November 2016 by Orbital Magazine

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NOVEMBER 2016 | FREE

FEMINISM AND BEING AN ALLY.

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ROYAL HOLLOWAY STUDENTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; UNION

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 Stephanie Bagnall LIFESTYLE Annie Pantry Elizabeth Rosenberg ARTS Joanne Archer Elizabeth Carr

NEWS

FEATURES

EGHAM COLLISION

BOILERHOUSE CAFE

Six pedestrians were injured in a vehicle collision at Vicarage road, Egham. The new Boilerhouse Cafe was opened at the beginning of October.

“DRUNKOREXIA”

Grace Yeadon discusses the new medical concern affecting students.

MEET STEPHANIE Learn more about our new Deputy Features Editor, Stephanie Bagnall.

SPORT & SOCIETIES Jess Hines Alice Reynolds ONLINE Imogen Trinder OPERATIONS Nebiu Samuel PHOTOGRAPHY Cameron James Seymour DESIGN Holly Pyne Louise Jones

COMMENT

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

CLIMATE CHANGE

Natasha Phillips presents the argument against grammar schools. A discussion of Leonardo DiCaprio’s warnings about climate change.

LIFESTYLE

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PUMP-S-KIN CARE

Joycelyn Asare shows you two recipes for Pumpkin facemask recipes.

PRET-A-VEGGIE

Elizabeth Rosenberg praises Pret-aManger’s new venture, Veggie Pret.

MARKETING Emma Halahan ADVERTISING Hannah Foord EVENTS Georgia Austin CO-PRESIDENT SOCIETIES & MEDIA Pippa Gentry ADDRESS Media Suite, Students’ Union, Royal Holloway University of London, TW20 0EX WEBSITE theorbital.co.uk COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Cameron James Seymour

ARTS

SPORTS AND SOCS

QUARTERLIGHTS

COFFEE HOUSE

The Arts section met up with the band to talk all things music and Royal Holloway. The sessions are back with the first show of the year by Tom Walker

SAFE ABORTION DAY

Royal Holloway’s Feminism Society on their support for the cause.

KILIMANJARO CLIMB Royal Holloway Swimming Club climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity.

EDITORIAL

The Orbital’s Editor, Holly Pyne, talks through what the Orbital team has been up to this month, from a new board member to interviewing new artists. his issue is centred around three of the most important roles for self-defining women on campus. The Orbital talks to Sarah, Grace and Tressa about their roles as Women’s Officer, Women of Colour Collective President, and Feminism Society President respectively. The interviews start on page 8 and cover topics from ‘Sanitation donations’ to ‘why feminism is still important in 2016.’

Look out for events held by these three women, they’re sure to be fantastic. On page 16, you can meet our new Deputy Features editor, Stephanie Bagnall and what her plans are for the year ahead. She gives her reasons for joining Orbital magazine, and if you also want to get involved, head to www.theorbital.co.uk/getinvolved or email me at editor@theorbital.co.uk. We’d love to hear from you!

Finally, the Arts section met up with the band Quarterlights, three of which are alumni and talk about how they came to be and what they’re up to now. This is followed by a review of the first Coffeehouse Session of the year, with Tom Walker. Head to page 32, to hear more about the musician and these free gigs on every Monday. From all the team at Orbital Magazine, we hope you enjoy the issue and get in touch if you have something to say!

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MAN

RESTRAINED Paco Tijdink’s update after a man was restrained outside the Students’ Union.

man has allegedly been restrained by police and forced into a van after becoming aggressive towards SU staff at Tommy’s.

Eyewitnesses suggest he was drunk and may have acted inappropriately towards female students and staff; prompting a complaint from one student.

EGHAM COLLISION

Phillipa Walker reports on a vehicle collision in Egham in the first week of October.

ix Egham occupants were injured when a black Nissan pickup truck collided head on with a white Mercedes van around 7:40pm on Sunday 2nd October. The incident occurred at the Vicarage Road junction by Mead Close in Egham. The road was closed while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the event were carried out at the scene, blocking vehicle access. Out of the six pedestrians who were involved in the collision, two were deemed to have been seriously injured. They were then taken to St Geroge’s Hospital via

ambulance to be treated for the injuries to their arms and legs. Surrey Police is appealing for witnesses of the collision, which continues the ever more frequent series of road accidents in Egham. In February two Royal Holloway students were injured, one seriously, in a car crash as they were crossing the A30 in Middle Hill; the same location which saw a similar incident of a fatal collision in 2013. If you witnessed the collision or events leading up to the incident please contact Surrey Police by dialling 101 and quoting P16225096. Photography credit: Cameron James Seymour

Grace Bilney, a student, complained to the SU after the man “made uncomfortable comments about girls on campus”, and claims she overhead him saying he worked at one of the construction sites on campus. “He said he was too drunk to work and so was ‘kicked off site’, so I assume he was working on one of the building sites at the uni.” “He was sat on a bench outside being interviewed by police, but he was calm while being interviewed,” said one eyewitness. The Students’ Union released a statement saying: “The matter is now being handled by the police who will take care of all further correspondence, as an organisation we take a zero tolerance approach to any kind of harassment in our venues and all staff make sure to enforce this.”

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THORPE PARK RIDE SUSPENDED Anna Robinson reports after people on the Thorpe Park roller-coaster, Saw, were stuck for approximately two hours.

ith Thorpe Park being one of the most popular, not to mention closest, national amusement park to Royal Holloway, concern is erupting over the regular break-down of the Saw ride.

The ride is described by Thorpe Park as “the world’s first horror movie roller coaster’ with a “beyond vertical” 100-degree drop from 100-feet, but horror is really being added to the experience as many are finding themselves stuck.

On Saturday 8th October, passengers on the Saw roller coaster ride were part way round their terrifying trip on the ride which is themed on the 2004 horror film franchise, when the rails jammed 30-feet in the air on a vertical incline.

Visitors to Thorpe Park were posting their anxieties online via Twitter and one stated “[after I] tried to conquer my fear of rides yesterday by going on the Saw ride at Thorpe Park [it] stopped half way up upside down for an hour.”

Although he states it did not massively hinder the day, he comments that himself and his 3 friends were trapped for 15 minutes, and then given no explanation on the reason behind the incident.

Eight people in the cart had to be evacuated manually by theme park staff when the ride broke down on the Saturday afternoon (October 8), and it took the staff around an hour and 45 minutes to release the passengers back down to safety.

Only the weekend before had former Royal Holloway student, Nicholas Lane, been visiting the amusement park and ended up halted on the ride for 15 minutes.

Although there have been no incidents since, and no records of injury, Thorpe Park is about to hit its busiest time of year, with Halloween and the autumn ‘Fright Nights’ bring in thousands of thrill seekers.

ROLLER-COASTER

The Saw roller-coaster was marketed by Thorpe Park as “the scariest ride in the world.”

Anna Robinson

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BOILERHOUSE CAFE OPENING Julia Coonan discussesthe opening for the new cafe in the Boilerhouse, just one installment in the construction plans.

he latest development in Royal Holloway’s Estate Plan was unveiled with the opening of the Boilerhouse Café.

Situated just off the Boilerhouse Courtyard, it serves as a replacement to Café Jules which closed down during summer, in order to free up more academic space in the International Building. In keeping with its historical significance, there are renovated wooden beams and exposed brick walls which creates a very light and airy space. Its facilities include space for 30-40 people to sit inside - on comfy sofas or at study

In keeping with its historical significance, there are renovated wooden beams and exposed brick walls which creates a very light and airy space. Its facilities include space for 30-40 people to sit inside.”

