STUDENT L I F E I S P R O U D TO BE S HO R TLI S TE D A S F INA L IS T S F O R T H E ‘ EDUCATIO N I N BUSI N E S S AW AR D ’ AT THE S U F F OL K B U S INES S A W A R D S 2 0 2 1 Proudly supported by
ISSUE 45
Lifestyle Magazine by Young People, for Young People
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9 ENTERTAINMENT
EDITOR’S WORD
Music, movies & more
17 GAMING
Hello and welcome to issue 45 of My Life!
Gaming addiction
19 ART
Suffolk Folk Journalling
31 FASHION
Fashion and politics Dressing up & Tattoos
35 BEAUTY
What’s Hot
39 TRAVEL
How to travel safely
41 MY PLANET Environmental interview
Photo album
46 SEXUAL HEALTH
47 MENTAL HEALTH
Accepting my body Autism Our work with Kooth Signposting
56 PHYSICAL HEALTH & SPORT Coronavirus advice
58 FOOD
Too good to go app Grind coffee
60 MY LIFE
Beach Street interview The new presidents
66 LGBT Pride month reflection
Neopronouns
Advice and awareness
Autumn has arrived and the cooler and wetter weather is arriving (although it’s arguable that it never really left). For many like myself, Autumn is a favoured month. The darker evenings mean cosy nights in at home, spending time with loved ones and watching the best Netflix has to offer. The pumpkin scented candles come out of storage and it’s the perfect excuse to add to an ever-growing collection of throws and blankets. For others though, the change in weather can have a negative impact on our wellbeing. We might find ourselves being more withdrawn and motivation is harder to come by. We may notice a change in behaviour in our friends and if that’s the case, then checking in with them and offering our support or a listening ear may be really appreciated. There are some useful organisations on page 54 that can provide information and support. In other news, Student Life are pleased to have formally re-launched parts of our project including this publication under the banner of ‘My Life’ following our effort to be more inclusive and provide a broader perspective of young people’s experiences outside of mainstream education. This is an exciting time for us, as we look to expand the work we do.
Contact us
If you’d like to be involved in any of our project work, please get in touch!
Rachel Director of Editorial
01473 353512 07943 605468* rachel@studentlife.org.uk www.studentlife.org.uk
Search us on social @studentlifeorg *NOT CHECKED 24/7
Meet our CO-EDITORS Our magazine wouldn’t be possible without our Co-ed’s but we are always on the look-out for more! ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR FRAN MULVEY Hello! I’m Fran, your Entertainment Co-Ed! I’ve recently finished an English BA (Hons) and have plans to undertake the Masters in Critical and Creative Writing in September. I am a huge bookworm with a love for fantasy, and run a personal blog where I review books called Katharina Sinead’s Book Blog, and have been a Studio Ghibli nerd since I was young.
ART CO-EDITOR KAY SABERTON Hello – I’m Kay, your Art Co-Editor! I have recently completed my MA in Creative and Critical Writing at the University of Suffolk. My interests include the arts, graphic novels, Gothic literature, and film studies. I am proud to announce that I have been part of a newly published anthology ‘Suffolk Folk’ (2021), and I am also currently writing my own historical fiction novel.
MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR GLORIA DARGATZ Hi I’m Gloria! I am a student from Germany and I have been visiting a British school for a year. In my freetime I do competitive swimming, dance ballet and work with aid organisations. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunities Student Life gives me and I’m looking forward to talking to you and reading your articles.
BEAUTY & MY PLANET CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON I’m Libby, an English Literature and Media Communications graduate, working with Student Life to gain experience in Marketing, Business Development, Social Media Management and now, work in Editorial! It is a great platform to be involved in. 3 • M E E T OUR CO- E DI TOR S • MY LIFE
CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL Hi I’m Rachel and I am the current co-editor for Sexual Health, My Life, Tech and Careers! However, I would love to find some students who are interested in being a co-editor and taking on some of these areas! Let me know if that’s you!
GAMING CO-EDITOR LOUISA SADLER Hey! I have recently completed my MA in Critical and Creative Writing at the University of Suffolk. I am an avid gamer with my favourite game being the Kingdom Hearts saga, an avid reader whose favourite genre is Young Adult and an avid writer of fiction. I am pursuing a career in publishing and am thankful to Student Life for my Co-Ed role to allow me to gain experience in editing and publishing.
MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR MIA PATIENCE Hello! My name is Mia. I’m currently studying Musical Theatre at college and hope to become a fulltime actor eventually! I enjoy writing and one day would love to release a book of my own. I feel strongly about mental health as people close to me have suffered and I believe it isn’t spoken and taught about enough and I’d like to change that!
BEAUTY & TRAVEL CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON My name is Elise Dixon and I’m one of the co-editors for the Beauty and Travel Sections. With a passion for makeup, I love learning about new products as well as exploring the world around me, and look forward to bringing you new and exciting products and places to visit.
MENTAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR VIOLET ROBINSON Hi, I’m Violet, I am 15 years old. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes almost 3 years ago yet this doesn’t stop me chasing my dreams. I have raced cars and really enjoyed it. I think Student Life is an exciting opportunity for me.
ART CO-EDITOR CHLOE SHAWCROSS Hiya! I’m Chloe and I’m an Art CoEditor! I enjoy reading, writing and painting! I’m currently in Year 11 and have hopes of moving on to Med school later in life! I’m also a huge animal lover with two furry rabbit babies of my own!
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LGBT CO-EDITOR CELESTE SPAIN Hi, I’m Celeste, the LGBT co-editor! In my spare time I love writing poetry, reading (particularly LGBT fiction), playing guitar and spending time with my three cats. I’m looking forward to studying Creative Writing next year at Uni and hope to one day publish/self-publish my own novels. I’ve loved writing articles for Student Life and I’m thrilled to be the LGBT co-editor. I look forward to reading your articles!
PHOTOGRAPHY CO-EDITOR SOPHIE DEBENHAM Hi, I’m Sophie! I’m the co-editor of photography! I’m a level 3 photography student at Suffolk New College! I have a strong interest in photography and social media. Outside of Student Life I’m a massive football and rugby fan! I’m looking forward to publishing content in the future and finding new photographers to work with.
FILM CO-EDITOR CAMERON LUSTY I have recently graduated from the University of Suffolk where I achieved a 2:1 in Screenwriting. My passion for film and writing about film is what led me to Student Life magazine.
Want to see your bio here? Get in touch to find out more. Details below.
Co-Editor Vacancies Roles available across:
SUFFOLK
NORFOLK
KENT
Get in touch with Rachel at rachel@studentlife.org.uk to find out how to get involved! 5 • M E E T OUR CO- E DI TOR S • MY LIFE
CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS AND WRITERS ST UD
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ONBOARDING
News from HQ
New academic year means re-delivering to our existing onboarding schools and brand new settings. So nice to see so many young people getting involved in everything that we do!
HOLLESLEY BAY We have been working closely with Hollesley Bay Young Offenders Institution and we are so excited to see the progress being made there. We recently hosted a photography competition with the residents there and upskilled them on all the camera equipment! The outcomes where pretty amazing! In the next few weeks we will be working closely with the engaged residents to start up our film work, watch this space…
FILMING I am currently liaising with Public Health England developing our Covid film project. I’d love anyone who is wanting to gain experience in film making to join Unity Films and get involved in the project. Whether you’re an aspiring actor, director or crew member get in touch today – heather@studentlife.org.uk
EVENTS & FUNDRAISING If you’re interested in either of these areas, then join our working group! We’d love to hear your event and fundraising ideas for the new year. Email rachel@studentlife.org.uk
7 • NE W S • MY LIFE
COVID-19 awareness project We are so proud to have been selected and funded by Public Health Suffolk to expand our existing project work through the COMF initiative. The Contain Outbreak Management Fund provides funding to local authorities in England to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus and support peer-to-peer content in print and online around COVID awareness amongst young people and produce a documentary film for countrywide distribution, using our in-house film production company ‘Unity Films’. We will also be expanding our Mental Health Ambassador programme to include COVID Ambassadors and this work will continue to expand into alternative provision settings.
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ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR FRAN MULVEY & CAMERON LUSTY
AN INTERVIEW WITH
ANNIE SCHERER
PART 2
BY FRANCESCA
FRAN: Okay and, apart from piano and I think the Ukulele, that sort of... ANNIE: Yeah I do, I play [laugh] I actually play trumpet and... guitar too. FRAN: You have extensive musical instrument usage [...] I don’t know how that came out that way [they both laugh] but you – you play a number of instruments – I know – I think a number of other musicians from various communities also play a myriad of them. I think the most
I’ve heard a musician plays is seven, or something? There are probably people that play more than that many which is amazing – I used to play the flute. ANNIE: Oh yeah? FRAN: But this isn’t about me this is about you [they laugh]. And, going into the main event of the interview which is the discussion about your debut album ‘Garden Bed’ – which I only recently noticed is that’s lyrics taken from one of your songs.
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ANNIE: Yes, yeah it’s from ‘Phases Grow’. I decided – I, I like to choose titles that are kind of like, hidden, so I – with ‘Garden Bed’ which on the surface I sing a lot about nature and there are a lot of flowers that I sing about, but more deeper I, I really wanted to capture a theme of growth and just presence and beauty.
I really like visuals so I do draw a lot of inspiration from visual art and nature around me so I thought that that title kind of, encapsulated all those things. FRAN: That’s great! And I know you’ve, you’ve recently done an Instagram post with, sort of background on each of the songs... ANNIE: Mhm... ...but there were a few of them I thought I’d ask you a bit more about, in terms of the inspirations and the messages behind them. The first one I wanted to ask about is ‘Ashamed’ because that resonated with me in a way very personally, because... of some experiences that I’ve gone through, and I wondered what influenced that song in particular. ANNIE: I – when I wrote that song, I think I was kind of speaking about a collection of experiences that I’ve had with people it’s just kind of like an observation that has occurred frequently; you know when people disappoint you and you give the benefit of the doubt and it continues, and so I wrote that song kind of just thinking of several situations in my life, but I think what’s kind of funny about it is that since I wrote it I kind of feel I’ve been able to
relate to it more than I realised I did, at the time that I wrote it. So I, I don’t know it’s like, kind of like it’s for my future selfbased on what I had experienced, but now I almost like, appreciate, the song more because of what’s happened since then, if that’s makes any sense, [she laughs]. FRAN: Yeah, I feel like a lot of people can relate to that, in – for various reasons. Personally I feel like it’s not so much related to people letting me down, rather… I don’t often talk about it but I have personal issues which can make life difficult at times, and for a large number of years, no one seemed to want to – well, it wasn’t that no one seemed to want to listen but they just – they kind of dismissed me in the sense that they didn’t think I’d fit into a certain ball of what constituted as that specific thing, because I didn’t exhibit certain traits or characteristics, people who know me [...] will probably know what I’m talking about – but it’s also with experiences that I’ve had with certain people who have said that they’ll do something and then not done it – but I do feel drawn to that song in the sense that I didn’t feel heard for a long time, until I was nineteen, and fifteen in a way, but nineteen more so because of what that age related to – I was nearly twenty at the time – when someone finally told me, this is what it is, you are definitely this, and that – that’s why ‘Ashamed’ speaks to me so strongly – moving on to the next song before things go any deeper [she laughs]. ANNIE: [Laughs] no I like to hear – I like to hear how you relate. FRAN: [Smiling] that’s nice. After ‘After Rain’ was also – I feel like I’ve listed them in order of how much I love them [giggles].
