LINK ISSUE 01
Speaking on change
LINK
Contributors & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ella McLaren Chanelle Lartey Risberg Yi Nga Yu Joesph Boys-Smith Cristina Ioan Ella Desewu Laura Garvin Gomez Amza Beharry-Ruddock Cass File Poppy Young
MASTHEAD link issue 01 : page 02
editor’s letter First of all, welcome to the first-ever issue of LINK! LINK first started as a frustration, which burrowed itself into my brain until it grew into an idea. This idea has now grown into a fully functioning, collaborative venture which I am really proud of. A huge thank you to everyone who has helped bring LINK to fruition, you know who you are. LINK is a magazine, but it’s also more than that. It’s one of the upcoming publications produced by a new society, UAL MAG + Zine Society. It’s a collaborative, inclusive, creative space that will link all the UAL colleges, students and the outside world together. And, perhaps most excitingly, it’s an opportunity; an opportunity to meet new friends, gain new skills and showcase our talent. Each issue of LINK will have a theme that our contributors respond to. To begin, we are starting with the idea of change. At a time of enormous upheaval and enforced adaptations, this theme is one we felt was apt and we are so excited to share with you our original content, inspired by change, from an array of perspectives. There is still more to come, so please stick around. We have big plans up our sleeves, including events, features & collaborations. You can still get involved, it’s never too late to join, and we make space for everyone so please do get in touch!
contentS 04
THE SOUND OF THE STUDENT VOICE
08
REFORMED: THE RETURN OF THE CORSET
12
LOCKDOWN DIARIES
20
FRIENDS: THE ONE WITH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC
24
THE RISE OF UAL ONLINE COMMUNITIES
28
HOW TO ACTUALLY STOP ASIAN HATE
34
LOVE AND CREATIVITY WITH MIA VALENTINO`
38
ARTWORK FEATURE: CASS FILE
40
TOP THREE GAME CHANGING CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE STAY-AT-HOME STUDENT
43
GET INVOLVED
From, Ella LINK Editor linkualmag@gmail.com
Editor's letter link issue 01 : page 03
the sound of
the student voice by yi nga yu in collaboration with dearual2020 It has been more than a year since the beginning of the pandemic. Throughout this academic year, I have seen that time and time again, the feedback raised by students has been disregarded and ignored, all while the institution has continued to pretend that we are completely happy. We’ve seen the rise of social media pages like UAL Confessions, UAL Truth, UAL Rent Strike, and other forms of online discussion where students have organised and posted their complaints and experiences. Still, the university has done little to reassure and placate their students. I reached out to a few of these social media pages to get their opinions on how they have felt throughout this whole process. Below is DearUAL2020’s response to how UAL has handled the pandemic and other such issues.
I created DearUAL2020 from a need to tell the truth. It was born from a feeling of desperation, as I had been voicing my concerns and not getting much in return. The majority of my classmates seemed disengaged with their own education and the way that it has been disregarded; pushed aside for over a year, from when the pandemic began affecting our lives. DearUAL2020 is a space for students who have felt similarly to me
“Dearual2020 is a space for students who have felt similarly to me to share their issues with university of the arts london.” to share their issues with University of the Arts London. It creates a basis for discussion, and a potential to rediscover and reshape what true education means. University of Arts London is an institution that, unfortunately, is propelled by monetary interests. It puts up a successful facade, but the quality is not there. Most students I have had the chance to speak to feel gaslit and neglected. Their teaching hours are incredibly scarce; people studying full time are getting an average of less than 3 hours of video calls a week. We study courses that are heavily based on practice, and once again, we haven’t been able to access the spaces needed for our practices in a full year. Is it morally correct to receive the same fees from students, who are,in reality, receiving less than 20% of the education that was promised to them? And what is UAL spending their money on instead? They are spending their students’ money on the Elephant and Castle the sound of the student voice link issue 01 : page 04
“There was no possibility of substantial improvement.” Shopping Centre takeover and the development of a new LCF building. Property investment lies very far from the students’ current and actual needs. UAL has had so long to adapt to online teaching. They received so much feedback in the form of emails and complaints, both formal and informal, during the first months of the pandemic in 2020. However, they decided to ignore all of these, and responded to them six months later instead of following the statutory ten day period. All the responses we received negated the impact of COVID-19 in our education, and ‘reassured’ us that we were getting sufficient support in our learning. There was no possibility of substantial improvement. And no possibility whatsoever of receiving a well-deserved refund. Who has been assessing this, and why is the dialogue so shallow and completely closed to students? It is surely more accurate to listen to our views, than those whose interest lies in safeguarding the establishment. Although my page took a bit of time to lift off, it soon managed to gather a mix of current students, prospective students who are doubting their choice after encountering worrying students’ insights, and some very passionate alumni who look back and feel enraged to have had their educational needs emptied and reshaped by a faceless institution. DearUAL2020 has been a movement that has only escalated over time. I believe students have developed some trust for the page due to its consistency, resilience and the fact that it has been at the forefront of some social media interventions in UAL’s official Instagram page. Furthermore, the perpetuation of the university’s neglect through an array of emails injected with the hollowest of empathy, has been all the engagement we have gotten from the school. Surely, this has driven more students to alternative platforms that support a more truthful perspective of the internationally acclaimed UAL.
any direct engagement, positive or negative, from the university, which says a lot. MAIN ISSUES WITH Instead of trying UNIVERSITY OF THE to tackle the issues that ARTS LONDON RAISED I am exposing through BY STUDENTS IN 2021* my account, they have, once more, decided • UAL accomodation to look the other way. rent Beyond the social media • Tuition fees realm, as a final year Film • Quality of education student, I have personally • In person class time been fighting in person • Access to school since the beginning of facilities and studios this academic year. I • Access to equipment have been channeling • Access to Adobe Suite my cohort’s energy and other online towards lobbying the resources administrative team (the • Lack of Programme Director for communication Media and Dean of LCC between the school respectively, but also and students Natalie Brett, the Head of • Prejudice from LCC) to make sure they teaching staff provide us with the bare [including minimum in the current racism, classism, circumstances, which the homophobia, university has failed to do transphobia, overall. We students have xenophobia and spent hours and hours more] scheduling meetings, • Decolonising the writing complaints and curriculum encouraging dialogue, • Inadequate mental whilst encountering health support very little response or • Outsourcing of UAL empathy. The university cleaners team has shown interest in gathering our concerns (which they already knew, in any case) in these countless meetings, yet not so much interest
“instead of trying to tackle the issues i am exposing through my account, they have, once more, decided to look the other way.”
