The "Fresh" Issue

Editor’sLetter

On “Fresh” -

Orbital Board, 22/23

Editor-in-chief: Madelaine Gray

Deputy EIC: Hannah Armour

Senior News Editor: Courtney Bridges

Associate News Editor: Devesh Sood

Senior Opinion Editor: Emma Holly

Associate Opinion Editor: Jethro Robathon

Senior Culture Editor: Olivia Taylor

Associate Culture Editor: Shannon Gray

Senior Lifestyle Editor: Beth McCowen

Associate Lifestyle Editor: Millie Draper

Senior Sports Editor: Peter Vigh

Creative Writing Coordinator: Ellie Pritchard

Head Illustrator/Cover Design: Tabitha Turner

The views expressed within this magazine are not representative of Royal Holloway, University of London, or Royal Holloway Student's Union, or any author/editor except the individual who wrote the particular article.

I am, by nature (or nurture, depending on your standpoint), a "perpetual fresh starter". I coined this term after yet another arbitrary promise that Monday would be the start of a new me... only for Monday to arrive with another missed alarm, another rushed routine. I've always liked the idea of reinventing myself, maybe more than the process itself. Though buying a new wardrobe and having a fancy haircut is lovely in theory, as a teenager it's less than practical in monetary terms. I used to switch aesthetics like the wind switches direction, with little conse quence other than a change in the way in which I perceived my tastes. If only I had a record of my Pinterest from ages thirteen to sixteen...

I've made a lot of fresh starts in my life : mov ing schools and home, pivoting away from drama college and changing career aspira tions, letting relationships and friendships go if that seemed the wisest path to take. With the big things, I tend to let myself make the hard choice. Just don't ask me when the last time I stuck to a New Year's resolution was.

Hello, and welcome to Orbital’s first issue of the 2022/23 academic year! I’m Madelaine Gray, a second year Law with Politics student, and I’m thrilled to be the new Editor-in-chief. I may be biassed, but Orbital is more than just a student magazine. Orbital has the potential to pro vide not only content for the student body and lo cal community, but also a rich learning environment and a vibrant community for any and all who wish to participate in the production of content.

A lot of work from a lot of people has gone into putting this issue in print, and I’d like to ex tend a blanket thank you to each and every one of them - your commitment to and support for stu dent media is what keeps this publication going.

I hope you enjoy this selection of articles, illustrations, photographs, and contributions, all centred around the prompt of “Fresh”. I thought a broad theme to start off the year could help blow away the cobwebs of a long sum mer, and kick-off what I hope will be a fantastic year!

CONTENTS

Madelaine Gray

Courtney Bridges

Devesh Sood Charis Owen

Sofia Bajerova

Hannah Armour Emma Holly Olivia Taylor Tia Martello

Daisy Clarkson

Shannon Gray Chloe Reynolds Acelya Onal

Tomas Donnelly Niamh Strong Emilie Williams Beth McCowen Charlotte Town Elena Chiujdea Millie Draper

Peter Vigh

Ellie Pritchard

Nelson Kalberer Hannah Armour Xiangchen Cai (Sulena) Eiman Elsir

EDITOR'S LETTER 2 On 'Fresh' 4 THE MAIL IS IN POLITICAL NEWS FEATURE 5 The History Tables Never Turn? A Fresh Entrance & A Fresher Exit Biden Offers Clean Slate

OPINION 8 Fresh Starts 9 'Main Character Energy' 10 No, I'm Not Finished Yet CULTURE

LITERATURE 12 The Self-Help ‘Genre’ 13 Feminism or Favouritism? FILM 14 Don't Worry Darling TELEVISION 15 True Crime Does Not Exist In a Vacuum 16 "We are the weirdos, mister" 17 The Future of Fashion LIFESTYLE 18 Anecdotes from a Non-Decorator 19 Life on Film 20 Seasonal Depression 21 Freshers Week: Make or Break? 22 Dealing With Post-Covid Anxiety 23 Fresh Out of the Campus Bubble 24 Not Just Academia, But Life Lessons SPORT 25 Leap of Faith CREATIVE WRITING 26 Fresh as a Daisy 27 Stubborn Snowflake 28 GEDAREL, or, A Rant about the Pill Freshness 29 The Wishing Flower 30 DEAR DAVIDSON, 31 THE CROSSWORD

THEMAILISIN

Readers’ Letters, Tips, Comments

I really liked the Roe v Wade piece that was published over the summer on your website. I'm a fresher so it was the first thing I saw from The Orbital and it's what made me want to get involved.

- Anonymous

I thought it was interesting that you didn't feature any pro-life students in the article about abortion in the USA that you published over the summer. Could you not find any, or did you just not want to publish those views?

- Chris, Alumnus

I like the theme "Fresh" - because it gives room to talk about Freshers but also other topics. I'm looking forward to reading the print issue!

- Anonymous Visit Page 30 for "Dear Davidson", our resident advice guru and agony aunt.

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BIDEN OFFERS CLEAN SLATE

Charis Owen

Whenyou hear the word ‘fresh’ it conjures up images of new beginnings, hope, and starting anew. Or in the more literal sense; images of fresh fruit and vegeta bles, something healthy and alive. All this is to underline that fresh is synonymous with a clean slate. Joe Biden has given many convicted of marijuana possession in the US a clean slate. It is a step in the right direction in mending the racial dis parities in US legislation, prompt ing both a de jure change and a de facto change. In theory this gives a fresh start to those whose charges have been pardoned. The US has also started beta testing the concept of student loan debt relief. These policies are offering a wide range of people the chance to start new, potentially free of debt and charg es that do not give them the same opportunities in housing, educa tion, healthcare, and careers. The democratic government of the US is starting to introduce policies that more are feeling reflect a progress into the right direction. It must be noted that these programmes might only work in theory or might be seen as a more of a superficial im plementation but there is a chance, an opportunity for a new start.

Joe Biden pardoned thousands of those that were convicted under federal law and has pledged to inves tigate the classification of marijua na. At the moment it is equal with heroin and more serious than fen tanyl. Marijuana possession became illegal in the 1970s and this started

a decades long war on drugs, that has imprisoned many and in addi tion to that has been seen as racially bias. With studies showing “white and Black people use marijuana at similar rates, a Black person is more than three times as likely to be ar rested for possession than a white person, according to a report from the A.C.L.U.” The issue of drugs has been salient in recent years with Johnson’s War on Crime and Rea gan-Bush-Bush War on Drugs as well, increasing incarceration rates and racial resentment within small pockets of American society. Dur ing George H.W Bush’s presidency, the federal drug control budget was around $5 billion. When he left of fice in 1993, it was over $12 billion the greatest single increase in the history of drug enforcement. Bid en acknowledged that in a video on Twitter and understood that “Black and brown people are arrested, prosecuted and convicted at dispro portionality higher rates.”

Biden has suggested to governors that they begin to implement these decisions within their states as well, which would present a far great er change than than on the feder al level. So, although this new law is a step in the right direction, the opportunity for a truly seismic shift lies with the states themselves.

Furthermore, this pardon bene fits those that have been previous ly convicted of federal possession, they have served their time but are since prevented access to employ ment, housing, and jobs.

This announcement has come at a convenient time, just four weeks before the midterms with most Ameri

cans and the majority of Democrats supporting greater legalization, when since he was elected as Presi dent Congressmen and constituents have been calling for a firmer stance on drug legalization and more leni ent sentencing reforms. The pardon that Biden issued is an opportunity to make real change in America, that could open up more advance ment, but it has to be done so cor rectly, the federal pardon will help thousands but if this extends to the states also then the stereotype that follows marijuana possession will hopefully fade. Drugs has always been a highly racialised and debated topic and it may not be a lot right now but has potential.

In other terms of American legislation bringing new changes to citizens is the opening of a student loan forgiveness programme. Ap plications have opened, after the beta launch saw over eight million people apply. After the difficult and trying atmosphere of Covid, when studies were suspended but full tu ition was still expected and then after graduation jobs and careers were limited making it harder to start repaying loans and earning money and a living. The aim is to cancel up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt if earning less than $125,000 a year. However, if students re ceived federal aid for lower-income households could be entitled up to $20,000.

The US and the Biden Administra tion have begun to implement poli cies that give their citizens a chance to improve themselves on equal footing with their peers. Through these policies there is a fresh start granted to some.

What on Earth is going on in the House of Commons?

A Fresh Entrance & A Fresher Exit Devesh Sood

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Atthe start of July, if you were to tell me that we would have a Prime Minister who would re sign (kicking & screaming) & the country would witness the death of a monarch - I’d actually not be too surprised. But if you were to tell me that the succeeding Prime Minister would be crumbling from out the gates… I’d likely not have been that shocked either. Yet, even then, the events of the last two months have been nothing short of a spectacular disaster, one that could really be seen as a hilariously terrible mis calculation if it wasn’t affecting so many lives.

I think it’s hard to find another leader who has struggled quite as much as Liz Truss this soon after coming into power. If the history books don’t label September - Oc tober 2022 something akin to the month of U-Turns, they’d need to find a truly creative alternative.

In the past, when discussing the downfall of leaders, the basic argu ments boil down to long term vs short term, usually striking a bal ance between the two; it is rare to see an ‘the smoking gun’. A mistake so catastrophic that it seems to have resulted in its own dismantling. In this instance, it really is the trage dy of Kwasi Kwarteng & his Mi ni-Budget.

Held on 23rd September 2022, it was clear that it had clearly followed the outlines set by Truss during her election campaign; a plan that, on several occasions, was warned by her Conservative competitor, Ri shi Sunak, for being dangerous, reckless & potentially permanently damaging.

To no surprise, upon its announce ment, the budget was torn apart. It had demonstrated all the worst qualities of the Conservative party, and left most of the nation both in anger and in fear. Within the budget included an abolishment of the 45% higher rate on income tax, and a reduction in the income tax rate by 1p (per pound), being set at 19p. There would also no longer be a rise in corporation tax from 19% to 25%, something that had been in the works since April 2021 & was expected to take shape in April 2023. The planned increase in the price of duties, including beer, ci der, wine & spirits, which had been expected to increase, would no longer go forward.

