Term 1, Issue 2

www.badgeronline.co.uk Scan to find us online

BADGER

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION

THE

@TheBadgerNews /thebadger.ussu

Features

Big Debate

How realistic is Emma Watson’s HeForShe campaign?

Page 8

Should 16 year olds be given the right to vote?

Page 11

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

FREE

6 October 2014, WEEK 2

NEWS Science

Arts

Sports

Is media multitasking SICK! Festival review affecting your brain?

Working hard in first year: Is it worth it?

What reasons are there to get involved in sports at Sussex?

Page 20

13 Page 11

Page Page13 3

Sussex Estates mistake radio studio for toilet door

Paul Millar

The Students’ Union has paid an undisclosed amount of money to hire a private contractor to fit locks into the Falmer House radio studio.

The Badger has received email correspondence to show Sussex Estates and Facilities, the university’s newly outsourced estates and facilities management team, at first neglected the request before mistaking the studio door for a toilet.

This means URF, the campus radio station which has been broadcasting since 1976, is unable to safely store equipment such as headphones or microphones.

Nick Werren, URF’s Station Manager for two years, gave an extensive insight into the fruitless communication he has experienced with the new estates management team, run by private company Interserve.

First, Werren discovered through the Students’ Union that Sussex Estates fitted a new lock on the wrong door, having not received a reply to the email he sent in May. “About a week later, I was told by the Union that Estates had arrived at the studio, and were working on the doors! I was ecstatic that after all this time, they’d finally listened to a student of the university, a university who they work for.

“Another week passed and I went up to the studio to check out the progress Estates were making on fitting the locks. That’s when I found out the horrible, horrible truth. Estates has fitted one lock, on the wrong door. The new lock, if anything, made things more difficult!”

Estates then mistook the radio studio for a toilet door just before term started, and with the situation still not rectified, Werren decided to go public with his frustration at the situation.

Werren recalled: “After informing Estates that I wasn’t talking about the

security of toilet doors, I was actually talking the security of the university’s student radio station that has existed on the campus for nearly 40 years and contains thousands of pounds worth of equipment, they never replied.

“And finally, last week, I finally resorted to organising an external contractor to sort out the security of the studio.”

This has come at the burden of the Students’ Union budget, but it felt obliged to support the station.

Michael Segalov, Communications Officer, said “it’s been a hugely frustrating process, which has led to a huge amount of hassle for our staff and students. Accross the campus, SEF are seemingly failing to deliver, and the Students’ Union will continue to monitor their management.”

Third-year Physics student Werren, who has headed URF since his first year, added: “In the last year Estates haven’t been anything other than an obstacle.

“Look around the campus, actually look; things are broken everywhere, half of the lights on the way up to the brand new Jubilee building are either flickering or broken entirely, the “moat” in the centre of Falmer House is either full of stagnant green water and a couple of crisp packets, or it’s empty.

“Is this campus actually being managed by anyone? Did they really outsource Estates to a competent private company, or is the university management running with the idea that if they give an infinite number of monkeys the responsibility to manage a university campus, one of them will eventually fix the correct lock on the correct door.”

Despite heavy protests from students and staff, the University pressed on with plans in January to outsource its facilities and security services to Interserve on the promise it would lead to the campus being “easier” and “smoother” to access for all students.

Sophie Jones In May, the same month Werren first sent an email to Estates demanding the radio studio be made secure and usable, the University of Sussex’s social media team posted a picture of Helen Boaden, the head of BBC radio who first experienced student radio by presenting on Sussex’s URF, and urged students to ‘choose’ the university on the quality of its radio station.

However, the lack of investment in providing the new studio with the nec-

essary has raised question marks over whether the university has misled applicants.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that Sussex Estates has also refused to copy the single key which members use to access the studio, meaning the office cannot be used at the same time as the studio.

With the key going missing last week and with no spare, presenters were unable to host their shows which

they had prepared for.

After being contacted by The Badger, a senior staff director at the University of Sussex, said that it will be looking into the case as a matter of urgency.

The university also told The Badger that it would offer assistance too, suggesting multiple keys coupld be copied to executive members before a security system is put in place to ensure the safety of a Mac and other expensive equipment.

the badger

29 September 2014

in pictures • 2

IN PICTURES A look at your city - Brighton in

THE

BADGER

Editor-in-Chief Deborah Batchelor badger@sussexstudent.com

pictures

Exec Team News Editor Jack Williams Tech/Science/Features Editor Jordan Ellis Comment Editor Victoria Farley Arts Editor Tom Powell Head of Publicity Lili Pammer-Zagroczky badger-publicity@ussu.sussex.ac.uk News Sub Editors Divya Shivaram

Shima Jalal Kamali

Daniel Green, Zoe Halse, Alex Ferguson, Rosie Dodds badger-news@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Tech Sub Editor Connor Cochrane badger-tech@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Features Sub Editor Ryan Bourne badger-features@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Will Jones Science Sub Editor Daniel Stuart badger-science@ussu.sussex.ac.uk

Shima Jalal Kamali

Divya Shivaram

Comment Sub Editors Miriam Steiner, Alice Nettleship badger-opinion@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Letters Sub Editor Louis Patel badger-letters@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Arts Sub Editors Victoria O’Donnell, Ioana Matei, Raymond Jennings, Lily Cooper, Jalal Kamali Jessica-LilyShima Harvey-Cox badger-arts@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Sports Sub Editor Vladislav Hristov Grozev badger-sports@ussu.sussex.ac.uk

Sophie Jones

Divya Shivaram

Photo Editors Aditi Sreevathsa, Sophie Jones thebadgerphotography@gmail.com Publicity Coordinator Lenart Celar Online Editors Steve Barker, Pete Humphreys badger-online@ussu.sussex.ac.uk Communications Officer Michael Segalov

Divya Shivaram

Shima Jalal Kamali

communications@sussexstudent. com

the badger

6 October 2014

NEWS • 3

Students’ Union council meeting approves changes to their procedures Alexander Ferguson News Sub-Editor The Sussex Students’ Union Council has approved proposals to amend key areas of their constitutional rules.

The Union Council, which met at 6pm on 30 September, unanimously approved plans to make the composition of the Council more representative. The Students’ Union ‘Democracy review’ was prompted following a referendum question in June 2014, the results of which demanded a review of the Students’ Union’s democratic processes with particular focus on the Union Council and officer accountability.

The Council, which is open to all Sussex students to attend, is one of the Students’ Union’s formal meetings and has been described by the Union as “the Union’s Parliament”.

It is comprised mainly of both an Executive Committee of 10 councillors, including the six Full Time Union Officers, as well as a larger group of student councillors elected to represent the Schools of Studies.

Under the new system the representation of students on the Union Council would be increased by electing the student councillors from the existing pool of Student Reps allowing for two councillors from each School. Representation among the councillors would also be increased by ensuring that undergraduate and postgraduate councillors would be elected sepa-

rately and by encouraging diversity in year groups. It is believed that student contribution in the Union Council will act as a potential challenge to decisions made by the Executive Committee.

Upon hearing about the new proposals, Michael Segalov, Communications Officer, queried the projected size of the reformed Council as it was suggested that Union Council membership would be in the region of 30 to 50 councillors.

When asked for their opinion on the matter, one Sussex student said: “I am pleased that the Students’ Union is making an effort to be as democratic as possible. However, I feel like many students still don’t know what their Union is actually doing for them”.

Under the same proposal, the Union Council also approved the new rules for Clubs and Societies which have been introduced this year. Societies will no longer be regulated by the Activities Committee and students will now have to register online should they wish to join a society.

This attempt by the Students’ Union to review their constitution and to push for further democratisation coincides with ongoing talks between Michael Segalov, Communications Officer, and the National Union of Students to provide a review of Full and Part Time Officer roles within the Students’ Union.

After online surveys, workshops andinterveiws with societies, staff,

offciers past and present and the University, the NUS would provide the Students’ Union with a report on how effective the Union Officers’ roles are and where there might be room for improvement.

Speaking about the proposed review, Abraham Baldry, Union President, said: “I think I speak for the whole executive when I say that we very much want to embark on an officer review on how the officer roles are and how they could be different going forwards”.

The recommendations of the report, which would be organised and paid for by NUS, would not be

binding and the Union Council discussed the possibility of putting the proposed changes to referendum in the early months of 2015.

Michael Segalov, Communications Officer, said:“For many years officer teams have attempted to review their roles.

“Working with NUS it’s exciting that we can finally start working to make all positions fit for the future, and ensure students have a voice in how this looks.”

Further debate on increased measures of accountability within the Students’ Union and ideas of how Union policies are put to refer-

endum by students and Officers are to be discussed by the Union Council at a later date.

In the same Students’ Union council meeting the councillors also unanimously approved a new ethical and environmental policy draft to cover the Students’ Union working practice.

The Council also approved the creation of the Student Voice Steering Group, a new committee which, according to the draft document, has been established to “identify and discuss issues affecting the student body as identified to elected officers and staff ”.

Ever thought about writing for The Badger?

Come along to our writers meetings on Fridays in the Badger Office from 2pm to 3pm Sophie Jones

the badger

6 October 2014

NEWS • 4

QMPF warns Sussex over East Slope redevelopement Daniel Green News Sub-Editor The consultancy firm QMPF have expressed concern over the University’s planned redevelopment of East Slope accommodation.

In a presentation to the University’s Finance and Investments Committee, the company explored ‘major risks’ in the plan, in particular concern over the growth of student numbers and ‘local resistance’ to the redevelopment.

QMPF’s fears echo those of Brighton and Hove City Council, who rejected the University’s application for planning permission for the redevelopment in June, saying that the plans would put housing in Brighton under further pressure.

Further concerns have been raised by students, who have expressed fears over the prospect of increased rent for prospective students and the planned demolition of East Slope Bar. Rianna Gargiulo, Welfare Officer for the Student’s Union, explained that the Students’ Union have been attempting to work with the University to address students concerns, saying: “We are committed to ensur-

ing affordable accommodation to suit everyone’s budget.

“Last year’s officer team secured a two year rent freeze and we will push for this to be extended if the University proposes rents that our students deem to be unreasonable.”

The Students’ Union is also campaigning to ensure a replacement for East Slope Bar is included in the redevelopment plans, particularly in the form of a new Union building following a referendum last term.

Dan Greenberg, Operations Officer, said: “The demolition of not only East Slope residences, but also East Slope Bar raises issues for both students, who love the venue, as well as for the Students’ Union, for which the bar is a significant revenue stream.

“We are working with the University to put together plans for a new building, which would potentially be part of the new East Slope redevelopment.

“We will not agree to a new Union building until it is guaranteed that it will contain a Union-run bar space.”

In a statement, a University spokesperson said: “[The redevelopment] will benefit our students and

Structural changes place eight at risk of job loss Jack Williams News Editor Proposed changes to the University’s professional service structure may put eight staff members at risk of involuntary redundancy.

Overall, the jobs of three financial department staff and five technicians are to be dissolved, due to the ‘strategic’ and ‘organisational’ reasons of the University’s plan.

In the Finance Division, those occupying the positions of Head of procurement, Commercial Contracts Manager and Contracts Manager could be made redundant at the end of October.

University of Sussex officials informed the affected financial and technical staff about the impending risk of losing their positions on 24 July and 15 August respectively.

Should the changes go ahead, however, each of the staff members affected will be offered redeployment opportunities, meaning that they are given the chance to reapply for a similar role within the University, should they be deemed to meet the essential criteria for the role.

The report detailing the prospective changes to professional services was presented by the Head of Human Resources, Jane Summerville, to the University Council on Wednesday 24 September, and forms part of the University’s ‘Making the Future 13 -18’ vision.

The University claim that the Professional Service needs to be redeveloped to increase its effectiveness and efficiency in order to achieve

growth in the University’s academic enterprise.

In the report, Summerville explained that the reorganisation of the Finance Division was being done in order to “Create a Value for Money, Commercial Contracts and Risk team to bring together and integrate procurement and insurance activities with support for a range of commercial activity throughout the University; provide pro-active support to Heads of School and other senior managers engaged in the supply of goods and services.”

The Sussex branches of UCU and Unison, who represent the financial staff affected, and Sussex Unison, who represent the at-risk technicians, have been informed of the proposed changes by the University and are advising their members accordingly Soo Lyth, Joint Branch Secretary of Sussex Unison, said: “When affected staff are our members we give advice and support to them to enable them to make the right decisions and help them negotiate their terms. If necessary we will refer matters to our regional Unison officers for help and advice.

“Thanks to UNISON negotiations with HR in the past few years staff at risk of redundancy have a much improved settlement package.

“Whilst this is never our preferred route, in some instances there are very limited choices available.”

The University declined to comment.

the wider community in Brighton and Hove by adding to the housing stock available for students.”

The University reviews the rents it charges annually, taking into account both affordability and comparability.

That will remain the case following any redevelopment. The social facilities on campus are an important part of what makes the University an attractive place for students and we keep that in mind when considering any major redevelopment’.

In addition, an Finance and Investments Committee report revealed that the University have altered plans to redevelop East Slope, stating ‘that a phased redevelopment approach may be required to address student growth with campus construction being completed by summer 2018’, two years later than anticipated.

The preferred construction bidder tasked with the redevelopment of East Slope is due to be announced in December.

