rainforest region of the north. They left ten years ago after paramilitary militias murdered two of Diogenes’ brothers and other members of the family and massacred thousands of innocent men, women and children in the area. They spent three years on the run, surviving any way they could before they finally settled in Cartagena. There they moved into the fast expanding slums which were filling up with refugees from all over the country. The only way to get land was to pile rubbish up in the vile swamps around the city and build a house on top. As you can imagine the conditions were appalling and their two youngest sons, who were born amongst the sewage and rubbish, only narrowly survived the ordeal. Recently, in desperation, they took a gamble on a piece of land which they heard had been left abandoned in the countryside nearby, large enough to sustain them and other families with whom they had organized in order to survive. The land had been owned by a

shadow of a bombed out villa clearing the land with their bare hands to sow maize, beans and potatoes. For the first few weeks they survived on nothing but wild, unripe fruit. Anything to get out of the festering swamps of the slums and back to working the land, where they belong.

The last part of the film was an especially moving moment for me. I travelled with the father of the family and three of his sons back to where they had originally come from. The youngest two sons had never seen their father’s land. We travelled for three days to get there and then had to walk for hours to get there. When we eventually arrived, the three children swam in the river that ran through the land. The name of the film ‘Bathed by the Tiger’ comes from the force of this moment that seemed to symbolize both the huge injustice that they had suffered and the hope that they had created through their enormous courage to keep going in the face of so much cruelty, greed and indifference.

Why did you choose to focus on those issues?

I chose to tell this story because it shows in a powerful and poetic way something that is going on not just in Colombia but all over the globe. I think that most people would agree that this is one of the most worrying characteristics of our world today: so many people are on the run and have lost the powerful links to the land that have sustained them and their ways of life for so long. I want people to see the film and ask themselves why this is happening. What is it about the way that we are living that is causing this? The world we live in today is linked in ways which we do not fully

“Colombia has everything - from dense forests to deserted beaches - but many people live day-to-day on a knife’s edge” feared cocaine baron but some years ago guerrilla rebels had stormed his mansion and blown it all sky high. Diogenes and his family moved there with a group of other refugees and began to build themselves a community again.

That’s when I came in. I spent four months living with them filming their day to day lives as they fought to build themselves a future. It was a truly incredible feat; there they were, completely unaided, in the

understand, and it is often because of our lifestyles in rich countries like Britain that many of these terrible things are happening.

Our indifference is inexcusable. I think that we are lead to believe - from programs like Blue Peter - that bad things happen in the third world because there people are more backward and primitive than us. It is like a disguised form of racism. Most of the crimes committed in Colombia and throughout the world happen because people profit greatly

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slug profile from them, whether it be from oil, bananas, coffee or cocaine.

We cannot sit back and allow this to continue. Here we keep turning people away from our borders without asking ourselves why they are there in the first place, and whether we could do more to prevent the injustices that they suffer..

The area you made the film in is both beautiful and volatile.

Tell us a bit more about it.

I was in an area called Montes de María, which has a long history of bloody conflict. Many of the stories that I heard were truly incredible and many unspeakable crimes were committed. I heard that the local priest used to be an informer for the paramilitaries [illegal armed groups].

Whilst he gave the blessing to each individual at communion he would use a special sign to mark those who he thought were involved with the rebels.

After leaving the church they would never make it home. Five years ago paramilitaries surrounded the nearest town and gunned down over 500 people.

The displaced families who I lived with had taken a huge gamble in moving there from the city and taking over that land: it had only remained empty because those who lived in the surrounding villages were to frightened to venture out there. Much of the direct fighting had stopped but whilst I was

mountains. That place would be paradise if it wasn’t for the violence.

Given Colombia’s fierce reputation, what can you tell us about the people you met, and how this has forced you to challenge preconceptions?

Colombia has its dangers but these dangers are now present all over the world. Most people who target foreigners or tourists in Colombia do so out of desperation. A lot of the other foreigners that I met were very frightened about being robbed, but still went out to dine in the finest restaurants or sip a cocktail whilst people outside their hotels are clearly dying of malnutrition. You have to realize that in a country like Colombia, the camera hanging around your neck may

“One of the most memorable things were the sunsets.

That place would be paradise if it wasn’t for the violence” there five rebels were killed in the mountains just three kilometres from where we were living. The local army soldiers told us that they were just boys and girls, none of them over the age of 16. This was in response to an incident in which one of the commanders of the army had been killed by a landmine whilst on patrol.

One of the most memorable things for me was the incredible sunsets over the

16 14-17 Tims.indd 16

be worth more money than some families will see in ten years. When people are starving the real violence is not caused by the mugger or child delinquent but by those who allow such poverty to continue.

Colombians are the friendliest, warmest and welcoming people I have ever met.

I was treated like part of the family and they always shared everything that they had with me even when that was only a few potatoes and a handful of rice.

How stark is the contrast between life for the family you stayed with and life for your average rural community in England?

Well, when was the last time that you couldn’t go to school because the neighbourhood watch had killed all your teachers, taken it over and turned it into a small narcotics factory? I don’t remember that ever happening on The Archers.

The kidnapping of foreigners has been a tactic used by all sides in the civil war. With this knowledge, how did you feel?

I was terrified. I even wrote a letter to my family in the unlikely case that it happened. I was pretty sure that I would be OK since I knew that I wasn’t getting involved in politics - I just wanted to make a film to help those who were struggling to turn their lives around. But in Colombia you never know if that might be taken the wrong way, and I spent some pretty restless nights in my hammock.

Luckily, the main groups will usually only kidnap a foreigner if they think that they have loads of money so, for the first time ever, I was glad that my parents weren’t millionaires.

Spring 08 28/02/2008 17:12:57

profile slug

Prior to Colombia, you spent a year studying at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Was this encouraged by the tutors at Bristol?

People should realise that university is about so much more than your degree.

My tutors where incredibly supportive because they saw that I was determined to follow my own path. They really encouraged independence when they could see that I wanted to achieve something different and exciting. I wanted to study in Latin America in order to see the world from a totally new perspective: how else would you get such an opportunity? It might have its problems but university life in the UK is second to none. I encourage everyone to milk it for all its worth!

If you were to go back to Colombia to make another film, would you approach it in much the same way?

Next time I’ll take an experienced film crew, a big budget and a massive emergency block of cheddar.

How has university life benefited from this experience?

My final year has so far been very focussed and enjoyable. I have learned what a privilege it is to have such a varied and engaging education and am determined to get as much as I can out of it while it lasts. By studying Politics and Spanish my life turned into an incredible adventure. It’s not what you study, it’s what you do with it that counts!

Spring 08 14-17 Tims.indd 17

17 28/02/2008 17:16:33

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25/02/2008 17:00:22

Group pain

revision

The agony of swotting doesn’t have to be suffered alone. Group revision courses are on offer throughout the UK that alleviate that gruelling period in your life

W

ith so many pupils getting top grades to go on to university or college, pressure mounts for you to do well in your exams. As a consequence, Easter Revision courses are rising in popularity. This year Easter is earlier than normal, so now is the time to book to ensure you get the course and dates you require.

Coursing through This rise in demand for AS Level courses has been particularly prominent: “These courses have doubled in the last few years,” says Marilyn Craig, Director of Courses at Justin

Sarah Alakija, vice-principal of MPW in South Kensington, says that there is not enough time to cover the whole syllabus on a revision course: “Our tutors therefore pick out topics which they know generally come up, and ones which cause the most problems.” At Cherwell College in Oxford, students are offered extra one-to-one tuition if there are any gaps in their syllabus knowledge. “Repetition is key to success,” says Rob Butler, vice-principal.

“Students need to read and then re-read texts, and consolidate this knowledge with exam practice.” Kirsty Shanahan, Communications Manager of Harrow School, agrees: “Going over your notes in a structured environment,

”Repetition is key to success. Students need to read and then re-read texts, consolidating their knowledge” Craig Education, which runs Easter revision courses for around 3,500 pupils at 13 centres around the country, including Mill Hill. If you want to do well at A Level, you need to do well first time round with your AS Levels so you do not have to waste time re-sitting these exams during your vital A Level year.

“We are finding that more schools are paying for students to do revision courses as they want to make sure they perform well on league tables, and they feel more accountable to their students so are keen that they perform well,” says Marilyn Craig.

with access to teachers who can help with any areas that you are struggling with, is one of the best ways to revise effectively, and that’s what Harrow’s revision courses aim to offer.”

Stress out On exam day itself, all knowledge and methods can fly out the window as nerves take over: “Exams stress people out because they are worried about the result, not the exam itself,” says Jasper Green, co-founder of York Science Revision, which runs residential revision courses for science and maths

students. “If students start preparing early, little and often, revision can ensure that they go into the exam room with confidence, knowing they will achieve their potential.”

Kelly Prangle, Marketing and Admissions for St Mary’s School in Calne, Wiltshire, which runs residential courses, also recommends that students don’t leave everything to the last minute: “They should try to resist the urge to cram the night before as it is more likely to make them panic than help them absorb any more information,” she says. “Prepare everything they need to take for the exam in advance.“ Prices for Easter Revision courses vary between £250 and £1,500, depending on the level of exam, how many subjects and whether residential or not. Course lengths also vary, and this year run between 16 March – 11 April.

Cherwell College, www.cherwell-college.co.uk, 01865 242670 Harrow School, www.harrowschoolenterprises. com; 020 8426 4638 Justin Craig - 13 locations around the country, www.justincraig.ac.uk; 01727 827000 Lansdowne College, Bark Place, London, W2, www.lansdownecollege.com; 020 7616 4400 MPW, South Ken, www.mpw.co.uk; 020 7835 1355 St Mary’s School, Calne, Wiltshire, www. stmaryscalne.org; 01249 857200

Spring 08 19 Revsion.indd 19

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preparation

Securing your Very few people enjoy revision, but it’s just one of those things you have to grit your teeth and endure. Here are a few strategies to help you through those tough times.

