NERVE W E
K N O W
S T U D E N T S
issue 4: 2016
free interviewed:
Nat tena FROM MOLOTOV
JUKEBOX
also in this issue: > Trump Terror > Game of thrones catchup > Backstage at LFW > premier league > & more
NERVE
APR16
WHO’S ON BOARD? Editor Laura Geall editor@nervemedia.org.uk
Design Editor Rachel Burke design@nervemedia.org.uk
Art Editor James Wrigley
Got it COVERED
Check what we’ve got for you this month...
art@nervemedia.org.uk
Features Editor Katie Mallalieu features@nervemedia.org.uk
Fashion Editor Daisy Carling-Rose fashion@nervemedia.org.uk
Sport Editor Jason Lewis
P32
sport@nervemedia.org.uk
molotov jukebox
Entertainment Editor Aliyah Allen
Singer Nat Tena talks to us ahead of their Summer tour.
ents@nervemedia.org.uk
Comment Editor Rebecca Miller comment@nervemedia.org.uk
Chief Sub-Editor Roshan Roberts sub@nervemedia.org.uk
Promotions Editor Jess Riches editor@nervemedia.org.uk
Online Editor Rebecca Pates online@nervemedia.org.uk
Advertising Andy Elsey
P26 TRUMP TERROR Could Trump really be President of the United States? It’s a scary thought.
P31 GAME OF THRONES
Allow us to get you up to speed ahead of the eagerly anticipated Season 6.
susales@bournemouth.ac.uk 01202 961461
Communication Manager Joe Tattersall jtattersall@bournemouth.ac.uk 01202 961681
P49
P56
Nerve Fashion take you through the goings on at London’s biggest fashion event.
We stick our necks on the line to try and predict this craziest of seasons.
LONDON FASHION WEEK
PREMIER LEAGUE NERVE | 3
NERVE
APR16
Wanna Join?
For opportunities to get involved, whether it be writing, design, illustration, photography or even a spot of photobombing, email editor@nervemedia.org.uk for details.
Welcome To Issue 4 Keep Up facebook.com/nervemagazine twitter.com/nervemagazine www.nervemedia.org.uk
Important Stuff Here at SUBU, when we print Nerve Magazine, we print on 100%
FEATURES 10 12 14 18 20
How Fake is Social Media? Manage Your Stress The Changing Face of Festivals Make-Up Mystery: Contouring Top Travel Destinations 2016
recycled paper using vegetable - based inks by Indigo
COMMENT
Press Limited. You’ve got to start
22 24 26 28
somewhere. Nerve Magazine is produced by SUBU (the Students’ Union
Debate: The Queen Consent vs Rape Trump Terror Kesha
@ Bournemouth University). Information correct at time of publication (Oct 2015). The views expressed are not necessarily those of Nerve Media, SUBU or the Editor. Nerve Magazine is usually printed on 200 gsm silk cover and 115gsm body provided by Indigo
Entertainment 31 32 34 38 40 42
Game of Thrones Interview - Molotov Jukebox Interview - Josef Salvat Marvel vs DC Reviews Is Animation Really For Kids?
FASHION 45 46 48 49 50 52
From Catwalk to Campus The Big Blogging Questions Diversity In Modelling London Fashion Week Spring Style: Men & Women Fashion On Instagram
FASHION 54 56 58 61 62 64
Varsity View: Women’s Tennis Premier League Predictions Euro 2016 Preview The Fitness Balance Racing To Success Snooker World Championship
Printing Press.
NERVE | 5
Essential TRACKS we’ve been listening to this MONTH
jorja Smith Blue lights
New to the scene and only 18 years old, Jorja is one to watch this year for sure. This track explores perception and race in a time where it has never been more relevant. With an addition of a sample from Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Sirens’, this is a perfect combination of current social issues and a guilty conscience that can have such knock on effects.
birdy
Wild Horses
Who doesn’t love a bit of Birdy? She has such an amazing voice which is so calming it’s unreal. This track is a slow burner but in a good way; you find yourself repeating it on loop a couple of times without realising.
jmsn
Cruel Intentions
This track sounds SO good! It has a sort of Maxwell ‘Woman’s Work’ vibe to it; one definitely to, you know, make your beloved other half feel some type of way. Not putting ideas into anyone’s head, but just add it to THAT playlist.
tinie tempah ft. zara larsson Girls Like
We first heard of Zara Larsson on her collaboration with MNEK on ‘Never Forget You’; she’s small but her voice really does pack a punch. This is a great club track by the pair, and we all know Tinie doesn’t shy away from giving us a catchy chart number.
rihanna ft. drake Work
Regardless of the fact that no one knows what she’s saying in the chorus and that you make up your own version each time you listen to it, there’s no denying that this is a good song! Extremely catchy, a winner every single time.
flume
Never Be Like You (Disclosure Remix)
It’s nice that Disclosure repaid Flume the favour of remixing one of his tracks. Flume previously remixed Disclosure’s ‘You & Me’ with Eliza Doolittle, and this version is a nice spin on the Flume original. This is bound to gain a lot of radio play, it’s so good!
kanye west I Love Kanye
Kanye West seems to be the only person that can get away with making a song about all of the memes of himself on the internet. He rhymed Kanye with Kanye, that’s how much he loves himself. We miss the sweet Kanye.
Head straight to the playlist by visiting www.nervemedia.org.uk NERVE | 6
rosie lowe Woman
Rosie Lowe recently released her debut album Control, which is unique to say the least. We first heard this when she did a BBC Live Lounge version and it is the smoothest, most laid-back track ever. Perfect to listen to when you’re feeling a little blue.
Every Monday night, 7.30pm, £2 entry per person Bring along your apple or Android Smartphoneor Tablet to play
Cash prize for the winner
Happy Hour 6-8pm Carlsberg, Magners, Smirnoff, Gordons, Grouse + mixer £2
Burger Meal Deal from £4.50 after 7pm
01202
GET THE UNITED TAXI APP AND TRACK YOUR TAXI SO YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR DRIVER ARRIVES You will also receive a call back or text back. 105
heads up! your month in bournemouth
busted 25th May @ BIC Windsor hall
Newton Faulkner 21st April Portsmouth Pyramids Plaza
Soundclash
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 30th April 2016 BIC Windsor Hall
Busted
1st May 2016 Somerley House
25th May 2016 BIC Windsor Hall
Maverick Sabre
Hans Zimmer
8th May 2016 Mr Kyps, Poole
Chase & Status, Sub Focus and Hannah Wants perform as part at Soundclash on 1st May
28th May 2016 BIC Windsor Hall
Molotov Jukebox to perform at Southampton’s Talking Heads on the 23rd of April
HOW FAKE IS
Living in a world where social media is difficult not to be a part of, Megan Horton explores the false realities of this modern day fantasy.
U
nless you’ve been living the past 10 years with your head buried in the sand, it’s very clear that social media practically rules our lives. We open an app and step into a new dimension full of idyllic values and perfect lives. Yet, how perfect are they really? In November, Instafamous Essena O’Neill broke the barrier between these values and real life. O’Neill, who at the time had over half a million online followers, published a vlog explaining the false values of social media from an insider’s perspective, and why she was quitting all forms of social media. This video went viral in almost seconds, sending the internet into pandemonium. All the things we thought we knew about social media, now all seemed wrong. So how false is social media? At first glance it is easy to take these sites light-heartedly, NERVE | 10
but it isn’t until you dig deeper that you realise the real implications of what is being presented. Fundamentally, social media is all about portraying the life you want to have. You want people to think you’re popular; so you post photos of you and your friends. You want people to think you’re a laugh; so you post photos of you on nights out. You want people to think you’re attractive; so you get the best lighting possible to achieve the best selfie. Whether you like it or not, you are probably guilty of one of these, maybe even if you haven’t realised it. By simply adding Valencia or X-pro to your Instagram post, you are essentially distorting reality. We live in a world with extreme narcissistic values where image is everything. And how better to create the persona you’ve always dreamed of? Through the use of social media.
As a nation we already care about our appearance enough and social media just emphasises this. Just taking a selfie can alter reality. Without realising it we’ve almost become experts in the art of photography. If you know your stuff you will know that raising the camera at a slight high angle creates the idea of a slimmer face, getting the correct lighting will decrease the risk of looking shiny or spotty, and then there are the filters. Before you know it, you look almost unrecognisable. This brings people such joy, which makes you question why? Yes you are getting compliments left right and centre of how good you look, but if you look that different are these actually compliments? The reality is we don’t seem to care, we try so hard to look our best we forget about all our standards. Vanity appears to concur all; we know no different. We can’t
SOCIAL MEDIA?
help it, this is simply just our generation. Even when it comes to getting a job we change who we are online. Lecturers constantly drill it into us that we have to be careful of what we post, fearing that future employers may read our content and make a quick (assumingly negative) judgement. So what do we do? We delete all the images on Facebook from Wednesday night Cameo, because what kind of employer wants to see you scoffing yourself with cheesy chips with make up running down your face? It doesn’t exactly scream “employ me, employ me,” does it? So by deleting this aren’t we essentially faking reality? Think about that perfect person with the perfect life and the perfect relationship that you stalk almost daily. And then piece by piece take this apart. They may be smiling in their seflies but does that really mean they’re happy? Just because they’re showing off their relationship on every site known to man does this actually mean it’s a healthy one? You may be looking at their posts but are you really
seeing them? Nobody in this whole entire world is perfect, let alone has the perfect life. It’s simply impossible. We know that, but somehow these sites trick us into thinking otherwise. I spoke to some students about the importance of their social media persona. Bethany, 19, stated: “Social media is everything nowadays, it’s both a blessing and a curse. Yes, you show people what you want them to see but your friends can too, and can stitch you up.” And they all agreed, nowadays everybody seems to live and breathe these sites. Though the idea of false realities of social media may be an interesting perspective, are the actual sites to blame or is it us as users? We’ve essentially made social media what it is. If we didn’t blog, tweet and favourite, these sites would have no purpose. In O’Neill’s video, she is portraying herself as being a victim of social media, where she constantly worried about what to post fearing it may not get enough ‘likes’. However, has she not brought this upon herself? It seems to me like it wasn’t until she made a career
out of this that it became so shocking to her. Of course if you’re being paid to uphold this persona you’ve created you’re going to become more paranoid and you’re going to end up revolving your life around this one page. Though the video is inspiring and refreshing, it does raise certain critiques. She is very narrow minded in the way she talks, assuming that her experience is the same as everyone else’s. Is the issue really as extreme as she makes out, or is this just her experiences? The sad reality is that some people just get too caught up in this new world of social media. There’s watching your phone desperately waiting for another like to hit double figures on Instagram and then there’s meeting up with people purely for a good photograph to share. It seems that those more involved in their sites are those who fake reality the most, as they simply want their page and life to be the best they can be.
WORDS: MEGAN HORTON DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN NERVE | 11
manage your
stress
Stress is a common occurrence in everyday life, there is no shying away from it. Tijen Butler provides us with some tips and advise for managing university-related stress.
U
niversity is said to be the best time of your life, yet it can be a daunting thought for many. We finally have our independence and the opportunity to make wonderful friends and memories. But all this work can take its toll. Students get stressed and often there is no clear solution. Summer is not far away but before we reach it, there is one big obstacle – university work. Whether you have an approaching exam, assignment deadline or your dissertation is due, you may find yourself getting seriously overwhelmed and questioning why there is just not enough hours in the day. The first thing to remember is that it is completely normal to get stressed, so you should give yourself a break and keep in mind that you chose to take the academic route. Think of how many people would love to be in your position. Dr. Lauren Kita says: “Exams are always a busy and stressful time, but don’t use that a reason to drop your self-care routine. “Make sure you get at least 8 hours sleep, eat healthily, limit alcohol and keep boundaries
NERVE | 12
between work and rest time. “Practicing mindfulness is a great way to create space in a cluttered mind and ensure that exam nerves don’t get the best of you on the day.” Tackling stress is something that people encounter in everyday life, as well as at university. But trying to approach the workload with an open mind will benefit you hugely. This work is a stepping-stone to your future career. It should be the time you enjoy working towards your goals – don’t let the little things take over. Professor Remco Polman outlines ways to manage and prevent stress. “Good time management and developing effective study habits are also helpful in reducing stress.”
He goes on to explain how there are a number of psychological and spiritual relaxation techniques that can help: “Physical exercise can also help to relieve stress, and healthy breathing.” Nutrition is an important factor to consider when dealing with stress. Sugary foods and substances with a high carbohydrate count can be problematic. This is the same with unhealthy habits. Smoking, drinking alcohol and a general lack of sleep are all contributors to a stressful lifestyle. “Having a good night sleep, staying off the alcohol, and eating well can be of great benefit to reduce stress,” advises Professor Polman.
Check out the back page for revision tips ahead of exam season!
So, how can you manage your stress? Here are a few tips... le etabsily m i t a ea an e
Makimple and chty workload aining .
em It is s the weig the r ce rt of u a s you d h n c e r t pla ke a a a h m your w Just ut in note p d n en n a a c s. Ev days hen you hour %, it y T d . have ndent stu to it 100 ur pe se yo tick inde to ea not s e f o d o d i p u gu if yo on to reat eag ill be . g will b nd you w in a e do mind ing you’r h t y ever
Don’t overwork
When you plan how mu ch you will work– make sure you aren’t over ambitious. You’ll just get more stressed if you expect yourself to do a ridiculous and unrealistic amount. Allow yourse lf frequent breaks and social tim e to distract your mind.
Buddy up
Comforable atmosphere
Whether you like to study alone in your room, in the library or in the living room with the television on in the background - make sure you are content with your environment as you work.
Plenty of rest
If you are studying for an exam, a great way to avoid getting stressed is to have someone you can revise with. You and your coursemates can quiz each other and discus s the facts that need to be learnt. It should at lea st make it a little more interesting and the tim e will go faster. Altern ativ ely, if you are doing your coursework or disser tation, independent study wo uld be the most produ ctive - but make sure your mind is at ease. Put on som e music, have snack bre aks, or allow yourself ho url y social media breaks.