The University plans to replace East Slope, adding an extra 1,400 study bedrooms to the east side of campus, alongside new academic buildings.

Aditi Sreevathsa

Clearing spaces soar at Sussex Zoë Halse News Sub-Editor Clearing in August 2014 saw the University of Sussex make 380 offers to prospective students, over double the 2013 figures.

A report from the Vice Chancellor details that there was a 30% increase in the number of calls received by the university compared to last year’s Clearing process, totalling over 4,000 calls in 2014.

Additionally, Sussex engaged in a social-media campaign over the period that boasts 3,500 hits on the university website as well as having since been ranked 7th in the UK for being influential on Twitter by Times Higher Education magazine.

The Vice Chancellors report in May announced that ‘Applications to the university are, in general, down at a time when the sector has seen an increase and this can be linked to the University’s recent league table positions’.

However, this year Sussex has risen from number 50 in The Guardian 2014 university league table, to 43 for 2015.

The university has also risen in The Sunday Times university guide’s estimations.

The University have also reported that in fact ‘The proportion of applicants choosing Sussex as their firm choice in 2014 actually went up by several percentage points and is at its highest level in recent years’.

According to UCAS statistics, there were 17,375 applications to Sussex in the 2013 cycle and 3,545 applicants were accepted.

Sussex stress that it is important for the university ‘to grow in size to ensure it retains critical mass in an increasingly globally competitive environment: both

students and staff have more choice than ever, both in the UK, where the government proposes to remove the cap on university places, and internationally’.

The university describe Clearing as ‘just an additional opportunity for talented students to consider a University education’.

They articulate that ‘what has set us aside in the last couple of years is the responsiveness that the University shows to prospective students during a potentially stressful time’, clearing, which makes Sussex an attractive option to them.

Sussex employ student helpers to assist in taking calls on behalf of the University during Clearing. One such student from this year gave The Badger an insight into her experience.

They related that ‘Unfortunately most of the time we were declining people’ but that successful candidates appreciated be-

ing able to talk to students as well as staff about what the university had to offer.

A point that has been reaffirmed by the university’s feedback from students who chose Sussex through clearing.

They had been particularly struck by the dramatic drop in terms of academic requirements for admission in the Clearing process.

They cited for example, ‘History & Politics, ordinarily a grade AAB offer course, was asking instead for grades of BCC.’ They also pointed out that ‘A lot of students do not really know anything about Sussex, understandably they were phoning because they were panicking that they would not get into university’. For this reason, the university highlighted that Sussex has ‘clearing visit days [that] provide an important opportunity for students and their supporters to visit and make sure they are making the right choice for them’.

Warwick University Clearing

the badger

6 OCTOBER 2014

NEWS • 5

Life Sciences and Physics win SWAN award Rosie Dodds News Sub-Editor On Thursday 25 September, the School of Life Sciences and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sussex were both awarded the Athena SWAN bronze accreditation, an award presented for their work in advocating women in Science, and will be officially handed over at a ceremony in early November.

Athena SWAN, a program which has been running since 2005, acknowledges commitment to advancing women’s careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine employment in higher education and research.

The scheme’s principles, among many, follow the undertaking of unequal representation of genders, the addressing of gender inequalities, and the tackling of the high loss rate of women in science.

The Head of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Peter Coles, stated: “I am delighted at the Athena SWAN bronze award to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, which is the result of a huge effort led by Dr. Kathy Romer but also involving many other members of staff.

“The Department scored at or above the national average in all key areas: student intake (UG, PGT, PGR), research intake, academic staff, REF submissions and so on.

“That said, the Athena SWAN process has highlighted several areas where improvements can be made, such as in the mentoring of female postdoctoral researchers, and en-

Jess Pitocchi

hanced levels of training in equality and diversity matters such as the influence of unconscious bias.

“We are very pleased to have received the bronze award, but there is still much to do.”

Professor Louise Serpell, who chaired the Life Sciences assessment team, commented : “We are really delighted to receive the bronze award from Athena SWAN. “This is the result of work by a dedicated self-assessment team in Life Sciences.

“We are looking forward to implementing our action plan to improve the working environment for Life Sciences staff.”

“We are very optimistic that these

Sophie Jones interventions will help to enhance the success of women in Life Sciences subjects, allowing us to retain and attract more women in science research and to celebrate their success.”

Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the School of Engineering and Informatics look set to follow in their footsteps, with both schools preparing an application for the Athena SWAN bronze award in November.

The University of Sussex’s School of Law, Politics and Sociology has also been celebrated for its work against gender inequality, after becoming one of the first recipients of Athena SWAN’s sister scheme, the Gender Equality Charter Mark bronze award, last month.

Police granted new powers Alexander Ferguson News Sub-Editor Police in Brighton have been granted new powers to disperse drunk and rowdy crowds in the centre of town.

The dispersal order, known under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 as a section 30 order, grants police officers and police community support officers the power to disperse crowds of two or more people who they believe are causing considerable anti-social behaviour.

The police officers have the right to make the crowds leave the area and to stop them from returning for up to 24 hours.

Brighton and Hove City Council and Sussex Police have agreed that these powers will be put into practice until October 20.

Sergeant Dave Palmer has said: “It will help the immediate problems anti-social behaviour can cause and help stop any intimidation, violence, drinking, drug taking, fights, noise or urinating.”

“It is not designed to target residents or visitors, but is to make the area more pleasant for those who live, work and visit.”

The dispersal zone, which is mainly focused in the centre of Brighton extends from Preston Street to Lower Rock Gardens reaching as far from

UCU strike ballot to take place Cancelled coursework, held back feedback and halted exams could face students at the University of Sussex if teaching staff decide to take industrial action against proposed ‘radical’ pension cuts.

The University and College Union (UCU) has lobbied tutors and lecturers from 1 October, to back plans for a marking and exam boycott in opposition of the potential changes to pension provision.

According to UCU’s analysis, the estimated cuts could amount to £230,000 for the longest serving and higher earning members of teaching staff.

Branch secretary of Sussex UCU, Kate Edwards, said: “This affects everyone who has or is considering a career here.”

“We couldn’t reasonably expect academics and academic related staff to remain working at the University of Sussex when they’d get a better pension package over the road at Brighton.”

The proposals, put forward by University UK (UUK), are to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), the pension scheme for staff at the ‘older, more selective’ universities.

They include removing the final salary element of the scheme, introducing an earnings cap at £40,000 with no applied benefits, and expecting members to increase future payments into their pension.

Edwards added: “There will simply be fewer reasons to work as an academic in a pre-92 sector university such as Sussex if these changes go ahead.”

The University confirmed the UCU

has notified them of its intention to conduct a ballot for industrial action.

The threatening consequences of professors and academics at the University refusing to mark or access work could ultimately result in the prevention of some students from graduating.

Bethan Hunt, Educations Officer for the Students’ Union, said: “I fully understand and appreciate that some students will be frustrated at the prospect of an exam boycott.

“However, I would encourage students to support their staff and to channel any frustration that they do have towards those making these changes to the pension system.”

The pension cuts have been prompted by an expected deficit in the USS scheme, but the UCU believe the calculations are “too simplistic.”

Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary, said: “We do not accept the way the scheme’s deficit is being valued or share the overly cautious and pessimistic view.”

Sussex is one of 67 universities being balloted by the UCU, including Russell Group institutions such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and University College London.

Contemporary History Masters student Amy Gower said: “Obviously it’s going to affect students a lot and, rightly, they will be concerned.

“But with teachers as parents, I understand they are going to struggle in later life if they are getting their pensions cut.”

The ballot closes on Monday 20 October.

The national UCU called off their last planned marking boycott in May after they were handed a 2 percent salary increase.

Students robbed and attacked at home

Sophie Jones the seafront as Upper North Street, North Road, Grand Parade and Edward Street. The seafront is also included within the zone up to Duke’s Mound.

When asked about these new powers of dispersal, one Sussex student said: “I am sceptical of these new police powers, it would be very easy for them to abuse these new rights of dispersal.”

The extra powers of dispersal were granted following an incident in Pavilion Gardens when a large group of teenagers assaulted and stabbed a Brighton man in the back on Sep-

tember 20.

Eight people were arrested following the incident and have now been released on bail. The victim of the attack has now been released from the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

This is only one example of a number of stabbings, sexual assaults and fights that have occurred in the city centre over the past few weeks.

Sergeant Dave Palmer added: “This dispersal zone will help us to combat anti-social behaviour where large groups of people are setting out to cause problems and commit crimes in the area.”

The Argus Jack Williams News Editor A group of University students were burgled and attacked last week after three masked men invaded their house.

All three of the victims were students studying at the University of Sussex and had many of their possessions stolen by the intruders.

The burglary occurred at the students’ house on Beaconsfield Road in Brighton at 11pm last Monday night.

After the break-in, the students were assaulted before having their laptops, mobile phones and an undisclosed amount of money taken by the three men.

Detective Sergeant Simon Dunn said: “This was a terrifying experience for the victims and we urgently need to speak to anyone who could know who the three men are or the member of the public who intervened.

“This was a violent attack on the students in their home and we need to find those responsible.”

www.thouronaward.org

Fully Funded Study in the USA Up to TEN awards, each with a total value of approx US$90,000 per year, covering tuition fees and living expenses, including travel in the USA, will be available (for one or two years) from 1st September 2015 for candidates who wish to pursue a postgraduate programme at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

Applications are invited by 5pm on 3rd November 2014 from UK university graduates, including forthcoming summer 2015 graduates, who are British citizens normally resident in the UK.

For further details visit www.thouronaward.org or contact Jennie Eldridge, Award Administrator on +44 (0)20 7848 3376 quoting ref TA14.

15108_Thouron_Badger_360x298.indd 1

Thouron Awards were created by Sir John and Lady Thouron for the promotion of academic exchange and experience in international friendship between the UK & USA.

in association with

18/09/2014 16:20

the badger

6 October 2014

Letters • 7

An open letter to You never know undergraduates it ‘til it’s gone Dear Badger,

Dear Badger

By the time I reached my final year in university, I was pretty fed up with institutionalized education and the countless unnecessary little obstacles I was made to “overcome,” only so I would be handed a degree that would promise a hopeful career.

And if not that, then at least some promising options.

Five months after graduation, I find myself five thousand miles away from home with no physical copy of my actual hard-earned degree, working as a glorified receptionist.

There’s almost no trace of my life as a student, and certainly no clear implementation of the knowledge I’ve gained from the past four years of reading, writing, and contemplating.

As a student on the verge of becoming a qualified young adult, I couldn’t wait to start living my life.

I couldn’t wait to have a big girl job, to work full time and actually have money in my bank account, and to really begin learning.

But unfortunately, there’s more anxiety and worry involved in being an adult than there is in being a student.

I’m also certain that I’ve done more learning in a day as a student than I have the past five months as an “adult”.

Being in the safe confines of a university grants one valuable opportunities; you grapple with the theoretical and the abstract, and if you can’t reach a resolution then you can at least over intellectualize why a resolution doesn’t exist, and all of that would be important.

Once you’re released into the wild you might find yourself grappling with very different obstacles that are, quite frankly, uninteresting and tedious.

Today, I find myself spending more time than I’d like calculating walking distances and how much money I might possibly save by avoiding various forms of public transportation, than I do learning about the turbulent twentieth century and its fascinating consequences.

I’m slowly forgetting verses of my favourite poetry, and lessons from my beloved books.

Instead of countless hours spent pouring over a brilliantly written novel, I find myself being paid a meager salary to stand and stare into space.

What’s more is that out in the wild, no one cares about poetry. No one cares about its cultural significance.

No one even bats an eyelash at a brilliant Faulkner reference, and the feeling of isolation in a world content with a safe, monotonous routine is terrifying.

So, dear students, do not let yourself be disheartened or bored, by the second week of the semester no less, but instead rest assured that you are within a community of learners and there is no better company.

The saying ‘You never know what you have until you’ve lost it.’ is without a doubt one of my favourite sayings, as throughout life it keeps reminding us of how true it indeed is.

Overall I must say that I have not found the move from campus accommodation to off-campus accommodation as difficult as I thought I would.

However, using the Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company to get to university is proving to be quite a challenge, as every morning myself and many other students trying to get on to campus wait at bus stops watching 25 buses pass by without even stopping, as they are full to the brim.

Every now and then when they do stop, our excitement is in vain as it is only to disembark one or two passengers, not to allow new passengers on.

Eventually, when a bus which isn’t full stops and passengers are allowed to embark a great battle takes place to decide which passengers will be lucky enough to get onto the bus.

Once on the bus completely jammed together with a stranger passing other bus stops without stopping and watching the disappointment of others is a fixed part of the travel experience.

Now before I can suggest a solution for this problem I must state that I am no expert on bus scheduling.

However, it would seem like the sensible thing to do would be to increase the number of buses coming onto campus.

I am by no means hopeful that this will happen.

Dear freshers, appreciate your first year on campus to the fullest as getting to classes is so easy.

To all other students, at least consider the healthy option of cycling or taking the train.

Denise Wong

Karl Maloney-Yorganci

‘Generation Now’ Dear Badger,

again. Our own generation has been br Some call us millennials; others call us the ‘Facebook Generation’ which isn’t far off. Bret Easton Ellis recently dubbed us as Generation Wuss; branding us as ‘over sensitive and desperate’-sounds a bit like old man syndrome.

