51 minute read
FEELING CHEESY?
VALENTINE’S DAY
Things to Look Forward to in the Spring
Eloise Thorne | Part 1 English Literature and Theatre Studies
VEGANUARY? A SUCCESS! Georgina Hutchinson | Part 2 Agricultural Business Management Successfully completing Veganuary is probably not expected from an agricultural student, however, it was an exciting opportunity to explore the diet now adopted by 600,000 people in the UK.
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
entine’s day alone. But that doesn’t matter to me. I know I am surrounded by people that I adore, and they care about me just as equally. I don’t buy into
the commercial aspect of Valentine’s Day, but I do appreciate the sentimentality that it can have. And I greatly appreciate the range of reduced chocolates the day after!
It is much more important to show people you love them regularly rather than making a rare grand gesture. Love is not exclusive between significant others either. Love is everywhere. Bankrupting yourself for one day is unnecessary when the real gifts that people will treasure are kindness, good memories and you! It is lovely to take time to show your affection, but it can, and should be shown on other days of the year. Various activities, sights and projects accompany the turn of Spring, with changing weather and fresh mindsets making it a pivotal point of the year.
Spring has significance to many people, whether that be because of religious connotations or simply a chance to take a walk without having to wrap up in thousands of layers.
The Spring Equinox is crucial to the season, celebrating the revived life of the Earth that accompanies Spring. For Pagans this is vital to celebrate, and they utilise various avenues to do so. There are particular rituals, such as a man and woman being chosen to take on the roles of Spring God and Goddess, planting seeds symbolically to accompany their courtship. So, whether it is the more consecrated celebrations one looks forward to in Spring, or simply the release of a new music album, there are many treats in store for everyone.
Furthermore, every year the season brings differing opportunities, with 2020 being no different. For example, in 2020, ‘The Killers’ are releasing their new album, ‘Imploding the Mirage’, and half of ‘Circa Waves’s album, “Sad Happy” is being released in March of 2020.
As with every year, the benefits of Spring are broad, stretching from the afore mentioned release of new music, to festivals suited to everybody’s taste, whether that be, ‘Camden Rocks’, debuting the best indie rock across various venues in Camden, or the more serene and composed atmosphere of the, ‘Salisbury International Arts Festival’, with comedy, music and storytelling being at the forefront of the lineup.
There are annual events that are thoroughly enjoyed every year, as well as happenings unique to individual years. St David’s Day is relished by thousands, with the celebration of all things Welsh constituting in parades including daffodils, herds of red dragons and flags of St David himself. This is closely followed by St Patrick’s Day wherein Ireland is celebrated in all its glory, with the national Saint of Ireland also being celebrated.
Alongside these commemorations of Saints, the religious element of Spring is also important. For Christians, the resurrection of Christ during Easter is as important and the widely celebrated festive period of Christmas. On the other hand, Muslims celebrate Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam and just ahead of the festival of Eid- Al- Fitr. The month of fasting in 2020 falls in Spring as Islamic dates are based on the moon. These religious festivals provide much excitement for their followers, and are just another two of the multitude of reasons people enjoy Spring so much.
Spring holds promise and pleasure for all, regardless of background, ethnicity, religion or age.
Internationals at Reading
Overall veganism encouraged me to eat more veg, yet I felt guilty consuming dairy alternatives that had clocked up over 7,000 food miles to reach my local supermarket, raising questions over my carbon footprint.
M&S’s Plant Kitchen triumphed in the vegan ready meals available, yet Honest Burger’s Plant-based burger, left my tastebuds dissatisfied with its sterile flavour. Veganuary may encourage others to eat a more plant-based diet, but for me, it has just supported my view that British and seasonal food produced in a sustainable way is the way I would rather eat.
FEELING CHEESY?
Olivia Mill | Secretary and socials
Photo by Olivia Mill
Pasta and cheese, what more could you want from one meal? This Easy Homemade recipe of mac’n’cheese uses 5 easy ingredients and can be done in 20 minutes.
Cook your macaroni pasta in boiling water on the hob
Make a cheese sauce while your pasta is cooking by melting your margarine in a saucepan and mix in some plain flour, then stir in the milk and sour cream until smooth.
Sara Mattar | Head of Photography
What do you like about living in Reading? The best thing I like about living in Reading is that there is diversity in culture where there are different nationalities across the globe. Day by day you get to learn new cultures and hear different languages where there is a diverse selection of things to do What do you not like about Reading? The fact that internationals do not integrate that much with British students What could be done better? having more events for internationals where there would also be lessons taught about different cultures including food and language as there is not a variety Once smooth add the cheese and wait for it to melt
When the cheese is melted the sauce is ready
Drain the pasta and pour the cheese over the pasta in an oven proof dish
Grate some cheese on top and put it in the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese
16 SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Lifestyle
Eden Eddolls | Part 2 History and English Literature
FEBRUARY 2020 Last term Henley Business School hosted a talk about the changing role of women in business where there were four top entrepreneur women panellists talking about what it is like today. During the panel discussion it was suggested that when working for our first job, sometimes it’s good not to have all the information before entering a job because if you know all the challenges then it would not let you work in that company by enjoying it. Sometimes having no other option and entering a job that is not expected would give you the least expected. When applying for an interview: 1. Be prepared 2. Be professional and down to earth 3. Have energy and passion about the job 4. Have a selling point above anyone else 5. Make sure that is the right place to work at when reaching your final interview 6. Be relaxed to enjoy the interview Women in the business world
one who is quite clear about what they can bring to the company and what they get from the company; authenticity; brave; courageous; showing that they can diverse from others; someone who has a mindset and that they are wiling to learn more; creative thinking. The top tips that were given when working was: 1. Don’t underestimate how much you can do at work 2. Get to know your colleagues and managers 3. Do a lot as the voice of new generations are being heard more than in the past Many challenges that the panellists experienced were: are we at the right place at the right time, a lot of the language is around winning and losing, how can I change myself to be in an environment like the one I am in, how to navigate around the environment, reaching out to peers, trying to adapt, knowing that you are the right fit for the job and using your job position very well. Sara Mattar | Head of Photography
Every company looks for a spark in a graduate when working in their company and that would be: personality (enthusiasm and motivation); someWhen applying for a job do make sure you are prepared for the job and the interview. Ask yourself is it the job that will make me happy?
