M O N D AY 18 FEB 2019
VOL 79 I S S U E N O.2 FREE
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A G AT H E R I N G F O R DANIEL WILLIAMS
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PERIOD POVERTY AND TA M P O N TA B O O
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G I V E AWAY
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THIS GIRL CAN
What’s Your Next Hobby? Olga Shevchenko
MSc Applied International Development
“This is such a great opportunity for people to browse all of the university societies”, says Alex Rose, president of the Sci-Fi society and vice-president of the Chess Club. And I agree. We are at the Refreshers’ Fayre, an event that gives an opportunity for societies to promote themselves, recruit new members and allows other students to see what’s out there. Alex himself is currently a member of eight societies and used to be in even more
throughout his time in the University. Most of them he discovered during the fayres. He tells me that there was once a Quidditch team, one of the oldest Quidditch teams in the UK, but sadly it got disbanded this year due to a lack of committee members. But maybe someone would fancy continuing this legacy? There is truly a variety of things to try and to do. Personally, I have discovered the Domestic Do It Yourself society at the Fayre. Thanks to the neat schedule they have been distributing there, I have circled a few dates in my calendar to attend some of their
sessions (namely, Calligraphy and Lino Printing). For communities, this is also a rare opportunity to get together and meet each other, as Alex notes (a member
of Junction11, photobombing our photo for the article just proves his observation, photo on the page 2). Alex also adds that despite this Fayre being quieter than the one at the beginning of the year, the SciFi society have been able to get a few people to sign up. I can also attest to that, getting “This is such a great op- some new names onto the portunity for people to Spark sign-up sheet. We have also been able to distribute browse all of the univer- a lot of the newspapers, and sity societies”, says Alex to remind people that anyone can write for the Spark. Rose. Perhaps students feel more at ease when it is quieter and it is easier to talk to the interested individuals.
There is truly a variety of things to try and do. If you missed the fayre, you can still discover all the amazing clubs and societies we have at Reading University by browsing the RUSU Activities page at https://www. rusu.co.uk/activities/. We have got so many activities and hobbies to try out this year!
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A GATHERING FOR DANIEL WILLIAMS
HELP IS HERE
NEW FEATURE: WORD OF THE MONTH
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news S A B I TA B U R K E
News Editor
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable and successful start to the Spring Term! This month in News we have got some stories that are much more serious and saddening than usual, in light of the recent tragic death of the second-year student Daniel Williams. However, in solidarity we have compiled a short list of some of the many support networks that
are available for you to use on campus if you have been affected by this incident. Meanwhile in RUSU, many important campaigns have been taking place, such as Nozomi’s ‘Free Periods’, which aims to break down the barriers surrounding this topic. You can also read about what Lillie-Mae has been up to in regards to ‘Mind the Gap’. The RUSU officers are not only tackling social issues
but are also looking at sustainability, with Ali’s Veggie Pledge project. Indeed, this is proving to be a veg-filled month, as we also have a stunning review of the new plant-based restaurant that has just opened in the Oracle, by Rachel Wates. Last but not least, look out for our brand new feature, Word of the Month! Enjoy this issue of The Spark, and have a productive and fun-filled February!
T H E S PA R K C O M M I T T E E
A gathering for Daniel Williams LUC Y ELLIS
3rd Year English Language
Hundreds gathered in the Students’ Union this evening to celebrate the life of Daniel Williams, the computer science student whose life was sadly taken. Hosted by Mark Laynesmith, the University’s Chaplain, the ceremony was a chance for students and staff to gather in Daniel’s memory. The plan was originally for the first five hundred people to light candles, but due to health and safety concerns over the unexpectedly large number of people in attendance, this did not happen. However, as Mark
beautifully put it, the people in the room were the light instead. Mark spoke on behalf of Daniel’s parents who thank everyone for their support and for the efforts that were made in the search for Daniel. We heard from Daniel’s housemates who bravely spoke about him and the impact Daniel had and will continue to have on their lives. They described his presence in their house and how he will always live on with them in all they do. Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Van de Noort, and the RUSU officers gave touching speeches passing on their condolences and support to the friends and family of Daniel.
The loss of Daniel has impacted the students and staff at the University of Reading in many ways, and it was touching to see these people come together in such a difficult time. The university has a range of support in place, and encourage anyone who needs it to make use of their services. A book of condolence, which was sent to Daniel’s parents, was available in the reception of RUSU and the Carrington building over the following few days for those who wished to write in it. There is also a dedicated site outside the RUSU building where people are welcome to lay flowers.
B E C K Y WAT S O N
Our thoughts are with Daniel’s friends and family during this time.
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S PA R K TEAM
A note from the Editor...
Hello and welcome to agony aunt-style colyour February issue umn ‘Dear Kay’. Equalof The Spark. I hope ly, Lifestyle also offers that you have had a insightful reflections good start to the new on the lost art of the year and were able to handwritten letter and make the most of the the joys of escapism. short snowy period. For those of you looking This issue in News for some inspiration in there’s a selection of terms of entertainment, hot topics to choose the Entertainment secfrom including Educa- tion offers reviews of tion Officer Lillie-Mae’s musical ‘Company’ ‘Mind the gap’ cam- and film ‘Spider Man: paign, as well as Activi- into the Spider Verse’. ties officer, Ali’s ‘Veggie Pledge’ and Diversity officer, Nozomi’s ‘Free Periods’ initiative. For campus updates, head to News Editor, Sabita’s article on help and advice services available for students on campus. Additionally, you will also find articles which respond to the tragic incident which occurred at the heart of There is also the our student community. chance to win tickets May our fellow student, to see the Royal PhilDaniel, rest in peace. harmonic Orchestra at The Hexagon in March In Lifestyle this month (head to the secyou will find a wealth of tion for more details). advice articles on topics ranging from budgeting Our Sports section is to managing stress. also back with a bang These tips are given this issue led by our by our Lifestyle Editor, new Sports Editor, JasRosie, and Masters mine. Jasmine takes a student, Kay, who re- look at Activities Officer, sponds with advice on Ali’s ‘This Girl Can’ a variety of topics in her Campaign, whilst her
writers share with you the multitude of sports societies which you can get involved with on campus. Could 2019 be the year you decide to try a new sport? I hope that you enjoy reading this issue and remember to keep up to date with our website and social media platforms for news updates throughout the month. If you’d like to get in-
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Free Periods S A B I TA B U R K E
News Editor
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Nozomi Tolworthy on her current campaign at RUSU. When I first heard of Free Periods, I was excited by the idea of raising awareness on campus about many different issues relating to this experience that half of the university population experience regularly. For those who may not know you, what is your role and what are you involved with? As Diversity Officer of Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU), I am responsible for the development and management of inclusion and diversity initiatives, as well as taking the lead on liberation related campaigns. What did you study when you were a student here? I studied a BA Film degree and graduated in July 2018. What’s your favourite thing about being a part of RUSU? I was chosen by the student body last February to represent the students as the Diversity Officer at the students’ union. This role can be challenging at times, but I am also in a position of such privilege as RUSU Diversity Officer to be able to make positive changes for our entire campus and student body here. To have the opportunity to be able to work on campaigns such as Free Periods where I can make an effective difference to someone’s university experience during my time in office is very humbling and I cannot express how lucky I feel sometimes to be able to do this. Tell us something surprising about period poverty. As part of the Free Periods campaign, we created social media posts and an infographic poster illustrating how Period Poverty affects one’s education, health,
environment and human rights. Whilst reading up on these areas and doing research, a lot of the statistics shocked me. For instance, 40% of girls in the UK have used toilet roll because they couldn’t afford menstrual products. So, how does your campaign, Free Periods, aim to tackle this issue? Free Periods aims to raise awareness. This was achieved through the creation of posters and infographics. We wanted to also break down the taboo surrounding periods and encourage conversations about Period Poverty. As such, we ran a Zimpower Workshop led by the charity-orientated society Enactus to start the conversation about tackling period poverty. We created stickers that were handed out to students in RUSU and put above all the flush signs in the RUSU bathrooms (photo attached). We also worked with students to create reviews about sustainable period products to inform the study body about period sustainability. Lastly, we wanted to work to be able to provide free period products in RUSU. This has all come together really well and we’ve had excellent feedback and engagement from students and staff across campus. Free Periods also aims to make period products more environmentally friendly. Why is this an important issue here at the university, and throughout the world? One solution to period poverty is of course to provide products to people who need them the most. But of course, giving someone one box of tampons or pads isn’t going to solve the problem forever. However, providing someone with sustainable products, such as reusable pads or menstrual cups, will help solve the problem in longer lasting, more sustainable and a better way. Nonetheless, a lot of these products are relatively new on the market and people are less familiar with them.
As such, they may not want to just swap over to another product. So, to promote sustainable products, for the greater good of our environment and as a means to tackle period poverty, we asked students to sign up to be
[We made] the decision to move to more environmentally-friendly products. volunteers to trial some environmentally friendly period products. We organised this before winter break and asked the students who participated to review their products to be shared with the student body whilst the Free Periods campaign ran on campus. What steps are you taking to implement the use of more sustainable menstrual products? Through the student articles, we hope to have raised awareness around what products are available out there. We also opt-ed for budget-friendly sustainable menstrual products as well to make the decision to move to environmentally-friendly products easier
on the mind and the wallet. How can students help out in your mission to tackle period poverty? A big part of this campaign is about raising awareness. So everyone can get involved by snapping a photo of any posters or stickers about the Free Periods campaigns around RUSU and share it with your friends and social networks to help spread the word or start the conversation about Period Poverty and what this movement is all about. Do you think there is a taboo surrounding periods? Unfortunately, there definitely still is for various reasons around the world. So I hope this campaign has
40% of girls in the UK have used toilet roll because they couldn’t afford menstrual products.
N O Z O M I T O LW O R T H Y
helped some people start the conversation to tackle the
Unfortunately, there definitely still is [a taboo surrounding periods]. stigma. As it happens, Nozomi’s campaign has already instigated change within our community as it has touched my social life- even after simply mentioning the idea of breaking down the barriers surrounding conversing openly about menstruation, a friend and I were inspired to have an interesting and enlightening, open conversation surrounding this important topic. I encourage all of you to do the same!
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The Oracle’s Latest Vegan Restaurant R AC H E L WAT E S
Placement Year Psychology
Miami Burger opened on January 5th. It is situated on the top floor of the Oracle, where Ed’s Easy Diner used to be, next to The Body Shop. When I searched Miami Burger online, it had 4 key promises – that it was “100% good for you, 100% plant-based, 100% compostable and 100% tasty. It promises a great taste, without the unhealthiest of junk food. When I first visited Miami Burger, the first thing I immediately noticed was the contrast in the restaurant. There was elements of class and opulence, for example the path to the till where you order food is guided by metal stanchions with red glossy rope, and there are very large, beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. However, there are also bright green chairs and a play area with a large Jenga block set and beanbags, a football table, a large indoor ball-game arcade machine and a disco ball hanging from the ceiling too. Funky. I ordered the fries (which are not actually fried but baked) and The Double MBTM, which looked just like a McDonalds Big Mac. To my surprise, it not only looked like a Big Mac, but tasted exactly like one too. Even the meat. There are lots of vegan alternatives such as vegan chicken nuggets, ham, prawns or sausages that claim to be identical to what
Miami Burger is a great place for those who want junk food which isn’t too bad for you and which is taking a step towards being sustainable and healthy.
they are mimicking. But I honestly was so taken aback by just this burger and its indistinguishable appearance, taste and texture. Since then I have returned a few times. I have had the pancakes (a part of the breakfast option served between 8-10) which was small and pricey, but still parallel taste-wise to non-vegan pancakes, the Miami Hot Dog (in which at first I thought the “hot dog” was real meat and there had been a mistake!) and the Strawberry Shake, for which for some reason my friend asked for peanut butter to be
that she found the food “not the most visually appealing but really enjoyed the taste.” When I asked if I could meet who was in charge, I was introduced to Miami Tom, the Franchise Director of Miami Burger and we talked about the creative vision for the restaurant. He told me that an edgy plantbased joint would be very successful in somewhere like Brighton or Shoreditch, but it wanted it to be tested in somewhere suburban. He stated that ever since the 1970’s, Reading has had a large spread of a
Almost everything in Miami Burger is plastic-free, with even cutlery and utensils made from cornstarch... helping to combat the plastic issue in the environment.
ritol, a substance found in pears and mushrooms which is 70% as sweet as sugar but only has 6% of the calories. Also, everything in Miami Burger is plastic-free, with even the cutlery and utensils made from corn-starch and sugarcane starch, helping to combat the plastic issue in the environment. I was told the general ethos of Miami Burger was deconstructing general junk-food and putting it back together so that it is healthy but still “naughty, indulgent and really sinful”. He says that soon there will be Miami Burger prod-
R A C H E L WAT E S
added into it, and the staff complied. Each to their own. I have reached out for opinion of fellow vegans on what they thought about Miami Burger. Daniel Jones, a final year Chemistry Student, stated: “It’s fantastic to finally have an all-vegan place to eat – vegans don’t have to miss out on fast food anymore! The fact that it’s healthier that other fast food joints is a bonus too.” Psychology placement year student Bandana Karki said she found Miami Burger to be “innovative” and that it was “making veganism more accessible”. She also stated
demographic profile – lots of different people, young and old. Reading is one of the top 10 towns to have the largest volume of students. He stated that when he was younger, only 1/20th of the people that he knew did not eat meat, and these were purely for religious reasons. However, now you see more and more people giving up meat for ethical motivations. The reason Miami Burger does not have the “vegan” label plastered across everything, is because of the stigma and forceful nature and preachy connotations associated with that word.
By referring to the food as “plant-based” people are learning just how great a burger can taste without the slaughter of a sentient creature, but simply by just using plants. We then got on to discussing just how much saturated fat and sugar is served restaurants such as McDonalds, Five Guys and KFC compared to Miami Burger. He told me heart disease is the number one cause of death in the UK and obesity rates are increasing. He said that the main culprit is people’s poor eating. What gives Miami Burger that sweet taste is eryth-
ucts available at a popular supermarket (but could not say which). Overall, I believe Miami Burger is great for those who want quick junk-food which isn’t too bad for you and which is taking a step forward in being sustainable and healthy. My only issues with the joint are the lack of how visually appealing the burgers can be and that the arcade machine is really noisy – although you can just sit somewhere else so it doesn’t get to disturbing. I personally enjoy sitting by the play area.
