The Badger 23/24: Issue 2

Costa Arrives in the Library Badger

Laura Mellena Staff Writer

Starting from 3 January, the Library Café is serving drinks provided by Costa Coffee. Alongside the new coffee brand, library visitors can now treat themselves to sweet treats from Planet Doughnut. During the first week of the relaunch, there have been drink discounts, giveaways, and samples to encourage customers to try out the new cafe.

Renovation took place over the winter break in accordance with the new catering contract that was signed in August 2023. Reasons cited by a University of Sussex spokesperson for the change in service included reducing the bottleneck that restricted the customer flow and increased wait times, as well as providing new brands on campus. A survey at the end of 2022 of 2,080 students and 1,175 staff showed that almost 40% of respondents wanted to see new additions on campus. Costa was one of the high street names that people wanted the most. “We hope that this new-look Library Café gives people what they’re looking for… people told us they wanted Costa, so we made that part of our winning bid,” said Mark Lawrence from the University’s catering partners Sussex Uni Food.

Rats on Campus?

Recent allegations circulating among students at the University of Sussex suggest a rat problem across campus, particularly in the on-campus accommodation Lewes Court.

The Badger interviewed a group of students residing in Lewes Court who confirmed the rat issue in their flat. The problem first came to light in early October

2023 when a student discovered that rats had infiltrated their kitchen, evidenced by chewed plastic bread bags, a trail of breadcrumbs, and rat droppings in kitchen cupboards. Expressing frustration, one student remarked, “I had to throw out all my cereal and pasta. F*** those rats.”

Fortunately, financial compensation for the affected food items was successfully claimed from the university.

The affected student promptly reported the situation to the Lewes Court

Maintenance Team, who acted swiftly. Within hours of initial contact, a team member addressed the issue by closing up various holes in the kitchen and implementing rat poison. Residents were also advised to refrain from leaving any food out to prevent future occurrences.

Despite ongoing efforts by the Lewes Court Maintenance Team throughout the academic year, the students reported that the rat problem persists in their flat.

In early December, they contacted the maintenance team once again, expressing concerns about rats being audible in the kitchen and adjacent bedrooms both day and night. Their main concerns revolved around hygiene, deeming the situation “unacceptable as they are vermin and carry diseases,” and expressing uncertainty about the cleanliness of their utensils.

Regrettably, the rat presence lingers into 2024, as one student returning for New Year’s Eve celebrations found evidence of rat faeces in the flat. The hope is that the issue can be effectively addressed in the coming year, ensuring a safer and more hygienic living environment for all residents.

The refurbishment is a part of the “Creating a better campus” programme. In a 2022 statement, Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil expressed that the University seeks service providers whose commitments to equality, diversity, and environmental sustainability align with the institutional values. However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the high-street chain Costa Coffee. According to the Ethical Consumer Magazine, Costa has lobbied against the disposable cup surcharge in the past and has the lowest rating amongst other coffee brands on the ethics score table. In addition, the BBC has reported poor working conditions within the business. Complaints made by employees include managers’ refusal to pay for sickness or annual leave, working outside of contracted hours, and the retention of tips.

The company has received the biggest backlash in light of the recent IsraelHamas war. Costa is owned by CocaCola, a company which allegedly supports Israel. A Sussex student has addressed this concern in the comment section of Sussex Uni Food’s Instagram profile, however, the catering partner defended its decision by emphasising that Costa was survey respondents’ “number one choice.”

p15

• ChatGPT: Friend or Foe?

Life p7 • Bridging the Divide: Whitehawk’s Struggle Amid Brighton’s Prosperity • TOP 10 Study Spots • Interview with Campus Legend Sussex Confessions Features p10 Arts p20

• Saltburn Review: All Style, No Substance

• Shelf Awareness: Self-Care Book Recommendations

p30

• Society Spotlight: Sussex Swallows

Florrie Petit Staff Writer

The new Library Café gave out special offers and free samples between 8 and 11 January. Image: Aaron Galway

Contents

News p1

• Costa Arrives in the Library

• Rats on Campus?

• New Law Regulates Free Speech on Campus

• First UK Uni Contactless Shop Under Construction in Student Centre

• Holding Power to Account: MP Lloyd Russel-Moyle

• Brighton Council to Ban Fast Food Ads in Fight Against Obesity

• Britain’s Heading Right In 2024

• COP28, Sussex, and the Fight for Sustainability

• SU’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

• Food Waste Cafe Sussex Faces High Demand

Local Life p7

• Bridging the Divide: Whitehawk’s Struggle Amid Brighton’s Prosperity

• Studying Abroad: Is It Worth It?

• Top 10 Study Spots in Brighton

• The West Slope Debate

• Niche Communities in Brighton For You

• Best Gig Spots for 2024

Features p10

• An Interview with Campus Legend Sussex Confessions

• The Awarding Gap: How Students of Colour are Falling Behind their White Peers

• What is it Really Like to Be a Refugee in Rwanda?

• The Agonising Wait: Diagnosing Female Reproductive Health Conditions

• Youthanasia: The Fatality of Symptoms Among the Young

• Brighton’s Homelessness Crisis

Comment p15

• The Big Collaboration: ChatGPT: Essay Friend or Foe?

• Redefining Fearless Journalism

• UTIs: the What, the How, and the Why Me

• International Student’s Latest Woe: Graduate Visas To Be Reviewed

• Aging in Silence: The Hidden Story of Elderly Mental Health

Arts p20

MUSIC

• Drake: Man or Meme?

• TikTok’s Dulling Down of Music

• In Conversation with Don Broco: The Birthday Party Tour

• Goo Records: The Helping Hand of the Brighton Music Scene

FILM and TV

• Saltburn Review: All Style, No Substance

• Best Entertainment of 2023

• Wes Anderson: A Look Beyond the Charm

• From Page to Screen: Why Do Adaptations Fall Short?

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year everyone! As the spring term begins, and we finally come out of the maelstrom of stress that is exams, it’s the time to relax and enjoy the beginning of our last term of university this academic year.

This edition has taken the knowledge we have gained from working on our previous edition, and has improved on it in a big way. We have expanded from 24 pages to 32, meaning we now have more space for this edition to be jam packed with some really interesting articles. Head to our News section for a powerful story discussing free speech on campus, an issue that has been contentious for Sussex students in recent years. Head to Local Life if you want to see the best places to grab a coffee and flick through this newspaper around campus. Go to Film and TV for an exciting review of the movie that’s on everyone’s minds right now - Saltburn. We also have our Big Collaboration between two

ADVERTISMENT

Letter from the Chief

writers in our Comment section, where a discussion into whether ChatGPT - a name we are all familiar with - is really a student’s best friend.

And, after popular demand, we have finally added a crossword page - so head to the back to test your crossword skills.

Looking at The Badger team, there’s a lot of positive things for us to mention! Following the release of our first edition, we were blown away by the interest held by both staff and students for the newspaper. We have seen people discussing them at the Arts Piazza, picking up a copy at the library, and reading them all across campus - each sighting putting a smile on our faces. We have also welcomed our second flow of staff writers, some of whom have written insightful articles for this edition. Our numbers have grown significantly, totalling over 90 students and counting! It’s been lovely to see new faces join us, and we hope they will stick around with us next year as well!

For students interested in joining The Badger this year, we will have applications open during Refreshers week - our application form is on our instagram at @thebadgersussex - we would love the chance to have you working with us! This will be our last intake for this academic year, so we hope you don’t miss this opportunity!

I also wanted to give a big thank you to Ramzi Daher for all his help as our appointed ‘IT God’ - he has saved us during technical issues involving our computers and website more times than we can count!

For our next edition, we will be sticking to our new monthly schedule, meaning it will be released on the 26 February - so keep an eye out on campus for it then!

Until Next Time, Semhar (Semi) Tesfazgy Editor in Chief

BOOKS

• The Toxicity of Yearly Reading Goals

• Shelf Awareness: Self-Care Book Recommendations

• Review: The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale

• Review: The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood

THEATRE

• The Dos and Don’ts of Theatre Etiquette

• To Musical or Not to Musical, That is the Question

• Tragedy or Comedy? Only Good Storytelling Makes a Special

• What’s On in Brighton...

• Quantum Computing - The Future of Tech?

• Byte-Sized News: 2023 in Review

• CBAM & Sussex Net-Zero

• Cop-Out 28: Oil Talk, No Action Sci & Tech p28

Sport

p30

• Melting Alps: How Climate Change Discourages Skiing

• The Return of Rafa?

• Society Spotlight: Sussex Swallows

• Construction Workers in a Velodrome: Cricket’s Last Olympic Outing

New Law Regulates Free Speech on Campus

Do you feel you have complete freedom of speech on campus?

The government’s Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act is set to be established on university campuses across the UK in 2024 in what the GOV.UK Education Hub describes as a “huge step forward in protecting freedom of speech and academic freedom on university campuses.” The Act aims to ensure that all students, staff and guest speakers have the freedom to express their beliefs. Although the Act became law as of 11 May 2023, it is not fully finalised yet, meaning more detail on how it will operate and regulations will be announced by the government in the coming months.

The Government Education Hub website states that the Act will place “more responsibilities on universities to ensure students are able to speak freely in and out of the classroom, while offering more protection for academics who teach material that may offend some students,” meaning the Act could result in the teaching of more politically sensitive topics. However, the statement does clarify that “unlawful speech, such as harassing others or inciting violence or terrorism” does not constitute freedom of speech.

Additionally, under the Act universities will be monitored on how they address concerns, for example, their treatment of people who raise complaints of sexual misconduct, abuse, harassment or bullying. The Office for Students will be operating a free-to-use complaints scheme that

students, staff, and guest speakers can use if they feel they have suffered a restriction to their free speech or have had their complaint silenced by their university.

Freedom of speech is not an absolute right. There is a legal framework within which the University must operate. “

The legislation means that universities and student’s unions may be fined if they fail to meet the regulations of free speech and are subject to investigation by the newly appointed Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom. Arif Ahmed, who has also been named in the media as the ‘free speech Tsar,’ is the

University of Cambridge professor who has taken on this role.

This issue is particularly relevant at the University of Sussex currently, after a part-time volunteer for the Student’s Union, Women’s Officer Hanin Barghouthi, was arrested for allegedly supporting Hamas in a speech at the Brighton Clock Tower organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Furthermore, this type of situation has affected the University before, with debate surrounding former professor Kathleen Stock’s comments surrounding transgender people in 2020 which sparked further debate of freedom of speech. Stock resigned from Sussex in 2021 after she alleged she had been bullied out by

students and colleagues alike and has since been the topic of protests for Oxford students after a talk at the Oxford Union. Stock published an article for The Standard in November 2023 in which she questioned if “people are only prepared to support freedom of speech and assembly when they already agree with the opinions of the people they are defending,” and concluded that the democratic ideal in our country is to “put the matter up for free public discussion and allow us to express our feelings peacefully about it.”

The University of Sussex Student’s Union released a motion on 14 November 2023 advocating freedom of speech and placing accountability for the promotion and protection of free speech onto both the Student’s Unions and the University. The University of Sussex website also refers to its commitment to freedom of speech and expression which “applies not only to information, ideas or works of art that are favourably received, but also to those that offend, shock, or disturb,” however, notes that “freedom of speech is not an absolute right. There is a legal framework within which the University must operate, whilst securing both freedom of speech and academic freedom.” This standpoint was also taken in an email message from ViceChancellor Sasha Roseneil 23 November 2023 in which she stated that “there may be serious implications for anyone who makes posts on social media about other students, or in relation to the situation in Israel and Gaza/ Palestine, that cross legal boundaries or violate the University’s regulations.”

First UK Uni Contactless Shop Under Construction in Student Centre

Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

The Atrium Market, a store without checkouts, is due to open in the Student Centre in March, making it the first contactless shop in a UK university. Instead of paying at the end of a shop, customers will have to scan their payment card upon arrival – meaning they will be able to walk out of the store once they have picked up their shopping. The shop will replace the coffee tuktuk, which is run by the University’s catering partners. While some students will surely miss interactions with members of staff, the Atrium Market’s speedy shopping experience should be of help to those balancing their studies with a job. For this reason, Mark Lawrence, from catering company Sussex Uni Food, is proud to help introduce the first “frictionless” university shop. “We are working with Amazon for

the initial set up to install and implement the technology needed to make [shopping] a smooth experience for our customers,” Lawrence reported in December. The Atrium Market will then be run by Sussex Uni Food, which will respond to customers by re-stocking popular products. Initially, the store will be selling Redroaster coffee, a favourite amongst

Sussex students; a range of sandwiches and snacks; Tanpopo sushi and gyoza; baked goods; and Halal ready meals – all sourced by Sussex Uni Food’s local supply chain. Weighted shelves will detect which products have been selected, and will be confirmed by scanners at the store’s exit. Although the market will close when restocking, for the majority of the time,

it will be open for the same hours as the Student Centre – 24/7.

The merging of technology and dining is not new to the university; since the updated catering contract was signed in the autumn term, there have been talks to introduce robot servers in Eat Central. While it will certainly be strange to walk out of a chalkboard-filled study room into a contactless store, students have expressed their excitement surrounding this 21st century shopping experience. “As well as offering a faster shop, contactless commerce means fewer surfaces will be touched, and it could even help students with social anxiety,” says one Sussex student. However, because the technology is so new, some students are unconvinced that the methods employed by the Atrium Market will be successful.

Work on the Atrium Market began in December and continues through the new semester, ahead of the March unveiling.

Work will continue in the Student Centre until March. Image: Aaron Galway

Abi Summers News Editor

A student protests former professor Kathleen Stock in 2021. Image: Brighton and Hove News

Holding Power to Account: Interview with MP Lloyd Russel-Moyle

Will Symons Sport Editor

As members of parliament go, Labour’s Lloyd Russel-Moyle is a rather interesting case. Elected to represent Brighton’s Kemptown constituency in 2017, the 37-year-old has made his name in a number of ways.

In 2018, merely six months into his parliamentary tenure, Russel-Moyle made headlines by revealing his status as HIV positive - becoming the first sitting MP to do so. In a moving speech, he discussed the ‘spectre’ of HIV, that lingering fear that haunts so many queer people.

Six years in government later, he’s keen to eradicate the fear from HIV. “I think one of the big things around that spectre is internalised stigma, where you become internally afraid of it”, he told me.

“I have found that being open about my status has made things a lot easier rather than harder.

“The more we get people to open up about it, and talk about it being, not something that’s desirable, but not something that’s a problem either, and that you can live well with, the better.”

Attaining his Master’s in International Law from Sussex in 2016, Russel-Moyle is keen to present himself as something of an ally to students in Brighton.

As a member of the Renter’s Reform Bill Committee, he advocated for change

which would allow students greater time to decide where they’ll live each year.

“It’s problematic that students have to choose where they’re going to live in second year in February or January. If the market pushed it back so that most people were moving in in July or June, it would be better for all concerned, because you would know who you want to live with more, you would know what you’re doing.”

Most people in parliament want the same thing. They want the fighting to stop... “

The Renter’s Reform Bill, currently on it’s way through the parliamentary process, would offer greater protection for tenants. At present, landlords need not offer an explanation for eviction. The proposed legislation would mean landlords are only able to evict due to reasonable circumstances.

Once law, Lloyd believes it “will mean that all people will be able to have more security and therefore be able to go for enforcement. If your house is bad, you’ll be able to enforce it better, because you know that you won’t be evicted on a nofault eviction.”

Alongside his advocacy for renters, Russel-Moyle has been adamant in calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East. Openly defying party leadership, he joined 56 other Labour MPs by voting in support

of the SNP’s proposed amendment to the King’s speech, which urged ‘all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.’

“We should be pushing for the furthest possible way of saying that the fighting must stop”, he argued.

“If we don’t ask for it in the strongest possible terms, people get confused by the signals you’re sending. We sent confusing signals to some of the Israeli leadership, who are extremely right wing.

“It would be better to do what the UN secretary general did, what Spain and Portugal did, what France has done, what lots of countries have done. To say, ‘we support you getting the hostages back, but you need to be moving towards a ceasefire’.”

“We understand that just because there was that atrocity, that doesn’t give you the right to commit more atrocities.”

Still, the backbencher was keen to play down any major divides in his party, or parliament over the conflict.

“Most people in parliament want the same thing. They want the fighting to stop, the hostages to be released, and a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine are peaceful, secure states in their own right.

“Some people got into a very esoteric debate about what the concept of a ceasefire was vs a humanitarian pause. They are fundamentally the same thing.”

Despite his best intentions, RusselMoyle and his fellow rebels were soundly defeated in the ceasefire vote, whilst

local issues, such as taxation, education and planning are left to county councils.

Yet, in his time in Parliament, whether on the Renter’s Reform Bill Committee or elsewhere, Lloyd Russel-Moyle has distinguished himself as an enthusiastic representative of Brighton Kemptown. Political affiliations aside, one can’t deny his decent intentions.

His position as an HIV positive man at the seat of parliamentary power mustn’t be overlooked either. Disclosing his HIV status was neither a politically safe, nor accepted thing to do. In doing so, RusselMoyle has distinguished himself – an example for all those still suffering under the spectre of HIV, that life goes on, one’s career goes on, and no ambition is out of reach.

Brighton Council to Ban Fast Food Ads in Fight Against Obesity

Rosa Hernandez Staff Writer

As a response to the UK’s fight against obesity, Brighton & Hove City Council has decided to limit the publicity for high fat, sugar, and salt foods (HFSS). This has led the council to propose a city-wide ban on fast food advertisements on bus and taxi shelters in an attempt to diminish increasing levels of obesity amongst its citizens.

Studies by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities have shown that by the end of 2022, 59.4% of the city’s population aged 18 and over were classified as overweight or obese, a significant increase from the 49.5% found in 2020.

HFSS products are irrefutably linked to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other serious health conditions. As the Obesity Health Alliance’s surveys have demonstrated - fast food marketing significantly influences an individual’s consumption

decisions, evidently contributing to increasing obesity rates. By reducing their promotion, the council aims to dissuade the population from consumption.

However, the policy has faced two main constraints: the current shelter

advertising contract and potential loss of revenue. The city’s bus and taxi shelters are managed by Clear Channel under a contract that expires in March 2024.

At the time of the council’s concession agreement on 7 December 2023, they had

yet to decide whether the current contract would be extended, or a new short term contract was to be initiated - and if the contract holder for either option would accept the policy’s restrictions. In which case, the financial implications suggest that advertising revenue could suffer. It is estimated that 34% of current advertising income is related to fast food products, which could mean a loss of £148,000 from the total estimated revenue of £438,000.

However, the execution of similar policies in Bristol and London have proven that loss of revenue should not be of great concern as replacement of fast food ads occurred seamlessly. If this example is followed, the public health implications far outweigh financial concerns.

While the implementation of the ban is pending, the council’s efforts will pave the way for the city’s healthier future.

Image: Brighton & Hove City Council

Lloyd Russel-Moyle is the MP for Brighton Kemptown. Image: UK Parliament

Jack Mayfield Staff Writer

OBritain’s Heading Right In 2024

ne should be hesitant when predicting the length of Prime Minister’s terms in office, yet it has become popular to believe this is Rishi Sunak’s last year as the head of the UK government. Whilst an election could technically have been held this January, The Financial Times and numerous others report that an autumn election has already been pencilled in by the Tories.

According to Politico, polls have indicated a Labour lead since November

2021, with figures sitting at 43% Labour and 25% Conservative at the time of writing. This suggests that the clear favourite for a 2024 election win is Keir Starmer’s Labour. This would be the party’s first general election majority since Gordon Brown’s departure from office on the eve of the 2010 election, which began 13 years of Conservative power. However, critics argue that what once was a social democrat party under the likes of Miliband and Corbyn, is now one not too dissimilar from the Conservatives.

During the Labour leadership election in 2020, Starmer was elected under

10 pledges. From then to now, he has abandoned almost all of these citing “current economic tensions” as a reason to be more “fiscal” at a press conference in 2022. These include but are not limited to: scrapping tuition fees, raising tax rates, and nationalising key industries.

At the Progressive Britain conference in May of last year, Starmer announced his policies will look like “Clause IV on steroids”in reference to Tony Blair’s abandonment of Clause IV, the nationalisation of key industries. This event in 1995 was what eventually led to ‘New Labour’s’ landslide majority two years later, something which Starmer will be wanting to replicate when we next go to the polls.

A bruised Conservative party on the back of electoral defeat would need to bounce back if success was to be planned for the election after this one. This is where we have seen figures, such as Suella Braverman, make it clear she intends to run for the top role in the party, taking over from Rishi Sunak who is speculated to resign if the Conservatives lose their majority.

After her sacking from the Home Office, a statement was made by Braverman in the Commons, attacking Sunak’s approach to a number of issues which she believed did not go far enough-the main one being the tackling of illegal migration. This, alongside the popular knowledge of the

majority of Conservative members being far right, could be a catapult for someone who shares their values to take the Tories into the estimated 2029 election. This would inevitably swing the Commons to an overall more right-wing position than we see currently.

Starmer was elected under 10 pledges. He has abandoned almost all of them.

However, the UK would not be independent in this trend. Many European countries have recently experienced a swing to the right, whether it be Georgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy electoral success in 2022 or Geert Wilder’s majority in the Netherlands’ House of Representatives last year. This is not even exclusive to Europe, however, with Argentina’s election of far-right Javier Milei in Argentina, or the uncertainess of Biden’s incumbency to win for the Democrats this year in the US. The minority parties are playing a greater role on the global stage and even domestically, evidenced by Nigel Farage’s Reform Party garnering massive support from Tory defectors.

To Starmerites and neo-liberals, this shift to the right may bring delight. However, those on the left will be concerned at the possibility of a more right-wing Britain.