Many students work until the early allow hours of the morning before they e your mak can themselves to sleep. This your at be not will you work sloppy and steal ying stud let ’t Don day. next best the your sleep.
your Back up work p during deadline ti ll A good ck up a is to ba n g in seaso oth work. N ss of your ore stre m u o y e iv g es n r ca ur cou sing yo e than lo r efo e day b work th . n sio submis
Last year, there were more stressed students seeking help than ever before. Talking to people is encouraged and it’s advised to talk to anyone you are comfortable with; be it your lecturer, friend, family member or a helpline. NERVE | 13
The Changing Face of
Festivals
M
usic festivals have long been the staple of British summertime. Thousands upon thousands flock to the mud filled campsites, adorning their Hunter greens and Pac-a-Macs just to catch a glimpse of their favourite band, singer or DJ. Your weekend could be spent with your head stuck underneath the armpit of a sweaty raver, or questioning the liquid in the bottle just thrown at you, but this is all in the name of a long-lasting summer tradition that we are not willing to give up. But to what extent have festivals changed throughout the years? Well, the earliest example of a festival involving music is said to be the Pythian Games in Ancient Greece in the 6th century BC, but we might have to refer back to something a little more recent, that didn’t consist of worshipping gods and sacrificing an individual into a great ball of fire. The early days of Woodstock and Glastonbury were renowned for being small and hippie-style parties.
NERVE | 14
When the festivals first opened, admission was free. They were largely created as a reaction to politics at that time and acted as a place where spreading the love and perhaps a few substances were encouraged. Even until the mid-90’s when T in the Park first took place, the only other festivals were Glastonbury, Reading and WOMAD. Then the millennium struck, and a baby boom of festivals sprung to life. Last year alone, there were more than 450 music festivals held across the UK. They also show no chance of slowing down, even with Britain’s weather suggesting that we would be more suited to indoor pursuits. UK festivals are well attended, enjoyed, and loved, come rain or shine. This year we will
More than
450 music festivals were held across the UK during last year.
Simone Joyner/Getty Images
It’s reaching that time of year again when the line-ups are being released and every high street store has an influx of rain macs and welly-boots. But has this always been the case? Liv Campbell investigates the changing face of summer festivals.
reading see 70,000 campers and 85,000 festivals goers with their pop up tents and human-sized rucksacks on site each day. This massive surge in attendance obviously prompted festival organisers to make major changes to their events. They have now evolved into flourishing, multi-million pound businesses that have attracted the interest of major music executives, prosperous artists and famous celebrities. In result, operators can now charge extortionate fees because of their
skyrocketing popularity. Festival to the stars, Coachella, charged its guests $375 last year. This is not including the VIP add-ons such as dinner in the rose garden, for a mere extra $225 fee. For the big-time festivals, you may have to gamble with your money, and buy a ticket before the line-up is even announced, in the hope that the festival organisers will deliver the goods. This is where many smaller events tend to fail, for when people decide to buy their tickets late, these festivals sometimes
Although ticket prices have inflated, it’s also vital to recognise just how many acts now play over one long weekend. The line-ups we are now faced with are overflowing with quality artists, which leave us questioning just how we are going to manage to see them all in one weekend. Often you will come across a Sharpie-covered arm on a festivalgoer, filled with the day’s strict timetable. Each festival now has to compete to provide the best and most
...festivals are all about
stripping back to the bare necessities and forgetting about our human need to wash, sleep comfortably and take endless snapchats.
that I believe hasn’t really changed. If anything, it just improves every time. I consider it to be true that you can become an experienced festival-goer, carrying various pearls of wisdom across your chest. One thing I have learnt is that, you really do not have to slum it at a festival. Whilst I am always the first in queue for a classic burger and cheesy chips, the sheer amount of menus across the festival fields is quite impressive. T in the Park was the first festival in 2007 to serve the famous Loch Fyne oysters, and since, this supreme way of munching has been adopted by many festivals. There is a restaurant van for absolutely everyone, whether
www.festivalsnobs.com
do not have the cash flow to sustain themselves.
coachella in-demand headliners in a bid to win the largest crowds. In recent years, crowd favourites have been the resurgence and reunion acts, who sing all-time classics that our parents used to dance to, but that we still request on a Wednesday night in Vinyl. For example, The Jacksons opened for Missy Elliot in 2015 and Outkast took to the Coachella stage in 2014. It’s the love and belting of the old school tunes that really brings crowds together, acting as one. On the other hand, festivals are a great place to discover new artists that are seconds away from being breakthrough acts. For bands and bedroom producers just starting out, if they grab the right time slot and provide a successful performance, then festivals can make the difference between just surviving and thriving. The BBC Introducing stages at Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds have set the foundations for major bands and artists such as Jack Bugg, Florence and The Machine, The 1975 and most recently, Jack Garratt. The growth and prominence
of music festivals can now be partly explained by the fact that, since 2008, musicians have made more money from live performances than from record sales. Attending a festival has become almost a rite of passage for young people. Many of us still carry nostalgia as we reflect on our first festival. For me, it was Reading in 2011. It was a chance to celebrate my long-awaited GCSE results. It was an important time, a long weekend away from home, and my first experience of drinking on consecutive nights. It was all a very big deal. A crate of Strongbow in tow, a flower wreath placed firmly on my head and wearing my leavers hoodie with pride, I was unsure of what I was about to face. Once I got over the pungent smell surrounding the toilet area, and the fact that Dream Matte Mousse came off very quickly in the stuffy music tents, I was revelling in it all. It’s an experience
red hot chilli peppers Reading and Leeds
MAJOR LAZER BESTIVAL AND PARKLIFE
glastonbury
your hair plaited. Festivals such as V and Bestival now offer luxury accommodation including readymade yurts, huts and podpads. You can now even charge your mobile phone in the middle of nowhere. Whilst it is great that festival organisers are recognising that all kinds of people are now attending, I believe we must recognise that festivals are all about stripping back to the bare necessities and forgetting about our human need to wash, sleep comfortably and take endless snapchats. Festivals are really about reverting back to ordinary living and about letting loose for one weekend. Saying that, you won’t catch me going to a festival without dry shampoo and wet wipes. Much like the array of extensive eating options available, now there really is a festival for everyone. Some have gradually moved up the scale too. For example, David Cameron often visits Cornbury festival in Oxfordshire. Prince Charles was seen bopping at Glastonbury in 2009, and Prince Harry was mixing in with the hoi polloi at the Secret Garden Party in 2014. Nowadays, you don’t have to travel too far or rough it for too long, thanks to the emergence of day festivals. Somerley Tea Party and Southampton Soundclash are a couple of the local ones that are really worth a visit if you are more of a ‘fist bumping to a DJ’ than a ‘sitting around the campfire, singing along to Wonderwall’ kind of person. On the other hand, festivals have become so popular, that many now consider them of equal importance to their annual holiday. The UK is famous for its festivals, and many travel far and wide to attend them. But recently there has been a rise of Brits hopping on a plane, swapping the typical
muddy scenes for sunshine on the beach. These “staycation” festivals such as Hideout and Benicassim are often tied in with travel plans, making summer even more memorable than before. So what are the acts that we can look forward to this summer? Well, Major Lazer will be headlining at both Bestival and Parklife. Isle of Wight will see the return of Queen, Faithless and The Stereophonics and wait for it… Busted! Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons and Take That will be storming the stage at Barclaycard British Summer Time. Reading and Leeds will be hosting Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The 1975 and the Courteeners. Pop royalty, Justin Bieber and Rihanna will be busting a move at V Festival. At Glastonbury Coldplay will be performing on the Sunday night, historically becoming the first act to top the bill on four separate occasions. With the top 200 festivals contributing £450m to the economy in ticket sales, travel, accommodation and food, it shows that they really show no intention of slowing down. Whilst they started as small gatherings, they’ve now developed into mass-scale events that cannot be ignored. Our well-loved festivals are quintessentially British, and it’s now almost sinful if you haven’t at least given up one of your weekends to embrace yourself in all their dirty glory. Even in the last 10 years, festivals have changed dramatically and more are being created each year, so it will definitely be vital to analyse how they continue to grow and adapt with time. One thing’s for sure - holograms are inevitable.
Words: Liv Cambell Design: Agata Winiarska
flickr.com/photos/beanmunster
you fancy a classic pork and stuffing sandwich, a spot of sushi, or king prawn salad, you really cannot go hungry! Similarly, if the notorious lavatories put you off, various festivals now offer VIP toilets and showers if you don’t fancy roughing it. There are beauty salons to get your make-up and hair done, charging ten pound a pot to get
WIN a month’s
rent for you and your housemates*
Whether you’re searching for a property, renting a room in a house with other students or graduates or buying a new home, Move Me In gives you a customised set of tasks tailored to your search or move. You can add photos of the potential property, share tasks with housemates and create your own list of jobs to complete.
Sign up to Move Me In today for your chance to WIN a month’s rent for you and your housemates.* Visit www.move-me.in *Terms and conditions apply Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This can be checked on the Financial Services Register by visiting their website at www.fca.org.uk/register Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited. Company No. 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.
Make-up mystery: Is the contouring craze out of control?
M
Post: “It looks like dirt”. Instead, the creator of the eponymous brand thinks that contouring is “wrong because it tells women there’s something wrong with their face.”
ake-up has always been a prominent part of womanhood. From the Ancient Egyptians to women of the 21st century, cosmetics have been used throughout the ages in order for women to present themselves as they wish. But there are recent trends that have been dominating the media, and for some, even causing confusion. With the rise of complex routines like contouring and strobing, some girls just can’t keep up. In my case, these words have very little meaning. Made famous by popular faces such as The Kardashian’s, the contouring trend has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few months, with some girls attempting to mimic the look for themselves. Whilst some are successful, others fail to create the flawless style that most celebrities are adorning, instead sporting a monstrous look. You can’t walk into a high street shop without coming across a new make-up kit, especially designed for contouring. Every Youtuber and Instagram vlogger will now have a tutorial on how to achieve the ‘perfect’ look. “I love contouring. It’s quite time consuming, but once you get the knack of it, you can do it.”
NERVE | 18
In my opinion, the contouring look is far too harsh and hides the natural beauty in a women’s face, as well as becoming a huge commitment to your day-today routine. When asking some Bournemouth students what contouring meant to them, Mirran Harper said: “I just think it’s a bit of a waste of time, you can just use bronzer to have the same effect. It takes way too long.” The make-up industry is subject to much criticism these days when it comes to appearance and hiding natural beauty. Some people are slammed for caking on too much make-up and trying to shape themselves into something they’re not. Many make-up artists hold the same view, including Bobbi Brown. She told The New York
Reese Witherspoon has also notably poked fun at the trend with her make up artist via Instagram with the caption “…EVERYONE these days wears contour.” This is often the main reason for these trends taking off in the first instance – celebrity support. As soon as people catch wind of celebrities adopting these new trends, they are soon to follow suit. Make-up enthusiast Saskia Long, said: “I love contouring. It’s quite time consuming, but once you get the knack of it, you can do it.” So with this in mind, I decided to
try the trend for myself. It was a great challenge. Delving through the Internet, I relied heavily on the best makeup tutorials in order to even understand the concept in itself – let alone actually putting it into practise! It didn’t look easy and to be quite frank, it really wasn’t. Yet staying optimistic, and with the best make-up tutorials I could find, I kept my fingers crossed that I would be able to perfect this rare talent. My attempt was nowhere near what it should have looked like. No matter how effortless others made it seem, it was near impossible for me. In short, it was a mess. A glance in the mirror showed the muddy brown patches that remained and the smudged attempt at a highlight reminded me of my failure. Can I be classed as a “real” woman without this routine under my belt?
recreate due to their more obscure look. But for some women, they smile at the neons, the darker lipstick colours and the overpowering eye shadows. It’s fashion, they cry. And it’s here to stay.
daring enough to venture out and try something new. And for all of those who have the dedication to contour and strobe every day, I applaud you.
These are looks that adorn the catwalks. Models have black and purple lips, red cheeks, and eyelids with blue, green, and gold glitter. Any colour can be used. However, there are always those that argue that women shouldn’t wear make-up. The arguments vary from “make-up is a lie” to “it makes them seem fake”. Can this even really be justified? Anyone should be able to express themselves however they see fit. I hardly think anyone believes girls naturally have black winged lines on their eyelids – and it’s true. They don’t!
Luckily for me, the trend of strobing is suggested to replace contouring. The basics of this look are to highlight the highest points of your face. You resist the sharpness of contouring and instead embrace the fresh glow of a shimmering highlighter. But like most fashionable make-up trends, it’s still effortful, and if done incorrectly, can create a sweaty look instead.
Most of us would disagree with these comments, and instead suggest that they are not trying to deceive anyone by wearing make-up. They are instead deciding to wear it as a personal choice. Anyone should be able to express themselves however they see fit. Women wear make up for themselves, not for anyone else. If they want to contour, wear green lipstick, or wear none at all, it doesn’t matter. After all, it is their choice.
Fashion trends are peculiar. When it’s not embracing the contour, it’s promoting the outlandish, daring styles, ones that I would usually fear to
With regards to me, I’ll stick to what I know and admire the rest for now. I prefer a more natural look. But I commend any girl who is committed and
Words: Lily Coleman Design: Hannah Mitchell Images: Instagram, Buzzfeed NERVE | 19
2016’s top
travel destinations Have you ever wanted to venture out of Europe? Does the thought of an adventure make you giddy? Imi Byers gives us the low-down of the Top 5 new and upcoming places to travel this year. You may have gone on a gap year. You may have gone inter-railing in the holidays. As students, it’s only natural that we get the urge to explore not only the concept of living and studying away from home at university, but also to travel to different locations around the globe. With so many amazing locations to choose from, it can be hard to actually decide where to go. Having done some research and looking at various recommendations, I give you the top 5 travel destinations for 2016.