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Help is Here SA B I TA B U R K E
News Editor
After the recent incident on Whiteknights campus involving our fellow student Daniel Williams, many members of the university may be going through difficult emotions. As such, please take a look at the below information in case you or any of your friends are in need of that little bit of extra support or guidance. If any students feel like they would like to speak to our Student Welfare Service, you can find them at https://rdg.ac/2Rykn69. Our Chaplaincy are also available for conversation and counselling at https:// rdg.ac/2DTxmMb, and there is online support through the Big White Wall service at https://rdg.ac/2t3tZ fC. The latter is an anonymous platform where you can share your thoughts and
feelings in a safe and supportive community, and it is free for UoR students to sign up to. Staff can also contact the Chaplaincy Centre, University of Reading and access counselling through the University’s Employee Assistance Programme. For more information, type in https:// rdg.ac/2GlhPpZ. Campus security are also contactable 24/7 at 0118 378 6300 for emergencies and on 0118 378 7799 for general enquiries. The university have set up a dedicated webpage for us to provide more information about the range of support available at this time. The site can be found at www. reading.ac.uk/support-information. Please do not hesitate to share this with anyone whom you feel may benefit from it.
S A B I TA B U R K E
It is wonderful that we have so many different types of support networks around us at university, and I urge you to reach out to them if you feel you need any kind of support in this difficult time.
Bras from Afar TA Z U S H E R
Print Editor
A Scottish charity, founded in 2010, has recently turned to Facebook to encourage women from across the globe to recycle their old bras. The unique campaign, named Smalls for All, recognises that whilst charity shops are a great way to maintain recycling habits and help the less fortunate, they often do not accept underwear on the basis of hygiene standards. Alternatively, Smalls for All is designed to do exactly what charity shops cannot: recycle used bras by giving them to women in African villages who otherwise would not own one. By establishing a network
Smalls for All is designed to... recycle used bras by giving them to women in African villages who otherwise would not own one.
between those who can and cannot afford the luxury of a bra, the Smalls for All campaign aims to give African women a commodity whilst also improving their hygiene and welfare, bra by bra. According to the champions of the campaign, wearing a bra is a sign of wealth, status and power in these countries. It is therefore possible that the women who receive
New knickers are also a necessity for these women as many own only one pair or none at all, making young girls’ experiences of starting their periods unpleasant. TA Z U S H E R
a recycled bra may become less vulnerable to rape and abuse within their communities. Equally, if a bra is too tatty and therefore unfit for use, the material and metal will be used to fund new knickers for young girls in the same communities. New knickers are also a necessity
for these women as many own only one pair or none at all, making young girls’ experiences of starting their periods particularly unpleasant. Want to get involved? Simply send your unwanted bras to the following address: Smalls for All, 108 Buchanan Crescent,
Eliburn, Livingston, United Kingdom, EH54 7EF.
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Veggie Pledge E M I LY TAYLO R
2nd Year Psychology and Philosophy
With the return of Veganuary, everyone is talking about adopting a more plant-based lifestyle. But what is RUSU doing to encourage change when it comes to what we put on our plates? I interviewed the Activities Officer, Ali Perry, to ask her about her current campaign, ‘Veggie Pledge’, including what she aims to achieve and why everyone should challenge themselves to reduce their meat consumption in 2019. Please tell me a little bit about yourself and your role. “I am Ali Perry, the Activities Officer. I studied Geography for three years at Reading University and wasn’t quite ready to leave. Although it was difficult, being part of a sport or society definitely helped. As Activities Officer, I look after Sports Societies, student media and volunteering projects. I also work with Student Activities on events such as the Awards Ball, but also on my own initiatives.” What is the aim of Veggie Pledge? “I think as a Students Union, we have a responsibil-
ity to work on all different types of things. This campaign comes from more of a personal interest in sustainability. It is to encourage students to think about their consumption patterns. Sometimes we get drawn into what we study and forget about everything else. The main aim is for students to consider the health, cost and environmental impact of reducing their meat intake.”
We’re not saying - be vegan your whole life, we’re saying: think about it. What events have taken place so far to spread this message? “We have run a number of events. We released a recipe a day on the RUSU page to show people that it can be quick, easy and tasty to cook vegetarian meals. We also put up a stall displaying what ‘Veggie Pledge’ is in the Student’s Union. People can come up and read or fill in a pledge, whether that’s to eat more vegetables or go vegan
for week. The response was really good. The final event was last week, a vegetarian taste testing. Most people were surprised the food tasted good. We had 50100 pledges that day. There was also a quiz, including questions about meat consumption. For example, how many animals does the average meat-eater consume in a lifetime? It’s 7000 animals, a shocking number.” Do you think your campaign will encourage people to eat more plant-based? “The face-to face contact during the campaign was good. We’re not saying- be vegan your whole life, we’re saying: think about it. One person said, “I just love meat” but ending up challenging themselves to giving up milk for the month. This is a really positive outcome. Someone who thought they couldn’t relate to this campaign actually did. Social media has also been important. It isn’t in your face and has had positive responses also.” What are your top tips for eating more plant-based? “To not be scared of it. I’ve been vegetarian since I was eleven and neither of my parents are. I haven’t learnt how to eat from anyone.
I can still have junk food. Don’t be scared to cut meat out, it isn’t difficult. I think my challenge next year is to try Veganuary, because I’ll find it difficult to cut out cheese. It’s good to challenge yourself. Once you’ve done a few days, you’ll realise its’s not that difficult.” What is your go-to restaurant? “I’m a big fan of Sushi, which many people think is just fish, but there’s lots of veggie options. ‘YoSushi’ I’ve been to a lot, but I’m also a big fan of pizza and pasta.” What is next for you? “Veggie Pledge is running until the 10th February. We then have a new campaign called ‘This Girl Can’. We have switched up the artwork this year, so it is less stereotypically pink. It is a social media campaign. It’s about altering people’s perspective and encouraging them to make changes in their own life. For example, going for a run. I’ve involved other Student Captains, who tell their story about how they got into sport, why, and if they’ve come across any barriers. We have another surprise on social media, which will be released that week.” Is there anything else you’d
like to talk about with regards to Veggie Pledge? “I was a little apprehensive about ‘Veggie Pledge’, because I know that not everyone sees vegetarianism as a viable option, but I’ve been so impressed with how students have responded. It has been really nice to see, as it’s something I’m so passionate about. I’m definitely not someone who preaches that everyone should be vegetarian, but everyone should be thinking about what they are consuming and its effects. If I was perfect, I would be vegan. But everyone has a line about what they’re willing to sacrifice for the sake of morals. It’s about challenging yourself. This campaign has shown that students are willing to do that, if you just talk to them.” Ali is clearly enthusiastic about challenging students to incorporate more vegetables into their diet. Small changes can make the biggest difference. There is a reason for everyone to reduce meat consumption, whether it is for the environment, health reasons or animal welfare. Are you up for the challenge? What do you aim to achieve this year when it comes to eating more plants?
ALI PERRY
Word of the Month S A B I TA B U R K E
yourself ” boom.
dence we deserve to enjoy.
Empower. An interesting word which has enjoyed a significant increase in usage in recent years. Originally defined by dictionaries as the act of giving power or authority to someone, enabling them or giving them control, the concept has now taken on a different meaning in light of the selfcare fad and the “believe in
“Self-empowerment” now connotes the idea of taking control over our own lives and giving ourselves the love and support we need in difficult times. This is especially important at university where we are all too often faced with challenges which, whether academic or social, place a tax on our mental wellbeing. We need to love ourselves and endow our minds with the confi-
Empowering has been happening all around us on campus. Think the Neverokay anti-bullying campaign, the Free Periods project ensuring women feel confident about their periods (see this month’s issue), Alice empowering refugees (see also this issue), and so much more.
News Editor
This shows that even despite all the racism, bigot-
ry and injustice that is still happening in the world (thanks for recently saying transgender people aren’t proper humans, Trump), here at the UoR we are generally lucky enough to be empowered in many different ways by the supportive people around us. Take a moment today to feel thankful for any helpful lecturers who may be making you thrive in a particularly difficult module, or
those especially close pals who you’ve shared some great times with lately. What’s your word of the month? If there’s a particular word or phrase that you’ve been affected by or seen a lot around you recently, we want to hear from you! Send in your special words to news.spark@reading.ac.uk along with your name and course of study for the opportunity to see yourself in the next issue!
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Alice’s Wish S A B I TA B U R K E
news Editor
As some of you may be aware, back in the summer of 2018 the University collaborated with RUSU and Reading Refugees Support Group and founded a scheme offering up to 14 scholarships for refugees in the Reading area. After an overwhelming response on social media, the University launched a donations page on the UoR alumni website, which is still open. The scholarships were designed with an aim to give people from different walks of life, and who had faced persecution in their home countries, a chance to receive higher education. The scheme wished to try to help integrate the refugees into the community and culture of their new home. Recently, one of the schol-
arships has been named the Alice Driver Scholarship, in commemoration of a local long-time volunteer who had been fighting a brain tumour for eight years before being told the news that she would have left us by ChristThe Alice Driver Scholarship will give people who’ve had their lives destroyed the opportunity to fulfil their potential at the University of Reading. mas. Alice was committed to helping out Reading Refugees, even throughout her chronic illness, which is a truly remarkable sacrifice. Nick, the CEO of the Reading Refugees Support Group, commented: “Alice has been a tireless and dedicated volunteer with RRSG for more than five years, which is all the more stag-
gering considering that Alice has been battling with a brain tumour and repeated bouts of chemotherapy during that time. Alice is an example to us all and we are incredibly pleased to be able to dedicate one of the Refugee Scholarships after Alice, to honour her strength, bravery and selflessness in helping Refugees rebuild their lives. The Alice Driver Scholarship will give people who’ve had their lives destroyed the opportunity to fulfil their potential at the University of Reading, and we know Alice is extremely proud that her work will continue long into the future”.
ALICE DRIVER
Sikh Society Feeds Everyone OLGA SHEVCHENKO
campuses across the UK fed 13,000 people!
On my way back to Uni, an orange and blue poster caught my eye. It read “Langar on Campus” (free food), accompanied by a small logo with the words “Sikh Society”. I immediately texted my friend, who is a Sikh herself, with the photo of the poster. “We have to go”, she said.
On Monday, January 21st, me and my friend came to the RUSU Boardroom. There was already a big line of people. We were required to take off our shoes and cover our heads, a requirement for all the genders. The food served was traditional, except the Coke, and was vegetarian. People were sitting on the floor, enjoying the food and conversation, and you could see people from all the genders and ethnicities, just as it should be.
MSc Applied International Development
Langar is the Sikh tradition of feeding anyone who needs it, despite their religion, caste, gender, economic status or ethnicity. I wish the posters had this definition written on them somewhere, because this is a very meaningful and beautiful tradition, and more people need to know about it. A brief Google search showed me that this is a tradition that is widely celebrated in the UK’s universities. For example, last year Langar events on university
Langar on campus felt as a very simple yet effective way of celebrating equality, and I was happy to be a part of it.
O LG A S H E V C H E N K O
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PERIOD POVERTY
D E A R K AY
THE JOYS OF ESCAPISM
Period poverty and tampon taboo
The Spark’s new agony aunt adive column
An exploration of ‘escapism,’ its importance, and how one might apply it.
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lifestyle
Period Poverty and Tampon Taboo I T ’ S T I M E T O TA C K L E # F R E E P E R I O D S ! N I A DA LTO N
3rd year English Language & Linguistics
Whether you call it ‘that time of the month’ or ‘mother nature’ or the ‘painters’, we all have them … periods! We instantly associate poverty with access to food, water, and housing. But, if a family can’t afford to eat, they won’t be able to afford menstrual products either. This is a very real problem. Period. One in ten young girls (aged 14-21) in the UK have been unable to afford period protection. Teen activist, Amika George, recently started the #FreePeriods campaign to call on the government to provide free sanitary products for girls from low-income families. Amika believes in “fighting injustice, praising period power!”. Half of young girls in the UK have missed an entire day of school because of their period. Many girls have improvised with socks, sellotape and stuffed toilet roll. These girls might have sat next to you in school, or not sat next to you because they daren’t go out without protection. Living in a devel-
oped country, it is shocking that this is going on behind closed doors. It’s the government’s responsibility to ensure that everyone has the right to an education and can attend school. So surely the government should fund free, universal access to sanitary products in schools and communities? The UK’s first summit to tackle period poverty is being held soon in Bristol. However, until the government make their decision, there are many charities around the UK confronting period poverty head-on. The Red Box Project is a not-forprofit initiative which provides red boxes filled with free feminine hygiene products to local schools. You can donate money or products to The Red Box Project by contacting redboxprojectuk@ gmail.com or finding boxes in your local area. Check out The Red Box Project Reading & Wokingham on Facebook! It’s not just the price and accessibility of sanitary products that needs to change, but the taboo around the topic. More than 25% of girls didn’t know what to do when they started
their period, and nearly half of the young girls in the UK are embarrassed by their periods. Periods aren’t humiliating, they are healthy. They aren’t a choice, we bleed because we have to! Having a period is a natural and normal process of growing up, and we need to normalise conversations about periods. Danielle Milsom, Third Year Human Geography student believes; “It’s not just girls that need educating about periods, it’s boys too. We all need to be open!”. So, how can we all contribute to #FreePeriods?
P) Preach it! Whether you want to celebrate that you aren’t pregnant, or moan about cramps, get talking! The best way to tackle a taboo is to talk about it. A) Amika George - Sign Amika George’s #FreePeriods campaign on change.org and call for all girls from low income families to be given free menstrual products. D) Donate sanitary protection or money to the Red Box Project which provides schools with free period products. Reading and Wokingham, Berkshire, have a
local drop off point that all UOR students can donate to! S) Support girls! 2019 isn’t just the year of girls supporting girls - it’s the year of boys supporting girls too. Everyone can sign the petition and donate, not just women!
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Dear Kay...