Photo byBill Oxford on Unsplash
It is only really within the past two years that climate change has had the spotlight it deserves, with influential figures such as Greta Thunberg being at the forefront of the fight as well as campaigns around the UK and Europe from Extinction Rebellion. However, it is hard to ignore the scorching events of climate change (no pun intended), particularly with the latest tragedies of the Australian bushfires.
Although you might not think that your actions have an effect on the current state of the climate change crisis, by making small, more sustainable and environmentally friendly changes it could make a world of difference. Enoughplastic is thrown away each yearto circle the Earth four times!!! So with that in mind here are just a few ideas of some of the simple ways you can help to fight against climate change.
1. Say no to straws- Metal straws are a great alternative for the hundreds of plastic ones we’ve all used, and wasted at pre drinks at Spoons.
2. Eat less meat- You don’t have to go from 0 to 100 and go vegan, but by having a more ‘plant positive’ diet and doing something as simple as ‘Meat-Free Monday’ it could save thousands of animals each year.
3. Reusable water bottle- with so many cute colours and designs there’s really no excuse not to have one.
4. Fibre filter wash bag- Fibre filter bags filter out the tiniest microfibres released from the fabric during the washing process, helping to prevent microfibres from entering our oceans.
5. Reusable makeup remover padsThese are a perfect replacement for the disposable cotton pads to remove your daily makeup and reduce your waste. They’re especially great for students who no longer want to have to buy large packs of cotton pads every two weeks. 6. Reusable shopping bags or recycling old plastic bags from shops- This is an easy and cheap swap to save millions of plastic bags each year
7. Fast fashion is bad!- Recycle old clothes, boycott fast fashion brands, shop in charity shops, look into environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion brands such as ‘TALA’.
8. Green your commute- Take public transport, lift share with friends and think about whether or not you really need that Uber for a 5 minute car journey down the road, yes we’ve all done it.
9. Hang dry your clothes instead of using a tumble dryer- By doing this simple swap you’ll be saving money on bills whilst also saving the environment. It’s a win-win situation.
My culture isn’t your costume
Photo byRishab Rajput
Rishab Rajput | BSc Psychology Placement Year
Culture and fashion…a synonymous pair. Working together to express thoughts and feelings.
Not only is culture deep-rooted in upbringing and sense of self but wearing clothes of another culture without knowledge or understanding minimizes centuries of history and heritage to a facade. A convenient mask to fulfil a Gen Z’s constant commitment to clout.
If you want to appreciate another culture, you’ve completed research, you’ve spoken to individuals from said culture and made an informed decision. Choosing to wear pieces from another culture with no knowledge transforms history to myths.
As ethnic minorities, the clothes on our back became a major part of our self-identity, minorities have been oppressed for millennia and fashion became something that we could control. So, while we invite celebration of other cultures, there are ways to appreciate and exchange rather than appropriate and claim.
FEBRUARY 2020 WHAT IS IT TO STAY CALM, COOL AND COLLECTED?
Sara Mattar | Head of Photography 17 Lifestyle EXPLORE LIVIGNO! DISCOVER THE BEST SKI RESORT IN ITALY Kiran Sian | Part 2 English Literature and German
Photo by Kiran Sian
Photo by Sara Mattar
Today, many people are dealing with stress and they do not know how to stay calm with all the studies around. A stress response is a high activation in the body and brain where there is no adrenaline, negative emotions, panic and anger.
There are three main ingredients to deal with stress which are: confidence (to deeply trust oneself); hedonia happiness (thing that give us pleasure by accomplishing or achieving things); eudaimonia (happiness that comes from making a difference). Dealing with stress is very important because when we pass through with negative experiences it sticks in our brain like glue where we are often overly sensitive to what we perceive to be threats. This leads to us overestimating the scale of the problem where we need to be more vigilant to be calmer when we focus on the negative.
Six steps to help us deal with stress during our studies are:
(1) prioritise the work you need to do;
(2) do the most important thing you need to do first;
(3) be focused when you work where it goes with 90-minutes working without any disturbance then 15 minutes of a break then repeating (90-15-90-15-90);
(4) turn off notifications and keep your phone away; (5) stop multitasking, stay focused on one thing at a time and eliminate all distractions;
(6) make waves (focus 100% then disengage).
Stress can cause a lot of things whether it is with our health or relationships in our lives. This cause us not to be able to enjoy life where it is believed that it is better to stay calm. By doing so, it has been suggested that we could do activities such as mindfulness, being out in nature and exercising.
Mountains of Livigno
Having spent three skiing holidays in Livigno, Italy, I cannot recommend this place enough to fellow skiers and snowboarders. It’s a lovely resort right across the border of east Switzerland in northern Italy. With two mountains separated just by a two-minute bus ride free of charge, there are plenty of slopes to get a thrill out of! It’s definitely the place to be around Christmas time as it is guaranteed to have enough snow with it being 1800 metres above sea level. Come with friends or family, you’ll have a great time either way. If you’re a non-skier, don’t worry! There are a lot of things to do in the valley between the mountains. From shops to cafes and restaurants, you can walk from one end to the other in about 30 minutes. And let us not forget the beauty of joining the party at après-skiing! Just follow the music to the closest bar and you’ll meet all kinds of people there.