T

he revision period is a time in your life when even the most mundane television, and the most tedious conversations, become a ray of light in your day. Across the country, thousands of school kids find they suddenly enjoy the World Darts Championship; find relief in staying on at the dinner table to chat with their parents; and dream up hundreds of reasons not to go back to the books.

Finding the motivation to revise is one of the hardest things to do at school, but it need not be this painful. There are certain ways to minimise the damage inflicted by looming exams, and they are worth taking note of if you want to retain your sanity and pass with

four subjects – don’t aim to cram too much into one session. Perhaps stick with one subject per evening and, within that, divide your time into half hour chunks with a ten minute break in between. It makes the prospect of revising much rosier if you know you’re only doing short stints.

So, for example, on a school night you could start revising at 5pm; take a break from 5.30-5.40pm and then work until 6.10pm.

Then you should do a short half hour session after dinner and the rest of your evening is free. Also, start revising well before the exams – this means you can pace it out and not have to cram five hours a night before the big day.

Eating, drinking and sleeping properly is important if you want to make the most of your time revising flying colours.

The most important thing to remember is that exam results do have an impact on your life. It is impossible to gauge how much of an impact they’ll have, because they affect different peoples’ career paths very differently.

But it is worth trying your hardest in exams because you don’t know how much you’ll need to rely on the results.

Below are several (relatively) simple steps to ensure that you make the most of your revision time:

Memory

Timetable

Many people think revision is just a matter of reading information off a page. While this may work for a very small minority, the trick

Map out what you’ll be revising over the coming week. You’ll have exams in around

20 20 Revsion Tips.indd 20

If you do start to revise earlier, you’ll be able to remember a lot more when the time comes. By spending a bit of time on something, then returning to it 24 hours later, and then two days later, it’ll lodge in your head much better than spending one five-hour chunk on it. It’s also much more time-efficient, and only requires short stints at the books at any one time. To do this properly, you’ll need a carefully worked out timetable.

Strategies

with revision is to combine various methods into one practice. Perhaps the most effective method in terms of retaining information is to read, write and speak your notes. So you read a section, write down some clear notes (using highlighters helps) and then read them out loud a couple of times over. This means that information will be seen, spoken and heard, and much more likely to stick.

Coordination This may fall flat on its face after one day but it’s worth a try. If you can agree with your mates to all revise at the same time, you can share the feeling of frustration during your stint and then all regroup for the wake. It takes some serious collective discipline however, so not to be relied on.

Look after yourself Eating, drinking and sleeping properly is important if you want to make the most of your time revising. Always keep a glass of water on the go: dehydration has a serious effect on concentration and will mean you have to spend twice as long as you normally would to absorb information. Instead of eating heavy lunches such as pasta and chips, a hearty salad or something fresh and light will stop you dozing off later in the day. Oily fish – such as mackerel or tuna - is good for the brain, as are Omega-3 tablets. And make sure you sleep well: tiredness could be your worst enemy.

Breaking up your revision with a bit of exercise is perhaps the best way to keep you ticking over, and to sleep at night.

Spring 08 28/02/2008 13:38:54

Study, sea, sand

profile

Some can only dream of studying in a tropical idyll. St George’s University makes that a reality Prashant Patel has always admired doctors and their work: “There aren’t many other jobs where you’re constantly learning and developing yourself,” says the Surrey native.

Multicultural Through a secondary school friend, Patel learned about the MD Program at St. George’s University School of Medicine, in Grenada.

Applicants who have completed A Levels, such as Patel, enter directly into a five-year medical degree program comparable to the UK system.

Though he has just arrived at SGU’s True Blue Campus, Patel is fascinated with the number of different cultures represented in the School of Medicine. “I’ve met so many people from the US, South Africa, Sweden, the UK and Africa,” he says. “SGU has such a huge diversity of people here.”

Also impressive, he says, is the location.

“The campus is like a dream world. We walked out of a lecture and we just stood there staring at the moon and the clouds” “The campus is like a dream world. The other day my classmate and I walked out of an Abnormal Psychology lecture and we just

stood there frozen to the spot staring at the moon and the clouds around it,” says Patel.

“It was like something out of a film.”

Contact For more information on St. George’s University School of Medicine, call 0800 169 9061 or +1 631 665 8500, extension 220 or 301, or visit www.sgu.edu.

Friends are... course mates team players a great investment

… at Northumbria University in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne Make friends with Northumbria for more info on Scholarships of up to £1000 and the chance to win an iPod!

Get to know us better at www.northumbria.ac.uk/friend 21 SGU.indd 21

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HEAD NORTH All across the North, towns are erupting in bursts of regeneration, offering a paradise for young, adventurous and discerning students to let their hair down and go wild for three years straight There’s an imaginary line running south from Lancaster, skirting to the west of Liverpool and heading down towards Derby. It shoots east to Nottingham and then back up to York, before wobbling the home straight – like any student on a Friday night – back to Lancaster. It’s a square, of sorts, and we drew it. And after a few hours of musing, we realised that our randomly selected location to base this edition’s University Special on was actually a discovery of epic proportions. Huddled in that ‘square’ are ten towns and cities that collectively boast some of the UK’s most electric student life; an oasis of universities and colleges, bars, nightclubs, rolling countryside and…students. Navigator jumped straight into the car and headed north to sample a bit of this. Ten days, ten cities. We tasted street life, culture, music, a few campuses, and plenty of nightlife; and we returned knackered, hazy-brained, and eternally corrupted.

But it was good, and over the next 10 pages we share our newly-discovered enlightenment. Enjoy.

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MADCHESTER Older generations will know about ‘Madchester’, the late-80’s hedonistic period that spat out The Stone Roses, New Order, legendary super-club The Hacienda, and its own summer of love. While things may have changed somewhat since 1988, Manchester is still riding on the crest of a wave that seemingly has no end. It is the most popular destination in the UK for students, perhaps spurred by both its celebrated reputation, and a massive cash injection in the mid-1990’s to regenerate the city centre.

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There has been a real transformation since the 1960’s: what were once drab factories and cotton mills are now trendy apartments, although the city has still managed to retain the air of edginess so attractive to students. So lauded has Manchester been in the last decade that

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northern delights slug many in the international press and British public regard it as the UK’s second city, after London. Culturally and historically it is difficult to beat: Manchester was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century and has since stamped its mark as a crucial centre for business in Europe. Although one of the country’s biggest urban centres, Manchester is relatively compact and many of the attractions are within walking distance .

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won the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year Award for 2007. Official assessments of teaching quality show that no other university in the country has more subjects rated excellent for teaching (36).

And with over 62,000 applicants last year, it is the most popular university in the UK.

Strong prospects

Manchester Metropolitan University has made strides since its transformation from a polytechnic into a fully-fledged university.

Also a merged university, MMU has seven campuses, five in the city centre and two at Alsager and Crewe, comprising MMU Cheshire. The University has a wide range of courses offering students a breadth of choice when applying. It has also developed strong links with business and industry bodies in Manchester and the surrounding area, making prospects for life after graduation promising.

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Double whammy

The city houses two universities, the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). The former was created in 2004 when Victoria University of Manchester and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) merged, and is now the largest full-time non-collegiate university in the UK. The University of Manchester

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Name: Oliver Brown Name of institution: The University of Manchester Location: Manchester Degree: Social Anthropology Length of degree: 3 years Age: 23 I got the best vibe when I went to visit Manchester and also the course offered me everything that I wanted. Now it’s behind me, I had some pretty memorable experiences whilst there: taking part in union debates where, for example, we voted to become a fair-trade university; endless nights out, wandering home late under streetlamps through the Victorian streets of Manchester, filled with the joy of life after having watched a French art house film at the cinema!

Manchester has a huge variety of things to do crammed into a city centre that is easily walkable. Any band that you can possibly think of either came from Manchester or has played there so for live music you are spoilt for choice. Couple this with a vibrant club scene and a bustling shopping centre and you have the recipe for an ideal city. And if you need to escape it all, the Peak District National Park is only half an hour away by train.

On the flip side, though, there is a bit of a

Manchester Metropolitan University lack of decent art galleries: most of the major exhibitions pass Manchester by. Also, the public transport system is nothing short of shocking.

On campus, there is very little political participation by the vast majority of students.

This is partly due to an over complicated voting system for union elections. In recent years, the elections have been hijacked by certain societies who have used their large membership to place their own candidates into union positions.

If I could relive one more day as a student, I’d first hit the Trof café in Fallowfield, the student village, before enjoying some art at the University art gallery. Closer to town, the first of the pubs is a welcoming and cosy joint situated in the archways of the railway line.

Onwards into the Northern Quarter where some more culture can be enjoyed free of charge at the Chinese Arts Centre or URBIS, the award winning museum of urban life.

Some pre-club drinks in the trendy bars that proliferate this area, then to the Mint Lounge for a night of dancing to Northern Soul classics and funky hip hop, courtesey of Fat City Records. Then I’d sample one of the finest kebabs to be found this side of Istanbul, at Abdul’s in Fallowfield.

All Eyes On… The Northern Quarter

The Northern Quarter is Manchester’s throbbing heart: a unique, bohemian hotspot whose flavour permeates all aspects of the city. It’s a tight bundle of legendary record and clothes shops, cafés, bars, independent art galleries and restaurants: the place to be seen in Manchester. While it has been going through a process of organic change in recent years, with money channelled into sprucing up and expanding on what already exists, it stubbornly retains the edge that has propelled it to such illustriousness.

Street life

The Northern Quarter is the old stomping ground of ‘Madchester’ pioneers, New Order, Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. The draw of musicians and performers to this part of Manchester can be traced back to the early 20th century, when a street dancing culture emerged with “dozens of young people performing polkas, waltzes and schottisches to music provided by Italian organgrinders.” Now, it is a focal point for DJ’s and record producers, housing the city’s most famous music shops such as Piccadilly Records, Fat City Records and Vinyl Exchange.