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REVIEW
THE SUICIDE SQUAD 2021 REVIEW BY SOLOMON HOLMES
Let me take you back. It’s August 2016. Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is beginning to be taken seriously. You scroll past another article about Trump saying something awful about a minority group, you ignore it, he’s just too silly to be taken seriously right? Zack Snyder’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (BVS) has only been out for four months yet has already earned its title as the worst superhero movie to ever grace the earth. Zack refuses to explain why his titular characters won’t stop killing people. However, that same year another superhero flop was released. Suicide Squad (2016) directed by David Ayer. The failure of BVS forced Warner
Bros into a panicked frenzy, where they recut the movie into a disjointed mess in an attempt to make it funnier. The movie was so poorly received that there was a petition to take down the popular movie review site, Rotten Tomatoes. It was a movie so jaded by outside interference, so obfuscated by reshoots and recuts, (by a trailer company of all things), that the end result was a failure of almost admirable proportions. You’d think that Warner Brothers and DC Studios would learn from their mistakes. They would not get cold feet. They would pick a strong director and allow them to fully realise their vision, right?
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Well for once, the studios actually did that. Enter The Suicide Squad (2021), written and directed by James Gunn; a guy who has an excellent track record for creating loveable murderers. The studio chucked this guy a lot of money and basically allowed him to do whatever the hell he wanted.
Thankfully this approach pays dividends. The film is gutsy in tone (and in content), unafraid of obscenity and violence; there is a lot of violence... Where the original movie shied away; making the protagonists fight a faceless horde of rock creatures, this movie relishes in showing every punch, stab, shot, and decapitation. It is a violence so gratuitous, that it surpasses horror and lands smack bang in the middle of parody. The action set pieces are exciting, inventive, and on one occasion, mesmerising. Where Marvel has been ham fistedly trying to present an anti-government
message for years but never committing to it, The Suicide Squad easily presents that message. It has an anarchic charm to its makeup. The social critique of the film goes no deeper than ‘America bad! Government bad!’ but its conviction to that critique is refreshing in a movie of this budget. The humour is fluid; both adult and juvenile. At times touching, and others repulsive. With a lesser director/writer at the helm, these tonal shifts would appear discordant with the rest of the film, but in Gunn’s hands, they cement the film’s intentionally anarchic sensibility. The events of the film culminate in the traditional larger-than-life CGI monster mash, but for once the spectacle is earned. The characters’ motivations and quirks come together, to make the conclusion a satisfying one. The preposterous nature of this particular monster definitely lends the movie a little more magic, too. This isn’t high art. However it is an astoundingly good crack at adult light entertainment. The movie presents us with a simple statement:
Strap in, turn your brain off a little, and let me entertain you.
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BEST UNPRODUCED
SCRIPTS BY CAMERON LUSTY
For every film that’s released there is probably 3 others that were never made. Recently I’ve come across a few scripts for films that haven’t been made and might never see the light of day.
CHARLIE KAUFMAN’S A SCANNER DARKLY A Scanner Darkly (2006) was a film by Richard Linklater and it was a good movie. Although the rotoscoping was a brave choice but one I think that works well to represent the effect of constant psychedelic drug use (I’m sure people would disagree with me). However, in the late 90s, only a few years after Philip K. Dick had published the novel, a young Charlie Kaufman (before Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Anomalisa), wrote a film adaptation of A Scanner Darkly. The movie’s major plot points are all similar to the Richard Linklater’s version, which are similar to the book. However, the scattiness and absurdism that Kaufman portrays in his writing gel really well with the tone of the book’s story and characters. There are some exceptionally stand out scenes that aren’t in the movie that I think would have made this even
better to see on screen. And the dialogue does really well to capture the scatterbrained, tangential, and often mood driven conversations by the perpetually high drug-addled main characters It is worth noting that this is a first draft, so I’m sure if it was ever made it would have gone through multiple more rewrites. There are parts that could have been tightened up (but who am I to give vague criticisms to Charlie Kaufman) but overall, it is a thrilling and captivating read. Especially if you’re a fan of Kaufman, the book, or the 2006 film. However, I don’t think it will ever get made because one has already been made and who knows if Kaufman is still even interested in making this, but, in this era of reboots, never say never, I guess.
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CHARLIE KAUFMAN’S FRANK OR FRANCIS Admittedly, this is another Charlie Kaufman script, but it’s an original idea: a musical comedy about movies. But also, so much more. The main reason it’s never been made is because it doesn’t have the funding. Why that is so baffling to me is because of the calibre of actors who agreed to be in the film. Jack Black, Steve Carrell, Nicholas Cage, Elizabeth Banks to name a few. How this has never been made is beyond me and if I was an executive producer, I would fund this in a heartbeat. There is hope as this is an original idea, and a fresh, fun take on the idea of film critique, film commentary, film stars, their relationship to their audience, and what the audience expects from them, filtered through the lens of what is effectively social media and forums dedicated to film fans and armchair critics. The story touches both ends of the spectrum and that’s what the title refers to. Frank is a big star actor who’s promoting his new film where he plays every character; simultaneously losing parts of his life while trying to rescue his
career. Meanwhile, Francis works a menial job, lives with his parents, and watches films (reductive yes but that’s his character at the beginning before the character arc he goes through). Not only does he watch films, he is intensely passionate about films. He has a forum with quite a few followers dedicated to his opinions and criticisms of films and actors. This is what leads him into conflict with Frank. The supporting cast of characters include a robot’s head who vows to write the greatest screenplay ever written, that will appeal to all people. The ending is very bizarre but is very Kaufman like and it makes sense within the context of the story told. Again, like with the other script, it can be polished up and updated for the slight advancement in technology and social media since it was written. I’m sure it certainly would be if it was ever made and might not even be the latest draft that currently exists. Regardless, it is still a very great read if you need that hit of Kaufman’s idiosyncratic and absurd storytelling.
If you want to read either of these scripts, then you can find them at beingcharliekaufman.com
SEND ME ANY OF YOUR FAVOURITE UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAYS AT CAMERON .LUSTY@STUDENT-LIFE.CO. 14 • E 14 N T E• R TA I SSUE I N M E45 N T• • MY S TUDENT LIFE LIFE
SCREENPLAY WRITING TIPS
BY CAMERON LUSTY
From an Experienced Amateur
How do you write a screenplay? It depends on who you listen to. Some say that every little rule must be followed whereas other writers will say that the rules are meant to be broken. I agree mostly with the latter but there are a lot of rules (chiefly formatting) that should be adhered to in order to make sure it’s at least recognisable as a screenplay. Such as formatting slug lines, the scene heading, correctly, to make sure it includes whether it’s inside or outside (ext./int.), the time of day (night/day), and where it’s set (e.g., Ext. House – Day). Also, you must capitalise every letter of a character’s name when they are first seen, denote their age, and a line or two of character description that gives a flavour of who this character is (E.g., JANE DOE, 27, with sunken eyes that have seen more than enough for one lifetime). Admittedly, my example isn’t good but hopefully it helps you get the idea. With those type of character descriptions, they go against the classic rule of screenwriting: that everything you write must be able to be seen on screen. Writing lines like the one above or writing a character’s thoughts don’t work in a
PART 1
screenplay when it is translated to the screen. However, you can get away with it when you introduce a character, as long as it isn’t overly long and provides strong characterisation. But, at any other point of the screenplay it would be considered a no no. Some of the other musts regarding formatting – spacing of margins, dialogue aligned to the centre of the page – are all done automatically when you use screenwriting software (Final Draft, Celtx, etc.). Outside of the formatting and character introductions, the rules are pretty much fast and loose and are at your disposal to play with. You may hear some writers talk about how scripts should never be dialogue heavy or other ‘cardinal sins’ such as no voiceover. But for every rule, there are multiple examples of scripts/films that break the rules and are still considered successful (in terms of commercial or critical success). So, in my opinion, as long as it is formatted correctly and avoids the pitfalls of classic first-time writers (which I also went through), then it can be a good script. As long as it is a compelling read, contains interesting characters, and a story that follows some
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form of logic (even one established in that story world), then I would consider it a good screenplay even if it breaks the socalled cardinal rules of screenwriting. And this is what I discovered during my degree in Screenwriting. Like any other medium of art, if you follow all the specific rules that are supposedly needed, then you restrict your creative freedom. And art without creative freedom is just a paint-bynumbers where you are making decisions based on some authority that says you have to, as opposed to making decisions fuelled by an ineffable creative impulse. I do recommend the following books because I do think it is important to familiarise yourself with the discourse in the subject J ohn Yorke’s ‘Into the Woods: How Stories Work and why We Tell Them’; J ohn Truby’s ‘The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller’; S yd Field’s ‘Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting’;
I do want to reiterate that these should be read just to understand what rules people consider necessary and what you can get away with in a screenplay. To follow all these rules would create a screenplay devoid of your unique writing voice and one that feels too designed by committee (see old adage about camel). They will also help you analyse your own scripts as well as other people’s. I also recommend reading scripts as they are way better than scriptwriting books for teaching you how to (or how not to) write a screenplay. The more scripts you read then the more you will see what I mean about how often scripts break what are considered cardinal rules. And hopefully that’ll inspire you to break a few rules yourself. If I missed anything then please do let me know – either angrily or kindly – email cameron.lusty@student-life.co.
If you have a screenplay which you would like feedback on then feel free to send that as I would be more than happy (I love reading new ideas!).
For short films I would recommend ‘ Writing Short Films: Structure and Content for Screenwriters’.
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GAMING CO-EDITOR LOUISA SADLER
GAMING
ADDICTION BY JOSHUA MANGOUSTE Nowadays, a lot of people play video games (2.5 billion people in 2016). To many, this might seems like a harmless pastime. However, developers have become experts at making you spend hours sitting in front of your screen without you even realising it.
The culprit? Dopamine. The feel-good hormone that rewards you whenever you achieve something. On its own, it’s a super biological instrument that motivates us to put effort into activities where the reward might not be immediate (e.g. going to the gym). However, video games use this mechanic at the perfection
with the use of goals. By constantly rewarding the player and giving them something to achieve next, video games make the player fall into a vicious cycle. You play the game: dopamine excites you and motivates you to play more. Then, whenever you think of the game later, your brain remembers the happiness felt and reinforces the connection that video games lead to happiness, leading to a desire to play again. It is so effective that your brain secretes almost the same amount of dopamine when you play video games as when you have sex. However, video games demand
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a small investment of time and effort compared to other activities. Therefore, if you are going through difficult times in your life – which sometimes happen as you grow up – video games become the perfect escape. That is how I fell into addiction seven years ago after my family had just moved house. I had arrived in an unknown environment, where I struggled to make new friends. That drove me to play more and more to that game I had recently bought until I would spend my days in front of the computer. Perversely, the deeper you fall into addiction, the less effort you put into outside activities, diminishing your range of possible activities other than gaming. After a while, you begin to consider other activities a waste of your time. At that point, you will try to abbreviate the time you spend on anything that is not related to video games. I remember once when my family and I went on a holiday to Italy for a week. I was so addicted at the time that I found an excuse to stay at home and play video games the whole week instead of going out and exploring Rome. What do I remember about that trip today? Nothing. Looking back, I regret spending that week in front of my screen.
