2013, Term 1, Freshers issue

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THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION

FEATURE

Surviving inevitable housemate hell

Page 10

STUDENT MEDIA

SCIENCE

Double-page pull out on our three student media outlets Pages 12-13

The science of a hangover

ARTSTUNE IN ONLINE A full page listings of Freshers week events

Page 14

Page 18

A week to remember;

Tanay Sharma

a journey you’ll never forget

the badger

14 September 2013

in pictures• 2

FRESHERS SPECIAL Why you’re lucky to be studying in Brighton Hannah Shaw

Shima Jalal Kamali

Mina Rassouli

Laura Coupe

Hannah Shaw

Heather Gwither

Mina Rassouli

Mina Rassouli

USSU

Mina Rassouli

Sara Rogowska

Hannah Shaw

Hannah Shaw

the badger

14 september 2013

freshers special • 3

FRESHERS SPECIAL Why you’re lucky to be studying at Sussex Zoë Halse News Editor

degree really is worthwhile.

So, you’re finally here. After all the sifting through university prospectuses, soul searching and the combined nightmare of UCAS and exams, the University of Sussex is your new home. What exactly has lured so many of us from across the UK and the globe to this particular University? We take a look at all the serious and the silly reasons you really should be glad to be here.

Sussex students and staff are renowned for their critical eye, awareness. We’re no fools. Ever since its founding in the 1960s, Sussex has held its own in the political arena.

As the demonstrations against outsourcing last academic year are testament to, and we have no intention of going quiet any time soon!

Last term at Sussex was one of the most politically exciting yet, with a dramatic occupation that attracted huge amounts of media attention and some world class speakers, politicians and activists.

In this time of cuts, cuts and more cuts, a continued political presence is unlikely to diminish.

food

Yes, perhaps your choice of university should not be based on the quality of the food, but both Falmer Bar and East Slope offer some amazing food at even better prices. At your very first opportunity check out the amazing nachos-huge portion of melted cheese, salsa and guacamole that probably can’t be beaten this side of Mexico itself.

your degree

On a more serious note, Sussex offers you the chance to achieve a genuinely good degree. There is an incredibly impressive range of brains and famous names across all departments and some world class research going on behind closed doors. No matter what may be constantly reported in the media, your

USSU

political prowess

badgers in brighton

Sussex students are so spoilt - we can enjoy both the urban delights of Brighton and the sprawling beauty of the Sussex Downs. Living on campus it can be easy to forget where you actually are.

An abundance of badgers, bunnies and beautiful countryside are tucked away just behind Park Village. Your Fresher’s year will not be complete without exploring. Then, if all that country air feels a bit too healthy, you have the clubs, bars and greasy spoons of Brighton not

strangest hangover cures In all probability, a serious hangover will be part and parcel of your fresher’s week.

In a study conducted by Student Beans in 2011, 20 percent of some 2,000 British students surveyed said they would not be able to survive a term at university without alcohol.

We’ve provided some methods accumulated from a vast experience across our editorial team- some untested (side-effects may vary):

1. Deep-fried canary: This was originally an Ancient Roman technique and considered a delicacy - particularly useful for curing a pounding headache 2. Hair of the dog: A particular favourite of many students with too much time on their hands - pick up the cider and start swigging again.

3. Bury yourself in sand: A bright idea from our experienced Irish friends was to be buried up to your neck in sand. Before you head off into town to try it, remember we’ve only got pebbles.

weather even a ten minute train ride away.

the weather

Somehow, Sussex just seems to be sunnier than everywhere else.

Although it seems unlikely our professors have figured out how to manipulate the weather and are just keeping it quiet, there is nothing quite like strolling across campus on one of the gorgeous days we’re often blessed with. As an added bonus, campus also looks amazing when covered in snow.

inventive architecture

The infamous architect Basil Spence, knighted by the Queen in 1960, is responsible for designing

you many of the listed buildings on our Falmer campus. Apparently the library is shaped like an open book, while the Arts A building resembles a butterfly.

CollegeHumor and the Telegraph have both observed that the whole campus looks like a sitting cat from a birds-eye-view. Whether you see it instantly or spend your entire time here trying to puzzle it out, there’s always something to look at.

it’s all about you

The range of people that might be reading this article is one of Sussex’s major strengths. Take advantage of the next two weeks, whilst you can talk to anyone and everyone, to do

exactly that! Wherever you’re from, whatever you wear and whatever you love, there will be a place for you at Sussex.

Difference and creativity is valued here - being a bit out of the ordinary will just provide more material for all those drunken Fresher’s Week chats.

student media

Last but not least, Sussex has a Newspaper, a Radio (URF) and TV (UniTV) Station. Media at the students’ Union is buzzing, so why not get involved! For instance, try your hand and sign up to The Badger’s writing mailing list, no experience necessary.

diary entries: my freshers week Jack Williams

I was kneecapped before even leaving the starting blocks at Sussex because, as it so happened, I was inmate at a flat seeped in an atmosphere of mistrusts.

A day never lapsed without a quarrel, misunderstanding or slanging match. I had to abdicate my own room (in favour of the library) on more than one occasion because two combatants were stampeding around the flat, bellowing loudly, because they had a predilection for maliciously stealing and in some cases destroying each other’s property.

I moved with high hopes, and those high hopes were well justified. I got on infinitely better with the people in this flat, and I could discern immediately that it was all much more happy families. I struggle to recall one incident of disrepute and salient animosity within the flat, apart from Tuna-gate (a three month old open can of tuna nestling in the fridge that no-one would honestly admit to owning).

After I met people that I could call genuine friends and got shot of the flat that common decency forgot to bless, all my problems seemed to have vanished into thin air.

For how a student lifestyle can change from hopeless to Nirvana in the space of a month, one can’t help but love Brighton.

Lucy Hartland

When I first arrived at Sussex I was nervous and excited but I ignored the nerves and in no time began exploring the University.

My friends and I got a bit over excited at some of the events and signed up for pretty much every society and club that the Union offered at the Freshers Fair (although we ended up going to hardly any them – oops).

Although not going to some of the things we put our names down for, we still enjoyed the event and found it useful by going around all the stalls and picking up as many freebies as we could get our hands on – this was the start of student life for us so we had to get as much free stuff as we could.

My fresher’s week experience was a little unusual as I wasn’t allocated halls. I was worried about finding my way around Brighton on top of starting at the University itself. However, my advice to you if you are living off campus is not to panic.

Brighton was easy enough to navigate around and there is so much exploring to be done (although we did get lost on the way back to our house from our first night out!).

When you’re coming back from any of the Fresher’s events an essential stop to make after a night out is definitely to Buddies Restaurant which is open 24 hours and you can get pretty much any food at any hour of the day!

THE BADGER

14 SEPTEMBER 2013

YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION• 4

Welcome to your Students’ Union The Students’ Union is here to make student life better, and provides opportunities such as sports clubs and societies, student media, advice and support services, student-friendly shops, bars and a lettings agency on campus, events such as Freshers Week, and much more. We also campaign on relevant local, national and international issues, including lobbying the University to make changes in both academic and social life.

influence what we do by standing and voting in our elections and referenda, providing feedback, making suggestions, taking part in meetings, campaigning and much more.

The Students’ Union is run by six elected full-time officers who are either recent graduates from Sussex or BSMS or are taking a year out of their studies.

They are elected every year by all students to make sure the Union’s doing All students at the University of Sussex and Brighton & Sussex Medical what our members want. Each has a different responsibility, and you can School (BSMS) are members of the Students’ Union: that means you can find out more about them below...

PRESIDENT KELLY MCBRIDE

EDUCATION JULIETTE CULE

ACTIVITIES RICHARD MASHITER

COMMUNICATIONS IMOGEN ADIE

WELFARE

OPERATIONS SOPHIE VAN DER HAM EMILY HOLLIDAY

Juliette, the Education Officer, is responsible for advice and representation for students on all academic matters. She also looks after the Student Rep scheme, which provides an essential link between students, the Union and the University. Student Reps are undergraduate and postgraduate students elected each year to represent the views and interests of students in their department, subject or school year. You can get involved by voting in the elections or standing to be a Rep - check out sussexstudent.com/studentreps.

Kelly is the President of the Students’ Union and is responsible for representing the Union and the views of the students at Sussex on several University committees as well as being the spokesperson to the local and national media. She is also responsible for organising and coordinating national campaigns and negotiating with the University management on any issues that might arise. You can contact Kelly with any issues or questions you might have by emailing president@ussu.sussex.ac.uk.

We have so many societies, sports and volunteering opportunities at Sussex, and Richard, the Activities Officer, looks after all of these. Societies and sports are run by students, are easy to get involved with, and are a great way to meet new people and have lots of fun. It’s easy to get involved, with lots of societies free to join, and if you don’t spot something that you takes your fancy, you can even set up your own.

