ORBITAL THEORBITAL.CO.UK
FRESHERS 2016 | FREE
FINAL
STIMULANTS ANDSTUDY WIRELESS FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF STUDENTS’ UNION ROYAL HOLLOWAY
EDITOR Holly Pyne
THIS ISSUE
DEPUTY EDITOR Louise Jones SUBEDITOR Rosalie Falla NEWS Anna Robinson Paco Tijdink COMMENT Abbie Cheeseman Cemre Camuz FEATURES Yasmeen Frasso Tomike Adeniji LIFESTYLE Annie Pantry Elizabeth Rosenberg ARTS Joanne Archer Beth Carr
NEWS
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FOUNDERS
Named best example of Victorian Architecture.
COMMENT
06
STIMULANTS
Anya Eastman on the dangers of study drugs.
SPORT & SOCIETIES Jess Hines Alice Reynolds OPERATIONS Nebiu Samuel PHOTOGRAPHY Cameron James Seymour ONLINE Imogen Trinder MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA Emma Halahan ADVERTISING Hannah Foord
FEATURES
08
WIRELESS
Interviews with Lady Leshurr & Petite Meller.
LIFESTYLE
14
VEGAN
From meat-eater to attempting Vegan.
EVENTS & TRAINING Georgia Austin CO-PRESIDENT SOCIETIES & MEDIA Pippa Gentry COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Cameron James Seymour ADDRESS Media Suite, Students’ Union, Royal Holloway University of London, TW20 0EX TEL +44 1784 276 744 EMAIL editor@theorbital. co.uk WEBSITE theorbital.co.uk
ARTS
16
GHOSTBUSTERS Nebiu Samuel looks at the new female film.
SOCIETIES
17
GEOGSOC
Looking at what GeogSoc has planned.
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EDITORIAL
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We hope you enjoy this last issue of the week. It contains our usual six sections, covering everything from Wireless Festival to Founders being described “the best example of Victorian architecture.”
freshers’ issues, and partied hard (and responsibly!)
One society featured in this issue is Geogsoc, as their president talks to Deputy Sports and Societies Editor, Alice Reynolds about their events, socials and speakers for the year ahead. Their boat party is stuff of legend, I’m sure this week has been and you are guaranteed to hectic for all you; whether have a good time. you’re a fresher or not. We hope you’ve signed up to For the quieter among us, all the sports and societies Arts Editor, Joanne Archer, possible, read all five of our has collated her best tips on
how to get cheap theatre tickets. Don’t worry, she’s got you covered. All that is left to say is, we hope you’ve had a great week, and the next one is even better. Please visit us at www.theorbital.co.uk for all the latest campus news - or you could even join us by emailing me at editor@ theorbital.co.uk.
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FOUNDERS NAMED BEST EXAMPLE OF VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE Anna Robinson reports that Founders building has been found to be the best example of Victorian architecture.
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he Victorian era was well known for its innovative style. The nineteenth century saw an exceeding development in architecture as a result of industrial advancements across Britain. The Victorians saw this form of modernisation as a method to show off their wealth and impress surrounding nations. This trend was ever evident in Egham, Surrey as Thomas Holloway Victorian patent medicine trader and subsequent philanthropologist put his
fortune to the development of Ladies College, Royal Holloway. The architect, William Crossland, had a high specification when it came to the work behind his building and Holloway was no cheapskate when it came to the work behind it - in the end Founder’s Building cost £60,000 when it was completed in 1887. As a mark of history, Crossland’s in Founders is now aptly named after William Crossland in commemoration to his work. The overall result of the construction are now what can be considered somewhat
VICTORIAN
Credit: Cameron James Seymour
of a spectacle. Pevsner, historian and specialist on the history of the buildings of England, called Royal Holloway’s Founders “the most ebullient Victorian building in the Home Counties” and a “source of amazement” to all those traveling down the A30. A notable achievement taken from the Victorians and philanthropic success of Thomas Holloway, as well as a claim to fame right on our doorstep.