I see myself as part of Generation Now..

A mix of millennials and the ‘Facebook Generation’, we grew up with two personalities: one in the flesh and the other online.

People have their online voice, that dull tone riddled with LOL’s, and the need to slot in a ‘HA HA’ at the end of every sentence.

But people are also more confident online; the random messages from people who never speak in public.

Or they post the endless comment explaining why they hate something (pot kettle?), but in the flesh, they turn out to be the most ineffectual non-person ever.

The growth of social media has encouraged us to prostitute ourselves online.

When you can’t get a high in everyday life, you post a funny status, tweet, or photo of a sunset or strawberry shortcake on Instagram, in the hope that you’ll get a ‘like’.

Maybe, if lucky, the orgasmic fifty liker or a re-tweet; it basically becomes an internet fetish, with the phenomenon of ‘like fishing’.

We all do it, because it’s instant gratification.

Spurred on by the fast paced media culture, encourages us to ‘have it all in one go’.

You can watch a series back to back on Netflix; almost everyone who watched ‘Breaking Bad’ finished it in a month.

With music, people no longer wait to buy the album; they buy the single of iTunes, and download it instantly. The trend in online hook ups, from sites like Tinder encourages the same obsessive nature with wanting everything instantly.

Judging a person on a photo, and either saying yay or nay only encourages that desire to get it all now. Grindr, (apart for being for older men who seriously think a picture of their belly will be a turn on) essentially encourages people to meet up instantly for quickie.

Generation Now has nowhere to go but faster.

Perhaps Ellis is right, maybe we are all too sensitive and protected.

I don’t think seeking to change a Generation is ever useful, or even important.

Just like in Ellis’s novels, the only thing you can do with a generation is watch, and see it burn.

Every now and then, a generation is labelled.

Lawrence Brooks Our parents were Generation X. Kurt Vonnegut sympathetically labelled the youth of the nineties as Generation A; in optimism that they could start

Why we need to boycott Israel This summer, Israel launched an offensive on the besieged Gaza strip that resulted in the killing of more than 2,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

The offensive was the not the first and most likely won’t be the last as long as Israel is not held accountable for its war crimes.

According to the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Israel remains the occupying power in Gaza even after its 2005 disengagement.

Yet not enough pressure is being exerted on Israel from governments to end its occupation of the Palestinian Territories and its apartheid system.

In 2005, after the international criminal court deemed the apartheid wall in the West Bank to be illegal, 171 Palestinian civil society organizations issued a call for a campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it respects international law and Palestinian human rights.

This year, Israel’s finance minister Yair Lapid, stated Israel is reaching a “tipping point” similar to the one South Africa was brought to by the anti-apartheid movement.

The most powerful form of boycott aimed at ending Israel’s impunity is the economic one.

Here in Brighton, Ecostream, the flagship store of the company Sodastream - which has its factory in an illegal settlement in the West Bank was forced to close its doors as a result of a two year boycott campaign.

This past August, the National Union of Students passed a BDS policy to support students campaigning to boycott companies “supporting Israel materially, economically, militarily, and/or as helping maintain the illegal Israeli settlements”.

Our Students’ Union at Sussex continues to implement a full boycott of Israeli goods in its shops and bars, as a result of two referendums.

Unfortunately though there are still many companies on campus that are complicit in Israel’s human rights abuses.

The bins are taken away by Veolia, who serve illegal Israeli settlements.

The University is considering making links with Israeli universities and invests in G4S, who provide surveillance equipment for Israeli prisons that hold Palestinian political prisoners, as well as in banks that invest in arms companies that supply the Israeli military.

Ultimately, boycotts are a nonviolent means to affect change. An effective boycott campaign worked in helping to bring an end to South Africa’s apartheid regime, and now we can make sure it helps bring an end to Israel’s racist system and occupation once and for all.

There is a price if we want real justice, equality and peace. If Israel is not going to be held accountable by the international community for its crimes against the Palestinian people, then international civil society needs to step in.

No one should ever face segregation and a brutal military occupation on a daily basis.

Rather than simply watching events in Palestine in horror we should work to make sure that our university respects the Palestinian call for boycott.

The next Friends of Palestine Society meeting is at 4pm on Wednesday the 8th October in Fulton 214.

Salaheldin Seoudi

#THEBADGER the week in tweets @flreeon 2 for £2 on Coke AND red Bull at campus today - oh Co-Op, thou art wise and gracious. @commsUSSU NEWSFLASH - SUSSEX UNI WILL BE OFFERING A DEGREE IN UNDERWATER BASKET WEAVING! @Pipsissiwa Despite a rainy start, had a very, very good day sales-wise at Sussex Uni Market. So many lovely comments too. #feelingtalented @tillyrose_3 Why can’t it be Freshers Fortnight as a week is not enough :( :( #sussexuni @USSU Falmer shop is now open on the weekends! No longer will you have to wait until Monday to buy a Sussex Uni Hoodie! @ActivitiesUSSU thank you @Susuana_Xx for the awesome @IHeartConsent training! We got such a great bunch of volunteers <3 @dbatchelor94 So pleased we have so many amazing wirters this term already

Do you have an opinion like a shot of tequila, short and strong?

If so, then get involved and keep tweeting us using our hashtag #TheBadger. You can retort to an article, support a letter or just have a rant, feel free! We want to hear as much from you as we can! Get hashtagging!

The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not nessesarily represent those of the Student’s Union, unless explicitly stated.

Fed up with slow walkers? Seagulls getting to you? Need to rant about queueing? Feel like an issue needs coverage or want to respond to a previous letter/article?

University of Sussex Students’ Union Falmer, East Sussex, BN1 9QF

badger-letters.ussu.sussex.ac.uk

Then please type away and send your letter to:

the badger

6 October 2014

FEATURE • 8

@twhiddleston via Twitter

Marco Bond

HeForShe... a realistic idea?

Katerina Tsibouklis details praise for Emma Watson’s campaign with personal experiences, but also notes its shortcomings.

Katerina Tsibouklis Sussex Undergraduate I came across Emma Watson’s speech at the UN to launch her ‘HeForShe’ Campaign as a video link uploaded onto my Facebook homepage.

Admittedly, as a Harry Potter fan and a self-declared feminist, I was captivated by her words, listening intently to all thirteen minutes and acknowledging every sentence.

It proved difficult to watch the video impartially since it confirmed my already liberal views.

Watson addressed startling personal experiences such as being sexualised by the media as a teenager and having male friends who found it hard to ‘express their feelings.’

Both were equally thought provoking. These are issues that I relate to, since I have personally encountered them growing up. Many times I have seen men struggling with their emotions and mental health and they could not speak to anyone about it.

I see this as society turning into an amalgamation of silenced males acting as a foil to women who appear as a far more emotional gender.

From start to finish, Watson’s speech brought light to the issue of gender equality, which is still regularly overlooked in Britain and across the world today.

Watson not only highlighted global problems as a result of male supremacy, such as the current existence of child brides and girls who are ‘unable to finish their

education’, but she also discussed how men are affected by this gender inequality. She informed the UN of how suicide is ‘the biggest killer of men aged 29-40’. With this in mind, I found it extremely refreshing to see a feminist campaign such as ‘HeForShe’ which is focused on equality for both men and women.

During her speech, Emma Watson made regular reference to ‘inadvertent feminists’. She described the ‘inadvertent feminists’ as her parents and mentors, who she argued did not hinder her upbringing nor her education simply because she was born female. She made a direct plea to those people to start associating themselves with feminism to create a united front to eradicate the subordination of women globally.

Despite my passion for the cause, I could not help but find an impediment to this idealism. I am of the opinion that ‘inadvertent feminists’ would still struggle to identify themselves as ‘feminists.’

As a person who was born in Britain, it is true that I have been given the same opportunities as a man in terms of education by my parents and teachers.

However these ‘inadvertent feminists’ that Watson describes may also be a mere product of British culture, meaning that ‘inadvertent feminists’ could also, intentionally or not, condone casual sexism, which is to my belief, a social norm in British culture. In other words, there is an evident conflict of interest between the ‘inadvertent feminist’ and the ‘subconscious sexist’.

Like Watson and many other

British people, I was born in a home where I was not intentionally treated as inferior to my brother just for being female, and getting a good education was encouraged. However, just as there is a natural tendency to accept women’s educational rights in Britain, there is also an embedded culture of casual sexism.

There is daily evidence of sexism in Britain, even without having to analyse the pay cheques of men in comparison to women. Phrases such as ‘boys will be boys’ or ‘know your place’ are used daily, and women are described in derogatory terms for being sexually promiscuous in ways that men are not.

Additionally, men in Britain who attempt to openly discuss their feelings are often compared to women in a negative way. In fact, even Watson herself recalled being eight years old and called ‘bossy’ for wanting to coordinate the play that her and her friends had put on for their parents.

This casual acceptance that women should behave in a certain way has led to reactions of shock if a female were to challenge the demeaning terms that are so easily used against them. I am often described as ‘too sensitive’ or ‘radical’ if I attempt to challenge every-day sexism.

Admittedly, I am passionate about the cause, and ‘HeForShe’ has strengthened my beliefs. But my challenges to the casual subordination of women are never aggressive; I often merely question the comments that are so easily made.

But there are also times where I

do not speak out against sexism, for the fear of how others may perceive my arguments. This fear that I have to speak out against inequality is something that I am not proud of.

However, as a result of the educational, professional and political advancements the suffragette movements have enabled for women, I believe we are in a culture where feminism is not always seen as ‘relevant’.

It seems difficult to attempt to make progression towards full equality in Britain without being perceived as erratic. But I often find myself questioning, how long before the culture of unchallenged everyday sexism leads to a misogynist/ male dominated society?

Some celebrities, like Tom Hiddleston and Russell Crowe have shared their support for Watson’s campaign on the social media site Twitter. Both uploaded a photograph of themselves with the hashtag ‘HeForShe’.

However, Emma Watson’s campaign was not entirely a success and she has received her share of criticism. Not only this, but even though it was found to be a hoax, 4chan (an online forum) uploaded a photograph of Emma Watson with a countdown on their website.

Rumoured to leak explicit photos of her, this scandal follows a recent mishap of Apple’s iCloud service.

Intimate photographs in this case were stolen from the phones of celebrities, and published online on social media websites.

Regardless of the hoax in Watson’s case, it could be perceived as

an attempt to impede on Watson’s campaign, and, in a misogynistic light, to quieten her for speaking up.

With all this in mind, ‘HeForShe’ is in theory a wonderful ideology.

However, it is evident that in order to make the ‘inadvertent feminists’ start to identify as feminist, the casually sexist society we live in needs to change. And if we cannot yet achieve full equality in Britain, how can we expect to achieve it in countries where women are still not given the same basic rights as their male counterparts?

The concept of ‘HeForShe’ is excellent, but whether or not the ideology that Watson is trying to create could realistically work is questionable.

follow and facebook Who knew Badgers could use computers?

Follow us @thebadgernews and find us on facebook.com/thebadger.ussu Want to write for Features? Have an article idea in mind?

Send your ideas to badger-features@ussu.sussex.ac.uk

THE

BADGER

Your Students’ Union pub in the centre of Brighton

on What’s

Autumn Term

STUDENT PRICES ALL THE TIME: £3.20 Strongbow/ Fosters / Snakebite £2.50 rum/vodka mixer 3 for 2 jager, sambuca, tuaca Pre-drink Hour: 8pm-11pm (Skint prices)

FOOD

Mondays from 5pm 2 for 1 burgers Wednesdays all day burger+pint £5 Thursdays £10 steak + 3 sides FRY...days fish&chips/halloumi&chips 2 for £10

Mondays (monthly)

Drawing Circus

7.30-10pm. Circus themed life drawing £5 students, £6 nonstudents.

Wednesdays

Skint

Strongbow, Fosters & Snakebite £2 Rum/vodka + mixer £2.50 Shots of tequila/ sambuca £1.85 3 for 2 Jagermeister

Thursdays (Monthly nights)

Fem Rock

Thurs 30th Oct, Thurs 27th Nov: Monthly FemRock Night: Renowned amongst Brightonians for showcasing the best local female-fronted performers, FemRock is an inclusive event for people of all genders. FemRock nights are about celebrating women in music, raising money for charity and promoting local artists!

Hollow Earth

Thurs 23rd Oct, Thurs 20th Nov: Monthly Hollow Earth Nights - Expect kaleidoscopic visuals, psychedelic performances and the full-range of drinks deals! The new monthly experiment at The Globe, Middle Street.

Featuring UK debuts from Brooklyn psych-rock band Woodsman, plus label-mates Ancient Ocean - followed up with classic Brightonian hip-hop ‘till 2am. The event is broadcast by event sponsors Resonance 104.4fm, URF and Mixcloud and is brought to you via your Students’ Union. Free entry for students with a valid student card - no need to book a ticket in advance, just turn up and show your student card. Tickets for non-students are £4

the badger

6 october 2014 Comment • 10

How vinyl melted my heart, my soul, and my ears Alex Tuck

Two weeks ago, something purely magical entered my life. Having just moved into our new house across town, I’d acquired a room easily twice the size of my old, mouldy and downright depressing box I’d spent the last year of my life trying to shuffle in and out of.

