38: EMBRACE

RAZZ University of Exeter’s Arts, Culture & Lifestyle Magazine

EDITOR’S NOTE

In the rush that is Welcome Week, here you are taking the time to read a copy of RAZZ. To give you a taste of who we are and what we do, we have created this mini-edition encompassing our members, writers, and designers’ best work. As you flick through the pages of this magazine, we want you to consider what it means to embrace.

Undoubtedly, a new year brings big changes that are often out of our control, but it is our responses and choices in the face of this that can define us. Perhaps you are excited to embrace new friendships, hobbies, or versions of yourself. Or maybe you are faced with new environments and routines that are taking some getting used to.

Wherever you find yourself this week, thank you for choosing to spend some of it with us. RAZZ has always been a space of creativity and welcome, with members that exude kindness and warmth, and we are equally as excited to embrace the skills, talents and friendships of our new members this year.

A massive thank you has to go to everyone that has made this edition come to life - all our members, writers, contributors and readers. This edition would not be possible without our Deputy Editors, Isabella Wartski and Bethan Oakley; our Copy Editors, Em Hamblin and Maya Fernandes; our Creative Director, Maia McGill; and our Assistant Creative Directors, Jessie Fairclough and Dharma Austin. So, whether this is your first or hundredth time holding a RAZZ magazine, we hope you take from it what you need as we each move into a new year, learning what it means to embrace.

Esther Humphries, Print Editor and Co-President

CONTRIBUTORS Anna Kane Anoushka Savage Bethan Oakley Eliza Clark Em Hamblin Esther Humphries Grace Dunford-Elliott Imogen Shackleton Isabella Wartski

Jessie Fairclough Lisette Reed Lucy Facer Madeline Cooper Maia McGill Maya Fernandes Niamh Kemp Swarnim Agrawal Tabitha John

Cover art by Jessie Fairclough 2

CONTENTS 2 editor’s note & contributors 4-6 meet the committee 7 what’s all the Razz about?

8-9 new beginnings: an amateur’s guide to university 10 exploring exeter: discovering hidden gems 11 freshers’ mixtape 12-13 postcards from abroad: summer travel stories 14-15 questions for the culture: why do we drink?

16-17 Nurture-U 18 razz online - creative corner: divine, alone 19 exeter’s heART!

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MEET THE COMMITTEE

Esther Humphries - Print Editor/Co-president Course and year: English and French, 4th year What does the word embrace mean to you?

For me, embrace means welcoming new opportunities as they come your way, being open-minded to change, and accepting and celebrating personal growth.

Favourite comfort film: Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan!

Sophy Cullington - Online Editor/Co-president Course and year: English, 4th year What are you hoping to embrace this year?

This year, I want to embrace art, by spending more time consuming and creating it. Because for me, the term embrace signifies acceptance and growth, both of which I learn more about through every different art form I encounter.

Favourite song at the moment: ‘Sweet Sixteen’, Billy Idol Isabella Wartski - Deputy Print Editor Course and year: Art History and English, 2nd year What are you looking forward to embracing this year?

I am most looking forward to embracing living in my own house with friends this year and getting back into life drawing again.

Favourite comfort film: The Sound of Music Bethan Oakley - Deputy Print Editor Course and year: Publishing Masters, 4th year What does the word embrace mean to you?

To me, embrace means accepting with a positive outlook the new changes and experiences that enter your life, alongside adapting to them.

Favourite comfort film: She’s the Man Rachel McEwan - Deputy Online Editor Course and year: Geography, 3rd year What does the word embrace mean to you?

To me, embrace means appreciating what is in front of you, and practising gratitude for what you have.

Favourite place in Exeter: The Coffee Cellar

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Maia McGill - Creative Director Course and year: English, 3rd year What does the word embrace mean to you?

Those times in your life where everything aligns perfectly and you can look back at the challenges you overcame to get there.

Favourite comfort film: Notting Hill Jessie Fairclough - Assistant Creative Director Course and year: Art History & Visual Culture and English, 3rd year What are you looking forward to embracing this year?