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benches - and additional bench seating in the social space in the courtyard. In adherence with Royal Holloway’s vision of being a more modern campus, there are around 30 plug sockets within the room and a Campus Card top-up station. There are gender neutral bathrooms attached. In terms of Food and Drink, there are a range of sandwiches, baguettes and porridge in addition to the smaller snacks that are present in a lot of the

other food outlets on campus, such as fruit, pastries, and chocolate. There is a wide selection of soft drinks to purchase, jugs with free water, and most importantly to students, a Starbucks. The Boilerhouse Café is currently open Monday – Friday, 8.30am to 6pm, with plans in place to extend the opening hours until 11pm on weekdays from November. Photography Credit: Cameron James Seymour

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Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

VARSITY AT RHUL Anna Robinson reports on Varsity coming to Royal Holloway, which was anmnounced at ‘Bears Night’ at the Students’ Union. ith the start of the new academic year, exciting news was announced at the SU on Monday 3rd. Over 1000 ‘bears’ attended the Students’ Union to hear the announcement from Steph Milne, the Co-President of Sports and Development, that a Varsity is coming to Royal Holloway.

t will be between Royal Holloway and the University of Surrey and will be occurring on the 29th March 2017. It was announced at the annual ‘Bears night’ at the Students’ Union. It is made special by the the ‘Home of the Bears’ T-shirts given to everyone that attends the event. ‘Bears Night’ was also a special night because it raised over £2000 for sports and societies, which will be allocated later in the year, on a case-by-case basis. A varsity match is defined as a sporting fixture between two university rivals. The first varsity was between Oxford and Cambridge University in 1827 – Royal Holloway’s inaugural participation means 2017 will be

the year students here have the opportunity to join the tradition. After being announced at the Students’ Union, the official video was shared on Facebook the following morning – revealing the Varsity Teaser Video. The University of Surrey previously competed against Kingston, but online they state Varsity 2017 is an exciting year as the ‘inaugural Varsity between Team Surrey and Royal Holloway’. Over 1500 students are set to play, spectate and get involved in the series of fixtures across the day, which will then culminate in a huge finale, and lead to celebrations for the local crowning champions of 2017. This is a fantastic opportunity that everyone can get involved in through their sports clubs, as well as a chance to showcase Royal Holloway’s talents, and celebrate over 100 sport clubs here at Royal Holloway. Keep up to date with @royalhollowaysport for any new announcements and tickets leading up to the event. Anna Robinson

MICHELIN RESTAURANT Paco Tijdink announces that Egham is home to a Michelin Star restaurant called The Tudor Room, at The Great Fosters Hotel.

ooking for a casual meal at a Michelin star restaurant? Look no further than Egham.

This unassuming Surrey town is now home to the county’s only Michelin star restaurant as the Tudor Room at The Great Fosters hotel grabbed the coveted dining accolade. Previously, Drake’s, in Ripley, and The Latymer, in Pennyhill Park, represented Surrey in the Michelin awards. However, they were stripped their previous accomplishment in the recent launch of the Michelin Guide, Great Britain and Ireland. Instead, Douglas Balish’s restaurant, situated in a 16th century royal hunting lodge-turned-hotel, now boasts the elite seal of culinary prowess. Described as “classic but with a modern twist”, the cuisine at The Tudor Room will set you back a modest £58 per person, with the menu including gluttonies such as Anjou pigeon, or scallops with truffle and hazelnut. Basing its menu on local ingredients where possible, the Tudor Room, opened in 2013, has also won three AA Rosettes - a rating confined to just an exclusive group of just 10% of eateries in the AA Restaurant Guide. The restaurant is one of two at the luxurious Elizabethan hotel, the other being the Estate Grill. Great Fosters had the following to say about the good news: “Unashamedly modest, Dougie has worked in some of the best restaurants in the UK and as far afield as Australia, chasing experience and knowledge of food rather than money.” “He loves a busy restaurant and is rewarded by delighted customers eating great food.”

SARAH NEWELL

Photography Credit: Cameron James Seymour

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Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

WOMEN’S OFFICER

SARAH

The Orbital talks to Sarah Newell, Women’s Officer, about her role representing selfdefining women, sitting on the Equalities Council, and promoting the Women’s Network.

hat are your duties as Women’s Officer? As Women’s Officer, I am the representative for women at Royal Holloway and sit on the committee of the Equalities Council for the Students’ Union. Along with the other liberation officers, I work closely with the SU, and specifically Laura (Co-President for Welfare and Diversity), to discuss policy affecting equality on campus. My job is to represent and campaign, although not exclusively, for self-defining women at Royal Holloway and to lead the Women’s Network. I will also attend the annual NUS Women’s Conference next year as the Union’s voting delegate and representative. How did you get into the role? I was elected for this role in the summer term of last year. The Equalities Council meet each year and hold elections for the committee positions. I was elected alongside an LGBT+ Officer, a BME Officer, a Mental Health Officer, a Disabled Students Officer and an International Students Officer. Together, as liberation officers, we make up the committee for the Equalities Council.

I particularly appreciate working closely with individuals from the Feminism Society, Women of Colour Collective and LGBT+ Society.”

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What do you enjoy the most about your role? I enjoy meeting people from many different clubs and societies and I particularly appreciate working closely with individuals from the Feminism Society, Women of Colour Collective and LGBT+ Society. Sharing ideas and stories with people who have had a different experience of feminism to me is rewarding and I enjoy being able to support many different liberation campaigns across campus. What do you want to achieve in your role this year? As Women’s Officer, I want to promote the Women’s Network as a collaborative and safe forum where societies, clubs and individuals can gain support and encouragement from like-minded

people. By doing this, I hope to develop the network into a supportive and diverse space and to create a united women’s voice, where the campaign for intersectional gender equality is at the heart of everything we do. Are there any events students should look out for? In the weeks before Christmas, I am hoping to organise a collaborative fundraising event with The Labour Campaign to End Homelessness, to raise awareness of the specific kinds of barriers that women who are homeless face. I am also organising termly ‘Sanitation Donations’ where I am inviting anyone on campus to donate sanitary products to local charities. Looking forward to the New Year, in March there will be lots going on to celebrate Women’s History Month, including panel talks, film screenings and campaign days. I’m very much looking forward to a productive and exciting year! Social Media Facebook – RHUL Women’s Network Instagram - @rhulwomensnetwork Twitter - @rhulwomen

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WOMEN OF COLOUR COLLECTIVE

GRACE

The Orbital talks to Women of Colour Collective’s President, Grace Almond, about being a forum, collaborations with the BME Network and Left Forum, and how to be a good ally.

hat drove you to create your society? Joy realised that there wasn’t a space on campus that addressed the intersections of race, class, gender, disability and sexuality and how these impacted the lives of women of colour both on campus and in the outside world. When Joy created the Women of Colour Collective, she asked me to be Vice President and together we made sure that it was an active group on campus before we became ratified in third term of last year. What are some of your biggest concerns being a woman of colour and how can they be tackled? Generally speaking, women of colour face what you might like to call a double glass ceiling. Not only do we have to navigate through the issues caused by gender inequality, but also how our lives are impacted by racism. We can’t make these issues disappear overnight but what we can do is raise awareness of them, make sure that women of colour at Royal Holloway

We can’t make these issues disappear overnight but what we can do is raise awareness of them, make sure that women of colour at Royal Holloway know that we are here for them.”

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know that we are here for them and from there address the issues they face during their time at university. I think it’s important that women of colour at Royal Holloway know that we want to act as a forum for them and that we will try our hardest to fight their corner. Talk to us about what you hope to achieve in the next year. This term we are celebrating Black History Month and co-hosting a variety of different events with other societies. Our long-term goals range from strengthening BME staff networks to creating safe spaces for men of colour. We hope that the creation of our society puts women of colour at the forefront of other progressive groups.