We only have one life on Earth, and there is so much to experience and discover, so we should strive to enjoy it to its fullest. I believe there is only one way to get out of that cycle, which is an outside stimulus. For me, it was my parents that saved me from my addiction when they proposed me to
join a Karate club. Since I had nothing to do apart from gaming, I accepted. Today I consider this as the most important decision I took in my life. Beyond the physical benefits and techniques I learnt, I began to discover the philosophy of Karate. Perseverance, discipline and selfimprovement are the main virtues of most martial arts, and I quickly began absorbing them as I practised this art. That widened my view of the world and made me realise how poisonous video games had been in my life. I think this was what motivated me to quit video games once and for all. Although some might believe that gradually reducing the time spent playing video games is how to do it, it’s wrong. In my opinion, if you give yourself the opportunity to experience the satisfaction you obtain from video games, you will naturally fall back into addiction. Therefore, you should find one activity that you can do at least once a week. That will allow you to start widening your scope of possibility and reduce your dependence on gaming. In the beginning, it was difficult; gaming had taken so much time in my life that I didn’t know what to do with all my free time. However, this allowed me to find new hobbies like drawing, cycling and reading. To conclude, even though gaming is a great pastime, don’t underestimate the impact it can have on your life. Don’t be scared to face your flaws and make changes in your life to improve yourself. Playing video games is only an escape and shouldn’t restrict you to achieve your dreams.
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ART
CO-EDITORS KAY SABERTON & CHLOE SHAWCROSS
EXCERPT FROM
‘THE FAIRY WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY RE-IMAGINED: SARA’S STRIKE FOR CLIMATE’ BY HANNAH DALY
Sara stayed on the bus past her stop. Whilst checking her bag for her headphones, she looked over the provisions she had packed for her day of rebellion. She wasn’t going to school today. Walking along the Ipswich Waterfront, with a podcast playing in her ears she tried to ignore the rising anger that her father had left in her. She sat down on a bench and stared out at the boats moored on the river. It was a still calm day. The sun beating down in a cloudless sky, but the heatwave did seem to be ending. Upon the surface of the water, a swan made its way through the green algae leaving a snail-trail of clean water in its wake. She was going to start university soon. Surely, she should be the one to decide what she did or didn’t eat? Story continued in Suffolk Folk (2021)
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SUFFOLK FOLK :
AN ANTHOLOGY OF EAST ANGLIAN TALES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY (2021)
FOREWORD BY KAY SABERTON
This anthology sees students on the MA in Creative and Critical Writing and BA English courses at the University of Suffolk collaborate for the first time on a collection of Suffolk and East Anglian folklore and rewritten tales for the twenty-first century. As an addition to the anthology, the winning and shortlisted entries from the Student New Angle Prize 2021 Writing Awards are included in the collection. The winning story ‘The Singing Tides’ by Bradley Garnham, and the runner-up tale of ‘Aelfthryth’ by Sarah Clark, have previously featured in Student Life magazine alongside interviews. The stories included in ‘Suffolk Folk’ tell the tales of Malekin, the Stowmarket fairies, and Spring-Heeled Jack, to name a few. The anthology also includes a foreword written by Costa Short Story Award winning author Zoe Gilbert, who previously
visited the University of Suffolk to discuss ‘Folk’ with students in 2018. Since then, she has won several accolades and has recently been appointed as a Visiting Fellow of Creative Writing at the University of Suffolk.
‘The writers in this anthology do far more than show us the dark, magical, shadow side of Suffolk. Every piece reminds us that we find deep meaning in folk tales precisely because they allow us to see the patterns of meaning in our own, contemporary lives. You will find themes here as new and old as folk tales themselves: childlessness, parenthood, loss, destiny, youth, escape, revenge’ Zoe Gilbert
The student writers recently gathered at the Primadonna Festival which took place in Stowmarket. Primadonna is the first literary festival in the UK to specifically give prominence to work by women and those whose voices are not usually heard. The festival brought together a variety of creatives, such as writers, editors, readers, publishers, artists, comedians, performers, and musicians all in one weekend.
Suffolk Folk is currently available to purchase from the University of Suffolk shop directly, or through Waterstones and Amazon. You can also pick up a copy at local bookshops near you! Tales from the anthology have proudly featured on Felixstowe Radio, BBC Suffolk and Norfolk Radio. They have also been recorded as a podcast, available at: https://shows.acast.com/suffolk-folk-eastanglian-tales-for-the-21st-century/episodes 20 • I SSUE 45 • MY LIFE
JOURNALLING TIPS BY DANIEL OWAIRU
Recently, especially during and post lockdown, journalling has become a reliable form of organising our day to day lives, keeping track of essentials or even finding an escape from reality, whatever you choose to journal about. Before getting to the tips and tricks of journalling, why is it relevant? Well personally journalling has always provided a sense of control over my life, helping me to stay productive and keep on track with what I need to get done. Sometimes writing about your feelings or even drawing them out (if you have an artistic journal) can really help improve your mental health as it gives a feeling of relief, similar to dropping a very heavy bag you’ve been carrying for ages. I started journalling before lockdown, but it was during lockdown that I made the most of my journal, it helped me reflect on myself and really focus on what I needed to grow as a person and find my place in society. The reason I started journalling in the first place was because I was drawn to the organisation and the impact it seemed to have over other people’s lives and I wanted that for myself. I personally took to the more artistic side of journalling because I enjoy expressing emotion and feeling through art as well as making my journal look pleasing.
NOW FOR THE MOMENT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR: TIPS AND TRICKS FOR JOURNALLING START SIMPLE: A common mistake made from beginner journalists is that they want to make their journal this fancy and extravagant looking text, my advice to you is keep it simple, take time to learn what you like and don’t like, so that your journal becomes an extension of who you are as a person and not just a book full of random bits here and there.
USE STICKERS, PICTURES OR WASHI TAPE: If you’re not confident in your art skills you can still have an artsy journal, just use scrapbook paper, stickers and washi tape to spice up your journal, it can still be a representation of you, just don’t go too crazy with the washi tape (it can be a bit addictive).
FIND A GOOD PEN: When journalling you want to have the best journalling experience possible, so find a smooth pen with a good grip, this will allow you to enjoy your journalling experience and make sure your hand isn’t uncomfortable. 21 • A R T • MY LIFE
SEVEN DEATHS OF AN EMPIRE BY G.R. MAT THEWS
REVIEW BY FRAN MULVEY Where do I start with how I feel about this amazing novel? I suppose by saying that it has fast become my favourite book of the year so far. I don’t want to say too much, as that might spoil a large chunk of it – but I will tell you a non-spoiler-filled, condensed version of my thoughts. I tabbed so many pages of this book! I used three colours; green for information I thought might be important later on, pink for passages and character quotes I loved, and orange for the parts that hit me in the feels. I have so many green tabs scattered throughout, and I still wasn’t able to figure out who the big bad guy was until very close to the end – which I loved. This is because, in most novels I read that feature a mystery of some sort, I usually figure out the “who-done-it?” within a few chapters. But although I developed a list of a number of suspects as the novel progressed, it wasn’t until very near the end that I figured out who the real villain was. This is what I was here for because it added so much intrigue to the story that carried through until the end. Unlike the truth of the main villain of the novel, I did pick up on a link
between two characters fairly quickly as the novel progressed, and was so proud of myself for it haha! Additionally, during the first few hundred pages of the novel, I felt like it sometimes deviated from the main plot of the story into smaller subplots. However, I quickly realised that these were still linked to the central crux of the story in some way or another, which made what
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REVIEW novel; there were so many sentences and character quotes which were just beautifully written and phrased, and so many were really wholesome. There aren’t as many orange tabs as there are pink and green, but what I have tabbed had a significant impact on me in some way. They are the most important tabs for me – they mark the passages that really hit home for one reason or another. I loved the politics of the world, and Matthew’s unique magic system which is fascinating in the way that it works and, – combined with his writing style – reading it being performed was, well…magical! I also found the world’s leading religion equally as fascinating, and the army and its ranking system, along with the palace positions – though confusing at times – interesting. I’d love to know what inspired these aspects.
happened during the time I spent with the perspectives of the story, make more sense. That being said, I still got confused sometimes while reading about certain elements that connected one perspective to the other, though that might be down to me, and not the novel itself. I fell in love with Matthew’s writing style, and have nearly as many pink tabs as I do green, scattered throughout the
I’m not sure whether I have a favourite character, as there are a number of characters that I became attached to; one of whom is Kyron who is the sweetest bean, I love him so much. Emlyn is fierce and such a strong young woman despite and because of what she’s been through. Other characters I fell in love with include Master Padarn, and Borus – they’re so precious! To sum up, despite some of its small shortcomings I absolutely adored this book and its characters. It kept me hooked throughout, creating such an intense and intricate world that pulled me in from page 1, and made me feel a plethora of emotions. I am so excited to read the sequels to this when they come out!
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IF YOU LIKED THIS SHOW
You’ll Love This Book BY ROSIE WEDGE
Over the past year, the majority of us have been consuming way more television than we normally would. For most, this has given us the chance to catch up on all those boxsets we’re constantly being recommended. However, if you’re sad that these shows are now over, or can’t wait another year for the next series, then perhaps these books will give you that fix you’re in need of!
If you liked Stranger Things then try
…or THE RAVEN CYCLE
Emily Henry is mainly known for writing adult romances, but very few people seem to know about her amazing YA science fiction that oozes Stranger Things energy. After a group of teens witness what appears to be an alien encounter in their small town of Splendor, they begin to notice strange things happening around the town, as well as their own skills and abilities beginning to change. This book really captures a similar atmosphere as Stranger Things with the mystery of this close encounter leaving a scar on the teenagers by giving them what appear to be supernatural abilities.
Okay, so I’m cheating a bit here and throwing in another book series, but I also think this series is the perfect thing for anyone craving more Stranger Things content. A group of 4 boys (that you will absolutely adore) team up with Blue, a girl from a family of psychics who is a battery for their psychic energy, to search for the longlost Welsh King Glendower who is said to be buried on a magical ley line and will grant a wish to whoever finds him and awakens him. This series is full of magical realism and has strong friendship at the very heart of it like Stranger Things.
WHEN THE SKY FELL ON SPLENDOR BY EMILY HENRY
BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER
If you liked The Wilds, then try WILDER GIRLS BY RORY POWER I was hooked on The Wilds and found it to be such a thrilling watch across lockdown that I was constantly thinking about it. Wilder Girls shares very similar themes, and has a very similar atmosphere to The Wilds, following a group of girls under quarantine at their boarding school after a mysterious infection breaks out. Like The Wilds, the themes of isolation and survival begin to mess with the girls’ heads, and soon they go from an allfor-one and one-for-all mentality to survival of the fittest. 24 • I SSUE 45 • MY LIFE
If you liked Game of Thrones, then try THE WHEEL OF TIME BY ROBERT JORDAN
If you used the last year or so to finally jump aboard the Game of Thrones hype train and are now left with a craving for a similarly gritty, expansive, political fantasy, then Robert Jordan’s gigantic Wheel of Time series is one you will devour in no time. The series is very similar in that there is a lot of world building, politics, a very medieval feel, and has over 1,000 named characters that make the Game of Thrones cast a walk in the park to follow. This series has an amazing magic system and is excellent at building up and then subverting all the cliché fantasy tropes, meaning that it always keeps you thinking. And if that isn’t enough, Amazon Prime will be releasing series one of their adaption this November, so best to get stuck in now!
If you liked Never Have I Ever, then try THE WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI TRILOGY BY SANDHYA MENON
I binged both series of Never Have I Ever on their release dates and found the series such a heart-warming comfort show. Likewise, Menon’s When Dimple Met Rishi trilogy is a great comfort read for me, following three different Indian teenage girls in America trying to navigate their friendships, family lives, romances, and school lives. Like Never Have I Ever, this series has a great focus on Indian culture compared to American culture and has great discussions around how clashes between these can have a real impact on teenagers trying to navigate their way through life. All the books are so heartwarming, funny, and full of just some great fluffy romances that just really make you smile.
