DIVERCSITY - January, 2016 (Vol. 2 Issue #4)

#DIVERCSITY RCSI Student run Newspaper and Publications

| January | |Publication Year 2015, Vol. 2, Issue No. 2|

Printed at

A Publication by

Editors’ Notes DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CAITRÍN O’LEARY »

« NIKITA RANE

// Meet the team.

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ARIMIE MIN »

« IARLA O’DOMHNAILL

STUDENT LIFE

STUDENT LIFE

SAIED ALI »

« ORLA DONOHOE

ENTERTAINMENT EDUCATION

ZAHRA JUMAN »

« DEXTER SEOW

CULTURE AND LEISURE

NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS

YUSUF JALY»

« AMELIA SOOKDEO

EVENTS

EVENTS

DEENA SHAH »

« JING TING CHEAH

ONLINE EDITOR

COMMUNICATIONS

« QASIM ALI BARI

JEEVANI KRISHNAMURTTY »

COVER ART DESIGNER

ILLUSTRATOR « CATHERINE TENNANT

MUHIMMA SULAIMAN »

AISLINN KILLIAN, REBECCA JAGOO, ANU MENON, NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED, MIA ANDREWS, AMINA MAHMOOD, CATHAL DELANEY, CYRILLE PAYNE, MOYOWA BOYO, SIMIRAAJ POWAR, DINA GHAZAL, CORMAC DUFF, YARA ZAYOUT, SU KYI NG, JIN JI LIM, RUTH EMMANUEL, SEBASTIAN GRACIAS, YASODA SUBRAMANIAN, GEORGE IKPOKOMITOP, SONIA RAMKISSOON, TENGKU NAZIM TENGKU YUSOF, COREY NIXON, MOHIT BUTANEY, STEPHANIE TUNG, CHEW JEN PIN, HONG MING, RACHEL TAN

STAFF ASSOCIATES CORRIENA BRIEN & SANDRA BONNETTO - CONTENT REVIEW, STAFF CO-ORDINATORS PROF CLIVE LEE- WRITER: ANATOMY, TANYA CHAPPLE - WRITER: SUDOKU JANE BURNS - COPYRIGHTS & PLAGIARISM ADVISER

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Editors’ Notes.

// At a glance...

Editors’ Notes

Dear Reader,

If you’d like to share your views on this or any other topic, don’t hesitate to write in to us at divercsity@rcsi.ie . Our communications officer Jeevani and the rest of the committee will be looking forward to hearing from you!

As of last month we have moved our submission process off Moodle, and are now accepting submissions via email only. All contributions are welcome, and we will also be accepting answers to the monthly Anatomy Quiz -check out page 31 for how to enter!

A TASTE OF THIS ISSUE Enjoy!

JOIN THE COMMITTEE: Missed out on our summer application process? We still have a few vacant spots on our committee!

Vacancies available for: Webmaster (manage posts on Wordpress), Communications (email deadlines and check mail) and Events (help co-organise DIVERCSITY Wednesdays). We are also looking for reporters for Staff Q&A and Student News, writers for DIVERSILLY (satire), and Sports.

Drop a quick email to divercsity@rcsi.ie if you are interested! We’d be happy to meet with you and answer any and all questions!

SPECIAL MENTIONS: This month’s cover photo was created by Joe Hsiao.

- NIKITA RANE AND CAITRÍN O’LEARY Directors and Editors-in-Chief

DIVE INTO

YOUR U UR AT

PASSIONS

UNIVERSITY

To join our mailing list, or for societies or general enquiries, email divercsity@rcsi.ie Read anything you love? Did we print something you hate? Have a great idea or suggestion for the paper?

Let us know how we are doing! editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie Share the excitement online, Like us on facebook.com/DIVERCSITY Join the Facebook Society Group Page for the latest updates facebook.com/groups/divercsitysignup Share and view this issue online from issuu.com/rcsidivercsity January 2016

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Features

// Q&A with Street Artist ADW

A

DW is an Irish artist who dabbles in stencil work, street art and visual art. We are certain you have seen some of his work around Dublin and perhaps even the streets of Belfast, Berlin and Spain.

He has been a regular contributor to the First Forthnight Festival (a charity-based organisation with the express aim of challenging mental health prejudice through the creative arts.) In 2014, ADW showed his artwork ina major solo exhibition called “Cut It Out”in conjunction with Offset and Tiger Beer. We urge you to checkout ADW on facebook: fb.com/ADWartist and instagram: @adwart.

Q

MUHIMMA SULAIMAN

CAIRTÍN O’LEARY

NIKITA RANE

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you remember your first piece of public art?

Yes, a stenciled pieces of street art on a lane wall in Rathmines. It was there for about five years, ancient compared to some of my other pieces of street art which have lasted less than a few hours!

Q

What inspired you to pursue this as a career?

The planets where aligned. I was made redundant in the ‘big crash of 2008’, around that time I started to experiment with my own ideas and began dabbling with stencils and spraypaint. Dreaming of going back to my roots and becoming an artist.

Q Q

What inspires your current works?

Everything inspires. Music, art, film...life!

How would you describe your style?

I don’t think I have a particular style and try not to be bound by those sort of things. I try to approach everything I create with a sense of humour. Is humour a style?

Q Q

Are there any other artists who you admire or who have particularly influenced your style?

Lots, but I got a soft spot for René Magritte.

Has the landscape of street art in Dublin changed since your career began?

Street art in Dublin has certainly evolved over the last few years. There have been some landmark pieces of street art painted in more recent years and It’s great to see the city embracing it.

Q Q

What piece are you proudest of ?

Like picking your favourite son or daughter, it’s too tough to choose.

Your art often conveys a social or political message, if you had to put that message into words instead of art what would you say?

Labels are for jars not for people.

Q

Tell us about your recent projects!

The photo on the bottom right, features a key advocate of Phillipine independance, a champion boxer who died in mysterious circumstances and an award winning actress famed for her emotive performances. These people all died on this date, and their faces are combined to form a single single picture.

Q

Put simply, what’s the story with this?

It’s a year long project called GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. Basically, the idea behind the project is to remember and commemorate remarkable people who’s anniversaries are on that date. A reminder we stand on the shoulders of giants. One image is published each morning and combines three portraits of people who have died on that day along with a little biography or link to give the viewer an insight into these remarkable individuals. Three images are carefully selected and assembled in a way that they piece together a new being and begin to take on a life of their own. It’s kind of hard to explain and definitely more a visual thing...go check ‘em out!

Q

How do you make the decision on who to include?

Apart from including the well known icons, I also wanted to include lesser known people who have made a significant impact to the world with their lives. Alot of research goes into each image. Using that amazing tool ‘the internet’, hours are spent trawling though Wikipedia and biography websites to gather enough information to make an informed decision.

Q

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve discovered whilst researching this project?

It’s been a hugely interesting project to work on and one massive history lesson. The more and more I read and research, the more I’m realizing that we are all connected, like one big jigsaw puzzle. I hope that’s reflected in the project.

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Features

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FEATURE CONTINUES ON PAGE 11.

DIVERCSITY.COM

Features

LEGALISE Graffiti?

T

he streets of Dublin can be very monotonous, but when I see a canvas of colour skilfully lain out alongside a building, I can’t help but stop and stare… and perhaps take a picture to Instagram later.

Graffiti is an ancient ‘art’ form of etching or painting on a public surface, which dates all the way back to first century BC and has been seen in various cultures, such as; Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Northern Saudi Arabia and the Roman Empire to list a few.

Graffiti bestrides the line of art and vandalism. It is unfiltered self-expression, a beautiful unappreciated art form that has been shaped by its restrictions.

How these graffiti artists manage to create a masterpiece in the midst of the night with limited time and a few cans of spray paint has always astonished me. Although graffiti artists can express themselves explicitly, it doesn’t really harm anyone. I’d say that not all graffiti is art as many of them look like preschool drawings, but whose prerogative is it to declare what is art anyway?

However people should not be forced to view your art. I don’t believe in legalizing graffiti, despite how much I love seeing a beautiful mural. Defacing someone’s property is at the top of the list for keeping it illegal. Not everyone has the same view of art and will love and appreciate the same piece equally. Waking up to find your shop vandalised must be highly aggravating, but hey at least you weren’t robbed right? Having to clean up the mess afterwards, is quite costly as well. In fact, cleaning up graffiti has cost the Dublin city council well over €1.2 million since 2010 (The Journal). As bus fares continue to go up, we now know who is to blame.

« REBECCA JAGOO

// Opinions

If graffiti were legalised, the streets would be a mess. While there are talented artists out there trying to be discovered, there are also the not so talented ones. How do you control who does graffiti and what they decide to graffiti? It’s best to curb it all together. On top of that, there’s a lot of competition among vandals. They try to one-up each other by drawing over one another’s work, so the presence of one ‘art’ piece eventually leads to a culmination of graffiti- especially over another piece. While this does sound like a beautiful collaboration amongst underappreciated and unrecognized artists, it really isn’t. It’s truly more synonymous with that of a civil battle.

Graffiti is typically associated with gangs, and they use “Tagging” to mark their territory. A tag is basically a personalized signature which claims art pieces and territory. It’s not hard to see how this claiming and reclaiming of gangs territories can lead to violence. Not forgetting to mention that graffiti can make any neighbourhood look sketch as hell.

While some continue to argue that graffiti is an art form and should be allowed, I’m left to think that if graffiti were legal, would it still be as loud as it is now? Would it not loose its rebellion and captivation? Perhaps the law is unintentionally preserving the art form by keeping it illegal.

Whether you view graffiti as obnoxious noise or visual poetry, it is plain vandalism and shouldn’t be legal. If people wish to support the notion of street art, they can hire so called graffiti artists to paint their property whilst paying them to do so. - With all that said, I am probably still going to take pictures in front of grand graffiti pieces on streets that I wouldn’t want to be on at night.

