The Spark - Volume 69, Issue 2

friday 17th october 2014

spark volume 69, Issue 2

-The Top Stories From This MonthNEWS

FRESHERS' BALL

A whimsical night reminiscent of Summer Ball that students will not forget.

LIFESTYLE

ENTERTAINMENT

Top five fashion must-haves for a new autumnal wardrobe.

Find out what’s happening in the third return of The Oxjam Reading Takeover on the 18th.

AUTUMN FASHION BUYS

OXJAM FESTIVAL

SPORT

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Impressive player Uba from the US joins up to play this year for the Knights.

Thousands of students flock for late night spending spree ABBIE WEAVING News Editor

On the 7th October thousands of students flocked to the Oracle for its bi-annual student lock-in.

With over 4,000 students having signed up for the event, the shopping centre was full of pyjama-adorned youngsters who were not only hunting for bargains, but also trying to break the world record for the largest number of people wearing pyjamas in one place.

Following last year’s record of 752 pyjama-donned students, numbers from this event are currently sitting around the 800 mark! Mathew Britten, a third year Ancient History and

Archaeology student, said: “I enjoyed the night and saved money on some shoes, which was great.”

With queues stretching from Minster Street to MacDonald’s restaurant at The Riverside, students at the front of the queue had been waiting since 3pm that afternoon in time for the event opening at 8:30pm.

Perfectly positioned at the front of the long line, Daniyal Mumtaz, from Reading College, told The Spark: “I’m still a college boy. We finished one lesson early so we came straight here.” When asked what one item he would grab from the Oracle in a supermarket sweep, he said: “That’s a really hard question.

Probably a PS4 or clothes – I

could do with clothes, or a curved TV!” As well as offering huge reductions throughout a number of shops, the Oracle gave one lucky student the chance to take part in their ‘Supermarket Sweep’, with the first 50 entrants automatically entered into the competition. The winner, 16-year-old Emily Walker from Henley College, won a twominute spending spree in the House of Fraser’s Miss Selfridge department, grabbing £500 worth of clothing.

Having queued since 5:30pm, she told The Spark that her favourite item was “the leather jacket”, and that her friends will be receiving “a few presents” following her shop floor sweep.

When asked what item she’d like to nab throughout the whole of the Oracle, she said: “I’m not sure. Probably just a lovely pair of shoes, some boots – I need some boots.”

Aptly, her favourite shop was Miss Selfridge. The Oracle, however, does change the location of its ‘Supermarket Sweep’ each year, with the first spree set in Bank, and then Topshop playing host to last year’s winner.

Kieran Sangha, a third year English Literature student at the University of Reading and Topshop employee, told The Spark: “It [the student lockin] was absolutely manic, but I enjoyed the thrill and the atmosphere.”

In fact, Topshop was one of the shops in highest demand on the night, with Oracle security staff asking shoppers to queue outside the store in an attempt to control numbers.

Juliette Parfitt, a third year Classics student, said: “I usually hate shopping, but I got some shoes and a coat and it was a really fun night.”

Just a short bus journey from the University, the Oracle is the perfect shopping spot for students. Stay tuned for more events!

NEWS|EDITORIAL

If not now, when?

JESSICA PHILLIPS Deputy Editor

CONTENTS

17|10|14 NEWS

RUSU Welfare Officer, Tilly Corless, explains her new campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week

P12

TRAVEL

Camp America Obsessed with American Culture?

Find out how to spend your summer working at Camp America!

P17

ENTERTAINMENT Gone Girl review Originally a fantastic book, one writer rushed to see Gone Girl and shares it with you!

P28

It’s officially October, and for all of you sun worshippers, shorts wearing, Pimms drinking tennis lovers, the end of summer can be a bit of a come down. But, every cloud has a silver lining, and with the onset of the autumn chill brings the opportunity to pull out those trusted pair of leggings and not worry about hairy legs until Easter; it allows you to curl up with a cup of tea on the sofa watching Downton Abbey, and most importantly celebrates the beginning of the rugby season.

So if all of you summer lovers are feeling a little down, before you decide to squander your student loan on a SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) light, there are a few things you should bear in mind.

I know that summer is a time of coming together, when old school friends reunite and talk as if not a day has gone by, but the changing of the leaves and rising heating bills should not have to affect this sense of

SPORT

P39

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO...

Designer- Paula Whetstone Designer-Tertia Nash Designer-Eman Yousif Designer-Rhys Jones Designer-Elizabeth Jones

together. We all have different tastes, hobbies, interests and styles, but we all have things that make us laugh and are important to us. We are all the same in some ways. This month is dedicated almost entirely to community, and recognising the similarities as opposed to the differences between us. This month is about standing up for what you believe in and demonstrating that we are stronger together. These themes were prevalent in September in the shape of the Scottish Referendum which opted for a pro-union verdict, and by the United Nation’s launch of the HeforShe Campaign. So, this month is about putting these policies into action and making the words on paper translate into tangible positive change.

October champions the cause of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Stoptober, and boasts the likes of Black History Month, and then there’s Halloween. So there really are no excuses for not joining in, and it makes no odds whether you cull the smoking habit for thirty days or dress up

EDITORIAL

EDITOR.SPARK@READING.AC.UK

Get Scared, it’s October as The Joker on October 31st.

The point I’m trying to make is, the more you participate, the more you will be rewarded.

Therefore, I challenge you to be a part of something, to make a difference in the smallest way. Smile at someone in the street or contribute to a seminar discussion. Make yourself part of the community.

I still bring homemade Welshcakes to university at the beginning of every term, which integrates the Welsh community with the wider university community. Although it heralds a few sarcastic comments, it always gets people talking, and everyone gets to enjoy some authentic home baking. So what do you have to lose? I’m not suggesting that everyone pesters their grandparents to slave over a stove, but I do ask that you make a difference and take steps towards engaging with something. If ever in doubt, bear in mind the resonating words of Emma Watson from her UN speech, ‘If not me, who? If not now, when?’.

Turkeys, Hayrides and Pumpkin Spiced Lattes. An insight into the most sinister time of year!

NATHALIE SIAH Editor

There’s a particular feel to October I miss back in Toronto where I’m from, that you’d probably recognize if you were in an American film. All of it is absolutely true.

It is a time for harvesting crops, eating too much candy and dressing up like characters meant for small children. We celebrate Thanksgiving—a tradition where people decidedly love turkeys for one day only and for those 24 hours, it is essential that all mothers wrack their brains trying to figure out the best way to prepare a disproportionately fat bird. And yes, the rest of our days are spent going to apple farms, sitting on hayrides and bothering old dumpy ponies.

If you’re also wondering about what we do with pumpkins, there are a whole range of activities involving these giant blobs that make absolutely no sense. We

drink pumpkin spice lattes and delight in munching on orange coloured cakes, sausages and pies. We poke holes and attempt to make faces (some better than others) before lighting up the world with our well loved fruits.

Once, I took part in throwing giant pumpkins off the roof with my science class just because we could. And yes, they exploded. It was awesome.

The best part about October however, is the fact that you can scare anybody you want and it’s socially acceptable—in fact, it’s encouraged. Being a complete nut job at all hours of the day, I am an easy person to scare and this is apparently entertaining. There are actually ‘friends’ of mine who have got me walking into walls as well as other objects, shrieking like a disoriented squirrel and lying awake at night because of a creepy photo I saw that one time.

Maybe it’s a bit sadistic, but I’ve come to the conclusion that things that scare me are good

for my character. I’ll do my best to convince you that this is true for you too. My paranoia level has decreased steadily and I can safely say that the creepy little gnome down the street is not following me at the moment.

Facing my own ghosts and goblins, decisions made while my hands shook and heart pended explosion, ended up being the best I’ve ever made. I asked out my high school sweetheart, moved to England and became involved with The Spark—a love affair I’m sure my boyfriend will remember. Trust me, having the Committee discuss whether or not to put pumpkins on the front of the paper is the best fun I’ve had in a long time.

So my best advice to all readers this month is to embrace October. You don’t have to throw a pumpkin off the roof of your house to feel its aura, just know that being a little afraid to take that leap is a breath-taking experience. Just jump.

Reading freshers gain average of 11.8lbs in first year JULIETTE PARFITT

Saturday Outing in League Football. Find out what Zak Prior has to say about AFC Wimbledon taking on Bury in League Two.

community and belonging. For me, being a third year student I still find the transition from home to university, from summer to autumn a difficult one. Maybe some of you freshers are starting to feel a little homesick now that freshers’ fortnight is done, but there’s no need to panic. In my eyes, October is a month of community and identity. For first years it might be a month filled with finding their way to the Agriculture Building and working the washing machine; second years finally venture into the library and attempt to remember which days the rubbish has to be put out, and third years experience the selfdenial that soon they have to finally leave Neverland, learn how to financially support themselves minus the help from the Bank of Mum and Dad and become fully functioning adults.

But it’s OK, we are all in the same boat, confused, nervous, and scared of the unknown.

Ultimately, we are all clueless.

That’s why October is a great month for trying something new, getting involved and coming

EDITOR.SPARK@READING.AC.UK

A recent survey carried out by drink makers Upbeat has found that freshers at The University of Reading and other universities in the South East put on an average of 11.8 lbs in their first year of study.

This puts them just ahead of universities in the South West, where students gain on average 11.7 lbs. The survey quizzed 1,000 students across the UK about their diets. According to the survey, 42% of students ‘hardly ever’ consume their five a day of fruit and vegetables and 29% admitted to refined carbohydrates such as bread, pizza and chips being their most consumed type of food.

The typical university diet is well- known among students.

Dominic Cooper, a third year Politics student claims that he ‘mostly ate toast and pasta’

during his first year. Often during freshers week students do not have the time or energy to cook proper meals. Coupled with this, cleanliness can also be an issue.

Mathew Britten, a third year Archaeology and Ancient History student describes his kitchen in halls as being ‘a mess, people would leave their washing up for ages and it would take up so much space. This put me off of cooking in my first year.’

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Halloween Drawn by Nathalie Siah

|NEWS

GENERAL NEWS

NEWS@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

RUSU WELFARE OFFICER P12 Tilly Corless, explains her new campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week

FRESHERS' BALL P11 A whimsical night reminiscent of Summer Ball that students will not forget.

FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE P6 Lack of financial knowledge causes student debt.

THE QUEEN P15 Should the Queen get more involved in UK politics?

This month’s Comment writer thinks so!

NEWS

KATRINA HORDERN Last week, researchers at the University of Reading revealed that they have predicted that the Arctic sea ice would reach its minimum extent for 2014.

Predictions about the Arctic ice caps have often stated that ice levels decrease during the summer (and subsequently refreeze over winter months), but it has been difficult to estimate exactly how much these levels will reduce during summer.

The method applied by the researchers at Reading analyses the extent of ice melt pools which exist on the surface of sea ice.

Professor Daniel Feltham, leader of the NERC Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling team at the University of Reading explains: “Melt ponds are crucial to the speed of the annual ice melt, as the dark water on the surface absorbs more energy from the sun than the white ice, which reflects much of it back into space.”

This new technique of measuring the Arctic sea ice melt will help with predictions using computer software that can simulate future climate change globally. What’s more, it may help shipping companies when they plan routes through Arctic sea-lanes which surface.

The team at Reading predicted that in September 2014 the sea ice minimum would be at 5.4 million km² (between 4.9 and 5.9 million km²) and the reported levels have been determined at

UoR researchers accurately predict Arctic sea ice melt for 2014

New study finds universities are becoming more gay-friendly ABBIE WEAVING News Editor

A new study, published in Gay

By Degree report 2014, has found that British universities are becoming more gay-friendly.

Devised by gay rights charity Stonewall, the organisation ranked 158 universities’ efforts to support and welcome gay students. By using ten different measures, the charity found that Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Cardiff University, University of Essex, University of Glasgow, York St John University and Sheffield “Acceptance for LGBT+ students into an institution such as a university directly correlates with the acceptance of LGBT+ peoples with society" Charlotte Tweeddale, President of the LGBT+ society

Hallam University topped the list for providing the best support for gay students.

Following the promising results of the study, Charlotte Tweeddale, President of the LGBT+ society at the University of Reading said: “Acceptance for LGBT+ students into an institution such as a university directly correlates with the acceptance of LGBT+ peoples with society. Discrimination against minorities including but not limited to LGBT+ is illegal. However, ignorance and invalidation of sexual and gender identities that don’t fit within the gender binary is still rampant.

“Thankfully, universities in the UK do have basic safeguarding policies but on a rather dry and legalistic level. It is largely the work of student societies such as Reading’s LGBT+ Society as well as LGBT+ student representatives and community support that ensure students feel actively valued when on campus and have this welcome place to be themselves.” Indeed, one

of the measures used to rank universities in the study included whether the institutions had societies and events that catered for LGBT students.

Other criteria included how universities helped to support LGBT staff, as well as looking to see if any policies are in place to tackle homophobic abuse.

Despite these promising results, Stonewall has asserted the importance of ensuring that every university caters properly for LGBT students.

Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive of the charity, said: “It’s

particularly concerning that only 35 universities are monitoring student’s sexual orientation leaving them no way of telling if they’re providing a positive experience for gay students.

We hope that this year’s guide prompts universities to do more to make campuses a welcoming place for all students.” Indeed, the NUS found that one in five LGBT students experience homophobic bullying within British universities.

A spokesperson for Stonewall told i/The Independent that educational institutions shouldn’t

entirely computer literate, or for those who have no access to the Internet. Carers wanted information from a trusted source, in written format and all in one place.

Professor Alison Black, who led the design project, said “New circumstances and an unpredictable future mean it is a difficult time for carers. Working closely with carers gave the research team crucial first-hand insight into the issues they face at home.

“It was eye-opening to discover that their needs are not being met. Information is provided too late and mass collections of leaflets and recommendations for websites to consult are confusing - all this during a time of great stress.”

Due to the feedback the team received, the guide has been

constructed to include all the information the carers need, from legal advice and money issues, to contact details, tips to reduce stress, and information about understanding dementia.

Dr Luke Solomons, the Berkshire Healthcare consultant psychiatrist who led the handbook’s project, said “We hope this will stop them feeling they are alone in the wilderness.

Carers have such a vital role and we wanted to give them the support they deserve.” It has not stopped there. Berkshire Healthcare and the University of Reading have formed a unique partnership to fight all aspects of the disease. This includes research into its causes, diagnosis and cures, and support for those affected through projects like the guide.

Dr Solomons added “Our

collaboration with the University of Reading is a blueprint for tackling dementia and supporting those affected. Berkshire should consider itself at the forefront of the UK’s aim of tackling the dementia time-bomb.”

University of Reading LGBT logo Universities are becoming more gay-friendly, a new study has found

|NEWS

be “afraid of making a senior champion or figure” available on campus and to demonstrate to other students that “homophobic language isn’t banter”.

Charlotte Tweeddale added: “Society members were asked to see if we could come up with a tally of how often they had been out socialising and to clubs without being harassed.

As LGBT+ discrimination on campus extends beyond lad culture or banter, it turns out that between us it was impossible to come up with a single time, let alone consecutive events where harassment had not occurred.

“Most people when remarking: “x is so gay” or “she’s bi, I want to join in” don’t realise that they are perpetuating a hidden problem and may inadvertently be hurting the wellbeing of friends, their housemates, their course mates and their faculty.

And we need them to stop

UoR and Berkshire Health create guide for dementia carers EMMA REEVES

just over 5 million km². This value for sea ice extent is higher than the lowest recorded level yet from 2012 of 3.4 million km².

However, the sea ice melt is still ongoing with the current level still being much lower than the average 6.5 million km² average between 1981 and 2010.

Dr Ed Hawkins, from the National Centre of Atmospheric Science at the University of

Reading has predicted that human-induced climate change means that summer sea ice is likely to disappear entirely by the middle of the current century.

The changes occurring in the Arctic reflect changes which are likely to affect the rest of the globe. One easy way to reduce the use of fossil fuels burnt for human consumption, which is a large factor in the increase of

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temperature at the poles, is to save energy.

The model, which has successfully led to these accurate predictions, was developed

by Daniela Flocco and Daniel Feltham. It was then applied to Arctic prediction by a team at the NERC Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling at the University of Reading: David Schröder, Daniel Feltham,

Daniela Flocco, and Michel Tsamados. The model was also on the cover of the May 2014 issue of Nature Climate Change.

The research here at the NERC Centre at Reading is yet another example of the University’s strong research focus across a large variety of disciplines and illustrates how this ongoing research is applied in the real world.

With the prevalence of dementia on the rise, the University of Reading and Berkshire Healthcare have collaborated to create a supportive guide for home carers.

It is estimated that by 2021, over a million people will have dementia in the UK. In West Berkshire alone there are currently 5,000 diagnosed cases. It is easy to forget that the numbers do not stop there, as thousands of family carers are also affected.

Despite this, the university’s centre for Information Design Research found that information for home carers is often confusing and overwhelming.

It is often not accessible, especially for those who aren’t

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Funded by the Berkshire West Confederation of Clinical Commissioning Groups as part of their response to the Prime Minister's Dementia Challenge, early feedback has so far been extremely positive.

NEWS|GENERAL NEWS

Current students find university life more annoying than older graduates ABBIE WEAVING News Editor

Current students find aspects of university life more annoying than older graduates, a recent study has found.

While over a third of Scottish students do not find any aspect of university life annoying, the rest of the nation is rife with students who worry about the cost of books to the distance between their accommodation and their university’s campus.