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THE CAT OUTSIDE BY JOHN N . HARPER The cat outside was called Glob. It was a rather clever black cat with grey eyes and a constantly swaying tail. But Glob didn’t know she was called Glob for many years, as it wasn’t until her eighth birthday that Ester gave her a name. By age ten, Ester found Glob at the doorstep every morning. Mostly waiting for food but also because Glob always wanted to see Ester. And Ester always wanted to see Glob. A road lay between Ester’s house and Glob’s nightly place of stay. That stay being a neighbour’s fence that Glob cleverly and tirelessly formed into a den. A secret, private cat den all for Glob. Of course, Ester knew where it was and she was certain that it was a secret for only her and Glob. By age twelve, Ester started secretly allowing Glob into her home. Much was her parents’ confusion at finding cat toys around the house, which her grandfather often trod on. Ester’s grandfather was a tired old man who drove well into his nineties and went on to live well into his hundreds. He drove a Vauxhall Meriva which was already ten years old when he bought it. He got it cheap thanks to an unfortunate blind-spot that rendered its previous owner in the hospital. Ester’s grandfather was careful, she knew that, so she never worried about him getting hurt. By age fourteen, Ester’s parents finally revealed to her that they knew about Glob all along. They let it slide as they always wanted a cat and didn’t mind Ester
disappearing for a few hours. Ester officially adopted Glob on her fifteenth birthday and gave her a chequered pink and black collar. Every day was a good day with Glob around. Mostly, anyway. The whole family rejoiced in her shenanigans. Like the time last summer when she got so hot that she dragged a bowl of water onto the roof and bathed there for the rest of the day. And the time that she fell in a tub of catnip and spent an entire afternoon high as a kite. It was a perfect world as long as Glob was in it. Ester loved her.
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SHORT STORY
Things changed the day her parents got Goob, a kitten that looked exactly like Glob. Black fur and an ever-swaying tail. Except for a white patch under his left eye. Ester and her family knew that the patch would come in handy to identify Goob when he grew up. Glob and Goob were like mother and son. He was much shyer than Glob and would spend a lot more time in their private den. On a Monday morning in the sweltering heat of summer, Ester’s parents’ car broke down and so it was up to her grandfather to drive them. He claimed that he lived
with his son and daughter-in-law only because they asked him to. For the most part he never believed he needed care. As far as he was concerned, he lived through the war and had managed this far without help. So why would he need it? Ester was fast approaching her GCSE exams and had spent the previous night revising till one in the morning and so she never greeted either cat that morning. She much regretted this decision but thought Glob and Goob would be ok without her this one time.
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Beep! Beep! The sound of her grandfather’s car brought her out of slumber. Once up, Ester was immediately filled with dread as most teenagers are when approaching their exams. She clambered her way into the bathroom, brushing her teeth before chucking her school uniform on and foraging in her closet for some deodorant. ‘I’m coming!’ she shouted down the stairs as her grandfather continued to beep. Ester’s grandfather didn’t do it so much because he was afraid she’d be late, but more to amuse himself. Today was an exciting day where he got to drive his son around and prove that he still could. After a moment, Ester arrived, panting her way into the comfy back seat. She sighed and saluted her grandfather the way he taught her to. It’s all in the wrist she remembers him telling her when she was young. He smiled back at her. With her dad and grandfather in the front and her mother beside her in the back, it was time for their journey to begin. The interior of the car was dull and grey, but the air conditioning made up for it. You could see the blind spot which was caused by a dent in the bonnet raising it a few centimetres higher than it should have been.
The next day had bad weather. A call from the vet confirmed what they feared had happened. In the warm cosy living room, our household occupants’ hearts grew ever colder. Sat on the main sofa was Ester’s grandfather in shock. His son and daughterin-law watching TV. Ester opened the front door, back home from school. She’d just finished her English Language exam. She would not know that the story she wrote about a cat on the other side of the road would grant her a grade nine until many months later. All she did know was that the cat did indeed pass on to the world beyond. Goob was sat at the kitchen window, facing the den that he always saw as a haven. He watched as the neighbour boarded up the fence. Ester brought Goob close and for the first time he found comfort and solace in her arms. Many years later, Ester would find Goob sat at the window, waiting for Glob to come home. But she was also sure that he knew Glob’s fate. She began to realise that cats mourn just as much as humans and whenever she was sad and alone – Goob was there. THE END
The car started and drove swiftly, Ester’s grandfather knew that he had to be quick. But he turned the corner far too sharply. ‘Watch out!’ Ester cried out in fear.
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WHY WE SHOULD STUDY THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES BY MAT T NEWMAN
The Arts and Humanities are some of the oldest fields of study known to man. Though the proper definition of ‘art’ is still debated by scholars and enthusiasts across the globe, a widely more accepted meaning can be taken into consideration when we consider the number of forms it takes when being taught in schools. Humanities on the other hand, ranges from a diverse set of literature to political science. It enables students to become independent thinkers and allows for old ideas to be processed and new ones to be proposed. Examples can be seen in the field of history, where historians have continued to make assessments of different ideas on the figures who have made their mark on history. You might ask why this is relevant in today’s workforce? Well studying in these
fields can equip you with critical skills for a vast range of different careers. Some of these skills include analysing, researching, communication, and problem-solving. These will help you to build an important skill set needed for progression into university or a career. It is a total myth that arts and humanities are ‘totally useless’ for a valuable career and unfortunately, this is becoming echoed by statements and policies around the world. In the UK, the government’s emphasis on STEM has led to a nearly 20% drop in students taking A-levels in English and a 15% decline in the arts (Source: BBC and The Guardian). It also is not necessarily about work. We are losing out on crucial ways to understand and improve both the world and ourselves. I have taken A-level History in order to further understand world
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history and how we can learn from past mistakes we have made to then apply this learned knowledge into striving for a better world. For example, one of my units is looking at Communist Rule in Russia and how this affected daily life. I am particularly interested in the suppression of free speech and how the media was controlled tightly by the state. If we apply this knowledge to the modern world, we can understand the importance of freedom of the press and why knowledge of the arts and humanities must be studied and widely understood.
To summarise, studying history provides us with the data that is used to understand and create new ideas that society needs. Many of us have begun to feel and understand the importance of science especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addressing the issues presented by the virus, we need the work of scientists and health professionals. But what many forgot to consider is that “arts and sciences all serve the large purpose”, as expressed by mathematician Albert Einstein. One multi-institution study results show medical students who had also studied arts and humanities received much higher scores in empathy, tolerance for ambiguity, and emotional intelligence – those all being qualities that we want in a physician. For as long as the pandemic lasts, science will of course be at the forefront, however that does not mean institutions and our government should see arts and humanities as ‘worthless’. They are essential for survival and welfare;
the arts can help heal our bodies and mind during these difficult times. We are unique in our drive to engage and create in the arts. We define our human experience by the cultures we create and participate in. Culture is made up of social interactions, activities, and traditions that are fuelled by the arts. We are also seeing art being used as a tool to unify communities together, it allows not only to just understand ourselves, but to understand each other on a deeper, personal level. The pandemic has made it more necessary to consider what skills we need as a society to be able to address present and future challenges. While higher education institutions need to help deploy the knowledge base and skills that students need. The government has always determined what it believes to be the most important skills for young people to develop. There are reports that the government plans to cut the amount of funding for art courses in universities that it provides already, up to 50%. This would be a huge mistake as this shows the government’s complete ignorance about the economic and social benefits that the arts and humanities provide. Particularly as the country begins its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. To put it simply, the arts and humanities matter deeply. It is up to us to show the government what really matters by getting more people to study these areas. That’s how we can show the importance of the arts.
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FASHION CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON
Fashion
& POLITICS ANONYMOUS
Fashion is a great tool in our day and age to promote political movements and inspiring action within society. From clothing that has cultural inspiration which displays culture in their most beautiful light. For generations, some cultures have been demonised, therefore, to have emerging designers who come from these demonised cultures to create beautiful art, to express its uniqueness and celebrate the culture. Through inspiring movements and embracing cultures, it inspires younger generations to embrace their history rather than hide away from it. Movements and action come around when people stand up, especially those with a big platform. When things are considered “controversial” is usually when change is most needed. The first ever black designed collection at Couture Fashion Week 2021, designed by Kerby Jean Raymond, his collection was inspired by inventions created by
black inventors bringing light to history that has been hidden in the shadows for generations due to oppression. Fashion pieces inspired by Garrett Morgan, Oscar E. Brown, and George Washington Carver’s inventions as well as pieces inspired by black culture. This fashion runway explores black history and its erasure of it. Political fashion runways are important as they spark conversations and address biases and institutional racism, homophobia, misogyny, and all other discrimination. Without these conversations, discrimination continues, and discrimination tends to thrive when the population is silent, and people don’t hold others accountable. Whilst at first thought you would not think fashion is important for political movements, it sparks conversations about topics that may not be able to be expressed as easily or show the pain of a group of people who have been discriminated against for generations.
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Femininity & Fashion BY ELISE DIXON
Fashion is genderless and individuals can create and design whatever they wish to satisfy their hearts! Though fashion can be deemed to fit a feminine or masculine criteria. Femininity is defined as ‘qualities regarded as characteristic of women’ (definition taken from Google!). Characteristics such as kindness, softness and compassion are seen as feminine traits. This can be translated through clothing through light/soft colours, flowing dresses and florals. Though all of these can be seen as the obvious translations. However not all girls want to identify with these translations. As well as boys liking and wanting to wear the “softer side to fashion”. Clothing is genderless, and femininity doesn’t always have to correlate to sex, even though many people will use sex and gender irrespectively. With many people now discovering themselves and changing
pronouns etc. Fashion is now freer of construct than ever (well more socially accepted). Though with times changing as always, femininity in fashion is changing with the way women want to express themselves. Women are looking to stray away from the characteristics of clothing that are deemed feminine in order to empower themselves, almost to rebel against the criteria society has for people who identify with certain genders. Even those who wish to dress within the lines of feminine clothing as they feel it suits them best. It’s still valid. Feminine clothing is for everyone. Regardless of genders. However you desire to dress is up to you. As long as you are expressing yourself and fulfilling your happiness. Fashion is for everyone, regardless of whether society deems an outfit more feminine or masculine!
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HOW OFTEN DO YOU DRESS UP? ANONYMOUS
I love to look my best often, though I tend to either look my best, or my worst and there isn’t really any in between for me! I attend college and I’ll tend to always dress up more, so I feel confident rather than for an aesthetic reason. When I feel confident in myself, I’m more confident to answer in class or present my work, not to mention not being self-conscious. I find when I’m self-conscious, I can never really focus on what I’m working on, whether it’s homework or group projects. Though I can understand why some people decide to ‘dress down’ as there can come pressure from looking “good” all the time. I do believe there should be a balance between looking good for confidence as well as being comfortable in clothing and not worrying about having to look good too, as I also believe confidence can come from just accepting your natural self too. Confidence should always be built on how you feel about yourself rather than the approval of others, as striding for other opinions will never make a person truly happy. As well as it being an unrealistic standard. As everyone’s taste in clothing is different. But that’s the beauty of dressing up, as it’s about what makes you feel good… not other people’s happiness! 33 • FASH I ON • MY LIFE
TATTOOS Yes or No ANONYMOUS
I am a tattoo lover. Whilst I only have one so far, I would love to have more, and have always been a tattoo fanatic. Tattoos are incredible and artwork on your body you can keep with you forever! You can represent yourself and your experiences through artwork which many artists do through paintings and drawings, but tattoos express your life experiences in such a unique way that isn’t seen in any other area of art. Tattoo art I believe is underrated, as paper and other materials are so much easier to work with. But tattoo artists tattooing skin is a whole different level of skill.