COP28, Sussex, and the Fight for Sustainability

James Bishop Staff Writer

From 30 November until 13 December 2023 Expo City, Dubai, played host to the United Nations’s 28th annual COP meeting, the supreme convention in climate governance. The core climate and sustainability issues raised at the conference are increasingly relevant within the University of Sussex. The recent summit was not without controversy, largely due to the status of its host country being a prominent fossil fuel producing state and the appointment of PresidentDesignate Dr Sultan al-Jaber, the CEO and Managing Director of the Abu-Dhabi National Oil Company. Criticism of the summit was heightened by allegations of ‘greenwashing’ aimed towards the Gulf state.

We are calling on Sussex University to ban all fossil fuel and mining recruitment on campus before the end of 2024

An estimated 2,456 fossil fuel lobbyists were in attendance in Dubai, a drastic increase from last year’s conference where, according to Amnesty International, there were 636 present. This number is something that the University of Sussex Students’ Union (SU) has recognised as

a grave issue due to the vast number of these lobbyists who were recruited whilst at university. The SU, therefore, has taken action by launching a campaign, stating: “we are calling on Sussex University to ban all fossil fuel and mining recruitment on campus before the end of 2024”.

To facilitate this, the Union has launched an e-petition in accordance with the Fossil Free Careers campaign to promote and enact this ban, aiming it directly at the University Vice-Chancellor, Executive Team, and the Office for Careers and Entrepreneurship. A link to the petition can be found on the Sussex Campaigns Instagram page (@Sussex_Campaigns).

The Sussex SU has been committed to the Fossil Free Careers campaign since the December 2021 Council vote was overwhelmingly in favour, becoming just the second SU to do so. The Students’ Union has boycotted fossil fuel and mining recruitment in all events since and remains supportive of the cause.

The University of Sussex Business School has teamed up with JUSTNORTH to promote their research. JUSTNORTH is an EU-funded project that works with institutions such as Michigan Tech, UiT and the Sussex Energy Group right here at the University. The aim of the partnership is to create a more sustainable Arctic region through economic decision-making during an era of drastic temperature rises. At

COP28, the Business School’s Prof Roman Sidortsov and Dr Abdul Abbas hosted a Pavilion with JUSTNORTH to present their research developments on the economics of innovation and industrial policy, the energy transition, the circular economy, the future of work, and the ethics and justice of Arctic economic development.

On the importance of the Business School’s attendance Dr Abbas commented; “As the world prepares for COP28, this year’s themes ‘technology and innovation, inclusion, frontline communities,

and finance’ underscore the urgency and complexity of the issues at hand, emphasising the need for comprehensive and inclusive solutions to tackle climate change. The current climate crisis necessitates innovative, evidencebased approaches, making the academic community’s attendance crucial. It’s a pivotal moment to contribute research insights, advocate for evidence-driven policies, and collaborate across disciplines to drive transformative solutions towards a resilient, equitable, and climateresilient world. The University of Sussex Business School’s Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) is in a strategic position to contribute to these solutions.”

For those back home in Brighton, between 6 December and 11 December, the Business School also hosted a series of free to attend, live-streamed events from COP which featured a number of experts, practitioners, students, and relevant policymakers. These events focused on topics including the acceleration of industrial decarbonisation, the promotion of social acceptance, and community participation in energy projects. COP28 concludes with the agreement between countries to make progress towards a reduction in the usage of fossil fuels within the energy sector with a target date of 2050.

Suella Braverman is poised to take leadership of the Conservative party. Image: The Telegraph

Expo City, Dubai, hosted COP28 Image: Reuters

SU’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Lola Carron News Sub Editor

The international campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence takes place annually from 25 November to 10 December 2023, starting on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence and ending on Human Rights Day. In a display of solidarity, the Sussex Student Union created a line-up of events to show support and raise awareness against gender-based violence. The campaign was created to reduce gender-based violence and to raise awareness on the issue.

The SU hosted a series of events that included workshops and discussions to encourage productive conversations and engage the campus community in solidarity. Events included Clay Crafts and a charity football tournament, for which the SU collaborated with Active Us to raise money for Brighton-based charity RISE, which helps victims of domestic abuse. The SU events aimed to empower students whilst educating them on the complex issue of genderbased violence.

The University of Sussex recognises the importance of addressing genderbased violence within its community and beyond. The SU prioritises the mental well-being of Sussex students, especially when addressing gender-based violence. Whilst the events were taking

place, a safe and inclusive environment was created with the support of the Survivors Network, a local charity that aims to reduce sexual violence, alongside access to RISE and the Saturn Centre for additional support. Counselling was available for students who may have experienced the emotional aftermath of gender-based violence.

The campaign showcases university-wide efforts to create an environment of respect, equality, and justice “

The SU’s participation in the campaign showcases university-wide efforts to create an environment that reinforces a culture of respect, equality, and justice. The events also gave students the chance to show their support for a serious issue through fun activities that would bring students together. By actively participating in the 16 Days of Activism, the SU encouraged students to not limit their support to just campus, sharing online resources of social media to amplify the voices of those affected by gender-based violence. The hope is that the efforts of the Student Union and Sussex students will inspire the university community but also individuals and institutions globally to participate next year.

Food Waste Cafe Sussex Faces High Demand

Esme Hickman Staff Writer

Food banks in Brighton are being used 25% more than last year, with many people in the city relying on them. Data accumulated by Brighton & Hove City Council shows that almost 1,400 emergency food parcels were distributed in 2023, compared to 1,000 in 2022. The rising cost of living, job losses, and stagnant wages are among the many factors that have created this problem, with a rapid increase in the number of people now unable to afford the basic necessities. With food bills having leapt 27% over the past two years, food banks face an uncertain future due to high demand. Fortunately for Brighton residents, there are more than 50 affordable food projects across the city that provide support for those most in need. To help prevent this problem from impacting Sussex students, the Food Waste Cafe (FWC) Sussex society operates a weekly stall.

Run by a team of student volunteers, FWC distributes food that has been saved from supermarket surplus waste by the charity FareShare Sussex. By reducing food waste, it highlights the food wastage problem across the UK, while also providing environmental and economic benefits

A unique feature of the FWC stall is that it is built on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis, providing a cheap alternative to buying groceries, thus making it accessible to everyone. On top of this, FWC has managed to save and distribute 1,895kg of food in

the past year, showing its capability to take collective responsibility for this problem and change it for the better. The stall has also resulted in nearly £1,000 being raised, which has been used to help food banks across the city replenish their stocks and supply fresh food to the people who use them. The Food Waste Cafe Sussex society is a great example of how easy it is to make a difference to the environmental and economic struggles we currently face. The society is always looking for volunteers, and can continue to thrive with the help of other students.

You can find its pop-up stall every Monday outside the entrance to Falmer House, where you can shop for dried goods, fruit, and veg at a price determined by you. Make sure to bring your own bag!

Local Life

Bridging the Divide: Whitehawk’s Struggle Amid Brighton’s Prosperity

Ophelia Scalzo Local Life Sub Editor

As tourists flock to Brighton Centre throughout the year, just a couple of miles down the road Whitehawk is hidden in the city’s shadows, not far from the prosperous Marina. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘wrong side of the tracks’; but for those living in Whitehawk, this is all too true, as Brighton & Hove City Council continue to overlook the suburb in favour of the city’s more affluent areas.

In fact, according to the Council’s own 2022 Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, men in the more deprived parts of the city have a life expectancy 9.1 years younger than men in less deprived areas.

There are five primary issues facing Whitehawk: poverty and unemployment, food precarity, housing, health, and education. While these issues are of increasing concern across the country, Whitehawk appears to be disproportionately affected. In 2019, Whitehawk Estate was found to be the most deprived area in Brighton, but this is far from a new issue. In fact, in 2015, it was found to be the 332nd most deprived area in England, placing it just outside the bottom 1%.

Meadhbh Boyce, 20, offered her unique perspective as a student at Sussex and an employee in Whitehawk.

She said, “I study International Development at Sussex because it is meant to be the home of development studies. We learn about so many far away places in need

of development but everyone is continuing to ignore somewhere so close to home. I wish the university and its students would put some pressure on the council and lobby for some real change.”

With no secondary schools in the area, local children are having to travel to various schools across the city. Class Divide, a local organisation focused on education in the Whitehawk area, have highlighted a number of concerns with this. They continue to raise awareness about fears from parents over the financial cost of public transport, and the health and educational cost of travelling such great distances early in the morning. This follows the revelation that only 37% of students in the East Brighton area - which includes Whitehawk Estate - achieved grades 9-5

in English and Maths GCSEs, compared to 75% in Withdean Ward.

Many others in the local area have lost trust in the local council and are taking matters into their own hands. Thankfully, where Brighton & Hove City Council has failed to adequately support its constituents, the local community has stepped in.

After years of let down from the Council, two local mums started up Park Life Brighton, a community lobbying group attempting to increase recreational space across Whitehawk. With dwindling public health, and mass childhood poverty, such recreational spaces are vital for the community.

The East Brighton Neighbourhood Action Plan outlines a number of issues facing the Whitehawk, Manor Farm, and Bristol Estate areas, as they found that 45% of children in the area are living in poverty, compared to only 18% across the rest of Brighton and Hove. Furthermore, 95.5% of people within this community have indices of multiple deprivation compared to just 20.1% across the rest of the country, highlighting the complexity and depth of the issue.

Another community resource offering support is The Whitehawk Foodbank, who have provided food to over 28,000 people in the area. With the rising cost of living crisis, and post-Brexit inflation, food precarity is an ever increasing concern. As government support is continuing to plummet, with criticism from Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, the pressure

is increasingly placed on the community to help themselves.

Locals have continued to vocalise concern that community facilities in the area are increasingly being sold off or shut down. One such example, which had an enormous impact on the wider community was the closure of Whitehawk Inn, run by the charity Brighton Housing Trust (BHT) Sussex.

In 2015, Whitehawk was the 332nd most deprived area in England, placing it just outside the bottom 1%

Before its closure, Whitehawk Inn was an invaluable community resource offering community support and a number of adult education services. Many individuals in the local community depended on its provision of IT facilities, financial advice, and wellbeing support, as well as its previous use as both a vaccination centre and polling centre. Unfortunately, due to a continued lack of funding, in March 2023 it was forced to shut down, as the community centre faced years of struggle due to rising rent, bills, and decreases in grant income.

Despite local residents continuing to express frustration, the council have failed to adequately support the community time and time again. Such community initiatives depend on donations and volunteers to provide local aid, so please consider contributing to these local initiatives to help make real change in our local area.

Studying Abroad: Is It Worth It?

Thinking about studying abroad between second and third year?

Law student Kanzah describes her experiences while studying in Istanbul, Turkey.

What made you want to do a study abroad year? How did you decide where to go?

I was initially thinking of doing a placement year as I wasn’t ready to graduate next year. The study abroad scheme is quite competitive, but I wanted to explore my degree from an international perspective because, as a lawyer, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to practice.

I chose Turkey because it’s an Islamic country, and I am Muslim myself. I was born and raised in the UK so I really wanted to see what life would be like living in a Muslim country. I would also get to experience rich Islamic history as Turkey is where the Ottoman empire started and hear the Izan play out loud, which is the

call to prayer in Turkey. As soon as I started researching the university in Turkey, I fell in love with it and knew this is where I wanted to go, I knew it was perfect for me.

How much did it cost to study abroad?

How did you budget?

It really depends where you go. I kept track of my spending by giving myself a maximum spend each month. However, you do tend to spend a lot as you travel and spend on different activities and food. Luckily, Turkey’s living prices are cheaper compared to the UK, so I found things like rent cheaper than I would pay in Brighton. I also worked the year before going and saved up some money, but you can also still get a maintenance and tuition loan to help pay fees to the university.

What new foods did you try? Was there anything you didn’t like?

All of the food was halal, which meant I could buy what I wanted without having to ask, I loved having the freedom to eat all the food I wanted. However, I’m a picky eater

so I was a bit nervous. I really liked trying the doner kebabs, chicken shish kabab and the Dolma, a leaf filled with vegetables and sometimes lamb. One food I didn’t really like was Monti, a traditional dish in Turkey.

What were the biggest difficulties you faced when studying abroad?

It’s scary going into a new country you’ve never been to before. Not knowing the language, culture, or anyone there. The language barrier was really difficult and I wish I’d learnt some Turkish before I left. Academics wise, remember that although you’re going abroad it does not mean your degree will be easier. My workload was tripled, so you do have to be committed.

How difficult did you find adapting to the local culture/adapting to the language?

I knew a bit of Urdu so I could pick up on similar words. Sometimes it helped and other times backfired, leading to some funny mistranslations. But Turkish people are really friendly, polite and affectionate -

I found it a big culture shock from the UK! One of my favourite things about Turkey is the stray cats on the streets. When I came back to the UK, I got the chance to facetime a cat who greeted me every morning with her because I missed her.

What advice would you give to students thinking about doing a study abroad year? I would tell other students to apply even if you are not sure what you want to do because you never know where life will take you. I’m so thankful to be gifted such an amazing opportunity and I have become so happy and more confident. I cannot explain how heart-warming it was to meet truly inspiring people and witness so many beautiful things. I’ve learnt how to be independent, get out of my comfort zone and overcome challenges. I’m a completely different person to last year. Studying abroad encouraged me to start my hijab journey and everyone has been so supportive, accepting. I just felt so safe and more comfortable wearing it.

Bryony Hawkins Staff Writer

St Cuthman’s Church, Whitehawk, operates a food bank for locals. Image: Aaron Galway

Imani Patel Staff Writer

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TOP 10: Study Spots in Brighton

17 Grams

12d Meeting House Ln, Brighton, BN1 1HB

This one is for our vegan-veggie lovers! This beautiful, quiet coffee shop is located in the South Lanes - you can get there by walking down from the Old Steine/ North Street bus stop. They do some amazing brunch bits, perfect if you’re planning to fuel up ahead of your study day. They have a range of seating options, from small tables to a coffee bar overlooking the lanes, this is a perfect study spot for one or two.

2

Pelicano Coffee Co.

15 Lewes Rd, Brighton, BN2 3HP

3

My Coffee Story

36 St James’s St, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1RG

Famous for their range of baked goods and cakes made fresh - they’ve got options from chocolate orange cake to a Biscoff cheesecake to a pistachio raspberry cream cake… all of which are homemade! The treats range from day to day but this cute spot has plenty of seating and tends to be quite quiet. Their swing seats offer an added bonus place to sit, but maybe not with your laptop!

This great find is definitely not a secret, but its dimmer lighting makes it more accessible! This slightly busier spot has a cosy ambience and amazing orange juice This chain has three spots located in Central Brighton, however the one on Lewes Road is a perfect spot halfway from campus to town - just be sure to get there early!

Meo Plants & Cafe

39 St James’s St, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1RG

5

Library

Jubilee St, Brighton, BN1 1GE

Yes, another Librarythis one is just located in Central Brighton and is a library open to the general public as well as students! It is a perfect alternative if you want to change up your scenery, with plenty of desks and plug sockets, it’s the ideal study place if you want to crack on with essay writing.

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Image: Visit Brighton

The ACCA Cafe

University of Sussex, Falmer

We’ve all been to the Cafe in the ACCA… this spot is perfect in the summertime, with benches outside and seats inside it’s a great place to grab a cool drink and have some time outside with your notes for some last minute cramming for May-time exams.

7

Trading Post Coffee Roasters

36 Ship St, Brighton, BN1 1AB

This has to be one of the most popular spots in Brighton. On the weekends it’s bustling with people but on the weekends it is relatively quiet. This branch in the South Lanes stays open late and serves some tasty food. It offers multiple flavours of coffee, and is super laptop friendly. A great spot to brainstorm with a study group or study solo.

8

The Avenue

4

My personal favourite as a coffee connoisseur - Meo Plants & Cafe is a family owned cafe with a plant shop attached! It offers so many succulents to choose from and is also great for studying as the place is fairly quiet. However, make sure your electronics are charged up before you go as there aren’t any plug sockets available for customers! Their iced lattes are gorgeous in the summertime and the hot chocolates are a favourite throughout winter alongside a variety of baked goods from the Flour Pot.

56 St James’s St, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1QG

This cafe serves great ‘open sandwiches’ with a range of fillings as well as hot drinks, but it’s famous for having a study room tucked away at the back! With plenty of plug sockets and tables, it’s great to bring your mates to have a group study session - and try out their wide range of drink options.

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Starfish & Coffee

32 Egremont Pl, Brighton, BN2 0GA

As far as solo study spots go… this one is awesome! It has a laptop-friendly area for undisturbed study, and it’s tucked away by Queens Park so not overwhelmingly busy. The pancakes are the best of the yummy brunch options by far.

The Student Centre - or at home!

University of Sussex, Falmer

When in doubt, head to the student centre with a pair of headphones, find a table in a quiet spot and study away.

The West Slope Debate

Isabel Cattermole Staff Writer

In 2022, the University of Sussex started the lengthy development of the new West Slope accommodation. With the aim of adding 1,999 new bedrooms including single villas, apartments and townhouses, East Slope’s twin residence will be completed to a high standard with excellent facilities.

Sussex has stated the importance of inclusivity within their accommodation options. For example, West Slope will have rooms fully adaptable for students with carers, as well as two bedroom family apartments. However, this could lead to students with carers feeling forced to pay the highest housing fee.

Along with student housing, West Slope aims to provide easy access to fundamental resources to aid students’ academic progress whilst living on campus, such as the provision of a new health and well-

being centre. Furthermore, West Slope will expand the number of social spaces on campus by adding a new children’s playground, supermarket, cafe, and designated study spaces.

Whilst West Slope will massively improve the standard of living on Sussex campus, this development has sparked a large debate around housing affordability.

Providing affordable accommodation since the 1970s, Park Village has been demolished to make way for this new and more expensive housing. Formerly, Park Village was the most accessible accommodation on campus, costing £95 per week. Its replacement, West Slope, is estimated to cost more than £180 per week, almost doubling the cost for students.

Furthermore, Park Village was the last accommodation option to be priced at under £100 per week. Now the most inexpensive housing is Norwich House, starting at £119.64 per week. Although

the university claims that Park Village has become “very tired,” and that student feedback demonstrated a demand for “highquality, en-suite study bedrooms”. The lack of affordable student accommodation is becoming a major concern. With the cost of living crisis ever present, students are anxious about being priced out of Sussex.

Students are anxious about being priced out of Sussex

In October 2022, a group of students started a protest to vocalise their concerns by ‘reclaiming’ the social centre in the former Park Village. Squat The Slope was an effort by the sustainability committee at Sussex. It set out demands with a focus on keeping a third of accommodation on campus below £100 per week. Other demands included that any future developments on campus must not result in the loss of trees, must confirm that

there will be no negative repercussions for the protesting students, and must deliberate with a student assembly before construction begins.

Another side of the debate is the ongoing inconvenience imposed upon students who live in close proximity to the construction site. With the restricted access around campus and loud disturbances during lectures and study hours, this makes it a problematic learning environment.

Despite the importance of housing affordability, buildings such as Park Village were no longer cost effective in terms of maintenance, servicing and heating costs. Nor did it meet current student expectations. Whilst there are many valid concerns regarding West Slope accommodation, there are significant positives to this development, too. As a result, West Slope remains a considerably contested issue, even as construction is underway.

Image: Pelicano Coffee Co.

Image: Avenue Cafe

Jubilee

Image: Restaurants Brighton

Image: Meo Plants & Cafe

Niche Communities in Brighton For You

Anna Hills Local Life Editor

Finding your niche at university can be difficult, so much pressure is often placed on your studies; but it is important to find a balance and allow yourself the opportunity to engage in activities and communities that you love. Brighton hosts of a variety of niche groups with something for everyone; detailed below are just a few of what our city has to offer.

Brighton Ultimate Frisbee

Frisbee is likely a fun game you think of playing in childhood, perhaps not a global sport; but Ultimate Frisbee gives a whole new meaning to the game. The game is reminiscent of netball, wherein the players ‘on-disc’ cannot move and the goal is the work the disc down the pitch into the ‘end-zone’, to score a point. It’s a fast paced fun game where everyone on the team gets involved.

Brighton comprises a host of divisions, including men’s,

women’s’ and mixed; as well as offering the opportunity to attend the weekly trainings without the need to commit to a team, simply come along to have fun!

If you’re looking to begin a new hobby, the Brighton Ultimate Frisbee community is full of welcoming individuals of all ages and skill levels, so no prior experience is necessary. The women’s division has suffered a decline in numbers in recent years, so would be delighted to have more female members begin playing and join the Brighton and wider Ultimate community.

Playing will also allow you the opportunity to travel for competitions and fun tournaments. Paganello, held in Rimini, Italy, is just one of the annual funtime tournaments on offer, where you

can travel to play Ultimate Frisbee on the beach as part of a team; as well as many more.

As the University of Sussex has its own team, Sussex Hawks, many of the Brighton members are Sussex alumni who have been playing since university, making Ultimate frisbee a great sport to get into both while studying and post-graduation.

Visit the Brighton Ultimate webpage regarding weekly training timetables and further information. Or find Sussex Hawks on Instagram if you would like to play for the university.

Boulder Brighton

Bouldering is similar to rock climbing but without the harnessing equipment and shorter walls; all you need is a pair of climbing shoes and a bag of chalk, both of which can be hired on site. Bouldering is a fun way to engage your brain and build strength while completing the colour coded routes up the walls.

Located a short walk away from Portslade station, the venue is easy to get to by train, bus or car and welcomes those of all abilities.

Regulars of Boulder Brighton have made up their own community, organising social events and meetups; the community group page can be found on Facebook at ‘Boulder Brighton Social’

and is always welcoming of new members looking to meetup or climb together.

Sussex university students can also join BSMS Rocksoc, a student run society welcoming all members interested in climbing and bouldering; making bouldering another great community to join and continue post-graduation. More information on Rocksoc meetups can be found on their Instagram page.

Food Partnership – Community Kitchen

Located on Queen’s Road in central Brighton, the community kitchen offers cookery classes run by professional chefs, with each session specialising in a specific cuisine. January’s cuisines included Vegan Dim Sum, Vegan South Indian, West African and Gluten Free Bread to name but a few classes. If you love to cook, learn new skills and try new foods, why not give one of these classes a go!