This room has a view across easily one eighth of Brighton and more space than I could possibly even need.

So I jumped at the chance of being handed down my very first record player from my dad, a Technics SLBD20D. Listening to vinyl has been something I had been keen on doing for a couple of years since one night on freshers week where I got stupidly drunk and at some point that night, found myself being played Rumours

by Fleetwood Mac on vinyl in someone’s flat.

Despite the state I was in, I appreciated what I heard immensely, if only for the image and statement at the time.

We’ll get round to how I was missing the point there in a second.

It took a while, but I soon started slowly building up a small collection of records that I hoped I would one day get to play when I had the money or space to have a turntable of my own.

Two years later, I have a couple of 7inch’s from small label bands like Moose Blood and Touche Amore, and

some 12inch LPs which, at the time of writing, I have ordered a few more of thanks to the God’s gift that is the student loan.

So it seems kind of sad, right? I had bought these records and not even listened to them?

There’s a lot of hate for people that do that on the internet right now: a clan of young people eager to buy rare vinyl purely for owning purposes, bragging rights - to be the one of a few hundred with a certain colour or finish on their limited edition pressing (I’m looking at you, Tumblr folk) but some won’t even give it the light of day.

Now, you’ve no excuse to not listen to a CD. There’s a computer or CD player in pretty much every house hold in the UK and western world in the 21st century.

However, turntables mean a huge investment for a good one if you have to start from scratch, they’re seen as more of a rarity in today’s streamingdominated landscape.

So why spend hundreds of pounds on a turntable, plus £20 for each record, when it only costs £10 a month for a subscription to Spotify?

I’ll start off with my favourite example of music ever: American Football’s self-titled album of 1999. The first I’d ever heard from this album was four years ago from a rar rip from Mediafire, (because you know, f*** paying the artist, right kids?) and yes, I did instantly fall in love with this album.

It’s prompted such a reaction from a rising fanbase over the last 15 years that earlier this year American Football re-united to remaster and

re-release the album over all popular formats, and even play a few gigs to melt many emo fanboys’ hearts worldwide.

Having since bought the CD for peanuts on play.com a couple of years ago, I decided I still hadn’t really been as charitable as I could have been towards this album that I had spoken so much praise of to my friends and whatever social network page I was currently abusing.

Without thinking, I splashed out roughly £26 on getting a copy of the new, repressed LP (with an extra record full of previously unheard cuts from the bands rehearsals and live recordings, gold dust to any fan of the band) and sat patiently waiting for two months until the LP was even shipped from the States.

Again, when it got here, all I could really do was read the liner notes and drool over the artwork, not even listen to the thing.

It wasn’t until I got home for a week in the summer, months later, that I got to experience what I had paid for, which had been the equivalent of buying a new car and just sitting in it, I guess.

Rather than just double-clicking the first track on my iTunes now, I had this process of taking the record out of the sleeve, checking for dust, cleaning the record if needed, placing on the turntable, delicately lifting the tonearm over to the turntable, shifting the ‘cueing’ switch so that the needle softly landed onto the now-spinning record, without sliding the opposite way and falling off completely to make

the sound of Satan gargling nails erupt from my speakers.

Oh, and don’t forget to make sure the speed’s right, 33 1/3 or it’ll sound like the chipmunks, Alex. Finally, we are ready to listen to the music - I could be half a song into if I had just put it on my iPod. But then it happens. The first few crackles as the record clears its throat.

The familiar sound of the opening of the album, but this time it feels… closer. It feels like the bands in the room with me.

Now, instead of hearing just the bass thrown at me through my computer speakers in a muddy mess, it sounds complete and I’m hearing the full picture.

The vocals aren’t rounded at the edges this times, the absence of compression allows the song to take over the room.

It’s just like hearing the album for the first time, despite it being my 100th. Before I know it, before I can properly take it in however, the speakers crackle and it’s time to flip to side B for some more.

Thing is, with an LP, it’s not for background music. It’s not for loud parties, or just to be left playing unattended whilst I mill around completing other daily jobs in the house.

This is active listening, for those who want to hear every element, every piece of the puzzle that makes up a song, with the highest definition of listening.

Now, the digital’s answer to this is the FLAC file, like an mp3 but without the compression. And that’s

fair enough, it’s a lot cheaper than going through the hassle of owning a turntable.

But, and like I spoke about earlier, how excited will you actually get when you click ‘download file’ for a FLAC album?

As much as I can see the negative side of buying vinyl specifically for reasons other than the music itself, isn’t it wonderful that people can still get excited over receiving music like this?

This is 2014, we’re in a world where streaming music pretty much for free now makes the weekly charts, where music is taken for granted by the masses that the feeling of entitlement amongst listeners worldwide has reached a point where many consumers feel the artist owes them now.

Downloading, and now streaming, has killed so much excitement in buying and consuming music that it seems appropriate that vinyl has seen a resurgence in the last 10 years, sales up 101% alone in the UK from 2012 to 2013, whilst CD sales continue to dwindle.

So the future of the record looks to be bright once again. What’s more, from my own experience, it’s bringing music back into conversation.

I’ve had some of my housemates come to actively listen to a few records in my room, even talk about buying their own for the turntable too. How awesome is that?

Music, not just being purchased, but being appreciated every single time it’s played. And sometimes, being appreciated when it’s still in the sleeve.

Is there a ‘right’ method for negotiating a hostage situation?

Phoebe Day

After the beheading of French hostage Herve Gourdel by Algerian Extremist group on Wednesday the French government are convening for crisis talks which may affect the nature of France’s involvement in Syria and Iraq.

Since gaining independence from France in 1962, Algeria passed from elections to coups and back with increasing pace.

There is still a huge struggle of control between government and radical groups.

The Jundal-Khilafa militant group have previously executed US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff on the 19th of August and 2nd of September respectively.

Both the USA and France have a non-negotiable policy for refusing to pay ransoms of terrorist groups.

France’s policy only recently came about in January 2013, but after the release of four French hostages from Islamic militants in Mali suspicions were raised whether this policy is followed through.

To this President Francois Hollande stated: “France doesn’t pay. France tries each time to save the hostages”.

A policy of non-negotiation with terror groups is a controversial issue and with the increase of media coverage of international hostage situa-

tions will continue to be questioned.

Money from hostage ransoms is a main source of income that keeps the ISIL and other terrorist groups have affected £76.7 million from ransoms in the last six years.

On average £3.3 million is paid for each hostage and terror groups will normally specifically target which hostages are taken on the basis of nationality, knowing which countries are more likely to pay.

Although the UN urges countries to implement a non-negotiable financial stance to terror groups, there is no set law or ruling to prevent such negotiation.

There is also no law currently in place to stop private companies paying ransoms, which is often the outcome of a hostage situation which gains media attention.

But if we were to implement sanctions to those countries in the UN or EU who do negotiate with terrorists, or set laws in place in individual countries banning private negotiations with hostages of militant groups, would this be viewed as a moral right or wrong?

As a result of the war on terror, large scale terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda have splintered into many small bunkers of terrorist activity.

One downside for the west of this is that there are no set guidelines for

dealing with the west, and there is no guarantee to how these groups handle hostage negotiations.

The UK is currently dealing with a third hostage taken by ISIL, the militant forces that are currently attempting to gain control over Iraq This follows the news of the murder of hostage David Haines, a British worker, killed by the same executer as

Foley and Sotloff.

The hostage claims that he has been “abandoned” the British government, and is pleading for a negotiation on behalf of his captors, claiming “there are two sides to every story”.

The cycle of terror cannot be broken without a firm definitive stance from the west, but with a non-cooperative decision will come the ethical

issue of the cost of many lives.

The real question is whether the cost of those lives will even actually contribute to providing a more peaceful middle east, or if international non-cooperation would simply compel terrorists to use even more violent methods as a way of gaining money.

Aditi Sreevathsa

the badger

6 OCTOBER 2014

Comment: THE BIG DEBATE • 11

Should 16 year olds be given the vote?

With the Labour party promising to lower the voting age if elected to government in next May’s election, The Badger asks are 16 year olds ready for the responsibility?

Sophie Jones

Yes Nancy Watson Of course 16 year olds should have the vote.

It’s crazy to me that at 16, you can fight and die - for your country, have a child or get married, but you can’t have a say in the politics that affect you just as much as they do someone over-18.

The only counter argument in whether 16 year olds should be allowed to vote is that they may not understand politics well enough to make an informed decision, or be pressured by their family and friends to vote a certain way, but isn’t this true of anyone of any age?

I think it’s unfair to make a blanket judgement of 16 and 17 year olds as uninterested.

The problem with young people voting isn’t that they’ll vote for the “wrong” parties, but that they might not vote at all.

Politics needs to engage with the younger voter, after all, they are the voter, and maybe even the politician, of the future.

I saw this sort of engagement with the Scottish Independence referendum, where over 70% of those young people who turned out to vote voted in favour of independence.

Even my 17 year old sister, able to list the darkest secrets of the Kardashian family but not able to tell you the Prime Minister’s name, got involved in debates and discussions in the months leading up to polling day.

She, like many others her age, used the internet and social media to find out more information about things she didn’t understand, and had more facts and figures about currency and oil reserves to share than the older family members at the dinner table.

It was these young voters who knew about the BBC bias and the lies being published as facts by the UK Government.

It was those over 60 who fell victim to the scaremongering and voted ‘No’ by a

considerable majority - so why wouldn’t we want these young people involved in - and, in their ways, challenging - the electoral process?

I’m obviously not suggesting we take the vote away from the over-60s, or start turning to teenagers to solve the world’s problems, but we need to recognise the shift in modern day politics.

People have access to internet 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world, and have the world’s knowledge quite literally at their fingertips.

They have the power to tweet MPs, sign online petitions and discuss and debate with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Where politicians could once hide the things they don’t want you to hear, modern technology can find those things and share them with the world. And who makes daily, natural connections to modern technology every day? Teenagers do.

Maybe that terrifies the people in power, but maybe that’s exactly what we want to do.

Have an issue you want to raise, or an opinion that needs airing?

Our Comment team wants to hear from you!

Email us at badger-opinion@ussu.sussex.ac.uk or tweet us @TheBadgerNews

No Harry Howard My passion for politics was confirmed in 2010 when, as a sixteen year-old, I was captivated by a General Election campaign that was surely to culminate in the end of thirteen years of New Labour.

To be quite honest, I was desperate to have my own vote to cast.

Yet looking back at myself as a fresh-faced teenager whose political ideas were exactly the same as my Dad’s, I know that extending the franchise would be the wrong thing to do.

If Ed Miliband has his way, a new pool of gullible, easily swayed young people will be at his mercy.

Consider the fact that in the Scottish referendum – where 16 year-olds were able to vote – 71% of those aged 16 and 17 voted yes to independence, compared to just 45% in the result as a whole.

Some argue that that says young people were just more positive about the future of an independent Scotland.

I would argue that it says a lot about their inability to look at the bigger picture or properly assess the risks that the older generations could clearly see.

Surely this shows that people of that age, children that haven’t even started their Alevels, are too easily swayed by sweet talking politicians.

Turnout amongst 18 to 24 year-olds has been poor since the late 1990s, hitting an all-time low of 38% in 2005, but surely that should be addressed first before the age bracket is extended at the lower end.

This sort of move could potentially make the figures look even worse percentage-wise as the electorate will be larger.

Perhaps most surprising is the fact that, according to YouGov, 57% of 18 to 24 year

olds are opposed to the voting age being lowered.

That surely says that younger people are not at all confident that 16 year olds will use their vote wisely, if they vote at all.

Less of a surprise is the fact that 78% of over 60s reject the move.

“Turnout amongst 18 to 24 year-olds has been poor since the late 1990s... surely that should be addressed first before the age bracket is extended at the lower end.”

They are more pragmatic, more risk-averse and more worldly-wise; they know that 16 year olds are too young to properly weigh up the options and make an informed decision.

Every 60 year old knows how immature they were at 16, how unformed their personal beliefs were and how they were easily swayed.

There are undoubtedly some extremely wellread 16 year olds who perhaps, as individuals, deserve to be able to vote.

However, that certainly doesn’t mean that they should all be able to.

A situation can be imagined where millions of teenagers have no idea about who to vote for, so they do the same as their parents, which often means not voting at all.

Indeed, there are probably a handful of 15 year olds who could vote and make an informed decision, but no one is suggesting that they should get the vote because everyone knows that they have no idea about their personal politics or what they believe in as human beings, how does an extra year change anything at all?

Yes, we need to look at ways to improve the democratic process, but lowering the voting age by two years would be ineffective in addressing the long term issues of low turnout, lack of awareness and a lack of interest in the political process.

the badger

6 october 2014

SCIENCE • 12

Grey matter adversely affected by media multitasking Astrid Nardeccia If in this moment you are reading this article, “Whatsapping” a friend, browsing Facebook and Twitter simultaneously, pause and ponder.

According to a study published on the 24th of September in PLoS One there is a negative correlation between media multitasking and the volume of grey matter in the brain.

Media devices have become central to people’s everyday life and often we find ourselves using more than one device at a time. New University of Sussex research has stated that the usage of several media devices concurrently may alter the structure of the brain.

Media multitasking with its growing predominance in modern society has been associated with the decrease of cognitive control abilities and attention, as well as negative psychosocial impacts such as depression and social anxiety.