T H E S PA R K S N E W A G O N Y A U N T A D V I C E C O L U M N K AY H AM I LTO N
The Spark’s Agony Aunt
Dear Kay… Plagiarism Panic I’m in my third year of undergraduate study and recently submitted a module assignment. On checking my Turnitin report, I was horrified to discover that I had a ridiculously high similarity percentage. I’m now convinced that I’m going to be kicked off of my course and won’t receive my degree. Help! Oh dear. Similarity reports stalk the nightmares of many a student, but a lot of this worry stems from not actually knowing how programmes like Turnitin work. In brief, it’s a data-matching algorithm which highlights chains of words which already exist in the database. Quotations from already published sources will obviously flag up as requiring investigation, but provided that you’ve properly cited the source material, this won’t be a problem. Try to look at where specifically your work has been highlighted and you’ll most likely find that it’s a) quotations, b) the bibliography, and c) short phrases which occur now and again. The English language has its limitations and there are really only so many ways you can write about certain topics, so much like the ten thousand monkeys and their typewriters, just by dumb luck we students will end up inadvertently overlapping sometimes. If you’re still not convinced (and there’s no way that someone else had access to your work and might have copied it…) have a read of the University’s plagiarism policies. This will familiarise you with all the information you’ll need in the unlikely event that this is challenged by your school. In the meantime, just try to relax. It’s only the second term of your final year: you’ll need to save some of that energy for freaking out about your dissertation.
Pole Position I’m in my second year of my undergraduate degree. I met my girlfriend while we were both our first year of the same course and we basically went from studying together to hitting it off. Our relationship is going great and we both spent the last Christmas and New Year going between our respective parents’ houses. I’ve found out on our return to Reading that she’s taken up pole dancing with a friend. She’s said that they’re both doing it for fitness, but whilst the other girl needs it, my girlfriend is pretty fit as is and now I’m worried that she’s interested in (or already has?!) some sort of undercover stripping career. Do you have any advice? I really hope this is a spoof submission, but hey, if the last couple of years have taught me anything it’s that people can be pretty craycray, so I’ll treat it as genuine. I do have some advice – but, as being told to chill the f*** out generally isn’t what people want to hear when they write in with stuff like this, you’re probably not going to like it. You and your girlfriend are obviously close – you’re already well past the “study buddy with benefits” stage if you’re already sharing family Christmases – but closeness doesn’t mean you have to be permanently stuck to each other. I can only assume that would make her pole-dancing even more difficult, for a start. I get the impression that it’s the specific activity, and not the fact that she’s doing something with a friend instead of with you, that has you bothered. Ask yourself why it bothers you so much. Is it because it’s an activity often associated with the objectification of young women and her wellbeing while she’s doing it, or is it because you’re worried that it means other people will get to see her in action? If the first: while it’s a commendable attitude, your girlfriend is an independent adult who’s capable of making, and taking responsibility for, her own decisions. If the second: however close you are, you don’t own your partner any more than they own you. Frankly, I think
it’s nice that she is spending time and having fun with her friend (you know: the one you think needs to get into shape so badly…), and if they’re “taking back” something sometimes associated with female objectification, then bully for them. I really think you should talk about this with your girlfriend if it bothers you that much, but be prepared for the fact that she might not want to give up her new hobby. Enjoying pole dancing doesn’t make you a stripper, remember. In the words of the ultimate Perfect Gentleman: just because she dances go-go, it don’t make her a ho no… Vegan Schmegan I decided to do Veganuary this year, and while I was doing I met an awesome guy while I was out at the Reading Vegan Market with some friends. We went for coffee and during our conversation I kind of implied that I was some super hardcore vegan who’d been doing it for years. We’re now going out together and I have no idea how long I’m going to keep the charade up – I could happily eat more healthily but I’d miss cheeky junk food meals too much. Now I feel torn between being worried I’m going to slip up and make a fool of myself, and guilty for basically having a relationship based on a lie. Can you offer any advice? Oh wow. Everyone tells the odd fib or does things a little out of character to try to impress someone they fancy, but it always amazes me how many people pick lies like “I’m a hardcore vegan/champion fell runner/ astrophysicist”, which are ridiculously difficult to sustain if you AREN’T actually one of those things. On the one hand, I have nothing but sympathy. On the vegan hand, this is where subcultural appropriation gets you. That said, I could probably write a book on stupid things I’ve done or said to impress people I thought were hot, and I do know first-hand how difficult it can be to make a lifestyle change (and what elitist asshats some members of the vegan community can be), so I’ll try
to give some actual advice. Firstly, eating vegan doesn’t mean you have to give up on your beloved junk food. Plenty of vegan eateries will happily give you a heart attack as soon as look at you, and here in Reading we’ve just had Miami Burger pop up. The trick to finding any food you really love, whatever your dietary choices, is to get out there and experiment, and it’s never been easier to do that in a plant-based way than it is now. Secondly, even aside from dietary cornerstones like fruit, veg, grains, and pulses, there has never been a bigger range of vegan convenience foods available in everyday supermarkets, so it’s not like you need to suddenly become a cross between an expert forager and Nigella overnight to ensure that your food is appetising and nutritious. I remember when all I could get was lumpy soya milk and plasticky, sickly-yellow “cheese” from musty hippy shops; at time of writing, I’m snacking on a plate of allplant wensleydale with cranberries, garlic cream cheese, and smoked cheddar on crackers, which I’m washing down with an almond milk cappuccino. If you’d told 16-year-old me I could get all that stuff from my local supermarket, without going anywhere near anywhere that smelled even remotely of patchouli, I’d either have called you a liar or shit myself out of pure envy. Finally, try not to stress about it too much. You literally just met this guy. For all you know the two of you will break up long before he finds out you were lying your arse off about your lifestyle, for completely unrelated reasons. If not… well, I admit I’m biased, I think it’s great, and I hope you enjoy yourself too. Get ready to start knitting hats out of mung beans, wearing hemp, making loud proclamations about how everyone else in the room is a bunny killer, and all the other mad things people think we actually do… Break the internet On New Years Eve 2018 I had made it my resolution to get into shape, health, and happiness. By the middle of Jan-
uary 2019, I’m already disillusioned. It isn’t so much that getting into shape is REALLY hard, but the fact that attitudes to fat people (and girls in particular) don’t seem to have changed at all. It feels like no matter how much people talk about female empowerment and how everyone is worth something no matter their shape and size, actual attitudes haven’t changed at all, and I’m still seen as some lazy repulsive fatso whenever I’m in the gym. It’s 2019, but despite all the progress that’s been made, I’m still confronted by super thin models in magazines and “Break the Internet” style stunts online. I just find it really depressing. Is it even worth trying to get into shape if I’m never going to have the sort of body that everyone else seems to see as the only ideal one to have? It’s always upsetting when I see and hear otherwise perfectly intelligent men and women basically saying that they’re some kind of hideous monster just because they don’t have ripped abs, size 34 DD boobs, gorgeous flowing locks, a proper beard, gorgeous skin, blah blah blah… I once had a friend tell me he would never find true love because he had “imperfect ears”. (If anyone can get back to me with a concrete answer on either what constitutes the perfect ear, or how bad an ear needs to be before it rules you out as a valid candidate for marriage, please let me know as it would be really helpful). Next to all these super specific gripes about our own imperfections, feeling like you’re packing a bit of podge and need to trim down is very relatable and understandable (not least because at this point, I’ve let myself go so much that the only way I’ll be breaking the internet any time soon is if I sit on it). But I’m concerned to read that someone as (obviously) bright and thoughtful as you are is judging themselves entirely by what other people think – and not even that, what you THINK other people think. If your goal was to achieve fitness, health, and happiness, then those are strong and achievable aims. If your goal was to somehow become everyone’s idea of sexy perfection,
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one’s idea of sexy perfection, then sorry honey: you’ll be waiting a long time, because not only does everyone have different ideals, but most of us fantasise about things that are entirely unrealistic. That’s the fly in the ointment about fantasies: they’re inherently fantastical. People who pin their hopes on other people’s dreams are fighting a losing battle, and will never be happy as a result. It’s heart-breaking to see people achieve things that would be another’s dream, and dismiss it and themselves as still not good enough – but it’s even worse seeing someone write themselves off before they’ve even tried. I know it’s hard to maintain your determination – especially in the post-Christmas funk of mid-January – but try to break your goals down into achievable chunks which make the journey to your long-term result less of a slog. Want to lose Z pounds? Then break it down so you mark W, X, and Y as equally important to keep your momentum up. Want
to get healthy? Your fitness journey should be a big help with that. I’d prioritise weightlifting personally: it’s fun, you burn more calories in a shorter time, and it’s really satisfying feeling having measurable examples of your own power (and feeling like you really could throw that arsehole from your course or workplace over a wall if you put your mind to it). Want to get happy? I’m also looking for the answer to that, as much as anybody. I suspect it doesn’t have anything to do with breaking the internet. Quickfire Kay: bite-sized, travel-ready problems and answers for your convenience. Hey Kay! I really fancy my best friend’s girlfriend! What should I do? I’ll tell you what you should not do: try to come onto her! Best case scenario: you both ride off into the sunset together having completely destroyed their relation-
ship, your friendship with your best mate, and be forever known as that skeezy arsehole who wrecked his friendship over a love interest. Worst case scenario: all of the above happens without you actually riding off into the sunset together. Hell no bro. If you find her difficult to be around without being a numpty, make some distance for a while. Maybe take the time to study – I hear it’s all the rage at these universities. My boyfriend really wants to try a threesome; I’m not sure. What do you think? The only people that think threesomes are awesome are people who have never had them. I have it on good authority that they’re a complete ballache. No one knows what to put where and everyone freaks out if certain things that aren’t meant to end up touching. Hardly anyone agrees about what configuration works. Maybe do naked paintballing together? It’s still a fun group activity that everyone
With Love From...
ends up sticky and unable to make eye contact after. Win win. I think I fancy my professor. How should I – Noooooooope. Wait until you’ve graduated and see if you still feel the same. If you do anything now you either wreck their career or end up embarrassed out of school. It’s not worth it, so just don’t. I farted in front of a person I really fancy. I couldn’t think what to say, so I just sort of ran off. Now I’m too embarrassed to say anything to them. What should I do? We’re housemates btw. Our colons must feel SO unappreciated if no one wants to admire all their hard work. I would just make some joke like “Ha! If you think that was bad, you should see what chilli does to the family dog,” and leave it at that. Any person who doesn’t appreciate the need for a good guff now and again isn’t someone you need in your life.
Valentine’s Day is coming up and I want to show my significant other I care. I’m super broke. What should I do? The most valuable gift of all can’t be bought, and that’s time together. Take a long romantic walk down the river. Maybe if you can afford a pint and a few hours, take a long stroll out to Sonning Common together, enjoy the scenery, then finish up in a cosy pub to have a quiet pint in front of a roaring fire. Maybe draw him or her a doodle if you’re artistically inclined (or even if not; it can be equally charming). Maybe a poem? It’s the thought that counts. And frankly, poetry is not difficult, no matter what people say. For example: Roses are red, violets are blue; I wrote this on the loo, while doing a poo. See? Easy. Good luck. Want to submit your own worry, woe, gripe, or gossip? Just email dearkayRU@ gmail.com. All submissions will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Whether it is a love letter, a handwritten note from a friend, a thank you letter or a birthday card, it is so heart-warming to know you mean enough to someone for them to go through the effort of sending it to you. Besides, with Valentine’s day approaching, this time of year is the ideal time to make someone’s day and send them something in the
post, be it your significant other, a friend or even your mum. In a society that never stops and is so consumed with instantaneous responses, the act of making time to sit down and write to someone means even more than it did before the age of the mobile phone.
T H E D Y I N G A R T O F T H E H A N D W R I T T E N L E T T E R LYD I A B R OA D L E Y
2nd Year English Literature
The invention of technology has bought along with it so many wonderful ways of staying in touch with loved ones; Facebook, Skype, FaceTime and WhatsApp to name a few. The ability to speak to anyone at the push of a button has undoubtedly improved life drastically, but it has resulted in a lot of things fading away into time, such as sending letters. Especially since starting University and living away from home, I have found that while a text from a friend might temporarily put a smile on my face, nothing compares to the feeling of receiving a handwritten letter in the post. A letter is full of love, intimacy, time and patience and it is a small gesture that really expresses how much you care for someone in a unique way. Not only is it great to receive a letter, the act of writing and sending one can be therapeutic and calming as it is an opportunity to sit down and shut out
the world around you. With no distractions, it is easier to make sure you are putting your all into the letter, making it far more meaningful than a rushed text message here and there. Sitting down and reading a letter with a loved-one’s handwriting on it brings you closer to them in a way that is unachievable through any other means. Letters nowadays have be-
come so rare that the person is also likely to keep it and re-read it forever – it is like carrying a piece of your loved one everywhere you go. I have kept all the letters my mum wrote for me when I went on my first school trip in year five and to this day they never fail to put a smile on my face when I read through them.
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Galentine’s Day W H E R E I T C A M E F R O M , W H Y W E L O V E I T A N D H O W T O S P E N D I T E LL I E S L A N E Y
Social Media Director
Galentine’s day. The 13th of February. My favourite not-quite-proper holiday of the year, where you and all your gal friends can get together and celebrate the bond of female friendship. Started by the wonderful (yet fictitious) Leslie Knope in a 2010 episode of Parks and Rec, Galentine’s day is the time we dedicate to showing our love for our friends even more than usual. Of course, Galentine’s day doesn’t have to be limited to just our female friends either – it is a celebration of pure friendship, and so can include whoever you want. The first official celebration of Galentine’s Day (Parks and Rec episode style) was through Leslie getting
all her gal pals together for a boozy brunch. To me, this sounds like one of the best ways to spend a weekday (Galentine’s day will fall on a Wednesday this year). If this sounds like your kind of thing too, then Caffeine and Cocktails in Reading do a delicious bottomless brunch. Other fabulous ideas for spending Galentine’s day could be having a sleepover, pulling out all the cliché stops – popcorn, comfy pjs, wine, but ditching the wornout rom coms for films that are truly about female friendship and empowerment – try ‘Thelma and Louise’, ‘The Other Woman’, ‘Bridesmaids’ (obviously), ‘The Help’, or ‘First Wives Club’. This year, my best friends and I are splashing out and going to a spa for the day
(our birthdays all happen to be around Galentine’s day), so why not add a day or swimming and relaxing to the list of things to do? A slightly pricier option that the previous suggestions, but so much fun it’s worth it! Seeing as we now have a holiday specifically dedicated to friendship, why not also take it as an opportunity to try to be extra kind to someone. Is there someone in your lectures who is often sat by themselves? A friend you have fallen out of contact with? A random person in the queue in Starbucks – let’s take Galentine’s day as a boost to be even kinder people than we are and smile, say hello, and reach out to people.