Students React: Do you think street artists are vandals?

Or does graffiti add something to the streets of Dublin?

Tell us your thoughts on legalising graffiti.

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Features

The Positive Potential of Graffiti

G

raffiti has long been seen, stereotypically at least, as a means of vandalism in urban areas. It ranges from the illegible scrawl seen in alleys and on the sides of trains, to the thought provoking works of some of its most famous artists, such as Banksy.

The art form, often seen as a means of individualistic, rebellious self-expression, also has the potential to bring a town together, through community, and innovation.

Fanzara was a typically unassuming small town in rural Spain, home to little over 300 people, most of them elderly, that was threatened with the same extinction that had already destroyed so many other towns, as it’s young people emigrated to larger cities. Having recently voted down the possible construction of an incinerator in the village, that had been a possible means of staving off the death of the town, two town members, Javier López (48) and Rafa Gascó (50), suggested that the town invite Spanish graffiti artists to come and decorate the town, creating an outdoor exhibition of graffiti. Although apprehensive of the idea at the time, the town agreed and in September 2014 Fanzara hosted its first group of 15 artists.

Offering the artists a place to stay, food to eat, and its walls as canvases, over

January 2016

IARLA O’DOMHNAILL ( DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

the first weekend of the event, dubbed the Unfinished Museum of Urban Art (MIAU), 44 works in the town were completed. While offering up Fanzara’s very foundation as an artistic space, organizers suggested that the artists consider the townspeople by possibly talking through ideas with them, or by offering workshops. The project was seen as a success in the town, with unexpected enthusiasm shown by its elderly residents, who were eager to offer up their own homes for art-work upon seeing some of the completed works. This newfound interest and passion in graffiti from Fanzara lead to the scheduling of its second weekend of hosted artists completing works in the town in July 2015, and the recognition of the town as one of Spain’s modern cultural centres.

With tourism in Fanzara estimated to have risen by 25-30% since the museums opening, and the growth of both local restaurants and accommodations, it is hoped that the flow of young people leaving the town for work will be stemmed, and that this growth will lead to the continued health of the town, as it goes from strength to strength. Fanzara is proof that not only can graffiti be used as a tool to dramatically change and improve a troubled town, but also as a means of saving a dying one.

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Special

// PMCSA Batch of 2018: Bids Farewell

« SU KYI NG

I

’ve found people with hearts of gold here.

I’ll miss everyone who I’ve ever shared excitement with, and anyone I’ve shared any amount of meaningless and meaningful conversations with. To those I didn’t really get a chance to speak to, I’ll miss your face!

I’ve truly been #blessed these past few years.

Fondest memories?

That time I met Andrew Scott IRL. Your favourite RCSI / event related memory?

Shoutout to my PMCSA bball and squash crew, chocolate ball and intl night dance troupe, fellow Divercsity writers, yogasoc friends, and ENVIROSQUAD, each and every event we’ve ever done has been the best event ever xoxoxox Will you be keeping in touch?

YEAAA YO.

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Special

« CHEW JEN PIN

D

ublin and RCSI will always have a special place in my heart. The people that I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had has made my 2 and a half years here all the more precious. It wasn’t perfect,but it was beautiful as hell. No words could ever convey the love I have for Ireland and all my get friends back in RCSI. May our paths cross again one day!

Time to feel a bit nostalgic - What was it like arriving to RCSI Ireland for the first time?

I remember the need to bump into and become best friends with Game of Thrones star, Jack Gleeson being very real.

Also I was appalled by the abundance of Carroll’s stores. (Really? 3 stores on Westmoreland? Really?) As well as the prices at Penneys aka my second home.

I remember well how everyone used to,and still fawn over a certain member of the faculty with a butt sculpted by the Gods. For discretion let’s just call him Wobert.

Fondest memories?

Everytime I step into Boojum.

The beauty of Ryanair.

Your favourite RCSI / event related memory?

The friendship lunches where procurement of free food was priority one #thehungergames Those oversized Niteline highlighters.

Everytime there was free pizza and wine Will you be keeping in touch?

My spirit will haunt my RCSI homies. I have placed cleverly hidden horcruxes around the SSG campus and Beaumont as well. Just to make sure.

I

am most definitely going to miss everyone out there and all I can do is thank everyone for being part of my amazing journey and I hope our paths will cross one day again in the future.

KANENDRA ‘KANDY’ KUMAR

Time to feel a bit nostalgic - What was it like arriving to RCSI Ireland for the first time?

I was more impressed than anything else. I mean the name itself is recognized world wide and it hit me. I was actually a student of RCSI which gave the the drive to be the best I could be here and I knew I was going to enjoy my time here.

Fondest memories?

My fondest memory of Dublin would be my late night walks with Sebastian Gracias and Anish Patil just taking in the beauty of Dublin at night underneath all the lights.

Your favourite RCSI / event related memory?

I think this is an easy one. It would definitely be leading PMCSA as president to our victory in International Night in 2015. Truly unforgettable.

How are you feeling about leaving Ireland?

Its a feeling that words cannot descirbe. Its and emotion I have never ever felt before.

Will you be keeping in touch?

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Most definitely I cannot afford to forget so many key people in my life.

DIVERCSITY.COM

Special

TEO SHUANG YI Time to feel a bit nostalgic - What was it like arriving to RCSI Ireland for the first time?

A

rriving in Dublin marked the first time I left home alone and that was a whole new experience for me. Being all on my own in a foreign country would not be something I would have achieved if I was not given the opportunity to study in RCSI Ireland. I remembered exploring the Dublin streets, parks, transports, the Irish accent (I know, but catching what people were saying was a big deal back then! Hahah) and most importantly, the lovely people of RCSI. The friendships made were sincere, memorable, and I believe, will last a lifetime. Even the main campus itself is a true treasure with its rich history. Time had gone by too fast and now it’s time for me to say goodbye. I truly appreciate the two and a half years here, and I’ll bring along all the fond memories back home! Dublin, I will miss you!

Fondest memories?

The lovely and friendly people in Dublin. It makes me feel welcomed in a foreign place. I could not have asked for more.

Your favourite RCSI / event related memory?

International night of 2014. Initially I thought that I made an impulsive decision to join PMCSA in the performances for International night, but it turned out to be the most wonderful experience in the time I was in RCSI. I learnt how to dance when people thought I was a clumsy and slow learner. We stayed up late at night to practice, hoping that our dance will be presentable (that’s how inorganized we are initially!)... Luckily, everything went smoothly and we emerged to be the champion of the night!!! I was really excited since we did not expect much! This is surely the greatest and most memorable RCSI evens to me!

How are you feeling about leaving Ireland?

Definitely bittersweet. I do miss home and my family but on the other hand I will be missing my friends in Dublin in turn. *sigh* But I am happy to escape the cold though Will you be keeping in touch?

Yes!

S

FAIZ RAIS

houtout to Zaika, Hailan, Boojum, Fogos, Wok In and King 7!! Thank you for all the cheap meals you’ve provided Time to feel a bit nostalgic - What was it like arriving to RCSI Ireland for the first time?

It was great! The people are fantastic. The illuminati floor tiles though, kinda trippy. Lol jk Fondest memories?

Definitely the people that I’ve met and made friends here. Thou shall be missed.

Your favourite RCSI / event related memory?

International night! And Chocolate ball.

How are you feeling about leaving Ireland?

Definitely bittersweet. I do miss home and my family but on the other hand I will be missing my friends in Dublin in turn. *sigh* But I am happy to escape the cold though Will you be keeping in touch?

Sure. If I can fine free wifi somewhere ;P

DIVERCSITY would like to thank everyone who took the time to check out the questionnaire form. We apologize for not planning this at a more convenient time for all PMCSA students!

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Features Continued from page 5...

From the streets to your phone.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN.

PHOTO ON PG 22

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN.

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE. THIS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT FEATURES DAILY SIGHTS AND SCENES AROUND DUBLIN.

THIS MONTH’S COVER PHOTO!

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Lifestyle

// Humans of RCSI ( Ireland)

« SIMRAAJ POWAR

It was so bizarre how I could feel no solid ground supporting my feet, how, when I looked down at the 700 meters that distanced me from the relentless waves crashing into the rocks, I felt like I was held up high by nothing but a string. My name is Ali Khader, I’m an RCSI exchange student from Bahrain. Dublin, to me, has been an unremitting adventure of bright colours. Everywhere I look, I am bombarded by vivid greens and sapphire blues. That is one thing I will truly appreciate while I’m here. Sitting on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher is an experience I shared with those that came with me from Bahrain, people I can now call my family. It will be hard saying goodbye at the end of the semester, to the wonderful people we’ve met, to my personal study area in St Stephen’s Green, to the night-time strolls down Grafton Street, to the moments like the one on that cliff, and to Gino’s Gelato... I think I’ll miss the ice-cream the most.

- ALI KHADER (JC3 Exchange Student)

I’ve travelled more this year than I’ve ever before. The biggest thing I’ve learned was that family is the one fixed point in a world that refuses to stop changing. Never underestimate how much you need your family. I think we all go through a stage where we feel like it’s a sign of weakness needing family- or needing anybody. But I realized that family is the one thing I could always go back to no matter how far I’ve travelled, how many people I’ve met or what new experiences I had. And I think I only got to that stage after travelling as far away from them as I could.

- RANA KHALIL- 2ND MED

Want to be featured? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Lifestyle

// Humans of RCSI ( Bahrain )

« DINA GHAZAL

Happy New Year everyone!! This is for sure the season to be jolly, but it is also the season we say good-bye to our good exchange friends.

This month is dedicated to the students who have been part of the exchange programme in 2015 and previous years, and shared unforgettable experiences in both Bahrain and Ireland.

