The Spark Newspaper May 2018 by The Spark

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360 Renovation Update Hannah Moore

2nd Year English Literature

The announcement of the closure of the main room of 3sixty was met with some questions over the disruption to union nights, the changes being made and the date for reopening.

3Sixty is scheduled to be reopened in time for Freshers 2018.

3sixty is scheduled to be reopened in time for Freshers 2018, with the first student event being The Welcome Mash Up on September 23rd 2018.

This also means that the Summer Ball will not be using the main room This also means that the Summer Ball will not be using the main room, just as the Grad Ball that took place

on May 18th did not. Richard Lines, the business development manager of RUSU helped to clarify some questions about the renovation. “The main difference once the refurbishment is complete will be an improved venue with improved access for disabled guests, larger bar service areas and more flexibility to host a wider range of events.” He also defended the timing of this work saying that the “detrimental effect is limited” due to the general capacity of union nights being significantly reduced in Summer Term. According to the RUSU

website this update will include “cutting edge audio/ visual systems, improved access all around and much-needed improvements to facilities and décor.” The maximum capacity of 2,500 will not change after the refurbishment (it is

currently 1165 without the main room) and the main entrance will go back to its original location rather than through the reception entrance (by bubble tea) that serves as the current temporary entrance. (Continued on page 2)

an improved venue with improved access for disabled guests

The maximum capacity of 2,500 will not change after the refurbishment

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S O C I E T I E S AWA R D S

Lauren covers the latest updates on the events by RUSU says Relax

Mia reports on new halls study spaces

Phaidra announces the winners of this year’s awards.

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news Phaidra Robinson News Editor

HIS last term of the year is always tinged with stress and sadness but it is also the most exciting time of the year for students. First years have to face the reality of second year actually counting towards their de-

This last term of the year is always tinged with stress and sadness

gree and second years have to face the dissertation year ahead and final year students have the adult world to enter. The summer ahead is sure to be full of life long memories and maybe some studying. Over this final term, as exam pressure has

The summer ahead is sure to be full of life long memories and maybe some studying

stall in Café Mondial, as well as RUSU’s diversity officer’s ‘March for Diversity’. this issue of The Spark Following last term’s strike News covers the new action, the Vice – Chancellor has announced the plans study spaces in halls for strike compensation for hit and the library is continually full, this issue of The Spark News covers the new study spaces in halls, the continued renovation of Union’s main room in 3-Sixty. This issue also covers the ‘RUSU says Relax’ events and the new Krispy Kreme

Following last term’s strike action, the Vice - Chancellor has announced the plans for compensation

students and our own Lifestyle Editor, Rosie Neville, gives her view on the World Happiness Report. Finally, if exams have made you a little down in the dumps, we have a column written by Lewis King, from Comedy Society, discussing the likelihood of students surviving the seemingly impending apocalypse. If you would like to write for The Spark News section in the future, please join our Facebook group or email news.spark@reading. ac.uk.

Vice -Chancellor announces free graduation gowns for graduates Phaidra Robinson News Editor

Following the strike by University and College Union, staff across the country, as well as at the University of Reading, did not teach for a significant portion of last term to protest changes to their pension schemes. Staff picketed at the entrance to the university, as well as students showing solidarity with their cause. During this time staff were not paid their salary and instead the Vice – Chancellor David Bell has

announced (in an email sent to all students) that the funds from these salaries will be spent on ‘mitigating the action and its impact on our students. Remaining funds would then be used to directly support the welfare of students and staff.’

although it is a benefit for current final years, and post - grads, it seems to be the easiest option

Obviously, this decision will not benefit students who will graduate this year. To compensate these students, David Bell has announced, ‘we will be paying for gown hire for all graduands – undergraduate and postgraduate – at both the July and December graduation ceremonies in 2018.’ Jack Abrey, a third year Human and Physical Geography student stated, ‘Whilst free gown hire won’t undo the impact of strike action, it certainly does go some way to reduce the financial burden of graduation. It also shows the universi-

ty acknowledge that final year students were some of the most strongly affected, despite alternative arrangements being made in some cases.’ ‘Let’s just hope we can still get the grades we were aiming for and wear the robes with pride!’ Molly – Jane Bowen, a third year Film student, had a slightly more negative view, stating, ‘although it is a benefit for current final years and post grads, it seems to be the easiest option for the Vice – Chancellor to turn to in terms of some form of “compensation” as he could

give us a lot more financial compensation for lack of teaching during the strikes.” Hannah Ralph, a third year English Literature and Theatre student stated a more positive view, ‘I think it’s great!’ Overall, although it seems positive that David Bell is attempting to appease students who are upset at the strike action by investing in welfare services and gowns for graduates, there may need to be more action for students to feel completely compensated for the education time lost during the strike action.

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The new print editor Hope everyone’s revision and exams are going well. I’m Georgia Courtney-Cox the new Print Editor following on from Emer Scully who did an amazing job. This piece is overdue, like most of you I’ve been bogged down with placements, extracurricular projects and assignments so writing for the April issue was just not happening. Writing an article for Spark during exams can be an additional stress but if you’re looking for an outlet from revision then writing for us gives you a space where you can relax and write an article completely unrelated to your revision, to get things of your chest, or to simply to discuss stories that interest you. The Spark is the place to shout about it. I’m a First Year Student studying English Literature soon to be in my second year which is crazy to say because it only feels like a few months ago I was a Fresher; this year as gone by so quickly.

S PA R K TEAM PRINT EDITOR GEORGIA COURTNEY-COX E D I T O R . S PA R K @ R E A D I N G . A C . U K

DEPUT Y EDITOR L A U R A S TA E S D E P U T Y E D I T O R @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

NEWS EDITOR PHAIDRA ROBINSON N E W S @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

LIFESTYLE EDITOR ROSIE NEVILLE L I F E S T Y L E @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

SUB EDITORS MARTHA ODYSSEOS E L L I E P E S TA I N A

E N T E R TA I N M E N T EDITOR TA Z U S H E R E N T E R TA I N M E N T @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

For anyone who is thinking of writing for Spark, I’d give you one piece of advice, honestly just go for it! I’ve been there my first article published in the Spark was an anticipation piece for the Black Panther and then a full review of the movie (which unashamedly I have seen 5 times). We’re a University led paper interested in all aspects of university life from tips on how to survive on a budget, the teacher’s strikes, managing stress to publishing lead line-ups for the Reading Festival. If you have a story or information to share let us know and we’ll give you the platform to get it published.

S A M M C N U LT Y

SPORTS EDITOR T H O M A S LY O N S S P O R T @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

DESIGN EDITOR EDEN SINCLAIR

You don’t have to study English to write for the Spark and if writing isn’t your thing and you’re drawn to behind the scenes of news publication then we have various roles in marketing and distribution, design and secretarial positions.

D E S I G N @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR EUAN CARMICHAEL

Not knowing who to contact is usually the first hurdle, which is why we’re now working closely with our Secretary and Marketing and Distribution team to introduce a specific page to contact and plan social events for Fresher’s and for new writers to meet the team and discuss article ideas in an informal space with food provided - most likely pizzas! We are a small dedicated enthusiastic team and we would love to hear from you. Hope you’re ready for Fresher’s because we’re excited to bring a spark of innovation to next term.

@ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R

O N L I N E E N T E R TA I N M E N T EDITOR

P H O T O G R A P H Y @ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R . C O. U K

DESIGN TEAM M AT T H E W C O W L E S ANGIE BACALLAN A M R I TA S H R I L A L CHIA-YI CHU HARRY GROVE

MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION JOSH DUNFORD

@ T H E S PA R K N E W S PA P E R

@ S PA R K N E W S PA P E R

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360 Renovation Update Hannah Moore

2nd Year English Literature

(Continued from front page) Some students have expressed concerns about the changes, Aoife Bailey, second year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student, commented saying “The raised portion (which will be removed) does serve a purpose, though. It helps people who are just moving through, finding friends or

queueing up for a drink. If the dance floor is all one level it could be harder to sep-

Some students have expressed concerns about the changes

arate between bar and dance floor”

The raised portion of (which will be removed) does serve a purpose though.

However, the future president of RUSU Jason Dabydoyal is optimistic about these changes. “I think we should all look forward to experiencing the new club next year and I’m glad generations of students to come are going to have access to a club with better aesthetics, greater functionality and accessibility. Credit

RICHARD LI NES

I think we should all look forward to experiencing the new club next year to the teams working behind the scenes to make sure this is done in time for Freshers 2018.”

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Handy Halls Study Spaces Mia Skevington

2nd Year English Literature

There have been cries from students all around campus about the lack of study space due to Library renovations. Prayers have been answered.

There are now six new study zones on campus

There are now six new study zones on campus and not only that but they are within the Halls accommodation themselves. These new study hives are found in: Mackinder JCR, Childs JCR, Stenton JCR, Wantage Computer room, St George’s

ED WHITE

Computer room, and last, but in no means the least, Wessex Library. Each study space has been

Each study space has been refurbished to the same practical and pleasant standard.

refurbished to the same practical and pleasant standard. New furniture has been installed as well as lighting and heating being enhanced. Each new study zone also provides power sockets and USB chargers for all your technological needs. All these improvements are a result of the collaboration between the University of Reading and UPP and the work of Ed White, the RUSU Education officer.

Ed first suggested the notion in June 2017 when he first got awarded his role. The idea came out of the fact that he had ‘been a JCR and noticed that basically the JCR rooms don’t get used well throughout the year’. From this observation he decided that ‘it would be nice if they could be used by people to study’. With this came plans to convert many unused spaces across halls into useful study rooms and he has managed to see it

the JCR rooms don’t get used well throughout the year

through to its fruition. The grand opening was on April 10, and unveiled a total of around 100-120 new study

ED WHITE

spaces.

nearest hall’s space.

These new spaces will be open 24 hours a day dur-

Dunsden has access to Mackinder, Greenow and McCombie has access to Padworth and Windsor has access to Ipsden. Ed further qualifies that Wessex is the largest space with around 40 seats but the former JCR rooms in the Park Group have around 10 each.

These new spaces will be open 24 hours a day during the Quiet period.

ing the Quiet period (Until the 8th of June) and from 7:00am until 12:00am on a more general basis. Each space will be available to the residents of each respective Hall with ideas to open them up to more students in the future. Ed explained that ‘Each halls space is open to residents of the hall and any guests they bring’. Not only this but for some halls residents without the new study space can use their next

These new spaces large and small will help to take the pressure off the URS building and other popular study spaces and Ed says that this will ‘hopefully make it easier for those out of halls to find space’ whilst creating spaces for those in halls that are ‘out of the bedroom so you can get a good work/life balance but nearby and convenient’. Study spaces are few and far between due to library renovations so these new study spaces will improve the lives of all students at the University of Reading.

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Societies, Media and Volunteering Awards Phaidra Robinson News Editor

As the summer term began, everyone started to become nervous at the impending doom that is exams. This was, therefore, the perfect time to let off a little steam and celebrate the achievements of the hardworking students who form the committees of RUSU’s societies, media teams and volunteering groups at the Society, Media and Volunteering Awards Ball on April 16. Everyone who participates in a society committee works incredibly hard to ensure the members have the best time possible and the award winners are those who have been shown to be the students who have stood

the award winners are those who have been shown to be the students who have stood out out within their respective societies. Media Awards Winners Best Media Newcomer – Phaidra Robinson and Eden Sinclair for The Spark Newspaper Best Print Content – Emer Scully for ‘RUSU Introductions September 2017’ Best Radio Content – Scratchylus and Empress

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Reggar Interview by Zack Attree and Jack Abrey Best TV Content – Reading University Boxing Society Promotional Video by Nia Stokes. Volunteering Awards Winners Project Coordinator of the Year - Isabella Coley, Marrow Best Fundraising Event Reading RAG: Student Auction Outstanding Contribution to One-Off Volunteering - Josie McAllister: Reading RAG Volunteer of the Year Umaymah Ali: Marrow Fundraiser of the Year Libby Woods: Childreach Team Leader Project of the Year - Reading RAG Most Improved Volun-

Everyone who participates in a society comitee works incredibly hard teering Project - Student Eats Society Award Winners Society of The Year - RU Domestic Do It Yourself Society Best New Society - K Pop Society Best Small Society - Bellydance Society Most Improved Society Sign Language Society Performance of the year Tap and Modern Society for

‘Battle of the centuries’ Member of the year Adam Saunders of Music Society Class Clown - Ryan Daubney of Rock SOC Fundraiser of the year Reading University Drama Society for ‘Performing arts showcase’ Most Dedicated Society Sikh Society President of the year Teddy Turpin of Reading University Drama Society Committee Member of the year – Laura Stone of Christian Union Committee Member of the year - Graice Price of MUSEO Trip of The Year - Nepalese Society trip to Diasie Festival Event of The Year - Christian Union’s Events Week

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Krispy Kreme comes to campus Sophie Gibbons

2nd Year English Literature

Ever had a time when you are on campus and fancy something sweet, but just couldn’t find that one thing that really hits the spot? On April the 16th, Krispy Kreme graced students with it’s first appearance in Café Mondial. This has been a huge success amongst students, with happiness spreading quickly. When asked, second year

English Literature and German student, Alisha Jindal said “It is amazing that Krispy Kreme is in RUSU, I no longer have to go into town for one”. The decision to have a Krispy Kreme stand, along-

This has been a huge success amongst students, with happiness spreading quickly

side Starbucks, gives students a place to catch up with friends, and a space for some needed rest from work. It is evident from the feedback from students that this is a positive investment. Second year Zoology student, Samantha Holt joked “There goes my poor attempt at a diet”, before saying “No, this really is great, just give me the doughnuts!” As a result, RUSU have made a difference that has contributed to student satisfaction, allowing them a new way to enjoy spending time

With new laws recently regarding sugar tax on soft drinks ... some people feel that this will add to these issues with friends. However, some people disagree, suggesting that this is encouraging unhealthy eating. With new laws recently regarding sugar tax on soft drinks and an increase in

information on eating disorders within recent years, some people feel that this will add to these issues. An anonymous source stated, “many students these days are suffering with eating disorders, so surely it is insulting to them having even more sugar shoved under their nose?” Overall, most students have welcomed Krispy Kreme very positively, enjoying their doughnuts, alongside a nice Starbucks.