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership not only manages the community kitchen, they also run local projects that you can get involved in, through donating or volunteering at food banks and community gardens.

Visit the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership website to find further information on upcoming classes for February, local events, donation information and foodbank locations.

Best Gig Spots in Brighton for 2024

Bonnie Hull Staff Writer

The Cowley Club

2 London Rd, Brighton, BN1 4JA

This anarchist social centre is the place to be for a low cost, rough-and-ready night out. Aside from their daytime café, at night the alternative music scene is brought to life. From heavy metal and screamo to altacoustic and hyperpop, there’s a night for everybody. Most gigs are donation entry and it’s a cash-only venue, so don’t forget your change!

Chalk

13 Pool Valley, Brighton, BN1 1NJ

Famously, or infamously, this venue is often recognised as a popular club for students in Brighton. Yet, showcasing performances from the likes of Tom Jones, YUNGBLUD, and Big Thief, this venue hosts a diverse array of artists while promoting local talent, too. Ticket prices vary from £10 to £40. A great spot for a pricier but perhaps more memorable experience.

Hope and Ruin

11-12 Queens Rd, Brighton, BN1 3WA

Hope and Ruin is one of the most popular venues for independent artists in Brighton to showcase their talent. Most nights come at a reasonable cost, ranging from around £5 to £20. They also serve delicious vegan food by BEELZEBAB downstairs, which makes for a great pre-gig meal.

Concorde 2

286A Madeira Dr, Brighton, BN2 1EN

A small club with a grungy interior providing a vast range of music, from hardcore techno to acoustic gigs. With prominent figures from the British music scene, this venue offers gigs from £6-£35 depending on what you’re looking for. Great for a very energetic and bustling atmosphere in a quirky seafront venue.

Green Store Door

2,3, 4 Trafalgar Arches, Brighton, BN1 4FQ

Green Door Store is, by word of mouth, the most popular venue in Brighton for upand-coming artists. The people, prices and atmosphere are consistently top-quality and diverse. It offers a range of genres and low prices. This libertarian space is home to the alternative scene of Brighton and is known all around the nation as a topquality venue.

Brighton Centre

Kings Rd, Brighton, BN1 2GR

£££

The Brighton Centre is a larger and more up-market experience, showing more established artists in the music scene. This upcoming year they’re hosting bands such as Bombay Bicycle Club, IDLES and Elbow. Although relatively expensive, it offers a spacious stage and ample capacity to enjoy performances.

The Prince Albert

48 Trafalgar St, Brighton, BN1 4ED

££

The Prince Albert is renowned for its quirky exterior and amazing PA system, bringing you quality sound from all the upcoming artists in the area. All genres at an affordable price, this venue has hosted some now world-famous bands. For 160 years this pub has brought Brighton some of the best; even Fatboy Slim made an impromptu visit recently, so it’s one to keep an eye on.

Image: The Cowley Club

Image: Visit Brighton

Image: Chalk

Image: The Prince Albert

Image: Mike Burnell

Image: Visit Brighton

Image: Mervy Davies

Features

An Interview with Campus Legend Sussex Confessions

Semhar (Semi) Tesfazgy Editor in Chief

Sussex confessions: We’ve all at some point read the confessions, and have been filled with shock, horror and amusement when reading about the shocking antics that our fellow students (and sometimes teachers!) have been up to. Some of us have even had the daunting experience of being featured in one. The page acts as an all seeing eye on campus, with no unique (we don’t kink-shame here at The Badger) hook-up or hangxietyinducing night out left unconfessed.

The page first emerged in 2020, transforming from a modest page gathering a few likes per post, to a mainstay name in both the minds and hearts of students in Brighton. I was given the exciting chance to interview Sussex Confessions to gain a better understanding about the origins of the page, the unique experience they’ve had being the faceless broadcaster of secrets around campus, and potentially find a few hints into who the anonymous figures could be.

Firstly, could you tell us some details about the inception of Sussex Confessions, and what inspired you/your team to create this platform?

It all began during the Covid lockdown in October 2020. For those of us who stayed on campus, it was a bit of a downer, really. We were missing out on the usual firstyear fun and everything was just a bit slow and fragmented. That’s when we noticed these Instagram accounts popping up, kind of filling a gap. They became a new way to connect with others on campus. With classes moved to Zoom and hardly any real-life interaction, the account just sort of grew on its own. It was our way of staying connected, of feeling that university vibe when everything else was just screens and isolation. It’s pretty amazing how it evolved into this big mix of confessions and stories, becoming a real part of our life at Sussex.

It was our way of staying connected, of feeling that university vibe when everything else was just screens and isolation.

fact, if there were confessions about us, we’d post those too (Maybe we have?).

Have there been any confessions that were particularly controversial, or

people together. It’s not just about sharing anonymous stories; it’s turned into a place where occasionally connections are made. We’ve seen people find flatmates through our posts, which, given how tough the housing situation can be, is pretty practical and helpful.

How do you decide which confessions to feature on Sussex Confessions, and do you have any criteria for selecting or filtering confessions?

When selecting confessions for Sussex Confessions, we really try to remain fair whilst capturing a mix of everything submitted. It’s a subjective process, and we get a whole range of confessions, so we aim to balance the serious and funny ones. Sometimes we get confessions that make us cringe, and occasionally they’re even about people we know. But we stay unbiased in what we choose to post. In

We’ve also had instances where someone’s confession about another person leads to those two actually getting in touch. It’s not always a fairytale ending, but it’s cool to see. We often get messages from students saying the platform’s helped them feel less isolated and helped during breathers mid-study session, especially during those intense university periods. It’s good to know that amidst all the anonymity and fun, the platform’s actually made at least a tiny bit of difference in the student community at Sussex.

come to us, demanding to know who sent it in, which can get pretty complicated with almost 2,000 confessions posted. Sometimes people ask us to take down their confession because it’s caused too much drama, they’ve been identified by someone they know, or they just regret posting it.

Sometimes people ask us to take down their confession because it’s caused too much drama

What’s the funniest or most outrageous confession you’ve ever received? Can you share a memorable one with us?

We’ve honestly seen a whole spectrum of wild stories, from bizarre situations, like the massive dead fly infestation in Norwich

house, to some really out-there behaviour in the library and student centre. And then there was this confession about a makeshift brothel in Park Village.

Reading these, you kind of build a tolerance to the outrageous. Some confessions are so extreme they can be a bit much, and we’re careful to screen out anything too graphic or against Instagram’s

“

You kind of build a tolerance to the outrageous...

One particularly memorable confession involved the aftermath in an international student’s room which included a s*x doll. It’s been an eye-opener, to say the least, and never fails to catch us off guard.

How are people selected to participate in the Sussex Confessions page - is there a group in the know or is it a one-man

I think the previous admin was struggling with what to do with the page and so was more than happy to hand it over, so we got lucky messaging the page when we did. I think that’ll probably be that same sort of approach we take going

There are two people who currently operate this page atm and it’s definitely been a struggle to keep the secret of the page underwraps, especially when a friend is DM-ing you a confession you’ve just posted. I think a definite criteria of being an admin of this page or being considered is having an open mind with a good poker

Lastly, is there any chance you could give us a sneaky hint about who/what is

Well the previous admin just graduated so there’s one clue, in regard to who’s running the page now, well - we’re at Casa’s a fair bit and love Martha Gunn. Even as I write this, I’m sitting in the library now, writing an essay for my humanities degree. We’ve given out a few hints in the past and might do so in the future, although I don’t know how many people are bothered or interested in the discovery of who runs this page.

For the uncut article going into the full details about the page, head to The Badger website at www.thebadgeronline.com. You can find the Sussex Confessions page on Instagram at @sussex_confessions to read all of the latest secrets lingering around campus, and potentially divulge some of your own confessions!

The Awarding Gap: How Students of Colour are Falling Behind their White Peers

Abigail Keyla Ryanto Staff Writer

Though ethnicity awarding gaps have been a long-standing problem in UK universities, it seems that there is still no effective solution found to tackle this issue. For 16 years in the United Kingdom, there have been notably lower proportions of “home-status” undergraduate students of colour who graduate with first class honours or upper second-class honours, than white students, according to research published by Advanced HE.

This discrepancy is called the awarding or attainment gap, and it continues to exist to this day, with a reported gap of 8.8% between the two groups by Universities UK for the academic year 20/21.

The gap is also noticable for international students, with 28% of non-EU international students obtaining a lowersecond or third-class degree compared to the 20% of home-students in the academic year 21/22, reported by The Financial Times

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) investigated the factors affecting the awarding gap between white and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students, and found that even after “controlling for individual and institutional characteristics”, and bypassing the proportion of white students and students of colour, a large awarding gap still persists between these ethnic groups.

The organisation stresses the importance of moving away from a deficit model in explaining awarding gaps in [Higher Education]’. The deficit model attributes the failures of students in their achievement, learning, or success in gaining employment to a personal lack of effort or deficiency, instead of failures or limitations of the education or training system or socio-economic circumstances.

When individual characteristics are taken out of the equation, what is left to

explain the awarding gap is race. What follows this realisation is the matter of institutional racism, and the lack of support and acceptance that students of colour are likely to receive in higher education institutions.

Progress at Sussex has been slow. The persisting gap shows efforts are not enough...

Arham Farid, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator at the University of Sussex Students’ Union, argues that some key factors contributing to the awarding gap is the lack of diversity in the course curriculum, outdated teaching, and teacher attitudes in the classroom. These factors lead to students “naturally” feeling “alienated”, “passive”, “uncomfortable”, and “discouraged” when what they are learning or who they are learning from does not reflect, respect, or empathise with their culture, values, or perspectives.

She asserts that this will lead to students to “naturally just stop coming to classes, and stop giving any sort of care about what’s happening in the classrooms”.

“There definitely needs to be a transformation of teaching and pedagogy [in higher education],” Farid says.

“[Universities] must recognise that they do have a colonial legacy [and] history, and that does inform knowledge production.

And… let students know as well, and help them understand, how knowledge historically has been racist, and has been misogynistic and patriarchal, and has all of these systems of power and oppression in place, and that the university now is going to break that,” Farid comments.

She elaborates on how this can be done through the updating of course curriculums and teaching methods with the help of curriculum designers, experts, counsellors, and even artists, who can enhance and add more creativity to existing teaching. It should also involve people of colour, who can add cultural diversity and richness with their insights.

Farid also emphasises the importance of student voice, and how crucial it is for the university to listen to students and their subjective and unique perspectives, as Farid believes it is the students themselves who will provide the “best input”.

“[Because students] are the biggest stakeholders, when it comes to the university itself, because they pay the money, and universities exist for the students to teach them,” Farid states.

Universities across the UK have been addressing the issue of the awarding gap for years, and coming up with their own solutions to try and tackle this problem, which vary in range, format, and impact. The University of Sussex, considered to be one of the universities with a comparatively

larger attainment gap, is also working to combat this issue.

Farid says that the University is “quite committed to the cause”, in particular through the ongoing “Curriculum Reimagined” project to create a more accessible, diverse, inclusive, and antiracist curriculum, the passionate education and enhancement team. In addition to that, the Business and Media, Arts, and Humanities Schools also run the Race Equity Advocate scheme, where students of colour collaborate with these schools to feed in the subjective experiences of other students of colour, and improve the experience of students of colour.

In relation to the awarding gap between international students and home students, Sussex reports that the gap is “narrowing”, and that they are working hard to advance even further “through greater investment in academic support, from intercultural awareness to further language support,” reported by The Financial Times

Nevertheless, progress at Sussex, and nation-wide, has been slow. The persisting numbers signal how these efforts are still not enough, and demonstrates how there is still a long way to go before UK higher education institutions are able to effectively counter and abolish the awarding gap.

Farid compares the issue of the attainment gap to COVID-19, and how “if in that one year, pedagogy can change all of a sudden because it is being forced to because of a disease, then at the same time, that something needs to be done right now as well, because [the awarding gap] is a major concern”.

With the awarding gap being such a big issue, with seemingly no chances of it disappearing in the near future, more pressure is needed for universities to acknowledge the urgency of the issue and to take more initiative to close the gap.

What is it Really Like to Be a Refugee in Rwanda?

Lucy Martin-Patrick Staff Writer

On 15 November 2023, the UK supreme court deemed the UK Government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as ‘unlawful’. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has also taken a stand against this plan. With a general election creeping up, it is unlikely that any asylum seekers will be on a plane to Rwanda, despite the estimated cost of the plan to reach over £240 million this year. There have been many conversations about the scheme that have spoken at high level about ‘policy’ and ‘law’ surrounding the issue, but little is told of the situation in Rwanda for refugees who are already there. A lack of information has been given about what day-to-day life is like as an asylum seeker or refugee in Rwanda.

Two of Rwanda’s bordering countries, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi, have been experiencing armed conflict, resulting in an influx of refugees to Rwanda over the past decade, of which 62.5% are from the DRC and 36.9% from Burundi. Increased instability in the DRC means that this number is expected to grow. The UNHCR had 135,733 refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons register with them in Rwanda as of September 2023. The UK had 175,142 refugees registered with the UNHCR in June 2023. While the UK does have more people registered, it must be taken into consideration that the UK has a GDP per capita that is 52.5x bigger than Rwanda, where 40% of people live below the poverty line. The UK is in a much better position to support refugees, which begs the question: what is it like for refugees

that are registered in Rwanda?

Rwanda has carefully composed its image of being the ‘land of refuge’. Journalists are usually forbidden from entering inside camps. One journalist allowed in the Gashora Transit Centre described a haven for the 1000 refugees living there.They described facilities for

Rwanda has carefully composed its image of being the ‘land of refuge’.

mental health support, a driving school, basketball courts and a language center. This image of Rwanda does however contradict the majority of reports of refugees from Rwanda, including what I was personally told.

In December I traveled to Rwanda to attend a week-long innovation lab in

Kigali. I can say that my first impressions of the city lived up to its reputation of being clean and green. The country has developed at a fast rate since the 1994 genocide, in which one million people were killed in just 100 days. I was privileged to work alongside young people who had been refugees in Rwanda, and have the opportunity to hear their stories.

One of the key links I found between people’s stories was the difficulty for people to rebuild their lives in Rwanda due to economic instability and a lack of opportunity to do so. Rwanda has been seen as a leader in the region for economic inclusion due to policies that allow refugees to take on wage-earning jobs. However, many refugees and asylum seekers in Rwanda struggle to make

Image: Warwickshire County Council

enough money to support themselves, feed their families or receive an education. Refugees who do not live in camps are not entitled to any financial assistance and face barriers to accessing formal employment. Many people rely on working several insecure and low-paying jobs within the week to make enough money to support their families. Those living in camps may receive housing and some monetary support, but also face more challenges.

Rwanda has carefully

composed its image of being the ‘land of refuge’.

91% of refugees in Rwanda live in one of five camps around the country, the largest of which hosts almost 60,000 people. The camps in Rwanda have faced cuts to many of the much needed resources. Just 38% of the funds for the UNHCR Rwanda Appeal were granted

this year. There are no reports of money given to Rwanda from the £240 million UK policy going towards supporting current refugees in Rwanda.

I reached out to several current and prior refugees in Rwanda to learn from them directly, however I was met with a similar response of “I would like to share, but it is too risky”. In the Supreme Court’s decision in November, attention had also been drawn to Rwanda’s history of human rights abuses. The apprehensiveness of

refugees and asylum speakers to speak openly about the treatment they received since coming to Rwanda further raises questions about how safe Rwanda really can be for refugees.

Preventing refugees from speaking about their experiences is commonly reported, and freedom of expression suppressed. In 2018, the Human Rights Watch reported that eight people were killed and 20 injured when 3000 refugees protesting UN food cuts were met with

police violence. There have also been reports of violence within the camps. Accounts of assault and sexual violence from officials have also surfaced in the past few years. It is not just refugees who experience violence in Rwanda. Rwanda also produces refugees each year. In 2021 alone, the UNHCR reported 12,838 Rwandan nationals had fled the country to seek asylum elsewhere. There have been several reports of persecution against Rwanda’s political opposition. Nationals who speak out against the government do not feel safe, let alone refugees who are arguably in a far more precarious situation.

The UK Supreme Court deemed Rwanda an unsafe country for people seeking asylum. However, Prime Minister Sunak is determined to push through policy to (somehow) deem Rwanda a safe place. But with limited free speech and covered up human rights abuses, how safe could Rwanda really be for refugees?

The Agonising Wait: Diagnosing Female Reproductive Health Conditions

Molly Channell Staff Writer

Every month I dread my period. My mind becomes consumed with worry of what I will encounter. Will it be early or late or not come at all? Will I experience extreme fatigue, uncontrollable mood swings, or debilitating pain? Each month I am met with suffering that has still not been given a definitive name, despite having symptoms of reproductive health conditions since the age of 14.

However, speaking to other women, I have realised I’m not alone. This is extremely common. Across the globe, millions of women are coping with a myriad of multifaceted and complex reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus, grows outside the uterus, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a hormone imbalance leading to irregular periods. In the UK alone, endometriosis affects one in ten women, according to Endometriosis UK, and PCOS impacts one in eight, according to Verity UK. But the question that has remained for decades is, if these conditions are so common, why is it nearly impossible to be diagnosed?

On average, it takes 7.5 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis, with the diagnosis journey shrouded in ambiguity and overshadowed by misinterpretation. This prolonged wait takes a toll not only on our bodies but also on our lives especially mentally. One student I interviewed has suffered from extreme period pains“heavy periods, faint[ing], and feel[ing] sick” since she started her period at the age of 11. When she was finally diagnosed with stage four endometriosis, she was told that it had caused distortion in her anatomy and was acting as an adhesion by sticking her ovaries to her womb. The

condition threatened her fertility, as there is the chance of needing an emergency hysterectomy (womb removal). Having the possibility of losing the ability to have children without it being her choice “was really scary” and a big part of her worries and apprehensions of the surgery she had to undergo. This shows that beyond the physical, the toll on mental health cannot be overstated. Anxiety and a sense of helplessness become unwelcome companions in this journey.

Again, this student is not aloneanother’s struggle to be diagnosed with PCOS also mirrors the diagnosis challenges. It has resulted in her “hormones [being] all over the place” due to having irregular periods and her struggle with acne has destroyed her self-confidence, making her feel awful and very reclusive.

Anxiety and helplessness become unwelcome companions in this journey.

Moreover, during my period, I become so drained from pain or from being extremely tired that I miss out on time with friends, my university classes, and work. It completely wipes me out from my everyday life and has left me in a vicious cycle of suffering, then recovering and repeating, which in itself is exhausting. So why is it that we have all endured years of physical and emotional toll on our lives yet a haunting absence of answers still looms over us?

One of the main reasons is that despite the numerous visits to healthcare professionals, misunderstanding and societal stigmas surrounding women’s health concerns still persists and this leads to delayed medical intervention. This was the case for one student when she was trying to rebook a scan after having her

initial ultrasound cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did she experience a constant “condescending attitude towards PCOS”, but she was also lied to by medical professionals who said “ultrasounds aren’t used to diagnose PCOS”. They ultimately cancelled it without another word or follow-up appointment. As she said, this “messy experience, lacking in a lot of empathy” results in a prolonged diagnosis journey and erodes women’s confidence in the healthcare systems. This prevents women from trying again to get closure.

Women are fighting against a culture of disbelief every time they enter a doctor’s office, resulting in the diagnosis journey being full of shame and humiliation. Another student I interviewed, who had been diagnosed with endometriosis, stated explanations of her symptoms were always met with “it’s just part of being a female”. The dismissal of symptoms as manageable discomfort pervades this culture. In addition, years later when she finally got referred to a gynaecologist, they discredited her symptoms and misdiagnosed her as supposedly having an STD - pelvic inflammatory disease. But she knew her body and was aware that this was not the case. While it is true that reproductive health conditions can be difficult to diagnose due to symptoms often overlapping or masquerading as other ailments. It becomes an extremely isolating journey when healthcare professionals mainly hold dismissive attitudes toward women’s pain and offer us no ounce of validation or recognition.

However, the disheartening attitudes do not account for all healthcare professionals. Take the student who has been diagnosed with endometriosis as an example. After the first doctor misdiagnosed her and made her feel uncomfortable, she sought

a second opinion. This doctor “was a stark contrast” to the first one.

“She really advocated for me and I felt really listened to...she was like, you have a right to be mad and angry about this, this affects your life and that’s not ok, we should be doing something to help you, and that made me feel a lot better about the whole situation,” the student said.

Now insured by a written diagnosis, her everyday life is more manageable. She has gained a sense of security knowing that in any future medical visits, she will be listened to and taken “a bit more seriously”. This is why getting a diagnosis matters. While reproductive health conditions lack cures, the right diagnosis paves the way for suitable treatment. It is about alleviating symptoms and enabling us to live our lives.

The urgent need for change is crying out through every untold story and every prolonged suffering. Elevated awareness and education about these conditions within the medical sphere and in the general public are paramount. Improving access to specialised care, advocating for early intervention, and investing in research for more accurate diagnostic tools are crucial steps toward shortening the diagnostic process. Empowering women to advocate for their health and ensuring their concerns are heard and validated are pivotal to diagnosis journeys.

Empowering women to advocate for their health is pivotal to diagnosis journeys.

As one student put it: “you really have to advocate for yourself, and if you don’t feel like something’s right, then nine times out of 10, you’re right. We know our bodies more than someone who prods you and sees you for five minutes.”

Mahama refugee camp, Rwanda Image: UNHCR

Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

AYouthanasia: The Fatality of Symptoms Among the Young

geism is a form of a prejudice that has been prevalent in society longer than Madonna, which is apt, since the 65-year-old was recently mocked online for holding a beam for support whilst performing. While memes replacing the beam with a Zimmer frame are certainly hurtful, a far more dangerous and less discussed form of age discrimination is currently sweeping the UK.