So, planning your next winter trip already? Why not give Livigno a go? There’s ample amount of things to get up to with both friends and family.
VALENTINE’S GIFTS BY ASDA PHOTO Holly Fournier | Part 3 English Language and Applied Linguistics
Photo by Holly Fournier
Asda Photo’s Personalised Blanket (gifted)
This Valentine’s day I surprised loved ones in my family with a personalised gift that lasts a lifetime. Valentine’s day is all about love, but it doesn’t have to be romantic- I love to celebrate it with my family too!
Asda Photo offer a stunning range of Valentine’s day gifting options, which are perfect if you want to treat your loved ones at an affordable price. From small treats like a personalised card (£1.80) or a mug (£8.00), to a snuggly photo blanket for the sofa (from £28.00), Asda Photo has it all.
I chose to treat my mum and sister this Valentine’s day to a beautiful photo blanket (gifted) which I got to design myself, and the process was super fun! This gift idea went down a treat. You’re able to choose from any colour you like, and you can choose from a variety of different photo layout designs to suit how many photos you would like to include on the blanket. I thought a blanket was the perfect keepsake to give for multiple family members because everyone can enjoy it.
Personalised gifts are the way to go on Valentine’s day because they make that gift extra special and thoughtful. If you’re interested in any of Asda Photo’s personalised gifts, or you simply want to treat yourself, head over to https://www.asda-photo. co.uk/
MAINTAINING YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Daisy Hanson | Digital Sports Editor
Make bettering yourself a priority. If you want to improve your life you need to plan for it. Set aside a time in your planer or with an alarm to complete your resolution. You could even make other supporting changes to inspire yourself to keep up the work and help create your ideal lifestyle. Photo by Isaac Smith on Unsplash
CHEAP AND FLAWLESS CONCEALER
Olivia Mill | Secretary and socials
BALANCE AT UNIVERSITY
Taz Usher | Print Editor
Need a cheap and easy fix for skin blemishes, dark circles or spots? My all-time favorite concealer, which is also a bargain (currently £4.19 in Boots) is Collection’s Lasting Perfection Concealer. I use this everyday and it is an absolute life saver. I use it to cover my dark circles and brighten my eyes as well as covering up any angry spots which appear overnight. Photo byOlivia Mill
SWAPPING SWEETS FOR FRUIT
Raagulan Umashanker | Digital Entertainment Editor
Photo byJo Sonn on Unsplash
Trying to stop eating sweets, chocolates and biscuits.
Replace them with fruits so that you can replace that unhealthy sweetness from the confectioneries with healthy natural fruity sweetness.
Photo byMarvin MeyeronUnsplash
Going to university has many exciting aspects to it; moving away from home, making new friends and taking up new hobbies and interests. However, whilst enjoying the fun parts of university is important for your happiness and wellbeing, it is necessary to remember the reason you came to university in the first place; to get a degree!
Succeeding at university does not require nonstop revision or essay writing, and nor should it! Instead,
the key to doing well at university is finding a work-life balance which allows you to have fun AND put the necessary effort into your degree.
For some, achieving a work-life balance may require a little more thought than others, particularly for students who lead busy lifestyles including society membership and part-time jobs. Therefore, it’s important to create a routine which is suitable for you, rather than trying to compare yourself to others. The below step-by-step guide shows one approach you can take to achieving a work-life balance:
Step 1 Think about your typical week. List all your commitments including study hours, extracurricular activities, parttime work shifts and things you enjoy doing with friends.
Step 2 Categorise your commitments in a table under the following headings: Studies, Employment, Fitness, Fun. Some commitments may overlap- in this case place them under the heading that they relate most to.
Step 3 Next to each commitment note how many hours you typically spend per week doing the activity. Then add up the hours in each category and put this number next to the heading.
hobbies and interests.
Step 4 Now that you have a rough idea of which commitments you tend to give most attention to, try working out which you need to give more time to each week, and which you could afford to give a less to.
Step 5 Using a wall calendar, create an ideal week plan which incorporates your work-play balance goals. Add study
hours first (including weekly lecture times and contact hours advised by your course) and then work your other commitments around it. Top tip- consider what times your brain works best at. There’s no point saying you’ll do six hours of revision every Saturday and Sunday if you know you won’t stick to it.
Step 6 Use a brightly coloured pen to tick off your commitments as you do them each day. After the first week of following your plan, review what has and hasn’t worked and use this to shape the next week’s routine. Keep doing this until you find an approach which works for you.
Dressing green: why you should consider shopping secondhand.
Zoe Rasmussen | Part 2 English Literature 19 My cooking revelation: turning meal making into a hobby. Lifestyle
Eden James | Part 2 History
Photo by Sean Benesh on Unsplash
A guide to secondhand shopping exploring the online and in-person options for dressing sustainably.
Fast-fashion is a big contributor to the climate crisis, meaning that more sustainable alternatives are desperately needed. Buying clothing from sustainabilility-orientated brands is often quite an investment so buying secondhand is a great way to go.
Buying secondhand and vintage clothing may seem strange or uninteresting at first, but it is a great way to make your shopping habits easier on the environment whilst often saving money. Buying second hand items can often make your outfits more interesting and unique, it also reduces the chance of anybody else wearing the same thing as you. There are a handful of ways you can shop for secondhand clothing, online and inperson.