1
quito, equador
Situated in the Andes, Quito is the capital of Ecuador and is officially the highest capital city in the world - over 9000ft above sea-level. It lies on the slopes of the active volcano, Pichincha, whose last eruption was in 1999, coating the city in around 30cm of ash. This place would be pretty interesting for archaeology/geography students or just general risk takers! The native language here is Spanish so it’s a good chance to brush up on those vocabulary skills and to get friendly with some of the locals. The city is mostly made up of narrow streets and plazas, often filled with market stands selling food and goodies. Shamanistic healing is also popular here so maybe it would be a good place to unwind and finally go on that detox you have been promising you’d do. Because it’s so near to the equator, the climate is pretty consistently mild (hot still for England but hey, that’s not hard) so you can travel there any time of the year and not have to stick to traditional holiday seasons.
NERVE | 20
2
Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro with hot, humid summers and milder winters. It harbours a beautifully preserved old town, with all of the original architecture and buildings as well as an array of historical cathedrals, churches and piazzas.
The city is encased by ancient walls that date all the way back to the 9th century on the mountains overlooking it and are theatrically lit at night, creating a vibrant reflection of colour on the seawater. One of the many benefits of its glorious mountainous surroundings is the added opportunity to take part in a range of outdoor and mountaineering activities such as kayaking, hiking and rafting. Another reason to visit this coastal destination is the fact that the water isn’t the best place in the region for swimming so it is unlikely to get euro-trashy and busy, making your stay there maybe just that bit more personal and special without having to keep out of the way of bothersome, sunburnt tourists.
3
dublin, ireland
Ten million pints of Guinness are made here every day. If that isn’t enough to entice you then I don’t know what will. If you’ve ever set foot in an Irish pub, you will know that the Irish are the friendliest bunch of people on the planet and will make you feel right at home. As well as the impressive pubs and drinking opportunities, Dublin is also home to Pheonix Park, six times the size of Hyde Park in London, home to wild roaming deer and where you can even go on… wait for it… Segway tours! It is also easy to travel across the city. It has extensive cycle routes and only takes half an hour to bike from one side to the other so there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to explore the best of this city in only a short visit. That’s only if you aren’t convinced to stay by the lingering presence of the pub.
4
george town, malaysia
This is a bit more of a serious travel destination. Being the capital of Penang state, this colourful and multicultural city has something for everyone. Chinese temples, mosques, cute narrow lanes, chaotic streets and beautiful architecture are in abundance.
For anyone interested in Asian food, this place is amazing for cheap and tasty street-food with the famous ‘New World Park Food Court’ with the freshest local fish and fruit. George Town is also host to the ‘Blue Mansion’, a 38-room building with an impressive 220 windows restored from its ruin from the 1880’s. Even those who don’t have an aptitude for architecture would be amazed!
5
rotterdam, netherlands
You may have already been to Amsterdam and experienced the Netherlands, but Rotterdam is definitely worth a visit. In the south of Holland, Rotterdam has an amazing art scene with lots of museums and street exhibitions. Like Amsterdam, the city is comprised of a map of canals and there is even the option to go inner-city canal-surfing. There certainly wouldn’t be a lack of things to do there, as Rotterdam also houses Europe’s busiest port. Prepare for a lot of people and a lot of places to see.
Words: Imi Byers Design: Rachel Burke
NERVE | 21
yes god save our queen
By charlie Milward In this modern society where nearly everything in sight is continually changing, the one statue of British History that remains standing strong is our Royal Family. With a new generation taking hold of the realms, the family has become the picture perfect example of what makes our country great. As the Queen celebrates her 90th birthday on April 21st, is it time for her majesty to step down and retire? I think not. The Queen took her position as the monarch of this great nation and the Head of the Commonwealth more than 64 years ago, when she was just 25 years old. As the first child of King George VI, she was automatically enrolled with the obligation of heir to the throne. When her father passed away, she became Queen and Head of State of over 16 nations across the globe. Her Majesty has provided my family and many others around the country with joyous occasions, such as her own coronation in 1953 and anniversaries to mark the monumental occasion, with the most recent being her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. As dedicated fans of the Royal Family, my family and I decorated the house NERVE | 22
with many a Union jJack, lit the BBQ and celebrated the Diamond Jubilee in style. Why not when there is so much travesty and combat in this world? Occasions like this, where the Queen’s life and duty are celebrated, is why I believe she should reign forever more. The Queen is not only an icon in Britain, but also around the world. Being the head of 16 other nations is a headache itself, but Her Majesty executes this role with so much grace, ensuring that her presence is felt by visiting these countries many times during her reign. But has this duty of dedication to a role of almost six decades finally taken its toll? Although she does her best to attend many events and represent the Royal Family, in recent years she has had to hand more duties over to her children and grandchildren. They have represented the Royal Family in various ways and shown that not even the Royal Family can escape the trials and tribulations of family life. This has cast the question of whether the Queen should actually abdicate the Throne, or hold the title for as long as she mortally can? But if she was to step
The
deb
Should Queen Elizabeth Or is it time for her to down, who could take her place? Her first successor, His Majesty the Prince of Wales, has faced divorce and controversy in his love life and now at the age of 67, he may be too old to fulfil and reciprocate the lifetime’s service that his mother has achieved. Or should we let the younger generation have their chance to make a mark on royal British history? Prince William and his wife, The Duchess of Cambridge, have created the perfect family life and could, dare I say it, replace the Kardashians as the most popular family to grace our media landscape. I am a huge supporter of team Wills and if the Queen were to step down, I’d back them all the way. In my opinion, Queen Elizabeth has provided this country with so much joy when the rest of the world crumbles in turmoil. She has dedicated a lifetime’s service to her role and I believe she should hold tightly onto the crown for as long as humanly possible, just as her father did before her. Although she is now at the tender age of 90, I think this monarch still has some life left in her yet.
big
bate
remain on the throne? hand over her crown? On Queen Elizabeth’s 21st birthday, when she was still a princess, she gave a speech to the Commonwealth through a radio broadcast saying: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” But this year, with her 90th birthday looming, I believe it is time for her to step down from the throne and give Charles a chance. As the nation’s grandmother, the Queen is the longestreigning monarch, overtaking her greatgreat-grandmother Victoria, with 64 years to her name. Since 1952, the Queen has given royal assent to more than 3,500 Acts of Parliament and over 15,000 official engagements in the last 30 years alone. There is no question that the Queen has earned her place to step down and enjoy the rest of her life. There is also Prince Philip to consider in this matter. The Duke of Edinburgh is at the mighty age of 94 and
no
give charles a chance
By rebecca miller he continues to show a fierce commitment to standing by his wife’s side, despite the last few years spent battling several illnesses. There just seems to be no stopping the pair. So why do I believe Queen Elizabeth should hand over her crown? With each new generation shifting further into modernisation, the Royal Family must prove to the nation that they can keep up with all of these challenges on the horizon. Britain and the Commonwealth need a King and Queen who captivates the entire world and reinvigorates the United Kingdom. Society needs a modern leader, one that they can actually relate to. On the one hand I do believe that Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge can bypass Charles and go straight for the throne, because with a young and popular King and Queen, Britain really could be seen as the capital of cool. However, we mustn’t be unfair and deprive them of some sort of normal life. As the second in line to his grandmother,
Prince William is only 33-years old and we must allow him to enjoy his wife and children before he takes his place on the throne. It is Charles’s turn to show us exactly what he is capable of. All we have seen and heard about the Prince of Wales is his scandalous love life, but he is notoriously known for the exceptional humanitarian work he does with the Princes’ Trust, amongst other charitable and arts organisations he is patron to. For many years, Prince Charles has been in the shadow of his mother, and for the most recent years he has been performing several duties on her behalf. Prince Charles taking the crown would be the most honorable thing to do, allowing the Queen to enjoy the rest of her life with Prince Philip, as well as allowing William to experience an almost normal, non-royal family life before his own duties increase. Words: Charlie Milward, Rebecca Miller Design: Rachel Burke
NERVE | 23
Consent vs Rape I
t is common knowledge that consensual sex is when two adults both willingly agree to sexual activity with each other. Sounds simple enough right? Well, apparently not. The blurred lines between consent and rape are becoming evermore distorted. Now more than ever, in this modern society, the difference between the two acts needs to be clearly identified. So if you do not say ‘no’ to a sexual act, does your silence mean that you have said ‘yes’? Many argue that the clothes a woman chooses to wear is a sign that they’re ‘asking for it’. Similarly, some believe that if a man has paid for a date, he is therefore entitled to sex. This is known as ‘grey rape.’ Consent Ed explains that this is “the term to describe non-stereotypical sexual assaults, where ‘grey rape’ refers to assaults by acquaintances, those occurring on dates, where alcohol is involved, or where someone has consented to some acts, but not others.”
It is no surprise that many people hold such strong views, when you have politicians such as George Galloway and Nigel Farage spewing despicable nonsense, stating “martial rape is a myth” and that having sex with an unconscious woman is not actually rape, but rather “bad sexual etiquette”.
“If you fear for your life or are being held against your will or kidnapped, you do not have the freedom to consent.”
Unfortunately, instead of these quotes being from well-known idiots, they are just some of the societal conventions on the topics of sex and consent that is dreadfully dripping down into the minds of the next generation. A survey conducted in 2014 from the Sex Education Forum states that a third of young people confessed to not learning anything about consent during their sex education lessons, and only 43% said they learnt what a “good and bad relationship is”. This miseducation is creating a dangerous society for young girls and guys to grow up in. There is more emphasis on girls dressing conservatively and not getting too drunk ‘just in case’, rather than educational lessons on what actually is consent and what rape is.
What is rape? Many imagine rape as always being graphic, a Crimewatch style tragedy with an innocent girl being dragged off the street by an evil predator. That is one way rape could take place, but according to Section 74 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, rape is when “a person commits an offence if (he) intentionally penetrates another person and that person does not consent.” Justin Fletcher, Detective Chief Inspector of Thames Valley Police, simply states: “The law is very clear. Sex without consent is rape. Awareness of that sexual consent and how to get it is vital.” What is consent? Section 74 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 defines the legal definition of sexual consent being “a person consenting if they agree by choice, and have the freedom and capacity to make that choice”. In layman terms, if you are under the age of 16, asleep, unconscious, or intoxicated, you do not have the capacity to consent.
“There is a definite misunderstanding of consent and it needs to be addressed.”
If you fear for your life or are being held against your will or kidnapped, you do not have the freedom to consent. To put into perspective of how badly society doesn’t understand what consent is, a survey was conducted at the University of North Dakota and the results were
shocking. 1 in 3 of the men who participated admitted they would act on “intentions to force a woman into sexual intercourse” if they were confident they would get away with it. However, the number dropped to just 13.6% when the word ‘forced’ was replaced with ‘rape’, meaning they are unaware that someone not giving their consent to sex is actually rape. Research has found that school children have been questioned in a number of surveys and the results are conclusive: there is a definite misunderstanding of consent and it needs to be addressed. Sex Ed Forum highlighted the lack of real life scenarios in lessons, which they believe would really help youngsters understand what rape is and what consent is. It would also make it easier to apply lessons learnt in the classroom to real life. Clearly, the national curriculum needs to be widened and consent should be a big part of sexual education in schools. If you or someone you know has been affected by the confusion between rape and consent – there is help available. In an emergency rape crisis call 999 or seek further information from the following organisations.
www.rapecrisis.org.uk www.thinkyouknow.co.uk www.disrespectnobody.co.uk
Test your knowledge of the differences between consent and rape below:
1) Rape can only be committed by a male? true/false
2)
A person can change their mind (withdraw their consent) at any time before or during sexual activity?
Consent vs Rape
Facts: (sourced from rape crisis)
1 in 5 women aged 16 – 59 have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16. Nearly half a million adults were sexually assaulted in England and Wales each year. Approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men are raped in England and Wales alone every year; that’s roughly 11 rapes (of adults alone) every hour. Roughly 90% of those who are raped know the perpetrator prior to the offence. Only around 15% of those who experience sexual violence choose to report to the police. 1 in 10 men are sexually assaulted and a staggering 60% of males in secondary schools are sexually harassed.
true/false
3)
Rape within a marriage isn’t really rape because you gave your consent when you married your partner?
In the last five years 109 women in the UK have falsely ‘cried rape’ and have been prosecuted for such wrong allegations.
true/false
4)
If a person has said nothing, has their consent been given?
yes/no
Words: Chelsea Mendez Design: Hannah Mitchell Quiz Answers: 1) F 2) T 3) F
4) N NERVE | 25
TRUMP TERROR Donald Trump is in the running to be the future President of the United States of America, and we should all be very scared. WORDS : LILY COLEMAN | DESIGN : ADAM BRISTOW “Make America Great Again.” Donald Trump pledges to do just that, and in turn he is supported by so many Republican Americans. He has been the main attraction of the US elections, grasping the attention of millions with his outrageously outspoken opinions, leaving many questioning“do we really want him to represent our country?” Donald Trump just has to open his mouth and the media swarm all over him, like flies to a sh*t. His campaign has been shocking but utterly engaging, and this
excitement means he is covered extensively in the media, adding to his popularity amongst voters.
equality for all. She also strives to make America “the clean energy superpower of the 21st century”.
His campaign has also sparked controversy. Through discussing socially delicate issues like immigration (regarding Muslim and Mexican immigrants as ‘aliens’), he has attracted mass support across the nation, despite the strong opinion he is known to express.
Sanders plans to tackle similar issues. His announcement speech however focuses on socio-economic problems that he feels all Americans have faced, such as income inequality, one he claims to be “immoral” and “grotesque”.