In the study carried out by Kep Kee Loh and Dr. Ryota Kanai it was found that grey-matter density in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex decreased with the amount of media multitasking activity.

Grey matter refers to all the neural cell bodies in the brain and along the spinal cord. It decodes all the sensory information the body receives into chemical data that the brain’s synapses can interpret; it does indeed matter.

We tend to use more than one technological device at the same

time unconsciously, perhaps thinking we are being efficient, however that may not be the case.

Kep Kee Loh, a neuroscientist at the University of Sussex, declared that: “Media multitasking is becoming more prevalent in our lives today and there is increasing concern about its impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being”.

These findings support previous studies that found links between media multitasking and inattention as well as anxiety and depression, according to the study.

However, it was also noted that training and learning new things such as juggling, or taxi drivers learning the map of London, can boost grey matter density in certain areas of the brain.

The University Of Sussex’s researchers recruited 75 healthy adults who were given a questionnaire on their habitual usage of media devices. By studying their media usage, they determined if there was a connection between media multitasking and grey matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is associated with cognition and processing.

The researchers at the University of Sussex’s Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine their brain structure.

The researchers found that the people who engaged in more media multitasking also had smaller grey matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex which is notably known

The Five Year Production Line - Life as a medical student Léon Sharman ‘He’s only lasted ten minutes!’ shouts an obnoxious second year as a fresher hemorrhages the contents of his stomach onto the patio floor next to me, as if to declare that we’ve subscribed to a sambuca fuelled game of last man standing.

‘That’s twice as long as he did last night!’ smirks a girl on the other side of room, but nobody hears her as the moment has already passed and they’re too busy barking the same generic introductory questions they’ve been using all week into each others faces.

This is something I’ve wanted for quite some time now. Not the smug looking second years hooting defunct orders in my face, but to be a medical student here at Sussex.

It seems that the faculty has spent the last week continually telling us how brilliant we are for trumping the other nineteen candidates to get each place.

There’s no doubt it’s going to the heads of some of my cohort,

dierk schaefer - Flickr to be responsible for cognitive and emotional control functions.

The neuroscientists Kep Kee Loh and Dr. Ryota Kanai suggested that media multitasking decreases the grey matter and consequently affects cognitive abilities and mental health.

needed to fully understand whether decrease in grey matter is a consequence or a cause.

It is still unclear whether high media device usage leads to structural changes in the brain or whether people with a lower grey matter density tend to media multitask more.

New antibiotics to target resistance genes in bacterial infections Desiree Fyle

especially after the suspiciously pleasant GMC man continues to gratify our egos. Now it’s a relentless string of introductory lectures, a carpet bombing of mostly irrelevant information reminding us what we’ve gotten ourselves into, interspersed with the occasional bit of flattery.

It’s as if we’ve been dropped onto the start of a five year production line with a hideous monster called the NHS waiting patiently at the end of the conveyor belt to devour us all.

Some words though, have truly resonated with me. ‘There’s a long road ahead’.

A regal quartet of demigod fifth years spoke to us earlier on, and as a result of their sheer sincerity but also the not so skillfully masked bags under their eyes, I’m now a little bit scared.

A quick glance around the lecture room paints a vivid picture of apprehension. There’s a lot on my mind and I wouldn’t rule out the nightmares now. There’s a long road ahead.

Moreover, as media multitasking activity is closely linked with personality traits such as neuroticism and extraversion, it is habitually predictive of structural differences in the brain.

Therefore, the neuroscientists insist that a long term study is

The prevalence of bacterial cells in our human bodies is substantial. There are millions upon millions of these cells living inside of us. Although most of these cells are harmless and moreover, helpful to our everyday living, there are some that are infectious and can go on to cause severe illness.

For example, acne is much less of a severe problem than say pneumonia, and they are both caused by bacterial infections. But not to worry, a superhero in the form of ‘antibiotics’ is always here to save the day! The unfortunate thing is however, all superheroes have their arch enemy, and in the case of antibiotics it is the resistance gene.

The purpose of an antibiotic is to treat bacterial infections or inhibit its growth. In some very unfortunate cases, the infections may become resistant to the antibiotic. That is, the treating mechanisms of the drugs will not work and the bacterial infections will continue to prevail and cause more damage. This may be due to increased amounts of resistant genes in the bacterial cells.

The importance of raising awareness for antibiotic resistance was recently

brought to light by Prime Minister David Cameron who spoke about how society could be led into an “unthinkable scenario where antibiotics no longer work, and we are cast back into the dark ages of medicine where treatable infections and injuries will kill once again.”

Many scientists have been trying to tackle the antibiotic resistance issue and recent research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows the production of new antibiotics that can target resistance genes.

MIT scientists have come up with a way to alter bacterial cells at the genetic level by using a system called CRISPR. Mechanisms about CRISPR published in the Nature Biotechnology journal state that it enables RNA guided nucleases (RGNs) to target resistant genes on DNA sequences and disable them.

One of the brilliant features of these CRISPR systems is that it is effectively customisable and can be directed to target unwanted resistant genes. After being programmed, the RGNs are packaged into bacteria carrying plasmids or bacteriophages to be taken into the target cell.

When inside the cell, it is now free to cut up the resistant gene to disable

it. The CRISPR system was treated on G. mellonella larvae or waxworms, and the survival rate significantly increased compared to no treatment.

The significance of these systems is extremely important to move forward in today’s health and treatment techniques. The provision of new antibiotics over the past decade or two has been severely limited and within the medical field, it is common knowledge that the overuse of existing antibiotics will only build up the rate of resistance in harmful bacterial cells.

Antibiotics can also destroy healthy bacteria strains which will leave room for resistant strains to form in its place.

Professor Timothy Lu of MIT describes that the “new type of antimicrobial” will lead to promising outcomes when killing “only bacteria that contain antibiotic resistance genes” in the future.

All of this research provides promising hope as we approach European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 November.

IRRI Photos - Flickr

THE BADGER

6 OCTOBER 2014

TECH • 13

European Gaming Expo report Alexandros Vitelis

On 26 September, I attended the European Gaming Expo in London, a huge floor space with various developers and publishers showing off their latest games and hardware, often before they’re even released to the general public.

Borderlands, Far Cry 4 and FIFA 15 were all there in force. Tournaments for prizes were also run.

I was lucky enough to trounce everybody in War Thunder, leaving with a T-shirt and gaming mouse.

Having never been to one of these before, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

One thing I should have expected were the lines. Line to get in, line to get food, lines to get into the lines to look at the lines.

Once you get to grips with the waiting and the ache of your feet from having to stand, you begin to recognise certain landmarks in the hall.

The one I used most often was the exuberantly loud shouting that constantly flowed from the Xbox One all day FIFA 15 tournament which was accompanied by the required amount of Top 40 tracks playing over increasingly weary speakers.

Using this as my North Star, I ventured further into the confusingly laid out centre.

Seeking refuge from the noise in

the NVidia booth, I came across the first of many gems at the expo, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

The guys at 2K had been kind enough to give us level 40+ characters to play with. I picked Claptrap, who manages to be every Borderlands character in one thanks to his randomised special. Keeping this short, I’m definitely picking this up come release day.

The layout of the Expo seemed to place the main, soon to be new, releases clustered in the centre, branching out into indie games and the like as you moved towards the edges.

To my delighted surprise, in a far flung corner there was an entire series of booths dedicated to old school games.

I’m talking Donkey Kong Jungle Beat on the Gamecube and the original Robocop on the Amiga and Commodore 64 all hooked up to those TVs that were about 12 feet long in the back.

As I was walking around, trying to figure out how to beat Donkey Kong on the bongo drums, I heard the very distinctive announcer voice.

“Impressive”, the voice boomed out.

Quake Live was attending.

Easily one of the best online shooters ever made, Quake 3 was as groundbreaking as the original Counter Strike, and Quake Live is no

different.

Bringing to the table enhanced graphics and the same hyper-response gameplay Quake Live was the centre of attention in this remote section of the floor.

No expo would have been complete without a Mario Kart tournament and, answering, Nintendo was in attendance and larger than life.

12 player, 8 race Grand-Prix complete with “that one guy” voting for Rainbow Road every time.

The final 4 races were neck and neck, the top 3 never being more than 10 points from each other when, in the last race, the blue shell came out to play and ended Bowser’s hopes of final victory and secured it for Peach.

Perhaps my most anticipated game there (among many), was Total War: Attila. For those who don’t know, this game places you as supreme ruler of an ancient nation in history and your goal is to lead a campaign to conquer the known world.

The line was brutal, the battle that you were thrust into once getting in, was worse.

Your measly force of 2,000 men are tasked in defending a city under siege from the dreaded Saxons who vastly outnumber you with a force of what could easily be 5,000. Nobody had beaten the scenario all week.

If you ever attend one of these (and I can’t recommend doing so enough) bring your own food and a folding chair, your wallet and your

Two weeks ago, week commencing 22 September, US Federal Aviation Administration gave permission for six television and film companies to use drones for filming.

This decision demonstrates a loosening of restrictions which face the commercialisation of drones.

Drone is a common term for unmanned aircraft. They have been used for military purposes for decades; the Israeli IAI Scout drone was first operated on combat missions in 1981.

More recently, many businesses have been developing drones for commercial purposes and philanthropic ventures.

Facebook’s Connectivity Lab, founded by Mark Zuckerberg, is attempting to make affordable Internet access possible in communities all around the world. The team is exploring a variety of technologies, including high-altitude long-endurance planes.

They suggest that that unmanned aircraft roughly the size of a 747 could provide internet connectivity to the world’s population who currently lack it, creating jobs and unit-

The Albion app for Android Don McCullough - Tech Times

feet will thank you. In the words of IGN, my feet hate me and my wallet cries, 10/10, would go again. Except this time, I’ll learn to drive. Those driving simulators are hard!

Alex Gr ønmark Alexandros Vitelis

Drones: when will they take off ?

Connor Cochrane Tech Sub-Editor

Alexandros Vitelis

ing people.

Engineering director Yael Maguire said: “In order for us to fly these planes — unmanned planes that have to fly for months, or perhaps years at a time, we actually have to fly above the weather, above all airspace. That’s between 60,000 and 90,000 feet.

Routinely, planes don’t fly there, and certainly not drones.”

The latest news is of great significance to firms including Amazon. Last year the US online retailer announced that the company was testing unmanned drones, called Octocopters, to deliver goods to customers.

According to Amazon Chief, Jeff Bezos, drones could deliver packages weighing up to 2.3kg to customers within 30 minutes of them placing their order.

However, he added that it could take up to five years for the service to start. This is due to the tight regulations currently in place which limit drone use.

Drones are not just relevant to the military and large US businesses.

In March 2014, Sussex Police announced a pilot project using drones.

They tested an Aeryon Skyranger for three months at Gatwick Airport.

The project is being funded by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

The equipment costs £35,000 with the training of four police officers costing £10,000.

Superintendent Brian Bracher said: “It could help us collect evidence and monitor events from a distance, which would help us detect crime and prosecute offenders.”

He added that they had seen media companies filming flooding in Surrey instead of using helicopters, and saw that the same techniques could be used by the police.

“Had we had the ability of this device, it would have enabled our command to actually get a good view of exactly what was happening,” he said.

The decisions of the FAA regarding filmmakers, could help Facebook and Amazon achieve their goals, and drones are already being used close to home.

Whether using drones for consumer goods delivery will be practical remains to be seen, but their usage is almost guaranteed to increase in the coming years.

Have something related to Tech you want to write about? Tech news, opinions or reviews? Email badger-tech@ussu.sussex.ac.uk or come along to one of our weekly writer’s meetings on Fridays at 2pm in The Badger office (above Falmer House common room)!

Tech Bytes of the week •

•

•

•

•

•

•

Reports arrive that the iPhone 6 Plus is prone to bending.

Apple suggest that this is rare.

Apple sells 10 million new iPhones in three days.

Google are cutting ties with rightwing lobby group over climate change dispute.

Radiohead vocalist, Thom Yorke, releases new ablum through BitTorrent.

Plans for increased data encryption in phones leaves FBI ‘concerned.’

Reports suggest that Windows 10 will arrive within the next year.

Student spends over £70 on virtual guns in Counter Strike. Is he mad?

the badger

6 october 2014 ARTS • 14

ARTS Paper Trails on a Mountain: Beacons Festival 2014 Stephen Weller visits Beacons Festival and gives us his verdict on the music and arts displayed over the weekend.

George Heaton

Stephen Weller Awaking to a delightfully sunny morning on the dales moist with sweat and still in Thursday’s full attire (yes, even my stomping boots) I wondered at what point Skipton’s microclimate had decided to undertake such a dramatic U-Turn: the night before, a chiller far worse than any in Southern climes, could only be remedied by cans of Carling and bars of Frusli. A few too many cans of Carling at that.

After the morning’s obligatory (and surprisingly pleasant) festival toilet visit I found myself loaded with the first of many words of praise for this intimate weekender that, as it were, has its s*** together. After a recuperative bun of Brisket at the champion Red’s BBQ and a Bloody Mary at the arena’s centrally located cocktail bar I was ready to go again, with my head set on a day camping at the RA stage, checking out some of the top electronic music talent of the weekend, both upcoming and readyrevered.