Considering the fear of continu ously increasing the price of energy, these decisions felt woefully mis timed. Yet, the government acted almost as if they were oblivious to these issues, spending weeks trying to justify their decisions.And then… scrapped! They made their choice. They made the decision to dismantle their plans & restart… fresh.

To say her popularity was at a significant low point seems like an un derstatement. Those who had sup ported her felt betrayed, & those who had questioned her candidacy were certain she needed to go. Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party and someone whose chance of becoming the new Prime Minister increased by the day, called Truss’s government ‘grotesque chaos’.

As pressure mounted & her popu larity worsened, she only had one move; Kwarteng was gone.

Replacing him with Jeremy Hunt, many of these positions were reversed, including the 1p reduction, the cancelled increase in corpora tion tax & the increase in duty pric ing. While a few policies remained, including those relating to stamp duty, there is no denying this de cision truly stung for the sitting Prime Minister.

Perhaps it's all the talk of U-turns but I cannot help myself but think Truss’s time in power has been the ultimate form of that; one gigantic U-Turn. She had her ideas & policies, came into power, brought in her cabinet members, then was responsible for one of the most lu dicrous “mini-budget’s'' of all time, lost significant, if not majority, of support from her party, sacked her Chancellor & had a budget put in place that very clearly went against everything she had been promot ing in the lead up to her candidacy. The only thing left to complete the shape is… her exit.

The History Tables Never Turn?

Liz Truss as Prime Minister and the Consequences for Women in Politics

Courtney Bridges

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

There are currently 225 female MPs in the House of Com mons. 35% is an all-time high. Female political involvement has seen a steady rise since the election of Margaret Thatcher in 1979, her win a watershed for female politics as she became the first ever woman to live at No.10. The recent appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister only marks the third female Prime Minister in UK political history.

So, while it may be refreshing to see another woman in an influential position of power, is her approach ‘fresh’?

Are there any ‘fresh’ policies? ‘Fresh’ attitudes? A ‘fresh’ style? Or is the “Lady that’s not for turning up”, as Starmer mocked Truss for “ducking an urgent question on the econo my in the Commons”, a reflection of the “Lady who [wasn’t] for turn ing”?

Undoubtedly, Liz Truss, or any fe male Prime Minister, looking back to Theresa May, or even forward to coming years, are going to be com pared to their predecessor. Yet this appears to hold further relevance to women in contrast to their male counterparts. And this particular Premiership faces an added layer of scrutiny, not just because of and wrongly so, the gender with which Truss identifies, but due to the economic and political crisis her government has inherited with the resignation of Boris Johnson.

Truss is left contending with a party where its members are disconnect ed, that is disorganised and disil lusioned with their direction. Pair

this with an economic downtown, a living crisis and perhaps what some may argue to be democratic instability and it seems that either the history tables never turn, or we more simply, never learn. Leaving our political climate for some, too closely reminiscent of the Winter of Discontent 1978-79.

Her Premiership will have severe consequences, not just for the sta bility of the country, and arguably, its survival this winter as we brace for the possibility of blackouts this coming January and February, but for women in politics as her time in Downing Street directs future pre conceptions of a woman’s ability to lead.

While it is vital that she, and her government are kept accountable, as they hold the leadership posi tion of government, it remains to be questioned whether each Prime Minister can truly have a ‘fresh’ start. Although a new Parliamenta ry session begins, the decisions, and lasting memory of their predecessors – in Truss’s case, one as far back as the 70s now, cast an everlasting shadow of judgement and create preconceived notions of their lead ership.

Pressure for her resignation is mounting. So far, at the time of writing, Charles Walker, Ange la Richardson, Jamie Wallis, An drew Bridge and Crispin Blunt have called for Ms Truss to quit. With “dire polling”, Jeremy Hunt already being reasoned to be more powerful than the Prime Minister, the majority (more than 80%) of the Conservative Party thinking she should leave now, and a queue of alternatives being lining up, in cluding Rishi Sunak, Ben Wallace, and even calls for the return of Boris

Johnson.

A further question then can also be asked: how much do women suffer this consequence of history as opposed to their male counter parts? With the current example of Liz Truss, it is increasingly looking difficult for her to pull away from comparisons with Thatcher as she tries to hold on to her position this Christmas.

On reflection: I wrote this article just two days prior to Truss’ resig nation on October 20, 2022. This marked a term of just 44 days.

What Truss will be remembered for is currently debatable. Wheth er more prominently as the “Lady that was for turning”, the shortest Premiership in UK history, or for Channel 4’s farewell tribute is yet to be decided. But unquestionably, as alluded to in the original body of my article, her legacy will likely be not for better, but for worse.

While performance in positions of power should not be marked by gender, we have noted how this is sadly not completely the case. Her collected, brief resignation speech in itself is a testament to this; if she were to evoke emotion - she would be marked ‘hysterical’, no emotion at all and she is suddenly cold.

Her leadership of the Conservative Party, and the country, then, as fur ther analyses of her short-lived time as Prime Minister emerge, will in some form, be detrimental to wom en's involvement and promotion in politics. The extent of this will only become clear with time. For now, what perhaps is clear, is how this particular point in our political climate provides further evidence to my initial, depressing hypothesis: “the history tables never turn”.

FRESH STARTS

Sofia Bajerova

Whateven is a fresh start? Is it when you finally decide to put in place that new skin care rou tine? When you paint the walls and move furniture around in a room to make it feel brand new? How about when you move to a new house, town, or country? When you walk into your first class in September, or when the clock ticks past midnight on New Year’s Eve?

Why do we look for fresh starts? What makes us feel the need to start over and do something different? Does it originate from a deep sense of stagnation? The feeling of not be ing good enough? Is it the sense that we could do better?

I once rented a house which had one of those patterned, textured wallpa pers in the hallway. It was painted over with a fresh coat of white paint to make it look brighter and more modern, ready for its new tenants. When the front door occasionally smashed into the wall behind it, it peeled away the paint, and then the wallpaper, revealing the sev eral layers of history underneath. There had been a coat of red, teal, cream, an eggshell blue and a few other various colours. That hallway had had many fresh starts, each one concealing the past or at least giv ing it a new face. From the moment the house was built, its only true fresh start had already happened. Everything since then was simply a part of its transformation – positive or negative.

It reminds me of the baggage that

we bring with us, like layers of paint and wallpaper under our current coat, fixed and challenging to erase.

What do you choose to bring with you to a fresh start? Can you truly call it a fresh start if you bring your old friends, old mentality, past pain or problems? Like an old house with a lot of character, our dents and bruises, extensions and make-overs have shaped who we are. Wouldn’t it be wrong to leave that behind? Is it even possible? Our old selves and the multitude of false starts seem to stay with us. So, is it ever really a fresh start, or is that just what we call an opportunity of any takes us a step closer to becoming the people we can be?

Isn’t that what time is? Just a con stant cycle, that with each minus cule increment of time brings us another moment that can shape our personal evolution. Like a carousel that does not stop spinning; the op tion is not to get off and start the ride again, but to choose a new part of the ride to sit on and try to enjoy the view.

Freshers is a marking of time when people enter a new phase of their lives, whether it is their first year of university or not. A time defined by putting oneself out there, meet ing new people, and exploring new things.

Like when the gym is bursting at the seams in January, September is another New Year for students. Often, we make resolutions, some times subconsciously, to go to all our classes, to go out more, to get better grades. We make promises to give dating a go, or to take a break from a certain hobby for a

while. Our minds resolve to make some sort of change. Why do we wait for specific moments to make our changes? Maybe it's because we look to moments to notice the difference. Maybe because we need a sense of when the change hap pened, to be able to see our failure or our success clearly, without them all blending seamlessly into the tap estry that is our current selves.

Thursday, just like any other day of the week, offers just as much prom ise for change as Monday. There is no reason to wait until the first day of next month to start a new revision plan, gym routine, meditation or whatever it might be that you want to work on. As the clock ticks on, another chance presents itself for you to take that opportunitythe opportunity you may refer to as a fresh start.

"Main Character Energy":

Identifying as a protagonist isn't the flex you think it is Hannah Armour

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Despite our lives being our own and being the main characters of each of our own stories, we’ve all felt at one time or another like a side character or an NPC (non-player character). And then all of a sudden you feel like a main character again. Maybe you’re on the train playing your favourite song, reading in the li brary or dancing in front of Founders building.

But having ‘main character energy’ isn’t the flex you think it is. By identi fying with being a protagonist, you’re implying someone else is writing your story. Maybe someone is. Maybe that person should be you.

The first issue with the term? There’s an assumed temporary nature. You’re

only a main character for the amount of time you’re doing something main character worthy: main characters don’t survive past the novel’s pages, the movie runtime or the tv show time. How long until you’ve used up all your ‘main character energy’?

Which leads me to my second issue: ‘energy’. To be a ‘main character’ (for the fi nite time you can be) requires effort and, exhaustion. Life is exhausting enough as it is, should you really be wasting more energy on reaffirming your life is really yours?

So why are we detaching ourselves from our own narratives?

Not to sound like a boomer, but it’s all that damn technology. On social media, we create an image of ourselves to por tray online. We’re surrounded by char acters so much we’re becoming them. We’re characterised by what music we like, what subject we study, what hobbies we have. To make it easier, there are clev er little aesthetics to categorise yourself

by: dark academia, light academia, cot tage-core, grunge, etc.

Not to mention, the influx of characters we’re constantly being broadcasted with: celebrities, Instagram models, TikTokers, as well as fictional characters on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime and any other streaming service you can get your little hands on. At every turn, we’re faced with im ages (representations) of people, not people. The thing about these ‘people’ is, although they look like us and talk like us, they’re not us. They can’t survive the 24/7 we do.

So why would you want to be them?