The Students’ Union runs shops and bars, staffed by students, and Emily is in charge of these as well as environmental and sustainability issues. As Operations Officer, she is responsible for overseeing the Union’s finances, as well as ensuring we work in an ethical and environmentally sound way.

Emily also oversees all democratic processes to make sure elections and policy-making run smoothly. You could stand for election (as well as getting involved by voting!) - find out more at sussexstudent.com/itcouldbeme

You can chat to Imogen, the Communications Officer, if you’re interested in student media. It is her job to ensure that all students are adequately informed about the Union in order that you can get involved. We have a radio station, TV station and newspaper on campus, all run entirely by students.

It’s easy to get involved (and requires no prior experience!) Check out pages 12-13 for more information and come along to our Student Media Day.

Sophie, the Welfare Officer, is responsible for any non-academic concerns that students have. These range from issues with campus accommodation to problems paying fees or complaints. Sophie represents the student voice on University committees, works on social policy and campaigns, and helps to coordinate cultural events throughout the academic year.

THE BADGER

14 SEPTEMBER 2013

FRESHERS SPECIAL • 5

FRESHER’S SPECIAL

Vox Pops: This is Freshers Week 2013 Nora Lauff, Luxembourg I’ll be studying English and Media Studies at the University of Sussex and I’m not only looking forward to meeting new people and having a blast at parties, but also to learn more about the English language and literature and how Media affects us!

I’m particularly interested in Journalism, so I might even find a way to write an article every week or so? I can’t wait to read the first issue of the badger!

Also, I’m from Luxembourg but I went to the European School my entire school life, so I’m more than happy to go live with even more people from all over the world.

FOOD

Chris Dudley, Berlin, Germany

I am coming to Sussex to study a PhD in Law Studies.

I look forward to meeting my faculty, the new and old students from all over this interesting planet, to participating in various Students’ Union activities as well as the inter-cultural events on campus.

I have tough task ahead of me, but I’m looking forward to feeling at home in the Brighton community, hopefully bringing me peace of mind away from home. Coming from the equator I am not looking forward to winter at all.

Not that it scares me in the midst of all the excitement.

Days go by, summer holidays are almost over and fresher’s week is imminent. A new chapter is about to begin for all of us. A chapter full of new international faces coming from every corner of the planet.

It’s a chance for a new beginning. I’m looking forward to meeting all the new and unique faces, making friends that will last for a lifetime and partying out at fresher’s week with all these awesome people.

I can’t wait to join all the great societies that are offered at the University of Sussex.

Sussex fresher’s week, here we come.

Gloria Spasova, Bulgaria

What do I look forward to most? Perhaps it’s the social, friendly vibe. Maybe it’s the beautiful location of the campus, in the ‘outstanding natural beauty’ of the South Downs. It could be the feeling of belonging, of comfort that you get before even arriving on campus, all thanks to the efforts of the superb Students’ Union.

Everyone I’ve come to know so far has been welcoming, warm, and inviting, and I eagerly look forward to all the new people I will continue to meet during Fresher’s Week, and beyond. In short; I look forward to the community!

YOUR DEGREE

Andreas Georgiades, Cyprus

MaryFrances Lukera, Kenya

My main purpose of coming to Sussex is, of course, studying but what I am looking forward to the most is not reading thick books, but attending all kinds of social events.

For me, they are not only a chance to have a great time but also broaden my mind and extend my knowledge on different cultures by making friends from all around the world.

I am also quite excited about joining a few societies (I hope to join the Doctor Who society) and listening to some of my favorite artists perform live in Brighton.

Annabelle May Hawkes, Bracknell, UK Hello! My name’s Annabelle and this September I will be joining Sussex University to study English Lit. Safe to say, I’m excited about a number of things: to make new friends, for Fresher’s week, for finding a Harry Potter appreciation society… and also to grow up over the next three years.

Sussex Freshers, so I hear, looks set to be awesome and I for one can’t wait for so many memories to be squashed into one week… never-mind how hazy those memories may end up being!

They say that University makes up the best years of your life, so see you on the 14th!

Kate Pemberton, Dorset

Hermione Berendt, Staffordshire, UK I am most looking forward to meeting and observing for myself the vast range of stereotypes that so famously inhabit universities. As a small town dweller, I was always disappointed with the lack of variety. Here I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of the anti-social workaholics, the LADS, the toffs, the WAGS, the hippies, the hipsters, the feminists, the skaters, the dope heads and the politically inclined. No idea what category I fall into, but I know I will be amongst the other freshmen, sauntering through the society sign ups, pretending that they are definitely not exploding with excitement.

From the ‘anything goes’ atmosphere of Brighton to the multitude of societies to join, I get the sense the next few years are going to be far from dull. I’m really looking forward to starting my degree in International Relations and Anthropology and one of the things I’m most excited about is studying in a diverse and forward-thinking environment. Whether protesting against tuition fees or campaigning against outsourcing, Sussex students have a reputation for speaking out if something doesn’t sit right. I can’t wait to join them! Besides, any university that has a Doctor Who society has my full attention.

Your Freshers Year bucket list

Jack Williams News Editor

With so much going on and so much to do at your very first year at Sussex, you may well be suffering from the dreaded FOMO- Fear Of Missing Out. But Fear not: we’ve compiled the ultimate list of everything you must do this year.

WANDER THE FRESHERS FAIR The fresher’s fair is your launchpad into the social arena at Sussex University. Its archetypal flea-market atmosphere, with flag captains from over 100 different societies vying to outshout each other to become the centre of your attention injects an awe of vibrancy into the atmosphere. No Fresher’s week is complete without it.

VISIT THE CAMPUS BARS 2) Pay visit to one of the campus bars In every Sussex student’s heart, there is a special corner reserved for the binary of East Slope and Falmer Bar, and

with good reason. Everything about them has an almost naughty hypnotic effect on students. A carnival atmosphere as well as dazzling food but perhaps its utter disregard for the inflationary prices will have you baying for booze.

BREAK THE CURSE OF ARTS A

The mystery of how to descend the Arts A steps without makings oneself look boorishly incompetent is almost as old as time itself; and I challenge Fresher’s to succeed where previous generations have clearly faltered. In the unlikely event that’s there is an afterlife, a seat on God’s intelligent design committee certainly awaits the soul who fathoms a solution to this problem.

COMPLETE AND SUBMIT IN 1HR In football circles, this would be known as squeaky-bum time. Can resemble the atmosphere of feeding frenzy through the perspective of a school of piranhas, all fighting for occupation of the hand-in points measly offering

of pens and hole-punchers, frantically filling in cover sheets as deadline draws ever closer, but enjoyable nonetheless. Highly recommended.

SUSS OUT THE NIGHTLIFE

Mutually assured debauchery! Brighton sure knows how to party! There are plenty of different nights and an even larger array of clubs and bars that cater to almost 35,000 students attending the two Brighton-based universities. If you can think of it, it’s out there somewhere- so take some time getting to know your new city.

INCUR A LIBRARY FINE A Brazen act of lunacy or doolally to the point of masochism, you may think there’s no way I can put a positive spin of this. But a fine slip is an extraordinary, if not exorbitant, memento for your Fresher year and may effectively desensitise you the soul shattering, tear-jerking, sky rise fines that all second and third seem to contract effortlessly.

TRY OUT STUDENT MEDIA

7) Participate in student media Assisting the Sussex student media machine can be an extremely enriching experience. The three media outlets include URF (University Falmer Radio), UniTV, or of course your beloved Badger Newspaper (No favouritism intended). Your input and innovative ideas are always greatly appreciated.

SOUL SEARCH

Without sounding like a self-help book, fresher’s year can be the year to really work out just what makes you more excited than a Game of Thrones fan just before a new episode. Now is your chance to discover new hobbies, passions and dreams. Take every opportunity and every chance, this year only happens once.

BEFRIEND SOME WILDLIFE The Sussex campus and the surrounding downs play host to a wide range of animals. The campus has boasted

a peacock and a pheasant amongst its residents. Last year’s Northfield set adored Caesar, a beautiful pheasant. We have it on good authority that he’s currently fixated on finding new chums for this year. Long live the pheasant!

PASS!

Not to sound like a square, but your entire fresher’s year goes up in smoke unless you pass your first year at Sussex. You might not be readmitted or denied entry to your second year unless you manage to pass your subject, which can rival the devastation of having the pearly gates slammed shut in your face. Pass, pass, pass!

AND FINALLY...

Perhaps it’s also useful to remember that everyone’s experience at Sussex is so unique. This list is a good place to get your bearings, but go and make the most of the time you have and pass on your list to next year’s freshers.

the badger

14 September 2013

comment • 7

THE BIG DEBATE

Should page 3 be banned?

Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion Green MP, reignited the national argument over the famous national institution. In the first of this year’s big debates, The Badger asks whether page 3 should be banned

BBC

No Paul Muller

On the face of it, there are many greater battles to be won in the world than removing a daily pair of tits from a page inside a tabloid newspaper with a dying readership.

Free world trade, the elimination of inequality, world peace and England winning the World Cup are to name but a few. The Civil Rights Movement, this ain’t.

However, our MP Caroline Lucas’s stand in calling for Page 3 to be banned has been, albeit a trivial issue during a global economic crisis, honourable in sentiment. It’s a campaign which, if able to gain mainstream support, might persuade The Sun newspaper to pull the plug on its naughty frivolity for the sake of its own profits.

Since Lucas started wearing her ‘Ban Page 3’ t-shirt, the Co-op has already decided to encrypt the front covers of lad mags like Nuts and Zoo. Who knows, Tesco and Sainsbury’s may follow suit. As long as such pressure doesn’t persuade the state itself to legislate, all will be sweet.

A statutory ruling would lay an alarming precedent. It just isn’t the business of government, in principle, to decide what we can and cannot see. Censorship stopped us from learning of the horrors of Hillsborough, of celebrity paedophiles operating inside the BBC, and the shocking mistakes deep within our NHS. And we shouldn’t pretend this is, any longer at least, so much a feminist issue. More and more magazines are becoming geared upon men, with sportsmen stripping off for ‘charity’ causes, raising money exclusively through the indecent desires of many a hypocritical middle-aged woman.

So let’s admit it, we’re, many of us, perverts.

And no window dressing is going to change that. Sometimes, in a lunch break, if you’re anything like me, the sight of raw human flesh on Page 3 might be the only slice of satisfaction you gain from a dull 9-5 office job, especially if David Cameron gets his way and bans internet porn.

My Granddad never did forgive me when he set his eyes on my Windows screensaver montage I made out of some saucy images of his new wife from his Benidorm holiday album.

All in all, Page 3 is pretty irrelevant, and it’s a shame it’s on the agenda of a reputable student newspaper.

WRITE FOR US

Yes Lucy Wilde

That old English idiom, the ‘cat and mouse game’ in which both parties are locked into an infinite succession of near misses, is analogous, I think, to what the Page 3 debate would look like if one side were a feline and the other a tiny rodent.

Without allocating who’s who I mean by this that both sides, in their usual rhetorical advances, continuously fail somewhat in landing the vital blow.

The reason for this being fairly simple; freedom and morality have no place in a debate of this kind and as such we must, I dare say, turn to the matter of taste.

Those in favour of a ban talk mainly of objectification, sexism and degradation. These moral cries, so to speak, are as effective as they are subjective.

Morals are paradigmatic; some hold tenor more than others yet one person’s objectification is another’s success story.

Those in favor of keeping a topless Page 3 are in some way bastions of liberty; only liberty

here is too strong an axiom for its intended use, and as such it loses its tread. They say: “Freedom of expression is paramount, don’t suppress the breast”.

The danger here is that where freedom is involved, one’s rights to protection from nudity on Page 3 are equally legitimate, and thus the whole argument implodes with the force of a thousand cries of liberty.

So why do I think Page 3 should be banned, if not for the morals? Without resurfacing Victorian-esque sentiments of austereness, I think that the very existence of Page 3 symbolizes a societal rot; a malignant knurl on the innards of our cultural habitus.

Other populist pathogens such as TOWIE, HD brows and personalized number plates are all one and the same malady, their foul stench easily detectable along the high street or in front of a television set.

It is a standard of taste then, which I see as being marred in our society.

The archetypal taste, for me, is one based on aesthetic enchantment with an equal measure of humility.

An oxymoron to some, this balance can be realized if eyebrows were not so defined, and if printed nudity was saved for art and its derivatives.

got an opinion? join the debate

We are a paper written and edited by students, for students.

We hold weekly writers meetings for people who want to get involved.

To find out more bookmark The Badger and visit us at:

E-mail your response to our Comment team and join the debate to feature in next week’s edition of the paper.

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badger@sussexstudent.com

THE BADGER

14 SEPTEMBER 2013

YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION • 8

Welcome to your Students’ Union!

The Students’ Union has a strong history of campaigning on the issues that matter to students. We have a strong tradition of standing up for students’ rights and have actively campaigned over the years on many relevant local, national and international issues. Here is just a snapshot of the campaigns and projects that the Full-Time Elected Officers will be up to over this year, and lots of ways that you can get involved.

Campaigns

Officer projects Out there Officers

All of the officers will be out & about - visiting your school of study, the societies and sports you belong to, and coming along to lots of events on campus. Have a chat with us about the things that concern you, the things you think we should be working on, your ideas for Sussex and to find out more about the Students’ Union.

Getting students involved

You’re all members of the Students’ Union, and as such should have a say in shaping what we do. You can stand for election to become a Student Rep, a Councillor, an Officer, and many more positions. You can also get involved in our referenda, due to be held in November, to help make decisions and shape Union policy.

Language Cafe

Sophie, the Welfare Officer, has set up the Language Cafe

as a way for international and UK students to come together and teach each other their languages. As a non-native English speaker, she found there was a lack of opportunity to practice English when she first went to University, and so these fortnightly sessions (held in Falmer Back Bar) will give you the opportunity to do just that!

Academic journal

Juliette, the Education Officer, is setting up an academic journal to showcase undergraduate work at Sussex, from across all disciplines. Send her an email at education@ussu. sussex.ac.uk or pop in to see her in Falmer House if you’re interested in getting involved.

Campus Halls Cup

Richard, the Activities Officer, runs a weekly event called the Campus Halls Cup. Play a different game or sport against students from other halls each

week. Come along with your flatmates to play Dodgeball at 1pm on the 15th September in the Sports Centre, and for a different event every week afterwards. Find out more at sussexstudent.com/campushallscup.

Saturday Club Night - Antics

Wednesday has always been student night at Sussex - but now we bring you Saturdays too. Head down to Wah Kiki on the seafront for your studentfriendly cheap alternative to a standard pricey Saturday in Brighton. Doors open 10pm.

Trans* equality campaign

This campaign aims to increase the information available to students and staff at Sussex about trans* issues, as well as lobbying to break down barriers that trans* students face at Sussex. We’re already working to establish gender-neutral toilets on campus, but there is loads more to be done.

Campaigns

Time to Change - Mental Health Mental health stigma and discrimination continue to be an issue for many students, and the Students’ Union has decided to challenge misconceptions, encourage open discussion and help to create a more understanding and supportive campus community. The University and the Union signed the Time to Change pledge in April, agreeing to end mental health discrimination.

We will be doing lots of things over the year to work towards these objectives, reduce stigma

and improve the systems in place to support students with mental health problems. If you want to get involved, get in touch with Sophie at welfare@ussu.sussex.ac.uk or check out the website.

Outsourcing at Sussex What is outsourcing?

Outsourcing is the contracting of a service previously performed internally to an external, private organisation.

What’s happening at Sussex?

The University announced major plans back in 2013 to outsource Estates & Facilities Management and Catering to private providers during the new academic year. This includes services such as security, portering and management of the halls of residence.

A company called Chartwells have already taken over running some of the cafes on campus, with the remaining services due to be run entirely by private providers before the end of the academic year.

Why does it matter?

Despite outsourcing of services directly affecting all Sussex students, the University did not consult with students or the Students’ Union. The Students’ Union has many concerns about the plan to outsource campus services, including: Student safety and welfare: a private provider may attempt to cut costs by reducing the number of security guards and porters. A private investor will be looking to make a profit, and as such may drop the quality of service in the medium or long term. Fewer members of security staff mean fewer people working to keep campus safe.

Accountability: The Students’ Union regularly campaigns for positive changes on behalf of the student body.

Outsourcing services reduces the opportunity for student feed-in, as private companies will have no requirement to listen to the student body.

Our campus community: we are concerned about the impact outsourcing will have on our tight-knit campus community that creates a unique learning environment. There exists a close relationship between University staff and the student body, and outsourcing puts this under threat.

What can I do?

The Stop the Privatization campaign was set up by students at Sussex, and grew throughout the last academic year, attracting national media attention and prominent figures such as Caroline Lucas (MP for Brighton Pavillion), Noam Chomsky, and many Sussex academics. Caroline Lucas tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament, students hosted a national student demonstration at the Sussex campus, and affected staff launced a Pop-Up Trade Union.

Campaigners occupied the Conference Centre in Bramber House, with the demands that the outsourcing process be halted, students, staff and lecturers be better consulted, and all intimidation tactics used against staff and students be dropped. Despite the eviction of the occupation after seven weeks, the campaign lives on and is open to everyone from the Sussex community, in order to fight for accountability, fairness and proper consultation with the campus community.