What Should Determine our Political Spectrum? tion (trust); generosity.

Rosie Neville Lifestyle Editor

Studying the ‘World Happiness Report’, is it time to reconsider the basis of our political system? Most people know how the political spectrum works: it is a line which runs from the Left Wing (socialism) to the Right Wing (capitalism). It is essentially based on differing economic beliefs. However, as it is the basis for our legal system, our economics and our

Studying the ‘World Happiness Report’. Is it time to reconsider the basis of our political system?

The ‘World Happiness Report’ is published every year and ranks the 156 countries in the world based on the simple premise of which is the most happy.

The top countries generally fall between Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland and Norway (all Scandinavian countries). The

cultural structures, does our political system need to be reassessed?

The top countries generally fall between Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland and Norway

The ‘World Happiness Report’ is published every year and ranks the 156 countries in the world based on the simple premise of which is the most happy. It rates them on the basis of six key criteria: income; healthy life expectancy; social support; freedom to make life choices; perceptions of corrup-

top ten happiest countries for 2018 vary from Finland to Australia. Every year, the top ten spaces generally run right across the political spectrum; they do not all fall on the Right nor the Left. This demonstrates that

a person’s happiness is obviously not the determining factor of our political spectrum. I think that the general happiness of a population as defined by the ‘World Happiness Report’ should be the chief aim of an elected government, it gives a solid framework for them to base the political spectrum upon. The report demonstrates that the existing political spectrum isn’t working, as many of the top countries with the top happiness are

The report demonstrates that the existing political spectrum isn’t working

both Socialist and Conservative. There have been other attempts to reconsider political systems; In 1950, Leonard W. Ferguson tried to judge different political values by determining attitudes towards ten different aspects of life such as birth control, capital punishment, treatment of criminals and war. Ferguson then identified the three main factors of religionism, humanitarianism and nationalism. Like my suggestion that happiness should be the basis, these were the basis for him. When you consider the effect our political spectrum has upon us, it is huge. So it does not seem right to me that economics is the basis for it rather than a person’s happiness and wellbeing.

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RUSU Says Relax Lauren Collard

2nd Year English Literature

If you’re still stressed about exams, the impact of the strikes and having nowhere to study, fear not! As our student union has the answer: donuts and rabbits! In an attempt to calm our worries during this stressful time, RUSU have and are continuing to run events with hopes of the student body becoming a bit more relaxed with the annual event ‘RUSU

MIA SKEVINGTON

says Relax’. With many of the events being free, the union are hosting a wide variety of events ranging from a petting zoo, in which students have the chance to stroke and take

In an attempt to calm our worries during the stressful time, RUSU have amd are continuing to run events

With many of the events being free, the union are hosting a wide range of events pictures with ponies, lambs, ducks, rabbits and a tortoise, to film nights with such screenings as Pulp Fiction and The Phantom Thread.

MIA SKEVINGTON

There is an event catered to everyone’s tasts and interests There has also been food given out around the student union such as ‘Encourage-mints’ and donuts on the ‘Donut Worry’ day. There is an event catered to everyone’s tastes and in-

terests so keep an eye out around campus for these relaxing and unique activities, or you can check out the full campaign calendar on the RUSU website to ensure you don’t miss out on any of their upcoming events such as the Open Mic Night on Friday 25th May or the Bubbles & Pudding evening where you can ‘pop open a bottle and celebrate the end of a productive week with the many puddings on offer’ at Mojo’s Bar and Kitchen on Tuesday 29th May.

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Debates and Donuts Rebecca Stevens

2nd Year English Literature and Theatre

Debates and Donuts provides an open space for discussion, debates and sharing information whilst meeting like minded people to discuss relevant topics, with this month’s topic being “the gender pay gap”. On Tuesday, May 8, a group of academics, students, lecturers and the Vice Chancellor met in order to discuss the troubling gender pay gap. Looking at the numbers we can see that 8 in 10 companies and public-sector bodies pay men more than women: on average, the data showed that women are being paid 9.7% less than their male colleagues. This of course is a troubling and shocking national statistic. However, when we look closer to home within the University itself we see that women within the University of Reading earn a median bonus pay of 40% less than their male col-

leagues and women’s mean hourly rate is 19.6% lower than men’s, in other words when comparing mean hourly rates women earn 80p for every £1 that men earn. When asked about these statistics, Vice Chancellor David Bell said “it highlights occupational segregation, so in effect you will have more women clustered around lower grade roles (catering, cleaning etc) and more men clustered around the higher-grade roles. Within our case its actually within the accepted boundaries of tolerance so the question then becomes what do you do to give more people opportunities to progress.” He argued that as part of the public sector they do have to be transparent with these figures and publish them and although the gap is seemingly very large we are actually one of the smallest gaps compared to many other academic institutions. Senior tutor Maddie Davies raised the question that “our students are paying precisely the same in fees

as male students, the level of debt is going to be very similar at the end, which is going to be quite a debt. So I’m wondering how you feel about a workplace situation which is very widespread, where you will be payed less than your male counterparts with the same qualification?” which of course is a question that engages with all of us, and moved us onto the discussion of asking for a raise and if the pay gap stems from the very beginning of employment or further down the line. Whilst all this discussion was engaging and interesting, it was also obvious that somewhere there needed to be a solution put into place, both in the small scale of individuals and the university itself and on a wider scale of the private and public employment sphere as a whole. We discussed the idea of positive discrimination in order to allow women to progress initially; however, this was met with a very mixed response with some arguing that they’d rather be offered a job not just be-

cause they are a woman but because they are the best for that role. Another suggestion was that we all become more assertive within the interview situations, by asking why we are on a certain starting salary and what progression is offered in that role over the next 20 years. This challenging the ‘norms’ is something we all keenly engaged with, particularly the idea of the

university offering classes or techniques on these approaches as well as knowing what you have a right to not answer within an interview setting. Taking action is something we can all take on board when tackling the gender pay gap crisis we are facing, and is something that will ensure our futures and generations after us have a more equal pay.

REBECCA STEVENS

March for Diversity James Boag

2nd Year English Literature

The One World at Reading Initiative has been organising events throughout

REBECCA STEVENS

the year to raise awareness of the University’s protest against the hate crime happening across the UK. One of these events was an organised walk from Palmer, to the flagpole on campus, on April 20, giving the message that “We are all international, diverse and global

every day”. This walk was led by RUSU Diversity Officer, Leen Al Najjab, who took the opportunity to give a powerful and passionate speech to those who attended the walk. She drew attention to the hate crime happening across the UK, including Nottingham, Exeter and other university campuses, where racist language has become common, hate crime is thriving, and there has been a recent increase in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racism and sexism. The Diversity Officer was sure to praise the work done

by the One World Initiative, as well as drawing attention to the work done by Robert Van de Noort, while promising to maintain the open and diverse community at Reading. As her time as Diversity Officer nears its end, Leen stressed the legal and moral duty, and obligation, that her role, and the student union, has to protect vulnerable individuals, and remain open to everyone, no matter their race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or any other form of characteristic. She also stated that “Every day as Diversity Officer I feel privileged, hum-

bled and honoured to be in a position where I can help influence change, empower others and encourage diversity and liberation”. The speech was ended with a powerful, final message, that we must celebrate others difference, rather than fear them, and to embrace differences, lest we miss out on all the lessons we can learn from each other, and she wanted everyone to know that “if something is wrong, please do not hesitate to speak up and fight for what is right. We must empower each other in order to move forwards”.

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The Nuclear Apocalypse Would Probably Be Alright for the Average Student Gracie Maddison

2nd Year English Literature

Now, I don’t keep up to date with the news very much, which probably makes this whole endeavour pretty superfluous. However, I do know that the threat of all out nuclear war has been on many people’s

I do know that the threat of all out nuclear war has been on many people’s minds these past few years.

minds these past few years. It certainly passes across my mind at least twice a day. I usually think about it whenever I find myself in a Lidl, I’m not sure about you. Just think about it, the US has an unstable narcissist as President; and I’m speaking completely objectively by the way. Russia seems to be up for doing anything to control the entire planet and are currently nurturing the perfect Bond villain. And North Korea are mad about something. Seth Rogan again? (You all remember when they threatened to attack the US because of a Seth Rogan film, yeah? That wasn’t some sort of fever dream I had, was it?) Either way, it does kind of seem that we could all be obliterated into millions of tiny little ashy pieces any second. And the bombing of Syria by the US, the UK and ‘the’ France last April and Russia’s consequent threat of a retaliation didn’t

particularly help my nuclear-war-threat-induced anxiety. Oh, and who can forget the fact that we expelled several Russian diplomats because Russia poisoned a Russian ex-spy on British soil. Allegedly. (I think I’m meant to say allegedly.) Like I said, I don’t really keep up to date with the news. The more you think about it, the more complete annihilation feels inevitable. But, as university students, I feel like we are more prepared for this than anyone. Well, maybe not as prepared as political leaders, military leaders, the rich and famous, and those who have actually prepared for the apocalypse. But compared to our fellow peasantry, I think we’d all be alright. One massive plus of the nuclear apocalypse is that we wouldn’t have to pay back any debts. No need for money in this theoretical dystopia. Suck it Student Finance England! Instead of using actual money, I’m sure we’d be trading corn and salt and oil, all things I have excess of anyway. Just think, you wouldn’t have to pay back your overdraft or your tuition fees or your student loan or that twenty quid you owe your mate. Even though it does sound good, you may have to fight for essentials instead. We don’t yet know whether society would crumble into a savage scrap for survival but still, no debts! Yay! After a few months, there would likely be a food shortage. This means eating natural. It’s very likely those who remain would be forced to hunt for food. That means killing the odd squirrel or rabbit or swan. I’ve heard swan meat actu-

ally tastes a lot like chicken. Who would have thought? However, eating food with a taste that can only be described as ambiguous wouldn’t be particularly foreign to the average university student. Unless you’re one of those catered, en-suite halls having people. You will likely perish. Also, please keep in mind that instant noodles have an expiry date of about twenty

able. So, if you’re doing a degree in fruit picking or animal killing then I can safely say that yes, your de-

We all love instant noodles. Contractually, as a student, I’m meant to say that

gree would be pretty useful. However, I am ambivalent towards the concept that bankers would exist in a post-apocalyptic world. Well, I mean they technically would as your job doesn’t define you as a human being, but you know what I mean. Stop being so pedantic all the time. If it’s any consolation, a lot of people out there are doing degrees that are useless anyway, re-

years, I think. We all love instant noodles. Contractually, as a student, I’m meant to say that. And all you need to cook those is boiling water. Which they’d be plenty of as a result of all those toasty bombs being dropped on us. Basically, every lake across the country would serve as a giant kettle. Let’s just pray that PG Tips manufacture a giant teabag before their unavoidable demise. I’m also pretty hopeful that society would still accept degrees. I mean, I know this is a theoretical situation so I could just say that they would but without conflict, any sort of creative thing becomes relatively redundant. But let’s stop being meta and consider whether or not our degrees would mean anything after the world nearly ends. If we decide that jobs are still necessary and we don’t resort to a barbaric tussle for survival then it would be likely that only physical labour themed occupations would be avail-

So, if you’re doing a degree in fruit picking or animal killing then I can safely say that yes, your degree would be pretty useful.

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gardless of whether or not a country fires a nuclear weapon at us. So, there are some points that will hopefully help you if you are worrying about how to survive after the norm disintegrates in front of your very eyes and society is forced to rebuild itself. I would write more but I’m too lazy. I’m sure a lot of you are probably thinking, why the hell did I read all of this? Well, you probably read it because the title was intriguing and then you kept going hoping it would get funnier but alas, you are here. Yes, we are all here. Well, not all of us are here. Much of the population hasn’t read this but if they had, they would know that what I was trying to say was that we don’t know what the future holds so our time at university may or may not be a waste of time. I mean, I think that’s what I was trying to say.

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EXAM SEASON

T R AV E L

MUMS MEALS

Helena gives an explanation of what stress is, and Beth gives some advice on ways to revise.

Sabita and Abby share their traveling experiences in Thailand and California.

The first of our new regular ‘Mums Meals’ series. This month, learn how to make a sweet potatoe pie and a creamy carbonara.

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lifestyle In praise of summer travel JACOB COLMAN 1st year philosophy

aving thought about nothing else since the dark winter days, And constantly fixated on the holidays tantalising sense of freedom during exam season, once the summer holidays eventually come around we sometimes feel a twang of decision making paralysis. This strange feeling is the side effect of the overwhelming realisation we get because of the amount of options we now have at our disposal. After all, in the weeks building up to this moment, library all-nighters, no freedom and strong coffee is all we’ve known - who can blame us for having trouble processing the newfound ability to do whatever we want (again)? The closing of revision books, the reluctant offer-

ing of essays to Turnitin like some sort of sheepish sacrifice - and the familiar sound of our parents car (our removal van) pulling into the car park to take us home; these are all signs that a long holiday awaits us. A long period of time where we have to work out what we will do with ourselves. However, rather than mulling over what on earth we are to do with ourselves, we should instead think about where on earth we should take ourselves.When we travel we learn; we learn about the world around us, different cultures and beliefs, maybe a few words of a new language and, if done right, we learn a little bit about ourselves. Being on campus all year is all well and good but it can sometimes result in making us incredibly accustomed to the known, the expected,

with few occasions that force us to venture out of our bubble we have being so used to. When we are in another country, however, we are taken out of the said bubble and into a completely new environment. To gain the benefits of travel, we do not have to go far, nor spend much. A weekend in a neighbouring city with parents still has enough newness to it that we could obtain similarly valuable personal growth opportunities that we might expect from a month backpacking in Peru. Moreover, it is up to us to create opportunity for the wow moments, along with the ‘I’m not sure what I’m doing/ where I’m going/ how to pronounce this’ moments. These moments are very rarely had at home and are the gold dust we take back in our suitcases on

the returning journey. Thinking ahead not to the end of the academic year but to the end of all academic years - our graduation - joining the adult world with it its annual allowance for holiday of just 5.6 weeks off (twenty eight days off for most) makes the looming 12+ week holiday seem incredibly valuable. In the working world, large quantities of unencumbered time are probably more rare than large quantities of money. Therefore we owe it to our future office going, nine till five(ing) selves to use the summer holiday and all its time, wisely. The exploration of the world around us, and all the learning about life and ourselves that happens is surely something conducive of our future selves feeling that we spent our time well.

