swell
ISSUE 02 | MARCH/APRIL 2020
for curious, connected and conscious students
can cannabis treat anxiety? it's complicated.
mind | body | soul
contents
12
22
03 EDITOR’S NOTE
04 INSPIRING WOMEN We reflect on some of the most remarkable women throughout history.
mind 06 MARIJUANA AND MENTAL HEALTH Discover the effects that regular marijuana use can have on our mental health. 12 CAN YOU JOURNAL YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS? A look at the recent boom in mindful journaling.
body 18 WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MALE BODY IMAGE Read all about body image issues the men of today are battling.
24
06
28
soul 24 BOOMERS VS ZOOMERS A look at why and how Gen Z are making their voices heard in the UK and beyond. 28 IS IT TIME TO SWIPE LEFT ON ONLINE DATING? What people today really think of online dating. 30 MUST-WATCH FOREIGN FILMS A run down of the best non-English speaking films to add to your watchlist now. 2 SWELL MAGAZINE
18
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MASTER1305 VIA SHUTTERSTOCK
22 ASIA'S BEST KEPT SECRET Get to know the history behind the ancient remedy and haircare saviour that is rice water.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FLO DND VIA PEXELS
editor’s letter We’re happy to present to you the second issue of Kingston University’s very own student health and wellness magazine. Building on the positive response we picked up from the first issue, we’ve gone all out for content to engage, enliven and entertain you, our student community here at Kingston — representing issues that really mean something to you. March is Women’s History Month and in the spirit of that, in this issue we’re celebrating the achievements of women over the decades. From winning the vote to the first allwomen spacewalk, every year women make massive cracks in the glass ceiling ensuring a more equal future for the generation of women to come. We’ve also looked at the pros and cons of marijuana, world-wide student protests, issues surrounding male body image and the mindfulness of journaling. As always, it’s been a pleasure putting this magazine together and we hope you enjoy it just as much. Stay Well, Anugraha Sundaravelu Editor
editorial team EDITOR
DEPUTY & DESIGN EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Ram Kumar
Gazal Sharma & Izabela Chmielewska
Jan Goodey, Dan Newman & Dave Wood
Anugraha Sundaravelu
Eve Crosbie
Saloni Patel
SWELL MAGAZINE 3
inspiring women
W
hatever their field - from politics and popstardom to fashion and feminism — women have been leaving their mark on the world since time began. In celebration of these remarkable trailblazers — and to mark Women's History Month — we’ve rounded up some of the most inspiring women we can think of who have affected life as we know it in their own personal way…
61AD
British warrior queen, Boudica, leads an unprecedented and successful revolt against the occupying Roman Empire.
1430
At just 18, Joan of Arc leads the French army through great victories during the Hundred Years’ War.
WORDS BY GAZAL SHARMA, ANUGRAHA SUNDARAVELU, EVE CROSBIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELINACHIRKOVA VIA ADOBE STOCK
1813
Jane Austen publishes her best-known novel, Pride and Prejudice. Her style of writing, concerning the domestic affairs of women, helped to define the modern novel.
1868
Amdang Munan, a Thai woman, convinces the King Mongkut to allow women to select their own husbands for the first time after she refuses to marry the man of her parents' choosing.
1903
Marie Curie becomes the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics for her work in radiotherapy.
1921 American novelist Edith Wharton is the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel Age of Innocence
1820 Florence Nightingale 1928 Amelia Earhart bededicates her life to helping wounded soldiers, changing healthcare as we know it along the way.
4 SWELL MAGAZINE
comes the first woman, to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic.
1949
Simone de Beauvoir French writes The Second Sex, an articulate and influential treatise on women's oppression.
1955 Rosa Parks helps
launch the civil rights movement in the US after she refuses to give up her seat on an Alabama bus.
1960 In Sri Lanka, Sirima-
vo Bandaranaike becomes the world’s first female Prime Minister.
1963
Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova creates history as the first woman to fly to space on a solo mission.
throughout history 1972 Katherine Graham
becomes the first woman to become a Fortune 500 CEO.
1979
Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female prime minister of Great Britain.
1981 Sandra Day O’Connor
is sworn in by President Ronald Reagan as the first woman to serve on the US Supreme Court.
1987
Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
1988
Benazir Bhutto becomes the first woman to head a Muslim state, ending military dictatorship in Pakistan
2010 Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to the Oscar for Best Director for her film The Hurt Locker.
Hillary Clinton be1993 France Anne Córdo- 2016 comes first female presidential va becomes the first woman – and the youngest person – to hold the position of Chief Scientist for NASA.
2004
Wangari Maathai, becomes the first African woman to win a Nobel Prize for her work as an environmental activist.
2007
Pratibha Patil becomes the first female president of India.
nominee of a major party.
2018
At
29-years-old, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez becomes the youngest Congresswoman in US history.
2019
Christina Koch and Jessica Meir take part in the first-ever all-female spacewalk.
2020
Katie Sowers becomes the first female and first openly gay coach in Super Bowl history.