On Instagram, I have never encountered
in providing relevant solutions. Although we have achieved some small victories, like remote access to
the sound of the student voice link issue 01 : page 05
certain softwares, or providing hardship funds for more ample circumstances, the larger issues we have raised remain disregarded. However, the core of the arguments, which is UAL’s legitimate interest and advocacy for education and the arts to thrive, is nowhere to be seen. As the talk about economic compensation for the diminished education we are receiving is completely out of the question, we have had to adapt. Our main objective has been to get a written confirmation that the school will assist us in making our graduation projects beyond our graduation, as the current landscape shifts so fast that we are not confident we will be able to successfully complete them before our assessment dates, which they also have refused to move. This objective has been trampled on and laughed at, and we have been repeatedly treated with such lack of respect, that we unfortunately lose faith and at times, have had to pause the fight. Overall, I would like to say that the rise of highly marketised educational systems not only in the UK, but in the world, and the lack of government intervention when injustices as colossal as this are suffered, will only damage our future society. It is key now to spell the truth, and to do so as loudly as we can to stop this pattern. We are the future, and our education cannot be reduced to an exchange of a large sum of money for an empty degree, only worthy because of the fake reputation of the institution that authenticates it. We need time, we need consideration, and we need real awareness and development of the self and our interests. We, as one of the many students at UAL, want change in the way we are prioritised in our very own school.
“We want an education, not just a brand.”
We want an education, not just a brand.
The Sound of the Student voice link issue 01 : page 06
The sound of the student voice link issue 01 : page 07
Editor's letter link issue 01 : page 0
“How months of tracksuit bottoms are evolving backwards – to the 1800s.” Can a restricted lifestyle lead to restricting clothing? With increasing vaccine rollouts providing a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, many are restocking their wardrobes in preparation for their long-anticipated return to normal life.
by Laura Garvin Gomez || Artwork by Poppy Young
The reformed Return OF
THE CORSET The reformed return of the corset link issue 01 : page 9
Though the ‘comfort’ style generated at the start of the pandemic remains at the forefront of fashion, with designers such as Proenza Schouler adorning their ready-to-wear with soft silhouettes and pastel colours, there have been several shifts to the other extreme. Givenchy’s pre-Fall 2021 collection, for instance, displays a series of very structured looks; some using pieces of crossed fabric to accentuate and cinch in the waistline to mimic corsetry. Being his first pre-collection for the brand, Matthew Williams justifies these pandemic-conscious decisions by producing ‘wardrobe staples’, that complement the growing public opinion for investing in sustainable, high quality pieces.
begun its grand revival. Though not necessarily a new trend, seen first in Prada’s 2016 ready-to-wear collection and dominating the mass market in 2019, there are questions over why it continues to circulate now. It would be easy to assume that the reformed corset simply never left. Since the world has been placed on hold, so too have mainstream fashion crazes beyond coveted loungewear sets. Throughout 2019, corsets appeared sporadically on the red carpet, defining the silhouette of Zendaya’s forest green dress for the Emmy Awards, as well as in the street style of many celebrity influencers. The majority, including Bella Hadid and FKA Twigs, were seen showcasing pieces from Johnny Valencia’s Pechuga Vintage brand.
“The amount of time I spend daydreaming about owning one of these vintage Vivienne Westwood corset tops…”
Some of the SS21 haute couture shows have also opted for escapism by maintaining their comfort zone of ‘fantastical’ clothing, justified by the bleaker circumstances. At Chanel, Virginie Viard envisioned a wedding at the Grand Palais in Paris, including delicately simple dresses and staple suits. Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior honed into cinematic beauty, producing a film inspired by the symbols and colours of the tarot, displaying gorgeous renaissance-style pieces in warm, golden hues. Fashion and popular culture are beaming with literary romanticism and 18th century charm, ranging from the runway shows to Netflix’s series, Bridgerton. People are demanding distraction through foreign concepts, so it’s no surprise that the controversial corset has
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Bearing the title of ‘the king of corsets’ on Instagram, Valencia sources vintage runway pieces and loans them out for celebrity exposure. Known for his vast archive of Vivienne Westwood designs in particular, the collection boasts pieces including the Fall 1993 corset featuring Francis Boucher’s Hercules and Omphale, named by American Vogue as ‘the most popular vintage piece of 2019’. An avid social media response emerged for the collection of vintage Westwood corsets in the summer of the same year, with Twitter users in particular swooning over the designs. “The amount of time I
spend daydreaming about owning one of these vintage Vivienne Westwood corset tops…” said one user. Despite their historical association, Westwood’s corsets and their mass market counterparts do not cinch in the waist area or restrict body movement in any particularly uncomfortable way. Instead, they are defined as structured tops with boning across the midriff and chest areas. As seen in Prada’s 2016 collection, these are often worn over menswear items such as oversized shirts and blazers, and usually come in neutral, monochromatic colours or common textiles such as denim and pleather. “Perhaps she was celebrating the strength and beauty and sexual allure of women who dress for themselves and not the stereotypical male gaze.” wrote American Vogue on Miuccia’s collection. It is true that corsetry was once used as an undergarment for the benefit of accentuating one’s physique, however its modern use says a lot about revolutionised societal norms. The decision to wear it on top of garments or as a singular piece, as opposed to underneath them, represents ideas of unapologetic femininity and self-assurance.
figure associated with corsets. Made popular by various members of the Kardashian family, waisttrainers are said to help naturally cinch the waist when worn for prolonged periods of time or during exercise. Mother-and-baby company Mothercare even went so far as to provide versions of the garment to help with body shape post-partum. Waist training hinders the reformed return of the corset as it aims to objectify women in the same way corsets were historically known for. Katie Thompson of The Guardian, however, states that “corset culture and waist trainers are completely different markets” and should be viewed as such.
“The decision to wear it on top of garments or as a singular piece, as opposed to underneath them, represents ideas of unapologetic femininity and selfassurance.”
2019 also, however, saw an influx in what has been defined as ‘waist training’; corset-like garments marketed to provide the traditional trimmed, hourglass
The comfort chic of 2020 meant that any sort of boning or binding was seen as wholly unnecessary, yet that may be the exact reason for its return. Months-onend of pyjama bottoms and baggy jumpers have people itching with the desire to wear tall heels and full faces, even if only to the local supermarket. They are relishing in the impractical elements of fashion that have been seamlessly robbed from them during the pandemic. Even if from the tiny screen of TikTok, the fashion savvy few are preparing to show their corsets unapologetically. Despite the sudden gap in the fashion timeline between the corset’s prime and now, it is not the least bit surprising that this is the trend which has chosen to stick around.