Well, for starters, there are worse things than romanticising your life. If it makes life bearable, go for it! Buy that expensive coffee! Take that train! Dance in the rain! Why not enjoy life to the fullest? After all, you have auton omy. You are, believe it or not, in charge of your own destiny. Your story doesn’t start and end when you’re on a train listening to your favourite song.

DEPUTY

Image: Jack Anstey via Unsplash

No, I'm not

Emma Holly

SENIOR OPINION EDITOR

Youdidn’t orgasm, and now they’re rolling away from you. Their chest is heaving, and you aren’t all that out of breath. You get that sinking feeling that you’re done now. There’s a stickiness in between your legs and a heaviness in your chest, and you can’t articulate that deep discomfort you’re feeling.

Maybe you did. Maybe it was the best sex of your life, but they’re already get ting up and heading to the bathroom without you. It makes sense; they’re cleaning themselves up, but you feel rejected. Instead, you hug your legs to your chest and call yourself over-sensitive.

Sex is a three-part story: the build-up, the act, and the aftermath. We know how the build-up goes; a coy dance that ends in people deciding that this, this is good. Sex itself, the climax of this performance. It’s the aftermath that tends to leave people stumped. Surely once it’s over, it’s over. Right?

Not quite. This is when arguably the most important element of sex takes place; aftercare. When you type the phrase “sex aftercare” into Google, you are met with many articles that are concerned with justifying why it is crucial, and are busy defining what this mysterious term even is. It’s clear that aftercare simply isn’t being carried out, and it makes me wonder just how many people are left feeling dejected after sex.

Aftercare has a different definition for everyone. Personally, it means

thatquality time is spent with the person with whom you just slept. No one is hurrying off, and you are talking over what was good, what felt strange, and what made you laugh. Whatev er your sexual arrangement may be, ensuring you and your partner have communicated what aftercare means to the other is essential.

Amongst many other things, Oscar Wilde once said that “everything in the world is about sex, except sex.” If this is true, we spend our entire lives spinning relentlessly towards sex, like it is the sun in the middle of our universe, and we are hapless little planets hurtling right at it. We spend so much time trying to navigate the build-up, picking the metaphorical petals of he likes me, he likes me not, that by the time we get to sex, we’re pretty wrung out already. In all honesty, I agree with Wilde. Sex isn’t about sex. Sex is about vulnerability. Trust. Boundaries. Feelings. Sex throws down the ultimate gauntlet of being yourself, and it feels as though you are entirely placing yourself in some one else’s hands.

Wilde goes on to finish the quote by saying that “sex is about pow er”, which is a daunting thought.

Sex shouldn’t be a competition of who is more powerful than the other – ideally, it’ll be equal between the participants. Even if you are experimenting with moreextreme forms of power-play, the foundation of consent and boundaries should always be there. It is paramount that you lay these down before your libido rises and your pulse skyrockets; it’s the sex equivalent of being drink-driving. You’re impaired in your decision making. Set your ground rules. It may be that your partner must use condoms

finished yet.

every time, or that they check up on you throughout sex. Establish an understand

Why aftercare is just as important as sex itself.

ing that the human body can re act differently every time you have intercourse; things may hurt today when they didn’t yesterday. It can be a surprise for both you and your partner; commu nicate to them that your body is not a sextoy, and that this pain means stop. It’s simpler said than done, but when we don’t make these conditions obvious to others, it’s all too easy to overthink the whole

experience.

It’s ironic; it feels as though the word ‘aftermath’ could have a negative connotation to it. The word ‘aftermath’ itself conjures an image of picking up the piec es after a destruction – perhaps attaching it to sex isn’t the best idea. By replacing it with a sense of aftercare, the dynam ic instantly shifts. Suddenly, we have ushered in a healthy discussion in which you and your partner can establish as loose a routine as you desire, surrounding what follows sex. Picture this: they plop down next to you, and you go in for the pre-clean-up hug. You start to reflect upon the good and bad elements of what just happened, and laugh at the p articularly awful parts. One of you accidentally kneed the other somewhere rather delicate, or

perhaps you sneezed on their face. Sex is anything but smooth. Most importantly, if a disagreement arose during or afterwards, try to talk it out. Intimacy makes every emo tion feel heightened. You’re putting yourself out there – it’s natural you will be more sensitive to certain comments. However you can maintain the connection between you both after you do it. Whatever you do, just don’t get up and leave the second you’ve had your fun.

It truly doesn’t matter what kind of sex you are having, be it casual or part of your relationship. The vital aspect is approaching aftercare, and developing a pattern that makes you feel respected. There are fewer feelings worse than feeling used for your body. Remember, sex is meant to be fun. You’re meant to be able to soak in the post-orgasm glow. It’s not meant to be a race of how quickly someone leaves after they peel off the condom.

Consider sex to be the antithesis of the mindset of “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” What happens in sex should be talked about for as long as needed. After care isn’t optional – it just isn’t done enough.

Image: Cassidy Dickens via Unsplash

Reading towards a fresh start

LITERATURE: The Self-Help ‘Genre’: Olivia Taylor

SENIOR CULTURE EDITOR

WatchingSex and the City’s Charlotte York stumble through a bookstores ‘Self-Help’ section in search of Starting Over Yet Again, feels like a very accu rate depiction of that particular experience, especially when you are a perfectly normal yet slightly unconfident and insecure person. Fortunately for both Charlotte and anyone else looking for novels like Starting Over Yet Again - which un fortunately isn’t a real book - Ama zon exists. Therefore we don’t have to fumble through the self-help section shouting ‘travel… travel?’ in vain hope of masking any embar rassment.

But why should anyone be embar rassed of self-help books? Have we really created a stigma around reading for advice rather than ask ing? Whilst I haven’t (yet) bought a title similar to Starting Over Yet Again, I have read plenty of mem oirs that fit under the self-help genre, with titles like Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and Joan Didion’s Blue Nights being some of my favourites. With these types of books it's all about our own behav iour and whether we use the infor mation we read. Unlike receiving help from family, friends or even therapists, readers are not obliged to take on board the advice written in books.

Looking at the two novels pre viously mentioned, I learnt a lot through each confessional

style about the themes of strug gling and self worth. The beau ty of thisgenre is that regardless of whether you have or have not experienced these particular con flicts, there is comfort in knowing they aren’t just issues you are facing alone; they are universal to us all.

However, readers must also consider the negatives of the self-help gen re. Firstly one must assess the reason why they may be looking for a book like this, because not all problems can be fixed by reading someone else's advice, it cannot be used as an alternative for seeking professional support. Not everyone processes emotions the same way; we don’t all have the same idea of a ‘fresh start’, therefore when we reach out to bookshelves it is important not to take advice that is written too literally. Furthermore, there is also the negative of a self-help book providing no help whatsoever. Per haps one of the reasons we turn our noses at this genre is because often the advice written can be made up of common sense and therefore present itself as superficial. In our

consumerist society, it’s no surprise the self-help book occasionally comes into trends, however, no one wants to read a book that tells you something you could have figured out yourself.

Reading self-help is not all about wanting to reach some kind of epiphany, in fact, you probably won’t find one in the pages of some one else’s story. It’s about recognising a process, whether that’s how to heal after the breakdown of a rela tionship, how to get through the stages of grief or perhaps finding ways to overcome a personal inse curity. The style of self-help teach es us how to get to that fresh start we so badly crave after we reach a low point. The embarrassment sur rounding self-help books may seem understandable, but it feels iron ic when everyone will go through these processes. To ease yourself into it I would suggest finding the appropriate memoir that mirrors your own situation because there will always be novels that find res olutions to common yet personal struggles.

Image: Alison Anton via Unsplash

Feminism or Favouritism?

The Adam Levine and Sumner Stroh saga.

Tia Martello

What makes women more subject to scrutiny in mod ern-day media than men? In con temporary culture, we frequently hear the stories of ‘the other woman’, and, as always, these tropes are usually plastered singularly to women and not her male counter part. Whilst the female third party is labelled the cheater, mistress, and adulterer, men are simply given sympathy, excuses, and write-offs. The recent alleged affair between Maroon 5’s, Adam Levine, and model Sumner Stroh is the perfect example of this. Whilst the actual goings-on don’t pose much to my point, they highlight Levine as the real instigator amidst the commu nication. Yet, all the articles and social media posts I seem to find, specify how this was some sort of a ‘career move’ for the twentythree-year-old model which would spiral her onto her ‘five minutes of fame'. Although the line of com munication between the two was welcomed, it can surely not be disguised as a cunning and calcu lated move for more social media followers. In the viral TikTok that explained all, Sumner says: “At the time, I was young; I was naive and quite frankly I felt exploited”- all which seemed to be forgotten as re cent articles label her as the ‘solemn mistress’ who is a ‘home-wrecker’ and ‘an attention seeker’.

As a society, we love to place blame and hate on the ‘other women’ and why? When something as clearly highlighted as this is demonstrated, society seems to look the other way as if it's almost too scary to admit

that the powerful man and young women dynamic is something that is seen too often. I think it is im portant to change the narrative and highlight the binary opposite produced through media. When the male is seen to be taking advantage of a young influential woman, it al most writes itself as the ‘beautiful, savvy girl who exploits a man for his fame by seducing him to sin’. The modern-day media make sure to hit on every nerve of the public by burdening the most blame onto the female in any way they see nec essary and demonising her to the public.

Furthermore, the validity of ‘the other women’ is consistently ques tioned despite a formal apology from Adam himself. Fans are quick to defend their idol but then who is left to defend the storyteller? Sumner is now left in a vicious circle of slut-shaming because she enabled herself to be transparent about an influential man's mistakes. Contrastingly, it is nice to see influential women rush to her rescue, with celebrities including Chrishell Stause and Emily Rata jkowski. But why does it take wom en who are equally ranked to the male subject to invoke a change of heart? It is refreshing to see a pos itive take on the villanisation individuals within this story but it isn’t always the case amongst celebrities. Beyonce in almost two of her most popular songs satirically jests about the idea of ‘other women’ whether that be, Monica Lewinsky and her public affair with US president Bill Clinton, or rather anonymously, ‘Becky with the good hair’. These titles of ‘the kept women’ create a sense of conflict, which the media loves to model. No factual evi dence is proven that there is an on

going feud between Levine’s wife, Behati Prinsloo, and Sumner Stroh but that narrative is preferred and favoured as consumers enjoy plac ing two successful women against one another. It writes itself as iron ic as no one within this situation is seen as the ‘winner’ both losses are shared whether that be emotional ly or physically.