Going into my last year I am most looking forward to embracing living with my best friends and making the most of every second we all spend together!

Favourite place in Exeter: Sundays coffee shop at the quay!

Dharma Austin - Assistant Creative Director Course and year: Geography, 2nd Year What are you looking forward to embracing this year?

I am looking forward to embracing living in a house this year with friends I met in first year and new experiences.

Favourite places in Exeter: Walks along the quay and the Undergrad café.

Maya Fernandes - Copy Editor Course and year: English, 3rd year What are you looking forward to embracing this year?

Embracing the present moment, taking the time to pause and appreciate all of the experiences to come in my final year of study.

Favourite song at the moment: ‘Need 2’, Pinegrove Em Hamblin - Copy Editor Course and year: English, 2nd year What are you hoping to embrace this year?

Learn to embrace the uncertainty and fear that comes with fresh starts and new opportunities to become more present and truer to myself.

Favourite song at the moment: ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!’, CMAT Lilian Smith - Outreach Officer Course and year: English, 2nd year What are you looking forward to embracing this year?

I’m excited to embrace cooking for myself and trying to not just resort to live off babybels.

Favourite song at the moment: ‘Somebody Else’, The 1975

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Lisette Reed - Treasurer

Course and year: English and Film & Television Studies, 2nd year What are you looking forward to embracing this year?

This year, I’m looking forward to embracing change and the various communities built within the university, including RAZZ! Favourite comfort film: But I’m a Cheerleader

Sylvia Hanlon - BAME Officer

Course and year: Conflict, security and development Masters, 4th year What does the word embrace mean to you?

Welcoming uncertainty and opening the door to the flourishing of old and new things, including yourself.

Favourite song at the moment: ‘Rinsed’, Dean Blunt

Cat Tien Nguyen - General Secretary

Course and year: Accounting and Finance, 2nd year What are you hoping to embrace this year?

I am looking forward to embracing learning because I believe it fuels personal development, and I hope this commitment to ongoing self-improvement leads to a more fulfilling second year in uni life!

Favourite comfort film: Wild Child

Anna Warburton - Welfare Officer

Course and year: Philosophy and Theology, 3rd year What are you hoping to embrace this year?

I’m hoping to embrace happiness this year, which I guess to me means just giving anything that feels like sunshine a figurative ‘hug’ and truly making the most out of positive opportunities, people and anything that contributes to positive feelings.

Favourite comfort film: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Anna Kane - Social Secretary

Course and year: English, 3rd year What does the word embrace mean to you?

The end of a process of acknowledging and accepting something wholeheartedly, sometimes having to overcome unwanted changes.

Favourite meal to cook at uni: Duck hoisin wraps. Unmatched.

Sometimes if I want to cheat I get the ones in the Tesco meal deal - also unmatched.

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RAZZ is the University of Exeter’s arts, culture and lifestyle magazine. Alongside our print editions, we also regularly publish content on our website. We welcome submissions ranging from creative writing to feature articles, photography and illustrations, aiming to be an open space for student creativity to flourish!

Still not sure if RAZZ is for you? We asked our returning members to share the reasons they write for RAZZ, and why they would recommend that you get involved too!

When I think of RAZZ, I immediately think of the sense of community the magazine holds. You can pick up a copy Whether you're thinking of going into of RAZZ and see others who are just like journalism or not, being part of a vibrant you, in such a simple yet beautiful way. magazine like RAZZ is a great hobby to Those pages, whether they’re part of a pick up! It gives you a break from physical copy or a webpage, possess so academic work, whilst also being much significance in allowing anyone mentally stimulating and great for interested in arts, culture or lifestyle to writing practice. RAZZ is all about you voice their opinions within a exploring your interests within lifestyle like-minded community and that’s really and culture, and giving something what appealed to me when I joined positive back to the student community! during Freshers’ Week.

Lisette Reed, Treasurer

Eliza Clark Illustration by Jessie Fairclough

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NEW BEGINNINGS: AN AMATEUR’S GUIDE TO UNIVERSITY

RAZZ writer Madeline Cooper shares her outlook on the adjustments to life that come with starting university.