Student Auction On the 28th February, join us at the Student Auction where several students have agreed to sell their talents, skills and services to the highest bidders. Prizes could be anything! From a home cooked meal, a date, a night out in the town, or even a house clean! Skydive Get that big tick on your bucket list and face your fears as you leap from 12,500ft! The memories of this adventure will surely last a lifetime, so if you’re an adrenaline junkie, don’t miss out! RAG Skydive will take place on 1st March. Check the Facebook page for more information. 24 Hour Gaming Marathon RAG’s newest event – the 24hr Gaming Marathon – is sure to be a hit! Join us on Friday 8th March and reemerge again on Saturday 9th with the successes and
defeats of a one-of-a-kind student lead gaming marathon! A vast array of games will be included; D&D, League of Legends, Smash Bros, Fortnite, Mario Kart, Guitar Hero, plus many many more… Get signed up ASAP by visiting the Facebook event page!
We, here at the Spark, hope you have a brilliant Galentine’s day and would love to hear about how you’ve spent it, so tweet us a picture of you and your friends celebrating @SparkNewspaper.
Reading RAG is feeling the love this Valentines… S E L I N A M U S TA FA
3rd Year Art & Psychology
Hello one and all! We hope you’re all well and recovered from Refreshers now Spring term is in full swing. RAG have been busy planning a huge array of exciting events for you all to enjoy. But firstly, we’d like to thank everyone that got involved in RAG Week! An amazing time was had by all, we got groovy in MNQ, worked up a sweat during Yogalates, ate our way through countless donuts in Wednesday Union, and won incredible prizes during Bingo Go Go! Most importantly, we raised an incredible sum of money for our chosen charities and we couldn’t have done it without all your help! Thank you all! Are you feeling the luuurve? RAG certainly is, and we have so many events planned to get your hearts pumping during the Valentines season. Here’s what’s to come…
Three Peaks Do you think you’ve got what it takes to scale three of the biggest mountains in the UK, all in the same weekend? Three Peaks is a phenomenal challenge that will test your endurance, all whilst having an amazing time making incredible memories and new friends. The information talk is on the 7th February, check out the Facebook page for more info!
Committee Applications And lastly, if you’re interested in getting involved with RAG to gain some valuable experience and add to your CV, why not apply for the 2019 RAG committee! Check out the positions we have available and apply asap! Applications open on the 4th February and close on the 4th March. We hope to see some of you budding volunteers, fundraisers, event organisers and leaders very soon!
Get in touch! www.rusu.co.uk/societies/rag Facebook: @ragreading Twitter, Instagram Snapchat: @readingrag
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Managing Money W H Y, A S S T U D E N T S , W E J U S T I F Y B U Y I N G A N O T H E R J A G E R B O M B O V E R H A V I N G A N A C C E P T A B L E B A N K BALANCE. R O S I E N E V I I LL E
Lifestyle Editor
Before leaving home, I had some emergency money put aside in case I got stranded on a night out, or couldn’t afford proper food. I was very clearly advised that this money should be saved for serious situations. This money was all spent in one night at Wednesday Union: the conclusion being decided very early on in the year that having an acceptable bank balance whilst having a fun time at University is hard. For most students, there comes a time (or perhaps there is constantly a time) where the amount of money you have left in your bank account is an issue. No matter how many spreadsheets or lists I have made in a futile attempt to save money, I regularly find myself doing a food shop and being annoyed about the fact that I can’t afford to buy a nicer loaf of bread, decent quality meat, or unfrozen fruit and vegetables. On a night out however, I will happily spend money on drinks without thinking twice (un-
til checking my balance the next morning), telling myself that as a student this is justified. Thinking about it, I’m not really sure why I have this mindset; perhaps it is because there is the constant pressure when you are young not to miss out on anything (the dreaded ‘FOMO’), or to make the most out of the time you have where you can enjoy yourself without the added responsibilities of a serious career to worry about or a family to look after. Whatever the reasons are, I realise that the amount of money I (like most others) spend on a night out is definitely unwise. Although I have a job, since joining University I have not had one time where I’ve checked my bank balance and been happy, or in all honesty even moderately content. I find myself feeling outraged when I see other students spending money on luxuries that I cannot afford myself. The truth is though, they are probably just much better than me at budgeting. I know that I’m not alone in my overdraft after recklessly spending money on nights out, or buying completely
pointless things that I don’t actually need, but when I really think about it; I’m not sure why I have resorted to Asda’s own brand shampoo and dodgy chicken instead of just having less nights out. I could occupy my spare time doing things which don’t involve money. Alternatively, I could even go on nights out and not spend a ridiculous amount of money on more drinks when I don’t actually need them, yet I for some reason (unbeknown to me) I don’t do this. On a typical night out, the average student spends around £30. If you go out twice a week, then you will spend around £60 per week. There are about 42 weeks that you are at University over the course of a year. 60 multiplied by 42 is 2520. I am aware that you may not always spend this much, but remember that sometimes you will go out more than twice a week, and nights out at home over Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays are not even factored into this figure. Money spent purely on nights and alcohol out over the course of one year at University adds up to roughly £2,520.
I apologise in advance to third years, but if you spend £2,520 in one year, remember that whilst studying (as obscene as it is), we are currently getting charged interest on our loan at a rate of 6.1% per annum. Second year students, you are looking at about £2,673.72 (multiplying the amount spent on nights out alongside the interest rate) by the end of two years. However, the worst part is that by the time we graduate, three years after that very first drink we had in Freshers, the total cost of drinks will have risen a further £430 to a total of £8,030. This is almost the cost of spending another year on a degree. As depressing as this is, it doesn’t even stop here, because the average person takes more than ten years to pay off their student loan, and after University the interest rate goes up immensely, so the amount of money we spend over the course of our three years at University keeps on increasing more and more until our loan is paid off.
do things that I will actually remember the next morning. Assessing my finances over my first year and a half of University, I have realised that spending around 2.5 grand on drunken nights over my first year was probably not the ideal way to spend my finances. Getting to the end of three years of University and spending £8,030 on drunken nights is completely and definitely not the ideal way to spend my finances. If like me, you are someone struggling with your finances, then look at what you are spending your money on and ask yourself whether you really need another jager bomb, or whether you should prioritise having an acceptable bank balance (now, and ten years down the line).
When I consider this, I realise there are so many other ways that I could enjoy myself at University. I could
The Joys of Escapism J OS H CO O M B E S
2nd Year Philosophy and English Literature
You’re a busy person. We’re all busy people. This is a fact of university life. The question, then, is how to fill the moments of time when we’re not being rushed off our feet by coursework deadlines, social commitments, and other errands that require us to leave the house. Myriad articles before this one have been written on the subject of escapism—and it seems that every Spark writer worth their salt must throw in their twopenn’orth. Here’s mine. I’d like to preface this article with a reminder that it’s unwise to spend all your
time pursuing an escape from the stresses of everyday existence. To quote T.R., that celebrated president whom I’m so fond of quoting, “I come not to preach the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.” But you’re a clever person, so I’m sure I needn’t have bothered with that warning. Bear with me and my metaphors for a moment. Imagine a man that spends his whole life, cradle to grave, painting the length of a vast hallway with a rich tapestry of patterns and portraits. He must, every now and then, tire of working—so he looks back at what he has completed and feels a surge of pride. But more than that: he re-
members with fondness the people that left their mark on his work. They might have merely passed through and exchanged a nod with the painter, in which case he quickly inserted their face into a portrait somewhere, or they might have stayed awhile and influenced his choice of colour or style. My point is that the past—and more specifically, the people and things that inhabit there, the things that shaped who we are today—are a source of comfort and contentment. Escapism, to me, is unlatching oneself from the concerns of the present and choosing to bask momentarily in the golden aura of the past. That can be done
in several ways. I was one of those children of our generation that—to the chagrin of healthier people than me— spent a lot of time indoors, usually in front of a screen. That may sound like a sad life, but far from it! Growing up, there were a number of games that left their mark on me, and they were united in their ability to mesmerise me. I have likely spent over 1000 hours of my life playing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion alone (the promise of freedom that role-playing games offered kept me hooked), and Minecraft—in its very early years—was so important to my pre-teen mind that 27th December 2010 is etched in my memory as the date I spent £11 on it. Despite an overall reduc-
tion in the amount of time I spend on video games, I play both to this day. It’s like reading a book you’ve read a thousand times before: you know exactly what’s going on. The familiarity embraces you like an old friend. Indeed, familiarity is one of the main ingredients of escapism. Even if it’s been a decade since you heard a particular song—or in my case, the soundtrack to a video game (I’m listening to the Animal Crossing soundtrack as I write this)—you are immediately taken back to the days of your youth. A return to the innocence and freedom of childhood is just a button’s push away…
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The City of Love (and crepes, croissants and cathedrals) N I A DA LTO N
3rd year English Language & Linguistics
Whether you’re in desperate need of a girly trip with your best friends, or you’re a hopeless romantic with your other half; Paris is magical at this time of year! Famous for its crepes, croissants and cathedrals; the city of love is full of good food, beautiful sights and brilliant shopping! With so many sights to see and only a few days to fit it all in; planning a city break can be stressful. Don’t panic, I’ve got you sorted - just follow this guide to experience the créme de la créme of Paris, in only 3 days! Bonjour Paris! Day 1: First things first, you need to book your hotel and travel - if you’re a bargain hunter like me you’ll love a holiday comparison website. You can use Booking.com or Travel Republic to plan the entire journey. If you’re travelling from Reading, jump on the Eurostar in London and ar-
rive directly in Paris in two and a half hours! I stayed near the Place de Clichy, in the Montmartre district of Paris. It’s such a good location, filled with exquisite little side streets and only 20 minutes away from all the main sights. Top Tip: Paris is expensive, but you don’t have to exceed your overdraft! Find the best hotel deals, book tickets online in advance and try to be savvy when you choose restaurants. Eiffel Tower Fight your fear of heights and get lift access to the Summit to see the whole of Paris from the sky. Make sure you book tickets online, at €12.50 per person they’re so much cheaper than buying them there! The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by locals selling little souvenirs; you can get 5 mini Eiffel Tower keyrings for €1, the perfect gift for family and friends that won’t break the bank. You can’t visit Paris without eating all the nutella crepes! Located next to the Eiffel Tower viewpoint is the best crepe stand - it’s only €3.50 a crepe too.
Local restaurants and drinks Don’t travel miles across Paris to eat on an evening, your hotel will be surrounded by cobbled side streets full of authentic local restaurants and cafes. We spent our first evening eating stone baked pizza and cheesy pasta in an Italian. It might not have been coq au vin, but having a glass of wine makes it French, doesn’t it? After, we popped to a bar on the corner and had drinks in the dark underneath outdoor heaters - so romantic! Day 2: Croissants You can get a croissant and coffee for breakfast just about everywhere in Paris! You’ll need to learn a little bit of French to order, as they don’t speak much English! Don’t make my mistake and rely on Google Translate; I asked for a cappuccino and breakfast tea and ended up with an espresso and earl grey! If I’m being honest, McDonalds croissants are just as good and way cheaper - we are students after all! Champs De Elysees Catch the metro or bus
to the Arc de Triomphe, and get a quick snap before heading down the Champs De Elysees. The Champs De Elysees is a never-ending street filled with designer shops; from Zara to Gucci, it’s a shopaholics dream! Pop into Laduree for the most expensive but sweet lil treat. You can’t go to Paris without having a French macaron now can you! Prepare yourself for the extortionate food prices in the tourist areas, we managed to track down the cheapest lunch spot on a side street, and it was still €18 for a chicken salad! Try to have something French for lunch as it’s usually cheaper. French onion soup is perfect in the cold; it’s gooey with cheese and croutons, and only €9! Batobus If you walk all the way down the Champs De Elysees, you can catch the Batobus on the river. The Batobus is a shuttle boat that picks you up and drops you to the top nine sights; you can jump on and off whenever you like for 24 hours. It’s only €12 for students, and tickets into the Notre-Dame
Cathedral and Louvre are free! Don’t forget to light a candle in the cathedral and take pictures of the Mona Lisa and beautiful statues in the museum too. Day 3: Disneyland Paris For all the big kids out there, Disneyland is a dream! It’s located just outside of Paris so you’ll need to get the train there, which costs about €20 for a return ticket. If you buy your Disneyland tickets online in advance, you can get them for €42 out of peak season. It’s a little pricey but so worth it! Make sure you watch the Disney parade, go on Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain, and stay for the fireworks display on the evening! Au revoir Paris!