Get involved: sussexstudent.com/outsourcing

the badger

14 September 2013

FEATURE •9

FEATURE

Shima Jalal Kamali

How to board abroad University is a very foriegn experience for many, but for international students it can be a whole different world

Nicole Estwick Features Editor After a summer of travelling, working or just relaxing following exams, many young people are preparing to make yet another transition- going to university.

Yet this change is possibly the biggest of the lot- you are really on your own this time; perhaps a relief to some with the chance to explore, experiment and go wild without mum and dad lurking around the corner.

University years can be some of the most challenging yet highly rewarding periods in your life. However, for many being far away from home comes with its difficulties. Moreover, to walk in the shoes of an international student carries a whole other set of worries.

The University of Sussex is notorious for its big intake of international students with 30% of our student population coming from outside the UK. But for many who arrive through the gates of Gatwick, coming to the UK and particularly being thrown into the madness that is Freshers Week can be overwhelming.

Flying across the world to start the next stage in life sparks anxiety for those with many different factors to consider such as where to go, what to do and most importantly what will happen when you arrive.

Some of the biggest anxieties before coming to the UK according to current international students at Sussex were

getting used to the style of academic study, living in halls and adjusting to UK student culture.

One third year Business and Management student recalls his experience of arriving in the UK from Asia. He claims: “yeah you feel really nervous... you are entering the unknown, you want to fit in, have fun, make friends but it is all very scary”.

“Living in halls can be one of the most challenging but also fun parts of university life” So how can students get over the initial ‘culture shock’ of the UK, its infamously gloomy weather and the student culture which many think of as a cycle of being skint, partying and a little (at least for the first year) bit of academic study thrown in?

To ease the fears of our international fresher’s we have tackled these issues head on. Take a look...

study For many individuals, myself included, the format of university study takes some getting used to. One of the first

things I asked myself was why I am paying around £3000 (now £9000) for only 8 hours contact time per week?

This is only one of many factors that distinguishes the UK university system from others around the world.

First of all, there are the lectures and seminars; a mixture of scribbling notes whilst trying to mentally construct a decent point in your head to impress your peers as well as your tutors.

There are also the assessments, where on receipt of your first mark of 61 or 71 you stare in horror. But don’t worry, believe it or not these marks actually equate to a 2.1 and a first respectively and as a first year everyone will be in the same boat adjusting to new styles of teaching.

As for assignments, there is plenty of help on hand with the library and RLF running workshops, as well as the S3 study success site which gives great advice in all areas of academia.

So help is to be found, it’s all just a matter of getting out there and finding it but fear not, as your first year will be full of support from beginning to end.

living in halls One of the biggest hurdles to get over in your first year is living in university accommodation, where up to 12 strangers are placed in the same flat and expected to live harmoniously for the next nine months.

We all know this certainly doesn’t always happen, as living in halls can be one of the most challenging but also

fun parts of university life. Whether you are placed in the luxury of Northfield or left to make do with older halls such as Park Village, you are sure to experience ups and downs.

One of the biggest issues with university accommodation lies in the integration of individuals of different backgrounds and different interests.

Yet, another issue raised by talking to both home and international students is the divide, at times between UK and international students which can often cause on-going problems throughout the year.

However, Sussex’s Residential Advisors (RAs), as students who have already lived in halls before, are here to help with this and any other issues that could potentially arise during the year.

A current RA recommends that: “students need to communicate with one another and make a real go of getting to know their flatmates… its best to start off on the right note to make your first year memorable for all the right reasons”.

student culture The student scene in the UK is quite possibly one of the most famous in the world. Yet, going on pub crawls, having forest/field parties and drinking all hours of the day - a major part of Fresher’s week (not that I mean to stereotype) - may not be for everyone.

However, after gathering the views of current international students it

seems that some feel a pressure to partake in these activities. One second year Psychology student claims how: “on one of my first socials with this society I was already drinking some awful cocktail mix through a funnel. It wasn’t exactly my idea of fun.”

So what else is out there for those not into that sort of thing?

The answer is plenty and being in Brighton, one of the most diverse UK cities, means that there are a plethora of things to get stuck into from the shops of the Laines to more rural routes out towards Devils Dyke and Seaford.

Not only that, but the Students’ Union is home to societies that cater to everyone’s tastes, with a number of different cultural and nationality based societies on hand providing a great way to get involved and meet new people with common interests without the pressures of other activities.

So what can we conclude from our search on how to build a home away from home in the UK? The answer is a few things: 1. There is plenty of support out there to help you with your first year.

2. Based on the views of current students at Sussex it isn’t so scary.

3. The best remedy to calm those fears is simply to engage and explore all the elements of your first year at Sussex beginning right now in your first days as you embark on the madness that is Freshers week.

All that’s left to say is: enjoy!

Your guide to...

Student Media

UniTV University of Sussex Student Television, known on campus at UniTV, is the University’s official and nationally aclaimed online student TV station. The station has won many awards since starting in October 2010, including National Student Television Awards.

There are all sorts of roles available, from presenting or camera work, to editing the final footage behind the scenes. To find out more about how you can get involved, head to unitvlive.com, email info@unitvlive.com, follow them on Twitter @UniTVLive or find them on Facebook.

UniTV’s main aim is to provide you with both up to date content about what’t happening around campus, as well as creating inno- You can also check out their footage at youtube.com/user/unitvlive vative TV shows for you to enjoy and share with your friends. The station is looking to expand its programming this year, to include things such as sport and more live broadcasts.

The team consists of both undergraduates and postgraduates, as well as having a mixture of different backgrounds in regards to both media experience and cultural backgrounds. You don’t need any previous experience, will learn loads of skills, and it’s a great way to meet new people. The team will be at the Freshers Fair, so drop by for a chat. You’ll also see them running around with cameras all week - a film of your Freshers week will be out later on in the term.

The Badger Newspaper The Badger is the free weekly newspaper available on campus that photos to go with them, so it’s a great chance to learn or improve is created entirely by students. It caters to over 13,000 students your skills and an exciting opportunity to see your work in print. and staff members living and working in our campus community, with content including news, arts, comment, sport and much more. You can contact all of the editors and the photography team by email (all of their email adThe newspaper has an open-door policy for writers, meaning that dresses are available on page anyone can get involved and write a piece for the paper or the web- seven of the standard edition site. They hold a writers meeting each week, usually on a Friday at of the newspaper or online).

1:30pm - check the website (badgeronline.com) or the advert in the You can follow the newspaper newspaper each week. You don’t need any prior writing experience on Twitter @TheBadgerNews, and can write pieces as often or as infrequently as fits around your and you can find them on Fastudies. Come along and chat to the editors about how you can get cebook - just search for ‘The involved and pick up an article for the paper. This is a fantastic op- Badger’. portunity for anyone interested in journalism or simply wanting to Don’t forget to come along to get involved in something while you’re at Sussex. the writers meeting each week The Badger is also looking for photographers with any level of ex- to get involved! perience to join the photography team. Most articles use original

URF Radio Station Univeristy Radio Falmer (known as URF) is our very own campus radio station. Getting involved in URF is easy and open to every student at Sussex. If there’s something you’re passionate about, be it music, comedy, current affairs or sport, then URF has the facilities to put that passion onto the radio waves. No prior skills or experience are needed - URF exists to give everyone a chance to try their hand at the world of radio.

vides invaluable and well-respected experience, and the opportunity to create and craft your very own radio show. If you love music, sport, news, current affairs, or just want to have some fun, join up.

It’s totally worth it!

To find out more and get involved, head to facebook.com/URFOfficial, follow @URFOfficial or email station.manager@urfonline.com.

There are a variety of different people at URF: presenters who front the radio shows, producers who plan the shows, the tech team who make sure everything is running correctly in the background, the news team who deal with current affairs, and the music team who talk music and pick new songs.

URF gives you the opportunity to review gigs and interview artists all around Brighton. This year URF members got delegate passes to the Great Escape Fesitval, and interviewed musicians such as Bastille, Frightened Rabbit and Benjamin Francis Leftwich. It pro-

Your Elected Officers Hi, I’m Imogen, your elected Communications Officer. Student media is an incredibly important part of the Students’ Union at Sussex and it’s so easy for you to get involved. All of our media outlets are open to anyone to get involved in, with no previous experience required and loads of different opportunities.

I’m here to help support our media outlets and ensure they have the resources to develop and grow. I also work with the outlets to help communicate information about the Students’ Union’s services and events to Sussex students.

The Badger newspaper is an iconic part of the Sussex community.

Our radio station, URF, has been running since the 1970s and many members have gone on to work for the BBC and XFM. Our TV station, UniTV, was set up only a few years ago, and has already gone on to win a number of national awards and is a leader in student television.