Conducted by YouGov on behalf of Marbella International University Centre, the poll found that the top source of vexation for students is the price of books, with 50% fretting over how to afford so many. These figures have risen in recent years, with just 35% of older graduates admitting to the same problem.

Indeed, for 40% of the respondents aged 55, none of them found anything annoying about university life, whereas those aged between 18 and 24 admitted to feeling the most worried about what they saw as the bugbears of higher education.

NEWS@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

EDITORS PICKS

NEWS@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

39% of female students have had unprotected sex LIZZY IREDALE In preparation for Sexual Health Week, the UK’s leading sexual health charity FPA released the shocking findings of a survey which questioned 2,000 women across the UK. The survey revealed that more than a quarter of women aged 16 to 54 have had unprotected sex in the last two years and not used emergency contraception, despite not planning a pregnancy.

The worrying results uncover the truth about women’s knowledge of contraception and of sexual health. The reasons for not using emergency contraception, despite having unprotected sex vary. 39% of women thought that there is a stigma associated with emergency contraception and that it would be embarrassing to use it. This was particularly felt among 16 to 24 year olds (52%). What’s more, 43% of women simply didn’t know where to get emergency

As well as accommodating for expensive course materials, 17% of students confessed that a lack of cleanliness in their university homes was a large source of annoyance, and another 17% complained about having noisy neighbours. This was closely followed by 10% who dislike the distance between their student house and campus.

Dean of Academic Studies at Marbella International University Centre, Oscar Martinez Tapia, said of the findings: “For many people the years they spend at university are some of the best of their lives but, as our survey shows, it doesn’t mean they’re without their problems.”

He continued: “The data indicates that [burdens of costs] have become more of a worry in recent times. Students should make sure that they’re claiming all the help that they’re entitled to.”

contraception if they needed it; many women are just happy to leave it to chance.

Natika Halil, FPA’s Director of Health and Wellbeing, said “[there is] a misplaced belief that you can’t get pregnant because of where you are in your menstrual cycle or because of your age.

Worryingly many women are also told that using emergency contraception is the same as an abortion. This is completely wrong – emergency contraception can prevent a pregnancy, whereas an abortion is to end a pregnancy.”

Sexual Health Week aims to educate females on the importance of contraception and bring awareness to different types of emergency contraception.

Only 17% of women learn about emergency contraception at school or college, which indicates the need for this education.

There are three different types of emergency contraception and they can be used at different times after unprotected sex.

Unprotected sex isn’t limited to not using contraception – it also refers to the contraception failing, for example a condom splitting. The two hormonal pills available are Levonelle and ellaOne. Levonelle can be taken up to three days after unprotected sex, and ellaOne can be taken up to five days after sex. The third, option is an emergency IUD (also known as the coil) which is very reliable and can be fitted up to five days after unprotected sex.

In fact, it can be left to act as a regular method of contraception for five to ten years. This can be removed at any time and does not affect fertility.

To avoid needing to use emergency contraception, there are fifteen methods of regular contraception – thirteen of which are available to women. If there is uncertainty about which method is the best for you, there is advice and help on the FPA website.

Further information about contraception and sexual health can also be found at http://www. fpa.org.uk.

More than 1.6m students lack confidence when it comes to their finance. According to the money-management expert, Blackbullion, almost half of students go to university with no savings, while 15% start already in debt.

It’s estimated that the average three-year course could cost a student around £50,000, with

NATHALIE SIAH Editor

READING UNIVERSITY LOSES DROPS ON THE RANKS

RU fumbles in the ranks this year despite its attempts to stay at the top 1%.

WORLD IN ONE PLACE

Picturesque moments captured from students’ travels all over the world.

Don’t miss this exclusive feature from The Spark.

RED TAPE REVIEW AND INTERVIEW

Have an itch to hear something new? Take a look at what Sam Elcock has to say about Red Tape’s new EP and what makes their band unique.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL STAR IN READING

Knights gets the chance to play and train with a star that speaks out on the differences between England and the US.

Lack of financial knowledge causes student debt crisis REBECCA SCOTTER

EDITORS PICKS

|NEWS

most of that taken up by tuition fees, and this large expense can be daunting for students leaving home for the first time. Vivi Friedgut, founder of Blackbullion, said universities should help students make betterinformed financial decisions: “Universities have a duty of care to help students address money worries and avoid crippling debt,” she argues.

Living expenses also eat up a student’s budget, so it is

important that they learn how to make the most of the offers provided to them. Indeed, there are plenty of deals for new undergraduates to take advantage of, not least through their own union’s discount card.

A very useful resource for students looking to save the pennies is an NUS card. There’s a range of deals on offer through the card, including at restaurants, clothes shops and cinemas.

But perhaps the most useful is

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10% off groceries at 2,800 Cooperative Food stores. The card costs £12 for a year and can be ordered through the NUS website.

Meanwhile Amazon Student is a programme that claims to help students save time and money on their shopping by offering six months of free one-day deliveries.

Other tips for scrimping students include shopping on a Sunday when the last of the breads and dairy are on offer, as well as making good use of

RED AWARD

charity shops and group meals with flatmates.

The Universities Student Financial Support Team offer a wide range of advise on student finance topics and can be contacted on helpdesk@reading. ac.uk.

Need hours for your RED Award?

Helping The Spark may help you ultimately gain the experience you’re looking for filling up the core activities on your RED Award sheet!

If you’re writing an article for the Lifestyle, Entertainment or Sports section, you will be awarded with 1 ½ hours per article. News articles on the other

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hand are awarded 30 minutes per article. If you’re artist or photographer, you can gain up to 3 hours depending how long you work!

If you’ve already written, drawn or photographed for The Spark, the Editor Nathalie Siah can sign off your sheet for you. Contact her at editor. spark@reading.ac.uk for more information.

NEWS| SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT

Society of the Month: RU:ON TV!

RU:ON TV COMMITTEE

Do you have an interest in TV? Ever wanted to find out what goes on behind the scenes? Fancy learning some new skills to enhance your CV? Then join us!

RU:ON TV is Reading University’s only student led television channel reporting predominantly on campus news, events and sports.Our aim is to provide quality videos about university life at Reading. This ranges from features on sports clubs, including the “big” games on campus, to union nights, live bands and much more. We also film a weekly news and weathercast, featuring the latest updates and what to look out for in the coming week.

We’re looking for a range of personalities to join our team. From presenters who will ultimately be the face of RU:ON

TV, to creative, post-production editors who can work their magic behind the scenes. Not sure if it’s for you? Come along and find out. No matter what your experience, the committee are on hand to arrange any training sessions and support you.

Whether you want to present, film, edit or even produce your own show (or all four) we want to hear from you! Membership is £15 for the year, including a free crew t-shirt, and exclusive access to our high tech equipment! You can pay for this either through the RUSU website or by visiting the RUSU reception. And make sure to join the 'RU:ON TV Members 2014/15' group on Facebook to keep in the loop with our members meeting and upcoming projects. For further insight into what we do and what we’re about check out our videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/ RUONTelevision.

NEWS@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Study finds majority of freshers encounter problems with receiving post ABBIE WEAVING News Editor

A huge 72% of students encounter problems with receiving their post during first year, a new study from Versapak has found.

The leading supplier of secure packaging found that of the 2,493 students asked, aged 19 and above, over two thirds (68%) had experienced trouble with receiving packages that contained cash, gift cards or cheques.

What’s more, an additional 39% had particular trouble with items they’d ordered online.

One of the suspected reasons for these postal problems is the failure in security in campus postal hubs. Indeed, just 26% reported that they were asked to show their student ID cards as proof of identity.

The University of Reading’s postal hubs, however, ensure that in order to collect a package, students must not only show their University ID cards, but also sign a receipt as proof of collection.

Nationally, however, 79% agreed that security measures

in postal hubs needed to be reassessed and improved upon.

Other top reasons for issues with receiving post included waiting for weeks or months after the package was sent, general disorganisation of post when being delivered to students, and the university’s reluctant attitude to install better measures.

Another popular trouble was that post that had been damaged or tampered with. Indeed, almost half of those asked (47%) believed that another student on campus had taken their post, deliberately or otherwise.

“One would assume that, with the massively inflated costs these institutions charge to attend an undergraduate course, they would be able to invest a little more in securing the safety and protection of students’ private and confidential mail.”

Sales and Marketing Director of Versapak, Nick Markwell

Sales and Marketing Director of Versapak, Nick Markwell, said of the report: “It is true that, with our ever-increasing reliance on digital means to receive vital information, the need for traditional post may seem somewhat insignificant, but it’s critical not to overlook the fact that many important documents are still delivered by post and many people do still rely on the system. The fact that so many of the students we polled had encountered problems in receiving their post during what was already a stressful enough time of their lives, does not bode well for UK universities.”

He added: “One would assume that, with the massively inflated costs these institutions charge to attend an undergraduate course, they would be able to invest a little more in securing the safety and protection of students’ private and confidential mail.”

What’s more, over half of students across the country (62%), admitted to having continued delivery dilemmas throughout spring and summer terms as well. For 38%, however, their postal problems significantly decreased after the first term.

Maurice Glasman and Danny Dorling to speak at UoR CHRIS FOYE

Two highly influential thinkers will be coming to the University of Reading in October as part of the campaign to get the university to sign up to pay its staff a living wage.

Firstly, Maurice Glasman will be coming on Tuesday, 21st October 2014 to discuss his idea of ‘Blue Labour’. The Blue Labour movement says power and wealth should be handed to communities, with local organisations replacing the centralised welfare state.

Maurice is both a fierce activist (campaigning for the living wage with Citizens UK) and an outspoken academic.

Once described as “Ed

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Miliband’s Guru”, he has recently criticised Labour for their ambivalent stance on family and immigration, and their opposition to an ‘English Parliament’.

After discussing Blue Labour briefly, Maurice will be leading a discussion on the above issues.

Secondly, Danny Dorling will be coming to talk on Thursday, 23rd October 2014. Danny is Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford and has written a number of high-profile books on population growth (“Population 10 Billlion”) and inequality (“Injustice: Why Social Inequality Persists”).

He will be coming to give a talk titled, “Not a lecture: Inequality, the minimum wage, living wage, average wages, and the 1%” but is also happy to talk

about his other books if asked.

He has been described by The Guardian as “that rare university professor: expert, politically engaged and able to explain simply why his subject matters”.

Both Danny and Maurice will only be speaking for ten to fifteen minutes, so the main focus of both evenings will be on encouraging debate and discussion so there will be plenty of opportunities to have your say! While both events are organised by the Labour Society, it is free for all students from all backgrounds to attend.

Lord Maurice Glasman will be talking on Tuesday 21st October at 6pm at Palmer 105 Prof. Danny Dorling will be talking on Thursday 23rd October at 5:30pm at Palmer 102

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NEWS|GENERAL NEWS

NEWS@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

University of Reading loses place in top 200 world rankings News Editor

Despite being ranked 194th in last year’s Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the University of Reading has now lost its place in the top 200 best universities worldwide.

However, Sir David Bell, Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading said “We have longterm investment plans in place as we seek to return to the top 200 as quickly as possible.”

The drop in rankings comes from international competition, with many overseas universities improving their quality of teaching. Nationally however, the UK is still a strong competitor, with 29 of its universities featuring in the list.

Indeed, editor of the rankings, Phil Baty said “East Asia's top universities continue their strong upward movement in the rankings, on the back of strong government financial support, strong leadership and a strong commitment to excellence in higher education and research.”

With elite universities remaining highly competitive, Baty added that the UK is still trying to “punch above its weight” in the list.

He added, “Overall, the UK’s representation among the world’s leading universities is declining -

three leading names fell out of the top 200 this year, and two others occupy 198th and 199th place.

Five UK universities lost their top 400 places.

“This loss of power and influence is not good for the UK’s overall competitiveness in the global knowledge economy. Also, the UK’s power is increasingly concentrated in the South East of England - the five top UK institutions in the world are all from the South East ‘golden triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London. Indeed, of the nine English universities in the world top 100, six are from London and the South East.”

However, while the University of Reading no longer appears on the list, it still holds high acclaim in other areas of excellence.

Reading is ranked 81st for life sciences globally – four places higher than last year.

What’s more, the university sits in 33rd position out of the UK’s top 44 higher education institutions, and is 20th in the country for its teaching and research efforts.

Sir David Bell said of the rankings, “The publication today [early October] of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings shows that the University of Reading has slipped outside the top 200.

Whilst that is disappointing, we do remain ranked among the world’s best universities.

New research has revealed that British students have an average of £3,781 worth of debt as a result of using more than one student bank account simultaneously.

According to the study conducted by www.VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, 58% of the participants in the survey revealed that they had

The University has lost its place in the top 200 world rankings

“The THE rankings are broadly in line with our rise in the latest QS World University Rankings to 202nd globally. We do world-class work on issues of critical global importance like climate change, food security and public health.

“One cannot read too much into a single year's rankings.

Global league tables are highly volatile indicators. The fact that

some UK universities have risen and fallen up to almost 40 places year-on-year shows it is much more important to look at longerterm trends over time.

“This year’s THE rankings demonstrate the increasing competitiveness of the globalised higher education market. As other UK universities have seen, pressure from overseas institutions is beginning to bite -

showing the critical importance for government to sustain research funding and implement a clear immigration policy so we keep the doors open to talented overseas students and staff.”

Reading students mark Black History Month by attempting record-breaking NIKI IGBAROOLA In celebration of Black History Month, the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students’ organisation (BAME) has reenacted the efforts of black slaves in the 19th century and will be attempting to create the world’s largest patchwork quilt. The quilt is believed to have played a pivotal role in helping slaves

to escape to freedom. Research shows that quilts may have been used as a form of communication among black slaves as a signifier of safety and possible travel routes.

When commenting on the importance of celebrating Black History Month and the decision to undertake this potentially historic quilt challenge, BAME officer Ning Ning stressed the

importance of celebrating “the profound contribution that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students have made to the cultural development of Britain as well as its heritage.”

It is BAME’s hope that “by showcasing the impact minority students have had on our society, we can inspire the next generation to transform the world in which they live in the same

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way that Black American slaves did through making quilts in the 19th century.”

The record-breaking event will take place on two occasions: Wednesday 15th October and Wednesday the 29th October.

This world record attempt is one of many events that have been organised by the University of Reading’s Student Union to mark Black History Month 2014.

Information regarding the range of events taking place can be gained via rusu.co.uk/representation.

Subsequently, all questions pertaining to the patchwork quilt should be directed to marketing@rusu.co.uk.

|NEWS

Over half of students have an average overdraft of £3,781 MELANIE KHUDDRO

ABBIE WEAVING

GENERAL NEWS

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more than one student account.

Of the remaining respondents, 17% disclosed future plans to open another account and 24% claimed they were likely to increase the overdraft limit on their current account at some point in the upcoming academic year. Researchers compiled the results and found that, on average, those with more than one student account have an overdraft of £3,781.

The website conducted the

study as a part ongoing research into the financial circumstances of Britons; particularly in relation to student spending. Chief Executive Officer of Voucher Codes Pro, Nick Swan, said: “Being a student can obviously be a pricey time, but it is worrying to see the disregard that students seem to have for their finances.”

When asked, ‘How many student bank accounts do you currently have?’ 35% claimed they had one and only 7% said

they had none. In total, 2,152 attending their second year at UK Universities took part in the survey.

Nick Swan, who also founded Voucher Codes Pro in 2012 continued: “Whilst it may seem worth it to rack up a load of debt now, it can certainly impact your future. I would also advise students to make sure that they check the small print of accounts and contracts to ensure that they cannot be caught out.

“Terms and conditions of accounts can dictate that banks can withdraw the overdraft and sell the debt to debt collectors, so you must be wary of that. It could also have a big impact on your future credit rating, tread carefully. There are plenty of other ways to make your own money go further, rather than having to rely on debt. Saving is the number one place to start.”

Freshers' Ball: a UoR PhD student receives night to remember esteemed art prize NIKI IGBAROOLA The University of Reading’s annual Freshers’ Ball is always a night that aims to please, and this year was no different. RUSU impressed with a carnival-themed night which included a funfair, face painting and live music, making this year’s Freshers’ Ball a night to remember. Indeed, this year’s event was reminiscent of a mini Summer Ball and students certainly made the most of it all.

As students arrived, many were dressed to impress for a spectacular end to this year’s Freshers’ Week. With an exciting carnival theme and great musical acts, all those attending had a treat in store for them.

With acts like Toyboy & Robin, Matrix & Futurebound and, of course, not forgetting The Doritos Mariachi Band, the ball provided students with a fun filled night. In particular, Matrix & Futurebound kept the crowd pumping with an electric atmosphere that was perfect

for the last night of this year's fresher's.

Small touches like popcorn and candyfloss in Café Mondial made the evening feel truly special, and opportunities to have your face painted created a relaxed atmosphere. RUSU did incredibly well with the theme and executed their ideas flawlessly, as the Student’s Union was transformed into a vibrant and eclectic environment for everyone to enjoy.

The night was made truly extraordinary by the rides, and students could not get enough.

This was a brilliant idea from RUSU, and was definitely appreciated by many. The bumper cars in particular were a favourite and were clearly in high demand.

RUSU did not fail to deliver in any aspect and gave students an exceptional experience.

With a brilliant theme and an abundance of entertainment options, overall, this year’s Freshers’ Ball was a smashing success. RUSU, you did us proud!

ABBIE WEAVING News Editor

A PhD student from the University of Reading was awarded the esteemed Threadneedle Prize this year for her work entitled ‘Bed Head’.

Tina Jenkins’ figurative piece fought off competition from over 3,600 other entrants with her picture featuring the repeated layers of the human form.