What events or campaigns do you have coming up? We will be running a poetry class for self-identifying women of colour which we are co-hosting with the BME Network on 27th October and in what will most likely be the highlight of our events this term, we will be co-hosting an event with Left Forum on the failures of the Left to address issues of racism on 24th November. Keep checking our Facebook page for more info! How can those who are not women of colour, help and support your community? I think that allyship is something that is spoken about and debated a lot. Being a good ally is about learning when to listen and when to speak in support of a marginalised group. So when a woman of colour is telling you about their experiences and is asking you to stand up for them and defend them, then it’s your job as an ally to do so. Social Media Facebook- RHUL Women of Colour Collective

GRACE ALMOND Photography credit: Cameron James Seymour

TRESSA BELESI

Photography credit: Cameron James Seymour

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Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

FEMINISM SOCIETY

TRESSA

The Orbital talks to Feminism Society’s President, Tressa Belesi, about the society’s campaigns and collaborations, her role as President, and why feminism is still important.

hen did you first get involved with Feminism Society and why? I joined Feminism Society at the start of my second year. Before then, I didn’t really have the confidence to commit to any societies, which is surprising because now I’m the president of one! I’ve identified as a feminist since I was around 16 years old; so when I got to Royal Holloway, I was keen to find a group of like-minded people and take part in feminist activism. Why did you run for the position? I knew by winter term of last year that I wanted to be a part of the committee, purely because after every meeting I left with this sense of empowerment. When you finally find your source of empowerment, you just want to share it with everyone. In the past, feminism has truly been a guiding light for me. It helped me to forge a sense of self-worth. I wanted to share that experience with others. Like any ideology, a positive interaction with those who identify as feminists

after every meeting I left with this sense of empowerment.”

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will shape your view of the entire movement. I saw the society as a chance to paint a positive image of feminism on our campus and make it more accessible for those who may seek refuge in its ideas. Have you got any campaigns planned for the year? We’ve already run a campaign with Women of Colour Collective (WoCC) to celebrate the Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. We recently started a long-term collaboration with Labour Society supporting People and Planet’s Sweatshop Free Campaign. Over the next term we aim to run a campaign titled “Reclaim the Word,” which will encourage everyone to reclaim any word that may have been used to shame them. Also, be on the look out for all-inclusive sex education workshops. WoCC and Fem Soc hope to run workshops that help to remedy the often-inadequate secondary school sexual education.

Why should people get involved with Feminism Society? Our society encourages its members to speak up about personal experiences of discrimination and proactively challenges social inequalities. We aim to create a unique, free-flowing environment that helps members make sense of modern day feminism and all of its intersections. As a member, you’ll be given opportunities to get involved in volunteer work, have access to our writing platforms, and help lead social activist campaigns on campus and beyond. We do not align ourselves with a specific form of feminism, so we often celebrate its pluralism. Our weekly discussions are voluntary and relaxed: all are welcome! Why is feminism important in 2016? We still have such a long way to go. Those who think feminism does not serve a purpose in today’s world have a very narrow view of gender and the ways in which it affects people. Feminism has always empowered people and I think it will continue to do so.

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BREXIT:

THE EFFECT ON US Michele Theil talks about how leaving the European Union may impact students. When the vote to leave was announced, it became apparent that the majority of young people aged 18-24, particularly those studying at university, were disheartened by this result. It was estimated that nearly 75% of those voting in the 18-24 category wanted to remain as a part of the European Union.

Recent statistics show that 6.4% of all undergraduate and postgraduate students in the UK were non-UK EU nationals, meaning that the EU and EU students are a fundamentally large part of higher-education within the UK. According to the Independent, approximately £3.7 billion is generated as a result of the numerous EU students studying at UK universities and this is looking as though it could decline in the future. After the UK leaves the EU, the status of EU students in the UK may become ‘international’, imparting more restrictions on EU students than previously. At Royal Holloway, an international student doing a BA pays roughly £13,500 in yearly tuition fees compared to the £9000 fees for UK/EU students and - following graduation, international students that want to stay and work only have four months to do so before they must leave. EU students do not have this time restraint. Fernando M Galan Palomares, the President of the European Students Union, said that he expected student mobility between the UK and the rest of Europe to decrease dramatically as a result of these potential restrictions. As a Danish citizen living, working and studying in the UK, it was a strange feeling for me to know that it may not be possible, or at least would be more difficult, to stay in the UK in the future. I currently am able to study in the UK without requiring a Tier 4 student visa, utilising my freedom of movement as a part of the EU, under EU tuition fees with support from the Danish government due to my citizenship. In addition, I am currently able to vote, work and drive in the UK, as a Danish citizen, as any normal 18-year-old should be able to do. One particular area of concern was the Erasmus exchange programme. The Erasmus programme has led to over 200,000 British students studying abroad in EU countries, with a 50% increase in interest over the last three years.

Exclusion from the Erasmus programme would mean that British students would be unable to undertake their study abroad programmes. Sally Morritt, a Politics and International Relations student at Royal Holloway, stated that although “we have been told that opportunities and schemes such as Erasmus won’t change as a result of Brexit.” She believes “that this has been used as an excuse to keep students quiet.” Many students enjoy travelling during holidays and on gapyears. Having the EU as an accessible and cheap travel option is very lucrative for students due to the usual lack of funds. The cost of travel in Europe may rise, particularly as the pound dropped sharply against the Euro in the immediate aftermath of Brexit and is still very weak. Having been interrailing this summer, I can attest to the rewarding experience that travel in Europe offers. Clearly, it is difficult for people, and students aged 18-24 in particular, to reconcile the disheartening and uncertain repercussions of Brexit with the possibilities that it originally enshrined.

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“DRUNKOREXIA” Grace Yeadon discusses what has been described as the new student eating disorder, “drunkorexia” and the pressures students are under to be “perfect.”

eavy alcohol consumption and going out is the stereotypical social activity of choice for many students in the UK and overseas. Cheap alcohol in many bars, 4 for £5 deals on shots and student-geared club nights make this pass-time, not only accessible, but almost expected in Fresher’s week and beyond. Despite the trend for binge drinking falling almost a third amongst 16-24 year olds generally from 2005 to 2014 (Office for National Statistics), the pressure to have ‘a good time’ is still rife on university campuses.

However, it is not just the adverse effects of heavy drinking that are concerning health professionals. A worrying new trend is now being observed where there has been an increase in the number of students, particularly female, showing symptoms of ‘Drunkorexia’. Most commonly these behaviours involve cutting back on food intake before a pre-planned drinking session, or purging afterwards, to avoid the possible weight gain. A recent study, conducted in Australia, found that 79.1% of the 139 female students questioned showed ‘drunkorexiatype’ behaviours and that these were correlated directly with the pressure felt

by participants to drink excessively and yet still stay the same weight (Knight & Simpson, 2013). The emergence of this potential new eating disorder highlights two important societal pressures on teens and young adults: to get repeatedly drunk yet still look great, which are two rather contradictory statements of course, especially for those of us who have danced the night away in the sweaty darkness of the SU. Whilst binge drinking may be generally declining, the number of people being treated for eating disorders in the UK increased 8% from 2012-2013 (Health and Social Care Information Centre). Millennials are being exposed to not only fashion ads using sometimes dangerously-thin or ultra-toned models, but a constant stream of Instagram updates from health bloggers documenting their latest quinoa salad, whilst the pressure to get drunk and let loose has not disappeared. Orthorexia, or the obsession with ‘clean-eating’ and health foods, and muscle dysmorphia are just two more disorders being added to the growing list of food and health related conditions that are being diagnosed around the world, in men as well as women.