Bree Allegretti is your elected Media Development Officer, one of the Part-Time Officers. He helps to facilitate the work that student media volunteers do and helps them to create content that is interesting, entertaining and enriching to an increasing number of students. This year, Bree is working to make student media more accountable and better at scrutinising, more beneficial to all, and Student media is fun, provides you with useful experience, and is a help all students to feel a part of student media. simple way of meeting lots of like-minded people. Seeing your creative content in print, your voice and views on the radio and your You can get in touch by emailing communications@ussu.sussex. face and talent on the TV is really exciting. Getting involved with ac.uk or adding Imogen Adie Comms-Officer on Facebook. You can The Badger newspaper is one of the best things I’ve done at Sussex. contact Bree by emailing mediadevelopment@ussu.sussex.ac.uk.

Student Media Day - Thursday 19th September, 12-5pm Calling all wannabe journalists, photographers, film makers, radio presenters, bloggers, illustrators, writers, designers and reviewers - Student Media at Sussex needs you!

Come along to our welcome day for an introductory talk at 12pm, and workshops from all of the media outlets throughout the afternoon. If you can’t make it for 12, just pop in any time for a chat about how to get involved.

the badger

14 September 2013

FEATURE •13

FEATURE

Surviving housemate hell

To help you avoid a kitchen melee with your housemates, The Badger offers you a rough guide to keeping an amicable atmosphere in your new accommodation Holly Davis-Bollard Features Editor If I could give any top tip, it would be this: accept the probability of squalor, and learn to revel in it.

After a year of living in halls, the group with the dirtiest flat will most certainly have claimed themselves a badge of honour.

As a brand new university student, you have the responsibility to grow mould on top of your mould, commandeer a road sign, and instigate a chunder chart (this applies readily to non-drinkers. Too many Pro Plus have been proven to produce astounding results).

It’s difficult to know what to expect from your first year at university between episodes of Fresh Meat and the cringe-worthy stories your parents have graced you with, detailing the wild times they had in the [insert decade here], protesting Communism or discovering the second summer of love.

But whether you’re living in East Slope or Northfield, your first port of call will always be housing, and with that your ever-loving housemates.

Your housemates won’t always be the people you end up being best friends with. You might very well form better friendships in Texts in Time or Economics 101, but you’ll be living with these folks for the next 10 months, so it’s best to start

off on a good foot.

Most of us in our first year of university life will never have experienced living away from home, and the first night beneath the brand new ASDA duvet set can be a daunting one (is that the smell of plastic packaging, or your own fear induced sweat?).

Ultimately, you have two options to choose from when you begin your first day of university life: 1. Cower in your room with the lights off and avoid your new housemates like the plague. They are of course ten times cooler than you will ever be.

Did you see their Facebook profile pictures? They’ll laugh at everything you say or do. You are a troglodyte with nothing to contribute to society. You were better off at home. RUN, RUN FOR THE HILLS! 2. Wedge your unreasonably large suitcase in your door, and wait for your next-door neighbour to turn up.

Come prepared with a big box of Quality Street, stick the kettle on, and get ready to act friendlier than you have ever had to act in your entire life.

The truth of the matter is, everyone else is just as scared as you are (meaning your new housemates are a little bit like spiders, or snakes…).

Move past it, get down to the Freshers Fair, grab some nachos at

Falmer Bar, and awkwardly avoid eye contact with the people you knew in primary school who have somehow ended up at the same university as you.

Top bonding comments over a pint of snakebite may include: how last minute you left your packing, that weird kid who was always commenting on the accommodation Facebook group during the build up to the first day of term, and whether you’ll be watching Doctor Who or going to the Sunday Welcome Party (this can be a contentious subject, and a wrong answer can form riffs in friendships or build bridges of mutual admiration. Play your cards close to your chest).

But what’s that you say? Life with your new housemates isn’t all sunshine and daisies?

It’s true. Some people won’t take out the bins (you will probably be one of them).

Some people will “accidentally” eat a whole jar of your Nuttella when they’re drunk.

Some people will wake up at antisocial hours on a Saturday morning to do proactive things like studying or exercise, and have the cheek to walk loudly down the stairs on their way out of the house.

With shared accommodation comes shared illness, and the prevalence of student sickness isn’t something to joke about, however funny the mumps outbreak of 2012

might have been. Studies taken at The University of Colorado have shown that using hand sanitisers can reduce student illness by up to 20% and therefore reduce missed school days by up to 40%.

Whether you wish to incur this added bonus is up to you, but by the time you’re into your 5th day of lying in a dark room buried in a mountain of tissues, you might start to wish you were sitting in your Monday 9am.

So however tempting it is to instigate a washing-up stand-off, try not to breed a new form of mould while you’re at it.

“Keep in check of your house.

Don’t let anyone stay locked in their room for too long...”

But there are other, more serious issues than a nasty flu. Student mental health is something to be aware of, because your university years are a time in your life when never before experienced pressures can begin to surface.

Whether it’s school work, anxi-

ety, or something worse, a small problem can become a big one if it’s not tackled as soon as possible.

Tests taken at Newcastle University showed that students are significantly more stressed than the general population. Any student will know how obvious an observation this is.

However, accepting how common student mental health problems are is encouraging universities to create more support services on campus, and these services are readily available to you and your housemates.

The biggest job, however, lies with you: the housemate, and more often than not, the friend.

Keep in check of your house.

Don’t let anyone stay locked in their room for too long. University blues can come about at any time and affect even the chirpiest of students.

But mostly, life as a first year student is as good as it gets. And as for your housemates, whether you’re the leaving-passive-aggressive-notes kind of kid, or the laidback sort that attends a lot of forest raves, you will all learn how to live with each other, and more often than not, have an amazing time while you’re at it.

And on the subject of notes, it’s usually best to keep them lighthearted.

the badger

14 September 2013

SCIENCE • 14

SCIENCE

The science of hangovers Ho Wah

ticle is going to nerd it out by highlighting the science of a hangover!

Dehydration Alcohol contains ethanol, which blocks the production of vasopressin.

Hell breaks loose without vasopressin; the kidneys send water straight to the bladder instead of circulating around the body for reabsorption.

Therefore for every 250ml of alcohol consumed, ~1000 ml of water is expelled, explaining the dry mouth, headache and weakness.

Hiral Gandhi Alcohology is the study of alcohol, therefore making me an alcohologist (well, something like that) for today!

Of course with all of that ‘studying’ alcohol comes the inevitable hangover. That syndrome where you invaluably bond with your buddies,

Chemical of the Week

taking a tour around Vegas all whilst remaining immaculately handsome.

No, that’s never happened to you either?

Zak Galifianakis certainly romanticised the head pounding, nauseating, praying to the gods for death feeling (there’s even a mention of it in the Bible, Isaiah 5:11), but this ar-

It’s rare, it can be mighty expensive and it will never cease causing trouble. Men love to brag about how much Vaginatin they can get their hands on. Many a fresher would have dreamt about the Vaginatin on offer at Uni. In reality, there never seems enough to go around. Despite this, most men will coninue to seek it, but they’ll be lucky to see even a bit.

It’s that time of year again, and the white coat wearing lab lovers are as ready to party as ever!

This year, the Life Science Society

Immune Response Cytokines are messenger cells of the immune system; when something naughty gets detected, the cytokines make a fuss in the form of flu-like symptoms to call for an immune response.

Alcohol isn’t the naughty pathogen invading the body, no, alcohol increases the production of cytokines consequently inducing flu-like symptoms such as the headaches, nausea and the constant urge to vomit.

But again, surely having more immune system messengers isn’t a bad thing?

Sleep Deprivation When you drink alcohol, production of glutamine, a stimulatory neurotransmitter is inhibited. When the alcohol is gone, the body over produces glutamine to make up for

lost time.

Conventionally, you sleep after a night out, which means that whilst you’re fast asleep your body is actually buzzing.

Some scientists wired up some drunken people and found that they have less REM sleep. Basically your hangover is you being cranky from not enough shut-eye.

All of that junk!

Sorry to sound like your mother, but there’s more than just grapes in that cheap bottle of red. Ethanol, methanol, tannins and even arsenic have found their way into alcohol (especially cheap stuff).

This is why mixing drinks is never a good idea, it’s just a recipe for a chemical-fizz cocktail party, and the only invitee is you.

What’s more your stomach lining, the job of which is to reabsorb the alcohol, becomes severely irritated so the only other way to get rid of this gunk is to vomit (or diarrhoea - we’ve well and truly crossed the gross line).

Fit like a fresher

Katherine Hardy Sceince Editor

Vaginatin

Alcohol Withdrawal Whilst you’re drinking, GABA production increases. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that blocks synapses thus making you sleepy, relaxed and wobbly… then you sober up. These once sedative feelings turn into tremors, shakes and you’re competing with granddad for clumsiness.

Because the nervous system adapts to the sedative effects of alcohol, once the A-juice is out of the system the nervous system suddenly

feels overpowered, in a sense making your body move faster than your brain. Technically this means that alcohol withdrawal is bad for you.