As traditional media favours young people, a large number of storylines tend to focus on the under-thirties. When Waterloo Road wanted to raise awareness of cancer in 2011, the writers gave 15-year-old Sambuca Kelly an inoperable brain tumour. Flash forward to 2022, and Eastenders decided to put their spin on the young bleached-blonde girl with a brain tumour storyline in the form of 26-year-old Lola Pearce’s struggle with a glioblastoma. Due to these depictions, it is unsurprising that the common belief in society is that young adults are quickly and easily diagnosed and subsequently treated. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth: long waiting times and dismissals encountered by young people who seek medical attention are commonplace. Soon, we will not even be able to be diagnosed (dubiously)

through the media, as the BBC daytime soap Doctors has recently announced its cancellation - perhaps because a broadcast of an automated voice informing a patient that they’re number 37 in the queue does not make good television.

Long waiting times and dismissals encountered by young people who seek medical attention are commonplace

A man familiar with the workings of the media is Steve Ackroyd – the father of a former student of mine – who worked as an editor on popular Netflix series, Sex Education. This show, again, tackles medical issues among young characters: Jackson Marchetti finds a lump on his testicle; Lily Iglehart is diagnosed with vaginismus; and Maeve Wiley undergoes a surgical abortion. However, cutting together these scenes could not have prepared Ackroyd for the devastating reality of struggling to receive the correct diagnosis. After being misdiagnosed with the brain disorder epilepsy by doctors at his local hospital, the 47-year-old suffered further seizures, though was refused a second CT scan. It was only after an MRI scan that Ackroyd was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma. It could be argued that age discrimination has a part to play

in this heartbreaking story. According to the charity Brain Tumour Research, brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other type of cancer yet only 1% of cancer research funding is allocated to this area.

Alongside age discrimination, harmful stereotypes also affect young adults seeking medical care. No matter which symptoms you present with, if you are under the age of 25, a doctor will immediately assume your pain and discomfort are evidence of an STD, leaving the whole appointment

feeling like a bad 1970s sitcom: “Sore throat, eh? What have you been doing with it?”

“Struggling to get out of bed? Well, whose bed are we talking about?”

Oftentimes, the only link to sex is the truth, because it is hard to swallow: young people can just be unwell!

If you’re a woman, it can be even more difficult to get diagnosed, due to the stereotype that the female gender is inherently dramatic. Jessica Brady had 20 GP appointments and two trips to A&E before passing away from stage four adenocarcinoma,a cancer of the glands, at the age of 27. Speaking to The Telegraph, her mother, Andrea, argued that “if Jess had been a different age [her symptoms] would have been a red flag”. Andrea and her husband are currently proposing Jess’s Law, which would require a case to be elevated for review after a patient contacts their GP surgery for the third time.

It is important to remember that it isn’t the fault of the NHS, which is cruelly underfunded. Make like the credits of Friends and go back outside to clap for the doctors and nurses (and then lobby for a pay rise). Finally, apologies for using humour as a coping mechanism throughout this article. Laughter is not the best, but rather the only medicine.

Brighton’s Homelessness Crisis

Aaron Galway Staff Writer

The cost of living in the UK is a significant cause of homelessness. Still, many councils in the UK are going into debt or are run by councillors who allegedly use the tax money meant to help the public, to benefit privately owned investment housing.

A recent post on a Brighton community Facebook group shared an anecdote of a local girl who attempted suicide three weeks before Christmas and was in the hospital for two weeks after. Brighton and Hove City Council was unable to help her, claiming that there was no available emergency accommodation in Brighton. The girl was reportedly sleeping in a shop’s doorway.

Another striking story was shared in November 2023 about an elderly person homeless in Brighton who was staying in a backpacker hostel. A concerned relative reported that he was autistic, had stage 3 cancer, and had numerous physical and mental health issues, but the council refused him help. The prices are upsetting, and councils don’t own these plots. Most are private and unaffordable to many, whether work, students or career-minded individuals.

The Badger was informed of a scam, again from reports on social media, in

April 2023, that a woman, via an advert on Spareroom, allegedly stole deposits; however, after reports from many people that had deposits stolen by her, the advertising platform still allows the con to continue.

The customer services of online advertising platforms are often unhelpful in cases of reported scammers, some of whom intentionally take deposits and run, or wrongfully advertise rooms as clean, cover up mould spots or rising damp, and then blame the new resident if they raise the issue.

Many landlords renting out rooms are council house tenants or own their property in part with the council. Only a room can be let out under secure tenancy in these cases, but not the entire property. If a problem in these properties needs repair, the landlord is therefore entitled to contact the council for repairs, which can take a long time. However, some of these lodger landlords don’t even call and try to bodge the repair.

In my personal experience in Sussex, it is absolute hell to find a secure place. I’ve lived in seven places in 15 years, of which I

was evicted from five. The landlords wanted people receiving benefits out, even though everyone treated the properties just as a working person would. It’s a shame that because of the high demand for rentals, some awful people are taking advantage of people in vulnerable situations, causing significant issues all over the UK. Councils seem to have little power or initiative to take action against these problems.

Awful people are taking advantage of people in vulnerable situations

Many letting agencies and estate agents are now acting as middle men for room rentals. It’s a lot safer for the renter, and they consider benefits for income. Still, this doesn’t prevent the issue of greedy landlords, who sometimes ask for four times the deposit to move in, labelling you as untrustworthy or risky purely on income. Meanwhile, homeless folks on the streets of Brighton and Hove have reported incidents of being kicked, punched, and spat at by members of the public who don’t understand the reality of sleeping on the streets. Some of these homeless folks are students, former students or students who have had to leave university early as they can’t afford to rent.

A young character with a brain tumour in Eastenders in 2022. Image: BBC

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• THE BIG COLLABORATION •

ChatGPT: Essay Friend or Foe?

The Big Collaboration provides deeper insights and wider perspectives into current news and global issues. In this issue, two writers discuss the use of ChatGPT in academics, whether it is a useful tool for students, or opening the floodgates to dishonesty and plagiarism.

Muskaan Marwaha and Jasper White Staff Writers

The evolution of learning has taken a pivotal turn with the introduction of artificial tools to assist students in their academic endeavours. The rise of ChatGPT has challenged the balance between critical thinking skills and plagiarism. However, could this be seen as a missed opportunity to effectively utilise technology in the education system or is this just another lazy tool for students to escape the grind?

Critical thought is the cornerstone of academic assessment, and using ChatGPT for such arguments is not assessing the critical thinking skills of a student. ChatGPT can however be used to generate ideas and outlines for essays whilst also checking grammar. The generation of ideas and essay prompts is one of the main points of contention. Should it be used as a springboard to other research or not used at all?

Currently, the University’s policy is: ‘AI-generated text or responses, cannot be submitted as students’ own work... Where there is a suspicion that AI has been used in a submitted assessment an academic misconduct flag will be added, for example reducing the assessment mark to zero.’ Clearly taking a strong stance against the use of ChatGPT or any other equivalent program, proposing a zero tolerance approach.

But what exactly is ChatGPT? In essence, it is a Google-like chatbot that takes its information from existing literature, providing conversational answers to questions or prompts. By its very nature, it cannot create new arguments or pieces of literature because all of its data is based on existing information up to September 2021. Meaning that any arguments presented by ChatGPT are plagiarism in a university essay due to the fact that ChatGPT does not reference when providing answers.

The use of ChatGPT does have its upsides. When used as a spellcheck, it can check for spelling, grammar and the clarity of your sentence. Not only in the context of your essay, but within the wider context of the topic area. Differing from existing programs like Grammarly, ChatGPT can draw on other texts to provide suggestions that are most effective in the topic area. Helping to assist with essay outline or structure as well.

Idea and essay prompt generation is the most contentious area yet, it can be used as a springboard to other forms of research, ones from a perspective that you may not have considered before. This area is a question for the University policy. Should it be okay to use ChatGPT as a startingpoint to access differing perspectives that enable more research? But that difference between enabling research and providing

the answers on a plate, is the point of contention.

Not only can ChatGPT be used as a starting-point for researching other ideas, it provides a central hub to focus your brainstorming. Having a quick and reliable place to brainstorm new ideas is an incredibly useful tool for students. Instead of scrambling through different readings and Google tabs to organise your idea generation, ChatGPT provides a place where you can see all of these differing ideas. This in turn acts as a time saving tool, allowing you to have all your

to innovate university learning? It is clearly an evolving technology that is continuing to improve. To disregard the use of ChatGPT is a missed opportunity. A zero tolerance policy may be apt for the time being, but with ever growing research and understanding around this topic, the policy should be updated to embrace the advancements made without missing a key opportunity to grow.

Although, while it is considered to be quick and convenient, there are several downsides to using ChatGPT for essays. It is only befitting to address the elephant

ideas in one place at the click of a button. The nature of it being a chatbot shows the progression of thought and how your ideas shift and evolve with more research. Which, although sounds absurd, is useful and initial assumptions or arguments can be utilised to form counter arguments in your essay.

It is clearly an evolving technology that is continuing to improve. To disregard the use of ChatGPT is a missed opportunity.

The adaptability of ChatGPT is another useful characteristic, meaning it can be used for any essay. A language model that analyses any and every topic means that ChatGPT is accessible to anyone. This means that no topic is off limits and is truly a tool for all.

An instance where ChatGPT has explicitly been used to write a university essay was done by a student in Manchester. Using ChatGPT, a graduate entered 10 questions to produce a 3500 word essay. Amazingly, the essay was marked and received a 2:2. Meaning that ChatGPT could pass a final year module, in theory.

ChatGPT is clearly good at what it says on the tin - does this present an opportunity

in the room and point out how generative AI butchers originality and cultivates homogeneity of thought. Students who rely heavily on ChatGPT for submitting essays, forgo adding personal touch and unique perspectives to distinguish their work. This makes us wonder if ChatGPT prompts are the only original ideas students have anymore.

This furthers our argument for questioning the degree of understanding students can derive when using ChatGPT. As a ‘self-aware’ tool that admits to making mistakes in its warning footnote, students relying heavily on its content risk spreading misinformation without independently conducting research and verifying facts from a reliable source. This is a significant challenge also because ChatGPT operates by just reorganising existing information without checking its validity.

Not knowing where the information comes from can also lead to unintentional plagiarism by students. Pulling information from various sources prohibits ChatGPT from providing proper citations or sources leading to questionable academic practices and venturing into the territory of ethical misconduct. It’s almost disappointing to see how in one swish and flick it perpetuates both a lack of original thought as well as not giving credit where rightfully due.

It is also hard to detect the use of AI if the student has not purely copied and pasted from ChatGPT. When used directly, software like Turnitin would detect the use of previous work, but if slightly tweaked or reworded then it is disguised as original content from the student and in fact hard to detect.

“

Is

this just another lazy tool for students to escape the grind?

Academic writing in itself requires more than just a cluster of information and resources stuffed in a parcel. The packaging is truly what makes it count. Think about the analogy of giving a gift. Would you prefer and appreciate a thoughtful, specifically handpicked, and personally wrapped gift or a mass-produced Hallmark souvenir with generic store packaging? To be fair to Hallmark, it still does the job but isn’t it the bare minimum and so easily forgettable?

In the same fashion, a machinegenerated essay will provide you with just enough information to reach your word count (it will even meet your word count for you to be honest!) but it will strip you of the joy of hitting those eureka moments of analysis and learning. It will prevent you from applying yourself to make the essay your own while honing skills in critical and analytical thinking along the way. Many can argue that it can stunt the academic development of students and hinder rounded progress and development.

Additionally, most institutes today, including our own, have already factored in the use of AI by students and consider it to be a breach of the ethical code of conduct. It instantly falls into the category of plagiarism and can therefore question the academic integrity of the student and the work submitted by them. It defeats the true essence of assigning coursework to teach and enhance comprehension, engagement, and critical thinking and encourages dependency on technology to the extent of forgoing intentional thought and independent thinking.

By large, while it can be a useful tool to brianstorm and outline essays and ideas, it should not be relied upon for end-to-end essay generation. While it can be a tool that adds additional support to your educational journey, it should not be dependent upon piggybacking you to the end.

Having said that, AI is only going to grow and percolate all areas of our lives in one way or another. So why not embrace these advancements and find a way to incorporate it in the education sector in a more structured way than to employ a zero tolerance policy? Students always have a knack of finding loopholes, don’t you think?

Image: Aaron Galway

Zeeshan Tirmizi Staff Writer

ARedefining Fearless Journalism

ccording to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), at least 85 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Based on their data, more journalists have been killed in ten weeks in the recent war than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a statement, said, “Journalism is in the process of being eradicated in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s refusal to heed calls to protect media personnel.”

Responding to a letter by media organisations, Reuters and AFP, the Israeli Defence Forces said, “Under these circumstances, we cannot guarantee your employees’ safety, and strongly urge you to take all necessary measures for their safety.”

Journalism is not a mere profession but an act of resistance for the Palestinian journalists who are jeopardising their safety to show the truth amidst the constant bombardment when the world leaders have failed to respond to continuous calls for a ceasefire. The commitment of these journalists, despite constant attacks on freedom of the press, is symbolic of denial of oppression. On one hand, they face the risk of getting hit by an airstrike, while on the other side, they’re constantly facing deterioration of mental well-being.

Nine-year-old Lama Jamous (@lama_jamous9) has gained over 685,000 followers on Instagram for her fearless citizen journalism in Gaza. In an interview with her, Lama said, “I am from Khan Younis. I was displaced from place to place, and every time I was displaced somewhere,

the bombing became heavier and more frequent. It is loud, and it scares us and scares all the children. Young children are seeing the destruction, martyrs, and the injured. We hope that everyone helps us stop the war on us. When we sleep at night, we can hear the bombings; we can feel the shockwaves while we are sleeping. We want the war to stop so we can go back to our homes and be safe.”

Another Palestinian journalist, Hashem Zimmo, reported that the conflict affects everyone in Gaza, including journalists. “This is the strongest and fiercest war ever on the Gaza Strip, with 80% of Gaza being inhabitable after the IDF started launching their attacks. This war affects work pressure… There was great psychological pressure with my brother, cousin, and my aunt’s daughter killed in the war. May god

save a lot of our family in Gaza in the light of the fierce war. In this war, I was injured in my foot, but I don’t mention it.”

Despite being the heroes reporting directly from the frontline, Palestinian journalists do not have the recognition they deserve for their work, nor the lifesaving safeguarding needed so that they may continue reporting on the war. Their deaths have turned into mere statistics. The constant denial of internet access poses a significant threat to their safety.

As a budding journalist, I highly respect and admire Palestinian journalists challenging the status quo with their commitment to telling the truth. It is also heartbreaking to witness the lack of solidarity from global news organisations with their journalist comrades in Gaza, for fear of starting a media war or losing their funding.

The world must talk about the journalist heroes who are showing the heartbreaking realities of Gaza amidst the dehumanisation of their struggle.

Lucy Spencer rightfully noted in the previous edition of The Badger, “Perhaps the Western guilt for allowing the Holocaust in Europe has caused the media to tread carefully.” In any condition, the world must talk about the journalist heroes who are showing the heartbreaking realities of Gaza amidst the dehumanisation of their struggle.

“Do you have a message for the world?” I asked Hashem, to which he responded, “To stand with the Palestinian people, hand in hand. We do not want them to be left watching this destruction.”

UTIs: the What, the How, and the Why Me

Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

When I was studying A Level Philosophy and Ethics, I used the presence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) as evidence of a godless world. As this was not the only D I received that year, UTIs were frequent. Rumour has it that the line, “Don’t have sex – or you will get a kidney infection and die!” was cut from the health class scene of Mean Girls for being too accurate to be funny. Due to their having shorter urethras than men (meaning bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder), sexual intercourse is one of the most common causes of UTIs in women. I’m sure Cady Heron would have found that information more useful in life than twelfth-grade calculus.

Whilst no amount of animal ears and lingerie could make a UTI less terrifying, they do enjoy dressing up as a variety of characters, including cystitis (affecting the bladder), urethritis (affecting the urethra), and kidney infections (affecting the left leg…just kidding). In women, they can even

sneakily disguise themselves as a period by employing stomach cramps and blood on toilet paper. Though it can be challenging to distinguish a UTI from similar diagnoses, there are some tell-tale symptoms including, but not limited to: pain during urination, needing to pee more often than usual, lower stomach pain, and a high temperature. Even if you’re 98% certain you have a UTI, it is best to ring up your GP at 8 am on the dot and wait for an hour in the queue listening to bad elevator music, before peeing in a pot (and on your hands), giving it to said GP and waiting three days for them to confirm.

STDs should not be met with panic and disgust, nor should they be conflated with UTIs.

Although it can be reassuring to receive a diagnosis, the advice on what to do next is vague at the best of times. Even the official NHS web page reads more like a TikTok influencer’s 2024 resolutions than sound medical advice. Taking cranberry pills; drinking plenty of water; avoiding alcohol

and sugary foods; and leading a celibate lifestyle may get you more followers, but it will not cure your UTI. Neither will prayer, a positive tarot reading, the female-empowering discography of Taylor Swift, or throwing a packet of cranberry pills and an Evian bottle at the wall in frustration. I’ve tried. The only things that helped me were strong antibiotics (which I soon became resistant to); anaesthetic procedures to widen my urethra (which I will have to undertake every five or so years); and playing a tiny violin for myself in the form of a newspaper article.

As well as the NHS’s inadequate advice, the struggles surrounding UTIs are exacerbated by sexism. The common nickname for a UTI - honeymoon cystitis – links to the puritanical belief that sex should be avoided until after marriage. Women are also often patronised by doctors and told to make sure they’re wiping from front to back after going to the toilet. Perhaps medical professionals should be given the benefit of the doubt, as UTIs can evoke a sense of childhood nostalgia. For example, I thought after I

turned six I would no longer wet the bed. Unfortunately, I was struck by a common symptom – needing to pee more often than usual during the night – following a series of ill-advised sexual encounters with a man, my UTI decided to make me wet his bed at four in the morning at the ripe old age of 18, probably to punish his ignorance, as upon hearing that I suffered from chronic UTIs, he immediately panicked and Google Mapped Morley Street SHAC, whilst asking me if they take walk-ins to check for chlamydia. STDs should not be met with panic and disgust, nor should they be conflated with UTIs.

It’s a struggle to think of a mention of UTIs in any high-profile television programme, movie, book or play. This is perhaps because they are considered by many to be – aptly – a piece of piss. If you are struggling with chronic UTIs – you are not alone. Seek treatment, look after yourself, and PEE AFTER SEX!

Image: Zeeshan Tirmizi

Palestinian journalists Hashem Zimmo (L) and Lama Jamous (R). Image: Zeeshan Tirmizi

International Student’s Latest Woe: Graduate Visas To Be Reviewed

Hoithem Lhungdim Staff Writer

As a part of a series of newer measures to reduce net migration, the UK government decided to review the graduate visa route last December, all of them confirmed by Home Secretary James Cleverly. According to him, the review of this visa was to be done “to prevent abuse and protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education”. Previously, the government had decided master’s students from abroad would no longer be able to bring dependents to the country, with this coming into effect for courses starting from January 2024. Also, an increase in student visa fees was already announced in September 2023 accompanied with a rise in the prices of the Immigration Health Surcharge.

All of these measures to restrict international students in the United Kingdom significantly add to the challenges they already face being away from home as well as the worries about their own future.

Why is the graduate route visa important for international students?

Boris Johnson reintroduced the graduate visa route in July 2021, about a decade after being repealed by former Home Secretary Theresa May. The graduate route visa allows international

students who graduated from a university in the United Kingdom to work after their studies. The scheme provides two years of work for undergraduate and postgraduate students and three years for PhD students. With this, they can have a job without requiring a company or an organisation to sponsor their visas since the government has approved a limited number of them for sponsorship. However, once they get a suitable sponsor, they will be able to switch accordingly. Dependents are also eligible under this visa, provided they join on the student visa and apply to stay on it afterwards, which helps mature/older students, especially those in master’s and PhD courses to pursue their studies without leaving their families behind in their home country.

If graduate visas do not remain, then many international students will cease to study or work in the United Kingdom and look for opportunities elsewhere. Many universities dependent on them would find it difficult to sustain themselves and companies would struggle to hire fresh talent globally.

International students usually choose to work in the UK after completing their studies due to better work opportunities, especially post-Brexit. Hence, the decision to review graduate visas would hamper their career plans and aspirations since

they would not be able to gain meaningful work experience anymore irrespective of their decision to settle permanently in the UK or return to their home countries someday.

Today’s international students are tomorrow’s immigrants and without them, the UK would not be where it is today.

Similarly, the reason they choose to study in the country in the first place is due to the world-class education provided by the universities. Without international students, classrooms will lose out on talented students as well as diversity of ideas and cultural exchange.

For instance, a report published by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in 2018 mentions over 750,000 students heading to the UK to study each year, especially in tertiary education. Since then, there has been a large rise in the number of student visas issued with the total number of visas issued in 2019 being 404,400 and growing to 623,700 in 2022 respectively. This proves that people outside the country truly value and benefit from the education and job opportunities provided in the United Kingdom.

Immigrants have been the backbone of many Western nations such as the USA, Canada, and Australia as well as an integral part of their history, culture and social fabric respectively. The United Kingdom is not an exception to this, with an example being its national dish chicken tikka which was invented by a South Asian immigrant from Bangladesh in Glasgow. Also, about 19 percent of workers in the NHS are from overseas. With this new policy affecting the international students’ working rights and immigration status, a massive void of representation would be created of people from these backgrounds in both the workforce and society.

If the graduate visa route is reviewed by the government, it would deeply hurt the prospects of international students, and eventually affect the entire country. After all, today’s international students are tomorrow’s immigrants and without them, the UK would not be where it is today.

Aging in Silence: The Hidden Story of Elderly Mental Health

Callista Fontanive Bird Staff Writer

For university students, heading home for the winter holidays can be a welcome retreat from the bustling campus lifestyle to familiar home surroundings. But for elderly people, whose only relatives may be far away at Christmas and the New Year, the season of joy can be one of extreme isolation and loneliness. In December 2023, Age UK published the heart-breaking statistic that 2.3 million older people wish they had someone to spend time with at Christmas. Awareness of how this season impacts vulnerable people is vital to ensuring their safety and happiness.