Much like life, university is what you make of it. The transition from living at home to living independently is not only a physical change, but also a mental one, and everyone comes to terms with the adjustment in their own way. For some, this new realisation might be a paralysing one, hitting them whilst buried deep under a duvet, questioning their existence as their immune system fights off both a hangover and the ever-threatening freshers’ flu. For others, these feelings might not be experienced until their second or even third freshers’ – maybe after realising that their entire mindset towards life has changed altogether.

We are continuously changing beings, and though some may feel very overwhelmed by the prospect of moving to university, there are ways to embrace the change. So, here is my brief Amateur’s Guide to assure you that you will be okay, no matter how frail you might feel by the end of Welcome Week.

1) Independence As Taylor Swift famously once said, “You’re on your own, kid”. This, in a literal sense, is true if you have moved away from home. However, you are not as alone as you think.

An easy way to rethink this narrative is to remind yourself that everyone is experiencing this first week the same way. Essentially it is about establishing new connections and adjusting to living life independently. University is a gateway to adulthood. Whilst a daunting notion at first, this reality will soon become something that you will learn to live with – and even thrive in.

University is the ultimate sample of trying out the proper adult stuff. How will your new routine look; what meals will you start making (or ordering), will you sleep in or wake up early, clean your room or leave it messy? At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. And although it might be easy to dwell on the life you lived before university, please understand that wherever you were before is not going anywhere.

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2) Culture University culture looks different to everybody. Of course, there is the stereotype of starting out attending all your lectures until you eventually watch them online, and getting hammered every night. But this is not for everybody. Whilst that might be an aspect of university culture you want to explore, it is certainly not the entirety of it.

Independence is an explorative, experimental side to university life which allows for rediscovering and finding new passions. The University offers a vast number of societies that I highly recommend taking advantage of if you are in your first year, as your workload will only intensify in later years. Due to the sheer amount of societies, the inclusivity is off the charts, so I recommend trying out at least a couple, just to see if they are for you.

3) Accessibility Accessibility is a very broad term which I am using to tell you that your world opens up at university in the best way possible. This is a new beginning, and you have access to so much just by being here: new knowledge in your classes, new perspectives from your new friends and, hopefully by the end of your degree, access to a pretty nice, new graduate job too. Give yourself the freedom to explore this wonderfully unique time that you will most likely not have again.

And of course, if you are ever struggling in any way, you can access the many student services at university. From wellbeing to academic services, they exist to help get you through this experience in the most fulfilling way possible.

I might be biased as a now third-year, but there are so many positives to be taken from university that outweigh the negatives. Whether it takes you one week, one term, or one year to settle, there is no time crunch on navigating this new beginning, and you will eventually be at peace with it.

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EXPLORING EXETER: Three RAZZ writers tell of some of the hidden gems they have found while exploring Exeter.

NORTHERNHAY GARDENS

Exeter prides itself on being a green city, and on discovering Northernhay Gardens I realised why.

When it’s not used as the grounds for Exeter’s Winter Wonderland, it’s a fabulous place to head if you need a study break, want to admire its statues and floral arrangements, or even for stargazing if you visit at night! Rather than trekking down to the quay or ending up on Cathedral Green every time you want a whimsical moment with Mother Nature, head to Northernhay Gardens.

‘Every time you want a whimsical moment with Mother Nature, head to Northernhay Gardens.’

You can even sneak in a Five Guys if you enter via Queen Street.

Anna Kane, Social Secretary

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EXETER’S UNDERGROUND PASSAGES

Much like anywhere, after you have lived in Exeter a little while, you'll begin to feel as though you have seen it all. Yet beneath the cobbled streets of Exeter High Street lies a labyrinth of winding tunnels with a rich, hidden history.

‘Beneath the cobbled streets of Exeter High Street lies a labyrinth of winding tunnels.’

Unique to the area, Exeter is the only place in the UK where you can see passages of this type, and visiting them is a great way to try something new. Although not recommended for the claustrophobic, if you feel like stepping, or rather ducking, down into history with a hard hat on, visit the museum centre on Paris Street and get exploring!