SWELL MAGAZINE 5
mind
&
marijuana mental
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KKGAS VIA STOCKSY
Marijuana (weed, pot, dope, grass - whatever you want to call it) is having a moment. No longer just the stuff of stoners, people from all walks of life are turning to this Class B drug - and not necessarily as a means of getting high. Eve Crosbie explores...
6  SWELL MAGAZINE
mind
health
P
roducing and supplying it can land you a criminal conviction, but a growing number of people in the UK are taking cues from America and elsewhere and deciding to ‘self-medicate’ with cannabis, using it to treat everything from insomnia to anxiety attacks. A 2018 change in the law means that medicinal cannabis is now available in the UK, allowing specialist doctors in England, Wales and Scotland to prescribe patients with cannabis-based products such as cannabidiol, better known as CBD oil. However, those suffering from anxiety-related disorders are unlikely to get the green light for a prescription. Currently, cannabis can only be prescribed on
the NHS to children and adults with rare, severe forms of epilepsy, adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy and those with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. NHS England says an exception would be considered when other treatments are not suitable or had not helped. The legislative change came about after several high-profile cases of individuals fighting to get medicinal cannabis available in the UK, including the mothers of young epilepsy sufferers who argued that cannabis-based oil or liquid extracts have helped manage and alleviate the number of seizures their children experience. At the same time, there has also been international momen-
SWELL MAGAZINE 7
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KKGAS VIA STOCKY INFORMATION FROM LEAFLY.COM, STATISTICS FROM NHS ENGLAND, THE LANCET JOURNAL, THE MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT
mind tum towards the decriminalisation of the drug in recent years with North America leading the way, where the use of cannabis for recreational purposes is now legal in Canada and 11 US states; medical marijuana has been legalised in a further 33 US states. According to the US-based marijuana news site Leafy (yes really), the qualifying conditions for medical cannabis in America can vary from state to state but are significantly more lax than the UK’s current ruling. The drug, hailed a 'mirale cure' by some, is used to treat everything from Alzheimer’s and Chron's disease to Glaucoma and Lupus. Across many states, it is also increasingly prescribed for a variety of mental health disorders. Recent studies have shown that many cannabis users perceive the drug to be an effective way to treat mental health-related disorders. In one study of 2,400 regular cannabis smokers, over 60% say that they use the drug to help treat a medical condition—the top three being anxiety, depression and physical pain. So could medical cannabis be a potentially better, safer and more cost-effective alternative to the mental health treatments currently available in the UK? Or even an additional medicament to add to the mix?
8 SWELL MAGAZINE
O
llie, 25, is one of those who think so. He says that while he didn’t much like the taste of cannabis when he tried his first joint aged 14, he’s now an almost daily smoker as he uses it to help treat his insomnia and depression. “I used to only ever smoke pot in social situations, but once I realised that it was able to calm my mind and help me sleep, I began to smoke regularly,” he says. “I tend to step outside and have a quick joint by myself if I’m feeling really bad and think that I’m going to have a sleepless night – which is most nights,” he adds. He explains that this ritual has been particularly helpful ahead of important university deadlines and exams. However, he clarifies that smoking weed has not taken the place of the medication he takes to treat his depression. Instead, he sees cannabis as a supplement, something that works well alongside the traditional medication he already takes. “Pot usually leaves me feeling clearer and in control. But I don’t know if it would work on its own without the medication that I take,” he explains. For Maya, 23, cannabis has completely replaced the GP-prescribed medication that she used to take to treat the anxiety disorder she was diagnosed with as a child. She now self-medicates
“Smoking weed helps my anxiety more than taking medication ever did”
with cannabis which she smokes, bakes into food and even drinks as a tea. She says that none of the medications she has tried over the years has had a significant impact on her anxiety levels, but have instead left her feeling listless, low and, at times, suicidal. “I’ve been on so many different anti-depressants, it’s actually crazy,” she says. “It was a constant cycle of changing my medication because I would get all the side effects and none of the benefits. In the end, it became exhausting and contributed more to my anxiety.” Maya says that since she came off of her medication, she has seen a significant improvement in her energy levels and no longer feels like she's in a “zombie-like” state — which she credits to her cannabis consumption. “It has absolutely 100% changed my life for the better,” she says. “The anxiety is still there, but smoking weed helps it more than taking medication ever did.” While Maya sees the positives for her of smoking weed, there are downsides that can significantly affect regular smokers. For Saharsha, 21, it wasn’t until he came to university that he started experiencing negative side-effects such as paranoia and the chilling ‘white-outs’ (when
your body feels drained of blood, and you freeze in terror). It was at its worst when he found himself among people he didn’t know so well. “I started getting anxious thoughts, and I would become paranoid, thinking that everyone was looking at me.” He says he’s now quit – except for the odd joint – but takes precautions not to inhale to avoid feeling paranoia again. Similarly, Ishaan, 22, says he stopped smoking cannabis after he began to experience severe panic attacks and depressive thoughts when he got high. “It would make me feel like I had no control and leave me thinking I had done nothing worthwhile in my life,” he says. “While all my friends were having a good time, I would get irritated with everyone else’s behaviour, even if they were perfectly okay. It felt like my whole world was crumbling down, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I just wanted the high to end.” Ishaan says, “I stopped doing weed when I realised it was no longer making me happy. It made me feel worse than when I was sober.” Dr Iris Gault, Associate Professor Mental Health Nursing at Kingston University explains these different phenomena, “There are
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KKGAS VIA STOCKSY
mind
SWELL MAGAZINE 9
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KKGAS VIA STOCKSY
mind some who believe that cannabis causes psychosis, but the evidence suggests that it does so only in vulnerable individuals and that early and heavy use might indicate a young person who is vulnerable to psychosis.” “We must be really careful about judging behaviour and blaming people in mental health. The evidence — and my own practice experience — supports the view that someone who has had psychotic episodes is not helped by continued use of cannabis.”