The eleven hour run of Max Graef, Dan Shake, Daphni, Daniel Avery and Roman Flügel that promised so much before the event came through as strong as it sounds; a day of disco, house and techno that started mellow, then went Detroit, then deeper and deeper through Avery’s until Flügel blew the roof with an hour of Acid to close up what was the best continuous stage day line up I’ve seen

at a festival of Beacons’ size since, well, ever.

The highlight? Surely Daphni, whose releases ‘Can’t Do Without You’ and ‘Our Love’ as Caribou have soundtracked a strong summer for the Canadian? Well yes, but while his own productions and some of his mixing is grin inducing, it was his vast record collection and tune selections that really earned him his stripes, particularly the mix of Butch and Ricardo Villalobos’ ‘Up’, an infinite tease of a techno builder that just never drops.

This, when finally released with Snaith’s mix into Robbie Tronco’s ball culture tribute and general belter ‘Runway as a House’, was a surefire moment of the weekend and all before 7 on the first day of music, no headliners in sight.

After the vices and length of Friday night it took us a good while to get going on Saturday morning.

The early part of the day consisted of a sit on the campsite, collecting ourselves for another day of music.

It was at this point, Frusli bar in hand, that I realised (as at TGE earlier this year) that when you’re in a press pass, you generally don’t go unnoticed by fellow pass-holders… the guy who approached me, as ever, loved to network, and as a matter of fact chat (I wonder why? Answers on the back of a postcard please) which is totally necessary when you’re running things for a large trader on site and lording it up on your AAA for the weekend.

Anyway, conversation dissipated when we realised we had nothing to talk about except our lanyards and it was about time for us to see Boiler Room music programmer Tasker at RBMA in the shadow of the festival’s exceptionally retro new ferris wheel, a surprise highlight in the last (and best) of the weekend’s sun.

Next up were Cheatahs, Joanna Gruesome, dinner and TRAAMS which went something like this: bad (messy sounding), great (aggressive pop-hardcore), bad (overly garlicky veggie paella), great (motorik). Following up the great time I’d had with the first bands of the weekend was always gonna be difficult, especially with Special Request set to blow my nut with breaks infused techno and jungle on the late shift, but headliner Jon Hopkins was just the man to do it for me.

With crisp HD visuals, giant flashing bouncy balls and top notch audio to boot, the one man show evoked the best of a major festival in a tent befitting a boutique one, congratulations Beacons. Playing out the best of Immunity, Hopkins particularly shone with the viscerally building attack of ‘Open Eye Signal’, a song which I now get goosebumps just listening to on an iPod. Talking of goosebumps, Special Request delivered a few directly after the headliner in the RA tent, most notably when dropping his rework of Tessela’s ‘Hackney Parrot’, breaks and rewinds all included and with his set closer, ending Saturday with the

Charles Lang

weekend’s most legitimately ‘gun fingers in the air’ moment, the euphoric jungle number by Omni Trio: ‘Renegade Snares’, cheesy? I don’t care a bit.

As far as I was concerned, Sunday was always gonna be my bands day, never that into the whole ‘deep house’ thing i’d opted out of all the DJs apart from A Love from Outer Space, who unfortunately due to adverse weather conditions were cancelled (a pity, but at least it gave me one less clash to think about). I was up bright and early to check out Dublin’s finest boy band, Girl Band, a noise rock outfit that are sure to do big things before too long, keep an eye out.

Next up I checked out Metz, a band who i’ve been long overdue to see, all the good things i’d been told about them (mainly how damn loud and aggro they are) I can now say are true.

Because my afternoon had been so loud I spent the afternoon aimlessly meandering the arts fields with mild tinnitus, awaiting what was sure to be a true highlight, the oldest, biggest institution on the lineup, The Fall.

In a way, as I always suspected, they were both incredible and disappointing; Mark E Smith’s vile snarl and sudden turns of aggression really do give the impression of a man a who allegedly dieted on a breakfast of corn flakes, amphetamines and Guinness at one point in his life. While exceptional in his performance and deranged vocal delivery, Smith terrified

us when his set was cut short due to high winds and rain, closing the main stage for a time.

Hurling abuse at his wife (keys) and petulantly kicking the sound guy in the shins, he left stage and I left to see Fat White Family, who acted as the perfect follow on, delivering a punk showcase with a vitriolic youthful energy that has escaped Mark E Smith in his older age.

Luckily however, Fat Whites’ frontman Lias Saoudi pertains to be Smith himself, as you can hear on the band’s new single (unsurprisingly entitled ‘I Am Mark E Smith’). Tasked with closing out the weekend in style, and in the recently reopened main stage, I can think of no one better than the downtempo Darkside, who cut through the wind and rain to give us a softly spiritual experience: the extended hip-Pink Floyd jams of Nicolas Jaar on programming and Dave Harrington on guitar felt like an ecclesiastic experience, a single spotlight focussing the attention of the crowd on the two men who had them totally entranced.

So cathartic was this ending that when I returned to find my tent obliterated by the wind, I had not a care in the world, and crawling into bed with a pair of charitable friends I didn’t worry about the traumatic return to a world outside of these fields in Skipton the following morning.

Beacons really is the perfect festival, large festival bookings on the site and feel of a small one. Buy yourself a ticket for next year, I know I will be.

THE BADGER

6 OCTOBER 2014

ARTS • 15

Reviews MUSIC

Steve Gerrard

Alt-J

Fear of Men

The Brighton Centre

The Hope

Tuesday 23rd September

Thursday 25th September

Josie Mortimer With the release of their album on Monday and the departure of Gwil Sainsbury earlier this year, there was a lulled nervousness towards Alt-J as they stepped nakedly forward as an independent trio.

Meteorically, the three talented musicians immediately transformed the venue into a powerhouse of exploding radiation, with coarse voices and dynamitic sounds rushing forward.

Impressive and expensive lighting flashed out over the floor while dazzling patterns of intricate symmetries lit up the screen behind.

It should have been an electrifying rave of non-stop dance and immersion into the music.

However, the audience seemed surprisingly dulled - those on the upper level perched stiff bodies on seats and held lifeless expressions, while those standing only bobbed along half-heartedly.

Having previously seen Alt-J at Reading Festival last year, where the crowd jostled, screamed and threw their hands into the air as fake snow exploded in a flurry downwards, this felt more akin at first to a funeral than a concert.

A sitting, silent audience was such a peculiarity as they peered down emotionlessly.

Even after the last song of the set “Breezeblocks”, floods of uninterested fans peeled away from the main crowd and off their seats, leaving fairly quickly and quietly.

No one cheered for an encore or urged to even catch another glimpse

MUSIC

Honeyblood The Hope

Sunday 27th September Tom Jenkinson Before anything is said, we should all be thanking our lucky stars that this gig even went ahead, what with a whopping 50% of Honeyblood disbanding mere days into their tour.

Admittedly this only equates to one band member, but amazingly they immediately managed to find a replacement drummer, then off they trotted onto their next date, seemingly unaffected by this bump in the road.

The night kicked off with dream popsters Soph Nathan, somewhat of a Brighton supergroup, comprising of members of local favourites Bayy, Hella Better Dancer and Birdskulls.

Next up the night took a turn for the gorier, with Bloody Knees bring-

MUSIC

Victoria Rodrigues O’Donnell Arts Sub-Editor

Cat

of the trio.

Granted, there were points when the band seemed submerged by a voltaic cascade of visual effects and struggled to override the blasting torrents of lights.

But the audience were utterly robotic - “Matilda” and “Every Other Freckle” are the only songs that truly stand out where the audience shed their metallic shells and swayed, cavorted, flirted with the detonating melodies pumping out from the ensemble.

Couples danced together sprightly as “Matilda” was crooned out coolly while “Every Other Freckle” became the jive of the individual as everyone adopted their own moves independently of one another, while others

scrambled on the shoulders of those nearby to wave their hands in the air.

The release of their new album delivered a different atmosphere to that of their debut, An Awesome Wave.

“Left Hand Free” stands disconnected from their otherwise psychedelic chants, holding an entirely isolated aura of its own, while Miley Cyrus’ blunt insertions into “Hunger of the Pine” push Alt-J into an edgier new voice they had left previously untouched.

While still holding a kaleidoscopic, tranquil tone, they have started to evolve and progress; which all got witnessed during their electric performance in the Brighton Centre.

ing their raucous brand of grungey slacker rock to the table, rattling through their mostly injury inspired set with the likes of ‘Stitches’ and ‘Bones’.

Shirts were removed.

Chests were beaten.

Amps inexplicably stopped working.

This charmingly ramshackled performance was very much in keeping with the image of the band.

With the culmination of Bloody Knees the temperature in the venue noticeably changed from pleasantly warm to sweat-infused stickiness, as punters crammed themselves into the sold out pub to witness this hotly tipped Glaswegian duo.

As the band bustled their way through the packed room to the stage, the crowd had their collective fingers/toes/teeth crossed that their performance would open just as their debut record does, with possibly the standout track of the album, ‘Fall Forever’.

Sadly instead of being met with gargantuan arena rock the crowd had to make do with medium sized

pantry rock, as what should have been a highlight of the set fell a bit flat.

This looked to be down to a rushed soundcheck, meaning lead singer Stina’s guitar was criminally quiet.

Thankfully she made sure to rectify this, requesting politefully but firmly for the sound engineer to turn her guitar up to the dizzying levels the audience were anticipating.

From this point on the gig went from strength to strength, as the girls slunk into the dark and brooding ‘Biro’ followed by ‘Anywhere But Here’, dropping in their more folky material like ‘Bud’ and ‘Joey’, before steadily ratcheting up the crowd with the likes of ‘Choker’ and ‘All Dragged Up’.

By the time they unveiled their anthemic single ‘Super Rat’ the audience was all but too willing to bellow the signature chorus back at them, the whole room screaming “I will hate you forever” towards the wide eyed duo.

Finishing on ‘Killer Bangs’, the crowd erupted into a mess of limbs

Thanks to the lovely warm up performance by The Hundredth Anniversary, Fear of Men were greeted by claps and cheers at The Hope.

Following a busy Summer of touring and being somebody else’s support act (the Pains of Being Pure At Heart helped take them across to the US and the rest of Europe), the band began with a strong opening and quickly merged into several songs off their debut album, Loom.

The lead singer Jessica Weiss’ cooing vocals swept away the audience to another planet made up solely of shoegaze, vegan cafes and cutesy beach houses (not a coincidence that they’re Brighton based), whilst the guitars fit in as a perfect backdrop.

Packed to the brim, the upstairs of The Hope (a brilliant pub with somewhat questionably priced alcohol)

was perhaps too small a venue for such a large sounding group.

Their dreamy shoegaze/twee pop with a sort of 60s girl group twang would suit a much larger space which could allow the vocals to travel and echo.

Instead, the gig felt too squashed and intimate in the bad sense.

As much as fans would love to get right up close, it left others with rucksacks in their faces and pints almost being spilt.

Despite the lack of oxygen at times, the audience were eager to soak in every ounce of the band’s beautiful soundscapes.

Some were at times rather rudely talking over songs, but for the most part it was a sweet display of locals getting to hear a local band done good.

When reaching the inevitable encore (unless you went to the alt-J gig which didn’t seem to feature one!), the group finished with two songs practically gupled up by the dazed audience.

The final notes of “Ritual Confession” complemented their opening track to the set, “Waterfalls”, beautifully and left the crowd with a perfect reminder of who they are and a promise of where they’re going.

Isobel Harrop

and plastic cups, with swinging from the lighting fixtures, crowd surfing and stage invasions all managing to be fit into the modest 155 seconds of the song.

After a fairly innocuous start the

gig snowballed into a lovely, chaotic treat, one which left you with your ears ringing, your t shirt drenched, but also with a big stupid grin on your face.

Honeyblood Press

THE BADGER

6 OCTOBER 2014

ARTS • 16

LIFESTYLE

Hard work in first year: is it worth it ?

Anna Sudnitcyna In first year, students are always told that their marks for first year won’t affect their degree and all they basically need to do is pass the year.

And that, in my opinion, this is a huge mistake.

Obviously with that attitude, most freshers will party all the time (even on weekdays, when they have a 9am lecture the next morning).

Or at least that’s what I did.

I can’t complain: I had a great time at my first and second years (albeit, not always in the morningsafter-the-nights-before !).

Spending time with my university friends and making the most of my new-found freedom seemed far more interesting than doing the reading for my seminars.

Moreover, it was actually quite fun missing lectures and wasting time watching Netflix during term.

But at the end of the term it all came back to me: writing an essay the night before submission isn’t as easy as it seems.

If it works during first year, it’s only because you have the idea that trying hard isn’t really necessary.

In that one awful night when you have to do all the work that you didn’t do during semester, you blame yourself and promise that you will never do it again.

But when it is over, it all goes back to how it was.

I was lucky enough to mostly get away with good marks for my “one night work”.

So I thought, why I should spend all those hours in the library if I can

The Gladstone

Gladstone Press

Lily Cooper

Village Roadshow Pictures

Capstone Education Centre go out with my housemates?

Except, of course, that it was easier to get away with it, when I only needed to write 1,000 - 2,500 words.

Later, with 4,000, it became impossible.

And now as third year student I’ve realized that I’m not used to trying hard or doing my best, attitudes which are so important in your final year, when your entire future depends on it.