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Prepping: The Basics A DAM TAU M U R
2nd Year Computer Science
The Oxford Dictionary defines prepping as “The practice of making active preparations for a possible catastrophic disaster or emergency, typically by stockpiling food, ammunition, and other supplies.”, where said disasters can vary, from short-term disasters, such as riots, floods, or harsh winters, to longer term, more severe disasters such as hurricanes, nuclear war, or an EMP. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people in the US in particular have begun prepping for these events. Considerably less are doing the same here in the UK, though more have started since the prospect of a no-deal Brexit could result in food shortages across the country. Here are some basics steps you can take yourself to begin prepping. Recognize Your Threats and Plan: Get that mentality. What’s the point of creating a bug out bag if you have no idea what you’re going to do with it? What are you prepping FOR? Are you even going to bug out, or bug in? There is a difference between a go-bag for getting to a safer location in the same town, in a different county, and one designed with crossing irradiated areas and dealing with hostile threats in mind. There is also a differ-
ence between preparing for a flood and preparing for all out nuclear warfare. Before you can get to designing a specialized go-bag and emergency guide, you need to know what it is you are preparing for, and how you will prepare. Take some time to research the disasters that are most likely to occur and how they can affect you in particular. Stockpile: Again, there are a few factors that will determine how much food, water, and medical supplies you will need, such as the estimated length, state of society/law, and severity of the disaster, but a general guideline is that your stockpile must be prepared for at least two weeks of total self-reliance – this means assuming all supermarkets, pharmacies and food banks are completely depleted, there is a power outage, and hospitals may not be in working order. An average person will need to consume around 2000-2500 calories worth of food and 1-2 litres of water per day to survive, so keep this in mind while shopping for food and water (many supermarkets sell 2 litre bottled water at incredibly cheap prices, sometimes in bulk!). For food, ensure that they are non-perishable and have long shelf lives – many preppers opt for MREs (though do be careful with them), freeze dried/dehydrated meals, and canned/tinned food. For extreme long-term
survival, consider learning how to hunt, garden, forage, and/or fish for your food, as well as keeping various types of seeds. Be sure to optimize your storage as much as possible so you can fit as much as you can! Create a bug-out-bag (if bugging out): Circumstances might mean that you cannot stay in your home and get out as soon as possible. A bug out bag contains almost everything one would need to survive on their own until they can get to a safer place. The varying quantity of supplies mean that such a bag can be designed to survive for up to 24, 48, or 72 hours. There are loads of guides out there on how to create a bug out bag for different types of emergencies, but I will highlight several items that all bags should contain: Food and water – must be separate from your home stockpile! Water purification tablets/ filters – some tablets can purify large quantities of water! Shelter and Sleeping – tents, tarps/bashas, warm sleeping bags. Spare clothing – make sure they can keep you warm, dry, and protected. First aid supplies – bandages, plasters, scissors, safety pins, rubbing alcohol etc. Medicine – Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Imodium, etc. Navigation supplies – compass, torch, local/regional maps
General survival tools – lighters, matches, Swiss Army Knife/Multitool – you could also save space and money and learn to light a fire without matches/lighters! Electronics and Communications – portable (self-powered) radios, phones, etc. Create a general supply surplus and protect your home (if bugging in): For some disasters, it would be better to hunker down in your home rather than attempt to escape. For this, you may need to consider stockpiling tools and resources that will help keep your utilities running – that is, your gas, electricity, plumbing, and heating, such as generators, gas tanks, and portable heaters. Of course, this depends on if said utilities are still available or not, but it won’t hurt to be prepared in case. Several different scenarios will very likely result in a breakdown of society and anarchy to some degree, where rioting, looting, and crime is commonplace. Boarding up and locking your windows and doors may seem like all you need to do but consider other problems and issues you might face – such as having to evacuate your home, dealing with intruders, and providing active security 24/7. Create your own security protocols, guard roster, and set up some form of intrusion detection – such as empty tin cans on string or,
The Jam Jar Revolution I M O GE N MA S O N - E VA N S A ND S O P H I E G I B B O N S
Student Community Assistants
In reflection of an increasing awareness for environmental issues, Collins Dictionary has announced ‘single-use’ as the word of 2018. Most often associated with plastic, the term refers to any item that is intended to be disposed of after first use and raises issues of sustainability (or lack thereof ), pollution of land and oceans and the likely harm of animals; think seals caught in six pack rings and turtles
with straws stuck in their noses.
Collins Dictionary cite that ‘single-use’ “has seen a four-fold increase since 2013”. Now, at the height of ‘single-use’s tyrannical domination it is time for a new word to rise and cease the incessant destruction and pollution. Introducing the Jam Jar Revolution: the unlikely force to carry in the new reign of a word rarely used in action, a word of good, the underdog… ‘reuse’. To join the fight all you
need do is wash out and keep your glass jars rather than letting them waste in never-to-be-taken piles for the bottle bank. Want to know how to use them to fight the good fight? Read our list of ways that you can reuse your jars and halt ‘single-use’ in its track. The first battle of the revolution? Food Hacks. Breakfast Why not try one of 2018’s over-night crazes, overnight oats, or give Sunday morning pancakes a re-used re-vamp?
Campus Lunch Save money, queuing time and the guilt of binning your meal-deal packaging by bringing to campus a jar packed with rainbow or hummus salad, just-addwater noodles, your favourite bulk-made pasta, or chopped fruit. Leftovers Cut down your evening meal-prep time by stocking your fridge with jars full of left-over veggies or exercise some self-restraint portion control by separating out your leftover curry, pasta or
if you can get it working, using your generator to power an alarm system of sorts. Think Long Term: If you’re serious about prepping, then consider the long-term. If you’re riding out almost certain doom, it’s not like you’ll be able to go back to your normal life after a few weeks or months. What will you do once your food and water stockpiles run out? How will you renewably generate energy, without any fuel? What will you do once you’ve got to your bug out location? You can prep and prep and prep but eventually you will hit a wall and find yourself in these situations. This is where you will stop using, or at least use less often, your short-term prepping skills, and start using your longterm survival and/or bushcraft skills. Learn how to be able to survive with limited equipment – in these situations your skills (and knowledge) will help you to survive more than most of your tools, equipment, or supplies ever could. There are loads of books and resources out there that can teach you such skills, which may include living off the land (water purification, agriculture, shelter, etc.), CBRN/NBC defense, self-defense, and navigation. For now, read up, and most importantly, PRACTICE!
risotto into jar-a-day portion sizes. Treats Whether you prefer a rich chocolate cake or an easy no-bake key lime pie, there are plenty of dessert-in-a-jar recipes online to satisfy your sweet-treat cravings. Next in the revolution checklist? Home Hacks.
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NEW MUSIC Check out the newest music and festival news
W I N N E R O F T H E C O S TA B O O K AWA R D REad a review of Normal People
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G I V E AWAY oppurtunity to win free tickets
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entertainment Company the Musical: Review S O N D H E I M ’ S R E V A M P E D M U S I C A L G I V E S A T A S T E F U L LY N E W I N S I G H T T O L O V E A N D L I F E .
Taz Usher Print Editor
Straight from Broadway, this refreshingly humorous musical beats Bridget Jones to the stage as one of the most popular ‘mid-life crisis’ spectacles to date. The creator of the musical, the Stephen Sondheim musical Company, first premiered the show in 1970 at which time the plot revolved around a male protagonist playing a 35-year-old hopeless singleton. Flash forward to 2019 and the show now features a female protagonist set on her quest for marriage, kids, and everything else a woman should have by the age of 35 (according to society). Equally, other plot amendments such as the introduction of samesex couples have also been implemented by the show’s director; making for a plot much more in-keeping with 21st century values. The show opens with Bobby (Rosalie Craig): an introverted hopeless roman-
tic, and professional thirdwheel. She’s sitting at her kitchen table on her 35th birthday listening to voice mails from her many (married) friends and swigging from a bottle of Jack Daniels. Instantaneously, company arrives and the first of the show’s chorus numbers begins: ‘Company’, during which audience members get their first glimpse of the production’s innovative set design by Bunny Christie. The visual make-up consists of large illuminated cubes which are re-arranged and added to throughout the production. The design particularly flourishes in the subsequent scenes when Bobby visits each of her friends’ apartments; moving across Christie’s design and amplifying the illusion of the constructions as she goes. Another of the show’s standout attributes are Stephen Sondheim and Joel Fram’s (musical supervisor and conductor), musical arrangements. Notably, it is the chorus numbers’ im-
maculate harmonies which dictate the virtuosity of the entire performance. Sondheim’s ‘The Little Things You Do Together’ led by Joanna (Patti LuPone), Bobby’s maternal figure, is the perfect example. Her vocals are sharp and distinguished, adding to the humorous tone of the track which gives a hilariously sarcastic insight into ‘the perfect relationship’. Credit must also be given to Mel Giedroyc (playing Sarah) for her outstanding comedic performance. Memorably, Sarah and Harry give an absurd lesson in self-defense during the first of Bobby’s third-wheel endeavors. Similarly assisting Bobby in her search for love are couples Peter and Susan, David and Jenny, and Jamie and Paul who each provide their own unique insights into the difficulties of married life. Primarily, the showstopper ‘Getting married today’ is perfectly executed by Jamie (Jonathan Bailey) who gets cold feet at his wedding breakfast and
questions his desire to marry devoted lover, Paul. In Act 2 the audience continue their tour of Bobby’s failed love affairs, including all the gruesome details. Marianne Elliott (Director) excels on humour grounds here: making use of the cast in one cosy scene when Bobby and new love interest, Andy (Richard Fleeshman), enjoy an intimate moment in the bedroom, joined, of course, by company. For viewers hoping for an ending void of cliché, Sondheim satisfies. And Rosalie’s performance of ‘Being Alive’ is the ultimate icing on the cake. Despite its comedic core, ‘Company’ brings to our attention much more than the eye immediately meets. Using Bobby’s story to guide his message, Sondheim ultimately raises a question of ‘What If ’. What if there was more to life than falling in love and following the crowd…. Intrigued? I recommend that this is the show you see.
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The January Album and Festival News Round Up Jack Hawes
1st year Politics and International Relations
Whilst the year may have started off a bit glum with the continuation of Brexit and Trump dominating the headlines, in terms of music the year has come out swinging. Starting off in a way all things should, the year began with the return of a nineties pop staple as the Backstreet Boys released their ninth album ‘DNA’. But they weren’t the only nineties group who made a special comeback this month as Weezer, two months before they release their own new album, brought out an album of cover songs. The highlights of which being their rendition of Aha’s ‘Take on Me’ and Toto’s ‘Africa’, (which was originally covered due to an overwhelming number of requests made by one person on Twitter). January was actually a month filled with returns as we also saw a number of noughties indie legends make comebacks. Catfish and the Bottlemen announced their new album ‘The Balance’ and released the opening track ‘Longshot’, though were not so high on the news. It’s good news for all the Bohemians out there, as the Dandy Warhols released their new album ‘Why you so Crazy?’ but the
major return headline went to Vampire Weekend. It’s been around six years since we’ve heard from them last but this month the band revealed plans to release two songs every month before their new album drops (though we’re still unclear over when that shall be). The first two tracks released this month were entitled ‘Harmony Hall’ and ‘2021’ and both have done a fine job in building up the excitement for their massive return. However, Foals may have something to say about being the biggest return to music this month. As the Oxford rockers have announced huge plans to bring out not one, but two albums this year, entitled ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost’ Part 1 and 2. This wasn’t the only news broken by the band as they have also added new UK tour dates. Moving on to the alternative genre, where Ryan Adams announced the production of three new albums (take that, Foals) to be released throughout the year. Phoebe Bridgers also announced a new collaboration with the album ‘Better Oblivion Community Center’: Teaming up with singer-songwriter Connor Oberst, the album is a folkrock showcase of the pair’s lyrical genius. In a change
of pace from their apolitical stance, The Killers released the anti-Trump protest song ‘Land of the Free’, which was not only accompanied by a Spike Lee music video but also news that a new album may be released at the end of the year. January also saw two new albums released in the form of The Twilight Sad’s ‘IT WON/T BE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME’ and Sharon Van Etten’s ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’. After months of anticipation, Bring Me the Horizon brought out their new album ‘Amo’, which saw the band fully embrace a diverse range in sound, with segments of electro-pop, grime, dance-rock, and flashes of their more metal based past. Heading over to the world of rock, Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes announced their new album ‘End of Suffering’ by way of releasing a banging new single ‘Crowbar’. Likewise, Canadian DIY punk band Pup announced their plans for a new album, ‘Morbid Stuff ’, coming out in April and have given us a teaser with new song ‘Kids’. In some more heavier music news, we had a debut in the form of Puppy, who released their roaring debut LP ‘The Goat’ and a return with Employed to Serve, who released the track ‘Force Fed’ from their upcoming album
‘Eternal Forward Motion’. In the Festival round up, January was the month where festival line-ups and headliners were announced aplenty, although an air of mystery still hangs around who will headline Glastonbury this year, with rumoured artists including Madonna, The Cure, and Fleetwood Mac. However, we do know who will be headlining Reading and Leeds, as the full line-up was revealed this month, with the headline acts including The 1975, Post Malone, Twenty-One Pilots, Foo Fighters, Bastille, Royal Blood, Blossoms, and The Wombats. The festival features a diverse range in acts but some say it’s a far cry from the more rock/metal orientated festival it once was. Though for fans of rock and metal there was the release of the full line-up for Download festival, which included Def Leppard, Slipknot, Tool, Smashing Pumpkins, but also Slayer, who will be playing their final UK show there. In pop news, Cardi B has bagged two headline slots with Parklife and Wireless Festival, (where she’ll be co-headlining with Migos). Parklife will also be seeing headline slots from George Ezra, Solange, The Streets, and Khalid. In Indy festival news, the headliners for Latitude Festival were re-
vealed in the form of Snow Patrol, George Ezra, and Lana Del Rey. Also, Truck Festival revealed their headline acts in one of the most innovative ways imaginable, as they sent out potatoes with acts written on to them to ticket buyers. The potatoes revealed that Wolf Alice, Foals, Courteeners, and Two Door Cinema Club will all be playing at the Oxfordshire festival. Tickets to all these festivals are available now.
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New music review: dodie does it again Olivia Mill
Entertainment Editor
On the 18th of January this year dodie (with a lower-case d) released her third new EP of her career. ‘Human’ includes 7 songs some of which had already been heard by the public on her YouTube channel and others which are being heard for the first time. My favourites would include ‘Not What I Mean’ (ft. Lewis Watson) and ‘If I’m Being Honest’, if I was forced to choose.
If I was describing dodie’s music to someone who hadn’t heard her before (which I am assuming most of you have not) I would say it is calming, warming, and honest. Whilst being categorised by Google into the genre of ‘singer-songwriter’, ‘indie pop’, and ‘folk’, dodie is the type of artist you might play whilst staring wistfully out of the window whilst attempting to write an essay or when curled up on the sofa watching the rain fall from the sky.
Although, this EP is not much different from her other styles of music on her other two EP’s ‘you’ and ‘intertwined’, the music does have a much fuller sound including strings and harmonies; emphasising the artists development over the past year. With the lyrics to all songs as honest and breath taking as always, from the melancholic and piercing ‘arms unfolding’ all the way to ‘monster’ which is much more of an upbeat bop, dodie supplies a song for every mood.
This EP as always just hit the mark for me and if I’m listening to any music over the next month it will definitely be this. And if you’re looking to try some new music yourself, either to get out of a slump or take a moment in the day, I recommend dodie. A beautiful collection of songs with the power of storytelling used to create songs of effortless passion and honesty.