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Lockdown Diaries How UAL students coped with the lockdowns By Amza Beharry-Ruddock
One year and three lockdowns later, we are finally and hopefully seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the COVID19 global pandemic. This catastrophe has hit every single one of us incredibly hard and it has changed the way we live life completely. But how have UAL students coped with these monumental changes? We spoke to our fellow students to delve into their experiences of the lockdowns.
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How has the lockdown been for you? How are you feeling now that the end is in sight?
Now that lockdown restrictions have been announced to lift on the 21st of June, I’ve been thinking about this past year... How hard it’s been for so many people and the impact it’s had on how we connect to each other and physical spaces. I’m cautiously hopeful that this weird anomalous time period has taught us to appreciate the simple things in life and look after the world a lot better. It feels like this strange moment where we need to make conscientious decisions about how we choose to spend our time, rethinking our relationship with technology and facing the very real dilemma of climate change head-on.
Millie Boxall Contemporary Media Cultures / London College of Communication
I’ve found the lockdowns hard, especially over the winter. But it’s given me time to reflect and to work on myself and better myself ready for life to go back to “normal”. Having time to focus on uni work and personal things has helped with my mental health, but the overall lockdown experience hasn’t been one I’d look back on with happiness. Can’t wait for restrictions to be lifted and to enjoy a drink in the sun!
Ioan Davies Public Relations / London College of Communication Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 13
How has lockdown changed the way you approach your health, both mentally and physically?
I feel like lockdown has given me a chance to start thinking about my health. With more time on my hands, I learned to cook and started exercising. I realised that the best way to get through it is to stay busy and have something to do every day. That’s why I’m making new recipes every day and just trying to make the most out of these hard times. I wish the world could go back to normal now but I’m also grateful for this period of isolation as it made me reflect on my life and gave me a chance to improve it. I’ll definitely try to make my new habits stick once the lockdown ends.
Amazing blueberry pancakes made by Nina (photo credits: Nina Nowakowska-Potera)
Nina Nowakowska-Potera Film Practice / London College of Communication Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 14
I spent the entire last year till now in some sort of lockdown, between Singapore, Germany and London, I really couldn’t catch a break. It’s so tedious and, ironically, exhausting to do nothing at home all day and wait for this to end. It really took a toll on my mental health but I guess it makes me value normality. It reminds me not to take things for granted that make me happy!
I was leaving the house to go to the store and I literally don’t care enough anymore to leave the house in something socially acceptable. (photo credits: Antonia Harold)
Antonia Harrold Public Relations / London College of Communication Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 15
How about on selfcare? Have you developed any new habits?
Caitlyn enjoying a pamper day (photo credits: Caitlyn Issac)
At first, the lockdown was a surreal break from the world. It felt to me like an opportunity to do everything that I had been pushing aside, due to prioritising work and my education. I felt as if I could take a breather, just relax and try to shut out the world and focus on myself. It gave me the opportunity to spend a long amount of time with my partner in my long-distance relationship, which I will always be grateful for, but now it’s different. He has gone back home and now I feel trapped, bored and honestly unmotivated for a lot of things. With this prospect of it all finally coming to an end, I feel really optimistic that times are getting better and we can once again do everything that we took for granted. Bring on June 21st!
Caitlyn Issac Interior and Spatial Design / Chelsea College of Arts Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 16
Millena enjoying a self-care pamper day during the lockdown (photo credits: Millena Amanuel)
Not going to lie, this lockdown has literally been the HARDEST one. After spending most of last year in lockdown I now feel the urgent need to go back to normality. It’s ironic because in the first lockdown I was excited to take a pause from the busy world we live in but now it’s just dragged on for way too long... I’ve spent the majority of my time hooked on ‘selfcare TikTok’.
Millena Amanuel Fashion Marketing / London College of Fashion Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 17
How has lockdown impacted your creativity? Has the work you produce been affected by COVID-19?
To be honest, the lockdowns haven’t been that bad. Fewer people to interact with but more time to focus on you and your craft. I found communication difficult at first but have come to grasp the concept of strictly online learning. Lockdown gave me the time and drive to bring to life my clothing line and drinks business. I know I miss the hectic world and city life but the time I’ve spent at home during the lockdowns has been well spent and I’m honestly proud of my outcomes. I do want everything to open up as I miss my barber and the gym. I hope that what I’ve started in lockdown grows bigger and becomes everything I know it can be, fingers crossed. It hasn’t been easy this final year at UAL but what year has been?
Keiran launched his clothing brand “4FREE” just after the first national lockdown (photo credits: @4free.4ever on Instagram)
Keiran Jackson Graphic and Media Design / London College of Communication
Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 18
As someone in the art industry, myself and my peers tend to carry with us mental health barriers and learning difficulties, I find that we can be dependent on our creativity in order to represent the most robust image of ourselves. During my time in isolation, I’ve decided to explore self-portraiture and self-expression to keep me in this loop. For the entirety of my life, I have and will always be surrounded by the greatest of emotional strength; I believe that the burdens behind the strength we witness in our most loved ones will never be portrayed to the fullest extent. The aim of the series will be to take a look behind the scenes in an intimate moment between my mind and body in an all too familiar version of reality. Familiar to me, at least. And perhaps familiar for everyone else in terms of personal recognition- except they won’t recognise me like that... ironically.
Self-isolation portraits (photo credits: Charlotte Baldwin / @photogramcb on Instagram)
Charlotte Baldwin Fashion Photography / London College of Fashion Lockdown Diaries link issue 01 : page 19
Friends: The one With The
Global Pandemic By Ella Mclaren || Illustrated by Cass File Absence makes the heart grow fonder... how many times have we all heard the saying? While usually used to refer to romantic relationships, it’s also equally valid for friendships. Absence and distance have become something that we are all now overly-familiar with; from not seeing mates or family to avoiding strangers in the supermarket aisles, we are all now experts at maintaining social distance. So, how do our friendships fit into this new landscape?