But I always had the feeling that I just had to do it, to get the work done as fast as I could, making it hard to enjoy the course.

Now when I go to the library almost every day and do all my reading, I actually remember why I chose my course in the first place.

Moreover, I have come to realize that I can enjoy my studying as much as going out with friends.

From my perspective as third year

student, I kind of regret not spending more time working in the library, because I find it really hard to change my attitude towards studying, switching from careless fresher to responsible future professional.

So if some freshers are reading this now, here is my advice, party hard, because university is still best time of your lives.

But never forget the reasons which brought you to university in the first place.

Adventures on the Alster Lake

Ralph Palmer

When planning our trip, Hamburg was merely a stop-over to break up the long journey between Amsterdam and Berlin.

Never did we think that it could be the place that would throw us into the funniest situation of our month’s travels.

Hamburg itself doesn’t have a huge amount to offer, being mainly just an important harbour town.

With little else to do, we decided to take a stroll around the Alster Lakes, in the centre of the city, and doing so we came across a pedalo hire for around 10 euros.

Bargain, we thought. However, blindsided by the pedalo’s amusing name, we failed to notice we’d picked the oldest, rustiest one available.

Tactically taking the back seat, this mattered little to myself and Joe, who enjoyed the scenery as Louis and Tom sweated making the pedals go round.

Besides this stiffness, it was however

Pub of the week

Tripadvisor

“We’d landed ourselves perfectly in the middle of a sailing race.”

all plain sailing…

Or it was... We then found ourselves suddenly surrounded by a couple of dozen sailing boats trying to avoid us.

We’d landed ourselves perfectly in the middle of a sailing race.

As Germans shouted at us left, right and centre, we all started panicking and arguing about the best way to get out.

Quickly. In the end, we just decided to make a dash for it.

As we got closer to edge and spotted a gap, Louis and Tom pedalled [fast].

Rocking so hard it felt like it was about to fall apart underneath us we managed to steer the pedalo towards the edge, and all was well that ended well.

Or, perhaps apart from the boat that had to drastically swing off course to avoid hitting us.

If the experience did succeed in putting us off from hiring another pedalo on our trip, looking back, it’s possibly my favourite story to tell from travelling.

A Brighton landmark for many, the Gladstone is often affectionately known as ‘the big CarmelH yellow pub on Lewes road’.

Popular among many a student and slightly scruffier Gyratory local alike, the place’s, friendly, relaxed atmosphere, shabby-chic interior, array of good student deals and (so I’ve been told) rather delicious gourmet burgers make it one of Brighton’s best drinking spots on the weekend.

Price: 3.5/5 If like me, gin and tonics are your tipple of choice, the Gladstone may not be your pub of choice, with a double G&T costing around the £4 mark.

However, if you are less Fitzgeraldian in your tastes, you can enjoy their student deals, with a Carling for £3.25 or a vodka and mixer for £2.50.

Also enjoy from tap a decent range of local ales and ciders.

Atmosphere: 4/5 The whole place has a good atmosphere, albeit it can get quite busy at the weekend, to the point where you may have to shout a bit over your pint to hold a conversation, so be sure to grab a seat in the quieter beer garden.

More traditional pub-goers may perhaps enjoy the free table football on Wednesdays and Thursdays, whilst others might like the various music nights the place is host to.

As with most places, the ‘acoustic guitar/harmonica set’ night is possibly best avoided, but keep your eyes peeled for some brass band fun.

the badger

6 october 2014 ARTS â&#x20AC;˘ 17

Showcase- Time Time It has drifted, It is almost gone, There is no getting it back.

Some of it cherished, Some of it lost, Most of it forgotten.

What I would do, For just a little more.

Come back to me, Please.

I swear, this time, I will treat you right.

This time I promise I will really change.

I know now, You are not forever.

Next weeks theme is Identity.

Send your creative pursuits to jh488@sussex.ac.uk

by Tuesday 7th October C heck the B adger Website for more themed submissions!

- Jemada Cicely

Shima Jalal Kamali

Hannah Rose Shaw

Lauren Cole

Alice Nettleship

Fahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d Khalid

Daniel Hadley

the badger

6 october 2014 Arts •19

Arts

Editor’s Picks

Arts Editor Ioana Matei shares her tips on the week ahead in culture GIGS Caro Emerald Brighton Centre Thursday 9th October, 6 pm £22.50 Here’s your chance to see Dutch jazz singer Caro Emerald perform live her infectious, chart-topping tunes as she embarks on her rescheduled March tour.

Her album The Shocking Miss Emerald released in April 2013 went straight to No. 1 in the UK album chart, proving that her 50s inspired combination of salsa, samba and jazz revived by contemporary pop influences is definitely worth the listen!

Fuck

Brighton Centre

ART

Brighton Photo Biennial 4 October - 2 November 2014 FREE Calling all art aficionados for a month packed with exhibitions, screenings, talks and workshops spread all over the main creative spots in Brighton with the industry’s best.

The Wooden Arms Press

ber music, shaken with an enlightening alternative stance.

While catching the attention of music critiques from a vast range of genres, their classical approach to modern music combines beautifully melodic vocals with the twist In celebration of their new album ‘Tide’, Sussex University of delicately composed strings graduate Jeff Smith and his band and upbeat trip-hop percussion; presenting us all with an open The Wooden Arms (plus guests invitation to embark upon an aweTBA) take to the stage at our very own Green Door Store this inspiring evening.

Sunday.

Tickets: £5adv/£6 on the door. StuAfter recently appearing on the playlists of BBC Radio 3 and dents only £3 with valid student ID. 6, the band presents a charming Gracie Flo Cummings combination of traditional cham-

GIGS Moddi Komedia Wednesday 8th October, 7:30pm £7.48 Norwegian singer Pål Moddi Knutsen’s musical sensibilities have often been described as a cross between Damien Rice and Bjork, with live performances that create an ethereal sonic experience for the listeners.

A self-taught musician, Moddi’s preference for accordions and acoustic guitars has given birth to a unique blend of folk, pop and postrock melodies that guarantee he will put on a show to remember!

Society Event

Sussex Festival 2014 University of Sussex Wednesday 8th October 1pm - 3am 14£

Sussex Festival is a one-day art and music festival organized by the reestablished Sussex Records society which aims to record and promote student artists from the University of Sussex.

Spread all around campus, from Mandela Hall to East Slope and Falmer Bar, this first event promises to deliver lots of music, happy hour drinks ALL DAY and a limited edition Sussex Festival T-shirt so go get your tickets now!

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

Moddi Press

Film Our Feelings Took the Pictures Silverstone Building Room 309, University of Sussex Thursday 9th October, 6pm-8pm FREE In a collaboration between Sussex Centre for the Visual and the BPB, the University of Sussex is screening film director Maysoon Pachachi’s extraordinary documentary that follows a group of five women from different cities in Irag who emark on a remarkable photography project – Open Shutters Iraq.

Open Shutters Iraq

GIGS The Wooden Arms The Green Door Store Sunday 12th October, 7:30pm

Brighton Comedy Festival Press

COMEDY

Brighton Comedy Festival 10th October – 25th October The 10th of October marks the beginning of the thirteenth edition of the Brighton Comedy Festival, boasting over 70 performances across 16 days from the likes of Jack Dee, Rich Hall, Simon Amstell, Milton Jones, Josh Widdicombe and much more.

Taking place all across the city, from Brighton Dome, to the Old Market and Komedia, this year’s programme promises to deliver tons of laughter!

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

Badger Writers

THE Sussex Records

BADGER

the badger

6 October 2014

SporTS • 20

SPORTS

Why get involved in sports at the University of Sussex Jack Lloyd Whether it is becoming the University’s next top striker, or a weekly spin session at the gym, getting involved with a sport activity during your university years is paramount.

It has come to that time in the term where people are settling into their lectures and getting bored of the same club night every week.

Many of them don’t consider sport an ‘essential’ part of their degree course so we ask the question, why get involved?

FITNESS The bottom line of all sporting activity is that it increases fitness. The

government recommends a short walk per day or at the very least standing rather than sitting.

The suggestion is that even this small step towards being active can have a massive impact on your health.

Therefore signing up to the university gym, or a team that interests you is an excellent way of shaking off that Fresher’s week guilt.

The University gym provides fitness rooms, strength rooms and weekly programs for those wanting a controlled and organised session.

What better way to watch your favourite soap than whilst burning calories?

SOCIALLY ACTIVE

One of the most exciting things about being involved is the social element.

With most teams organising regular gatherings it is your chance to show them how it’s done.

Some of the best socials in the university are run by sports teams, ranging from a night out in the town to team tours in foreign countries.

Joining a team gives you the opportunity to expand your friendship groups, see different cities on away games and socialise with a wholly different plethora of people who you wouldn’t usually include alongside house mates, course mates and newly formed fresher’s friendships.

JOY

Sport is fun. Otherwise it simply wouldn’t exist.

Behind every curse at the official on the pitch, behind every tear at relegation and behind every scrunched, red and sweaty face on the cross-trainer in the corner of the gym there is a little part of us that enjoys the activity we choose to partake in.

WINNING You are forgiven for thinking it’s the taking part that counts, and to some extent it is.

There is however a feeling of joy and prestige, unlike any other, that comes with winning.

It is no secret winning feels good.

Joining a University sports team can

elevate your student status to star player and beyond.

How to get involved at Sussex?

Fresher’s fair is dead and gone but do not fear, there is no deadline for signing up as sports teams would welcome the next Mo Farah or Paula Radcliffe anytime.

There are plenty of ways to get involved in sporting activities by visiting the SU website.

There is a list of the sports societies with information on certain sessions, whether social with Active US or competitive.

The truth is there is something in sport for everyone, don’t be afraid to expand your horizons.

Sussex Hockey Men’s 2s Prepare for 2014/15 Title Push Cosmo Sanderson

Another year brings another season for the University of Sussex hockey 2nd XI as they start training this week ahead of their October 15th opener against City University London 1st team.

Despite the impression they may give if you’re lucky enough to bump into them on the early hours of Thursday morning on the Pryzm dance floor, the hockey is taken deadly seriously and they’ll all be fighting to return to full match fitness ahead of the coming campaign.

After summers of comfort and relaxation men’s 2s can now look forward to the familiar sights of Falmer sports complex on windy and rainy Monday nights for the foreseeable future.

Led by head coach Peter Thomas, they will be drilled hard on shooting, fitness and tactical manoeuvres, knowing that lung busting sprinting exercises await if they fail to meet the various targets set for them.

Men’s 2s do however have a point to prove after last year, as they narrowly missed out on promotion from the BUCS Hockey South Eastern 5A league, finishing second to Chichester Men’s 2nd after a long and hard fought season.

Despite going unbeaten in their 8 other games, winning 5 and drawing 3, heavy defeats home and away to the eventual champions saw them miss out on the title.

If they can however maintain their consistent record against the weaker teams in the league, whilst improving the results from clutch games there is no reason that this year they can’t elevate themselves to the elusive BUCS 4A league for the first time in their history.

A successful league campaign will depend on a continuation of the goalscoring form they discovered in the second half of the previous season that saw them rising from an average of just over 1 league goal a game before Christmas to nearly 3 after it.

Conversely they will be also hoping

that last seasons late slump in their defensive record is arrested as they slipped from conceding just 1 goal a game prior to Christmas to 2.5 after.

Reading Men’s 4s are likely to provide once again provide tough competition for Sussex after finishing just a point behind them in the 13/14 season.

After Julian Lowe’s infamous ‘Foot of God’ incident (need I say more), which gave Sussex 2s a crucial advantage in the fiery win against Reading last campaign they will not be short of motivation when it comes to pushing Sussex all the way for the title.

The two teams relegated from the league above in Roehampton 1st and City University London 1st are also unknown packages and could certainly be very dangerous sides to face.

Captaining the 2s this season will be striker Lawrence De Souza in what will be his second year in the team.

Other returning regulars include Zak Knill, Simon Green and Nathan Finnis, who are all going into their third, and

presumably final, years for Sussex Hockey. Also key to Sussex 2s success will be Josh Wenzel, who won the clubs player of the season award last year playing at centre back.

With a solid spine of experienced players in the team and a new group

of talented younger freshers there’s no doubt this is Sussex’s 2s best chance yet at a BUCS 5A title.

Everybody can support the 2s for their first home game against City University London on 15th of October at 2PM.

Between $300 Million And The Blacktop – The Meaning of Modern Sports Vladko Grozev Sports Sub-Editor Professional American basketball player and NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant received $300 million to endorse Nike for the next 10 years.

The deal’s completion marked the end of a summer-long duel between Nike and Under Armour for the superstar’s signature.

While it is hardly news, it is the meaning of the contract that matters most.

Over the course of the summer I used the brilliant Falmer Sports Complex’s open street ball court.

During my time there, I had the perfect opportunity to play against opponents from different persuasions, beliefs and gender, cour-

tesy of the International Summer School. While I know many of you want to know about my basketball prowess, I would like to go back to the Durant deal.

The majority of my readership would argue that money destroys the beauty of any game and the aforementioned contract is a perfect example.

Allow me to defend the minority‘s point of view here.

While $300 million may seem a lot to anybody who makes ends meet with his £50 a day job, Durant’s money is justified if you look at it from an abstract angle.