Living with my 93-year-old grandmother for the past 7 years has highlighted to me the privilege of being close to family over the winter period. I had the pleasure of interviewing her about her perspective on the impact winter has on the elderly.

Recalling Christmases spent alone, my grandmother compared sitting by the phone awaiting a call from a loved one to an actress waiting for work –“her living is in that call”. The effect of human interaction can never be fully emphasised. Even a short phone call

can make the world of difference to a person who is alone, particularly on days like Christmas Day which most people spend in conviviality. “I just thought that afterwards you went to bed, and it was over, and the whole month of worry [of being alone] is behind you. I went out on a walk on the 25th and other people were walking around with their families, with their dogs, after their Christmas dinner. They must have thought it strange to see me walking there alone.”

As well as loneliness, the effects from

winter weather can be felt in both mental and physical health for older people. “It’s certainly depressing, the fact that there’s so little light,” my grandmother stated.

“There are days when I’m not able to go out, it’s too cold or the wind is too gusty, and the pavement is slippery.” During cold temperatures, many older people also find it difficult to heat their homes owing to high energy bills and poorly insulated houses, and going to the shops can be dangerous, particularly for those with mobility issues. These factors which make

day-to-day life harder for them are often taken for granted by younger generations. The run-up to Christmas only adds to this stress, but a small moment of kindness can brighten someone’s day. To this, my grandmother noted: “People are more in a hurry in winter than in summer. It’s nice for someone to help you across the road or stop for a chat.”

The effect of human interaction can never be fully emphasised.

Coping with solitude is challenging, and it is common for elderly people to be ashamed to offload their feelings to someone, or to believe there is no one to talk to at all. Keeping valued members of our community safe and comfortable over the winter period needs to be a priority. In Brighton and Hove, Age UK has relaunched their Lifeline Appeal for this winter, which provides financial aid and crucial phone helplines to ensure elderly people who are alone this winter have somewhere to reach out to for support. They rely on donations, which can be made by telephone on 0800 019 1310 or by visiting their Just Giving page.

The author with their grandmother. Image: Callista Fontanive Bird

Image: UCL

Student Spotlight: Rio, Aurora, and Brighton’s Drag Scene

confidence, it made me feel like a muchheightened version of myself”

Brighton is famous for its drag scene and produces some of the best talent in the country. Recently I had the pleasure of talking to my friend Rio Munn, a Sussex student pursuing a career as a drag performer under the name of Aurora Blake. Having attended multiple performances of Aurora, it has been amazing to watch her progress.I wanted to speak to Rio to learn about his experiences and to find out about his story from the start.

Jessica: Tell me about the first time you got into drag.

Rio: “The first time was in November 2021 when I was 18. I had never in my life touched makeup or had anyone put any on me so at first I found it a bit odd but I think that’s just because it was an unfinished product, when I saw the whole thing put together it was like in Harry Potter, the invisibility cloak. It is like a blanket of

Jessica: How would you describe the Brighton drag scene?

Rio: “Very, very diverse, you’ve got all different types of performers which is quite fun even in Drag Soc (a society at the University of Sussex) you can see the variations. If you took the last event for example, there were drag artists who were asked to take part, me included, and others were drag kings, non-binary, and transgender performers. It is diverse in terms of opportunity, you do see every area of the queer community being highlighted”

Jessica: Who has been an inspiration for you?

Rio: “I look to other queens, like for example ‘Baby’, she was the first non’Drag Race’ girl I saw on social media, she had this intensity I wish I had, I saw her years before I started drag and I was so enamoured by the talent that came off this

Ciaran Barry Staff Writer

The toll of the bells at midnight on New Year’s Eve has always been an unmistakable usher for change, albeit the transition itself from one year to the next, or rather personal change that one is adamant they will make in the coming days. Giving up smoking, losing some weight, gyming three times a week, and reading the books for my course; all of these are resolutions I made at the start of 2023 and have still yet to fully commit to, which frankly makes me feel awful!

The problem with some traditions is that they never change, hence they become a tradition. It is never broken away from. By this point, the breaking of New Year’s resolutions is almost just as much of a tradition as setting them in the first place. The classic certainty that within a month your life will have changed for the better, that a habit that you’ve kept for over a year will simply dissipate over the next few days is completely outlandish if you think about it. Then there’s the guilt and self-loathing

person, I wanted to be them”

Jessica: Who has been a mentor for you?

Rio: “ ‘Ex-Girlfriend’ my Drag mother who painted me for the first time, helped me get started doing my own makeup and hair. They have guided me through everyday struggles as well”

“

Drag has allowed me to find the confidence that has always been in me.

Jessica: Tell me about Aurora

Rio: “Aurora is me, I may be cocky but at the end of the day I am still me, Aurora is me but heightened and loud”

Jessica: Are there any personal struggles that Drag has helped you with?

Rio: “I find myself to be a person with incredibly low self-esteem and putting on this suit of armour has been a way for me to connect with myself. I didn’t think I was talented before doing this but it has given me a renewed sense of identity and helped me to find my niche”

Jessica: What difference has performing in drag made to your life?

Rio: “Drag has allowed me to find the confidence that has always been in me and now that I’ve experienced it with the makeup and the hair and the clothes it has allowed me to take that part of me and apply it to everyday situations. Even at uni I don’t feel like I’m stupid anymore because I am no longer constantly looking at people

New Year, Same Old

when you skip leg day after a week, or you find no alternative but to ask your mate to roll you a cigarette after a stressful day at work, hence I’m beginning to wonder whether or not resolutions are just as toxic as the habits they aim to destroy?

One does not need to change who they are for the sake of a new year “

Of course, there are always certain changes that can be made for the better. Giving up smoking is always a good one for health reasons, as is exercising once or twice a week, even if simply walking or stretching. However, why do we feel such a steadfast vow then and there? Am I, being only nineteen, to swear now to some higher power that I will never, perhaps, eat sugar again, or that I will routinely spend three hours in the gym every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday lest I be struck down by lightning? Hence, this year I have neglected to give myself such staunch tasks because, if I were to give myself a single resolution for 2024,

that would be to not set myself up to fail when I already know how soul-crushing the aftermath might be whenever I break my promises to myself, whether that is in a matter of days or on the final day of the year.

However, is there perhaps some middle ground we can reach, some amalgamation of a resolution and a simple “I should like to do this to change myself, however, I shall not let my mental well-being suffer should I break my goal once or twice?” Well, firstly, the prior statement is toxic in itself, one does not need to change who they are for the sake of a new year, change itself is only good when enforced healthily and gradually the vast majority of the time, but instead see it as an adjustment, a regime change if you will. Secondly, a possible alternative was pointed out to me the other day by a friend who stated that she would be “changing New Year’s resolutions to New Year’s affirmations.”

Whether or not you believe in mantras and affirmation, I believe that this perhaps might be my way forward in combating my aims for the new year positively, instead

around me and thinking they’re so much better than me. Drag has been the tool to help me harness my inner world and I guess I now have a support system, who would have thought I now have my own support system just because I’ve got a wig on”

I had a great time talking to Rio and learning more about the Drag scene in Brighton. Hearing about his personal struggles was eye opening as to the amazing effect that Drag can have on people, both those watching and performing. In a world that seems to be increasingly hostile to members of the LGBTQ+ community I feel it is becoming even more important that we hear their voices and learn how vital understanding and acceptance are in our attempts to make the world a better and safer place.

of punishing myself for slipping up, as I inevitably will, through the idea affirmation there is a definite leniency. Instead of such an unwavering undertaking, the affirmation aims to simply challenge selfsabotaging activities and overcome them in a way in which one achieves their goal in a self-empowering and positive headspace as opposed to putting immense pressure on oneself to change. The idea may seem strange, and the cynics might say that I’m essentially labeling the classic practice with a different, more positive term, I promise that they are different and that I did do my research, but then what harm can it do to try something new this new year. If it’s any consolation, I am about sixty to seventy-five per cent sure that by the time this article sees print, I most certainly will have broken one, if not several, of my New Year’s affirmations, however, I will most certainly not be beating myself up because of this. A challenge is a challenge for a reason, it is not designed to be straightforward, and stumbles are guaranteed and more importantly, allowed.

Jessica Hunt Staff Writer

Image: Revenge Brighton

Image: Revenge Brighton

Arts: Music

Drake: Man or Meme?

type of guy to say Jeez Louise”.

Drake debuted as a musical artist in 2007 with the single ‘Replacement Girl’ which gained little attention. It wasn’t until his 2009 EP So Far Gone that he started to gain attention, and the next year his debut album peaked at no. 1 on The Billboard Top 200. However, plenty of people know him today not as the musical artist, but as the face of numerous internet memes.

Plenty of people know him today not as the musical artist, but as the face of numerous internet memes.

A friend of mine is a die-hard Drake fan. She doesn’t call herself that because of his music, entirely. Of course, she listens to his albums on the day they release, keeps track of his features, and so on. But the thing that really endeared him to her, she says, was the “Drake the type of guy” meme. Specifically, the video in which he directly references that meme, saying “Drake the

The softening of the persona of Drake, the borderline feminising of his image, is likely something that you are aware of. His status as a popular rapper contrasted against his apparently more feminine mannerisms is likely the root of many of these memes, but also just his much more goofy public persona – something other current popular rappers, such as Kanye West or J. Cole, don’t indulge in. But it wasn’t until recently that Drake really started to lean into this persona.

The oldest Drake meme is likely a pair of screencaps from the ‘Hotline Bling’ music video, which was published on YouTube eight years ago. The screencaps depict Drake turning away in apparent disgust in one, and him happily pointing in another, symbolising that he dislikes one thing and not the other, respectively. However, the format does not rely on Drake as a personality but rather conveys its simple meaning. The man in the image could be anyone. The fact it is an unmoving image also reflects the image-based nature of the internet at the time.

A widely spread Drake meme revolves

around the idea that his goofiness is cartoonishly extreme, or overwhelmingly predictable. For example, “Drake the type of guy to start floating when he smells a pie” or “Drake the type of guy to say errrrmm that just happened”. However, the perceived harmlessness of the rapper does ultimately benefit him, which may be why he doesn’t seem to mind not having the same tough guy persona as, for example, 21 Savage. This is likely because actions which people could condemn Drake for aren’t seen as tough, for example, his borderline inappropriate relationship with thenminor Millie Bobby Brown, which people seem to have forgotten about.

The percieved harmlessness of the rapper does ultimately benefit him.

It’s not until recently that Drake himself has been the meme. Most recently, there has been a clip from one of his Twitch streams circulating online of him introducing his alter ego “Anita Max Wynn” which, he explains, sounds like gambling term “I need a max win”. This meme, unlike the previous

two, is usually not captioned with anything other than a description of what is going on in the clip. This female persona is what really caught people’s attention. It seems to contrast with some of his classically misogynistic lyrics, like “F*ck that b*tch”, and is just the most recent example in a slew of Drake’s self-memeification.

Actions which people could condemn Drake for aren’t seen as tough.

Before Anita, Drake already had feminine aspects to him like his lyrics in ‘Rich Flex’ where he appears to be a kind of yes-man for 21 Savage, the other rapper on the track. His lyric “21, can you do some’ for me? … Can you talk to the opps next for me?” seem almost submissive to the other artist. Drake is seen as the gentler artist here, with his musical persona merging with his general one. The final evolution of Drake’s public persona may well be Anita Max Wynn, but the final merge would really be her on a track, right?

TikTok’s Dulling Down of Music

Lloyd Griffiths Staff Writer

Accessibility to music is at an alltime high. The rise of streaming and the availability of music software means listening and creating music is at your fingertips. Social media platforms like TikTok allow for people to access the sounds of new artists at a rate faster than ever before.

The major role music plays in the use of TikTok means that it is subjected to an accelerated trend cycle where there is a constant demand for new microtrends to replace the last. Within this trend cycle, there is a short period of time where a piece of content goes from being a new and exciting discovery to something that is overplayed and boring. This reality is echoed by fans of artists, stating how their favourite artist blowing up on TikTok has ruined the listening experience for them.

Musicians must now carry the burden of acting as their own PR team, in the hope that each new video makes it into the newest trend cycle.

TikTok is a tool for the promotion of artists. Before the days of social media, as we know it now, it was labels who took control of promoting artists to wider audiences. Today, however, musicians must now carry the burden of acting as their own PR team, in the hope that each new video makes it into the newest trend

cycle. It’s as if now filming the behindthe-scenes process and posting the best clips into the algorithm is more important than the quality of the song itself. Due to this need for a personal and one-on-one relationship with fans, more time is spent by artists developing themselves as internet personalities rather than actually pushing the boundaries of music. This development of an artist’s personality through TikTok can seem unnatural at times and irrelevant to the final product.

This reality can seem bleak to new artists, as there is usually a need for artists to already have an established social media presence before they are signed to a label. There is also less money in the digital music sector, as the current commodity of attention sells for much less than physical vinyl and CDs. While

labels of the past once received criticism for exploitative relationships with artists, the current reliance artists have on social media and streaming services in furthering their careers has left many worse off. It is understandable how people who once held the dream of making music as a career are easily put off. Overall, this contributes to the lack of new and diverse music entering the mainstream.

The evidence and effects of viral song clips have surfaced in real-life concerts. One example from last year occurred when Steve Lacey stormed off stage whilst breaking personal property due to fans only singing to the viral snippets of Lacey’s ‘Bad Habits’. This chaotic display shows the emotional effects on an artist after being reduced to a mere 30 seconds of their discography.

There is also less money in the digital music sector, as the current commodity of attention sells for much less than physical vinyls and CDs.

There is the case, however, of artists being propelled out of nowhere into fame through the powers of TikTok. Take Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ for example. This viral phenomenon was able to build the foundation of this artist’s success. Since the success of this song, many artists have seemed to develop a promotional formula based off of this success in an attempt to emulate it for themselves. Artists will make songs with the focus of creating a catchy soundbite that will fit the length of a TikTok video in the hope that it will be used by users.

Artists will make songs with the sole focus of creating a catchy soundbite that will fit the length of a TikTok video.

The further pooling of social media into the creation and consumption of music seems to be imminent as TikTok plans to soon release their streaming service ‘TikTok Music’. This can only tighten TikTok’s current grasp on the music industry making it reasonable to suggest that this too will be at the expense of smaller artists.

Image: Unsplash

Lily Gould Staff Writer

Harry Turnbull Music Editor

IIn Conversation with Don Broco: The Birthday Party Tour

n September 2023, Bedford rock band Don Broco released their new single ‘Birthday Party’, a profound and harrowing tale of organising a party for a big birthday that no one attended, a concept I’m sure a lot of us dread when throwing parties and events. In November, myself and Isabella Poderico, our Arts Editor, represented The Badger and were lucky enough to speak to frontman Rob Damiani. We spoke about this new project, as well as influences, the group’s formation and their favourite pre-show cocktail.

Don Broco is known for not taking themselves seriously. Their music videos are common homages to various films and other media, and some lyrics even play into that theme, with one of their hit songs ‘Bruce Willis’, released in 2021, paying tribute to the iconic Die Hard phrase “Yippee-kiyay, motherf**ker” as a pivotal lyric. Their new track is no different, pointing fun at the meaningless insecurities of their target audience surrounding parties and birthdays. When asked if it was a true story, Rob chuckled and pointed to the song’s origins being “made up of a combination of stories. It was more of a feeling I’d say”. We can all understand that feeling of dread and anxiety surrounding throwing a party. Will people enjoy it? Will they make a mess of my house? Will people show up at all? Rob claims he has “never been to parties where zero people have shown up but I have been

to some where they were kind of not well attended and I’ve seen the effort people put into it, and there’s something so sad about being sad on your birthday”. The driving force of this makes the song an instant hit with listeners, and the simplicity of the hook makes it an easy and catchy listen. The message of the song, however, as Rob put it, is more of a general ode to life itself:

“In those moments, you either get super depressed or go ‘right I’m going to go nuts and try and enjoy this myself and lose my mind’ so that was kind of thought process with the song. At least make the best of it and have a nice time”. Of course, a birthday isn’t complete without a cake. Rob loves a good Colin: “There’s something so iconic

[about it] and [it’s] just such a s**t but good birthday cake. But, I mean, if I’m going for any other, I’m a big chocolate bean. Maybe like chocolate and buttercream or salted caramel, and a bit of peanut butter as well if that isn’t too crazy”. Rob Damiani has a sweet tooth; you heard it here first.

When addressing the band more generally, I was interested in finding out what inspired their diverse and abundant sound. The answer was simpler than I thought: “Creatively, I think it comes probably from a place of boredom”. We all chuckled at that answer. Boredom brings us motivation to pick up new hobbies, skills, or just anything to fill up that void. He continued: “When we’ve done an album

cycle it can be a really long process… so when it comes to writing the next thing that sounds like it could have been on the last record, it doesn’t sound right”. The fear of boredom pushes them to evolve as a band: “We want to keep pushing ourselves and never resting. Getting that creative itch-scratched is a big part of it”.

In December, Don Broco came to Brighton, putting on a killer hour-and-ahalf set filled with hits, acoustic mixes and oldies but goodies. The mosh pits were the stuff of legend, and they closed their performance with fan favourite ‘T-Shirt Song’, where sweaty post-mosh pitting fans took off their shirts and swung them around their heads as the lyrics preach. It was a 10/10 performance that we both thoroughly enjoyed. Isabella was curious about the band’s traditions before a show; do they have any pre-show rituals? Of course, it got down to drinking, a shared hobby between many of our readers. Rob stated “We’ve tried the last few years to have this power hour before we play, where we’ll make cocktails with just random stuff. One drink that has become our drink of choice is the ‘Tectonic’, which is tequila, tonic and lime”. Basically, it’s a combination of a Margarita and a Gin and Tonic, but it sounds delicious and has an amazing name so I’ll be sure to make that at the next Badger event in honour of Rob and Don Broco.

Goo Records: The Helping Hand of the Brighton Music Scene

With three universities, one of which is based around music and arts, as well as a slew of grassroots venues, Brighton has become a haven for up-and-coming artists. However, with the cost-of-living crisis leaving these venues living on the edge, and uni work having to be the priority for most, how do these bands get themselves out there? Enter Goo Records.

With the cost-of-living crisis leaving these venues living on the edge... how do these bands get themselves out there?

Goo Records is an independent record company set up by friends Tony Bartholomew and Dorian Rogers, intending to get these younger artists up on their feet and base themselves on a one-vinyl-

contract basis, whereby when an artist signs with them, it is for one vinyl and one only. It is a unique, ethical and flexible deal that allows these bands and artists to balance their dreams with their careers. Since their formation in the summer of 2022, they have built up an impressive roster of artists under their name, with more than 3 debut EPs released, and numerous showcase events thrown at Brighton’s iconic Green Door Store. They are showing no signs of slowing down.

I am personally a big fan of Goo Records and what they do. I have been to several of their showcase events and every single time I come out buzzing having had some of the best evenings at uni. My favourite acts are Welly and Canned Pineapple, who were also the frontrunners of the Goo Records’ roster. Welly’s art-rock and bubbly persona always get audience members bouncing, and Canned Pineapple’s goofy lyricism combined with a Brit-Pop-inspired sound that I would compare to Supergrass (with some Van Halen-esque riffs, believe it or

not) combines for an evening of catchy tunes and captivating performances. With their newest signing Jopy, Goo Records is setting themselves up for a mental 2024.

I chatted with the two founders, discussing their goals, processes and experience with their bands…

Harry: Let’s get straight into this. So, I want to talk about your foundation. You’re in the summer of 2022. When you started together, what were your aims for Goo Records and would you say in the year and a half since you’ve been a company, you’ve achieved those records, those goals?

Dorian: I mean, I range really. We wanted to do something a bit different to what other people were doing. We wanted to find artists we liked and bring out, you know, initially seven-inch singles. So, I guess from that point of view because yeah, we’ve released three with bands that we saw and liked, I guess. So yeah, 100%. And I guess, you know, initially, Wellie was the first band that we kind of started talking to and we wanted to do something with,

and we did that. So yeah, I mean, I guess so, from that point of view, totally weird. We kind of, I think, achieve, I mean, and I suppose I don’t know about you, Tony, but I don’t know what I expected for us to achieve other than do something.

Tony: So yeah. Yeah, I think in terms of the aims and stuff, I suppose as well, it was like we both turned 50 and it was something we probably both thought about many times over the years of doing. So it was, you know, just a case of going, let’s crack on and do it and see what happens. Let’s do it for the adventure. Don’t worry too much about money or anything, let’s just sort of see what happens. We didn’t think much beyond Welly, to be honest. That was our first artist, and they were a big catalyst, I suppose, for starting it.

To listen to the full interview, tune into my podcast by following the link on my Instagram @harryturnbullmusic.

Image: Harry Turnbull

Harry Turnbull Music Editor

Arts: Film and TV

Saltburn Review: All Style, No Substance

Francesca Sylph Senior Editor

It’s ironic that Emerald Fennell’s sophomore slump (not that her freshman feature Promising Young Woman was any better…) should start with a criticism of style over substance. After all, Saltburn is all style and no substance. To use Fennell’s own words against her, “That’s kind of… lazy.” There are writers who direct, and directors who write. Emerald Fennell is, without a doubt, a director who should not write.

“

It’s devoid of substance. It’s literally just vibes.

Stylistically, Saltburn is gorgeous. I would never dare to disagree. With its nostalgic 1.33 aspect ratio, moody montages, Renaissance-inspired tableaux shot compositions, and chiaroscuro lighting, Saltburn is overwhelmingly seductive in its visuals. However, it’s devoid of substance. It’s literally just vibes. Don’t get me wrong, I love vibes! Cinema is full of abstract, ineffable emotions that can best be described as “vibes”. The candycoloured filmography of Sophia Coppola for example, has a distinctive vibe. But style always needs to be in service of

narrative. Story first, style second. For Coppola, it’s giving girlhood; identity and isolation; fame, fashion and femininity. For Saltburn, it’s giving… nothing? The vibes are incoherent and empty.