Cafe culture

Daytime relaxation can be found in Café Pop – a café and shop selling retro clothes and household goods – and the Basement, a vegan café and trendy hotspot. When you hit the area at night, be sure to check out the Roadhouse, the Mint Lounge and the Dry Bar, formerly owned by New Order. The legendary Night & Day Café was home to a young Oasis, and Matt and Phreds is a celebrated jazz café, hosting free live jazz throughout the week.

Bazaar markets

Alongside these establishments are a Farmer’s Market on Piccadilly selling fresh and organic produce (including wild boar and ostrich meat!); a Flower Market; and a Fashion Market offering handbags, shoes, clothes and jewellery designed by some of Manchester’s up and coming talents. Perhaps the area’s most iconic landmark, Affleck’s Palace is an old multi-storey bazaar full of independent stores, bars and boutiques – like a microcosm of the Northern Quarter itself.

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One Wild Ride

The University of Central Lancashire is a gem in the north. Student Alistair Topley invited us in to sample a bit of that life

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I’m a third year BA Business Studies student here at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). I come from a village in Nottinghamshire called Edwinstowe, the home of Sherwood Forest (Robin Hood etc). When it came down to choosing my university I chose UCLan for a number of reasons: I was impressed with the reputation of the Business School and really enjoyed the subject talk for my course on the open day; and on the open day, I saw the many new buildings and facilities that the university had to offer. In comparison with other universities, I hadn’t seen anything quite like this. With the university campus so close to the city centre, it’s like UCLan has the best of both worlds.

Placement at UCLan

My degree is a four year course and requires me to spend a year on a work placement, so my days are quite different this year. I was lucky enough to get a placement here working for the university.

I work for a part of the university called Advancement - our main aim is to promote the university around the North West and the rest of the country. My job has many different aspects to it, but mainly I assist one of our external liaison officers who has sight problems. We go out to many events to promote the courses we do at UCLan and try to get potential students to consider us as one of their choices. These events could be school careers events, regional careers events or the many UCAS fairs that occur around the country.

A typical day for me now would be helping out with campus tours and open days when needed, and working on some of the many school visits we have to the

university. Usually for two nights a week we will travel off to the events we have been allocated and work those evenings.

I’m really enjoying my time here in Advancement: the many skills I’ve gained will be extremely important in the rest of my working life. The opportunity UCLan has given me, both on my degree and in my placement, has given me the foundations on which to build my career for the rest of my life.

A Day In The Life 11.00am - time to get up I suppose, got a slight hangover from last night, so good job I had a lie in today. Just got to grab some water before heading off to my 11.30am lecture.

12.30pm – Just finished my accounting lecture, lots of numbers and tables so plenty of notes needed in that one. Got a small break now before my lecture at one so time to get some lunch on the way I think.

2.00pm - Just about time for a power nap to get some energy back for the rest of the day.

3.00pm - Feel a lot better after that sleep, need to run though as I’ve got an economics seminar and need to go through the work I’ve done on this week’s chapter in the text book.

5.00pm - Need some food before heading off to poker. One of the lads is having a

game at his flat so should be a fun way to start the night.

9.30pm – It’s a Thursday so it’s the Student night at our Student Union club, 53 Degrees.

All my poker mates are going out after the game which has just finished now so it’s off to the Union bar for a few drinks before heading into the club.

10.30pm – With these £1 entry tickets I need to get in the club by 11pm or I pay £4, so time to get a move on and get in the club.

3.00am – It’s closing time now and as usual the lights have come on in 53 Degrees, which after being in a darkened club for four hours is always a shock. Great night, lots of random antics and time for a takeaway. Then time for bed, as I have an early start and a full day of lectures tomorrow!

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sunny punts Lancaster University is perhaps the unsung hero of north-west England. Lying just below Morecambe Bay in Lancashire, Lancaster city centre is only 10 minutes on the bus from the university. The city is immediately endearing to visitors, who can stroll along the canal or kick back and spend a day in one of the many waterside cafes and restaurants.

The adventurous student will find plenty of things to keep them busy in Lancaster. In the city centre are a batch of decent music venues, including The Yorkshire House, The Gregson, and The Bobbin. Even the Town Library has made its mark on the city’s music scene, hosting the ‘Get It Loud In Libraries’ initiative which has attracted the likes of Kate Nash, The Long Blondes, The Thrills and Bat For Lashes. If that doesn’t float your boat, wait for a sunny day, hop on a punt and course your way downriver with a group of mates: there’s no better way to shed the frustration of endless days in the library. It is also pretty good for shopping, with two under-cover shopping centres – Marketgate Shopping Centre and St. Nicholas Arcades – fuelling the city’s

Drop anchor in Morecambe Bay, next to Lancaster University needs. It still, however, keeps a string of old, independent stores and curiosity shops. The university itself is quietly unassuming, yet certainly one of the better institutions in the country. Pipping both Manchester and Leeds in last year’s Times Higher Education Supplement League Tables, Lancaster University strutted in at a solid 27th, and ranked 8th in the country

KARL JONES, AGED 7

for research quality alone. With around 16,000 students, the university is neither too small to get bored in nor too big to feel dwarfed by. The Students’ Union has a fairly strong presence on campus, and has a history of gritty political activity. Lancaster had a reputation throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s as being one of the most radical universities in the country.

SEE HOW FAR YOU COULD GO WITH UCLAN At the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, we really do pride ourselves on changing lives.

Over 95% of our graduates (way above the national average) go straight into a career or further study, with many spectacular successes, like Karl, amongst them.

All of which is hardly surprising when you look at our high calibre of teaching, ground breaking real life learning environments and the opportunities to gain all the skills employers are looking for.

For more information, call 01772 892 400 or visit www.uclan.ac.uk

KARL JONES

UCLAN GRADUATE AND GAMES DESIGNER, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE MAKES YOU THINK

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Mixing the old with the new, Nottingham attracts a variety of students

top nottch Centred around three stunning, yet very different, campuses in and around the city, students sizing up the University of Nottingham can look forward to a richly diverse and lively time in one of the country’s top universities.

The campus based at University Park is set in 330 acres of parkland nearly three miles from the city centre. Nearby Jubilee Campus has also won many environmental awards, and is noted for its spectacular architecture. And Sutton Bonington is located 10 miles south of the city and is set in the striking Leicestershire countryside.

Last year the main hub of Student Union activity, the Ark, was flattened, paving the way for an £860,000 project to upgrade the venue. The Ark was split into two, and out of the rubble came the Mooch and The Venue. During the day, students can kick back between lectures on the terrace of Mooch and, at night, The Venue holds live music and club nights throughout the week.

Academically, Nottingham ranks amongst the strongest universities in the world. Newsweek World University Rankings have rated it in the top one per cent of all global education institutions.

Name: Rohan Wilson Name of institution: University of Nottingham Location: Nottingham Degree: Physics with Theoretical Astrophysics Length of degree: 3 years Age: 25 Nottingham is a top-flight university and it was the one place where everyone I spoke to had positive things to say about it. My decision was based on the quality of the institution and I did not spend a great deal of time analysing the quality of the course as compared to other universities. The location was also a strong attraction.

My favourite memories are the wonderfully relaxed and happy moments from my aborted first year at Nottingham when I just had fun all day and didn’t do any serious work. It is a fantastic life in halls, where you are surrounded exclusively by people of your own age, most of whom are very interested in having a good time. Also, getting graduated was a great feeling and put me on a massive high for about three weeks. Finally, walking down the road and realising how much I loved being at university! The city has a good mix of

nightlife types for different people and with a couple of universities in the area it has plenty of people about who are there to have a good time. It’s not that expensive, and is a proper city without anything being further than you can walk to.

I can’t think of anything that it lacks. It does have a very grimy side with drug-addicts, homeless people and prostitutes, and there are certain parts of the city that I wouldn’t recommend going to.

Unfortunately, the Student Union bar is tiny for a university of this size: this appears to be part of a policy to distance the university from the booze culture which at one time it was apparently known for. In addition the halls bars tend to be a bit small and not as slick as at other universities. The Karni (collecting money for charity by dressing up, collecting money then going out on the lash) is a big scene and inter-halls rivalry is a big game at the beginning.

On an ideal day I’d probably go to the park at the back of the campus for a day of chilling out, picnics and Frisbee, followed by a chill out session in someone’s room. Then to Nando’s with some mates, followed by some of the Hoxley pubs and a bit of clubbing too.

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Scouse party Liverpool is now known across the world as a cultural and student hotspot Liverpool wasn’t voted European Capital of Culture 2008 for nothing. While it’s biggest export, The Beatles, ended decades ago, the city still churns out a shed load of good music, art and performances. On top of this, two prominent members of the English footballing elite – Liverpool FC and Everton FC – hail from the city. And while its exports are world famous, its imports – in the form of university students – are generating some serious excitement.

Pulsating hub The city has three universities - the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, and Liverpool Hope University – and they may be at the heart of this reputation. Given that Liverpool has produced leaders across music, sport and the arts, it continually attracts a discerning horde of university students looking to unearth what it is that makes the place so successful.

Name: Duncan Hepburn Name of institution: Liverpool John Moores University Location: Liverpool Degree: Imaginative Writing and Screen Studies Length of degree: 3 year Age: 25 When I decided to go to University I had no idea what I wanted to study and was on the prowl for interesting courses. I already had mates in at university in Liverpool and supported Liverpool FC so was over the moon when I came across Writing and Screen at Liverpool John Moores University. After a couple of swift weekend visits it became obvious that Liverpool was the city for me.

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The University of Liverpool is one of the UK’s leading universities, a steadfast member of the Russell Group which comprises 20 of the UK’s top research-led institutions. With upwards of 18,500 students, and around 30,000 applicants each year, spaces are

fiercely fought over.

Nestled right in the heart of the city is Liverpool John Moores University. This modern establishment may not have the reputation of its neighbour, but the substance is most definitely there. The institution has been lauded for its Foundation for Citizenship programme, dedicated to instilling students with a sense of ethics and good practice in day to day life.