A
lmost exactly a year on from the UK’s landmark ruling, in October 2019, the results of a 40-year study into the effects of cannabis on mental health was published with damning findings for those hoping to see the drug available for anxiety on the NHS anytime soon. The research found that there is ‘scarce evidence’ to support the notion that cannabis does anything to alleviate or improve mental health symptoms. Professor Louisa Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales, who co-authored the study alongside researchers from the National Addiction Centre at King’s College London, writes, “Doctors and patients must be aware of the limitations of exist-
10 SWELL MAGAZINE
ing evidence and the risks of cannabinoids. These must be weighed when considering use to treat symptoms of common mental health disorders.” Referring to countries where medicinal cannabis is widely used, she adds, “Those who decide to proceed should be carefully monitored for positive and negative mental health effects of using medicinal cannabinoids.” The review ultimately reveals something we already know: there is simply not enough evidence to say whether cannabis can treat mental health conditions or not. However, people are not going to stop using cannabis any time soon and given the current wellness boom, the market for cannabis-derived products that (claim to) treat a whole host of medical conditions, mental health included, will continue to grow. At the same time, young people are deciding on their own whether cannabis has a positive effect on their mental state or not. With all this - and the results of Prof Degenhardt’s study - in mind, it seems that this should be more than enough motivation for medical professionals to conduct more rigorous and in-depth studies into the cannabis and it's effects on mental health.
mind
I was 20 when I smoked my first joint... By Gazal Sharma
I wasn’t really impressed, but since all my friends at university smoked around me, I eventually started smoking on a regular basis. Once I’d started to enjoy the high, it became something I’d do three or four times a day. My flatmates would wake me up with a joint, we would have one before lunch, after dinner and before going to bed. It was a ritual I followed religiously for almost three years. I was healthy, active and more carefree when I first got into weed, but as time passed by I realised the pleasure of the high had begun to decrease. The first time I had a cannabis-induced panic attack was when my friends had invited some of their friends whom I hadn’t met before to join us. I had just smoked two joints in a row, and all I could think was, “Who are these strangers?” I became paranoid thinking that they wanted to steal from me or hurt me. My paranoia was completely baseless, but I
couldn’t stop my mind from running wild, imagining all sorts of dangerous situations. I told my friends how I felt the next day, but they put it down to the poor quality of the weed we had smoked. It happened again when I took a vacation with friends to Kasol, a mountainous region in Himachal Pradesh in India. It’s considered a weed smoker’s haven. All my friends were smoking and insisted that I at least try some since we had gone all the way there. It was a bad idea. While everyone around me partied and laughed, my head started to spin and I began sweating heavily. I ended up puking twice. Once I recovered from the worst of it, I hid under a blanket and wished for the trip to end. I kept experiencing these side-effects every time I smoked. One time, I was high and returning home when two people on a motorbike came up and snatched my purse, taking my money and my phone. I stood there frozen, unable to move or shout.
Despite all this, I couldn’t stop smoking. I was so addicted to weed that I would risk a bad trip just on the off-chance I would have a good time. However, the trips began to worsen so eventually I made the decision to stop smoking as much. Now, three years later, I’ve stopped smoking completely. I feel so much more focused and I’m amazed at how much more energy and in control I am over my life. Being high on life honestly feels way better than being high on weed. Today, I can feel a big difference in my memory and my overall mental health. Back then, I used to have to find ways to tackle the anxiety I would feel rushing over me after smoking; taking a shower, playing sports, listening to music or just anything to get my body moving. It would take my mind off of the bad trip and keep me busy, but I’ve realised now that wasn’t normal behaviour. I know others say cannabis helps improve their mood and mental health, but this couldn’t be further from my experience. It might not be the case for everyone, but personally, I consider quitting weed as one of my biggest achievements and I’m happier for it.
SWELL MAGAZINE 11
can you journal your way to
hap p i ness?
The newest way to keep tabs on your mental health is journaling. Anugraha Sundaravelu speaks to people who use this mindful practice as a tool to deal with their mental health issues positively. 12  SWELL MAGAZINE
PHOTOGRAPHY MICROONE VIA SHUTTERSTOCK
mind
mind
O
pen Pinterest and one of the most popular things you’ll come across is mood boards for journals. With a rise in awareness about mental health this hobby has given rise to its own subculture. Not to be confused with a diary which is a record of things as they happen, a journal is used to explore thoughts and ideas which can be current, speculative or retrospective in nature. The aim is to encourage you to explore your thoughts and feelings surrounding the events in your life.