When discussing the immigrants from Mexico in his presidential announcement speech he famously stated “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”
It’s a stark difference between the two party’s front-runners, with Trump strategically using every American fear to fuel his campaign, whereas the Democrats are trying, and struggling, to bring light to serious issues that need to be faced.
He then proceeded to discuss ISIS and other topical defence issues, stating he wants “the strongest military that we’ve ever had”. Those in attendance call out excitedly in his support; it’s clear to see that to some, he’s a contender for presidency. But for others, he poses as a major threat.
For some, it’s hardly a competition, dismissing Trump immediately for his racist, fascist remarks. Some have even linked the candidate to the dictator Adolf Hitler after he proposed a plan for “total and complete shutdown on Muslims entering the US” after the tragic events of the Paris attacks in 2015. He even mentioned the 9/11 attacks, claiming he heard thousands “cheering”.
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are his main opponents, fighting for the side of the Democratic Party. Clinton calls for fairness throughout America; her campaign speech revolves around creating
NERVE | 26
Should all Muslims have to wear tags as well? Just in case they need to be identified for another round of social humiliation? I wouldn’t be surprised if this would be Trump’s next move.
UK RESPONSE The UK’s response was to challenge Trump’s power in response to his false and slightly terrifying statements. A petition swiftly arose, and gained mass support, claiming that Britain wanted to “Block Donald J Trump from UK Entry” on the Parliament’s e-petition website. As usual, social media was quick to spread the message, and a total number of signatures soon surpassed 500,000 (above the required 100,000). Therefore, a debate in Parliament was required. The government were quick to claim that Trump’s words were “unhelpful and wrong”, branding him as a “buffoon” and calling him “ridiculous”. After a three hour debate, there was no action made as the government felt they could not enforce such a ban. However, Cameron did make a bold statement, assuring the public that he did not agree with Trump’s views on Muslims.
Illinois (32%), Ohio (38%), and various other states have proved this. In the same states, Hillary Clinton remains the primary leader for the Democrats with 57% in Michigan, 67% in Illinois and 56% in Ohio. For me, it is a no brainer. Both Sanders and Clinton can offer a brighter future for the United States. Sanders for one is against relaxed gun laws currently upheld, an issue that will otherwise never be solved, as Trump supports the second amendment right. Clinton strives for equality for LGBT, women and racial justice for all American citizens. America you need to think. What leader do you not only want, but also need?
Hillary Clinton Democrat Nominee
Britain’s views tend to suggest that Trump is toxic. There is very little support for his comments in our country, even if some (slightly deluded) Americans believe he is their next saviour. But it is naïve to assume that his support will soon dwindle?
RISING POWER For most, this is a sobering thought. Can anyone really believe a man as monstrous as that is the best candidate for leadership? And if America is unfortunate enough to have a majority voting for Donald Trump, then surely the future is bleak.
Bernie Sanders Democrat Nominee
Trump remains the top Republican contender. Polls from Michigan (40%),
John Kaisch n Nominee ica ubl Rep
Ted Cruz Republican Nominee NERVE | 27
Why everyone should be A fan of
Being a fan of Kesha has never been “easy”. For years I’ve heard countless comments about her in terms of her talent, her style and the way she expresses herself. People have asked what I see in her, why I support her, why I see her as an idol. THe past few months have shown why. It’s not easy for the most regular person to talk openly about being violated. A declaration of rape or any sexual abuse is hard for anyone to face, so when Kesha filed a lawsuit in late 2014 detailing what her producer, Lukasz Gottwald (also known as Dr. Luke) had allegedly done to her throughout their - at the time - nine-year work relationship, I was utterly shocked and disgusted. Although I had small inklings about Gottwald being somewhat of a controlling force over Kesha’s career, I had no idea how far things had gone, seemingly since they first met back in 2005. Of course, other fans and I have been protesting for Kesha’s freedom ever since details of her metaphorical captivity came to light two years ago, but it was us and us alone. Not until recently was the world made aware of her current situation, and to see so many people come together in support of her is both surprising and heartening. NERVE | 28
The thing that most people are beginning to realise about Kesha is just how much of a good person she truly is. Just last week (at the time of writing) she accepted the Visibility Award from The Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights organisation that seeks to “achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality”. After an emotional speech from a close friend of Kesha’s, Stephen Wrabel - a singer/songwriter who has collaborated with her introduced a video montage that highlights just how prominent Kesha is as a person in so many civil rights movements, both for humans and animals. Not only was her debut album entitled Animal, Kesha devotes a large part of her time to fighting for animal rights. She was given the title of Global Ambassador for the Humane Society International, and is always making people aware on social media and mainstream outlets just how many issues
animals face due to manmade and environmental issues. Not only that, but her fans as a collective are known as Animals - a “rabid cult of misfits” who she encourages to be themselves. It’s through Kesha that I actually found a majority of my confidence during my teenage years. Both through her music and her personality I found encouragement to just be myself, and it’s at her concerts that this feeling is heightened to the extreme. I first saw Kesha way back in 2011, standing at the centre of the front row in the Hammersmith Apollo. I watched with awe as she fired glitter out of cannons, played laser synthesisers and gave another male fan a lap dance - when questioned about this in an interview following the concert, she simply said, “I treat my fans well”. And that’s no lie - I personally know multiple fans that stay in touch with Kesha directly since meeting her either at concerts or media appearances.
She is an anti-bullying advocate on top of everything, and in her television show My Crazy Beautiful Life she meets Gilo, a young fan who has had his life made a living hell by those bullying him for who he is. Backstage before a concert she cradles him as they both cry, and she tells him straight that things will be okay. How will she know? She still talks to him regularly, and they’re now friends. He isn’t the only one. She took a group of fans to get matching tattoos after a show in Amsterdam in 2013. She keeps in touch with an American fan, Mike, whose younger sibling was affected by the Sandy Hook shootings in Connecticut. In a twisted fate of events, it was Sandy Hook that actually gave the public the first indication of Kesha not being as free as she should be. In a deleted tweet she addressed the radio boycott of her single ‘Die Young’ after the incident, saying she did not want to sing the song and was in fact “forced to”. Unfortunately, it’s music like ‘Die Young’ and her other singles that have made the biggest impression on the public, and that same music is the exact style she wants to stray away from. Being a big fan of Kesha has allowed me to witness the true spectrum of her talent, but unfortunately not everyone else has had the same exposure. We need to appreciate her as one of the most important artists and public figures we have in our society - considering how much she has done for abuse victims recently, there’s no telling of what she can achieve next, and I am somehow even prouder of her than usual. Words: Liam Austen Design: Rachel Burke NERVE | 29
If you have an idea FOR A NEW CLUB OR SOCIETY that you’d like to setup for September 2016 now is the time TO SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS. You can do that via our SUBU website here http://www.subu.org.uk/startaclub or come and talk to Chris and Jen ON THE SECOND FLOOR of Student Centre.
Skip ahead if you haven’t seen the last season of GOT
warning
Are you ready for season 6? The Finale of Season 5 left a lot of Game of Thrones characters in grave peril, and left the audience with a lot of questions. Stannis Baratheon, who has sacrificed everything, including his only child at the advice of Lady Mellisandre, led an army of too few men to their deaths and potentially his own at the hands of Brienne of Tarth. Was this Mellisandre’s plan all along, or a lapse in judgement on her part?
Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen is confronted by a sea of angry Dothraki who still blame her for the death of their King, Drogo. There is not a soul around to help her, apart from her reluctant, wounded dragon. Meanwhile back in Mereen, Daenerys’ small council scramble desperately to keep the city from tearing itself to shreds, after the Queen goes missing, leaving Tyrion to act as her stand in to rule a city he has no idea about.
Cersei’s return from her religious prison may lead to the extinction of the Faith in an attempt at vengeance, although Tommen may not prove a strong enough King to be able to do so, since his beloved Margery and her brother Loras still await trial in the dank, gruesome cells of the Faith. The prophecy given to Cersei at the beginning
of season five, telling her that all three of her children will die on the throne appears to have been correct, as both Joffrey and now Myrcella have been killed, interestingly both at the hands of poison. Is Tommen safe or will the prophecy soon catch up with him too? The biggest question that audiences had after the finale was can Jon
Sansa Stark may have literally jumped to her death along with Theon Greyjoy to escape the tyranny of her husband, Ramsay Bolton. It looks doubtful they will survive the fall, but even if they do, the pair might still not escape Ramsay’s clutches. In Braavos, Sansa’s long lost sister Arya doesn’t appear to be doing so well either, after all the progress she has made in the House of Black and White thrown away during her vengeful murder of Meryn Trant, causing the Many Faced God to blind her for her ignorance.
Snow possibly be dead? Would the show kill off one of its most liked characters? While the answer is uncertain and it doesn’t look good for Jon, it looks even worse for Westeros… and those white walkers. Goodness. Game of Thrones Season Six promises a lot, with Bran Stark set to return to the screen after presumably training with the One Eyed Raven. The
Sons of the Harpy may finally be in a position to reclaim Mereen in Daenerys’ absence. We can also look forward to more epic battles during this season. The White Walkers have been working stealthily, amassing a great army, and perhaps soon moving towards Westeros. Words: Shannon Reeve Design: Rachel Burke Images: HBO
NERVE | 31
Just before their summer tour kicks off, NERVE Magazine caught up with Molotov Jukebox’s multi-talented lead singer NAT TENA to talk everything from Tropical Gypsy, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and learning to play the accordion.
I
t’s not often that I get to say the words singer, actress and accordion all in one sentence, but Natalia Tena definitely takes the idea of a ‘triple threat’ to new heights. If she’s not on stage playing the accordion and singing her heart out for thousands, then she’s in the midst of Winterfell fighting for survival with the Stark family. But between some incredible acting gigs, Nat has been making her stamp on the music world. “It was the Secret Garden Party and I got gastritis and I literally thought I was going to shit myself on stage. I literally said on the mic, I’m not dancing that much this time because something might come out of me.” Nat begins to tell me one of her self-proclaimed most embarrassing moments experienced on stage. Undoubtedly not her fondest memory but she laughs it off anyway. It’s nice to see how down to earth she is as she shares some of her biggest moments, and it makes me wonder how her transition from acting to music began. “The dream of having a band was something that I left behind when I left school. I was like, it’s just not going to happen. Then I met Sam (her violinist) in this other band and we fell in love; we escaped that band and built our own and our own musical family from that.” Putting those different sounds and personalities together wasn’t all smooth sailing. “We’ve had about 18 different musicians that have come and gone and come and left and the last member of our band joined last year; we got a new drummer and now we feel like we’ve got, (finally), the perfect team to do the job.” The team have come along way and grown a rather dedicated fan
NERVE | 32
base, with the new album being made entirely by and for pledges. With their sound being coined by fans as GypStep, the new album incorporates both the Gypsy and Tropical elements combined, hence the title Tropical Gypsy. Nat explains the creative process.
job its like ‘uh oh’. Is it gonna tip the balance of the other one.”
“I think this time all of our songs are more thought out, they’re fuller. The orchestration is definitely more mature and it’s more focused. I think ‘Carnival Flower’ was kind of a schizophrenic album, because we had old songs, new songs, soft songs… all the songs that we have this time are more focused.”
“I think I relate more to Tonks, but Tonks is more like a younger me. But I’m more of a Tonks. There is a lot of Osha in me as well, you know like, that kind of feral person. I can be quite feral, especially during festival season.”
Nat Tena plays the accordion in the group, so whilst we were all playing an out-of-tune frère jacquard on the recorder, she had bigger things in mind. It was after working with a
“I got gastritis and I literally thought I was going to shit myself on stage.” theatre company called New High, that she was introduced to it. “The woman was like, ‘everyone pick an instrument’ and I saw the baby accordion. And for that job I had learnt to trapeze and I was like ‘can I play the accordion on a trapeze’ and she was said ‘absolutely’. I was like ‘can I have nipple tassels’ and she was like ‘yep’. So that was a great show to be part of, but that’s where the passion started.” But although Nat has made her imprint on the music scene, she isn’t done with acting; she performs a juggling act between them and often is faced with the difficult decision of choosing between the two. “It feels like when I get good news for either
Best known for her roles as Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter and feral Osha in Game of Thrones, Nat tells me which character she identifies with.
With the return of Game of Thrones looming, there were so many questions I wanted the answer to, but it was one thing in particular that was really bugging me. The last time I checked, Osha and Riccon Stark said they were headed for Castle Black, and since then various characters have arrived there before them, so I had to find out where they were. Did they get lost? “I think we’ve gone on holiday. I think we’re like, fuck this, let’s go to Majorca and sunbathe, because there is so much hassle happening. I may be training him up. Maybe I’m going to be making him into a massive warrior.” So no clear reason for their disappearance has yet been clarified, but Nat has her own hopes of what it means. “I mean hopefully it will be revealed, and hopefully by the end I’ll be queen. No one would expect it.” Since pretty much anything is possible in that show, it wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen. However, Nat expressed who she felt should get the Iron Throne. “I think Brienne deserves it. You know what, fuck it! I know she’s not
PHOTO CREDIT: DREW COX
PHOTO CREDIT: DREW COX
royal blood or anything, but I heard an amazing theory that Jon Snow’s mum is actually a Targaeryan, so he is the embodiment of ice and fire, and he should actually go on the iron throne. I’d quite like a woman to sit on the throne - I’m a bit of a feminist.”
brand new album Tropical Gypsy, which is out on the 15th of April and the start of their tour which runs all the way through April and beyond. “I literally can’t wait for April it’s going to be amazing!”
Everyone is desperate to know what GOT has up its sleeve but Nat’s lips were sealed. “I know some bits, but I’m not allowed to say anything, because the weight of HBO will come down on me. Also because now especially, the series is overtaking the books, there was less secrecy before, but now it’s like proper proper secret. Everything is secret so I’m going to find out with everyone else what the deal is and I’m really excited, I can’t wait for the next one.”