From taking into account its elasticity, and age, and managing to keep an image looking unchanged. Even when the skin is stretched, due to general movements made by an individual. I find it very hard not to see it as one of the most creative as well as the art that requires some of the most excellent and finetuned skills needed in order to produce something beautiful. I understand that for some people tattoos do not appeal to them. Though for many art lovers in general, it is hard to deny the skill that is required to tattoo art onto someone’s body! So, to end this, tattoos get a yes from me!
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BEAUTY
SUPPORTED BY
CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON
What’s Hot
BY LIBBY DAWSON IMAGES BY SOPHIE DEBENHAM
This month we want to share with you some of the products we’ve been loving and where you can get your hands on them too! If you have any beauty products that you want to rave about, please send photographs and your personal review to libby@student-life.co Firstly, we have the
BONDI SANDS AERATED SELF TANNING FOAM which is perfect to help maintain your summer glow. Let’s be honest, summer (if we can even call it that) was a bit of a letdown this year, and it’s definitely well and truly over. Therefore, this product is a great one to help you look effortlessly bronzed.
This product uses a “dual action formula which provides a deep, long lasting natural tan that hydrates the skin with every application.” Within the same range you can also get a 1 Hour Express version. It smells of sweet summery coconut and doesn’t have the sticky feel that you normally get with tan because it’s super fast drying; it’s AMAZING. You can find it at Superdrug, Boots or online at Beauty Bay.
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Next we have a firm favourite;
PRIMARK SQUARE GLOSSY STICK ON NAILS I think everybody should have a packet of these stored in their beauty box because you never know when you might need them. You can get these in so many different colours, shapes and styles but they’re also great if you want to paint over them with your own colours too. If you don’t like acrylic nails, you don’t have time to get gels, or even if you’re new to nail care and you want to try something different, these are perfect! They’re also super super super cheap, £1 (!!!) and they come with the glue! You cannot go wrong. Heat protecting spray is something I forget to use… or if I do, I shove the cheapest one in my basket and hope for the best. But recently, I’ve been on (and am still on) a bit of a hair care journey so I thought I’d do some research and try something that is going to work!
THE SCHWARZKOPF KERATIN HEAT PROTECT SPRAY is great as you can use up to 230 degrees celsius when blow drying, straightening, curling, waving etc. your hair; which I thought was amazing as I know all of my GHD hair products reach those temperatures. Not only that, the spray contains humidity resistance, frizz control and up to 2x more keratin. FACT: Keratin is a protective protein and works by smoothing cells that overlap to form hair strands. This means your hair is more manageable with a lot less frizz. It helps your hair to look glossy, healthy, shiny and smooth at the same time as thickening the hair follicle. This spray makes my hair super shiny and it feels so much healthier already. There are different sized bottles and I got my 200ml bottle for £3; it’s very reasonably priced. You can find yours again at Superdrug and Boots, and most supermarkets.
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La Roche-Posay is a brand that I’ve seen all over social media for a long time so I was desperate to get my hands on some of their products.
THE EFFACLAR H HYDRATING CLEANSING CREAM is one that stands out for me as my skin has never felt so smooth! I’ve never really had problems with my skin, but sometimes it can seem a little dry, and that’s why I opted for their hydration range. You just need to add a small amount of water to the product, lather it in your hands, apply to your face and rinse; it’s super simple.
The product has “an innovative anti-friction texture that melts effortlessly onto skin, the gentle cleanser eliminates impurities without over-drying or uncomfortable tightness, revealing a purified, rebalanced and soothed complexion.” I use it alongside their Effaclar H Moisturiser and I absolutely love it.
You can find this product at Boots and online at Look Fantastic which is where I personally like to shop it because they usually have some great deals on their products.
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Finally, I want to share one of my absolute favourite eyeshadow palettes. It’s the
REVOLUTION RELOADED PALET TE NEWTRALS 2 I have so many of these Revolution Reloaded Palettes because they are so affordable (only £5.99 (!!!) we LOVE a bargain!) and they’re really really really good!
“Highly pigmented, long wearing, smooth and blendable” and they are not lying! With a mix of shades and a variety of mattes and shimmers, you cannot go wrong. I’ve been loving the Newtrals 2 palette throughout summer but I also love the Iconic Fever and Velvet Rose for more warm and neutral tones. You can find these in most stores that stock Revolution beauty products as well as in their online shop and at Beauty Bay.
Let me know if you try any of these products, or share your favourites products with me – libby@student-life.co 38M• MY LIFE LIFE 38 • Y PI SSUE LA NE T45 •• S TUDENT
TRAVEL CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON
Should Students
PAY FOR THE BUS BY ANONYMOUS As a student myself, paying for the bus day in and day out, does get a little expensive. Even if I get a term ticket... which are over £100! I only started paying for the bus when I moved to college. However, it was my only mode of transport to get there. As many students are still required to stay in full time education until age 18, unless they have found an apprenticeship or are in another line of work, why do we have to pay for our bus/ train tickets, if attending education is compulsory. I believe that if you are attending college or apprenticeship or even if you are working, transportation should be paid for those 18 and under. Being a student, especially those going to university, it’s incredibly
expensive. Not to mention the countless studies asking university students if they struggle to make ends meet, which they do. So having time before going to university to do A levels, level 4s, etc, to not have to worry about transport payments, should be the minimum and the standard. Why should we make students pay for transportation to somewhere they are expected to attend. Especially when they move on to universities or other places, where they’ll have to start making their own way. Students are already in difficult positions with regards to money and independence as the system has never taught us how to look after our finances and other life skills needed. So why make it more difficult?
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Should Schools Educate Students on
HOW TO TRAVEL SAFELY? BY ANONYMOUS
I think when it comes to gap years, people usually know where they want to travel to and activities they want to do. However not much is said about how to do all this safely. We have talks in schools about train safety and cyber safety. Though when it comes to travelling around the world, I believe more should be said about how to protect ourselves. From small things like not posting about how you travel around and your exact locations, to little hotel room safety checks. If there was more information taught to students about how to travel safety there may be less incidents of young people going missing or becoming endangered. There needs to be more awareness of dangers travelling abroad or even domestically within our own country as things such as human trafficking are still just as prevalent. Not to mention the ways people will be targeted abroad for not knowing the area in advance, taking taxis which are not qualified or legitimate companies etc.
My opinion is that if a student states to their college, or wherever they are, that they wish to go travelling on a gap year, there should be discussions about how to do travel safely, danger signs of being spiked, and other areas/potential situations of importance that should be spoken about.
Many of these things get overlooked when someone is excited as travelling should be an enjoyable experience and not an experience which you should shy away from purely because of the potential dangers. If you are deciding yourself whether to travel, just research ways you can keep yourself safe and make sure you always have emergency contacts in case something does go wrong! Safety should be priority!
4 0M• MY LIFE LIFE 40 • Y PI SSUE LA NE T45 •• S TUDENT
MY PLANET
CO-EDITOR LIBBY DAWSON
On the 3rd September, My Life were invited to East Suffolk Council’s Headquarters in Melton to meet with representatives on East Suffolk Council’s Environmental Task group. We took with us young people with a particular interest in environmental issues, politics as well as journalism. We met with:
CLLR RACHEL SMITH-LY TE
CLLR JAMES MALLINDER
An East Suffolk native, I attended Farlingaye High school and have since worked in London and the Far East teaching street kids for free and for an environmental conservation charity in Norwich and Ipswich as well as the RSPB and in HR for a local authority. A long-time green activist with Greenpeace and later Extinction Rebellion, I realised that with the looming climate and biodiversity crisis I needed to get involved politically also and there has only ever been one party who takes these issues seriously. I joined the Green Party in 2011 and have stood three times in local elections including in the 2015 General Election gaining 6% of the vote share. This May I secured my first seat on the new East Suffolk Council – the first Green to be elected in the old Suffolk Coastal district. I am passionate about protecting the area’s natural environment from inappropriate development and the links between sustainable transport and improved air quality. My other interests include localism and ‘passiv haus’ affordable housing as part of a post-growth society.
After relocating from London a number of years ago, a change in lifestyle included a greater commitment to volunteering in the local community. As an active Parish Councillor in Hollesley, volunteer for Meet up Mondays and treasurer of a local Good Neighbour Scheme I know first hand the importance of volunteering and community improvements. 2019 saw me enter local politics as local councillor for the Deben ward and with my enthusiasm for the Environment I now hold the Environment portfolio and vice chair of the local AONB steering committee. Relaxation involves running and bell ringing at the local church.
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ESC Environmental Task Group
INTERVIEW
CLLR LOUISE GOOCH
BY THOMAS HEATHWAITE
I’m an East Suffolk Councillor for the Lowestoft south Ward of Kirkley and Pakefield. I am also the Labour Party Shadow Cllr for the Environment. Elected originally to the former Waveney District Council in 2015, and then the new East Suffolk Council in 2019, I have a strong background in environmental activism. A member of Greenpeace for more than 25 years, a vegetarian from childhood, and a vegan for a decade, I’m delighted to serve on the Environment Task Group. Also serving on the ESC Scrutiny Committee, I initiated a twopart review of waste management (including fly-tipping, litter and recycling). In addition, as a sixth form college teacher of Film Studies, I’m working on suggestions for environmental policies at East Norfolk Sixth Form College. My priorities are tackling litter and fly-tipping, working to educate on plant-based diets, promoting public transport, and ensuring that housing stock is carbon neutral and fuel efficient. I’m a campaigner against Sizewell C and all nuclear power. I enjoy working collaboratively to build a cleaner, greener, kinder, and fairer society for all.