WHY DO PEOPLE JOURNAL? Six years ago when Izabella Petkow, 20, learnt that her best friend had taken her own life, she found it hard to talk about her grief to friends and family - especially given that the person she confided in most was gone. So instead, she turned to journaling. “I would just write down what I wanted to say and sometimes add pictures or drawings to it,” she explains. “That was my first journal. By 2014, I was doing it every other day whenever I’d collected enough stories that I could not tell my best friend.” Last year, Amruuta Parwar, 23, a research associate, experienced a mental breakdown. Both in therapy and mental health podcasts, journaling was recommended as an effective tool to keep her mental health on track, so she decided to give it a go. “It’s
been a year now, and I write probably once every 10 to 15 days,” she says. “I was diagnosed with depression, and I had — and still have — a lot of issues with self-love. Journaling has helped me break down my thought processes and made me understand that the things I think are too huge, hardly matter. It helps me understand my own thought patterns and why I think the way I do about myself.” For Malvika Sheth, 21, a social media influencer, journaling turned out to be a much-needed outlet to express herself. “It reminds me that my worth does not always have to be tied to how well I’m doing in my work. I needed journaling to help revive the ‘life’ aspect of the work-life balance we all strive to have.” Others who have experienced bullying in the past such as Jo Threlfall, 27, a journalist, likewise extol the benefits of journaling. She first started journaling during her difficult times at school and has continued practising it well into adulthood. “It’s helped me rethink how I communicate with people and my own thoughts,” she says. “Doing this has helped give me more confidence to be outspoken and helped me feel less anxious.” For Arushi Tandon, also in her twenties, an academic, journaling was something she picked up from movies, such as The Princess Diaries, which led her to open a blank notebook and start writing when she was just eight. “I’ve been journaling for nearly nine years, but I’ve had my phases. I do remember that my frequency was at a maximum during my school exams when I was really stressed out,” she says. “Journaling has been very cathartic to my mental health and really helps me make sense of my thoughts,” she adds. “Sometimes I do it as a preventive measure to avoid impending panic attacks or anxiety attacks when I start feeling one coming on.” Bullet journals are another popular form of journaling which involve making extensive lists. For stationary junkies, bullet journals are the perfect way to express creativity and feel in control but don’t necessarily work for everyone. SWELL MAGAZINE 13
London’s best student job
Earn Up To ÂŁ600 A Month Become an After School Nanny. Keep your evenings and weekends free, working just a few afternoons per week with a local family.
www.korukids.co.uk/students
mind Arushi says, “I did try bullet journaling but realised that it didn’t work for me. Sometimes I’ll sit and write pages about an incident that affected me or sometimes I’ll write updates about my life in three or four lines and call it a day. I also use print outs of pictures for certain journal entries where I’m trying to detach myself from something or being grateful for something. I often stick train and plane tickets and stuff too as reminders of travelling I’ve done.” However, for Izabella, bullet journaling allows her to express herself more creatively. “After about three years, I started getting interested in creative journaling in addition to my normal journaling. I’ve posted some of the creative stuff on my Instagram account, but most of the other stuff remains private. I also started keeping an ‘our story’ journal of my relationship based on pictures and tickets, so when we have kids, they can read it all.”
itives and fixated on the negatives. Journaling taught me to move away from that. I wouldn’t say journaling helped me cure my mental health issues, but it did help me understand my problems.” Likewise, for someone diagnosed with depression, PTSD, and an anxiety disorder like Izabella, journaling has helped her process many things. “It always calms me down, but I need to be relaxed enough to do it. It’s just like taking a bath; you wouldn’t go into a relaxing bathtub if you were shivering from a nightmare or stressed from a fight and [then] feel like walking a marathon. It’s the same for journaling,” she says. Malvika believes it’s been a massive help for dealing with the stress that comes with forging a career that is entirely online. “Journaling has helped me cope with my feelings of anxiety that are tied to an occupation that has a high unpredictability and sporadic bouts of work,” she says. “I used to lose a lot of sleep and wake up extremely anxious about what the next day would look like, but putting my thoughts down on paper really put things into perspective. I realised it was better to focus on what was in my control, and that was my own health.”
“Journaling helps me make sense of my thoughts”
WHY IS JOURNALING SO EFFECTIVE? According to psychologist Dennis Relojo-Howell who hosts the radio show Psych Chat with Dennis, it has to do with the concept of ‘expressive writing’. Pioneered in the late 1980s by James Pennebaker, expressive writing is now widely considered as therapeutic. “It involves expressing ourselves through writing. This writing is personal, allowing the writer to explore and express personal feelings. The piece may attempt to answer a question, state an opinion or recount one’s personal experiences,” Relojo-Howell explains. “Studies have revealed that expressive writing can help assuage psychological trauma and enhance our mood.” This is certainly the case for Amruuta. “What changed is how I think,” she says. “Journaling has made me realise that I never acknowledged the pos-
HOW YOU CAN START JOURNALING First of all, relax and let go of any ideas about doing it the 'right' way— because when it comes to journaling, there’s no such thing. Your journal is a personal space for you to use however you see fit. If you don’t know what to write about, a great place to begin is by asking yourself questions. How do I feel right now? Why do I feel that way? How do I want to feel? What can you do to feel that way? After that, just get started. The scariest thing about journaling is that first blank page. It can seem intimidating but once you’ve put ink to paper, there’s no going back. SWELL MAGAZINE 15
mind
Start here...