Friends: The one With The Global Pandemic link issue 01 : page 20
One side effect of the pandemic and repetitive lockdowns has been an enforced increased reliance on technology to connect. In some cases, people haven’t seen family members in months, having to speak to loved ones via Facetime or in the comment section. While it may be assumed that since students arguably already live their lives online, we would have taken to our new online society like ducks to water, but is this the case? We reached out to students from UAL to find out exactly how the pandemic has impacted their friendships. With responses ranging from heartbreaking revelations of isolation and loneliness to heartwarming tales of reunion and strengthened connections, it’s clear that the pandemic has impacted everyone differently. Some have even taken these ‘unprecedented times’ and turned them to their advantage, utilising tech to fortify friendships worldwide.
connect with people on my course. It makes me feel alone and alienated.” It’s not only first years having to contend with these problems, second year students who had to face both union strikes and then the first national lockdown had their opportunities to meet new people slashed as a result. Early-stage relationships of all kinds rely heavily on being able to meet up and communicate often in order to blossom into something more stable or long lasting. Speaking about her experiences as a second year student at CSM, Chloe said “I was making progress with my course mates last year but by not seeing them for almost a year it does feel like we’ve gone back to square one.” Evidently, with the move to online teaching and indefinite postponement of all in-person UAL society activities, social opportunities to nurture new friendships have been put on ice.
“I haven’t even met half of my coursemates.”
Undeniably, a huge part of university life is social. These years are touted as the ‘best’ of our lives with an abundance of social opportunities available through societies, courses and halls. But with the coming of the virus, these opportunities were obliterated and the aftereffects have sent shockwaves impacting students’ mental health and social structures.
“The main part of student life is not available at all.”
All students start university with expectations of what their experience will be like, it’s safe to say that none of us could have ever expected a global pandemic to be on the cards during our time at UAL and as a result, some of us feel shortchanged. Mary, a student at CSF, said “I have met much fewer people than I had expected, I haven’t even met half of my coursemates”. Meeting friends is an integral part of student life which was previously taken for granted, “I never thought it would be this difficult to make friends...there is a lot of online support but it’s not the same as meeting people in person, getting to know them and having fun. The main part of student life is not available at all” said Maral, a first year student at CSM. Rebounding lockdowns and yo-yoing of access to UAL campuses have squashed the opportunity to mingle and meet new people, an issue particularly pertinent to first year students. Lou, a first year student at LCC, said “I haven’t been able to meet my peers, and
Social distance has done wonders for the stopping of the spread of the virus, but as Mary stated “the inability to meet faceto-face is increasing emotional distance”. Fringe friendships in particular are being pushed to the side and while technology has been a saving grace to many, students have reported that it only helped to maintain relationships with existing pals. Lena, a second-year PR student, explained “it’s quite difficult to maintain new or less close friendships because somehow it feels less natural to Facetime with those people and sadly it does make me feel like I’ve lost the opportunity to make a real friends as the lockdown stopped me from being able to get to know them.” Meeting people is one thing, but keeping the conversation going all through a phone or laptop is undeniably hard. Ryan noted that “it’s harder to have a meaningful relationship with someone when it’s just your phone screen”, a sentiment echoed by graduate Michael who said “it’s a lot harder to keep up relationships over the phone rather than down the pub.” As such, a new limbo has been created for acquaintances, reducing them to interactions on social media which rarely go beyond the quick reaction or comment, never quite taking the leap into full flowing conversation. It’s no surprise then that both Chloe and Lou revealed that they have now
“the inability to meet face-toface is increasing emotional distance.”
Friends: The one With The Global Pandemic link issue 01 : page 21
lost touch with friends who they weren’t that close with before the pandemic broke. But, it’s not all doom and gloom, students, in particular those from Gen Z, were arguably already prepared for society’s sudden move to the digital space. Our prolific use of social media has made many of us pros at building and nurturing online relationships. Students worldwide haven’t hesitated at making the most of opportunities for social interaction. In the first lockdown, there were zoom calls galore, online pub quizzes and more live streams than you could shake a stick at. While now, people are undeniably burnt out from living through a screen, zoom-fatigue anyone?, people are still using the time provided by the pandemic to reach out and connect with others. Mary noted that she had “definitely been more proactive in joining social media groups and group chats as a way to get to know and interact with people.” It’s not surprising then that we have seen a boom in online student community pages such as the Instagram page @ualfriends. Their page is as wholesome as it gets, their bio reads “if you feel lonely or are looking for new friends, this is the right place for you”. Offering bookswaps, mental health advice and even a service pairing up students to encourage the formation of friendships, @ualfriends is a perfect example of students’ ability to make spaces to accommodate their needs and support one another. While it has been heartening to see the number of
It has to be said that students are a resourceful bunch and social media especially has been an incredible tool for maintaining and creating friendships during the pandemic. Babett, a third year student, noticed that her “online social network grew massively in the first lockdown” and while now things have calmed down a bit she is still in “a lot more online groups and (is) a lot more active on those.” People like Emma have reflected that the last year has been a time of “forming new friendships as well as strengthening or rekindling old ones” and that she had found “other ways of communicating I might not have otherwise used such as video calling or Teleparty” (formerly Netflix Party). Of course, we can’t talk about technology and connecting people without mentioning Zoom. Alfie, a student studying overseas, “had a couple zoom drinks sessions with old school mates” and he wasn’t the only one making the most out of video call services during the lockdowns, Lena shared “I personally have become closer with my friends during the lockdowns as I have spoken more with them over Facetime.”
“Our prolific use of social media has made many of us pros at building and nurturing online relationships.”
Understandably, in times of stress and anxiety, people tend to need more support from others which has led to a boom of understanding and empathy. This collective vulnerability has led to the deepening of friendships as people open up about their experiences and struggles with others. This new willingness to share has also come hand in hand with a general hyper-awareness of mental health, Lena found that “lockdown has made me want to check up on them even more due to the challenges and anxiety lockdown causes.”
“students are a resourceful bunch and social media especially has been an incredible tool for maintaining and creating friendships during the pandemic.” amiable responses to these types of posts, it does also highlight the burgeoning issue of loneliness facing students at UAL and other universities. Students capitalised on other ways to protect and nurture friendships too. Quite a few responses we received surprised us, a number of people found that the pandemic actually strengthened their friendships!