INDEPENDANT MUSIC LABEL
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Millie’s Mumblings Millie Farquha
3rd Year English Literature
With the first month of 2019 over, I cannot help but think about the impending deadlines and dissertation meetings that I have, and the stress levels begin to rise. So I thought I would share with you, my dear readers, the ways in which I relax and keep my work going when stress levels rise. 1. Timelines are important This one might be a bit obvious, but having a dedicated timetable that I stick to every day really helps. Everyday I wake up at 6:15am (early I know!) but this gives me time to get ready slowly and sort myself out for the day. Then, no matter what I have going on in terms of seminars or lectures, I am on campus for 9am and I do not leave campus until 4pm. I bring a packed lunch and I set myself up in the library with a bountiful supply of
tea and water. Creating a set time that I will be on campus means that I have a good reason to get work done and relax during the evenings. It can be difficult to focus for long periods of time in the library, so I make sure that I move around every hour and get plenty of breaks and fresh air. 2. Keeping my phone away from me I use focusing apps such as Thrive and Forrest that actively disable my phone whilst I am working. It means I have no other option than to focus on my work and get things done. I also find that when I am not distracted by WhatsApp messages, Facebook, Emails, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and various other apps including Netflix I tend to work faster and focus easier. I would recommend looking into focus apps, especially if you tend to get distracted by your phone easier. 3. I turn off my technol-
ogy Every night at 10pm my phone automatically switches to ‘Do not Disturb’ and I turn off my laptop and start getting ready for bed. This means that I have time to get ready for bed and read a book for as long as I want before sleeping. This means I get my reading done for my seminars but I also get some time to wind down and relax my mind after a day of starring at a laptop screen. Phones and other technologies give off blue light, which stimulates your pineal glands and stop your brain from being able to sleep. After two and a half years of pulling all nighters and stressing myself out with last minute deadlines. I finally realised that whilst staying up all night means I have more time to write my assignments, the quality of work I do when I have a good night’s sleep is always higher. If you can’t bear to turn off your phone or laptop before
you go to bed, I would recommend getting blue light filter apps on your phone or laptop so that you can still get a good night’s sleep after finishing your assignments. 4. I exercise This is one of the most basic ways to reduce your stress levels. Whether it’s a high intensity workout or an hour of yoga and stretching, exercise is good for balancing out your stress levels and expending a bit of energy. I love nothing more than a spin class or a Boxfit session at the Sportspark and having something to look forward to in the afternoons, and I have 1 to 2 hours every day that I know I won’t be able to work. It is time dedicated solely to improving myself and my fitness levels. It also means that I have an excuse to wear comfy gym kit onto campus! 5. I don’t blame myself for getting distracted This one is really hard. I know that sometimes you
just need to curl up in bed and watch Netflix. And that isn’t a bad thing! But the most important thing to do is not to blame yourself for needing to rest. I feel like when stress levels rise and your sleep quality goes down, we forget to listen to our bodies and flog ourselves within an inch of our lives in order to get work done. And when we get so exhausted and crash for a day, we then kick ourselves for not working. I think that it’s really important to allow yourself to have those kinds of days where you get nothing done. You don’t even have to leave your bed. But don’t be angry at yourself for listening to your body and its needs.
Normal People: a raw and tender portrayal of love and friendship. Rebecca Uffindell
4th year Art and EngliSh Literature
Sally Rooney’s critically acclaimed novel Normal People explores honestly and deeply what it means to have someone in your life that understands you so very completely. Not only is this Costa Book Award winner (2018) thoughtful in its reflection of love, pain and the separate battles fought between the protagonists - Connell and Marianne - but delves into the wider complexities of growing up with, and apart from, someone that so greatly affects your deeper being. Normal People is Sally Rooney’s second novel and revolves around the characters of Marianne and Connell as they grow up in County Sligo and later move to Trinity Col-
lege in Dublin. In their youth Connell is a popular, well-regarded, and intelligent teenager who starts a secret relationship with Marianne, an unpopular, incredibly clever, and unusual girl whose family employ Connell’s mother as a cleaner. As they progress to university, Connell struggles to fit in the same way he did during high school, whereas Marianne thrives in her new environment. The pair are constantly interwoven throughout the novel as each share their personal insecurities and traumas that ultimately make up who they are. This bond can only be understood by each other and so they travel through their life experiences knowing that they are never truly quite alone. Aside from the candid and raw portrayal of complex and
intimate relationships, Rooney possesses a beautiful skill of constructing timelines that feel authentic and lived-in. Never once do you feel like these characters were ever anything less than completely human: living, breathing, and tangible. The reader becomes confidant to the secret feelings and moments of vulnerability both Marianne and Connell share; we are trusted with their innermost thoughts and are the only audience member to their developing romantic and platonic relationships. This is also what Rooney does so well: constructing characters that are so obviously meant to be together yet drawing out their own realisation of their compatibility over time. The development is never rushed or forced, it is carefully sculpted and analysed from both per-
spectives of Marianne and plores the very worst, and the Connell. This is done cleverly very best of relationships, the through the division of chap- connections you forge with ters, like the passage of time others and what that speaks itself, events happen “three about the self. weeks later”, “six months later” or even “five minutes later”. This lack of definitive characterisation of the stages of the relationship lends itself to the organic nature of Marianne and Connell’s relationship. Their experiences are never categorised or segmented, rather, they are encountered in a real time. Sally Rooney’s Normal People is a novel that is worth every bit of praise assigned to it. It truly is a novel that explores the authentic relationships that follow you throughout your lives, that are forged in adolescence yet remain integral to the make-up of your being. It is a novel that ex- R E B E C C A U F F I N D E L L
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Bob Dylan’s Tarantula, a review Amusingly, mine still contains a note saying, ‘Please send us a 2nd year English Literature copy of the paper containing the review’. (I imagine their address may have changed in the 47 odd years since printing). The poetry REECE DOUGHTY itself is Ginsberg-esque, a Few, even amongst his fans, cacophony of lives and activity are aware that Bob Dylan once published a book of poetry in interplaying. Unsentenced and 1971. Winning the Nobel prize loosely structured, Dylan uses for literature in 2011, “for hav- rhyme and rhythm to bounce ing created new poetic expres- from one narrative to the next, sions within the great Amer- replacing the slow borders of ican song tradition” brought punctuation. Indeed, Ginsberg Tarantula, a short collection of and Dylan are known to have Dylan’s experimental prose po- collaborated; Ginsberg can be etry, once again into the public seen in the background of the original music video for Subdomain. I was lucky enough to come terranean Homesick Blues. It’s hard to imagine how across a copy in Oxfam earliDylan wrote the simple, suber this year. It was only £1.49, tle lines of earlier folk classics which rather reflects the such as Blowin’ in the amount of interest this novel wind after reading has garnered over the years. Tarantula. It is full of strange
Reece Doughty
humour and political statement, alongside beat-poetic absurdities. The opening lines of Somebody’s Black Nite Crash demonstrate his Burroughs-esque writing: ‘from entire Mexico & gay innocence once comes Satan of Autumn’ reads like a line that could easily be found in Naked Lunch. Insight can also be found into Dylan’s creative process for his song writing via the various references to his own songs. Dylan wrote Tarantula between 1965 and 1966, and it bears references to many songs from this era. Ballad in Plain Be Flat references the song from his album Another Side of Bob Dylan, whilst The Vandals Took the Handles (An Opera) references a line from Subterranean Homesick Blues. Dylan’s demo tapes reveal how many of his lyrics and song titles were not finalised until late in the production process; his creative writings display how such revisions may have came to his mind. Throughout the book are glimpses of the
same genius that can be found in his song writing. Contemporary critical response however was scathing: the great American rock critic Robert Christgau began his New York Times book review by stating “The official appearance of Bob Dylan’s Tarantula is not a literary event, because Dylan is not a literary figure.” Dylan’s place as a figure in popular music sabotaged his appeal as a serious writer – his writing could certainly never be categorised into any of the popular styles as his music could. Perhaps realising this, Dylan never wished for the book to be released, contributing to its late release which began largely through bootleg copies. Perhaps with the presentation of his Nobel Prize the time is right for a re-evaluation and appreciation for Tarantula. The change in attitude towards Dylan as a literary figure can be seen through Barack Obama’s comment upon Dylan being awarded the prize: “Congratulations to one of my favour-
ite poets”. Mark Spitzer also published an essay in 2003 in defence of the book, writing “what is expected from that failed-artist class bent on bashing the bards they secretly aspire to be, but can’t for lack of imagination.” Perhaps it has taken 50 years for us to believe a popular artist can be capable of deeper expression. The bite of a tarantula was said to cause tarantism, a nervous disease “characterized by hysteria and popularly believed to be curable by dancing,” as Collins dictionary states. Such a definition isn’t far off describing what Tarantula is all about. Dylan’s penchant for popular music didn’t limit his literary writing, whether in his songs or in poetry, to the simpler rhythms of mass accessibility. Dylan had already displayed his disinterest in following the commercial route with his infamous switch to folk rock in 1965. The critics were bit by Tarantula and tossed it away – perhaps what they should have done was dance.
My view of The Spider Verse Alex Ojo
1st year Law
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I am sure that when the majority of you heard that there would be yet another Spider-Man movie being released, you were thinking, ‘not another one!’ Well if you love the character as much as I do, then Sony could release a thousand Spidey films a month and you wouldn’t get tired. That is beside the point. The point is that there was another Spidey film release, and it was very different to the others that we have seen on the silver screen thus far. The previous Spider-Man franchises have focused on the beloved Peter Parker, portrayed by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and currently Tom Holland. However, Into the Spider-Verse was different. It took a huge risk by shifting the focus away from Peter Parker and onto the newest member
to the Spider-Man clan, Miles Morales. How would audiences react to this new boy, seemingly being forced down our throats when Tom Holland is still doing a fantastic job portraying Peter Parker within the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Well it seems they loved it. Miles made his first comic book appearance in 2011 and, ever since, fans of the web-slinger would argue that Marvel are yet to do the character justice and truly allow us to develop a deep character connection with Morales. However, Into the Spider-Verse changed all of that. For the first time, we truly get to see the personality and life of this young, witty, and charismatic boy come to life, whilst at the same time, the writers do an excellent job of ensuring that the already repeatedly told origin story of the different Spider-People was not boring or repetitive. Rather, they used this exact repetitive origin story cliché and turned it into one of the most humorous ele-
ments of the film. Speaking of humour, we were introduced to other Spider-powered beings from alternate realities, and I must give a specific nod to Spider-Man Noir for his brilliantly written and well delivered lines. There were many characters that this film had to introduce, and they managed to do it in a very focused and well organised way. Audiences were able to develop just the right amount of background knowledge for the different characters to form a connection with them without a feeling of the film being rushed. A feat that other movies have failed at *cough* Justice League *cough*. The film also differed from previous Spider-Man films in a fundamental way, in that this film is an animation and the others are live action. The visual effects team have done such an amazing job with putting this film together. Everything from the bright contrasting colours to the small mannerisms of the characters.
Even the comic book-like texture various shots of the film have is near perfect. You really do feel like you are watching a comic book come to life in this movie. I also give credit to the sound team who put together the brilliant soundtrack for this movie. Each song had its place and matched the mood of the scene down to a tee, all whilst staying relevant with today’s music scene. A personal favourite song to come out of this movie for myself and many others, is Sunflower by Post Malone and Swae Lee. The first time you hear it you’ll think nothing of it. But keep listening to it and you’ll quickly find that
you have an addiction to that repeat button. Tying everything together, I believe this is genuinely one of the best animated films I have seen. The visuals, the music, the voice acting, and the storytelling are all phenomenal. I won’t even get started on the plot and the twists within the film for two reasons. One, not to spoil it for you. Two, because I could write a whole dissertation on the plot of this film! To conclude, I would highly recommend you see this film, sit back, and enjoy the ride with your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Men (and women, and pig).
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High School Musical Revisited 12 years later Rachel Hughes 3rd year History
The stress of university life, particularly if it’s, say, your final year, can affect people in many different ways. For me, it makes me want to revisit the things that I enjoyed as a child, perhaps as a poor attempt to relive the days when I wasn’t even sure what a dissertation was, much less what it involved. It was this kind of thinking, childish in itself to be frank, that made me revisit an old favourite recently: High School Musical. This little gem, a madefor-TV Disney Channel original movie (also known as DCOMs), left something of a notable impact on our generation. Even if you were never fan – and it’s okay to admit that you were – you were probably very much aware of it. It became the most-watched DCOM in history upon its premiere in
2006, was the first DCOM ever to be broadcast on the prestigious channel that is the BBC, and spawned a franchise involving two more movies and a multitude of merchandise, books, and even plush basketballs (yes, really…) So, what was the fuss all about? Did the Disney Channel really produce a masterpiece on a budget of less than $5 million? Well, I’m here to tell you that: no, they did not. But I do highly recommend re-watching the movie as an adult, or even watching it for the first time as an adult, if that takes your fancy. High School Musical is the tale of Troy Bolton, captain of the East High basketball team who is well on his way to forging a professional career in the sport, despite being only 5’8 tall. His career prospects are thrown into disarray upon a chance meeting with Gabri-
ella Montez while both are on a New Year’s holiday and are chosen to sing karaoke together. As luck would have it, they’re both note-perfect singers, despite their own admission that their singing experience and training is limited to singing in the shower and the church choir. Hmm. When Gabriella turns up at Troy’s school – a ridiculous and highly unlikely coincidence to start with, but Grease did it too, so I’ll let it slide – they’re both tempted to participate in the school musical, but feel they can’t because…Troy needs to focus on basketball and Gabriella on maths and science? I think. Perhaps the movie takes place in an alternate universe where humans are only capable of excelling in, or even enjoying, one thing. The stupidity of the whole thing reaches its peak during what is arguably the best, or at least most humorous,
song in the movie: ‘Stick To The Status Quo.’ During this musical number, other students, supposedly prompted by Troy’s involvement in the musical, are forbidden by their peers from partaking in baking, listening to hiphop music, and playing the cello. Every single student at this school seems to have the utmost contempt for anyone taking up any kind of hobby due to some kind of fear that it’ll cause them to deviate from their true calling of being a skater or good at maths. Yes, I probably am considering the probability and value of a children’s movie too harshly. The message children mostly take away from the movie is ‘be yourself and do what you want to do regardless of what your friends, peers, and parents think,’ and I have to applaud the movie for encouraging that. If you are going to watch it again, or for the
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first time, as an adult, maybe just don’t think about it too much. Just focus on those musical numbers, they’re surprisingly catchy. And never forget that Sharpay is the true hero!
The Greatest Show: RUTAM Presents the Beauty of Dance Sabita Burke News Editor
I will always have fond memories of last year’s dance societies’ variety show as the first event for which I got free press tickets to review it in The Spark. This time last year, the Reading University Ballet Society sent me away from their night of perfectly choreographed and visually staggering dances with a feeling of awe and a friend who exclaimed emphatically that the night had convinced her to join a dance society. This time, amid a flurry of second-year tests and presentations, I sat down in 3Sixty barely able to contain the build-up of excitement I’d felt since the show was first set to perform on campus back in December before being cancelled (thanks, leaky pipe). It is safe to say that the event did not disappoint.