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STOP THE FREE FROM FAD Beth Carr on why ‘going free’ should be a permanent choice, not a diet fad.
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ave you ever looked at the ‘Free From’ aisle at the supermarket? Wherever you shop, it’s likely that this section has become far more noticeable in the last few years, as more and more people seek a ‘free from’ lifestyle. However, has this change sprung out of a medical need, the fact that more people are being diagnosed as intolerant to these things or from conditions such as Coeliac Disease? Or is it more because people are seeing this lifestyle as a way to lose weight, get healthy, or fit in with the latest fad?
Either way, isn’t the expansion of the ‘free from’ market a good thing for those suffering from these health conditions? In theory yes. With more people choosing to take on a gluten-free lifestyle, Coeliacs are benefitting from a wider range of food in supermarkets, takeaways and restaurants as companies look to cash in on the latest diet craze.
lifestyle, taking away custom from the market.
Please don’t misunderstand me, restricting or removing certain food groups from your diet for non-medical reasons is not a bad choice if that is what you feel is best for you, but don’t follow the crowd and choose ‘free from’ as your latest diet fad. Most importantly, don’t create fake empathy for those who are medically forced to remove key food groups they used However, there’s no guarantee that those who cut to enjoy. And, if you have cut out foods and felt better for out food groups by choice it, consider seeking medical will stick with their decision, it’s an expensive habit, it can advice over whether you have an intolerance as with a be easy for those without health implications to simply diagnosis you will be able to access far more support. go back to their ordinary
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PRESSURE
Are drugs the only way to stay on top of the workload?
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or many students, exam season is a well-trodden path of late nights in the library, profound guilt when partaking in any activity other than revision and most importantly an almost continuous consumption of caffeinated drinks.
In fact a student unfueled by caffeine is more abnormal than one using the stimulant and this practice of caffeine loading is scarcely frowned upon. Considering this, how different is a day of study sustained by caffeine, to one sustained by Modafinil, Noopept, or Adderall? Study drugs have become
more prominent in student life. You only had to look on Yik Yak in exam season to see the multitude of desperate students trying to find a study drug supplier. However, there has yet to be a campaign to tackle them. This questions to what extent universities want to acknowledge the use of study drugs. It is
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STIMULANTS AND STUDY Anya Eastman on the dangers of study drugs.
inevitable that universities up and down the country are aware that the use of these stimulants is taking place, though perhaps they are unaware of the scale of use. Whilst study drugs may be a short term fix, students and university staff need to consider the long-term effects. Surely there should
be concern for students who are willing to put their careers before their health. The bottom line is, no student should feel as if they have to take study drugs just in order to compete. At some stage study drugs will become utterly ineffective; if everyone is taking them then no
one has an advantage. In the meantime, university students are trapped in limbo. For more information on these study drugs, and the dangers attached to taking them: visit www.nhs.uk. Anya Eastman
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WIRELESS
FESTIVAL
Alice Barnes-Brown interviews Lady Leshurr and Petite Meller.
LADY LESHURR
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our “Queen’s Speech” freestyles are awesome! Can you explain a little bit about their background? I took a year out, and prepared the series just for fun, banter, and comedy. I get parents, kids, and middle aged people listening to them. I wanted to make something that people can relate to. I also looked at what was missing in music videos. There’s no more Missy Elliot/ Busta Rhymes stuff. The generation these days is all about turning up, jewels out, so I wanted to bring it back. It’s also good because it’s all organic – my YouTube channel went from 20,000 to 500,000 subscribers. I co-directed and produced everything myself, so it was a lot of hard work.