Jenkins said of her achievement: “It was a big shock to find out that I had won as the quality of work was very high.

It’s an absolute privilege to be in a show with so many other talented artists.

“My paintings are all about painting. I am trying to make a kind of analysis of painting through painting by questioning the constructs and limitations inherent in painting; the marks and gestures laid down and the internalisation of the subject itself. It was through this analysis that ‘Bed Head’ emerged.

“Tim Renshaw and Alun

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Rowlands were my supervisors over the two-year MFA course [at the University of Reading].

Their in-depth questioning and intense criticality of my work and research helped me to evaluate my practice, which in turn gave me the confidence to begin my PhD.” “It’s an absolute privilege to be in a show with so many other talented artists.”

Although this is the first time Jenkins has entered her work for the Threadneedle Prize, she has received much acclaim for her previous pieces. She has already won two prizes from the University: an Owen Ridley Prize, and received a bursary this year in order to research her PhD work.

Head of Art at the University said: “Tina has been associated with the university for some time

now, completing her BA and MFA in Fine Art before starting her PhD. It is wonderful to see a student receive such a prestigious prize for their artwork. We wish her every success for the future and will continue to support her through this next phase of her career.”

Following her success, Jenkins will be holding a solo exhibition between 30th March and 11th April next year at Mall Galleries.

NEWS|INTERVIEW

With Mental Health Awareness Week coming up, Welfare Officer Tilly Corless gives students an insight into how the campaign works, and the events held around campus to raise awareness...

TILLY CORLESS What is the issue behind this campaign?

1 in 4 people suffer from mental illness, whilst others bear witness to friends or flatmates that are subject to mental illness. ‘No Stigma, No Shame!’ is about breaking down the negative connotations that surround discussion about mental health.

We all have mental health, so we should attempt to look after our own as well as others. From 6th to 10th October 2014 (World Mental Health Awareness Day) there are a variety of pop-up events organised around campus to encourage students to take a positive approach towards their mental well-being. Events are free and vary from sports to meditation and a jazz evening in Café Mondial.

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TILLY CORLESS

‘No Stigma, No Shame!’

“It is important that students understand how to look after their well-being upon entering a very busy year.”

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How did it become a campaign priority?

Students in particular are vulnerable to mental health illnesses. As a group we are notorious for over working, worrying too much and getting into sticky situations. In my manifesto, I specified that I wanted to hold a mental health awareness campaign early in the academic year so that it would engage with new students who had just joined university, or who were worried about going into their final year of study. The campaign is most valuable to a wide cohort of students at this time, and it is important that they understand how to look after their well-being upon entering a very busy year.

What impact do you aim to achieve?

As part of ‘No Stigma, No Shame’, I am releasing a survey on the effectiveness of personal tutors and the approach that they take to recognising mental illness, and I am keen to introduce mental health training for personal tutors within the university. Aside from this, I would love to see a good turnout of students at the events taking an interest in opening up to mental health.

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NEWS|WEATHER & CAREERS

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September was a scorcher, and here’s why REBECCA REILLY It’s official: this September has been the driest since records began in 1910, with only 19.4mm of rain for the UK, alongside one of the top five warmest. When the UK experiences weather this warm and dry in autumn it’s often referred to as an Indian summer.

But what does this mean and why has it been so dry and warm? The phrase Indian summer is believed to come from the USA when the native Indians would continue hunting well in to the autumn.

For the UK, and here in Reading, it gives us more time in warmer weather, and the winter boots are left in the wardrobe for a little longer.

The cause of this warm weather is largely due to high pressure blocking unstable and low pressure systems from reaching the UK. This blocking pattern is a consequence of the jet stream being further north than it would normally be at this time of year. This then allows warm air from the near continent to be channelled up towards the UK. Looking forward to October, it will begin to feel more autumnal as the jet stream moves south, allowing low pressure to bring unsettled conditions to the UK. Met Office seasonal outlooks show that this autumn is likely to be warmer and wetter than average. So dust your brollies off: you’re going to need them!

Highest annual recruitment since 2007 Things are looking up for students as graduate vacancies are at their highest since 2007. Not surprisingly, this year’s Careers and Placement Fair is packed with employers eager to attract Reading’s students.

The university’s largest recruitment event for all years and disciplines is taking place on Wednesday 29 October, 11am – 3pm in the Palmer Building and is expected to be very popular with employers and students.

Whether you are a first year just starting to explore your options, searching for placements and internships, or you are ready to look for your first graduate role or training scheme then the Careers and Placement Fair is the place to start.

Over 70 employers attending the fair are interested in students from any disciplines, 57 are offering internship opportunities, 31 have prospects to work abroad and over 30 employers are attending the fair for the first time such as GlaxoSmithKline, L’Oreal, HSBC, BskyB, and Kellogg’s.

Will Cummins, recruiter from our sponsors PwC, is pleased to be working with the university: “The University of Reading Careers and Placement Fair is always well attended by students and employers alike, which is why we have been delighted to support the fair for a number of years.

This is the perfect opportunity for us to meet with potential candidates from Reading; we are looking forward to meeting students from all subject areas who would like to talk to us about possible placement and graduate scheme opportunities.”

PwC are again offering free coffee from their coffee cart at the entrance to the Palmer Building so get there early to make sure you don’t miss out!

Not only are there opportunities to talk to employers about what they can offer University of Reading students and graduates, but our Careers Advisors will be on hand to look at your CV and offer advice. Pop in to the CV Clinic in room 105 with a copy of your CV. Also, if you are considering further study, the Reading Postgraduate Study Room offers support regarding courses, admissions and funding. Visit

Fenella Ginn In the wake examines the of the Scottish #HeForShe Referendum, should the Queen take a more active role in politics?

FENELLA GINN

Dominic Cooper says yes…

DOMINIC COOPER

Careers and Placement Fair 2014 CAREERS DEPARTMENT

COMMENT

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Palmer Room 104 and find out what is on offer.

To make the most of your visit it pays to prepare – research the employers you are interested in and plan questions to ask. Why not book ‘Top Tips for the Fair – talking to employers’ on the 27 October, 1pm with PwC and the Careers Centre?

For more information on this session, the fair and our exhibitors visit: www.reading. ac.uk/careers/events/fairs

EXHIBITORS A-Z AB Agri ABP Beef UK ADM Agri Lloyd Aldi Stores Ltd Anglian Water Services APSCo Atos Bank of England BDO LLP Boots BskyB Celestix Networks CGI Civil Service Fast Stream Covance CSC Ltd Decathlon Deloitte Enterprise Rent-A-Car Explore Learning EY FactSet FDM Group

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Fidessa Frontier Frontline Fujitsu Services Ltd. Gartner GCHQ GlaxoSmithKline Graduate Recruitment Bureau Grant Thornton UK LLP Greatwithdisability HP HSBC Jaguar Land Rover James Cowper LLP JCB Excavators Ltd John Lewis Johnson & Johnson Kellogg's Knowledge Transfer Centre Landmark Information Group Lidl UK L'Oreal Managementors Ltd MDS Microsoft UK Mills Archive Mondelez International Morrisons NHS Leadership Academy Penna PhilipsUK Pitney Bowes Software Police Now PRA Health Services PwC QinetiQ RAF Reading Voluntary Action Roc Search Royal Navy RUSU

Scientifica Ltd SEO London Sophos Teach First Thales Transport for London Tulip UMASCS (MERL) Venn Group Ltd Virgin Media Vodafone PROFESSIONAL BODY ACCA CIMA CIPFA ICAEW INFORMATION PROVIDERS CV Clinic graduate-jobs.com RateMyPlacement Reading Postgraduate Study Room RED Award TARGETjobs The University of Law

Much was made of the recent ‘intervention’ by the Queen in the Scottish referendum, a warning that Scottish voters should “think very carefully about the future”. This was taken by the mainstream media to be a clear indication that the Queen wanted the Union to stay together. As it is, this should not be wholly surprising, given that independence would make her the head of state of a much smaller country, scooting off to Balmoral would be much more troublesome, and she also made a much more obvious political intervention on devolution in 1977, speaking up for the benefits of the Union.

Some people see this as an unelected force of conservatism, speaking up in its own interest and trying to illegitimately influence the democratic decision of the voters of the people of Scotland. These same people will probably have been further convinced by Nigel Farage MEP, leader of UKIP, having said that he hoped the Queen would intervene before she had made her comments.

However, many other unelected outlets have been expressing their opinions about the referendum, and attempting to influence the vote to accord with their own interests. RBS leaked that they intended to move out of Scotland in the case of independence in order to increase the chances of a No vote, which they felt would be better for their business. Why is it worse for the Queen to comment than other unelected institutions?

On the contrary, I think the best way for the Queen to be involved in politics is through making her opinions known openly. Currently we only hear tiny snippets of what the royals do or think politically, what is let slip by loosetongued Prime Ministers, or, in the case of Prince Charles’ ‘black spider memos’,

long court cases under the Freedom of Information Act. Having the royals comment publicly on political issues would bring some openness to the political leanings of the royal family, which seem to be finding their way privately to ministers anyway, without the British public knowing what they are.

While it is obviously a lessening of democracy if the Queen were involved more heavily in policy-making, having the Queen comment on political issues, sharing a vast experience of life, in which she has met regularly with prominent world leaders over a course of decades, could be valuable to political debate.

Seeing the views of someone with vast experience with high power, but is technically independent of government – and someone politicians would be reticent to rip chunks off of for political gain – could have some use, as opposed to shovelling public money into propping up an institution with little obvious value beyond promoting a jingoistic, flag-waving nationalism, and bringing in some small amount of tourism, an area in which London hardly struggles.

We either gain an experienced, semiindependent political commentator, or, if we find that the majority of the public finds the monarch’s political views unacceptable as guidance, then the public can express support for an elected head of state to replace them. Either way, this is better than the public not knowing what the royals lobby for, what their views are, or if they approve of them.

Having watched Emma Watson's UN Speech, it is easy to see why it has gathered so much media attention. In 11 minutes, the squeaky-clean Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women delivers some amazingly concise and persuasive arguments in favour of us all taking up the mantle of feminism. It is certainly not my personal favourite speech on feminism: (the TedTalks ‘We should all be feminists’

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jackson Katz's ‘Violence against women— it's a men's issue’ instantly spring to mind as more nuanced, in-depth definitive pieces on modern day feminism which I highly recommend ) but as a whole, it still shows an incredible amount of promise.

Looking at the event as a corporate exercise, it looks like a success. The speech appears approachable and relevant to all genders, with an almost patronisingly drawn-out ‘invitation’ to men to become involved in gender equality. Combined with Emma's personal experiences, the speech subtly reminding us of the human nature of politics, plus emphasises personal engagement and progress. So far, so great; feminism is getting a major mainstream spotlight with powerful endorsement from one of the most beloved British actresses.

But there is one glaring flaw; epitomised in the jarring hashtag campaign: ‘#HeForShe’. With those three words, an eloquent and inspiring speech

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|NEWS

about all being united in our humanity and not defining ourselves by our gender is completely undermined. Not only does it re-segregate us into ‘he’ and ‘she’, but it also eradicates the input of women in gender equality. This is the UN's fatal pitfall. It tries so hard to focus on men and to be ‘approachable’, that in their search for a catchy hashtag they entirely forget about the importance of female agency, and undermine much of the brilliantly executed speech. Without this, feminism is nothing but that spectre that the MRA's hate: a room of angry women, waiting for men to sort things out. It amazes me how this hashtag ever saw the light of day; it so specifically reinforces one of the key negative stereotypes about feminism that it is honestly hard to believe it wasn't done on purpose, as some kind of subtly subversive glamour-infused campaign.

If it was, Emma doesn't appear to be aware of it. She seems genuinely sincere in her pleas for us to all realise that feminism should no longer be associated with man-hating (cue collective sigh from any experienced feminist, am I right?).

But, in her willingness to continuously believe the best of people, she oversimplifies; the ‘man-hating feminist’ doesn't come from a lack of information, but from fear and confusion about the nature of women's liberation as old as feminism itself. And despite the UN's best efforts, one thing remains true: female independence is a surprisingly bitter pill to swallow; no matter how skilfully it is sugar-coated.

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CAMP AMERICA P17 Obsessed with American Culture? Find out how to spend your summer working at Camp America!

MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES P23 Are you finding University stressful? There are a number of services offering support available.

FOREIGN CUISINE OF THE MONTH P26 Greek Salad with Tzatziki and pitta breads for a health boost that is high in flavour.

PUCKER UP P20 Pucker up this autumn after reading this guide to the fall’s glamorous lipstick shades.

LIFESTYLE

Making History at Oktoberfest JESS FREELAND As we sat outside in the pouring rain, our meal of sausages was slowly drowning, our raincoats were gradually failing and our spirits were becoming increasingly disheartened. We sat and heard the remnants of the opening day parade as some mumbled how they wanted to go home. Yet all was to rapidly change. All over the festival grounds, canon blasts were heard – it had begun. Instantaneously our voluptuous frauline heaved ten steins of beer onto our table which were received by a huge cheer amongst the group and as if by magic, the clouds opened and glorious sunshine spread over Munich.

I have just returned from the Making History Society trip to the original Oktoberfest in Munich. For those of you who have not heard of it, Oktoberfest is an annual beer festival that attracts around 7m people a year and has been running since the nineteenth century.

The core of the festival are the fourteen beer halls that seat up to 10,000 each. Each hall is created by a different local brewery and all have different themes and focuses. The rest of the festival is full of smaller beer halls, scrumptious, traditional food stalls and a huge fairground.

Oktoberfest is fantastic because it just oozes Bavarian culture. It is near enough obligatory to dress up in traditional garb; lederhosen for the men and dirndl for the women, I only made my outfit but I reckon I would have stood out if I had not of bothered at all. The

food is sublime and I practically had sausages coming out of my ears by the end of the weekend.

My favourite dishes were raclette which was glorified cheese on toast, and pork knuckle. I agree, it sounds foul but it was beautifully tender and like any meat off the bone, super flavoursome. I must admit, although vegetarian options are available, I would think it could get difficult at times simply because their traditional foods are pretty much pure meat.

One of the fantastic parts of the festival was that there were no half measures, literally. You could only order a masse which is a litre. I could barely lift a full one with two hands so it is quite something seeing the waitresses walk around with ten.

These were about ten euros each and considering there are about two pints in each, it isn’t too expensive. One important point to note is that you have to be seated to order a beer, you are more than welcome to loiter in the tents to soak up the atmosphere but there isn’t any chance of you being served unless you have a table.

As we were there on the opening day, seats were like gold dust but thankfully we got lucky. You are able to book tables online but these are sometimes booked a year in advance!

I could not recommend the festival enough and I am already planning the History society’s trip there for next year!

A weekend in Barcelona

EMILY GLANFIELD Barcelona certainly is the place to visit if you are after some Catalonian culture. Check in to the Princess Sofia hotel, only a short walk from the Maria Cristina Metro station and also Camp Nou stadium. The subway, overlooked by most tourists, is a fantastic and cheap way to get around the city. Something unknown to most tourists is the t10 Metro ticket which costs just €10 and allows you ten trips. This is excellent value for money and you can buy a ticket at any Metro station. A quick five minute ride can take you to the stunning Sagrada Familia, the famous cathedral designed by Gaudi. Its intricate and beautiful features are something not to be missed. The Gaudi gardens are also a beautiful attraction and hold some of the best views of the city.

Another quick subway ride will take you to Las Ramblas.

If you want to experience the real Barcelona, come away from this tourist stretch and explore the side roads where you’ll find some of best Tapas restaurants in the world. These are often much cheaper and considerably better than those on Las Ramblas, which tend to be overpriced for tourist trade.

In particular, try Mangos. It’s a small, buzzing Tapas restaurant with heaps of atmosphere; it’s

even said to be a favourite of the Barcelona football team. Las Ramblas is also home to one of the best food markets in the world. The food market there offers almost everything: local deli meats and cheeses, sweets, made to order paella and pizza and ice creams! At the very end of Las Ramblas is the harbour, which is a beautiful place to take a walk. It is also home to some amazing restaurants which serve everything from pizza to some of the freshest fish in Spain!

An exciting experience is the visit to the Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona. The impressive stadium hosts one of the city’s greatest passions: football.

Evidence of it can be found everywhere, from merchandise shops to banners outside every apartment. Although tickets can be expensive, when booked in advance this is an incredible experience.

If you find time around everything else Barcelona has to offer, you can, of course, hit the shops. There are two large centres and one brand new complex which has shops for all budgets and even, believe it or not, a Primark. Although with all the amazing shops, I doubt you’ll find the need to visit it! This city has a vibrant culture and with the fantastic array of places to visit, you will want to go back again and again.

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Weekend in Barcelona Taken by Emily Glanfield

My summer at Camp America SARAH BURT

Oktoberfest Taken by Jess Freeland

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I have always been obsessed with American culture. This is largely as a result of my adolescent years dedicated to The OC, One Tree Hill and every glamorous teen sitcom E4 were willing to broadcast.

Watching the melodramatic lives of the American youth had me transfixed, filling me with awe and envy of equal measure. I always felt the most noticeable perks presented to an American teen as opposed to a British one, lay in the extra curricular activities. The US has multiple school dances, true passion for sports teams and a quintessential American staple I was always

particularly envious of…summer camps.

However! My dreams of a summer spent at camp were made a reality through a recruitment programme known as Camp America. Camp America is an organisation responsible for hiring young people to serve as camp counsellors through an estimated 12,000 camps across the United States.