You and me both Nat, you and me both.
With April now here, it will not only see the return of Game of Thrones, but will also see the drop of their
NERVE | 34
WORDS: RENEE BAILEY DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN IMAGERY: DREW COX
JOSEF SALVAT Australian singer-songwriter JOSEF SALVAT, who now proudly resides in the UK, caught up with NERVE magazine to talk about his new debut album ‘Night Swim’.
WORDS & DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN
“Everybody’s like ‘the weather, why’d you come to the UK?’ but music is why I’m here.” The idea of London for Josef was inviting as the music that was coming out at the time was inviting; the lies of Amy Winehouse and Paul Epworth’s genius. Music wasn’t always what Josef initially set out to do from the beginning. In fact, he studied law at university, but explained that it wasn’t the path he initially was thinking to go down. He put my mind at ease in all honesty; all students are pretty much the same and it was nice to know that he was as ‘human’ as anyone else. “If I liked something, I was really good at it, if I didn’t I was shockingly bad at it. My transcripts from law schools had a few 51’s there and a few 99’s; it just depended on what I liked.” “It’s funny; I did law not because I wanted to do law, I did law because my parents were kind of arty. That made for a fairly unstable childhood in a lot of ways. It was a little bit like an act of rebellion, going to law school. My parents didn’t really want me to go, but I just thought, ‘Oh fuck you guys’.” Josef doesn’t regret going to law school, because he did meet some amazing people who are now currently his friends for life, but in the same breath it’s
something that he’d never do again. In terms of his music Josef’s sound is very bittersweet; his upbeat tones and pop beats are underpinned with a lot of dark lyrics that tell a significant story. “Life is full of tragedy, but it’s also full of the most amazing stuff. Often those two things are happening at the same time. I find that fascinating and I find how we as human beings take that in our stride a joy.”
“EVEN IN THE DARKEST TIMES YOU CAN FIND A LITTLE BIT OF JOY, BUT THEN AGAIN, HAPPINESS IS SUCH A FADING EMOTION.” “Even in the darkest times you can find a little bit of joy. But then again happiness is such a fading emotion; there’s a sense of cruelty at the end of happiness when it disappears and I find that interesting. Unconsciously I try to do that in a lot of my songs.” Artists like David Bowie did that, and even Sia does that with a lot of her songs. “They could talk about the darkest shit and have the sugariest melodies. I think that’s great pop.” In terms of writing his own
music, he enjoys how it takes him away from reality and from all the “shit” that he’s got to do. This is his form of getaway whilst other people choose to meditate and go to the gym for example. “I’m not good at doing normal shit that successful people do in their lives, like as normal humans. Making music and writing songs allows me to do that.” Whilst talking about his album, I asked whether people were excited to hear his collection of work; he beamed at the fact I didn’t frame it in the standard, mechanical way he was so used to hearing. “Loads of people keep saying ‘oh the album’s coming out are you excited?’ and I guess maybe they mean exactly what you said. I’m not really excited that the album’s out; I’m incredibly excited for people to hear me in a full context all together. I’m excited for the process in which people can hear my music over time and that doesn’t tend to happen on release day.” Josef is focusing on touring his new album, and performing at a ton of festivals this summer, but also getting back to his comfort of writing some new tunes. Keep a look out for him, and be sure to listen to ‘Night Swim’!
NERVE’S ‘GET TO KNOW’ IN FOUR QUESTIONS BEST SONG TO GET READY TO? Dua Lipa – Be the One
SIGNITURE DISH YOU LIKE TO MAKE? Roast, or a good spag bol.
TOP THREE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY? The first thing that popped in my head was really fucking dark, this is NOT my answer but cigarettes (laughs). Seriously though my dog, my friends and writing music.
ADVICE TO STUDENTS WANTING TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS/ FUTURE CAREER? I would just say, start. Also I wasted a lot of time because I was worried that I didn’t fit the mold and I wish someone would’ve told me that’s exactly where I should start, because no one is interested in you ‘fitting in’. Your unique set of life experiences gives you a particular perspective, and if you’re passionate about something, that’s all that counts.
FAVOURTIE FILM/ TV SERIES? Um, that tacky show called The 100. It’s so shit. I like to watch stuff like House of Cards but good political stuff like that don’t come around that often.
NERVE | 37
MARVEL
V
The appeal of Marvel movies lies almost entirely in its light hearted nature, and whilst DC might have amazing villains, it’s Marvel’s heroes that are most memorable, as it should be with any superhero film. Whilst Marvel’s Avengers series seems to be heading in a serious direction full of realism, their fun movies balance that out so well. Guardians of the Galaxy and Deadpool have done brilliantly, because they balance the superhero tropes with brilliant dialogue and comedy, while still managing to exact an emotional response from their audience; something DC clearly lacks in their attempt for a “realistic” superhero film. After all, it was this realism that made ‘Man of Steel’ a disappointment. People were expecting the fun and hopeful Superman from the original comic books. The cinematic universe that Marvel is building also extends further than the tentative universe DC is beginning to set out. Sure, Marvel have had some flops, but their successes reach way further than those of DC. The upcoming roster of films from Marvel is so exciting! Captain Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy II and of course, the films they’ve been working tirelessly for, Avengers: Infinity War. This incredibly impressive slate of films is something that Marvel has been building up for since 2008’s Iron Man and it’s paying off incredibly well for the studio, as their ensemble cast movies are now making billions and most importantly, making their movies fun for their audience.
NERVE | 38
W
S
DC COMICS
Batman VS Superman is a movie with a huge amount of potential, the latest movie that places the most powerful comic book hero Superman, against the most recognisable and cinematically successful of Batman. DC Comics have had many instances in which the two have come to blows; most notably from Frank Millar’s The Dark Knight Returns comic books. From the trailers alone, it appears we are about to see an extremely comic-book faithful encounter of the two pop culture heavyweights.
WORDS: REECE SHREWSBURY & SHANNON REEVE | DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN
The second DC release of this year, Suicide Squad, is offering us a look at the characters which show the clearest example of DC’s advantage over Marvel… its villains. Suicide Squad’s ensemble cast highlights DC’s amazing roster with every character being multi-layered, interesting and able to carry a major blockbuster feature. DC’s villains outweigh the mediocre offerings of Marvel, who constantly recycle the same worn out narrative and kill off almost every villain that its heroes encounter. We want to see these people; they’re the conflict, the reason the heroes have to take up arms and fight and Marvel wastes most of its villains by giving them poor motivation and predictable deaths. One villain stands superior is of course The Joker. Joker stands above the crowd of villains, with amazing actors bringing the Clown Prince of Crime to life. Leto’s Joker is undeniably bold, and we can’t wait to see him. NERVE | 39
THEIL REVIEW APR NERVE’S PICKS OF EVERYTHING ENTERTAINMENT
by ROB CAIN
FILM BATMAN VS SUPERMAN
Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, the first phase in a planned franchise, is a textbook example of how not to construct a cinematic universe. Picking up several months after Man of Steel’s climax, Batman (Ben Affleck), who was present in the battle of Metropolis, begins to hold an animosity towards Superman. The plot is an absolute mess; bouncing between numerous scenes and locations in a bloated, overzealous rush, BVS can never tell a cohesive story effectively. There’s little development to be found here and the film’s desperate ploys to set up a universe always get in the way. The characters of Batman Vs Superman are established poorly and the film suffers greatly for it. Henry Cavill is neglected the most here, doing little to progress Superman forward. Gal Gadot gives a serviceable but limited opening performance as Wonder Woman while Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor is annoying and utterly unthreatening. Ben Affleck makes for a great Batman though; contrary to all the naysayers, he encapsulates the more grizzled vigilante with ease. Batfleck is brilliant and it definitely looks pretty, but Batman v Superman really is one of the most incoherent, inconsequential and incomprehensible messes ever put onto the big screen.
by GEORGE MCMILLAN
GIG MATT CORBY
Performing just one day after the release of his debut album “Telluric” Matt Corby had a lot to deliver and he didn’t disappoint. Corby eased the crowd into his newly explored neopsychedelic style, transporting the room back 50 years with shoegazing riffs overlapping each other creating a warm foundation of melodies whilst Corby’s crisp vocals cut through silencing the audience. He had the audience captivated after a solo performance of “Monday” using only a loop pedal and a bed of vocal harmonies gradually built up, everyone’s eyes were fixated on the stage whilst their mouths gaped wide open in amazement. Corby and the band then played a mixture of old and new songs with classics like “Resolution” and “Brother” being notable favourites from the crowd who screamed the lyrics back. They then embarked on an epic extended version of “Souls A’fire” which was met with a deafening applause; it did nothing but heighten the already electric atmosphere in the room. If one thing’s for certain, Matt Corby is definitely one to watch in 2016.
ALBUM YOU’RE A MAN NOW BOY
by ALIYAH ALLEN
Raleigh Ritchie’s new album is THE perfect collection of work. No skippable tracks are apparent here, just pure good music. Not only does every song tell a story and build upon Raleigh’s life, it helps tell of his vulnerability as a person; issues about love, pain and his own anxieties are expertly explored and it gives for a refreshing listen, offering a different outlook on things. Some of my favourite tracks on the album have such touching lyrics that genuinely make you think about life in a different light. ‘I’m not growing up, I’m ageing’ from the song ‘You’re A Man Now Boy’, really makes you sit and ponder about the time that you are currently experiencing in your life; deep yes, but nothing short from the truth. This album is the perfect balance between British R&B, dreamy ballads and pop; there’s something for everyone on here, no doubt about it. Stormzy features on the upbeat track of ‘Keep it Simple’ which has an all too catchy chorus.
by JASMINE ALOMA
ALBUM UNTITLED UNMASTERED
Raleigh Ritchie is deserving of the Iron throne. Maybe he should be the one to sit there. With To Pimp a Butterfly setting the world alight, it seemed pretty hard for Lamar to top such a highly acclaimed album. The opening of the album is gripping, with Lamar’s standard production and flow opening the album. Lamar standout ability to shape and adapt his voice track by track is formidable, showing a range most of his competitors simply can’t match. ‘untitled 03 05.28.2013’ is a catchy, uplifting addition, whilst ‘untitled 06 06.30.2014’, featuring an appearance from Cee Lo Green, is definitely radio-worthy. ’untitled 7 2014 2016’ is a notable track, with production from Alicia Key’s eight year old, Egypt. For fans of TPAB, this album works as a great refresher to remember the innovation and talent of such an artist. Lamar has nothing really to prove but untitled unmastered. just works as a testament to why he is on the rise.
by MICHAEL COX
ALBUM THE LIFE OF PABLO TLOP is West’s latest studio chapter that is once again like no other. This album is consciously disjointed as a whole, from the gospel anthem in ‘Ultralight Beam’ to the charty ‘Waves’ through to the lyrical besiege on ‘No Parties in LA’, this album is essentially a sonic timeline of Kanye West’s discography.
-
The immodesty of Kanye is evident throughout the album, ‘I Love Kanye’ is, however, one that sympathises with fans as he raps, “I used to love Kanye, I even had the pink Polo, I thought I was Kanye”. For a brief moment West identifies that his character and ego has evolved from the dorky new kid on the block to the self-proclaimed “Yeezus”. ‘30 Hours’ is production sibling to West’s ‘Drive Slow’, which reflects on a past relationship, with the help of Andre 3000 and production from Metro Boomin. The primary feeling of the album is that Kanye is only warming up. studio album, Turbo Grafx 16, is due out later this year.
a
IS ANIMATION REALLY FOR KIDS T
o put it simply; not a chance in hell. I’m also pretty sure that’s not how you are supposed start an educated, balanced article but I’m opinionated, love animation far too much and it’s just the way I roll. Of course there’s a thousand and one reasons to defend my counter argument that animation is just as much for adults as it is for kids but I have a limited word count’ and a man can only scream out “I LOVE DISNEY” and run around the room singing ‘Colours of The Wind’ for a feasible amount of time, so grab your tea and bourbons and we’ll begin.
are so complex, surreal and otherworldly that I’m pretty sure Karen from Basingstoke wouldn’t want her little darlings having a look at.
When I hear “animation” what shoots to mind is Disney Classics, DreamWorks, Aardman and countless others, but that’s simply just scratching the surface for what animation can encompass, for example anime. Anime can be for children, but I can probably only think of a few of the mainstream cartoons like ‘Naruto’, ‘Pokémon’ and ‘Dragon Ball Z’ if that even counts. Of course I have seen ‘Spirited Away’ and stand by the fact that everyone in the world should watch it because it’s just plain awesome, but overall I’m an anime novice. I’ve been told a lot isn’t child friendly and from what I’ve seen there’s more sex and gore, with storylines that
How anyone cannot like Disney is beyond me. When I was younger it was all I wanted to watch and now as an adult (mostly), the love I have for the films hasn’t changed. The reason
What I will say, (before I go all fan girl) is that in its simplest and most generic form, some animation can be seen as just for children. The simple storylines, bright colours, dependence on comedy and focus on the ‘happy ending’ are there to engage the smallest and least developed of minds. I believe that good animation engages with these tropes but goes beyond them too.
on face value, but what Disney productions do is tap into people’s deeprooted emotions. We’ve all felt every emotion going and gone through relatively the same milestones in our lives, so seeing these themes channeled into these ‘kids’ films is why they emotionally resonate so deeply. But really, who hasn’t cried at the opening of ‘UP’? Who hasn’t looked on in horror as Scar throws Mufasa off a cliff into a herd of stampeding wilder beast and then racked themselves with heavy sobs when Simba begs him to just wake up? Who doesn’t literally question whether they’ll ever be the same again whilst
storylines and characters entertain children on face value, but what Disney productions do is tap into people’s deep-rooted emotions. for that I think, is that they are so much more than children’s animation films; they channel universal themes, issues and lessons and blend them with magical, fantastical storylines and characters. They entertain children
watching ‘Toy Story 3’ as the toys edge closer and closer to an incinerator with no hopes of escape? WHO? Just me? Oh. But it’s not just Disney that does this; I think that animation, (and I mean good animation), should
Words: Adam Seers Design: Agata Winiarska
make us feel and think just as much as live action, if not more because it has no dependence on the restrictions that are real life. Just because their primary audience is made up of children, it doesn’t mean that they are being made specially for children. Then again, everyone has an opinion, so whilst you mull this over, I’m going to watch ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ for the 100th time and sing every song very badly and enjoy myself.