However, it’s exactly those vibes that currently have TikTok in a chokehold, with rich people running around their obnoxiously huge houses to ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Most popular discourse surrounding Saltburn falls into two categories. Firstly, there are the Saltburn-core girlies who romanticise generational wealth and infantilise Jacob Elordi (“he’s so babygirl”). Then, there are the squeamish straight audiences who gleefully recoil away from the film’s more provocative scenes. Saltburn is clearly many people’s first weird movie. Hey, I’m not judging! Every cinephile has to start somewhere, after all. However, I have a long list of f***ed up films that would send those people into a coma.

I don’t have a problem with provocative cinema. What I do have a problem with, however, is being provocative for the sake of being provocative. Emerald Fennell is so desperate to be crowned a sick, twisted genius but can’t even reach the kids table. Saltburn has many moments which attempt to elicit discomfort or disgust, but few are grounded in narrative or character.

Oliver’s (Barry Keoghan) bathwater scene comes (pun not intended) close. However, his murder of Felix (Jacob Elordi) destroys the potential for emotional impact. The grave scene and infamous nude dancing hold little meaning in the narrative. As The Guardian writes, “it plays as an opportunity for a film-maker to have a hot actor writhe in the wet dirt and prance with no clothes.” It’s lazy writing – all shock, no substance.

“

Isabel Cattermole Staff Writer

Afamily are not villains. In fact, they are far more sympathetic than the film’s poorest character Oliver – who is not even poor but revealed to be comfortably middle-class in the film’s ‘shocking twist.’ Who, then, is Saltburn supposed to be an indictment of?

“

Emerald Fennell is so desperate to be crowned a sick, twisted genius but can’t even reach the kids table.

Speaking of Fennell’s lazy writing, the true downfall of Saltburn can be found in its incoherent class politics. If the film is supposed to be a satirical indictment of the upper classes then it fails spectacularly. The wealthy Catton family – made up of son Felix, mother Lady Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), father Sir James (Richard E. Grant) and daughter Venetia (Alison Oliver) – are the supposed subjects of satire. However, they are easily the nicest aristocrats in the ‘eat the rich’ genre. The Cattons are occasionally cruel, but only out of carelessness. They are largely apolitical; insensitive comments are played for laughs as opposed to indicative of evil. The Catton

Who, then, is Saltburn supposed to be an indictment of?

In an interview for AnOther Magazine, Fennell claims that her film is about the “absurdity of class.” However, class is only “absurd” to those who don’t suffer as a result. To trivialise an unjust, hierarchical social structure as simply an “absurd” aesthetic is incredibly ignorant. For most, class is a tangible reality that shapes our daily lives. Of course, Emerald Fennell is not most people. How could you be, with a name like that? Oxford-educated and raised by ‘King of Bling’ celebrity jeweller Theo Fennell, it’s no wonder that she lacks self-awareness. Her 18th birthday party was photographed by Tatler and attended by nobility, for goodness sake. In his Dazed review, Patrick Sproull asks if “posh people [can] write good class satire” and, after seeing Saltburn, I would have to go with a resounding no.

Best Entertainment of 2023

Boiling Point

fter watching the mini-film Boiling Point, from which I am still recovering, I rapidly binge-watched the TV series in a manic stress-induced rush of adrenaline. Boiling Point follows the kitchen and frontof-house staff in an up-and-coming swanky restaurant. It provides the viewer with a peek behind the kitchen door, showing how every hospitality worker can be pushed to their own boiling point. Carly (Vinette Robinson), the new head chef, delivers a bitterly real performance, which makes it easy to sympathise with her. Carly has the impossible task of balancing the management of her staff, keeping the restaurant, and her unwell mother, afloat. Another performance that deserves praise is Emily (Hannah Walters), the mother-hen of the kitchen. Walters’ performance serves as an emotional watch with a spoonful of humour that continues throughout the four-part series. However, before dipping into the show, it’s important to note that the series is not afraid to walk on eggshells, as it contains early themes of casual drug-taking, self-harm, and alcoholism. Although all the ingredients that go into creating Boiling Point can be worrying, it’s much better for it! The raw topics explored and the pressure-cooker atmosphere is unlike any series I’ve watched before. This should definitely be on your must-watch list for this year.

Bonnie Hull Staff Writer

IAsteroid City

still don’t understand the play?” “Doesn’t matter. Just keep telling the story.” This quote from Asteroid City should be at the forefront of everyone’s minds when taking in this film. We are all well aware of the Wes Anderson trend that circulated on TikTok in 2023. Alongside the creation of our own Wes Anderson productions, he released his own. Despite sparking extensive discussions since its release, I consider Asteroid City to be one of Anderson’s most sincere works. Based in 1955, he takes us to a small town in an American desert, which is hosting a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention. An extraterrestrial visitor interrupts the convention which puts the whole event on lockdown. Asteroid City includes Wes Anderson’s signature long takes, prevalent symmetry and iconic colour theory. There is also a typical lack of protagonists or antagonists; rather, each individual contributes to the collective narrative with their unique stories and morals. Similarly seen in The French Dispatch, where Anderson weaves a multiplicity of stories around each character’s individual mission in the film. Asteroid City stands as a notable film from 2023 in my view, as I rarely witness films which can make me feel impassioned whilst Jeff Golblum dressed as an alien stares blankly at me through the screen. This film is silly, yet highly thought-provoking and I admire that. Asteroid City presents the impact of human connection; it embraces uncertainty and abnormality and remoulds them into this beautiful and abstract work, filled with surreal imagery and existentialist rabbit holes. Initially slow and perplexing, Anderson encourages embracing non-linear storytelling; clarity is not always a prerequisite for significance.

Mayfield Staff Writer

2Succession

023 saw the release of the final season of Succession and it was a fine conclusion to an incredible show. The comedy-drama series surrounds the Roy family and their media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. The head of which, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), must decide who will eventually succeed him as CEO. The eldest son Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) was the obvious choice back in 2018 during the pilot; however, he now faces competition from the likes of his siblings Siobhan Roy (Sarah Snook) and Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin). However, the run time is devoted to more than this. To me, Succession is a show about interpersonal relationships; we get to really know and understand these characters presented to us in a way few modern TV series do. Both serious and hilarious, the front and centre of being Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) and Tom Wambsgans’ (Matthew Macfadyen) interactions throughout the four seasons. Last year, I watched Succession from beginning to end and can now call it one of my all-time favourite TV shows. Featuring stunning visuals and a beautiful score throughout, this is not something to miss out on. Add Succession to your 2024 watchlist if you haven’t already.

Images (L-R): Boiling Point, Ascendant Fox. Succession, HBO Entertainment.

Jack

Wes Anderson: A Look Beyond the Charm

Wes Anderson has carved a niche with his distinct cinematic style, marked by quirky characters navigating charming, dreamlike realms. While his unique style remains recognisable even as it evolves with time, other commonplace aspects of his work refuse to evolve in the slightest and deserve a closer look – namely, the consistent pervasion of Orientalism and Eurocentricity.

In his book Orientalism, Edward Said reveals how Western media often depicts non-Western cultures as exotic and statically unchanging, framing them as the “other” – backward and inferior. This portrayal was historically used to justify Western colonial presence in countries such as India, claiming they would “guide” them to civilisation. However, critical scholars like Patnaik, Roy, Shiva and others unveil how the colonial policies enacted, such as heavy taxation and skewed trade practice, facilitated massive outflows of wealth and resources. This resulted in famine, poverty, and countless deaths. The presentation of non-Western cultures in modern art as backward helps sustain this colonial narrative.

Consider Anderson’s renowned film The Darjeeling Limited. This beautifully crafted story effortlessly entertains with the intricate, tender and comically bizarre dynamics between three brothers as they

travel through India. And yet, it was as uncomfortable a watch as it was charming. India is reduced to an exotic backdrop, exemplified by scenes where the brothers “pray” at shrines in a stereotypical style, lacking any genuine religious context. Most disturbing was the scene in which an Indian child dies, simply to trigger an emotionally bonding moment between the brothers and aid their character development.

Similarly, in his recent work The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Anderson refers to “yoga powers” in a lackadaisical fashion without delving into their authentic context, diminishing India’s rich culture

to mere aesthetics. In his film Isle of Dogs, set in Japan, Anderson’s central characters are English-speaking dogs. By choosing not to translate the majority of Japanese speech, Anderson effectively marginalises Japanese characters in a film based in their own homeland. The above examples present only a fraction of the ways in which Anderson stereotypes or alienates different cultures, subtly suggesting their inferiority to the West.

Eurocentricity rears its ugly head in the form of the white saviour trope, which often appears in many of Anderson’s films. The Grand Budapest Hotel stars Zero (Tony Revolori), an ‘Eastern’ lobby boy who works for white hotel manager Gustave (Ralph Fiennes); while they share touching moments, there is a consistent representation of Gustave as a ‘civilising’ influence on Zero. This theme of hierarchical dynamics persists across Anderson’s works, as seen between the American Tenenbaum family and Indian servant Pagoda (Kumar Pallana) in The Royal Tenenbaums, or American student Tracy (Greta Gerwig) and her Japanese peers as she leads them in rebellion in Isle of Dogs. In all these films, Western characters assume enlightened or saviouresque roles, overshadowing their nonWestern counterparts.

These portrayals are crucial to recognise, especially considering similarities between the Orientalist discourse used to justify colonial rule and

present-day exploitations. For instance, in the development sector; the West’s presentation as “more developed” justifies their interference in the development trajectory of supposedly “less developed” nations, concealing their pursuit of profit behind a veil of benevolence. For example, their push for trade liberalisation in India has allowed corporations like American giant, Monsanto, to profit immensely by selling expensive genetically modified seeds on the Indian market (for more, see Vandana Shiva’s analysis Seeds of Suicide). Crop failures from these “modern” seeds have plunged farmers into debt. The distress caused by such exploitative practices has contributed to alarming rates of farmer suicides in India – in 2022, CNN reported an estimated 30 suicides daily. The implications of Orientalist representations are as significant as ever.

Returning to Anderson, whilst he undeniably possesses talent and flair for filmmaking, his fetishisation of other cultures presents a problem. Collectively, such Orientalist presentations perpetuate a narrative that upholds Western superiority and facilitates ongoing exploitation. Unfortunately, Anderson’s charming style is only skin deep. Orientalist discourse and exploitative power relations are still very much around today, just buried, layered and painted to look pretty. In this regard, Anderson is undeniably a master.

From Page to Screen: Why Do Book-to-Movie Adaptations Often Fall Short?

Erin Forward Staff Writer

Far too many book-to-movie adaptations have left me convinced that filmmakers simply read the Wikipedia summary of the novel and run with it.

As a bookworm, it can be disheartening and frustrating to see my favourite books become movies that fail to capture the greatness of the story. Ever felt the need to announce ‘The book was better’ after watching an on-screen adaptation? More often than not, these movies miss the mark, disappointing existing fans of the franchise. Films are amazing opportunities for worlds that only exist on paper to be realised and that is why it’s so disheartening when they miss the mark. When a popular book is taken to the big screen, expectations are high, and as much as we may hope budgets are big and casting will be exact, that is very rarely the case. Again and again, we watch a remarkable novel go through the Hollywood machine, which aims only to appeal to a mass audience rather than keeping a niche group of fans happy. It is clear when the source material is viewed as a product that generates money rather than a project of passion.

Book-to-movie adaptations often

fall short due to issues ranging from low budgets and bad casting to unfortunate creative differences. Hollywood tends to butcher adaptations because executives meddle with the production to ensure its profitability. Producing a film involves the input of arguably too many people pulling the story in too many different directions, which ends up ruining the original storyline. Regardless of whether the producer is passionate and understands the plot, the collaborative effort can result in inaccurate outcomes that do not reflect the original plot. Fans are unhappy and the movie ends up with low ratings and is considered a box-office flop.

It is clear when the source material is viewed as a product that generates money rather than a project of passion.

Unanimously disappointing adaptations are the Percy Jackson movies. Fans agreed the two films contained poor dialogue, bad CGI and most importantly bad casting. In the books, the protagonist Percy and his friends were all written as 12 years old, but when taken to the screen, the producers cast actors to play 16-year-olds instead. It did not land very well. The change in age impacted the whole narrative as the ages

of the characters are a driving force behind the drama of the story as young kids tackle extremely dangerous situations. Many other films like Eragon and David Lynch’s Dune were great books that didn’t translate well into films due to complicated plots that required extensive explanations and inner monologues.

A recent disappointment came before production was even finished with It Ends With Us, a popular romance novel by Colleen Hoover. Photos from the set were leaked and the characters and scenes looked very different to what fans expected. With a huge fan base, there was always going to be some disappointment, but the uproar was interesting to see. As someone who admires Blake Lively, I still questioned her as a casting choice, considering the protagonist Lily is perceived as a young and naive 23-year-old. From the images on set of Blake in badly styled outfits and wigs, it is hard to imagine her portraying that.

Blake is an incredible actress and yet it feels like it was a huge miscast. As an established woman in Hollywood, the producers likely felt that she would draw more attention and money to the film than if they cast an up-and-coming actress who fit the role better.

Even the most beloved adaptations such as the Harry Potter series and The

Lord of the Rings trilogy have weaknesses. When the Harry Potter books average just about 500 pages and the average screenplay is around 90-120 pages, it is almost impossible to include everything! It’s unfortunate but cuts have to be made. It works when the producer understands what elements and characters are loved and what parts aren’t so necessary to keep, but it’s not always achieved. My adoration for the Harry Potter films doesn’t stop me from criticising the lack of personality Ginny possesses in the films compared to the books.

I find myself hoping that my favourite books are left alone from the unfortunate editing of a film production company.

Admittedly, the intimacy of loving a book and its characters can lead to high expectations, and therefore, my disappointment is often self-inflicted. However, it’s most definitely worsened by shoddy filmmakers. Too often, I find myself hoping that my favourite books are left alone from the unfortunate editing of a film production company.

Amina Daniel Staff Writer

Image: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Arts: Books

The Toxicity of Yearly Reading Goals

Francesca Rocchiccioli Staff Writer

As each year approaches, we as individuals set ourselves goals that we aim to achieve throughout the new year. Recent statistics from Finder UK found that roughly two-thirds (66%) of the UK population are setting resolutions to attain for 2024. These yearly goals we set in place are often the result of continuous, suffocating pressures from society, which encourage us to better ourselves for the new year. This toxic positivity is amplified further by the likes of social media platforms. Here is where the debate lies of whether such resolutions are deemed as beneficial or instead detrimental. Many people take up reading as a New Year’s resolution; a popular way of holding themselves accountable for their reading goals is through the app Goodreads, where you can set a number of books you aim to read in the year.

Throughout the course of growing up, we have all been encouraged to read more

by our educational institutions and wider society. Reading develops our literary skills and basic understanding of languages, but is this rise in reading habits necessarily deemed a positive? Or has it caused more damage than intended?

Over the past few years, reading has become increasingly popular as a result of growing representation and trends across social media platforms. A key site that has encouraged this behaviour is TikTok and its hashtag page ‘BookTok’, whereby individuals post videos about popular books at the time. Users often give their opinions and recommendations for other books to read. Following these trends, many individuals tend to set goals for themselves as a means of increasing their volume of reading, especially at the end of the year. When we set New Year’s resolutions, we don’t often stick to them and if we do it isn’t for long, which raises the question: Why? We tend to believe resolutions are hard to keep because it creates a pressure of maintaining reading momentum, and instead of viewing reading as a hobby, we

end up seeing it as something we have to do, almost like a chore. It can then be argued that promoting positive ideas of reading can lead to overconsumption of books and reading. Not only that but overreading for the sake of reaching yearly goals can often lead to reading slumps. Reading slumps usually occur after periods of reading too much, which can make readers feel unmotivated to read and unable to stay focused on what they are reading.

We should read for personal enjoyment rather than to better ourselves and become competitive.

As mentioned previously, a key media platform for bookworms is a website and app called Goodreads, which can sometimes reinforce these negative behaviours associated with yearly reading goals. The platform Goodreads was initially founded in 2006 but became more popular in recent years alongside reading’s rise in popularity. The site allows you to create

a profile whereby you can add books that you are currently reading, add books that you want to read, and track your progress. You can add friends and follow others, yet despite creating a community where you can discuss common interests, it can contribute to the toxicity of overreading as individuals end up competing with each other. Another key feature of the app that reinforces such negativity is Goodreads’ own yearly reading challenge. This immediately encourages people to create a resolution of reading more and therefore a pressure to complete the goal. Both of these take away the enjoyment out of reading and therefore its purpose. It can be very easy to get carried away with what seems to simply be a leisurely activity. Many of these hobbies that we wish to take part in and set goals for can become a toxic environment and therefore detrimental to one’s well-being. With regards to reading, we should read for personal enjoyment rather than to better ourselves and become competitive!

Shelf Awareness: Self-Care Book Recommendations

Anusha Banerjee Staff Writer

What I’ve found most helpful about this book is learning about the way my brain and consciousness come together to make or break a habit. Amy Johnson strings together metaphors of the sky and weather to explain profound human behaviour, but manages to do so with such simplicity that it presents a clear picture. She explains the volatility and polarity of thought and emotion – the way it violently changes, or its persistence through habit and routine. Learning about what is considered a ‘bad’ or a ‘good’ habit is something that’s been inculcated in most of our brains since early childhood. Yet, learning about the way habits are formed in the first place, and what can be done to manipulate that process to work for you, is one that seems to be a wellkept secret that Johnson brings into the spotlight. Not only does Johnson use imaginative analogies to explain the rationale behind bad habits, but also backs it up with neurological justification. It’s not something the average person learns about in their daily life – the firing and wiring of neurons, initiation of urges and the process of strengthening those neural connections that build bad habits over time is an extremely insightful and relevant read.

In this self-help book, memoir and manifesto, comedian and author Ruby Wax lays out a playbook for living well with a variety of different mental illnesses, ranging from low-level anxiety to severe conditions. The author draws on her own compelling experiences as a selfproclaimed ‘poster girl for mental illness’. Wax has been publically open about her experience of bipolar disorder throughout her career, and utilises her undergraduate study of psychotherapy and MA in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, to craft an engaging, hopeful and funny guide to entering the new world promised in the title. Her explanation of neuroplasticity, cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness techniques for those sceptical about the practice are a highlight. However, Wax’s book is not for everyone. Her style could be considered brash and slightly outdated, with the liberal use of terms such as ‘mad’ and ‘crazy’ to selfdescribe and identify the reader, which may not read as comfortably as it might’ve at the original time of publication nearly a decade ago. However, Sane New World remains a heartening read that acknowledges the painful reality of living with mental illness while providing grounded ways to make everyday life easier. I would therefore still recommend it as a helpful self-care read for anyone looking for guidance.

If you have never considered reading a self-care book, Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King is a perfect beginner read. If you’re looking for a new book after a rough 2023 and need help in resetting your goals for 2024, this is the book for you! The book begins with Vex taking you through his experiences and struggles, from his childhood through to university days, whilst sharing how he utilised his experiences to develop into a better person and completely change his life around. The book is split into two sections, parts 1 to 5 offering advice-based help such as how to surround yourself with positive people. Parts 5 to 7, a personal favourite, focus on manifesting your goals and how to take action in achieving them. This part of the book talks about creating a mood board to visualise your goals, something which I have done since reading and I cannot recommend enough! If you’re feeling lost, Good Vibes, Good Life may help when reflecting on your current state and the future, which is very important when setting goals long-term, such as post-university plans!

Images (L-R): The Little Book of Big Changes, New Harbinger. Good Vibes, Good Life, Sneha Banerjee for BookWritten.

Graziela Marianne Williams Staff Writer

Sakinah Siddiqui Staff Writer

The Little Book of Big Changes by Amy Johnson

Sane New World by Ruby Wax

Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King

Maisie Knights

Review: The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by

Books Editor and Head of Social Media

TW: Domestic Violence and Abuse

For many of us throughout lockdown, COVID-19 was the most dangerous thing on our minds. But for many women across the UK, a bigger threat lurked inside their own home: their husbands.

Amid the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, housewife Sally is 23 years deep into an abusive marriage with her childhood sweetheart Jim. On the outside, they look like the picture-perfect couple, but unbeknown to most people in her life, Jim has been physically, emotionally and mentally abusing her. And Sally was not alone – 67% of victims told Women’s Aid that the abuse they were suffering at the hands of their husbands escalated during the lockdown.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband follows Sally’s journey from the moment she realises Jim is likely to kill her. She decides to take matters into her own hands… by killing him. In her antics of covering up the impulsive murder, she discovers and recruits the help of three other local women – Samira, Ruth and Janey – who are all in similar situations.

While the four women are all victims of domestic abuse in their own right, the

novel doesn’t let this define them. In fact, despite the circumstances of their meeting, their camaraderie and companionship shines throughout. In the grand scheme of their far-fetched plan, the wives’ victimised identities are brief and fleeting, allowing for them to grow as individual selves over the course of the novel. Working together, the women hope to successfully free themselves – financially, physically, and mentally – from their abusive marriages and cover up their husbands’ deaths. The novel is full of tender moments of selfreflection and grief, interwoven with dark humour to lighten the mood. From persistent family calls to nosy neighbours, many hurdles and obstacles lie between them and their freedom.

The novel initially follows a multiplePOV narration, allowing for a wide range of personalities to shine. Protagonist Sally is fierce, unapologetic, and sympathetic to her fellow ‘murder club’ members. In the face of grief and mourning, Sally finds the simple joys in life by creating a ‘Be Happy List’ to complete. It serves as a gentle reminder to the reader that despite their impulsive acts of violence, these women are victims too. Each wife comes from a different background, thus offering their own unique perspective on life in the UK.

For example, Samira is a Muslim woman who killed her husband Yafir to save her

Alexia Casale

eldest daughter being forced into an arranged marriage. Casale raises brilliant awareness for this issue while remaining respectful to all different cultures and experiences.