Friends: The one With The Global Pandemic link issue 01 : page 22
While the pandemic has been undeniably awful, for some, the lockdowns have given them a break and a space in which they can connect with their friends without the constraints of busy schedules. Perhaps this newfound time could be seen as a silver lining to the storm cloud of COVID19. PR student Lena found she was “able to keep in touch better than before with long-distance friendships, since now our lives aren’t so busy and we have more time.” People have also utilised the time to contact old pals, Babett reflected
that she has reached out to people she hadn’t “spoken to in years and reconnected”. Just as attitudes to group chats and joining online communities has changed, attitudes towards friendship itself have changed. Michael noted he no longer saw his friends as “available to hang out or unavailable, but a bit more as a whole”. The pandemic has pushed friendships into a new light, in this view, we are able to see them more wholly, and realise their true worth. Without activities to fill time, people have been getting to know others on new levels and taken time to reflect on their social circles. An anonymous respondent told us “I cut out all friendships that were detrimental to my mental health.” As the pandemic has streamlined some people’s in-person social networks, reflections on who we associate with are becoming more common. An opportunity to realise who we truly care about has been given to us, Emma aptly summarised her reflection of her social circle as “lockdown has taught me the true value of friendship.”
are grateful for its existence, at the end of the day nothing will ever quite beat hanging out with our mates in-person. Luckily, now we have a roadmap out of lockdown and a route back towards normality, hopefully we will carry a newfound appreciation of friendship and the ability to meet up in physical spaces. And, who knows, maybe those friendships which survived COVID19 will stand the test of time.
“The pandemic has pushed friendships into a new light, in this view, we are able to see them more wholly, and realise their true worth.”
If you are struggling with the issues mentioned in this article such as mental health issues or loneliness, you are not alone. You can access help and support by the following link: https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/ student-services/counsellinghealth-advice-and-chaplaincy/ counselling
While we love the internet and social media, and
Friends: The one With The Global Pandemic link issue 01 : page 23
The last year has been a challenging and confusing t of social interaction and access to university faciliti fees, this year has seen it all. It came as no surprise then to see a rise of Instagram pages like UAL Confessions, UAL Rent Strike, UALfriends. Spaces like these gave students the opportunity to post their complaints, experiences and organise meetups to make up for the lack of interaction.
For UAL students, the rise in new pages on Instagram over the past year felt like a way to still be connected with fellow students and keep in the loop. UAL Confessions was one of the first pages to
Image sourced through Pexels Image sourced through Pexels Whilst stuck at home, it was only natural we all felt a bit bored. Being overwhelmed with university work, we all relied on our social breaks and going out. As the pandemic meant we couldn’t do just that, we had to think of new ways to escape our daily lives. An easy escape came in the form of social media. As social media usage increased so did the demand for fresh content.
become popular, as it gave students the possibility to anonymously confess anything. Submissions ranged from awkward sex stories, fake-friend exposés, political and social opinions to dealing with the crushing weight of loneliness during lockdown. The page created a place for discussion, although some debates led to massive arguments and the first page had to shut down as the page admins were invalidating the BLM movement and censoring confessions. A new confessions page is now up and running,
The rise of UAL
ONLINE COMMUNITIES by Cristina Ioan
The rise of ual online communities link issue 01 : page 24
time for many people, especially students. From lack ies to fighting for rent reductions and fair university
UAL Confessions on Instagram gaining popularity fast and trying to spread more positivity and accountability as confessions are now more monitored. Instagram page UAL.SexEd is also rapidly gaining attention. This account is one of my personal favourites as it encourages UAL students to anonymously submit their sexual experiences, curiosities and any questions they might have been too afraid to ask otherwise. All content posted by the creator of the page is fully researched and some deemed it “even more helpful than sex ed classes in high school”. The page is also very inclusive as the creator themselves is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and often helps anyone new to the community and gives advice for dating the same sex. I love this page and you should really check it out!
UAL Sex Ed on Instagram
UAL Sex Ed on Instagram
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Another great page to come out of the pandemic is UALFriends, a platform created for UAL students to meet each other.
Would you say your account made a positive change for the students?
I managed to get a hold of the page creator for a couple of questions. What made you start this page? “I was following a page called ‘UAL confessions’ where students were anonymously sharing their thoughts and feelings. In these messages I noticed that many of them were related to the feeling of loneliness and the sadness of not having had the Courtesy of UALfriends opportunity to meet new people and establish friendships. Therefore, I decided to open @ualfriends, a platform where UAL students could meet each other without any form of embarrassment. I wanted to create a space for people to meet.”
“I think that @ualfriends had a positive impact on some people. Especially the shy and more introverted ones, since this was an occasion to get to know new people in a safe and guided environment. The page organised Christmas gift exchanges and meetings outside when the government rules allowed to do so. I had a chance to create multiple group chats related to some students’ interests such as sport, K-pop, Nintendo switch, cosplay and flat sharing.”
Do you think you benefited from the COVID pandemic in terms of interaction from fellow students with the account? “I’ve received lots of positive messages from people who were using the @ualfriends page, and this gave me a lot of motivation to continue what I was doing. I had a chance to get to know some amazing people that probably I would have never met if I hadn’t had the page! This account definitely made me feel less lonely, less isolated and more engaged with other students.” UALfriends on Instagram
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UAL friends is a really good page if you’re looking for new personal connections. But what about linking professionally? I got you, UALCreatives is the page you’re looking for.
What are you waiting for? You can collaborate with a fellow UAL student starting today just by following UAL creatives!
UALCreatives is the page you’re looking for. Throughout the pandemic they have been providing students looking to collaborate with their handy platform on Instagram. They were kind enough to answer a few questions for us.
While the pandemic had its challenges, students at UAL knew how to put their time to use. Whether it was debating, offering much needed sex education and advice, creating new networks for people to meet up and socialise based off their interests, or linking professionally, the rise of UAL social media pages turned things around for the better.
UALCreatives on Instagram
out for more to come...
As the effects of the pandemic continue, the opportunity for new online social spaces remains, especially within UAL. We’ll be keeping an eye
What gap did your page intend to fulfil? “We thought that amidst the pandemic, students would have a hard time collaborating on projects, personal or academic. Making a page that allowed students to reach out to others and share their projects was what we thought UAL students needed.” What impact has UALcreatives had so far? “Our page has made a positive impact so far on the students as it provides a great networking system. We also receive opportunities outside of university for students to take part in.”