Perhaps the most notable of all secondhand online marketplaces is Depop, an app that is set out like Instagram on which you can buy and sell items easily and efficiently. On Depop you can find pretty much anything you want, from vintage oneoff pieces to brand-new items that are still available in the original shops, just for a few pounds less than the original price.
Charity shops are the uncut gems of our high streets, relying on donations of clothing, music, books etc. While it can take time and patience finding things that you like among the rails of donated and unwanted clothes, charity shops have a great range of different styles and sizes which makes them great places to look around. Another upside is that charity shops are often priced very low, and the money you do spend goes towards charitable causes.
Kilo sales are events that travel the country selling heaps of vintage clothing for around £15 per kilogram. Mainly advertised on Facebook, these events have a great variety of items for great value. Entry is usually a few pounds and totally worth it for the huge amounts of clothing once you get in. Just be sure to arrive early, it gets busy!
These are just a few ways to get your hands on some new clothes while saving the planet and a few extra pennies. Photo by Kevin McCutcheon on Unsplash
I’ll admit in my first year I didn’t do very much cooking at all, it was so much easier to quickly put something in the oven or heat up something from a jar. They were never exciting meals and probably not very nutritious so going into second year I decided to change this and learn to
cook. I looked for recipes of how I could make my favourite meals at home, one useful thing was that most recipes gave difficulty ratings, for now I just stick with ones that are marked as easy but depending on your skill level you could try something a bit more adventurous.
Trying out the recipes I had more success with some than others but learnt a lot as I went along, some of the easier recipes to make were goulash, chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce and quesadillas. I also tried a chicken katsu curry and other than struggling to get the lid off the blender the sauce turned out well however the chicken not so much.
Just because you fry something on a high temperature doesn’t mean it will cook faster it just means the outside will cook a lot faster than the inside. So, when I fried my breaded chicken on the highest setting the outside burnt while I waited for the inside to cook, I’ll warn you now the taste of charcoal black chicken is not good. Though this was a bit of a disaster I know for next time to put it on a lower setting and I feel this is important to remember when learning to cook.
If something doesn’t go right the first time at least you know what you need to do next time. Something I have also found is that as
I become more confident with a recipe, I can experiment and add different things like spinach to easily get more vegetables into my diet. Though it can take longer than putting a frozen pizza in the oven, I’ve found it to be worth it.
Also, most meals I’ve tried are freezable so I can create one big batch, split it into portions and freeze it for a quick, nutritious, home-made meal later in the week. Not only does it taste better it’s also good for your
bank account, a quick search of ‘budget friendly meals’ on google and you get hundreds of results of tasty, easy to cook meals.
For me cooking has become a hobby and I enjoy the challenge and seeing how it improves as I get more confident with meals, it’s also great for a way to relax between studying. No one can argue a shop bought meal is better than something homemade.
IS YOUR ATTITUDE TO STUDYING HARMING YOU?
Sabita Burke | Sub Editor
Welcome to the February edition of Sabby Studies, your go-to column for study tips, motivation advice and all things uni work-related.
Last month, I told you about some of my favourite study YouTubers, or StudyTubers, who help motivate me to crack on with the work I have to do on those days when I just really don’t want to get out of bed. Personally, I find watching other students getting their productive on truly inspiring and it often gives me the little push of motivation that I need.
While these videos, from ‘study with mes’ to revision tips, can be helpful to the point of inspiring you to become a better person, I am also aware of the dangerous student culture of comparing oneself to others. When I started uni, I met a tonne of the brightest and most high-achieving people I’ve ever known and discovered StudyTubers at the same time. Although I don’t think I’d have made it without the inspiring dedication of these people, there have been times when I’ve taken their advice a little too far.
It’s easy to look at people who have got all A*s at A Level, or our friends who reap in frequent Firsts in uni, and want to follow their example. But before you dedicate yourself to copiously imitating every action your classmate does in the hope of boosting your grades, take a step back and consider whether that particular technique will be right for you. For instance, I’ve spent the past
works for Unjaded Jade, doesn’t mean it will benefit you. Everyone’s bodies and minds work differently from the next person, and that’s totally okay.
two years trying to write essays by completing the introduction and conclusion last, simply because this is what my most talented friends do. I realised eventually that when I wrote these sections first, it helped me focus the rest of my writing on a clearer idea of what my argument was. Likewise, just because getting up to revise at 5:00 a.m. And, if you’re still not sure what styles of learning or techniques work best for you, take a quick study break to take the VARK test. VARK stands for ‘visual, auditory, read-write, and kinaesthetic’, and doing this short online quiz was a crucial stepping stone for me to help discover what kind of learner I am. Turns out, I’m an auditory leaner – I retain new information best when I’m speaking to myself or others out loud. Since I took the test back in first year, I’ve been able to tailor my revision to the ways I know I work best. Rote-learning my exam material by writing it out a dozen times doesn’t cut it for me. When I teach it to my classmates or even talk it through in my bedroom, I remember so much more come the exam. But, of course, it might be completely the opposite for you!
The bottom line is that in studying, we don’t have to be the exact same as everyone else. In fact, sometimes it may even work in your favour not to be. What’s right for one person isn’t necessarily right for you, and taking the time to try new learning methods until you find your perfect study style is the only way you’ll really improve your studies.
Valentine’s Day Skincare Prep Holly Fournier | Lifestyle Editor 21 Places to spend a date in Reading. Lifestyle
Carmen Dupre | Part 2 English Literature with Creative Writing
Photo by Holly Fournier
“Getting ready for a
Valentine’s day date is
like a fun nightmare.”
Getting ready for a Valentine’s day date is like a fun nightmare. There’s picking a cute outfit, doing your makeup and making your skin look the best it can be. Some products that I’ve been trying recently are perfect for getting ready for Valentine’s day.