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HELGA AND GMM2000 VIA ADOBE STOCK
Time to get your thoughts and feelings in order. Just pick up a pen and start journaling!
16  SWELL MAGAZINE
mind
goals...
plans...
to do list...
not to do list...
(things that are not a good idea)
SWELL MAGAZINE 17
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN DALEN VIA STOCKSY STATISTICS FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
body
we need to
talk about
male body
18  SWELL MAGAZINE
body
W
hen you think about body image issues, the picture that may well spring to mind is of a woman in front of a mirror, scrutinising every part of her body. What is often overlooked is how men can be going through a similar experience of body image anxiety.
image By Ram Kumar
It’s a common misconception that body image anxiety is purely a woman’s issue. In reality, it can affect many more men than we might think. The stereotypical pressures of being branded ‘weak’ or ‘sensitive’ have put the brake on most men discussing concerns about the way they perceive their bodies. A recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation revealed that almost a third of men in the UK suffer from anxiety arising out of body image concerns, with one in five admitting that they dress in a way that hides their body or parts of their body. More worryingly, 10% of respondents said that they have experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings because of body image issues. The study also found that 4% of men had deliberately hurt themselves because of feelings around how they look. The likes of Hollywood stars such as Robert Pattinson, Chris Pratt, Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds have all publicly admitted to experiencing body image
issues despite possessing what many of us would describe as the ‘ideal’ male body type. It raises the question: if men who look like that can go through body image issues, is it really that surprising that so many men have said they feel anxious, embarrassed and - at its very worst - suicidal over their bodies? For men who regularly sweat it out at the gym, it can often feel like a never-ending cycle of reaching new personal bests and records all in the name of getting better, leaner, stronger. Many sportsmen and athletes have admitting to feeling this way, and it was the case for Joey Zapanta, 21, a member of Kingston University’s Rugby Union Club. “I’ve been self-conscious of my body since I was 12-yearsold when I started to gain a lot of weight,” Joey says. It eventually caused him to lose all confidence and self-worth, affecting his ability to make friends and date while at university. While working out at the gym, cycling and cross-country runSWELL MAGAZINE 19
Join your KU gym now for a relaxed environment. Never stay waiting for equipment! Student prices starting at £15.99 per month! Give us a call at 02084172414
STUDENT OFFER In march only, sign up for 1 week for £10! Sign up for a full membership in the same month and you won’t pay a joining fee! *Direct debit’s subject to 6 month minimum contract
Academic year prices lower than ever now starting at £45! www.more-energy.co.uk
body ning are proven ways to achieve a healthier, fitter body, there are certain sports that might be uncomfortable for men with body image problems to pursue. Swimming is high up on that list. Unlike other sports, hiding your body with casual or loose-fitting clothing isn’t an option. Swimwear is tight-fitting and revealing, and so the prospect of exposing so much of your body can and does often stop men from turning to swimming for exercise. Martin Dowland, duty manager at Guildford's public Lido, illustrates the different attitudes towards swimming, namechecking two of his friends who are athletes. “Paul* has always been a swimmer, so he understands that swimwear is minimal and it doesn’t bother him. On the other hand, James* does not swim as he’s used to wearing more clothes during training or cycling. The idea of taking off his clothes at the pool horrifies him because he suddenly becomes aware of other people around him. He feels vulnerable even though he’s remarkably fit.” In his 15-year career of working in the sports industry, Dowland has witnessed his fair share of athletes with body image issues. According to him, the trigger behind body image anxiety is the illusion that the mind creates of being stripped of clothes, creating a sense of vulnerabili-
ty. “Some feel this overpowering level of scrutiny and are even afraid of comparing their bodies to those around them. This is one of the biggest reasons that prevent certain men from swimming regularly,” he says. “Men are body conscious too, but unlike women, they don’t like to talk about it.”
*NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED
“Men are body conscious too but they don’t like to talk about it” Instead of sharing their concerns with other men who are facing similar issues, heading into a cubicle, changing and emerging with just swimwear can affect body consciousness in a bad way. Dowland insists, “There is a problem nowadays caused by external factors that separate everyone before going into the pool. The concept of creating individual cubicles in changing rooms is indirectly suggesting that people need to hide and be ashamed of their bodies.” Today it is often misconstrued that body image anxiety only affects people who are on either end of the spectrum - the very skinny or the very fat. From movies to ads, the ideal male body type is defined as lean yet muscular. However, even the fittest of
the fit can suffer from body image issues. But how do they deal with it? By channelling his frustrations in a healthy way, Zapanta was gradually able to overcome his problems. “Since the beginning of my university life, I have made it a goal to be more active and outgoing. I joined a rowing club for three years, and I am now a member of the university’s rugby society where I’m constantly pushing to be a better athlete and a more outgoing person.” He realised it wasn’t healthy to base his social standing on his weight. His solution was to invest in both his physical and mental health, which he does through exercise and a sound diet plan. “What I have found is that going to the gym, researching and creating a gym plan is both therapeutic and helps me build confidence in my ability,” he says. It’s important that men find more and more ways to breach this psychological wall, be it through counselling, meditation or mindfulness. Men have significantly refrained from sharing insecurities and vulnerabilities because they believe it could affect the perceptions of our peers. But now the shackles are broken. After all, it is not a matter of competition. All men owe it to themselves to feel comfortable in their own skin. SWELL MAGAZINE 21
body
asia's
I s e c ret PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLACK JIK VIA ADOBE STOCK INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE
best kept
Rice water is an ancient remedy used by the Japanese as a skin and haircare panacea. Gazal Sharma examines the history behind this miracle cure and explains how you can incorporate it into your beauty routine.
22 SWELL MAGAZINE
n the ancient Chinese village of Huanglu in the Guangxi Zhuang region, also known as the ‘long hair village’, the women have hair that grows down to their feet, sometimes longer. To this 2000-year old tribe, long hair is a sign of prosperity, longevity and good fortune. The average hair length among its female inhabitants is six feet, and their hair continues to grow thick and jet black well into old age. The secret to their long, lustrous locks? Rice water. For centuries women in China, Japan and Southeast Asia have used the water left over after cooking rice as a staple in their beauty and hair care regimes. According to research by the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, courtesans and geishas in the ancient Heian period had beautiful floor-length hair, which they would keep healthy by using the water collected after washing rice. This miracle ingredient was
body passed down through generations by word of mouth. And now, after decades of cross-cultural exchanges, it’s taken centre stage in modern beauty and hair care solutions. Brands like Kiehl’s and The Face Shop are capitalising on this ingredient and have recently introduced entire skin and hair care lines centred around rice water. But before you buy into this beauty trend, let’s take a look at what rice water is and what its beauty and health benefits actually are. WHAT IS RICE WATER? Rice water is simply the starchy water that remains after we cook or soak rice. Rice, once soaked in water, will start to ferment and release a number of minerals and vitamins. This water can then be drained and used on your skin and hair. HOW CAN RICE WATER HELP HAIR? The protein and inositol (vitamin B8) present in rice water vitalises damaged and weak hair by repairing the hair shafts and keeping the locks healthy and glossy. The inositol stays in the hair even after rinsing and acts as a protective shield for the hair against stress, hair balding or thinning. Rice water also has anti-dandruff, anti-itch, anti-hair loss properties and helps to control the amount of oil on the scalp. Research also
shows that rice water can reduce friction and increase hair elasticity, which means minimum hair breakage. Finally, the amino acids in the water, boost hair volume, strengthen the roots and make hair appear more lustrous. HOW CAN RICE WATER HELP SKIN? Rice water contains vitamins B, C and E, along with minerals like iron, which help to tighten the skin and shrink open pores. It also promotes skin cell growth, stimulates blood flow, and slows down the ageing process. According to one study, it can also help repair skin damage from sun exposure, as well as act as a low-key sunscreen. All these qualities, in addition to rice water being readily and easily available, makes it an ideal home remedy and a potent liquid for a healthier and more beautiful you. Plus, it’s natural, safe and has absolutely no side effects. HOW CAN I MAKE RICE WATER? With boiled rice, you can use the excess water that remains after cooking. Boiled rice doesn’t yield much leftover water, so just remember to add more water than you usually would when you start cooking. By the end, the liquid should look white and cloudy. It can be strained and kept in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week. Whenever you use it on
the face or hair, make sure to dilute it with a little more water for better results. Alternatively, soaking rice overnight or even for a few hours leads to fermentation (but be warned it can cause a pungent and tangy smell). The water from this can, as with boiled rice, be separated and put in an air-tight container in the fridge for a week. Some say fermented rice water is better than boiled rice water because it has more vitamins and nutrients in it. The pH level of the fermented water and our hair is very similar, making it ideal for hair nourishment. If you’re keen to make your own concoction of rice water shampoo you can take your rice water (boiled or fermented), add orange peel or lavender essential oil which will work to counter the unpleasant odour, and anything else you might like - Indian Gooseberry powder, tea seeds, slices of ginger, castile soap. Decant this mixture into a bottle and let it sit for a few days before using. Use as you would a normal shampoo, gently massaging it into your scalp before rinsing off thoroughly. You can use this twice a week and expect to see results pretty quickly. The beauty of home remedies like this is how easy they are on the pocket as well as gentle on the skin and hair. Go ahead and give it a go and give your hair and skin the shine and glow they deserve. SWELL MAGAZINE 23
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TALIA WOODIN STATISTICS FROM YOUGOV/ FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
soul
BOOMERS V
I
n the past decade, a shift of power has taken the world by storm. More young people and students have taken back the power from adults in matters that concern their future. From the deteriorating conditions of the environment to actions of governments - zoomers, better known as Gen Z, are raising their voice. Loudly. In 2018, Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old school student, began protesting outside the Swedish parliament every Friday with a sign that simply read ‘skolstrejk för klimatet’ (school strike for the climate). Her action grabbed headlines (some cynics say in a
24 SWELL MAGAZINE
manufactured fashion through professional friends of her parents) and started the School Strike For Climate movement, also known as Fridays For Future. This international school movement involved students taking time off classes on Fridays to
attend demonstrations that called out political leaders for inaction against the climate crisis. The power shift was so monumental that a year later Thunberg was invited to the 2019 UN Climate Change Summit in New York where she famously lit up the auditorium with a scathing, highly emotional tirade. Since then, strikes for climate change have seen a massive influx of young blood. A YouGov poll reveals that 70% of 18 to 24-yearolds are more anxious about climate change than they were a year ago.