W

e went to Ireland together. It was awesome! I tell everyone to do it. It was amazing. The people there are really nice; we made friendships that can last. It was nice to meet new people. The campus was different, and of course the country. We hiked up a mountain – it took us almost five hours? It was exhausting. We were climbing up the mountain and at first it was sunny, then it was rainy, then it was windy. We were six people, and then two people decided they couldn’t do it anymore and left half-way through. At some point it was so rainy we couldn’t see. But it’s a new experience.

M

y great-great-grandad bought a big piece of land on an island just 20 minutes from Oslo back when there was nothing there. My great-grandma is still alive up there, she’s turning 103 soon. She’s absolutely incredible. She’s always holding speeches, going to schools, has dinner parties. There’s no stopping her. I remember when she had her 95th birthday I said ‘I can’t wait till you’re 100.’ She said ‘nah, it’s far too old. I don’t want to be that old.’ But she has so much spirit. She’s living alone and she just broke her hip, so she was sent to a temporary nursing home after the operation but they threw her out early. They said she was too healthy. She gets more casual every year. I remember when I was a young kid, she would be a bit more strict. She’d say ‘oh… today’s kids’ and didn’t agree with today’s society, but now she just tipped the point where she’s so old she knows she has nothing to do with society anymore. She says she just can’t comment anymore.

The first time she saw a train ever was when she was 26 years old. Norway was one of the poorest countries in Europe at that time. She was studying to be a nurse, but lost her job because she got married. She couldn’t be a nurse and be married at the same time. Norway has gone from being this really poor country to now being the richest country in the world. And she’s seen all that and remembers everything.

M

y parents were both medical missionaries. They worked in Malawi, Africa in 19911992, so ever since then, I’ve wanted to do an outreach program of some sort; medically orientated in whichever specialty or field I am in. That’s my goal, to become a medical missionary. I think parachuting in to treat and then flying out isn’t the approach I’d want to take. I definitely would like to be more directed towards not only medical interventions, but also teaching, agriculture, and sanitation. I don’t want it to be a bookshelf experience. I want it to be something that plays a critical role that I can share with many people and where I am a real advocate for later in life. Every country in the world is going to need doctors and healthcare professionals, but I want to be working somewhere where there is a desperation and need for doctors. Having travelled to both Guatemala and Malawi, it has opened my eyes to that aspect of healthcare. Being there and seeing the need has driven me to become a doctor

If you want to see more and stay updated, make sure to like and follow both Facebook and Instagram “Humans of RCSI” pages!

www.facebook.com/humansofrcsi humansofrcsi January 2016

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Lifestyle

« MOYOWA BOYO

The Wellness Wheel //

H

appy New Year! Welcome to 2016, a year filled with lots of promise and adventures ahead. As the New Year begins, many people talk about New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of people who make New Year’s resolutions actually stick to them. If you’re looking to make some changes in 2016, here are a few tips to help you reach your goals:

1.

FOCUS ON HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL.

When setting goals, shift the focus to how you want to feel. Think about what feelings reaching that goal will give you and focus on those feelings instead. This is a different way to think about goal setting but it can be really effective because, often, when we are chasing a goal, what we actually want is the feeling that we believe achieving that goal will give us. For example, a lot of people want to change their eating or exercise habits at the beginning of the New Year. If your goal is “I want to lose ten pounds” or “I want to bench press x amount of weight”, shift your thought process to “I want to feel energetic and strong” or “I want to feel confident”.

You can also pick a specific date and tailor your thought process to “On X (month/date), I want to feel energetic and strong”. It’s important to keep reminding yourself how you want to feel when you reach your goal. Try out this tip and see how it works for you!

2.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Think of yourself as practicing to become who you want to be. Each time you do something that pushes you towards your goal, remind yourself that you are practicing learning to live in a new way. You are essentially creating a new reality or new normal for yourself. Taking this approach is helpful because you’ll be less likely to blow off your goals completely if you falter. When a rugby or football team messes up a play, they don’t just pack up and leave the pitch saying that they’ve blown it so they’re just not going to try. Instead, they continue the game giving it their best effort, and then they continue to practice the play as a team until they get it right. Take that same approach with your 2016 goals. If you mess up, it’s ok! Don’t throw in the towel, just keep practicing.

3.

GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE.

I first heard this line while doing a Jillian Michaels workout DVD many years ago. During the hardest part of the DVD, she screamed “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!” At the time, I rolled my eyes and silently prayed for this excruciating workout to be over, but looking back, Jillian Michaels gave some really good advice. Any change you want to make or any goal you set, whether that be getting a journal article published, getting fitter, trying a new hobby or mastering a skill is going to have some degree of discomfort. If you have the mindset that you are comfortable with being uncomfortable to reach your goals, you will be more likely to stick to them especially when it gets tough. Making real change and reaching milestones is never 100% easy so accept the discomfort as part of the process and realize that what might have felt uncomfortable at the beginning can actually begin to feel comfortable.

With that being said, The Wellness Wheel wishes everyone at RCSI a very Happy New Year!

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Lifestyle

// Ask Himistu!

January: Shiwasu- Running of the priests

H

ey everyone, Himitsu here! It’s been awhile since the last issue. Just wanted to wish you all a very happy new year!

Speaking of which, I am introducing to you the next theme of the month!

In Japanese culture, New Year’s day is the most important day to start with a pure condition. The Japanese don’t want to carry issues over into the New Year. That’s why high Zen priests, who are usually the pillars of calm in a community, are running around like everyone else, trying to put an end to lingering matters to start afresh in the New Year.

What questions do fellow students have today? Let’s have a look!

Lots of love, - Himitsu.

Q

Dear Himitsu,

This semester was not the most ideal. Between one thing and another, my grades were not up to par, and I’m worried about the exam results coming out. It has really brought down my self-esteem, I thought I was able for this. The extra exam stress also caused a less than desirable change in my eating habits. Staying in the library, then binge eating take away food because I felt like I didn’t have time to cook, and as a result, I’ve gained so much weight. I’m less inclined now to go out with my friends now after putting on this weight, I’m embarrassed of my body . It’s a new year and I’d like to change my self-image. How do I go about it?

Thanks a lot!

-ChubbyBuddy -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------: Dear ChubbyBuddy,

A

I first want you to think for a few minutes about exactly why you are unhappy with your body image, and for who are you trying to change? Are you doing this for yourself or for others? If it’s the latter, then forget about it; You can never keep other people happy, so just focus on yourself.

Secondly, you can’t expect results in just one day. Change takes time, but there are definitely ways in which you can speed it up. Be efficient with your time. I recommend setting up a timetable planning out your day that includes exercise, time for healthy eating, and study, and of course, enough sleep. Set goals for yourself, start low and go slow - when you achieve the small goals this will boost your self-esteem and you build up to harder goals, and your reward will be the results of your hard work. Exercise in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day - you’re taking control and starting the day with your best foot forward. Try HIIT (high intensity interval training) videos online (FitnessBlender.com is excellent for these) - they are efficient, push you to your limits, and are proven to be more beneficial for cardiovascular health and weight loss than low intensity endurance exercise. They only take 20 minutes and you’re super pumped after them. Just don’t forget to warm up and cool down or you’ll know about it for the rest of the week!

Hi, everyone! My name is Himitsu, and I’m here to answer your questions, as we delve into life’s secrets. After all, “secret” is what my name means in Japanese!

ASK HIMITSU YOUR QUESTIONS, ANONYMOUSLY. Visit: divercsity.tumblr.com/advice Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

Diet is actually key, more so than exercise. It’s really easy to munch on baked goodies, chocolates and candies when they’re right in front of you - so just don’t buy them.

Buy fruit instead to fill your sugar craving. These are natural sugars and will fill you more than sweets will, so you don’t need to eat as much. Steer clear of processed carbohydrates - these only temporarily satisfy you, and spike your blood sugars, so you crave more when you come back down from your sugar high. This is generally the white stuff - table sugar, white flour, white bread, basically most baked goods and fried foods. Potato chips and salty foods are a NO! You will see results when you cut these items out of your diet - or at least minimise your intake. Reduce your portions of white rice and white pasta too. Why not sauté some vegetables and make your plate ¾ vegetables and ¼ rice/ noodles? The taste is in the vegetables, not the rice! I personally love broccoli and green beans!

Also keep in mind the portion size of your meals. Try to keep regular mealtimes, and reduce snacking before meals, unless it’s a piece of fruit or nuts. Eat when you’re hungry, not just because you’re bored. Many people have a tendency to do that! Also, avoid eating too late at night - digestion of that food during sleep reduces the quality of your sleep and all that food is just lying there not being used up!

If you’re having trouble with college work, perhaps organizing study sessions with a friend or a group is a good idea. You can reinforce all the content you learned, and if you are having trouble with a subject, someone else will be able to explain it to you.

All you need to do is get the help. There’s nothing wrong with asking for it.

Remember that no one is perfect and that you are a work in progress. Take steps little by little, and you will reach your goals. Wish you the best of luck!

Hope this helped!

Sending you positive vibes, -Himitsu

Alternatively, if you’re not ready for HIIT yet, start off with walking. Walk to college instead of taking the bus. Use your 15 minute study break to do a brisk walk around the block; you’ll be much more energised when you sit back down to study. Two or three study breaks like this in the day adds up to 30- 45 minutes exercise! If you need help to keep the pace, listen to music with a quick tempo, and keep the beat with your feet!

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// White coat syndrome

« NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED

Survivor “Put your pens down you have reached the end of your exams.”

Everyone remembers that moment, the moment when the weeks of intense late nights and textbook battles finally come to an end. You are temporarily free and ready for a well-deserved rest. Cue family, fun and friends.

You’ve made it!