Sat 11th June
TICKETS ON SALE NOW PRICE: ÂŁ37 (Includes return transport to the site) OUTLETS Website - subu.org.uk Talbot Campus - SUBU Reception & Santander Bank Lansdowne Campus - The Engine Room
/thesubusummerball @SUBUsummerball
Words: Daisy-Carling Rose Design: Pamela Odumusi
FROM CATWALK TO CAMPUS
Khaki Plunge Bodysuit River Island, £25
Dark Indigo Ripped Leigh Jeans Topshop, £40
Khloe Kardashian
Don’t forget student discount!
Oversized Hoop Earrings Topshop, £6.50
Danielle’s actual dress and lipstick! Danielle Armstrong
Vegan lipstick!
Mia Pointed Court Heels Boohoo, £22
Nude Matte Liquid Lipstick Makeup Monsters Cosmetics, £14.99 @hookedupshop.co.uk
Billy Faiers Black Bandage Lace Up Front Dress InTheStyle, £37 NERVE | 45
the
blogging ARE BLOGS SLOWLY OVERTAKING PRINT MAGAZINES?
T
here are so many magazines that I hope will never follow in the footsteps of The Independent and become completely digital. However, it’s inevitable that this is something that will only increase. People simply aren’t enjoying flicking through material pages anymore, when everything is easier, cheaper and smartphone friendly on the internet. Does the problem lie in magazines themselves? Are they still coming up with original content that readers are willing to pay for? Over the past few years, blogging has really gained momentum and entered the mainstream. There are said to be nearly 200 million blogs on the internet, with every single niche catered for. Magazines used to delve into the latest fashion trends, the finest beauty products and heart warming real-life stories - do we still need weekly or monthly magazines when we can find similarly put together blog posts, which are free?
“I must admit, there’s nothing quite like buying a magazine and flicking through the pages with a cup of tea. You don’t quite get the same thing with a blog.” SCARLETT DIXON We spoke to established blogger and BU graduate Scarlett Dixon about the ongoing issue, she said: “I’m not sure blogs will ever overtake traditional media altogether but they certainly offer something more ‘real’ - and readers enjoy that. In the way that magazines are mediated, edited and ‘glossy’, blogs are a raw version of someone’s life.” NERVE | 46
Media organisations have grasped onto this trend, with many running various social media platforms to create a strong online presence alike to the top bloggers such as Chiara Ferragni or Chriselle Lim. Magazines like ELLE and Vogue have become brands - they run Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and even Periscope accounts. Many of the magazine’s online sites now have a blogging feel to them, with quickly updated and informative sections being created. Both forms of media come with pros and cons, and it could be that each form simply suits different people. Blogs and digital media are portable, you can read it on a smartphone or tablet and carry it everywhere. Magazines can be irritating to carry around with you but they do act as a form of escapism after a hard day, especially after a long, eye straining day at the computer screen. Another angle for the big switch to blogging is cost efficiency, which is something that award-winning blogger of ‘ThePixieCut,’ Laura Humphris picked up on when we spoke to her: “We can access so much more now on the internet and it’s cheaper than spending sometimes up to £4 on a magazine.” Readers are now saving money by not purchasing magazines, but PR
companies are also cashing in. An advertisement in Glamour magazine can cost upwards of £20,000, but PR companies can now get a similar response through sending a press sample to a blogger for review purposes. There will always be individuals who enjoy holding a magazine in their hands, rather than staring at a screen. However, the surge from print to digital is inevitable, and many media outlets are already preparing for it… Which side are you on?
big
questions IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR FUTURE BLOGGERS? o, what if you want to set up your own blog? Do you have a chance of success in such a saturated industry? With the huge, and growing, amount of bloggers that specialise in fashion, beauty or even smaller branches inside those categories, it can seem difficult, or even worthless to start your own blog in this 21st century digital-frenzy we are currently in. Well, you don’t have to set up a blog simply for success. Many people do blog full time and make enough money but it can easily be just a hobby. It’s a fantastic way to meet new people, gain experiences and improve your creativity, not just a fast-track to making money.
Laura Humphris www.thepixiecut.co.uk
Don’t set your goal as competing
with the big bloggers, you may be part of the crowded community but you still have something of value to share! Laura Humphris advised: “Find something that works for you and flaunt it.” Utilise social media and make new friends. Scarlett Dixon told us that she “found the blogging community to be the most supportive that I’ve ever come across”, which is certainly a good sign for budding bloggers. Last but not least, some more tips from Scarlett and Laura on setting up your blog:
different person behind each one.” Laura: “Be yourself, be consistent, but have fun. Just enjoy it, because you are building up something for you and if something good comes out of it, then it’s a bonus!” So, there we have it, of course there is room for new bloggers - but just enjoy yourself and show your determination. Words: Ashleigh Kybert Design: Rachel Burke
Scarlett: “Start writing about what you love, make sure your passion shows and let your personality shine through. The thing that makes blogs so unique is that there is a
Scarlett Dixon www.scarlettlondon.com
S
NERVE | 47
diversity
(or not)
in the modelling industry
T
he modelling industry, the epitome of glamour and fame. Well, that’s what we used to think. Over the recent years it has become more apparent of how tough this career path really is. From Kendall Jenner’s alleged bullying, to the fat shaming of models such as Barbara Palvin, we are slowly starting to see cracks in something that once seemed so perfect. Recently, Leomie Anderson was just another model to find difficulty within the industry. The British model who has worked for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Victoria Secret, tweeted her dismay when she discovered her allocated makeup artist at NYFW awkwardly mixing foundation shades instead of using one that matched her skin tone. And why was this? The un-experienced make-up artist shockingly only had one shade of brown foundation, which clearly wasn’t the right shade. Anderson didn’t hold back her feelings, documenting her experience on her twitter page. Posts included images of multiples shades of white foundations and stylists attempting to control a black female’s hair. Can you blame her? I am not sure which confuses me most; the fact that the make-up artist was so unequipped at one of the most professional prestigious fashion events, or the fact that she offered to do Leomie’s make-up knowing she only had one shade. It’s shocking that we live in the 21st century, yet ludicrous things like this still happen in the fashion industry. Sadly this isn’t the first and won’t be the last time a black model has been wrongly treated in the make-up chair. Last year model
NERVE | 48
champ, Jourdan Dunn, announced that she had been subjected to wearing wigs due to lack of care taken to her hair. After numerous styling sessions by so many who simply had no experience in styling ‘afro hair’, Jourdan was left with
little to no hair around her hairline. It has often been stated that it’s harder to be black in the model industry, and this demonstrates just that. Why should someone have to worry about others doing their job correctly when they’ve got their own to focus on? In the past, Jourdan has also explained her experience with make-up artists whom simply have no idea how to do black make-up, and often found herself using her own foundations in the bathroom trying to fix the mess the ‘so called’ professionals had made. Since her foundation incident, Leomie has now posted a video online entitled ‘The Black Model Survival Kit’, where she shows tips and tricks she’s picked up along the way. Examples include: taking your own concealer palette, hair oil and even your own nude underwear. The video makes it evidently clear that black models have to go through a lot more than most, with Leomie proving they always have to be prepared. Speaking to the newly qualified make-up artist Marisa Miceli, I was told how she often finds herself turning away clients as she simply has no training in doing any other skin tones apart from white. When Marisa questioned this, her teacher explained that these skills are not a necessity, as there was little diversity within the class. A fairly outdated and ignorant response. Not all make-up artists are clueless when it comes to this issue, some are perfectly capable of doing their job properly, and those who don’t are not always to blame. However, in this day and age all hair and make-up artists should be fully trained and prepared for anyone – whether that person is black, white, or any complexion in-between. Words: Megan Horton
BEHIND THE SCENES AT LFW F
EMILIA WICKSTEAD
ebruary - that time of year again - where fashion lovers from around the world wear their best statement pieces and come together to sit in awe at the collections coming our way in around 6 months’ time. The fashion team at NERVE, however, wanted to take it that little bit further and find out exactly what was in store, so we went to where the action really happens: backstage. We had the opportunity to check out Emilia Wickstead – the New Zealand-born, Milan raised, firmly established London designer whose pieces are worn by Suki Waterhouse, Caitlin Fitzgerald and not to mention, a favourite of The Duchess of Cambridge. Buzzing with reporters, photographers, models and of course, Emilia and her entourage, we took cautious steps around the dressing room for sneak previews. Each piece lay perfectly aligned, along with the model card, identifying which six-foot tall, long legged model is wearing what garment. Each, may we add, with a pair of Charlotte Olympia shoes provided for the show. Renowned for her classic tailoring, soft designs and floor length gowns, the AW16 collection did not disappoint. Here’s what’s in store:
THICK, LUXURY, COZY TEXTURES
Wide-legged trousers & dusky, rich, wintery hues However, Emilia didn’t stray too far away from the light, romantic pastels, as well as long, voluminous dresses and skirts
The show showed us that the force of the traditional red lip is still going strong, as make-up and hair stayed simple and sweet, by make-up artists Chantecaille, Petros Petrohilos, and the models rocked a low pony for the hair by L’Oreal.
WORDS: DAISY CARLING-ROSE | DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN
NERVE | 49
WORDS: IMOGEN CORK | DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN
BOMBER JACKETS ARE DA BOMB
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER
There’s no denying the return of the turtleneck, in every colour and every material. Get them under your blazers, wear them teamed with casual leather jacket, and sport them with long overcoats. Nobody looks bad in the turtleneck – they’re a new season musthave.
MENS
SPRING STYLE '16 They’ve been around for a few seasons now, but the bomber is only becoming bolder. Think intricate embroidery, abstract prints and sportier vibes. The bomber is a great statement piece that can lift any outfit. Pair with sneakers for day attire, or brogues for an evening ensemble.
Green in particular is taking center stage. Featured on the hottest catwalks, bring the big stakes to the Bournemouth streets. Stand out from the crowd; pop a bit of shamrock green via a pocket square or perhaps choose more of a statement, with an all over suit in a darker olive. Make sure you’re dressing green to be top of the fashion scene.
SEE CLEARLY NOW SS16 IS HERE
HOT UNDER THE COLLAR
URBAN
The Urban landscapes of Tokyo, New York and London have always been aesthetically pleasing but now you can showcase them yourself. Take the idea of patterns to the next level and pair with a turtleneck or smart shirt. This trend is an instant outfit boost.
Want to instantly look class and suave? Invest in a new pair of fashion specs, as they are the accessories to have right now – and the chunkier the frame the better. Think dipped turquoise shell, bold patterns. Or alternatively, opt for a round, aluminum minimalist pair; either or, they’re the perfect add to any outfit.
SPRING STYLE '16 WORDS: GEORGIA RD | DESIGN: ALIYAH ALLEN
WOMENS
BARING ALL
SHAKE YOUR POM POMS
Embrace the ‘shoulders out’ style with these playful and on-trend tops from New Look. This incredibly flattering cutout works extremely well as a day time casual number, or can be paired with heels for a night out.
This Topshop wonder takes the faux-fur Pom-Pom trend from the key ring to the ears. This fun accessory will be sure to add some excitement to your outfit.
LIL' COLOUR NEVER HURT
White Top, New Look, £12.99
Add a pop of colour to your springtime look with this eye-catching yellow suede skirt from Miss Selfridge. Bright, rainbow shades were spotted all over the catwalks and this skirt teams well for either a day-time casual ensemble, or equally as great for a party piece. Skirt, Miss Selfridge, £28.00.
THESE WERE MADE FOR WALKIN'
These beautiful embroidered jeans are the perfect way to take you from Winter to Summer in style. With the added bonus of your student discount, the splurge is well worth the investment. High street D&G style florals never looked so good.
FLORAL FANCIES The prairie dress was seen all across SS16 catwalks, from Erdem to Alexander McQueen to Valentino. Recreate the look with this H&M pastel chiffon midi. The ditsy and delicate floral’s on this high street dress will give you the perfect spring-time look.
Combining the highshine fabric trend with the backpack, this magical metallic bag is the winning accessory to finish off your spring look. Perfect for glamming up your uni essentials inside.
MAGIC IN METALLIC
Backpack, ASOS, £22.00
NERVE | 51
fashion on
to a worldwide From a small town girl ift is a living example Sw phenomenon, Taylor ed. And here she is, of all the #goals combin r while donning a chic eve as t looking as elegan after party. Not to black gown at the Oscars and bangs – love! bob new y sex mention her
Jennifer Lawrence was nothing short of perfection in this custom-made Dior gown. Even though our darling JLaw didn’t celebrate a victory that night, seeing her shine on the red carpet already brings us lots of joy.
There’s no doubt Cate Blanchett is a red carpet royalty, not only known for her bold career moves but also her enviable style. Although Cate didn’t take home an Academy Award this year, she definitely had the winning look on the Oscars red carpet for us.
Words: Alexandra Pehako Design: Rachel Burke
and breathtakingly Fashionable, confident rgot Robbie in 3 Ma beautiful – yes, that’s star looked better ad Squ e cid Sui The . words Academy Awards the g lkin wa than ever while dess in this god a red carpet, reminiscing masterpiece. d For Tom d ore tail y impeccabl
Oozing with confidence and charm, Brie Larson took our breath away in this cobal t-blue Gucci gown. Not only stylish and funny, but now an Academy Award winner, too? Watc h out Jennifer, there’s a new it-girl in town !