Tabitha John

McCOYS ARCADE

Whether you’re looking for retro clothing and independently sold books, fancy a vegan brunch, or searching for a vintage typewriter, McCoys Arcade has it all. Tucked away into the side of Fore Street, I discovered the Arcade on a summer visit before my first year.

‘Tucked away into the side of Fore Street, I discovered the Arcade on a summer visit before my first year.’

I enjoyed Sacred Grounds’ delicious savoury waffles before browsing for an hour or two in The Real McCoy, Exeter’s oldest vintage store full of gorgeous leather, Levi’s, and so much more. As well as the Cathedral and the quay, I’d recommend making the time to explore Exeter’s most stylish hidden gem.

Anoushka Savage

DISCOVERING HIDDEN GEMS

S R E H S FRE

e p a t x i M

'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' - Arctic Monkeys A staple of the British indie scene, Arctic Monkeys will surely be a crowd–pleaser, whether you’re hosting a freshers’ flat party or getting ready for a night out.

'Voulez-Vous' - ABBA

This nostalgic hit’s infectious energy makes it hard to resist singing along.

'Can I Call You Tonight?' Dayglow

'What You Know' - Two Door Cinema Club

Yet another bouncy indie–rock song.

You might have spotted a pattern here.

'Edge of Seventeen' Stevie Nicls

In the same vein as ABBA, this powerful 80s anthem is both dramatic and satisfying.

'Meet Me at Our Spot '-

THE ANXIETY, Tyler Cole, and Willow Smith This song’s chilled vibe is ideal for Dayglow are known for catchy, winding down at the end of the night mood–boosting indie bops, reminiscent of or socialising in your kitchen with your summertime.

'Don't Delete The Kisses' - Wolf flatmates.

Alice

This has a cinematic vibe that embodies the feeling of being young and having new experiences.

'Free' - Florence and the Machine

Taken from their recent album, this song is fast–paced and lively, whilst demonstrating Florence Welch’s talent for relatable and liberating songwriting.

'Softly' - Arlo Parks

Arlo Parks’ easygoing and bright pop music is the perfect background accompaniment to cheer up mundane aspects of student life, such as cooking or studying.

Lucy Facer

'Naive' - The Kooks

This indie tune is popular at festivals, which coincidentally is a useful conversation topic for breaking the ice with new people at university.

Featured Image Source: Landing Space

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M O R F S D R A R C E T M S PO OAD: SUM ES ABRVEL STORI TRA BUDOIA, ITALY

Three RAZZ writers share their summer travel experiences, from first visits to returning to old favourites with emotional connections.

This year, I was lucky enough to travel back to the quiet but very pretty town of Budoia, Pordenone, located just north of Venice. My family and I have not gone on any long distance holidays since the COVID-19 pandemic, though we had travelled to this part of the world throughout my childhood to visit the birthplace of my grandfather. This trip was the first we had embarked on since his passing, and came to be an incredibly significant trip; we reconnected with our relatives in Italy and revisited the places my grandfather frequented as a child.

‘We had travelled to this part of the world throughout my childhood to visit the birthplace of my grandfather.’

Upon reflection, I feel that I was not able to fully respect my Italian heritage in prior visits to the town. After all, my brother and I were far more concerned with pools and pizza than to appreciate the beauty of such a remote location. This time, however, the holiday had a far greater purpose as I found the value in my great-aunt’s homecooked risotto and in walks up the mountain to the school my grandfather attended in the 1950s. Not only was this holiday fun and fulfilling, it also gave me a new readiness to embrace family tradition in experiences to come.

‘I found the value in my great-aunt’s home-cooked risotto and in walks up the mountain to the school my grandfather attended.’

Maya Fernandes, Copy Editor

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

T​ his summer, I travelled to Dubrovnik, Croatia; the perfect blend of city and beach, beautiful both at night and when the sun beamed onto the clear water. Every evening, we would stroll into the old town, illuminated with warm lights, with voices and music drifting towards us.

‘The perfect blend of city and beach, beautiful both at night and when the sun beamed onto the clear water.’