The images constructed by the media also aid the binary opposi tion of meanings. Her whole being is characterised by the entangle ment of the man rather than her own personal successes. This label placed on her as ‘Adam Levine’s mistress’ will never be able to be replaced or changed as, despite her growth as an individual, it will be unlikely the media will let her es cape from the shackles which they have placed upon her.

It is simply quite obvious, despite best efforts to change the narrative and archetypes amongst women within media, cannot be removed unless personally challenged by the consumption of it. We need a ‘fresh’ outlook on things. A change to the incessant portrayal. Wheth er consciously consumed or not, we all play a part in absorbing me dia which is detrimental to the im age of women. The burden of the blame cannot be decided based on one’s gender. After all, Adam Lev ine had the most to lose: a wife, his children, his established career, and public opinion. To alleviate blame from one should be to alleviate blame from all, as factual informa tion cannot be denied by gender representation and the media’s se lection of them. We need to be the catalyst to a cultural reset and con sciously decide how accurate the narrative can be when it can be so commonly decided by gender.

FILM: Don't Worry Darling Style vs Substance (Warning! Spoilers)

Since

its announcement in 2019, Olivia Wilde’s new psycholog ical thriller Don’t Worry Darling, has not failed to keep making head lines – for all the wrong reasons. From what seemed to be an ever changing cast line up, to reported on set conflicts, it is safe to say that the production and release of Don’t Worry Darling has been anything but smooth sailing. After the critical success of her first feature film ‘Booksmart’, Wilde’s new project was highly anticipated by both critics and fans. The film was even thrown into a bidding war between 18 studios, all want ing to acquire what they assumed was going to be another success. Whilst the film should by no means be called a failure, it has not been met with the critical success many thought it would. Wilde’s direction is relatively strong, yet unfortunate ly there are so many issues within the film that have prevented it from reaching its potential. The main problem Don’t Worry Darling faces is that it attempts to deal with too many plot points and themes. The basic story is one that deals with the outcomes of a heavily patriarchal society tied in with ideas of female suffocation. Whilst this is the over arching theme of the film, it also attempts to comment on feminism, incel culture and consent. The latter is one which unfortunately is han dled poorly. Prior to the release of the film, director Olivia Wilde did an interview with Variety, in which she commented on some of the more explicit scenes in the film, she says, “the focus on men as the re cipients of pleasure is almost ubiq uitous [in film].” Whilst the point Wilde makes is objectively correct, she later implies that Don’t Worry Darling focuses on female pleasure.

On the outside, it may appear to many to do just that, however, thinking about these scenes af ter discovering that Jack (Harry Styles) had kidnapped Alice (Flor ence Pugh) to bring her into this simulation without her knowledge or consent, the scenes in question cannot and should not be thought of as ‘showcasing female pleasure’, but as rape. Pugh’s character Alice was entered into the Victory sim ulation without consent, therefore none of the actions that take place can be seen as consensual. With this in mind, the ‘feminist’ tones in the film feel misguided. When the plot returns to the real world, Styles’ character Jack, embodies this new found concept of an ‘incel’. This hostility towards women that is presented unfortunately mirrors reali ty, and whilst in ways the film offers a fresh perspective on this type of person through the use of the sim ulation – when looking at the film contextually with comments made by Wilde, it no longer feels genuine. Aside from director Olivia Wilde, something else which has drawn

media attention is the cast. Florence Pugh shines in the main role as Al ice. At only 26, she is beginning to solidify her status as a leading lady of Hollywood. Every single time she is on screen, her performance is magnificent. Alice as a character is undoubtedly a challenging one - due to the perplexing nature of the film, yet Pugh’s performance is one that is raw and emotional. This performance is a genuine highlight of her career so far. Whilst the me dia have circled this film, and its associated cast and crew for the past two years, Pugh has handled it with nothing but class and dignity, she deserves every bit of praise that comes her way, it will be exciting to see what the future has in store for her career.

Unfortunately, much of the same cannot be said about Harry Styles’ performance. Although not Styles’ first film role – having had a small role in Nolan’s Dunkirk – this is a huge step up. To put it simply, Har ry Styles was not ready to take on the role of Jack. His performance

Image: James Vaughan via Flickr

falls flat, at this point in his act ing career, he lacks the range to take on such a demanding role. Whilst on screen with Pugh, the difference is staggering. Spend ing the majority of his scenes op posite Florence Pugh, only highlights Styles’ own weaknesses. Whilst not being given masses of screen time, supporting characters played by Gemma Chan, Chris Pine and Kiki Layne respectively gave strong performances. How ever, the lack of time given to the secharacters sadly added to the lack of continuity within the script. The aesthetics and visuals of the film appear to have taken a front seat,

whilst the plot and its continuity have been left aside. Although a positive feature of the film is its abil ity to leave the audience with ques tions – such as what happened to Alice when she woke up? The film leaves the audience with too many questions, many stemming from holes within the plot. This ties into the lack of screen time given to the supporting cast. A prime example is the relationship between Shelley (Chan) and Frank (Pine). At the end of the film, in what appears to be a sudden turn of events, Shelley stabs her husband, Frank. If the relationship was given more screen time, this event could have made sense to

DaisyClarkson

the audience. This is one overar ching problem with Don’t Wor ry Darling; its complicated plot leads to an inability to fully tie up all the loose ends within the film – resulting in a messy storyline. Don’t Worry Darling is an exam ple of cinema that has both enter taining and engaging potential. Its glamorous and stylish appeal is supported by the excellent cine matography; however, clearly this focus on aesthetics has left the film flawed and lacking any real sub stance. Nevertheless, since it has been surrounded by such drama and conflict, it will continue to do relatively well at the box office - all publicity is good publicity, right?

TELEVISION: True Crime Does Not Exist In a Vacuum, So Perhaps Proceed With Caution

Shannon Gray ASSOCIATE CULTURE EDITOR

TrueCrime stories are current ly experiencing somewhat of a renaissance – with FX’s ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’, Netf lix’s ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’, HBO’s ‘The Staircase’, and, of course, Netflix’s ‘Dahmer – Mon ster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’, all reaching millions of households worldwide. However, it is imperative that audiences understand the weight of the trauma they are witnessing, and in particular, how that trauma may relate to the liv ing people affected by these stories. Recently, the family members of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims have spo ken out about how they have been re-traumatised by seeing frequent depictions of their loved ones’ deaths – as it forces their family members to be continually viewed as victims, with their deaths depict ed as ‘plot points’ within a narrative

story arc. These family members were never contacted by Netflix when they decided to dramatise Dahmer’s crimes, and therefore those who would be most impact ed by the show were never afford ed the opportunity to respectfully explain their distaste towards it.

There is also an argument to be made that fictionalising real-life serial killers can lead to memorialis ing them – it allows them to gain sympathy and empathy from view ers, while continuing to keep their names within the public eye. Most of the western world is aware of who Dahmer was, but many are unable to name his victims. Though True Crime documentaries and podcasts have existed for decades, these non-fiction works tend to maintain factual integrity and emphasis upon explaining how, when, and why these disturbing events occurred. However, when True Crimes is dramatised, it begins to follow a sto ryline, focusing on a protagonist, an antagonist, and a running story arc.

Netflix’s ‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ centres itself around Dahmer as a protagonist, detailing his life from an early age. By placing the killer in a central role, his victims are viewed as side characters – and therefore the emphasis is clear: this is Dahmer’s sto ry, not theirs. This allows viewers to understand and perhaps even sym pathise with the killer, which has led to many young and easy influenced viewers memorialising and even re lating to Dahmer. Thus, it can often be disrespectful to the victims and their loved ones to approach True Crime from the killer’s point of view. Therefore, while True Crime fiction may be compelling viewing, audiences should acknowledge that these shows do not exist within a vacuum. These stories are not mere entertain ment, and possibly it is time that we stop re-traumatising the very real living family members of victims to dramatise the lives of people who should perhaps be forgotten by all self-respecting members of society.

"We are the weirdos, mister"

Queer Identity and the Horror Genre

As the days darken and the nights grow longer, I find my self contemplating my fascination with the horror genre. Of course, the endless fantastical possibili ties that the genre provides (along with a natural inclination towards everything macabre) piques my in terest in the topic, but there must be something else that keeps me coming back for more. Horror must offer something altogether more crucial than a quick scare or an opportunity for escapism that makes these films appeal to an overwhelmingly LGBTQ+ identi fied audience, something that reso nates on a profound level and keeps us invested in the genre as both filmmakers and spectators alike. Why is it that horror stories hold so many queer people entranced?

To determine why horror means so much to me, I’ll cycle back to where it all began. My enduring interest in the horror genre stretches back to an afternoon in my preteen years, when I was first introduced to Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 novel ‘The Shining’ by a family member. I was captivated. The film changed the way I viewed cinema and formed a lifelong love of the medium that I carry with me to this day, but, arguably most impor tantly, it changed the way I viewed myself and my identity. During these formative years, as is the case in many LGBTQ+ people’s lives, I first began to question and try to understand my sexuality. As a bare ly-out-of-the-closet lesbian, work ing to unpack what my identity meant in relation to my life within heteronormative society was, to say the least, a challenge. Throughout my teenage years my tastes within

the horror genre quickly turned towards the Gothic, as I developed an appreciation for vampires and spectres and ghoulish characters whose stories I didn’t just visually and thematically enjoy, but con nected to on a deeper level than I could with characters in other genres. This is largely due to the fact that queer identity, placed in relation to heterosexuality, is fun damentally ‘other’.