There are many things we could do this summer - a lot of them probably also incredibly worthwhile and valuable uses of our time. Moreover, if we apply the same carpe diem(esque) approach that we do for travel on other holiday endeavours then a fulfilling summer holiday is to be expected. Conclusively though, instead of spending three months inside the small radius that most of our lives are contained within, we ought to get in that taxi, board that plane, fly off to somewhere we can barely pronounce the name of and experience things. For no matter how long the trip, as Fitzgerald wrote about coming home: “[Home] Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You’ll realize what’s changed is you.”

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Surviving my placement year with Autism Gwenllian Perr y Mathematics

This article isn’t just useful for autistic students; it’s useful for anyone interested in successfully getting themselves a placement and doing well! But if you are autistic, hopefully this is particularly useful for you, and will encourage you to apply for a placement. I’m a Maths student at the University of Reading on placement with Thames Water, doing lots of data analysis and programming. Being autistic, it’s difficult for me to deal with things that other people may find “displeasing” or “annoying”, but for me they can be really daunting, e.g. making small talk at lunch, deciding what my day will look like, what to do if it doesn’t go according to plan etc. However, my experience here on placement has made me stronger, and I have definitely adapted to ways of dealing with issues I never dealt with before, simply because I was made to do that presentation and made to work in a team, making it more and more normal for me. I am glad that my employers here at Thames Water have been very supportive and understanding about me having Autism, being willing to explore the condition further. A lot of employers may have limited knowledge on Autism, or maybe some may have never even met someone with Autism before, which is why it’s so important to talk about it. There were times on my placement where I cried, and I have been close to giving up, but I persevered because I knew deep down how important it was for me

to gain these skills and to prove to myself that I could overcome these obstacles. It wasn’t easy, but I’m so glad that’s what I decided. The reason why I’m writing this article is because I want to spread the awareness of Autism in all its forms. Talking to my colleagues just a few minutes ago, who know I’m writing this, one told me that you often hear of the severe forms of Autism, like Rain Man, but not of the more common (and often less severe) types of Autism. It is more apparent in some people than others and it comes in lots of variations. There is High-Functioning and Low-Functioning. It may have a severe impact on your day to day life, or the effects it has on you may just crop up in certain situations. But the one thing most people with Autism have in common is a slight struggle with social interaction and a tendency for being very interested in just a few things. I hope that by reaching the hands of employers, this article could change the way Autism is seen and handled in the workplace, and by being in your hands, you can see how valuable you are as a different and insightful individual, and you will achieve your potential on your work placement year. Here are my top 10 tips for surviving a placement year with Autism (If you didn’t read anything else, make sure to read this!): 1 ) Don’t let your Autism make you feel like you aren’t as capable as everyone else. If you have the time, put in the effort, and have the right resources available, you can do anything. 2 ) Let your employer know you have Autism. If you feel comfortable in do-

ing so, then they can make special arrangements to help you, like a bit more time to do work or direct you to any support available. Tell them the things that can bother you, your triggers and anxieties. Ask them to be patient with you, but you will do the best you can in your work. You must give them faith in you, but you must also be honest with them about yourself. The earlier the better. 3 ) Be kind to yourself. If you’re struggling on a part of a project because it’s one of your downfalls (e.g. for me its reading), give yourself a breather and forgive yourself that you’re not as efficient as you’d like to be. You can only be as efficient as you can be and you can only do your best. Walk away, make yourself a cup of tea, take a toilet break, and try again with a new mindset. 4 ) Make sure you can get to a safe space. It’s quite common for people with Autism to have the odd breakdown once in a while. This may happen while you’re at work, and if it does, don’t panic that you’re panicking. It’s okay to have the odd wobbly, just get yourself somewhere and be with people (or no-one) that will make you feel better. Only get back to work once you’ve fully calmed down, otherwise it might happen again. 5 ) When you get home, totally relax. I often obsess over work, but you must spend the little time you have off having a proper break. 6 ) Take pressure off of yourself at work. I’m definitely a perfectionist, and

I’ve noticed it’s a common trait among people with Autism. It’s really great that you care about your work and you want to impress people, but you must be realistic in how much you can do and how much you can expect yourself to do. Don’t feel like you have to be perfect, because nobody is. 7 ) Join in as many social activities as you can. This is daunting for a lot of us, but it’s important to join in so that you can get to know your team even better. It may even comfort you to know that your boss isn’t actually that scary after all! Days out and work do’s are the best time to find out what you can about people, and how people behave professionally in a casual setting, which you won’t have seen in normal day- to-day work. 8 ) See how other people behave and try to imitate. This placement was my first “proper” work experience and people do behave a lot more formally than the people that I usually spend my time with. The way most people are at work is the right way, so definitely follow suit if you’re not sure. 9 ) Ask for help. Your

employers will know you are a placement student, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! Look things up first and give a bash yourself so that you show willingness to be independent, but if you’ve done all the searching you can and all the bashing you can muster, ask for help. 1 0 ) Learn as much as you can and enjoy it! This is a whole year for you to learn some great new skills! No matter what the nature of your placement is, you will surely learn invaluable business skills and technical/manual skills that you can walk away with and make use of in the future, so cherish your time there! It’s only for a year! I truly believe that if there are more competitive and skilled autistic people in the job market, the more employers will need to adapt and change their view on Autism for their company’s needs and their employees’ needs. This is why I would encourage more people with Autism to get on a placement wherever possible. We must show we are capable, and so many of us are, but that comes with gaining the right skills. We are a part of everyone’s future, and we are invaluable to society!

GWENLLIAN PERRY

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How to have a better next year LYDIA BROADLEY

1st year English Literature

here has always been an expectation that university is the best time of everyone’s lives. Before becoming a student, it is easy to focus purely on the good things you hear about uni – the social life, the new friends and the freedom to do whatever you like. However, for many people the reality isn’t quite this positive. If this year hasn’t gone quite the way you wanted it to, there are things you can do to make next year a better experience. If you have struggled to make friends this past year, you can find people with simiar

interests to you by joining societies. There is a huge variety of societies to join at Reading, ranging in activities from canoeing to quidditch, so there is bound to be something for anyone to get involved in. If drinking and nights out aren’t your thing, it is easy to feel alone with the massive drinking culture at university. However, the non-drinking society at Reading offers other ways of meeting like-minded people and making friends, regularly hosting fun events such as movie nights. Also, now the weather is getting better there is far more to do such as going on walks and hav-

ing picnics outdoors. Many people find their grades drop from what they’re used to at A-levels in their first year at university due to the different things that tutors look for whilst marking. If you are struggling, the university offers study advice in the URS building offering advice on issues such as; understanding feedback, getting a clear idea of what tutors expect from you, managing stress and ultimately achieving better grades. One of the biggest stresses university students face is finances. With the expenses of buying new books, nights out

and necessities such as food shops, it is no surprise that the majority of students end the year in their overdraft. Getting a summer job can repair the majority of damage done over the year, and it is always helpful to try and save some of that money for next years’ rent. Also, make sure you keep an eye out for campus jobs being advertised to enable you to have an income in addition to your student loan during term time. The university offers a counselling and wellbeing service, and you can also talk to your personal tutor about any problems you are having. Scheduling

regular FaceTime calls to catch up with your friends and family can be really helpful if you’re feeling homesick. You can catch up on everything that’s been going on at home, so you don’t need to feel as though you’re missing out on anything. Finally, it is important to focus on the bigger picture and realise that university doesn’t have to constantly be the best time of your life. Although it is an experience like no other, life has plenty more to offer than just these three years – so it is important to focus on the future and what is waiting for you after graduation.

freshers but weren’t really all that ‘fresh’. The smell of yesterday’s clothes was palpable and the cough of fresher’s flu floated around the room and a million different stories about what everybody did last night hung in the air. It was hard to compete with the group who hadn’t even been home as they asked, “So where did you go last night?”. The answer was of course that I’d been at home last night, or maybe at work but it was that answer which became one of the best things about my first year. For the first few weeks, lots of people were clinging desperately to the half-remembered memories of

fresher’s week to get them through and I, of course was adding to my list of interesting commuter anecdotes. At first it felt like I didn’t fit in because I’d brushed my teeth or went to bed at 10 o’clock last night and I was worried about making friends. Looking back, however, this was all rather silly and in time I’ve made some good friends at uni, and admittedly, haven’t envied them at all as they go back to their halls. I still get asked now “which halls are you in?” and the answer is still that “I live at home” but now its more of a badge of honour, I feel like some sort of adventurer who comes from outside of campus, like

a welcome visitor who has a stable part-time job and all that other sexy stability which many of those in halls are craving. The commuter cold shoulder I sometimes received soon turned to jealousy and I loved having the right balance between home and uni and soon realised that I wasn’t missing out on anything at all. All the mysticism surrounding halls soon dissipated and my routine became another of the best parts of commuting. As the weeks rolled on, it was sometimes stressful when trains were cancelled, and my essay needed to be handed in before 12 or I was unsure whether or not

to commute during strikes, but I soon settled into getting my morning coffee and catching the train and starting work by 10. I found that having to commute allowed me to spend more time studying, as between lectures I couldn’t pop home for a nap, but would instead begin the challenge of finding study space in URS and would feel quite accomplished when I had been successful. On reflection, I couldn’t imagine my first year being any different than getting to enjoy all the best things about living at home with my lovely family and being at uni with my lovely friends and I really wouldn’t have changed it…

The first year of a commuter student RACHEL JOEL

1st year English and Politics

s I embarked on my first year, I had all the usual worries; what if nobody likes me? What if they find out that I’m actually quite boring and normal? What if one day I’m called into my tutor’s office and told that they have made a terrible mistake and I must leave immediately? I thought a lot about these things on my first train journey, and then on my first trip on the 21 bus but when I arrived none of that really mattered after all and I was instead met with a group of people who were

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Get the most out of your revision BETH SHELPER

1st year English Language

o, here we are again – Exam season. The time of year everything leads up to and every student dreads. It’s no coincidence that April is #StressAwarenessMonth. For students, April is definitely the most stressful time of year, so it’s something we definitely shouldn’t ignore. As April is now upon us and revision is well underway, here’s a few tips and tricks to ensure you stay organised, stress-free and exam-ready...

S T A R T E A R LY : Preparation is key. Every year my Dad gives me the same advice: “fail to prepare, prepare to fail” and, as annoying as that is, he has a point.

PETER CLARK / FLICKR

My number one piece of advice: as painful as it may be, start as early as you can. Getting started is definitely the hardest part, so if you break through that mental barrier early on, you open up so much more time for productivity (and allow yourself time for the usual bit of procrastination and an existential crisis... or two).

GET ORGANISED: If all year you’ve shoved your notes in your unorganized folder and left them there or haven’t saved your typed notes into module files: this is a priority. Not only are you making life way more complicated, but if you don’t sort it early, you’re losing precious revision time. Secondly, one of the most effective techniques I have found and use is to colour code. Pick one colour for

a definition, another for a study, a theory, and so on. This technique is really flexible for all subjects and having colourful and engaging notes really makes all the difference when trying to stay focused: no one likes to stare at a page full of black writing. Buying yourself new stationary is a great way to motivate yourself if all else fails, and Blackwell’s on campus has a great selection, so you don’t have to travel far!

TEACHING: This one may sound stupid and you’ll probably feel ridiculous, but it works. Pretend you’re teaching someone else. Doing this with no notes will really help to pin-point the areas of your subject that need work and solidify your understanding. If you don’t want to do

this, teach a pet or a house mate: challenging yourself is a great way to learn and engage with your subject. Revision doesn’t always have to be sitting at your desk and making notes!

STUDY GROUPS: If you’re struggling to stay motivated by yourself, gather your course friends up and organise a study group! Study groups are an amazing way to test each other, find the gaps in your knowledge, and inject a little bit of fun into your revision.

PA S T PA P E R S : Past papers. You can use past papers in two ways: at the beginning of your revision, to pin-point gaps in knowledge and make notes on missing information, and as the last technique, to practice and gain confidence. Ei-

ther way you use them, before, after or both, they are brilliantly useful and I definitely recommend making the most out of them. If you’re unsure where to find them, email your lecturer for guidance!

TA K E C A R E O F YOURSELF: Finally, one of the most important things to remember during exam season is to take care of yourself. Eat well, take good breaks, get enough sleep and be mindful of your mental well-being. This #StressAwarenessMonth, remember that the university is full of people that can help with whatever you need, and look out for your friends as well.

GOOD LUCK!