So you’re starting university. I’m sure that your main concerns aren’t keeping healthy and are more like how many ready meals you can in fit in the freezer and whether it’s okay to make a move on your gorgeous flatmate. But here are a few quick (and sometimes peculiar) tips to keep you spritely!

Grow a beard. Gentlemen, this may not give all of you instant attractiveness, but a beard or moustache may improve your overall health.

One study from the University of Southern Queensland found that a long enough beard can block around 90% of UV rays; how’s that for a skin cancer prevention scheme?

Beards can also attract many bits of debris. Apart from being a bit unclean, if you have hay fever or asthma this may be a benefit as it can trap pollen and dust, reducing the amount enter-

ing your respiratory system.

Don’t make your bed. Despite what your mum says, studies by Kingston University have found that airing out your bed will remove moisture from the sheets, dehydrating the small bugs that might happen to live there. Which leads on to the next point…

Open your windows once in a while!

Ventilating your bedroom could not only make it less humid and comfy for bugs, but also helps to reduce the likelihood of mould, a common cause of health issues.

Mould can result in respiratory and fungal infections and it can irritate asthmatics.

Get some sleep… from fear of being caught on Spotted: Nights Out in Brighton, going out every night is not an option. So get some shut eye!

Recent research published in Neuron discovered that in sleeping Zebrafish, some areas of synaptic activity are decreased during sleep. This allows

us to be able to continually take in and store new information, perfect for lectures!

Just like prisons and nursing homes, university halls are a great place to spread illnesses; so face the fact that you’re going to get fresher’s flu.

Stock up on tissues, cough syrup and a good antibacterial lozenge. Just remember that it’s not a good idea to mix remedies containing paracetamol with alcohol! Immediately you may feel better but you won’t after a few drinks.

Evidence that vitamin C and Echinacea prevent colds is very mixed, so don’t rely on one Berocca a day to see you through.

Get all your vaccines! You don’t want to be the idiot spreading mumps round campus – this will reduce friend making abilities by more than half. Register with the doctor on campus, and make sure you get your vaccines up to date at the health centre.

Love science? Life Science!

and Neuroscience Society are joining forces to kick off with a bang that’s bigger than any physicist or chemist could dream of. The festivities launch

at Falmer bar at 8pm on Monday 23rd September, and every molecule is going to be partying.

Everyone who’s anyone is coming,

and we hope you do too! But before you get your party shoes on, make sure you wear a white tee and bring a sharpie, because you’re going to get

Naomi Horsfall

drawn on!

For a list of all societies, visit: www.sussexstudent.com/societies

the badger

14th September 2013 Arts • 15

Arts Brighton by day

CULTURE

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Eat and be merry: Brighton’s best eats

Maddie Carver

Kensington Café

Perched above the bustling Kensington Gardens (home to The White Rabbit and the fantastic Caramella sweet shop), Kensington Cafe is cheap and cheerful in the best sense of the terms.

They offer a drink and a sausage roll for only £2, and their generous breakfasts are best enjoyed the morning after a heavy night out on the seafront.

A milkshake and half an hour’s people watching on their sunny terrace is a great way to while away the afternoon.

Prince George

The Prince George is well-recognised for its efforts in the domain of veggie pub food, proudly displaying awards from PETA et al on their walls.

Their menu is exactly what you want pub food to be: hearty, warm and filling.

Expect falafel burgers with jenga chips and huge burritos with potato wedges instead of the more traditional sausage and mash, though.

They also do great student deals on drinks, and the convivial atmosphere is best enjoyed on a cold winter’s day with their extensive candle collection ablaze. Not to mention, they make the best hummus in Brighton!

Idyea

Idyea

Something of a Brighton institution, Idyea is situated in the aforementioned Kensington Gardens with a

newly-opened second branch on Western Road.

With everything from granola and yoghurt to poached eggs with spinach and feta to avocado on toast, breakfast here is wonderful.

Their lunch menu changes daily, but they offer a wide range of mains that come with a double whammy of both sides and toppings - from as little as £4.70.

It does get busy though, and make sure to turn up early to secure one of the highly fought-over seats out at the front - or even just one inside.

Planet India

Despite a slightly off-putting location and a luminously pink frontage, Planet India serves up the best Indian food in Brighton.

Purely veggie (sorry again, carnivores), this restaurant gives huge portions alongside a well-chosen list of lagers and ales.

Reading the menu itself is one of the best parts of the visit.

Written by the owner himself, the humorous comments are a great start to the evening.

A few tips: the rice portions are gigantic, and if you only eat one thing, make it the Dhai Bel Puri.

Food for Friends & Terre à Terre

I have grouped these two together because they are both famous and highly-regarded gourmet vegetarian restaurants who serve unusual dishes at hideously expensive prices.

The food at both is so delicious that you won’t even notice the absence of meat – I promise!

For vegetarians, the two represent a rare opportunity to enjoy veggie food that is of an amazingly high culinary

standard. I was lucky enough to eat at both on various birthday outings, and would recommend you do the same!

Get your parents (or someone who is feeling generous) to take you and enjoy one of the best meals you will ever eat in Brighton, or perhaps the world.

Trolls Pantry

The World’s End

The BBQ Shack at The World’s End pub is a haven for pit-BBQ lovers and those with big appetites.

The pulled pork and brisket burgers are Texan classics that have been perfected by Chef John Critchely.

Not to mention that the shack was raved about by the Observer’s Jay Rayner, placing it amongst the best restaurants in the country.

It is also a student-friendly pub that shows a good selection of sport.

Not one for the veggies amongst us, but it couldn’t possibly be left out of the list.

Troll’s Pantry

The Troll’s Pantry began as a humble burger van, but it was definitely one with a difference.

The Troll serves up unusual gourmet burgers to such success that he has set up shop in the beer garden of The Hobgoblin, which also happens to be one of Brighton’s best pubs.

His creations include the Fiery Mountain burger and the Troll’s Stinky Breath burger, which come with toppings like bourbon bacon jam, rum and habanero sauce and Troll Stink sauce (anchovies, Brighton blue cheese, Sussex beer and garlic) on top of sustainably sourced and local beef patties.

Surprisingly there is no veggie option available, but I am told the meat ones are delicious – I’ll let it slide, just this once.

BM&AG

Laura McIntyre

Pompoko

Although the food in this tiny Japanese restaurant is by no means gourmet and the restaurant itself is far from fancy, it is delicious, cheap and filling - student heaven! They have a huge menu with an almost neverending choice of dishes, and for the price (around £4 a dish) you get an enormous portion along with rice or noodles.

There are not many tables available, so on busier afternoons or evenings you may have to queue, but the call of cheap and delicious food on offer is worth a 10 minute wait!

Fat Leo’s

This is another favourite purely because they do two courses for around £6 at lunchtimes, and there is A LOT of food involved.

Their bruschetta is probably one of the best things I have ever eaten, and is loaded with garlic and slathered in olive oil.

They also offer decent sized pizza and pasta, and although the restaurant itself is nothing to write home about and the service is sometimes hair-pullingly slow, this is one of the best places to get good value food on a student budget.

Read on Fresher, we’re going shopping

Heather Gwyther Arts Editor

Snoopers Paradise

Despite being the sort of place you visit with your mum before committing to spend three years of your life here, Snoopers Paradise is a great place to go shopping for ‘random’ stuff.

Beyond Retro It took writing an article like this for me to consider what it actually means to be ‘Beyond Retro’.

I suppose it’s ‘kinda the same as everyone else but different’.

I once saw a 2005 WWE t-shirt on sale there for £15; I may be naturally blonde but I am not – that - dumb, Beyond Retro.

They do student sales, but don’t blame me if all the discounted stuff is purple and polyester.

Wolf and Gypsy

With pieces as chic and on trend as this, I feel like heatherthevintagequeen@msn.com all over again.

I’ll leave finding an excuse to buy something up to you.

Dirty Harry

By the time you get to second year, you’ll be surrounded by a lot of boys dressed entirely

in clothes from this place.

Enjoy the excellent £5 rail while you’re young, lads.

CHIC. They removed their menswear section due to a lack of interest but who cares!

I hold a silent vigil for all my sisters who lose their entire student loan to American Apparel every month or so.

If you’re averse to make-up stains then ASOS probably have cheaper alternatives.

It’s amazing how this place can sell you so much stuff that you don’t really need – not that a pair of toenail clippers in the likeness of a geisha ever went amiss.

American Apparel

Tiger

Cyberdog

Urban Outfitters

I want everyone to visit just so they may feel as awkward as I did.

COS

It may not be the best Topshop in the world, but I thought I’d at least reassure you that Brighton does have one.

So I found a Mark Fast skirt in there for £10 once and now I’m a believer.