But the behaviours of drunkorexia are concerning in a way never seen before, where calories are not only being cut but replaced with those from alcohol, which, lest we forget, is a toxin to the human body. Switching the calories in 3 square meals for those in 3 double vodka and cokes will obviously have very little nutritional benefit and it is well known that drinking on an empty stomach is not a wise idea, if only to avoid an appearance on your flat’s ‘chunder chart’. To end on a more sobering note, the long term affects of this as-of-yet unofficial condition are unknown and potentially dangerous, and if the comparatively well-documented health issues associated with other eating disorders are anything to go by, it is certainly something that needs to be taken seriously. For further information and help:

- Visit the Health Centre (Open Mon-Fri 9-5:30pm in term time or call 01784 443131) - Contact the College Counselling Service in Founder’s West 171 (Open Mon-Fri 9-12pm then 1-4pm, call on 01784 443128, or email ‘counselling@ royalholloway.ac.uk’) - Or your local GP surgery

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MEET

STEPHANIE The Orbital introduces Stephanie Bagnall, our new Deputy Features Editor. She talks about why she got involved, her aspirations for the section, and her advice for other student journalists.

hat degree are you studying? I’m a first year doing a joint honours of English and Theatre.

Why did you choose Royal Holloway? I chose Royal Holloway because I really liked the joint honours course and being so close to London for a drama student is great, but I also wanted a beautiful green campus! I loved the feeling of community here, and I fell in love with founders library! Why did you get involved with The Orbital? I really want to get involved and get experience with any form of writing and media. I love to write and create work with other people, but also wanted to opportunity to meet new people too, so Orbital is perfect for me. What do you hope to achieve within the section? I hope to achieve a great experience as well as a great section! I’m looking forward to getting to know the other journalists and being able to work together and create some interesting pieces of writing. As a drama student, I love the energy that’s made when group work is underway and ideas circulate and grow, so I am really excited for our section to get generating thoughts and generally hoping to achieve interesting issues that people want to read about What is your favourite part of journalism, or writing generally? Writing in general is wonderful because of the freedom it allows you to have, but in relation to journalism specifically I would say my favourite part would be the fact that your writing could open other opinions to a reader. Maybe an article of yours changes someone’s perception of an event, or illuminates another side of an argument to an issue etc. I find it really fascinating. What has been your favourite part of your “Orbital experience” so far? So far it would be going to Question Time and giving a report

STEPHANIE

Photography credit: Cameron James Seymour

of that because it was so fun! Really amazing turnout and a great variety of questions that really tested the panel and lots of subjects that were taken up were ones that I felt strongly about. It was nice to be able to hear debate on such big issues in our own university and to have my own opinion. What are you most looking forward to this year, Orbital or otherwise? I’m really looking forward to getting into London and going to the theatres much as possible! In terms of Orbital, I’m excited for ‘Come in Your Socs’ (although I have no idea what I will dress up as yet). What is your one bit advice for aspiring journalists, like yourself? Just to really put yourself out there. The reason why I got deputy of features is because I got lucky and took a chance on a whim. Say yes to opportunities, even if it seems daunting. You’ll never get progress if you don’t get out of your comfort zone.

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FORGOTTEN HISTORIES:

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM Harry Matyjaszek writes about Shirley Chisholm and her contribution to politics in the United States of America.

hirley Chisholm, 1924-2006, was the first female and the first black democratic candidate to run for the presidency in the 1972 U.S Presidential election. Despite having a poorly organised and underfunded campaign, and facing pressure from both white men and women and black men, Chisholm made it to the 1972 Democratic National Convention, but failed to achieve enough votes. These are high accomplishments at any point in any politician’s career; especially for a black woman in the 1970s. There is, however, more to her life than that, and more to her in terms of her accomplishments that should be remembered outside of Chisholm, the symbol. For context, it is important to know that Chisholm possessed a driving force: a lifelong passion for education and independence of ability. Her desire to

educate herself and others in pursuit of improvement is a repeating theme throughout her life. From gaining her MA in Elementary Education and whilst teaching, to becoming an authority on matters of early education and child welfare throughout her life, Chisholm achieved success when matters of money, gender, and race were not at all in her favour. Her campaign slogan, “Unbought and Unbossed” is a direct reflection of these feelings, and has been unfairly forgotten by history. It should instead be remembered as one of the great classic campaign slogans. It captures a time of feminist awakening and a desire for social freedom, whilst simultaneously taking a stab at both campaign corruption and corporate lobbying. Despite being representative for highly urbanised New York, and after running a successful congress election campaign, Chisholm was assigned to the House Agricultural Committee, where her experience in education was rendered

FORGOTTEN

Shirley Chisholm was the first female and first black candidate to run for U.S. Presidency.

useless. Instead of conceding defeat however, Chisholm formulated a plan with the rabbi Menachem Schneerson to use the Committee’s surplus food to provide for the poor and homeless. From then on she used that accomplishment to springboard from one success to another. Chisholm went on to expand the food stamp programme, she worked with Shell Shocked veterans on the Veteran’s Affairs Committee, joined the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971, and became a founding member of the National Women’s Political Caucus. Even after her failed 1972 campaign, Chisholm can be seen at the heart of many key issues, including her opposition to the Vietnam war, her support of social education, health care, and a minimum wage for domestic workers to name just a few. The point to remember is that Chisholm is not just a symbol of success in spite of intolerance and hatred. She accomplished great things both before and after she broke through the glass ceiling, and they are part of a story that should be remembered in its entirety.

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THE CASE AGAINST GRAMMAR SCHOOLS Natasha Phillips puts forward the argument against lifting the ban on selective education and why it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t encourage social mobility.

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November 2016

Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL fter being phased out 50 years ago, grammar schools are back on the agenda. Theresa May has declared her intention to lift the ban on selective education to help children from poorer families to do better, while Labour continue to oppose the change. However, could prioritising grammars over existing underperforming schools be further reducing social mobility?

It is undeniable that grammar schools perform better – in 2015, only two of the 163 UK grammar schools had less than 95% of students achieving 5+ A*-C Grade GCSEs. However, the nature of selective schools is to segregate children in a way which will characterise the nature of their academic careers. Results of entry exams come to define

One argument in support of reintroducing grammar schools is that they provide more choice in the kind of education available, but it’s the school that gets to be selective, not the parents. According to the Prime Minister, the reintroduction of grammars will ‘level the playing field’ for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, but natural ability only goes so far when they have to compete with children whose parents who can afford the hours of private tuition needed to prepare them for the eleven plus exam. This also puts pressure on parents to invest time and money on children who aren’t capable in fear of leaving them at a disadvantage – private tuition has become the performance enhancing drug of entry exams, leaving children from poorer families in the dust.

Results of entry exams come to define the worth of these children; many students are put through months of tuition, only to miss out on a place and are branded ‘not good enough’. Passing or failing a test at age 11 does not accurately predict an individual’s potential.”

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the worth of these children; many students are put through months of tuition, only to miss out on a place and are branded ‘not good enough’. Passing or failing a test at age 11 does not accurately predict an individual’s potential and the psychological impact of such a label does nothing to help academic prospects. Evidence shows that children do better when taught in mixed-ability classes, where struggling students get brought up to the level of their more capable peers. Surely this is a more effective way of ensuring higher averages than only investing in select groups deemed capable of achieving excellence.

EXAMINATIONS

Private tuition has become an expectation in passing the eleven plus exam.

The emphasis should be on existing underperforming schools and ensuring every institution can offer students an excellent education. The addition of a grammar school to a low performing area will not solve the problem of education budget cuts and teacher shortages. As an ex-grammar school student, I can see the benefits: students are constantly told they are capable of excellence and leave with the exam results to prove it. However, on a national level, this should not be an economic imperative. To foster a system of educational opportunity for everyone, we should be improving existing schools, not building more. Comprehensive schools aren’t going anywhere, and diverting the attention towards grammar schools is not going to fix the underlying crisis in the education system.

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“WE’RE KNOWINGLY DOING THIS” Jasmine Samantha Chapman discusses the impact humans are having on the environment, and measures people are taking to counter it. CLIMATE CHANGE

Photography Credit: Cameron James Seymour

world of war is easily forgotten when you’re not living amongst it. A world of political squabble makes it easy to tune out. A world of environmental corruption provides a routine to abuse the natural world. We all make these excuses.