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How to improve your CV at Uni KATHARINE PEBWORTH

Mma Applied Linguistics

We all know that the promise of a ‘good job’ is one of the reasons that we are encouraged to go to university. However, the reality of the matter is that most graduates leave university with an uphill battle to find that ‘good job’. There are, however, ways that you can make the post-graduate job-hunt struggle that little bit easier by improving your CV during your time at university. There’s so much rhetoric about things being ‘good for you CV’ but what does this even mean and how do you improve your CV whilst being a full-time student? First of all, there’s the standard bit of advice like ‘get a summer internship’. But let’s be honest, not all of us can afford to work for free all summer and so shifts at the local pub will have to do. If, like most people, you have to settle for the easy money earners, try and do something one day a week as well related to the field you want to be in. For example, volunteering at a charity, or work experience at your local paper. This way, you can showcase your interest in that area on your CV and you also don’t have to grow money on trees to finance your next year of university. This is especially feasible if you’re working in the evenings and weekends at a pub or restaurant. That summer job, howev-

er, could just be your easy, no-strings attached summer job or you can make the most of it. Does your pub have a social media account that needs updating and do you want to get into social media? Ask them if you can post for them. Or, maybe the managers going away and they need someone to cover their summer holiday? Put yourself forward. Often, you can make the job into something much more worthwhile to developing your skill base. The most obvious bit of advice that you’ve all heard a thousand times is try and get some work experience. This can literally be a couple of days in your Dad’s Sister’s friend’s office that is sort of related to what you want to do. It just shows your future employer that you can work in a similar environment to the one that you’re applying to. It also doesn’t have to be 12 weeks long or once a week for ten months. A few days wherever you can will help. And don’t be afraid to approach companies and people for opportunities. The worst thing they can do is say no. There is absolutely no harm in trying. Get involved in societies at university. It sounds cliché but there are so many ways that you can gain skills through being part of a society. There are literally hundreds of societies, charities, sports, random hobbies you literally have no excuse and it shows that you have interests outside of your de-

paths to decide what takes your fancy or even attend courses where you gain a qualification at the end. It’s easy to ignore those emails in your inbox but they are much more valuable than you think. Plus, if you attend a course relevant to the job Finally, use the universi- you want, it’s the best thing ty careers services! I cannot to talk about in an interview. stress this enough. There In short, there are actualare so many good courses out there with the relevant ly many easy ways to boost If your dream job is di- information for so many your CV and still have time rectly linked to your degree different careers, and it’s to focus on your studies and then take the relevant mod- all free! The careers service your social life. Be smart ules. It may sound obvious offers courses that take up with the opportunities you but we’ve all taken the mod- minimal time and could be have and don’t forget about ules with the least contact so valuable. You can go to those right in front of you at time or the best assessment talks about different career University. gree subject. If you can, get involved in a committee because it shows commitment and leadership, all valuable skills to show to future employers. Do the same thing with your society as with your summer job, how can you make the most of it? Your CV is a showcase of what you have done and how that makes you different, so get creative with it.

for an easy ride. So, if you can do something related to your career, having that module highlighted on your CV shows that you have a real interest in the area, even if there are four exams after Christmas!

K AT H A R I N E P E B W O R T H

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Summer Ball: Makeup Survival Guide

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO HELP KEEPI N G YO U R M A K E U P F L AW L E S S A L L N I G H T.

CHARLOT TE HANCE

Summer ball is fast approaching and it is time for everyone to prepare their outfits and looks for the night. The whole look would not be complete without a summer-inspired makeup look, to go along with your outfit. Here are a few of my go-to makeup products to create a summer/festival inspired look that will last all night!

full size), or the L’Oreal Infallible Primer Shots Mattifying (£8.99) to help stop shine and your makeup slipping off. Even if you have dry skin it is important to prime so that your makeup can last. I recommend The Ordinary’s High-Spreadability Fluid primer (£5.50). It helps hydrate skin but is also inexpensive and allows your makeup to stick to the base, ensuring a longwearing look.

BASE:

POWDER:

3rd year English Literature

If you can make it to the end of summer ball, your makeup has to last for over 12 hours and to help it last a great primer is where to start! If you have oily skin it is particularly important to prime with a mattifying primer such as The Benefit Porefessional (£27.50 for

A good powder is an essential item for Summer Ball, as the tent gets ridiculously hot, it is easy for your makeup to start to fade away as you get hotter. I recommend the Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder (£29.00 for full size) to set your under eyes and T-Zone before

you leave for the night. This powder is finely milled and is very lightweight but keeps my makeup lasting for a long time. One to take with you in your bag to help keep the oils at bay and to stop your makeup fading is the Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder (£3.99). It is small enough to fit in your bag so you can feel comfortable that your makeup will look great all night. Both of these powders also have no flashback in photographs - avoid white casting powders - so you will look flawless in photos and in person!

EYES: Summer ball only happens once every year so it is a great opportunity to have fun with your makeup. I love glitter as it makes every look pop! One of my favourite

1) THE ORDINARY HIGH-SPREADABILIT Y FLUID

2) THE COVER

PRIMER

FX PERFECT SETTING POWDER

glitters is the Barry M GlitterBom Pots (£4.99) as they have loads of colours ranging from bright and bold to subtle and chic. My other favourite glitter is the Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter and Glow Liquid Eye shadow (£23.00). This is a great product because it does not spill everywhere or have any fallout; it dries really quickly and looks great for every occasion!

LIPS: A glossy lip is on trend right now and I love the NYX cosmetics Butter glosses and the Intense Butter glosses (£5.50-£6.00); they come in a range of different colours and look beautiful on. However, if you want something that will last for a longer amount of time without any touch ups, I would

3 ) T H E S T I L A M A G N I F I C E N T M E TA L S G L I T T E R A N D GLOW LIQUID EYE SHADOW IN THE SHADE “KITT E N K A R M A”

recommend the Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipsticks (£16.00). They are lightweight and come in an impressive array of colours, whilst also surviving food grease and drinks!

S E T T I N G S P R AY : The final step to reaching that flawless look all night for summer ball would be to set your makeup. Both the NYX Matte Makeup finishing spray (£7.00) and the Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray (£24.00) are great to help keep your makeup in place. Following these steps will allow you to look good all night but remember, more importantly, to have fun at Summer Ball and be daring enough to rock a bold, glittery or festival-inspired look!

4) NYX BUT TER GLOSS

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Is your look festival ready? TAZ USHER

Entertainment editor

With festivals like Community, Elrow and Reading/ Leeds just around the corner, it’s no surprise that the top fashion retailers are showcasing their festival-wear ranges as early as May. 2018 calls for a vibrant twist to festival looks: with sequins, bold colours and accessories taking the spotlight more than ever.

THE GLITZ: No.1 on the fashion agenda this year has to be sequins, lycra or simply something with a bit of shine. Adding glitz to an outfit can make a darker colour elsewhere on your attire really stand out. Take the sequin trou-

sers worn by the model for example. By adding sequins to the bottom of her outfit, she immediately transforms the darkness on her top into something that really works with the festival vibe. These trousers can be bought from Pretty Little Thing for £50 (£42.50 with student Unidays discount!)

STRIPES: If you’re not the sequin type and don’t want to take a risk trying something overly new, putting stripes into your outfit could have just the same stand-out effect. Sites likes Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing are triumphing The Stripe this month with some absolute show-stopping trousers and playsuits which adding only another

plain colour or small number of accessories to, will complete your outfit in seconds. The striped trousers worn by the model are from Pretty Little Thing.

VIBRANCE: Just as stripes and sequins are guaranteed to add a burst of ‘fun’ to your look, using bold colours to accompany these styles will ensure that your outfit is festival-ready throughout. Take the lemon jean jacket (Sara Ashcroft range, In the Style) worn by the model for example: this simple colour is all that is needed to ensure the coordination of the look as well as balancing the colours across the outfit. Likewise, the long sleeved black cropped top used to accompany the se-

TA Z U S H E R

quin trousers in the other look, may have been too dull for the festival scene on its own, but as an addition to the trousers helps refines the style. The top can be purchased from Pretty Little Thing.

BRALETTES: If you’re not too keen on giving the new ‘glitter boob’ look a go this summer (I certainly wouldn’t opt for this for a weekend festival!), then a bold bralette could be the ideal alternative for you. The bralettes worn by the model are both from Boux Avenue and can be purchased at the ideal discounted rate of 20% off using the exclusive code ‘TARAJADE20’. They’re a perfect choice for those going for trousers

and not wanting to be overly covered (in case of hot temperatures).

ACCESSORIES: Once you’ve decided on the main outfit, adding accessories that don’t ‘overdo’ it is often the hardest part of all! For a festival, you’ll want to keep the heels at home and exchange them for steady dance-wear shoes like trainers or Timberland-esque boots. (The model wears trainers from egoofficial). Likewise, when it comes to jewellery, adding a subtle necklace or two can pull the look together. The necklaces in these outfits are from Chained and Able. And finally, don’t forget the sunglasses!

TA Z U S H E R

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Mum’s Meals HELENA SMAGALA 1st year English Literature

‘A great comfort dish that is well-loved within my family, and can be made using cheap, easy to find ingredients! A versatile staple for hungry students...’

INGREDIENTS: 1 SHEET SHORTC R U S T PA S T R Y (Enough to line your baking dish). You can find a box of the ready-rolled stuff for £1.30 (Any leftover pastry goes great in the oven with some jam to make lovely little tarts).

1 LARGE SWEET P O TAT O

23p. (Try adding or swapping this out for any other root veg if you’d like).

rising and going soggy! (I used dry beans - £1.15).

1 LEEK

(Diced finely), costs 63p. (This pie can be pretty good with some peas thrown in... Only £1.20 for a 1Kg bag).

1 EGG Box of 6 for £1.

150ML SOUR CREAM Costs 65p.

SPICES Salt, pepper, or any other spices you might want - feel free to go wild!

BAKING BEANS

This is to ‘blind bake’ the (Peeled, and chopped), costs pastry, preventing it from

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Begin boiling the sweet potato. Mash once boiled with some salt to taste.

Roll your pastry to fit in your dish, preferably a deep one! Cut a sheet of grease-proof paper to cover the pastry in the dish and fill it with your baking beans. Bake the pastry for 10 mins with the baking beans, and then another 5 without or until the edges begin to crisp up but the base is still pale.

H E L E N A’ S M U M ’ S L E E K A N D S W E E T P O TAT O P I E

Mix the cooked leek with the pot of sour cream and season to taste. Once you are happy with the flavour, beat and add the egg.

Onto the pastry base, spread the mashed sweet potato generously, leaving a hollow to pour in the cream

mixture on top. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until the egg mixture has set and the dish is hot all the way through the middle. Serve hot with a salad, or leave to cool for a nice picnic lunch!

Fry the leek in a little oil, until soft. If you’re adding any other veg, now is the time to boil or fry that too!

HELENA SMAGALA

SUZIE’S MUM’S CREAMY CARBONARA

SUZIE BAT TISHILL 1st year FTT

‘Alice’s Favourite’ A really yummy cheesy garlic bacon pasta dish - with a bit of spinach for good health!

INGREDIENTS: 1 POT OF LONG LASTING CREAM Single or double, depending on how creamy you want it.

S PA G H E T T I 6 RASHES OF STREAKY BACON 2/3 CLOVES OF GARLIC

A BAG OF SPINACH 2 HANDFULS OF CHEDDAR CHEESE

METHOD:

1 2

Boil the pasta in a pan.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a pan until crispy, remove from the heat and pat dry.

Add 2/3 cloves of pressed garlic and gently fry.

Wash the spinach and add to the frying pan, wait until the spinach goes soft.

Chop the bacon into small pieces and add to pan along

with the pot of cream and grated cheddar cheese.

Allow the sauce to boil and become sticky and gooey, then drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.

F E S T I VA L T I P S

I N F I N I T Y WA R

MOODY MUSIC

Rob’s ‘first-timer’ advice for

Was Blockbuster Infinity War everything that fans have been waiting for?

Sabita gives a top ten list of workout tunes for those shaping up for summer.

PA G E 4

PA G E 5

festivals

PA G E

entertainment TAZ USHER

Emtertainment Editor

HAT a month this has been for the entertainment industry! We’ve seen some of the best highs with blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War, and new releases in the music industry by Post Malone and The Vaccines, whilst we’ve also had lows with the loss of global DJ genius, Avicii, and Austin Powers legend, Verne Troyer. Although exams may have prevented some of you from enjoying some of these new releases, I hope that this issue’s reviews covering a mix of these will give you something to look forward to catching up on in a few weeks’ time. This issue’s ‘Moody Music’ focus is a workout playlist, so if you’re like me and are desperately trying to hit the gym this month in time for summer, Sabita gives the ideal selection of ‘sweat your socks off ’ tunes. Alternatively, if exam stress is getting a bit too much and you need a bit of a wind down, Reading Film Theatre have some great discounted ticket prices for their film showings this month. As we approach the sum-

mer months, we’ve got plenty to look forward to including our very own Summer Ball, as well as Reading Festival at the end of August. I’m also delighted to say that I’ll be interviewing and reviewing many of this year’s acts at Reading Festival which you’ll be able to follow on The Spark’s website. In another light, in this issue Rosie sparks an engaging debate concerning Jacqueline Wilson’s book collection and whether it is age appropriate for kids: this is definitely worth a read. Lastly, I’d like to thank all of our readers this month for maintaining an interest in The Spark, and to our excellent writers for producing such mature, considered content over this past year. Similarly, I’d also like to encourage any of our readers who have not yet had a go at writing for us and are interested in doing so, to use this summer to give it a go. Writing for The Spark is everything but scaryit’s utterly fulfilling to see something you’ve put a lot of thought and effort into printed for so many others to read and interpret themselves. Best of luck with any remaining exams and here’s to a great summer!