W

ell done! You have a full semester of work and agony now holstered under your belt. It wasn’t easy but you pulled through, ready now to face your grades and buckle into the next semester. Unfortunately there is, as with most things, a slight catch. Whether it be now or later you will be forced to either reap the rewards of your hard work or wallow in the misery of failings at the hands of your semester exam results; the latter being the basis of tears and heart wrenching pain.

Although not an obvious source of anxiety compared to the dreaded exam weeks, waiting for exam results is arguably one of the hardest an underrated aspects of the exam situation. After the hours of work and painstaking stress you wait. Did you pass? How well did you do? Did you fail? How bad was it?

Despite the studying, the time and the effort and regardless of your confidence there is always a moment of doubt regarding exam results. You could have had a bad day, maybe you were surprised by the questions or had difficulty in a particular subject through the semester overall. Your thoughts can become scary and sometimes overbearing. For some your results have an impact on scholarships and for others the ability to spend time with loved ones during the summer break. In an essence an aspect of freedom is tied to an email and with one click you unlock a result that will either bring you happiness or make you question your capability as a student, heavy stuff to say the least.

Before the results are released, as painful as it may feel, all you can do is wait. The exams are done and there is nothing you can change about it. Despite talking about answers, trying to calculate your results or comparing yourself to your classmates, your grade cannot be determined until you find an email in your inbox. For the most part I have found that most people are good at this part. Although the waiting is trying and painful, forgetting can be easy for some with the help of family and friend’s distractions.

And then the moment arrives. The email is waiting for you in your mailbox and you have to open it. In most cases if you studied hard and put time into your work, you should be ok. Take a deep breath and open the email.

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If the result is good, congratulations! Take some time to celebrate you deserve it. Remember that your definition of good is relevant only to yourself and should not be compared to your fellow classmates to be deemed good or bad. By all means compare grades if that is what you wish to do, but understand that grades are personal and although you may be happy with your grade others may not be, and more importantly they may not want show or share their disappointment with anyone. Frankly their grade in none of your concern and you should focus on giving yourself a pat on the back. Keep in mind what you did whilst studying that you feel helped you the most and reflect on things you may want to improve on for the future.

Remember it’s easy to become overly confident based on past results and this could lead to a lock of commitment or future disappointments.

If your result was bad, the first thing you need to do is take a deep breath.

Its going to hurt and there is no way to avoid the pain and disappointment that will come after you begin to process what you have just seen on your computer screen. You may need time, friends or family but know that you are not expected to get over anything right away. Whether it be scoring lower then you hoped or failing at first, you will be shocked.

Questions will begin to fill your mind and the heart wrenching feeling of failing will fill you from the inside. Embarrassment, pain and fear. What will people think? Am I the only one? Worse, you will be dealing with a continuous bombardment of reminders of your results for the next week or so. With the constant questions from friends and the occasional posts on Facebook from those excited about their successful grades. Despite everything you need to remember not to give up. You can do it and success is not easy. Clear your mind of all the negative thoughts, give yourself the time you need and then collect yourself to face the upcoming work ahead.

Easier said then done, but having survived a full semester you can do it.

Remember to read up about your options, when you will have to rewrite and what you need to do before that. It may also be a good idea to find out if you can determine in what aspect of the exam you need to improve (e.g.

MCQ’s or SNQ’s). It is also important to note that your grade is your business and yours alone; nobody has the right to demand or make you share your results with them.

In both a positive or negative result remember to keep your head up and be prepared to face the upcoming battle ahead. It can be easy to become caught up in the past, but asides from constructive thoughts aimed at self improvements the past will not be able to predict your future grades and dwelling in success or failure can compromise the next semester. Keep in mind that your grades are prevalent to you and your personal standards, rather then source of judgment by others. Writing an exam is an experience; from the moment you begin the term to the moment you finish the last question. It is a battle against yourself based on commitment and your ability to deal with crushing stress. Things should improve with time. No matter the result keep fighting, you have gotten this far and you have the full capability of continuing. Although you may not have achieved what you may have expected, prepare for the upcoming battle because it will not wait for you. As eloquently put by Destiny’s Child “I’m a survivor, I’m not gon give up, I’m not gon stop, I’m gon work harder.”

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

January 2016

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// Double C: Advice you can keep close to your chest

D

D

ear Cathal,

ear Cyrille,

My holiday break was amazing. I came. I saw. I illegally smuggled back fruit from my homeland. Now I have as much street credibility as Iggy Azalea. Anyway I was just spending my last day at home in Barbados lying on the sand when a crab dropped a scroll next to me. The scroll contained a message from a pitiable soul requiring our aid.

The message read as follows: Dear Double C, Please help me! I came home to my apartment on Boxing Day after a spirited day of monkey watching only to discover that my roommate had removed the cutlery from the kitchen and locked it in her room. I know she did this so that I would not be able to eat any of the beautiful leftover turkey. Prior to this I got mad at her for staging a Kanye inspired fashion show in the house with three homeless men. If this was not bad enough she had to lock these men in as they were so distressed by the stench of our apartment that they were trying to escape. Now she is out to ruin my life. If we don’t get help soon I fear that there will be nothing left of us. We are two sad ships passing each other in the night, trying our best not to launch torpedoes at one another. Any advice on dealing with difficult roommates would be welcome.

Wondering when you will write back, Al O’Peesha P.S. also writing on behalf of my roommate Leah-May O’Ma.

Al and Leah you are not the only ones who have had roommate problems. I too have suffered from the affliction of having to share an apartment with another. However, in my case it was not one, not two, but four roommates I had to contend with. Cathal I don’t know if I ever told you this story, but one day I came home to find my roommates in the midst of a tug of war of sorts with two rats, a fruit fly and a cockroach.

I actually had to use bug spray on them all because I was not sure who the more unwanted pests were: my untidy roommates or the uninvited guests.

In cases like this, the Bey approach should be used first. That is having open communication with your roommate and she being informed up front what behaviours bother you. Now if she continues to be disruptive, the RiRi approach can be adopted i.e. you can light a candle with her clothes.

Now Cathal if you have any further advice do please share.

We typically get on quite well but there have been several tiffs and quarrels over the years.

My younger housemate has the very maddening habit of using my laptop and phone chargers without asking and sometimes does impressions of me to rile me up. She even stole my original bedroom when she moved in, relegating me to the back of the house overlooking the swampy back garden. Truly ruthless.

I have even gone on several holidays with these people Cyrille! Staying in a plethora of tents, holiday homes, chalets and caravans for up to two weeks at a time. We take staged photographs to look like, what they call, a happy “family”, but it is all a façade.

However, we do all eat dinner together in the evening and discuss events of the day, and how we can better get along. So my advice is for Al and Leah to have time each day for open communication and share a meal, as no one can be unhappy while dining on a stir fry or chicken casserole.

Looking forward to seeing you in Beaumont, Cyrille, as we head into our final semester…..how time flies.

Yours in Beyonce,

There’s someone looking through your window.

PS I would have something for you but I was work, work, work, working on my…

Rap game.

Turning to the matter at hand, this is indeed a very tragic situation for Al and Leah.

I also have had my fair share of housemate struggles in recent years. I have been living with the same three people for as long as I can remember, it feels like a lifetime.

At first it was just myself and an older couple, and a few years later we were joined by a younger girl. I will not use names to protect the identities of those involved, so I will give them the code names of “Mother”, “Father” and “Sister” for the purposes of this article.

The older couple are obsessed by rules; always telling me what to do, how to dress and saying I have to be home by a certain time. The cheek of them.

In past years they even set me a bed-time! Can you imagine? The gall!

I had to rebel and so installed a drop down ladder from my bedroom window to evade these archaic practices.

Cathal I feel it is our duty to help these two before their friendship is irreversibly broken.

Despite those perverse times I was able to survive my time with them without moving out mid-year thanks to two tried and tested methods.

I’m delighted you had a lovely winter break at home. I do love the thrill of indulging in some unlawful fruits so please send me a hamper at your earliest convenience.

My break was very relaxed however it must have been the wettest December in Ireland since records began, with very severe flooding throughout the country. There were reports that Santa himself had to arrange for his yacht to be brought in from Saint Tropez just so he could deliver presents to those in the midlands. In all the publicity surrounding said yacht it was discovered that he and Mrs Claus had many offshore accounts in the Cayman islands. He is now being pursued by Interpol for tax evasion and for horrible working conditions in his elven sweatshops. It was a very eventful time.

P.S I also have no present for you, but I can send you the link to some really cute photos of overboard reindeers in the Liffey! You’re gonna love them!

« CYRILLE PAYNE

« CATHAL DELANEY

Brought to you by Cyrille and Cathal Besties who think they’ve seen it all.

Please write to us with any queries or questions that you may have and we’ll do our best to give you some nuggets of advice.

Whether you heed our counsel is entirely at your own risk.

ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, ANONYMOUSLY. Visit: divercsity.tumblr.com/advice

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H

ey guys,

« MIA ANDREWS

Food Diaries //

I wanted to take this time to wish everyone a Happy New year and endless success in 2016. Hoping you guys had a great Holiday! I was home for 12 days in hot weather and now that I’m back in Dublin, I think I’m in need of a nice casserole to keep me warm. Here is a simple recipe that you can throw together in 15 minutes and could have done in 1 hour.

Here is the recipe for a chicken, broccoli, carrots and potato casserole. I hope you enjoy

Want to request a recipe from Mia? Email us at divercsity@rcsi.ie

Chicken CAsserole

Ingredients:

•

4 Chicken breast fillets

• 1 Can of Cream of chicken or Cream of mushroom soup • 1 Cup of freshly cut broccoli • 1 Cup of peeled, 1” thick slices of carrots • ½ Cup milk • 1 white onion -------------

Instructions: STEP 1. Cut the onions up in to tiny pieces – fry in frying pan

Seasoning:

• 125g 1 tbsp Black pepper • Pinch Salt • 1 tbsp Basil

STEP 2. Cut the chicken into cubes STEP 3. Fry chicken with the onions on low heat for 25-30 or until white inside. Ensure there is no pink fluid coming from the chicken.