Leonardo DiCaprio, by giving up his only Oscar winning speech where he could have thanked his “supportive” family or made a joke about the iconic memes made of him, instead bored the world with a warning about the environment. But what he says is true, humans are knowingly destroying the Earth. As humanity grew careless towards the environment, with the mass emergence of industrialisation, there was a severe increase in the threats to humans.

Why is being vegan, including the Green Party and campaigning for a better use of the environment so fashionable? Why now? Bhutan is a Buddhist country that made a promise in 2009 to remain carbon neutral, during COP 15 in Copenhagen. Their Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, claimed that “nobody heard” this, but during the December talk in Paris 2015, governments listened as they finally accepted the reality of climate change.”

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We say that such things are normal because they aid our daily lives. This is essentially an anthropocentric view; that humans have overriding importance. It is simple evolution that humans are better, yes? Regrettably, it’s a purely ‘Westernised’ way of thinking, proved with just two groups: Druids and Buddhists.

Druids have a spiritual connection with the land. A famous and current blogger said that because she uses the land’s natural herbs to heal herself, she too must return the favour and heal the land. Similarly, ancient Buddhist stories often include taking a broom whilst walking to avoiding killing natures smallest, most insignificant creatures. Although, this is based around animals, they understand

November 2016

that it is not mankind’s authority to put themselves above the natural world. To a modern secular individual, such values may seem too outdated to adopt. However, the irrefutable fact is that we take too much from the Earth and fail to return the same affection. Displayed with the foggy atmosphere currently in China, where civilians are wearing surgical masks in order to just breathe. If humans are the main excuse in exploiting the land, then why are we suffering? Other examples of failed anthropocentrism include an American who was forbidden to put a compost toilet in her own home in order to reduce waste, yet the average toilet flushes more than 744ml of clean water every day. To us, who very much like their water-operated toilet, this

Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

may not be of concern. But if we, as anthropocentric masses, were to all reduce other waste in many different matters rather than just taking from the world, then we may stop the possibility of ‘everything’ being on the endangered species list in the next few 100 years. Why is being vegan, including the Green Party and campaigning for a better use of the environment so fashionable? Why now? Bhutan is a Buddhist country that made a promise in 2009 to remain carbon neutral, during COP 15 in Copenhagen. Their Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, claimed that “nobody heard” this, but during the December talk in Paris 2015, governments listened as they finally accepted the reality of climate change. This was the first sign that, not oil was leaked, but compassion and therefore, even

though it may be hypocritical because of our excessive exploitation of the environment every day, change for the future is on the cards. So it may be possible that skies shall be blue, rainforests may not be discarded so drastically for cattle rearing, Eastern citizens may breathe clearly and polar bears will not evolve into sea creatures. So it may be possible that one day we will nurse mother nature back to health, as she has essentially reared mankind with no complaint up until now. For more information on the topic, you can visit: https://www.ipcc.ch/ http://www.wwf.org.uk/ https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/climate-change

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RUSSIA: MORE THAN POLITICS Paco Tijdink visited Russia this summer, and he describes what it is like for some citizens in the country.

hanks to a selective representation of its social and political backwardness, and its destabalising foreign policy, this vast and diverse nation has been condensed into a single, villainous entity. It is there to be lambasted, mocked, and feared. I went to Russia and spoke to some of its citizens. This is what I learnt. The Russian population is suffering. Gripped by the constricting vice of an economic slump, their infrastructure is failing; even in the major city of Samara, a quick detour from the centre reveals unmade roads and dilapidated housing. Soviet-era apartment blocks experience

regular shortages of cold water â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a concerning allegation considering that daytime summer temperatures can reach almost 40Â° - and gas can be shut off at any time with little or no warning. Furthermore, extensive public works turn pedestrian areas into construction sites. A lack of alternative route means residents must navigate around diggers, steam rollers, and multi-story drops as huge excavations are made with no signposting. For the average Russian, relatively basic necessities like air conditioning are a luxury, and they have to make do with rusted cars and dangerously faulty appliances. While not comparable the most extreme of poverty in the world, the relative

squalor I witnessed has afflicted the Russian population with a certain malaise. Alcoholism is so rife that estimates in the late 90s suggested it accounted for over half of all premature deaths. The stories of drinking and suicide that I heard while there only add credence to these dark statistics. Everywhere I went, I was welcomed with aggressive hospitality, even when the hosts in question had never met me before. I was welcomed as friend and family. The unbounded positivity didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit with the dire context of the Russian world, but it was there, stark and strong. Paco Tijdink

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ROHOROSCOPES 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.

Scorpio 23rd October

– 21st November

Love: Love is just around the corner, don’t give up. Travel: Next summer may be a while off but if you start planning now it will soon come around. Study: You are really willing to work hard this term, keep up the good work.

Aquarius

Taurus

Leo

20th January

– 18th February

Love: It’s time for some me time. Travel: London’s got some great nightlife. Study: You’ve done enough studying, have a break.

20th April – 20th May

Love: If you’ve met your soulmate at the SU, try buying them a VK. Travel: Head to Virginia Water before it gets too cold! Study: Time to choose which silent section you prefer, Founders or Bedford?

23rd July – 22nd August

Love: Even the one you love can keep secrets. Travel: Windsor is so pretty this time of year. Study: Visit the Library some time, you never know what you’ll find.

Sagittarius

Pisces

Gemini

Virgo

22nd November

– 21st Decemberr

Love: That new love feeling won’t last forever. Travel: You really want to get away. Maybe look for cheap weekend city breaks online. Study: If you can’t focus in your room then head to Bedford.

19th February – 20th March

Love: Don’t be jealous your time will come. Travel: Ever been to Slough? Study: I think it’s time you got a study buddy!

21st May – 20th June

Love: If it wasn’t meant to be, let it go. Travel: There are plenty of cheap city breaks for Christmas time, take a look. Study: Keep your head in the books and it will pay off in the end

23rd August

- 22nd September

Love: Maybe they are more than just a friend. Travel: London has so much to offer, hop on a train. Study: Workload seems easy for you right now but it will pile up soon.

Capricorn

Aries

22nd December – 19th January

Love: The Honeymoon stage has to end at some stage. Travel: Been to Kaspas lately? Study: If you can’t wait for the new library, Founders will do for now.

21st March – 19th April

Love: If they haven’t text you back just give them space. Travel: Have you visited the new café at the Boilerhouse? Study: Better crack open the new highlighters, Reading week is fast approaching!

Cancer

Libra

21st June – 22nd July

Love: If you haven’t been on a date in a while, don’t fret. Love is on the cards for you. Travel: Head to Staines for a cheeky trip. Study: It’s an easy time of year but don’t give up. Try new revision techniques.

23rd September – 22nd October

Love: You’ve been making eyes across the lecture theatre. Make your move. Travel: Try Staines or Windsor, perhaps a cheeky Nandos? Study: Crack open the books and get reading.

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FOUR PLACES TO VISIT: HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Beth Gooding provides four places to visit in London this Halloween. If you fancy a change from the typical fancy-dress flat parties, this is the list for you. “STRANGER THINGS” THEMED NIGHT | £5 ENTRY If you joined the craze and binge-watched Stranger Things on Netflix this year, head to Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen in Shoreditch on the 28th. There’s a themed night featuring Eleven’s favourite food; caramel waffles, themed cocktails and 80’s tunes all night long. Expect flickering Christmas lights and alphabet painted walls as you enjoy Halloween from The Upside Down. London based DJ’s will be providing the 80’s music all night! SKY GARDEN | £60 PER TICKET The Upside Down to Sky High, if your bank account is on your side, head to the Sky Garden on the 29th for an expensive night of partying on the 35th floor. With live music, themed cocktails and late night ghastly snacks, you’ll be wanting to throw on your best Halloween costume for this event.