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How to Actually
Stop Asian Hate by yi nga yu || Illustration by yi nga yu
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How to actually Stop Asian Hate link issue 01 : page 29
It is impossible to address the COVID-19 related hate cr of racism towards Asian people. With the recent rise in anti-Asian hate crimes accelerated by the political weaponization of the coronavirus, the racism endured by Asians has finally become a topic of importance in mainstream culture. I can sadly say acts of hate against Asian people are happening at such an exponential rate that I have not gone a day without reading about a new incident. Anti-Asian racism has become a trending topic of debate, but the way in which people approach the issue is incredibly flawed, tokenistic, and hollow. In a world where tragedy easily becomes a trend, how can we ensure that the anti-Asian racism movement will inspire long lasting change for marginalised people of all races? It is impossible to address the COVID-19 related hate crimes without acknowledging the long-standing issue of racism towards Asian people. For centuries, Asian people have been subject to stereotypes which enable prejudice to be levered against us. Diminishing anti-Asian racism to simply COVID-19 hate crimes happening across the world erases aeons of racial discrimination and struggle, and ignores the founding factors of today’s particular flavour of prejudice. Orientalism and orientalist values exotifies, misrepresents, and feminises the East in order to portray the West as dominant. Our female presenting people have been made into dolls of sexual desire, and our male presenting people have been seen as unattractive and undesirable by the gaze of western media. The West has consumed and reinvented our entertainment and our services; anime, K-pop, curry, pho, tea, bubble tea, bao, mahjong, nail and spa services, yoga, guasha, Buddhism, tarot, and more; all whilst holding biased views towards us. We have been subject to laws preventing us from immigration, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 in the United States , and the Aliens Restriction Act of 1919 in the United Kingdom. We have been objectified and demonised in order for non-Asians, including non-Asian people of colour, to justify their dehumanising prejudice against us, a fact
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that many are still unwilling to accept. These are heavy topics to address from all levels but examining your own perspective of Asian people is the key to dismantling anti-Asian prejudice amongst the wider community.
1. Acknowledging AntiAsian Racism A good place to begin is to actively acknowledge that anti-Asian racism exists, and not just in easily visible forms. It is easy to recognise acts of violence against individuals in our community as racism, but understanding that anti-Asian racism and xenophobia exists on many different levels is a much better informed and nuanced take. The model minority myth is an idea which suggests that the success of some Asian individuals means the Asian community as a whole does not experience discrimination. It has been used to create division both inside the Asian diaspora and the wider BIPOC community. Many countries, such as the UK, US, and Australia, have immigration policies that prioritise ‘highly skilled migrants’ who are likely to benefit the country’s economy. Because of these policies, the majority of Asian immigrants hold white collar jobs and come from an academic background, leading to this perception of all Asians as economically successful. However, believing in the model minority myth invalidates the experience of individuals within the Asian community who are not part of this group. Grouping all Asians as successful is also dangerously untrue when examining data by ethnicity – for example, certain ethnic groups have higher rates of poverty than others. In the UK, it was reported in January 2021 that Indians have a far higher employment rate than people of Pakistani/Bangladeshi descent. Yet, there is a false belief that South East Asians as a monolith are ‘wealthier’ and more well off than Black people in the UK. Part of the minority myth directly encourages the suppression of Asian voices and beliefs. The myth
rimes without acknowledging the long-standing issue
specifically pushes the agenda that Asians are the model minority for being able to achieve success while staying quiet about issues like politics and the discrimination they have faced. This belief is so deeply ingrained into our cultures that we ourselves often end up believing and perpetrating it, encouraging our children to act the same way so they have the best chance at achieving ‘success’. It encourages Asian people to assimilate, to blend in with white people as best as they can (which is, in reality, not at all), to be non-confrontational and non-problematic; an attitude that only enables the continued oppression of our people. At the same time, the model minority myth is used as a racial wedge between the Asian community and the Black community. “Asian success” is often amplified with “Black failure”, allowing the white community to escape blame while the two communities blame each other for their perceived successes and failures.
2. Respecting different asian cultural identities Another issue that arose while researching employment rates in the UK by ethnicity was that the British government did not acknowledge other ethnic groups within the Asian diaspora. All ethnicities other than Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi were grouped under ‘Asian Other’. It should also be noted that the Metropolitan Police do not have detailed ethnic appearance descriptors within their crime reporting system – a report was released in 2020 where it was stated that ‘East Asian’ and ‘South East Asian’ are not ethnicities recognised on the CRIS. Instead, it was stated that recognised ethnicities within the system were Oriental, Chinese, or other Chinese. Lack of detail when being used to describe a range of ethnicities as diverse as those under the Asian umbrella contributes to how we are seen as a monolith. It erases smaller ethnic communities and results in inaccurate data.
The view of Asia as a single cultural identity is why people feel comfortable addressing someone of one Asian ethnic background with other Asian cultures that they are not part of. From personal experience, I have been randomly approached and told ‘konnichiwa’ or that I ‘look like a K-pop idol/anime character’ whilst not hailing from Japanese or Korean communities. I am sure that every East Asian, regardless of what ethnic identity they are, has been loudly addressed with a ‘ni hao’ at least once. While the original intention of the term is a greeting, in most of these instances it feels like it is meant as an insult or joke. Not to mention, instantly addressing a person with a ‘ni hao’ is an assumption that they do not speak English based on their ethnicity. It is weird, confusing, and downright disrespectful. Similarly with South Asians and South East Asians – Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis are commonly mistaken as the same, whilst other identities are completely forgotten. Though this does not seem harmful on surface level, it is insulting to know people do not bother understanding the differences in Asian cultures. This is often exacerbated in castings on movies and TV shows – Asian actors are often cast in roles of the wrong ethnicity. In Netflix’s To All the Boys I Loved Before, half-Korean, half-white character Lara Jean Covey is played by Vietnamese actress Lana Condor. Similarly, Korean actor Randall Park was cast as a Taiwanese immigrant in the TV show Fresh off the Boat. This further teaches audiences to view Asians as a singular ethnic identity. As an ally, learning about different ethnic groups within the Asian diaspora will educate you about our different cultures. Engaging with Asian people of different cultural identities, especially face to face, can also help overcome cross-race face blindness, a phenomenon that occurs when one does not have enough exposure with people of different races or ethnic origins. Put effort into recognising our different communities, and when asking about someone’s ethnicity, be respectful.
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In order to make long lasting positive change within internally and externally, root out harmful ideas, a 3. Listening to marginalised communities It should be self-evident, but listening to disadvantaged populations before making decisions about how to support us is crucial. Too often, allies come to our ‘aid’ without listening to the ideas and issues raised by the community they are trying to help. They ‘identify’ problems that may not exist and ‘take offence’ on the ‘behalf’ of underprivileged groups, creating more confusion within movements. They can end up speaking over actual Asian peoples, in a sort of performative form of activism, where their purpose in speaking up is to satisfy personal guilt, rather than to empower and liberate marginalised communities. We have seen examples of this through allies accusing actual Asian people of ‘Asianfishing’ (a phenomenon when a non-Asian person attempts to look Asian and/ or claims to be Asian) in cases where Asian people do not fit their pre-existing stereotypes of what an Asian person should look like. This happens most to people of South East and South Asian descent, who are already less ‘visible’ or ‘recognised’ within the Asian umbrella. Uninformed and ignorant allyship only serves to continue oppressing marginalised populations. In order to make sure you are making positive change when you seek to help disadvantaged communities, you should do your best to interact with that group of people directly. Educate yourself on our cultures through resources provided by our communities – Instagram pages like @stopasianhateuk, @dearasianyouthlondon, @ asianunityoverfearuk are great places to start. Listen to us when we ask for help and respond accordingly – understand that the amount and type of help needed varies from person to person. Believe us when we talk about racist incidents – as
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ridiculous as that sounds, there are always people trying to gaslight us about our experiences. Amplify messages that we are already sharing and signal boost relevant information. Talk to members of the community when you find something that could be problematic before identifying it as so, and vice versa; even if you engage in an activity with the utmost respect, please do not continue doing it if we ask you to stop.