Subtly interweaving both heartfelt and darkly humorous moments to take off the edge, the fundamental message behind The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is to raise awareness for those in need, and to not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. All in all, the novel reads as a message for women everywhere, including those suffering, that they are not alone.

Issues like self-isolating and social distancing are, for many of us, a distant memory. By introducing a backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel remains realistic and harrowing, despite the farfetched, borderline farcical, plan to cover up four deaths. The suburban town setting, still impacted with the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to a past which still lingers in our present. As mentioned in her author’s note, Casale’s choice of a COVID-19 lockdown was very intentional. Domestic violence charity Refuge saw a 700% increase in visits to their websites and a 65% increase in calls to their helplines during this time. With four dead husbands and a far-fetched plan to cover them up, The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is a fictional novel riddled with dark comedy and heartfelt moments. Thank you Penguin for sending this book for review consideration.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is due to be published 14 March 2024.

Review: The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood

Writer

The Bad Muslim Discount is the debut novel from Syed Masood that delves into the lives of two Muslim families that emigrate to California in the 1990s, following them through to the tumultuous landscape of 21 st-century America. The novel draws the reader into a world of family relationships, coming-of-age trepidations and even an all-seeing landlord who grants rent discounts if you are a “good” Muslim. But we must ask, as the novel does, what makes a good Muslim at all?

But we must ask, as the novel does, what makes a good Muslim at all?

Masood immerses the reader through two first-person narratives of Safwa and Anvar, introduced in such parallel ways that from the offset the reader wonders when and how their lives will intersect. Anvar and his family choose to uproot their lives from Pakistan, encouraged by the father Imtiaz Faris, and they all find their place in California to varying degrees of success. For Safwa and her

father, their journey to America looks very different, both irrevocably changed by losses in their family. They are forced to leave the dangerous situation of wartorn Baghdad with Safwa’s manipulative suitor leading the way.

Especially in the first half of this novel, Masood’s effortlessly humorous writing shines through, with Anvar and Safwa’s sarcastic wit and observations leading to genuinely funny moments in the writing. Anvar tries to find his way as a teenager, dealing with girls, school, and his parents’ expectations, whilst Safwa shoulders the much heavier burdens placed upon her by her religion and her conservative Muslim father’s wishes.

Much of this tale deals with the balance the characters feel they must carefully tread between their own desire and external expectations or influences. Anvar sneers at his brother’s conformity and need for social approval but then becomes increasingly discontented with his own life, frequently unable to go after what he really wants. He is followed by the idea of being a “good Muslim”. Sawfa (who becomes Azza) moves through the world with a moral and religious worldview due to her upbringing and her situation becomes increasingly fraught

as she is caught amid family expectations and violence. Yet crucially, this novel shatters any stereotypes of deferential and voiceless Muslim women, with multiple Muslim female characters being just as forthright and sure of character as anyone else.

The Bad Muslim Discount stretches across various genres, from it being a family saga, to an immigrant, philosophical or political novel. Masood’s tale does not shy away from incisive and reflective commentary on American politics and how the US has affected the world and Muslim countries through war and global dominance. This novel is both deeply personal in the lives of the characters and their experience as Muslim immigrants in America, as well as outwardly expansive in its observations of US power. As an American novel, it may be interesting to consider how this novel has no white characters, reflecting the reality of some insular communities within the US and a testament to how Masood is uninterested in dealing with a white character’s political perspective in this space.

The pace of this novel is fast and engaging, with it turning to thriller-like territory in the latter half of the narrative.

Once absorbed in the characters’ world, it is impossible to turn away. Masood’s characters are imperfect and full of life, humour, and conflict as they grapple with the hand they are dealt and the choices they make. This book deals with tough issues in a direct and unflinching manner, leaving you thinking of these characters long after the book ends.

Masood’s narrative ends with a feeling of hope, but it is not an oversimplified nor romanticised place in which we leave this world. The novel ties up against the backdrop of the American 2016 election of President Trump and the 2017 Muslim ban, grounding you in the reality of modern-day America, lest you get swept up in the emotions and triumphs of this narrative. Some of these characters may ultimately gain agency in their lives, but Masood reminds the reader that this will not be the case for everyone.

The novel grapples with religion, morality, obligation, and societal pressure, with vivid characters and an unforgettable story that demonstrates Masood’s stellar depiction of contemporary Muslim America and his voice in American literature.

Image: The Best Way to Bury Your Husband, Penguin.

Paige Braithwaite Staff

Lucy Spencer Staff Writer

Arts: Theatre The Dos and Don’ts of Theatre Etiquette “

Often ahead of his time, it comes as no surprise that Shakespeare’s famous monologue from pastoral comedy As You Like It can be used to summarise theatre-goers in 2024. The speech, which compares the world to a stage and people to performers, sequences seven stages of a man’s life. Unfortunately, audience members have recently chosen to display the worst of these seven stages during the course of a two-hour show. Whilst the playwright categorised infants as “mewling and puking”, it disappointingly seems to now be drunken adults displaying these traits.

Speaking anonymously to Sky News , front-of-house workers at West End theatres recounted horror stories which make the Theatre Royal’s The Enfield Haunting seem like an episode of Scooby Doo . From drunk audience members vomiting in the stalls, to fights breaking out at the stage door, it is unsurprising that, according to a survey undertaken

by theatre union BECTU, 50% of theatre staff are considering quitting their job.

But I didn’t want to watch The Simpsons or babysit the manchild in Row G – I wanted to enjoy the play whose tickets I spent a small fortune on.

On the bright side, front-of-house workers can rest assured that members of the audience will be quick to take their place. However, some training will certainly be necessary. Whilst talking during a play or musical is unforgivable, oftentimes the theatre-goer doing the telling off is more distracting than the original offender. An exaggerated ‘shhhhh’ motion, reminiscent of the end credits of The Simpsons , is employed, often accompanied with a statement obvious even to Shakespeare’s mewling and puking infant: “I’m trying to watch!”

But I didn’t want to watch The Simpsons , or babysit the manchild in Row G – I wanted to enjoy the play whose tickets I spent a small fortune on.

Although police attendance has been recorded at several performances, including West End’s Grease and The Bodyguard in Manchester, poor theatre etiquette is more commonly seen in the form of mobile phones. Stephen Schwartz – a well-renowned musical theatre lyricist and composer – recently expressed his disdain towards audience members using their phone whilst watching a show, arguing that it is not only disrespectful to the performers, but unfair for the rest of the audience. This has been echoed by a number of actors, including the late Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon from the Harry Potter franchise), who, during a 2005 performance, broke character to ask a woman to turn off her mobile after it rang for the third time. Even more shockingly, actor Andrew Scott recalls an audience member taking out their laptop midway through Hamlet ’s iconic “to be, or not to be” soliloquy.

Whilst it can be exciting to see a show starring a famous actor, these performances often lead to the worst theatre etiquette. Benedict

Cumberbatch was forced to speak to audience members personally at the stage door after he noticed he was being filmed whilst acting in Hamlet . This incident is particularly disappointing as it is now fairly common for plays to be shown in the cinema or made available on streaming services, such as Disney+.

“

All the world’s a stage – so play nicely.

In summary, it is not difficult to behave well at the theatre: you literally just have to sit there! Please don’t order popcorn; if you have a persistent cough, for the love of God, stay at home; and be polite to the hardworking staff. If you’re lucky enough to meet an actor at the stage door, don’t shove your programme or phone camera in their face, and pee before the show – you likely won’t have time during the interval and will be that annoying person trying to shuffle their way back to their seat ten minutes into Act Two. All the world’s a stage – so play nicely.

To Musical or Not to Musical, That is the Question

Francesca Sylph Senior Editor

FORThere’s no question about it: allsinging, all-dancing productions have been given a bad reputation, from stage shows to movie musicals. It’s easy to walk into a cinema screening of Wonka and be shocked when a sicklylooking Timothée Chalamet bursts into song. After all, studios are shying away from exposing musical elements in marketing materials. In December, Deadline reported that “test-audience focus groups generally hate musicals and the only way to get people into the theat[re] with one is to trick ‘em.” The same can be said for Mean Girls and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, both of which feature an Olivia Rodrigo song in trailers as opposed to an actual musical number from the movie… Justice for Rachel Zegler’s foot-stomping, Appalachian folk songs, please!

I’d take a camp musical over a “straight play” any day.

Hatred for musicals is alive and thriving in the West End world, too. In an article for The Spectator, playwright David Hare likened stage musicals to an invasive plant, strangling the cultural life out of London’s theatre scene. Most criticism launched at musicals assume that the shows lack substance. When Hare laments the loss of “straight plays,” he means those that are serious and sophisticated. In other words, dreadfully dull. I’d take a camp musical over a “straight play” any day.

The assumption that all musicals are frivolous and lack intellectual weight is

wildly incorrect. What is Hamilton if not a lesson on the US Constitution? Would Hare dare to label Les Misérables as apolitical and unimportant? How about Rent, an emotional depiction of the AIDS epidemic?

Furthermore, even if all musicals were frivolous (which many are), what’s wrong with that? Does Hare hate fun? He has never experienced the transcendent joy of dancing around to ABBA in a pair of dungarees and it shows. Moreover, the belief that musicals are for the masses implies that musicals are for women. As we know, women’s interests, from Mamma Mia to One Direction, are consistently devalued, despite the fact that women make up 70% of theatregoers according to Arts Council England.

If you despise musicals as much as David Hare, then I doubt I could change your mind. If you want to stick to your three-hour-long, kitchen sink dramas, then that’s fine. I am simply arguing for musicals (and their fans) to be granted the same level of respect.

Aaron Galway Staff Writer

MAGAINST

usical theatre has been famous for decades and continues to attract audiences of all ages, from jukebox musicals like Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and The Bodyguard to modern classics like The Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray and Les Misérables. With timeless shows such as The Sound of Music, West Side Story and The Wizard of Oz, there is something for everyone.

However, the cost of theatre tickets can be a barrier for many people. High ticket prices limit opportunities for people’s enjoyment. For example, tickets to one of West End’s most popular performances Mamma Mia can set you back around £100!

Unfortunately, the show I went to see was bland. I had difficulty staying engaged due to frequent breaks disrupting the flow, making it difficult to sustain attention. I noticed that the breaks were extremely disruptive during the more engaging

and emotional scenes, leaving me feeling disconnected from the story. Despite these frustrations, theatrical experiences can be improved, but will they ever be? Theatres could re-evaluate their break policies and consider alternative ways to keep the audience engaged during longer shows. They could provide more interactive elements, such as sing-alongs, or even incorporate technology to enhance the experience.

Musical theatre has the potential to be enjoyed by everyone. While ticket prices can be a barrier, there are ways to improve the theatre experience and make it more accessible and engaging for others. By re-evaluating break policies and experimenting with new ideas, theatre can remain relevant and engaging entertainment for generations to come. But right now, musical theatre is not in the good books for many people.

Images (L-R): Mean Girls, Broadway Video. Hamilton, Joan Marcus for Milwaukee Independent Mamma Mia, Abi White for Viva Manchester

Tragedy or Comedy? Only Good Storytelling Makes a Special

Atreyo Palit Staff Writer TW: Death, Sexual Assault, Transphobia

She’s in heaven, I’m on Netflix, it all worked out” claims a triumphant Taylor Tomlinson as she strikes a power pose at the audience midway through her second Netflix comedy special Look At You. The “she” being referred to is her mother who passed away when Tomlinson was just eight years old. Now, death as a concept may seem to be neither inviting humour nor inherently funny to most people, but imagine the relief of realising that there’s one less Republican in the World because your dad died. That’s one of the 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad that Laurie Kilmartin tells in her most recent comedy special. Whether it is intended or not, offence is taken more often than not when tragedy becomes the subject of comedy, but the truth is that they are not opposites. In the words of Ms. Pat performing her special, Y’all Wanna Hear Something Crazy?, “when you can laugh at it, that means you got control of it.”

Daniel Sloss’ special X became viral because he talks about the sexual assault of a close friend by another close friend, and in the process, he recounts three jokes on the subject made by the victim herself. He always addresses the therapeutic effect of dabbling in dark humour. Laughing about a tragic incident is not the same as being insincere about the grief it causes. Insincerity would involve irresponsibly

making fun of the tragedy, in the form of laughing at the incident and its victim. That would look like Dave Chappelle proudly bragging about enjoying “punching down” in his latest special The Dreamer. It’s more entertaining to hear Sloss, in his special Dark, recounting an anecdote of his sister, who suffered from cerebral palsy, being mistakenly thought to have died because her limp body was being carried by his mother while walking away from a car crash they had just survived.

Not only is the second of the two examples acceptable because it simply acknowledges the humorous circumstance a condition can lead to, but it is also funnier because there’s a story to go with it. The best-written joke comes in the form of a story told funnily, accompanied by a well-timed delivery of a funny observation. Chappelle, too, opens his aforementioned special with a four-minute-long story of meeting Jim Carrey soon after the death of his father. The punchline, however, is a joke directed at transgender people. It’s intentionally offensive, but instead of simply an eye-roll and a dismissal which his impression of a person in a wheelchair will hopefully elicit, this gets a response, because he built up to it with a fourminute-long anecdote.

The power of storytelling as a comedic device cannot be underestimated. Patton Oswalt delivers hilarious punchlines on various subjects including public brawls in his special Annihilation, before he closes it with a segment about his wife’s death. He

What’s

Aaron

Galway Staff Writer

The new year is well and truly in, and with Valentine’s Day coming up, it is time to treat the ones you love, be it your partner, the one you can’t quite say “hi” to, your family, or even yourself. So, why not treat yourself (or selves) to an evening out at one of Brighton and Hoves’ live performance stages?

An up-to-date researched list of information, including any entry fees for what’s upcoming in Brighton’s theatreland in February 2024, is as follows...

Theatre Royal Brighton

Brighton Theatre Group presents Lionel Bart’s Oliver! 14th February - 17th February Tickets from £13

Varna International Ballet presents The Nutcracker 19th February | Tickets from £13

Varna International Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty 20th February | Tickets from £13

tells a story of coming across one family loudly arguing and another family blasting Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at the cemetery when he went there to see his wife’s grave. Comedy becomes the medium to alleviate the tension introduced by his wife’s death, but the loss is not a subject of comedy for him.

How dark is too dark is a matter of debate, but the best comedy special will focus on telling a story rather than delivering punchlines one after the other. It’s not a feature film, but a stand-up special does come with an extended runtime, which can only be justified by giving the audience an overarching narrative to follow, broken down into anecdotes that may contain punchlines but carry truth.

To quote Hannah Gadsby from her special Nanette, “Laughter is not our medicine.

On in Brighton...

Varna International Ballet presents Swan Lake 21st February | Tickets from £13

Ministry of Science LIVE - Science Saved The World 22nd February | Tickets from £13

The Simon & Garfunkel Story 23rd February | Tickets from £28

Skip’s Masterclasses - Stage Makeup 24th February | Tickets from £20

Frankie Boyle Live 24th February | Tickets from £32.41

Sing-a-Long Matilda 25th February | Tickets from £18.25

The Woman in Black 27th February – 2nd March Tickets from £13

Brighton Dome

Brighton Dome Backstage Tours 3rd February - 27th April Tickets from £10

Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny 4th February | Tickets from £35

ABC: The Lexicon of Love 5th February | Tickets start from £41.50

Andy Parsons: Bafflingly Optimistic Warm Up 7th February | Tickets from £16

Ross Noble: Jibber Jabber Jamboree 9th February | Tickets from £31

Four Seasons - Little Bulb 10th and 11th February | Tickets from £8

London Philharmonic Orchestra 2023/24 Season 10th February | Tickets from £8

Camille O’Sullivan: Live in Concert 11th February | Tickets from £27.50

Rude Science – Gastronaut 12th February | Tickets from £14.00

Candace Bushnell: True Tales of Sex, Success and Sex and the City 14th February Tickets from £31.50

Stories hold our cure.” Even Sloss, while making respectful jokes about grave issues, refuses to be comical about sexual assault, a strategy adopted by Cameron Esposito in Rape Jokes as well. She recounts some extended anecdotes which are hilarious despite being unfunny situations, but just honestly speaks about her experience with rape, without any jokes. This technique creates a tension which isn’t resolved by any jokes and thus conveys the grimness of the circumstance that a victim experiences in the moment. Much like the perpetrator didn’t offer a way out for them, the comedian doesn’t give us an easy way out through a joke, but these specials prove that they have, or are channelling, the energy into a creative outlet to spread awareness and hopefully bring change.

George Carlin is arguably the best stand-up comedian ever, but his style of delivering punchlines every minute no longer seems to compel as much as a well-told story, narrated humorously. Or simply authentically. As Alyssa Limperis demonstrates in her special No More Bad Days, comedy is not just about eliciting laughter. She talks about the loss of her father without joking about it but is humorous throughout the set. Sincerity is more important than laughter, as the former resists “punching down”, but humour can also often be the only means of engaging with grief. Today, comedy can (un)comfortably coexist with tragedy. It needs to.

Komedia Brighton

Richard Herrings’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast 1st February | Tickets from £20

Acid Box IVW Party: Karma Sheen & Black Market Larma 2nd February | Tickets from £8

Komedia Comedy Club 2nd February | Tickets from £20

The Musical’s Party 2nd February | Tickets from £7

MONKEY SNAP 13th February | Tickets from £8

The Tiger Lillies and David Hoyle: Lessons In Nihilism 14th February | Tickets from £15

Komedia Comedy Club: Valentines Special 14th February | Tickets from £21

Image: X, HBO.

Science and Tech

Quantum Computing: The Future of Tech?

Ray Das Staff Writer

The scientific renaissance of the 20th century saw the rise of quantum mechanics and information theory. In 1982, physicist Richard Feynman famously stated that it was not feasible to model a quantum phenomenon using classical computation; an alternative was required to accurately simulate such phenomena. Whilst Feynman’s statement didn’t garner much attention at the time, 12 years later, mathematician Peter Shor developed an algorithm that was too sophisticated for classical computers - facilitating the idea and possibility of quantum computing.

Quantum and classical computing both manipulate data to solve problems, but three fundamental principles distinguish quantum computing. While classical computers encode information in binary form of 0s and 1s, quantum computers are capable of surveying all the probable states of a quantum bit (qubit) simultaneously. This property of a quantum object is known as superposition. Two quantum entities are said to be entangled when neither can be described without referencing the other, as they lose their individual identities. The phenomena of interference, which occurs when two or more quantum states combine to produce an entirely new state,

can be used to enhance the process of error-correction and the probability of measuring the correct output.

The way that quantum computers leverage probabilities and entanglement allows information to be encoded with increased precision across a large number of states simultaneously. Quantum computers show huge promise in terms of industrial and commercial applications in fields of chemical and biological engineering, drug discovery, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, complex manufacturing, and financial services. From being used to simulate complex chemical reactions to being used in aeronautical navigation, it is clear that quantum computers have huge unexploited potential that still needs to be explored.

Despite their huge potential, scientists building quantum computers tend to run into two major hurdles. First, qubits need to be protected in near-zero temperatures from the surrounding environment. The longer the qubit lasts the longer its ‘coherence time’, therefore isolation is essential. Secondly, qubits need to be in an entangled state and should be controllable on demand for algorithm execution. Thus, finding the right balance between the states of isolation and interaction is difficult.

With the ability to revolutionise computation, there are multiple players

involved in the corporate league of attaining quantum advantage. Leading this race of developing the most refined form of quantum computer are IBM, Google Quantum AI, and Microsoft.

Quantum computers show huge promise in terms of industrial and commerical fields.

In October 2019, Google confirmed that it had attained quantum supremacy, using their fully programmable 54-qubit processor Sycamore to solve a sampling problem in 200 seconds. This was surpassed earlier last year using an updated version of Sycamore with 70 qubits.

In December, IBM unveiled Condor, a new chip with 1,121 superconducting qubits, surpassing the 433-qubit capacity of their Osprey processor released in November 2022. Turning their focus towards the development of modular quantum processors with low error rate, the company also announced the Heron processor with 133 qubits and a record low error rate.

Despite the excitement surrounding the possible applications of quantum computers, it’s not time to celebrate just yet. Shor’s algorithm remains unsolved, and we are still a considerable distance away from having a system sophisticated

enough for commercial use. However the rapid innovation and research within this field, along with the long-term advantage and potential of quantum computing, hints at a new and prosperous computing age.

Byte-Sized News: 2023 in Review

Generative AI: Transforming Tomorrow’s Tech Landscape

Semhar (Semi) Tesfazgy Editor In Chief

In an exciting year for tech, 2023 was named the ‘Year of AI’ by Microsoft. In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, a new and groundbreaking force has emerged and is making waves in both the tech industry and worldwideGenerative AI.

Generative AI, popularised by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, is artificial technology that is capable of generating multi-media data through user input by utilising advanced deep-learning models trained on large-scale data-sets. This revolutionary technology signals a creative renaissance, capable of transforming industries. However, generative AI also brings up several issues to the surface. The autonomous nature of this technology has had concerns raised about ethical use and consequences it may have on the livelihood of individuals.

As we step into uncharted territory, generative AI invites us to observe the interplay between the excitement of limitless possibilities, with the daunting nature of the change it will bring about in our world.

NASA Takes One Step Further in Uncovering Origins of Life

Luke Montgomery Staff Writer

2023 saw NASA’s ORISIS-REx mission successfully retrieve an estimated 250 grams of material from the asteroid Bennu — the largest sample ever gathered.

Bennu is thought to have formed more than 4.5 billion years ago, and could provide insights into the composition of asteroids during the early formation of our solar system. Scientists believe that asteroids may have played an important role in the emergence of life on Earth; specifically, that asteroids such as Bennu may have collided with the planet during its early formation, introducing organic compounds. Initial examination of the sample has identified the presence of compounds containing carbon and water.

NASA plans to study the sample in detail over the span of two years, keeping 70% at Johnson Space Center for future research, before sending out smaller parts to other research organisations around the world.