soul
By Saloni Patel
S ZOOMERS Talia Woodin, who chose to drop out of university to join the fight against climate change and now works for Extinction Rebellion UK Media, says, “The feeling of being let down and abandoned by older generations has got to the point where younger generations are turning to activism to try and engage the government.” The shift in young people taking action covers the political as well as environmental. In November 2019,
the Indian government added an amendment to the existing Citizenship Act of 1955 to give faster and easier access to permanent residency for non-muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Following that, the leaders of the country, on social media and
at rallies went on to discuss the creation of the National Population Register (NPR) which would ask for proof of ancestry to determine citizenship. It was students and younger people who first saw this legislation as biased against Muslims in the country and a step in the direction for the establishment of a ‘Hindutva’ state, which goes against the secular constitution of India. Peaceful protests held by the students of Jawaharlal Nehru
“The youth holds the power to bring down governments and change the way the world is run”
SWELL MAGAZINE 25
Learn a foreign language via Kingston Language Scheme Come and say hello! hallo, olá, ¡hola!, ciao, nǐ hǎo, privet, bonjour, marhaba, konnichiwa
kingston.ac.uk/kls
soul University (JNU) were disrupted by the Delhi police barricading the area, shooting smoke bombs and pellets, and trying to disperse students with wooden sticks in the name of anti-nationalism. This sparked outrage amongst students across the country and the world, with university students protesting and standing in solidarity with the students of the university. The movement garnered so much support that demonstrations were held around the globe. “The power of students and their ability to join hands and stand in solidarity with each other spooks the government which has thrived on a divide-and-rule basis of religion since forever,” explained Priyodarshini Debsharma, a Political Science student at JNU. “The youth holds the power to bring down governments and change the way the world is run, if only we put our minds to it,” she added. Three months after those first set of protests and the people of India continue to fight against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens, showcasing parallels between the acts by the Modi government and Nazi Germany. Most of the ongoing protests have been led and organised by the younger generation. In Hong Kong, students took up arms to protect Hong Kong Polytechnic University from the
police, after five months of intense political pressure in the country triggered by the introduction of a new government bill which would have allowed the extradition of wanted ‘criminals’ to mainland China. To the students, this undermined the country’s autonomy and the civil rights of residents as such a bill would subject individuals to the jurisdiction and legal system of their much bigger brother. LGBTQ+ and civil rights protests continue to make headlines the world over and are often led by a younger demographic, owing to the generation’s willingness to take action for what they believe in. Most youth protests, especially the ones that are political in nature, have seen strong crackdowns by the particular region’s police and government, who often declare educational institutions as “anti-national” and a breeding ground for terrorists against the state (see Indonesia). This tactic has been seen around the globe, time and again, with Gen-Z taking an impassioned stand and starting a fightback which gathers momentum.
“70%
of young people say they are more worried about climate change today than they were a year ago” From Donald Trump’s successful ascent to presidency to Brexit, it is evident that the world is being run by “baby boomers” with sentiments that are unpopular with Gen Z. However, even generations pre-dating Z, Gen X and Y, have huge differences in ideologies, priorities, and ways of thinking, which have led to several clashes between them and the boomers in almost all spheres of life. The last decade has seen the newer generations becoming increasingly irate with ‘boomer’ decisions, and that has resulted in younger campaigners taking to grassroots activism where they get out on the streets and get their hands dirty. It’s heartening to see young people care so much about the future and be unwilling to be mute spectators. Clearly, they will shape this future even if it means having to fight giant corporations or governments for it. SWELL MAGAZINE 27
soul
is it time to swipe left on
online dating?