“Showtime,” hosted by the Tap and Modern Society (RUTAM), was interwoven with a theatre and movie theme. Act 1 plunged the audience into an exhilarating cacophony of all the emotions of epic movies with RUTAM’S bold performance along to the song “The Greatest Show;” totally no double messages there... The evening presented a medley of diverse styles of dance ranging from traditional tango steeped in Latin American culture and emotion to budding ballerinas’ witty rendition of Hairspray’s song “Mamma I’m a Big Girl Now.” Some of the dance societies also imbued their performances with political messages, showing that the art of dance can truly be a way to express not only your own human feelings, but also the tensions, loves and losses of the society that form part of a
dance style’s identity. Anyone who knows anything about the quirkier side of Reading societies will have an appreciation of the fantastically vibrant, unique creation that is K-Pop. The society that honours the edgiest of Korean music and dance had the audience screaming in applause with their two immaculately choreographed, high-energy performances that combined raucous with raunchy to deliver what was arguably the most exciting entertainment of the night. It was a thrill to watch. Another of my favourite dances had to be RUTAM’s rendition of the melodious Greatest Showman track, “A Million Dreams.” Whilst I recognise there may be a slight bias drawing from the fact that my housemate was part of this dance, the lyrical presentation of wonder and feeling sparkled
with beauty. Olga Shevchenko, a postgrad who studies Applied International Development, said: “It has been a while since I have performed on stage, and I am happy to have had this opportunity. I did not expect such a big audience, but it was also exciting to be a part of it, applauding and fangirling over the K-Pop dances. I never got tired watching all the RUTAM dances during our rehearsals, but on stage with the lights they looked even better!” The show not only stunned us with the breath-taking talent of its performers, but also reminded me of how resilient and high-achieving UoR students can be. I can only imagine how much work everyone took on to make this show the most dazzlingly beautiful expression of sensation, humour and enjoyment I’ve had the privilege of seeing in a long time.
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If you’d like to get involved with RUTAM or any of the societies who took part in the show, you can get in touch with them on the RUSU website under “Student Activities,” or by joining their groups on Facebook.
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MOODY MUSIC
W H AT ’ S O N AT R E A D I N G F I L M T H E AT R E
1.Me and My Dog – Boygenius 2.I’m on fire – Soccer Mommy
Reading Film Theatre Showings: Student membership is £10 for the year (the regular price is £25) and includes 2 free tickets. Tickets are £5, and £4 for members.
3.Flytipping – Suede 4.Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde – Ezra Furman 5.Sunday Day13 – The Twilight Sad 6.Fake Empire (live in Brussels) – The National 7.Aloha to No One – Spanish Love Songs 8.Worship – Deaf Havana
February 14 Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku) 19 Three Identitical Strangers 21 Return of the Hero (Le retour du héros) 26 Late Release Film - film to be confirmed 28 The Favourite March 5 Members’ Choice - film to be confirmed 7 Stan And Ollie 12 Green Book 14 Beautiful Boy 19 Burning (Beoning)
9.Seventeen – Sharon Van Etten 10.Seize the Night – Will Varley
Give Away! Enter our giveaway for a chance to win tickets to see the Royal Philharmonics Orchestra at The Hexagon, Reading on March 7th. For more than seven decades the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has been at the forefront of music-making in the UK. Its home base since 2004 at London’s Cadogan Hall serves as a springboard for seven principal residencies as well as more than forty-five concerts per year in long-term partnership venues across the country, often in areas where access to live orchestral music is very limited. With a wider reach than any other UK large ensemble, the RPO has truly become Britain’s national orchestra. We have 5 pairs of ticketsavailable so just follow our Instagram account @thesparkteam and comment on our competition post!
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Magnifying Moody Music Jack Hawes
1st Year Politics and International Relations
February’s always been a weird month. Christmas is now behind us but summer’s still a bit far off so the weather’s still a bit dull and grey. Though, such grey weather does provide the perfect excuse to play some moody tunes. Songs with a hint of melancholy that are great for listening to when having well-earned rest or for a nice, slow morning walk to lectures. As the year begins, these are the moody tracks that you may want to listen to before the summer arrives. 1) Me and My Dog – Boygenius Starting off with the super group of moody musicians, Boygenius (comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus) released their debut EP late last year and was a showcase of the wonders the artists can create. Second track on the album, ‘Me and My Dog’ captures the frustration and sadness of not being able to get over a failed relationship to the point of wishing to be on a spaceship with no-one (except your doggo to keep you company), alongside “an impossible view.” 2) I’m on fire – Soccer Mommy In early 2018, Soccer Mommy arrived with a cracking debut album ‘Clean’, filled with tracks perfect for a moody playlist but finished the year with a two track EP that featured her cover of Springsteen’s ‘I’m on Fire’. For this cover she wanted to strip away the eighties rock elements of the song and instead presents a slower more melancholic take on the song, emphasising the sadness of the story that the song tells. 3) Flytipping – Suede Suede’s new album, ‘The
Blue Hour’, is, in part, taken from a child’s perspective of a nightmare landscape: the hard shoulder of a motor--way where, amongst the B-roads, fly-tipped wastage lays everywhere. The final track of the album, ‘Flytipping’, details children who play amongst the wasteland of discarded rubbish. Whilst such a concept does seem odd, Suede’s flair for clever lyrics and grandiose riffs makes for an intense listening experience, perfect for a long night time drive. 4) Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde – Ezra Furman If you’ve seen Sex Education on Netflix, (if you haven’t, you should. It’s great.) then you may be familiar with the name Ezra Furman, as the brilliant soundtrack to the show was created by him. This track taken from his album, ‘The Year of No Returning’, tells of the conflicts that occur inside of a person, like how someone can be both honest but tell a lie, or just be plagued by indecision especially when it comes to love. 5) Sunday Day13 – The Twilight Sad “It won’t be like this all the time” sings James Graham on this poignant new track from The Twilight Sad’s new album, which takes its name from this lyric. Their first album in five years is a cathartic mood piece which expresses so much in terms of pain yet is so beautiful at the same time. ‘Sunday Day13’ is a track that provides closure on hard times but also shows the effects such darkness could have on relationships. The entire album is brilliant, just like the band. 6) Fake Empire (live in Brussels) – The National Originally released in 2008, ‘Fake Empire’ has become one of The National’s most renowned tracks and a staple of their live shows. Written as a commentary
about this generation’s reality being marred by disillusion and confusion, the track has remained relevant even after a decade of being released. However, this new rendition, recorded live in Brussels last year, is a more celebratory take. The live in strumentals feel joyous yet do not take away from the songs poignancy about feeling lost in this mad world. 7) Aloha to No One – Spanish Love Songs After years of being a staple of the California punk scene, Spanish love Songs are starting to break out into the wider world. They’ve already had a successful European tour, supporting Ducking Punches and have plans to tour the continent again in the early summer. This is a fantastic band with songs that are both brutally honest and wildly fun, and this is a great introductory track for the band. It’s a more sombre, acoustic number that packs outbursts of self-doubt with fears for the future. How-
ever, if Spanish Love Songs keep making music, the future will never be too bad. 8) Worship – Deaf Havana Earlier this year, Deaf Havana, ditched the heavy guitar riffs for a more traditional mainstream pop sound, a move that was controversial amongst some of their fans. However, it can be said that the change had no effect on their lyrical prowess. This is shown greatly on ‘Worship’, where the lead singer expresses his anger and regret over a failed relationship to the point of wishing he never went through it at all. Their lyrics pack a punch, but the switch in styles gives the song a bit of hope for something better to come along. 9) Seventeen – Sharon Van Etten Usually associated with a more mellow folky style, Sharon Van Etten has returned from her four-year hiatus with a cathartic new album brimming with a fiery
energy and a new electric pop infused sound. However, like Deaf Havana, this genre switch doesn’t affect the melancholic beauty of the lyrics as best shown in the track ‘Seventeen’. This is a song that tells the sombre longing of wanting to return to the days of being “free” when you were “seventeen.” Seize the Night – Will Varley What better way to finish a moody music playlist than with a song that combines heartbreak, bad nights out, the loss of identity in our cities, and the sad realization that our youthful days will end. Will Varley’s ‘Seize the Night’, may sound very dour but is in fact a glorious ode to making the most of the nights you spend with your friends. It’s about forgetting the bad things of life and literally seizing all the good you can, because, as Mr Varley states throughout, “If you know where you are when you wake up, something’s wrong”.
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photography (Student Submissions)
EUAN CARMICHAEL 2nd Year Psychology
Sunrise, Sunset
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JAMES LUCAS
3rd Year Biology Student
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MORGAN HARRIS 2nd Year Art
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P I C K I N G U P T H E PA C E
KLUELESS ABOUT KORFBALL?
N E W C L U B : WAT E R P O L O !
Knights Athletes are seeking success
Find out what the Dutch ball game is all about
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sport
2019 Kicks off to a fantastic start!
‘This Girl Can’ campaign gets the ball rolling at Reading
JASMINE DAVIS
JASMINE DAVIS
Print Spor ts Editor
And we’re off ! 2019 is well underway, and it’s an exciting time for many clubs and teams, with Varsity – our incredibly competitive head-to-head battle with Oxford Brookes University - just around the corner, on Saturday 30th March. But that’s not all. You can find out what societies such as Athletics, Pole Fitness, Korfball, Cricket and Fencing have been up to recently, and read a review of a refreshers’ Futsal session during Give It A Go Week over the next few pages. In fact, there are over 50 sports societies at Reading that you can get involved with. And making the headlines this month is ‘This Girl Can’, a campaign led by RUSU activities officer Ali Perry which aims to increase women’s participation in sport and exercise around university. Reading is also teaming up with Sport In Mind, the
UK’s leading mental health sports charity, with a mission to encourage more people to get involved in sport, promoting the positive mental health benefits exercise has: you can find out more on page 4. I’m also springing into action this term as The Spark’s new Print Sports Editor! As a 2nd Year English Language and Literature student with a keen interest in sports journalism, I hope to expand the Sports section and include even more exciting news articles about our amazing campus activities. Whether you’re a member of a team, club or society, or you simply have an interest in writing about sport, I’d love to hear from you. Anyone can write for The Spark, so don’t hesitate to get in touch or join The Spark Sport Facebook group. Happy reading!
Print Sports Editor
You’ve probably seen it on TV or social media by now: ‘This Girl Can’ fever is sweeping across the nation, as the empowering campaign goes from strength to strength. Funded by the National Lottery, the ‘This Girl Can’ campaign aims to encourage more girls and women to take part in exercise, and celebrates all the amazing sports and activities you can do to get moving and feel good. According to Sport England, 40.5% of men take part in exercise at least once a week, while only 31.9% of women do. ‘This Girl Can’ aims to eradicate these gender stereotypes in sport, to liberate women and to encourage everyone to get involved in more physical activities. There’s no “right” way to fit exercise into your busy lifestyle: as long as it gets your heart rate up, it counts. This spring, Reading’s getting in on the action by
bringing the campaign to our university. The campaign aims to help women rethink who sport is for, and promote living a healthy, active lifestyle. There’s a huge range of different sports and leisure societies offered at Reading, from surfing and boxing to cheerleading and riding, so definitely something for everyone to try. For more information about the sports and activities you can get involved in, go to https://www.rusu. co.uk/activities/ or visit the Student Activities Office in RUSU. The campaign is being led by RUSU Activities Officer Ali Perry, who says “I found sport to be a really important role throughout my University experience; it kept me fit and healthy, I enjoyed the social aspects and it gave me the much-needed break and destress from work! I also understand that there are many barriers for women to take up a sport and exercise, whether that’s a stigma surrounding the sport or being
anxious to try something new. The national campaign ‘This Girl Can’ has tackled these issues head-on with some great responses across the country, and I am really passionate about bringing these same ideas to the University of Reading. The RUSU Campaign will showcase some of the women students who are already participating in all different kinds of sports, encouraging those who aren’t as confident that exercise really can be for anyone! Check out the RUSU social media around Week 5 to see all the work and positive media we have to celebrate women in sport and encourage more to get started!” As spring arrives and the days (slowly!) start to get warmer, why not get out and try something new to get your blood pumping. Even if you’re thinking “But I’ve never done that before” or “I don’t know if I’d be any good”, remember: This Girl Can.
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Reading Knights pick up the pace in London CHLOE DEARMAN 4th Year German
At 3pm on a very chilly Wednesday afternoon in January, a couple of hundred university students huddled together on the start line of the 4th LUCA Cross Country match of the season at Alexandra Palace. A few team chants, a quick briefing: “Don’t cut the corners, you’re only cheating yourselves!” and then the blast of the whistle. The runners charged off, ready for the onslaught of mud and hills. London Universities & Colleges Athletics has five cross country races throughout the season, taking place in a number of London parks such as Parliament Hill and Wimbledon Common. Both men and women run together, but it’s not as daunting as it
sounds! The men often run three laps, while the women peel off to the finish after two and then cheer the men on as they enter the last stretch of their races. So far, Reading have been exceeding expectations in the league with numerous strong performances across the races. After four races, both the men’s and women’s teams are in 4th place behind much larger teams such as Imperial and UCL. For an “outsider” team which has a minibus ride to and from every race rather than taking a couple of stops on the tube, this is a fantastic achievement! As well as tightly packed team performances, Reading have been holding their own in the individual standings too. Our highest placer is our Cross Country Captain, James Lyne, who after a number of top 10 fin-
ishes, finds himself in 2nd position overall. He is well supported by Dominic Le Mare, currently in 8th position and James Fox in 10th. In the women’s league, there is a very tight inter-club rivalry between Chloe Dearman, Georgie Judge and Caitlin Tevendale, who find themselves in 5th, 6th and 7th place respectively. Also grabbing valuable points for the team, Celine Taubman and Rainbow Wang have attended and scored consistently in every race. The final cross country race of the season is at Wormwood Scrubs at the end of February, where medals are still very much up for grabs. The women’s team are only 22 points off 3rd, while the men have a fight on their hands to stay ahead of KCL. Come on Reading!