On the September 3rd, I was given the opportunity to interview three councillors from East Suffolk Council (ESC) who are part of the ESC’s Environmental Task Group at the ESC’S HQ in Melton. This interview involved James Mallinder, Louise Gooch and R achel Smith-Lyte. These are the questions I asked during the interview and the answers given. Q: Bus routes in Suffolk are alright at best if you are in a more urban location but almost non-existent in rural areas/ for villages. Therefore, what are the barriers to there being more bus services in Suffolk, to more rural locations? James: “Rural isolation is definitely a problem and one that ESC are aware of. However, it is also a really difficult problem to stop, principally because of privatisation. Privatisation has not helped us combat climate change or rural isolation as privatisation often leads to fragmented and expensive bus and train networks.” However, a 12-month pilot scheme has been launched by KATCH to combat climate change and rural isolation and provides an electric bus taxi service between Framlingham, Wickham Market, and Campsea Ashe. If successful, there is scope to increase this”. Rachel: “Like James has stated, privatisation is a massive hurdle which
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is compounding our ability to tackle the issue, and enable more bus services to rural locations. I would love to see more electric minibuses (and whilst electric is not the total answer) they are better than diesel double-deckers and a model like London where bus services are frequent and inexpensive. If we used this model, maybe more people would use buses?” James: “The other point about privatisation is that nature is not valued in that system. Only if nature is valued, will you have an environmentally friendly bus network. But how do you break that system?” Social Cllr: “It should be stated that there are currently 8 community partnerships running trying to get young people’s opinions about bus networks. Therefore, readers, if interested contribute to your local community partnership and provide your opinion. Further, write to MP’s, and push and nag for change. Only then, will change come”. Q: I see the council has declared a climate emergency. However, what will the council now do as a result of the latest IPCC report findings (published 9/8/21)? James: “There is always hope. However, it is important to understand that a) the actions we take now will have an impact in 10 years and b) inequalities within society mean the poorest will suffer worst. From ESC’s perspective, we are really trying. Some actions we have taken are: 1. Converted fuel on most vehicles in the fleet from diesel to certified palm oil-free Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, reducing ESC’s
total carbon emissions by 32%. 2. Introduced 10 new electric vehicles to our fleet, reducing ESC’s carbon emission by 10,000 tons/ year. 3. Encouraged more meetings via zoom, thus reducing car usage. However, this causes the problem of isolation going forward”. Rachel: “You are absolutely right. Currently, we have 1.2°C of warming. Fires in Greece; flooding of the London Underground and more recently in New York and Hurricane Ida in Louisiana are evidence that climate change is happening right now! At this point, big change has to happen and fast to tackle climate change! However, the government is not doing remotely enough and is not leading the way on this. To tackle this, my advice is to write to your MP, badger your MP and council. Demand change, and make change!” James: “Going forwards, I believe that more people should grow their own food and consume much, much less as overconsumption is what got us in this mess”. To conclude, I would just like to highlight a couple of things that the councillors said that I found were particularly interesting. Firstly, the idea that everything is interconnected: climate change was the principal topic discussed, but many other issues are also related to climate change. However, perhaps the most important takeaway was the idea we all have a voice and a role to play to solve this crisis. It is so easy to think that we don’t have a voice, and can’t make change, but time and time again, the councillors kept saying we do. After all, it is up to our generation to sort out this mess!
4 3 • M Y P LA N E T • MY L IFE
OUR PLANET Photo Album BY LIBBY DAWSON AND SOPHIE DEBENHAM
If you read our last issue, you would have seen that we started a new Our Planet Photo Album series, featuring your photos of our gorgeous planet, nature and animals. It’s important to be reminded of the many natural beauties that surround us so if you think you’ve got any images that you’d like to be featured in our new series, please email them to me: libby@student-life.co Orford, Suffolk
Gardens Felixstowe lk Suffo
Needham Lake Suffolk
r Alton Wate Suffolk
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Porto, Portugal
Sudbury Swans at Suffolk
Ronda, Spain
The Alhambra Granada, Spain
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SEXUAL HEALTH CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
MENTAL ACCEPTING MY BODY HEALTH CO-EDITOR MIA PATIENCE AND GLORIA DARGATZ
BY ANONYMOUS Bad body image is something that millions of people across the globe struggle with. Worrying about being overweight or underweight has taken the world by storm as the media perpetuates this idea that you must be this size, look like this model and have no “impurities” whatsoever. However, this just isn’t true. We are all human beings. All these so-called “impurities” are what makes us all unique! Everything on your body is natural. It has a purpose and it doesn’t make you less worthy of anything you want in life.
During the 3rd UK lockdown, I had put on a little bit of weight. However, I didn’t notice this weight gain until I tried to put on a pair of my trousers from a few months ago and they were enormously tight. At first, it did upset me quite a lot as I clearly hadn’t realised the weight gain beforehand but after a few moments of self-doubt, I came to the realisation that it was JUST a pair of trousers, and I can always buy new ones that fit me! Weight gain is a completely natural and normal process of life so in life, yes, you may well grow out of your clothes. But it’s nowhere near the end of the world!
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You must remember that EVERYBODY has insecurities, and EVERYBODY has imperfections. Models in magazines, newspapers and even on social media are airbrushed to perfection and made to look like they are just perfect in every way. We must realise that these images aren’t real and that we shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to bodies that simply aren’t attainable! These big companies prey on insecure teens to try and make them think that if they buy their product, they will look like this model, but it’s just not true! Your body is perfect exactly the way it is, and no “miracle cream” is going to change that. For example, the bit of fat at the bottom of your stomach is there for a reason, it’s there to protect your organs from extensive damage! Your body has all these measures in place to keep YOU alive, it works so hard to make sure you can live your absolute best life! Another thing that tends to affect people’s body image is stretch marks. Which isn’t necessarily a sign of weight gain, as it can also be a sign of weight loss. Stretch marks
form when our skin stretches or shrinks quickly. They don’t mean you’re “ugly” or “gross” they are just signs that your body is accommodating to changes that are happening in your body, that’s all! Studies estimate that up to 90% of pregnant women, 70% of adolescent girls and 40% of adolescent males will develop stretch marks. So, please don’t think you’re alone in this, as most people have them! It’s a perfectly natural process in your body and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. If I ever find myself in a dark place regarding body image, I tend to buy myself some new clothes that will make me feel good about my body and remind myself just how beautiful I am and that my body is perfect in every single way. I usually avoid following people on social media that post false senses of perfection onto their pages as it tends to make me sink back into the mindset of “Well, why don’t I look like that?”. However, I do quickly remember that angles and lighting are everything in a photo, and a little bit of facetune is always in play!
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Another thing I find comforting if I’m feeling a bit down about my body is having a self-care day. This will most likely be at the weekend for most of you, but just take a day and make it all about you. I like to have a nice relaxing bath with extra bubbles while watching one of my favourite shows! Later, you can do a couple of face masks, watch your favourite comfort movies, or cuddle up with your favourite book. Self-care goes a very long way!
If you suspect you are struggling with body image more than normal and it’s negatively affecting your everyday life, then please seek professional help. Your local GP has a bounty of resources that can help ease the stresses of body image and possible body dysmorphia. Just remember, you are perfect the way you are, and you don’t need to change yourself for anyone or anything!
WHY I’D RECOMMEND TALKING THERAPY BY HEATHER-MAE CUT TS
For years I have struggled to communicate my issues and process traumatic events that I have been through. It led me to shut down and experience a lot of anger and frustration over things that are considered small and not triggering to others. I realised that through all this time, I’ve never been provided the tools to process what I had been through in a healthy and safe environment.
I initially started therapy thinking there wasn’t much point and I already understood the roots of my trauma and past. But I knew that these issues were still affecting me day to day and I couldn’t understand why. I was being triggered by the smallest actions from other people and knew that I needed to explore this behaviour as it was exhausting and unfair on myself to carry on like this.
As much as I knew I can rely on friends and family to meet up and talk through our problems, sometimes you need that neutral, professional who is taking what you say at face value, with no judgement. Don’t get me wrong, friends and family can be someone who gives you no judgement when you talk about the issues you’re facing and sometimes, going to someone who you trust and love is the best option. We feel safe and protected when being vulnerable to these people. However, a therapist is professionally trained in listening to your experiences, unpacking it with you and piecing it all together in ways you would have never thought of.
I have been in therapy for a month now and I can say it has been worth every session, just having that person to unpack your issues to help process them in ways where emotions may make you cloudy, have been so helpful to me. Take the leap, even if you have to pay, just think you are investing into yourself for a healthy and kind future. Which sometimes we don’t recognise is the most important thing. It’s so important to take care of our wellbeing and heal our wounds. We didn’t deserve some events of our past but we do deserve a better future.
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MY AUTISM AND MENTAL HEALTH STORY
BY FRAN MULVEY I was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder just shy of 20, however my parents – especially my mother – knew from a young age, that I was slightly different to other children. It’s a difficult thing, growing up knowing you’re different to most people around you and not knowing why – though it wasn’t so hard up until the end of primary school. Past the age of eleven or twelve, when I went on to high school, life became still more difficult. I was in a new environment, with lots of people that I didn’t know compared to the few that I did going in. If socialising at primary school was difficult, high school was harder. Social interaction, and understanding social cues became more challenging,
though of course I didn’t understand why at the time... just that I was finding them harder to traverse than before. I tried desperately hard to fit in, unconsciously masking what made me who I am, my unknown but there autistic characteristics and habits. But it was like people around me noticed – somehow “sniffed out” the fact that I was different to them, like bloodhounds or any other type of hunting dog, and I soon became an easy target for bullying for various reasons, though they all I think had roots in my difficulty understanding social cues and such like – I even had a football kicked at me several times in what we called “the cages” (they were tennis courts, in reality) during one lunch break in Year 9/10. The perpetrators were reprimanded of course, but the event
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seriously considered taking my own life – because I just couldn’t take it anymore. I felt alone, and more at home, and more comfortable in the worlds of my favourite fantasy novels than I did in the one I lived in and related more to the characters in, too; they all had something about them that set them apart from others – and from the age of these have been predominantly Taran Matharu’s Summoner trilogy and prequel novel, and his characters Arcturus and Fletcher, though there are others too. Books have always been my one solace, and at that time, they were an escape from a world I didn’t believe I belonged in. When I got my diagnosis a few weeks shy of my 20th birthday, it was like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
left a lasting impression on me – I also never went to The Cages again, at least not during lunch time. By the time I got to Sixth Form, for the one year I spent there, I had almost completely withdrawn into myself; the worlds within the fantasy books I loved – and still do – seeming more preferable to the one I lived in, their characters better company than that of those I knew because I felt an affinity with them.
I knew what made me different! So much made sense when it came, particularly certain characteristics and personality traits I’d put into the main character in my debut novel, which I’d started writing when I was 16. I still felt, and feel, like I wasn’t totally understood by people who weren’t like me – even my family, who I lived with – but I came out my shell. I stopped masking, and finally felt able to be myself again, and my mental health drastically improved.
But it didn’t, not really.
I still have my low days, but they are few and far between, and although the fact that I’m autistic can often make certain elements of everyday life difficult, and comes with its downsides (the hypersensitivity to sound I have can be very annoying and uncomfortable), it also has its advantages such as my vivid imagination.
Although it was done more subtly in Sixth Form, it soon got to a point... where I
My name is Fran, and I’m autistic. It’s who I am, and that’s okay.
I thought it would get better then; we were all 16 or 17, surely that meant the bullying would stop, right?
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OUR LATEST WORK WITH
BY PIPPA POGSON
Student Life have recently begun working with Mental Health and Wellbeing organisation, Kooth. Kooth are a national organisation who provide online support and counselling for young people. They have a magazine, discussion boards, live chat and daily journal/ mood tracking that young people can contribute to, or turn to for support. We have recently held an ‘Introduction to Kooth’ webinar, exploring how to sign up and use Kooth and how Kooth and Student Life can best work together to support our young people. Moving forward, Kooth will be providing support for our Mental
Health Ambassadors. We will be holding monthly drop in sessions for Mental Health Ambassadors to catch up with one another, talk about how their months have been, what went well and what didn’t go so well. Being a Mental Health Ambassador is very rewarding, but might sometimes feel like a lot of responsibility. We hope this monthly session will be a safe space for our Ambassadors to get to know one another, connect and express any concerns.
For more information, contact pippa@studentlife.org.uk
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CAPE FEAR APP
BY EMILY SALISBURY
REVIEW
What device do you have?
iPhone
Had you heard of the app before?
No
Cost to download?
FREE
In app purchases?
n/a
What is the app designed for?
To help with worries, stress and other mental health related issues. By using cognitive behavioural therapy techniques.
Who are the target users?
Primarily teenagers but all ages can be users.
How easy is the app to use?
Fairly easy when you get used to it
What features are there within the app? It contains a tracker, journal and information E.g. are there videos, space for notes, games? about what the user is going through. If you felt you needed to, would you use it?
Yes
Rating out of 5 stars? Although the content of the app is overall very good it is limiting.