Finally, the Liverpool Hope University is a bit different. It is the only ecumenical university in the whole of Europe, pitching education alongside the aim of unifying the different divisions of Christianity.

It is already making headway with its contribution to Capital of Culture festivities, planning events alongside many of the city’s leading arts and theatre companies.

Memorable moments included the endless days spent watching TV, and the endless nights of drunken debauchery. Although to be fair the absolute defining moment has to be Liverpool famously coming back to beat AC Milan in the Champion’s League Final. It was towards the end of my time in Liverpool and the city went mad. It was an absolutely outstanding night and the whole city centre was rammed with locals and students celebrating together!

One of the biggest highlights for me was the love of football that just about everyone in the city had. Whether you were a red or blue, or didn’t even support a Scouse team, every match was an occasion and there were always plenty of people out and about on match day.

Liverpool has countless bars, clubs, eateries and shops and there’s even plenty of culture available. The great thing about the city is that there are three big universities there so it’s a student paradise. Most Scousers are so friendly and they tend to have their big nights out on the weekend which leaves the week nights and the cheap drink offers for the students. The only thing the city lacks is enough police. Some areas are a bit dodgy and you wouldn’t really want to find yourself out and about on your own at night.

I’d spend a perfect day in Liverpool starting with a cheap lunch at the Student Union before heading to Kiss The Red pool hall to watch whatever football was on, play some pool and indulge in a couple more pints. Then it would be into Concert Square to visit one of the many bars and taking advantage of whatever cheap drink offers were on before hitting the infamous Blue Angel, or Raz, for the £1 entry and £1 a drink offer. A typical night in the Blue Angel would end with group of sweatcovered students staggering down the road to get a kebab from Gemini’s before placing a call to the 24 hour booze man so the party could continue.

Added to this, the place is downright student-friendly. The cost of living is minimal without detracting from the range of amenities available. Given that, in its day, Liverpool was an important trading point, there is a strong international flavour. This has opened the way for a mass of eateries, bars, musical styles and cultural delights spanning all corners of the globe. The nightlife is strong, with a good mix of super-clubs (such as Society, Chibuku and Garlands) and small, live-music venues.

Triple whammy

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Take the leeds

All-hour parties, bands, two universities and Yorkshire fry-ups. Classic Leeds...

University of Leeds is one of the largest in the UK, and receives the highest batch of applications for undergraduate courses. It’s easy to see why. With over 35 departments achieving national or international ‘excellence’, and rated amongst the top ten universities for research in the country, Leeds is a beacon amongst the UK’s leading HE institutions.

The university is located within Leeds itself, cornered on all sides by various renowned clubs and live music venues.

New spots are opening up regularly, and already attract acts such as The Coral, Death in Vegas, and Coldplay. Even university-run venues such as the Refectory, which in the past have played host to the likes of Jimi

Name: Jack Kendall Name of institution: University of Leeds Location: Leeds Degree: Mathematics Length of degree: 3 years Age: 23

I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to study but knew I wanted to live in a big vibrant city far away from home. I visited Leeds, Sheffield and Brighton and loved them all but preferred Leeds because the university was in the city itself and it seemed more lively.

Changing courses at the beginning of my second year from criminal justice studies to Maths was a highlight. Everyone thought I was mad because I hadn’t studied maths in a year and the work load was immense but I had to change direction. The parties don’t fade away in the second year, in fact I think I went out more in the second year than the first year!

Leeds is the perfect student city with two universities and two big colleges bringing in 30,000 students. Shopping is great in Leeds with old arcades, boutique trainer shops and great second hand clothes shops like Blue Rinse, as well as

Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, still draw crowds to watch contemporary heroes of the calibre of The Streets and Badly Drawn Boy. The city heaves day and night, and the list of good bars and pubs to check out is endless.

With over 33,000 students, its size and reputation allows Leeds to offer one of the widest ranges of academic courses in the UK. Indeed the university has more undergraduates studying languages and physical sciences than any other institution in the UK.

Leeds indoor market. If money is tight in the summer, students congregate on the grass on Hyde Park and chill out amongst barbeques, games of football and reggae sound systems.

However, the city becomes too small after three years and lacks good graduate jobs, meaning that the majority of students leave the city when they finish university. This results in a massive turnover of people and changing faces and no long term continuity. It also lacks good dance clubs and has too many pretentious, trendy, ripped-jean types.

There are only a handful of good venues and to improve, Leeds could do with a few more dirty underground sweatpits for the discerning clubber who enjoys the music rather than his/her hair. The city also lacks good art galleries and exhibitions.

The student union is massive and not only performs its function of representing the students but also manages to look over hundreds of societies and groups and attracts big names in music. Students can become a member of any society from gardening to communism, as well as skiing, paintball and American football.

A typical day involved waking up ten

minutes after my first lecture and sacking off the day’s teaching, grabbing some mates and going for a Yorkshire fry-up. Then we’d go vinyl and trainer shopping depending on whether our student loans had come in!

Then (ideally) the cricket would be on in Headingly so we’d go and spend the day there getting pissed on real ale and relaxing with all the old men. We’d then go for a cheap and tasty Thai meal at Gino’s or get fish and chips from the famous Bretts fish shop. In the remaining sunshine we’d sit in the beer garden of the Original Oak pub in Headingly, then get a bus into town to the Angel, a beautiful, cheap, old city pub. We’d then move on to Call Lane, a trendy street full of bars which all play good music. If it was during the week we’d end up in Hi Fi club which is always busy and serves great cheap cocktails.

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dirt cheap Name: Tom Swinfield Name of institution: University of Sheffield Location: Sheffield Degree: Plant Science Length of degree: 3 years Age: 23 My choice of university was largely based on the quality of course, which is top notch, but of course I took the location into account: Sheffield’s got a lot going on and from my point of view it was important not to be stranded in a campus miles away from the action.

The highlight of my time there would have to be the course itself: there were a number of modules that I thoroughly enjoyed. And, while some of the nights out are very memorable I’d definitely say the course.

There’s a night for most tastes and although some tastes are catered for more than others, the good nights do come around. Also, sandwich shops are all over the place: if you want a tasty snack in a breadcake (roll) look no further.

Its very affordable, compared to a lot of other English cities, and the Peak District is a stroll from your front door and is a stunning place. If you go to Sheffield give rock climbing a go: the Peaks are a great place to get into it.

There is, however, a distinct lack of good cafes, so if you like to while away your time with a brew this is not the place for you.

The main university buildings are closely clustered around the students union building, so it’s widely used by pretty much all of the students. Consequently it has a clear presence, particularly with regards to the union-based music scene, which is largely cheese-based but also offers a couple of good nights for the more discerning student. There are also a large number of societies, from circus skills to conservation, which state their presence and are clearly there for the taking or the leaving.

If I had to do one night again I’d probably say a night similar to my 21st birthday in the first year: an immense occasion. We charged around the town and danced our faces off in Gatecrasher (before it burnt down) amongst a crowd of Valentine’s lovers: great times.

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This town ain’t what it used to be. Now a major student hotspot, Sheffield offers everything a big city should Sheffield has emerged blazing from its 1990s slumber and is now a bustling, student-packed town, fulfilling the expectations of how life in the fourth largest city in England should be led. The dregs of the industrial depression have mostly left, although parts of the outskirts are still fairly grim. The town centre, however, is as lively as any in the country and is attracting more and more students eager to party hard, and work a little bit when required.

Miser’s paradise The university campus is a fifteen minute walk from the centre and is comfortably nestled in the bosom of a big green patch of grass. If you get bored of that bit, the city boasts over 50 public parks and 150 woodlands, making it the greenest in England. To add to its credentials, it is also one of the cheapest. The Royal Bank of Scotland in 2004 awarded it the crucial

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title of lowest cost of living for students in England, meaning the seasoned-pros amongst you can nurse a memorable hangover for under £10.

Top notch

All courses at Sheffield (except Medicine and Dentistry) are modular, allowing students a heck of a lot of flexibility when it comes to directing your studies. In teaching, 29 of the subjects are rated as Excellent the third highest in the UK - and for research 35 subject areas carry top 5 or 5* ratings.

The size of Sheffield means you’re never far from anything nor stuck for things to do. With a 500,000 population, it’s certainly city-sized, but maintains a friendly atmosphere, making it “the biggest village in England”.

The university’s Union of Students was voted best in the UK in 2004 and its seismic presence permeates right to the heart of student life.

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old school York, in the north-east of England, is steeped in a rich history that still pervades the city to this day. Stroll through streets too narrow for vehicles, sheltered by the jettied first floors of medieval houses still intact after centuries of weathering. Nowhere is this enjoyed more than The Shambles, a tapered gem of a street lined with tea rooms, boutiques and shops. Outside of this, the town is bordered on all sides by the ragged Yorkshire Moors, allowing residents and visitors to blend a bit of rural with their urban life.

Pubs galore Other than its top-draw history, York has a sterling reputation throughout England for its pubs. Word on the street is that there are more pubs than days of the year; a hodgepodge of trendy bars, old English taverns and small clubs. There are some who even go so far as to say that within the city walls, there is no point where one can stand and not be able to see at least one pub from.

Does this count as a student’s paradise then? Let’s see…

York has a few hidden delights for the discerning students among you. The three main clubs - The Gallery, Toffs and The Junction – host a range of events from hard dance nights to live bands, and there a several other smaller clubs dotted around the town.

The University of York is relatively new, and houses around 11,000 students. In last year’s Times Higher Education Supplement League Tables, the university came in at an impressive sixteenth out of 113 institutions assessed. The main campus at Heslington is a 200-acre landscaped park, pockmarked by lakes and populated by wildfowl (as well as students), and is within walking distance of the city centre.

York St John University is a touch smaller and is located right in the heart of the city.

The campus, on Lord Mayor’s Wall, is a beautiful little site facing the Minster across the City Walls, and is only a five minute walk from city centre shops, restaurants and pubs.