In order to understand the depic tion of queer ‘monstrosity’ in the horror genre, we must look to the literary canon. Within literature, the vampire is innately tied to queer identity - the titular character of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, published in 1897, is heavily queer-coded, with numerous references to the vampire’s erotic pursuit of pro tagonist Johnathan Harker. This, reputedly, echoes the experiences of Stoker himself, who is com monly believed to have been a closeted gay man. Predating Dracula is Sheridan Le Fanu’s ‘Carmilla’, a Gothic tale of love and obsession that is widely acknowledged to be the originator of the ‘lesbian vampire’ trope. This trope, which is wide ly used to this day, is a double-edged sword - although the queering of the vam pire has given queer authors the freedom to explore their iden tities in eras heavily affected by censor ship, the trope has

been used as an effective way to hasten the spread of anti-gay propaganda. The queer vampire character in both film and literature often plays upon the predatory nature of vampirism to push the narrative that queer people intend to corrupt the un suspecting heterosexual populace. This prejudice undoubtedly still lingers today, however to many modern LGBTQ+ viewers tropes such as this one are prime opportunities for reclamation. Power and affirmation of identity is found time and time again within tropes which were previously seen as purely detrimental to public per ceptions of the community. Perhaps unique to the horror genre is the subculture that is at tached to it, one that includes a large percentage of its viewership.

Image: Camila Quintero Franco via Unsplash

Many fans view horror as a life style and channel their love for the genre through, for example, their clothing and musical preferences, with close ties to subcultures such as punk and goth. By embracing counterculture in this way, horror fans echo the beginnings of what we now recognise as the LGBTQ+ community; LGBTQ+ identified people have historically gravitated towards counterculture to survive within heterosexual society, and the horror community’s penchant for the alternative is simply another avenue where this is made

possible.

The future of horror looks bright, and this is due in no small part to the contributions of queer people in the film industry and their au diences who, with their passion for the genre, keep it thriving. Re cent releases such as Netflix’s ‘Fear Street’ Trilogy and the Syfy/USA Network tv series ‘Chucky’ along side multiple releases from inde pendent filmmakers are prime ex amples of the genre’s staying power and inherent ties to queer identity. The queer experience is an integral

part of the horror genre - we’re here to stay, to find connection and community in the tales of outcasts, monsters and fiends. Use these sto ries to aid you in the exploration of your identity, and continue the tra dition of finding solace within the horror genre - it’s time for queer horror to thrive.

THE FUTURE OF FASHION

Acelya Onal

F ashion can make up a large part of our identities. It can be a creative outlet and an expression of who we are. It can have a role to play in the first impressions we make on people - whether that’s on a date or in a job interview. So much of our focus with the clothes we wear is on how they make us feel – but what about the people behind the garments we wear?

Shein is a brand which many young consumers are familiar with due to its trendy designs and the free marketing provided by teenagers and young adults on TikTok. It is undoubtedly an example of an in credibly unethical brand, even by fast fashion standards. According to Channel 4’s Untold: Inside the Shein Machine, workers are paid three pence per item and work up to eighteen-hour days. Nearly ten years after the Dhaka garment fac tory collapse in Bangladesh, where 1,134 workers died, you may think that workers’ conditions would have improved, however with the popularity of fast fashion brands like Shein, there doesn’t seem to be

much incentive for brands to take accountability for their unethical practices.

Not all hope is lost, though. Discourse surrounding the unsus tainability and immorality of fast fashion companies has been in creasing on social media sites like TikTok and Twitter. There are more and more options available for the consciously minded fashion lover to ensure that they are consuming fashion as ethically as possible.

One example of an ethical brand, which doesn’t compromise style for sustainability, is Girlfriend Collec tive. Good On You, an informative source for sustainability ratings, reassures that Girlfriend Collec tive’s factory is certified by Social Accountability International. Not only this, but the brand uses sus tainable, recycled materials, and once you feel as if you’ve gotten all the wear out of your clothes, you can use the brand’s ReGirlfriend program to upcycle your garments to avoid sending them to landfill.

Another more affordable option is buying second hand. Whether this is done through online market places like Depop, eBay or Vint

ed, or through looking in charity shops, buying second hand is a great way to get creative with your style while saving some money and ensuring that you give a garment a second life.

Regardless of if you choose to buy new through sustainable brands or buy second hand, lowering our consumption of fast fashion is paramount to ensuring a cleaner planet and fairer conditions for work ers. So why not spend your next weekend checking out some local charity shops with friends – you may be surprised by some of the gems you find!

Image: Charlota Blunarova

Anecdotes from a Non-Decorator

Tomas Donnelly

Decorators, how do you do it? Once a prospective Architecture student, even I have been left scratching my head look ing for those illusive interior design answers. I suppose the line ‘less is more’ really is true. Having spent my first year in what can only be described as blandness, I had learnt the mistakes of an ‘un-personalized’ drab room. A half-hearted attempt at satire was made however, but I don’t think a poster of an applaud ing Kim Jong Un captioned “Such wow, many cool” quite cut it.

So, with the fresh start that a new house provided, I sought to do things differently. How much of this was to do with my new relationship status remains unclear. Strange how those things work isn’t it?

Little did I know the sort of frus trations that were in store for me; colour matching, patterns clashing, bed moving, and curtains dashing. As trivial as the details are, if it doesn’t quite work then it won’t feel right. I knew very well the look I wanted, a sort of subtle modern sophistication without the pretentiousness. This vague idea provided little aid though. What is more, I am an unusual lad but a lad nonetheless (I’m talking weights in the corner with my protein shaker at the ready). And in that ‘Laddishness’ comes, I think, a propensity to be con tent with plainness. Additionally came a quite unusual take on budget responsibility, but

that’s just me. I have even been described as boring, so the ambi tion of a nicely decorated room (literally the addition of unneces sary stuff), came as quite the challenge!

Feeling coy, I thought I’d play it safe at the beginning. Enter my first addition - Patrick. Well, also Patricia. He/she is a Peace Lily and for the handsome sum of £3.15 (pot included), they have undoubt edly been the only triumph in this adventure. I say they, because it is actually a hermaphrodite.

Brewing with confidence, on account of my recent success, it was time to tackle the walls. This was to prove a little less straight forward. Scouring the internet for deals, I was overjoyed to discover Amazon do themed poster sets of fifty 6 x 7 inch pieces, all under the price of a mere two hours work. Rather irritatingly though, my ever-hesitant nature managed to opt me out of that. I mean what was I to do with the pictures I didn’t like? No, I thought to my

self, that would be wasteful, best look for something else. Many moments later, and after comparing the relative advantages and disadvantages of blue tack, white tack, and poster tape on porous walls, I stum bled upon something magnifi cent. Bright colourful abstract art characterised by an arrangement of harsh shapes.

Sorry Royal Holloway poster sale, you may be convenient, but I bet you don’t have Wassily Kandin sky. It appears abstract Art does come with its drawbacks, howev er. Too many times have I woken up, startled by what I had wrongly positioned perpendicular to me. I mean, talk about bad Feng Shui at its finest. So, after all that I guess I’m back where I started - a plain wall and a bunch of posters look ing for a home.

(Editor's note: Last year at least, Royal Holloway's poster sale did, in fact, have Wassily Kandinsky)

LIFE ON FILM:

The resurgence of film photography in a digital world.

Niamh Strong

Photos are everywhere, all the time. We are all interested in capturing our lives and sharing it with our friends and family. Now, when I open Instagram I’m met with a plethora of film photos that accompany the digital ones.

When I got my first proper pay check at 16, I immediately brought a polaroid camera and became ob sessed with it. A year later I bought my first disposable camera -a Kod ak Funsaver 35mm- and have been using film ever since. After about four years of using disposables, this year I bought a Pentax Espio 738g camera and, unfortunately for my bank account, decided Kodak Portra 400 is my favourite type of film.

In an age where we can take instant, constant photos on our phones, why do we revert to the dated and

mildly impractical means of tak ing them? Why do I choose to go and pester my local Snappy Snaps employees once a month, asking them to develop yet another roll of film, mainly containing photos of cats and food? When photos on a phone are instant and free, why do I think it’s a good idea to spend my student loan on a new roll of film and film development every month? I’m far from being alone in this. Film photos, disposable cam eras and film cameras have seen a surge in popularity within the last few years, and I can certainly understand why.

The leading reason that springs to mind for this resurgence of retro methods is nostalgia. I think many of us remember being children and looking through our parent’s photo albums filled with film photos, and the retro look of film images makes even a night in Windsor’s ATIK comparable to aesthetic night from the 90s. I always thought my par ents’ film photos of their younger selves looked so cool, and selfishly I want my own youth to be cap tured in this nostalgic way (they’ll never know the difference). It is so fulfilling to look through an al bum of film photos, compared to scrolling through them. I think the enjoyment of film photography is sparked by nostalgia for a time that came before us.

Another attraction towards film photography is that it isn’t immediate and it’s unpredictable. You can’t take photos with your friends and then all gather round to decide if they’re dreadful and retake. You take one or two, and then you have to wait before you see the final re

sult. You can’t pick them apart, you can’t inspect them afterwards, so the photo ends up being so much more natural. There aren’t any doovers with film photos, so they have a certain authenticity and atmosphere to them that a smartphone cannot capture. You have no idea what the photos look like until a month or two (or maybe more) down the line when they get developed. A lot of the time you’ve forgotten how many photos you’ve captured before they’re developed. It’s so much fun when you get to flick through the newly- developed images to see all the moments you’d forgotten, all the photos you couldn’t remember taking.

Least sentimental and meaningful of all, they just look great. Film photos have a certain unbeatable aesthetic, with so much more dy namic and depth than photos that phones capture. It’s an aesthet ic people love and want, whether that involves buying a camera of their own or using filters to mimic the effect. While film photography may not be the most practical way of capturing life, it is definitely the most fun.

Image: Marina T via Unsplash

Seasonal Depression:

Starting fresh in times of great change.