FIRE FESTIVAL | FREE ENTRY For a more cultural (affordable) Halloween experience, go to the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens Fire Festival on the 29th at 7pm for a performance of Ancient Greek stories told through music, fire performers, poets and fireworks. Following the show, a Fire Cabaret will begin around a great bonfire. For an exciting show rather than partying all night don’t miss this event.

CROFTON PARK PICTURES | £12 PER TICKETS Pop-up cinemas don’t just end with the summer, Crofton Park Pictures are hosting two nights of Halloween movie showings in Rivoli Ballroom on the 27th and 28th. Always wanted to watch a horror movie from the setting of a grand ballroom? Now’s your chance. Catch either the 1978 movie Halloween or The Shining this year. Sit back, relax and enjoy the grandness of the ballroom whilst being scared at the same time.

November 2016

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PUMP-S-KIN

CARE

Joycelyn Asare gives you some get beauty tips using pumpkins, so carve out some time for your beauty regime not just your pumpkin this Halloween!

umpkin facial mask what to do:

• Roast half a pumpkin for about 30 to 45 minutes • Scoop out the mushy substance • Mix the mushy goodness with one whipped egg white, a tablespoon of plain yoghurt and a tablespoon of honey. • Mix well and apply (avoid the eyes) • Leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing Facial mask for sensitive skin: • Mix two tablespoons of roasted pumpkin mush with a tablespoon of honey, one tablespoon of cinnamon sticks powder and one tablespoon of milk. • Now dab it over the face (still avoiding your eyes). • Leave for 10 minutes and then rise off with warm water But for those who don’t share a love for facemasks, pumpkin seeds can come to your rescue. Whether your skin and hair seem lacklustre or you’re suffering from tummy troubles or your immunity is at an all-time low, these seeds are your best bet. It’s really not surprising that pumpkin seeds are called superfoods, they’re packed full of zinc which has many positive effects on health and wellbeing – including helping to regulate the hormone levels that can produce acne and to speed up wound healing time. I bet you didn’t know pumpkins are good for your hair too! Simply massage your scalp and hair with pumpkin seed oil. Just remember to leave it on overnight, and wash it off the following day. This is a sure way to get your hair back on track.

PUMPKINS

This gourd-like squash is rich in alpha-hydroxy acids, which help to moisturize skin,.

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CAMBODIA

Annie’s trip to Cambodia has shaped how she perceives spiritualism.

any people carry the misconception that religious life is somewhere up there in the clouds and that our everyday life is too dull. Often people think that to be a spiritual being, we must ignore or neglect our everyday lives, and go into some spiritual realm in order to be accepted. Others perhaps ignore religion completely and see it as a pile of mumbo jumbo. I personally have never been one to abide by a religion or believe that there is one ‘maker’ and that is because I wanted to choose what I believed. It took me 19 years and a

whole lot of ‘soul searching’ but finally the locals of Siem Reap (a Cambodian province) taught me to embrace my inner Buddha. Now I don’t mean I became a Buddhist on my travels and experienced a cliché ‘Gap Year’ change, I mean my eyes were opened to a different way of life and I accepted it. I learnt that Theravada Buddhism is the religion of almost all the ethnic Khmers, who constitute around 90% or more of the Cambodian population. Not only is it a religion, but to many Cambodians it exists as a peaceful way of life that all religions accept; with no spiritual extreme expectations.

I’m not saying that in order to embrace one’s inner Buddha you have to go and take up Buddhism or reach one of the three levels of becoming a monk like the Cambodian locals, but rather you include specific Buddhist beliefs into your daily life because it isn’t an ethereal or mystical reality, it is just a simple few ways to ensure happiness. For example, Theravada Buddhism teaches that everybody; no matter your status, size or colour, will experience pain and weakness in some form. So next time you’re upset don’t think your life is over or you’re so hard done by, because you’re not. Pain and sadness is part of life, the same

November 2016

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EMBRACE YOUR INNER BUDDHA Annie Pantry talks about her experiences in Cambodia and what it taught her about meditation and religion.

as happiness and love, it happens to everyone as nobody’s life is as perfect as it may seem. Accept the feeling and move on; think about your next holiday instead or focus on your work load or how many VK’s you are going to consume at Toast this Monday. A big question for Buddhism is: How do we cultivate a kind heart? My answer isn’t “just be nice.” My answer is simple and taken from the Vinaya Pitaka: abstain from all kinds of evil, in order to accumulate all that is good and to purify your mind. It is no use thinking “I should be nice today”, because ‘should’ will get you nowhere. Instead avoid being self-centered think

positively and say, “Today as much as possible I am going to help others. Today I want to do all I can so that all living beings can attain the long-term happiness of enlightenment, not just me.” Setting a positive motivation is the first step to embracing your inner Buddha. It is especially good in the morning to remind yourself of your positive motivation as this is when your mind is vulnerable and delicate. It is recommended also to meditate. Meditation is not just for those who see themselves as a spiritual being, it is seen as a way to obtain wisdom. We all have time to watch TV or snack or go shopping or even nap so why

don’t we have time to meditate for five minutes a day? It isn’t even difficult to do; close your eyes, sit quietly and just breathe. Some people chant their positive motivations aloud to get rid of any evil thoughts in the brain but it’s as effective to simply sit still and think to yourself for a while. It becomes so easy and automatic to ignore what is around us and if we pollute our environment, we are affecting ourselves, our future children, and other living things. Try carpooling to Uni or picking up litter when you see a sweet wrapper on the grass, because every little thing helps. Namaste.

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PRET-A-VEGGIE Elizabeth Rosenberg sings the praises of Pret-A-Mangerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new venture, Veggie Pret, in Soho.

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November 2016

Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL nfortunately Preta-Manger’s pop-up Veggie cafe in Soho is not called ‘Pret-aVeggie’ but is instead simply entitled ‘Veggie Pret’.

Personally I think “ready to Veggie” sounds pretty quirky and but oh well, life goes on. Veggie Pret opened in June as a one month idea that probably wouldn’t last and three months later it is 1. Still open and 2. Looking to open more Veggie’s Prets across London and ~beyond.~ During Freshers I decided to check it out as I think that Pret can do no wrong... I was right.

stomach with, you come across the dessert section. I had already done some research into what the best things to eat are and grabbed the Cacao and Orange chocolate pot without looking at anything else so that I did not change my mind. I opted for the Chana Chaat and Paneer toasted wrap for my main. Oh, what delightful chickpeas with roasted peppers and onions my tastebuds did encounter with a dollop of mango chutney to bring the whole thing together. Lovely, I tell you, lovely. But the main event has, HAS, to be the Cacao and Orange chocolate pot. It tastes like a very decadent

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Not only is the cafe gloriously spacious with light flooding in from two walls that are made from glass but the soft wood that the tables, checkout and stools are made from means you enter cooing “ooooh this is nice.” Main event - the food. THE FOOD. Crazy amounts of sandwiches, toasted sanchwiches, hot and cold wraps, soups and much more galore. Once spending 5 minutes picking up each individual item, reading the ingredients and eventually choosing which you shall fill your rumbling VEGGIE PRET Pret-a-Manger now have pop up Veggie Cafe in London’d Soho.

Terry’s chocolate orange, melted down and whipped into a thick mousse. Cacau is usually extremely bitter but Pret instead uses Orange oil instead of the juice or zest in order to counteract the cacao bitterness, because of all this, I experienced a mouth orgasm. Honestly, it was all I could do to stop myself from going full Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. I left a little review card for them saying something to the same extent - it’s always good when new restaurants and cafes want to hear their customers thoughts in order to please them. If you’re looking for somewhere to go to lunch in the Soho area it is clear - I can’t recommend the Veggie Pret more.

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THE QUARTERLIGHTS rbital’s Joanne Archer caught up aught up with up and coming band, Quarterlights, a group who originated from Royal Holloway.