K R O

All roads lead to York

Y

Name: Naomi Glass Name of institution: University of York Location: York Degree: English and Related Literature, BA Length of degree: 3 years Age: 24

I decided to study at York mainly because of the quality of the course and particularly because it gave me the opportunity to study literature in a foreign language.

York isn’t like London in the slightest.

It’s small, incredibly quaint and archaic, and strangers smile and say hello to you in the street. The more I got to know the city, the more I discovered the passion involved in smaller groups of people working more on a grassroots level - from local bands and artists exhibiting in tiny off-the-wall locations, to political groups of which you could take part and really feel you were making a difference.

I also really explored my surroundings. York being ideal cycling country, my mates and I would go off on massive cycling adventures into the surrounding countryside. We would go off for a day or two and ramble in the dales and moors of Yorkshire, camp out, eat warm pub food and drink lashings of local ale.

The saying goes that there are more pubs in York then there are days in the year. Pubs is what York does amazingly - time after time you will find some incredible old Tudor taverns

with dark wood beams leaning inwards, full of character and proud local tipples. The Black Swan pub was also really good for live music, particularly jazz and folk. City screen cinema is a brilliant independent cinema with an arts/ music space in the basement and an excellent café with comfortable couches, and Fibbers music venue is also really good as it is often a showcase for up and coming bands. For cheap, tasty food check out Oscars restaurant and the tiny Mr Sandwich on the Shambles. The market is always good and the multitude of charity shops provides an endless array of unique and cheap finds.

I was quite disappointed by the Student’s Union. They were pretty much apolitical and generally spent their time promoting sports and cheesy club-nights. However, there was a huge variety of societies to get involved with and I particularly liked the volunteering opportunities available through York Action.

On a perfect day I’d cycle to the Quiet Place, an incredible maze of trees located on the campus itself, then go into town via the river and look in at the art galleries, browse the market and charity shops, and then go to City Screen to catch a film and eat some food whilst pretty much supine on a couch. I’d then go for a walk in the Museum Gardens, perhaps traverse the City Walls, then jump off and start crawling the pubs for local cider, find some live music and have a bit of a dance.

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31 28/02/2008 12:55:43

profile slug

Widen your horizons in the north west

double the fun bradford Bradford is a town rich in cultural diversity.

The University has used this to its advantage, becoming a leader in promoting racial equality within a vibrant student scene.

Perhaps one of the greatest draws for students is that Bradford offers cheap living without sacrificing anything in terms of attractions. The town has a cosmopolitan mix, pulsating social scene and a bunch of thriving cultural scenes.

Rolling hills

Surrounded by some of Yorkshire’s most spectacular scenery, such as Ilkley Moor, Bradford has a little something for everyone.

If you feel the need to escape the urban life, books and library, and burst into the wide open space, there are a good numbers of walks heading out of the town and into the rolling countryside.

The University itself has taken a pioneering role on a number of fronts. A self-developed initiative called Ecoversity has put Bradford at the forefront of educational and environmental sustainability – through research programmes,

32 32 Bradford.indd 32

minimising resource use and emissions, and enhancing the surrounding environment within the HE sector. The campus also houses an art gallery, theatre and music centre, the latter holding regular music workshops and free performances.

derby Nestled right in the middle of England, the city of Derby smacks of bustle and vibrancy. The increasingly popular university is divided into two locations, one just outside of Derby and the other in nearby Buxton.

The Derbyshire countryside is bordering on stunning, and adrenaline enthusiasts will be pleased to know that the university is within easy reach of the Peak District. The vivacious atmosphere of Derby centre, however, is a big draw for students looking for a healthy nightlife and lively student scene.

With a population of just over 200,000, the city is neither too small to lack the buzz of an urban centre, nor too big to feel overwhelmed by. Around £3 billion will be invested in the city by 2020 to increase shopping amenities and cultural highlights.

Cash injection

At the city campus, money is being pumped into spicing up student life. A new £500,000 student union bar has been built to accommodate the high demands of students. Nevertheless, you will be within crawling distance of a decent range of pubs and clubs.

The Buxton campus will suit those looking for a more outdoors-oriented time at university.

With over 500 square miles of moorlands, woodlands and hills surrounding Buxton, students have a large playground for sports and activities.

The university has significant strengths in Art and Design. Over 40 subjects are on offer through the Joint Honours programme. Quirky facilities for students include Apple workstation suites, computer games suites and a life-like hospital teaching environment with robot patients.

A lot of effort has been made to develop courses in partnership with local small and multinational businesses. Many courses offer short or long-term work placements, and students are encouraged to study abroad for a semester.

Spring 08 26/02/2008 15:20:36

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32 Bradford.indd 33

Your way

25/02/2008 17:16:07

slug music

“If we can expose the South African music scene it’ll be a very proud moment for us”

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Spring 08

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21/02/2008 12:17:11

music slug

all beautiful South African music rarely gets a shout out in the British press. That might all be about to change with the arrival of The Parlotones, a Johannesburg-based four piece currently trailblazing the UK. We caught up with lead singer, Kahn Morbee, midway through their tour 2007 saw you seal a contract with Universal and have your single, Beautiful, feature on a Fujifilm advert in Ireland. How will 2008 compare?

It was a great year for us and I just hope it gets better from here. The Universal deal and getting ‘Beautiful’ some international airplay has no doubt been a catalyst for us, as was our performance at Live Earth and other big gigs. This year we’ll spend more time in the UK and get a fanbase here, and hopefully more fans in different markets.

The first steps towards the final The Parlotones line-up were taken at university. Why is it so common for bands to form at uni?

Yeah. Me and Paul (Hodgson, lead guitarist) were actually thrown out of the library one time for playing the guitar so we went and jammed somewhere else and out of that the band was formed. University is definitely a fertile breeding ground for musicians: there are more likeminded people enjoying similar music. For instance, I’ve always been into UK acts such as The Smiths and The Cure but they don’t have much of a following in South Africa. The people I played with at university had the same tastes as me so we found some common ground.

How did you manage to combine studying whilst pushing the Parlotones sound?

To be honest, my degree (BA in Communications) didn’t demand that much work from me! It wasn’t like medicine or any of those subjects where you have to work hard: I got away with being quite slack.

recorded so we’re toying around constantly, revamping old pieces and experimenting with different sounds and out of that comes new material.

You recently performed with Razorlight in South Africa.

How was it?

It was great. We’re big fans of the band so it was good to share the bill with them. The venue was pretty small and we had about 300 people in the crowd which must have been a shock for Razorlight given their status in the UK although to be honest, not many people have heard of them in South Africa. Most of the music coming into the country is from the US, and UK bands don’t have much of a following. That kind of shows what the musical climate is like back home and because of that the gig was intimate so Johnny (Borrell, Razorlight’s lead singer) stuck around after and had a few drinks with the crowd.

So far the main musical exports from South Africa have been artists such as Miriam Makeba and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who stick with very traditional sounds.

Does indie rock have a strong following there?

Well, we’ve got a really big following there so it definitely has a prominence. Saying that, however, there aren’t too many indie bands around, maybe five or six big ones.

For us it just worked on influences: every era you’d get a flurry of bands who go with the mainstream and we latched onto something that perhaps wasn’t quite so big in South Africa. But we just stuck to what we did and enjoyed.

What’s the process of your songwriting? Do you write incessantly or do songs trickle out as they please?

You were invited to appear at the 46664 concert, which aims to raise awareness of HIV/Aids in South Africa. How important is this event to the country?

Yeah we do write pretty regularly. We’re practising all the time and it’s boring to do old material over and over again so this drives us to write new stuff. We’ve got hundred of tracks that have never been

I think it’s very important as long as it continues and ensures sustained awareness in the issues around HIV and Aids. But I’m still grappling with the idea of whether a concert really works or not. I think a lot of

the people who go may just go to see the bands that are playing. They might gain an awareness that they live with for a week or two but I don’t know whether a concert really drills home the issues needed to be faced by the country. Over time if it continues then hopefully it’ll raise some sustained awareness, but perhaps it only preaches to the converted. Personally, however, being a part of it certainly opened my eyes. We went into townships and experienced the reality first hand, seeing hundreds of people for whom HIV/ Aids – which predominantly affects the poor - was a day-to-day struggle.

How have you guys dealt with the fact that you leave home as one of South Africa’s biggest bands, and arrive in England relatively unknown?

It is weird. We’re suddenly playing to fewer people – you get that kind of mid-afternoon cricket match clap in between songs which can be quite disenchanting. But that’s where we were at when we first started out. Over time more and more people came to our gigs and the response got better.

That’s what we’re hoping to achieve in the UK. But small crowds are just part of the process; you can’t get down about it.

Do you think your growing internal success will now put a spotlight South Africa’s music scene?

I hope so. If we do manage to crack it that would be great. Hopefully it will be like what INXS and AC/DC did for Australia – as soon as they nailed the international market, bands started pouring out of the country. But most people know South African music for the more traditional artists. There is a good rock scene though and some decent bands. If we can expose this it’ll be a very proud moment for us.

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35 28/02/2008 13:30:57

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34-35 The Parlontones.indd 36

21/02/2008 12:19:27

holiday

Get out of here There are times in life when you just need to switch off. Before big exams, stress levels will peak so take a week off and reward yourself in the sand, sea or snow

D

on’t let revision churn you into the ground. Working too hard can be counterproductive, clogging up your mind to the point where you can’t take any more in, and certainly can’t get it out again in the exam. All students need to break up their revision schedule with a few short sojourns.

Given that you’re unlikely to be able to spare much time, Navigator has dug up the Top 10 short, student-friendly, breaks to revitalise the body and mind. Some are dirt-cheap, some a bit more pricey, but all worthy of a shout.