STEP 4. Add all three of your seasonings to the chicken STEP 5. Add your cup of soup to the pan STEP 6. Stir in your ½ cup of milk STEP 7. In two separate pots, boil the carrots and the broccoli until you can pierce through.

STEP 8. Once they are done, add the broccoli and carrots into to a large pot. Stir in the chicken and the soup mixture. Simmer together for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Alternatively, this dish can be eaten with a side of rice.

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// Scene it! - the word on plays and reviews ...brought to you by an untrained eye

« SU KYI NG

YOU CAN NEVER TELL

Dates: 2 December – 6 February 2016 on the Abbey stage Tickets: €13 – €45 / Conc. €13 – €23

TAKING OUR SEATS

Y

ou Never Can Tell, written by Academy Award-winning writer George Bernard Shaw, is a play offering a satirical look at modern (well, when it was first written in 1897) ideas on love and efforts to rationalize it.

Mrs. Clandon, a self proclaimed “20th century woman”, returns to a seaside town in England with her three children after 18 years in Madeira. A series of comedic errors allow the three children, who are in the dark about their father’s identity, to lunch with the man himself, all while the eldest daughter falls in love with a penniless dentist. What soon follows is a huge medley of laugh out loud comedy and some Hamlet-worthy monologues as characters try to reconcile the situation with their values and each other. The play first premiered in 1899 at the Royalty Theater and has subsequently been performed in many places and events, including the Shaw Festival at least five times.

As Walter, the waiter, advises Valentine in the play, “You never can tell, sir, you never can tell”. I found myself fresh off Christmas and New Years celebrations with no play to review, and a deadline approaching faster than the crowd of shoppers on Boxing Day. Thus began my frantic search for something to fill the column, desperately hoping my rushed choice would be worthy of this publication and its readers.

As it happens, my (tardy) Christmas miracle came through and the play was amazing! If you aren’t looking for a dissection of the play or the half baked opinions of a (very sleepy) medical student, then just know that the play runs in the Abbey theater until the 6th February 2016, and would be a great way to spend an evening for under 25 euros. As for the rest, please do read on, I shall attempt to persuade you further on the merits of You Never Can Tell.

THE PERSUASION All I could think of when watching You Never Can Tell, was that this is a sitcom- a very witty, fast-paced, and beneath the ridiculousness, deeply intelligent comedy. Listening to the dialogue was at times like watching a ping pong match, and having watched a few of those in RCSI, I have to point out the talent of the actors and the brilliance of the script in producing such timely back-and-forth quips.

Characters like Dolly and Phil, the twin terrors of Mrs. Clandon, also repeatedly bring up their mother’s “20th century ideas” like respecting one’s privacy, and answering your children’s questions honestly, and take them to the extremes, often on purpose but mostly out of habit. It is situations like these that appear often throughout the production, satirizing language, modernism, status of the gentry, and all other things that make a good Englishman (or woman). The line “You’ve gone respectable!” was even used by Dolly when insulting an old acquaintance who had undergone a drastic change since they last met.

They aren’t however, the only characters with an interesting personality. In fact, most of the characters in the play were very three-dimensional, a prime example being Paul Reid’s penniless dentist, Mr. Valentine. First introduced as a professional in every sense of the word, he slowly reveals some very interesting and flirtatious aspects of his personality when courting the eldest of the Clandon children, Gloria Clandon. Throughout the course of the play, their relationship fluctuates from indifference, to confusion, to an obvious dislike, and finally affection as they come to terms with the role of sentiment in everyday human connection.

Also, do not discount the lowly (or so he may seem) Walter, the waiter. Easily one of my favourite characters in the play, he takes pride in what he does, making people feel at home at all times and with an endless amount of sincere flattery. He also has the pride of making the title his own mantra, reminding the more passionate and brash characters that really now, you never can tell.

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In terms of the story as a whole, there really isn’t much to say because you can see who the father of the children is almost as soon as he is introduced (Hint: it isn’t Walter the waiter). The plot was fairly simple because after all, this play does take place over the course of a single day. What really is interesting about the play on a whole however, is its duality. Contrasts and comparisons are made between parent-children relationships of the characters, as well as the love life of each of the leads. You Never Can Tell does the concept of the unexpected and justice by showing a number of possible ways a relationship or a character could turn out depending on what he or she decides.

I first encountered the stage of the Abbey Theater when watching Hedda Gabler, another fantastic play about human nature and how little we fully understand it. It was very well used then, and it is the same now. No space was wasted and prop changes were carried out by crew dressed as servants to produce an illusion of lack of delay in between acts. Set in a hotel by the sea, the crew took advantage of this fact to construct a small moat on stage, which Dolly used to full effect by splashing the drowsier members of the audience to awaken them. The tone was also very well set by the use of ambient wave noises, and big bright lights that leave no dark corners, like a wide, open beach. The use of a panoramic scene as a backdrop was redundant though, as it was not big enough to produce an effect of actually being there nor was it small enough to pass off as a portrait on the wall.

THE CURTAIN CALL

Our Columnist Su Kyi will be returning to Penang, Malaysia to complete the remainder of her medical course. The DIVERCSITY team wishes her all the very best and we look forward to her future accomplishments.

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

January 2016

There’s always something thrilling about an unexpected surprise, and that’s exactly how I feel about You Never Can Tell. I expected to find a barely understandable, hipster, and uninteresting play to waffle on about so my editors don’t come raining hell on my head.

But I have never laughed harder, or held my breath longer, or thought harder about how I myself view love and sentiment, than when I watched this play. Do treat yourself to this play, and remember, when Mr. Valentine waggles his flirty eyebrows, or when Dolly flicks the water on her feet towards you, that you never can tell what a bit of sentiment paired with razor sharp wit can produce.

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ÂŤ YASODA SUBRAMANIAN

// Photojournalist: Architecture.

Photo titles, clockwise from top left: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Pondicherry (India), Dublin (Ireland) + Artist information on Pg 11.

Do you have a photgraphic eye and are looking to be published? Submit your photography with the subject Photo Submissions to divercsity@rcsi.ie

January 2016

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// Book review: Stephanie Plum Series – Janet Evanovich « RUTH EMMANUEL

T

he dawn of 2016 marks our introduction to new academic stressors; new projects, new rotations in places away from our cozy apartments, new modules and in addition to the territory, a brand new booklist. Moreover, the books in question hardly qualify as ‘good reads’ and probably weigh more than your head. As a result, this author recommends a literary getaway at any chance! Destination: Trenton New Jersey!

The Stephanie Plum Series

by Janet Evanovich offers just this chance. The series is set in Trenton, a small, family oriented town where everyone knows everyone and accidents are reported before they happen. Stephanie Plum is a broke, unmarried klutz with a meddling family and very few prospects in life.

Like all persons fitting this description, she decides to become a bounty hunter. Did I mention that she has no experience in law enforcement, martial arts or anything remotely resembling self-defence ?

‘One for the Money’ opens the series with a glimpse into all the main characters. The reader is immediately drawn in by the comedy that is the series of unfortunate events, which Stephanie calls her ‘life.’ In this novel, she is just getting started at her new job when she is tasked with bringing in her childhood crush, Jo Morelli, who just happened to hit her father’s car as a teen following a romantic fallout.

Morelli, now a banished detective, is solely focus on clearing his name. He was arrested for a murder which he did not commit. He is making progress in that direction just when

January 2016

Stephanie, incompetent as she was, begins to set him back.

Needless to say, from the start there is a personal vendetta in the mix. Unable to keep it strictly professional, since Morelli gets a kick out of thwarting Stephanie’s efforts while she makes it a personal goal to make him pay for past transgressions, a hilarious game of cat and mouse begins.

Throughout ‘One for the Money’ and the rest of the series, Stephanie finds herself in the strangest of situations and interacting with ridiculously funny characters. Evanovich took her time crafting each of them so that any and all can be favourites. I always looked forward to see what the next Trenton scandal brought about by Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur would be.

Tricky Twenty-Two is the latest title in the series.

The charm of these novels lies in their simplicity. There is no thought or interpretation necessary. Janet Evanovich has managed to construct an alternate reality which sucks the reader in for mindless literary pleasure, while maintaining quality and integrity in her work. There is no other author whom I would liken her to. Evanovich has an original style which coupled with her fantastic imagination produces the most endearing and entertaining characters as they move through a ‘sitcom-like’ plot of their lives.

This author certainly recommends the Stephanie Plum series as a good read but more importantly, quite a few good laughs. Who will your favourite character be??

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// The Corzies: Movie Reviews. « CORMAC DUFF

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

More Corzie Reviews at corzies.com

I

magine a time before Star Wars. Before lightsabers, Skywalker and the Millennium Falcon. “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” Imagine a time when these words were unfamiliar. When a bombastic overture inspired awe. When a stream of yellow letters evoked wonder.

Generation X are cynical, yet nostalgic. Now middle-aged, they cling to Star Wars. They overanalyse the original trilogy, hoping to recapture their childlike wonder. Neckbeards clamber to curse the (admittedly dull) prequel trilogy.

In 2012, Disney acquired the production company, Lucasfilm and announced plans for an Episode VII. Millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror. Could Disney please this fickle fanbase? Could they make Star Wars exciting once again? Would their effort descend into mere fan service? Yes, yes – and yes.

First, the good news: The Force Awakens is a good film. Thumbs up. The bad news: it is a “safe” film. It takes few creative risks. Disney’s choice of director was uninspired: Star Trek rebooter J.J. Abrams. Toy Story 3 writer Michael Arnt was also hired – only to be jettisoned months later. Apparently, he wished to focus more on new characters. This worked for Toy Story 3: few missed Wheezy the Penguin or Little Bo Peep.