Additional Comments:
REVIEW MH WEBSITES AND APPS Do you have experience in using websites and apps to improve your mental health? We are looking for people from all different backgrounds to be as honest as they can to review mental health websites and apps. We are looking to improve the services that we recommend you to ensure only the best and most helpful services are used by our readers. We have made a great start as our young people have been reviewing services such as Samaritans, Kooth and Calm as honestly and openly as they can, however we are looking for as many opinions as possible to join in and solidify our research.
No matter your experience with mental health it would be great to see how easily navigable and the content quality these services can offer. You can review as many as possible, we have a guide to follow on how to review each website or app and then a final rating out of 5. It’s a great opportunity for you to discover more mental health services available online and via the app store and will help others avoid poor quality services. If this is something you’re interested in, please get in touch and email heather@studentlife.org.uk
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Support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse
07765 052282
survivorsintransition.co.uk
Arts in mental health and wellbeing
insideout community.com
For confidential suicide prevention advice contact
0800 068 4141 papyrus-uk.org
Advice, guidance and practical support
01473 252607 4yp.org.uk
The mental health charity offering support and guidance
0300 111 6000 mind.org.uk
depressionuk.org Run by people with experience of living with anxiety and stress
03444 775 774 anxietyuk.org.uk
We’ve got lots of advice about looking after yourself
0800 1111
childline.org.uk
Improving teenage mental health by stemming commonly occurring MH issues at an early stage
www.stem4.org.uk Whether you’re stressed, anxious, low or depressed, we can help
0300 123 1503
wellbeingnands.co.uk Advice for those affected by low mood, depression and suicidal thinking.
studentsagainst depression.org Support people over 18 who have been bereaved by suicide
0300 111 5065 uksobs.org
NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL
A national self-help organisation helping people cope with their depression.
NATIONAL
NATIONAL
turning-point.co.uk
NATIONAL
lighthousewa.org.uk
Providing a wide range of health and wellbeing services
NATIONAL
01473 228270
giveusashout.org
NOR/SUFFOLK
Supporting women who have suffered or are at risk of domestic abuse
Text 85258
NATIONAL
thecalmzone.net
In a Crisis? Anxious? Worried? Stressed? Shout for 24/7 help
NATIONAL
0800 58 58 58
NATIONAL
Campaign against living miserably
SUFFOLK
samaritans.org
SUFFOLK
116 123
SUFFOLK
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year.
NATIONAL
www.familyfirst-uk.org
SUFFOLK
0300 772 7715
NATIONAL
Supporting families through change
NATIONAL
IN AN EMERGENCY PHONE 999 FOR NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROBLEMS CALL NHS 111
56 • I SSUE 45 • MY LIFE
2m
57 • I SSUE 45 • MY LIFE
FOOD
CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
TOO GOOD TO GO BY RACHEL MITCHELL
Firstly, if you haven’t heard of this app then you need to download and check it out! I originally had heard of it via word of mouth and it was probably the prospect of cheap bakery goods that initially sparked my interest. The Too Good to Go app is just one way you can help fight food waste. The website says “Every day, delicious, fresh food goes to waste at cafés, restaurants, hotels, shops and manufacturers – just because it hasn’t sold in time. The Too Good To Go app lets you buy and collect this food – at a great price – so it gets eaten instead of wasted. You won’t know exactly what’s in your order until you pick it up – it’s all part of the surprise.” On the app, you’re able to set your location and then the app will search for Magic Bags in the area, for example, Costa, Caffe Nero, Greggs and Morrisons. The day to day availability of Magic Bags vary and they seem to go live as and when and they can often sell out really fast. It took me several attempts over a number of days to find something available.
When I finally found a Magic Bag for Morrisons, I jumped on the chance to see how the process would be. I paid £3.29 for my bag – you’re able to purchase more than one – and the app then gave me a time slot in which I could go to collect. You get a general idea of what to expect and you’re encouraged to bring your own bag to carry your food home in. Once I arrived, I had to redeem a code and show it to the cashier in order to collect my bag. It was incredibly quick and simple. I received two packs of sausages, apples, bananas, parsnips and a few other vegetables. Not the most exciting bag but to be expected from an express supermarket and actually useful ingredients. The value of all exceeded the price I paid so that was also a bonus. Overall, the experience was quick and easy and the reward is knowing that you’re helping prevent food waste. My eyes are definitely peeled for another Magic Bag soon!
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GRIND COFFEE
REVIEW
BY RACHEL MITCHELL
On a recent hunt for a more environmentally friendly and compostable coffee pod for my Nespresso machine, I was introduced to a company called Grind. Before checking them out myself, I was told their beautifully curated Instagram feed was a must-see. As promised, a fun, vibey, tickled pink feed full of memes, cute dogs in jumpers and coffee (3 of my fave things) greeted me. I was sold… or nearly anyway. First impressions were good – a brand that I felt represented me. But ultimately, I wanted to know about their coffee pods. After checking out Grind’s website, I learnt the following: rind coffee pods are compostable G and 100% plastic-free I t’ll take just weeks to compost, which is hundreds of times faster than plastic pods he coffee is certified organic by T the Soil Association he coffee beans are sourced directly T from smallholders around the world So far, so good! So how do I get my hands on these? It’s not just the coffee pods can be delivered straight to your door; there is also an option to purchase ground coffee and machines and accessories via the website.
You can choose from a one off purchase or subscribe to a personalised service from £9.95 per month, with the option to skip, pause or cancel with no issues. I decided that I would simply try the Tin of Compostable Pods for my first purchase which consists of 20x Nespresso Compatible Pods in a rather cute refillable tin for £10.00. There’s the option to purchase refills if you’ve already got the tin or another means of storing them. From here I could choose the blend of coffee from House – Light – Dark – Decaf. I chose the House Blend which is described as ‘Our signature Grind House Blend cuts through milk with notes of chocolate and hazelnut’. A winner in my eyes.
I couldn’t see many downsides at all so I popped my order in and eagerly anticipated it’s arrival. When the pods arrived, I was really impressed. Exactly as expected and a fantastic taste too! If you’re looking for an alternative to plastic pods, then I highly recommend giving Grind a go.
59 • FOOD • MY LIFE
MY LIFE CO-EDITOR RACHEL MITCHELL
BEACH STREET INTERVIEW BY SOPHIE DEBENHAM
Supporting local small businesses always brings a community together. But summer being over isn’t stopping this local business from doing just that all year round! Beach Street based in Felixstowe in Suffolk supports many small businesses in the hospitality and retail industries. Based near the Mannings arcade this place has everything you could possibly need and a great day out too! I spoke with Charlie Manning who owns Beach Street and asked him a few questions.
How did the idea of Beach Street come about? We were investigating the various uses of the space we have on site – for the arcade, crazy golf, market and events etc. The space for Beach Street was being used previously for a few rides – waltzers, dodgems and a small carousel. This brought in the fewest visitors, and lowest
amount of rent being paid by the ride owners. We needed to update and develop the site with a concept that created more appeal for visitors and boost the visual impact and business overall. We looked into a multi storey commercial building, but the cost was prohibitive. So we thought about small spaces, creative use of space etc and decided to visit Box park and other similar destinations in London to see how feasible it would be due to the limited amount of space we had available. The more we considered and discussed the site, the more excited we became realising the potential of how it could work and be suitable for us. We loved the different box park concepts and decided we had to be creative and innovative in terms of the layout and design to maximise the number of units
6 0 • I SSUE 45 • MY LIFE
So far locals and visitors alike have been very supportive and complimentary. They love the relaxed family vibe, individuality of each of the shops, all the delicious food and drinks! Beach Street has provided a destination unlike any other in the region.
Did you expect the opening weekend of Beach street to go so well? We HOPED it would go as well as it did, and were very lucky that the weather was amazing. The live music, happy crowds, blue skies and hot sun really created a festival-like atmosphere that showcased Beach Street in the way we’d hoped. We feel really fortunate with how well the event went.
we could install. So we used various sizes and combinations to maximise the number of businesses we could have on site, but also maintain plenty of space for visitors to walk, sit, eat and hang out. It’s still a work in progress, with much more to come. We are now working with a sail repair company to create some upcycled sail shades from used sails to provide weatherproof covered areas.
How did you come up with the name Beach Street? We had a few ideas with the word box in it, but we essentially had created a street scene of shops and street food. “Beach Street” was initially used just to refer to the project but was quickly adopted as it fits the concept so well.
What impact has Beach Street had on the community? We have created our own mini community of 16 businesses who bounce off each other for work, as well as creating a really fun place for the locals to visit. All the businesses are local and small, so it’s reinvesting in the local economy whilst letting people follow their dreams of running their own business and being their own bosses. 61 • M Y LI FE • MY LIFE
IMAGE BY SOPHIE DEBENHAM
What local businesses are there?
Have you got any future events?
Cosy Aromas Wax melts, scents and accessories
We have regular events including:
Tinx Boutique Ladies & menswear, fashion & accessories Crystal Eclipse Crystals, hippie / witchy items, crafts & American confectionary & candies (from Miss Quirky Kicks in Ipswich) SusieSparkles Ladies Italian wear & occasionwear
rtisan markets, next one is a A Christmas market on Sat 27th Nov The Sunday market all year round Car and bike shows Live music events Oktoberfest Beer / cider / sausage / food festivals All events are listed on our FB page
The Gallery Box Art gallery, supplies & gifts Puzzle Ladies Scandinavian inspired fashion Hanks Dirty Vegan Takeaway IMAGE BY SOPHIE DEBENHAM
The View Smokehouse Balcony bar & restaurant Shore Coffee Specialty coffees, cakes & seasonal drinks Simply Lovely Jubbly A treasure trove of crafts & gifts Patty Macs Gourmet burgers Four Three Pizza New York style pizza by the slice or whole The Waffle Shack Crepes and waffles with overfilled options Hazel Baldwin Yoga Yoga studio & mindfulness The Viet Street Food Company South Asian street food Hopsters Bar Cold drinks & craft ales plus more 4 more units coming in 2022
Do you feel that having Beach Street gives opportunities to people in the creative industry like photographers and singers? Beach Street is all about creativity and supporting creative people, we’re actually considering a specialised photography unit on site in the near future, and are in the process of setting up regular live music on site. So any one who is interested just needs to send us a message on the FB page.
Where can people find your location and social media? We are on the Felixstowe South Seafront next to Mannings Amusements, IP11 2DN Beach Street Felixstowe @beachstreetfelixstowe
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Introduction to
THE NEW PRESIDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SUFFOLK STUDENTS’ UNION
IMAGE BY SOPHIE DEBENHAM
Each year, the Students’ Union hold an election, where students can nominate themselves and campaign for a role in the Student Officer Team. Among those elected are two Presidents who spearhead the Students’ Union and act as representatives on behalf of the student body. In this first interview of a series, the new Presidents introduce themselves and their campaigns for the year ahead.
HEY!
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF I’m Alex Gooch. I’m in my third and final year of Special Educational Needs and Disability Studies and I successfully have been elected as President of Education. I’m Meg Wright and I’m in my third and final year of Psychology and I have successfully been elected as President of Activities and Wellbeing.
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WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO RUN FOR A PRESIDENTAL ROLE?
WHAT ARE YOUR CAMPAIGNS FOR THE YEAR?
ALEX: In my second year, I started as a student trustee and the other student trustee at the time gave me the confidence boost to think that I could actually run for a role in the SU. I started thinking that I like the idea of President of Education, then, from the boost that he gave me, I felt confident enough to run. For the last year or so I’ve been pretty serious about actually going for it. Sleep has been lost!!