In the shower, I’ve been loving the ‘Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil’ (gifted) which costs only £10.85 (RRP £14.50) - an amazing price for 1000ml worth of product. It makes my skin feel so silky smooth which is perfect for if you’re wearing a dress or skirt and your legs are on show.
When I get out of the shower, I love to pair this with the ‘Vaseline Intensive Care’ cocoa butter lotion because the hydration lasts such a long time and the scent is indulging. I can still smell the lotion after applying it hours later! This product costs around £4.00 in most health and beauty stores or supermarkets, but I’ve seen it in Savers before for £2.00 so it’s certainly worth shopping around for this product.
Before doing my makeup, I love to use a face mask and I’ve found that the ‘Bioderma Hydrabio Masque Moisturising Mask’ (gifted) has done me wonders. Costing £15.50, you can certainly get at least 10 uses out of this product, and unlike cheaper face masks, this one leaves your skin hydrated for much longer making it the perfect base for makeup. I leave it on for around 10 minutes and remove it with a wet face cloth. Next, I use the ‘Bioderma Sensibio Eye Contour Gel’ (gifted) (£15.00) because I find it helps lift my undereye circles and as a third-year university student, this product is a lifesaver for saving my dark undereye bags!
Then before I apply foundation, I use the ‘Kandi Cosmetics Glow Mist’ which normally costs £20.00 but I received it in a Glossy Box that I bought once (definitely try out Glossy Box for one month if you’re looking to treat yourself to 5 full-size beauty products for under £10 with student discount) and I absolutely love it. It has tiny little pieces of glitter inside which make your face super glowy but they are so small you can’t see the glitter on your face. Pair this with a dewy foundation and you’re all good to go!
Links to products:
- ‘Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil’: https://www.feelunique.com/p/ BIODERMA-Atoderm-Shower-Oi1L
- ‘Vaseline Intensive Care’: https:// www.savers.co.uk/Skin-Care/BodyCare/Body-Moisturisers/VaselineIntensive-Care-Cocoa-RadiantBody-Lotion-400ml/p/320702
- ‘Bioderma Hydrabio Masque Moisturising Mask’: https://www. feelunique.com/p/BIODERMAHydrabio-Masque-MoisturisingMask-75ml
- ‘Bioderma Sensibio Eye Contour Gel’: https://www.feelunique.com/p/ BIODERMA-Sensibio-Eye-ContourGel-15ml
-‘Kandi Cosmetics Glow Mist’: https://kandicosmetics.co.uk/ products/glow-mist Photo byWiktor KarkochaonUnsplash
While Valentine’s day has been and gone, there’s never a bad time to take out someone special. To help keep your dating lives active, here’s some ideas for what you could get up to.
1. An Escape Room
There are currently around three or four companies in Reading offering Escape Game experiences, and these are perfect for a date as, if you’re thinking on your feet, it’ll be easier to avoid any initial awkward moments. Escape Rooms are also suitable for double or group dates.
If you’re hoping for a chance to get a little closer, Escape Reading’s The Vampire Slayers has a sixteen plus ‘scarier version’ complete with jump scares to get your hearts pounding.
2. RedKangaroo Trampoline Park
Not just trampolines; a session at this leisure centre includes activities such as a slide, dodgeball court and tons more. Another fun option that breaks the ice and can apply to a group date.
3. Explore one of Reading’s museums.
These are perfect for colder weather. A top choice is the River and Rowing Museum. Located on the Thames itself, this museum date can easily turn into a day out if things go well no matter the weather, whether it be a walk along the river for a picnic or a stop for a meal in the museum café. While not quite as local as you may like, it’s easily accessed via train if you’re unable to drive.
“These are perfect for
colder weather. A top
choice is the River and Rowing Museum. ”
er, it may be worth reviewing your options and trying something neither of you have tried before.
Bhel Puri House offers Indian Street food with a popular vegetarian menu. For a more hand’s on experience you could even try barbecuing your own meat at The Soju, a delicious Korean barbecue restaurant. Customers are encouraged to share their dishes, and there’s potential for fun even if no romance blossoms.
Other options include Reading Museum of English Rural Life, which has free admission, as well as the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, which holds a huge mix of exhibits to keep you occupied. These won’t appeal to everyone, but if exploring museums is your thing, doing it together is an excellent date idea.
4. Food!
A destination desired by even the poorest of students, Café Yolk offers a nicer atmosphere than your typical greasy spoon and great food to boot. If your date isn’t impressed by a cosy brunch at Café Yolk, howev5. Reading Climbing Centre
The climbing centre offers several classes and pathways, so no matter your ability you’re sure to have fun. Even if one or both of you are complete beginners, the instructors
“no matter your ability
you’re sure to have fun.”
are friendly and will show you that climbing is a fantastic hobby to take up. At the end of your session you could even make the decision to sign up for further climbs together, which could be exactly what a longer-term relationship needs.
Monday, February 24th 6pm-9pm: Full-Time Officer Candidates Question Time: Ask the candidates questions about their aims and ideas for the roles and get a clearer idea of who you’d like to vote for.
Monday, February 24th to Saturday, February 29th @ 7.45pm: The Haunting of Hill House @ Reading Progress Theatre. Relive the American gothic horror story and question the existence of the supernatural.
Tuesday, February 25th to Friday, February 28th: Vote for your 2020/21 team of representatives. Visit rusu.co.uk/ elections to cast your votes.
Thursday, February 27th @ 10pm: ABBA Discowonderland Q Club, Reading.
Friday, February 28th 7pm-9pm: RUSU Results Party. Come along and find out who next year’s officers are at the Results Party in 3Sixty.