But Abrams overruled it and brought the original, familiar cast to the fore.

“Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute.” That is the tedious introduction of The Phantom Menace. Thankfully, Episode VII starts stronger.

Its opening crawl is brief, yet tantalising. Mimicking THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY, it uses FULL CAPS to emphasise certain PROPER NOUNS. The first act of The Force Awakens remains its best.

A beautiful silent sequence reveals our feisty hero, Rey. Stunning cinematography captures her junkyard home. Think Pixar’s Wall-E. (In contrast, Attack of the Clones introduces the adult Anakin Skywalker chatting in an elevator.) Spherical droid BB-8 is adorable.

And Finn’s background is most original. Action scenes are inventive. Seamless CGI offers space battles and surface skirmishes. TIE fighters - and one “heap of junk” - glide and bounce off sand dunes. Thankfully, the quantity of spacecraft remains modest. Unlike Revenge of the Sith’s cluttered opening, there is a clear visual focus. You understand what’s happening on screen. The

January 2016

stakes are clear. It’s thrilling. It’s fun. It can’t possibly last.

I grinned goofily upon seeing a certain scruffy-looking nerf herder. But the movie is over-familiar. Entire locations and characters are riffs on the original Star Wars.

It could be a beat-for-beat “reimagining” of the classic.

The 1977 film is a masterclass of pacing – a template of film structure. In contrast, The Force Awakens feels ten minutes too long. It loses momentum faster than you can say “cantina”. The finale lacks the tension and weight of the Death Star trench run. Episode VII simply isn’t unique enough to be truly memorable.

Despite its flaws, I heartily recommend The Force Awakens. Unlike the prequels, it actually feels like Star Wars. It’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The dialogue pops. It looks gorgeous – at least on the big screen. Characters are believable, well-acted – with two notable exceptions. Domhnall Gleeson is woefully miscast. Young and callow, he simply doesn’t convince as a First Order general. Do we really expect General Ginger Nut to intimidate Kylo Ren? Co-star Lupita N’yongo deservedly won an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave.

Beautiful, talented – and utterly wasted here. Her mystical shrivelled prune is a CG-eyesore! It’s like Hans Moleman from The Simpsons. Did these people learn nothing from Jar Jar Binks?

24

Lastly, our heroes and villains often seem too “nice”.

Like the product of a focus group. Nobody shoots first.

Nobody quips “Sorry about the mess.” Heck, the sole trace of sarcasm comes from C-3PO. Oscar Isaac’s pilot is soft around the edges. The Inside Llewyn Davis actor seems wasted. Mysterious origins aside, Rey is two-dimensional. Likeable and practically perfect in every way. She is somehow an expert in every field.

As a result, she feels like a Mary Sue. To quote actress Olivia Wilde, “Female superheroes do have complexity and flaws. But… when translated into film, the women become ultimate goddesses of perfection. In order to be powerful, they are flawless.” Sorry, Beyoncé: being feminist is not being flawless.

I look forward to Rian Johnson’s (Looper) take on Episode VIII. Let’s hope its characters are as 3D as the film itself.

DIVERCSITY.COM

Entertainment

« YARA ZAYOUT

Brainy Bites // DID YOU KNOW?

FUN FACTS 8) The toothpaste ‘Colgate’ in Spanish translates to ‘go hang yourself’.

1) Casu marzu is a Sardinian cheese that contains live maggots.

The maggots can jump up to five inches out of cheese while you’re eating it. So it’s a good idea to shield it with your hand to stop them jumping into your eyes.

9) Pirates wore earrings because they believed it improved their eyesight.

10) Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th!

2) The loneliest creature on Earth is a whale who has been calling out for a mate for over two decades — however its high-pitched voice is so different to other whales that they never respond.

11) The average person spends 2 weeks of their lifetime waiting for the light to change from red to green.

12) The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present in all important meetings at the University of London.

3) In 1567, the man reported to have the longest beard in the world died after he tripped over his beard running away from a fire.

13) A duck’s quack doesn’t echo, and no one knows why.

4) Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories.

14) If you went out into space, you would explode before you suffocated because there is no air pressure.

5) If you lift a kangaroo’s tail off the ground, it can’t hop.

15) If you eat a polar bear liver, you will die. Humans can’t handle that much vitamin A.

6) Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other.

7) A small child could swim through the veins of a blue whale.

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Science

// Doses of History:

A Bloody Scandal!

« TENGKU NAZIM

BAD BLOOD

I

n the early 1990s, a state-funded blood-for-cash programme caused a HIV epidemic that still haunts China today. AIDS activists estimate that this blood-selling campaign attracted approximately 3 million donors from rural villages across China and that at least 40% of these donors subsequently contracted HIV from sub-standard procedure during the blood donation.

Henan, a rural province in China with a population of 94 million people, is notoriously known for this government-funded blood-for-cash scandal that ravaged rural villagers with HIV/AIDS. Villagers and farmers were encouraged by local government officials to donate blood repeatedly as a method to escape from poverty. 80% of Henan’s population, at the time was farmers, and the rising cost of living meant that many households had to find other methods to financially support themselves.

Blood donors were paid approximately €6 for an 800ml blood donation. Back then, €6 was able to feed a family for a week.

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Images credited to bloodbanker.com, independent.co.uk, medicaldaily, CNN, Aljazeera.

The Chinese government signed a trade agreement in 1984 to restrict the import of foreign blood products in the hopes of preventing HIV entry into the China from western countries. This led to investment in local blood-selling programmes by pharmaceutical companies in order to meet the demand for blood products in hospitals across the country. Health government officials and commercial companies known as “Bloodheads” then set up numerous plasmapheresis stations in rural parts of China in the early 1990s.

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Science

Donated blood were mixed and pooled together at these bloodshed stations before having the plasma extracted and sold off to pharmaceutical companies to produce blood-based products. Blood constituents from the contaminated pool would then be returned to donors to prevent any anaemic symptoms using non-sterile equipment. This led to widespread transmission of HIV and other blood-borne viruses such as Hepatitis B and C, with transmission rates between 65 to 80%. Government officials estimated that 30,000 HIV cases were reported in Henan due to this. AIDS activists, however, claim that the actual number is closer to 500,000 HIV cases in Henan province alone. 80% of the donors infected with HIV are between the ages of 20 and 49 years old. Subsequently, many children in rural villages were left orphaned as their parents or guardians died due to HIV/AIDS. Perinatal HIV transmission was as high as 38.4% before China’s free anti-retroviral programme in 2003, which brought down transmission rates to 6.1% (WHO).

In Henan itself, health officials opened 200 to 300 legal blood-selling stations whereas commercial ‘Bloodheads’ were ran illegally. This blood-selling programme was incredibly lucrative to the middlemen. The Chinese government finally banned commercial blood selling in 1998 but illegal ‘Bloodhead’ stations continued underground.

After years of denying any HIV/AIDS cases in China, the Chinese government finally admitted to a HIV epidemic in 2002. However, government officials attributed the wide spread of HIV to intra-venous drug abuse, commercial sex and poor public health education. Beijing is still reluctant to admit the ‘Bloodhead’ Scandal in Henan province. In 2003, Chinese government started putting in more effort towards

HIV/AIDS prevention and compensation for blood donors that contacted HIV. The Chinese health ministry is now providing free anti-retroviral drugs, free HIV testing and counseling, free schooling for HIV orphans and economic assistance to households that have people living with HIV/AIDS. This ‘Bloodhead’ scandal was largely covered up by the local Henan government at the time; led by Li Keqiang, Governor of Henan from 1998 to 2004. HIV/AIDS NGOs report cases of government harassment with AIDS activists being put under house arrest for trying to spread awareness of the epidemic. Li is currently the head of the Chinese government and is the current Premier of State Council of the Chinese republic.

Since entering office in 2012, Li has pledged more support for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention as well as to support anti-discriminatory laws towards HIV/AIDS patients.

By the end of 2014, the United Nations AIDS organisation reported that China has approximately 501,000 reported cases of HIV/AIDS with 159,000 deaths so far. The total number of HIV/AIDS patients in China is not currently known but activists estimate between 1.5 and 4.5 million people. Official numbers are difficult to obtain due to a lack of surveillance and proper statistical methods to cover China’s 1.4 billion people. Underreporting of HIV/AIDS cases and untested patients adds to the difficulty in obtaining official numbers. Patients feel deterred to get HIV testing due to the high cost of testing and the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS as discrimination runs deep in China.

Cases of people contracting HIV from contaminated blood transfusions sporadically appear in urban areas around China today.

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Science

IARLA O’DOMHNAILL ( DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

// Interview with Prof. Kavanagh:

Undergraduate research opportunities in RCSI with URSG.

T

he Undergraduate Research Steering Group (URSG) was set up in RCSI in an effort identify and collate all aspects of student undergraduate research undertaken in the College.

While many students are aware of some of the more popular research methods within RCSI, such as research undertaken as part of the Research Summer School, or research completed as a part of our final year projects, they may be surprised to learn that the URSG identified 11 completely separate areas of research for students of the College. These areas range from summer time research electives and the Erasmus programme that RCSI participates in, to student selected components and students finding their own research projects outside RCSI. I met with Professor Kavanagh, the Chairman of the URSG, to better understand what it is that they aim to accomplish.

The URSG aims to steer students to further their future opportunities by consolidating all student research, from abstracts and posters to full papers, in one online location, making it easier for both students and professors to access this information freely, without the need of applying to various departments and offices to view your own work. The URSG is also involved in actively promoting undergraduate research within RCSI, in an attempt to steer students towards future opportunities that they may not know are open to them. This means highlighting both intra and extra curricular research opportunities, such as our final year projects and the Research Summer School respectively.