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We went on a kayaking trip around Lokrum Island and snorkelled in the Betina Cave. Walking the city walls was hot, but it was incredible to circle the whole city. Dotted along our walk were various cafes and stalls full of handmade items. The cable car allowed for an amazing view of the city, reducing the walls we had walked to little terracotta lines.

I loved the restaurants nestled along the side streets. Whilst eating in them, or walking past, you could get a glimpse of people’s evenings, catching snippets of conversations on how they were experiencing the city. Each night we would get ice-cream; one night we ate it perched on a bench overlooking the yachts anchored along the coast, and they looked as though they were little twinkling stars reflecting on the water. This beauty reminded me to enjoy each small moment, like that cup of ice-cream on that bench.

‘Get a glimpse of people’s evenings, catching snippets of conversations on how they were experiencing the city.’

Imogen Shackleton

NAXOS & MILOS, GREECE

Last summer, I went on a short Greek holiday – two islands in four days. Staying in hostels on the Islands of Naxos and Milos was a comfortable and affordable option.

Naxos and Milos are beautiful for swimming and seeing amazing sunsets, like at the Temple of Apollo, Naxos, or on the white cliffs of Sarakiniko, Milos.

It was my first time travelling alone, from Camborne, Cornwall to Naxos, Greece, and back – an exciting yet daunting experience. I felt incredibly independent and free (and more adult) but was also nervous being alone, having watched one too many Liam Neeson movies. I kept all my belongings close and secured, attempted to keep my phone charged at all times, with my location on and shared to family and friends for emergencies, and tried not to feel anxious about asking for support from staff on trains and in the airport if needed.

‘My first time travelling alone, from Camborne, Cornwall to Naxos, Greece, and back – an exciting yet daunting experience.’

My top tip for Greek travel is to research well; Naxos catered to the walking tourist, however, Milos required multiple taxis to get around. Each island is different – some great for sightseeing, others for relaxing. Overall, it is important to choose islands best suited to you for a perfect journey.

‘Each island is different – some great for sightseeing, others for relaxing.’

Niamh Kemp

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QUESTION FOR THE CULTURE: WHY DO WE DRINK? RAZZ writer Isabella Wartski, Deputy Print Editor explores whether you need to drink to have a good time.

Recently, Tom Holland has been in the media for speaking out about his new sober lifestyle. As a fan of his work, I was intrigued as to why someone would want to turn their back on such a wonder of the world; he spoke about his improved sleep and mental clarity, but I thought to myself, “I sleep pretty well, I think I think pretty well, so I’m good”. However, in early July, I found myself effectively forced into sobriety, a decision which felt quite out of my hands at the time.

Having attended a party of fabulous splendour, where I was poured copious amounts of champagne and wine (really not my fault), I awoke one sunny Sunday morning with quite possibly the worst hangover of my life. Well, that is not entirely true – when I first woke up, I was still in high spirits, lingering in what remained of my inebriated state – it was only about ten minutes into my hour-long journey home that I started to feel that bottomless pit of nausea threatening to swallow me up and spit me back out again. I miraculously made it home without incident, chatting jovially to anyone who cared to listen along the way, skipped to the shower, changed into clean clothes, and fell fast asleep for six hours. When I woke again in the early evening, I was dismayed that my nausea remained wallowing about inside me, and I struggled to hide it from my family.

‘In the pub with a friend sipping on an overpriced pint of cranberry juice while lamenting (all in good humour) my tale of misadventure.’

Nonetheless, I had things to do, places to go and people to see, and was promptly out again, in the pub with a friend sipping on an overpriced pint of cranberry juice while lamenting (all in good humour) my tale of misadventure. In this case, hair of the dog was not going to remedy my condition, and yet, just the following evening, I engaged in the phoney remedy. The next night was the night of a small and low-key adult gathering that I had completely forgotten about – my dad’s surprise fiftieth birthday.