Meeting and interviewing Quarterlights with my Deputy Editor, Beth Carr, has to be one of the highlights of being the Arts Editor for the Orbital thus far- it’s only been a few months but still! Although I was only able to meet three out of four of the group, I could get a real sense of what this band is all about. Quarterlights, made up of three RHUL alumni and one of their friends, got their start playing in the Forester’s Arms. The pub, which is situated in Egham, allowed them to build a small following which later lead to their success playing at Summer Ball in 2015. Originally the

band went by the name Cardboard City, a name which they pointed out was also shared with a Homeless Community that was later torn down to build an Imax. With this in mind, it wasn’t the ideal branding to go by and they told us that after some time it just didn’t feel “interesting enough”. Ollie Clark said “It wasn’t until earlier this year” that they “felt they had a product after 3 years” in the making.

that I am, I demand that you give them a listen. The group studied a mixture of Music, Drama and Theatre, and Maths and Philosophy whilst Luke Beasley works as a carpenter. With these skills, Luke kick-started the DIY style of the band, building a studio from the ground up which the band now use to record and rehearse.

The band is made up of Ollie Clark (vocals, piano, saxophone and violin), Tom Molloy (lead guitar), Andrew Skipper (bass guitar) and Luke Beasley (drums).

Being editors of the arts section, Beth and I had to ask about the album artwork for the new EP ‘The Real Life’. The image is of a hand-sketched lightbulb with a track list and portraits of the band, again in the same line-drawing style, on the back.

Describing their style, they struggled to place it, settling on alternative rock and “if Jafar was in a rock band”. I couldn’t agree more and, being the Disney lover

Each track is handwritten by a different band member and the effect is very professional, personal and reflects their DIY image. All of their artwork is created

November 2016

Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

ALUMNI

The band is made up for alumni and friends and they used to play in local pub

MUSICIANS

Photography Credit: Basement Eleven

SUPPORT

All their artwork is created by their fans.

Quarterlights, made up of three RHUL alumni and one of their friends, got their start playing in the Forester’s Arms. The pub, which is situated in Egham, allowed them to build a small following which later lead to their success playing at Summer Ball in 2015. Originally the band went by the name Cardboard City, a name which they pointed out was also shared with a Homeless Community that was later torn down to build an Imax.”

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by their fans, Daisy Horan creating their latest EP art. When asked for their advice in getting into the music industry, Quarterlights felt they really benefitted from their DIY approach and said that “not giving up” and “sticking together” was important. The band often meet at weekends, working other jobs during the week and keep their music currently as a hobby, though one they take very seriously and hope to develop into a career. Keep a look out for them, they’re a band definitely to listen out for! Find them on Facebook: @Quarterlightsmusic Interview conducted by Joanne Archer and Beth Carr

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COFFEEHOUSE: TOM WALKER A revived, rebranded SU seems like the perfect place to kick off the brand new season of Coffee House Sessions, and, ignoring the lack of coffee house status, Tommyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen provided a near perfect setting for the first of these. Sharing a name with our founder (and therefore the venue), Tom Walker stepped naturally into his second show of

the day and performed a stunning original set - the audience may have arrived hungry for a Colossus burger but I certainly left with a hunger for more of Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original songs. The set was fresh but full of cultural references, including Katy Perry, the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Spotify: it provided something to relate to even though you were hearing completely new content.

We sat down with Tom Walker before the set to discover more about his background and with influences like Ed Sheeran, Jack Garrett and Paulo Nutini, I was not surprised that the musical style seemed familiar and comfortable. However, it also reflected a diversity - the sound fuses hip-hop, blues, soul and pop with a variety of instruments, namely drums, bass, guitar and piano. His route

November 2016

Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

TOM WALKER

Photography Credit: Joanne Archer

into the industry was through surprising himself in succeeding in his songwriting degree and then being spotted by Sony. Since then life has been like a dreamworld, and with 21 shows in just two weeks, it’s a busy time for Walker. Luckily, he also ends up writing his good songs in the shower or the car so with so much time on the road it seems like we could be hearing a lot more from him in the months to come - to keep up to date check out his social media under the name @iamtomwalker. Excitingly, Walker is only the first in a stream of ‘freshly brewed’ talent coming to Tommy’s Kitchen this term, with Metaxas and

Stranger Stranger having also entertained students over the last few weeks. The Coffee House Sessions are designed to bring live shows back to universities in venues where the audiences are already there - generally coffee houses or, in our case, the versatile Tommy’s. There’s something intimate about being able to enjoy a burger with friends alongside a performance by an upcoming artist, particularly as the Coffee House Sessions have already launched the careers of Izzy Bizu and The Carnabys, the latter of which is heading to Royal Holloway on 5th November.

If you can’t afford the £8+ for a ticket to that gig, the free Coffee House Sessions should suffice, generally happening at 5pm on Mondays. Already announced for 7th November is Lee Rasdall-Dove and you can find the most up to date information on the Coffee House Sessions website: http://www. coffeehousesessions.com/royalholloway-university-tommys/. Look out for Coffee House coverage from our fellow media outlets, Insanity Radio and rhubarbTV, as well as on the Orbital website! Review and words by Beth Carr

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ANTI-HALLOWEEN

FILM LIST

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The Orbital’s Arts Section have put together a list of films for those who don’t do spooky, ready for this Halloween.

hese are the films for those who don’t want spooky or horror this Halloweeen!

Beth Carr - Love Actually You can’t not smile while watching a load of people fall in and out of love and connect their lives in unexpected ways. The music is sublime and the storyline is extremely clever, brought to life by a stunning cast of cinematic favourites. Plus, Halloween means it’s basically almost Christmas, right? Isabella Mansell - Mamma Mia Who doesn’t love an Abba singalong?Why not escape the British cold and drizzle through the Grecian Summer and nothing could be further away from the terror or witches and goblins! Georgia Beith - Clueless You can’t get further from a Halloween horror film than a guilty pleasure rom-com. The questionable fashion choices and bizarre 90’s slang are all just part of the charm. Cat Chong - Warm Bodies A Halloween film with a ridiculously romantic twist. It’s Romeo and Juliet if Romeo had been infected by the plague that ended the known world and Juliet if she was a fierce freedom fighter and the only daughter of the man responsible for the continuation of the human existence. Joanne Archer - Hercules (the Disney version of course) “Honey, you mean HUNKules!” A firm favourite in my Disney collection; it has it all. Greek mythology, sass and a killer soundtrack. Lock the door, turn of the lights and hide from the swarm of trick or treaters with the god of the underworld himself. Amber Wright - Tangled What could possibly scare away trick or treaters you ask? Singing along in a questionable tone to one of the most magical Disney soundtracks of course! Indulge in the sweetness of the films narrative to counteract the spooky Halloween vibes and giggle at the innocent jokes to keep your spirits high. P.S Don’t forget the popcorn. Jon O’Shea - Shrek A classic! This film has great humour, and a love story between a donkey and a dragon. Relive your childhood with this dreamworks masterpiece.

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STAGE SCHOOL TROUBLE

Laura Lawrence reviews E4’s latest contraversial reality TV Programme ‘Stage School’, and gives her opinion on the show for The Orbital’s Arts Section.

4’s new structured reality TV drama ‘Stage School’ has caused a lot of controversy recently.