I began the application for the 2014 summer season in the October of the previous year with a fairly limited understanding of the reality of what I was signing up for, as my every expectation of life at camp rested heavily on the shoulders of an eleven year old Lindsay Lohan. The process began with an online application where you were encouraged to

detail the qualities, both practical and personal, that you felt made you a suitable counsellor. This then led to an informal interview with an experienced counsellor to help you finalise your application.

The most interesting part about this process is the abundance of positions that Camp America is looking to fill. Roles are not just limited to a ‘General Counsellor.’

People can apply to become camp photographers; lifeguards, cooks or computer technicians and the choices continue to range within the particular types of camp available, options include “typical” ,“religious”, “girlguiding” or ‘sports.’ This concept of variety, I soon learnt, would be typical of American culture itself; before this summer I was shamefully ignorant of the 25

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flavours of Oreos for sale in Walmart.

My camp experience came from a placement as general counsellor at a camp for children with special needs. The camp ran for just under three months with a different rotation of children every week. Whilst it was like nothing I had ever experienced, I found that university had prepared me for the life of living and working with others within a closed community.

Whilst I never reunited with an estranged twin sister or had a spontaneous duet with a Jonas Brother, so many of my camp experiences felt like they were lifted straight from the script of an all American family movie.

We slept in cabins, we had s’mores around a campfire, we

pledged allegiance to the flag and we sang camp songs at every available opportunity. The hours were long and, given the type of camp, oftentimes highly emotional but it was infinitely rewarding. I made life long friendships and ate at least eight new flavours of Oreos. It was the summer of my dreams.

Camp America Taken by Sarah Burt

LIFESTYLE | THE WORLD IN ONE PLACE

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The World in One Place

Basil Al-Ali - Geneva

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Exploring Britain: The Lake District

Here is a glimpse into what students were up to this summer

Jessica Freeland - Sri Lanka

TRAVEL

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GARETH GORDON

Elizabeth Andrews - Croatia

Lake District Taken by Robyn Wynn

Being a cash strapped student I took my holiday in Britain this year. That was not to say I wasn’t spoilt for choice in destinations in this great isle. We chose to go to the Lake District as we had ambitions to take lots of good walks, whilst having opportunities for nightlife.

The five of us rented a little three bedroom house on a complex for a reasonable price, there were lots of places to choose from in the area. We were fortunate that we had a car with us so we were able to book our accommodation to be an equally short drive between the lakes and Lancaster. It would be entirely possible, however, to book closer to the lakes and make use of public transport. For what we paid, the accommodation was luxurious; imagine Mackinder but with sofas, a TV and a bath.

The Lake District has a

reputation as a haunt for the elderly and families, which I believe to be without warrant.

It’s not only geography students who have plenty to do here. The area is so beautiful that anyone will appreciate it; strap on your walking boots and get out into the country. The fresh air was exactly what I needed after a stressful exam season and the exercise was needed after the post exam alcobinge. There are varied walks for different levels of fitness, all of which offer picturesque views.

We were unfortunate that the weekend we chose was the wettest of the summer, so we did some indoor actives too.

The Beatrix Potter museum has original manuscripts and drawings from the classic children’s author. Not the most thrilling of days out for a holiday… unless like me you’re an English student who finds this stuff both interesting and thrilling. There was also an aquarium with animals not limited to the sea. It was £6 (with

NUS) for the afternoon and was well worth the money.

Museums and aquariums, I know, don’t scream a good time for everyone. As promised there is nightlife. Only a short taxi ride from where we stayed was the heart of Lancashire. With bars and restaurants galore it was like a Reading away from Reading.

The bar we chose had a great live musician and being a small venue it created a brilliant atmosphere, he even sat with us between sets.

After a heavy night out I’m sure you know what I’ll suggest as a good hangover cure… a nice long walk!

The best thing about holidaying in Britain is that it is more affordable and right on your doorstep. My time at the lakes was spent in good company and high spirits (as well as actual spirits). Holidaying in Britain can be everything it can be abroad; imagine being at uni without, coursework, lectures and that annoying flatmate. If that’s not a holiday then I don't know what is.

An Active Holiday, Watersports in Canada ELIZABETH ANDREWS Harriet Barber - Madrid

Ollie Weeden - Zimbabwe

Farah Shaqhirah - Paris

Nathalia Siah - Niagra Falls

Rebecca McArdle - New York city

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Jamie Gostlow - Austria

Having spent a year on an Industrial Placement, I had a bit of money to splash out on something bigger and better than a typical student holiday this summer. Canada has always fascinated me, and with friends living in Vancouver, it seemed like an opportunity not to miss!!

Back home, I’m a keen sailor, and love watersports, so as soon as I got out there I was eager to find out what activities were available.

And I was delighted to discover that there are loads of places around Vancouver that offer a wide range of these activities!

A relatively new concept to me was ‘Fly-Boarding’. Particular popular in English Bay (West Vancouver) this is where you have a jetpack attached to your back and board attached to your feet with nozzles underneath which together produce enough

propulsion for you to fly above the water. Although I didn’t try this whilst out there, I am dying to give it a go at some point!

If you share my passion for sailing, you won’t be disappointed in Vancouver! With the Vancouver Peninsula, there is a lot of focus on keelboats and yachts, so if you fancy trying a bigger and better boat, this is an amazing chance to do so!

Vancouver Yacht Club have weekly evening races in the summer which is something to get involved with. If you have never sailed a yacht before and fancy trying it, Simply Sailing run beginners courses for you to learn the basics, and sail round Vancouver Island.

During my trip, we headed East of Vancouver to The Okanagan for a few days. With the beautiful mountains, sunshine and scenery, it was by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen! With the 135km long Okanagan Lake situated in the

heart of the region, of course there was lots of watersports on offer too! The main activity – Sea-doing, or Jet-skiing, to you and I. At just £120 for an hour, this was an opportunity not to miss, and truly was the best experience of my life! Both the Okanagan and Vancouver also offer Paddle-boarding as an activity for anyone looking for something calmer and more relaxing.

attractions to see during your visit.

3) Save up! There are so many things to see and do all around Canada, all of which obviously cost money. If you want to make the most of your trip and do as much as possible, save for as long and as hard as possible and you will definitely not be disappointed!

My tips for travelling to Canada would include; 1) Book well in advance to get the best deals and lowest air fares possible. The earlier you book, the better choice of dates and seats you will get.

2) Do your research. Figure out what you want to do and see when you get out there – Canada is a huge country and it is likely you won’t be able to see it all, so pick a few specific areas or

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An active holiday Taken by Elizabeth Andrews

LIFESTYLE | TRAVEL & HEALTH

A snapshot of Croatia ELIZABETH ANDREWS I started my summer this year with a sailing tour of Croatia.

Although it is a popular holiday destination, many tourists do not venture very far from Split, the capital. However, the beauty of living on a boat for a week means you can easily travel around and see more of the country at no extra cost!

Throughout our week there we saw a few different areas of the country. Depending on the purpose of your trip, there is something for everyone! I would thoroughly recommend Hvar if you’re looking for the nightlife, Vis for the pretty scenery and somewhere peaceful, and Split for a main town with a range of different shops and restaurants.

Of course, if you are looking to

go for longer than a week, you could travel between regions.

One bonus is that a lot of the food, drink and accommodation out there is relatively cheap, so your student loan might stretch a bit further!

Wherever you go in Croatia, there are always the little narrow and quaint cobbled streets, with overhanging greenery and mis-matched stones forming the buildings surrounding the pathway. Although we weren’t particularly lucky with the weather (we had rain 4-7 days and thunderstorms!), everywhere we went looked like a painting, with just as picturesque scenery out at sea.

Once you have picked from the vast number of restaurants to eat at, seafood will usually be on the menu, always with suitable alternatives such as pasta, pizza

and salad. The beauty is that all fish and seafood has been freshly caught from the local port that day and therefore has not been covered with preservatives and chemicals, and (believe it or not!) tastes so much better for it!

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Having seen most of south Croatia, I can honestly tell you that it is such a beautiful country and to see the prettier parts you have to travel away from the bigger towns. You get a lot for your money out there, and

although we were unlucky, you are guaranteed hot weather 95% of the time!

A Snapshot of Croatia Taken by Elizabeth Andrews

Pucker Up!

Staying Fit in Reading

As the seasons move on, so must the trends. There’s no better way to get over mourning the end of summer than a bit of retail therapy to some of this fall’s glamorous lipstick shades.

The striking difference between summer and autumn colour trends allow us to experiment with our make-up, putting fun back into our monotonous routines. So ditch that bright coral lipstick you’ve been wearing for the past few months: it’s time to move to something a little darker.

The biggest colour trend seen all over the highstreet, within fashion and make-up alike, is the dark red-purple spectrum: think bold berries and warm wine hues.

For English-rose beauties out there, try dabbing the lipstick on with your finger or a small lip brush. This will produce more of a lip stain rather than a coating and will be far less intense against pale skin. For those with darker skin, go all out with a thick application to give the colour a deep boost against your complexion.

For those not quite ready to bear such statement lips, the everflattering nude lip colour is set to continue for the next few months, just with a twist. Again, the aim is

ELIZABETH ANDREWS

REBBECA MCARDLE

to create a warmer feel to contrast with the autumnal temperatures, so look out for hints of beiges, browns and burnt oranges to mirror the beautiful colours of fall foliage.

The application of lipstick during the autumn/winter months can be dangerous territory.

Goodbye to the days when a couple of swipes of a lipstick could suffice, as we reluctantly say hello to chapped and dry lips.

But bear with me, that perfect pout is still possible! Before applying your lip colour, gently exfoliate your lips to get rid of any dead skin. The sugar scrubs

by LUSH (£5.99) are perfect for this, containing caster sugar to exfoliate, and jojoba oil to soften the lips. Simply take a little on your finger, rub and lick off your lips (p.s. they taste AMAZING). Next, it’s time to moisturise. Nothing fancy needed: the trusty tin of Vaseline that seemingly never ends is ideal. When deciding on lipsticks, opt for tproducts that specialise in being moisturising and hydrating for extra protection against the dreaded dried-out lip look.

These are my narrowed down personal favourites that I’m sure you’ll love too, with colours to suit all skin tones.

When moving-in day arrives, the term begins, and the student lifestyle (comprising of parties and pot noodles) begins once again. As a fresher, it’s your first time living away from home, and you can smell the freedom. Your loan has come in, and what’s the first thing you spend it on? Food and your Freshers’ wristband.

Food shopping is simple - it takes less than 10 minutes and comprises merely of carbs, pasta sauce and the cheapest booze available. You and your new flatmates boil some pasta in a pan and the introductions begin.

After a couple of drinks everyone is merry and doesn’t notice the slightly crunchy pasta and lukewarm sauce they are tucking in to. Everyone gets changed for the fancy dress theme, drinks continue to flow, and the people in the flats above and below come and introduce themselves. Let the drinking games begin!

You head on to the bar with your new group of friends, and you all bundle in to a taxi in to town where you meet hundreds of other new freshers, all dressed as

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silly as you. You party until the early hours of the morning when you all decide to head home, via Chicken Base…. This cycle of events will continue for the first 2-3 weeks of term until freshers flu kicks in.

It’s no secret that students don’t lead very healthy lifestyles, and in early stages this is fine.

However, this ‘Carbo-Vodka’ diet is not healthy as a long-term lifestyle; an average student puts on 10lb in weight in their first year at University. There are many facilities in Reading which will help you stay fit and active, and burn off the booze from the night before! With a range of activities available, there is something for everyone;

With student membership starting at just £20 per month, you have access to fantastic facilities, including a fully-equipped gym with treadmills, cross trainers, resistance machines and weights, squash courts, sports hall and dance studios, as well as outdoor football, tennis and netball courts.

There are also up to 15 exercise classes a day for you to choose from, perfect to take a friend!

1) The new Bike Scheme – sign up to the ‘Ready Bike’ Scheme which has just been introduced all around Reading. With 15 new bikes you can hire on campus for just £1 an hour, cycle your way to and from lectures. See http:// www.readybike.co.uk/Info.aspx for more details.

4) Sport – of course, as a university, there are over 60 different sports clubs to choose from for students to join. From Netball or Football, to Scuba Diving and Fencing, there is a wide range of choice for new students to try out!

2)SportsPark Membership – with the new Sportspark on our very own Whiteknights campus, this is the perfect chance to get fit!

3) Swimming – with the Central Reading Swimming Pool (Battle St, Reading, West Berkshire RG1 7NU) students can swim for as little as £2.65 per session. And very close to the town centre for you to treat yourself with a nice dinner afterwards!

HEALTH & BEAUTY

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Hangover help AMBER IVATT After a heavy night of clubbing at Q or Lola Lo’s, we girls always dread to look in the mirror to the face of death. Smeared eyeliner and a pasty face is not the best ego boost, especially when you have a lecture at 9am. I believe the best look for the morning after is the fresh-faced Kate Middleton look that is natural and doesn’t take up a lot of your time, which is a relief when you’ve overslept!

Kate’s look enhances her raw English rose beauty. To do so, she starts off with a smooth complexion with no bronzers or fake tan. L’Oreal True Match (£9.99) is the best foundation for this look and will give you that blended matte complexion which will perfectly match your

skin tone. A concealer such as Collection Lasting Perfection (£3.99) will help hide those bags under the eyes making you look fresh and ready for the day ahead. A flawless finishing powder such as Bare Minerals Mineral Veil (£20.00) is perfect to maintain effortlessly beautiful skin by brushing it all over with a kabuki brush, making all your housemates wonder how you do it. By using a light rosy blush this will also bring colour to your cheeks; a great disguise to make you look alive when you feel like death. For this I would recommend L’Oreal True Match blush in the shade Sandalwood Rose (£7.69).

For the eyes, a light dabbing of smoky charcoal eye shadow with a duo fibre blending brush will give your eyes definition without going OTT. You can achieve

this by using the Naked 1 palette (£37.00) and using the shade Creep. From the same palette, blend the shade Virgin to your brow bone to extenuate a subtle contrast. Kate also uses mascara to make her eyes pop and with a waterproof mascara such as Barry M’s Lash Vegas (£6.49), this will ensure your mascara won’t run from the hangover sweat and tears when you just want the pain to end.

Completely optional but if you wanted to add some colour to your dry lips to make them come alive, the lipstick by MAC Please Me ( £15.50) is perfect to add a rosy tint while keeping the look subtle and natural. With 61% of women claiming Kate Middleton is their beauty inspiration, this is an infallible look that you can use time and time again.

Tis the season to start jogging LAURA ARMSTRONG It’s hard to believe that it is actually October already! With autumn in full swing one of the best ways to keep fit is running.

It’s not too hot anymore and you have that big campus to explore.

To try and impress all those average couch potatoes I will point out the perks of running: Firstly, it’s free! True, high-tech gadgets can be fun but all you really need is a pair of trainers.

Also, running is proven to be incredibly beneficial for your heart, as well as burning loads of calories. According to the Stanford University School of Medicine you will not only have reduced chances of illness but as a runner you will live longer.

So there we go, all the benefits are obvious, now how to get started? If you are a beginner then have a look at the FREE ‘10K for Pink’ phone app. The app itself is set up by the Breast Cancer charity and is a 14 week programme to take you from absolute beginner to being able to run the 10k – in the hope that you’ll do it for charity.

You have three half an hour

sessions a week, which you can do whenever suits you.

Even better is the fact that the app really does ease you in through alternation training, a combination of walking and running. Building up the amount you run week on week is not only much easier than just going for it and feeling disappointed but it is also extremely good for you by keeping your heart and body guessing, also reducing risk of injury. You get to listen to your music and the app tells you (in a very friendly voice) what to do whenever you need to!

However you start, it’s an incredibly beneficial hobby with endless amounts of running gear available. Obviously you don’t need anything really expensive but sometimes having a nice new pair of running shoes is all the motivation you need! Make sure you stay hydrated, and if it helps you to have a running buddy then get you friends involved and you can encourage each other as you go. Stay safe and don’t go running in the dark if you’re not wearing suitable clothing. Most importantly...have fun!

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|LIFESTYLE

Avon Always on Point eyeliner review AMBER IVATT Your eyeliner is slowly getting blunter and blunter and the next thing you know, you’re scrambling at the bottom of your make-up bag for a sharpener.

With the Avon Always on Point eyeliner, the whole hassle of blunt eyeliner is history. The innovative sharpener is embedded in the lid, which means you simply have to twist to get the point you need with no mess.

And, the eyeliner still ensures to give you that smooth, sexy and defined finish to your eyes. This simple lid also guarantees that you are not wasting the product by those countless failed attempts of sharpening over the bin and there will be no more frustration

when the pencil snaps.

The eyeliner comes in four different shades including the classic black, the daring midnight navy, the adventurous teal and the subtle lavender grey. Each and every one of these shades can take your eye look to a different extreme depending how much you want your eyes to pop. (RRP £7.00). Another plus is that Avon is a reputable company who do not test any of their products on animals.

Overall I recommend this product because it is super convenient, easy to use and the eyeliner itself doesn’t smudge.

So while clubbing at the Union you don’t have to worry whether your eyeliner has rubbed off from either the tipsy tears or the dancing sweat.

Benefits of bringing your bike to university SOPHIE BUDGEN With increasing fuel costs and hefty car insurance premiums for young drivers, bike travel is a sensible alternative to owning a car whilst at university. If the busy bike stands around campus are anything to go by, students are realising the benefits of bringing a bike to university.