Millie’s Mumblings MILLIE FARQUAH

3rd Year English Literature

HIS month has been a bit of a bizarre one. The sun is out, bringing residents all over campus out and onto any bench, wall, and stretch of grass available. Summer is when everything comes alive. From the plants, to the students, everyone seems to be in lighter spirits, even with exams! This issue, I wanted to use what could potentially be my last Millie’s Mumblings of the year to look at Deadpool 2, and how they refuse to take themselves seriously as a film. This is so refreshing given the recent spate of horror movies and ‘serious’ super hero films like Infinity War, and several others that are due for release later in the year. Something that Deadpool does not forget when its marketing has Celine Dion belting out an anthem with Deadpool dancing in heels in the background, is that films are built to be escape routes. Ways for us mere mortals to leave our stress, relationships, and hardships behind for a couple of hours

and live in fantasy worlds filled with historical characters, super powers, and ridiculous plot lines. Something that Deadpool and Deadpool 2 do so well is the mix between comedy, action and (Surprisingly) romance! It has something for everyone! But it doesn’t hide its true nature behind a tension-filled trailer or sneak peaks. From the very first poster released in November 2017, we knew exactly the kind of film we would be getting. I find this so refreshing, especially after the excitement and subsequent disappointment of Star Wars Episode VIII (The Last Jedi). Don’t get me wrong, I know that the purpose of trailers is to wet audience’s appetites without giving away the main plot lines. But there have been so many examples of trailers portraying a film drastically different from the one people go and see in the cinemas. An example of this is the appearance of the Hulk in Infinity war. The trailers had Bruce Banner’s green companion fighting in Wakanda alongside the other Avengers. However, anyone who sees

the film will quickly realise that this doesn’t happen, and the Hulk doesn’t even make an appearance after the first 20 minutes of the film. This left me disappointed and cheated by Marvel because they could have easily used some scenes from the HulkThanos fight in the opening sequences of the film rather than putting him into the trailer for no reason. I am so excited for Deadpool 2, to leave the world of deadlines, exams and university behind for a little bit to marvel at Ryan Reynolds’ brutal honesty, the cast’s chemistry, and to giggle inappropriately at all of the jokes. 20TH CENTURY FOX

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 5

7 MLG Festival tips for Noobs F L I C K R / F E S T I V A L F LY E R

ROB BERN

2nd Year History

O, you’ve made plans to attend your very first festival this summer. Perhaps you merely see it as a rite of passage, or maybe one of the infinitesimally few bands or acts on your list of approved patrician performers happens to have a headline slot on one of the indie stages. Or maybe you just have friends or something, who knows? Either way, if this is your first time, you may have already done a degree of emotional and physical preparation.

enjoy yourself in the most efficient way possible

As well steeling yourself against any trepidation of what might go wrong, you’ve stocked up on sanitary supplies, ‘Gore-tex’ and a brand-new camping stool with a cheerful canvas to match your equally cheerful wellies. Well, I wouldn’t call myself a veteran of such campaigns, but I have definitely endured enough mud, rotting garbage and crowds of body odour to have a cursory understanding of the kind of mistakes to avoid. Here are 7 tips that you can have for free, courtesy of the Spark.

Hopefully they might ensure that you enjoy yourself in the most efficient way possible. Blow Out – Whether you’re heading to the beach or Bestival (or both, perhaps), cheap inflatables have the unique ability to make your life a darn sight more comfortable. Rubber rings, for example, are multipurpose; ditch the camping stool, the right ring can make you feel right at home. Alternatively, a bag of ice or two will offer you an unorthodox, improvised cooler for your entourage and their drinks. Beats lugging around a 30L cooler box all weekend. Plus, cheap lilos can make decent mattresses or sofas, depending on the occasion.

Bring more rolls than you need – This

one should be self-explanatory. Whether it’s cash, cig skins or toilet paper, you will definitely need more than you planned to bring. Whether your boyfriend’s car breaks down, or your boyfriend breaks down, tissues and money can usually go some way to fixing both of these problems. Just don’t mix the two up. Don’t buy drugs there, you muppet – Hopefully, you’re studying at university because you’re smart enough to know not to buy acid from someone already ten steps ahead of you into the next dimension wearing a torn t-shirt, trilby and broken sunglasses, vending from their sweaty bum-bag. While I cannot condone the use of illegal substances, if you are going to take the risk, at least make sure you can trust your source. Sup-

port your local businesses and invest in quality assurance.

Another One Wipes the Crust – Apparent-

ly wet wipes are a necessity at these events. I personally cannot relate, I am too masculine and love a cold shower. However, I have it on good authority that wet wipes can have all manner of application; whatever you plan to wipe, some anti-bacterial T.L.C. can mean the difference between contracting dysentery and cholera or just the usual festival diseases one can expect to accumulate.

Sunday Kinda Feelin’ – Don’t have sex on the Sunday, or after the third day. Whichever comes first. You will regret it. Especially if they’re a one-night stand and you value your sexual health. Not even wipes will save you this time. Get Wavey – Flags are the must-have festival accessory. Whether you just want to add colour to your campsite, or you plan on claiming the territory for your Motherland, flags are usually the best way to find anything or anyone at a festival.

Cheap and Cheerful – Even if you can afford

to ‘Glamp’, you’re still not safe from the kinds ordeals your provisions are going to have to withstand. It should go without saying, but don’t bring anything you plan on keeping, especially in any kind of reusable condition. Be it mud, mosh damage or misappropriation, you will most likely count your lucky stars that you chose to bring your old Nokia 3310 instead of your brand-new iPhone 20. Not because the latter would get damaged or anything, just because 3310s are useful for self-defence. Also, the rest of us won’t have to endure quite as many selfies.

don’t bring anything you plan on keeping, especially in any kind of reusable condition

flags are usually the best way to find anything or anyone at a festival

I would advise against anything inflammatory or potentially repetitive, so maybe you could take the chance to creatively design your own? Heck, your name, rank, number and blood type will do. For the shadows after dusk, glowsticks will suffice. Not for signalling or anything, they’re just really fun.

bring more glowsticks than anything else But I suppose if you really wanted to misuse them for stuff like lighting up your campsite or your friends, instead of hosting the funnest rave ever, you could do that. Whichever, bring more glowsticks than anything else.

SAR A LOU BOWREY

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 6

Children’s books: should they be age restricted? S H E I S P E R H A P S T H E M O S T P O P U L A R C H I L D R E N ’ S A U T H O R O F O U R G E N E R A T I O N , B U T S H O U L D C H I L D R E N R E A L LY B E R E A D I N G H E R B O O K S ?

ROSIE NEVILLE Lifestyle Editor

WHEN I was younger, like so many other girls my age, my obsession was with Jacqueline Wilson books. I’m sure so many people remember these; The Story of Tracy Beaker, Clean Break, Dustbin Baby, and so many more. By the age of twelve, except for Michael Morpurgo, she was the only author I could name as having read every single one of her books. Jacqueline Wilson is an author for children starting around the age of nine. I remember when I was in lower school, she was the author who all my friends would rave about in the playground and whose characters everyone would want to be for World Book Day. However, when I think about her books in hindsight, the subjects which she covered were things such as the death of siblings, abusive

parents, terminal illnesses, mental illnesses, and so many other intense and extreme topics which thinking about it, should not be the binge-worthy reading that is recommended for young school children. The book which stuck with me the most was My Sister Jodie. This is about a ten-year-old girl named Pearl who adores her older, rebellious thirteen-year-old sister Jodie. They move to a Victorian boarding school because their parents get a new job there. The book

ends with Bonfire Night where Jodie climbs to the top of an old gothic building whilst dressed all in white and wearing heels in an attempt to prove to a group of young children, her younger sister included, that the tower isn’t haunted. However, she trips and falls out of the open window of the tower, breaks her neck and dies. From this comes lots of speculation about whether Jodie committed suicide, and the obvious grieving and sadness from her younger sister. FLICKR/CAMAR-

Film Review: Hangman CLAUDIA HOWICK 2nd Year Frecnh and Eng-

‘

HANGMAN’ is a 2017 crime thriller, starring Al Pacino, Karl Urban and Brittany Snow. Retired Detective, Ray Archer (played by Al Pacino), and his former sidekick, current Detective Ruiney (Urban), follow the pursuit of a gruesome serial killer along with budding journalist Christi Davis (Snow) who takes on more than she bargained for with her new project working alongside the police force of Louisiana. The killer embarks on a childish game of Hangman, leaving tantalizing clues for the detectives with each murder. There are seven letters, and therefore seven murders – one every twenty-four hours – putting

pressure on the detectives to draw the links of each murder together, and outsmart their psychopath. From start to finish there are scenes which leave viewers on the edge of their seat, gasping for breath, accompanied by suspenseful orchestral music. The swift transitions of scenes ensure that ‘Hangman’ is not short of climactic cliff-hangers as dramatic tension is cleverly retained throughout the movie. From deathly silent tiptoeing around the scene of the crime, the cliché of creepily pulling back the shower curtain, to gripping car chases that leave audiences unable to blink. Up until the very final scene, there are twists and turns which shock and evoke a multitude of emotions

among the audience, even an unexpected sadness that one would not expect from such a high-paced thriller. It leaves an uncertainty lingering to the possibility of a se-

STRIKE/ZOE OS-

quel before the credits begin to roll. The thrilling dynamism of the film is certainly a testament to its producers; with visual and audio effects only adding to the exhilarating experience. In terms

I remember how this book left me feeling; at about nine years old (the recommended age for the book), I was reading about a young girl coming to terms with the fact that her older sister had fallen out of a window in front of her and broken her neck. I thought about this for so long, it had such an intense effect upon me. So many of her books are like this: there is Hetty Feather; about an orphan who is kidnapped. There is The Illustrated Mum; about a young girl whose Mum has a bipolar disorder and is an alcoholic (later on in the book the Mum paints herself with toxic paint after having a huge breakdown and then gets sent to a psychiatric hospital; her two daughters end up in a foster home). There is Vicky Angel; about two best friends, one of whom is hit by a car in front of the other and effectively haunts her friend for the rest of the novel. The topics

within Jacqueline Wilson’s books are all so intense and so emotional for young children to be reading, and the only reason that they are recommended for kids is because of the way in which they are written. When I think about the books which are a recommended read for children of such a young age, I realise that if you exclude the grammar used and the complexity of the story line, these would become intense novels which would be depressing for an adult to read, let alone a young and influential child. Children have strict guidelines on whether films are appropriate, based on the content, however when it comes to books, children are guided based on how easy they are to read. It seems that the topics are ignored, when actually books, like films or TV shows, are incredibly influential upon children’s imaginations.

of visual and camera effects, the film’s producers play with some interesting and novel techniques. Whilst it is somewhat a gamble to stray from conventional camera angles and lighting, the curious use of proxemics throughout the film is positively thought-provoking and serves as an alternate perspective that viewers might not have otherwise considered. The sole element lacking to this film is the absence of character development; due to the fast-paced nature of this thriller, little time is left to discover more about the three protagonists. Subtle mentions are conveyed at the beginning of the film surrounding the personal history of Detective Ruiney and journalist Christi, that leaves viewers with the assumption that this will slowly be unravelled as the film progresses – unfortunately, this is not wholly the case. However, with the possibil-

ity of a sequel up in the air, this leaves leeway for producers to portray the personal advancement of the film’s main characters. Overall, the film contains mostly everything one could want to exude from a high-powered crime thriller; there is not one point that audiences are left bored or impatient. Whilst there are many action sequences, the film stays true to its whodunnit nature and puts viewers in the seat of the detective, identifying with the protagonists and feeling as though they are a part of the story. By the ending, one is left mentally exhausted in the best way possible; the intended open-endedness of the film leaves thoughts darting through the mind of the viewer, as they attempt to piece together and comprehend the entirety of the film in light of every bombshell that was sprung upon them.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 7

Rampage: Big meets Bigger. TAZ USHER

Emtertainment Editor

UT a 40 ft gorilla, wolf, and crocodile in the same radius as a malicious (stiletto and red lippy type) CEO and ‘The Rock,’ and what do you get? An absolute beast of a film! The ultimately action-packed ‘video game’ film, Rampage, follows the quest of primatologist (animal expert) Davis Okoye (played by Dwayne Johnson), and his revenge seeking ally Dr. Kate Caldwell (played by Naomie Harris) as they battle to save the United States from three deadly genetic mutants. Mutants that are set on devouring anything and everything. The action-thriller does nothing to ease in the most sheepish of viewers. Within the first five minutes, we see

a terrified astronaut aboard the space station, Athena-1, desperately trying to escape a fanged rat (the size of a dog) at the same time as preserving the remaining samples of the successful genetic pathogens left on the spacecraft. But- as all good plots begin- she fails to make it back to earth and in the process, loses possession of the three surviving research canisters. In the scene that follows, viewers get a touch of relief as the humourous relationship between Davis Okoye and ‘big friendly giant’ George (an albino gorilla) offers moments to chuckle over. Nonetheless, whilst this unlikely bond is enough to entertain viewers for the entire length of the film, director Brad Peyton has other ideas when he hones in on the whereabouts of the surviving canisters.

The villains of the story are Claire and Brett Wyden (played by Malin Akerman and Jake Lacey), directors of Energyne: the company responsible for developing the lethal mutation gene. They’re your typical power-hungry figures who, upon hearing of George’s accelerating growth and aggressiveness (triggered by the radiating canister that crash lands into his enclosure) plunge the US into horrific danger. Determined to get their hands of the newly mutated creatures, they jump to the use of Willis Tower in the centre of Chicago city to lure them to the lab. One of the most climatic moments of the film sees Davis aboard an aircraft in which George is contained, and he and Dr. Caldwell are captured. The lure is then activated, and those aboard the spacecraft are faced with

an ultimate test of strength and endurance as they battle to restrain a severely hostile George, as he struggles to get himself off the plane. As expected, Johnson survives the inevitably fatal plane crash alongside Caldwell, and government agent Harvey Russell (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and eventually make it to Chicago in an attempt to save the US and, most importantly, their friend, George. Meanwhile, aware of the Wydens’ malicious agenda, Wayne is set on getting into Energyne’s headquarters to retrieve the reversal serum. But things aren’t as easy as they sound. By this point George has also been joined by a blood-thirsty wolf and crocodile that have grown even bigger in size than him as a result of the pathogen. It is the utter chaos, destruction and massacres at this

point across the city which bring the threat of the action into full view. Davis and Caldwell are in a race against time: fighting to get to the serum to revert George back to normal, whilst doing all that they can to prevent the government from causing mass destruction of the city using their most destructive bomb. I need not to spoil the ending for those of you intending on watching the film, however, I will say that the action truly triumphs in the last half hour. This film is everything fans of Jurassic Park, King Kong, or simply, The Rock’s indestructible strength will want to watch. Likewise, for new viewers it offers a perfect mixture of adrenaline rushes and heart-warming moments between man and man’s ‘atypical’ best friend that you won’t want to miss.