Don’t miss the 2020 Snooker Grand Prix taking place in Cheltenham from the 3rd-9th of February.
Don’t forget that the Rugby Six Nations are taking place over February and March! Catch the matches in Mojos and Park Bar!
Room booking- self-service: To sign your society up to the new room booking system email Molli Cleaver at president@ rusu.co.uk
Indoor packed lunch facility: Save some pennies and bring a packed lunch to uni with the new facilities provided across campus. See the map on the previous page for more details.
Ticket resale- Bought a ticket to a RUSU event which you can no longer attend? Resell your ticket safely and responsibly at http://rusu.twickets.live/.
TOWN CENTRE & LONDON ROAD CAMPUS TOWN CENTRE & LONDON ROAD CAMPUS
WANTAGE
WB
ST GEORGES
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RUSU ELECTIONS TIMELINE OF EVENTS
TOP MANIFESTO TIPS
Talk to your friends, flatmates and people on your course. Listen to the issues that they experience and use these to help shape your manifesto points.
Make sure your points are clear- will people know what you are trying to get across?
Look at previous officer manifestos and manifestos from other students’ unions for inspiration
Think about how you will communicate your points- are these changes that students want to see on campus?
You can attend!
Come along to Monterey Lounge to hear this year’s candidates talk about their aims and ideas for the roles.
Online campaigning starts @ 2pm
Monday 24th February
Full campaigning starts @ 6pm
Part-time Officer Question Time @ 10am-2pm
Full-time Officer Question Time @ 6pm-9pm
Tuesday 25th February
VOTING OPENS @ 7am
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT QUESTION TIME/ TOP TIPS
• Students will be able to submit questions during the event that they want the candidates to answer.
This will be the first time students are hearing from candidates in person – they will give a one-minute speech about why you should vote for them so is the best place to work out where your vote will go.
Already know who you’re voting for? Then come down and support the candidate! This can be daunting for them so a friendly face in the room cheering them on will go a long way.
Are you part of an underrepresented group on campus? There is Part Time Officer question time too that is filmed so you’ll get the chance to understand their motivations as well.
Are you a candidate taking part? Remember: practice answering questions, know your role well, and think about what might come up during the event. Above anything else, don’t panic; everyone will be here cheering you on and supporting you! Vote online at www.rusu.co.uk/elections
Make sure you check out the officer campaign videos and watch them at question time, so that you can make an informed decision about who you want the leaders of your Students’ Union to be.
RUSU ELECTIONS TIMELINE OF EVENTS
You can attend!
Bring your friends along to 3Sixty in RUSU to be the first to hear the results of the election.
5 SKILLS TO BE GAINED FROM AN OFFICER ROLE
Public speaking and script writing skills.
Organisation: as an officer you will be involved in a number of different projects around the University and the Students’ Union.
Thriving under pressure: there are plenty of deadlines throughout the year. As you begin your term in office you will also be expected to carry on the previous officer’s work.
Working as a team: you are a part of a team of 5 officers. You will learn so much about each other, including learning skills, interests, how to cheer each other up and how to wind each other up, but most importantly you’ll learn how to work as a team.
Leadership: some of the officer roles work with a range of people, the welfare office overseas the JCRs, the Education officer overseas Course and School reps, and the diversity officer overseas the part-time officers.
VOTING CLOSES @ 3pm
Results Party @ 7pm- 9pm
Monday 2nd March
Publication of results @ 12pm
Post-election candidate drop-in @ 1pm-5pm Congratulate your new team of student representatives!
5 TIPS FOR CAMPAIGNING
It’s not about how many people you know now, it’s about who you get to know during campaigning! Don’t be put off if you don’t have a massive social reach at the moment, just get out and speak to people
Make sure you speak to students outside of your usual circles of people (who are likely to vote for you anyway!). Go out and speak to people who you would never usually meet.
Despite our best efforts, some students won’t be aware of the elections- make sure they understand what RUSU is, what the elections are, and how people can vote, before you explain why they should vote for you.
Plan ahead- do your research and decide how you’re going to spend your time and your budget beforehand, so that as soon as the voting period starts you can focus on campaigning.
Don’t forget the rest of your life! Campaigning takes up a lot of your time, but make sure you give some time to your Uni work and to yourself.
THREE WITCHES. CAULDRONS. MURDER. TERRY PRATCHETT’S WYRD SISTERS. Entertainment
Adam Snook | Part 3 History and International Relations
Blood stained hands, a ghostly king, and conspiring nobility. Sound familiar?
Wyrd Sisters leans heavily on Shakespeare plays such as Macbeth and King Lear, blending classic story elements with the comedic mayhem of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld setting. The tale of Lancre’s disputed line of succession unfolds on stage as witticisms and insights are fired at you with the speed and consistency of a Gatling gun, ensuring plenty of action and laughter. The scenes and settings move swiftly between Lancre Castle, dungeons, the town, surrounding villages and the witches’ cottage. All are brought to life with inventive, versatile set design and a number of special effects that showcase the magic of theatre alongside that of the witches.
The headliners of the play are the witches, the indomitable, elderly Granny Weatherwax (Melanie Sherwood) and Nanny Ogg (Liz Carroll), alongside their younger companion Magrat Garlick (Yvonne Newton.) The trio safeguard Lancre by confronting challenges with a mixture of headstrong compassion and their own form of magic, which they affectionately call ‘headology’. It relies on the principle that what people believe is what is real, rather than casting spells. Melanie Sherwood and Liz Carroll reprise their roles as Weatherwax and Ogg, as they also played the witches in Progress Theatre’s previous Discworld production of Maskerade. The pair bring such confidence and authenticity to the characters, creating a lasting impression in the imagination of how a witch should be performed.