For those in halls, parking your bike on campus does not require a permit; unlike parking your car which requires a hard to come by parking permit, setting you back £20 per term. Most halls have secure bike sheds and stands and there are plenty of stands outside the main campus buildings. For those living off campus in halls or housing, getting to campus by foot can be a trek. Going by bike

means that you can get to your lectures much faster allowing for that tempting snooze button to be pressed a few more times.

On those cold rainy days, getting to Agriculture will no longer seem like trekking the length of England without a map.

Conveniently, Campus Central is now selling a light set for only £5.99 and a heavy duty lock for £16.99. Alternatively, there is a Decathlon, in the nearby Forbury Retail Park, which sells bikes and accessories at reasonable prices.

Decathlon is also available online where you can pick up a helmet for as little as £6.50.

Owning a bike at whilst at uni is a practical, low-cost and environmentally friendly option that gives you less time in the rain and longer in bed.

LIFESTYLE|FASHION

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Autum Fashion Buys

Africa Fashion week

LAURA ARMSTRONG

NIKI IGBAROOLA

With Autumn comes the start of a new term and a new wardrobe!

So seeing as that student loan is burning a hole in most people’s pockets, here is my list of five fashion must-haves for Autumn.

1) Layers – The best thing about Autumn. Layers are always good (and practical for warmth – good old British weather) especially the scarves, chunky knitted jumpers and cardys. And this year, apparently it’s the return of the turtle-neck (yes, really!). There’s also always a great opportunity to accessorise this season, chunky Aztec style jewellery being a favourite in the fashion world.

2) Reds – As per usual the typical autumnal colours are up there, but this year the browns and oranges have lost out to red. If you’re not

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feeling red as your colour then maybe just a touch of red lipstick but if you’re brave enough, burgundy jeans are gorgeous for this season and a firm favourite of Alexa Chung.

3) Patterns – Patterns are all over the cat walk this season.

Stripes, the good old classic, are back in and so is tartan. Tartan is such an autumnal pattern that it does seem to just work with the season and Cara Delevingne was big fan of tartan through the summer. If you’re not a big wearer of patterns then a really great way to do them is through scarves and accessories!

4) Coats – Again all part of that layering trend that comes around every Autumn, you need a good coat. There are so many choices out there and it completely depends on what suits you and your shape. The oversized trench

coat is being worn by celebrities everywhere but a personal favourite is the classic leather jacket, you can rarely go wrong with a leather jacket and faux leather looks just as good as well as helping with a student budget (and saving animals).

5) Boots – Yay! That time of year where we get to wear waterproof, comfy, warm shoes that are also in fashion! This Autumn is very much about the ankle boot, with browns and blacks proving most popular, they work with pretty much any colour and if you buy a relatively decent pair then just you’ll find they last you forever.

Images: A-Scarf, New Look £7.99, B-Jacket, New Look £34.99, C-Jeans, JohnLewis £38 D-Jumper, River Island £20, E- Knecklace, Missguided £9.99, F-Boots,New Look £24.99

It’s a showcase for under promoted designers and a chance for unknown models to make a name: Africa Fashion Week began in London, setting the stage for African designers, textiles and models to impact trends for upcoming seasons.

The 2014 shows were wonderful displays of bold fabrics and print synonymous with African culture.

There were a variety of styles from the beachwear designs of the Ije Culture to the more edgy silhouettes of Mia Nisbet.

This year proved to be groundbreaking, especially for two women: Chinyelum Nwuba, winner of the face of African Fashion Week London (AFWL) and Sela Motshwane, a Botswana designer debuting her collection. Nwuba is another model who, through the schemes of AFWL, will see her profile raised with the hopes of landing

more lucrative contracts which will helping to contribute to an increase in diversity within the Fashion Industry. Motshwane was a regular attendee of AFWL for three years before receiving a personal invitation from founder Ronke Ademuliyi to show her collection. This invitation pushed her to uproot a large amount of her life from London to Botswana in order to comply with the dictate that everything in her collection be sourced and created within Africa. For Motshwane, this opportunity is a chance to bring Southern African fashion and fabrics to the high street; she aims not only to capture high fashion but to impact everyday fashion culture on an international level.

Four years on since its inception, AFWL is proving to be something of a force to be reckoned with, drawing African designers unknown and known in an effort to fill a gap within the fashion market.

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HEALTH

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Mental Health Student Wellbeing Have you filled in the Student Wellbeing survey? and Anxiety MAXIMILIAN JAMES

SHAAMA REESE When people hear the words ‘mental health’ there seems to be a negative stigma associated with it. People tend to assume that this means people are crazy or dangerous, when in fact this is not the case and is a very narrow minded view to have. In reality mental health issues tend to be on more of a continuum rather than a discrete category that separates ‘them and us’, with 1 in 4 people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem each year.

However, because of this negative view associated with having a mental health issue, people can sometimes be afraid to speak out and look for help. Just because someone has a mental health issue doesn’t mean that they can’t be a part of society or are different from anyone else, they might just need a bit more support and people to talk to.

Starting university can be a hard time for anyone, but it can be especially difficult for those struggling with a mental health issue. They may have been used to support at home and being surrounded by familiar things, but now they have to

start afresh which can be a very nerve wracking thing. Not only that, having to tell people about their mental health issue and seeking support can be scary, and instead they may keep things to themselves and not look for help. Because of this, it is important that people don’t judge someone just because they have a mental health issue, and instead they offer support and are understanding.

For people that are struggling from a mental health issue, or know of someone that is and they are worried about them, the university offers a number of places where people can get support. This includes counselling from professionals, and peer support from other students. There are also groups for specific problems such as Student Minds that offers trained peer support for people with eating disorders, and the University has its own mental health society where people can meet others struggling with the same issues and can share experiences. Student wellbeing is a very important thing at the university, so people shouldn’t be afraid to look for support as there is always someone to talk to!

It goes without saying that we aspire to be the best we can as we pursue Higher Education.

However, our academic ability is constrained by many factors that can be out of our control, whether that is our finances or our housing arrangements. Despite the majority of undergraduate students paying £9,000 in tuition fees a year to the university, there are few channels of communication where students’ anxieties and issues can be raised and understood. The university does not truly learn what we care about, what our grievances are, until we are about to leave university in the National Students’ Survey. It is for reasons such as these as to why we need to be providing feedback throughout our time in Reading

Mental Health Credit to Flikr images

Africa Fashion Week Photos thanks to Africa Fashion Week

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so that the university can act accordingly.

The Department of Economics has been running the Student Wellbeing Project for the past three years to understand what the drivers of your academic success are as well as the range of issues you have raised ranging from employability to health. It is an academic project that has the ability to be a practical force for change.

Why wait until the end of your undergraduate degree to tell "The Department of Economics has been running the Student Wellbeing Project for the past three years to understand what the drivers of your academic success"

the university how it has been when you could be telling them on a termly basis about your time in Reading? The Student Wellbeing Project is looking for undergraduate students from all years to fill in a very short questionnaire, once a term, to understand student wellbeing.

It consists of mainly tick box answers and will take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete.

The questionnaire is completely anonymous, and your input could help shape University policy, addressing areas that are dear to students’ wellbeing.

To fill in the short survey for the Student Wellbeing Project, please log onto RISIS Web Portal where you can find a link!

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at m.l.james@reading.ac.uk.

LIFESTYLE|FASHION & FOOD

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Campus Style

CAITLIN MCCLINCHY The new academic year has begun – are you searching for some outfit inspiration to keep yourself sane as the work kicks in? This week on campus we spotted oodles of students embracing the unexpected sunny weather and dressing to impress.

We all have days where we just want to wear black, but you don’t have to go head to toe in it to achieve the understated effect.

Masters student Sophia brings her outfit back down to earth by adding a cute printed jumper from H&M to sleek black accessories.

The high street is currently full of similar 90s prints that we just can’t help but feel happy when wearing!

base to any outfit as shown by Valentin. ‘The new normal’ trend graced the catwalk this season, meaning you don’t have to dress even mildly outrageously to get noticed.

A baggy jumper and leggings is the perfect combination for this transitional weather. Burgundy is the textbook colour for the season and Jess’ bag from H&M will look at home with any autumnal look.

Cheer up your wardrobe with bright colours as modelled by Lijuan and Yao. Yao’s purple pinafore is kept subdued by pairing it with a white blouse and black tights. We love Lijuan’s fun and girly look.

Sara and Valentin, both Environmental Sciences students, have managed to perfect the comfortable-yet-still-stylish look.

Sara pulls off bubble-gum jeans by keeping the rest of her outfit muted. A black t-shirt is a great

student Nicolò looks effortless by layering different shades of grey over burgundy.

We hope you’re feeling motivated to get out those unworn pieces from your wardrobe and keep in mind that following the trends isn’t important. All of these students embrace their individual style. Keep and eye out for us on campus if you want to be in the next issue!

Kexin’s art deco inspired trousers are kept pretty by her bow-adorned flats and a subtly beaded jumper. Her trousers are unfortunately from China so we won’t be able to get our hands on them!

For myself and the 0.1% of Britons that do not enjoy the taste of potatoes, be it fried, mashed, roasted or even boiled, this establishment has found the perfect answer: courgette chips. These deep-fried in batter beauties gave me a rare moment of being able to enjoy my amazing burger with a side, making me feel like I was having a worthwhile meal.

Byron restaurants are in various places across London and as such it’s the perfect stop before a concert or after a theatre trip for a burger made to your specification. I enjoyed a medium rare ‘SMOKY’ burger that still

resonates with my tastebuds. It was a gorgeous confection of bacon, beef, onions and pickles, finished with smoked cheddar made to my exact specifications.

However, any vegetarians need not fear as they have several options to cater to your dietary requirements. One of the faults with the menu however is that sides are not inclusive with the burger and as such have to be ordered separately for an added cost.

The dessert section although not extensive was rather tasty.

The chocolate brownie was moist, warm and the perfect combatant to the dreariness brought on by the rainy weather. I was assured by my companion that the strawberry sundae with meringue

Curry in a hurry?

Try Master Naan ALEC WOOLFORD Deputy Editor

A new Indian concept restaurant has just opened on Kings Walk in Reading High Street. Located directly opposite Mix Cocktail bar, Master Naan offers a range of takeaway curries with a twist. It’s a brand new concept food: curry served with pilau rice stuffed into a deliciously fresh naan bread.

Think of a fresh curry calzone, where the pastry is naan and the filling is curry.

The first of a planned nationwide launch, the wrapped curries were the brainchild of chef Russ Butcher and banker Tom Cropper.

Of all the curries, my favourite was the Lamb Rogan Josh naan; it was fresh and flavoursome, with the right balance struck between the mellow tomato and

the kick of the chillies. A close second was the Mixed Vegetable Naan. Stuffed with sweetcorn, broccoli, potato carrots and onion, the Mixed Vegetable Naan is a brilliant and filling vegetarian option.

Curry enthusiast and mathematics student, Elliot Harrison said of Master Naan: “It is the missing piece in Reading’s curry puzzle. 10/10 for Master Naan.”

Master Naan offer a 10% student discount with a valid NUS card, which brings the price of a meal down from £5.45 to £5.00. Coming with a drink and poppadoms, the curry naan is slightly more filling and a lot healthier than a McDonalds. The curries on offer range from the mild Chicken Tikka Naan to the intimidatingly spicy The Master.

Head down to Kings Walk (right next to the Oracle) and check it out for yourself!

is bliss but I urge you to try it out for yourself.

The atmosphere at the O2 branch was great with very friendly staff and efficient service. The restaurant is decorated in a very rugged style that encourages comfort whilst you eat. Overall, a main, side, dessert and drink cost £20 which is reasonable for the standard of food enjoyed. Byron is definitely a highly recommended establishment for any burger lovers out there.

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FOOD

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Meal Kits – a culinary miracle for students ELIZABETH ANDREWS Have you ever reached in your cupboard for a pot of ground spice you know you used at the end of last term? Do you often find that the one ingredient you want is the one thing you don’t have in the fridge, but you still want to make a tasty meal? If this is the case, don’t worry - there are thousands of other students in the same position. With the constant pressure of fitting in lectures, coursework and a social life, cooking isn’t high on a typical student’s priority list, especially as you don’t want to be frittering money away on pots of pastes, herbs and spices that you could easily spend at the bar instead.

With demanding courses and student activities, students need healthy nutritious meals to see them through the day. Whether

you’ve got an exam, an intense lecture or just want a hearty meal to line your stomach before a good night out, there is an easy and cheaper way to get more from your meal times. With ‘make your own’ style kits such as simple curry kits by ‘The Spice Taylor’ and Mexican Fajitas from ‘Old El Paso’ growing in popularity, it is evident that these products are delivering on fast food, packed with flavour.

With 3 tiny pots, pouches or sachets of ingredients, these kits take less time to cook at home than to order a takeaway! Most recipes for meal kits include just chicken and oil as standard ingredients, with the kit doing the rest of the work. However, shop cautiously – you get what you pay for! A good meal kit will be simple to make and deliver a good flavour for a good price.

It is definitely worth paying a little bit more if you can, as

these kits will provide a much better intensity of flavour as well as containing better quality ingredients.

As voted for by The Independent Newspaper earlier this year, the companies providing the easiest and most flavoursome kits are listed below; BUY NOW

1. Housebites, from £29 (with 25% off first box) 2. Foodelity, from £3.95 (for one starter) 3. Gousto, from £42 4. Hello Fresh, from £39 5. The Recipe Kit, from £29 6. Simply Cook, from £10 7. The Spicery, From £2.95 8. Farmison & Co, from £44.95 9. Sous Chef, from £5 10. We Are The Sauce, From £25

So try out some new meal kits, they will cut the time and hassle from your cooking, whilst providing delicious and nutritious meals!

20 Minute Meal Idea

Skinny jeans and boots is a combination that is accessible to all and will instantly make an outfit look stylish. Erasmus

Byron: Restaurant Review NIKI IGBAROOLA

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

You know you’re a Reading student when…

ABBIE WEAVING News Editor

1. You can wear any form of fancy dress to Park Bar If you've ever wanted to visit the set of the Star Wars Cantina, where an abundance of extras are dressed as weird and wonderful aliens, then an evening at Park Bar during society socials is the next best thing. Whether it’s a sea of Smurfs waiting to be served, a mass of Minions playing snooker, or one of seven Jokers trying to work the jukebox, Park Bar is place to be on a Saturday night.

2. You spend Halloween in 3Sixty There are two types of student who grace the Union’s dance floor each Halloween: those who have spent the last of their monthly budget on an outrageous costume, and those who put one together an hour before they left the flat. Fake blood and white face paint adorn every face, as well as the odd pair of dilated pupil contact lenses. It really is a sight, especially when you spot a zombie nurse kissing Dracula.

Struggling to find time to cook between lectures and a social life? Try this 20 minute meal idea!

NIKI IGBAROOLA Ingredients:

4 small potatoes mixed peppers 2 spring onions 1 tomato diced turkey/chicken tomato sauce (pasta sauce) olive oil / any alternative salt pepper parsley To Prep: 1. Preheat

oven to gas mark 7.

2. Chop your vegetables up in any style that you like. I would recommend cutting them as chunky as possible.

3.

Wash your potatoes.

4. Season your meat by pouring a little oil and sprinkling on salt and pepper.

5. Rub this in until the pieces are evenly coated.

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6. Take three tablespoons of the tomato sauce and mix with one tablespoon of water for a lighter consistency.

Cooking: 1. Place a

sheet of foil in a deep baking tray before putting the meat on top. Then carefully layer the chopped vegetables on and around the meat.

2. Drizzle some oil, salt and pepper over the food (wine could also be poured over the meat for some additional flavour).

3. Pour the tomato sauce gently over the dish.

4. Fold another piece of foil over the food to create a parcel.

5. Cook for twenty minutes in the oven at gas mark 7.

Boil the potatoes during this time or place these in the oven as well.

6.

7.

Enjoy!

LIFESTYLE|FOOD & TRAVEL

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Foreign Cuisine of the Month: Greek

LYDIA ENGLAND Greek cuisine is one of the oldest in the world. In fact, the oldest cookery book ever written is said to have been Greek, dating back to 320 BC. Greece’s dominant influence on many areas of the Mediterranean meant that its cuisine was spread around Western Europe, largely helped by the Roman Empire who adopted many of Greece’s cultural traits.

Traditional Greek food consisted of plenty of vegetables, herbs and different types of bread with plenty of olive oil and wine.

Dairy products, meat and fish were rarely eaten until relatively recently thanks to the modernisation of food production. Food like this, naturally low in saturated fat, was also common in Southern Italy and Spain at the time and studies have shown that eating in this way can be extremely beneficial to our health. The

'Mediterranean Diet' which is high in poly-unsaturated fats from olive oil and high in vitamins and minerals from fruit and veg has been proven to be a more effective method of reducing blood pressure and cholesterol than a “standard” low-fat diet.

So for a bit of a health boost that’s high in flavour, try this recipe for Greek Salad with Tzatziki and pitta breads. Quick, easy, low in sat fat, high in fibre and high in the vitamins & minerals that might just fight the Fresher’s flu going around!

Serves 2 Approx. £1.60 pp 1 wholemeal pitta bread per person

Salad:

A large handful of olives 3 medium tomatoes ½ a cucumber ½ a red onion ½ a green pepper 4 tbsps olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp pepper

Tzatziki:

Half a big pot of low-fat yogurt (Greek style or just natural) The other ½ of the cucumber 1 garlic clove

1 tbsp dried mint (fresh if you have it) ½ tbsp dried oregano Juice of half a lemon 1 tsp each of salt and pepper

Make the Tzatziki by grating the first ½ of your cucumber into a bowl. Season with the salt and mix. Take all of the cucumber in your hand and squeeze out the excess liquid. Discard the liquid.