Emilie Williams

As the trees start to thin and the days get shorter, the changing of seasons initiates a shift within me that is expected with this time of year. As someone who suffers with seasonal depression, otherwise known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this time of year has come to symbolise a negative change in stead of a fresh start. My optimism hibernates and low moods kick in with the lack of sunshine. This change is in some ways universal, as many people may notice a shift in motivation and perspective once the autumn and winter months arrive. Seasonal depression, how ever, is much more than just being bummed out by colder days. In dicated by the name, the disorder is classed as a form of depression caused by the changing of seasons that lasts a long time and affects daily life.

My first year of university was the most difficult autumn for me in terms of how I managed to deal with my seasonal depression. Mov ing from my hometown in South Wales to a different environment in Egham felt like a drastic change. I was initially doing well with mak ing friends and socialising at the start of term, but I noticed myself closing in and isolating myself as the months went on. I felt alone, and ashamed since I suddenly felt una ble to socialise or be my normal self. For the first time in years, the return of Autumn now provides me with a sense of hope instead of dread. I’m no longer anxious that I won’t be able to cope with the psychological

effects of the cold and dark days. Most of that change is thanks to the realisation that I could gain control over my symptoms, which I realised when I began reaching out for help.

The first step was to speak up about how I was struggling. I received help and support from my univer sity which led me to learn about the therapies and practices that could help me. This also eased the pres sure from my studies as the university was made aware that I required extra support. I began looking at my mental health in a different light, as something that I was ex periencing rather than being con trolled by. Since then, many factors in my life have changed that have provided me with the solid foun dations needed for dealing with my seasonal depression. I have gained a healthy and beautiful relationship, new friends that care and support me, and a more positive relation ship with myself. I have built and maintained new positive coping mechanisms that have guided me through rough patches and difficult mental headspaces.

In my personal experience with sea sonal depression, I’ve found that it highlights and increases issues that I have been dealing with that I may previously have been able to cope with during spring and summer. The hot sunny days, time spent out side, and the summer break away from studies provide some stress relief that isn’t necessarily availa ble during the winter months. The changes in the season thus force me to reconsider the coping mecha nisms that may not be sustainable long term, as they are dependent on variables only available in the sum mer and spring.

Here are some of the things I’ve found to be significantly helpful in coping with my seasonal depres sion:

1. Communication

As soon as I began the conversation about how I was feeling, I suddenly felt less alone. Letting others in on my situation opened the doors to healing and being able to cope with my symptoms. If you are struggling with symptoms of poor mental health, it is important to reach out for professional help. This can begin simply by letting those around you know how you’re feeling and cop ing.

2. Sunlight

Light therapy is a common treat ment for seasonal depression as we are less exposed to the benefits of the sun in the Autumn and Win ter months. Taking the time to be out in the sun during the hours of light is important for receiving the mental benefits of the sun (with sun protection of course!). I bought a SAD lamp last winter that helped me whilst studying in the day and evenings when I couldn’t go outside in the sun, so I also recommend that as an option.

3. A daily routine

You’ve probably heard this a lot, but a regular daily routine can make such a difference to your mental health. Our brains thrive on rou tine and comfort, and this is an easy way to provide that for yourself. Whether this includes getting up at the same time every day or making time for exercise and socialising, tai lor your daily routine around what is realistic and works for you.

4. Taking medication

Unfortunately, there is an unnec essary stigma around turning to antidepressants in times of need. Going on antidepressants was the best choice for me during a par ticularly difficult time last year. It allowed me to turn on the light in the dark room I was standing in and assess the situation in front of me. Although I have stopped taking the medication now, and although their side effects were unpleasant, I don’t regret deciding to start them. I was initially scared of them due to the

stigma around them, but everyone’s experience is different. Always seek medical advice to discuss your op tions if you’re considering medica tion.

If I were to give any advice to stu dents during this new season, it would be to be kind and patient with yourself and to speak to some one if you’re struggling. This change in season doesn’t have to be a neg ative thing that we fear but can in stead be a fresh start and a time to be kinder with ourselves.

Freshers Week: Make or Break?

Beth McCowen SENIOR LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Every Royal Holloway student, and student across the coun try for that matter, is now familiar with the term ‘Freshers Week’ and what it entails. This is the week which follows your move into student accommodation (unless you’re commuting), and mostly re volves around nights out with peo ple you just met.

There is a huge amount of pressure placed on the need to form a solid friendship group, preferably with your new flatmates, by the end of this chaotic start to term. So much of the build up to your first year at university focuses on this one week, which in reality is among the least important of all.

Before lectures get started, everyone is trying to adjust to their new home, peers and degree. Moving to university is a big step, and it doesn’t feel easy or natural to every body. This expectation that as an individual, you must be prepared for the start of work, comforta

ble navigating campus alone, and enthusiastically ready for several consecutive nights out, is frankly unrealistic for a large percentage of Royal Holloway newcomers, and that’s okay. Not all of us can func tion on just a few hours sleep be fore going out partying again with our new acquaintances, so from the start to finish of term, try not to be afraid to say no if you think it would be more beneficial for you to skip an SU night or two, after all there will be plenty more!

Most of us don’t meet every single future housemate, partner or friend during our first week. Sometimes we might, but more often than not this isn’t the case, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! If you find that you didn’t have the time of your life during freshers, do not panic. You still have plenty of time ahead of you to make the most of your experience here. There are so many societies or sports to join, events (both alcohol-orientated and oth erwise) to attend, people to meet and an education to enjoy.

Over the course of the year, your feelings towards different people,

activities and even places are likely to change anyway, so there is real ly very little purpose in worrying about making decisions to base your whole year, or even longer, around just yet. This is not to say that freshers week can’t be an en joyable and productive experience, especially in a social sense, because it certainly can. However, it truly is not the be all and end all of your entire 3+ years here. I would advise exploring what societies or sports you might like to join (if you ha ven’t already), taking the time to get to know people from your halls and your course, as well as taking time out for yourself when you need it! In freshers week and be yond, self-care is vital for a success ful academic year in every sense. So whether its solo dates, walks, a bubble bath or a book, allocate some time every week to detox. Many consider starting a degree away from home to be the ultimate fresh start, and when making such an important leap forward into adulthood, why rush it? Freshers week was just the beginning, and ultimately the most important thing is not how you start, but how you finish.

DEALING WITH POST-COVID SOCIAL ANXIETY AS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT

Charlotte Town

It is safe to say that Covid has changed the lives of everybody in some way or another. It brought stress, separation and loneliness; even now, as the buzz of university life begins on campus, with the re introduction of face-to-face semi nars and lectures, the effects Covid has had on people’s mental health is prevalent. To many people, this sudden loss of society was crush ing, but some, who have had the joys of experiencing social anxiety, can confess guiltily celebrating in secret when the nation was told to stay inside. No more unwanted in teractions with work or school col leagues, hiding half our faces be hind a piece of cloth and so much free time. Time to rest, to pick up

a new hobby and time to just be alone. Although solitude can have its negative aspects, having time alone to oneself can also be freeing. It felt good to stop caring about how you present yourself to society and to truly focus on yourself. But now with Covid restrictions disap pearing all together, how do we go back to socializing ‘normally?’

With the world rebooting, post-covid social anxiety is seen occurring in both students and lec turers alike. Two years of mainly communicating online and being confined to a small ‘bubble’ of people and now lectures are back!

A room full of students, sat closely next to each other (the two-me ter rule long gone) with one per son addressing so many. Freshers’ week and the student union back and running, meaning students are supposed to make as many friends

as possible in one week, or the rest of their university social life is for ever at stake? This mission is difficult for the majority to take on, but mix in a pandemic, which encour aged isolation and social distancing and see how easy that makes it. So how do we navigate these is sues? Joining societies? Taking part in sports? Forcing ourselves to make small talk as we try and navigate around a newly busy cam pus? Yes – all these points can help, but the best angle is, to take it slow and practice being patient with ourselves. Something the pandemic bought to light, which we can all benefit from, is that as a nation, we all need to slow down. Life moves so fast and the constant rhythmic hum of general life can stunt us from taking part in things that really matter. Social inter actions, starting new friendships and human connection, which are all key factors of life. Without them a person can struggle with university life. Therefore, taking a slow approach to reintroducing ourselves into a life of socialising is the best thing to do and feeling nervous about a social situation –even if it is just going to a semi nar, or the Packhorse with your friends – is nothing to be ashamed of! Celebrate your small successes and remember this time a couple of years ago we were barely leaving our homes… unless it was to fight over toilet paper in our local super markets.

Image: Roman Wimmers via Unsplash

Fresh Out of the Campus Bubble

Elena Chiujdia

September brings students – be they returning or new – back on campus. The past 2 years put a strain on the university experience; you were being talked at, through a screen, instead of to, in a lecture theatre. So, not only do returning students need to readjust to the idea of this ‘in person routine’, but they are just now going through the freshers’ experience. On top of it, they’re hijacked by second- and third-year responsibilities.

Take looking for a house. You move away from home for the first time and two months in, after meeting this mass of new people, there is this expectation to turn strangers into the best of friends. Funny how this timeline is supposed to somehow give you enough time to budget for a prospective place to rent, choose good housemates, yet make sure no one feels left out. Who are we kidding? We’re all still teenagers putting on the mask of an adult who knows what they’re doing. That ‘adult’ is still home sick for mum’s food, childish ar guments and is most likely going through their third breakdown of the day. The horror stories following these housing pressures often lead to people dropping out of contracts, living with people they know they won’t get along with in the long run, or choosing to com mute from home.