We might as well be forbidden from going in here when there’s not a sale on but it’s just so

Topshop & TOPMAN

The Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is an excellent space to become immersed in the latest collections that the city has to offer.

Reflecting the cultural diversity of Brighton by providing a wide range of Fine Art alongside the Avant-Garde, it’s no wonder that the city is renowned for its artistic community.

One of the most recent exhibitions presented the kitsch, quirky and provocative works of Jeff Koons.

Others include one concerning all things blue and the Regency period’s obsession with colour.

Fans of Koons and other contemporary art will appreciate pieces from the eclectic collection of Jean and Eric Cass.

The art collectors gifted various works to the museum, including those by Picasso, Hepworth and Sottsass.

Three Fine Art galleries also feature female artists such as Angelica Kauffman and Vanessa Bell, as well as impressive displays of World Art. The Museum’s rooms dedicated to the city’s history vary from that of Brighton and its evolution - as presented in the Exploring Brighton gallery - to the notable Fashion & Style gallery.

Yet, one of the best things about the Museum & Art Gallery has to be that it’s completely free to the public.

It is also located right next to the Royal Pavilion Gardens – very easy to find for those who don’t know Brighton particularly well yet.

Essentially, it’s the perfect place to escape the madness of Freshers Week and embrace some of Brighton’s best history and art.

You could almost say that it complements the eccentricity of the city itself.

the badger

14th September 2013 Arts •17

Arts

Brighton by night The Quadrant, 12 North Street Cesca Rampley Arts Editor When entering The Quadrant, one gets the feeling they are walking into a Victorian time warp.

Founded in 1864, this pub has stayed faithful to its original features.

The circular mahogany bar, with authentic carved decorations, stands proudly in the middle of this grade II listed building, with the ornate gas lamps that line the windows.

Black and white photographs cover the walls and transport you back to a more humble time.

Yet while preserving its history, the Quadrant also keeps up with the times by hosting regular events in their function room, drawing in the younger crowd.

If you enjoy comedy, attend a Saturday night Laughing Horse Comedy show for great acts at a reasonable price.

Or if films are more up your street, turn up for one of the recently established Clocktower Cinema nights, which are on every Monday and Sunday evenings at 8pm.

Each month’s worth of films are linked by a common theme, actor, director or genre. September will feature ‘The Best of Studio Ghibli’.

Films showing this month will include Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and 2013’s From Up on Poppy Hill.

If you fancy “a healthy dose of White Russians, rugs, bowling, nihilism, severed toes and confusion”, on Saturday 14th, in celebration of all things Dude related, the Quadrant will be throwing a Big Lebowski party, showing the film at 8.30pm.

October will see ‘Japanese and Korean Horror’ season, and November ‘Classic Film Noir’ – not one to miss!

The Quadrant

meet the team

Join us in the back room of Falmer Bar on Monday 30th September at 7:30 for an introduction to Student Media and a chance to get to know the teams over a pint! UniTV, URF and The Badger Newspaper will be there to introduce themselves and give you the chance to ask them questions. Expect live music, drinks and plenty of merriment.

Creatures of the night As part of a new series of club reviews in The Badger, third year English Literature student Justin Sealey investigates the Green Door Store’s club credentials.

Justin Sealey Film room

The Quadrant

Not only is it free to watch the wellselected films, you are also blessed with free popcorn, silent table service by texting the bar and a comfy armchair to lounge in.

The film room and equipment is free to hire for screenings: the film-makers amongst you, take note.

If neither of these appeal, then the weekly open mic night surely will, as partaker even.

Once you’ve had your affordable homemade pizza and pint of local ale, you can walk out into the real world once again and continue on your journey through Brighton.

When you first enter the obscurely located, warehouse-fronted Green Door Store beneath Brighton Station, first impressions are that of a hipster heaven.

The minimalism of the bare cobbled dance floor is made cheery by the kitsch old McDonald’s signs and other - pointless - adornments that appear on the walls of the bar area.

Small and intimate (i.e, sweaty), Green Door Store plays host to an

Green Door Store

impressive weekly line-up of gigs from a variety of bands including industrial post-punk Iceage and tight electro-pop outfit NZCA/Lines.

The venue also features a variety of slightly less generic club nights, many of which are free to enter, though expect to pay £4 for a can of the local Shoreditch brew: Red Stripe.

Popular nights include Donuts which plays an eclectic and crowdpleasing mix of hip-hop - and the recently acquired Booty Bakery, which promises Polaroids and Tropical/Bass/Hip-Hop alongside the misogyny and confectionary expected from the name.

Despite its very Brightonian fauxvintage interior and somewhat uninventive club events, Green Door Store is a charming venue that is much more interesting than your standard seafront club.

Keep an ear out for future gigs - it’s the least you should do for a place as acoustically sound as this.

A pair of stocking-clad legs hoisted aloft the Brighton skyline Tom Day A pair of striped stocking-clad legs, measuring several feet high, doing the Can-Can and hoisted aloft to meet the Brighton skyline - what does this have to do with cinema?

In the popular parlance of recent filmmaking perhaps it’s a sign that Baz Luhrmann, of Moulin Rouge fame, and his nauseous brand of postmodern cherry-picking, literary classic raping cinema, have taken up residence at your local movie house. Fear not.

In fact, the legs belong to the Duke of York’s cinema, one of the oldest purpose-built and famous filmic institutions in the country.

The original theatre, occupying the same site in the middle of Preston circus since it opened in 1910, is one of the highlights of Brighton’s bustling cultural life.

Virtually unchanged in over one hundred years, the auditorium’s single screen belies the diversity and idiosyncrasy of its much celebrated programme of films.

Duke of York’s

Duke of York’s

Duke of York’s

From 90s action, Alien and Lord of the Rings all-nighters to the latest releases of independent, art house and foreign cinema, the Duke’s also boasts sofas, great cakes and a bar.

Last year the Duke’s premiered their second pair of legs by taking over the top half of the Komedia theatre in the heart of the North Laine, this little brother, called simply Duke’s at Komedia, has already proved a massive hit.

Variegating and complementing its older sibling’s programme with a mixture of smaller scale and more mainstream

releases.

A recent highlight being an incredibly rare screening of RW Fassbinder’s sixteen hour German epic ‘Berlin Alexanderplatz’ over four weekends in May. Moving away from the mainstays of the cinematic scene, though still occupying their buildings throughout November, is Cinecity, Brighton’s largest and longest running film festival.

For over ten years the festival has sought to entertain and engage punters by playing an eclectic mix that encompasses the best of the big festivals,

local talent, Q&A sessions, workshops, archive screenings and much more.

Good news for fresh-faced cinéphiles is that they are always on the lookout for volunteers to help the festival run smoothly, perhaps even rewarding your hard work with some free tickets.

For a slightly different bent on the cinematic experience why not head underground? Every Tuesday The Globe pub, just a stone’s throw from the seafront, shows underground films and undisputed classics in their basement.

Free popcorn is included and the

added luxury of being able to text your drink orders to the bar upstairs, so you don’t miss a moment of the action.

Oh and there’s a massive Odeon and a Cineworld, but with all this lot about it makes their curatorial offerings look as insightful and relevant as a three day Zeitgeist marathon underscored with episodes of The Last of the Summer Wine.

the badger

14th September 2013 Arts •18

Arts

The agenda The cultural highlights of Freshers Week that you should see

Pop

Pop Giant Drag Green Door Store, Thursday 19th £11.50

Fuck Buttons

Pop Fuck Buttons Concorde 2, Monday 16th £14

As part of a handful of farewell UK shows, Los Angeles alt. rock outfit Giant Drag will play the gloriously sweaty, intimate venue that is the Green Door Store. The band will be playing songs from Waking Up is Hard To Do - their final album.

Released in March, their last album packs a punch - a fitting finale for Giant Drag.

Wall of sound electronics from a duo most influenced by Aphex Twin and Mogwai.

Blues Blues Green Door Blues Green Door Store, Sunday 22nd, 10.30pm FREE

Plenty of blues to quench your Sunday night moods.

Bondax

Pop Bondax Concorde 2, Saturday 21st, 11pm £11.50

Teenage electronic duo with roots in 90s garage and house.

Film Film Basement Cinema The Globe Tuesday 17th, 8pm FREE

Cult movies, free popcorn and text to order drinks.

Giant Drag

Film Quiz Dumb & Dumber Quiz The Globe Wednesday 18th, 8pm £1

Visual Art

Food Festival

Brighton Digital Festival

Mutation X - William Latham

Visual Art Mutator 1 + 2: Evolutionary Art by William Latham Phoenix Gallery, Wednesdays-Sundays 11am-5pm (until 13th Oct) FREE

As part of this year’s Brighton Digital Festival, the Phoenix Gallery are playing host to this tech-nostalgic art exhibition from the creator of the PC’s original mutating screensaver.