1.

Pop your pitta breads in the toaster to warm through for a couple of minutes.

6.

Serve the salad on a big plate and cut the pitta breads up into strips for dipping into a big dollop of the Tzatsiki on the side.

You could also crumble ¼ a block

7.

of feta cheese on top per person if you wanted.

8.

Dig in.

Agony Aunt... Miss Advised

Dear beautiful intelligent Spark readers (flattery gets you everywhere...)

I am 'Miss Advised' – your resident Agony Aunt. Basically, send me your problems, and I give you insightful advice to aid you with your conundrums.

Feel free to talk about anything- no problem is too big or too small for me.

(Mr Magnetic is an amateur, don't worry, I'm the real deal.)

I will be gentle and kind, with a bit of tough love—I guess the odd bit of sarcasm never goes a miss? I look forward to solving all your problems and saving the world (well, Reading University...).

2. Finely chop or crush the garlic into the cucumber and add all the rest of the ingredients. Give it a really good mix and pop in the fridge. Any extra you have will keep for about a week in a sealed tub. The flavour only gets better with time too!

Turn your attention to the salad; chop the remaining cucumber and tomatoes into big chunks and pop into a big bowl.

Add the olives.

3.

Much love, Miss Advised missadvised@sparknewspaper. co.uk

Slice the green pepper and very finely slice the red onion (no-one likes a big chunk of raw onion!) Add these to the bowl.

4.

Add the herbs, olive oil, lemon and pepper and toss everything together.

5.

Hello soon to be faithful readers, I am sure you’re all aware that Spark had the good sense to give me my own column. I wanted to write dirty poems but my editor said to me “Mr Magnetic, with a name like Mr Magnetic you should write an advice column”. I said whatever.

So I’m here to dish out advice for all your problems, anything you are struggling with, I will try to help with as little sarcasm as possible. So please send me your problems, don’t send them to Miss Advised, she doesn’t care about you…

I obviously wish you all happiness, but I’m here should you need me.

Hit me up at mrmagnetic@ Sparknewspaper.co.uk Regards, Mr Magnetic

City Break of the Month: Brussels LYDIA ENGLAND Having been lucky enough to travel to a few of your typical city break destinations, Brussels seemed the less obvious and therefore cheaper choice to meet up with a friend working abroad in France. Long story short, it was brilliant. It had everything I could want from a city break; the food, the shops, the sights, the bars and all for really good value.

Travel: While it initially looked cheaper to fly, once I’d added up the cost of getting to the airport here in the UK (Reading-Heathrow shuttle bus), not to mention getting from the airport to the city centre over in Belgium, it seemed much simpler to use the Eurostar direct from St Pancras to Brussels Gare du Midi.

A Friday afternoon train followed by a Sunday afternoon return journey cost £115 but it can easily made cheaper by travelling early in the morning or taking weekday trains.

Accommodation: Like many European cities, hostels are the way to go. As we wanted a little privacy we paid £29 a night for a twin room with a private bathroom incl. breakfast, which ‘aint half bad! We chose a hostel 2 minutes from the nearest Metro station, slightly out of the centre but close to the biggest shopping area in the city and this worked perfectly for us.

What to do: Brussels may not be the most attractive city but is extremely compact, squeezing in what felt like more landmarks than any other European city I’ve been too. Sometimes in big cities it can feel as though you spend half your time getting from place to place. However, Brussels efficient Metro system, combined with the fact that everything is pretty much in walking distance meant we were able to see a whole lot more than we might have done in Paris or Rome.

We spent most of Saturday on a self-guided walking tour round the city taking us through various

ethnic areas to some beautiful monuments, food markets, churches and shops.

Food: I love my food, so I wont lie and say that Brussels is the new gastronomic paradise, but we ate well by avoiding the crowds. There is an area of backstreets teeming with restaurants near the Grand Place

(Town Hall) that I would urge you to avoid. Walk slightly further away from the big monuments and you’ll pay a lot less. Believe it or not, Brussels is famous for chips which were perfect for lunchtime. €3 gets you a huge cone that’ll see you straight through to dinner, with a French macaron or two in

between from one of the many patisseries and chocolate shops.

Highlights: Listening to buskers at the Grand Place while sat eating a waffle covered in Nutella. The CANTILLON Brewery near the Lemmonier Metro stop. €7 for a fantastic tour including the history of making Belgian beer and 2 two glasses of beer to try, an acquired taste but worth the visit!

Total: All in around £300-£350 but could be done cheaper midweek.

Advice needed!

Skint Flint

Dearest Mr Magnetic,

Dear Mary Jane in Training,

I am a sucker for all things Spiderman. Unfortunately, my 4 year long boyfriend annually rejects my request to dress up as Peter Parker. He doesn't even dress up at all!

I’m glad you qualified your response at the end saying ‘For Halloween’ otherwise this reply was going to be very different in tone…

Firstly, respect for the SpiderMan love.

As far as your problem goes, if your boyfriend doesn’t want to dress up then just do it yourself!

It’s the 21st century you can be Spider-Man if you want; and I’m talking Peter Parker, not SpiderWoman because she is rubbish.

Like, seriously, why does every

Mr Magnetic and Miss Advised Drawn by Nathalie Siah

Wanderlust LOUISE INGHAM

and leaves before she’s missed.

The places are her companions, somewhere all hers for a while.

But before she gets attached she releases herself like a safety pin,

easy and quick. Then she’s gone.

The wanderlust grips her tight with comforting touch. No security elsewhere, so she searches in all the corners of the world.

Slips away in the darkness leaving no trail.

Dear Skint Flint, Firstly, I 100% feel your pain.

When I started Uni in first year I spent my monthly budget in one week! And I never learnt! Now I've realized the importance of actually having to budget. The thing is, you don't have to stop yourself going on nights out and checking out the odd sale rack, but it's about what you can afford to do so you're not struggling for the rest of the term.

What I do, is firstly write a list!

Sounds extremely OCD but it's great—write down how much per week you'd like to spend on food, alcohol (be realistic with yourself!) and on anything to do with bills. You need serious will power to stick to the list for the first week, but I promise

Mr Magnetic

Forever bugged

she turns away from this month’s shelter

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Dear Miss Advised, I’m really struggling with budgeting. I just can’t seem to stop spending money! I say every Monday I’ll be really good, by Wednesday, it’s two coffees, a few lunches, a take away, and a night out, and I find I’ve blown through my budget. I really don’t want to rely on my parents, I know they’d help me out but it’s such a shame spiral to get into!

Am I just being really silly? Why is it so hard!?

All I want is a web-slinger for Halloween. What should I do?

Her feet carry her when no one else will,

Brussels Taken by Lydia England

AGONY AUNT & CREATIVE CORNER

LIFESTYLE@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

figure who longs for Wendy to save her with needle and thread. Sew her together again, but she’d still wander to Neverland and not look back.

The girl’s a shadow, an indiscernible

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|LIFESTYLE

you you'll realize how easy it is to not spend over. Bring a little packed lunch (healthier too!) and buy ASDA pizzas in for when you're drunk so you don't buy a takeaway! You'll then realize you probably do have a bit money left over to spend on the odd meal out and that necklace you really wanted!

Parents are great and it's lovely they would help you out, but what a great opportunity to show them you can be, in the words of Destiny's Child, an independent woman!

Give everything a go—I think you'll be surprised how good you can be!

Much love, from an equally skint student Miss Advised

hero need a gender opposite sidekick? They’re always useless (apart from Super Girl, she’s pretty cool). Awful film though…

Failing that, go out and get him the costume and use a mixture of persuasion, threats, and violence to make him yield.

I (somewhat sincerely) hope this helped, Best, Mr. Magnetic

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

OXJAM PREVIEW P31 Returning for its third year, The Oxjam Reading Takeover

NETFLIX P29 Find out whats hot and whats not on Netflix

CRACKING UP AT COMEDY P31 Hilarity isn’t always a barrel of laughs, let’s hope you don’t have to suffer “Ha ha HAHA”

GONE GIRL REVIEW P28 Originally a fantastic book, one writer rushed to see Gone Girl and shares it with you!

ENTERTAINMENT

Film Review: Gone Girl ELEANOR RING DIRECTOR | David Fincher Screenplay CAST | Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, Tyler Perry RUNNING TIME | 149 minutes GENRE | Mystery thriller

Based on the 2012 bestselling novel, Gone Girl has been one of the most highly anticipated films of this year. Much like the book, it appears to be a typical procedural thriller at face value.

The basic premise is somewhat formulaic: on the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne’s wife Amy goes missing.

Amy Dunne is the inspiration for a popular children’s book series entitled Amazing Amy, making her disappearance high profile. It isn’t long until Nick is under the media’s scrutiny, which isn’t helped by his own strange behaviour during the investigation. Nick lies to the police, he ignores constant phone calls to his mobile and he appears undisturbed by Amy’s disappearance. The more he is suspected, the more his portrait of a blissful marriage falls apart.

Gillian Flynn, the author of both the novel and screenplay, has adapted the structure of her book admirably well. We are given two unreliable narrators: Nick, who we follow from the day of the disappearance, and Amy, whose story is revealed through diary entries dating back as far as 2005. One of

the book’s attractions is how it becomes increasingly difficult to know who is telling the truth and who isn’t. Gillian Flynn has done an incredible job of keeping this suspense whilst also retaining the brilliant psychology that underlies her writing; the idea is that we pretend to be someone else, particularly for our significant others, and why we do this. It is about the personas we create for, not just our partners, but for the media and the world. Gone Girl takes this and all of the nastiest parts of marriage - the petty stand offs, forced compromises and small resentments - and turns them up to 11. Gone Girl is the worst case scenario somehow getting worse.

Few couples could claim that they bought a gun on Valentine’s Day, for instance.

Considering its structure, the film is remarkably fluid without ever feeling episodic.

David Fincher’s smooth direction and Jeff Cronenweth’s cinematography are to thank for that. The Dunnes’ Midwestern world is crisp and eerie, even claustrophobic. Adding to the strangeness is the electronic score, created by soundtrack dream team Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. They manage to build a sense of dread and bleakness without being overbearing. Furthermore the casting, with the exception of Emily Ratajkowski, is spot on.

Affleck is ideal for Nick Dunne: he has an air of attractiveness about him, but you could easily suspect something darker is lurking beneath the surface.

However the real revelation is Rosamund Pike. She has always given brilliant performances in supporting roles but here, she is captivating as the brilliant and

The Conjuring

SARAH BENHAMOU

DIRECTOR | James Wan CAST | Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston RUNNING TIME | 112 minutes GENRE | Horror

The Conjuring is an American supernatural horror film, directed

by James Wan, depicting the ghoulish goingson in a newly bought farm house in Rhode Island. These spooky happenings soon require the assistance of notable paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who inspired the story

behind The Conjuring in 1971, when Bathsheba attacked.

The plot follows the Perron family, who recently moved into a shabby looking farm house with their five young girls and adorable dog, Sadie. It's not long before the innocent games of hide and clap, the eerie clock stopping every night at 3.07 and the smell of rotten flesh forces Mrs Perron to seek help from reallife investigators. As a medium, Lorraine is able to discover the house’s deeply disturbing past and it becomes clear why the presences are targeting the Perrons, putting them in a tremendous amount of danger.

The Perron family stepped over a line and now have to survive as a demonic witch wants them dead.

In her role as Lorraine Warren, Vera Farmiga gives an impressive performance. She portrays

TV, FILM & CREATIVE CORNER

|ENTERTAINMENT UK BOX OFFICE

CHART

1. Gone Girl 2. The Maze Runner 3. Annabelle 4. One Direction: Where We Are 5. Dracula Untold 6. The Equalizer The Boxtrolls Lorraine as a mentally capable and physically strong medium, yet remains skilful in portraying a deep rooted fear coupled with a willingness to help the Perrons.

It is evident from the outset that Lorraine has struggled with her gift in the past, but it is down to her and Ed to rid the Perrons of this dark entity that has possessed their lives.

Having watched many horror films, I would most certainly deem The Conjuring as an outstanding supernatural movie, surpassing the tedious conventions of a stereotypical horror. Based upon the statistics, with this movie being one of the highest grossing horror films of all time, I would definitely recommend you watch The Conjuring this Halloween.

7. What We Did on Our Holiday 8. The Rewrite 9. Dolphin Tale 2

Unknown What’s Hot on Netflix The Victim

ELEANOR RING

beautiful Amy Dunne. Even when she is not on screen, you feel as haunted by her presence as Nick does. Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry both do a great job of moving away from their comedic roots and Carrie Coon is loveable as Nick’s twin sister Margo.

Gone Girl is David Fincher at his best: depraved, thrilling and wonderfully twisted. If you’re looking for something darker to take your date to, this is it.

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women’s prison. The latest addition to the Original Series category is the sitcom Bojack Horseman, a bizarre but funny Whether you can afford the luxury of Netflix or “accidentally” animation about a washed up actor who also happens to be a forget to log out of your friend’s horse. account, watching the delights on offer is a great way to MAKE ‘EM LAUGH procrastinate. Yet, you can often There is a great selection of feel spoiled for choice. Here are some selections that will have you comedic offerings on Netflix; it is quite hard to limit the list! glued to your seat when the next There are Channel 4 classics such episode automatically loads. as Black Books and Peep Show, for those who have no clue what NETFLIX ORIGINAL they’re doing with their life.

SERIES Fresh Meat is a must watch for Netflix was already appealing all freshers joining university this with the huge array of films and year. Admittedly, most of you television it had to offer, free won’t severely injure someone from advertising and bad quality. on a dentistry course, or be as However the online service has posh as JP, but it’s hard to not become a game changer in the identify with some part of the consumption of visual media show’s student life. From across with its Netflix Original Series, the pond there is the filthy and proving it can make great TV as well as showcase it. My personal favourite is American political drama House of Cards, starring the brilliant Kevin Spacey as ruthless Frank Underwood, a politician manipulating his way to Presidency. If you prefer something lighter, there is the hilarious and heartwarming Orange is the New Black, a comedy drama about Piper Chapman’s experience in a

ridiculous It’s Always Sunny in Philaphedia, which has been described as “Seinfeld on crack.”

Netflix also provides RuPaul’s Drag Race which is utterly fabulous and you will probably find yourself claiming RuPaul’s catchphrase “if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” as your life mantra.

THROWBACKS

Feeling homesick? Indulge in some nostalgia with 90’s teen classics like Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s All That. For those wanting something less rom com, there is Clerks, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Wayne’s World. All of these are best enjoyed in PJs with your flatmates…and a good amount of ice cream.

TAYLOR R.C MATTHEWS

Through the field many a man did wander, for it was not peace they would seek.

Standing small in that lonely field did ponder a timid women gentle and meek.

Too many a number of weapons fired too few even left to survive, yet it was still not peace to be desired Instead just death, oh did death always thrive.

Then one day in that lonely field did walk a soldier wounded his clothes stained with blood, looking around he opened his mouth still unable to talk all he could do was run further through the ghastly mud.

The timid women so small but so humble would take that man in to alleviate so much deadly pain, amongst suffering and loss did the soldier merely mumble too many unfortunate man he had slain.

With care and affection was this soldier healed Able to talk walk run, and fight.

But it just took one bad act for the future to be sealed the man would grab and pull with all his might He would overpower that caring woman for on that soldier remained one fatal concealed weapon.

Indeed the war was fought also by too many a woman suffering as their privacy in and out was inflicted by aggression.

Finally the soldier would stop lifeless as a ragdoll the same story, of how underneath as he lay on top the unknown victim lost her glory.

Changed forever scarred by the act lest we remember such a horrifying fact, in times of war may we become the Unknown Victim.

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ENTERTAINMENT|MUSIC

Erasure – The Violet

NICHOLAS HAIGH Erasure’s sixteenth studio album The Violet Flame may not change your opinion on the world, but it will make you tap your feet so hard you spill your tea.

To students and procrastinators alike Erasure may only be familiar as the act behind Always, the backing track to the hit online game Robot Unicorn Attack. While the song’s subtle yet infectious beat draws you in, the interjecting electronic squelches may seem creepier than the uncle who stares at you across the buffet table at every wedding.

Subsequently you may assume that the Erasure duo Andy Bell and Vince Clarke have spent a career on the fringes of the weird and the wonderful. Some suspect Erasure is a synthesiserenthused gimmick, but the figures are no joke; 25 million album sales worldwide, 17 top 10 tracks including “A Little Respect”, “Sometimes” and “Love to Hate You”, and Bell’s elevation to an icon amongst the gay community make this a fully credible and important band.

The Violet Flame, however, feels confused at times.

Seemingly not knowing whether to engage in a new sound and potentially unearth a new fan base, or to retreat to the proven synthpop formula and appease the old one, Erasure dabbles in both. Tracks such as “Under The Wave” and “Paradise” may as well be a portal straight into 1988; the pounding beats, the pings and pangs whizzing around your cochlea and Bell’s engaging vocals almost let you taste the sweat of a packed club at the end of the decade. You would just need the weight of a mobile phone bigger than your hand to complete the transition. On the opposite end of the spectrum thumping opener “Dead Of Night” and “Promises” venture towards a more contemporary sound, not a million pop miles away from acts such as Calvin Harris. Despite such resemblance the record seems to lack conviction in seeing itself as a genuine contender in mainstream music. Not wanting to remain chained to the synthpop genre, Erasure can’t quite let it go.