Walking Hadrian’s Wall, UK

The Hadrian’s Wall walk has become a bit of a pilgrimage for those needing to limber up. The Wall - running the breadth of Northern England from Wallsend in Tyneside to Bowness-onSolway in Cumbria - covers a good 82 miles of diverse terrain. As such you may not want to do the whole thing – it will take the best part of a week – but it’s easy to do shorter sections. If you opt for the short break, the section between Chollerford and

Gilsland in the middle of the Wall is perhaps the most stunning, and takes three days to walk. For accommodation options, see http://nationaltrail.co.uk/hadrianswall/sites. asp?PageId=56

happening in Devon, Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, Kent, County Londonderry, Cumbria, and many other counties around the country. For more information visit the Easter Egg Trail website http://www.eastereggtrail.com.

Hibernate in Wales

Festival frenzy

Renting a cottage for a few nights is good to do with a bunch of mates. And a good location is Wales. This unsung hero of the UK far surpasses its reputation, offering dramatic scenery including the popular Snowdonia National Park - and a decent range of attractions. You can hike, abseil, kayak and surf, or just simply relax in your abode.

To get a rough idea of prices, five of you can spend four nights in a sturdy cottage for as little as £45 per person. Obviously pick your location according to what you want to do while you’re there, and prices may change according to this. If you feel the need for adrenaline, it would be best to pitch yourself near Snowdonia, in the north-west. If, on the other hand, you want some coastal action, Pembrokeshire in the south-west is stunning (see www. coastalcottages.co.uk). For more information on renting a cottage in Wales, see www. cottages4you.co.uk, www. wales-holidays.co.uk, and www.qualitycottages.co.uk.

Easter Egg Trail

This one is slap bang on the Easter weekend, and very topical. From Friday 21st to Monday 24th March, the National Trust is running a massive, and fiercely competitive, Easter egg hunt. The fact that it sounds a bit juvenile may work in your favour: use the cunning prowess developed over seventeen years to dash ahead of the shortlegged pack and seek out enough chocolate to cover all the Easter presents for your family.

Hunts are

The Easter period isn’t known for holding festivals located outside the realms of Christianity. However, they do exist, and can be pretty good, depending on what floats your boat. Generally, a lot of them are folk and jazz festivals: if the music doesn’t suit you, the clientele may well bring a smile to your face.

Arguably the UK’s most well-known folk festival happens in late March. The Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival, overlooking Portsmouth Harbour, claims to be England’s biggest indoor folk festival with over 300 acts from across the world. Confirmed acts for 2008 include Chumbawumba and the Oysterband. Other highlights include music workshops, dance displays, a craft fair and the Festival Club. Tickets are available now for £75. See www.efestivals. co.uk/festivals/gosport/2008 for further fine details.

Another Easter festival with a more widespread appeal is Nailstock, in Gloucestershire. The one-day festival is run by the local community in Nailsworth and is absolutely free, making it that much more attractive. The organisers put an emphasis on supporting local bands so it’s a good chance to spot some undiscovered talent. For more information see www.nailstock.com.

Ski Andorra

If you want some serious exercise, adrenaline and fun, few sports can meet those criteria better than skiing. And, contrary to popular belief, skiing doesn’t have to tear apart your (parents’) bank account. Andorra is perhaps the cheapest country to ski in Europe, although you can always find jaw-dropping bargains at www.lastminute.com for other countries.

Travelling to Andorra is inexpensive and

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holiday

Amsterdam

A few days in Amsterdam is something every youngster should do before they are straightened out by adulthood. Its coffee (etc) shops and Red Light District are worldfamous – drawing tourists from across the globe to marvel at some strikingly relaxed laws – and the city itself is something quite special. Built around a beautiful maze of interlocking canals (165 of them), ridden with bikes (around 600,000) and easy to lose oneself in, Amsterdam no doubt provides a refreshing break from the books.

Make sure you hit the barges and houseboats in the evening for some extracurricular activity. The coffee shops and Red Light District are to be visited at your own risk: many a tourist has emerged from them pale-faced and eternally corrupted. Accommodation is plentiful and fairly cheap See www.hostelworld. com and www.amsterdam.info/hostels for more information. A return from London to Amsterdam, by ferry and train, can be bought for £58 (see www.seat61.com/ Netherlands.htm#train+ferry).

Newquay

Few towns in England offer the spice that this little pearl on the south coast does.

Brimming with all the best features of London – including good shopping, a wild nightlife and vibrant atmosphere – as well as an iconic beach, Brighton is one of the country’s must-see places, and perfect if you need a weekend away. Less than an hour on the train from London, hordes of people flock to the town for short breaks and to soak up the sea air. Add that to its student population (Brighton is home to both the University of Sussex and University of Brighton), and the place is simply heaving. To cater for this, Brighton has invested heavily in day and nightlife.

The historic North and South Lanes, a tight labyrinth of alleys crammed with tiny shops, pubs and cafes, is mesmerising for the first-timer and continually throws up surprises. There are a number of cinemas, dirt-cheap (but good) restaurants and, of course, the Pier: a good laugh and definitely worth seeing, despite being a throwback to the Victorian era. Also look out for Komedia, one of the UK’s top comedy venues. Accommodationwise, Brighton has a number of youth hostels. For more information see www.hostelbookers.com.

want to risk being away from the desk for, can be brief or drawn out. Perhaps the best way to see Europe is via interrailing. Trains traversing the country offer a far better experience than flying from city to city, and interrailing doesn’t have to be just a summer event. You can enjoy Europe at any time of the year and, in fact, it’s cheaper at Easter.

For example, four days breezing through Greece will set you back only £68 for travel (although you have to get to the place first).

Accommodation will be cheap this time of year and the weather will be…temperate.

The Czech Republic is even cheaper (£53 for four days) and is renowned for being frugal-friendly. If you want to stay closer to home, interrailing the Republic of Ireland is a bit more pricey (£106 for four days) but cheaper to get to in the first place. To learn more about interrailing, see www.

interrail.net. To get a country-by-country guide, visit www.roughguides.com and www. lonelyplanet.com.

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easy. London to Paris on the Eurostar (www. eurostar.com) can be snapped up for £59 return. Then an overnight train from Paris to l’Hospitalet costs £14 one way. Finally, the bus from l’Hospitalet into Andorra goes for £6 one way. Now an established resort, Andorra has heaps of places to stay. Look at www. yourandorra.com for cheap deals. Fast Track Ski (www.fasttrackski.co.uk) has some good offers and gives you the Top 10 best ski deals in Europe. Finally, World Ski (www.worldski. com) has a breakdown of estimated prices for lift passes across Europe.

Travel Europe on the quick

You may be sick of the country, let alone your studies, and wanting to break free for a bit. If so, going abroad sounds harder than it actually is. Cheap deals to the continent are easy to find and, depending on how long you

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Brighton

Although Easter won’t allow you to comfortably enjoy the Fistral Beach life, Newquay town itself offers plenty to keep you occupied, and is within easy reach of some of Cornwall’s treasures. Packed full of shops, cafes, bars and clubs, the place has a good vibe, seething with talk of 6ft barrels, seismic rips and mondo babes.

While only the brave will attempt to surf in April, you can don a full-length wetsuit and choose from one of many classes (see www. surfnewquay.co.uk and www.reefsurfschool. com). Around Newquay there is plenty on offer. The world-famous Eden Project is a short bus ride away, and if you cycle there you’ll get a queue-jump and £4 off your entry fee, just for being green. Look out for events happening at the Eden Project – last year saw acts such as Rufus Wainwright, Hot Chip and Lily Allen serenade the plants.

For details on transport to Newquay, check www.nationalrail. co.uk or www. nationalexpress. com. There’s a range of accommodation, camping being the cheapest. See www. newquayaccommodation.com/campsites. htm for more details.

Go Ape

This offers a short, sharp, shock (if that’s what is needed). Picture yourself swinging from the trees, hollering sounds of the jungle and living out those Tarzan fantasies you’ve kept hidden since childhood. Go Ape – a challenge to those emerging into the brittleness of adulthood – is an award-winning, tree top adventure course.

Participants trek from tree to tree along highwires, through suspended tunnels and via swings. It sounds childish until one realises the level of adrenaline release involved. There are 16 courses located throughout England and Scotland, and it costs £25 per three-hour session. If you’d like more information visit www.goape.co.uk.

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28/02/2008 17:29:34

Find out more about the universities and colleges you are interested in – and have the chance of winning an iPod nano

save cash

Register your interest by text in your choice of the universities and colleges featured in Navigator magazine and/or in any course you are interested in studying, and you will have the chance of winning an iPod nano. You can also register and enter the competition through our website: www.clubnav.com To receive FREE information from these universities and colleges and/or any course, simply text the code of the institution and/or the course you would like more information on followed by your name (first name and family name), house number and postcode (with spaces) to 07624 803 456 For example: TCC joe blogs 91 se1 0hx

You will automatically be placed into the draw to win an iPod nano. You can register your interest in more than one institution and several courses – all you need to do is enter multiple codes divided with a comma and no spaces eg: ABE,CHEMICALENGINEERING,PHYSICS joe blogs 91 SE1 OHX Good Luck!

You have to type in your university code and/or course choice, followed by your first and surname, house number and postcode for a chance to win

Text your entry to: 07624 803 456 ABE BGU BRU CBS COL GLA ULN NUC

Aberystwyth University Bangor University Brunel University Cass Business School, London Colchester Institute University of Glamorgan University of Central Lancashire Newman University College, Birmingham

NOR Northumbria University REA University of Reading RBS Regent’s Business School London SGM St George’s University, Grenada School of Medicine SHC St Helens College TRC Truro College UWIC University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

Terms and conditions apply. The competition is open to UK residents only. The winner will be selected at random by the editor and will be notified by telephone before 1 January 2008. The editor’s decision is final.

Spring 07 08 Winter 39 Text response.indd 39

39 28/02/2008 16:55:08

glossary

Be prepared fo T

he thought of going to university or college can seem quite intimidating.

Not only do you move away from home, form new friends and take on a different level of study, but you can also be put off by what seems like a forest of academic jargon littering your prospectuses and related conversations. But relax: behind the long words are some pretty simple meanings. Here is a list of some terms you may come across pretty often in the run up to application.