The angle of the blacktop. Let’s imagine you are a basketball player, who shoots baskets on the aforementioned Falmer Sports Complex’s court, and are approached by

a shy colleague, sporting the brand new Nike Kevin Durant 7 shoes on his feet.

Do you ignore his presence or mention them as his first distinctive feature?

Do you engage in a friendly conversation about Durant or hit the mute button on your own mouth?

Many of my encounters with fellow players this summer followed the outlaid scenario and the things I learnt or the good times I have enjoyed were way more valuable than silence would ever be.

Now the mere presence of Durant in this scenario seems abstract, but that is how it should be.

It should be like that when you argue with housemates about the Super Bowl, with your father about the NBA playoffs or when your

mother screams with joy because of the title-clinching Sergio Aguero goal. Those are moments, which you do not necessarily have to be involved with sports to embrace and remember forever.

Many of you are grown up and do not believe in fairytales. I am as fine with that as a parking ticket.

But sports, represented by professional athletes, act as a form of escapism.

Every individual game has a power, way beyond the cheap thrill of winning, to change lives, create friendships for life or moments, which are recalled on people’s deathbed.

So, for any of you who do not believe me, see for yourself. See a university game.

Become a part of a sports club or

Active US. Watch a sporting contest at East Slope. You might like it.

I will leave you with my favourite sports anecdote/story of all time.

Interpret it as you wish: ‘A dying Manchester City fan became a Manchester United fan.

His friends got worried and called a pastor to get rid of the ‘devil’ inside of him.

After trying several times, the holy man was unable to do his job and asked the fan why he turned on his favourite club.

The man responded: “I do not want a Manchester City fan to die, father. Let one of them do.

the badger

6 October 2014

Societies - 21

SOCIETIES SPOTLIGHT ADVERTISE YOUR SOCIETY On this page you can find out about

what our societies jave been up to and what their plans are for the coming weeks! You can view and join all of our 150 + socities online at www.sussexstudent.com/societies. If you’d like to advertise your society on this page, send your articles to societies@sussexstudent. com by 12pm on Wednesdays.

CHRISTIAN UNION

Warm salutations to you Sussex Freshers! We are the official Sussex University Christian Union and we welcome people of all denominations, Christians and nonChristians alike to join us and explore some of life’s big questions! If that sounds a bit too heavy for you then just come along to our events for the free food and general good times. Throughout the year we host a load of amazing events and weekly meetings for you to get involved in and enjoy. Come find us in Lancaster House Foyer, where you can help yourself to some FREE tea and toast from 10pm until 2am. And remember, this wasn’t just exclusive to Freshers Week. We do this EVERY Thursday for the rest of the academic year! This event has become pretty legendary at Sussex Uni so come along and be a part of it! Keep your eyes peeled for our other big events throughout the year like our Christmas Carol service and free lunch and discussion bars. Look forward to seeing you there!

ZINE

The Zine Society is a brand new society for people who would like to read, make and distribute zines at Sussex. Zine making can involve writing, drawing, photography, collage, and curation but there are no rules or limits: they can be about any subject, from music to politics. We want to create an inclusive space where people with an interest in self-publishing and/or d.i.y. ethics can exchange ideas and collaborate. We also want to provide a platform for Sussex based zines! We’re planning on screening films, hosting workshops and speakers, with the end goal of putting on a zine fair and building a zine library and distro.

We want to hear your ideas: facebook.com/sussexzinesoc

RAG

URBAN GAMING

It’s been a crazy start to term for RAG, and we loved seeing so many enthusiastic faces at Freshers Fair, where over 460 people signed up to our mailing list! We also completed our first fundraising of the year, collecting over £700 for East African Playgrounds by doing the Brighton Colour Run. If you’re still looking for ways to get involved with us at RAG, there will be an OPEN MEETING this Tuesday, 30 September, at 8-9pm in Meeting Room 1 - come along and have a chat with us about the opportunities we can offer you within our society.

Have a great week!

Remember the games we used to play as kids? Running around, or sneaking and hiding? Perhaps imaginary lava that you couldn’t step in may well have featured? Just because we’re all older now, doesn’t mean we can’t still play these games! As adults in fact, our games can be bigger, and much more ridiculous! Imagine a campus wide game of capture the flag or zombie tag. Last year we held a city wide game involving cryptic clues, chasing Agent Sherman through the streets and Zombies! We have plans to hold another one of these games this term. Interested? Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/USSUurbangames or join our Facebook group (University of Sussex Urban Games) for details of our weekly games!

EQUINE

Horses? Friends? Fun? If you would tick all three of them, then the Equine Society is one of the things that you definitely have to try! We organize regular riding lessons at the Meadows Equestrian Centre, hold weekly meetings for everyone who’s up for a horsey chat or wants to participate in the running of the society and monthly socials for members to get together and PARTY even if you’ve never ridden before, it’s an amazing opportunity to experience something extraordinary! There is no membership fee - you just pay for your lessons. Check our Facebook page for more information or come along to our meetings!

UKULELE

For those of you who want to join a fun society with friendly, likeminded people look no further than UkeSoc! Over the past couple of years, the Ukulele Society has been awarded Most Outstanding Society of the Year, performed regularly at gig nights at East Slope, the Geography Ball, and taken part in charity functions such as Spring Fest. We organise weekly socials to encourage bonding between old and new members and we’re very keen on catering to all musical abilities. We hold rehearsals on Wednesdays in Falmer House: 6-7pm for Beginners and 7-8pm for advanced members. This year, we’re looking to play more gigs on campus and Brighton and are also in the exciting process of arranging an outreach program in schools in our area. Come along to a rehearsal and let us show you what we’re all about!

FOOTBALL MANAGER The Football Manager Society is the perfect place for those with an insatiable desire to talk rubbish about football in general and the Football Manager series. We are entering our fourth year as a society and we think we’ve finally found the perfect template (that or we’re entering the Moyes era of the society but hopefully not). We organise an event every week, including nights out in Brighton for socials or to watch the best of the Premier League and European games. We also offer our boisterous support to local sides Lewes or Whitehawk a few times a term. FMSoc is a terrific place to meet people with similar footballing interests, even if you’ve never played the series.

We can’t wait to expand the society some more in September and bring in some fresh new talent, mainly because we’re trying desperately to win an award! facebook.com/groups/FMsoc/ , twitter.com/fmsoc

BOARD GAMES Are you bored playing with your smartphone/computer games? Join SUSSEX BOARD GAME SOCIETY! The Board Game Society organizes regular gatherings for our members to learn to play different kinds of board games (types of board games may vary in different countries), to improve one’s strategic thinking and to meet new friends.

The society provides several board games but encourages our members to bring their own board games and share their experience

with the others. Drinks will be provided in our gatherings. Find out more details at: www.facebook. com/groups/sussexboardgamesociety

CUBAN SALSA

All dancing (or just very curious) souls, hear this! We are the Sussex Cuban Salsa Society and would warmly welcome you to our classes and great community! Our salsa, bachata, merengue and reggaeton filled sessions are held in Mandela Hall every Monday 8-10 pm and no partner or experience is required: classes are divided to suit different levels and we dance in big circles switching partners every few minutes. No membership is needed either; each class is £3 for students and £5 for others so you can just turn up for salsa whenever you feel like it. Once you’ve learned the basics, we will invite you to join us in exciting things like showing off your skills at different salsa venues in town, popping up at flash mobs or amazing the spectators in Sussex Got To Dance competition. If you are interested, check out our Facebook page for more information.

ENGLISH We are the English Society! Founded in the spring, we’re here to serve the needs and interests of all students from the School of English.

So from helping new students navigate the labyrinthine corridors of Arts B to organising socials, film screenings and other English themed events, we’re here to help bring people from across the department together. This term, we’ll be running an inaugural social for everyone in the School from all years, a parenting scheme where second and third year ‘parents’ adopt a first year ‘child’, and a journal to showcase creative writing from students across the university. If you have any questions, requests or ideas you think we could help with, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us, we’re on Facebook as Sussex English-Soc.

STUDENT AMATOMY SOCIETY The Student Anatomy Society’s main goal is to further students’ understanding and interest in anatomy through a variety of different events of both an educational and social nature. In our first year as a society we organised

a talk from a guest lecturer and raised hundreds of pounds through bake sales and an anatomy quiz night; all money which we can now use to fund future amazing events and trips! For example, we hope to invite some more guest lecturers to give talks in different areas of the field, set up some peer-topeer teaching sessions, organise trips to anatomy museums, social nights, art-and-anatomy drawing sessions and much more! This society is great for both medics and non-medics alike, you just have to have an interest in anatomy to enjoy our events. We look forward to welcoming you into our society this upcoming year!

SPANISH

!Hola amigos! The Spanish Language Society hope to have another successful year of getting to know students from other countries and speaking and improving our Spanish through social events! We want to bring together Spanish speakers of all levels and take part in Spanish/Latino activities! Some of us are returning from years abroad in Latin America and Spain and come with lots of ‘ganas’ to share the Spanish and Latino fiesta culture that we experienced, as well as new cooking skills! Come along and visit us at Freshers Fair where you can talk to us more about future events and the organization of the society!

Adios!

WHY JOIN A SOCIETY? Joining a socieity is a real must for all students.Because of the wide variety of societies Sussex has to offer, there is something for everyone. Most of the socities don’t mind if you just turn up occasionally, so there’s really no harm in giving them a go! Furthermore, they look incredible on your CV!

Your Careers and Employability Centre Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about you!

Your future starts here...

The Careers and Employability Centre works with you from day one to help you to learn how to turn your higher education experience to your career advantage.

There are lots of things that we can do to help you during your first year, including: finding a part-time job, improving your study skills, securing a placement and getting work experience.

Talk to us to find out more.

We are located in the Library T 01273 678429 E careers@sussex.ac.uk

e ar e re W e h

www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/ / jobs /placements /careersadvice /events /sussexplus Study Skills www.sussex.ac.uk/s3

The Careers and Employability Centre is located in the Library

the badger

6 October 2014 Arts •24

Arts

Listings: UniTV and URF

Monday 6th Scumbag College 11am-12pm

Hosted by Lottie Brazier

An Afternoon with Charles and James - 12-1pm Hosted by Charlie Wall

Tuesday 7th The Burrito Show 11am-12pm

Hosted by Nick Stewart

Wednesday 8th

Earlier With Ellie Holland

Afternoon Alternative

1-2pm

12-1pm

Hosted by Ellie Holland

Hosted by Francesca Powell

The Paddy Hour 1-2pm

SUDS Soapbox

Friday 10th

Thursday 9th

Hosted by Paddy Osmond

The URF Review Show 11am-1pm

Hosted by John McKenna-Hughes

12-2pm

Magazine & Wine Party 2-3pm

Hosted by Em Chittock

Hosted by Holly Hagan-Walker

The Sam Berkay Show

Paige with Guests

Sian’s Pic N Mix

1-2pm

Hosted by Paige Smith

Live it live with Jonny Meah 2-3pm

Hosted by Jonny Meah

The Electric Hour 5-6pm

Hosted by Ollie Heathcock

Little Al’s Big Show 2-3pm

6-7pm

Hosted by Nick Werren

The B/C Sandwich 7-8pm

Hosted by Benji Kusi

Going Nowhere Slow 8-9pm

Everyday Desert Island Discs 3-4pm

Hosted by Alex Mason

The Magical Music Tour 4-5pm

Anorak Ashtray 6-7pm

Hosted by Joseph Oliver

Anorak Ashtray 6-7pm

Hosted by Joseph Oliver

The Everything Hour 7-8pm

Hosted by Julian Paszkiewicz

Hosted by Lewis Cockle

Gardeners’ Hour

Cult of the Black Pudding

Hosted by Sam Hislop

1-2pm

Hosted by Akintunde Akinsowon

Mole

8-9pm

Hosted by Beau O’Shea

6-7pm

The World Show Holly Cassidy 4-5pm

Hosted by Sebastian Tiley

5-6pm

Hosted by Callum Sellins

Retrofit

Hosted by Holly Cassidy

5-6pm

Hosted by Matthew Locke-Cooper

6-7pm

7-8pm

Hosted by Sam Siva

Tropical Hot Dog Night

The URF News Show

Hosted by Thomas Powell and Raymond Jennings

Hosted by Benji Kusi

Night Falls

Hosted by Elana Crowley

Stone’s Throw

6-7pm

8-9pm

Tangled Roots 8-9pm

Hosted by Chloe Mo

Alphabet Soup

Hosted by Adam Whitmore

Hosted byHarry Reddick

The Mo-mentous Show

7-8pm

7-8pm

Discocks

The Green Frog Show

Hosted by Thomas Houlton

9-10pm

Hosted by Sam Berkay

Hosted by Alice Finney

Hosted by James Blay

The Nick Werren Show

2-4pm

Hosted by Sian Williams

4-5pm

Jeremiah’s Urban Central

8-9pm

Make sure you listen and get involved at: www.urfonline.com

9-10pm

Hosted by Tiago Franco

Make sure you have a look at our website at www.unitvlive.com (or search for us on Facebook!) for more details about how to meet, watch, write, pitch, produce, film, act and get involved with all things UniTV!

Read, Write and Get Involved: www.badgeronline.com @thebadgernews facebook.com/thebadger.ussu

THE

BADGER