While there are many benefits of research which compel undergraduates the world over into giving up large parts of their summers to work with professionals from their chosen fields, Professor Kavanagh stressed two in particular; the importance of exposure to elements of their career that may not be covered within the curriculum, and that it prepares students for when they compete with other students from different colleges and countries for positions later in life (an aspect particularly relevant to RCSI’s international students who may be planning on working abroad).

The fact that students are exposed to different possible elements of their future careers is very different from a rigid curriculum where you learn and are then assessed, and the student’s learning experience in university is enhanced by this. It also teaches the students about lifelong learning, and about keeping up to date, a key element of the medical field.

Another benefit of research includes working with teams in a clinical workspace while developing strategies and ways to enhance patient care. This aspect may particularly appeal to some students who may feel they are not interested in research as a potential career path, but they can still take part at an undergraduate level, contributing to the care that they themselves may later deliver to their patients.

“A research project will also teach a student how to review the literature that currently exists for that topic”, explained Prof. Kavanagh, “in terms of where the research is today and our understanding of this particular topic, and then how is the work that I (the student) am doing advancing that a little bit further. This whole philosophy of continuous review can be brought to bedside.”

This whole process of applying for research, undertaking it, reviewing the available literature, and completing your own scientific write-up of the results and process allows students a greater understanding of the fact that all clinical practices that they may employ as they care for their patients are the results of numerous research studies, and a greater understanding how some of those studies were done.

Research opportunities that students undertake within RCSI are a result of a process of communication

between the staff members conducting research, or principal investigators, and students. This process can take a while, which is why students are encouraged to apply for research opportunities as early as possible.

“The learning curve is for students to take responsibility for their own interests, and to pursue it more actively.

Don’t be afraid to knock on the door, or to send a second email.”

Professor Kavanagh, who is once again undertaking research this summer with students, spoke with high regard for the 2 students he worked with last summer, as they helped him develop educational materials for the biology laboratory curriculum in RCSI, to help enhance and improve the learning experience for future students.

This is only an extremely narrow, specific example of one type of research students can hope to undertake as part of their extracurricular professional development.

Research opportunities range from a review at an early stage of a PHDs project that they help completing, or it could be from someone in the final stages or second year of their PHD that require laboratory assistance, to clinical experience with a seasoned doctor.

Research is also available in IT areas, medical education, clinical settings, and laboratory settings, with students who are undertaking their first research projects often needing to keep an open mind when attempting to get onto the research ladder. Your first research project may not be in an area that you specifically thought about, but will still provide you with invaluable experience for your later professional careers.

-Research opportunities are available to view @ rcsi.ie/research -Information regarding RCSI’s Summer School @ rss.rcsi.ie -Further Undergraduate Research info @ rcsi.ie/ugundergraduateresearch

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

January 2016

28

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Anatomy WITH Clive Lee // W

J

ohn Hunter (1728-1793) learned anatomy by assisting his elder brother with dissections in William’s anatomy school in London, starting in 1748, and quickly became expert in anatomy. He spent some years as an Army surgeon, worked with the dentist James Spence conducting tooth transplants, and set up his own anatomy school in London.

He built up a collection of living animals whose skeletons and other organs he prepared as anatomical specimens, eventually amassing nearly 14,000 preparations demonstrating the anatomy of humans and other vertebrates. Hunter became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1767. The Hunterian Society of London was named in his honour, and the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons of England preserves his name and his collection of anatomical specimens.

John described Hunter’s canal in the thigh, also known as the adductor or subsartorial canal. The contents of Hunter’s canal are: The last branch of the facial nerve in the petrous temporal bone is: A. Chorda tympani B. Greater petrosal C. Lesser petrosal D. Nerve to stapedius E. Posterior auricular

Illustrations courtesy of freepik

« PROF. CLIVE LEE HEAD OF ANATOMY RCSI, PRESIDENT OF THE ANATOMICAL SOCIETY.

The Hunter brothers

illiam and John Hunter were two brothers from Lanarkshire in Scotland. William (1718-1783) trained in anatomy at St George’s Hospital in London, specialising in obstetrics. In 1764, he became physician to Queen Charlotte. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1767 and Professor of Anatomy to the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768. He built an anatomy theatre and museum in Great Windmill Street, Soho, where the best British anatomists and surgeons of the period were trained.

In 1770 he built himself a house in Glasgow fully equipped for the practice of his science, and this formed the nucleus of the University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. His greatest work was Anatomia uteri umani gravidi [The anatomy of the human gravid uterus] (1774) – (illustration on left) .

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Enter by emailing A, B, C, D or E with the subject Anatomy Quiz! to divercsity@rcsi.ie

------------------LAST MONTH’S ANSWER: A. Chorda tympani ------------------LAST MONTH’S WINNER IS: Aisling McGrath Congratulations! You win a 15 euro voucher from Clarendon Medical.

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Science

3 D Printing Technology in Medicine.

// The Medical Pulse « SONIA RAMKISSOON

3D- Printing (Artificial Bones Included)

The First 3D Printed Polymer Implant to Receive FDA Approval.

Oxford Performance Materials (OPM), member of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute and producer of biomedical raw materials and devices, was the first to receive FDA approval for its OsteoFab™ Patient Specific Cranial Device (OPSCD), making it the first 3D-printed polymer implant to pass the standards of the FDA, the US’s Food and Drug Administration.

J

ust when it was rumoured that the love affair between medicine and technology couldn’t get any more interesting, it did. 3D-printing/ additive manufacturing has the ability to revolutionise medicine as we know it! Using a three-dimensional digital model, these printers have the ability to fabricate a physical object by successively layering thin sheets of a material. Not only can this printer produce fancy little teacups and ornaments, but also included in the package are prosthetics, artificial bones and models of human skulls to rehearse complex surgical procedures (just to name a few).

At the 3D-Printshow 2015 in London, Dr. Muhanad Hatamleh, a senior clinical maxillofacial prosthetist at King’s College Hospital said, “If I didn’t have 3D printer technology, I wouldn’t be able to do my work. It saves time, it saves more lives and it improves the efficiency of surgery as well.” The success of 3D printing can be seen by the how hearing aids and Invisalign braces have given healthcare a new dimension. Now there are 3D printed implants, bone replacements and even 3D printed human tissue. The degree of personalisation in pharmaceuticals and medicine that would soon be available is phenomenal.

Easily printed assembled plastic robotic hands for children are amongst the most popular 3D-printing innovations. The hands can make a fist, hold a ball, grasp a bike handle but most importantly, make them feel normal again. They come in dozens of colours and styles including Iron Man and Wolverine. The United States’ San Diego based, Organovo (an early stage regenerative medicine company), was one of the first companies worldwide to commercialise 3D bioprinting technology. The company utilises its NovoGenMMX Bioprinter to print skin tissue, heart tissue, and blood vessels among other basic tissues that could be suitable for surgical therapy and transplantation. The website www.organovo.com explains their works further.

The story between technology and medicine seems to have only just begun.

A 3D printed heart from Materialise’s HeartPrint catalog.

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Science

// Research News

« GEORGE IKPOKOMITOP

HOW IS 3D PRINTING IS CHANGING MEDICINE?

M

3D printing used to manufacture medical devices

Already, 3D printing is occurring in poverty-stricken areas of the world.

Due to the ability to manufacture items that may be difficult or expensive to obtain by traditional means, groups like iLab//Haiti have taken to 3D printing umbilical chord clamps for local hospitals in Haiti.

A virtual model of Kieran in the womb using the Materialise Mimics® Innovation Suite

edical imaging is central to the diagnosis and treatment of most diseases and has seen significant improvement in recent years. Imaging modalities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) have become indispensable in the management of CNS diseases, as has Ultrasonography in intrapartum care. Although these imaging modalities collect 3D information, they are limited by their 2D representation of such data on a computer screen. This makes it difficult for surgeons, for instance, to better appreciate the visuospatial relationship between anatomical structures and make appropriate preoperative plans. A 3D image would therefore need to be printed to improve the clinicians’ understanding of the structure and to personalise care.

3D printing is not an entirely new technology; cost and availability have been its major drawbacks, limiting its use to just a pre-surgical visualisation tool. In the past few years, however, technological advancement has made 3D printing an integral part of modern medicine. The ability to print patient-specific products within a short period of time, at limited cost and increase benefits are some of the attractive qualities of the 3D printing technology that has made it the epitome of personalised medicine, where each individual receives care that is tailored to their specific medical need. One-of-a-kind devices, scaffolds for tissue engineering, implants, diagnostic platforms and drug delivery systems are some of the medical applications of 3D printing technology.

Significant strides in bioprinting has enabled the construction of functional body parts and organs with near-perfect accuracy and personalisation.

modynamic aspects of vascular disorders with in vitro vascular geometries that corroborate in vivo data. The aerodynamic and physical properties of pulmonary diseases and structural heart defects, respectively, can now be emulated for research and education.

Thanks to 3D printing technology, baby Kieran is now 7 months old, thriving and meeting all developmental milestones for her age. While in the womb (at 20 weeks), an ultrasound scan showed that her heart was developing from outside her body. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic were able to print a 3D representation of yet-unborn baby’s heart from the ultrasound data. With a 3D printed model of Kieran’s anatomy, the doctors successfully identified all of her major organs and their relationship to the placenta, and determined that the baby’s liver, intestines and heart were all developing outside her body, a rare congenital condition. The 3D model was also used to plan the reconstructive surgery to internalise those organs after she was born.

With the increasing applications of 3D printing technology in medical education, surgical planning, research and patient education, it is perhaps time for medical students and future healthcare workers to prepare to have 3D printers as one of the imaging modalities in hospitals.

After visiting U3D, the only 3D printing centre in Ireland, touring the printing lab and seeing the array of 3D printed materials as well as witnessing the printing process itself, I’m convinced that 3D printing in medicine is here to stay.