If you’re lucky, you end up living with people who become your best friends. Key word, ‘luck’. Shows like ‘Friends’ or ‘How I Met Your Mother’ are out there for 2 reasons: relatable but idealistic. If older stu-

dents are good for one thing, it’s advice. The other side of housing can also turn into a nightmare. A nightmare that you might have to go through once or twice before learning how to stand on your own two feet. Student housing equals being scammed, nightmare neigh bours, uncooperative housemates, parties, and fines (just to name a few!). Saving up, finding a stable job, being able to pay rent from your own pocket are far into the future. House-sharing just paves the way for that hopeful inde pendence. Now let’s say you man aged to ‘adult’ for longer than 24 hours. The house for your second year is picked and the people you will live with are somewhat decent flatmates. But there is more to growing up than just a house. The ‘campus bubble’ meant not caring about bills too much. Now, inflation prices bring a whole new lev el to the stress of our finances, so budgeting is harder than it should be. Middle aged adults with chil dren and full-time jobs struggle with it so in that sense, we’re all doing great I guess?

The campus comfort and pandem ic made staying in your flat neces sary. Being scared to go to societies or campus activities was allowed. No one goes to them. Or so you thought. You are in your 20s, may be getting back after a gap year and you don’t know what you’re do ing. Finding hobbies and making friends feels silly when the idea of a full-time job or masters hangs over your head. But relying on people is a must at University. You are in the same boat, helping each other row it forward. If friendships do fall out – which let’s be honest, hap pens – it is probably for your own good. Half of the people you meet

in freshers week are people you won’t meet again. Over these three years, people’s priorities change. The only problem with ending relationships is the safety net they offered you in the first place. You fall in and out of love faster than you can imagine, you get drunk, you sleep in, most days surviving on takeout. The only thing to re member is to do everything with the right people, those who laugh at your drunk self, but take care of you in the end.

At the base of it all, we are all ‘fresh adults’, not knowing what to do next. But not knowing is the beauty of it, freaking you out yet being quietly freeing. Univer sity is this bubble that slowly waits to burst when we go into the real world, preparing us for a fall that will probably be followed by tons of others, and success sprinkled in there somewhere too. This is just a taste of the real world that awaits.

As ‘Friends’ would put it, ‘Wel come to the real world. It sucks. You’re going to love it!’

NOT JUST ACADEMIA, BUT LIFE LESSONS:

Learning beyond the lecture theatre.

Millie Draper

ASSOCIATE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Acommon misconception of the university experience is that it’s a waste of time and that you learn nothing but how to study. “You’re just delaying the inevitable. You’ll have to join us in the real world at some point”. These comments have always frustrated me as they are so ignorant. University is certainly not for everyone, but it was for me, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Aside from my love for literature, my time at Royal Holloway has taught me some invaluable lessons and has changed me as a person. I’m more confident and independent. I know what I love and hate, and my opinions are stronger than ever. Although there is a lot that I will never know, I’m sure that coming to uni versity was the right decision.

With deadlines and graduation al ready on my mind, I’ve thought about how far I’ve come in three years. I’ve learned a lot, but it al ways comes back to three lessons. From my naive first-year self to my current self, I am positive they are very different people.

Lesson one: Study/Life balance

I have struggled with time manage ment, but I’m starting to figure it out. Whether you are a first-year or returning student, managing your studies and social life is a task. Although it’s easy to ignore re sponsibility and party every night (whoops), it is important to remem ber your course once in a while. I wish I had tried a bit harder in the first year, but that’s why it doesn’t

count towards your degree, right? Since my first year, I found that planning your tasks by the hour is helpful; write what you set out to do, and after an hour, see how far you’ve come, and decide if that is enough for the day, then move on. It’s easy to spend hours on one task, but you have to ask yourself if this 10% assignment is worth 6 hours of your time.

Lesson two: Don’t be afraid to be alone

After an incredible first year, I ex pected to continue having a great time. Oh, how wrong I was. Bal ancing uni work, failing friendships and my first heartbreak, it felt like the world was falling apart. Valu ably, I realised that some relation ships are not made to last, which was a difficult concept to grasp. I felt the need to surround myself with people to avoid being alone, and my productivity suffered for it. So, taking some time to pay sole attention to uni work and getting the grades to show for it, I knew I needed to put myself first and work hard. Although I love being around people, taking a step back is benefi cial. Giving yourself a few hours to focus on yourself is crucial. I took up journaling, and it was great! Invest in yourself every once in a while; it does pay off.

Lesson three: Be brave

This realisation has hit me quite late, I’ll admit. Be brave! Your university experience is what you make of it. You have to show some courage and put yourself out there. Societies are a great way to meet people, but try speaking to classmates first. It’s a great start, and I’ve met some love ly people. I’ve recently made more of an effort to talk to lecturers and

seminar leaders, and I feel much better for it. They are there to help and only want to see you succeed. They want to see your curiosity, your passion. Bombard them with emails and ask them to come along during office hours. You’re paying for their guidance, after all!

Some argue that university is noth ing but dusty lecture halls and thou sands in debt. Obviously, the debt isn’t great, but I wouldn’t change my decisions for the world. Univer sity is a time for experimentation. Try being the person you want to be, this is the perfect place for that. Who knows, you might love it.

SPORT

The Leap of Faith:

Peter Vigh

SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Fear, adrenaline, and the deep sea. Nothing exerts a bigger sensory overload of feeling alive. This raw emotion is as unwritten of an experience as one can feel and unknown every time. Like a fresh wound, fa miliar but always different. This is the feeling that I imagine surfers ex perience when confronted with the great Nazare.

Nazare has been somewhat of a mecca for surfers since its commer cial boom after Garrett McNamara’s world record run on its waves. Its unique large waves are accredited to the largest submarine canyon in Europe present just off the shore of Nazare. This acts like an amplifier for the incoming ocean swells forc ing record breaking waves to form near the coast. In other words, surf ing heaven!

But why should I care about Naza re? I hear you ask.

Because it embodies everything great and endearing about sports but more importantly, highlights everything wrong with many com mercial sports now. Freedom.

Looking at sports news in recent weeks has just felt like looking at political news. The lies, mind games and unsportsmanlike behaviour cloud the enjoyment of sports. Qa tar with its political controversies surrounding the development for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and F1

with its budget breechings regard ing Red Bull’s Championships are only some high-profile political cas es which are making headline news.

Did you hear that the world record for largest surfed wave was broken in the summer of this year at Naz are? No, probably not. But are you aware of the political problems re garding the 2022 World Cup, most likely yes. That right there is the problem.

Political controversies are news, absolutely, even when linked to a wider sporting event. But in sports reporting, is it not important that we also hear about sporting achieve ments?

That is why Nazare and the recent resurgence of surfing culture as a whole is so refreshing. It’s just peo ple in harmony with nature, enjoy ing the sport like it was designed to be enjoyed.

So why a leap of faith?

Surfers, especially ones daring enough to surf the Nazare waves, have a relationship with fear. Surf ing some of the world's largest waves requires a mentality to override fears. This unknown territory is what makes surfing at Nazare so exciting. You just have to go for it.

This mentality has been somewhat lost in other sports, hence the po litical unrest surrounding them. A surfer confronts their fear by rid ing a wave that could crush them. Whilst politics in sport is like the wave that will crush you if you aren’t the solo entity ready to confront it. A leap of faith, it is all it takes to

make that decision. One that seems to be absent in larger sports today.

In some spheres, it may be more appropriate to forget about politics and just appreciate sport for what it is, a ground for people to show case talent and push their bodies to the limit. Of course, it would be irresponsible for news outlets not to report on human rights abuses, of course - the role of the media in holding individuals and natures accountable cannot be disregarded. But with each event offering the opportunity for groundbreaking feats of athleticism, it is important that we do not lose the integrity of where global sports came from - a chance to put aside differences and celebrate sportsmanship on an international scale.

This is why surfing is so magnetic. The lack of boundaries and possibil ity of control. You play by nature's rules even if you don’t like it. No politics can dictate the outcome of riding a wave. Which leads back to fear and adrenaline. Raw emotions which surfers conquer but politi cians of sports seem to fall on.

If there is anything to learn from re cent news in sport, it is that sports should be left alone to be sports. It needs a new directional force, leading it to its more primitive roots. Like surfing, a fresh lease of life has been breathed into it by places like Nazare. No rules, only the ones which dictate the sport, nature. A set of rules and ethics which has been absent recently from other sports. Maybe it is time to take that leap of faith and turn a page on the mess that has become sport politics.

The mess that is sports politics.

Fresh as a Daisy

by Eleanor Pritchard

There are few feelings that suck more than waking up and being immediately aware that you are in for a very, very bad day. What makes it worse, is knowing that the only person who put you in this situation is yourself. It was, however, a very familiar feeling for her. What was unfamiliar, however, was the scent that met her nose as she blearily rolled over, not quite awake and very potentially still a tad drunk. The scent was crisp, acidic, maybe citrus-y. She breathed in deeply – a little too deeply. Her stomach somersaulted and she bit her lip hard, squeezing her eyes shut as the nausea rolled through her. That scent actually was familiar. The wine she’d been drinking last night. She curled up with a hand around her stomach, then withdrew her hand quickly. Her shirt was slightly damp. Spilled wine? She’d slept in the shirt over which she’d spilt wine? Horrendous. Without even sitting up properly, she peeled it off, along with the jeans she was still wearing. Passing out in her clothes, covered in wine? Gross. It was also embarrassing. She was old enough to handle herself better than this, surely.

She forced herself to sit up, very slowly. Eyes still shut, arm curved around her stomach, as she hunched over in bed. She blindly reached out her other arm, hoping desperately that her drunk self had left a glass of water on the bedside table, and that she’d find it without having to expose her eyes to the light she knew would be leaking in through the thin drapes. Find a glass she did, but not very effectively – she poked it directly off the bedside table and onto the floor. She would have liked to swear very much, but was nervous about exerting any more energy than she needed to, for fear of reinvigorating the nausea. She slowly opened an eye. Win some, lose some. The floor was dry. Either she’d drained the cup in the night –morning? – without remembering, or her drunk self had never filled it in the first place, and had carried an empty cup upstairs. Either way.