4. Taking action American political activist, philosopher, academic and author Angela Y. Davis once said “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be antiracist.” Simply choosing to disengage with racism in a society deeply entrenched in centuries of prejudice only encourages discrimination and the continued oppression of marginalised communities. It is not enough for only those who are oppressed to speak up and act when faced with prejudice – logically speaking, how seriously would a racist take an individual from a marginalised group? The help of allies advocating for, protesting with, and actively protecting our communities is incredibly valued. When you see discrimination happening, call it out and explain why something might be racist. Step in when you see an issue brewing instead of staying a passive bystander. This does not necessarily only mean stopping a stranger from being racist to another stranger, but also calling out those in your personal life. Though confronting those who are close to you can be hard, it is infinitely harder for us, who are actively being discriminated against by racists for being who we are. Stop endorsing or supporting people who are racist and educate them on what they are doing wrong. Actively committing to being antiracist makes a difference long term, especially when allies are speaking in spaces which Asian people are unable to have their voices heard.
n our society, we should aim to face prejudice both and aim for the liberation of all. 5. Examining internalised racism Sustainable and effective change begins on the inside. Banning racist speech, images, costumes and other external factors can only do so much in public spaces where racist individuals can be caught – if the individual’s mindset remains the same, nothing has really improved in the end. Everyone has some form of implicit bias due to mass media, and societal values. It is arrogant and ignorant to claim to have no internalised prejudice, and only ends up harming more marginalised communities in the end. People spend whole lifetimes unlearning unconscious biases they have picked up, especially ones learned in childhood and reinforced by parenting and community beliefs. Careful examination is needed in order to identify these biases. Allies who are unable to unlearn their implicit biases or at least attempt identifying them are often the most dangerous to our communities. Experiencing racism at the hands of someone you trusted and felt comfortable around is truly disheartening – if this is how our self-identified allies act, how can we expect a future with no discrimination? Not to mention, implicit bias lies within our own community as well. We are not free from untrue beliefs about our own cultures, whether between ethnic identities under the Asian diaspora, or within smaller groups under these ethnic identities. Different social and political identities often intersect, creating different modes of discrimination, such as sexism, ableism, classism, and colourism. It is important to examine your own unconscious bias no matter what position you hold in a movement. Unconscious bias often rears its ugly head in the form of microaggressions. Microaggressions are subtle, indirect, sometimes unintentional expressions of prejudice, and are much harder to solidly define as discriminatory in isolated incidents. An example of a microaggression would be asking an Asian person where they are from and refusing to believe them when they say they are from a non-Asian country – suggesting the perpetual foreignness of Asians.
Another would be being surprised when an Asian person hailing from an Asian country speaks ‘really good English’. White people have colonised everything, enforcing languages on their colonies in order to further the agenda of white supremacy. Yet they refuse to accept that people of colour can speak their own languages just as fluently, if not at a more advanced level than they can. Though it is true that many Asian countries may not list English as a primary language, it does not mean that we do not have access to excellent resources for learning. More examples of microaggressions include the disregard of different Asian cultures as separate, Asian-fishing, and fetishization. There are many other red-flags of implicit bias which you can find out through a simple Google search, and these can be the beginning of your reflection on your own unconscious prejudices.
Taking it beyond stop asian hAte In the age of social media, tragedy is often commodified. Injustices become viral trends and then are forgotten, and images of violence are posted for clicks and empty sympathy, resulting in desensitisation over time. People share information on the suffering of underprivileged people as a form of virtue signalling without changing their own thought patterns on the same groups. We have all seen the rise of performative activism, but I hope what I have suggested will inspire deeper thought. The ways I have listed to tackle prejudice should not only be limited to the anti-Asian racism movement – these ideas should be considered when interacting with causes for all different marginalised communities. In order to make long lasting positive change within our society, we should aim to face prejudice both internally and externally, root out harmful ideas, and aim for the liberation of all.
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Love and creativity with Mia Valentino By Ella DeSeWu Jeanna Mallari, aka Mia Valentino, is a London based multi-skilled creative. She enjoys writing, illustration, design and photography. She is currently in her third year of Media Communications at London College of Communication. Love is a consistent theme within her work, and she spoke to us about the correspondence between her emotions and her work.