I loved what you said about the music industry pitting female rappers against each other. Why do you think they are so frightened of powerful women of colour? You know what, I think men are afraid of women that are more powerful than them. He’s intimidated by the fact that his woman is in a higher position. 2012 was a great year for females. Everyone was working together, but what happened? I keep humble by not letting these things around me affect how I am. You bring a bit of a lighthearted touch to rap. What motivated you to go down this path, rather than something more “deep” and serious? I thought that the fun was missing out of rap, so why
don’t I bring my personality to my music? I used to be really shy, I’d come on stage like this *shuffles*, but Snapchat has really helped my confidence. It allowed me to be who I really am, and people think I’m funny. So I’ve got two alter egos – one is Sandra, she wears glasses, she’s very middle class and a bit snooty. The other is Leon, a South London rapper. I like to play around a bit. What are you up to now? Well, I’m promoting my new song featuring Wiley, Where Are You Now? I’ve also been working a lot in America because I’ve got a TV series coming out soon. If you haven’t already, check out her YouTube channel / ItsLadyLeshurr. The girl has a talent for entertaining, rapping, and doing everything in a wicked Brummie accent.
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PETITE MELLER
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t the tender age of just 21, Petite creates eccentric music and visual art to delight her fans. With pastel colours, crazy costumes, and soprano tones, you won’t find anything quite like it this side of the Atlantic. Although her debut song, Baby Love, proved more popular on the continent than it did here (where Petite now resides), it now looks like she could be Europe’s answer to Lady Gaga very soon. I couldn’t help but be taken aback by your unique style and stage performance! Can you tell us more about it? This is a question everyone asks, actually. I am always wearing blush for two reasons. The first is that as a kid, I used to get sunburned a lot, it was quite traumatic. But I always say to “wear your trauma proudly”, and try to express it in a positive way. And besides, this is my style anyway! My album is inspired by travel and by “finding your
own tribe”, wherever you go. My video for Milk Bath was shot in Senegal, in a real pink lake! It’s amazing, you should Google it. (We did, and it looks insane. Guess I’m going to Senegal soon.)
Lastly, quick-fire question: If you could go into any career (other than music) what would it be? Mmmm… probably a professor. Study hard!
We heard you also read for an MA in Philosophy at the Sorbonne. As students, we’re interested in hearing how you balance your time between music and studying? It’s so hard! But when I don’t study, I write my songs. They work together. I get some of my ideas from philosophy, from people like Kant etc. Sometimes I write songs in the middle of class…
Well, there you have it, folks. Keep on studying, Royal Holloway. Petite Meller says so.
Who would you collaborate with, if you could do it with anyone, dead or alive? I am really inspired by the film director Michelangelo Antonioni. I like to pay homage to his films in my videos. But I also try to interpret his work – so if there is a problem in the film, I would like to fix it.
At the end of our interview, Petite surprised us by wanting to take a snapshot of the Orbital team. Apparently it’s because we all looked like a girl band. I don’t know about that, but here’s the picture to prove it.
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FLOATING PIERS
Jess Hines visited Christo’s Floating Piers on Lake Iseo in Italy.
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his summer saw an artist’s dreams recognised as Christo was given the go ahead to carry out a project he had been planning since 1970. The idea was the product of two artists, however Christo’s partner, Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2012, and was never able to see the project completed. Finally, earlier this year, Christo and his team were able to begin setting up the Floating Piers on Lake Iseo in Italy. The project was an incredible success and drew in over a million tourists throughout the 16 day exhibiton. I was
lucky enough to be able to visit the Floating Piers in late June, and it truly was a beautiful experience. The piers were made of 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes, and included a 3 kilometre long walkway extending across the lake. They were 16 meters wide and draped in 100,000 square metres of warm golden fabric which carried on along the streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio. The project, funded by Christo alone, reportedly cost around £11.7m. There were no fees and no tickets, the artists goal was to create ‘works of art of joy and beauty, without charging’.
ITALY
Credit: Alessandro Bazzana
The first time I walked along the piers it was almost 2am, and there was still a multitude of people queuing for the experience. The water softly lapped the edges of the piers, turning the material a burnt orange shade. We took our shoes off and walked, hand in hand under the moon. It was the most romantic thing I’ve ever done. It felt as though we were walking on the water, I could feel every gentle movement of the water beneath us. Such a beautiful exhibition, one that will surely go down in history.