In medical research, 3D printing has enhanced our understanding of some complex pathophysiological processes associated with certain conditions. Realistic models of the aorta have be produced by rapid prototyping to study the hae-

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

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lifestyle

Hey Societies and Clubs! Want to be share your latest events and victories in Clubs & Socieites sections? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Science

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Culture & Leisure

// Dublindulgence

« COREY NIXON

« MOHIT BUTANEY

« STEPHANIE TUNG

TAP THAT TAPAS

Y

ou can’t have a proper discussion about Spanish cuisine without tapas coming up at least once.

Tapas (for those who are unfamiliar with the term), are an array of bite-sized appetizers in Spanish cuisine, typically enjoyed in a bar setting over a few glasses of wine or even better yet, Sangria. Environment is a key element to enhance this type of cuisine; a relaxing place to enjoy a drink or two while you wait the extra time for the tapas to be prepared. These restaurant experiences are not for the rushed and hustling-bustling’ type since a typical meal will be at least an hour and half.

In these extended meals, there is lots of great food to be had!

#1 MARKET BAR 14A Fade St, Dublin 2

M

arket Bar has always and will probably continue to remain a favorite in the area because of the different vibes it manages to cover over the entire restaurant. Market Bar is located in the Victorian George Street Arcade, which creates a very unique, open-space environment for a bar and a tapas restaurant. The rustic dining hall is perfect for large groups with their long wooden tables and the high ceilings create a constant echo of busy chatter from the patrons below. Upstairs floor of Market Bar offers a completely different experience - a much cozier, comfortable, and intimate experience with arguably some of the better cocktails in the city which is surprising particularly given the size of the operation.

Market Bar’s menu offers a wide selection of tapas, cheese and cured meat platters as well as larger dishes reminiscent of a gastropub. Some of our favourites dishes include, the stuffed roasted peppers filled with cous cous and goats cheese, which packed a strong Mediterranean flavoured punch. Another pièce de résistance was the feta and chorizo salad perfectly balanced with a delicious balsamic honey vinaigrette. Who says salads are only for the vegetarians? We were a little less impressed with the prawn tapas dish (the gambas pil pil), which was slightly overcooked and therefore lacked the freshness that is so essential with seafood. Last but not least, the good old favourites such as patatas bravas and meatballs are definite crowd pleasers even for the pickiest diners out there.

Other non-tapas dishes on offer such as the nachos are also popular and ideal for sharing. Market Bar creates an ideal environment for the tapas experience of sharing food and wine over a good chat and they facilitate large groups by having set menus available to avoid the head-splitting ordeal of paying the tab at the end of the night. They also offer an early bird deal with 2 small dishes and a glass of beer/house wine for 15 euros.

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Culture & Leisure

#2 PORTHOUSE PINXTO 12 Eustace St, Dublin

T

he food and service were decent, but in our opinions may not be worth breaking the bank over dinner.

Surprisingly amongst all our meat orders, a vegetarian dish was what took the cake - the champinones rellenos or the stuffed mushrooms are definitely worth ordering. That being said, the calamari, chorizo, and duck were all cooked well and we wouldn’t dodge them on our next visit. Our ideas of this place were definitely helped by a cosy window table, fulfilled craving for dessert and a good wine selection helped by our host. Servers were nice and friendly but they did keep us waiting a bit - then again, it is tapas afterall.

A nice relaxed vibe which is particularly hard in a busy atmosphere such as Temple Bar scores Porthouse Pinxto some extra points. It definitely makes for a good date environment especially if you’re looking to impress with some nice ambience. They do have a pretty nice lunch deal where you can grab two tapas and a drink for only 10 euros!

#3 ZARAGOZA 18 William St S, Dublin 2

E

ntering Zaragoza does not transport you instantly to Spain and the familiar decor of what we might associate with Spanish Tapas restaurants.

The service seems a bit hit-or-miss and this would not be our first recommendation with regards to authenticity, but they serve food that is well….just good while not necessarily breaking the bank in the city centre. As compared to other tapas places in Dublin, there just seemed to be a lack of effort going into the plates which somehow seems to fit the atypical, almost food-chain like decor for a tapas restaurant. In two visits here and after ordering a host of different items from the menu, we still have not really come across that one dish that we would definitely order again. Overall, this is a difficult one to interpret but we wouldn’t mind going there for a casual meal to hang out with some friends at a convenient location - just might not be the place to impress that special date or blow your palate away with authentic and complex spanish flavors.

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Culture & Leisure

#4 HAVANA TAPAS BAR 10 South Great Georges St, Dublin 2

H

avanas Tapas Bar is a quirky little tapas bar smack right in the centre of Dublin city. The establishment was one of the first tapas bars in Dublin, dating back to the early 2000’s. The interior of Havana gives off a hipster, homier vibe that almost convinces the diner that they could be in someone’s house. In terms of food, we only managed to sample a couple of dishes given our small dinner party but here’s what we thought. The tapas platter was a nice starter for sharing, giving us a sampler of various bites of chorizo, filo wraps, spanish omelette, chicken wings, cheese and cured meats. Their seafood paella was one of the more underwhelming paella dishes we’ve sampled over the course of gastronomic careers, which is a shame because we love a good paella. All in all, Havana failed to impress our tastebuds and wouldn’t qualify as a thrifty meal for the average student out there. In our opinion, there are much better tapas experiences to be had in Dublin.

#5 VIVA 27 Richmond St South, Dublin 2

V

iva is a full fledged traditional Spanish tapas and wine bar, situated in the bohemian Portobello neighbour on the south side of Dublin near the canal. This cosy establishment distinctly evokes a strong sense of Spanish nostalgia in us, what with the glowing ambience, the melodic tunes of the live Spanish guitar and the endless flow of Sangria and tapas arriving at the dinner table. Our experience at Viva is definite proof that the best way to experience tapas is with a large group of friends because then you get to sample numerous dishes and there’s never a short supply of wine! Our only complaint would be that as a large group, seating can be a bit tight otherwise the cosy seating would be perfect for intimate dinner dates. We have distinct memories of delicious bites of calamares (deep fried squid rings), croquettes, meatballs and paella that left us wanting more. The average price for a plate of tapas goes for about 4-6 euros but with a large group, the bill doesn’t end up being too steep even with the wine. They also offer (unbeknownst to us at the time), a selection of premium Spanish coffees and traditional desserts, which only serves to sweeten the deal.

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Culture & Leisure

HONORARY MENTION: THE SALT YARD Friary St, Kilkenny

W

e were fortunate enough to visit this lovely tapas restaurant in Kilkenny during one of our peripheral rotations a few months back, thanks to local recommendations from our B&B owner. Our phenomenal experience there definitely made it worthy of an honorary mention despite this being a Dublin-focused tapas list. Tucked away on a side street off the main high street in Kilkenny, the Salt Yard enchanted us with its rustic yet modern decor, authentic Spanish cuisine, outstanding service and hospitality from the owner and his staff.

Every dish presented to us was plated with flare and tasted phenomenal. Due to the small size of our dining party, we sampled three dishes in total: the seafood paella, meatballs and the goat cheese, raspberry, walnut salad, which were all second to none. It was also here that we savoured one of the best Sangria recipes and had our first sip of Cava Sangria, as a pleasant surprise. Our only regret is not being able to try more of their menu and it’s a true tragedy that the establishment has now closed permanently.

FUTURE ENDEAVOURS: LAS TAPAS DE LOLA, SALAMANCA.

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Culture & Leisure

« RACHEL TAN

// Discover Dublin

H

EYYYY.

Welcome back and happy 2016! I hope everyone had an amazing winter break with family and friends. The festive season of the year has finally come to an end and hopefully everyone is adjusting back to that study mode.

However, we medical students do study hard and play hard! Now let me tell you some upcoming interesting events and things that you can do :D

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WHAT WE CALL LOVE: FROM SURREALISM TO NOW

T

his is an exhibition at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, which showcases the modern and contemporary masterworks from the world’s leading artists such as Abramović, Brancusi, Picasso, Warhol, Yoko Ono and many more.

This exhibition explores how the concept of love has changed within the 20th century. It also draws on Surrealism’s idea of love as “amour fou” (meaning crazy love) and the new visions of love, which emerged after the 60’s, and the often-problematic concerns of contemporary love.

Period of exhibition: until 7 February 2016 Admission fee: - €8 (full price) - €5 concession (senior citizens and the unwaged), under 18’s and those in full time education are free.

There are free guided tours that run on every Wed: 1.15pm Sat and Sun: 2.30pm

KEVIN HART WHAT NOW TOUR

F

or those of you do not know who is Kevin Hart, he is one of the world’s famous superstar actor/comedian. He acted in the movie, ‘The Wedding Ringer’, which is absolutely hilarious. His comedy shows, ‘Laugh at my pain’ and ‘I’m Grown Little man’ are very popular on Netflix, so perhaps you check it out before deciding if you want to get the tickets.

Date: 22ND January 2016 Time: 6.30pm to 8.30pm Ticket price: €54.65 Location: 3Arena, North Wall Quay

For more information regarding this comedy tour, go to: http://whatnowtour.com

It provides an introduction to the exhibition themes by focusing on a select number of artworks that are among the highlights of this exhibition such as: - Surrealism and Love - Love and the Revolution: Conceptual and Performance Art from 1960s - Love and Identity: Documentary and Installation Works from 1980s to now The tour lasts approximately 30minutes and you don’t need to pre-book, just meet at the main reception 5 minutes before the tour is due to start.

(Adapted from: http://www.imma.ie/en/page_236945.htm) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Email to join our monthly newsletter! divercsity@rcsi.ie

Share the excitement online, Like us on facebook.com/DIVERCSITY Join the Facebook Society Group Page for the latest updates facebook.com/groups/divercsitysignup

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