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And, after having just two and maybe a half glasses of, yes, more champagne, I found myself grievously nauseated again at three in the morning, and then hunched over first a bin in my bedroom and then the humble toilet itself, vomiting several times without dignity or pride, but in renewed and painful humility. From that point on, even the thought of having a drink induced violent flashbacks to that fateful night, and so commenced my sobriety journey.

‘From that point on, even the thought of having a drink induced violent flashbacks to that fateful night, and so commenced my sobriety journey.’

In the beginning, I thought there was no way I was going to be able to maintain my life of the party status (self-ascribed), and I was convinced that my friends would be terribly disappointed when they realised how uninteresting I could actually be. This could not have been further from the truth. Even though I would have previously denied it, the biggest lie I had bought into was that I needed alcohol to have fun, to have a good time. What I have learned so far though, is that it is only boring people you have to drink around to be able to tolerate them. A week into my sobriety, I went abroad with my friends and had one of the best holidays of my life; I could live just as wildly and still very much be the life of the party (still self-ascribed) and even be able to remember everything the next day, and not feel like my my vital organs were going to give up at any moment.

‘No way I was going to be able to maintain my life of the party status (self-ascribed), and I was convinced that my friends would be terribly disappointed’ Moreover, there are now so many delicious alcohol-free alternatives available on the market – such as GIMBER, Seedlip, Sentia Spirits and Three Spirit, to name just a few.

These drinks are more experimental with their ingredients, as they seek to create unique flavours and explore ways to enhance mood naturally. I would argue that it has never been easier to switch to a sober lifestyle, and it is becoming increasingly socially acceptable to adopt this healthier way of living as people speak more honestly about their experiences with alcohol. I can attest that, while I did sleep and think “pretty well” before going sober, my sleep and mental clarity have improved enormously, like Holland’s, and friends and family have noted the change in my mood, commenting on how I seem more upbeat, positive and energetic now.

‘I would argue that it has never been easier to switch to a sober lifestyle.’

So, as we head into a new academic year, which for some might be their first away from home, it is good to bear in mind that, despite Britain’s drinking culture stereotypically being an excessive one, particularly at university, a cultural shift is undoubtedly occurring, to live better and happier, and more people than you might think are catching on.

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About the Project

Nurture-U is a national research project that is finding better ways to support university students with their mental health and well-being.

There are six universities involved in the project: University of Exeter, Newcastle University, Cardiff University, University of Oxford, University of Southampton, and King's College London.

Nurture-U is also partnered with the U-Flourish project, based at Queen’s University in Canada, where they began their work to improve student wellbeing in September 2018. We are funded by the Medical Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Economic and Social Research Council.

Ways to Get Involved Our Internet CBT Trial

For those with already elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression, we want to improve the services available by better directing students to the right treatment. We want to compare two kinds of online therapy: self-guided (completely self-motivated) and guided (through Our Reducing Worry Trial regular contact with one of our We are testing a new, self-guided app therapists). Participants will be randomly that has already shown to reduce worry and increase confidence in young people. allocated to one of the two groups.

Additionally, if the app works well for students, it can easily be scaled up to help Our Bounce Back Trial a larger number of people.

A workbook we have developed with the If you worry a lot and would like support help of students that is supported by a to feel less self-critical, then this study is coach (one of our therapists). The aim is that this will help build resilience skills so for you! you can better face the challenges that come with university life.

We are currently running a series of trials for students experiencing worry, overthinking, and/or depression, and/or anxiety. If this is you, you could be eligible for one of the following:

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Autumn Survey

From the start of Welcome Week, we will be running our Autumn survey. You can help us learn how students are feeling, what you find stressful, what you find helpful, and how this may vary. Look out for us on campus this September for your chance to take part in the survey and discover the wider Nurture-U project.

Toolkit and Mental Health Literacy

Starting in the Autumn, we will be testing our new toolkit, which lets students track their own mental health, and trialling our mental health literacy course. Our toolkit has been successfully used in the NHS and is being tested as part of the U-Flourish project in Canada. Now, we are testing it here, in UK universities, with the help of our students.