or most young people, dating apps take up real estate on their smartphones at one point or another. Of course, like with most technology, here too, we’re spoilt for choice. But like choosing which grocery store to shop at, each app has its own reputation and intent in usage. The general consensus ranked in order of finding casual hookups to actual relationships seems to be Tinder < Bumble < Hinge, with Tinder being where you would go for casual hookups and Bumble or Hinge for when you actually intend on seeing someone more than once. Last year, 27% of UK Tinder users were between the ages
28 SWELL MAGAZINE
of 18-24 pointing to them being university students, followed by 25-to-30-year-olds. When we asked students why they used dating apps, confidence-boosting and procrastination were among the top answers other than the obvious ones of ‘finding like-minded people to hang out with’. Akansha, 21, used dating apps all through college and in between four years and living in two cities, she had used Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Happn, and OK Cupid, “I swiped mindlessly for the four years I was on them. It was almost like a game that I played whenever I was bored or with friends, where my friends would swipe for me, making random conversa-
tions with matches. Dating apps became a joke at some point because no one took them seriously,” she says. “In all of the four years of using dating apps, I only went on one actual date. Plans were made many times but always fell through. Sometimes he backed out, sometimes I did,” says Akansha. This reinforces the fact that there’s no obligation to meet someone you only had short text exchanges with. When it comes to dating apps, no social accountability for which we come up with new names for like ghosting, benching, haunting, etc. For Puja, 22, who started with Tinder but switched to Bumble and then Hinge, these apps were
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PRATIK GUPTA VIA UNSPLASH STATISTICS VIA WE ARE FLINT
F
By Anugraha Sundaravelu
soul
something she could go back to on and off. “The app is like a stock of men, ready to please you and talk to you. It commodifies the entire initial interaction, and things don’t feel organic anymore,” she says. Ironically, she met her current partner on Hinge. For most young women, these apps are becoming a way to assert their sexuality and improve
their confidence. “Casual sex really helped with boosting my confidence after a breakup,” says Michelle, 19, who uses these apps specifically for casual sexual encounters. What they all agree on is how matching with someone is accompanied by a short-lived hit of dopamine thanks to the validation. “Whenever I matched with an attractive guy, it made me feel good, but there are also times when I’m mindlessly swiping because I’m bored,” says Brian, 28, a Grindr and Bumble user. Window shopping on dating apps is common enough, but when some of these interactions go badly, they still affect us negatively. “Initially, when I was using these apps for proper dating, it proved to be a great ego boost when matches poured in. I was naive enough not to realise that it was just people randomly swiping,” says Akansha. While Akansha agreed that matching with someone provided short spurts of improvement to her mental health, it did have a downside. “The constant objectification and sometimes downright rudeness of some men on the apps affected my self-esteem despite me knowing better
than to take it to heart. It left me extremely frustrated. That’s the main reason I quit all of them. I was sick of the rudeness I sometimes had to deal with and decided it just wasn’t worth it.” So can you find love on these apps? The answer to that is unclear. It seems everyone wishes it were true, but they’re not so naive to believe it. “I’ve met some good friends on there, but I doubt I’d find love there because I’m looking for the opposite. Personally, I feel like love is better found outside of dating apps, but there are exceptions, of course,” says Michelle. While both Akansha and Michelle don’t see themselves falling in love with someone off of a dating app, older people like Brian don’t agree. “We live in a digital world. It’s becoming more common for people to meet online just as much as meeting them at a bar or nightclub. These interactions start online but can certainly flourish into committed relationships,” he says. While the jury’s out on whether or not we can find love on these apps, the fact that people acknowledge using it to mindlessly swipe looking for some elusive sense of companionship shows that ours is a lonely generation. For us, even a brief conversation, a dubious compliment or even the buzz of our phones saying someone matched with us seems to be enough to make us smile. SWELL MAGAZINE 29
must watch foreign films The Korean film Parasite swept awards season with an impressive haul that included four Oscars
and two BAFTAs. In his Golden Globes acceptance speech, director Bong Joon-ho urged people to start exploring the amazing world of international cinema that lay beyond the “the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles”. So, if you’re ready to step into unfamiliar but deeply satisfying territory here are some foreign films to get you started...
ROMA (Spanish)
TRAIN TO BUSAN (Korean)
THE FAREWELL (Mandarin)
CARE OF KANCHARAPALEM (Telugu)
A must-watch for horror fans, this movie follows a Zombie outbreak on a train heading to, you guessed it, Busan. Much like Parasite, it manages to marry social satire and melodrama together in a way that leaves you entertained and shocked.
While this autobiographical feature from Lulu Wang' was snubbed at the Oscars this year, it did win two Independent Spirit awards. It follows a young ChineseAmerican woman and her family as they come to terms with the terminal cancer of the family's elderly matriarch.
If you’re a romantic at heart, then this movie is for you. Following lovestruck people across all ages, the story is set in an Indian locality that comes with its own societal complications. You'll be blown away by the wholesome writing and charmingly real characters.
SONG OF SPARROWS (Persian)
ELLE (French)
The loss of a valuable ostrich forces a father to venture into Tehran on his ageing motorbike to find work. There, being mistaken for a taxi driver gives him a new, lucrative career. This film by Iranian writer-director Majid Majidi, that is both poignant and funny, makes for a heartwarming watch.
30 SWELL MAGAZINE
Isabelle Huppert received an Oscar nomination for her role in this film as a woman on a mission to uncover the identity of her rapist in this psychodrama, the first French feature film from Paul Verhoeven, the director behind Basic Instinct and Show Girls.
WORDS BY ANUGRAHA SUNDARAVELU PHOTOGRAPHY BY REX FEATURES
This Oscar-winning movie is an emotional account of domestic life set against a background of political turmoil in 1970s Mexico. Equal parts intimate, tragic, funny and absurd, this movie is must-watch.