So much so that after its very first episode a petition to have the show taken off air arose online. The argument is that the show is an utter misrepresentation of what stage school is actually like. Orbital spoke to Roho’s very own MTS president Stephen Johnson who felt that, ‘E4’s Stage School is a false representation of studying at drama school. Not only does it make for appalling TV, but is frankly dangerous to prospective drama school applicants who may be put off applying and for the entertainment industry in general. Performing arts can provide a stage for current important societal and political events. Stage school however, empresses the stereotypical vindictive and venomous behaviour the entertainment industry is all too often plagued with’. And while I can completely understand why people, especially those who are either training to be in, or are in the profession, have taken some offence, I feel that we all need to step back and remember the words, ‘structured reality’. E4 is not pretending to any of their viewers that the show is an exact representation of a performing arts school . In fact the show is so different from the reality that it is rather comical. Viewers took to twitter straight away after the episode aired with one commenting that “#stageschool is so bad with a hint of okness! It’s hard to put into

words how it’s making me feel! There’s no sense of reality whatsoever” (Lilly Roberts, @MsLillyRoberts). After all we have to step back and look at it from E4’s prospective. The show is written with the aim to entertain, not inform. It is exactly the same as watching ‘Made in Chelsea’ or ‘The Only Way is Essex’. No one in their right mind would watch these shows and believe they are an exact representation of everyone who lives in that part of England. The same goes for this show too. What heightens the entertainment value is the fact that the characters in the show, and I call them characters

because although they keep their own names that is what they are, break out into song at random parts of the narrative. This is clearly not what happens in reality. So instead of signing petitions, let’s just let the show run its course and see it for what it is. It may not be the best show ever but it is not trying to be an exact representation of a stage school. Reviewed by Laura Lawrence

REALITY TV

The TV programme sparks contraversy for being unrealistic

36 ORBITAL | Royal Holloway Student Magazine

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hat is Slam poetry? The phrase “Slam poetry” is used to refer to all performance poetry nowadays. This includes performances filmed alone and then broadcast to an audience over YouTube or other video-sharing sites, as well as the live performances given in front of a crowd which stay truer to the genre’s roots. Historically, “Slam poetry” refers only to poetry presented in a competition environment in front of a voting audience or judges and a spectating audience. These contests pitch different individual poets, teams of poets or group poetry-acts against one another and the winner often receives a monetary prize as well as acclaim. How do Slam poetry and normal poetry differ? Unlike traditional poetry readings, where a work written to be read primarily alone is read aloud to a group for the sake of collective appreciation, slam poetry is created exclusively to be performed. Written copies of these performed-poems are rarely published. As a result, they tend to be more theatrical and can be much easier to engage with due to the fact that their goal is usually to bring about an immediate emotional response in the audience. The process of reading a traditional poem is often one which takes much consideration in order to pull apart all of the piece’s possible meanings, and sometimes to understand links within the poem to other literary texts. Slam poetry, however, has in-the-moment impact and is often based on current issues: this means less googling and more controversial opinions. Why should you experience slam poetry? Watching slam poetry offers you a few privileged minutes of access into someone’s deepest beliefs and inner world. It allows you to empathise and feel in-tune with a stranger, opening up new ways of looking at the world. It can bring an audience to tears – of sadness or laughter – empower, and inspire.

SLAM POETRY Suzie Clark investigates the slam poetry movement.

PERFORMANCE Photography Credit: Arzenia Arabe

November 2016

Royal Holloway Student Magazine | ORBITAL

FESTIVAL OF CHOICE

Charlotte Cole talks about Feminism Society contribution to the International Global Day of Action for access to safe and legal abortion. TRIGGER WARNING: CONTENT CONTAINS MENTIONS OF ABUSE AND RAPE. cross the globe it remains the case even in today’s progressive society that a woman’s access to legal and safe abortion is greatly restricted by government legislation. It may seem here in the UK, that we are far removed from these matters and that they need not concern us. As current UK law stipulates under the Abortion Act of 1967, abortion, if medically consented by two doctors, is legal..

However, in the introducing of this act, previous legislation does concurrently remain. The 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which made self-induced abortion illegal, was never overturned, even to this day. This means that under existing law, a woman can be sentenced to life imprisonment for ending her own pregnancy. This is exactly what Natalie Towers faced in Durham just last year

when she took medication to induce her own miscarriage and was thus jailed accordingly.

its aim to promote the destigmatising of abortion as a necessary step towards its decriminalisation.

Wednesday the 28th of September was the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. To mark this, Royal Holloway’s Feminism Society spent the day showing their support for pro-choice activism and promoting the decriminalisation of abortion.

In addition, the society also joined up in partnership with the Festival of Choice the following weekend. This event in London that aimed to raise awareness of threats to reproductive rights globally, whilst also celebrating feminist solidarity and working to strengthen their prochoice message.

The members of Fem Soc organised a photo campaign outside Windsor Building, asking students to write down their reasons for supporting safe abortions. This generated a positive response across campus with many getting involved in raising a profile for the cause. The Fem Soc committee also held a discussion on the topic, in collaboration with the Women Of Colour Collective. This was effective in

One campaign that stood out particularly from this event was We Trust Women. Believing that all women should be entrusted to make their own decisions about their own bodies and pregnancies, this campaign is in support of the decriminalisation of abortion across the UK. The Royal Holloway Feminism Society aims to encourage support for this cause.

38 ORBITAL | Royal Holloway Student Magazine

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SWIMMING CONQUER KILIMANJARO his summer the Royal Holloway Swimming Club took to the sky, flying all the way out to Africa to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

The dormant volcano in Tanzania reaches a staggering height of 5895m, as the highest mountain in Africa it has become a popular climb since it was first ascended in 1889. Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest free standing mountain, to climb it is physically and mentally gruelling, it really is an incredible feat. Jess Hines spoke with Swimming Club President, Isaac Kenyon about their incredible achievement: “In September, we just decided off the beat, let’s do something as a club. We worked with Challenges Abroad and the FutureSense Foundation. There were 10 of us that did it, we raised £1,350 for the trek and then each of us raised £1,800 for the charity.” Fundraising is never an easy task, the swimming society gathered their funds

through various cake sales, a pub quiz, a car wash, and they sold water on SU nights and accepted donations, of which there were around 750 donors. For the actual climb, “We headed to Moshi in Kilimanjaro, where we stayed for 3 nights. We took some time to rest before the trek, visiting hot springs and waterfalls. Then, the trek. We took the Machame route, which was the fastest and steepest route. It took us 5 days to reach the summit, and we got back down on the 6th day.” The Nyange Adventures Company sent from the FutureSense Foundation was led by Davis Nyange who provided them with 38 porters who would carry tents, duffle bags and equipment allowing our climbers to trek with their day packs. On day 1 the group drove to 1800m elevation and climbed until 2900m, day two they climbed to 3800m and then climbed an extra 500m up and back down to give their bodies a chance to acclimatize. Day 3 saw them reach 4600m, then head back down to 3900m. By day 4 altitude sickness was beginning to affect members of the group, they reached 4600m and, on only

4 hours sleep, they left for the summit at 1am. On the 5th day, the members of the Royal Holloway Swimming Society finally reached the Uhuru Peak, the highest part of the crater. “It really pushes your limits, overcoming altitude sickness alone is a huge challenge. The week before our climb somebody actually died with our leaders, we’ve achieved this for all of those who helped to get us there -it was very much a team effort. There was such a build-up and then you kind of explode at the top. And coming down, it’s like a comedown.” The whole team; Clare Mack, Nicholas Day, Ben Ajayi-Obe, Elle Kershaw Jervis, Jessica McKenna, Luke Dunlea, Sophia Monrose, Issac Kenyon, Zak Derler and Callum Holmes who took on one of the biggest challenges of a lifetime and managed to raise a staggering £20,000 for the FutureSense Foundation. Interview by Jess Hines

Reading List Week

24-28 October 2016

Makes getting your readings so easy even doggo can do it Join us for a week of events and training sessions hosted by the Library that will introduce you to our brand new online reading list system.

Bedford Library and around campus

To find out more visit the website now:

royalholloway.ac.uk/library/readinglists

Drop-in sessions, demos of the new system, training for academics, q&a sessions + more

For more information: readinglists@royalholloway.ac.uk

Manual Betancourt Rubiano, Economics, graduated 2013

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was the International Officer at the SU and now I am part of the Audit Graduate Programme at KPMG.â&#x20AC;? Find out more at:

royalholloway.ac.uk/GetHired