Ever so slowly, she heaved a leg over the side of the bed. Pause. Wait for the nausea to pass. Other leg. Pause. Slowly, slowly, ease weight onto legs. That’s it. Standing like Quasimodo, one arm still wrapped tight around her stomach as if she needed to be held together, she straightened up. Pause. Now, one step at a time. Dressing gown, arms into sleeves and wrap. Open the door. Wait. Fuck. She’d left the cup. One step at a time back again. Bend, retrieve cup, straighten. Long pause. Back to the door. Out. Down the stairs, leaning heavily on the banister rail. Was this worth it? Yes, screamed her dry mouth and aching head. The kind of aching that feels like your eyes are trying to force their way out of your skull to relieve the pressure. Down the hallway. Whole body weight through the heavy kitchen door. Stumble, bang into the wall. Ouch. “Morning sunshine!” Sarcastic housemate. She grunted in response, soldiering on towards the sink. Sarcastic housemate continues. “Fun night? I enjoyed hearing you trip up the stairs.”

So that was why her knees hurt. “Fun? I’ll tell you when I remember,” she managed to squeeze out. Hand on the cold tap. Water glass full. Sip. Better. Ish. Something about a hungover brain always convinces you that water will completely save you, but it never does.

Her sarcastic housemate looked gleeful. He’d gone home at midnight, said he needed an ‘early one’. She wished she’d gone with him.

“Are you feeling as fantastic as you look?”

She smiled thinly. “Fresh as a daisy, thanks.”

Stubborn Snowflake

by Nelson Kalberer

A stubborn snowflake falls from the heavens, Individual, unique, separate, Disappearing for a second behind the cloud of breath, Eventually finding a cool resting place on my cheek. I felt that chill, that burst of Shocking Natural Electric Cold, cold snowflake just born from the clouds.

Soon, it is pollen that surrounds me Irritatingly.

My eyes, my mouth, my nose, Nowhere is safe. But the bees buzzing give me comfort Knowing there is life around me. My ears tell that truth April showers do bring May flowers With the smell of rosy sweetness.

I feel ready to collapse again Heat beating down on me I feel all of it.

The cicadas

The sweat dripping down my back The sense of impending exhaustionBut it is comforting. An idea of a new season with new possibilities and excitement, Ice cream and sunshine, Swimming and drinking, Shown on my smiling face.

Of course I go to Starbies and get my pumpkin spice latte, Iced of course (I’m not a fiend). This is jumper weather. Jumpers and headphones almost ready for Mariah Ahhhh the excellence of pumpkin, ice, and caffeineI’m like the leaves,

Multicoloured and falling free and falling

And falling And falling And falling And falling And Falling And I feel so Fresh.

The loss of you was fresh. All the snowflakes on my cheeks, All the flowers in my nose, All the sunshine on my face, All the pumpkin spice on my tongue, I feel it, But I feel you more. And this life feels new. It feels fresh. But why does it feel fresh and not like the snowflake? (Its chilling touch is exciting) Why does it feel fresh and not like the flowers? (Its scent makes me swoon) Like the sunshine? (Its rays bring joy and happiness) The pumpkin spice? (Its taste feels exhilarating)

It feels fresh like the smell of mould or headaches that cloud your mind and you can’t think of anything or vomit or panic attacks when the world suddenly goes into high focus or having a fever dream or being hurt or when you have blood drawn or stubbing your toe or getting cologne in your eye or a paper cut or getting electrocuted or a bad trip or having a family member die or arriving late and everyone looking at you or rotten food in the fridge or crying or like shit shit shit shit shi-

The snowflake comes and rests on my cheek once more.

GEDAREL, or, A Rant about the Pill

by Hannah Armour

GEDAREL 20/150 microgram film-coated

Ethnylestradiol

/ desogestrel

GEDAREL knocks knocks knocks on her door, 5 o’clock on the dot. Not a second before nor after, GEDAREL must be let in daily or disaster strikes. She—no, no, GEDAREL is he, she wouldn’t inflict this, she wouldn’t force our hand, she wouldn’t think this was the solution. He pounds pounds pounds, “LET ME IN! LET ME IN OR I’LL RUIN YOUR LIFE.” She doesn’t behave like this, demand like this. This is all he, he wants no consequenc es—no consequences for him, consequences for her are printed double sided on A3, conveniently folded into nothing. She lets him in because it’s better than the alternative.

GEDAREL enters incognito, wig equipped and ready for action. Glass of wine in hand, GEDAREL introduces himself around the room, “Please, call me Oestrogen, call me Progestogen.” His real names—Ethnylestradiol and Desogestrel—look, smell, taste just like Oestrogen, Progestogen, but he is a lie. A synthetic version of her. She’s tricked easily enough, after all, what place does he have here…except for the obvious. He assures her he is here to help. Doesn’t she want her life as it is? She’s far too young, too naïve, definitely for sure not ready, so isn’t he a good thing? He knocks over a lamp, “Oops”, she gets a broom and he rips apart a pillow, feathers fly. He wasn’t supposed to do this, she could do this, she does this, monthly, he doesn’t need to, she just redecorated.

Tomorrow, when he pounds again on her door, she’ll let GEDAREL in, after all, it’s better than the alternative. If only there was an alternative to this alternative.

Freshness

by Xiangchen Cai (Sulena)

Fresh green leaves in the forest, The hill climb every day to get to classThe founders’ building at the end always Makes the climb seem worth it.

‘Fresh’ could mean a lot of different things –It’s hard to just pick one –

A new start

A new page

A new vibe or sense of self.

‘Feeling fresh’ could connote cleanliness. ‘Looking fresh’ in a nice outfit.

Fresh skin and fresh-faced pays homage to The glass skin trend.

Smoothies and the gym Waking up at 5am.

What kind of freshness are you?

Similar words could include: Re-fresh Re-vamp Re-define Re-set

The Wishing Flower

by Eiman Elsir

Meeting you felt like tasting the sap of a wishing flowerI did not know what to look for, but the flower stood tall among the roses and peonies and you became mine to love.

My tongue hung heavy with its sustenance I savoured the petals of our conversation in a jar And chewed on the leaves of your trivia that you planted inside me. You asked me my name and I felt like I had returned home After a ruthless ten-month expedition -

In all my research I did not believe that the pollen would make me willing to Do whatever you asked of me. But you just asked me how I felt, no less. I caught you savouring my petals too, but that was surely just the glamour of the wishing flower: Filling the fresh air with fairy dust that coated the reds and pinks.

Our time together ran out I did not gather enough seeds of you to take home with me. Such a loss, such a pain: The scholarship forgot to make me aware: One seed is not enough to nourish the wishing flower. The soil will always grow hungry for more.

I will begin my search again, because what else can I do? Now I know exactly what it is I'm looking for, With the taste of your sap still lingering on my buds.

"Dear Davidson,

I am a new RHUL Fresher and although I am really enjoying my course and think this university was the best choice for me, I am really struggling with the social side here. I am not really fitting in with my flatmates and barely talk to people in my course, therefore so far this hasn’t been the experience I had anticipated, which feels especially strange because I am usually a very outgoing person. Going on social media I watch my old friends from home seem to be having an amazing time and I find myself becoming jealous of ‘what could have been’.

Whilst it sounds dramatic I am starting to feel like I am the problem, since everyone else seems to be having so much fun and are at such ease."

Being a fresher is such a weird time of your life. As I read your letter I remember my own experience and - trust me - it was very similar. I would hate to say right now that ‘I know what you are feeling’ because it doesn’t change your situation one bit, however, it is a reminder that a lot of people have this exact first year experience and you should never feel like you are the problem. Everyone always talks about university being the best time of your life, especially during the first year when you don’t really need to worry about your stud ies affecting your final degree, but loneliness at university is rarely discussed as much. The irony is, most people will be feeling the same way you are, hence why this discussion needs to be had.

Now, prepare yourself, because what I am about to suggest is the most textbook piece of advice out there, which is to go out and join a society. Whether it is a society that centers around a particular interest of yours, or perhaps just links nicely to your degree, this is a great way to meet like minded people who I can guarantee are also looking to make new connections.

Whilst it’s important to try and put yourself out there when you are feeling this way, it is also equally important to remember that leaving home is an incredibly daunting adjust ment, and there is no shame in taking time to go home and see the people you feel most comfortable around, whether that may be family or friends. Sometimes having this time will make you more confident to find these comforts at university, and when you are in halls, remember to do the things that remind you of home.

It is definitely not dramatic to think you are the problem, but you do have to remind yourself that this certainly isn’t the case. This first term is especially hard, simply because being at university is such a new experience. Once you find a routine and surround yourself with people whose company you enjoy, it will begin to feel more like home. The longer you spend here the more chances you will have to make those friends you feel you need to truly enjoy university life.

Have a problem and want some advice? WE HAVE AN ANONYMOUS CONTACT FORM AVAILABLE AT LINKTR.EE/ORBITALMAGAZINE ALTERNATIVELY, YOU CAN EMAIL US EDITOR.ORBITAL@ROYALHOLLOWAY.SU

TheCrossword

Inexpertly set by the Editorial Team

ACROSS

2. British Conservative party, originally (4)

4. Constellation taking shape of a dog (6)

6. Where is the deer caught? (10)

7. Member of the Cabinet (8)

9. The guidance provided by a more experienced individual, or the period of time during which one receives guidance from said individual (10)

14. Occasionally (3,3,4)

15. Advocate in court (9)

17. Short-lived, green canned Coca Cola (4)

19. Fruit for teacher (5)

DOWN

1. Candour (7)

3. First name shared by actor and physicist Cox (5)

4. Playwright whose work is shown at the Globe Theatre (11)

5. Surname shared by artists Frida af and Gustav (5)

8. City of the summer of love; San ________ (9)

10. Skincare brand known for its affordable products/unremarkable and normal (8)

11. Common in the names of two recent television shows; Anatomy of a, a Very British (7)

12. U.S. State, setting of Stranger Things (7)

13. Road type from which our magazine takes its name (9)

16. Head of State's colonial enterprise, State Building (6)

18. King, of sixties/seventies songwriting fame (6)