Glossary Academic term – if your university/college works on a term basis, then your academic year will likely be divided into three sections (terms), between summer and winter, winter and spring, and spring and summer. See also semester.

Admissions interview – this is becoming increasingly rare but some universities, particularly the more prestigious ones, still insist on an interview before offering you a place. The interview will test whether you are suitable for a position at the university so prepare well in advance.

BA (Bachelor of Arts) – undergraduate degree generally awarded to ‘arts’ subjects such as humanities, social sciences and languages. Can be followed by postgraduate study for an MA (Master of Arts).

BSc (Bachelor of Science) – undergraduate degree generally awarded to ‘science’ subjects such as natural sciences, mathematics, design.

Can be followed by postgraduate study for an MSc (Master of Sciences).

(Note: some subjects, such as economics, geography and politics, can be either BA or BSc depending on the institution and focus of course).

BEd (Bachelor of Education) – course in Primary or Secondary teaching. Often combines university study with periods of placement in schools and covers both theory and practice of education.

Clearing – process through which university applicants who are not successful on the first application find suitable vacancies at HE institutions.

Course work – made up of essays and projects.

Contributes to your final mark and takes the place, or is combined with, exams.

40

Clubs/societies – a bit of extra-curricular on and off-campus. Most universities/colleges have in excess of 100 clubs and societies, ranging from Ultimate Frisbee to Amnesty UK to Neighbours Appreciation.

Deferment – Students may opt to put their studies on hold for a while and resume the next year. This is known as ‘deferring’.

Dissertation – this is one of the final stages of your degree. Dissertations are (heavily) extended essays, anything between 4,000 to 16,000 words, usually on a topic of your choice within your degree programme. They often make up a large percentage of your final grade.

Entrance exams – only really used in the top flight institutions. These tests set the straight-A students apart from the straight-A students with that little bit extra.

Essay – similar to a school essay, although obviously the required standard is higher. In most cases essays must be accompanied by a bibliography (a list citing other peoples’ research).

Faculty – a division within the university made up of senior level staff members.

Field work – the research for your project that is undertaken in the ‘field’, i.e. by going out and conducting surveys and assessments relevant to the topic. Usually specific to humanities, social, life and natural science degrees.

Halls – your home for the first year (unless you arrange something different). Halls can range from 6-person houses to 20-person corridors.

Usually home to filth and parties.

Hons (honours) – awarded to students who achieve a high grade in their final year assessment or have completed a specialised area of study for their degree.

League tables – national ranking of universities/colleges according to quality of teaching, research, student satisfaction, etc.

Lecture – often a precursor to a seminar. Lecturer delivers one to two

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glossary

for student life hour talk on a particular subject. Less interactive than seminars; designed to feed information to students which they then discuss in the seminar.

Lecturer – usually a more senior academic who delivers the bulk of the course material in the form of a lecture which is then discussed with your tutor in a seminar.

Library – first years’ sleep here, final year students weep over a stack of papers.

Libraries offer books, documents, audio and visual material, internet access and a ‘quiet’ space to work in.

LLB (Bachelor of Laws) - principle academic degree in law. First step on the long road to becoming a lawyer.

Loan – Your lifeline at university/ college. Student loans need to be arranged well before you start university, through your district awards council, and are given out on a meanstested basis, largely depending on your parent’s financial situation.

Module – a component of your course.

Students will pick a topic within their course and study that for a term/semester. You are likely to be assessed on each module.

NUS (National Union of Students) – an organisation comprising a confederation of local student representatives in UK colleges and universities. NUS provides research, representation, training and advice for students and student unions.

NUS card – you’ll be given one of these when you arrive at university/college. It acts as a membership card for the NUS and entitles you to an array of discounts and special offers on things ranging from gym membership and club entrance fee to meal prices. Worth holding on to.

Overdraft – the beauty of this will become apparent soon enough (and grow sour shortly after that). Most, if not all, student bank accounts offer an extendable overdraft meaning you can spend money that isn’t yours. Heavy fines appear if you go beyond your overdraft.

Professor – senior academic who holds a departmental chair. They take lectures and seminars, perform advanced research in their fields, and train young or new academics.

Semester – universities/colleges divide the academic year into either terms or semesters. If the latter, there are two semesters to each year, in which case your course module may not finish when the Christmas/Easter/summer break comes but may run into the next term.

Seminar – a class containing anything from four to thirty students where an interactive discussion, led by the tutor, on a particular subject takes place. Seminars may also involve presentations and group work. You should have at least one per week for each module.

Student Union – the voice of the students.

The student union is generally made of exstudents who represent current students to a higher level of university faculty. Student unions usually run bars and shops.

Student Union officers – these are the staff that make up the backbone of the student union (otherwise known as sabbaticals) and are headed by the union president. Officers generally represent students in the areas of welfare, education, communications, entertainment, activities and finance.

Top up fees – a recently introduced (20062007) way of charging tuition fees to undergraduates and PGCE students. Most universities have chosen to charge the full whack of £3000 instead of the previous, contributory, maximum of £1,250.

Tuition fees – unfortunately, unless you get a scholarship, you have to pay tuition fees for the use of academic resources, such as teachers’ time, books, etc. Again, this is based on your parents’ income (‘means tested’).

Tutor – your guiding light through university/ college. Tutors are not always lecturers: some are PhD students and therefore not qualified to lecture but instead hold seminars.

Tutorial – a meeting with your tutor where you discuss your work, progress and any problems you may be having. Tutorials are generally quite sporadic but it is a chance to meet one-on-one with your tutor.

Union bars/shops – like the tuck shop, but bigger and with an alcohol licence. Union-run bars and shops are cheap

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preparation

Ignite your future UCAS Conventions

U

CAS run a series of over 50 conventions each year, aimed mainly at 16 and 17 year olds looking to discover in a short space of time which university or college suits them best. Last year over 255,000 pupils went and lapped up all the goodness that higher education in the UK has to offer.

Conventions are held between March and July in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and between August and October in Scotland.

All are free of charge, and you may even pick up a few freebies while there!

The UCAS webpage on conventions (www. ucas.com/students/exhibitions/index.html) gives full details on how to best prepare for the events. The most important thing is to have a think about what you want to do and where you want to go before the convention. Then you’ll have a better idea of what questions to ask, and so make more of the day.

The list of conventions below covers only the UK’s main ones. For regional conventions, visit http://www.ucas.com/students/ exhibitions/conventions/regionalevents/.

Manchester Venue: Manchester Central Convention Complex Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 5 & 6 March 2008

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Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Northern Ireland Venue: The King’s Hall, Belfast Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 12 & 13 March 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Exeter Venue: WestPoint Arena Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 19 March 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

London Venue: Brompton Hall, Earls Court Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 1, 2, 3 April 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Cardiff Venue: UWIC, National Indoor Athletics Centre Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill

Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 10 April 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Tyneside Venue: Metro Radio Arena Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 23 April 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Bath Venue: Bath University, Sports Training Village Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 28 & 29 April 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Sheffield Venue: Hallam FM Arena Contact: Karen Lacey/Angie Hill Organisation: UCAS Media Tel: 01242 544729 Email: conventions@ucas.ac.uk Date: 1 July 2008 Booking is online, please visit www. ucasevents.com/conventions08

Spring 08

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43 Personal Statements.indd 43

 What career plans you may have for when your course is finished. Even if they are not specific,include the broad direction you want to go in – this will show them that your choice of course is not just for the sake of doing it.

 What interests you in particular about the courses you have picked? Include any reading you have done on the subject, or talks you have been to.

 Why you have chosen the course(s) you listed.

UCAS have recommended that you include the following in your statement:

Writing your personal statement is not always an easy task - funny, because all it involves is writing about yourself and your own aspirations. But students spend days sweating over every minute detail, making sure they demonstrate enthusiasm and learnedness without sounding too clever and over-eager.

The trick with a personal statement is to keep it well balanced, and to include all the key information a university will want to see from an applicant.

 Any subjects you are studying that do not have a formal assessment.

 Details of non-accredited skills and achievement that you have gained through activities such as: ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network awards), for example, Universities Award; Diploma of Achievement; Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme; Liverpool Enrichment Programme; Millennium Volunteers Scheme; and Young Enterprise.

 Details of any accreditation received for your activity in preparation for Higher Education, for example through the ASDAN Aimhigher Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE qualification).

 Any involvement in widening participation schemes such as summer schools or mentoring activities.

 Are there any jobs, placements, or voluntary work you have done which may be relevant to your degree? You should include the skills and experience you have gained from these activities.

 Your future plans.

If you are not in full-time education, you should give details of any relevant work experience, paid or unpaid, and information about your current or previous employment.

If you are an international student, also try to answer these questions: • Why do you want to study in the UK? • What evidence do you have to show that you can complete a higher education course that is taught in English? Please say if some of your studies have been assessed in English.

• Have you had a position of authority or used your communication skills in any activity?

For more information on writing your personal statement, visit http://www. ucas.com/students/startapplication/apply/ personalstatement. If you think reading some examples would be beneficial, go to http:// www.studential.com/personalstatements.

 Your social, sports or leisure interests.

 If you are planning to take a year out, your reasons why.

 Any sponsorship or placements you have or have applied for.

Personal statements can be cringing to write. You may come across as pretentious, but then you’re in stiff competition so you’ll need to stand out. Here are some tips from UCAS

reveal yourself

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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top eight Navigator dug up eight bands/artists that can surely do no wrong this year.

Along with a surge in homegrown talent – such as Welsh lass, Duffy, and London’s Burial – come a batch of groups from across the pond churning out some of the finest songwriting around at the moment. We even spoke to music soothsayer, Zolton Zavos – editor of popular culture website, Lost At E Minor – to ruminate on his prophesies for 2008. And it will be good.