Reading University Pole Fitness Society – our year so far! WILL FOWLER
3rd Year Art & English Literature
Reading University Pole Fitness Society (RUPFS) is a pole fitness club run for students, by students. We are now in our fifth year as a society and are proud to be one of the most popular societies that Reading University has to offer. Pole Fitness is a fun and different way to exercise! It is fantastic for your strength, balance, co-ordination and flexibility. Our classes are weekly and are taught by volunteering students, ranging from beginner, intermediate and advanced level. We also run weekly ‘jam’ sessions where members are free to practice anything they’ve learnt
in a relaxed, non-structured session. One of the best ways we connect with our members is our impressive presence on social media. We always invite our members to be featured on our Instagram page, using the hashtags #rupfs and #rupolefitness. We also regularly hold competitions, where we invite members to post a picture showing off their pole progress, and the best picture wins exciting pole-related prizes! So far, the 2018-19 academic year has been a great success for the society. One of our proudest moments is our male membership TRIPLING from last year – we have always championed diversity and always empha-
sized that pole fitness is for anyone! In November we were lucky enough to play host to a guest instructor, the UK Male Pole Champion, Dan Rosen. An experienced instructor, Dan taught his favourite combos and some spectacular intermediate moves – it was incredible to learn from someone virtually at the pinnacle of our sport! We also held fun and varied socials, where our members can have fun and get to know each other. On multiple occasions we have teamed up with other sports societies for socials – most recently, we joined up with Bellydance and Ultimate Frisbee for a “Saints and Sinners” themed costume party, which was a hit! This enabled everyone to meet so many new people across
CHLOE DEARMAN
GEOFF LOWE
Reading University’s rich sporting scene. Our socials are an important part of the society, and we try to make them as varied as possible. Whilst we do love a good old Union, and trying our hand at quiz & karaoke, we host plenty of non-drinking socials, including pizza evenings, lunches, and this year we’ve planned a board game night! We’re also extremely excited to have more guest instructors booked, including Tiff Finney, a professional
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pole performer (as seen at Glastonbury and on Britain’s Got Talent) and the fierce and fabulous Kitty Velour, one of the UK’s leading pole and floorwork instructors. As we approach the halfway point of this academic year, we are proud of what we have achieved so far and excited to see what the rest of this year (and the coming years) have in store. It’s been an awesome first few months of the year for #RUPFS – here’s to many more!
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Klueless about Korfball? ALYS KERTON 3rd Year LLB Law
If Korfballers had a pound for every time we were asked what our sport was, we’d be the wealthiest club on campus. That being said, most of our members turn up to their first training session without knowing how to play, making the experience all the more interesting! Korfball is a Dutch sport which is a combination of basketball, netball and handball. It’s mixed-gender, with teams of eight made up of four boys and four girls. Attack and defence
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divisions switch ends after every two goals, so team members are able to play all positions and everyone has the chance to shoot. Reading Korfball has two teams that compete in a local league. We often play against city teams who have very experienced and knowledgeable players. This type of opposition, and our training sessions, enable us to train up a team to send off to national tournaments around the country. This year, we’re heading to Leeds in March to compete at National Plate, with the hope of bringing a medal back to Reading!
Korfball is a club that plays hard, but we party hard too. Most recently, we had an Alumni Weekend: past players who’d graduated came back for a nostalgic night in Union and games the day after. This reunion was long-awaited and enjoyed by everyone who attended - there is no doubt that this will become a Reading Korf tradition. This event highlights the family-like feel to our club, with players jumping at the chance to socialise and play together. On a similar social note, Korfball goes on tour every year, and this year it’s the
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turn of Barcelona to be home to Reading Korfball Club for a few days. Additionally, we host an event called Korf Awards at the end of the academic year where we acknowledge the achievements of individuals and the club as a whole. This night always has mixed emotions since it is when we say goodbye to those leaving us as they graduate in July. The community feel within Korf is one that, as a 3rd year student myself, I know I will sorely miss. Many could accuse me of bias as I’ve played since my first year at Reading and currently hold a position
on the committee. But to demonstrate the sincerity of my comment, I will turn to what others have said about joining the club. We had an influx of final year students join us in September and they have said countless times, throughout the year, that they regret not joining earlier. Our inclusiveness and friendliness is something we pride ourselves on, and their words reinforce the very spirit of Reading University Korfball Club.
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Futsal for the Uninitiated RYAN HARNELL
1st Year International De velopment
Before I begin I must stress that I had no sporting, let alone football, background at all to prepare me for Tuesday night Futsal training. I’d barely even heard of the game before a course-mate of mine, who happened to be the society’s Vice President, dropped it into conversation one day and got the ball rolling - if you’ll kindly pardon the pun. Now fast-forward to the last days of the Autumn term, and I found myself lounging around with my flat mates as we somewhat-sarcastically remarked that we need to find something to do during the week that doesn’t involve drinking, otherwise we’ll all find ourselves not just with a
VK addiction, but broke as well. So what did I suggest? A little known South American ball-sport, very similar to football, other than that it’s played by ten players (five on each team) and has shorter matches, whilst altogether boasting much more skilled, fun and engaging gameplay. My friends and I, eight of us in all, are complete novices, having only attended two sessions at the time of writing this article, but we can all agree that it’s the most fun we’ve had in a long time. And the best bit? That you need no experience of the sport to play. So I’d urge anyone (male or female) who’s considered coming along but is worried about being unskilled, to shake off the initial fear of trying something new, and come along on a Tuesday night at 6.00pm or Thursday night
at 7.00pm and join us on the Astro for an, admittedly exhausting, but ultimately fulfilling kick-around. It’s a real mixed bag of talents here as it stands, ranging from me, who takes about an hour to decide who to pass to and by the time I do, someone’s already tackled me, all the way up to lads and lasses who have played semi-professionally - are any of us treated differently? Not one bit. Everyone’s more than keen to help each other out, have a little patience for each other’s abilities and make a bunch of new friends to boot. As always when I start something different, or take on a new opportunity, I was scared to go to the first session, my head full of all the misguided preconceptions surrounding team sports and what a closed club it can be, and never have I
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been so elated to be proven wrong. If you’re reading this and searching for that next hobby, sport or way to goof around with your friends, I would absolutely, wholeheartedly recom-
mend you drag them along to Futsal, come rain or come shine (or come snow) - ladies and gentlemen, you won’t regret it.
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Fencing – an insight from the president KATHRYN HEATON
3rd Year Food Science with Business
Fencing is a fast-paced and energetic combat sport. It requires speed, power and agility. At the University of Reading we have a fun and active fencing club that competes and socializes. This is an insight into the world of fencing from the president of the university’s club. For fencers, Monday nights aren’t for partying it up at MNQ: instead, they are for training. 2 hours of hard-core coaching, starting with a gentle warm up that makes many of us sweat (or collapse). Then onto footwork skills, which are a key part of the sport. You need to be light on your feet so you can run away with style and flare. Therefore, our coach focuses on these
areas along with other main sword skills. We spend the rest of the training session challenging each other to duels or working on the electrics. Electric fencing is when your sword and jackets are all connected to a box, so it can identify when you have been hit. It’s always difficult to explain this to the new kids, as they worry that they could be electrocuted - however, this is not the case. After all that hard work, we hit Park Bar (personally my favourite part of a Monday night). On Wednesdays we compete in BUCS. We have both a men’s and women’s first teams competing. 3 hours of competing in all 3 weapons involves a lot of changing kit, bruises and hard work, but it’s paying off as both teams are currently doing well in their leagues. We also combine these teams to
create a mixed team for other events like Varsity. We drag our tired selves out of bed early on Saturday mornings to make it to our 11:45 am training session. This session is for free play: members can come and go as they wish, using equipment how they wish. We also use this time for other fun sessions, such as our Alumni match back in November. Around 15 alumni came back, swapped their walking sticks for swords and tried to beat us at our own game. Sadly, they did succeed but I still believe we were giving them a
much-needed confidence boost. We then took them out on a bar crawl around town and showed them who’s best at that. We have also taught people from Kendo and Mixed Hockey societies how to fence, through mixed socials and RUSU’s ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ scheme. This was an amazing experience for us as we got to show more people how great our sport is, and hopefully break down some stereotypes. I learnt to fence when I was 6, and ever since I have loved the sport. The discipline and skill that it requires means it can never get old, as there is always more to learn. The uneven biceps are worth it for what the sport has given me. I
have met so many friends and been provided with so many opportunities that without fencing I would never have had. I’ve been in various committee positions, as well as taught at a summer camp in America for 3 years. Fencing is a great sport to provide both a mental and physical work out. Most clubs welcome anyone of any age to try it out - you can never be too old to start. If you’re thinking about trying fencing, be prepared to discover bruises you never thought were possible… and for serious amounts of enjoyment.
PA U L A D A R W I N & A M E L I A M C C O R M A C K
Feeling stressed and anxious? SPORT IN MIND CAN HELP! L E YL A O W E N
2nd Year Psychology
Sport in Mind is the UK’s leading mental health sports charity, who deliver physical activity projects in partnership with the National Health Service in order to promote mental wellbeing, improve physical health, combat social isolation and empower people to move their lives in a positive direction. Sport in Mind has recently formed a partnership
with the University of Reading to help and aid students who are experiencing mental health problems, especially people experiencing stress and anxiety. Mental health is a serious issue that affects many students, and Sport in Mind are determined and motivated to help as many students as they can, through sport. Sport in Mind have set up a volunteer society in the students’ union, offering not only a chance to participate in sports sessions for your own well-being, but also
the chance to help others and become a volunteer or buddy. The current sessions that run at the University are: Yoga, Tennis, Badminton and Table Tennis (see below for details of times and location), and welcome any student of any ability to come along and take part. Sport in Mind solely believes in the vast benefits and positive impacts sport has on mental health, and strives to help students in as many ways as possible. The sessions are relaxed and non-competitive and can be
worked around your needs. If you are experiencing stress or anxiety, or know of someone else who might be struggling, please come along to our free sessions, even if you would prefer to sit on the side and watch. If you don’t want to come alone, bring a friend! We welcome everyone. The sessions are: - YOGA Monday 10:30 – 11:30 SportsPark - TENNIS Thursday 1:00 – 2:00
Under the Dome - BADMINTON AND TABLE TENNIS Friday 2:00 – 3:00 SportsPark If you would like more information about Sport in Mind at Reading University, please contact Leyla Owen (President) or Megan Hook (Vice President) at: rusportinmind@gmail. com.
S P O R T | PA G E 3 2
Water Polo club – new in! gets people extremely fit. I am a first-year student 1st Year Primar y Education trying to start a water polo with Mathematics club at the University of Bored of just swim- Reading. I’ve been playing ming lengths? Come and for four years in the Nationtry chucking a ball around al, British Water Polo and with us! Fed up of running Bristol and West Leagues and getting sweaty on land? and have experience coachCome and cool down at the ing. At the moment I am in pool, not even a ten-minute the process of advertising walk from campus. Once this new club and getting you try it, you’ll be hooked: as many signatures as poswater polo is one of the sible: after just three days most unique, exciting team since posting on Facebook, sports. The game involves a I have 70 likes and follows net at each end of the pool, as well as 40 of the 50 sigand one ball (similar to a natures I need. I’m ecstatic volleyball). The aim of the that this club could happen game is easy - swim up with and I’m doing everything the ball and get it in the net! in my power to make sure It’s a very active sport and it does. This could be an
OLIVIA SHELMERDINE
amazing, different, fun and exciting club - with a heavy emphasis on our amazing socials and park bar after training! A water polo team consists of seven players in the pool at a time, with a maximum of six others on the bench (so a squad of 13). Matches are split into seven-minute quarters with a stop clock, and the ball can only be held with one hand at a time – with the exception of the goalkeeper, who can use both hands. Training would be once or twice a week (depending on pool availability), led by me as coach, supported by other committee members.
Training sessions, which would be either 1 or 1 ½ hours, will involve a short swim warm up, ball-passing warm up, shooting drills, explanation of rules to beginners (i.e. most people!) followed by some fun exercises and gameplay. I hope that my enthusiasm for the sport is infectious, and I genuinely think a lot of people would love it. It’s a really easy sport to get into - it’s the game to play on holiday, so why not bring it to University too? The club’s committee is made up of a combination of dedicated water polo players and complete beginners – this reflects the
mix of people we want to join up to have a good time, socialise and get fit! If this has intrigued you, like our Facebook page - Reading University Water Polo Club - and follow us on Instagram: @waterpoloatreadinguni for more information. I’ll keep you posted via social media, so make sure to stay updated on Reading’s most exciting new sporting opportunity!
O L I V I A S H E L M E R D I N E
Success continues for Women’s Cricket R AC H E L E K S T E I N - H O L DE N & S A R A H G AM B O L D
1st Year Philosophy & 1st Year Real Estate
Since the beginning of Reading University Cricket Club’s Women’s team in September 2018, the team has gone from strength to strength, and now trains with at least 16 girls weekly. Women’s Cricket is growing nationally and internationally and is now one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Our January “Give it a Go Session” was successful, with new women and men with varying levels of experience coming to have taste of what the club has to offer. New member Lydia Ellis-Baumber, who attended the session despite having never played cricket before, said “It was great to try cricket for the first time and I look forward to improving
S P O R T S PA R K R E A D I N G
and learning more, with everyone being supportive despite my lack of skills!” The Women’s team have also had competitive match fixtures throughout the term, playing five and winning four overall. The team beat Surrey University twice, and two other teams in a tournament in October. We lost to Southampton University but by a tiny margin of 5 runs, which is a great achievement as Southampton are a very well-established Women’s club. The RUCC girls have also been playing in ECB Softball Tournaments, with the most recent being hosted
S A R A H G A M B O L D
by us here at the University. 24 women were involved in the tournament, which welcomed women from Reading University, Binfield Cricket Club and Berkshire County CC. Everyone was split into four teams and the tournament got underway. The tournament was all about increasing participation and improving skills. It was tightly contested, and everyone played to a high standard with the men’s team helping to umpire and coach. The day was topped off with everyone going to park bar to socialise with the visiting teams and the coaches. The day also in-
volved Berkshire County interest in cricket. Women’s giving the University club training is from 5-6pm on some equipment to use in Sundays in the Sportspark coaching to develop the hall with qualified coaches. girls’ skills. Men’s hard-ball nets are just Looking to the future of before from 3-5pm, and we Women’s Cricket at Read- now have women joining ing, the women have start- from 4pm to increase their ed to move from softball experience in the hard-ball to hardball in preparation game. If you or your friends for matches in the summer. are interested in coming This will be a first for the along or finding out more University with the women about this successful and explaying 40-over matches. iting new team, come along RUCC remains a mixed club to training or get in touch so next year we will wel- through the Facebook page come more women’s roles (Reading University Crickonto the committee to help et Club 2018/19), the Instathe club continue and grow. gram (@ruccwhiteknights), We always hope to see or the RUSU Student Activmore women showing an ities website.