ALEX: So my first one is ‘Ready to Graduate skills’ and the University already does have a lot of things for CV writing, finance, accounting degree. But it was about honing it in and making it more accessible to all students because some people had issues with that and maybe doing some extra curricular activities for people to get involved with.
Mine and Meg’s paths kind of crossed early on, in our first year, because we both have mutual friends in Georgia and Amy (former Officers). But we never really spoke to each other because I was doing a lot of things to do with course reps and student council whereas Meg was doing more sports and societies, which is kind of perfect for our roles. MEG: In my first year, I was quite nervous to come to Uni. You know, leaving a job, a stable job to then come to Uni was a bit nerve-wracking. But I really wanted to, not just for the academic side of things but I really wanted to get involved with everything I could like sports and societies. So that’s where I then made my friendship with Georgia and Amy because I went to the early induction. They told me to come to netball and then that’s where that all started watching them through their two years. I was like ‘Oh, I’d like to get involved in this’. In my third year, I’ve been getting involved with lots of wellbeing related projects through the SU and through my course as well. Then like Alex said, we decided that we would be a good pairing.
My second one was a nod towards a more sustainable campus, through second-hand clothes fairs, and eco refills in Shop SU. And then my third manifesto point was, after the tough year a lot of students have had, it was about getting a familiar face more clued up on mental health. So I want to get more mental health training for personal tutors. We also have one where we’ve teamed up. Through elections, we were saying, if we get in together, we will also have course networks and we have, so we’re going to team up on that. It’s essentially a society for people’s courses so that third years will be able to speak to first years and get research participants and sell their books and first and second years, will be able to buy the books and be able to ask for tips and hints and who to talk to. MEG: My first one is a student wellbeing button. I am aware that there is lots of help through the uni and SU with regards to wellbeing support, but I want it to be all in one space, so people don’t have to trawl through every website, every email to
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PHOTO BY PHIL GRAYSTON courtesy of BOND BRYAN ARCHITECTS
find all the help and support in one space. With that I also want to prioritise a budget to make sure that we’ve got enough trained staff and counsellors because wait times can be a bit longer than expected. My second one is I want to renovate the courtyard near the SU shop into a nice garden space, because at the moment, it’s just concrete so I want to fill it with plants and trees and benches. I want to open up that space, so students have somewhere they can relax and chill, with events like yoga being held in that space. Alongside that one, I also want to get secure bike racks with CCTV and a pin code, because at the moment, there isn’t anywhere you can put your bike. So somewhere that only students and staff can access, and it will be secure. Then my third one is collaborations with local businesses and just wanting to get more discounts and more events.
I know this campus has got a lot of mature students and a lot of students with caring responsibilities, so I want to get more events and aim them at different groups. Alongside more collaboration would be the access for students to have more work experience placements, in different working fields. Lastly, I want to work with the SU to introduce a home for UOS sports, where our sports teams can train and play every week and proudly represent UOS in matches at the same location. So, all teams are together building a sense of community.
Keep up to date with Alex and Meg’s first couple of months in office by heading over to the Students’ Union social media pages. Search ‘uosunion’ Instagram and ‘uossu’ on Facebook More from Alex and Meg in the next issue of My Life.
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LGBT
CO-EDITOR CELESTE SPAIN
PRIDE MONTH
Reflection BY CELESTE SPAIN
This pride month has been a ray of sunshine after the (metaphorical) rain of the past year. Well, for me anyway. Sadly most pride events have been online this month due to the current circumstances and times we are living in. However this does not mean that the pride celebrations have stopped, they have just taken a different form. For me, with this having been my first pride month, it has continued to be one of self discovery and starting to celebrate who I am as an LGBT individual! I’ve supported LGBT+ businesses, bought from them, shared my pride online with my close friends and discovered more about myself in the process. As I look back at my camera roll on my phone from the beginning of June to now, I can see a lot of lovely moments with family and friends. I see photos of me at the beginning of the month with my hair cut short for the first time since childhood. I’m smiling and in one photo sitting next to my Grandma, with me wearing a pride
necklace (she’s in our support bubble). I scroll forward a bit and I see the first pride month items I bought for myself and my friend for their birthday. Then I see a photo from a bookshop, where I bought a couple of LGBT books. The photos go on and each one brings me a little joy, reminding me of how much I enjoyed this month: a photo of a rainbow wristband my friend gave me, my profile pic for Student Life, a photo of a pride butterfly I keep on my desk. You could ask any of my friends what sort of person I am and I think they’d all say that I’m very creative, so yes a lot of poetry has been written this month by me to celebrate being LGBT. Then there’s my LGBT comics I’ve been drawing. My creative spirit has really helped me voice who I am through poetry and art this month. Pride month is definitely a time for not just being proud but learning who you are, celebrating you, getting together with friends and or family and celebrating the journey you’re going on in finding out who you are.
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A QUICK GUIDE TO NEOPRONOUNS BY CELESTE SPAIN We have all heard ‘she’ and ‘he’ used before to refer to those identifying as male and female and even ‘they’ to refer to either an individual (when used in the singular) or to refer to a group of people. So these particular pronouns are quite easy to understand as they are so widely used. If you’re like me and identify under the umbrella term Non-binary then you may prefer using ‘they/them/their’ and in some cases people use any and all pronouns to describe themselves or a mix such as ‘she/they’. However with more and more people realising they are outside of the binary, new pronouns are emerging all the time. There is a set of pronouns which even I’ve only recently started to look into called neopronouns. These are gender neutral pronouns and similar to any other pronoun they are used in place of a person’s name in a sentence. Such as: Ze looked up at the sky. In this sentence ‘Ze’ is a neopronoun used exactly the same as you would use he, she or they. As more and more people are looking for more gender neutral pronouns I highly recommend looking into neopronouns, as for me personally using the neopronoun ‘Xe’ has felt really comfortable.
Before we get into the different neopronouns I’d like to remind you of the following things: ou can use more than one set of Y pronouns if you wish. Use as many or as little as you want to. ou choose what pronouns fit you, Y not anyone else. I t takes time to find the right ones for you so do not worry if you try one out and it doesn’t feel right. Similar to identities it does take time so be patient. on’t worry too much over D pronunciation. It may be that none of these fit you and that’s ok.
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Here are six common neopronouns: For reference and comparison: They: They laughed – I called them – Their eyes gleam That is theirs – They like themselves Ne (pronounced: nee/nem/neer/neers): Ne laughed – I called nem – Nir eyes gleam That is nirs – Ne likes nemself Example sentence: I left nem a message on my phone and ne replied the next day. Ve (pronounced: vee/veer/vis/vis): Ve laughed – I called ver – Vis eyes gleam That is vis – Ve likes verself Example sentence: Ve laughed so hard orange juice came out of vis nose. Ey (pronounced: ay/em/air/airs): Ey laughed – I called em – Eir eyes gleam That is eirs – Ey likes emself Example sentence: Ey likes watching films, especially ones that make em cry. Ze/Zie and Zir (pronounced: zee/here/here/here’s): Ze laughed – I called hir – Hir eyes gleam That is hirs – Ze likes hirself Example sentence: Ze came out to hir parents after the football match. Ze/Zie and Zir (pronounced: zee/zeer/zeer/zeers): Ze laughed – I called zir – Zir eyes gleam That is zirs – Ze likes zirself Example sentence: Ze stroked zir cat. e (pronounced: zee/zem/zeer/zeers): X Xe laughed – I called xem – Xyr eyes gleam That is xyrs – Xe likes xemself Example sentence: Xe wore a rainbow flag to the march, xe was proud of xemself. It might seem difficult at first to get your head around these new sets of pronouns but with a little practice, such as saying them out-loud to yourself, they will become easier to remember. You should be able to see from the above that they follow the exact same pattern as other pronouns. 6868 •• I SSUE LG BT45 •• MY MY LIFE LIFE
Here’s an example of two people texting each other about neopronouns: “Hi Fred I was just wondering what pronouns you use? As I recently started looking into different pronouns because she/ her doesn’t feel like it fits me or who I am.” “Hiya, since I came out as Non-binary last year I have been using Ne/ Nem/Nir. Have you heard of them? Also It’s ok to feel unsure and it may take a while to find pronouns that fit.” “No I haven’t heard of them - what type of pronouns are those? Thank you, I know it might take a while. Btw did you hear that Max is using Xe/ Xyr/Xem this week to try it out?” “They are a type of neopronoun, actually I feel really comfortable using them tbh. Good for you, it’s great to research and look for something that fits you! Did they? That’s great for them!” “I’ll look into those, thanks Fred.”
POEM BY CELESTE SPAIN Xe looked up at the moon It hung limp over the many fields. Cows grazed nearby xyr house. It seemed quiet there. Xe was so used to the bustling city The flashing lights, Screeches of sirens, Car engines rumbling by In the waking hours of day And the not-so-silent nights. Xe was always awake to hear the many sounds. A 3.am waker and The city was xyr dream maker. Felix was xyr name. Xe secretly missed the city. Above all else: the marches. Pride marches, A kaleidoscope of colours, Everyone’s faces shining in the sunlight. Xe had never seen a prettier sight. Flags waved proudly in the blissful light. The hugging, crying and feelings of joy, The kissing of girls, in-betweens and boys. The emotion of the pride scene brought yet More tears of joy.
After pride Felix felt a bit low With little to do and not many places to go But xe realised that in xemself is a rainbow One which sparkles all year long and never goes. So once pride month was done and gone Xe knew just how to move on. Xyr heart sang with love and strength. When xe turns around each corner in life And climbs over every obstacle And every fence. Above all xe is proud. Love is love And maybe that’s just enough To know how to let the loneliness go Because in this community there’s no rejection. Everyone is loved for who they love And in itself that’s just perfection.
NOTE TO READERS: The phrase I’m sure so many of you have heard used within the LGBT+ community, and one of my favourite phrases is: love is love. A phrase which I feel sums up this poem perfectly, you love who you love no matter what gender they are, whether because of their gender, despite gender, we each love who we love. What’s wonderful about being LGBT+ is that we are loved for who we love. So this pride month I wanted to write a poem to remind us all of this. With this year and last year being so difficult, pride month has been much needed to remind us of this wonderful time of pride, celebration and that we are in a beautiful community who accept us. 6969 •• I SSUE LG BT45 •• MY MY LIFE LIFE
Long COVID
How to spot the signs and keep yourself and others safe What is long COVID? For some people, coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause symptoms that last weeks or months after the infection has gone. This is sometimes called post-COVID19 syndrome or "long COVID".
How long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody. Many people feel better in a few days or weeks and most will make a full recovery within 12 weeks. But for some people, symptoms can last longer.
The chances of having long-term symptoms do not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get COVID-19. People who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems.
This is why it is vital that we continue to take precautions to keep each other safe. The best way to avoid long COVID is to reduce transmission of the virus. You can do this by getting vaccinated, wearing a face covering in an enclosed or crowded space such as public transport, washing your hands regularly and avoiding close contact with others. Symptoms of long COVID are varied and can include: breathlessness, fatigue, chest pain or tightness, problems with memory and concentration (also called brain fog), difficulty sleeping, heart palpitations, dizziness, pins and needles, joint pain, depression and anxiety, tinnitus, skin rash, earaches, headaches, feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite, a high temperature, cough, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste.
Where can I get help? Contact a GP if you're worried about symptoms 4 weeks or more after having COVID-19. For support with recovering from COVID-19, visit www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk
22/09/ 2021
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