Vampire Weekend

(www.myspace.com/vampireweekend) You’ll be hard pushed to find a group around at the moment that draw on quite the same influences as Vampire Weekend. Not since Paul Simon’s Graceland have an American band pulled elements of traditional South African music into what is otherwise straightup US indie, and made it sound as tight and organic as this.

A product of New York’s burgeoning music scene, the four-piece seem unlikely messengers for the oft-subordinated sounds of Africa. Sporting the standard tight jeans and preppy youthfulness, Vampire Weekend contrast image with sound, weaving the influences of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Kanda Bongo Man into their songs with deft precision. While frontman, Ezra Koenig, cleverly soundscapes the savannah with the use of a single, standard-tune electric guitar, it’s the percussion that really drives the music. Chris Thomson is the main hook for the African influence, and his frenetic rhythms successfully propel the listener far beyond the confines of New York. Fresh as anything you’ll hear this year.

Duffy

Duffy

(www.myspace.com/duffymyspace) At the time of writing, the 23-year-old Welsh singer/songwriter, Duffy, is standing tall at the top of the charts. Already causing shockwaves across the music industry, she has performed on Later… With Jools Holland and reached the BBC’s Top 10 Sound of 2008 poll.

Musically, she fits loosely into the ‘soul’ bracket, although the diverse talent strutting across her work makes it hard to truly categorise. Comparisons are most commonly drawn with Dusty Springfield: her voice is distinctive and astonishingly powerful, soaring out of the speakers and injecting the listener with a sense of nostalgia and longing. This is in part driven by the lo-fi production – courtesy of ex-Suede guitarist, Bernard Butler – which gives a timeless quality to her music that both harks back to the pre-rock era, and yet feels perfectly at home in 2008.

The Black Kids

(www.myspace.com/blackkidsrock) The Black Kids teeter precariously on the brink between electro-indie and straight up poprock, fusing crunching guitar riffs with some classic 80’s synth keyboards. The Floridabased five-piece are writing some of the most undisputedly catchy songs around at the moment; surprising, considering they have only got as far as releasing a four-track EP, Wizard of Ahhhs.

The band have shunned squeaky-clean production and instead opted for some rusty, lo-fi guitar and deliberately loose song structures. The sound, however, remains unashamedly camp, and the sense of communal urgency epitomised by the Arcade Fire and Go! Team is harnessed and delivered impeccably.

Glasvegas

44

(www.myspace.com/glasvegas) It’s rare for a band to have the ability to pen mature, potentially massive, songs yet still retain a sense of locality and modesty in their music. The thick Scottish accent rolling unimpeded out of Glasvegas frontman, James Allan, is proudly grounded in the pubs and bars of his native Glasgow. This quality slices through the reverb-laden, atmospheric

Glasvegas (P Mallet)

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Spring 08 28/02/2008 17:30:24

music slug

t for 2008 background of their songs, lending an irresistible intimacy that tempers the enormity of the sound.

Allan’s raw lyrics will likely draw comparisons with the Arctic Monkeys scribe, Alex Turner. Although perhaps not mirroring Turner’s genius knack for mass-appeal, there is something about Glasvegas that - like the Arctic Monkeys - makes them sound as though the songs were written just for you. Thankfully, however, they don’t pander to the trendy

well-paced, journey; the total effect of which may be lost on those who haven’t walked the streets themselves. At least it begins an introduction.

The Paper Scissors

(www.myspace.com/thepaperscissors)

by Zolton Zavos, editor Lost At E Minor – www.lostateminor.com Imagine The Clash, The Police, and Modest Mouse all colluding at a secret warehouse

“Burial’s Untrue brings to the surface the dark underbelly of London; distinctly unsettling yet intriguing”

Yeasayer

(www.myspace.com/yeasayer) Yeasayer’s self-styled “Middle Eastern-psychopop-snap-gospel” sound has raised many an eyebrow, as has the realisation that it actually works. Touted as one of 2008’s will-be kings, their album All Hour Cymbals was actually released at the tail-end of last year and received thumbs up across the board.

The group formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2006 and came to prominence in the US in 2007.

Oddly, their quasi-spiritual lyrics, apocalyptic orchestral movements and a preoccupation with telling listeners how shit the world is makes for surprisingly quirky listening. Yeasayer certainly have a penchant for impending doom but manage, through the skill of their song writing, to fuse it with some distinctly experimental arrangements, and are one of the most novel bands around at the moment.

Burial

(www.myspace.com/burialuk) Burial’s new release, Untrue, has finally shone a light on dubstep. Its carefully sketched imagery brings to the surface the dark underbelly of London, one that has been recomposed time and again by artists who, until now, have lost the real depiction somewhere in the translation. The faceless producer weaves a narrative that is distinctly unsettling yet intriguing, capturing perfectly the imagery of blackened estates and urban decay seldom seen by those outside of it. Its brooding, atmospheric landscape — driven by heavy reverb and tampered, sometimes tortured, vocals — could nearly be a cliché if it weren’t for the exquisite attention to minimalism and stripped-down production.

Untrue beats out a slow and fractured, yet

party and you’re part of the way to getting a sense of where Sydney-based group The Paper Scissors are coming from. It’s an upstairs/ downstairs, mish-mash of sounds: big beats, catchy bass hooks, danceable pop grooves, and the half-spoken, half-sung vocals of frontman, Jai Pyne, who struts the stage like a 21st Century David Byrne - all long limbs, oversized jackets and staccato energy.

Their first single, We Don’t Walk, got them a scattering of radio airplay and a legion of tight-jeaned, scarf wearing fans.

But it’s the rest of their debut album that’ll have the masses nodding. It’s an exciting mix, and it’ll break internationally in 2008.

Yeasayer

MGMT

(www.myspace.com/mgmt) Another Brooklyn band, MGMT are following hot on the heels of Yeasayer and Vampire Weekend as the third party to a hub of bands spewing out catchy, melodic and highly original work.

The sheer size of MGMT’s sound – as evidenced in the single, Time To Pretend – is conjured through duelling guitars and synthesisers, mastered during the early electronica shows that laid the foundations for the current band. At the core of MGMT are two guys who cite mystical paganism, the Incredible String Band and chaos theory as key influences: a decent enough bedrock for their climactic, near-psychedelic songs.

Their pending album, Oracular Spectacular, is a mix of beguiling keyboard hooks and simple acoustic-based pieces, and while the lead singer’s voice is one we’ve all heard before, its wild, Bowie-esque, twang is clearly punctuated by his background as a performance art provocateur.

The Paper Scissors

MGMT

London-based hipsters they may be categorised alongside. The music is dark, honest and thoroughly developed, fusing styles as diverse as rockabilly and punk.

Spring 08 44-45 Bands.indd 45

45 28/02/2008 13:35:51

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Beachside haven

Any university next to the beach is bound to be a winner. Aberystwyth University is located on the shores of windswept Cardigan Bay, holding the beacon for beachside havens

Luke Allen LLB Law Wolverhampton I came to Aberystwyth on an Open Day and I really liked it, especially as it’s by the sea. As a university it’s different from what I expected.

Community life It was really easy to settle in here. One of the things I like about Aberystwyth is the fact that everybody’s got a good sense of community. You know everyone when you go out, and it’s all really close-knit.

Everyone loves the law course here, the lecturers are open and you can speak to them about anything. The course is challenging but there’s always support there if you need it. The fact that the law

46 46 Aber.indd 46

department has its own dedicated library is really cool, and you can go in there and do your work, which means you’ve got a wealth of books and research available to you. There are also computer rooms and wireless internet connection everywhere on campus. I was surprised at how many different sports there are to do here like lacrosse, tennis, badminton, football – you name it, the uni does it! You should try to take up any sports or hobbies that you’re good at whilst at uni, especially here as they provide such a wide range of facilities on campus. I’ve fallen in love with Aberystwyth. It’s weird because I’d never been to Wales before now and I

love it here. Everything about it, like the atmosphere, is different to anything I’ve experienced before. The social life is good.

There are events on all the time at the Union, like ‘cashback’ the RnB night! Then there’s the Pier in town with its night clubs and bars there are loads of pubs in Aberystwyth!

Satisfaction I would definitely recommend Aberystwyth to others, in fact I already have done! The University has really high student satisfaction levels, and everyone I know loves Aberystwyth. People have visited me here and wanted to stay – like one of our friends Stuart, he was at another university, then he dropped out and came here. Everyone loves it!

Spring 08 21/02/2008 09:53:34

www.aber.ac.uk

Aberystwyth University

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* Available at HND, Foundation Degree and BSc.

Best place to be a student in Britain t 6OJWFSTJUZ CZ UIF TFB t (VBSBOUFFE GJSTU ZFBS BDDPNNPEBUJPO t 4BGF BOE GSJFOEMZ QMBDF UP TUVEZ t 7BMVBCMF BXBSET CVSTBSJFT BOE TDIPMBSTIJQT For a copy of our prospectus please contact: "ENJTTJPOT BOE 3FDSVJUNFOU 0GGJDF "CFSZTUXZUI 6OJWFSTJUZ 0ME $PMMFHF ,JOH 4USFFU "CFSZTUXZUI 4: "9 5FM 'BY &NBJM VH BENJTTJPOT!BCFS BD VL

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make the right choice

•The top university in the UK for help and support for students •Dedicated to academic excellence, with over half of the departments rated ‘excellent’ •One of the best university locations in the UK - a friendly student-centred city on the North Wales coast •Guaranteed accommodation for first year students •Over £2.5m in bursaries and scholarships available with Merit Scholarships worth up to £3,000 •New courses include Business Studies, Cancer Biology, Creative Technologies, Electronics, English with Songwriting, Journalism with Languages, Marketing, Media Studies, Zoology with Animal Behaviour.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: THE STUDENT RECRUITMENT UNIT, BANGOR UNIVERSITY, GWYNEDD LL57 2DG Tel: 01248 382005/382015•e-mail: marketing@bangor.ac.uk

46 Aber.indd 48

www.bangor.ac.uk

21/02/2008 11:48:50