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‘A Modern Venus’ by Mia Valentino
Editor's letter link issue 01 : page 0
LINK: The alias behind your work is called “Mia Valentino”, how did this come to fruition? MIA: My childhood nickname has always been Mia, it was supposed to be my name, but when I was born they named me Jeanna. But my close friends and family call me Mia anyway! The Valentino part comes from my grandmother on my mother’s side, that’s her maiden name. I really loved the idea of Valentino / Valentine and I just thought it just had such a lovely ring to it, like, ‘Mia Valentino’. I mean at first, I thought it sounded kind of like a porn name... haha! Also, my birth name, Jeanna Mallari, is harder to pronounce, Mia Valentino just has more of a flow to it. LINK: What is the process of your creation? MIA: My creative process depends on what I’m doing. If I’m drawing, or if I’m writing, it’s more of a spur of the moment kind of thing, I’ll always get the urge to do something. I usually get inspired by my friends, my circumstances, my love life... obviously, it’s very emotionally driven. It’s an outlet more than anything, and it’s also just a reflection of my internal conflict that I can’t exactly translate verbally most of the time. I manifest it through illustrations, sitting down and putting what I’m feeling on paper. When I’m writing I use a lot of metaphors. it’s never straight forward. I’m trying to be clearer cut in life, but I find even when I have the opportunity to sit and write out what I’m feeling it’s like swings and roundabouts, and loopholes and all sorts of turns before I get to my point. Which I think is a true reflection of how I feel. I’m always making excuses and distracting myself rather than getting to the point of how I’m feeling or what I’m doing. But you know, there’s fun along the journey, you can always take detours, before you figure out where you’re supposed to be and that’s sort of my creative process. It’s just trial and error, there’s never really any true intention behind it apart from giving the world a
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piece of myself, which I think is quite beautiful. LINK: Can you tell us about your piece ‘A Modern Venus’? MIA: Modern Venus was an ode to female self-love. I get so wrapped up in fleeting affairs and all the London dating scene debauchery that I forget what it means to be myself. This piece was a space for me to return to myself and to realise that throughout all the people I’ve touched with my heart, and despite all the reckless endeavours I’ve had with it, my heart remained true, and it remained mine. I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t need a relationship or validation from someone else. I’m more than content with my lifestyle, my career prospects and my general well-being. Most importantly, I feel healthy mentally. I no longer seek empty companionship. Admittedly, I still let myself indulge in non-committing acts of lust but I’ve become aware of why I do it. I’m the only person that’s right for me, the rest will come if it’s meant to be. I’m no longer the troubled and heartbroken girl but I’ve become a woman in my own right. Love follows me, it comes and goes, but it will always find me - a modern Venus. LINK: If you were to describe your art using emotions what would you say? MIA: I would say overall it’s tumultuous, I guess sometimes I make art out of happiness, I make it out of sadness, I make it out of hurt. It truly just depends on how I’m feeling and how I decide to manifest that into creation. A lot of times, it is a labour of love I will say, so if my art was an emotion, it would be whatever emotion love is portraying itself in my life at that current moment in time… but a lot of the time it is hurt, haha, but sometimes it is reminiscence. I’m not sure if that
is an emotion, it is more of a state of being but that’s how I would describe it. LINK: Was there a specific moment that you realised you wanted to explore art more seriously? MIA: I actually applied to university about two or three times. At first, I was looking into law school, and then I was looking into politics and international relations. I decided to defer a year and then completely reapplied and withdrew my application after that year to start afresh for the upcoming September. I didn’t even go on a gap year or travel, I just sat and thought about what I really wanted to do which is how I ended up at UAL. Going to UAL wasn’t necessarily taking art seriously for me, it was more just doing something I enjoyed. I do Media Communications now. But my own personal art, that still remains personal to me. But I have much more appreciation for the creative processes and the creative industry now that I’m surrounded by so many individuals in that sector. I think that’s what’s made me realise that you can just make things, and things can come off it even if it’s not your full time [course/ career]. And even if it becomes your full-time thing that is a privilege, so I’m really excited to see where things take me right now. It’s quite fun to be doing things like this and having other people recognise it but I’m not sure where exactly it’ll take me. You can follow Mia on Instagram @miavltno and find her work on her website. h t t p s : // w w w. m i a va l e n t i n o.co m / t h o u g h t s / modernvenus
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Artwork link issue 01 : page 38
Art by Cass File on the theme of 'Change'
Editor's letter link issue 01 : page 0
Many of us have gotten a flavour for at-home student living over the months of COVID-related lockdowns, usually opting to stay close to family in order to save money or achieve some much-needed R&R. Those of us that decided that University living was superior however, often felt the dreadful effects of social isolation just as much as our at-home peers despite the likelihood of living with someone our own age. The truth is this sticky situation is not new to 2021 or the course of the pandemic. Students that have previously chosen to remain at home throughout the
entirety of their degrees are used to seeing the kind of circumstances we have all been growing to accept. As a postgraduate student living at home, having already experienced the “immersive” university campus experience for my undergraduate, there are certainly vast differences between one way of study and the other. Here are the top 3 things to consider as a stay-at-home student, both prior and during the pandemic. In a home environment, it would seem reasonable to
By Laura Garvin Gomez || Illustrated by Cass File
Top 3 Game Changing Considerations for the StayAt-Home Student Top 3 game changing considerations for the Stay-At-Home student link issue 01 : page 40
1. The social Circle assume that your cycle of friends is unlikely to change between high school and university, and for many people, that assumption would be correct. For the stay-at-home student, though, it can be easy to see school friendships move on a lot quicker. When living in areas that are exclusively studentbased (like halls of residence), social circles tend to form a lot faster due to close proximity and shared experiences. For a home student, however, social interaction is often limited to academic circumstances such as lectures or workshops. This means friendships can take a lot longer to form and can often lead to the at-home student feeling lonelier or feel as if their university experience is less valuable. Though not often the case in the long run, this commencing loneliness can make it hard for some at-home students to confidently find their feet, both socially and academically. Those that have chosen to live in halls may already be networking without even realising it. The 20/21 academic year has obviously seen some changes to these circumstances, with most if not all of us feeling the same isolation universally. This can be seen as a temporary perk for the at-home student, since there is no longer the barrier of missing out on anything “physically”. Now, this one is always sold as the biggest live-at-
2. money, money, money home perk. A life with virtually no food costs, no living costs and more money for shopping or going out? Sounds like a dream. Of course, the only issue is actually finding those people to go out with in the first place. Linking back to the social issue. Though any university friends will likely be at a commutable distance, particularly if they choose to stay within their city of study, the cost of actually getting to them may rack up significantly over an extended period of time. Sure, it’s all well and good travelling in for classes, but what about nights out? Or extended stays in the city which lead to the same
financial burdens as those of your peers? Or even the opportunity to rush home in between classes? These little inconveniences have made up the majority of my last year of study (that is, of course, where COVID restrictions permitted such movement). Though they will certainly feel alien to those who have spent university thus far in and out of lockdown, they account for the biggest changes down the road. The biggest toss up in between choosing to live at
3. Healthy Mind and Healthy Body home or at university is often bookended by two things: mental health and physical wellbeing. Starting with the latter, physical health can often be impacted significantly when living away from home, mostly due to the continuous outings, late-night study sessions and arguably lazier food choices. Staying with the parents often eliminates a lot of health nasties such as the infamous Fresher’s Flu, as well as being more likely to provide you with a “balanced” diet and semi-normal study routine. Where the majority of live-at-home students struggle, however, is in areas concerning their mental health. These issues are by no means limited to them and are notoriously felt by all university students across the nation, yet having less time away from the people you grew up with can often become emotionally exhausting, particularly depending on your family dynamic.
There’s a reason why the pandemic has left many of us in a drained state: aside from having nowhere to go, living for extended periods of time with certain people may not benefit you mentally in the long run. On the flip side, a lot of people find great comfort in having their families near during such great times of transition and appreciate additional support to quell their anxieties.
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