‘Sea Rex’ Fossil Discovered on Dorset Coast

Jude Budworth Staff Writer

A2-metre-long fossilised Pliosaur skull was unearthed from a Dorset beach, near Kimmeridge Bay. The prehistoric marine reptile lived 150 million years ago, occupying the shallow seas of Europe, measuring up to 12 metres in length.

Led by palaeontologist, Steve Etches, the team excavated the fossil from a cliff face, 15 metres above the site in which Phil Jacobs had recently discovered a piece of broken snout. Etches noted the significance of the finding to the BBC, stating that the fossil is unique as “every bone [is] present”.

Compared to previously discovered specimens (which have mostly been found crushed flat), the quality of this particular find has already allowed scientists to uncover new information surrounding the hunting behaviour of this prehistoric predator.

The fossil is currently on display in the Etches Collection Museum in Dorset and David Attenborough is said to go into further detail in an upcoming BBC documentary about Etches and Jacobs’ find.

Cutting-edge single cell analysis technique identifies rare brain cell types

Ray Das Staff Writer

The lack of accurate models that mimic the cell environment of the human nervous system limit our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that facilitate its physiological functions

To address this gap, the Cao lab at Rockefeller University has developed EasySci - an innovative and cost-effective strategy for identifying both singular and rare cell types and their impact on brain function.

The major features of this technique include an extensive library of single cell transcriptomes, identification of celltype-specific gene expression, and singlecell chromatin accessibility profiling. By sequencing 1.5 million single cell transcriptomes and 380,000 chromatin accessibility profiles across a mammalian brain of variable ages and genotypes, the authors identified over 300 cellular subtypes including highly rare cell types that comprise less than 0.01% of the total brain cell population.

The authors suggest that exploring rare cell types in relation to normal physiological functions can open opportunities for developing targeted therapeutic strategies.

Image: James Crawford/Google AI Quantum.

CBAM & Sussex Net-Zero

as aluminium, cement, ceramics, fertiliser, glass, hydrogen, iron and steel.

“

In the wake of the escalating climate crisis, institutions worldwide are scrutinising their carbon footprints. Against the backdrop of globalised trade and climate change, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) emerges as a forward-thinking solution.

CBAM is a policy tool designed to tackle carbon leakage in international trade. Its primary objective is to ensure that imported goods align with the environmental standards of the importing country, thereby preventing industries from relocating to regions with less stringent environmental regulations. CBAM imposes a carbon price on specific imported goods based on their carbon footprint, encouraging global trade partners to adopt sustainable practices. This mechanism plays a pivotal role in promoting environmental responsibility on a global scale, fostering international cooperation to combat climate change and creating a level playing field for industries in different regions.

According to the UK government Consultation Outcome from 18 December 2023, the government has announced the commitment to implement a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) by 2027. The CBAM will apply a carbon price to emissions-intensive industrial goods, including those from sectors such

[CBAM] plays a pivotal role in promoting environmental responsibility on a global scale.

The liability under CBAM will be determined by the emissions intensity of imported goods, with no involvement in the purchase or trading of emissions certificates.

The forthcoming implementation of CBAM by the UK government is a pivotal link to the University of Sussex’s commitment, as it presents an opportunity to actively engage with broader national efforts to achieve net-zero goals. In a bold commitment to environmental sustainability, the University of Sussex has set an ambitious target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. This commitment, outlined in the strategy, involves comprehensive internal modelling of the current carbon footprint and potential decarbonisation options for the next few years.

What sets the net-zero target apart is its inclusivity, covering not only direct emissions (Scope 1) but also indirect emissions stemming from our supply chain, financial investments, and staff and student travel (Scope 3). To achieve this goal, the University of Sussex has set interim targets

for 2025 and 2030, subject to continual review and updates. Further details will be subject to consultation in 2024. The CBAM will implement an effective carbon price, reflecting domestic free allowances and ensuring consistency with the UK’s netzero ambitions.

As they strive to reduce scope 1,2 and 3 emissions in alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, CBAM offers a complementary framework that aligns with the university’s commitments to mitigate climate change, both locally and globally. CBAM aims not only to ensure fairness in global trade, but also to encourage sustainability practices worldwide. The integration of CBAM into sustainability strategies underscores the

interconnectedness of international and institutional efforts, creating a harmonised approach towards a more sustainable future.

Exploring net-zero strategies at the University of Sussex unveils both challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of sustainability. As the University of Sussex navigates this intricate landscape, it has the potential not only to significantly reduce its own carbon footprint - but also to inspire a broader global movement towards a sustainable future. The time for action is now, and through collective efforts, we can forge a path towards a more environmentally conscious and resilient world.

Cop-Out 28: Oil Talk, No Action

Sian Scott Science and Tech Editor

The Conference of Parties (COP) is synonymous with the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Convened annually since 1995, the COP summits serve as a platform for signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to collaboratively address the root causes, impacts, and prospective solutions related to the warming Earth.

COP 28 (2023) saw close to 100,000 attendees (in the capacity of politicians, diplomats, lobbyists, policymakers, investors, activists, climate scientists and journalists) from 200 nations fly across the globe-destination: Dubai (United Arab Emirates).

The authoritarian oil state, known for extravagance, arid conditions and juxtaposed picture-perfect golf courses, hosted the COP 28 summit, employing Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the CEO of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), for its presidency. Seemingly, he found a window of available time amidst ADNOC’s $150 billion (US) oil and gas expansion.

It would be unethical not to highlight and recognise the positive outcomes of the 2023 summit, such as conservationists celebrating the new goal of zero global deforestation by 2030. However, the actions, or lack thereof, by COP 28

outweigh potential triumphs and have resulted in a myriad of criticisms.

COP 28 finally heard political powers naming fossil fuels as a climatic concernyet policies regarding moving into cleaner, more ecologically minded means of energy generation are subject to issues with interpretation, having adopted weak language and added ‘wriggle room’ for when political ‘pushes come to shove’. The official documentation calls for the transition from coal, oil, and gas “in a just, orderly and equitable manner”, with little mention of a specified timescale or emphasis on urgency.

2023 witnessed the hottest summer recorded in over 120,000 years- leaving the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious goal (agreed upon by 200 countries in 2015), limiting global heating to 1.5°C, effectively frazzled due to the lack of urgency and specifics within the agreement. The expansion of the oil, gas, coal and agricultural industries runs parallel with the warming of the Earth. Still, conversely, Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber claims there is “no science [supporting]” correlations between the two.

Notably, those most affected by the inefficiencies of COP 28 are not found within the air-conditioned and fully catered UN or COP conference rooms. The biggest victims of climate change, and thus the shortfalls of the COP summits, can be found in developing countries. Those with better financial stability

and industrialisation are not adequately supporting the adaptation and ‘transition’ away from fossil fuels (such as coal) and, in turn, play a role in suppressing developing countries’ representation in decisionmaking processes.

Whilst it may be easy to criticise COP 28 from behind a keyboard, over 4,400 miles away from the conference, environmental campaigners attending the summit (encompassing voices advocating for indigenous representation, the defence of human rights, and those engaging in climate activism) were faced with threats and harassment- themselves becoming victims of COP 28 through indirect silencing by the fear of repercussions. The treatment of those opposing current environmental policy is not unique to the COP 28 summit-

the cascading consequences of campaigns and demonstrations have been witnessed at numerous UN events.

The effect of our warming Earth transcends through every biome, somewhat contrasting the lukewarm agreements put in place to protect them. With policies littered with loopholes and “climate deniers” taking centre stage, 2023 is set to be one of the coolest years in the lives of many children and young people despite the record-breaking heat of the summer. With accusations of “greenwashing”, vague words and empty promises - can we trust those in power to protect our planet?

Jenny Choi Science and Tech Sub-Editor

Image: COP 28, Andrea DiCenzo.

Image: Diagram demonstrating CBAM, reimagined by Ray Das.

Sport

Melting Alps: How Climate Change Discourages Skiing

Cynthia Chan Features Sub-Editor

Icy patches, muddy slopes and reduced snow coverage - the tolls climate change has taken on the Alps worsen skiing experience.

The white mountains still await the sun’s radiant touch on this typical December day at 6 am. Bertrend, a skier and a coach who calls the Alpine village home, is ready for his morning jog routine before coaching another group of boys and girls in skiing. Having skied for 50 years since the age of three, he senses a warmer winter than usual.

The Alps, an extensive mountain range spanning eight European countries, have experienced a 1.5 degree Celsius temperature rise over the past century. Now, an additional 36 days in the Alps are devoid of snow coverage - the decline in snow cover exceeding eight percent per decade, with the majority of this change occurring in the last 30 years.

When Bertrend’s students first arrived

Kian Shayegan Sport Sub-Editor

With the first grand slam of the year on the horizon, tennis fans are turning their eyes down under, where players will be looking to start their season in style. in one of the most important and lucrative tournaments of the year, fans are hopeful to see some familiar faces also making a long-awaited return.

The player I am hinting towards is of course, none other than 22-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal. The 37-yearold Spaniard was due to return to the sport after a year out with a hip injury, with tennis fans all over the globe itching savour every match, since the veteran has declared that this year will be his final year on the tour.

Injuries are no new thing regarding Rafa, who has constantly dealt with them throughout his career. From elbow to foot to knee to back to wrist, he really has completed the injury bucket list. But through all of these setbacks, the ‘Matador’, as his fans like to call him, has been able to power through and rightfully declare himself as one of the greatest of all time.

Yet, his most recent one seemed like an injury too severe to overcome. In his 22 years as a professional, this has been the longest he’s been out of the game through injury. The Spaniard has been continuously delaying his return from last Summer until now. In an interview given after his first game back after 347 days, in which he won 7-5 6-1, he said “If I thought about

in the Alps in mid December, the high temperature of 8 degree Celsius shocked them. The whole week of skiing felt warm, and it did not snow at all. The maximum temperature reached 10 degree Celsius, when December is supposed to be one of the coldest times of the year.

Instead of the white, fluffy and soft snow, small ice patches are seen on the surface of the slopes in the French Alps. Muddy areas are present on some slopes at around 1600 to 2200 metres altitude.

Computer science student Wenfei He finds it hard to perform speed control on icy slopes and falls repeatedly, despite being an experienced skier. The poor slope conditions hinder her from attempting a more challenging slope.

“(Skiing on icy slopes) kind of puts me off skiing to be honest, because it’s not as fun when it’s like that, and I feel like I could do something else,” she says.

“You can’t always have good conditions, but I guess with climate change, it will be less likely… that is really depressing to think about, to be honest.”

International development student Garod Horozoglu also feels that the pistes are icier, with less snow coverage and more mud compared to his last year ski in Val Thorens, France, where snow machines were used to maintain optimal conditions.

“

You can’t always have good conditions, but I guess with climate change, it will be less likely… that is really depressing to think about, to be honest.

“It was really hot on the first three days. I put on a T-shirt and my ski coat, but still sweated,” says Horozoglu, adding that the last three days were colder with better overall conditions despite the slopes remaining icy.

Research published last August in ‘Nature Climate Change’, suggests that 53% of ski resorts in Europe could suffer from poor snow supply if the global temperature rises by 2 degree Celsius.

The Return of Rafa?

retirement during that period of time, of course, yes. I went through a lot of things [that were] pretty bad. I did not miss the competition, because all this time my body was not ready to compete. What I missed was to be healthy; to wake up and not have pain.”

Now he’s healthy and supposedly pain free, his eyes can once again turn to the competition. Although he’s been consistently top of the rankings, not dropping out of the top 10 once in the last 18 years (2005-2023), his quality post injury is yet to be revealed.

Despite winning two of the four grand slams in 2022, as well as making the semifinals of Wimbledon, you’d be considered a wishful thinker by most people if you think Nadal will be able to get even remotely close to those achievements in 2024.

One reason is, of course, his age. The oldest male to win a Grand Slam is Ken Rosewall, who won the Australian Open in 1972 at the age of 37, followed by Roger Federer, who you may be more familiar with, who won the Australian in 2018 at the age of 36. So it’s not impossible for Nadal to go all the way at his age, but with Grand Slam matches being on average around three hours long, and players needing to win seven matches in order to achieve the feat, it seems very unlikely, especially considering his injury woes.

Sadly for supporters, earlier this month, Nadal announced that he will miss the upcoming Australian Open due to a muscle tear he picked up while playing in a three-

hour thriller against Aussie native Jordan Thompson. Bearing in mind that, if this was a Grand Slam match, Nadal would have probably had to play at least another two hours to win (since Grand Slams are best of five sets whereas all other tournaments are best of three), so this is not a very positive sign to start the season.

Nadal fans will be pleased to hear that this injury is a very minor one, and as reported by Spanish publication ’Diario de Mallorca’, Nadal will rest for a week before restarting his training, having undergone an MRI scan the day after his loss to Thompson. The scan confirmed the injury was a muscle issue and not something more serious.

There’s a high chance however that he may save himself for the clay season, starting in the spring, to give himself the best opportunity to win a title, since clay is by far his best surface. The French Open is the tournament that will be heavily bookmarked in his diary, as it’s basically been his for the past two decades, victorious 14 out of the 16 times he’s ever competed in it.

This year will be harder than ever, not just down to his age and current physical fitness, but the competition he will have to deal with. Most notably, the (statistically) greatest tennis player of all time Novak Djokovic, who’s somehow still at the peak of his powers at the age of 36, and the everpresent ‘starboy’ of tennis Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal will most likely have to beat both, or at least one in order to get his hands on

While NASA’s analysis shows at least a 1.1 degree Celsius increase of the average global temperature in 2022, compared to the pre-industrial average, the global temperature in late 2023 increased by more than two degree Celsius, according to the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecasts.

Meanwhile, the average temperature in the Alps has risen by around 1.5 degree Celsius between 1900 and 2018, according to the European Environment Agency, with most of the change concentrated in the last three decades.

Poor snow reliability has seen the closure of pistes in certain ski resorts. Measures such as the use of artificial snow and transporting of snow by helicopter have become commonplace. Yet, these measures increase water and electricity demands, treading extra carbon footprints on the ski industry’s frosty slopes.

his 15th French Open title. Ironically, the last person to win a Grand Slam outside of Djokovic and Alcaraz, was Nadal himself. Yet, considering that both players have been practically unbeatable for the past year and a half, it seems like too much for even the so-called ‘King of Clay’ to overcome. No matter how much he plays, or how well he does in the tournaments this year, Nadal wants to finish his career on his own terms, rather than through injury. That has been respected by the tennis community as a whole and is frankly the least a generational player like himself deserves. Whatever happens tennis fans will drink in every last drop of it. So sit back and enjoy the return of Rafa.

Image: Moerschy, Pixabay.

Society Spotlight: Sussex Swallows

Maisie Knights Books Editor and Head of Social Media

Considered one of the newer sporting societies here at Sussex, the Swallows are an all-inclusive, noncompetitive cheerleading game-day squad. Composed of around forty women, the team spans across all levels of background experience, and eagerly welcomes beginners. Autumn semester is all about perfecting their game day routine, with the long-awaited Spring semester being their time to shine at game day performances. Numerous setbacks, such as the closure of their training location, Mandela Hall, have left the Swallows fighting to meet the deadline for their first performance. All their hard work and training leads up to the ultimate performance – the Brighton vs Sussex Varsity.

In recent years, the cheerleading industry has advanced tremendously, leading to debates on whether it should be classified as a ‘real’ sport. In 2021, the International Olympic Committee finally deemed it as such, with hopes of incorporating cheerleading in the 2028 Los Angeles games.

Yet, despite the acknowledgement of the sport by professionals, societal perceptions of cheerleading are often incorrect. What the Swallows do in their game-day routine is a real test of athleticism, which many might overlook. Cheerleading routines require an immense sense of stamina and resilience, where

non-stop stunting, tumbling and dancing is incorporated into a packed four minute routine.

I asked the Swallow’s Choreographer Ruby Wheeler for an insight on her inspiration for the upcoming game-day routine. “I watched a lot of videos on YouTube of American High school cheer routines”, she explains, “I liked the idea of having a mashup of songs which included different types of music, whilst still sticking to the basics of cheer.” This is evident in the stunting and pom pom’s used in the routine, which make up a large component of the Swallow’s game-day routine.

Stunting is when a collection of team members – known as a stunt group –work together to lift and manoeuvre a ‘Flyer’ through the air. Pairing the right group together for stunts is essential: if something goes wrong mid-performance, it can ruin the routine’s flow and, more than often than not, cause serious injury. Arguably, above anything else cheer is all about trust in your fellow team-mates –and rightly so.

According to Geisinger, recent studies have found that cheerleading is the most dangerous sport for women, with over 30,000 cheerleaders going to the hospital for cheer-related injuries in the US alone. As part of the Swallows myself as a Backspot for the team, the most important part of my job is making sure that I maintain the balance for everyone, and catch the Flyer safely when it’s time to come down.

Despite all of the potential dangers

within the sport, such as concussions and broken bones, the Sussex Swallows train twice a week with no designated coach. Instead, they use a word-of-mouth approach when it comes to training new members. A stream of information trickles down through the years, giving the society a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere compared to other sports teams.

“Swallows is a good way to forget about the stress of uni work and assignments”, agrees Ruby, “my favourite part about

being on the team is honestly the people, because I have met so many friends for life.”

Like most sporting societies, a large part of Swallows team-building comes from the Wednesday sports night socials. If you don’t get the chance to attend one of their game-day performances, you’re likely to see the Swallows in Walkabout, wearing an extravagant themed social outfit and playing ‘Zumi Zumi’ – you’ll know who they are!

Construction Workers in a Velodrome: Cricket’s Last Olympic Outing

In 2028 - 128 years, two world and one Stuart Broad after its previous iteration, cricket will once again be an Olympic sport.

The Los Angeles Games will play host to six men’s and women’s sides in two T20 competitions, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach announced in October 2023.

“It’s giving the game a global audience”, World Cup winner Kate Cross told Sky Sports. “People in other countries seeing cricket on their televisions. That’s where cricket needs to be - accessible and visible”.

Cricket’s only previous Olympic forte came in the Parisian games of 1900 - Great Britain besting the hosts in a downright bizarre contest.

Originally slated as a four-team tournament, the Brits met France in what was essentially a final, after the Netherlands and Belgium had their bids to host the games rejected, and subsequently dropped out.

It’s not uncommon to hear the late 1800s to early 1900s described as a ‘golden era’ for English cricket. With Stanley Jackson, Lord

Hawke and WG Grace amongst their ranks, the three lions enjoyed sustained success prior to the first World War. Yet, unwilling to interrupt the domestic season, the British bigwigs asked touring club side Devon and Somerset Wanderers to make the trip to Paris as Team GB.

In an intriguing twist, their supposedly French opposition were represented by ten British expats and only two actual Frenchmen. Said expats were members of the French Athletic Club Union, a sports society formed for Brits working on the assembly of the Eiffel Tower.

Due to an agreement between the captains, the two-day, four innings affair featured 24 players with each side fielding an extra batter.

The match itself was a thrilling, if admittedly substandard affair.

To make matters stranger, the fixture took place at the Vélodrome de Vincennes, a cycling venue that also played host to the games’ football, rugby and gymnastics competitions. You can imagine the outfield.

The match itself was a thrilling, if admit-

tedly substandard affair.

After his side were dismissed for 117, paceman Montegu Toller snagged seven wickets to skittle the French for just 78.

One of only two first class cricketers in the British side, Toller played six times for Somerset in 1897 before returning to his career as a solicitor and later a town and county councillor. In a strange twist, his only firstclass wicket came against Philadelphia, who toured England that year.

Alfred Bowerman, the only other professional cricketer present, showed his grit in the Brits second innings. By taking advantage of the velodrome’s 30 metre square boundaries, he managed to notch 59 runs before the visitors declared on 145.

A timber merchant by trade, Bowerman too had a rather limp first-class career. In his two Somerset appearances, the top order bat scored only eight runs. His best of three came against Middlesex in 1905.

Emigrating to Australia some eight years later, Bowerman served in the first World War, fighting with the Australian imperial Force in the Middle East.

Needing 185 runs to win, the ‘French’ settled in to bat out the draw. Yet, losing their first 10 wickets for only 11 runs, it didn’t

exactly go to plan. With the clock ticking towards a draw - Toller bowled twelfth man John Braid to snatch victory with only five minutes to play.

The ‘French’ were all out for only 26 and Great Britain took home the gold. Well… not exactly gold. Due to an administrative error, the fine gentlemen of Devon and Somerset Wanderers were awarded silver medals, their opponents given bronze.

Cricket, after all, has progressed rather a lot since the reign of Queen Victoria.

The 2028 games will be an altogether different affair. Cricket, after all, has progressed rather a lot since the reign of Queen Victoria.

Yet, whilst the thought of Harry Brook thumping some poor American part-timer out of a converted baseball stadium warms my heart - the LA games has some way to go if it wants to live up to the pomp, memorability, and downright ridiculousness of 1900. 24 amateurs in a velodrome. Who cares about the world cup? Great Britain remains, for another five years at least, Olympic Cricket champions.

Will Symmons Sport Editor

Image: @sussexswallows on Instagram.

Across

2. The best student newspaper!

5. The study of ancient civilizations and artifacts.

9. The famous band that sang ‘Waterloo’ in Brighton and won the 1974 Eurovision.

10. The most unreliable bus in Brighton.

11. The animal famous for attacking Brighton residents.

12. A unit of electrical resistance.

15. The capital of a country that was formely known as Ceylon.

16. University of Sussex’s sports team mascot.

Read the next issue for answers!

Down

1. The phemomenon where light is bent as it passes through a medium.

2. The largest moon of Saturn.

3. A mathematical statement that seems contradictory but may be true.

4. The process of a substance changing from a gas to a liquid.

6. A painting technique where small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns.

7. The chemical element with the symbol ‘Ir’.

8. The number one hangout spot on campus.

13. The smallest prime number.

14. The inevitable end to a Wednesday night sports social.