Visual Art Source New Music: Bitbin, Champion Fever and Beatabet DJs Brighton Dome Friday 20th, 7.30pm £5 Source New Music presents a show of contemporary electronica and 3D visuals.

Visual Art Bring Your Own Beamer (BYOB) Brighton Dome Saturday 21st, 7pm FREE

The old tunnels underneath Brighton Dome are made into a curated walkthrough for a journey via moving image and video installations, starting in the historic tunnels underneath Brighton Dome and ending finally in the Concert Hall where artists will gather to bring their own ‘beamer’. Here they find a place to project and share their own work. A night of collaborative moving image, projection, participation and experimentation.

Jazz Jazz Flash Mob Jazz Mesmerist, Monday 16th, 9pm FREE

Resident Jazz band in at the Mesmerist every Monday night. Expect a packed venue and surprisingly excellent dancing from the audience.

PREVIEW: Giant Drag + La Femme Thursday 19th September, Green Door Store

PREVIEW: Bring Your Own Beamer Saturday 21st September, Brighton Dome

Thomas Powell Arts Editor

Thomas Powell Arts Editor

With Giant Drag’s listed influences as broad as My Bloody Valentine and PJ Harvey it’s easy to see why the Green Door Store has booked the cult L.A. lo-fi band for the final leg of their farewell tour in the UK this Thursday night.

With the long awaited follow

up to 2005’s Hearts and Unicorns released earlier this year, the show promises a mixture of new songs as well as fan favourites such as ‘This Isn’t It’ and ‘Kevin Is Gay’.

Get down early to see support from La Femme – a unique French speaking surf/synth pop outfit who impressed us greatly when last in town during The Great Escape 2012.

Pop-Up Brighton’s ‘bring your own beamer’ will give video artists the chance to exhibit, share and experiment with their work in Brighton’s Dome Music Hall this Saturday. The night will no doubt result in a creative freefor-all of moving images.

All you need to get involved is something that plays video and something to share. If the main room gets too chaotic, take a walk through the tunnels under the Dome for a professionally curated series of short films and projected visuals. A fantastic opportunity to meet others artists, go along to watch incredible collaborations unfold or even put your own work on display.

Food Festival Fiery Foods UK Chilli Festival Victoria Gardens Friday 20th-Sunday 22nd £3 Day Ticket £10 Weekend At the Victoria Gardens for the fifth year running is the Annual gala in the name of the chilli pepper. With new exhibitors, live music, cookery demos, a competition to find the best home made chilli sauce and the Infamous ChilliEating Contest.

Comedy

Comedy Andrew Lawrence Komedia Wednesday 18th, 8pm £7 concessions

Live at the Krater Comedy Club is Andrew Lawrence, as a part of the ‘young British comedy’ line-up.

Lawrence starred on Live at the Apollo last year.

watch, write, review Get involved in the Arts team by joining us at our writers meetings or searching on Facebook for

Badger Writers

the badger

14 September 2013

SOCIETIES SPACE

university of sussex polymath society If you're interested in broadconcert band ening as an intellectual at No auditions required. We need brass, woodwind and percussion players. Meeting place is 6:15pm each Tuesday in Falmer House Meeting Room One.

Sussex, join the new Polymath society where students from different disciplines present and discuss ideas.

Follow us on Twitter @PolymathSociety, search for us on Facebook or email our presiInterested in debating, meet- dent Tawanda Mark Gavhure ing new people and travel- at tmg24@sussex.ac.uk. ling? Join the MUN Society!

Look out for us at the Freshers Fair, check out our website at www.sussexstudent. Are you interested in quescom/mun and find us on Fa- tions like: 'Is there really such a thing as good and evil?', or cebook.

'How can we know anything about the world?' The UnderInterested in advertising, graduate Philosophy Society marketing and communica- is run for Undergraduates by tions? If so, then head over Undergraduates, aiming to to our stall at Freshers Fair create a space for philosophito find out more about the cal discussion between stu2013 Best New Society! dents of all disciplines.

For our full programme of events please like us on faBrand new society for cebook: www.facebook.com/ 2013/14 which is free to supsoc join! Any electronic music is welcome whether it be Dubstep, Drum and Bass, House or Trance. DJ competitions Just arrived at Sussex? No on campus, and events in clue where to meet new inBrighton! Share songs, re- ternational friends? Then mixes and bootlegs. Search the ISS is the society for you! on Facebook or www.sussex- We provide opportunities student.com/edm for ALL international and

model united nations

sussex undergraduate philosophy society

AdSoc - advertising

Electronic dance music

international student society

Catsoc Do you like cats? Do you find

yourself instinctively drawn to others who like cats, instantly viewing them in the highest regard? Would you like the chance to organise events and gain useful experience in aid of some needy feline friends? Then join us!

amnesty international

To find out more, join us @ Sussex Amnesty International Society - everyone welcome! Have fun, meet lots of new people and stand up for humanity.

local students to meet with new people by hosting and co-hosting events including international food parties and nights out. Join us at facebook.com/groups/international.sussex/ or email us: internationalstudentsoc@ ussu.sussex.ac.uk

QTBGLee

QTBGLee is an LGBTQfriendly, non-auditioned, casual singing group that meets weekly during term time. All are welcome, no previous singing experience needed. Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/QTBGLee.

Spanish society

Are you interested in the Spanish language? Can you speak or want to learn more Spanish? If yes, you can join the Sussex Spanish Language Society and participate in the different events that are organised, such as language exchanges, movie nights and bring-a-dish socials. Find us on Facebook!

sussex style

Are you an aspiring writer, blogger, photographer or designer? Or do you simply have an interest in fashion, film, music or culture? Sussex Style, the producer of ‘Promenade’ magazine is on the look out for new contributors and members to join its growing and successful team. To find out more visit us on Facebook: facebook. com/groups/sussexfashionsociety. We look forward to meeting you at Freshers Fair.

sussex dance

Have you been dancing for years, or just want to try something new? Sussex Dance officers a variety of drop-in dance classes so that you can get your hips moving. Whether it be Zumba, salsa or tap and contemporary, the classes are flexible and for all abilities. If you want to showcase your skills and compete then audition for out contemporary and street troupes - find out more at the Freshers Fair, or search for us on Facebook.

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University of sussex film appreciation Film Appreciation Sopolitics society The ciety is where students can The Politics Society is a student run, event-organising group and discussion forum for students and staff at Sussex. All political aspirations are welcome! We aim to provide a stimulating environment for all students to explore and express their ideas, through open debates. The society has hosted events with high profile speakers such as Linda Bellos, Caroline Lucas, Lord Neil Kinnock and many more. We also run a Politics Academic Journal, film screenings, quiz nights, socials, pub crawls and much more.

Sussex irish society

The Sussex Irish Society is a brand new society for anyone interested in Gaelic culture and tradition. Whether Irish or not, everyone is invited to our meet-ups and socials, including events such as cuisine nights, pub crawls and film screenings, not forgetting amazing St Patrick’s Day celebrations! So come and say hello to us during Freshers Fair, and make sure to search for the Sussex Irish Society on Facebook.

come and indulge in their cinephilic desires. Every month we will screen a series of films that are all linked by a common theme, such as a director or a genre. Come along to watch favourite films and new ones, whether these be melodramatic Hollywood classics, art house masterpieces or the filthiest of trash films.

doctor who society

We watch and discuss the world of The Doctor, primarily focusing on the most recent series, with some classic stuff as well! Quizzes, screenings and parties are all planned, so remember your fezzes, stensons and Jammie Dodgers, and we’ll see you at the Freshers Fair, or find us on Facebook: facebook.com/ groups/sussexdocsoc

waves cheerleading

Waves Competitive Cheerleading are recruiting. The squad have been national champions for four years in a row. Come and visit us at Freshers Fair, meet the team and sign up for tryouts!

society of turkey tennis - men & women Join us if you have an inter-

The tennis club brings players together every Saturday to play tennis socially, and has a competitive side, with 4 strong BUCS teams. Check out our events, tennis or otherwise, on Facebook.

est in the culture, society and politics of Turkey. We’re screening ‘Ekumenopolis’ on 25th September. Email us at turkey@ussu.sussex.ac.uk to to find out more.

The Conservative Society (TorySoc) is the largest political party society on campus. We help out local Conservatives, have speakers at our meetings, and have discussions, debates and great socials. Find us on Facebook for more information.

ing? Well you’ll love SUDS! We’re putting on seven plays this term, as well as fundraisers! Fancy getting involved?

Auditions are Thursday 19th, Friday 20th 6-10pm in Falmer House. Come find us at the Freshers Fair for more info.

SUDS - drama society green party society Conservative society Love theatre? Love performCome and meet new people, get involved in supporting Caroline Lucas and the Green-led Brighton City Council. A party fair and thruthful about economics, immigration, education, and the environment. “Fair is Worth Fighting For”