Why I was disappointed by Infinity War T H E G O O D A N D T H E B A D I N AV E N G E R S : I N F I N I T Y WA R

MILLIE FARQUAH

3rd Year English Literature

HIS article will contain spoilers, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. I don’t want you to read this article and think I didn’t enjoy Infinity war, I did (once I got over the shock of the ending). But there are a couple of things about it that really frustrated me (other than Star Lord and his selfish acts of idiocy!). Namely the fact that Infinity war doesn’t really have a story on its own! Yes, the main plot point is that Thanos, evil mastermind and massive purple maniac, is jumping around the galaxy killing and plundering until he gets infinity stones. But the plot falls into a trap that so many franchises have done before. It’s a set up! This film exists solely to set up the grand fi-

nale, and to set the tone for the next Avengers film. And that really annoys me! We don’t even get a massive team up towards the end. There is no Hulk and whilst Gamora’s death was heart breakingly beautiful, I wish I had seen a little more of her story growing up with Thanos, it certainly would have made me understand why she still cares about him. Secondly, I really think that there is such a thing as ‘too much.’ Social media went crazy when Marvel Studios celebrated 10 years of existing with a photo of 80 cast members. With most of them set to appear in Infinity war, and its sequel at some point! I think that is just too much. Infinity war is so saturated with characters that none of them really get any decent screen time. You get to see Shuri for little

more than five minutes and whilst Hawkeye and AntMan are mentioned in passing, I find it difficult to believe that they would remain under house arrest while the world falls into chaos. I also think that we should have seen a little more interaction between Gamora and Nebula. It would have aided in building up their back stories and fleshing out Thanos’ motivations. Something I also really wish was explained was Thanos’ desire to adopt children anyway. It is an aspect of his character that is never really explained, and I would be interested to see if it is explored in the next film. I was also disappointed with the lack of cohesive action in the film. There are some really incredible action sequences, but in them you never really see people acting as a team close up. We are treated to so many beau-

tifully rendered wide shots. But Infinity War lacks the level of detail that was seen in films like Civil War and Age of Ultron. And finally, the biggest thing that annoyed me about infinity war, was the end of credits scene. I do not think it was necessary, especially seeing as Marvel spent so long establishing Infinity War as something different. They even got rid of the Mid-Credit scene, but why they chose to include one at the end eludes me. I know that they need to set up for Captain Marvel, but having an end credit scene after the exclusion of a mid-credit one completely undermines the tone they were going for. I would much rather have them swapped around and, instead, have the teaser first. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy Marvel films. I am a fan and I will be there on opening night for every single re-

lease they have. Infinity War is a beautiful film, filled with heart break and catastrophe, and potentially one of the greatest cliff hangers to ever grace our screens. But I do not think it lived up to the hype in my mind. Franchises often suffer from ‘middle film’ syndrome where the plot in the middle film doesn’t really progress the story, but sets up for the big finale. They often do this by leaving too many questions unanswered. Infinity War does this a little and I left the cinema quite disappointed because of it. I am looking forward to seeing how the events in Infinity war are written into Ant-Man and Captain Marvel. And I wait with baited breath to see what will happen in the next Avengers film.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 8

The Vaccines - Combat Sports OLLIE GRENIER Spark Secretary

HOSE who have followed the Vaccines since release, like I have, will appreciate that their experimental-pop third album of ‘English Graffiti’, although having some strong singles, was a below par performance. A couple years in the wilderness and a slight lineup change, and the Vaccines have fought back with their newest release. Bubbling with fast-paced rockers that relentlessly come at you one after the other, the band has rediscovered what made them so exciting when they burst on to the scene back in 2011. Justin Hayward-Young has used the mantra of ‘less is more’ in his lyrics, swapping the cliché indie rock metaphors for original and often heartfelt lyrics (although one or two occasionally slip back in. See the first lines of “Surfing in the Sky”). Lead guitarist Freddie Cowan’s powerful riffs and licks ring

around the album, and seem destined to be blasted out on stage leaving the crowd in awe, and probably with ringing ears too! The album starts off thoughtfully with “Put It On a T-Shirt.” With its rolling drumbeat and chiming guitars, the song sets the tone for the album and demonstrates the new attitude of bandleader, Justin. The primary single of the album “I Can’t Quit” quickly follows, a song clearly made for the live stage with the pounding fuzz guitar a constant throughout. The bridge exemplifies a band at one with their sound and how comfortable they are, “You can’t change me can you?” - and this is a song I expect to start hearing regularly at Q Club’s indie nights on a Thursday! “Your Love Is My Favourite Band” is one that fans of the Strokes will get a sense of familiarity from. Notably, its upbeat rhythm and east coast sound, suiting this sweet little love song of a man doing all he can for a

woman who will never quite understand his feelings. This is a theme that recurs within several songs on this album. This is clearest in the fifth song of the album “Maybe (Luck of the Draw)” when Justin serenades “Maybe I want to spend my life with you, I wanna feel like other people do.” The fourth and sixth

lyrics like “Suffocate me in between your thighs,” I need not say anymore. The following stream of “Nightclub”, “Out On The Street” and “Take It Easy” (the stages of a night out?) is what I view as the most enjoyable section of this album. “Nightclub,” despite the repetitive cry of the chorus, highlights the power of the Vaccines’ melodies and provides an original description of the madness of falling in love. “Out On the Street” is rivaled only by “Your Love…” in terms of catchiness with Justin’s near-falsetto chorus, rebellious spirit, and lyrics most young-and-in-love students @BRISTOLPIC TURE will easily relate to. “Take It Easy” is silky smooth, with tracks on this album are humour in lyrics like “Give the clear weak points, with me your words of wisdom the latter a slow (and heav- but don’t make me take the ily sexual) ballad that some class,” and a chorus most may enjoy as a welcomed university students will heed break of pace. But for me with pride (but you’ll have to personally, it only succeeds listen yourself to see why). in shattering the perfectly The album ends strongly built momentum of the ear- with the two songs “Somely stages of this album. With one to Lose” and “Rolling

Arctic Monkeys: Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino OLLIE GRENIER Spark Secretary

think everyone was expecting something different to previous Arctic Monkeys’ LPs, but surely nobody other than the band members themselves could have been expecting this. This is a brave venture into a new territory for Arctic Monkeys, detouring from their usual indie rock for a new jazz led sound, reminiscent of the Beach Boys’ legendary ‘Pet Sounds’, with influences from the likes of Leonard Cohen in their new lyric led songs; replacing the typical verse-chorus-bridge-chorus formula. The boys from Sheffield have taken a step that many bands would be too scared

to even consider, and that’s a sign of their caliber. The best always think of ways to reinvent themselves, David Bowie being the prime example, and even he made some mistakes. If you want stadium-filling anthems, then there are 5 previous 5 LPs for that, albums that have all made the band rightfully one of the greatest of our time. But we must embrace one of Britain’s best songwriters for attempting something new. Too many bands try to keep pleasing crowds and fall slowly into irrelevance; perhaps Arctic Monkeys’ inherent desire to keep trying to push their boundaries is why, after 12 years, they are still so relevant. Those longing for a return to the days when Turner cut through the bullshit

of everyday life with his razor sharp tongue and thick Sheffield accent will be left disappointed. But that’s a narrow-minded view of the band, because they are all thirty-plus years old now, living in LA and hanging with the rich and famous. They simply don’t live in the world they did when they released their first album. This album isn’t perfect, admittedly a few songs strike as fillers after a few listens, but it is inherently a concept album, and is designed to be listened to as such. When done so, this album is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. TBH&C clearly hasn’t been made to be a commercial success, but Turner has perhaps remembered what the LP is all about, and I can only respect him for that.

Stones,” the former being a typical Hayward-Young self-humbling love song that puts himself down, whilst claiming himself to be the bigger man in the situation. “Rolling Stones” is a fitting end to the album, with witty lyrics that could be some of Hayward-Young’s finest, “the easy way out isn’t tailor-made.” In a time where the guitar is back to being a mainstream sound, it is only fitting that the Vaccines are part of it. Clearly rejuvenated by fresh members in the band, it is hard to fault any of the five members for execution, be it Hayward-Young’s crisp vocals that are stronger than ever, Cowan’s clinical execution of every riff on the album, or Yoann Intonti’s impressive debut performance on the drums. This is the Vaccines’ strongest album to date: it has something for everybody and at a mere 33 minutes run time, I recommend that everyone gives it a listen.

MOODY MUSIC TOP TEN WORKOUT

TUNES

1. Hips Don’t Lie- Shakira 2. Back to You- Louis Tomlinson 3. Feels- Calvin Harris 4. New Rules- Dua Lipa 5. Girls Just Want to Have Fun- Cyndi Lauper 6. Havana- Camila Cabello 7. Perro Fiel- Shakira 8. Uptown Funk- Mark Ronson 9. Flower- Moby

10. Shape of You- Ed Sheeran

E N T E R TA I N M E N T | PA G E 2 9

RUDS: Reflecting back on this year and directed by Becca King. Our final show of the term was the brand new ‘Performing Arts Showcase,’ directed HE 2017-18 year has by Rebecca Penn. This onebeen a jam-packed one night, charity show brought for Reading University Dra- together NINE different ma Society (RUDS) so far Arts Societies, including with more shows, socials & Drama, Ballet, Circus Arts, workshops than ever before! Breakdance (and more) to AUTUMN TERM showcase the talents of all Our first term start- the performers and raise ed with a Performance of money for local Readour 2017 Edinburgh Fringe ing-based charity, The Ollie show - ‘The Importance of Young Foundation. As well Being Frank,’ adapted & di- as shows, RUDS also put on rected by Erin Karn from weekly drama/improvisation Oscar Wilde’s wildly funny workshops and large social play! First up was our ‘Small events such as the welcome Autumn Play’ - ‘Sunflowers’ White T-Shirt Social and written & directed by Kirst- Annual Christmas Party! en Lees. The small cast of SPRING TERM six actors brought Kirten’s We started the Spring original writing to life: tell- Term with a special pering the fascinating story of formance of our IUDF play famed painter, Vincent Van ‘Scouting for Boys’ for all of Gogh. Next was our ‘Big Au- our members - you can watch tumn Play’ - ‘The Crucible’, the full play on the RUDS directed by Huw Smallwood, YouTube Channel. Next up giving Arthur Miller’s clas- was our Annual Shakespeare sic play a modern twist. The production - ‘Macbeth,’ dilarger cast of twenty actors rected by Gareth Morgan. created fear, paranoia, and The cast and crew created a suspension in this tense per- visual, yet minimalistic, proformance. duction by combining Me For the first time RUDS dieval Scottish attire, body attended The Inter-Univer- paint, and hairstyles with sity Drama Festival held physical theatre to create an in London. We performed intense, thrilling show. This ‘Scouting for Boys,’ a small, was followed by the ‘Annual hysterical comedy written Big Musical’ - ‘Spring AwakREBECCA PENN

MARKETING OFFICER 2018-19

ening’ directed by Hettie Cole. This year the cast of twenty actors were able to present complex themes of abuse, suicide, and sexual awakening with the help of a live band creating a poignant, movingly visual and musical spectacle. A new addition this term was RUDS’ participation in the Spring Dance Show hosted by the Reading University Ballet Society which was themed ‘Around the World.’ RUDS represented the USA and golden-age Hollywood with a dapper medley from ‘Meet Me in St Louis’. Likewise, weekly Musical Theatre Workshops led by Jenny Williams were also introduced in the Spring term. These have become a popular new addition to our calendar with members suggesting workshop themes and ideas such as ‘Learn Choreography From A Past Show!’ & ‘The Greatest Showman.’ SUMMER TERM Summer term started off with a bang with the 201718 Student Activities Awards hosted by the Reading University Students Union. We were so pleased to win three awards this year which included: Best Fundraiser of the Year (Performing Arts Showcase), President of the

RUMS Summer Concert Reading University Music Society

T’S time for the annual Reading University Music Society’s Summer Concert; come along for a revision break or celebrate the end of exams with some great music at Wantage Hall. The whole event is free, so invite your friends to a chill evening that won’t break the bank. Check out our Facebook event for any updates and we hope to see you there at 6:30pm on the 2nd of June supporting our ensembles!

We’d love to see some new members to our society, so if you play an instrument or would like to sing in our choir, check out our social media to find out what events we will be having in the next autumn term. We have lots of ensembles available which practice weekly and none of these are auditioned. We have 3 annual concerts, as well as lots of exciting events and trips planned for the 2018/19 academic year too. Come along, get involved and see what RUMS is all about.

EMILY SH-

Year (Teddy Turpin), and Gold Rewards and Recognition Award. Shortly after we also had our own annual awards night: the 6th Annual Trevor Awards. This is our version of the Tonys/Oscars where we highlight all of the amazing work and talent of all of the actors, producers, directors, technicians, makeup & hair teams, costumers etc. Members get to vote for their winners and enjoy a night filled with performances, prosecco, a bit of glitz and glam and awards!! And…we still have a busy Summer Term ahead of us! Coming up next is our annual daytime Big Picnic/ Sports Day, a chance to relax, have fun and catch up with other members after exams. Also coming up on the 5th and 6th June we have our 6th Annual 24-Hour Musical! We are once again supporting The Ollie Young

Foundation as we attempt to prep and put on a big family-friendly musical in 24 hours!! Anyone can be involved so come along! Check out the Facebook event for more info!! Finally, RUDS is so excited to be returning to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer with not one but TWO original shows ‘Alfred Hitchcock’s Writers Room,’ written & directed by Cameron Gill and ‘A Romantic’s Guide to the Apocalypse: a New Musical,’ written & directed by Huw Smallwood. We can’t wait for everything else coming up this Summer Term, and in the Summer! We also have some exciting plans & projects in the pipeline for next year! Go to our official website www.ruds.co.uk for all upcoming shows, socials and workshops.

W H AT ’ S O N AT R E A D I N G F I L M T H E AT R E

May 22 24 29 31

Custody Funny Cow Western I Got Life!

June 5 The Divine Order 7 That Good Night 12 The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society 14 A Ciambra 19 A Human Flow Films are shown in the Palmer Building on the Whightknights campus. Doors open 45 minutes before the advertised start time. Membership: £10/£5 for under 18s and University of Reading students SPECIAL STUDENT OFFER: All tickets for A FANTASTIC WOMAN, on Tuesday 8th may and I, TONYA on Thursday 17th May are £5 instead of £7 and £8. For more information and to book tickets, please visit www. readingfilmtheatre.co.uk or contact rft@reading.ac.uk

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HOROSCOPES F I N D O U T W H AT T H E S TA R S A R E S AY I N G A B O U T YO U T H I S M O N T H WRITTEN BY MEGAN BUDGEN

TA U R U S

GEMINI

A P R I L 2 0 - M AY 2 0

M AY 2 1 - J U N E 2 0

Your unwavering determination will finally pay off as this month is very promising for productivity. You will be able to meet deadlines and deal with any work pressure with ease and may even find yourself ahead of your workload towards the end of the month. You may find it helpful to invest in a planner or work diary, or something as simple as writing a to-do list to help you work efficiency. Your lucky number is 5.