Follow @bu_fashionsociety for some extra fashion inspo!
GET READY
R
E FOR THE SUMM
EVERY FRIDAY IT’S LOLLIPOP STUDENTS ONLY* 10PM-3AM, £3 STUDENT ANTHEMS, SU DRINK CHECK THE WEEKLY GALLE BOOK YOUR GROUP/FLAT
S PRICES & MORE
RIES! FB.COM/SUBU.TOFS
WWW.OLDFIRESTATION.CO.U
K
The varsity view women’s tennis In the latest installment of our inaugural feature, NERVE spoke to one of sportBU’s varsity team captains. In this edition Jason Lewis spoke to women’s tennis 1st team captain, Ashleigh Cattle, after a successful year on court for BU. Coming into the new varsity season back in September there was a sense of genuine expectation for success amongst the tennis set up at BU. Last year saw the team narrowly miss out on the Western 1A title to Exeter. BU’s record of seven wins, one draw and two defeats came up just short in comparison to Exeter’s undefeated campaign of eight wins and two draws. The goal was to return to the Premier League, in Ashleigh’s own words: “Back where we belong.”
NERVE | 54
The team has shown a ruthless efficiency in their league matches. Not a single defeat from their 10 regular season fixtures. Over the opening fixtures of the season the team picked up a flawless 12-0 win over Swansea, and back-to-back 10-2 wins over Southampton and Cardiff respectively, as they began the season with three away fixtures. With freshers joining the group of tennis players at BU across the four teams, two men’s and two women’s, Ashleigh accepts the responsibility of
building a strong team ethic. “It is important to show the rest of the team, especially the freshers, that it is a huge privilege being selected to represent your university and that we want to work as hard as we can to achieve the best we can. It is also about having fun so it’s good not to be too serious though!” This paid off with the fine start to the season and despite successive draws either side of the Winter break to Bristol and Exeter, Bournemouth looked well on their way to achieving their target of topping the Western 1A table.
The team showed no sign of letting up however, beating Swansea and gaining a walkover against Southampton. Despite this excellent record, the BU side knew that they still needed a positive result in their final match at home to Cardiff, as their Welsh opponents had just one defeat to their name. The team did not feel the pressure though, ending the league season how they started, with a 12-0 victory. Reflecting on the regular season Ashleigh is proud of her team’s success in the face of adversity. “The team has faced a lot of setbacks (operations and injuries), but we have still managed to stay positive throughout the year and maintain top of the league without losing a single match.”
varsity tennis side seems likely. Ashleigh puts the success of this season down to a balance that seems common across the varsity set up at BU. “I believe the key to being a successful team is having fun and enjoying what you do! If everyone is in high spirits, on and off the court, then the team will perform better as a whole.” Moreover, as with previous interviews with varsity captains it appears Ashleigh thrives in being part of the sportBU varsity family, going on to say: “Being part of a sports team is definitely the highlight of university for me, Wednesday is the day to look forward to in the week. “The best part of being a member of a varsity team is
100% the people. Everyone has one thing in common, they love sport which I feel is the main reason why everyone gets along so well and stays friends even after university.” With the whole season coming down to just a handful of matches, more specifically probably a handful of points in each rubber, the margin for error could not be smaller. However, winning is a habit and the team go into the playoffs knowing they have every chance of making it back into the Premier League.
Words: Jason Lewis Design: Rachel Burke
Ashleigh’s work as captain is not done. The goal is promotion and that requires a strong performance in the intense play-off fortnight. The side will face the Kent team that finished bottom of the Premier League and the winners of the South East division, LSE, with the overall winners of this three-team mini-league securing a spot in the Premier League for next season. It’s going to be a tough couple of weeks for the team, which offers a diverse and wide mix of the BU student community. Ashleigh explains: “This year there are quite a variety of personalities on the team. We have players from France, Holland, Sweden, Czech Republic, India and Turkey. “There are a lot of freshers as well compared to previous years, which hopefully means the team is looking strong for the future.” So with many of the team likely to be representing BU for years to come, the prospect of more success from the
NERVE | 55
premier lea the race for the title Team
games played
goal difference
points
1
Leicester
31
23
66
2
Tottenham
31
32
61
3
Arsenal
30
18
55
4
Manchester City
30
20
51
After a rollercoaster season, Leicester City sit top of the league, where they’ve been since November. They’ve won 10 away games this season (two more than any other club) and have won four of their last five matches (W4 D1). But for all the praise this remarkable squad has been given, the question is, can they make it over the finish line? If results were replicated to those before Christmas, the Premier League trophy could be lifted in Leicestershire on April 24th if the Foxes beat Swansea at home. However, to assume the job is done would be foolish. Leicester will have to face a Southampton side who have won seven of their last 11 league tests and West Ham who have won three of their last four, including beating Spurs and Everton. Tottenham’s fixtures are undoubtedly the most daunting of the pack, with away trips to Liverpool, Stoke and Chelsea. They also face Newcastle on the last day, arguably their most welcoming fixture on paper, but
Prediction:
the Magpies may need a win on Tyne-Side to remain in the top flight as they continue to battle relegation. Arsenal and Manchester City haven’t played well enough this season. They have been haphazard in crucial fixtures and have lacked quality in the big games. The Citizens have not won back-to-back league games since October and have looked disjointed since the announcement of Pep Guardiola’s succession to Manuel Pellegrini. In their title-winning season two years ago, City had scored 79 goals after 30 games, 27 more than this season and the Sky Blues’ record against the top six has been nothing short of wretched. In fact, their tie against Arsenal in the penultimate fixture will be their last chance to record a win against a top six team where they’ve only managed three points from a possible 21.
hand and they’d surely have to win all eight of their remaining fixtures to be in with a chance of league glory. However, Arsenal’s fixtures are tasteful and the North London side are no strangers to producing a winning run in the latter stages of the season. It’s certainly too early to call the champions; despite Spurs’ Europa League misery, their confident young squad have produced some spectacular performances. The energy and exuberance shown from Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Kyle Walker to name a few, have made Spurs a driving force and if Leicester drop points we’ll be in for a thrilling end to a stunning Premier League season.
Arsenal have lacked a striker to pair Mesut Ozil’s creative brilliance; they now sit 11 points off Leicester with a game in
1st – Leicester City | 2nd – Arsenal | 3rd – Tottenham Hotspur | 4th – Manchester City
ague finale the battle for relegation Team
games played
goal difference
points
15
Swansea
31
-9
36
16
Crystal Palace
30
-8
33
17
Norwich
31
-22
28
18
Sunderland
30
-19
26
19
Newcastle
30
-26
25
20
Aston Villa
31
-36
16
It’s only a matter of time before Aston Villa are mathematically relegated. With an incoherent squad crowded by Manchester City rejects and players that once had potential, manager Remi Garde has failed to find a solution to the mess in the Midlands. The Villans lost 2-0 to Spurs two weeks ago after hitting the framework three times in the last five minutes and when you’re at the bottom, that’s just how it goes. The nail in the coffin came in their most recent fixture at the Liberty Stadium where Swansea trudged to a walking-paced 1-0 victory. At first glance Norwich and Sunderland have the home advantage, only playing three of their remaining games elsewhere from home. Newcastle and Swansea will play four and Crystal Palace will play five. Swansea are ten points clear
Prediction:
of the drop zone but must face Stoke, West Ham and Leicester on the road before the season is up, not to mention welcoming Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City to the Liberty Stadium. That’s six out of their last seven games against top ten opposition. The Swans, however, have won three of their last four top-flight matches and move into the final phase of the season with the brightest form of the bunch. Palace will line up against six of the top eight before they are out of any trouble; West Ham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Southampton will lick their lips spotting the arrival of the Crystal Palace team bus. Norwich will have to tackle away trips to Arsenal and Everton, but during their next three games they will play Newcastle and Sunderland at home, two colossal chances to put some distance between
themselves and the drop zone. Rafa Benitez and Sam Allardyce will both do well to boast Premier League survival on their future CV’s for the 2015/16 season. Sunderland may have more home fixtures but they are blinders; the Black Cats must host Leicester, Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton, needing a result along the bill to save their skins. As Newcastle’s decline spreads like a disease across the NorthEast, positivity can be drawn from the fact they play four of their last eight games against bottom six outfits. The feeling on Tyne-Side is one of nerves; Sunderland have beaten the drop on several occasions and Swansea and Palace are one or two good performances away from safety. Will the ‘Sleeping Giant’ awaken before it’s too late?
18th – Crystal Palace | 19th – Sunderland | 20th – Aston Villa
*All information correct as of 1st April
Words: Michael Cox Design: Rachel Burke
g n i y f i qual review
The qualifiers for France Euro 2016 concluded in November and whilst many of the European giants did as well as expected, there were also many surprises. Dan Bennett reviews the fallout from the action over the last 16 months from across the continent.
Words: Dan Bennett | Design: Rachel Burke
home nations Roy Hodgson’s England team were the best performers of everyone in the qualifiers, not dropping a single point by winning every one of their ten games and finishing on an impressive 30 points. Admittedly, England weren’t faced with the most difficult group, with Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and San Marino as their challengers. But they did what was needed and qualified easily. The European qualifiers also saw Wayne Rooney break Bobby Charlton’s goal, scoring record for England as he scored a penalty in the 2-0 victory over Slovenia at Wembley. England were great in the qualifiers, but whether or not they can do it in a big competition is another matter. Wales qualified for their first major tournament in over 50 years by coming second in their group. Chris Coleman’s side won 6 games out of 10 and will now play in their first European Championships thanks to standout performances from Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey NERVE | 58
and Ashley Williams. Wales’ best result came in a 1-0 home victory against Belgium, where Real Madrid’s man Bale scored the winner. Welsh fans will be wetting their lips with the prospect of beating England in their group at the finals. Many will feel Wales have done well enough simply by qualifying, but Chris Coleman will certainly want to continue his success and take his side further. Like Wales, Northern Ireland managed to surprise many by qualifying for their first ever European Championships. Michael O’Neill’s side topped their group with 21 points and picked up impressive victories over Finland and Greece to top the table. Steven Davis, Gareth McAuley and Kyle Lafferty were instrumental in their side’s success and few expected them to qualify by winning their group. Northern Ireland will be huge underdogs come Euro 2016, but the underdog status has served them well recently and could continue to do so when they face bigger sides next year.
The Republic of Ireland didn’t face quite as much ease in qualifying from their group, but nevertheless they managed to do so by triumphing over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off stages 3-1 on aggregate. Martin O’Neill’s side nearly made it through without the play offs but were beaten to 2nd place by Poland. Assistant manager Roy Keane proved to be a smart appointment to the coaching staff by O’Neill, as his arrival gave the squad the boost they needed to join England, Wales and Northern Ireland at France Euro 2016. Jon Walters’ goals were also a crucial contribution towards qualifying for the Euros. Poor old Scotland. Whilst England, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland all managed to qualify for Euro 2016, Gordon Strachan’s men missed out on the competition, finishing 4th below the Republic of Ireland in group D.
european giants After a disastrous 2014 World Cup which saw Spain crash out in the group stages, the Spaniards look to be back on top form after they topped Group C with 27 points and qualified without major difficulty. Vincent Del Bosque has been in charge since 2008 and has achieved huge success with Spain. They will undoubtedly be one of the favourites to win the competition next year. David De Gea, Gerard Pique and Santi Cazorla to name a few all shone for Spain in the qualifiers in wins such as the 4-0 thrashing of Luxembourg and the 2-0 victory over Slovakia and will need to carry on in their current form if Spain are to secure a fourth European title next year. Germany’s qualifying campaign wasn’t so easy but they still managed to top their group with 22 points and progress to Euro
2016. The Germans perhaps weren’t as convincing as many expected them to be, losing to the Republic of Ireland 1-0 and struggling to get past Scotland in a 3-2 win but the quality Joachim Löw possesses in Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Julian Draxler plus many more was enough to see them through. Certainly though, Germany have some improvements to make if they’re to make a go of winning Euro 2016, but a year is enough time for Löw to build momentum going into the competition and they still have to go down as one of the favourites. Italy also topped their group in what was a comfortable 24 point qualifying campaign. Faced with the likes of Croatia, Norway and Bulgaria in their group, the Italians had enough to worry about, but they carried out a professional job by going unbeaten and winning seven of their ten games. Highlights from their qualifying campaign included a 2-0 victory over Norway and a 1-0 victory over Malta. Antonio Conte has some great players at his disposal with the likes
of Giorgio Chiellini, Claudio Marchisio and Graziano Pelle, but whether they have enough quality to match sides like Germany, Spain and France is questionable. Holland had a hugely disappointing qualifying campaign by finishing 4th in their group on 13 points. The Netherlands were widely expected to qualify with ease in a group that contained the likes of Czech Republic, Iceland and Turkey (all of whom finished above Holland) but Danny Blind’s side lost five of their games ten games and now won’t play in the competition next year. Despite their failures, Blind looks set to stay on as manager but will have a lot of work ahead to improve results.
NERVE | 59
surprise teams Slovakia surprised many by finishing 2nd in Group C behind Spain on an impressive 22 points. Whilst most of Slovakia’s squad are relatively unheard of, Martin Skrtel and Marek Hamsik being the exceptions, Jan Kozak’s side were able to pick up impressive wins against Luxembourg, Macedonia and most remarkably against group winners Spain, beating them 2-1. Slovakia only lost 2 of their 10 games and go into Euro 2016 next year off the back of a great qualifying campaign. Austria had an exceptional qualifying campaign by finishing on 28 points in Group G and finishing in 1st place. Faced with the difficulty of Russia and Sweden, most would have predicted Austria to gain a 3rd place finish at best, but their
Group A France Romania Albania Switzerland
NERVE | 60
Group B England Russia Wales Slovakia
unbeaten campaign which saw wins like the 4-1 thumping of Sweden, the game which saw them confirm their qualification, and a 5-0 win over Liechtenstein mean Austria go down as one of the biggest surprises of the Euro 2016 qualification stages. Key players such as David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic, along with exceptional management from Marcel Koller, gives cause for optimism among Austrian fans who believe their side can progress further than the group stages of Euro 2016.
first ever major tournament, something which is a huge achievement for the country. Whilst few will be optimistic of Albania’s chances at Euro 2016, qualifying in itself has been a massive accomplishment by manager Giovanni de Biasi and Albania will be sure to enjoy competing in a European Championship.