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WALKING
FOR SURVIVORS Yasmeen Frasso talks to students, Rebecca Simmons and Non Frenguelli, about their hike of the West Highland Way.
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ould you explain exactly what you did and why you decided to do it? Non: We hiked the West Highland Way, which is Scotland’s most popular long-distance route, that runs from Glasgow to Fort William. It also gives you some of the most stunning views of Scotland, like Loch Lomond and Ben Nevis, which we really wanted to see but couldn’t really afford to any other way. We realised that hiking 95 miles, wild camping, and carrying your kit on your was a pretty impressive feat and one that people would probably donate to charity for, so we decided to do it for Survivors UK. Rebecca: It’s a 151km stretch of mountainous hiking that can take between 4 days (goals!) and 10 days -
we managed it in 8. Scotland has a great law that means you’re free to wild camp anywhere in the country which is what we did for 6 nights, sadly (or not so sadly) on the East side of Loch Lomond. Conservation efforts mean that you have to stay in a camp site on that part of the trail, meaning we had one night with very welcome showers and toilets. Tell us a bit about the charity you chose. Rebecca: We chose to walk for Survivors UK which is a charity that provides counselling and support for male victims of rape and sexual abuse, and their families, either in person or remotely via email or text. Non: Survivors UK is the largest charity in the UK to support male victims of rape and sexual assault.
What did you find the hardest thing about your experience? Non: The heatwave! Walking in a heatwave, which is what we had to do for two days, was exhausting and a little scary because we weren’t sure how badly the heat would effect us. And what was the highlight of the trip? Non: The views which were absolutely stunning. I felt like I was in Lord Of The Rings most of the time because the lochs, mountains, tiny villages, and lonely house looked so magical. Rebecca: Meeting so many great people! It was amazing to meet hikers from all over the world. It’ll be interesting so see what the two get up to next.
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ROHOROSCOPES S
Scorpio 23rd October
– 21st November
Love: Still looking for that fairy-tale ending? Have you looked in the SU? Travel: Take a trip to Tesco and stock up for the week. Study: Got your new timetable?
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Aquarius 20th January
– 18th February
Love: Maybe love is closer than you think, are they just a friend to you? Travel: Travel round Egham on a pub crawl with your society to celebrate the new term. Study: It’s fine to lay in, they’re just introduction lectures... Right?
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Capricorn 22nd December – 19th January
Love: Maybe give up on them, they aren’t worth your time. Travel: Wouldn’t hurt to look at what cheap holidays are on offer. Study: Don’t forget to take coffee to your late night study sesh!
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Sagittarius
P
Pisces
A
Aries
22nd November
– 21st December
Love: If you stop searching for love, love will come and find you. Travel: Create a scrap book of your summer holiday, it doesn’t have to be just a memory. Study: As term begins so does lots of reading!
19th February – 20th March
Love: Torn between two potentials? Write up pros and cons. Travel: Staines is only one train stop away Study: Time to get a study buddy!
21st March – 19th April
Love: Is that summer fling going to last? Travel: Ever been to Thorpe Park? It’s great in the summer and only around the corner. Study: Better get cracking, summer’s over my friend!
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Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL
What have the stars got in store for you this month? Our resident mystic Annie Pantry predicts your life at Holloway for the next four weeks.
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Taurus
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Leo
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Cancer
20th April – 20th May
Love: Don’t worry about being single, it’s time to focus on yourself. Travel: Take a stroll around campus, it’s beautiful at this time of year. Study: Time to look at your reading list!
23rd July – 22nd August
Love: That crush of yours is about to become more than just a crush! Travel: Visit Virginia Water for a picnic before the sun disappears. Study: Buy some post-it notes and new pens for all that revision you’re going to do!