The cast offer strong support to the titular characters, from the brief appearance of the melodramatic, riddling Demon WxrtHltl-jwlpklz (George Prove) to numerous amusing, profound moments provided by the tinkling, capering Fool (Dean Stephenson) who is positioned well in the tradition of theatrical fools that have more depth to their jokes and understanding than it might at first appear. A number of University of Reading Alumni and staff appear in the production, continuing a rewarding tradition of connection between the University and Progress Theatre. Iesa Kahn (playing multiple characters) and Yvonne Newton (playing Magrat) are alumni of the Department of Film, Theatre and Television and Yvonne now works in the University’s Content Team. Adam Lines (playing Vittoler and others) works in the University’s Global Recruitment and Admissions Team. Joseph Morbey (playing Hwel and others) is alumni of Theatre Arts, Education and Deaf Studies, and was active with the Reading University Drama Society.
Overall, Progress Theatre brings Pratchett’s creations to life with vivid hilarity in a production that does justice to its venerated source material without losing accessibility for viewers unfamiliar with Discworld. The theatre is self-governing, self-funding and situated only 5 minutes’ walk from the University of Reading’s Whiteknights campus. With 96 seats the theatre feels intimate but not small or cramped, and as the majority of productions sell out, a good audience atmosphere is guaranteed. A fully-licensed
bar sells drinks and snacks at very reasonable prices. With its proximity to the university and the high standard of performances presented, Progress Theatre should be on the radar of any student interested in the theatre or a good evening’s entertainment.
Photo taken by Aidan Moran
EXLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH WYRD SISTERS’ DIRECTOR: CHRIS MORAN Adam Snook | Part 3 History and International Relations
Q: How did you get involved with theatre and what has been a particular highlight?
A: I saw a play when I was very young and knew what I wanted to do with my life, so I went to university and drama school then started working as a playwright. I now have a theatre company that performs at fringe festivals and I’ve been at Progress since 1991, directing for 21 years. My highlights are working with fantasy themes, bringing a new world to life on stage. Wyrd Sisters is my fourth Pratchett production, after Going Postal in 2010, The Fifth Elephant in 2013 and Maskerade two years ago, where I fell in love with the witches and wanted to tell another story with them. Q: What opportunities are there for University of Reading students to get involved with Progress Theatre?
A: We definitely welcome students, auditions are open to everyone and membership fees are only paid if you are cast in a role. University students have often appeared in plays, four of the cast for Wyrd Sisters have links to the university. There are also opportunities to work with sound and lighting or backstage. We’ve also offered work experience or helped students with research projects.
Q: How does theatre offer a unique experience in a modern entertainment market full of films, TV and video games?
Q: What is it about Pratchett’s books that makes them so effective on stage?
A: There’s lots of scope to be creative, particularly when crafting the main location for the setting. For Maskerade it was an opera house, for Wyrd Sisters it’s a castle, which facilitates transitions into other scenes such as a forest or streets. The broad scope of Discworld provides a useful canvas to draw your own ideas on, but also has details that fans of Pratchett will expect to see. A: The theatre is a more immediate, intimate space where you share the room with the actors. Often, entertainment now is not single focus, people are watching TV while browsing on Facebook, their attention is diverted, especially when you can now stop, pause or binge watch shows whenever you want. Theatre makes a unique connection, where you have to turn up at a specific time and have an immediate response to what’s happening. Theatre is for everyone, especially Pratchett, it’s not highbrow so can be enjoyed by all.
2020 OSCAR NOMINATIONS FAIL AT DIVERSITY ONCE AGAIN
Elsie Stuart | Part 2 English Literature & Film Studies
The Academy Awards are seen as the most prestigious awards ceremony in regard to critical acclaim, and the nominations this year are as divisive as ever. Following on from the ‘Oscars so white’ campaign from 2018, the diversity amongst nominees is pretty poor, despite excellent performances and direction alike.
However, for the first time a foreign film has been nominated for Best Picture; Parasite by Bong Joon Ho, making huge strides in the inclusion of foreign language films in award ceremonies and celebrating their excellence. Still, the film doesn’t get any recognition for acting performances, despite being a very character driven piece – is Hollywood reluctant to nominate more unheard actors over big names?
Another big miss is in the director category, with Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, which is as masterful as it is from inspirational and unique directorial style. Other female directors such as Lulu Wang, Lorene Scafaria and Marielle Heller were not included, leaving the category all male. Little Women did receive six other nominations, including costume design, score, and actresses in leading and supporting roles. The recent release of Uncut Gems was not nominated at all, although being very critically praised, particularly Adam Sandler’s performance. In addition, only one out of ten leading actor roles are nonwhite, with incredible performances by Lupita Nyong’o and Jennifer Lopez going unrecognised. Interestingly, comic book film Joker got an impressive 11 nominations including best picture, costume design, and lead actor – despite mixed reviews upon release. In addition, despite an intense fan campaign, Avengers: Endgame only received one nomination, for visual effects, alongside The Irishman, 1917, The Lion King, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood also got a significant sweep of 10 nominations, including best picture, lead and supporting actor, and director. Knives Out, the original film by Rian Johnson received only an original screenplay nomination, despite immense critical acclaim. In the animated feature category, only 2 out of the 5 belong to Disney/Pixar as well, leading the way for smaller and more independent production companies, moving away from the huge Disney domination which has lasted.
Overall, whilst not every choice made will satisfy every film lover, the innate lack of inclusivity and diversity within the Oscars – and Hollywood – are unacceptable on all levels, especially given the talent displayed by those which were not nominated. And although there are multitudes of international and independent awards, the prestigious nature of the academy means it sets an example to others, and this example is not good enough anymore.