Working with Us

Our Student Advisory Group is involved in all stages of the project. More than 200 students help us with many parts of the project, including: choosing the name of the project, designing the project’s logo, co-designing the toolkit, working on social media, and much more. Our students continue to help us throughout the project, and we are always recruiting for new student advisors. If you are a student at Exeter or any of the sites involved in Nurture-U, and would like to join us in working towards better student mental health and wellbeing, we can offer payment for a range of activities. Plus, it can be a great thing to add to your CV! If you are interested, please email us at nurture-u@exeter.ac.uk telling us why you would like to be part of the group.

You can find out more about the Nurture-U project on our website (www.nurtureuniversity.co.uk), where there are links to our trials, the wellbeing survey, the student advisory group, and more.

We are also on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, where we share daily content and project updates - search ‘Nurture-U’.

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COLUMNS, CREATIVE WRITING, EPIPHANIES, WRITING

Creative Corner | Divine, Alone The divinity of my solitude, sometimes I feel it.

This article was originally published online @razzmag.co.uk

Slip into a loose, white blouse, sleeves rolled to elbow cuffs.

The exposed curve of my leg, Sheets ribbon down my slumbering form, strains a line from heel to hip, in cream, cotton creases. as I lean across the window ledge.

A makeshift dress when I rise, billowing around my torso, In open space, I am whole. and shed like second flesh.

The juice in my glass viridescent, as sun-shafts illuminate the room, In bare skin, I can move.

I stay where I am, My muscles tender in waking, lost in ink print pages. blood throngs to the surface, as I raise myself from the abdomen, Sprawled on my bed, stretched into a silhouette. neck balanced on the edge of the mattress.

Fill my bathroom with steam, My curls waterfall to the floor, and submerge my fragile skull.

I feel the world in reverse, The mirrored fragments above, within the architecture of my mind. frame a glass ceiling, I ripple with a fingertip.

Be alone with me, speak softly into my silence.

In water, I am sublime.

I would stay here all day, Grace Dunford-Elliott but instead pad on naked feet, to the drawers of my dresser, still flushed with warmth.

Featured Image Source: Pexels

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EXETER’S he Razz writer Swarnim Agrawal provides the ultimate freshers’ guide to Exeter’s art scene.

EXETER PHOENIX

Situated in the heart of Exeter, this is your go-to place for open mics, art exhibitions, independent film screenings, workshops, and so much more!

Lewys Holt’s Empty Orchestra – £5 tickets for students to experience this amalgamation of karaoke and dance.

Exeter Phoenix Camera Group – Photographers, this is your cue to find like-minded people and click away at these monthly meetups!

South West Dance Hub – Professional dancers may be interested in this pay-what-you-can opportunity to dance the worries away.

Studio 74 – Don’t forget to check the programme for this amazing venue to watch brilliant independent cinema.

Keep an ear/pen out for Spork! events, bringing you a lovely dose of poetry!

ROYAL ALBERT MEMORIAL MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

The RAMM is where you should head if you like to explore cool archival stuff as well as engaging in walking-through-a-museum-pretending-that-you-understand-everything vibes!

Keep an eye out for their latest programme including the amazing RAMM Lates – the museum equivalent of an after-party that you didn’t know you needed!

EXETER NORTHCOTT THEATRE

Are you a theatre lover or someone looking to have your first-ever live theatre experience? Situated on campus, this is where you will want to spend your money.

Slay Queenz (featuring three winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK) – 23rd September 2023.

The Comedy Store Exeter 2023 – Multiple shows from September 2023 to November 2024.

Buffy: ReVamped (Seventy minutes. Seven seasons. One Spike.) – 4th November 2023.

Take A Chance On Us ABBA Tribute – The Ultimate ABBA Party! – 23rd November 2023.

EXETER LIBRARY

Much more than a library, here you can experience silent discos, zine workshops, poetry events, and lots of non-library stuff in Library Lates!

GREAT HALL

Last but not least, don’t forget to check what’s on at the university’s Great Hall.

Looking for something else? You’re just one search away… Exeter has many more arts events to offer than you might have thought. So, what are you waiting for?

Start your Exeter experience by going along with friends or on your own and meeting new people.

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