21st June – 22nd July
Love: Is it love or just plain old lust? Travel: Start planning your Christmas vacay! It’s only a few months away! Study: Don’t leave your essays until the last minute this month!
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Gemini
V
Virgo
L
Libra
21st May – 20th June
Love: Go with the flow! Maybe they are THE one? Travel: I know summer has passed but it’s never too soon to plan next year! Study: If you’re finding it hard getting back into the routine then try spending time in Bedford library.
23rd August
- 22nd September
Love: I hear Bumble is the new Tinder? Travel: There’s a lot to do in London at the moment! Why not hit Covent Garden with mates? Study: While it is still warm outside why not study sat under a tree.
23rd September – 22nd October
Love: Careful, there are some bumps on the horizon! Travel: Grab an Uber to Windsor and have cocktails with friends and catch up. Study: Better set that alarm for your 9am lectures!
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If someone had told me last year that in a year’s time I would be a full fledged veggie whilst desperately trying to be a vegan, I would have laughed in their faces. In the months previous I had suffered a kidney infection (honestly UTI’s are the worst) and the medication had changed my eating habits considerably. At the same time I was having many a heated discussion with my housemates about our economy and the holes that the previous generations had left in it and how we were to fix it. It suddenly dawned on me that with overpopulation and the like, there probably wasn’t going to be a world for us to live in. Obviously the best way to save the planet is STOP HAVING CHILDREN, but as I’m already broody, becoming vegan was my next best option. For myself, giving up meat wasn’t hard. There are so many veggie alternatives that taste amazing shout-out to the Linda McCartney Mozzarella Burgers - that it’s very easy to make the change. The truth remains that I am doing my part, however little it may be. I’m often in turmoil with my selfwill, but for every time I say “no” to cheese I hear hypothetical future generations cheering me.
theorbital.co.uk
Elizabeth Rosenberg talks about attempting Veganism.
TRIALS OF
A VEGAN
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GHOSTBUSTERS Nebiu Samuel’s thoughts on diversity and the all-female Ghostbusters.
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The new Ghostbusters film, with an all-female team, came out across the world to great controversy. Now you may be thinking what controversy? Did it contain white washing or racism? Nope, in fact it’s the very opposite that got the film in so much trouble. Over the last few months, there’s been a strong online campaign to sabotage the film because it has an allfemale ghostbusters team. Let’s get one thing out of the way first, as much as many of the members of that campaign will cite other reasons for their hate before they have even seen the film,
black romantic leads, they have to be successful at the box office. But Nebiu, you ask, isn’t the film’s existence good enough? Well I do agree with you my attentive reader but sadly, Hollywood doesn’t agree with us. But hey, I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but either way, there’s still So now that that’s cleared up some way to go. we can get to my real worry To any film studio heads with campaigns like this or producers who may be and their potential success. reading this, I know you’re out If we’re going to see any there reading the opinions improvement with diversity of a film obsessed History in film in terms of gender or race, we need films that have student, don’t follow the crowd. Take some chances female or minority leads to with casting every now and be successes critically and financially. Hollywood follows then and don’t allow the idiotic opinions of a group of the money and if we’re going to see more films with trolls make your decisions for you. badass female heroines or it is clearly sexist trolling: plain and simple. And if you need me to prove that, you can go to Leslie Jones’ twitter (one of the lead actors of the film) where she has retweeted some of the sexist and racist tweets she received about her involvement with the film.
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CULTURE WITHOUT COST
Joanne Archer talks you through getting theatre tickets without going into your overdraft. Well, that’s the hope.
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ownload the TodayTix app From this app you can order cheap theatre tickets for the current week, often with promotions offering great value for money. Certain shows also offer a ticket lottery where you can win amazingly discounted seats, often right on the front row. You might never win but it is well worth a try!
Theatre and offers great discounts. In order to keep the booth and the service running, there is a booking fee of £3 on discounted tickets and £1 on full price tickets, but this is marginal compared to the savings you may be making and the convenience of being able to get tickets last minute.
of Comedies, can make the experience even more immersive.