Having opened this can of worms you have to ask yourself: does it matter? While it would be

untrue to suggest that synthpop can’t be political, Bell for example was one of the first openly gay pop stars while Pet Shop Boys drowned out a vague comment about the Cold War in 2009’s Building a Wall, this album serves mostly to entertain.

The Violet Flame isn’t Dark Side of the Moon, but is it meant to be? I had fun listening to it and so will you.

Whether The Violet Flame will be my choice of entertainment in two weeks’ time remains to be seen, but the guy in the library who can’t stop bopping his head currently is me.

Erasure will play at the Reading Hexagon on November 12th. Full tour information can be found on http://www.erasureinfo. com/concerts/.

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

Perfect Prep Playlist ALICE WINTER Finding the right playlist before a night out is crucial. Music can put you in the party mood, lift your spirits and warms up your vocal chords for screaming along with your favourite track of the night.

So without further ado, here are 10 of my personal picks and Windsor 6.1’s favourites for your pre-night preparations.

1. It’s Time-Imagine Dragons Grab your friends and their weird but wonderful concoctions, and put this one on maximum volume. Admittedly this track starts a bit slow, but you’ve got to pace yourself; cabs aren’t coming for a while. The ukulele and simple drum beat are enough to get you in a good mood, starting the night with a smile on your face.

2. I Will Wait – Mumford and Sons – If you nearly fell asleep in your lecture today, more than once, Mumford and his wonderful Sons are sure to wake you up.

You’ll see yourself jump out of your snooze and dancing down the corridor in no time, courtesy of the jovial sound of guitars, ukuleles and other stringed instruments.

3. Waves – Mr Probz (Robin Schulz Remix Radio Edit) – "Absolute banger” I hear you cry; I couldn’t agree more. If no one spills their drink trying to sexually sway to this song, I will be disappointed. Vigorous hand movements whenever you hear the words ’wave’ and ‘waves’ are also a must; it’s that or a forfeit.

4. Summer – Calvin Harris A personal favourite of 6.1, Summer begins slowly but you should use that time to refill your glass/mug/bowl, or whatever else you’re using because you don’t want to wash up. If you’re feeling daring substitute the normal version with the Club Killers Festival Trap Remix. Crazy.

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5. Thrift Shop – Macklemore – Trumpets And excited party goers are a perfect combination. No further justification is needed, but has anyone called a cab?

6. Mama Do the Hump – Rizzle Kicks It’s important to establish who the weird dancers in your flat are; if everyone looks normal, it’s probably definitely you. When doing ‘the Hump’ put your drink down or you’ll definitely get it all over your outfit. Remember, spillage is lickage.

7. Fancy – Iggy Azalea ft.

Charli XCX Everyone likes to think that they can rap to this song, but if you can’t you’ll need to take things up a gear Quick! The cabs are on their way. The over the top pronunciation of every word is what makes this song, so make sure it’s ‘FANCAAAY’ not ‘fancy’.

8. Touch - Shift K3y This track has a huge Craig David vibe; what more could you want?

Let the corridor be your dance floor.

9. It’s My Birthday – Will.I.Am ft. Cody Wise This is the penultimate song, so it’s time to get your things together and jump into the taxis.

It’s My Birthday is ridiculously repetitive, and a little annoying if you’re calm, but everyone’s tolerance of questionable music increases after the build up to a great night, just embrace it.

10. Shots – LMFAO Shots is ridiculous, let’s not lie to ourselves here. But if you’re having enough fun that won’t matter! So listen to the overly aggressive men and keep the good time going. Try not to fall over as you get in that cab, you’ll never live it down.

Hopefully this helps kick-start a brilliant night, enjoy!

COMEDY & MUSIC

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

|ENTERTAINMENT

Mojo’s Comedy with Katherine Ryan GARY GORDON

including words suggested by the audience, with great success. The improvised lyrics and repartee between songs were a testament to this comedian’s acute mind.

I have a small confession to Tom Deacon then continued make. Despite having seen his solid performance as it advertised a number of MC, keeping spirits high and times, I have never been to the introducing the second act of university’s comedy night; I’ve the evening, Stephen Bailey (@ been missing out. The main attraction of the evening was the stephencomedy). What started as a potential Alan Carr knockhilarious Canadian comedienne Katherine Ryan (@Kathbum) but off turned into an excellent paying only £3.25, with an NUS performance. The true genius of Stephen’s performance was card, for nearly 3 hours of live comedy from 4 comedians made the air of spontaneity he seemed to convey, Stephen took his the night a steal. platform and turned it into what The MC of the evening was looked like a night gossiping with comedian Tom Deacon (@ TomDeaconComedy). As a crowd his friends. He won the crowd’s we were quiet and unresponsive, affection almost instantly. One yet as the evening got under way can’t help but wish he make it into mainstream comedy, Tom’s charm and witty humour did exactly what was needed and Stephen’s style seems perfectly warmed us up. With some of his suited to the panel show format.

Katherine Ryan was jokes being improvised remarks seen by the bar for most of at the expense of the audience and some dealing with fairly dark the night and at the interval subjects, the tone of the evening she gleefully spoke to hoards of adoring fans, posing for was set low and the comic bar photographs and charming us into was set sky high.

The first act of the night was submission. Between lamenting on her sex life, Ryan told me she surreal comedian Joe Charman (@JoeOnVine). Bringing a deck had performed at the University of Reading before. Having on stage, allowing him to alter performed on the 3Sixty stage, and play with his vocals, Joe created his own base to perform Ryan commented that Mojo’s was a better venue for comedy. I have comedic lyrics from. The set ended with an improvised song, to say I agree, the intimate setting

allowed for a personal touch you couldn’t get from a larger space; audience and performer were almost face to face. What really added to the evening was that the four performers were friends from working the Edinburgh circuit, which created a friendly ambience and a night that felt truly unique.

Pints poured, it was time for the second act. Ryan had the longest set of the night but there

were no complaints from the audience. Don’t be fooled by that sweet foreign accent or her pretty blonde looks, Ryan has serious comedic prowess. With a sharp tongue, she tackles subjects from politics to sex scandals. Ryan, without wanting to pigeonhole her, is like Canada’s answer to Joan Rivers: fearless in both topic and delivery. She is an obviously intelligent woman and, most importantly, exceptionally funny.

The undoubted highlight of an excellent night, Ryan’s star seems set to rise even higher.

I would recommend the university comedy nights, all of which are advertised on the University of Reading’s website, to anyone. It’s a cheap, brilliant night out right in our own back yard.

NICHOLAS HAIGH

described by Time Out as ‘supercatchy’, is but one of a host of performers representing the electronic music scene. For a full list of performers, as well as clips visit: http://www.oxjamreading.

co.uk/. Wristbands cost £10 to access all venues which include The Oakford Social Club, The Purple Turtle, Pavlov’s Dog, The Sun Inn, Milk, Global Café, The Oxjam Bus outside Sainsbury’s

in Broad Street and the Oxjam Market in Market Place. Single venue entry costs £5, with all money being raised going to Oxfam. Local Music, Global Impact.

Oxjam Preview Did you hit the snooze button instead of bagging yourself a Glastonbury ticket? Fear not my friend as it transpires Reading has a music festival of its very own.

Another one.

Returning for its third year, The Oxjam Reading Takeover engulfs our university town on Saturday October 18th. From 12pm until late the event reaches across eight venues, bringing you over sixty great bands with all proceeds going to Oxfam. Warm beer, rocking out and a clear conscience, who’d have thought it?

The Oxjam Music Festival began in 2006 with the intention of uniting music lovers in tackling poverty and suffering around the world. Since its conception Oxjam has raised £2.3

million for Oxfam, attracting over 1.2 million people to its gigs.

Across the 4,500 events, so far, it has found high profile backers in Jarvis Cocker, Damon Albarn, Fatboy Slim, Hot Chip and 2manydjs, to name but a few.

While combining the words “charity” and “rock gig” usually acts as a cruel trap to seeing a man with dreadlocks perform a soliloquy about his favourite birch tree, this year’s Reading Takeover boasts a varied array of exciting performers, many of whom are locally sourced. One not so locally sourced act is The John Steel Singers, a pysch-pop sixpiece from Brisbane whose album Everything’s A Thread featured among MOJO’s Top 20 Albums of 2014. Seeking to keep British rock’n’roll on the map, The Clash inspired Jimi Raine also features at this year’s Oxjam, while Indie-pop act Sister Gracie,

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ENTERTAINMENT | MUSIC

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

WATTSUP?

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

| ENTERTAINMENT

WATTSUP? Do you put the ‘ha’ in laug-ha-ble?

Prove it and try doing WattsUp on for size.

NATHALIE SIAH

Arran: I think I came up with it last Christmas when I was thinking about someone who's been very dedicated to his job or school. When he gets to University he wants a bit of a break to hang loose. It's essentially how they go crazy for a day and have a complete blow out.

Editor

University of Reading’s very own Red Tape, takes a major leap in their music by recording their EP over the summer and performing at Oxjam Festival next week.

The Spark gets the inside scoop on the band’s new tracks and their plans for the future by interviewing Arran Ainsworth (lead singer), Chris Sewell (lead guitar and vocal back-up) and Ollie Weeden (drummer).

Unfortunately, bassist Chris Fry nicknamed ‘Sea bass’ for short, was ill and unable to attend. Still, a great insight was gained on the band.

How did you come with your band name?

Arran: This is a bit of a weird story. We met downstairs in Café Mondial and said we're not going to leave this room until we come up with some sort of band name.

We were bouncing off ideas for ages until Ollie came up with it in the end.

Ollie: Yeah, it was literally the case of a couple of traffic cones connected by red tape. I thought red tape could kind of be clever so we just went for that in the end.

What is your style? What are your typical main influences?

Chris: We started out as typical

Red Trape Photo credits to Red Tape

Interview: The Boys of Red Tape The University band named Red Tape have recorded their EP and are performing at Oxjam.

This an interview about them

indie rock and morphed into more garage rock.

Arran: Not all of us are not really into the same music at all. I was quite determined to do something Indie rock like the Arctic monkeys but then no one else was really into that.

Ollie: There are some cross over in some places. We initially did covers of band like The Keelers, Feeder and Black Keys as well.

So you could say that the sound of those bands influenced us.

Arran: We definitely became heavier in the past year so if you go back and listen to any of the gigs in February last year and what we do now, there's a lot more distortion. Influences from the Black Keys are still there but we can each draw from different places. Chris draws from metal basically.

What advice would you give to other bands?

Arran: Make sure you get lots of practice in before you try and go for a gig. It seems like quite an obvious one but sometimes you meet people who say, “Oh yeah, we've got a rough 30 minutes down.” I think the first gig we did a tiny last minute thing at the Face bar and we weren't properly ready for it.

Chris: Also, just get the word out on your Facebook page as well.

Just spam everyone's news feed.

Try and get as many likes as you can.

Arran: There's nothing wrong with a little bit of shameless promotion. I think it's important as well if you're going try and develop yourselves in the local scene to make sure you go and see lots of local gigs because you

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get to know the people who are running them.

How do you write music? Do you write together or one-onone?

Ollie: I think it's very much like most bands do. All of us play guitar to some degree so we're all capable of writing a chord pattern, a riff or something. One of us might say, “I've got this new riff, can we do anything with it?”

Then we might build around that.

Arran: Yeah, it can vary as well.

Sometimes it can be one riff or one chord and other times like “Save Your Soul”, Chris practically wrote the entirety of that song.

I've heard that you've got a song called “Jimmy's Breakdown” and I was wondering what's the meaning behind that?

Ollie: I think the way we interpreted it is one breaking from monotony, breaking from a cycle that he's accustomed to and suddenly becoming Mr. Sociable for as long as you can. So that song is just a depiction of that really.

Arran: It's very like a carpe diem song.

Can you explain the title of your song “DBD”?

Chris: There’s an intro riff to it and a drum fill I was trying to explain to Ollie. The only way I could explain it was “Oh, go duh buh duh”.

Arran: We spent about 15 minutes trying to explain exactly what Chris wanted this drum fill to be.

We kept playing the song and even at one point you (Chris) even tried to get on the drums and do it. When we had written the song and everything, we needed to think of a title for this. We're like, “DBD sounds alright”.

Ollie: I think to begin with it was a working title but we grew so used to it and part of our set list and every gig we did.

And you've all finished recording recently a couple of your songs? When is your music coming out officially?

Arran: We finished recording a couple months ago and we've already released our single 'Save Your Soul' which is on soundcloud. We're going to be releasing Ghost Train which is on the 15th. And then the other two we're probably to be releasing I think on the 24th at our first Perk gig of the term at Mojo's. It's going to be a blow out.

This month’s WattsUp? reveals childhood fears, deadly wishes and weird costume fetishes from around campus.

1.

What terrorized you as a child?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: My brother.

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: Running out of chocolate.

Christopher J L., 2nd year Law: That the world would run out of instant noodles. I'm still scared that it's going to happen.

Jimmy E., 2nd year Environmental Science: Really loud thunder and lightning.

Reya R., 2nd year Law: The dark, I had an awful habit of making myself believe that I was seeing things through an eyrie night-filter.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: Super effective critical hits.

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: Fireman Sam being taken off the television.

Chris S., 3rd year History: Jimmy Saville.

Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: As every child—the dark, and my Mum.

2.

Would you make out with a ghost or a zombie? Why? Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: A zombie, because a ghost would pale in comparison.

Christopher J L., 2nd year Law: Who cares? As long as I can get bragging rights over it.

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: Zombie...no brainer.

Stef W., 2nd year Zoology: I don't think I can touch a ghost (even if he/she might be cute) and a zombie is gross.

Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: I’d prefer a ghost, just because a zombie may have bad breath.

3.

In How I Met Your Mother, the main characters dress up as the couple salt and pepper, with cumin as the third wheeler. What is the best couple plus third wheeler costume combination?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: C3PO and R2D2, and an Ewok.

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: Light, Misa Misa and Ryuk.

Jimmy E., 2nd year Environmental Science: Look it's Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson!

Oh... that's Mrs. Hudson making a cup of tea Reya R., 2nd year Law: Salt, pepper and cumin is rather hard to beat. Perhaps a Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who can't date in peace due to a Harry Potter and his abandonment issues.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: Allie, Noah and a notebook. From ‘The Notebook’.

TJ Hiew, 2nd year Law: Hermione, Ron....Hi, Harry!

Stef W., 2nd year Zoology: They can dress up as Na+ and Cl-. O2- would be a whore.

Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: A vampire, a werewolf and a girl

6.

October 3rd is a special day in the film Mean Girls. How would you celebrate the day?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: I'd go into a lecture in a Santa outfit, give out candy canes to some of the people and give 4 to 1 person and say "4 for you Glen Coco! You go Glen Coco! And none for Gretchen Wieners..."

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: I would comment on the weather! 'There's a 50% chance that it's already raining' Reya R., 2nd year Law: Unfortunately, October 3rd was a Friday, otherwise I would have worn pink.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: Turning around and asking Lindsay Lohan what the day was obviously.

7.

What is the best go-to song for Halloween?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: Ghost Town, The Specials.

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: Monster-Skillet.

Jimmy E., 2nd year Environmental Science: I can only think of Ghostbusters.

Reya R., 2nd year Law: Thriller, Michael Jackson.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: Spooky Scary Skeletons Extended Mix 10 hours.

8.

If you were the undead, what would you do on your first night out?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: Dance to Michael Jackson Thriller will as many of my zombie pals as I can.

Christopher J L., 2nd year Law: Kill myself over and over to see if I can come back to life every time.

Reya R., 2nd year Law: Whatever I did, I'd probably end up scaring the life out of the living.

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: Test the limits of my immortality....by seeing if alcohol affects me in the same way.

Chris S., 3rd year History: Get into a fight and wait until someone stabs you and then see their reaction when you don't feel any pain #yolo Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: Try to get myself killed of course.

9.

What is the best way to scare your best friend?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: Make ham banned forever.

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: BOO! Christopher J Lin, 2nd year Law: Beat him at his favorite video game.

Jimmy E., 2nd year Environmental Science: Spiders! Works every time!

Reya R., 2nd year Law: Any sort of sudden movement.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: Make an attempt on their life.

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: Threaten to ruin the end of this season of 'The Walking Dead' for him.

Stef W., 2nd year Zoology: Just get some insects in her room would do.

Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: Tell her that her favourite character is dead.

4.

Describe your love of pumpkins in one sentence.

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: Orange.

Christopher J L., 2nd year Law: Soup only.

Reya R., 2nd year Law: I don't have a particular opinion on pumpkins, except that their use in home decor is fruitless.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: 2sp00ky5me TJ Hiew, 2nd year Law: Don't care if you used to be a coach for Cinderella, I'm eating you muahahahaha!

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: An annual realisation of how I really should try pumpkin one day.

5.

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: A tampon. A used tampon.

Chris S., 3rd year History: I saw on the internet two girls at a fancy dress party who dressed up as the twin towers.

Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: A politician which no one likes.

10. Make any food sound epically frightening.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen someone dress up as?

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: Darth Vader, walking through Winchester city centre.

Myfi, 2nd year Philosophy: A blow up penis! (Only in Brighton) Christopher J L., 2nd year Law: I saw a guy wearing a hot dog suit while in Times Square. Could never really eat a hot dog the same way ever again.

Jimmy E., 2nd year Environmental Science: Mankini thong. Jesus it was the weirdest clothing I've ever seen.

Reya R., 2nd year Law: I haven't seen any out of the ordinary costumes in a while, does anyone taking dressing up super seriously anymore?

TJ Hiew, 2nd year Law: Nothing is weird when it comes to dressing up.