UNCUT GEMS: A REVIEW OF THE SAFDIE BROTHERS’ NEW THRILLER STARRING ADAM SANDLER.
Ryan Harnell | Part 2 International Development
Photo by IMDB
Adam Sandler delivers a truly magnetic performance as greasy gambler Howard Ratner in the Safdie Brothers’ latest adrenalineflick, Uncut Gems.
Its claustrophobic all the way through to the final shot; safe to say that this film isn’t for the faint hearted, as it makes for some stressful viewing.
That said, if you’re a sucker for slow-burning thrillers with big twists and turns – not to mention tragically flawed protagonists and increasingly mounting stakes - then this panic-infused piece of cinema is exactly what you’re looking for.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood: A review of
the new Mr. Rogers film starring Tom Hanks.
Ryan Harnell | Part 2 International Development
Photo by IMDB Based on the Esquire article ‘Can you say hero?’ by Tom Junod, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is subtly breathtaking family drama. It boasts remarkably nuanced performances from its leads - Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers and Matthew Rhys as Lloyd Vogel - whilst delivering a contemplative and timely two hours of cinema that should be required viewing for everyone in the world right now. If you leave your seat not the slightest bit moved or tearful or inspired, I would have doubts that we were watching the same film.
OBSCURE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: THE SIMS (ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK)
Josh Coombes | Part 3 Philosophy & English Literature
We’re in the Twenties, and boy howdy, isn’t that just swell? And while we’re celebrating the dawn of a new era, let’s also take time to mark another notable occasion. On the 11th February twenty years ago, The Sims was released in Europe, paving the way for countless mental breakdowns as philosophers and laypeople alike began to wonder whether we were, in fact, the ones who were part of some great simulation.
But why am I talking about The Sims, other than the fact that it’s one of the most influential video games of the century? Well, it’s time again for me to shine a light upon an underrated album, and there’s no better opportunity to laud the excellent soundtrack of the first game in the franchise than its twentieth anniversary. Video game soundtracks are still, shockingly, treated as if they aren’t “proper” music. I remember listening to Classic FM years ago and being gobsmacked to hear a song from Skyrim being played— gobsmacked partially because I was nerding out hard, but also because it’s just not the done thing. Treating video game music as equal to film soundtracks? Utter anarchy!
Photo by: The Sims 4/EA Games
sational new age solo jazz piano,” which almost sums it up. But it misses a vital element: we know what it is, but what essence does it capture? Perhaps the answer to that would be “suburban Americana.”
Rant over. Let’s look at The Sims (Original Soundtrack). It’s a smorgasbord of genres towards the end, but I find myself listening to the first half of the album far more than the second—the first half tends towards what Polygon calls “quasi-improviI have often heard it said that the first entry in the Sims series, more than any of the others, gives off an otherworldly quality to it. One YouTube commentator suggested that it is as if the ‘50s, ‘80s, and the year 2000 merged. It’s like a sitcom, bedecked with plastic flamingos and white picket fences—a sitcom that lets you drown people by removing pool ladders.
Go listen. Halsey’s third studio album ‘Manic’ distinguishes itself from her previous albums ‘Badlands’ and ‘Hopeless Fountain Kingdom’ with a greater sonic versatility and lyric-driven approach. In her first two albums, Halsey used a conceptual approach to her music: ‘Badlands’ was based on a dystopian reality and ‘Hopeless Fountain Kingdom’ drew inspiration from Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. In a sense, ‘Manic’ is another concept album, but this time the concept is Halsey herself.
The first track ‘Ashley’, which is Halsey’s real name, begins with a familiar sound and sets the tone for the rest of the album with the lyric “I told you I’d spill my guts”. The tracks ‘Forever … (is a long time)’ and ‘Still Learning’ delve into Halsey’s self-confessed difficulties with relationships and love, something she has previously detailed on her song ‘Bad at Love’ from her second album. She also plays around with genre a lot on this album with rock, hip-hop and country music all making appearances, notably in the tracks ‘3am’, ‘You should be sad’ and ‘Finally // beautiful stranger’. It is through the presence of all these different genres within one album that listeners can really admire the versatility of Halsey’s voice, but also her songwriting which really stands out on ‘Manic’.
While ‘Manic’ features the amazingly successful single ‘Without Me’ Photo by Aidan Cullen/aidancullen.us
it seems as though making radio-friendly singles was not a priority in the making of this album as many of the songs are noticeably short. However, many of the tracks flow from one another with such ease that you may not even realise you’re listening to a different track until the vocals come in, the cohesiveness of this album makes it difficult to not listen to the entire thing on every listen.
The title ‘Manic’ certainly feels like a perfect fit with the influence of different genres but also with the headspace Halsey presents through her lyrics. In ‘3am’ she describes a difficulty being alone with her own thoughts, and in ‘Forever … (is a long time)’ Halsey documents a growing sense of paranoia within a relationship. In the last three tracks it seems Halsey is desperate to broach personal subjects such as reproductive issues, fame, and family with heartbreaking honesty. The final track ‘929’ comes across as an attempt to leave nothing left unsaid and along with ‘More’ is one of the most personal tracks on the album.
‘Manic’ displays a newfound maturity in Halsey’s sound and songwriting ability while establishing her versatility within different styles. Despite the slightly underwhelming length of many of the tracks, this album surpasses expectations in regards to its emotionality.
Alternative Valentine’s Playlist
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Is It Real - Bombay Bicycle Club
Happy (Acoustic) - Oh Wonder
Shampoo Bottles - Peach Pit