It is important to stay grounded this month, as your ego has been known to cause conflict with others around you. Work hard at repairing or maintaining friendships this month and you’ll find yourself rewarded by Karma.

VIRGO

LIBRA

AUGUST 23- SEPTEMBER 22 Take this month to challenge the uncertainty you may feel surrounding change. This has held you back before. So this month, with Jupiter in your horizon, step out of your comfort zone and throw yourself into something new. Try out a new sport or hobby, or even just attempt a new recipe – you will benefit from even the smallest of change. To improve on a professional relationship, watch out for the colour yellow as it will bring you joy!

CAPRICORN

CANCER

LEO

J U N E 2 1 - J U LY 2 2

J U LY 2 3 - A U G U S T 2 2

Cancer, you may have recently experienced a loss, but it is important to pick yourself up and move on. After a particularly rocky time it is crucial to get yourself back into a routine and try not to think of your mistakes or regrets. Remember what you have been through and how strong you are, it will take you down an exciting new path.

Your sensitive nature may mean you are hurt by a friend’s or significant other’s actions this month. It may also mean you will struggle to accept any criticism coming your way, but try not to let it get to you down too much. You will be able to build a tougher attitude from this, which will aid you throughout your life.

SCORPIO

S A G G I TA R I U S

SEPTEMBER 23 - OC TOBER 22

OC TOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21

NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21

You will experience a difference in opinion with a close friend at some point this month, but your composed and rational attitude will mean that things will soon be resolved. To ensure that no harm is done, encourage a group activity with your friends so no-one feels left out. If you’re struggling with staying focussed this month, search for the number 7, it will help your concentration.

Scorpio, your honest and fun-loving attitude is what people love about you. Take this month to relax, have some quiet time and cherish more time to yourself. You’ve been facing a challenge regarding deadlines and personal issues so you deserve a break. Look out for Orion in the stars this month and his guidance will allow everything will fall into place. The colour blue will lead you to a new hobby/ interest this month.

This month will teach you the significance of not settling for less than you’re worth. It is time to prioritise your own happiness and move on from the mistakes of your past. With the appropriate amount of practice combined with your strong-mindedness, you will be able to master a new skill. Look to the stars and to Mars this month. They will aid you and help you discover a new hobby or skill to develop.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 19

DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 19

JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 18

FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20

The start of a new job or a new hobby will affect your life extremely positively, create routine and friendships, and restore balance. Your creativity is at an all-time high this month, Capricorn, and you will thrive because of it! This month, focus on your own goals and stop worrying about what other people think. Orange will be extremely lucky for you this month.

Good news! this is your lucky month. Enjoy the spouts of luck throughout the month and take this opportunity to treat yourself and those around you. You may want to use your luck to your advantage and buy yourself a scratch card, or even ask something of a significant other with luck on your side. However, be wary. Mercury will be retrograde soon, so make sure this lucky streak isn’t wasted.

Your likeable and outgoing nature will mean that you will make a lot of new friends this month but your company will be desired by your old friends too. Enjoy spending time with fresh faces, but make sure you don’t neglect your old friends! Put in the effort and it will not go unnoticed. Remember the significance of loyalty! The number 19 will bring you positivity and balance.

The birthday month of many of you out there! The month of April brings a whirlwind of emotions to the forefront. The feeling of anger at the l ittlest of things to be expected, so try to

There is a strong chance that your hard work last month will be rewarded by good news concerning your finances. To secure your good news, ensure you make good decisions in regards to creating an efficient budgeting system or consider saving your money more this month. Your organised and level-headed personality will find this easy. Follow circles this month, they will bring you good luck.

C R E AT I V E

CORNER

W O R K F R O M O U R S TA R S T U D E N T W R I T E R S

An odd one H O L LY F O U R N I E R 1 S T Y E A R E N G L I S H L A N G U A G E A N D L I T E R AT U R E

It’s an odd one, It’s ambiguous, Potent, ‘Having of great power, influence of effect’. It can attack you, Suddenly. Feels like you can’t get rid of it, It’s a tightening in your chest, Like a clamp connecting your insides together.

Room 107 AN EXTRACT

I had been standing for almost three hours now and my legs were screaming. To ‘My final decision is that my left, the judge sat in jet the defendant has been black robes, his face cold found guilty of the murder and stern. Unlike myself, of Mr. Angus Davies and he he was sat in a large leather will be executed this after- chair, and his firm grip on noon.’ The judge had finally his mallet made him look authoritative and, if I’m made up his mind. honest, slightly terrifying. You could hear a pin I looked up, a bead of drop. A room full of people, and you could still hear sweat trickled down my a pin drop. Nothing could forehead, my expression save me now and I was de- unsure of what was going to termined to make sure that happen next- but not scared. my execution would be a Despite my knowing of so heroic attempt to keep mo- many friends, fellow Blacks tivating our fight for justice. and vengeful Whites sat in The courtroom, washed front of me, I could only out by the muddy yellow see my mother. I felt terripaint on the walls, felt tiny ble for feeling surprised that despite the what seemed she came. Why wouldn’t she like endless rows of peo- though? This was a huge ple sat on creaking, splin- moment for both her and tered pews. The aisle made myself. There was no way me feel dizzy as it stretched she would miss it. Part of from the front of the pews me wished she had stayed to the double doors at the at home though. Not having back of the room with its to see the disappointment stone cold, black and white and the pain in her face zig zagged tiles. I was sat would’ve made this whole right at the front, encaged thing a million time easier. within a wooden platform. You could tell she was tryEMMA SCOT T

1ST YEAR ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Freckles HOLLIE DIPLOCK 1 S T Y E A R E N G L I S H L I T E R AT U R E

Constellations spill onto his back and Split into stellar droplets down his spine. I traced them as astronaut’s fingertips Would softly graze the edges of the world, While they realise this is the closest they’ll Be to having faith. I wish I were a Seraph so that I could timelessly dance Among the speckled night of his shoulders.

ing to stay strong; she was wearing her worn, scruffy black coat, and locks of her wavy grey hair rested on her shoulders, her eyes looked red and baggy. Her face was stern but calm, however I couldn’t ignore the silent tears sliding down her face, and the quiver of her lips every now and again. How else could she react though? Her son, me, had just been found guilty of murdering quite possibly the most powerful White in the political society. My reason? So I could prove to them that us Blacks are fed up of being their slaves. I knew it was a mistake. For so many years she had told me to keep quiet, do as your told, and most importantly don’t mess with a White. The truth is I don’t think it’s fair, and my attitude was only further influenced when I met Jack, the leader of the rebellion. My mother did all she could to try and stop me from meeting with him. She hated the day I invited him round for

dinner. I don’t want to say I was radicalised but joining the rebellion made me show even more hate towards our enemies. Each day I would wake up and question why the colour of my skin meant I couldn’t go to school, couldn’t work and earn a decent paycheque, couldn’t make a life for myself. If it wasn’t for the rebellion there was no way I would’ve had the courage to fight back. The rebellion made my crime feel like a victory. It’s crazy how such a significant moment in your life, a moment that decides your fate can become such a blur. The build-up, the climax, the anti-climax all mixed into one memory that’s like an abstract piece of art painted onto my brain. Pulling the trigger wasn’t the hardest part. In fact, pulling the trigger was the easiest. What people don’t realise is that making the decision to shoot and processing the lifeless body in front of you is the worst bit of the whole process. The weirdest thing?

You know it’s wrong but somehow it feels so right. In some people’s eyes you’re a hero. The courtroom was still silent and my mother’s tears were becoming more intense, still silent but I could only imagine the soggy mess that was forming on her lap. Without warning, two prison guards, dressed in neatly pressed khaki green uniforms, aggressively forced my wrists into handcuffs, the metal sharp and cold on my skin. Like a captured animal, they removed me from my platform and out of the court room and back into the prison. I could barely control my feet across the floor as I was pretty much dragged to my cell and in one last attempt to make things better, I glanced one last look towards my mother and mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry.’ Useless, I know. I just wanted to make a small effort to show her I did care and, if I’m honest, the disappointment she felt killed me more than the thought of my execution.

CLUB OF THE YEAR

M A D J E S K I M O N T H LY

M O FA R A H

Thomas tells us about the Club of the year award.

What's been going on with Reading FC?

Breaking an all-time record.

PA G E 5

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sport

THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

Lacrosse Crowned Club of the Year

TO cap off a wonderful evening, celebrating the success of sporting events that have taken place across the University this academic year, Lacrosse were awarded the coveted ‘Club of the Year’ title amongst other awards handed out to the Men’s Rugby Union 1st Team for ‘Team of the Year’ as well as Softball who took ‘Most Imporved Club.’ After another actionpacked campaign for the American Football Team, President James Hegarty was handed an individual prize for ‘President of the Year’ while Rugby Union’s Meg-

J M C C P H O T O G R A P H Y.

an Watts won the award for ‘Captain of the Year.’ The evening was a chance for all the teams to come together and share their stories in what turned out to be a challenging year for a lot of the clubs with the turnover of committee members and to fulfill their aims and objectives for the academic year. With victory over Oxford Brookes at Varsity, in which the Knights recorded their biggest tally of 26-16, this was the icing on the cake and gave everyone a chance to celebrate in style with a glass of champers to toast

off the winners. Now that the season has ended, those that will be taking on their new roles will have their sights on the 2018/19 calendar year and look to replicate the achievements of this year next.

Celebrating the success of sporting events across campus. The winners list is as follows: Team of the Year: Men’s

Rugby Union 1st Team Most Improved Club: Softball Most Improved Team: Women’s Lacrosse Team President: James Hegarty (American Football) Captain of the Year: Megan Watts (Wmms Rugby Union) Male Sports Personality of the Year: Andrew Jones (Fencing) Female Sports Personali ty of the Year: Maddie Benton (American Football/ Rubgy Union) Coach of the Year: Fiona Stewart (Netball)

J M C C P H O T O G R A P H Y.

Clown of the Year: Cam Jaramillo (Canoe) Committee Member of the Year: Will Waters (Canoe) Most Valuable Player of the Year: Jody Mann (Football) Most Dedicated Club of the Year: Canoe A special thanks must be given to the Varsity event organisers and everyone that took part in making the tournamnet a success. The depth of sports teams that got involved and the talent of on display made it a quite entertaining day of competiton.

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Stereotypes in the Sports Industry SHOULD WOMEN BE STRIPPED OF EARNING A LIVING JUST FOR BEING EXPOSED TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD?

THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

he whole Ring Card/ Formula One GridGirl debate has come into prominence in the last few months with more females fearful of losing their jobs and prevented from earning a living because of misperceptions that they’re exposed on live TV. A complete ban has been introduced and has resulted in back lash from the inner fraternity of females who will be without a job in the new season.

The Women’s Sport Trust have sent a clear message, stating that “We strongly encourage sport such as cycling, boxing and UFC to follow Darts and Formula 1 and reconsider the use of podium girls, ring girls and octagon girls.” Nowadays, the sports industry still seems to be a male-dominated one but gaps in the sector have been bridged to ensure more women are represented in similar positions to men and aims to reduce discrimination and other forms of stereotype that distance women from

high-paid roles. Moreover, the boxing industry have taken a more ruthless stance against the ban of ring card girls, insisting that women should be entitled to earn a living because it is a job at the end of the day, many of whom have come out on social media and made their voice heard. The role of the Grid Girls is not to expose themselves because of what they wear but to promote global events and represent the company they’re working for, conducting certain promotional tasks and

wearing clothing that bears the name of their sponsor. The same can be said for Darts, where the girls accompany the players to the stage and in a similar way present themselves from a promotional standpoint. The Professional Darts Corporation have introduced a ban for walk-on girls and has not gone down well with promoter Barry Hearn who has blamed the TV networks for not coming up with a solution for keeping the girls in work.

We strongly encourage sport such as cycling, boxing and UFC to follow Darts and Formula One and reconsider the use of podium girls, ring girls and octagon girls.’

Special Moment As UoR Alumni Are Given Hall of Fame Status THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

As an academic institution, the University of Reading isn’t just reminded of its world-class credibility in teaching and learning but also for the number of past and present alumni who have achieved big things in sport and the experiences they will take away from being a student at this university. On Saturday 28th April 2018 the Sports Hall of Fame was opened by Sir David Bell, Vice Chancel-

lor of the University of Reading. The Sports Hall of fame celebrates sporting ambition, dedication and success of the UoR graduates that have represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games. It appears that the time spent at the University has given past student valuable experience for entering the professional world or pursuing that career in sport. Being able to showcase their skills and make the use of the first class facilities here has helped these talented athletes to achieve

their aims and objectives whilst balancing this with their academic commitments. The social aspect of participating in sport also plays a huge part in university life and the plethora of sports clubs and teams that interact with one another brings a competitive and friendly atmosphere. In terms of reaching the pinnacle of their desired sport, representing their country at national and international tournaments, has become a reality for a lot of graduates and really sends out a strong

message to those that feel passionately about a particular sport and want to challenge themselves to be the best in that field. One sport that has really flourished and has had a number of successful athletes who have gone onto compete at the London 2012 games for example is Rowi ng. For instance, Anna Watkins, who won the Olympic title in the double sculls, graduated with a PhD in Mathematics before going on to fulfill her dreams.