Albania were perhaps the biggest surprise team of the European qualifiers as they finished 2nd in Group I on 14 points to progress to Euro 2016. Victories over Portugal, Armenia and Serbia were enough to see them through to their
Group C Germany Ukraine Poland Northern Ireland
Group D Spain CzechRepublic Turkey Croatia
Group E Belgium Italy Republic of Ireland Sweden
Group F Portugal Iceland Austria Hungary
The fitness
balance
Students can find it difficult to find the time and money to balance a fitness lifestyle with their heavy workload. Dom Burt will not admit it himself, but he does a pretty good job of being successful in his studies and in the gym. In this issue he gives his advice on just that.
As a second year Bournemouth University student, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks that enable me to strike the right balance between saving money, pursuing my fitness goals and getting good grades.
poultry Contrary to popular belief, you can actually eat well and save your pennies. Personally, I bulk buy poultry from Musclefood, individually bag the lot and then freeze it. I offset the costs of this good quality (and admittedly a bit pricey) protein source through shopping weekly at Lidl for other complementary necessities, such as pasta, bread and beans. Finding out which days your local supermarket tends to reduce food, would allow you to schedule your shopping trips better and subsequently cut the overall price of your weekly shop. Alternatively, a butcher can also be a reliable source to buy your meat from as they more usually provide superior qualities of meat.
timing Working the gym around lectures, seminars and extra curricular pursuits is something I’ve become quite good at, if I do say so myself. I feel as though if you really want to get fitter, then you must do what the majorities do not. Wake up earlier to allow digestion time before a gym session and make yourself do early morning cardio sessions. Being healthy and having a good physique aren’t mutually exclusive to being a student, the BU Health and Fitness and MASS societies can show you that.
top tips Buy in bulk and freeze meats. Log ALL of your food. Make time in your day to exercise. There are NO excuses. Don’t neglect your body of the fruit and veg it needs.
fruit &veg During my first year at University, I definitely neglected hitting my micros (vitamins & nutrients). But now I’m a year older and wiser, this has changed. I aim to incorporate blueberries and bananas into my morning meal of proats (protein-oats), or leafy greens such as spinach into a pasta dish. From experience, I would, where possible, buy fruit and veg that is freezer friendly. The goods last for a whole lot longer compared to those that would normally live in your fridge. Additionally, adding frozen fruits like mixed berries to granola, porridge or cereals gives an unusual texture, thus helping to decrease the chances of monotony in your diet.
logging my food Using the free app from the app store, Myfitnesspal, is something I recommend to friends and family when they start getting serious about living a healthy lifestyle. The programme allows you to track your daily calorie intake and breaks down what you eat in relation to your current macros (the ratio of your carbs:fats:proteins). This is key to attain your goals, whether that be putting on mass or shredding for the summer. I always plan what I’m going to eat the night before, which ties nicely to my advice on timing.
racing t When the sun shines on the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, there really is no better place to train racehorses. Standing on the viewing platform over his fiercely ascending gallops, Graeme McPherson talks me through his life as a QC-come racehorse trainer and the future aspirations for his rapidly-expanding yard.
I
n an area of the country where every other vehicle on the road is a horsebox, Gloucestershire lives and breathes National Hunt Racing, and Graeme’s picturesque Martins Hill stables near Stow-on-the-Wold are no exception. McPherson has been a racehorse trainer for five years, and although he speaks of his love for the job, the inevitable ups and downs of being a trainer means it hasn’t always been plain sailing. In late 2011, Graeme was fined £3000 by the British Horse Racing Authority (BHA), for whom he has worked for numerous times as a barrister, after Chepstow stewards ruled that one of his horses had fallen foul of the ‘NonTrier’ rule. He later had his appeal upheld,
NERVE | 62
but given Graeme’s role as a member of the BHA’s legal team, it was an extremely worrying and embarrassing time for the trainer: “It wasn’t great. On the day of Chepstow it was more of a sort of air of disbelief. Then it was front page of the racing post the next day, that’s when I realised it was a big deal.” Although Graeme continues to balance his work as a QC with his racing commitments successfully, this incident was just one example of how the two professions can become dangerously intertwined: “It’s not nice. I’ve worked for and against trainers who have been accused of similar things and I know it’s not a nice thing to happen.” Turning his attention to this present season, Graeme seems to be revelling in what is by far his best campaign to date: “We’re here in the middle of February, and we’ve already surpassed our best ever total for number of winners and prize money. We’ve still got two months to go, so hopefully we’ll finish well ahead of our previous best.” The mere mention of The Cheltenham Festival sees a smile encompass the face of one of racing’s most up and coming trainers, a motion that is shared by Travelling
to success head Lass Steph Cameron: “It’s our first year with festival runners so the excitement is unreal. The morale in the yard is brilliant, everybody is just buzzing. “The morning of the races, you can’t beat it. Getting in the lorry knowing that you’ve got decent horses going to have a chance in good races. You cannot beat that feeling.” As Sizzles the sausage dog does his best to keep up with the horses on the gallops, Graeme effortlessly cites the name of each and every horse that breezes past us, without even the slightest bit of hesitation. Indicative of a trainer who knows his string inside out, I cannot help but be taken aback by his profound knowledge, as he points into the distance and names the neighbouring yards; the likes of Nigel Twiston-Davies and Jonjo O’Neill feature amongst a star studded list. So what does the future hold for this incredibly intelligent and ambitious man? He has no immediate intention to
expand his 40 box yard which has been full for the previous two years, and instead aims to improve the quality of his horses: “What we’ll try and do is bring up the average rating, have nice young novices come through and see them turn into nice novice chasers. Hopefully we’ll start to have a nice few Saturday horses and win some of the big races.”
Marsh Chase at Haydock.
Graeme has become well known in the industry for his fresh and unique means of training racehorses, opting to bring in and develop young talent instead of taking in bygones from the big stables: “For me that’s the way to do it. It’s trying to spot nice young talent, get them into the yard and just try to see them slowly but surely improve and look for the end results.”
With the interview over, I half expected Graeme to shoot off to one of his many commitments – his daughter’s hunting event or working third lot, to name a few. But before I can even say thank you, he offers me a cup of tea, and reassures me that I can stay for as long as is necessary. A testament to the genuine man he is, something tells me Graeme McPherson is a name we will be hearing a lot more of in racing in the coming years.
However, this approach has its pitfalls. Whychwoods Brook won a novice hurdle for Graeme, but two disappointing runs subsequently saw him switch to Evan Williams’ yard at the request of the owners. The next season, the same horse won the Grade Two Peter
But Graeme is not bitter: “It happens. We’ve had horses move to us from other trainers that have gone on to do extremely well for us. “Every horse that goes from here goes with our best wishes and I am always delighted when they go on to do well. There’s no hard feelings.”
Words: Lewis Lesbirel Design: Rachel Burke
NERVE | 63
Snooker
world championship The cloth has been woven and the venue sold-out, all that is left to do is for Jason Lewis to preview the 2016 Snooker World Championship which takes place throughout April and the start of May.
T
he two weeks of action at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield are as much a mainstay of the British sporting calendar as the FA Cup Final, Wimbledon and the Six Nations. We’re talking about the Snooker World Championship, of course. Whilst the Crucible may not be the largest of sporting venues, holding less than a thousand spectators, the cauldron of suspense and drama has always provided a fitting back drop to many historic moments. This year’s Championship has the making of an absolute classic as the standard of play at the top continues to get better and better. The winner this year scoops up the small fortune of £330,000 of the total prize fund that sits at £1,500,100. Last year saw relative outsider Stuart Bingham win his first ever World Championship Final, seeing off fellow Englishman and 2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy. Such is the current nature of the snooker landscape, none of the top four seeds going into last year’s Championship made it past the quarter-final stage, with number one seed Mark Selby losing in the second round to Scottish qualifier Anthony McGill.
An open field
The top 16 players in the World Rankings are all seeded NERVE | 64
and given a spot in the last 32 of the competition. At the time of writing the top 15 players seem to have cemented their spot in the main draw and the enigmatic personality that is five-time World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan believes no fewer than 13 players have a viable chance of claiming the title. At least five former World Champions will be in action over the fortnight at the Crucible with O’Sullivan, Murphy, Bingham and Selby being joined by John Higgins. Recent years have seen the sport tainted with matchfixing allegations, although the aforementioned Higgins was cleared of all the charges he faced in 2010. Despite this ruling, the sport has taken a dent to its reputation and long-term credibility amongst some and it always takes time to build that back up. This is something our friends at FIFA will be able to vouch for in coming years.
Warm up to the main event
The core following of true snooker fans is being treated to some of the finest play that has ever been cued on the green clothed tables on the professional tour. The year’s curtain raiser in the form of the Masters held at the Alexandra Palace, London saw O’Sullivan at his very best and when that happens he is truly an unstoppable force. His 10-1 demolition of Barry Hawkins,
preview
e w is ja s o n l burke Rachel d e s ig n : words:
with a highest break of 136, was true exhibition stuff. Next up over in Germany, Martin Gould won his first ever ranking event. Back on British soil in the form of the Welsh Open O’Sullivan claimed another title, seeing off Neil Robertson in the final to win the 28th ranking event of his career. The major talking point from the tournament however was O’Sullivan’s decision to turn down a 147 break in protest that the prize for the maximum break was too small. A few more bad column inches for the sport to deal with. Back on the tables and Murphy found some form coming into the World Championships, winning the World Grand Prix in Wales. Ahead of the World Championships there are two more major warm up events in the form of the Players Championship and the China Open in March. At the time of going to print neither of these events had taken place, but it is worth noting that they provide a key acid test going into the Sheffield based World Championships. This year’s World Championship is just too close to call, but one thing can be guaranteed. Two weeks of sporting drama and talent in one of the country’s heritage venues for sport that will portray a combination of skills, attrition and the odd slice of luck to crown one player snooker World Champion for 2016.
ÂŁ1.80 for Latte Opening times 8am until 8pm
Monday to Friday weekends 8.30am until 4pm Download the iSUBU app for loyalty 1 in 10 free
Have you tried our homemade tasty Burritos yet?
only ÂŁ3.95
nerve’s top 5...
Revision tips Too much to revise? Not enough time? 5 easy things to do that will make you feel more productive and less overwhelmed this exam season.
ant
port
As soon as you are awake, get out of bed and make it. It will encourage productivity and (hopefully) discourage you from getting back into it.
ith January exam season being well underway, many of you will feel like you have so much to do and not enough time. Here are 5 easy things to do that will instantly make you feel more productive towards revising when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
m
exa p! st im Sleeis the mo do duringting you
Get up and make your bed
W
This you can t sugges aftero g thin n. I’m n ps every d 6-8 o a o seas hour n ing a go is what 3 t t t e e g k i g to a n h t , but p every in order ly n o l e a s no c e e l uir ntifi rs s hou body req en scie efore e b your ion. It’s b e hours e as t ic h func n that t orth tw r. So if e w e prov ight are ours aft wake d n h n d e i a h 0 t m than h as bed at 1 ractical c u m p o t e or go m. you 5, it’s m until 2a t up a g awake in stay
Downtime!
Don’t let revi sion take over your whole life, yo u’re still allow ed to watch your fa vourite Netfli x show or even go ou t for a few dr inks with friends. It’s finding th e right balance. You’ ll have plenty of time to party until 4am afte r your exams. Be su re to have re gular breaks when studying, a ch ange of scene, or ev en catching up with your ho usemates – yo u’re brain needs a distraction from revising ever y now and th en.
Eat and Drink
Exercise
You will find that, during exam season, you feel mentally drained from all of that brain-work, yet you have trouble getting to sleep – that’s because you need to be physically tired as well. Even if it is just going for a 10-minute walk to break up your study session, getting out of your house and into the fresh air does wonders for the brain and allows you to refocus.
Your brain cannot function without food or water. Don’t forget to eat and remain hydrat ed when revising, it’s so important to be focuse d and awake.
Words: Rebecca Miller Design: Agata Winiarska
6 VENUES
3000 PEOPLE
1 WRISTBAND
SATURDAY 30TH APRIL
LANSDOWNE, BOURNEMOUT H LINEUP
W/STAMINA MC
REDLIGHT CAUSE & AFFECT FLAVA D MAK & PASTEMAN DALE HOWARD SO SOLID CREW MAX CHAPMAN FOOR SPECIAL GUEST
CATCHMENT SUPPORT
ADAM FOX • B.RUSS • BENJAMIN • BEN READ • BROMLEY • COWLIN • CULTURA • DOKUU EMPIRE SINGH (EMPIRE SOUNDS & NATHAN SINGH) • FRAU DJS • FWD MTN • HARRY JUDDA HUSHHIGLESIAS. • K1RB3Y • KLEIN • LOOSE COLLAR • NADINE • NEFFA-T • OLI P • OLLIE JAMES PHANTOM TROUPE • MC SKYDRO • REAZUN • TAIM • TRUNK • WHITEY
TICKETS: £10-25 BU CAMPUS SHOP
THEBLOCKPARTY.CO.UK or FATSOMA OFFICIAL TICKET OUTLETS
/BLOCKPARTYBOURNEMOUTH
THE ENGINE ROOM
@BLOCKPARTYBMTH
(INSIDE TOFS)
theblockparty.co.uk
ROMEO. LISA MAFFIA + SO SOLID TWINS