Mike, 2nd year Biological Studies: Baaaannaaaanaaaaaa! Woooooooooh!

Christopher J L., 2nd year Law: Mystery meat... No seriously even we have no idea what's in that.

Jimmy E., 2nd year Environmental Science: Maggoty spaghetti.

Reya R., 2nd year Law: Ready-made lasagne preparation: defrost and microwave for 10 minutes.

Simon B., 2nd year Microbiology: Just staple a picture of Nash Grier to it.

TJ Hiew, 2nd year Law: Human head curry.

Ollie W., 2nd year Law: Silence of the Lamb Chop.

Chris S., 3rd year History: More cows kill people than sharks, DUM DUM DUMMMMMMMMMM Wing Lam K., 2nd year Law: Killer kinde chocolate—diabetes with a smile.

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ENTERTAINMENT | HOROSCOPES

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

horoscope KIRSTY SAGGERS

Find out what the stars are saying about you this month...

Horoscopes Writer

ARIES MARCH 21st-APRIL 20th

Aries

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 24th- OCTOBER 23rd

You will find luck surrounding a family member this month, financial or otherwise, Spending time with them could pass some of this luck onto you. Acting on impulse could be dangerous, so carefully consider all decisions to get the best result. In terms of romance, a new love interest may be on the cards so take notice of anyone paying you attention and looking your way.

libra

TAURUS APRIL 21st-MAY21st

Taurus

SCORPIO OCTOBER 24th-NOVEMBER 22nd

A friend may need your help but be too afraid to ask; let your friends know they can always rely on you, Taurus. Look out for opportunities at work or in study to better yourself as they will be abundant this month perhaps not in the way you expect. Taurus should pay particular attention to the letter 'F' this month, especially if they are single.

Sagittarius

GEMINI MAY 22nd-JUNE 21st

Gemini

Cancer

This month is the perfect time to work hard as there are more rewards to gain than before. However don't let this be your only focus; remember Scorpio there should always be a balance between work and play. A phone call could provide information you have been waiting for - be prepared for some good news heading your way! Be conscious of the number 12, it may bring you luck when you need it most.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22nd- JANUARY 20th

Are you looking for love? A seemingly random encounter with someone could lead to a new romantic interest if you take the chances given to you. Red is definitely your lucky colour this month, as it represents the newfound energy and passion you will feel towards life. There may be more opportunities for you to earn money, so don't be afraid to take them - just remember nothing in life is free.

There is no benefit in having a serious outlook 100% of the time, so let your silly side out this month as it will result in fun memories. Be wary Capricorn of the rumours you hear, not everyone will be telling the truth. It could be dangerous to believe something without hearing all facts first. When making decisions look to the colour blue.

LEO JULY 24th-AUGUST 23rd

leo

Someone you think highly of will look to you for advice this month and you should give them a thoughtful response. If you have an issue to resolve with someone, a peaceful discussion is the best way to go about things as an argument could lead to a broken friendship. This month you will be fortunate with money, enjoy it but don’t spend it all at once!

AQUARIUS JANUARY 21st -FEBUARY 19th

Now is the perfect opportunity to try out a new look, so be daring! Those in a relationship should spend a well-needed day with their partner, you Aquarius may even learn something new about them. Luck may come your way in the form of a letter or email this month and your lucky numbers seem to be 27 and 9.

VIRGO AUGUST 24th- SEPTEMBER 23rd

virgo

Someone you don't see very often will make you happy this month. This may be with a big gesture, or simply by making you smile, and you will feel even better if you return the favour. Challenge yourself to do something new or frightening, Scorpio, the further out of your comfort zone the better. The number 17 will be particularly important for the rest of the month.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 23rd-DECEMBER 21st

Someone will be impressed by your hard work this month, don't worry if it doesn't seem to be paying off and try not to get stressed. A new friendship could be in the works so make a conscious effort to speak to people you don’t normally engage with. You are likely to hear some interesting news from a family member, keeping in touch is key. It seems that 22 will be a positive number this month for Gemini.

CANCER JUNE 22nd-JULY 23rd

Letting your creative side out will bring you joy in the coming month, as will being spontaneous. A chance to gain more experience in something you love may arise, so keep your eyes peeled. Let your opinions be heard and get involved, don't shy away. Special attention should be paid to the letter 'T', particularly for romantics.

PISCES FEBUARY 20th-MARCH 20th

An interesting piece of news will reach your ears this month, so stay alert! You should say yes to any invitations as a gathering of friends could lead to meeting someone new or catching up with an old acquaintance.An opportunity for you to take the lead will present itself and you should go for it, even if it seems scary you won't regret it!

Special attention should be paid to anyone asking for your advice.

Pisces

Although it is easy to let stress get to you sometimes, you should take time to relax and let your mind wander. You will have the most fun this month if you get involved in all the opportunities presented to you - you may even find a new hobby. It seems red will be your lucky colour this month.

The Spark Newspaper is designed and typeset by students at the University of Reading. Printed at Newbury News Limited, Newspaper House, Faraday Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG12 2DW. Published and funded by Reading University Students’ Union, contact: studentengagemtn@rusu.co.uk. Our students strive for accuracy but on occasion can make mistakes. Errors can be corrected/acknowledged by contacting the Editor. Complaints should be made to the Editor in the first instance, and thereafter to RUSU. All complaints should be made in writing. All articles, letters etc. must include a name, address, and contact number/email address. These may be withheld from publication at specific request. The Spark Newspaper or RUSU can take no responsibility for products or services advertised herein. The Spark Newspaper reserves the right to reject or edit any submissions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the Editor. The views expressed in The Spark Newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or RUSU, particularly those expressed in the comments pages, which are often opinions of the specific authors. Photographs in The Spark Newspaper are copyright, and you will need permission from the photographer to re-use. Contact the Editor at: editor.spark@reading.ac.uk.

34

35

ENTERTAINMENT | COMICS & GAMES

ENTERTAINMENT@SPARKNEWSPAPER.CO.UK

KNIGHTS ARCHERS P37 Find out what it feels like to be an expert shooter.

WHAT ENGLAND NEEDS P39 A critical analysis on why England’s team just can’t seem to bring home the World Cup.

SATURDAY OUTING IN LEAGUE FOOTBALL P39 Find out what Zak Prior has to say about AFC Wimbledon taking on Bury in League Two.

ZAK PRIOR P39 A warm welcome to our new Sports Editor who joins the team in October

SPORT

Archery - Shoot To Thrill SIOBHAN BOYLE

Conjuring Freshers ball Goblins Scary Halloween uniRDG Oxjam

What comes to mind when you think of archery? Anyone who has been on campus during summer term has probably seen us shooting on the rugby pitch, regardless of the weather. Official archery in the UK began in 1861 with the formation of the Grand National Archery Society, which had a joining fee of 21 Shillings.

Since then (and especially in the past few years with the publicity from The Hunger Games and The Avengers) archery has grown in popularity.

There are many different forms of archery with the three main competitive styles being Recurve (think the Olympics), Compound (a favourite with American hunters) and Longbow/ Barebow (because who needs help aiming? Not Legolas). The Reading Archery Society consists mostly of Recurve archers but welcomes almost all styles. If you have no experience, one of our members or our coaches will show you how to get started stand side-on to the target, hold the bow in your non-dominant hand, pull back the string with your other hand to your cheek and then shoot! That’s the basics and with time you’ll find yourself happily hitting targets 70 or even 90 metres away whilst making it look easy.

Shooting is split into Indoor and Outdoor season with autumn and spring term taking place within Sports Park. During summer term there are as many barbeques as we can manage, and when the weather is poor there is always Park Bar for our postshoot dinner and drinks.

Archery within the society is what you make of it. There

Oktoberfest Pumpkin Ghouls Red Tape Spiderman Horror Dementia

36

are competitions, coaches and leagues for those who want to aim high and always shoot to win. If that’s not to your taste and you just want to have fun, you never need to buy your own equipment (we provide everything). Using the club bows, you can hunt balloons pinned to targets, obliterate any cardboard cut-out your heart desires, or even take a shot (or ten) at a life-sized porcupine poster. Thanks to our beloved equipment officer, if you miss there’s always another arrow to hand! If the previous mention of shooting 90 metres seems intimidating, during outdoor season you can choose your distance and indoors is generally 18 metres.

Archery is a sport, but it’s also a social occasion. The friends you make through the society stick with you even after graduation, and every year at BUCS we catch up with friends (and rivals!) we met the year before. As a team we discuss technique, equipment and form with the aim to improve, but we also discuss where next to have a daytrip or what food to bring to our next buffet night.

When I think of archery, I think of when my teammate launched into a full rendition of ‘We Are the Champions’ after beating the President in a head-to-head showdown. I think of when we try to pile ourselves and our bows into the minibus for BUCS Indoors, and alternate between fighting over the CD choice and singing along to it.

Currencies have changed since 1861 and we no longer accept shillings – to become a member just find us on RUSU or on our Facebook page as Knights Archers. Anyone is welcome and you need not have any previous experience!

Archery Credit to Andrew Parnell

Archery Society Credit to Andrew Clark

37

SPORTS | GENERAL SPORTS

SPORT.SPARK@READING.AC.UK

GENERAL SPORTS

SPORT.SPARK@READING.AC.UK

| SPORTS

American Football star from California Why do England lose?

Development Economists, Import Substitutions and Making Toothpaste. joins Knights to strengthen defense What it may take, for England to bring home the World Cup. Here’s an exclusive interview for the new all American player here at the Reading Knights American Football Team

When the many pundits of the world converge to attempt to answer the eternal, seemingly unanswerable question, 'Why do England lose?' their favourite scapegoats are forever the foreign players of our beloved Barclays Premier League. After all, if our English lads can't even get a game for their own team, how can we expect them to mature into fully fledged internationals?

What this often boils down to is English pundits blaming foreign nationals for our own lack of skill. As Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski expertly explain in their acclaimed

SAM BONSTOW The Reading Knights American Football Team are preparing for their upcoming season with high hopes.

Uba Emole is one of the team’s newest players; imported straight from playing on the defensive line at California Polytechnic State University. Uba, a law undergraduate, stands at 6 foot 6 inches, and weighs in at an impressive 290lbs. Uba's one of many new rookies to join up to play this year for the Knights.

Eager to find out more, after hearing of his arrival, we caught up with him after practice to ask a few questions about his pathway into American football, the differences between playing in the US and UK, and his thoughts on the Knights.

How did you get into playing American Football?

Through my size and physique really. I used to play soccer and I'm big Arsenal fan. Despite that, I got recruited into playing at high school simply because I'm a big guy.

Why did you start playing defence?

My coaches said that I was too quick to play on the offensive line; that it would be a waste of my talent if I played a position where I just focused on blocking.

Instead, on defense, I get to use my disruptive speed.

What differences have you found between playing in the States and playing in the UK? I'd say actually things are quite similar to playing in the US. Training here has made me remember some things which I was taught when I first started playing, so training is quite similar. I'd say the biggest difference is that it's a lot more relaxed. When I trained with California State, the team would get up every morning and go to the gym to work out; it was very much a lifestyle and less fun over there, whilst here it is more relaxed. It's given me a new lease of life on American Football and has really given me the enthusiasm to play again.

What do you think of the Reading Knights?

I think that the team is very welcoming to new players, and I like the set-up of training. There's a lot of drive and enthusiasm in the team, which surprised me to see; it makes me want to play.

The coaches are amazing, they are enthusiastic and help you to adjust. It's very easy to see the

fire they still have for the sport as well, which pushes us to try harder. Speaking to a few other new players as well, it's clear there's a belief in the team and a real commitment to winning.

What are your thoughts looking towards your first game as a Knight?

I'm very excited to play. Training is one thing, but I can't wait for the first game. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the competition is like and how the games differ from playing in the US. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the cold weather! Rain is fine, but I don't like the cold. I have lots of thermals to wear at games!

OLLIE WEEDEN

by Old Whiteknights House on 2nd November. Kick-off is at midday, so come along, grab some food and cheer along the Knights as they face The Kingston Cougars.

This month the Knights need your help. We have the chance to train with and meet the Jacksonville Jaguars. We need as many people as possible this month to retweet the hashtag #KnightsNFLuk and mention @ nfl_uk. Don't forget to give us a follow as well @readingknights.

Thanks for your help

Uba about to be unleashed against our offensive line at training

by Farah Shaqhirah

Uba [pictured right] standing next to our average sized coach, Coach Dan Woods

by Farah Shaqhirah

38

foreign than a pitch on a Premier League match day. For many, 'English' football can no longer be said to exist.

Let us imagine for a moment that the FA was somehow able to suspend EU Law and force the Premier League to discriminate against foreign players. If inferior English players were handed places in Premier League teams, they would have little incentive to improve. It should be argued that the problem is not that there are too few Englishmen playing in the Premier League, but rather that there are too many. You can say that English players 'only' accounted for less than a third of playing time last season. Or you can argue that they accounted for

a massive proportion of playing time, more so than any other nation, in what is the world's toughest league. This surely means that many Englishmen are getting lots of regular game time of top-level club football.

The experience of playing against top foreign players every weekend has surely helped England internationals improve.

They are forced to get better simply to stay in the team. It might be said that in recent years English players have played too much top class international football, rather than too little. No other league in the world can be said to place such demands upon its players. Clubs from no other league play as many European

games as the English clubs do.

Therefore, international games can prove a frustrating, tiresome addition to what is already a tight schedule.

In any case, English fans seem to want to see their teams filled with foreigners. Can Liverpudlians truly identify with a team mostly made up of Spaniards and South Americans?

With stadiums sold out every week and Arsenal's almost all foreign team drawing in an average of 60,000 fans every weekend, the answer seems obvious. We can either have a fantastic league supplemented by foreign quality and flair, or we can have an English league.

Never both.

not disappoint with 36 year old, lower league journeyman, Clive Platt making an appearance alongside former youth prospects of established premier league teams such as AFC’s winger George Francomb. For those that have become used to watching the Premier League where players tend to be in their prime, mid to late twenties, this provided an interesting twist.

The terraces were an immediate welcome to life as a supporter of AFC Wimbledon.

The crowd seemed to be aware of the cult status of their centre forward, with cries of, “Go on Adebayo, eat him!”

It was also a surprise to see the crowd, made up of mostly middle aged men, warmly embracing the team’s Womble mascot from the 70’s children’s television show of the same name. The terraces seemed to bring the crowd closer to the game than a seated stadium, with just over 4000 in attendance.

There was plenty of atmosphere.

An immediate observation was that away team Bury were playing three at the back—a cultured move that the likes of Pep Guardiola at Bayern

Munich and Luis Enrique at FC Barcelona have employed this year. This went against the rigid 4-4-2 that has been considered a staple of the lower leagues for years and also the choice of AFC’s formation. It was clear that most AFC fans were not used to seeing this style of football, often complaining that the away team were taking too many touches.

Bury were pleasing to the eye, but it was AFC’s classic long ball tactics that allowed them to take a two goal lead thanks an Akinfenwa brace, and ultimately win the game with three goals to two. It was clear that Bury had more skillful players; they seem likely to see promotion this season. They were not able to deal with the power in the Wimbledon team, but over the course of a season it seems likely a team with the talent of Bury will win out over the brute force of many other teams in League Two. With the afternoon now in the memory bank, lower league football has managed to move away from many of the clichés that have been bestowed

upon it. Others however, seem unlikely to die. Yes the team playing passing football are top of the league, but the team that plays long ball to a huge centre

forward won the game. Luckily the cold and the rain stayed away for the afternoon. All in all it was certainly able to provide sufficient entertainment for a Saturday afternoon.

A Day Out in the Football League

ZAK PRIOR

After the interview, we spoke to the Knights' Head Coach, Andy Hollands, to get his thoughts on Uba. "As soon as Uba arrived, I knew he could be special. He hasn't disappointed. It's always great to find players who have played before, especially if they've played in the US. I can't wait for games to start so he can be unleashed against other teams, instead of against our own in training."

Also commenting on the new arrival, former Reading Knights quarterback, captain and RUSU Sports Personality of the Year 2012, Ed Hopkins said: "Uba's going to be awesome. You've got to come see him play this season.

After seeing him at practice recently, I'm sure he'll be the best defensive player to play for the Knights since the Knights' Hall of Fame linebacker Henry Miller."

To see Uba and the Knights play their first game of the season, head to the playing field

book 'Soccernomics' this same argument is often used in development economics. Why are some countries less productive than others? Surely in part due to their own lack of skills. The best place to learn said skills, whether it's teaching mathematics, learning an instrument, or indeed playing football, is on the job.

To use Mr. Kuper's example, “to learn how to make toothpaste you actually have to make it...if you are always importing toothpaste you will never learn.”

The idea of 'import substitution' (banning or taxing imports in favour of home grown alternatives) has long appealed to many Premier League fans. Few places in the country are more

With little to do on a Saturday afternoon, it was decided that lower league football would be asked to provide us with our day’s entertainment. With little knowledge of where to go we headed to Kingston upon Thames to see AFC Wimbledon take on Bury in League Two at Kingsmeadow. It would be interesting to see if the old clichés of lower league football, bad play on a cold and rainy day, still held true.

A cult hero that has been born out of the EA Sports annual FIFA video game awaited us, Adebayo Akinfenwa. For those uninitiated, Akinfenwa is currently rated as the strongest player in the franchise’s latest game and has gained cult status throughout the football and video game world.

Through this he has gone on to become one of the best known players in British lower league football.

Lower league football is known for having an eclectic mix of players. This game did

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Introducing or new Sports Editor, Zak Prior

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