Cinema streaming A lot of theatres are now live streaming performances to cinemas. This means that you can see a production in your own town at a fraction of the cost. I have seen National Theatre Live’s The Compromise on seating Curious Incident of the Dog A great way to save money is in the Night-time and an by opting for either standing adaptation of Shakespeare’s or restricted view seating. Henry V, and I was genuinely London TKTS booth Another prime example of impressed at the quality of The TKTS booth can be found compromising is the option the streaming. There’s even in Leicester Square and is of being a ‘groundling’ an intermission so you get the the best place to go for last at Shakespeare’s Globe. theatre experience without minute tickets. The booth is Standing is very affordable the cost or travel! run by the Society of London and, especially in the case
Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL
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DIARY OF AN
ORDINARY WOMAN Background reading for your course can equal enjoyment, writes Beth Carr.
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n the midst of a reading-heavy degree it can be a struggle to find time and energy to delve into books for leisure, but making an effort to do so can be captivating and refreshing. This is exactly how I felt reading Diary of an Ordinary Woman, a book retrieved from my bookshelf after years of sitting there, since my mum passed it on to me as something I might enjoy. Charting one woman’s life through the twentieth century, Margaret Forster’s novel reproduces extracts from the diaries of Millicent King, dating from 1913 to 1990. At first it was an ideal choice to relate to my course on twentieth century women but my interest soon expanded to genuine intrigue at where Millicent’s life would go next. The diary is steeped in historical
background and depicts the life changing events of world wars and beyond, making it accessible to anyone with a passing interest in history and current affairs. I felt a natural affinity with the protagonist, being a woman, and it is this relatability that kept me glued to the page, even forcing myself to stop reading after every hundred pages to ensure I would not run out of book too quickly. Millicent’s life is not a simple one, and one that must be read to be fully understood. It actively captures an ordinary life through an extraordinary century, from the perspective of someone who follows current affairs but does not seek to analyse. It is not just her life that we gain a sense of but those of the people she associates with as well, both family and friends. One of the most important messages to take away is the importance of relationships in all their
forms, as Millicent looks back on her life at intervals and writes deeply about those she knows. Being alone is a concept she wrestles with throughout the novel and, as a student looking to a future of independence, it is a comfort to read of Millicent’s experiences growing up as an independent woman. This book both transports the reader to the twentieth century and gives a poignant reminder of timeless truths of life. Love and loss are key themes but most important is the great opportunity for experiencing life amidst the inevitable and surprising twists and turns. This cannot be a book solely read for an educational purpose: it deserves to be savoured and loved at the point of reading, and remembered and revisited for years to come. Beth Carr.
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GEOGSOC Alice Reynolds interviews Becky Jones, the President, about their plans for this year.
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hy should freshers join your society? Geogsoc provides a really great mixture of academic and social events throughout the year. It can be especially interesting to Geography students, as we run an alumni event for thinking about the future, as well as information evenings for trips and dissertation advice, but equally really great if Geography is something you’re interested in but chose not to study. We have speakers in from a range of jobs, most recently Seyi Rhodes from Unreported World on Channel 4
What is your highlight event of the year? Boat party and Christmas formal are both incredible events that everyone can’t wait for! One at the end of each term, they are sell out events that really make memorable evenings. What are your plans for making your society bigger and better? We’re currently talking to Geology’s Lyell Society about a set of Geography vs Geology events with them, to settle once and for all which department is better! We need more freshers and we want to create events that they want!
Unlike many societies, you’re not affiliated with the SU, why did you decide to go your separate ways? Leaving the SU gave us as a society a little more freedom in our events and the way we run the society. We now work really closely with the Geography department, especially in running our academic events, though many lecturers also attend our social events! What is your one bit of advice for a fresher joining a society? If there’s something you think you’re interested in but aren’t sure about, go along to the first event or two to try it!
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