Reading’s superb sports facilities, unwavering support and a great Boat club were all hugely influential on my racing career Debbie Flood (Rowing)

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Madjeski Monthly BECKY WATSON

2nd year Film & Theatre

7 April –Reading 1-0 Preston North End – Reading Strengthen Chance To Stay Up

EADING fans would have to look back to April 29th 2017 for the last time the Royals won at home on a Saturday. Modou Barrow’s winning header gave Paul Clement a second victory and clean sheet in three matches since he replaced Jaap Stam. Royals had a mere 40% possession during the game and had just five shots compared to Preston’s 16. Clement’s men were forced to defend for large periods against play-off chasing North End. Reading started the game just two points off the drop zone and this win restored Reading to a five-point gap. Clement made four changes from the side that were crushed 3-0 at Aston Villa on Tuesday night. Jon Dadi was fouled from behind just outside the area which led to a Liam Kelly free kick. The free kick found Bodvarsson who flicked it on to leading scorer Barrow at the back post to head in for his 10th goal of the season. Preston almost equalised immediately when Omar Richards conceded a freekick 25 yards out and Lewis Moult’s shot smashed against the crossbar. Reading’s final ball was often lacking, something Chris Gunter, Sone Aluko and Bodvarsson were all guilty of. Preston made two changes at the break and then threatened an equaliser straight after the restart when Sean Maguire rattled the crossbar with a bu llet header from Billy Bodin’s cross. Royals rode out the storm and, though they remained under pressure,

A S U M M A R Y O F R E A D I N G F C G A M E S T H I S M O N T H AT T H E M A D E J S K I S TA D I U M they defended resolutely. The Royals scored from their only attempt on target and kept Reading in 19th place. Reading manager Paul Clement told BBC Berkshire: “It was an ugly game, but we got there in the end and that’s the main thing. “In the home games they have really stuck at it and you need that in a relegation battle. You need men, you need people who are going to take responsibility, and all the players are doing that.” 14 April – Reading 2-2 Sunderland – Battle For Championship Survival Ends In A Draw Yann Kermorgant came off the bench to salvage a point for Reading FC in a relegation six-pointer against Sunderland. Reading remain 19th in the table and five points ahead of Barnsley. Clement made one change from the side that lost at Fulham on Tuesday where Leandro Bacuna received a three-match ban. The Royals took the lead in the 20th minute through Liam Kelly at a sun-soaked Madejski Stadium. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was brought down by Lee Camp and Kelly made no mistake from the spot hammering a powerful penalty past an embarrassed Camp for a 1-0 lead. The Royals almost snatched a second two minutes later through Kelly again with a wonder shot from 25 yards that forced an excellent save from Camp. The Black Cats came close to equalising when Ashley Fletcher’s shot was headed off the line in the 23rd minute by Liam Moore. Reading’s lead was unfortunately wiped out less than two minutes after the half time restart with only

themselves to blame. Paddy McNair took advantage of Dave Edward’s stumble with a 25-yarder past Vito Mannone and into the top corner. In the 67th minute Clement’s men gave a freekick away down the left, Aiden McGeady swung in a dangerous ball and Lee Cattermole headed Preston ahead. The equaliser for Reading came in the 80th minute after Gunter whipped in an excellent cross for Kermorgant to head in and deny Sunderland the three points, There was more drama to come as both sides frantically searched for a late winner and Mannone had to deny Sunderland a late winner more than once. Camp also had to pull off two saves in stoppage time to deny a win for the Royals. The draw did little to help Reading’s bid to shake off the threat of relegation and there are now only nine points left to play for. Reading manager Paul Clement told BBC Radio Berkshire: “There are some things there where we weren’t tactically disciplined. We’ve got to fight to get that right in the last three games, otherwise it’s going to be in the lap of the gods.”

B E C K Y WAT S O N

ton Albion in 22nd place after the shocking defending against manager-less Ipswich. Clement made two changes from the side that lost 3-0 at Sheffield Wednesday. After a goalless first half, Clement was forced to make a change three minutes into the second half and replaced the injured Omar Richards with fitagain Tommy Elphic. Waghorn broke the deadlock after some dreadful defending from the home side. Clement’s men stood around waiting for an offside that never came and Jordan Spence was alert to pick out Waghorn, who blasted past Mannone from 12 yards. Before Reading could recover from the blow they 28 April –Reading 0-4 conceded a second goal Ipswich Town –Royals nine minutes later with a stunning shot Heaviest Home League from Spence. Defeat For Over 11 Years But more embarrassment Royals relegation bat- followed as Ipswich netted tle goes down to the last twice more in injury time day after a shambolic 4-0 and the chant ‘you’re not home defeat to mid-table fit to wear the shirt’could be heard from the Reading Ipswich Town. It was Reading’s first fans. Many of the home fans home defeat under Paul quickly disappeared from Clement and the timing the stadium soon after the could not have been any fourth goal was conceded. worse. Not surprisingly, only a Royals remain 19th in handful of home supportthe table, but they are now just two points above Bur- ers stayed behind to ap-

plaud the Royals players on their traditional lap of honour. Fans complained after the game that there was no fight from any of the Reading players. But many were also pointing out the aggressive atmosphere coming from the fans throughout the second half that possibly damaged the players’ confidence. Clement’s men must now avoid defeat at promotion-chasing Cardiff City next weekend or they will be relying on results elsewhere to keep them up. Five sides go into the final day of the Championship season knowing they could be relegated to League One. Reading manager Paul Clement told BBC Berkshire: “It was shameful and embarrassing from the point where Ipswich got their first goal to the end of the game. “It was completely unacceptable and I’m very disappointed and sorry for our fans.” Season Result: Royals Stay In The Championship By The Skin Of TheirTeeth After A 0-0 At Cardiff City. Coming Up Next Month: What Will Happen Next Season? Player of the Month: Liam Moore

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Frank Bruno Behind Closed Doors (Book Review) THOMAS LYONS Print Spor ts Editor “I can say with certainty that the punches over the years did far less damage than the lifestyle changes which came after I walked away from boxing... the battle to find something, anything, to replace that boxing drug: they truly were the hardest punches I have taken in life.” AS the front cover suggests, this is an incredible, inspiring story straight from the heart. From the euphoria of winning the WBC Heavyweight title at Wembley in September 1995 to battling and overcoming his biggest challenge in life, bipolar disorder, British boxing icon Frank Bruno breaks down the dark moments he faced beyond the realms of the boxing ring. Having celebrated an outstanding career with an endless drive to go on and achieve big things in the sport and reach the pinnacle by beating Oliver Mc-

T H O M A S LY O N S

Call in front of thousands of his loyalist fans to facing his demons and being on the verge of collapse, makes this account of his journey very moving. In an emotional and honest account of his uphill battle against depression, Bruno talks about the different phases of relapse and recovery in his book. From being sectioned the firsttime, stripped of his dignity and pushed over the edge by the endless cycle of drugs and treatment, Bruno reflects on how he regained control of his own life after his release from hospital. His battle with mental health has been well-documented and Frank has used this media attention to raise awareness of the stigma attached to mental health issues and aims to promote and educate people on the problems they may have to overcome in their lives.Although Frank enjoyed the fame and fortune, the flashy cars and the big houses, finding

that peace of mind was more important to him and with boxing brought a focus to his daily routine. Even the most colourful and charismatic figures in the sport can become trapped inside this conundrum of negative thoughts and dampened spirits as seen with Tyson Fury, who makes his return to the ring after a two-and-ahalf-year absence, recovering from recreational drug use and getting back onto the straight and narrow. In both cases, it must have been extremely difficult to deal with their problems alone but with the support from a close circle of family and friends, they were able to find their feet and look to a brighter future. When we talk about mental health, do we really understand its meaning? How do we uncover the truth behind depression and anxiety and to what extent does this impact us without even knowing its there? are all questions I

asked myself as I came to terms with Frank’s experiences chapter by chapter. Bruno explains the trauma of being exposed to the outside world when his condition was deteriorating and the impact this was having on his loved ones. Before reading into his life story essentially, Frank had visited the university, like so many talks he had given over the years, to discuss the issues he’d faced and I soon realised how much strain this had put on him when I got my copy of ‘Let Me Be Frank’. In answering my question, ‘when preparing for a fight, what was tougher, the mental or physical prepartion?’ he responded, “Boxing is all about channelling the mind and staying calm under pressure. 80...90% is all in the mind.” By speaking openly to people about his struggles, it has sent a strong message to those facing similar problems and how it doesn’t hurt to talk to people about these issues.

While Frank managed to put on a brave face for a very long time despite what was happening behind closed doors, his persistence and faith have got him to where he is today, an ambassador for mental health awareness and a focal point for fighting mental illness. Bruno talked about how he was so close to throwing in the towel but kept a positive mentality to manage his struggles: “But after I announced my retirement I began to feel stronger and stronger. I was walking away from the past and towards a brighter future. I knew my defences were up and was ready for whatever punches my illness would throw at me. I’d come so far. I’d been able to ask for help. I’d finally accepted my boxing career was over. So now was the time to start winning the biggest battle of all. Winning back peace of mind. And keeping control of it.” Highly recommended.

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Irish make Two More Summer Signings THOMAS LYONS Print Spor ts Editor Press Irish:

Release

London

ONDON Irish have strengthened their back-row options with the signing of Matt Rogerson from Jersey Reds for the 2018/19 campaign. Rogerson, 24, played 22 times for the Channel Islanders last term, helping them to cement their place in the top six of the Greene King IPA Championship. The back-rower, who is adept at either blindside flanker or No. 8, joined Sale Sharks in 2015 after graduating from Loughborough University where he made more than 50 National League 1 appearances. After two seasons

with Sale, Rogerson joined Jersey and after a string of impressive displays this year, the Lancaster-born forward has earned himself a move to Irish. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to join London Irish,” said Rogerson. “Jerry Sexton is part of the set-up at Jersey, and he’s spoken positively about London Irish and the world class facilities that they have at Hazelwood, which excites me. “I’m looking forward to working with the coaching team at Irish and I’ll be doing everything I can to help the club return to the Premiership.” Declan Kidney, the Exiles’ technical consultant added: “Matt will be a solid addition to the pack and we look forward to welcoming him to the club

in the summer.” Meanwhile, USA international Bryce Campbell has signed for London Irish ahead of the 2018/19 season, the centre having played 15 times for his country. Campbell, 23, who hails from Indianapolis, was recently called up to the Eagles’ squad by head coach Gary Gold for summer Tests against Russia, Scotland and Canada. Standing at 6ft’2 Campbell has scored seven tries for his country and joins fellow compatriots Blaine Scully, Nick Civetta and AJ MacGinty in plying their trades in the UK. Helping the Eagles soar to a historic second consecutive Americas Rugby Championship title with over Uruguay in March, rugby is a sport on the rise across the pond.

Campbell makes the move to Irish from Colorado-based side Glendale Raptors, the hard-hitting back excited to be a part of the set-up at Hazelwood. “I can’t wait to make the move to England and join up with my new teammates for pre-season”, said Campbell. “I’m grateful for having the opportunity to play for London Irish and I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping the club achieve its target of promotion back to the Premiership next season.” London Irish technical consultant Declan Kidney said: “We are looking forward to Bryce joining our pre-season programme in the middle of July following on from the end of the June international series, and the US domestic league season.

I’m grateful for having the opportunity to play for London Irish and I’m looking forward tot he challenge of helping the club achieve its target of promotion back to the premiership next season.

Mo Breaks All-Time British Record in Annual London Marathon THOMAS LYONS Spor ts Print Editor

o Farah had to settle for third in the stifling heat, with the hottest temperatures ever recorded for a London Marathon race. Kenya’s Eluid Kipchoge reached the finishing line in a time of 2 hours 4 minutes and 17 seconds to take top spot

of the podium, as the four-time Olympic champion finished two minutes and four seconds behind the three-time winner. With 40,000 competitors tackling the course (which consisted of 26.2 miles) in gruelling conditions, Kipchoge showed why he is arguably one of the grea test marathon running of all time marching to

the very end in impressive fashion. Ethiopia’s Tola Shura Kitata finished second and to his credit only came 32 seconds behind the front-runner. A water stop confusion for Farah stopped his momentum ever so slightly but was able to find the correct bottle before catching up with the leading group.

Farah’s last appearance at the annual event was four years ago where he finished eighth but hadn’t ran one since. The 35-year old was up against it with a very talented field including Kipchoge, Kenesia Bekele and defending champion Daniel Wanjiru but ran a superb race to clinch a spot on the podium.

Meanwhile, it was double delight for Kenya as Vivian Cheruiyot crossed the line first with a time of 2hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds to take the women’s title, while Paula Radcliffe kept her world record intact.

Swing Dance goes International! Natasha Nelson

We took to the stage in rainbow shoelaces (an ode to the freedom from genThis year has been great for der roles in the partnered dance) and wowed with the Swing Dance Society. a combo of Charleston, First we performed at the Lindy Hop, and Aerials! Drama Society and later RUTAM’s showcases, which We’re so proud of how far our freshers have come were great fun. from self-professed dance newbies, to star performers. Our performers, Lily Hayward, Josie Daman, David New, Alex Watson, Natasha After Easter, we took 11 Nelson, Cassie Wu, Karomembers to Bilbao, Spain, lina Koziol, Niall Calder, for the BilboSwing festival. Jade Hallett, Rose Little, Bilbao is a stunning city, Charlotte King, Rachael and during the festival was Clark, Kym Boucher, and Jethro Beamish-Cook; were host to an international composed of a combination swing dance scene, and of complete beginners from many world class teachers. this year, as well as longtime dancers. 2nd year BA French and Spanish

Natasha Nelson

We each mastered new moves, explored the lanes and hills until our feet ached, and Lindy-Hopped our way to true happiness. The society was able to subsidise the trip, making it only £130 for students! Even better to enjoy the tapas, 70c beer, and ice cream! To get involved with Lindy Hop or simply to meet the scene, why not celebrate World Lindy Hop Day on May 26th at Ice House, where we’ll be showing the movie ‘Hellzapoppin’’ at 1pm for free.

Natasha Nelson

photography

Move over Spring... EUAN CARMICHAEL Head of Photography

EUAN CARMICHAEL

ISABELLE COOPER

Head of Photography

1st Year Geography

EUAN CARMICHAEL

ISABELLE COOPER

Head of Photography

1st Year Geography

P H O T O G R A P H Y | PA G E 3 9

...Summer has arrived

ISABELLE COOPER

1st Year Geography

EUAN CARMICHAEL Head of Photography